Vacation Update

We had a wonderful week in the mountains of Tennessee last week. The temperature never reached above 80 degrees and in spite of a few nights of rain, our tents did not leak. Praise the Lord! Our electric blankets and heater kept us warm at night--yes, you did read that right. My philosophy of camping is "If momma ain't happy, nobody's happy" so electric blankets and heaters are a must have.

We spent as much time as possible relaxing at our campsite which was right on the mountain stream. I think the mountain stream is my most favorite thing in nature. I love to hear the merry murmur as it dances over the rocks. I dream of having a log cabin in the mountains right by a brook, stream or river.

On Tuesday, we went to Cades Cove and saw how settlers lived. Log cabins, churches, a grist mill, and blacksmith's shop had been preserved. We saw turkey, deer and even a bear cub along the path.

On Thursday, we went to Pigeon Forge and saw the production "The Miracle". It is an outstanding musical drama on the battle of good vs. evil. We had front row seats and loved it. The performers and music were outstanding. If you're ever in Pigeon Forge, it is a must see! It was very eye-opening for us about how Satan is everywhere--from the birth of Jesus to the crucifixion to our homes and world today. It made us very aware that he prowls constantly and takes delight when we make wrong choices.

During intermission, Jaclyn said, "I can't wait to meet Jesus--the real Jesus--and I hope it's soon." I know she is ready to go to heaven. I thank the Lord that my children have accepted Him as their Savior and that we will be together for eternity. We pray the same for your family.

After the show, the performers were available for autographs and pictures which tickled the girls. The guy who played Jesus told Jaclyn he knew that she enjoyed the show just by the expression on her face. She gave him a hug and told him how much she enjoyed the show.

You can check it out at www.themiracle.com.

We left reluctantly Saturday and headed home. Our week was way too short and we could have stayed another week. This was our second year camping at Jellystone Campground in Gatlinburg. The owners are Christians and it is very family-oriented. Jaclyn and Ashley enjoyed going to Bible School each morning. A missions team from Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, led the VBS. Jaclyn has a life long friend in Mr. Bruce...a very special helper at VBS. We have to plan a trip to go visit them in Stone Mountain.

We thank the Lord for a safe trip and that we are home. We are missing the cool mountain air in this stifling hot heat and humidity here! Hope you are staying cool and having a great summer!

Catching up...

I know! It's been a while since I posted anything! We are going on vacation tomorrow with our best friends. This is our annual redneck camping trip. We are headed to the Great Smokey Mountains near Gatlinburg, TN.

We always have a blast. I'll fill you in....gotta go pack!

PS--Caitlin arrived home from NYC/CT safe and sound last Thursday. She had a great trip and actually witness a live police chase--criminal ran right by her, cop had gun drawn. Quite an experience for our small town country gal. Thanks for your prayers!

News from the Mission Field

Caitlin called this morning from her missions trip in NYC and Stamford, CT. They are having a great time. Their hotel was evacuated early this morning due to a fire (a kitchen fire), everyone is fine and they were back in their hotel around 8:30am. This delayed their morning excursion a bit, but they were headed out about 10am.

Part of the team is teaching a soccer camp and they had ordered 60 soccer balls to give to the kids; however, the ball company did not have a record of their order, so they are going to have to hunt down 60 soccer balls and pay regular retail prices for them. This is where the extra monies raised comes in handy.

I cannot wait to tell my grandmother (Caitlin's great-grandmother) the following news...Caitlin took French last year which Grandmother told her was a "waste of time"..."when would she ever use French?". I told her, "Grandmother, you never know that Caitlin may be called to the mission field in France." Well, Caitlin talked with a French woman yesterday AND LED HER TO THE LORD IN FRENCH!!!! She was so excited!!! Your prayers for her are helping her be confident in sharing the message with others! Please keep praying for her boldness to share the gospel!!

I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with such an amazing daughter. It is an awesome responsbility--and the most important responsibility of a parent--to train a child in the way he/she should go. Dale and I realized that one day we will be held accountable for our decisions and the way we trained our children, so it is a job that we don't take lightly. Our children love the Lord with all their heart and want to please Him and serve Him. I pray daily that they will be difference-makers and always live for Him, giving Him first place in their lives and giving Him their best!

Will keep you updated!! Thanks for your prayers!

Good Ol' Summertime!!

The past two weeks have busy! Caitlin is getting more comfortable driving and is very eager to run errands for us--imagine that. She is driving Dale's big truck which is nerve wracking for her--especially if she has to park in a crowded parking lot--like over at Crossroads Chaos. That parking lot is terrible. She is eagerly looking a car and we'll probably get one--as soon as the money tree in the back yard blooms. Hee! Hee!!

We had some excitement two weeks ago. To make a long story short, our best friend was watching Jaclyn and Ashley and their Great Dane bit Ashley. The dog was totally unprovoked and attacked Ashley as she walked back in the house. The dog bit her arm--two nice punctures on her forearm and a huge bruise and scratches on her bicep. Then he bit the back of her leg for two more nice punctures. The bites were pretty bad, but fortunately she didn't need any stitches or surgery. She had to have a tetanus shot and take a strong antibiotic. She was pretty sore for about a week. It was quite a scary experience. We praise the Lord that no more damage was done. The dog looks Ashley in the eye so it could have been so much more worse--like her face. We are very fortunate.

I have forgiven my friend, I know she didn't mean for it to happen. The world wants us to hold a grudge and that only leads to bitterness and hate. Instead, we should forgive and let the Lord take care of the rest. I only pray that something tragic doesn't happen when the dog decides to attack another child. I have talked to several dog trainers and they all agree that it will happen again. They have seen it too many times.

Jaclyn is away at summer camp this week. Boy, has it been quiet around here! She has called twice. She is a little homesick and ready to come home. Last week, she was counting the hours until she left for camp; last night she was counting the hours until she comes home. I am glad she missed us. We have missed her!

We have been working hard this week on our front yard. Can I just say it is looking great!! We have never had the time/money to do much in our yard. We can't get grass to grow, so we mow the dirt. We are putting in a nice walkway and flowerbeds and a fountain. It looks great. We just look at it and can't believe that we did it!! I'll try to figure out how to post pictures and put a before and after picture up soon!

Caitlin leaves Saturday for her NY missions trip. She is getting excited and is anxious to go. We are so thankful for everyone who has supported her enabling her to go. We appreciate your prayers on her behalf for safety and for her to bold as she shares the gospel with those she encounters. They will be mainly ministering in Stamford, CT, which is the 8th richest county in the country and less than 1% of the 21 million population are Christians and/or go to church. It is a huge mission field!

Well, I've tried to catch you up on everything and I know I have left things out. I'll try to catch up later!! Have a great weekend everybody!