Savannah's Birthday

It was Savannah's birthday Saturday. Well, actually, her birthday was earlier in the week, but her party was Saturday. She turned three years old, and since she loves to be with her cousins in Alturas, her daddy and mama brought her up for her "Farm Fresh" party. What a sweet day we had! The theme was "Down on the Farm", and the big cousins had a ball decorating and planning and playing games with the little ones. This family loves to get together to celebrate with each other -- what a blessing from the Lord!

The excited birthday girl.

Mommy Ashley helps her blow out the candle.

(It is a "3" candle)The "piggy" cake being decorated by Sarah

Daddy Jason kept busy grilling us yummy hot dogs and hamburgers

Even the big cousins joined in the fun. I think that's Uncle Eddie in the background. Aunt Beth watches the festivities from the background

Second cousins Mikayla and Rosie

My sister Sue, right, who brought three of her granddaughters out for the fun, with me, left. Her grandchildren are second cousins to Savannah and the other grandchildren.

Mary and her mama, Molly

Sue with her sweeties, Julia, Olivia, and Mikayla

Sweet Markie and Abby help decorate, making balloon farm animals

Second cousins Olivia and Margaret Anne

Second cousins Emma Jane and Julia

William and CJ -- the "Stricklen Boys" gang! Tough cowboys!

Oldest cousin Kitty always has something up her sleeve. I think this was when she pasted farm stickers on her poor wheelchair-bound grandmother's back, unbeknownst to her! You are sooooo clever! Seriously, she is the most thoughtful, respectful, considerate almost 20-year-old you will ever meet -- but still funloving!

Big cousins Gracie and Mary caught snitching nibbles before the party!

Sweet Sarah loves to decorate cakes for all occasions

Then there is big cousin Peter. Since his Miller cousins left for Arkansas, he is our only "go t0" man. Any time there are big doings, Peter makes them happen. He carries tables, puts up shelves, moves big heavy stuff, is our all-around man of the hour. Thanks, Peter, for making this weekend successful!

Okay, one more...

ART

I just had to do it. Actually, it's my Christmas cardinal, with the beautiful Florida winter sunlight shining through. It makes me smile every year. I guess that makes it "art".

Happy New Year!

Well, I can come with eyes downcast, hat in hand (figuratively) begging forgiveness once again. Or with reason upon reason (excuses) for not updating since (gasp!) November. Let me just throw myself upon your mercy. I am sorry.
There. That's done. Thank you for your forgiveness.

This has been a blessed season for our family. Thanksgiving was truly thankful -- we had the privilege of being with Katie and family in Arkansas the first part of November, and the Lord led us to a wonderful property in S. Missouri (about an hour from Katie). It has 223 acres -- some pasture, some woods -- with 2 houses and a creek. It is a lovely piece to establish a multigenerational retreat for our family. A (non-descript) picture of it is on my post of Nov. 11, with Danny and Beth walking through the pasture. (I haven't figured out how to link to previous posts yet!)

If you know me in IRL, you know how I injured my left leg between Christmas and New Year's Day. I am wheelchair-bound right now on doctor's orders, but thanking the Lord that I am already feeling improvement and better able to take care of myself. My sweet husband has been my knight-protector and provider. With a strained knee himself, he has done all he could to make this misery more tolerable. Thank you, Lord, for Danny.

After Thanksgiving, we are energized by the upcoming season of celebrating the first Advent of the Lord Jesus, and preparations/activities begin in earnest. Here are some pictures of different enjoyable and significant events along the way.

Sweet Sarah making hot cocoa to take on the caroling adventure. Uncle Chris towed a hay-wagon loaded with carolers through Bartow, singing and playing for residents. What a wonderful evening!
The Dischers hosted a gingerbread house party. This is my "team" -- Margaret Anne, Markie, Abigail, and Rosie put together a cute little house for me to take home. Hmmm, wonder what happened to all those lemon drops over the season???

More "architects" -- Terrie Tanner and daughter Amanda working on their creation.

The sweet Waldman family at church. These boys are truly "men of God". They know how to work -- plucking chickens, helping around the property, and they will give you a manly handshake. Chelsea and Moriah are precious women of God, and baby Isaiah is everyone's favorite cuddle at church!!

Grandmama and Granddaddy with the sweet Stricklen children on Christmas day.

Uncle Jason and Aunt Ashley with Savannah, William, and CJ. Not quite sure what Callie is thinking about.

The sweet Discher children with Grandmama and Granddaddy.

My mother with Brother DeVern Fromke, a family friend of at least 50 years. Brother Fromke and my father, Kye Harris, used to travel the country speaking at Bible conferences, and our family went along many times. Oh, how I thank God for those years when His precious truths were sown into my life! Brother Fromke has written several books on the Christian life which have been a blessing to thousands. He spends time in Florida in the winters, so he and his wife come to church every so often. What a blessing!

On New Year's Day, our BIG family (my extended Harris family) gathers at our house for another Christmas celebration. Here some of the grandchildren are joined by their 2nd cousin, Whitley, on the cello (far left). They blessed us with beautiful Christmas tunes and bluegrass numbers.

I'm hoping to get a few more pictures up before it turns springtime or summer, but the grandchildren are always faithful to post on their families' blogs, so I direct you there for more! You will have a ball with their creations!

www.thedischerfamily.blogspot.com
www.thestricklenfamily.blogspot.com

Oh My Stars . . . .!

. . . . and garters! As my grandmother used to say! How could I have left Callie Sue's wonderful sour cream coffee cake off the list of incredible desserts on the Thanksgiving table? It was moist and cinnamony and crumbly, just right. And Mary, who is quite a baker in her own right, was occupied with the fresh collard greens and Caesar salad, so this time she didn't contribute to the dessert table. All of the sweet granddaughters were involved in making our dinner special. I do not ever want to neglect the contributions these Proverbs 31 trainees make to our memorable times. The cleaning, the decorating, the special touches they are learning to place on our family memories -- this is my joy! Thank you, maidens of virtue!

Now, I can't let this post go without praising the young men who help make it happen -- Peter and his shadow CJ do the heavy lifting and toting and dirty work -- we truly appreciate your contribution, too! Thank you, Lord, for willing arrows into the future! God bless you, grandchildren.

Five Kernels of Corn . . .

Markie and Gracie over early to help get the feast prepared.

CJ and Rose sneak a seat at the grownups' table. How perfect it was to be able to have a fire in the fireplace!

Kitty setting up the serving tableGranddaddy read to us the story of the sacrifices the early Pilgrims made to bring forth a land founded on biblical principles and lay the foundation for generations to come. During the "starving time", there were days when the settlers had only 5 kernels of corn for their daily ration!

How special it is to share these times with the coming generations who will carry forth the torch into the future! Gracie the recited a poem by Hezekiah Butterworth, "Five Kernels of Corn" . . .

". . . O Bradford of Austerfield, daring the wave,

And safe through the sounding blasts leading the brave,

Of deeds such as thine was the free nation born,

And the festal world sings the "Five Kernels of Corn".

There was wonderful, natural turkey and Southern cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato cassarole (recipe provided by Aunt Katie in Arkansas), the always-requested green bean cassarole, home-made rolls, Caesar salad with wonderful Romaine lettuce fresh from the Stricklens' garden, and absolutely the best collards I have ever eaten, also fresh from the Stricklens' garden! (the joys of Thanksgiving in Florida!)

The dessert table was astoundingly abundant! Homemade from scratch cakes and pies and Mrs. Tanner's cherry trifle, oh my! Sarah made pecan and apple pies, Abby made an apple pie, Margaret Anne made an applesauce cake and blueberry cobbler, and Grandma Sue made a chocolate coconut cake. What a treat!

The glorious weather made walks and outdoor activities a pleasure, and the fellowship was sweet. Thank you, Lord, for another evidence of your providential care for Your people. "Lord of Harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be."

What in the World . . .?

From the window of the Silver Meteor, across the Florida plains . . . Miles and miles of citrus groves in the "real Florida"

Cattle country as far as the eye can see

Granddaddy says goodbye to Ashley, Jason, and Savannah

Savannah plays horsey at the pizza place in Davie

Granddaddy disembarks in Ft. Lauderdale. What a wonderful way to travel!

What in the world are Grandmama and Granddaddy Frodge doing on the train in the middle of nowhere?? This afternoon, we are heading down to S. Florida again – tomorrow, Danny is doing some engineering for the folks at son Jason’s work. So this gives us the opportunity to visit with Jason, Ashley, and Savannah.
Update: The above was written on the way down to Ft. Lauderdale. Now we are pleasantly returning to home in central FL on the Amtrak. We love this experience. My thoughtful husband reserved a little roomette for us, knowing how much it raises my blood pressure to ride in the coach – not that I think it is beneath me. No, I have ridden many times in the coach and have been grateful for the blessing. These days, though, untoward conversations at a high decibel level; uncontrolled children and parents who think screaming is the only way to discipline; eye-daggars aimed at anyone who asks that a noise machine’s volume be lowered -- all contribute to an unpleasant journey. Thank you, Lord, for the ability to travel pleasantly.

The visit with Jason’s family was very sweet. Savannah is becoming more and more familiar with her grandparents. It was such a joy to sing little songs to her that the other grandchildren and I have sung. And she is becoming such a little conversationalist – even though quite a bit of it still needs a translator. This visit, she was continually fascinated with the choo-choo trains on the tickets Danny kept in his pocket. Ashley says she is beginning to ask questions about the real meaning of Christmas.

Well, the train has just picked up speed from the stop at the Okeechobee station -- won't be long before we are home! The scenery is beginning to be familiar. If people took the train from Disney to S. Florida, they would see that there is so much of Florida that is real, wild, and very, very rural. It is always good to travel this way. Coming from S. FL, there is wild scrub, then the edges of the sugar cane fields, then dairy country, then cattle and citrus land, where we live. We love it. God may call us someday to another region of the country, but we do love where we live. Hey, come see the real Florida!

Clearly Shameful!

Father and Daughter stroll: Danny and Beth walk the pasture of one of the farms in Missouri

By the time I remembered (ask the family -- I am not a natural photographer!) to take pictures of the wonderful foilage, it was almost gone!

Sarah Beth sings to Emma Jane in the RV. What a sweet pictures (however, please refer back to disclaimer above!)

Most of the gang in Arkansas. Matthew was finishing out his workday at a local feed store and missed this picture. In front, Emma Jane. From left first row, Benny (he and Andrew came home with us for a couple weeks) Markie, Andrew, Rachel, Rosie, Joey, and little Sam. Back row, Peter, Kitty, RG, Sarah, Gracie, and Daniel. What fun the cousins have when they get together! We missed the Stricklens, but maybe next time!

The Discher kids and Granddaddy at the Natural Bridge of Alabama. They were agog at the assertion of "millions of years" on this sign. They let the park operator know! Eleven-year-old Markie recently had a letter published to the editor of our local newspaper, showing her considerable ability to refute the folly of evolution!

Gracie returning from the Natural Bridge hike. Nothing like brisk air after hours in the RV!

It is clearly shameful that this blog has not been updated recently! Never mind excuses (on a trip to Arkansas; pictures not on other computer; election woes; etc., etc.) -- shameful indeed.

As mentioned parenthetically above, we just returned from visiting our daughter Katie and her family in the Ozarks of north Arkansas. While there, we looked at some farm land in both Arkansas and southern Missouri. It was a wonderful trip -- "leaf-peeping". The leaves were at their peak, and my eyes just soaked up the feast of color. I had not seen a beautiful fall tapestry of majesty in years and years, and the effect on my hungry soul was pure refreshment!

The Miller family was fine and dandy, aside from the all-too-common scrapes and bruises of life with the Millers. They are accomplishing much on their little homestead. New insulation before winter has been a major project, and new steps into the cabins have improved Grandmother's prospects for getting in and out without a major mishap. Two new wood stoves have provided them with a snug little home as winter approaches.

We were blessed to meet the new pastor of their church and his family, as well as to spend time with other of their friends we had previously met. Once again, the Country Cousins were requested to bless an informal supper/volleyball game with some good ole music. What a blessing to have them playing together again, even for just one evening! And how encouraging it was to see the local families there excited about the new Vision Forum catalog! The blessing this ministry has been to our family cannot be over-estimated. We trust those just being introduced to it will be as encouraged and nourished as we have been.

There are some beautiful properties in the area, and we were there at a good time. Grass was still somewhat green, the weather was warm and sunny, yet we had the enjoyment of the wonderful fall colors. The farms we looked at may be promising in the future -- we are praying about them. Danny feels it will be a while before we would actually move somewhere, if ever, but he does want to secure a place of retreat/refuge for our family and others who may need it in the future. So, we will see . . . !

We spent election night watching returns on the computer and praying for our nation. We could not help but remember Psalm 11:3, " If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Certainly, the righteous can pray and then work to rebuild the foundations -- godly families who believe the divine order clearly laid out in Scripture; churches that go back to the Word and its instruction for correct church life; biblically qualified magistrates following the only true foundation for the civil arena, the Word of God. (Don't talk to me about separation of church and state -- when the state stops dictating to the church, then we will tackle the issue of the church interfering with the state.)

Okay, this is sounding pretty dogmatic! Anyone who knows me is not surprised -- my husband calls me a purist, an assignation which I proudly maintain! God is still on the throne. He was not taken by surprise by this election. He still has kingdom work for His people. He will take care of the "heathen" in His good time. What can the righteous do? Obey. Trust and obey. Fulfill my duty in my domain. He promises to "revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor. 10:6) Thank you, Lord, for your precious Word. May we live by it fully as we work for Your kingdom.