Monday, June 29, 2009

Beautiful Day

The weather here was absolutely gorgeous today!!! Sunny 79 and very low humidity, my favorite.
I got up at 6:30, took a shower, made some coffee and dove into the book of Samuel 1. I have never read this book in the Bible and so far I find it very interesting. I thought long about the part where Samuel hears the Lord call his name but thinks it is Eli. Eli then instructs Samuel that it is the Lord calling and listen to what he has to say. I know there are times I hear him call my name but answer to something else before Him. I need reminded that I should listen to Him first in all things. Thank you Lord for speaking to me please give me ears to hear you and follow your ways before my own.
I went off with my day remembering the sweetness of the weekend. Thursday was our 15th wedding anniversary. I was a little hurt that the festivities for such an occasion amounted to a card and a romantic evening cd from the dollar tree but I got over it. I think I did, what can I tell you girls, my man is not a romantic fan. Friday night Chris took the kids to the Father-Kids camp-out with our church. The kids had a blast with Dad while I went to a quaint little town called Tipp City with friends for supper and a stroll through a lovely antique shop. Saturday we caught up on chores then Chris and I went out with friends for supper. Chris' buddy was in from Utah so we always make time to go out with him and his parents to catch up. We had a great time as we always do with them, lots of laughs, lots of hugs, lots of remembering the old days when we were teens.
Sunday brought rest which was much needed.
Ohioans enjoy the temperature this week, hope it stays like this for the 4th. Not sure what it is like in Arkansas M but I hope you are getting the same wave, I know you like the mild but sunny too. Love you both!! Chelle

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Strange Weekend

Our weekend started off with lots of fun. Friday we finished up VBS and took my nieces to the pool for the afternoon. Saturday was a birthday pool party for my niece Kelsy who just turned 10. It was a great day, our family had so much fun. We put water wings on Natty and she was swimming like a fish to my mom for about 10' lengths at a time. My Dad even came to the party and we enjoyed some of his old Navy stories. Chris and I soaked up the family fun, we laughed much and were sad to see the party end.
Just after we had gotten home, everyone showered and into beds the phone rang. A good friend from church calling to let me know that a close family member had committed suicide hours earlier. She called me hoping I could direct her as to who could do the clean up. I am not going to go into details except to say a gun was used and you can imagine the rest. This is a very private matter but I wanted to ask for prayer for Chris. You see I did just what she asked I instructed her as to who to call. I got off the phone and told Chris all about it and began praying for them. Chris said to me "Call her back and tell her because it is her family I'll do the clean-up". When we were first married Chris worked for a cleaning co. that did this kind of work so I knew he was trained and he is very careful about regulations but the heart of the matter was that I really didn't want him to go. I asked many times "are you sure" before I called her back. He seemed to feel better knowing he could to this to help the situation and thought that at least the details of the matter would be contained instead of a co. not knowing the family doing then perhaps sharing what they had seen not to mention the cost they would be charged for such a job. No there was no changing his mind. My heart flew into panic a bit after calling my friend to tell her Chris would do it. I was thinking of his mind and how he could never erase it. I was in awe of the grace my husband could bestowe upon another and a part of me felt like he was some kind of super hero. No I would depend on the Lord for this and peacefully let him carry out what the Lord had so apparently asked him to do. I prayed, I prayed a lot. Finally, yesterday as he was pulling out of the drive I felt God's hands over the situation and peace came to me. He came home and seemed ok. He shared some unexpected details but for the most part he said it wasn't so bad and he was glad he could do this for my friend. My husband the "solid rock". God knew he could handle it even though it frightened me to my core. Please be in prayer that the details of this fade and God keep him strong over the situation. Please be in prayer for this family who lost this Christian man who was a husband, father, grandfather and brother.

Love to you all.
Chelle

Friday, June 19, 2009

My mood is rather heavy this evening. We have been enjoying the business of summer. We enjoyed our camp trip with the kids so much. We all had a great time swimming, biking, hiking, fishing you name it we had a blast. We came back to a busy, busy week of playing catch up on our business and making decorations for VBS and then putting up the decorations for VBS. This week of course was VBS. My job was to give the Bible Lesson for the Pre-schoolers. We did Crocodile Dock so I was a southern woman character Miss Sylvie Sugar and talked with a southern accent all week. Fun, Fun, I love seeing the lights come on in their little minds when they begin to understand. My sweet young nieces Kayla 13 and Kelsy 10 stayed with us the entire week and served at VBS with us. This was the first time in two summers we have been able to have them for a week like this and I savored it, we all did I think. Cherished memories.
But this week a tragedy hit our community that has me really shaken.
Yesterday when I was checking in to begin the morning routine with the director for the Pre-school ministry she took me aside and gave me the news that a child that had been attending our VBS had drowned at a pool party the night before. It is a small community so news traveled fast and we soon came to know it was a 4-H pool party and several families from our church were there and new this poor little boy. We had been visiting with my neighbor, swimming in her pond as her son was getting ready to go to this very party that evening. The boy was Jonathan Kinnison 10 yrs. old. The boy was not a good swimmer and had gotten caught under a bunch of other kids when a group of them jumped into the pool all at the same time. All of these children watched as he was hoisted out of the pool, cpr performed and the rescue squad called in. All children watched as this little boy was taken to Jesus including his little 8yr. old sister. Tears well up in me watching the news coverage of our Elementary principal give an account of what a special boy he was and what a blow it has been to our community. My heart hurts for his parents who were not present at the pool party, the boy had gone with friends to enjoy and evening of fun. A picture of him at our VBS is being prepared for the family as it was the very last picture taken of him Wed. afternoon just hours before this tragedy had taken place. My heart aches thinking of my friend having to counsel her children one of whom saw this all take place and one who was classmates with this boy. I truly cannot imagine the kind of pain this brings to those involved, I offer up prayer and nothing else seems like enough.
It was a very real reminder of the big picture of why we are here and how important it is to continue planting seeds for we do not know His plan for our lives and the timing at which He chooses for us to be with Him. So my mood and my heart are heavy thinking of the work ahead that these families will have to endure knowing that he is in a better place but dealing with the harshness of the feeling of loss here and the shocking way in which he left. Please pray for the Kinnison family and for all those families that have been affected by this horrific accident.

Love to you all.
Michelle

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Quiet of the Morning

I am the one and only in our family that loves the quiet of the morning. For the most part I always have. Sure the morning never seemed a pleasure when the kids were babies and we were up half the night or they just plain wore me out during the day. But now, here in this place, today, everyone is asleep and the day is just beginning. The birds are chirping, there is a chill in the air and God's world is beginning to come alive. Even as a kid I was always the first one out of bed. In college I annoyed my cousin who shared my room when I would get up at the crack of dawn to study or just drink coffee and grab the news. Then it was the one thing I could count on, no matter what the night was like I knew a new fresh morning was just around the corner. Now it is the one part of the day where I completely feel the peace of the Lord, I can connect with Him without interruption and pray over our day before it begins.
Today I am praying over our camp trip. I pray for good weather, I pray for God's blessing over our vehicles and safety for everyone, I pray our business stays in tact and no emergencies pop up that just have to be taken care of, I pray customers understand when we say we can't get to them until next week and stay our customers anyway, I pray nobody gets sick and everyone gets along and most of all I pray for that re-connection where our sentences run into each other and we laugh until it hurts. Oh Lord I pray your blessings over this trip my children so deserve it. We have planned this much anticipated camp trip in "The Big Red Bus for months. Whenever the kids were tired of school or just bored I would encourage them to plan some more crafts, games, activities, meals you name it, it has been planned. The kids have it all in their little minds and we need to have some Family Fun. School is out for the summer and their reward for this crazy year has finally arrived. We made it. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, all were seen this year with all of the changes in our household but we made it with everyone Happy, Healthy and Emotionally in tact. Praise the Lord.
I'll try to post pictures. Hope everyone in enjoying the beginning of a wonderful summer.
Off the Hueston Woods State Park we go.

Love,Chelle.