Father's Day


June 19 and 20, 2010

We just happened to be home for Father's Day weekend last year and attended services at Cornerstone. When a guy got up on stage to sing a song with his guitar I thought, "Well, we were not on top of things. I could have let Pastor Sarah know that Bobby has a song appropriate for Father's Day called "Little Man" on his just-released CD. We could have had Landis holding his own guitar sitting next to him, maybe even dressed similar to Bobby 'cause he's the "little man!" Shoot, we sure did miss a good opportunity! Of course we hadn't planned on being home. There was a cancellation and there wasn't time to get the song approved at such short notice. "Oh well," I thought, "maybe that could happen next year."

Sure enough, I asked Deeanna who lead the drama ministry and she brought it up in staff meeting. The song was approved and Bobby sang "Little Man" while Landis mimicked his dad on his own guitar. The band backed them up and my friends, Chele and Marna, sang background vocals.

I was surprised at how nervous I was on Saturday morning as I sent a text to Pastor Sarah verifying a couple of details of the service. There was no need to be nervous. Bobby and Landis sang and played beautifully Saturday evening and many people commented on how the little boy kept looking at his dad's hands while he played which went with the message of the song so well.

We were back for the Sunday morning services to do it all over again. We were given permission to make our CDs available in the lobby and sold a few...we were pretty disappointed about that since that was our income for the week.

I failed to simply take a snapshot but I did get some terrible video. I say "terrible" because the video was taken on my little Sony Cyber-shot which I carry either in Grace's back pack or in my purse. It's takes OK pictures but not so much on the videos. Actually, the video is OK, it's the audio that ruins everything. This is their sound check which was done after church on the Wednesday night before.

We were grateful for the opportunity to sing at Cornerstone and attend our third weekend service of the year. OH! And very VERY thankful to be home for nearly 2 WEEKS! Yay!!! Sssshhhhhh, don't tell Bobby. He doesn't like staying home because he thinks his wallet shrinks.

June 13, 2010

We had an easy drive out to West Plains, Missouri on Saturday, the 12^th, and found our hotel. We got settled and then walked next door to the Waffle House to have dinner.

It didn't take long to get across town to the Civic Center where His Place Worship Center meets for their Sunday morning services. We met Pastor Greg Worley and his sweet and beautiful and adorable and amazing wife, Angie. Together Greg and Angie, along with a third person, (I think she's a relative) lead the worship and it's great! Pastor Greg plays the keyboard and the girls stand in front of him. They have 4 other pieces to their band and I loved their music. We worshipped together and had a great service.

After church as I was standing next to the CD table, Angie brought a lady to me and introduced her as a mighty prayer warrior who was saved in prison. (Those are the best kind!) She asked if she could pray for Grace and we did. She wanted to know what I believed for Grace and I told her. We realized we were in agreement with each other and she promised to continue to pray for Grace. Angie told me later that if you mention to her friend that you could use some prayer, she'll stop wherever she is and pray out loud, whether it's in the church lobby or in Walmart. It doesn't matter, she's not ashamed. She'll pray as if there's no one else around. That's a Christian.

When I hugged Angie goodbye there was a longing in my heart to know her better. Sometimes you meet people that you just seem to have a kinship with. I was wishing that we had more time with Greg and Angie as they seemed like people we'd enjoy knowing.

We headed out of town eastward stopping along the way to grab a quick lunch before driving all the way to East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.

East Cape Baptist Church was just over the big river from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a matter of fact, the church sat next to a body of water that was a little inlet from the river. Bobby unloaded and set up while I took the children to the nursery and began getting them ready. About 30 minutes before the service I heard a woman speak to Bobby in the hallway outside the nursery. She had to remind him of who she was and he remembered the woman and her husband from years ago when he sang with Mid South. They were from Arizona and had been in Nashville for CMA's Country Music Fest. They learned that Bobby was going to be in Cape Girardeau so they decided that instead of going back home the way

they came, they'd drive a bit north out of the way to hear him. What great fans! I wish I could remember their names but I failed to write them down right away.

After a good service we enjoyed some refreshments in the fellowship hall. The church purchased an ice cream machine a few years ago for a great price. Our kids thought that was one of the coolest things they'd ever seen...to have an ice cream machine in the church!

When we were leaving the church I couldn't help but notice and take a pic of the sign advertising the strip joint across the street from the church. ...never in all my days.... :)

We were able to drive home that night as we were only about 3 hours from home. And we were able to settle in for a while as Bobby was singing a special song at our own church the following weekend for Father's Day.

Time In Texarkana

June 2-7, 2010

A couple of days at home and then it was on the road again, Willie, back to Arkansas. We made our third trip to the town of Warren and the second visit to Bruce and Beverly Culp's church, Faith Free Will Baptist Church. This pastor and his wife have such interesting things to tell us when we visit with them. They tell of an all day singing and dinner on the ground when a Mrs. Martin asked Beverly if she would accompany her three children on the piano as they sang a song. Beverly began to play but stopped and stared at these three little kids as they sang a song in three part harmony with such perfection and beauty that all she could do was sit and listen in amazement. What she heard was not at all what she had expected to hear from those children. I think she might have gone back to a little piano playing again just before the song was over. That same day Mr. and Mrs. Martin asked Bruce and Beverly if they would allow their children to sing a few opening songs at each one of the Culp Family concerts as they toured regionally with their boys. And that is how The Martins, Joyce, Jonathan and Judy, winners of 6 Dove Awards and a Grammy, got their start.

We had a great Wednesday evening service and instead of driving all the way to Texarkana as we've done in the past (remember, they had fleas) we stayed in a motel in Warren. The next day we drove to Texarkana and checked ourselves into the Ramada. This was a little weird. We've never stayed in a hotel in Texarkana before. Bobby actually got a really good deal on a very nice room for 4 nights.

That evening Bobby sang at the Bulldog Bistro, the cafeteria at Texarkana College where our friend, Sheila Lynn has been teaching for the past 2 years. A special guest appearance was made by Bobby's oldest sister, Judy who sang a couple of songs with him and of course Sheila, who's not only entertained the Thursday night catfish diners several times, but who also makes sure the catfish is done right, sang a little too.

We were introduced to a new program this summer called, www.kidsbowlfree.com, which was set up to give kids something to do with their parents during the summer. We had to pay $25 for the summer and select the facility, city and state we chose to bowl in. This membership allows us to take the kids bowling any time before 7 PM, paying only for their shoe rental. We chose to bowl in Texarkana since we knew we'd be there often and would need something to do. Pretty good deal for us. So we took the kids bowling on Friday and again on Saturday.

Friday evening Bob and Tena, Bobby's parents came over to our place, which was the lobby at the Ramada and we played Farkle while the kids watched a video at the table next to us.

We sang at Oaklawn Baptist Church in Texarkana on Saturday evening and then on Sunday morning we drove down to Ida, Louisiana to sing at Victory Tabernacle Assembly where long time friend of Bobby's family, Pastor Roy Smart leads. For Bobby this was like a reunion of friendships that started in childhood and for me it was a treat to finally meet some of the folks I've heard about for years. We had an absolutely great time in church as well as afterward complete with a lunch and lots of picture taking.

On the way back to Texarkana from Ida, we passed what used to be Oak Grove Assembly where Bobby's uncle, Hollis pastored a thriving congregation. Uncle Hollis died suddenly one Sunday night at bed time in January of 1990. Today that little church building stands there sadly forgotten. It's thought that perhaps the presbyter of that little church, who is also a pastor in the area would rather NOT have a thriving little church there so as to avoid any competition for his own congregation. Hopefully that isn't true.

We made our third visit to Partnership Church in Texarkana on Sunday evening. Brother David Markum leads the worship here and his dad, Blaine, is the pastor. Both men welcomed us and were very encouraging and supportive. They served grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and all the fixings before the service and David's wife, Jennifer, approached me asking me how she could help with getting my children fed. It's funny how sometimes just the smallest gestures can mean so much. I just really appreciated Jennifer and her simple offer of help.

The church service was great and we had fun worshiping with the saints at Partnership. Bobby and I told the folks that night that if we lived in Texarkana, Partnership is where we'd attend church.

After the service Hope and Landis recruited some band members on the spot and held an after church concert. While they were having fun on stage I asked Jennifer about the door near the front of the sanctuary and where it led to. She told me it went outside and asked me if I'd like to take a look. The door opened to a stage area. The stage ran alongside the building and was complete with electrical outlets and stage lighting. But I barely saw the stage because beyond the stage was a meadow and not just any meadow. This was a long meadow about the length of 1 and half football fields and enclosed on 3 sides with trees. Immediately I could see that meadow FILLED with people hungry for God. I told Jennifer what I imagined and she said I wasn't the first person that has spoken the same thing.

We slept our last night at the Ramada and headed home the next day. It wasn't until we were nearly home on Monday night that I realized I couldn't find my wallet. Thinking back I decided I must have left it in the grocery cart at Wal Mart in Texarkana on Saturday night after the concert at Oaklawn. Thankfully, there had been no cash nor any credit cards but it's just a big hassle to have to reacquire the other things like my driver's license, voter's card among other little things. Writing about this 6 weeks later, I can tell you I filed a police report for that missing wallet, called Wal Mart security, canceled my debit card, got a new one, got a new driver's license and never did hear anything about that wallet. I'm sure it was picked up, looked through and tossed in the trash....and I'm thankful for that.

Happy to be home until Saturday morning.

Oklahoma and Arkansas

May 27-30, 2010

On Thursday morning we decided to take the time to visit the Science Museum in Oklahoma City before driving to Enid where we were to sing that night. However, we were only in the museum about 40 minutes when we were ushered to the front doors to stand outside of the building with everyone else. We waited there another 40 minutes and finally asked if we could get vouchers to return and finish our visit at a later date after explaining we were from out of town and had very limited time for play that day. Our address was written down and a week later we received our vouchers in the mail. There wasn't a fire, but there was smoke somewhere in the building so everyone had to be evacuated. Thank goodness Hope and Faith got their makeup on before we were evacuated.

We made our third visit to Chisholm Trail Cowboy Church in Enid. The Junior College World Series was being held in Enid and nearly every hotel room was booked. Pastor Dan finally found the last room available at the Ramada. It was a handicapped room on the first floor and it was smoking. However, it didn't smell of smoke, it smelled of urine. It was a lovely and spacious room but that bathroom, or the special equipment in it, stunk! After asking the front desk twice to remove the special equipment, hoping that would take care of the stink, I finally just removed it myself and set it in the hallway outside. But our bathroom was still stinky. The redeeming factor was that the beds and pillows were the most comfortable I've ever slept on in any hotel, including Hampton.

Our concerts at Chisholm Trail, like most cowboy churches are short and formatted because the pastor nearly always preaches. We don't mind the abbreviated concert and we appreciate the opportunity of hearing a message. We try to accommodate and meet the needs of whoever we're serving. We love Pastor Dan and this time met his lovely wife of 54 years. And we were privileged to witness the ordination of Buddy, who would be starting another cowboy church nearby.

After a wonderful rest in that comfortable bed, I rose the next morning to wash 2 loads of laundry. I've learned that since I usually do laundry after the kids have gone to bed or before they get up, I need to pack 2 sets of pajamas so that I can wash the dirty pair while they're sleeping in their clean ones. While the clothes were washing, I found the fitness room, which I almost always have all to myself, walked on the treadmill and then, while the clothes dried, returned to the fitness room to read my Bible. Yep, I love having the fitness room all to myself. Then it was back to the room to wake everyone up and make breakfast as it was not complimentary at this Ramada.

Then we set out toward Tulsa and beyond to meet Dad at his cousin, Susan Detweiler and her husband, Robert's home near Chouteau. This is where Dad stays when he comes out to Oklahoma and it just so happened that Robert and Susan were attending a wedding in Iowa. However, they made it back on Saturday afternoon in time for us to get to see them at the Mazie Reunion.

Being in Chouteau only once every ten years or so, I wanted to eat at the Dutch Pantry, Robert and Susan's restaurant, regionally famous for it's delicious homemade pies and home-cooked food. Then it was on to Mazie to show the children the house that Grandpa Troyer was raised in, the store that he frequented and of course, the Mazie School, which is where we spent the evening. Dad had talked to Gayle, the lady in charge of the school reunion and she had said it would be ok for us to sing a few songs and make our CDs available for sale. We enjoyed a potluck dinner and then Bobby and the kids sang a few songs. While Bobby was packing up, I got Grace ready for a late night drive and the kids took advantage of the playground out back.

We made it to Sheridan, Arkansas, south of Little Rock, by 1:00 AM and got a few hours of sleep before rising to minister at First Assembly of God. One thing I appreciated was that Bobby and Landis were able to drive the 2 blocks to the church and set up while I got the girls ready in the hotel room.

Bobby and I were able to attend the Sunday School class that Pastor Eddie Gwin taught and the kids enjoyed their own classes. And then in the service we had a prayer time and a wonderful gentleman who seemed to be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit prayed and wept over Grace, left, and then came back and prayed over me. It was obvious that he was touching the Throne with his interceding and I was humbled and eternally grateful to be brought before the Father.

Pastor Eddie and his wife, Paula, treated us to lunch afterward and Bobby, who lived in Sheridan for 6 years back in the 1980's, got caught up on the church, the town, and people who lived there.

We drove to east Arkansas to Hughes where we were glad to see Pastor Ralph Stone again and this time we were privileged to meet his beautiful wife, Janice. We did not meet Janice the first time we served at First Baptist in Hughes because she'd been sick and in the hospital.

We enjoyed a laid back but sweet-spirited service followed by some refreshments in the fellowship hall. I, personally, enjoyed visiting with some precious sisters, giving and receiving encouragement before leaving there continuing eastward with the big river in front of us, the big orange sun setting behind us, and the low, green rice fields on either side of us.

It was our original intention to drive back to Texarkana after singing in Hughes, making our trip a little over two weeks but because Bobby's folks had an unusual incident with fleas, there was no way for us to stay with them. Don't misunderstand. Bobby's mother is a very good housekeeper and puts me shame, working circles around me. However, they live in an old house and they think that perhaps something under the house hosted the fleas and they found their way up from underneath.

We decided since we were so close to Memphis we were already nearly halfway home and we should just drive there for a couple of days. However, by the time we reached Memphis Bobby was ready to stop and sleep. By Sunday nights we are all exhausted and Monday morning is our day to sleep in! So we found our new favorite place to stay, the Drury Inn and bought a suite! I asked Bobby if he was feeling generous and he replied that we had all worked hard and deserved a little splurging.

A couple of days at home doing laundry and repacking to head back to Arkansas on Wednesday.

Headshots in Henryetta


May 17, 2010

I should have included this in the last post but had forgotten about it. I can't believe I forgot about this because it was such a spontaneous thing that we did and had a lot of fun doing it.

We left Shawnee, Oklahoma that Monday morning, the 17th of May after singing in Purcell the night before. Not far down the road Bobby expressed his concern about getting the photo taken for the CD cover for the kids new project. He desperately wanted to get the photo taken and turned in for duplication so as not to be waiting on that after the CD was mastered. We had some ideas on what kind of photo we wanted and planned on taking some snapshots in our own backyard. But being as pressed for time as he felt we were, Bobby pulled off the Interstate in Henryetta, Oklahoma and we began looking for good spots to take some pictures. We found a couple of cool and interesting brick and stone walls and even one with teal-colored tile on the quiet old streets of Henryetta. The photos above are not the ones we chose for the CD, but I wanted to show off the wall. The top pic of Faith is one of the chosen pics. I like it.


We pulled the van over on a side street and began working on wardrobe changes. Quiet on the set! I combed hair and washed faces while Bobby shopped for a package of batteries for the camera.


He took pics for over an hour as I situated the kids, danced to make them laugh, fixed hair, fussed at the kids, and fussed at Bobby. But we got back on the Interstate 2 hours later, feeling so pleased with ourselves for making good use of our time and resources.


Later that night, after the kids were asleep, I uploaded 112 pictures to the laptop and then with Bobby's help I began to design a photo insert for the new CD.

We arrived home at 1:00 AM and 1 hour later we had a completed a 2-color insert that Bobby emailed to a company in Cleveland, Ohio. Even on the road we were able to get a big job done and it caused Bobby to sleep much better knowing it was out of the way.

May 22-26, 2010

We were delighted to be able to attend our first Saturday evening service of this year at our home church, Cornerstone. It was Grace's first time to go to “big church” as she is now in 6th grade and has graduated to Jr. High. I tried so hard to be ready early so that we'd have plenty of time and opportunity to find a good seat because of needing an appropriate place for the wheelchair. I was so proud of myself for being ready and leaving the house 45 minutes before service started only to be shocked when we got on the Interstate and saw brake lights ahead of us. Because of construction we crept along for the next 4 miles or so making our 20 minute drive well over an hour. We were embarrassed as we walked into the sanctuary on the main floor nearly 30 minutes after the service had started. Thankfully, we had called Mr. Pat and asked him to help us in saving a couple of seats and a spot for Grace to sit with us. He did and it all worked out except that Grace decided this wasn't church as usual. She would have rather been back in the Children's Ministry with Mr. Pat. I may have been successful in leaving early for church but I failed to remember some items for Grace, like something to drink during church to keep her quiet. Finally, Bobby had had enough of her moaning and complaining and felt that we were at the point of disrupting the service so he took Grace out in the hall. I was so disappointed and discouraged, even to the point of tears. I absolutely HATE feeling like I'm giving in to the Devil when we make exceptions where Grace is concerned. I know some people reading will think I'm a little extreme by saying that but that's exactly why we have sickness and disease...because we make exceptions and excuses. In other words, we PUT UP with sickness and disease. As long as we are willing to put up with sickness, it will be with us. And if you're wondering, yes, I've put up with it too. I'm no exception. In the estimated number of 20 personal and specific healings that Jesus did in the Gospels, a little over half of those healings occurred because the person being healed did something. They didn't just wait to see what would happen, they were aggressive in stretching out the little bit of faith they had. I'm tired of people being offended so easily by saying that they are being picked on by those “faith people” who say, “If you just had enough faith!” It's not a matter of having enough faith. It's a matter of doing something with your faith...not just sitting there waiting for something to happen. Because it might and then again, it might not. That certainly is true and that's why sometimes God heals and sometimes He doesn't. Those are the cold hard FACTS, I agree, but the TRUTH of the Word of God is, it is His will to heal us. He made that very clear in Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:17, Hebrews 13:8 and 2 Peter 2:24. There are a lot of things that happen though, that are not necessarily God's will. I mean look at how He said that He is willing that NONE should perish but for ALL to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) ..but they don't.

Ha ha! I never intended to get into all of that when I started writing but my emotions got caught up when I started writing about Grace being taken out during the church service. There are TV monitors, great sound and overstuffed chairs in the hallway, so Bobby and Grace actually got more out of the sermon than if they'd stayed in the sanctuary. He said she was quiet and paid attention the remainder of the service. God works all things out for our good because He loves us. And that's what I need to close this subject out with: even though we don't always do the right thing or make the right decisions, God's mercy and grace is abundant to us and greater than our weaknesses (or our greatest strengths, for that matter) and even when precious saints die from sickness, even then there is victory. Satan is already defeated and God has already spoken the last word.

We drove home, ate some egg sandwiches and Bobby took a nap while I finished packing. We got on the road at midnight and after putting the children to bed in the van, headed west.

I spoke with my dad the following morning before he'd gone to church. He chuckled when I told him where
(Landis and I snapped some pics of the sun rise in Arkansas.)

we were (eastern Oklahoma) and that we'd been to church in Nashville just 12 hours earlier. In our conversation we realized we were going to be in Oklahoma at the same time as he planned on driving out there from Michigan in a few days. So we made plans to meet up in the small town where he'd be (where he was raised) on our days off between Enid, Oklahoma and Sheridan, Arkansas. Not only did we plan to meet up but to do a little singing at the all-school reunion he would be attending in Mazie. You can't blame us for snatching up any opportunity we can find to make a few bucks by selling some CDs on our day off.

The week prior, when Bobby and I discussed our schedule for this weekend and saw that we'd have some time to kill between Sunday evening in Ardmore and Thursday evening in Enid, Oklahoma, meaning we'd have to spend some money on lodging, I suggested that the 2 rooms that the pastor from Ardmore was treating us to Sunday night might be changed to 1 room for two nights so that we might benefit by not having to pay for Monday night and he'd still be spending the same amount of money. Bobby called Pastor Robert Peterson and talked to him about our situation and asked him about changing the reservation from 2 rooms for 1 night to 1 room for 2 nights. Pastor Robert agreed and upon hanging up the phone but he called back moments later telling us that when he explained the new plans to his wife, Paula, she immediately retorted, “You mean you're going to allow him to drive all that way from Nashville and then stuff the whole family in 1 hotel room? I don't think so!” I told Bobby, “I like her already!” So he decided to just keep the 2 rooms for 2 nights. However, he had a better and more economical idea a little while later and called yet again letting us know he moved us to another hotel and got us a suite for 2 nights. How generous.

After driving all night, we finally arrived in Ardmore a couple of hours before it was time to freshen up and head to New Hope Church of God. We loved Pastor Robert immediately and appreciated his down to earth personality. We expressed our deep gratitude for the generosity regarding the suite and just had a great time visiting before the service.

In spite of our weariness, we enjoyed the moving of the Spirit of God in that service. In our weakness He is strong. It's when we acknowledge that we need Him in order to accomplish anything that He proves Himself faithful and we walk away with the biggest blessings.

A great meal and fellowship followed a great time at church and all of that was followed by a great night of much needed rest.

(Pastor Peterson and his wife on the left.)

We spent a couple of hours in the pool the next day, something that doesn't happen often and after another restful night, we left the following day and headed north to Oklahoma City where we spent a couple of nights at a Microtel. We did a little shopping on Tuesday and Wednesday and then found a church that we thought looked like something we'd enjoy just 3 miles east of the hotel.

We were made to feel very welcome at OKC Faith and enjoyed some teaching on the Revelation by Lead Pastor TL Bates while our children enjoyed Royal Rangers and MPact Girls Ministry. As we sat and waited for the service to begin, Bobby leaned over and whispered that he was sure he had contacted this church about coming to minister.

After the service one of the greeters asked us not to leave until the worship leader, Jamie, spoke with us. Jamie had greeted us before the service and it occurred to her afterward that she might know Bobby. Sure enough when we visited with her in the lobby after church, her suspicions were confirmed that this was Bobby Bowen from Mid South whom she had listened to as a kid. And yes, she remembered being contacted by Bobby previously and promised that we'd be hearing from her in the near future. Isn't it cool how God blesses our faithfulness and obedience. I mean, we didn't have to go to church. We weren't scheduled to sing and we could have made ourselves comfortable in our hotel room as the visitors from out of town that we were. OKC Faith is a large church and could turn out to be a good booking, financially speaking, if Jamie does give us a call.

The following morning we would be heading up to Enid for a third visit to Chisolm Trail Cowboy Church. More on that in the next post.