Friday, December 31, 2010

2011 is Here

As you get older, you are VERY aware of how quickly your life is passing by. You start quoting to people about taking time to smell the roses and appreciating each day for all it's worth .....
yadda yadda yadda.
Sometimes you hide under the covers and hope it will slow down.
This year on my 54th birthday, I read Proverbs 31:25 about the 'noble woman', "she can laugh at the days to come" and decided to take it as my verse for the year.
Come on 2011. Bring it. I am choosing the more "noble" way.
While peeking out from under my covers, laughing hard,
and oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Strolling Down Memory Lane


Holidays bring out the old photos and the memories.... this was me at age 5. Darling doesn't even begin to describe this.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Confession and Choosing

I am in a season of deliberate choosing.
Let's say Dean annoys the heck out of me.... and I get to choose my response. Do i smack him with some sarcasm or do i bless him with my words?
When someone balks at my controlling nature, do I inwardly begin to rage or do I let it go and really forget about it?
You would think that by the advanced age of ___, these attitudes would no longer be an issue, but instead I am being humbled daily with my tongue. It all goes back to the heart and if my tongue reflects my heart, then my heart needs some surgery.
So, Lord I am asking for daily help in controlling my tongue. I am asking for Holy Spirit intervention in my choosing deliberately to bless instead of curse.

I am deliberately choosing to love. LOVE. LOVE.
I want to be a good love-er.
amen

Monday, December 6, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

FUN

1. Go out and find some.
2. Allow yourself to fully embrace it.
3. Laugh till liquid snorts from your nose.
4. Begin again.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

It's TOO EARLY

Saw two Christmas trees tonight in one small area. People, it isn't even the middle of November. Let's leave something too look forward to in life.
Like next month.
I refuse to sing a note of a carol or even think of where the ugly plastic tree we bought for the apartment might be hiding. Let's all just hum tunes of thanksgiving and maybe even a little rock n roll and just chill for a while. Life's speeding by too fast as it is. Slow it down people, one holiday at a time.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Count It All Joy

Still waiting on our circumstances to change. I recall not too long ago, two years or so, where I gave thanks on this blog ( for so many good things happening in my family's life and yet here I sit almost three years later, complaining about things that I am waiting on to change in our circumstances. It is hard because I want to be more mature than this. I want to be walking in "awareness" of His good and faithful provision, "Counting it all joy...". I am thankful for a group of women in my lifegroup who help keep me remembering how good of a God we serve. They listen to my woes, but remind me to keep my thoughts on things above. It is not all about me, or me and thee. It is about a mighty God who knows me and hears my cries and listens and answers. I love His answers. I may not see them, I may not feel them, but I believe them.

"Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. "

While I am
James 1:2-4

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Thirty is just a number

My middle-est is joining the ranks of women who have looked a number in the face and crossed over with strength, vigor and just the tiniest look back over their shoulder.
Enjoy the ride!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

The Mind is a Mystery

I am spending time with my mother while my dad is recovering from surgery. She is a delightful woman who lifts her hands and thanks God all the time. She also has Alzheimers Disease. My mother has no short term memory. She has not been able to remember new names and faces or current information since the disease took over her brain. Once in a very great while a new snippet of information will work it's way into her memory bank and she will be able to hold on to it, but not often.
She does not remember why I am here. Every few minutes she turns and looks at me and asks me where her David is. Then she asks if he is okay and if he will be home soon. I answer her and we move on and then she turns and asks again. I don't mind answering her, ever. Each time she asks it is as if she had never heard the answer. I do have alot of appreciation for my daddy who is the one who cares for her and answers her questions over and over each day, all day long. He probably needed this little break in the hospital.
We just took a walk around the facility where they live and she stops and points out the details in the artwork that is on the walls. "Look at that pretty flower. Someone painted everything that you see in that picture. Look, there are three flies in that painting." My momma used to be a painter. She loves to see the brush strokes and a flower with light on the petals. She has always had an eye for color and detail. Even as I type, she has just asked me again about her David. We are off to the hospital where she will sit in the chair by his bed and hold his hand and look sweetly at him and blow him kisses. Then she will ask him why he is there and when he gets to go home. She just told me that she "sure has missed him".
I miss my mother but I have heard so many horror stories from friends who have parents with Alzheimers who have lost all of their true self and kindness. I love that she has still got the love of Jesus smiling through those pretty blue eyes.
I am looking forward to talking to her again in Heaven one day. I have lots of questions stored up for her too.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

It's Friday!

I am a weekend kind of gal. I am very thankful for my job, but begin looking forward to Friday on Sunday nights when I realize that once again, Monday is coming. I really don't like this about myself as it makes me feel like a "glass is half empty" type of personality and who wants to be that? A friend called today and prayed that God would reveal his loving kindness to me in a very special way this weekend. I value her prayer and will look forward to this blessing, but at the same time, I realize that His mercies are new every morning. I long to wake up on a Monday and be thrilled that it is Monday. So Lord, I am admitting in public that I am only half full when it comes to being thankful and rejoicing over each day. Change my heart and let me see the glass full to overflowing. amen.
and p.s.
God... Thankful it is Friday.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Looking ahead

while sitting stillish. ish, not ill, because it is hard to be totally still, but it is easier to be stillish.
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Today I am thankful for a wonderful group of women that I spend time with on Sunday mornings, talking and praying about our lives as women, sisters, moms, daughters. Together we represent about 6 or 7 countries and I am definately one of the most freckled in the room. Love them. Still can't communicate very well with some, but LONGING for the day we can sit and chat without the language barriers. I will say, there is something about women and communication. We just do it. Might not get everything, but even if we don't understand everything, we understand what is important: families and faith and hope. Thanks God.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Memory vs Reality

Ike did a number on one of my favorite childhood memories of staying at the Sandpiper Motel in Galveston Texas.
I wasn't sophisticated enough at the time to know the difference between Hotel and Motel, but i loved this place. Goodbye childhood memory, hello reality.

as a p.s., loved that Galveston is rebuilding and that families are still bringing their children to create their own great memories.

























Wednesday, July 28, 2010

It's not about you

I haven't blogged because I couldn't. Really, I couldn't. I didn't have anything amusing or light or helpful or fascinating to say. I was so self consumed with my own thoughts and personal griefs, that I could barely talk to myself, let alone the three or four people who might read these words. I have been grieving my own life unlived while still grieving over my friends who went home earlier than expected. So I am putting my big girl panties on, calling on my friend and creator and asking Him to help me walk out intentional thankfulness. Come on life. let's get on with it. I am ready to be surprised by joy.

Friday, January 22, 2010

It's True

I do get obsessive about searching for things online. It could be a purse (as you will remember from last year) or a dog (oh wouldn't that be awesome???!!!) or as is going on now, a HOUSE HUNT. We are most likely selling our fun lakehouse (economy woes dictates this hard decision) and buying a house again in Dallas. I know that in the news, Dallas is one of the best places to buy as there is alot of inventory and great prices...but not in the categories I am searching for. I have good taste, what can I say? I have found that there are alot of people like me that do not want to live in a giant brick box (though we can find many of those at great prices) but want instead to live in a house that stirs the emotions because of the architecture, the age, the details and a neighborhood that evokes charm out the wazoo. I am girded for this search. I have on my reality glasses and my dreamer glasses. I have a budget and I have a dream. I asked God to prepare just the right place for us. Can't wait to see what this place looks like and have a strong feeling it might not be about my dream, but about location. So, while I wait...I search on.


Thursday, January 7, 2010

Monday, January 4, 2010

Addictions




Before this past year, I would have told you that I loved eating chocolate, but didn't really have any addictions.....my co-workers and family would howl at that statement. Heh heh. I apparently have a strong need for iced tea from Sonic especially at HAPPY HOUR. ( I mean really, it is HAPPY HOUR, who wouldn't want to be there) Maybe it is just a bit stronger than "strong need". Maybe i really really really love it and have to have it. I love the ice. That is all though. No other addictions. Except...well...
Okay, i admit that over the past year I did get a bit addicted to watching NCIS, a television show about Navy crimes. I never watched the original shows, but began watching the reruns in the afternoon after work. I am sitting here watching it now even as I type, but no big deal I can quit any time I want.
So, I am just being real here in the new year and thinking about whether these are issues that need to be dealt with or if they are no big deal in the big picture of addictions. I don't smoke, I don't chew and I don't hang with those that ... oops, I do hang with a few people that do actually. But I haven't inhaled.
So this year I am not going to talk about my new year resolutions, but talk about what needs to go. I am seriously thinking about giving up NCIS. (after this show of course and it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I have probably seen them all now two or three times), but I have NO plans to give up my Sonic iced tea. I do have a few other things that need to go, but we won't get into my curvy figure. Not for now.