I'VE JUST SEEN JESUS!

If you never read or listen to another thing that I put on this blog, please take a few minutes to listen to this song. It is what I imagine I will be thinking, feeling, and singing at the top of my lungs, right after I step from this life to eternal life. Actually, Jesus said that when we have accepted him we have already passed from death into life--maybe that is why I love this song so much. Listen to this when the spouse and family are gone, turn it up loud, and act like a religious fanatic. It is okay to praise God at the top of your voice! In fact, if you are uncomfortable with hearing your own self, you better bring your ear buds to Heaven with you. People from every tribe, language, etc. under the sun will be praising HIM!

If you come to my funeral and you do not hear this song, you will KNOW that none of my family read my blog. LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY!

Today is my nephew Jay's birthday. This is him with his precious wife, Valera and their two sons, Turner and Peyton. I've been thinking about you for a week, Jay, and still haven't gotten your card in the mail. But many wonderful wishes for a great birthday. You are dear to us!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

Have you ever celebrated Christmas in July? Well, I am feeling rather nostalgic today and was going through some old stuff that I want to scan and save before it becomes forever lost. In the midst of that, I found this Erma Bombeck article that I absolutely love and wanted to share it with you. Please click on the article to make it bigger and easier to read.

Most of my family are "Christmas nuts" but I have one son in particular, Chris, who makes his family PROMISE (somewhat tongue in cheek) that they won't listen to any Christmas music or watch any Christmas movies before May. In April of this year, they were here and while Chris wasn't around, his wife sneaked around and put one in the DVD player. LOL

I have a friend who lost her 16 year old son to cancer some years ago. The loss was devastating, as you can imagine, but she told me her first Christmas when she took the homemade decorations down from the attic and tenderly opened them one by one, was one of the hardest times she ever experienced. His precious little Jesus Sunday School ornaments opened a hole in her heart that had only slightly healed over. Are you enjoying your family today? Take this time to love them especially hard--Christmas in July!!

THE PRODIGAL SON

This is the art piece I just finished. I am hoping it will show in the Fellowship Art Show this fall. I will find out July 28th if it got accepted. The theme for the show is THE PRODIGAL SON. I can't wait to see how all the artists will depict this in their work. It will be wonderful!

KENDALL AND KAILEY WORKING HARD!

We went out to lunch with David, Marianne, Carole, and Bob and then went to the hospital for my sister's knee surgery. She did well and is home and not even using crutches. Unbelievable! We then went to Kendall's national AAU tournament game. He lost but the team played really hard and Kendall did well. A team from North Carolina beat them.

After the game we went with Kim and Jeff, Kailey and Kendall to eat dinner and then they came over to the house. Michael showed up and we got to hear about their recent mission trip to the Smoky Mountains and their trip to New Orleans for the national AAU 5th grade girls tournament. They had a great time and came in second.

Kailey has a great eye for photography and is going to concentrate on this for her college major. She will be attending Union University in Jackson, TN come fall. She worked on Photoshop editing one of her pictures that she took in Africa a few weeks ago--a picture that she plans to enter in the Fellowship Bible Church Art Show coming up soon.

Kendall watched the YouTube video that I found for him a few days ago and he is working hard to learn to play The Scientist by Coldplay. He did really well.

Thank you, Lord, for family, for fun unplanned evenings. What a joy!