A Time to Celebrate - Part 3

Well, I hope that you do not become weary in following my busy weekend. On Saturday evening we celebrated my mother's ninety-first birthday. I only wished that I could get my video to work and you could hear us all singing "Happy Birthday" to her. What a great blessing to still have Mom with us! And God has granted her a sound mind along the way of getting old.

Ann-Marie read a beautiful poem to her grandmother. You can read it on her blog.

At the end of the party several of us asked Mom questions. Yola asked her how she was able to stay so young...reply from my mothers..."Eat lots of onions." We just all laughed. Someone asked the questions who was the most behaved of the twelve. Since we all were somewhat well behaved, Mom just smiled. Then my sister, Louise asked the question, "Who had the most fun?" And she laughing while she is asking that question. I guess it must have been her. Right Louise!

Enjoy our video celebrating the greatest lady in our lives!

A Time to Celebrate - Part 3

A Time to Fellowship - Part 2

Who doesn't like to go to Edward's Apple Orchard? It holds so many memories for me. So when our church made it an outing, I was ready to sign up. This is a beautiful picture of the white arch in 2007
This is also a photo of their beautiful home in 2007.
In January 2008, the home was hit by a tornado.
Here we have their home being remodeled.

Gary & I headed out to Popular Grove to enjoy the afternoon with other memebers of our church on Saturday, October 27. The day was warm and we enjoyed seeing so many people come out and enjoy a day at Edward's.

As always we enjoy the cider donuts and cider. While eating with other people from our church I noticed something I have never witness before. (Now when Ann-Marie was young, she would eat anything if you covered it with a slice of cheese.) Low and behold I looked at Lucy as she put a dab of yellow mustard on her potatoe chip! Then I was informed that she likes to put mustard on a wide variety of food items. Too Funny!

Gary and I took a walk around the grounds to see how Edward's was improving their property after being hit hard by a tornado in January. Great improvements! Yet there were signs that a tornado had hit them. In the video below you will notice the tress that was stripped of many branches. Then behind their home (and I don't know if they will keep it this way as a reminder of that day) is a tree with metal wrapped around it. At first glance you might think that it is just a wide piece of ribbon wrapped around the tree.

Again, just enjoy the video below.

A Time To Fellowship - Part 2

Always Time For Laughter - Part 1

Over a month ago I purchased tickets for Ann-Marie, Jackie & I to hear Kerri Pomarolli in person. It's the first time that I have attended an event for the Rockford Rescue Mission 's Annual Women of Hope Gathering - this was their 6th event. In the meantime, my friend Jackie (being an independent person that she is) was in her yard working and pulling weeds. Well, whatever she was pulling, got the better of her and she ended up falling backwards and doing damage to her ankle...REAL GOOD. Kept her house bound over a month. At first she didn't think that she would be able to attend but I told her that she needed to get out and laugh with us.

The Monday before the event, the doctor allowed her to start wearing shoes and even let her start driving. So on Friday, she was ready to join us.

The desserts at the table were way too delicious and the chocolate fountain was an added plus.

We enjoyed hearing about the changed life of Jacquelyn Beasley, a former mission resident. It's because of the mission ministries that many women are helped.

We laughted and laughted with Kerri Pomarolli and then at the end she ended on a serious note of asking people to trust Christ as their Saviour.

You may wonder why I have a black coffee pot in the slide show...all I can say is that when you give Ann-Marie the camera, who knows what pictures you'll end up with. Enjoy the slide show below.

Part 1 A Time To Laugh

Saturday On The Soccer Field

Well, as they say, "Try, Try Again." And that actually works even if it can be trying!

Last Saturday, we had a nice drive to Dixon. As always it is such a nice ride down Route 2. Going through all those small towns, like Bryon and Oregon. We were looking forward to seeing the grandkids play soccer. The day was warm but that's better than rain.

Since Brigitte and Andrew's games were at the same time, (glad they were playing on the same field) Gary & I were able to enjoy both games. There are five years between these two grandkids. It's interesting that Brigitte, the younger is much more aggressive than her brother.

If any of you have children in soccer, you will realize that sometimes they are placed on the sideline either to get rest or let other kids have a turn. It was just very fun to watch them having fun with other children their age. Plus seeing all the parents (plus us grandparents) enjoying watching their children interact with one another.

At the end of the game, both teams line up and do the high five or whatever that is called. And of course eveyone on the team recieves a healthy snack and drink.

We were going to bring the grandkids back for the afternoon to attend a fun activity, but the games got started late and time would not allow us to get back on time. Asking them where they would like to eat for lunch the response was McDonald's.

We went back to their home for a short time and then headed home. As always they are a delight to see. Enjoy the video below of them playing soccer.

Grandkids - Scoccer

Tagging

Well here goes nothing: First off I just deleted pictures of our grandkids at a soccer game Saturday. I took most of my morning putting them in order and placing captions under them..GONE. It was a mistake on my part and now I will have to download them from my camera AGAIN! I just love myself for doing this. I love doing things over and over again.

Tagging

4 Places I GO OVER & OVER: Kohl's, Riverbluff Nursing Home, Hilanders, Rockton Library

4 People to e-mail me: Jan, Ann-Marie, Sally & Jackie

4 of my Favorite Places to eat: Lino's, DiGiovanni's. Celtic Thistle & Applebee's

4 Places I would rather be: Prince Edward's Island, Ireland, Chicago, Hawaii

4 People I tag: Charity, Cindy, Danielle, & Candice

4 TV Shows I watch: Hallmark Channel, American Idol, Football & News

Ali Turns "Sweet 16"

We often ask the question, "Where does the time go?" When my brother Bruce's daughter Ali turned 16, that's the question I had on my mind. As I get older, the time seems to flies by quicker even though I know that it's always the same 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What a beautiful cake.

As always Louise is right there to serve the cake, while brother Bruce dishes out the ice cream.
As you can see, Mom is enjoying this cake along with the rest of the crew.
Ali, attends Hononegah High School right here in Rockton, Illinois. At one of the football games, we even got to see Bruce and Melissa. They were there to see Ali perform with the other cheerleaders.

Happy Birthday Ali! And I just want your other cousins to see how beautiful a young lady you are becoming.

Book Review

I am very fortunate to go to a church that has a Christian bookstore. A few weeks ago I purchased Erwin Lutzer book: The Truth About Same-Sex Marriage.

Now that may seem strange to you, but I have been bothered by the onslaught of the radical homosexual movement. First let me tell you that I have a nephew and my sister-in-law has a brother who claim they are gay. I wanted to know just how to approach the whole subject and I have always found Dr.Lutzer's books easy to read. This book is only 109 pages.

There are so many quotes I would like to type but one by Charles Colson stands out. "We ignore the complete cultural implications of our faith. And then we're shocked by the state of the culture."

Dr. Lutzer reminds us that same-sex marriages will have a hugh impact on the family as we know it. "IT'S GONE. Remember when Francis Schaeffer told us that some day we would wake up and find out the America we once knew was gone? That day is here."

Married or single, this book is for everyone. I'm sure you will find out how we as believers are to act and react to this subject. Take time to read this book.

What's behind a name?

My birth - what a wonderful event! My name - and the story behind it:

Since I was born way back in 1944, it is a great honor for me to have been given an original copy of my birth announcement belonging to my late Grandma Rehfeldt.

Yeah, that's me!

Above is my Great-Grandma Juliet! All my life, I have appreciated being named after my great grandmother.

Even though I was born in Freeport, Illinois, most of my life I have lived in Rockford, Illinois. Everyone here has known me as Juliet - my family, friends and classmates.

We can all think of times we have made decisions we later regretted. Mine happened while attending college. When you meet new people on campus, one of the questions asked would normally be, "What's your name?" Often I would say and correctly so, "Juliet." Too often the reply back was, "Huh?" So, to my dismay, I finally dropped the "t" out of my name, and would just tell them my name was "Julie." Hence, now I have college friends who know me as "Julie" which is also what my late husband called me.

But when we moved back to Rockford from Chicago, I reclaimed my real name - Juliet. You might be thinking, "SO WHAT?!"

Just last week while talking to my mother (who will be 91 this month) I asked her how well she knew Grandma Juliet. "Oh, I knew Grandma Julie really well! She liked me a lot." was her reply. Before the conversation could go any further, I said, "GRANDMA JULIE, you didn't call her Grandma Juliet?" Then my mother told me something I never knew. Mom said, "No, we all called her Grandma Julie. When we decided to name you after her, Grandma Julie told me to NEVER (I REPEAT NEVER) to let anyone call you Julie." Oh, how I wished I had heard that story before I headed off to college.

But it has come full circle for me. My name is Juliet, and - no matter if people say, "Huh?" - I'm sticking with it!

Time To Reflect

Many, Many times after I have washed my hair and am combing it out, lots of loose hairs fall out. Reflecting on the word of God from Matthew 10:30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." In my mind, while more strands of hair keep coming, I'm thinking, "Lord how many do I now have? Do you know?" Even tho I have alot of hair on my head, when I look in the sink and see all those strands, I said to myself, " You should have been bald by now." Yes God does know the exact number of hairs on my head even when I find another strands of hair on my comb. I again think: "How many do I now have Lord?" The picture below may seem a little ugly, but as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Our God is so very interested in our lives, that he keep tabs on things that may seem little to us. I will quote from The Pulpit Commentary: "All the little trials, difficulties, vexations, of our daily lives are know to him. Therefore let us trust in that almighty Protector who notes the fall of every little sparrow" And may I add...the fallen strands of our very hairs. We do serve an awesome God.