Saying I Love You!

This is a picture of Charlene along with Keshia and Tiffany in the background at the going away ceremony in Muskogee yesterday. The Muskogee Phoenix published this picture of her in September 8th paper.

A HEROs Send Off

My brother Richard Hines and my cousin Michael Hines both graduates from Collinsville High are on their way to IRAQ for a year and a half stay. They and over 140 other men and women from the Oklahoma Army Guard will be leaving in the morning headed first to Ft. Dix. There they will receive training and briefing on their objective and by Christmas will be headed into harms way. We had the family get together to send them off with prayers and good wishes for their safe return.


Richard married a year ago and two months ago he and his wife Keshia welcomed a bouncing baby boy into the world. Michael has a girlfriend who has added a sparkle to his eyes that has been missing for a long time. Both of these women will have a hard road over this next year. Please pray for them.





The boys (men as my brother continues to remind me) have been trained to be the best they can be. They believe in the reason for their deployment into the middle east. I ask that you pray for a hedge of protection to surround them. Please pray for their courage and inner strength. Pray for their walk with GOD to strengthen and for their safe return.




I will continue to post updates along with pictures as I get them. I will keep you posted to specific prayers that are needed.

Taking a Walk in the Woods

What a beautiful place. Nature is so close. This spot is near Campbell Creek right in the populated area. Alaska is the great frontier.

Chocolate Lovers ~ You Must Head North to ALasKA

I just got these pictures loaded and wanted to show you what the kids fell in love with. They are true chocolate lovers!

Family

This is my mom and her children and grandchildren. My bother Rick will be leaving soon for Iraq. Please keep him in your prayers.

Fifteen Years of Wedded Bliss

My Brother and His wife celebrated 15 years of Marriage. They are such a blessing to so many people. I post their picture because I thought the love they share shines in both of their eyes.
Congrats Wes and Jeri I hope you have 50 more!

Reality Is Not Where We Want To Be

Life can be trying at times when you are faced with the reality of where you are currently and look at it in relation to where you wanted to be at this point in your life. The saying goes about the best-laid plans of mice and men….
Through it all, we have to realize that God is in control and there is a reason for our struggles that will benefit his purpose for our current situation in which we find ourselves living.
We have to look and see the larger picture and many times that picture is so blurry or abstract that it is difficult for us to discover its purpose or meaning. However just because we cannot make out the picture does not mean that God cannot see beyond the muted lines and abstract figures. It is He who is the master artist and he knows what he wants the final picture to be.
God’s plan is perfect and he has a master plan for each of our lives. The job that has been set before us is to give praise to him no matter how we perceive the current picture. Many times, it is difficult because we find ourselves in unwanted situations some that break our hearts and causes us to ask the age-old question… Why?
Of course, when we ask that question we have to take a serious look at the life we are living and examine to see if it is pleasing to the Father. If we are not living a God, centered life chances are the rocky paths are the paths back towards the father.
Sometimes we live the life that is pleasing to God yet we are still faced with tremendous upheavals in our life. Tragedy strikes even those who belong to the Father. In Romans 8 it is explained that everything that happens to those who love the lord happen for his glory.
So when tragedy strikes we need to continue to give praise to our loving father. For it is for his ultimate glory that all things happen. We must hold tight to our faith ~ knowing that what ever happens happens for the greater good.

Freedoms ~ The Blood was Shed

It is a sad state of affairs when the freedoms our forefathers fought the Revolutionary War for are being taken away year after year by judges who think they have the rights to write law. Every time one of the judges sitting on a high court write another law to make the original law void they are taking away the freedoms for which blood was shed.
In the speech Thomas Jefferson who was one of our founding fathers gave during the opening of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in July 1776 he expressed deep concern while praying asking for God to “bless our land with honorable endeavor, sound learning, and pure manners.”
Where have we as a nation come? Jefferson in the same speech asked for God to “Endow with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in your name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice…through obedience to your law we may show forth your praise among the nations on earth” All we have to do is turn on the television and watch our society crumble in front of our eyes.
It is imperative for the success of our representative government to prosper we must have a society with a moral character. There is a responsibility that goes along with service to our country. Immoral and overtly evil individuals should be confronted by moral men who will remove them from power.
Our troops fight the battles today so that our tomarrow's can continue to be free. Stop a soldier and tell them thank you. Visit a Veterans center and listen to the stories the men and women have to tell. They fought the fight so we could live the life the way we want. Tell them thank you and next time our flag passes take your hat off and salute. The blood that was shed to keep our flag raised reflects in every soldiers' eyes that has seen battle.

Adjusting to "Tulsa Time"

After staying in the great white north for over 40 days it was time for the Dermody's to go home. To acclimate ourselves back to "Tulsa Time" we stayed awake for 48 hours. I figured this way we would be able to get better adjusted ~ does anything ever work the way we want them?

We left Anchorage on the 4th of July at 12:45 am. The sun sent us off into the brilliant blue sky as our plane climbed heading towards the lower 48. Before long the darkness encased us but it did not last long as the sun ~ wanting continue to shine on our vacation, chased us and once again and lit the sky. When we landed in Salt Lake City where the snow covered mountain tops glistened in the sunlight.

After a couple of hours it was time to embark on the final leg of our journey. Oklahoma here we come. Excitement began to make our tummy's tingle. Just four more hours and we would be home. As excited as we were it was impossible to keep the sandman away and slumber over took the weary travelers. For at least an hour we all slept cuddled under our blanket using each other as pillows.

The flight attendants began gathering the trash in preparation for landing. We looked out the window and saw the familiar landscape of OKLAHOMA! We are home! Oologah lake with its azure blue waters captured our eyes. It was so small if we had only been a little closer we might have been able to see our house. With seat belts fastened, and tray tables up, our plane began descending towards our final approach.

THe heat of the Oklahoma sun hit us when they opened the doors of the plane. For just a moment I longed for the cooler tempertures of Alaska. We deplaned and headed towards the baggage claim. Joyce took off in a dead run when she spotted Charlene and Grandma. They along with Richard, Keshia, and my new nephew Gabriel were waiting for us at the end of the hall.

It's good to be home! The opportunity to see Alaska will always be forever in our memories. Will we return to the land of adventure? yes but weather we are able to someday make our home in Alaska will be a question God will have to answer. Do I want to return? Yes! WE all really fell in love with the beauty God created in Alaska. My only wish is that we could pack up everything we love in Oklahoma and take it with us. Time will tell.

Sites of Alaska

This lake is along side the road on the way to Matanuska just past Palmer. It is a beautiful place. I hope the picture does it some justice.