God is in CONTROL

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Camp Nana Pawpaw -- Where the Answer is Always "YES"

Working throughout the school year --During the summer months our g'kids are top priority! 
This year I told Bethany that I wanted 1:1 time with each of her 3.  We coordinated schedules when they didn't have a special activity and worked out days for each.  The kids were to decide 3 things they wanted to do on their special day before they came to their camp day.   We just wanted the time to focus on each of them and hear their hearts.

Camp Sydney was our first day.  Syd wanted to go to the playground at the school, make cookies, get a slushie and play on the slip and slide.  Syd came all dressed up in a pretty dress and beads -- (Queen Sydney is all about dresses!)



This little gal LOVES to color!

Sydney and I found a way to make the slip n' slide really slick!

Camp Campbell

Working around Campbell's camp schedule, her day was the following Monday and her list included:
a trip to Sonic and Dollar Tree, doing a chore to earn money, making a dessert and learning to knit.

 
We've exhausted the best options at Dollar Tree this summer.  Some of our "finds" didn't last much longer than our trip home.
Camp Jack
Jack was bummed he couldn't stay with Sydney on her special day and started making his plans so on Wednesday his day finally came!  Jack wanted to get a "Shushee", play in the sand castle, go to Dollar Tree and make an apple pie!  'Don't know where that came from -- but he made one awesome apple pie.

It was more of a cloudy stay-inside-type of day and so we made a ramp for our Dollar Tree find!

The leftover guttering from our recent paint job came in handy for Jack's car ramp.  He whooped, hollered and had the best of times for hours!
Wearing an apron of Uncle Marshall's - Jack started .
Jack made one fantastic pie and you can see how proud he was of his efforts


Camp Clara & Charlie
While mommy and daddy interviewed, Camp Clara and Charlie was held in OKC at the Homewood Suites Hotel.


Pawpaw is the Camp go-to Mr. Fun Guy -- he's always making up silly songs and fun games.  He loves getting a romp going .

 




Good cousins and Bell cousins got a 24-hour sleepover Sat/Sunday and it was so special having all five of our little ones together!

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Splash time at the Hampton Suites next door
The girls were so taken with Charlie and he LOVED them
Movies and Pizza

Cuddling with Aunt Bethany


Celebrating Katie's Birthday together
Four of our five - minus JACK - who wasn't havin' it-- he was done!
We 
are so blessed!

Saturday, July 7, 2018

GOD'S LOVE --- i am getting a glimpse


I am beginning to understand God's love!!!
OK - I know all the verses -- but to really UNDERSTAND it-- 
SPENDING TIME WITH OUR G'KIDS-- seeing how quickly they are growing up touches my heart down deep.  When we face-time CO cuties or have sleepovers with our Goodletts and look in those precious faces -- we melt!!!!


I THINK I FINALLY GET IT -- THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT THEM IS HOW GOD FEELS ABOUT ME.  I can ALWAYS make an excuse for their behavior -- "they're hungry, tired, or sleepy"
God does that for me but in an even bigger way -- he covered all my bad behaviors with Jesus.

FOR NOW- MY TREASURES INCLUDE:

The precious things they say . . .

Sydney finding a bug and saying, "Oh look -- I found a carnivore" and "Nana, will you hold my roly poly for me while I play?"
Jack asking after seeing the depiction of Christ hanging on the cross -- "Did Jesus die in here?"
Campbell -now that she's home from camp - weighing everything against "J-O-Y" Jesus first, Yourself last and others in between.  Talking of her upcoming baptism when she is 9. 
Clara nurturing Charlie -- sharing her much loved yogurt with him.
Charlie making faces at Pawpaw on Face-time.  




















and what they do . . .
Sydney bringing the old doll high chair down -- sitting it at the table and feeding her baby dolls my boiled eggs for breakfast.
The 3 kids launching rockets with slingshots and Jack pointing towards his face.
Clara dropping food on the floor for their dog who died the day before -- not understanding he wasn't coming to clean it up any longer.  
Sweet bedtime conversations about people in the Bible -- Jonah who did make good choices and ended up in that big fish and the guy who built the boat and God's rainbow promise.  
Then the bedtime routine of a hug, a kiss and a question:

"Why is Pawpaw's hair not as grey?"
"Why do you wear glasses?"
Two little Bells with their backpacks on ready to board the flight this week for OKC!
We are so looking forward to our time with the two of them next weekend ! 





Ron

Another of our Life Park Family went home to Jesus this week, a silent serving gentleman, Ron Woodward.  Ron was the one who would show up to help fix something at the church building.  You could find him on a ladder hanging the Christmas decorations for Letha.  He was the one who would pick up the communion cups in the pews after services.  Never one to make a fuss or call attention to himself- seeing what needed to be done and doing it.  He was quiet -- and would sit towards the back of the sanctuary.

Ron and I fought the "C" battle at the same time 3 years ago -- we would remind each other we were praying for the other and we both got our reprieve and graduated and got to ring the bell for completing treatments.  However, a few months ago Ron encountered some suspicious results on his tests and it all moved very quickly.
The Word says - "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."  That has been my prayer for him and Cheri.

On the day we were celebrating our country's freedom -- Ron was finally free of this dreadful disease.

I just left a meeting with church staff where people were processing their last moments with Ron.
I remember just about 6 weeks ago when his strength was failing -- he could sit up for one hour a day -- and this particular Sunday -- he wanted to spend that hour at Life Park in worship.

 -- I sort of saw us as soldiers together waging the C War.  His wife, Cheri, organized a hat day at Church when I was bald as a doorknob.  That is Ron on the front row -- the far right.



 I don't think there are repairs that need to be done in Heaven


 -- nothing to fix -- but that's okay because he is now with the Master Carpenter -- smiling that sweet, unassuming grin he gave to his family and friends.

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