i'm "keeping boys" for the next 12 days

Pray for me please!

Thank you!

The truth is, I am old.

I am not nearly as cool as they think I am.

I like to retire early.

By 6:30, I am spent, and they don't understand that. 

It's been a while since I've had to provide food three times a day for 3 Human beings.

But oh, the joy of playing games with them,

listening to their childish, 

but very often, wise assessments of current events,

of waking up to a gallon of orange juice that I purchased yesterday being almost empty,

of trying to reason with one who is not being reasonable. 😕

💗God is so good and precious.

I had a wonderful time with Walter early this morning

 trying to explain the role of the Holy Spirit,

 when he told me he didn't understand. 

It is such an honor and a privilege to share the truth with a 10-year-old.

Many days to set aside my selfishness and minister love to my grandsons.

I'm really thankful for this opportunity.

I do need prayers, though, and help to remember that...

Jesus is my strength.

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, 

who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, 

for God was with Him."

Acts 10:38

 

matching t-shirts and handing out snacks

Hope Summer Bible Camp

June 16 ~ 20, 2025

Camp was a lot of fun this year.

We played games, did crafts, sang songs, and memorized Bible verses.

We ate snacks, practised a drama, and worked together in teams.

Above all, we learned about God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Seeds were planted in little hearts that will hopefully bear fruit in the future.

It was hot and humid.

No one seems to mind.

We were all, young and old, united to learn and grow "In Christ."

By Friday afternoon, we were exhausted, yet filled with joy and love for God and for one another.

That's Sadie and me in our matching T-shirts.

Day 1: God Is The Good Creator.

Day 2: God Is Our Righteous Judge

Day 3: God Is The Infinite Sustainer

Day 4: God Is The Sovereign Savior

Day 5: God Is the Loving Redeemer

And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,

having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

Yet He is actually not far from each one of us.

Acts 17: 26-27

Find Jesus now while there is still time!

Seek Him in His Word and You will find Him.

He will not turn you away!

💗

 

a few more pics from our family vacation

Camp set-up on the beach before the storm rolled in.

Gus.

David, Erika, and Walter snorkeling.

Jake.

Lunch by the pool in our backyard.

A 3,000-piece puzzle that was done by our last day.

It was on the dining room table the whole time.

We ate all of our meals outside.

Fresh watermelon.

The "Hole to China" was dug.

Daisy.

A pelican at Jupiter Inlet.

I bought this cute little top on the day that Amanda and I went shopping.

We had such a great time despite the torrential storms and car trouble.

Family time is always the best.

Throw in a beautiful beach, delicious food, and a backyard pool, and you can't go wrong.

God is so good!

 

quote from David's sermon on Sunday...

"Go on reading the Bible until you can read it no longer, 

and then you will not need the Bible anymore, 

because when you close your eyes in death, 

and never again read the word of God in Scripture,

 you will open them to see the word of God in the flesh, 

the same Jesus of the Bible whom you have known for so long,

standing before you to take you forever to His eternal home." 

Ceoffrey Thomas

This gave me chills and caused tears to spring into my eyes.

There is nothing I love more on this earth than my family and the Word of God.

💗

 

David's selfie

David takes this selfie every year to commemorate our family vacation in South Florida.

This year, Jake is missing, but we have Owen, aka PJ, with us.

This is the last night of our time together.

Amanda calls this our closing ceremony.

The place is Jupiter Inlet, where the river meets the ocean.

We pick up pizza,

grab a picnic table,

and settle in for a time of eating and fellowship.

The boys run wild.

Some of them climb a tree and eat their pizza sitting on the branches.

Out where the millionaires live in their mansions.

We can only dream.

Some boys do funny things.

Do they really need to rest on a concert barrier?

Could they be comfortable?

Taking this photo was a crazy experience.

It involved an old man who popped out of nowhere and asked if he could take our picture.

At first, I thought he looked like Bubba,

 but Amanda and Ericka thought he looked like a famous preacher.

 I've included it because I want to remember the story behind this.

Amanda has covered her face, and I am glowing.

It is blurry, and I have no idea where the arrow on Archie's head came from.

Sometimes life is just ridiculously funny!

Our last stop every year is the Dairy Queen, 

where everyone gets to choose their favorite treat.

All of us coming in throws the workers a bit,

but this experience makes everyone's day.

 

storms at the beach & a storm at my home

Sandcastle masterpiece.

Singer Island, Florida

The work of Walter, Lucy, and Erika.

Boys emerging from the sea.

Amanda.

We were expecting torrential rain by lunchtime, and it appeared right on time.

We got it a good 2 hours, though.

Notice the clouds and the gray color of the water.

The boys.

The ominous clouds were moving in.

We had a lot to gather up and get home, but we made it.

PJ is a church friend who went with us.

Everybody had a lot to carry.

We made it home before the storm hit and served lunch outside by the pool.

Normally, we would have had lunch on the beach, but not on this day.

Afternoon naps were wonderful, listening to the storm.

Let's talk about storms, though.

Monday, I went down to Savannah Beach.

It was a beautiful day, but strong storms were forecast.

Driving home, I saw the clouds.

They were building to the west, where I was headed.

I made it to the entrance of my neighborhood.

The wind came out of nowhere in cyclonic swirls.

The trees were twisting wildly.

I arrived at my house and entered the garage before the sparks started to fly.

Lightning and thunder were loud and close.

Then, the rain started to fall by the bucketful.

When I got into the house, my lights were flickering on and off repeatedly.

Finally, just as suddenly as it started, it was over.

The lights went off.

I was left with no power.

Even my phone was not working.

Laroche Ave is the road that leads to my house.

It is situated beside the marsh, with numerous oak tree limbs overhanging the road.

The mini tornado cell took down many limbs and power lines in a tiny area,

knocked out the power,

 and made the road impassable.

I had just passed through seconds before when the storm hit.

Later, when I walked outside, I found trash cans blown over and trash scattered everywhere.

I could hear the roar of the tools clearing the road.

Debris from the trees was everywhere.

Unexpected.

Very Scary.

But no major damage,

no one hurt.

When I went to bed to read by flashlight, the power was still out.

When I woke up the next morning, it had come back on.

Thank you, Lord, for keeping me and my neighbors safe...

and for making it possible to have a cup of fresh-brewed coffee.

Storms!

Nature's fury!

The closest I've ever been to one like that.

 

on the side of the road

We left for our trip to South Florida last Monday morning.

What do you think of my packing?

Bubba always packed the car, but I no longer have that luxury.

I drove to David and Erika's house, and we left from there right at 8:30 AM.

We had a six-hour+ trip ahead.

David drove my car with me, Lucy, and Walter as passengers.

Erika drove their van with Harry, Gus, Archie, PJ, and Daisy, their dog.

We were packed like sardines, but so excited.

We were a happy group of travelers.

We made it to the other side of Jacksonville when we got this text from Erika,

"My car has lost all power."

She was behind us.

We pulled over at the next exit, which was just a short distance away.

Sure enough, the van was dead.

David called Triple A while Erika shuttled some of us to a nearby mall

and then came back and shuttled the rest of us.

David spent the next two hours on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.

We had to leave their van at the repair shop, 

rent another van,

unload and reload all of our stuff,

eat,

and get back on I-95.

We arrived at our Airbnb at about 5:30PM.

Our 6-hour trip took more than 9 hours.

We were exhausted and somewhat stressed,

But,

God took such good care of us.

We were blessed beyond measure. 

Worth all of that to get here!

🏖

💗

 

family vacation ~2025

I'm just home a little while ago from beautiful Singer Island, Florida.

Spent the last week with my whole family

in a beautiful house with a backyard pool, doing all the fun things.

(Jake had to work the night this picture was taken.)

They are all growing up so fast.

🏖

Pictures & stories to come.

C

 

trusting wholly

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding."

Proverbs 3:5

It's when I "lean on my own understanding" that I get in trouble.

I'm working on this.

Daily prayer and time in God's word are how we learn to trust God.

In myself, apart from Jesus, I have no hope.

In Christ, all things are possible.

Thankful for all of His work in my soul!

💗