Is this the same mom & dad who raised us??...

Our grown children who now have their own children, have said on more than one occasion...

"What on earth has happened to you?"

Of course, the reason for their comment is because we are now the grandparents of their children! If you are a grandparent, this blog needs no explanation! In case you aren't, let me try to explain...

When you are raising your own children:

... you know that YOU are the one responsible for them to 'get it right'

... you also know that you are way underqualified for the job, so you are on 'high alert' for behavior that is not what you think it should be, and quick to jump in and correct or 'straighten out' that behavior, in case that child misses the lesson to be learned and they develop a more serious problem because you didn't correct it in the first place! :)

One of the great joys of being a grandparent is the knowledge that the buck no longer stops with you!

So now... instead of trying to make everything that crosses their path or yours a 'teaching moment'... you have the freedom to enjoy the fact that they said or did something funny and you can smile or even laugh out loud about it, rather than jump on the bandwagon and immediately correct something that wasn't serious to begin with...

You can also let them inhale spagetti noodles while the tomato sauce flies all over the table without telling them that they weren't being raised in a barn!

Our kids, as parents of their own kids, are making our hearts proud...

From our vantage point... things do look a little different. Majoring on small issues has lost it's intensity. I don't mean let them get by with anything... but you know what I mean...

What has become really important to me is to affirm each child as the opportunities come up, and to not preach, but ask God and let Him direct me to 'a word fitly spoken'... and He does!

We are praying that each of our 6 will really KNOW that Jesus is their best friend, the friend who is always there and will never be anything but faithful. They have all accepted Him and are being lead daily by their own parents along the path of instruction.

As recently as this weekend, the doorbell rings, about 6 times... and little faces and hands were plastered to the glass, peeking through to be sure we were home. That will forever be one of my favorite sights as we both make a bee-line for the door!

So... it's true... we really aren't the parents they were raised with, but neither will our kids be when it's their turn!!


"But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children..." (Ps.103:17) KJV

I saw my name in my mother's prayer journal...

I have been reading over some of my mother's journals. Most of you probably already know she was a minister's wife, raising the 3 of us through the years, often while dad was traveling and preaching. Now that she and dad are in heaven, I find myself reaching for what they both wrote down through their lifetimes. I have several of her journals and many of my dad's writings, some in book form.

Everything they wrote is dear to me... but when I saw MY name in her prayer journals, many times over, it struck deep into my own heart.

I know that some of her deepest lessons in faith came from trusting God for the 3 of us as her children. Some of the places where I see my name... when I needed God's correction and she needed His help... when she asked for specific guidance in how to handle a struggle, or when she was trying to reach a teenage girls heart and needed His strength ... another place was when I had Spinal Menningitis and the question of whether I would live or die was up to God. She knew that, and she surrendered my life to Him during those days. She told me later that she literally had to 'give me up', to the Lord not knowing if I would live or die.

It's all there, hand written in her journals, there are even some blurs where I have no doubt a tear fell...

The places where my name appears, were added to and crossed out through the years. Much later, our children's names were added to those books.... I can tell you that one of the things all 3 of us found that we missed the most, after they went to heaven, was KNOWING THAT THEY WERE PRAYING FOR US!!! ... I always knew they prayed for us, but when those prayers were gone from this life, we felt such a sense of loss. It's as though our 'safety net' had gone with them...

I'm so thankful that through the years, my mom and I were able to share many of those prayer requests... and the answers.

The reason I share this is to remind each of you, and myself, that OUR prayers for our children matter! They matter to us, to our children, and mostly, they matter to God. He hears the heart of His own, and He responds to those precious prayers, every single one of them!

So don't be discouraged if you haven't yet seen the results you so long for. He is listening, and every desire of your heart as a mom, dad or grandparent is being recorded in HIS book!

But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children's children--To such as keep His covenant [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it] and to those who [earnestly] remember His commandments to do them [imprinting them on their hearts]. (Psalm 103:17,18 Amplified)

I remember mama...AGAIN...

When I was growing up, there was a tv series by that name, it reminded us of her...

We never really called her mama... we always called her mother...

It's been 9 years, and on Mother's Day... my memories of her still bring sorrow and joy...

The life she lived, the joy she shared, the mother she was.... in this world, will always leave a big hole in my heart...

What I learned about God, about life and about myself, were lessons taught to me by how she lived and who she was...

She was deeply committed to God, my dad and the 3 of us... we were her life...
She also ...

was a women's speaker at christian conferences...

baked and shared 1000's of cookies in her lifetime, for us, and to give away, by the beautiful plateful...

Lead many, many people to faith in Jesus Christ...

Prayed... and then prayed some more, and kept praying all through her life...

She was a Registered Nurse, and worked the night shift, even as she raised the 3 of us, and usually while dad was in another part of the world preaching...

She was always on the lookout for someone who might need a helping word or hand, and gave it quickly and gladly...

I think my very best memories of her were her JOY and laughter and humor, we all called her 'the fun one'...

She had it together, and she passed down to us a legacy for a lifetime! Oh how I miss her and love her!

My mom...

My sister... my best friend...

We are like 2 peas in a pod!


She has always been there, and she has been my best friend since we were kids together.

In our 'grown up' years, she has been like the flip side of myself.

And yet... we are 2 different people, each with their own thoughts and hopes and dreams, , but always on the same page in our hearts...


There is very little in our lives that we have not shared... verbally, emotionally, spiritually and DAILY! Oh the joy of a phone plan that allows limitless talking about everything and nothing!! I know for a fact that both of our husbands are extremely grateful for cell phone free minutes...

She has a heart of gold, an unbeliev-
able spirit of giving, and a loyalty that is unquest-
ionable... always!...

While we were growing up, she was the obedient and 'good' sister... I was the 'independent' and mischievous one, while our brother just tolerated both of us!

There is not anything I can add to what she already means to me...


a sister like mine, is a gift from God. I didn't choose her, I had no choice in the matter, but if I had....

She would be THIS sister, no other!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best sister in the world! (April 1st)

A brand new Christian...

This is CREW, our youngest grandchild. Crew has loved Jesus for a long time, but last night, he accepted Jesus into his heart!

Dedra, his mom, and Tommy, his dad (our son) had the joy of leading him to the Lord...

In an email, later, Dedra said:

"We wanted to let you all know that the BIGGEST BLESSING OF ALL happened tonight! Crew asked Jesus into his heart !!!! He just turned 5 years old February 1st and now he can celebrate his 2nd BIRTHday.Thank you Jesus!!!

Tonight as we were saying bedtime prayers he began again to ask many questions and talk and talk about Jesus in detail.He explained the life and death and resurrection of Jesus and how you ask Him into your heart and WHAT that means in such detail that I told Tommy...." I think he just might become an evangelist!"

He asked if he could ask Jesus into his heart. So Tommy, Crew and I knelt and prayed. He prayed with Tommy and afterwards asked to pray on his own. He said "Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and thank you that you came into my HEART!"As I tucked him in he said "I am a real Christian now Mommy and I can tell all my Friends about Jesus!"AMEN Crew! AMEN!!!!!"...


Tommy will have the joy of baptizing both Crew and his sister Lainey in a few weeks. Trust me... there WILL be pictures to share!!


What a way to begin the week. Now all 6 grandkids have accepted Christ and are being taught how to follow Jesus.

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (Is.54:13)