Take a moment and think about your money. Do you know where most of it goes?

We have taught our family and extended family that a certain portion of our earnings should go to support the Lord's work.That was brought to our attention in a funny way yesterday in Sunday service.

We have a little three year old girl that shares our hearts and our home. My husband was doing his Sunday School Superintendent duties, which at this particular moment was receiving the morning offering.

A happy little voice on the front seat spoke up "hey daddy, I have money for the offering. Just a minute and let me get it out of my back pack!"

Her voice was proud and her eyes were shinning with joy. She had so willingly given her M&M candy money into the offering.

The Lord loves it when we give to His work with a willing and happy heart.

Blessings! 

My Brother The Preacher

A view of the world from flat on my back

My brother is a preacher. He is so funny sometimes. He called the other day to check on us.

He is the oldest child in our family. Since he was the oldest he has always been a very grownup person. He has always felt a lot of responsibility toward people.

He also had lots of perks growing up because he was oldest. When we siblings went horseback riding, he actually rode a horse, while the rest of us rode Dad's mules. He always got to ride in the front seat with Dad and Mom. He rode next to the window, with Mom snuggled in between Dad and him. I can still see his black hair blowing in the wind, and his arm propped against the open window frame. I thought that was just about the coolest things that could happen to a person, riding shot gun! To this day, I claim my spot in the front seat, as an earned priviledge.

Mom enjoyed telling funny stories about him. When he was a small child, she bought him a pair of new overalls and boots. I guess Mom meant for them to last awhile, because they were too big for him. His pants kept sliding down his hips, so he stood up to to pull them up. When he would sit down, his boots would come off. Finally he spoke up a in small, frustrated voice. "When I stand up, my pants slide down, and when I sit down my boots come off!" He was pretty cute.

He enjoys telling stories about all of us.

He is the historian in our family. Every once in awhile he will call to tell me a little story about something that happened over forty years ago.

When I look at him, it is almost like I am seeing someone that is just a shadow of him. His black hair has turned white and his shoulders are a little stooped. I am reminded that we are all just passing through this world and will only be here for a short while. What a sobering thought that is.

I took the picture of the tree lying flat on my back on the  trapoline in my back yard. I feel like my life is in that kind of perspective because I have entered the senior stage. My friends look different, I think and feel different in lots of ways, and some things that I was once so interested in, just don't drive me anymore.

After June, I will have a very amazing personal story that is unfolding in mine and my husbands life. One that makes me want to live a very long time!

     MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

A lot of people say "Merry Christmas" so many times, they forget what it really means.
Some people have more than enough, and fail to appreciate it, while others shiver in a cold room, and feel really bad about not being able to provide the things they need for their families.

I want to take this time to publicly thank my God for all of His blessings. I also want to share an email from my youngest daughter. I enjoyed this very much as she talks about the real meaning of Christmas.

I hope that each one of you who read my blog have a wonderful year.
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Tim put up our Christmas lights outside last night. A very scaled down
version. We have been gone or had company or something every night of
December it seems like and there has just simply not been time for him to
do it. The babies kept asking him when he was going to put them up, so in
the dark last night he strung lights across the front of the house. I put
up the tree last week. Kaleb spend the night with us last night so he
could help papa put up the lights. Yesterday morning he asked me when papa
was going to put up the lights and I just casually said I think tonight. Well........when it was time for his mama to take him home yesterday he
absolutely refused to go. Big tears running down his face..he was going to
stay and help papa. So cute and so sad..I begged for him to stay. And he
had soooo much fun. I took him to Wal-Mart to get him some pajamas to
sleep in and some clean socks. He ran up and down the ladder after Tim
saying "alright! I'm going up! Who's with me." So blooming cute.
AND.... for the first time EVER here I sit so smug! I bought everything
online the first of December and had it delivered to my house. I have
intended to try this for years and oh my goodness I will never go shopping
for Christmas again. It is so much easier to browse Wal-Mart.com online,
oldnavy.com, etc. You never have to walk down the aisle exhausted and feet
aching, Tim griping "aren't you done yet?? just get that!" Just click on
the size, color and wait on it to arrive. If one place don't have what you
want you just click on another site instead of driving to another store.
Just sat at my desk sipping coffee. Everyone had free shipping for
Christmas. It is wonderful!
I do have to take it out of the boxes and wrap it. Wish they would send it
wrapped and I would really be happy! LOL!!
Stephanie and Marcie said at Thanksgiving that they would like to do a
"Dirty Santa" type gift exchange for Christmas - everyone bring a $10
gift (just the adults). Do you want to? If so we need to make sure
everyone knows about it.
We plan to be at dad and mom's around 5 p.m. Christmas Eve. We are meeting
Jackson at 11 a.m. at Western Sizzlin and then to his house, but we should
be done buy 4:30ish.
Looking forward to fun times!!