History In the Making

Tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm history will take place. We, along with family and friends will watch Trae as he makes an entrance through those doors at the LCSC Activity Center and make history.

What so special about a graduation ceremony? This ceremony will have a significant impact on my extended family. Trae is the first male to graduate high school in my family. We are so thankful and honored that the Lord has chosen to use him to be a trailblazer and change the course in my family lineage.

Don and I have been really excited about this because he will be taking his next big step this Fall. Trae has decided to answer the call on his life and go into ministry. Trae is so talented. He could have chosen another profession and been very successful. As parents, we stand behind him and support him 100%. He will attend Portland Biblce College along with his sister Ruth.

Trae's Senior year has been a great year. He lead a ministry at the high school that he took over from Ruth called "Revolution" He taught his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ how to share their faith on the high school campus. Encourage & discipled new believers. He stood up like a strong tower for what he believed. He was popular for all the right reasons (Praise God). His class mates chose him to be Prom King and the staff chose him to receive the David Laird Award and be a Senior Representative based on his character and positive influence.

So tomorrow, will you rejoice with us as we celebrate this great acheivement.

I can't wait to see this in my son's hand!
As for now, he's asking momma to cook him some eggs.

A Woman's Hands

"A Woman's Hands"
by: Sandra King

Soft to the touch and beautiful to the eye
are a woman's hands
Working diligently from sunrise to sunset
are a woman's hands

Are my 2 hands and 10 fingers enough to take on the battles in life
and eventually win the war?

Soothing the cry of a baby and nursing a sick child
are a woman's hands
Redirecting and correcting in the right directions
are a woman's hands

Yes your hands and fingers are enough. Don't run from the battle
you can win this war.

Underestimated for their strength and longevity
are a woman's hands
They may grow tired, but they never quit
are a woman's hands

Psalm 144:1 - Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle-

Lonely as they walk down the neighborhood streets
are a woman's hands
Looking for a sister or friend to share life with
are a woman's hands

Ready to fight even if I have to go at it alone. To much is at stake
and I can't afford the price if the war is lost

Geared up to defend family, faith and friends
are a woman's hands
Ready, set, go.....as they stretch toward heaven
are a woman's hands

When God saw my palm and finger prints, He knew it was me.
For there is none in heaven or on earth like mine

At last they sway from side to side
are a woman's hands
Proclaiming victory and they worship the Lord God Almighty.

Frank & Laura's Wedding

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending the wedding ceremony of Frank & Laura. They were married a year ago, but took this time to have a renewal. I absolutely love wedding because there's something so much deeper going on during a wedding ceremony. It's a commitment that two people make before God, family and friends. The theme was country and western.

My husband was so honored when he was asked to officiate the ceremony. My husband has known Frank since the late 70s when they lived in Hermiston. They were Royal Ranger Commanders in Outpost 86. The wedding ceremony couldn't have gone any better.

Laura was one of the most beautiful brides I'd even seen. This was our first time meeting her. She was so warm and loving. She welcomed us with open arms. As a wife who has the tendency to notice how other wives are with their husbands, I noticed a similarity between Laura and I. We are both engulfed in our husbands and look at them with such awe.

We are so happy for Frank. We love him dearly and prayed for some time that he would find someone special. Not just anyone, but someone special. It fills our heart with joy knowing that he's found that special person.



As a family we took this opportunity to enjoy each other and relax on the farm.









Frank's sister sang this song for the ceremony.

Forgive and Forget?

I woke up this morning reliving an image that played over and over again in my mind last night. It wasn't real, but I walked away from it with a real life changing experience. I see forgiveness in a whole new light.

There I was gathered there among the multitude of people. I really wasn't sure which group I belong to. After all, I could see a little bit of myself in each group. I felt more comfortable being a part of the group of women who mourned and lamented Him.

Our mourning didn't last very long because He told us not to weep for Him, but to weep for ourselves and our children. Why would he say a thing like that? Puzzled by His response to our mourning, I continued to move along the crowd until I came to a rapid halt. Almost falling flat on my face due to the sudden stop, there before me were the ones whom I needed to forgive.

"So glad I didn't fall on my face in front of them. They would have gotten a good laugh." I whispered to myself.

There was no way of moving throughout the crowd now. It was like being packed in a can of sardines. The smell was horrid. It was the stench of bitterness eroding away at the hearts of the people.

As I looked in front of me, I could see a glimpse of Jesus there on the cross. I saw His mouth moving and I was trying to make out what He was saying. It was hard to hear him at first because the crowd was noisy. I had to focus on Him and Him alone because I knew the Words He was speaking were for me. At last I heard.

"Forgive them for they do not know what they do."

Surely I must have been mistaken. Could He have really been talking to me? Maybe it was just my imagination running away with me. I stood there for a minute thinking that in order to be like Him, I must do as He would do.

I turned and looked at the people I needed to forgive. Before I could think twice, I uttered the words, "I forgive you."

As I'm fully awake now and ponder the image that so engulfed my mind last night. I started to wonder if I had to forget what happened. All my life I heard the saying, "you can forgive, but you don't have to forget."

I then remembered that in order to be like Him, I must do as He did.

As Jesus was there on the cross forgiving the world of their sins. He wasn't keeping a mental record so that he wouldn't forget what was done to Him. He forgave and He forgot. I've come to the conclusion that the saying "you can forgive, but you don't have to forget" shouldn't be a part of my life.

How sad it is when people live their lives holding on to hurt because they choose to forgive, but not forget. Many marriages have fallen apart because a spouse chooses to forgive, but won't forget the violations that were made against them. Prodigal children won't return home again because the last time mom and dad "forgave" them, there former mistakes were presented at the family dinner table for all to see. Friendships that had a beautiful bow wrapped around it no longer exist because we can't seem to forget the hurt. The church deacon was embraced after a great error only to be reminded by the saints of his ways each time he came to church.

In order to be like Him and do what He said, I first had to get a definition of what it means to forgive. After that then I'm able to decide if I'm making the right chose by choosing to forgive and forget.

Forgive - to give up resentment against or the desire to punish; to stop being angry with; to pardon; to give up all claims to punish or exact penalty for an offense; to overlook.

As I read that definition, I did not see the words "remember what wrong has been done to you." I read and understood what Jesus was really saying when He said, "Forgive them for they do not know what they do."

Cherish Your Mother

"Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Tomorrow is Mother's Day." Those are the words that I've been whispering under my breath all day. It wasn't until after I got the bread in the oven today that I realize that Mother's Day is painful for me. It was around Mother's Day a few years ago that my mother went home to be with Jesus.

I was a miracle baby. My mother had a tubal ligation after my sister was born. Five years later to her astonishment, she was told that she was pregnant with me. It was very difficult for her to accept the fact that she was yet expecting again. She already had 5 children of her own. Not to mention that she raised my father's children from previous relationships.

She never went into details as to what happened between her and my father during the pregnancy. One thing I know is that it was a struggle for them to accept another baby. Rejection set in at an early age for me. I will talk about that in a later post. There is one thing I do want to say though. If you have an "unexpecting pregnancy" please be careful how you respond and what you say. I firmly believe that no pregnancy is unexpecting. God who is the creator of life was not "surprise" by that precious baby in your womb. It was God's plan. One thing that is not God's plan, that is for rejection to take root in a person life.

I shared the Gospel with my mother when I was 16. She accepted Him.

I thought about my mother so much today. I also thought about the many people who will face Mother's Day tomorrow without a mother. There are many of us who cannot pick up the phone early in the morning to wish mom a Happy Mother's Day. Cards weren't mailed out this week. Flowers weren't sent. Reservations at mom's favorite restaurant weren't made.

My prayer for you on tomorrow is that God will embrace you with His love. That you would feel His peace all around you. I want you to know that it's okay to cry. I for one will cry tomorrow. I will cry because I miss my mother. I will also cry with a praise in my heart knowing that she's with her Father in heaven.

For those of you whose mother is still alive. Cherish her on tomorrow and everyday.

Amish Meatloaf

Amish Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
2 1/2 cups crushed crackers (I use crushed bread crumbs)
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbls. vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 slices of bacon (optional)

*Heat oven to 350 degrees

*In a medium bowl, mix together ground beef, crushed crackers, onion, eggs, 3/4 cup ketchup & 1/4 cup brown sugar until well blended.

*Shape into loaf. (I use a 9x13 baking dish & add bacon on top as an option)

*Bake for 1 hour.

*While the meatloaf is baking, mix together remaining 1 cup ketchup, vinegar, salt, mustard & 1/2 brown sugar. (I usually cup these ingredients in half.)

*After an hour of baking, spread mixture over the top of the meat loaf and bake for an additional 15 minutes.Sarah picked the beautiful tulip from the front yard.

Trae It's Your 18th Birthday!

Where has time gone? When I got up this morning and realized that your a young man now. I had so many emotions at the thought of you turning 18 today. Today is special in so many ways.

I thought you were going to be born before May 2, 1991 because of all the complications during my pregnancy with you. During the last trimester of my pregnancy I started having severe abdominal pain. The doctors and specialist couldn't figure out at first what was wrong. I found myself at the hospital multiple times before they found out what was causing the pain. It was the incision from the c-section that I had the prior year. I had an amniocentesis which revealed that your lungs weren't developed. I choose not to have until your lungs were fully developed. The doctors advised me against that, but I didn't want to take a chance with your life. I knew in my heart that God had a plan and a purpose for you. So I decided to go on bed rest and it was the best decision I ever made. You were born so strong and healthy.

You were always so independent, but yet you knew when to call mommy. You may not remember that day you were sitting in the highchair, but I do. I was trying to feed you a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for lunch. You kept turning your head and wouldn't eat. I then turned to Ruthie and put her in the booster chair. When I looked around, you had picked up your sandwich and started feeding yourself. That was a milestone and a memory that I will cherish forever.

Now look at you. You're this wonderful God fearing young man whose passion is to preach the Gospel. You make us proud for taking a stand for what's right.

After years of homeschooling you, you decided you wanted to go and make an impact on your classmates. We were so confident that if anybody could do it, it's you. I love that fact that you decided not to be a closet Christian on campus. You've followed our advice to live the life and just love the people. I'm amazed at the testimonies you share with me about who you witness to and how they respond. God has given you such an open during your last year in high school. You've spread your wings so wide and soared beyond my wildest dreams. Mommy is crying as I write this. I never regret for one moment all the years I spent at home raising you guys. Yes we gave up a lot living on one income, but we've gained so much more. The time I spent with you was well worth it.

You graduate in less than a month, May 30th. You're such a testimony to our family that hasn't come to know Jesus as their Savior. You are the first male in my family to graduate high school. Your aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers are all rooting for you. As you know Dad and I are you're biggest cheerleaders. We say "you go TJ!"

Son I also want to encourage you and let you know that there's a girl out there praying for you. She's singing that song by Rebecca St. James. She's keeping herself for you, just as you're keeping yourself for her. She will come in God's timing.
BTW.....Congratulations again on becoming the 2009 Lewiston High School Prom King!

My Help

Don and I have so many things before the Lord right now. I told him this morning that "we really need the Lord to help us make the right decisions." He said for me not to worry and read to me Psalm 121:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.



We are so excited with the great things that God's doing in our lives and the lives of our children.

*Turn off the music on the sidebar and listen to this beautiful song.