Feeling His Presence

I can't really explain how I have felt recently, other than to say I feel the Lord is in it. How it is that during one of life's storms you can feel the very essence of who He is. More so probably than when your on the mountain.


You see, just a couple of days ago I "happened" across Angie Smith' blog, Bring The Rain. (Which if you haven't read you need to....from the beginning.) I was overcome with her honesty, openness, strength, weakness, courage, and fear. Her display of compassion for others amidst her own pain was humbling. She conveys not only the deep love for her children, husband and family, but first and foremost her Savior and His will in her life.


I'm not exaggerating when I say I spent most of the weekend reading her story. I was so touched by her words and felt the very presence of God among them. It reminded me that He has not forsaken me even though it may seem that way at times.


We have several acres here that we keep mowed. I enjoy this time on the tractor for a couple of different reasons. I always have my iPod that I listen to so it is a stress reliever for me. The other is it is an opportunity of alone time that I can talk to the Lord. Either way I always get a blessing.


The other day as I was mowing I was thinking of Angie and contemplating the situation at hand. I was listening to Leann Rimes version of "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow". I had probably repeated this song about 20 times already and was reminding myself that I DO know who holds tomorrow and that I need to trust Him. Which, if you are a Christian, isn't always an easy thing to do, as we want to be sure he hears our two cents worth. But as before I come to the point that I know there is absolutely nothing I can do. Except trust in Him completely. That I have no control over this or that, but He does. And knowing that if I trust Him it will all be for the good.


So as I am mowing I look over to this section where I can't really get to and is mostly weeds. When I realize that right there in the midst of the weeds is this:

Now it appears to me that this may also be a weed, but does this bloom not have a beautiful shade of purple? And that while the stem may be a weed there is beauty at the end of it.

My situation may feel like a bunch of weeds has penetrated my life, but at the end it will flourish into a beautiful bloom. Like a rose on the stem of thorns.

I may have cried many a tear on the tractor seat that day, but I came home feeling the Lord had just enveloped His arms around me.

What a learning experience!

Back in the winter we had a stray calico cat that suddenly appeared around the theater. It birthed about 4 or 5 little kittens among a pile of insulation that we had stacked inside. Unfortunately most of them didn't make it within the first few hours. But there was a solid black one that was moving around but the momma wouldn't let you get close to it. The next thing we knew they were gone and we didn't see her again.

Then about 3 weeks ago I saw what I thought was this same calico cat back at the theater. I kind of ran her off because I didn't want her getting inside for fear she might have another litter of kittens and we might not be able to find her very well.

Well a couple of days ago I was at the back of the theater turning on the lights so some people could look around. Then I could faintly hear a little kitten which sounded like it was under the floor area. (This particular part of the theater is a few feet off of the ground so you can easily get underneath it from the outside).

The sad thing is I discovered the momma cat in the backyard of the theater about 4 or 5 days before and it was not alive. Apparently some other animal had gotten to it. So when I was finished talking with those people I knew I had to go find that kitten because I was sure it hadn't eaten in at least those 4 or 5 days since its momma got killed.

I finally found her out in the dusty parking lot area. I got an old rag and wrapped her up and took her to the house.

Isn't she cute. She was only about 4-5" long.
Her eyes were already open.

Now while we do have two cats I did not want another one. Living out in the rural area we are all the time getting stray cats, especially since our cats have food outside. If I kept them all we would have waaaayyyy too many. (Ok, I admit I did name her Miss Kitty. But only so I didn't have to keep calling her "kitten". )

But I could not stand the thought of letting this little kitten just starve itself. We tried to feed it with a small syringe that we had. It didn't seem like it ate much though. Then a neighbor had a little bottle so we tried that too.

We continued with this every few hours. But I just didn't feel like she was getting enough.

Sunday morning I decided to go to our local Petco store and buy some milk supplement in hopes that she would do better.

(I also did not know that there was a reason for all that licking that a momma cat does to her kittens. That is until I read on the milk container that you are suppose to burp the kitten and rub its back (in lieu of the momma licking it) to help with it's digestive system. Nor did I know we were going to have to.....you know.....a.....stimulate it so it could use the bathroom.

I was rather proud of Lonny when he wet a rag and was just.....in a nurturing way.....without much thought.....going to do just that. (Then when it started working I almost rolled on the floor hysterically when he started to gag like he was going to throw up).

That was hilarious!

Anyway, after a few days and not feeling at all sure that we were accomplishing anything I called our local Humane Society and told them of our situation. They gladly offered to let me bring Miss Kitty to them.




I felt so much better knowing Miss Kitty was going to be in more capable hands. When we delivered her the lady told me they had a momma cat that might accept her. So they gathered her up and took her to the back. She returned with good news that the momma and Miss Kitty were taken with each other.

Yes....a happy ending! ......................and.............a learning experience!

This seems like a good time to show you our other cats.

This is Scooter.

Isn't it amazing how she just voluntarily
plops in her carrier so you don't have to
use force to get her in there.

Except it was the other cat, Tigger, that needed to go to the vet.

Yes these are some big cats. They each weigh about 16 lbs.

Yeah, the kids are visiting!!

Raylynne has been helping her PawPaw unload the
semi-trailer of theater seats.

We are all heading out to Casa Maya (Mexican) for supper. Are you seeing a pattern with our choice of restaurants?

Just pick up a camera and she's ready!

Kialey is like "do they not know I can't reach that thing".

Lisa is looking frantic.......and Kyle looks like he is
up to something.

If I only knew what she was thinking.

PawPaw's little girl.

AND

Kialey had her 1st Birthday!!

Kialey Caprie
Aug 22, 2008

(Sister wanted to buy her a special cake - yellow one on the right)

What's going on?

Hmmmm....this looks like fun!

Will I get in trouble if I stick my finger in this?

Here I go....!!

Big sister is going to help
(My goodness, look at the grip she's got on her)

This is fun!

Ok, I think I can do it myself now!

Yep....I got it now!

Ok, clothes off, washed up, now presents!!! Yeah!

It looks like she is lovin' on Ethan but I'm not too sure
she isn't fixin' to bite him!


I guess they are just checking each other out.

I almost got them to sit still long enough to get a picture of all of them together.

Cody made it back in time to say goodbye.

And then they were gone...

Short but Sweet.

Kyle and his family are on their way from Georgia. We are actually just a stopping point for them on their way to Illinois. His sister and her family is flying in from the state of Washington so they will all be staying at his dad's.

I am still thrilled even if it is just an overnight stay. Cause they will be back the middle of the week and will then be staying for a few days.

Within a few hours after take-off Kialey was ready for a nap.

Then Kyle texted me and said Leslie was driving the
first shift and send me this picture saying "I'm scared!!" .

Jim's Birthday

For Jim's birthday we went to El Acapulco for some delicious Mexican cuisine.

This is what he spent most of the time doing.

Looks like Lonny is hanging on his every word.

We are very serious when it comes to food!

Yippee!! Presents!!

In case you are wondering, Paul is an average size guy, it's a child's chair he is sitting in.

Looks like a sentimental card.

I hope he doesn't cry or we'll all be crying.

HAPPY (58th) BIRTHDAY JIM!!

We love you!!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to show you the cake. Look reeeaal hard, it's there.

You see I was trying to tip the cake up by myself so I could take a picture, when all of a sudden the cardboard started to slide. So rather than let the cake fall on the floor I tried to catch it with my right hand. Unfortunately this was the hand I had the camera in. I knew that the camera had slightly landed in the icing because I had to wipe it off of the lens thingy ma jig. However, I didn't notice that when I went to take pictures that thingy ma jig that opens and closes on the lens area, wasn't opening very much. So it only took a fraction of the picture.

Trust me, it was a lovely cake.

He's got charisma!!

Paul told us that today he and Ethan went to Walmart and while they were there they got something to eat at the Subway. He said at a table fairly close to where they were sitting was a mom and her two little girls. It was apparent that these two little girls were flirting with Ethan and giggling and smiling at him. He would look over at them with his sly, bashful look that he has which makes his dimple come alive. He said this went on for a few minutes and suddenly Paul looked at Ethan right at the time Ethan glanced at them girls and WINKED!!!



In my mind I could see this picture unfolding. I also have no doubt that the sly, dimpled look that he gave those girls worked a little on their heart too.

Because it works when he uses it on me!!!!

Just look at those dimples!

He's Just Trying to Help

Today I watched Ethan while his dad ran some errands. I was doing some work in my office when he came in and started scribbling on some paper. I have to watch him though cause he likes to scribble then turn around and make a copy of it.


I'm usually aware that he gets a piece of paper out of the copier tray but I have to listen with one ear while I'm working to make sure he doesn't try to copy it too.

Or I could end up with "10" of these!

I caught him fixing to do just that when I said "Ethan, what are you doing?" He said "Gannie, I need to make a copy!" I said "Well what are you making a copy of?" He opened the copier and showed me it was a blank piece of paper.


I caught him the other day doing that too. So I tried to explain to him that he didn't need to make a copy of a blank piece of paper. He kept saying "But Gannie, your almost out of paper". To which I replied "Exactly, so you don't need to make it run through the copier". He just kept insisting and explaining to me that I didn't have much paper.


Then it dawned on me that perhaps he was wanting to make a copy of the blank paper thinking he was actually making me more paper!!!



Bless his little heart! Isn't he just so sweet to help Gannie like that.

Hamming it up!!

I posted about Raylynne's dance recital here but today I received a couple of pictures from her dance instructor.

These were taken during rehearsals.

She's in the front in the middle.

She's in front.

I told y'all she loves to have her picture taken.
She's a ham...like her Aunt Lisa is was.

Kyle called me earlier and told me that Raylynne has lil' blonde hairs growing on her legs. I didn't remember it starting that young. Oh my word!!

Are my Grandkids talented or what?

This is what your grandkids can do if you happen to be building a music theater.

Sorry they are so blurry but I took them with my cell
phone and it doesn't do movement well.

Skateboard!!!

This is Ethan, our 6-year-old grandson.
Notice how well protected he is.

The floor is sloped so he just hops on and goes.

OR

You can just dance and twirl around!

Repeat...

My family loved the cake I made yesterday so much

that they wanted me to make another one today.

They almost ate it before I could take a picture!!

It's a good thing I made two.

Mmmmmm.....good!!