PRICELESS!!!

Some moments are just PRICELESS! Tonight at church was truly a priceless moment...At least for me and the rest of the congregation! My husband? Maybe not so priceless for him.

He was reading from the book of Acts, and meant to say, "It was noised abroad." What he said???

"It was noised TO A BROAD!"

Yep...I roared!!! So did several other. I probably wouldn't have laughed so hard if he hadn't put so much UMPH behind it. Funniest part is he said it TWICE. Nothing like making a point and driving it home! See what you miss if you don't attend church on Wednesday nights?

I still love ya, Honey!

Small Town Life

I love the fact that we live in a town where everyone knows everyone...or at least they know one person in your family. I've learned that small towns take their high school football teams VERY seriously. Very seriously! Well, we have an awesome team...DeQuincy Tigers.

Friday was Homecoming. This was our first time to attend the Homecoming Parade. After all the people I seen lining the streets at the parade, I really am not so sure this is such a small town anymore. lol They were everywhere. Landon was a little overwhelmed with all the activities. He loved all the candy being thrown from the floats and the cars carrying the homecoming court. Here's a few pictures from our Homecoming Parade...

A certain little boy who kept posing and wanting his picture taken while we were waiting on the parade to start. I didn't mind...he's so cute, my camera just loves him!




The Senior Homecoming Court









Then there was many class reunions, some were celebrating their 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th and even their 50th class reunion. It was my husband's 25th class reunion, but since it was Landon's first time to attend a parade he stayed with us to enjoy the celebrations. Here's some of the class reunions and their floats.


This is Peggy, she attends our church, and Landon calls her 'Nana Peggy' because he says she treats him just like his nana did in Texas. We are blessed to have her in our lives. She is SO good to Landon!



This was Anthony's graduating class...1994, minus a couple of the guys. (I told you it was a small town.) Anthony wasn't on the float and our friend; Johnny, who is the fire chief wasn't able to ride with the class because he was driving the fire truck in the parade.




And our friend, Pat...who succeded in hitting me square in the forehead with a handfull of suckers that he was throwing to Landon. I happen to think it was on purpose.


Landon's favorite part...the fire trucks!



We had a great time. Now, we can't wait for the Christmas Parade. I hear it's an even bigger deal. Oh, my! One thing we did learn about the parades here...one sack is not enough for all the candy you'll pick up by the end of the parade! Here's Landon at the beginning of the parade and his bag was already getting heavy. Now I know why we seen so many kids with the large brown grocery sacks...NOW we know!

36 Hours

Landon finally got to bring his puppy home on Thursday! He was SO excited.


Only problem was, he was bringing it home knowing that it probably wasn't going to live.


We got a call from our friends who gave Landon the puppy and he told us all but two of the litter of eight had died. All they knew at the time was that the mother's milk was bad and had made the puppies sick. The vet said that usually the whole litter will die when this happens and there's not much you can do. UGH! I assure you I wanted to protect Landon from heartache and just tell him that Gypsie wasn't going to be able to come home, but he insisted that he needed to go get her and pray for her and ask Jesus to make her stay alive. So, that's what we did.

When we picked Gypsie up, she was so weak and sick that she could not even stand on her back feet and could barely hold her head up. I had a little boy who did not care that she was sick...he only knew he loved her and that he was praying for God to heal her. He knew and understood how sick she was and that we were telling him she probably wouldn't live. We took the dog, got it some medicine and a shot to give it all the chance we could to survive. We waited and Landon prayed.

I was shocked when I was awaken on Friday morning by Landon's excited voice that Gypsie was walking around and had eaten some and drank some water. I figured we would wake up and find her dead. Landon looked at me and said, "Mom...I knew Jesus was going to let her live." Landon and Gypsie played most of the day Friday in the yard and he showed her so much love it made my heart smile!


They had the best day ever. When we got home from the Homecoming Parade Friday afternoon, (I'll post pics of that later. It was awesome!) we could tell Gypsie was very bad again. Landon helped daddy bath her and gave her some more of her medicine to make her comfortable and stop whining. Landon wrapped her up and held her and prayed again. That's when Landon looked at us and said, "Gypsie is going to die, I just know she is. Jesus is going to take her to dogie heaven."

We had a Rock-A-Thon for the youth from midnight till 8am Friday night, but around 3am this morning Landon wanted to come home and check on his dog. She was still alive but barely breathing, so Landon said his good-byes to her and came back to the church and told me that he was sad but happy that Jesus was taking care of Gypsie. He told us he gave Gypsie to Jesus because she would be well in dogie heaven. The kid amazed me and taught me so much about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE this last two days.

When we walked in around 8:30 this morning Landon went straight to Gypsie's bed and found her dead. He cried and held her and of course had a dozen questions that we didn't have the best answers for. He insisted on helping his daddy bury her and make a pretty marker for her. Well, I expected to have a very sad little boy for the rest of the day. It wasn't near as bad as I thought. He did cry himself to sleep and took about a three hour nap, but when he woke up he looked at me and said, "Mom, I miss Gypsie. I didn't want her to die, I loved her and wanted her to be my dog forever, but I'm glad I brought her home and had the bestest time with her yesterday. I think she was happy she died here with me."

What do you say??? What do you do??? When you look at it in that light, I'm glad we let him bring her home. She made him the happiest I've seen him. I know he's my son, and I'll sound like a bragging mother here, but just overlook that for a moment...I'm thankful that he has such a big heart. He has so much faith that it amazes me. He believed with all his heart that God was going to heal his dog, but when that didn't happen and when he knew she was going to die, he never got angry or mad. He just accepted it and even told us that he was "glad Jesus let him know Gypsie and met her."

I'm glad Gypsie became a part of our life too...even if it was only for 36 hours. But oh, what an impact she made on a little boy!

Duct Tape DOES NOT Fix Everything!

So...I learned two things today.

Two VERY IMPORTANT THINGS...




1. Duct Tape DOES NOT fix everything!
2. Every MALE city employee here has Duct Tape hidden in their truck somewhere.


I had parked my car...yes, the one that I've only had for six days, at City Hall this morning and went in to pay a bill. As you know, we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. I was talking to the lady inside about the pie contest my husband and I just had. We were laughing about the picture of my husband with pie on his face that was put in the DeQuincy Newspaper and just having a great visit when a gentleman came inside and said that he had bad news for me.

Well, he proceeds to tell us that when they were mowing something flew out of the lawnmower and shattered my drivers side window. We walk outside to see the damage. The mayor came out to let me know that they'd take care of me and have me fixed up by tomorrow morning. I later found out that I won't be driving the car until next Wednesday because it's a special type of glass that does not fall apart...it shatters and holds together so that it won't fall on passengers and cut them in an accident, therefore it has to be ordered and will be here Wednesday.

The guys wanted to put Duct Tape on my window so that when I shut the door it wouldn't cause the glass to crumble and go everywhere. Well that was a nice thought. I shut the door VERY SLOWLY AND LIGHTLY and you could hear glass falling all into the door. Seems Duct Tape don't fix everything??? But, hey it was worth a try guys! I wish you could have seen all the Duct Tape appearing. Duct Tape is obviously a staple and a necessity around this town.

The mayor told me that if the police stopped me on my way home because my 'tint' was too dark to just give him a call and he'd explain everything. Yep...always a jokester in the bunch! I had so much fun chatting and getting to know and meet everyone at City Hall but I assured them that next month when I came in to pay my bill, I would be parking across the street.

Oh...and when we went to the store this evening...I bought a roll of Duct Tape to put in my car. Next time something like this happens...I'LL BE PREPARED!

I love this new blog!!!

This is a great website. Thank you Alexis for telling me about it! I love it! I decided to participate in the short answers game on this blog. Here's Landons answers...just as he said them.




What is your favorite thing about where you live?
Landon-playing hide and seek, fishing, hunting deer, and hunting rabbits.
Me- You've never hunted deer or rabbits here.
Landon-I pretended hunted them.

What do trains carry?
Landon-Cargo unless it's a passenger train and passenger trains carry people. Remember I tell you I wanted to ride a passenger train.

What does a Sherriff do?
Landon-attacks bad people and arrestes bad guys and he shoots bad guys. Sheriff's wear boots too.

Where does the gas station get the gas?
Landon-from the gas pump like we do.
Me-But where does the gas come from?
Landon-From inside the pump...you know like you pumped gas the other day, yeah, that's how they do it too at the gas station.

If you could do whatever you wanted for a whole day, what would you do?

Landon-go fishing at the beach and go find some ducks to feed too. Louisiana don't many ducks do they, mom? I miss the ducks in Texas.

Another lesson from a 4-yr old

My husband and I were discussing something last night and Landon was sitting at the table eating popsicles. Someone had stolen our lawnmower and left an old rusty, nonworking one almost just like it in it's place. When Anthony went out to mow the front part of the yard that he does with a push mower, he noticed something just wasn't right...the main thing being that it wouldn't run and kept dying. He realized what had happened and put the mower back up and decided we'd have to mow it all with his dad's riding mower. We like to use a push mower on the front part of the yard because we can get those neat looking lines in it. We both have a love for those neatly mowed lines in the grass.

I was telling my husband how it just made me sick to think that someone would come on our property and steal something like a lawnmower and no one see it. I guess I thought living in a small town like we are now, nothing like that happened. I mean, goodness, I can't go to the store without thirty people knowing it, but someone can steal a lawnmower and no one see it? Especially with the land we live on being so open. I can only assume they took it through the small patch of trees and woods behind us.

Now, I'll have to be honest and admit that I was not really the kindest with my words about these 'thieves'...I kept saying how I was going to pray that the lawnmower broke on them, and I was going to pray they would have such a guilty conscience they'd have to bring it back, I was going to pray no one let them mow their yards if they stole it to make money, I was going to pray they get caught...when suddenly a little voice from the kitchen table stopped the words of my mouth!

Landon had taken the two sticks from the popsicles he had finished eating and formed them into a cross and said, "Mom, we need to pray for those bad guys who stole our lawnmower because they need Jesus who died on a cross like this."

My husband and I stopped and looked at each other, not quite sure what to say at first. Then I had to repent and realize that there really was something much more important than a little Wal-Mart lawnmower. There was someone out there who needed their life to be changed, probably someone who thought there was no better way of life for them but to steal. Someone who needed the power of the cross and the power of the One who died on that cross for all mankind to be of a positive effect on their life.

Oh the things I continue to learn from the pure and innocent heart of this precious little boy. God help me to learn to watch they words I say and to stop and take a second look until I can see things differently...and God help my husband to remember to lock up the new mower we are going to have to buy.

TOO much Fun!

My husband and I were approached by the couple who takes care of all our youth fundraising a few weeks ago to see if we would be willing to participate in a little contest. It was called 'In Your Face'...whoever had the most money in their jar at the end of a month got to put a pie in the others face.

Well, Mr. Kennon was SO sure that everyone here loved him so much and he'd surely be the winner. He was ready to go. After all, he was raised here, he's the pastor's son, he's had bonds with these people here for 33 years! Hmmmm....really now???

I'll let the pictures tell the story for me.






Dad and Anthony talking after church...they just can't figure out HOW I won!!!

Actually, they were just talking about the service and all, but it was a funny picture.

Do I make them Thirsty???

Matthew 5:13 (King James Version)
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

I couldn't help but to think of this scripture last night. As some of us were cleaning up in the fellowship hall after our youth activity last night, my cell phone rang and the fire chief was calling to ask me about the wreck that had just happened in front of our church. Well, I was oblivious and had no clue what he was talking about. I knew my husband was not around, but I had figured he was on the phone or in his office. When I went outside and seen all the lights and vehicles, I was shocked. I told them I'd call them back...they were in a neighboring town running errands but had heard it on the scanner and knew it was our church and wanted to be sure it wasn't any of our youth involved.

First, let me tell you that it was a miracle these youth were not hurt very seriously or for that matter even killed. The four youth in one vehicle were turning into our church driveway to turn around when a young man who had been drinking did not see the vehicle's turn signal and tried to pass them, thus sending them airborn and into the large ditch in front of our church. Their car was slanting and barely on stable ground, almost rolling into the ditch. The officer told us that one to two inches over and the car would have flipped and probably killed them all. The other truck landed about three feet in front of our church sign, after going across the ditch. They all are very blessed to have missed the ditch, or things could have been very bad.

Anyway, the reason I thought of this scripture was because as we were standing there talking to the parents of these teens, one of the ladies looked at me and said, "There's something different about you guys. You're all so nice and kind to us here tonight. Not judgemental or preachy." I can't tell you the mixed emotions that went through me at that moment! First, I knew that she was referring to the fact that we all knew that the one young man had been drinking...the smell was horrible and so obvious...yet we had chosen not to point that fact out and ridicule him for his choices. We were there to help and to wait and to show them the Father's love!

Can I just go off on a soapbox for a moment here? Sometimes I think we forget about the 'God is Love' part of the Bible! Seriously, we can have everything in our life perfect, we can know the Bible from front to back, dress modestly like a christian, talk like a christain, BUT if we do all this without the LOVE part...People know the difference if you love them or not. They know if you truly care that they are not hurt. They know. You can't fool people on the love part!

Now, was I saddened by the fact that this young man had chosen to drink and drive...YES! But would it have helped the situation any at all by choosing to point that fact out and point out the obvious? I think not. I can tell you, because I was there that the alchol issue was something on the mind of all five of these teens involved! See, there is a huge problem in this small town with alchol and driving. We've lost too many youth to this issue just since we have been here! The young man had been drinking, BUT...the other four teens in the accident were headed to a bonfire party for homecoming...where drinking is known to happen!

I believe our job for the night was to put something positive into their lives. To show them a little love and that there is a better way to life. I can only hope that somewhere in the conversation and time we spent with them that we made them thirsty for something different. I can only hope that they felt the true love and concern and care about them. I can only hope that they could see the relief and thankfulness on my face that none of them were hurt tonight. I can only hope...and pray...that I sprinkled a little salt into a life tonight.


Salt makes the body thirsty. For water. Do I make people thirsty? For Living Water???

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HIP! HIP! HOORAY!

So, if you could see me right now...you'd see that I have the biggest smile ever on my face! We just got in from Tioga, Louisiana where my husband and I attended classes, and went before the board so he could get his ministerial license with the state of Louisiana. He passed and will probably wear a path from our front door to the mailbox until the original license comes in.

I had a blast in all the classes they offered for the wives yesterday! While the men were busy taking their test, we had classes on subjects such as handling stress in the ministry, using our time on things that matter, counseling people, loving people, and on maintaining a balanced life and family lifestyle while helping others. I left with so much knowledge put into my head that I could not hardly sleep last night when we arrived at our aunt's house. My head was so full, that my mouth couldn't move fast enough to tell my husband all the things I had learned. He told me that I woke him up several times talking in my sleep. Guess I kept remembering things all night.

I sat amazed at some of the things that transpired yesterday and some of the stories I heard. We met so many new people and even met some we had known for years and not been able to see much. As tired as I was by the time we met the board around 7pm, I was so refreshed emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

We had a young lady in our class that was from Bulgaria. As I sat across from her, and talked with her, she seemed as any other normal young lady...until she gave her story! She had moved here to the States to attend school, and met the man who is now her husband. He introduced her to church and to Jesus. She began to tell us how that her dad was a prince in her country and extremely wealthy. She told how when she was young, she had to have body guards everywhere she went to protect her. She became so tired of the lifestyle she had grown up with, her father had many women in his life because of his power, and he kept the children with him at his home, with servants and bodyguards to watch them. To make a long story short, when she came to the states, and learned of Jesus and how He had died for her, she began to go to church and was filled with the Holy Ghost. To hear her become so excited about the peace that God's spirit brought to her life made me ashamed at how sometimes I take Him and His love and His spirit for granted!

She described it in the greatest way. She said, "I've had the incredible riches, all the bodyguards, the finest clothes, jewels, and things money can afford...but nothing or NO THING can compare to the peace and joy I have now. I'd rather be broke and penniless or barely making it and know God's love and salvation that I feel today!"

I promise you there was not a dry eye in the room, and we all begin to take a moment to reflect on how great His love for us really is and how privileged we are to experience it! I don't think I'll ever forget Nadia!

Now, you know I had my camera in my purse...but believe it or not, I was so busy and so consumed with everything going on that I forgot to take pictures until we were all sitting around and milling around waiting for our turn to meet the board. I only have a few pics to post...

This one is of Anthony and a friend he met sitting in the coffee room chatting and waiting.

This is one of the rooms some of us will never forget! We made some very strong bonds in this room. It's amazing what six couples find to share and talk about when stressed and waiting for several hours! I'm just hoping that what was said and done in this room...STAYS in this room!

Anthony chatting with one of his and his family's long time minister friends, Rev. Hennigan, who happens to be one of the board members! ;-)

So, to say we had a great time would be an understatement. I cannot wait till we go before the board again in one year to get his next level of license! I'm looking forward to it.

And, if you're still reading this...This next picture is a picture of the car we test drove AND BOUGHT! today on the way home...and are heading back to Alexandria, Louisiana in two days to pick up. I'll be going to do all the insurance paper work tomorrow and smiling the whole way! I am so excited. It's a Chrysler Pacificia...fully loaded. And, it's MY car. Only problem is, I had to promise to keep it clean. Yeah, that might be a problem with me and the 4-yr old! I only promised to TRY and keep it clean. I feel a road trip coming on...