Front Yard & flower-bed project DONE

I am going to show various pictures of the entire front yard and the final finishing touches. 

 These two pictures show the area around the flag pole and our angel.

This flower bed is closest to the street.  A large maple tree.  We placed the little white cross in one end where we have two shades of sweet potato vines.  There are 2 patches of money grass and the dirt area in between has early spring bulbs that have already bloomed and died.  Around the end of the tree trunk are some big orange day lilies.

TThe area along the walk has these bushes and a bayberry thorn bush that has not grown well because it doesn't get enough sun.

The picture below is a large bayberry thorn bush on the other corner of the garage

T

 The old battered mail box we took down.  Mickey repainted the black wrought iron base.

 We purchased a new, bright white mail box and I did the lettering on both sides. 

 The front porch that needed a face lift.

 Mickey, hard at work as always!!! It is reddish and has a rough texture.  Took 2 coats and we love it!!!

 CAPS FOR THIS ONE - THE CROWNING SHRUB OF THE FLOWER BED PROJECT

A CREPE MYRTLE with rust/dark green leaves and a very dainty pink bloom.  It is going to be sooo pretty as it grows BIG.

 The finished porch.

The (almost) total front view. 

My dear husband worked so hard on this and we are so very pleased and happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for following along with us!!!

This is a picture I received in the mail today from a cousin, Bob Wishon, who lives in Missouri.  I had never seen this photo before and am thrilled to receive it!!  

From left to right:  My Uncle Jake & Aunt Ardith Wishon ~ my Mother Pauline Dickey Errett ~ my 1/2 Sister Marion June Banta Errett ~ my father Henry Harrison Errett - that would be me in front.

It looks to be like I am probably about 3 which would have meant Marion was 15 (today - June 13th - would have been her birthday!). My mother would be 34 and my father 55.  Aunt Ardith was 2 years younger than my mother, who was the eldest of the 6 Dickey children - 5 girls and then 2 younger brothers.  Ardith & Jake were the parents of my cousin Bob who sent me this picture.  

This would have been a very rare visit as we lived far away in Santa Fe, New Mexico and all our relatives lived in Missouri.  I only remember seeing my Grandparents maybe 4 times.  My mother & Ardith were very close and they did visit us in New Mexico several times.  Our little family did visit my grandparents in Missouri when I was 9 years old.  Marion, who was 21 and married, did not make the trip with us. I remember one other time going by train with my mother for a visit but do not remember what age I was. 

Even though our family was very small and isolated. I had a wonderful childhood and mother & father.  I also was very close to my sister, Marion, whom I adored and thought was beautiful!!  I am so grateful for my upbringing and all the values my parents taught and instilled in me.  

My father (who went by the name "HH") served in the 5th New Mexico State Legislature.  After that he had his own Real Estate & Insurance Company with offices right on the Plaza in Santa Fe. I learned a lot of my future skills for office work during my childhood of spending a lot of time with my daddy at his office.  

Strange how just receiving a picture in the mail today has fired up so many wonderful memories. 

Thanks for letting me share them with you.      

#14 - Meeting another blog friend!!!

As I have said, many times over, blogging has been such a fun adventure for me and added so very much to my life.  One thing that still amazes me is that I have been able to meet some of these blog friends in REAL LIFE.  And you know what???  I am never disappointed.

So I was delighted early this week when I received a message from Joy, of Joy In The Burbs, telling me she was making a trip from her home in Houston to Branson and wondering if I was anywhere near to her route.  I IMMEDIATELY replied that yes we were not that far and would be more than happy to meet her in either Muskogee or Wagoner for dinner.  Then the next day, when I found out she was talking about staying overnight at Muskogee invited her to come and be our guest in our little guest room. 

Sharing a couple of the little snippets of our messages:  Joy to me:I can't believe I will finally get to see you in person this week. What a blessing! I've always told you if it works out I would do it. My husband thinks its strange I would stay with someone I just know thru the internet. But I feel like I know you and I'm good with it. 

My reply:Oh good!!! Yes, people think it is strange but they just don't understand the spiritual connection that God makes and has made with some of us through blogging and HIS Spirit!!

Can you tell by the happy faces the good time we were having and the wonderful connection!!!!  

Joy arrived on Thursday around 6 o'clock.  We brought her stuff in and let her rest a little bit from her long ride.  We also introduced her to grandson, Aric, and granddog, Shasha who had come over Wednesday to stay a couple of days with us when Marc had to go to OKC on business.  

I had prepared a simple dinner:  tossed salad, baked chicken breasts, mixed vegetables, mashed potato, whole wheat rolls.  For a later dessert with decaf coffee I had purchased a Red Velvet Cake roll. 

 I knew from keeping up with Joy on fb, since she no longer blogs, that she was interested in the Jewish faith and was actually studying Hebrew!!!  I am so impressed with anyone who does, or can study Hebrew.  If I were about 25 years younger I would be doing so!!! So, needless to say, we spent most of our time talking along those lines and sharing parts of what we are each learning.  Aric & Shasha had retreated to the office but Mickey was right there with us participating in and enjoying our discussion.  I just never cease to be amazed at the connections and workings that God makes in our lives. 

We ended up going to bed about 10:45.  We could have visited all night, but that wouldn't have been very wise or prudent!!

The next morning I served a breakfast of orange juice, biscuits, bacon & scrambled eggs and we got to visit a wee bit more and learning about Joy's husband and two daughters, Paige-17, and Leah-14.  Joy's trip to Branson was to pick up Paige who had been attending a Christian Camp there for 2 weeks.   

Saying our good-byes.

Joy had to leave around 10 so the visit was short, but oh so sweet!!!  

Thank you Joy for thinking of us and taking the time to bless us with meeting you personally and getting to know you a little better. 

Yes, Joy is #14 I've been blessed to meet.  Now, I wonder who will be #15 and wait patiently for God to bring it about!!!!

SPEECHLESS ----- Yes!!!!

You can see by the article this award was presented to us at the 10:45 a.m. service at our church, Coweta Assembly, on Sunday, June 30th.

Now for what, and how,  it really happened and why we were totally shocked and surprised and yes, for one of the few times in my life I was TOTALLY speechless!!

On Sunday evening, June 2nd after church, Pastor Steve Lee stopped me outside and said he needed to talk to me.  He then stated, "You know the Chamber of Commerce gives a community award each year and we always attend as representatives of our church.  Michelle and I are going to be on vacation and unable to attend this year, so we would like you and Mickey to go in our place.  Would you be willing to do that?"  I replied, "Yes, of course!!  When is it?"  Pastor Steve,"Friday evening June 21st, at 7 p.m., but it's at the casino."  Susan, "Oh Pastor Steve we are going to be in Dallas for a conference the 21st, 22nd & 23rd.  We have been planning this for months and have already paid our registration fees and hotel charges.  I'm so sorry.  You know we would be glad and honored to do it."   Pastor Steve, "That's okay, we'll make other arrangements."

Well, the real story is:  the annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet is held at Riverside Casino.  Jennifer knows we are getting the award but goes to Pastor Steve with "How in the world am I ever going to come up with some way to get Mickey & Susan to come to "the casino" without telling them why?"  Needless to say, the casino is not our normal hangout!!

So, due to God's planning we missed the delicious banquet meal  and the occasion when our names were announced as winners of the 2013 Community Volunteers Award.  

The plaque is a lovely, very heavy etched glass on a thick glass base.  It was impossible to get a picture of because of being see through so we did our best by putting a piece of colored construction paper behind it so the etched letters would show.  

2013

Community Volunteers

of the Year

for excellence in teamwork and

dedication to serving others

in the Lord's name

is awarded to

Mickey & Susan Joyce

King's Kitchen

by

COWETA

Chamber of Commerce

June 21, 2013

What pleased us the most, as Jennifer shared with the congregation as she presented the award to us, was the plaques given each year read, "serving others in the community: but Jennifer had it changed to read "in the Lord's name".  The other thing that so touched my heart was Jennifer was in tears as she made the presentation.  I know Jennifer well and she is not one to cry!!!  Yes, our hearts were greatly touched with such an honor.

Of course, there should have been 34 awards handed out:  3 to the main cooks, 3 for the extra's who help each week packaging up the meals, 10 to the 2 people who run the 5 routes, and 20 to the woman who volunteer to provide a dessert once a month. Plus extra's who step in when needed. 

YES - as I finally said when I got my voice back - "King's Kitchen is NOT a 2 man/woman show.  

It is a joint effort of many FAITHFUL workers, most who have been with us for the entire 3 years and 4 months that The King's Kitchen has been in operation.  

God's PLACEMENT, God's PLANS, God's PURPOSES

We were "transplants" to Coweta, but from day one we have always felt accepted and loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several weeks ago a friend of mine, who is shopping for a new home, posted this fb link "Okay, I haven't bought a house in a really long time,  When you walked into "your house" for the first time, did you know it?"  To which I commented "Yes!!)

Then I kept thinking about how we had ended up here in Coweta and ALL that God has done in our lives over the past 15 years.  A few days later I left this comment on her fb link:

"I was thinking further about your question the other day about did we "know" about the house when we first saw it.  It is more important about what God has in store, and in mind, for you AT that new location, and why, than it is about the "house".  I knew this little house here in Coweta was "mine" the minute we walked in the front door but I realize now it wasn't about the structure but about the fact God wanted us in Coweta for this time.  Hope this is clear.  Both of us marvel all the time that God chose to place us in Coweta.  We would have never been looking here, but God orchestrated it where we did, and the little house being "perfect" was not His big plan, at all, but His placement was."

This has lead to even more thinking, praying, and asking God to show me the depth of this and consequently to this blog post.

Mickey & I sold our larger home in Tulsa when he retired in 1997.  We traveled in our 5th wheel for 6 months to Alaska and the Western U.S. States.  We found we loved the atmosphere of the small towns we visited and decided we wanted to buy NEAR Tulsa, to be by our kids, but not in Tulsa proper.  Thus began the hunt for the right smaller home to buy in a small community.

We were looking, looking and just couldn't find the "right" house.  It was daughter Suzette who called one day with the address of a house in Coweta, that was not on the market, but owned by a girl Suzette worked with who was thinking of selling. I'll never forget Suzette's comment, "But it's in Coweta.".  I said that was fine and we would go drive by and see if we thought we might be interested in seeing it. 

We drove by - liked the outside and called to make an appointment.  The minute we walked in the front door, I KNEW this was my house, and we literally bought it on the spot.  Mickey & I have always felt accepted and loved here from day one, ever though we were "transplants" to Coweta which is a community that boasts many families of 3 or 4 generations. 

I have relayed this story to many people over the past 15 years and been aware that yes this was "my house" that God had brought us to.  But, as I was pondering about my friends question and my belated answer I realized this "house" was not what it was all about at all.

What it was about was God placing us here in Coweta, for His plans & for His purposes, which at the time we had not the foggiest idea!!!  In looking back I realize that for the exception of one couple, Don & Barbara who we have known for years, and my forever friend, Joan, in Albuquerque, every other person who fills such an important and intricate part of our lives we did not even know 15 years ago!  That was a sobering realization!!!!

Much LIFE and even some death have taken place over these 15 years but God's molding hands have been, and are, a constant in our lives.  

As I look back over my life of these past 75 years,6 1/2 months I can see how God has truly used EVERY situation, EVERY change, EVERY move, EVERY friendship to bring us to where we are today.  

In a world turning topsy- turvy I can honestly say: I have no fear; I know the God I serve, I know that I am safe in His hands and in His PLACEMENT, PLANS & PURPOSES. I know we are exactly where we are suppose to be, doing exactly what we are suppose to be doing, for this time and this place.  Thank You Triune GOD !!!  

FLOWER BED PROJECT

Back on May 25th I blogged about Mickey uprooting the dead Japanese Maple tree from our front yard.

We even had a little fun by posing a picture where it "looked" like Mickey pulled this out with a chain and his bare hands!

Once the tree stump was finally removed the next step was roto-tilling the entire bed, then purchasing and spreading MANY bags of a product called Back to Nature.

Next was purchasing & spreading these 6 bags of top soil.

Mickey also ordered 17 Gospher Baskets from California.

May 20-24, we took a break and made a 4 day trip to Dallas for the Hebraic Roots Conference-Revive 2013

Had a little "issue" with UPS and the Gopher Baskets because they claimed to have delivered them on Monday, June 24th at 5:15 pm.  They claimed we were not home but they left them on the front porch.  The problem was we had just gotten home from Dallas around 4 and we were home.  After a trip to UPS in Tulsa, then a phone call to UPS tracking service just to be told we would have to contact the shipper.

To make a L-O-N-G story short - the manufacture sent out 17 new baskets.  We waited.

Last week Mickey shaped 8 of the baskets and we purchased 8 Hosta plants of 4 different variety.  He worked several days to get them planted. Here he is taking a short break to survey the progress before adding that very last plant. 

Victory!!!  Another step finished.

8 more baskets shaped and set in place for the next plants.

Another trip to the nursery where we purchased 8 Stell del Oro Day Lilys

Beginning placement of the first day lily.

We had just finished having a cup of coffee together and his taking a much needed break.

SATISFACTION of a job well done and a project ALMOST complete.

We lack one more larger plant to place where the Japanese Maple had lived and this whole project began.

A follow up blog when it is in place.

Mickey always does a beautiful, wonderful job of everything and maintaining our little abode. 

The GOOD is not the BEST

"Learning to say no to what is not a top priority and yes only to the requests that fit my personal mission statement...has been one of the best skills I have learned."  Becky Tirabassi

I read this quote this morning and it resonated with my spirit.  The ability to learn to say "no" is a very difficult ability to learn.  We, especially women, are raised to try and meet everyone's expectations.  At least I was.  So, when I was younger I would say "yes" to almost any and every request made of me by anyone in my church or among my close friends.

I was a young working wife, and mother of 4.  I had many responsibilities in that role, but I would "add on" all these other requests.  I'm not sure how old I was when I finally realized that my first priority was not to fulfill every request made of me.  Learning to just say a simple "no" without guilt or even explanation was a huge, and very freeing accomplishment for me.  

"But let your communcation be, Yea, yea: Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Matthew 5:37 

As I got older, and my children were leaving the nest, and then as I retired, "responsibilities" in those areas were greatly reduced.  It was at this time I became aware of the 2nd step in this area:  that a good use of my time and attention was not always the best use.

The words in the quote above, "my personal mission statement" just jumped off the page at me.  We each have our personal calling and function as our part in the Body of Christ. That truly is our personal mission statement.  My constant prayer the past 9 years has been to endeavor to fill my life with the best and not just the good each and every day.  Do I always succeed?? NO!! ~~~~ but being conscious of His call upon my life and aiming for His best certainly has helped me truly be active and busy in fulfilling MY PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT.