Happy New Year

Kid's Christmas Table

Our Bible Fellowship Group came for dinner last Saturday.

Several of their kids were here.

I had the privilege of eating with them at the

"kids table" in front of the tree.

We had our snowmen dishes, snow figures, etc...

on the coffee table,

plus, I borrowed 6 of the oldest

little brown chairs

from ESBC.

It was so cozy! We had lots of fun!

~***~

Tom and I shopped again this evening.

The grandkids gifts are done!

I'm taking my mom to shop for them in the morning.

I have a few grocery items to pick up,

then cleaning to do. Also wrap presents.

Relaxing a little sounds good. :)

~***~

Very productive meeting in Plano this

morning for the prison ministry.

I can just sense that the

Monarch House

is going to be a reality before we know it!!

~***~

SHOEPEG CORN CASSEROLE

melt 2 sticks butter in sauce pan

add 2 pkg cream cheese and blend till smooth

add chopped jalapenos with juice as desired

pour over 4 squatty cans of shoepeg corn in 9X9 dish (drain 3)

bake at 350 degrees covered for 30 minutes or so

YUM YUM!!!

~***~

Choir sings in all three services Sunday with

Adam Paul Williams

as the featured soloist.

He has played "JESUS" in the passion play

at Glenrose, TX.

Grayson Girls

Our ladies small group had a

wonderful time at our

Christmas Dinner recently.

We feel so comfortable together

even though we have only met 4 times.

Some could not attend,

others came for the first time.

I believe we have

13 all together.

~***~

Yesterday was my

last day to work till

January 2nd.

It will come all too soon!

~***~

Tomorrow morning early

I will be in Plano

with Elaine

(prison ministry)

as she shares the vision of the

Monarch House with

a company that is interested in

providing financial support

for the house and

supplying volunteer

manpower for vital roles.

~***~

Sunday we have our meal

with my kids,

my parents and Tom's mother.

Jenn will host the occasion.

~***~

Julie and Rob will arrive

late that evening.

Old Friends

Old friends

after all of these years,

just old friends

through the laughter and tears,

old friends,

what a find, what a priceless treasure.

Old friends

like a rare piece of gold,

my old friends

brought me in from the cold,

old friends,

through it all I will hold to

old friends!

(Angie,wish you had been with us!)

An Evening With Michael W Smith

What a privilege it was to hear

"my American idol"

Melinda Doolittle

Wednesday at the Meyerson

(Dallas Symphony Orchestra)!

Michael W was great, as well as the Katinas,

but hearing Melinda was the fulfillment of

one of the "desires of my heart!!"

Her humility is so refreshing!!

And what talent!!

Thank you, Lord!

~***~

We have experienced such

Christmas excitement

the last 3 Sundays at church.

"Deck the Halls" was so fun, then last Sunday

the choir had the chance to sing

at one of our

satellite locations.

Today the theme was "swing."

So neat!!

We still have a

gospel theme and a more

traditional service to look forward to plus 6

Christmas Eve services

to choose from.

~***~

Tom nor I participated in

THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

(17 outdoor scenes dramatized with full sets, etc...),

but 700 of our church family did.

10,000+ people witnesses the event this week

on one of the 4 nights.

~***~

I completed training yesterday

at the Bonham jail

with the

Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

I am now able to enter

any state prison to minister.

I will also make contact this week

with the chaplain

for the Grayson County Jail.

Each county has its

own training

and/or requirements.

~***~

Our GRAYSON GIRLS

(ladies small group)

meet tomorrow night for

Christmas dinner.

And Tuesday evening I'm having dinner

with 4 of my dearest,

longtime friends. I have been

truly blessed in my life to know some of the

greatest women on the planet.

God is good!!

Christmas Spirit!

I'm stalling!

I'm suppose to be putting the tree up today,

but I've managed to piddle for hours.

Oops...

So, I decided if I pulled out some

photos from last Christmas

they might inspire me!

Ah, yes, the little felt bird in the picture above

was the first ornament to be placed on our

tree besides the old balls everyone use to hang.

Tom's oldest brother married one month after we did in 1974.

That first Christmas his wife made

these little birds for our trees.

A treasure!!

Through the years we have played

Chinese Christmas with ornaments at

various Sunday School parties.

The result is that

I am in tears with each

ornament I hang.

Such wonderful memories!!

Now...I am ready...wish you were here

to experience the day with me!!

Imagine this view from your back door...

Allison and Evan continue to make plans for Alaska.

I've added a link at the left for Globe Creek Camp.

The baby will be born around May 1st,

then Allison and kids will fly to Fairbanks in June.

Evan will drive pulling the trailer.

An exciting adventure!

Be still, and know...

Just when I was beginning to feel guilty

for relaxing again this morning,

God reminded me of how He loves for us to just

"BE STILL" (to cease, to let go, raphah)!

This selection is part of today's devotional from

Streams In The Desert Vol.1.

There are 2 devotional books that I can't live without.

The other is My Utmost for His Highest.

They have become my familiar friends through the years,

and aside from my Bible,

God has used these great books

to speak to me more than any other.

Family fun!

We've had a great week!

A little relaxing,

a lot of eating, lots of laughter,

and that feeling

inside that all is well with the world! Isn't is

wonderful to take a break every so

often from life's routine?

~***~

How fun it was to hear Christmas music

on the radio while I ran a few errands today.

(NO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FOR ME AT 4am!!)

I've actually been listening to

Christmas CDs since mid-October.

~***~

Dress rehearsal tomorrow afternoon for

"Deck the Halls"

at church. We'll sing in 3 services

back-to-back

on Sunday morning.

~***~

God continues to amaze us concerning

the Monarch House.

Elaine has started an online journal

to keep everyone informed.

A link has been added

on the left under

my favorites:

Monarch House

~***~

Our ladies small group meets

at Panera Monday evening

for food and fellowship.

Happy Thanksgiving

Psalm 13:5-6

“I have trusted in Thy lovingkindness;
my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because
He has dealt bountifully with me.”


bounty GENEROUS GIFT
plentiful abundant
liberally giving freely
BOUNTIFULLY
generously ABUNDANTLY


The only thing I deserve is eternal
separation from God,
everything else is a gift!

Child's Play

Jacob, Harley, Hunter and Maddie!

Together they colored the picture in the background for

mammy and pappy.

Ladies Small Group

How fun!!

Our small

group met

at the

Boiler Room

last night

for dinner and

a visit.

Great

atmosphere,

great food

and

great

company!!

We will

definitely go

there again!

~***~

Stel, the next time our gang gets together this

would be a neat place to meet up,

so pass the word.

~***~

Commitments for the Monarch House

continue to rise. Praise the Lord!

The overwhelming outpouring to fill various

volunteer positions is incredible!

Soccer Season Over

Maddie had a cheering
section 10 strong this
morning for her last
soccer game of the season.
She will be 6 in January.
Jacob is 2 years old.
Charlie of course, is
34 going on 12. :)
No really, he continues
to have the most loveable
and playful spirit after all
these years. I love you,
Charlie!! mom

Irish/Texas Night in McKinney

Two of the 5 Ireland mission teams met with Alan and Rosemary last night. It was pot luck dinner with a Texas theme, so "Mexican" dishes were everywhere! :) Everyone was chattering with excitement. They shared a combined result from the summer of over 1000 homes receiving a one-on-one contact. The Irish/Texas night that our team participated in is still being talked about by the locals, and it set the stage for a full gospel concert later in the summer in 2 locations with 180 attending one and over 300 the other. We were all praising the Lord together and giving Him the Glory!!

~***~

This week marks the 135th anniversary of our church. We are thankful that there continues to be VISION for the future! "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed." Prov 29:18 Msg http://www.fbcmckinney.com/

~***~

We were privileged in our service this morning to hear briefly from a former Muslim who came to know Christ in 1991. He is now ministering in Baghdad. What you will NOT hear on the news is that prior to the war there was ONE evangelical church in the city. Now there are 17 in Baghdad alone! The smallest has 200 attending, the largest has 2000! Only GOD!!

~***~

Work is going so well this year. There are 10 of us teachers who are committed to meeting early each Tuesday morning for a devotional and prayer time. No doubt, God is working!! We believe that acknowledging God is the key, thus our name - TAG, Teachers Acknowledging God!

Ministry News!

When I learned that Yahoo 360 was going down I was quite sad.
So many of my memories will be lost forever. Sigh…
I had decided I was finished with blogs, but thanks to

my dear friend, “a cottage rose,”

I have been inspired. Love you, girl!
http://www.acottagerose.blogspot.com/

~***~

This week proved to be on the quieter side.
It started with a 4 ½ hour nap Sunday afternoon

(I never do that!).
Although, Monday was wild with excitement!
I was among a group of 7 that spent the day at

Dawson State Jail near downtown Dallas.

We were there to participate in the graduation of nearly
50 female inmates
who had completed an intensive 7 week course called
“Untying the Lies that Bind Us.”
We worshiped through music, the Word, tears and laughter.
Each lady shared an oral, memorized presentation

and took a written exam.
WOW!!
They put me to shame.
I was so proud of them all!
http://www.seedsowersministry.org/

~***~

Tomorrow evening our team from the Ireland mission

trip this summer will have the opportunity to

visit with missionaries
Alan and Rosemary Armstrong.
They are in the states for a few weeks.
We consider it a privilege for them to take

time out of their busy schedule.

(photo above: Donegal County, NW Ireland)
http://www.donegal111.com/

~***~

In closing:
“Proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch.
Challenge, warn, and urge your people.

Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple.”
2 Timothy 4:2 Msg