Finally!!! We are finally finished with our sunroom. It has been a huge job. That's the way it is, isn't it? What you think is going to be a simple project usually becomes a huge project. Oh, well. There are just a few little details that need to be put together, but over-all, I think it's about the best it's going to get. I've already told you about the bench (how Phil took someone's junk and made a bench), well....if you will notice the big chest......someone was throwing it out, it was at the road for the "garbage man". You guessed it! We snatched it up. The chair belonged to Phil's grandmother and was very marred up. He did a little sanding, staining and varnishing and it's almost as good as new. Now, the curtains are another story. They are just dinner napkins cut in half and stapled to furring strips. We then nailed the furring strips in place and attached tassels with hot glue. Gotta go. I think Phil has already moved on to another project. He makes me nervous sometimes. I never know what he has up his sleeve. See ya!!

The "new" bench.

Ok! Here's what you do....if your name is Phil Arnold and you are working with a very limited budget. First, you find a Credenza sitting by the dumpster at work (it's old and they don't want it anymore.) In other words, you go "garbage picking". Then you bring it home and spend some time using your measuring tape and doing a whole lot of mumbling to yourself. This entire time, your wife is looking on wondering, "What in the world is he going to do with this piece of junk!" Then you tip it upside down and cut off the legs. Oh, look! These could be used for arm rests! So, you make a quick trip to the hardware store and purchase a little bit of lumber, some screws, stain and varnish. You take the drawers out and get to work. You make a lot of noise, not to mention a huge mess, and.....Voila!!! Your wife adds a bunch of pillows and we now have a beautiful bench on our back porch/sunroom!!! "How in the world does he do it?", his wife wonders. Oh, don't throw those drawers away. Phil has something planned for those. I wonder what it could be? Well, back to work we go. We have some more painting to do. If you're interested, there will be pictures soon of the completed project. See ya!

Remodeling Again!

We're at it again!!! We have started another remodeling project. The back porch/sun-room is in the process of being transformed. The walls all have some cheap paneling on them, and due to a very slim budget, we decided to cover the walls with a textured "stuccoed" type of paint and then cover that with a paint that's called "Gobi Desert". We've never worked with this type of stuff before so we have run across a few little snags. But, over all, I think it's going to look nice. I'm thinking--Tuscan, but whether or not I achieve that look is yet to be seen. The picture on the left is what the porch looked like when we moved in almost two years ago, and the other picture is what it looks like now. Not much difference. You wouldn't know that we've already put about a week's worth of work into it. Oh, well...that's the way it goes. Phil is going to build a bench to cover the dryer duct work that you see in the picture. This is the last room on the ground floor of our home to be remolded. I'm excited about that!! Stay tuned!!! Well, you don't actually have to stay right there until this is done, because it may take awhile.

While I was at it, I also decided to put together some before and after pictures of the rest of the rooms that we have remodeled. Hope you enjoy! Well....I had better get back to work!! See ya soon.

Stay connected!!!

Staying connected with friends and family has been a concern to me of late. It seems that we can get so wrapped up in our daily duties, obligations and concerns (all legitimate to be sure) that we could easily push aside those who have been a very important part of who we are.

It was approximately 24-25 years ago that we Arnolds met the couple that you see pictured above. It was while we were living in Caro, Michigan (which seemed in the middle of nowhere), we were pastoring Bethel Lower Light Church on Lee Hill Road. The church and parsonage were located wayyyyyy out in the middle of beautiful country, with only a few other houses on the road. We were young with three small boys. Phil had to supplement our meager income by working at a car dealership in near-by Cass City and I was selling Home Interiors. It was at a weekly meeting that I met, and quickly become friends with, Ronnie Setla and eventually we got acquainted with her husband Jim and their two children, Kirk and Sadie.

Our life, at that time, was difficult (to say the least) with many many problems (medical and financial). Ronnie became my closest friend and confidante. She was always there to care for the boys whenever I needed her to, and Jim was always handy to fix whatever needed fixing in the parsonage, as Phil was bed-ridden because of his heart problems (he had to have open heart surgery while we were up there to fix a hole that he had been born with and had gotten bigger).

I honestly feel that God had sent Ronnie and Jim our way. They were a huge blessing and we became very close to them and their children. It is hard to believe that almost 25 years have gone by. We moved back down here, had another child (Becky) and much has happened since first meeting them. They lost their daughter in a car accident (she was 18 and would have graduated High School in a few months), their son has married and has two children, our children have grown and we have grand-children. But....for approximately 25 years, Ronnie and I have made the effort to stay connected. Because we have pastored and have had obligations that have kept us "at home" for week-ends, it has been difficult to make time to go there to see them, but every year since we moved back down here, Ronnie has come for a visit at least once a year, and sometimes twice, bringing her grand-children with her. What a wonderful thing to have friends who are friends through "thick and thin".

Well, this week-end Phil and I went to their house for a visit. Phil had been asked to "Fill-in" at a church in Vassar, where we had attended periodically while living in Caro (some more wonderful friends!!), so we took the opportunity to spend some time with Ronnie and Jim. Ronnie had a brain tumor just a year and a half ago, so she is still not able to drive. She is improving at a very impressive rate and we thank God for that.

Our time spent with them was wonderful. I have to say that Jim spoiled us rotten. He insisted on doing the cooking while we were there and he also insisted that I sit in HIS recliner with my feet up as much as possible.

I know this is quite long, and maybe boring to some of you, but the point I'm trying to make (yes, I do have a point) is this: If God has blessed you with friends, do whatever it takes to stay connected. If God has blessed you with family: stay connected. I'm preaching to myself as well. When my friends and family come to visit, do I love them enough to treat them as "royalty"? Would I give them MY favorite chair?

God help us to cherish each other's company and STAY CONNECTED!!!! Love ya!!!! Sue

Keeping Busy!

It has been quite awhile since I have even messed with this here blogging stuff. So, I guess it's high time I tell you something about what I've been up to. I will try to be brief. As some of you know, I can get a bit long-winded.

I have been enjoying our new grandson, Keaton, as well as our two-year-old Emma. I spend just as much time as possible with them, as they grow soooooo fast. I will share these photos of them. We love them and cherish every moment spent with them. Aren't they just the cutest ever?!?

Well, Becky and I had agreed to direct the VBS at the Adrian Lower Light Church. We had a blast planning, preparing and finally sharing what we had planned with a total of 27 children. Not bad for a "little church". Our theme was "Custom Garage". Teaching the children to "Love God and Others". This was a very easy one to plan since Phil works at a Car Dealership. We had access to an aray of parts, parts totes, car parts (which we used for relay games), hub caps (for decoration), and we even used a real "oil pan" (we put Coca-Cola in it to represent "oil" wrote on large warshers parts of scripture and the children had to take the washers out of the "oil" and put them in the correct order). We had lots of fun with this. I hope the children had as much fun as we "Big Kids" did. We had four stations, or as we called them; "Service Centers". There was the "Road Map Service Center" where the Scripture Verse for the day was learned, there was the "Custom Design Service Center" which was the craft area, then outside there was the "Gearshift Games" which is self-explanitory, and finally "The Filling Station", you guessed it! The Snacks! They made "Dream Cars" out of Tweenkies and Oreo Cookies, a "Garage" out of Graham Crackers and Frosting just to name a few. Yum!!! Here are just a few of the pictures that were taken during VBS. God sure blessed, and we had fun!! Isn't God good? Isn't it just a blast to serve Him? I think so. Well, enough for now. This isn't all that we're up to, but I'll have to wait until another time to share more. I don't want to bore you. Hee. Hee.

News!!!

This past few weeks have been packed with much activity. I hardly know where to start, so I'll just.....start. As you can see by the pictures, we now have another grand-child. Tuesday,May 13, 2008 was a very eventful day, full of anticipation. I was scheduled to work at Hobby Lobby, but before I would even think of going in, I called Seth to see if we were going to be welcoming a new baby soon or not. He informed me that it would probably be awhile. Needless to say, I was a bit distracted while working that day. At 6:56 p.m. (I think that's the right time) our grandson made his entrance. We had a feeling that he would be a big boy, but were shocked to hear that he weighed 9 lbs. 14 oz. and measured 22 inches long. Of course, he looked perfect. What a wonderful time we all had (Jordana's family were there, as well as my father and sister and Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruth Anne). It was such a joy to hold him and view the miracle of life.

Thursday was my last day at Hobby Lobby (I'll tell you about that in a minute). Then, on Friday we headed for Cincinnati, Ohio to pack Becky up and move her back home. God's Bible School was in revival and we were able to enjoy God's presence. The messages delivered by Bro. Blake Jones and Bro. Knox Bullock were tremendous. It was, as always, good to hear the choir, and the different groups sing. We came away feeling refreshed.

I had to be back by 3:00 p.m. Monday, as it was my first day of training on my NEW JOB. Yes, I have a new job. I'm am already liking it. I am working at the Centre Cafe, which is located at the Christian Family Center in Adrian. It is brand new and not even open to the public yet. Today I learned how to make the sandwiches. It's sooo much fun making those beautiful sandwiches. The salads are even fun! Tomorrow I get to make the specialty drinks, you know.....the espressos, lattes, etc. (I hope I get to sample every one of them........maybe that's not such a good idea).

Now, in my spare time, we need to find somewhere to put all of Becky's "dorm room". We carried everything in from the van, then we decided to sort everything that is currently in Becky's room first. Needless to say, some areas of our house look a little "un-tidy". I put it this way, "This house looks like it threw up!!" That may be exagerating a bit.....but not much.

Ok....enough! Maybe if I would update a little more often, the post wouldn't be so long!

Bye for now!

Tag, I'm it!

Here we go. As if you don't know enough about me. I've been tagged!

1) What was I doing 10 years ago today?
Iwas frantically preparing for my son Michael's graduation open-house. Can you believe it has been that long?

2)5 things on my to-do list.
Get the laundry done. Clean the house. Wash the bedding in Becky's room. Make Peanut Butter Pie. Go for a walk.

3)Snacks that I enjoy.
Anything chocolate. Popcorn.

4)Things I would do if I were a billionaire.
Pay off our house. Buy Phil a pick-up truck. Cook a huge meal everyday and invite lots of people over.

5)3 of my bad habits
Talking too much. Eating too much junk food. Drinking too much coffee.

6)5 places I have lived.
Tecumseh, Mi. Adrian, Mi. Caro, Mi. Tecumseh and Tecumseh

7)5 jobs that I have had
Babysitter. Data Entry Operator (Bohn Aluminum and EDS). Receptionist (Airport/Flight School). Monitor at ACE School. Cashier (Hobby Lobby) But the best job of all is "Wife" and "Mother"

I tag: Beth Williams, Becky Arnold, Ryan Watters, Hannah Avery and Michael Arnold

Let's take a walk!

"C'mon, Emma, let's go for a walk! It's a beautiful day!" I didn't have to say it twice. She was ready to go. "Do you want to take the baby doll?" That sounded like a good idea. So, she put her baby in the cart, along with a lid to one of her dishes, a spoon, two horses, a plastic cup, three plastic fish and a rubber ducky (evidently all necessary when going for a walk). Then, just before walking out the door, she grabbed a hard hat. This is serious stuff! Down the driveway we went , took a left and began our trip around the small city block that "gramma" lives on. Oops! We took that turn a little too sharp (it's hard to steer with one hand), spilling the contents of the cart all over. Frustration!! Starting to get angry even!! "Gramma" comes to the rescue. Everything now back in the cart. "Do you want to go back?" "Nope". Oh look, there's a lady across the street. We must stop and wave. She doesn't see us, so we must yell, "Hi"! She not only sees us, but comes across the street to visit. This is fun! We show her the doll, and everything that's in the cart. Let's keep going! We turn the corner, this guy has some Bear Statuary in his garden. We stop to talk to them. But, not for long. What's that noise? It's a couple of teen-aged boys going down the middle of the street on their skate-boards. Oh, look! A flower! Cute! We must get down there and smell them! Let's keep going... didn't see that crack, but....it's ok. We'll just brush the knee off and keep going. Oh, wait! We've been so distracted with everything going on around us. Where's "gramma's" house? "I tan't see it!" Look!! A kitty in that window! "Can I hold it?" "Peeze?" There it is! I see "gramma's". C'mon, "gramma". We turn up the front walk,push the cart to the side and sit on the front stoop. That was quite the "walk". "Was that fun, Emma?" "Dat was fun!"

As I related this little story to Phil (every little detail, because just talking about Emma makes him happy), this thought came to mind:

I'm taking a little "walk" down the "sidewalk" of life. My destination: HEAVEN (my Father's House) You may think that I've taken some "silly" things along with me in my cart, but HE understands that they give me comfort. I've had some frustrating situations when it seems that everything is out of control. But my Father was there to pick up the pieces. I've fallen and skinned my knee, but look at the friends that I have made along the way. There have been some distractions and I thought I had lost my way, but, no.. I'm still going in the right direction. What about the "kitty" and the "bears"? I've even stopped to smell the flowers!!! C'mon! Let's keep going! Isn't this "walk" fun!? You may want to grab a hard hat. You just might need it!!

Let's Party!

Hello again! Now, before you start thinking all those things about me....just let me explain. I say that a lot, don't I? I was asked to speak at our Mother-Daughter Banquet next month. I'm very excited!! We have been using Emilie Barnes' book "The Spirit of Loveliness" in our monthly meetings this year and had a different speaker each time take a chapter of her book and give their perspective on it. In glancing through the titles of the chapters....I started feeling like maybe, just maybe, Cheryl had asked the wrong person to speak at this event. Some of the titles are as follows: "The Spirit of Welcome" (I think I could handle that), "The Spirit of Creativity" (oops...that reminds me of the knitting loom), "The Spirit of Femininity" (we won't even go there..), "The Spirit of Stillness" (ummm....me?) and on and on......until I came to the last chapter and......there it was. The perfect thing for a Banquet!!!! "The Spirit of Celebration". I think I can do this!!!

Here is a quote from the book. "We should be led to God by the joy of our lives as well as by the sorrow, by the light as well as by the darkness, by human fellowship as well as by human loneliness." I love it!!

So.....that's why I say, "Let's party". Not to loudness (although I do contribute to this type of thing sometimes), not to "disorderly conduct" so to speak, but to a "spirit" of celebration that brightens everyday of our life. We ought to live our lives EXPLODING with joy---like we really believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead!

As we prepare to "celebrate" another day in which to worship God, let's open our lives and hearts to Him and let his Spirit fill our lives. Let's "celebrate" HIM.

Just thought that I would share some photos with you. They are not in the order that I wanted them to be in. I seem to be having trouble with my blog lately. I'm convinced that it's the computer (it can't be me). Some of these were taken Easter Sunday. Little "Miss Emma" kept us entertained all afternoon. The others were taken Friday. Emma insisted on "helping" Grandma do the dishes. We had quite a mess, but much fun!!! Call me "Grandma" anytime!!! It's an honor to bear that title!!! Have a great week!

Ok! I'm going to jump out on a limb here and share something that has been on my mind lately. That is REST and QUIET. I already touched on REST a few days ago. Lately, it seems that God has been allowing circumstances in my life that demand the need for rest. The details are not important, but the things that I have been learning are. I am by nature a "noisy" person. I enjoy being noisy and I love having lots of noise around me. Noise means people, and I love having people around. But, since Phil and I have entered the "empty nest" era of our life, we seem to have a lot more "quiet" going on around here than "noise".

It seems, lately, that it was being impressed on me that this "quiet" is intentional. I come from a hard-working family. Some things that I heard as a child were: "Hard work never hurt anyone." "The early bird catches the worm." "Idleness is the devil's workshop." "Are you working hard...or hardly working?". Don't get me wrong, I believe in hard work. God expects us to put everything into what we are doing. He doesn't want us to do anything half-way. But do we make our "hard work" and idol? Is the appearance of "working hard" more important than what we are really doing? When we are asked, "How are you doing?" do we answer, proudly, "Busier than ever!"?

After years of "working hard" I am realizing that along with a strong work ethic (that is definately taught in the Bible) is something that some of us often miss. It's a strong rest ethic. I'm beginning to see that, maybe, the secret to a healthy soul is not to stop working hard, but along with that, take a regular "pause". I'm afraid that one of the biggest hinderences to "revival" could be our "busyness".

Now, I'm not saying that we need to set aside all of our activities and programs, that seem to be working to bring people in, but that we need to push the pause button now and then. It seems that we choose more activities to fill our "time off"; such as shopping, watching a good movie, reading a book or just "go out and doing something". There's nothing wrong with these things, but let's not forget to slow down long enough to take "spiritual inventory". "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

More than ever, we not only need a quiet place and a quiet time.....we also need a quiet heart. We need to listen. To pray. To hear. If He would speak in a "still small voice" would we be able to hear? I'm afraid that I might not. Why? I may have too much noice going on around me.

So here's the conclusion that I have come up with. Maybe it's not so much what WE seem to be doing for HIM that brings results, but what HE IS and DOES FOR US. Let's not stop "working hard" let's just remember to push the pause button on a regular basis. Turn off the noise, even for just a few hours. Spend time "listening" to God. It's time to seek Him until He comes and rains righteousness on us (Hosea 10:12).

I guess that I had better start thanking God for the quiet place (our home), the quiet time (my days off of work), and start preparing my heart to be quiet. I think I'll turn off the radio, I really don't need to watch that movie again, and do I really need to check my blog three or four times a day? Instead, I think I'll open my Bible and maybe even fast and pray more.

I don't know about you, but I have prayers that need answered. Do I really believe that He can do what He said He would? I need to work harder, but I also need to "pause" more often with a "quiet" heart, so that I can hear Him when He speaks.

How was your week?

What a week! I have the most amazing children ever! As some of you may know, Tuesday Phil and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Thirty years that man has put up with me! Can you believe it? Don't answer that question! Michael and Ruth Anne had invited us to their house for dinner Tuesday. We were excited and really looking forward to it. But, what we didn't know was that they had a surprise party planned. All our children (except Becky, of course, she was at college and couldn't make the trip since she was coming home on the week-end) and my father and his friend were all there. They had parked their cars where we wouldn't notice them. We had a wonderful evening and felt very special and loved. Friday, Good Friday, we had the most amazing Good Friday Service that I have ever attended. Then later, in spite of the foot of snow, we had a special time for the children (big and small). There was an Easter egg relay, followed by snacks. We had a good time. Easter Sunday was a very special day. It was the first in a very, very long time that Phil and I had ALL our children in church at once. Our oldest son hasn't been to church in quite awhile, and we were all excited and very grateful to see him walk in. And then, of course, there were 17 of us at our house for a fantastic time of eating, and fun. Our grand-daughter entertained us as usual. Well, I hope that your week was as good as mine, but I very much doubt it!

I'm back, so listen up!

REST!! What is rest?? According to one dictionary definition it means "to be at peace or ease", "free from anxiety or distress." As you can see from the picture, Phil doesn't seem to be having much trouble with this, especialy when his grand-daughter is around. Me...now that's another story.

Phil and I spent many years in the ministry, everything seemed to be rolling along, everything going good, and then, some very unexpected things happened that changed our lives drastically. But, as I relect back on all those years, something stands out to me that has changed the way I look at our spiritual lives, and some questions form in my mind.

Were we so intent on raising our children, reaching out to those many, many people in need, filling the calendar with as many activities as possible, to really maintain our relationship with God? Instead of ministering out of the "overflow" of our walk with God, were we trying to get by on our own strengths and skills?

Ephesians 2:6----And hath raised us up together, and MADE us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Seated? In Heavenly Places? In order to be seated you have to be prepared to rest. I know that the only time I sit is when I'm resting. That's not very often. When we sit in a chair we are resting our body. So, to sit in heavenly places with Christ, we must enter into "inner peace".

Rest is freedom from worry and frustration. Now, worry and frustration happens because WE try to do what ONLY GOD can do. When we rest in Him, He promises peace. I'm trying very, very hard to learn the blessing of entering God's rest. But I have to be seated with Him. In order to do that, I have to spend "time" with Him.

I want to be used of God to reach out to those who desperately need Him, but I don't want to just be "doing" spiritual things, I want to "be" spiritual. In order to "be" spiritual I have to "know" Him. Therefore, I need to stop jumping up every few minutes and getting out of rest.

If you are struggling with ANYTHING, take a seat and rest. Your place has been there waiting for you to occupy it all along.

Now, I think I will go sit in my big, brown comfy chair and read to my grand-daughter. The laundry and dishes can wait, unless of course that "maid" comes along and does it all!!

I'll be back later!

Ok! Enough! I got on my blog with every intention of up-dating. I guess I got alittle distracted (who me?). I've been messing with my blog site. Having way too much fun changing everything and now it's time to get ready for work. I really do have some things that I want to share with you but it's too late to do that now. Do you like my new look or should I have just left it alone? I must go, but I'll be back later.

I've been "memed".

First of all, how do you pronounce that word, and what does it mean? Here are the rules as given: Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. Find the first 5 sentences. Post the next 3 sentences. Tag 5 people.

Here goes. Since our computor is in Phil's little computor room. And, since that room is full of "his stuff". And since he is a minister...the first book I picked up is "Holy Humor" Inspirational Wit & Cartoons by Cal & Rose Samra.

I have found the first 5 sentences (I don't think I'm suppose to write them, but I will).

First of all, the title is:
A PRAYER FOR HUMOR AND LONGEVITY

Dear Lord:
Grant me faith;
grant me hope;
Let good humor
help me cope

And here are the next 3 sentences:

Let me spread the love
you give
And find a peaceful

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to post the rest of this poem. Just because. That's not cheating is it?

way to live.
Use my talents;
Bless my daring
To show others
Christian caring.
Build my friendships,
Grace, and levity,
But-----primarily----
Grant longevity.

Isn't it kind of funny that this would be the book that I would pick up? Not to mention that this is what is written on page 123? The pages before and after are cartoons. I love it!

Ok. I tag: Becky Arnold, Cassie Bolyard, Darren Williams, Ryan Watters and Jody Johnson

We are blessed!

It has been a few days since my last post. That doesn't mean that I have been idle. "Life" has been happening!! I love "Life"!! I love being a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, friend and any other "label" that could be attached to me. I remember a time in my life (many years ago) that I couldn't say "I love "Life". God is so good to us. We are truly blessed people. Maybe I am especially feeling this way because we have, once again, had a wonderful week-end. Phil and I were saying last evening that we seem to live for week-ends, but for different reasons than some people do. It's on the week-ends, because of everyone's busy schedules, that we get the opportunity to spend time with our family and friends. This week-end was no exception. Becky came home and brought some friends with her. I always enjoy entertaining, and especially enjoy entertaining my children and their friends. That means I get to play, relax and cook!!! Most Sundays, I have some of our children our grand-daughter and whoever else I can find, for Sunday dinner. It is a time that I treasure. I wouldn't trade these precious moments for anything in the world. The only bit of disappointment was the fact that we didn't have church Sunday morning because of the ice. I always look forward to the special time of worship with my "church family". Well, God understands and still blesses! We sat in our living room and sang choruses. That was special. I enjoyed it very much. Well, back to the normal week of work, work, work.... I LOVE it! The week-end is coming! I hope you have a wonderful week!!

Just a piece of candy!!

Sometimes we feel that our efforts are so insignificant. We may feel that what little we are doing is just a waste of time. We see no results, so why keep trying! May I share a story with you?
Bro. Jones is an 80 year old widower. Phil and I had the honor of pastoring he and his wife (Laura) for many years at the Tecumseh church where he was affectionately called "Leon". I attended the Tecumseh church all my life and grew up with Laura and Leon's two children. I don't think that I have ever heard Leon "testify" but I never doubted his sincereity. He was always the first to arrive at church (even after his wife's death) and stood at the door to greet everyone as they arrived. He shook hands with them, but that wasn't all. After shaking hands you could always find two pieces of candy in the palm of your hand. It would either be butterscotch or cinnamon, because he knew which you preferred. After resigning from Tecumseh church we started attending Adrian where our son is the Pastor. We pick Leon up every Sunday for church. He quickly got acclimated, he already knew most of the people, and continued his "ministry" of two pieces of candy to everyone present. Well, I for one, sometimes will eat one piece and put the other one in my purse, and sometimes I just put both pieces in my purse for later. Needless to say, I end up with several pieces of candy, and never give it much thought. No big deal, right? I just have a bunch of candy in my purse. Well, here's the best part. A couple from our church took a trip to Mexico and while they were there they visited a mission. This mission would go out to an area where people lived by the City Dump and they would minister to them there, so this couple went with them. They witnessed the poverty of these people who would have to scrounge through the dump for food and whatever else they could use. They were overwhelmed by the poverty and destitution and wished that they could help somehow. Then they remembered Bro. Jones' candy. For, you see, all those pieces of candy that hadn't been eaten, she had put in a bad for later. That bag a candy was in her purse. She began to distribute the candy to outstretched hands. She rejoiced in the smiles and the joy that these children expressed just because of her treat. When she returned to church, she was bubbling over as she related this story. Now this may sound unimpressive to you, but think about it. this should convict us or challenge us. God laid a ministry of encouragement on the heart of an elderly man. A man whose communication skills are impaired, for you see, he has dyslexia, and can not read or write. Leon's little gesture multiplied and reached beyond his small area of influence and touched a little one. Such simple gestures have the blessings of Heaven resting upon them.

"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." Matt. 10:42

Becky's Room

Well, here it is. Becky's bedroom. I promised pictures of the finished project. The pictures are alittle dark, but here they are. We started with just painting the room white (I can just hear Becky saying, "Yeah, a year ago."). She is right. It was a year ago. Sorry Becky! Anyway, the stripes that you see on the wall are all painted on by my artistic husband. That's what the hold-up was. Just measuring and marking and taping the room to prepare to paint took about five or six hours. Then we painted the green and then the blue. That had to dry before the tape could be pulled off. Because we were trying to hurry the process, when the tape was pulled off the lines were not as straight as we wanted them to be. So.... we had to go around with a very small brush and touch up. Even though it was a lot of work, it was fun. This is what Phil and I enjoy doing. The dog on the bed isn't really a part of the decor, even though she thinks she is. That's Bailey, Becky's dog. Good-bye for now.

A day off at the Arnold's house!!

It seems as though my kitchen sink looks like this quite often. Is this what happens when you own an old house (our's was built in 1868, so I guess it could be considered "old"). We definately have a "fixer upper". We are really loving it though. Phil and I have enjoyed remodeling our home. We very seldom have a day off at the same time. He always has Saturdays off, but I always work Saturdays. My day off is usually Thursday, which works well, because that is usually the day Jordana needs me to watch Emma. I always look forward to those times that I can spend with her. Unfortunately, I wasn't needed today, because her Daddy was going to be home. So...I managed to talk Phil into taking a vacation day (it really wasn't hard, he agreed quickly). Well, I said all that to say this.....we got up early to get to work on Becky's room. When we moved into this house (a year ago) her room was the first to get painted. It took 5 coats of white paint to cover the hideous purple that was on the walls. Becky knew how she wanted it to look and we started the process. It was a process that requires time and talent. Phil has the talent, but didn't seem to have enough time. I am so excited!! Because it is now finished!!! Phil is just touching up the touch-ups that he had to touch-up when he touched up. Uh....did that make any sense? I hope you know what I mean. I'm hoping that this afternoon I can put everything back together. I just have some washing and ironing of bedding and curtains to do. Knitting? You ask. What knitting? Give me some remodeling and decorating to do anyday!!! When it's all completely finished, I'll post some pictures! Well, back to work. Have a wonderful day!

Hit right between the eyes!!!

I don't mean to get all serious on you or anything, but I just thought I would share how God spoke to me in my devotions. I was reading in Matthew chapter six and got hit right between the eyes. I won't take time to write out all the verses (you could look them up for yourself) but some things from these verses just seem to jump out at me, such as...."And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field....Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,.....shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?....Therefore take not thought......for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things,..". Then, the clincher......Matt. 6:33......"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Today, as Children of God, we are told to seek His kingdom and His will first, even before we seek our own well-being. When we truly do this, He promised that He would provide ALL the things that we need to exist. One word comes to mind:PRIORITIES. Without God at the top of our list of priorities, not a single "material" blessing will seem to satisfy. If we put Him at the top of that list, then and only then can we feel His presence and know His peace. You see, this struck me because I seem to have been struggling lately with "Being Content". Oh, don't get me wrong, I know that God has put me right where I'm suppose to be right now. He has supplied every need and continues to do so, but I find myself having these little conversations with myself such as, "Why am I a cashier at Hobby Lobby? I'm a pastor's wife for goodness sake. What am I doing here? How is this accomplishing anything for God? Do you realize the people I have to deal with? Oh, you have no idea how mean and rude some of the customers can be!! I don't deserve this!!" And on and on it can go if I allow it to (I hate to say, but sometimes I allow it to). Today, I have made a vow to make a conscience effort to GET MY PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. I know Hobby Lobby is where I am suppose to be right now (God GAVE me this job). Believe it or not, I LOVE working at Hobby Lobby. I LOVE meeting all the people (well, most of them). I LOVE to talk, and this gives me lot's of opportunities to do so. So....why do I fret? It's a trick of our enemy. I am resting in God's promise that "..all these things will be added." realizing that I MUST seek Him and His righteousness. Lord, thank you for reminding me to keep my priorities straight!! Isn't serving God just the most exciting thing you ever did experience!?

Oops!

Well, I've gone and done it again. I broke TWO more pegs!! I think that I may as well admit defeat. I hate to say it, but...."knitting", from now on, will probably be referred to in the past-tense. Phil (the patient man that he is) said that he would fix both pegs tomorrow. Hmm..I wonder...should I try again?

It's fixed!!

Just thought that I would give an update on the damaged "knitting loom". Phil came home from work (by the way, he didn't act a bit surprised that I had broken a peg...hmm...) got a few tools and stuff from his handy dandy tool drawer and went to work on my "loom". It's as good as new, well almost, one peg is shorter than the rest. Oh well. Not defeated at all, I went back to work on, hmm...whatever it is I'm making. Maybe when I'm finished I'll decide what it is. Is that the way it's done? I don't know. Maybe you figure out what you're making BEFORE you start. Boring!!! See ya! Sue

"Oh the tangled webs we weave..", well, it's not supposed to look like a "tangled web". What you are looking at is called a "Serenity Loom". This item can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, which happens to be where I purchased it (my co-workers talked me into it). Here are the exact words taken right from the package. "Relaxing -No Needles - Easy for Beginners - Knits up to 110" wide - Portable - Simple & Serene". I proudly (well, not really "proudly") present to you my first attempt at "knitting" on this "easy, simple, anything but serene" loom. I don't know about you, but I don't think it's suppose to look like this. So, patiently, I ripped all this out and started over. I think I finally got the hang of it (after many relaxing, serene hours of labor) and then, guess what!? I broke a peg! So very calmly I place the loom (remember it's "portable") on the counter in the laundry room to await my husbands return from work. I'm thinking maybe super glue or something? As I was lamenting my demise, I couldn't help but think of the "tangled" messes we sometimes make of our lives. I'm willing to admit that my first attempt at "knitting" didn't work because I just "read" the pictures. After that failed, I decided that maybe I should read the directions as well as view the pictures. I know that some of the "messes" that I have found myself in throughout life have been my own fault. I wanted to do things MY way instead of the Creator's way. It was only after reading the instructions (His Word) and following those instructions that things seem to turn out the right way. Now, breaking that peg? Oops! Got a little carried away, I suppose. Well, as I await the return of my wonderful, patient husband, I take time to thank God for His Word. The Bible. Our instruction manual. I am also glad that He is patient with me as I am still learning to trust Him. He knows me and knows what's best for me. I am determined to live for my Creator, Jesus Christ. It will be worth every effort. Now, as for the knitting loom? We'll see. I am a very determined person, who doesn't give up easily. I'll probably try to finish. No....I WILL finish something. I'm not sure what it will look like, but I WILL finish. Until next time.........

Help!!! Christmas is over!

I decided that, since I was in the middle of removing Christmas decorations, (and my sister and her son stopped in for a visit, you know, extra help, how dare I!) anyway (I think I'm having trouble focusing tonight, so please bare with me). Now, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, I decided that it was time to rearrange the furniture in the living room. Phil isn't too excited about me doing such things. He says that he doesn't dare enter the living room without turning on a light. He thinks that he may end up on the floor. He'll adjust I'm sure. Well, here are some pictures of my living room. They turned out a bit dark, but you'll get the idea, I'm sure. I have to say that I am having some trouble with this "after holidays" blues. Now, I wouldn't say that I have much trouble with depression, it just seems like for months things were in a whirl. Lots of hours to work, shopping to try to fit in, friends and family to visit, Christmas decorations to put out, gifts to wrap, meals and snacks to plan, people stopping by, food to cook, busy, busy, busy. I loved every minute of it. Did I sometimes get a little tired? Of course. But I seem to thrive on busy-ness. The more people I have over, the more food I can cook, the better I feel. Then....it seems that, all of a sudden, everything comes to a screeching halt. I almost feel like I've run into a brick wall. What do I do now? Couldn't SOMEONE come over? (Let me know, so I can cook.) Ok, I feel better. Thanks for letting me vent. I'll be alright. Sunday is just a few days away. I can't wait to cook a big meal!!! What sounds good? Any ideas?

Back to Normal? Me?

I have finally managed to get Christmas decoractions down and put away. Phil and I even sorted and condensed while we were at it. Of course, that meant that the "cleaning up" process took a little bit longer (I think we quit at midnight). I suppose that I will be thankful next year when I get ready to put it all out again. It should be easier with totes that are actually marked with what is in them. Hmmm. Why didn't I think of that before?

Well, anyway, you are probably wondering "Why the above pictures?". Well, let me tell you about them. I do admit that I'm pretty impressed with myself (that doesn't sound right, does it?). Anyway, I got this bright idea. I wanted to try to come up with a simple, versitile centerpiece. The picture on the left is what I ended up with. I started with a simple round mirrored glass (from Hobby Lobby, of course). I wanted different heights, too, thus the tall candle holder, a glass jar with a lid and a christmus mug. I used a candy cane theme and followed through with candy cane candles. I put candy canes in the mug and filled the jar with those "melt-in-the-mouth" mints. I probably could have left this out all winter, but because I was in a hurry (not me!) to see what else could be done, I changed a few things, and I'm ready for Valentine's Day! I replaced the candles, put Conversation Hearts in the tall jar, replaced the mug with a smaller jar and put sour cherry balls in it. Aren't I just plain clever!!! Is it Easter yet? I want to see what I could do with it for Easter. Any ideas? I really should get a life!!!!