Clean up, Clean up, everybody everywhere....

Yes, that old Barney Song comes to mind. I was going to do a series of posts on this... but to post one EVERY DAY... I am not that blog minded. If it is too long for you ... just come back a read a paragraph a day... and PRETEND I posted every day.

SO...Here is what went on at our house this last week or so.

1. We got power back on FRIDAY NIGHT... so from Sunday around 4:30 pm to Friday at the same time... we were powerless. The first day was hot and humid... then it cooled down. We did have water and our hot water heater is gas... so we had hot water. We survived.

I looked around one evening and thought "we are like Laura Ingalls on Little House.
Candles lit around the house ... dishes drying in the sink after being hand washed... hair all frizzy pulled back in a ponytail because of no blow dryer, flat iron, etc... no TV blaring... we sat around talking and laughing... Brianna reading by candlelight... THEN... my little euphoria dissipated as I heard my cell phone ring... then I looked at Steve on his laptop using battery power... and then I thought... Well... not QUITE like Ingall's family.

2. Dad came on Tuesday to get the car running. He fixed what Steve tried to fix which wasn't what needed to be fixed in the first place. So, Wed. we took it to the car place and they fixed what should have been fixed that Dad couldn't have even fixed.

Thanks, my HUNKA HUNKA BURIN' LOVE, for trying to save us some cash.

Thanks, Dad... for being Mr. Fix-it for Mr. & Mrs. Broke-it!)















3. The funniest thing happened when the tree guys came.

They came on THURSDAY... weren't supposed to come until SATURDAY. You say... GREAT... they came early.

I say... GREAT... I was getting out of the shower... on the second floor... windows wide open for the breeze because we had NO POWER... and as I exited the shower wearing... well what you wear or don't wear in the shower... there were the tree guys... climbing up the trees... at the level of the second floor windows!!!!!!

Yes... I will stop there... I will spare you the naked details and vomitous results. (can you hear me laughing? wasn't that funny!!!)

After their rude morning awakening and unsightly entrance to the morning job... they worked... and worked... and worked... for 12 hours. And then had to come back a couple more times... maybe that was because Brianna bought them cookies. She would've made them... but alas no electricity.

I could wish for a gas stove... but WHY? At least when the power is out I don't have feel the guilt ridden emotions for not cooking... like I do normally...

4. The saw mill guy came to take some of the logs for his mill. Asked if we would like a slab to make a bench or something to remember our trees. I said... "Now that's a thought..."

...and that was the ONLY thought I had on that! Tree hugger I am not. Sorry all you green people out there. I do my part for the environment... but benches made out of trees that crashed on our house... not really my idea of a souvenir... these pictures do just fine.

5. Insurance adjuster came. He was a good ole' Tennessee boy. His wife was with them. She had itty bitty size 5 shoes and as we chatted she commented on how she can't ever find shoes. I got excited because my neighbor just had a garage sale and couldn't sell her size 5, women looking, elf sized shoes. SO... I helped them both out. We offered them Key Lime Pie... AND guess what? It pays to be kind and nice because... PTL they are covering a new roof and new gutters and other damages!

Talk about giving thanks... if the trees HAD NOT hit our house... they could not have paid ANYTHING and we would have had to come up with $3,000 from thin air for tree removal and any damages. GOD is so GOOD to us.

6. THEN DTE came and started digging up our yard... looking for electrical trouble. Yes... 5 trucks all for our little yard!






I had a watermelon and a pineapple I needed to cut up before we left town... so I served it to them. They loved it.

They loved it so much... they came back the NEXT DAY and dug up some more because they couldn't find it the problem. AND will dig until they find it!

SO NOW my back yard has a dirt path all the way across the back side... it NOW continues under the fort across the rest of the backyard. They say they will re-seed it. I'll be holdin' them to that!


7. Our roofer friend came. So hopefully we will soon have a new roof and gutters.













8. My nephew spent the night on Wednesday. It was his 5th birthday and he wanted a grand adventure at Auntie and Uncle's house with no "lectricty..." where we ran around the house with flashlights, ate by candlelight, and had a slumber party downstairs on the couches and floors where it was cooler...

We went to the Mom's nightmare kids' dream for supper and then retrieved our ice cream in the neighbors freezer run by a generator... put it in a cup with 5 candles... sang to him... and what fun he had the next morning watching the guys out the windows with their chainsaws cutting up the trees. Such a testosterone driven thing. CHAINSAWS! WAY COOL!

9. Weston came home and we celebrated Father's Day (see previous blog) and we so enjoyed our time with our son. We miss him.

10. Right now we are in Sunny, Hot Florida for Church Planters' School. Steve is speaking and I am doing a session for the wives on Friday with two other gals.

So... hopefully, when we get home... things will be a little more normal... well... as normal as our home can ever be!!!

Cucumbers come before the pickles?? A blog by Brianna

What an awesome Fathers Day! My grandparents (on my Mother’s side) came down and so did my Uncle and Aunt, along with their two children, for lunch. But best of all, WESTON CAME HOME!

That morning, we went to church with to hear my Dad speak at Pontiac Family Worship Center. We got home and popped the barbecue meatballs I made in the oven. We decided to pass out the Fathers day cards.

I got my Dad a card that said, “Dad, I realize that a father and daughter could never have the same relationship as a father and son… but I can always knock my I.Q. down a few points to give you the same effect.”

Of course, my brother read it, and fake laughed. He said, “I am 10 times smarter than you, Brianna.”

So I was ready with a challenge. I responded, “Do you know if a cucumber is a fruit or a vegetable?”

He answered in a serious tone, “Well, it was pickle before it was a cucumber.” We all burst into laughter.

So I ask you, does the egg come before the chicken or does the pickle come before the cucumber?

...and THEN four trees FELL ON MY HOUSE!

YES... you heard me right!
Sunday night... storm... funnel clouds... SMASH... two trees on our house.

My neighbors came RUNNING to our house yelling in. They thought for sure we were trapped or hurt.

Only because of the LORD'S protection did nothing crash through windows, etc. We do have some roof damage and deck, yard.

During crisis like these it is amazing how people help others. I met neighbors I hadn't met in 4 years... coming to check on me.

AND Steve was out of town. THANK THE LORD my parents were there... BECAUSE....

Sat. our ONE VEHICLE stopped working. Steve tried to fix it. AND.... do I need to go further!

SO, Dad came up to try and fix it. AND our toilet broke... and MY resurrected cell phone finally died... and the fire alarm broke... THEN the trees fell on our house... ALL WITHIN 12 hours!

Still no power. Maybe Wednesday!

Still waiting to hear from the insurance company. Filed a claim one hour after damage.

Our house was on Channel 7 news from the air. Brianna said, "MOM... channel 7 is hovering over our house with a big camera out the window." We were in Applebees last night eating, watching the news... and it panned across our house.

Notice the two trees... twisted trunks.

Weston is coming home this weekend. He says he is going to climb the trees from the back of the yard to the top of the house... but first we have to find out what the wires are under the trees. We think they are cable or internet.

See the picture looking out my patio door. My mom was sitting in the chair. I saw the trees falling and yelled, "MOM... move!"

The storm came up within 30 seconds and lasted only a couple of minutes. The warning sirens went off 5 minutes AFTER everything stopped!

I can open any window on the back side of my house and the branches come right in!


View from the back of the yard looking towards the house through our swing set which was untouched... along with the Birdhouse in the tree left standing. CRAZY!
... you can see the top of the house if you look close.



This is what the back yard looked like LAST WEEK!














Looking out patio door.





If any one is free later... and you have a chain saw....




This was posted quickly when I was online at Panera. Sorry if the pics and captions aren't in order. I will update when I get power.

AND if you want to click on the pictures they should enlarge.

Quote From the Daughter

We were shopping for some MUCH NEEDED clothes for my 13 year old female offspring.

She DOES NOT like to shop! And it is like pulling impacted, grown sideways into the gum, wisdom teeth to get her to the store.

As we were on our way she said...

and I quote...


"If Eve wouldn't have eaten that STINKIN' APPLE we wouldn't have to pick out clothes to wear EVERY SINGLE DAY!"

So... what are YOU going to wear today?

Frustration at the Pump! Feel my Pain... and be Thankful!?!

Why am I frustrated, you ask?

I was filling up with gas on Wednesday. As I put my debit /credit card in the slot and started pumping gas, the lady at the pump beside me started using some 'colorful language'. In other words... she was cussin' up a storm!

I looked over and she said, "Did you see what happened to the price when you slid your card?"

Me: "No. I wasn't paying attention."

Cussin' Lady: "The price went up 10 cents / gallon as soon as you swiped your card."

I looked at the pump and SHE WAS RIGHT! From $3.89 to $3.99.

Me: "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!"

Cussin' Lady: "@*!*^&@#$!:<>?!!!!!%^*#$!!!!"

We both stopped pumping our gas immediately!

At this point... some uncomely thoughts started filling my head... to which I had to "capture my thoughts" and put them under submission to the LORD!

I now understood her 'way with words."

I left the gas station and went to my planned destination... the Christian Book Store. As I walked in, I was greeted by 3 employees all working on a display... all smiley, in a good, Jesus loving way... "How are you?"

Feeling it was my CITIZENLY DUTY to WARN EVERYONE of this money-hungry, greed filled, aren't gas prices high enough already SCAM... I told them what had transpired.

One of the employees said he was at a CITGO earlier in the week and the same thing happened. Citgo had a itty bitty sign declaring their intentions.

The BP station where I stopped ... NO SIGN!

So... now when it is raining, snowing, you are in a hurry... be prepared to have to ENTER the gas station BEFORE you pump and take a WILD, CALCULATED Guess as to HOW MUCH GAS will indeed be effused into your tank at $4.18.9 / gallon.... pay the attendant... THEN make sure you DO NOT GO OVER said amount. If your tank cannot hold pre-determined gallons you must THEN make your way through the rain, snow, stand in line with all the other irate customers and get MONEY BACK.

I just wanted to enlighten you and warn you to BE AWARE. I had heard on the news this might happen... and they were right.

l am now simmered down. Thanks for letting me rant and rave.

Yesterday I listened to a podcast of my friend, NETTA CHILTON from 11/18/07 on the "THANKFUL HEART." It convicted my heart.

I need to be thankful that we do have a vehicle in which to drive to the gas station... and maybe this price surge will cause us to stay home a little more and enjoy our family...

And maybe we will go for more bike rides!

Tell me how you are feeling about this... and how you are striving to be thankful and positive through this tough economy...

...and ANY frugal tips you can offer for us to make our dollar stretch.

Check it Out!

Steve and the Michigan Assemblies of God were 'blogged' by Ed Stetzer... with pictures and everything!

Ed, or should I say, DR. STETZER, was the speaker for our Church Planting Service and seminar last Thursday for our Michigan District ministers.

Check it out HERE! I am proud! This is quite an honor!


AND for Pastor's Wives Everywhere....



Now... why didn't I think of this!!!! ( I guess it really doesn't bother me when my hubby talks about me... because it is always with love and grace and fun. We laugh with each other... but this video is still hilarious!)

I CAN'T FIGHT ANYMORE!

If you read my last blog about FIGHTING THE FIGHT... and you have fought and battled and done the warfare needed... and now you cry out...

"GOD ... I AM TIRED! I CAN'T FIGHT ANYMORE!"

Can I get a witness?!!?

Two years ago Steve was in Ethiopia for 3 weeks teaching at the seminary. While he was there, all "you know what" broke loose!

• The health of our family (immediate and extended) began falling apart...
  
  
• Our mailbox and a fancy flower pot (YES... it was FEBRUARY... and YES I STILL had a fancy flower pot by my house... it looked nice even without FLOWERS!!!)... they were smashed in right after he left... NOT A GOOD THING for a big CHICKEN like me who barricades every door and window when the MAN is away...
  
  
• I was battling another stomach "attack"...
  
  
• I had a flat tire in the middle of a snow storm on the way to Mt. Pleasant...
  
  
• Had to replace all of my tires when I got there ... ( thanks to the hubby of one of my CLOSEST, ROCKIN', BFF's...Peggy... John took care of the tires... filled the gas tank... washed the car... and made sure I was safe to drive home)...
  
  
• THEN my wisdom teeth abscessed...
  
  
• Had to have them surgically removed...
  
  
• Reacted to the Vicodin ...
  
  
• Had to drink a bottle of Benedryl... then had no pain meds... can you say... OUCH???
  
  
• Then part of my world came crashing in when my sweet, precious Mom had to have a lung biopsy and was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis... no cause, no cure, in man's eyes... no hope. (see bottom of post for an update).
  

All of this in a matter of 2.5 weeks.

I was emailing Steve in Africa... talked to him a couple of times... crying on the phone...hearing the delayed echoes of my voice through the international connection... "YOU NEED TO COME HOME!!!! ... you need to come home!!! ... EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART!!! ... everything is falling apart!!!! ... I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! ... I can't take it anymore!...

He asked his students to pray for our family. One of our Ethiopian brothers said the LORD gave him this word for us ...

Exodus 14:13-15
"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

I immediately posted this verse on my mirror.

THEN, (yes you thought that was all)... Steve called me from Amsterdam on his way home and told me he had been MUGGED on the train... ( more about THAT in another post).

Two weeks later when I was in the hospital for three days with the most severe 'attack' I had ever had... after they run test after test with no diagnosis... I had no fight left. I am sure my body had just reacted to all of the stress I had gone through...or should I say...put myself through by not allowing the LORD TO FIGHT FOR ME. Lying there in the hospital bed... I had to pray that scripture over and over...

The LORD made this verse so real to me. I had to just give it all to HIM.

When we feel like we just can't fight anymore...

Do whatever you have the strength for... pray... cry... meditate on the WORD... put on worship music....Lay your fight.... or your lack of strength to do that... at HIS feet... let HIM pick it up... rest for a while... allow HIM to refresh you... regain your spunk... to be strong for you.

Be encouraged... HE IS FIGHTING FOR YOU TODAY!


( BY THE WAY... my MOM has defied Doctors' Prognosis. They said "we can only hope to slow it down... you will never get better." Well... with every test... she IMPROVES by 6%! She is baffling her doubting doctor. Standing in faith. Quoting scripture. Believing in GOD'S creative power for healing. PRAISE THE LORD! HE IS FIGHTING FOR MY MOM!)