Hope you and yours have a blessed day! We hope all your dreams came true...and don't forget to think of CHRIST on this day and days to come. HE is the reason for not only the season, but LIFE!
Merry CHRISTmas,
The McCormick's
Dunc, Jill, Anna & Noah
Christmas is a special time
To reflect on Jesus Christ
The wonder of His lowly birth
Brings meaning to our lives
There really is no other reason
We celebrate this day
The birth of God's precious son
And the life He willingly gave
But so much seems to distract us
In the busy-ness of our lives
We lose our focus in all the happenings
Not knowing, we leave out Christ
We lose sight of the true meaning
As we endlessly rush about
Trying to find that perfect gift
Seems to cloud our Saviour out
We need to stop and reflect awhile
Remembering our precious Lord
His birth, His life and sacrifice
And all that He stands for
For though the world may celebrate
It seems though for other reasons
Let's keep in mind that Jesus Christ
Is the true meaning of the season
by M.S. Lowndes
"MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!"
May CHRIST be the center of your season. . .
Noah William McCormick December 2008 (3 1/2 years old)
Anna and Noah McCormick December 2008
Anna Marie McCormick December 2008 (13 1/2 years old)
Well, it really does feel like Christmas, today! The snow is on the ground which is unbelievable, it is cold and wet, but oh how thankful we are! I have plenty of snow picture I will post, but these pictures are my favorite right now! My best friend, Beth Larkin made these picture of my babies.These are the pictures I used for my Christmas cards. "Thanks Beth!" My Christmas card are all sent out and I have had a wonderful afternoon of napping and snuggling with my babies because of the snow. A SNOW DAY!
We went to work this morning, but due to the weather we did not have much going on! We stayed until 12:00 pm and Dr. Pat said let's go! People were not on the roads or getting out in this weather so we went home. I have enjoyed a day of being with my babies and being with Dunc! Got Christmas cards done, cooked a good lunch, took a good nap, did lots of praying and had queit time, all is good at the McCormick house!
Love you all and please continue to pray for me! God hears us and I thank you all for the prayers you have already sent my way! Pray, pray, pray...
"Know that the Lord is God. It is HE who made us, and we are HIS; we are HIS people, the sheep of HIS pasture." Psalm 100:3
Dear Friends,
There are times in our lives when God calls and we are not sure we hear what HE is saying....I have been call by God to a task that is way out of my comfort zone! I have been going through spiritual war with myself, not knowing if I am hearing the call as God announced, so please pray for total peace and understanding for me. Pray I do as God ask of me and I do only HIS will. Pray for my family as it involves them and pray for friends who have already begin to put up with me questioning myself. STRENGTH is what I need. I know God is in control, but my head is out of control. Please PRAY!
In His Grace,
Jill
Noah William McCormick, 3 years old 2008
Ms. Jas and the Indian's getting ready for their Thanksgiving fest and saying what they were thankful for!
Noah McCormick, Shane Aronld, Krisalyn Jackson, and Miller Lloyd
Yesterday was the "Thanksgiving Fest" at school for Noah! Again, a ball was had by all...The kids dressed up as Pilgrims and Indians and they had a fest! Did you know there was POPCORN CHICKEN, instead of Turkey back then? Ha,Ha! Popcorn Chicken is a big hit with these children.
They sat around the table and told what they were thankful for...to see things through the eyes of a child will break your heart! These children may only be 3 and 4 years old, but they have huge hearts. The things these children said they were thankful for were things you never would had thought even crossed little ones minds. Praise God! Us parents and grandparents must be doing something right.
Again, little Hannah Jones is not in the picture she was not able to be there is had to go with her daddy to work yesterday! Hannah is the daughter of Ty and Melanie Jones. One day we will have her in the picture. She is so cute! Shane Arnold was there as an Indian, he is the son of Lacie Ezell. Miller Lloyd was an Indian, he is the son of Carrie and Justin Lloyd. Krisalyn Jackson was Ms. Pocahontas and she was beautiful, she is the daughter of Brad Jackson. These children have a great bond at school and we are very Thankful for Ms. Jas, who was the only pilgrim yesterday!
The fest was popcorn chicken, Cheetos's, cake, rolls, pilgrim hats and drinks! They love it! May each of you have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, don't eat to much and remember who to Thank for all your blessings!
In His Grace...
What a way to make memories...Wednesday morning about 6:30 am, Noah went off on his first "Big Boy" trip with out Mommy and Daddy!
For those of you who do not know my Mother and Father are retired, so about every 3 months they take a trip. I thank God for allowing them the health to be able to do as they please, when they please. They had been wanting to take Noah to Branson, Missouri to see the Noah's Ark show before it finishes up its showing in November. So, Dunc and I agree it would be a trip he would remember FOREVER with Nana and Papa.
They started their trip on Wednesday morning with the in tension of coming home Saturday, but after they got up there they find out the Christmas lights were starting at Silver Dollar City and The Shepard of the Hills so they stay another day! They just returned home today about 2:00 pm. I was so ready for him to be at home. I missed him so much!
They had a ball. It is all he can talk about. Aunt Judy and Uncle Jimmie live in Baldknob, Ak. so they drove to there Wednesday night spent the night with them and of course picked up Aunt Doddy and then on to Branson Thursday. They went to the Noah's Ark show on Thursday. All Noah wanted to see was the Alligators in Noah's Ark and there was none so Nana had a hard time explaining that one. Friday they went to Silver Dollar City to see the lights and Nana along with Aunt Doddy had to ride all the rides with him. Nana says it was COLD, but she would not had had it any other way. Before going back to the room that night they rode and look at the lights at the Shepard of the Hills, it was a little long for him and he went to sleep right at the end of it. I told Nana, it was hard work being a Traveling Man...
Memories he will have for a life time, something he can remember the rest of his life. I am so thankful for my Father and Mother! Thank you so much for the MEMORIES, Nana and Papa (and Aunt Doddy, too!) We love you very much!
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Nana, happy birthday to you! We love you very much...
Today is Nana's birthday and we are so proud to have had a blessed day with Nana yesterday! It is hard for us all to get together these days. The kids have stuff and with church and jobs are should we just say life it is hard for the family to get together for anything! Yesterday we celebrated Nana's birthday by a all getting together for lunch. We all brought a dish and had plenty of food! I made a double chocolate cake for her. Dunc, me, Anna and Noah, Mark, Christy, and Kaitlyn, Hunter, Deanna, Brock, and Bradan, Uncle Claude and Aunt Pat all help her to celebrate. The only one missing was Tanner and you all know how hard it is to get a teenager to do anything other then be with friends!
We love you, so much Nana! Hope you have many more years and a blessed day!
Last night was the "Wild About You" banquet at church. "Wild About You" was a young ladies Bible study at our church. The girls were the age of 13 years old to 16 years old who attend the Bible study. The study was done by our youth pastors' wife, Amy Walker and she only had 7 young ladies in the study.
"Wild About You" was a six week study on seeing yourself through God's eyes. These girls were truly blessed by this study. The study highlighted many issues in these young ladies lives. Everyday things they have to deal with, such things like, When do you feel the most invisible? Does God REALLY think I am beautiful? How did the last guy you dated make you feel? How do you fight the fear of not measuring up? Who's your beauty muse? What's the secret of real beauty? The study helped the girls to realize God loves them and has always loved them just the way they are!
The banquet was a night to focus on your daughter. Dunc, me and Anna attended and it was just beautiful! We walked into a room decorated in fall with the lights low. Each girl had a table set for her and her family with a beautiful photo of her on it. The table was set with real nice place settings and candles for light. It was a very moving setting. We took a family picture when we first arrived and then sat for supper. Supper was great, we had ham, corn, string bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and tea. There was also coffee and cake for desert. After the meal we as parents were asked to get up and speak to our daughter. This was a very emotional time, (I wish I had had went first). The mothers and fathers spoke to their daughter and said things to them that we sometimes just don't get to say! The daughter were overwhelmed! After we spoke to them we gave them a gift that was picked out by us as parents and had to explain to them why we brought the gift and the meaning of it! Dunc shopped for Anna's gift and I got to tell the story. He gave her a gold 18" chain with a floating heart on it. Something she could where for a long time to remember she would always be in our heart, but most of all to NOT to forget to let GOD live in her heart! It was a great night! There was not a dry eye in the church when it was over. After we spoke to our daughters gave them their gifts a slide show was done of the girls from birth 'till now. It was awesome...
The girls that were in the Bible study were Anna McCormick, Hayley McManaway, Joanna McGlaughn, Kaylee Blackwell, Emily Walker, Destin Knapp and Taylor Moak. Please keep these young ladies in your prayers as they journey through life's ups and downs! A special thanks to Amy Walker for planting a seed in these girls for the rest of their lives. Words can't express what she means to MY Anna!
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched but are felt in the heart." - Helen Keller
Well, as you know Noah had his Pumpkin Party at Ms. Jas' yesterday. The popcorn chicken was a hit! They had so much food, they did not know what to do with it. Ms. Jas only has five in this little preschool, so it did not take much for them. They had a ball at the party. Us moms did a great job! Yeah Moms, we had popcorn chicken, chocolate cup cake, pumpkin cookies, chips and cheese dip, Haystacks made out of wienies and crescent rolls, Kool aid and lots of happy bags! Great day for all of them.
We had SPIDER MAN, HULK, NINJA TURTLE, A PRINCESS and A BALLERINA! Ms. Jas was a LADY GARDENER! Let me see if I can get this right, please forgive me if I don't! SPIDER MAN was Noah McCormick. The HULK was Shane Arnold, the son of Lacy Ezell. The NINJA TURTLE was Miller Lloyd, the son of Carrie Miller Lloyd. The PRINCESS was Krisalynn Jackson, the daughter of Brad Jackson and granddaughter of Kay Jackson. The BALLERINA was Hannah Jones, the daughter of Ty and Melanie Jones. Hannah was scared of the HULK so I am sorry for not having a picture of her. I will get some pictures of her at the THANKSGIVING FEST! They were all precious!
Today is Noah's Pumpkin Party at Ms. Jas'. He is so excited! The get to wear their costumes to class today and bring snacks for the party. Noah brought a paper home from school Monday that said to bring cookies, chips, drinks, sandwiches or happy. Well after Noah and I talked about it, we had decided to send PB$J sandwiches and make happy bags. So when I got off from work yesterday I picked him up from Nana's and we went shopping. We hit the DG first and got all the things we needed for his happy bags and then on to the B & B to get stuff to make PB&J sandwiches. As we were going through the store Noah decided he did not want to take PB&J sandwiches, he wanted to take popcorn chicken! The child loves popcorn chicken...everybody will like it Mother, he said. How could I argue with that, so I am up this morning cooking popcorn chicken!
Last year, Noah was a COWBOY! This year he wanted to be SPIDER MAN! The party is this morning so I will send you pictures and a update on how the popcorn chicken went over later. Here are pictures of my baby boy last year as a COWBOY with his friend Drew Jones as ELMO! Drew is the son of Brad and Christy Jones. Have a Popcorn Chicken Day!
Today was a fun filled day! Elmo and the gang, was a great family outing! Noah was so excited, he could hardly wait to get to Jackson this morning. He had the biggest SMILE :) on his face all day long. Dunc, Anna, Aunt Christy, Kaitlyn, and Nana went with us. We had a ball just sitting back and watching him. I would have to say Anna (13) and Kaitlyn (8) had a big time too! Christy and I were raised on Sesame Street, so the kids could not believe we could sang every word to the songs. That was cool to them! (Ha!Ha!) We took them to Garfield's to eat and then on to Elmo. Here are some of our pictures of the fun family time we had. . .
Noah (3), Kaitlyn (8) and Anna (13) at Garfield's eating getting ready to go see ELMO and the gang!
Tomorrow will be better, we are taking Noah to see ELMO! Will give you a update on the ELMO trip later. . .
What started out as a beautiful day, just went down the hills. . . went with Anna last night to the late show to see High School Musical 3, which is great! We did not get home 'till 12:00 a.m., decided to sleep late! All was good, did I mention the movie was great! Got up took Dunc to pick up log truck from the shop, all was good! Started a load of clothes before I went and when we got back DYER WAS NOT WORKING...went back to Brookhaven to buy a new one, all was good...got home with it and it does not WORK! Now I have to wait until Monday to call Sears and clothes are going to pile up!
Today, I want to give you something to think about --
As I was praying and doing my devotional today, my heart was heavy about the word RELATIONSHIP! Why you ask? What does relationships really mean? So I went and looked up the definition of relationship. . .
Relationship - a particular type of connection existing between people related to or having dealings with each other; the condition or fact of being related; connection by blood or marriage; a romantic or sexual involvement.
Now after reading that definition, I have come to the conclusion that relationships are hard WORK! I also think it takes TWO not one, but it does not always happen that way. If it is husband and wife it takes TWO! If it is mother and daughter it takes TWO! If it is friend and friend it takes TWO! If it is man and God it takes TWO!
If you spend much time around a Christian, sooner or later you will hear the phrase having a personal relationship with God. When first hearing such a phrase, any person will ask (with good reason) how someone is supposed to have a "relationship" with a being they have never met, can not see, and have not heard.
Once the relationship is started by getting right with God, you need to make the second step and develop your new relationship into a personal relationship. A good way of showing what a personal relationship is can be illustrated by showing you what it is not.
What about having a personal relationship with a being you have met, can see, and have heard? The second step, developing your NEW relationship into a PERSONAL relationship can also apply to a human relationship. What are your thoughts? Let me hear from you ...
In His Grace!
God Wants You To Remember...
He is for you.
He loves you.
He believes in you.
He will not fail you.
He will provide for you.
He will bless you.
He will give you rest.
He will strengthen you.
He will answer you.
He is our Father and we are His children --
that is one thing that HE never wants us to forget.
HIS BLESSINGS TO YOU . . . .
"You received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,'Abba, Father.'" Romans 8:15
Talking about a good weekend, In case you have not caught on "I love my family!" We have had another fun filled family weekend.... It started Friday night, my sister in law came by the house Friday night going to the Homecoming Football game and both Anna & Noah went with their Aunt Cathy to see cousin Zach in the homecoming court! Dunc and I decided we would go to Micheal's to get a bite to eat. We enjoyed each others company, we love our kids, but it helps when we have time to talk and enjoy each other! I had bought Dunc a bag of peanuts, so after we went to eat, we went home and started boiling peanuts.
Saturday morning, we were up early getting ready for Anna's soccer game in Brookhaven. Oh, how she loves her soccer! They played Laurel and tied the game 4 to 4, went into over time and Laurel bet them by 5 to 4! I hate they got bet, but they sure all played a good game. After a stop a McDonald's for chicken nuggets and the stop at Walmart we headed home for Dunc and Noah to do some work around the house!
The best part of the weekend was watching Noah work with his daddy! He thought he was a "Big Man" on the Bulldozer with daddy! They did some work in the back yard and picked up around the house. When you have a home there is always something to do! We called Uncle Mark and Aunt Christy to invite them over to cook steak on the grill and of course Uncle Mark got pictures of Noah working hard with dad! He loves to do WHATEVER, daddy is doing! When he grows up he wants to be just like "Daddy"! Doesn't every little boy want to grow up to be just like their daddy!
Hope you all have a blessed week....
Good morning!
Hope this blog fines all the Mothers doing well! Is it hard being a "Mother"? Yes! I go to bed every night of my life praying for my children. I wake up every morning praying for my children. Am I a good Mother? I hope so! I worry about my children everyday. The world we live in today, or should I say The world we are bringing our children up in today, is not the same as it was when we were growing up! It is hard for kids this day and time.
I know it must sound like I am rambling this morning, but as I was doing my morning prayer time, the kids were on my mind! Anna has nine weeks test this week and for those of you who do not know, she has dyslexia. So, test are major at our house!
Anna is a beautiful, special young lady! We are so blessed to have her in our lives...She is such a "PLEAS ER", she wants everyone to be happy and she puts everybody else before her. She struggle so hard in school, but she tries so hard! She is a wonderful Christian, who studies her Bible everyday, and still struggle just to be able to do that. She has accomplish many things at the age of 13, and still has so much more she wants to accomplish. She has danced for the company, Show Stoppers, in Brookhaven for 10 years of her live and performed her 10 year solo last year. We were so proud of her. She loves soccer, she has played 4 years of county soccer,1 year of FJHS soccer and is now playing on a Brookhaven Soccer team, she loves it! She feels as if it is something she has accomplished on her own with no help from anyone.
I tell you all of this because behind the smiles and accomplishments, she hurts inside! She is so unhappy with herself. As a Mom, I pray and I try to encourage, but sometime I just do not think I am doing any good! she is unhappy in school, it is hard for her, she is not the little girl on the block, she is the big girl! These are things that other kids prey on.... I CAN'T FIX IT and I hurt for her. Like I said, she is a "PLEAS ER", so she does not complain, but as a Mom I know. I have been there as a kid and as an adult. Please pray for my Anna, GOD can fix it!
As a Mother, we all have dreams and hopes for our children. My hope is in God, with HIM all things are possible!
Please pray for me to be able to be the strong Mother I need to be and to be able to lead my child in the right directions with the right answers and pray for her, STRENGTH! May God bless all of you....
In His Grace
Just wanted to share my morning devotional with you. Hope you have a blessed week! Hold fast to the fact that HE is God!
"I am God, and there is none like me." Isaiah 46:9
God is whispering to you. Those are his arms you feel. Trust him. That is his voice you hear. Believe him. Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seems irreparable. But it's going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world. And,
Since he has no needs, you cannot tire him.
Since he is without age, you cannot lose him.
Since he has not sin, you cannot corrupt him.
If God can make a billion galaxies, can't he make good out of our bad and sense out our faltering lives? of course he can.
HE is God!
Wow, I feel like a race car driver! It has been a great week so far, but where does time go? I go to sleep at night (die) and wake up just as sleepy as I was when I went to bed! I do have a birthday this week and I am getting older, but life is moving so fast...
Not only are my babies growing up fast, they are involved in everything, so we are always on the go! Monday night at FBC of Bude we had a "Meet You At The Pole" rally with a speaker and a christian band, so of course not only for the fact that I am on the youth team and needed to be there to help, Anna is part of the youth and WANTED to be there! We had a great speaker, Rodney Jones from the Crystal Spring area, the youth of the county know him and love to hear him speak! We had a great (loud) band...from Columbia, MS, who's hearts were on "fire" for the Lord! They both did a awesome job spreading the WORD! The turn out of youth was about 65. Praise God for that! It was a good time in the house of the Lord!
Tuesday night was a night of picking up kids, cooking supper, homework, washing clothes, baths, putting Pampered Chef orders together, delivering Pampered Chef orders and again dying when I went to bed.
Yesterday, I thought I would have the night off, WRONG! Even know it was my afternoon off, I did not get rest! Busy, busy, busy....Noah and I went to do some overdue shopping for the house, then we went to visit Mamaw Dorothy at the nursing home! Noah loves to go see Mamaw and visit with all the people there, he loves them all! Afterwards it was on to the house to put up the groceries and start supper. Let us not forget about sissy as Noah would say! Yes, then we had to pick up Anna (Sissy) at school. Back to the house to finish supper and let Noah take a nap & Anna do homework, so that we could go to the Franklin Co. Fair! But before I could do that I had a meeting at 5:30 for a wedding shower. Then on to a night at the fair and again dying when I went to bed.
Tonight is my night! A group of my close friends are taking me out for my birthday and I am so looking forward to a "Girls Night Out!" There is nothing like being blessed with good friends! If I have not bored you to bad with my dull life, I will update you later on the "Girls Night Out!"
"Be still and know that I am Lord" Psalms 46:10
Well, it has been a great weekend around here! We had our regular lazy Friday night, order out and a movie at home. We went to bed early, because Anna plays soccer for a league in Brookhaven and we had to be in Jackson Saturday morning for two soccer games the first starting at 9:00 am. So, we were up early, like 5:00 am on a Saturday morning to head to Jackson, it rain on us all the way and when we got there, of course they cancelled the games! That was okay, because that meant shopping for me and Anna! We were trying to find a jacket for school. No luck, but we did get other things accomplished! Dunc and Noah had a lot of father/son bonding (ha,ha!) in town. After all was done, we went to eat and that was fun for the guys! Sunday has been a day of church, lunch at Nana's, naps, meetings & bible study at church and then home to get ready to start the week.
September 8, 2008, first day of going to Ms. Jas' for school
Noah William McCormick, 3 years old
HE LOVES SCHOOL...He is my CLOWN!
Which is what I want to tell you about! September 8, 2008, my baby boy, Noah William started his first day of 3 year old preschool! HE LOVES IT! It is hard to believe he is old enough to go to any kind of school...he goes to Ms. Jas' three days a week from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, he has three "NEW" friends that go with him. It is 3 boys and 1 little girl (bless her heart). They started on Sept. 8th, 9th, 10th, then Ms. Jas and Mr. Bill went on a trip for a week, so we are starting school all over this week! Again, HE LOVES IT! His Nana picks him up everyday and she has to pack his lunch to eat on the way home, because he is so tried, he goes to sleep on the way home from McCall Creek!
Again, can I just say HE LOVES IT! The other night he was sitting in his daddy's chair, while I was cooking and I could hear him talking and he was saying, "In the beginning......God created.......the heavens and...........the earth!" Much to my surprise, I said, "Noah, what did you says?", again, he said it a little faster and a little better, "In the beginning ...God created the heavens and the...earth!". I then said "that is so good, where did you learn that?", he said, "school", so then I said, "What verse is that?", he replied, "1"! It was so cute and I was so proud, my best friend said you need to hear me tell you the story, that the computer would not let you get the "best" of the story, but I still think after one week of school he has accomplished one goal, Genesis 1:1! Praise the Lord for that! And thank you, Ms. Jas.
Had to share, hope you all have a good week...
Well, for the last couple of months I have been going through some personal things that no one, but my husband Dunc really knows about...Mostly just things! I have been digging deep in my Bible for answers to questions and YES, HE has give me many answers. Some of which I like, some of which I don't like, and YES, I know HE is right! With all that being said, I was looking for something in the Bible last night and I found this poem that I had put in my Bible from a women's conference I had been too! And YES, it was exactly what I needed, so let me share...
LIVING IN THE LAND OF PROMISE
by Johnnie Haines
I'm looking out my window, Lord, on a place I don't recognize
It's hard to see the Promise around the tears falling from my eyes.
You've got a mighty plan, Lord, even I know that it's true,
But the task I'm facing now seems far too difficult for me to do.
I am way of my comfort zone and feeling out of place
Are you positive about the Promised Land being located in this space?
Just like your other children, I am thinking I loved the place of bondage more.
But no doubt about it, Lord, you definitely shut the door!
The manna you fed me on my journey was a fine way to eat.
The clouds that gave me directions made me sure upon my feet.
Moving to the Land of Promise seemed easier somehow...
Than living in the Promised Land you have given me for now.
Help me unpack my heart Lord, and really settle in
Help me to accept, Lord, where I am and not long so much
For where I have been.
You have told me over and over about the plans of Your heart,
Thanks for reminding me that my Promised Land
is any place where You are.
Wow! Just wanted to say, if you are going through those stinky old women things like being a mother and worrying, like be a wife and worrying, like being a employee and worrying, like being a friend and worrying, GOD says, DON'T!
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..." Matthew 6:25
Good morning! Never thought I would say this but I am glad to be going to work today! Last Wednesday, I had to pre-op for surgery on Friday at SW Hospital in McComb! It is hard being a women, but we do as we are told when it comes to our health, so we can continue to be good mothers and wives.
Noah was born three years ago and I have been having female trouble. At my last yearly check up Dr. Sumerall told me she would give me one more year and then we would be checking everything out to see what needed to be done. When I went for my check up this year in August, my problem was not any better so they schedule me for a Hysteroscopy, DNC and Endometrial Ablation for Friday, September 12th. The surgery was not that bad, it was the being put to sleep and soreness that took me so long to get over. Dunc was with me and of course he was scare to death! He did not want me to have to me put to sleep! We were in good hands, Susan Tyson and Amy May were my nurses, not only did they help and take care of me, they helped to take care of Dunc... Thanks, girls!
The news was not good when I woke up! Dr. Sumerall talked with Dunc and told him that she was able to do the Hysteroscopy and DNC, when she started to do the Ablation She found my uterus to be enlarged and could not finished with the Ablation after starting. This she said could be where a lot of my female problems are coming from and she will talk to me a my follow up exam about a Hysterectomy!
Please keep me in your prayers, I know women do this everyday, but I am scared, I don't want to have to go through this and I feel like I am falling apart at the age of 41!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you ever read Proverbs 31? For the last couple of months I have been asking God to show me how to be the woman HE wants me to be. I also asked Him to show me how to get everything done on a daily basis, glorifying Him in the process. I was flooded with feelings of guilt and self-doubt as I read through the qualities of God's ideal woman....
PROVERBS 31:10-31
A wife of noble character who
can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in
her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and fax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing fer food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for the tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamps does not go out at
night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her
fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to
needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for
her household;
for all of them are clothed in
scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and
purple.
Her husband is respected at the city
gate,
where he takes his seat among the
elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells
them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and
dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her
tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her
household
and does not eat the bread of
idleness.
Her children arise and call her
blessed;
her husband also, and he praises
her:
Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is
fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is
to be praised.
Give her the reward she has
earned,
and let her works bring her
praise at the city gate.
God longs for us as women to experience peace in our daily activities. He wants our lives to be filled with joy, not turmoil. And to that end He is inviting us to the place of ultimate comfort, fulfillment and excitement: HIS PRESENCE!
There is simply no better way to take control of our time than by choosing to give our time to God. In seeking His direction about my daily schedule and all the things that take up my day, I am inviting Him to be a part of every element of how I spend my time. That is my prayer, make it yours! God bless you and your family...
Yesterday was a day of celebration! It was a very important day for my baby sister, my dad and someone who has been like a father figure to me for a long time. The date September 8 is the anniversary of Mark and Christy Van Norman, the birthday of Donald Ezell and the birthday of James Savage.
To celebrate the day we went to the new steak house in McComb, it was great! My dad had no ideal we would be out there so we surprised him! To celebrate his birthday it was Dunc, me, Anna and Noah, Mark, Christy, Tanner and Kaitlyn, Aunt Judy (Who is home for a while) and Mother.
Mother and him had went to see Bradan play flag football in Brookhaven and then on to McComb, so he did not know we would be out there. He had a great surprise! After a great steak supper, Kaitlyn topped it off with a "Dirt Cake" for poppa, it had worms and all! Ha, Ha... He loved it! Mark and Christy celebrated 18 years of marriage, Wow that is unbelievable! Happy Anniversary, sis...
Cindy Wilkerson and her family, also took there father out for his birthday! Of course great minds think alike, yes she also took her dad to the steak house. Mr. James celebrate his birthday with all his family! To help him celebrate another year was Ms. Barbara, Lance, Cindy and their 3 kids, Justin and Courtney, Stephanie, Lance and their son! Mr. James was all smiles. We do all like to eat! We wanted him to get the BIG 32 oz. steak! Ha, Ha... Happy Birthday, Mr. James!
It was a great night just to be with family! Thank you, Lord for family and friends!
"Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life" Job 12:12
Today was just one of those days when I am feeling down and out... There is lots of "STUFF" going on at our church that the devil has his hand in and I just don't want to be there! Stinky way to think, huh? So, I decided to stay at home and read my devotional and Bible.
Here is what God gave me this morning:
" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment." Matthew 22:37-38
Despite our extraordinary calling - to experience God's love and to love Him in return - we fill our lives with idols. Given the greatest invitation in the universe, we treat it as an obligation that we might be able to squeeze in around our other interests. Could anything be more ludicrous? The infinite, holy, jealous, merciful, mighty Ancient of Days makes a straight path for us into His heart of passion, and our response is so often to say, "We'll see; I've got some other things I'd like to do, too." The angels must be astonished at the squandering of such an opportunity.
The passions that draw us away from God can be intense, Jesus does not ask us to rid ourselves of passion, but to turn that passion toward God. When we realize this and break ourselves free from the illusions-or delusions-that make us think we can find fulfillment in anything other than Him, our lives begin to resemble watered, fruitful oases where there was once desert. Determine to pursue God in love as a response to His loving pursuit of you. Leave everything else behind.
WOW!
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us. We are far to easily pleased." - C.S. Lewis
Wish this would have been the sermon in church this morning... Just thought I would share. I NEED THAT!
I love you, Mom...
As we pray for the GUSTAV, as we pray for baby Jacob Kent, as we pray about the mundane details as well as the huge trials of life, we are acknowledging that we aren't in control - GOD is. We are humbling ourselves and drawing near to Him, learning more of who HE is, opening ourselves to HIS working.
I thank God for the one who taught me that, my mom! She may never know how much she means to me and my family, but we love her so much... As a kid, I know she may have thought she never got through to me and my sister & brother, but the things she taught us as children has stay with us through our adult lives. She started praying for us as babies that the Lord would send us christian husbands and wives who would bring up her grandchildren in christian homes and the Lord answered that prayer for her.
I have a wonderful christian husband, Dunc McCormick, who would give you the shirt off his back if needed. He is the best dad in the world (along with Hunter and Mark). We try to teach our children the ways of the Lord. Christy is married to Mark Van Norman, who is a wonderful christian. I know he is my brother-in-law, but he is the best! No matter what the storm is in his live, he is always willing to help, not only family, but friends and strangers. Hunter, well praise God we got a wonderful sister-in-law, also. Anyone who knows Hunter, well enough said.... He is lucky to have found a good christian lady like Deanna. We love her and we are glad she is part of our family!
With all that said, we still all have storms in our lives, some big, some small, but we do have storms! We must trust that all things, good and bad, are in God's hands. And we must also believe that He hears the prayers of His people. His answer may not be exactly what we think we want, but if we trust that God knows what is best for us and for the good of His kingdom, we can trust that however He chooses to answer is best.
I think I speak for my sister and my brother, when I say how blessed we are to have a mom, who not only taught her children that, but is now teaching her grandchildren that.
As, I close, I ask you today to pray your way through the Storms of Life, but as the storm GUSTAV makes its way out of our lives, please continue to pray for Chris and Angie Kent and the storm they are going through now!
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16
This morning I want to tell you about two very special young ladies. There names are Anna and Emily. Anna and Emily are both 13 years old. They both go to school a Franklin Middle School. (FJHS) They have lots of the same friends. They both are Christians. Anna attends church at First Baptist Church of Bude. Emily attends church at Meadville United Methodist. One is a baptist and one is a Methodists, does that matter, NO, they both are Christians and that is all that matters!
They are "BEST" friends. Emily is just part of our family. Emily and Anna have been friends for a long time. They do lots of things together. They also do lots of things apart, but the one things they do, do together is share Jesus! I am so proud of these girls. It is amazing when you walk in a teenage girl's room and see them laying on the bed with the BIBLE open read and talking about scripture.
They are different in many ways, they have different points of views on things, but one thing never changes and that is their love for each other and the respect they have for one another. Emily is in to everything soccer, softball, cheer leading, you name it she does it. Anna is in to soccer, dance, drama, you name it she does it, but they always have time for each other!
It is hard for girls this day and time. The peer pressure is unbelievable! I am so thankful they have each other. I am also thankful for Emily's parents Tiffany and Jody who are very supportive to the girls. I pray every night for the girls to know that Dunc and I am here for them also! I want them to know they can talk to us about anything and not be scared. Life is tough...
No matter if it is going on vacation, going shopping, having a party, going to camp, doing homework, just whatever excuse they can find! They love doing it together. I thank the Lord their paths met! I love you, girls....
This is from my friend, Heather
Six random facts about myself:
1. At Christmas one year, a friend and I were shopping in a local drug store while killing time on the way to a dear friends Christmas Party, when we were held at gun point, while someone was trying to rob the store for drugs! We did not take the person serious and laugh and walked out. The person followed us with the gun to the car, but we kept going. (CRAZY)
2. I love to put sugar on my spaghetti and cheese!
3. I spend two weeks in London, England studying British Lit. in 1986.
4. I love to sit on my front pouch and rock while it is raining. I love the smell of rain.
5. Greeting card are a favorite of mind. When things are going on in the lives of my friends and family that I am praying about, I love to send cards and let me know they are in my heart for whatever the reason. Just think greeting cards make people feel special when less expected. (I love to get them too!)
6. I hate when people only see what I look like on the outside and judge! When if they could truly know my heart they would understand and not JUDGE! (I LOVE LIFE...)
This was hard...
I would love to see some other responses...like Heather it took me forever to come up with 6 things about myself! Have a blessed day <><
Do you ever wonder if you are hearing what God is saying? I do..
Sometimes we want God to speak in an audible voice, and we get frustrated when we go through times when He seems silent. But is He really silent?
Today, our Father has showered us with blessings of rain, well Anna has been sick with the sore throat and a bad ear infection, Noah has had cabin fever and Dunc is a logger, so he has been a little under the weather too. Today seemed like one of those days just to stay home and out of harms way. So, did God speak to me this morning? Yes, every where I turned...
As I got up this morning the rain was coming down and I told Dunc with Anna being sick we would just stay home from church. As I was getting my clothes on my 3 year old come running in the room saying "Are we going to church, mommy?" That was the first time He spoke to me this morning. As I get in the car to run to the store for milk for breakfast I receive a text from a dear pastor friend of mine that said, "As Fay showers us with rain, may our Lord also shower us with blessing in worship today!" He spoke again. I was listening to what He was saying... when I returned home from the store we still did not go to worship this morning, but as a family we pulled out our Bible and had church at home. It was good! He show us we could still worship Him no matter where we were. Thank you Lord.
God speaks to all of us in different ways that correspond to the unique learning style He created as part of our being. God primarily speaks to me through His written word. So scripture reading is very important in my spiritual walk and my home. Many times, as I have been headed down the wrong path at the wrong time and at the wrong speed, God has sent a word to me and warned me to STOP what I'm doing, turn around quickly, and get back on the right path. This morning was one of those days!
"Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." Psalm 119:89
There will be times when you feel like nothing earth-shattering happened as you spend time with God in His Word. That's OK, His Word is still alive and working. God bless and have a blessed week. Search His Word for answers...
Wow, what a week... this has been a long day! We were not real busy at work today, which makes for a long day. We found our self clock watching, which did not help it go any faster.
THANK GOD It's Friday! Tonight is going to be a night of PJ's, take out and a good movie. After a long week I just want to be a home and have family time. The water will be off in Bude again tomorrow, so all the clothes are washed and the house is clean, which means as I am laying on the couch I won't be feeling guilty. (ha, ha)
Hope you all have a great weekend and try not to get wet...
"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Yesterday was a great day! Dunc had a birthday...It is so hard to figure out what to get him for his birthday, we had talked about going away for the weekend, but we did not want to leave the kids. I had thought of other things he might want, but I thought about waiting until this weekend and us going to get THE RIGHT THING. (You know what I am talking about) They say they want something, you go get it and it is the wrong thing. So instead I surprised him with no kids for the night and a romantic dinner for two!
It was great. I had to go to the doctor for a check up in McComb yesterday, so I got all my stuff... I fixed the table with flowers, candles, and fine dishes. I had on some romantic music. The menu was mushrooms and peppers with cheese & crab meat for appetizer, then we had stuffed steak, baked potatoes with butter & sour cream, pan fried asparagus and yeast rolls for the main meal. Let's not forget angel food cake with blueberry & cool whip topping. Lots of talking which we don't get to do these days with a 3 year old running around. (Thank God for Nana's) It was a great night that we spend together.
Just want to say again, "Happy Birthday, Dunc! I love you.." and "Thanks Nana, I love you, too!
God bless, take some time and spend it with the one you love....
As I have said before people come in and out of our lives for different reason. Sometime we have not ideal why, but God does, HE has a reason for everything. I would like to tell you about a special person in my life...
Mary Elizabeth Larkin (Beth), she is one of those special people in my life! She is so amazing, She is a teacher, a doctor, a psychologist, a sister, a daughter, a mother, a wife, a christian, a cook, a taxi driver, she has so many title I could go on and on, but best of all she is my friend!
She is married to Patrick W. Larkin and they have to wonderful children Baileigh & Thomas. I don't even know where to start.... All those titles I was referring to are things she is to me.
She has taught me so many things, things she does not even know she has taught me. That why I call her a TEACHER!
When there is something going on medical in my life, she is the first person I call(she knows I don't like doctors)and she always has advise. That why I call her a DOCTOR!
Let me have something going on in my life I don't know how to fix, she is the one I sat down with and spill the beans too. That is why I call her a PSYCHOLOGIST!
We don't have the same mothers, but next to my sister Christy who I love very much, we can sure fight like sisters and love the next day. That is why I call her a SISTER!
We have a lot in common when it comes to our biological father, they were not around, but our heavenly Father is. That is why I call her a DAUGHTER!
It is so important to her the well being of her babies (Baileigh & Thomas), she always puts them first. That is why I call her a MOTHER!
I have heard her say over and over how she knows that God placed Pat in her life to make her a better person, but I think they compliment each other. That is why I call her a WIFE!
We make mistakes, we are sinner saved by grace, we know when to get down on our knees and who to talk too! Our heavenly Father, who lives in our hearts. That is why I call her a CHRISTIAN!
A COOK, A TAXI DRIVER what ever the title is I am proud to call her a FRIEND!
There is a song by Micheal W. Smith, "Friends Are Friends Forever" and that is so true. Don't let another day go by without telling a FRIEND what she or he means to you. Life is to short...
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as Friends
I love you Beth!
Today was a great day! While the men had to work... We moms took the kids out for a day of fun!
We had no water in Bude, Mississippi today, so we were thinking of something fun to do with the kids. The morning started with a phone call from my sister, letting me know that she had water in Monroe and that I was more then welcome to bring the kids to brush their teeth and take shower if we needed them. Well, the kids took baths the night before, but I take a shower every morning (because of the bed head I wake up with, ha!)and we did need our teeth brushed. So, I took her up on the offer.
While at Christy's house we decided we would take a rode trip with the kids. A day of movie hopping and good food! We took a ride to Pearl, Ms. The first stop was Brookhaven where we got McDonald's for a fast on the road lunch. Noah has to have his chicken nugget fix! Then we were on the road again! Dunc had to go to Houston, Ms. this morning for business, which I thought would take all day, but he surprised us by calling when we were almost to Jackson and met us over at the movies. Dunc, Noah and Tanner went to see "Dark Knight", the batman movie and Christy and I took Anna and Kaitlyn to see "Mirrors", a scary movie. All of us girls like scary movies. It was great! It is not that bad... first scene is bad, but after that it just makes you jump a lot! The kids had lots of popcorn, pops and candy, which made it all better!
After the movies where over we went to O'Charley's for supper. Good food, Good Movies, Good Family Time and lots of love. It was a fun time with the kids today!
Don't sweat the small stuff, it will be there tomorrow. Relax and enjoy your friends and family while they are here to be a blessing in your life! God bless you all...
Wednesday was a hard day, we had to let someone who we loved very much go be with the Lord. We know that she is looking down on us watching our every move. (Thank God for angels!)Along with that Wednesday we had a 3 year check up at the Children's Clinic in McComb for Noah.
Dr. Chris Charles is Noah's doctor, Noah loves him, so he was all excited about his check up. When we got there Dr. Charles had to take the day off and we had to see Dr. Michael Artigues. I have talk to Dr. Artigues on the phone before and I really like him, but Noah is like his mother a creature of habit, he did not know him or want any part of the visit. It got better Dr. Artigues made a new friend and all went well with his visit. Noah is blowing the growth chart out of the page! He was 3 years old on July 19th and he is 40 inches tall and weights 46 lbs. which is perfect for his height. He is going to be a tall man like his daddy.
Speaking of "Daddy", he is a "Daddy's Boy". I love to watch him with Dunc, it is something new everyday. Yes, Daddy went to the doctor with us. Noah thinks Daddy can make everything better!
I know I am the "New Kid on the Blog", and my post has not been very up lifting, but I do think that God allowed me to start blogging at a time when I needed it! It has been a way for me to pour out my feelings that I may not have been able to talk to some one about. "Thank you, Lord!"
Today I have prayed for the Lord to give me something up lifting to post and here is what HE gave me:
God's words
are encouraging words,
healing words,
life-giving words,
renewing words,
refreshing words.
When God speaks to us
out of His heart,
He is meeting a need in ours.
So, let me just say,
"May He speak to you today
just what YOU need to hear."
May God bless all of you and just remember HE is in control, even in the valleys!
"I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for HE will speak peace to His people." Psalm 85:8
Yesterday was a long day! People come in and out of your life for reason sometime we don't even know until they are gone. The Lord saw fit to take one of those people home with him yesterday, Carolyn Ezell's battle with cancer stopped yesterday, so she could go be with her Lord!
I don't even know where to begin with this lady, she was one of the most amazing people I know! She touched so many peoples hearts, she did so much for people! I often wonder how she could be at so many places at one time! Carolyn had cleaned house for me for about a year when my sister got sick and could not keep Noah for me anymore. I was very up set, with no daycare around here and with no one I trusted will enough to keep my baby boy, I thought the Lord my have been wanting me to come home from work and be a ful time Mom! Dunc and I prayed for God to send us an "ANGEL"!
Well, it was two weeks after Carolyn heard about my problem, when there was a knock at my door one night (anyone who knew Carolyn knew she was loud) she busted up in the house and announced to Dunc and that she was going to keep Noah right here at our house! The Lord had answered a prayer!
Every morning at 7:30 am, she would busted through the back door hollowing "Morning", then she would start picking up things and cooking Noah's breakfast! He loved her very much..... He call her "Grammie". She taught him so many things. Naps in the afternoon where she always read him two of his favorite books, when he got up from a nap there was always a snack waiting on him. Then it was to the front yard, where he rode his bike (and of course she taught him how) or played with his dog "Rosie" just what ever he wanted to do. When I drove in at 5:15 pm she would be sitting on the porch and he would be playing just as happy as they both could be! At the end of a day Noah would say to Carolyn "Be good, I love you and see you tomorrow!"
Yesterday, as I was in the room with her for the last time, I said "Be good, I love you and we will see you soon!" That was a real hard thing to do, we loved her so much!
Please pray for Carolyn's family, her husband and her children, but most of all pray for her little grandson, Shane that she was raising he is not going to understand! She call Noah and Shane her little "Angels"! Now they have a "Angel" watching of them!
As I come to a end today I say "Be good, I love you and I will see you tomorrow!"
Well, I woke up yesterday morning feeling good, started the day off with morning prayer, had breakfast, got Noah to Nana's and Anna to school, even got to work on time! (which does not always happen because of children) The day way going good! I started working and with all the paper work I have on Fridays, it was still going real good. A few of us who eat lunch together on Fridays had decided we would get salads and go to my Moms to eat lunch, so I decided I would go on and run my clinic stuff to the bank and post office so I would not have to do it on my lunch time and it would give me more time with the girls!
THAT'S WHEN THINGS STARTED GOING DOWN HILL . . . . My first stop was the People Bank of the South, went in saw all the girls, talked to a few friends, did my business and out the door I went. I was backed out of my parking space when a car round the corner and hit me from behind, YES I said hit me! It messed the back left side of my Jeep up. Just one of the small things of life! No one was hurt (just my feelings) that is the main thing! But you know me I am a MARTHA! I went right on got a police report, called the insurance company, got a estimate and schedule the Jeep to be fix Monday! Praise God, all is well!
"Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
