I love fall

Hasn't the last week been just majestic? The leaves are so beautiful. I love the golden hues of the hickory trees and the red, orange, yellow and purple of the sweet gums. I love the deep burgundy of the red oak and all the shades in between. The bright yellow fans of the ginkgo just prove that God loves variety. They are shaped like no other leaf and their bright yellow is so cheery. The deep red of the sumac with their darker red berries is wonderful. Am I easily amazed? Maybe so, but I know no artist like my God. He never ceases to amaze me.



I am better this week. I was deeply disappointed last week, but hang on to the promise that God is in control of everything. The sun has continued to rise and set and I just don't listen to the news or look very hard at the paper.



December is coming very fast! 2 more weeks and the boys are both out for Thanksgiving. Jon is also getting the whole week. Dec. 1 is the Winona Christmas parade and this will Patrick's first year to march in it since the Junior high band will get to march. That next Sunday afternoon is their Christmas concert which they have already been practicing for for a while. I can't wait to hear them perform. I only hear "part of the story" when he practices at home. They had an all day clinic last Saturday and each instrument had their own clinician. I hope that he learned a lot!



Tonie called me this afternoon, scheduling the "Knox family Christmas". I guess we'll go to their house on December 20 for that. I told her that I preferred to forgo gifts, therefore eliminating the stress of buying for people that can't be pleased. ( I didn't say that, did I?) I would love to visit with my family and catch up, but gifts for them puts gray hair in my head. None of them will read this!



I hope that everyone has a great week. It looks like we'll be getting a little rain tomorrow. I need to build a fire in the heater. ok that's better, it takes the chill off the house.

Today was election day. I guess we'll find out tomorrow who'll be our next president. I voted for the team that lined up more with my beliefs, pro-life, pro-family, and against the socialist. Our family has done their part, hope everyone else's has, too. I have to remember, though no matter how it turns out, God is still in control and he can even use a bad situation to accomplish his perfect will.


I don't celebrate halloween. The Lord convicted me of this when Liz was about 4. The Bible takes such things seriously, so we should too. this year, however, I dressed up. ha ha At work we had John McCain, Sarah Palin, and a hippy. they knew how I felt about Halloween, so they didn't expect me to do anything. I surprised them by showing up with purple hair and a punk rock tatoo sleeve, black clothes and lots of heavy eyeliner. I have since repented! and the punk rocker disappeared in the bathtub! ( I got lots of compliments on my purple hair, though!) That was the extent of my involvement! No parties, No trick or treat, no yard rolling, no egg throwing! No scary movies!

We all just wanta be big rock stars!!!

The Winona Tigers are district champs!~! Yay!!! They start the first round of the playoffs this week at home against Cleveland Eastside. Best of luck Tigers!!!

The Winona Junior high Beta club is sponsoring "Operation Christmas Child" for their Christmas project. I was proud that they are doing such a worthwhile project. We have been doing this at church for the past several years and we have received letters from children in Burkina Faso, India, and another place that I don't remember. It is so awesome how a little box full of inexpensive toys can mean so much to a little child. It is so wonderful to hear of their faith in Jesus and how in some cases they led their parents to the Lord because somewhere around the world someone cared. Someone prayed. Someone gave to the Lord.

I am still enjoying this wonderful fall weather. The trees are getting pretty and will soon be bare. I don't like winter and I don't like summer, but I do love fall and spring!