AUGUST 3 - SEPTEMBER 12 An unbelievable 40 days

I didn't realize, until I just typed the title of this post, that it had been exactly 40 days that our life has been an absolute whirl of activity and WORK!!! This is a very long post, and is really a time-line for me to remember all that happened during these 40 days.

On Tuesday, August 3rd Mickey & a close friend of ours, Mike, began working on our 5th wheel in preparation to selling it. They worked Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Then on Friday, the 6th, Mickey went to the VA Clinic in Tulsa about the incision from his chest surgery, which was giving him trouble. That evening we took our son, Marc, and his wife, Deann, out for steaks to celebrated Marc's birthday which had been August 2nd!

Monday through Thursday, August 9 - 12th, they worked each day on the 5th wheel. It was hard labor and work and very hot temperatures!!!! Their work was finished and the next week Mickey & I began to clean the inside from top to bottom, plus Mickey washed the outside. Again dealing with heat index temperatures over 100 each day.

Monday, August 16th, we made a trip to the VA Hospital in Muskogee where Mickey had an echo-cardiogram.

On Wednesday, August 18th we heard that our Pastor had tried out at another church on Sunday, when we thought he was on vacation!!! By the next morning, August 19th, we knew for a fact he was resigning as pastor of CAG. It almost knocked the socks off of us as it was so totally unexpected!!!!

On Sunday, August 22nd, Pastor Gary announced to the church that he was indeed resigning. We were broken hearted in the natural and yet in our Spirits we knew this was God working and not man.

On August 23rd, Monday, I borrowed a carpet shampoo machine from a friend. On Tuesday the 24th I worked from 6:30 a.m. until 7:oo p.m. at the Run-off Election and Mickey harvested his fall honey. On Wednesday we shampooed the 5th wheel carpets. On Thursday, the 26th we processed and bottled the honey crop. Boy, his girls (as Mickey calls his bee's!) did a great job and he got 5 gallons of that pure, delicious, rich local honey. YUM!!!

After bottling it we ended up with 31 pints, 4 - 1/2 pints, and 17 - 1/4 pints.

What a beautiful sight!!

That evening we joined others to celebrate the birthday of Cameron, a young man in our church.

On Friday night, August 27th, we had an Indian Taco Dinner and a Silent Auction as a fund raiser for a dear friend, Mark Bates, who recently lost part of his right foot to diabetes. Mickey and I worked in the kitchen serving and then cleaning up. We came home exhausted and literally fell into bed at 9:30 ..... BUT a total of $11,995 was raised!!!! WOW!!!!

Mark and his lovely wife, Robbin. Robbin is the one who sees that the King's Kitchen has the wonderful home made desserts each and every week.

The next day, Saturday, August 28th, our church held an Estate Auction which was left to our church but we were so exhausted we did not attend.

Sunday, August 29th, was Pastor Gary's last day as our Pastor and his last sermon. The Woman's Ministry hosted a lovely reception with cake, cupcakes, and finger foods for them after the Sunday a.m. service. That evening we had Charles Graham, who has a beautiful voice, bless us for the evening service.

Wednesday, September 1st, we are back at VA Hospital where Mickey has minor surgery to remove about 2 inches of the metal stitching from his October, 2009 heart surgery which they replaced with regular stitches. Our oldest daughter, Suzette, had surgery the same day, here in Tulsa. That evening at church the Board of Deacons placed the name of Steve Lee, our Associate Pastor, as a candidate for the Senior Pastor position. We were delighted!! Both that it was Steve, AND that the Board was acting quickly so that CAG would not miss a beat in our moving forward for the Lord.

Thursday, September 2nd we went to Jenks to visit our recuperating daughter, Suzette at home.

Friday, September 3rd, Mickey had an eye appointment at the Tulsa VA Clinic!!!

Sunday & Monday, September 5 & 6, Labor Day week-end. I spent Sunday afternoon and all day Monday thawing, skinning, cutting and slow cooking a huge 37 lb box of chicken halves that were donated by a family in our church for The King's Kitchen. I ended up with an ice cream bucket and a large size container that you purchase potato salad in of cooked chicken. We will be able to make 2 or 3 meals from this bounty. Sunday afternoon Cameron & Athena and their youngest daughter dropped by for a visit. We so enjoyed them.

Also, Monday and Tuesday, September 6th & 7, Mickey and I were busy preparing and pricing for a garage sale. HARD WORK!!!

Wednesday, September 8th, I left the house at 8:15 a.m. to take our daughter Suzette for her 9:30 a.m. 1 week Dr. check-up from her surgery. We stopped by Arby's and I brought lunch which we brought back to her house to eat. I stayed with her until about 2:30. It was so nice to have this one-on-one time with my daughter.

Thursday, September 9th, we set up for the garage sale which we held on Friday & Saturday, September 10th & 11th. On Thursday we also visited with 2 new couples who had called and inquired about our King's Kitchen meal. They will be added to our routes and beginning receiving the meal next Tuesday.

On Saturday, September 11th, I left Mickey watching the garage sale at 11 while I went to Wagoner to participate in CRY OUT AMERICA outside the Wagoner County Court House. It was a wonderful 1 hour service.

I got home at 1:30 and Marc, Deann, Oksana & Aric came out and brought us hamburgers and fries for lunch. We had a nice visit with the 4 of them and then Aric stayed with us Saturday night.

We closed down the garage sale at 4 p.m. It was successful and we praise God for that but Mickey says it is the LAST one we will ever have.

TODAY: September 12th!!!! Steve Lee preached his "try out" sermon at both the 8 and 10:45 services. The title was "Greater Days Ahead..." taken from John 14:1-14 with special emphasis on vs 12-14. It was GREAT. There was such an excitement during the entire service. After church Aric, Mickey & I met Marc, Deann, & Oksana at Delta Cafe for lunch and for them to take Aric home with them. Then at 4 o'clock we had an open forum at the church for the members to ask questions of Steve & his wife, Michelle. MANY very important questions (a total of 30) were asked and both Steve & Michelle's answers were so right on. The forum lasted until almost 6 p.m. All the members only were given a simple ballet with a Yes and No on it. One of the deacons opened the meeting with an explanation and time line of Pastor Gary notifying them on August 19th that he was resigning and our voting tonight.

The vote was taken and STEVE LEE was elected Senior Pastor of Coweta Assembly of God by a unanimous vote of 100%!!!! There is such a feeling of total unity in our Body and we are all excited about what God is going to do not only at our Church but in our City of Coweta.

Steve & Michelle Lee and their 3 daughters

After church we went to McD's for ice-cream, apple pies and coffee. Three ladies from our church were there so we joined them and enjoyed our visit.

What a Day - What a G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S Day.

I have to tell you though, I am ready for a little less work and constant activity for a little while!!!!! But time is short and we must be busy while there is still time. We are so thankful that the Lord gives us the strength and the stamina that we have been blessed with.