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God and the Waves

  • July 27, 2020
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Last week we just needed away.  A family friend graciously offered a place to stay in the panhandle of Florida and we packed up and spent a few days on the Emerald Coast with the pure white sand.  This is one of our FAVORITE PLACES.  The kids LOVE playing in the water, exploring, building sand castles and sea creatures, taking sunset walks and crab hunting at night. Oh…and the fresh seafood.   A couple of days during our stay, the ocean...

The Blessing Of COVID-19

  • July 13, 2020
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We have been bombarded since March with negative news, dire predictions, financial hardships, and an unsettling uncertainty for the future. Personally, I have struggled with anxious and racing thoughts. I am still mired in uncertainty and overwhelmed feelings planning for a new school year. But what does this look from Heaven’s point of view? What if our forced quarantine, time off, shutdown was a gift to our weary generation? We have oft thought that we were the busiest generation in...

My “Ode” to the Journey–A Sincere Heart

  • May 26, 2020
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God desires from us sincerity..He wants us to have a sincere heart (Ephesians 6:5); a sincere mind (2 Peter 3:1), a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5), a sincere wisdom (James 3:17); a sincere devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3), and a sincere brotherly love for other Christians (1 Peter 1:22). That means He wants our whole heart in every area of our life.  He wants us to be authentic.  He wants us to be real. Most of you know that...

Yellow Begonias and COVID-19

  • April 6, 2020
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Last Thursday, I stepped out of my COVID-19 comfort zone and headed to Sam’s Club for my monthly stock-up. I have done this since I was a young mother with three children born within four years. I keep a stocked pantry from those early habits as a young mom. This month looked very different for me. I took the option of going at 7 am with those over sixty or with special needs. My husband has cardiomyopathy and we have...

Brave–Make it the “in” thing….

  • March 30, 2020
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But __________ gets to do it? Why can’t I?   If you haven’t heard those words come out of your child’s mouth, the time will come.  For most of us, we have experienced it.   The fact is our children–from the time they hit school-aged to the time (well, let’s be honest here–adults)…this is a battle we will face.   The fear of rejection. The fear of not fitting in.   The fear of missing out.  (FOMO) It is real.  Satan knows how to...

COVID-19 For such a time as this

  • March 23, 2020
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In 1982, my last grandparent passed away. Bobby and I had been married a year and we were asked to clean out her apartment in a retirement community. The family had come in and picked up the china, photos, and silverware. Cousins had grabbed mementos and all that was left was “stuff”. Our family told us to keep anything we needed as a young couple and donate the rest. It sounded simple enough but the experience changed my perspective quickly....

A Legacy

  • November 11, 2019
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On January 14, 1907, Joe D Nichols was born in a rural area near West, TX.  He grew up in a “farming” family where they operated several gins. When the depression hit, his family was terribly affected. It is understood that he moved to Haskell, TX around 1933, and then in the mid to late 1930’s, joined the Conservation Corps.   At the age of 35 he chose a different path—the Army.  He registered for the draft on October 16, 1940...

Planes, Trains & Automobiles…

  • October 28, 2019
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“If you could choose anywhere in the world to go, where would it be?  I need a travel partner.” That’s the question my mom asked me several years ago. Traveling with anyone other than the hubs is not really something I had ever considered.  Mom changed all of that.  A little backstory…My Dad loved traveling…to football games.  They went to a LOT of them.  Mom wanted to “see the world” but Dad had served in the Korean War and had...

Fear and The Roller Coaster…

  • October 21, 2019
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His hands were shaking.  His heart was racing. Big puppy dog tears started streaming down his face.   He didn’t want to get on the ride.   Was the ride going to go fast?  Was it going to go slow? Would there be sharp turns?  Would it go backwards? Would it go upside down? The unknown had completely encompassed his 8 year old body and FEAR had now taken over.   This was what we experienced our first time at Disney over Fall...

Don’t You Dare…

  • April 2, 2019
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Don’t YOU dare take my word… When I was 20 years old, I was a student in a Bible class at my Christian University.  I did not come from a “churched” background and I was soaking up lots of amazing teachers and preachers that were shaping me into my role in the kingdom.  I took copious notes, read lots of books, immersed myself in Chapel services, highlighted my verses, took notes in the margins and took full advantage of my...