~ Sunday ~ Some Flight Problems    !!

*Indy to Atlanta, GA (layover) went great.
*Atlanta to Raleigh, NC … no problem!
*Spent Thursday thru Saturday filming.
*Received flight plans from Brian.
*To catch flight out to Nevada @ 7:30AM.
*Tim and Ian….Overslept!!!
*Got to airport just in time to catch plane,
  but flight plans were misplaced, so they missed that flight!
*Spent all day trying to get another flight.
*Finally, in flight to Phoenix, Arizona, @ 3:40PM.
*Ian was to have called from Phoenix when stopping over.
*No call until Midnight!!
*They could not get a flight from Phoenix into San Jose….together!!!
*Tim went on without Ian!!!
*Ian alone in an Econolodge in Phoenix, AZ!!  Mom a bit concerned!
*Ian’s flight … tomorrow morning 6:05AM  (their time).

Okay, here is where I need peace!  Now, I’m not too happy about him being alone out there, but there is absolutely nothing I can do about it…other than pray, pray, pray!!  So, it’s here that I need some much needed encouragement, and prayers for Ian!  I’ve spoken to him twice, and he seems okay, but I’m sure it’s a bit different for him!  It’s late, I’ve had a long weekend, I’m tired, fuzzy brain, and now … just a little bit concerned for him!  By the time some of you read this he’ll, most likely, be in San Jose.  So as soon as I get more info, I’ll post an update!  Now if any are interested, they are posting pictures from time to time, and journaling their trip at Tim’s site here on Xanga:  timporter.  You all have a blessed Monday, and I’ll update as soon as I know more, and, Ill fill you in on other happenings, as well!  

Hugs,
~ Deborah

The Faithful Shepherd
God will never forsake you,
Nor leave you alone,
For the Shepherd is faithful
To care for His Own.

“Surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Saturday ~ Picture Problems!!!
*** OOPS!!!…some are saying pictures aren’t showing up.. …I’m so sorry!!  
I’m working on it now…if they don’t show up at my first try, I’ll work on it when I get home tonight, and then maybe you can see our “fuzzy” faces!!  

~ Friday ~
I’ve been loving all your comments, prayers, and encouragement!!  So here’s a little..well not so little, update for ya!!
I had started writing this the day before Ian left, so I’m just using it to recap: 

~ Wednesday ~
Okay…things are in major motion around here!  We had a couple of emergencies that came up as we’ve been trying to get Ian ready to fly away!  Whew…the things you have to go through to pack!  Anyway, it’s coming together, and things are seeming a bit calmer….myself included!  I really appreciate all of your thoughts, and prayers!  Last night we had a “mom~son” night out.  We did some shopping for shorts, and polo shirts, shoes, and extra little odds and ends.  We also had dinner at Chili’s together!  When we were at the mall, I saw this booth that said Portrait Studio.  It’s where they snap about 4 pictures of you, then you make a choice as to the pose, and whether you want black & white, or color…{the color was $2.00 extra, and Ian wanted B&W…so we opted for that…I liked the color, but it was Ian’s night!}  Well, we both squeezed into the booth, seriously, it seemed like about a 2×2 area, and Ian is just a lit-tle bit bigger than me, lol!!, so, … we posed {couldn’t do much posing in that space!!} … we smiled … they snapped … we chose … then this hand starts drawing our picture on the screen in front of us … it was kinda neat!  He — aka. the machine, even held a conversation with us!  Well, sorta….we weren’t talking back!!  He would say things like, “this is lookin’ good”, or “are you sure you’ve never modeled before?”, “just a few more minutes”, and “almost done now”!  Then it would draw mistakes in the picture that were funny, and he’d say, “oops”, or “sorry about that”, and the eraser would appear, and fix the blunder!  At one point Ian had bangs, and I had a mustache … boy, was that ever attractive!! Lol!!  We had fun doing it …so, when he gets home we’re going to go for the color version, and maybe some funny faces!  Photo booths, hmmm, all I remember are the ones that would snap the pictures, then they would come out in a long strip of 4 black and whites.  I still have a couple of those around here!  Those were the days!  Times change, don’t they?!!  So, anyway, here is the finished product of our “Mom & Son” portrait!  A little off center, but like I said, he took up most of the space, but that’s so okay….it was Ian’s day!!    

The night before Ian, and Tim, flew away, we got together with Tim’s family for dinner at Cracker Barrel!  Yum, Yum!  We spent 2 hours just talking, laughing, and loving our boys!  I am so sorry these pictures aren’t very good, but I still wanted to share! The camera wasn’t cooperating so they didn’t come out too well….like I said, I’m working at getting a new camera, and I’ll get a better one!  So for now, you got to focus a little bit to see below, from left to right….
Hannah, Ian, me–(bad hair day!), my dear hubby, Bob, (with the hat), Little Johnny, Linda, Tim, & Elizabeth!  We’ve known Bob since before my hubby and I got married, so Ian has know them all of his life!  We love this family!  We’ve all grown up together, and they are a faithful testimony to what true giving means!  


 

After dinner, we brought Tim home with us, so we could just take them to the airport from our house, since we were closer, and the flight was leaving at 5:49AM the next morning!  Well, we didn’t get to bed until 1:30AM … we were up at 3:30AM … arrived at the airport at 4:45AM … had a bite of breakfast, McDonald’s style, and then it was off into the wild blue yonder!  They did just fine, only very tired … and once Ian called me at his layover, I was feeling better!  They made it to Raleigh, and are now busy at work!  I’m so thankful for cell phones…never thought I’d say that!!  They’re usually a nuisance, but they do come in handy with things like this! 

Well, as I’ve said, Tim and Ian have know each other forever, so I have to share a couple of pictures of them through the years! I have so many more, but this’ll do for now!  This first one was taken in the summer of 1989.  We took the boys to our local fire station, and they had a lot of fun seeing those big fire engines, and wearing those official helmets!  It was too big for Timmy’s little head. At one point I think he was a little in–TIMMMY–dated by the biggness of everything!!  I didn’t post that picture!!  And, as you’ll see Ian towers over Timmy … even then! 

Ian 5 – Timmy 2

This second one was taken in 1994, on Timmy’s birthday…
Timmy 7 — Ian 9

And today….
This was taken at our family dinner Wednesday night.
Tim 20 — Ian 22
“Best Buds”

So now….let’s compare….
My, how we change in just a few years!
How many of us can say that we have
pictures with our best friends like this?!!
They’re going to do mighty things for God!!
Love these guys!!




Well, I’ll keep you all posted as to how things are going with them! 
I want to thank those that sent your sweet prayers and encouragement…
you can’t even begin to know how much it has blessed me!

 

Yes, I’m human, and it has been overwhelming to say the least, but God is so faithful!  And you’ve been so understanding!  It feels good to be here with you all!  So here’s a big cyber hug in return!!! 
Now, I’m off to an antique/craft show in the morning, so I need to get some rest! 
But I’ll be around to visit … time permitting,
tomorrow evening, and Sunday evening …
but Monday, absolutely, positively, for sure, for sure!! 
I pray you all have a beautiful weekend, and be blessed in the Lord! 

Love & hugs,
~ Deborah


~ Walking In The Midst of the Overwhelming ~

Lord, help me to recognize anything that seems overwhelming
to me as a sign that I need to immediately draw close to You and pray. 
Give me a clear sense of what is going on and show me exactly how to pray about it. 
I know that Your perfect love will take away all my fear. 
Perfect me in Your love so that I don’t fall victim to the torment that fear can bring. 
Give me a deeper sense of Your presence,
for I know that Your presence is far greater than anything that overwhelms me!  
~~~~~~  ~~~~~~
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,
when my heart is overwhelmed:
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
Psalm 61: 1-2
~~~~~