HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New  Year, Friends! I hope 2008 will bring you great joy/happiness and health! I pray the same for my family! While we won't have 2 more babies this 2008,we will have a WEDDING! (Katie/Jon, I know yall are excited to be able to say "we're getting married THIS year now!" haha). Each year with the Frys brings something new and exciting! We are a blessed family, not a perfect family ,( we don't claim to be! HAHA), but a blessed and happy one! Each person in the Fry/Horne family are unique individuals with their own dreams and journeys down the road of life. I am blessed to be a part of each one of their lives. My greatest joy is that each one of them has a relationship with Christ and are involved in their respective churches. Praise God!!!.... I try not to solicit TOO much advice, but I am there when needed for each one of our kids/grands. Heck, I still seek advice from my 93 year old mother! (Praise God she is still with me!). So, kids, (I know you're reading this!), YES, I will still give you my advice! HAHAHA!....What's so great about having so MANY kids ????? (And, BTW, my
in-law kids are considered MY KIDS, too! ) Well, for starters , there is  always something is going on!! Never a dull moment, that's for sure! It keeps me YOUNG! Especially babysitting the little ones!  And i love hanging out with each and every one of my grown kids! Man, they are DIFFERENT!! Each one has their own special abilities and strengths and personalities! it's amazing. I love to talk with each one of them, of course the BOYS don't talk like the girls do (GOSSIP QUEENS, the girls! HAHA), but I still love it when the boys call, too. Even PATRICK calls sometimes and says, "hey  mom. Love you" . That's all I need to hear! Just that they are o.k.!There have been times while I've been talking on the cell phone to one of the kids/ the house phone ringing with another kid and then, "Instant Messaging" me all at the same time!!! hahahaha (that's when I wished I were a clone!).... 2007 was a "banner year" for us, with 2 new babies and an engagement, who knows what 2008 will bring?????....One last sidenote. I have to brag a little, not brag in the sense for bragging sake about my beautiful kids/grandkids (that can come another time! HAHA) but , for Terry. I'm so proud of him!! He is soooooo involved with the ministry that he helped create this year! It  is IsaiahSixEight. And they have so much planned  for 2008. He leaves in a week to head back to Jamaica. Please check out the website for more info! For those who don't know, Terry was one of 5 giuys who felt called start a ministry that reaches out to the kids (especially young boys) in Jamaica  , not only once a year, but  several times a year and to even start a ministry with it! To see the details of what they do you must read the website. It will explain it much better than I can! It is unbelieveable what God is doing with IsaiahSixEight! Even yesterday, miracles happened for the coming trip! ONE day I might even go myself to Jamaica, but for now, I feel my ministry to to "keep the home fires burning" while he is gone. I support every detail of the ministry, tho! And so proud of the team! It's an "on going" ministry, so please, if you feel the need to see where your money goes or want a "hands on" ministry for 2008, call Terry!!!!!   he would LOVE to come to your church and present the video and answer questions!  PLEASE visit the website and watch the video! Here's the web address:

www.isaiahsixeight.org

Last night , New Year's Eve, we went to Bright Star to eat and Terry was telling me how excited he was about how things are going with it. He even brought in Don Heath to go with him next week! (Don Heath and I grew up together in ELUM and high school and he and Terry are both on the vestry at Holy Apostles). Yvette, Don's wife and I are in a small group together and she is truly one of the most incredible people I know! I love that Yvette! In fact, they had us over for dinner Dec.30th and Terry was telling him what to expect when he arrives, etc. and she fixed us some delicious GUMBO and we had a great time watching 'Bama play and just chilling out. How strange, that someone I spent so much of my youth with, would come back into my life after all these years! God is good  and definitely has a sense of humor! Poor Yvette, she has to listen to all our old "East Lake Methodist" stories! haha!I'm so glad he's going to Jamaica ,too, and hope it touches his heart like it has Terry's......Since I'm in one of those "moods", "lecture time" as my kids would say---here's my "lecture" for the coming year. To myself! It is from a little book Yvette  Heath gave me for Christmas. Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts. She just gave me the book and already I love it. Here's a nugget to ponder for the New Year. I know I will.......

"My people, you have touched only the fringes. Yes, you have lingered on the shorelines. Launch out on the vast sea of My love and mercy, yes, My mighty power and limitless resources. For if you would enter into all that I have for you, you must walk by faith upon the waters. You must forever relinquish your doubts; and your thoughts of self-preservation you must forever cast aside. For I will carry you, and I will sustain you by My power in the ways that I have chosen and prepared for you. You shall not take even the first step in your own strength. For you are not able in yourself--even as flesh is always unable to walk the way of the Spirit. BUT MY ARM SHALL UPHOLD YOU, and the power of MY SPIRIT will BEAR YOU UP".........

 

May you feel God's arm UPHOLDING you in 2008 and step in faith upon the waters! (I'm "preaching to the choir" on this!)

And the ending says "I will put new songs in your mouth, and you shall rejoice in the Lord your God for He is a mighty God. He delivers, and no m an can bind. He lifts up. and none can pull down. YES, He acts valiantlly, and who can prevent Him?"

Who indeed?

Blessings and joy and HOPE for 2008!

jan xxoo

(pix are from Don and Yvette's on Dec.30)