A long time has transpired....JOURNAL NOTES

2008 was a great year for the Cantrells...busy, busy, busy and we would have it no other way!

In January, we did the cruise for Ladies at Sea and enjoyed the company of our four daughters (Jane, my daughter-in-law counts as one, your know). The eleven oldest grand-daughters went as well. It was wonderful!

Kandy and I spoke at a Mother-Daughter event near Athens. Always a special SPECIAL time to be with her and also share with other women.

February: Zachary graduated from "boot camp" at Paris Island and his many admirers (including Wes and Bernadine) enjoyed being there immensely. It is a touching time with family and friends and watching our BOYS taking those important steps to being a full-fledged Marine.

Wes spoke at the CEO luncheon that Johnson Ferry Baptist sponsors while I was teaching at EXCEL in Dallas, TX. We both worked the Men's Conference at FBCW and Wes taught two breakout sessions. The following week he spoke at Anderson College in S.C. and we stayed with his sister and brother-in-law, Joanna and Sam.

REAL EVANGELISM is always a fabulous experience...Wes and I call it the "Preach Off" because you hear one great message after another and think to yourself..."Surely it can't get better than this."

March: A weekend spent with Focus on the Family in Naples, Fla. Great speakers and much stimulus for vision of what God is up to!

We both did live television interviews at different times in April
on the Family Net.

Bernadine taught at a Ladies' Retreat at Big Canoe for Goshen Bapt. Church. What a lovely setting and with a lovely group of ladies!

Horatio Alger is a time of celebration in Washington, D.C. - renewing friendships and making new friends. We have enjoyed our membership with this group for eight years now.

We drove to Louisiana for our (it seems like annual now) trip to the Corkern union and visited with friends and family, going and staying.

T.E.A.R. banquet...best yet!

May: This month brought graduation rejoicing with Morgan Bethea and Natalie Kimbrough. So proud of those girls.

June: It seemed we had our house sold - but only for a short time. We are now appreciating this home anew!

Jamey turned 50 years old on June 14th. We could hardly believe! She, also, achieved a dream - her Master's from Bob Jones University.

July: A week of Cantrell Clan vacation at the beach. Always the same, but always different. Jane suffered with a gallbladder attack and ended up in the local hospital, surgery, and a longer stay over than planned. Praise the Lord for healing!

August: My cousin, Minnie Newell Henson died and I drove down to Louisiana for the funeral. Grand-daughters, Natalie K. and Meredith Wood went with me. What delightful young women; they made me smile through my tears.

September: Values, Voter Summit at the Hilton, Washington, D.C. Wes spoke in Columbia, S.C. to a group of S.C. Public Relations Association. We appreciated the pleasant driving, visiting with Joanna and Sam, and making new friends.

October: Bernadine attended the Focus on the Family luncheon at Piedmont Driving Club.

LOVELOUD PROJECT with the church...we were project managers. Our S.S. class and other loving volunteers served three different adult retirement centers with their individual needs.

Another week for Bernadine in Dallas, Tx. teaching EXCEL. Always a blessing!
Drove to for a visit and attending a cousin's wedding.

We both attended the Deeper Conference at our church.

November: 3:16 Conference, two plays, football games, Faith Family banquet and our BIG week of Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration with all the Cantrell clan.

December: Bridesmaids' Brunch to honor Callie Brannen...wedding on the 20th. And a quiet time to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: Throughout the year...Celebrating each grandchild's birthday, each child's birthday, sports events with one of the grands participating, recitals with the Grands performing, events with our church and on and on!

ALERT!!

The burden for young and old ladies is frequently in my thoughts and prayers. Oprah has won the hearts of women and she slowly began to infiltrate questioning thoughts into everyday shows and presentations...also through books she introduced to her viewers. I have been concerned for a very long time. She first made a clear statement of her UNbelief in the Lord Jesus when she was 27 years old. She has patiently worked her questioning and strange new age thinking into an everyday routine ... now has come her "church" electronically...it has had an impact on at least 2 Million people.

This time Satan has taken off the subtle endicement of appearing as an angel of light! He is blatently obvious in the teaching that Oprah is broadcasting. Please not only should we as Christians be cautious...but we have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ...warn them! Just as a cult used to call on homes of UNprepared church folks on Sunday morning when they missed church...they were not wise to the Truth and did not know the Scriptures...and when the cult began to share THEIR knowledge of the Scriptures (a lot of truth with a strong seasoning of wrong!), the UNprepared and UNknowing received their words! We're there now...a group of "seekers" without discernment are victims of this electronic new age appeal! [You can see what has happened to get here and what is happening now by going to youtube and looking into the Oprah's clips.]

SHARE Christ...He is the Truth!!!

Visit class blogs...

http://www.thecantrellsclass.blogspot.com

http://p-31woman.blogspot.com

Wes and I teach Young Adults at our church and I update our class blogs each week with lesson notes. Maybe the Lord will gift you with a "nugget" or two.

Huckabee is the man!

Mike Huckabee is a wonderful man. He is serving in a very different way than what we had thought and dreamed of happening. Fox is wise to have him on their broadcast. Wes and I were so impressed that Mike would have made our country a great president; we are so glad that we worked for him as volunteers and supported him prayerfully and financially. Our prayers will continue for Mike and that the Lord will use him in a mighty way.

Zachary graduates

Zachary Kimbrough finished Marine boot camp on Friday, February 8th. His entourage of family, friends, and fans attended his graduation and he came home for ten days. We are very excited to have Zach home again since he missed Thanksgiving and Christmas - we celebrated with many family members in the Kimbrough home on Sat. night (16th). They even had a small Christmas tree still decorated for him. We are very proud of Zach and know that the Lord will use this special season to lead him in His paths.

Cruising With the GIRLS!

The daughters - Jamey, Kandy, Juli and Jane along with the seven oldest GRAND daughters, Hannah, Morgan, Natalie, Meredith, Tabitha, Emily, and Katelyn were with me. What could possibly be better?! The ladies on the cruise with allchristiancruises.com were gracious, loving, and we enjoyed getting to know everyone of them!

The food was great, the weather not as cooperative as we would have liked, but it did not hinder the good fellowship and fun!

Celebration of Christmas, 2007

What a glorious time! We spent five days together...all of us except Zachary, who is in Marine Boot Camp. Caleb, Rebekah, and Cherith joined us on Christmas Day. There was much preparation like freezing food for so many days of "feasting", Christmas decorations, Christmas gift shopping, wrapping of gifts...and on and on. What a joy to serve and have the privilege of loving on such a wonderful group of folks.

Kandy's family hosted us on Wednesday for the day. We all love their 5-acre farm and the freedom the children have to roam, ride, and play. Jamey had lunch for us on Christmas Eve. We attended the services at First Baptist Church, Woodstock in the afternoon and the Woods' church, Marietta Alliance at 6:00. Jamey had a solo and Meredith sang in the choir.

After Jamey sang, I quickly returned home to have our late evening meal ready for the hungry appetites.

More later....