Feed.....Nourishment......Provision

Food & Friends........They go together so well

       When it comes to food, specially gluten free food, its a lot harder to eat out in Harlan Ky. Normally its the Mexican restaurant for us, I get chicken fajitas with corn tortillas . So when we go speak to churches, go to Tn to visit family or go to the dr in Johnson City I look forward to eating good food. My favorite place is Chick Fil A, they have grilled chicken and I can eat their fries because they cook them in a separate fryer, and then I get half sweet tea half lemonade to drink, YUMMO,  I Love it,I wished Harlan County would get a Chick Fil A. When I lived in White House I took all this for granted. That was before I found out  I was allergic to gluten, but I always thought the places I liked to eat was at my finger tips. 

      When we were in FL we ate at a place that had gluten free pizza and had gelato. When we ate at Red Brick Pizza place it was such a special treat. The only way I get pizza at home is to make it and its very good but there is nothing like going to a place, ordering pizza, and sitting down and eating it with a coke! So we ate the gluten free pizza and took in every moment. Being gluten free made me realize how much I just assumed I would always have. When we go to Johnson city , Chad knows whats for lunch, there aren't too many fast food places I can eat where I get a good protein. Chick Fil A it is, then we get Zaxbys  hot wings to go for dinner when we get home. Going to Johnson City is about an 1 hr and 45 minutes from us, that's the closest mall and major places to eat. So now I realize when I get to go to cherish every moment.

    Thinking about food reminds me of friends and family. We always eat when we get together and we will make any excuse to eat. Well we treat our friends and family just like we treat food, we take them for granted. Being missionaries , and living 5 hrs away from family, it makes me think how much we do take them for granted. We must feed our friends with the love and nutrients that is giving to us from God. He always provides and when He gives us the wisdom we must help each other. Feeding our belly's and feeding our friendship is so much a like, we must be aware of the friends and families that need to be fed with His love. We must let His love pour out of us, and then we need to soak it in and spread that love. Just like when we make dinner for our families or other people, we share, so we must share His love!

    Next time you eat your favorite meal with your best friend, or family,take it all in. Enjoy the moment and don't think of it as just an ordinary day!

   

Just Float........

                                             

85 and Sunny.....feeling the warm sun on my face, toes in the sand, feeling the ocean waves trying to knock me down........JUST FLOAT

     Chad and I went on vacation to Panama City Beach Fl for our anniversary last week. His parents have a time share and let us go every year. Its a blessing because if we couldn't use it we wouldn't be able to go. 

  We left last Monday after our Fall Festival which was amazing!!! Having the fall festival before we went this year was the best way to do it, we had great weather and when we got to Fl we could just relax! Every time we go to the beach we think of it as our last because with us being faith based missionaries we are never guaranteed that we have the money to go. So we treasure every moment while we are there, from the ride down there, to going to walmart and buying groceries,to going down on the beach and putting our toes in the sand for the first time! Its a true blessing from God every time we go.   

  I get up almost every morning to watch the sunrise. We have Mts all around us and we don't get to see it, so I take it all in and know its a gift from God to be able to see it come up. Chad and I sit with blankets around us, because we are always on a high floor, this year we were on level 15 not as high as other times. The wind is always blowing and we cuddle up and and watch this amazing bright orange-yellow sun come up over the buildings. WOW, every time I see it, I'm always amazed. We of course eat breakfast,pack our lunch in a cooler,and head down to the beach. We have made friends with a lady that works for a beach chair rental, she is there every year and we love seeing her and talking about what happen in the last year. We enjoy seeing kids with their families there. This year I think every school has gone on fall break that week and it was pact, but still nice to enjoy the sun! I thought of our youth many of times while we were on the beach. Thinking of their senior year and we might all be on that beach laughing and making so many memories one day. I didn't think I could miss them that much, but they stole my heart,and I thought of them all every day!

  We ate some great sea food, most places had gluten free menu so I was able to have mahi mahi sandwich  and it was nice eating a bun again!! Chad and I just enjoyed laying on the beach and reading books and just being with each other. We don't get to spend a lot of Just Us time and it was really nice to have that gift. We would get in the water and it was amazing to feel the fish swimming around my feet and hearing the waves break on the shore. JUST FLOAT...wow if only we could do that every day when life gets crazy and we want to scream, we should remember to float! When I see the ocean, the sting rays, dolphin's and the sun set I always think of Chris Tomlin's song " Indescribable" God placed all the stars, the ocean , the waves, the grass, every part of it on this earth, and only He could do that!!! It amazes me when I look off our our balcony and see the mass ocean and sting rays floating. Its a huge blessing to be able to see that part of what God created."They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works" Psalms 145: 5

  We went to shell Island for our anniversary and had a great day picking shells, and Chad found 5 whole sand dollars! That is something we do when we go to the beach we love looking for sand dollars. We saw dolphins while we were on the boat going back , and watching the sun go down was priceless. To end the night our favorite place to eat on our anniversary was closed Sunday so we ate at a pizza place, had great gluten free pizza and gelato  for dessert....Yummo! Then we ate the last night at Capt Anderson s, had grilled grouper, steak and lobster tail! We look forward to that every year!

  We had a wonderful 6th year Anniversary! Our family and church family checked on us through out the week and our youth text us seeing when we were coming home!!! Its great to be loved and missed! Back in Benham Ky, left FL  80 degrees to 38 degrees, but its great to be home, see the Mts and see our sweet church family and youth! Thank you all for making it special , and for all the sweet wishes!!! God is so good!

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;let the sea resound, and all that is in it; Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then allthe trees of the forest will sing for joy" Psalms 96:11-12