Dancin' Week & Thinking Praises

This has been a very busy week in our house ... our sweet dancin'-machine Lucy has been here this week for her dance camp -- ahumm -- Musical Theater Dance Camp.

 

From 9am to 4pm... this girl is on-the-move!

So watch out Dancing With The Stars -- right here in our household is the next dancing star!

 

We've all been so proud of her this week ... this is the first time ever that Lucy has been away from either me or her momma for an entire day -- let alone doing this for 5 full days!!!  And yes, Granny had some serious teary eyes when I dropped her off Monday morning!

And so now, here we are at Thursday already! I still haven't gotten much of my household chores completed, but I have been keeping busy during the day while the house is quiet.  And I've been looking back at some pictures from this past weekend.  Dan & I met Jacqueline and the kids at our kind of half-way point on Sunday ... Father's Day was pretty hectic with change of schedules & plans for Lucy's week with us, but God always has His perfect plans laid out no matter how many times we set our schedules "in stone".

 

and these are the priceless moments that we wouldn't trade for anything.  Schedules will certainly be rearranged a thousand times in a week, but

 God is ALWAYS good and He is ALWAYS faithful. 

 

 

 

 

 

And this brings this Granny to today ... with so many household chores awaiting and so many thoughts running through this mind of mine... you know, there's always other things that we can set our minds on and be consumed with ... but I choose to focus on the positive. Paul reminds us in Philippians what we are to think about ...

 

... whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things.

 

It's so easy to get caught up in the here-and-now ...

but God sees our whole book.

He knows our next page. 

He is the Author of our role in His creation.

 

And so it's my endeavor to

 

enjoy the little things ...

enrich those around you ...

embrace the now as we have it ...

 

God Bless, my friends!

 

 

 

Character and Integrity

Two words that come to my mind when I think about my Daddy:  character and integrity.  Since I was a child, I've watched my Daddy live out these characteristics -- and is still living them.  Throughout the years, his actions have shown his character of being a hard worker and sticking to it.  For several early years of my life, he and my Mother worked two jobs each to provide and support our family.  No matter what they had to do, they never took "the easy" way out.  

A little illustration of my Daddy being Daddy:  When I was a senior in high school, I wanted to get a job.  Being in the retail business, Daddy got me an application at a grocery store about 25 miles away from home.  It was really no problem driving the two-lane country road back and forth after school and weekends to work.  I had even been able to request "no midnight" shifts since I lived so far away ... except for one night.  I was scheduled to get off work at midnight.  And Daddy insisted on coming in and following me home.  I told him it was not necessary & I would make it home just fine.  Right before my shift ended, I saw my Daddy come in the store.  I will admit, I was a bit miffed at him at the time.  But wouldn't you know, within a few blocks of the store I got a flat tire!  Where would I have gone to if my Daddy hadn't been right behind me?  After he changed my tire, we made it home after 1am, then he was back up by 6am to get ready to start his day at work.  Didn't "sleep-in" or complain -- but was just thankful he was there for me.  And I was thankful too (and still am).

To this day, my Daddy works hard.  He is "semi" retired (whatever that means!), yet he is doing the line of physical work that he did back in his 20s & 30s.  I'm not sure just when he will actually retire, but I do know that I still learn from him. 

I pray that younger Daddy's of today's world will look to these older Daddy's and see just what they are made of: 

Character, integrity, hard-work, steadfastness, dependability, honor ...  

These aren't "old-fashion" values -- they're values of respect for any and all time. 

 

Here is a poem one of our pastor's read on a Father's Day almost 25 years ago.  No matter what day & age ... no matter how society advances ... no matter what kind of Daddy ... the little ones are always watching and following.

 

"Walk a little slower daddy,"
said a child so small.
"I'm following in your footsteps
and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up,
You're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."

author unknown

Happy Father's Day, Daddy ~~~

I love you! 

Lucy with her Great-Grands Oct '10

First time Grandpa saw his great-granddaughter late Sept '08

Breaking Tradition...Happy Father's Day, Honey!

June 1986 was the first Father's Day card I bought for my husband. Our daughter was 4 months old, and I was so excited to pick him out the perfect cards -- one from baby-girl to her Daddy and one from a loving wife to her husband. That year the tradition began and lasted ....... well, until this year.

I felt the somewhat uncontrollable urge at Wal Mart or Target to grab a card for my wonderful husband.

I know that it's 'just a card' that really doesn't even come close to expressing my respect, thankfulness and love for the Daddy of my grown daughter and Granddad of little Lucy. 

But still ... it's been tradition for the past 24 years! 

Okay, it's time for me to get over it. Either go out and buy a card or continue this blog post.

Well, here's a few reasons why words just cannot describe how thankful 

I am for my husband, my daughter's Daddy, my granddaughter's Granddad:

Proud new Daddy ....

                                                     

  Always having a great time together!

Time sure flew by fast.

The proud Granddad!

The bond is strong between Lucy and her Granddad.

                                                                                                            

Then and now ... 

Happy Father's Day, Honey ~~~ I love you!