Sunny Skies

The last of all doctor visits this week - praise God that all is well and normal. Coupled with this is the fact that despite all the continued rain, the sun is shining today and the skies are a soft blue.

Here at our daughter's in Farmington, we have the fun of watching a nearby used car dealership. People drive in, scope out the parking lot, or hone in on a specific vehicle. Whoops, here comes the salesman - the obligatory hand shake - then the vehicle door opens, hood is lifted up, tires are checked, etc. The prospective buyers take the key and drive off  test drive, returning shortly. A discussion begins - salesman seeming to point out good points, the buyers discussing between themselves. Soon they all walk off to a small building ( the office), emerging after a period of time (depending on how much negotiating takes place) with papers in hand and head off across the lot to another building (the FINANCE DEPT) while the salesman takes the purchased vehicle for a quick wash and spruce up. Salesman done with this sale, eyes another prospective customer who has just driven in, buyers emerge with more paper work, relinquish the keys to their trade in, and drive off in their newly purchased vehicle. The trade in is detailed, and usually sold in a day or two. Sound boring - nope - trying to guess which vehicle will be sold next, and if a sale is actually made.  great past time for a quiet day in the sun!!!

Friday we drive to another daughter's house and began making sausage ( a week-end process). Our son-in-law, Scott, loves to do this and makes an excellent finished product. The men, Scott, Fred, and Todd (friend of daughter Brenda) begin by mixing the meat and spices and the preparing the stuffing device. This is an all day project, from washing up everything, preparing the casing, preparing the meat, stuffing, and clean up. We ladies just sit back, enjoy the sun, and snacks.

spices ready

meat ready to go - just out of the mixer in the background

first stick done

second one in process

Fred, managing the water powered stuffer

Scott finishing the second stick

half way done - made 13-3/4 sticks

smoker heating up

adding water ( a sausage sauna!)

after allowing time to cool the sausage sticks, the temp is just right

ready for an all day smoking

We returned on Saturday to tackle making brats (bratwurst to you who aren't sure what brats are). Again the meat had to be seasoned, and the stuffing process repeated. We ladies visited, laughed about silly memories, and made preparations for our salad dinner.

 brat meat ready to stuff

 filling the stuffer

 adding the casings

 the brats are made in one huge long sausage

 the beginning

 and the end

 measuring off each brat and twisting

 lovely brats

 

 

 

many great delicious meals

 

 

The brats are ready for a day in the refrigerator before cutting them apart and freezing them for our trip to Texas next week. The sausages are nicely smoking as we began putting together out personal salads. Soon it was time to take the sausages out of the smoker and cool them before wrapping and freezing them. Project completed except the wrapping and packaging them.

 

smoked sausages coming out of the smoker

this is a bit hot to the touch

 room for a few more

still a few more left

 

.

Pastor Vance continued his series on I Corinthians - encouraging us to stay strong in our faith. There are certain things that we accept as truth in the standard world view but our standard of truth is the Bible. God sets the standard. What we do in life is echoed in eternity - what we have to do is establish what is real according to God's word. There is something better than this earthly state - it is our eternal state which we must be ready for when the final trumpet sounds. Are you ready if the Lord returns this instant?? Because that is how quickly He will come - with no warning.  "For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night" I Thessalonians 5:2

Are you ready???



Family Time

It has been a very hectic but fulfilling week. Finished almost all of physicals, tests, etc. and all results are normal, PTL. Just one more for me - a bone density which should be normal also and a return dentist apt for Fred.

We began preparing for the visit from our daughter, grandchildren, and great grand son from Wisconsin and my brother from Memphis for our mini Sunday family reunion.

I began collecting mason jars, slices of logs (thanks to son-in-law Scott for these), burlap and raffia for the table decorations. I had earlier found some already decorated jars at a yard sale - love yard sales!! Saturday we ventured to the Fayetteville Farmer's Market for fresh flowers. We also spent a few days devising a unique welcome/direction sign for everyone.

one of the many groups paying on the square at the Farmer's Market

 

 

a happy banjo player

 

more musicians

finished project - note the barn fan - Arkansas outdoor a/c

lots of flowers at a great bargain

 

love the sunflowers

 

 

 welcome y'all

 

 

Wisconsin family arrived Friday morning.  We had not see them on a year so it was a joyous welcome. Memphis family arrived Friday night (they had a wedding to attend on Saturday so we did not see them until Sunday). We all hung out on Friday, catching up on news and enjoying great-grandson Avery.  Saturday the 4 sisters had an appointment for a special tattoo - for sisters only. Daughter Connie, from WI, had never had one before, so the other three elected her to go first. I decided to stay home and clean up the kitchen after Darrell made a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits and gravy. The girls stopped at Starbucks on the way home and did not bring  me anything!!!! Saturday evening we did some mall shopping, and of course, purchased some Arkansas t-shirts, etc.

 

4 sisters 4 ever



 

 



great grandson Avery - 2-1/2 going on 5!!!!

 

Sunday morning came too soon, with warning of storms and bad weather. We attended church services where Associate Minister Andrew Kirschner delivered an inspiring sermon, based on I Corinthians 15:12-34 - "The Resurrection Changes Everything". There are 10 essential points of Christian doctrine, the heart of them being that Jesus died for us and the Jesus rose again. The logical explanation of Resurrection  is that if  is not true, then not even Christ was raised, then our preaching is useless and our faith is useless - we are liars in our belief.  The theological conviction of the resurrection is the death is the ultimate death - you will not die again. Jesus raised people from the dead, but that is not a resurrection - they lived to die again. Jesus was the first resurrection. He actually died and rose again. The practical administration is the question of why we put our lives in danger if there was no resurrection?? Why do we sometimes corrupt our good character by allowing bad company to lead us? Let us not be guilty of typical sin, the sin of stagnation, or the sin of silence. Let us stand firm in our Christian convictions and encourage others to do so also.

 

God certainly blessed us on Sunday, as the rain held off. The day was somewhat hot, the sun shone until the party was over and we had time for a bit of clean-up before the rains began.  The food was excellent - thanks again to Scott for the home made brats. We also had hot dogs and hamburgers which were wonderfully seasoned by daughter Christine. The rest of us contributed with mock potato salad (made with cauliflower instead of potatoes), butterfinger pie, lemon bars, tes leche cake (a Mexican cake made with three kinds of milk), veggies and delicious dip, a cowboy bean and corn dip just to mention a few things. Lots of time reminiscing (sometimes to the embarrassment of some, but all in good fun.)

 grandson Seth with Page and 4 girls, including identical twins

  

   

 granddaughter Casey and daughter Brielle

 

 

granddaughter Dela'von, her son, Avery, and grandson Calton

 



   

 Brielle posing before donning her swimsuit

 Avery testing the water

 

 twins Kinley and Kenzie and Avery enjoying the warm weather swim time

 just talking (and posing)

 a happy group

time to eat -  

 salads just chillin out

enjoying the good food  

 

 

 

 number 1 daughter, Chandra and friend Darrell

 number 2 - Brenda and friend Todd

number 3 - Connie 

 

and number 4 Christine and husband Scott 

4 of our 6 grandchildren - sadly missed were Katie and Sydney who both have new jobs and could not make the trip

 

 our four - greatly loved

 

 

 

 

 uncles Bob and Steve with the grandchildren

grandson Calton in his best frat boy pose

 

 

Family is so very important - bonds are always there. God loves us all as His family just as much as we love our families - don't let a day go by without thanking Him for the blessing of family. If there are any fractures in family relationships, try to mend them - pray for God's guidance, then just do it!!!

 

Beautiful Sunshine

The rain has stopped for the past few day, and we are blessed with gorgeous days and warming sunshine. We now can sit back and really enjoy the beauty of God's creation and all of it's amazing and wondrous creatures. The other morning I opened the blinds in the bedroom and was startled to see this beautiful fawn just a few feet away on the other side of the fence. It was so joyful, hopping around and also loving the sunshine. Later that evening in the stillness of the dusk, it was quietly resting on the knoll of a hill behind the house. There are four baby squirrels in the front yard every day, playing around and up and down the trees, acting just  like kids when school is out. As I was walking across the front lawn, there was a turtle, actually hurrying along, heading to a destination known only to himself. I love to sit in the front yard, listening to the many songbirds that are so prevalent here in NW Arkansas.

enjoying the warmth

perhaps Arkansas chiggers found him

so innocent and amazing

turtle on the move

this is "tamelife" - our daughter Brenda's two sweet dogs, - Trixie and Diggler

It has been exciting going to yard sales and resale stores, searching for ideas and pieces for birdbaths, end tables, and glass totems which is my craft passion right now. The supply is endless here in NW Arkansas, so I do have to be quite selective, with instructions from Fred that "we only have so much room in the vehicle for the trip back to Texas". He has been very helpful though, helping me to choose the choice pieces.

 

birdbath creation for our daughter, Chandra

 

I think I have often mentioned how I love Fayetteville's "funky" nature - an amazing city with it's very own and distinctive flavor. Just driving down the streets often brings new and interesting adventures - things to see, do , and become apart of .  The new theme of Fayetteville _ FayetteChill - in other words - chill out in Fayetteville.

 

Airsteam trailers clustered together for a variety of snack stops

one of many statues, often moved to different areas of the city - so lifelike

 

Yesterday we drove to Fort Smith to the home of our daughter's friend, Darrell, to help prepare for his estate sale. It was a beautiful morning drive - again I marveled at the beauty that God created for us to enjoy. After a pleasant  and delicious breakfast at Darrell's family's restaurant, we dug into the job of washing, pricing, and  sorting treasures for others to enjoy. It was really a daunting job, but we pressed forward and do believe we finished at least 90% of it, except the shed which is Darrell's responsibility!!!!

 

early morning mist in the mountains

 the scenery is indescribable

 the mist is eerie but amazing

 one of the 60+ bridge on our 1 hour drive

beauty in man's creation

 the drive even includes a tunnel

 just a small section of items waiting for us

priced and sorted

a job well done, if I must say so myself

a bunny and lamp waiting for new owners

 

Pastor Vance's sermon this morning helped to partially clear up a question raised by someone to me a few weeks ago. His sermon, based on I Corinthians 14:1-40 encourages us as a church to build each other up, not to proclaim our own spiritual gifts and abilities. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth, trying to straighten out it's members who were doing just that.  This Scripture also addresses the issue of speaking in tongues and what it really means. Is speaking in tongues a spiritual language known only to the speaker, (unknown to others) when speaking to God and not men? Or is it a missionary language, understood by many others in their own language as result of a miracle?? Many of us do not have the gift of speaking in tongues but can we be understood by others when speaking God's word in our own language? This teaching this morning helped me to not become so confused about this issue.  Many others have the gift of prophesy - which is either foretelling (something in the future) or forthtelling (telling the truth about something in the present or past). What is your spiritual gift?? Ask God to reveal it to you and then use it for His glory.