She's 80 today!!
My Mom!

 Winning a relay 2 years ago

 Competitive Trail Ride, last October on Annie

My Mom loves this life that God has given her.  She's so positive and always encourages everyone around her to love everyday right along with her. 
Naturally, she wants to have a good time

Christmas Talent Show

Halloween with her best friend, Jeannie

Even when work is HARD and dirty, she presses on with a smile and a purpose........she appreciates the earth..........and her tractor....

Tilling the Jump Pasture

She loves a good game and a good horse to practice on, .....even if her bandages don't match.......

2008 stick-n-ball at Pinto Ranch

My Mom loves her husband, my Dad of 58 years.

Mom and Dad, a good-looking couple

Oh, I love this engagement picture in 1953.  What a party, I mean a white tux!!!

  

And here's their wedding picture later that same year.  What style!!!

I could go on and on and I would really want to right now.  But, this is a sneak preview of a slide show coming later on sometime this year.  Oh, the pictures!!!  Oh, the model. 

I LOVE my Mom.  God blessed me with her.  She was chosen to do the job she did.........raising the 3 of us.

 

We never gave her any trouble, though, so you know her job was easy ;)  (Well, I didn't anyway)  Just don't tell the other two I said that.  It might start one of those family arguments (for no apparent reason at all) that will go on and on, laughing and laughing until our faces ache, bringing up all the dead worms from the garden.  We love retracing old steps that when taken were rough and frightening, or alarming anyway....   but now are hilarious, especially when my Dad starts telling the stories........

This is one of my favorite recent photos with the whole family.   This blog won't let me enlarge it without taking 5 members off of the page.     Mom is in the middle on an 'ole paint'.  A Thanksgiving to remember, Viejo Springs Ranch, 2009.

 We are thankful for your positive influence,  and your zest for life........and for many great stories to tell....... 
Happy Birthday, Mom!!!  We love you!!!

...........Arise..........

'"Talitha, cumi,"......."immediately the girl arose and walked'"
I have to tell of this precious memory in the Dyer family's lives.  It is a memory for us of hope and honor to our Creator.   
 

 A few weeks ago, Alma Mae Shannon, 7 months in utero, was delivered.  5 days prior, John and Pauli learned that she went to be with our precious Shepherd and Guardian, Jesus.  Our family has had the privilege to know and love the Shannons' as they have walked through this difficult season that God purposed in their lives.  They have amassed strength, peace and joy from our God that has indeed surpassed all understanding.  Through this couple, God has evidenced to untold many of His provision, love and tender mercies.
     In January, some church ladies held a prayer meeting for Pauli.  At that time, it was hopeful that Alma would be able to be born fully formed and alive.  Pauli explained to us how Alma Mae had some serious mental and physical abnormalities and that her life would be at best only hours long.   Pauli was single minded, functioning for our Lord, bearing the weight and life of a precious child.  Pauli served our Lord as she sweetly obeyed His purpose for John and her over these 7 months.  That morning as the ladies chatted, Pauli shared the Gospel of Christ as it related to Alma Mae.  Most of us were in tears, amazed at Pauli's strength and the peace she conveyed.  All of us were imprinted with God that morning.
      Upon hearing of Alma's death, Jody and I spent a couple of sweet, loving hours with the Shannons'.  While, their toddler, Moses mastered his trucks and drawings we were able to draw upon the Lord, not for understanding, but for complete submission to His Sovereignty and Love.  John shared how Alma Mae had served her Creator even in-utero.  They had been able to share the Gospel of Hope and Deliverance to many people as they trusted in God, even when this life hurt.

        On February 8th, a rainy Monday morning, in a large, warm, "living-room style" delivery room at the hospital Pauli delivered little Alma Mae.  The attentive, caring hospital staff swaddled Alma Mae in blankets and put her in a basket.  Pauli welcomed visitors and enjoyed sharing her precious baby.  John was tender, mindful of everyone in the room at all times, caring for Moses, and loving his adorable wife.  What a Christ-centered couple.    God chose them to fulfill this particular detail for Him and they shared both the joy and the suffering of Alma's journey with their friends and loved ones.
        Friday of that same week, our Church family and friends joined together on a cold overcast  morning at the Osage Cemetery for a service to honor God with Thanksgiving for Alma Mae's short life.  Yes, there was heartfelt sorrow, but that was understated by the joy in knowing Alma is with our Savior, Jesus.  Our pastor Perry comforted all of us by reminding us of David's son who died, 2 Sam 12:23.  David exclaimed to his servants "......I shall go to him...." meaning when he himself dies, he will be united with his son in heaven. 
This was followed by John giving a personal note of encouragement to the crowd and to Pauli.  John shared how Alma Mae although only in the womb, honored her creator.  He ended with reading from the gospel of Mark 5.  Jesus calls all of His beloved to "Arise" and we will walk into His embrace. 

But this is not the end.  Alma Mae will continue to serve her Creator as John and Pauli relate her story down the years.  The story of Our God doing only that which is Good, Good according to His Will for those who know Him, who love Him, who trust Him with their lives, who serve Him, our Savior, Our Redeemer.  What a precious memory and message of Hope.

We love you Alma Mae.  To John and Pauli we dedicate this song, Glory Baby by Selah.  (See playlist on the right)

Father Abe

 ..........In Hindsight.......

Today as I was riding my stationary bike, I listened to R.C. Sproul’s radio segment, “Renewing Your Mind” entitled “Grow Up”. 

First off I am so blessed by our Church’s website (see side bar) that has this direct link and I like  Mr. Sproul’s discernment and wisdom so much that I put that same link on my blog (again, to the right). 

The topic was childlike faith versus childish faith.  Childlike faith is implicit faith or as Sproul says, Fides Implicitum .  (That surely is misspelled)  That is believing God, not merely believing in God, or about God.  Childlike faith, implicit faith, means “without question”.  He defined this faith as “Authentic faith in the biblical sense that believes God for your life”.

And here is where I connected to Mr. Sproul’s message today.  He chose one of my favorite characters in the Old Testament, Abraham.  Father Abraham…..father of the faithful.

God chose this old man, with lots of grey hair (like mine), a man comfy with his life, settled!!!  God calls to him to ‘get thee up’ and leave your home, leave your security, leave everything you know and go far away, somewhere you’ve never been before and live there.  He had to “Leave all the pillows of security of  his life” as Sproul says.

I identify with Father Abe.  I mean I know what it is to leave my extended family, leave all familiarity, my church, my beloved home, neighbors and all that was my identity.  LEAVE.  But here is the difference.  I left kicking and screaming in my heart.  Obedient to God in action, but not in my heart……….at first, anyway.

Abraham, as Sproul says, “was called to abandon and walk out and trust God for his future.  Abraham believed God and he put his life in God’s hand.  He exhibited fides implicitum, a childlike faith.  Authentic Faith.”

Oh, if in hindsight I could do it all over again……….I could say now that I walked out (actually drove out to Texas) and trusted God for my future in complete abandon to Him like Abraham. 

But now, a year and a half later, I thank God that I am learning to trust Him implicitly, to trust Him in His goodness and His wisdom even when I can not see it.  To be brought to points along the way when there is nothing else to see but the face of my savior, Jesus.  Now, I can say with RC Sproul that it would be utterly foolish to not trust implicitly the infallibly of the Holy Creator.

He is all, in all, over all.

Looking back, which I know things are clearer in a rearview mirror, I see I am childish when I trust in myself.   So, like my hero in Genesis, I pray I have a childlike faith with complete abandon to Christ, trusting Him for every moment of my future. 

Our Texas Home

........covered in snow........

The front of the house

Gatesville, Tx or Valley Mills.  While our address is Valley Mills in Bosque County, the closest post office is Gatesville in Coryell County.  Valley Mills is 15 miles away and has one stop light with 1,121 people living in or nearby.  Gatesville, on the other hand, has a huge population of 15,272,  and is 8 miles away..................with several feed stores, a Tractor Supply, McDonalds.............and Walmart.
Whatever.........or wherever we live........it is central gorgeous Texas with thick clouds of Bluebonnets in the spring, lots of rivers, Live Oak trees, wheat farms, longhorns............and sometimes snow in the winter.
We have had 4 snows this year, which is very unusual.   Early December started this white frenzy.  That snow was so exciting, as you can imagine, being from California and all.  Soon after, a blessing from God for His new Texans..... snow on Christmas eve (written about on a previous blog).  Then we were overjoyed with the next snow early in Feb, written about here.
This last snow, which I anticipate will be the last of the 2010 flurries, I took pictures of our home.  Wanting to keep tabs of the seasonal changes around here, I couldn't help but use the Canon.  Snow deserves the very best.

  The next day, clear blue skies, 32 degrees, I captured the 17 acre hayfield....

Here is a snap of the back of the house.

 Isn't this camera fun???  Look at that drop of icy water leaving its icicle home.  Cool!!!........or, cold!

This is our neighbor's home across the way, just built.  Our pastor and wife and 2 kids live there.

"Hello" to Russ and Donna Crosby.  They live in the snug 2 bedroom wooden floor apartment in the barn.  They have 102 descendents.  That started with their own 13 children.   They keep track of every name, birthday, graduation, wedding, and overall wellfare of each person......all 102 of them.  Russ is a Baptist preacher nearby.  We love to share our eggs with them.

This is our OLD barn............now chicken pen and hay storage.  It doesn't leak, believe it or not.  Warm and cozy for those birds..........and eggs.

                          Our old cat.............(actually kitty).

 

                   Our old rooster, John the Baptist.   He will be in the pot very soon!!!  Story on that later!!!   Just say He needs to meet His Creator.

And my favorite, good old Duke!!!  Just picture in your mind a lovely white horse.  That will take buckets of soap and lots of elbow grease........wanna help?  Definitely not ready for the marriage carriage!!