WHY SO MANY ELECTIONS? 
Elections are my business. It's what I do. I've been studying how Elections take place here in Oklahoma for absolutely years even before it was my job. I know, rather pathetic. 
None the less, I want to educate you, my friends on a few things. 
Every year our State Legislators set the election dates for the year ahead. In odd-numbered years there is a possibility of 11 different election dates. This means that there are 11 times during the year that Municipalities, School Districts, Fire Districts, Counties or even the State can call for a "Special" election. This "Special" means an election is not planned, ie.. tax issues, bonds, changes in laws. There are also planned elections during these odd-numbered years that happen every time. School Board is in February, Municipal in April.
Now here's where it gets crazy because I could never understand it before I was in office and continue to be perplexed now that I'm here. When entities call for an election the month before a planned election, or the month after a planned election, when they could piggyback on to the dates of "planned" elections and save taxpayers money and quite honestly have a much higher voter turnout.
I get phone calls at my office, consistently from voters wondering why I would schedule an election when it could have been with the planned ones. The Election Board is not the one that plans them or calls them. We only facilitate them.
The other phone calls we get consistently is voters calling wanting to know why they didn't know that there was an election or what it is all about. We at the Election Board send out press releases to all the media for every election. The Election Board does not promote. We notify via the Media outlets, but if they fail to run the stories on the "front page" many voters will never know.
Every Monday before an Election Contest takes place we will place signs out in front of the affected polling places. If there is a sign out at your normal polling place there is an Election happening. It may or may not affect you, depending on if it is a Municipal, School or Fire District. But if you don't know you can either call us at the Election Board or stop in on Election Day. Election Days in Oklahoma are always on a Tuesday.
I hope that if you have pondered any of these questions and wondered why that this enlightens you.
This message is brought to you by your favorite Secretary of the Rogers County Election Board. 😉Have a great day!

Remembering my Cousin Jr.

Garry Wesley Hines Jr. was born on April 14, 1958. He died December 6 2014. He was 56 years old. Garry was preceded in Death by His Father Garry Wesley Hines Sr. and His Mother Sonya Hines, His Daughter Lauren Michelle, and his wife Karen. 
As the first grand son on both sides he was doted on. His Paternal Grandparents gave him the nickname of Peanut because of his minute size when he was born. Altho, Jr. continued to carry the nickname of Peanut it ceased to be a name referring to his size and was just a nickname of endearment. Peanut quickly outgrew everything. He was quite the tyke and by the age of 10 was clearly gaining on his mother. It was during his early teen-aged years that his mom brought home his baby cousin Marty to be his little brother. Of course there was adjusting that needed to happen but one thing for sure, Marty was his little brother and Family was to be protected at all costs. Sure, life was crazy and Marty was treated like any other little brother, the teasing and picking sometimes never stopped, but don't let an outsider start something because Jr. was there in a heart beat.
When Jr was a teen he got his first car. Bo and Luke Duke had nothing on him. Getting to spend most of his time down at Mazie's Landing and Mission Bend the roads and open fields were his playground. He marked his territory with tire tracks on the roads or embedded in the fields. Jr. Graduated from Catoosa High School in 1978. It was during this time that his talent at the Pool Table started earning him play money.
Just like a young Minnesota Fats, Jr learned the magic of the hustle. His smile was infectious and he soon started taking his little brother or his cousins out to the pool halls, all with the permission of the adults who happened to be in charge. This is where the hustle began, he would spend time teaching his new protege how to strike the cue ball and knock another ball into the pocket. Before long a bystander would want to take the table and Jr would get them to make a wager. The young ones would start the game. Then the challenger might get one or even two balls into the pockets. Then Jr. would step up and the game was over. He would proceed to knock every single ball in and clear the table. Once in a while the challenger would catch on to the hustle and Jr on at least two occasions grabbed the cousin under his arm and high tailed it out the door before blood was shed. Of course the greenbacks made it out the door as well, either held tightly in his fist or stuffed in his pocket.
Jr. enjoyed and embraced life with gusto. He was passionate about family and lived by a code, that one should always stand up and take care of family, that code also was for Jr's friends... if it required knocking a few heads together he was front and center willing to do the knocking.
Jr spent years doing odd jobs here and there never really landing in a particular position. He did work as a bouncer on more than one occasion. The Peanut had grown into a man that could intimidate the fiercest brawler. But he had that smile the one that landed on more than just in the up turned curve of his mouth but it reflected in his eyes.
It was that smile that caught the eye of a Nurse. Nurse Karen. Jr.and Karen quickly became an item and before long they moved in together. Even before he Married Karen he became Mr Mom to her two daughters Jennifer and Kara. He was tough and taught the girls to be tough. Then on November 22, 1990 his life forever changed, his daughter Lauren Michelle arrived into the world. She was the light of his life. She was a tough one as well and he taught her and her sisters to be some of the best softball players in the country.
Though out his life Jr. Struggled with addictions. Those addictions often landed him into trouble but the one anchor of his life was the love he had for his little girl.
When Lauren became a teen she began struggling with debilitating health issues and after months even years of medical issues she died Jan. 4, 2007, in Wagoner at the age of 16. The light of Jr.s life became only a smolder.
Depression can have horrible consequences for those that struggle with addictions. For Jr, It was not just the addictions but the havoc he took on his body with years of abuse and also having diabetes that caused many medical emergencies. After years of depression and continued struggles with addictions the glowing embers of his life got doused when his wife Karen passed away at home Feburary 6, 2013.
Since the passing of his wife Jr had been in and out of the hospital more than a dozen times. He would try to be happy but his heart was broken. When the doctors would tell him something he didn't want to hear he would fire them and check himself out.
During his last stay at the hospital the Doctors told him he needed to have his leg amputated. Jr. was tired, he didn't want them cutting on him any more. The day before he died he decided to allow the doctors to remove the infected leg. He was looking for the quality of life he had left not the quantity. He really didn't want the surgery, what he wanted was to be with his wife and child. God granted him his request. Jr peacefully left this world in the early morning hours on December 6, 2014.

To All the Mothers of Boys.... both old and young

Boys Will Be Boys 

Mothers all around the world who have indoor plumbing continue to have issues with their son’s bad habits. Some Mothers are ready to revert to the old days, and send their boys outside to water the lawn, so to speak. When boys are young, mothers have been known to toss cheerios into the toilet, allowing target practice to take place. Under a mother’s advisement, companies have developed bright multi-colored target shapes to tempt boys to take control and not miss. Still, as their boys grow up, mothers continue to clean up all the time knowing their sons aimed better at three than they do at six or even nineteen. Sinking the targets as a youngster may have something to do with the problems mothers encounter today. Could it be these young men are crying out to garner more attention? Do they yearn to see the targets again? Did they become bored? Considering documented history, maybe someone should create toilet targets that make bombing noises, as the old saying goes; “boys will be boys”, and they love to make noise. 

The Dating Game, Is He the Right One?

I am over the top with concern about my girls and lady friends who are venturing the dating jungle. For some of you the thought of stepping into the dating game after a long sabbatical gives you hives. For some of you dating is not anything, it’s a free meal and interesting conversation. There are some of you that are excited to finally be old enough that your parents are finally acquiescing you to date.

You all are the ladies I want to talk to. I am going to give you a few things to mull over and hopefully something I say will be applicable to your lives. Because, if you are one of my girls you deserve the best, and I want you to give you ways where you can lay flags down that you can grab easily as warnings.

We grow up dreaming about our handsome prince, about the strong cowboy, about the Doctor, Lawyer, or the body builder who will sweep us off our feet with flowers, candlelight dinners, walks in the park and whisper sweet nothings in our ear. Our binge watching of romantic flicks like Sabrina, Kate and Leopold, The Wedding Planner, or Cinderella have made our minds mush when it comes to reality. But, I’m here to tell you there is some truth of what we see on the movie screen and what we should expect from potential suitors.

First of all, have you really put things down on paper of what you desire and expect in a potential mate? WHAT? MATE? You said MATE… Yes, a mate. There is only one reason to date and that is to find the person whom you find compatible, a potential one whom you could marry. Because you never want to date someone who you couldn’t see yourself married to. My Granny told me that.

Step one. Let’s make a man plan. Write down at least 20 traits you think are very important for your potential husband to have, over time you may find that there are some things that aren’t as important as others and you can refine those things or even remove them from your list.  Let me share with you my list that was created a long time ago:

He must be a Christian that has a very strong walk with God

He must be a gentleman

He must enjoy Super Hero Movies and Star Wars

He must like kids
He must be willing to toss a football or a baseball

He must like old people
He must be willing to attend political functions and enjoy himself
He must have good behavior (no drinking, cussing, yelling or hitting)
He must be a hard worker
He must be financially stable

He must cherish me and love my kids

He must be an encourager
He must like dogs

He must like to travel

He must be self-assured

Let me assure you that there are all types of things you can put on your list. Age, height, weight, ect. Ect. Ect. The thing is you should be aware of what you want in a potential husband and don’t date those who fail to meet at least a portion of your must haves. Because we are human and we can easily be swept away and lose sight, and in so doing, get our heart strings broken, when the red flags start appearing. Love doesn’t have to be blind. There’s no reason to settle for relationships that are unhealthy or even harmful, because I guarantee you that you can’t change him, He is on his very best behavior now while you are dating him, it’s downhill or straight and narrow from this point on, it’s doesn’t get better.

God cares about you. He cares about the one you marry. And you can trust He will give guidance or even some red flags to be aware of along the way, thus the reason for the man plan and revisiting it periodically.

Now for you naysayers, No I’m not married, not right now. But I was married, I was married for almost 7 years to my best friend, and the plan you see above is almost exactly the same as it was before I met my husband. I added 3 things. J My husband has been gone for 16 years, but one day I’ll meet the next man God has planned for me, and I will review my man plan before I let my heart get away. Just as you should check off each item with each potential suitor, some might be far from the items on your list, while others will surprise you on how well they match your list. The thing to remember is, that this list can grow and evolve, it’s not stagnate, because it’s you, its how you grow with each new relationship or heartache.  

Dating dos and don’ts

Think about this, if he asks you out to dinner and a movie, it is his responsibility to pay. ALWAYS! He is getting the pleasure of your company. When a man pays you don’t owe him anything except a "Thank You." Some women feel it’s just polite to offer to pay. Others feel compelled to pay so they don’t owe a man anything in exchange for dinner. This is nonsense. You don’t owe a man anything when he buys you dinner except a gracious thank you and a warm smile. If he has other expectations, he is probably not the right man for you.

Now let me say this, there are a few exceptions and I mean very few scenarios where it is acceptable for a lady to pay for a man. Scenario one; if the two of you are wanting to see a movie together and you know he can’t pay, it is quite acceptable that you pay for yourself. Did you see that? It is OK that you pay for YOURSELF, remember, he needs to pay his own way or he doesn’t need to go. Just saying.  Scenario two; It’s his birthday. No need to say more.  Scenario three; say that you have been dating for some time and your anniversary is on the horizon, it is perfectly fine to surprise him with dinner and his favorite movie, or maybe a game of putt-putt.  

Remember this, you don’t have to have money to have a good time. There are many things you can do together that are not pricy. Going for a walk in the park, collect leaves on a hike, visit a museum, go window shopping after hours, enjoy a picnic. The thing to remember, here is that he should be engaged enough that he makes plans, those are the signs of a leader.

If you’re supporting your boyfriend and paying for everything now - this may not change much later. Is he a hard worker? Does he have a job? Is he a workaholic? Does he have secretive spending habits? Addiction to gambling? Insurmountable debt? Once married, these patterns can worsen when the stressors of family life and responsibilities mount high. Money problems and financial struggles are one of the main causes of divorce

There are many ways a man can show you that he cherishes you, without showering loads of money on you. Does he open your door? If you are driving and in need of fuel, does he hop out and fill your gas tank? If he sits in the car while you go pay and take on the dirty work of filling-up you might want to quickly mark him off your list.

Does he wash your windows? Does he suggest that you wash the car together? Did he take you on a walk and pick flowers then graciously hand them to you? When you walk together down the sidewalk does he walk on the side next to the road? If you trip on the sidewalk/floor/stairs does he reach out to steady you? Does he take the downward steps first or the upwards steps last? Does he put his phone down and look at you? Does he respect you and your values and lines, or does he try to belittle them?

Date a believer. Missionary dating and marriage will be a road of extra struggle. If you hold vastly different spiritual beliefs now, don’t falsely assume you’ll get him to “turn around,” or change his ways later.  Stick to your guns on what you really want Remember what you see now is the best it gets. Be careful not to settle for less than what God would want for the spiritual health and care of your marriage.

Nothing is impossible with God. Absolutely nothing. However it is a good idea to have those flags laid out to grab and make yourself revisit your man plan.

Waiting is hard, believe me, this is something I know better than most. What can you do? Pray, Pray that God will guide and give you wisdom. Pray that he will keep you in check, that you don’t try to escalate a relationship faster just because you want a relationship.  Ask for His protection and help in making the best choices about any relationship.

Believe the best about yourself. You are valuable, you are treasured by God. Do not believe the lies that you are “less than,” or need to settle for one you can’t fully trust, or may not treat you respectfully or lovingly. A good man will do more than proclaim his love for you he will cherish you and show you his love in a multitude of ways.

God is so good to us in so many ways. There is no way we can have it all figured out or be able to see what, or who, is ahead. But God knows. His timing is perfect. His ways are good. God is at work behind the scenes where we can’t see. Don’t think for a minute He’s forgotten you. He cares. He wouldn’t give us a desire to have a mate and not supply. It may be that we aren’t ready yet, or it could be that our future husband is not ready yet.

Elections~ Why so Many?

Elections are my business. It's what I do. I've been studying how Elections take place here in Oklahoma for absolutely years even before it was my job. I know rather pathetic.
None the less, I want to educate you, my friends on a few things.
Every year the our State Legislators set the election dates for the year ahead. In odd numbered years there is a possibility of 11 different election dates. This means that there are 11 times during the year that Municipalities, School Districts, Fire Districts, Counties or even the State can call for a "Special" election. This "Special" means an election is not planned, ie.. tax issues, bonds, changes in laws. There are also planned elections during these odd numbered years that happen every time. School Board is in February, Municipal in April.

Now here's where it gets crazy, because I could never understand it before I was in office and continue to be perplexed now that I'm here. When entities call for an election the month before a planned election, or the month after a planned election, when they could piggyback on to the dates of "planned" elections and save taxpayers money, and quite honestly have a much higher voter turnout.

I get phone calls at my office, consistently from voters wondering why I would schedule an election when it could have been with the planned ones. The Election Board is not the one that plans them or calls them. We only facilitate them.
The other phone calls we get consistently is voters calling wanting to know why they didn't know that there was an election or what it is all about. We at the Election Board send out press releases to all the media for every election. The Election Board does not promote. We notify via the Media outlets, but if they fail to run the stories on the "front page" many voters will never know.

Every Monday before an Election Contest takes place we will place signs out in front of the effected polling places. If there is a sign out at your normal polling place there is an Election happening. It may or may not affect you, depending on if it is a Municipal, School or Fire District. But if you don't know you can either call us at the Election Board or stop in on Election Day. Election Days in Oklahoma are always on a Tuesday.

I hope that if you have pondered any of these questions and wondered why, that this enlightens you.

This message is brought to you by your favorite Secretary of the Rogers County Election Board. Have a great day!

Pledging Allegiance ~ What Does it Mean?

I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation Under God, Indivisible with Liberty and Justice for all.

Where did this pledge come from and what was the intention of the writer? In 1892 Francis Bellamy, composed this pledge and published it in a children's magazine, so children could feel a sense of pride and thereby encourage them to love their country.

I have to wonder if today, we as citizens of this great Nation really understand what we are pledging our allegiance to ~ what does it mean when we say the words of this pledge? It should be more than lip service, more than empty words.

It is an oath of loyalty. It is a promise to be true to follow and obey and never to renounce, desert, or betray. We are pledging our faithfulness to our Flag which is a representation, a symbol of our country. It is a loyalty for which our armed forces are willing to lay their life on the line, so that we may continue to be free.

These United States of America are states that bound themselves together for a common purpose. That common purpose was to create a country where the people choose others to make laws for them —a government for the people, by the people.

Our Republic stands upon the foundation set up by our forefathers represented by our flag, Old Glory. Together we are One Nation designed to be ruled by its citizens in a representative government.

In a republic we have the right to speak freely and vote for our leaders who run the government. In our republic, we also live in democracy (democracy means the people run the country and they make the laws.)

The phrase "Under God" acknowledges the dependence of our people and our Government upon a supernatural being. We are creatures who are indebted to our creator who granted us certain inalienable rights.
We are Indivisible, we are a country that does not want to be split into parts—this stands as a reminder of  the Civil War. It should also remind us that We The People are of many ethnic and cultural backgrounds who all have a common dream. It is the "liberty and justice for all" that binds our Nation. That Liberty and Justice is a balance between equality and individual freedom.  This is the most important part of the Pledge. This means everyone should be treated fairly and all citizens should be entitled to the same freedoms

We are the United States of America ~ and when we recite this pledge, we should feel the impact of these words from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet. Together we as a Nation stand as one, we are entitled to speak our hearts to have a difference of opinion. Yet it is these words that should unite us ~  we have the same dream of our forefathers ~ to live in a nation without tyranny. A Nation that gives justice fairly to all its citizens.

Next time you lay your hand over your heart and recite the pledge, remember that the words you are reciting came at a cost. These words should resonate within your heart before they pass through your lips.

Enjoy this Independence Day!

Loosing our Freedom

Did you Vote in the Oklahoma State Primary? I'm going to get on my soap box here. 


It is the loud minority that has a voice because ~ they get out and vote. Conservatives are notorious for being just that ~ conservative in act and deed. The Conservative person has spent years refining their lifestyle becoming more and more quiet and reserved. However, this personality trait will be the doom of the Conservative... it will be their march into slavedom. Yes, your read me right, Slavedom. 

Yesterday's turnout at the Primary was atrocious! Tulsa County has 13% turn out Rogers County had about 20%. 

Let's break it down...In the Republican races about 8K voters our of 25K made the decision on the Sheriff and County Clerk races... That's 34% of registered Republicans.Where were the other 66%? 

"WOW" ?

You may think that's awesome... really? That's not even a passing grade. We have 54,000 people registered to vote in Rogers County. Less than 13,000 voted. What a shame on us the American voter. 

WE have a Right to VOTE... a right that has been bought with a blood sacrifice of our forefathers. If that doesn't make the hair stand up on the back of your neck think of it this way... 


God gave us a gift of allowing us to be born in this great Nation ... We could have been born under a flag of totalitarian rule, instead he granted us birth in a Nation that allowed for freedoms like no other.
 What are we going to do with the freedom we have been blessed with? Squander our freedom because we don't want to take the time to learn about the candidates...because we don't want to stop our busy life for a few minutes to cast a ballot? 

We are a generation of spoiled brats. Give me give me give me. Me me me.... 


The last generation that truly had to sacrifice for us to retain our freedom are those who lived during WWII. What are we doing to keep our freedom intact for the next generation? the generation of our children and grandchildren?

There is an opportunity to vote again in August and in November. Will you take the time to educate yourself and your family on the issues and candidates? Remember it's not just your Freedom you are throwing away when you don't vote but that of the next generation!

Haunting Fears After 30 Years

Sometimes you have a bad experience at a young age and it traumatizes you, even 30 years later as an adult. It becomes a dark sinister place that makes you start to cry at just the mention of its name. The very thought that you might have to revisit that episode in your life can send you into a panic attack. Night-terrors haut your dreams when the topic comes up in conversation. Your body begins to tremble just because you know of someone else planning to visit place of your worst fear.

I guess you must be wondering what in the world traumatized me so much that it continues to make me break out into a cold sweat at the mere mention of its name....What I'm talking about has thousands of people gripped in fright, so I'm not alone...yes, it's true, you know of what I am speaking... in your mind you hear the high pitched zing and it makes your jaw quiver at the memory. I'm speaking of the dreaded odious dentist visit.

 dun dun dun...

When I was 18 I went to the dentist for the very last time. (at least I thought it would be). The dentist decided that he would pull one of my permanent teeth because I had a cavity. My very first cavity, mind you, and he thought that rather than trying to save my tooth, he needed to get rid of it. Only when he started to pull it hurt. It hurt bad. I tried to stop him but he was deep in conversation (flirting with his assistant) who proceeded to hold my hands down despite my writhing effort to stop him. "Oh, your fine, you need to be still" was all I got. I left that day, never intending to ever step foot into another dentist office as long as I lived.

Speed up to current time... One of my closest friends works for a dentist. When I got a job two years ago that had dental insurance she began working on me. "Julie, you need to make an appointment." hu, no thank you. On and on it went until finally she broke me down with the help of my children.

So 3 months ago I, Julie Dermody found myself laying in the supine position in a dental chair. Tears, lots of tears traveled down my cheeks. The prior two days every time I thought about my appointment brought an onslaught of  more tears. My 18 year old daughter had to drive. The kids had appointments as well. They made me go first. They knew that if I had had any more time to think I might have backed out.

There I was with my mouth wide open, tears seeping from the corners of my eyes, breathing deeply, sucking every ounce of the Nitrous gas I could, the scraping began. Just writing this is making my eyes fill with water, and my insides quake. Inside my head it was in stereo loudly...scratch, scratch, scrape.... like fingernails on a chalk board. It went on a on.

My kids held my hand and patted me soothingly and softly saying "you're ok mom, you'll be fine" and more tears would escape my eyes. Even with the nitrous gas I still tightly gripped their hands while I silently cried. I was there for a cleaning. Thirty years of build up, yet the hygienist said it wasn't bad. Then came the dentist, poking around with that pointy thing explaining the bad news... I had 3 cavities. I would have to come back and get fillings. I broke out in a cold sweat, more tears started flowing. The thought of returning was giving me heart palpitations.

Both of the kids had cavities as well. They had more than me and they've been going to the dentist once or twice a year since they were born almost. My friend sweetly set up the appointments for the kids. Then she looked at me. "how about I'll just call you the day before and tell you to be here?" yep, that might work then I won't have to think about it. "OK" I said.

Yesterday morning my cell phone rang on my way to work. "Julie, you have an appointment in the morning at 8:30" ....silence.... chirp chirp chirp .... "You OK?" concern in her voice brought me back to reality. Yes, I'll be there. Inside I was quaking. The tears started filling my eyes. "The Doctor said you can take a valium if you would like" OK... I might do that. I called my daughter and informed her that she needed to be available to take me to the dentist the next morning. "Oh, momma.." she said with concern... "You'll be ok"....

I prayed most the night and  remarkably God comforted me enough that I did not feel the need to take a pill that would knock me out. I didn't even cry when we went into the office. (this is a first for me). I did however experience shaking in my bones as I walked back into the room with the chair. It was like taking the walk of death. I know, my drama queen is expressing herself. But it was scary.

They sat me down and immediately began the Nitrous Gas. "Breathe Deeply" I thought to myself. Soon I was floating, feeling no pain and it was a nice place. Until they stuck a rubber block in my mouth and began the drilling. My heart began to get more rapid in its beating. I could feel the beads of sweat spring out on my forehead. On and on and on it went. Zing zing zing zzzzzzing.... then the dentist proceeds to tell me she has to get the "big gun" out. OH MY GOODNESS! I felt the vibrations all the way to my eye sockets. It sounded like she kept hitting the wrong area and I was concerned that my teeth were going to crack. I don't even want to mention the smell. It was horrible!

I was never so thankful than when she said "OK that'll do it" ... she then began to fill the holes she drilled out. They let me sit there for 10 minutes just breathing Oxygen. My kite flying body needed to come down off its high. I needed to walk out of the office not be carried. My jaw fills heavier. I know I must be off my rocker but it feels much heavier than the other side. Weird. Then I'm told I'll need to come back for the other side. I think I glared at my friend. I love her but this is all her fault.

I'm Getting OLD?

My birthday is next week. I'll be 49... forty-nine... wow. Can I really be that old? I'll admit that sometimes my body screams in retaliation to something that I might do the day before. For instance, lifting a 50 pound box or pushing a shelving unit that tops 500 pounds or placing my foot along side my 5'3" son's cheek in a mock sparring session. I'm strong......strong willed maybe a better word. After I complete one of these tasks the following morning I find that there are places in my body that hurt like never before. One of these days I might learn but its so easy to forget that yes, I am getting older, even though I feel like i'm 20.

Reflection~ My daughter is graduating June 2 from High School. She is 18~ how fast time flies. I remember when she was still inside me, making me toss my cookies every day. Then when she was born and how tiny she was and how I longed to hold her but couldn't. She spend the first 2 weeks of her life in NICU, how she would pull her wires off to get attention. It was the hardest time leaving the hospital with out my baby. I remember bringing her home for the first time, so tiny yet determined. When she was three and all she wanted to do was prance around on a stage and sing. How she knew with out coaxing to wink at judges and blow them kisses. Fond memories of how she took care of her baby brother when our world started to collapse. How she had unshakable faith in God... showing me a grace that God blessed her with from the start. When her dad died she shed no tears but sang songs of praise knowing she would someday see him again. She comforted me. Now she is a woman with a stronger faith and solid foundation than I had at her age. I'm excited to see where God leads her as she takes on the path that God has laid out before her.

So excuse this momma who is getting older as she sheds a few tears of pride for a daughter who reflects the light of Christ. I am so proud of the woman she has become!

Tenacious Heritage: In Christ Alone

Tenacious Heritage: In Christ Alone: Not quite sure what it was today that set the tone for my heart to be overwhelmed with the feeling of emptiness, and sorrow. But there I was...

In Christ Alone

Not quite sure what it was today that set the tone for my heart to be overwhelmed with the feeling of emptiness, and sorrow. But there I was sitting in Church this morning between my daughter and my daughter's best friend's boyfriend. I looked both directions down the row of chairs, there were 2 couples on either side of me holding hands with their counterpart. Suddenly I had this overwhelming feeling of loss, of realizing I was alone, and very likely to be alone for the rest of my life. At that moment I missed my husband more than I have missed him since he had passed away nearly 13 years ago. 
I guess you might wonder how the feeling of loss could be so fresh after 13 years, all I can say is that I loved my husband, he was my other half, my counterpart, my best friend. We were only married for 6 1/2 years but we shared a commonality, a friendship and a deep desire to please God. We thought we would grow old together, that we would rock grand-babies on our knees. Never in a thousand years would I have imagined that the dream of the future would never come to fruition. 

1 Peter 2:21

21 For zto this you have been called, ybecause Christ also suffered for you, aleaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Today's Sunday School lesson was good,  It brought home and verified some of the scripture that I studied when Jim was sick. Looking back at that time I have to say, I don't think that the experience was really suffering, because God saw after all our needs. The loss of a loved one is always difficult and who am I to say that my experience would be considered "suffering" when I know there are so many more out there who has it much worse than I did. 

1 Peter 4:19

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will lentrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

 The start of the feelings began there and then exasperated during the church service. That's when I looked down the row of chairs and looked at the hands clasped in affection. Then we began to sing "In Christ Alone" ~ I was a goner. 

In Christ Alone lyrics

Songwriters: Getty, Julian Keith; Townend, Stuart Richard;

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
'Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

The tears began to well up inside my eyes by the end of the first verse. No guilt in life, no fear of death... that's how my husband lived. He set an example, by implementing Christ. Never complained, never was angry, never was worried. He totally trusted had unshakable faith that God would take care of things. 

I feel a great loss in the fact that I don't have my best friend here to grow old with, and enjoy. I'm not angry at God under any circumstances. 

1 Peter 5:7

7 ycasting all your anxieties on him, because zhe cares for you.

I desire to be a servant of God, to have the light of Christ shine in me~ to give Him glory in works and deeds and Praise His Holy name in all that I do. I may be destined to live out the rest of my life with out a partner but I have a promise that my Lord will be my husband and will see after all my needs.  So pardon my pity party today, this too will end and the sooner the better. I'm sure I'll revisit this particular emotion again and maybe, just maybe it won't blind side me next time. 

My Life as an Election Board Secretary

So, I’ve said this blog was going to be about my granny and how I plan on learning from her example and how what I’ve learned affects my life. I’ve started and believe me I think about how Granny might have handled my situation if she were me. She would handle it with perseverance and prayer. She might have even pulled her hair down around her ears. Realistically I know that Granny would never have found herself in this situation because she only had an elementary education. I however can hear her encouraging me to take it one step at a time. All the time telling me “you can do it sissy” “I have faith in you”.  

These last few weeks have been the most stressful, aggravating and riveting that I have experienced in my job. I am an Election Board Secretary; (My pay does not reflect the responsibilities, but we’ll discuss this on another day). don’t get me wrong, I am blessed with an amazing staff that if it weren’t for their diligence nothing would get done.  I’ve only been here since May 1, so I rely on their expertise. The title might seem all up there and all but I assure you it is a position that requires my perseverance and an attitude that reflects Christ in order to accomplish the daily tasks ~ all because of changes…the biggest is the re-districting. Can I hear an AMEN from the crowd?

The largest task I’ve had to complete since taking the reins in May has been the momentous task of re-districting.  The task is huge because of the booming in population; My County has grown over 23% in the last decade.  In 2000 the population came in at 70,641 in 2010 the population grew to a whopping 86,905 and continues to add new homes every month. This means that My County has gone from a rural county to a suburban county. Thus when the Oklahoma Legislators finished dividing up the county in equal population segments for the Congressional, House and Senate as well as Judicial, and the County Commissioners doing the same, Our County ended up looking like a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle that I had to make look organized and the only picture I had was an outline of the county.

The first part of the task was redrawing the lines. This was accomplished with the help and assistance of CSA—Center for Spatial Analysis located in Norman at the Oklahoma University Campus. (I’m a huge OU fan). The precinct lines were redrawn only where they had to be drawn. Precincts cannot cross any of those lines that were drawn for Congressional, Judicial, State Senate and House or Commission. This left me with few choices; I made only those changes that had to be made.  This part of the task I knew all along was going to make some people un-happy campers, but it was out of my hands, I had to follow the state statutes and complete the task.

The second part of the task was accomplished after the state completed the transition from the old to the new lines. This took place after the 15^th of December.  Once we ran the report we found that several thousand voters were not correctly transferred and adjustments to the mapping had to be made. Our first report showed that 32 thousand voters would need to be notified. After we finished the adjustments somewhere around December 22, we were happy to see that only around 15 thousand were affected.

In attempting to take care of the second part of the task (notification of voters) we ran into a few obstacles. The Election Board Budget did not allow for such a large mailing. (Budget was cut $26k) The comment from my commissioners was “we know you’ll work within your budget”. Sure thing, I can rub two pennies together with the best of ‘em, but give a girl a break! Not only is it a Presidential election, we have new voting machines, new computer programs, and last but not least the re-districting. Can anyone else see that there might be an issue where more money could be an essential part of getting the job done?  I’m good at finding creative solutions and I’m as frugal as they come but I’m seeing a huge problem here. To top it off I’m still learning the county process (which let me say will drive a sane person to jump). I have these 15 thousand pieces of mail, I need printed envelopes, printed letters, printed labels, printed voter ID cards, envelopes need hand labeled, them to be stuffed and last but not least postage. If I have a company do it for me I need the cost to be under $10 thousand, because if it isn’t then I have to send out for bids. (there was not time for the bidding process we are in a time continuum).

A metro mail house, once hearing our dilemma offered a solution by printing the letter, voter ID cards and the letter. We sent the information to them and then found out everything was a PDF and not a data file, more headaches.  Finally, everything was printed and ready to be delivered to the USPS. I paid the postage by getting a PO for the post office the Monday before the Wednesday that they had to be mailed. (All notifications had to be in Voters hands by January 14)

Growing pains is a given whenever there is substantial growth in a relatively short period of time. In My County one of those growing pains is the 911 address system. Some residences have experienced up to five address changes in the last six years. Thus we have our next obstacle. Remember that 15thousand piece mailing; as of today over 3000 have been returned because of addressing issues. Now we have the task of trying to notify voters of the changes and the need for them to fill out a new voter registration.

I keep hearing my Granny cheering me on saying “You can do it!” I am doing my level best to keep the smile on my face with an attitude that reflects the love of Christ. Yes, I can do this but the only reason is because God is at my side reminding me that if my Granny could overcome the obstacles placed in her path and survive that I would survive as well.