Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

Few people in the world enjoy and embrace life as much as our Jonathan.

He is a mover and a shaker. Always doing something.....always making something......always ready to be involved in whatever you are doing. And if you are not doing anything, he will have a few suggestions. ;) Whatever his two biggest brothers are doing is what he wants to be do. He loves to play basketball and he is quite athletic. He loves to sing and he loves to laugh. Making friends comes as easily as breathing.

What an amazing gift from God he has been. Just the fact that he is alive is a miracle. The doctors at one time pronounced him dead before he was born. But he is here. And he is ours. And we are so blessed to spend each day molding this life for God. Happy Birthday, Jonathan! You make nine years old look like the best age ever!

Happy Birthday to my ter-RICK-fic guy!

Happiness is spending every day with your very. very. best. friend.

I love that God knew exactly who I needed.......and who needed me. He created Rick and I for each other.

I prayed many times as a teenager for my future husband.

I couldn't wait to meet him someday!

He has many amazing and Godly characteristics that I love and admire.

He really loves God. He really loves me. He really loves our kids. Those are probably my three favorites.

He is masculine. He is patriotic. He is punctual. He is funny.

He loves coffee, hunting, burritos and pick up trucks.

He LOVES his church! He loves his people so much. I wish everyone could see his heart like I do. He so much wants each of them to grow in their service for the Saviour.

He sacrifices for his children. They think he is the greatest guy in the universe. And they are right.

He loves and collects sermon tapes and listens to preaching every chance he gets.

He loves good music and makes sure we have a wide variety of it in our home.

He is quick to forgive and he doesn't hold a grudge.

I love him more every day. He is my every dream come true, my every prayer fulfilled. "I fell in love without the fall; I jumped right in my heart and all."

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! I love spending every day with you!

Happy Serving the Lord!

What a joy to spend our days serving the Lord. And what a joy to find old friends still serving the Lord after many years apart from each other.

We had the wonderful honor to spend time this week with Andrew and Laura (Plummer) Steers. We knew them back in our college days......which is starting to seem like a very long time ago! "Iron sharpeneth iron...." We feel refreshed, convicted, encouraged and challenged after spending time fellowshipping with these humble, Godly missionaries.

We are honored to serve God alongside hundreds of other friends literally around the globe. May each of you have a wonderful Sunday!

Happy Birthday, Preacher!

What do you say about someone who has influenced your life in ways that cannot be measured?

Bro. Hyles, as we affectionately called him, was my pastor for sixteen years. And even when we moved away and my husband pastored a church, we still thought of Bro. Hyles as our pastor.

Under his ministry I was saved and baptized. I surrendered to full time Christian service under his preaching. He counseled me about where to work and who to marry. He officiated our wedding ceremony and made it such a special, meaningful event. He rejoiced with us as he met our babies. He counseled us as we went into the ministry. And he helped us when we struggled in the ministry.

He always made me feel like he was proud of me.........

.......so I strived to live up to that. What a privilege to have grown up in his ministry!

He loved people and gave each of his very best.

He loved his God and gave Him his very best.

He is still my hero. My husband and I named our third son after him. He may be gone, but he is not forgotten. Heaven is sounding sweeter all the time. Happy Birthday, Preacher! We miss you every day!

Our Most Recent Family Picture

It has been so long I wonder if I remember how to blog! Thought I would give this a test run. :) Thanks for stopping by,