Cavity

The Taylor house on Thanksgiving day

My father-in-law on Thanksgiving day.

We had good services Sunday though our attendance was low.  Sunday night after church we went over to Henderson.  We got to our dentist appointment early Monday afternoon and had to wait in parking lot for 30 minutes due to the office being closed for lunch.  Janie was called back first to have her teeth cleaned.  They found that she had a small cavity.  This is a first for her.  I on the other hand have had many.  I was in the dentist chair for a couple of hours while they prepared my broken tooth for a 3/4 crown. Some of that time I had to wait and so I read a book on the Song of Songs on my cell phone.  The dentist and her assistants were interested in the fact that I had Kindle on my cell phone. I gave them a tour of my phone.  We have an appointment for Thursday next week where both of us will have a cavity filled.  My crown will be ready sometime in January. We returned to Hillsboro by way of our daughter's house.  We worked on a computer problem there with no success.
We had a good time at the Bible study this morning.  After the Bible study I drove up to Dallas for Clint's surgery.  His surgery went very very well. We canceled the services in Lorena for this evening due to my being in Dallas.
We are planning to go to Canton on Thursday then over to Janie's parents for the night.  Friday morning should find us on our way down to Moss Hill to see the grandkids in their talent show.  Right now I am headed for bed.  I have finished transferring one of Bro. Davis' sermons to an MP3 file on my computer.  I hope to do many more of these to preserve them.  In the future I plan to post them on his website.  God bless you.

Christmas Tree is Up

The Christmas tree is up thanks to the grandkids.  We spent the day having fun with them.  They enjoyed decorating the tree and watching cartoons.  I sat at the table with them and colored in a coloring book insisting that they needed to sharpen their crayons.  I went to the closet and retrieved an old fashioned large pencil sharpener from my backpack and returned to the table. I proceeded to sharpen each crayon before using it.  This soon caught on and crayons were being sharpened for use by one and all.  I actually don't like to color and can't remember ever liking it. However I very much enjoyed spending time with my grandkids.

Janie giving Jonathan decorating pointers

I am in the Christmas spirit.  We have been watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. We are planning to do this all the way to Christmas.  I want to put some lights up outside and may do that next week. 

Nearly done

We are going back to Henderson on Sunday night so we can go to the dentist on Monday.  We will return to Hillsboro Monday night and be here for our normal Tuesday activities.  The grandkids are going to be showing off their talents at a home schooler's event on Friday night next week so Janie and I are planning to go down to Moss Hill for that event.  We will stay the night with them and go with them on Saturday morning to their karate lessons.  They are so cute when they demonstrate for us what they have learned in karate.  We then plan to return to Hillsboro Saturday night.  All of these plans are of course dependent upon the Lord's will.  Merry Christmas and God bless you.

Thanksgiving day 2

My mother-in-law and her brother who was born in 1917

I ate Thanksgiving lunch with my father-in-law and Janie back in the living room where my father-in-law spends his days sitting in his lift chair.  Everyone else was in the dining room and kitchen eating. After a great day at my in-law's house Thursday and having cleaned up the kitchen we headed back to Hillsboro by way of the lights in Athens.  All three of our older grandkids were able to stick their heads out of the moon roof window of our car at the same time to enjoy the lights.  We stopped for a hamburger first then went to see the lights.  We made it home about 10:00 last night. 

Ruth, Hannah, and Joshua roasting marshmallows

Today is our second day of Thanksgiving.  We had our two daughters and their families with us here in Hillsboro. The older four grandkids saw to it that we did not sleep late.  I got up and went to work on the meal.  The turkey cooked overnight and was ready by 10:00.  The oldest two, Joshua and Ruth, helped me make the dressing and the veggies. We ate around 1:00 and Joshua lead our prayer.  I fed Elijah as everyone else ate and if I delayed long between bites he would begin rapidly opening and closing his fists.  If a bite did not head his way he became very vocal.  I enjoyed every minute of it. 

Me and my son-in-laws Thanksgiving day 2010

After lunch we all sat in the living room and watched a cartoon movie, "Monsters Vs. Aliens."  Stacie and Scott took off to celebrate their anniversary and will be back around midnight.  Justin and Sarah helped me start the fire in the fire pit and soon we had a nice fire in the fire pit encircled by lawn chairs.  Janie stayed inside coming out once only for a moment.  After the fire died down a bit Justin put the grate over it and cooked some hot dogs.  We all went inside to eat our dogs then returned to the fire to roast marshmallows.  The kids had a good time.  It was about 38 degrees outside and no wind at all.  There should be heavy frost here in the morning. 

My in-law's bedroom Thanksgiving day 2010

Janie got the kids settled down in bed while I cleaned up the kitchen.  She is going to work a bit so I decided to blog before heading for bed.  It has been a great day.  God bless you.

Thanksgiving

Janie working on Thanksgiving Meal
at her mothers house 2010.  Tom cooked
the turkey and my mother-in-law and I
made the rolls.

This is a day to give thanks. I am truly thankful for my wife. She is always concerned for others. I have been watching her this morning as she cooks and cleans here at her mother's house. I love her so.
I am most thankful for the mercy of God. He saved my soul and gave me peace within by granting me pardon and lifting my burden of sin. He truly has blessed me. Thank you Lord for all your blessings! God bless you.

Traffic

Janie and me talking to Jason on Skype this past Sunday

We ran into heavy traffic in Waco coming home from the services in Lorena.  We took side streets in Waco for a couple of miles to get north of town and then tried again to get upon the freeway.  We got on and drove about 30 mph for several miles.  The hold up turned out to be a street sweeper.  It made me glad that the route we take to Henderson is not heavily traveled.  The services in Lorena were really good.  We stayed after services and visited for an hour.  We went by Target on our way home and bought a few things.  I thought the traffic would be less the later it got but I was very wrong.

Mother did not like her new machine so traded it for another.

Tree at the end of our drive way in Hillsboro

The ladies Bible study this morning was well attended.  We only had one empty seat at the table which means we had 9 in all.  The table can seat 12 if we bring in a couple of extra chairs which we may have to do next week.  Tomorrow will be a busy day and then its off to Henderson for Thanksgiving day. 

My new glasses are due in on Friday so I will be looking much better Sunday.  My Sister, Jean, asked me to email some pictures to her son and I took care of that this afternoon.  I need to do the same for my other siblings.  I have a couple hundred pictures that my father took back in the 60's and 70's which sure bring back the memories. It did not take as long as I thought it would to scan those slides into the computer. I showed them to my mother and she enjoyed the trip down memory lane.  I have placed here a picture of her new sewing machine.  She was unhappy with the other new machine and so with her sister's help she traded it in for this one.  God bless you.

Better

A Thanksgiving in Ayer Mass. years ago.

Saturday and Sunday I did not feel 100% but am much better today.  Our services Sunday went very well and we had some visitors.  I preached a Thanksgiving sermon on Sunday morning and another one Sunday night.  Business meeting was short and uneventful.  I did not give a report on the MBA of Texas meeting as I had planned but will do that next Sunday  night. 

My grandparent's kitchen back in the 1960's

We went to the nursing home this morning and enjoyed our visit there.  We went by to visit with some members of our church but they had company so we will try them again some other time.  The bank, the Post Office, and the mission's treasurer all saw me today. I went to Brookshire's today to get the groceries we will need for Friday and Saturday.  They had, what I thought was a great deal.  If you bought a certain brand of turkey you got a bunch of stuff free.  I like free and the cost of the turkey was not bad.  I am looking forward to tomorrow.  We will have Bible Study in the morning and worship services in Lorena tomorrow night.

Me knee deep in snow in our backyard, Ayer Mass. 1968

Janie and I plan to head for Henderson after our services Wednesday night.  We are going to cook there the food we were assigned to bring that way it will be fresh.  I am suppose to make the rolls and with my mother-in-law's supervision I expect they will come out just right.  Thursday night we will return to Hillsboro.  On Friday we will be having 9 guests 5 of these are our grandchildren.  I expect we will have a really great time.  Turkey and dressing Friday at 1:00 or so and then for supper hot dogs cooked outside on the fire pit.  I bought 2 bags of marshmallows just for the kids to toast over the fire.  It is suppose to be clear and cold Friday night so that fire is going to feel good.

My oldest sister's wedding, Ayer, Mass

Even though I do not eat near as much as I use to I still like to cook and enjoy good food.  Thanksgiving is a great day for it is good to stop and think on all your blessings.  God has been good to me way above what I deserve.  Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving, God bless you.

Kindle

The meeting went well and we are now in Tyler with Janie's mother. We finished up at the doctors office and are now clothes shopping. I have Kindle on my cell phone and have been reading a book on the Song of Songs. It is a good use of wait time. God bless you.

MBA of Texas Morning 2

We had a good nights rest and are ready to face another long day at the MBA of Texas.  It starts at 9:00 this morning and will end at about 9:30 tonight.  We have decided to stay the night here in Mt. Pleasant and head to Henderson in the morning.  The picture is of me and Brother Sparks doing the clerk work yesterday in the evening session.  God bless you.

MBA of Texas

The meeting went well today. Janie's skit/workshop was very good! The picture is of Janie working in our hotel room during lunch. God bless you.

Sunset

Sunset means the day is nearly over.  I saw a beautiful one.  Its light and beauty came through a bug splattered cracked windshield and passed on through less than perfect glasses arrived in my eye causing me to praise the Lord. 

We had a good time at the Syrup festival though it was a bit on the cool side, 50 degrees and windy.  We heard Connie and Tom, my sister-in-law and her husband, singing on the stage. They did a fine job. This second picture is of me with my daughter and son-in-law listening to the concert.  We walked and shopped and saw a real good play at the civic theater.  Our last stop was the booth where they sell the syrup where we bought our annual supply of pure Ribbon Cane syrup.  

A missionary baptist church in Henderson was selling turkey legs and I bought one along with some fried pickles.  They both were really good.  As it was when I was a child at Thanksgiving, so it was today, I could not eat the whole thing.

Well its off to bed, tomorrow is the Lord's day and I am so looking forward to it.  God bless you.

Firewood

Today I cut firewood mostly by hand with a hand saw.  I have a cordless saw but the batteries were only good for about four cuts.  They are new batteries so I don’t know what’s up with that.  I needed the exercise since I did not go to the gym today.  I got the firewood along side the roads near my in-law’s house.  Janie and I had gone to visit with her uncle this morning and on our way back I watched for limbs that had fallen and were beside the road.  I made the rounds with the car and cut the limbs and put them in the trunk.  I am planning to roast marshmallows with my grandkids when they come over for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The second picture is one I took with my cellphone by the side of the road when I was out cutting firewood.


Janie and I went to see my mother and her new carpet.  It looks very nice as you can see from the picture.  She likes it a lot.  She also painted her kitchen including the cabinets.  She does not seem to have hurt herself in any way so I say good for her.  She had some problem with her new sewing machine and had to take it to Longview for repair.  She went by herself but could not find the place so she went to her sister’s house and got her to go with her.  They repaired the machine and mother is happy again.  She somehow thought that she had bought a second hand machine but I assured her that I was there and it was a brand new machine out the box.  We had a good visit with her and I could not talk her into going to the Syrup festival tomorrow. 
I want to make myself a note here to remember to bring to the messenger meeting next week a CD of Bro. Harold Davis singing the song he wrote.  The moderator of the meeting called me today and wants to play that when they read the memorials at the meeting.  I think that is wonderful idea.  God bless you.

Cataracts

Me and my son Jason a few years ago

It was like I had gotten a letter from AARP saying I was old enough to join when the eye doctor today told me I had a cataract in my left eye.  She said it would be another 10 to 15 years before it would need to come out.  My glasses have changed a lot.  The ones I have now are 7 years old so it was time for new frames.  After I saw the eye doctor I ordered my glasses.  The lady who waited on me was real nice.  I picked out a pair I thought looked nice and she suggested another color in the same frame and so I took her advice.  Janie seemed glad that I did when I told her what they looked like.  They are due in the Monday before Thanksgiving.
We are in Henderson now and will stay through Saturday.  The syrup festival is on Saturday and that is always fun to attend.  We will spend sometime looking around and will pick up some cans of ribbon cane syrup.  Tomorrow afternoon or Saturday we will go by to see my mother and her new carpet.  God bless you.

Focus

The adult class room tonight, 10 minutes before starting time.

I need to have my vision tested and need to get some new glasses. My eyes have lost their focus.  My mind at times loses its focus.  The symptom of this is when the things that should be high priority take a back seat to things that are not.  Yesterday and again today I have started getting back to focusing on the priority things.

My health should be high priority but it is so easy to not take time to eat right and to exercise.  Prayer would seem to be unproductive time.  It takes time to pray, time which could be used reading, writing, studying, and visiting all of which get something done.  Prayer is NOT unproductive time!!  Bible reading time takes away from garage cleaning time. Bible reading time is NOT unproductive time!! I am going to get back to focusing on priorities.

I stopped to smell the roses on my way back from the mail box.

Yesterday we had good times at the Bible study and evening services in Lorena.  Today I did not feel well but as the day progressed I felt better.  I really enjoyed preaching tonight.  I am a bit concerned for our Wednesday night adult class.  Counting just students we had 5 teenagers, 2 beginners, and 3 adults tonight. Last Wednesday night I had just 2 adults so we had prayer together and dismissed. Next week we will not have midweek services because I will be gone to the messenger meeting.  Some churches have stopped having midweek services because of lack of interest (or a lack of focus).  Some have also stopped Sunday evening services for the same reason.  I would hate to see that day come at Walnut Street.  My prayer is that people will regain their focus and put worship of God back as the highest priority in their busy lives.  God bless you.

Knick Knacks

Knick Knacks

by Paul Clark

Knick Knacks upon a windowsill

bring memories to our minds.

They beautify the space they fill

in many shapes and kinds.

Some were bought as a souvenir

from places far away.

Some were given by friends so dear

and brighten up our day.

Both serve to remind one and all

of God's abiding grace.

Both to count our blessings call

and seek our Father's face.

Such knick Knacks bid us to His throne

and true thanksgiving ply.

They bid us seek His will alone

without complaint or sigh.

So dust those Knick Knacks with great care

they do so much for thee.

The joy they bring beyond compare

is all from God you see.

Turn Back Time

Janie and Hannah enjoying a CCQ

It is time to turn the clocks back one hour.  I am using that extra hour to catch up on work instead of sleep.  I lost an hour of work six months ago and now I get it back.  We spent several hours in Waco yesterday at the hospital.  Today we spent our day baby sitting our grandkids.  They came to Palestine to get some furniture from Justin and Sarah.  Justin preached a funeral today and while he was involved with that we took our older son-in-law and his family out to eat.  I sat between two of our grandsons at the restaurant.  We all met at Justin's parents house where the trailer was parked.  When we got over to Sarah's house we took the kids inside. There was a cow hide laying on the floor in the living room.  When the three year old, Jonathan, saw it he jumped with fright then holding his chest said "That startled me!"   My two son-in-laws made quick work of loading the trailer with furniture.  Everyone made it home safe and sound.  It was a really good day.  Janie and I took it easy this evening and watched a little TV together.  I will rise an hour earlier in the morning for some quiet time alone with God. God bless you.

Jonathan playing with his birthday present while they load the trailer

Taking Over The House

The elections this week saw the House of Representatives taken over by the Republicans.  The Senate remained in the hands of the Democrats.  The President did not seem happy about this take over.  I personally think that Washington needs a good shake up, but the take over of the House this week was not it, not by a long shot.  For the kind of shake up I am looking for to take place the people of America must be shaken first.  I read, at least once every year, the most important history book ever written. It teaches that governments that are of God, by God, for God are the best governments.  A government of the people, by the people, and for the people only works if the people are true to the motto "In God We Trust."  The nation that puts God FIRST, will be prosperous and truly free.  I am an Independent when it comes to politics, voting for the person rather than the party.  I look for integrity and moral fiber in those for whom I vote.  I often have to vote for people who fall far short of what I seek.  I am an optimist.  Things are going to get better. The history book to which I referred teaches that.

Janie and I have been blessed indeed.  The high points of this week are as follows: We had a hot bowl of homemade chili on a cold afternoon with some very dear friends; We helped a neighbor, giving her a ride; We said our last goodbye to an elderly lady  who moved away to live near her son (pictured above, she is the one next to me, people kept stopping by to say a tearful goodbye to her while we were there, the other lady is one of her dear friends.);  We helped our kids by fixing, loaning, and delivering our trailer to Palestine.  I taught a lesson on how to install a hot water heater; I scanned in some old 35mm slides that my dad gave me and took a trip down memory lane (the second picture is one of those slides and is of me with my siblings at the church in Ayer, Mass. about 1968); and last but not least we both got to teach God's word to some who needed its message of love and hope.

Clutter was taking over our house but we have this week begun to take back the house.  We are getting ready for company at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas.  Janie and I are headed back to Hillsboro tonight and plan to attend a surgery tomorrow and then, on Saturday, head to Palestine to baby sit our grandkids while furniture is loaded onto the above mentioned trailer.  Sunday, Lord willing, I will be preaching on the subject of "Six Things That Bring Down a Nation" taken from Ezekiel chapter 22.  This last picture is of me and my brothers, lets just say, a long time ago.  God bless you.

Wonderful Weekend

On Saturday we had a work day at the church.  A lot of people showed up for it and they worked really hard.  They worked as if the building was their Lord's house.  It was a very productive day.  We now have new lights in the foyer.  The sign out front has been repaired.  The closets have all been cleaned out and some painting has been done.  Things look really nice. They surprised me at lunch on Saturday with a cake (pictured).  It was in honor of my 8th anniversary at Walnut Street Baptist Church.  I came to Hillsboro in view of a call the last Sunday of October, 2002.  They gave me a nice card as well. 

The Mattingly family arrived while we were working at the church.  They got their sound equipment set up and then came to our house to spend the night. We enjoyed their visit and took them out to eat for supper.  We kept them up to midnight talking about the Bible, Gospel songs, and politics.  In the morning we had breakfast together and then headed to church. 

I really enjoyed the Sunday School lesson and the Mattinglys did an outstanding job singing and sharing the Gospel of Christ.  We had a church wide covered dish lunch with a lot of really good food.  The afternoon past quickly as we visited back at the parsonage until 3:30 when they were due to leave for their next scheduled concert at a church in Fort Worth.  As they were about to leave they discovered their truck had a flat tire.  I happened to have a plug kit in my trunk and gave that to them to fix the flat.  It worked really well and they got on the road in time to make their next appointment. 

Our services tonight were really good and choir practice was great fun with lots of laughter.  I love choir practice.  Tomorrow we plan to go over to Palestine to help our daughter and son-in-law install a new hot water heater.

The second  picture is of the ladies painting one of the Sunday School rooms.  The third is painting the rail on the south end of our building. The fourth is the crew working on the sign. God bless you.