Proud

They gathered beneath a giant of a tree, not just swaying in the breeze, but rocking, whipping, towering over the guests who had gathered to pay tribute to those, gone before, who had provided great service to this country.

They came bearing humility, sadness, presenting gifts of flags once presented to them after their own losses.They came with pride in their lost loved ones who gave so much, and now, the flag will carry the name of that loved one, flying in the "Avenue of Flags" and his name will be uttered each year as we come together to remember. This is the least we can do.

They came with words, with flags, with gun salutes, with prayers, and with honor and pride.

They came with songs. I was honored to stand beside Uncle Harlan~He too gave so much.

"And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men who died and gave that right to me, and I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, 'cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land! God Bless the USA"!

I realize that pride can be considered a bad thing. In fact, there are many bible references to tell us that pride is not desirable, but I believe that to mean when it totally takes over ones life, when it becomes all there is and all that is important. There is the kind of pride that "in his pride, the wicked does not seek him".

On the other hand, I am sure God believes in the kind of satisfaction in a job well done. When we are humble and realize that we need God and we could not have done it on our own, that is pride with the spirit of humility that I am sure sure God understands.

My Uncle Harlan, proud to be an American, and very deserving of that pride.

I am proud of you too! Thank you for MY freedom.


....lest we forget.....




Look up, there's our flag!
We can count every star,--
And the red, blue, and white,
How lovely they are!

Floating high, floating wide,--
We can see it from far,
Our flag, it's the flag,
We can count every star!

In the sun, in the wind,
Do its bright colors shine.
O look at the flag,
It is yours, it is mine!
~Nancy Byrd Turner

Happy Birthday Brandon

28 years ago today, we had our first child and I fell in love with an 8 lb. boy. Well, actually, I fell in love with him long before that day. Having a child is a whole new kind of love and it is truly an amazing miracle from God....no other explanation!

He was born in a little bitty hospital and they didn't have the nice birthing rooms they do now. I layed there for so long, I asked if I could have a TV. They said they would see what they could do. No one had ever asked for a TV before. Dave asked if he could go downtown and get something to eat. I said, "Go ahead, I'm not going
anywhere". I remember the many, many, MANY trips back and forth of someone
in some very noisy, clicky shoes. I found out later that those noisy shoes
belonged to the hospital administrator, who just so happened to be my anesthetist
late in the evening. Being a little bitty hospital, there was no surgeon at
hand. I had to "wait" for him to be done with another surgery atanother hospital. I remember giggling on the operating table.

They said they had never heard that before. I was exhausted, nervous, scared, but so, so happy and grateful that they were going to deliver this baby one way or another.

Brandon was born, bearing a "cone head", with lots of dark hair, blue
eyes, and 8 lbs of flesh and bone and health. Those were also the days without
the good drugs and the pain pumps, but rather the hypo in the rear every 4
hours. How I dreaded that needle, but learned to take it or be sorry later when
the pain was almost unbearable. They would roll me to the side like a
"sack of potatoes" when I was still a bit numb from the spinal block.
The pain of childbirth, as my mother always said, is a pain you soon forget. It
is still there....some of the memory. But having kids is by far worth the pain.
You were full of questions....full of answers...full of it...you made
life VERY interesting , and I am so thankful for you

I was honored to bring you into the world, honored to watch you play soccer and football and basketball and run track, and play baseball, and make pinewood derby cars and be a boy scout, and be confirmed and graduate from high school, and wrestle and swim and play, and then get married and have children of your own.

You have grown into a good husband, Daddy, brother and son and I am so proud of you! If I haven't told you lately.....I thank you for my grandbabies. I love all of my children AND my grandbabies and I thank you for giving them to me to love!

Happy Birthday Son. I love you forever!

Held

Recent mural for my sister, Kristy....I hope she reads this daily and believes...."Lo,I am with you always....." She is held.....always.



"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, or what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For your heavenly Father knows what you need. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:25-34

Pray with me for answers to problems.....God knows and He hears....We are "held"...always!

Happy Birthday Friend

A friend is someone you respect and that respects you, not based upon worthiness but based upon a likeness of mind.










A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that he or she will judge you~



A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15).



A friend loves at all times....Proverbs 17:17



A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3 KJV).



Friends are of like mind.



I learned the words to this song working with Sandy at the Good Samaritan Center many years ago. I believe it now to be very true:

Make new friends,but keep the old~
One is silver and the other gold !

Happy Birthday to my dear friend, Sandy, who always has a smile, a laugh and a big hug. I can always count on you, and although our paths do not meet as often as I would like, I KNOW you are there. You, my dear friend, are worth far more than GOLD!!! I am so glad to know, "A lifetime's not too long to live as friends"! I hope you are having the best day ever and enjoying your life, as you always do. The Son is shining today, JUST FOR YOU! Love you forever!