Clearing the river bank

Sheila's Monster Fire!

Jamie striking a pose!

Jer in the bucket cutting a dead limb. I LOVE being up high in the tractor bucket but Ferd ususally puts me up there to pick Mustang Grapes. This was definitely not a berry picking job!


The guys hard at work!

We had a great day today! The sun was shining and the weather was perfect! I LOVE days like today! We went to the river and Alfred cut brush and Jer and Jamie helped him stack it for a big fire later on this week. If you look to the right while sitting on the cabin porch, there "was" a massive thicket of vines entangled in thick brush and it completely blocked the view of the river. Alfred has been wanting to tackle it for some time now so today was the day. When it is all cleared the view will be amazing because the river makes a big turn right past the cabin and it is really, really pretty.

We went to Happy Days restaurant tonight and ate supper and then went to McClains and got some cabbage and black eyed peas for tomorrow! New Years Eve is here and Alfred has been in bed since 8:30! He is a "party animal" to be reckoned with! I oughta go light a firecracker under his behind but then I'd probably ring in the New Year in the hospital after he got through with me! :) Me & Jer fried some jalapeno cheese balls from a recipe I got off Food Network and Jamie helped us eat them. They were wonderful!

God has been so good to us this year! Looking back over this past year, I can see where things tried to get a bit rough but we kept the faith. My family is alive and well and for that I am more thankful than I can begin to express. Thank you Father for the blessings of a family more precious than gold, good friends, good jobs and good health. And thank you that 2009 will be a better year than I can even imagine! Happy New Year friends and may God richly bless you and yours.....

It's been a while...

I haven't posted in a while so I figured I would write a bit tonight. Christmas came and went and now the New Year is upon us. Everyone was happy with Christmas.....Alfred got his porch swing for the cabin and I got my pistol so I think it's official! You might be a redneck if all you want for Christmas is a gun & a porch swing! HA! As my sister says, "We just swing & shoot!" Life is good at the Burt's!

I am taking the last day of my vacation tomorrow and then me and Alfred are off the rest of the week. Hopefully the sun will shine and we can get outside and do some things. It has been so rainy and gloomy the last couple weeks and I am ready for the sun to come out and stay for a while. I love rainy days but enough is enough.

I guess we'll just watch fireworks from the upstairs deck this New Year's eve. You can see the big fireworks display on Lake Livingston from our bedroom window so it's really a pretty cool, AARP sort'a thing to do! We've been going to the Yeager's every New Years for about 10 years. They decided not to have their shindig this year so we'll be staying home. Speaking of AARP, did I tell you I'm a card carrier now? I looked up AARP to see just exactly what it stands for and there were several choices but two I especially liked......the obvious, "American Association of Retired Persons" and, the not so obvious "Animal Accident Recovery Patrol." OUCH! I would rather be a member of a Retired Person's organization than have membership in the "Animal Accident Recovery Patrol!" Jeeeze! What in the heck would one have to do to join their club?!?

I've rattled on long enough and need to get ready for bed. Remember to keep God first and everything else will simply fall into place. Wishing you all a blessed 2009!

Look out! Sheila's got her wheels back!

How's that for a title? Alfred and Jamie got out in this awful cold tonight and put my drive shaft on. We took it for a spin and she sounds great! MAN! If you only knew how good it feels to know I will be driving myself to work tomorrow! Jeremy and Jamie headed to Pasadena this afternoon and bought the part off a wrecked KIA so we didn't have to spend the $700 for a new one. I thank the Good Lord for that! We sure couldn't afford it at this time of year. HEY! I can actually go out and get some lunch tomorrow! Being the scatter brained individual that I am, I forgot to take my lunch to work today. No problem......I'll just call Pizza Hut and have them deliver me a personal pan pizza for lunch. No such luck! They had over an hour wait for deliveries so I thought, hmmmm.....I'll walk over to the next block and get a barbeque sandwich! It was so cold but I thought, I can handle it for a few minutes! So, I locked the office and headed down the street......guess what? They were closed! OH MAN! This had to be a conspiracy! Surely, someone didn't want me having lunch today! Oh well.....I walked back to the office and had a piping hot bowl of Ramen Noodles! YUM! YUM! I just closed my eyes, pretended it was pizza and all was well with the world! HA! But really though....I am so very thankful to have my vehicle running again. You don't realize how much you depend on something until it's not there! Thank you Father for blessings too numerous to count! And, thank you Alfred and Jamie for loving me enough to get out in this miserable cold weather, and Jeremy for driving to Pasadena today when he had to work all night! All just so I could have my truck back! They're the best!
God bless....

Much'a nothing!

Don't you think this is a pretty picture? I call this the haunted tree because it looks spooky at night! It was so gorgeous against the blue sky today!

SUPPER'S READY! Smokehouse Pork Chops!

Can you see the Eagle?

Today was a good day and we had a really good time fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ this morning. It has been a good day all around but like the title says, we did much of nothing the rest of the afternoon. We ate a bite of dinner, put some pork chops in the smokehouse and then Alfred and I took off on the Gator and rode all over the place. We put the game camera back out and baited up the deer (and raccoons and crows and whatever else happens by & likes to eat corn!) Then we went and sat on the porch at the cabin. It was so unbelievably peaceful down there. The wind was blowing and it was definitely a snoozer kind of afternoon! We didn't take a nap but OH how I wanted to! Of course I was armed with my camera and I am forever trying to get a good shot of the Eagles that fly up and down the river. They are such amazing creatures and are SO gorgeous so naturally I would love to get a good picture. WELL......while we were sitting there, one flew right up next to the tree in front of the cabin as if he/she might have been considering lighting there for a spell! Of course, I GASPED and Alfred said I gasped so loud, I scared it off!!! :( OH MAN! I could see the toenails on that bird and didn't get a shot! THEN, another flew by, and another and another AND another!!! FIVE IN ALL! I was about to have a stroke! I did get a few pictures but as you can see from the one I posted, it didn't turn out very well! It is so difficult to focus when they are flying. Anyway, we had a good, relaxing day.

See that "big ole pile" of smoked pork chops? We put them in the smokehouse all afternoon and they were ready in time for supper tonight. Alfred used to tell me he loved me a "big ole pile!" I guess that's a good thing, coming from Alfred Burt! :) Anyway, the chops were so tasty! We plan to smoke a bunch of pork chops and ribs over the holidays and I'll put them all in the freezer. Then we'll have lots of good, ready-to-eat meats for a while!

I didn't get my truck fixed this weekend. After I chewed up the FedEx guy and spit him out and then chewed him up again, we discovered the part I ordered doesn't fit! I really do have to get the entire drive shaft! Can you hear me crying now? It is SO frustrating when you can see this little bitty part you need but NO ONE has it! As Alfred says, "They should take the china-man that built this piece of junk and put him in front of a firing squad!" He's passionate about foreign vehicles! I wish I had a 1980 FORD pickup! Just give me an engine and a transmission (AND A RADIO & AC) and I'd be just fine! Oh, and I'd need a heater too! Oh well....the vehicle saga continues...I will be SO happy when it's fixed and we aren't running around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to get everyone to different places at different times! UGH! This week I will be getting dropped off at work and picked up in the afternoons. It's highly likely that I will experience some WalMart withdrawal!!! Please pray for me! :) God bless you guys!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......

Looking across the hill from the upstairs deck. It was so pretty this morning!

Looking down the driveway from upstairs!

** Little Man Winter**
An Alfred & Jamie Burt Original!

Alright! I've had enough snow for a while! I don't do the cold very well but if it MUST be cold, then it might as well snow! When my sister and I were very young, it snowed really hard one year in Mississippi! I remember mama bundling us up all warm and then she sat us at the window and her and daddy threw snowballs at us! I never quite figured that one out! She SWEARS that NEVER happened but it did and it scarred me for life! If any of you wonder why I am the way that I am.......well......NOW YOU KNOW! It's my mama's fault! I still get teary eyed at the sight of snow and for some reason, I just stand at the window and look out at it! Must be some deep seated, emotional trauma in my sub conscience! I AM exaggerating a little bit because my mama and daddy were/are the greatest! I suppose if she did that then she must have been afraid we would get sick. OR, maybe we were already sick and she didn't want us in the cold getting sicker. Who knows.......OH YEAH.....speaking of mama......lemme tell ya another one......I have had a mole on my mid back as long as I can remember and as a child playing in the woods, as I always did, I would get redbugs on me. One time one bedded up beside that mole and it began to get bigger and bigger! I didn't know what the heck soooo.....I asked mama what it was! She replied, You're just growing a third "BOOB" on your back!" DO WHAT!?!?! Little did she know, I believed EACH & EVERY word that came out of her mouth and walked away in a state of shock! Of course she was joking and thought I realized it, but I didn't! I worried and fretted and lost sleep over the thought of what was happening to me! How would I ever go out in public? How would I ever get a boyfriend? How would I ever find a bra that fit? Maybe I could join the circus! OH ME! Well....as you've probably already figured, it didn't happen. At some point and time mama dug the redbug out and I went back to eating and sleeping normally again. I'm not sure how I managed to get grown without having to be on medication! I LOVE picking on my mama! Stay tuned and I'll tell you some even better stories later on........Maybe I should write my memoirs...."The Life & Times of Sheila Burt" Hmmm......? Kinda catchy huh?

God bless.....

Snowing in East Texas!

EAST TEXAS SNOWBALL!

**Jamie eating a Snowball**

He didn't really eat it! It's Wednesday night and the snow, yes I said snow, is coming down pretty heavily. AND, it's actually sticking! This is so cool! Or should I say COLD? The last heavy snow I can remember was probably in 1985. We have pictures of the boys and Jamie looks to be around 1 year old. It was a good snow and everything was covered. Before that, we had heavy snow in 1979, the year Alfred and I married. I have pictures of that one too and we even had a pretty healthy snowman that year!

I have jury duty in the morning and I wonder if they will still have it. I haven't gotten a call saying it was cancelled so I guess I'll go and see. I hope Jer doesn't have to go to Conroe tonight because they say the bridges are starting to get icy and he has to cross several on his way. I went to WalMart and bought him some long johns, gloves, moisture proof socks and a sweater beanie cap. We aren't very prepared for this type of weather, especially staying out in it for any length of time. Feels like we ought to be outside making molasses in big cast iron kettles! I can remember my grandparents boiling down the sugar cane outside and it was SO COLD! I don't know who the people were but I can see them in my memory and I remember watching the steam from their breath when they would talk. It was colder than a well diggers hiney in Romania! Kinda like it is tonight! Anyhoo.....I must cut it short and get my goggles and snowboots ready for tomorrow! HA! Bundle up and stay warm out there. God bless....

It's FA-REEEZING out there!

Holy cow...it's FA-REEZING out there tonight! The weather man said we may have snow flurries in East Texas tomorrow! WOW! Now let's talk about that issue of global warming!

My windchimes are playing a tune on the front porch! Have you ever heard Corinthian Bells? They are the most beautiful sounding windchimes ever and Alfred bought me some last Christmas! I want another set in a different key. Oh yeah....they are tuned to certain keys so you can get them in high, medium or low tones. You should go online and listen to the demos of the different ones they sell. Just type Corinthian Bells into Google and look for the site that plays samples. The short ones are higher pitched and of course the longer they get, the deeper the resonance. You'll be hooked!

Jeremy just left for work and he has to be outside in this weather all night! Man, I can't even imagine! I gave him several shirts and a sweater cap thingy to try and keep his head warm. He's going to have a long night for sure! I'd freeze up like a Klondike Bar if I had to be out in this for more than five minutes! Why can't we just have Spring & Fall all year round! No cold winters or hot & humid summers! Just a good thunderstorm to break it up every now and again! That would be absolutely perfect!

Well I'm just rattling on about much of nothing.......I guess my brain is plum froze up! I rekon I'll put on my long johns and head up to bed for a long winter's nap! Wait....! I think I hear Santa......! :) Nite y'all and God bless.....

Sunday Night

This weekend has gone by entirely too fast! Yesterday Alfred and Jeff worked on my truck but it still isn't fixed. Jeff found that what I need is a universal joint and KIA doesn't sell them separately! You have to buy the entire drive shaft and it costs $700! Jeff just couldn't accept that so he took one off and headed to the parts house to see if they could match it up. They weren't successful but he DID manage to get a part number and after calling every parts house in two counties, I looked it up and found it online. Hopefully we will have the right parts by mid week and I can get my truck back! Thank you for everything Jeff Yeager!

Jeremy is back home and I really do enjoy him being here. He works nights and sleeps days so, with our schedules, there isn't much time to visit. He's a bit down on his luck right now and has never asked us for help. It is extremely hard for him to be in this situation but we are more than happy to try and help him get back on his feet. He's just too independent and too proud! I am believing good things for Jer so please mention him in your prayers.

One of my cousins from Mississippi wrote me many years ago and she said, and I quote, "CHRISTMAS IS JUST THE CORNER!" My sisters and I laughed about that for years and that's how we always say it now....."Christmas is JUST THE CORNER!" HA! But really......IT IS just around the corner! Has anyone started/finished their shopping? I haven't even started! Every year I have the best intentions and I am GOING TO start early but I never do! I find myself doing this last minute rushing around and making myself crazy because I've waited too late....AGAIN! UGH! Why do I do this? Here is is, 2 1/2 weeks away and I have to start shopping! I even have to mail gifts to my sisters and their families on the East coast. WOW! I amaze myself! I always manage to pull it off but I lose a lot of sleep doing it. I did a lot of online shopping last year and loved it! Everything was delivered to my door and with the exception of clothing items, I didn't have to do much shopping at all! I didn't go to the mall a single time! I am a strange bird according to most ladies I talk to. I despise the mall! If I never had to go to a mall for the rest of my life, I would be happy! I haven't been shopping at a mall in 3 years now! If there are any other women out there that share my sentiment, can I get an AMEN SISTA?!?! I'm a WalMart, HEB, LOWES and Tractor Supply girl myself!

I hope everyone has a blessed week! I heard a pastor saying that if we want good things then we should expect good things. Get up and say out loud that you are going to have a great day! Speak it over your life! The tongue is a powerful weapon that we can use for our good or for our own self destruction. Choose to use it for good brothers and sisters! God bless you all!

Catching up....

I haven't posted since Saturday so I've got some catching up to do. There hasn't been anything much to write about so I just haven't posted. Since Alfred's gone back to work, life is just plain dull around the Burt house. No wild and crazy adventures to report!

I was sick all night last night so I didn't go to work today. I have to feel pretty awful to be missing work! I usually go in even if I am sick but I had a rough night so I didn't think I would be able to make a whole day.

I guess our weekend will be dominated by repairing my truck! I have a carrier bearing that is going out and I didn't think I would make it home from work Wednesday night. I finally had to park it and I'll have to drive Alfred's truck until it's fixed. Jamie went to Kingwood today and picked up the part from the Kia dealer. That little bearing cost me $96! Of course I am so thankful that my truck is one that you can replace JUST the bearing. Some models have to have the entire drive shaft assembly and that little number costs over $600. Jeff Yeager is supposed to come Saturday and help Alfred put it on. Jeff is, hands down, the best mechanic around these parts but his back just won't allow him to do that type of work any longer. He's helping because that's the kind of person he is......always unselfishly lending a hand. Shooooot.....I may have to give him another haircut for free! For some reason he shys away when I talk about cutting his hair anymore......I don't know why.....I only made him bleed ONCE! Some people! Anyway, back to the car repair.... Have you ever seen the movie "A Christmas Story" about little Ralphie and all he wants for Christmas is "an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle BB gun?" Remember when his dad goes downstairs and works on the furnace? All you hear is loud rantings from the basement. Ralphie said "his father dabbled in profanities like an artist dabbles in oils." Well.....that's a bit what it's like when Aflred works on a vehicle! He's a good man but something happens to him.......his head spins around and he starts speaking in tongues! YIKES! Time to go to WalMart!!!! I might be exaggerating a teeeeny bit! But seriously, he can handle just about anything and will take on most any job that needs doing, however, auto repair is definitely NOT his calling! Thank you Jeff Yeager!

Man! Aren't you glad I didn't have anything to write about? HA! God bless you guys!

A Day at The Beach

We spent the entire day today with our best friends, the Yeagers. We met in Cleveland at 8:00AM and headed for the beach for our (mine & Alfred's that is) first look at what Hurricane Ike left the thousands of residents of Gilchrist, Crystal Beach and Bolivar. If you've seen pictures of the peninsula and have any notion whatsoever that you can comprehend what took place there, let me assure you, YOU CAN'T! It is unlike anything I have ever seen in my entire life, AND, it has been 11 WEEKS since Ike made landfall. You stand there with your camera and honestly, have no idea where to aim for a shot. There is no place you can point your lens and not be looking at destruction. It is simply unbelievable and I can't put into words how it made me feel. I didn't own a place down there but for the thousands that did, I am so, so sorry for your losses! Jeff and Susie just can't stop looking, searching and even digging in the mud for some shred of something.....ANYTHING! This was their paradise and they loved it and worked hard for it. It breaks my heart to see them hurting! This is only my opinion but from what I witnessed today, it certainly looks as if the people there have been forgotten. I have added some photos that I took on our day long tour of what used to be a beautiful beach.

P.S. Thanks so much for praying for Jeremy. He got to go home tonight and was feelin' fit as a fiddle! They got the infection under control and hopefully he will be more careful next time he tries to operate on himself! :) God is good......ALL THE TIME!

We walked a long way down the beach from Rollover Pass. This is looking in the direction of Rollover and as you can see, all the homes are gone. We rested a while on someone's slab. There really isn't a beach to walk on now since the dunes are destroyed. The only place you can walk now is where all the homes used to be sitting. It is so unbelievably sad.

The only home that stood on the beach front side of the road. This is the house they kept showing on the news and the internet.

Steve's Landing didn't make it!

Where the baitshop was, just east of Rollover Pass

This is NOT a junk yard! There were piles of vehicles up and down the highway and out in fields, right where they came to rest after the surge receded.

Looking toward the beach from the Yeager's front yard

Makin' Sausage!

Ever made homemade sausage? It is actually a lot of fun and a lot of hard work but extremely rewarding in the end. We have a small smokehouse that Alfred built about five years ago and it sure makes it nice when you want to smoke your own meats. We got up first thing this morning and got busy! Alfred has a huge, one piece, stainless steel sink with a long counter that makes the perfect grinding and mixing station. We got all the meat separated and cut into small chunks then added the seasonings so it will mix better as it goes through the grinder. I prepared the casings and the work began......

Seasoned, mixed and ready for the grinder.

A nice pile ready for the smokehouse


Hanging in the smokehouse



VOILA!

When I was a little girl my grandparents had hog killings during the cold winters in Mississippi and it was a BIG DEAL! It was always SO COLD and I loved it! I just stayed really far from the place where the men did the dirty work! Know what I mean....? Everyone worked and everyone had a different job to do. I especially remember the ladies in the kitchen with a hand grinder, grinding the meat into a big washtub. My grandparent's smokehouse smelled like smoked ham and bacon as long as I can remember. Many, many years after the smokehouse was retired from service you could still smell it! It always brought back such fond memories. Memories of a time when families worked together and played together and if someone was in need, everyone came to the rescue. I LOVE helping people! I guess it goes back to my raisin' and the many acts of kindness I witnessed as a young child.

I was so blessed this Thanksgiving by being able to send a huge meal to an elderly and rather sickly gentleman that wasn't having anything special this year. And the best part is, my son delivered it because he knew of this man and had the compassion to act. Ya see......when we teach them early, they never forget it and before you know it, our own younguns are looking out for others. I'm tellin' ya.....nothing compares it!

Please pray for my son Jeremy. He is in the hospital with a bad infection in his hand. He apparently had a blister in his palm and he bursted it (like we usually do blisters.) It got infected and he had a big red streak going all the way up to his elbow. They have him on antibiotics and want to watch it for a few days. We went last night and he was cutting up and feeling fine. Just has a very sore hand. God bless you guys...........

Running, Running....

Today was the first day we actually had to do quite a bit of running around. Alfred had to go to the John Deere place and get a part for his tractor and to WalMart to get a battery for the sawmill. Then he had an appointment with the eye doctor to get some new spectacles! He lost his good pair when he took them off to shoot at a deer a couple weeks ago. I'm going to get a logging chain and hook the new ones around his neck! He's lost his old ones twice but was lucky enough to backtrack and find them. This last time it was no use! He had covered too much ground to remember where he'd been. UGH!

I did a little cooking tonight but will do most of it in the morning. I wish we were having Thanksgiving like we used to before my daddy passed away. EVERYONE was together and we had such good times! Alfred's mama and sister are coming as well as our daughter and her husband will be here with us. Jeremy has to work and of course Trav is still not home so there will only be seven of us. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit sad! But it IS Thanksgiving and I do have so much to be thankful for! We may not all be together but we are ALL alive and healthy so that's truly an awesome blessing.

I am so tired tonight and won't be writing much. I feel like I could go to sleep in this chair so I think it's time to call it a night! God bless and I hope everyone has a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Lazy Day

This has been a surprisingly quiet day for us. I did some cleaning and Alfred cut some brush in front of the cabin and down on the river bank. It is so pretty and peaceful down there. I think we are going to stay in the cabin tomorrow night for the first time. I'm not sure I will sleep with it being SO quiet but maybe. I always have my fan running when I sleep.

When I was a little girl, gowing up in Mississippi, mama and daddy had an attic fan or 'whole house fan' (as people call it nowadays) and for the most part, that's how they cooled the house. Mama would turn it on at bedtime during the summer and me and Rhonda would lay there with the curtains flying out above our heads in that wonderfully cool air! You could lay there and look up at the stars and it was the best feeling in the world! We didn't have all the humidity there so you didn't wake up with everything damp like you do here in Texas. Mama would only set the fan to run for a few hours and the minute that thing shut off my eyes would pop open! Then you could hear the crickets outside the window. Ever wish you could go back and chase lightning bugs, play chase after dark or walk up and down the same muddy road barefooted? I would play in the woods all day long and wasn't afraid of anything or anyone! I kept the road hot between our house and mamaw and papaw's. Speaking of mamaw and papaw, many peas were shelled and gallons of homemade ice cream were made under the shade tree at their house. We lived back in the country and a trip to the store would excite me so much, I'd get a migraine! (possibly a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point) That meant candy and Dr. Pepper for everyone! Daddy had an old green Ford pickup and me, Rhonda and whoever else happened to be there during the summer, would get to ride all the way to the highway sittin' on the tailgate! Most of the time we were dragging our feet on the gravel road too! When we got to the highway, all we had to do was get up close to the cab and put the tailgate up! WOW! It just didn't get any better than that! Mama cooked EVERY night and we ALWAYS had peas, cornbread, meat, potatoes and some kind of homemade dessert!!! Oh, and remember jelly cake? Woo hoo! That was some kinda good stuff! We didn't know it at the time but we had it made! I think kids today don't know how to have fun and it's a real shame. They are so bombarded with the tv, video games, Ipods, cell phones and all manner of gadgets and they don't know how to play. Shoooooo........when I was eight years old, I pretended to be Tinkerbell and I flew on my bicycle! I was a bit of a modified Tink because I could cast spells on folks and turn animals into people and such. I was a Tinkwitch! HA! They'd have me psychologically evaluated and separated from all other children in today's society!

It is good and healthy to pretend and kids should be encouraged to use their imaginations! I mean....look at me! I'm a perfect example of a grown up that had a VERY ACTIVE imagination as a child! HA! And when I think you're ready to hear about it, I'll tell you about my boyfriend the "telephone pole!" God bless............

** Vacation Day #3 **

Guess what I did on my second day of vacation? I cleaned out the refrigerator! It was absolutely necessary in order to make room for all the Thanksgiving fixins I bought tonight. We decided to make an 8:30 PM WalMart run to try and avoid all the crowds and I must say, it was a good decision! We parked right up front and strolled up and down the grocery aisles like we owned the place! As my boss would say, "It was SPLENDID!"

Alfred pulled off another hair brained scheme today and I'm not sure how much more of this I can take! His company gave him a huge, circular, steel, thingamajigger, heck, I don't know what you would call the thing! Anyway, after some 'Alfred Burt modifications', it was transformed into the piece that feeds up into the smoke stack for his fireplace in the cabin. You should have seen THAT operation? Ropes, comealongs, wood supports, and me sitting there with my mouth hanging open thinking, I AIN'T EVEN BELIEVIN' THIS!! He threw a rope over one of the rafters, tied the other end to this humongus THING and as he and Jamie tried to physically hoist it up, Leah and I were supposed to "PULL the slack out of the rope and DON'T LET IT FALL!" Oh yeah, right!!! Lemme just grab that can of Popeye Spinach first! X-SCUUUUSE ME? ARE YOU CRAZY OR JUST PLAIN STUPID? (Just kiddin'........you know I HAD to say that again!) :) WOOWEE! Am I having fun on my vacation or what!!! I do have to admit, it didn't scare me as badly as the tree yesterday but it was still nerve-racking to watch. At least I DID stay this time, oh and guess what? Everything is in place and no one was maimed in the process! Now if I can just do something about this nervous twitch I've developed...... ;)

You know, I've been thinking about it and it's quite possible, the reason I NEVER take vacation is because of Alfred Burt's projects! Just maybe in the deep recesses of my brain I have a real fear of taking off! Hmmm......? It's a thought! Oh well......I wonder what excitement tomorrow holds in "The Burt Family Builds a Cabin" saga! It's like a Redneck Soap Opera!

Let's not forget to pray for one another! You might mention us too when you talk to the Lord. I think we need an extra helping of protection if we're going to keep working on the cabin! HA! As Chester Burt would say, "God bless you in a special kinda way!"

Sunday Superman!

It was good to be in the House of the Lord this morning! Our Sunday School lesson was in James today and I truly love that power packed little book in the New Testament! When James came to preach, people listened to what he had to say. He wasn't afraid to tell it like it was and didn't cut anyone any slack! We need more preachers like him these days.....preachers that aren't afraid to step on toes!

After church services, we came home and ate a bite of dinner and headed to Tarkington to look at a tree Jamie was trying to take down. He was hired to cut it but after he trimmed all the limbs off, it became shockingly evident how badly this tree was leaning over this guy's neighbor's house. Jamie wanted his daddy to look at it and see if he thought it could be taken down. I rode out with them and made Alfred PROMISE me that if he thought it was risky at all, he would not try it! When we drove up I couldn't believe it! It looked like it could blow over on the neighbor's house if a big wind came through! I just KNEW Alfred would say NO WAY! I JUST KNEW IT! Well guess what? He said, "Yeah.....I think I can do it!" DO WHAT?!?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME? ARE YOU CRAZY OR JUST PLAIN STUPID? He just said, "stupid is as stupid does!" Actually, after Alfred said he thought he could do it, we didn't say any of that other stuff! But I WAS surely thinking it!!! I sat in my truck and watched from out on the street as they got all the chains and comealongs in place! I had been praying and praying but when Alfred fired up the chainsaw, I began this ritual chant! YIKES! I was mortified at what I was witnessing! The (smarter than most) neighbor was out there PAINTING HIS HOUSE! All the while I'm looking at him thinking......you're about to die so just keep on painting bro! His wife was sitting on the back patio knitting or something.......were they just oblivious to the impending danger? I chanted some more! Ok....I've watched all of this I can! I'm going to throw up!!! I have to get out of here! Honestly I was getting so sick at my stomach so I left! I went back out to this little store on Hwy 105 and put some gas in the truck. Then I just drove around and around in that neighborhood, watching for the firetrucks, ambulances, rescue vehicles, jaws of life, police, FBI, news helicopters, Quanel X......I just knew they were in route! FINALLY, I made myself drive back down to the house......in the distance I could see Alfred standing out by the road. Was he trying to flee the scene? Did I need to slow down just enough for him to jump into the truck? Was I now driving an escape vehicle? Would I be an accomplice? Oh, now I'm really going to throw up! Wait a minute!!! That tree is on the ground! It is laying in the ONLY, and I mean ONLY, place it could have possibly fallen without doing some sho-nuff serious damage! HOLY COW! Who is this man I married? Does he secretly wear a blue t-shirt with a big red "S" on the front? How in the world did he do this? Jamie was a proud young man and was grinning from ear to ear! You would have had to see it to believe it! I drove off saying, I KNEW HE COULD DO IT! :o But seriously.....it must have been the chanting.......

Need a tree cut......? Don't call us cause we ain't comin'! God bless...................

New Puppy!

I recently got a new puppy and he is such a sweet little fella. I haven't decided what to name him yet so I just call him Little Bit. He weighs about a pound and a half and we have to be very careful just walking around so as not to step on him. I also have a huge cat named Cotton and he's about a year and a half old. He loves to get in my computer desk drawer and sleep. When I sit down at the computer, it's the same ole routine....he walks up, lets out a big meow, I open the drawer and he jumps in. It has been his favorite spot for some time now but tonight I put the pup in there. Cotton paced back and forth on top of the desk, glaring at this creature and trying to figure out what had happened to his napping spot. He would reach down with his paw and touch the sleeping puppy and then pace some more. It was just too funny! It was apparent that this was NOT going to work! Knocking papers everywhere, he made his way to HIS drawer and layed right down on top of the puppy. It was the funniest thing! Even with this monster cat on top of him, the puppy never woke up. Of course I had my camera handy and got this funny photo. Oh, and there really isn't anything sticking out of the pup's mouth like it appears in the pic. It's this rawhide chewy thingy and he was laying on it. :)

We went to Beaumont today to see Trav and had a really good time with him. He was in good spirits and we laughed about lots of silly stuff. That sure makes it easier when you have to walk away and leave him in that awful place. It won't be long and he'll be back home with us! I can hardly wait!

I know my entry isn't too exciting tonight. There were no "sightings" today where one might need a tarp but it HAS been a good day. All the running has made me tired tonight so my brain isn't firing on all cylinders as usual! :) I hope everyone has a great day in church tomorrow! God bless....

Yearly Trip To Pappa's!

Well we went out to Pappas tonight and it was great! The food that is.......The traffic was awful on the way to Humble and then when we got there, there was a long waiting list to get seated. Grrrrr.......didn't they know this was my anniversary supper!?!? Anyway, when it was all over, and we were SO full of that amazing food, I thought, I just might be ready to do this again in another year! I think I may have even napped a little bit coming home......and I WAS DRIVING! Whew! We never go any farther than Livingston when we go out to eat so this was a big deal. Well, it was a big deal for me anyway. Alfred has to go down there every day and he'd just as soon never go back in that direction again as long as he lives!

You know while we were waiting to be seated at the restaurant, I was observing all the different people coming and going. Some of them seemed so.....I don't know.......cold maybe? You can't help but wonder about their lives and what they may be going through. There was this one couple and the female half of this duo was showing off her, ummm ....."enhancements?" Yeah! That's what we'll call 'em! Enhancements they were! She looked at me and smiled.....I smiled back (cause that's just the way I am) but what I really wanted to do was throw a tarp over her! I didn't....I refrained cause I didn't especially want to go to jail tonight! Oh yeah, and I didn't have a tarp on me either! It was such a PAINFUL thing for Alfred to see ...... Really it was! I could tell! Really! ---- Anyway, once again, I thought about us living out our testimonies! Do we look like Christians to the world? What do people think when they look at us? Do they want to throw a tarp over us so they don't have to look at our long faces? I remember some time ago I was in (believe it or not) WalMart and a lady came up to me and asked if I was a Christian. She said I had a "countenance" about me and just thought I must be! WOW! I could handle compliments like that all day long! Sometimes I'm afraid I might need to work on my "countenance" these days. The world tries hard to wear us down but we are children of the MOST HIGH GOD and should be grinning like possums most of the time! We have the Creator of ALL THAT IS AND EVER WILL BE at our disposal 24 hours a day 365 days a year! If that doesn't make you smile then shame on ya! :) God bless ya and cover yourself up before you go outside! I don't wanna have to chase you around with a tarp! :)

VACATION......For Real....?

Oh my gosh! I'm really on vacation and it feels so strange not having to iron my clothes for work tomorrow! Heck, I may not even get dressed tomorrow!!! I have the most insane idea that people can't manage if I'm not at work! I guess if I believe it then that's all that matters, right? HA! I'm not a workaholic but I AM loyal to the end! I have been with Edward Jones Investments for 13 months now and they have a "use it or lose it" policy concerning vacation time. Now, here it is, the end of the year and I have all 10 days to take! My good friend Lisa will work for me while I'm off so between her and Jack, I know things will be well taken care of. I haven't had a vacation since 2003 so this will be a nice time to do whatever I want. Alfred will be off too and Sunday is our 29th anniversary so we are going to celebrate a bit early by going out on a nice supper date tomorrow night. He tells everybody we may not make it 'til Sunday cause he may divorce me before then! I told him if he leaves me, HE gets the kids! He's reconsidering.......

Speaking of wedding anniversaries, my daily devotion this morning was a timely one. In this day of common law marriage, quickie divorces, jumping from one person to another with no regard for morality or decency, the Bible is clear on the subject of Love. 1 Corinthians speaks of the many characteristics of LOVE and explains it this way:

Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Meditate on these verses for a bit and you'll find that if we demonstrate this type of love to one another, not only will our marriages work out, but our jobs, our relationships and our families will flourish over time. God's word is simple......Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. To love unconditionally is not easy but it IS required! God bless....

**Old Friends**

I had another surprise visitor today but this time it was at work. A good friend of mine, Renae Rowe, stopped by my office and we visited for about 30 minutes this afternoon. We worked together at SHSU and it was so nice seeing her again. It is good to see old friends and good hearing from them too. A couple weeks ago I got several emails from friends at SAM and they told me how much they miss me! Of course it always makes you feel good to know you are missed......it feels as though you may have made a difference. Remember the scene in the movie Forrest Gump where Jenny comes back to GREENBOW, ALABAMA and sleeps for days (after months and months of drugs and loose living?) Of course she DOES wake up long enough to.....ahhh.....well.......you know........! :\ Anyway, after Jenny leaves, AGAIN, there is a scene where Forrest is standing right inside her bedroom door with a glass of milk, just staring at the bed where she had slept! He looks SOOO SAD! Anyway, I told all my SHSU co-workers, after I was gone that, periodically, I wanted them to get a glass of milk and stand right inside my office door and sadly stare at my empty desk, just like Forrest did! Some of them said they would definitely do it! HA!

It is so important to live out your testimony to the best of your ability. Whether you believe it or not, the "world" is watching us as Christians. They look for our mistakes and are quick to point them out. OH, if they could only comprehend MERCY and GRACE! Let's continue to pray for the lost, that they would come to salvation through our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. God bless y'all!

Count Your Blessings..........

You know I have been thinking about my daddy this week and if he'd lived, he would celebrate his 79th birthday this Friday. That is very hard for me to comprehend! I wish he was here with us so we could have a party and get him some goofy gifts! One year for Christmas we got him a "High Hoppin Hoomdorm!" You're probably wondering....what in the heck is that? It was this silly, green and black, long legged creature that you pumped full of air. When you let him go, he hopped all over the place and daddy would just laugh and laugh! He appreciated EVERYTHING! There wasn't anything he loved more than being with his family, laughing and having a good time. He DID love to laugh and I miss him terribly! We all do! Nothing has been the same since he left and it never will be. You just learn to live with it and go on with your life. The sweetest part of it is, it's only goodbye for a while. As Christians, we will see him again! Thank you Father for that reassurance! If you are still blessed and have your parents, listen to me now! You'd better treasure every minute of this precious time because when one or both are gone there is absolutely NOTHING that can fill that spot in your heart! Time heals and life goes on but the void that daddy left in my heart will always remain.

Thanksgiving is right on top of us so why not take the time and let your loved ones know how thankful you are for them. And, don't forget to thank your Heavenly Father for all your many blessings. As the old song says......

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done

Are you ever burdened with a load of care
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear
Count your many blessings every doubt will fly
And you will be singing as the days go by

Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your blessings see what God hath done
Count your blessings......name them one by one
Count your many blessings see what God hath done

God bless............

Supper Guests

I got a call at work today from Alfred's mama and she said she was bringing supper tonight! Did she ever bring supper!!! She brought chicken & dumplings, turnip greens, potato salad, cornbread and a lemon pie! I threw in a meatloaf for good measure! Holy Cow! Dennis & Leah came too so we all sat around eating and visiting. We were even done in time to watch "Dancing With The Stars!"

Thanksgiving is next week and all Alfred's family is coming here for dinner. It will be fun but I miss my mama and her good dressing. Everyone says no one makes it like their own mama and I guess that's the way it's supposed to be. I am a very good cook but I just can't seem to get the knack for dressing......no matter what I do it just turns into a bigger pan of cornbread! I made it one year and you could have used it for a battering ram! Ugh! Alfred kinda mentioned that he would get his mama to make the dressing next week! I can read his mind and what he was reeeeeeally saying was, "Sheila, you know I love you but your dressing stinks and I want my mama's!" Yeesssiree.......I can read him like a book!

It seems like 2008 just started a few weeks ago and it's all but gone! Time is going by so quickly and we are always in this 'hurry-up' mode. We don't take the time to enjoy life and before you know it you look up and you're 50 years old! Where did it go? Have I made a difference in anyone's life? Have I been a good example? What will I do from here on out? Every day that we have is given to us by God and we can do with it whatever we choose. Did you know you can show God's love by something as simple as a smile? Why not choose this day to Serve the Lord? Go out, give someone a big smile and make them wonder what you've been up to! HA! God bless ya! OH, and by the way......I fry catfish better'n Alfred's mama!!! SO THERE!!!! ;)-

Gorgeous Sunday!

It is Sunday afternoon and the daylight is almost gone. I sure don't like this daylight savings time and wish it would go back the way it was and stay that way! Having daylight to do things in the evenings is nice!

I've been outside watching Alfred weld on his custom built firebox/cooker thingy for his cabin. I got some neat photos and I sure hope I haven't burned my eyes taking them. I know it's a miserable thing because I've seen Jamie after he's gotten flash burn.....it's not pretty!

I didn't sleep well at all again last night. Of course, I had the CRAZIEST dream ever! I dreamed my uncle from Mississippi had cancer and then turned into a bucket of pecans! YEEEAH! And you know what's even worse.....? That wasn't the strangest part of it! I ain't fixin' to go into the rest of it cause it was just too wild to try to explain! WHEW! Now wouldn't I make a good dream study candidate? I would like to see the Dreamology experts try to interpret that one!!! WOW! I woke up thinking, WHAT THE HECK? Anyway, that could have been the reason I didn't sleep well, ya think.....? Alfred always said, God takes care of little children and idiots and so I will always be covered!!! He loves me so much!!! ;-)

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed week! Remember to pray for one another and keep God first in everything you do!

A Productive Day...

Remember the freeze two years ago? With the wind blowing ninety miles an hour, I have been freezing all day! It feels like an icicle night even though I know the temps won't get that low!

I spent most of the day by myself but I got a lot done so that's a good thing. I didn't open the doors and windows like I said I was because it was just too blustery and cold for me.

I had a wonderful visit from Jason and Justin Shaw today. Justin's little boy was with them and he is the cutest and sweetest little thing! They are just the nicest fellas and it's always so good to see them. We talked about the stock market, Obama and all kinds of good stuff. It was a fun visit and a welcomed break from all the cleaning I was in the middle of.

I cooked Alfred a big supper tonight and surprised him when he got home. I made a big pot of squirrel and gravy, rice, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs and cornbread. He had been after me to cook the squirrel so I figured today would be a good day for it. I'm ready for some deer meat and mashed potatoes myself so he'd better get serious on his hunting! When you live with a man like Alfred Burt you get all manner of wildlife to cook. It's funny thinking back because when we first married (a long time ago) I didn't like venison at all and now it is one of my favorites! City folk don't know what they're missing not having deer meat, squirrel and fresh catfish year round. This economy might get really bad but you can rest assured, Alfred Burt's family isn't going to go hungry! He is a good man and a good provider and our family is blessed to have him. Speaking of good providers....check out www.yeagerfarm.blogspot.com and see what they've been up to. With the help of Randy, Susie and ALL THOSE GRANCHILLENS, they have fresh link sausage hanging in the smokehouse tonight. Another family that will never go hungry in troubled times! I heard a line on a movie tonight that said, "Some of the happiest people on earth, come home every day smelling to high heaven." Meaning that hard work is very satisfying as well as very gratifying! Thank you Father for blessing us with good health and the ability to go out and work every day! God bless you guys!

Brrrrr.....It's cold in them thar hills!

Ain't that a puuuurdy picture of the night sky? I walked outside tonight and shot this photo just at dusk. You know my son, Travis, hasn't seen the night sky in almost 7 years! Please don't take God's amazing creation for granted! He paints masterpieces for us every day and every night!

Remember that cold front I said was on it's way? Well, the north wind has started blowing across this hill and it's chilly outside! The temperatures have already dropped tonight and will go even lower tomorrow night. I am off tomorrow so I plan to open the doors and windows and do some cleaning. I don't have to get up and wash my hair or put on makeup........it will be an au'naturale day for me!

Remember what I said the other night about God being the giver of all talents? Well, a friend from church sent me an email today about a man named Tony Melendez from Nicaragua. He was born without arms and at the age of 7 he began teaching himself to play the guitar. Yes, you read that right! He plays the guitar with his feet! I can hardly watch it without crying! It touches me unlike anything has in a very long time, AND, he sings so beautifully while he is playing! When you watch it, look at the expression on his face.....He radiates Jesus Christ! If you've ever doubted the fact that God gives people extraordinary talents, you won't after you see this! Please take a couple minutes to watch it. If you're like me, you'll hit replay and replay and replay........ http://www.snotr.com/video/1823 . I vote Tony Melendez Male Vocalist & Guitar "Strumist" of the Year!!!! :) CMA can HAVE their country music misfits! Mr. Melendez is the real deal folks!

I hope God blesses you so much today, you'll have to holler STOP! :)

Good Friends & Good Cheeseburgers!

I had lunch today with my very good friend, Lisa. As a matter of fact, she bought me the best cheeseburger west of the Mississippi! We ate at The Whistle Stop in Livingston and if you want to taste an awesome burger, just stop in sometime.....I promise you, they won't disappoint!

I told her about my blog and suggested she start one for herself. She insisted that her life was boring and there wasn't enough going on for her to write about. This made me reflect back on my writings and I thought, hmmmmm........ my life isn't boring.....is it? My stories are riddled with excitement and danger! Cliffhangers abound in ALL FIVE of them! My life is like a soap opera! Once you start reading, you just can't stop! Right? Well....that all sounds fine and good but I'm tough and can accept the fact that there are really only two people who will ever read it daily. That it will never be turned into a best selling novel. That hanging a smoke stack may be the most exciting thing that ever happens in my life! That I've started writing and may never be able to stop!!! Naaaa.........the truth of the matter is, I will get more enjoyment out of it than anyone else and that's perfectly fine with me! I've always liked to write and this will be good practice for me. SO, with all that said, I am signing off for the night. God bless you all and don't forget to pray for one another! ;)

CMA

Well it's Wednesday night and it looks like the rain has stopped for now. Our ponds overfloweth and our fisheys danceth!

I just watched most of the Country Music Awards and what is up with that? I guess I'm just getting old but this stuff ain't country! And, most of the performers sounded flat and out of tune. Some of 'em got plum spasmodic up there! What ever happened to "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" and "Silver Wings?" Geeez......... BUT, redemption finally came at the end when The Eagles sang...... now there's a group of guys that's still workin' it! AND, they sounded great! Am I showing my age for real now? Just my opinion but I thought the show was a complete train wreck! I guess I musta' been country, when country wasn't cool! Remember that one........? Barbara Mandrell & George Jones! OH YEAH!

Several of the winners DID thank God and mama and their spouse and their producers and John Boy and Jim Bob and Mary Ellen and their second cousin once removed and the cat, and, and, and.......alright already!!! Personally, I think they need to give more credit to God, after all, He IS the giver of ALL talents! Once again, it seems we put God on the back burner when He deserves the full spotlight. Don't go thinking I do any better because I don't! I just know how much I desire to do better in my own life! Let's commit to pray for one another and give credit where credit is due.....to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! God bless ye all.........

Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain!

How's that for a title? We have had a LOT of rain today and a cool front is in route. :) Normally, I love rainy weather but there's been one teeeny little problem this time.....my windshield wipers went out today during a torrential downpour! It scared me to death because I was driving along, in traffic, and just like that, they stopped! YIKES! Isn't it funny how quickly we call out to the Lord in a bad situation? That's the first thing that came out of my mouth.....Lord, help me see well enough to get off the road! Lord help me see well enough to not hit anyone! Lord help me see well enough to get back to my office! Lord, Lord, Lord!!! We just rattle it off and then when the danger has passed and all is well, we forget to thank Him. He was RIGHT THERE when I needed Him. RIGHT THERE!! I didn't have to call 911, Al Sharpton OR Jessie Jackson! I had my Father's undivided attention immediately! Wanna' know what I did when I got back to my office? I complained because it was raining SO HARD, and got my pants wet! Awww, poor pitiful me......what a whiney baby I was! So......to take care of some unfinished business (several hours after the fact) THANK YOU FATHER for taking such good care of me and my family today! WHAT AN AWESOME GOD WE SERVE! God bless y'all!

Weekend's 'bout over....

It is Sunday night and we have had another good day. We didn't make it to church this morning because for some reason I couldn't sleep last night. It was 3:00AM the last time I looked at the clock and I didn't wake up until 12:30PM today. I NEVER sleep that late! Must have needed the rest.

Alfred and Jamie worked on getting the smoke stack on the cabin today. Alfred welded a massive boom onto the tractor bucket so he would be able to lift the incredibly heavy steel stack up high enough to get it on top of the roof. Looking at it I thought to myself, "OH MY, that's NEVER going to work!" He maneuvered the tractor down the hill, through the winding trails, with that contraption on the front and Jamie and I drove the Gator with the stack tied down in the back. When they got everything in place and began the actual execution, I stood FAR away and took pictures. It was quite an impressive feat of engineering if you ask me, however, it DID make me nervous watching them work. In the end, it went off without a hitch! The stack is in place and now he's ready to start on the firebox inside. All in all it has been a productive day.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week. If you tend to dislike Mondays, why not get up first thing and say, "This is the day the Lord has made and (whether I feel like it or not) I AM GOING TO rejoice and be glad in it!" We are just as blessed on Mondays as we are on Fridays folks! Don't let the devil steal any of your joy! God bless you all!

A Long Day....A Good Day

It's Saturday night and we've been going non stop all day. We got up first thing and went to see Trav. He is doing exceptionally well and it's always so much fun visiting with him. We can hardly wait for him to be home with us again....it's getting closer and closer! Kerstin went with us too so that was a special treat for him. We all ate too much junk food! Speaking of junk food......I've been thinking about it and I just believe God may have created 'chocolate' as a special treat for his extra sweet followers (me being one of them of course) AND, AS A CHRISTIAN, it is necessary for me to eat it on a regular basis ONLY to be a good witness for my Lord! Sometimes I wonder if the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden might NOT have been an apple tree but instead a Hershey with Almonds Tree!!!! Hmmmm......??? Picture this......Adam & Eve, in the garden........Adam walks up and Eve is sitting under the tree with chocolate all over her face! Adam asks, what in the world has she done and she offers him a teeeeeny bite! The rest is history!!! Feel free to let me know what you think! :) :) :)

Jeff, Susie, Randy, Kim, Dennis, Leah and Bailey came over tonight. We rode the Gator & four wheelers all over the place before it got dark then built a nifty fire and cooked hotdogs and chili. We sat around until the fire nearly went out just talking and laughing. It was a good time spent with friends and family for sure! In my opinion, it just doesn't get much better than sitting around a fire with the people you cherish most! Simple, no frills, good old fashioned entertainment!

As Christians I think we should make sure we don't lose sight of what is truly important in our lives. So much emphasis is put on how much "stuff" we have......or in other words, possessions. We spend so much time trying to acquire things that we lose sight of those treasures right under our noses. I am just as guilty as the next person about this. It was a night like tonight that made me realize how truly rich we are! Looking around at my family and friends made me so proud to be just exactly where I am! Right smack in the middle of unconditional love and friendship! I'll say it again......it just doesn't get any better than this! If you find yourself searching for something and maybe you aren't really sure what it is you're looking for, try fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters in Christ. I'll give you a 100% money back guarantee that you'll not find anything more fulfilling and it won't cost you a dime! Try it, you'll like it! Oh yeah....and God bless ya' in the meantime!

It's Friday!

This is my first post on this site and I hope to update it daily, as time permits. Today is Friday, and I had a good day at work. I am learning more and more about this 'most contrary' beast called the stock market. Even if it is acting crazy lately, I still love my job. My boss is a man of God, he's smart, funny, got a good personality and most of all, he believes in me. What more could one ask?

Who knows what will happen next. We have a new President and change is a-comin' folks...... I received a wonderful email yesterday about how things are so unsettling in our country right now. Basically it said, God is still on His throne and He is still in control. No matter what man says, whatever happens is God's will and it will be just as the prophets of old foretold. Make no mistake.....our Creator is still steering this ship. Be encouraged Christians!