Be still and know that I am God

Lord, is that you?
Can you see me down here?
Thank-you for the snow... but I am having trouble finding my way...
I feel like the path that was there has been covered
Will You help me?
Could you just walk through the snow in front of me so that I could
Walk in Your ways?
I feel Your sunshine warming my skin...
And I thank-you sweet Jesus
For this moment of peace in the wilderness.

JOY

When Lacey took this picture of my NolaJean, I thought it was a familiar smile. Then I remembered my JaciAnna having a picture that was real similar. So I dug around and I found it.
...and as I am looking
I can see that they each have the same kind of smile...
and their hats are bending their ears...
and I have the same kind of smile I always have when I see them -
a big ole gramma smile, a smile overflowing with joy.
Jesus,
Can I tell you about today?
Can I tell you that there is just nothing better than the family and friends that I have? Will you listen when I tell you how wonderful each one is? Will you hold each one of them tight through the night and give them a kiss in the morning when I can't be there? Protect them and give them peace, the peace that passes all understanding - be real to each one of them so that they would know that they are never alone... You are there with them...
and so am I...
loving them through my prayers to You.
and I know You understand - that sometimes when I think of them
I can barely contain my JOY! -
and when I think about You,how you picked me up, turned me around and set my feet on solid ground...
It makes me want to SHOUT!

Butterfly kisses

And soon another one will go down the Isle. Can you hardly believe it Curt? How about you grams? It was just eight years ago that Emily walked down the Isle to meet Chris Harren. Walking to the song Butterfly kisses. And now on April 16th 2011 our Linsey Kay will marry Josh Johnson, and she will walk down the Isle to meet her husband. Walking to Butterfly kisses...
seems like just yesterday she was "spitting" on the side walk -
oh that's right - she was just spitting yesterday!
(see blog "dirty stories")
BUTTERFLY KISSES

There's two things I know for sure:
She was sent here from heaven and she's daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and
I thank God for all the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all
For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."
In all that I've done wrong I know I must
have done something right to deserve a hug
every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet 16 today
She's looking like her momma a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.

But I remember
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer: sticking
little whit flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy, But if you
don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time."
With all that I've done wrong I must have done
something right to deserve her love every morning
and butterfly kisses at night.

All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
STanding in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not
sure - I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."

She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"

Oh with all that I've done wrong I must have
done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterfly
kisses-I coldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.

I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses.

I pray that this day will be as wonderful as we have all imagined.
That the Lord will prepare you for your life together and that He will always
Bless and keep you. That your wedding day will be the beginning of a wonderful
life together with Christ as the head of your household.
I pray that He will be with your dad and I
As we let yet another one go...
To start a life of your own...
When you fall - know that we will always be here - praying for you both and loving you so very much and that when you get back up again you will be a stronger person - stronger couple.
But no matter what you will always be
Our little girl
This is what love is!!!

Luna

I have an obsession with "Bear in the Big Blue House". I have now shared this problem with Carol, and she is busy using her skills on the internet to order us (and our grand-kids) up new videos. She got a great deal recently... five Bear videos for $14.99! WOW!! There is something about this bear...
he has a gentle voice and yet he is big...
he has big feet and yet he can dance!!!
When he first comes on the screen you see his big nose and he is sniffing... he says "Hey everyone... (sniff, sniff, sniff), is that you?"
He right away starts things out with something good, letting you know that you are going to have a good time, dancing with shadow, and learning how to clean with tuttle, and how to go potty. Hey, everyone goes potty, there's no-pressure, when-you're ready... everybody does it! It is all a part of the adventure of growing up!
And after you spend some time learning, and having fun...
It is time to end your day together - bear shuts off the lights in the Big Blue House and goes out onto the porch to meet with Luna...
"Is that you Luna"
"Well hello Big Bear, did you have fun in the Big Blue House today?"
and then Bear goes over the day with Luna
and they sing together the "Good Bye" song...
as Luna
dances and smiles in the sky.
Good night Big Bear
Good night Luna!
See you again when Carol gets her $14.99 plus shipping internet order!

Heaven, another moment

Today she died. I came to work at 8:00 am to see the Hurst outside of LTC. They came to pick up her body and move it to the final resting place. Her name tag was taken off the wall, her pictures removed and all of her belongings packed up and moved out by 10:30 am. Her files with her weight, height, meds she took, health problems she had... all wrapped up in a neat little binder - marked with a red sticker that says deceased. If you were to come in here and not know... you would have no idea that she was just alive. She was just smiling, ringing her green bell, walking the halls for exercise, visiting with family, playing bingo, listening to the 4:00 devotion. Working in the Loving Tender Care facility, it is hard for me to see the cemetery as your final resting place. I don't believe it for a minuet. I have come to see death as the beginning for God's people. The beginning of what they were preparing for here on earth. Each life is so important, so fragile here. The way your blood pumps through your system, causing your heart to beat, your organs to function. And then something happens, you slow down, you get tired, you come to stay at LTC. They say that when you come to a nursing home, you pretty much know it is your final home here on earth. Not to many of the people get to go back to their homes, back to the life they had before things started slowing down.
If I had my way... I would make this phase in life the most important! Kind of like the LAST HARRAH!(Which is the name of the nursing home that Carol and I are planning on starting some day) Leave them laughing, full of joy...
so that when the mortician comes to pick me up I have a smile on my face.
And,
instead of people thinking this is their final home... they think of LTC as their resting place. The place to stop off and get your things in order before you head off to your new life. The place where you can still make a difference. Those that care for you need to know what you know...
I don't want to forget
before they pack up all my stuff in a box...
I want to let everyone
know just what this life here has meant to me! If they don't know what I know... I want to pass it on
tell them
hold them
love them
so that when it is their turn to come to rest - they will know what to do.
I want everyone to know that their life is so much more important than that box of stuff that follows them...so much more important than the ink on the paper. If it would have been just you, or just me on that day in Calvary... He would have done the same thing.
He would have reached out His arms as far as the east is from the west...
and He would tell you...
"I love you so much, that I died for you, so that you may have life eternal... I have conquered death, I have overcome the grave... you are mine...
WELCOME... to the place I have prepared for you!
I know your there Maggie...
I hear bells ringing!
"Well done my good and faithful servant"

(Names and places have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

White Elephant Gifts

I just can't help myself about these white elephant gifts from our crazy foot wear party! So I am thinking maybe if I write it up it will help me to get over it and to quit laughing! When you wake up at 2:00am, your headed to the bathroom to pee, and you start laughing... you know that maybe you are enjoying your self to much?

It just made me so happy the effort that all the "young yellow boots" put into the party this year. They all brought their own gifts, crazy foot wear and orderve! I think they had more fun planning out the stuff than the yellow boots do, now this is what I call passing on traditions!

We had everything being passed around that day, from left to right, right to left and back again! There was nice things, fun things, non-practical things and CRAZY things! The one that has kept me in stitches the most was the box of candy that Du ended up with. So, he goes to open his gift and here is this pretty box of chocolates. It was the day before Valentines, say, that was a good idea!
THEN
he goes to open the box, maybe pass us all a piece of chocolate...
and inside the box
is a bunch of half eaten chocolates, some pieces totally gone...
and a picture of Miranda and Jeremy with chocolate all over their faces...
WELL
who would have thought of this?
No getting around it it was just plain ole' funny!
Even a week later...
at 2:00 am in the morning!
Thank you to everyone for all the fun!!

Daddy's girls

I always used to tease Curt about having a son. All of the dogs we had were male! We started out with Banjo, then Tippy and Molly who were short lived, we got Ebony from grandpa Moose when the girls were all small... and then came the one with the most male testosterone... MOCHA. But, deep in my heart I always knew how happy he was with all his girls. He loved each of them the same only in a different way! I pray that when we are gone from this place that Daddy's girls will always know how much he loved them and how much they completed who he was. On April 16th he will be giving his second baby "away". Giving her to marriage and letting go of that bond... but as he lets each one go...
something even stronger seems to happen...
as they grow up and realize they will always be daddy's little girls!