Wordless Wednesday - Charlotte's Web

Prayer Request!

Deuteronomy 31:8 (New International Readers Version) "The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He'll never desert you. So don't be afraid. Don't lose hope."

We just did a very hard thing here at the ranch, something we have only had to do 3 other times in the last 15 years of this ministry. We just had to let the #34th boy go from this program, he was only here 8 months and because of some choices he made, we decided we can't help a young man that doesn't want to help himself. Some of the last words we, Jim, Cathy and Curtis, said to him was:

• Curtis said, "You hurt me bad it really hurt me but...... I forgive you and I love ya, man"


• Cathy said, "I hated your actions but I love you and the only way you will ever make it in life is if you turn to Jesus, because HE is the only true one that can help you."


• Jim said, "I really don't feel like hugging you right now but I'm going to anyway, I'm giving up on you, but Jesus will never give up on you."

We learned to love this young man through Christ's love and it is very hard having him as a part of our life trying to teach him right from wrong, and then having to let him go, knowing that he was choosing to still go down the wrong path. We know though that our GOD is a GOD of MIRACLES and HE used US to plant the seeds and HE will send SOMEONE ELSE to water it and HE is the only one that can make it GROW!

I Corinthians 3:5-7 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

Lord, Jim and I, know we are nothing, you have just chose us as your servant to be your tool, to just touch a portion of this young man's life, but we know that you are EVERYTHING to us and we trust someday you will be EVERYTHING to this young man, because you are a God of MIRACLES. Please just watch over him as he leaves our home, and put you arms around him and give him that hug everynight that we are not able to do now. We thank you in advance for what you are going to do in this young man's life and we thank you for letting us be a part of his life for the 8 months he was here. In Jesus Name, Amen

Laborers for Christ,

Cathy (for Jim and Cathy)

Photo Hunt --- Soft

hosted by TNChick

My little 4 lb Chihuahua decided she wanted to crawl into a pile of soft, warm towels that just came out of the dryer. How adorable don't you think?

Prayer!

Please go over to a new blog that I started for the ministry that my husband and I have been in for 15 years and read this post we could use all the prayer possible for this young man. I feel that we have thrown him out to the wolves and he needs covered in prayer. Please join up with me in prayer for this young man!

My Cowboy Hat is Back On!

Well, I'm back from seeing, holding, loving, rocking, and singing to those precious grandchildren and my heart already misses them. But I have my cowboy hat back on so you better sit back, grab a cup of hot coffee because I'm pulling out the pictures! I hope you enjoy! I can't just share one I have to show you two of each. Sorry, I'm just a proud Grandma that likes to show off her pictures.

Wordless Wednesday/Precious Grandchildren!

The Open Window! (My First Sawblade)

About a year ago, I painted my first sawblade. When I saw that Kathleen was starting The Open Window I thought I would share some of my paintings. I thank God for the gift that he has given me, and I pray that I will be able to use this gift more now that I am kind of an empty nester. I hope you enjoy! Thank you Kathleen Marie for starting the open window.

Wordless Wednesday! (My First)

My most memorable Valentine Day!

Psalm 89:28 (New International Version)
"I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail."

Several years ago I was riding in a GMC pickup truck next to the love of my life on our way to a steak dinner for Valentines Day. The night before he told me all he got me was a card (1) for valentine's day because that was all he could afford. I responded with something like "that is fine I don't need anything else I have you." So we are driving along the highway sitting next to each other on a bench seat in the pickup and all of the sudden he says, open up the glove compartment. So I open it up and there is a wrapped present in there. You said you weren't getting me anything. He just had this huge grin on his face. So I opened the present up and right away, I'm like I can't believe this did he get me a ring? I saw this gold jewelry box (2) that had a picture of me and him on the lid when I opened it and it played the song "we've only just begun" then I saw a bunch of tore up tissues in the ring department. I started pulling them out and my heart was beating so hard I couldn't believe it, I was so excited. Then I got to the bottom of it and there was nothing. So I turned the music box on again and said this is so neat thank you. I'm sure now thinking about how foolish I must have looked he was probably laughing very hard underneath, but he didn't let it excape. So I start looking out the window and enjoying the ride and all of the sudden he throws me this little stuffed bear that says "I wuv you!" on the front of his belly. I looked at it and hugged it and said oh, this is so cute, Thank you I wuv it! Then I sat it down on the seat and he said, "Pick it up and look at it." I said, "I did, it is so cute." Then he used his deeper voice and said once again, "No, Cathy look at it close." So I picked it up and looked at it again and all of the sudden I saw something sparkle and my engagement ring was on the arm of the teddy bear. (3)

I'm sure I started crying and wiped my eye's on his sleeve, and tried kissing him as we were still driving down the highway. After I settled down we got to talking and we had to be back to his house in a couple hours so he could milk the cows, and I wanted to go to my house so I could show my mom and dad the ring. So I said, "Jim, can we just go to McDonalds drive through instead of for that steak dinner, we just don't have the time." He responded with, "If I take you to McDonalds for dinner the day that I ask you to marry you I will never live it down." Guess what 25 years ago today this took place and I do still remind him that he took me to McDonalds the day he ask me to marry him. We were so young then, still in High School and we got married that September. We had several people tell us we were too young, and it would never last, but here I am 25 years later going to be sitting next to the love of my life on Valentine's Day at McDonalds. Oh, I'm probably not really, he might take me to Wendy's. No really I don't know if he will even take me anywhere for dinner, but that's okay I still WUV him!

I'm taking off my cowboy hat!

No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet. ~Author Unknown

I get to take my cowboy hat off in about 3 days because I won't have to pull out those pictures to show everyone. I will be holding them all in my arms!!!!! We are going down to Branson, Mo 500 miles away to 3 of the grandchildren and our other grandchild that is 1000 miles away is coming up from Texas to meet us there. So I think I'm going to get a picture of all of them together, in the same picture. I can't wait! I also can't wait to hold them all and see how much their little personalities have changed.

Make sure you are ready when I get back. I will be puttin my cowboy hat back on and pullin those pictures out, fast, to show you how precious my grandchildren are.

Psalm 103:16-18 "But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-"

Lord,

I just thank you for your everlasting love and giving me the chance to share that love with my children's children, please help me to be an example to them as I love on them. I am so thankful you have given Jim and I this chance to get away to be able to do this. Thank you for bringing our son Curtis right now, to join up with us in this ministry, to give us this opportunity. You are such a loving God, and I thank you for loving me!

In Jesus Name,

AMEN!

Guess What I haven't taken my hat off yet and my daughter just sent me some pictures via email so I just had to show you.

I hope he's wearing his happy face when we see him!

Isn't he just so cute even when he is crying!

I forgot to mention that we would be taking our two babies with us please pray for us as we travel with these two.

My baby, Curtis, is going to be 20 tomorrow!

Born: February 6, 1987

Where has the time gone, it seems like just the other day I brought him home from the hospital and was cradling him in my arms. It seems like just yesterday that I was beside his hospital bed, when he had pneumonia at 6 weeks old. It seems just like yesterday that I was bathing my son, after he would work on cars with his daddy. It seems just like yesterday that I was teaching him how to read. Where has the time gone. It seems just like yesterday that I was watching him play t-ball, baseball, wrestle, and football. Wow, where did the time go? The next thing I knew he graduated from High School.

Now I have the privilege to hear him correct young men when they use the wrong tone, or wrong words. Just the other day my husband and I were sitting in our office and Curtis was dealing with one of the boys, at our ranch, and we heard him say, "I think you owe me a listening exercise, don't you, you didn't listen to what I told you." It sounded just like his dad, but the boys already respect him, and look up to him as a big brother. He wrestles around with them, plays games with them, and gets them to respect him. Which is exactly what has to happen here or there is nothing but chaos. It is so awesome to see him working right along side his dad in this ministry, but I'm not here to say that he will do this for the rest of his life. If he chooses to go off and do something else with his life than that is his choice. All I can say, for now, it is a time that his dad and I will never forget watching our son in ministry with us. He still hasn't found his mate yet, so this type of work may not be for her, who knows? God knows and He's the one that gave him to me 20 years ago and I thank him for my baby. By the way he is single! I'm trying to find him a good christian woman if you know of one. He is a fine looking young man if you ask me, but I'm sure I'm a little prejudice after all this is my baby!