66 Years Ago

June 28, 1959, was my daddy’s first Sunday as pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri. I didn’t take note of the date at the time. I had just turned 12. My family of 6, Daddy, Mother, myself (the oldest of the kids), two sisters and a brother, was moving to that area from Arkansas. 

I would not have remembered the date, but I would always remember that during Training Union on that Sunday evening, I met “the Ford boys” (there were three of them). I was immediately infatuated with the oldest of the three (Russell). I didn’t learn until later that he was two years older than I. Challenging, but I was sure of my goal!

After church that Sunday night, when we were all in the car, I announced, “The oldest Ford boy is mine.” It was necessary for me to “stake my claim,” as I had two sisters. 

Later, when I was catching up in my diary, looking through my Sunday School quarterly (a lesson book for each Sunday), I noticed that I had written on the page of the lesson for Sunday, June 28, 1959, “Daddy’s first Sunday as pastor at Pleasant Hill.” That’s how I knew the date, and since that was the Sunday I met Russell, that date became set in concrete in my mind.

I could hardly believe it when he (the most handsome guy in the world, already a freshman in high school, whereas I was starting my 7th grade year) started to pay attention to me. Long story (VERY long story) short, I never dated anyone else. 

So, when I first met Russell, I was not yet praying about God’s plan for my husband. But as the years progressed and the relationship developed (back then, we would’ve said it like this: “As we began to ‘get serious…’”), I found myself praying passionately that God would make clear His plan for our relationship. He answered my prayer. 

We were married when I was 18, and Russell was almost 20. Daddy performed the ceremony in that same little church. 

We will celebrate our 60th anniversary on September 8, 2025.

Oh, and by the way, my sister (15 months younger than I) married the youngest Ford boy, and they have been married 57 years.

Time passes so quickly. 

Christmas 2024

It’s been awhile since I posted, but I only have three art pieces that I haven’t shared.

More Than I Can Imagine?

I’ve been a Christ-follower since age eight. I’ve been a learner, with a desire to know Him more and better, all those [many] years of my life. And yet, I still have so much more to learn, and I sometimes find myself completely lacking in the “faith department.”

Recently I had the blessing of seeing God answer my prayers, in a couple of specific situations. Those situations involve other people, and so I will not recount the specific examples publicly. However, I want to say this: In those two or three situations recently, God did more than I asked—my faith was not strong enough to ask for that much. Why not? My faith needs to be stronger.

This verse came to my mind: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

In those recent situations, I prayed, but not for the miracle that God delivered. I didn’t even ask. I didn’t stop to realize that God could do the seemingly impossible. Do I know that He can? Of course, I know that God can do anything. Did I ask Him to do that? No. But He did WAY MORE (immeasurably more) than I asked, or even than I imagined.

Along with thanking Him for what He did in those circumstances, I am also asking Him to INCREASE MY FAITH.

Closing out with recent watercolor work (having a bit of a struggle getting back into the routine of painting, and it seems that after a break, I always feel like I am starting all over, in a way)…

European Robin

Harvest Mice

#IncreaseMyFaith #GodCanDoMoreThanIAskorImagine #MyInfiniteMind #NothingIsImpossibleForGod