Sermon Notes and Fish Fry!

What a great day this was for us!  We started out going over to our neighbor's porch for breakfast.  The weather was perfect.  No wind.  No bugs.  We talked and enjoyed the food.  Cindi reminds me SO MUCH of my sister, Judy.  Same hair.  Same personality.  They both smoke.  They are both very hospitable and great listeners.  Hopefully, Cindi won't lie to me like my sister does. 

We came back home in time to listen to the second service from John Hagee Ministries.  He was talking about the last feast today.  It is the Feast of Tabernacles.  It was one thing about the Bible I did NOT know, and had never heard before to this extent.  During the Feast of Tabernacles the Israelites were to build small huts or booths to represent where they were BEFORE God delivered them from the Egyptians.  Hagee said that families still practice that custom today in Israel. 

Hagee asked if we ever thought back about where God has brought us from.  I, of course, shouted a loud YES!!! to that question.  I think about it a lot.  I am amazed every day at where I am now and where I was in my early 20's.  If you have read my blog for long, you may know that my first marriage ended because my young "Christian" husband decided to "try drugs".  He had a genius IQ, and he was going to OU.  He began using drugs -- the drugs took over -- and our lives were ruined.  I had NO IDEA this was going on until I came home one night from something like a Tupperware party, and there were 3 police cars in my front yard.  We didn't have a big enough driveway, and the street was narrow, so the policemen pulled their cars up on the tiny lawn of the rent house we lived in.  I was totally shocked and could not imagine what was going on!  I entered the living room to find the policemen standing there with my husband.  One of them told me they were waiting for me to come home to take care of Tammy, our daughter, so they could take him to jail.  That was a VERY RUDE AWAKENING, let me tell you!  I was a shy, naive young girl, and I believed I had found the perfect husband, and we would live in wedded bliss forever.  I knew nothing about illegal drugs.  It wasn't like it is now. 

So, YES!, I remember where I was.  I remember crying rivers of tears all alone while sitting on the edge of my bed in the dark.  I thought I woud lose my mind in the heartache.  I remember begging God to take my life because I was so heartbroken and sad.  I remember thinking I had totally failed my only child by choosing such a horrible father for her.  I remember thinking I could never raise my child by myself while fearing I would never be able to trust another man.  I remember thinking I was the stupidest, most gullible, most crazy person alive to have trusted such a man.  Instead of hating him, I hated myself for not seeing what he was really like.

BUT!  Thank God, I am so far away from there now, and my life is totally different.  I've been married to Jerry for 38 years.  He has NEVER lied to me -- that I know of -- and he has never done anything to knowingly hurt me.  He loves God and serves Him.  That's not to say we haven't had fights or misunderstandings.  Good heavens!  It's not about that.  It's about trust and commitment.  I could go on forever about all the wonderful things that have happened over the years, but I won't.  Just suffice it to say, I don't need to build a hut to remember where I came from.  I remember it vividly.

Hagee had communion at the end of today's service.  Jerry and I always love to join in the communion.  I keep crackers and grape juice upstairs for that.

After the second service, Matthew comes on live with another program.  He answers questions that people write in and ask.  That was very interesting to watch also.  Jerry stayed and we both listened.  When it was done, Jerry asked me what my plans were for the day.  As usual, I was going to look for something to sew.  I told him I might start a new quilt.  He asked if I wanted to go down to our pond and fish with him.  I told him that sounded like fun.  I am always thrilled when he is doing something that doesn't involve working in front of a computer, which is what he did all day yesterday.

Jerry asked me if I wanted him to save the ones we caught.  I told him I would cook them tonight if we caught enough for dinner.  Here's what we caught:

 

There are 4 girls and one boy there.  The girls were full of eggs.  Here's what they looked like after Jerry filleted them for me.  No bones!  And you don't get any fresher than this! 

 



And here are the LEFTOVERS.  I forgot to take a picture when they were all together and pretty.  My daughter called while I was frying these, and I got sidetracked listening to grandkid updates.  When the fish are cooked like this, it is like eating French Fries.  Crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside.  We love our fish like this with homemade tartar sauce.

Time for TV upstairs.

We started watching a new TV series called "Burn Notice" last night.  It isn't too bad.  We are running out of old shows to watch, and there are no movies worth wasting $3 on. 

Tomorrow, I will show you my "short vs long" pictures.

Hugs, Joy