The Lemonade Stand

              

Ahhh, Summer!!!

This past week-end, Papa and I attended a wedding on Lake Murry… it was at 7pm, the temperature was 97F. It was Hot, Sticky, and Muggy!!! If you live in the south or have visited here often, you understand!!

The Lemonade Stand at the reception saved the day for Papa and me… I mean we NEEDED something coooool to drink…. and this was some ‘slammin’ Lemonade!!

Today, I made Lemonade like I do most days in the summer, I mean, I love my Iced Tea… but, Lemonade is my choice for a refreshing drink in the heat of the summer.

While making the Lemonade, I was reminded of my ‘Little Girl’, and her friend Katie.  Every summer when she was small, Kay Kay and Katie, had a Lemonade Stand, or they sold homemade Potholders, or made some other something to be sold on the street corner.  Yep, even then she was enterprising!!

Funny how memories can be brought to mind just from some small thing like Lemonade!

                                 

Well, in just a few short weeks, my little girl will not be mine any longer… on August 15, her daddy will place her hand in her husband’s hand and as they say…”give her away”.

Though we gave Justin permission to marry her, I wonder if we will truly be giving her away…. it will be oh so hard for her daddy and me, partly because she is the ‘baby’, and partly because we have had her with us so long.

Oh yes, she went away to college, and she moved in  with a friend, but this child was like a yo-yo for awhile, coming and going and finally a little over a year ago, moving out on her own.

I know in order that their marriage work they must "leave and cleave”, and truly I am okay with that…

  Justin, I do trust you to Love her, and take care of her, but please remember that you have a big part of our hearts… and that it won’t be easy for her or us. 

Kay Kay and Justin, we will always be here to Love and Support you… just like we have always done in the past!!

“Let us Love one another, for Love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 

Always,

Sharon

What’s Love Got to do With It?

“Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in Love.” Ephesians 4:2

    For the past two days my master bedroom and bath have been under going reconstruction… so that meant that a lot of things had to be cleared out.  In the clearing and sorting I found some materials and books that I had put away… one of them is Better Together by Rick Warren.  It seems that God has an agenda for me today… it could be that I have been asking Him to help me prepare for a lesson on Grace for Sunday morning… or then again… He just might be trying to get something through my thick head. Because…. my devotions for the last two mornings have been on being Loving, patient and Kind to your mate. 

  In both cases, God reminded me that the way I love and care for others, especially the ones in my family, is a HUGE part of my witness.

  He reminded me that Love changes our motivation for Living…"Your Love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35

“The whole world is watching how we love one another.

Jesus gave the world the right to judge the authenticity of our faith by how much we love one another.  We prove our faith in Christ, not by the rules we keep, but by the Love We Give.  Notice Jesus didn’t say,’Love Me’, as proof of our discipleship.  He said,'Love one another, and that will show the world you belong to me.’  Our Love for one another is a tangible and contagious reflection of God’s Love…. allowing the world to witness the power of transformed lives.”   (Rick Warren)

And then this morning as I was learning how to be kind… He gave me this…

“ Jesus creatively described the kindness of Love in The Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Luke chapter 10”

   A Jewish man was attacked by robbers and left for dead.  Two religious leaders came by… both respected by their people, but they walked right back.. choosing not to stop and help… Too Busy… Too Important. But a common man came by… this man was a Samaritan… the Jewish people and Samaritans had little regard for each other… but this Samaritan sees the stranger in need and is moved by compassion.  He bandages his wounds, put him on his own donkey, carries him to safety, and pays all of his medical bills out of his own pocket.

   As part of the Purpose Driven Life we were asked to review our answers to these life questions…

* Did I put Jesus at the center of my life?

* Did I develop His character?

* Did I devote my life to serving others?

* Did I communicate His message and fulfill His mission?

* Did I love and participate in His family?

“Our goal is to measure up to God’s plan for us.” (2 Corinthians 10:13)

 

Off the Radar Screen In South Carolina!!

I’m sure many of you are wondering what happened to me, I can assure you that I have NOT pulled a Mark Sanford!!  I have lost nothing in Argentina!!!

I shouldn’t make light of this situation… it’s terribly sad for the family!!!

June has been a very busy month for me thus far, and the coming weeks will just be busier yet with the upcoming Wedding in August.

We have celebrated birthdays, taken a vacation at the beach with all of our grandchildren and their moms, came home from the beach to do this with Kay Kay….

                                Wedding Shower for Kay Kay

The week of June 15-19, I was here…..

                      

Doing VBS with 35 to 40, 5th and 6th graders!!

It was a great week, we had visitors from DownUnder, a couple from Sidney, Australia  who were here in Columbia, SC, visiting with their daughter and grandchildren.

We were asked to pray for the children in Australia because they do not have Vacation Bible School DownUnder.

On Monday of the same week I was with Kay Kay while she had her Wedding Portrait made…. where???

The Grounds of The Governor’s Mansion, of course that was before the discovery of the Affair!!

This week we have had Pool Camp and Night time VBS with the grandchildren.

    Nick at Night VBS                                 Gator Games

This VBS was more like Church Camp!!

 

The older 3 have been swimming for the last two years, and now Sam and Nathan are learning to swim, by the end of the summer they will probably be going all over the pool with the older ones!! Of course it has been too hot to really do much else!!

Well that’s about it from The Holladay House in Northeast Columbia….. Now Ya’ll come back, ya heah! 

Oh… just a little FYI… you can now check me out on Facebook!!

They Call Him Daddy

                             

Our children call him Daddy, our grandchildren call him Papa. But I call him, Sweetheart, best friend, and the Love of My Life…….

            Then                                                             Now

This man is my husband of 42 years… but he is more than that to me, to his family and his friends…….

He is my husband and lover, daddy to our children, Papa to our grandchildren, teacher, counselor and friend to so many.

He is wise beyond his years(always has been). Funny and fun loving. A husband, daddy and Papa beyond compare…kind ,considerate, compassionate, loving, gracious,and giving.

  And today is his Birthday…

so will you please join me is wishing him the happiest of days?

 

Happy Birthday, My Love!! and wishing you many, many more!!!

and in the words of Winnie the Pooh…

“if you live to be 100, I hope to live to be 100 minus one day, so I never have to live without you.”

A Family Tradition

“Behold how good it is when brothers dwell together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1)

There are Family Traditions that have been held for so long that many times we do not know their origins. Traditions like whose house you go to for Family Celebrations, what the meals consist of and etc.

Today, I want to share a Tradition in our Family that started the summer before our youngest child became a Sophomore in High School. A young friend of Kay Kay’s introduced us to…Sunset Beach, North Carolina, and the Tradition began.

                           

                                     Sunset Beach Bridge

Each year our family takes time to spend together at the beach.

This bridge takes you over to the Island where we spend quiet, peaceful days on the beach!!  LOL!

                  The Gang                                                  Papa and boys

              Cheesin’                                                    Finding Shells

         Waiting for the big ones!           Uncle Buck helps us catch a ride!!

             Best Buddies!                                        This is the life!!

Sunny, sandy, suffin’ days and plenty of “buddies” to share them with.  Next year we hope to have Every Family member present. Sadly some of our family had to miss the Tradition this year…. Can’t wait ‘til next year!!

                   Thank You, Jes Watson!!!

Birthday Bonanza

For most people when you think of the Month of June, you think of Weddings…..

But in our family, it’s Birthdays, Birthdays, Everywhere!!

Meet the WonderTwins!!!

                       

                                Buck and Betsy

                      Yeah, they really are like that!!! 

The Month of June starts off with the Twins birthday.

                                  June 4th

                                 3 minutes apart

                    Can you tell which one is older?

Which one is the Youth Minister and which one is the teacher?

              And then we have our Sweet Little Sam…

                       

                                       Sam

                                     June 8th

                       The youngest in his family…

                           was born 2 weeks early

                                 and weighed 9lbs..

                             can’t imagine how big

                              he would have been if

                                   he were born on

                                    his due date?

               And lastly, but by no means the least is….

                                     Papa!!!

                      

                               Papa and Sam

                                   June 19th

                        and somewhere in there is

                                 Father’s Day…

                          so sometimes poor Papa

                         gets one gift for both days.

              

                    This year we will celebrate all 4

                    birthdays on the same week-end!!

             So stay tuned…. I will be posting pictures

                   After our June Birthday Bash!!

                                FYI…

                                 Papa and I will be away for

                                 a few days next week….

                                       so I will not post

                                         again until After

                                     The Big Week-end!!

         Wishing you all “Happy Days”, until then…

In Him,

Sharon

Summertime is Calling Me

90 degree weather, A Pool, and Lots of Kids!!!

What does that spell?? Summertime Fun!!!

This week-end the temps reached the 90sF here is SC, so what else would we be doing???

I mean you gotta cool off somehow, right???

“Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1)

Just add some cool drinks and food, and you have a week-end full of FUN!!!