Not a burden

to obey the call of God is an honor and not a burden.

Roll call... Jesus?

Wanted to share this encouragement and hope from Lin Daniels:

"Sometimes, when we are in the midst of heartbreak, we are filled with unrelenting pain. We find it hard to imagine a less-painful time in the future. We feel trapped in sorrow with no hope.

[But], God’s word gives us hope for another season after sorrow, a season of joy and celebration — reminding us that God will walk with us in both seasons and bring healing as we go forward. We will not always stay in that season of grief; we will be able to rejoice again." 

In our seasons of grief, sorrow, or pain as well as in our times of joy, peace, hope and prosperity God is with us.  If you call the roll  for Jesus-  Jesus is always present!

May God bless you always; with comfort and strength as you grieve and heal; with grace, humility and joy as you prosper and triumph.

Life-giving water

Welcome to Friday! - 9.16.2016

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you've never seen.  Hebrews 11:1 (VOICE)

Welcome to Friday!

So, today began around 3:47 a.m. with a knock on the bedroom door.  For the next 45 minutes Trish and I took turns answering and explaining every change in the lights, light on the wall, sound of cars going up the street, noise and creak until I finally gave up on sleeping.  Once I was up and Ava was dressed the morning just seemed to take off and in no time at all is is suddenly - almost noon.   God is good all the time and all the time God is good - Welcome to Friday!

How are you doing?  How have you been and what have you been up to these last two weeks since I last checked in?  I hope that you are doing well and that you have been on a two week plus streak of enjoying favor, hope, love and the fresh flowing love of God.  I hope that things are going well with you and your loved ones.  

We are doing well.  We have had a great two weeks.  Last week we enjoyed time with our first college student, who came home for the weekend.  We were able to hear her college news and adventures.  Occasionally we might whence or frown in the story, but mostly we just enjoyed our time and tried to squeeze in a bit of wisdom and encouragement in the midst of her stories.  She has definitely adapted to the college life.  Trish did a better job of listening and containing her emotions than I did.  She also did a great job of listening to what was not said and following up on that.  The girls were very excited for Cassarra's visit.  They were all over her nearly the entire time.  In fact, Gabbi waited on Cassarra's arrival in the garage.  The time was great - and too short.  After dinner, a cookie-cake for her birthday, and some visits from friends and family we took her back to Clemson.

This week has been short and fun.  We took an impromptu trip to the coast for a getaway.  We didn't pack much, didn't plan much, but enjoyed ourselves tremendously.  The highlight of the entire weekend was just getting to rest!  Okay, and the other highlight was the response we got when we called Cassarra on speaker phone in the car and pretended that we were heading up to campus.  Classic panic!  It was too funny.  After Cassarra figured out where we were going she was a bit miffed that we didn't come pick her up.  I think she got over it eventually.  I think everyone had a good time.  We definitely got some well needed rest and a nice break from being overextended.   The girls had fun, picked up a few memories for our photo albums and family stories, grabbed some clothes and shoes for those who needed them, and ate some really good food.

We are all doing pretty well and I am thankful for:

• Trish
  
  • Trish's advice to get some rest
  • Trish's love and compassion
  • Trish's friendship
• Solomon's kindness and humor
• Our time with Cassarra
  
  • Cassarra's trip home for her birthday 
  • Safe return back to Clemson
  • Breakfast at CFA
  • Time w/ Cassarra one on one at Denny's
  • Laughter, jokes and catching up
  • Being able to give her encouragement
  • Cookie cake and ice cream
• Time off from work
  • Just taking it easly
  • Getting the yard cut before it got hot
  • Cleaning the kitchen
  • Starting on some more writings
• The trip to Hilton Head Island
  • Good seafood (Crazy Crab)
  • Pizza (Salty Dog Cafe)
  • Window Shopping
  • Shopping for clothes for Trish
  • Ice cream 
  • Alligator sighting
  • Great pictures of the marsh
  • Time in the car (conversation, laughter, closeness)
  • Turning the cell phone off
• Data night w/ Trish at Old Chicago
  
  • Trying new foods
  • Laughing to tears
• Date night with Trish at home
  
• Family dinner night (hotdogs)
• Trish's amazing dinners
  • Ribs
  • Omelettes
  • Chicken and Rice 
• Sermon Series from church on Ekklessia
• The girls
  • Gabbi's laughter and excitement when she saw an alligator up "close-ish" at the hotel
  • Surprising Ava and Emma today
  • Surprising Sydney and Paige w/ breakfast
  • Sydney making Trish and me breakfast one morning
  • Making grill cheese on the waffle iron w/ Ava
  • The girls spending time with Cassarra
  • Conversations on the phone
  • Bible study and bedtime routines
• Good music
• Coffee 
  • Good coffee
  • Sharing Trish's Starbuck's
  • Free Coffee
• Finishing projects at work
• Being blessed and highly favored by God, my God the Maker of Heaven and Earth
• Free Lunch this week at Buffalo Wild Wings
• Bible Study
  • Our topic was Fathers, Mothers and Siblings
  • I have an absolutely amazing Dad
  • I have magnificent (super caring) mom
  • I have kind, successful, and compassionate siblings
  • I have indescribably good in-laws (the best!).  
• Workout at the "Y"

Sometimes life can throw so much at us that we are caught in a cycle of stuff, storms, and more stuff.  I am so thankful that God is the storm walker, and the one who can say tell the storms to stop.  I am so thankful for blessings and hope and the joy of His presence.  

I hope that you are doing well and that you are being kept safe in the shelter of His arms.  I pray that all is well with you and that your weekend will be a festival of grace, a feast of His love, and the biggest banquet of blessings known to mankind.  Enjoy every moment of your day, every moment of your weekend and as always....

Welcome to Friday!

--- Cassius Rhue 

"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)

Love is irresistible, irrefutable, undeniable. Nothing rises to it. The dark side of our character has no weapon against it. It's our trump card. - Jim Daly

 

He surrounds us

In the midst of the most gnarled and broken moments, God is there. Signs, covenant signs, of His presence surround us; reminders that He is with us always - even until the very end of the age.

Notes on Life - from various sources

On sin:

John Calvin declared that all sin against God is mortal sin in that it deserves death, but no sin is mortal in the sense that it destroys our justification by faith. Protestantism affirms that all sin is serious. Even the smallest sin is an act of rebellion against God. Every sin is an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in His sovereign authority

On service:

"In what we want to conquer for God, we often forget to go to God and get refreshed. We underestimate the power of being still in His presence and dining with our Savior."

"It is a matter of serving either the God who makes himself known or serving the gods of our own conceiving."

Jesus, is the companion I so dearly need. "Am I investing time and attention in God's kingdom?  Am I trying to share the good news of God's love with those who need desperately to hear it."

"Only with Christ as our companion, can we throw our nets in new directions, and with deep dedication begin or continue our special calling to fish for people by living lives of compassion and love."

Our hardwork for God must be the result of God's heart work in us - Jarrid Wilson

On the quickening power of the Holy Spirit:

May we be "brought out of our state of spiritual death by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit.  It is God who makes us alive as we become His craftsmanship (Ephesians 2:1-10)."

On our need for prayer and introspection:

We need to ask "God to search our hearts and our motives and reveal anything that would displease Him and discredit fellow Christians. We must never bring a false report against anyone or give a false word from God. We need to be on our knees praying that we do not become just like that old prophet. We must be diligent so that we do not travel down that path."

~ Steven P. Wickstrom, http://www.spwickstrom.com/doubt/ based on 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+13&version=KJV

——

Various devotion sources 

Welcome to Friday! 8.12.16

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.  

~ Prov. 22:4

Welcome to Friday!

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children.  

~ Psalms 103:17 ESV

It seems like this week has gone by pretty quickly.  I hope you felt the same way.  I know that it has been a good week for us, even if tinged with a bit of bitter sweetness. 

This week was a short work week and even at home it all seemed to fly by so fast.  I think it was a fast week because of Thursday.  This Thursday, August 11, 2016 was circled on the calendar for a while.  And it came a lot quicker than I imagined and probably even sooner than I wanted.  Of course, that is probably to be expected when you drop off your oldest and first college student at school; away from home and whatever sense of control you had.

Yesterday was our big day.  We packed the van and headed off to Clemson.  All 8 of the Irmo Rhues plus Deatrice and her boys.  The van was full and so was the trunk of Deatrice's car.  I think having her family and her Aunt was a great blessing for a send off.  Anyway, we made it in good time and with lots of prayers on the way.  We found her dorm and had lots of help unpacking.  We all pitched in in some way, but mainly Trish and Cassarra got the room setup and arranged for a year of success.

After we were done we all headed out for lunch and errands.  Cassarra picked IHOP and we had a good time.   We had some laughs at the table, shared a few sayings from wise parents and grandparents, tried to squeeze in some tips, pointers and advice too.  Leaving campus without Cassarra was part nervous, part fearful, and part proud.   It exciting, a bit sad, and a bit tough. I know she will do great, so that makes it quite a bit easier.

The rest of the girls are well.  It will be interesting to see how they all react today and over the weekend and coming days.  Though the same can be said for me and Trish also.  

Well, I hope that you are doing well.  How are things with you and how did your week go?  Did you have some milestone moments this week?  What were you up to?  I hope that all is well and that you will have an awesome weekend.

It is Friday and all indications are that the weather is good, all indications are that our blessings abound, and the fixed and firm truth of it all is that God is still Sovereign.   As always, love you and 

Welcome to Friday! 

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court. - Psalm 127:3-5 

I am thankful for:

TrishDate nightsFamily dinnerSafe travelThe angels of the LordEncouragement PrayerFamily Trish (yes, I know I said it already)Coffee Higher education Sacrifices of our forefathers and parents ScholarshipsOpportunity Laughter Reliable carsGood food @ IHOPtime off Bible reading Wisdom and insightChildren and their energy Sleeping lateMusicThe girlsExtended family and friendsRainAC repaired @ work

--- Cassius Rhue 

 

Our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness

Faith does not fit into an easy formula. Sometimes it leads to victory and triumph. Sometimes it requires a gritty determination to “hang on at any cost."

What our faith rests on is the belief that God is in ultimate control and will indeed keep His promises—whether that happens in this life or the next. —Philip Yancey

Welcome to Friday! 7.22.16

For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity].  Philippians 1:21 AMP

Welcome to Friday! 

Last night there was an absolutely amazing full moon over the skyline.   I took so many pictures,  but none of them did the beauty of the moon any justice.   Each photo looked like a little dot in the sky, when the moon was actually quiet majestic and grand.

So, how are you doing? How are things going with you and in your life?   How was your week?  Did you have a good, great or an exceptional week?  How is Friday going for you?  Are you getting things done, getting rest or using the day to get ready for the weekend ahead?  What was the one thing that you did well this week?  If you had to name your biggest or best accomplishment what would it be?  Well, whether it has been a good or grand day, Welcome to Friday! 

We are doing well.  Trish and I are back at home after a little overnight scare with Emma.  Yesterday Gabbi and Trish noticed that Emma was breathing pretty fast, and out of breath.  She also had a runny nose and fever.  The fever and the breathing were very sudden changes.  Trish's smart thinking was on point.  She called the doctor and then she took Emma to the closest ER.  An ER visit and overnight stay later and we are back at home with Emma and even more thankful for prayers and grace.  

The doctors think she may have had a respiratory virus on, and on top of that she had an ear infection.  The respiratory therapist also said it could have been an allergic reaction (of sorts), but not likely asthma.  The symptoms were a lot like asthma and her treatments were very similar.  She was in the ER for over 6 hours before getting a medical transport to the Children's Hospital.  I have to say that through it all, Emma was a real trooper.  Thankfully, the breathing calmed down overnight and they released us today around 2 or 2:30pm with some new medicines for the ear infection, and a rescue style inhaler.  The respiratory therapist gave us some good recommendations and much needed education.  

Trish and I knew Emma was doing better when she started trying to take off the oxygen sensor, kept getting out of the bed, and wouldn't stop talking.  She did finally manage to get out of the oxygen and pulse rate sensor on her own.  It was sort of funny.  It seemed like she was trying to discharge herself from the hospital.  Seriously, it was funny to see after a tense afternoon and night.  The nurse, Trish and I told her to keep the sensor on.  We told her that she had to keep it on even while playing with Play-Doh.  When she got a little bit of it on the sensor I said, "Emma don't get it on the sensor or it might not work."  A few minutes later the entire sensor was buried inside a big yellow ball of Play-Doh.  It was as if a light bulb clicked and she decided, "Oh, it won't work with a little Play-Doh... then it really won't work stuffed inside the entire ball of Play-Doh."  Well, the doctor agreed with Emma that it could now be taken off.  He also joined the rest of us in being puzzled that the sensors continued to report stats, indicating that the ball of dough had both a pulse 64 and 64% oxygen levels.

Other than Emma's unexpected episode, we are all doing well.   I have had a great week, even with the difficulty of Thursday and Friday.  It started with our family reunion weekend.  The weekend was an absolute blast. The venues, activities,  banquet, laughter, humor, food and of course family made the time so memorable.  We had nights of fun running over into the early morning.  In fact, even the drive down to and back from the reunion were packed with fun.  On the ride down Cassarra, Gabbi, Ava, Emma and I rode together and traveled on Thursday night.  We had a jam session via Pandora tunes and mixes from Youtube.  It was like a total request radio station that played your favorites all the time.  We mainly did contemporary , first, but then I switched to contemporary Christian and then we switched to Christian rap.  When we did "Mr. Preacher Man," a Gabbi favorite, the whole car came alive.  Gabbi has some dance moves... even seated and strapped in a seat belt.  The ride back was a 2+ hour recap of the fun we all had over the weekend and conversations about family we hadn't seen in a while.  I was so thrilled with the reunion I followed my cousin Solomon's lead and wrote about my feelings and reflections.  

Ava at the reunion cookout / fun day .  Face paint courtesy of Arianna

Not a part of the reunion, but fun nonetheless.  These are the tracks left after one of the best tractor bogs and father / son times my the weekend

In between the fun and memories of the weekend and the unexpected ER visit, our week was packed with joy and fun.  Trish had a weekend of rest and relaxation.  And then Trish got to hear all of our stories from Sunday night through Wednesday.  I took Monday off from work and recovered, spent time with the girls, and just hung out on the porch.  On Tuesday it was back to work for me, back to flute lessons for Sydney, back to summer reading for Paige, and back to the usual things for the teens and little ones.  We hit the park on Wednesday after dinner and enjoyed Slurpies and ice cream.  The girls had Slushies/Slurpies and Trish and I had ice cream.  While we were at the park, Gabbi and Cassarra had a chance to go to the movies.  It was Gabbi's second viewing of "Now You See Me 2."  They both enjoyed the movie and the time with family @ the movies.  Gabbi and Syney did dinner on Thursday and made shrimp and grits.  The girls are really good cooks and the shrimp and grits were very good.

Well, I hope that you are doing well.  I hope that you have had a great week and that you are having a phenomenal Friday.  The things I did well this week was not overreacting, catching up on being out at work, spending time with Trish and laughing.  I'm not certain what my biggest accomplishment was.  I'd probably say some of my biggest accomplishments this week were in controlling my own emotions, taking the time to write and make sure we all were having fun.  I definitely needed to control my emotions during some conversations/moments at work.  And I had to pray my way through the moments of uncertainty with Emma.  I can only imagine how hard it was on Trish to watch Emma in the ER.  It was definitely hard on me being at work getting the updates that she hadn't improved or marginally improved.  When they say there is power in the Word, and in the name of Jesus - believe it!  Another big one was just staying up past midnight and still being able to get up at 5 or 6, without major aches or attitudes. 

Well I hope that you are doing well.  I hope that things are well and that God is definitely shining down on you.  I pray that your weekend is full of fun, full of refreshing, and full of time in His presence and under His love.  May the Lord God bless you deeply, richly and abundantly.  As always, 

Welcome to Friday!

I am thankful for:

• Prayers for Emma
• Trish
• Emma's recovery, and the effectual working of the medicine
• Cassarra and Gabbi helping out at home
• Sydney and Gabbi making dinner on Thursday
• Family
• Friends and co-workers
• Our family reunion planners, the planning group and the reunion
• Laughter
• Dinner at home
• Conversations w/ Trish on the porch
• coffee
• Great food at the cookout/fun day
• A new Fitbit (free replacement)
• Safe travel to and from Georgetown
• No snakes while pulling out the tractor with Daddy
• Time w/ Daddy on the tractors (even if the sun nearly fried me like an egg)
• Jokes and fun at the Habitat House
• Late night pizza with the teens
• Doctors and staff at the Children's Hospital
• Having an article accepted for a devotional
• Bible study
• On Thursday w/ the men's group
• On Thursday w/ Yuhui
• At home w/ Trish using the War Room study booklet
• Cassarra getting prepared for school
• Time w/ my siblings, especially my brothers
• Watching the kids dance, especially Abby, Ava, Emma and Benjamin
• Celebrated birthdays and upcoming birthdays

God, we are so grateful for a mercy that we do not deserve and cannot comprehend.

Lord, we are so thankful for grace beyond our wildest dreams and most fanciful imaginations.

Father, we thank you for all that you do for us - even all that you have done.

May Your love and kindness continue to give us comfort, strength, hope and joy.

May we be protected and sheltered in Your arms always.

Reflections on the 2016 Sam C. Rhue Family Reunion

!!! Yes !!!

Let me start off by saying that this was an absolutely phenomenal family reunion weekend.  I enjoyed myself tremendously, and based on the stories from the girls, so did they.  We just overwhelmed Trish with stories Sunday night and all day Monday. 

So, my reflections actually go back to the fun that started on Thursday night.  At the house we started the reunion off by laughing about who was and was not going to the service project in the morning.  The girls and I had no shortage of laughs at Joshua's list, the excuses my girls were trying to make to not go, and laughing about just the idea of working on a house in general.

When we got up that morning the laughter and fun started early.  Momma faked us all out by playing around in the kitchen with coffee.  We all thought she was making breakfast for the Habitat volunteers.  Sike!  The joke was on us.  When we got ready to leave there was no breakfast.  And then Sydney and I burned what little bit of sausage we tried to quickly cook before leaving.  Cassarra and Gabbi were some kind of hot about having to work on empty.  Joshua wasn't exactly thrilled either.

Once at the actual house we had a blast.  I mean, I really enjoyed the Habitat House.  I enjoyed working alongside my family (siblings and cousins).  I enjoyed using the power drill and hammer.  I laughed my butt off with Joshua, Aimee and Denise as we worked on putting nails into the siding.    Notice, I didn't say I enjoyed using the caulk gun.  The caulking was the least favorite thing.  My caulk gun just leaked all over the place.  It was messy and time consuming.  I think the word we used was tedious.  Now, painting was different.  Painting was fun.  The girls painted from the start and after finishing our side we joined them.  It was lots of fun laughing at bathroom breaks, port-a-potty humor, dancing, music, and jokes.  There were some humorous comments that had dual meanings and Joshua's snickering let us know each time something was said in a way that we didn't really intend.  Denise and I told him we were surprised.  He calmly replied that he wasn't a little kid.  And again he snickered.

It was so nice to learn more about the family that we don't get to see that often, or talk to other than "Hi," "Hello" and "How are you doing?"  It was so cool when Thornell dropped the "Oh yeah, I saw her (Rihanna) at the Grammy's" comment.  He was so casual, like "no big deal."  I enjoyed family members talking about their personal accomplishments in education, business, and travel.  I loved to hear about who has a new business, stepped out on their own, and who is doing well in their work and life.  I enjoyed Paula's story about her grandkids, the trip down and her mom.  I loved hearing about Leslie's family and her siblings.  I enjoyed celebrating Jennifer Hudson's accomplishments and hearing of her future plans.  Plus, when we were finished we had painted the whole house with a first coat of paint.  I did, however, forget to pay Joshua back for rubbing paint down my shoulders and cleaning his hands on my nice shirt.  I will save the painting a stripe up his back for another occasion.   

But seriously, just think about it, a family with a legacy of building homes and helping the community came together to build a house and help the community.  Not many families would think about doing this, let alone do it even in the middle of the reunion.  This idea should become a part of every, every reunion going forward.  Some contribution to the community along the lines of the pioneers of the family.

Now, while not technically part of the reunion experience, I got the chance to participate in one of the biggest and messiest tractor bogs in Felix H. Rhue history.  Daddy won the prize for getting his big blue tractor stuck.  We had a time getting it out, and the memories of this episode will last a lifetime.  I even took some pictures just to remind myself of how bad it was.  So while not a reunion event, it just seemed to fit with the whole reunion.

The banquet was a hit.  The venue was great.  The information about Sam C. Rhue and his family was a big hit all by itself.  It was so interesting to see the census data, to be able to trace our roots back that far, and to have records - actual records for granddaddy and great-granddaddy.  It was cool to even see that at one point his name was misspelled Rue or spelled Rue, and that granddaddy was spelled Phelix.  I loved seeing the little sheets that described how we came to be one of the most amazing, accomplished and diverse families.  I learned about an aunt that I didn't know about, put some pieces of the family puzzle together with more clarity, and had some cool new facts to add to my family tree.  I couldn't wait to tell Trish about the misspelling and great aunt that I didn't know about.

The appetizers were a bit hit, especially the different dips and pita bread.  Once we moved to the actual banquet, things continued to get better.  The program was really nice.  It was nice, neat, short and sweet.  I appreciated having a legacy table and the significance of it.  The tributes to those who passed away was the right touch, and definitely a good reminder to make use of the reunion and the time between reunions.  Aunt Roberta giving the legacy and history of her father was very memorable.  

I enjoyed the atmosphere and making connections with aunts and uncles and cousins.  I count it a victory having been able to meet some cousins I didn't know and re-acquaint myself with some that I had just not seen much of.  I loved talking more and more with those that I grew up with, like Elka and Monique and Terri.  I am thankful that the reunion group worked so hard on creating the environment where interactions had to take place.  Not to large so that we didn't have to interact.  Not too small that all interactions seemed forced and coerced.  

The food at the banquet wasn't what I expected after hearing rumors of shrimp and grits.  But the salmon slices were delicious and the dessert was worth the sugar rush and crash.  Emma and I shared three slices of the lemon or key-lime pie.  I'm not sure what kind it was and truthfully we didn't care what kind it was - it was just that good.  Ava downed as much fruit as her little mouth could hold and both Ava and Emma loved the free refills on drinks.  They also took advantage of every cousin (known and unknown) that allowed them to have another unsupervised drink moment.  All of the girls in my crew and many other crews loved the bread rolls.  And I enjoyed the flavor of the rice.  My favorite was the salad, especially when I had it drenched in dressing.  While baked fried chicken isn't the same as baked or fried, the flavor of my piece was good and I won't complain. 

The best of the banquet was the dancing.  The line dancing from registration was cool, but after the banquet all of the dancing was so much fun.  I just enjoyed the variety of dancing and dance styles.  I loved seeing generations together on the dance floor.  I think at one point Uncle Sam was swaying om pr near the floor along with nieces and grandnieces.  Now, there flavor was a lot more ... um something... than his.  I laughed at some of the little kids on the stage, like Ava, Emma and Benjamin.  They would shake their butts and twist their hips like they knew what they were doing.  Again the venue was just right for the dancing.  The stage was the perfect place for the little kids.  Not too high that they might really get hurt, and out of the way of the more "polished" club crowd trying to really throw down.  The night was so much fun that Emma crashed hard once we got home - fantastic!  Even after the banquet I took my girls and Joshua to get a late night snack.  We haven't done that since they were in middle school or high school.  Back at home we swapped stories and ate pizza until after 12.  It was so worth the late night and the early morning that followed.

The breakfast was beautiful and delicious.  The food was outstanding and the selections were very fitting.  The grits and sausage casserole were really well done and they tasted amazing.  I'm biased of course, but the food was really good no matter who you asked.  The time at the tables before the presentations was filled with jokes, laughter and recapping the dancing and fun from Friday night.  The presenters were good.  No, check that, excellent.  The information on "Heirs Property" was perfect for a family like ours with so much property, so many heirs, and in an area that is growing rapidly with development and a potential target for land grabs.  I was glad to see lights coming on with various family members and having them realize that we should work together to protect our family's land legacy, even as we preserve the other aspects of the legacy.  I found the first speaker to be so engaging, refreshing and surprising.  He had great presence.  Even the second speaker did a great job telling jokes and making moments of laughter for the weekend.  I also enjoyed the Gullah display that was provided outside.  Kudos to Katina for sending the kids downstairs so they weren't as disruptive.

Even the family meeting with all of its back and forth was excellent.  We were talking, engaged and passionate.  Negative gave way to positive and the desire to really make the reunion better for all.  I was excited about the fact that once again we had multiple generations involved in the discussion and present in the room. 

Words and time escape me to describe how much fun the cookout was.  The venue of the Waccammaw Recreational Center was perfect.  I don't use that word lightly.  It was perfect for the family and the event.  It was large enough to give everyone room for multiple activities.  There was room for basketball on two different ends (games and goofing off).  I saw several people using the walking track.  There was room for the little kids and enough things for them to do to stay busy.  The hoola-hoops, the bean toss, the face painting, and the jump rope stations provided lots of choices.  Plus those who wanted to watch had the bleachers to sit and enjoy all the action.  The Olympic games were fun, even if my hands had rope burn the rest of the day.  It was so much fun just competing and still having some free form time to just chill.  All of the competitors enjoyed "red light"

In addition to all the room I thought it was perfect because we weren't exposed to the elements.  It had AC, we didn't have to go out in the rain, and we didn't get exposed to wind and lightning.  Plus, the doors and the multiple chaperones helped with keeping the "little ones" within reasonable boundaries.  Emma felt free to roam, and the eyes from the bleachers, my eyes, and family eyes helped her stay safe.  Plus the curtain kept errant basketballs from becoming tactile missiles for unsuspecting little people.  

The food was delicious.  I loved the coleslaw and the Beaufort stew.  I placed the coleslaw on a hamburger bun with chili and a burger patty and threw down.  It was so good I planned to go make myself another one, but I was so stuffed after just one burger that I decided against it.  The chicken was also a big hit for me.  I had a piece with a lot of sauce and one that was mostly free of sauce.  They were both great and yes, it was worth the extra workout.  Well, it will be once I get back to working out. 

You know, at the gym I saw so many people sitting and talking that it was just, well wonderful.

Even the clean up after the cookout was fun.  So many cousins and siblings pulled together to start cleaning up.  We mopped, laughed, folded tables and chairs, dumped trash, ragged on each other, wiped up, packed up, and laughed some more.  We hustled and cleaned up in record time and it didn't really feel like work.  The man at the gym was impressed, and that is what we are about.  Our family is impressive and our family is one of tremendous character and good work ethic.  As if I didn't laugh enough during it all, perhaps my biggest laugh came when Emma walked out of the gym and headed straight for the grill.  As the cook was still cooking for his next event, Emma asked him for a piece of chicken.  He obliged.  It was very nice of him.  She proceeded to make room at the outside table to eat - I had to pry her away and back to the car.  He even gave Paige a piece of chicken - even though I'm sure she didn't really need one.  And I could go on about how good it was to see Matthew and Joshua playing with each other and including Jaziah.  I even managed to enjoy not winning the game of "Knock Out."  Now that was fun.  All of the girls and guys were so excited to be in the game and the thrill of knocking each other out was exhilarating.  Matthew and Clifton dueling to the end, with Matthew going for the dunk to seal his sweep of all the games we played of "Knock Out."

Craig provided flashbacks of how he used to coach us to use our left hand on the other end of the court.  He provided lessons to one of Hudsons.  Alexandria and I laughed at how we remembered those "You aren't going right" days of playing against Craig.    

And I know it wasn't technically a part of the weekend, but the trip to see the cows with all the girls plus Solomon, Tammy, Cheryl, Christen, CJ, Clifton and our crew was fun.  We laughed about times gone by; shelling peas, chasing cows, working, laughing, and getting spankings.  I got to see Daddy just beaming with pride, enjoying his story time, and sharing one of his many diverse passions.  The other being bogging the tractor. :) 

The drop in (aka after party) at W.I.S.H was a nice ending to the evening.  The food was a surprise.  I wasn't expecting additional food, but it was delicious and much appreciated.  Again the dancing and the interactions were so memorable.  Christen became a dance superstar with her rendition of the running man.  Ava and Emma and Benjamin playing "big kids" was classic and I just wished I took more pictures.  Not to mention finally seeing Vince dance instead of hearing about how good he was and how his version of "such and such" dance is off the chain.  And then Joshua!  Joshua took the floor and he was electric.  The way the whole group surrounded him and hyped him up was something to behold.  We are family and it was on full display on the dance floor.  I had several moments of "I didn't know he/she could dance like that."  I like several others just enjoyed a gathering of family where we were creating memories and enjoying life, not recalling memories and celebrating the end of a life.  I had my fill of the food and the boneless wings were very good.  I tried to stay away from the cake, but when I saw it was nearly gone I relented.  Boy was it good.  Now I can see why it didn't last that long at the after party.  Aside from Emma riding the elevator "by herself" which actually turned out to be with Felicia once and with Tina twice, I had no issues.  Did I tell you that I loved the venue?

You know you have had fun when even the cleanup leads you to laughing.  Seeing Vincent and Clifton and Solomon making jokes as they emptied cups, cleared off plates and folded up table cloths was just another way the night was special.  Leslie and her crew, plus the other cousins who stayed to pitch in reminded me of why our family is one of a kind.  We cleaned that place and we did it in record time.

But, even after all of this the night wasn't over.  Solomon took us back in the time machine and back to when we used to gather around and shoot fireworks.  Emma was so tuckered out that she missed it all, and Ava got enough for her taste buds.  The real enjoyment came in the teens and CJ.  You would have thought none of us ever had fireworks before with all of our moments of "ooh and ahhh."  It was so loud and bright with the different sparklers, bottle rockets, candles and cannons.  Even at midnight!  The funny thing is, momma said she slept through the whole thing.  That tells you that people really enjoyed themselves a lot.  I know I did.

The closeout was worship service.  I looked over the audience to see pastors, singers, preachers, evangelists, lay leaders, current and future disciples of Christ among the legacy of Sam C. Rhue.  And even after worship service was over, the spirit of reunion and family was so strong. 

So, thank you all for making the reunion a blast.  We have been telling and re-telling our stories since Friday.  Each time I hear someone's experience I realize that there is so much more that went on that I forgot about. Like right now, I forgot about all of the funny moments with getting dressed at momma's house - Emma running free out of the bathtub and Joshua replying "Come on Emma!"  Or the snoring episodes that forced Matthew to change rooms.  I almost forgot about how quickly everyone raided the fridge after the "Don't eat from this fridge by order of management" sign came down.  I can't tell you how hilarious it was to pack the mini-van up with an extra rider and hear Sydney and Paige complain about whose butt was over the line.  I can't say thanks enough for the fun Ziah had being a part of the family and having so many cousins know his name and keep him included in the fun.  In fact, Matthew did loads for him just by letting him ride in the Jeep.  

Anyway, I just wanted to send you some of my thoughts and recap for myself.  I loved it all.  I love you all.  Thank you.

--

Cassius

--- Cassius Rhue 

"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'" (Job 28:28)

Love is irresistible, irrefutable, undeniable. Nothing rises to it. The dark side of our character has no weapon against it. It's our trump card. - Jim Daly

 

Welcome to Friday - 7/8/16

You must forgive one another, just as the LORD has forgiven you.  Colossians 3:13

Welcome to Friday

What's up.  Okay, that is probably too informal.  How is it going?  How are you doing?  How are things going with you and with your family and friends?  I just wanted to touch base with you and see how you are doing.  I also wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  I know that holidays and the post holiday times can be a challenge for so many reasons. 

I am praying that you know how deeply you are loved by the Most High God.
I am praying that He will grant you peace, refreshment, and renewal.
I am praying that in the chaos, we will find the calm and joy of His presence.
May the Lord God, our Almighty and Sovereign King bless and favor us tremendously.

How was your 4th of July weekend?  What kind of celebrations did you attend or host?  Did you grill out?  If so, what did you cook?  If you didn't grill out on your own, did you go to somewhere and enjoy some good food, good fun, and good fellowship?  How about the fireworks, did you get a chance to see any fireworks?  Did you purchase and host your own fireworks display? 

We are doing well.  We had a great week and as always so much to be thankful.  My week started off with this question: "When was the last time you laughed deeply?"  As I was thinking back to the last time I had a bust your gut kind of moment, Emma decided to give us a new moment.  Over the weekend, Trish and I took the girls out to celebrate their grades and 4th nine weeks accomplishments at school.  We had a lot to be thankful for and to celebrate this school year:

• Cassarra's graduation
• Gabbi's good grades
• Gabbi's grade improvement
• Sydney and Paige's all A's
• Cassarra's grades
• Ava's first year of school
• Emma's first year being the lone homebody
• Our first high school graduate
• Cassarra making her school choice official
• Sydney being invited to be in an advanced band group
  

Our celebration took us to Old Chicago pizza and the belly laugh didn't take long to come.  We sat down and got our drinks (waters, lemonades, and sodas).  After a few moments we ordered from the menu a couple of appetizers and a couple of pizzas to share.  All of the older kids knew that it would be a while before our food arrived, so we all began chatting and just laughing and catching up.  Emma, however, was noticing plates passing her table.  And she really noticed when the table beside us got their pizza.  As we were talking Emma piped up and said she wanted a slice of pizza.  When we tried to tell her it wasn't ready, she piped up even more and asked if she could have a slice of the other table's pizza.  She looked at their pizza, pointed, and asked for some of "that one."  We had to tell her no, and she responded with big, sad eyes.  Thankfully the appetizers came before long.  We manage to finish the dinner out with a lot of fun, laughter, and some good pizza.  Well, mostly good pizza.  Cassarra and I decided to be creative on one of the selections and in my opinion it back fired.

The rest of our week was really great.  Trish and I had a nice date night at Five Guys.  We had time with the girls at the pool.  Ava was able to get in the water, but Emma, Sydney and I just hung out on the edge.  I wasn't feeling the best and I didn't feel like I had the energy to wrestle with Emma in the pool.  For the 4th of July we relaxed and had a lot of fun.  I started the grill around 11 and I didn't stop grilling until nearly 4.  We cooked steak, hotdogs (lots of hotdogs), Red Hots, sausage, gator sausage and hamburgers.  The gator sausage wasn't as good as I remember it being last time, so I've decided this is the last time for it.  The hamburgers were good, so good I didn't even get one before the were gone.  We also had a blast playing Monopoly.  My reign nearly came to an end as Cassarra managed to make a sweet deal with her sisters to gain control of 1/4th of the board.  The game was really fun and I think Sydney, Paige and Ava enjoyed playing even though they didn't win.  We wrapped up our 4th of July with a visit from my niece and her friend, Trish's cheesecake, and fireworks.  Now, Trish's cheesecake was delicious.  I might rename her cheesecake to the selfishness identifier.  If you happen to get the first slice, you are a lot less likely to want to share.  I got the second to last slice and just barely controlled the urge to finish off the rest.  Our neighbors treated us to a really big show.  They had bottle rockets (bad idea), cannons, Roman candles, and several other beautiful displays.  Our fireworks were fun, but no where near the magnitude of the collective.  It was fun though to watch the kids play with the sparklers, and safely light their own displays.  We all focused on staying safe, and we only had one incident.  This year we bought some small fireworks called "Ground flowers".  We had six or eight of these.  I think eight.  Seven of them went off without a hitch.  But we had one ground flower that seemed like it was chasing Paige.  It was lit well away from her and all the other ground flowers stayed in a 3 ft circumference.  But this one seemed to jump the 3 ft marker by a foot or two, and it followed Paige's every zig and zag until it finally petered out.   Paige was running... boy was she running.  When it finally went out we cleaned up our mess and then watched the last remaining neighboring displays.

We also spent two days at Clemson University with Cassarra's orientation.  That last day before "college" is getting closer and closer.  In many ways orientation was really good and a little tough. They presented a lot of information to both parents and students.  We got to see Cassarra making some good decisions and showing us that she will be okay; provided she continues what she knows, keeps perspective and of course walks with Christ.  We also got to hear a lot about the school and things that parents can do to make the first year successful.  The sessions lasted quite a long time, but in the end it was worth it.  I know Trish had lots of notes from all of the sessions.  I had some good notes as well, but not the same quantity.  That is the good part.  The tough part was just the reality that we will have a college student, and we can't be there every night when she comes home.  And we have to let her learn and make her own mistakes.  It was also tough hearing about the cost... All in all it was a good experience.

Well, I hope that you are doing well.  I hope that you are in the midst of another great week and that you are feeling strong, refreshed, and blessed.  I am praying that you will be kept safe and given a weekend that will be fun, thrilling and enjoyable.  As always,

Welcome to Friday!

I am thankful for:

• Trish
• Date nights
• The girls
• safe travel to and from Clemson
  
• Good grades and learning
  
• good pizza
• laughter
• my parents and siblings
• my mother-in-law watching the girls
• orientation
• time off from work
• reliable and comfortable transportation
• a clean and safe hotel
• comfortable shoes for walking at orientation
• Coffee, especially the free kind
  
• Fireworks and the fireworks displays
• Safely lighting and using fireworks
• Good food on the 4th
• visits from Brittany and her friend
• Bible study time
  
• Time to relax on the back porch
• Cool breezes before the rain
• Cool breezes after the rain
• The chorus of birds in the early morning
• The squirrels not being able to eat all the bird seed

--- Cassius Rhue 

"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'" (Job 28:28)

Love is irresistible, irrefutable, undeniable. Nothing rises to it. The dark side of our character has no weapon against it. It's our trump card. - Jim Daly

I want you to know...

Good morning! I hope that as you read this, you are in the midst of a new, blessed and blissful day.

You were on my mind as often you are.  I often find myself thinking and praying for you, and for myself. 

As I thought about you and about things in life, especially my life, I felt the need to make sure I told you a few things.  In fact, I wanted you to know a bunch of things:

(1) know that I love you
(2) know, deep in your heart, that God loves you
(3) know and believe that you are a priceless masterpiece, a treasure beyond compare, a unique and divine creation
(4) know that I believe in you
(5) know that I am proud of you and always have been, and always will be
(6) know and believe that you are not ordinary, but you are extraordinary
(7) know Christ Jesus, and know that His love will guide you into extravagant, abundant and eternal life
(8) know that you are God's blessing to me
(9) know that you are God's beloved child
(10) know that you were created to do great things
(11) know that you will do great things
(12) know that you are a part of a great family
(13) know that you are wanted and needed
(14) know that nothing and no one can change your worth or sacred value
(15) know that no problem is bigger than God
(16) know that you have no sin that can't be forgiven
(17) know that God is good, great and God alone
(18) know Christ died for you
(19) know that you must stand with Jesus, even if you stand alone
(20) know that I am always here for you
(21) know that I am not perfect, but I love you with all I have
(22) know that you are worth every sacrifice I have ever made
(23) know that we were created for God and in His image 
(24) know that God's love is unconditional, infinite,  extravagant and for you -and-
(25) know that I hope you will have a great day and awesome week.

I love you,
~  Cassius

P.S. I Love You!

Do not fear or be dismayed, for God is enough and Sovereign

Though unrest and chaos surrounds us, the truth that God is Sovereign and Almighty brings us good cheer, unbounded hope, and  unshakable peace. Remember this: All authority has been given to Him (Matt 28.18), His words will never pass away (Matt 24.35), He is our refuge, strength, and ever present help (Ps 46.1), He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13.5), He has overcome the world (Jn 16.33), He has triumphed ( Rev 5.5), and He will make all things new (Rev 21.5). Have a great week! Love you, Cassius

Welcome to Friday 7.1.16

Blessed [highly favored by God, prosperous and to be envied] is the one that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way [follows after, taking advice from, or heading the example] of the wicked, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. Psalm 1:1

Welcome to Friday!

 But their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law [precepts and teachings] they meditate day and night.  Psalm 1:2

Life is a grand and beautiful blast.  No one else but the Master could take the broken pieces, the chips and dents, the mix-ups and mashups, highs and lows and create from them a work of art.  This week has been a masterpiece of intricately woven blessings and challenges, highs and lows and of course one constant - His perfectly irresistible and totally unconditionally love front and center and all around it all.  Welcome to Friday!

So, last week as I was still recovering from being sick I had to head out to work.  We had visitors from our parent company.  As I made my way, hacking and coughing and barely in shape to go, Emma asked me if I was going to work.  This week as I made my way to the door Emma would ask if I was going to work and if I had to go to work.  And not only that, she also started asking me "Why?"  Now, at first she was happy with a just because.  Until Wednesday and Thursday (I think).  On one of these days she asked again and wasn't satisfied with "because," so I said that I go to work so that I can help take care of her.  Now today as I grabbed my bags to head out the door Emma asked if I was going to work.  I said "Yes."  Then she asked again, "Why was I going to work?"  But this time, before I could answer with "So I can take care of her," she replied, "You can take care of me from home!" 

Truthfully, somehow her probing eyes and honest questions are daily reminders, making me actually stop and think, "Why do I go to work?"  Still thinking... and double checking...

So, how are you doing?  How was your week?  Did you have any deep and surprising conversations?  Any moments of reflection and times to ponder your direction and journey?  How is your day going and how have things been in your neck of the woods?  I hope that you are in the middle of an awesome and fantastic Friday, and I hope that your week has been full, fun and a fabulous display of God's beauty and love.

*** Another disclaimer, I am very long winded today ***
We are doing well.  We have been enjoying the summer and the return of the older girls from Salkehatchie.  Well, some of the crew has enjoyed them more than others.  Sydney and Paige were definitely enjoying the freedom and power of being the oldest two in the house while Cassarra and Gabbi where away at camp.  Ava and Emma were glad to have their big sisters home, and so were their parents.  They had some great stories to tell about camp, working, and thinking about the relationship with Christ and serving others.  Please be sure to ask Cassarra and Gabbi to tell you all about it.  I am proud of the two of them for going to camp and for recognizing how much of an impact they are having.

Trish and I enjoyed our date night.  We went to "Old Chicago" pizza in the Vista, ran into one of our old friends from high school, and then went on to enjoy a fabulous meal and delightful and insightful conversation.  As always, I love talking with Trish and I particular enjoy having her all to myself.  Call me selfish, but with six kids I think one night a week isn't being too terribly selfish.  We also had a great time playing cards and catching up. 

The girls had a great week.  We had a great dinner last night.  The boys (my two nephews from Georgetown) were over at dinner.  We had some good jokes, a lot of laughs, and told a bunch of stories.  They told us about their trip to the pool.  Yep, all the girls went to the pool.  Even Emma got into the water.  I made dinner last night a shrimp and tomato based soup with smoked sausage.  I added cheese to mine as well.  My nephew Jaziah and little Ava didn't have soup and so they missed out.

Cassarra has gone to work several days this week.  She even treated herself to a taste of an 8 hour workday.  She wasn't too thrilled at the end of those shifts. 

Gabbi took me to the movies to see "Now You See Me 2."  It was fun going to the movies with Gabbi.  It was her treat for Father's Day.  We went to one of the last late night shows, so getting home after 12 and waking up before 5 was a bit tough.  The movie was really good, even better than the first. 

Syndey has been burning through her summer reading.  She also had flute lessons this week at school.  It is part of her pitch to stay at the Irmo Middle School and part of her being just that talented and committed. 

Paige, Ava and Sydney have been keeping everyone busy with a variety of things.  There newest thing was playing Monopoly together.  Ava doesn't fully understand the game, yet she has won already.  I played once this week, and the end result was I had to treat the non-winners to a Slushie.  Something about "all the property, money, and etc" and "they didn't expect to loose."  I did promise that next time I would take it easier on them. 

Emma made us all laugh with another funny conversation.  Trish informed me that Emma wouldn't work on her letters.  So I asked Emma why she wasn't working on her letters.  Emma replied, "Babies don't do homework."  Wow!  Mind you now, when I asked if she was a baby, she replied she was not a baby.  Homework aside, she is still enjoying the summer activities and mini excursions we all make.

Trish was working on a lot of photos mid week and enjoying some of the Bible studies that she is working through.  She is reading a devotional and study guide by Priscilla Shirer.  We are both working on the War Room Prayer study.  She has done so many other amazing things this week that I could fill up the next few hours with.  Everything from poems, to encouragement, laughter and jokes,  dinner and lunch, trips and little excursions.  The girls are blessed and so am I.


Well, I hope you are doing well.  I pray that you will have an absolutely wonderful weekend.  Enjoy the 4th and all the fun, food, and festivities it will bring.  Please don't light any fireworks while in your hand this weekend.  Please stay safe traveling and be sure to get some rest.  Eat a few extra hotdogs or burgers for me.  I plan to throw something on the grill, maybe some Red Hots.  May you be surrounded by love and deeply blessed today and as always...

Welcome to Friday!

I am thankful

• Trish
• getaways w/
  
• date nights w/
  
• conversations w/
  
• being prayed for by
  
• time at the movies w/ Gabbi
• spending time w/ Emma and Ava
• trips to the Y to workout (its been awhile)
  
• Bible study
• Movies @ home
  
• laughter and jokes
• game times w/ the girls
• my children, all of them
• Slushie runs
• dinners and jokes
• early mornings w/ Sydney and Paige
  
• siblings
• friendship
• encouragement
• jokes and laughter
  
• parents
• two of the best parents - ever!
• yes, I am biased and I am blessed.
  
• in-laws
• the best in-laws - period!
• yes, I am biased.
  
• extended family
• friends
• tears
• scriptures - Trying to memorize more
• Basketball
• good music to listen to while working on peer reviews
  
• Go Cavs*
• coffee
• time to write (esp. today)
  
• Friday
• holiday weekends
• health
• getting over this sinus infection
• new t-shirts
• celebrating children's day
• dinner @ home
• dessert(s)
• joy
• prayer
• memories
• surprises
  

Gracious God, we have so much to be thankful for.  Even in difficultly we praise you for your comfort, your healing and your power working things out on our behalf.  In success we rejoice that you are victorious and our success is but a foretaste of our eternal and triumphant life in Christ and w/ Christ.  In darkness we still cling fast to hope, knowing that you are the light of the world - come so that we might not remain or dwell in darkness.  In times of great light we worship because in your light we find life, hope, and love.  Gracious God, we are thankful for everything from your hand and we wait, with high expectations for what you will do next.  And we ask that you would make our hearts and minds truly grateful for each breath, each moment, every memory, and all our blessings. 

With love (& in triumph), Cassius Rhue 

 

Welcome to Friday (or Saturday) - 6.11.16

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Philippians 1:9‭-‬10 ESV

Welcome to Friday

How are you doing?  How is your family doing? And of course I must ask, how did your week go?  Well, I guess I should ask how have the last two weeks gone for you?  I am sorry that I forgot to check on you last week, and missed our appointed time this week.  I hope that you are doing well. I hope that you are having a good day and that you had a good week.  If you didn't have a great week, I am praying that next week will be better.  

We had just a tremendous two weeks.  We celebrated birthdays, end of school, graduation and the end of an era.  We celebrated well lived lives and the joy of legacy, and we enjoyed time with family.  We had Manna Station and worship services that were encouraging and uplifting.  We have enjoyed date nights, late nights, ice cream nights, and late mornings.  We have cried, laughed, and cried some more.

***** Warning. This is a long recap ******

Gabbi and I finished our amazing birthday celebrations at the end of May and start of June.  The events included fun, family time, dinner celebrations, cake, cupcakes,  ice cream, trips to the pool, pizza, and candy.  And most of that was just for Gabbi.  Just kidding.  We shared dinner.  For my celebration,  I finished off the last round of birthday freebies with a free coffee, pastry, and Red Robin burger.  I only missed one freebie, a milkshake from Smashburger.  But, I really didn't want it this year.  I had an amazing birthday and I let it run all the way to the end of the month.  You only turn this age once.

Of course Cassarra finished up her era in Dutch Fork schools.  If you ask her, the era ended the second week in May when exams were over and senior grades were turned in. But graduation was the real deal to close the story.  She walked across the stage to close one chapter and start the next one.  It was a great moment for her and all of us.  We are so proud of the accomplishments she has made.  We all enjoyed her day and Trish and I were so thankful for friends and family who shared in this day with us; in person, electronically, or otherwise.  Cassarra split the day between her own celebration and the one of her boyfriend Taylor.  The next few days, she spent time making the rounds for other drop ins.  

  

Ava treated us all to the zoo for her birthday.  She woke up excited and thrilled to go to the zoo, have her cookie cake and open presents.  She was too funny.  When she went to bed the night before she was directing her sisters on how she wanted her door decorated.  They were not too happy with her demands.  When she woke up, very early I might add, she immediately asked to open a present.  This was a repeated theme; an activity followed by the request for a present.  At the zoo, her only complaint was that Taylor didn't join us.  Or as she said to Trish, "I wanted Taylor to come, but you didn't invite him." Keep in mind that Taylor is Cassarra's boyfriend whom Ava and Emma just love to death.  All in all she was  truly blessed by her sisters who each gave her something special; candy, shirts, dresses, coloring books, bubbles and cash.  She had even more blessings from grandparents and aunts.  I know she had a blast.

 

Emma has been her most amazing self.  She has enjoyed Ava's big day and many of Ava's gifts.  She had a lot of fun at the zoo, even acting as if it was her birthday and her zoo trip.  But, then again that is how Ava acted on Emma's birthday.  Emma seems to be loving the summer and the all access pass to sisters, late nights, and short order cooks (also known as teenagers who fix their own breakfast).  Her and Ava were hilarious on the trip to and from Alabama and they were unbelievably funny playing family at bedtime.   Emma played the roles of dad and a couple of sisters.   Ava was mom and the remaining sisters.   Their banter was funny, and sometimes too accurate and close for comfort.  They replayed events and it was weird and enlightening to hear things from their point of view.  For example, nah... never mind.

Paige has been on an electronics binge now that school is out.  She leaves every iPad dead in her wake.   We have got to find something else for her, and fast.  She has also been enjoying her older and younger sisters.  A note from Ava about how "Paige plays with Emma, but doesn't play with me, " has helped Ava and Paige tremendously.  They can now find ways to play for hours.  It is mostly food fun, but on occasion they get rowdy. She had her moments over the past two weeks which included wanting to go to school for an ice cream social.  

Trish is doing well.  She took some amazing photos at graduation, the zoo and all of our many other events.  She is busy trying to prepare for the big send off in the fall.  She didn't cry at the graduation as far as I can tell.  She is a little exhausted now.  Especially after so many things in such a short time span.  

• She planned a special event for Ava and Cassarra.   
• She went all out to make sure they both had great days and fun celebrations.
• She drove all the way back from Alabama
• Helped Cassarra with more preparations for college

She is amazing.  I hope this weekend and the following week will provide more chances for rest and recovery.

The girls did well in school with A's and B's for the last quarter.  The year looks good for most and has only a few places where we see how taking a break or getting into bad habits can be costly. 

We all had a good trip to Alabama and a great celebration of life and legacy for granddaddy McLendon.  He was and is awesome and his legacy is amazing.  It was so good to hear of his reach, impact, favor, compassionate spirit, faith in God, love and this unmistakable joy for life and people.  One after another we heard the stories of changed lives, love and kindness and a beautiful life so well lived.  After the service we enjoyed time with family and time laughing about picking peas and shelling them until your fingertips were raw.  We joked about all the revivals we went to and all the times we were in church.  And as I left, like so many of my siblings, we thought about how we can honor and continue a legacy of faith, actions and compassion.  

Our trip home was fun. First we had bathroom break issues.  Ten minutes out into the middle of nowhere a little voice says, "I have to use the potty."  This was followed up by, " for real this time."  It was also followed up by another stop, and then a forgettable stop at a Walmart.   At this particular store we had the unfortunate pleasure of being rolled up on by two guys selling cologne out of their Explorer, a guy walking up selling a cookbook of various print outs, and a general sense that something shady was going on in some of the other cars around us.  Ava helped finish the fun off with asking for a honey bun.  Emma then asked could she have a nunny bun too.  When Ava learned that the honey bun was in the trunk she asked Trish to stop, on the Interstate so that we could get the honey bun.  Trish explained that you can't just stop in the road, to which Ava replied, "The cars will go around you."  

Well, anyway, even in the midst of sorrow it was a great trip.  God is awesome; He is comfort and strength! 

I know that the past two weeks have been filled with life, its ups and downs.  I know that it has also been filled with goodness and grace.  I hope you are doing well.  I hope that you are well and I pray that God will be with you and bless you.

I pray that God would bring comfort to your places of sorrow and brokenness.   I am praying that God would bring His presence and glory to be with you in tears and hurt, and that He would bring His peace to us now, and forever.  I am praying that we remember that God is sovereign and almighty, perfect in all His ways, and surpassing in glory and majesty even as we might be pressed and pushed on all sides.  

May the Everlasting God,  who is rich in love, abounding in steadfast love, full and overflowing with compassion, be with us to give us strength, courage, hope and the knowledge that He is for us, with us and cares for us deeply.

Welcome to Friday.

I am thankful for : 

• Spending time on the things that matter
• Family 
• Trish and the girls 
• Safe travel to and from Alabama 
• Legacy
• Comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding 
• The hope and promises of eternal life
• Basketball friends
• My cousins
• My cousin Solomon who came to Alabama for the funeral 
• Extended family who have prayed for us
• Laughter 
• Lots of laughter 
• Ava telling Gabbi she still needed a honey bun after Gabbi gave her the last snack in the car
• Health
• Prayer 
• Joy
• My parents example and their influence 
• My brothers and sisters 
• Coffee and free birthday treats
• Cassarra's graduation 
• Our church family
• Trips to the park
• Grace 

Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.