Water from the Porch

Dear porchers,

I'd like to share a dream with y'all. If you've been with me any length of time you know that several years ago I decided to ask for a yearly donation to help defray expenses here at All Things Southern. You may also know that I quickly decided this once-a-year drive should instead benefit others knowing that, in turn, the Lord would sustain our cyber community.


This year, in lieu of a donation to All Things Southern, I'd like to ask y'all to join forces with me to drill a well of life-giving water in cooperation with Life Today's Water for Life outreach program.

Our goal will be to raise $2400 in September '09 to give clean water to a community where children just like yours, grandchildren just like ours, drink contaminated water because it is all they have.

Please know this isn't a whim. It's a deep desire coming out of the latest bible study I'm writing on stewardship. I'm asking y'all, the ATS community, the folks who have become so dear to me, to share with me in the joy of supplying clean drinking water, and in doing so, to give life because it is in the power of our hands to do so. Ten dollars from two hundred and forty people. Can we do it? Why, not?

If you are enjoying the humor and inspiration of All Things Southern, please consider making your yearly donation for this good cause. You can use the paypal button at my website to donate, or you may send your donation to:

All Things Southern
Water from the Porch
610 Schneider Lane
Lake Providence, LA 71254

Please join me to share a drink of water in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hugs,
Shellie

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name... I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Mark 9:41

More details at Life Today!


Update: One week into our goal and we've collected a little over $200 friends. We got a slow start last year, too, so never fear. I do need everyone who is considering contributing to go ahead and take a minute to follow through while it's on your mind. We've had contributions so far from Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma and Tennessee-- with Louisiana leading the tote board!

I'd like to ask those of you with facebook pages, twitter profiles, and or blogs to help spread the word by posting this blog or this link to your friends and family. Remember, we're not giving food that will feed a hungry belly just once-- we're drilling a well that will give life-giving water to many needy men, women, and children for years to come. Speaking of children, Rozel from Louisiana donated in honor of her grandchildren and challenged everyone else with grandchildren to give in their honor. I think that's a fine idea.

One more note: For whatever reason, the paypay button here on the blog keeps timing out, but the donate button on the left hand banner of the website works every time. :)


Hugs,
Shellie

Baby Grant Wrestles a Bear!

I can not get enough of this video Jessica Ann sent me today. If you listen, you can hear this bear that I built for Grant at Build a Bear saying, "Keggie and Pops lovvvvvvvveeeeeee you!" Of course, it's not so easy to hear over my adorable grandson. Who has who here?

Hugs,
Shellie

Harvest

Had a great book-signing at Simmons. So much fun meeting people. Oh-- and my big sis Cyn the RN and her whole family showed up along with Nanee and Papa and Emerson and Carey. Miss Emerson helped me sign books!

Handsome son, Phillip, just crawled up into the cab to have a short convo with his dad about another harvest/farm issue. It is slightly crowded in here, LOL, but during harvest you do everything on the GO! (Note that you can see he and his dad in the side mirror and me
SQUEEZED into the back of the cab if you look hard. :)

The corn isn't cutting as well as we would like but we're trusting the Lord of the Harvest to provide.

Hugs,
Shellie

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Move Over Liberace

I was hard at work earlier this afternoon when Miss Emerson came by for a surprise visit. Here we are having a brief piano lesson.

Please note that Carey asked us to smile for the camera and I complied. Emerson, however, was way too busy working on her current number. It's very, ummm...well, modern and contemporary. You know, almost as if the notes are random and unplanned. And yet, the tune is so pleasing! I see great talent here.

Hugs,
Shellie

God's a Showoff! A Great Big Wonderful Showoff!

WOW in caps. God showed up and showed out in my early morning dock devotion. All of His creation sang around me. Yes, even the bass danced to His beat. (Oh, fishermen, you should've been there. I saw a whopper!!!)

My overarching takeaway thought: Not only are You worthy, Abba, but You are worth it--any and every yearning, searching, reaching, submitting, straining, striving, seeking effort. You are worth it.

Hugs,
Shellie

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Baby Face...

....You've got the cutest little baby face... Hey folks! Here's Pops getting some time in.

It's not easy, but I shall now tear myself away from kissing baby toes to post a few pics for people like Carey Eubanks Tomlinson and The Great Nanee, lest they hurt me upon my return.

"Hello, my name is Grant Thomas. I'm sorry if I seem distracted but I have found the most amazing toys. I think they call 'em hands. All I know is that they are the neatest things-- and it's so cool they way they're always right here."

"Just a little male bonding..."

"When my daddy talks, I listen!"

Shellie here, folks, and I'm telling you straight up. Leaving this baby face is going to be heart wrenching. I'm gonna close this post now. I've been at it too long already. Blogger wasn't wanting to save the pics for some reason. I'll try and send up the video of Mr. Grant talking in a seperate post.

Hugs,

Shellie

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

More Than You Wanna Know

My friend Tommilyn snagged me into this, I mean, gave me this award. As I understand it, there are only two rules, the first being I have to share eight things about myself. The second rule, well, we'll get to that. First things first.

1. I love God's word. Must start there. I know it might sound like I'm trying to apply for sainthood, but believe me, there's no saint on this end of the screen. I just adore finding God in His word.

2. I could eat a hamburger eight days a week. My point exactly.

3. I couldn't talk right when I was a kid. My oldest sister interpreted for me and I like to tell audiences that she interpreted a lot of things I did not say.

4. I like to start and end each day sitting in our big roomy chair and a half with my man.

5. I'm obsessive about doing what I say I'll do, to the point of crazy. I can't allow myself to say anything like "I'm now going to jog six miles a day instead of walk three" because once I say it, it is in concrete and I would kill myself trying to do it.

6. The only glaring exception to number five would be in the area of food. Unfortunately, saying I will not eat chocolate seems to have no bearing whatsoever on my obsessive trait. Sigh.

7. I used to wish I lived anywhere but Lake Providence, LA. Now, I don't want to live anywhere but Lake Providence, LA.

8. I hit my toes on everything. My son likes to say that I act like I'm surprised every day to find that I even have toes because I never make the necessary allowances that would keep me from continually stubbing them.

And now for that second rule-- at this point I'm supposed to share the love by asking eight other bloggers to play. Of course, I've never been one to follow rules really well, so I'm going to name my eight BUT I'm going to tell you right here and now that you don't have to play if you don't want to-- and IF you want to play you can take as long as you'd like. :)

Hugs,
Shellie

http://providence-carey.blogspot.com
http://babymaher-family.blogspot.com
http://www.riverjordan.us/cgi-bin/index.cgi
http://karenzach.com
http://www.pulpwoodqueen.com
http://rhondaredperry.blogspot.com
http://lesliemartinyoung.blogspot.com
http://colleenspiro.blogspot.com