Let Me Tell You About My Mornings

My mornings are not important to anyone else.  I realize that; but to let you know what I do as a pastor, and a School Bus driver of the mornings – Here goes…

My alarm goes off around 3:15 a.m.  I get up do the necessary things before dressing, then proceed to make some coffee.  I get my computer turned on.  Then I take my Bible, my journal and set down at the kitchen/dining table; and I read a portion of Scripture (usually 2 – 5 chapters) to hear what God has to say to me today.  I spend a few minutes speaking to Him as well.

By the time I am through with my Bible reading the coffee is ready and I pour me a cup, mixed with a packet of Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensations hot chocolate mix.  Yum.  Then I begin writing in my journal.  You can read some of what I wrote in today’s writing at this link

After I have written in my paper notebook, journal; I come and do some post for our Church blog, and my Bible Study blog called BROKEN PIECES.  By the time I am finished with that it is about time for me to leave for the bus garage.  I do watch a bit of Fox and Friends before leaving, and clean up my coffee pot.

I leave the house around 5:15 a.m. arrive at the bus garage around 5:45, pre-trip my bus, and leave on my route around 6:05 a.m.  It is an amazing drive.  I get to drive approximately 25 minutes before I pick up my first stop.  From then on into school there is much talk, screaming sometimes, laughter, playing [not supposed to]; no more quiet time.

I arrive at he High School drop off about 7:45 a.m. then the Elementary about 7:50 a.m.  Then, that part of my morning is over.  Following the route this morning I went with some of the other drivers to the Primary Cafeteria for biscuits and gravy for breakfast; instead of coming home.

When I get home I check emails, facebook, my blogs for comments and such; but most of all I try and spend the time preparing sermons for Sunday mornings and evenings.

Today I am scheduled for an activity trip taking the soccer team to Springfield, MO.  I am blessed to be doing a work which I thoroughly enjoy; being a pastor, and a school bus driver too.

A Blessed and sunny day along the banks of Flat Creek.

~tim

Second Anniversary

Just to get right to the point.  Today marks the second anniversary of my wife Madge and I moving into our new home.  We are still enjoying the home with which the Lord of all has blessed us.  The Creek is still rolling by, though this past Summer with the extreme high temps, and the drought caused it to drop considerably; and with recent rainfall it has now risen much above drought conditions.

The other day I went and cut some cedar logs for the “legs” for a back porch on the house.  I am planning on building a porch which measures 8 feet by 8 feet.  That will give us a fairly large porch in the back in order to have more room for the door the swing open, and to sit out back on the porch; if we choose to do so.

Thank you LORD for Your many blessings; and today for our home.

-tim

New Front Porch

For over a year now we have had manufactured steps at our front door with no porch.  Of course we still have some of those steps at our two back accesses to the house; one at our laundry door, and one at our patio door.  No!  We do not have a rear deck built yet; but it is in the plans.

We are only endeavoring to do these builds without adding more to our debt.

The front porch is now built and paid for; the only part of the house that is paid for.  It is great and we offer our praise to the Creator who has blessed us with the means to receive it and to care for it.

It will be great to have the porch to set in our outdoor chairs on the days of nice weather; to watch, listen and learn from God the things He has made in creation.

On the banks of Flat Creek, and it is still rolling right along.

-Tim

Eagle On the Hunt

On the afternoon of December 31 I took a walk along the banks of Flat Creek; from just below the old mill pond down around the bend, and then to the place where our family picnics and swims – the Swimming hole.

It was at the Swimming Hole that I sat down for a spell and just looked, watched, and listened for awhile.  I have enjoyed doing that along the creek since I was a boy old enough to venture away from the house; and maybe even before I was old enough.

As I was setting there a bald eagle came soaring near me over the still water of the hole and I assume was looking for his/her prey for food for the day.  I do not believe I was ever as close to a flying eagle as I was at that moment.  I have seen them in zoos sitting on logs for all the world to gauck at, and admire; but never had I been as close as I was at that time and place; while they were flying.

I watched as she/he soared, flapped wings, turned out over the land on the other side, and back over the water, and then flew on down the creek continuing its search.

A beautiful, majestic, bird.  Yet, “bird” for an eagle just seems so small a word.

Remember to go to church today and worship our Creator who has given us all things to enjoy and glorify His name.

-Tim

By the way… HAPPY NEW YEAR.

It is Thanksgiving Day

This is the first Thanksgiving since the start of this blog.  Just a note to myself and anyone else who might have an interest.

I am a person who endeavors to be thankful every day.  First of all thankful to our Creator who has given us all things for blessing us.  The air we breathe, the ground upon which we walk, the beating of our hearts; He gives us every beat.  At His own will and discretion He could take us to our eternal destiny.  Be thankful today of all days.

I am thankful for my family and friends as well.  The Creator has given them to me to love and enjoy and to learn from them as well; and I pray I can be as good a family member and friend they have been to me.  My wife is the gem, the jewel of my life.  She was a gift from the Creator for sure.

Just over a year ago in September, on the 21st of September, as a matter of fact my wife had a rare heart surgery for an anuerism of the aorta of her heart.  The surgery was a success; and she went for a annual exam yesterday with a CT scan and all looked good.  For that I am thankful.

I am thankful for the five children the LORD has given me as well.  They are all different in many ways, with very different personalities, and gifts.  For that I am thankful too.  I am thankful for my 12 grandchildren, and are they all so grand.  I am thankful too that we have two already with Jesus.

I am thankful for the family I grew up in; my mother and father, brother, sisters; aunts and uncles, cousins; and all my fore fathers.  Without them all I would not be who I am today.

I am thankful for so many things, and one last thing I want to let the world know is that I am thankful for our home and the land on which we live.  It is God’s gift to us.  I pray I will be a good steward of all the LORD has given me.

Thank YOU LORD.

Thankful on the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Lydia – My Grand daughter

Just this past Saturday afternoon our son and his wife came down with their kids.  The smallest one [Lydia] wanted to go and see the puppies, so I took her to go see the puppies.  They are no longer in the pen, due to a lack of shelter there; and one evening last week when it started raining Little Girl [Mama] moved them under the shed to keep the dry.  That is where they are still.

We went out there; and of course Little Girl was there seeming curious about what I was doing, yet so gentle, and good natured; not even growling but more like wanting attention, nestling up to me.  I got down on my knees, looked underneath the shed, and saw one of the puppies just out from the rest of them; so I took him out, and let Lydia hold him.  Mama is watching closely, yet gentile like.  After Lydia gets down on her knees to look underneath we put the puppy back, gently and start returning to the house.

On the way back to the house Lydia turns around, and looks upward to the sky in the  East, points and says to me, “What is that?”  I turn around to see, and it is the moon.  Not yet shining, because the sun is still up, yet there it is just hanging like our Creator intended it to.  So I tell her, “That is the moon.”  At that she says “Oh!” and continues toward the house.

Lydia is less than two years of age, but cute as she can be.  She even likes her grandpa.

I have several grand daughters.  Our oldest grandchild is a grand daughter.  The youngest grandchild is a grand daughter, but lives in Booneville, AR. so we do not get to see them too often.  They are all my sweet hearts, and I am very thankful for all of them.

It is raining as I am writing this morning.  It is great to live in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri; especially on the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Flat Creek

If you notice the background picture of this blog you will see Flat Creek as it flows along toward the bluff the road is on toward our house.  You will also notice the name change of this blog.  It seems to be a bit more fitting than the name of this contributor to the blog.

I grew up on a farm along the banks of Flat Creek.  That farm is part of the piece of land which my wife and I have ownership of; and have been given to care for for a while.  We enjoy living where we live.  We can hear the creek as it flows; and at times we can see it as we sit at our dining room table through the patio door.

I think the name change is a positive thing.

Enjoy, be blessed as we write of living along the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

We Got Rain

On Friday the 16th I bought some grass seed to sow on my dirt I had moved and filled holes around the yard and fixed in front of the house where water would be more likely to roll around the house rather than under it.  When I got home from driving the bus that morning I sowed the seed, just broadcasting it onto the soil.   Then, it started to rain.  And it rained, and rained and it kept on raining with short periods of no rain, but cloudy skies, and cooler air.

In all we had over 5 inches at our house by the time the rain had stopped.  Some people were giving reports of 6 inches and more, even 8 or more inches.  Looking at Flat Creek you would not know it had rained that much.  It just soaked into the ground, and I thought would have done my grass seed really good; but I was wrong about that.

I have found some of the seeds washed together, and bunched up in low spots.  So much for that.  I pray some of it will take at least.

At least now when the grass does start growing in these bare places it will look nicer and have something to mow, and care for.  Holes are still filled in, and that by itself looks pretty good.

Thank YOU Lord Jesus, Creator of all things, for caring for us and providing the rain.

-Tim

I am Blown Away

I looked at the temp this morning and had 51 degrees on it.  WOW!  That is a change compared to three day ago.

A man from our church is coming today with a skid steer to work on moving our dirt mound on the East side of our house; and placing it big holes in the yard and around the house.  It has been there since it was dug out for the placement of our home.

The cooler weather will make it nice for laboring on this Labor Day.

Laboring on the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Another One

The Little Girl was still gone when I left to drive the bus for the evening route.  However, when I returned home she was back, and had a friend with her; a small male, even smaller than her.  Now I like dogs, but I can only take so many.  After all I don’t run, nor do I want to run a kennel.  I do have methods for dealing with strays.  In other words, we now have three dogs hanging around here.  These two Corgi looking ones are probably someone’s or at least have been someone’s house pets.

No pet is allowed in the house here.  We have made few exceptions if they are kept in a cage; not running free in the house.  We don’t even have gold fish in our house; or an aquarium of exotic fish.  We have had, but not now.

Archer now has two friends.  He seems to get along with them well.

I am hoping that yesterday was the last of the 100 degree temps for the Summer.  It did make it to 100 at our house.

It’s great living along the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Family Weekend is Over

We made it to the end.  WHEW!!!  A house full of grand kids, their parents and the grand parents is an experience that will  not be soon forgotten.  When you have a family of 22 in one small home, sleeping in the living room floor, on the hide-a-bed, on the living room floor; on the dining room floor, the kitchen floor, and in all three bedrooms; there is bound to be some tension build up.

We all get along very well, yet there is tension.  I must give the credit to our getting along well to our GOD and Savior Jesus Christ.  Without that it would be nigh to impossible.  It also has to do with loving one another, and understanding matters.

We have had our problems; we continue to have problems where there are arguments occasionally over various matters; yet we still get together, converse, and enjoy our time together.

When we have got together at Philip’s and Sarah’s I have always been happy to return home.  When the kids are all here I am happy to see them come; but I am also happy to see the tail lights or rear bumpers of their cars headed toward their own homes.  Some people thinks that’s mean.  That’s the way life works.  Children are supposed to grow up and leave home.  If you don’t like it; get over it and accept the fact that you can’t hang on to them forever.  Nor, should you even want to.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Full House

I am not talking about the old television sitcom.  I am talking about our family at our house.  We are full up.  This weekend is our family’s annual get together.  The first one was at our house we were renting a few years ago; and then the next few years was at our son Philip’s and wife’s home in Booneville, AR.

The annual get together always take place near the time of my wife’s birthday and this year fell during the time of her birthday.  For her; I don’t think there could be a better birthday present than all our kids and grand kids at our home.  Me?  I need to get away once in awhile.  I love my kids, and grand kids, but the noise and the crowd  just gets to me after a bit.

That’s what I am doing now; taking some quiet time; though I can hear it in the next room.

I usually take off from preaching at Carr Lane Baptist Church for the weekend; and that has not changed this weekend.  Bro. Max Hook who is the Director of Soul’s Harbor in Rogers, AR. will be preaching for me Sunday morning July 10.  I appreciate Bro. Max and ministry.

Soul’s Harbor is a ministry to homeless men in the area.  Though Rogers is a part of the growing Northwest Arkansas area there are still many who need the services Max and the ministry provide.

We are going to be eating burgers for supper after while, and I think we are eating some longhorn burgers.  Meat from good old Missouri grown Texas Longhorns.  Barbeque hamburgers along the banks of Flat Creek.  Yum, yum.

I enjoy this time of year.  I also enjoy getting together with my family.  Thank YOU Lord for your blessings.

-Tim

The Season of Christmas ’08

It is now officially Winter as of the 21st of December. On that day it really turned out to be quite cold. My last day of driving the School Bus for the year of 2008 was on Friday December 19, and we had a Christmas dinner at 11 a.m. It is quite okay for me to call it dinner, because dinner has always been the time others call “lunch”.

The bus drivers all agreed to bring their favorite dish or dessert, and we made a potluck dinner of it. I asked permission to bring my wife, and I was told, “If she is preparing the turkey you’re bringing, then I wouldn’t have even bothered asking”, but maybe not quite that way.

I mentioned it being cold on that first day of Winter. The temps dropped down into the single numbers on that evening, but then it has warmed up to the sixties the day following Christmas, and today [Saturday 27th].

We had a great time with my siblings, my parents, my wife and kids, and my siblings spouses and kids and all the grandkids. There must have been nearly sixty present at my parents house. At our small home we had about 21, and is it ever crowded with only one bathroom, and really only one bedroom with an upstairs that is open. There are at least two families who stay upstairs overnight at Christmas time.

The most important time about Christmas is Jesus Christ, and remembering His birth, His incarnation as a man; the day that God became man, to dwell among us – Immanuel is “God with us”. A great part of Christmas is the family get together.

I do need to admit that by the time it is all over I am ready for a break, and right now I am having a break. The house is empty with the exception of God and me. Those times do serve as a time to freshen your thoughts, and receive assurances from the Lord and His Word. I even went for a short walk this afternoon, and it was after the temps started to go down. It is beginning to feel like Winter again.

We may indeed have a strong, hard, snowy, icey Winter this year. I am praying we don’t, but I have no say in the matter. I only pray for God’s will, for safety, for warmth, and all our needs to be met, for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is always the season to be thankful. Even in the Winter.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Season of Christmas ’08

It is now officially Winter as of the 21st of December. On that day it really turned out to be quite cold. My last day of driving the School Bus for the year of 2008 was on Friday December 19, and we had a Christmas dinner at 11 a.m. It is quite okay for me to call it dinner, because dinner has always been the time others call “lunch”.

 

The bus drivers all agreed to bring their favorite dish or dessert, and we made a potluck dinner of it. I asked permission to bring my wife, and I was told, “If she is preparing the turkey you’re bringing, then I wouldn’t have even bothered asking”, but maybe not quite that way.

I mentioned it being cold on that first day of Winter. The temps dropped down into the single numbers on that evening, but then it has warmed up to the sixties the day following Christmas, and today [Saturday 27th].

We had a great time with my siblings, my parents, my wife and kids, and my siblings spouses and kids and all the grandkids. There must have been nearly sixty present at my parents house. At our small home we had about 21, and is it ever crowded with only one bathroom, and really only one bedroom with an upstairs that is open. There are at least two families who stay upstairs overnight at Christmas time.

The most important time about Christmas is Jesus Christ, and remembering His birth, His incarnation as a man; the day that God became man, to dwell among us – Immanuel is “God with us”. A great part of Christmas is the family get together.

I do need to admit that by the time it is all over I am ready for a break, and right now I am having a break. The house is empty with the exception of God and me. Those times do serve as a time to freshen your thoughts, and receive assurances from the Lord and His Word. I even went for a short walk this afternoon, and it was after the temps started to go down. It is beginning to feel like Winter again.

We may indeed have a strong, hard, snowy, icey Winter this year. I am praying we don’t, but I have no say in the matter. I only pray for God’s will, for safety, for warmth, and all our needs to be met, for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is always the season to be thankful. Even in the Winter.

-Tim A. Blankenship