Precious Emily Joy turns 17

Our Precious Emily Joy

April 3, 1992

April 3, 2009

Happy 17th Birthday Precious Emily Joy

Moose Car Wash

Mama & baby moose are washing Sarah's jeep.

Memories of Mom June 15, 1933 - February 28, 2008

Joy Brown

Friend & Mom at a birthday party

Beverly Joyce Brown 18yrs old

Joy Shaffer Wasilla Alaska 2007


Joy Shaffer Anchorage AK

Mom & Me Astoria Oregon

Mom and dad at my high school Graduation 1982

Mom at 15

BJ, Marvin, Barbara Jean, Mom on ground

May 22, 1961 Don L Shaffer & Beverly Joyce are married

Don's hot secretary Joy!! 1961

Joy at 9?

I'm pregos with Sarah Beth, Anchorage AK, mom was visiting

Beverly Joyce Brown graduation day, 17 yrs old

Astoria Oregon, Mom cutting dad's hair..what there was!

Dad and Mom Potters Marsh Alaska

Great Grandma Eva June Samuelson, Grandma Voilet Elaine McDonald, Mom holding Thomas

Mom fishing with my cousin Pat

Mom greeting me at the Anchorage International Airport 1982

Mom holding Thomas at 8 months

Mrs. Maxwell, Aunt Cyndi, Aunt BJ, Mom, Aunt Beth, Uncle Gerry

At Aunt JoAnn's house after Grandma Vi's memorial services

Melissa, Mom, Me and my cat Little Squirt

Caldwell Idaho

Dad, Thom, Mom, Melissa's graduation, Me

Longview WA, 1976

Mom and dad kissing and dancing in the kitchen

Caldwell Idaho

Multnomah Falls, Pam, Mom, Thom

Joy & Don in Hawaii at a banking function

Mom & Sarah Beth Warrenton Oregon

Mom & Emily Joy Warrenton Oregon

Dad, Sam & Mom Wasilla Alaska

Pam, Mom & Sarah Beth Anchorage Alaska

Happy 20th Birthday Sarah Elizabeth

January 28, 1989

Where did the time go.

Beautiful Last day of January

Sam took photos while working today.

Sorrow and Joy

An online friend's husband died this morning. She wasn't surprised by this, she is sad beyond measure, yet rejoicing that his pain is over. A dear sister in the Lord, she will navigate the hours, days, weeks and months without her precious highschool sweet heart, married 33 years, with only babies in Heaven to make her more eager to go. I am grateful to know her, and am familiar with her sorrow, and also with her rejoicing. It is agony to watch someone suffer and feel so helpless. When our selfish and selfless prayers are finally answered by God we hope to understand, to get a glimpse of how He was glorified by their suffering, or by our agony in watching. When our sovereign God stands to greet our loved one, we breathe, we let go of all the holding in we have done for weeks or months or years. We sigh, relieved of this duty that became a blessing to us. We wonder how to survive without them.... and in time remind ourselves that the One who holds our loved one now, the One who held us when we didn't know how we could do this for one more day, will hold us now.

Ready to Go Home

Dad is waiting for us to hit the road Thursday morning for his 9:30AM flight to Seattle. He had a short delay in Seattle, but no problem for this seasoned traveler.

Stan picked dad up from the airport and they went to dinner. I called about 8:30PM and they were just getting in. Long day for dad, but he sounded energized to be home.

It is always bittersweet when dad leaves. I know how much he misses his routine and his own home, but there is an emptiness when he leaves. Today the kids and I will wander around missing Poppa a lot.

Willy, on the other hand doesn't understand where Poppa went, they were inseparable. I think Dad should get a dog, he enjoyed Willy so much.

We miss you dad and look forward to your return!

Dying to Self

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely avoided, and you don't sting or hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ...That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart and don't defend yourself, but take it all in silence...That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear disorder, any irregularity, an impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility...and endure it as Jesus endured it...That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any amount of money, any clothes, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God,...That is dying to self.

When you no longer care to hear yourself in conversation or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, ...That is dying to self.

When you can see your Christian brother or sister prosper and have his or her needs met, and can honestly rejoice in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances,...That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly, as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart,...That is dying to self.

Are you dead yet? In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the cross, "That I may know Him..being made conformable to His death." Phil 3:10
Author unknown

The Reason for the Season

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Jesus

He came as a baby to save the world

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Matthew 1

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins."

22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"[d]—which means, "God with us."

24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

December in Alaska

Late afternoon sun.

PaPa and his helper Willy out shoveling snow. Willy is holding a football.

The first big dumping of snow

November

Papa and Thom arrived the 21st.

Tony had to sharpen the ax so PaPa could get started on the wood pile.

Here Thomas is thinking deeply....reading something on the computer.

PaPa patting Willy saying good boy!
Willy is Papa's buddy whenever he goes outside, they are quite a pair.



Thanksgiving was blessed. Lots of yummy food and a relaxing time for all.

Sam yelled....Dad, quick, something BIG!!!

So math was interrupted for a brief 15 minutes or so while we all rushed the window. Sam spotted a male pheasant in the yard. Time to go hunting!!