FARTHER ALONG WE'LL KNOW ALL ABOUT IT!

This morning I received an email from my precious Tulsa friend, Lynda. In it she shared a prayer request that I did not know her family was experiencing. In my response to her, I was reminded of an old hymn we used to sing years ago and shared that with her as I breathed a prayer for their situation. As a child I had problems but nothing so staggering that I really came to appreciate the words to the song. After living a lifetime and knowing the hurt that most any lifetime can bring us along the way, the words to that old song became a reality for me. I never will forget the day I heard the song after not hearing it for 40 or 50 years.

I go to a nursing home on Thursday mornings with a few others to minister to some patients there who want to worship God in a corporate setting. One of the first Thursdays I was there, we sang that grand ole hymn and floods of tears fell from my eyes. For you see, no matter what you are going through today, someday you will understand it better, someday you can ask Jesus to explain it and I'm sure He will be glad to give you an explanation, an explanation that has eternity written all over, in and through it. After looking on the face of Jesus though, I bet we won't even want an answer--everything we've experienced down here will be worth it all.

When I came to the computer a few minutes ago to write on my blog, I thought that I would share the song Father Along with you. I went to YouTube to see if I could find it and then decided on the spur of the moment to check my email first. There was an email from my friend and yes, God had performed a miracle and there was an answer to their situation.

So today's blog is dedicated to Lynda. Thank you, Lynda, for your unwavering love for Jesus Christ, for the awesome witness you are to the students at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and for being my friend. I love you.

Happy Birthday Jeff!

Ready to deliver!



This was on Jeff's nursery bassinet at the hospital.




The happy couple the day after Jeff was born.

Our precious little Razorback bundle.



There is a story that goes with this picture but I will cry if I write it so maybe later.

Wearing Peepaw's hat and glasses.

Jeff and I on his second Easter.

An early birthday. Meemaw and Marianne are on the sofa.

An early school picture.

Jeff with Beth and Jerry's kids, brothers Chris and Michael, and Mark and Brad--this is in Tulsa. Strange as it may seem, Jeff works with Mark now in Little Rock. Brad and Michael are climbing on the rocks. Chris is on the far left. Jeff is the tall blonde, second from right standing.

Jeff with brothers Michael and Chris.

Jeff's ninth grade prom picture. We had a neighbor who begged me (because her daughter was dying to be in it) to try to get Jeff in the Hollywood movie, THE OUTSIDERS, directed by Francis Ford Coppala starring Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane and Ralph Macchio. I met Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon but didn't even try to meet Tom Cruise or Patrick Swayze. They were "nobodys" at that point in time. I sent this picture in and Jeff was chosen to be a "soc" in the movie. I had to take him to rehearsals every day for 42 days. They had to work with a stunt man who taught them how to do all that trick fighting. Of course, they fought the "greasers" in the movie. If you have really quick reflexes, you can pause the movie on half of Jeff's face on the big Hollywood screen.

Jeff's high school graduation from Tulsa Memorial High School--500 and something graduates!

Jeff's college graduation from Southwestern Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

Jeff's marriage to Kimberly Joyce Harmer on July 8, 1989 at Calvary Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK.

Jeff and Kim.

Jeff and Kim at Christmastime with their sweet family.

A family reunion at Cock of the Walk in Maumelle, Arkansas.

Our oldest son, Jeff, was born 42 years ago today. My, my the years have flown. I had no idea how fast they would pass. It seems just yesterday that he was heading off to college and now his first child, Kailey, is ready to leave for her freshman year at Union University.

When I had Jeff, it was the first time in my life that I felt I had really accomplished something and done something great. My mother stayed with me for several days after we came home from the hospital and we had such an awesome time taking care of him. We laughed till we cried when he gave us "a shower" as we bathed him for the first time.

Jeff, we love you so much and hope that this birthday is your best ever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAPA MCDANIEL

Papa is on the far right. I think this must have been one of his ornery days!

This picture looks like some that are posted on Facebook, LOL!

A young David Jackson McDaniel
Now here's a motley crew!
Papa is on the far left front row.





What a dashing young man!



My grandfather, David McDaniel, was born 130 years ago today. He was a real hoot, could quote the Bible from cover to cover, was a renegade of sorts, a preacher when he was living right, as honery as could be a good part of the time, carved canoes from trees, roofed a steep-pitched roof house when he was 88 years old, and when my grandmother developed hardening of the arteries in her eighties, (after being blind for many years) he treated her with the utmost dignity and respect and was there by her side for everything she needed. She had always called him "Papa." But at that point in time when her memory failed her, she called him, "Popie." It was the most heart-wrenching name I had ever heard.

For years he had made all her dresses since she was unable to go shopping. My favorite memory of him is riding the trolley to downtown Memphis to go Christmas "window" shopping with the emphasis on "window." My brother and I received one very small gift from them each year like a winter scarf or gloves but how precious that gift was to me. Memories--pressed between the pages of my mind!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRECIOUS KAILEY!

I can see a little resemblance between the two of us at 16.

I am getting dressed to go into the operating room where Kailey will be born by C-section. What a sight to watch!Kailey and I on her second Easter.
Boompa kisses Kailey right after she is born.


Our precious Kailey a few days shy of 18.
Kailey and Boompa.



Kim, Kailey and I at their home on Latimer Court.
One of the precious notes Kailey has written me over the years.

Dearest, dearest Kailey,

You were a joy then, and have brought us nothing but the utmost happiness. Thank you for being you--what a special treasure you have been to us.

All my love, Mimi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINDSAY DIANNE

This is my namesake, Lindsay Dianne. She is my sister's daughter and was born into our family after my parents had 8 grandsons. Needless to say, she was quite doted over. Happy birthday, Sweetheart!

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT!

Our family is a big sports-loving family so when I watched Alicia Sacrimony tonight on the Olympics, I actually thought I could feel at least part of the explosive pain she was suffering. Sports has brought our family some of its highest highs and some real lows. Now before you start judging us for filling our lives with such trivialities, remember that basketball has paid for college for at least 2 family members and continues to add to some of our livelihoods in different ways, coaching, skills classes, etc.

I couldn't help but wonder tonight which gymnast would, or team of gymnasts, would actually learn the most--would winning the gold be the great teacher or would the silver medalists (the second best in the world but by most thinkings--the loser) actually learn more to take them successfully through life with the adversity they suffered? What is your judgment? What do you think?

The one thing I do know is this: In the valley of disappointment, suffering, defeat, discouragement, depression, is where I have grown the most in my Christian walk. It is when I have had to surrender everything, yes, my precious stubborn will, that God has brought me the furtherest and grown me up the most. But how glad I am for the scripture in 1 Samuel that speaks about man looking upon the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. That means to me that if everyone in the world misunderstands my motives, God sees, He knows my heart, he knows when I am totally misunderstood or misjudged and that is enough for me. He also knows when my motives are wrong and accepts me with totally loving arms when I come to Him in sincere humility and repentance.

The Bible also says, "If God be for us, WHO can be against us? (capitalization mine) Are you discouraged today? Be encouraged by the great God of our universe! And don't forget to pray for Alicia Sacrimony--that her burdened will be shared and lightened but that she will learn lessons to help her during her next "rotations,"--college, most likely marriage and child-bearing, career choices, and the greatest choice of all--will I serve the one true and living God?

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

_______________________________________________________

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKA BETH!

This is circa 1975.

This is me in the back, Mika Beth in the middle with her doll, and her little sister, Mary Kate. Those who know Mika Beth and her love for babies and children will appreciate the fact that she was carrying her doll in this picture. It was Christmas and I think this was her new baby doll.

This is about 1992--Mika Beth and Matt's prom.


This is our niece, Mika Beth. She is an awesome photographer who lives and works in Fort Smith, AR. If you love photography, check out her website and click on her blog.

http://www.mikabethedwardsphotography.com/

Happy, happy birthday!!
_______________________________________________________

ON FORGIVING!

KISSIN' COUSINS

Kennedy and Ashton

They say that a really good picture tells a story. Ashton and Kennedy have never lived in the same town, see each other only about 3 times a year max, but yet they are closer than close and love each other so much. I can just imagine the "cousin secrets" they were telling as we sneaked this picture from a distance.

These are our 7 grandchildren!

This is Noelle, almost 4, and Ashton, who just turned 8--They are Chris and Dree's daughters.

These are our two oldest grandchildren, Kailey, almost 18 and Kendall, 15--

They belong to Jeff and Kim.

This is Caroline, 11, Katelyn, almost 14, and Kennedy, almost 9--They are Michael and Traci's daughters.

This is Noelle, age 3--Chris and Dree's baby girl

God was gracious and we enjoyed an awesome time together, eating, playing scrabble, shopping, talking, celebrating birthdays, watching old Christmas videos, crying, playing golf, going to basketball games, etc. Thank you, Lord, for precious family times together.

RED ROSES, BLUE LADY, WHITE ORCHID!

When Larry and I were dating and before we got really serious, he sent me a dozen red roses. That bouquet contained a white orchid. Now, it just so happened at this point in time that there was a popular song by Wayne Newton entitled "Red Roses for a Blue Lady."

Also, the lyrics contained the line, "and one white orchid for her wedding day," and it also talked about "a silly quarrel," which we also had had.

I thought Larry was starting to allude to marriage about this time during our courtship so when I got the flowers, I wrote him a letter and said, "Yes, I will." He was working out of town at the time. He wrote back and said, "Yes, you will what?"

I don't remember when I got up the courage to tell him that I was answering "yes" to what I thought was a marriage proposal. We found out later that Cabot Florist in North Little Rock (the greatest florist anywhere) automatically put one white orchid in every bouquet of a dozen roses. OH ME! How embarrassing!!

Yesterday, Larry made a trip to the same florist and got me red roses with yes, one white orchid.

Oh, by the way, I found a card recently that Larry gave me about 30 years ago and it was pretty mushy. Anyway, down in the bottom corner he said, "Don't show this to anyone. I have to keep up my image." Well, don't tell him that you saw this card on my blog. It might devastate him and he could never show his face in public again. LOL