SPIRITUAL SUNDAY & A MUST READ - Books 9 & 10

I have not participated in Spiritual Sunday since December of last year so this group of followers is not aware that our beloved daughter, Suzette, lost her 7 1/2 month battle with cancer and went to be with her Lord on May 19th.

The following book "not a fan" has had such an impact on our lives and is such an important book that I wanted to do this post for Spiritual Sunday.  I trust each and every one of you will get and read this book.

If you are a serious reader and, more importantly you are serious about following JESUS and truly making Him LORD of your life, you must read "not a fan" by Kyle Idleman.

This book will shake you out of complacency and make you realize that we have never really sacrificed for our Lord Jesus Christ and that it is time to do so.  At least that is what it has done for me.

It was recommended to me by a young man at church, Kent, who helps us in The King's Kitchen ministry.  He was going to loan me his book, but just his sharing a little bit about it with me made me tell him, "No, I want to buy my own copy because I know this is a book I am going to want to own and read over and over again."

I wept as I read parts of it.  It is good from the first words and chapter but the last three chapters:  Where ever - When ever & What ever are just ........ I'm struggling for words ......... because I can't even find the words except to say:  READ IT!!!

From the Sticker Patch is a lovely book that was written by a fellow Northeastern Oklahoma, Shari England.  Shari is on fb and I friended her when she was recommended by one of my church friends, Jeanne, who also helps us in The King's Kitchen and also attends the Tuesday night Bible Study in my home, WOW Women.

In May Jeanne presented me with a gift of a signed copy!!! 

 Shari writes 63 short devotionals that are easy reading and each has a wonderful lesson for us.  I read, and was blessed, by one of these devotionals on a daily basis.  

    

Again, I cannot encourage you enough to read "not a fan".  If you do so please let me know and let me know the impact it has on you.

May God Bless You!!!!

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME

Saw this a long time ago and enjoyed reading it.  Finally getting around to posting this.

It is ALL about me!!!

A is for age: Turned 73 Christmas day 
B is for books: Love to read Spiritual books that help me grow - read 13 in 2010 and am currently using BORN FOR BATTLE 31 Studies on Spiritual Warfare by R. Arthur Mathews during a Tuesday evening Bible Study I host in my home.

C is for career: Retired from CPA firm. Spent my working career as Secretary/Bookkeeper/Accounting Clerk & Real Estate Broker.

D is for dad's name: Henry Harrison Errett

E is for essential items to bring to a party: 100% of yourself with a happy heart and what ever the hostess has asked you to bring.

F is for favorite song at the moment: I Can Only Imagine and Amazing grace.  Both played at my daughter, Suzettes', memorial on May 24th.

H is for hometown: Santa Fe, New Mexico

I is for instruments you play: Piano, but not much any more. Donated my piano for auction a year ago to help pay off our Church building loan.

J is for jam or jelly you like: Apricote

K is for kids: Four! Two Daughters, Suzette & Jacque, & two sons, David & Marc. All but David live in our area, for which I am so thankful. David is in San Francisco.

L is for living arrangements: Single family brown stone home.....that is PAID FOR!!!

M is for moms name: Pauline June Dickey Errett

N is for name of your best friends: My husband, Mickey - my forever friend, Joan - our long time friends - Don & Barbara.

O is for overnight hospital stays: 4 births, major chest surgery, pneumonia

P is for phobia[s]: None that I am aware of.

Q is for quote you like: If you keep things simple they'll stay pure & A lie is anything contrary to the naked truth. I have both of these quotes on my header.

R is for relationship that lasted the longest: My friend Joan, who I've known since I was 6 years old.

S is for siblings: One deceased 1/2 sister, Marion.

U is for unique trait(s): None - very ordinary!!

V is for vegetable you love: Sweet potato

W is for worst trait: Talking too much, amount not gossip, and interrupting.

x is for x-rays you've had: Not too many.

Y is for yummy food you make: Beef Stroganoff

Z is for favorite animal at the zoo: Monkeys

FIRST:

First job: In my father's Real Estate Office.

First funeral: My fathers.

First piercing: Ears in my 20's (first & only I might add)

First tattoo: None.

First credit card: Sear's

First favorite musician/band: Can't even remember this one!!

LASTS:

Last movie watched: Toy Story 3 with Oksana & Aric.

Last beverage drank: Coffee!!

Last food consumed: Banana with milk.

Last phone call: My forever friend, Joan.

Last CD played: Susan Boyle - The Gift

Last website visited:  Amazon checking for A Severe Mercy

Single or Taken: Taken for 52 years!

What do you miss? The loss of our daughter, Suzette, and that one son does not live in the area.

Hair color: Gray

Natural color: Gray but blond as a kid and then light brown.

Eye color: Hazel

Makes you sad: That my daughter lost her to fight with cancer and that our granddaughter chose to move.

BOOKS 6, 7 & 8 READ THIS YEAR

Here are the three books I've finished reading this year and just now getting around to posting about.

Lester Sumrall's book "The Gifts and Ministires of the Holy Spirit" is a book well worth reading.  I gleaned even more insight and understanding of this wonderful Gift of The Holy Spirit that has blessed my life and sustains me today in the difficult trial and testing of our faith that we walked through during the 7+ months of Suzette's battle.  I would highly recommend it. 

Oh my, have a big box of tissues by your side as you read Don Piper's story.  What really makes this book so special and a must read, especially if you are going through a physical testing in your life. is Don is living evidence of answer to PRAYER. 

This book was brought over to Suzette just 2 days before her passing.  I was blessed to read the Preface and the first 2 Chapters to her, with her sister, Jacque, also in the room, just 1 day before she got to see Heaven FOR REAL.  She was very alert and aware of every word that I was reading.  After the Preface I asked her if she were tired or wanted me to continue.  She said, "Go on."  After Chapter 1 the same response.  After Chapter 2 she said, "She needed to rest".  It gave me great comfort as I finished the book knowing she was experiencing the beauty, peace and joy of being with her Savior as I read.

PERSEVERE

I HAVE - I AM ------------------------------------------------WOW!!!

This morning I decided to go back and see what word God had given me for 2011.  Quit honestly, with all that this year has held for us so far, I had let the fact that God had given me a word as He has done for the past few years, completely slip from my mind.

Thank you Lord for prompting me to go back and re-connect with that word....persevere....you can read all about it here. 

Our God is so awesome and wonderful.  While I was still believing 100% for Suzette's healing, and while I was thinking we would be persevering in that, HE knew and was letting me know, ahead of time, that even though we were going to be facing the very worst thing we would be called to face we would persevere.

YES...........I HAVE.................I AM......................YES, I WILL!!!!

Thank you Father that you know my coming ins and my going outs, my past, my present........and my future.  And, that with you I will always...................................PERSEVERE.

DIFFICULT TIMES

Marc drove to St. Louis (1/2 way) to pick up Oksana on June 4th.  We could not believe how much 12 year old Aric had grown these past 6 months and is now taller than his 16 year old sister.  You can see his big grin of satisfaction.

 Marc will be taking Oksana back to St. Louis (1/2 way) this Sunday, July 10th.  We met the 3 of them Friday, at Friday's!!!!. to share lunch with them and say good--bye to Oksana.  She is returning to live with her mom.

 Aric will be going to stay with his mom for 2 weeks, but thankfully will be back with his dad and us soon.  It's difficult for Marc and Mickey and I to have had Oksana here only 5 weeks so far this year.  Such is the plight of divorce.

Today Mickey and I finally conquered another difficult task that we had discussed with Dave and needed to do but had been putting off.  We called Dave about picking up some China and Crystal that we had given Suzette.  He answered the phone and was in Dallas (aren't cell phones wonderful? !!!) but he said to feel free to go over and get the items so we did.

This is the first time we'd been to their house since the day after Suzette's memorial service on May 24th when we went to clear out all her clothes, but I was still numb that day.  Today I was not numb, as I've been dealing with her no longer being with us for 7 weeks and 2 days.

Walking into that house, with everything exactly as she had fixed it and decorated it, without her being there was almost more than I could bare.  But life goes on and we must face reality as painful as it sometimes is.  I sobbed and bawled my eyes out for some minutes and then we got to the task at hand. 

We had given Suzette this 36 pc set of Rose China - Japan - in this Rose Villa 3912 pattern when she was 19!!!  36 years ago!!!

The set was service for 8: dinner plates, soup dishes, bread and butter plates, and cups.  Also a serving dish, platter and creamer and sugar bowl set.  It is trimmed in silver.

I had a 12 serving pieces set of 8 different crystal pieces.  When Suzette and Dave married, on Valentines 1994, I had given her 4 pieces of the 8 different sizes of crystal.

Here I am putting the very last piece into the storage box.  We plan to give this china and crystal to one of Suzette's 2 nieces(Jessica or Oksana)  or nephew (Aric) as a heirloom from her.

Two other items we also packed away were: (1) a flowered cup and saucer set that had belonged to Mickey's mother and (2) a ceramic teapot, 4 plates and 4 cups that I had made YEARS ago.

Another milestone and big hurdle out of our way.  It feels good and the best part of all......we know Suzette is smiling down on us!!!!  We love you honey and miss you sooooooooo much, but we WILL see you again soon.

PRAYER SHAWL #9 - Kathy & Gift Exchange

This 9th Prayer Shawl was prayed over by my Woman of the Word Bible Study that I host every Tuesday evening in my home.  We call ourselves the WOW Woman.

You who follow this blog on a regular basis know that the first prayer shawl I ever made, a solid red, was given to our daughter, Suzette, on September 28, 2010, the very night of the day she was diagnosed with stage IV Lung Cancer.  I had made it earlier, and was making one for each of my 4 children, to be presented to them at Christmas 2010.  I was so very thankful that God knew that Suzette would need it before Christmas.  Another example of the All Knowing - All Caring God we serve. 

I actually began this 9th shawl on Saturday, April 23rd while Suzette was in the hospital.  She was hospitalized for 7 days and each of these days I would sit there in the room with her and talk to her.  Oh my how we did talk.  I could converse with her and still be working on the shawl and when she was sleeping I was able to work on the shawl as I prayed over this latest Golden shawl for a very special person, and the first non-family member.  Suzette was very interested and excited that I was working on the first shawl for someone outside of our family and felt like she "knew" the person because we had talked about her so often. 

After Suzette left the hospital and during those last days of her at home and with hospice I never touched the shawl.  I must be honest and confess that it was very hard for me, several weeks ago, to finally be able to pick it up again and finish it as I wept for our loss and prayed for this dear friend who I would soon have the privilege to meet. 

Monday, July 4th, I had the joy of presenting this shawl to my dear precious blog friend, Kathy, in person!!!!  It was such an honor.

Danny sharing in the moment of the presentation and thank goodness my sweet Mickey had the presence of mind to get these 2 pictures of the event!

This beautiful, delicate 8" bowl was presented to me by Kathy.  It has been given the honor of residing in the very center of my large coffee table.  This way I can be reminded daily of such a wonderful, special friendship of the 2 of us as I observe these two precious birds on this lovely piece.  Thank you, Kathy!!!

A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION

People, who are not bloggers, just have NO idea how we can "meet" someone through the blog (cyberspace) and become so intimate with them that a connection is made that often transcends a close day to day, in person relationship.

Such was my connection with The Wrights.  I first met Danny on April 24, 2007 when he left a comment on a blog I had done on famous quotes.  I immediately checked out his blog, The Bumbling Genius, and have been a faithful follower ever since.  Danny gets me "out of my comfort zone" and makes me think deeper.  I appreciate that greatly.

Then on October 2, 2008 Danny notified me that his wife, Kathy, had begun blogging as A Field Lilly.  I visited her very first post and don't believe I've missed many of her posts since.

My connection with Kathy grew to such an extent, on a Spiritual level, that she is one of the people I leaned on (and I do mean LEANED) as we dealt with our daughter, Suzette's illness, and then death.  We became so close on that spiritual level that I added her to the private fb account of the Bible Study I host every Tuesday evening in our home, Women of the Word, or as we call ourselves WOW Women.  I did this on May 21st just 2 days after losing Suzette.

Way back, last year some time, Kathy told me they were planning an extended trip to GA in 2011 and wondered if we were any where near to their route.  I IMMEDIATELY googled map quest and found out we were about 60 miles, or 1 hour, off their path.  That was too close not to come in my opinion!!!! 

This trip was to commence in May of this year and plans were made for them to stop by and spend a couple of days with us on their way to Georgia.  I put off to the last minute to call them with the sad information that hospice had been called in with Suzette.  If it had been just Danny and Kathy, adults, I would have had them come then.  It would have been such a strength for Mickey and I and I would have loved for Suzette to get to meet them because she had heard me talk so much about them.  But since Bethany and Daniel are just children, and did not know us, we felt it would be hard on them to be thrust into such a situation.   

So, instead they said they would come on their return trip.  That happy, long anticipated day finally arrived on Saturday, July 2nd (which happened to have been my mother's BD!) at about 8:30 p.m.  I had shared with Danny and Kathy that it really turned out better for me because anticipating their coming had given me a "forward" look, instead of looking back so much at our sorrow. 

Daniel, Kathy, Bethany, Danny

One of the joys and excitement for us was their getting to attend our Church service with us at Coweta Assembly of God.  July 3th turned out to be a Patriotic Service which was very good. 

After church Marc, Oksana and Aric joined us for lunch and the remainder of the day and evening.  I fixed my Beef Strogenoff for dinner and Oksana made a German Chocolate Cake with Apples and Nuts.   

That evening we had a Patriotic Festival at CAG beginning at 6 p.m. with hot-dogs, hamburgers, all the trimmings, baseball games. inflatables of jostling and wrestling, and then a big firework display.  After the church firework display Marc and Oksana shot off the fireworks Marc had bought for another little show.  What a fabulous, fun packed, eventful day.  Kathy and Danny were also able to meet a lot of our Church Family.    

Danny - Kathy

I, who usually drive everyone crazy taking pictures, kept forgetting to take pictures and even forgot my camera when we went out so just a few will have to suffice.  On the trip from Memphis to Coweta the A/C on their car had quit running.  And yes, they were dealing with 100+ temps!!  Fortunately, our good friend Mike, the one who does all the vehicle work for us, took time on July 4th to check out the A/C.  It turned out to be a certain part but Danny could not get it that day because all the dealership's parts departments were closed.  

Danny and Kathy took us out to dinner on the evening of July 4th.  We went to Stone Mill for Bar-B-Que and Kathy had catfish.  A delightful dinner and time in an almost empty restaurant.  After eating we took them for a ride across Broken Arrow and the southern part of Tulsa to Jenks and the Arkansas River.  Coming back, after it had gotten dark, fireworks were going off in the various neighborhoods.  We stopped at McD's where we bought ice cream cones for everyone and then parked, in a business parking lot near 131st and Elm in BA,  got out of the car and enjoyed a delightful show of 360 degrees of fireworks going off in all the surrounding neighborhoods.  The Wrights had never see anything like that and it was a thrilling, fun time.  

Danny was over by about 7 on Tuesday morning and called a dealership and located the part.  Mickey and he left about 7:30 to go pick it up.  They drove the car and the part directly to Mike's house where he had it installed within a 1/2 hour.  Talk about God looking out for his own!!!

We had coffee and breakfast out on the patio each of the 3 mornings.  Danny commented that he had seen the patio table and chairs we were seated at several times on my blog covered with a snow from a big storm!!! :o)  This was such a special time, and we would remain there until it got too warm and we had to move into the house.  

We talked, and we talked, and we TALKED all day and into the night and up to midnight.  Even then we didn't want to stop but knew we had to.  We shared and we shared and we shared...anything and everything.  From the silly, to the deepest levels in the Spirit.  

Kathy and I so wanted her to be able to stay for the Tuesday night WOW Women's meeting but that was not to be :o(  Both Kathy and I begged and begged but it did not happen.  

  

Daniel loading up, Bethany switching the bugs she collected to their traveling pouch, Danny loading up.

Bethany and Kathy leaving the USS Oklahoma Submarine - our RV they had stayed in and that Aric, Daniel & Bethany had named it while playing together in it on Sunday.

Away they go --- and yes --- parting is such sweet sorrow.

None of us know for sure what the future holds for the 6 or us...but one thing we know for sure - God has made a connection between Danny, Kathy, Mickey & Susan that will last and extend into Heaven.

I will have another follow-up post of Kathy and I exchange of gifts.