Lisa, the Lismister, Lisarino makin' Copies at the Copy Machine

It doesn't even seem like Lisa and I work at the same place. We hardly ever see each other since her office is on the 6th floor and I am on the 2nd. But yesterday, Lisa came to our office to make her mountain of copies for PMP. She is the coordinator for the church's Preparation for Marriage course which I teasingly call, Pimp my Bride. She has her first one this weekend.

Girl, we got to get some Lupe's soon!

Bowling with the Young and the Restless

Today I went bowling with the "young people." It was great fun and I even tried my hand at bowling a few frames, but had to give it up because the knees don't bend like they used to. We had a blast and I thought I would share a few of the photos. Being the Titus 2 woman that I am, I encouraged the young women by chanting, "don't bowl like me" or "don't bowl like an old woman." It is amazing, their accuracy and scores went up with that resounding encouragement.

The Kiser's enjoying lunch and bowling. Becky is our adopted daughter. This is Chris her handsome husband. That is not a ciggie in her fingers.

This is the ringer and winner of today's bowlarama. This is Christen and she bowled like a pro.

Fun Group Picture

Sarah is getting ready to bowl a strike. That is Amy on the right eating and praying for her roommie to hit dead center. In the background with the Kisers are Dustin and Cassi. They were the closest to being professional bowlers. They had their own balls, bags and shoes.

This is Maria. I encouraged her bowling in Espanol. No como yo! Not like me. She did really well and was voted most improved bowler. She can speak Spanish the fastest of anyone I have ever met. I am beginning to get nervous cause every time I see her, she just begins laughing at me. I am getting some kind of complex. No not really. I am going to do a seperate post on her talent.

Amy is getting ready to throw up her hands, move side to side, give up the praise, cause God is alive. Can't help but praise Him...move, let me praise Him.

I will post a few more later. Thanks friends for inviting an oldie to come and join in on the fun. Thanks for voting me most likely not to bowl.

It is Tuesday...wish it was Thursday

The flu is running rampant throughout Houston as well as an upper respiratory infection. It is kind of quiet around the office because several either have the flu or they are taking care of loved ones who have caught the bug.



This weekend was car repair weekend at our home. Mustang Sally was due for inspection and an oil change. I was dreading the inspection because of a small crack in one of my headlights and I knew she needed some brake work. Mustang Sally passed inspection, has new front brake pads, and wipers. On Sunday evening as we came home from church, Roy noticed a water leak in front of his truck in the church parking lot and then a small puddle of water at home. So, off he went with his truck for repairs. That meant he had to ride the bus Monday morning. It has been a while since he has done that. I volunteered without him even asking to pick him up from the office. Uh, I wasn't real quick or of cheerful heart to volunteer for that morning duty. So after work, I picked up Roy and we headed to The Nord for dinner and to return socks. Being really tired I didn't even want to shop. Ya know I had to be dragging not even to take a detour somewhere in the store. I dropped Roy off and he picked up his truck all fixed and ready to roll.



So Tuesday must have been car repair day for Jason. His wife's car was in the shop and would be overnight. The shop said to come by and pick up a loaner. Trouble was he couldn't find a man to take him there, so we got Papal dispensation for me to take him to the auto repair shop. Someone would have to be crazy if they saw Jason and me in a car together and think it is anything else but business. Talking with him in the car reminded me of how much I do enjoy working with him. He is so busy and on the run, we don't sit and visit like we used to. We had a couple of good laughs about him getting to drive an Escalade which he kept calling an Escalante (Mexican food place here in town).

It has been overwhelming to read all the comments on Living Proof's blog. I have prayed at the heartbreak and have rejoiced over the victory of so many. I contemplated too long both times to even comment and if I commented now, I wouldn't be anonymous. But I am thinking through for a later post of how Jesus gave victory to me over my stronghold of anger. I have had a good time praising and thanking God these past few days for that wonderful deliverance and remembering His mighty hand that brought success and freedom from something that held me much too long.

When I left church this afternoon, I had my first fragrance hint of spring, the fragrance of fresh mowed grass. I am much more a fall girl and would enjoy a few more cool blasts before spring hits full on. It won't be too much longer when those spring like days of 89 degrees will soon be upon us.

I am a Nord Nerd and Other Silly Stuff

It is January 25th and in my possession for a month I have had 2 Nordstrom gift cards and $60.00 in Nordstrom Notes. Knowing that I am a Nordy Nerd, I think it is commendable that I haven't used the cards and notes before today. I took my time perusing the .com site and looking through Nordy catalogues and knew I would invest in a new purse.





This morning I didn't really know if I wanted to get out or not. I had a couple of things to return to The Nord and some stuff that just didn't work (fashion wise) from Eddie Bauer's. At 9:30 am, I made the decision to venture out in the dreary overcast day. Right there waiting for me was a primo parking spot on the first level. Off to return my stuff to my great joy and surprise I saw Penny. She has been my personal shopper from Macy's and has been at The Nord since it opened. She is now a Personal Touch shopper at The Nord and she helped me make my purse purchase today. I LOVE my new purse. It is red. I am going to wait till spring to begin using it and I will post a picture of it later. I am mainly so happy with I used the gift cards and notes just about covered the purchase.



One thing I am trying to do this year differently is pondering my purchases. Over the past few years I have gotten into the habit of buying clothes without really thinking about why I am buying them. And today I didn't go the way of the tempting by staying away from shoes and from side trips to Macy's and the like. Who knows if I can keep this up, but I am celebrating my victory today.



Last night Roy and I had dinner at The Buffalo Grille. It has been quite some time since either one of us has been there. We both did breakfast at dinner. Their cinnamon coffee is the best!



This week I picked up my new glasses and I also got some precription sunglasses. Of course I am blaming myself for the lack of sunshine this week. If I hadn't bought sunglasses this would have been the brightest, sunshinniest week.



Several of us have had great fun over the I love you that I was tricked into saying. Our office suite has been full of laughter and love... real genuine God love and the kind of love that is an overflow of the heart because of God's great goodness toward us. All the young ones are doing boot camp at 6:00am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Real bonding and encouragement is taking place and I love watching women who didn't even know each other existed 6 months ago experience a true depth of friendship and love. Two of them are newlyweds and two are getting married later this year. There is such an ease in their conversations and such depth in their concern for one another. I love it when they all come to my office just to chat for awhile. I am honored when they ask me to eat lunch with them or participate in fun. Next Wednesday a bunch of the youngies are going bowling at the CLC. I am the oldest person invited to participate. Again, I am honored. Their joy and enthusiasm blesses me. I am concerned about one of them, she is only 23 and wore pantyhose under her slacks yesterday. I feel she is being unduly influenced by someones quirky and odd ways (who will remain unnamed.) Just kidding with you CB.



Yesterday, those in the Worship/Music office cleaned out the storage closets and there was a plethora of junk all for the taking, all for free. I picked up a few choice items for Peggy and found one lovely orange hat for me (Mildred). So much junk brought back some fun memories from days gone by in choir and in the Christmas Pageant. That is what I love about working at a church, your scavenger skills are honed into excellence. Don't have lunch? Surely somewhere there are leftovers to be had. You can send out an email looking for the oddest thing and someone has it there on location. If you love boxes and who doesn't, boxes of any size are abundant and plentiful. I bet there is a box email at least once a week. It goes something like this:

2 good sturdy boxes for the taking. Will be thrown away if not taken by the end of the day. The boxes are always good and sturdy. No one ever sent out, stinky weak boxes for the taking.

What bothered me was, there wasn't ever any closure of the outcome for the box. When we did a Mildred and Gertrude for the staff Christmas lunch several years ago, Gertrude and I brought this up. Without closure, are the boxes claimed or are they thrown away? It is difficult to work when such pressing "need to know" issues are at hand. I would like to think that the one mention of no closure effected the office culture of Houston's First Baptist Church. Now when there are box, for free stuff, or any other kind of email sent out, there seems to always be the closure email following. I may never affect the kingdom of God more mightily than introducing the concept of sending the closure email. Yes, my life has made a difference.



Well, I am off to search for my Angel Innocent perfume. I bought some before Christmas and I can't remember where I put it. I need to be more focused when I am in my cleaning and organizing mode.



Have a great weekend!

Condomanium Part IV and Reunited

Wednesdays, they are long days of work, but a lot of fun between the tasks. Roy made it to Midlink Cafe. His staff at the office thought something was very wrong, he actually left at 5:00 pm. After checking on a few last minute details, I came on home and was welcomed at the door by Buddy. She also made a quick scoot into the hall, but bolted back in the safety of home. Stranger danger in the hall. Actually the woman in the hall is no stranger to me, except that she is stranger in the night than in the daytime... She is our neighbor that is bi-polar. When she is taking medication, she is so sweet and nice, but when she stops the meds, chance meetings by the pool or in the hall can turn very strange. Let me say this right off, I am not making fun of anyone who needs medication to survive in the tough world we live in. What I am saying is she is scary when off. The only way I know how to read her is by how she says my name. If it is Hello Nancy, she is on meds. But when she says my name all Halloween scary sounding, Heeeellllllooooooo Naaaaaannnnnnnccccccccyyyyy, I run to the hills (in my mind) and try to make the visit short. Tonight, that is who Buddy saw in the hall. I have a feeling she is off her meds by how she was dressed. Bright yellow rain coat with black trim on the cuffs, lapel and belt. A shiny black hat, tilted just to the right. Large black and dark sunglasses. She carried a yellow with black polka dots umbrella. No outfit would be complete without knee high yellow rain boots. And she was making a beeline to us. I've never seen Buddy or for that matter, me, move so quickly without drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves. Roy and I have visited with the husband and we have prayed with him for his wife. He walks a tightrope with her emotions. They are an older couple and he says often I made a commitment with her for better or for worse. I have said to him, this is worse, but it is going to get better.

I saw Fern the other day at the garbage dumpster. She wasn't made up like usual, in fact she looked tired and worn out. Makes me wonder if she is ill. Rode up the elevator with Deloris. She is celebrating her 80th birthday this week. Casserole lady has been scarce. Haven't seen her in weeks.

Random thought, but I love House Hunters on HGTV. Dialogue-fake, but Roy and I love guessing which of the three houses they are going to choose.

Guess you can tell that Buddy and I are Reunited and it feels so good...

I was talking with Lisa P today. A dropped call happened and as soon as I hung up Jason requested that I go to the Fellowship Center to help him hang up the Midlink sign and do a few other things to get ready for the evening. I didn't have a message from her, so I better call her in just a bit.

The plan man just came home. He is taking the devotion and journaling course at church taught by William and Nancy Taylor. He thinks every man should take a course like this. Roy has always believed that women have a deeper relationship with the Lord cause we talk, blog and journal. He might just have something there.

That Buddy!

******Note about this post. I am writing this tongue in cheek. I am not some weird cat lady. Just thought it was funny that Buddy and I had our first disagreement. The good news, she ignored Roy as is her way and didn't use some fake relationship to spite me. ************




I have to tell you, I was a little worried about Buddy's and my relationship. It hit rocky ground last night. She has ignored me mostly and not been very fond of doing our regular routine. Don't think she has been this upset with me since I gave her a bath when she was a kitten. But even then after I dried her off, she climbed up under my chin and around my neck. Think we are good now, she is sitting right beside me as I work on the computer.



Last night Dena brought her East Texas wild cat Sassy over to meet Buddy. We were trying to see if the girls got along and then become best friends just like their owners. Dena brought Sassy ensconced safely in the travel crate. From the moment Sassy entered and saw Buddy, she didn't stop growling and hissing and making the mournful wail of a caged cat. We were all a little afraid to let Sassy out of the cage. I once told the Vet that Dena and I both use, that we were going to let the girls meet each other. The DR said, Sassy could take Buddy. Buddy was interested in Sassy, but kept her distance, only coming close several times. She began doing her observation from a safe distance. While Dena prepared some desserts she brought over and Roy was looking for bottled waters, is when I caused the riff between Buddy and me. I picked Buddy up and brought her close to Sassy's cage. Sassy went wild and Buddy scratched and tore away from Sassy and me. Oh yea, there was a price to pay for that one. Once Dena and I sadly came to the conclusion, no play dates for the girls, she and Sassy left. Dena had given it her all to get Sassy to calm down. We kept Sassy before we had Buddy and she is a lovely cat and fun to be around. Sassy couldn't understand why there was a Buddy. I don't want Sassy to get a bad rap. Once they left, Buddy would not give me the time of day. I tried playing with her before bedtime. Oh she sat there and watched me pull out toy after toy, but she wouldn't budge.

When it came time for bed, she came close to me and to her regular sleeping position on my right arm and then just walked away. I told her the verse about not letting the sun go down on our anger, but she ignored me. Sometime in the night, she came back, she slept near my arm, but not on it. When I got up this morning she didn't do the usual of following me into the bathroom and then out to the kitchen. She stayed in bed and then moved to the hall to watch me go to the kitchen. She finally sauntered in the kitchen and fell down at my feet wanting to be rubbed. But that little dickens bit me. What a total tease. When I am getting ready in the morning, she sits on the counter and watches me. She is really looking at herself, she is a tad vain. Don't tell her I said that, or we could have another discipline of silence. So, she was on the counter and I think, oh she is not mad at me. Buddy waited for me to get close then jumped off the counter. Now here is the hard one, Buddy almost always tells me goodbye in the morning. She will walk to the front hallway with me and get her last back rub until I come home later on in the day. Well, I couldn't find her and I was about to begin the big search when I spotted her in the little cat tent, given to her by Dena and Sassy, just looking at me and then she turned her back to me. How, How, HOW was I going to go to work, minister in the Lord's Name, be a servant and serve gladly when my heart was breaking because Buddy and I were on the outs?

Of course you know, I was a little nervous when I came home. Would she still be mad, would we make up and go on living happily ever after? She was waiting at the door as usual, only this time instead of greeting me, she bolted out into the hall. She looked both ways and I really thought, she is going to run. She did, right back into our home. Buddy fell in front of me like always, and let me rub her and didn't bite me. As the evening goes on, she is being more friendly and now has laid beside me all this time. I have even been petting her and she is purring.

We are back together!

What Just Happened?????

I was hoodwinked today. You know, I felt like I was in an episode of Seinfeld or something. It started simply enough...a message left on my phone before lunch. It was a woman on staff and none of her staff were in the office either. I was dreading making the return call, but did it. And to the best of my ability, I am going to attempt the dialogue that caught me completely by surprise.



Her: __________speaking. Who is speaking?



Me: ______ are you speaking? It is me Nancy Mon speaking.



Her:blah, blah, blah....boring, boring, boring...me thinking if this doesn't get interesting in about two more sentences I am so going to daydream.



Me: I am so glad you got the problem solved ( without me getting involved)



Her: See you tomorrow.



Me: OK



And before I could say goodbye... she said it



Her: I love you!



I am telling you we aren't close, we wouldn't be friends outside of the office. I like her and think she's OK. She can get on my nerves and at the same time amuse me. In the few nano seconds of time, I responded without even thinking.



Me: Love you too!



What???? Oh man, I had the opportunity to be funny or just say OK or thank you or something besides love you too. It was an ambush and I wasn't ready. Actually, I think she was so busy with something else she said it by accident. There have been a few times while talking to Jason on the phone and being distracted by so much, have almost said those 3 words out of the habit of saying it to Roy.



So for you______________, I dedicate this song. It is an oldie but goodie from our generation.

What I Kind of Know Now

Saturday morning reading the paper, drinking coffee that Roy made this morning, enjoying a cinnamon crunch bagel, and Buddy fast asleep. Roy just left to run some errands and I have the morning to myself, just the hum of the dryer for background noise.

What I Know, is a column in a magazine where celebrities, writers and great thinkers reveal what they know up to this point in life. These columns are being published in book form. I read a review of the book. From all reviews, the book looks to be a dud apparently for the reason people whether they be famous or smart or both, really don't know all that much.

So in the spirit of not knowing much, I am going to write about what I know, up to this point. Don't switch to another blog just yet, I am not going to write a dissertation, more specifically what I have been thinking about lately. Hopefully, I will not include any of my fever addled dreams and thoughts. It is more likely I can write much more about what I don't know.

WHAT I KNOW

Best Time to Shop at Target

The best time is when it is cold and rainy. We discovered this last night. Roy came home from work earlier than usual on a Friday. In the quest of knowledge for the reason why do old people eat early, we had an early dinner. 5:00 pm is hobble and gobble hour at Sweet Tomatoes. This is what I know about early dinner, not as crowded and a tad quieter. The bigger annoyance that does not compensate for the quieter atmosphere are the lines of indecision by the older set at the food areas, drink station and aisles. Careful maneuvering is required because one false move results in food spillage or broken hips. When we left ST, the temps had fallen even more and the rain a bit more constant. So off to Target where we found an up close, legal, parking place. Hardly anyone was in the store. Navigation of aisles went without a hitch and no check out lines. We were in and out, the only time we lingered was in the pajama area. Jordan and Madi had given me two Target gift cards for Christmas. I used them to buy Nick and Nora pajama capris. They are so cute! I am writing about the N&N, but Jordan and Madi are so cute too. The pajama bottoms are a vintage print of cherries. That means in Houston if what I know from last night is true, buy in bulk the 1 to 2 nights it is cold and rainy in Houston.

Marry a Compassionate Plan Man

Last night we did the Target and The Kroger thing. Lots of stuff to carry in. I had also gone to the Play Grocery store during the day. I got an alarming phone call on my way home and when I got here, I crammed all the cold stuff in the refrigerator to take care of the alarming phone call matter. So last night, plan man is unloading Kroger junk, sees how I left the frig and begins methodically taking everything out to plan and implement a better set up...except that our thermostat on the frig is crazy, so glass bottles shatter from the cold time to time. A glass Diet Coke bottle burst in the midst of his planning. He announces, no one come into the kitchen. Uh, just me and Buddy here, but I guess we were the no ones. Roy totally redid everything without a complaint or why don't you.... Lisa P and I have decided that a plan man and a non plan woman make a great marriage. She is married to a plan man as well. Hmm..maybe I can get Roy to help me with a plan for my sock drawer. It is horrible!

They Shall Know Us By Our Pictures

Have you ever (oops, a little shout out to Inspire. Almost every devo begins with have you ever) noticed that "what we do" there is a photo pose for it. If you are a really cool musician, pose with a mystical look, staring off into the unknown, yet have a hint of knowing in the mystical look. Be photographed in cold weather with barely a coat, or on the beach gazing over the horizon, or in nature preferably in mountains or by a stream.

Inspirational artists seem to be shot in studios, kneeling or looking up with a subdued pose.

New artists and musicians who don't know what to do, just look in the camera. They haven't decided if they are cool or inspirational.

Comedians are no different. I cannot tell you how many fliers I receive in the Ministries office from Christan comedians who have that crazy face look complete with show tune or jazz hands. The looks go on and on, politician on the campaign trail, want to look compassionate, but knowledgeable. Intelligent people are posed in a library or behind a podium or at a whiteboard with math formulas worked out. Some smart men smoke a pipe, smart women pose in business suits and smart groups pose like cool musicians.

Maybe I will write more of what I know now at a later date. I do know that I need to finish up some stuff around here. Dena is bringing Sassy over on Monday night. We are going to see if our cats get along. That way when she travels Sassy can stay here. It looks like Dena will be going to India this year. She brings back the neatest gifts to me. I have asked her not to bring me a neti pot. You can find them at CVS and the Walgreen's. Dena is a refrigerator friend, she has seen our home neat and tidy and dusty and cluttered. So, I am aiming at something between the two.

Yesterday, I got my pedometer working but the first programming I had to do measure my stride length. This is done by walking 10 steps in my normal stride. Then measure the distance from start to end in inches. Calculate the length and then divide by 10. NO ONE TOLD ME MATH WAS INVOLVED. Overwhelmed by math I reverted to my high school ways, I lost interest in the whole thing and I just kind of guessed what it would be. Who knows what distance this pedometer is measuring. Since I have the attention span of a gnat, I am happy to have it working. I am waiting for Plan Man to install the software on the computer.

Don't know if you have noticed that I never refer to Roy as "my man." He told me he hates that used in reference to himself. It makes him sound like an object, not a person. Plan man is fine, Hubby, Roy Joy is too, but not Roy Boy. He doesn't care if others refer to their boyfriends or husbands in this way, but he doesn't want me to with him. He is pondering Hubs.

What I Know Now is, I need to get moving. Have the Dyson calling my name and then a book to finish. I also know now we are having play store made Chicken Pot Pie. So good, makes ya slap ya mama or drop kick an aunt.

TGIT

Oh it feels so good to be home, in front of the computer with a Diet Coke and Buddy by my side. A lot of work was crammed into 2 days. Yesterday was a long word day and there a few times I felt a little bit woozy and without strength, but I made it. Tonight, I met Dena at the Bistro for dinner. I had another buy one get one free card and we used it to our best advantage. She ordered the chicken, I ordered steak, we both got crab bisque and then we split the steak and chicken. Lisa P and I were the first to discover this having the best of both worlds a couple of summers ago. Then we ran into Mary in Point of View. She gave us a free valet parking card good for the whole year. We walked down to Border's. Dena had a book on hold and of course I had a Border's coupon. So it was a good evening with all the above and of course shared dinner and the conversation between good friends who want to get caught up with the happenings.


Roy didn't make it past 9:00. He was tired and went to bed. Of course I need to unwind and process the day. The pedometers I ordered came and I thought he would be all over that getting them set up. Nah, he will save that for another day. I may give a look see to it.

We celebrated Cassi's birthday yesterday at Cafe Adobe. What a fun time. We met at the Esther Bible study last semester. We got to visiting and before I know it, I am asking her to send me a resume and I didn't have a position to offer. God was in it all and she briefly worked for me and then went full time working for our Assistant Minister of Education. She blesses me tremendously and I am so glad she is in our office and that we are friends. Of course she is like 24. All of Admins in Education are young and I absolutely love what they bring to the office. Anyway, Cassi rode back with me and as we are getting into my car she says, "my best friend drives a Mustang." I did not skip a beat and replied, "oh Cassi, I didn't know we were best friends." You see, I drive a Mustang. Of course I knew she was talking about her friend, but we laughed all the way back to the office over it.

This morning I was reading before going to work and I came across this sentence and thoughts in the book, Buck Naked Faith. I was reading about activity verses progress. Love this quote, "We must also insure we are making progress, for perhaps second to laziness, busyness without progress sucks the potential right out of us and ultimately stunts our growth." The question is to look back on the past year or so and ask this question, Am I more like my Master Jesus? We are distracted both by good and the not so good. I began thinking through last year and knew that teaching Sunday School, while a good thing was not making me more like Jesus. I was frustrated with situations ongoing in my life and felt like I wasn't giving it my all. Instead of being refreshed by sharing the Word, I found myself drained, tired and frustrated. I thought about relationships and activities while not bad, were keeping me from being more like Jesus. Then it was delightful to think of friends and family that usher in God's presence and being with them caused growth and progress, becoming more like the Lord. Thought it was a good word and just wanted to put it out here.

Fun day in that I celebrated Christmas with CourtneyS. She gave me a bag of wonderful, fun things that I love. There were small notebooks, green staples, cool pens, a cute bunny mood magnet and post its. She also re-gifted a "fake candle." I can't wait for Chad to be in the Ministries Suite and see the flickering light of my candle. We can't have lit candles after someones birthday cake and candles set off the fire alarms one Sunday morning.

The bookstore had two boxes of books they were giving away. You know I had to check it out. There was a book about PMS and the whole premise was this, women don't know why they are emotional, cranky and in a bad mood for about 10 days a month and here is the answer, you have PMS. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? I thought it was a joke book, but it was real. No surprise, it was written by a man.

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe

I knew I was on the road to recovery when Buddy didn't sleep with us last night and didn't come to see me all morning while I was in bed with my fever finally breaking. So, this brush with a case of the flu hasn't been as bad as others have experienced, but it wasn't a picnic either.

Get ready HFBC, I am coming back to work in the morning!

I went to the mailbox to pick up two days of mail. Wow, a lot of junk mail. There in the midst of catalogs, grocery fliers, and a couple of bills, there was the Fast Company magazine. And on the cover was Mike Rowe. You might not be too familiar with him, but he is in Ford truck ads, Discovery Channel's, Most Dangerous Catch, but is most well known for his show on Discovery, Dirty Jobs. We love that show and I have to add he is not bad looking. In fact in doing some research on the Internet, he is the TV boyfriend of a lot of women and he is the man crush of a lot he-men. The story is interesting in how he came up with the idea for the show and all that has come his way since it first aired. Basically before DJ he was pretty much one lazy guy, sometime actor and at one time hosted the late night shift on QVC.

For years he defined work as the thing that happens between vacations. I happen to like that definition. Now he is paid over a hundred thousand dollars per speaking engagement. He used to prepare his presentations to fit the modern day workplace, but during the Q&A the questions gravitated toward the dirty jobs he has done on the show. So now he talks about the lessons and observations he has learned from the people on the show. He is of the belief that people with dirty jobs are happier than the rest of us. I have to be honest, I just wanted to post about Mike Rowe because I think he is so cute, but after re-reading the article I wonder how he would do in ministry. There are some dirty jobs that have to be done. It would almost be impossible for him to do the job, because from all indications from the article and his attitude on the show, he doesn't know Jesus. So, he would be going through the motions in the job, but not ever realizing the hopelessness that many that are being helped experience. He would not be moved by the compassion of Christ nor have the mind of Christ and His wisdom to deal with certain situations. It would be great to see him spend a day with Scotty Sanders and do all the hands on ministry she does at the Mission Training Center. We have a friend who bought a new dinning room table and wanted to give her old one to someone who needed furniture. The MTC had names and addresses of people in need, but she would have to get the table to the people. To be honest with you, this whole concept needs to be rethought. It would not have been safe at all for her to go over there alone and she wasn't comfortable with them coming to her home. We helped her with this by taking it over to some apartments on the NW side of town that are pretty low on the apartment living chain. I was scared, I think we all were and we were trying to move in Christ's compassion, yet lean ever so hard into His protection and the swiftness of getting the heeeccckkkk out of there. The lady getting the furniture was commandeering men who were hanging around the apartments to bring the table and chairs upstairs to her home. Her home had nothing but clothes piled up in a corner. It broke our hearts, but we were focused on leaving before a situation developed. Neighbors were looking for other stuff from us as well. It was a dirty job, knowing there is so much need, knowing there are those who know how to work the system and those who truly have nothing.

Well this post didn't go the direction I thought it would. I can tell all my meds are out of my system and my thoughts are a little more organized, but not that much. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes while I was out with the flu. It will be a later Wednesday night, I will be taking the minutes for the COC. Now that is not a dirty job at all, it is downright fun. With such fun, yet dedicated committee members there is always business but a lot of laughter to go along with it.

Oh yea, I am going to live. Buddy is running some meow smack at me right now. She wants to be rubbed, but over where she is, not where I am sitting. It is good to be back among the land of the living.

One More Thing for my BloggityBoos

Man oh man, I have been laid out the past two days...weak, weary, weird and tired. I am taking naps to be able to do the smallest things. Roy is at a seminar today and tomorrow learning something new or some kind of new software. He said it used to be a 5 day experience, but they have crammed it into two days. He is thrilled. He is probably thrilled to come home to a weakened and puny me. Buddy won't let him come near me, so it is official, I must be dying. My guard cat is sitting on the ottoman right by my side. Roy brought home a salad and some pizza. He must be calling those things that be not as though they were. You know eat pizza and salad and keep it down has to be an almighty sign that I am on the road back to the living. I am bummed out because Resolve begins today and I am not getting enough points. Illness should be at least one point for the day.

Roy has just announced to me he is going to walk the Houston Marathon next year. If you are walking it, you begin at 5:00 am. I told him if he is going to do it, he better register really soon. Registration began yesterday for 2009. If he is going to do this, I told him I would cheer him on...at the finish line. He says it takes about 5 -6 hours if walking. Hmm...should be awake to see him cross the line. Doing a marathon just doesn't interest me. Kind of like people who want to climb mountains...because it is there. Not this child. I did primitive hike in the Olympic mountains when I was much younger. Never want to do it again, but glad to be able to say I did. Last year when I nearly spent 9 hours at The Galleria...don't want to do it again, but glad I did.

Tonight Roy fixed me up in his big chair with blankets and the laptop. Brought me a Diet Coke, my meds, and a book I've been reading. No way, I am going to read right now. I would have to take a nap to do so. Roy's big chair is a recliner that doesn't look like a recliner and the foot part is an ottoman. The heat of the lap top and all the blankets is keeping me warm. It is taking all that is within him not to turn down the A/C to 64 degrees. That is the temp he likes at night.

Even with a raging temperature, I am trying to perform my wifely duties from the big chair. No not that!!! I am helping Roy pick out a shirt to wear tomorrow. Business casual is not his strong point. It used to be that if I was going out of town, I would have to put together his outfits before leaving. We are in the the throes of the process. He is much better at it now, but if we get out of his routine of the same o same o, I need to step in with help. I say stripes, he is bringing out the plaid shirts. I am naming the shirts by brand name, wear the maroon and black stripe Eddie Bauer shirt. He is bringing out Nordstrom and Polo shirts. Praise God, he found it. Now the search for his black dress pants will begin. This is why we make a good team. He is brilliant when it comes to accounting, trading and law, but common sense his not his strong point. My shot at brilliance came when I said I do 30 years ago. His finding the correct shirt just saved me a nap before bedtime.

What do I keep hitting that publishes a post before I want it posted. Second time it has happened today. I need to run spell check because I am a horrible speller.

Glad to see you commenting again Anonymous. I have missed you.

Got an email from Liz and her gift card came on Saturday. For those of you who want to, comment on Relaxation and enter the drawing for another SPA gift card from the Nord.
Cause...
Strength will rise when we go into the Nord when we go into the Nord, when we go into the Nord.

I'm going to bed...Night, night and sweet dreams.

To My Bloggityboos

I am home ill today. Your next question would be (and it would be mine too), why are you blogging? I will tell you, cause I think I am getting bed sores on my right hip, after freezing all morning and unable to get warm even though I have every blanket, throw and comforter we own on top of me, and now all of the sudden I can't get cool enough, so I am out of bed. I am changing out pillows every 5 minutes cause they feel hot. That is not restful and all that movement disturbs Buddy, who hasn't left my side. Which worries me because of the story a couple of months ago about the cat who knew when people were going to die and laid down beside them until their passing. I had the laptop in bed with me monitoring my work email for any urgent issue that needs to be taken care of. Again, not restful flipping pillows and balancing my lap top on the man made hill in the middle of our bed created by our guaranteed not to bunch feather bed. The little hill which I call Mt. Mizar (from the Psalms and means little hill. I am not meaning for this to even be a spiritual post, but I already went all Hebrew on ya) does help drown out snoring. Its presence muffles snoring into deep breathing. So, I am out of bed, keeping down a Lean Cuisine (for now), taking meds, drinking water and hot tea and trying to get well.

So you know how it is when you have a fever, it is fitful sleeping and the strangest dreams and thoughts enter your head. So, today while I sit here feverish and a bit weirded out (for all you Teen Girl Squad fans) I thought I might write down a few of these thoughts. Before I do, I am going to write down what I am watching Buddy do. She has these two Beanie Baby kittens that have been her companions since she was a kitten. She has one of them and is being all maternal with it, washing and holding it. Out of the blue, she takes that little kitten by the face and throws it across the kitchen. Repeats mothering process, repeats chunking the little Beanie Baby over her and across the room. Probably a good thing we didn't let her become a mom.

The following is kind of like the 100 thing, but the 100 thing overwhelms me. I would get to 28 and then hit delete. So, these are very random thoughts I have been thinking this morning and afternoon. This in no way is a complete list...and the order of these things doesn't mean a thing.

THINGS I CAN'T DO

• Cartwheels...
• Change a diaper ( I have never changed a diaper in my whole life. I am not looking for experience by posting this)
• Sing soprano
• Live without God's new mercies
• Sew, not even a button.
• Draw
• Math past the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Fold king size sheets neatly. Way back, probably even until a couple of years ago, remember how for the Lord's Supper, they would have a sheet draping the elements? And those deacons would take the sheet and fold it ever so nicely? I wonder if they ever did that at home, you know fold the sheets like they were folding an American flag. I am glad they don't do that anymore and I am glad we got away from using the Lord Supper juice box element. They looked like a jelly deal at Cracker Barrel with a round cracker sealed on top of it. It was hard being reverent during the whole thing cause all you could hear was the unwrapping of the juice box. Very distracting. One time I had to undo Peggy's cause she could not get it open and she was going to miss the whole thing. We were in the choir loft and I was trying to be very discreet. I could only get the juice thing open so wide, so I left a lot of the juice in the container. I was afraid I would get grape juice all over the front of my choir robe and just let it be. Peggy is sitting next to me saying, "drink ye all of it." Marge Caldwell saw all this going on and after the service asked us if we were having some problems with our elements. Yep, she laughed that wonderful laugh and said me too, me too. That isn't bad to be in the same company as Marge.

THINGS I CAN DO, BUT DON'T LIKE TO

• Early mornings
• Really late nights if it involves an early morning the next day
• Early morning quiet time, especially if the above has happened
• Cook
• Grocery Shop
• Make small talk
• Practice a script with Peggy out loud
• Budget

THINGS I USED TO DO WELL AND CAN'T ANYMORE

• Play competitive tennis, volleyball and softball. Tennis, at one time I had one of the fastest and accurate serves of amateur woman playing tennis in Houston. I played USVBA for years, mainly co-ed after college, and was an All American catcher in 1983.
• Kneel- see above. This would include squats, lunges and getting on the floor without needing the whole room to clear out before I get back up. When Roy became a Stephen's Minister, the ceremony was in big church. They had to kneel on cushions for the prayer. After that, the deacon ordination thing happened. If I had become a Stephen's minister that night, I would have also become a deacon, cause I would have had to wait for the whole church to empty out before I got up off my knees.
• Run
• Tan
• Paint my toenails or pluck my eyebrows. Can't get my glasses to get in the right spot to do either one. Shaving my legs is bringing up a close third. Well, even when I had great vision, I wasn't one to spend a whole lot of time on it unless there was some special occasion involved. I know TMI.

THINGS I WANT TO DO SOMEDAY

• Spend a week in Asheville, NC
• Write a book
• Retire
• I have never been to England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales and want to. I am of Welsh descent. Don't have the attention span to do family tree kind of thing, so it would be to see and experience. Besides I know that 3 brothers left Wales and came to the states. They were miners and settled in Virginia. They eventually moved to Kentucky. I always wondered why anyone would leave Virgina for Kentucky, but I found my answer in a Mary Lee Settle book, Addie, the valley that leads from Virginia to Kentucky is beautiful. Those who left thought the view would be the same throughout their travels. If you are from Kentucky, do not get mad at me, I love the state, which leads me to my next...
• Go back to Kentucky
• Invent something that no one could do without
• Get over my fear of heights

LOVES

• God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
• Roy
• Our nieces Megan and Erin
• My friends
• Buddy
• The Nord
• Mexican food, especially Lupes and Los Cu Cos
• Fried Shrimp
• Peppermint Ice Cream
• Anything by Ce Ce Winnans, Kirk Franklin, or Lisa Pierre
• Books
• Blogs
• cards- to give and love to get them
• A/C
• Naps

Many more but hey we all have schedules. Well, I really don't today.

DON'T LIKE

• brussel sprouts
• beets
• long lines for something good
• traffic

Oh, there is so much more to don't like, but it is all so boring.

I could write more, but the chills have returned, so I am returning to bed. This time without my computer. Most probably Buddy will return with me. Thanks for keeping me entertained for a while. All the older ladies are out sitting by the pool. The deep laugher is out there cause I can hear her above the rest. So until more feverish thoughts hit...happy napping.

Testimony of the Fragrance of Christ

The call of housework is beckoning me and I am trying to find all kinds of excuses this morning not to answer the call with a resounding, Here Am I. You know how it is, here I am to vacuum, here I am to scour; bathrooms and kitchens. It's all together messy, all together dusty, all together too much for one girl. See I am desperate, I would rather re-write words to songs than get in gear this morning. I've done my prep work, balanced breakfast and Roy fixed me coffee. Now coffee and me usually means relaxed morning. But, I have read this week coffee boosts the metabolism... But, here I sit in front of my lap top and a racing metabolism isn't really what I need to do this.

Jessie's blog post about being the fragrance of God everywhere we are, stayed with me yesterday. I started the morning with Charles as he had the ever fun job of shaping my eyebrows after a torrid 6 weeks growth and waxing my lip. Until recently, I was able to keep up with these particular grooming habits myself, but glasses and no magnifying mirror strong enough has led me to outsource these jobs. Even with hot wax, Charles is so gentle. He is also a sterling conversationalist and I enjoy our visits as he prunes wayward hair. We started talking about, "How I Spent my Holidays." As Charles is telling me about his, you have to know my mind is in a whirl over all he is telling me. He grew up on a ranch in South Texas. Graduated from college and for 8 years he was a parole officer. Can you see my dilemma...cowboy, parole officer, brow and waxing expert??? I am thinking, did you practice on cows? How does one know this is what I want to do when I grow up. Then he casually mentions he is gay. Since my brother is gay, I asked Charles some questions, no not if he is dating anyone and would he like to see a picture of my brother, but just life questions. Charles was honest and transparent in what he said. There in the brow studio in the midst of the fragrance area, I hope Charles was tantalized with the fragrance of Christ as we talked.

I then moved to Encore to return a jacket that I love, but doesn't go with a thing I have and a cute brown with pink polka dots light thermal shirt. I love it too, but not crazy about the neckline. Thinking on fragrance of Christ, I talked at length with one of the sales personnel who gets on my last nerve. Looked at her differently yesterday, her life is hard, she is the one who is barely holding her family together and she is wearing herself out working to make ends meet. I know because one of her colleagues told me after I had made an annoyed off the cuff remark about her last year. Boom, conviction and now an opportunity to share with her the new mercies that are new every morning. I hope in the midst of fashion, the fragrance of Christ, wowed her.

Then I headed for the SPA. Stacy was there...ready for me with a smile and asking if I felt adventuresome today. Why? Well, she wanted to know if I would like to do a 30 minute Vichy shower before my massage. Nope, I replied quickly and then explained, it is the carrot for me, a reward, for the goal of loosing weight. Off, we went to the afore pictured robing area and then to the relaxation room. The last few massages I have come to so stressed and hurting, that I never fully enjoyed the whole experience. While she is working on my back, my hamstrings would be killing me. So I fidgeted all through the massage. Yesterday, was different. Totally relaxed and in such a good mood. Then it dawned on me, the last few times I have gone for a massage, no fragrance of Christ, just someone tired, sore, irritable, and already contemplating the next thing on the agenda instead of enjoying the moment. I said something to Stacy about it and she concurred I hadn't been myself, but she was so happy to see the old personality me today. For the first time in the 3 years I have been coming to her, she had a break between appointments. She sat down to visit with me and as we talked she constantly rubbed her neck and shoulders. Stacy said she was tight and needed to loosen up. Believe me, after working on my hard shoulders and back, I know she had to be tight. I have the proud distinction of being her only client she has ever broken a sweat while working on neck and shoulders. I reminded her that I am not a highly trained professional, but have strong hands and much acclaimed in the Education Suite for my shoulder and neck rubs. You should have seen the looks as the SPA staff walked by and saw the client in a robe massaging the neck and shoulder of the massage therapist. Stacy gave me kudos and said I really have paid attention to what she does in our appointments. She was very happy. I told her, it's nothing, I also dispense what I have learned from my therapist... I am a quick and much interested learner. Stacy told me, this is the gratuity...thank you. No, it is fragrance of Christ. We have talked so much through the years about life and situations, I had forgotten the past few times, to be that for her to see Jesus. I hope she felt the effects of the fragrance of Christ.

Barnes and Noble was next. I am enamored with business books about Starbucks. I have no clue why. Went in to get 'It's Not About the Coffee' with gift card in hand. Standing in the line forms here area, I was about to make my way to the cashier after hearing, "next in line." A woman who has not been in line steps up to the counter and the cashier directs her to the line forms here area. As I was paying for the book he says, "I didn't want a cat fight at the cash wrap area." Smiling at him, I said, there wouldn't have been a fight, I would have waited for the next cashier. Totally fragrance of Christ...not something I do well in my own strength.

Last but not least, Target. I was only going in to look at one thing, a pedometer. Flash back to last week when I nearly had cart rage in the store over a parking lot incident. Low and behold, the parking place I originally could have waited for was empty. Right there at the front of the store. I thanked God for His faithfulness and the "reward" of doing the right thing last week. I was feeling pretty good about myself as I was focused on my one thing in Target. I was not looking to the right or left. Then it dawned on me, uh, that wasn't really a parking spot where I had pulled in...it was the open area next to the handicap parking. Dang! Dang! DANG!!! No reward, I am just an idiot. You think I was focused on pedometers and nothing else, you should have seen me being focused to get out of the store and drive away before getting a ticket. Got to the car, no ticket, no justifiably irate handicapped person...just freedom to get the heck out of Dodge. Now here is where God's fragrance and mercy kicked in for me. I am in such an all fired hurry to get out of the place, that I am backing up without even paying attention to the elderly couple in the Crown Victoria behind me who are backing up at the same time. I hear a horn blast. Look around, don't see anyone, must be a blast for someone else... This thought enters my mind, dang, it is the 11th and I haven't changed out my insurance card in my wallet that has expired on the 9th. Then I see the couple and the Crown Victoria...and realized, they are honking at me. I felt more horrible tacked onto my already egregious error. I get out of the car to apologize. Now they are shaking either with fear or because of a medical condition. It doesn't even occur to me that my getting out of the car and coming toward them looks anything like anger. I am apologizing profusely, too muchly and repentaly...and they are nodding their heads and probably wishing I would get back in my car and go on my way. I did and when I entered the car, fragrance of Christ overwhelmed me and I poured out my praise and thanksgiving to God for such a rich fragrance of mercy.

What cha know, writing about all of this has engerized me to get up and get to work. Thanks for reading. Thanks for being friends with a dork like me.

Friday Relaxation

Yep, I know I used this picture in my last post, but this is the robe area in Houston's SPA Nordstrom. And one of those robes is waiting for me this morning. I didn't do this on purpose, but I am so glad that my massage is scheduled at the end of the first week back to work. A soothing foot bath and Liquid Yoga (elixir) awaits beforehand. Before relaxing I am going for a much needed eyebrow and lip grooming. That is done with wax, so you know the end result is good, but the journey to getting the good result is painful. Jennifer went to SPA Nordstrom a week ago, a lovely anniversary surprise given to her by her hubby. Happy 6 year anniversary. She can testify, if ya need some encouragement to sign up for the next drawing, how awesome and lovely the Nord SPA experience is. Leave your name in comments on the Relaxation post. Firstly, I am an ambassador for Christ and secondly an ambassador for Nordstrom's.



The recreation ministry and First Place have created something to help up with our New Year resolutions to loose weight. Now you know, I did not make that resolution but I am going to participate in Resolve. The program is different than anything I have ever participated in and the huge interest factor for me is this, it sounds fun as we all start the road to healthy lives. We get points for cardio, weight training (my weight is so well trained, it jostles and moves all the time), nutrition and stretching. So, my unasked question yesterday at the Resolve lunch was, do I get points for stretching when I get a massage? Think I know the answer to that, but hey, ya's got to try.



I would like to introduce Jessie Irwin to you. I don't remember how I began reading her blog, maybe Cosmo, but I have enjoyed it tremendously. She has such an inviting talent with words and The Word. This morning, I was blessed by reading this post . If you have time today, check it out. And the thoughts contained there in are so good, her post was a part of my quiet time this morning.



Well, I better get ready. It will take a little longer because I will give much more care and time to shaving my legs. Don't want to be mentioned at the Massage Therapist Convention...you know it would go like this. Yea, one time my client came in with the worst bout of hairy legs I have ever seen. Took a whole bottle of oil to soften up that hair so I could work the muscles.

Relaxation

******Liz has claimed her prize and it is in the mail to her*************

This is my long day's journey into night...it is the start of Midlink. Midlink is our Wednesday night programing and so far so good. OK, there have been classes postponed, rooms changed, mistakes on the brochure, but otherwise it is going well. You see fretting is one of my spiritual gifts or love language and I didn't want to walk in my gifting. I cannot tell you how many conversations I had in my mind at home that never happened here this week. I hate when I do that, such unproductive, much less fun use of time.

Tonight at Midlink Cafe, I saw Jerrell, Kay and Jayk. Jerrell and I are buds and at staff meeting he saves me a seat. On Tuesday, I put my stuff down where I thought we were. Guessed wrong. Then Jason asked me where I was sitting cause he wanted to sit with me in the meeting and there wasn't enough room. So I apologize and make apologies to Jerrell. But Jason totally blows off our table and goes and sits with Malcolm M. Jerrell, Becky P and I like to sit together...especially since Jerrell and I are A.D.D. Tonight at dinner Jayk was being a totally cute and flirty young man. He has a gift of spitting his water, breaking into a huge smile and then laughing. My heart melted.

At lunch, I had some business I needed to take care of and since The Nord is on my way back here, I stopped and had my lunch. It was wonderful and just what I needed. I stopped in at the SPA checked on my Friday appointment and got the gift card to send to Liz. This has been one of the most fun and joyous things to do, share with others something that I love and think is so special and fun. It seems to me this is kind of being like a Titus 2 woman and I remember struggles in early marriage when it seemed like an extra special treat was a Whopper from Burger King. There were people in our lives that surprised us along the way with something fun and out of the ordinary. They modled being cheerful givers and I want to honor them by doing fun stuff.

Since Valentine's Day is approaching, it would be fun to do this again. Once again just leave your name in the comments and I will have a drawing Thursday February 7. Again, a $50.00 gift card to use in the SPA at the Nord.

It was so relaxing being at The Nord that I completely forgot I was working and went home instead of back to work. I came in the door, checked on Buddy when it occurred to me I'm not on vacation. I ran back to my car and headed to the church. Good thing I live about 2 minutes away from the office.

I began writing this at church and now it is 9:15 ish... I have been home about 25 minutes and I am beat. Checked with the receptionist on my way out. She had all the info she needed to help those with questions and I left my cell number with her just in case. The classes I know about went well. Ah, all just in another day.

I'm Dragging and it is Only Tuesday

My goodness, I have only been back to work for two days and I am worn out. In fact, I am not at Bible Study tonight because tomorrow is the first evening of Midlink and I have a feeling I am going to need all the strength I can muster to do the day and the night.

Liz G contacted me, so she is the official winner of the Nord Spa pedicure. I plan to do another one of these in a month or so. It has been so much fun. Liz had a bone removed from her foot and has had one of those knee high air boots on. I think she is a most worthy winner and her toesy woseies will need the extra pampering and care that only Nord can give.

I am one fortunate woman. At least that is what I have been thinking the past few days. Again, I am thinking back on 2007 and the joys that were more abundant than the tough patches along the way. And this year, believe me, there have been some rough spots. Like today, in the midst of catching up and getting ready, came lunch. We had a fun group at the table today which included CourtneyS, Dana, Kelly and some non blogging friends. We got to laughing so hard at stories which hardly included anyone at the table, but we laughed until we all got coughing attacks. CourtneyS told her catfish story from the diner in Woodville and the dove sign hanging in the tabernacle that looked like the catfish sign demonstration, Dana shared a story from another blog, I told my crazy Debbie story of going weak with laughter when we were trying to help her mom move a heavy 1970's Spanish motif chair up the stairs. It is times like these that get you through the junk of the day.

Psalms 92 means a lot to me at this stage of life and I love reading it in the Amplified version. Even in old age(well I am not quite there yet) the righteous are fruitful and flourish in the courts of the Lord. And I have been reading in Job 42 especially these two verses...and the captivity of Job was released when he prayed for his friends and the later days of Job's life have been better than the first half. Much for me to think about. I love the verse about praying for his friends. They hadn't been all that great of friends to Job and they were chastised by the Lord for the advice they gave him. I think maybe part of that captivity that was released was bitterness and spite in Job toward them. But he loved his friends and he loved them by praying for them. I feel like since I became a Christian at the age of 16, that God has brought the best friends into my life. These friends along the years have taught me so much and my life is richer because of them. There are those times I would have walked right out the door on my marriage, if friends hadn't taken the time to love and walk me through it. I would have made some of the dumbest mistakes, if not for friends. Roy says that what blesses me, is going to bless him. I can come home from a girl's night out, had fun and the cares of life are lessened and my spirit refreshed. He cannot help but be blessed when I get home. I cannot even fathom what my life would be without friends walking through life with me. I love to pray for my friends, I know God's blessing is in doing that. So take some time to bring your friends by name to the Lord. Joy in abundance will fill you up. Now, there are times I am just doing sentence prayers on the run, but God honors that. Then there are those days when time doesn't matter and you can talk to God about friends for a long time.

Yesterday morning, I had my full quiet time. This morning sleep held sway over me and I only had about half of my quiet time. This can't keep up cause by Thursday I will be running on empty.

Well, I am going to go put my orthodics in my new tennis shoes. I gots me some walking to do.

And the Winner Is

The Nordstrom SPA gift card goes to Liz G.

So Liz, long time reader, first time commenter, please send me your info so I can mail you the card. Just comment and I will not post the comment.

Congrats!!! I will be doing another give a way very soon. Keep reading for more info.

If Liz does not respond by Wednesday evening, we will do another drawing.

January 6, Winter, Feels like Spring, Looks like Fall

It is winter, but it feels like spring, but finally looks like fall. Only those who are former Houstonians or presently live in Houston can understand this phenomenon. Many trees are a beautiful hue of red tones. This is a tree near the Play grocery store of which I just came from.

I am gearing up for tomorrow. Roy woke me up at 6:00 am this morning. Ugh, I didn't need to be awake until 7:00. I have already had several stop me in the hall this morning with things that need to be taken care of this week. Welcome back!

But there is encouragement in this January 1 devotion taken from the book 'Praying the Psalms' by Eugene Peterson. I used this book last year too, but only read the introduction this past week. I LOVE the book cause the devos are short and jam packed with truth. This is what I read the other day, "The brevity of the daily entries is not offered as a quick and convenient way to pay off a social obligation (to God)." It is like the book offers that these prayers are an entrance to the Psalm and we are invited to make our home in that Psalm and take in the truth. Eugene Peterson recommends you do this book with another person, so that they are praying and you are praying the Psalms for each other.

So January 1 is titled 'Happy are Those' and of course it is Psalm 1. "The "tree" person has roots deep in God's ways: he or she delights in them and meditates on them. The "chaff" person won't be entangled in such earthly permanence: too limiting, this person would probably say." Got to love the tree person. Tree people are happy in the results of running in the way of God's commandments.

I have thought a lot about Psalm 1 since day 1, 2008. I am settling into this Psalm and haven't gotten past this day. The productive side of me says, you are days behind already. The laid back side of me resounds with...meditating in God's Word day and night, being like a tree bringing forth fruit in season., no withering leafs and prospering in God's delight and will. The laid back side of me is winning on this one.

Also, thought I would update you on my little tree. I had planned to take a picture of it with a Christmas ornament on it, kind of like being a Charlie Brown tree. But the little tree isn't growing as quickly as it did. Don't get me wrong, it is hanging in there. It may be confused along with the other trees that are shedding leaves and the azalea bushes that are already blooming.

Don't forget the drawing for The SPA Nord card is tomorrow. If you haven't commented saying you would like your name in the drawing, go to Traditions and comment.

Part II- No, No, Say it Ain't So

I have arrived home a little blonder than when I left this morning. I have arrived home more disconcerted than this morning, even though I was running late. Why disconcerted,because my long time hair salon Emmanuel, is moving to Sugarland at the end of March. I love Emmanuel for many, many reasons. One, it is owned by Christians and two, Veronica knows the inter workings and quirkiness of my hair. Isn't that great the name Emmanuel means God with us. And you know you want God all over the joint when hair is being cut, colored, permed, straightened and blown dry. For goodness sake, He knows the number of hairs on our head. Bryan sat down and explained all the business reasons the salon is moving 10 minutes away from home to Sugarland. I told him this morning, I will give it a try and prebooked a half a year of appointments to be able to have the 10:00 appointment every four weeks. The salon will be located next to the new Whole Foods and here is where my decision was made, across the street from the Super Target. I can make a day of it going out to Sugarland, there is some good shopping out that way. What would be even more missed is the verse that Veronica has up at her station. "The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord." Psalm 45:11



Next up today is eye doctor appointment. They are located in the Heights next to Collina's. Now, they cannot tell me they are moving cause going to get my eyes checked, then eating at Collina's makes it all worth while. You know, you think about breath and make up when someone is going to be so close to your face. I have my every six week appointment with Charles at the Nord for eyebrows and lip hair removal... so I am good there. But I just noticed this long dark hair growing out on my jaw. AHHHHH!!!!!! How long has it been there and I have not even noticed? How many people have thought, will you just pluck that one ugly hair? I got out my Christi Harris razor deal and cut that sucker off. Good thing I noticed before the DR is all up in my face.



OK, here is another embarrassing happening at the condo-manium. Mike, our usual mailman, must be on vacation. So none of our mail is in the right box. We are all helpful and leave any mail that has accidentally made it into our box in front of our neighbors door. When I got home from the aforementioned hair appointment, I saw a huge stack of mail at the door. I thought good thoughts toward whatever lovely neighbor had left it there. Except that on the very top of the mail, for everyone to see was a reminder card that I have not had my colonoscopy and I am three years past my 50th when they LOVE for you to come in and have that done. Oh kind neighbor, you could have put that underneath everything.



I used to belong to a group called Sisters to the End. We all said we would have our colonoscophy together. I came up with our theme verse which is

Isaiah 30:21-21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way.



The time she is acoming closer for me to go back to work. Everyone has told me that the first day will be hard and then after that, you welcome the familar back into your life. I have missed all my young co-workers in the Ministries office, my lunch bunch friends and Jason (not really, but I felt I needed to say that) No, I have missed him, just don't miss all the work he generates for me.

No, No, Say it Isn't So

I can't believe it! Where did the time go? I have to go back to work on Monday and there is so much I haven't done. My stack of books to be read has barely moved, the massive cleaning regime was overtaken by a coup of complacency and rest. The time for research-gone. Time for just doing nothing, is nearly exhausted. This time next Thursday I will be yearning for 4:30 and my soul and body crieth out, yea for the living God. (not that the living God isn't at church, He IS, but I just wanted to quote the song How Lovely Are They Dwelling Places)

This is my last day of uninterrupted time. These kind of days I love, sleep till 9:00 ish...ease into the day. Read. Write a few letters and notes. Online shop. Tomorrow I have appointments and places I have to be, but today I am luxuriating in the sea of calm, not stressed, satisfied with life and no demands of my time except for what I want to do. No answering phones, answering questions, looking up emails and phone numbers, no begging with anyone to do something because I accidentally overlooked a detail, no beating a deadline...none of that kind of stuff, just peace and quiet. Just me and Buddy taking it easy on a Thursday.

Knowing that the routine is coming I decided to pull out my red purse and carry it for the next few weeks. A red purse will chase away the blues. Just put all my money and cards into the little Coach pursette that Lisa P gave me for Christmas. Hmm...I am beginning to feel a little better.

This is my journal I am using this year. It is really a travel journal, which in reality is what we do each day. Journey.

Last night Buddy gave us a scare. Buddy is the least throwing up cat I have ever met. Last night I could hear this strange noise and I knew the strange noise was coming from Buddy. She was hunkered down on all fours with her head held slightly askew. Of course my plans were to bundle Buddy up and head to the Emergency Care for Animals off the West Loop. Reasonable heads prevailed when Roy mentioned she merely was trying to throw up. Not one to believe a man who never had a cat in his life until now, I called Dena, interrupting her from studying her Sunday School lesson. Yes, she was studying on a Wednesday night, but we all know good Sunday School teachers wait until Saturday night to study, then plead and make bargains with the Lord so that He will give a lesson to them. Uh, I don't know any teachers personally that have EVER done that. Anyway, Dena assured me that Buddy was OK, especially since she could probably hear Buddy in the background running around. We put some Vaseline on her nose to help her digest a hairball, if that is what it was. All that drama must have worn Buddy out. She slept by my side all night and has been somewhat lethargic today. So, while she is sleepy and cooperative, I took a few pictures of Buddy.

It has just come to mind, maybe it is time for me to go back to work, I am taking pictures of my cat. Not only that, but I ordered this stuff today I saw on late night TV, Stop Pain Now! You spray it under your tongue 4 times a day and all for the low, low price of $19.95 plus shipping and handling. I will let you know how it works out. I hope this helps with all the extreme knee pain I have had for the month of December. I wonder if this spray works when loved ones give a lot of pain.

Well, guess I better get cleaned up. I am meeting Dena for dinner. Roy has a late evening at the office trying to get loose ends all tied up. When he comes home he'll have a lovely lasagna dinner waitng for him...of course prepared by the fine, fine people of Rice Epicurean.

Wednesday Wanderings....

It is an absolutely beautiful day. I have been out and about running errands and getting life together as best I can before returning to work on Monday. This is going to be a toughie getting back into the routine.



So this morning it was a much needed run to Sam's and Target. Sam's wasn't busy at all. Target was a madhouse, but I was shopping around lunch time. I had my first case of road or rather parking lot rage in 2008 at Target. My emotions got away from me before I knew it. I was in a line of cars patiently waiting for pedestrians to cross and some jerk faced woman, I mean some impatient woman, veers out of line and tries to go around everyone. It just so happened to be my time to drive after pedestrians crossed and here comes this woman. So, I did what I was going to do and turned left and tee hee, I cut her off...kind of on purpose. I didn't care about a close parking place, but she did. She was madly driving up each aisle and finally found a spot. In my imagination I thought, hmmm...if she gets close to me in the store I am going to "accidentally" ram my cart into her and after flashing that satisfied smile...it dawned on me what I had just done and thought. Dang it! I didn't get past day 2 of the New Year and that really doesn't count because I stayed home yesterday. I quickly asked forgiveness of the Lord and I told Him I would apologize to the woman if I saw her in the store. New mercies, I didn't see her, so He spared me that. Like I told you, I don't really make resolutions and my anger is going to come out mostly when I am driving. Glad I am getting a do-over and my prayer is not to lose it the next time I get out and about.



I called CourtneyS last night, well actually I was returning a call. It seems I gave her what we call an ear worm...a song that you cannot get out of your head. She had posted about a Frank Lloyd Wright quote and her friend Lauren made a really great response. I read Lauren's blog and although I do not know her, she sounds really,really intellectual and smart. I could not make a sensible comment after reading Lauren's comment, so I did what I do best...comedy and spoof. So, I wrote back in lyrics from songs. I did not KNOW that the melodious but melancholy song If I Could Save Time in a Bottle by the late, very late Jim Croce, was one of those kind of songs CourtneyS could not get out of her head. Well, God has a great sense of humor. Last night I was watching PBS, yes I am trying to be smart like Lauren, anyway the program was about Jerry Herrman...wrote the music for Hello Dolly, Mame, and a bunch of other Broadway hits. So, in my sleep last night I could not get the song out of my head from SNL when Steve Martin hosted it and he and the cast spoofed Broadway show tunes and sang, Not going to phone it in tonight... You can ask Peggy, I only know music from Oklahoma, Music Man and Sound of Music. (a movie I really don't care for) So of course that is the song that played over and over in my head last night and some today.



Lisa left me a message this afternoon, she got her first phone call from C.E.T. Those of you who work at church should recognize those intials and those phone calls are crazy! Her calls will wear one out. I haven't talked with Lisa yet, but it is safe to guess I will know exactly what she went through. Several years ago, there was a woman who would call and would keep us on the phone for a long time telling us her story at least 4 times each time she called. We tried to do all the right things for her in recommending who she could talk with to get help. She didn't want help, she wanted to tell her story over and over and over. She kind of reminded me of the John 5 guy who didn't know if he wanted to be well or not. I think her story had gotten her everything she had, so she was remiss to let go of a good thing. When we wouldn't let her tell her same old story when she called, she quit calling.



Well, I better go and get more stuff out of the car. That way Roy won't have so much to bring in when he gets home. Thanks for reading my wanderings today.

Good Morning 2008

Happy New Year! It is a beautiful Tuesday morning complete with cool temps and sunshine. Roy and I actually stayed up and made it to midnight to greet the new year. The fact that I was asleep by 12:03 am means nothing other than I was tired after having such a fun last day of 2007.



Before I get to that I have to tell you about an emailed New Year's card I received yesterday. It was from Soft Surroundings. I have ordered several things from their catalog and LOVE everything I have ordered. But they sent this wish. Now on first reading which I did skimming, I thought how nice. Then I re-read it... uh Robin, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't seem to have trouble with putting myself first. It is not that difficult. Now don't get me wrong, it helps to have ourselves in order, to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is putting God first in our lives and doing that in His strength. His way seems to be the way to have peace and bliss. Well, I am not too sure of the concept of bliss.



December 31, 2007 was a totally fun day. Got to sleep in and ease into the morning. Much to my surprise, I got a call from a non phone friend and we talked for almost an hour. There wasn't a reason for the call or something that needed to be discussed or decided upon, it was just a call to visit. How refreshing and surprising. Now, I don't think that she has turned into a phone intensive person, but it was nice to have that easy going conversation on the last day of the year.



Then I met Lisa up in her office. When I say up, I mean up...on the 6th floor. I am not a fan of elevators, especially the south tower elevators. Someone is always getting stuck on Sundays in one of them. Of course, my least favorite elevator came. So, I sent it on up to the 5th floor and then punched the button again. Dang it, the same elevator came back to get me. I don't like that elevator cause the light is burned out telling you what floor you are passing. I gave her a tardy Christmas gift and an early birthday gift. We had such fun in the midst of her finishing up work and answering calls. We decided we MUST go to lunch and Mexican food be the MUST HAVE food of choice. She has never been to Los Cucos, so that is where we decided to go. I called Dena to see if she wanted to join us. You have to love the girl, she was still in her jammies at 12:50 pm. We all met up and had a grand time of talking and laughing. Much laughter which is really a good workout for stomach muscles. From time to time I would look at others who were dining and from the look on their faces, they thought we had started an early celebration of the New Year. We were not drunk as they supposed, we were filled with ice tea, salsa, chips, chicken, and friendship. Our lunch began around 1:20 and at 4:30 we adjourned vowing to meet up another day. I couldn't believe we had been there that long. I had told Peggy I would be out to their home around 4:00.



On my way home, I called Roy to see if he was at a stopping point. He had not planned to go to Bill and Peggy's because of work, but my long lunch changed my arrival time, so he decided to go. So, we were on the way to the Bains around 5:30. Roy had to be in the office because of year end close. Yesterday morning I had to be online ordering year end clothes. I told him yesterday we both had the same interest in year endings, only the spelling was different. Of course you can see how opposite he and I are.



We had a blast at the Bains. Jenny and Shannon are in town, so many of their friends were there. They happen to be my friends as well since I work or have worked with most of them either as volunteers or on staff at church. We sat around the chips and dip, fruit and snacks and laughed ourselves silly. From time to time one of the braver men would come over to join the conversation, but they didn't last long with football beckoning them back to the TV. Roy says, we girls change subjects so fast it is hard to keep up with us. He has decided we all talk in code and have our own language when we get together. Roy and I left once Auburn has secured the victory over Clemson. Becky and Charlie are happy with that win. Go War Eagle! I learned last night, war eagle is not plural. With Roy being an LSU man, he does find it difficult to cheer on a SEC opponent, but he loves Charlie and Becky, so friendship won him over, at least for this one game.



When we got home, 30 minutes later, we were happy that we had not missed the guy on a dirt bike trying to break a world's record.



I thought I would include this picture. It was taken without a flash in front of the display by CourtneyS mom's home. I almost deleted it without even thinking, but really the picture can represent what happens in life. Roy and I standing there together in the midst of chaos around us. Only when the picture was taken, we didn't see all the lights and decorations like the picture's chaos . But when looking back at this picture, like we do in life, we see all that was going on in with a different focus. There in the midst of standing strong, God is here giving us a future and a hope. Hope I am the first of many to reference Jeremiah 29:11 in the New Year for you.



This morning over coffee, Roy and I talked about happenings of the past few weeks, what could have been done differently, thankful for how things turned out and praising God for His faithfulness. Like Dena, Lisa and I were saying at lunch...His mercies are new every morning and somewhere in the world right now, it is morning. (you know how people use the statement when they want a cocktail before 5:00, that somewhere in the world it is 5:00 pm) I don't know where you find yourself on the first day of 2008, but this truth is trustworthy and true, God's new mercies are always there, always abundant and always for the good.



Happy New Year dear friends!!!!