Paranoia and Cops...

I'm starting to get a little freaked out when I drive.

Two times in a week and a half I've been pulled over by a policeman. I'm really not that bad of a driver, I don't think anyway. But, I'm starting to get the butterfly, sick feeling when I see a cop.

The first time I was pulled over, the police officer just wanted to tell me that my headlight was burned out. O.k., no problem, we can deal with that. I happened to have a brand new bulb sitting on my dash, which hadn't been installed yet. Of course, I was quick to show him, which he said he would take into consideration. I also, had to say, "Sir, I've been driving for 34 years and I've never had a ticket in my life". Thank you Mam, I'll take that into consideration also...

I received a warning, to which I'm very grateful for... Safe once again...

Then, on the way home from work, I get pulled for making a right hand turn into the second lane furtherest from me, instead of the lane closest to me. The police officer asks, " Mam, do you know what your were doing?" No sir, I exclaimed..He then told me and asked me, " I know it's been awhile since you last took your driving exam, but do you remember this question on the exam?" I of course joked with him and said, sir are you trying to tell me that I'm getting old? He laughed. (thank God) He said, " Mam, I bet you remember that question on the exam and you have had a memory lapse. Of course, that's what it was, a memory lapse. I'm so sorry sir. He then proceeded to his car when I yelled out the window, sir, one more thing. He comes back, yes mam. I just wanted to tell you that I've never had a ticket in the 34 years I've been driving. I'll see what I can do mam.

Praise the Lord, he came back with a warning. I was so happy!

I went home and told my husband the whole story for the second time in 1 1/2 weeks. He keeps laughing at me and wonders how long I'll be able to use the: I've never had a ticket in my whole life card...

We'll see, I guess....

I am exhausted...

Believe it or not, it feels soooo good to be exhausted from a hard days work. (or should I say the last couple of weeks)

Non-stop, back and forth, squatting and bending, reaching and lifting, scooping hard ice cream and back and forth and back and forth, non-stop for hours on end everyday.

Sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm not. I am so thankful that the Lord brought me "through" Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue after years and years of suffering. There was no way in the whole wide world I could have worked in our restaurant before hand. God in His mercy has totally restored my health and I'm so thankful.

I love being able to work myself to death....that's so morbidly true.

I love being exhausted because when I'm sitting and staring at the wall, it makes me give thanks in my heart for my health.

If for some reason you are reading this and you are suffering in some way, take heart, the very first part of healing is in the attitude and you CAN experience that. Whether it be today or in time, you can have it, own it, call it what you may. Just believe!

~ Kelly

If You've Been Praying for Haiti Then You'll want to Read This...

God is at work everywhere, His spirit draws all men unto Himself. He is fair and just. His love is immeasurable. He works in places that we can't see. Praise and glory to the King of Kings, the God I serve, Jesus Christ.

Last night I received an email from the Director of Surgical Services at The Northwest Christian Mission in Haiti. In her email she explained about all the wonderful surgeries that have taken place and how the Lord is using the earthquake and mission to bring people to Christ. She said that if she were to tell us all the wonderful happenings, it would take 10 full pages to explain every detail.

At the end of her email, she stated how Haiti's national religion has been voodoo for many years. She also stated the following: (I've copied and pasted)

For many years there has been an effort by some of our Haitian Christians to have the government grant permission to have a national day of prayer and to have prayer services on the grounds of the Presidential Palace in Port au Prince. Haiti, with the national religion of voodoo, of course would never allow this. However, within a month of the earthquake, with most of Port au Prince in ruins, including some of the Presidential Palace, the government has not only granted permission to hold a national day of prayer, but has encouraged those in Port au Prince, to gather on the Palace grounds and through out the entire country, in churches and missions to hold 5-days of prayer and repentance.

Beginning on the one month anniversary of the earthquake, all public places in Haiti were closed. At 0700 on the 12^th, Haitians and missionaries, black and white, gathered for prayer and worship. Some services lasted 5 hours, some lasted late into the night. But I was told that no matter what time these services ended, that at 4:53 in the afternoon, that people stopped whatever they were doing, fell on their knees and prayed for their country, for the survivors of the earthquake and for the future of their nation. God is going to do a mighty work in Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake. I believe with all my heart that God will full fill his promise in II Chronicles 7:14 that God will heal their land when its people humble themselves and pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways.

In the midst of disaster, despair, disease, death, God has been with His people. He is bringing hope and healing to Haiti.

I stand at awe at the power of God. Please continue to pray for Haiti, not just Haiti, but everywhere, people need to turn their hearts to the Lord.

If you'd like to take a look at the Missions website, click below.

http://www.nwhcm.org/

~ Kelly

More Memory

I failed to list the 2nd verse memorized in January...

Isaiah 30:18

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you.
He rises to show you compassion
The Lord is a God of Justice
Blessed are all who wait on him!

1st verse in February

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.

I'm holding myself accountable by putting my verses on my blog. I don't usually follow through with these type of things, especially when no one else is looking.

I'm excited that I'm pushing myself to learn more scripture this year. It makes me feel like I'm not just wasting time.

I was especially challenged after seeing the movie, "The Book of Eli". If you haven't seen it, I won't give it away. But, after seeing the movie, I was so convicted about memorizing scripture. If the Bible was ever taken away from us, what would we have then?

Why don't you join me? Two verses a month. You will gain a lot this year, if you do!

My Restaurant

Here's our restaurant, Kooky Mookys.....A small take out restaurant located in downtown Beaufort, S.C.

It's a dream come true for us. Be careful, at first glance you might miss us, it's so small, I don't think you could locate it on a map. There is just under 400 square feet total inside. Very small, especially when you have 4 or 5 people working on top of each other, but I LOVE my little restaurant.

We tried 3 years to rent this building, but we were always told it was rented. We would call back a month or so after being rejected and the owner's would tell us that even though it sits empty, someone is paying the rent. It sat empty for years, people would rent it, but no one ever did anything with it..

Finally, a year ago this month, it came up for rent and we got it. My husband, David upfitted it beginning in June, 09 and we opened Oct., 09.

We sell, lots of ice cream, milk shakes, sundaes, etc....

Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs and a variety of sandwiches, from Rueben's to Philly Steak Cheese Hoagies, to a basil bread turkey sandwich with homemade basil mayo...

It's truly a dream come true....

A Controversial Sandwich Board at Kooky Mookys

Never in a thousand years did I ever expect the reaction I receive from some of our patrons that come in to our restaurant to order a hot dog or a sandwich.

One of our Hot Dogs is named after a Hallmark movie, " Sarah Plain and Tall". My husband named it, so I immediately jumped on his suggestion, because I thought he must have had this huge revelation or something, since he's never seen the movie. It's a movie starring Glen Close and Christopher Walken.

Sarah, Plain and Tall is a tale set in the late 19th century. It is about a widowed midwestern farmer with two children, Anna and Caleb.

O.k. all of that said because, what I wanted to say wasn't even about the movie, it's about how your eyes can play tricks on you if you're not paying attention. Here, I'll post a picture of what I'm talking about first...then I'll finish explaining....



People will actually come in Kooky Mookys and order a Sarah Palin and Tall hot dog.. The first time this happened, it caught us off guard and we found ourselves standing there looking at the customer with a blank stare. Then we figured it out of course. He was as confused as we were, but once we figured out what he was trying to order, we all cracked up laughing.

At first glance, it does look like Sarah Palin; it's the two letters in the beginning of the word that are flipped in your brain that make you see something other than what's actually there.

One lady came in to order, after taking her time and looking over the menu board, she yells, SARAH PALIN DOG?????!!!!!!!!
It took awhile to direct her attention back to the board and have her read it again. She was boiling angry, you could see her blood pressure rise sky high. I don't think she liked Sarah Palin.

Now, of course, I've thought about changing the hot dog name, but honestly it makes for an interesting day.

I'm really not sure what my husband was thinking about the Sarah part of the name, but the plain and tall just meant a hot dog plain and it's a BIG tall (long) hot dog...

Oh well, I think I'll stick with the Der Devil, which is Cally's Coney Island Chili and coleslaw...It's lip smackin good!

Happy 2010

My prayer for this year is to be:

Motivated and changed. To see the same thing with a different perspective. Not to be discouraged in doing good, continuing onward when no one else is moving forward.

To seek the living God with all of my heart and soul, to walk in the Spirit; truly walk close to God when it seems like your all alone. To do the right thing, make right decisions that would glorify God and give every thought and situation to the Lord most High.

My goal is to take Beth Moore's advice and learn 24 scripture memory verses, which equals two a month. Here's my first:

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because He is on me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

We Christians need to show a lost and dying world the love of Christ in a way that Christ would be glorified...



Happy New Year!

Elder care continued...

This was posted on my Facebook page today by a church friend. It really hit home after viewing it. I was truly convicted.

~ Kelly

A view from my side of the world to yours....

The view from our downtown waterfront park



See Max?

This was looking out over a causeway that I crossed everyday to go to work. I stopped and took a picture of this pencil legged Egret. 

A view from my porch

A sunset from our community dock...

This view is what I see before entering our subdivision. We have to drive through an old historical town that once was...

Another.....I love these old buildings. They had to tear one down recently, which was sad for a piece of history to be disposed of..no choice though..

Well, there you have it...a view into what I see on a daily basis...tough huh? LOL...Actually, they are great places to escape from life and be alone with our Creator...

~ Kelly

** For some reason I can't seem to get this site to keep the captions under the pictures.....

Elder Care

Having a disabled parent in your home is difficult. Not only are you trying to adjust to the new routine, but they are too.

David's mother came to live with us on April 1st of this year, and no it wasn't an April Fools joke.

She needs both hips and knees replaced and has refused to do so at this point in her life. Which of course, the future is dismal for her and of course her caretakers. She is losing the ability to walk or even stand. She's in a wheelchair and uses a walker to get up from her wheelchair to use the restroom or get in bed, with assistance of course. She cannot be left alone for any length of time, because she can't be trusted to stay put.

Hospice has certified my mother-in-law as terminal. Her condition is not improving and only deteriorating. They provide very high powered pain medications for her so she can live comfortably while it controls the pain.
Hospice comes is 3 times a week to assist with bathing, medication and health supplies, but other than that we have to pay for a nurse to sit with her while we are at work. The cost of assistance is astronomical.

Unfortunately, there is no aid through Medicare or through other programs to off-set these charges that we incur monthly while having her live with us.

Families suffer from lack of funds to assist them with the elderly. It's already a huge change is someones life when they take in a parent, but to add the financial burden, it becomes even more burdensome.


The only possibility for help that we were told about is through Medicaid. ( which is aid through the state) This is only offered if one financially qualifies and the person would have to reside in a nursing home. The state would then take her monthly income (which is very little) and would pay the nursing home the difference. They would probably pay around $5000.00 or more monthly. If there were some kind of financial relief offered by an agency to keep the elderly at home it would be a whole lot cheaper.

For instance, we would only need approx. $1500.00 monthly to keep her at home in addition to what she already receives. It's a catch 22.

Can you say that this is a backwards situation?

It doesn't take a mathematician to do the math here.

No wonder our economy is collapsing....

Pray for the unrest in Honduras

For up to date information visit either one of these sites. They are reliable sources and come from 2 people who live in Honduras.

http://laurieishere.blogspot.com

http://lagringasblogicito.blogspot.com

The Wedding

This past Saturday, June 6th, Cally and Javier were wed.

It was a beautiful wedding and reception that was held downtown at our local waterfront park.

The weather had 60 % chance of rain the entire day and storms loomed all around us, except at the waterfront park. It was pouring buckets where the bride and groom were dressed, but not at the wedding site.

It was an unbelievable day! If anything, just to see God's hand over the entire event.

There were close to 200 people in attendance, which bestowed many, many blessings of affirmation, along with gifts, familiar faces, laughter and dancing.

The wedding was wonderful. Now, the honeymooners are off for a week in Florida.

It's all coming together

I'm starting to see the wedding plans come together. With a lot of friends and family helping, I think it going to be a beautiful wedding.

There have been so many blessings along the way. Here's a list of just a few.

We purchased our own wedding invitations to print and had some of the bridesmaids come over to print, lick and stamp them.

I work on a plantation and the pastry chef has offered to make me a cake for $2.00 per person. So, if we have 150 people that's only $300.00. This cake should actually cost us $638.00. (Huge savings)

We found a florist who is really inexpensive and we found a Honduran woman who will be catering the wedding. ( Cally's dream choice of food)

I have a dear friend who is letting us use absolutely everything from her daughters wedding. (tents, plates, candelabras, food warmers, organza, tables,etc.. ) Unbelievable!

Thank you to everyone who has been so generous. I am forever indebted to you..

~ Kelly

Believe

I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done." - Matthew 21:21


I am facing another GIANT and as I have heard Beth Moore say, " It's better to go out on a limb believing God can move a mountain, than not believing God for something. (horribly paraphrased, I'm sure) Even if you look like a fool to others.

I'll be a fool for Jesus. No doubt!

I have invited Javier's mother to come to the United States and visit us in June for the wedding. Of course, there IS the impossible red tape and closed doors faced everyday for the residences in Honduras who would like to receive a tourist visa. His mother has already heard that it will take months for the embassy to call her back just to get the appointment in Tegucigalpa. But, I don't have months, I would like her to leave on a plane in May and stay with our family for 1 month. I tried my best to send all of the important papers of our financial situation, etc... I even had  a statement notarized that what we have said is true, blah, blah, blah..... So, everything is done to the best of "our" ability. Javier's mother will then do "her" best to bring proof of what she owns and reasons for her to return to Honduras.

Reality says, probably not when we look at the situation. It screams, NO. And that's where we fall short of the glory of God. 

That's why I'm willing to go out on the limb of faith and believe. I was so convicted earlier this week, because unbelief grabbed hold of me and started to become deep seeded in my soul. Then, God being God, whom is so faithful to us, reminded me once again in my daily devotion about the sin of unbelief. 

Numbers 13

The LORD said to Moses,  "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders." 

 When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.  At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan."

 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

 ³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." ³² And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. ³³ We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." ( I'll stop here, but you really should continue reading through Numbers 14 when you have the time)

They saw the task and they saw themselves and unbelief took hold of them. Just like it started to invade my heart. I want the Lord to posses the land in this situation. I know he can! He can choose to move any man or woman's heart and I ask that He does that in this situation. 

Would you believe with me? Pray that Telma will be able to come visit. Ask God to open the heavens for this sweet lady. 

Creo,

~ Kelly

He is Risen-He is Risen Indeed!

I'm being stretched

Have you ever heard of the saying, Never say never?

My suggestion: Never say never.

This past Wednesday evening we brought my mother-in-law home to live with us. She is 100 % disabled and needs total care. 

She had fallen in her apartment 6 weeks ago and stayed in the rehab section of the hospital to gain strength, later she was sent to the rehab section of the nursing home to continue her physical therapy. Then without notice we were told that she had to leave because Medicare wouldn't pay for her to stay there anymore. 

Medicare has supplied all of the hospital supplies for our home, such as, a hospital bed,portable toilet, and a wheelchair. (blessings to them for that) But, they don't supply additional help for her other than physical therapy twice a week. 

The stretching part pertains to me saying, never will I be able to help someone with their bathroom needs. (other than children) I have a weak stomach and definitely know that it's not my cup of tea. My sister is a nurse and we agreed to take care of my mother if ever needed. I told her that I would do all of the cooking, cleaning and errands, but she could take care of the actually care of her body. Well, God has a sense of humor! 

Mammaw is more than welcome to live with us until her last day. But, there's only one problem with this whole situation. My husband and I work full-time and who's going to be here with Mammaw? She makes a limited amount of money and with that, we can't afford to hire help for her. 

Wow, life can really dish you out some trouble. 

Nevertheless, I am being stretched in ways that I never thought my rubber band would go. It's not always comfortable, but definitely doable in some form or fashion.

But the dilemma still remains come Monday morning.

What do we do with Mammaw?

Hope everyone is well,

Kelly

Someone let me off!

I think there are times in our lives when we feel that life itself spins out of control. The more you have to do, the faster it spins.

Does it ever end on this side of heaven? Well, as we all know the answer is no if you are a vibrant, healthy person, which in all reality, who really wants to complain about be healthy.  And there's a lot of thanks to be given for the busy life to some extent. The alternative, well you know!

So, we find ourselves complaining if we're bored or if life's just spinning uncontrollably. So, what's it going to be? Do we need to make our minds up? I wonder if we ever will. Life seems one way and then another. We seem happy with our circumstances and then we NEED change. We get change and then we need life to settle down a little. Is there really an answer?

Phillipians 4:12 says,

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I read in a magazine one time that most people either live regretting something about yesterday or worried about tomorrow, but very few people ever just live for the moment.

To be content.....hmmm, sounds so easy, huh? But, extremely hard to do. Try living for the moment. It is possible, if we pay attention and try!

Quick Update

Thanks Jennifer for your last reply.

Yes, we are working on wedding plans! There's so much to do, but we've accomplished a lot also.

Cally has her dress

The bridesmaids have picked their dresses out and ordered them

The officiant is taken care of...

Wedding location and reception

invitations this weekend

photographer? sorta

Flower decisions have been made

The wedding will be at 7:00pm to catch the sunset

The food will be light

We are also in the process of working full time and opening up a new business right down from where the  two love birds will wed..Opening the same time the wedding is taking place....

HELP!

Need advice on the wedding reception food please

June 6th is the big wedding day at the waterfront park. It's a very peaceful, happy place to be. Our family spends a lot of time downtown soaking up the sun. 

I know that I have some readers of my blog who are somehow associated to Honduras and I'm in need of some Honduran recipes to cook for a large crowd. (Wedding appropriate)

Here are the wedding reception details:

Very low budget (husband is not working)

evening wedding

The wedding list is already a little over 200 people (wowsers)

The food needs to be easy enough for this American woman to pull it off

Well, that's a good start. I'd appreciate any of you sharing your thoughts on this subject.

They are finally engaged...

Cally and Javier got engaged on Valentine's Day. They will be getting married June 6th, 2009. Congratulations!