Prayer Needed

John and Lynette (our kids) are in the process of moving. John has accepted a position with the Master's Commission of Dallas and is there working and overseeing the completion of their new home. Lynette and the kids remain in Grain Valley, MO - overseeing the sale of their home there. This separation is now at 2 months. Would you help us pray that God would send a buyer NOW? We need a miracle and are believing God will provide it. He is a miracle working God!!! Thanks for standing with us in prayer.

These are the Days of Our Lives

The days are speeding by. I think they may even be breaking the sound barrier! Well, at least they are breaking the posted speed limit!

How does it happen that my small children now have small children of their own? It seems not so long ago when Lisa stayed home with John on a Sunday morning. John was sick. Lisa said she'd take care of him while Mom went to church with the rest of the family. She did a great job. Although, the house smelled a little like burnt chocolate when we returned. Could have been the chocolate chip cookies that got nuked a little too long. Ah, but what better medicine for a sick little boy than a couple of chocolate chip cookies?

Yesterday we returned 3 grandchildren to their rightful owner - Lisa. I found myself looking at her and asking, "what happened to my little girl?" She's not 7 anymore! She's 37! And, Kristi and John and their small children. Where has the time gone?

I'm so thankful for my children (not small anymore) who have given Grammi and Grampy some of life's greatest memories. Burnt chocolate, burnt-up water pumps, burnt carpet and the greatest grandkids anywhere!

These are the days of our lives. And I wouldn't trade one of them for all the money in the world!

These are the days "the Lord has made - let's be glad - and rejoice in" them!!

(Do a sleepover with your grandkids! Watch a movie - fix popcorn! They'll love it and you'll get over it...in a few days!)

PS: Thank you Grammi for the 'great' kids that produced these 'great' grandkids!

I love you all!

Grampy (Sometimes affectionately called 'grumpy'!)

This Child Shall Be Lent. . .

Hannah prayed for a son. Then when God answered her prayer - she gave that son back to God saying, "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. " Then she said "my heart rejoices in the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:27,28; 2:1)

This week (as I did almost 29 years ago) I gave my son to the Lord once again. My heart is at the same time heavy and full. I am sad, yet I rejoice.

Yesterday, John moved to the Dallas area to begin a new ministry. It is only a couple hours farther away, but still farther away. It means that I won't get to see quite as often 4 people that I love dearly. But I reminded his dad yesterday that on the day of his dedication, the pastor's wife told me "I just feel that God has something very special for this child!" He did. And He does.

I rejoice in knowing that God chose my son, for whom I prayed, to use for His glory. His influence will be widely felt in this new area of ministry. Training young people to carry the MESSAGE.

All of our children were dedicated to the Lord to use as He chose. I rejoice in knowing that His calling rests on all my children in ways that bring glory to Him. I am blessed!!

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth". 3 John 4

What's With That?

Well - you never know what will happen from day to day! I spent a night in the hospital on Thursday - having shortness of breath and a rapid heartbeat. All the tests were ok. That's good to hear when they start asking if you have a history of heart disease in your family. Especially when it's my family! When they ruled that out - they started talking about, and treating me for, a possible pulmonary embolism. Now those are big words meaning blood clot in the lung. Not exactly what you want either. But I had a few "girl friends" come and lay hands on me and pray - not to mention my family who was praying also. They prayed that the tests would reveal that whatever it was - would be gone. It was. PTL. Kristi stayed with me and we had a slumber party. Well - didn't actually slumber much, but we tried. Thanks, Kris - (although you promised you wouldn't let them keep me when you talked me into going). She also spent alot of time on the phone with Ken, John and Lisa. Calling and answering. Thanks for being there, hon.

Mason was with us in the ER and provided all of us - nurses included -with the entertainment for the evening. It was a nice distraction. When he tripped on a cart and nearly turned it over my pulse went up and my oxygen down! What a clown.

The hard part was that Ken was in Missouri on a fishing trip and he wanted so badly to be here. But we were able to talk often. I love you baby!

Lisa happened to call when I was in the ER. By the way, Lisa, thanks for laughing at me when I told you where I was. She thought I had another kidney stone. She has a really weird sense of humor.

One good thing from this experience - I am sure I have now met my deductible for the year! And I have 9 months left! Guess I need to see what else I can take care of before I start over.

I figured I should finally post something...

So here I am blogging. Blogging blogging blogging.I guess I'm going to have to get used to it. I've been told we should start our own blog since we'll be moving. You know, kinda keep everyone updated on our transition and our life in Texas.

Since we're going to Winfield for the 4th, the house had to be cleaned in case the realtor needs to show it over the weekend. So I got the privilege of cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms floors. Have you ever moved the kitchen table and cleaned under it after a few days of kids eating there? Disgusting! Or as Breanna says, "Gisgusting!" Oh well, it has to be done and it'll be worth it if the house shows well.

Well, guess I better get back to cleaning so the boss doesn't get upset...she's packing for our trip. Gotta get to bed early and get my beauty sleep so I can go to the office and look pretty tomorrow. That's pretty much all I have to do in the office now that I'm a lame duck for the next week and a half. Now I know how George W. has felt for the last year...except he has Air Force One, lots of money and can go wherever he wants whenever he wants.

Have fun and good night.
John

From The Mouth of Babes!

Wow! Sometimes you have a conversation that blows your mind. I had such a one last week.

My eldest grandson dropped in and we had a theological discussion on heaven and hell. He had questions on the new heaven and the new earth. We read those verses in Revelation along with the commentary on those verses. He said "you know, the more I learn about heaven, the more I want to die and go there!" Gulp! He went on to say that he had lived a good long life (all 12 years of it) and he was ready to go. He knew where he was going. He said that some people become angry at God when loved ones die and that if he lost his family people would probably say to him "aren't you mad at God for taking your family?" He said he would tell them "why would I be mad at God? I know where they are and I am going there someday and then we will be together for eternity!" He said he sure didn't want to "go to the hot place."

I told him that everytime a loved one goes to heaven it makes us want to go all the more and I quoted the words from an old song, "I've got more to go to heaven for than I had yesterday".

I have loved ones there. I do have more to go to heaven for with each loved one who crosses over. I have grandparents, parents, brother, sister, 2 pre-born grandchildren and a host of other family and friends.

We just had a family reunion. Nothing here compares. Yep. Heaven's Sounding Sweeter Everyday.

The Stone Society

Ok - not exactly a club I wanted to be a part of. I mean - Ken has stones. Lisa has stones and Kristi has had a stone - but they got that from their dad, didn't they? That was the medical explanation. Then one day recently - I had in my possession my very own 5 mm kidney stone!

Now I have heard and been told that they are worse than labor and that most would rather give birth than have a kidney stone. Lisa tells me a 5 mm stone should cause excruciating pain and Ken says he would be rolling in the floor screaming. But - after 19 days of mild to moderate discomfort and nothing more than tylenol - it was over. Now, not to say I want another one - but don't compare it to childbirth. I've had both and I don't really think it compares. Maybe I'm just extra tough, or maybe I just had a "silent" one and the next won't be so easy. I say the next one because now I find out that I have multiple stones in both kidneys. And the wait begins. Nothing to do but let them do their thing when they are ready.

So, the only one left to experience our family pasttime is John. Yes, baby - you are next!!! Now it isn't that we would wish this malady on you - but your days are probably numbered. You know we have always enjoyed doing things together as a family. Your sister (I won't say which one) says she is going to laugh hysterically when you officially join this austere club of stoners! If and when that day comes - not to worry. We will all be right there to cheer you on and hold your hand. And maybe laugh hysterically.