The Big Water Project is Complete

The Big Water Project is Complete! Thursday's post gave the end result but today's post will fill in the details. The most important detail in the whole story is one named Bro. Jimmie Radcliffe. 

I could not have started, much less completed, this job without Bro. Jimmie. I had never operated a track hoe, I knew nothing about making the actual connections. I knew nothing about how best to go about it. I would have been completely lost. The water on the Lazy OD Ranch would not be flowing without Bro. Jimmie.

Thank you very, very much, my dear brother!

Several others helped as well. My Dad worked hard every day, my brother, Steve worked, the whole Millikin family worked and Kelly Jo worked like a borrowed mule. My Mom and Odie cheered us on and helped in every way they could too. It was definitely a joint achievement and I appreciate all the effort.

One of the first problems I ran into was finding all the right materials for putting in the water line according to the water company's specifications. The big box stores carried very little of the parts and none of the big plumbing stores had it all on hand. 

My first cousin, Joe Tuttle made a parts list and ordered it all from a plumbing wholesaler. They would not sell to me before he called because they are not set up to sell to the general public. They went out of their way to help me once a "real plumber" was involved. Joe helped me find the right track and I am thankful for it.

The rented track hoe arrived about 10:00 Monday morning and Bro. Jimmie used it all day long. We needed nearly 400 feet of ditch and he completed all but about 25-30 feet on Monday.

Tuesday morning Bro. Jimmie finished the last few feet of ditch and then we started installing the water line.

We installed an access pit and shut off valve 100 feet back where we hope to build Odie's house in the future. 

Wednesday morning the water company came, inspected and turned on the water. Cool, clear water!

We put sand on the new water pipe and started filling the ditch. That is what we did pretty much all day long.

We did stop for lunch at Acapulco. The Millikin's were there and one of the waitresses asked Sis. Shauna Millikin if she was Kelly Jo's sister. Without missing a beat Sis. Shauna said, "No, she is my mother."

In response, Kelly Jo threatened to bury Sis. Shauna in the ditch. Here she goes!

Landon and Carli helped with Wednesday's work too.

Where the ditch crossed the drive we put in a bout 1 foot of sand and then gravel to the top.

Bro. Jimmie worked for hours to get this hydrant installed but he finally got it.

We quit about 11:00 Wednesday night

We spent all of Thursday finishing up and completing some of the other jobs that were created by installing water.

There is only a little more dirt to move today and then there will be nothing to do until the dirt on top of the ditches settles in.

We sure are enjoying the water!

Water

The word of the day is Water! Tune in next time for more exciting Words of the day!

Davy

When Normal Days Are Changed To Special Days

Hello friends, this is Odie writing a praise report. 10 years ago today began like any other normal day but ultimately it was a life changing day for me. It is the day my miracle began. I wanted to take a moment to Praise God one more time. Please pardon me while I testify. 

I have had Cerbral Palsy from birth. Doctors diagnosed me with CP at age 2. I am very blessed that I am mostly effected from the knees down. My brain does not send the correct signals to my muscles and tells my muscles to be constantly tight. This causes me not to be able to walk on my own. 

Over the years, my legs began to work as tight unit. They were stuck together like glue. It was hard and painful just to get them separated to put my boots on. I lived in almost constant pain and had developed a high pain tolerance. I would wake up sometimes several times a night with my muscles so tight that I would be curled up in a ball. The pain would be excruciating and I would have to slowly and painfully unwind myself from the balled up position. 

November 2, 2006, started off as a normal travel day. We were making the trip from Neosho, Missouri to Purcell, Oklahoma. Our new friend Pastor Shobanke, was visiting the United States from Nigeria and needed a ride to Oklahoma. It worked out for Bro. Shobanke to ride with us. We met up with Bro. and Sis. Fellers and Bro. Shobanke for a meal at Cracker Barrel then continued the journey to Oklahoma. 

Bro. Shobanke told my Dad during the trip, "When we get to Claremore I want to pray for your daughter." God had told Bro. Shobanke the night before he would pray for Bro. Boggs' daughter the next day. At that point neither us nor Bro. Shobanke knew we would cross paths on that day, but God knew. 

When we arrived at Westside Holiness Church in Claremore, Oklahoma, Dad got Bro. Shobanke settled in the evangelist quarters. Then we had a prayer meeting right in the church parking lot. It was a prayer meeting like I had never experienced before. For close to a hour Bro. Shobanke prayed, preached, sang, read scriptures and walked me around the parking lot. He had me pray, sing, read scripture and repeat it all again. It was an amazing time. Dad says he got distracted from praying because he was wondering who to call first when I started walking. We just knew it would happen that day! 

But in a while the spirit lifted and it was time to load back up in the truck and head to Purcell. Later in the evening we were sitting in the living room of our 5th wheel, Dad in his chair, me on the couch and Mom on the floor. We were probably listening to Old Time Radio on XM but I do not remember for sure. 

Now remember, my muscles are always tight and I lived in pain and my legs worked pretty much as a unit. Mom sitting in the floor was picking on me. She picked one of my legs up and held it out even with the couch and my other foot stayed on the floor. Mom did this a couple times before I realized what was happening. My legs were working separately and I was not screaming in pain as I normally would have been. 

We praised God for hours that night! I kept trying all kinds of things to see what I was able to do now. 

From that time forward, if I concentrate, I can relax my leg muscles from the knees down. I can separate my feet and legs and my pain levels have dropped 90%. Waking up in a tight ball with horrible pain used to happen nightly and it is now a rarity. I still have pain at times but I am so thankful it is not constant. God is awesome!

This came at a time that my faith was week. I knew God could heal but I doubted He would do it for me. For 10 years now I have had renewed faith. I believe any day that my miracle is going to be completed. 

I certainly did not think I would still be waiting for a completed miracle 10 years later. But I  know I am a lot closer to a full healing than I used to be. I know my healing may come when I least expect it. I want to be ready and waiting. There have been many times in the last 10 years that I have thought I would rise and walk aid free. I am so thankful for each faith building moment!

On Sunday night we had a wonderful service at Dryden Road Pentecostal Church. The beginning of the service Bro. Bennie was exhorting/preaching to us about healing. Then the Holy Ghost spoke and confirmed what our Pastor told us. I know I was just one of many in the service waiting on a healing but God touched me. I had several days of unusual pain, including during that service. After Dad and others prayed for me the pain left and I have felt so much better!

Thank you for reading my testimony. I want to Thank God for what He has done and what He  will do today and in the future. Please be encouraged and believe that God is moving on your behalf even on "normal" days. November 2, 2006 was a "normal" day but now it is a special day we will never forget.

Odie

Here Comes The Water Part II

Long, long days usually mean short posts but at least this long day/short post has lots of pictures.

I mentioned yesterday that we were starting a new project at the Lazy OD Ranch this week. The project for the week is actually the second phase of a project I wrote about in August. The water tap was installed the first week of August and now we are getting around to running the line from the road to the barn. I have no idea how to run a track hoe so Bro. Jimmie is the man of the hour. 

As with most projects, this is a much bigger job than I imagined it would be. By the time the water company gives you all the requirements, it makes you wonder if taking regular showers might be overrated!

We had started very early but the track hoe was delivered Monday a few minutes before 10:00. Bro. Jimmie finally climbed off of it a little after 7:00. He was pretty much hard at it the whole 9 hours with the exception of a 30 minute break for lunch. It was a long day but the ditch is almost completely finished.

Hopefully we will have all the pipe, fittings and hydrants installed by this evening. The water company is supposed to be back tomorrow morning to look it over and start the water flowing.

I will probably have more pictures tomorrow or later in the week.

Thank you for reading.

Davy