Well, celebration of the 4th of July has come and gone.  The weekend is almost over.  It occurred to me this morning that next 4th of July, Lord willing, will be on Sunday.  That event at the creek will be an interruption to evening worship at church if we let it do that to us.  I won’t bother with that until next year.

Our celebration was almost rained out.  We ate lunch at my parents home with the house full of family.  I was one who would have been willing to be at the creek with slight, slow rain fall, and not a soaking rain.  We could have put a cover over the food; but that is not what was done.

About an hour after we ate everyone headed to the creek.  Swimmin’, playin’ games, some wiffell ball, crochet, and such as that was a goin’ on with a lot of fire works shootin’ and a lot of smoke from those fireworks.  The older adults were mostly sittin’ around in camp chairs, talkin’ and visitin’ and tellin’ stories.  There was some talk on preachin’ since about four or five of us are preachers.

It was a blessin’ to me to have the preacher there, who was my pastor when I surrendered to preach when I was just 19 years old.  It has been almost 35 years ago.  God is faithful.

It was a good day to be with family and friends.  It was a good day to celebrate the freedom of our nation.  God bless America, and bless her again.  If you would like you might want to check the post on Fire and Hammer for the fourth of July.

-Tim A. Blankenship

This week on Monday June 29 we celebrated my mother’s Birthday with all the kids and spouses gathering and few grandkids.  We had cake and ice cream.  We had a great time.

On Saturday July 4th we will be gathering at the Swimming Hole for our annual 4th of July celebration.  We will be eating, drinking soft drinks, and shooting fireworks, and usually someone brings a gun or two to target practice, and that certainly adds to the bang of the day.

This is something we all look forward to.  Usually if it rains we gather at Dad’s and Mom’s house just up the road.  There is not much in the forecast for rain, and that means it will probably be a great day for sunshine.  It will be a great day anyway.

I will be writing about that day a little later.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Last week I spent from Sunday evening, March 22 through Friday March 27 at home alone.  Madge had gone to Ozark to sit with our grandaughter Addison while her parents, Sam and Monica worked.  Addison had had her Adnoids removed and tubes put in her ears the Saturday before (3/21).  Because of this surgery Addison was not allowed to return to the daycare she attends.

I enjoy those times alone.  To come home from driving the bus though and find no one home is quite lonesome.  I learn to enjoy them most of the time. 

Madge came home on Friday evening.  Sam, Monica and Addison spent the night with us.  Philip, Sarah, Rene’e and Natalie from Booneville, Arkansas also came up, arriving shortly after Madge gets home.  Madge tells me, “All the kids will be here tomorrow.  We are going to take some pictures of the kids in their new dresses and clothes.”  Of course that meant the ones she has made.  She does do a wonderful job of making clothes for the grandkids.

Not long after Philip arrives he decides to go for a walk and ask if any of us want to go along.  It’s dark outside, cloudy, and the temp really requires a bit of a jacket at least.  Sam and me tell him that we will go with him.  My question was, “Wild or the road?”  Philip says, “Let’s go wild.”

We walk back behind the house in the pasture, and through the woods where no one ought to walk in the dark without some kind of light.  It was cloudy, with very little reflected light.  You could make out the outline of trees, bushes, and such.  So we stumbled along for over thirty minutes, and finally arrived back at the house.  That was the first time I had been to the back of this place in the dark; and I arrived with a bloody left hand; caused by a briar bush which got my hand as we were walking up a big, steep hill.

Saturday was pleasant with all our kids and grandkids arriving; that is the rest of them arriving.  We had lunch, watched movies on television, and had an all around good time of enjoying one another’s company.

Paul, Charity and children; Philip, Sarah and children; James and Amber; and Timothy, Sarah and their children all went home.  Sam and Monica spent the night with us again.  We are always glad to have them come.

Though it was an unplanned get together we all enjoyed being together.  They planned that we have an annual get together in July on the weekend of the 17th in Booneville, AR at Philip and Sarah’s home.  I look forward to it.

I thank the LORD for such a wonderful family.

-Tim A. Blankenship

It seems as though it has just been a short time since the Christmas of 2007, and here it is the following year. 

Christmas is a very special time for the this Blankenship family.  We all started gathering at my parent’s home around 5 p.m. or before; my wife and I did not arrive until around 5:30. 

By the time all arrived there were probably around 50-60 people  present, and that includes babies, children, youth, young adults, and adults of different ages.  We had a basically traditional Christmas supper [dinner]; eating around 7 p.m. 

There was ham, turkey, dressing, kraut and wieners, broccoli and cheese dishes, cabbabe and cheese dishes,and more; and for dessert several different ones; there was coconut pies, chocolate pies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies, chocolate cake, and more.

Best of all was the family being together sharing stories, about the past week, year, or years, and just the good time sharing together.  Remembering most of all that this is the day we remember our Lord and Saviour’s birth as a man.  God bacame man, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14).

My family and I pray that all had good Christmas and pray that you have a wonder New Year coming.

-Tim A. Blankenship

It has been quite some time since posting on the Blankenship Blog.  It seems like a good time for doing so today, or maybe I should say this evening, because it is about 7:00 p.m..  Our prayers are that everyone had a great, HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY.

It is not because there has been nothing happening with the Blankenships that I have not had a post recently.  It is just I run myself short on time when it comes to blogging sometimes, and this is the last one I tend, it seems. 

Let me begin with the day of Thanksgiving.  There were several Blankenships, and their families present at my parents this day.  Some of us are getting ready to go to St. Louis on Friday for Cassville High School’s football teams first ever State Championship game.  Robert, my sisters son is on the Freshman football team, but the coach believes in all of the team getting to go, even if it’s to set on the bench.  I will be leaving Cassville in the morning at 8:00 a.m. driving a School Bus with School students and adults who need a ride to the game.  This is really a big deal for Cassville, Missouri.  This has never happened in the history of Cassville.

The day was grand at my parents home with my sisters, brother, some of our kids and grandkids were there.  It was our oldest and oldest daughter, her husband and family with three grandchildren; our oldest son, his wife, and our three grandchildren with them.  Our other three kids, their spouses, and our other three grandkids could not be here.  I think we all ate enough to make up for their abscence.

One thing I can say for this family; from my parents, sisters, and brother and their kids, and grandkids; and that is we are a thankful bunch.  Let me tell you to whom we give thanks.  That is our God and Savior Jesus Christ, for without Him there is really nothing to be thankful.

Let me tell you what happened to my wife and I about a month ago.  The Missouri Baptist Convention was coming up, and we had not planned on attending due to lack of funds; personally and in our Church.  So, we just put it out of our minds, and never made any plans.  The Thursday before the Convention was going to begin on Monday I went to our Associational Office and someone came in and gave us more than enough money to go; and it was given for that purpose – to go to the MBC.  Because of this wondrous gift I quickly began making arrangements for a room to stay in the Convention Hotel- Millennium Hotel in St. Louis; and that was where the Convention was held to. We never even left the building all the time we were there – which was about three days.  God is so good, and much better than we deserve.

Last Saturday my son Timothy and me went to our firts High School football game of the season, and watched Cassville’s team defeat Chilicothe’s team 14 – 13, which sent Cassville to the Class 3A Championship at the Edward Jones Dome.  I really never dreamed I would be driving a bus to the game, but I am, and I thank the Lord for that.

What else is there to thank God for?  The air we breathe.  The beat of our hearts.  The stars in the sky.  The sun which shines brightly everyday.  The wind, the rain, the seasons of the year.  The fact that all things are in the hands of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.  There are so many things for which to thank Him.  One more is for the great salvation He has given through His death on the cross, His burial carrying our sin, guilt and shame away, and His bodily resurrection.

Enjoy your family, and trust in the Lord.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Several months back my Mom’s and Dad’s house received storm damage on the roof, from hail, and wind.  Thankfully their insurance covered most of the cost of the damage, and Mom and Dad decided they wanted to put a metal roof on the house, but needed to save some money, and asked the kids, and their spouses if we would all help put it on.

I went with my Dad and brother to pick up the metal roofing materials, and we brought it back to the house to await the day to put it on; hopefully a day that would be cooler than the heat of July or August.  We waited for my sister’s husband to make the call, because he had some experience in putting on metal roofing, and none of the rest of us did.  He called for Saturday August 30 to be that day.

He called for 8:00 a.m as a start time, and after getting some things on the roof lined out, and measuring made which needed made, lines drawn and that; we finally about 8:30 we were underway.  There were three on the roof, eventually four, and working both sides of the house.  Allen, my brother in law, their son Toby, and their son in law Justin putting down the metal.  While they stayed on the roof, my son Timothy, Sam our son in law, and Paul our son in law drilled holes in the metal for the screws, which sped up the process.

Our wives were all around and prepared lunch.  We barbecued hamburgers, hotdogs, and had sweet iced tea, and sodas to drink.  Would you believe that by lunch time the roof was finished; at least we had the main roofing material down.  Dad had forgotten to order the edging, and so we wait to put on the ridge cap until that is gotten.

From 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. we all stayed busy preparing the metal for application, and those on the roof applying it.  It is amazing what people can do when they get together and work together, without anyone trying to be boss, but those who don’t know what to do listen and learn, and then do.

I am not saying we are a perfect family.  We are far from that; but we do all get along fairly well.  At least when we really try.

It is always great to get together with family, and accomplish a good work.  Mom and Dad are really appreciative.  I thank the Lord for giving me such a great set of parents and the wife and children and grandchildren He has give us.

-Tim A. Blankenship

It may seem odd to admit, and then, maybe not; but my Dad and me have never had a trip together until Thursday, July 31, 2008.  When I was in partnership in the Dairy farm with Dad we took short trips to buy hay and such.  I guess you could call those “business trips”; but we had never just taken a casual drive, and taken the whole day to get away from home and see some sites.

The Houston of the title is not Houston, Texas, but rather Houston, Missouri; which is located about ninety miles East of Springfield, MO.  It is the town where my wife Madge was born in 1956.  It is also the town where here father and one brother is buried at a cemetery two miles North of Town on Highway 63.

Dad and I left Mom’s and Dad’s house shortly after 8 a.m.; stopped in Aurora for breakfast.  After breakfast we took the drive down Highway 60 to Cabool, got on Highway 63 then went on the Houston. 

Dad’s reason for wanting to go to the County Seat of Texas County, Missouri was because he had read a book telling about a mill which had been on the Big Piney River which is known there.  The Mill which sat on the River was the Lone Star mill.  One of the reasons the old mills are something Dad is interested in, as am I, is because the place my Dad was born and raised on, had a mill at one time until the creek took it out in a flood sometime before he was born.  His Dad and Mom ran it, my grandparents, until the flood.  Dad said they were not real interested in keeping the mill going, so it never was rebuilt.

We ate lunch in Houston, and after lunch we discovered a Military, Historical and Genealogical Museum there in the old downtown and we went in.  Speaking with the lady who was tending the front, she told Dad that she was familiar with the book he had read concerning the mill, and she knew of the mill, and where it had been.  She told him that the mill was gone, and that there was nothing that even resembled a mill ever being there and there was no public access to the area.  The lady told us of an area North of town where the Big Piney River flowed under the bridge for Highway 17, and it was above stream from where the mill had been.  We pulled into the Public Fishing Access which was there and looked.  It was named “Dog Bluff Public Fishing Access”, and there was a bluff there with the River flowing a slow steady flow.

The last time I had been to Houston was probably in 1996 or 1998 when Madge’s Mom wanted to go to the cemetery and place some flowers on the graves.  We had also stopped at the Emmett Kelly Park and had a picnic.  It took me a little driving to find the cemetery.  I wanted to show Dad where her Dad, and brother Jerry was buried.  I finally found it, and we got out and looked.

After leaving the fishing access we drove North on 17 to Highway 32 to Lebanon and I-44 to Springfield, then on home.  We arrived back at Dad’s about 5:15 or so.  It was a good day, and I enjoyed spending a day with Dad.  We talked about many and various things.  A lot about the past, and some about the future and the Lord’s return. 

One thing I have learned over the past 16 years is that my Dad is not immortal.  I remember the first time I saw him on a hospital roller bed, headed to surgery for a busted intestine; it was a shock to me, and when he asked me to pray as they were rolling him in, I broke, and could hardly finish the prayer.  Yes, I knew he was mortal just like me, but there is something that clicks in your mind and thinking when you see them in such a humble position.

Since then, Dad has had open heart surgery, a leg amputation, and he is still learning to deal with walking on his prosthetic leg.  I say these things to remind us all that our parents are not going to be with us forever.  They are going to leave us in death.  Let us be mindful to spend time with them, and to help them when ever and at every time we have opportunity.  God knows I have not gone to see them as often as I could have, or should  have; but I do try to help them when they need help.

Before long we are going to be putting a new metal roof on their house.  That is planned to be a family activity.  It will be when the sun is not as hot as 95 – 100 degrees.  I think I had the best parents as a boy, then as a man, that a man could ever have.

-Tim A. Blankenship

We had our annual gathering at our Flat Creek gathering place.  A swimming hole which has been the family swimming hole for many years.  Rope swings are no long available for swinging and diving into the water, but there is a tree which leans over the water and some of the boys were jumping from, which was about 10 feet above the water.

We arrived at the creek around noon or so, but didn’t start eating until around two waiting on others to arrive. There were three tables with table cloths  spread out with sandwich meats, potato salads, chips, vegy trays, cheese,  and several desserts.  It was sure good stuff.

We [Madge and I] only had one of our kids there with his wife and kids.  Our others were away to Florida, or couldn’t come because of gas prices, and theft of their checking account by way of debit card number theft.  Others just couldn’t get there.  There were about forty people present though, and we all had a great time of talking and sharing stories.  My brother was shooting his guns along with a cousin who came down with his wife and daughter. 

There was a whole lot of BOOMING AND BANGING going on with fireworks and guns.  The tree jumpers got wet as did some of the others who just went swimming in the icey water.  Flat Creek is much higher than it is normally, thus being a bit more dangerous to swim in, and somewhat more swift as well.  There is no place there right now for small children to swim, and there usually is.  Some left early to go to my sisters house, so the little ones could swim in the branch called Trinity which flows behind her house.  I imagine they had a great time too.

I hope all had a great time of celebrating the freedom which we have in this great nation called the United States of America.  We do have our problems, but we are truly blessed and free for now.

-Tim A. Blankenship

It is a story unlike any other.  I can hardly wait to tell it to you, however you will probably not find it  to be a story of intrigue, mystery, murder or mayhem, but a story about a family, some of their troubles and struggles and some fun.  This is the story of the Blankenships and their happenings in the past month or so.

Some things since I last wrote here, and to update a little bit on my wife Madge is that for her she seems to have nothing to be too concerned about, at least according to the cardiologist she has seen.  She does seem to be doing okay, but just has not much energy.  Yet, she nevers stops.

On May 01, 2008 Madge, and her sister Margaret drove down to Philip’s and Sarah’s for Natalie’s first Birthday, and to spend some time with Philip and Sarah.  Charity and her husband Paul drove down on the second day, and the party was on the third.  My parents, Mike and Juanita wanted to go down to for the party so we hopped in their car on Saturday morning May 03, and drove down in about three and a half hours.  It was a good party, with Sarah Joyce’s parents and grandfather, brother  and sisters as well.

On that Saturday afternoon there was nothing fancy.  One thing that has become traditional for the children of the first birthday is to make them a singly cake with frosting, and set that cake before them, and watch them devour and destroy it.  Some of the pictures of these events are quite humorous, and will be in family memories for many, many years to come.

Philip has become the gardener.  He has plowed and planted he and his family a pretty good size garden.  He even has a peach tree or two growing on the place and they are producing peaches.  He is really looking forward to some of their fruit.

After the party was  over I drove Mom and Dad home with Madge and Margaret following  in the van behind us.  We made a non-stop trip all the way up to about Bentonville, then we stopped and ate.  I would have driven until we arrived at the WalMart in Cassville, but I received a call on my cell phone, asking to pull in and eat somewhere.  So, that is what I did.

We arrived at the Dad’s and Mom’s about 9:30 p.m. or so, then, Madge and I went home to begin getting ready for bed, and prepped for the day of worship in our church on Sunday.

On the weekend before Memorial Day my sister and I along with my wife, a nephew, and a friend of his went to our family cemetery and done some needed clean up work.  By the time we were finished it looked much better, but there is much more to be done.  Since our parents, and Dad’s family is getting older they are no longer able to care for it, so that now falls to the younger generation, and it should be done with joy, and will be done with joy.

This past week Madge and I have been away at a Campground called Baptist Hill Assembly.  It is the campground I attended as a youth, and after I was called to preach, I went many years as a counselor, and a teacher a few years, and saw many young men accept Christ as their personal Savior.  We were serving as cooks to about 196 campers and staff this past week.  And, NO! We were not the only cooks there was a good crew of about nine total.  We served pancakes and sausage this morning (Friday) and the mornings before various and sundry good breakfast foods.  For lunches we served things like sandwiches, and hotdogs or conies.  For the evening meal, I call supper, some call dinner, we served fried chicken one evening, Spaghetti one evening, and something else good, that I don’t remember the other evening.  This is something we enjoy, and it helps out our Association with costs and keeps the kids expenses down too.  The cost for each camper was only 65 dollars, and most camps have it up over a hundred dollars.  In a lot of situations the churches the kids come with pay their fee.  God is great and the cost and time is worth all the reward, the eternal reward especially.

The Lord willing we will be going back in July for our Associational Children’s camp.  It will be with the same cooks, but a different bunch of kids, maybe some different CGL’s [used to be counselors, but for legal reasons that had to change], and I think that means “Camper’s Guidance Leader”, but of that I am not real sure.

The Summer time is quickly approaching, and the annual Family Fourth of July event will be here before you know it.  That is a day we all look forward to.  Our family gathering is nearing too.   That is the time near our Kid’s mother’s birthday when they all come to our house and just hang out together a day or two.  This year I am planning on taking that Sunday off from our Church, and going somewhere else to church with our kids.   Last year we were talking of a campout, but that does not seem to be materializing.

Sarah Lynn, that is Timothy’s wife is having a baby on June 30.  How do we know the date, because it is going to be born through surgery.  I said “surgery” because I am uncertain of how to spell the correct term for it.  We are looking forward to that wonderful day.  I know Timothy and Sarah are.

I have found out that one of the men who worked at camp with us is related to us through the Blankenships.  His mother is my grandfather’s cousin.  The way Forrest described it my grandfather was her “favorite cousin”. 

Have a great month of June.

-Tim A. Blankenship

On Tuesday April 08, 2008 my Dad will be 74 years of age.  Due to that the family, ie., my brother and sisters, and our children gathered together on Sunday April 06, and had a birthday dinner for Dad.  Since I was a child I can remember Dad’s family, ie., his brother and sisters getting together on his birthday and their’s too.

Now that has basically come down to just his children and grandchildren.  Part of that due to the deaths of Dad’s brother a few years back, the death of a brother in law about three years ago, the death of another brother in law just a month or so ago, and then on Thursday the death of a grand neice, due to a stroke at the age of 41.  That was the grand-daughter of Dad’s sister.

This was a birthday get together.  This Blankenship family is all a pretty happy bunch of people.  We love each other; and that is not to say we don’t have our problems; and we do love our get togethers.  We will probably be getting together on Mom’s birthday too.  That will be in June.

I keep meaning to get over and visit with Mom and Dad more than I do, but I don’t do it.  It is good to see them when I do.  I am going to need to get over to the place and work on the old barn.  That is told about over at Life On The Farm.  The farm is on the place my Dad was born, raised and grew up.  It sets near the banks of Flat Creek, and it is a beautiful farm.  That is for another time and day, soon I pray.

There was only one of our children absent from this get together, but that couldn’t be helped, living as far away as they do, and they have been up quite a bit recently.  The price of gasoline is getting to be a major budget problem.

When we get together on Sundays my wife and I cannot stay too long due to the fact that I preach on Sunday nights just like I do on Sunday mornings, and we must get away to get back to church on time, and I also usually need a little time to look over my notes for the evening message too.  It is good to be with Mom and Dad, the brother and sisters, their kids, grandkids, and our kids and grandkids.

Happy 74th Birthday Dad.

by Tim A. Blankenship