Deep "Gushings"........ better put your life jacket on.

It's a quiet Saturday.

The last one of June.......and then we will start July tomorrow. Where has the year gone??? Yikes!!
Today Don is freelancing, Gabe's at the new British girl's house with her family, which of late seems to be his new home. Weird but I guess he wants to spend a lot of time with them because it appears that after living in Baton Rouge only a few months, they are moving. More on that later.

Caleb is in Biloxi MS. working all weekend.

Luke just came home from spending the night at a friend's house, he was going to mow the grass like he always does, he's our fantastic "Yard Boy"...he does a good job and takes great pride in seeing our yard look so nice and the widow lady's next door as well. I just went in his room to see if he was going outside anytime soon and he was in bed sleeping with his mouth wide open. He is my own child that does that. It's freaky. Like a dead person or something. I always know he's in a DEEP sleep when that mouth is open. Guess he will be mowing later today. HA!

Ariel has been at "camp" the past few days.....if you can call it that.
They are "camping" in posh condo's off the Emerald Coast in Destin, Florida. At at resort that my family has stayed at before and it is NICE!!! What ever happened to church camps in the woods for $65.00 for a full week??? This "camp" cost the price of a last minute, plane ticket and is only for not quite 4 days.....2 days they are traveling the 6 hour trip back and forth from Destin to Baton Rouge. I am concerned about "camp" because I think this type of "decadence" for the youth is just preparing them for the "pedicure pampering" that the church has been laying on their people the past couple of years.
We are heading into dangerous waters...and dangerous times. Does anyone read the World news?? You want to try going here and reading up on what is going on in the world.....BBC.com

All this frivolous stuff is not a good thing because the church.....young and old....especially the new converts....will not know how to "suffer for Jesus" in the coming days ahead. There is a price to be paid when you encounter the cross of Christ and it's not a paint job on your toenails.
This type of behavior scares me.

Don't get me wrong, I am the FIRST one that loves a pedicure...I don't get them often either and certainly don't expect one from a church.
Well.....unless it's an old fashioned "foot washing" does anyone remember those??? They are very humbling and you don't get a foot massage with it.
God have mercy on us.

So am I a tad crabby today? A bit negative?
No, I'm really not trying to be. I'm just pondering some rolled up thoughts in my mind and on my computer while drinking my "British Breakfast" tea this morning and wondering what we have come to in our spiritual and natural lives.
Where is all this new thinking leading us? What are our "leaders" thinking?

What will happen when the money dries up and the food isn't there and the people scatter? This isn't doomsday thinking folks, this is reality and prophecy and it IS coming soon to a city near you.

I do know this.......my very first Pastor in Iowa, "Brother Riche," he was an AWESOME, Man of God, that no one has compared to in our lives since....the one that taught my husband and I SO much and we are so thankful for because had it not been for his wisdom and teachings, we wouldn't have gotten through half the "mire" we've seen and encountered up to this point, used to say this to our church.

"What you WIN them with, you'll have to KEEP them with." We have first hand witnessed this over the years to be true.

Don't mistake me, I am all about "EVANGELISM"......but there are limits....because remember,
"what you win them with you'll have to keep them with." It will have to be more entertaining and a greater show than what they already have seen. All you have to do is look to the children of this society even to see that what we gave them years ago......say Atari....Nintendo......etc, etc. is not enough to keep them entertained any longer. It has to be bigger, faster, better, more entertaining.

Some churches better stock up on "pampering" goods for the days ahead.....and you better make it ADULT sized "Astronaut Diapers" because that's where it's headed if you can understand what I'm saying.

Our young people are being conditioned today for their future as adults in the church. Are they lacking something? Suffering maybe? Hardship? Ugly toenails? Callouses? I'll admit my part if you will admit yours......I've fallen prey to the traps of "conditioning" as well. I try not to, I fight against it......but it comes in so seductively and if your not a part of it.....you an outcast. Been there done that still doing it.

Right,your branded as a "negative person" or not in the correct "DNA" system as others.

Don't get me started on that "DNA" stuff we have heard in churches and in all reality it's trash talk. Leaders need to knock that off. It's absurd.
By they way......I had a DNA test this year so I know something of how this process works and why you do it. Though my testing I found out somethings that have helped me immensely in my struggle to regain my health. I found out that I have 2 genes......one from each of my parents that have caused me to have a health issue.
It's okay......now I know what to do to "combat" that issue.

However I do have to say that if your "Spiritual" DNA is so screwed up that you can't be a part of a certain church because your "DNA" isn't the same as theirs and they are constantly using that type of condemning "jargon" so that you don't feel your as good as them or have the same "Vision of the house" as them.....then run for you life because someone is off base in their testings and teachings and it probably isn't YOU!

We in the Body of Christ should all have the same FATHER!

IF not then someone better find out who their REAL Daddy is.

The true "church" knows who their real "Father" is and act accordingly.
Yet IF they do indeed claim to know who HE is....then why don't we act like "Him" instead of making up our own DNA formula and get involved with a DNA "system" that makes us seem like some other man or woman out there that are "trendy, hip" "chocolate fountain" gospel teachings and on the cover of Charisma Magazine???
I really don't get it nor do I want to.

We are not called to be "Willy Wonka" to the church and I pray that we get that figured out pretty soon. We are already on "sugar overload" and it seems to be getting worse and worse all the time. We need sermons that give us some life and energy and vitamins to keep going instead of fluffing us up with cotton candy communication that leaves us with rotten teath and stomach aches after leaving a service.

Come on people let's "GET A GRIP" and get back to some basics.
Let's not be dumb sheep. We have a change to get it right. Let's not waste this time we have left on planet earth.
We need Basic Christianity 101 again,
we could start by reading the Book Acts.

"Ratatouille"

Very cute movie! Take your kids or Grandkids or just even someone else's kids like I did.
Yesterday I picked up my friend Shawn's kids for the afternoon so she could continue to pack up their house. Her family sold their home and it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for her and her husband Kerry who was recently VERY ill and at the Baton Rouge General's ER with God knows what wrong with him. They never did find out what the root cause of his 105 fever and other symptoms, even after keeping him in the hospital for nearly 3 days. Odd.
Now they have to get out of their old house, and into the new one in record time. PLUS......prepare to lead a missions team from HPC to Vancouver B.C. in a few days.....not good. Pray for them if you will, they need it.

Being frustrated at not having the opportunity to help her during the past week due to my "tooth issue" long story....it is over now but it did rob me of about three valuable days this week, which I used to catch up on my reading with.

I offered to go get the Wilkerson children and treat them to a lunch at Taco Bell, and the new Disney movie "Ratatouille." It was a delightful afternoon. They are four very good kids!
However I wished I could have taken them to an art museum or somewhere that they could learn some history....but it's too HOT right now in Baton Rouge to do much more than sit in the air conditioning. I hate that. The movie was the best option to basking in the sweltering heat that I could think of. It was a really good movie too so go see it if you like decent, animated movies.

"Hat's off" to Her Royal Majesty

Even if you don't like her. You must admit, the woman has some GREAT HATS!!! For some odd reason, I was just looking at the website for the British Monarchy and came across some very lovely photos of Her Royal Majesty in some of her grand hats. She does have her own "millinery staff" to make hats for her and they are doing a great job I must say. Her hats get better and better don't you agree?
I wonder how many she actually has.
I am guessing that the Queen is the "Imelda Marcos" of hats.

I do know this, that when "The Queen," as I call her, came to America last month to visit Virginia, they had to use a van to carry her hats in from the airport and to the various places she was going.
Can you just imagine? I mean they must have just been sitting in that van in their proper boxes just like "cakes being delivered to a wedding" and really, they would be just as "scrumptious" as a cake when you would look at them and less fattening- "A literal feast for the eyes!"

Well, honesty I am ALL about hats.

I have a few, but not enough and most of mine are black. That's a bit somber isn't it?
In fact, I even wore my "Princess Diana" hat that I bought in her memory to my Great Uncle's funeral a few years back. I had purchased the hat the year she had died, while on a trip home to Iowa for the Christmas holidays. It was fitting to have such a stylish hat in the cold Midwest.
Problem was, we lived in Louisina and the weather rarely warrented wearing a a black wool "Princess Diana look-alike hat" even in the dead of winter.....so since my Uncle's funeral was in Missouri, in December, in the midst of a blizzard, it seemed "right" for me to wear it I felt.

That was until we arrived at the church in the small town where the service was to be held. Upon I was once I got inside my Father told me that he felt I was "to give the entire Eulogy"....yikes, I already had my "Princess Diana hat on.

Frankly, I didn't know if it was "proper" to speak with a hat on at a funeral or not, however, "death waits for no man" so I did the eulogy, hat and all. I think it gave me more confidence actually while speaking at such a sad event. I didn't break down once. I felt very strong inside. Maybe it was the hat.

Public speaking wasn't something new to me and I am not bothered by doing it, but I believe the hat was an "accent" as far as the service went. I mean it was black after all, black is a sign of "mourning" right? I think it added a bit of "mood setting" to the occasion. Even though some of the things I shared were funny during the eulogy the hat, added a seriousness to what was happening overall I guess. All I know is that in times past people USED to wear hats to funerals all the time.

Regardless of how I felt, I know my Uncle would have loved it I am sure. Not the hat so much but the eulogy...well, probably the hat too. He himself wore hats. The old man type like Bing Crosby would wear and he wore some nice hats when we would go hunting, or fishing, which he did all the time.

My Uncle Charles LOVED hunting and was an avid outdoor sportsman. His passions were hunting and fishing....not hats. Hats were for him mainly practical, for warmth, or to keep his head protected. He was bald on top with hair on both sides of his head so he could get a burn if he didn't properly cover his head, yet, maybe he wore them for style too.

Come to think of it......when I was little, I can remember him wearing the felt "Bing Crosby" hats when he and my Aunt would go somewhere like when taking me and my sister Jenny somewhere or to church and such. I can still see him wearing them. There was always this tiny "feather" sticking out of the hat band to dress it off I guess. Funny how you remember things like that. I guess I liked hats even way back then.

I don't have the bright and frilly ones like the Queen does - maybe one day. We just don't have occasion to wear them in America unless you attend the "Kentucky Derby" and I think that is a shame. I really am NOT interested in going to the Kentucky Derby, but I may have to attend it one day just so I can wear a really great hat out in public without being mocked.

Some people wear hats at Easter. I remember buying a really big, white hat to wear with a blue suit I had one year for Easter. It was a great get up. Fit for "a queen."
I'm no longer into the wearing of the
"Easter Sunday Glam Package" anymore, so I am not sure where my big white hat went to. I think I remember seeing it awhile back neglected, and out of place in the hallway closet covered in plastic and dust.
I need to find that thing. I could wear it in the Secret Garden at least couldn't I?

Next year, we are praying about a taking a special trip to celebrate our 30th Wedding anniversary. Of course we will be going to "you know where" and if you don't know by now where that would be, please DO ask me and I will give you WAY TOO MUCH information about the area.

I may even consider pulling out the "Princess Diana" hat to take with me just in case I run into a certain "hat wearing crowd" along the way. You never know.

Just as life would have it, my special Uncle always wanted to go to that "place" I've always loved too.
Although he and my Aunt were ardent travelers and went all over the United States, they never made it out of the country for whatever the reason. My Uncle Charles and Aunt Hazel were unable to have children of their own but devoted their lives to teaching Sunday School and working with children of all ages their entire lives.
My Aunt was even presented an award right before she passed away for being a Sunday School teacher at their church for "50 years."

In their life time they did many kind and noble things for people, and this I know, they loved my sister and me very much. All through our lives growing up, they took interest in us. They did and said things to and for us that impacted both me and Jenny in fabulous ways.

Once their lives were no longer, and their estate was taken into account, we learned that they made a small provision for both my sister and me. We were honored and blessed that they thought of us both again, even at the end of their journey on this earth.

My sister bought a new bedroom suite to remember them by with her money.
I took a different approach and put my money into a special savings account for a "trip" that I knew I would take one day to the place where they weren't able to travel to. I will honor their memory in that way.
Oh, and I may just buy a new hat while I'm there, and a "colourful one" at that.
No more black hats for me.

Hummm......I wonder if the Queen is getting rid of any of hers anytime soon....
for cheap?

Father's Day and more......

For Father's Day, my children, and I took Don to the "World War II Museum" formally known as the "D-Day Museum" in New Orleans, for a tour. We've been there before but it's been a few years and when you love history like my husband and I do, especially WWII history, going once to that type of museum isn't enough. There is so much information and so many exhibits and photos that you just can't ingest it all in one visit. PLUS they add in new exhibits and things all the time.

We had planned the day as a "surprise" for Don so we didn't tell him until Sunday morning when we needed to get ready and he "over dressed" for the occasion. HA!
I had to make him "dress down." Funny! Maybe he thought he was going somewhere "fancy" or receiving some sort of "award" for "BEST Dad of the year" or something.....however, that wasn't the case, so I told him what we were doing and he realized that wearing shorts with a simple polo shirt and "Crocs" were appropriate attire.

Once arriving, you see a mixed, barrage of people of all ages, nationalities, and various races, there doing what we were there to do....learn and remember.

Over the course of about 3-4 hours, you are inundated with hundreds of photos with corresponding information about them, various exhibits, and listen to first hand accounts via movies and videos of courageous men and women who fought to regain the freedom of most of Europe and the South Pacific and ultimately......retain the freedoms held by those living here in America.

When I think of the D-Day invasion and the war as a whole, I totally can't imagine what it must have been like to live in that era.
EVERYONE was affected. Everyone you would have known had some loved one fighting somewhere in the world, wither it be in Europe, or Africa or the South Pacific. Everyone you would have known would have been doing "their part" for the war effort. There were no choices about that like there are today. This was done as a "nation" for the benefit of the world.

I entered the Museum wearing on my right wrist a silver colored, braided, metal, bracelet, in honor of my Grandfather....."Herman Hirner" who had made it while he was on board a navel ship in the South Pacific. The one I was wearing he had made for his wife, my Grandmother. He made a tiny one for my Mother who was a small child at the time. My Aunt Pat has a ring that he made from a coin during his Navy days as well. I'm sure his "jewelry making" was a result of "boredom" and trying to find things to do to keep ones self from going crazy from fear and wondering.


For all the years I've known my Grandfather....and that's alot, HA! He never will talk to me or others about the war. We knew he was in the Navy, we knew he was in the South Pacific, but from there, it's all been vague. Even my Mother and her siblings didn't really know what he did during the war because he wouldn't talk about it and with my Grandmother being deceased now some 23 years, I thought we would never learn what had happened to him to make him so grumpy about his war experience.

Since the movies that came out like "Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brother's" and other serious war flicks, my curiosity had stirred greater to know what was my Grandfather's story. Then two years ago, Don and I went to visit him in Missouri and we were able to "coax" a bit of VALUABLE information out of him and we were so excited.

My Grandfather was 27 years old when he signed up to join the Navy, that was a bit old I thought compared to most of the men plus he had a wife and 2 small children at that time...my Mom and My Aunt Pat...they were both under 3 probably at the time.
I asked him "Why did you do it, why did you sign up to join" and he said....."because I felt I needed to help fight." Good answer.
Especially since both of his parents spoke German.

His Father, my Great Grandfather "Melchoir," was from a small town called "Schwäbisch Gmünd" that is in the county of Baden-Württemberg. It's the area known as "lower Saxony," the South/Eastern region of Germany.

His Mother, my Great Grandmother, "Angelique" was from Aus Saus Lorraine.
Which back then ....one day was France and one day Germany. HA! Today it's considered France.

My Grandmother when writing to me once about my Great Grandmother's countrymen said this to me in a letter "they must have been a fighting bunch of people." HA! HA! Ummm......I think history proves she was right about that presumption.

My Grandfather was a mechanic in America, when he signed up for the Navy. They put him to work on what we have all come to know as the "Higgins Boats" which was a type of military personal "landing craft" made right in New Orleans. These boats were highly effective in manuvering the troops to the beaches once they got off of their big boats.

My Grandfather who as I said earlier was in the South Pacific, told us that once they got to the beaches, that his job was to immediately "tear down" the engines and rebuild them back quickly because all the coral and sand had messed the engines up by the time they had pulled the men up to the beach to unload them.
Sometimes he said they did that "while bullets were flying over their heads" because the men that landed were engaged in battles sometimes as soon as they got off their Higgins boat.
We had never known this about him and his time in the Navy. He had never opened up about it because it was too traumatic for him to talk about. We didn't get much more information from him that day .....but we had heard enough to impact us.


I have learned that ALL families have a history, within history.
We all have a story to tell and that is what makes us "who" we are. Some things our families experienced may not have been so pleasant, some things may have been shocking and offensive. Whatever it may be, we can learn from it and hopefully be better people ourselves as a result of whatever happened.

I think that is what happened to not only America but to many Nations of the world during those 6 long, hellish years. People had to rely on each other, making them one big "family." Had they not banded together, they might not had made it. Alot of men were gone, off fighting, women had to have their babies without them, and then raise them for years alone. People had to plant "Victory Gardens" to help with the food supply. Men and even women had to work in factories, producing everything needed to fight a war. Many things were rationed, from food to tires to gas, to ladies nylong stockings, you name it.
Did people complain? I don't believe they did, not like today. Why? Because their Brother, their Son, their Dad, their Uncle was somewhere off fighting and they wanted life to be "easier" on them "over there" where ever there was, and they wanted them to come home.
Today, we have NO concept of this thinking that our nation had in the 40's.

I don't see or know anyone who makes any sacrifices due to the war now days. This is a good and a bad thing. I mean it's great that we don't have to suffer the consequences of the war we are currently in. That is unless you have a family member who is in Iraq or Afghanistan. It's BAD because again, we can't relate to how our Grandparents and or parent's lived. We go on our merry way, not thinking much about our "soldiers" who are overseas and it's wrong.

They and their families are making huge sacrifices especially in their family lives.

I see Patriotism waning in the face of our nation.
Mainly because of all of us who are becoming tired of seeing our boys killed every day in this war we can't seem to "get a grip on." I hate seeing the news when another young soldier's life has been taken from this earth and especially if this young man or woman is near my city and several have been. Even recently a young man from Zachary was just killed. It grips my heart even more the closer to home these soldiers are.
As a Mother of THREE sons, and a daughter, I feel for those Mother's whose sons and daughters
"gave the ultimate sacrifice." It's so sad.
I am by no means a "war advisor," but in my heart I don't feel it can be abandoned yet.
What if our men had given up during the hard times of WWII?

When I think of D-Day on Normandy beach, I am totally amazed. In the first 24 hours of that massive invasion, America lost approx. upwards of 5000 men that day alone. To have been a wife or mother on that day of a soldier must have been totally frightful. Yet, it was a turning point of the war in Europe.

When this war first started, I sent packages and cards and letters to soldiers.
I was "all about supporting our troops"....now I am sad to admit I haven't sent any packages or letters or cards in ages. I can't exactly tell you why I've let up, complacency maybe? Probably. I just am not "connected" like I was before in the early stages of the war. My friends had sons over there, then my niece went. They all have come back now and some are out of the military even.
Now I don't have anyone "related" to me or that I somewhat know involved in the war any longer, but that fact doesn't help all the thousands who are STILL over there.

I hope and pray we can hang in there and help make things right quickly in Iraq and then bring our soldiers home once again. I know that is their families wish more than it is mine.
I ask all of you reading this, to please consider our soldiers who are all over the world, but especially those who are in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Please remember to pray for them and support them in anyway you can and I will as well. Thank GOD my Grandfather made the same decision these soldiers have today, through realizing that freedom is the right thing to fight for and signing up was "the right thing to do."

Freedom isn't really free, this isn't just a cliche......there REALLY is a price attached to it and someone DID pay the price for it for me and for you and more than likely with their own lives.
Otherwise, we might ALL be speaking German ourselves today and not because our Great Grandparents did.
Get my point?

Hot child in the city......

Gabe catching a nice suntan.

I got a newsletter online yesterday from Blair and Dina Bonin.
They are some people we know who are Louisiana "natives" who live with their six children in Belgium. That is rough huh? HA!
I know how you feel but these people are missionaries and GOOD ones too, so I am sure it's not as "comfortable"for them as it would be for most people. Especially with SIX small children. However, I know when you think of missionaries, a person always tends to think of them being in "Africa" or some other hot, sweaty place in this world.
Hang on, just wait until you hear this story.

I wrote them ( The Bonin's) back yesterday afternoon just to "touch base".....missionaries DO need to hear from "home" and also they need "encouragement" you know, they have hard jobs. Missions work isn't always as "glamorous" as we seem to think it is or it's portrayed to be by movies or church even. There are many, many heartaches and hardships involved.
Okay enough of that.

Anyway, in my e-mail to them I told them how "hot" it was getting here and basically they can be thankful they are in Belgium instead of Baton Rouge.

This morning I check my e-mail to find that I've gotten a nice e-mail back from Dina, the wife, and she tells me that "it's getting hot there as well and they don't have air conditioning."
While reading the e-mail I am thinking to myself of course, that "I would much rather BRAVE the 'hot summers' of Belgium than I would here in Baton Rouge." Plus most all Europeans DO NOT have air conditioning. That's just the way it is......
I think because it doesn't get AS HOT in Europe.
Otherwise, they would have them, right????

Also, let's not forget what Belgium DOES have instead of air conditioners.
Belgium has, hands down some of the GREATEST chocolate made in all the world!

I've been to Brussels so I can attest to that FACT, and they have Belgium waffles, the real ones, and lovely hand made lace. OHHHHH......and the scenery....and the houses are like little fairy tale, "Gingerbread houses" every where and
oh yeah,....for breakfast we had chocolate filled croissants at a little restaurant in the town square. YUM!!!!
How bad can it be to live in Belgium as compared to South Louisiana???
I'd like to try it one summer.
In fact, when I went there it was JUNE and I have a cherished photo of me and my oldest son Gabe who was 16 at the time on my dresser to look at every day.
We were wearing jackets and FREEZING!!!
Huummmmm...........
Must be the "global warming" that is heating it up in Belgium so early this year.
HA!

Okay then, so for all of you that "think" it's hot where your at....I DARE you.....TRY living in "South Louisiana"......ugh!
I think I want to do that "Snow bird" thing that old people do. Did I say old? Sorry if that offends any of you......yes, I know I am progressing, nicely, myself to the "old" realm. Please don't remind me....I used to live by the "your as old as you feel" thing well...since I've been ill and now I'm "altered" a bit..that theme isn't working any longer. HA! My body is feeling ALOT older than my mind and inside feelings are. Bummer.

Anyway back to my ranting about the hot weather.
I mean really, we have been very fortunate here in Baton Rouge because we had so much rain and cool weather for what seemed like the entire month of May. My "pool group" (that would be "water related not barroom.") could not even meet but once for the whole month because it was either "too cold" or raining" Imagine that! So that cool front saved us from the extreme heat hitting us like it normally does by May. Alas, now the heat has remembered where we live.

There are a few benefits of the heat.
One is cooling off in the pool, IF you can find a pool to get in. Many people here in town have them, we sadly aren't one of them, although that is on my shopping list for our next home. However, I just happen to have a lovely friend who renders the use of her wonderful pool to several of us to use for "water aerobics" three days a week.

Secondly, and this is going to sound VERY vain......suntans.
HA! HA! I know, I know that is ridiculous. I've always held to the opinion that..."I would MUCH rather see "tan fat" than "plain white fat"....that's a good point right? As a result of the sun and the heat we are all getting nice tans.

Doesn't this make you want to RUN down to Louisiana. I mean besides the crazy politics and corrupt politicians we seem to cultivate, we have this "peppery" weather as one of our local TV forecaster's Pat Shingleton calls it. I like that description, because our normal summer days are like a recipe of "hot cayenne pepper and black pepper, mixed with STEAM." UGH!

This is why I would want to do the snow bird thing. Go north in the summer, stay south in the winter.

After living in Louisiana, for umpteen years now I can NOT do those cold winters up north, even though I AM from the glorious Midwest. It's fine in the summertime. Not as humid, yet it does still get pretty hot at times. I could still live there in the summer and come home say......in November, say maybe after Thanksgiving. Then come back south until about the end of May, first of June.....when it gets "peppery."
That would work......basically, six months, here, six months there. Wherever "there" would be." HA!

I just need a home up north now. We will have to work on that 2nd home issue, or else we could just go to Belgium for the summers.
Now there's a thought I like.