2008 Three Words

Describe 2008 in THREE words (no more, no less).

Here is MY three word description:
"Heart Was Renewed"

I TAG Sally and Charrissa.

Another Year

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father let it be,
In working or in waiting,
Another year with thee.
Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.
Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness,
The glory of thy face…
Another year of service,
Of witness for thy love,
Another year of training
For holier work above.
Another year is dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for thee.

-Frances R. Havergal

A Fun Package On A Boring Afternoon

Due to all the snow we weren't able to receive mail for over a week. It finally started trickling in yesterday. Then, this afternoon we got an unexpected knock on the door. There stood a postal worker with a big package all the way from Texas! We were all excited, since this was a nice interruption from an otherwise uneventful, boring afternoon. The kids gathered around as I opened the box from my sweet friend Shawna and her little boy CJ. Inside we found it full of treasures and goodies. Shawna got the kids Texas size suckers and Popcorn Cobs which were a hit!! David wanted to pop his immediately, but I ended up eating most of it. Mmmm, it was so good!

She threw in quite a few gifts that mean so much to me. My emotions were on a rollercoaster, from laughing to crying in a matter of minutes. My heart is full. I thank God for bringing such a precious friend into my life.

I took some pictures of the kids. Grace wouldn't let me take any of her, but she enjoyed the goodies too!

Laurel and Hardy

I thought I would post this for those of you who didn't know who Laurel and Hardy were. (as pictured on my mom's maternity dress on my "Happy Birthday, Daddy" post.
We grew up watching these movies from the 20's and 30's on our old movie projector. Good memories. But really...a dress made out of them??? haha, so silly.

Don't Forget Our Troops

A differnt kind of Christmas poem:

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,

"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,

That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"

Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

"Yellow Ribbon Christmas" (I will hopefully be singing this song at our New Years Eve service).

Precious Promises

I hope that this will bless you as much as it did me.

Here are just a few promises that God gives us in His Word:
· God's presence—“I will never leave thee” (Hebrews 13:5)
· God's protection—“I am thy shield” (Genesis 15:1)
· God's power—“I will strengthen thee” (Isaiah 41:10)
· God's provision—“I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10)
· God's leading—“And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them” (John 10:4)
· God's purposes—“I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 29:11)
· God's rest—“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)
· God's cleansing—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
· God's goodness—“No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11)
· God's faithfulness—“The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name's sake” (1 Samuel 12:22)
· God's guidance—“The meek will He guide” (Psalm 25:9)
· God's wise plan—“All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28)

Here's the link if you want to read the lesson in full
http://fromthedeskofpastorhughes.blogspot.com/

'Twas the day after Christmas

'Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At during the holiday have gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
Discouraged I pouted, “Oh what a bummer!”
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt---
I said to myself, as I only can
"You can't spend the winter disguised as a man!"
So, away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the cake, every cracker and chip
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
‘Till all these additional pounds have vanished.
I won't have a cookie—not even a lick.
I will only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on my carrot and quietly cry.
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I love you so much! Enjoy your special day. XOXO

Dad and his parents.




Dad and me

Dad and Joy

Dad and Charity





Check out his polyester plaid pants. haha

Not to mention the Laurel and Hardy print on my mom's maternity dress.

Dad and Ruth

Graduation from Midwestern Bible College

Pastor of Barton Baptist Church, Vermont

Congratulations Jesse & Ruth

After dating for about 4 years, Jesse proposed to my little sister, Ruth, on Christmas morning. They both looked so happy as they announced their engagement and showed off the ring.

Best wishes, Jesse and Ruth! We are glad that you are finally taking the plunge into wedded bliss!

A White Christmas

We have been snowed in for a week, so I was thrilled when Dustin said that we would venture out on Christmas Day to visit the family. We got stuck twice on the way there and a couple of times on the way home, but the fellowship we had enjoyed was well worth the deep slushy roads we had to travel on. Everyone made it safely, even the Gregsons. Joy got stuck on her street too, but Ruth and Jesse went and recued her and the boys in their 4x4 (thank goodness! we couldn't have Christmas without "JOY").

I am not complaining about the snow. I love it! And I love that we were able to have a White Christmas this year.

I absolutely adore this picture of my daddy laughing.

Our doggies loved playing in the torn paper and cardboard packaging.

My new "Dewey" ornament. Thanks, Joy, it looks just like him!

Not a family gathering goes by that we don't head across the street from mom and dad's house to say hello to our good friends, Brad and Valerie Sager. As we entered we noticed they were celebrating Brad's 50th birthday. My kids think it's pretty cool that he has Jesus' birthday. Happy Birthday, Brad!

Valerie & I