Babies

We have been watching a lot of activity over the past couple of weeks happening around one of our topiaries.

"Eugene" has been home to several nests.
The momma bird guards her nest!
She likes to 'dive bomb' anyone that looks too closely.

The first view of the completed nest.

Can you see an egg?

There they are!

Four eggs that will hatch,

and then we will hear chirping outside our front door.

Luke 9:58

And Jesus said unto him,

Foxes have holes,

and birds of the air have nests;

but the Son of man

hath not where to lay his head.

Trinidad Trip

Our church bus stopped by today

(we live 60 miles south),

it picked up Todd and Aimée

for a mission trip to

Trinidad.

Todd

(looks like he is looking for a seat...LOL) Aimée.... who has been excited for months about this! more of the team

and some more.

ROMANS 10:15

And how shall they preach,

except they be sent?

as it is written,

How beautiful

are the feet

of them that preach

the gospel of peace,

and bring glad tidings

of good things!

JESUS SAVES

Discovery for the last time

Our town was packed yesterday with people from all over wanting to view one of the final Space Shuttle Launches. They are something quite special to see, even by someone who has watched rockets launch from KSC since childhood. We didn't venture down to the river. We are thinking we will next time. Most times we just watch the launches from our front yard, sometimes we have had passes to watch from the viewing stands at KSC. This time we were in the front yard as Discovery lifted off for its final trip into space.

First, we hear the crowds roar from the river, and then we see the shuttle 'pop' out of the trees.

We also see the external tank and solid rocket boosters... but still quite a view.

Just the tail of Discovery here.....

The solid rocket boosters falling back towards the Atlantic Ocean....

Shuttle Trail................ we love that here!

Psalm 19:1

THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD;

AND THE FIRMAMENT SHEWETH HIS HANDY WORK.

more Bible Conference 2011

Part of the men's group singing.....
The Logan's singing....

Eating under the Pavilion

Serving food

lots of good food was served...

2011 Bible Conference

From left to right.......

Randy Newcomer

Scott Suttle

Rick Baker

James Knox

Joel Logan

Brent Logan

Rob Carlson

These men (minus Bro James) covered the entire book of 2 Thessalonians.

It was very very good.

jameswknox.org

An afternoon of street preaching.....

lots of signs....
great weather.....

full church house....

a wonderful week.

The Will of God

I read over this again this morning, a reminder of what the 'Will of God' is...not what my will might be, but what GOD's WILL is. This is from our pastor James Knox .


The WILL OF GOD

Galatians 1:3-5
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father,

and from our LORD Jesus Christ,

Who gave himself for our sins,

that he might deliver us from this present evil world,

according to the will of God and our Father:

To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1. That we make an effort to travel from the presence of non-believers, and to seek out the fellowship and company of those who do believe, so we may have joy and be refreshed by other believers.

Romans 1:10

"...I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God, to come unto you."

Romans 15:31-32

"That I may be delivered from that that do not believe...that I may come unto y ou with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed."

2. That we spend our days for God and for others; that we put God first, others second, and self last.

2 Corinthians 8:5

" And this they did, not as we had hopoed, but first gave their own selves to the LORD, and unto us by the will of God."

3. That we serve our generation; that we reach those within our reach.

Acts 13:36

Acts 13:36 "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God..."

4. That we give thanks to God in everything; that we never lose a thankful heart.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

5. That we live the life that Jesus Christ has enabled us to live; holy, decent, godly, pure, and harmless. We must continue to live in love, grace, kindness, truth and holiness that the mouths of others may be shut.

1 Peter 2:15-16

"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:....as the servants of God."

6. That we never suffer for punishment deserved; for doing evil. But, when we do suffer for doing right, we continue to do right so that our testimony is strenghtened and confirmed, so we may say "even in this, I will go on for the LORD."

1 Peter 3:17

"For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."

1 Peter 4:19

"Wheverfore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, a unto a faithful Creator."

7. That we control ourselves; our passions, imaginations, that we do not participate in sinful behavior.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence...For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

8. That whatsoever we do, we do it for JESUS CHRIST and no one else, self included.

1 Corinthians 1:1

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God..."

9. That we should pray on for another.

Romans 8:26-27

"Likewise the Spirit also...maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

10. Three things about the will of God:

KNOW IT; Romans 12:2

DO IT; Ephesians 6:6

DO IT COMPLETELY; Colossians 4:12

The end of 2010

We finally went to Sea World again. As the children get older time and schedules change and vary, it got harder and harder for us to find time to go to Sea World as a family. Bear missed going, and so we went on Christmas Eve. I rode in a wheelchair. I am not quite up to walking the entire park. Todd, Aim and Bear all ride Kraken, and I now have a picture to prove it.

I have joked for the last couple months that I live in assisted living. My husband and children have certainly been a HUGE blessing to me as I have recovered from my latest surgery. It hasn't been easy on any of them, but they are the best caregivers around! Even when the rule is NO LAUGHING....because it makes mom's chest hurt too bad.

I turned 50 this year. I didn't have quite the celebration I wanted, but dear friends along with Doug, Todd, Aimée and Bear sure made it a birthday YEAR to remember! As you can see...some friends are humorous... even when the 'DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH' rule is in place.

I had more than my fair share of surgeries. The last one has given me a new appreciation for several things:

1. A thyroid is capable of regrowing.... you might think it was ALL removed, but if there are any cells left...it can regrow where it wants to! Dr. R removed it the first time...and he did a wonderful job in 2000. He was quite surprised by my 'surprise' thyroid. I was very happy to use his services again in 2010 to remove this wayward 'beast'.... he is one of the best thyroid surgeons in Central Florida. I just happen to make things complicated for my doctors.... (sighing)

2. 'chainsaw' docs... the thoracic surgeon who is able to precisely cut open your chest and help remove a regrown thyroid that has entangled itself on your aortic arch, and wire you back together. Dr. Alessandro Ferrero in Winter Park, FL is one of the best, if you ever need to have your chest cut open I would give him a call!

3. I know what an Arterial line is now...and why they use them. I had 2 IVs and an Arterial line with this last surgery... Thankful, all those things worked like they were supposed to!

4. Chest surgery is PAINFUL........Before my surgery, my daughter would put her hand on her chest when we would talk about it. After surgery, I have hugged my son Bear's Teddy Bear to my chest to help when laughing, talking, coughing, riding in the car, getting up, sitting down, walking, any thing that required my chest to move, BURLY BEAR has been my faithful companion.

5. Chest surgery requires TIME To HEAL...and it is REALLY PAINFUL! :) (did I say that??) I have new compassion for those that have to have their chest cut open for different procedures....healing is a very slow and painful process that requires patience in the patient, and those that are around them!

6. I like sleeping in my bed! I don't sleep in a reclined position........ and not being able to get in my bed for 6 weeks and sleep was not something I enjoyed at all!

My 'caregivers' on the morning of my surgery....perhaps a bit too festive? LOL

Thankful that they were confident that the surgery would go well. The older ones were just a tad bit concerned about it, and the youngest (12) ...well to him it was just another day at the doctor's or at the hospital with mom. Bear has been my faithful waiting room buddy all year long. We had quite a year of waiting, and waiting, and seeing the doctors. Maybe, 2011 will be different??

Psalm 72:18

"Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things."

Isn't GOD amazingly WONDERFUL every single day???