Well, we are coming to a close. We are surrounded by boxes. Not much left. David and Jenny came over and spent the day working, working, working. What a blessing! Oh, Malaya worked too! She, at five years old, did ALL my spices! (Isn't that amazing?!!??!) But Jenny and David - oh my! I am so humbled to have them in my life! There is something about the way Jenny and I work together that is really rare and so connecting! In times like this, my attention span gets really short - so overwhelmed - she sweetly redirects me, we laugh, we enjoy the moments, and we love closing the boxes.
And David, he is such a wonderful work partner for Rick! He is so willing!
We celebrated David's birthday tonight! What a perfect addition to our family! We are so proud of him!
Almost closed - the final box - the final chapter - in a very long story. Only long because it has been so painful. But the Lord is so good, so faithful! I just want to be on His side, with Him at my side - forever. His sweetness is immense and so deep. Usually closed chapters haunt me but I have learned that with closed chapters, it means a brand, spanking new one gets to open! Open it, Lord - I'm with you! I can't wait to see what You are going to do in the newest chapter of our lives! Have Your way, Father! Reign in my heart!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Packing up my 'stuff' AGAIN!
Well, I've had a cancellation for the last appointment of the day and I am heading out the door to go a box or two before church tonight. (Moving is not my hobby but you would think so as often as I have done it lately.) But I have developed an enjoyment of looking through memory boxes of my kids! We had some great times watching them grow up! And we didn't even know how much fun we were having! Time to reflect can be such a blessing!
Tonight I am teaching our class from Luke 5. Now don't you know these were some events for reflection in years to come!
"Hey John! Remember when our boats were filled up with Jesus' catch! I'll never forget the looks on everyone's faces when we walked after the Lord and they had to clean all those fish! We laughed so hard we cried! Boy, that Jesus was the partier, huh? Remember the laughter and hugging that He did when He finally got to touch that leper! Don't you just know that God had been waiting forever to get His holy hands on him and tell he was CLEAN! And do you remember the time we were in that house listening to Jesus teach and began to feel like Chicken Little! The sky began to fall - IN THE HOUSE! Jesus was cracking up at those four guys finding an incredible way to get their buddy at His holy feet to be healed! What about the party at Matthew's house! Loud - now, those tax collectors knew how to eat and party-down! Even those ol' Pharisees and scribes began to gather to see what was going on. They could hear Jesus' laughter from the street! They knew He was in there! and they didn't like it one bit! They started asking us questions when we went outside - they were trying so hard to intimidate us! Remember their horror when Jesus came out and began answering their questions before we had to!!! He started telling them about how we HAD to party - something about wineskins. So funny!"
May we join the disciples reflecting on how God has been such a faithful, healing, cleansing, joy-filling God to follow! I just love that about Him!
Tonight I am teaching our class from Luke 5. Now don't you know these were some events for reflection in years to come!
"Hey John! Remember when our boats were filled up with Jesus' catch! I'll never forget the looks on everyone's faces when we walked after the Lord and they had to clean all those fish! We laughed so hard we cried! Boy, that Jesus was the partier, huh? Remember the laughter and hugging that He did when He finally got to touch that leper! Don't you just know that God had been waiting forever to get His holy hands on him and tell he was CLEAN! And do you remember the time we were in that house listening to Jesus teach and began to feel like Chicken Little! The sky began to fall - IN THE HOUSE! Jesus was cracking up at those four guys finding an incredible way to get their buddy at His holy feet to be healed! What about the party at Matthew's house! Loud - now, those tax collectors knew how to eat and party-down! Even those ol' Pharisees and scribes began to gather to see what was going on. They could hear Jesus' laughter from the street! They knew He was in there! and they didn't like it one bit! They started asking us questions when we went outside - they were trying so hard to intimidate us! Remember their horror when Jesus came out and began answering their questions before we had to!!! He started telling them about how we HAD to party - something about wineskins. So funny!"
May we join the disciples reflecting on how God has been such a faithful, healing, cleansing, joy-filling God to follow! I just love that about Him!
Monday, October 24, 2005
I can't wait!
Wow! I can't believe it has been so long sinceI have written. The last entry was right before the retreat that Kayci and Jennifer came in to do with me. I want to write about it. Oh, and that was the same weekend - while I was at the retreat - that we got a contract on our house - with no idea where we were moving - we just knew we were more than ready to leave Trophy Club and get to Decatur! Oh, and that was a few days after I found out I was going in for a little surgery. But it was before we found THE house! We are closing on both houses on November 2!!!! And I am leaving for Germany on November 4! So many blog entries in the above! But none of the previous are more exciting than the news we got last night!!!!
We were taking Jenny and David, and, of course, Malaya, to see our new house after church. I have been so excited for Jenny to see it - I hold her opinion in the highest regard. She has such good perception - and that is not my gift! They met us at church. (I miss going to church with them more than I have words to say.)
After I dropped Malaya at her class, I walked down the hall to mine and there was my youngest son, Jonathan! I was so thrilled to see him and his precious wife, Jennifer! My heart was soaring. As class was starting, Jonathan leaned down the aisle to show me what he had picked out for his birthday - his 'Jedidiah' hat, jacket, and shirt. Jedidiah is one of my favorite boy names - really it is my favorite boy name! It means 'loved by the Lord' - how beautiful! I asked if he was trying to tell me something and he said 'no' with a fairly straight face. We looked at the house and were filled with anticipation! We can't wait!
Then we took the kids to eat and Jonathan said that he and Jennifer had decided on a job and their start date was in June. My youngest son, my gorgeous-eyed man-child, sat right across from me and told me his wife, my precious Jen, was with child! Not just any child - but my grandchild! I LOVE being a Grammy! I LOVE it! and now I get to do it again!
I pray for you, sweet baby! May your lips profess the name of the Lord and may your life be rich in service to our King! I can't wait to tell you about Him! I can't wait to see you and to hold you and to kiss you ....
I can't wait!!!!!!
We were taking Jenny and David, and, of course, Malaya, to see our new house after church. I have been so excited for Jenny to see it - I hold her opinion in the highest regard. She has such good perception - and that is not my gift! They met us at church. (I miss going to church with them more than I have words to say.)
After I dropped Malaya at her class, I walked down the hall to mine and there was my youngest son, Jonathan! I was so thrilled to see him and his precious wife, Jennifer! My heart was soaring. As class was starting, Jonathan leaned down the aisle to show me what he had picked out for his birthday - his 'Jedidiah' hat, jacket, and shirt. Jedidiah is one of my favorite boy names - really it is my favorite boy name! It means 'loved by the Lord' - how beautiful! I asked if he was trying to tell me something and he said 'no' with a fairly straight face. We looked at the house and were filled with anticipation! We can't wait!
Then we took the kids to eat and Jonathan said that he and Jennifer had decided on a job and their start date was in June. My youngest son, my gorgeous-eyed man-child, sat right across from me and told me his wife, my precious Jen, was with child! Not just any child - but my grandchild! I LOVE being a Grammy! I LOVE it! and now I get to do it again!
I pray for you, sweet baby! May your lips profess the name of the Lord and may your life be rich in service to our King! I can't wait to tell you about Him! I can't wait to see you and to hold you and to kiss you ....
I can't wait!!!!!!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
I've been tagged...
I have also been tagged.......
First Memory: Glimpses of my 3-year-old birthday party
First Kiss: I don't remember and don't want to!
First Concert: Doobie Brothers, I think
First Love: Rick - we were babies! - I fell hard for him at 18!
First thing I think in the Morning: Five more - PLEASE!
First Book I remember loving: A Tale of Two Cities
First Pet: Honey Bun, a precious, cute, grumpy fat little chihuaha (sp?)
First Question when I get to Heaven: Where are those no-fat chicken enchiladas?
First word I think of for Vacation: Famliy
First Best Friend: Donna Ohlund, LaMarque, Texas
Last Time I dressed up: October 1 for the ChristianWorks auction
Last thing I ate: Rick cooked grilled hamburger patties with onions and baked potatoes - YUM!
Last CD I bought: Jana Long (the wonderful singer from Avalon)
Last time I cried: Last night when I read Jenny's tribute to her dad's birthday on her blog
(www.kindermommy.blogspot.com)
Last time I told someone I loved them: When Rick left for work this morning
Last really fun thing I did: Co-presenting a ladies' retreat with my daughters-in-law
Last thing I watched on TV: Monday Night Football, Steelers and Chargers
Last Halloween Costume: HMMMM! I don't know - that is a shame!
Last Concert- Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and Stephen Curtis Chapman -- Awesome!
I tag Kayci, Jennifer, Heather, Emily, Jen, Tonia, Sandy -- Oh, let all my girlfriends get a tag! Just copy and paste on your own blog or here in the comment section! It is so much fun to remember!
First Memory: Glimpses of my 3-year-old birthday party
First Kiss: I don't remember and don't want to!
First Concert: Doobie Brothers, I think
First Love: Rick - we were babies! - I fell hard for him at 18!
First thing I think in the Morning: Five more - PLEASE!
First Book I remember loving: A Tale of Two Cities
First Pet: Honey Bun, a precious, cute, grumpy fat little chihuaha (sp?)
First Question when I get to Heaven: Where are those no-fat chicken enchiladas?
First word I think of for Vacation: Famliy
First Best Friend: Donna Ohlund, LaMarque, Texas
Last Time I dressed up: October 1 for the ChristianWorks auction
Last thing I ate: Rick cooked grilled hamburger patties with onions and baked potatoes - YUM!
Last CD I bought: Jana Long (the wonderful singer from Avalon)
Last time I cried: Last night when I read Jenny's tribute to her dad's birthday on her blog
(www.kindermommy.blogspot.com)
Last time I told someone I loved them: When Rick left for work this morning
Last really fun thing I did: Co-presenting a ladies' retreat with my daughters-in-law
Last thing I watched on TV: Monday Night Football, Steelers and Chargers
Last Halloween Costume: HMMMM! I don't know - that is a shame!
Last Concert- Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and Stephen Curtis Chapman -- Awesome!
I tag Kayci, Jennifer, Heather, Emily, Jen, Tonia, Sandy -- Oh, let all my girlfriends get a tag! Just copy and paste on your own blog or here in the comment section! It is so much fun to remember!
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Excitement is in the air!
I am sooooo excited! This weekend is the Decatur ladies' retreat! My precious daughters-in-law are coming in to present with me! (When we first scheduled it, it was going to be all four of us - Jenny too. But David's sister is getting married and Jenny thinks she needs to be there! We will miss you so much, Jenny! We'll have to plan something else soon for you to come over and tell your story so my new friends can know you.)
I would love to tell you all about it - but I don't want to! (Does that sound like conflict or what?) I want to wait until the weekend is done and THEN I'll reveal our plans.
I would invite you and beg you to pray that the Lord will be huge for us - the Decatur girlfriends - this weekend. Please pray that He bind us together as family and draw us close to Him! We want to be like the Isaiah 40:11 little lamb -- gathered by Him and carried 'close to His heart'! Beautiful imagery, huh?
Oh, Lord, please draw us close enough to rest in Your heartbeat. We want to walk in the rhythm of Your love. Be big for us, Precious Lord! Be really, really big! We love you and can't wait to see how You will use this weekend to bring glory to Yourself! That is our desire!
I would love to tell you all about it - but I don't want to! (Does that sound like conflict or what?) I want to wait until the weekend is done and THEN I'll reveal our plans.
I would invite you and beg you to pray that the Lord will be huge for us - the Decatur girlfriends - this weekend. Please pray that He bind us together as family and draw us close to Him! We want to be like the Isaiah 40:11 little lamb -- gathered by Him and carried 'close to His heart'! Beautiful imagery, huh?
Oh, Lord, please draw us close enough to rest in Your heartbeat. We want to walk in the rhythm of Your love. Be big for us, Precious Lord! Be really, really big! We love you and can't wait to see how You will use this weekend to bring glory to Yourself! That is our desire!
Monday, October 03, 2005
Reunion
Last night at church, we had a reception for our new members. We have several families that have joined us over the last six months. Since we have only been there for 5 months, we were one of new ones being spotlighted and welcomed! I'm not sure if we have ever felt more embraced! (Crockett had such a gift for this too!) It is such a blessing for the Lord to use so many sweet new friends to be His arms to welcome us!
Saturday night, we had a similar but very different experience - it was the night of the ChristianWorks Auction. I LOVE this night every year. It has been in a huge banquet room at the Anatole in recent years. The moment we find a parking place and begin our ride up the escalator to the ballroom - my heart begins to flutter in anticipation! I KNOW that once I make it through this long winding hall, the party begins! People in the registration line are exchanging hugs - and names (I know faces from long ago but can't quite find their 'spot' in my history). I take great delight in the warm embraces of such precious friends. The common link with most - if not all - of them is that we share the family name - Christian. We are blood relatives - covered in His blood.
You know, it's like getting to practice heaven! I can't wait for the warmest welcome, the best food, the sweetest embraces, the smiles of friends and fellow travelers who share a mutual delight with me, and finally, finally getting to KNOW Him and as I am known by Him!
Won't it be time!
Oh, Father, I want to be Your welcoming arms and Your eyes of grace to the people in my world! Give me a heart to embrace others, Lord! In the name of Your Son - the One Who makes us His blood relatives!
Saturday night, we had a similar but very different experience - it was the night of the ChristianWorks Auction. I LOVE this night every year. It has been in a huge banquet room at the Anatole in recent years. The moment we find a parking place and begin our ride up the escalator to the ballroom - my heart begins to flutter in anticipation! I KNOW that once I make it through this long winding hall, the party begins! People in the registration line are exchanging hugs - and names (I know faces from long ago but can't quite find their 'spot' in my history). I take great delight in the warm embraces of such precious friends. The common link with most - if not all - of them is that we share the family name - Christian. We are blood relatives - covered in His blood.
You know, it's like getting to practice heaven! I can't wait for the warmest welcome, the best food, the sweetest embraces, the smiles of friends and fellow travelers who share a mutual delight with me, and finally, finally getting to KNOW Him and as I am known by Him!
Won't it be time!
Oh, Father, I want to be Your welcoming arms and Your eyes of grace to the people in my world! Give me a heart to embrace others, Lord! In the name of Your Son - the One Who makes us His blood relatives!
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