College Hill, 6th Grade, class picture, 1967. Who do you know?

Then and Now. 

Here is a view from where I sit.

I have an artistic side, but it doesn't really count for much in the scheme of my life. There are many more piddles of sketch, paint, mixed media, etc. created over my lifetime. I'm a doodler.

So, I will be 65 soon. I enjoy everything about the happiness found in my days. It is my choice to live, love, and serve with the Holy Spirit's guidance. I have always been a bit crazy, and I work hard to keep the scale balanced every day. I'm not one who follows the norm. My mind is always on the go. It is creating, organizing, and building a solid structure, always with an outside-of-the-box processor. I'm not one who enjoys filling out forms on paper or online. They are very confusing to me and cause me high anxiety. Lines in wrong places or not adequate space for data is a huge pet peeve of mine. I need to give a tutorial with tips for form creating. LOL You know this Medicare and Social Security stuff has forms. You gotta do it. You gotta do it right. You gotta answer the questions. You gotta be a step ahead all the time. I don't have time for this. Insert thankfulness for a spouse who God leads to care for me!

Then, just as we started this process, my mind that never was became even less of a mind. I've been doing some crazy things. Maybe it isn't getting older but COVID-19 brain boredom??? Perhaps it's the upper management? Do you think they slipped a chip in my dip and are watching my every move? Maybe they are playing with my mind. Somebody doesn't have a full deck, just saying! I'm pretty sure playing cards will be on my Facebook by morning.

I'm not gonna give in. I'm going to fight. Old age has a place in this world!!! I'm thankful that I'm on no meds. I'm grateful that I rarely see a doctor for an illness. Going to see doctors...you have forms, you have to wait; go here, go there, one hour, four.

I am going to start exercising soon. I've been saying this for about forty years. I need to prioritize that into my day. My happy meter may not register favorably! The cellulite cells will scream and say I'm killing them. There are times when the death of something is okay. I'm trying to wrap my mind around that thought. I don't like confrontation. I like kindness. I like respect. I will give myself that, too, so I can share it.

I have a file on my computer that is titled, After Phyllis. Can you guess what is in that file? There are important words for my family. There are some words about a funeral. You know, things that will help my family plan. Death is a beautiful thing for a Believer. We are born to die. It is a subject that I am very comfortable talking about. That last breath between here and eternity is so special. It isn't about me being ready. I was prepared at age six when I asked Jesus into my heart. My life is God's, and my time is set to His time. I always say I'm going to live until I die and then I'm really going to live. While I'm here, I want to serve as God leads. We are a team. He created me, so he understands my crazy. He created 65, so I know he's got this. Whatever challenges I might face as I run my race, and I know I will, he is before me, with me and loves me.

He has provided sixty-four stickers for my boat to float. I'm thankful and blessed. Here's looking to sixty-five! 

God, this is your season to use crazy-old for your glory. I'm ready!

She is en pointe. How can this be? She is definitely ready!

Here is a picture of her mother en pointe. Her pointe shoes hang ever ready.

When we got married back in 1975, one of the selection choices was a big family Bible. We still have ours! I don't think you see them anymore when you shop for wedding shower selections. We are so blessed to have Peggy & T C  Wall's family Bible from 1959.

There are beautiful art pages filled with a Bible time-line.

This version of the Bible has text options. I have never seen this before.

We did not know it when we took the Bible, but our wedding information is there in Peggy's handwriting. It is very special. Now, we need to fill in the rest of our family information!

The bookmark verse, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, is still true today. The Sermon on the Mount art is beautiful.

What a sentimental journey!

The dance gene skipped me. My mom had it, our daughter has it, and her two girls have it. They are in the middle of their big end of season dance competitions. They are doing so great! I love that it is live-streamed so I get to see them dance!!!

These girls were selected to perform their hip-hop at the final gala. A huge honor!

Nice splits!!!

Her duet placed at the top, great job!!!

They have lots of fun!!!

We only wanted one thing from our fathers, once their lives here were no more, their Bibles. Our Father's Day Foundation is built on nothing less than the blood of Jesus and his righteousness. Our fathers were pillars of faith in our lives.

No longer will they call you Deserted,
    or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
    and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
    and your land will be married.

In Isaiah 62: 4, we read in TC's Bible about the land of Beulah. Many times through the years, he mentioned how much he liked the song, Sweet Beulah Land.

Sweet Beulah Land, was written and composed by Squire Parsons in 1973. 

Beulah, in Hebrew, means, "married." Both of our fathers, John P. and TC, were married to women that they respectfully loved. More so, they were married into a relationship with Christ. We were fortunate to witness both and learn from what we saw and heard.

Beulah land, My heaven, my home forevermore.

I love that my dad had the receipt for his Bible, stuck inside his Bible, that shares that his mother, Mrs. W. H. Dayton, purchased it for 14.95. She paid $5.00 down with 9.00 due at 2.00 a week.

 

 

To our fathers, John Phillip Dayton and TC Wall, because of your faith, now you see, and we are secure in Christ through your witness!

 

 

I'm going to share for a few days some pictures of kids, now adults. I'm having so much fun looking back through the files.