Summer Fun!

Abigail has spent the summer as a Nanny for these sweet face all summer.  They have had a blast together.  Between swimming and art lesson; then through in time at the water park; bike rides; and science experiments! 

Abigail fell in love with these two!  She's going to miss them when school starts back up. 

The righteous who walks in his integrity—

    blessed are his children after him! Proverbs 20:7

Happy Birthday, Jon!

The kids picked the perfect way to celebrate Jon's birthday with dinner and a movie.  But not just any movie, one of the best movies ever!  It includes all the things Jon loves: baseball, a Mastiff, and James Earl Jones!  

You guessed it, we went to the 25th anniversary of the release of Sandlot. Cinemark pictures hosted an anniversary showing at Studio Movie Grill.  At the end of the movie they showed interviews with all the stars now as well as bloopers and outtakes from the original film.   

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

A Time to Wed

What a beautiful day to celebrate with friends!  This weekend was Matthew and Liz's wedding in Ada.  Although Josiah has met the Gungans and Lowes this was the first time to have the three Gungans, Kirkwoods and Lowes together.  He weathered the group pretty well. 

The wedding was very pretty and the kids, now all practically adults, had a good time setting up and cleaning up. 

For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you,  and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.  Isaiah 62:5

If You Buy a Mom a Tomato

Our adventures today unfolded much like the Laura Numeroff, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Today's adventure would be titled something like If You Let a Mom go to Sprouts.  Because if she goes to Sprouts she will find tomatoes on sale.  And if she finds tomatoes on sale she will check the prices of onions and celery too. If the tomatoes, celery and onions are on sale she'll remember that combined they make a wonderful barbecue sauce.  One thing will lead to another and by the end of the day she will have used all her tomatoes to make 10 pints of barbecue sauce and still need to go back to Sprouts to buy Roma tomatoes! 

Here is my favorite canning recipe for a savory Barbecue Sauce! 

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. Romans 14:21

Caleb in Estonia

Caleb has spent the last thirteen days in Tallin, Estonia!  It was a wonderful opportunity with his internship with the McDermott congregation.  McDermott support several congregations in Estonia.  The congregations host Camp BALCHYOCA (BALtic CHristian YOuth CAmp) and an inner city camp. McDermott sent Caleb and five other young adults to Estonia for their summer camp.  The area in Tallin is very nice, it's modern and would be very similar to Frisco, Texas. 

The camp is located at the Baltic Sea and is an amazing week to interact and form friendships while teaching the gospel to the youth.  Caleb was teamed up in a cabin with six young men who were excited to get to talk with a Texan.  On the weekend between Camp BALCHYOCA and the inner city camp the McDermott group visited the beautiful sights in Tallin. 

Caleb has wanted to visit Estonia since he was young.  He and Ron Warpole, our missionary to Estonia, used to email each other back when Caleb was in about fifth grade.  Caleb has kept up with the work and the mission field in Estonia.  When Ron returned one summer he brought Caleb back a flag from Estonia.  It meant so much to Caleb that he took it with him to Lubbock Christian University to keep in his dorm room.  He had such a great time, he talked non-stop about the amazing people he met.  Lord willing he will have the opportunity to return. 

How can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15

Four Star Leadership

Today we finished up our adventures in Oklahoma and made our way back to Texas.  Abigail did get to spend some of her morning with Josiah who was attending the Honors College at OC this week. 

It was a busy week for both of us and the road trip home was filled with lots of stories and catching up on our adventures. 

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11

Four Star Leadership

This is the big day at Four Star Leadership, competition day.  The Speech competition advanced to rounds two and three.  The Situation Challenge for the Ethics Bowl also moved forward. Abigail's Ethics Team made it through all three rounds!  

The evening concluded with the awards banquet.  Guest speakers for the evening included Former Miss Oklahoma 2017, Triana Browne. There were 70 students competing for twelve scholarships.  Abigail's team of six students took first place in the Ethics Bowl earning $2,000 each to the college of their choice! 

It was an amazing opportunity and I'm so grateful for the doors that were opened up for her.  I'm thrilled it was held on the Oklahoma Christian campus giving her the opportunity to check out the OC campus. 

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  Psalm 127:1

Visiting Uncle Mike

In our continuing adventures in Oklahoma, Mom and I went to visit Michael at the congregation where he works.  It was my first visit to his new home and to tour the church.  The building is all set up and ready for Vacation Bible School to start next week. 

The church is doing a super heroes theme and everything looks wonderful.  Several of Michael's friends from the Edmond area came down to help them canvas the neighborhoods around the church with invitations to join them.  

We had a great time checking out the city where he's now working and serving.  After the tour we enjoyed lemon cupcakes at Michael's house. I think this is the fourth day in a row we've celebrated Mom's upcoming birthday! 

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.  Ecclesiastes 11:5

The Philbrook Museum of Art

Believe it or not we still haven't run out of fun things to do in Tulsa!  I probably have said it every day that today's museum is my favorite.  I love Woolaroc, Gilcrease and the Philbrook.  These were 'treats' we got to visit on school and girl scouts trips.  They are the places we took Frankie as she was growing up. 

Today we're at the Philbrook Museum of Art.   It is an art museum in the historic home of Waite and Genevieve Phillips with expansive formal gardens. It is the site of part of the family's former 1920s villa. The museum features nine collections of art from all over the world.  And being located in former American Indian territory is features a collection  of Native American art including basketry, pottery, paintings and jewelry. 

At Christmas time the museum foyer is decked out with the most amazing Christmas Trees.  I have wonderful memories of taking Frankie and he Camp Fire Girls group there each December. 

The weather for our visit today was perfect and the view was spectacular.  The gardens are simply amazing.  Mom and I stopped off for a muffin to celebrate her upcoming birthday.  I'm pretty sure we've had a treat everyday, because after all, it's her birthday (almost)! 

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.  Ecclesiastes 2:4-6

Four Star Leadership

The Four Star Leadership went to Gen. Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum for classes. Speakers for the day included Flight Chief 97 SF Squadron Altus AFB, Master Sergeant Jeffrey Cavallaro.  After lunch General Franks hosted a panel discussion before leading the group on a tour of his museum. 

One of Abigail's favorite items included a motorcycle that was given to General Franks by the King of Jordan!   The King of Jordan has spoken at the conference in the past and continues to sponsor youth from his country to attend Four Star Leadership. 

In the evening the youth continued their work within their Ethics Debate teams in preparation for Thursday's competition. I love the picture of Abigail hugging General Franks!  This was towards the end of the day and she stopped to thank him for his generosity and time invested in the youth! 

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17

The American West

Today's denture with mom took us to the Gilcrease Museum.  The museum is named for Thomas Gilcrease, an oil man and avid art collector, who began the collection. He deeded the collection, as well as the building and property, to the City of Tulsa in 1958. Since July 1, 2008, Gilcrease Museum has been managed by a partnership of the City of Tulsa and the University of Tulsa.

Thomas Gilcrease grew up in the Creek Nation. At the turn of the 20th century the federal government distributed lands held by American Indian tribes to private citizens. His tribal membership entitled him to an allotment of 160 acres. The land became part of one of Oklahoma's major oil fields. In the 1920 Gilcrease's visits to European museums inspired him to create his own collection. Pride in his American Indian heritage and interest in the history of the American West provided a focus for his collecting.

The museum is dedicated to the American West.  Mr. Gilcrease believed that the story of the American West could be told through art and that the history of the native Americans and his own American Indian heritage could be preserved through painting, sculpture, and other forms of art. He was a patron to a number of native American artists of his time and purchased over 500 paintings by 20th century native American artists alone.  However, my favorites will always be the Remington sculptures! 

Has not the Lord Almighty determined

    that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,

    that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord

Habakkuk 2:13-14

Four Star Leadership

Today Four Star Leadership bused the participants to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.  The museum is a memorial to the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.

The participants are too young to remember the events of that day so it was a somber look at our history.  Abigail has heard the story several time of that day.  I was working in Tulsa at Kemper Securities, a stock brokerage firm across the street from the Federal Building in Tulsa.  The news came on of the bombing and images were streaming out on live tv of the horror. Within an hour of the bombing there was a bomb threat to the Tulsa Federal Building.

SWAT teams came busting in our office in full tactical gear rushing us down fourteen flights of stairs to get out of the building. It was chaos and panic.  I also remember waiting to hear that my friends from Oklahoma Christian University were alive.  So much sadness.  

After touring the memorial and museum the group returned to the university for speakers and the first round of their Ethics Bowl and Speech competition. They also took a little time for some team building games after dinner. 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Woolaroc Visit

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In the furthering adventures with Mom, we took on Woolaroc today.  The name Woolaroc is a portmanteau of the words woods, lakes, and rocks that are featured in the beautiful Osage Hills of northeast Oklahoma where the ranch is located. The name was originally intended for the ranch house, but it soon became the name for the entire Frank Phillips ranch.

I have great memories of visiting Woolaroc as a child and memories of Jon and I taking the kids there when they were young.  Woolaroc was built in 1925 as the ranch retreat of oilman Frank Phillips. The ranch is a 3,700 acre wildlife preserve, home to over 30 different species of native and exotic wildlife, such as buffalo, elk and longhorn cattle. It is also a museum with a collection of western art and artifacts, American Indian material, and one of the largest collections of Colt firearms in the world. Also on display is Philip's aircraft that won the ill-fated Dole Air Race in 1927. 

Mom and I went out on a nature trail and a living history area to experience the natural environment of Woolaroc, and the life in a pre-Civil War 1840's mountain man camp.  We both shot rifles and listened to great stories.  

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”  Luke 19:40

Four Star Leadership

Today kicked off Abigail's first full day of classes at Four Star Leadership.  General Tommy Franks created the Four Star Leadership program to underscore the importance of character in today's fast-paced, cut throat, global environment.

The program is designed to mentor the worlds next governors, prime ministers, representatives, delegates and presidents in integrity. Ethical leadership formed on a strong foundation of character, common vision, communication and caring is vital for the future success of our social, political and economic systems.

The students heard from Two-time Olympic Softball Gold Medalist Michele Mary Smith as well as Col. Allen West. They toured the Oklahoma State Capital and finished the day with a dinner at the Oklahoma Governor's mansion. 

"Courage has to do with controlling fear and it seems to me that focus has a way of overcoming anxiety." General Tommy Franks

Visit to Pioneer Woman Mercantile

My first adventure with Mom this week while Abigail is at Four Star Leadership in Oklahoma City was to visit Food Networks Oklahoma star Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman Mercantile.  It is located in Pawhuska, Oklahoma and is about an hour and fifteen minutes north-west of Mom's house. 

Patrons lined up around the block to enjoy the home cooking and see the bit of nostalgia in this quaint store.  The Merc was built in 1910 and originally called Osage Mercantile. Ree and her husband, purchased the property in 2012 and restored it into what it is today. The 25,000-square-foot building includes a retail store and deli (complete with grab-and-go coffee and goodies) on the first floor and a coffee bar and bakery on the second. 

The Mercantile gets 6,000 visitors a day on average. They said that number sometimes goes as high as 15,000.  Which is especially surprising considering the small size of the town, Pawhuska:  population 3,477! 

The food is amazing.  I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup!  Amazing! We also shared some olive bread that was delicious.  Think french bread with chopped green and black olives sprinkled with cheeses and broiled!  Nothing on the menu is more that $20.  The place is packed but it's Oklahoma and everyone is friendly! Oh, and did I mention, Sweet Tea is $0.25!  

Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks

Months ago Abigail applied for Four Star Leadership, she made it through the interview process and was notified she was one of only 70 students accepted this year! It's a huge honor and we're very excited for her!

If you're not familiar with Four Star Leadership here is an excerpt from their website:

"Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks is a world-class leadership program developed as a partnership between the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum and Oklahoma Christian University. Four Star Leadership offers 70 top high school students invaluable leadership experience through an exciting and challenging curriculum at no cost to students.

​Since 2008, Four Star Leadership has welcomed 504 U.S. high school students from 48 different states and 49 international students. Working with a range of leaders including kings, governors, senators and Olympic gold medalists, these students have explored critical national and international issues such as educational reform, foreign policy and entitlement spending.​"

Today I dropped her off at Oklahoma Christian College where she will stay for the week. She's going to have a great week. 

Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Ecclesiastes 5:6

The Fourth of July

Celebrating the Fourth of July with sweet friends was wonderful.  We spent the evening at the Hunt's home enjoying a great cook out and fellowship.  The kids had a great time swimming and playing.  

Ms. Julie took the kids out to see the chickens and how she gathers them up for bed time to roost. 

Once it was dark we set off fireworks, lot of fireworks! The younger ones also enjoyed the sparklers of course.  It was a really nice evening surrounded by great friends! 

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order. Proverbs 28:2

Granny's Visit to the Frisco Heritage Museum

Granny came for visit this weekend!  Hooray! Unfortunately, Caleb is out of the country again but we got to spend time together.  On Saturday we took Granny to Frisco Heritage Museum.  

The museum has all kinds of rail memorabilia.  It also features a turn of the century printing press, and a service station with cars from 1915 and 1930.  Frisco is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and the museum was created to preserve the city's heritage. 

Granny shared stories with the girls about packing a lunch and riding the rail with Aunt Cathy to go visit relatives when they were little girls. 

Granny and Frankie worked on a puzzle together.  I think this time it was horses! Imagine that!  Granny joined us for church this morning before she headed back to Tulsa. 

Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:16