An Interview with Grandad Owens-Part 4

Here is the final part of the interview with Grandad Owens:

10. What marriage advice can you give?
The Lord's work in our lives is what helped us sustain a long marriage.  Also, stay involved with other Christian couples and the church.  The church and the community with other Christian couples was binding in our marriage.  

11. What parenting advice can you give to us?
Get the Word into the lives of your kids.  The Word will never return void.  It will always accomplish what it was intended to do.  Stay involved in the Word-Scripture memory-memorizing new, reviewing old ones.  During my marriage, I heard Mae say over 500 verses by memory. 

12. Other reflections
Your grandmother spent 2 hours each morning in the Word and in prayer.  The Word is a strong influence in a person's life.  Find a tool to instill discipline and a work ethic to your kids.  Music was one training in our boys' lives that instilled discipline and a schedule.  

This concludes the final part of the interview I had with my Grandad.  I wish there had been more time to talk about other things, but I am grateful for the time I did have with him and the things I learned about his life and his relationship with the Lord.  I am thankful for the Lord's work in his life and my grandmother's life and the influence it has had in my parents' lives and in the lives of me and my siblings.  

God's Good Gifts-Part 4

"In all things, give thanks." I Thessalonians 5:18

130. Phone conversations with my sister.
131. Time to sit and dwell on God's promises in His Word.
132. Watching my sweet boy sleep so peacefully.

133. Sunshine after a cloudy, rainy morning.
134. A God who is sovereign even when things seem so out of control.
135. Hearing Nathan say "bye-bye" when Michael left today and he heard me say it:)
136. Wisdom and clarity as I plan a women's brunch on the topic of gratitude.
137. The opportunity to teach about God's commands in His Word to the kids in Sunday School.
138. Scripture as a means of grace in my life.
139.  God's grace, which is sufficient for each new day.
140. Hymns that praise the Lord, remind me of God's greatness, and remind me of the Gospel-In Christ Alone, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Be Thou My Vision, How Great Thou Art, It is Well with My Soul, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
141. Reminders in Scripture that convict me of my sin and remind me to cling to God's truth.
142. God's faithfulness even when I am weak and fail.
143. Wonderful ladies at church who prepare and oversee the food and setup for our church picnic.
144. Opportunities to catch up with people at our church picnic.
145. Help with Nathan during Sunday School so I can teach and Michael can participate in Sunday School.
146. Encouragement from others to Michael about his sermons.
147. A fun hymn sing with our church family.
148. A growing, healthy boy who had a good report at his 9 month appointment.
149.  Nathan not experiencing any side effects from the shots he had at his appointment.
150.  For Nathan's ability to bounce back and play happily and be joyful even after 3 shots and a finger prick.
151. Trees changing to a beautiful red color.
152. Hearty minestrone soup on a rainy, cool night.

 153. Yummy garlic cheddar biscuits that taste just as good as Red Lobster.

154. A baby boy who laughs at my silly attempts to make him giggle and laugh.
155. Watching Nathan explore new places in the house as he begins to crawl-the windowsill and blinds, the hallway, the floor in the bathroom and dining room, the wood floor by our front door.

156. Watching Nathan crawl for the first time, as I have been watching him try and figure it out for the past month:)
157. A great, simple, apple pie recipe from Pinterest made with crescent rolls, cinnamon, sugar, a little butter, and apple slices.  They were so yummy!!
158. Playing "Where is Mommy?" with Nathan and listening to him squeal and laugh and having so much fun!
159. Finding and trying so many delicious, new recipes.
160. Watching Nathan flip through books on his own, looking at all the pictures.
161. A lovely, new dining room set that arrived this week.

162. Lovely, sunny afternoons sitting outside with Nathan and Lacy.
163. Watching Nathan strain his neck to look up and watch the birds in the sky.
164. The funny expression on Nathan's face as he took a leap of faith and crawled into the grass.
165. Seeing how excited Nathan is at being able to crawl all around the house.
166. Playing a game with Nathan where I hide behind the chair and he comes and finds me by crawling through a small space between the chair and the wall.
167. Strength when I am weary and not feeling well.
168. Reminders in Scripture about looking to the Lord for contentment and joy.
169. Good deals on some new clothes for Nathan.
170. A husband who graciously serves me by caring for Nathan so I could rest when I was not feeling well and that so willingly helps me around the house.

Celebrating 9 months of Baby Nathan!

It is hard to believe that my little boy is already 9 months old!  I remember thinking about what it would be like when he got to be a little older and more mobile because in those first couple months, it seems as though they will stay little forever.  While I would love to slow down time a bit, I have to say that I do love watching him grow and develop.  It is has been so much fun to watch him go through so many different stages and what a blessing it has been to see all these things firsthand.  It is such a blessing to stay home with him each day!  

This month has been a month of firsts!  All month long, he was trying so hard to crawl.  He would go a little bit and then he would fall flat on his belly and just start scooting on his belly.  He was able to get anywhere he wanted and get anything he wanted, so why switch it up?!  In the last couple days, he has finally started crawling more and I think he is discovering it is much easier and faster:)  

He has also started clapping his hands, which has been so fun!  Within a week of learning to clap his hands, he was able to do it on command, so I definitely loved saying, "Clap your hands" and watching him light up with excitement as he cheerfully clapped away.  Now, if he hears other people clapping, he joins in.  

Another first was that he started saying "Uh-oh!"  At first, I thought it was just a fluke, but then I realized he was repeating me as I would say it.  Then, he started saying it all the time-when things drop, when things are out of reach, or whenever he wants:)  

He also learned to sit up by himself from a laying down position.  He has had such a great time with this new skill.  He practiced all the time in the crib, on the floor, or in the pack n play.  He thought it was the most amazing thing!  The next first was learning to pull up in his crib.  He only consistently does it by pulling up on his knees, but he has stood a couple of times, so I know it is coming soon!  He now likes to pull up on the couch and the windowsill and is so excited that he can reach up to Lacy on the couch now.  

One new game that we play is when he is in his crib, I get on the floor below the crib, out of Nathan's sight.  I say, "Where's mommy?" and he thinks it is so funny and pulls up and looks for me over the edge of the crib. He starts giggling when he sees me and then we do it all over again.  

Other things he enjoys doing are playing outside, on a blanket, in the grass, watching Lacy and pulling up pieces of grass.  One day this past week, we were out there and he noticed the birds flying in the sky and he strained his neck to look up at them and watch them.  It was so sweet!  

He also loves to pet Lacy and play with her paws.  Lacy is a great sport!  Nathan took his first plane ride to Texas this month and he did great!  I was so thankful that he did so well!  He also loves reading!  Hop on Pop is his favorite book right now.  

He also attended his first church picnic!

I have also included some fun pictures of Nathan being silly, eating Cheerios for the first time, playing, and smiling.

Nathan continues to bring us joy and delight each day, and we are so thankful for him!:)

An Interview with Grandad Owens-Part 3

8. When did you come to know the Lord?
I was raised in a Methodist church.  I came to know the Lord when I was 12 through the influence of a Sunday School teacher and my mother.  I was not immersed in baptism, though, until I joined a Baptist church with your grandmother in Gonzalez, Texas.

9. Overview of Life
I joined the service at the end of my junior year in college.  I was part of the Air Force Band and was stationed in Waco, Texas  for 3 years, 1942-1945.  My best friend, Leon, was in the Air Force with me.  We never got split up during our time in the service.  After I completed my time in the service, I went back to LSU and finished my senior year.  Around 1943 or 1944, your grandmother finished college at Eastman and began her first teaching job.  Her first job was in Port Arthur, Texas, and she was paid $1200 a year.  

When I finished my degree at LSU, we began looking for places to study for our masters degrees.  We looked into North Texas University but decided not to go there because they did not offer fellowships to married couples.  We ended up going to Baylor because they did offer the fellowships for married couples.  I began teaching as a Assistant Band Director and Mae taught some method classes. 

 In 1948, we finished our masters degrees and then moved to Gonzalez.  We were in Gonzalez from 1948-1952.  Your dad was born in 1950.  During our time there, I taught band and your grandmother taught choir and orchestra.  We moved to Marshall in 1952 and were there until 1960.  Barry and Tim were born here.  During this time, Mae stayed home with the boys. 

 In 1960, we moved to Amarillo and I began teaching band and orchestra at Sam Houston School.  Mae and I also played in The Amarillo Symphony.  We lived in Amarillo until 1967 and then got an offer to start teaching at some summer music camps.  Through our connections at these music camps, we were offered positions to teach at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, TX.  I taught there until 1981 and Mae taught there until 1979.  She played in a Faculty String Quartet during her time there.  During our time in Abilene, we left the Baptist church we were attending because we were hungry for the Word, so we started attending Abilene Bible Church.  We got involved in Bible Memory Association and we all started memorizing Scripture verses each week.  The boys memorized verses according to their ages and then a man would come over and listen to us recite our verses.  The Lord used that to instill the Word in us.  While living in Abilene, we began teaching at Interlochen, a music camp in Michigan, during the summers.  In 1981, I moved into full time church ministry at a little church in Abilene.  I was the music and education minister.  

In 1983, we moved back to Amarillo and I started working at Temple Baptist as their education pastor.  I would lead and coordinate Bible studies.  I resigned from there in 1988.  In 1988, I became the part-time education pastor at Trinity Baptist Church.  I did that for about 2-3 years.  Mae and I also got involved in children's work, where we would do backyard Bible clubs through Child Evangelism Fellowship.  Mae was very involved.  She did most of the teaching.  We would hold these clubs in apartment complexes around the city.  

Part 4 coming soon!

An Interview with Grandad Owens-Part 2

5. How did you meet Grandmom Owens?

I was good friends with Grandmom's brother, Leon.  We met in second grade and Mae was 2-3 years younger.  All growing up, I didn't pay much attention to Mae; I just played with Leon.  As we got older, Leon and I started playing trumpet duets and Mae played the piano for us.  We played these duets in churches, but it was not religious music at all.  It was polkas and fun music that we played for their special music.  When I became interested in Mae, it was very hard to ask her out because we had grown up together.  We never single dated.  We always dated in groups, 3-4 couples.  There was so much accountability-not like today where everyone single dates all the time.  We used to go to a root beer place a lot.  We would order one huge root beer and all put straws in it and it was gone quick!  We didn't think anything about it.  It was all fun.

6. Tell me about your proposal to Grandmom.

Mae was home from Eastman on a break and I was in the service, stationed in Waco.  Your Grandmom lived in Franksten.  I hitchhiked back to Franksten and asked her to marry me.  

7. When and where did you get married?

Mae and I married on July 14, 1945 at First Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas.  We have no pictures from our wedding because everything was rationed out due to the war and photographers were very scarce.  We went to New Orleans on our honeymoon.  We borrowed my dad's 1940 Ford and drove to Shreveport, Lousiana and stayed there the first night.  It cost $8.50 to stay in a hotel that night.  We then continued on to New Orleans the next day.  On the drive down, we used stamps for gasoline instead of money.  

Just as a side note, while I was visiting, I found one of my grandmother's old Bibles and in it, I found  letter she had written to my grandfather on Father's Day in 1988.  To capture the love they felt for each other, I thought I would share a quote by Helen Steiner Rice that was included in the letter.

"For love is unselfish, giving more than it takes, and no matter what happens love never forsakes. It's trustful and faithful and always believing, guileless and honest and never deceiving...Yes, love is beyond what man can define, for love is immortal and God's Gift is Divine!

My grandparents were married 54 years before my grandmother went to be with Jesus.

Part 3 coming soon!!

An Interview with Grandad Owens-Part 1

On September 19, 2012, I had the opportunity to sit down with my Grandad, Bill Owens, who is 90 years old and talk to him about his life.  Our discussion ranged from childhood memories, life's journeys through jobs, kids, and ministry, to favorite Bible passages, marriage, and parenting.  It was a wonderful time of learning more about my grandparents' lives and I am excited to be able to share what I learned.

1.  What are your favorite Scripture passages?
Isaiah 41:10-Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Proverbs 3:5-6-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
I John 5:11-12-And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Matthew 6:33-But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Ephesians 2:8-9-For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
John 16:24-Until now you have asked nothing in my name.  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 

2.  What is your favorite book of the Bible?  Why?  
Ephesians because of the promises in it.

3.  What are some fun childhood memories?
I was in a trumpet quartet and I took lessons from my band director.  The four of us boys were the band director's "pets."  We spent every Saturday practicing at his house and then we would hit the swimming hole for some fun afterwards.  I never knew any different than spending all day Saturday practicing and hanging out with my friends.  

Another memory was the Texas State Fair in 1936 in Dallas.  The trumpet quartet played 4-5 different shows and we were able to spend all day at the fair.  We ended the day playing at the "Streets of Paris," an open air theater with streets coming off of it like spokes of a wheel.  Some of the songs we played for our shows included, "The World's Waiting for the Sunrise" and "Roses of Pickerdee."  The songs we played were corny, but people enjoyed it.  We were not allowed to go down the streets coming off the open air theater because of inappropriate things going on.  

4.  Did you play any sports?
Yes, I played tennis.  My best friend Leon played also.  Every afternoon, I would play tennis.  At one point, I had a girlfriend named Virginia Andrews who played the C melody saxophone.  It was a huge saxophone and not many people played it.  Each afternoon, I would carry it home for her, then go home, get my bike, and go play tennis.  I went on to play tennis at LSU; however, I couldn't play until my sophomore year.  Freshman were not allowed to play.  

Stay tuned for more of the interview in a later post:)

"Praise and Thanksgiving" from The Valley of Vision

In preparation for an upcoming women's event at my church, I was reading through some of the prayers in the book, The Valley of Vision.  I came across this one, "Praise and Thanksgiving" and thought it perfectly described the heart of thanksgiving we should have for the many blessings the Lord grants us each day.

Praise and Thanksgiving

O my God,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,

my heart admires, adores, loves thee,

for my little vessel is as full as it can be,

and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee

ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,

ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,

ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,

crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,

for adorning it, sanctifying it,

though it is fixed in barren soil; 

for the body thou hast given me,

for preserving its strength and vigour,

for providing senses to enjoy delights,

for the ease and freedom of my limbs,

for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;

for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,

for a full table and overflowing cup,

for appetite, taste, sweetness,

for social joys of relatives and friends,

for ability to serve others,

for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,

for a mind to care for my fellow-men,

for opportunities of spreading happiness around,

for loved ones in the joys of heaven,

for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express,

for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.