Homecoming!

Tonight is Homecoming between Oak Grove and Odessa! It has been a rivalry for years! Oak Grove Panthers meet the Odessa Bulldogs tonight at Homecoming!!
On our local channel 9 each week has the Game Of the Week!! The station received 36,000 votes this week and 19,000 were for the Oak Grove - Odessa game!! This means that our local hero Lenny Dawson from the Glory Years of the Chiefs will be at the game tonight reporting live on the 10:00 news. I always went to all the games when my son Bill played football .#30

Kelly was in the band we went again to the games. She was a trumpet player.

This afternoon was the big Homecoming parade! Nancy just loves getting the candy and she had so much that all the kids threw to her from the floats. We took little sandwich bags and filled them with candy and took the extra out to the folks at the library. Karen snapped these pictures with her cell phone and I am not a computer whiz so I don't know how to make them larger!

Nancy and her candy

OG marching Band

Thankful Thursday!

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday for a Long Long time so maybe today I should!!I see the subject is on Masterpiece. I heard this story years ago and I don't know if I remember it correctly or not. But here goes. When a potter makes a beautiful pot he throw away the broken ones and the ugly ones, etc you get the idea..... until the piece is perfect then put his name on his piece.

God takes us when we are sinners and gives us His Name and calls us His Master piece before He even get started on us!!! I love that story. I am so happy that God never gave up on me!! He keeps changing me from what I was to what HE wants day by day! Praise His Name!!

I am so thankful for His love, grace, mercy goodness,life,light,kindness the list is endless like His Love!

This fall at the Ladies Bible Study we are going to start a 6 week study on a new book. Our leader Joan has chosen the book "When Wallflowers Dance" by Angela Thomas. Last spring we did a study by Beth Moore, Esther, "It tough being a Woman." I really did enjoy the weeks we were going through this book.

Joan is a wonderful teacher and taught school for 30 years or so and know how to bring out the best in everyone.I love going to this Bible study. I don't get to go to church as much as I would like to and this is just great that I can go to this. Karen comes over and is with Nancy so that I am able to attend! That is some thing I am so thankful about.

This summer at Sarah wedding I met a very nice lady and she told me she also goes to Joan's Bible study. It is such a small world.

This book is about becoming a woman of Righteous Confidence. Here is a little blurb about the book.

Using both Scripture and story, Angela Thomas addresses the attributes of "becoming" and the freedom we have in Christ to keep developing the characteristics that reflect our God-given longings..... Sounds like something we all can relate too.

Oops! I clicked when I should not have!!

We did have a great time this weekend at Santa Cali Gon Days! One of my comments on my last post by our friend Linda said, "I can NOT believe the "Kelly getting LOST" story didn't make the Santa Cali Gon history!!! That was another "special memory" from that festival! Whew - we're sure glad she got found!!! I also hope you "dedicated" some of that kettle corn y'all ate to me! I haven't had kettle corn in about two years. I LOVE it - so luscious!

Yes, it is true we lost Kelly, for a few minutes when she was around 3 years old! I had her hand in mine and let go for one minute and she was gone and all around us were hundreds of strangers!!Talk about panic!! We started yelling "Kelly " "Kelly" at the top of our lungs!! I think it was Karen who found her not to far from us and relief swept over us and we were so Thankful!! I think I got a stroller for her and we use that for the next few years!

But when Kelly was 16, Karen had got a bunch of stuff and asked her to take it to the car and she couldn't find it! Well!!! For a while we didn't think to much of it but has the minutes turned in to like 30 minutes and then longer, we started to think OH MY GOODNESS! Is Kelly lost again!! or worse! She didn't come and Karen said," I am going looking for her Mom" and then we saw her coming down the street! So we always say, Now Kelly don't get lost! She just gives us a dirty look, nowadays!! Oh yes, we did have kettle corn!! We did say I bet Linda would love some of this!!!

I was out messing with my blog!! Oops!! I hit the wrong key I think ! Or I didn't read it very close where it said colors will disappear if you click this button!! So instead of a nice blue blog I have white one and I am to afraid to click any more buttons until Karen can take a look, and do some damage control!!!

The true friends who we meet online
Are a very special kind ...
They pierce your shields and see within
The corners of your mind.

They're always there when you're in need
With their power to discern;
They feel your pain, they offer hope
And genuine concern.

We bare our souls, expose our hearts,
And show our inner fears;
And then before you know it ...
The keyboard's stained with tears.

And if we could see them through that screen,
Then no one could deny ...
That to be a TRUE online friend,
They too must surely cry.
~ Author Unknown ~

Thanks again, Denise for sending this to me! I do love all my online friends!

Happy Labor Day!

This is Labor Day Weekend and it is time again for Santa Cali Gon Days in Independence Mo.

The first Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival was held in 1940 to celebrate the unique heritage of the City of Independence as the starting point of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails. A second celebration was held after World War II in 1947. The event would not be held again until 1973. The festival, then called Three Trails Days, featured a beard and mustache contest, the Miss Independence pageant and a pioneer costume contest. In 1974 the festival was renamed Santa-Cali-Gon Days, a name originally penned by Velma Katschkowsky in a 1940 contest to name the festival. In 36 years the Festival has evolved into one of the nations premier festivals, drawing more than 225,000 people.

Some years we go and then we miss a few and then we go back up and enjoy all the festival has to offer! Now that Nancy and I can't walk long distances Karen and Kelly push us though the crowds in wheel chairs!! They are sweet, brave girls! There are huge tents full of all sorts of crafts that we love to look at but can't see it all!
It is raining here this morning and it is 63 degrees. I have been up there when it was so hot you could not enjoy it very much!! But we went any way! I have taken my grand kids different times through the years.
When Kelly and Brandon were teenager we parked our car at the RLDS headquarters and took the shuttle bus. Then the two of them decided to get me a shelf and a deal to hang quilts on! Wow, that was fun on the bus! But we did have fun! Nancy loves to go and eat everything she can!!







This past week Kelly came home with a stack of books for me and included in it was a wonderful book by Pamela Roswell Moore "Life Lessons from the Hiding Place". I finished reading it last night. I found it so inspiring.

Corrie ten Boom

I've never seen God,
But I know how I feel ...
It's people like you
Who make Him so real.

It seems that I pass Him
So often each day,
In the faces of people
I meet on my way.

He's the stars in the heaven,
A smile on some face,
A leaf on a tree,
Or a rose in a vase.

He's winter and autumn
And summer and spring,
In short, God is every
"Real," and wonderful thing.

I wish I might meet Him
Much more than I do ...
I would, if there were more
People like you!


~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

This lovely poem was sent to me by Denise over at Shorty Bears Place. Thank you Denise for thinking of me.

Hi on Friday Afternoon!

I know it isn't fall yet!! But our weather has been so nice and cool you would think it is September not August!! I think fall is my favorite time of the year.

I haven't been out visiting very much this week. I had a phone call from one of Nancy's Doctors office and they needed me to call Medicare. Yikes!! Who knew this was going to consume days!! Well, two of them!! I was on the phone from 9:30 until 1:00!! The day before, for a long time too!! All I can say is ....... The government wants to take over Health Care!! Well, YIKES again! I had to call her secondary insurance also.
Not much news with my ear next to the phone!! OK, I will stop ranting on and on!!
Yesterday was the last day for my visiting nurse. I am doing better and I don't need her to come by anymore!
I hope everyone is feeling good out there! Hope to get out and do some visiting today and tomorrow!

Please join us in wishing Grams a very, very Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mom I love you. - Karen

Love you Momma, Happy Birthday! -Kelly

A Few Wedding Pictures!!

Here are a few picture from Sarah and Kyle's wedding a couple of weeks ago!

Sarah getting ready

The Bride and Groom's Mothers

My son Bill and Sarah


Sarah and Kyle









It was so hot that day that I stayed in the church!
They drove around the block and came back for
photos. I know there isn't any of me! I had burned
my lip the week before and had a horrible looking
sore on my lip! It was bad enough I had to go to
the wedding looking like that I am not sharing
that picture with the world!






They had a great reception with all kinds of delicious food and a chocolate

fountain with fruit,pretzels, and marshmallows



Sarah was a beautiful bride and Kyle is a really nice guy!

Kyle and Sarah got home Sunday from their Honeymoon

in Hawaii ! She said it was very beautiful there. Sarah

teaches school and she has been really busy this week

getting her classroom ready for the first day of school.

A Woman Of Strength

A Women Of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...but a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly...but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...but a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

I got this in the mail from my friend Denise! I liked it so thought I would share it with it you all. Thanks Denise! I need all the poems and Bible verses I can find on strength!! When days are long and hard it is always good to know that HE holds us up!!!

Yesterday we went to Nancy's rheumatologist. She is doing better. She has to have labs every 6 weeks but the good news is we can have them done at our local Doctors office. If this is your first visit here, Nancy is my 47 years old special needs daughter who has Lupus.

I see that my last part of the Women of Strength has underlines on it and I don't know how to make that go away!!

It is raining here again today and it is 73 degrees in August!! We sure have had a cooler summer then what usually happens here in Missouri in August!!

I was over at Joyce's Creation In Progress and she has a cute post that I liked! Please go over and say Hi and see What you can learn from Noah Ark!

"A Time of Strengtherning" and a prayer request

"A Time Of Strengthening"

I want to build you up to be mighty warriors, but you cannot do it on your own. You need My presence, My grace and anointing upon you constantly. And the only way to obtain all that you need is by staying by My side and resting, waiting upon Me whenever you can. Make use of every moment that you can to rest before Me for mighty is the battle ahead, and you must be ready for it. So come before Me so that I can heal your heart from those things that have wounded you. Let Me bring to your memory anything you have suppressed of deep hurts, resentments, or unforgiveness that might hold you back. For you need to be clean vessels so that My power and glory can flow freely through you. Let Me set you free from any doubts or fears with My perfect love.
Once you reach that point you must be in Me as clean vessels, keep your guard up for the enemy will want you back in his clutch. But don't let him back in your thoughts, for the battle is won or lost in your mind. Keep covered with My armor of light and love. Be filled this day with My grace and truth. Reach out to Me so I can fill you to overflowing with My Spirit, which is a mighty force field that the enemy can't cross. The same Spirit that raised My Son from the dead dwells in you. You dwell with Me high above all power and principality. Use the Word against him like I did when I lived here on the earth.

Believe and receive My every promise made to you in My word for it is your sword. Stand behind My faith which protects your heart from the arrows sent from the evil one. Pray unceasingly in the Spirit to stay built up. And rejoice for we have won the battle. You fight from the place of victory. No matter what happens to your flesh, your spirit will soar in Me like the eagle.
And, having done all, stand in Me..for I am your Shield and Fortress

Denise over at Shortybears's Place sent this to me this week and I liked it so much I thought I would post it so I could share it with you all.

This morning I got this E-mail from my son- in- law's Mother, Lorita. I have known Elise and Shawn for years, and feel so bad he is suffering from this illness. Please pray for him. Thanks

Dear Friends,

I received this e-mail from my dear friend, Elise in Missouri, who's son, Shawn, who (I think) is about 35 yrs. of age now, he is suffering from AIDS and Hepatitis C thru bad blood. Only God has brought him through these many years. He was infected around 15 or 16, and God has spared him from death many times. Will you join with us in prayer that God will touch him and give him a word of wisdom as to what to do. It has been getting worse for him these last months.

"Dear Father, you created us in your image, and you know every part of our body and there is nothing you cannot do, we call upon you to send your Holy Spirit into Shawn's spirit and soul and body and touch him with your mighty power, he loves you so much. Lord, you have been so good to us to give us your Son, Jesus Christ, he willingly laid down his life for our salvation, and also for our healing. May your power raise him up and restore him to live as you planned from the beginning, that he might serve you and be used to see lives changed. We ask you for this healing in your Son, Jesus Christ name. Amen and Amen!" Below is the email from Elise.
===============================================================

Shawn is hurting so bad he can't get any sleep. His leg cramps get worse and worse. I don't know what he's going to do as the tonic water with quinine doesn't help anymore. After you go awhile with no sleep you feel like you can't survive.

Please tell all your friends to pray for Shawn with AIDS and Hept. C that he got thru bad blood transfusions....because of the Hemophilia.

I remember how devastated Shawn and his family were when they found out what happened after he received the bad blood transfusion.
My heart goes out to them .

Shower pictures!

I have posted some of the picture of my granddaughter Sarah's shower two weeks ago. I have had a time trying to post these pictures!! Blogger has not wanted to post any pictures. I have read on other peoples blogs how blogger wouldn't work but I had never had it happen to me. But today it did!! So these pictures are not in the order I would have liked them to be. I have pictures of the rehearsal and of the wedding. The wedding was last Saturday afternoon and when I can I will post pictures of the wedding!! It was so beautiful.
After the shower Sarah put on the hat and glasses Kelly gave her to have at the bachelorette party. Since we live 60 miles away Kelly stayed and they had it after the shower.
Kelly was writing down the list of gifts and who gave them to the bride to be!!
This gift was from her Aunt Carrie to put wedding pictures into and enjoy for a long time

Sarah is short and tiny so someone gave her a step stool so she can get into her cupboards in her new kitchen in her new house that Kyle built for her!!!

She got a lot of lovely gifts!
This is when we were playing games!! Sarah had to answer questions about the groom and if she didn't know the answer she had to add another piece of bubble gum! She missed a few and you can see by the next picture she had a mouthful!!
Kelly giving her one more piece of bubble gum!!!
This is Karen's BBQ apron she sewed little items on and we had to remember what she had sewed on there. She wore this for a long time but I still couldn't remember everything!!
The cake!! It was pretty but not what Karen and Kelly ordered! It was suppose to have daisy's for the flowers. When they picked up the cake it was to late to change it!! Someone picked up a cake with daisys I am sure!!
This is all the pictures I could get loaded!! When I can, I will get the rest of the pictures posted!!

I'm Blessed!

By Dorothea Barwick


When the heat comes on to warm my skin,and there's peace and contentment abiding within

When I have plenty of time to meditate and prayer see the rainbow before it fades away
When I have nourishment to drink and to eat,and clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
When my mate tells me that I am loved,and I send thanks to God's in His heaven above
When I have enough money for my bills to pay,and from the doctor's office I could stay away
When a son or daughter runs to my side,with a happy expression and arms open wide
When the dishes are done and the night descends,and there's no one to whom I must make amends
And even when the day starts out wrong with heavy heart and no joyful song
And when my body fights against aches and pains,and there's only storm clouds bringing more rain
When the road of life gets rocky and steep,and my feet slip and slide 'til I fall and weep
I'M STILL BLESSED!
When the night turns cold and the fire goes out,and the enemy tries to get me to doubt
I'M STILL BLESSED!
When death and sorrow have taken their toll and I need comfort way down in my soul
I'M STILL BLESSED!
How do I know?
Because these are the times when God's nearest to me,when I put aside pride and from temptation flee.
When the peace of His presence fills me inside,and He wipes away all of the tears I have cried.
When I know in my heart without fear or doubt that God will restore my joy and my shout
I'M STILL BLESSED!

~ A Note from the Author ~
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.
If today it seems like life is just one battle or disappointment after another to endure, just remember YOU ARE STILL SO BLESSED!

I received this lovely poem in an E-mail from Denise over at Shorty Bear's Place this morning.

I just love pink roses and what a beautiful poem this is about how blessed we are!!!

Thanks Denise!!