Wednesday, September 30, 2009

God's Blessings....

Katie took this picture of a beautiful Tennessee sunrise, early one morning a few weeks ago.
This picture was taken on the way to one of Katie's basketball games. This picture and the one below, we call them "Heaven Stairs".

What a beautiful site! God blesses us with more than we will ever know.




Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Simply Joy Catering Blogspot Is Back Up And Running!


I was having some web page problems for a little while on my Simply Joy Catering Blogspot. I have worked those "kinks" out today and have most of everything restored.



Of course, I have lots of pictures to get posted and will have those up and running tomorrow! I have posted a few tonight, but...more will be up tomorrow. Stop by and look at some of my work at http://www.simplyjoycatering.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Happy Birthday Angela!

Our family would like to wish our sweet cousin Angela Heffington a Big Happy Birthday!
Enjoy your special day!!!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Remembering 09/11/01

We will never forget!

"Snake Fence"

The "Snake Fencing" is flying around here....Tommy & Patti you can come borrow some of ours! We're "Snake Safe"! lol
We even have managed to have a "Snake Corral".

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

A Sweet Note For Today....


God Is Good!

Last year Linda King designed this logo using similarities from Life is Good. Without God, life is good, but with God, life is everlasting!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Terrific Tuesday's



The last few days have been absolutely crazy. In the last couple of weeks Dillon has received two letters from two separate Organizations recognizing his Academic Excellence. The first letter he received he was asked to study abroad in Europe with other students from David Lipscomb in Nashville. We have already been through all of the "junk" mailings when John Ryan was a High School student and "weed" through all of the junk mailings. He was extremely honored when he received this letter. He will be even more excited when he gets home today to read the letter he received in the mail. He has been invited to be a Student Ambassador in Australia the Summer of 2010. What a great adventure! I can't wait to see and hear his response!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

We Love Church Signs and Good Bill Boards....


With all of the church signs and bill boards we have seen over the past few years, this one is the best! We just had to share it with you!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Rest In Peace Auntie B


Our hearts have been saddened today. This afternoon, our wonderful friend Mona called us from Kaneohe, HI to give us the sad news that her Auntie B had passed away. Auntie B was 95 and would have been 96 in just a couple of weeks.


When we visited them back in 2006, we got to meet Auntie B. She reminded us so much of Auntie AhHow who lives in Virginia. Mona and Auntie AhHow came to our wedding back in 1985. Auntie B lived with Mona, Gordon, Leeya, & Scott. We got a hoot out of Auntie B and Grandma Fujimoto. They were a site together. We really got tickled when we heard that they went together by themselves to Vegas twice a year just to go to the casino's. Can't you see them now....one little Chinese lady and one little Japanese lady? (Auntie B is Chinese and Grandma Fujimoto is Japanese) When we visited, Auntie B fixed us every morning fresh baked bread, fresh papaya, and some of her homemade Passion Fruit jelly. Of course at night she and Grandma Fujimoto would have a wonderful supper fixed for everyone to enjoy together. We also got tickled at how matriculate Auntie B would have the house, inside and outside. It was spotless! She even swept the yard, the curb, and the street in front of their home. Nothing was out of place. All of the beautiful tropical plants were beautiful like they were in a botanical garden. It was funny to see her tell Liache (their Red Chow who lives in the house) to hush in Chinese. I can still smell the bread just fresh from the oven.....


Mona you all are in our prayers and we will miss Auntie B very much! We just wish that our kids could have met her and got to know such a wonderful lady.....In Hawaii, Mona & Gordon's kids called us Auntie Joy and Uncle John. They all are more than friends.........their our family!


Rest In Peace Auntie B.....We Love You!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

An E-Mail Forwarded....Enjoy


"Good morning," said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.
His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled....
To his amazement, the woman continued standing.
She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically.. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away!"
The woman's smile became even broader..
Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone!"
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..
"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet.. Will you help me?"
The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."
"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything!"
"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived...
The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked, "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"
"What business is that of yours?"
"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
"Oh?!"
The woman smiled again, "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle.. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"
"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice.."
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."
The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"
Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.. "I think so -- I mean, you do look familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."
Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to goover to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."
"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.
"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel director of mycompany. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."
There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.
"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank
Jesus... He led me to you."
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways...
"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.
"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And..And thank you for thecoffee." If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing.
If you have missed some of my emails, you might have missed a laugh.
But, if you have missed knowing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you have missed everything in the world!
Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always and don't forget that when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will be returned to you..

God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small He can curl up inside your heart..