Recovered Stolen Bike

Praise God for his intervention! My husband is a motocross enthusiast and has a couple of dirt bikes. Our shop was broken into a few months ago and one of the items stolen was the dirt bike. It was the SECOND time this particular motorcycle was stolen (it was stolen once in California and recovered by the police months later).
My husband happened to be in town working on the shop (wiring, plumbing, etc). He has been on the road for 6 weeks and took 5 days off. Since he was home, he went to pick up the boys from school after football practice. The timing was God's because they had called earlier to get picked up and when he got there they weren't ready to leave. He'd gone back to the shop after the first attempt and worked for a while until they called to be picked up again.
As he was driving to the school, he was crossing the railroad tracks near the school (a few miles from our property) when a work truck was stopped at the tracks. On the back of the truck was strapped a dirt bike which immediately caught his eye. He scrutinized the slow moving vehicle and he instantly recognized the motorcycle as his because of a bent brake handle. He followed the truck around and pulled the guy over (all the while on the phone to the police) and when the young man stopped to get out of his truck my husband said, "that motorcycle is stolen property."
The police came and verified the serial numbers. The young man will be going to jail for trespassing, breaking and entering, and grand theft. The bike needs mechanical repairs but my husband was just glad to have it back.
Had he been 2 seconds later, he never would have seen the truck or his bike. Coincidence? I think not.

And Everybody Said. . .

. . .AMEN!

Newly baptized young men on God's journey.

Baptism

On Sunday, September 17, 2006 my youngest son made a public profession of faith and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He was baptized a day before his 17th birthday. I'm so thankful for God's grace and abiding love; and for drawing J into the fold. Please pray for him in the days to come. And continue to pray for all my children who have strayed and my husband who is agnostic. But, let us rejoice together for J and my stepson B who was also baptized. Both young men are hungry to learn and I pray that God surrounds them with loving, Godly people who will instruct them by God's will and in His word.

Still Praying

Remember we have been praying for Bobby? To briefly update, he's been moved from intensive care and taken off the respirator. He had been given a tracheotomy and is now on a feeding tube. They suspect a stroke occurred but his brain swelling has finally diminished. We've prayed for a miracle and each day He grants one! We are believing the Lord will restore his body and mind completely and that he will be a vibrant witness for Christ one day. Below, his mother writes the latest update:

Bobby is doing pretty good, although I think his care was much better
in the NSICU area. They took out his Central Line today and he is not
receiving any IV fluids at this time. The only thing being given to
him is his formula (food, and salt tablets, going through his feeding
tube in his stomach. I did notice that the mucous coming out of his
trach is starting to get a yellowish, green color into it, so that
causes me a little concern that he may be getting another lung
infection (pnuemonia). The nurses are suppose to be keeping an eye on
it. Nothing more to report.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers, positive thoughts, and
words of encouragement.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOY

This is my son (with his cousin). He HATES it when I call him "my youngest" or "the baby of the family." But, it is his birth order and I'm a little sad to say that my baby turned 17 today. He's a senior this year and my heart just aches each and every day at how fast the years have zoomed by me. All my babies are grown up and it feels like I was so busy working and being stressed that I missed it.
He and his stepbrother got baptized in church yesterday and he gave he his life to the Lord. (Pictures to follow next post). For that, I'm thrilled and cried tears of joy and sang songs of praise. Please pray for both of them. Pray that their new walk is bolstered by good Christian people and heavenly truths. Pray that God puts a hedge of protection around them and a hand of guidance upon them. May He lead them to their future wives, their future careers and their future calling serving Him.
Happy Birthday J! Your Mama loves you!

Happy Belated Birthday

This is a picture of my daughter, with HER daughters (grandchildren are God's expression of pure joy) four years ago. My daughter's birthday was Saturday and I want to wish her a belated birthday on the blog so all you friends can pray for her. My granddaughters spoke to me on Saturday and said, "Grandma, why did you send Mommy a birthday card that made her cry?" I had sent her a gift and a card ... but she's been missing me and the dam of tears burst at that moment. We're friends as well as mother and daughter and I truly wish things were "as they used to be" when I lived there. I was there for any crisis, there to enjoy my grandchildren on the weekend and give her a break, there for holidays and soccer games. Now, I'm not. I'm sure there's a lesson God would have us learn during this separation, but it's difficult to endure. Most likely, it is to put God first and not get wrapped up in family until HE is the priority. Pray for us and wish Jess a Birthday when you do.

Labor Day Greetings

Here is a little trivia:
The song Rosie the Riveter was already popular when Actor Walter Pidgeon discovered the real thing--Rose Will Monroe, a Ford employee who built B-24 and B-29 bombers at the Willow Run Assembly Plant in Michigan.
Rose went on to make war bond promotional films and was the inspiration for the Rosie the Riveter poster, symbolizing all U.S. women who worked in manufacturing jobs to support the World War II effort. She passed away in 1997

The origin of Labor Day :
Because of long hours and low pay, the idea of organizing workers according to their trades propigated because of a young man named Peter McGuire. He organized a march and held meetings (to organize unions) that spread around the country. Factory workers, dock workers and tool makers all began to demand and get their rights to an eight-hour workday, a secure job and a future in their trades.

Peter McGuire and laborers in other cities planned a holiday for workers on the first Monday in September, halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day. On September 5, 1882 the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. Twenty thousand workers marched in a parade up Broadway. They carried banners that read "LABOR CREATES ALL WEALTH," and "EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, EIGHT HOURS FOR REST, EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION!" After the parade there were picnics all around the city. Workers and celebrants ate Irish stew, homemade bread and apple pie. At night, fireworks were set off. Within the next few years, the idea spread from coast to coast, and all states celebrated Labor Day. In 1894, Congress voted it a federal holiday.

Today we celebrate Labor Day with a little less fanfare on the first Monday of September. Some cities have parades and community picnics. Many politicians "kick off' their political campaigns by holding rallies on the holiday. Most Americans consider Labor Day the end of the summer, and the beaches and other popular resort areas are packed with people enjoying one last three-day weekend.

Wishing you all a relaxing, safe and wonderful holiday. I enjoy the 3 day weekend, but hate the end of summer. Especially this year. It just seemed to go by so fast...I didn't really get to enjoy it. All work and very little play.