December 1, 2007

What a day! And a great one it was!

Our church was on family retreat in the mountains this weekend. Obviously, we didn't go. I knew there would be a lot of our bus workers gone on the retreat, so the kids and I got up and went to bus ministry. It was so much fun. We had a blast. It was good being in the midst of the little ones, hugging them and loving them to Jesus. What sweeties they are!

Playing


This is Brother Crotts. He's one of the new comers to working in the bus ministry.


Singing


After bus ministry, we came home and rested a little bit before leaving for Rest Home ministry.

They had a very pretty tree decorated and set up in the sitting room.

It wasn't long and our people from church began gathering for the meeting.

Mrs. Catfish, as we call her.

And her sister Bullet. There's a reason for these knicknames. I'll explain them later.

Daddy was in mid-sentence when I snapped this one. Looks like he's trying to pucker. LOL

Mrs. Massmore is here in one of her many hats. You can read about her hats here. You really need to read her story if you haven't done that. It's cute as to why she wears hats all the time. She is a member of our church and a resident here at this particular home.

This lady never wants me to take her picture, but she said I could this time.

Brother Lipsey made it to meetin'!

As the residents piled in, young Brandon passed out a small gift for everyone in attendance. The residents thought that was sweet.

He gave each of us a little nativity. He didn't know I collected them.

Mom and Bruce played a couple of songs to get us started while we waited for Brother Mark to show up.

Daddy preached on the Shining Light and we heard a couple of testimonies from people of when they first "saw the Light." That was a blessing.

Justin and Hannah were at a Sweet 16 party for a young lady in our church. This party was held, once again, at the home of Mike and Susan. Same home where the Christmas shower was and where I took pics of three of their five Christmas trees.

Here is tree #4. This tree is upstairs in the game room.

Susan is a Hospice nurse and escaped to the porch to do some paper work and phone work on a patient. She's sitting outside of her bedroom where in the window you can vaguely see tree #5.

But guess what.....since the shower, tree #6 has made its way into their home, gracing the staircase to the gameroom. This is the Candy Cane tree. Lovely, yes?

The birthday gril was Monica and she was here and there and everywhere and I never did get a picture of any of the kids. But I can tell you, there were lots that showed up. My Justin and Jeremy were actually leaving when we were walking in. They were spending the night at Jeremy's grandparent's home.

Tomorrow will be another busy day. So, stay tuned! They'll be lots of pics and stories this month!

When I was in the second grade, my mother was in a very serious car accident that nearly took her life. Daddy was testifying about when someone, he didn't even know who, had come and taken us kids to watch over us while he was with mom. He had come home from the hospital and was in the house alone praying when he felt the Hand of God.

Mom called Friday and said she had acquired some tickets for a spaghetti dinner at our local high school. Bruce was working and Justin was actually already at the school for a football game with a friend and his family from church. So Hannah, Harrison, and I waited for mom and dad to get to the school.

Isn't she sweet?


Him too? :)


The school was Kings Mountain High School. This is where Bruce graduated high school from.


Mom misbehaved in the school and they put her behind bars.


Like Grandmother, like grandson...What am I going to do with these two?

The dinner was wonderful, plus it was free. You can't beat that! And we came to realize that my mother knows everyone in Kings Mountain. There were probably three hundred people in the cafeteria eating and she knew about all of 'em from the bank. lol We had a lot of fun.

Saturday was Rest Home ministry, as I mentioned in the post below, and we had such a good time. The hightlight of the evening was seeing daddy there preaching again. It was so good. Yes, I took a picture of him praying. But it was right when he started praying. So it doesn't count.


Mom enjoyed herself when we all sang I'll Fly Away.


Mrs. Massmore and Mrs. Gail were having a good time too. I featured Mrs. Massmore in a Faith Baptist Senior Moment. She's a member of our church and a resident at the rest home we visited Saturday.


Justin, Brandon, and Gary played the trumpet. They played I Surrender All.


Mrs. Doris sang a song I have never heard before. It's an old song, and I do hope she does it again sometime.


And Brother Ray sang In The Cross. This particular hymn has always been a favorite of mine and I just cry everytime I hear it.


Even Celine got up and sang. She grabbed the mic and sang Jesus Loves Me. She did so good. I hope she has the opportunity to sing again. Somehow I think she will.


Afte the service, the residents like to hear us sing and play the instruments. We spent an extra 45 minutes to an hour with them and they just loved it.


Carissa was even there. Nothing makes an elderly person smile bigger than a beautiful, curly-headed younin'.


Singing here is Mrs. Sylvia, Brother Ray, Brother Mike, and Brother Andrew, with Brother Mark at the piano.


This lady was about to bust if she didn't hurry and get a hug from Carissa who was dancing to the music. lol


These ladies were so sweet. I just loved talking with them. Especially the one in the yellow. Hilarious!


The boys were playing with the piano after the service. Justin was having fun with his trumpet as they played What A Friend We Have In Jesus. You can click here to hear that.


Sunday was our church's 55th Anniversary. We had a homecoming meal after the morning service and it was so good. Bruce looked at all the food and decided he was just going to get a small spoonful of each thing. By the time he got to the table it looked like he was holding Mount Rushmore. LOL


Daddy enjoyed his time too.


Sunday night, I had nursery with Cassie. She's sporting her pink polka dots.


I came out to grab some pictures of our bus kids. They sang songs and quoted scripture. It's always sweet when they come up to do that. They sang one song that was so sweet. It was just a wonderful song of worship. It's called Lord, I Want To Love You More. Click here to hear that.


When Sunday morning service and lunch was over, we went to the fair grounds to pick up Harrison's check. He grinned form ear to ear when they gave him his whole $1.00 for participating in the exhibits.

Switching Gears

For a couple of weeks I've been struggling with a decision. My heart has been really heavy about it and last night I told our church secretary that I was stepping away from the bus ministry. This was not easy for me. As a matter of fact, it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. It wasn't difficult to tell her, but it was difficult in the sense that I've come to love these little children.

However, with my dad's health the way it is right now, I've been praying and asking the Lord to help me be a blessing and encouragement to him. The Lord laid it on my heart to work with him in the rest home ministry. Not only will it be a blessing to him, but I will receive blessings also as I sit under his preaching and get to know the sweet people he has come to know at the rest home.

I look forward to sneaking down to the bus ministry on occassion and giving hugs or passing out a meal. But for now, I'm moving on to the rest home ministry which I know will bring many blessings of its own.

Bus Ministry Water Day 2007

The bus ministry annual water day was this Saturday. All of the children were so excited and ready to play in the water.
While the busses were running, the worker's children were playing in the nursery.

Sweet Alanna...she's Meghan's little girl


Celine...she was the most excited that day. After bus ministry we would have a party for her birthday! WOO HOO!!


Harrison


I love this picture of Naomi looking through the tube.


Carissa and Hannah


Cutie pie, Joseph...Meghan's youngest....for now. HA!


The smallest water slide is up and ready


The water guns are ready to be loaded


Our homemade slide is ready to be slid on


Katherine, Nicole, and Cheyenne wait in one of the classrooms for the busses to arrive.


Bradley is one of our Crown College boys. He's a former member of the Sons of Faith and a very fine young man. Bruce and I think a lot of Bradley.


Justin, "Todd," and Justin C waiting on the busses


The BIG slide arrived while we were having Sunday school. The children could hardly contain themselves when they started blowing it up.


After their Sunday school lesson, they were fed pizza and released into the wet n' wild.





Clayton fixing one of the noodles that came loose. Clayton is the son of Greg and Janet and great at fixing things.






Killing each other to get up the ladder for the slide. LOL


Filling up the water guns


Bruce already had his filled and was squirting the kids while they filled up.


Naomi, very wet!

She decided to go down the homemade slide. The little slide was oiled up with baby oil and water. SWOOSH!




Brother Chris and Brother Ken


"TODD"



Haili, Meghan's oldest. I think her face says it all about the slide. Don't you?



Brother Chris and Carissa


LOL Amanda and Pam




Some of the children enjoyed swinging in between running from slide to slide.




Fun times over! Here they are gathering their socks, shoes, and other belongings.


Hannah taking one last trek down the homemade slide


Harrison


Amanda and Carissa


Celine found some handcuffs in the bathroom. We have no idea where they came from.


Once the bus kids were delivered safe and sound back to their homes, we all gathered back at the fellowship building for Celine's birthday party. Her grandparents and other family showed up too.







The Birthday girl!!!


Her cousin


Another cousin


Her Aunt and Carissa


Celine opening the baby we got her


We had a really good day and made lots of memories. Not to mention five souls saved!!! The devil tried to upset the day but God used Brother Daniel's message to bring five more souls to Him. You just can't beat that!