Usually we line everybody up outside in front of some flowers or trees or something for the Easter picture, but I was thrilled to be able to take their picture in front of the fire this year! Ha! In Texas!!! How crazy is that?! I'm loving it!!!

We have had a man and his 15 year old son, Kenneth and Clovis, attending our services quite regularly for a few months now (praise the Lord!) and yesterday Kenneth's wife and other son, Todd, came with them! We were so excited!!! We had good Sunday School, good worship, and a good message from our pastor. We pray that they were all touched and will continue to come!

After service we had our big meal: ham, cornish hens, deviled eggs, potato salad, corn, beans, and whatever else I'm forgetting, along with the stuff I mentioned earlier that I made. It was great and I think Kenneth's family really enjoyed themselves and seemed to love the fellowship. It was just such a nice time.

Then we came home and crashed for a couple of hours!!! I was soooooooooo tired!!! But then you know what that means. We were SO not tired last night and ended up staying up way too late. Actually, James and I stayed up until 1:00am watching Star Trek, of all things! Ha! I can't even remember the last time I watched Star Trek. And I don't mean any of the new versions--I mean the good, old Captain Kirk and Spock show. There's just nothing like it! We laughed so hard at what is supposed to be so technical. Old fashioned sci-fi is so much better than the stuff they do nowadays. They try to make everything so "realisitic" and "believable" now. Back in the good old days they didn't have to make anything believable, it was just pure, simple fiction and nothing freaky or gory. Kirk got stuck in "the vortex" and they had to achieve "innerspace" before they could retrieve him... and never explained where or why or anything else, it's just the way it was! ~sigh~ It was great. :-)

I've been doing pretty good getting the house put back together today after our weekend, but there are still some things I'd like to accomplish before we go to the party tonight. That's right--we're going to a party! A birthday party, actually. Today is Brother Ellis' 95th birthday, so we're all meeting at a restaurant to celebrate! Should be a great time--I'll try to take a few pictures! :-)

Things seem to be improving with the kids--thank you all for any prayers and advice that you offered! I've had some really good talks and prayers with Katie and she's having a much "nicer" day today. After her early morning issues, that is! The boys, too, seem to be getting along better and everybody has been nicer to each other and helping out around the house and just much more cheerful today. I am sooooo thankful!

I was thinking the other day about how God is already answering my prayers concerning my kids. From the time they were very, very little I've prayed different things for them. I don't know why, but it's always been on my heart to pray that God would make Joe into "a mighty man of prayer" and I pray it regularly. It just occured to me a few days ago that God is already answering that. Joe is by far our most faithful pray-er around here and he continually prays for things that I've already forgotten about. Last night during devotions I heard him praying for Sister Vicki's eye and whatever's wrong with Wendy and that Granddad would be a good General Overseer (first time I remember hearing that one!) and that God would help him and Katie and Sam to be good and not fight and to sleep good and not have bad dreams, and to help the Church of God, and that Uncle Jerry, and Albert and Brianna will get saved, and on and on and on. That reminds me--a few nights ago we sat down to the dinner table and James asked Joe if he would pray over our meal. After a lengthy prayer for "the people at the nursing home and sick people in other countries" and who knows what all, he finally concluded. James sat there for a few seconds then said, "Wow, that was a really good prayer, Joe... But now we need to pray over our food--Katie, would you do that for us please?!" Ha!

As I was saying, I've always prayed different things for the kids. I've always felt like praying that Joe would grow up to be mighty in prayer, and I've always prayed that God would help Katie to be humble and to focus her life on other people and on being a servant. Well...at least God's answering my prayers for Joe! Ha! Then there's Sam. I usually just pray that Sam won't end up in jail!!! I never have honed in on anything particular to pray for him, exept that he'll find his place in serving God and being a blessing, somehow.

Well, I'd best get back to work. I think I can have the whole house pretty much whipped into shape if I try real hard. Well...on the surface, anyway! I'll see what I can get done before Brother Ellis' party in a little while.

Later!

~Becki