Thanksgiving Day

For the third year in a row,the Monticello community enjoyed a beautiful Thanksgiving Day dinner....completely free of charge.Through the efforts of over 50 church and community volunteers, with Dean's leadership, the numbers grew even more. The first year, we served 100+..last year 140+...this year, over 200. All food is donated, and the diners are served in a beautiful atmosphere, on "real" plates, served by willing and grateful "servants".

This year, I was particularly moved by our children...the Powells, the Hanks, and many other of God's littlest heroes. They did not come to eat or play, but to serve their fellow men and women! From decorating the Angel tree, to setting up tables, to seating, greeting and serving..they, alongside their parents gave so much...and on Thanksgiving Day!!! I know their parents wanted to teach them something special, and they DID; they also gave all of us an insight into how much love still exists in this world.

Some of our diners rode on a van from the Senior Center..These beautiful people dress up in their finest, and even sing our blessing. Some saw our flyers and walked right from their homeless worlds to change ours. Some were grandparents, brought by loving grandchildren. Some were aging couples, who showed us the love that carries one through...through wheelchairs...walkers...and Alzheimer's. One diner was a dear friend, who with her husband, has suffered immeasurably in the health department this year. She lamented that it was the first time in forty years that she would not be cooking Thanksgiving Dinner...I told her it was my third year NOT cooking...she was going to LOVE IT!!! And she did.

I thank my dear sweet husband for not giving up on this idea...pushing all of us around him to look around and hear God's whisper to take care of His people...In doing so, we invariably take care of ourselves. My prayers go out to our friends who are suffering with a spouse they are losing to Alzheimer's...and to their loving spouses...especially to my friend, who is missing her own mother, as I am mine...

So enjoy the pictures of one lovely Thanksgiving Day in the little town of Monticello, Florida....

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our Nephew's Wedding

On Saturday, the family gathered for the happy occasion of David and Dianna's wedding. David is my sister Mim's son. It was a grand occasion, and it was such fun. Enjoy the Smilebox presentation...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Birthday Grandma Frances Hall

Happy Birthday, Mama! November 20, 1919

For those of you who never met my mother....she was the strongest, most beautiful, most Christian woman I ever knew! This only child left an easy life behind to "dig in the dirt" with my Daddy, and raise three rather headstrong girls! I know that Margaret, Mim, and I inherited her strong will and determination...that attitude of believing that we could accomplish anything we put our mind to. Mama worked side by side with Daddy in the Nursery Landscape business to provide us with a wonderful home, where, though we didn't have a lot of things....we never lacked a sense of belonging and safety, accompanied by a huge dose of love. We learned early that responsibility was always before any "rights" that we earned...that nobody owed us anything...and that Mama expected us to be our best...no she demanded that. She sacrificed so much to make sure that every one of her "girls" got a higher education.. She believed that women were equal to men, but that education was a necessity to accomplishing equal footing! She was a woman who was NOT able to stay at home like the June Cleavers of her time....but we did not stay at home either. We worked at the nursery in the ways that we could, from very early ages. She believed that the nursery was a family business, and after school that is where you could find us all! Every Sunday you could find us in Sunday School and church...there was no excuse for missing worship.
Mama, we all love you and miss you every day. We thank you for all you gave up for us. Yes, we know you are laughing "up a storm" as we try to accomplish, as a "village", taking care of the man you handled all by yourself!! He IS quite a challenge, but we know you want us to do a good job..and we will!

New Car

Well, we just bought a new car...It is a Toyota Highlander. It is supposed to get really good mileage, and it has great goodies! I was a little guilty over not buying American, but if the "Big Three" don't join the rest of our country, and get some bailout money, their warranties might not be the best!!

Speaking of bailout money...I have an idea where I would like some of mine spent. Daddy still owes about $1,500 to the VA for a loan taken out in the 70's. Since he has turned 90, and brings in about 600 a month from SS, and no longer works in the nursery business....well, I just thought that the government could use some of my bailout contribution, or Margaret's or Mim's...in that original 700 billion we each contributed $450,000....I think they could just send a mere $1,500 to The VA to forgive a WWII veteran's business loan...what do you think??

Anyway..back to the new car..Friends...I DO NOT have to locate my keys in the bottom of my purse anymore. Really...I just have to have them in my purse...reach out, grab the handle and unlock and open the door...that simple..NO KEYS..then, I put my foot on the brake (I am having the hardest time remembering that step!!)...and push a button on the dash..NO KEYS... when I get to where I am going, I push the same button to turn off the car, get out, close the door, and push a button on the door, and all the doors lock...NO KEYS... Wow! I will never have to dig in my purse for my car keys again...Of course, I WILL have to remember to put my "thingie that is not a key" in any other purse that I might carry...or my pocket....Ain't Technology Grand??? Ain't...according to our third graders..that is a proper contraction for the two words "A Not"...I hope I used it properly!!

God's Smallest Heroes

Leave it to Him, right in the middle of me..me..me, He places another of His children in my heart...another one, who makes me question the world's climate of hate, when do we change, what will it take? He places another story in my life, that again makes all of my petty concerns pale in comparison.

I want to introduce you to a beautiful little girl, Jakeria. Like our new President, her mother is white and her father is black. She lives within walking distance of the school... her mother has a job at Applebee's and her dad is in the service of his country in Iraq.

I just met Jakeria last week, because she has not been in school for the past 6 weeks. She was the victim of a brick hurled in hate, by a 14 year old boy who took great exception to her heritage.... you see, racism exists, even in black communities.

This little 8 year old hero needs our prayers, as well as the boy who threw that brick. She has forgiven him....she told me, so...so shall I. She says that God has plans for her...she had a dream, and Jesus told her so! I believe that is true...but that doesn't stop my heart from cracking in two, as I sit quietly with her, waiting for her mother to come pick her up, because the headache has become too great to bear. You see, the brick hit Jakeria in the back of her head, which required hours of brain surgery to save her little life.

I continue to pray for our littlest heroes...the smallest of God's children, as they must walk through this hate filled world..and I praise His glorious grace, as He places us in the midst of it, to bring His love to His heroes.

Lazy J Showing Her Fall Colors

Dean, Baxter and I took our afternoon walk and came upon some fall colors on the Lazy J. We picked up and ate pecans as we walked around, which is one reason Baxter loves to come along on our walks :)! This is one of my favorite times of the year up here; the weather is beautiful, the birds are beginning to migrate, the alligator(s) are beginning to "hunker down", so the otters are showing up. I just hope to have my camera with me at the right time, so I can get some pictures of these cuties!

I did get some pictures of the fall colors...and the beautiful sunsets with our friend, Salty!