First Day of My "Days of Sacrifice"

Ok, Ok - I know I haven't written in forever. No one is probably reading this site anymore but today I am writing down a few thoughts to help me think! In 2003, I practiced Lent for the very first time and I will never not do it again (is that enough negatives for you?). I LOVE Easter! I love that the tomb is empty! I love preparing for the celebration of it. I like sacrificing something for this season that will draw my mind into His presence a bit more than normal. This year, I am focusing not only the gospel story, but I am reading Philippians 2: 5-11 many times a day. I can't quote it - I am sad about that. I want to write those words on my heart. I am begging the Lord to remover my prideful off-shoots. I am begging Him to prune me softer than I pruned my rosebushes last week but also more thoroughly. Is it possible for a pruning to be soft and thorough? Ok - I chose thorough - I want to choose thorough - I pray I will want to choose thorough. Do you hear my wrestle?

This is it - on my way to Israel

Tomorrow we leave for (drum roll, please) Israel! I can't believe it! Robert and Sue Isham have given us this unbelievable gift! We are packed with camera batteries charging! I am taking my video camera too - the one reserved for capturing grandchildren moments. I want our special ones to feel like they are with me.
Please pray for my mom while I am gone. I know she will be lonely. If you are from Decatur, please call her or stop in for a visit while I am gone. I would really appreciate it!
Please join us in praying that the Lord will give us photographic memories for the next 11 days.
We are excited to make new friends and to get to know the six special buddies travelling with us even better.
He reigns!

Extreme Makeover: Girls' Edition

I can't believe it has been over a month since I have written! What about my new commitment to write more??? Oh, well --
ACU went well - not enough time - but a blast to share for an hour and then spend a whole lot of time seeing sweet friends and hanging with my fam!

I did a ladies' day for King's Crossing Church in Corpus Christi - I LOVED it! I met some precious people and made so many new friends! I spent the night with Brenda Goforth and got to hang out with Janet Griffith - what a blessed woman I am!

Jenny, Malaya, and Rick went with me to the State Fair! What a total blast! It was on October 13 and I still feel full! I loved the friend avocado chunks and the chicken-fried bacon! Of course we had our traditional tator tornadoes, corn dogs, and Tom's lemonade! YUM! YUM!

Sunday, before the Natalie Grant concert (which was totally awesome), Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center held an event for young women, ages 12-14. Jeffrey Dean spoke on sexual purity! He did a terrific job! I was super proud to get to M.C. the event!

(Drum roll please!) Saturday - I cleaned out my closet!!!!! I can actually now walk in my walk-in closet! It feels great! Now if I can just decide what to do with all my 'stuff'! There is definitely a spiritual implication there. I have spent the last year looking for ways to simplify life so I can focus more clearly on glorifying the Lord. The more clutter I get rid of - the more clutter I see. Hmmmmm!

ACU Summit

This has been a super exciting month! After the big San Antonio celebration, I headed to Casper, Wyoming to be with a precious group of believers. I was actually in Wyoming approximately 24 hours but made some amazing new friends! The scenery was amazing but the hearts of those women were even more beautiful. I loved my time there! What an encouragement to my heart!

Then the next weekend, Rick and I drove to Memphis to see Josh and Kayci's new place. I loved being there with them! I loved celebrating Josh's 28th birthday! One precious sister made a delicious breakfast casserole for us! What a sweet idea and blessing! Then, as we were leaving town, we ate lunch with the Alexanders, one of the shepherds at Sycamore View - wish we had more time with them! It was great to meet some Memphis folks!
Kayci and I shopped while Josh and Rick golfed! Truitt was a fabulous shopper but I know he can't wait to go golf with the guys. We went that night to eat at Rendevous - great place for ribs. We walked around downtown - stopping to eat in the Peabody Hotel and then to eat delicious cheesecake! I LOVE downtown Memphis!

Ike was hitting Houston while we were in Memphis so when we got home, Jonathan, Jennifer, Jed, and Jocelyn were at our house - our precious 'evacuees'. On Sunday Michael joined us, then came some of their other friends - the Millers. We had such a great week - such a sweet serendipity out of the tragedy of Ike. (Jonathan and Michael left Thursday to go check out the damage in Houston. Jenn and the kids left just after noon today to head to Odessa for a couple of days.)

Kayci and Truitt flew in yesterday to ride to Abilene with us tomorrow. I am speaking on Monday morning and Kayci is speaking on Wednesday morning.
I have studied so hard for this presentation - how we as communities of faith can better protect and nurture the marriages in our churches. We have to let Jesus make more of difference in our marriages because He lives in our hearts! Please pray that I am able to articulate these thoughts well.

Girls' Trip to San Antonio

There were five (four adults and one very small baby) of us that converged on San Antonio, Texas, last Thursday to celebrate Jenny's 30th birthday. We had a total blast doing 'girl' things like eating and eating and eating, spending hours just sitting around talking after each meal, long naps, late movies, eating tons of chocolate!, sharing stories and dreams, encouraging each other in faith, and bonding in Jesus. We loved celebrating Jenny! We did only her favorite things! Jenny, Jessie, and I stopped at a fabulous chocolate store in Hico to buy a healing treat (chocolate bandaids) for our stressed out Jennifer. Jen was trying to leave Houston when she discovered that she had lost her wallet. BooHoo! A little chocolate helps any girlfriend feel better! (She did find her wallet within hours after she got home.)
Jocelyn seemed to thoroughly enjoy her first 'girl trip'! She never hurt for attention.

We were all there to meet her every need. She is a fabulous baby!

First night, we ate at Mi Tierra. Before we even ate dinner, we stopped at the bakery for our late night snacks. YUM! Mi Tierra has always been a family favorite for us! We sat on the patio and enjoyed the evening immensely!
This is Friday afternoon - we all layed around eating chocolate. These two slept, while Jen, Jocelyn and I were on the other bed whispering and laughing.
Here we are enjoying our Friday night walk on the River. So fun!

Happy Birthday, Jenny!

Thanks, Jennifer, Jocelyn, and Jessie for joining our celebration!

Our Day at the American Girl Store

Last Friday, to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of third grade, Jenny, Malaya, and I took Nicki (the doll) to the American Girl store at the Galleria. We have wanted to do this all summer. I wished my camera had been on Malaya when we walked in the door.

Her eyes were HUGE - priceless.
Nicki got her hair done. Malaya chose exactly how she wanted it to look - ribbons and all!
Here are the two girls at lunch. You can see Nicki's menu. Aren't they beautiful????
Here is our table at lunch. It was just beautiful - all pink - with napkin rings you could keep. They each had a character trait engraved on them.Jenny and Malaya with Nicki. Malaya asked if this could be our new tradition-- going to the American Girl store on the Friday before the first day of school. Sounds good to me! I had a blast! Thanks, girls!

Truitt was here!

What a precious! Truitt was here for about 10 days

but it didn't seem long enough to get all the sugar we wanted.

Check out those eyes!
Cousin Malaya couldn't get enough of him either.

She is so so sweet with the little ones in our family.

They played so hard!

He loved to play outside in the water!

Here is in checking himself out in the mirrored window in our church.

Truitt, Grammy and Grampy miss you so much! Please come back soon!