First in the pool!

Cookie decided to try out the pool at our new house on Friday night.  I was out in the backyard and she was across the yard on the other side of the pool.  All of a sudden, I hear a "kerplunk" and splashing!  I turned around and Cookie was dogpaddling in the very deepest part!  All I could think was, "OH, NO!  I am going to have to jump into that freezing water!! YIKES!"  Thankfully, she paddled over near the side and I rescued her.  She was shivering and shook up!  All I can imagine is that she thought it was something to walk on and she was coming my direction.  Our other pool was an above-ground one, so there was no way for her to fall in.

I think she has learned her lesson.  Just because she is a part of a Pentecostal family, it doesn't mean she can walk on water!

Gas Prices

I'm amazed at how excited I am to see gas under $2.00!!!  LOL!  I'm probably not optimistic enough to believe it will keep going down or that it will even stay this low, but I'm excited about it right now.  Just this week my car was down to "8 miles left on this tank of gas" so obviously I had to fill it up.  The task of watching the number go up and up and up over the past several months has not been enjoyable - it was taking $45 and more to fill up my Avalon!!  I can't even imagine having a truck or Suburban or something like that!!  Anyway, this week I paid less than $30 to fill up from empty!!!  I was so excited I had to snap a couple pictures.  LOL! 

I hope you all are having a great week.  We are!  We closed on our house this past Monday, so we now will begin the remodel/redecorating of another place.  Of course, most, if not all of the house work will be delayed until after the installation services next week.  We are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel with some of the remodel at the church.  It's looking great.  It's amazing to me how just a new coat of paint can change a room!

And... just like the new coat of paint can make a room beautiful again, God's touch can change a life so dramatically that it looks brand new.  We are watching some amazing transformations take place in the lives God is touching.  I love to see a new or re-newed person soaking in the presence of God.

Okay, so I know this post is quite a bit of rambling, so I'll leave you with a quote my Dad always loved to say to me.  This has absolutely NOTHING whatsoever to do with anything I've already said in this blog, I just thought of it and wanted to share it with you.

"If a task is once begun, never leave it 'til it's done.

Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all!"

Kids Fun Fest Slide Show

This slide show is especially for Mandy!! I'm sure the rest of you will enjoy the pictures, but she really wanted to see the fun fest, so... here you go!!

Random News...

Cameron returned home from Soulwinner's Bootcamp pumped up!  We received this picture in an email while he was there, with the words, "I saved these."  Talk about exciting!  We are so glad that he got to attend.  Wednesday night I had him testify to the church and he did awesome.  He is growing up and this experience was one that will stay with him for his whole life.  Thanks to the Hurst's for their hospitality while he was there and allowing him to be a part of this.

We received these flowers for Pastor's appreciation month the other day.  They were beautiful!  Thanks so much for your love and for showing it.

Thursday night was the Mission service and we had a great service and meal.  Seems like all my pictures have Cameron in them!  We had a great time and the people were so appreciative.

There was also a worknight at the church going on and we joined that after the service.  There were many people there putting our Kid's Fest together.  The Fun Fest turned out great tonight!  I'm sure others will be blogging pictures and details, but we had an incredible turnout!!!  It looks like we had over 150 visitors!  The parking lot and fellowship hall were covered with people.  We will be giving 4 bicycles away on Sunday morning during Xtreme.  They entered their names tonight, but have to be present Sunday to win.  We are expecting great things this weekend.  Todd and Julie Shahan did an awesome job putting this event together and we had plenty of games and goodies for everyone who came!

We are setup for the first Sunday of our Multiple Session Electives.  Our adults can choose from different classes.  I am excited to see how it all turns out!  

More to come...

Pastor's Appreciation

Wednesday night Life Tabernacle surprised us with a "pizza party" after service for Pastor's Appreciation month. It was so fun to come home to a party! It gave us a chance to catch up with everyone and just have that special time of fellowship. We received many cards, some gifts and MY favorite cake - from Margie's Sweet Shop!!!

Life Tabernacle, we love you and are humbled to serve in this position. You all are AWESOME! Thank you for honoring us this week!!

Home...

It feels so good to be "home."  Our flight home was good and we enjoyed the company of Bro. and Sis. Buddy Guidroz - they sat in the seats right in front of us!  Thanks to Mom and Dad for taking care of the boys while we were gone.  We never have to worry about them and it is such a great blessing!  They even attended the Gaither Homecoming in Wichita Falls while we were out of town.  Karla was really bummed that they were coming to our town and she wasn't going to get to attend.  Dad was really bummed because it was FOUR HOURS LONG!  LOL!  

The church remodeling is coming right along.  There was a LOT of work that happened while we were gone and it is looking awesome!  Thanks to everyone who has been working so hard.  It is appreciated!

The suitcases have been emptied and some of them are being filled again - for Cameron's trip to California!  He flies out of Oklahoma City this afternoon for a weekend of boot camp- for soulwinner's.  We are excited that he will get to be a part of it all!

The Pastoral Installation is coming quick!  Plans are underway and it looks like it will be a great celebration.  The invitations went out and now we are trying to figure out who was left out!!  It is crazy when you are trying to get all the addresses together, you always overlook someone.  If we did that and you are reading this, please know that everyone is welcome!  Why not come join us?

Got to get to work... we're home!

In Greensboro

We arrived in Greensboro at 11:35pm on Tuesday night.  Our plane was a smaller one, with two seats on one side and one on the other - only 54 passengers!  My wife was not happy with my choice before the trip, but actually it was quite smooth.  

We attended a class all day Wednesday.  The class was taught by Cindy Miller and was something we will be using in our church.   Prepare/Enrich is a system to help guide couples from pre-marriage throughout married life.  We attended with our good friends, Rodney and Stacey Shaw. (below)

We attended a lot of church and it was great! The music was outstanding and the preaching so moving. The messages were very strengthening.  We enjoyed being with friends and family. We did not take a lot of pictures for some reason!  But, we do have a few here...

Dinner with the Guidroz's and Elms'.

Karla attended the Minister's Wives Breakfast and enjoyed the time with her friends and family.  (Stacey Shaw and Connie Bernard)

Sis. Shoemake, Sis. Keyes and Sis. Elms.

We went to the Farmer's Market for lunch with Bro. Bernard Elms, the Keyes', and our family.

We did a lot of laughing!!! LOL!

The crusade on Sunday night was awesome with over 300 receiving the Holy Ghost!

Brenda Elms and Savannah Elisio at Steak and Shake!  We enjoyed seeing our friends who are not pictured...  Gary and Mindy Randol, Mark and Diane Green, Kent and Tracy Smith, Carl and Veta McLaughlin, Bob and Sarah Brott, Glen and Melody Elisio, David and Linda Elms, the Russo's, Kevin and Jackie Prince, the Ensey clan, the Keatings, Danny and Barbara Johnson, the Wilbanks, Darren and Ginger Gilbert, Jason and Karesha Watts,  Robbie Eades, Greg Henry, Jonathan McClintock, the Colegroves and on and on....

This part of the country is furniture headquarters as you can tell by this store!  This chest of drawers would need a pretty large house to be useful!! :)  We will be flying out tomorrow.  We are looking forward to being back home and seeing everyone there!

Fortune Cookies

Our Internet is down at home. We leave for General Conference on Tuesday. In other words, I'm not sure how much blogging we'll get to in the next little while, but I ran across something interesting today at lunch.

I don't put much stock in fortune cookies. I just like to read them for a grin. Today my fortune read, "Linger over dinner discussions this week for needed advice." Keep in mind...we are headed to conference! I know there will be MANY prolonged dinner discussions this week. I can't wait to see our friends and family and enjoy those lengthy conversations.

As a young person, I remember being frustrated in having to wait while my Dad enjoyed these discussions. Now... I wait as my husband does the same thing. LOL! Who would have thought almost 20 years ago that I would be waiting on my husband to finish TALKING?!!!

So... take some time this week to linger over a dinner discussion - even if it is just your family. Those meals are always the most memorable, and you never know what you'll learn.

Have a great week!!

Happy Birthday Cameron!

Cameron turns 17 today! Whew! Where has the time gone? We are so proud of the fine young man he has become. He has been so respectful and flexible about what God has been doing in our lives.  In fact, both of the boys have done great and are excelling in school.  We are blessed.

We definitely surprised him with his gift— an iPhone! He has always had our hand-me-downs for a phone, but now he has a newer one than both of his parents.

Cameron will be flying to California on the 22nd to be a part of the Soulwinner's Bootcamp.  We had saved up enough rewards that he is flying there and back free.  This is his first trip alone!  Be in prayer for him and this great event in Hollister at The Pentecostal Church.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAMERON!  

We love you.

And...a great big Happy Birthday to Andrew and Alayna Elms.

The 10th is a family birthday!

No other name...

We had another great weekend, with another one receiving the Holy Ghost!  Today concludes our services with Evangelist Greg Henry and we had a wonderful time with him here.  We missed his family, as they have been sick, but the Word has been right for the church.  The choir preached tonight! :-)  They sang a new song for us...."Jesus, most beautiful name that I know, you're the exalted one....No other name I know...."

I can't imagine life without God.  How could I make it?  He makes life worth living.  Without the Name, I would have no power, no hope, nothing to bank on.  There is nothing is this old world that you can really depend on anymore.  

Here's the song by the POA choir.  You may have heard it already, but it is powerful.