Sons — Page 2

A Time For Everything

November 30, 2014 10:59 PM 1

I’ve been reading through the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, and the first verse of Chapter 3 may be the most well known passage, “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” Everything – all of life translates to seasons. From the beauty found in the four seasons of a year to the way the seasons of our lives change. Everything. To everything there is a season.

Autumn may be my favorite season on the calendar, but I look forward to Winter and the joy the Christmas season brings, then there is the anticipation of a new year in just four weeks. I really love gardening in the Spring and Summer too. Each season brings its own beauty and joy. I want to savor some family memories here on Gran Jan’s Joy, so I’m going to post some pictures from our lives for the past several months…seasons and times for which I am so thankful.

Summer Family Breakfast with Four Generations at the Table!

Zeke and Madie in the cornfield across the road from our farm.

Sweet Emery in a dress I made for her…

A trip to the Farmers Market with the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables…

Gran Jan’s JOY – all five of them!

Riding backroads…Georgia Red Clay

My oldest son and his family enjoying time at our pond…

My youngest son and his son fishing…

Grandyounguns…there is nothing sweeter! I love that they are all so close in age.

Moonflowers from my summer garden…it was dark by the time the bloom unfurled.

Sweet peach ice cream on a hot summer evening…

Summer storms and rain puddles for grandsons to jump!

Homemade Fig Preserves…

Front Porch Swings on Summer Saturday Mornings…

My dad and my youngest grandson Abe…I love this picture so much.

Zeke’s First Day of Kindergarten…that season came too soon!

Sitting by the pond and the firepit my husband built for me on a cool summer evening…

Sweetest (and best) little soccer player…Jackson Morton!

A ride with my parents and this…the house my Dad lived in when he was 15…a true memory lane trip.

A painting party with some sweet friends…girlfriend therapy…

Baby quilts I made for new grandchildren born to two special friends, Pat Boutwell & Joan Falldine…

Emery’s Minnie Mouse 2nd Birthday Party…Delightful! (I made her shirt, made me so happy!)

My youngest son ordained as a deacon at our church…no words to describe my joy.

1 & 2 Thessalonians Bible Study, “For not all have faith, but the LORD is faithful.”

A trip to the beach in October with my sweetie…it was so special!

While at the beach we attended Sunrise City Church – a highlight of the Fall Season for us.

Meeting Eric Metaxas at Covenant Care’s fundraiser and getting my book signed…

A text with grandgirl Miss Madie sporting a GranJan creation…day made!

White violas in a strawberry jar…one of my Fall traditions…

Coming home to find love notes from my husband all over the house…what a blessed woman I am!

Fall cotton fields…I love living in the country…

Christmas dresses for my grandgirls, made at a weekend sew-in with my BFF Lanie!

Babysitting our youngest grandchild, little Abe, two weekends in a row this past month!

These pictures cover lots of time from this past Summer and Fall and each one is a sweet memory for me. I’m so thankful for my family and the JOY they bring to me. I’m also thankful for this season of my life…grandmothering these young ones. I can truly say I’ve loved and learned in every season of my life and I pray that continues to hold true for me as long as God leaves me here. He is so faithful.

November 30, 2014 10:59 PM 1

Happy 30th Birthday Jonathan – Your Mama Loves You!

October 22, 2014 5:24 AM 0

Happy 30th Birthday Jonathan!

October 22, 1984! A beautiful October morning in Athens, Georgia 30 years ago today when you made your entrance into the world! “I bet you’re hoping for a little girl,” folks at church would say. I would answer back, “No, I’m hoping for a healthy child and God knows exactly what his Daddy and I need.” Yes God knew, and he blessed us with YOU – a beautiful healthy baby boy we named Jonathan. Jonathan means “God has given, God’s gift.” Indeed. You were a good baby even though you had your “days and nights” mixed up for a while…I enjoyed those peaceful days taking care of you and your 3-year-old big brother Jeremy, and your sweet daddy got up with you most nights.Sunday, December 30, 1984 was the day we publicly dedicated you to the Lord and declared to raise you up in a Christian home. This was Central Baptist Church where your dad served as the Music & Youth Pastor. Dr. Ben Glosson is holding you in this picture. You loved music at an early age and would sit at the piano and play softly – never banging on the keys, just moving your chubby little fingers up and down the keyboard. As you grew older many nights you would go to sleep listening to music. God put the gift of music in your heart at a very young age.You started walking at 9 1/2 months old. Your brother was so excited he insisted we call your daddy to come home from the church so we could all celebrate! And so we did! Your big brother loved you so much – and he still does! Psalm 133:1 was our brotherly verse – “Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity.”

Here are some of my favorite pictures of you…you were such an easy child to raise, with an easygoing temperament and you especially loved your sleep! [I believe that is still true!] Many nights you would say, “I go night night,” and you’d get your blanket and go to bed…”Your daddy was so proud of you and this picture was taken at church one Sunday. You loved to come to “big church” and find your daddy there. Just like your kids do today…You were definitely a mama’s boy for a good while…and I loved every minute of that season, it was just too short!We moved to Houston County Georgia when you were just a little over 3 years old, so really this is home to you and your dad and I have thanked the Lord many times for the privilege to raise you and Jeremy in one community, in one church… This is you with our Bassett Hound Beulah. You loved that dog so much!You always made friends so easily and loved going to school at Second Baptist Kindergarten and Bonaire Elementary when you were young. Here you are on your first day of Kindergarten!Sports were a big part of your life early on and you easily won the “50 yard dash” on Field Day every year [except one…and we won’t talk about that]! You could run so FAST! Here you are with friends and neighbors Jackie and Miles Bell . I love that Jackie is now our dentist…another joy of living in a community for a long time – lifelong friends!Birthday parties with the Morton family tradition of a “Giant Cookie!” You remind me so much of your son Jackson in this photo!Your 13th Birthday – October 22, 1997 – officially a teenager! You were a Bonaire Middle School student and getting more handsome every year – loving life which included sports and friends and family time!Football, Basketball, Soccer, Track…you played them ALL and excelled! You were the first “Mr. Jaguar” at BMS! I loved it – because your good grades counted too! [I’m a proud mom – still am!] Hunting season was a good time for you and your dad and brother – love this of you three in camo!You started showing more interest in music and began playing guitar – and we are so proud of your musical gifts! High school years came with more sports! Your dad and I LOVED watching you run up and down the field like the wind…and especially when you caught a pass and scored a touchdown!Such a handsome young man – all dressed up in his tuxedo! Still handsome today!Lifelong friends with the Nash Family – this was a quail hunt with Jack, your dad, Jeremy, you, & Ben Nash. Good times – your dad always said you were a good shot..You and your brother on the blue sofa – the one that y’all finally BROKE from flying down the hall, turning and landing on it in mid-air. This was one of those rare occasions when you decided to share…[Psalm 133:1]High school graduation, Warner Robins High – Class of 2003! Happy times and with none other than your buddy Tal Talton! More good times to celebrate! I always believed that God had someone special chosen just for you…and this beautiful young woman came into your life at just the right time…Miss Erin Lee Hutto, the answer to our prayers for your life and future. Your wedding day came before your dad and I were ready to let you leave the nest, but what a beautiful day it was! June 7, 2008 – and we loved that you wrote a song especially for your bride and sang it to her…Here we are celebrating YOU today – your 30 years of life, but now you know the JOY of celebrating life. because on May 24, 2010 YOU became a daddy when your son was born! You have embraced that role with more passion than I ever imagined – you are a wonderful father to Jackson and Emery! We are so proud of you!Here you are at the Morton Farm teaching your son how to fish. My boy and his boy – pure JOY!Sweet Emery Caroline – your girl! We love her so much and she adores her Daddy too!Your beautiful family – a wonderful wife and two awesome children, a son and a daughter – God has blessed you so much. It has been a JOY to see you grow into the man you are today. Yes, you are a man, but you will ALWAYS and FOREVER be my baby boy.

Happy Birthday Jonathan – I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!

~Mom

October 22, 2014 5:24 AM 0

May 2014 Memories

May 31, 2014 9:07 PM 1

The past month has been so very busy – and as I’ve so often done in the past on my blog, I’m going to let my pictures tell the story. I really am a visual learner – and this is confirmed in my preference of sharing pictures. I see and I read and I remember…and I don’t want to forget any of these wonderful spring memories! Because my people are my heart…

I had a great time last month with a dear co-worker and friend, Sharon Riley. We spent a beautiful afternoon at Callaway Gardens, Georgia. While there we took in the “Birds of Prey” show. I had an “up close and personal” encounter with a Great Horned Owl. It was glorious. The trainer even came up and asked me I was okay after the talons of the owl touched the top of my head as it flew over. I told her I wasn’t fine…I was marvelous. It was thrilling. Look at the wingspan of this beautiful owl! And the very next week on my drive in to work, I saw one in a tree as I drove…double delight.

Two of my grandchildren are both four years old, Madie and Jackson are cousins exactly two weeks apart. More double delight! Madie is the oldest and she had a “princess party.” She told me she was actually the Queen. Indeed. I made a shirt for her to wear. All the little girls wore purple princess capes that Madie’s materal grandmother made. It was quite the event. She is quite the Queen…of our hearts.

Jackson had a “Grand Prix” tractor-truck-car birthday party. All the children brought their little cars. It was a FUN time for all! It was here at the Morton farm with lots of space to drive. My daughter-in-law even made “roads” for the children to follow. It was a great theme and the adults had as much fun as the children.

I also made a shirt in honor of Jackson’s fourth birthday. He loves orange and Gran Jan was happy to comply. He is a precious boy and we love him so much too!

Sweet notes of love from my boys for Mother’s Day. They are both fine men, respected in their work, genuine and kind. Being a mom to Jeremy and Jonathan is pure JOY to me. I am so thankful and this right here holds true for me…

My grandson Zeke graduated from Pre-K a couple of weeks ago. It was a great time! He sang his heart out, and I can honestly say it was one of the sweetest children’s programs I have ever attended. My son and his wife, and my husband Gary and I were so proud of him that our hearts were about to burst. He has brought so much JOY to this Gran Jan and is the reason this whole blog began for me… Great things ahead for this little fella – he has a heart for God.

I was able to keep my youngest little grandson for a couple of nights and my JOY was full as he napped in the same baby bed as his daddy. I am such a softie when it comes to things like that. Traditions, family legacy, God’s goodness.

My oldest son and his wife celebrated TEN YEARS of marriage in May also! Talk about family legacy, love, and the JOY of life. I am the most blessed mother-in-law. My two girls love my sons and are awesome mommas to our 5 grandchildren. You can’t put a price on any of these gifts from God! I made a scrapbook for them of their dating, engagement, rehearsal dinner and wedding. I know the grandchildren will love seeing the foundation of faith into which they were born. More gifts of God’s grace to us! My youngest and his wife will celebrate SIX YEARS next week.

Fun times abound around blueberry time here at the farm and the early varieties are bearing beautifully. Blue bounty for sure. The kids love running in and out of the blueberries with me close behind reminding the little ones, “only pick the blue ones, the blue ones, the blue ones…leave the green ones.” Who knew this would become such a fun tradition that cold day my husband and I planted those 20 bushes?

The Jasmine and petunias are so pretty right now too. The petunias are from my maternal Grandmother. They re-seed and are an old-fashioned variety that smell so good. I love that connection to my grandmother. She was a green-thumb girl and I always say I inherited my love for gardening from her. The jasmine over our porch swings is an annual delight in May. Sweet.

I love sewing for these two little granddaughters. They have brought a tenderness to me and my husband that we didn’t experience because we raised boys! We are so thankful to have these littles girlies in our lives…we enjoyed some time on the swing during Jackson’s birthday party a couple of weekends ago.

Just today I made this little outfit for Emery (Miss Hollywood above). She is a sweetheart and also spent the night here at the farm this past weekend. For one who is especially attached to her momma and daddy…she never once mentioned them! I love it – she was happy happy happy with Pop and Gran Jan.

Pop and I love our family. We literally share with each other EVERY DAY about how thankful and blessed we are. We count our blessings. We keep God’s goodness ever in front of us as reminders of His love and faithfulness. There is nothing sweeter than getting a grandchild to sleep and then holding him in your arms. Gary got Abe to sleep during Zeke’s graduation and by the smile on Pop’s face, he was enjoying the sweetness.

These FIVE grandbabies (5 1/2, 4, 4, 20 months and 9 months) are a source of great JOY and they also bring a great sense of accountability to me. I want to stay by the stuff, live strong, and show them all what it means to be a Christ-follower. I want them to know that Gran Jan believed what she lived and that Jesus is everything.

This quote helps me. Sometimes I’m so busy thinking ahead, planning ahead, and being ahead that I can miss the moments that count every day. Chasing grandyounguns through the blueberries, blowing bubbles for Jackson and Madie to jump and pop, reading to Zeke, playing with Emery, rocking Abe…quiet times in my sewing room and in my garden. Long conversations over coffee while sitting in the swing by the pond with my sweet man. Those are the gifts I cherish – that keep me centered. Faith and family.

May 2014 has been full of them. This is one content Gran Jan.

May 31, 2014 9:07 PM 1

What A Difference A Day Makes

December 26, 2013 10:28 PM 0

My daughter-in-law Carrie recently tweeted about the significance of December 10th to her heart and my son’s heart…because December 10th is the day that “hope deferred became a tree of life.”

The day Carrie discovered she was expecting a baby…after years of waiting and after a failed adoption. More than a failed adoption, actually a scam. My son wrote about this event in their lives, and I ran across his writing the other day and have been wanting to share this story of hope and answered prayer! The story never ceases to bless me and amaze me! We give ALL praise to God for His miracles in our lives. The story of Zeke…

Merry Christmas and may God continue to be near and dear and prepare us all for His Mighty workings in our lives in 2014. I am believing God!

Gran Jan

December 26, 2013 10:28 PM 0

Triple Trials – Triple Triumphs

October 14, 2013 4:38 PM 1

I’ve been reviewing 2013 often in my mind lately. When this year began, I had great anticipation for the new year. I always do. Many people do! There’s something cathartic about a new calendar, a fresh start. Conversely, there may be apprehension as we wonder what will come to pass, what lies ahead. Hopefully as believers, we’ve been taught to rest in the truth that our God is in control. However, in the emotion of waiting and wondering about what may happen or what actually does happen, we can get “trials, tests, and temptations” mixed up.

Trials are difficult life events that inevitably come to everyone as we sojourn here on earth.
Tests are difficulties God sends to reveal the depth of our character and increase our faith.
Temptations come from the enemy of our souls in an attempt to destroy us, our faith and our peace.

What lay ahead for me came in three events, in this order: my father’s bout with life-threatening pneumonia, my husband’s cancer, and my oldest son’s (and his wife and 3 of my grandchildren) physical move 3 hours away from us. Right now this very day my dad is well and playing golf, my husband is cancer-free and fully recovered in every way, and my son preached in his new church yesterday. God’s grace multiplied thrice.

I really want to share some things I’ve learned (and quite possibly have just been “refreshed” with) on my journey so far this year…both spiritual lessons and practical ones.

God is good, always good, and I know without a doubt He loves me with an everlasting love.
Grace isn’t stored up. You don’t receive grace for tomorrow’s trials. His grace is sufficient and always on time. Always.
God doesn’t bring about temptations, but He does allow trials and tests. Even Jesus endured testing (God’s Word sustained Him.) You’ll be the better for whatever it is because God can and will use it for His glory in your life.
Don’t be hurt when people go on with their lives even though you feel your world crumbling. We can’t be all things to all people and shouldn’t expect that of others.
If you do need something, ask for help specifically and then let people help you.
A strong marriage is one of God’s greatest gifts. Keeps me centered. I’m so thankful God healed my sweet man.
Lifelong friends are wonderful.
A card in the mail is a balm to the soul in a world of email, Twitter, and Facebook.
Praying is a lifeline.
Worship is wonderful – you worship from a different place.
A book entitled “The Power of Crying Out, When Prayer Becomes Mighty,” is powerful.
Your emotions will lead you astray. Vain imaginations. Conjured up conversations. Stick to the truth. God’s truth. Walk in the Spirit.
Stay focused, get alone with God.
Remember who the real enemy is. Remember that he is defeated.
Get some rest. You can’t take care of others when you’re fatigued.
A church family is another one of God’s greatest gifts. I really mean it when I ponder “what do people do without a church home?”
It is pure joy to have a family that will come through and show up and help and be there. My sons and their wives and sisters are the best.
Life is but a vapor (James 4:14), enjoy God’s daily gifts, pick your battles.
Grandchildren remain pure therapy for my soul. Even though three of the five are no longer close by, they are alive and healthy and their daddy and momma are following God’s call. What a legacy of faith.

And just as surely as God has given three of the best outcomes to my three trials, He would still be God and He would still be good if there were different outcomes. Yesterday at church we had a guest pastor preaching, Dr. Ron Lynch. He shared a quote by Major Ian Thomas:

“You can’t—He never said you could—He can, He always said He would. So let Him.”

God gave Major Thomas this message through Galatians 2:20 (Amplified Bible):

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Lord Jesus, I can’t—You never said I could—but You can, and always said You would. That is all I need to know.

ALL I need to know.

Jan

October 14, 2013 4:38 PM 1

Spring 2013 – Lots of Living Being Lived!

June 10, 2013 11:12 PM 10

So much “living has been lived” since I blogged a month ago! Life is good because God is good, He is always good. He continues to faithfully reveal His love to me in wonderful ways. I take pictures all the time with my iPhone camera, so I really want to let my pictures do the blogging for me…as I did when I was counting grace gifts to 1,000 here on my blog the past two years. There have been lots of celebrations this month in our family! My life continues again with familiar themes of faith, family, fun, farm, and always of course…the flowers…

FAITH
June 1st marked a very special day for my husband and me – the 25th anniversary of ministry at our wonderful church! Our church family gave us a love offering and a paid vacation trip of our choosing. Last night (June 9th) we celebrated with a reception and so many memories flooded our hearts. They are precious people, a loving and generous church family. God surely blessed us when He led us there with our two little boys 25 years ago…

I was blessed to serve on the planning team for the recent Living Proof Life event in Atlanta. My church had 76 ladies attend and we had a wonderful time. Beth Moore and Travis Cottrell make a great team as the Word was shared and the Worship was divine. The last session was a celebratory time of responsive reading, singing, praying, and dedication like nothing I’ve ever experienced – unprecedented for one of the LPL events. So thankful for the time I shared with friends there.

This group of ladies with our fearless leader Mandy Parker were tremendous servants.
(Mandy is in the white blouse kneeling on the first row.)

My friend Sophie Hudson, author of this book below, “A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet” was at the conference (on the far right in the picture above). She is a genuine, precious woman of faith. I LOVE HER and this book is one I will re-read and go to often. She loves her family, her Southern heritage, and I so get her. She is one of the blessings that have come to me from “the internets.”

FAMILY & FUN
May is the month my two middle grandchildren celebrate their birthdays exactly two weeks apart! They each celebrated their 3rd birthdays with sweet parties planned by my daughters-in-law. Madie had a “Bubblegum Party” theme (since she is now allowed to have bubble gum), and Jackson had a “Jake the Pirate Party.” They each had so much fun at each others’ parties with family and friends, and Gran Jan had fun making the birthday shirts they wore at their parties. Here are the hugging cousins at Madie’s party…it just doesn’t get any sweeter!

Here is the Birthday Princess wearing her “#3 Bubble Gum Machine” shirt made with love by Gran Jan. She is a sweet girl!

Here is Jackson’s “#3 Pirate Birthday” shirt made with love by Gran Jan.

My daughter-in-law Carrie took this picture of Zeke and Madie on their last day of playschool. She couldn’t have captured a sweeter moment! It is perfection and I’m so thankful to have it here to share with you. One of my favorite pictures ever. I pray these two will always be there for each other…nothing like siblings!

We also celebrated my nephew Payton’s graduation from high school on May 25th with a HUGE FAMILY GATHERING complete with matching “Maloy Family” shirts compliments of my sister Joan. We enjoyed delicious King Crab and all the trimmings at the “Crab Fest 2013.” It was so great to have everyone together and my daughter-in-law Erin has great skills for setting up a photography shoot!

Both my boys have celebrated wedding anniversaries recently…Jeremy & Carrie celebrated 9 years May 22nd and Jonathan and Erin celebrated 5 years on June 7th. NO GREATER JOY for this mom than to see my sons and daughters-in-law building homes together!

Zeke played tee-ball with Upward Sports Ministries at our church this Spring and we had a great time watching him “play ball!”
My son was one of the coaches and we enjoyed watching him too! 🙂

Little Miss Emery is now 8 months old and brings everyone JOY with her sweet and precious disposition. She is a GOOD GIRL!

Grandbaby #5, our gender tie-breaker! (We have 2 grandsons and 2 granddaughters.)
We love you already and can’t wait to meet you in just under 3 months.

Mother’s Day 2013 was special and I’m thankful for my boys’ wives who gave me great gifts – pretty red jewelry from Carrie and this photo collage flowerpot that Erin put together with all the grandchildren’s pictures around the whole pot! I love it!

Today is Memama Morton’s 91st Birthday. She is the Morton Family Matriarch and the best mother-in-law this daughter-in-law could ever have. She loved me from the start, she prays for our family, and she has never once “interfered” with our lives. I pray I can be as good to my daughters-in-law as she has been to me. We love you so much Memama!

FLOWERS!
We’ve had a great Spring 2013. The weather has been cool and rainy, my flowers and garden are flourishing, and best of all
God’s tender mercies are new every morning…

Daylilies…

Glorious gardenias and roses… My “Blushing Bride” Hydrangeas…

Blackberries…

Wonderful sweet-smelling Confederate Jasmine over the spring arbor…

As I close this post tonight, I am thinking toward a very special day, the most special day a man and woman can celebrate. Tomorrow is our 36th wedding anniversary. Gary and I began our lives together 6-11-1977. God has blessed us with a wonderful family, a fruitful ministry, and a solid marriage based on trust and love. I am so thankful that 36 years ago as a young (way too young to be getting married) 19 year old woman that God knew what I needed and provided you for me when I didn’t even know He was taking care of me. I love you Gary – and my love for you is stronger than ever. Being your wife has been my life’s greatest joy. Thank you for taking such good care of me… even going to the blueberry garden early in the morning last week to pick blueberries for my yogurt. You’re a fine man and I’m one spoiled, blessed woman!

Love to all of you and thank you for reading all the way to the end…life’s SIMPLE JOYS are really the best,
and only made sweeter when surrounded by the love of Christ.

June 10, 2013 11:12 PM 10

1,000 GIFTS, #967 to #984

February 4, 2013 9:24 PM 2

967. MY DAD CAME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL after 54 days! Praising God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow! Thankful for his healing, for this journey, and for the JOY of having him back home. Thank you to everyone who prayed. We are most grateful. Here he is with his little dog “Dixie.”

968. I’m writing today from beautiful Savannah, Georgia while helping my husband host the Metro 2 Music Conference, an annual conference for worship pastors and their wives. This conference has meant so much to me when I’ve been able to attend. This year serving as one of the hosts has been very special. It is good to serve. This is the view from our room on the Savannah River!

969. It is really a blessing to be with a group of women whose husbands are ALL worship leaders. We have an immediate bond, and that bond is Jesus, but that bond is also music ministry. I was in our room early yesterday wondering who will fill these chairs…

970. This dear lady, Mrs. Esther Burroughs, is speaking to the wives attending the conference alongside their husbands. She is JOY!

971. I enjoyed sitting at the registration table on Sunday afternoon greeting all the music pastors and their wives as they arrived with a big “Hey Y’all!”

972. I’m excited about another conference that is coming up May 31-June 1, 2013. Enjoyed a meeting last week as the Planning Team met for a rally in Atlanta. Click here for all the details for the Living Proof Live with Beth Moore and Travis Cottrell event!

973. I cannot imagine a trip to Savannah without a stop at Paula Deen’s “The Lady & Sons” Restaurant. We had a joyful time here and the staff loved hearing all the music pastors “singing the blessing” as they beautifully lifted their voices to sing The Doxology.

974. These grandbabies are the JOY of my heart – you all know that if you’ve read much of these gifts to 1,000…here are the oldest three atop a hay bale visiting with Pop’s cows…

975. I worked in a different office a couple of days last week and was blessed beyond imagination when a lady told me at the end of the day…”You love Jesus and it shows.” I cried and hugged her and thanked her for affirming me that way. Oh God, may my light shine for You in all I do.

976. A big, long, tight, squeeze around the neck from Zeke. I know he loves me because he tells me and then hugs me so tight. I sometimes think my heart will just burst from the JOY.

977. The joy of watching sweet Madie Ruth talk and express herself with her eyes and face that lights up. We had lunch at “flick-chil-a” last week. I LOVE the way she says Chick-fil-a. She is precious.

978. My mom with my granddaughter, her great-granddaughter, Miss Emery. Sweetness.

979. And my mom has been an amazing pillar of strength during my dad’s illness. She’s an old-fashioned strong woman, who endured long times away from my dad while he served in the Vietnam War. Her faith was a testimony to her girls.

980. Sweet fellowship and bonding with my sisters Joan and Jo while dad was so very critically ill. I saw the goodness of their love for him and realized what my family “is made of.” I know they will be there in the tough times – they proved that the past 2 months.

981. Cards in the mail. That someone took the time to write, address, stamp, and mail. I love emails and I love Twitter and quick text messages, but nothing beats a card to read and hold in your hands. I love how God graces us with perfect timely messages.

982. Love stopovers at little restaurants in the country…

983. This is my son Jonathan (on the right) with his baby girl and one of our staff pastors (Dawson) and his baby girl Brylee. The dads are the same age and the baby girls are the same age. Delight!

984. New mercies every morning…to count His gifts of GRACE, of family, of service, of healing, of ministry, of work, and knowing that they are ALL grace gifts from His Mighty Hand.

Blessings my friends,

Gran Jan

February 4, 2013 9:24 PM 2

A Time For Everything

Happy 30th Birthday Jonathan – Your Mama Loves You!

May 2014 Memories

What A Difference A Day Makes

Triple Trials – Triple Triumphs

Spring 2013 – Lots of Living Being Lived!

1,000 GIFTS, #967 to #984

GRAN JAN

GRAN JAN’S JOY!

My Three Men

MORTON FAMILY ~ ESTABLISHED 1977

Jan’s Journal by Topic

Jan’s Journal

Quilting & Sewing

I Support COMPASSION – Will You Too?

A Time For Everything

Happy 30th Birthday Jonathan – Your Mama Loves You!

May 2014 Memories

What A Difference A Day Makes

Triple Trials – Triple Triumphs

Spring 2013 – Lots of Living Being Lived!

1,000 GIFTS, #967 to #984

GRAN JAN

GRAN JAN’S JOY!

My Three Men

MORTON FAMILY ~ ESTABLISHED 1977

Jan’s Journal by Topic

Jan’s Journal

Quilting & Sewing

Joyous Journeys

I Support COMPASSION – Will You Too?