Through the Mourning to the Morning...

*Jeremy deserves all of the credit for this, since he is the only reason I even know to listen to this music...

We spend a lot of time in Branson - at Silver Dollar City - in the Spring and Fall.  During the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival in May, and then the Country Music Weekend in September we get to sit and just enjoy music.  The Bluegrass and BBQ is my personal favorite - Its a month (or more?) of the country's best bluegrass bands, alternating dates and times and stages.  I have come to appreciate several of the bands, but my three top favorites are Flatt Lonesome, the Lonesome River Band and The Snyder Family.  There is a song that Flatt Lonesome did at the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival last summer that has played in a continuous loop in my head since February...

  It says...

In the morning, there is joy.
In the morning, there is peace.
In the morning, all things are brand new.

In the valley, there are choices
In the valley, there are voices
In the valley of sin and despair.
Keep walking through the valley, keep talking in the valley
To Jesus.  He'll always be there.

In the morning there is joy...
In the morning there is peace...
In the morning all things are brand new.

Through the MOURNING, through the pain...
He will wipe the tears away.
But in the MORNING, all things are brand new.

I just love it.  I really love all of their music.  They have the most amazing (and at the same time haunting) harmonizing.

 **Their cover of Dwight Yoakum's "You're the One"...oh man, you just have to hear them for yourself.  Here! ---->   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCwwWwymrcY
Make sure you listen to In the Morning while you're there :)


I was going to sit and type out all of the things that I am mourning today, instead...I am choosing to focus on the Morning.  I have an appointment to see Dr Reussner and have my sutures removed tomorrow.  We are also going to discuss the pathology results...and the next step.  While ultimately, we know that the most likely next step is to travel to Tulsa or Houston, and we are trying to be ready for that.  I am hopeful that it will be within our own time frame and not an immediate need to complete type of thing....In His Hands.

I want to take just a minute to say thank you to everyone that has read, shared, and/or given to the YouCaring fundraiser page that our dear friend Laura has created for us.

https://www.youcaring.com/nikkipickens-846269

The shares, donations, comments and thoughts from so many well-wishers are truly appreciated and I will never be able to express the full depth of my gratitude to anyone.  To every single one of you that has uttered "How can I help?", to all of you lucky listeners within earshot when I decide to have a mini-melt down, for every penny given to our family, and to those of you who are ok with NOT talking about it....THANK YOU.  All of you.  There are not words that would ever be able to portray the depths of my gratitude.  It is a very humbling experience to be on this end of the benefit.  My heart is so full of love and the kind words that everyone has shared.  Thank you.