2022

Wow, has things changed in my life. Since the last time I blogged has been 10 years? Maybe more!We moved to Florida 5 years ago. Living with our daughter. What an adjustment to say the least. Lord help me as I remember things that happened and to let it go!

We had bought a home in 2005, our first home that we lived in that wasn’t a church owned.  Honey retired in 2003. Lived in a beautiful apartment in Huntsville Alabama.

Eightieth birthday.

June 16, 2020

Wow, today has been an eye opener . What is eighty? A number, age, feeling?
. As of today I feel great. Friends and family have acknowledge my birthday with greetings , fellowship, food, lots of words of love.
This world today is at odds, seems everyone has their own agenda. I actively pray that God  and I truly believe there is a God, hears our prayers, answers our prayers, people try to understand one another. We each are different, we are made that way. Help us to be mindful of the difference, patient in understanding of those difference.
I’m not eloquent in writing , not my gift, but my heart is stirred by the strife in this world.
A lot of things has taken place in the last 10 years ( maybe more) I retired , bought a house,( our first that we bought ourselves)  lost  our middle son,  I can’t begin to tell you of the sadness I feel even today .  Had to take a paper route to keep afloat, then took a pastorate. The pe if Calvary were the most absolutely kind, understanding and caring people.
Then my husband’s health deteriorates, we sell our home, move lock stock and barrel to Florida!
Wow!
Our daughter had been encouraging us to move I. With her. And we did!
That’s another thing!  We are still adjusting to life in Florida.
Now about the cats! I did not know I loved cats! Our daughter had rescued a beautiful tortoise shell “tortie “ named Josie! I fell in love with her and she fell into love with me!
That’s another story.
Then we got into feeding feral cats, feeding them, rescued three, now attempting to have four more spayed or neutered ( as to their sex) and returning to their colony.
Another story!
Many things to write of. Another day!
Take care.

December 29, 2014

Can't believe that it has been over 2 years that I have posted anything. The  ending of the year tends to make one evaluate what has happened. After Vann passed away, many unfortunate things happened . We lost money, had to take a job throwing papers for the Huntsville Times. What a rough time the next two years. W got a severe case of Shingles. hospitalized for several days. 
The last five years have been tough. Hopefully through the grace of God things will change.
God provided a miracle, our battery died, took it to Walmart, where we had purchased 2 years ago....man said it was under warranty....NO CHARGE! Yep, free! Thank you God for providing a blessing.
W and I have come to Orlando to be with Windy this Christmas, went to Jeffs last year. Had a great time, having a great time this Christmas.
Found a Nazarene Church, good service. Decidedly an elderly church! I don't think the music could get any slower. I remember when we lived in Florence, Alabama. The music leader was an older man and when I picked up the tempo, he would stop and say so kindly, " Lets slow it down just a little" while smiling!!!! Boy it was already slow!
Good service, probably will attend when we move here in a few years. God will provide the way to get here. It is a blessing that our daughter wants us to live with her. Praying for a miracle that we can live in our home until we are unable to. But it doesn't look like it will happen. Praying,
Happy new Year to all.♪☺♪

The writings of my beloved Husband Windell Leon Shirley

GOD CREATED:

If at any period or time, that nothing existed, it is then impossible for anything to exist. Science equates the philosophy that nothing can create nothing. Therefore this leaves us in a deep quandary. Here is the question. If there is “something”, Where did it come from? In order for there to be something, there had to be something from which it came. A molecule is very minute! But, minuteness however inexplicable diminutive it is, that molecule is something. How then did it happen, where did it arrive from?

Perhaps for many this subject is indeed one that is deep and almost impossible to give an answer. I must agree that if you leave out one very important ingredient you have a question that cannot be answered. There has to be an existent entity for any substance that is “to be”. The answer is then very simple. One word, “GOD”. In order for anything to exist and “be” there has to exist a supreme being. For creation to eventuate, an omnipotent creator had to exist. To those who cannot believe in the Divine, please give me a true and full meaning of created things. Oh, Evolution that is the beginning of everything. I do believe in Evolution, for the meaning of Evolution is “Change”. Look all around and you can see Evolution in our world. Change is taking place all the time. If you mean Change in the sense of one species being Evolving and Changing over succeeding time. Then that is the paramount dreams and theorems of men who desire to build scientific ideologies that in reality cannot be proved. How much their prognosis disturb and confuse the minds of those who failed to accept and believe God. The Bible, God’s word sounds out the paramount truth, “In the beginning God Created”.

For me to know and understand the vast things of God is impossible. I am a molecule swimming around in God’s test-tube of creation. In my very minute brain I continue and try to gain more earthly knowledge concerning those things that are inscribed in the Bible and those scriptures that God has inspired Holy men of the ages to write. My constant prayer is that God will open my mind and heart to gain more and more of his Great omnipotence love and grace.

WLS, 4/6/25

Reflections    March 14, 2015

What a day!

Several months ago I received a phone call from Dank, a Marine buddy of Vanns. Wanting to get together for a day to meet us, to know more about us and share their time with our son.

 Vann passed away suddenly on October 6, 2009. I cannot begin to tell you how our lives changed. My heart as well as his fathers was broken, crushed, torn apart  and any other adjective to describe how we felt.

Vann desired to join the service as a young twelve year old...we laughed when the recruiter called us and discussed Vann's desire  to join the Navy.  When he was seventeen he joined the Marines. My heart leaped with fear of what would happen to him in those days as a young man, going out into a world that could be crushing to him. But God in His infinite wisdom knew what He was doing. Me, I could not see it until now years later. 

I cried when  I had to sign my son into a different world than what he was use to. Not knowing he would meet and live with some of the finest other young men....who formed a relationship that will  last as long as eternity.

Found out later that the other two men who  lived and served with Vann , was coming with Dank for the visit. I was excited to meet these wonderful men. Vann had talked about them, mentioning their names, telling us about some things that they had done together .

I didn't realize or know that God had placed them together,  After boot camp they were stationed together the 3 1/2 years together, sharing , forming a bond that would last forever.

Stories were told on this day, we shed tears, laughed, talked, over and over again on the 14th day of March 2015. 

Dank tells that when on maneuvers, it was his birthday and felt like it was the worst day of the year, when suddenly Vann jumped into the trench handing Dank a birthday cake made out of his rations saying "happy birthday bro!"  Those are the things you don't forget, helping to make a terrible day into a wonderful day.

Ray and Tommy spoke of their sharing towels, soap ,etc while on board ship , making sure each one had the things they needed to get through the rough times...Can you imagine sharing a towel , washcloth among four young healthy men? Oh boy !!!! But those are the things that make a lasting impression on you.

As we talked together on March 14th, I begin to realize that each man , as they could not attend the funeral of our son, was making their last words about Vann  to us, giving us encouragement to know that our son was loved  above measure.

I thought that I would cry my eyes out, but my heart was happy that I could know the side of my son, who loved these men as brothers, tried to make their lives seem easier in a difficult time of their young lives . Some having familes, young children and some who had left their comfort level at home. How hard it was on these young families. Vann was the light moment, making them laugh...pretending to play an "air guitar on his rifle" after a time of the difficult maneuvers. Yes, that was our son. He was always trying to make a difficult time a lighter one that helps you to "get onto the better times".

As a young child, he would always try to make us laugh, I think he could sense the difficult time that we were going through as young parents, young ministers of the gospel, and basically being young and not knowing what to do!!!!  Vann was wise beyond his years....!

Back to March 14th...I cannot tell you enough how I feel. A bit happier knowing more about my son, relieved that he did "good" in a difficult time.

Thank  you my "sons" from another (mother and father lol) for making this day a day I will not forget.You will never know the depth of our gratefulness of your love to us.
Thank you Yolanda, Annette and Tina , for encouraging your husbands to come and pay their respects to us. You are the greatest. Next time you come with them!

My wish and desire is that you, Dank, Tommy and Ray  continue to keep your relationship even stronger as the times here on earth are short.

Vann was a member of that relationship, And while he is gone in body he is still a member of your spirits. I love each and every one of you.

May God bring His blessings on you everyday.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your blessings on us,

Your Alabama family , the Shirley's