MEMORIES, OLD AND NEW: Just wanting to share an OLD picture with you...

THE LATE MR AND MRS JOE SPARKS

He was born Nov 13, 1865 and died July 26, 1930

And she was born July 24, 1871 and died June 30, 1936

the old family Bible called it "borned" which I thought was really cute.

both died at 65 years of age

They had 11 children, gee, that was more than enough to wear her out ; )

Maybe that is where my Mom and Dad got the idea of a big family... they had 9 children.

This is my great grandparents, No, I never met them, they had both passed on before I was born, so had their son (my grandfather, Lector Music Sparks, he died in 1950) but isn't this a neat picture. If it were large enough you would see that she (Sarah) has on what we think of as a man's pair of work boots with her dress and apron. : } Way cool, I think! I am told that he was a preacher (guess that's where Dad got it from, and before his brother died, he had also became a preacher). And that both of them were loving, considerate yet very strict! Boy, a lot of kids could surely use parents or grandparents like that now! Many need guidance!!! And so do a lot of their parents!! Anyway, I'll see them someday, and I am sure I'll know them right away! ; }

... anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, the picture is something from the far past...

Well, it's back : { the mud that is! Gee, I could surely live without it. Now we are still walking to the other end of the driveway because of the MUD! And by the time I get to the car to go to work, my shoes are muddy (no matter where I walk going up) so I wear one pair of shoes and take my work shoes in a bag, then I swap once I get to the car, then the muddy ones go into the bag until I get back home. But, I realize we could be a lot worse off. We could have no place to live : { or we could live in another country where the storms or earthquakes have hit : { or the fires like in California or the floods down south here : { .... So, I will gratefully accept the mud and think of it as just part of "country living" and be grateful to live exactly where we are. THANK YOU GOD! AND THANK YOU FOR OUR HUMBLE LITTLE HOME, AND ALL THE LOVE THAT IS WITHIN THESE WALLS. THANKS SO MUCH!

Father, please be with and bless those people who's lives are turned upside down in such a short while. Grant them peace and comfort and help them to have even better than they had. Father, and be with and grant a special inner peace, and understanding to all of those that lost loved ones, let them feel Your perfect love and guidance. We pray that You will protect them from harm, and let them draw closer to You. Also bless and protect the children and help them not to be afraid and to look to You. Thank You in Jesus name, amen.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

[Refrain:] This is my story, this is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending bring from above