Galveston

I was born in Galveston. I have always wanted to go but never got the opportunity until this last October. A close friend of mine and I went down and spent the weekend there while the hubby stayed home with the kids. We had a blast!

The beaches there are so awesome. The salt in the air and the sound of crashing waves on the shore reminded me so much of growing up near the gulf. I didn't realize how much I missed living that close to the beach until then. In the mornings I would wake up and go sit outside on the condo balcony. The view and the sound of the waves helped my mind to wander aimlessly and rhapsodize on various subjects. Napping, reading and playing in the waves were so much fun and relaxing. Eating at new places - especially the Old Mexican Cafe - was great. We even rode Segways and toured a neighborhood and then rode on the sea wall. I loved every minute of it.

Now when I get stressed or overwhelmed my mind plays back to my time in Galveston and of course the song singing in my head is always "Some beach... some where.. there's a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair... "

View from Murdock's Pier

Yep, it's a healthy buffet - Chinese!

View from Condo in the morning

The Segways we rode

A three wheel car!

South Texas Trip

Monday September 24th Alex, Katie and I headed down to Kerrville Texas to visit our aunt and uncle. It took us about 11 hours to get down there. Our drive down was lots of fun. We stopped at rest areas with parks and played. We chilled at a couple of picnic areas. Played at a restaurant (probably McDonalds). A very enjoyable trip down for sure.

We also had so much fun while we were there. Playing in a park near the Guadalupe river. Taking drives during the kids' nap time in surrounding areas since they wouldn't sleep in the house. There are such beautiful hills and sights around there. We conquered one of the hills on our daily mile walks around the neighborhood. We loved visiting with our family and their three schnauzers. Alas, all good things must eventually end.

When we headed home on Saturday September 29th I had no idea our trip would end with a 14 hour stress filled drive. It rained the entire drive which meant no stops to play in the parks or chill outdoors. We got lost after leaving a McDonalds during an intense part of the storm. And worse of all in Jared Texas we needed assistance from the local police and fire department to come get Katie out of the truck.

Yep. I was *that* mother. Granted the whole event took maybe 20 minutes, but at the time it sure felt like it took hours. After filling up with gas I pulled Alex out of the back seat and shut and locked the doors. Then I walked around to get Katie. Guess what? Yes you guessed it. Her doors were locked. Locked up nice and tight. No biggie. I'll just get my keys... oh yeah, those keys along with my cell phone are sitting on the drivers' seat right next to the other locked doors. Can we say complete and total panic??? Being the rational person I am my first response was to check my shoes to see if I had heels on to break a window. Nope, rubber sole tennis shoes - not helpful. My next thought was the tire jack but it was dismissed just as quickly due to the fact it was under the back seat where my beautiful daughter sits.

I rushed inside the gas station and asked them for help calling a locksmith. Of course they didn't have a pay phone and the entire time I was panicking and watching the truck through the huge glass windows while they searched for a number. I told them what was going on and requested they call the police or fire department. The cashier was kind enough to call using her cell phone and Lt. Thompson answered the call and immediately sent the fire department out. The fire department quickly used their tools to unlock my door and let me get my beautiful baby girl out. They were of course concerned with the possibility of scratching the paint on the truck but I flat out told them they could break all the windows or scratch any of the paint they needed to for me to have my girl back.

Filling out the paperwork and answering the questions for the fire and police departments took longer than what the whole incident did. They amused me by asking where my husband was and one fire department man actually made a comment about my husband "letting me" take such a big trip with two toddlers. They were all very kind and helpful and I am so grateful they were there. By the way, you will be happy to know there are no warrants for my arrest in Texas or Louisiana. Yep, I laughed when they told me that.

We finally arrived home late that night after many, many hours of stress filled driving and stops. I am so thankful for my friends who let me ramble on the phone with them about everything I could think of my last two hours of the trip. They helped me stay awake when I was overwhelmed with exhaustion.

It was a fun trip but I am very glad that the next trip I make down there will be in my new minivan. Not only does it have a lot more room than the extended cab truck, but it does not have manual locks so I will hopefully never again think a door is unlocked already and find out it is not.

We Are Called To LOVE

Daily I am saddened more and more by the posts I see on Facebook. Posts throwing Bible verses out as attacks on others and judging people for their decisions regarding their marriages, money, children, life styles and the list goes on and on. When did we become so perfect? When did God's Word, His sword become ours to wield? When did we quit struggling with our own sins and were able to start telling everyone else how they were screwing up? When did we start pointing out sawdust in others' eyes and ignoring the planks in our own? 

In John the Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus and state they caught her committing adultery. They tell him that according to Moses she should be stoned. Do you know how Jesus responded? 

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:6-7

We are not perfect. Saved by the grace of God - yes. Perfect - no. We do not have the right to throw stones at anyone. 

More than anything during these times we need to show God's love. If we are constantly telling everyone how to live their lives and pointing out how they are disobeying God's Word then all we are doing is pushing them away from ourselves and more importantly from God. If we are busy telling everyone how perfect we are and how we are so obedient all we are doing is showing our own pride and NOT God's love. Not only do we push sinners away from knowing God's love but we also push away our own Christian family making them feel abandoned and judged. 

Instead of being caught up in the politics going on maybe we should look around us and see who we can love on today. Is it the divorcee who is moving on? The mom struggling with her walk in Christ? The couple across the street not allowed to legally wed? Or maybe, just maybe, it is the Christian opening her mouth on Facebook and telling everyone how to live. 

Yep. I could really use some love. 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 


But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13

Short Yarns

Want to exercise your creative wings and do a little writing? How about read others' short stories? Go to : http://shortyarns.wordpress.com/ and follow the blog today! Two writers and some crafty friends joining together to provide motivation, inspiration, accountability and some good ol' fashion fun.  Today's prompt is listed below!

Pick a bad habit you have, write about a character that has the same bad habit but only worse. Write about how that bad habit gets your character into some serious trouble.

Prissy the Procrastinator
Why do today what can be put off to tomorrow was the motto she lived by. Living in a house built by her great-grandparents over 100 years ago, Prissy the procrastinator was never one to let her motto get her down. Her yard stayed overgrown with weeds so tall you couldn't see the front door. Every six months or so the city would come and mow it and leave a bill on her door, adding to the collection of bills already piled up. Her mailbox was so full the post mistress had put a hold on Prissy's mail years ago. The utilities had not been on since her parents added them to her responsibilities. The roof on the house leaked every time it rained, dripping down walls and helping the mold growth. Prissy knew the roof needed to be replaced, the house cleaned, the mold killed, and probably a total renovation needed to happen. That would all wait for another day. Every morning Prissy woke up to a beautiful sunrise and thought about all the things she needed to do. Then she rolled over knowing those things will be there tomorrow.



Go to http://shortyarns.wordpress.com/ to share your responses or to see others' responses!

Reaching Out: What does it mean to you?

Our church often speaks of reaching out to others and sharing Christ's love. We have a variety of missions to other countries. We have opportunities to serve as groups to the Rescue Mission. We even have a team in the making to help greet newcomers and assist them in joining our church. But what does this mean to us personally? 


Jesus shared to gospel everywhere He walked. Everywhere. Where do we go that we can share the gospel? Is it really hard to share? I know I have heard arguments against sharing because of concerns such as offending the people, unsure of what to say, and just being plain scared. I have had all those feelings and I'm sure more. I have stood right in front of someone, felt the urge to share, and walked away instead. How lousy I felt for days. 


It is really hard to put your faith on the line. I read people's accounts from other countries where there lives are at stake if they admit they are Christians. I remember having a speaker come and tell us about how they have underground churches. In Roman times, Christians were thrown in as gladiators to fight others or animals such as lions. Yet here I stand, shaking in my shoes afraid of what? Being yelled at? Looked down upon? Making someone mad? 


Right now, we have rights in this country. We can be Christian and not lose our lives because of it. Jesus told us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) How can I do a better job of following His last command? How can you? We don't have to travel to other countries to share the Good News. There are people who we run across everyday who don't know about Jesus. 

Friends

The Lord has blessed me with such awesome friends. They're all wise Christian women who have helped guide me. I want to write a little about each of them, but only a few per blog entry.

This particular lady has watched Alex for me numerous times. She cracks me up with her sense of humor and puts me in awe with her creativity. Her little.. oops.. almost slipped... child is adorable and brilliant and I love watching this child and Alex play together. This lady's heart is full of love and soft. She takes the problems of her friends on as though she could possibly solve them. This is a new budding friendship, not long planted and I look forward to seeing it as it grows throughout the years.

The next lady on my list has also watched Alex for me numerous times. Even with her overwhelming schedule she makes time to watch him for hours on end. She and I can talk about anything, including Chinese food,  bidets and cannibalism. She gives Godly wisdom to me and speaks God's Word so there's never any doubt. She makes me think before I act and is teaching me how to have a softer, more loving heart. She's honest with her words and does not ease into controversial conversations yet is always reminding me that I'm not the only one she's speaking to.

I have a lady who has been a friend of mine for about 10 years. We don't always get to talk but when we do we always understand one another and can help each other look at things from a different perspective. She's so young at heart (and looks.. I think she looks younger than me!), she makes me forget her age. She makes me laugh and is great for any trip. Even soaking our feet in a hot tub in the middle of a cold night is fun with her. Her capacity to love and devotion to try to help others inspires me.

Another lady I bring up is my favorite shopping buddy. Whether it's midnight, 5 a.m., or 1 p.m., we always have fun. I don't get to see her half as often as I'd like, but when I do it's as though not much time has slipped by. She is wise beyond her years. She works hard and shows a dedication to the people she serves that images Christ's love.

To talk to this lady is a miracle indeed. Though time passes so quickly and we're more likely to get a 5 minute conversation in only if the sun, the kids, and the houses are just right, it's as if we talk all the time. She is the one I know I can confide anything to and she can always relate. She's been there, done that, or is doing that. She shares her Godly wisdom in love but also with such a sense of humor one can't help but laugh. She epitomized a minister's wife long before it was a concept. Even through her hectic schedule she always manages to serve and minister to others.

These are just a few of my closest friends. There are ones not listed that I eat lunch with every blue moon, that I go shopping with when they're not overwhelmed working a million details out, or that I just exchange messages with via phone, email, and Facebook. They're all important to me and I love them all dearly. And one day soon, I'll write more about them.

A Roller Coaster of a Week

This week has been so up and down. Morning are great starting off with time with God, but after that it's a free for all. Monday was the least dramatic with it mainly being emotional as I tried to list our dogs all over the internet and anywhere in town so that we could find new homes for them. Tuesday was a visit to the doctor's for my bi-weekly check up. An appointment that would've only taken about an hour took three due to the electronic medical records transition and the ultrasound lab tech being backed up. Side note: still having a little girl!

Next was Wednesday. It was such a day, it deserves it's own paragraph! Started off with taking the smaller of our dogs to the vet to get her vaccines up to date. First I couldn't find her collar so I improvised by using a slip leash. Minute I get her to the truck, she somehow gets out of the leash and runs. I chased her down, put her in the truck and then headed to the vet. At the vet, I was tugged in one direction by a 33 pound dog on a leash and in another by a 26-27 pound toddler holding my hand. Ended up having to pick up Alex to get us inside the vet's office. Then with my hands obviously overloaded as is, the lady asks me to fill out paperwork on the dog. So I put Alex down and the diaper bag down to start filling it out. Next thing I know, the dog has pooped on the floor and my dear son is just about in the midst of it to investigate. I barely grab him up in time and then had to wait for them to come and clean it up before I could fill out the paperwork. After that, the only thing that occurred was Alex having a HUGE tantrum when the dog was pulled back for her shots and he couldn't go. An uneventful 20 minutes back home and I was ready to chill for an hour or so. Not. Happening. I glance at my email and notice one from Alex's music teacher. That's when it hits me: Music class has been moved up a day this week, and it starts in 20 minutes! I had just enough time to scrub my hands gather Alex and back out the door we went. Arrived at music class and Alex manages to run 5 feet, trip and smack his face/head on the hardwood floors. Poor baby was more upset over the fall than physically hurt. The rest of the class Alex was determined not to participate. On the way to the truck after class, one of my flip flops broke. We didn't have time to run back to the house so I decided to just buy a pair at Target since I needed to pick up my prescription anyway. Target was not too bad. I didn't get out of there until 11:15 due to a customer asking random questions about every product she bought. For instance, my favorite question, she asked if a botanical shampoo she was purchasing was organic. I just had to shake my head. Finally out of there and on our way to Shreveport where we're supposed to meet a friend for lunch at 11:30 (yep, I was running late at this point). 11:40 find us sitting in the parking lot of Posados off Bert Kouns waiting for a response from the texts and calls made to her. At this point, I'm starting to get really worried because I know it's not like her to not respond. I call her mom (yep, her mom) to see if she's heard from her. She hasn't so she starts getting ready to head over there and check on her, also notifying the boyfriend so we can really bombard the poor lady! The boyfriend manages to get her attention. Poor girl has been working so many crazy shifts in the ER, she overslept. Glad that she's okay, I wait it out in the truck with Alex napping in the back for her and her mom to come eat at Posados. I love these two ladies so much. It was definitely the highlight of the day, followed by fun shopping. Alex and I arrived home about 3:30ish. He was of course cranky due to not having as long of a nap as usual, so I had lots of fun managing whiny, temper tantrum boy. That pretty much sums up Wednesday!

On to Thursday, which wasn't a bad day per say. Started off nice and quiet. Then I was chewed out via e-mail for even thinking of placing my dogs in the pound and slammed by a public ad on Craigslist for the same thing. After two hours of emails back and forth to the lady who chewed me out, we finally got to a point where she understood where I was coming from and is helping me find a home for the dogs and also find cheaper options for their vaccines and such. I love when I get to see God's Word proven: "A kind word turns away wrath." Prov. 15:1 Even though I wanted to jump right back at her, I purposely stayed calm and prayed before, during, and after reading and writing each e-mail. As always, He was faithful and the situation was resolved with just a little drama. Emotionally exhausted after that (I don't handle drama well), Alex and I just curled up and chilled for the rest of the afternoon. Rob came home about 5:30ish and had to get the mail for me since wasps had taken over our mailbox. He comes in bearing a letter from my mom. She (and my brother) had been arrested earlier this week and she wanted me to come bond her out. Even worse, in this letter she writes that she knows I don't want to have anything to do with her and if I do this for her she promises to never bother me again. What????? My protective and loving husband is mad because she's the one who has ignored our phone calls and texts, yet the minute she's in trouble she immediately calls me to help get her out. I'm upset thinking where does she come up with this paranoia mess?!? Of course, I'm sure being an alcoholic helps this along. I call the prison she's being held in just to discover my brother and she have both already made bond. Now I'm trying to pray and think about how I should respond to her letter.

Today is going well. I need to go to Walmart - time to overspend. Right now if you'll excuse me I need to go deal with a toddler having a tantrum because he doesn't want me to change his dirty diaper. Praying for an awesome day to end this roller coaster week!