Bus Ministry Fall Festival

We had our fall festival this past weekend. It was a lot of fun watching the children have a great time playing games, eating candy, and getting their candy bags filled.
Many balloons made their way to the ceiling of the gym.


Mrs. Janet did great keeping everything running smoothly, considering all that she had faced this week, preparing for two funerals of people in our church.

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Our other workers....

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Some of the goodies included popcorn bags....

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buckets and buckets of candy....

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And pizza until their heart was cotent and their bellies were full.

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Some of the faces from bus ministry...

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Things to do at fall festival...

We had a good time Saturday. I know the children did too!

Pray for the Wray Family

Yesterday, we said goodbye to one of the sweetest, most humble men I have ever had the privilege of knowing, Brother Arnold Wray.

Brother Johnny said it best at the funeral when he said that we had lost a spiritual giant. I don't know of a more sincere, quiet, and praying man. As a matter of fact, it is said by family and friends that he spent hours a day in prayer. And when he died, he was praying, asking God to help his family, asking God to help his wife, and to bless his church.

Brother Arnold had been on dialysis for a while and had been told for months that he only had a few days left, but God allowed our church to watch him, week after week, come in and take a seat near the back of the church with his oxygen tank, as he could no longer sit on the platform. Which was his seat for nearly sixty years as our choir director. He lived for the next church services. Knowing how weak he was would send me into tears as he would stand up with both hands raised in the air during church services. I remember coming in many times before church and I would see him in the back with his hands together, rocking back and forth in prayer.

The day before his funeral, his wife was brought up to the church to see him. She, herself, in a nursing home. She patted his arm and told him she loved him. That he was a sweet husband and she would see him in Heaven. Little did she, or the family, know that just four hours after his funeral, she would make her crossing and she did see him again.

I wonder as Brother Arnold stepped onto the shores of Glory, if the Lord told him to wait, that Mrs. Louise was coming. I wonder if he stood there, patiently, as was his way, and waited to take her by the hand as they both stepped onto streets of gold together. Breathing in celestial air, taking in the beauty and splendor of Heaven, and looking into the face of the One that they gave their hearts to many years ago. What a precious thought!

We will miss Brother Arnold and Mrs. Lousie. We have more to go to Heaven for, than we had yesterday.

Please remember the Wray family in your prayers.

This Past Weekend Made Me "Shutter"

I had four shoots over the weekend and enjoyed each one. My first one was a mini-mini session with the L Family. They are such a great fun family to be around.

After the mini family shoot, mom L and I took their son "J" for his senior pictures. He is such a crazy guy. We headed down to the Broad River and got some great shots of him there. I wish I could reveal the surprise we found on this shoot, but it will have to wait until another blog post. "J" is awesome. He graduates this year and plans on attending a Christian college next fall.

Saturday morning, I met a couple for their maternity shoot. They were young and sweet and ready to be a mommy and daddy. I'm happy for them. Babies are wonderful!

And there's Bre. I LOVE Bre. She smiles like this all. the. time! I even mentioned it to her mother, who confirmed that she does smile like this all the time. What a sweetheart! Bre is Bruce's cousin. She graduates this year and plans on attending culinary school. I've tasted her work and she's fabulous!

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Blessings Upon Blessings

Today was full of blessings. Brother Eddie Davis is preaching our revival and preached the BEST sermon, There is a River. I cried off and on through that whole sermon. Many people were touched through the preaching of the Word this morning. And if you're in the area, we'll be having service tonight at 6:00 and each night, through Wednesday, at 7:00. Come join us.
There is a family that has been coming to church. I have watched these people and can really see the Lord on their lives. They are a sweet story. The mom just got saved a few weeks ago. And the daughter came forward to get saved this morning, before the preaching got underway. If you knew their story, you'd be crying like I did when I saw that daddy walk behind his daughter to the alter with his Bible in hand. It was just precious!
Having a baptism after services tonight. I really can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do.
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My mother was in attendance this Sunday. She's been sick with bronchitis this past week. She was in Virginia with her sisters for several weeks before that, so it was nice having her back in the services today. And I'm glad to have celebrated her sixty-third birthday with her, this past Friday. Bruce and I took her to her choice of restaurants, then back to our house for cake and ice cream. After that, she took Hannah and Harry to her house, where Justin joined them after he got off work. And when I was done doing my Friday errands, I joined them all at her house for a hot dog supper and a movie. We had a great day with her and hope she enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed hers.
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Justin had an agility test at a fire department this past Friday. He did good and they called him back for an interview this coming Tuesday. So proud of him. It's a part time position, but it's definitely a foot in the door and I know if it's the Lord's will, then God will open that door a little wider at just the right time.
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Someone very dear to our hearts bought mom a new washer and dryer for her birthday. It was a tremendous blessing to her and she is so excited to know that it will be delivered this week. I'm happy for her. My dryer still dried clothes great, but it was old as the hills and made the LOUDEST noise while drying. So she gave us her dryer. It was like night and day when I dried clothes in it yesterday. LOL Earlier this year, the Lord gave us a practically brand new washing machine. So this year, the Lord gave us a "new to us" washer and dryer set. And that's a blessing to us.
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Harrison is doing GREAT with his new curriculum this year. He's up and hitting the books at 6:00am. He'll do three subjects, check his work, make corrections, and then go back to bed for an hour or so. He'll get back up, do his chores, finish his last two subjects, and he's done by or just shortly after 1:00. He's doing great. He's struggling in Math, but only because he needs to master some things. So we've stopped everything until he's done that. No point in going on until he has the knowledge to move on. That's another reason I love homeschooling. You can stop and concentrate on what's important. Bless his heart, he hates math. But I'll be honest, he gets it honestly. It was never, EVER my favorite subject!
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Hannah is doing great also. Sometimes I just watch her working away and can't believe that she has one more year of high school left. It can be a little depressing when I think about it, but I am so proud of her and the young lady she has become. She is so independent and I know that she is going to do good, in whatever the Lord leads her in doing.
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Bruce's job is still going strong. He's been working six days since January. Since he's been on second, it has been a great blessing for family time in the morning/afternoon hours. We are still praying the Lord will open that first shift position for him and we believe He will in the near future. I have enjoyed having him home at night. He worked third for so long, it's been different having him to curl up to at night. But I have gotten some great sleep and am actually on a normal sleep schedule, which I didn't have for the last few years. I have to say, I like it!!
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ:

Ephesians 1:3

Too Funny Not To Share

Property Rules of a Toddler:

1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hands, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours, in any way.
6. If I'm doing or building something, all of the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours.

Grace, One More Time

I love this song. The first time I heard it was our first Sunday at Faith. It immediately became a favorite. I hope it's a blessing to you, too.

Homeschool

Gotta love homeschooling. Yesterday, while in the flow of school work, I asked Harrison why Cain killed Abel. His reply was that Cain was jealous of Abel because God would not accept his sacrifice of vegetables. Hannah chimed in with, "And NO one likes vegetables!"

School is going pretty good. Harrison still has the "don't want summer to be over so let's just don't do school" blues. The other day we didn't finish school work until ten minutes after 6:00. Needless to say I was a little put out. But amazingly kept my cool. I did ponder on it a while. It's not that he couldn't do the work. It's not that too many things were going on. He just allowed himself to daydream and chatter the day away. So I had to threaten him with the bike trip we're going on this weekend. I told him that I was not going to have my days upset everyday like that and that he better stay focused. That his school work should be finished, at the very latest, by 2:00. And that if it wasn't finished by 2:00 every day this week, he would not go on the bike trip this Saturday. So he's been up at 6:00 the last couple of days and has three subjects finished by the time we normally start school. And the biggest plus out of this little journey is that yesterday when he completed all of his school work by 11:30 he smiled at me and said, "You know, I like getting my work done this early. I have the rest of the day for 'Harrison stuff!'" So see... a little motivation is always a good thing!

Hannah, on the other hand, gets right to it. She rises when the alarm clock goes off, does her chores, eats her breakfast, and hits the books. Maybe Harry will learn by her example, also.

Speaking of the bike trip, we'll be going with our Sunday School class down the Virginia Creeper Trail. I LOVE that bike ride. It's twenty-two miles down the Creeper Trail and it is absolutely beautiful. There are several bike rentals in the area or you can bring your own. They load you up in a van and take you to the top of the trail and let you out. You take as long as you want coming down through the mountain side. There are shaded tree trails that run by creeks and rivers, through valleys, old homesteads... it is really one of my favorite things to do. I think we've gone every year for the last three or four years and have a blast every time. So we're all looking forward to it.

And that's enough for today. I have a mountain of laundry, some vacuuming (among other household chores), and school work to grade. Have a great day!

Shopping, Ladies Meeting, and One Year of Loss

How much do you love me, mom?
"I LOVE YOU A WHOLE WORLD FULL, KRISTI!"
Isn't she sweeeet?


Ten of us went on a shopping trip/ladies conference this weekend. We had such a good time. There was a lot of laughing, tears, and learning on this trip. I needed it so much and so glad I went!

There was a lot of shopping too. I only went shopping twice. And the first time I wasn't really into it. Just kind of window shopping. But I did kind of get into the second trip. First stop was Old Navy and let's just say Hannah and I are stocked up on flip flops for next summer. Every color they had.

The ladies meeting was this morning (Saturday.) We went to hear Mrs. Kyla Rowland. I had never seen or heard her, but had an image in my head of her. She was nothing like my image. LOL She was tall, a lot younger than what I had thought, VERY SOUTHERN, absolutely hilarious, and she was a really good speaker.

I hope we get to hear her again some day.

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Had a session with a sweet family Thursday morning. I don't know about them, but I had so much fun with them. They are funny, funny people! And their little boy is a RIOT! Let me just say he is every bit his two years old, also. LOL

The blue dress shirt he's wearing in the picture below is his daddy's. The plan is for him to have his picture taken every year on his birthday in that shirt until he grows into it or grows out of it. Sweet idea. His daddy is a preacher and that's his pocket Bible he's holding.

Had a great time!

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Today is the one year anniversary of my dad meeting His Lord. I mentioned it on facebook and this was one of the replies written. They were all precious to me, and I appreciated them all so much, but because of the friendship we have with this person and because of what they meant to my dad, it was so sweet, I had to share it. I hope they don't mind:

Can you imagine what his first year in heaven was like?

Perhaps it was just as a moment ago when death's river was crossed and he saw the celestial city. Perhaps he is still standing there just beholding it all, since this is the land where time shall be no more. Perhaps he just considered, in this land that is fairer than day, I can't wait for Poopsie and the family to get here.

Heaven's perspective is one we don't fully know. But, the moment when his faith became sight must have been amazing.

He could never have imagined what joy God's presence would bring. He now knows, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things God hath prepared for those who love him."

The body he now has, feels no pain. The strength he stands with surpasses all he last knew here. Just a moment ago he closed his eyes on this side of eternity's veil. He's had a moment to blink and the year on this side of the veil passed.

My father's death, 20 years ago, taught me the only loss in death is for the living who remain.

My sister, I mourn your Dad's absence. I miss his influence as he was a grandfather to my son. Yet, I now look for his fingerprint at church when I am there. I see Larry Birt's finger prints on Justin playing in the orchestra. I see it when Justin tips his head back and the trumpet rises at an angle and he blows with gusto. I see your Dad's fingerprints when the boys from his class walk by my row and I think they'll always have the privilege to say,"Brother Birt was my SS teacher when I was a boy." The world is a better place because of your Dad. I am a better man having known your father.

Today, I will listen to this song many times over and know my friend, "Pop Birt" to my son, Poopsie's husband, and Kristi's dad is finally home.

Finally Home
When alarmed by the fury of the restless sea,
Towering waves before you roll,
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,
Though fear and conflict seize your soul

Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven
Of touching a hand, and finding it God's
Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial
Of waking up in Glory, and finding it "Home"

When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
Oh how lonely death can be,
At the end this long tunnel is a shinning light,
For death is swallowed-up in Victory, (Victory!)

Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven
Of touching a hand, and finding it God's
Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial
Of waking up in Glory, and finding it "Home"
Finally Home!
...by Don Wyrtzen

SIGMA RUSH NIGHT!

Sigma Year 2011-2012 started this past Sunday night. It was a lot of fun. We really were in a RUSH to get things done since we only really had two days to work. But I was so impressed with the kids this year and how much effort they spent working on displays and getting things ready. They did a SUPERB job! Bruce and I are sponsors for the Pi Gamma Centurions. My contribution to the display was this Centurion in our colors of gold, silver, and blue. I love doing stuff like this.

Bruce has been working second shift so Saturday was the only day he was able to work. But when we finally got there Saturday afternoon, everything was pretty well done and all he had to do was use his air compressor tools to stabilize the walls around our display. He was proud of what the kids had done also. And was really, REALLY proud of them for freeing up his time to go home and watch some football. haha

Each team is suppose to have a banner with each team member's name on it. This is the one the kids did for our team.

A couple of the young men made this awesome chariot! They did such a fantastic job. They used an old wheel chair to construct it. Pretty creative, if you ask me!

And these were our centerpieces for the tables in front of our display. Lanterns, that the church has had for a long time, and then a small shield and sword that Bruce made. The kids painted the shields and swords and put the Pi Gamma letters on them.

Our theme was "...truly this man was the Son of God," taken from Mark 15:39, which was our theme verse, displayed on our background.

The next team sponsored by Brother Chris and Dana were the Nu Delta Fishmasters. Their display was great. A river bank with their team verse was their background. Their team verse was Matthew 4:29 "And He said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." I loved their dock and the big rocks they constructed from blown up trash bags, covered with gray paper.

This was the centerpiece they made for their tables. Cute. :)

The third team was the Chi Alpha Soldiers, sponsored by Brother Mark and Mrs. Jeannie. Their display was a boot camp with the theme, "Training up soldiers for the army of Christ. Their team verse was II Timothy 2:3 "Thou, therefore, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

I loved the banner they made for their names. One of their team members free handed the army tank. I watched him work on it and was very impressed with his finished product. He did a great job. They displayed their names on "dog tags" and placed them all around the tank. I really did love the creativity from all three teams.

And this was the centerpieces for their tables.

I may be biased, but I thought our team showed great team spirit. Here are our team captains, Justin C and Jordan L raising the swords Bruce made for them. And a HUGE thanks to Mrs. Tammy, Brother Ken and Cheyenne for making our team shirts. We all LOVED them!

Hannah is on the Fishmasters team this year. Had to get a picture of her and her teammate, Taylor. I never did get a shot of their team together.

And these are the soldiers....

The best part of the night is hearing the teams taunt cheers at one another. Not sure which cheer the Centurions were doing here, but it was cracking them all up.

We had a lot of fun and I can't say enough how proud I am of all the kids that showed up to work. They worked, and they worked hard.

We're looking forward to a great year with these kids and praying for each one as they go about their daily lives.

Busy, Busy, Again!!

We officially started school on Monday. It's been a good week so far. Trying to get back into the groove of things.
This Sunday is Sigma Rush Night. So we'll be pouring it on this weekend trying to get things ready for that. Our team is the Pi Gamma Centurions.
Had a photo shoot with Taylor this past weekend. While we were out on location at a living history farm, decided we should be his care takers. So while we were trying to take pictures, he was trying to tell us where his food was. But the door had a lock on it, so kitty didn't get anything from us. He was really cute and we had to laugh at how friendly he was being in hopes of us saving him from starvation.
I have another photo shoot this Saturday, providing the weather permits. I heard it will be rain all weekend, but I haven't checked to see myself. I guess I'll know when I step outside, if I don't check before then. O-o

So that's where I've been and what I've been doing. Where I'll be and what I'll be doing.

Y'all have a great day!