**Disclaimer….this
will be a long posting.
It’s mainly for Jeff and I but if you find the time to read, I hope you
will be blessed J
A look in the rear view mirror at 2013………….
2013 was a year filled with many blessings and some
hard times too. I don’t recall a year
that hasn’t been that way…..the way of life……with all its ups and downs, joys
and tears, sweet memories and difficult trials.
As I jotted some things down to write in this posting, I was reminded,
once again, of God’s great faithfulness and the promise that He will never
leave nor forsake us. Thank
you, Lord!
We
started out the year with an event that shaped much of the year. On January 3rd, Jeff was on his
way to a Galena High School basketball game where he was overtaken with
something that scared all of us. It put
him in ER and we feared he was having a heart attack. However, the medical personnel determined it
was just an inner ear problem. This led
Jeff to a variety of doctors ending up with an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor who
diagnosed him with Meniere’s Disease. As
a result, Jeff suffered with life disabling vertigo, loss of hearing, etc. The doctor tried a few things without any
success in helping Jeff. In March, Jeff
underwent an expensive surgery where the doctor implanted a shunt to drain the fluid out of his ear. Disappointingly, this didn’t help. So the next step were very expensive ($1500) steroid injections in his
ears. That seemed to temporarily help for a short
time. He had a total of three of these.
In September, we went to central Arkansas to
attend our association’s Missions Symposium.
The first night, a pastor’s wife, that we don’t really know well, came
up to Jeff and said she felt the Lord wanted her to tell him something. She then relayed how her sister had all of
the same symptoms as Jeff (we still don’t
know how she even knew of Jeff’s problem as we are not in contact with her or her husband in any way). She said that after numerous doctor’s visits,
etc., her sister realized that the aspartame she was using was the root of her
problems. Jeff, in an effort to try to
lose some weight, had switched from real Cokes to diet Cokes and other diet
drinks over the last two years. He also
drank a lot of the Crystal Lite, etc.
The switch had not helped him lose weight, in fact, it seemed he had
gained weight. Just prior to this
conversation, I had read some articles posted on Facebook on the “poison” in our refrigerators and it was
talking about the diet sugars we all use.
So Jeff decided to give it a try and went cold turkey on all the diet stuff.
And within 2-3 weeks, he began to feel so much better and has not had a
vertigo attack since that time! Praise
the Lord. This has truly given
his life back to him. I hope by posting
this – that if any of my readers is struggling with vertigo, you will take heed
and cut out the artificial sugars! Jeff
feels so much better and we are both rejoicing and so grateful to that Pastor’s
wife and to the Lord for restoring his health to him!
In
January, my friend, Mary Mooney, said she was going to join Weight
Watchers. I knew that I needed to do
something about my weight. I was
diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2009 and had really become lax in 2012 with watching
what I was eating. So I joined Mary at
WW. With much diligence and lots of
exercise on my treadmill, I lost 25 pounds and even reached lifetime
status. However, this fall with the
holidays, etc., I have once again become lax and gained some of that back. So I must get back on track this year and
discipline this flesh!! Such a life-long
battle for me! Jeff and I together are
going to work on that!
A
big highlight of 2013 was the birth of our third grandchild
and our first grandson, Copeland Ware McCrary in May. Copeland was born to Rachel and Jonathan and
is such a joy and delight to all of us.
We sure do love this little guy and his two sweet cousins, Laine and
Ellie. More pictures to follow a little
later in this posting of wonderful memories we have had with these three babies
this year!
We
are now into our fifth year of Jeff as Pastor of First Baptist Church,
Galena. We are so grateful for this
church family in their love, support and encouragement to us. With all Jeff’s health issues this year, they
were so good to stand beside us and support Jeff and allow him to step back a
little in some of his responsibilities until he got the health issue under
control. Thank you, FBC Family!! We can’t help but feel that part of Jeff’s
struggles were directly from Satan as he was preaching verse by verse this past year
(and in 2012) through the book of
Revelation. The Devil does not want preachers
or teachers to preach about the end of
times and his ultimate destruction. But
Jeff persevered and finished the book.
Many in our church and those who listened to the podcasts on our website
said they learned more through that series than they have their entire
Christian life. It also reminded all of
us that Jesus is coming!!! And He is coming soon! Oh, how we pray, you are ready to meet Him
when He does. If you aren’t sure, Jeff
would love to visit with you about that.
Feel free to contact him through his website: www.jeffswart.com.
We
had a large renovation at the church done this year. It’s been such a wonderful addition. 5,600+ square feet with additional classrooms,
bathrooms, Youth room, larger and remodeled commercial kitchen, and fellowship
hall. What a blessing it has been to
us!! A huge thank you to Dave and Leigh
Ryan for leading out in this major project.
Now we are in the process of remodeling and enlarging our nursery area
and adding another bathroom and eventually will remodel the front bathrooms
too.
We
were thrilled to see souls saved, believers baptized, and new families join our
church family during 2013. It was a
great year at FBC!
Ladies
Bible Studies are a passion of my heart and so grateful that many of the gals
from FBC join me each semester. In the
Spring, we did Ann Voskamp’s “One
Thousand Gifts” and in the fall, we did the first half of Beth Moore’s
study, “A Heart Like His” on the life
of David. We will finish that study this
winter, resuming in a couple of weeks.
So thankful for the freedom and opportunity to study God’s Word with
other ladies in a comfortable home setting!
(I have often wondered how long
that freedom is going to last the way our country is heading L).
A
large group of our ladies go each year to Extraordinary Women Conference in
Tulsa. Always a great time!
We
are so grateful to the church for allowing us to attend and paying all the expenses to several meetings and retreats
during the year. The National Meeting
was in Moore, Oklahoma and was filled with unity and excitement over the
direction the Baptist Missionary Association of America is heading. As I mentioned earlier, we attended the
Missions Symposium in Arkansas.
October,
we attended the encouraging and relaxing Pastors’ Oasis in Branson
And in November, we attended the fun Senior Adult Conference, also in Branson
Our
children have also had some highlights and of course some hard times as well.
Andy, Carman, Laine and Ellie are doing well. Andy is still lead pastor at Metro Church in Rogers. The church has really grown the last couple of years. In fact, it was featured in one of the Southern Baptist Magazines as the “fastest growing church in Arkansas.” They have outgrown their present facility and are seeking God’s leading in a larger facility. Andy and Carman, in an effort to seek financial freedom, decided to downsize, sell their home and try to get out of debt. So they were able to sell their house this past summer and moved to a small rental house in Rogers. Carman has also taken care of Copeland ever since Rachel went back to work after his birth. What a blessing that is to all! And I love how close that the girls and Copeland are becoming as a result of being together. We are so thankful that both Andy & Carman and Rachel and Jonathan have allowed their children to come often this year and stay with Jeff and I. A major blessing!!!
Rachel and Jonathan have had a full year! The first of the year, Jonathan got a new job with George’s Chicken in the computer engineering department. He is really enjoying it and the challenges it brings to him. In the spring, they bought their first home in Lowell. Then in May, they welcomed their first baby boy. In July, Rachel returned as Kindergarten teacher in Rogers. I know that she is a wonderful teacher and so glad she followed her dream and achieved this. She hopes to take a few years off in the near future to raise her children but will always be a teacher at heart.
It’s
been a difficult couple of years for Josh and Erika. Sadly, they are in the process of
divorce. Of course, I will not go into
any details, but many of you have asked about them, so that is what’s going
on. If any of you have experienced
divorce in your family, you know how difficult it is. There are no winners. It hurts all those involved and their
families. We appreciate your prayers for
Josh and for Erika that God will give leading, comfort, and strength for the
days ahead. Jeff and I love them
both. We were thankful to have some time
with Josh last week and also to see Erika for a little while. I love this picture of Josh with his nieces
and nephew. He loves them and they sure
love him in return….Uncle JJ J. Josh still works for the musical group, Journey. When he's not on the road, he works for Vista in Bentonville. It's a school for troubled children.
There
have been several memorable times during the year with immediate and extended
family and we treasure each memory!!
Almost all of our family gathered over the July 4th holiday
in Bella Vista. Here are a few pictures:
Jeff's 60th surprise birthday party in July
Thanksgiving in Branson
Christmas in Bella Vista
Mom and her girls at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville in the Spring
Mom and us girls and husbands, Christmas in Girard
And
as I said earlier, we got some sweet, sweet times keeping the
grandchildren. I have posted many of
these in various postings during the year, but am including again in this
writing.
In Branson in the Spring
Copeland's birth
Bella Vista in July
At Metro Church in July
Rachel's house when I was keeping Copeland
This summer at Cunningham Park in Joplin
This Fall at Andy & Carman's
At FBC's Trunk or Treat in October
November Sunday in Jeff's office
Thanksgiving in Branson
Silver Dollar City in November
Christmas in Bella Vista
New Years Day in Bella Vista
God
reminds us each year of the fragility of life….we were very saddened to lose
two of our good preacher friends: Frank
Martin and Ernie Watson. Being a pastor’s
wife, I am especially sad for their wives and praying diligently for Anita and
Barbara. Love you both!
And
as I have mentioned in an earlier posting, it was heartbreaking for us to walk
the path of life and death with baby Jaci Grace Meyr. Her parents were told several months before
she was born that she had Trisomy 18, which is a chromosome deficiency. The doctor didn’t think she would live until
birth and if she did, she would most probably pass within 24 hours. However, little Jaci was much stronger that
we thought and she lived for 6 weeks.
During those 6 weeks, she touched the lives of so many people and we
know, without a doubt, that she fulfilled God’s complete plan for her
life. We are praying that people will
continue to be changed for the better from Jaci’s life and death. Her parents, Matt and Breanna, sisters, Riley and
Emma and brother, Lane, grandparents Troy & Diane Wade and Dave &
Rhonda Meyr and aunts and uncles showed forth so much faith and strength that
was very admirable. Our continued love
and prayers are with all as they move on with life without this precious baby
girl. We all look forward to the day we
will be reunited with Jaci in Heaven!!
How we love you, sweet, sweet girl!
This
was a big year for both Jeff and me as we reached that age “milestone” of 60 years old!
Whew. It doesn’t seem that long
ago, that we thought 60 year old people were ancient J. So I guess we are officially old! It’s ok!
We wouldn’t go back to a younger age for anything…..we are looking
forward to the end of life more and more as we know it’s so much better than
anything behind us! We also celebrated
our 41st wedding anniversary this month. That’s just 9 years from the big golden 50th
– WOW – now that does make us ancient!!
But instead of looking at it that way, I’m just so grateful for the
wonderful 41 years God has given Jeff and me as husband and wife. What a blessed journey it has been!!
Today
is Sunday, January 05, 2014 – and it was a “snow”
day for us! No church as a
result. It’s brutally cold outside and
going to get even colder with the morning temps on Monday in the below 0 digits.
Goodness! We got around 6”, I
imagine. You all know I love snow
though, so have enjoyed my snow day with some delicious snow ice cream:
And
now we are in a New Year! 2014……I am looking forward to
getting back on track with my weight and exercise; finishing up the study on
David and beginning another study in the fall.
Of course, many more fun times with our children, grandchildren, and
extended family. There may even be a
trip with the kids and grandkiddo’s to DisneyWorld in the Fall (if everyone can save enough pennies). Jeff and I can’t wait to experience DW with
those grandkids. We have wonderful
memories of many trips there with our kids growing up.
And
then looking far ahead into 2015, if
the Lord delays His return, Jeff will be leading another Holy Land Tour, April
28--May 9, 2015. If you would like
information about that, please let him know (again
you can contact him through his website that I gave earlier).
Jeff, who has been a
student of prophecy for many years, really feels strongly that Jesus is coming
soon. Each day, more and more prophecies
are being fulfilled and there is nothing that needs to happen to prevent Jesus’
return. We have exciting days ahead!!
Even so, Come
Lord Jesus!!!
