THE HOPE WE HAVE

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11 (NIV)

This scripture is right in the middle of the 70 years of captivity of God's chosen people. They were in bondage because they did not listen to God. But this scripture gives me so much hope... not a short term hope of prosperity and success in this life time because even though He gives us JOY we have trouble and persecution in this life. But rather that after the just sentence of God has passed...we will be restored! Praise His Name!

As Paul Harvey would say, "Now for the rest of the story,"
Jer. 29:10-14 "This is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Coupon Day With Aaron

For Christmas this past year, I made coupons for all my grandkids entitling them to a day with Mamaw doing whatever they want to do (within reason). Tyler redeemed his a few weeks ago and we had a great time but it was before I started this blog. The coupons don't expire though so he will get another day when he wants it and I will blog about it. This past Saturday when I got through with WMU and delivering food for Helping Hands Food Ministry, I went and picked up Aaron so he could redeem his coupon. Wow did we ever have a great time. He decided he wanted to go to the arcade at the Mall so we went and had the worst luck trying to get a little stuffed dog! The machine cheated us out of it because Aaron had it gripped really tight but lost it! Then we went to see "Hotel for Dogs" and then went to eat at CiCi's. Then we went shopping for a toy because his birthday party was the next day. He bought a Star Wars space ship and a little Star Wars man. Then we went home and played with Daffy dog and watched a movie he brought with him "Alvin and the Chipmonks" Really good movie. The next morning we got up and went to Sunday School and church and after Children's Church he had questions for Larry David which means that he is really learning about God and how to be saved!! I am very proud of him and praise God for all the wonderful teachers at church that are dedicated to teaching our children about Jesus. It was a very good weekend. McKenzie is going to redeem her coupon this weekend so next week I will let you know all about that!

Just My Sister and Me

Growing up I had a wonderful family. It was a very small family but it was a wonderful family. My mom and daddy loved us and let us know it every day. My mom was the most wonderful cook in the world and when we were sick she always knew just how to make us feel better. My daddy sang and played the guitar and in my eyes and heart he was much better than Johnny Cash or Hank Williams. It was a very small family....2 kids...Just my sister and me. She was my big sister and she had long red fingernails that could really hurt in a fight! And we did fight, as all kids do. My mom and daddy are in Heaven now along with Tony and Roger, but I am so blessed to have my sister with me. She is still my big sister, only her fingernails are not long and red. She encourages me, supports me, and prays for me. Sometimes she even feeds me. But you know it's not really just my sister and me...We have our Lord Jesus Christ with us every day! Oh yeah and my favorite brother-in-law Floyd. Here are some funny pictures of my sister Lois.

Serve the LORD with Gladness!

Saturday we had a special WMU meeting at church to try to come up with new ideas of ways to serve the LORD by serving those in our community. I was very pleased with the turn out...12 ladies and 2 very special girls. God was good (All the time) and the snow didn't come till later that evening and we had a great time of fellowship and prayer. After the meeting some of us were able to deliver meals for the Helping Hands Food Ministry. This is something that we do on the 3rd Sat. of each month and our Brotherhood delivers on the 4th Sat. of the month.

"for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Matthew 25:35-36

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It's a little early but I am not busy right now so I wanted to post this picture and wish Aaron and Addison happy birthday. Aaron will be 7 on February 24th and Addison will be 1 on February 27th. This picture is actually their party invitation and it is so cute! I am so blessed to have 4 healthy grandchildren and I praise God daily for them!

Here's....THE JOHNSONS!

My kids! Top picture is the whole family and at left is Robbie, Stefanie, Aaron, and Addison
Bottom left is Scott, Jennie, Tyler and McKenzie.
Bottom right is Scott and Jennie

Pure Water Pure Love

Our WMU ladies at Bethel Baptist Church published a cookbook before Christmas and the CiA (Children in Action) helped us sell them. We have paid for the publishing and have collected over $600 that we are donating to Pure Water Pure Love. This organization is a part of Women's Missionary Union and provides water purifiers to missionaries overseas to ensure that they have clean drinking water. Last year we were able to provide friends of ours (The Lakes Family) who are serving overseas as missionaries with one and we wanted to do it again. We are so thankful for all the good cooks at our church and for the children who helped us sell them! You can click on the title of this post to go to the Pure Water Pure Love website.

SPRING IN THE VALLEY

The Renfro Valley Entertainers (YEAH JEFF!) will be presenting "Spring in the Valley" again this year and if you missed it last year you MUST see it! Starting Saturday, March 21st. You don't want to miss Wayne-Man with hair! For more info click on the Title of this post to go to the Renfro Valley website.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF

I am excited to be part of the Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief Team. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is the 3rd largest non-profit relief organization in America along with the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Our team from Tates Creek Association in Kentucky has been to Pascagoula several times since Katrina to help with rebuilding and cleaning up along the Gulf Coast. We are always so blessed when we go to be able to show the love of Christ to the people that have had their lives devastated during the hurricanes. We met the Grant family when we worked on their house that was 5 blocks from the gulf. The house didn't have wind damage but had flood damage. We had to take everything out of the attic so that Mason, the electrician that was on our team could re-wire the house. Imagine our shock when we found a coffin in the attic! Turns out one of the Grant's sons was in the drama club and the coffin was a prop from a play! We went back the next year to help them get moved back into their home. One of the greatest ways God blesses us when we serve Him by serving others is to let us meet such sweet, sweet people who are so glad to have our help. A couple of weeks ago we had an ice storm that left us with out electricity all over the state, lots of trees down etc., and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams from several states including Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia sent chain saw crews up here to help us! We are all neighbors and we are all the body of Christ and I am so blessed to be a part of this wonderful organization.

MY GRANDCHILDREN

Tyler Johnson 8 years, Aaron Johnson 7 years, McKenzie Johnson 5 years, Addison Johnson 1 year.

FURRY COMPANION

This is my Daffy dog whose name is Daphne. I tell her she is daffy dog and I am porky pig! She is the sweetest doggie and a wonderful comfort to me. When Tony died, Roger got me a little Yorkie puppie that I named Winston. Well, a couple of years after Roger died, Winston died! I said I would never have another dog but got so lonely that I started going to Petfinder.com until I saw her face and I had to adopt her. Don't know what I would do with out her. I rescued her from the Scott County Humane Society and she had a wonderful foster mommy and daddy that taught her alot of manners, but when she came to live with me she got spoiled and now she thinks she is the queen of the house! She is a mix of a Basenji which is a dog that does not bark and a terrier that barks incessantly. Guess which one she is most like? She loves for her voice to be heard! She loves to play and snuggle. Any one who is considering getting a dog should definately adopt! So many doggies are out there that just want to be loved and have so far been treated so badly. They are not perfect dogs, but neither are we perfect and Jesus loves us anyway!

MY MAN ROGER

In June of 1993 after being divorced for about 12 years, I married Roger Dale Johnson and it's true that God was saving the best for last! Between the 2 of us we had 3 sons, Tony, Scott and Robbie. Our marriage wasn't really complete until we began to really let God have control of our lives. We had several years of serving Him together before Roger was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He went to be with Jesus and Tony on October 5, 2003, just 2 weeks after our third grandchild, McKenzie was born. He was very sick when she was born but he loved her the minute he laid his eyes on her. He called her his little "critter". I still love and miss him very much. I know when he got to Heaven the Lord said "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Matthew 25:21

MEET TONY

My son Tony was 20 years old when he went to be with Jesus. I miss him so much but God gives me wonderful pictures of him in white jeans and a white t-shirt playing golf by the River of Life! He died on March 25, 1995 of cancer and one of the things that was hardest for me was the fact that he couldn't swallow and was so thirsty. Now, I think of him walking and talking with the Living Water, who is my Savior I am so comforted to know he will never thirst again.

THERE IS A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING!

Well I am totally new at this and don't know what I am doing, but a friend of mine Jenn, got me so interested in her blog with all her pictures of her daughters and hubby and all the great times they have with home school and church, and then I started visiting blogs that I found on her blog site. I have been keeping up with baby Harper from Kelly's Korner and am praising God for the way He has moved in that family's life. From Kelly's Korner I found out about baby Cora who went to be with Jesus on Sunday and my heart is broken for her family. I too lost a child 13 years ago when my son Tony died with cancer. I thought for over a year after he died that I would never find joy again. I just went through the motions every day and missed him so much. But my God is so good! Without Him I don't know what I would have done, but because of Him I have so much joy I can hardly contain it!! He gives me wonderful memories of Tony, some of which I hope to share here and He has blessed me with 4 wonderful grandchildren and an amazing church family! Even in hard and sorrowful times God is with me. My husband Roger died 5 years ago and I will share about him and our wonderful life together here also.
My oldest grandson Tyler had braces put on his teeth today and I am going to attemp to put a picture of him on here. Don't know if it will work or not since I am so new at this.