Neighbors

Thinking on neighbors last night brought back a flood of memories

I have been blessed with great neighbors from my childhood up .

Growing up in Allen was a great little place while going back in my mind to

the neighbors and how they would come to sit on our porch for a visit memories came

flooding back

Granny and Mr Snodgrass were our next door neighbors such sweet couple Mr Snodgrass ran the Insurance agency , when he would come home for lunch I can see Granny now giving him a white bib so he would not get his white shirt and tie stained . I used to think why in the world would granny give him a bib he was a older man , looking back it kept her from trying to get stains out of those pretty ever so white dress shirts .

Granny had to be the sweetest old lady I can remember going over and sitting on her porch and asking as a child to play with the flab on her arm (I know that is weird now but I loved it then)

Neighbors on the other side were Clarence and Fannie Salyers he ran Standard oil and Fannie such a talented lady had a craft shop and would quilt, crochet, and knit . Visiting she taught me how to knit and she made clothes for my barbie dolls I still have the clothes and the barbies with the exception to the first Ken Doll my brother loved me so much he bit his feet off guess he really didn't love me much that day ! This will be another blog on all the things my brother and I got into .

Now to Bennie and Gretchen they ran the little grocery store -restaurant- Post office , yes Old Allen had a post office years ago . the store was the hang out for most everyone at some point in their life it was on the little corner and everyone came by to sit .

Missy being their granddaughter we visited them at home and store way to much for them I am sure getting boxes from their store to make our lemonade stands/

We would sit the stand up in my yard or at the top of the hill near the bridge trying to make us some money I remember this one time our stand was at my house and we had one cup left as I am sure Missy and I had drank most of the lemonade our self .

I had little dog so we just let him drink some out of our last cup .....now here is something .........along comes a nice older gentleman he says he will take a cup and of course Missy and I know that the only cup left was the one the dog has lapped his lemonade up in so kids being kids we sale the gentleman a glass of lemonade and use the cup the dog has just used I sure hope that gentleman didn't really drink that lemonade .

Multitude Mondays (one thousand gifts)

Ducks enjoying the food I brought them

The Snow pile that I had to look at daily

Springtime

I copied this blog from http://ambocullum.blogspot.com/ Ambers blog.(Thanks Amber)

Trying to list a thousand things to be thankful for I will try to update each week or two .

Here goes ........

1. My saviour Jesus who loves me when I am unlovable
2. Completed the 7 weeks of bible study on the tongue (with bruised toes)
3. My Husband (he brings my coffee to bed each morning)
4. I am so blessed with a BIG family six Brothers and two Sister's
5. Lots of Nieces and Nephews love being around my family
6. My Parents who taught me many great lessons in life
7. My mothers love for Jesus thankful that she taught me of his love
8. Being my Daddy's little girl while he was here on earth (he used to call me his baby and it would make me mad but I am glad to be the baby )
9. Flowers
10. My time with GOD in my flowers where we have many great talks
11. Sunrises--watching the sun come up from my front porch with my coffee
12. Sunsets--again watching from my neck of the woods
13. Going to the park
14. Weed eating --I know most people hate it but I love it !!!
15. My job and Co-Worker she rocks !!!!
16. Watching people walk by
17. Each morning that I wake up to birds singing --its like GOD is saying Good Morning Glenna
18. Sundays and my church family
19. Our ladies bible study group
20. Walks in the park
21. My camera to capture some great shots of nature
22. For My health
23. My house that GOD has allowed me to have
24. the simple life
25. Simple things seem to have the biggest blessings
26. This blog spot that Amber has graciously shared with me
27. My doggies Champ and Lady
28. My trips to Allen
29. The Miracle GOD gave us in Aaron and Kenneth in Jan (PRAISE GOD )
30. Prayer partners
31. Facebook --being able to keep in touch with many
32. For the air I breath
33. For each step I take
34. For this day !!!!
35. The sunshine
36. Springtime My favorite time of year when everything comes to life
37. The season of Lent
38. Easter eggs (they are the best eggs)
39. The Holy Spirit --sometimes quite and sometimes like the mighty rushing wind
40. The rain on a spring evening
41. Summer walks at the park
42. Picnics
43. I have leanrned we need to encourage others daily ~~ so to who ever reads this be encouraged in whatever you want to do this day !!!!
44. GOD holding my hand in times of wondering
45. The Upper Room daily reading
46. Tears of joy and Praise
47. Warm shower
48. The cool feeling after a hot flash
49. The black coffee I just went and got
50. Starting my diet today and taking one day at a time
51. Fresh Strawberries I ate yesterday yummy !!
52. The Ocean ~~~ love the sounds at night and early morning at the beach
53. Watching the birds that I feed
54. Feeding the ducks at the park
55. This is a funny ~~~ wal mart ~~~ seems like I have to go daily
56. Clothes on my back
57. Shoes on my feet
58. Food in our house
59. Germ X and Lysol (Yes I am strange like that)
60. Fining Eyebuy direct web site (cheap prices)
61. My family history got to love those roots
62. My Great Great Great's that fought for our rights we have now !!
63. My brothers that also fought in the war of Vietnam .
64. The Internet ......keeping everyone in touch
65. My husband mowing grass early this morning ~~I love a beautiful yard
66. Bagels for breakfast
67. Today !!!!!
68. Did I mention what a awesome Artist GOD is with all the beauty that surrounds us
69. The Ice cream cake I ate at church yesterday ~~easy to make
70. The snow pile that finally melted
71. The first snow each year !!!! and one snow is enough
72. My co worker brought lunch today !!
73. Friendship that has lasted years
74. Great Memories
75. Talking to Ruth on lunch today
76. Driving around looking at others landscaping
77. My doctors early am visit this morning ~~talking of Jesus
78. The lab lady so cheerful
79. not having to wait to long at the drs office
80. Watering my flowers last night
81. Long weekends --This continues today Monday May 31st
82. Biofreeze
83. Cold Packs
84. Heat wraps
85. Knee Braces
86. My Pillow
87. clean sheets
88. downy --smells so good
89. Clean house --didn't happen this weekend
90. My doggie trying to comfort me knowing something is wrong --Knee Problems
91. Looking at my Million bell flowers
92. The Red Bird stops at my feeder
93. New Water Bottles
94. Steaks on the Grill
95. Olive Garden Sat. night
96. Seeing family at the Olive Garden
97. Car shopping
98. air condition in my car
99. Yesterday Church service
100. Kenneth not being hurt to bad in his second wreck
101. My Brothers that served in the Military
102. All Military past and present
103. Freedoms that We have that our forefathers fought for
104. Joisah Marcum Rev. War Solider (my DAR Solider)
105. Listening to my husband snore as I lay awake
106. Dreams
107. God using me this week in a very special way ---That just brought me to tears but good tears
108. Volunteered for Story telling at Vacation bible school
109. Taking one day at a time
110. Text Messaging
111. Finished the antibiotics
112. Spider bite is looking better
113. Weeds to pull
114. swifter
115. swifter vac
116. dishes to wash
117. clothes to fold
118. Seven days of blessings more than can be told !!!!
119. My Husband helping me turn over when my knee hurts so bad hes that hand by my side
120. JOY JOY way down deep in my soul
121. The Father , The Son and the Holy Spirit
122. My neighbor giving me the cutest tea cup and saucer hand made flower pot
123. Sun Tea
124. Razor's
125. Ellen Tracy Perfume
126. My knee feeling some better today
127. People who have a love for family history and sharing with me years ago before Internet
128. Spell Check ---I need to use more
129. Praying I am a little better person in Christ than last week
130. Psalms 93
131. Love is ......Cartoon from years ago that was brought back to my memory this past week
132. Listening to Champion snore also ...knowing he feels safe
133. The Song O for a thousand tongues to sing ~~~!!!!
134. The singing Cookes have been a blessing to me for years with their songs
135. Todd Agnew ---Song--which Jesus do you serve
136. Cookout with Family
137. Connor chasing Uncle Aaron and Mommy with water guns...
138. Jaxson smiling at everyone ....babies are so easy to smile
139. Just for today --none of the Cake and other sweets at the cookout
140. Calls from Friends and family !!
141. Wal mart electric carts (watch out I am a dangerous with those carts)
142. Clean Sheets smells so good !!!
143. 
     
     
     

I need help!!!

I sure do need help !!
I try to diet and what happens I must be a lazy undisciplined person
so if others feel that they can help me by giving some much needed advice please
I am at the point that I am ready for Gastic By pass

Picture Spring Challenge

Hunter says the trees are beautiful just look !

Jaxon doesnt like the spring time in the grass

A rose grown by me just after the rain

The tree speaks of spring time !!

I love spring to I am taking the Spring Photo challenge 2010

Spring time in Tennessee is a beautiful time !!!

Picture Summer

Weekend of 5 15 2010

WOW !!!!

My first weekend off since July ...that's why the WOW !!!! I was excited and felt the need to cram in two months worth of Saturdays into this one so we tried .

I had a list of things I wanted to do . I needed to get up early so we could get to Wolf Valley Growers (which is a hour drive each way ) to get my much needed flowers that I love (check)

Stopped at East Tn horse stables (my husband loves horses)

and Barco took right up with him , there were many beautiful horses and the fields and hills were beautiful .I love being out enjoying nature and seeing all the beauty that GOD has allowed us to have !!!

Then back home to unload the plants(check)

Back off for another forty five minutes for the drive to Somerset so I could test drive a 2011 Sonata (check)

Off now to walmart to get Potting Soil and Top soil (check off for the list ) as I was checking out it came a HUGE rain storm , so I waited until it wasn't raining so hard and asked for help loading .........(don't never ask for help loading when it is raining ) all the employees had either gone to lunch or take the trash out .We had to load it our self in now the rain again .

Needed to go to Lowes for a double Shepherds hook and trying to find a climbing rose that is peach or salmon colored (X) didn't make it there .

Now we are needing to eat something so we stop and hope its not raining when we get home ,YEA!!!! got home and no rain so I started working in my flowers only to get rained on in a few minutes.

this list in my mind I still needed to do laundry (check), General house cleaning (check)

Now its Sunday and my list continues over we have to go to the grocery store so we can grill out (check)

Move off the porch furniture and clean the porch (check)

Bath the Dog (check) which he gets about twice a week I cant have my dog smelling like a dog cause he is my baby dog..

With the rain came no cookout ( X) so I did a lunch supper combo inside .

Boy oh did I over make my list How many hours did I think I had in a weekend !!!!!

here is a few Items left over that I didn't get to do

Spring clean our bedroom

Trim our hedges and mulch

Need to dig a hole and get the plant my neighbor gave me as she wants it out of her yard and I have to find a place to put it .

I can look back and see that I did finish a few things YEAH for me !!!

I just tried to cram to much in to my wonderful weekend I must say I was busy and I truly enjoyed it

Praying for pretty weather this week so the evenings I can get the outside finished .

Oh and did I mention today I am sore from all the hurry , hurry , Oh this is days when I sure don't feel 29 !!!! (don't laugh to hard 29 catches up with us all) :)

My Best Friend

Where do I even start to tell you about my best friend .

He started out to be only my friend and that is all I wanted and told him that we could only be friends.

With any realationship I have found out that you must begin as friends and work from that point of friendship but I really thought this guy is not for me and yes I had been praying for someone to be the love of my life still thinking no way just friends

His love for me contiuned and I had to admit I had fallen in love with him too !!!

We had a long distance relationship and they say absents makes the heart grown fonder this is true I longed for the weekends that we could see each other !!!

We didnt have cell phones, Computers to chat it was good old long distance phone bills and I mean HIGH bills (why oh why couldnt we have had the cell phones back then ) our calls we knew we had to limit due to the cost , or I should say we tried to not have high bills but we had to talk nightly just to hear each others voice and oh how I grew to love that voice and wait for those calls .

We have weathered storms as all couples do and that first year was one that I think was truly a storm so many changes that I went through , moving from my home town where everyone knew me and my family to another state that I only had his Mom and Dad and My sister and her kids but each had their own lifes with work.

My husband worked nights and I worked days we only got to see each other on the weekends for a few hours as he worked weekends and I was off weekends so he slept and I sit waiting for him to wake up !! talk about a boring life I had it !!! I longer for more togtherness .

To sum up my best friend there isnt enough words in websters to define My best friend, My husband , My soul mate !!

To those looking for your soul mate I will say dont let you friend leave as he may be that Diamond as you are to busy looking for that other stone !!!

Conversation Peace !!!! (the Tonuge)

I started April 8, a women's bible study on the TONGUE Oh what a dangerous part of our body this is !!
The first week I knew right off the bat that this was going to be a Study that would really step on my toes, since I love to talk and admit I like to hear Gossip.
James tells us that what we talk is where we will walk also in James 3 :5-6 tell us
the tongue being a little member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth and the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our member's that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it sit om fire of hell.
Going into week five I have found that I daily need to dig deep into my heart and clean out all the bad so my tongue will be what GOD would have be .
Here are a few questions we had to answer each as Never, Seldon , Occasionally, often and Habitually
1. Do you Gossip ? I had to say often ....this hurt
2. Do you slander? Do you say things behild their back that you would not say to their faces?
my answer ...seldom I will pretty much tell you what I have said
3. Do you nag? I said seldom (my husband said yes :) that I do )
4. Do you meddle ? do you try to referee arguments or act as a go between ? I said Occasionally
5. Do you brag? The only way I think I brag is to say I am blessed and thats bragging on JESUS and I should do that more and more with each day
6. Do you Lie? are you less than truthful? I may joking say something but to lie I sure try not to
7. Are you quarrelsome? do you feel the need to be proved right or to have the last word? and I had to answer often
8. Do you respond in anger? are you hot tempted or defensive ? another often for me
9. Do you talk to much? do you babble ? do you spend a lot of time on he phone or chat rooms? oh I had to say habitually .
10. Are you reluctant to admit you are wrong? do you fail to ask forgiveness? answer seldom
11. Do you betray confidence? do you repeat matters you should keep private? its never I can keep a secret
12. Do you Criticize? do you find fault? and my answer was occasionally
13. Do you complain ? seldom was my answer but my husband says more than seldom
14. Do you make assumptions and assume the worst about other peoples motives and I had to say often
15. Do you hold Grudges? occasionally
16. Are you sarcastic? do you mock others? Do you use negative humor to put others down? and yes occasionally I do
17. Are you malicious do you words mean to cut or wound ? occasionally
18. Are you insincere in you compliments ? do you flatter others for your own advantage? O can said never if I compliment you I mean it
19. Is your speech filthy ? do you swear or use four language ? my answer never
20. Do you fail to listen ? Do you jump to conclusions before you are sure that you have heard and understand ? seldom

Now I had to look back over my answers and circle the number that need improvement and I sure do need improvement ....

I will continue this as I finish the study ...its sure been hard on this gal !!!

Bill's story

BILL DAVID MARCUM



Bill David Marcum was born December 3, 1963 in Pikeville, KY to William David and Nancy Jane Aldrdige Marcum. He was preceded in death by one sister, Kimberly. Bill went to HEAVEN April 25, 2010 at the Pikeville Medical Center in Pikeville, KY.

How do I begin to tell the complex story about Bill David? Yes, his life was one of much pain, but it was so much more. He lived many of the last 40 of his 46 years in a haze of pain but still preservered. Many would have given up long ago, but not Bill. He didn't think only of himself. He just didn't want to cause more hurt to his parents whom he so dearly loved by leaving them as he knew the depth of their agony when his only sister went to Heaven in 1990.

In January of 1971, Nancy and I took Bill to Ashland to see a doctor about a knee injury he had received at school when he was six. I remember that day, because when we returned from Ashland his grandfather, Everett, had been taken to the hospital with a heart attack. Bill was swinging on the playground when a garbage can being carried by 8th graders struck his knee, and he was never completely pain free again. He later had a run in with a car on his little motorcycle and received further injury to his leg.

Bill went on with his life doing the things kids do even with his knee injury. He went to school, roamed and played, went hunting with his Dad, was in a band, learned to ski, and loved Michael Jordan.

He and his good friend, David L., started a business which is still in existence. Bill was called Bo by David L.'s daughter's, Ashley & Kristen, which was a name he really liked.

Bill loved computers, so he went to DeVry University in Columbus. He was a genius when it came to all things to do with a computer. I remember he was on crutches when he came home from school for Kim's funeral.

He left school in 1991 after becoming really ill and was later diagnosed with cancer. He's had surgeries, chemo, radiation, and all the horrible treatments associated with cancer and the damages to his body caused by the treatments. His parents took him to any treatment center where they thought he could be helped. Bill got to the point till he said he wasn't doing anymore treatments. I can't begin to list all the procedures he had done to his leg over the years.

During the illness of cancer and his hurting leg, he began a computer business from his bedroom. He had been offered a position with AT&T when he finished school. Bill was one of an elite few people in the world who had true computer genius - from building them to thinking of different uses for them. His friend from DeVry went on to work for AT&T and remained close friends with Bill. Together they would work on problems. If his friend had to be off, he would turn his job over to Bill during that time. Their phone would ring 24 hours a day during those times with Bill advising others on how to repair a problem for that large company.

Bill had a small circle of friends around the world who loved to just think up computer problems to be solved. His understanding of such things knew no bounds.

His computer business grew until it took over much of their home. There were computers and computer parts everywhere you looked. His parents had a room built across the width of their house which was wheelchair accessible. Still, computers and their parts drifted out of that room and into others. There would be times when he wouldn't sleep for two or three days as he said he had too much to do. There was no talking to him when he was in one of his working modes or problem solving modes.

He built me a computer and would tell me how to do computer things. I'd usually forget most of it in a few days and would have to ask again. He'd just shake his head that people couldn't remember such things. I had him rolling his eyes and giving that little laugh of his many times when I couldn't figure out something which was so simple to him, but he continued to help me. When I would tear one up and take it to him to be repaired, I'd often call to see if my computer was ready. He'd say, "No, I had to use your motherboard for so and so and use another of your parts for someone else. These people really needed their computers for work. But, when their parts come in I will fix yours." He kinda begged from Peter to pay Paul at times when it came to computer parts.

Then there was the computer game playing side of Bill. He loved computer games and for Tommy and Tyler Layne to play with as they were growing up. He loved for his cousins to come play games with him, watch ballgames, or just visit. Bill was up on all the latest in games, and my grandson's thought he was just so cool.

His life wasn't just comprised of four walls. With his computer knowledge, he had the world at his fingertips with just the click of a mouse. With that computer, he roamed the world.

The love he and his parents had for each other knew no bounds. Until David had his accident, he worked long hours to make sure Bill would always be provided for. Bill was always in his thoughts. Nancy took such excellent loving care of Bill. No child could have been Blessed with more loving and caring parents, and he knew this and loved them the same way. After David's illness began, Nancy told me one day a year or so ago that she lived one day at a time just caring for them. She said that each day she walked into Bill's room to check on him that she thanked GOD for that day.

Bill tried to stay positive and never more so than after he had his near death experience in the ambulance on the way to Lexington a couple of years ago. He told a lady named Audrey after that experience that "dying was like being wrapped in a blanket of joy".

When his Uncle Jimmy got sick last year, one of the first things Jimmy wanted to do when he was able to get around was to go visit David, Nancy, and Bill. He went in and talked with Bill for a while. Here is this young man lying in bed unable to straighten his head, with one eye gone, and one leg. Bill said, "Look on it this way Uncle. I lost a leg, but I still have one. I lost an eye, but I still have one. I have two hands. You have to look on the positive side." Jimmy and I came home and cried and cried as we were so humbled by that experience.

In the sunset year of Bill's life, he fell in love with a lovely young lady named Tammy. She had suffered since childhood with a disease that struck her at a young age. Like Bill, she didn't let her illness stop her. She graduated from UK. They were both in wheelchairs. They understood each other as most of us can't understand someone who has had a lifetime of suffering. The both had positive outlooks on life. She loved him as he loved her. Oh yes, I forgot to say that they met because he had to tell her how to repair her computer. Tammy went to Heaven last December leaving Bill with a broken heart as Bill said he had lost the love of his life.

Bill's story wouldn't be complete without my telling about the wonderful care he received through the years from Dr. King and his staff. No family could have received better treatment from a doctor than did David, Nancy, and Bill.

Bill had a horrible battle with his health this month which often resulted in him having hallucinations. During one of these times when his cousin Dougie wasn't present, Bill said, "Dougie, tell Mikie everything is fixed up. I have all my affairs in order." Nancy and her cousin Madge took wonderful care of him during his last hospital stay. He said he was going to HEAVEN.

As soon as I heard of Bill's passing, my favorite Bible verse from 2nd Timothy 6 & 7 came to mind, "...the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." I can just hear the MASTER telling him, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Monday afternoon I was waiting on my grandson's to get out of school. Our 8 year old got in the car first. I said, "Noah, I have something sad to tell you." After I told him about Bill's passing, he looked at me and said, "Now he has two eyes, two legs, he can walk, and he's not sick." As it say in Psalms 55:6, "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove for then I would fly away and be at rest." Bill has flown away and is at rest. Noah was right. Bill is no longer in pain. He is with his beloved sister, the love of his life - Tammy, and MOST OF ALL THE HEAVENLY FATHER.

this was wrote by Karen Nelson Marcum and read at Bill Davids celebration of Life Service 4 -29-2010