Last day of June! We are halfway to next year! Yikes!

I continue to box up! I have been in Krl and my office for two days! I had thought when I got out of the file room (where over 500,000 copies were filed) I would be picking up speed going downhill! Instead I keep looking over individual items and either boxing, putting in my maybe pile, putting in my take home file or throwing in file thirteen! Today is the day I finish this stage of the project. I think I am going to get Chris and Kyle down here to start hauling boxes out to go to storage.

I have been trying to figure out why I feel so burdened the past few days. Krl was telling me that she is getting depressed. That isn't good when she is depressed but it is much worse if she and I both are depressed at the same time. I know why she is getting depressed. She had two promising jobs that she applied for and she has not heard from either. One job is through a friend and former co-worker of hers. We attend Church with him and his family and when he found out she was looking for work he told her he would go to the mat to get her hired. I know it is going to be a disappointment if she doesn't get that job but I think the real disappointment would be if he didn't carry through or at least talk to her about what was going on. We are trying to keep some distance and not put any pressure on this situation. This former co-worker is moving up to management tomorrow. He may develop a new appreciation for his past managers. The other job Krl applied for was with the state. It is so weird but they didn't advertise the job, she picked up an application and filled it out and took it to their personnel office expecting that they would go over it and do a brief over view interview but they just slipped it in a drawer and told her they would be contacting her in the next two weeks for an interview. I would probably prefer Krl got the first job because that would also restore confidence in friends and people in general but at this point I feel that it is of paramount importance to get located somewhere and that somewhere needs to have benefits! I continue to ask GOD to put Krl in the position he has in mind for her to have success in her job search.

Ollie is coming to visit Friday. I suppose she will bring Witleigh and Max. They are going from Abilene to San Angelo Saturday and will spend the rest of the week end with Paw. I understand through the grapevine that Rian has been busy this week. Rumor has it that Monterey lost some coaches to resignations this past week and James is scurrying to fill them. It would probably be Rian's luck that about the time he could move up within the system he will be offered and assistant principal position. Sometimes life's choices are hard.

FATHER I thank YOU for this day and its blessings. I need YOU to take control FATHER! Go ahead, make my day! Please! Bless my efforts as I continue project close down. FATHER, YOU know my needs, YOU know the time frame I am working with. FATHER I have complete confidence that YOU will meet these needs within that frame work. FATHER I continue to lift up Aime Harris and Rene' Baxter for your miracle of healing. Bless them and their families. Restore them FATHER. FATHER I praise YOU. All Glory is YOURS.

I am having a hard time getting motivated today! Maybe it's the weather. Gray day again and that is what is predicted all week long! It makes me want to nap under a tin roof.

I continue to long for a weekend for me to do absolutely nothing but lie around! I find myself so jealous when I leave in the morning and Krl and the hound boys and hound girls are still sacked out! I am still muddling through the packing. I have the biggest packing part out of the way but I catch myself stopping and reading what I am supposed to be packing. Oh well.

I must busy myself or I will feel guilty when lunch comes around and I have not done anything. I am the only one on my end of the building and it is probably thirty-five yards to the closest office with inhabitants. I don't really know why I am so concerned, I am volunteering.....duh!

FATHER I need to be lifted, energized, boosted. I continue to lift up Aimee and Rene' to YOU for YOUR healing. Bless them both. Be in my day. Expand me.

How long to the weekend?

I have finally discovered the difference between a weekend and a relaxing weekend. While we spent a large portion of this past weekend with family, it was not a relaxing weekend and that leaves me wanting another weekend. A relaxing weekend has no structure. It's just go with the flow. Wow, I just realized that on relaxing weekends I am a possible target for a cult! Oh well!

The reunion was pretty good! Got to do some visiting, we had some relatives come this year for the first time and they are in their mid-sixties. The auction went well. I think it took in over twenty-two hundred dollars. I didn't win the quilt that was raffled off. Big surprise there! The catered food was terrible! I am wondering where the reunion will be held next year, I didn't hear any positive comments about the facilities except that they were reasonable on their rooms, all the rest of the comments centered on cleanliness or the lack of. The reigns for next year have been handed over to Linda (from Lake Whitney, Tx.) and Francis (from Tempe, Az.). The date is set for the last weekend in June 2005. The location and everything else is up to them. This years reunion had a lot of Kodak moments. There were some photographs of the kids (the elder statesmen and women of the family, now in their seventies) that was taken in 1940. A prisoner at Colorado City air-brushed a painting of each photograph and the paintings were auctioned off. At the family Church service Jerry (from Albuquerque, Nm.) brought the message, Nathan (from Kemp, Tx.) led the singing, Tim (from Abilene, Tx.) and Otis (from Kemp, Tx.) served communion. Probably the most emotional moment of the reunion was at the conclusion of the Church service Billie Ruth announced that her daughter Rene' will be starting chemo for the third time this coming week. Rene's Dad led the family in a prayer on her behalf. Rene' has had a tough go of it for the last several years, she does keep a good outlook though.

Meme and Dandy got to spend the most time we ever have with Reid. He is such a "little boy". Tough as a boot, busy as he can be, and he can just melt you with one look! I think his Mom is going to have her hands full if he is just a fraction of the rounder Reid's dad was! Rian and his family and Kali and Addie were our only off-spring to attend the reunion this weekend. Merrit had two open houses in Lubbock and Trace had unexpected company show up for the weekend.

This weekend is the big McLeod reunion, this is my maternal Granddads family. It is also headquartered in Abilene while a large portion will be in Tuscola (I think). They are not doing the family Church service for the first time in a long time. They are trying to organize for the family to go to Oldham Lane for Church. Two weeks after that (I think) is the Lake Brownwood reunion for my Mom's immediate family.

Blog blog blog, when is he going to say something!

Aimee Harris got to go home this weekend. They are going to have to take her in to blood services three times a week so they can monitor her condition. I know she and her family have to be ecstatic! That hospital gig is a tough one! I know the waiting for the upcoming tests has to weigh heavy on their minds. Everything happens in its own time.

FATHER thank YOU for the time spent with family. I pray for safe passage for all those that traveled and are continuing to travel. FATHER, I continue to lift up Aimee for YOUR miracle of healing, and I lift Rene' to YOU for her healing. Bless them FATHER, comfort them. Father I thank YOU for the positive results Francis has had and I pray for her continued recovery. FATHER please bless my approaching week. Bless my efforts. Surround me with YOU.

AAAHHHHHH! Eye lid study, a wonderful sport! Thanks, I needed that! I spent the week packing files but my brain went sooo dead! Add in the travel to and from St. Lawrence and I was a prime candidate for going to sleep in my recliner before finally moving to my bed. I probably did ten or eleven hours which is excessive for me!

Today is the first full day of the family reunion. Actually it started about seven fifteen this morning. The family golf tournament. They are playing Tanglewood today. Rian wanted me to go but I have not even seen my clubs in almost three years. That's the good thing about the way I play golf. I am very consistent! I don't have the problems with my swing that Tiger does but then I don't make that kind of money either. I am on the down side of mediocre but I never lose sight of the fact that for me it is just a game and when I forget that I need to find something else to do for recreation. Rian and I used to play just about every weekend until he grew up and moved away. I still play with wood woods, modern technology is o.k. but it doesn't live in my bag, and my philosophy in buying golf balls is the same as playing the stock market. Never invest money you cannot afford to lose! I told Rian if I was awake I would consider going and just riding the course with him. I slept in instead!

This reunion is pretty interesting. Different families host it each year. It is pretty much based in Abilene but has floated south to San Angelo and as far North as Amarillo (last year) and has been held in the metroplex area in the distant past. Family comes from all over Texas and from as far away as Albuquerque, New Mexico and Tempe, Arizona. The family is pretty much blue collar, Christian values, salt of the earth kind of people. I can remember growing up with this even being a one day event in McKenzie Park in Lubbock! I suppose that with age, distance, and absence, the heart grows fonder! About twenty years ago the event was changed to a full weekend event. Fund raisers were started, a family tree quilt was made and was raffled off. Everyone is supposed to bring two or three items for the auction and from time to time special items such as one of Grandpa Freeman's carpenter saws mounted in a glass case has been auctioned (for $1200). Each year a special item is raffled off. To make a long story short the proceeds from these fund raisers have made a perpetual reunion fund, paying for the meeting rooms and also for the main meals. It is an idea that has worked well!

Later this evening the annual 42 domino tournament will begin and go into the wee hours of the morning until a champion is crowned. Tomorrow we will have a family church service followed by a business meeting, the noon meal and then everyone scatters like quail for another year! Krl spent part of last evening (before I went to sleep) laying down the ground rules for her accompanying me! Go figure!

We got to see the little man yesterday! Reid's Dad forgot a belt and they came by the house to borrow one, so Meme got to go out and check Reidman out! I had seen Reid briefly when they came by the office earlier! They went to Perinni's with friends for dinner last evening!

Rian and Erica brought word that Aimee Harris was not doing well yesterday. The Doctor had been toying with the idea of letting her go home for a few days but blood tests showed a dip in blood cells so they were giving her platelets as fast as they could. I believe it will be the seventh of July before they know if the treatments are doing any good. At the present they have suspended treatments pending the upcoming test results.

FATHER, thank YOU for the restful night! FATHER, be with us this weekend as we attend this family reunion. Help me as I conduct their auction. Thank YOU for allowing us to spend time reminiscing about old memories and making new ones, Thank YOU for allowing our kids and grandkids to form bonds and gain a sense of larger family. FATHER, We continue to lift up Aimee Harris for YOUR miracle of healing. FATHER be with her, be with her family, guide her doctors as they treat her. Bless this day. For YOUR love FATHER!

Late night! Short night! Good night!

I am thoroughly exhausted but I thoroughly enjoyed my trek to St. Lawrence late yesterday! Nearly the entire community was in attendance, I started hitting rain just south of Big Spring and it rained very heavy between there and Garden City, then it stopped and was hit and miss the rest of the way to St. Lawrence. During the evening the rains backed up and were moving around the community. Everyone's spirits were lifted just because they could see the potential. Their area has not enjoyed the bountiful rainfall that we have been blessed with in West Central Texas. It is unbelievable that you can go three hours from Abilene and find the dry conditions that exist. I have not talked today to see what kind of rain amounts were recorded. Any amount would be welcome. Crop conditions were a little disappointing. It appears their crops are behind. I think due to dry conditions, the farmers were late putting the seed in the ground. I would talk to one farmer and he was not happy, the next would tell me that he had the best crop going in many years and I even had one producer tell me he had his best crop ever. I guess it is that glass deal, half full or half empty! The hold card many of these guys have is how effective their irrigation is. As a whole I was told that the next two or three weeks could determine if this crop year is a boom or a bust. A boom would be in excess of fifty thousand bales, a bust would be thirty-five thousand. Many changes within the Co-op but I remain confident it will move forward.

I am still working in the file room. My goal is to complete it and go home for the weekend! Family started coming in yesterday. A family reunion (my Dad's side) begins this afternoon. I have informed all my kids, we will see who shows. I know Rian, Erica and Reid will be there. Reid and his Dad went for hair cuts this morning! This was the "first" haircut for Reid so Mom, the digital camera and an empty envelope made the trip with them to record it! According to Rian, Reid is a handsome young man! I would be disappointed if Rian said anything else! We are looking forward to seeing them, it has been since March. Rian completed the LISD Administrative Academy this week and Erica was in a math workshop. Rian's week ended on a high note as he had an interview with the Deputy Superintendent about an Assistant Principal position. Reid got to go back to his baby sitter from this past school year, so they all had pretty good weeks!

Ollie sold another house this week and was writing up a new listing contract when I spoke with her. If she can work around a couple of open houses she will be rolling in late Saturday and leaving after church Sunday. I figure Kali and Addie will come by to check out the pool. Trc and her crew I don't know about, I would list them as doubtful.

I am looking forward to the weekend. I have not scheduled anything. I will go to the reunion and conduct their auction for them, I will visit some and eat the free food provided, but mainly I intend to relax! My brain and my body deserve it!

FATHER, thank you for this week. Thank YOU for the memories revisited. Thank YOU for the safe travel. Thank YOU for the friends and family I have seen and talked with. Thank YOU for YOUR miracle of nature. FATHER, bless those that need moisture with YOUR gentle rains. Grow their crops FATHER. My heart continues to be heavy. Please lift me, engulf me with YOUR love and fill me with your spirit! FATHER, I continue to lift up Aimee Harris and ask your blessing on her. Continue to work to heal her. Thank YOU for all YOU do. Help me to glorify YOU!

Well, well. Sleepless in South Abilene. I have deduced that my brain rests more quickly than my body. Today is going to be a long long day. I am going back in to do some more office packing and then I have to be at St. Lawrence tonight at 7:30 for the Co-op Family Fun Day and barbecue. Of course it is being held at The Hall (see Padre Tom post 6/17). This is one of those PR events and as a "naturalized native" (as many of them refer to me), it is expected. This is usually an informative trip, I get caught up on the crop potential and all of the happenings since I was last out there. I will see the majority of my friends and most of the Co-op's register of employees. Last week was the Co-ops annual meeting and it is always interesting to see if their Board of Directors has any changes. They have a young board that is very aggressive and hands on in the co-op's operations. This year will be different in several respects. The Co-op has some vacancies and some new personnel in key positions. My good friend Milton is gone. He was the Plant Superintendent or Assistant Manager. He accepted the Managers position at New Home. That puts him seventeen miles from his old stomping grounds and that same seventeen miles distance from his kids and grand kids! Congratulations Milton! Mitch is gone from the Farm Store. Mitch had been there eighteen years and resigned effective the end of January. Of the three of us I was the new comer to the group having only logged ten years in my affiliation! So this year is going to be one of making new acquaintances and establishing new routines and working relationships. If they can keep Frank, Juan, Barco and the other small group of internal shakers and movers it will not have a big effect on me or my performance. The latter group is what I would term as mechanical while the previous group is more on the political side. It will also be good to see the office staff. I suppose I will put a full day in packing at Roscoe and then I will drive out there in time to visit some before the event begins. I will indulge in my Diet Coke and they always have good barbecue. If I am lucky, about nine or nine-thirty most of the natives will probably be "unwound" enough that I can slip away unnoticed, then I will do the three hours back to Abilene. I wish one of my trailers were there and I would stay the night and have coffee Friday morning with B.J., the General Manager. In ten years I have found this time is usually the best time to talk and listen. It is always interesting to see what changes they have made and what has happened in their community. A long day is awaiting me.

FATHER, prepare me for this day! I ask for safe passage, I ask for YOUR company on this day. Give me the strength, the energy, the endurance to do all I need to do today. May the crops look good, the news be better and may all of my friends hearts be filled with joy and optimism. Bless my day with YOUR presence, YOUR wisdom, YOUR guidance and YOUR watch and care.

Work is progressing slowly boxing up the office. I have been in the file room for two days now and I have used about thirty "file" boxes. Twelve offices on my end after that. It progresses more slowly than I thought. I ran across some notes earlier today by Dee. A lot of sentimental thoughts come to mind. We had put together such a great group. We worked together, we worked hard and we had fun doing it! I often wonder about many of them. Dee came to work for us on a temporary basis while she looked for something she wanted to do. She was single, divorced. She had two grown sons, one was local the other lived in the Carolinas. She started out as one of our telephone operators. She was so smooth and fluid. She could tell someone "where" to go and they just smiled and were thankful for the directions. Everything we threw her way she quickly mastered and it wasn't long until she was away from the telephone and in the back where the real paper wars took place! She started out in fuel taxes, and fuel purchases and mileages. As a company we were driving about 16M miles a quarter and consuming just over two and a half million gallons of fuel in the same time frame. Lots of detail in data entry and keeping all the different jurisdictions right. Dee was so proficient in this that she took on additional duties collecting past dues. Excellent results. One of today's notes was to one of our file clerks, a simple thank you for pulling the requested file. Eventually Dee moved up to payroll. This was a demanding job, but like everything else Dee handled it efficiently and with apparent ease. In December of 2000 Dee was diagnosed with breast cancer. They did surgery, they removed tumors, they removed lymph nodes, she went through the chemo (she had the cutest collection of hats) and she did the radiation. On days she felt strong enough she came in for a while. Finally twelve months after the initial diagnosis she had a check up and was cancer free! One month later she was complaining of a pain in her side and went to the doctor. A few days later she received a call while at work. She came to my office and told me it looked like we were going to do it all over again. The doctor had told her she had cancer. The breast cancer had not returned, this time it was liver cancer. Dee asked if she could go home to gather herself. She came back to the office twice after that day. Her cancer was very aggressive and one day short of three months after diagnosis. Dee was gone. She died at her home. She was forty-six. I miss Dee. The easy part of this packing is the paper and physical items, the hard part are the many memories both good and bad that wait at every turn. You know as tough as times got, I believe the good outweigh the bad! 'Bye 'Bye Dee Dee, luv ya girl!

FATHER I thank YOU for the many people and the many influences you have let touch my life. I thank YOU for Dee. FATHER continue to be with me as I pack things. FATHER thank YOU for the memories. FATHER take control, I can't continue without you. FATHER, the word on Aimee Harris is good! Thank YOU and praise YOU. If all goes well they may dismiss her and let her spend the next ten to fourteen days at home. I know that would be a blessing for their entire family. FATHER I continue to lift her up and ask that when they retest the bone marrow that the treatments will have worked and she will be producing blood cells! Thank YOU FATHER, I continue to ask YOU to rain down YOUR blessings! For YOUR glory FATHER!

Not a good sign! Short night apparently. I have felt this coming on for a few days. My brain has now achieved warp speed...... and I hate it. Now if I could just slam on the brakes for my body and my brain continue on ..... I might have a brief interlude of relief!

The next couple of week are going to be tough I am afraid. Lots of stress and lots of tension. For the next couple of weeks I will be packing files and cleaning out offices as we start the beginning of the end for the family business. The family business was started as a sideline but with rapid growth and increased demand, it went up like a rocket! Emphasis on growing the company started in 1994. In 1995 we bid some contracts and won the bidding process and things were put into motion. Gross sales went from 500K in 1995 to in excess of 16M in 2000. From one location to seven, employees numbered between three and four hundred, business was conducted from Mexico to Canada. Projections had called for 20M in 2000 but about mid-year was when the deal with the devil (or devils) was made.

The end really started about four years ago as we entered into a contract with an international company, purchased about four million dollars worth of equipment (most of it from the international company) and sixty days after taking delivery of said equipment and the signing of the contract they canceled production of their product we were supposed to handle. So, sixty days later, four million dollars in debt and no production to generate funds for servicing debt. We weren't the only ones to get suckered in this deal. A manufacturing company in Mexico went to the mat because of this same deal. My brother and I flew to Canada to meet with officials and we were assured that things would be made right. A replacement contract for other items would be forthcoming (wrong). This company continued to ask us to move existing stock into storage and in order to avoid breaching our contract we complied. Once the existing stock was stored the company was presented with a bill which went past due. When our office personnel started calling to collect this past due (which was in the seventy-thousand dollar range) they were told that apparently the two businesses were headed to litigation over the contract and that we could sue them for both their contract breach and for their outstanding indebtedness. Contrary to what we had been told by their interim President (that our company would be made "whole" and that any and all expenses we incurred gearing up to do business and in doing business with them would be reimbursed), the worm turned. Hindsight is twenty twenty but probably at this point our family enterprise should have been put into chapter eleven reorganization. I guess being based in a small rural West Texas town, anchored in Christian beliefs, and having been raised to look for the best in others, we were gullible in believing their repeated promises. As the noose started to tighten we finally felt there was no option except to secure legal representation. Our attorneys elected to file a fraud in inducement law suit. Experts were brought in to analyze long term effect on the our company, as many assets were being voluntarily surrendered to creditors. We were bailing water with a colander! Operations were changed, alliances were made just to keep the doors open. Our attorneys repeatedly said you have to stay in business. In retrospect, it is unbelievable what you will do to try to survive. I think I have a pretty good idea of the trauma a terminal cancer patient has as they battle the disease and beat it back on one front to have it circumvent the system and attack on another front, over and over again. I think I can also understand the peace that comes when the battle is finally over. The thing is you battle "against all odds". I am not trying to minimize human life, but this is the best analogy I can come up with at this point. This "cancer" ravaged us and ultimately unless the good LORD sends a miracle in the next couple of weeks, we will be consumed. This past December our worst nightmare became a reality. While defense attorneys were trying to convince their client to settle the suit rather than taking the risk of the case going to the jury, their domestic officers agreed but when it went to the main office in Germany the top company officials refused to settle (I guess they haven't gotten over getting their cans kicked in the big war, sorry, if I don't laugh I might cry). Defense attorneys told our attorneys to write the jury charge, the judge had local counsel working on punitive damages and everyone was positive a judgment and damages would be forth coming the following day. Not so. After about two and a half hours of deliberation, the jury returned a no on the first question of the jury charge and the rest of the jury charge was moot at that point. The judge was stunned as he read the verdict before asking the foreman to read it to the court. The court room was stunned, the defense attorney's were the most surprised people in there, they had as many as eighteen attorneys in the court and were already working on an appeal should "too" large a judgment be awarded. No one knew whether to laugh, cry or shout! In the weeks that followed a lot of revelations were made, a lot of fingers pointed. I don't know if some of what transpired is legal but I think there is no question about if it was ethical. Reports of jurors smoking "pot" on breaks (we had one girl who told our investigator she had first hand knowledge of this but it turned out she was on probation and had missed an appointment and she wasn't willing to go to jail to help save us!). Allegations of improper contact and relationships between jurors and the defense team floated around as did allegations of a possible money for verdict exchange. I probably wouldn't put too much stock in the rumors but one of the defense attorneys recruited all the jurors to retain him for representation and that they would not talk to investigators without him present. This particular attorney also muddied the water with a big year end news story in the local paper about him winning the largest and longest trial of his career and saving his client forty million dollars! I think this was evidence of how scared they were of us and the possibility that the judge would grant a mistrial and give a new trial date. Funny thing about the local attorney is that he only served as the "water boy" for the city slicker snake oil selling attorneys from various locales, however it is possibly the longest length of time this one particular attorney has ever stayed out of drug and alcohol rehab. Every cloud has a silver lining! Don't ask me if justice was served because it wasn't. Don't ask me if the system works because it is flawed. I don't think I will ever be able to sit on a jury panel and not be influenced by this gross miscarriage of justice. I have serious doubts about the possibility of a person being able to be both a Christian and a litigator. How do you take a case where you know your client is guilty, they have admitted it, and yet you defend them? Latest development is that this international company is now sueing us for legal fees! Their mantra appears to be while you got 'em down, kick 'em! Footnote! The balance owed by the company to us remains outstanding with corresponding interest and late fees continuing to multiply.

I'm going to need lots of help the next couple of weeks! I have just turned the justice part of this over to GOD. I know that HE will see to it. I am not asking HIM for revenge. I am asking HIM to remove me from the cancer. I believe GOD puts us in certain situations to learn from them. I sure hope I learned from this situation because I would hate to think GOD would need to teach me this lesson again! My folks didn't need all this. They are in their seventies, things were pretty smooth but they have jeopardized almost everything for the family business. I don't worry about myself or the other siblings. We aren't spring chickens but I think we can survive eventually, but it is tough to start over at seventy. They have the most to lose and that is sad. Remarkably they keep a pretty good outlook. My Mom and I had a good laugh the other day. We have healed enough from December to talk about the trial some. I admitted to her that I never prayed for a fraud verdict and a large settlement, I never could get comfortable with a pray for profit program (or a profit from prayer program). I just asked GOD for his will to be done. She admitted the same to me. Go figure! I told her wouldn't it be funny if GOD said O.K., if it doesn't matter ........ If that's the case FATHER, I want a do over!

O.K. FATHER, we need some help here. Maybe I am not healing as well as I thought. I need to say so much just to be able to turn the page. FATHER, help me through this chapter of the business and my life. Be with all the participants, both voluntary and involuntary. Remove the poisons from our hearts and heal them. FATHER I continue to ask for deliverance as I know you are a mighty and powerful GOD. I am fighting with depression FATHER, lift me up, inspire me, fill me with YOUR Spirit and YOUR goodness. FATHER I ask YOU to not let me dwell on the disappointments and frustrations but look ahead to what YOU have in store for my next challenge! FATHER, expand us, keep us from evil and help us do good! FATHER I could really use some company right now, please send more angels, surround me! FATHER, bless KRl in her job search, put her in the situation you have selected for her to have success in her search. FATHER I continue to ask your blessings upon the efforts of the farmers in Roscoe, St. Lawrence, Coyonosa, and Farwell. Bless them with gentle rains and bountiful harvests. FATHER I continue to lift up Aimee Harris to you. Reports are looking favorable and I thank you, but I pray that you will continue to work to heal her and restore her. If all goes well she may get out of pediatric ICU today and be back on the floor. Thank you for this. FATHER please continue to be with her and her family. Bless them and keep them. FATHER bless my day.

Testing testing! I'm attempting to make some changes without trashing the system. Just wanting to see if they take hold. I won't bore you with another blog!

Wow! I hate it when I wake up and I feel deflated. Not a bad weekend but today is definitely a Monday. I feel like a pitcher who doesn't have his good stuff today, I have no control! I hate to do this to you so early LORD but bring in the relief! FATHER, lift me, energize me, boost me. Fill me with YOU. I give this day to YOU. Use me. Thank YOU FATHER!

Everybody has one!

I think I am fixing to set up a recurring e-mail to relish@camalott.com , Kim and I are fixing to go round and round. If you accept payment for a service, that service had better be available on demand. I pay a year in advance and I am not very happy with Camalott today or have I been for quite sometime. I once used them at our office until they tried to trim our service to their advantage and I caught them at it. I used an independent consultant to monitor the pipeline and Camalott was closing the valve!

We didn’t have any pewee granddaughters sleep over. I think this program is now defunct! It is a commitment, not when I feel like it! Krl and I got an early start on our day. We left the house at eight fifteen headed in a round about way to church. We had signed up for bringing refreshments today for Sunday school. We went to Jack and Jill to pick up doughnuts, they had written a charge ticket to Highland (which I refused to sign because I wanted to and DID pay cash!). Krl had baked blue berry muffins, she had purchased a coffee cake while at the store, prepared a tray of grapes and strawberry halves, and on our way to Church we purchased soft drinks and iced them down. We got to church with about ten minutes to spare, scoped out the situation and secured our seats. Kali and Addie surprised us by showing up. During the service when they were presenting a special announcement I slipped out to set up refreshments for class. I did not realize how much effort goes into these refreshments. Finally everything was spread out and coffee was at the ready and I went back into the assembly to catch Mike’s message. We won’t be there next Sunday. Family reunion. The first of three in the next month!

Mike’s message was pretty good. It involved a very special baseball glove. Everybody has one! People around me probably didn’t understand why I was smiling so big when Mike was breaking down! There is a story here! I used to keep a portion of the kids “allowance” for them to use on their seasonal Christmas shopping spree! Miss Ollie our youngest daughter was seven or eight years old, and had developed a strategy, in world record time she had completed her Christmas shopping for about a dozen people! When I met her to check out she was sooo proud. Barely over thirty dollars! Visions of excess cash danced in her eyes! In the past any left over surplus of funds was theirs for their spending. As we exited the store Dad was lecturing, she was telling Dad that it was “her” money and I was saying “but it violates the spirit of the season!” We stopped at the Salvation Army Kettle where under “Dad’s” supervision she deposited excess funds except for five dollars! Needless to say “this” shopper had not achieved total satisfaction! I am sure this is one of those “life lessons” Ollie will not ever forget, I know I won’t! My favorite part was the next morning! After everyone was settled from the “Little Fat Man’s” gifts, we started our tree. When Rian, Ollie’s older brother opened his gift from her he was thrilled! A new baseball glove! When Rian tried it on a confused look came over him. It was on his right hand! This was a left-handed glove and Rian was right handed! The price was right! Purchased out of season for the minority of the populous it was a bargain! I wish we had kept it, I am sure Ollie is glad we didn’t!

FATHER, bless all the Dads today. Especially bless my Dad, and all of our grandchildren’s Dads. Happy Dad’s day Pepa, Rian, Brently and Garry! We love you!

FATHER, it is hard being a Dad! I am thankful that YOU are a powerful and mighty GOD and that everything comes through you. FATHER, we need YOUR strength, YOUR wisdom, YOUR guidance. Fill us with YOUR spirit, YOUR love, and YOUR grace! FATHER, I continue to lift up Aimee Harris to you! Heal her and comfort her and her family! FATHER, may my day and my coming week glorify YOU!

What a day what a day! Not a good one! Not a bad one! We existed! Probably thirty minutes from completing planting of cotton. It was just slick wet! We probably planted some cotton that shouldn't have been but due to the insurance deadline it was necessary! Wheat harvest continues. Some of it is good, some of it leaves a lot to be desired! Bushel weights are declining. Hag probably lacks seven or eight hundred acres completing this years wheat harvest! We are probably forty five to sixty days from milo harvest!

My mind is muddled! Sorry! Lots going on, I am trying to determine exactly what it means.

No pewees tonight. I am considering suspending pewee operations. Kat has made one of four Saturdays and Sundays and I think deserves to be kicked out! If Kat is out so is Addie! So says Addie.

Reid has learned to walk! Rian called me today lamenting that he is not ready for Reid to walk. "He is just a baby!" Rian did not like what I told him, next accomplishment will be "first" stitches.

FATHER, take charge. I am not doing too well right now. Bless Aimee and heal her. Help us to get things done and make your house on time! Thank you FATHER!

Green Acres is the place to be! Farm living is the life for me! Well, I spent the day at the farm! We made great progress on the planting of the last cotton farm. Tomorrow by noon, the LORD willing. It sure looked like it could storm but we will see in the morning! It was an interesting day, the morning was filled with repairs and the evening was simply driving the tractor, or "riding around" as I tell everyone!

Tonight will be short!

Aimee is doing well. She is experiencing some fever but outside of that it appears her side effects or minimal. Thank you LORD!

FATHER, thank you for today's blessings! Thank YOU for working to heal Aimee Harris. FATHER, I continue to lift her and her family up to you! Bless them, heal her! FATHER, bless my day tomorrow. May it glorify YOU!

Thursday 6/17 second edition!

Krl has had a couple of promising job possibilities! We have been very excited about them. One of them puts her back in her old field. Both of them present very good benefits! We need benefits! Today the one that was most promising kind of had a down turn. Pray that Krl will be put where GOD wants her to be in this job search! Expand us FATHER!

I am somewhat refreshed after the day off but find myself wanting another day off. It was quite enjoyable. The only thing I did was go to the pharmacy, twice. I have decided pharmaceutical companies are satan's spin off! But that is another story!

For the past ten years I have had a job contract in St. Lawrence, Texas every Fall. This is not an incorporated city or town it is just a very small community located in the middle of fertile crop land and iron horses pumping Texas gold to the surface. There are two establishments that are at the center of this community. The St. Lawrence Catholic Church and the Glasscock County Co-op. I am not a seasonal Catholic so you can safely surmise my work is with the Co-op. When you are driving down FM 2401 you feel quite confident that you could not gather twenty-five people in the total radius of area that you can see. That confidence would be wrong. The Church can open its doors and people come out of the woodwork! The Co-op can schedule a gathering at the Church Hall and you may have five or six hundred people. This community is a mix of Germans, Pols, Slovs, Bohemians, and Chechs. I have met several older residents who can speak four or five languages fluently. Just a few years ago there was a convenience store, Ronda's Quick Stop that had a grill and it was the gathering point on a daily basis, but it has been gone for a couple of years. I will never fully understand why it didn't make it. I figured with the beer sales alone it would be a thriving entity, mass quantities of alcohol are consumed, I guess it is the heritage! Add in the seven dollar hamburger lunches and this should have been a solvent business. Three partners couldn't see things eye to eye and it closed. I remember the first community function I attended was sponsored by the Co-op and held at The Hall. When I walked in I counted eleven sixteen gallon kegs, iced down with pumps at the ready! A very different way of life from what I was accustomed to!

I believe that in my ten years out there, the Church has had three different priest. My favorite of the three has been Tom. All the community referred to him as Father Tom, I referred to him as Padre Tom. Call me crazy! I just had a problem with "FATHER", you know, call no man Father except ... O.K. you get my drift. Padre Tom collected Catholic University sweatshirts. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I saw him with his collar or frock. It was always interesting to see his sweatshirt, Notre Dame, Holy Cross, Boston College, Xavier and on and on. Maybe he should have been a University Padre! I had occasion numerous times to have lunch at Ronda's with "Padre Tom". He was very personable, quiet, soft spoken, sometimes humorous, always kind. This was in stark contrast to what I would hear from his parishioners. Those that went into confession first would quickly pass the word that "Father" was tough this week! Many would get together and decide if "Father" was tough they had better get their "Hail Mary's, worth" and would quickly organize a twist off event or another excursion! The community as a whole is very dedicated but they do seem to work their religion to the max!

The one thing that sticks in my mind is that I don't think I ever left "Padre Tom's" company that he didn't end it with some type of benediction. Usually it was "Bless you my Son" or "Go with GOD" followed by the sign of the Cross. Personally, I would have preferred him to say "May GOD bless you", I had no problem with "Go with GOD". To this day I continue to find the sign of the Cross very warm and comforting. Maybe it is the "points" of the Cross over my heart, maybe it is the outward signing of an inward commitment, maybe it is the proclamation of being Christ centered. I think I like the sign of the Cross.

FATHER, I thank YOU for this beautiful day and the blessings it holds! Thank YOU for YOUR LOVE, YOUR MERCY and YOUR GRACE, Thank YOU for JESUS and the HOPE and PROMISE I have through HIM. Thank YOU for the seasonal work In St. Lawrence and the friendships and memories that I have made there. FATHER, thank YOU for "Padre Tom", may YOU bless him and go with him. FATHER I pray that YOU will bless my friends with a bountiful harvest, let them be good stewards of YOUR earth! FATHER, I continue to lift up Aimee Harris to YOU for YOUR miracle of healing! FATHER, reports said she was looking so good last evening! The ATG treatments start today! She will be moved to children's ICU later today. FATHER I pray that she will have no side effects from the treatments. FATHER I continue to ask that Zach be compatible as a marrow donor should it be needed. Bless that family FATHER, comfort them, hold them in YOUR palm and let them know YOU care. Bless my day FATHER, help me to surrender my day to YOU and let YOU work through me!

Yippee! I have the day off! I can't believe it, today is the first work day in about a month and a half that I am off! (Don't count Memorial Day, it was a Holiday!). After yesterday I sure need it.

Eusebio is going to finish replanting the cotton that was hailed out. It is still to wet to go to Scurry county and that is all we lack except for some spot planting where the cotton drowned. I am almost through, again. I find myself more and more frustrated and my fuse is getting shorter and shorter. There is a lot going on with planting and wheat harvest. Eddie had been the planter support, keeping fuel and seed to us, but he took his wife back to M.D. Anderson for more treatment and we got left high and dry. We lost about an hour and twenty minutes waiting for fuel. We moved to Fisher county to plant forty-nine acres left from when they were rained out and then we moved south of town for the replant. We were told to call when we moved to south of town. I did. Until my cell phone went dead! I could let it set and get thirty or forty seconds of air time before it would tilt off. I broke a piece on my tractor, it was a linkage to one of the hydraulic remote outlets. It didn't park me but it sure made it a pain to run. I got a call wanting to know what time I wanted to quit and get seed and fuel put away for the night and for Eusebio and I to be transported back to out pickups. I told them seven-thirty (figuring it would be at least eight)..... when I finally got in my truck it was after nine. An hour drive later I am in Abilene, get to the house unload my stuff, talk with Krl briefly, go run a bath, bathe, come back, check e-mail, e-mail T.J. (Tuesday was her birthday, she is FORTY, wow, forty doesn't look as good as it did on me!!!) blog, eat supper, put away my tray, go to bed and it is twelve o six. If I tell you something, I am going to do my absolute best to perform as close to what I tell you as possible. I am going to analyze what effect my decision is going to have on me and my schedule before I tell YOU what I can do or will do! I am not going to sacrifice you or your scheduling on a whim. I was so frustrated with the day that when I got out of the transport ride back to my truck I left the broken piece in it and told them to call me when the tractor is repaired and I will see if my calendar is clear. That went over like a lead balloon. I don't have a dog in this hunt. I am not doing this for the money (by week end I will have a hundred dollars going out just for gasoline). I think they will be able to do a quick repair on the tractor if they just think of it as a big green lawnmower! My brother-in-law called me late last night and wanted to check on what I was upset about. I told him I don't know how he does it! He is about three workers short of an adequate work force. He must have the patience of Job or be a glutton for punishment! It was his idea for me to take the day off! He called this morning and I was almost afraid to answer, afraid he would retract that offer! I almost did my Miguel, the yard man, impersonation but I didn't. Thankfully I still have the day off!

I think I need to have lunch with Padre Tom! I still intend to write of him! For today I hope to convince my bride to do a mid-afternoon lunch/supper/dinner at Red Lobster. I think I could do with some seafood and pasta, it might go a long way in healing my psyche!

Special blessings FATHER, on Rian and Erica on their anniversary! May they continue to grow in love and continue to be a blessing to each other. Include the little man in that blessing too! FATHER, I continue to ask for your blessing and healing on Aimee Harris. FATHER comfort her and her family. Fill them with YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR LOVE, YOUR GRACE, and surround them with YOUR presence. FATHER, send more angels!

Wow! I didn't make it yesterday and I feel so jet lagged today! Life down on the farm is pretty fast! We continue to address the crop insurance completion date of June 20. It appears we are one farm from completion but that farm is wet, wet!

Wheat harvest is continuing. We had some hail that damaged some of ours. I was afraid of that but GOD is in charge.

The word on Aimee Harris continues to change and refine. She does not have leukemia, she has Acute-plasti-anemia. It is much like leukemia but is much more rare. I believe there are two doctors in the country who specialize in this disorder. Luckily Aimee's pediatric oncologist worked with these doctors for three years. They will start ATG treatments Thursday. These will make Aimee very ill. Rian told me that she is weakening daily. After Thursday they will start giving her blood platelets on a daily basis. They need blood donated at United on her behalf, not for her. The ATG treatments are hoped to stimulate her bone marrow to get busy. Zach is going to be tested as a potential marrow donor starting tomorrow. One of the above would be good, both would be tremendous! Worst case is to go to the National bone marrow donor list.

FATHER, I believe that you will intercede on Aimee Harris' behalf and your miracle of healing will occur! FATHER I thank you in advance. You are a mighty GOD and all things are possible through you. Bless Aimee and her family. Expand us FATHER! Let your blessings flow! Thank you FATHER!

As relaxed as my mind is acting, over the next few days and weeks you may find out just how sick an individual I am! Scary scary thought!

A pretty good Sunday today! We ended up holding at the seventy-five percent participation for the phillie sleep over. The oldest, Lauren, didn't get to participate. That's O.K., we are still thrilled she speaks to her Grandparents on occasion, she is fifteen. She did make church and Sunday school but not in our organized effort. Group behavior was good. It should have been! In an effort to insure that Addie had her behavioral medication Krl and I both administered it, out of the company of each other! It was still under the maximum recommended dosage but I am just thankful she didn't levitate or something! She was an angel!

Highland is at such a threshold. They are so near needing to keep the two sevices during the summer. Mike says when vacations start to cycle that it will ease up, but for the fourth straight Sunday they were rolling the chairs out!

I got up early this morning and soaked in the tub and read. When Krl finally stirred it was time to get the plan in motion. I got out of the tub and cajoled the three granddaughters to get up and at 'em! Then I proceeded to the kitchen and conjured up sausage egg and cheese biscuits! Once I got the current feeding frenzy under control I put together a roast, potatoes and carrots to cook while we were gone! Three hours later when we walked through the doors, the house was filled with the aroma of "lunch" just waiting to be consumed! We picked up two more participants in the meal department! Kali and Trace showed up after the girls had completed their first swim time of the afternoon! I can't believe it, I had a special roast cut and it was not BIG enough! Everyone was fed but none was left over! I have never asked my Mom how big is big enough! She feeds a multitude every Sunday! I guess the feeding of the multitudes never really impacted me because I saw it every week! It was a common occurrence to see her feed twenty or thirty or as many as sixty! She is such a magician in the kitchen, she would prefer to cook for a group rather than just for Dad and herself! She always says "we can stretch this a little"! We have an inside joke about my ex-sister-in-law cooking canned tamales and stretching them by adding water! It worked for soup! Ha! Ha!

Sunday School was interesting once again! This appears to be a pretty big class but it seems like attendance is spasmodic! Out of the entire class I think only the shepherds wife and four classmates have been there every time that Krl and I have gone. It appears that this class is pretty involved! That is reassuring and powerful. Next week we are supposed to bring something to send to one of the members from Highland who is serving in Iraq. Krl signed up to bring the refreshments for class next week. (I hope they like micro-waved sausage, egg and cheese biscuits!). Today was coffee cake, cantaloupe, grapes and coffee. Carolyn Andress brought it today! I think Diet Coke will be at the top of our list! The gospel of carbonation!

We put Aimee Harris and her family on the class prayer list! If this class appears to be diligent in anything I believe it is their prayer list! The prayers of a righteous person accomplish much! GOD is faithful to answer our prayers!

FATHER, we expect a miracle! FATHER we continue to hold up Aimee Harris for your miracle of healing! Bless her and her family! Please give her good test results tomorrow. Let her chemo be effective. Bless her LORD. FATHER we continue to ask you to help us accept the opportunity to surrender our day and our lives to you! Work through us FATHER. May our day and our week ahead bring Glory to YOU!

What a day! I awoke early today to go down to the farm. I called Pat to get a weather report for the area and I got the all clear! It had stormed all around last night. I drove the sixty miles to my tractor and found water between me and it! If my sister cannot make it in the medical field she can always make it as a weather reporter! It seemed like everywhere we needed to plant cotton it had precipitated! I ended up helping to service the combine and then I hauled wheat from the harvest. A different kind of day! Thanks for the variety FATHER!

Early reports for Aimee Harris are pretty good considering the gravity of the situation! The Doctors are thinking they have caught this disease in the earliest stages thanks to Aimee's mom and dad noticing changes in her! Thank you GOD! They will do bone marrow test Monday to ensure that it is not in the bone and if that comes back clear (which Doctors expect) they will start chemo immediately! Please keep her and her family in your prayers!

FATHER thank YOU for the rain! Thank YOU for the blessings this day held! FATHER we lift up Aimee for YOUR healing! Bless her FATHER and bless her family. Help us all to do what we can to help them in this situation. FATHER, we have seventy-five per cent participation in the phillie sleep over! Bless our efforts! We are coming to see you tomorrow! For YOUR love FATHER, thank you!

Well, day one down on the farm was pretty good! We planted on four different farms today. It was different! We did twelve hours and called it a day. I am hoping to get an early start tomorrow and do twelve and come home.

It will be a historic night tomorrow night! We will have all four of the phillies sleeping over! Trace and Brently are going to the metroplex so all three of theirs will be here and of course Miss Addy is penciled in for the sleep over as well. We will do the Church and Sunday School thing Sunday morning! Bless our efforts and GOD help us! It will be fun! Talk about a dominant gender that will be five phillies plus two female dogs in this house and me and poor old Shadow bringing up the minority.

We received some disturbing word here late today, Aimee Harris, the daughter of one of my former co-workers has been diagnosed with leukemia. She is almost five and lives in Lubbock, Texas. She is an adorable little girl and the Harris Family is a tremendous family. Don Harris is the dad and my son Rian calls Don "his best friend". They all worship at the Greenlawn Church. Please include Aimee, and her family in your prayers.

FATHER, thank you for the good day. It was peaceful. I talked with you on and off all day. I sang praises to you in twenty-nine second ZOE sound bites! I bet I taxed that patience and tolerance! I will get better when I have more opportunity to listen to my new CD! Thank you FATHER! FATHER, We have the phillies coming tomorrow, all of them! Bless our time FATHER! I ask your blessing on Aimee Harris and her family FATHER. I pray there has been some mistake but if not I pray for a miracle of healing! FATHER I know you are a mighty GOD and through you all things are possible! Bless this child with your healing. Thank you FATHER!

It is in the books! It is finished! The end! Number three hundred forty-three delivered shortly before noon. Pleasantries were exchanged and we enjoyed a brief moment! It was bitter sweet!

I had a lunch date with my Mom. She had been wanting me to stop by but with things moving at such a rapid pace it had not been possible. It was nice stopping for lunch. I think it had been about six weeks or so since I had eaten a lunch that was not as we were moving. Chris and Kyle were also there so you can bet it wasn't blase! Dad was in the field plowing but lunch was still an enjoyable experience with those in attendance. I had been unemployed for about an hour and a half when Hag(my brother-in-law) came by and asked if I could help him with his farming. He is trying to get cotton planted and trying to cut wheat. All the cotton has to be in the ground by the twentieth. Part of his crop has already met the insurance requirement by being planted but was hailed out last week in one of those fierce thunderstorms. Thankfully is was one of the smaller farms and moderately isolated from the bulk of the farms. At present plans are for me to run one of the planters. I am kind of looking forward to it. Use to nothing could relax me like spending the day on the tractor. Rian is giggling saying he wonders if I can remember how to farm! It's like a bicycle. You don't forget (if you get on the right direction). I look forward to the smells of the farm. The freshly opened earth, the smell of diesel fumes. I look forward to the miracle of nature!

FATHER, thank you for the successful completion of the contract. Thank you for the speed and efficiency and the safe conduct of doing the work. Help me to use the lessons you have taught me through this job. FATHER, I thank you for the opportunity to help Hag. Strengthen me to this challenge. FATHER I thank YOU for the rains and for the potential that our area farmers and stockmen are presented with. Help them to be good stewards of your earth. If it is YOUR WILL, bless them with a bountiful harvest. Bless me Lord, expand me, help me do good!

It has been a wonderful day! I continue to just be a tag along member of this GODLY adventure! Carry on! I can't believe I am at the end of the line! Transfer number 341 is ready for seven o'clock delivery in the morning! 342 and 343 are waiting in the wings! By noon it will be done! Thank you GOD! I do hope I learn the lesson that GOD is teaching me because I don't want to take this course again! Repetition is not my most favorite thing! I had my choice on a start time for tomorrow and I told the crew we would do what got us here! My alarm is set for 5:03 AM. I was so excited this morning I woke up ten minutes before it was set to go off!

I made a lunch date for tomorrow! I am going to have lunch with my Mom. She has been asking me to stop in for lunch (and has been tempting me with chili dogs, my favorite quick lunch). I have just been on such a time table that five minutes messes up the entire day! They live just off of the highway so they have monitored my progress and I can envision them watching a tennis match, back and forth, back and forth! Much like watching paint dry! Please keep in mind this project started five months ago!

Krl thrilled me tonight! She made flat enchiladas! These are the multi layer enchiladas that are topped with the fried eggs! I did mine and batted clean up on hers! Delicious! We are very excited, Krl has two promising job possibilities! We will give it to GOD to figure out! Thank you GOD.

FATHER, I have such mixed emotions! The Joy, the elation, the sadness, the trepidation. FATHER I thank YOU for getting me through this project. I didn't do it FATHER, you took me along. Thank YOU for getting me to this point and I ask YOU to bless me with one more day! Thank you for the patience and tolerance, for the lessons you have shown me. Bless me oh LORD and expand my boundaries, keep me from evil that I might do good! For your Glory FATHER!

I am so BLESSED! Thank YOU LORD! I am thirty-six hours from being unemployed and I am thankful! Not that I am going to be unemployed but that I had this opportunity at all! I have worked above this level, I have worked below, but GOD took this job and moved me as he has never moved me! THANK YOU FATHER!

KRL and I are getting our ZOE fix! What a tremendous blessing to be able to sing! I wonder if ZOE will ever know how far reaching their voices go! Mike Cope addressed instrumental music today in his blog. I don't think GOD cares. I, myself, prefer acapella! I don't have a problem with the clapping, the up-raised hands or just about anything short of killing chickens! (that was for Rian)! I did like Brandon's pledge! Man there is so much out there and such a strainer to get it into my brain! I missed yesterday. When I got home Kat was on the computer doing serious stuff like playing barbie and she never relented control. She is a mess! When I first got home she told me that she was NOT spending the night! I just kind of rolled with the flow. I got my bath and was ready for supper, (KRL had told me that Kat was starving but was willing to wait for us!). I told KRL , "Let's eat in bed!" Whoa! That was like a lead balloon!. I was reminded that KAT was NOT spending the night until Saturday night for the pewee sleep over! She had missed the last two weeks of sleep over and church and Sunday school, so I had to tell her that we had other plans! I told her that Meme and Dandy were going dancing Saturday night and wouldn't be available for sleep over! Giggle giggle! "Grandma's and Grandpa's don't go dancing!"
She will be here Saturday with bells on!

Krl and I have decided that it wasn't the worship service that was off, it was the Bible class. Basically it was very depressing! There were a couple of people that were having a crisis. I realize that sometimes this happens, we should be supportive, but it shouldn't become the center of the class. KRL was so despondent over it all she was ready to give in and go to my choice of classes but I think we need to be sure that GOD has not led us here for a purpose!

Reidman is quickly becoming a magician. Rian is telling me that before you know Reid has opened a drawer it is empty! I told Rian to give Reid a drawer and Dandy would send him some cake pans, and measuring spoons and wood spoons and lots of stuff that makes noise and are fun!

FATHER, thank you for blessing me so! I don't deserve it but I thank you for it! FATHER, the count down is on! Eight more and "It is finished"! I thank you FATHER. I pray for a successful completion! I eagerly await what you have in store for me! Thank you, FATHER, let your blessings flow! I pray I bring Glory and Honor to you!

Exhausted! A one word explanation letting you know where I am at! We made a couple of stops on the way home from church, grabbed some take out, ate a quick bite and I spent the rest of the day on the couch! At first I just dozed in and out while watching NASCAR and then I stepped over the line and I was unconscious. My bod and my mind must have known what I need because I have awakened and now I am ready to move to my bed!

I am looking at a short week. Its that dual emotion deal! The joy or satisfaction of completing a job and yet the anxiety of working yourself out of a job at the same time! Twenty-one transfers to completion. I wonder if I am stressing here?

We awoke this morning to Krl's alarm clock. That's the nice thing about the weekend, my alarm get the day off. Our alarms have completely different sounds and it is sooo nice when her alarm goes off just to be still or give a gentle nudge. The pewee granddaughters didn't do the sleep over deal because Kat went to Lubbock to retrieve Ellen from basketball camp. (I can't wait to see Kat because she is bringing me the new ZOE CD, When the Music Fades, that Uncle Rian is sending me. ZOE's label had a two for one special, pre-release. Kat is also bringing pictures of Reid and hugs and kisses from Aunt Erica and Reidman!). We were surprised when we arrived at church to find Kali and Addie parked beside where we normally park! We discussed Addie's horrible behavior last week as we made our way to the building. Thankfully, she behaved much better today! Kali even went to class with us!

Krl and I have discussed the church service and Bible class and we both concurred that it all seemed just a bit off or a bit flat today. Kind of like weak batteries or something. The connection was not quite as powerful for some reason. I suppose we have something to ponder during the coming week! This is not indicative of anything explicit, it could just be a lack of proper mental state for us.

FATHER, thank you for the restful day. FATHER, I ask your blessings on the coming week. Guide me, protect me. FATHER, I ask for a safe week and a productive week. Bless our efforts as we complete our job. FATHER help me to seize the opportunity to surrender to YOU and YOUR will. Work through me FATHER. The GLORY is YOURS FATHER!

WOO! WOO!
Weekend! One day, filled with things to do!

Ellen's camp experience has been GREAT! Rian and Erica have gone to the far ends of the earth to make her feel welcome and at home! This has been primarily Erica's deal since Rian has been busy with his graduate school! (Rian is taking eighteen hours this summer!) Last night Rian, Erica and Reid went to watch the evening games! Ellen's team won both of them. She received the best rebounder individual award and then out of one hundred twenty girls, she was selected to the twenty girl All Stars that play Saturday evening! Rian, Erica, Reid, Aunt M, Trace, Brently, Lauren, Kat, Taylor and Taylor's two brothers were all going up to watch the parent demo and the All Stars Play. GOD provided me the opportunity to work today and I accepted! Meme stayed at home to do the pewee sleep over, church, sunday school thing and it isn't going to happen, for the second straight week. FATHER we need some divine intervention here. Bless our efforts! Thanks for making Ellen's week so good!

It was a good week for me as well! Twenty-one transfers and it is in the books! I have had a pleasant surprise. Jaime's supervisor reconsidered and Jaime is on the books through Tuesday. YES! I can't imagine getting so close and not closing the deal. I hope they leave him until it is finished! If they take him off Tuesday night we will be eight from completion!

I got in a little early this evening! I got cleaned up quickly and went to the Christian Family Store. I bought a new study Bible. When I explained to the clerk why I was shopping he got tickled. Trace had given her mother a new Bible a couple of years ago and it was so special! I think it was called a Mother's Bible! Anyhow, Krl had been reading it and laid it under the table by her glider rocker and she went to sleep. Understand we have three Standard King Poodles, it is a Dad and two daughters. The Dad is eleven years old but has always had a fetish for leather! In this case he desired leather and he was hungry for THE WORD! We have had an inside joke at our house. If it was a Biblical question, don't ask Jeeves, ask Shadow! Shadow the Bible hound! I bought the new Bible because I didn't want to be wrongly influenced by doggy doctrine! Give it to me straight!

FATHER, thank you for the good week, the productive week, the safe week. FATHER I find myself excited to come to your house tomorrow and worship you! We have the day off from the pewees FATHER, direct us in this matter! FATHER thank you for all you do! Rest me well FATHER, renew me, make me whole, fill me FATHER, with YOUR LOVE, with YOUR SPIRIT, with YOUR MERCY, and with YOUR GRACE! Anchor me FATHER! I am yours!

I have determined that my own Christianity and my own journey toward salvation is more than a hand full, FATHER don't let me worry about what anyone else is doing but me! Center me FATHER! One final thought. No one can LEAD another person where they don't want to go. It then becomes a push. FATHER bless the Shepherds at Highland, bless the Highland Ministries, and bless the Ministers and Staff!

All that I am I owe to you! FATHER, somedays I bet you cringe! Today was not one of those! The GLORY is YOURS FATHER! I need a do again! Let your blessings flow! Engulf me FATHER!

One more day to my one day weekend! Four more days to the soup line! (just kidding!) FATHER, you know my needs. Thank you in advance! I love surprises, you can reveal your plan any time! Thank you for your love, for your mercy and for your grace! Thank you for Jesus and the hope and promise we have through him! Travel with me tomorrow! Me, KRL and the Pewee's are coming to your house Sunday. We have invited my sister Pat and her family as well. Bless our efforts! Thank you FATHER!

Yesterday ended up being long but it wasn't a problem. Some required maintenance needed to be done! Still it was a good and productive day! Today was good. I got home early enough to see Kat before Trace and Lauren picked her up. They sure are missing Ellen. Ellen is having a big time at the Marsha Sharp Lady Raider Basketball Camp! woo! woo! She is enjoying staying with Uncle Rian, Aunt Erica and cousin Reid! Ellen met Coach Sharp and has been collecting Lady Raider autographs! Her team lost last night 15-6 but she had all six of her teams points! Go Ellen!

I got some bad news late today. My work partner, Jaime,is being pulled from our job. I am so disappointed and I think he probably is too. We are thirty-two transfer from completion, six days. We have been through three hundred and twelve and counting! You become mesmerized and one way or the other I need to be there at completion. I hate repetition but I hate quitting more!

I have been trying to figure what might transpire in the next two or three months. We have a lag before we have to perform on our next contract. For the past ten years I have spent from late August until January in the St. Lawrence community. I have made some good friends out there. Its a 24/7 job while it is up and running but it is rewarding! I will try to write more about Padre Tom, the soap of choice and the general info about the community.

FATHER, thank you for the tremendous day you blessed me with! I thank you for allowing me to work with Jaime and I thank you for the way we complimented each other, bless him as he goes on to other work FATHER. I thank you for the safe day, the productive day. I am so tired FATHER and we have just reached hump day! Rest me well FATHER! We are back to the one day off work week. FATHER I thank you so much for this job, we are almost at completion. This would not have been possible if not for your involvement FATHER. YOU are the GOD FATHER! YOU are MY GOD! For YOUR GLORY, FATHER! Please bless my tomorrow when it become my today! Thank YOU FATHER!

Wow! Short night! I did about four hours of eye lid study and then they were opened! I guess I need to get an early start on my day. It may mean I need a little extra GOD time for all that is swirling in my life.

I got in early last evening, I didn't do anything different but my day flowed. I have been trying to get away from clock watching. I know when I arrive at work what I have to accomplish before I leave, regardless of time. I found myself breaking the day down into small units and keeping up with where my work should be at a given time. I also found myself spazzing and stressing when I would get behind the established curve. Now when I get to work I go on GOD's clock and I know that no problem will present itself that cannot be overcome with HIS help. I still have some days that are better than others but that is the nature of life, my key is that I know I am not carrying the load alone.

FATHER, I thank you for the night and the rest. FATHER I thank you for this new day and the blessings it holds. FATHER I thank YOU for walking every step of my day with me, thank YOU for carrying me when I can't do my part. FATHER I pray that my day will bring glory and honor to you. I pray for a safe day and a productive day, purify my heart and mind. For YOUR love FATHER, thank YOU! FATHER, settle me, soothe me, with YOUR presence this day.

The best thing about working is developing an appreciation for days off! I loved having Sunday and Monday off! It was tremendous, stupendous, outstanding! The worst thing about working is having to go back to work after a couple of days off! We are counting down at 43 more transfers! I figure it at seven full days and the eighth will be a half with clean up and the end!

This is probably going to be one of those rambling blogs, there is a lot rolling around in my mind and anyone who knows me knows how much room there is in there!

I was so surprised Sunday when the budget and finance team reported at Highland. This years budget is 2.7 Mil. I knew Cope was compensated but I had no idea! I want a job like that, three hours a week! Just kidding Mike! I know that it is a demanding job and I appreciate the fact that it is one that you desire! O.K. back to the budget! GOD's business is BIG business. I like the fact that Highland is reaching out. I pray for all the Ministries and all the Ministers and Shepherds.

I seem to remember a few days ago promising a dirty story to satisfy everyone! No, not that kind of dirty. This one is the laundry story about Chris, my nephew. To refresh, Chris is legally blind, he attended college this past year (o.k., if they allow him to return he will be a third semester freshman at Sam Houston State University, he has an appointment to meet with the Dean and plead his case this Thursday or Friday, GOD needs to take charge here and give Chris some direction.). Chris' claim to fame is he did laundry ONE time in a fifteen week semester! He claims that there are about eight sides to every piece of clothing! right side, wrong side, front side, back side, inside outside, left side (we already have a right side), o.k. I can only count seven. Chris says if you can't make a "pair of jeans last a week "you ain't tryin'". Now this is where Chris' mom and I part company. Chris has been home for almost a month and she has just now caught up with his semester of laundry! I told her I would haul his scrawny butt down to the laundry mat and deposit him there until he had washed and dried and folded every piece of laundry! ........Chris is so thankful he lives with his mom!

FATHER, it was a tremendous day! I had a hard time getting out of the bed, you rested me so well! FATHER thank you for the productive day, and the safe day. FATHER, I am working myself out of a job. I know you will provide. I don't mind working FATHER. If you present the opportunity, I accept the challenge and I thank you. FATHER, I love you because you loved me first. I thank you for JESUS and for the hope and promise I have through him. Surround me with your angels FATHER!