Why????

Did you ever wonder the "Whys" of life? Here are a few whys that I have often asked and wondered "Why".
1. Why was I born in America
2 Why was I born into a christian family
3. Why was I born a girl
4. Why am I in TN
5. Why is our country going in the wrong direction
6. Why have I been blessed with wonderful children
7. Why does "Me" have to have cancer
8. Why is their so much suffering in our world
9. Why do I always have problems with weight
10. Why was I given the privileged to hear about Christ
11. Why have I been blessed to have 3 wonderful "in laws"
12. Why have I been blessed to have 9 wonderful grandchildren plus 4 more
13. Why have I been able to enjoy 52 years with my best friend
14. Why, why, why. the list could go on and on. But one thing I know for sure, all my whys may not be answered in this life time, but I am sure the question why will seem so irrelevant when we see Christ.

An interesting day

Today was one of those interesting days, I don't want to repeat for a while. Carl thought the truck was acting up so I suggested I would be the one to go in and sit and wait for it to be worked on and he could stay home and work. I had to have the truck into the Ford Co. at 8 AM which means I leave before 7:30. After an hour of waiting for the "diagostic" complettion they said the turbo charger needed cleaning, another 3 hour wait. In the big town of Crossville, they have no rentals or lenders for their customers to use, so I asked them if they could take me to the furniture store up the road. There was a kind gentleman who took me to that store, strip mall with only 2 stores in the mall. Of course I couldn't buy anything because I was planning on walking back to the Ford dealer, a distance of 6-7 blocks. After shopping at the 2 stores I decided to stop at Sisters and eat breakfast, my second one for the day. At least this would kill some more time. At 10:30 I had my second breakfast. When you are eating alone at Sisters, you can eat in 1/2 hour and thats not eating fast. At 11 I walked back to the dealer and decided to just sit and wait till the truck was done. By then it was 12:30 and I had yet to go to Wall-Mart and Lowes for my paint. Got home around 3, tired and frazzled. Dad hadn't even eaten lunch yet so I fixed him a sandwich and then I tried mudding the bathroom with him. Mudding is not the most interesting thing to do. There is a knack to good mudders and neither dad or I know how to master that. I was so tired that I just opened up a can of clam chowder for supper, not Carls favorite, but he knew better than complain. We are trying to get the walls done behind the toilet and W/D before they put those 2 things back in the bath. They moved them out to put the tile in the bathroom. We probably will not have the men working here anymore. We feel they are milking their time as it shouldn't take a week to tile one little bath room. Anyway tomorrows another day and after a good nights sleep, things will look brighter. I really enjoy reading all the blogs, so everyone keep up the good work. Love SMG

Taking shape

Things seem to be taking shape around here. Today I painted 2 wall of the kit so we can start placing the kit cabinets in. Just wait until you see the color of the walls and see the color of my sofa. I will try and publish a picture, but you might not really tell the "poopie" color of the walls. When I was painting the walls I asked Brian and Stan how they liked the color. Brian's comment was he saw that color when his son was a baby. Anyway I think it looks real nice, refreshing, different, unique, colorful and in style. So green, it is. All the wall board is up in the LR, and kit and some of the seams are mudded. Our mudding will take forever. We have to give the seams 3 coats and it to be so smooth. We will be storing the sofa, chair and mattress over at Bettys for a month till the house is further along. We had a wonderful visit with our MMAPer friends Ray and Marlene. They live in KY about 110 miles from here and they came down for the day. We visited for an hour or so, then went out for lunch and came back for cake and coffee. She is the one that is going through chemo and radiation now. She seems to be doing pretty good and says radiation is easy compaired to chemo. Thats over for her. I also had 4 MMAPers call me on Sunday. Guess they were thinking of us and of Carla. THey all wanted to know how you are doing Carla. They all send their prayers for you. I'm sorry to hear your not feeling good. Hope you will feel better as the days go on. You know we love you and are praying that this will pass quickly. We love each and everyone and look forward to all your blogs and comments. Love to you, MOM

Venturing out of comfort zone

Dear Family, Well, today we went floor shopping. It's final. We are putting wood down through out the whole house. We went to a discount store today and they have lalminate wood and the price about 1,ooo. less than Lowes so we are going with that. We thought we would go into a furniture store that will close next week and everything was on sale. Would you beleive we purchaced a sofa, chair, 2 end tables, 1 coffee table, John Elway entertainment piece and a queen size mattrass and springs all for 2100. delivered. I definately am venturing out of my comfort zone for sure. Sofa is burnt orange or rust. End tables are square with glass top and a display area inside with black/green legs. Will take some more pictures and let you see the progress. Love you all MOM

Beleive it or not

Today was a very busy and profitable day. I got all the styrofoam put up in our B.R and part of the sewing room while Dad gave our kitchen its first coat of mud to all the seams. I mudded the hall closet and I didn't do such a good job, so I will mud the screws and he can do all the seams which is much harder. Can you believe that our new kit cupboards will be delivered on Monday. I always wanted white cupboards and we went in on Sunday after church and all their white kit cupboards were on sale because they will be getting cabinets from another company. I gave them the measurements and they put everything in the computer and I have a sketch of what the cabinets will look like and what sections I need. So cool. We want to have the 2 kit walls done and a coat of kills on the wall before they bring them out. Can you beleive that??? Today was such a beautiful day. This morning it was 58 degrees this morning and was pleasent all day. So exhilerating!!! We took a small break around 11 this morning and were sitting on the back porch and a carolina wren flew into our hitch. Carl went out and ppulled out a nest, thinking nothing was in it, he put it on the ground and noticed a little chick, just born in the nest. He put it back in the hitch. Don't know if she will come back or not. We also saw a brilliant blue bunting today as well. Everyone is welcome to come and visit us and sit on the porch, front or back and we can just have a wonderful time talking. We so enjoyed Perrys visit and our visit with Carla and Bill as well. What a blessing they were to us. Love you all Mom

The Blessings

I have always thought I was a blessed mom and in the past number of years I know this is so true. Being in MMAP and listening to so many of our friends telling us some of the problems they have with their families, I just thank the Lord for each one of my family. First, each one of you love the Lord and and are involved with so many of the activities of your church and are prayer warriors and have interest in
spiritual things. Second, it is great to have a relationship with each one of you. You give us a call, sometimes just to see how we are doing, sometimes to give us a prayer request, sometimes to tell us about our grandchildren and sometimes just to say hello. Third, we can pray together as a family. Fourth, each one of you have been here to help us in making our house a home and to give us encouragement. Fifth, it is nice to know that sometimes during the year we will all try to get together as a family to enjoy each others company. Sixth, we all are united in prayer for any in our family that is going through difficult times. Seventh, each one of you have trained and brought up great children (our grandchildren) to be self sufficient and great kids. Eighth, each one of you are still with your first love through great times and hard times. These are just a few of the blessings I have being your mom. Especially when we are in MMAP, and we tell of ourselves and family, I find how truely BLESSED I am. Thank you Lord and thank you children. I love each one of you..Mom

The Price of Freedom

Sometimes we need to stop and antilize the price that has been paid for our freedom and also focus on the price Christ paid for our spiritual freedom and to see how simular they are.
1. Blood has to be shed for freedom. Christ shed His blood and many soldieres are shedding their blood - for freedom.
2. The sacrifice. Christ sacrificed His life - our soldiers sacrifice their lives as well as the sacrifice they pay being away from family and friends - for freedom.
3. The burden. Christ had the burden of all our sins - our soldiers carry a heavy burden of supplies on their backs while fighting - for freedom
4. Their willingness. Christ willingly went to the cross - our soldiers willingly go into service so we can be free.
5. The agony. The mental and physical pain that our Lord went through as well as our soldiers while in the field.
6. The Price. Christ paid the ultimate price - our soldiers sometimes pay a big price with loss of legs/arms and sometimes lives.
During this 4th of July season, let us thank the Lord for our soldiers who are paying a big price to fight for our freedom. Yes, and even freedom to worship our Lord and Savior, freedom to read the Bible, freedom to go to church, freedom to sing our Christian songs, freedom to pray. Freedoms that we have here in America. Thank you Lord that I was born in America and can enjoy all this freedom and thank you soldiers for fighting so I can enjoy all this freedom. SMG