And They Lived Happily Ever After...

 ...and yes, I do still think fairytales can come true ~

In my last post I mentioned we were in the last month before my darling girl and her beloved were to wed. On February 15, 2025 - despite the rain and gray skies - Kimmie and Dustin were married in a lovely ceremony in the chapel on the campus where they met and got engaged. Honestly, I applaud Kimmie for keeping her cool and remaining level headed when the main water line in the area busted, leaving the chapel (and surrounding buildings) without water or ability to use the toilets. Matter of fact, that was the second hiccup that she could have allowed to toss her about - the first was when I called her about 20 miles from the state line to let her know I had to go back home and retrieve my wedding outfit along with her wrap and jacket! Ha Ha - she is the BEST!!!

The floral designer did an amazing job assembling the chapel pieces while the wedding party got ready - even making additional wearables for key folks I overlooked by mistake. My hairstylist was waiting for Kimmie and I in the bridal suite at 9:15 a.m. and I quickly got into part of my outfit so that I would not mess up my hair. Once I was done, Katie (a bridesmaid) was next followed by my niece, Kat. The last person who sat for her hair to get fixed was the bride - Kimmie [it was during this time we were told of the water issue]. Once water was restored, the rest of the day moved along without any issues. 

The photographer and videographer arrived together around noon or so to start getting pictures and footage that the kids wanted in their packages. They had just finished getting with the men at the hotel Dustin had stayed at and the guys were told not to arrive at chapel until 2 pm at earliest. Once Kimmie was done with hair (her makeup was done before she sat in chair), my mom, Dustin's aunt as well as his mom, and my mother all worked to get Kimmie in her dress. Then Traci (my stylist) helped with the placing of veil. After checking that all was still looking great, Kimmie had a first look with her attendants in the chapel foyer as, unknown to us at the time, guests had started to arrive. After that sweet moment, the girls went in chapel to find that most guests were just family members, so they did some group pics and bridals. At this point, we noticed that a significant number of guests were arriving as well as the groom and his crew (can't have them seeing the bride yet) - so the photographer went in the foyer and told the crowd to "please close your eyes - the bride needs to pass through". Once Kimmie was tucked away in the suite, I made my way to foyer to visit with the few guests that had arrived and were seated in chapel. Then I stopped by to see Dustin in the groom's room - and he was so DAPPER! The wedding was going to commence on time and he was excited for their first touch which was just moments from when I stopped in. 

Once the photographer and videographer were ready for the 'first touch' and personal vows, Dustin was led in with his eyes closed and the bridal attendants were facing him to keep him honest while Kimmie was brought out of the bathroom to stand back to back with Dustin. Oh, the vows they said to each other had me tearing up, but I held it back because Kimmie wanted me to hold my tears so I could respond to pastor in the ceremony. Before we knew it, it was time to get lined up for processional. Truthfully, I thought my own wedding was a blur - this old gal is struggling to hold the memories from this beautiful wedding, so I am thankful for the pictures that were graciously provided recently. Please enjoy and know that more will come in a future post.

"You meet thousands of people and none of them touch you. And then you meet one person and your life is changed FOREVER" - Margaret Watson

Be blessed & be a blessing ~

Wendy

It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN

 Just hopping on so that my domain does not go inactive :( - not much to report though as I've been hard at wedding planning and payments to vendors. We are in the final month before the nuptials and, honestly, things have been pretty easy to navigate. 

Items that have successfully been checked off include:

- finding/buying and altering my MOB outfit;

- alterations of KLW's wedding gown;

- securing a stylist to come to venue in order to fix hair for any who need it aside from KLW and myself;

- final meetings with photographer and videographer;

- pre-marital counseling and timeline for officiant;

- obtaining marriage license (the kids did that 01/15/25)

Whew! That is a TON!!

There's still a good deal left to finish off like paying floral designer, turning in final headcount for reception venue, finalize menu for reception, pay cake decorators for wedding cake and groom's cake, and final payment to DJ.

Now if only folks would get RSVPs to us (about 20% still have not responded)...

Be Blessed & Be A Blessing

W

Well, Hello Again

 Suppose it is long past time to post some type of update, right? After all, six months is half of a year and TONS have transpired since my last post.

Briefly:

- Settled on THE DRESS for KLW's upcoming wedding;

- Secured vendors for photography, videography, floral decorations, and music at reception (whew!)

- Searched for months for the right veil to finish off the bridal look and finally found it in late October in Minden, LA.

- The hunt for the elusive M.O.B outfit continues with great hopes that I can find the right look to fit the theme of wedding (vintage rustic chic/elegant).

Other happenings included a brief visit by my younger sister earlier this month and celebrating my parents 58th wedding anniversary. They have been a true example of how marriage can be sustainable and I hope between theirs and Dustin's parents own 31 year union, Dustin and Kimmie can apply what they have seen lived out in front of them in their own marriage.

My next update will likely be after the wedding in late February (with pictures)...

79 more days....

Be blessed & Be a blessing,

W

We Must Do Better

 

What do each of these homes have in common?  Go ahead - take a wild guess.  I'll give you time to think about it.  In the meantime, allow me to share my heart...

Nothing gets my dander up than seeing people treated with indifference based on race, economic class, or bias based on level of education. Perhaps that is because I've experienced bullying and abuse most of my life which allows me to recognize when others are being treated badly/abused. In our depraved world, this behavior should not be a big surprise - but c'mon folks can we not practice kindness, compassion, humility and generosity with those who have less?  Why stop there...it should be indiscriminate.

I know too many people who have much and lack the basic skills of generosity and humility.  I also know a large number of folks who have very little and are rich in humility, kindness, and give of their time if they can't give anything else (generosity).  Likewise, there are those (though I do not know them personally) who exhibit the opposite of the folks that I do know (rich who exceed with generosity without indifference and humility as well as poor who are self-centered and abound with a sense of entitlement mindset).

Recently, I discovered that someone dear to me is being treated with indifference by blood relations.  If I had hair on my spine, it would be raised up BIG time!  This bulldog would be on the attack for sure.  But, unfortunately, all I can give them is my attentiveness while they express the deep hurt they are experiencing.  In addition, I offer what advice or direction to obtain assistance that I can in the hopes they will heed it.  Help does not come if it is not asked for.

For the purpose of illustration, I will draw from my own personal experience. When I was married, my spouse's family and their spouses accepted me without question - as I did them. Once the marriage ended, for the most part, my daughter and I were essentially invisible to a large number of them. There were a few that still acknowledged our existence and invited us for visits. Once my daughter was of adult age, suddenly and without explanation, both of us were invisible or looked down on [save the small group that continue to consider us family]. The indifference we now experience does not make sense at all. We have done nothing to deserve this treatment.  Are we not good enough or economically equal to them?  Maybe in their eyes - but it should not matter one iota. It is sad, really.  They are the ones missing out greatly and, one day when their close inner circle is gone, they will reach out and find nobody in the outer rims with open arms simply because they continued to keep pushing that group of people (including me and K) further and further away.  I deeply miss those relationships and mourn them. Talk about the walking dead - and not the scary ones. Sure, I was hurt deeply by my ex-husband but that hurt did not extend to his family - they had no idea what he was doing to me.  

God's Word is filled with instructions as to how we are to treat one another and I find it alarming at just how far from obedience to those instructions mankind has fallen.  Either it is an air of indifference and choosing who to treat with humility, kindness, generosity, and love or just outright looking down the nose to all who do not fit in a pre-determined box! Here are some references you can look up at your own leisure as I do not want this post to become exhaustive: 2 Corinthians 1:4; Hebrews 13:16; Galatians 6:2-10; Proverbs 3:27-28; Matthew 25:42-46.  The following are personal favorites of mine:

"A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will  receive water." - Proverbs 11:25

"Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality." - Romans 12:13

"...If you get rid of the yoke around you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday." - Isaiah 58b-10

"Then He will answer them, 'I assure you: Whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for Me either." - Matthew 25:45

So, in my assessment of the pictures that opened this entry, there is absolutely nothing visible that shows each home was not filled with love, protection, laughter, or generosity/humility. Sure, in the same breath, I can say that we do not see what is contained within the walls of each home (since any one home or all could hold dark secrets of abuse and neglect just as easily as they can hold great love and attributes of generosity, kindness, helpfulness, and hospitality).  The point is: we must do better.  We must put aside attitudes that illustrate indifference in technicolor.  We must work harder to be better towards each other - blood related or perfect strangers.  Each person with breath in their lungs is deserving of kindness, generosity, help and love.  Personally, I could care less if your income is $8k per year or $1M per year - all of us bleed the same.

Be blessed and (REALLY) be a blessing ~

W

Looks Like We're Still Here ~

And speeding closer to the big wedding day 😍

In 308 days, Kimmie and Dustin will be married in the wedding of their dreams and God's design.  I am certainly excited for my daughter, who has known abandonment and struggled with feeling worthy of love, to fully soak in all the love and adoration of Dustin.  He truly is the physical representation of the man I prayed God would set apart for Kimmie.  God is ALWAYS faithful to hear us - even when the answer is NO or WAIT.  But when the answer is YES - He holds nothing back.  What an awesome God I serve and love 💖

When reflecting on what we have experienced, I am reminded of all the times God has carried us, provided for us, protected us, and drawn us under His Wings. Kimmie and I have memories that still creep up to try and snare us in the trap of sadness, but we have far more Light shining around us that illuminates the path we walk on.  These are happy days - even in the knowledge that Christ could return and bring us to our eternal home.  Yes, there is joy in that future too.  

Planning for our eternal home should be filled with expectation and obedience - just as with any other event we anticipate with excitement, like a wedding, a birth, a graduation, and such without the huge price tag because Christ has already paid the price for us to enter in.  The challenge for us is to remain steadfast with our faith walk when trials come and the path narrows even more.  We must remember to always keep our eyes fixed on Him and not look down or to ourselves or man.  The traps can snare us much more quickly when we do not stay fixed on God through His Son, Jesus.  As John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Currently at the church I attend, we are studying the Book of Hebrews and just began walking through chapter 2.  This chapter speaks about the danger of drifting away when we are not anchored in Christ.  Much like a boat poorly moored to a temporary post or dock that can come loose and drift off if not watched attentively, Christians can also drift if attention is taken away from our obedient fellowship with Christ.  I love how God uses imagery with me when showing me something about His character and love for me.  For example, the image of a boat tied up (see image):

Now the image of a boat that has drifted off:

I think of the account in God's Word when the disciples were at sea when a storm began to toss them about - this was after Jesus fed the masses with just five loaves and two fish - and Peter was called out to meet Christ on the water but, just when he was walking on the water he was overcome with doubt (took his eyes off of Christ Jesus) and began to sink.  I ask you to think for a moment about what could have possibly been the cause to divert Peter's eyes from Jesus.  Could it have been a thought about being unworthy?  A sense of being too weak to press forward in the storm?  Many times I have faced my own storms and struggled/wrestled with my human tendency to question those things in myself.  Once my eyes are not on Him, I sink down and drift.  When I turn my eyes back to Him, I am lifted and, once again, strengthened to keep moving onward to the prize of the high calling He has on me.  Truly, there is no safer place than in the arms of my Savior.  He is my Anchor, my Compass, my Healer, my Friend.

Another lesson from Hebrews 2 is that there is nothing better than drawing near and having relationship with Him.  It is secure. It is profitable. It is a foretaste of what awaits the obedient servant.  I'd much rather be anchored to Christ than set adrift to navigate the uncertain waters of life.  As Proverbs 3:5a says, "Trust in the Lord" and furthermore, He will make our path straight - or in this case, calm the winds and seas.  Trusting in and of itself is a calming action on our part.  Once we give our troubles over, there is a peace that passes understanding that falls on us.  I speak of what I know personally here - so give grace if that is not something you can also claim.  

Lastly, through trusting my Savior and staying anchored to Him, I can experience joy and have it to the full - in all things.  I may not know with exact date when He will come back, but I can still have joy for all the blessings He continues to give me: a wedding in February, good health, a sound mind, a content heart, and perhaps grandchildren.  I can only see so far into the hoped future - things I can strive for.  The rest is in His hands and I will continue to hold to hope and draw ever nearer to Him.

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

There let the way appear,
Steps unto heaven;
All that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Yes, looks like we're still here ~

Be blessed and be a blessing,

WSW

Catch A Tiger By Its Tail

The month of October flew by!  It was filled with all things Fall: pumpkin spice latte, cinnamon rolls, baked apples with caramel, and chocolate.  There were football games and Homecoming festivities throughout this season as well.  Kimmie and I were not able to travel as much as we would have liked, but we did manage to spend a weekend at the end of the month in Marshall, TX/Jacksonville, TX for ETBU Homecoming and...wait for it:

💍💐HER ENGAGEMENT TO DUSTIN 💍💐

On 10/28/23, Dustin pulled off the BIGGEST of all surprises on Kimmie by taking her on a walk down memory lane at ETBU that ended at the new Ponder Park/Chapel on the Hill (ETBU Wedding Chapel) with a proposal of marriage.  This was witnessed by his mom, brother, my parents, and myself (Dustin's dad had gotten called away on work issue and was not able to come in person) and captured on film by a photographer from Haughton, LA.  Kimmie had her moments of getting wise to his plan and doubting a proposal would happen at all - and I am happy to say she was definitely surprised and overcome with emotions.  After the initial engagement pics, we walked around campus and the photographer took several other posed pics for engagement announcements/save the date cards before Dustin, Kimmie and I walked to the football field for the homecoming game and presentation of the homecoming court.

After the game, we headed to Tyler, TX to get into our hotel for a night (Dustin headed home to Jacksonville) since we were going to attend church with Dustin and his family the next morning.  Dustin's mom, Cindy, organized a sweet engagement party that the church body and close family of his attended.  There was brisket for tacos or sandwiches, chips and queso, spicy chicken to put on tortillas or bread, and cupcakes.  Kimmie was touched by all the love and wishes for happiness as she and Dustin embark on the next chapter of their relationship.

They have not set a firm date for the wedding, but are looking at late 2024 or early 2025.  There are lots of things to research and decide on, so having this year or more to plan is certainly beneficial.  Enjoy these pics from the homecoming weekend/engagement.  More to come!

Be blessed & be a blessing ~

A Timely Reminder

Dear Ones -

The following was posted on my old blog site and spoke to my spirit today.  I feel like it is a timely reminder to share once more.

~ W

Reflections: Life’s Winding Road

October 02, 2009

I’m in a reflective mood today – probably as a result of this being October and the start of fall. I enjoy the feeling I get at this time of year. Can’t explain it – could be that October means that my favorite holiday isn’t too far away. No, it isn’t Halloween! My favorite holiday is Christmas. I’ve always gotten excited from October to December as far as I can recall. My fondest memories are from my childhood in Long Island, NY when we’d have snow and it really could have been a picture from Currier & Ives.

Another reason is that, including the first part of spring; this is a time where I find myself seriously reflecting on my life. Part of that comes from the fact that I do yearly newsletters to send with my Christmas cards to family and dear friends and I have literally 12 months of memories, achievements and so much more to share.

You could say that this time of year finds me looking at where the winding road of life as brought me from and where I am headed. I don’t look back so much to chastise myself, though I do have plenty of regrets and dreams that I didn’t fulfill. I think many of us find ourselves in this place. It’s not so much the looking at where I’ve been, but the looking forward – like the picture above – to see what lies ahead, within the view. There are still unknowns and bumps along the way; however, there is just something exciting about the journey. Like this quote I found, it eloquently says what I feel about this faith journey I am currently on:

“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” ~ Joni Erickson Tada

His Word says that He has plans for us to give us a hope and a future. What it doesn’t say is how long that future is. Our days are not ours; He has already set aside the number of days for each of us. When our number is called, that is it. Several years ago, I wouldn’t have cared about this fact. Since being saved by grace in 2000, all I desire is to know Him, to live my life in a manner that is pleasing in His sight (not the sight of man), to be a living testimony. The one hurdle I have had is growing in the faith.

It’s so much like when you are a child and you have growth spurts – you get growing pains. Your joints hurt, your bones feel like they are going to pop right through the skin. With faith, at least my experiences, I have felt like my heart was going to explode from the pain. See, my journey has taken some major turns that I couldn’t have foreseen at the time I was saved – starting with the demise of my marriage. I knew my marriage wasn’t stellar; but I still knew that running away wouldn’t solve any of the issues. I knew I was being abused; but I thought it was what I deserved. It was only after I knew that God didn’t design that for me that I realized a supernatural, spiritual change would have to occur to save my marriage. So I began praying for my husband, began steadfastly living my life in Christ around my husband hoping he’d be so hungry for the same and want to come to Christ too. The problem was/is – he doesn’t believe in God. I was unequally yoked. I had to step aside and let God take over. When decision to divorce was made, I did have a peace about it. So, I don’t regret the decision; I regret all the pain we both inflicted to each other during the marriage. Some things just can’t be taken back after they are said.

But then, there are the turns in the road that bring joy and blessing. If you’ve kept up, you have seen some really good stuff about Kimberly. There was a time when I was told that she’d never walk and that she would be delayed in ability to learn (I am now sure that the doc we had then in TX was not trustworthy or qualified to make those statements), so to have her physically growing into this beautiful young lady, who is WAY capable of learning and excelling, is truly a blessing. I love my baby girl very much and daily tell her this because I don’t want her to ever doubt that or think that I don’t. It goes back to earlier when I said we don’t know the number of our days – so I do my best to tell those I love how I feel and do at least one thing each day that gives God glory.

I am looking forward to the turns in the road that lie ahead. I am hopeful that on this journey – both life and faith – there will be happy surprises and realized goals. Oh, I know that I’ll still have the bumps and even big, gaping potholes from time to time; but I am equipped with the Master Navigator as my GPS and know that I can trust Him at all times. I don’t have to be anxious when sidelined on the side of the road or at those times when I am forced to stop. I know that these times of tribulation (also promised in the Word to occur) are only temporary and serve to grow me that much more. It has taken me a long time to accept that statement, and I am a little surprised that I even said it (much less shared with you!). You know what? Joy always comes in the morning!

I’m going to leave you now with another quote I found when searching for inspirational quotes on faith. I do hope your winding road and journey, whatever it is, is blessed and you find a way to be a blessing – no matter how little you may seem to think it may be, it counts largely.

“Faith is no irresponsible shot in the dark. It is a responsible trust in God, Who knows the desires of your hearts, the dreams you are given, and the goals you have set. He will guide your paths right.” ~ Unknown