FLASHBACK-DAD

Yesterday after dropping granddaughter, Janna, off at work, I stopped by Aldis for a couple of things. It was a nasty, rainy day. While inside there came a downpour so I waited til it was over so I could run between the raindrops.

After the rain let up, I got my stuff into the car and as I backed out noticed an older gentleman having trouble getting the basket attached to his walker. I stopped, rolled down the window to ask if he could use any help but he was oblivious to anything around him and got it fixed before I could get out to help. He was using oxygen and had set the tank down on the ground til he could get done. The tank was put into the basket when it was fixed and all that effort barely left him enough strength to pull the back door of the car down. Breathing problems are bad enough but bad weather makes them so much worse.  

Seeing him struggle took me back to watching our father with his oxygen for the last 6 years of his life after his lung cancer surgery. The cancer was removed but there is no cure for emphysema.  Lung cancer is terrible but I think emphysema is worse and Dad had both. His tank was strapped to one of those little luggage carriers on wheels that went everywhere he went. He thought fanning him with a magazine helped him get more air, would even get agitated when he thought we weren't fanning him fast enough. He didn't realize his whole body was screaming for the air that wasn't getting out of those diseased lungs.

Just thinking about all this smothers me. Why am I going over this then? -seeing that man yesterday in the parking lot. The site has been with me since. 

My dad smoked a good part of his life and I despise smoking. Oh, he stopped years before but not soon enough and I'm sure there were more factors that contributed to his lung disease in the places he worked.

Even as I write this, there is news rolling across the tv screen about a woman who has died from a fire in her apartment that was caused by smoking while she was on oxygen. She was 75 years old, only one year older than me and Dad was only 72. 

And again-why am I bringing all this up-I HATE, HATE smoking and have been on a stop smoking campaign for a long time. My children smoke, my grandchildren smoke, though they saw what suffering it caused Dad. 

 He was in the hospital the last several weeks of his life. All the kids and grandkids came to visit him the night after he had been resuscitated and each of us got to see him and talk with him. He had something to say to each. A few days later, he was gone. 

The ointment from "The Alabaster Box" is not as I intended when this was begun but this is how it came out. I'm pretty sure it is what Dad would have me tell you, what he did tell us all-that flashback yesterday just hit me at a bad time on a nasty, rainy day when an old man had barely enough energy to pick up his oxygen tank off the ground to place it in the basket of his walker and close his car door. 

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

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I just took this of old set of photos of  Dad and Grandfather that we never knew

Here he is a few years before he died. He was always a snapper dresser.

Mom and Dad before they were married. She is only 16 here, he was 20. He was her heartthrob-you can see why. Snazzy dresser even then.

PRAY 31-A Month Of Prayer For America

Posts keep coming up on Facebook to "like & share" for prayer for America and of course I share but that is soon forgotten even knowing this land of ours is in deep, deep jeopardy from all sides, including the inside-especially from the inside but I get caught up in everyday life and my intent gets shunted aside. 

At our weekly Bible study last week, however, we were given the US PRAYER ATLAS which is a 31 day nationwide journey of prayer that I am beginning to participate in and to share here. I am determined to keep my resolve this time. Just think how things can change if we all ban together in prayer-WOW-it is too awesome to think about. 

In this 31 days we will be praying for:

Our President & Vice-President

Our Congressional Leaders

Our Justice System

Our Armed Forces

Spiritual Renewal

Candidates for Public Office

Leaders in the State

Churches in the State

Chirstians in the State

This can take only 5 minutes per day and using a journal is suggested. I am used to keeping a journal but have gotten away from it for a time but have been wanting to get back to that so here is my opportunity. 

Since I am on day 2, am sharing days 1 & 2 today so I don't confuse myself, I get that way so easily, you know. 

Please join me.  Our God can do anything if we just turn Him loose on it.  This nation of ours can turn around. There is nothing but bad news in all the media. How can we be anything but depressed if we sit twiddling our thumbs, talking about the mess and doing nothing?

DAY 1

-Pray for a great outpouring of God's Spirit on America 

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions

Joel 2:28 

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Acts 2:17 

-Pray for the President and Vice-President that their hearts would be guided by God, that their decisions would be wise and that their leadership would be principled. 

"Prayer penetrates doors we will never enter. Prayer breaks hearts that have been hardened by the most ruthless pursuit of position. Prayer bridges the gap between the modest den of the meek and the highest places of government, where laws are made and bills are signed and officials wrestle against impossible odds."--Beth Moore

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DAY 2

-Pray for the leaders, churches and Christians of ALABAMA and ALASKA.

-Pray that christian leaders across America would seek God's heart for vision, wisdom and direction.   

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God; not only by unbelief, but by thinking that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think.' "--Andrew Murray

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Take this 31 day journey with me-let's pray for our nation and each other.

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

ISABELLA-IN GOD'S HANDS

 Monday morning, August 4, I was getting things done, laundry, dishes, straightening the house in preparation for the next day. I wanted a free and clear day, not have anything to  do. We were going to have a baby-great, granddaughter, Isabella, was scheduled to come into this world.   

Then the phone calls started coming in. Grandson, Travis, Isabella's daddy, called-Erin, Isabella's little momma, doesn't feel right, is going to doctor. 

Another call-they can't find the heartbeat

And another-yes, they did find a heartbeat

And another-he is going to the doctor's office, the heartbeat is gone

And then-"Mammaw, we lost her".  

Talk about your world being tossed upside down. I have been through some bad times, bad weeks, bad months, bad years but this is the ultimate of bad. Erin was being sent straight to the hospital. My son, Jeff, had to drive me there because by this time I was unable and for the next two days the hospital was our home. I still don't know why a C-section couldn't have been done and get this all over with but instead that beautiful young couple went through a day and a half of knowing this child was not going to make it as the rest of us had to stand by and watch and try to ease their grief a little. Great, grandmothers, grandmothers, grandfather, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends-some from a distance came as soon as they could. The chaplain said the outpouring from the family was good, that a lot of times there is no support. The whole staff was great to all of us, respecting each and everyone who was there. 

I put out calls for prayer just to get us all through this, especially Erin and Travis. They were so sweet together and so very gracious even in these circumstances. They made it easier for the rest of us, at least for me in the way they handled everything. 

Then, Tuesday evening, the time was near for Isabella to be born. Erin and Travis had decided that they wanted to be alone during the birth so we gathered round them for one last prayer with them, maybe to petition God one more time to let us keep this precious baby and to please keep Erin safe and don't let anything happen to her. Then we were all shooed out by the nurses so they could do their job. 

I made another round of phone calls for prayer that this would soon be over, that Erin would do well and be ok and the wait set in. It was about 7:30 p.m. It had been a long 2 days. 

As were the next couple of hours. No one came out to let us know anything for a long time but I guess Trav and Erin wanted to block the world out as long as possible, to have as many precious moments as they could with Isabella before they had to share her with us. 

When we went in, Erin was holding Isabella and they both were so beautiful. Travis told us how well Erin had done. What a trooper she had been. Isabella was all swaddled in blankets and a hat, they didn't want her unwrapped except for that pretty little face. I wish I had thought to have taken the crocheted outfit I had made for her to the hospital so it could have been put on her. 

Each of us got to hold Isabella-her two great, grandmothers, her two grandmothers, her grandfather, her  aunts, her uncles, her great aunts and I don't remember who else but we were all given the opportunity to say goodbye.   

Then it was time to leave, to let them try and rest, to let them be alone in one of the worst times they will ever have, to try and find peace when things make no sense at all. 

I was getting ready to go back to the hospital the next day but Travis called and said they had checked out and wanted to get home. They could have stayed another day but that wasn't going to happen. "Do you need anything?", "No, Mamaw, we're ok". "Do you need me to bring anything to eat?", "No, Mamaw, we have plenty of food in the house, we'd don't need anything right now". 

Arrangements had been made for Isabella to be picked up and now her funeral arrangements needed to be made. Travis was adamant that Isabella was to be placed with his beloved Pappaw who had passed 2 years before. They only wanted a simple graveside service and that was the way it was. 

The funeral director said he hadn't seen so many people at a newborn's service before. Did I expect that many? No, I didn't know what to expect but it was so appreciated that so many did come to give their support.

Jeff read the poem I had written for Isabella, he said it was the most important thing he had ever read.

ISABELLA LYNN TACKETT

OUR HOPE

This life God gave has so much worth, 

for Isabella was not to be bound upon this earth.

The angels bore her quickly back to whence she'd come,

back to be with Jesus in His safe and loving arms.

Back with others like her to be kept on Jesus' knee,

 cause Jesus can take so much better care than even we.

Back to be sung to sleep by angels, play peek-a-boo with God,

catch fly balls hit by Jesus, play tag on holy sod,

fly kites so high they touch the stars, do everything you'd want her to.

For those of us whose child is there, Jesus keeps them for me and you.

We don't know what life here for her would be,

but we do know that God does give life abundantly.

And how much more abundant than to be with Him from the start

and not have to trudge through life's hurts and broken heart.

How selfish 'twould be on our part to keep her bound here

than loose her to the freedom of Heaven to save ourselves a tear.

For, in time, you will be greeted with "Momma, Daddy, I'm so glad you're finally home!

Come over here and see what Jesus and I have done!"

Then this child you've missed so much will take you by the hand

and the time will fade away as she shows you that heavenly land.

You'll see all her grand works of art that were saved for you to see

and won't have missed a thing because you'll have all eternity.

So when we're told earth's bad news with which we'll have to cope

we need to keep in mind that heaven is our hope.

© Carolyn Wainscott-2014

After the service, Travis and Erin went home and shut the door to the nursery they had ready for Isabella. The bed was made with new sheets, afghans and the attached changing table. There were new curtains, custom wall lettering plus many shower gifts. It is still shut. Decorative boxes are ready for special things made just for Isabella that they want to keep. The rest will be packed up when they can or if they want someone else to come in and do it but so far they are handling everything together as well as they can. 

Why was this written today? It has been on my mind for a time but couldn't bring myself to get to it but this morning I woke up with Isabella on my mind and now is the time, I guess. 

No, we don't know what happened. Everything was fine on the last check up on Wednesday. There was life til that Monday morning but when Erin woke up she said things were just not right. They had been shopping the day before getting last minute things. Erin had been having pain in her back the whole week before. Isabella weighed 8 lbs. 9 ozs. and was 21" long. She was at least 1 1/2 lbs. larger than expected to be. 

It has been two months now, it seems like centuries ago but it also seems as though it was just yesterday. That doesn't make much sense, does it? Isabella is the latest saga of heartache in this family. 

God bless this young couple of my heart. I know that He has a special mission for them.

In God's love,

Carolyn Wainscott

GRIEF-WHAT DO YOU DO?

There has surely been enough to go around in our family as in many other families and in time every family. 

What do we do-there is a natural progression of grief-shock, anger, tears, numbness, hopelessness, depression, listlessness, restlessness.  What can we do? 

Let me tell you about Pam. Pam is my sister's sister-in-law. She has extreme health issues including just coming through a bout of cancer and the most devastating thing a parent can experience-the sudden death of her only child, Tony, in June of this year.

My heart goes out to her. There isn't anything to be said that eases the pain but I was going through the same thing in the illness & passing of son, Rick, which wasn't so very sudden. Then when I was almost beginning to breath, my great, granddaughter, Isabella, was stillborn. [I am trying to get ready to share these-I don't want to be maudlin, or have a pity party but just share-that is one of the ways I can cope and maybe help someone else]

But you see, Pam, in her physical pain and deep heartache was working on an afghan for Isabella. I don't know when she started it, I think, maybe for a shower we were going to have in June before all this happened. I'll find out but haven't been able to talk with her yet. 

At any rate, she so touched my heart when she sent the afghan a few days ago for me to give to Travis and Erin, Isabella's mommy and daddy. She wanted them to have it now and for me not to hold it for a future time. She was sending her love and prayers out of her own heartache. 

   

  It is in rainbow colors and so very soft that it is one of those that a baby holds onto and carries around for years until it is nothing but threads. The afghan is in one of those beautiful storage boxes that will be put away with some other things. Maybe one of these days it will be brought out for another baby to be snuggled in or kept in the box. Either way, it is a true gift of love and caring and doing something for someone else when your own world has fallen down around your ears. 

What can we do then. Like Pam, reach out to others, God bless her.

Carolyn Wainscott

A FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER

It is comforting to know when there is a crisis, there is someone to call on for prayer-

my family-and believe me there have been desperate, urgent needs as with, I am sure, some of you. Then, there were other times of requests for healing, a job needed, safe keeping-the list goes on and on. 

There is our miracle baby, Ayden that I shared in a previous post @ cwainscott.blogspot.com/2011/04/gods-miracle-baby-ayden and my niece, Debbie, @ cwainscott.blogspot.com/2011/06/family-being-sisters but others that have not been written of yet. 

My current most pressing concern is my stepson, Rick, who is in treatment for cancer. We found that he had stage 4 lung cancer just a couple of months after my husband passed in June, 2012.  He is surprising the doctors with how well he is doing. I know he is tired all the time from the second round of chemo but the initial malignancy was irradicated and his blood work is good right now.  

I'm not shy about asking for prayer, I ask the ladies at Bible study on Friday mornings, I ask the church I am attending, I ask friends, and I ask all those out there in Facebook land that I message back and forth with. Some that I have never met face to face but even some of them let me know they are praying.  So if you have a spare minute and no one else to pray for, would you pray for my Rick for healing-thank you.

And, yes, when I was told I had breast cancer a couple of months ago, you had better believe the calls went out for prayer for healing. 

 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.    Heb 4:16  

I spent quite a bit of time pulling photos and cutting photos from my videos [I always have my camera with me-wouldn't want to miss anything precious-and I have a lot of precious]

There are photos from a service of an observance of The Lord's Supper in which families could share together-yep-those are precious. In that service the four children of my nephew, Keith, went to the altar to pray together. Now that was really precious to see them kneeling together unashamedly. 

One photo is of our venerable Matriarch with her face upturned in our prayer at Thanksgiving in 2008. [She was usually the first call we made to start prayer]. That year we had four additions to our family-three of them are being held by Mom and my brother, Larry. Had to include those- too precious not to. You see, Mom left us in June of 2012 also. 

The last photo is our first Christmas here in my new home with my children, grandchildren and great, grandchildren. I want the legacy of prayer to go on into my generations.

May God bless you and keep you

Carolyn Wainscott

OUR TSUNAMI OF PRAYER

My sister, Shirley, typed this up and gave us each a copy after our prayer gathering at her house for our family. Her daughter, Cathy, was there, our other sister, Jackie, my daughter, Donna and her granddaughter, Hannah, who is 7.
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TSUNAMI OF PRAYER
A tsunami is usually caused by a powerful earthquake under the ocean floor. This earthquake pushes a large volume of water to the surface creating waves. These waves are the tsunami. In the deep ocean these waves are small. As they approach the coast these waves get bigger.

Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning harbor wave.
Tsu-harbor, Nami-wave.

"THEN SAMUEL TOOK A STONE AND SET IT UP BETWEEN MIZPAH AND SHEN, AND CALLED ITS NAME EVENEZER, SAYING, "THUS FAR THE LORD HAS HELPED US"
1 SAMUEL 7:12

Carolyn said a couple of weeks ago that she wanted to start the new year in a powerful and God honoring way and she felt getting together for a prayer time to seek the LORD with praises to his name and our lists of blessings would be a good way to start the year. Thus, the tsunami of prayer which has been quaking in our hearts has begun.

These words from the devotional "Streams In The Desert" for December 31st seemed to speak volumes. "So let us call out to one another through the darkness, till the gloom becomes vocal with many voices, encouraging the pilgrim host. Let the echoes gather till a storm of Hallelujah break in thundering waves around the sapphire throne, and then as the morning breaks we shall find ourselves at the margin of the sea of glass, crying, with the redeemed host, "Blessing and honor and glory be unto Him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever".

As we gathered around the table on Friday, January 3, 2014, our Lord softly and gently honored us with His holy presence. He listened intently to our praises and our requests that we presented to Him:

Carolyn's concerns:
Kaitlyn [granddaughter] having baby in March-safety and healthy delivery
Dan [grandson] a job to support his family
Rob [grandson] favor in his new job and great settlement for his injuries
Travis [grandson] decisions about school, job and playing ball
Jeff [son] for a great settlement for his injuries
Melinda [daughter] new career and good health
Kim [daughter] in Florida for new beginnings, new business and better life choices [and for all mine]
David, Heather, Erica, Rick, Janna-all from Jerry Lee's family to Melinda's
Please pray for all mine: Happiness, joy, peace, love and comfort and my desire to become debt free
Little Gavin who has been fighting cancer for over 1 1/2 years
Jared  & Laura Hill and kids who are on the mission field in Uganda for 7 months-safe keeping and success in God's work

Jackie's concerns:
Prayer for my spirit and freshness in my journey.
For Connie [daughter] guidance and restoration and for Jessica, Nick, Monica, Gary Lee, Linda, Maria, Adam, Aiden, Mandy, Michelle and John and for husband, Gary. For all to have a closer walk with the Lord. Kyrstie and James in growing together as one in the Lord. Praises for bringing us this far.

Donna's concerns:
Praises for new home and being able to provide home for family. For strength to live and work and fill our home with peace and love.

Cathy's concerns:
Praises and requests mingle together for-
Dusty's [son] situation with his dad and all the things he is dealing with in that situation-for strength and wisdom.
Ryan [son] and Natalie having a baby boy in April.
Jim [husband] health issues and his growth in Christ
Keith [brother] health issues and spirit
Debbie [sister] health issues
Mom [Shirley] strength and health
Sue Howell and family
Our church and Pastor Tom
Blessings on my new business
Praises for my brother's and sister's healings; my beautiful grandkids; my whole God given family; and Jim's faith.

for Larry and Delores [our brother and sister-in-law]
Healing
and safe keeping and good health for their sons Danny and Chris, their daughters-in-law and grandchildren, Chris and Zoe

Shirley
I thank God for my family and His loving kindness over us. As He brings us into a new year of adventures and wonder filled moments, I ask Him for refreshing and joy in my walk with Him. I pray that I will always leave room in my schedule for His unexpected visits. I pray that His light will shine through me to dispel the darkness of this world. I pray for wisdon in so many decisions that are in front of me and peace in those decisions. For my family and loved ones to grow in Him in all areas of their lives and I ask Him to strengthen my resolve to be a better ambassador of Him as we are indeed pilgrims here in this land. I pray for this tsunami of prayer that our Lord has quickened in our souls and spirits to grow and grow into a force that no one can stop because He is the Author and Almighty God of creation and Sovereign over all. For His honor and His glory we ask
AMEN AND AMEN
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We started this tsunami wave of prayer over our family, would you continue it over your family til it becomes a giant wave over this nation of ours.

This family knows that God still works miracles, we have witnessed His power and glory in healing several in our family that amaze even the doctors.

God bless you
Carolyn Wainscott

TO TRAVIS-WORD FOR TODAY-MARCH 1

About  a year ago, grandson, Travis, called from college to ask what my favorite Bible verse is. That caught me completely off guard. He had just been home for the holidays. I get points in here and there from time to time trying not to sound like I am preaching [somehow it sounds that way, though] and don't know if they are getting through or not and out of the blue, he asks what my favorite verse is. It was a nice surprise, though, so evidently something has taken hold. 

The first verse that popped into my head was:

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.    Psalms 91:4 "

because I have the faith that I am always under God's protection.

Then-"What's another verse, Mamaw?"

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen    Heb 11:1"

I gave him several other verses that night even though I don't commit verses to memory well and don't want to misquote anything. Before we hung up he asked that I send him verses daily. There have been many days that he did not get verses for one reason or another and I hear about it when they don't get sent. Of course, there is a whole lot more included with the verse[s]. Whatever is on my mind or comes to mind as I am writing. Most days I study as soon as I get up, my day goes so much better and then share with Trav so it is done before he gets up.

I decided this morning to share today's Word for Trav in my Alabaster Box. He always asks what I am going to do today and he says he reads before he leaves his room in the morning. [yes, we live in the same house but the Word for the day is still sent to his phone-I have to try to keep up with the times]

----so here is----

Good morning, Bud. They say if March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb. I haven't paid much attention to the weather so I don't know if it is coming in like a lion or not. It doesn't make any difference, I can't do anything about the weather, God didn't give me the magic wand to change anything. 

There is a news article on tv right now about a high school basketball coach who made a movie 10 years ago and has lost his job because of it. He is evidently a good coach because the parents are standing behind him. The movie was not pornographic but a little off color and someone sent it to his bosses. I think this is one of those things I have been trying to tell you-we have to watch everything we do. What may be fun and seemingly harmless can be used against us down the road. Employers are checking Facebook and other networks on potential hires. This is what kills me about the stuff some of mine are posting-not just the harm they are doing to themselves now but in the future. They are setting themselves up for a future of nothingness. I have hope in God for them but I don't think they have any hope or don't care about anything. It looks like they would be sick of the examples they have lived with instead of following in their path. I don't understand not wanting to do the best you can. 

About something I can do, I will be working in the sewing room today after I finish the things I worked on yesterday if they don't take longer than I expect and everything usually takes 3 or 4 times longer than I think. I am working on a fairly new process for me and I want the quilt blocks to be exactly as I envision so I may have to make several test blocks. I have a fabric I bought several years ago that has been waiting on the perfect project for it and I think I have found it. I've gone through all mine and Mary's fabrics and still need several others to complete it so [such a tragedy!!], I have to go fabric shopping on Monday. I have been keeping myself out of fabric shops and using what is already on hand, and that is a lot, I admit, but this quilt needs things that I don't have. 

So that is today. Donna will be out tonight or tomorrow. We have the appointment tomorrow at noon, remember. Jeff went over to Erica's this morning. If I was going to have to go over, I was going on to a quilt show in Lebanon that starts today and then swing back to get the boys from school at 3:30 but I am glad he went. I have work to do and want to keep at it and besides it took over $70 to fill my tank the other day and I am going over there on Monday-have to make every trip count as you well know. You are very smart to be driving your car as much as possible even when you have that great, big beautiful truck. 

Since the Granny's Prayer Journal that I have been using for the last few months is full, I got one this morning I had used over 10 years ago to kind of see what I had written and to maybe use it for a few days until I get another one. This poem was in it that I had written on 9/13/03: 

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WELL DONE 

When my last race here on earth is run, 

When I've tried my best and God lets me go on home, 

I hope I'll hear these words from His own Blessed Son, 

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant, well done". 

When I've passed through those gates of pearl, worries all forgotten, 

Before being welcomed into Heaven by each and every loved one, 

I want to hear first from the Crown of my Salvation- 

tell me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, well done". 

E'en when they lead me to the door of my heavenly mansion, 

And I get to see God's glory, oh, I can't even imagine, 

For reward enough will be to hear The Author of Creation 

Say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, well done". 

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On the next page of the journal I had these verses: 

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about Psalms 17:8-9 

For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. Zech 2:8 

Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease Lam 2:18 

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Deut 32:10 

----------Always try to please God, don't do anything that causes Him to grieve, you are the apple of His eye-He loves you. -------------

It is easier to stay the apple of His eye if we do the following-keep His commandments and His law as the apple of our eye: 

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: 5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. 

Prov 7:1-5 

Love you lots, 

The Queen Mamaw 

.......................................................

[yes-I certainly sign as "The Queen"!! sometimes people don't listen to an ordinary, gray headed grandma]

Here is my gorgeous Travis. See that toothy grin-yep, it works, he's rotten.