Goodbye 2007

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stomes together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Another December has come and gone. What a year 2007 has been. The years just keep on flying by and there is nothing I can do to stop them. It is all part of God's plan. His "time to every purpose under the heaven."

We all have resolutions as we start each new year. We all start out with good intentions, don't we? We resolve to lose weight, not work so much and spend more time with our families. The list goes on and on. Do we leave any room in there for our relationship with God? Do we vow to spend more time doing for God instead of dwelling on ourselves? Will we witness to those around us that have no place for God in their lives? Will something they see in us make them wonder why we do what we do?

Lord, help me in my walk with you. Make these words be not just words but the prayer of my heart. Help me be hungry for more of you. Help others see Jesus in me. Help me not to be satisfied with just filling a pew at church. Help me be burdened for the lost and not worry what others will think of me. Help me not be afraid to "get my hands dirty" for you when it comes to reaching a lost and dying world. Amen.

Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Merry Christmas!!!!

My, how the months have flown by and it is time for Christmas already. I can hardly believe how fast this year has come and gone.



As we celebrate this Christmas, I am reminded so much of what Christmas is really all about. JESUS! The name above all names. There is a different spirit in our house this year. We have a tree and I put out a few decorations, but I have not really gotten into what others might call "the Christmas mood". With my dad passing away this year and the circumstances that lead to my daughter now living in Ohio, I have been quite depressed instead of in a celebratory mood. But then I have to think about the real reason for the season and my mood changes. Yes, I am still saddened and even depressed about many things that are going on in my life, but I am over-joyed by the reality that Jesus came to be born and die for my sins! There might not be presents under our tree this year, but Jesus is ever-present in our lives and that makes all the difference in the world.



I hope that all of you, my family, my friends, have a very blessed Christmas. I hope that you will take the time to ponder what this season is really all about. If you do not know God, my prayer is that you will find Him this Christmas.



Merry Christmas to all!

Lisa and Don

This is the day...

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!

Today is Sunday, November 11th. Veterans Day and The National Day of Prayer.

Thank you to all the Veteran's that have served and are serving our country. War is not a pleasant thing and whether you agree with it or not, we have to support our troops. Thank you for the freedoms we enjoy because of the sacrifice of the men and women in our armed forces. God Bless All Of You!

Today is also The National Day Of Prayer. Have you taken time to pray today? There is so much to pray for. We can never run out of things to pray for. I am hoping that those of you that read this realize the importance of daily prayer. It is good to celebrate a day of prayer but I think the fact that we still have to freedom to pray and worship the Lord without fear is reason enough to celebrate.

This past week we also celebrated the birthday of my dear husband, Don. He turned 37 on Nov. 9th. Yes, I know, he is younger than I am! He reminds me of that once in a while. I have to let him know that with age, comes knowledge! :)

My daughter, Krystle, also celebrated a birthday recently. We were in Florida on her birthday, October 25th. She turned 19. It also happened to be on the day we had the memorial service for my father. It was an emotional day for us but I went to get her a cake and wanted to show her that I still remembered her on her special day. I love you, my sweet daughter!

Today we went to church for the second week in a row at the Wesleyan church in Catskill, NY. It was a real good service. There was a pitch-in dinner after the service. All the food was yummy!

Well, that is all for now. Thanks for reading!

Fort DeSoto

We took a day trip to Ft. DeSota yesterday. The kids did a little fishing off the pier. Mom caught a fish. We used a net to catch our own bait. Then we went to the beach for lunch and the kids spent some time in the water. The weather was beautiful! This picture is of my nephew, Alex. He is 3 years old and is my sister Bev's youngest child.

My Dear Father

Saturday, October 6, 2007, was the day that God chose to call my father home to heaven. He is resting now on the shores of heaven. No more sickness. No more pain. Forever healed from the cancer that plagued his last days here on earth. Dad breathed his last, opened his eyes and smiled the most peaceful smile. It was amazing to see his eyes open after being closed and so blank looking. He clearly "saw" something. It was something I had never experienced before.

I am still here in Florida. I will be staying here until the end of the month. The memorial service for dad is scheduled for October 25, 2007 at 10:00 am at the church my parents attended. The burial is at Bay Pines in St. Pete on the 26th.

Please continue to remember our family in your prayers. We are grieving. It seems so strange for dad not to be here. We know that he is in heaven and we do not wish him back to suffer in this world.

I love you Dad. You are greatly missed.

Back in Florida

I am back in Florida. My sister's and brother have come here as well. My father is slowly slipping away from us. It will not be long and my father will be going to his eternal reward in heaven. He sleeps most of the time. The hospice nurses have been coming in and are here mostly around the clock. Please keep our family in your prayers. It is a difficult time for us. We love our father and wish he could stay with us but it seems to be the will of God that he leave us. I will update again when I get the time to.

First day of school

I was thinking today and I realized something. Tomorrow starts another school year here in New York. This is the first year that Krystle will not go back to school. And, this would have been the first year of school for Jenna. I can hardly believe that Jenna is 5 now and would have started kindergarten this year. I know she is in a better place. But there are times that I still long to have her with us. I wish I could hold her in my arms but I know that Jesus is holding her for me.

SUMMER HAS PASSED US BY......

Wow, it is already September. Where has the summer gone? It always seems to fly by so fast that I seem to forget to enjoy it like I should.

It has been a summer of many changes for me. Some have not been so easy and I know that some of the changes are still happening and that is not so easy for me to deal with at times.

Krystle is enjoying her new-found wings. She is also finding out what it is like out in the world on her own. She has called me to ask my advice about things that she needs guidance with. I am glad that I can be here to help.

We just got back from a long weekend of camping. It was nice to get away, but it is also tiring at the same time. I have always loved camping. I was not feeling well the first full day that we were there so that put a damper on the first part of our weekend. The weather was so beautiful. We could have not asked for better. No rain at all. We camped in a borrowed camper. It was nice to have a camper with a working bathroom, hot water, etc. I know, I know, some would say we are not "real" campers, but I like some of the comforts of home away from home. I have went camping in a tent before, but I actually prefer the camper! :)

Well, I have to close for now and go check the laundry and get ready for bed so I can be rested for work tomorrow.

TTFN,
Lisa

Empty-Nester

This week has been a bitter-sweet time for us. My daughter, Krystle, has ventured out on her own to live in her first apartment. I am glad that my daughter is responsible enough to be out on her own. She works at a good job and is planning on going to college soon. All this is good, right? But I am having those sad feeling that I think most parents go through when their child leaves the "nest". The night that she was gone, I cried like I haven't cried in a long time. My little girl is all grown up (so she thinks!). She is not breezing in and out of here like she used to on her way to school, work or to hang out with her friends. All I can do is trust that she will remember the values I tried to teach her while she was growing up to adulthood. My prayer is that God will keep his hand over her life.

Here In Florida

It is Sunday, July 22, 2007. It is my last day here in Florida where I have been for over 2 weeks visiting my parents. It has been nice to be here, though I wish the reason for my visit was a different reason than it is. My dad has terminal cancer. I wanted to come here and spend some time with him and help mom out. I leave in the morning to fly home to New York. Although I miss my husband and daughter, I am quite torn as I approach the time I leave here.

Dad has been trying to sell his collection of antique Farmall tractors he has. A man arrived here yesterday from Alabama to look at the tractors. It had been a week since he had left the house and this trip was not easy for him. He got really tired out. The picture I am posting here is one of dad and I yesterday at the Florida Fly Wheelers where he has some of his tractors stored. The magazine that we are holding in the picture is an issue of Farm and Ranch Living. Dad is on the cover of that magazine. It is the current August/September 2007 issue. I am right proud that my dad is on the cover of this magazine. It is a great tribute to him and his love of tractors.

Welcome to our site!
It is good that you could stop in to see what is going on with the Slater Family.