Ronni, I'm not sure about local laws, but here in MI you do NOT have to give it to her. In fact, my husband is the finance secretary of our church and when we have a funeral, all checks and money given go through him and then the church writes a check to the charity designated. If no charity is designated, it goes into our memorial fund in the name of that person.
Money in the memorial fund is spent on church projects, but we do usually ask family members if they have a preference among several projects.

In other words, that money should NOT go for funeral expenses, if it was designated to go to a charity. Undesignated money given to YOU, can go wherever you wish it to go - no obligation to give it to the executor.

HTH

I'm beat - the week was a long one, and now I need to get started on the presentations for church on Sunday. DH is working all day tomorrow, so at least I can have some quiet time. Well, maybe not - I'm not sure if they are working on the roof tomorrow or not. They started on Tuesday, and are progressing nicely! But, it is a bit noisy.

I am very impressed with the crew. They are extremely polite and helpful. Not my usual experience with construction crews (Gary, I'm sure your guys are great, too )

Anyone have any fun planned for the weekend? Mine is all work, I'm afraid. DH pulled the Michigan Waterfalls book out of my car, so maybe I willl spend some time picking a few to visit in October. Virtually all of MI falls are in the UP.

Gotta fly, the dryer is buzzing.
Prayers continuing for all - I will try to get caught up this weekend!

Laurie

I posted this on Prayer Warriors but will post it here, too. My pastor and his wife were expecting their first baby and were thrilled but sadly they have lost the baby. They are heartbroken. Please pray for Erik and Lety at this sad time.

Prayers ascending bargoo!

Oh Bargoo, I will be praying from Texas for them.

Hi All. This has been a long week, but thankfully Friday is here. It's amazing how much quieter our house in since our foster child left. He was a little hyper. Our kids seem to be enjoying the quiet as well.

My oldest DS went for his drivers test today and failed. The instructor was so mean and nasty that he got very nervous. Needless to say DS was angry. So much so that he had my DH drive home. Now that he knows what he needs to do the next time should be much easier.

Tomorrow we are off to Lancaster for school clothing shopping. They have a lot of outlets there and my boys like to get more bang for their buck! It will be a nice family day. School starts on the 24th. DS2 and DS3 have started football practice and of course, it has to get very hot. The summer was very mild until now, but that always seems to be the case.

I trust you all have a great weekend. Keep close to Jesus.

Kathy

Kathy - the weather is the same here. Thankfully, MI passed a law that says schools can't start until after Labor Day. Thus, none of the practices have started yet. Though I do see some of the kids running our hill. We live on the tallest hill in town, so it is a great runner's destination. In fact, it was one of my NSVs - when I could walk up the hill without having to stop, and then walking up it without being winded at the top

I don't know what outlet stores you have, but both outlet malls we shopped at over the last couple weeks had some good sales. Rue21 had some GREAT sale racks - $5, $7, $10. Old Navy had some decent sales too.

A busy morning here. One of our church members has spent the last 4 years teaching in China. She comes back for a week every summer, and she always does an update on her ministry during one of the services. She wants a lot of maps and pictures and the like in the PowerPoint presentation. Because it is a lot of extra work, I usually schedule myself for that week. So, I am meeting her this morning (nothing like last minute extras) to get her ideas and materials.

Hope you all have a blessed weekend!
Stay cool!


Laurie

BARGOO ~ prayers ascending for Erik & Lety over their loss; poor dears!

KATHY ~ one of my brothers failed his test twice, then got it on the third time. Like you said, he then knew what he needed to practice on more; and by then, he was 3 years older too (more matour, as they like to say ). Prayers for your son too ...

Bargoo, I am praying, I know their heartbreak, before I had my two girls, I had a few miscarriages. When you so desire to have a baby, every month, Mothers day, and Fathers day, is heartbreaking. God has a reason, If I would have had my daughter when I wanted, it would have killed both her and I, because of undiscovered complications with my bone structure, I had to have a C-section! So I thank God so much for those years of heartbreak.

I will be praying for them.

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday morning. I have missed all of you on this board so much! I have been lurking for awhile, (that just sounds so devious! ).

Love, Kelli

JustWant2BHealthy - Thanks for the prayers for DH1. He has to wait a month until he can take it again, so in that time we can help him practice the areas he messed up on.

Laurie - How did your service go today? I'm sure the presentation about China was wonderful. I always like to hear missionaries speak. I worked with the Sioux Indians in South Dakota for 8 years. It is challenging work, but very rewarding.

We got our school shopping done yesterday. YEAH. We shopped until I dropped. I think we are now ready for school to start on the 24th. I still can't believe the summer is gone and school is here. I'm praying for a good school year.

I would appreciate your prayers. I have a job interview tomorrow at 5:00 with our Chamber of Commerce. The last couple of years I have been very frustrated with my job. I've applied for 3 jobs and prayed that the Lord will give me the job He wants me to have. This is the only one that I have been called for an interview. The President of the Chamber of Commerce is the one that called me last night for the interview. I am nervous but excited. I'm trusting the Lord to work out His will.

Hello to Gary, Bargoo, Bootsie, Counting Down and anyone else I missed. Have a happy Sunday.

Kathy

Hi Kelli - glad to have you back posting!

Kathy - the service went really well. Everything came together, and people really enjoyed Jo's message. Which was good, since I think our pastor wandered a bit in his - I was scratching my head at the end, and I had the outline under my nose. I heard a few other folk comment as well. But, not every Sunday's message hits home for me.

It is going to be a hot one today - already 81 degrees with 70% humitity - UGH! I'm glad I got most of my chores done yesterday.

After church we went grocery shopping, which yielded some GREAT fruits and vegetables. I love buying local produce this time of year.

Meijer had 25% off their clearance stuff for today - and I picked up some great buys - a short sleeve sweater (black and white), a knit top (black, white, and brown), a belt (copper), a pair of wedge sandals (brown) and two pair of black tights. My treasures came to $17.00 The belt and sandals were much needed - my feet dropped a size when I dropped the weight. I got rid of all of my sandals. And, I didn't even own a belt at my high weight. Elastic waist pants and skirts don't require one. And I NEVER tucked anything in

I can't believe school is starting and it is time to dig out my "school clothes" again. We dress a bit less formally in the summer, but Monday we start back with "professional" attire.

I'm off to peruse fruit bar/crisp recipes since I went a little wild in the produce department.

Hope you all are having a GREAT Sunday!

Stay cool!

Laurie

Kathy praying for you in Texas. It is so wonderful, such a blessing to have a job you want. Laurie are you a teacher?

Still blazing in Texas so hot. I went on ahead and fried some catfish today and sure was good. I have some homemade bread in the oven rising for supper. Fried the catfish in an electric skillet works really great and not so hot but the bread, yea will get the house even hotter.

Bootsie, I can just smell that homemade bread, YUM!

Church was great today, my DH was still at his Men's retreat, so I went by myself, missed him, but it was still nice.

Hope everybody has a great rest of the weekend!

Love, Kelli

KATHY ~ prayers going up for you for peace and calm and wisdom, for your interview tomorrow ...

BOOTSIE ~ maybe you could let your bread rise all day and bake it in the evening, or let it rise all night and bake it early in the morning when it is still cool. I know that you may want it warm out of the oven for dinner, but if that isn't the case, both of these options have some merit. It is so hot here today that I wouldn't want to have the oven on as it is aleady over 80+F in here now; and 90F in the shade outside ... really hot for this area. Your bread sounds yummy indeedy ... I'm comin' for dinner!

HI to EVERYONE ELSE out there ~ hope you are all having A SUPER-BLESSED SUNDAY!!! We are supposed to have some relief from this heat tonight and tomorrow; sure hope that is true!!!

Take good care all ... ROSEBUD ^PRAYERS^ continue for you and yours ...

I got the bread made and I guess I am so used to the heat did not even bother me to much. It is on the table but we decided to save it till tomorrow and invite a friend or too by to have some homemade bread & butter. It is not scratch butter but I will be making some in the coming next year! Thanks Kelli I did get a little done today and rested a little too. Daughter still has not had her baby yet.

HI GALS ~

I am so happy to see all the activity going on here!

Angie is in Las Vegas with her mom and one of her sister. My mil loves to go and always has free rooms.

I too, went solo to church. Since Angie wasn't sitting with me most of the group in my area thought she was up in the choir loft We had some folks there that haven't been in awhile, it was good to see them. Several folks told me what a great job Angie is doing with the yoga class she is teaching too....

now...if only she can make that washrag she is working on in the knitting class, she is taking, without dropping a stitch (?) and move up to the bootie she will be a happy camper

My son took me out to dinner last night. My daughter in law's Chargers had an exhibition game she had to cheer at, he didn't really want to see it and his mom didn't get a chance to sit in the cheerleader seats last year so he gave the tickets to her and my daughter. Angie was at a beach party for yoga that I opted out of. I called her later in the evening to see if she wanted to join us but she said she just got home and cleaned the sand off her feet....tea was on the stove and she was set at the computer checking in on her facebook.

My son and I went to the local sports bar, which is really nice, but the food...well...oh-SO-bad It was also buy one get one free pizza and discounted beer...a disaster in the making for me as most of you know

I did make a vegetarian chili today that I will take for lunch all week. Hoping to take down some of those calories from the mexican food on Friday and the pizza last night.

I am still working OT at work, now about an hour a day and we have had the last 2 Saturdays off so it hasn't been that bad....but the days are tough...real tough...a lot of stress! Still...it probably is a lot less stressful than for those out of work and having a hard time paying bills and feeding families ...prayers for them!

I did get 6 miles in this week-end. Angie and I took the mutts down to Starbucks yesterday and I took them out after church...kind of hated to since they were so clean from their grooming yesterday We got a new Dyson, Angie has done all the vacuuming, since we got it a few weeks ago, and I had been working OT while she has been off....I used it Saturday and was amazed....scratch that ...disgusted at all the golden retriever hair in the canister in one week! Actually...not amazed at all I have emptied quite a few bags!....but seeing it in that clear container makes a person wonder ...why we have dogs ...FYI...I'm keeping mine

Gotta go...will come back later with some personals!

Prayers for all ~ Gary