Lights of the Ozarks

Our small town still has a wonderful tradition of lighting up the downtown square. The old post office which is the center of the square is the centerpiece of the lights. The sidewalk and trees surrounding the old post office ablaze with 1/2 million lights, and yes I have heard some say this will be the last year to have the lights due to the cost and the energy consumption. You see Fayetteville wants to be a green city and having the lights would go against that direction. All I can say is when the lights go on the families and friends all gather to see the lights, to enjoy a feeling of Christmas and the little downhome feeling you get in the little one block space that is our square. To hear the Christmas carols, to catch a picture of a child or grandma, a mom and dad under the mistletoe or beside a glimmering archway. Then theirs the pony rides, the carriage rides with the horse drawn carriages and bells around their necks and tails in braids with Christmas ribbons red and green. Even a camel for the children to ride. The smell of roasted peanuts and the wonderful hot chocolate and cotton candy. The memories the family traditions that have been built by this wonderful event cannot be measured. So here are a few snapshots of Tony and I at the Lights of the Ozarks Fayetteville, Arkansas.

BIG DOG

One of the things I do is usher for the local university at the different events, and last night my husband and I worked the Chris Tolbin concert. This young Christian Rock singer was very entertaining. His music was easy to listen to and most of the show is actual audience participation. He sends a simple message with his music, praise God, and our lord Jesus. His guest speaker during this concert event was Louie Giglio, who spoke on our lord and savior and the molecular connections to him. It was amazing, and powerful. He spoke of the lord, and how in just his breathe, his word, he said let their be light, and of course we have our sun. But then Louie showed how there were 3 other stars many mega sizes larger than our son. He showed a relationship to them using a golf ball as representing the earth and how many earths could fit in our sun and then in the 3 other stars. The last and furthest star from the earth was given the name something Cannis. The something I'm sorry I don't remember the word meant Big and Cannis of course Dog. Louie told us how in just the breathe of our lord he created such light. I cannot justify in my writing the message we heard that night, but it was powerful. He led into how a thing called laminum a human protien that holds everything in our body is the form of the cross. That's right a cross. Amazed. You would be if you had been their to see it. After describing the miracle of creation and showing a slide show presentation of DNA and the formation of the human chromosomes from the parents that come together to make the DNA that makes you and me who we are. I am just simplifying the message he gave, but when you saw the laminum or luminum and you just become amazed. We were shown a diagram of the protein and it was in the shape of the cross. That's right the protien that holds all of our parts together is the shape of the cross. I totally loved the concert and the message meant so much to me as I have been going through some personal problems in my life and it was a great weight off me to hear this message and to have it laid out so plainly in front of me that god is my saviour and that Jesus died to carry the weight of all mans sins. And that who so ever believeth in him too shall be forgiven that message lifted the huge burden that I had been feeling. Then to hear Louie remind me that our heavenly father has already written our lifes out for us and he is here with us and he will take care of it. He does all, we must believe. For if we stop believing in him our world will get harder. When we choose to carry the burden instead of giving it to god then we have eliminated the very reason for his being. He loves us so much he wants us to give him our troubles and not to carry them.
Well a wonderful sermon and a great concert. Peace be to everyone and may god bless each and every one of you tonight, tomorrow, and all the days of our lives. Amen

Color Splash

Tony and I are painting the old home stead. Just a clue for all you home owners, don't wait 14 years to paint your home. My home is drinking up paint. It is so dry the old paint had to be wiped of to assure the new paint would stick. What old paint was left on our home was a powder as it seems. We were unaware of the condition of our home until this time.

The old house color was that good old country blue. Now a richer darker color and crisp white trim with white accent lamps, and house numbers. Our door will be red but we haven't gotten that far yet. We are so tired but we are loving seeing our house come alive with the new paint. Here's a few shots of some of our crew in their paint gear.

This summer my husband and I vacationed in California where we visited his aunt, and other family members. While there we saw lovely homes and beautiful water and boats. We are busy painting our home trying to give it life again, as the color is worn off our home and needs dire help. We decided we loved the homes we saw while at Balboa Island, CA. So when choosing our paint we decided to go with a rich blue as our primary color, and a crisp white trim color for some fachia boards and the porch railings. Above are some of the memories of our trip to Balboa Island from this summer. As you can see it is quite beautiful, most days I go to the site for Balboa Bay, a web cam shows time sequenced shots of the ferry crossing the bay. The memory of being on the ferry comes back and I am taken there again with each changing view. There is a quick video of the trip across the bay on Balboa Bay Autorun, check it out for yourself I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And maybe you'll be inspired to want to go to this quaint little place in the middle of the large California scene.

We are nearly done with our paint job on our home and I'll add photos soon to show you my homes transformation from faded country blue to rich nautical blue actually resembling probably more like a Nantucket look. I suppose that is nautical though isn't it? So that's where Debra is as of today.