Jesus-O-Lantern

Julia's kindergarten class went to the pumpkin patch for a field trip yesterday. They had a great time! They dressed up like farmers.....as it was farmers day at school.

We don't do Halloween......just can't celebrate all the death and gore of evil........it is to me making fun of a very serious and real subject......and if the enemy can get us to make fun of it and not treat it as if it is real....then we won't face the truth.....darkness,evil,..death and hell is real ......it is in fact eternal reality unless we have been saved by the blood of Jesus and choose to spend eternity with God in Heaven......as we carved the pumpkin that Julia got at the pumpkin patch, I was reminded of something that I have heard before......when we give our lives to Jesus, He cleans us out.....just like we do with the pumpkin when we remove all the yucky stuff on the inside......then He fills us with His Holy Spirit and shines through us and makes us a new creation.

My new song is called "Make Me More Like You" it is a prayer that if you pray it and really mean it with your heart.......God can make an amazing transformation that will blow your mind.

Make Me More Like You By Lora Poe

Empty me, of anything that's not pleasing You. Just strip it away.

Heal me Lord, of all the pain of sin I've been through....Like only You can do.

Fill me with Your Holy Spirit , and make my life brand new.

Lord I want to be, less like me, and my Jesus, make me more like You.

Chorus

More of Your Love, instead of my pride.

More of Your Peace and Joy and Righteousness inside of me.

Lord I want to be a vessel, where Your Holy Spirit abides.

Live in Your presence, all the days of my life.

Break the chains, of anything that keeps me from following You. Just break them away.

And Heal me Lord, of all the pain of sin I've been through. ...like only You can do.

Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and make my life brand new.

Lord I want to be less like me, and my Jesus, make me more like You.

Repeat Chorus

Julia's Birthday!

Well, I have been very slow about updating on this blog, Julia turned 6 years old on October 7th.

She got a puppy , a teacup maltipoo named Angel! Angel is a wonderful addition to our family.

We went to the American Girl Doll store and Julia got a bitty baby! It was a very special day!

Julia is in Kindergarten and is doing very well! We are so proud of her. She has brought us so much love and joy for the past 6 years. Happy Birthday Julia ......I Love You so Much!

Aloha Island Dancer

" Island Dancers" My Mom and Julia

Well, this has been quite a crazy few weeks......so that isn't new.....anyway......It is official, ....the Island Dancer has a new owner.............I have mixed emotions about it......We really enjoyed that boat, we had her for over five years!......Lots of precious memories that will never be forgotten....we made so many great friends in Oceanside over the past 10 years so we will for sure continue to visit Oceanside every chance we get........I am thankful that the people that own her now are very nice people and will enjoy many good times as well.........Aloha to Island Dancer thank you for the great times!
On the other hand......I am excited about what is ahead.......God is so good!
Aloha Mom........

I took my mom to the airport to fly back to Kona this morning.......She came to stay here in the desert with us for a week! It is so much fun to have her visit here in the summer, because she stays at our house with us and we really have a different kind of time together......like a vacation we get to spend more visiting time .....she gets homesick for the desert when she is in Hawaii all summer,( and we get homesick for her also) so she comes back for a week in the middle of the summer and visits us to get over the homesick.......we had a great time!
Today I finished writing a new song......it is called " Thank You For The Grace" I worked on the recording .......it still needs some work......the recordings that I can do here by myself are very limited.....so even when I finish a recording....it is still a rough draft .........I want to take all the songs that I have written and produce an album with good musicians .......I have 8 songs now, so after I write a few more I will move the attention to the next level of recording......but for now I am having more fun than should be legal .........

Thank You For The Grace Lora Poe 8-22-09
I've been down a few roads- I've made some wrong turns along the way.
I'm so thankful to know- Lord , You were there to catch me when I fell and
Lead me home when I strayed. Your Love is why I'm singin' , Your Grace is
Why I'm breathin'......
Thank You for the Love, that you lavish on me
Thank You for the Joy, You've got me overflowin'
Than You for the Patience , that brought me to this place, for my salvation
Father thank You for the Grace........
It's only by Your Grace that I go....and I need a new supply everyday.
I'm so thankful to know- Lord You are there to catch me when I fall and
Lead me home when I stray.. Your Love is why I'm singin',

Your Grace is why I'm breathin'...........
Thank You for the Love, that You lavish on me
Thank You for the Joy, You've got me overflowin'
Thank You for the Patience , that brought me to this place, for my salvation
Father Thank You for the Grace.

40 years ago.......

I woke up very early this morning because I needed to be at church to sing for the worship team. When I woke up I was NOT thinking about what day it was , as far as the date......I was just looking forward to getting ready to sing and focused on waking up on time......I was in the shower and suddenly a thought randomly went through my mind ....it was something like, 40 years has to pass or has past......just hard to explain... but the impression of 40 years going by seemed to be the direction my thought was going... I then wondered what that meant........I pondered a moment and tried to think about what the date was today....August 2........WOW... I was a little bit stunned -OK I was totally blown away......as I began to understand what it was that my thought had brought me to recognize....but I thought to myself...Has it been 40 years ago..??? OH WOW ! Exactly to the day!

On August 2, 1969(40 years ago today) the world as the Johnson family knew it was changed forever. My Dads parents Jim and Dorthy Johnson along with my Dads sister Betty ,her husband Ance, and their 6 year old son Donald were on their way to a family get together when a drunk driver ran the stop sign ......my Grandpa Jim barely survived and Donald wasn't hurt (Physically) .....but the others all died. Donald, my brother (cousin at the time), lost his parents and grandmother that day. My dad lost his Mom, Sister and Brother in law. My Mom lost her Mother in law ,Sister in law and Brother in law. My Grandpa Jim lost his Wife , Daughter and Son in law and also was physically injured....he died a few years later when I was 10 years old.....(However he came to know the Lord after this accident happened and that is One VERY Valuable thing that was gained through this)... I was 2 years old and my brother Robert was just about 7 months old when this happened....so all we really remember - other than what we have been told , is Donald being in our family as our older Brother.....as he came to live with us after the accident. My Mom and Dad had their hands full.....I just can't even imagine the grief and pain that everyone was going through. A very awful time to say the least........Only God could have brought us through that......and He did.......I am so thankful that the only one that was an unbeliever(my Grandpa Jim) was spared so that he could come to believe ...you see the others were believers, so they were safe in the arms of the Lord, the minute they died......and My Grandpa is with them now.....he just needed a little more time......and by the grace of God he got it.
Why, would I want to remember all of this?.....What could possible be the reason that God called my attention to this today? What was a normal joyful morning turned into a sob fest........I soon had to pull myself together and continue getting ready to go to church. I had to try to put it out of my mind so that I could move forward. .......The Lord spoke to me during the course of the rest of the morning ......He reminded me that He never forgets us.......He wants us to know that He is sovereign.....even through the worst of storms, He is still strong. All through the Bible God instructs us to remember the things that He has done......just like after God parted the sea for the Israelites He instructed them to set up the stones so that the generations to come would remember what happened there and how God made a way even where there was no way. And as communion was served in church this morning .....I thought of why we take communion....as a remembrance of how Jesus suffered and died for us.......when He died that was not the end, He came through it and rose again and the glory that is to come because of His suffering FAR outweighs the pain.........This Morning Pastor Bob was speaking about going through suffering and how it will be temporary and light compared to the lasting Glory that is to come.....so true! ( I realized that the Lord was trying to get this message to me this morning......how the suffering of my family will be temporary compared to eternity. And My grandpa might never have come to know the Lord any other way.......and if that were the only way....with an eternal perspective it was worth the suffering......We should dwell on the good things, but never forget the power that God has shown even through the worst situations.
Later today I called my brother Donald and talked to him......I shared my morning experience with him.....I shared the thoughts of how Grandpa Jim had come to know the Lord after this had happened and probably as a result of this accident .....Donald said that he never thought of it like that.....Donald said that he has prayed many times and asked God why? Why He had taken his parents away........Donald told me he now had an answer.....after 40 years.......Donald said that God must have brought this truth to my attention today to answer his prayers......and he thanked me for sharing it with him, and I could hear tears in his voice.......I know we can never understand all the whys in life, but if we have an eternal perspective, we will see the eternal ramifications......and both Donald and I agreed God doesn't cause the bad things.....but sometimes He intervenes and sometimes He does not.....Only He can answer as to why? Donald was also was thankful that he was spared so that he too could come to grow up and know the Lord.......I also pointed out to him that his children and grandchildren where also a reason why he was spared..........Thank you so much Heavenly Father for yet again blowing my mind with your Awesome Love!

Catching up......

THAT'S MY GIRL!

Wow I know that is has been so long since I have updated this blog.......quite a lot has been going on and time has gone so fast for me!! We have been to Oceanside quite a lot- fishing, playing on the beach, visiting with friends and family ........I took a trip to Oklahoma to visit family...my nephew Ance got married and I stayed with my niece Amanda and her husband Brian and their daughter Kaylee. It was a good time with them, they have a good life and I am very happy to see that they are doing so well. I also got to see my brother Donald also, whom I hadn't seen in many years.



In May we had the Johnson family reunion in Palm Desert, that was really nice. My aunt Shirley and Aunt Lola came from Tennessee and Texas .......several other family members that we had not seen in a long time were there.....it was a fun day. I have been writing more songs......I have written 7 songs in the past year.........It has been so much fun for me! I want to work on the arrangements and record them with some other musicians.

We are selling the boat.....it is not a fun decision, but with the economy the way it is, business is very slow right now and we need to simplify the budget.......so we have been going as often as possible.......last week we had it taken out of the water to have the bottom painted.....this needs to be done every couple of years......and it will be fresh for the new owner.........the Island Dancer has been the vessel of many good times for us and we will have the memories forever! On the bright side......we are looking forward to new adventures and are ready for whatever God has for our future........Dougs brother Greg, with his wife Tammy and their sons Hunter and Logan .....had a condo on the beach in Oceanside for a week in June and we got to hang out with them.....that was a lot of fun it was great to see them!.....last week we went to the wild animal park with our friends Matt ,Diane and their kids Madison and Levi..........that was a lot of fun!

Last night we went to Palm Desert Park and watched the fireworks for the 4th of July.......that was very nice.......they really put on a great show!!

It is hot here in the desert! But that is normal for Summer!! June was not our typical weather......it was very nice!!

Born Again February 17, 2009

Last night while I was tucking Julia into bed, she was asking me some questions about God,and Heaven ......and in the process of this conversation she wanted to pray and ask Jesus to be her Savior and come into her heart !!!! She understands what separates us from God ......Sin....and that she can be forgiven and never separated from God again by asking for forgiveness and having Jesus as her Lord and Savior....because Jesus died on the cross for our sins and He rose again.......and because He lives......we can live again with Him in Heaven for eternity. Julia Loves the Lord and she is always singing His praises and is just pure joy to live with.....so it is no surprise that she wanted to do this officially!!! I was OF COURSE very happy!!! She is such a gift from Heaven!! I told her that they are having a party in Heaven for her now!!!(a huge raging one !!) And that is the most important thing that someone could do in their ENTIRE LIFE....I told her that she has now been born again.....into the kingdom of God....she was very excited......as she should be!!! What a wonderful gift of eternal life we have by grace.....not by works ....just by a gift accepted .....forgiveness and relationship with God Almighty! To live as we were created to live.....in communion with God not separated from Him.......When we are born again, God Himself moves into us and we then live with His Holy Spirit in us!
We went to visit my Grandma Julia today and Julia told her that she was born again last night.....that she invited Jesus into her heart......my Grandma told her that she was very happy to hear that and that she also was about her age when she asked Jesus to come into her heart! Julia told me that she told her best friend at school today that she asked Jesus into her heart and that her friend was going to do it too when she got home!!! Great Day!! God is Good...and Life is Good with Him! Thank you Lord!

Happy Valentines Day!

Julia with her friends Madison and Levi.........

Swimming in January.........

Julia with her bouquet after her cheering debut!!

I know I know it has been sooooo long since I updated this blog.......I don't know....I just have been taking time to do other things......We have been busy of course with lots of fun.......Julia was a cheerleader for a day last weekend at the high school basketball game at her school....yes she is still in pre k......it has not been that long since I have written on this blog!!! Her school goes from pre school through high school. It was fun to watch her and the game was good too.....! Our school didn't win.....but they were ahead most of the game.....and then the other team came from behind and won.......oh well......our team didn't win in the Superbowl either but....the game was exciting!!!....This week I was able to spend some time recording a couple of songs that I recently finished writing ....that was fun! I had Julia help sing on one of them......how cool that was......I want to do more songs for her.....she had fun doing it too!.......I have been having a great time being involved with the women's Bible study on Thursday mornings at my church......I am part of the worship team ....I have been very blessed to get to be apart of this group.......I have such a great group of sister friends in the Lord!! There is nothing like being able to do what I enjoy, with people that I admire and all for the purpose of worshiping the Lord......I have been learning to sing harmony also.....my friend Tammy, is so talented and she is helping me every week when we practice for Thursday, it is a slow process of learning.....but I am so thankful to be improving every chance I get........The Bible studies that I have been in this season have also been amazing......wow I feel that God is so personally involved in placing me in the specific studies that have blessed me so much.......I can't even go into all the details.....it is just beyond description!! I have really been growing and learning so many new things from studying the Bible.....We are presently studying the Psalms of ascent.....what a great study!!! also......I have been very interested lately in the end time prophecy......The coming of the Lord could be soon!!! I really hope so!! I am attaching a link that is very exciting info about prophecy and the solar and lunar patterns........ http://elshaddaiministries.us/video/eclipsevideo.html

Also I have posted the recordings of the songs that I have written on my face book page......

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1076834248&ref=profile ....

Hope everyone has a HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.....Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous ; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;.....

Los Angeles Lakers 121 Pacers 119

Last night Doug and I went to the Staples Center in Los Angeles to see a Lakers Basketball game ....they played the Indiana Pacers.... We had a great time!..........the game was exciting, we had EXCELLENT seats....VERY close to the court.........we saw lots of celebrities.... and the score was close but the Lakers won!! It was a very cool experience! We stayed over night in Los Angeles....at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites....it is walking distance to the Staples Center........so from the hotel we walked to and from the game and had dinner on the way at a really good Mexican food restaurant very yummy...... it was a very fun time away.......Julia stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Poe so she had a good time too!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well, it is official.......2008 is over......and here we are in the year 2009!!! Wow ......that is really hard to believe, I mean, think about it...... it has been nine years since the "New Millennium"!...... These years keep going faster and faster with every one that passes! Well, all I know is life here on earth is short and goes fast so, it is a reminder to make everyday count! I am reading the book "90 minutes in Heaven" great book.....good to get the focus right to start the new year! We sure made the most of December.........it was very fast.......as they say time flys when you're having fun!! Julia had a "Snow Day" on the last day of school, before Christmas vacation the school had a huge amount of snow hauled in and all the kids got to sled down the big hill of snow!! It was a great time! We had some rain, so Doug has been off work for about two weeks.....with the holidays and everything.......this was good timing, because his brother Greg and his wife ,Tami, and their two boys, Hunter and Logan came from Utah to stay with us for the holidays! We had a great Christmas........all of Dougs brothers were in town for the first time in quite awhile......counting Doug , there are six Poe Brothers ........His parents sure had their hands full!! We went to church and then after church, we had a party at our house on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning Julia got her redecorated room!! We completely redid her bedroom, with a canopy bed, new paint and lots of other fun surprises......it is like a fairytale room(very Pink and Princessish) She Loves it! We went to my moms house for brunch on Christmas day.......Christmas day is my moms birthday so we celebrated with cake also! We did our gift exchange and had a great time with my family, then we went to Dougs brother Brian's house to eat Christmas dinner with his family.........the days that followed Christmas we went ice skating and Bowling and had lots of fun.......and Dougs Moms Birthday was on the 29th so we all went to lunch to celebrate her birthday also! .....On New Years Eve, we stayed home and had a quiet dinner with our friends Chris and Christina.......we agreed to start a diet and workout plan starting the new year...so we made a bet with Chris and Christina that on March 1 .....which ever couple has lost the most weight......the other couple would take them out for a steak dinner! So, a little competition and accountability will be good!!!!!! I gained some weight over this fun filled time......and have not been exercising at all so.......I need to get with it!!! It has been fun misbehaving but, I am looking forward to getting back on track.......I will feel better! and be healthier......I need to be healthy to sing......I lost my voice!!! So that is no fun!!! I really love to sing and I appreciate my voice so much more when I am faced with not having it.... So I am ready ready ready to jump into the new year with a healthy start .........the theme of this year for me is going to be taking care of and appreciating what I have...and making the most of what I have been given..nourishing the good....starving the things that waste my time and are not good for me......one of the things that I got Doug for Christmas was a frame with a picture of us on our honeymoon and a list of the top ten things that I love to love about him, it was an idea that a friend from my Bible study group had.......all of the women in the group planned to do this for their husbands ........it really was good to stop and take the time to count my blessings..........I pray that 2009 will be full of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control........(the fruit of the Holy Spirit:)

The Poe Brothers and their wives Christmas Day 2008

I accidently posted this picture from Julia birthday, and I don't know how to remove it!!!! Oh well..............................