Holy Ghost It

The key to heaven hung on a nail.

Two New Holy Ghost-Its

Stay close to the Shepard,

the wolf will be far away.

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He who controls your anger

controls you!

Friends or Family-- Does it Really Matter?

Just this weekend I said to Joel, I really wish we lived close enough to some of our family to see regularly. Troy and his family are moving across the nation in just a short while...it has me thinking.

While I don't choose to be far from my family, God has chosen this path for me. Some reasons I know beyond a doubt why we moved. Those are for a blog of another time and place. The last month has been REALLY HARD to be away but the truth in the matter is that, even when I pray for God to move us back home, my heart would break in a thousand pieces if we left South Carolina. Why you ask? I will tell you!

He has placed in my life two very special families. My KY family and my SC family. God has given me two of the best friends I can imagine here in SC. Sometimes I think...no I know they know me better in some areas then my KY family. Simply because we see and talk to each other on a daily basis. I am not knocking my KY family in the least. I love them and miss them dearly but God has blessed me with friends that are my family here. These two family rejoice with us, hurt with us, and I think really count us theirs. Just like family they tell me when I mess up too. Truth be known that is what I love most about them. They love me enough to to be truthful. We look out for each other, pray with each other, and are just there for each other.

During one of the visitations for Daddy D, Jennifer G., my precious sister-law, said through tears to my parents, that.."I was theirs" Do you know how good that felt. I love my Denney family but to hear it spoken still brings tears to my eyes. Sorry that was a side note.

The thing about these two friends is that God has given me a SC family to lessen the hurt of being far from my KY family. I am theirs and they are mine. They would drop anything and everything to be with me and the same goes for me.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that, God fills our lives with people that touch us and leave fingerprints all over us. I love my SC family and wonder at times what I would be like without them. I wouldn't be the person I am ...I can tell you that.

God was right when he said we are all His family. So does it really matter that people in our family are our friends and our friends are our family. In God's eyes (and mine), it doesn't really matter...as long as you love each other.... I mean really love each other.

Words of my Daddy D come to my mind...he once wrote an article titled "Tell Your Children you Love Them." I have taken that to heart. I often tell my friends that I love them. Simply because I want them to know. So tell your family/friends that you love them because you do.

Dad and Cars part one

Joel here.

Much was said at Dad's funeral about his BMW's, but nothing was said about the BMC's. BMC was an acronym for British Motor Company, which started as merger of the Austin and Morris automobile companies and ended up as British Leyland and included such famous (or infamous) marques as Jaguar, Triumph, MG, Rover, Austin, Morris, Mini,and Austin-Healy.

I think that all six of us kids, except maybe Jennifer, had an English car at some time or another. Jim had a baby blue Morris Minor convertible. Jeff had Triumphs, the Herald, the Spitfire, and the TR6's. I had the orange Austin America and Jody and Jana had another Spitfire. Let's just say it was a character-building experience, one that I wouldn't trade for anything now.

Anyway long before the Bosch fuel-injected, Motronic ignition, automatic climate controlled, leather interior w/sunroof BMW's, there were Morris Minors with SU carbruetors, little or no heat,and worst of all, Lucas electrical systems. The Morris Minor was called by some the first modern car when it went into production shortly after WWII. In typical English fashion it had changed very little when prodcution ended in 1970. The most powerful Morris Minor engine produced around 65 hp. Dad's last BMW's would have had over 300 hp. The Morris did have a folding rear seat. It was semi-automatic and if Jody and I weren't careful it would sometime fold us up too.

For some reason Dad loved those Morris Minors. Whenever I saw one I'd make sure to tell him about it. I saw one for sale in Lexington while we were there last summer after Dad's knee surgery. I told him about it and of course it started a round of car stories that kept Tracey and Elise entertained. Looking back I guess it was our last face-to-face conversation before the cancer.

I used to kid Dad that the BMW's were his reward from God for all the sacrifices that he made while driving the Morris Minors and his other "little foreign cars". It may well have been. The cars also give us a metaphor for life with God. Just as Dad had to go through his BMC's before he got to the BMW's we all have to go through the trials and tribulations of life here on earth before we can reach our rewards in heaven.

Wonder how Elise would look in an MGB?

Dear Child of Mine

This is a copy of an article my Daddy D wrote. I am not sure of the date or year but I know one thing, I was a child of his.

"It is fairly late Father's Day night and I am re-reading the cards and remembering the hugs,kisses,hands shaken, pats, and "happy Father's Day I got from my children and grandchildren today. The house is quiet and it is a special time for me. And in the quietness, the words spoken by the character, Dr. Oahlander, "I've lived long enough to see my children grow up to be not only people I love but, people for whom I am very, very proud." takes on an even more special meaning than they did the last time I thought of them. Having six children you can very very, very proud of is a blessing indeed.

That's why I'm writing them this letter:

Dear Child of Mine,
On this Father's Day I want you to know I'm thankful to our heavenly Father first,for the privilege of having you as my own. Being your daddy means everything to me. I remember, as though it were yesterday, the first time I saw you. I also remember how surprised I was to find out that those people who kept saying Oh, what a pretty baby! were looking at you, too. But, by the time they let me hold you-- in those days daddies could look but they were not allowed to touch until you were practically half grown--you were beginning to look pretty good. Then, after holding you that first time well...I was hooked for life.

When you were a baby, whether it was by rocking, walking, singing, dribbling or spinning around in the chair, I always enjoyed getting you to sleep. This is nothing quite so mind-settling and peaceful as having your own baby go to sleep in your arms. You gave me a lot of mind-settling, peaceful moments. And, as you might imagine, there were literally thousands of other moments in your childhood that made me feel just as warm inside. I'm grateful for every one of them.

But now you are grown--or at least, nearly grown, too big to rock, walk,sing, dribble or spin around to sleep and too big to think of and treat as a child, So, in that sense our relationship has had to change. But the bond is still there: and loving you and being proud of you and being your daddy means everything to me.

Thanks for today: it was special. Thanks for every day: you help your mother to make them special too.
Love always,
Daddy

P.S. 17X36 shirts,40 inch slacks, and black socks"


What a legacy Daddy D left for us to fill. It was a privelege to be counted as one of his.

And so it Begins

First things first, I want to thank everyone for their prayers for my family. While we are still trying to deal and adjust to my father-in-laws death, we know he is a much better place. It is just hard to deal with on this side of heaven. It still seems unreal and raw. However, God promises to give us the peace that passes all understanding. I guess I never knew what that really meant until this. For those of you that have not experienced a loss of a loved one-- God does provide peace that passes all understanding. I know that He provides strength when we need it most and there is a peace that DOES pass all of my understanding. If you don't have a personal relationship with the Lord, let me know, I will be glad to sit and tell you what a friend we have in Jesus.

Updates:

Annie Get Your Gun--Elise has started rehearsals for the spring musical again this year. I said my theme song should be On the Road Again. .. however, the next line of that song says I just can't wait to get on the road again. That is not me. I can wait to get on the road again. She is in the ensemble and is an Indian girl. She has two lines!!!!

Dominican Republic- Prayers are needed. Money deadline is quickly approaching. We still owe $380 by March 24th. I guess my faith is being tested because I am not feeling like it is going to come in. We are only a week away from the deadline. Bring it on Lord!

We have re-enrolled back for WCCS again next year. Elise would be heart broken if we left. Just pray for enrollment and that I will have a place next year. God is always good.

Bada,Bada..That's All Folks!