I Wrote A Note To The Devil...

You can laugh if you want, but that's what I've done today. I've wrote him a note...and I've told him that I will overcome and I will win in this battle that's raging at the present. I've left the note in an unusual place. I left it on the bottom of my shoe...

Here's why...


And the God of peace shall bruise Satan UNDER your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." Rom 16:20

See, I know he'll be able to read it from there!

I'm thankful that I know the God of PEACE! He alone can give peace in the midst of the storm.

WHY I need my camera...

If I could tell the story in words, then I wouldn't need to lug my camera around everywhere I go.

I'm pretty sure I could never find the right words to tell you the story that this picture will tell you.



My mom is the most impatient person ever. Seriously, she just cannot stand to wait on someone...there are so many funny stories I could share about this subject, but I'd be up for adoption if I did! Yet, as impatient as she is with most people, I was moved to tears Sunday when I watched her sit like this for almost an hour feeding her mom. I watched her grind up chicken meat in the food processor so that it was like baby food so her mom could eat it easily. As I sit there and watched how she enjoyed every single minute of patiently feeding her mom, I had to get up and walk outside before the tears escaped to my cheeks.

I now understand the statement, "A picture is worth a thousand words"...I fully understand that statement.

I had just gained control of my tears and walked back inside when I heard my grandmother say to my mom, "Honey, that was good...whoever you are."

My heart broke in a million pieces as I listened to my mom say, once again, "You're welcome, MOM...I'm Elsie...your daughter. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Oh the things that Alzheimer’s takes from you...


And here's another reason I carry my camera...


Landon was so interested in everything my grandmother said and done. He would just stand beside her and watch her.

The one thing that Alzheimer's disease cannot take from you is the love you have for the individual that you know is lost inside somewhere. Nothing can take that away!

The preciousness of TIME

Have you ever made the statement, 'If I had known then what I know now'?

I know I've made that statement at least a million times. There are many situations that I know would have a different outcome if I had the chance to live them all over again. I've asked myself the questions over and over...

One of the things that causes me to recognize the preciousness of time is all the WASTE of time I experienced in my past.

Why did I spend years of my life wasting time trying to reconcile and make peace with someone who didn't care about me in the first place. Why did I spend so many years trying to please an individual who was putting more hurt than good into my life. Why did I react to that situation in the manner that I did? Why did I spend so much time and energy on such frivolous things that never amount to squat? Why? Why? Why?

By looking back, I realize now, that there were so many other opportunities knocking at my door then and I just didn't recognize them, I didn't see them for what they were. However...I can't change the past, so why dwell on it? Dwelling on all that I may have done wrong in the past won't make the future any better. No, all I can do is change the present so that my actions and reactions of today will make a difference in my tomorrows. What I can change is my MINDSET.

So, Lord, with the time that I have left, I am going to make every day count. I'm going to do what the Bible says and 'redeem the time'. I'm gonna make my latter days greater than my former days. I'm gonna spend my energy on things that will count for something.

There are some criticism's that I simply will not respond to, because I don't have time to spend the rest of my life, explaining my life and my choices to people who can't understand what God is doing in me and for me. There will be some enemies that I won't even try to resolve conflict with...they can go ahead and have a problem with me, I don't have the time to have a problem with them because I've got to preserve the time, maximize the moment, and move into my destiny!

I will lend my energy to the right things...not to foolishness and definitely not to wastefulness! I just don't have time...and frankly, I have a different mindset. My focus is on greater things that are yet to come. I've been called here for a purpose, my vision is great, my hands are ready for the work, my life has greater purpose than dealing with the pettiness and little issues that would only distract me from what God really wants to work through me.


I am going to redeem the time I have left! Greater things are yet to come, Greater things are still to be done...when and only when I let go of all things in the past, put my trust in HIM and let HIM lead me into a new dimension.

Family time...

My in-laws had all four of their boys and their families at their house this weekend. I don't think I've seen either of them smile this much in a long time!
Maw Maw kept getting attacked by the younger grand kids every time she sat down, but I don't think she minded a bit...


I don't know if you're going to be able to handle all the happiness in this next picture, so I'll warn you ahead of time...the boys were so THRILLED and all smiles to take a snapshot with their daddy...I mean really excited about it. (They just weren't in the mood for pictures because they were relaxed and just having fun watching us girls be crazy. They didn't want to be bothered with a picture.)



I do not even want to see all the pictures that my sis-n-law caught on camera...there's really no telling what will show up on Facebook in the next few days!


We had dinner together on Saturday, and went to a church function that night, then we went to church Sunday morning and all had Sunday dinner together. I SO needed all the laughs that us girls had together this weekend! I have the greatest sister-n-laws ever, and we are more like sisters than anything else. We have a lot of mutual friends from the church so we all went out to eat with several of the couples in our church Sunday night after the church service and I laughed so much I hurt! It was just the medicine that I needed!

Since I didn't have my camera out much at the house...(You're shocked, I know!)...I'll share a couple of the pictures of Anthony's brother that preached for us Sunday night. They wanted me to take a few pictures of them together, so I'll share them.

Ricky and Nida (He's the only brother that does not live here in the same town as the rest. He pastors a church in Baycliff, Texas).

Their family...including the new little guy, Laingston, who is only three weeks old.


Have you ever tried to take a picture when you are laughing so hard you're shaking? I only wish my camera could have recorded all the conversations during these pictures...but I think the smiles tell most of the story.



It's been a fun weekend, and tomorrow's gonna be a quiet day around here when Ricky and Nida and the kids leave to go back home. But all the laughter and memories will carry us over till the next visit. Now we're off to Maw Maw's house to have another meal and visit before we all go our separate ways for the week.

Then it's home for me...I have a lot of packing to do. Me and Landon are headed to Texas. I can't wait to see all my family and friends there, and maybe even sneak in a visit to one of my favorite churches there...if I get to stay through the weekend.

Today's a special day...

A long, long, LONG time ago...well not that long, but quite a while ago, one of the most beautiful ladies was born! MY MOTHER!

If you know my mother then you know that her beauty goes way deeper than the natural eye. She is beautiful in spirit and in deed. She is one of the most giving people I know, and has a heart that is full of love and kindness towards others.

I have seen my mother buy Christmas for people she had never met before, she'd only heard of them through friends that they were having a hard time, and she would make sure they had plenty. I've seen her take groceries to families who were in need, and not just any groceries. No, she'd make sure she bought the 'good stuff' that people enjoy eating. I asked her once why she thought she had to buy them snacks and cookies and chips and not just stick to things that made big meals and the staples. Her reply was simple..."Carol, the staples will feed their natural bodies, but all these extra goodies feed their soul and makes them feel better about what they are going through." I didn't ask any more questions, but just pulled out some money to help her pay for the 'good stuff'.

I've seen her rush to the store and buy people new clothes to wear to their loved ones funeral because she knew they didn't have dress clothes and knew they didn't have the money to buy them. She didn't want them to have to worry about such a simple thing and wanted them to feel as dressed up as possible on a day that it would mean a lot to them. I've watched her go the extra mile and even iron the clothes for them.

I've seen her stand strong in situations that I knew was breaking her heart, and be the strength that her family or friend needed. I've watched her be brave and stand at her father's bedside, with a smile on her face, until he passed from this life. I've watched her take care of all the details of her nephews funeral after he was murdered. I knew her heart was breaking and yet she made sure she took care of all the little details that her sister wanted yet couldn't bear to handle. I've always been amazed at how she never forgets to take flowers or wreaths to their graves on every single holiday and birthday...she hasn't forgot one date.

I've watched her care for her mother in these last stages of Alzheimer's Disease. I've watched her heart break in the silence and safety of her home, yet never one time does she wavier from the task at hand. I've watched her hold back tears when her mother asks her a dozen times what her name is and what she is doing at her house. I've watched her smile when she tells her mom over and over, "Momma, I'm Elsie...your daughter. You don't remember me right now, but that's okay. I love you Momma...we'll get you through this."

She's done all this with the grace of an angel and never one time with a complaint coming from her lips. I've made the remark to my mother and expressed anger and disappointment that some of the people who call her a friend and who have received so much from her in the past haven't been there for her during this time. She only corrects me and says, "Carol, I haven't asked them for help, so don't be so ugly and upset. If I call on my friends they will be there. I know they will, I'm just doing what I love to do and know to do."

Honestly, I don't know if I will ever have that kind of grace about me. I've complained and cried to mom many times this past week alone about how I hate what's happening and I've whined about this disease that's taking my grandmother from us over and over. Yet, I haven't heard one negative word from her...not a word. Matter of fact, when I talk to her on the phone, I can hear the smile in her voice when she speaks of what she has done with her mom that day.

So, now you know why I say today is a special day...today's the day that an angel was born and brought into this world not just for me and my family, but for many others also. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Oh, and it wasn't that LONG ago...only about 56 years ago. But I won't tell anyone how old you are, Mom. Your secret is safe with me!

I wish heaven had a telephone...

I'd call tonight.

I'd just like to make sure that grandpa is ready and looking his best. I'd just like to tell him that his sweetheart is coming to see him soon.

We got the news today that my grandmother has a few months, at the most, to spend with us here in this life. Alzheimer's disease has taken it's toll. It's done just about as much damage as it can do to her here. But, Alzheimer's disease cannot follow her into heaven...for there's no pain or sorrow there.

As all the preparations are made, and Hospice begins to prepare to help us with this journey, I can't help but find comfort in the words my grandmother spoke today as my mom and aunt was bathing her and getting her dressed to eat dinner. She softly spoke, 'It won't be long, and I won't have to hurt like this anymore, and I won't have to be like this. I'll be okay.'

And, she will be okay...grandpa's waiting...probably with a smile on his face.


If I don't visit your blogs or post as often as normal, it's because I will be doing much traveling from Louisiana to Texas in the next several weeks. I don't want my mother to have to face all this without me being beside her as much as possible. I want to be there with her, and I want to spend as much more time as I can with my grandmother. Oh, how I miss not living just a couple of blocks from her right now!

Introducing...Laingston Glenn Kennon

...my new nephew!



We drove to Baycliff, Texas today to meet our new nephew, who turned a week old today. It was well worth the three hour drive! Of course, while I was there, I had to take some pictures!






I tell you, he is precious...right down to his little feet!

Time to get outta the sandbox...

My husband preached a message Sunday evening about stepping out into the greater things that God has for us in this new year, and about re-arranging our thinking to accept greater things He has for us. As I was sitting here today thinking about the message and all the things that we have dreams of doing this year, it was as if my eyes just opened up to a whole new understanding.

Now, you have to remember that I'm a mom...Landon's a toddler...just 4yrs old. Therefore, I think in simple terms and not like some do. Here's my understanding and explanation of my husband's message:

It's time to stop playing in the 'sandbox'...when God wants to take us to the 'beach'...you know, I like my way of saying it better.

So, I'm off to pack up all my toys, this sandbox is too small for the dreams I have for this year!

It's Officially over...

I caught Landon eating the last Christmas decoration in our house tonight...so Christmas is officially over with now!

To be honest...we worked so hard on that crazy gingerbread house that I hated to see him destroy it like he did...

But his smile was so worth it!

We spent a wonderful day with my brother and sister in law today. We took a picnic lunch to Sam Houston Jones State Park and just relaxed. My sister-n-law took some family pictures of us and then I took some of her and her family. Days like today are just too short. Here's some of the photos of our family...








Landon with his Uncle Ron...

Anthony, Landon and Ron...