Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts

Monday, February 7, 2011

This Sunday Eve...

While I was waiting for the evening service to begin here in Mississippi, I was listening to the first few minutes of my home church service online. I LOVE that our church broadcasts LIVE on JustinTV. We have been staying with friends in MS while going to a missions conference these past few days. We are staying with a pastor and his family as well, and will be attending church with them tonight. Their initials are  R&R, and it has truly been a good place for us to be after the events of these past few weeks! R&R!!

Guys and guns just seem to go together. I have no idea what kind of gun this was, but it was loud.
Randy shot a few, and then gave it to Dan. His backyard is full of a lot of land and a pond, so there was nothing preventing this bit of fun. He says his neighbors think he is crazy already, so there was no real harm there either  :) Actually it was during the day, and likely they were gone.
The pond is stocked with hundreds of fish just beckoning the guys to catch them. We have talked about frying up some good 'ol catfish. These are from waters much cleaner than those in NYS so likely they will taste quite good. Still not sure if I will eat them, but everyone else will! 
Cast away guys! In each picture you can see the lute in the air. The black blip to the right on the one above, and nearly center on the one below. I have no idea what they were fishing with, but they were big enough to show~! 
 This is something we are thoroughly enjoying. Back in our hometown this is a rare sight indeed. It is rare in the summer, and especially in early February! It was warm and bright. Perfect!
The natives of this area say it is as cold as they get for the most part. We can handle this no problem! If we have to be homeless, this is a good place for it to be so!
The sun set so quickly behind the line of trees. We had only a few minutes before we needed to get ready for church, so it was good that we weren't tempted to stay home to enjoy the sunset!
The long shadows are the same here as in the north. The short winter days when the sun is at a low angle to the Earth are tell tell signs of the season, even if the short shirt sleeves tell a different tale!
Yet another perk of this restful haven... Randy is a bit of a car nut. He has this gorgeous car and it is truly a pleasure to just look at it. Just today he bartered with a friend and now has an authentic train whistle that he is debating on mounting under his truck- complete with compressor for maximum sound. It is quite LoUd and people would definitely MOVE AWAY!! 
Pastor Randy was not always a preacher, and a great majority of his previous occupation(s) and current hobbies make this a fun place for our guys. He was a builder and a gun nut. He has tools, gadgets, guns and land. Great combinations! We may stay here a while!

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Give and it Shall Be Given...

Every year at this time it seems there is someone moving. For a few years it was us... thankfully it has been others the past few!

This year it is one of my closest friends. She has five kids and has been contentedly living in an impossibly too small but with an "I can do this" attitude adorable 3 bedroom home. She had dreams of living on a farm with chickens, land, a goat, hunting, etc.

Well I am here to tell you,with God all things are possible, and dreams really Do Come True! They now are the proud owners (well, with some bank that is still afloat, that is!) of an hundred year old 6 bedroom farm house on several acres of land. And they already have the chickens!

My whole family was with them full steam ahead moving all of the contents of that little home- which when packed into 2x2 boxes seemed much bigger! The box truck suffered only slight damage when a tree branch viciously reached down and whacked the top corner, and within 4 hours, their belongings were the new location! By 6:00 pm we had all dressers in their proper places, the beds were assembled and made, and the kitchen was fully unpacked and operational. Now that is saying something!

The whole affair made me thankful for so many things.

God's provision is on the top of the list. This home is "abundantly above all" they could ask or think! What an incredible gift of His goodness this is for them!

Good friends are next on the list. I know all the people there only because she is my friend. Her in-laws and sisters and friends are such wonderful people that I may never have had the opportunity know. All family in the Body of Christ, and such a blessing to rally together and make my friends burden a little lighter. Bear ye one another's burden, and Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. God was truly glorified!

Another thing I was thankful for... the average age of everyone... about 16! We had 22 children there between our families. One mom is due today for her third- and another due in a few months with her tenth!!! Our next generation saw the value of hard work and the reward it brings. They had a bonfire to burn the empty boxes late into the night, and I am sure they too felt the satisfaction of a job well done.

We all worked together, laughing, joking, preparing food and unwrapping dishes. Making beds and filling soap dispensers, and wondering why in the world did she keep that reindeer porcelain creamer? Regardless of what kept our hands busy, there was singing and joy that made the work seem like play, and while I am a little tired, I am going back today for some more. These are the joys of friendship. Thank You, Lord!

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