I Can't Believe It's Been 24 yrs. Today....

24 yrs. ago today I found my birth family. wow, it doesn't seem like it's been that long. What a journey it was. I won't bore you with the whole long thing. I'll just tell you that I received a call from a Judge I had written a letter to asking for information about my adoption and my birth family. Now I will tell you that Judges Never, and I mean Never call you. I don't know if he had ever done it before. I just know for some reason (It was a God reason) he called my Dad's house. He found my dad had passed along with my older brother Tommy. He spoke to my sister Pennie. she was a bit surprised. The kids hadn't heard about us. They knew dad had been married before, but they didn't know there were 2 more kids. 

well after that conversation, he called me. I was shocked to say the least.. I'd only known about an older brother for a couple of months. Now to know I had a sister.. I would soon learn there were even more kids.. between my mom (6) and Dad (2) and the 3 of us.. there were 11 kids.. oh my.. I about fainted..   

The judge asked if I wanted to talk to my sister.. of course I did.. so we talked.. well we cried for a while to each other.. then laughed and just jabbered about everything.. We made plans to meet at my step-mom's house.. My mom-Ella is so wonderful.. she knew about us kids (my brother and I.. Keith passed in 1982 so he never got to meet everyone. He would have loved it) She and my dad had hoped we would look for them someday.. but I don't think she had planned on it being that day. 

My adopted family was awesome and wonderful and big and huge and loving and well just everything that anyone could ever want in a family. They loved us and many didn't know we were adopted.. I just had a need to know about my birth family. I wanted to know some things.. and well I mostly just needed them. I had lost my Papa (my name for my adopted dad) and Keith and I felt so alone in the world. God answered my heart prayer, and He did it in a wonderfully fast way. 

I made my way that evening to mom-Ella's house and we all met. I'll tell you there were lots of hugs and kisses.. lots of tears, and lots of questions and answers. The photo albums were brought out and I got to see pictures of my Dad and Tommy. Then photos of aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins. It was so weird to see pictures of people who looked just like me. I'd never seen that. It was wonderful. A party was planned for the weekend. I met my Aunt Janet and my Uncle Mike and heard more stories about the family and all the Aunts and Uncles.. 

I got the phone number of my aunt Shirley from mom-Ella, and called. Within a few short days I made the call to my mom-Lillian (I was a bit hesitant) and the plan was made for us to meet and then we had a party with all the family here. It was so strange to walk into a room and see a woman who looked a lot like me. The party was great. It was so much fun to meet more Aunts and Uncles and cousins. 

I will say I have my dad's hair.. "the Woodruff hair" White white.. all the aunts and uncles had it too. I'm not sure if any of the nieces and nephews have it, but I do and I love it.. I think I look a lot like my Aunt Janet (dad's sister) I have the same body shape as my mom. all us girls do.. well I think we do.. it's just so much fun to see how much we look alike and then how we look different. 

Since then I've met many more of my Woodruff/Christie/Rodarte/Donelow family members. Some I've only talked to on the phone, but that's fine. I hope to meet more of my family that live in Texas. 

Today I'm celebrating Family. They are really the most important thing. they make life so much fun and so interesting. They are our history.. and our legacy. I am so richly blessed with family.. It is so great to add them all in with my huge Pennala Family. 

I can't wait for the next 24 yrs. 

Mom-Lillian and my Christie Family

Mom-Lillian's family and my brother Juan

My mom-Ella and the Woodruff women.

More of my Woodruff Family...

Mom-Lillian and some of my Rodarte Family 

The End Of A Journey...

Today I got a call from my mom. She was sobbing. I held my breath, then she spoke. "It's your aunt Shirley honey. She's gone back to the hospital and the Doctor's are saying it's her heart and she'll leave us in a day or two." her heart was breaking as she told me what she could.  

We had just gotten that same call from husband's Niece a couple of weeks ago when his oldest brother Floyd was in his last days. 

Floyd and Ken

Ken lost his brother Don last spring; now it was Floyd. Two brothers in less then a year. Now my Aunt. The 2nd of mom's sisters to pass. It's a grief and a pain to our hearts. 

Floyd was a good man. God fearing his Grandmother would have said. A fine man. A good brother. His life was full. He had children and a wife that loved and cared for him. He was a farmer. Floyd purchased the "old home place" where Ken was born in Mo. He was able to purchase it and more land to go with it. He took out the trees and made it an excellent rice growing farm. He never bragged about it, but it was one of the highest producing rice farms in Mo. He was proud of that. 

As I spoke with the family all could remember special things Floyd did with them as kids. Like tickets to the Circus. Floyd was a Shriner and gave a lot to help others. He was generous. He had a wonderful Journey. He would tell you the last few years were hard with the Parkinson's. I think he was glad when it finally looked like the end was going to come. Finally his long awaited journey to Heaven and his eternal home.  

Aunt Shirley and Uncle Lynwood

Aunt Shirley too is at the end of her earthly journey now. She also has a loving husband and family. Her journey was full of love and joy. Her heart is full of wonderful memories. Illness has taken it's tole on her. I think she is ready for the final journey from this life to the next. Her little body is tired. 

I know that's it's the best thing for her. I also know my mom, her other siblings, her husband, the kids, and grandkids wished she could get well and stay here with them. I wish it too. 

My mind knows that " Going Home to Heaven" is the most wonderful journey.. The one that begins as this earthly one ends. The one where Jesus is waiting to take our hands and lead us to the mansion He prepared for us. My mind knows that. My heart breaks at it. My heart wants to keep them all here with us. 

Tonight I'm praying for mom, for the brothers, for Lynwood and the rest of the family. I'm praying for Floyd's family too. I know they're grief is fresh and painful. I'm praying that God will fill our hearts with His Peace, His comfort, and His Joy.  

till we meet again in Heaven we love you Floyd and Aunt Shriley. We love you.. 

Update On Our Grandson's Missionary Journey...

Today I was checking some more photos of our grandson and his Missions Team. You may remember that Tim is part of a group from YWAM (Youth With A Mission) that is on Mission Outreach to Thailand and Cambodia. The group is in Cambodia. I'd love to post a few photos, but there really aren't any except one or two that don't show the people they are ministering to. I agree with the team that the photos of the children and others don't need to be posted. It really is treating folks the way we'd like to be treated.  

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to read blog posts and hear about the wonderful work this Team is doing. The Team is now in Cambodia working with kids at risk. So many of these young children are sold into human trafficking. The team shows them how special and precious they are. They tell them how God created them and loves them and that alone makes them special and important. The team is teaching art, and hygiene among other things. They also have Bible studies with the parents. It's just so wonderful to hear of the love they are sharing with all those they meet. 

I'm inspired by their willingness even in the midst of all they see, to share the love of Christ unconditionally. I think I see our Tim growing older not only in appearance but in ways we didn't realize he would. I am so proud of him and all he is doing. The Joy of the Lord is really what motivates all of them.  I hope you will join me in praying for the Team.  you can click here to see my first blog post about the teams journey. Below you will see a few photos of our Tim and a few of the team members.  

Shake Like You've Been Changed...

wow,  I love this song by "Mercy Me"..  Being a girl who has always loved to dance, this one grabbed me right away. This is dancing around the house, in your car, at the store, right out in public kind of dancing music. 

 It's "I can't even dance, but I'm dancing " music. 

Love the Lyrics and the Message more.. How God has changed me. When I realize that God loved me just like I was and I couldn't do a thing to make Him love me more. Well, that changed me. That Love and sacrifice changes a person, and that Change makes you want to Dance.. Or as the song says  "Shake"..  

You can enjoy the song and dance by clicking Here.

Here are the Lyrics 

Let's just Shake like we're changed. 

 just can't believe

Where my life was at

All that I know is that my heart was broken

And I don't ever wanna go back

Ain't no explanation

How I saw the light

He found me and set me free

And it brought me back to life

Blame it on the transformation

Changed down to the core

His love is real

And I can't sit still

Cuz my name's not shamed no more

Great God Almighty, gonna change this

Great God Almighty, He gonna change me

You gotta shake, shake, shake

Like you're changed, changed, changed

Brand new looks so good on you

So shake like you've been changed

Come on and shake, shake

Shake like you've been changed

Shake, shake, shake like you changed

Maybe He came to you

When everything seemed fine

Or maybe your world was upside down and hit you right between the eyes

No matter when it happened

At 7 or 95

Move your feet ‘cause you are free

And you've never been more alive

You gotta shake, shake, shake

Like you're changed, changed changed

Brand new looks so good on you

So shake like you've been changed

Come on and shake, shake, shake

Shake like you changed, changed, changed

Shake, shake, shake like you changed

Brand new looks so good on you

So shake like you've been changed

Come on and shake, shake, shake

Shake like you changed, changed, changed

Shake, shake, shake like you changed

Shake, Shake

Great God Almighty gonna change me

Great God Almighty, He gone and changed me

No matter when it happened

At 7 or 95

Move your feet, ‘cause you are free

And you've never been more alive

New Year A Fresh Start....

Happy New Year !   

I can scarcely believe that 2013 is over and we are starting fresh and new. I like millions of others are contemplating what our New Year resolutions should involve. If you are like me, I fail miserably making resolutions. I want to change so much about myself that I quickly become overwhelmed and give up.

If I wrote my resolutions down every year they would look something like this..

** No fear family I don't drink or smoke and I don't have an ex. or a job.  LOL  

 I've come to realize a major fear I have. I'm afraid to fail. I don't know how to explain it in a better way. I've been afraid to fail in a lot of major areas. I'm afraid I'll fail as a friend, as a wife, as a mom, as a grandmother, as a Christian. 

As a child I never learned how to roller skate, ice skate, snow or water ski, swim, climb trees-gates-or fences, jump off porches or from the back of truck beds. As I would attempt to do these things fear rose up in me. It froze me in place and gripped me. 

As a teenager I never joined in after school events. I didn't try out for the cheer leading squad or the tennis team. I didn't try out for a part in one of my favorite musicals. What if I couldn't do it. What if the other kids laughed at me. What if I failed. 

I quit going to college. What if I flunked out. 

What if I failed. 

What if I could never get a job. 

Fear ruled over me. 

I am setting goals this year. Goals that are attainable. 

I am going to ask God to help me overcome my fear of failure. I know it's OK to fail. 

I have family, friends, and a God that love me. 

The Bible tells me 365 times to "Fear Not" I want to Fear Not. 

I know those of you who know me well will see my 2nd goal is a biggie.  

I want to talk less and Listen more. 

OK, you can laugh here. 

I'm waiting for you to finish laughing. 

OK that's enough. You can stop now. 

I want to love myself more by 

doing some things that will be good for me. 

I want to eat less processed foods and

 drink more water. 

I want more family and friend time

more pictures

more dinners

more silliness 

I want to put God first in Everything. 

I want to Value God's word by Studying more. 

I Want to Know God more intimately.

I want to share God's great love and Christ's sacrifice. 

I want to take a few minutes everyday to be still and Listen 

for His voice. 

I talk a lot to Him too.. and then forget to listen for what He has to say. 

I want to give more. 

Laugh more. 

Appreciate more.

Smile more.

I want to celebrate more. 

I want to Love more. 

Some goals I will struggle with. Some will be a breeze. 

I love taking pictures and being with friends and family 

Those will be easy. others will be more of a struggle. 

I am confident that putting God first will be the key to all the rest.

I'm praying for you as the New Year begins. 

I'm praying that you will begin 

or renew your relationship with God. 

He is the one that has plans for you, 

and He'll help you achieve success.. 

He's Gone To Share God's Love In Thailand

Matt, Tim, and Grandma.... 

As some of you know our Tim left early this fall for a 6 month Mission training and Outreach with YWAM. He attended 3 months of Discipleship Training. I know he is involved in videography too.  He was originally set to go to India and Nepal with his Outreach Team. God had other plans. After some paperwork that needed to be straightened out Tim had a choice to make. To wait a couple of weeks and go on to meet his Team, or to leave with another Team. Tim prayed, and then he went.  

This is Team Thailand/Cambodia

Tim arrived in country just a day after the others. He loves it and is deep in the ministry to a children's home. The team is busy getting to know the kids and teaching them conversational English.

* a note here there will be no children's pictures posted here. The children have made it know to the adults that they feel like zoo animals when folks come waving cameras in their faces. This wonderful team has chosen to honor their request and take no photos of the children. I will post projects that involve photos of team members here when they are appropriate.. 

I have been overwhelmed by the beauty of the Country. It's breathtaking. 

On the Team's first day off they decided to spend the day at an Elephant park.. The photos are awesome. Dillon Engstrom is the photographer. Most of the photos I post here will be his work. I'll post them along with a few from Tim and a few here and there from other Team members.   

Tim getting his Elephant ride. 

There was a show to watch then they rode the elephants for about 20 minutes through water, down pathways, over bridges. The Team also experienced a long river raft journey, a ride in a cart pulled by Oxen, and a large buffet meal to top it all off.. 

I ask that you remember this team in your prayers. They are so excited to share the love and Gospel of Christ with everyone they meet. I'll try and post something each week as Dillon does an update of activities once per week. Please pray for the health of the team. Some are feeling a bit sick. Also pray for the children that they understand all that is being taught to them. 

A big THANK YOU to those who have supported our Tim financially and with their prayers. Your support is allowing him to live out God's plan. 

UPDATE: you can follow Tim and the team on Facebook..  just click this URL..  and make a request..  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207054959482377/

Wow.. That Was A Wild Christmas ...

Sunday Dec. 22nd we had an ice storm. Kind of weird for Michigan. We are def. a snow state. When we didn't lose power overnight we figured we were in the clear. We were wrong. 

about 1:30 that afternoon we lost power. Like thousands of others throughout the storm area. Husband got out the Kerosene lamps, the camp stove, the old peculator coffee pot, and a Coleman light. We were ready for the couple of hours (normally) we might be without power. I had filled 5 gal. buckets with water and put them in the tub the day before..  goooo me..  

We waited. I put up a cotton blanket to block in the heat generated by the kerosene lamps and Coleman lamp. Considering we had no heat source it stayed pretty comfy, that is till the next day. We headed out to find kerosene, 1lb propane tanks for the stove and light, and a new heater. As you already have guessed.. Nada for any of those. We did have friends give us their Kerosene heater to use. We found a place close with Kerosene, and we found the last 1 lb propane tanks in town and bought some. 

We had some snow. It was beautiful stuck to the icy trees. 

We were fortunate. When we called in to report the outage we were given the Date of Saturday Dec. 28th for restoration of power. YIKES...  We  got our power back Monday night about mid-night. Many didn't get their power back until that Saturday. 

We had a plan for a big family dinner and gift exchange for Tuesday afternoon.. I made some calls and said the cancelled party was back on. I moved the furniture back, put the food back in the full size freezer in the basement, and the food to the fridge.. then threw all the unwrapped gifts in any Christmas bag I could find that would hold them, scrawled names on the bags in black sharpie marker.. ordered Pizza, Salad, and bread sticks,and we  had Christmas.  

Husband still says our best gift of the year was our heat and power back on. I totally agree.. the "jingle bell shotgun shell" Christmas lights came in 2nd. LOL  he is easy to please. 

We realized we spend way to much time watching TV. We had no board games, puzzles, not even a deck of UNO cards..  I gave them all to the kids when they moved out.. I plan on rectifying that this year. 

I've also ordered a free-standing propane vent free heater. 30,000 BTU.  We have a similar one at our place in Kentucky. We love it. We'll get some Propane tanks (I'm not sure what size, we'll see what the propane co. suggests) when the heater gets here. I'm making a corner for our emergency supplies so we'll be more prepared next time, and I won't have to spend so much time looking for stuff. We're gonna get a generator too. We have a couple of small ones husband picked up at yard sales here and there. They're small and I'm not sure they would be of much use. I want one big enough to run our fridge and freezer, maybe a light or two and a TV.  

It's always good to be prepared for the unexpected. 

I hope your Christmas was warm, full of family and friends.