Thanksgiving

Whew! I am glad to be home. We just got in from an extended ministry/Thanksgiving trip to Oklahoma. I must be getting old, as I was soooo excited to get to sleep in my own bed last night.

We left the Friday before Thanksgiving to spend the weekend with friends in Pauls Valley, OK. It was a great time of fellowship, food, and fun. We got to spend some really special time together and our hosts and I learned how to use a Bible program on the computer. Hubby has used it for years, and I have, until now, been unable (unwilling?) to spend the time learning how to use it. I believe I can now at least navigate in it. I'm afraid I may have to retire my big old Strong's Concordance after 35 years. It will continue to hold a place of honor in the bookcase!

Monday we went up to Oklahoma City to visist my mom, sister, sister-in-law, two of our sons and one of our daughters-in-law. We enjoyed our visit a lot. My mom and I got to go visit three of the schools that are participating in the ballroom dance program my sister has begun in the schools there. AWESOME! I was blown away, particularly by the students at the alternative high school...they have only been having classes for about 6 weeks and were amazing to watch. The best part was when two of the students were showing the instructors some "style" moves they do when dancing one of the Latin dances...

We had dinner with our youngest son and his lovely wife on Tuesday night. They cooked for us and it was a treat. They weren't going to be with us for Thanksgiving, so it was especially nice to spend the evening in their new home.

I hope we have begun a new tradition for Thanksgiving Day. We went to a cafeteria for our meal, then returned to my mom's home for dessert and coffee and visiting. I was blown away with the quality of the food at said cafeteria, but also by the number of people who had obviously decided this was the way to go. My sister and I are in for next year. I'm not sure about Mom, but I think she might go for it! The best part was not having to rush around Thanksgiving morning and get everything ready. The dishwasher was only run ONCE! Usually it is going nonstop...it may feel somewhat left out, but maybe feels THANKFUL?

After a meeting in a friend's home Friday night, we headed home Saturday morning. Our oldest son and his family were there spending Thanksgiving with his in-laws. We are getting to see our newest grandson and, of course, that is great.

I think we're going to put up the Christmas tree today before they leave. It will be nice to have some help this year. My daughter-in-law enjoys decorating for Christmas...it's been a long time since anyone here wanted to help me trim the tree...my boys quit enjoying that years ago. But that is another story.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Enter the Worship Circle

We just got home from a fabulous trip to Frederick, OK where we visited with friends and got to experience a concert of some of the Worship Circle musicians. Now, I am on the downhill side of 55, and these kids are all waaaay younger than I, but they do know how to worship the Lord!

Thanks for allowing the Father to use you in such a tremendous way. I know that my family was blessed both at the concert and during the fellowship afterward.

May the Lord bless you with continued anointing to help his children enter into true worship in the Spirit.

"Regular Time"

I love it when we "fall back" to regular time...it makes me feel like I'm all together again, that missing hour has returned to me overnight and I am suddenly better! Hah. Just wish the powers that be would pick one method and stick to it. I wonder if a letter writing campaign would work for Texas so we could NOT change. I mean I don't call my brother-in-law's house in Arizona because I can't keep up with the difference in the time zones, and since they DON'T change I am in a perpetual state of confusion...

On to other things. We are going to a "Thanksgiving Feast" at a little fellowship we have been attending this morning. I volunteered to make dressing...usually my Mom's contribution, but since she is in Oklahoma City and I am not, I had to muddle through on my own. One would think that making dressing wouldn't be so daunting, but I have a lot of years of wonderful cooks' dressing to live up to...not a performance issue, of course. Anyway, I got it all made up last night and into the refrigerator. When the Queen awoke me this morning to take her constitutional, I realized I didn't know whether to cook the dressing covered or uncovered. So, forgetting it was "fall back" Sunday, I had to call the expert, Mom. Whew, she was up and was able to give me her advice. I'm sure it will be fine now that I've gotten her input. (Not the first panicked call mind you-had to get the recipe, first!)

I also made three, count them, three pies last night. Two were the family's favorite, Mimi's Lemon Pie, which is very simple. But the other required a little more thought and effort...Mimi's Pecan Pie. We have two beautiful pecan trees in our front yard and due to the rain, I guess, we have a bumper crop of pecans. I have been out picking them up and trying to beat the squirrels and birds this year. Taking a pie with a slice gone is not too gauche is it? I mean, someone had to do the taste test, right? Well, they love us at the fellowship...I'm sure it will be all right.

Puppy Visitors

It's been a busy few days on the circle. We had good friend, Janie, and her friend, Suzan, overnight on Sunday. Oh yeah, with them were two of the cutest little puppies. Miss Sweet Pea, aka the Queen, was NOT amused. She really didn't think it was a good thing AT ALL for those frisky little darlings to be in her castle. She did, though, enjoy their puppy chow!

As always, it was good to spend time with Janie, even though she was suffering from sleep deprivation (puppy duty in the middle of the night). She assures me that now that a decision has been made as to which puppy was to be theirs that things are settling down. Zoie has joined the family with a bang and I am sure she will make her mark. If she is half as intelligent as her "big brother" Janie and Steve have their work cut out for them.