I need a.....

weekend to recover from my weekend. Things have been so busy around here lately, especially this last weekend, that we are all in a "fog". As I mentioned before my Uncle Lloyd died and this last Saturday was his memorial celebration. It was bittersweet and wonderful.

I think Lloyd would have been the first one to be amazed at how many people came. He was one of those people that showed people the love of God just by living his life. He always loved. Always. The church was filled to overflowing with people young, old, all denominations, people who had not been to a church in years, people that had not seen him in years, people that went to high school with him and came from all over the country. It was a great testiment to a man that never would have wanted that much of a fuss made over him.

Of course his favorite part would have been a toss-up between the food and the singing. There were lots of both. Our family really, really loves to cook and really, really loves to sing. We fed almost 200 and still had lots of food left. Then we all went to sing upstairs and had a great time.

To end the memorial service, the Oakes family sang the Doxology as is our tradition at every family get together. It was beautiful. There were so many of us and it just rang through the church and out into the street where the overflow was. Hard to sing when you are crying, but beautiful.

During the gospel sing, our group the Dads & Daughters sang. It was so hard with a huge chunk of us missing. Lloyd was so, so important, but he would have been the first one to tell us to get up there and sing. We think maybe we should call ourselves the "Leftovers" now. It was hard, but I"m so glad that we did it.

Jessalyn had her Regional Spelling Bee last week and CAME IN FOURTH!!!!! We are so proud of her. She was up against 8th graders the last 3 rounds and when it was all over the top three were 8th graders and our little 5th grader had done great!

Last week our family bathroom toilet "blew up". Well actually, it just was ripped out of the floor and broke the seal (we won't go into how that happened). Anway, it happened at night on Tuesday night. I heard water running about 9:00 pm and went in to find water all over. Will and my Dad spent the next two days switching toilets around. The new one that we had planned to put in the family bathroom would not fit, so we put that one in the master and moved the master's toilet to the family bath. Then they replaced the old vanity with a new one since the old one needed it and the water damage had pretty much finished it off.

Now both bathrooms have different toilets and because of the different placement, I now have to paint both bathrooms again. I was hoping to get away with not painting the one, but no such luck. Oh well, this way it will be beautiful with new carpet, fixtures, paint and ceiling. I guess it will all work out in the end.

The weather was beautiful all weekend with highs near 70. Now it's in the 40's and raining with snow. I sure am tired of cold weather. Really! I got to weed one of my flower gardens the other day. My tulips, iris, lillies, crocus and ground cover are all up. I was really getting into this spring thing and now....snow. Ick.....

One more thing. We have been having some great sermons at our new/old church the Livingstones Fellowship. Will and I first went there when we moved up and left when we started the new church down the street. Actually the Livingstones started the Warrens Baptist church. My Dad always says that the Warrens Baptist Church is probably the only Baptist church started by an Assembly of God Church. There was a need and Uncle Lloyd helped my Dad and Dennis (who were the co-pastors) start that church. It was a strange, but great experience.
Now, we are back at the Livingstones. They have an active youth group and some fantastic teaching. I am enjoying NOT playing the piano, although I miss it. I get to sing more often now too. The kids love it there and I am feeling renewed. (For more information on that part see Sept. 8, 2007 in our archives). God has brought me through a hard, hard time in my life. I cannot say that I am completely out of it. There are still lots of questions that I'm seeking answers for. Still things that I have to work daily to forgive in myself and others.

Have you noticed that sometimes when you make the decision to forgive others, you have to keep forgiving them daily for the same thing because being human you drag it up again? Each time you see the person you remember the transgression (even though you don't want to) and then you have to go through the process of forgiving again. Forgiveness is a choice that you have to keep making, although with time, it does seem to get easier. I am looking forward to the day that I can remember the forgiveness first instead of the transgression. Does that make sense?

Anyway, things are not so stormy in my life any longer and I am thrilled to be going into a new chapter of renewal with God. I am learning so much daily and then on Sundays the sermons seem to be just what I need the next week. If you get a chance check out the web site http://www.lsfw.org/ and listen to some of the sermons. They are all very good, but I especially needed the ones on Satan back when Bill shared them and lately we (Will and I both) have enjoyed the reminder about false gospels. Things you already know, but seem to "let slide" or just don't think about. Very good, very interesting and very thought provoking. I think I probably drive Bill crazy with my "ok so that's how that goes, but now what "or "but now what if.".. questions. Anyway, if you want to get your thought process going, check it out. I guarrantee that you will find something in there to make your mind work. I'M LOVING IT!!! What a way to spend a mail route....thinking about Sunday's sermon and how it applies to my life. I am looking forward to going to church on Sundays and that is a great feeling.

Well, time to get Jake on the bus and Jessa ready.

Have a blessed day.
dea