MOPPY'S MUSINGS

A NEW YEAR

2012-01-04T12:09:00.003-06:00

Yeah, it's been a while... a long, long while... since I even opened my blog page. And it's not because I had nothing to say... I have plenty... and if you read our Christmas newsletter you already know what a tremendous blessing this year has been with many celebrations in the Wescoat house... and they were all a reminder of how truly faithful God is in our lives.

As usual, I began to think about New Year's Resolutions.Oh that blessed time of year. When we determine once and for all we are going to change our ways and live up to the high expectations we have always had of ourselves. Ahh, what an inspiring–and often frustrating–time of year as we focus on our failures and shortcomings. The nature of the resolution is to fix areas of life that have fallen short and make plans (often in our own strength) to change them.

I really don't even like setting goals (even though my supervisor at church requires it of me) and dreaming about how my life could be different only adds to the frustrations…

But what I want to do is celebrate God’s presence and His goodness in our lives. And that was so evident this year - Mom & Dad's 80th birthday, Chris & Kayla's wedding, the birth of Josephine (Jodi) Hope, Chris' completion & certification as an EMT and firefighter, Charlie's trip to China, even a rescue dog named Skippy... as well as so many little things too numerous to mention...

As we focus on changing our habits: eat less, exercise more, floss daily…I think we should spend at least a little time remembering God’s goodness in other areas. Remember the triumphs, the successes, the breakthroughs. Remember the many times God’s faithfulness and compassion “saved the day” and changed situations for the better.

What are you most thankful for in 2011?

CENTRIKID, DAY FOUR - OMC

2011-07-14T19:30:00.007-05:00

The favorite day of most campers... OMC (Organized Mass Chaos)... the girls are ready!!Most important meal of the day...

Sara's rest time...

Olivia is ready to go green for OMC...

Go Joe!!

Nick's ready for the fun...

Lauren and Team Red...

WE LOVE OMC!!!!

Look closely and see her big smile... time to throw water on Mrs. Chris...

"High five your leader with shaving cream!"

Lia getting messy for the yellow team...

Andrea reading her task card...

CENTRIKID, DAY TWO

2011-07-14T17:59:00.009-05:00

So I got my days mixed up... these are from Tuesday. The previous blog is from Wednesday.

Quiet time with God before another fun-filled, cloudy day... cooler day!

Ready for another great day...

We're ready for the excitement of I CAN'T WAIT!!

Cool dude!!

Lia at Rec Time...

Find those shoes...

Rec time for 3rd/4th graders...

Time for a little shark attack...

CENTRIKID, DAY THREE

2011-07-14T17:09:00.013-05:00

Day 3 = Wednesday...

Morning quiet time...

Can't get enough of Ninja...

Fallen Ninjas...

After swim hair... :-)
PBC's turn at the pool... a great way to cool off...

Front row for worship...

Olivia's name went up on the screen, so she got to play a game on stage...

Mr. Jake shows off his Ninja skills...

Can you tell that Ninja is a big hit here?

Run, Sarah, run...

Rec time...

Outdoor games track...

Always smiling...

Olivia taking Babysitting 101...

Sarah with PBC's church group leader, Teesha...she's awesome!

Lindsey during volleyball track...

More Rec...

CENTRIKID 2011, DAY ONE

2011-07-13T10:03:00.009-05:00

Fourteen campers and 4 sponsors are at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO this week for CentriKid Camps - a 3rd-6th grade camp sponsored by LifeWay. Chris Grater is taking pictures and posting them on Twitter. If you don't have a Twitter account and prefer not to have one, you may view the same photos here. When they return we will post all photos on the church's website and on the KidZone Facebook page. Enjoy the great photos...

OFF TO BREAKFAST ON THE FIRST MORNING...

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

MORNING PRAISE AND WORSHIP...
REC TIME FOR 5TH/6TH GRADE... 650 KIDS AT CAMP...

TIME FOR FIRST TRACK OF THE DAY...

WHAT A SWING!!

SWORD FIGHTING AT REC; GET 'EM BETHANY!!

EAR PLUGS? SERIOUSLY? MUST BELONG TO MS. CHRIS...

DOUBLE DOUBLE THIS THIS; DOUBLE DOUBLE THAT THAT...

Who is Jesus?

2011-05-05T14:40:00.001-05:00

Wanna know who Jesus is? This young man will tell you in about 4 minutes..

Thanks to my friend, Star, for sharing this with me. It was the perfect reminder of who He is...

THIRSTY ON THE CROSS

2011-04-22T10:48:00.002-05:00

Thirsty on the Cross
by Max Lucado

Jesus’ final act on earth was intended to win your trust.

This is the final act of Jesus’ life. In the concluding measure of his earthly composition, we hear the sounds of a thirsty man.

And through his thirst—through a sponge and a jar of cheap wine—he leaves a final appeal.

“You can trust me.”

Jesus. Lips cracked and mouth of cotton. Throat so dry he couldn’t swallow, and voice so hoarse he could scarcely speak. He is thirsty. To find the last time moisture touched these lips you need to rewind a dozen hours to the meal in the upper room. Since tasting that cup of wine, Jesus has been beaten, spat upon, bruised, and cut. He has been a cross-carrier and sin-bearer, and no liquid has salved his throat. He is thirsty.

Why doesn’t he do something about it? Couldn’t he? Did he not cause jugs of water to be jugs of wine? Did he not make a wall out of the Jordan River and two walls out of the Red Sea? Didn’t he, with one word, banish the rain and calm the waves? Doesn’t Scripture say that he “turned the desert into pools” (PSALM 107:35 NIV) and “the hard rock into springs” (PSALM 114:8 NIV)?

Did God not say, “I will pour water on him who is thirsty” (ISAIAH. 44:3NKJV)?

If so, why does Jesus endure thirst?

While we are asking this question, add a few more. Why did he grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2)?

Why? And why did he grow thirsty on the cross?

He didn’t have to suffer thirst. At least, not to the level he did. Six hours earlier he’d been offered drink, but he refused it.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, buthe did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. (Mark 15:22–24 NIV,italics mine)

Before the nail was pounded, a drink was offered. Mark says the wine was mixed with myrrh. Matthew described it as wine mixed with gall. Both myrrh and gall contain sedative properties that numb the senses. But Jesus refused them. He refused to be stupefied by the drugs, opting instead to feel the full force of his suffering.

Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you would feel them too.

He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul … pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands.

And because he understands, we can come to him.

NEW Gift Book! This story from:
This is Love - The Extraordinary Story of Jesus
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011) Max Lucado

Dance Your Shoes Off...

2011-04-15T11:38:00.002-05:00

This is so cool... made me wish I was there... dancing my shoes off. What a great way to worship and praise the one who rose from the dead!! JESUS IS ALIVE!!!!!

HOP

2011-04-05T09:25:00.005-05:00

What has been happening in the past month plus 3 days? Well, certainly not blogging. However, I won't bore you with that time span... we'll start fresh... again.

Masha and I went to see "Hop" last weekend with plans of taking Sammy and Lizzie this Friday but really found it not worth the time. What continually went through my head was that they never touched on anything real about Easter. This review does a good job of saying how I felt after leaving the theater. Read it here. Next we plan to try "Rio" and take the kids to see this G-rated animated movie. Maybe we'll have better luck with the parrots.

I love sports... and anyone who just sort of knows me probably realizes that. March Madness is one of my most favorite times of the year. I've watched so many basketball games in the past weeks and loved every minute of it. Unlike many of my male friends, I also enjoy the women's tournament. And if some of them would give it a try, so would they. I dare any of them to go up against Maya Moore or Shekina Strickland and come out unscathed. I would have liked to see the underdog Butler team win last night but it was not to be. And tonight's women's championship? I don't really have a favorite... my team is the Lady Vols and they were beat. The Lady Huskies lost in the Final Four and that was one of the sweetest games I've seen in a long time. Another favorite is Stanford and they lost in the Final Four, too. So tonight I'll be watching Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Being born in Texas maybe I should root for them... I'm sure Joshua B. would appreciate it.

Last night was my first Cardinal game of the season... and it was soooooo cold. And I really thought I was dressed for it.... turtleneck, long sleeve t-shirt, hoodie sweatshirt, coat, gloves, scarf, long underwear... and Masha even got me hand warmers. Then the only thing that was warm were my hands. :-) Not often do you see us bundled up like this for a Cardinal game...
And to remind you of the crazy weather in St. Louis? This picture was taken on Sammy's birthday - February 17... it would have been a much better day for a baseball game...
And allow me to go back about one more thing... an incredible surprise awaited me one night after a hockey game. I was expecting Chris... I was not expecting his sweet, sweet friend. :-)
That's it for now - work is calling my name. Perhaps it won't be so long before the next post. Perhaps I'll even take you along on the journey I'm considering starting.

BIG APPLE ADVENTURE

2011-03-02T10:19:00.003-06:00

Recruiting has begun for the Big Apple Adventure, VBS 2011!! Check out the video and then decide where you'll be volunteering. You can sign up online at www.parkwaybaptist.net/children. Go to the bottom of the page and click on the VBS link to sign up you and your child for VBS.

Big Apple Adventure Leader Recruitment Video from LifeWay VBS on Vimeo.

2011-02-08T09:21:00.003-06:00

I'm trying to take the time to read more blogs - things that would be relevant to children's ministry and to my own personal walk with Christ. I began to follow, on Twitter, Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in North Carolina... a young man with a passion for those who don't know Christ and God is truly blessing the efforts of him and Elevation Church. This morning's post really struck a chord with me... read it here.

WHATEVER...

2011-01-29T09:42:00.002-06:00

I don't do New Year's Resolutions - I tried it and I end up feeling guilty... lose weight (which I need to do) and then 2 months later I'm depressed because I've lost only 2 pounds... read the Bible EVERY day and then I miss a day and feel like I've failed... get everywhere on time - not a morning person so not gonna happen. Then I read a blog recently and this person chose one word. I thought that surely I could do that - choose a word for the year - but God was giving me NOTHING!! I was busy dwelling on circumstances that had made me unhappy - actually had made me downright mad - and seeing things as impossible... or hopeless. And then God gave me a word - WHATEVER! Not like the kids say it with the emphasis on whatEVer but as in "whatever it takes". Bear with me here...

As 4 of us traveled to Nashville this past Thursday for a VBS Preview event, we listened to this year's VBS music - and I admitted I wasn't too crazy about it but hoped it would grow on me. And it has... and the words hold so much truth... "by faith I love; by faith I come; by faith I will trust in the name of Jesus; by faith I believe in things I can not see; by faith I cling to the hope that Jesus gives me..."; "I love You more than anything... but that's not enough... I want to love You more..."; and as a rap - "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life... why don't you?" And probably my favorite: "Jesus, I will do WHATEVER it takes to bring glory to your name... He said go, so I will go; He said tell, so I will tell..." And that's how God brought me to the word - actually 3 words - "whatever it takes".

Jeff Slaughter said it best... and I don't have his exact words but... One of the VBS songs is a rap and he figured some folks would have a problem with that but he said that God gives us music and many in the world have perverted it but why can't we take that music and turn it to Him and for His glory. It's what the kids are listening to so let's give them positive lyrics and godly words in a way they will listen to it... "whatever it takes"...

Enjoy Jeff's "By Faith" video using New York City as the backdrop...

So as I look at what God has for our KidZONE Children's Ministry at PBC... at what God has for the ones I love in my family... at what God has for me personally... my prayer is that I will do "whatever it takes" to bring glory to His name.

Click here for more samples of this year's VBS "Big Apple Adventure" music.

First Mom

2011-01-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

LEARNING TO PRAY FROM A TWO-YEAR OLD

2011-01-21T13:22:00.002-06:00

What can you learn about prayer from a 2 year old? Check it out from this parent's insight... http://ministry-to-children.com/toddler-teaching-us-to-pray/

The Land Between

2011-01-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

A while back a friend told me about "The Land Between" - a talk he heard while attending a Leadership Summit. We've all been there - that wilderness between hardship and God's promises. What will do in "the land between"? Use it as fertile ground for spiritual growth or stay in the darkness... The Land Between

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

2011-01-11T11:44:00.002-06:00

I didn't forget about my blog... It's just not been a good time to keep up. However this video was brought to my attention today and really wanted to share it. CHOOSE LIFE!!!

BRANSON - DAY 2 & 3

2010-08-18T19:50:00.009-05:00

Forcing myself out of bed before 7, I agreed to fishing that early based on the fact that Malikas and Charlie had done so well the day before. We headed out... cold, fog... and finally reached our destination. The thought was that we would float down with the current in the "trophy" area and catch some nice size trout as was done on Monday. Here is a picture of the catch of the day... literaly the only catch of the day until much later in the evening....and we couldn't keep it because it fell in the 12"-20" range and those have to be thrown back if caught in the "trophy" area.

About mid-afternoon, we went out again. Why not, I thought... we had done so well that morning. Sarcasm intended... So we headed back up to the "trophy" area and caught nothing. Continued to go with the current and continued to catch nothing. I mentioned that we would probably start catching fish when we got to Lilley's Landing... which is where we are staying. And sure enough... we did and caught our limit and then some but threw the small ones back. We were even the talk of the Lilley Landing office this morning.

The afternoon was spent riding one of the Ducks. Malikas even drove it on Table Rock Lake. The guide was great... kept us laughing and thoroughly enjoyed the entire outing.
On Day 3 a few fish were caught in the morning hours and then 2 of the 3 thought a trip to Springfield to Bass Pro was in order. And in case you're wondering who the "outcast" was... here's a picture of me enjoying my time there... don't get me wrong... I like going Bass Pro but not to just wander around...

I think the sign out front is very appropriate...

We met Christopher at Lambert's for a hearty dinner...

...and now we're back on the Lake. Charlie and Malikas are fishing from the dock. I've not heard that they caught anything yet. I guess I should go and show them how.

BRANSON - DAY 1

2010-08-16T14:04:00.003-05:00

Some of us don't like getting up when one has to... so I certainly wasn't interested in getting up at 5:30 a.m. for a fishing trip while on vacation... even though I love fishing. So I sent Charlie and Malikas off with a guide with my blessing! And here is an idea of what they came home with...

One of the first catches of the day...
Doing the trout victory dance...
Charlie decides to get in on the action...

And later that morning catches a very nice one...
And the winner for the biggest catch of the day...

The limit was caught and many were thrown back. And tonight they will be quite tasty when Chris joins us for dinner.

CENTRIKID WAS INCREDIBLE

2010-07-17T11:38:00.003-05:00

Using my adaptation of a friend's blog, I'll use TWIML (This Week in Moppy's Life) to share our CentriKid experience. You'll note I didn't write anything after Day 2... a couple of reasons for that - too tired to write anything comprehendable late at night and just wanted to take it all in for the last few days.

Sitting... on my bed with my laptop and thinking about the week... listening to CK music from the week.

Eating... nothing at the moment but it's nice to know my food will be hot and my choice not so limited as you find in a cafeteria. I was reminded that I do NOT miss cafeteria food. No chance of a low-carb diet there... but I did not gain any weight so that's a positive. However, I thought I would have lost more with the walking and sweating... that's a bit disappointing.

Drinking... a Diet Pepsi. I drank a lot more water at camp. I figure I couldn't fuss continuously at the kids about it unless I was willing to do it myself. I'm still finding today that I'm very thirsty.

Glad... that I went to CentriKid. Parkway has been going for 10 years and never had I gone along. I would have but there was always an intern and/or volunteer willing to go. This year there was no intern and I felt it was time for me to go. I wanted to see what exactly happens and not just hear it from someone else.

Needing... a way to convince other parents how cool CK is so they will send their kids. Considering all they get while there, the price is certainly not too bad. They really don't have time to get homesick and we can usually deal with it. We have never had to call parents to come get their kids... although I know it has happened with other churches. It's a time in their life that they will NEVER forget. I had a note on Facebook from a recent high school graduate who mentioned that it was the "highlight of my childhood".

Avoiding... anything to do with excessive heat. Much of CK is spent outside. Take a shower in the morning... walk to breakfast... and need another one. Finally just gave up... sweat was gonna happen with heat indexes of over 100 each day. The CK staffers did a good job of having water available for all outside Tracks and activities.

Enjoyed... wow! that list could go on and on. I enjoyed spending a week with 7 girls... who went for different reasons but all came away with something new. We talked on the way home about what they had learned and how God had spoken to them during the week... and everyone had an answer. It was soooo cool. I enjoyed having Chris Grater as my sidekick... and for those who know her, then you know there was a lot of laughter and a lot of fun. God has given her a great sense of humor. I'm so glad she was willing to leave behind her two little boys and husband and spend the week at CK. I know she went because Anne was going... and that was OK because I'm pretty sure God taught her some things, too. I really enjoyed the music. It was so incredibly loud... and I didn't care... I'm not that old yet. We sang... we danced... we jumped... we did motions... and I loved watching the staffers. Their energy level was amazing. Their example of worship was heart-warming.

Preparing... a surprise packet for the girls with music and notes and pictures.

Trying... to catch up on sleep... does one ever really catch up?

Laughed... at the many things that were said throughout the week... most of which will never be written here. :-) But one of the funniest was when some things went missing... like socks, a washcloth, some art work... and the RA (resident assistant at the dorm) was accused of coming in the room and taking them. Chris and I found that very comical... and tried to picture the RA with a young girl's art work on her wall and a mobile made out of socks & washcloths. :-) And then we overheard our girls telling other girls on the hall about it. Oh... the items were found... and not in the RA's room.

Reading... Rescuer by Dee Henderson - the final book in the O'Malley series and also Transformational Church by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer... more about that on another day.

Thankful... for Lifeway and seeing a need 10 years ago for a camp for older elementary children... Thankful for Carie Guest, the staffer assigned to Parkway for the week. She connected with the girls... was a wonderful example... shared a loving testimony... and obviously loves the Lord with all her heart. Thankful for the freedom to worship with no inhibitions.

Ending... with mixed emotions and personal sadness but reminded that God is in control of all things... and He knows what's best.

Pictures from CentriKid will soon be available on KidZone Children's Ministry Facebook page and on the church's website. I'll let you know when they've been posted.

CENTRIKID - DAY 2

2010-07-13T23:16:00.003-05:00

We have all survived Day 2 of CentriKid Camp. Starting with breakfast at 7:30 is never my idea of fun but I managed to get myself and the girls in my room ready and in the cafeteria by 7:30ish. And breakfast wasn't too bad... scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, bacon. They really weren't too generous with the bacon, though. Some of the girls had cereal and few had donuts... after their cereal or eggs. I'm not guaranteeing that these kids are eating the healthiest of meals... but they are eating. We're doing our best to keep them drinking water... now that is a task.

It was really stinkin' hot down here today... and many afternoon tracks are outside. However, CentriKid is prepared with huge water jugs and breaks for the kids to rehydrate. I'm really impressed with everything I've seen at CentriKid. Parkway has been attending for 10 years but this is my first trip as a sponsor... and everything that every camper and every sponsor has told me is true. It is extremely well-run... much care given to each child... an enormous amount of love shown... and a genuine concern for their spiritual needs.

Our morning began with quiet time... centering on the One who shows us everlasting love. Then the whole group went to the auditorium for "I Can't Wait..." and it was something to get everyone revved up for the day ahead... beach balls, very loud music, and some other craziness. The kids then departed for Bible Study and Recreation. Lunch was edible. Then it was time for their tracks. Each camper chooses 5 tracks... beginning with the one they want the most... and they get 2 of their picks. The girls are doing Splish Splash, Wet 'n Wild, Art Studio, Foot Praise, Cheernastics, Drama, Soccer and probably some others that I'm not thinking about at this time of night and the end of a long day.

After some free time and dinner, it was time for worship... much more subdued... much more a feeling of reverence... a time to listen... to pray... and to allow God to work on their hearts. After Church Group Time, it was back in the auditorium for The Party... and that, my friends, is a LOUD time of games... more beach balls... and t-shirts being thrown everywhere.

Everyone is doing great... one incident today of homesickness but it was worked through and it didn't appear to be contagious. Day 3 will be in a few short hours. Good-night!

CENTRIKID CAMPS

2010-07-12T23:29:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately, not enough of our Parkway family takes advantage of a really cool camp... CentriKid is for kids who have finished 3rd-6th grade. It is sponsored by Lifeway... is high energy... and will leave a lasting impression on your child.

We are at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO for the a week of CentriKid. Leaving this morning at 10:30 with 7 young girls and 2 sponsors, we arrived to a rousing welcome from the camp pastor, Chris Mize. He directed us to registration when I got us all signed in and Chris G. followed the girls to get t-shirts and pick out their tracks. Pictures of our group and then it was off to find our "home" for the week - Beasley Hall. Three rooms... 9 females... and hope for survival. After settling in, it was time for dinner... and zero choices for a person on a low carb diet so I settled for cold broccoli, rubbery lasagna, a cold breadstick (one bite only) and a decent salad. Gotta love cafeteria food! NOT!!! Next up was Opening Celebration with huge beach balls being tossed all over Pike Auditorium... music so loud you couldn't hear yourself think... and everyone having a great time! A couple of songs of praise to the Father... a word from the camp pastor... and then the kids were off to Bible Study while we had an Adult Meeting... basically a time to go over all the basics - CentriKid 101. And then we had a tough chore... going outside and finding our kids amongst the several hundred who are here this week. We finally managed and then headed back in the auditorium for "The Party". Lindsey Geisz participated in one of the first "boy vs. girl" games. So another time of some fun, raucous behavior and then Church Group Time with Carie, our CentriKid staffer for the week. Basically, we went over everything with the girls... had them write prayer requests... and then I had the privilege of praying before heading back to the dorm. After insisting that the girls take showers, things finally settled down, and all is quiet as I type.

Our verse this week is John 1:12... "But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." Pray with me this week that these kids will receive Him and know that they are His child if they will believe in His name.

3 MEETINGS, 1 GAME, 1 PARTY

2010-07-03T22:36:00.003-05:00

The ratio is just wrong... games & parties are so much more fun than meetings but I must say these were very productive meetings.

CentriKid parents & campers came together for a quick overview of the week - what to bring, what not to bring, participant forms, balance due checks, and new KidZone t-shirts. CentriKid is a camp for 3rd-6th graders sponsored by Lifeway. This year we have 7 girls going... Chris G. and I hope to survive the giggles and everything else that comes with 7 young ladies that age. Usually I don't go because there are always interns or assistants or a daughter who want... or should be going. But this year... it's me and a mom of one of the girls. July 12-16 - mark it on your calendar and pray.

Two meetings on Tuesday... one about the upcoming Fall Kickoff... one to evaluate our recently completed VBS. Once again... productive. There are some very special fun times planned for the Fall Kickoff... but you have to wait for the details. Just mark your calendar... September 1... and pray for good weather. Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS received a positive review from the directors and the volunteers. Work has already begun on next year's The Big Apple. Dates will be announced after they are approved by the staff.

And at the end of the week came the fun. First... tickets to the Cardinal game given by one of Charlie's suppliers. And since he's not as big a Cardinal fan... and had already gone once this week with others from his company, he was glad to pass on the tickets to Sara and me. We invited Teresa (Ty Ty) and Susan (Bug) to go with us. The seats were so much fun. I had never been a bleacher bum but our seats were in the front row of the bleachers... right above the Cardinal bullpen. And the game started with parachute jumpers landing in the stadium... so cool!! And the best part... we won! Jaime Garcia pitched a great game; Tyler Greene hit a homerun so we got fireworks; and we got a Brockabrella.

And then on Saturday it was time for a celebration... a birthday part for a wonderful lady - Etoile Finefrock. Many came out to celebrate her 70th birthday. She is an incredible woman who loves God... loves her family... and loves preschoolers. She taught Sara and Chris in Sunday School when they were 2 or 3 years old. And she is still teaching preschoolers... laying those basic foundations that are so important as children begin to form their worldview.

Have a great 4th! Remember those who are serving to preserve OUR freedom!

SUNDAY'S KIDZONE WORSHIP

2010-06-27T22:34:00.002-05:00

If I had to choose a favorite part of the week, it would probably be Sunday mornings at KidZone Worship. I'm always amazed at the insight of the kids... sometimes comical, sometimes pensive, sometimes deep, sometimes off the wall.

Today we had the story of Hannah and talked about prayer. Kim asked the question "How does God speak to us?" The first answer from a 9 year old boy was "a talking donkey". Kim agreed that had happened in the Bible and she asked the question again. A 9 year old girl says "a burning bush that didn't really burn". OK, we now know that the kids listen to the Bible stories but that still wasn't what we were getting at. A 4 year old boy raises his hand (as he always does) and says, "a talking penguin". No idea where that came from but Kim simply chuckled and asked the question again... "How does God speak to us?" A little 4 year old girl raises her hand and I'm thinking we're going to get a similar answer and in a very quiet voice says, "He speaks to us through prayer." Ding, ding, ding!!! Now we're on the right track and Kim asks for one more answer. A 5 year old boy then says, "Through His Word". How cool is that?

And today we had the perfect example of answered prayer. We had asked God to protect and be with Captain Chris Pruitt while in Iraq. The week that he left - over a year ago - we had prayed for him and prayed with his sons, Sam and Jack. Many times Chris' name was mentioned during the KidZone lesson or prayer time. And today, he walked his sons to KidZone and later got a standing ovation in worship. Welcome Home, Chris! We praise God that you're back safely.

Today was Teresa's last Sunday in KidZone... and, like Jennie, she will be missed. Both young ladies have been a big asset to our KidZone Worship since it first began. They are off to college... to new adventures... to prepare for the future that God has planned for them. Now we're waiting to see who God will send us to rotate with Sara, doing the preschool portion of the lesson.

Each week the kids put a marble in their cup for bringing homework... and periodically we allow them to have marble for bringing a Bible or for going to Sunday School... or just because they were great kids who listened and were obedient. We gave away our first KidZone t-shirt today because Meredith was the first person to reach 25 marbles. Well, she really had 30 but we had to wait for the t-shirts to arrive. So now she starts over and with her consistency, I'd better think of a new reward really soon.

It has been a blessed Lord's day.

A DAY OFF...

2010-06-24T20:10:00.006-05:00

No laundry got done... very little house cleaning - just the bare minimum... and it was a fun day!!

Jason asked if I'd take the kids to swim lessons because Jenny was going to a conference and he had to work. Such memories of swim lessons... Jason hated them - screamed and cried and literally made himself ill. Sara was like a fish - loved the water... loved to learn... and couldn't wait to get in the water. Chris... well, his favorite part was splashing the swim teacher whenever she turned her back... go figure! And now I have memories of grandkids' swim lessons. Sammy won't take his shirt off until the last minute... when it's actually time to get in the water. The first thing they did was hold onto a board (with the teacher) and kick their feet. Sammy didn't hold onto the board... he held onto the teacher... very tightly around her neck. Lizzie does not like getting her face wet. The teacher would take a kid out into the water... hold them... and both would go under. As she started doing that Lizzie came to me and said, "Moppy, I need to go to the bathroom." Lizzie is a very smart little girl but I'm a pretty smart Moppy, too, so I said, "You can go to the bathroom as soon as you go under the water." :-) She didn't argue but neither was she happy. And guess what? After going under, she didn't have to go to the bathroom. So I figure it was either a ploy to get out of getting her face wet or she went in the pool. Let's hope it was the first one. :-)

Sara and I went to see Karate Kid. Young Jaden Smith is cute and a good actor. Of course, it's not as good as the original one but we enjoyed it. And for dinner we were able to lend some support to the BJC Hospice by eating dinner at Chick-fil-a.

Thanks to those of you who have prayed for my sister's husband, David. They are still working on getting his blood to thicken but he is home and has been cleared to go back to work a little at a time.

Saddle Ridge Ranch week

2010-06-23T10:12:00.001-05:00

Actually, this past week - Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS 2010... fun, demanding, exciting, tiring, inspirational... and the adjectives could go on and on... but I'll use Rebekah's way of describing the week.

Sitting... is not something that happened too much during VBS, except when I was working on the newsletter each evening.

Waiting... it seems as though we waited so long for VBS to arrive. We've known the theme for a year... attended a VBS preview in Nashville in February... began recruiting teachers in March and then BAM! It's over!

Glad... for the 10 children who indicated a desire to know Jesus personally.

Needing... wisdom on what we need to do differently next summer.

Avoiding... or at least trying to avoid thinking about next year's theme... The Big Apple... I've never been a big fan of New York...

Enjoyed... the music... the motions... watching the kids catch on... even the very youngest were "roundin' up questions; drivin' home answers".

Preparing... follow-up packets for those who made a decision or have questions; also for those who are unchurched... trying something new this year.

Trying... to catch up on sleep and rest...

Ending... being thankful that all God did during the week and will continue to do in the time to come.

VBS FUNNIES...

A 4 year old picks up a VBS flyer the week before we start and says to her mom, "Is this about UPS?"

On Monday night, towards the end of the evening, one of the first graders asked his teacher, "Are you a real cowgirl?" "I was born in Texas, but I don't know if that makes me a cowgirl. Why do you ask?" He replied "You sure sound like one!" Then he also told me he was born in Houston, Texas. "Really?" I said. "You sure don't sound like a cowboy!" He laughed but I laughed more because he is Asian!

As the 3 year old class entered the craft room, one of the boys looked out the window and said "It's getting really dark. I should go home and take a nap."

One of our newest craft volunteers told me our VBS was too realistic. She woke up this morning with a chigger bite.

One kindergarten cowgirl really liked her class. They could be rowdy because there are "NO MOMS in there."

Pictures are available on the KidZone Children's Ministry page on Facebook and soon to be on the church's website.

WEDDING STORY, PART 2

2010-06-23T09:28:00.004-05:00

Yes, I'm aware it's been almost 2 weeks since I promised part 2 of our wedding day. My sister, Brenda, even tried to guess what it was... such impatience. She mentioned the coconut in the icing of the wedding cake. I had forgotten about that... I HATE coconut!

So the wedding and reception are over... we've changed clothes and find our decorated blue Pontiac LeMans waiting for us in front of the church. We were headed to Phoenix to spend the night and then on to the Grand Canyon and Pikes Peak for our honeymoon. A few minutes out (but already on the highway) I say to Charlie "Did you pick up my little overnight bag?" He says no... that he doesn't remember seeing it but "whatever is in there can be replaced, right?" And I said sure - it was no big deal. A little bit further and I say, "Oh, wait... my birth control pills are in that bag!" With a look of fear on his face, he quickly turns the car around and we go flying (and I felt like we really were flying low) back to the church. In the meantime, his best man has found the bag and is trying to catch us. So we get back to church and wait... The bag finally arrives because our best man gave up trying to catch us. Wouldn't it have been nice to have a cell phone? What was nice to know was that Charlie didn't care if I had my make-up or deodorant or toothbrush... he was willing to buy all that new... but the birth control pills? Now that was a much different story... :-)

37 YEARS AGO...

2010-06-10T09:01:00.003-05:00

June 9, 1973 - at Morningside Baptist Church, Tucson, Arizona in the sweltering heat, I entered into wedded matrimony with Charles Dean Wescoat... a skinny, long-haired, handsome guy. We were much too young to be getting married but we were crazy in love and didn't know any better so off we went into the sunset. I have two things that always come to mind about that day - and it has nothing to do with the pastel dresses or the frilly tuxedo shirts or the beautiful flowers or even the wedding party. Instead my thoughts go to the rehearsal the night before. We had spent much of the day doing those last minute wedding things and decorating the small church. We were short two candles for the candelabra so that was one of our errands - finding two candles that matched the rest - and we did even though they had been more expensive than the others. So we finished the decorating and went home to dress for the rehearsal. Remember: Arizona - sweltering heat - and many places did not have a/c but had an air cooler. The temps were over 100 degrees but no humidity and many times the air cooler was enough. When we get back to the church we find that the candles have all drooped except the last two we bought... all drooped over in a very symmetrical pattern. However I was not seeing the humor in it. Now my dad is a very thrifty person. My thought was where will we find candles but my Dad took them out of the candelabra, rolled them on a table and put them in the freezer, saying they would be fine by the wedding the next afternoon. If you look really close at our wedding pictures, you'll see that the candles don't stand straight and tall. :-)
And the second memory? It'll have to wait for another day. I have VBS shopping to do. Saddle Ridge Ranch is in 3 days...

TWIML (This Week in Moppy's Life)

2010-06-05T08:56:00.005-05:00

Not really a very good title... I don't keep this up weekly... maybe because my life isn't exciting enough to warrant a weekly update. Yeah, I'm feeling rather blah lately... it'll get better.

Sitting... alone on a Saturday morning and wondering what to do today... but actually kind of nice to have no specific plans until evening.

Waiting... for evening when I get to play with the grandkids... that'll perk me up.

Glad... for unexpected hugs from little peeps... invites to DQ... weekends with extended family.

Needing... smiles.

Reading... Healer by Dee Henderson; Daughters of Hope by Kay Strom & Michele Rickett

Avoiding... most carbs... slowly (very slowly) losing weight...

Enjoyed... Luke's (my nephew) wedding and seeing the family last weekend.

Preparing... for Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS 2010... register here.

Drinking... Diet Coke... no little bottles of Diet Pepsi available at the store... what's up with that? And I was too lazy to go anywhere else.

Trying... to get out of a funk and think about all the positives.

Ending... with a sigh... and pictures.

Mom, Dad & Dominic (great-nephew)

Nora likes her Moby.

TO MY MOM...

2010-05-09T13:31:00.003-05:00

Lord, You brought someone special to mind. I pray You will bless her for the many ways she's been a blessing. Surround her with the love of those who care so much for her. Help her to see the many ways she's touched her family and the many hearts who are blessed by her life.

God has blessed me with an incredible family... immediate and extended. My mom raised my sisters and I to love the Lord and honor God in all that we do. I've tried to do the same with my kids. They all know Him personally and that is such a joy. He has blessed me with 3 by birth (Jason, Sara & Chris), 1 by choice (Masha) and 2 by marriage (Jenny & Chris) and I am thrilled to claim them all. :-) And then He gave me 3 beautiful grandchildren... I love being Moppy to them. Thank you, Lord, for each of them and for what their lives and hearts mean to me. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. Philippians 1:4 NIV

A MOM'S MISSION FIELD

2010-05-07T21:35:00.002-05:00

Are you a SAHM (stay at home mom)? If so, you have a mission field, a ministry platform and multiple ministry opportunities... check it out here.

Flooding in Tennessee - The Big Picture - Boston.com

2010-05-05T12:12:00.002-05:00

These are incredible pictures of the devastation caused by the flooding in Tennessee. Please remember to pray for those who lost their home and belongings. Ask God how He can use you as a result of this crisis.

Flooding in Tennessee - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Posted using ShareThis

NASHVILLE FLOOD

2010-05-05T11:31:00.002-05:00

How can we help? Right now, organizations are accessing the needs there but it will take thousands of volunteers in the next several months to clean-up, rebuild, and help the people of Nashville. This video is about 45 minutes but it will give you a good idea of what is happening there. The host is Ed Stetzer, head of Lifeway Research.

The Exchange with Ed Stetzer, 05-04-10 from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

TWIML (This Week in Moppy's Life)

2010-05-01T09:20:00.008-05:00

Sitting: and watching the most current "Bones" on TV... love that DVR.

Waiting: for nothing really... no one is at home except for me so I can do whatever I want... nice!

Glad: to see the sunshine after last night's storms and was glad to see a double rainbow before all the storms came... so cool... and a reminder of God's promises to us. Also very glad that Malikas has arrived home safely from Belarus.

Needing: some breakfast.

Reading: "Crazy Love" and doing the study guide with Keith. My fiction reading these days is "Protector" by Dee Henderson.

Avoiding: carbs for the most part. It's kind of a slow process but it is helping me lose weight - 11 pounds thus far... hoping it'll stay off.

Enjoyed: Family Movie Night with my little peeps including Sammy & Lizzie... but disappointed that so many signed up... and didn't come... even though we had enough food for them.

Preparing: for VBS promotion to kick it up a notch...

Drinking: Diet Pepsi

Snacking: on nothing

Trying: to learn patience and be more understanding of some things that really irk me.

Ending: another year of Children's Choirs and looking forward to their presentation on Sunday night. Cheryl Ferguson does such an incredible job... as well as all the other choir leaders.

And a few Easter pictures of those precious kids... and grandkids... :-)

HEART OF A CHILD

2010-04-26T16:33:00.002-05:00

"Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." --I Corinthians 15:58 (HCSB).

Heart of a Child is a children's ministry convention held every 2 years at First Baptist, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. It is sponsored by a five-state team of Southern Baptist state convention associates from Arkansas, Kansas-Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. One participates in general sessions where the above verse was dissected and expounded upon; in workshops of one's choosing; and the viewing of exhibits from a variety of vendors. It is a time for preschool and children's ministry leader who share a common call to come together. Each of the four general session speakers did an excellent job of reminding us to "be steadfast" and to do it step by step because "God has and is guiding us"; to "be immovable" and the importance of growing and developing spiritually; to "always excel" and to do it above and beyond what is average; and lastly we were reminded that our "labor is not in vain" because God has called us to be involved in His plan, not ours.

Donna Peavey, an associate professor from New Orleans Baptist Seminary, is one of my favorite workshop leaders at these kind of events. I attended two of her sessions - Christian Education & Family Ministry and What Do Parents Really Want From Me? Donna is very funny and after one late afternoon conference asked if we were tired of sitting and then said, "You know that your brain can only take what your booty will allow." Jan Marler, a Lifeway ministry specialist, led a workshop called Developing a Discipleship Strategy for Kids. She reminded us that by age 9, most of a child's moral and spiritual foundations are in place so we must INVEST IN CHILDREN! A question that Jan discussed was - What should parents expect from their church? Here are her answers...
1. A philosophy of ministry
2. An intentional plan for nurturing the faith of children
3. Prayer
4. Balance - knowledge, behavior, missions, skills
5. Mentors
6. Trained leadership
7. Safety
I know that we have made an effort at Parkway to deal with these expectations but we can always improve. But sometimes it's not just up to the staff to accomplish these things but also up to the volunteers. There are also things that the church should expect from parents...
1. Regular participation
2. Prayer
3. Reinforcement
4. Parent & teacher communication

Cheryl and Christine from Parkway also attended this event and I hope was blessed in some way at the workshops they attended. Their emphasis is in music but they are also vital parts of other parts of our children's ministry and I appreciate them more than words can truly express. Also, I invited Kayla (an intern at First Baptist, Bolivar) to attend. She has such a heart for children and for the church and it was her first major children's ministry conference. My prayer is that she became even more excited about investing time in children and sharing with them the love of Jesus. I also hope I've been of some help in mentoring Kayla as she pursues His calling.

We made it back safely although I seemed to have left part of my brain behind. As we got in the car, I realized I didn't have my phone - which I left in the hotel room on the bed. Then I managed to miss the turn to get on the turnpike so I had to pay a toll to get off the road and then to turn around and get back on. And lastly, I realized later in the week that I was missing some clothes and after calling the hotel, sure enough, I had left them there. Let's just say I was really tired by the time we left.

This conference has some of the best speakers from around the country and I would encourage anyone who works in children's ministry (paid or volunteer) to attend. It's not too early to put the next one on your calendar - April 20-21, 2012.

Memories that Matter

2010-04-12T16:35:00.003-05:00

I get a lot of emails - and I mean a lot - and many times I glance at them and think "nope, not enough time to read that one." But today, I slowed down enough to read one from MOPS... and it's certainly not just for Mothers of Preschoolers. (I get these because I'm one of the mentors for MOPS not because I'm a mom of one... those days are long gone.) Anyway, take the time to read this (I think you might relate; it certainly struck a cord with me from years past) and then make some memories that matter...

Making Memories that Matter

By Katherine Craddock

Spring is finally here! With this fresh new season comes a flood of memories of the spring before. But as hard as I try, I can’t recall the laundry I folded, the dishes I washed, or even the beloved flowers I spent hours planting last spring.

I remember yelling at my kids for interrupting my email writing, my Facebook time and the season finales of a dozen reality shows that have since slipped from my mind. Those deadlines and projects were so important at the time, but now, like those flowers I planted, they’ve faded away, never to return.

"For this season of your life,
I challenge you:
make memories that last."

Thankfully, though, I do remember some things that seemed boring and non-urgent. Like the dandelion crown I placed on my daughter’s head and the night we cuddled on a blanket in the backyard and stared at the clouds until the stars came out. And bubbles. Popsicles. Galloping around the yard like a pony. Tackling my boys and playing baseball with them. Slow moments, all of them. Non-urgent moments without deadlines.

There is not one material thing, one worldly accomplishment, even one friendship that I now value more than those precious, fleeting moments with my little girl who’s now in Kindergarten and my boys. For this season of your life, I challenge you: make memories that last. Savor the small. Treasure your time with your babies in your heart, and tear yourself away from the unimportant. You will never, ever regret it.

God, help me slow down once a day to make a memory my whole family will cherish.

THE COLOR YELLOW

2010-04-10T09:47:00.014-05:00

Normally I like the color yellow - it's bright, reminds me of sunshine, and friends tell me I look good in yellow. However, lately, it's been more of an enemy. Sara's silver car is now yellow; the island and counter in my kitchen is supposed to be blue but had a layer of yellow when I got home from work recently. I see lots of yellow cars. Even the floor next to my open kitchen window had a slick, yellowish tint to it. So windows are closed now - thanks to the "lovely" spring pollen.

I've been home from the Isle of Man for 3 weeks - seems like forever since I was there... so much has happened in a short span. Chris and Malikas have had much heartache in that short 3 weeks. They were both very close to Bunty. She had no family except for the Kinley's and she was like a grandmother to Chris. Bunty died on March 23 at the age of 94. A few days later Masha's grandmother died who lived in Belarus. She was in the hospital because of heart problems but was expected to go home in a couple of days. Malikas will be leaving next week to go to Belarus. She wants to visit the village where her grandmother lived and see her grave. It will be a difficult trip. Please keep her in your prayers.

Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS 2010 - 2 months, 3 days away. 'Nuff said...

Join us April 30 for a Family Movie Night at Parkway. FREE dinner and a movie... but don't forget to sign up so we can get a count for food. We'll show 2 movies simultaneously that night... the new Veggie Tales, Pistachio, and for those who think they have outgrown Veggie Tales, we'll show one of the Sugar Creek Gang movies, Swamp Robber. Go to the church website and sign up for Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS Music Camp ($35) and Family Movie Night - all in one place for your easy convenience.

My favorite pics from my trip...

From Jasper... Please Pray!

2010-03-14T14:30:00.001-05:00

This post is from Jasper, our youth minister at PBC. I do not know this family but my heart breaks as I look at this young mom and her family...

PLEASE PRAY!!!

Jasper Speaks:

Please pray for Laurie Coldwell. She is a dear friend of ours who was a youth leader when we were at our church in Maine. She is the woman in this picture:

She suffered a sudden brain aneurysm yesterday and the prognosis is not good. Please pray for healing and for her husband, Don and their three kids. Here is a post from Don's Facebook page:

On Saturday March 13th my bride Laurie Coldwell had a brain aneurysm burst and she fell into a coma. Our brave and courageous daughter Emma immediately called me at work and told me that mommy was sick.

Paramedics took her to Maine Medical Center where a brain scan confirmed the bleeding and emergency surgery was started.

Without going into the gory details...we are praying for survival.

Please lift up my bride and my children in prayer as we face this challenge.

MOTHERING SUNDAY...

2010-03-14T13:30:00.007-05:00

...or Mother's Day in the IOM. It occurs the 4th Sunday of Lent or 3 weeks before Easter so it's a different day each year. So I get to celebrate two Mother's Day this year! Love it!! I was so happy to be able to celebrate the day with Malikas! It's actually the first time we spent Mother's Day together. :-)

The morning started with juice, chocolates, tea, a sweet card and funny coaster delivered to me in bed. Later we were on our way to L'Experience, a French restaurant, for a Mother's Day lunch... meeting Chris' mom, Voirrey. The meal was a delicious 3-course lunch. My choices included prawns with a Marie Rose sauce... chicken breast in tarragon sauce with vegetables & roasted potatoes... creme brulee with forest fruits... and finished off with a coffee (which I don't normally drink) but I did... and I liked it... a lot.
We then went for a drive, heading for the "frozen north"... keeping in mind that the island is only about 32 miles long. We saw many sheep with their cute little lambs... went to the Point of Ayre, the most northern point of the island and stopped for gas in Ramsey, the largest northern town. You will note that one of the most southern town is Port St. Mary which is where Chris and Masha live.

The lighthouse at the Point of Ayre...
Perhaps this story will make one think twice before complaining about our gas prices in America. This is the price per liter and calculates to about $7.75 per gallon. Our $2.50+ doesn't sound so bad in perspective. Perhaps I should not complain to Malikas about the price of our gas.
Dinner tonight is curry by Chef Pukhas... and it's almost time to eat. :-)

SO PEACEFUL TODAY...

2010-03-11T05:50:00.003-06:00

It's a quiet, peaceful, beautiful morning in the Isle of Man. Masha and Chris had a court hearing today about an immigration issue stemming from a visa refusal for her sister, Julia, at Christmas time. And that's about all I'm saying about that because I don't understand all of it. But I opted to stay home instead of going to court. It is such a beautiful day and that's really the only reason for this post... to show four pictures that were taken from the balcony off their living room.
Yesterday was a trip to the fish market for very fresh queenies (scallops) caught that morning... my favorite and will be my birthday dinner... as well as some smoked salmon for last night's dinner. Yummy!! A short drive to Port Erin so Malikas could show me where she does some fishing resulted in a reason to worry about her climbing on the rocks alone. :-( And then it was a late lunch at the Sound. Pictures to come soon...

ON THE ROCK

2010-03-10T04:52:00.004-06:00

Tuesday at noon found me landing at Ronaldsway Airport in the Isle of Man. The flight across the Irish Sea wasn't bad... even in a prop plane. This was the view out my window...
After a lunch of delicious homemade mushroom soup, we headed out for a drive to The Sound - my favorite place on the island and to Peel - a nearby town with castle ruins... and watched a beautiful sunset as we drove home.
Dinner was at home (Beacon View) and then an evening of chatting and Wii. So far, I'd better just stick to bowling - the only game I could win. However, baseball, wakeboarding, archery and sword fighting was also quite fun.

Today is sunny... not sure how warm it is though... so we'll go out and enjoy the sunshine... maybe even some fishing.

LEG #2 - CHECK!!

2010-03-09T03:22:00.002-06:00

Boarded on time in Chicago; left about 20 minutes late. The flight attendant just kept staring at the door... then she went to get someone from the main cabin who messed with it... then they opened it and closed it and opened it and closed it and opened it and closed it. I felt like I should use my "mom voice" and say, "Stay in or stay out but quit going in and out!" Finally they decided we could leave so I don't know what the problem was. At one point there were about 5 people messing with the door. The plane was smaller than most that I fly across the big pond so I wasn't so sure about it... just 3 seats on each side... don't ask me what kind it was because I have no idea. The turbulence was minimal... I was able to sleep some... and the seat belt sign was off most of the trip... all good signs of a smooth flight.

I was excited that they checked my luggage from STL to IOM. When I arrived at Manchester I even asked someone if I needed to pick up my luggage and explained that it had been checked all the way through... and she said, "Oh, no, it won't even come in the terminal. It'll be put on your flight to the IOM." So being the not very trusting person that I am, I decided to hang around the carousel for a bit... and sure enough, here came my luggage with the frog tag on it. Then it was time to find the Flybe desk which I did with no problem. However, there were about a gazillion teenagers in front of me. Thankfully, a nice Flybe agent took me around them and I rechecked my bag and now I wait for my flight to the Rock. It will take less than an hour on a little prop job and I'm not excited about those kinds of planes. However, I am excited about seeing Malikas so it'll all be OK. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

There is fighting again around Jos, Nigeria, where Sara lived. Here's a link to a story that the Baptist Press did... http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32451.

Here's a portion of a devotional I read this morning from Proverbs 31 Ministries written by Melanie Chitwood: A legacy can be defined as "something handed down." Every day through our words and actions we are developing a legacy to be carried in the character of our children. It's easy for the busyness of life to keep you from being purposeful in your parenting. Let's decide today to leave the legacy we really want. Let's make sure it's a legacy not born of busyness and urgency, but one born of purposefulness and prayer.

For Young Moms

2010-03-08T15:59:00.002-06:00

I just read this on an email I received from MOPS occasionally... struck a cord as I see all the busyness of young moms... take it to heart...

Come Enjoy Us

By Jeanne Rohrs

The other night my boys and I were sitting down to dinner as my husband entered the room. My three-year-old looked up and said, “Daddy, come enjoy us!”

I love puns, but this one stood out to me because it revealed the heart of my child.

I often miss out on enjoying my children as I herd them from one errand to another. Most of the time I join them but don’t enjoy them. Why aren’t those words synonyms for me as a mom?

Maybe it’s because no matter what I get done, there’s always more to do; more that I think I should have done; more that I think I should be. And there’s guilt over all that I have yet to do. That’s how it happens – my kids become roadblocks.

But when I stop keeping-up-with-the-Joneses and trying to be like June Cleaver, and I really look at my kids, I see their desire for me to enjoy them – to delight in them. It’s then that I ask myself if my agenda is really that important, and if the floor is really too dirty.

Lord, you delight in your children. You quiet them with your love and rejoice over them with singing. Give me your perspective. Help me to enjoy the gift that my kids are.

FIRST LEG COMPLETE

2010-03-08T15:33:00.006-06:00

...but then it was only a very short one... STL to ORD. Now I wait, patiently, for the next, much longer leg...

As I sat in my AA seat in STL, I had to chuckle at the small Asian man standing in the aisle. He was obviously quite perturbed that someone had "smashed" his backpack by putting a larger one next to his and he couldn't get it out. The flight attendant explained that they were not to remove another person's bag... actually 3 attendants told him that as he continued to complain about his bag being "smashed". The little man was persistant and preceded to walk the aisle looking for the "guilty" party. He found the person who insisted his bag was just fine and didn't move. After more complaining, it was suggested that he sit down so we could take off. He said "no, I don't want my bag smashed." Finally a male attendant removed the carry-on that was "guilty" of "smashing" the backpack. He handed the small backpack to the Asian who then said, "No, I don't want it... put it back but don't put back the big one." The attendant explained that his backpack would fit very nicely under the seat (and there was no one sitting next to him). The Asian man said, "No, I want it up there and I don't want it smashed." I'm pretty sure I heard the attendant mumbling on his way to find an empty spot for the suitcase. And that began the first leg of my journey.

I checked out the AA magazine to see what movies would be playing the way across the ocean... and I'm not at all happy with what I found out... "Where the Wild Things Are" - saw it with Sara, didn't like it, no desire to see it again; or "Star Trek VI" - never been a Star Trek fan and don't plan to start now. So I'm seeing sleep, books and the iPod in my near future.

Of course, no post would be complete without pictures of those beautiful grandchildren. Sammy is obviously quite taken with his new baby sister even if he did want a brother.

SO PRECIOUS...

2010-02-26T16:08:00.003-06:00

Precious is not a word I use very often... takes something really special and really sweet for me to call it/him/her precious... but I'm not sure there's another word to use for this picture of our granddaughter. Looking up the word precious you'll find... of great value; dear; beloved; darling... and there is no better way to describe this newest bundle in our lives. Eleanor (Nora) Grace Wescoat was born Wednesday, February 24 at 2:03 pm, weighing 9 lbs. 2 oz, 21 inches long. She came a week early but with that weight, it's probably a good thing for mom. Her big sister, Lizzie, jumped up and down with her hands in the air when she heard it was a girl. She also gave her a name before Mom & Dad did... Pinkalicious! My nephew, Kurt, was glad to hear later that it was Nora. He thought a 4-letter name would be easier if she had to learn to spell her name before getting out of kindergarten. :-) Sammy, her big brother, said "I wanted a boy" but as soon as he saw her he said, "She's so cute!" And he says it's OK that he has another little sister. Jason and Jenny are just the best parents. And how these young moms do it all, I have no idea. As we get older we forget what it's like to have preschoolers underfoot 24/7. It sure was an easier job 22 years ago... and as Jason reminded me, I had him to help out. (He's 7 years older than Sara.) So after having Sammy & Lizzie for 3 days, I'm exhausted. I took a long nap this afternoon after they left and could probably use another one. :-)

If you enjoy reading blogs, try Rebekah's "Sweet Tea with Lemon" (sweet-teawithlemon.blogspot.com). She will make you smile, laugh, cry and think.

TWIML (This Week in Moppy's Life)...

Sitting: on my bed, especially since I may need another nap at any moment. :-)

Waiting: for Charlie to get home from work... dinner at Gulf Shores Seafood Grill tonight.

Glad: for a brand new granddaughter. (One of these days, I'll share the whole being a grandma story.)

Needing: time this week to be sure I stay caught up since I leave for vacation on March 8. Woo-hoo!!!!

Reading: "Crazy Love" and doing a study guide with Keith. Also reading "In the Secret Place" and will finish "Truth Seeker" on my trip. I will; I will; I will. I just don't have enough time to read fiction anymore.

Avoiding: cleaning Masha's room. Sammy & Lizzie were in there the past 3 days and Kayla will be staying there on Wednesday (I think. I'd better get in touch with her and find out if she's staying.)

Enjoyed: holding Nora... watching Sammy & Lizzie respond to her...

Preparing: for a trip to the Isle of Man... won't come soon enough.

Drinking: a diet Coke.

Snacking: don't do much of that these days... "enjoying" a low carb diet.

Trying: to be sure everything is ready for our annual Upward Awards Night.

Ending: the Upward season on Saturday with games and Sunday with the Awards celebration.

And as I finish this blog post, remember these thoughts from Rick Warren:

"The Bible says that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Truth is not a principle. Truth is a person; truth is Jesus Christ.

One of the clearest and best-known statements by Jesus is: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, NLT)

Notice Jesus says, "I am the truth ...." He doesn't say truth is a religion, or a ritual, or a set of rules and regulations. He says "I." Truth is a person."

START WITH A SMILE

2010-02-21T08:09:00.002-06:00

We all know that kids say the darndest things... and they are usually incredibly funny. Well, here's a couple of recent quotes from those cute little grand-kids of mine.

Sammy & Lizzie are in the car with Sara and me and I say to Sara: "Call Dad and see what he's doing. Then we'll decide if we're going home or if we're going to run some errands." Sammy: "We're going to run errands?" Me: "Yes". Sammy: "Oh, why don't we walk some errands?" Yeah, why do we "run" errands. :-)

We're driving through our neighborhood and Lizzie sees the little lake. Lizzie: "Look, there's some water. I wish I was a duck so I could play in the water." Me: "What does a duck say?" Lizzie: "Quack! Quack!" Sammy: "If I was a duck I'd say AFLAC! AFLAC!"

I just wish I could remember everything they say...

MEETINGS, BIRTHDAYS, UPWARD

2010-02-18T19:44:00.005-06:00

Since my last post that's what I've been doing... going to meetings, celebrating birthdays, winding up Upward (or is that winding down?).

There is a group of churches trying to put together a St. Louis World Cup... enlisting soccer teams from as many different countries as possible for a tournament and then sharing the gospel with them. Not a bad idea... actually a very good idea and seems to fit in with the goals of the Samaria Team at PBC. But the timing is bad for me - happening right around the time of VBS. Hoping someone else from PBC will take this on.

Our monthly MOPS Steering Team meeting was... interesting? Surprising? A blindside? There seems to be some discontent from one of the members... but I think it's only one and I didn't really understand everything she was talking about. I'm sure it'll be fine though.

Our 6th week of Upward is finished. Can't believe there are only 2 more Game Days. Seems like only yesterday we were doing Evaluations. Overall it's been a good year - some glitches but hey, we're dealing with people... what can you expect? Really looking forward to our Awards Night on February 28.

Attended Sammy's birthday party on Saturday night. I can't believe he turned 5 on February 17. The last 5 years have flown by. I love being Moppy! He is so much fun to be with... and so smart... and just as sweet as they come. He has a watch now and is happy to tell you what time it is every 30 seconds.

Our neighbor across the street died last week. He was 82 and suffered a heart attack. We try to look after them. Sara and I went by the funeral home to pay our respects. Now we'll do what we can to look after his wife.

Our KidZone Worship leaders are the best! Jennie, Kendra, Kim, Sara, Teresa and I were invited to the home of a couple of our kids. The youngest insisted on having us over for dinner. We were all able to make it on the same night - amazing - and we had a great time! It was very sweet of this young family to entertain us for the evening.

Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS 2010 is off and running. I met with my directors, Janet & Cheryl, and they are set to start recruiting volunteers. We've made it possible to volunteer online this year. Just go to www.parkwaybaptist.net/children and click on the link. Well, it's not there yet but it will be soon. We've already had several volunteer and that is always an exciting way to start. So saddle up and let's get riding to Saddle Ridge Ranch.

Charlie's sister, Shirley, had a birthday this week. We went to dinner with her and a sister from Atlanta, and a sister & brother-in-law from Brentwood. And as usual there were lots of laughs!

Another big Awana night this week... not sure how many yet but the circle was full of kids... love it, love it!! Looking around the room and seeing all those smiling kids and knowing that they are hiding God's Word in their hearts every week. Gives me goosebumps! One of our high school Sunday School teachers told me recently that some of her girls mentioned knowing a verse because they had learned it in Awana. Our oldest son who is 33 still quotes verses that he learned while in Awana... and now his kids are doing the same. Next week is "Backwards Night"... can't wait to see some of the antics of the clubbers.

Loving the Olympics... GO USA!!! And remember to pray for Jeff Wells, former student minister at PBC, who is there sharing the gospel with everyone he sees - I can guarantee it.

A JAUNT TO DC

2010-02-09T20:38:00.004-06:00

Jaunt: a short journey, esp. one taken for pleasure... After a jaunt last week to Washington DC, I was tired, cold, and happy. Masha and her husband, Chris, had been there "on holiday" for a week. I boarded American Airlines on Tuesday evening. Of course, they met me at the airport and we had dinner there at Friday's. It was great to see them! Then it was the metro to their hotel downtown.

Wednesday started with a trip to the Holocaust Museum... a memorial to the millions who were murdered during the Holocaust. I was quickly reminded of a trip to Poland where we visited Auschwitz and Birkenau... heartbreaking does not even begin to describe the time there. Then it was a walk to the Washington Monument and a late lunch at the oldest restaurant in DC - Old Ebbit Grill. More pictures were in order at dusk of the Monument again as well as the Capital Building. Back at the hotel it was time to put our feet up... watch some TV and relax. After breakfast on Thursday we headed for the White House... an attempt at going up in the Washington Monument... and a couple of museums. And then it was back to the airport on Thursday evening... missing the worst snow storm in DC ever. Masha and Chris were stranded there for over 48 hours. A jaunt? Yes! Time well spent? Certainly! And looking forward to more than a couple of days with Malikas later in March.

My Saturdays in January and February are consumed with Upward. Five good weeks completed... hard to believe Upward is more than half over. It's been a good season! Always a few bumps but nothing insurmountable. We have a great group of coaches and referees this year. We are anticipating an exciting Awards Night on Sunday, February 27 with Steve Taylor - illusionist/ventriloquist.

Anticipation is rising as we wait for the birth of our third grandchild this month. Keep posted for the big news!

ROUNDIN' UP QUESTIONS; DRIVIN' HOME ANSWERS

2010-01-29T21:41:00.006-06:00

Two-step... line-dancing... sign language and a lot more was done in a 24-hour preview of Saddle Ridge Ranch, Vacation Bible School 2010. Cheryl, Kendra and I headed for Lifeway in Nashville to see what this VBS preview was all about. Free t-shirts... decorating ideas... sharing Christ... application... enlistment... a lot was packed in... including a presentation of the VBS musical. You would have loved the little boy who had his VBS t-shirt on backwards and had moves like you wouldn't believe. We are hyped and excited... 4 months, 2 weeks and 1 day until we saddle up. Get out those cowboy hats, boots, plaid shirts, jeans and bandanas and join us June 13-17 at 6:15 p.m. And if you want to learn even more songs and more motions and have even more fun... come on out for music camp at 4 p.m. the week of VBS. Watch our website for how to register and other details.

While in Nashville, I had dinner with my sister and her husband and they brought my great-nephew with them... and he really is great... and cute, too. We went to Logan's because he wanted peanuts and he could put the shells on the floor. As we left, he filled his pants pocket with peanuts. :-)

AT HOME

2010-01-18T11:42:00.002-06:00

This is probably going to get me in trouble but I'll use this means to "think out loud". I'm home today... church office is closed because it's Martin Luther King Day. I've always wondered why we get today off. Don't get me wrong... I'm not prejudiced and he did a lot of good things for equality but why MLK and not President's Day. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln certainly had HUGE impacts on our country. And what about Veteran's Day... shouldn't we pause to thank our veterans and maybe get that day off? There may be others... and I know we can't take them all off but it just doesn't add up in my mind. Why this one over others?

OK, I've said it... now I'll try to do something productive on my day off. BTW, this is MY opninion. It has nothing to do with PBC or those who make the decision of when we get off and when we don't. I am grateful to PBC for their generosity regarding our holiday time... conference time... and vacation time.

And so you'll smile when you finish reading this, here's a Sammy quote: Jenny (his mom) was hugging him good night and he said, "Well, that's all the love I have until tomorrow, Mommy." :-)

CHRISTMAS AND COLD...

2010-01-10T21:22:00.018-06:00

Charlie, Sara, Chris and I loaded up on Wednesday afternoon before Christmas and headed for Mississippi. It was nice to have some time with just my mom and dad for awhile. We opened our gifts on Christmas morning and then headed to my sister's to meet up with other family members. It was a full house - sisters, brothers-in-laws, niece, nephews, great nephew, nephews' girlfriends... Unfortunately Jason and his family and Masha and her husband couldn't join us. One of these days we'll all be together again. I'm so looking forward to that day. We enjoyed a delicious meal... presented mom and dad with a gift that totally surprised them (a love seat that they had inquired about from my sister and were planning to purchase after the holidays... because my sister told them it would not be available until then... ha! we fooled them!!) Unfortunately, we had to leave earlier than planned due to roads with ice and snow. We made it home without incident on Friday evening.

My sisters... Bev, Belinda, Brenda and me

On Saturday evening, we enjoyed celebrating Christmas with Jason, Jenny and the grandkids. We had a delicious meal prepared by Jenny. Sammy and Lizzie enjoyed opening gifts... reading books... playing with new toys... and so did everyone else. Kids and Christmas... it's all so much fun!

We're being promised warmer weather for this week. It's been in the single digits for much of last week... with just enough snow to be an annoyance on the roads. Charlie and I took a drive along the Great River Road in Alton and Grafton, Illinois. We saw deer, geese, and bald eagles. It was my last free Saturday for the next 8 weeks and it was a fun day... seeing the bald eagle in the wild and an evening with Sammy and Lizzie.

Upward Basketball began Saturday, January 9... 8 weeks of basketball, devotions, stars, winners and fun! The first day went well with only a few minor glitches. It's busy... it's tiring... it's even frustrating at times... but worth every minute of it!! More updates as we go through the season.

SICK + HOLIDAYS = TRUE ANNOYANCE, BUT...

2009-12-19T11:57:00.004-06:00

There's never a good time to be sick but why now? I have presents to wrap (even though I don't like the job of wrapping, I love watching people open them). I have Oreo Bark to make (although I never have it looked like a good recipe). I have parties to go too and friends to see (missed one last night). I have work to do at home and at church... and I feel lousy. Ken thinks I'm now a baritone. I overheard Keith tell Dale that I sounded terrible. My family doesn't want to get too close to me... which is understandable. So as I sat here feeling sorry for myself, I thought I should turn my thoughts to what I'm blessed with. Why? Because there are so many people who are REALLY sick with cancer or some other uncurable or inoperable problem. I'm reminded of my friend and servant at church, Sandy, who has been through a year of chemo and radiation for breast cancer... and yet every email from her talked about the joy of the Lord... about how grateful she was for friends and family who were helping her... for the many blessings she's experienced. Never once did I hear Sandy complain... and I'm sure she had reason to. I can count on one hand how many times she missed teaching her first grade Sunday School class. Sandy is amazing! I've been touched by her testimony this past year.

When I went to see my parents in September, I was saddened by my dad's condition. How terrible it must be to get up from a chair and not know if you're going to walk or pass out. Yet he still smiles and jokes... goes to church every Sunday and who knows what other days if something is going on. He goes places with my mom... mainly because they are inseperable. :-) I'm sure all the kids, grandkids and great grandkids will get on his nerves a little bit this Christmas but he won't say anything. He'll just watch... and smile... and be thankful that we can be together.

I think of a wonderful lady in our church who will be without her husband for the first time this Christmas. His death is still fresh in her heart and mind. I'm sure she misses him and it will be very hard.

I'm so blessed to have such wonderful kids... 3 by birth; 1 by choice; 2 by marriage... and then those grandkids. Whoa!! I'm telling you... there are none cuter or sweeter than my Sammy and Lizzie. :-) Yeah, yeah... I know there are a lot of grandparents who will argue that point but that's OK... I would expect nothing less. Before I was a grandmother, I would make fun of Dale and Jane in the office. They would show pictures and talk about their adventures and I would smile, look at the pictures, nod my head... and think "this surely can not be that big of a deal." Was I ever wrong? I love being "Moppy"... and I'm pretty sure Sammy and Lizzie are crazy about their Moppy and Poppy.

As I write this, Charlie is doing laundry... really haven't felt like going downstairs but he started in on it this morning. He also took me to buy a birthday present for Malikas - a quick in and out. (These people with birthdays in December and early January!!) But then was sweet to drop me off while he ran a couple of other errands for me. He can be the sweetest guy in town. :-)

How wonderful it is to have Sara home this Christmas. God has placed a special call on her life and I can tell she's getting antsy. Let's face it... she's been in America for 6 whole months. We'll get to spend a couple of extra days with Chris since he took some vacation time. I'm looking forward to all 4 of us making a trip to Missisippi. And then when we get back, we'll have Christmas with Jason, Jenny and the kids. I'm saddened that we don't get to spend any time with Malikas this holiday season. She will be greatly missed. It just couldn't happen this year. :-(

So yes, I am truly blessed... food, shelter, clothing, family... and much, much more are all at my fingertips. Thank you, Jesus, for your blessings on our family. "Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine." Psalm 16:5 (NLT).

ENCOURAGEMENT

2009-12-09T09:32:00.002-06:00

Every morning, I receive a devotional by email from an organization called Proverbs 31 Ministries. Today's touched my heart and actually brought me to tears as I wonder about how often I miss out on such divine appointments. Hopefully, it will make you think... and act... as well.

Divine Delays by Zoe Elmore

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

My schedule was tight and I was out of make-up, so I planned to pick up my favorite foundation at the local mall, leaving room to still arrive on time for my friend's annual Christmas tea. As I prepared to leave, the Lord whispered to my heart, Don't go to the mall; go to the make-up store near your home.

But Lord, I argued, I have my friend's Christmas tea and the mall is on the way. What You're asking me to do isn't convenient. I will have to go out of my way and I will be late for the tea. And You know how important punctuality is to me!

After more mental arguing, I reluctantly obeyed and went into the corner make-up store.

I knew the young woman working. She's not only pleasant, but quick and efficient with her customers. Lord, maybe this inconvenience won't interrupt my schedule too much after all.

As I entered the store, the familiar woman greeted me and offered to help with my purchase. I told her what I needed and added that I was in quite a hurry to be on time for my Christmas tea. Quickly and efficiently she found the needed product and walked me to the register to check out.

This was easier than I thought, I said to myself as she handed me my purchase. Then it happened ... the reason I had been led to go out of my way.

"I know you're in a hurry, and I will only keep you one more moment." The young woman shared. "I'd like to ask that you pray for me and my struggling marriage as you drive to your Christmas tea. I don't think my marriage can be saved."

In that moment I sensed the Lord, This is why I wanted to interrupt your busy schedule.

I placed my purchase on the counter, held her hands and prayed. As the Lord guided my words, the young woman began to sob, her tears landing softly on my hands. When I said "Amen," she hugged me tightly and whispered, "Of all the people I've asked to pray for me, you're the first one to stop and do so. Thank you. I've been very discouraged, and had thought no one would ever respond to my request. In fact, I had given up all hope that God even heard my cries for help."

I reminded her of Psalm 145:18-19, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them" (NIV).

She thanked me for my time, adding that she would begin to dig into God's Word for more strength and encouragement. The store began to fill with customers. There was one more hug and an exchange of phone numbers as I left for the tea.

Since that day we have talked and prayed together on several occasions and we plan to continue into the New Year. Each time she and I talk, it's a reminder that when I listen and obey the Lord's promptings, I experience the joy of His presence in a powerful way.

God's divine delay taught me that being used by the Lord for His glory in the life of others far outweighs arriving on time.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me enough to use me for Your purposes and glory. Teach me to listen and obey without reservation or hesitation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

THANKSGIVING & A WEDDING

2009-12-03T15:52:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving was not what I had envisioned... the family sitting round the dining room table enjoying too much food but laughing and having a great time. However, that's not the way it was - at all. Grown kids + work schedules + living in different cities (and countries) makes it difficult. Jason & Jenny and family were at her mom and dad's; Chris had to work on Friday and he's in Springfield; Sara was here and it was her first Thanksgiving at home in 3 years; Masha was at home on the Isle of Man. Charlie decided to go to Springfield so that Chris wouldn't be alone; Sara and I stayed here because she had to work on Friday and we were leaving that afternoon for Nashville for a wedding. We got up Thanksgiving morning... at our leisure... and went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. It was a delicious start to our day. We came home... watched a movie... relaxed... and then had a turkey dinner. It really turned out to be a very enjoyable day and I was thrilled to have Sara home and to spend the time with her.

On Friday we headed to Tennessee for the wedding on Saturday of Allison Ellsworth. The Ellsworth family is very dear to my heart and I would not have missed that wedding. As expected, it was beautiful... but not near as beautiful as the lovely bride. She was beaming from the time she walked out the door with her dad until we told her good-bye several hours later. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the wedding was held outside. Who would have thought such a thing would be possible on November 28? It was sooooo good to see Steve, Jane, Lindsey and Kaitlyn too. When Lindsey introduced me to her boyfriend, she said, "This is Becky... from St. Louis... she adores Kaitlyn... and Kaitlyn adores her." :-) That Kaitlyn will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart... and has since the day I saw her in an orphanage in Belarus. God is so good to have given her one of the most wonderful families I've ever known. OK... I could go on and on about the wedding but just check out the pictures on Facebook and that will give you a pretty good story. Since we drove over on Friday, we were able to spend that evening with my sister, Brenda, and her family. It was a fun visit... Dominic continues to crack me up with his very animated conversations about very important things... like gas for the car. He's a funny boy!

Sitting on my bed. I just downloaded a Josh Groban Christmas CD - man, can that guy sing!!

Waiting and relaxing for a bit before it's time to start dinner. It has to be early on Thursdays - Sara goes to Precept; Charlie has small group.

Glad to have Sara home for the holidays this year. Glad that my Christmas shopping is almost done!! Woo-hoo!!

Needing childcare help for the Saturday night musical on December 12. Also needing more help for the KidZone Christmas party right before the musical. Any takers?

Reading "In the Secret Place - A Pilgrimage through the Psalms" by Jerry Rankin as my devotional each day. Reading "The Truthseeker" by Dee Henderson for fun. Need to start reading "Crazy Love" before Keith thinks I forgot how to read.

Avoiding cleaning out file drawers... and baking cookies for KidZone Worship. I just don't like to bake... or file.

Enjoyed the Ellsworth/Pinckley wedding... obviously.

Preparing soon to make shrimp stir fry for dinner.

Drinking a diet Coke.

Snacking: just finished some almonds.

Trying to work out our Christmas travel details. Once again... Grown working kids + holiday plans = a lot of thinking & planning.

Ending a productive week and looking forward to the start of Upward practices next week.

Misc. Hoping Keith's recent purchase of a new internal hard drive works well... if so, then I'll do the same. There was something else I was going to write here and it has completely slipped my mind so I'll go with this and see if it comes to me anytime soon.

LOVE BEING MOPPY

2009-11-20T20:11:00.008-06:00

We had our first Grandparent's Night at Sammy's preschool on Thursday. Of course we had to share him with Jenny's parents - Grandma and Grandpa - but that was OK. Sammy came in with his new jeans and a big boy button-down oxford shirt and his hair slicked over. He was very handsome. A video was shown at the beginning and to be very honest, it was really poorly done. It certainly made me thankful for our WET (Worship Enhancement Team) at Parkway. Also it was a bit long - 20-25 mintues - for a preschool presentation. Then the kids got up on the stage to sing... and some of them needed some discipline that they obviously had never received. I kept thinking about Marqie at our preschool. She would have banged some heads together. However, Sammy sang his songs... did his motions... and did everything else he was told. And I'm not being biased because later when we met his teacher she told us how well-behaved he always is and how he listens and obeys and is such a huge delight. :-) Of course we already knew all those things but it's nice to hear from someone else. Sammy drew pictures of us and told his teacher things to write about us and we got bring them home. After cookies and juice we all headed for home.

This morning was one of those MOPS lesson days when you aren't sure how things are going to go. Our lesson title: My Family Tree is Suddenly a Forest. I know that's the way I felt when I got married... I'm the oldest and was the first of my siblings to get married. I only had 3 first cousins and 1 aunt and 1 uncle. Charlie, on the other hand, had 5 older sisters who were married (or had been) and 2 younger sisters, one of which was married. He had lots of aunts and uncles and tons of cousins. He probably didn't even know some of them. So our conversation today was about extended family and that always leads to in-laws and that often leads to trouble. I talked individually with each DGL about keeping it positive. I told the group as a whole that we weren't there to bash in-laws. I prayed that God would lead us to encouraging words and that healing would come, if necessary. And the morning went very well. Thank you, Jesus!!

Saturday morning will be our 2nd annual Blessing Brunch for our Sunday School teachers. It's my simple way of saying "thank you" to a wonderful group of men and women who are faithful every Sunday to teach our young ones. A couple of parents have sent words of encouragements about the teachers that I get to share with them. We don't talk about curriculum or discipline or training... we enjoy a delicious brunch, get to know one another a little better and share the blessings of sharing with children about God's love.

FINALLY A NEW POST...

2009-11-17T19:00:00.012-06:00

I've been so lax about this blog... it's been almost a month... and it's not like nothing has happened... which may be part of the reason... busy, busy!! Upward evaluations & draft, Fall Festival, Rubies Celebration Tea, Jason's birthday, dinner with the Stacks, Children's Ministers retreat, Grand Prix... plus the regular day to day stuff. Also made 2 funeral home visits - one for Carl Petty, a man who fought a valiant battle against cancer and the Lord took him home on October 29. He will always be remembered for his generosity and his love for our babies. Jeff Wells' mother passsed away about the same time. Jeff was our former youth minister.

It seems kind of late to go into any detail about the events since they are all way in the past... except for the Grand Prix... which was great fun as usual. There were some incredibly creative cars. Pictures will be on the church's website in a couple of weeks. My mind always goes to Don Anthony. He loved the Awana Grand Prix... and he loved the kids. He is still missed. :-(

I saw these questions from Kendra today and thought it would be a sort of mindless, fun thing to do while watching Lady Vols basketball.

1. What is your occupation right now? Children's minister

2. What color are your socks right now? navy blue

3. What are you listening to right now? Tennessee Lady Vols vs. Texas Tech basketball game

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Spaghetti, salad

5. What is your favorite cheese? Most any kind - probably prefer monterey jack or provel

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Malikas

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Kendra didn't really send it to me but I do like her very much.

8. How old are you today? 56

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? College basketball

10.What is your favorite drink? Diet Pepsi or Grape Propel

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yep

12. Favorite food? Almost anything Mexican except jalapenos

13. What is the last movie you watched? Where the Wild Things Are (not a big fan)

14. Favorite day of the year? Not sure I have one. Any day with kids and grandkids is a favorite

15. How do you vent anger? depends on where I am - cry, slam a door, talk it out

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? my bike

17. What is your favorite season? Spring

18. Cherries or Blueberries? Bing cherries

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? I always want my friends to email me back.

20. Living arrangements? home in West County with 1 husband and 1 grown kid (at the moment)

23. When was the last time you cried? When Malikas left St. Louis to go back to the Isle of Man

24. What is on the floor of your closet? shoes only; I recently cleaned it out.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? not sending this; just putting it here

26. What did you do last night? Enjoyed a relaxing night at home

27. What are you most afraid of? Losing someone I love

28. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburger? Cheese!

29. Favorite dog breed? No favorite but something small

30. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday because of all the kids at Awana and Thursday because it's my day off and I can rest after all the kids at Awana.

31. How many countries have you lived in? 3

32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

33. What is your favorite flower? aster-mary, rose

34. What is your favorite color? blue

35. What is your favorite smell? fresh bread baking; baby right out of a bath

36. How long have you been with your partner? 36 years of marriage...

37. What is your middle name? Ann

38. What annoys you the most? People who drive like idiots with no regard for anyone else on the road.

39. Most interesting holiday you've ever had? Christmas during my 7th grade year

40. Favorite ice-cream? chocolate almond

41. Day or night? Night

Well, for anyone who bothers to read this, you now know me a little better.

It sure is nice to still have Sara around... even if she is a little bit crazy!!

Chris had a very successful hunting weekend...
Sammy & Lizzie got a big hug after singing Happy Birthday to their daddy.

Malikas has a new friend... a Manx cat - no tail, extra long legs. His name? Well... she and her husband, Chris, named him Timmy after the guy on NCIS because this cat managed to create a new file on Malikas' computer so she thought he must be a geek. I call him Probie... and so does Malikas.

THANK YOU, LORD

2009-10-20T19:25:00.002-05:00

Psalm 9:1-2 - I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Malikas and I are reading the Psalms "together" along with a book by Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Sometimes... often times... life can be really frustrating. At the moment, I'm going through some frustrating personal stuff. I don't have any answers and I go from sad to mad and then back to sad. Some things just hurt and there's nothing I can do... except pray. It's hard to be filled with joy or sing praises... but that's what I want to do. My circumstances should not determined how joyful I am... I will be filled with joy because of YOU... not because I'm happy or because things are going great or anything else... but because of Him.

My sister reads my blog - faithfully. She shared a funny grandkid story and quote: She had taken her two grandsons to the pumpkin patch and hayride recently! On Monday while Dominic (2 year old) was napping she started making cookies that looked like pumpkins. (She's a good grandma.) The cookies were in the oven when he got up and she told him she was making him some cookies. He went into the kitchen, flips on the oven light and looks in to see the cookies. Then he turns around and says, "MeMe, it's the pumpkin patch!" :-)

Jury duty turned out to be a good day. I was in the first batch called for voir dire but they decided not to choose me to sit on the jury. I turned in my badge and was out of there by 2:30 - a great way to do one's civic duty!!!

KIDS ARE FUNNY!

2009-10-18T22:23:00.003-05:00

It's been a funny week for kids' quotes - sometimes we're just in the right place at the right time.

Wednesday I enjoyed dinner at church with one of our young families. As I walked up to the table I asked the little girl, CK, how she was feeling because I knew she had missed Sunday School because she was sick. Big brother, SK, says "How did you know she was sick?" I smiled and told him I knew everything. :-) As we ate dinner, we talked about a recent change we had made in KidZone Worship - using marbles in a jar as reward for doing "homework" and bringing their Bible. SK wanted to know why we had changed so I tried to explain our thinking. Then I said, "Don't you think having a movie morning when the jar gets full will be fun?" He agreed that it would be. Then SK asks, "Could we watch Monsters vs. Aliens?" I told him I thought we should watch something more spiritual. SK: "The monsters are good ones." :-)

Today didn't start out so well. And if you asked why... well, I couldn't really give you an answer... just a blah kind of day. But I spent over 2 hours with our preschoolers at church tonight. Usually, I don't because I have childcare workers who do that but I was missing one tonight and forgot to get a replacement so I just stayed myself. And it made for a good ending to my day. Three and four year olds can be such fun! And I always learn something new... like a mom I know who often talks about their dog chewing on things but their preschooler says he doesn't... but then later said sometimes Roscoe eats things. But the hit of the evening was a cute little 4 year old girl who asked me to talk to her dad. SW tells me that her dad eats her breakfast and she doesn't get any Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Haha! SK came by with mom to pick up his sister. I asked him if he enjoyed choir tonight. He wanted to know how I knew he was in choir. I reminded him that I know everything. Then he wanted to know how I know everything. That's when I had to confess that I really don't. Hey, it was a nice run!!

Question for the day... can the Rams go the entire season without winning a game? Or will the Tennessee Titans have that distinction? They don't play each other so maybe they both can go for that goal!

Monday morning I head for the Courts Building in Clayton... jury duty is calling my name. Please, please let it be a short call... a few years ago it lasted for 2 weeks. It's an experience I will never forget but one I really don't want to experience again.

EVALS... 2 down, at least 2 to go

2009-10-13T22:08:00.003-05:00

Two evenings of Upward Evaluations are in the books... and we have Thursday and Saturday still to go with the possibility of another day or two if needed. Numbers are running about the same as last year - would prefer to see even more so if you know anyone who wants to play some fun basketball this year, have them contact me or the church. Both nights we've had kids showing up before the "official" start time of 6 pm. I think they must be excited. I know I am. I love Upward basketball and all that it brings... well, almost all!! I've got a superb group of commissioners who make my job as League Director so much easier. God has provided great servants for our Upward program.

Lunch was special today... fun with Sammy and Lizzie and their parents at Friday's.

This is Bosses Week and it's already been a good one. However, I understand that more is in store from our ministry assistants so details will have to wait.

Listening to the rain... and tired of hearing it. And I'm wondering if we're going to really have a fall. It was so cold today!

I'm looking forward to Sara coming home on Saturday. I'm sure she's had a rough week but I'm so proud of her for wanting to minister to a family in Tulsa.

For those who don't know, Chris' girlfriend is studying abroad - in Egypt. I enjoyed reading her blog today. It's a good way to get to know her better. Looking forward to seeing her over the holidays.

Plans are coming together for our annual Fall Festival. Don't miss it! Saturday, October 31, 6 pm.

TWIML #5 (This Week in Moppy's Life)

2009-10-10T20:08:00.003-05:00

Time for a status update... probably not such a good idea considering the mood I'm in but here goes...

Sitting: and watching the Cardinal game... one out away from being eliminated... anticipating it to all be over before I finish this.

Waiting: for the game to be over... it's been such a sad NLDS. Who would have thought that the Cardinals would have done so poorly?

Glad: for a surprise visit from Sammy & Lizzie this afternoon. Jason & Jenny went to a movie and we got to watch the kiddos. Glad: for friends from church and their encouraging words about our children's ministry.

Needing: sleep... a couple of early mornings the last 2 days and not sleeping well at night is making for a bad combination.

Reading: not much time for reading lately.

Avoiding: filing... again.

Enjoyed: a recent visit from Malikas and the trip to the Mississippi coast. Today we had a video chat online with her and Sammy and Lizzie. The kids thought it was interesting that it was dark at her house but not here. However, I don't think Lizzie understood. She asked, "Masha, could you come see us in a few minutes?" :-)

Preparing: for KidZone Worship (really reviewing) and a visit from Moses and Aaron and also for 2 meetings Sunday afternoon.

Drinking: caffeine-free diet Coke.

Snacking: on nothing; had a late dinner.

Trying: to make sure everything is ready for Upward Evaluations which start on Monday. It'll be a busy week but one of my favorites!

Ending: a wonderful visit with Malikas on Tuesday as she headed back to the Isle of Man. It's always hard to say good-bye. :-(

Misc: pray for Sara. She's in Oklahoma ministering to some kids that she got to know on her many trips to Casa Bernabe (orphanage in Guatemala). Five children (siblings) were adopted a couple of years ago. Last week the oldest (19 or 20) killed himself. Sara wanted to be with the younger siblings.

The Cardinal season is over... but it's all put in perspective when I think about what Sara is doing.

VACATION... Part 2

2009-10-06T21:19:00.015-05:00

Well... it's been 2 weeks since Malikas and I went to the coast and I'm wondering what the odds are of me remembering enough to write in a blog. At least I should be able to remember the high points.

After checking into our hotel on Wednesday afternoon, we headed for the beach - the section across the street from our hotel. I'll admit I was disappointed - no white sand, dirty water - and I began to think this certainly wasn't a place I wanted to sit and read and soak up the sun. We walked down to a pier but it had not been rebuilt since Katrina. We eventually realized that most of them had not. Of course that didn't seem to bother the birds. As we drove down Beach Blvd., we saw a couple of places that were more appealing for beach fun so that's where we headed on Thursday. Malikas spent much of her time riding a jet ski... and she looked pretty funny when the day was over - kind of like a racoon. :-) I tried to take her picture... instead I fell in a hole, starting sinking, and ended up with a slightly wet and salty camera. It didn't go all the way under but did enough damage that my camera stopped working. :-( Being the adventurous person that I am, I spent my time at the beach reading and napping. Dinner that night was at a restaurant we found on "urbanspoon" - an app on my iPhone - called Bonefish Grill. Oh yeah... it was great! Malikas and I both love seafood so it was a good call.

On Friday, we decided to try fishing - not the deep sea kind because it was way too expensive - but what they called offshore fishing, I think. Anyway, we went out with a guide and fished under the new bridge between Biloxi and Ocean Springs. We probably caught about 80 fish between the four of us - white trout and white bass mostly. Since I'm a lover of Mexican food, dinner at El Rancho was our evening stop. Once again - delicious food.

Saturday morning brought a rain storm. It was interesting watching it develop offshore and make it's way to land. Lunch was at the White Cap Restaurant (more seafood) and we had a table at the window where we could look out on the beach. As we sat there, we watched a water spout develop out in the Gulf. I had my first oysters on the half shell and they were good regardless of what they look like or what anyone else says about them. By the time lunch was over the rain had stopped so we took the opportunity to take pictures of HUGE guitars (at Hard Rock Casino), sculptures created with a chain saw from trees destroyed by Katrina, and cool palm trees.

One more trip to the beach was in order for the late afternoon. However, it did not last very long which is very evident by the pictures as a storm came in - this time from land.

Sunday morning we left to go back to my mom and dad's to spend the night before heading back to St. Louis on Monday. My sister, Bev and her family made dinner for all of us and brought it to mom's. We had a nice, relaxing visit with everyone. The trip was fun... but way too short!

VACATION... Part 1

2009-09-30T00:28:00.005-05:00

Malikas arrived from the Isle of Man on Friday evening, Sept. 18. We hit the road after church on Sunday, Sept. 20. Our first stop was Jackson, TN, where my sister and her husband live. They manage a retirement home there. I asked my sister why they ever decided to do such a thing. Her answer? "They give me a place to live, pay my utilities, give me 3 meals a day and once a week someone comes in to clean my house. What's not to like?" I did learn that a lot of stress goes with the job as well. But they seem to be happy and to like what they do. I'm very happy for them. On Monday morning, we went to Milan, TN, to see Marc. For those who don't know that are reading this, he's my nephew who was in a car accident and has been left in a semi-vegetative state. He seems to know when someone is there... and seems to be trying to respond with his eyes when someone talks to him. I pray that God will someday restore his brain.

After a delicious lunch (catfish sandwich) at the Wall Street Grill, we headed to my mom and dad's in Booneville, MS, for a couple of days. We celebrated my mom's birthday on Monday evening at Chili's with my dad, my sister, Bev and her husband and youngest son. We all had plenty to eat with lots of laughs and good conversation. On Tuesday, I took Malikas to some of my old stomping grounds. I found my old dorm even though the campus is at least twice the size from when I was there. Then we went to a little town called Saltillo for lunch. Malikas had seen a commercial on TV for Bishop's BBQ and since she's a BBQ nut, we decided to give it a try. Talk about good... it was THE best BBQ I've ever eaten. We shared a sampler platter so we could try almost everything... brisket (so tender), pulled pork (so tasty), ribs (fall off the bone kind)... and sides were gator tators (homemade potato chips), fried okra, fried green tomatoes. OK, not the healthiest meal... and we couldn't eat it all... but oh, so good!!! After lunch, we drove through the little town where my grandparents lived and I was surprised by all the empty stores. However, the most heartbreaking was going by my grandparents' house. It was sold a few years back and it has not been taken care of at all. Peeling paint, shutters falling off, grass and brush that needs cutting... almost made me cry. Seeing my dad made me sad, too. He often gets up and then falls and unless someone is there to catch him, nothing stops him. He has a genetic disorder called spinocerebellar atrophy syndrome. I'm a fixer so I want to take care of it and fix it and make it all better... but I can't. In fact, there is nothing anyone can do and that is very, very hard. However, he still has his sense of humor and his great smile. My dad loves the Lord and knows that God is in charge of his life. He did ask Malikas if she could move in because she jumps up and can catch him sooner than most. :-)

Malikas and I left Wednesday morning for the coast. That will be Part 2 at a later time.

TWIML #5 (This Week in Moppy's Life)

2009-09-12T22:50:00.003-05:00

Sitting: on my bed... late on a Saturday night and thinking about the week behind and the week ahead.

Waiting: for Malikas to arrive on Friday night. Hope this week goes by really fast.

Glad: for a beautiful day... went to Busch Wildlife with Charlie and had a picnic and then he shot his bow as it's almost bow season for deer. Seems as though he's a really good shot even though he had to switch to his left hand because of his eye. Glad: that my broken tooth only needed a minor repair with putty-like stuff and not a crown.

Needing: to get a lot done this week since I'm going on vacation next week. My office looks like a tornado came through but it usually does at the busiest of times.

Reading: same-o, same-o... wish I had more time to just sit and read.

Avoiding: I don't know... I don't think I'm avoiding anything at the moment. Well, maybe I'm avoiding doing a couple of bulletin boards that need some creativity. I think I should "hire" Marqie... hers always look so cool.

Enjoyed: a busy, crazy week... first night of Awana was Wednesday... had approximately 184 kids and leaders... so cool! Enjoyed: reading Calen's new blog. She's Chris' girlfriend and is studying in Egypt this year.

Preparing: for 2 meetings on Sunday afternoon - Children's Ministry Team and a Safety & Security Parent's Meeting. Also preparing for KidZone Worship lessons through the first Sunday of October.

Drinking: nothing

Snacking: on nothing... getting too late.

Trying: not to miss Sara too badly. She's in North Carolina catching up with her teammates from Nigeria, then on to Parkwood Baptist to speak at their Global Impact Conference.

Ending: with a list of things to be done this week but thankful for a team and an assistant that helps me. God is indeed good!!

Misc. stuff: Went to Chick-fil-a on Thursday to help support the BJC Hospice program. We have a family at church whose youngest son was part of the program before he died. His big brother, Jake, headed up the fundraiser at the Chick-fil-a in Chesterfield Valley. I hope it went well for him.

We spent Friday evening with Sammy and Lizzie while Jason and Jenny went to a wake. As you can see in the pictures at the beginning we had fun!!! Here are a couple of funny stories:

The kids are eating M&M cookies before going to bed...
Sammy: I like cookies.
Lizzie: Me, too.
Sammy: but fruit and vegetables are better for you.
Lizzie: I like cookies.
Moppy: what is your favorite fruit?
Sammy: Hmmmmm…
Moppy: do you like bananas?
Sammy: No, I’m not a fan of bananas.
Lizzie: I like chocolate chips.
Moppy: I didn’t know chocolate chips were a fruit.
Lizzie: They are. I’m a fan of chocolate chips.

The kids like putting on Poppy's glasses. They know he puts them on to read or look at something up close. Here's a funny Lizzie story...

Lizzie: Moppy, do you want me to take your shoes off?
Moppy: Sure, that’ll be OK. (So she begins to untie my shoes but one of them ends up in a knot and she’s not able to get it untied.)
Lizzie: Poppy, I need your glasses so I can see better to take off Moppy’s shoes. :-)

Cardinals have lost 2 in a row to the Braves... shouldn't have happened. Hopefully, we can win at least one game of the series on Sunday. Mizzou Tigers pulled one out... a game that should not have been a problem for them.

TWIML #4

2009-09-06T20:13:00.002-05:00

Sitting: on my bed... it's been a very restful afternoon and evening... and much needed after a busy, crazy morning.

Waiting: for God to answer prayers for Malikas and Sara...

Glad: for a job that I love where I can impact kids, share God's love, help parents lead their kids to a faith in God, work with great volunteers. Also Glad for answered prayers with folks continuing to volunteer to be Awana leaders. And also Glad: for a negative biopsy...

Needing: self-control and patience in this weight loss effort... found out this week that one of the meds I'm taking can add 20-30 pounds and not come off until one is off it. Grrrrrr....

Reading: "Truth Seeker" by Dee Henderson. It's a series Sara got me hooked on. Also reading "Life on Planet Mom" but that will be a continuing process since it's what I'm facilitating in MOPS this year.

Avoiding: anything fried... or at least trying...

Enjoyed: KidZone Worship this morning... 36 kids!!! Woo-hoo!!! And a superb bunch of volunteers to help me... Kendra, Kim, Eric, Jennie, Sara, Teresa... you all are wonderful! Thank you! Thank you!

Preparing: for the first night of Awana on Wednesday... we're gonna rock the House!!!

Drinking: grape Propel

Snacking: on nothing; just finished a late dinner... leftover salad from lunch.

Trying: not to mess with my broken tooth until I can get it fixed on Tuesday.

Ending: with thoughts of our fun Fall Kick-Off and all the kids who registered for Children's Choirs and Awana. What a great week!!

Jesus Cleanses and Calls - Tools @ PurposeDriven.com

2009-09-05T09:30:00.001-05:00

For those who think they aren't "called" to serve God - read this... I know this is a pet peeve with me and I'm sure part of it has to do with my never-ending need for volunteers. But you don't HAVE to work with children to serve God - I just happen to think it's the best place to do it.

Jesus Cleanses and Calls - Tools @ PurposeDriven.com

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ZOOOOOM!

2009-08-31T22:12:00.006-05:00

Where does the time ago? How is it possible that it's been over a week since I last blogged? There were some highlights... lunch with friends and their little ones at Chick-fil-a; dinner with KidZone peeps (some of the best assistants ever); a trip to the Fox with Sara to see Mary Poppins; a visit from my sister, Brenda and her daughter and her son's son; and hearing Sara share about Nigeria.

If you've never been to the Fabulous Fox Theater, you MUST go. It is so incredibly beautiful. We've seen some great shows there. Last week Sara and I went to see Mary Poppins and it was fabulous!! (No pun intended!) It was a "practically perfect" way to spend the afternoon. We enjoyed it "in a most delightful way". As a matter of fact, it was "supercalifragilisticexpialadocious". I'm considering adopting Mary Poppins' philosophy: "Let's make one thing perfectly clear. I don't explain anything."

My sister, Brenda - she's #2 out of 4... I'm #1... her daughter, Laura Beth who is 6 months younger than Chris... and my great-nephew, Dominic came for a visit. It was actually Sara speaking on Sunday night that got them here but that's OK. We had a wonderful time at the Arch and at Grant's Farm. Dominic thinks the Arch belongs to me. :-) I wish... It all started last Thanksgiving when the wallpaper for my phone was the St. Louis skyline and he began to identify the Arch with me. The first time he saw it in person, he said, "Wow! Aunt Becky's BIG Arch!"

Our next stop was Grant's Farm... which is always a fun day! Train rides, goats, elephant show, parrots, carousel rides, huge tortoises, etc. It was a beautiful day to be outside and a great girl's day out + Dominic - our entertainment for the day!!

On Sunday evening, Sara spoke about her 2 1/2 years in Nigeria - bush trips, strange food, head wraps, malaria, and so much more. Check her or my page on Facebook and see the video she put together of the beautiful faces of Nigeria. Here's a picture of Sara with one of our Nigerian church members, Shola...

The rest of this week.. and next... is gonna be crazy! Stay tuned...

TWIML #3 (This Week in Moppy's Life)

2009-08-22T11:08:00.003-05:00

Sitting: on my bed... hey, don't make fun... it's where I do some of my best work.

Waiting: for Sara to come home. She's been in Richmond at the ILC this week for her debriefing.

Glad: for a wonderful lunch last Sunday with new Indian friends - sharing together about how we can reach the Indian community with God's love... for lunch with the youth intern that has done a great job and who will be terribly missed when he goes back to Maine... for a little bit of play time on Friday with Sammy & Lizzie... for a "perfect" colonoscopy on Thursday... for a fully staffed Sunday School in our preschool and children's division.

Needing: Awana leaders and/or listeners, especially for our T&T girls (3rd-6th graders). You can give an entire evening or give a half hour during their handbook time. It's simple; it's rewarding... please ask God if He can use you in this way. More Puggles (2 by August 1) would be nice. I think we only have 1 or 2. It's the class before Cubbies and we need more kids (must be part of PBC).

Reading: nothing has changed... still trudging along with the same books. I need a vacation then I'll get more reading done.

Avoiding: knives since I cut myself yesterday on my thumb while slicing strawberries. I thought it would be fine - red strawberries, red blood... who would know? Charlie didn't agree!!

Enjoyed: my visit with an "old" friend on Tuesday at It's a Grind.

Preparing: for a Sunday School teacher's meeting on Sunday afternoon; a visit from my sister, niece and great-nephew next weekend.

Drinking: diet Pepsi.

Snacking: Bing cherries.

Trying: to be patient and trust God as I wait for some test results.

Ending: with thoughts of Sara coming home shortly; possible fun trip in September.

PROVERBS 22:6

2009-08-22T10:22:00.003-05:00

"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." That's the New Living Translation (NLT) of Proverbs 22:6. I enjoy using that when I'm reading Scripture - so easy to understand. As I read that this morning I began to reflect on the teaching of my own children. Charlie and I were far, far from perfect parents but one thing we tried to do was to make sure that the education they were getting at home matched with the education they were getting at church and at school. That was why we chose Christian schools for our kids. I'm not saying you shouldn't send your kids to public school - not at all. But I am saying that Christian schools were the best match for our family. It meant sacrifice; it meant taking and picking up every day; it meant lots of money out of our already thin pockets... but we felt it was a sacrifice God wanted us to make so we did... and have never regretted it.

Jason is an elder at Christ Community E-Free Church and works with the youth there. He continues to mold the young minds of those he works with as well as his 2 young children. You would be hard-pressed to find a more tender-hearted young man. He sticks to his beliefs - even to the point of losing a job over his refusal to sell products for stem-cell research. He married one of the most beautiful and sweet-spirited young women I've ever known. She's a fabulous mom and we could not have asked for a more wonderful daughter-in-law. We're sure God gave her to Jason and to us. And they have given us two beautiful grandchildren with a third one on the way. Woo-hoo!!!!!

As most of you know who read this, Sara just returned from 2 1/2 years in Nigeria as a journeyman missionary for the IMB. She endured food and drink that most of us would never even consider eating. She fought malaria after only being in the country for 6 weeks. I still say that mosquito bit her as she walked off the plane - and I'll bet it's name was Satan. Sara was so sick and many thought she would, or at least should, come home. But no - she was going to win that battle and she did! Sara has loved mission work since she went on that first trip with her Dad to Brazil when she was in junior high and she wanted to stay there. Since then she's been to Poland, to Guatemala several times, to Russia to study for a semester, and, of course, Nigeria. If you think she's home to stay, think again. God has greater and bigger work for her to do somewhere.

Chris, our baby, lives in Springfield and loves it there. And why wouldn't he? He's a hunter and fisherman and has all of that so close. He attends First Baptist, Ozark and enjoys a weekly Bible study on another night. Like most young men his age, he didn't give up on his upbringing - he found a church where he could worship and help him stay close to God and continue to study His Word. He loves basketball and helps out with Upward when his schedule allows it.

Some of know the story of Masha... some do not. Malikas (that's a nickname that I call her) and I first met on my first mission trip to Belarus in 2000. Keith was the leader for that trip and he had met her on a previous trip. After our initial contact fell through, Masha took the ball and ran with it. That trip would not have been possible without her and God's intervention. It's a long story - maybe for a different day. Anyway she and I eventually became close... close to the point of a mother/daughter relationship. In 2003 she married a young man, Chris, from the Isle of Man (look it up on a map) and that is where they are living. Malikas became a believer in her early teens - not because of the example she had received at home but because of other opportunities and other people in her life. While in Belarus, she translated for those who would come for mission or humanitarian trips. She attended Word of Life Baptist Church and worked with their teens. When she moved to the island, she attended Port St. Mary Baptist Church but many changes and many... well, wrong motives for doing things... made it difficult to stay. There aren't many options for evangelical churches in such a small place but she continues to read His Word and worship Him in hopes of finding a place of service. So no, I didn't raise Malikas because she was 21 when I met her... but I hope I've made an impact on her spiritual life. God has been so good to spare her life so we can be a family.

All this because I read Proverbs 22:6 this morning. Sorry to have gone on and on. As I said... Charlie and I aren't perfect parents; nor are our kids perfect. God has seen us through the really hard times and we've rejoiced together at the wonderful gifts He has given us. And to back up even more - I am grateful for the loving, Christian home that my parents provided for me. They set the first example for me as I was taught "to choose the right path."

Like the song says: God is so good! God is so good! God is so good; He's so good to me!

THE WEEK BEHIND... THE WEEK AHEAD

2009-08-17T19:13:00.005-05:00

What a fun Saturday we had!! We just don't have enough of those. After a morning of pancakes, sausage, bacon and OJ... we loaded up 2 vehicles for some "together time" at Busch Wildlife. Chris was in town and he brought his girlfriend, Calen. Jason and the kids came up from South County and Sara joined us, too. First we went to the "Kids Only" fishing lake... and watched Chris catch the biggest fish of the day. Of course, we're all used to that. If a fish is going to be caught, he will catch it and it will be the biggest... been like that for a lot of years now. Hey... I know what you're thinking but he is my kid. :-) Lizzie caught the first fish and she thought it was really cool... at first. She even wanted to hold it... until Poppy gave it to her and she yells, "Icky!! I don't want it!"... and cried for 5 minutes. Sammy caught a little fish, too, but he wasn't sure about it either. After fishing at the "Kids Only" lake for a while, we headed to a different lake and I'm not sure anyone caught anything but Chris and Calen managed to get mud all over their feet and legs and Sammy thought it would be a good place to ride his new bike. It was hot and dirty and dusty... and we all loved it!! It would have been really nice to have Malikas and Jenny join us, too.

Battle of the brothers...

Sara wonders how she can possibly text AND hold a fishing pole... and would you look at Calen's feet... hahahahaha

At church, we have what we call an Acts 1:8 Team... covering the areas mentioned in that Scripture. Each staff member also has one of the areas to help give guidance and work with the person in charge on the Acts 1:8 Team. My responsibility is Samaria. PBC has determined that Samaria is not only North America but also those who are culturally different in our community. Because of the large Indian population, we have felt God's leading in reaching out to this people group. Scott (head of the team) and I enjoyed lunch on Sunday with some couples that we had made contact with. We learned so much about their culture and shared ways that we can reach the Indian community and show them the love of Christ. This endeavor is really going to stretch me...

We have the same youth intern for the second summer in a row and Aaron is a great guy. Tomorrow we will have a good-bye party for him at Five Guys - whatever that restaurant is - and I'm sure it'll be fun. And then I get to top off my afternoon with a trip to the dentist. Fun! Fun! And to add to this fun week, I'm having a colonoscopy on Thursday. Every time I see my internist or gynecologist, they ask if I've had it done yet. I can finally say yes the next time I see them.

Do you know what TOMS shoes are? Well, I didn't know much about them but Calen wears them so I checked them out and found out that for every pair of shoes a person buys, a pair is given to a needy child. How cool is that!!! You can help too. Use the promo code Share TOMS within the next 7 days and get $5 off your order. Click here for their selection: TOMS.

Sara leaves Tuesday morning for her debriefing at the International Learning Center in Virginia. She just doesn't seem to stay around very long... but I think we get her for 3 whole weeks before she leaves town again in September.

GETTING TO KNOW ME

2009-08-11T19:57:00.003-05:00

Just for fun... I'm watching the Cardinal game... 2nd inning and they are already losing 4-0... on a par with my day... I got this "quiz" from a young friend at church so I thought "why not?" Hopefully some of my FB and blogging friends will copy and paste and have some fun, too.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30; woke up at 5 and then fell back asleep.
2. How do you like your steak? I don't care much for steak but if i do eat it, then medium well.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter: The Half-Blood Prince. And yes, I've seen the other movies and read the books.
4. What is your favorite TV show? NCIS and/or Leverage
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Wouldn't matter as long as my kids were close by.
6. What did you have for breakfast? A sausage biscuit
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican
8. What foods do you dislike? coconut is the first thing that comes to mind
9. Favorite Place to Eat? El Maguey
10. Favorite dressing? Lite Ranch
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Hyundai Tucson
12. What are your favorite clothes? t-shirt & happy pants
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Isle of Man, London or Springfield
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? usually 1/2 full
15. Where would you want to retire? wherever my kids & grandkids are
16. Favorite time of day? late morning
17. Where were you born? Waco, Texas
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? college basketball
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? not really going to tag anyone.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? figure I'm lucky if anyone takes the time to do this.
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? I'd be curious about Rebekah's answers since I don't know her very well.
22. Bird watcher? why would anyone watch birds? i just don't get it so no.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? definitely a night person; morning comes way too early.
24. Do you have any pets? nope
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I'm gonna be a grandma again in March. :-)
26. What did you want to be when you were little? an English teacher
27. What is your best childhood memory? visiting new places - my dad was in the Air Force
28. Are you a cat or dog person? cat
29. Are you married? Yes.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes.
31. Been in a car accident? Yep, more than one.
32. Any pet peeves? Too many to list.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Ham, corn & mushroom
34. Favorite Flower? Aster-mary
35. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate almond
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Jimmy John's or Culver's
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none.
38. From whom did you get your last email? Group Publishing
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Bass Pro (mainly to buy for 3 others) or The Container Store (for me)
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? went for a drive around Busch Wildlife
41. Like your job? Yes
42. Broccoli? Yes - raw, cooked, in casseroles - yummy!
43. What was your favorite vacation? Branson fishing or Egham
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Charlie
45. What are you listening to right now? Cardinal baseball
46. What is your favorite color? blue
47. How many tattoos do you have? none and no plans for any
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? None
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 8:18 p.m.
50. Coffee Drinker? only if it's a latte or mocha

A FUN ENDING TO A BUSY DAY

2009-08-10T22:46:00.003-05:00

The storm woke me up at about 3:20 a.m. today. I really don't think it was much of a storm so why did it wake me up? I was really not a happy camper until I realized that it was about time for Masha to be boarding a plane to London so I figured I was supposed to pray for her so I did. And that was OK. What wasn't OK is that I was still awake at 6 a.m. and really needing some sleep. I finally went back to sleep and was awakened by Sara at 9 a.m., wondering why I was home. It was a quick shower, a quick breakfast and a quick drive to church. And that made it hard to get a good start to my day. However, I finally settled in and had a productive and busy day preparing the Kick-Off packet. And then in the afternoon I got an email from one of my Preschool Sunday School teachers. She had done what I had asked - contacted a guest who had a child that would be in her class. The mom was grateful for the "touch" from a PBC teacher and indicated they liked what they saw and heard at PBC - after visiting 7 churches in the area. Now that would make any lousy day a good one!!

And the evening got even better. Charlie and I had a nice drive around Busch Wildlife, seeing lots of deer and enjoying the outdoors.

Sara left today to visit grandparents in Mississippi. Many of you will remember the car accident my nephew was in a couple of years ago. He has severe brain damage... is in an extended care facility in Tennessee near where my sister lives... and has made little progress since the accident. Sara will be seeing him for the first time when she goes there on Tuesday with my mom and dad. She and Marc are the same age. Pray for her as she sees him for the first time. Pray that Marc will respond in some way to let her know that he knows she is there.

Those of you who know our youngest, Chris, knows that he has quite a sense of humor - a rather odd sense of humor at times. :-) I read his status on Facebook tonight and had a chuckle. "worked on a truck today that had a camoflauge garter hangin from the rearview mirror, the ozarks are awesome"... yep, that's my Christopher!

TWIML - #2

2009-08-07T22:42:00.003-05:00

I should be more creative but it's not gonna happen tonight so anyone who reads this is stuck with the same format. And my sister, Brenda, likes it.... so there!!!! Here's my week in review...

Sitting: on my bed with my laptop... if I'm not at work, it's usually where I am if I'm typing or surfing.

Waiting: for sleep to come. I had a late afternoon nap and I don't think it's going to come anytime soon... but the nap was so nice.

Glad: for a good week at work and a great weekend. Sammy and Lizzie were here on Saturday and then again on Sunday because their daddy "stole" Poppy's phone and had to return it. And then I also got to have lunch with them (and their parents and Aunt Sara) on Tuesday. As we were going into the restaurant, Lizzie asks me if I like her "bootiful dress". I tell her I think it is absolutely beautiful and she tells me what color it is... I guess in case I'm not sure of my colors. And then she says, "I can dance in my dress." This little girl is obssessed with dancing. I see dance recitals in our future... something very new for our family.

Needing: teachers for Sunday School... kindergarten is the first priority.

Reading: same as last week - not much extra reading time this week.

Avoiding: laundry but one of my dresser drawers tells me I'd better not avoid it much longer.

Enjoyed: going to see Harry Potter with Sara. I think it was the best one yet. Also enjoyed going to Bass Pro tonight with Charlie to get some fishing supplies for Malikas. Cheryl prepared a delicious meal for her Children's Choir workers and I had the privilege of joining them. Yummy!!

Preparing: for the same as last week - Fall Kick-Off, new Awana year, new Sunday School year. Kris and I had a good meeting this morning and we have the Awana year calendared and made some registration changes for the Kick-Off. Hopefully, it will speed up registration and have shorter lines.

Drinking: diet Coke

Snacking: on nothing... late Mexican dinner and no need for a snack tonight.

Trying: to understand about my dad's diagnosis of SCA - spinocerebellar atrophy syndrome.

Ending: with a smile on my face because Sara turned down a job this week that would have taken her away again for a while... just not ready for that. I know the day will come but I'm glad it's a little further down the road.

TWIML

2009-07-31T21:20:00.003-05:00

This Week In Moppy's Life - TWIML - The only problem with doing this is I'll probably forget most of my week. Sometimes things just seem to come together in a blur by Friday evening. I'm going to "steal" the format of a new friend at church who "stole" it from someone else. We'll see how it works.

Sitting: on my bed with my laptop - it's become one of my favorite places to hang out.

Waiting: for my baby boy - all 6'4" of him - to come home for a visit from Springfield. I'm not sure how much we'll see of him because he's bringing a couple of friends but it'll be nice to have him around for a couple of days.

Glad: that I had a productive week. Had a lot of planning to do and feel pretty good about things. Felt God's guidance as we began to prepare for the Fall.

Needing: more exercise but it's painful to do. My cardiologist told me today that I need to stay active so we'll know if the heart is acting up. He said just walking is fine... but that hurts my hips. I guess I'll dose up on painkillers and give it a try.

Reading: The Guardian by Dee Henderson. Sara got hooked on them in Nigeria so I'm borrowing her series. This is book 2.

Also reading: Two Views on Women's Ministry and that read is going to take forever!!

Reading on hold: Two other books I've glanced at and need to start on... one for MOPS - Life on Planet Mom and a class I'd like to teach from the book, 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter.

Avoiding: filing... I hate it but the stack is blocking pictures that I like to look at in my office.

Enjoyed: going to the Cardinal game with Sara on Thursday night even though we lost. I've missed her the last 2 1/2 years - probably more than she realizes.

Preparing: for lots of things... Fall Kick-Off, new Awana year, new Sunday School year, Upward Basketball. Met with Cheryl on Monday about the Fall Kick-Off. It's a great theme this year - Strong Tower - as the kids learn about the names of God this year. I need to do a better job of incorporating that into Awana. Monday evening was spent with my Upward Basketball commissioners. They are THE best bunch of guys. Now granted I don't know every church's commissioners but I can guarantee you that we have the finest ever. They are committed and fun and faithful and fun and responsible and fun and encouraging and fun. Did I mention how much fun they are when we meet? :-)

Drinking: diet Pepsi

Snacking: on nothing at the moment but thinking about some fresh cherries when I finish this.

Trying: to lose some weight... seems like an impossible task... and uphill battle... on meds that make it difficult... age makes it difficult... lack of exercise makes it almost impossible.

Ending: with an old age reminder from Sara. This morning I was drying my hair. The dryer started cutting in and out and then it sparked and burnt my hand. When I got home from work this afternoon, I was telling Sara about it. She asked, "Was it the red one?" I told her that it was. She said, "That's the only hair dryer I ever remember you having. It must be old." Thank you, Sara!!! I had no qualms about throwing it in the trash.

Thanks, Rebekah... this format was fun!

Mornings... Blech! Blech! & Kid's Thoughts... Fun! Fun!

2009-07-24T07:28:00.006-05:00

Have I always hated mornings? I guess my mom would have to answer that... but I sure have in recent years. I think if sunrises came a lot later, I would love them. :-) Right now, there have been trucks outside my window, working on the road, since before 7 a.m. What is their problem? OK, enough complaining about mornings.

I treated myself last night to a fun evening. Now it may not sound like fun to everyone but that's OK. I was content!! First, I went to Target for some wedding gifts. Normally, I don't like shopping but when it's for someone else... and I have a list to choose from... and it's not going to take very long... then I don't mind it so much. I was in and out in less about 20 minutes. Then it was off to the hairdresser. Michelle does wonders with her magic fingers. It's so relaxing to get my hair done. I love it! After that it was a short walk to Bug's store while she closed up and then we headed to dinner at PJ's. The Cardinal game had just started back up after a rain delay. However, by the time we finished, it was raining again. We walked outside... talked a bit more... started walking to our cars in opposite directions and a deluge came. Thankfully, I did not have very far to go and Bug had an umbrella with her. It lasted about a minute.

I posted in my previous note about spending time with the grandkids at the Mills. We had some interesting words of advice from Sammy... "Poppy, why are you driving so fast in the neighborhood? My mommy and daddy don't drive this fast." "Poppy, you're driving too slow on the highway. Why are you driving so slow?"

We're driving up 270 and this conversation takes place:

Poppy: Sammy, can you tell me how to get to our house?

Sammy: I don't have a map.

Masha: You can be a navigator. They read maps.

Sammy: I don't know how to be an abigator.

Sammy & Lizzie rode kiddie cars that just go round and round. When the ride stopped, Lizzie puts her hands in the air and says, "I'm the winner!"

We've been at the Mills for quite a while. We've shopped... played games... rode race cars... had lunch. We're walking through the arcade area and Charlie asks me what I want to do now. I tell him that I'm tired and it's time for the Cardinal game so let's just go home. Sammy is not missing a word of this and says: "Actually, Moppy, it's not time for the Cardinal game. Let's do some more." So we went to the Cardinal store and bought the kids their caps. Lizzie immediately picked out a pink Cardinal hat with Tinkerbell and silver stars. What Tinkerbell has to do with the Cardinals, I have no idea. And a pink Cardinal hat? But she was insistent and I knew there was no changing her mind. We started heading for the exit but Sammy saw the Haagen-Daas sign and yells, "It's time for ice cream!" And Lizzie even wanted pink ice cream.

My sister, Brenda, reminded me yesterday of how nice the weather was 9 years ago. Jason & Jenny were married on July 22 and I remember wondering why anyone would pick the middle of July with the heat and humidity in St. Louis. But it was an absolutely beautiful, cool day.

My baby sister, Bev, had a birthday on Wednesday... and I'm a slacker for not even wishing her a happy birthday!! So sorry... I'm a terrible big sister. The day just got away from me. Now I'm sad. :-(

Ramblings...

2009-07-21T23:45:00.002-05:00

Nine kids and 3 sponsors left Monday morning for Centri-Kid at SBU in Bolivar. It's a week-long camp for those who have completed 3rd-6th grade. It's the home of OMC - Organized Mass Chaos and the kids love it!! Please pray for the rest of their week.

Wow! Can you believe this July weather? When was the last time you remember several days in July of 70 degree weather?

Summer is coming to a close way too quickly. I spent the day preparing for the new church year - Sunday School, Awana, new safety & security procedures, Children's Ministry Team - hard to believe it's time to restart all that again.

Had to go by the doctor's office on Monday morning to have some blood drawn. Supposedly, I'm supposed to have it done every 3 months and the last time was February... oops!!

Celebrations in order for Wednesday - My baby sister has a birthday! Jason & Jenny celebrate an anniversay - #9, I think.

40th anniversary of man walking on the moon for the first time was Monday. I was sitting in a hotel restaurant in Japan. My dad had been transferred and we had just arrived, waiting for a house. And as someone said on Facebook... yes, that makes me old as dirt!!

To pray about: my mom is feeling better after breaking 4 ribs but is still having some pain; Jenny is expecting baby #3 and is really not feeling too well these days; Masha has a doctor's appointment... pray for good results from her scan; Awana looks like it may be another big year and more leadership is needed, especially with our 3rd-6th grade girls; new Sunday School teachers will be needed starting in September. God is good!!

TED DREWES, HANNIBAL, THE MILLS

2009-07-18T20:16:00.015-05:00

It's probably not possible to really catch up so this will be just a synopsis of the past couple of weeks. Eventually I will put even more pictures on Facebook.

Trips to Ted Drewes are always "necessary" in St. Louis. We met Jason and family there one evening and were continuously entertained by the kids.

Conversation with Sammy... Moppy: Sammy, your ice cream has melted. Let's throw it away. Sammy: No, that's OK... I'll just drink it!!!

Masha got an orange slushie for all of us to share... so thinks Sammy & Lizzie.

Ring around the roses... pocket full of posies... ashes, ashes, we all fall down!!

I decided Masha needed to visit the birthplace of Mark Twain so on Wednesday afternoon we headed for Hannibal. We took the scenic route (thank you, Keith) - the Great River Road on the way up. We stopped along the way for some great views of the Mighty Mississippi.

A ride on the Mark Twain riverboat was the first order of the afternoon.

The Mark Twain cave was also a must-see.

And at the request of Jasper... Huck Finn hats. No trip to Hannibal would be complete without them.

Is Masha trying to break into Mark Twain's boyhood home? And I'm sure she's hoping for someone to paint that fence so she doesn't have to do it.

On Saturday, it was a day with the grandkids. The weather was iffy so we headed for fun at The Mills.

After a walk through Cabela's, car races and lunch, Charlie asked what I wanted to do next. I said, "It's time for the Cardinal game. Why don't we go home and watch it?" Sammy: "Actually, it's not time for the Cardinal game so let's stay here." But we did go to the Cardinal store to get the kids their Cardinal hats. As we were walking towards the exit, Sammy says, "Hey, time for ice cream!"

Malikas left on Monday evening to go home to the Isle of Man. I really, really liked having her here for almost 3 weeks. I wasn't ready for her to go home. I miss her. :-(

This past week was our annual Sports Crusader Basketball Camp so there was no time for anything else... almost all day, every day was spent at church. It was a good week with several kids coming who had no church affiliation. Plus we probably gained some Upward basketball players, too.

I was so tired by Friday evening I could hardly think straight however the week was not over. I headed to Julie's for the start of the MOPS retreat. Dinner was a potato bar and salad - very good - and then some brainstorming about vision and goals. An excellent vision statement came out of the evening... "Connect with God - Connect with moms". I've never worked with such a focused team of moms and leaders. It's a fabulous steering team!!! It's gonna be a great year on Planet Mom!!!

Sara arrived safely back home after a week with the Mission Raleigh team. And she's going to be around until Monday morning when she leaves with our Centri-Kid group for Bolivar.

We are having some great weather in St. Louis... especially for July. Sara loves the fact that we've turned off the air conditioning. She's been cold ever since she got home from Nigeria... especially when she's in an air-conditioned building.

CRAZY WEEK

2009-07-12T00:15:00.002-05:00

It has been a crazy, busy week... work, trip to Hannibal, a movie, Sara to Raleigh, a day with the grandkids... and no time to write about those things until later. Just wanted to let anyone who reads this know that I'm still alive. Watch next week for more details and pictures.

Pray for Sara and the other sponsors and youth from Parkway as they are in Raleigh, NC on a mission trip. Sara was home for 5 whole weeks before heading out for mission work again. :-) They will be ministering to inner city kids this upcoming week.

Masha leaves Monday to go back home. :-( I will miss her... terribly. It doesn't take long to get used to having her here.

Sports Crusaders will be here this week for our basketball camp... busy and fun week!!

THE BIG BANG

2009-07-05T15:55:00.009-05:00

Life is always... exciting... surprising... when Chris comes home. He shared with us one of his recent "science experiments"... plastic bottle, aluminum foil, Works toilet bowl cleaner. Put the foil and cleaner in a plastic bottle and throw it far away... and kaboom!!! And here is the result of the ka-boom...

For the first time in several years, we braved the crowds and went downtown for the fireworks. And it was worth it... an incredible show. According to a recent news report, St. Louis was #5 in the country for their fireworks, beating Chicago and New York City. Oh yeah!!!! It was great fun to be there with Malikas - her first 4th of July celebration with us... and to be with Sara - our first 4th with her in several years. Prior to the fireworks, it was our annual Independence Day dinner at Greg and Bug's... and as always... DELICIOUS food!!

Earlier in the week was spent working and at Cardinal games. On Tuesday night, Malikas and Charlie had tickets to the suite that Charlie's company buys tickets for. Bug and I had great seats, too... a few rows up from the Cardinal dugout. It wasn't Carpenter's night and we lost the game but the company was fun and the view was incredible.

On Thursday night, we headed to the ballpark again and enjoyed another fun Cardinal game... and a win!!

Got a phone call from Dad on Monday evening - usually a bad sign and this time was no different. He left a voice mail... "This is Dad. Just wanted to let you know about your mom. Bye." Arrrggghhhh!!!! I immediately called him back and learned that my mom had broken 3 ribs... falling at church. Not much to be done about broken ribs except to control the pain. I spoke with my mom later in the week and she told me she had broken 4 ribs. She was feeling some better but has to sleep sitting up in a chair. She's getting out of a bed is one of the most painful things right now. She also found out she's allergic to Motrin... it was beginning to affect her kidneys. Pray for my mom!

Our Last Day

2009-06-26T22:10:00.004-05:00

Another very hot day... Malikas did some fishing in the morning off the dock and lost the BIG ONE!!! She had it almost to the dock when the line broke. She said it was the biggest rainbow trout she had ever seen. Fish story? Nah, she wouldn't tease like that... not about fishing. :-)

We went to Branson Landing in the late afternoon and evening. It was hot so some fresh-squeezed lemonade was in order. Shopping included a "shammy", jelly beans and other assorted candies, stone coasters for the car, a gift for Charlie... really big shoppers, eh? Dinner was at Joe's Crab Shack. Both Malikas and I are big seafood lovers and it is so good there.

We're almost packed and will head back early Saturday morning so as to make it back to St. Louis in time for a Cardinal game. It's been a relaxing, fun week but reality is calling.

Springfield Cardinals

2009-06-26T12:45:00.003-05:00

A night at the ballpark was HOT... but fun. Masha and I met Chris at his apartment and headed to Hammons Stadium for the AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. It always great to go to a game where the birds are on the bats... like being at home. Chris' boss got us some tickets and they were great. Of course, it took us a while to figure out what name he had put them under but we finally got them. Chris gave his regular commentary on things such as... "Hank? He doesn't look like a Hank? He looks like a Honk..." Hank was the catcher for the Arkansas team and was Asian. So he was Honk the rest of the night. Chris' friend, Chief, was there too so they made quite a duo for entertaining us.

Vacation... ahhhhhh!!

2009-06-25T16:15:00.004-05:00

The Boomerang Express made its last stop on Thursday evening with a great Family Night. The Music Camp kids did a wonderful job of sharing the VBS music. It was a terrific week but always room for improvement. My directors and I will be looking at how that can be done in the coming weeks. We enrolled 266 workers and kids, with an average attendance of 240. Eleven children indicated that they had made a decision to follow Christ. We collected canned goods and non-perishables for Sunshine Ministry. The girls won with a final count of 243 items; boys had 188 for a total of 431 items.

There are way too many pictures to post here but soon you can find them on my Facebook page or on the Parkway Baptist website.

Sunday afternoon came and we headed to Springfield to spend some time with Chris before going to Branson on Monday. Sara spent some time with her friend from SBU, Kara. the other 4 of use headed to Bass Pro. Thankfully, they could not walk my legs off because they close earlier on Sunday. We all went to dinner at Cheddar's and topped off dinner with a Cookie Monster.

We headed to Lilley's Landing in Branson on Lake Taneycomo. I caught the first fish off the dock on Monday afternoon while Sara and Masha went to White Water - a water park. On Tuesday, we went fishing with our favorite guide... Bob. We've been using him for several years and always come home with our limit. I caught some of the biggest although I think Charlie caught one a bit bigger. After some more fishing on Wednesday morning, we headed to one of our favorite breakfast places, The Farmhouse Restaurant, and then Charlie and Sara headed back to St. Louis. Masha and I are here until early Saturday morning. More blogging after tonights Springfield Cardinal game with Chris.

ARE YOU A LARRIKIN?

2009-06-16T22:25:00.007-05:00

Larrikin... another new word I learned that is used in Australia. We certainly have a few at VBS this week. And I'll bet you have some at your VBS and in your family. Larrikin: a person given to comical or outlandish behavior. Who is your favorite larrikin? Here's mine...

Tonight was when our staff presented the gospel to the 1st-6th graders. Several decisions were made. We've already started on follow-up. After conversation with one little girl, she prayed to receive Christ. Woo-hoo!!!
Here's our "name the koala" winner... Wallie and Esten...

Sara spoke at our Mission Rotation. Isn't she pretty? :-)

Two more nights to say "Yeh-Yeh-Yeh-Yeh Yes to Vuh-Vuh-Vuh VBS!"

Onya, Mate

2009-06-16T10:58:00.008-05:00

If you were at VBS last night or are doing Boomerang Express anywhere in the world, you know what that means. We're still chugging down the track and having a great time. No mice or flying boomerangs... and only a little bit of blood when one of our volunteers fell in the kitchen. She's OK, though.

Our "name the koala" contest was well received. 112 names were suggested. The directors and my assistant poured over the names trying to decide which one would be the best for a koala. We narrowed it down to 4 names and they voted again. But we still needed a tie-breaker so I "hired" Sara to do that. No one but me knew who had submitted the different names. And the winner was "Wallie", submitted by Esten Ronning. We'll try to get a picture tonight and post it later. I forgot to have Sara do that last night. Sara is our official photographer for Boomerang Express.

Here are a few pics of our hard-working volunteers from Track 1...

ALL ABOARD!!

2009-06-14T23:24:00.007-05:00

Boomerang Express left the station... with all the craziness that comes with the first night of VBS. We're going down under with a reminder that "it all comes back to Jesus." No injuries, no lost kids, no BIG surprises... However we did have one very small surprise... a mouse. Yep, one of God's furry little creatures paid a visit... right outside fellowship hall. He/she was finally captured and sent to "mouse heaven".

Everything went well for the first night. As you can see, Sara and I had a great time!!

On Friday, the doctor released me. Woo-hoo!! Having energy is still a problem but he said to expect that for a bit longer. Of course, with VBS this week, there's not much chance of having any energy anyway by the time it's over. But that's OK... vacation next week!!!!

Malikas comes Thursday... can't wait... 3 days... 16 hours... and counting!!!!!

NEW CAR

2009-06-11T23:31:00.006-05:00

No, not me. I'm still crazy about my little SUV. But Sara made her first BIG decision since coming home and bought a car. It's a 2008 Chevy Cobalt. Her brother, Chris, gave her his advice and thoughts and then her dad took her shopping. Sara liked the idea of a 5-speed but with her bad knee it didn't seem like a wise idea so she chose the automatic. I think she likes the sun roof the most. Doesn't she look proud?

Busy day on Friday - doctor's appointment (please, release me, let me go!!), work at church, lunch with Patti and Sara, trip to Lifeway, party in the evening.

A GOOD DAY!!

2009-06-10T20:29:00.006-05:00

A busy morning spent mostly on VBS work... a restful early afternoon... a trip to the grandkids to drop off Sara... and a quiet evening at church. Keith and I also spent some time this morning discussing a book we're reading together "Walking With God". Let's just say interesting... can't say I agree with everything the author says but he has made me think about some things so I guess that's good. Jenny invited Sara down to spend some time with her and Sammy and Lizzie. I had some new outfits for the kids so I brought them along. The kids immediately wanted to try them on and then wear them. Sammy said, "I want to wear mine now and then when I go to bed, I'll put it nicely on my dresser and wear it again tomorrow." Lizzie was just happy to have anything with Tinkerbell and/or Dora on it. They were both happy to model them for us.

Feeling pretty well this week. Still tire way too easily and that's frustrating. Looking forward to a FULL release by the doctor on Friday morning.

Storms are coming!!

Sara is looking to buy a car. Naturally, she went to her "little" brother for help. So she asked him the difference between a 4-cylinder and a 6-cylinder. His answer... "A 4-cylinder has 4 cylinders and a 6-cylinder has 6 cylinders." A wealth of information, isn't he??

Zia's Fun

2009-06-09T20:55:00.008-05:00

Our restaurant of choice to celebrate our anniversary... and to celebrate Sara being home... was Zia's on the Hill. Yummmm... pasta. The pasta picture is Sara's bowl after she ate for 30 minutes! And she moved it around to make it look like she had eaten more than she had. :-)
I'm feeling stronger every day and thankful for being able to get things done in a timely manner. Boomerang Express - VBS 2009 - starts on Sunday evening so that will be the real test. I'm so incredibly grateful for two wonderful directors in Cheryl and Janet and for all of our teachers and helpers. 4 days... 21 hours... and counting... Yes, I will be ready!!

Malikas comes for a visit in 8 days! Woo-hoo!!!!

36 YEARS?!?!?

2009-06-09T07:38:00.004-05:00

I'm waking up this morning to the realization that I've been married for 36 years. Wow!! I'm sure to many that seems like forever. And some days it seems that way to me, too. Charlie and I first met in Freeburg, Illinois when I was in mid-way through the 7th grade. My family had moved there from Quebec, Canada (and rumors immediately began that I was fluent in French but that's another story). We "dated" off and on for the 2 years that I lived there. Then my family moved again. However, we hooked back up when I returned to the states for college... and the rest is history. (Yes, I've cut the story short. There is a lot more juicy parts. Maybe another day.) Three precious children by birth... one special (and late) one by choice... the loveliest of daughters-in-law... and THE two cutest grandkids this world has ever seen makes for a wonderful 36 years! It's not been the easiest - we've certainly had our woes but Charlie has always been there during those times... telling me it's going to be OK... praying for us... hugging me... assuring me. He can drive me nuts - what husband doesn't at times. But I'll keep him around... maybe for 36 more!!

SUNDAY MORNING

2009-06-07T14:29:00.002-05:00

Being on a church staff, one never knows what a Sunday morning is going to be like... especially when change is in the air. But despite my energy limitations, we had a great Sunday. Things went smoothly in Sunday School which is always a good way to start things off. And then we had a great KidZone Worship including Christina's clown shoes (they were her "walking by faith" shoes). Our lesson was about Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac and it reminded us to always be obedient to what God wants us to do. One of the best parts was when my sweet friend, Noah, walked into our worship room and said, "Woo-hoo! Ms. Becky is back!! I missed you!" It's nice to be missed. :-)

Remember that change CAN be good... give it a try!

BASEBALL

2009-06-05T23:46:00.005-05:00

The morning was spent working at church... the afternoon was Sara's MRI on her knee and time for a nap before going to the Cardinal game. Sara was excited about going since she had not seen a game for 2 1/2 years. We donned our Cardinal t-shirts, cap and visor and headed downtown. Because of the hwy. 64 closure and my inability to get around very well, Charlie was sweet and took us to the game... killed time and waited around... and then picked us up. It was quite a depressing game. We lost 11-4. But at least we saw some fireworks with Pujols, Molina and Ludwick hitting homeruns. Unfortunately that wasn't near enough offense. When starter Adam Wainwright exited in the seventh, the Cards trailed by a run. By the time the inning was over, the deficit was 10... not fun to watch. But the tickets were great... thanks to my Christopher who gave them to me for Mother's Day and told me to take Sara. :-)

SARA'S HOME

2009-06-04T23:52:00.001-05:00

It's late... and I am so tired but I wanted to let everyone know that Sara arrived home safely Wednesday evening. She was 2 hours later than expected thanks to the airport in Nigeria booking her on the wrong flight but she finally made it. We met her at the airport along with Jason, Jenny, Sammy and Lizzie... as well as Lydia and Jennie. It was sooooo good to see her. She was one exhausted young lady after traveling for more than 24 hours. We went home and enjoyed sandwiches. Yes, sandwiches. That may seem boring to most of you but they don't have lunch meat in Nigeria so she was thrilled with that and potato chips. Jenny baked some delicious gooey butter cookies so she was set for the evening. Of course, Sammy and Lizzie managed to entertain us all as well.

There is more to tell about her first day home but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. The eyes will not stay open.... plus I'm not thinking clearly. No comments about that, please.

ANOTHER DAY...

2009-06-02T21:45:00.002-05:00

Not necessarily a very exciting day... but a good day... Cheryl put together all the teacher VBS supply requests... staff meeting wasn't too bad and not too long... a short nap... a good VBS meeting and prayerwalk... a good meal from the crock pot. And now the Cardinals are winning... woo-hoo!! AND Sara is on her way home. She'll arrive in Frankfurt sometime around 1:15 a.m. (STL time)... arrive in Chicago at 12:30 p.m. and then be in St. Louis about 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday. It's gonna be a GREAT DAY!!!

TAKE A MILE

2009-05-31T23:50:00.005-05:00

You've heard the saying "give her an inch and she'll take a mile"? That's sort of how I felt on Saturday. The doctor gave me an inch and I took a mile and I paid for it. But I did get a lot of shopping done for VBS. Thank goodness for those painkillers.

Sammy and Lizzie came for a visit on Saturday evening. Pictures are posted on Facebook but here are a few favorites...

I went to church this morning but only for about an hour. I really needed to talk to some folks about VBS and Wednesday night. This week I plan to go back to work half-days. It'll be nice to be back and there is plenty to be done with VBS only 2 weeks away.

Kayla is helping with Sports Crusaders on Monday in East St. Louis so she came here from Bolivar to spend the night. It's always nice to have her visit. We decided to go to Ted Drewes for dinner. :-)

Pray for my week - lots to do but still need to "take it easy".

HALF RELEASE

2009-05-29T22:35:00.002-05:00

OK, I'll admit that I was hoping the doctor would say "all is well... get back to work". Instead he said "all is looking well but you still need to take it easy for at least two more weeks." He asked about my energy level and I almost laughed, "what energy?" He said "you'd be amazed at how much energy it takes to heal from this kind of surgery." I'm convinced. However, I did manage to get some KidZone Worship and VBS work done before going for the other doctor's appointment. But that was thanks to Bug and Sam. They were a big help and didn't let me do too much. And then we had a nice lunch together at McAlister's.

Continue to pray for Masha. Her first final is Wednesday. I also talked to Sara today and she sounds great. She continues to pack and say her goodbyes. 4 days, 17 hours, 33 minutes... but who's counting.

Looking forward to Saturday... maybe another day with no rain?

FRUSTRATING DAY

2009-05-28T21:51:00.002-05:00

I'm glad it's almost time for bed. It was a frustrating day for me. I think I'm at the end of my rope of staying in so it's a good thing I'm going for a post-op visit on Friday. Maybe... hopefully... the doctor will let me go back to work. It was one of those "nothing goes right" days as I tried to get some work done and didn't have everything that I needed. And I needed to complete a project and it wasn't going well either. But as often is the case, God sent a ray of sunshine. Justin and his mom dropped by with some fresh strawberries. They were already cleaned and cut up and ready to eat. And they were delicious! Thank you, Roni & Justin!!

Malikas and I played some gin rummy online this afternoon and that helped to forget about some things that were aggravating me... except that I'm behind on our bet 10-8.

I'm off to bed with hopes for a better day tomorrow.

VISION

2009-05-28T11:59:00.002-05:00

The good part about about being confined to home for a couple of weeks is the time available to think about things. Things that are close to my heart but don't always get enough attention. While recuperating I read an article about the impact of a vision on one's ministry. So I began to think about the vision for our KidZone children's ministry. Do we have a vision? Do I have a vision but don't communicate it very well? How important is a vision? Andy Stanley, one of America's foremost church leaders, defines vision as "a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be." A vision could drive us to more and bigger things. But more importantly, what kind of impact would this vision have for our children's ministry if we embraced it and invested in it and thought about it's Kingdom impact? Even the Bible tells us that people without a vision will perish. How would we articulate this vision? How would we make sure that people would see it, experience it, understand it and invest in it? We want to have purpose... to focus on the future... to be invigorating. The article I read talked about having a brand. What is our brand? One way to get that across is through our website. We live in a media savvy culture so as we consider our vision, we need to decide how to make it clear. Is our vision as simple as the acrostic for HEART that we have on our children's wing wall and our brochure? It could be but what are we doing to focus on it?

Now you may be asking... who or what is this "we"? It will start with the leadership of our KidZone Ministry and that means our Children's Ministry Team. We will begin to focus on this aspect of our ministry. I will post this article on our website after we've done some redesigning of our page. I would love to have input from others even if you're not currently serving on CMT. There will be more about "vision" in the weeks to come.

LITTLE LUNCH GUESTS

2009-05-27T21:07:00.012-05:00

The days are getting better... less pain... fewer naps... able to work. I spent the day on Boomerang Express, VBS 2009, except for lunch. At times, it was frustrating because I didn't have everything I needed at home and then it couldn't be found at church. No, I didn't go there... Dale tried to find things for me. Thankfully, Ken has what I need until I find mine so he was gracious enough to let me borrow it. Anyway, I made some good progress today.

Kristi was sweet and brought lunch today. She and the lovely Miss M, along with the funny Mr. C, stayed and had lunch with me. We had a good time!! Being the Moppy of a grandson, there were plenty of cars and balls to play with. Miss M enjoyed the very noisy dinosaur that Keith had brought to the hospital for the grandkids.

Charlie grilled a hot dog for dinner tonight. And for those of you who don't know him as well - that is a big deal. He HATES hot dogs. He could not understand how I could even want one but he put them together anyway - just for me. He's sweet that way!! Of course, now that he has won Miss M's contest, he might think he's the top dog! We watched Night at the Museum. I really didn't think I would enjoy it but Malikas suggested it and since there was nothing on TV tonight, we decided to give it a try. It was cute... and fun! Now I want to see Night at the Museum 2.

I can't believe it... 7 days 18 hours 41 minutes... and counting!!!

GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD

2009-05-26T22:45:00.004-05:00

Painkillers are taking over so it's off to bed shortly. It's been a good day.

Two friends from church, Ginny and Susan, brought lunch today from Pastries of Denmark. I ate the salmon salad. Yummy! We had fun talking about our grandkids.

I spent the morning working on Sunday's KidZone Worship. I'm not sure yet if I'll make it but it's all worked out and assignments have been made in case I don't. Thank you Lord, for friends who have so willingly helped with chuch responsibilities.

Congratulations to the Feelers on the birth of their second child - Luke Douglas!!

Charlie went out and bought ice cream from Silky's. Chocolate almond concrete... my very favorite... so smooth... so creamy... so delicious. While he did that, I contined to root the Cardinals to another victory. Cards are in first place. Great pitching... and a homerun by Adam Wainwright. I can't wait to go to my first game of the season soon... a Mother's Day gift from Christopher.

Completed reading "Playing for Pizza" by John Grisham... prefer his legal thrillers but it was a pleasant read. I've read 2 fiction books this past week so now it's on to more serious material.

Pray for Sara as she enters her last week in Nigeria. She's anxious to be home... she's sad to be leaving her home of the past 2 1/2 years. Also pray for Masha as she studies for finals that start next week.

Sara: 7 days, 17 hours, 18 monutes...
VBS: 18 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes...
Masha: 22 days, 16 hours, 52 minutes...

MEMORIAL DAY

2009-05-25T22:12:00.002-05:00

A yucky day if you one only thinks about the weather. If you are or ever were in any way connected with the military, it was a day of memories. If you are an American, it's a day of gratefulness for those who have fought for our freedom. I recently read about the beginnings of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is on the last Monday in May and honors those men and women who lost their lives serving their country. What we celebrate as Memorial Day today, began at the end of the Civil War. Family members of the many soldiers slain in battle would visit the grave sites of their fallen relatives or friends and decorate the graves with flowers.

On May 5, 1868, General John Logan proclaimed this day a holiday through his General Order No. 11. The day was entitled Decoration Day and was first observed on May 30, 1868. The northern states celebrated this day every year, but the southern states celebrated a day similar to this on a different day until sometime after World War I.

In 1882, the name Decoration day was changed to Memorial Day, and in 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the last Monday of May every year. Over the years it has come to serve as a day to remember all U.S. men and women killed or missing in action in all wars.

"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their county, for us. All we can do is remember."
-- Ronald Wilson Reagan
Remarks at Veteran's Day ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 1985