Home Again!

Wow, what a weekend in Nashville! My friend, Dianne, and I (top picture) left on Thursday afternoon after work and drove to Montgomery, AL and, since it was already dark, got us a motel room and spent the night. We drove on in to Nashville on Friday morning (actually it was Friday aftrernoon before we got there). The sessions started Friday night and ended on Sunday.

The second picture above is Christian comedian Ken Davis, me, and Janet Paschal. Dr. Charles Stanley was there also, but I was not able to get a picture of or with him. Ken is so funny yet so inspiring. He did his comedy on Saturday morning and then brought the Sunday morning sermon. He is awesome! Janet brought the house down as well. She's always on the Gaither videos and can really belt out a song. I knew she had been battling cancer, but she shared with us that she had just gone to the doctor last week and got a clean bill of health! Praise the Lord!

The bottom picture (the man in the middle with the dark coat and blue shirt) is Lt. Col. Oliver North (click on the picture and enlarge so you can see him better). I actually got to shake hands with him, and he signed his book for me. What a testimony he has! I have a deeper respect and admiration of him after hearing him speak.

The music was fantastic: The Pfeifers, Voices of Lee, Greater Vision, Janet Paschal, Dennis Wilson and, of course, Legacy Five. It was entertaining, inspirational, and VERY patriotic. Before every session, a salute to the armed forces scrolled by on the screens with the National Anthem and other moving songs being played in the background. The veterans in the audience of 2,000 were recognized and applauded for their service to our Country for our freedom.

Besides the blessings from the sessions, just staying in the Gaylord Opryland Hotel was amazing. This was our second time to experience this, but it was just as exciting as before. You can hardly imagine so much being under one roof. We didn't leave the hotel the whole weekend as everything we needed was there -- restaurants, shops, boat ride (yes, right there in the motel!), pool and spa, etc. etc.

This was the last "trip" planned for the year (until I think of another). I am so thankful God has allowed me to do all I've done so far this year and has protected me from harm. He is so good!! It has been a quiet Memorial Day for me just running errands, stopping by a friend's house to visit a few minutes, and hanging around the house. I now have to face my bedroom where suitcases are still in the floor and the bed covered with "stuff". Yuk! I hate unpacking. Oh well, it's gotta be done. So, until next time...Wanda.

Out for Weekend

Since I'm gonna be gone for three days, I knew I better put something on here or I'd get reprimanded. ha. I just realized that some of the people who remind me I haven't blogged in a while don't blog themselves! What's wrong with that picture? You know who you are. ha.

I am in the midst of packing for the weekend as Dianne and I leave tomorrow after work for Nashville. Of course, we won't reach Nashville tomorrow night but will get about half the distance behind us. Besides it being helpful to break it up, it's fun to get to spend time with a friend with no distractions. We live two houses apart and hardly ever see each other and never visit. Most of that has to do with our jobs but it's still a shame that we don't see each other more often. It takes a trip to get us out of town to do that.

Why is it when you plan a trip that you either overdo or under do the packing? I always fall into the overdo category "just in case." This only creates more stress as you have to remember shoes to go with outfits, jewelry, purses, etc. etc. etc. At least I have made progress in the last year -- I now wear sandals with the toes out and without hose/knee highs. I still don't have pretty feet, but, as my sweet sister told me, nobody cares about my feet so be comfortable. I have discovered that there are uglier feet out there than mine, so I'm going for it!!!!

Since I won't be home until late Sunday night, there won't be anything else on here until at least Monday. Just letting you know that I'm not procrastinating - just won't have access to a computer. Until next time...Wanda.

Conference

I just got back last night from the Women of Faith conference in Jacksonville with my five other buddies. We had a blast being with each other and were wonderfully blessed by the speakers. It seemed to be better this year than last or maybe I just needed to hear what was said this year more than last. Whatever the case, it was great. Three of my friends had never been and are just raving about how good it was, how blessed they were, and how they can't wait for next year. Yes, it's going to be in Jacksonville again next year, so I hope we will have a much bigger group to go. With speakers like Patsy Clairmont, Luci Swindoll, Marilyn Mehberg, Sandi Patti, Sheila Walsh, Nicole Johnson and Max Lucado, how could you NOT be blessed. Plus, the music of Nicole C. Mullen was awesome. Not my kind of music but awesome anyway. It was geared more to the young set - very upbeat and loud. ha. But when she sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives," wow, I got chill bumps!! Of course, Sandi Patti and Sheila not only spoke but sang as well and I love both of them. I came home tired and went to bed about 10:15, which is very early for me. However, when I got to church this morning, the rest of the group said they were dragging. Not me! I was rested.

Okay, the weekend is almost over and I have to shift gears and go to work tomorrow. I don't mind and even look forward to it. It will be another short work week for me, as Dianne and I go to Nashville this coming weekend for the Legacy Five annual Memorial Day celebration at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. The hotel is a treat in itself - like a whole city under one roof! After that trip, I have no other travel plans. Gee, I'll have to think of somewhere else to go!

Hope all of you have a great week. Until next time...Wanda.

Packin'

Six of us leave tomorrow morning for Jacksonville for the Women of Faith conference, so I'm washing, drying, ironing, and packing my little bag for the overnight stay. Everyone is meeting here at my house at 7:30 a.m., we're loading in the van, going to Hardee's for breakfast together, and then head out. It's only about a 2-1/2 to 3 hour drive, so we should get there, find our hotel, check in, have lunch, and still have an hour or two before the session begins at 7:00 p.m. We are all excited and should come home knowing a lot more about each other. Three are going that have never been before, so I'm really excited for them. Hopefully, they will come home with so much spiritual food and fun memories that they will share with others who showed no interest in going and maybe some of it will rub off. We won't be back until late Saturday night, so this will be my last post until probably Sunday. Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and are in church on Sunday. Until next time...Wanda.

Tuesday Blessings

It's been another great day, although I'm pooped. I was in a dress and heels from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. I had to play piano for Kerry's mom's funeral this morning, so I had to go dressed up to work. Then, tonight was my Women's Ministry meeting and I didn't come home after work but went straight to the church to decorate, etc. We had 13 ladies there, which disappoints me as we should have had 25 or more. However, my sister-in-law, Marge, did a demonstration of flower arranging using every day items (vegetable cans, weeds, pool noodles, cheese grater, etc.) and we all enjoyed that. We drew names to see who got to take home the arrangements and, believe it or not, I won one. I picked the top one one with the least amount of flowers as I am not good at keeping them alive. When the flowers in this one wilt, I'll replace them with artificial ones. ha. I think we all left inspired to do some on our own but, as I say, mine will be with artificial ones. It was fun and Marge did a great job. Until next time...Wanda.

Monday Praise!

I really feel that I don't have anything to write about that would be of interest to anyone, but I hate for you to click in and nothing be there. ha. I had a wonderful Monday and have had a very happy heart all day today just thinking about how blessed I am. It being Mother's Day weekend, I naturally thanked God for my children and the grandchildren they have blessed me with. I thank Him for life, for healing, for His presence, for His guidance, for extended family, for friends He has placed in my life, and a myriad of other things that make life so wonderful. However, at the moment, I know I am not pleasing Him very much as I should be in the other room having my Bible quiet time. It seems every time I head that way I think of something (see how Satan works?!) else to do and it keeps getting put off. I really prefer having the quiet time in the mornings before going to work, but I overslept this morning and didn't get it done. It makes such difference in getting the day started off right and on the right track all day. So, I must close this out and go do what I am being prompted to do - spend time with my Lord and Savior! Until next time...Wanda.

Here I Am Again!

I told you I'd get back to this soon, so here goes. This was Mother's Day weekend, and I've had a very good one. Stuart surprised me and came home for the weekend, and I've talked to both Angela and Jawan today. They are such sweet, wonderful children, and I am so blessed that God gave them to me. Last night Stuart and I watched some old home movies from 24 years ago, some made at Grandma and Grandpa Brasher's house in Mississippi and some made at Terry and Sharon's in Marietta, GA. Wow, how we have all changed! But it was so sweet to see on film my parents, brother and sister-in-law who are all in heaven now and reminensce about those special visits. It was fun to see the children who were then only 3, 6, 8, 9 and 15 years old who now have children of their own. Kinda made me feel old! ha. I'm sure there's a lot more that I could tell you here, but I'm gonna cut this short. I didn't get my Sunday afternoon snooze, so I'm feeling droopy. Just wanted you to know I'm still around. Until next time...Wanda.

A Day Early!

I said it would probably be Monday before I checked in again, but just had to do this while it was on my mind. I went to Angela's this weekend and had a wonderful time. The above is her family (minus Emily who hasn't joined them in singing yet) at the sing at their church Saturday night. I was privileged to sing with them as well but got no pictures of that. Today has been wonderful as usual. I drove back from Angela's early this morning so I could be in SS and church at my own. Had lunch with the usual bunch and then joined the friend who was supposed to have gone to church with me this morning and saw the TOSAC play. The friend's brother came into town unexpectedly, so she had to cancel out on church but has promised to go next Sunday. We thoroughly enjoyed the play and had a great visit catching up on mutual acquaintances. After church tonight, we surprised one of the youth who is graduating tomorrow from home school with a party in the fellowship hall. He is such a sweet, quiet, boy and was presented a really nice study Bible from the church. (He's the one who does my yards.)

I was so afraid I wouldn't wake up in time to drive home this morning that I hardly slept any at all last night. So, I'm about the drop. I'm cutting this short so I can head for bed. Hope all of you had a good weekend and are looking forward to the coming week. I am!! Until next time...Wanda.

AHA!

Bet you thought I had lapsed back into my old ways of procrastination, didn't you?! Just been busy at work, walking in the afternoon, and other things that had to be done (not to mention just resting). Keeping four attorneys happy at the office getting all their work out without any of them feeling like I'm showing preference to one of the others can get a little pressured sometimes. Needless to say, they keep me busy. One of them is about to be gone for two weeks, so I'll get a bit of a breather.

I'm excited about going to Angela's this weekend (leaving tomorrow from work). We will be singing at their church on Saturday night, and then I'll drive back here early Sunday morning in time to play piano for my church. It's been a while since I've gotten to sing with them and I'll probably be a bit rusty. But, Angela, Steve, Meredith and Ethan will probably do most of it anyway, which will be a real treat for me.

I have a friend/former co-worker who is going to church with me Sunday, and I'm excited about that. Her husband died several months ago, her only child lives in Atlanta, and she's alone. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a renewal of our friendship. After church, we'll have lunch and then go to the T'ville On Stage theater production in the afternoon. I have forgotten the name of it but have heard raves about how good and funny it is. It will be a full day!

Until next time (which will probably be Monday)...Wanda.