Easter Morning

We all got up at the smack of dawn.

After divulging the contents of the family Easter basket, we headed out to Sunrise Service followed by breakfast with our friends from CUMC.

Oops He Did It Again

He wont the chili cook off for the Big Game Event.

Big Game Party

We start our event with the chili tasting! This is the most important part of the evening...imho.


The voting booth.


Oh that's right. Some game was playing.




"Midway" through the game Amy announced the winner of the Chili Cook Off.


Leon took first and Dale took 2nd. We decided the crockpot makes the difference. Since Leon and Dale used the same make and model.


I found a gaggle of girls downstairs.


Oh right. The game. Mike and Mike.


Some people multi-tasked.




Mr. Mike sweeping the crumbs and other various matter from the floor.

Funeral Today

J. Linwood Tew

Durham - J. Linwood Tew, 81, a resident of 804 Latta Circle went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 27. He was born in Portsmouth, Va., the son of the late William Floyd and Irene Cox Tew and was a resident of Durham for most of his life. He graduated in 1945 from Durham High School and in 1949 from the Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN. He was a Funeral Service Licensee in the state of North Carolina for 43 years, beginning his career in 1945 at Clyde Kelly Funeral Home. In 1957, Linwood along with Robert Wicker and Ed and Travis Clements bought Clyde Kelly Funeral Home where he was co-owner and President until his retirement in 1993. He was a director with Durham Cremation Service since 1992 and served for two terms on the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors.

As a youth, Linwood was active in Grey Stone Baptist Church where he and his wife, Margaret, were married on March 25,1948. In 1950, Linwood was instrumental in helping to organize Westwood Baptist Church as a mission church from Grey Stone in the chapel of Clyde Kelly Funeral Home . He served the church for many years as Chairman of the Deacons, Superintendant of the Sunday School and teacher of the Men's Sunday School Class. In 1993, Linwood was instrumental in organizing Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church. He served as an Elder, Home Group Leader and a member of the Global Impact Conference for as long as his health allowed. Linwood and his wife shared a love and passion for the international students at Duke University. Several of these students looked up to them as their adopted grandparents.

He was a member of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club for over 40 years. He was on the original school board for Holt Elementary School and he helped organize the Homestead Heights Swim Association where he served as its first President. He was an avid Duke fan.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Wade, Ed, John and Howard Tew; and one sister, Mary
Elizabeth Tew. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Margaret Cameron Tew; two daughters, Lynn Browning (Ray) of Durham and Susan Okada (Derek) of Oakville, Ontario; one son, Richard Tew (Faye) of Durham; two sisters-in-law, Ada Mae Tew of Newport News, Va. and Linda Hicks of Four Oaks; seven grandchildren, Todd Lewis (Cathy) and Matt Lewis of Durham; Cam Lewis serving with the US Navy in San Diego, CA; Julie Armstrong (Ben), and Sarah Okada of Oakville, Ontario; Brian and Brandy Tew of Durham; and one great-granddaughter, Jordan Lewis of Raleigh.

Due to inclement weather, Linwood's Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 11:00 a.m. in Clements Funeral Chapel by Rev. Mac Bare. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the funeral at Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church, 922 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Tew, Eddie Tew, Danny Tew, David Tew, Jay Pittard,
Eddie Cameron, Dr. John Allen and Jim Earp. Honorary pallbearers will be Elders of Dayspring Fellowship Church (present and past), members of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club, Directors of Durham Cremation Service, Rudy Griffin, Harry Inscoe, J.K. "Charlie" Bock, Bill White and Robert Wicker.

Flowers are acceptable. Memorial contributions may be made in Linwood's honor to Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church, 922 Ninth St., Durham, NC 27705.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Regional Cancer Center and Duke Hospice for the love and compassion they showed our family during his illness. They are truly God-sent people.

Annual Christmas Banquet

We let the boys go up and pick out their own dessert. We weren't paying attention, but normally our rule is to start out with one dessert. We failed to remind the children of this rule. Joshua and Ishmael were reasonable.



Jeremiah was stone cold busted.

HAHAHAHA!!!

There was plenty of entertainment, but I have to say that little Joseph and Mary stole the show.

The Holy Ghost Weenie Roast

We had a lot of fun. We met up with old friends, played games, enjoyed good food and treats, and went on a hayride.

"United with Him"

When he was 6 years old Ishmael made a profession of faith that Jesus Christ died for his salvation. He did this at home during prayer time. He's pretty quiet about his faith, but takes it very seriously.

Joshua went forward to pray during the alter call at Christian Assembly's VBS when he was 7 and professed a belief in Jesus. He was so excited he told me all about what it meant on the car ride home and again later with Leon.

Because the boys were so young we decided to wait and talk to them about baptism when they were older. We wanted it to be their own individual choice. One that they make all on their own with no prompting from us.

Pastor Mac preached on baptism recently and it got the boys talking about it. They asked questions at home and they both decided that it was what they wanted to do. So we invited Pastor Mac and Mr. Dale over to talk with the boys about it.

Both boys shared their statement of faith so clearly and so directly, it brought tears to my eyes.

Joshua said, "I know that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, that he died, was buried, and rose again."

Ishmael said, "People sometimes put other things as more important than God, but I
believe that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and paid the price for my sins."

Romans 6:3-5
"Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection,"

Joshua:


Being buried with Christ.


Rising in newness of Life.


Ishmael:



Being buried with Christ.


Rising in newness of Life.

Dan the Animal Man

We went to a special presentation at the church next door by Dan the Animal Man. He brought some great animals and shared evidence of a Creator. It was a great service and the kids loved it!



This is an Eurasian Eagle-owl.




Gibbon Ape named Leeza (Leeza Gibbons lol)




This guy was so funny. He did a great job. Here is a link from Answers in Genesis about that tells more about who he is.

www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v4/n2/animals-evangelize

And here is a link to his organization.

www.wildanimalencounters.com

Sunday Afternoon Ball

Sometimes Leon and his friends play basketball after church on Sundays. Sometimes the kids and I tag along for a day on the playground.













I found taking pictures of guys playing basketball quite humorous.

Sometimes because they were just cuttin' up and bein' funny.





Or they were just so graceful.



And in some of these I can't tell if they lost the ball...



or if they're praying for rain...



Sunday afternoon basketball is Leon's favorite time of the week.