Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sweet Caroline

We had a great Christmas but learned on Monday of this week that our 12 year old granddaughter, Caroline, has juvenile onset diabetes. When my DIL took her in on Monday her blood sugar level was over 400 and rose to 575 on Tuesday. We know God is in control and ask humbly for your prayers for their family--new juggling routine with balancing eating, exercise and insulin since she is an all year long basketball player, wisdom for her parents, and good decision making by all of them.

Happy New Year to all of you,
Dianne

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Happy Birthday, Dree!

God has blessed me with three wonderful daughters-in-law. I love how they love my sons. Not only do I love that, I love the people they are.

Dree (short for An-dre-a) is only 32 years old but has accomplished so much in her short life span (which she reminds all of us constantly--she is the youngest of the older two generations--smile). She loves to garden and to cook. She is a great wife to my son, an awesome home-schooling mom, is the director of one of the local Classical Conversations of Tulsa, Oklahoma and has been published in a couple of books. I am sharing one of those stories further down in the post.

This is a very short clip of Dree at their Classical Conversations home-schooling Christmas program a oouple of weeks ago. It gives you an idea of her tremendous heart for God.

Untitled from Elizabeth Dianne on Vimeo.



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Ashton, Chris, Dree and Noelle shortly after Noelle's birth in 2004.

This is an article published in this book: Graffiti

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I give God all the glory for these beautiful daughters-in-law. "For these I prayed and He heard my prayer." I did not deserve to be blessed like this. It is another example of God's extreme grace and mercy.
Happy birthday with grateful love,


Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas

I apologize for many things about this video.. First of all --the length. It is way too long. Second of all, I had not combed my hair or put on an undergarment that is common only to women and I just happened to walk by a mirror--oh well. You will hear more about that in the video.

I guess I am losing all vanity in my old age. That and I don't have the energy to remake it for the 4th time.

Apologies to my husband who got his feelings hurt because I called Rudolph obnoxious. Sorry, Honey. I really, really love him a bunch--Rudolph, not my husband. Oh, me did I really just say that??

Also, apologies for the many times that I said, "many, many years ago." --very annoying--Wow! Filming this really makes me appreciate "live" T.V. hosts and hostesses. This is not an easy job.

Anyway, this is for posterity's sake and I can tell you for sure that if any of my descendants ever feel like you HAVE to watch this--please know that I will not roll over in my grave. I will totally understand. In fact, not only will I understand but I give you specific instructions now to just skip this post. This is not for the faint hearted.

And I hope you know that we know Christmas is not about stuff. I have collected quite a bit of stuff over the course of 44 years of "wedded bliss," BUT Christmas is about more important things which I wrote about here. This is just a little video for fun. Have a happy and blessed Christmas Day.

Untitled from Elizabeth Dianne on Vimeo.



Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas Eve Bride

Just wanted to share a picture of my mother-in-law who became a bride 74 years ago today.

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One of the few close up pictures of Gene, my father-in-law. I guess he was always the one who took the pictures. And he is holding my husband! Well, I think it is my husband--the more I looked at it, the more it looks like his brother.

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The house that my husband grew up in--the only one he ever lived in before marrying me. His mom lived in that house for 55 years. They built it in the late '30's. Their house payment was $23.00 a month. They had a curve put in their sidewalk--it added a whopping $5.00 to their mortgage.

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This was about 1944--the year I was born and even though it was before my time, we still went bare-legged in the snow when I was a little girl--hard to believe! And she is holding my husband!

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My father-in-law is the third from the left--again 1944. He worked for the North Little Rock Electric Department for 40 years.

We spent many happy Christmases with them and always miss them so much this time of year.


princess hat

When I called my son recently to get some Christmas gift ideas for his 5 year old daughter, he said that she told Santa the other night that she wanted a "princess hat."

Have you ever had that happen to you? You get your children to write down all their fondest dreams and wishes for Christmas and then they spring something on you at the last minute when there is no time, no money, no energy left to do more shopping.

My son went looking for a princess hat and had no luck. We are supposing that she is referring to some type of tiara but we really don't know for sure. And you don't want to ask too many questions right here close to Christmas Eve, --just might give away our big secret.

I did find a cheap little "princess hat" at a local mart and I did purchase it but I found myself thinking, "I would love to buy her a real tiara--one that real princesses wear." Of course, that is totally ludicrous and I would never do that but it didn't stop the thoughts from flowing.

The grandparent in me thought her request and phrasing was so cute but my mind couldn't help but go to "my princess hat." Am I wearing my hat or am I acting like a pauper's kid? Am I rejoicing in my daily status of being a daughter of the king? Is my Father tired of taking care of me and meeting my every need and many of my wants or does He have everything in hand? Is He an on-time God or has He run out of time and resources and energy for me?

I pray that whether your Christmas includes lots of presents or just very meager ones, real china or paper plates, a lavish decorator tree as my husband refers to them or a simple little Charlie Brown tree,--I pray that you will choose to trust in the Christ of Christmas so that you too can celebrate this holiday as it was meant to be celebrated--embracing the One who was born in a stable because there was no room for Him in the inn, giving your life to serve the One who gave His life for you and for me, and thankfulness for your tiara, your crown, --the one that you will someday gladly lay at the feet of Jesus, and declare with the tribes of many nations and with the Heavenly Hosts--"Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty."

Here is a humble suggestion for a simple prayer you can pray if you find yourself longing to know this child-man-Savior-King in a more intimate way.

Heavenly Father,
I realize that I need you--that we are all lost without you. I also realize that even faith is a gift, a gift that you said you would give us. I ask now for the faith to believe that Jesus Christ is your only begotten Son, that He came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to redeem me from my lostness, and rose from the dead on the third day.

Even though I may not understand everything, I choose to believe and trust that you have done this for me. I choose to take a step of faith. I ask You to come into my heart, to cleanse me from all my sin and prepare me to spend eternity with You.

I ask that you would lead me to the right people--people who will help guide me to a church where I can worship with other believers and grow as You would have me to. Show me my talents and gifts that you want me to use to help others.

Thank you for hearing this simple prayer. Thank you for cleansing me. Thank you that the most meaningful Christmas ever is just about to happen.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Please feel free to email me if you would like. I will be glad to TRY to help you locate a church in your area that teaches the Bible, and loves to reach out to help a lost and dying world. If I can be of service to you, please feel free to contact me at the email provided in my sidebar.


Monday, December 21, 2009

Traci

Happy birthday to our lovely daughter-in-law, Traci. God has blessed us so richly with three of the greatest DsIL we could possibly have.

Traci is a wonderful wife to our son and mother to our grandchildren. I am so thankful for how God has used her in the last few years in her job as children's minister in a local church here in our city. Thank you, God, for your marvelous grace and mercy extended to our family.

Thank you, Traci, for the joy you have added to our family. It would have never been complete without you.

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The early years of dating

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Rehearsal dinner for Michael and Traci's wedding

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The reception

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The newly married couple

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Michael and Traci with their daughters Katelyn, Kennedy, and Caroline

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A few years ago Larry and I celebrated Thanksgiving in Branson with Michael and Traci. If you have never been to Branson on Thanksgiving Day, it is a treat. It opens at 4 p.m. and people are packed in there but everyone is so festive and happy and many families meet there to have joyous reunions. That was one of the happiest and most fun days of my life. We were living in a different city then and we met them there.

Many more happy birthdays to our precious #2 daughter.

you have to see this!

Please go here to see a picture of faith in action. I won't comment. I would just ask that you drink it all in. The total peace, the total relaxation in the faces and bodies--oh, I said I wouldn't comment so I will shut up now.


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Noel Noelle Noel

Noelle is our 7th and I hope not last grandchild. She turned five recently and is one of the great joys of our lives.

Here she is singing with her home-school choir. Hope you enjoy! Oh, btw, she is the 2nd from left on the middle row.

Untitled from Elizabeth Dianne on Vimeo.



Caroline Kellough

Seems




Crouching, shivering, waiting for darkness to fall.
Waiting as the time passes , waiting for it to hit.
Waiting to se if I'll every see another Rainbow.
Smoke covers the sky, ash covers the ground.
No love can pass through these walls
My tears start to fall
They can only make a mark on my dirt-stained cheek
They cannot change the fate of millions
These tears we cry cannot stain the course of time
Cannot was away our pain
and once darkness falls
once all is done
I will be the rainbow I never saw.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I saw Jesus

Ann over at Holy Experience suggested that we might write about where we have seen Jesus in this Christmas season.

I have seen Him in numerous places--I saw Him in our candlelight service this past Sunday morning. Also, I saw Him in a granddaughter's home-schooling Christmas program.

When I was a young girl, my heart's desire was to be a ballerina and to take piano lessons. The small bump in the road where I lived when I was the age to start taking dance had one grocery store, a school, one church and about ten houses. Needless to say, that was out of the question.

I have written about Ashton, our ballerina, before but I wanted to share this small video with you. I guess I am living vicariously but it is a dream come true to see my flesh and blood dancing and especially dancing for Jesus.

I ran out of room on my little video camera right when she started to perform her dance. I almost cried but I am going to share the dress rehearsal number. The main differences between the rehearsal and the live performance--

no little children running around
a packed house
no brown paper bags
the mom had on an teal and black outfit

and the GREATEST DIFFERENCE--instead of a recorded song, the youngest choir kids were singing the song--I'm so sorry that you don't get to hear those precious little voices--

Ashton is dancing with one of the home-schooling moms and her daughter. She has three other daughters and is several months pregnant with her fifth. You will see 3 out of 4 of her daughters in this clip. And maybe a small glimpse of the 4th talking to my husband.

I saw Jesus in this interpretive praise dance. I hope it blesses you this holiday season. It takes about 20 seconds or so before it begins--sorry! You can get a full screen by clicking on the little flower icon next to "Vimeo."

Ashton Dance Rehearsal from Elizabeth Dianne on Vimeo.


Here is a link to my favorite song about seeing Jesus. If this song is not played or sung at my funeral, you will know that my family either does not read my blog or they pay me "no nevermind." LOL

Merry Christmas,
Dianne


holy experience

Monday, December 14, 2009

christmas traditions

ONE OF OUR TRADITIONS

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When I was very young, some dear, dear family friends gave my parents the word
N-O-E-L in separate letters. If we had had a fireplace, the letters spelling "NOEL" would have set on the mantle but since we didn't, they set on a table or buffet in the living room.

Every time my dad came through the living room (when no one was looking) he would change the word "Noel" to "Leon" or "Lone." When we would come through we would change it back. My parents are deceased but this tradition continues throughout my family even in other states. It is always done when no one is looking or when no one is paying attention. This takes some real maneuvering sometimes.

When we moved back to Arkansas several years ago after being gone for 30 years, THE ORIGINAL NOEL got broken. In the process, it almost broke my heart. However, that is why we have Hobby Lobby and other craft stores. They usually always have some during the holidays. I made sure that I had a new one and my children who did not have one were also given a set in their stocking.

My youngest son and his wife named one of their daughters "Noelle" and while she was still in the womb, she was referred to as "Little Leon" by the other brothers. We have had such a good time over the years with this seemingly small but fun tradition. I hope it never dies.

Well, it happned again today. See my beautiful NOEL above. When I walked back in the house after telling my son and his family goodbye, this is what I found. I DON'T KNOW WHEN HE DID IT! CAUSE IT WASN'T LIKE THAT 5 MINUTES BEFORE! Anyway, it made my day and I had a smile on my face for the rest of the day. (That happened when they were here for Thanksgiving. I had just decorated the mantle.)

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NON-TRADITION

A few years ago my husband surprised the family when he brought out a basin of water and towel and proceeded to wash my feet and the feet of our three sons. It was his request that each son would wash his wife's feet, which of course they did. While the grandchildren were playing in another room, the eight adults had a Bible study and foot washing on Christmas Day. The Bible study was not unusual but the foot washing was.

We are not some super-spiritual or holier-than-thou family. We are a normal Christian family with problems like everyone else, but try to live our lives dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.

This selfless act touched my heart deeply--that my husband came up with this idea of humbling himself in the manner of Jesus was a wondrous gift to me, my sons and our daughters-in-law. That is one gift I will never forget.




If you would like to share a tradition or a non-tradition, please post the direct URL to your exact post in McLinky, leave a comment, or send me an email. Thank you so much for participating.




Saturday, December 12, 2009

Welcome--come on in!

EVERYTHING ELSE THROWN IN

UPDATED: I just added this video today, the 24th--there are lots of things to apologize for. If you read my blog tomorrow, Christmas Day, you will get an earful! Anyway, it is NOT for the faint of heart. smile

Untitled from Elizabeth Dianne on Vimeo.



I am so glad that you dropped by today. I hope you enjoy your visit and if you have time to say hello, I will be sure to drop by your place too. Also, please note the invitation on the sidebar to a McLinky here on Tuesday the 15th. I hope you will drop back by and share a tradition or two or just a little something that has made your family's Christmases more meaningful.

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This is our front door. We had a storm door up until a couple of weeks ago and I talked my husband into taking the storm door down and painting the leaded glass door. It was stained before and was very pretty but the leaded glass did not show up. I love how it looks now and even more so with the colored lights. They include red, blue, green, orange, and gold.

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This is a canvas I painted a couple of years ago--it is not a Christmas canvas but goes well with the Willow Tree nativity scene, I think.

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This angel is about 2.5 feet tall and is one of my favorite things I have. I bought her at Sam's maybe 15 years ago. She looks like she is carved out of wood. She stands watch over a nativity on the entry buffet.


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I love this angel also. I got her as seasonal promotional at a local grocery store in Tulsa, OK several years ago. She looks like an ice sculpture and is lighted from the bottom with a bulb and a wheel that changes colors.

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This is my centerpiece on my dining room table--real greenery, apples and oranges. I had candles in it until my greenery started drying out.

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And this is our tree in the family room. It is 9 feet tall and loaded with lots of old ornaments from years gone by. My two favorites things on it are the snowflakes and the icicles. The crocheted snowflakes were collected over several years in the late 1970's. The icicles are ones I bought in 1965. They are still beautiful to me.

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A granddaughter dancing around the tree.

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This bookcase has sixteen compartments and is filled with my collection of Christmas books.

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This is my husband's stocking that I made in 1965. He has not been "Daddy" in a long time. He went from Daddy to Dad to Boompa.

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This is my family. I am on the right end next to my husband. I have three sons, three precious DsIL and seven grandchildren whom I dearly love. And yes, I'm pretty crazy about those three sons and my husband also.

Hope this gives you a small glimpse of our home at Christmas time. My prayer is that this Christmas will be the most meaningful one that you and yours have ever celebrated. Thank you so much for dropping by and I sincerely hope that you will join me on Tuesday, the 15th.

I saw this snowflake on YouTube the other day and wanted to include it for you. I plan to make some soon.

Disclaimer: I do NOT recommend putting them in the oven as she did. LOL





Christmas Tour of Homes with The Nester

I am also linked to this site:

and to this site
but could not get their graphics to work--so sorry! will continue to try.