A Transplanted Southern Belle

NO.... I have not fallen off the face of the earth! :)

2010-06-19T22:22:00.002-03:00

Well... it has been way to long since I have posted a blog... but to the whole two people that probably follow this ..... I am still here.

I promise to do better and I promise to write more.

It has been a long year ... lots has happened....

But I am still here!

I am still strong!

I am still loving my GOD and my family!

In a world where that is now the abnormal... I am proud to be abnormal!

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! I am still here!

Sunday Afternoon

2009-11-01T14:27:00.002-04:00

It is Sunday afternoon...

I just enjoyed a wonderful meal with my husband and Jessica... Jeff didn't come home this weekend from university...

I am sitting by the deck doors and the sun just broke through the clouds.

The thought came to mind that is just like our life. So many times our days are covered in clouds, the business of life. Then the SON will break through the clouds and shine HIS light down on us. It gives us strength to keep going and puts energy in our steps.

Thank you Lord, for the clouds and the sun!

No longer a Baby........

2009-06-15T14:50:00.005-03:00

Well it is official... I no longer have any babies....

Sunday, June 14, Jessica officially became a teenager!

As I sat Sunday morning at the keyboard... and watched her as she worshipped as a part of the "Praise Team". As I again sat at the keyboard Sunday night and listened to her sing a solo with the chorale. As I again sat at the keyboard during the altar service and watched her pray with a young girl until she received the Holy Ghost!

She is no longer a baby, but a budding young lady! One who loves to pray, sing, worship God. What more could a mother or father desire?

I love you Jessica!

Too Busy To Blog

2009-03-05T21:40:00.002-04:00

OK... so my daughter tells me.... "MOM, You really should update your blog...." I'm like ... OK... when I have time. I finally look at my blog and realize that it really has been a long time.... But hey life is so exciting right now....

I am working full time....
The church is growing....
I am spending time with my hubby....
(Ok... he is probably on WordShare!)

I usually think of the good things to write when I am at work and can't do this....

Anyway... I will try to do better....

Life is good!
God is BETTER!

Check out our church website www.calvaryupc.com You are welcome to stop by anytime and you will be glad you did. (You will also see why I am to busy to write a blog!)

Till next time....

2008-11-06T22:39:00.003-04:00

WE WILL REMEMBER!!!

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!!

I sit and ponder these words.

What do they actually mean to me and to others.

I grew up in Alabama.

My dad is a veteran.

My grandfather was a veteran.

My great-grandfather was a veteran.

But what does this mean to me?

Growing up, Veterans day was just another day to many. A day to shop to others. A day in school that some old men dressed up in the uniforms of their youth coming to talk to kids about a concept "war" that most did not really comprehend.

Yet today, I am older and "wiser" (ok some would say that is debateable) and I really ponder on these words... Lest we forget....Have we forgotten???? Do we really remember????

I can't remember my father or any of my ancestors going off to war...I remember the stories... but that is all. Yet today in our midst there are families where dad or mom or even both have went off to war or are going off to war. My son will be 18 next year and I think of the possibility of his leaving for to fight in a war. If he goes will anyone remember the sacrifices that have been made before him and will be made by him?

I have friends who have family members fighting today ... does anyone remember????

Then my thoughts go even further back to a war.... a war that began before time. A war that is raging even today. A war between good and evil. A war for my soul. Yet the battle is over. The victory has been achieved. One day on a cross the battle raged and JESUS was the victor!

Do we remember??????

Do we take time each and every day to remember the victory won at Calvary??????? Is it just another event in history past that someone reminds us of from time to time. Do we go and for a moment remember and then go on with our lives forgetting the sacrifice that was made that we might live in freedom?

This weekend at Calvary United Pentecostal Church (Woodstock, New Brunswick) we will once again host our Annual Remembrance Day Conference. (I am so glad that in Canada they call it Remembrance Day. It really should be a day of reflection.) I know that the sacrifices made by men and women that we might worship in freedom will be mentioned. However, I pray more than that...souls will remember the sacrifice that was made at Calvary so that we might forever live in freedom!

Thank you to all who have served in the armed forces of the United States & Canada. I honor you for your sacrifice. Many of you have returned with scars that cannot be seen by the human eye. We that have been blessed to stay in the homeland have been protected by you.

AND to all those who have served in the army of the Lord I also salute you. You have fought battles that only God can see! Your victories help me to be victorious. They allow me to be able to remember....

One day when I was lost... Jesus died upon a cross!

I live in freedom today....

SO I WILL REMEMBER AND I WILL NEVER FORGET!

Greensboro 2008

2008-10-16T16:34:00.002-03:00

What a joy to be at General Conference 2008 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

I took my vacation time and our entire family packed up and headed South! We were to leave around noon on Monday (Happy Thanksgiving CANUCKS!) but my sweet husband decided we should get movin'. So my day to sleep in... became my day to sleep in the car. :)

We made it as far as New Jersey without to many go slows- however, there we came upon an accident that must have been pretty serious as it took us 2 hours to drive 5 miles. Thank the Lord for HIS protection. An unscheduled bathroom break placed us a few minutes later. By the time we arrived at the scene everything was cleaned up. I pray that noone was to seriously injured.

We stopped in Hershey, PA for the night. This brought back many memories to us all of deputation in PA and we actually toured the Hershey plant and visited a museum that told of how it all started. Very interesting if you have time.

We arrived Tuesday afternoon in Greensboro and have been busy ever since. Wednesday, I set up the French Evangelism booth while my husband was in meetings and the kids visited with friends. Today... the booths open and everything is in full swing. It has been nice visiting with some of our old friends, although there is not enough time and someone else is always coming by.

The weather is HOT! it was 87 earlier today! I can't believe it... finally a little taste of summer. It will be cold when we get home as it already was quite cool at our departure.

Will try to write some more a little later on!

See ya'll later..... from Greensboro!

It's FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-26T08:17:00.004-03:00

It's Friday.....

Yea!

It's Fall ....

Yea!

It's Missions Conference this weekend....

Yea!

I am at work....

Congratulations Daniel & Hailey

2008-08-25T18:55:00.008-03:00

Friday, August 22, 2008 was a gorgeous day! And it ended gorgeously also as we participated in the ceremony which joined two very special young people in marriage.

Daniel & Hailey are both very special to us and we were honored to be at their wedding in support of them.

Daniel is like another son to our family. We have watched him grow in many ways! Most importantly we have watched his spiritual growth. It is such joy to see one of your young people allow God to guide, direct and mold their life. Daniel is quiet and thoughtful, very serious, yet full of fun at a moment's notice.

Hailey on the other hand, well... let me just say it like this... you always know when she is in the room! Yet, she also is a young lady that has placed her life in God's hand! She will be a wondeful compliment to Daniel's ministry.

He preaching... she singing and praying.....

Both together doing the work of the Lord!

So now they begin their lives and ministry together... we pray God's blessing on them and their ministry.

Yes, the wedding was beautiful! And we get to celebrate again this Saturday!

Thoughts

2008-08-05T20:57:00.003-03:00

Hello to all my friends...

Yes, it has been a while....

C'est la vie!

Winter finally ended sometime in June! HA HA

We had a week of summer and today it feels like fall. We have had so much rain that I am beginning to think I will need to build an ark!

Please pray that the rain will stop or there will be no potatoes!

On another note I have been following the blog of my "long ago" friend Tracie Smith. (I knew her before Smithville!) Anyway she has been keeping us all posted in regards to our little friend, her nephew, Timothy "Timo" Simoneaux...

Please keep him in your prayers and check out her blog for updates! www.tsmithconroe@blogspot.com

Fall is coming and with it brings many activities and changes.

Not much here today... I just wanted to say HI!

WINTER..... WILL IT EVER END???????????????????????

2008-03-04T20:28:00.010-04:00

OK......................

I know I haven't written since NOVEMBER!!!!

Well, I guess you realize this blogging world does not rule my life HA HA!!!!

However, I am beginning to think WINTER does!

WE went to Alabama for Christmas and surprised my mom & dad. ( I will write about that another time.) When we came home there was snow every where!!!

Thankfully a wonderful angel had plowed our driveway. I was thinking on the way home as we heard how much snow had fallen while we were gone...."How will we wade through to the shovel... we didn't even take our boots with us?" We didn't have to worry it was all neatly plowed and the walk was clean along with the porch!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

However... since then we have continued to get snow more and more and more. Some kind soul wanting to encourage me told me the Farmer's Almanac called for 9 MAJOR storms in the month of March!

Well we have had storm number 1! This past weekend. The snow is so high.... our compost in the backyard is completely covered. It's so high, Jeff safely jumped off our back deck into the snow... (Much to my dismay)

When we lived in Africa "Papa Allard" had a sign on his wall that said "PRAY FOR SNOW"....

PAPA ALLARD...

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

STOP PRAYING FOR SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So that is my thought for the evening....

"Walking in a winter wonderland..." is no longer a song I want to hear

And to all of my friends south of the border...

Come on up and bring an eighteen wheeler

You could take all the snow home with you that you like!

I won't miss it at all

2007-11-18T18:07:00.000-04:00

Montreal.....

I think every culture in the world is represented in this city. All living together, working together, worshipping together.

Worshipping together...???

Yes, Worshipping together!

Where...???

At a little corner church, where a man and woman decided that they would do God's will no matter what! They would not give up, nor turn around. They would build a place where the people of the world could come and find Jesus.

So what's so special about that?

The fact that they stayed.

Too many times when tough times come we are so quick to look for the "Quick Solution". We are not willing to endure a little hurt.

Eighteen years ago, I stood before an altar and said "I DO, in the good and in the bad, in wealth and in poverty, in sickness and in health." Many times I have heard my sweet husband say... and we have been through it all ... good, bad sickness, health, poverty and wealth... well not to much wealth! :)

What does this have to do with Montreal....

We are here for a French Evangelism Conference. My husband preached Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday Morning and he will also preach in just a few hours. God has moved so mightily. We are looking forward to this evening's service. It has been wonderful! To see young men, old, men, young women, old women, and children raise their hands and worship JESUS, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

So thank you for staying... thank you for praying... thank you for not giving up....

I want to stay... pray... and never give up for God is doing something wonderful!

"Friendship Bread"

2007-10-09T21:27:00.000-03:00

It all started innocently enough. Pam gave me a gallon ziplock bag of gooey liquid stuff and said, "Do you like to bake? Here is some Friendship Bread!" I was willing to give it a try as those of you who know me well know that I like to cook. I will try to cook anything... especially if you tell me it tastes good! And who doesn't like the smell of fresh baked bread in a house????

Anyway, I took it and said "GREAT! Can't wait to try it out!"

Then I read the recipe. Long story short... you leave it out on the counter, mush the bag everyday for 5 days, add some flour, sugar, and milk to the bag and continue mushing for 5 more days.

DAY 10 is B-DAY!!!!!! (Bake Bread)

However, before you bake it... you must add more flour, sugar, milk mix well (no refrigeration has been used in this process... and you must not use any metal objects ...spoon, bowl, etc.) and then take out 4 individual cups of this liquid. Placing one cup of the mixture in a separate gallon size ziplock bag, dating the bag and passing it on to another friend. (But keeping one bag for yourself.) The remaining mixture is baked and one hour later .... the house smells good and the bread tastes delicious.

The first time "B-Day" came, some of our Bible College students were here and we stayed up until 3:00 AM making this bread... really "testing/strengthening" our friendship. Some people said we were just CRAZY!!!! (I think this was the actual truth!) The bread smelt wonderful and was so good.

We ate the 2 loaves that 1 recipe makes immediately!

This has been repeating itself since the first week of September... and tonight the cycle ended.

Why????

Well, you only have so many friends to pass the extra bags on to. Can you imagine ... 1 bag divides into 4 which divide into 16 which divide into 64... get the picture?????

Some weeks I have had 2 or 3 bags laying on my counter being nursed and waiting to be divided and baked.

As I made the ultimate decision tonight to end the cycle... I thought of other friendships in my life.

We start out with one and soon it divides into 2 or more and on and on... However, what happens to that first initial friend. Are you still as close as you were at the beginning? One friend begats another which begats another which begats another....

(Hey that almost sounds like the first chapter of Matthew!)

Many times we let that first friendship fall by the way as we get caught up in the excitement of new friends. Our lives move on and we grow and change. Yet, we should never forget the friend that started our journey down a particular path.

Which brings to mind... I met a young man when I was just a kid. He became a good friend, the older brother I didn't have. We had so many laughs and memories. Yet he went off to places unkown. Time took it's toll and although weknew where each other was... our paths did not cross that often. Yet a few weeks ago our paths crossed in a different way. A friendship that began all those years ago has now resulted in his daughter staying with me while she attends College.

Full circle??? I don't know... just a friendship that has remained through the years being passed around, touching new friends, developing into a new friend.

And the bread..... well it is almost time for it to come out of the oven.

The completion of the cycle.

My friendships... will never end.

Catching Up With Life

2007-09-19T23:16:00.000-03:00

Well, it's been a while since I first ventured into this new world of blogging! HA As if I need something else on my plate. Sometimes... life seems to be going so fast I can barely hang on.

My husband has been doing some painting at our church. Today when I came home from lunch I noticed that he had some white paint on his knuckles. I jokingly said...

"Are you nervous about something?"

"Why??"

"Your knuckles are turning white!"

At first he looked at me crazy and then caught on to my feeble attempt at humour. (I am definitely not the comedian in the family!)

Sometimes that's the way I feel as if I am hanging on to life by my fingernails and my knuckles are turning white from the pressure. That's when I need to find time to catch up with life.

HOW?????

Taking a little extra time with my friend.... JESUS!

He helps keep me stable and firm. When life is flying by at a neck-braking speed, Jesus keeps me calm.

I remember the words to an old song....

"There is Peace in the midst of my storm tossed life

There's an anchor, there's a Rock to cast my Faith upon

Jesus rides in my vessel so I feel no alarm

He gives me peace in the midst of my storm."

(Hopefully nobody will get upset for me quoting that, I don't remember the author's name.)

So... here I am at 11:30 at night. The to-do list is longer than I want to think about... and time is running out. Yet, there is peace... and instead of my catching up with life... life is going to catch up with me. For when I am at peace Jesus is in control and that is all that is important!

A Brand New World

2007-08-06T21:14:00.000-03:00

Don't you just love computers? I was just being brave and writing my first blog and had almost completed my first venture into this new world. And poof it was all gone. :(

Not a very good way to start anyway....

I will try to remember what I said...

My 18 year old cousin living in Ghana is my inspiration for my entering this new world. Hey.. if she can I can! Not gonna let her be smarter than I am! HA

Anyway...when my family lived in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, I use to send my rambling thoughts to all of my extended family and friends in North America. I called my rambling thoughts "From Ouaga with Love." It really helped to bring us closer and to help them understand my world. I promise I will talk more about that exciting part of my life at another time.

I now live in Woodstock, NB and enjoy the changing seasons. The summers are short the winters long but always beautiful. Such a wonderful world that God has created!

Every day it is a brand new world... a world that noone has ever lived in before. A world that will be determined by our choices, decisions, actions, and even the words that we speak. So what will tomorrow's world be like... it depends on you and I. What a responsibility!

A Brand New World!