Special Honor to My Grandparents

In 1885,on New Years Day,my dad's parents,Richard Butler Day and Katie Clara James were united in marriage.My Grandma Day died before I was born.My sister,Connie shared these memories with me.She told me that she remembers Grandma with her big Bible in her lap on her front porch every day that she remembered her.She also remembered hearing our dad say,that as Grandma lay dying that she said,"I see a beautiful place full of beautifull flowers."Grandpa and Grandma Day,I honor your memories today and thank God for my heritage of faith.

Final Echoeing Thoughts of 2008!

I stand, as it were,on the precipice of Time.Looking ahead I see the prospects of a brand new year;truly a gift,this gift of life.Looking ahead,it is indeed a precipice into the unknown for we know not what awaits.I do know however,that I am holding the Hand of one Whom I can trust to lead me safely through the unknown.
Turning away from the edge,I peer back into the year that was.I listen closely as echoes come crashing through the air.A voice on the phone bringing me to my knees,my heart wounded with all they had to say;sounds of happy laughter that I recognize as my three little grandsons.Through the fog,I hear the silent,uncontrollable heart sobbing-at the final farewell of a sister,so dear,I recognize myself.Voices of love,mother's day greetings,some cold shoulders of shunning,anxious voices of loved ones in the hospital waiting rooms all echo back to me.A special echo resounds loud and clear;that of my 6 year-old grandson,Phoenix declaring that :his Grammy made the best macaroni and cheese in the whole wide world"In the midst,another phone call echo that of a family member,saying their world had been jerked out from under them.We all cry and grieve silently with them.
I could go on and on about what was,but I would rather dwell on what is and I hear through all the muddle and chaos of parts of 2008,the Supreme Echo,my Father in Heaven saying,"I am the Lord,I change Not""I will perfect that which concerneth thee""

Farewell 2008 with all the Wondrous and Woeful Moments!

Thanksgiving Praises!Turkey times Three!

It was our third Thanksgiving at our little church in Tulsa for our family of six.God had blessed our little church's efforts and hard work and we had a nucleus of 25-30 kids in our Sunday School ministry,most from very troubled homes,and not a lot in material goods.Through VBS and other efforts,we had befriended their parents and gotten some of them out to church for programs,etc.It was coming up on Thanksgiving and I had just had my second surgery in about a year,so I was in bed for a few days,trying to recuperate and as was my habit,when I was feeling a mite discouraged,I got out my Bible and pen and paper and started making some special plans for holiday celebration.I wrote down:Thanksgiving baskets,including Turkey and all the trimmings for each of our Sunday school children's families.I visualized all these baskets and made plans to share my desire with our little church family when all of a sudden,in the midst of my happy planning,the reality of our own personal situation just crashing down on me.The whispers and the taunting of the enemy began,Ha,ha ha,look at your great and mighty plans for everybody's Thanksgiving baskets when you only have right now,how much for grocery money this week?Is it 8.00 or 9?Now tell me,how in the world do you think you are going to pull this off?"I listened,momentarily,but then I let him have it,with these words,"My God owns the cattle on a thousand hills! and I recalled something I heard someone say,"he even owns the taters in them there hills!"So be gone! It will be done.What could be so hard about supplying what would amount to a flock of turkeys when indeed I had connection to the one who owned every bovine animal?To make a long story shorter,I will say that I pushed forward with my plans and ,knowing the state of our budget,of course, my husband was skeptical.I prayed and spread the word to our little group and that Thanksgiving,all our children and families,probably 10-12 total had an abundant Thanksgiving meal including a turkey.
Now for the best part.Clear up to the week before Thanksgiving,I did not have the means or even a turkey for my own family little alone one for an extra family,but I knew God was going to answer and did he ever?I ended up with not one,not two,but three turkeys given to me,so I had two to give away.The third turkey God prompted someone in Kansas to call his brother, a grocery store manager there in Tulsa,to be sure I had a turkey for Thanksgiving.What a wonderful prayer answering God we serve today!Maybe someone reading this needs this reminder.Please be assured that He can and will do the same for you.How blessed I am today,this day before Thanksgiving, and how thankful I am today for all you family and friends and "thanks again,dear,brother,Stephen, for listening to God's prompting that Thanksgiving so long ago,to bless me with that third turkey!"Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

Out on a limb with the Clifton's: Craft ideas

Out on a limb with the Clifton's: Craft ideas

Celebrating 39 years on November 21

"Wood stoves still warm me from the inside out!"

I close my eyes and I can still feel the warmth ,smell the delicious smell of the wood both in the big,round, black main stove in the center of our humble home in Star Holler and the special mix of smells of the wood,bacon,biscuits and gravy that wafted out most mornings as breakfast was being prepared on that old wood cookstove by my sweet mother.Of course the rest of the story,about the main stove was the memories of shivering on the backside as you warmed from the frontside only,at first when you first got up,but never you mind for the warmth,from the inside of your happy,childhood,safe,home quickly reunited the front and back as you turned back and forth to warm every part.I can't burn outside here in town,so, my children bought me a chimenea a few years ago for Christmas.So now,when I need that,warmth from the inside out,I build me a little wood fire and as always,it refreshes my spirit and revives my bruised and torn heart.Thanks Children!
My phone rang Sun. eve before church.I said,"Hello!" A little voice says,"Hi Gwammy!" I answer with our little game we play;"Hello,who is this anyway?" The little voice echoes with excitement as he says,"It's Wicky and you know what,Gwammy?"I can tell he is busting to tell me something.I answer,"What,lil Ricky,what is it?" "Gwammy,we got us a Woodstove!"I answer,with tears in my voice,"Oh,Ricky,I am so excited"The other part of this is throughout much of that day,I was feeling sad and praying for a couple of my loved ones,definitely in need of what I call "wood stove thoughts,"if not the wood stove itself.The remarkable part of this is,as I learned from talking to my son,Ricky2 after my conversation with "lil Ricky" is that "lil Ricky",on his own,asked for my number cause he "needed to talk to Gwammy." Thank you,loving,Heavenly Father,for yet again the sign from above of your special love and concern for me.If any who is reading this are feeling cold,lonely,in need of warmth,reach out to a loving Heavenly Father and may He grant you,your"wood stove" moments,whatever it takes to make you aware of His special care and give you the warmth of spirit and body you need.

"O What a Journey!"

I would like to report that,with the help of the good Lord,I had a wonderful Star Hollow few days.I actually did not go down into Star Hollow but close enough as Carolyn and I and Connie's friend,Carl visited Maplewood Cemetery that sits right outside of Exeter,Mo. at the top of the entrance into Thomas Hollow(that would be the hollow you would go through to get to my bloved Star Hollow.Of course you would have to go across a couple of ridges and down Bear Cve Hill(the one my Aunt Bessie refused to ride down in the car once because she was scared,so yep,she walked down it)This was one of several family stories told and retold.
It is a gorgeous Fall Ozark day as we approach the final resting place of a whole lot of my Day relatives and people I gew up with.This journey is always poignant and bittersweet with memories as we have just passed through the small town of Exeter.We go past what used to be the small MFA Exchange Country Store.Of course,first I have to recall the excruciating,sad, day .It was October 16,1972 and I had made the sad journey with my Daddy in his pickup.My unutterable pain and loss was beyond human comprehension,but when I added the pain I felt from a father who had lost yet another son,tragically,it was beyond human bearing.That day I stood in the corner of this store and listened while my dad made the arrangements of burial for a beloved son,my dear sweet Bobby whom I had tended to since birth,As always,I feel the gentleness of the kind heavenly Father take over and I am comforted and quickly move on to happier memories-those of a small little girl who finally got her turn to come into town with a Daddy that had to spread himself thin with 10 children.I still feel the excitement as I got to enjoy the little stores atmosphere(the old woodburning stove with several gathered round sharing stories,howdies,etc,many,my relatives,no doubt)What wonderful memories!I have to leave you now,but will post more of my journey,later,as I can.What I have to reiterate is how very thankful I am for all my family and friends who have helped on and through this journey.I have never had trouble believing in angelsmheavenly and earthly for it has been my experience,that everytime I needed them,they are always there,provided by my loving Heavenly Father!If you are heavy-hearted today,call on Him.He knows,He loves,He cares"I have proven Him true,what He says He will do...for He never Has failed me yet!"One more thing,I confess,I still feel that same ,little girl excitement about little brown sacks,filled with chosen candy favorites!Till next time...Ann of Star Hollow

This Star Holler girl is headed Home for few days

I am meeting up with my sister,Carolyn,to tend to Connie Sues grave as well as pay our respects to our dear little brother,Bobby.What a wonderful boy he was!How much we still miss him even though it has been 36 years.He was worthy of the the Miss!Plan to drop in on other family as well.Looking forward to breathing some Ozark air! Till next time,M.Ann

Seven Star Springs - Barry Co., Mo

Seven Star Springs - Barry Co., Mo

Family Spooktaculer

O God,thy sea is so great;my boat is so small!

Spending a good part of the day yesterday in the Cancer Hospital with a dear family member while she began yet another series of Chemotherapy,I came away,both humbled and feeling rather helpless at my inability to take away the pain of a mass of hurting people,both patients and caretakers.I left there feeling ashamed at my complaints,suddenly made to look pretty minute in the face of such pain and suffering.I also came away more determined to make the most of all the moments of my life,not sweat the small stuff,etc.
My what an equalizer the word,Cancer,becomes!No respector of race,age,class or status of life.I heard the cries of small children,saw the elderly and infirm,too weak to hold up their head as they received their treatment.With bowed head,I sat,humbled,asking God yet again,for strength to help those who had no strength,to help point them to Him,our all enduring strength.
"God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in time of trouble"

Heart Echoes

"I Will Not Drown in Shallow Waters!"

When I was a girl growing up in Star Hollow,some of my fondest memories center around picnics at the Creek.At one of these outings,with my mother,sister,brothers and various cousins,no doubt,I was wading in the cool,clear creek.What happened next followed me all my life.I remember the darkness,being engulfed by water.I also remember sudden bursts of air as Isurfaced at least a couple of times.My life almost ended right there at the age of six.Throughout my life,I have battled a horrible fear of water,especially getting my face or head under.Having older brothers that delighted in throwing me in the water at times didn't help either.My oldest sister told me more about this memory a few years ago.She said we were not at our familiar creek and that indeed I had stepped off into a deep hole as creeks are known for and she said I went down and resurfaced three times before they got me out.Deep holes of water in a creek are legitimate places to lose your footing,maybe as many as three times,but with God's help and the hands reaching out from family and friends,you can regain your sure footing,be helped back to dry ground.
We have all heard the tragic stories of maybe a toddler drowning in 12 inches of water or one about the accident victim knocked out ,no other apparent injuries,yet he loses his life,drowning face down in a few inches of water.I worried about this as all parents should when my children were small.When they were in the bathtub, I was right there.When my youngest was barely two,she was in the tub and I heard the neighbour girl screaming at my front door.hastily I grabbed Lori up,wrapped her in a towel and rushed ,dripping water,to my front door.The girl's drunk father was beating up her mother and she ran to me for help.What to do??I deposited my dripping wet,towel wrapped 2 year-old on my front steps and sternly told her not to move and with one eye on her and praying desperately,I went to help my neighbour.Between us,we managed to bring him down and I proceeded to sit across his legs(one of them was wooden)while his wife called the cops.All in a day 's work!!!Back to my point of story.Unless you are completely knocked unconsious,or yet to young to realize the danger,you have no excuse to drown in shallow water.
Sometimes,I confess,I have landed,figuretively speaking,face down in the murk and the mire of malicious talebearing brought against me.I also have to say that sometimes I have laid there with the nastiness of it beginning to ooze out of my nostrils,when that still small voice says,"Thou art fearfully and wonderfully made.I made you.I know who you really are.You are not that person."Then and only then am I able to draw strength from Him and rise up out of shallow waters that had the power to even kill me had I not risen above it
Maybe today you are battling some things you have no control over.He said,she said,he said again.There is such power in the spoken word.That is why we can't help but be wounded in our spirit by them and why we should always be careful what we speak.Shallow waters become stagnant,putrid,putting off a strong stench.Quick,arise,shake the stench and mire from your face and determine,with God's help,"I WILL NOT DROWN IN SHALLOW WATERS!" "In my distress I cried unto the Lord,and he heard me." Psalms120:1