You are My Sunshine...

Deu 4:25~~~ When thou shalt beget children, and children's children.....

My grandson, Jaden, is a special source of sunshine in my life today. Having kept him the first 2-1/2 years of his life during the school year when his mommy is working, I have missed him. It was MY decision to "give him up" and let him go on to K3 kindergarten this fall. I know he needs the structure, the academic training, and the socialization with children his age and that it is good for him; so back at the first of the year, I mentioned to his parents that they talk about the possibility of putting him in the nursery. They did, and they enrolled him for K3 this fall. I completed my semester of keeping him until the very end when Richard and I were making a trip to Indiana to visit our son Chip there. For that last week of school, Jaden made his first appearance at the nursery. I think it was harder on me than it was on him.

Amy was home for 6 weeks of summer vacation and enjoyed her days with her four children. I interacted with them some but tried to be conscious of the fact that she needed the time with her kids most of the time. When she started back to school in July, I kept Jaden the first couple of weeks while the big kids got to go to the Sports Center every day to swim, ice skate, bowl, play, etc. And then the nursery director where Jaden is going to be going recommended to Brian and Amy that he start attending the nursery every day so that he could get acclimated and be ready when school starts. That was all well and good. I understood the need, stepped aside, and made plans of my own to begin filling the days while Richard is at work.

All was well and good for the first couple of weeks, and then I really began missing Jaden!!! I asked Brian and Amy if perhaps I can keep him on Wednesday of every week this school year. I thought that would sort of give him a mid-week break. They thought it is a good idea too ~~ knowing that we won't have this "freedom" when he goes to K4 next year!. Well, today I have Jaden, and do you know what I have discovered? I am the happiest when he is here with me. We have so much fun together ~~ talking, playing, singing, learning, working (he loves to help me wash clothes!), potty-training (he's been dry all day!!), eating lunch together, etc. It is so much fun to have my little red-headed grandson's enthusiasm for life and cheery disposition around. I haven't had FOX NEWS on all day!!! It was the "sound" that kept my days from being too quiet, but not today.

Jaden is my child's child. That's what makes him so grand. It is a double-love. You grandmas know what I am talking about!! I don't love him one iota more than I love Jarrett, Isabella, or Joshua ~~ for they are my child's children, too. But they have to go to school and can't stay at home with me one day a week. We have to have our special times in other ways. I wish I could have had this special time with them when they were little like Jaden, but it wasn't meant to be. It's been so special to love them and "grandma" them these years since they were each adopted from Ukraine.

Jaden played all morning, pottied every hour and stayed dry, ate a good lunch, had a fun bath, and now is down for his nap. All is well in my little corner of the universe. :) There's nothing that quite compares to being a Grandma!!! God is good!! ~~ Granny Susan

My Cute Little Friend Today....

Luke 18:16~~ But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

I have a sweet little guest staying with me today. Katie's Aunt Kristan called me a few days ago to ask if I could keep Katie today. I didn't have anything important on my calendar so said I would be glad for Katie to come over. We are having a fun day!!! Katie has just gotten glasses and she is wearing an eye patch so that her lazy eye has to work and get stronger. I pray the patching works and that her eye grows strong and healthy. Katie will be 4 in November and what a delight she has been today. May God bless this dear little one. ~~"Mema" Susan

Update on Amy's Eye ~~ Dr. Appt. 08-20-07

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ~~Matthew 6:22

Amy went to her eye doctor on Monday afternoon. He said her eye is looking better, and her vision was good at 20/30. She reminded me that the vision test is done in a dimly lit room and allowed as to how the room got "cloudy" looking when they turned off the lights~~ due to her pupil being stuck and not allowing in more light in dimly-lit situations. She said she definitely sees better in a normal light. At her next appointment, hopefully she will be stabilized enough to be able to get a new prescription for her glasses. She has mostly worn contacts since age 13 and her current glasses Rx is probably 10 years old. Correct lens will probably work wonders!!

She doesn't go back to the ophthalmologist for another month, but the doctor wants her to stay on the same regimen of medications in her eye. She will be seen on a regular basis (probably every 4 months) so they can be sure her eye is staying healthy. (He told her previously that every time you have a bout of the iritis (Eye-rye-tis), the eye is weakened. I suspect that her eye cannot take another bout of what she has had this summer.) I surely do thank you for your prayer support during Amy's eye illness this summer. God was so very gracious and answered a lot of prayers! Giving Him the Glory, ~~Susan

Back to School on Monday, August 20

Proverbs 4:7~~ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.








It's back to school today for daughter Amy and our 4 grandchildren. I am so thankful for a wonderful Christian school ministry which teaches a very high level of academics AND the Word of God. Having taught in the classroom for 10 years, Amy was promoted to Principal of grades 4-6 this past Spring. I am praying for her and for her teachers today~~ that it will be miraculously smooth first day of school. I ran out to make pics of Amy and the grandkids just before they left for their first day of school. L-R: Jarrett is in 8th grade, Jaden is going into K3, Joshua is in 3rd grade and Isabella is in 7th grade. Mom/Granny Susan will spend a great deal of her day in prayer for them and shall be eager to hear all about each and everyone's first day of school when they join us for dinner this evening.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Daniel 1:17 ¶ ... God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom...

As my husband Richard attended the "All Personnel" meeting on Saturday night, it became very real that the start of another school year is upon us. Our grandkids have their first day of the 2007-08 school year tomorrow. Jarrett is an 8th grader, Isabella is a 7th grader, Josh is a 3rd grader, and Jaden is in K3. As a principal, Amy has been at work for 5 weeks already but will experience her first day of school as principal of grades 4-6 tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will have some neat stories to share at our dinner table on Monday night.

Richard will be teaching a business course at the college again this semester. He enjoys teaching in addition to his other duties in the area of finance. It is a spiritual dream come true for him to be here working in this Christian College ministry. God is good!!!!

As we anticipate the college students returning, I get excited and eager to see our campus daughters from last year. Diana will be returning from Ohio, Darla from Tennessee (pictured together), and Melissa will be returning from Wisconsin (in the solo pic). In addition to our three campus daughters returning, we will probably get at least three new campus daughters this fall. We have met a freshman girl who is here working this summer and hope to be able to get Candice as a daughter. Also, Darla has written to let us know that two girls are coming as freshmen from her school and that she hopes we can get them as campus daughters as well. So, it sounds like our house will be full with girls in and out this coming semester. I love it!!! As "parents" of campus "daughters," our role is to open up our hearts and homes to these girls who are away from home and to help them adjust. The new freshman girls are our "official" daughters for the year but we are invited to keep our previous daughters until such time as they graduate. I enjoy introducing the new freshman girls to their veteran campus sisters ~~ and to watch friendships bloom.

We have graduated several girls, and it is such a blessing to know they are out serving the Lord as trained professionals in their chosen fields. I especially think of Becky and Sarah who are both teaching for the first time this fall. Also our daughters, Kim and Teresa, will be teaching for their 2nd year this fall. It is good to know that they are using their God-given gifts and excellent training to go out into the world to teach others. And so I wish them all well.... the principal, the teachers, and the students!!

Missions ~~ A Biblical Mandate

Biblical authority for missions appears first in Genesis, 12:1-3, where Abram is blessed so that through him and his descendants, all the "peoples" of the world would be blessed. The Great Commission was first given by Jesus Christ in all four Gospels: Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49, and John 20:21-23. The Great Commission is also given in Acts 1:8. The most compelling verse to many is found in the New Testament, where Jesus instructs the apostles to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19). This reference is understood by Christian missionaries as the Great Commission to engage in missionary work.

A missionary is a person who chooses to participate in the mission of the Church by serving peoples of other cultures, often in a foreign country.

We are in touch with our Missionary friends~~ the Schulers~~ as they currently are in South Florida today presenting their mission work and their burden for the people of Roatan, Honduras. Please pray that churches will catch the vision of the Shuler's work and will come alongside them in both prayer support and financial support. The picture above was made on our last evening before their departure from Pensacola last Thursday. We pray God's richest blessings upon them during this time of deputation.

Lunch with Mary, Sharon, and Ann

A gracious woman retaineth honour..."
Proverbs 11:16

I have had such a nice day. It started off with the Bible Study at the retirement center and serving alongside two woman as the three of us conduct the study there. It was a blessed time as we met with our senior citizen friends there. After the study, I met three other friends for lunch at Chili's. What fun we had for nearly 3 hours eating, talking, sharing, laughing, and encouraging each other in the Lord. The biggest topic of conversation: our GRANDchildren. (We grandmas are always glad to talk about our children's children. :) I thank God for the "gracious women friends" I have in Mary, Sharon, and Ann and for the positive influence for Christ that each of them has been in my life. I pray God's richest blessings upon my friends and their families!!!

~~Genesis 7:14~~~

They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind,and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.

I'm so thankful that God preserved his wonderful creation of animals, birds, AND mankind by putting pairs of each on the ark before He flooded the earth and every living thing perished except for those saved on the ark. On Thursday morning, I was entertained by the hummingbird activity at the feeders outside my kitchen window and enjoyed snapping pics. As you can see, my cat Bandit was bird watching right along with me. Thankfully, those little hummers are quicker than the cat. It was a time of worship in my heart as I watched God's creations (both feathered and furred) in action. HE alone is worthy to be praised!!

Farewell to our new friends~~ The Schulers

2 Corinthians 13:11 ¶ Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.



It was HARD to say good-bye to the Schuler family this morning (picture at right). Mark, Susan, and Joel were here in our home for a little over a week as they attended missionary candidate school, met with the mission board, and became our "official" missionaries to Roatan, Honduras out of our church and from our GoForth Mission Board. During that time, our hearts were knit with their hearts, and we bonded as friends as well as brothers and sisters in Christ. They will be traveling around the Country on deputation as they seek more support for their ministry until such time as they return to Roatan on September 8. I know they would appreciate your prayers for their safety as they travel the highways and byways of America and then fly back to Honduras. May God smooth the way and prepare hearts as they meet with God's people for the next three weeks. They look forward to getting back to their ministry in Roatan. Please pray for that ministry and for those they minister to while the Schulers are away. And one more prayer need: They are very interested in what Hurricane Dean is going to do as Roatan is an Island off the coast of Honduras.

Bye Mark, Susan, and Joel. We love you guys!! ~~Susan

Hurricane Season is Heating Up... and Other Weather Woes

Isaiah 25:4~~ For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

It's so neat to know that God is in control of the weather here on this earth which He created. While Tropical Storm Dean and Hurricane Flossie continued to churn in the central Atlantic Ocean and close to Hawaii, respectively, Tropical Storm Erin came into being in the central Gulf of Mexico today and is poised to dump massive rains on an already soaked Texas Gulf Coast. Of course, we here in the Florida Gulf Coast will continue to monitor Dean (I don't like that name for a hurricane!). I am keeping my grandson Josh on Thursday and think we will get out and do a little "hurricane preparedness shopping."

Across the United States, a large dome of high pressure once again baked the southern Plains and South. Widespread triple-digit heat was experienced with numerous places setting or tying daily record highs across the Deep South. Temperatures were not that extreme over South Texas due to the presence of clouds and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms also soaked parts of the Gulf Coast and Florida. Despite the passage of a cold front and the arrival of cooler air, a disturbance was responsible for bringing showers and thunderstorms to the northern Plains. The cold front itself was the culprit behind rain and thunderstorms starting the day over the western Great Lakes. The front later passed mainly dryly through the rest of the Great Lakes. To the east, an area of high pressure promoted plenty of sunshine and low humidity to the Northeast. Meanwhile, monsoonal moisture and daytime heating touched off thunderstorms across the Rockies and Southern California in the afternoon. The Northwest had a dry day with hot air in place across the interior. With the immediate coastline being the exception, temperatures also became quite warm west of the Cascade Mountains.

We are hot here (it is 94 this afternoon with a heat index of 99), but we haven't reached the century mark on the thermometer this summer. Our temps have been nothing like our family and friends have been experiencing back home in T-Town where the temps have gone above 100 degrees for several days in a row. We need to pray for those who are so very severely affected by the extreme heat and for those who will be adversely affected by the tropical storms and perhaps even hurricanes in the coming days, weeks, and 3-1/2 more months of hurricane season. We shall keep an eye on the weather news and be ready to board up should a storm be headed our way. And to think, God already knows the outcome of all of our weather woes. We can trust Him!!