"Just give me Jesus and the light from HIM gets me home."

I came across this reading through the notes on my iphone.  I don't know where I read it --I believe it expresses my sentiment behind our newest banner at Life Park.  "Light shining out of darkness".

Too Good to Miss . . . .

Campbell now has a new bedroom because her's became too drafty this winter. This weekend they finished the move as her Daddy got her bed set up.

My Favorites from the Week

"Whew! I thought I'd never get outside -- I can't believe Mom was insisting I put my shoes on first -
After 15 minutes--she won"

A Facebook status I read by Angela Murray, "I wish Heaven weren't so far away -- I'd love to take the kids and go for the day!"

A Youtube link that one of my YA gals shared with us yesterday by Eric Ludy  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHJ6-YhSYQ  It redefined my mission for the coming months and years!

Something I found in my morning e-mail a few days ago from Women of Faith that spoke to my heart in this stage of life --I'm putting it here on my blog to remember (and so I won't lose it :-) 



Finding Perspective
by Dale Hanson Bourke
Here’s what I am learning: God wants us to spend the second halves of our lives worrying less about what we do and more about who we become. He wants to turn our lives upside down and use us in magnificent, unexpected, world-changing ways.


He is calling us to step up to the challenge and to leave the past behind.
God is calling you to build spiritual muscle, to develop a resume of soul work, to find peace and joy like you have never known. God wants to take you on an adventure unlike anything you have ever dreamed.
A second calling isn’t about something you do but about someone you become, it is the belief that the best is yet to come, and it will probably look very different than anything that has come before. It is faith that God’s call is not just for the young but for the faithful. It is the confidence that what we can do through God is more than we can imagine accomplishing on our own. Your second calling doesn’t necessarily build your resume, but it builds your soul.

 Shopping is so much more fun if Mom lets me stand in the cart and flash my gorgeous smile at everybody!

 Can't wait to give the kids some time away and keep this little shopper -- don't think we'll brave Target, though.

My Man

One of my students, an office aide, walked in grinning during the last class period today with a beautiful plant from my hubby -- I was caught off guard -- totally surprised.  Terry drove all the way up to Owasso to deliver it himself to my school.  He'd already left a couple of gifts in my car last night that I found this am.

Reading the card I explained to my students that today was our 39th anniversary - they uttered such phrases "uh that's a long time" or "39 years??" -- twice their age -- you could tell they wondered how or why people  stay together that long when their dating relationships last only 6-10 months at best.



One word -- G R A C E --


or maybe that word is . . .                         

R E S P E C T --

or --

U N S E L F I S H N E S S             

or --

A C C E P T A N C E


  or --


K I N D N E S S -- or ---

Anyway, my man exemplifies all of those.  He's the one who gives me the benefit of the doubt -- who excuses away my crankiness -- or unpredictability.  He looks out for what I'm going to need next -- and does the little things -- that go a long way.  He's the one who believes I can do anything -- and encourages me to do so.

 He's the one who comes up with the most unusual gift ideas -- like the time he went to a recording studio and recorded our favorite song for our anniversary one year.  He makes me videos for special occasions -- and creates  the most wonderful anniversary celebrations when it's his year to do the planning.

When he shops for gifts,  he always buys something I wouldn't dare buy for myself -- but I end up liking ever so much.


He puts my needs ahead of his own and works so very hard -- despite the discomfort from his rheumatoid -- to make sure that I am well taken care of.

Wedding Day 1-20-73

Terry Bell -- you're God's answer. 

Too Good to Pass Up -- Is She Good or What???

OK, OK I know I posted all kinds of Campbell pics yesterday but this one was too good to miss!

My Recent Fav's from KC

We love our daily Campbell Updates.  I txt'd Mat yesterday after he sent a cute video and said I was going to miss these little video updates when they moved here and then remembered -- Oh, wait -- we'll have her with us!!

Shopping with momma is hard work!

If I hide in here long enough, I might not have to take a nap

The Trip . . . Going Home

We went back to my hometown yesterday to a surprise 40th anniversary party for my life-long friend, Charlene Bandy and her husband Larry.  I say life-long because we were friends before we knew how to be friends since my parents moved next door to her family when I was two years old.  Charlene is the one who really "got it" with how to be a friend.  She's the one who remembers all the special days with a card, she's the one who kept up with our high school friends even 40+ years later. She's the one who makes the calls first on special days.   She is one special friend!  And SHE'S  the one who makes special times for other people.

But yesterday was HER special day so Terry and I drove to St. Louis to surprise her.  When we walked in the room, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Jannie's here" -- her kids and husband came over and excited to see us as well.    Terry said, it was worth the whole trip to hear Charlene shout that one phrase!  It was HER party but she made a fuss about ME.


We couldn't stay long --and as we were heading back to Tulsa, I got all teary thinking about how she loudly yelled my name as I walked through the door.   I found myself thinking . . .
that's how it's going to be when we get to Heaven.  It's HIS party, but I think that Jesus and all our loved ones are going to yell our names and make a big hoopla when we arrive!" It's HIS party -- but the fuss will be about US.   .  . We're gonna KNOW  the trip was worth it!!!

A Special Thank You to My Sweet Hubby for this Video Presentation For Today's Communion Meditation