Heaven Is Now A Little Sweeter

Tomorrow we will be saying goodbye to one of our church people. He will be missed so much. He was on vacation with his family, in Georgia, when his heart stopped. They did all they could do for him for several days. When his son flew in from Afghanistan, the Lord took this dear man Home.
Part of my heart is rejoicing with them. They know that their father was saved. They know that he is in Heaven with their mama. The other part of my heart is weeping with them. Because I know the pain they are feeling. I know that tonight his children will have bitter rest. I know that tomorrow will almost seem to fly by, yet take every bit of strength they have to get through that long and difficult day.
And that's when God's grace will step in. They will not function on their own strength, but by the strength of the Lord. For He is their strong tower, strength in their weakest hour. And they can trust Him.

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with
them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

Psalm 27:13&14

I had fainted, unless I had believed to
see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD:
be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
LORD.

Spiritual Refreshment

Wonderful services at FBC of Shelby yesterday. One man saved in the morning services and alters packed in the evening. Had another family join Wednesday night. That makes four families in the last month, to God be the glory. So happy they are all a part of our fellowship.
Last Thursday we had our first ladies fellowship in our new banquet room. The theme was A July of "Refreshment."

Mrs. Ava is having some issues with her arm so she wasn't able to put all she wanted to into decorating. However, Mrs. Amy is back in town, which meant there would be no lack of decoration! :)

Can you think of anything cuter than an ice cream theme for summer?

We certainly had a good time helping out with this one.

I got to help with the centerpieces. They were so easy to make. Corrugated bulletin board paper made the mugs, pollyfill for "foam", a decorated balloon to look like ice cream, and a painted wooden dowel for a straw. Cute, huh?

All set up and ready to fellowship!

Since our theme was ice cream, Mrs. Ava decided to have the fellowship a little later than usual. After supper, that is. So everyone who could, brought their homemade ice cream. And those that didn't bring ice cream brought some kind of dessert to go with the ice cream. Mander made the BEST cherry ice cream I have ever tasted. And with a little chocolate syrup added, it tasted just like a cherry cordial. Without the nasty goop.

We had a terrific turnout. I think about eighty ladies were able to attend. I know we planned for sixty and ended up getting more chairs. So that was a good thing. And I was pleased to have my friend, Amanda Jones, come visit with us. I hope she can make it to other meetings.

As you can see, our ladies have quite the sweet tooth. LOL

Mrs. Amy was our special speaker for the evening. She spoke on how we are all like different ice cream toppings and how we can add something special to someone else's life to bring them spiritual refreshment. She also did an acrostic on the word ice cream.

I cried off and on through her acrostic because, little did she know, I had just poured my heart and frustrations out on a friend of mine that afternoon and she hit on some areas that I really needed to hear. It never ceases to amaze me how God will give you exactly what your heart needs, just when you need it most!

I left feeling very much refreshed!

A Few of My Favorites

I just loved taking pictures of this cutie pie and wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from that day. He just makes me want to cuddle with him. LOL

Pictures, Camp Meeting, And Other Stuff

I had a couple of photo shoots this week and last week. They were so much fun!! This week, I photographed this little cutie. He is so precious. His mom told me that she had talked to him and told him I was coming. He was such a good little boy. We handled and moved and flipped him so much, and yet he kept the sweetest disposition through it all. I think he liked having his picture taken. Our lives are crazy busy these days and so I haven't had time to edit them all. I'm hoping to have them finished tomorrow.
I also enjoyed one of our newest members at church going with me. She is a sweetheart. When she found out I enjoyed taking pictures, she brought me her photo album to look at so I asked if she'd like to join me on this shoot. After all, who doesn't like taking pictures of pretty babies? So I'm glad she came with Hannah and me. She's a pure joy to be around.

Last weekend I had a ball taking pictures with my gorgeous niece, Jessica, and her handsome fella, Brandon. For the most part when taking pictures, people never really know how to stand, they don't know what to wear, they want to know if I want them smiling... you get the idea. But Brandon had it all worked out in his head how he wanted everything. He wanted them to wear matching clothes, knew some of the poses he wanted, had places picked out for their photo shoot. It was kind of funny, but really sweet too.

This was just a test shot, but I fell in love with it. She's so beautiful. Inside and out.

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We spent the 4th of July at my Uncle's house for a family reunion on my mom's side. He lives in the Lake Lure area on a beautiful piece of land surrounded by mountains on every side. I got to see all my Aunts and Uncles, with the exception of one, and also got to see most of my cousins and their families. It was just wonderful! We made it home to enjoy a little resting time then headed to town for the fireworks display. As usual they were just beautiful.
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We found out Brother Mark Stroud was preaching at the Greer Baptist Camp Meeting, so we gathered up some teenagers on the bus and headed down there. I tried to think of a word to describe it, but the only word I can say is *good*. So, so, GOOD! From the choir singing to the WORD of God preached, it was Holy Ghost filled. We have another meeting we're going to next week and I'm looking forward to that. Then we'll have VBS and then our Tennessee trip. We'll be going to a campground where we'll be having our own camp meeting. We did this last year and it was just amazing how the Lord moved in the lives of the youth. The preacher boys preach, the kids play instruments and sing and it is such a blessing and sweet time of fellowship.
And that's it for now. I hope y'all have a great weekend. I know I intend to!

Just Bubbling With Excitement!!

I turn the BIG 40 today. Someone asked me this morning how it felt to be forty. Well, about the same as it felt yesterday when I was thirty-nine. LOL
I've always loved my birthdays and this year is no different. I am too blessed to be stressed over age!! God has been good to me and if He allows me another forty years, I'll be praising Him still.
I wrote a little poem last night just for the day. Here it is:
I'll be forty today, 'tis no lie. Like some I could sit and boo hoo and cry
but instead I think I'll take the day, and yell, "YEE HAW, I got something' to say!
I am not feeble, I am not old, 'You look so young' I'm often told.
So please no sympathy for me, I like my birthday, if fills me with glee.
Yeah, I'm forty and feelin' real great, a lot of it's due to my special mate.
I'm looking forward to another great year, 'cause forty-one is nothing to fear."
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Justin will be here soon. He and Jeremy should be pulling in anytime. I know they've had a great week at camp and I can't wait to hear about it. I've been overly excited just thinking about it. He'll be home all next week before returning for the summer. So I'm looking forward to having my boy home a few days. His phone isn't working and, of course, they don't have Internet access where he's at. So we don't get to communicate. That would explain why I'm so excited to see him, I guess. I've missed him. Our whole family has.
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Our church is having dinner on the grounds this Sunday after the morning worship service. This will be our first churchwide event since the new building has been completed. We're looking forward to that and I'm sure I'll have pictures to share with you later.
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Then Monday we'll be going toward Lake Lure to spend the day at my Uncle's home. My mom's brothers and sisters will be there, with my cousins and their families. Some of them I've only met through facebook and some of them I've seen once in thirty years. I am so looking forward to it. It will be so nice seeing everyone.
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I hope your fourth of July weekend is as exceptional as mine is going to be. Our country has taken some different paths and I feel we are losing touch.....no.....lost touch.....with the God that it was founded upon. But we still live in the greatest country ever. I am thankful to be an American. I am thankful to be a child of God.
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“It can not be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”
~*~Patrick Henry~*~