Happy Father's Day...

Today is Father’s Day and I want to encourage you to call or go see your daddy if you can. It’s so true that you don’t miss what you have until you don’t have it anymore…
I never knew my father very well but God blessed me with the absolute greatest father-in-law around! I think God looked around and said, ‘Okay, The Girls gonna need someone like him to help her out.” and gave me his sweet son, AKA; the Big Guy, so I could have a daddy.

Truthfully, when I first met my husband’s father I thought they were all really weird! I mean, they told each other they loved each other and even hugged!!!! I’d never seen this and it was a real eye opener to me. Then I watched Big Daddy as he lived a Christian life before me, showing me what a real father was like. He became a reflection of what God is to me as HIS child. Then when The Big Guy and I began our family I was so proud that he was just like his daddy. It’s like they say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

I do believe that for some people the way we view our earthly father has a lot to do on how we view our Heavenly Father. Some people can only see God as a vengeful, hateful and controlling God that’s out to get them, which makes them small, bitter, fearful and lonely Christian. While others see a God who loves and cherishes them and wants to see them grow into strong, useful, helpful Christians. I’ve seen both sides and I prefer to see God as a Father who loves me and yet corrects me when I do bad so I can become a better person and Christian to lead others to HIM.

So go call your daddy and tell him you love him. If you can see him, even better, hug his neck and thank him for being your father and teaching you all you know.

That's "our" dad without the hat. Love ya, Big Daddy.

Revival at the Samaritan Baptist Church

We had such a great time with Brother Danny Smith and the Samaritan Baptist Church last week. Brother Smith has been the pastor there since 1981 and the church will celebrate its 50th anniversary this October. We love going there and so far they haven’t gotten too tired of us! We started holding revivals for Samaritan Baptist Church around 1989 and have been going there almost every year since then. Brother Danny has been going through a battle with his health lately and we all are praying that God will work a miracle in him. He is the most upbeat pastor I know of. If you’re ever feeling down or just need a lift, all you have to do is talk to Preacher Smith and you will go away feeling better.

We had 2 sweet ladies from this church go with us to Romania on our 2007 Christmas trip. They have become my “Buddies”, my “Shopping Compadres”, and my prayer partners. Brenda and Michelle proved to be two of the best “shoppers and wrappers” I have had the pleasure of spending money with!! They are planning on going back this year and bringing 4 other ladies from the church also!! Whoopee, look out stores in Romania! I’m bringing an army this time!! The best mental picture I can give you of the time there is The Big Guy totin’ shopping bags and trying to keep a gaggle of women out of trouble!! Now you know how to pray for the Christmas Trip!!!

This church also has a large number of people who sponsor our children from the orphanage. So you can see the tight connection we have been blessed with at the Samaritan Baptist Church in Winston Salem, North Carolina. If your ever driving through there you need to stop in and the members will make you feel so at home you’ll almost kick your shoes off and stay a while! Thank you Brother Danny and all of the dear members who make us feel so loved but so unworthy of it also!

Shopping American Style...

I went shopping on Monday with two dear friends who have been over to Romania with us and I had such a wonderful time. We bought all kinds of clothes for our kids at the orphanage. It was so much fun picking out little dresses for "my girls" and overalls for the boys. I even found some outfits for my grand babies! The kids in Romania will enjoy the clothes but they'll enjoy the water balloons, freezer pops and Kool-Aid even more. These are things that you never see over there and they just love water balloons!

I'm always overwhelmed at just how much we as Americans have at our disposal. From grocery stores to clothing departments to fast food and even book stores, we have to only look to the left or right of us and there is everything we need! I always wonder what the reaction of my teen aged girls in Romania would be if they were brought to one of our Malls? I'm sure they would think it was real close to being in Heaven!

I heard a story of a man from a very small island off of the Philippines who walked into a Super Wal-Mart and just started crying...when asked why he cried he replied that it was more food than his whole island would see in all of their life times together! It shouldn't make us feel bad or guilty that we have so much, but I do think that we should take time to thank God that he has blessed us so greatly. Believe me when I say that there is no place I love more than America. It may not be perfect and we may have some problems but it's MY country and I am very proud to be an American.

Back to work again...

Well, I'm back to blogging after a wonderful week with our 3 grand children in Florida. The Big Guy and I spent all of our time playing, holding, loving and spoiling our three precious jewels. JB is a lively, entertaining little boy who in my eyes in a genius. Dia, our drama queen, is so much fun to be around cause you never know what she is going to do. Then there's our Flowersy Girl who at 3 months is the light of her Pappy's life. I'm only going to post 3 pictures, I promise, and

then we'll move on..(okay 4)

.

Well, was I right in saying these babies are too, too sweet! God has blessed us so richly.

Now on to what's happening in the life and trials of the Noble's; We have been back in the states for a week and are looking forward to beginning revival services in Winston-Salem, NC at the Samaritan Baptist Church where Brother Danny Smith is the pastor. We have been going to this church for over 20 years now and hope the Lord will continue to use us. We always have a great time with the church members, most of them we've known for so many years. It's like a home coming for us to be there. We've seen children grow into adults and now have families of thier own. We've seen the "home going" of husbands and of wives and how God has lifted up those left behind. I'm so glad God has let us be a part of this church family for so many years.

I'll send out news on the revival later so stay in touch.