"My Favorite Things"

Today medical science has provided us with solutions to many of the physical problems that used to be associated with aging. We know so much more than we used to about the benefits of preventive medicine, and because of that knowledge, advancing age no longer guarantees infirmity.

Julie Andrews did a concert for AARP. Among her selections was a song from "The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things." She altered the lyrics to fit in with the AARP theme. Here are the new words to that famous melody.

"Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
"Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
"Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
"These are a few of my favorite things.
"Cadillacs, cataracts, hearing aids, glasses,
"Polident, Fixodent, false teeth in glasses,
"Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
"These are a few of my favorite things.
"When the pipes leak,
"When the bones creak,
"When the knees go bad,
"I simply remember my favorite things.
"And then I don't feel so bad.
"Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions,
"No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
"When we remember our favorite things,
"When the joints ache, when the hips break,
"When the eyes grow dim,
"I simply remember the great life I've had,
"And then I don't feel...so bad!"

A - Z

A - Available or Single? Neither! Married for 19 years.

B - Best Friend -- Cindi Been at Morris, OK.

C - Cake or Pie? Pecan Pie. I don't care for either very much.

D - Drink of choice-- Mountain Dew or Rootbeer

E - Essential Item - My Bible, a computer and an ink pen.

F - Favorite Color - Blue

G - Gummi Bears of Worms? Bears

H - Hometown - McAlester, Oklahoma

I - Indulgence - Hot carmel sundae with Butter Pecan ice cream

J - January or February - Neither, unless there is lots of snow to go with the cold, then I love it, but I hate the wind.

K - Kids - Three sons, and two daughters, and I love them all very much.

L - Life isn't complete without - God, family and friends.

M - Marriage date - February 6, 1988.

N - Number of siblings 5(three sisters, two brothers).

O - Oranges or Apples - I like them both, but I am allergic to oranges.

P - Phobias/Fears - Flying in an airplane, snakes, spiders and scorpions.

Q - Favorite Quote - "If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain."

R - Reasons to Smile - God has been so good to my family and I.

S -Season(ing) Seasons - Spring and Summer; Seasoning - Salt and hot sauce.

T - Tag Three - Andy, Christy, and Heather.

U - Unknown fact about me - If I tell, then it isn't unknown. I had my share of pranks while working at the church camps in OK.

V - Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals - I am very much of a meat eater.

W - Worst Habit? Waiting until the last minute.

X - X-rays or Ultrasounds - I have had both, but prefer neither one.

Y - Your favorite foods - Italian, Mexican, and American.

Z - Zodiac - Scorpio, I'm not into that, and it doesn't matter.

Ok, Andy, Christy, and Heather it is your turn, let us hear from you.

Memorial Day

In honor of all the men and women in the Armed Forces who have fought for our freedom of speech, religion, and all of our other freedoms that makes up the United States of America.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah, His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His truth is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never sound retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant my feet!
His truth is marching on.

In the beauty if the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free;
His truth is marching on.

Preyed On and Prayed For

Your Pastor: Is he preyed on or prayed for? If spiritual leaders are not prayed for they will be preyed on by a host of destructive forces. "Could the Pastor be the least prayed for person in church?" We need to pray for the protection of our Shepherd (Pastor) from Satan's fiery darts.

The more people in church who are praying for the Pastor, the fewer will be left to join the firing squad.

Solomon prayed for Wisdom
Paul prayed for Grace
Nehemiah prayed for Israel
King Hezekiah prayed for Blessings
Elisha prayed for Eyes
And somebody prayed for me.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22: 31-32

Elijah's life was summed up in two words...'he prayed.'

Be a Barnabus to your Pastor. The apostle Paul had a faithful companion by his side, Joseph of Cyprus, nicknamed Barnabus, which meant "Son of Encouragement." Barnabus stood with Paul through shipwrecks, stonings and rejection.

"...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

--Patti Hallford

Quotes:
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go. --Abraham Lincoln

Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? --Corrie Ten Boom

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan. --John Bunyan

Happy Mother's Day

I would like to say Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, my Mother-in-law, my Sisters, and all of my friends who have experienced being a Mother. I thank you for all the good and bad times we have had together. May you always walk in the footsteps of God, and be the example to others around you, and be sheltered in the arms of God. May God bless and keep you. I love you all.

Love,
Patti Hallford



M... is for the million things she gave me,
O... means only that she's growing old,
T... is for the tears she shed to save me,
H... is for the heart of purest gold;
E... is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
R... means right, and right she'll always be.

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER," A word means the world to me.

--Howard Johnson

Perseverance

What is perseverance?

Perseverance is commitment, hard work, patience, endurance. Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint. Perseverance is trying again and again.

Perseverance and failure cannot coexist. Failure happens when you quit. When all is said and done, perseverance, commonly referred to as "stick-to-itiveness," is the ultimate success insurance. Nothing can take its place.

From learning to walk to riding a bicycle, our childhood teaches us that failure only occurs when we stop trying. It is a lesson many of us need to revisit in our adulthood. We need to consciously apply the techniques and principles that keep us on the "perseverance track."

The Christian life is like a race in which perseverance is necessary to reach the finish line. Sadly, many have abandoned this race due to lack of perseverance. Many have stumbled and decided not to get up. Many have been discouraged and stopped running. Those who were conscious of the great importance of perseverance, in the midst of difficulties and temptation, were able to finish the race.

Floggings and jail couldn't hinder Paul and Silas from singing and praying:
"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." Acts 16:25

God is delighted with those who persevere in spite of opposition:
"Then the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job... Job 1:8; 19-22


The benefits of Persevance--to perfect our lives for when temptations and trials arrive we can resist:
...that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:2-4

We can have the ability to help others persevere:
...that we may be able to comfort them which are in any toruble... 2 Cor. 1:4

The strength to persevere, for us, is a supernatural reward that God gives us. (Heb.10:35-39).
...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Rev. 2:10.

--Patti Hallford

"Quotes"
The difference between persevance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. Henry Ward Beecher

When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
Author Unknown

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crosed the mountain.
Author Unknown

He conquers who endures. Persius

The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running. Author Unknown, in reference to Ecclesiastes 9:11

Twas The Day of Friendship Sunday

“Twas the day of the Friendship dinner, when all through the church,
Setup crews were busy with details, sand and nails were in search;
The tents were up in the parking lot with care,
In hopes that guests soon would be there;

The children were dressed in yellow, blue and red,
While visions of fun and games danced in their heads;
And teachers dressed in casual wear, and I in my cap,
We had just settled down with a Sunday school map.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the windows we flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The sun on the breast of the new-fallen dew
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects anew,
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But basketballs goals, and five moon bouncers set up here,

Our Pastor excited, so lively and quick,
Bro. Kenny has grills, and wood by the rick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Todd! Now, Cosme! Now, Will and Andy!
On, Charles! On, Eddie! On, Mark and Randy!
Fill up the parking lot to the back wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, look to the sky,
So up to the platform the musicians they flew,
With the children’s choir, and Sis Carmen too.

And then, in a moment, I heard them sing
The children’s melodious voices begin to ring.
As I drew in my breath, and was turning around,
Across the platform Bro. Elms came with a bound.

He was dressed in casual clothes from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were disheveled but hardly did show;
A mic in one hand, and took one step back,
And he greeted the visitors without any slack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He opened his Bible and read a short verse,
The teachings of God must come first;

Makeovers are like caterpillars that eat the leaves away,
Miracles are beautiful butterflies that will come your way.
The lesson was short, anticipation filled the air,
Everyone was ready for hamburgers, hotdogs and the social affair.

We had bouncers for the young and old,
And everyone had a blast,
Preparation was far-reaching, time shall unfold,
Pictures, slideshows, and memories will be a thing of the past.

There was even an “old fashion game,” called jump rope,
Some jumped fast, double Dutch, high stepping and others just loped.
The young people were busy as little elves
And I laughed when I saw them, in spite of myself.

Cleanup crews sprang to the kitchen and the parking lot,
There was plenty of work for everyone who sought.
We had a “Grand Ole Time,” which was just right,
“Thank you to all, and to all a good-night.”