Mary the GREAT!

Well, last month, it happened.  I lost my granny.  I knew it was gonna happen.  She was 97 years old, had cancer for the 3rd (or maybe 4th?) time, and had a weak heart from several heart attacks.  She died peacefully, in her sleep, in her own home, with her sweet dog Rufus(her best friend) near her.

Mary the Great, AKA Ralph, AKA granny, was truly an awesome, inspiring woman.  She was probably one of the Godliest women I have ever known.  She lived what she believed, and devoted her life to serving Jesus Christ.  She wrote me a grandmothers book several years ago, which speaks over and over, of her dedication to Christ.  She left an amazing legacy.

I am so glad I got to spend summers with her, building birdhouses, and pressing flowers.  I am glad I got to spend my Monday evenings with her, sharing a meal and watching Full House (one of her favorites).  I am glad my kids got to know and love her, although I hope the littles will remember her as they grow.  And I hope someday I can be a Godly grandmother to Landon, and to all my grandchildren who will come after him.  I hope God will be as pleased with me, as I know he is with her, on the day I leave this earth.

She left me a small amount of money.  I struggled what to do with it, as I wanted her to be pleased with how it was spent.  After lots of prayer, this is what God put on my heart. We bought 10 fruits trees in her memory.  I spend many summers learning to can and preserve fruit with her.  We also bought 3 picnic tables, in honor of her love of "family time".  And finally, we bought 10 pairs of shoes, to be sent to orphans in South America, to honor her loving and giving spirit, that always chose to help and serve.

Bless you, Mary the Great!  Thank you for setting the standard for our family, and thank you for being the exact woman God created you to be!  See you soon!

This was taken the week before granny died.  She and Daley Faith had a very special bond!

My encouragement!

Well, there are times when I feel I am failing with my kids.  Sometimes I question why God chose me to parents all of these kids.  Times when I try to be Jesus to them, but I end up being human to them, and getting frustrated, angry, and losing my temper.  And then I end up mad and disappointed in myself.
Well, God chose to send me some HUGE encouragement today.  In the form of a writing assignment.  Each of my jr high-ers had to writer me a paragraph, on what they expected to be doing with their lives in 10 years.  I want to take a minute to share Brittany's paper with you.  And yes.....I did ask her permission before I printed it here!  LOL

"My Life in Ten Years" by Brittany Owens McKinney

Well, in 10 years, I hope to be in college, earning a degree in beauty, and readying myself to be a worship leader. I pray I have a car at that time, and a nice apartment and that I 'm where I need to be in my relationship with God.  Hopefully there will be no more major bumps in the road and I'll be able to open my own store by the time I am 26.  The store will be like Monica's, only a thousand times better.  It'll be big and have my art everywhere.  And a lot of the money I make will go to help change Haiti.  The store will be in the middle of the worst neighborhood so I can make an impact.  I'll give away clothes, food, school supplies, and anything else, because I know just how much I needed those things when I had nothing. When they come to get the free stuff, I'll use that as an opportunity to share Christ with them. And they don't have to just come to me, I could go to them and drop stuff off at their house.  Or maybe God will lay it on my heart to adopt a million kids, like some "people" I know.  Maybe I'll become a doctor and move to Africa to save lives.  Truth be told, only God knows where my life will go and I've just got to make sure I am ready for whatever God tells me to do.

*tears*