During school, we typically don't answer the phone. We stay offline as well, but today something wonderful happened. It was an interuption worth having.

In the middle of a school lesson, my middle child looked out the window and saw a truck in the driveway. It wasn't just any truck--my DAD was driving!!!  Out like shots we flew from the house to meet and hug in the yard. We just saw him a couple of days ago, but he was DRIVING!! It had been months since my Dad had driven on his own.  His brothers, my brother, or myself have been doing the driving for him. It was as though this year hadn't happened and there he stood in the yard like always when he'd drive down for a visit. Honestly, it seemed like time had rolled back to pre-cancer days!

Workbooks were put away, we went outside to walk in the yard, take the dogs for a walk, and watch the children jump on the trampoline. We fiddled with the tractor and talked about firewood for the winter. We planned a trip to Cades Cove. He stayed with us for a month in the summer after his surgery, but hadn't seen the changes we'd made in our ongoing remodel. Pleased, he said he might not mind a stay with us again---which made us all laugh. His last stay was punctuated with hourly statements of, "Well, I'm ready to go home now. How 'bout it sis?"

After Mother died I used to dream of what it would be like to have her back again. When things were bad with Daddy, it seemed like I tried to squeeze every bit of life and memory from each moment , anticipating  his loss, knowing I'd need  those memories to help me. We thought we'd lose him. And here he was, driving, cancer free, in my house again.  We sipped our coffee together, looked at old photos, and enjoyed our time together. It was a real visit--not a doctor's appointment, not a hospital stay, not a recuperation. But a lovely, lingering visit. And Daddy was able to drive.

It may seem like a bunch of drivel, this post of mine. Maybe it was just something you had to be here for. I'm glad we both were.

I've been blogging about my Dad and the trials and joys and ups and downs of dealing with cancer. My husband and I both lost our mothers and grandmothers to cancer. When we heard the c-word in February this year, we braced ourselves for the worst. 

God in his mercy opened doors, answered prayers, and helped us so much this year.  My Dad was diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma that his local doctors described as rare, agreesive, and probably fatal before Christmas this year.  But God allowed us to go to a different facility--the Vanderbilt Medical Center--to meet with an incredible surgeon and his team.

In May, Dad was told he needed to go on hospice. Two weeks later, I was at Vandy with him for a fourteen hour marathon surgery that removed his right ear, part of his jawbone and skull, many lymph nodes, his facial nerves on the right side, and a massive graft from his right leg [knee to thigh.]  At nine o'clock on June 10, his surgical team met us in the lounge and gave the good news: they got all the tumor.

He began more chemo and 37 radiation treatments. After finishing those six weeks ago, it was time for tests to see if, indeed, they got it all. And his scans came back clean--we just got the news yesterday!

Now we have some reconstructive surgeries to get done. It's the fairy tale ending to a cancer story that you dream of, but are almost afraid to hope for it.  We aren't sure how long this will last, but then again, none of us are promised tomorrow.  We give praise and honor to God, thanks to some local doctors that were glad to acknowledge they needed help, and  are grateful to have such a world-class, top notch facility in Tennessee like Vanderbilt Medical Center and Dr. Netterville.

God is SOOOO good!

I don't use my kids' real names on the blog, so they picked out AndyGriffith Show-related names a couple of years back.  Dear Son 1 (aka "Earnest T.")  and Dear Daughter 1 (alias, "Thelma Lou")  chose a lovely name for our new arrival last year. "Charlene Darlin' ".

Well, Charlene Darlin' was 1 year old yesterday.  Hubby arranged the little birthday party  since I was still recovering from surgery. We had such a sweet time, but  missed going to church yesterday.  CD didn't have a clue what was going on, but she had a great time eating cake and playing with her shape-sorting ball.

What a year it has been. God spared me from death just hours after delivering her last year. He has allowed her Grandfather to survive cancer this year. And now He's brought me through more health stuff. Time has flown by, but we've tried really hard to savor milestones and make memories.

Charlene Darlin', happy first birthday.  We love you!

One of my dearest friends is a 93 year old woman named Ruby. She treats me like family, and reminds me of my own grandmother, who passed away five years ago. Ruby has a church tradition--for every new baby, she makes a beautiful crocheted baby blanket. She also crochets afghans for newlyweds, too.

Her story is so sweet. She remembered sitting at her mother's feet on a little stool watching her crochet or sew. A tour of my friend's house reveals homemade curtains, blankets, doilies, and afghans that look like something from an expensive craft store. She makes the same crochet pattern for each afghan--the one her Mom taught her back in the early 1920s.  Graciously, she shared it with me.  I'm making an afghan that I hope to show her soon and get her opinion.

She has been looking for more ways to serve the Lord. While visiting a relative in a nursing home, she was deeply moved by their situation. She reasoned that folks must get cold there, waiting for someone to visit. "But,Lord, " she said while praying, "all I can do is crochet." And then the little flicker of an idea began to burn in her mind.

Then, a couple of weekends ago, she said that while she was praying, she told the Lord that she would crochet blankets to help those poor old folks [remember, she's 93].  But she had no idea how she'd get the yarn. She started figuring what she could do without on her budget to she could buy some yarn.

The very next morning, a mutual friend approached Ruby during fellowship time at church.  This friend worked estate sales and offered my friend two large garbage bags full of brand new skeins of yarn for free.  Miz Ruby raised her hand right there and tearfully said, "Thank you Lord!"

And the lesson here is that crochet and crafting is always better with a friend--especially if that friend is Jesus.

First of all, my daughter's dear friend, the daughter of our pastor, was saved tonight. I just love their whole family. Our pastor's wife is such a sweet Godly woman--I treasure her friendship and have watched her reach out to younger women in true Titus 2 fashion. And now her daughter is now her sister [our] sister in Christ. What a blessing!

Then we saw some old friends after church and they shared how the Lord had saved a 60 year old man at their church. Even more blessings!  It reminds to the words of a Southern Gospel song:

Ain't God good to give us so many blessings,

Undeserving, as what we are.

We ought to thank Him,

Love and praise Him,

A little more today, and a whole lot more tomorrow!

I love big families--especially mine! Several of Dad's brothers, his sister, and an assortment of nieces, nephews, and LOTS of kids gathered at my house last night to celebrate Dad's successful cancer surgery, the never ending love of Jesus, and life in general!  Part two is tonight!

My cousin Tiffany, who is a budding poet,  wrote the sweetest tribute to my Dad called "Where I'm From."  She framed it and presented it to him last night.  When I read it to him, we were both in tears. She ended it with this postscript:

"Uncle Chet, this poem was written for you with love, because no matter where you are from or where life takes you in the future, you will always have a family who loves you and a lifetime of precious memories."   I might add that our future is eternally secure because of Jesus! 

We watched lightening from the porch as storms raced up the spine of our mountains in the distance. We laughed over old stories so familiar but still so funny. We praised the Lord with tears and hugs and Hallelujahs.

So much has changed in three short weeks. We've been fighting this aggressive cancer since February.  It's still so unexpected. We prayed for this, and when God delivers, it just takes my breath away.  Thank you Jesus for all you have done for us!

About two and a half weeks ago, my Dad was told he needed to consider hospice/palliative care, or could try radiation--but there wasn't much hope of success--, or do nothing.  He was given weeks not months. The next day he was seen by a doctor in Nashville and surgery was scheduled for June 10 at Vanderbilt. Today, my Dad is home--the tumor in his head was removed last Wesdnesday and the surgeon told us that he got it all. We have two miracles---Dad no longer has the tumor and I can breathe again!

He will start radiation and chemo in 3 weeks to get rid of anything microscopic that was left. He was in surgery for 12.5 hours, ICU for three days, and a room for two days. His ear, part of his jaw, upper facial nerve, all hearing bones, and a small  part of his skull is gone, but the graft from his leg was successful.

Sometimes it's still hard to believe. The cancer is gone. It's weird to type it out! What a wonderful, mighty, prayer-answering God we serve! And yesterday we brought him home with us. I sat on the porch drinking coffee with my Daddy this morning, watching for the deer in the pasture. It was a sweet blessing.

Tonight all of our family are coming to my house to celebrate. He's wanting to see his six siblings and their families. It's sure to be quite a time.  I've got to go--got some housework to do for tonight!

I am so humbled by all the friends and family that have called to say they are praying for my Dad. I know of at least a dozen churches that have been praying for him, as well. There've been times when I was so tired, and Dad was so sick, that both of us thought we couldn't go on, but somehow we found strength. I believe it was then when someone, somewhere was praying for us.

So many times when people have asked what can they do to help and my reply is "Pray," they answer "Well, ok, but what else can I do?"  I thankful for acts of kindness, but I'm MORE thankful for people who understand that prayer is a gift of God. WIth prayer we speak to the Master, we participate in fulfilling His will, but we also thwart the schemes of the adversary. Prayer really does work! God designed it to!

In troubles, it's sobering to realize that our strength is so small.  While  a positive attitude is important, I am constantly bugged by all the media that declares that we have all the strength and resiliency  we ever need within ourselves.  Self confidence is paraded as the ultimate saving grace. This is especially noticeable in secular children's music, cartoons, shows, reading material, movies. We are constantly bombarded with the message that we are our own source of strength. It is humanism peddled cheaply for mass consumption. It denies our need of a Savior.

I need a Savior in Jesus Christ. And I need the prayers of my family--His saved people. And  [pardon the grammar--it's needed for flow of thought , here] we need to realize that God is our source of strength. Prayer is simultaneously  a weapon and a refuge.  To all those who have battled the enemy on behalf of my family in prayer, to those who've prayed shelter and protection over us, I offer my humble thanks.  And to the God of all comfort [2 Corinthians 1:3], words cannot express my deep love for You. One day I'll have all eternity to praise You in Your glorious presence! Thank You, thank You, Lord.

My dear friend Jessi sent me this. It's worth sharing:

Jesus is Better than Santa

Baby #3, aka "Charlene Darling" is here. She is heatlhy, happy, and we are delighted with her. God has truly blessed us.  She has a head full of hair, was 7 pounds at birth, and is such a good baby! She was born last Saturday.

 However, I had some severe complications after delivery and was near death. I appreciate your prayers for us that you dear friends have continually offered. I know they were heard.  I am taking time off from blogging and other things because I have a long recuperation ahead.  Our family would appreciate your continued prayers for us.

Thank you for lifting us up to the Lord Jesus--we are praising him for his promise in John 10;10---

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I find the neatest stuff in my email inbox. The NAMB [North American Mission Board--Southern Baptists] prayer letter is always a welcome sight.  The featured article for this month's letter was about a seven week revival in a little town called Jena.  What a blessing to read about!  To read more, go to

http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.1555991/k.65AE/God_at_Work__Article/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp

IN HIM, Gin

I couldn't go worship with my family today at church becuase I am still extremely ill with "morning/all day" sickness.  I pulled down my grandfather's worn hymnbook from our bookshelves and began to read the words.  What a delight when I found a hymn called "Happy the Home" by Henry Ware, 1794-1843. It is so true, that I wanted to share it.

Happy the home when God is there, and love fills every breast;

When one their wish, and one their prayer, And one their heavenly rest.

Happy the home where Jesus' Name is sweet to every ear;

Where children early lisp His fame, and parents hold Him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heard, and praise is wont to rise;

Where parents love the sacred word, and all its wisdom prize.

Lord, let us in our homes agree this blessed peace to gain;

Unite our hearts in love to Thee, and love to all will reign.

Have a blessed SONday!

I had a doctor's appointment to day and everything is fine. My due date is late September--my birth month. Both the other children have birthdays in late December. My husband couldn't help but laugh when I said on the way back from Knoxville, "Well, I'm glad it's in September. I'd hate for this one to have a birthday on the calendar all by itself--at least we can share September. "

Crazy thoughts like that can't hold a candle to the weird dreams I'm having. If I were the kind of person that thought my every dream had a secret meaning, then the last couple of nights would mean I'm in serious need of counseling. Or I could start my own TV show complete with dream interpretation, prophecy insights, and possibly even UFO footage.....would they carry that on TBN?

ANYHOO---------all's going well. We are so blessed and excited. Thanks for all the sweet comments and emails!

Baby Number 3 is on the way! We are looking at a mid-October due date.

We just found out last week, so blogging hasn't been much on my mind lately! We are very excited--especially the kiddos. They have already discussed names. And what names!  Son #1 was for "Hercky"--a name taken from one of his favorite movies, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.  [So much for a classical education focusing on the great conversation-- I don't think the line "And they used Bon Ami!" qualifies]. Our daughter has seriously confided to her father that "Sweetie"  is the name we should pick.

Once the kids were discussing names when they thought I couldn't hear them, and were trying out names from the Bible. Some of the memorable ones they selected  were names that cause them no end of mirth when we read the Bible aloud such as Huz and Buz, Cush and Mash, Mahershalalhashbaz, and the ever popular Peleg [which they pronouce "PEE-LEG"].  Well that led to a discussion about diapers and who would and wouldn't have anything to do with them.  Homeschooled kids really are weird. But sweet, too.

Sorry for neglecting all my blog friends [and my own blog], but life away from the keyboard has been very interesting. Hope all of you are doing well--keep us in your prayers!

What a blessed Sunday we had!  Maybe no one is interested in reading a recap of our church services. For pity's sake, you must not have much to do if you are even reading this blog!  Probably I can't write to give anyone else a felling of how special they were yesterday.  But I enjoyed myself so much, that  ability notwithstanding, I've just got to share about our dear church.  Let me say right here it's a special  church because we have  WONDERFUL SAVIOR! Let me glory in the LORD first!

I can't wait for our church website to get the sermons available online. Yesterday's was really good---but I'm skipping. Let me back up.

First, it was colder than a well-digger's shovel and we got to see SNOW! LIttle bitty tiny flakes, but we got to see snow all day long. Thelma Lou had been pary all week for snow [okay, so had I]. She said, "JESUS HEARD ME!"  Sunday school was a fun time time, too. Taking different parts of the Nativity each week, we've worked our way up to the angel telling Joseph to depart to Egypt.  I'm so blessed to teach these younsters. Watching their eyes go round as they hear the stories from the Bible is a thrill to me. 

In the service, we had  a guest song leader who had prepared Christmas music for the choir.  We don't have a formal choir, ours has more of a little country church feel to it. We sang Christmas songs that I hadn't heard in so long--including my favorite "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear".    My pals Becca and  Kasey sang the special music---"O Holy Night"  and  "I'm a Child of the King."   Beautiful!

Now I can tell you about the sermon.  It wasn't a "Christmas" message, but a CHRIST message. Taking his text from Ezekiel 47: 1-6, the pastor preached about "Going Deeper With God".  He challenged us to get beyond being "ankle deep Christians".   In it, he brought out how easy it is to not grow into a mature Christian, and settle for being a church member [and not a very committed one at that.]. If you like good preaching, well I wish you'd been on the pew with me yesterday! We'd have praised the Lord together!

If you click over to our church website [ www.fbcmaryville.net ]  you can contact the webmaster [link at bottom of church page] for a copy. The site is still under construction--kind of like parts of the church itself--but that message is worth getting. [It's free--just ask for the 12-17-07 a.m. sermon].

Then we had the first two of THREE CHRISTmas plays last night. We had twenty+ small children, twenty in the youth group, and around thirty of the 8-12 year old group. With so many kids, we couldn't do one play for all of them!  So the children learned the verses of the song , "The Friendly Beasts" and presented it last night. I was so proud of Thelma Lou and ETB!  "Mary and Joseph" --two of the teenagers-- sat for them to sing around. Then the youth put on their program.

I'm so thankful to go to  church where the story from the Bible isn't passe.  These teenagers presented the life of Jesus from Nativity to Resurrection.  A narrator helped move the story along, but the scenes were scripted right from the pages of the Book itself. Imagine teenagers acting and speaking the wrods from the BIble pages itself, telling the life of Jesus with obvious enjoyment! They are really good actors!  You could hear weeping all over the sanctuary at the Crucifixion scene.  These teenagers weren't there to put on a show to bring glory to them, but to lift the name of Jesus.  At the end of the play, the young man who portrayed Jesus was standing in front  of the  cross in the baptistry with a spotlight on him, and the whole youth group gathered on stage to lead the church in singing, "BECAUSE HE LIVES."  I get glory-bumps just thinking about it again!

I've never seen a youth group like this. I typically don't favor youth groups much because they seem to program the children to death, or aren't helping train the children to think Biblically, or ar simply an older version of day care for teens.  Our family is very conservative [one reason we homeschool!], and youth groups aren't something we care for very much.  Our family's conviction is that  children should be in the worship service from an early age. Children  absorb new knowledge constantly. While Junior and Jane may be coloring quietly on the bench beside Mom and Dad, they are listening, too. Increased exposure to God's Word is a good thing to us! I cast a suspicious eye on youth groups that merely are play times for teenagers with no substance.

Not so with this one.  The youth group directors at our church are just outstanding. They don't try to assume parental authority, and they are committed to teaching truths from Scripture, and their goal is to have teens leave the group ready for joining the adult congregation--they already are part of the congregation! The youth group isn't a "church within a church" at FBC. I'm so thankful for that--I like being around them. Especially since I've reached the age where all teenagers look alike. I need more time to learn names & faces!   

Well, I just had to brag on how the Lord blessed us yesterday.  Hope your Sunday was as sweet as ours was. It's so good to have a church home like Friendship.  This is what church is meant to be like! People just linger and talk after the service--they enjoy being around each other. The staff has to dim the lights to gently remind people to go home!  We aren't a perfect church, but I love these folks so much that I can't wait to worship the King with them in Heaven for eternity. It's not many churches where you can feel that kind of love for each other.  God has been so good to our family to let us live here and be part of this kind of fellowship!

SInce we are on "school vacation" now, this may be my last post for the day. We've got cookies to bake, cards to write, and crafts to make. Oh how I love being a homeschool mommy!

From Voice of the Martyrs:

TURKMENISTAN Pastor Released from Prison - VOM Sources / Forum 18 News
On November 9, Baptist Pastor Vyacheslav Kalataevsky was released after eight months in prison. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, Kalataevsky and his family are thankful for the prayers and support of believers around the world. Forum 18 News reports government officials have warned Pastor Kalataevsky not to meet for worship with fellow believers. Pastor Kalataevsky told Forum 18, "Officials summoned me for what they said was a conversation, but at the end presented me with a pre-written statement saying that I agreed not to meet with my fellow believers. All it lacked was my signature, but I refused to sign it, both on my behalf and on behalf of my wife." The Forum 18 report added, "Although Kalataevsky's congregation does not oppose state registration in principle. Officials kept telling him that his congregation does not have enough adult citizen members to apply for registration. They added that unregistered religious activity, including people meeting together for worship in homes, is banned." Praise God for Pastor Kalatatevsky's release from prison. Ask God to protect his family and congregation as they face scrutiny and pressure from the government. Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 54:17

This was not  a week that I had anticipated, it being the first major holiday without Shelby. But I am surprised by the joy that has filled this whole week. Only Jesus can give this kind of joy and peace.

We've had so much going on--more relatives ill and in the hospital. I've had two uncles there this week, and one of my husband's uncles went in Wednesday and is still there. A dear older friend of mine called in tears this week because she may be diagnosed with diabetes--the very disease that is killing her daughter. We have dear friends going thorugh personal crises--death, sickness, financial problems. Other friendships are very strained right now, some completely severed.  Staying busy, too, with church and family events this week has added to cares.  A few years ago, a week like this would have drained me dry, becuase the only resources I would have had for support were my own.

But God is so good!  He ever loves, ever forgives, and gives grace to meet each new task.  He gives "peace that passes understanding" and does "abundantly above all we ask or think". 

There is a peace in my heart about my mother-in-law---I'm glad she isn't suffering anymore. I KNOW where she is. Heaven has never been so real before!  I don't understand why so much is going wrong, but worrying isn't my answer. Finally the words, " Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." aren't just hi-lited in  my Bible, the are written on the tables of my heart.  Just knowing Jesus is with me has lightened the load so much!

And we have so much to be thankful for: our daughter accepted Jesus as her Lord this year, strained ties within our family have been restored, people are getting saved over at our church, the cancer scare I had earlier this year was only that--a scare, my dear husband began preaching  this year, we are together, we are free, and the Lord is my "very present help in trouble."

If there is any high purpose to this blog that I spend so much time on, let it be to do this;

O GIVE THANKS unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend, y'all!

We are getting ready for Sunday School and preaching this morning. We're dressed, have our teaching materials, our offering, our Bibles, and yes--shoes and socksARE on  [on time!].  But are we ready to worship the King? As a Mom, I often get wrapped up in the physical getting ready for church, and leave off the spiritual preparation for corporate worship. For that matter, I often approach every day this way.

Here's something I need to meditate on:

O come, let us sing nto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. ..O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker  (Psalm 95:1-3,6)

Have a blessed Sunday!

Ladies at my church have been talking about participating in the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church. I found a wonderful example of how prayer makes a difference.

This week two missionaries in South Africa with Trans World Radio were kidnapped. What happened next is nothing short of a miracle. [Read the amazing story  here.]  After their organization sent out emails requesting prayer all over the world for this couple, they were released.

One of the kidnappers/carjackers said to them:  "I was going to kill you, but you obviously have people praying for you and I am not going to kill you."

This couple and the whole team still desire prayers after this traumatic event. Praise the Lord  their lives were spared!

Our church now has it's own website.  The webmaster told me that he is working on getting Sunday and Wednesday sermons available for download, so stay tuned!    I'd love to hear the Senior Sunday School Teacher online too [of, course, I'm prejudiced--he's my hubby!]

Here's the address:   www.fbcmaryville.net

The picture is a little dated--we now have bricks on the new construction.  We should be in the new santuary  by late July.  God has been so good to us!

We had a special service a couple of weeks ago in the new sanctuary before the floors were finished. It had been a while since we had a joint service. We had to go to two services on Sunday mornings because our old sanctuary couldn't handle the crowd. Over three hundred chairs were set out and folks were still coming in! We spent a time of prayer afterwards and wrote favorite verses and prayer requests on the concrete floor.

I hope no one minded one visitor in particular. A cat wandered in during the service. Like I say, the building wasn't completed then!

We are so blessed and excited to serve God in this new sanctuary. Our prayer is that we can help bring the Gospel to more people than ever. If you are in the Knoxville area, visit this link to find out how to come worship with us!

http://www.fbcmaryville.net/ContactUs.htm

You read that correctly. We now have a[nother] preacher in the family! My sweet husband announced his call to preach on Christmas Eve and preached his first two sermons on New Year's Eve at our church.

If you've read previous entries in this blog, I hinted a while back at some big news and change coming for our family. This is it! And I'll tell, you, it's the hardest secret I've ever had to keep!

We're really excited, and I am very glad for what Jesus is doing in my husband's life. I live with this man, and can say very plainly, that he lives what he teaches and preaches. How blessed can 1 woman get?  "My soul doth magnify the Lord!"