We've Become the Parents of a Rebellious 81 Year Old

When I was in college and the days and evenings were just too inviting and beautiful to be in the library or my room studying, my friend Bob and I would take off in his car for sights seen and unseen around  San Marcos.  He usually had an eight track (I'm old) of music blended in with nature sounds as background music.  One of us brought a NT with Psalms and maybe once in a while we would pick up goodies to have a sunset and dusk picnic.  Those times of taking in the wonders of nature calmed my soul and eased my spirit.  I found myself doing the same thing today.  Not in the beauty of the hill country but on the Farm to Market roads of Texas.  The plants and flowers of Brookwood called out to me and I responded.  The radio turned down and in deep thoughts and prayer, I rode out to Brookwood.  With our recent rains, the grass and tress are greening up.  Here and there along the road, fields of yellow flowers bent in the wind.  The tension of my soul released and peace entered in.  The quiet drive in the country is just what I needed. 

This past week has been a very long one.  It was just about this time last Monday that my dad called to let us know he was going to go to the ER at M D Anderson.  His INR was elevated.  Numerous tests were ordered and everything came back normal.  Even though he just had his last cancer check up a month or so ago and got clean bill of health, he felt like, once again, the recurring theme of his life, his cancer was back.  His lymph nodes had increased a bit but nothing significant and nothing that the Doctors are very worried about.  We visited him Tuesday night in the hospital and everything seemed ok.  My dad called us in a panic on Wednesday, he could not move his legs.  Roy and I got to the hospital in the afternoon, well, it seems that his legs did move, he just wasn't very steady on them.  After days of observation and tests it was determined that my dad had a mini stroke and it had affected his balance.  We wonder if he is traveling the same road that my grandmother traveled with mini strokes.  She began to have so many, everything soon became forgotten and dementia set in.  Some of the medication they gave him was really wild.  He called Roy, he had been kidnapped, MD Anderson was trying to kill him, my brother was standing outside his room talking.  My brother doesn't live here.   Also, people were trying to bilk him out of his money.  It was one panicked call after another and we tried to help him understand that none of those things were occurring.  The hospital discharged him on Saturday.  Since Wednesday, we had begun to look for a rehab stay for my dad in assisted living.  He had looked at one place in particular that was nearby.  Actually, he had looked at it for my mom's care.  So we went there, did the tour and liked the facility.  Roy began working in earnest with the director of the facility and the case workers coordinated with Anderson's case workers and everything came together just so beautifully.  We were so grateful and thankful to the Lord because an easy transition had been our prayer.  I wish I could report that things are going well with my dad's transition into a new chapter where he has less say so and choices concerning his well being. 

Sunday morning, we went out for breakfast and made a quick stop at Target before heading over to my father's house.  Roy had taken him there on Saturday so he could pack things and wrap up any loose ends.  One thing he wanted to do was go through the refrigerator and clear it of anything that could spoil.  Roy assured him that he and I would do that for him.  He has two refrigerators and let's just say we found some archaeological treasures dating back from 2001.  It is a wonder that my parents didn't have food poisoning.  To save us from having to make a trip back to the house today and tomorrow for trash pick up, we triple bagged the stuff and put it in our backseat to be disposed of on our trash day.  Once we got everything finished up, I called Dad to let him know we were on the way over.  That's where it all started going downhill quickly, he wanted us to come get him, bring him back home to pick up some stuff and then return him back to rehab.  We told him no, but we would be glad to go back into the house and find what he wanted.  He responded with, I can't remember, just come here and take me back, then I will know.  He was waiting for us near the front desk.  He was agitated and angry.  He demanded we take him to get his stuff, whatever it was because he couldn't remember until he saw it.  Roy began to reason with him.  I explained to him that Roy hadn't had much of a weekend being at the hospital and rehab place Friday and Saturday and it would be nice for Roy to at least have an afternoon at home.  My dad didn't care, in anger, with spittle nearly hitting us face on, he again began that angry growling of words so filled with hurtful and venomous poison.  Again, Roy tried explaining things to my dad and my dad reacted with yelling and sarcasm...  Roy dropped the newspaper we had brought him and walked out the door.  With everything within me, I had determined I wasn't going to react or raise my voice.  In a calm voice, I again asked my dad what he needed so badly.  My dad tried another maneuver, he wanted me to take him to the drugstore.  I asked him what he needed, he couldn't remember, he would just know what it was when we got there.  I explained that we didn't have any room in the car for him but we would be happy to go pick up what he needed.  My dad yelled, well put your stuff on the curb.  Leave it on the street and take me.  In all honesty, standing there before my angry and yelling father, I felt like I was 11 years old.  This scene had been played out many times before with expectations that one had to drop everything or rearrange life just to do what he wanted.  The whole honesty thing, the manipulation and demanding rants of a narrcistic man.  I might have felt I was reliving the past yet once again, but in my mind I knew something was much different than that long ago time, I am 57 and I have choice.  When my father saw I wasn't going to give in to his unrealistic demands, he finally told me what he wanted and the detail and specifics were so concise and clear.  He had known all along, but he was trying to manipulate the circumstances to justify his wants.  Believe me, the punishment was buying all these products he wanted.  The clerk kind of looked at us strange when I told her how many and what I needed to purchase.  Believe me, I told her right away that none of this was for me but for my father. 

We brought the products back to him and he acted as if nothing had occurred.  That he had never raised his voice, that he never had been angry.  We too had decided to return with his stuff, be pleasant and then make our exit.  We went to see his room.  He is in the skilled nursing section, his choice, because Medicare pays for it.  In exchange he gets a roommate and a bed, no chairs...no privacy.  It was time for his lunch and they were holding it for him.  He introduced us to his roommate and some other man and we walked away unnoticed while my father began "teasing" them about something...and like so many other times before he begins a journey that probably won't end well relationship wise for him. 

Our drive back home had quiet but there were conversations recounting everything that had just taken place.  My father doesn't like to be told no and it has been quite sometime since we've been in a position to have to tell him no on something that seemed so important to him.  Amplified is the lack of gratefulness and the importance of self and the total disregard of others.  Well, make that total disregard of family members.  It has been a tough 24 hours, recovering.  Having felt well lately, it totally drained and exhausted me. 

The drive today was welcome.  It was restorative.  It was healing.  Roy and I know that this is probably just the first of many episodes to come.  We are asking God for wisdom.  We are asking God for His presence and peace for my father.   Galatians tells us not to grow weary in doing good.  It is a challenge for sure.

We have become the parents of a rebellious 81 year old.  Maybe I should take parenting classes or read the strong willed 81 year old.  Rebellion, smart alec, whining and scheming.  I think this is the really bad geriatric junior high years.

How I Spent Leap Year Day Part 2

When we last left Roy and Nancy, they were trying to leave MDA and get to the assisted independent living place before 5:00.  Roy and the dreadful mini van had finally found release and freedom and he dropped me off at valet parking.  The whole valet process is pretty efficient and it wasn't too long of a wait for Sequisha. Hit the road and I found Roy inside the assisted living home with the director beginning the tour.  What struck me about this particular residence was the genuine warmth between the director and the residents.  The hallways and gathering rooms weren't littered with people immobilize in wheelchairs.  A Leap Day party had just broken up when I arrived.  There was this one lady, with long silver hair and everything about her mannerisms and dress suggested she was 60's flower child.  Her t-shirt had a peace symbol and she had on flip flops.  The rehab looked well equipped and over all the place was very clean.  Roy and the director talked specifics while I took a sit down.  I have a blister on the side of my foot from those blasted sandals.  Once we had finished up there, we mozied in rush hour traffic to my father's house to return his car and check on the house.  Then we headed toward home with a stop for dinner and then taking Roy to pick up his car at the Park and Ride lot.  I came on home and crashed.  Roy wanted to stop at the grocery store for a few things.  So glad Leap Year comes only every four years.  I don't think I could take too many more of these kind of extra days.

My dad is still in the hospital.  He was supposed to have had a MRI at 3:00 am but there is a back up.  The Doctor told him he has probably had a mini stroke and that has caused his difficulty with his legs and walking.  They took him off the medicine that caused the hallucinations.  I just got off the phone with him.  He seemed to be in good spirits but he is tired of the waiting.  I would be too.  Hospital and Doctor time is kind of like the Lord.  Their ways and timing is above our understanding. 

After this week and all it held, I was so happy for yesterday.  I've been looking forward to it for a while.  We had our core group time at Bible study.  It was so good and so fun.  Our excitement level was rather high because of a field trip to Peggy's house for lunch.  It was if we were kids again, knowing a field trip was involved in our day because the energy level and reigning in all of our bunny trails by Gena.  Lunch was fun and everyone enjoyed looking around and playing in Peggy's home.  We even went out to the dock and fed the fish.  I came home and took a nap, still exhausted from the day before and all the lunch fun.  It was good to get the rest because Peggy, Dena and I were going to see Late Night Catechism.  Picked up Peggy and we met Dena at church.  We had a delicious dinner at Vincent's and great seats for the play.  It is an interactive play, so we all had fun with that.  In fact I won a glow in the dark rosary.  After the play we talked with the actress who played the nun and she told Peggy that her questions at the end had challenged her and had her on her toes. They might bring in a new production about Sister and Vegas.  We'll be there!  Dena is thinking about conducting Sunday School, oops I mean Life Bible Study class like the nun.  Think that would be a very fun experience and I have a feeling Peggy and I would be feeling the wrath of a ruler across our knuckles just like in back in the day parochial school. 

That's a wrap.  I am meeting Roy in a bit at the eye doctor and then we will make a trek out to MDA.  I am wearing tennis shoes and looking like a little old lady.  So thankful we don't have to be involved with a mini van today. 

How I Spent My Leap Year Day

I spent my leap year day mainly attending to all things dad related.  Monday evening he drove himself to the ER due to a high INR from his blood thinners.  We found out yesterday he had also fallen in the yard, but depending on his mood or how he would like to be viewed, he will confirm the fall and then deny it.  We went to see him Tuesday evening and he seemed to be doing well and in good spirits.  Wednesday morning he called Roy in a panic.  MD Anderson was trying to kill him, he had also been kidnapped by people who acted like they were nurses and he was on a really nice floor with a beautiful room.  That meant to him they were trying to bilk him of his money.  No dad, that would be the health care system in general.  When we saw him yesterday, he realized he had not been kidnapped and MDA was trying to help him, not kill him.  While we were there the physician's assistant came in and we got clear, non convoluted information.  We over ruled my dad and he is not going home because he cannot care for himself alone and he is still dizzy.  He had told us his legs wouldn't move but it's not the case.  He cannot stand, steady himself or walk alone without assistance.  I thought I might need assistance because I wore sandals that I didn't remember were so painful if you had to do a lot of walking in them.  Note to self...don't wear those to MDA.  Of course when it come to the Med Center, Valerie Valet is my name.  So, I found out which entrance was valet friendly.  Now this is where I am so different in my thinking when it comes to parking at the Med Center than my dad, it costs $12.00 to park in a garage, that you have to drive around forever to find a spot, and then hike a million miles to get where you want to be.  For $3.00 more, you can valet park.  Sure you have to stand in line to pay and it may take a while to get your car but the stress factor is lowered considerably.  To complicate matters while we were trying to find my dad's car in the garage so we could take it to his home, he had lost his little yellow smart parking chip.  You would not believe the hassle to get out of the garage with limited human help.  Of course this all has to take place at the exit and cars are stacking up with people blowing the horns.  And to add insult to injury, my dad drives a mini van.  You all know how I feel about them.  I made Roy drive it because it was so hard to be in it, I could not drive it.  Really for more reasons than one.  Once we got out of the garage with our lives pretty much intact, Roy dropped me off at the valet area so I could get my car.  Then I met him at an assisted living place suggested by my dad. 

I know this story is riveting and you are so mad that I have to quit and do a part 2 installment of how I spent my leap year day.  Stayed tuned, it only gets better.  It will be so worth the wait. 

Incomplete and Complete

Thursday, after Bible study, Peggy, Kathleen and I went out to Brookwood for lunch and a little shopping.  Lunch was delicious!  I had butternut squash soup and shrimp and grits.  After lunch, we spent quite a bit of time out in the greenhouse.  I came home with some Impatients and more geraniums.  Impatients like shade so hopefully they will like living in the shady part of the courtyard.  Of course I intended to get those planted on Friday, but the day got away.  Saturday, it was too cold.  Meanwhile the Impatients were beginning to droop and not look so lively and beautiful.  So I knew I needed to get them planted yesterday and did so after taking a Sunday nap.  Believe me, I needed the strength to lug those heavy bags of potting soil around.  Took a peek at them this morning and the plants are looking much better, almost as bright and lively as the day they were brought home.  All that remains to complete the task is to sweep up the stray clumps of potting soil that didn't quite hit the target.  And it is because of a trip to Target with Roy, progress halted and now a little clean up is left for today. 

So, how's the Lenten thing going for y'all that are observing?  I have to say the Lord has certainly taken me a direction I hadn't anticipated.  Once in a sermon, our pastor asked, "who drives through Memorial or River Oaks and feels sorry for the people who live there in those big and beautiful homes?" Well, if he was asking for audience response, I would have raised my hand.  There is just as much despair, loneliness, heartache, and disappointment in those homes as is in any other social strata. Maybe more.   I was reminded of a tennis friend yesterday who lived in one of those big homes.  I haven't thought about her in forever.  They are quite wealthy and own beautifully furnished homes all around the country. Her godfather is a well known man in business and society. From time to time they would be called on to "fill in" at galas and dinner parties. She's been hit on by many famous leading men from Hollywood.   They look like Barbie and Ken and people stop and take notice when they enter a room. He is a tall, dark, handsome Irish man and she is a classic beauty with blond hair. How fortunate that he liked to monopolize conversations. That way I didn't have to sneak a peek to look at him but could hold a constant gaze in rapt attention to take in all the handsomeness of this one man. I cannot tell you how many times a restaurant's buzz was silenced when these two arrived.  Like I mentioned, I met her playing tennis. She had this incredible forehand and her style quirky and unconventional. The first few times you played her in tennis, she usually won. It was difficult to figure out how to respond to her shots.  There was a lot of turmoil, sadness, insecurity, anger and undoing going on behind those beautiful doors and windows in that home, perfectly designed, perfectly decorated.   There was one room in their house dedicated to hobbies and projects, in progress and unfinished.  This room had shelves and bookcases that had been built to house and show finished pieces and any awards or recognition.  The lighting in the room had been purposed to bathe these shelves and book cases in light for the perfect presentation.  My friend in particular had many contributions to this room, but sadly there wasn't one completed project.  In one corner, a gigantic loom, with a piece about one fourth completed.  Canvases all about with just the beginnings of an oil painting or a bit done with water colors.  Stacked to one side were all the accoutrement's that would be needed to show dogs, only she never showed or trained one dog.  Her expensive mountain bike got more use out of the stack because it leaned against everything and maybe had seen only one or two miles out on the roads.  I remember being in that room one time and she showed me photo albums of their children, friends, and family.  Each album contained only a few pictures from each group.  She told me that her personal relationships were not unlike her projects, she lost interest.   Funny, she looked at me and said you know one day you and Roy will be in this pile.  You all interest me now, but that won't be true forever.   A room that had been designed for accomplishment had sadly become the room of incompleteness. 


Now you might be thinking, what does this have to do with the price of tea in China?  How does this compare to Lent?  Why are you writing out this long boring story?  Well, you see, the timeliness of potting plants and the delayed clean up got me thinking about that long ago time in life.  Because of the incompleteness of my purpose and tasks assigned and given to me by the Lord.  Now I know I have been made complete in him...Ephesians 3:19
"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God" and thank God for this truth.  No, I'm writing about the urgency I feel in my spirit to complete and be obedient. 

In my heart I have a room just like my friend with things I have started and not finished.  Study, meditation, prayer, reading, Bible reading plans (I get reminders all the time from the Bible app that I am way behind in my devotion reading) and all manner of spiritual disciplines and things.  In my spirit yesterday, when I stopped mid project to go to Target, I heard, don't let your Lenten vow end up like the project room at _________ house.   To someone with a low attention span, 40 days and nights is a long, long time.  As I look around our home there are several projects we've begun but not completed.  They are fun, good projects, not drudgery at all. Most things to complete really aren't difficult but only need attention.  Same thing in those unseen projects of the heart.   It's having the mind and heart set to see them complete, not for checking off a to do list, but to draw closer to the Lord during this season.  A life designed to bring glory to Him can sadly become the life of incompleteness. 

My friend was true to her words.  Roy and I were added to the pile of photos.  She had lost interest in us soon after and the funny thing is, once she lost interest, you were totally ignored.  The last time I saw them was about ten years ago at a funeral.  I came up to the group she was standing with and she acted as if I wasn't even there.  No eye contact, no acknowledging any conversation I had with the others.   Denying one's existence is a hard thing to experience.  I think it is one of the cruelest acts that people practice and unfortunately I have to say I have done this too many times to too many people.  Maybe ignoring was the one project she had really completed.  

Oh and that forehand and quirky tennis game?  It wasn't too hard to figure out after several matches.  She handcuffed herself to that grip and shot, so you never hit the ball to her in her sweet zone.  It disarmed the powerful forehand and if she wasn't hitting her forehand, you guessed it, she lost interest in the game. 

So how is that Lenten thing going for me?  Today and the days ahead the leading and the journey will be about completeness...all in Him.  Oh and I plan to finish up a couple of projects around the house. 

A Life Well Lived and Celebrated

There is another name to be added to my list of people whose funerals/memorial services honestly told the story of a life well lived without having to revert to euphemisms, you know nicer words that cover up the less than lovely truth of control freak, angry, bitter, and the like to really tell the story of their life.  You know what I mean, "he was a man who loved to get up early and see that the house was in order.  He liked the beds made before the children left for school and he was the first to greet the children upon their return if the beds had not been made to his satisfaction..."  You see control freak with anger management problems and most probably include a life lived with unrealistic expectation being placed upon his entire family.  Not today.  The life of Mrs. Mary Helen etched within her, servant, kind, gentle, helper, lover of people, consoler and encourager to many.  A service that honored the memory and life of God's gifts to those blessed to know and love her.  The tears today were mixed with sorrow of losing her presence here with us and joy, knowing she is beholding the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  I feel certain that my mom greeted her along with Miss Fanny, Mr. Alexander, Mrs. Thompson and the rest of heaven. 

One of my favorite things to do in Dayspring, Water's Edge and Tuesday night Bible study was to approach her as she was helping others with Beth's tapes, then CD's, and eventually DVD's.  When I was certain she hadn't noticed me, I would ask, "is there anything here that doesn't involve prayer?"  At first, she would look in the direction of that question, with an expression that was so sweet and concerned but yet held an element of shock.  After a while, when she heard that question, she'd know it was me just saying hi.  When I had surgery in 2005, she came by to see me with big boxes of pastries and cookies from Three Brothers Bakery.  She made three trips to get everything in.  Yahoo!  She told me, I remembered you grew up with Three Brothers Bakery and thought you would like to have a few treats from them.  Then she told me how to package them for freezing and we'd have treats for the six weeks I had to stay home.  I loved her chocolate chip cookies.  One time Roy and I went over to her house to help her with something...I can't remember what, but probably since Roy went it had to do something with taxes or math skills.  My skills usually involve heavy lifting or keeping others entertained.  When I was on staff at HFBC, for a time I was staff liaison for LPM Tuesday night Bible study.  All that meant is, if something needed to be fixed or copies made or tasks like that, they knew who to call.  Every Tuesday, I'd mosey down to the main lobby where LPM had set up book tables.  After checking with them, I'd always seek out Mrs. Mary Helen and visit with her for a few minutes.  It was the high light of day. 

It is still difficult to attend funerals even though it has been three months since my own mother found her joy.  Mrs. Mary Helen and my mom were the same age.  Last night, as I was cleaning and rearranging things in our closet, I came across a bag of things that were my moms.  Along with my dad, we went through costume jewelry and just all the stuff she had collected throughout the years.  I brought everything home in a bag and placed it in the back of the closet.  That was a couple of months ago.  In the bag were some pictures from my parent's 50th anniversary and then a picture of my parents at a reception in August 2011.  My mom has that distant Alzheimer's look and she isn't even looking at the camera.  I hadn't looked earlier but my baby book was in that bag.  It almost has the look as if it belonged to a second or third child.  The entries are hit and miss but my mom had lovingly recorded gifts, cards, birthday celebrations, holidays and vital statistics.  My first word was bye.  That seems appropriate.  I also have my parent's Bibles from the 1940's.  There are no markings at all in my moms.  I was hoping for something but back in the day, I don't think it was a standard to mark in one's Bible.  There were however a few pencil drawings lovingly crafted by my brother on pages without too much print.  There was a church covenant card in her Bible along with book marks made in Sunday School by either Doug or me.  I read the card, full of truth and how we should be the church to the world and to one another.  It saddened me to read it and to know how "well" her home church had treated her in the final two years of life.  It is a story not to be told on a blog.  In the whole saga, my mom was the true innocent in the story. 

Thus, emotional tenderness increased today.  It makes me tender hearted in other ways too.  I am so thankful that Roy rearranged his schedule to go with me this morning.  It was something I felt that I couldn't do on my own. I love hearing him pray for me, for us and all the things we encounter in life.  I love that Roy is a generous man and he is a man with a plan, but sometimes I don't appreciate his plan as much as I should.  Hearing Mrs. Mary Helen's story reminded me of dear friends who God has seen fit to grace my life with.  I thought of their kindness, of their laughter, instructional words and the pur-dee fact, that we love getting together.  There were those reminders of sacrifice, care and love.  Friends who rejoice with those who are rejoicing and weep with those who are weeping.  Friends who make space in their busy and active lives.  Friends who save me a place in choir on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings.  Friends who live near and those who live far away.  I also reflected on how I can be kinder, gentler, and patient-er. 

I always told Mrs. Mary Helen I wanted to be like her when I grew up, well except for that cooking and baking part.  To have her heart and effect on others for the kingdom of God, would be mighty nice.  You can't go wrong glorifying God and serving Him. 

Fat Tuesday and Prairie Ash Wednesday

I came this close to speaking to the HOA spy, I mean inspector this afternoon.  He was noting violations and then taking pictures of a house one block away.  Since I saw him as I was going to the mail boxes, I decided to come around the block and see if he was on our cul de sac next.  No, the guy had moved on.  Funny, I kind of thought the inspector would be a woman and not a fastidious man. 

Today is Fat Tuesday and tomorrow Ash Wednesday.  Some years the Lenten season comes and goes without nary a thought on my part.  Sometimes I have been amused by the choices people make for Lent.  More times than not, I am more amused by the announcement of their Lenten sacrifices.  Others are more subdued and don't make a big drama thing about it.  This morning I read several online articles on lent, what it is and isn't.  There is more to lent than giving up chocolate, sweets or Facebook or Twitter.   So, I began to run through the likes and loves of my life and what precious thing should I give up?  Of course you can be less than honest and give up Downton Abby, (season finale was Sunday night), smoking (I don't smoke but giving up the desire to smoke, which  I don't have), or chocolate (really not a huge fan and it wouldn't be any kind of a sacrifice to give it up.)  Nothing came to me, I wasn't impressed in any big, dramatic or drastic give up.  So, I went on about my day, laundry and picking up some clutter.  I watched a few minutes of Hoarding last night and it is always good for a better than average pick up.  I ran a few errands and while sitting in the car wash I heard what my Lenten theme should be, "get closer."  It isn't so much a thing, but like Pastor Gregg spoke on Sunday, the what.  Lent is about prayer, fasting and alms giving.  Lent is about examining my life and what keeps me from following Christ completely.  I found this quote on a Catholic website and the quote is quite good and sums it up completely,

 "Lent is about conversion, turning our lives more completely over to Christ and his way of life. That always involves giving up sin in some form. The goal is not just to abstain from sin for the duration of Lent but to root sin out of our lives forever. Conversion means leaving behind an old way of living and acting in order to embrace new life in Christ. For catechumens, Lent is a period intended to bring their initial conversion to completion."  I don't know if I am or what a catechumens is. 

Totally, this not a cop out on my part, but Lent will be a time to embrace what pleases God.  It will be a time of prayer.  Fasting will be not just food but a multiple of things.  Alms giving or just plain giving will be a huge part of the celebration of 40 days growing closer to the Lord and not letting those sins that beset and keep me from running the race, walking the path, taking the journey, and watching and listening for the ways of the Lord.  Gratitude and thankfulness will have a huge part as well. 

I know this is nothing new and many, many, many...have celebrated Lent this way in the years gone by but it is a new message to me.  Baptists don't really give much credence to Lent, we don't officially practice it.  Guess I am trying to say, it isn't in the Baptist Faith and Message.  Maybe it should be.    So it will be interesting the next forty days and I assume that includes 40 nights.  I may share on the blog.  I may just keep these things to myself and the trusty journal.  Isaiah 58 is looking really different to me.  It's not just about the giving up and going through liturgical motions, it's about the Lord being our great delight.  This is the kind of fasting God wants,

 ⁶ “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
⁷ Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

The result that comes from this kind of fasting?

⁸ “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind.
⁹ Then when you call, the LORD will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
¹⁰ Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
¹² Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.

Those of you who know me well, know the portion of fasting that is going to be the most difficult for me.  Believe me, I'll be quoting, claiming and believing verses 8-12. 

So for now on Fat Tuesday.... I wait for Wednesday.  Think I will go out to our fire pit to find some ash, because I won't find it at the million of Baptist churches out here on the prairie.  It's pecan ash, not palm.  Seems to fit me, being that I am kind of nutty and all. 

A Busy Week Recap

So we officially worked in the yard today.  Not that we haven't before but today we actually put together some plants in the planters for the front entrance of the house.  Then we replanted some geraniums and trimmed back the illegal bougainvillea.  We ordered some planters with a trellis for the jasmine we bought a couple of weeks ago.  While Roy went off to take some pictures, I swept and cleaned up our mess.  Just messing around with plants made me feel like an official rancho de five resident.  Flags are up on the medians for President's Day.  They are the official flag approved by the Rancho's HOA.  You pay this guy $50.00 a year and he will place and remove an American flag on your property six times a year.  All other flags are illegal and will be reported.  A new neighbor has moved in on the street behind us.  They have placed Fleur De Lise in several flower beds and they also fly a spring/Easter flag.  Wonder if they soon will be getting a letter? 

Last week was a rather social week for me.  Monday I met Dena for dinner.  Tuesday, Roy and I went with Bill and Peggy to Salt and Pepper for Valentines.  The food was awesome, but we had a waiter that doesn't have too much of a future in waiting tables.  We ended up having a dining experience but we were able to amuse ourselves.  Wednesday night choir, Thursday took the night off while Roy went to his photography class and Friday night we had dinner with David and Emily.  She cooked the most delicious dinner and then we all headed over to Stages to see Late Night Catechism.  Two Friday nights in a row of pure fun and laughter.  Roy has a personal record going...he won his 5th prize at a nun themed show.  He was raised Catholic and went to parochial school till high school.  He has won holy cards, glow in the dark rosary, St Francis statue and Friday, he answered correctly what a stigmata is and won a "I'm Catholic, call a priest in an emergency" card, complete with rosary beads on the front.  The actress that plays the nun makes you believe she is really a nun.  Saturday, I was going to go to Waco with Peggy for a Baylor basketball game, but after such a busy week, which included a full afternoon at my father's house, Bible study, celebrating Peggy and Lisa P's birthdays, I was beat.  So very tired.  Roy took his car in for required maintenance on Saturday morning, so I went and had breakfast and then made a quick trip to Home Goods and rested for the remainder of the day. 

I don't know about anyone else who lives in the general vicinity, but the rain Friday/Saturday morning was so hard, I thought it was going to break a window.  The wind was strong. 

The workmen laying water pipe finally got the big machine unstuck from the mud.  Only the chain link fence remains.  The gas leak they were looking for wasn't anywhere near our area, so they have moved on down the street to find it.  Haven't seen any white trucks around, so they must have been successful in locating the leak. 

Tomorrow I make a much needed trip to the land of sugar for highlights and a haircut.  And if I'm lucky I might be having lunch with Emily when I'm blonder. 

Tonight is the season finale of Downton Abby.  Think I will watch last week's episode again at 6.  Have a lovely week. 

In That Day

It's a relatively quiet morning out here on the prairie.  Doesn't sound like a whole lot of construction is going on behind us and the grinding and machinery sound from the pipe layers has come to a resounding stop. Silence...   For one thing, one of the workmen got one of their big digging machines, of course there is a term for it but I haven't a clue right now what it would be called, stuck in the mud.  It is so deep into the hole it dug and with all the rain this week, they had to put a chain link fence around it to keep Rancho de Five children and probably their dads from getting too close.  A new twist to the wait and let the ground dry out is, all the white Center Point trucks lining Rancho de Five Blvd.  Of course when I drove by them all, I didn't give anything a thought but Roy stopped and talked with the men as he came home from photography class.  There is a small gas leak and they are trying to pin point its location.  I looked out the window this morning and trucks are back, so I guess they haven't fixed it yet.  Roy was telling me this morning to get up early, get showered and dressed in case they turned off the electricity or evacuated the neighborhood.  He takes his pipeline safety rather seriously and well we should.  But, I was so tired this morning I had to make the quality decision to sleep in, eat breakfast and then shower.  It's called living on the edge people...besides the odds of being interviewed on TV go up when you're dressed weird and your over all appearance is strange.  My mother would have been worked up and rather worried if there was a small gas leak in the neighborhood.  By nature my mom was a worrier.  She kind of had it backwards, worry without ceasing, worry always,  worry in the Lord always and again I say worry.  Don't get me wrong, my mom was a great prayer but she wrestled constantly with the Lord over trusting Him with the situation.  She would be so glad to help Him though, by taking the worry part for Him.   I know if I was my mom, there would be suitcases packed and in the ready position.  So this is the scene from out front door, flashing lights, white trucks, men wearing orange safety vests and a big digger stuck in the mud.

Contrast that with the happenings in the backyard.  In the serene setting of tree, shrubs and grass that is finally growing, sat a little bunny rabbit.  I stood for the longest time watching it eat, wash and stretch.  The bunny kind of reminded me of Buddy the cat.  I was so mesmerised, I finally remembered I could pull out a dining room chair and watch a little more comfortably.  In the midst of this nature show happening in the confines of our backyard, Roy came home from the office.  I greeted him, but didn't move from the chair.  Now I know that goes against all we are taught about "the greeting" the husband should receive when he comes in the door, but I figured he wouldn't mind the turned back greeting for one evening.  What the heck, the only difference from a normal night when he comes home is, I greet him from behind the computer or sitting on the couch.  Bad Christian wife, Nancy!  Anyway, he joined in with me watching the bunny for a bit and then he microwaved the delicious and loving dinner prepared for him by the good people at T. Jin's.  That little rabbit held my attention till the evening took over the light of day.  After a long, fun and busy day, I settled down and experienced such a quieting peace.  God's hand, His little creation, right there in our little backyard. 

This morning in retrospect a work was happening in the midst of ordinary, everyday life.  I didn't see it at the time but there were two choices, focus on the the thing I cannot control, that causes anxiety and worry or focus on the thing I cannot control, that brings peace and presence.  We have those choices everyday, all day long.  You know, it might even be biblical, that thing of choosing, blessing or cursing and that is not to be confused with cussing. Some people say they cuss others say they curse.  How timely with all this talk of bunnies, I just went on a rabbit trail.  Sunday morning I went with Roy to his Life Bible Study class, LBS class is just relevant church talk for Sunday School.  Anyway, David Taylor, the teacher, is teaching out of Isaiah.  He covered Isaiah 11 and 12.  His emphasis on verses 6-9 in chapter 11 about peace was so good.  This week as I have read and re-read these chapters, something jumped out, this phrase, "in that day."  It is used several time in chapters 11 and 12 and it seems that after the phrase, in that day, it says, the wolf and the lamb will live together.  In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world.  In that day the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to bring back the remnant of His people.  Then in chapter 12 verse 1, in that day you will sing and then in verse 4,"in that wonderful day you will sing; Thank the Lord, praise His name!"  In that day the Lord and in that same day, in that day, we respond.

Today I want to be "in that day."  To see and experience, to know and be grateful for God's presence in my everyday....in that day.  I want to be "in"with Him.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! 
Roy is the best at these kind of things.  I always have good intentions but I am happy he got his card today.  Usually, I buy a card for him and then I can't find it.  I have a present for him but I forgot to get it out of our closet before he fell asleep last night and he was so tired from the full day of traveling that I didn't have the heart to get it.  I'll have it here for him when he gets home.

We are going out for Valentine's with Bill and Peggy.  Looking forward to a fun evening with friends. 

I've spent most of the day with my dad.  We went to Los Tios for lunch and then came back to his house and went through a few more things.  There are a lot of drawers he hasn't even touched.  I brought home a few things today, a couple of bowls and a doll that had been my mothers when she was a child.  We laughed when he asked if I needed any pots or pans... 

A Winter Weekend Recap

What a great day to stay in except I have a couple of errands to run.  Overcast skies and steady rain.  Roy had to leave in the early morning for a flight to the OKC.  He'll be back this afternoon and I am so thankful he doesn't travel like he had to when we were first married.  I think the first six years he was on the road quite often but during part of that time I worked with him as an oil and gas auditor for non operating partners in joint venture drilling.  Oh, yea, that job was a perfect fit for me.   Actually, I enjoyed the work, it was like solving a mystery.  Granted when it came to the wrapping up of an audit and we were still looking in the nitty gritty details, I was over the mystery and ready to move on.  What I mostly dreaded about the job was, being in an office for a week or more and not being liked because, well, we were auditors.  I would try to let the office staff know we weren't that kind of auditor but I don't think anyone ever believed me.  Anyway, Roy was up at 4:00 am and out of the house at 5:15.  Of course, I would like to report that I stayed up and was productive, but after praying for Roy and his day, I hit the pillow and didn't wake up until I heard the melodious voice of Charles Swindoll. 

We had a very fun weekend.  Friday, Roy got home a little later than usual.  (they only work half days on Friday)  So he didn't really have any time to de-stress from the office.  We went to Lupe's for  an early dinner and headed into town for the Tim Hawkin's show.  Since we had senior adulted our dinner and we were running way early to arrive at church, we stopped in at Lowe's to get some potting soil and a stain chip to send to the HOA for explanation of our fence.  It was good to get that taken care of so that we didn't have to devote time to it on Saturday.  We arrived at church, where I dropped Roy off so he could go in and save us seats.  He did good and we had seats in the center of the balcony.  We sat with David and Emily.  When the show was over my cheeks and stomach were sore from so much laughing and the eye make up was nonexistent.  The show was sold out.  Now this is something I don't understand beyond the obvious but churches are enablers for late arriving people.  Several times a plea was made from the stage to scoot in if there were any vacant seats next to you.  No one moved, no not one.  A few minutes later, the same request was given, scoot in.  No boot scooting or any other kind of scooting took place.  Now really, the request punishes those who came on time, this was general seating, to pick the seats they wanted and now are being asked to move.  Since Roy and I are tall and aisles are not usually constructed with people over 6' in mind, we like to get end seats for the leg room.  Others like to sit on the end to be able to leave or move about comfortably until the pilot turns on the seat belt sign.  Really, scooting in is biblical, the first shall be last and the last shall be first, but not moving is also biblical...you know like the tree standing by the water, I shall not be moved.

Saturday morning Roy and I went to Otto's for breakfast.  Afterwards, we went over to the farmer's market and got more tomatoes.  Roy also had to take some pictures of doors and windows for his homework assignment in his photography class.  Now there one has to be a little careful because one could be arrested for being a peeping Tom or something.  We found enough uninhabited places for him to snap.  We went to K T Antiques and took pictures of the display windows.  They are always very cleaver and interesting.  We left Katy and took off for Brookwood.  Needed to get a couple of plants and look once again through the Easter things in the gift store.  Our excursion was short this time because Roy needed to return home and get some paperwork ready for his trip. 

After a two week sabbatical, we were back at church.  Loved the choir numbers and congregational singing, oh and the sermon wasn't too bad either.  I went to Sunday School, I mean Life Bible Study with Roy.  Great lesson by David Taylor.  He is teaching on Isaiah.  After church we went to Goode Company Bar B Que.  I have been craving jalapeno sausage and Goode Company sauce.  We were in two cars because the second Sunday is Roy's early prayer Sunday.  He went to the grocery store for us and I came home to take a nap. 

Last night I met Emily at First Methodist Westchase to Gerald's hymn sing.  I hadn't been to one in a long time.  I was especially looking forward to hearing John Bolin and Jill Hoffer.  It was a pleasant evening.  A lot of hymns that I have totally forgotten about were sung including a couple that were my mom's favorites.  When we sang Shall We Gather at the River, the older lady behind me sang in that quavery, weak, older, slightly off key voice and that brought back fond memories of my grandmother singing in church.  Afterwards it was fun seeing and talking with friends that I haven't seen for a while.  A little sleet and rain greeted me on the drive home.  Roy was going to sleep early and since I was a little wired, I stayed up watched the DVR'd Downton Abby and then flipped between the Golden Girls, the History Channel and Investigation Discovery TV.  Can I tell you I had some of the strangest dreams last night.

Looks like the rain has ceased for the time being, so I better hit the streets and get back home before another wave hits.  Happy Monday!

Feeling the Love

We are so feeling the love from our HOA.  We got a Valentine from them yesterday.  After their last inspection on January 30, we were written up for sealing our fence with a wood sealant that preserves the new look and prolongs the fencing from turning into that aging gray look.  Roy talked with them yesterday to get some specifics from them and he will respond and must do so before the 17th.  I'm surprised they didn't write us up for having a non authorized bougainvillea plant in the courtyard.  Really, I am glad we have a tough HOA but sometimes the things they focus on borders on the ridiculous.  Like why aren't they writing up the neighbor across the street who still has a Christmas wreath hanging on her front door.  My suspicion is she's trying to pass it off as a Valentine wreath but those pesky Valentine pine cones are giving her away.  And her landscaping, well let's just say it looks like she got bored in the middle of it and hasn't completed her project now going on three months.  I mean I understand because of my ADD but dang, I know to get professionals or Roy involved to see something to completion.  I have several on going projects in the house and each of them are in different rooms.  That way when I get off task, I have something new to keep my attention until I go into the next room. 

After a week of quiet the machines are back on the green space laying or lying water pipe.  They almost have the section by us completed.  The noise factor is diminishing each week from the house construction behind us.  There is only one lot left to be developed and it is right behind us.  It is a Weekley lot and usually they don't build until the lot has been sold. 

Is anyone watching Super Nanny on Lifetime after Dance Moms?  Wow, Ms Deborah, the nanny, is awesome and has great techniques.  Today when I ran into the Target to see if they had potting soil I kind of laughed to myself because I saw a discipline situation going south, in a hurry.  I thought if that mom only had a bell, you'll have to watch the show.   The other mom with kids shopping with her kind of had a look on her face like, you need to take care of this situation now and she was giving approving looks to her two boys.  They were behaved and looked kind of shocked that children could get away with such things.  Seems like I am on a discipline observing kick right now.  I will say I so respect and honor you moms.  You do hard work everyday.  I don't think I would have made a good mom but I do make a good Aunt Foo Foo.  Oh, Target is still out of potting soil.  I know I can go other places and get it, but Target is just too much fun.  Also a note on Dance Moms...they are arguing more and almost getting to the Mob Wives scale of bleeped out banter.  I like watching the girls dance and become more confident as they perform.  Some of the moms should take note of the girls because if anyone of those kids talked or acted they way they do, their butt would be so grounded.

Maybe I should go finish up the rest of my homework and maybe complete a project or two before I make dinner.  Yes, sometimes I go into the kitchen for more than a Diet Coke. 

New Stuff and New Mercies...Great is Thy Faithfulness

Some of the things that we ordered several months ago and have been on back order began arriving this week.  The Fed Ex man has made two trips today and the UPS man should be delivering a box by the end of the day.  This is so much fun!  I had kind of taken a mini break from adding anything to the house.  We still have two critical items to take care of, trundle bed mattress and window coverings for the casita bedroom.  For right now stained glass is helping the situation in the casita windows but when we bought them this was not the glass' intended use. 

With thoughts turning toward spring this first week of February, I've really been missing my mom.  Spring was her favorite time of year and she would have already been planning what she'd be planting in the coming months.  My parent's backyard was beautiful with the full on rush of color backed up by the ubiquitous green of shrubs and trees.  She had various vines trailing up trellises and archways.  Her gardening was one of the last things that Alzheimer's took from her.  It's just so sad to see the backyard now when I go see my dad.  Of course bleak mid-winter doesn't help but still it is not even close to the former glory of the garden.  To help me celebrate my mom today, I fixed a grilled cheese sandwich in her honor, complete with sliced dill pickles and baked chips.  A tradition established as a child and carried long into my adult years.  If I came by before, at or after lunch my mom always volunteered to fix me a grilled cheese with tart pickle chips to complete the gourmet treat.  I ate my sandwich in silence today, since Buddy was currently taking her late noon day nap and I looked out the windows onto the courtyard and thought about container plantings and maybe a trellis or two.  Of course I am going to have to consult with professionals on what plants do well with morning sun and afternoon shade.  I don't even know if Roy will let me actually get the yard landscaped because of sprinkler placement and drainage issues that seem to be slowly resolving themselves.  Roy has been concerned about the shepherd hook at the edge of the courtyard near the fireplace.  I decided instead of drilling a hole in the brick, I would hang the wind chimes on the shepherd hook but Roy is thinking of pipeline safety.  That's his natural inclination since he works for the largest publicly traded pipeline company.  For sure there is no lack of pipelines out here on the prairie.  Don't you know that no one back in the day would have ever believed there would be people and huge subdivisions out here on the land.  Hopefully these pipelines are buried deeply in the ground and a 4 inch spike going into the ground to hold wind chimes would not blow us all to kingdom come.

I read this article this morning and found it quite interesting.  Since I don't have a boat in this race there isn't really too much I can comment on and the reality of what works best for discipline.  I remember a conversation my mom and I had when I was probably 8 or 9.  She was trying to make a point to me that she could only remember receiving one spanking as a child verses me on the other hand, who received a spanking everyday for something or other. What was I going to tell my children she wondered?    Don't get me wrong, I was a strong willed child and pushed the envelope from time to time.  OK, pushed the envelope pretty much all the time.   When my mother was trying to covey to me good behavior thus less spankings, I answered back that I guessed I would have to tell my children I was spanked everyday and their guilty feelings of not measuring up wouldn't beset them each step of the way according to the day.  I think I got another spanking for being a smart alec but really, I wasn't trying to be one, I was just answering her question.  Answering my parents questions honestly got me in hot water almost all the time.  Once my mom in exasperation asked me, "who do you think you are?  The Queen of Sheba?"  Well, I didn't know this Queen of Sheba, so I got out the encyclopedia, which I should have mentioned later to my dad that I had actually used the World Books since he seemed to think no one ever used them and commented at least once a week at dinner about the still brand new look of the books.  Well, I used them a lot but during the day while he was at work.  But, I digress.  I looked her up, O Sheba, and did as much research as I possibly could and went to the Bible and read the passages about Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.  Several hours later I came back and reported to her, why yes, I would love to be the Queen of Sheba.  In good conscience I could put a check mark on my offering envelope for Bible read.  In reading the Bible it revealed her life seemed to be pretty spiffy.  I got a spanking for being a smart alec.  Wasn't my intention to be one but after a while, skin and feelings toughen up and getting a spanking for having a smart mouth didn't even phase me because speaking those smart alec words amused me as I got older.  The interesting point in the article I mentioned long ago at the first of this paragraph is, spanking may work for the short term but had ill effects long term.  There was probably a better way to discipline me but I was raised back in the day when no one thought about this kind of thing.  I think I became more aggressive and had an aggressive attitude because I was being hit everyday and there were several spankings, more than I would like to remember, that went over the line and was nothing more than being hit in anger with an object like a belt, hairbrush, switch or board.  Those kind of spankings were usually administered by my father.  What made the whole thing worse, if it could even ever be made worse was; we had to talk about what I had done and why it had been wrong.  These conversations would last usually an hour and I was being given a chance to plead my case.  I never won my case in any of these conversations.  There wasn't any mercy given or shown.  Sometimes I wonder if anything would have been different if I had ever been extended mercy instead of justice, just one time.  At least with my mom, she administered justice at the time of the infraction and didn't put off the inevitable.  And her spankings didn't really hurt. 

I'm so glad that God's compassions they fail not, new mercies are found every morning.  Oh, yes I love the new mercies and in hindsight find the Lord's discipline a thing to be thankful for.  This heart journey isn't one I would have chosen for myself, yet God has done some much needed work on me during this season.  Because I HAD to, to protect my heart, arguing, bullying with words, instant anger or long stewing anger had to go, along with whining and trying to get my way.   There were physical implications when I crossed over into stress and anger land.  My body couldn't handle it.  Thus the reworking of my heart both physically and emotionally began.  That strong will which has benefited me throughout life now had to come into submission of God.  Big lesson learned and still learning, I ain't in control of very much.  In our study of Revelation on Thursdays, it seems our homework and discussions keep coming back to the certainty of God's timing and He has it all in control.  Yet, while world situations play out and chaos and havoc and violence comes from that old dragon Satan, it is God knowing how it all ends and in that big picture, Revelation shows God's compassion and mercy to those who believe in His Son, Jesus.  It is God who wipes away the tears, it is God giving harps to the 144,000 to play and sing a new song and it is God who listens and knows the prayers of His saints. 

Well, this post didn't even go where I thought it would go when I started.  Good timing to end here because I think UPS is coming to the door with a much anticipated package.  Oh good, more stuff to hang on the walls. 

Hello Monday!

What a beautiful day!  I'm saying this even though our electricity went out again this afternoon.  It just came on a little while ago.  Instead of busying myself with laundry like I planned, instead I worked on homework, finished up a little craft project (hope no one just spit Diet Coke at that news) and took a little nap.  You know how it goes, if I take a nap when I wake up, the electricity will be back.  Right before it went off, there were some loud truck like noises where they are laying water pipe.  Somehow, I think, someone must have hit a line or something.  It took a little over two hours to get the 6,600 of us back online. No that didn't make it happen but, it was a nice nap anyways.  Roy actually called me rather early today and asked me to send him his staff notes.  Since I was up and about I decided to stay awake and begin the day.  So the nap was nice. 

Loving the Home Goods store out here.  Never liked the one on Bunker Hill.  It didn't seem that organized and it has too much stuff that isn't all that interesting.  Also, this one out here doesn't have clothes, so that helps a lot.  Last week I found some really cute Easter things at Home Goods for cheap and I went back there this morning to pick up a few more decorations.  Since I was so close to Target, I made a stop there too.  I was looking to pick up some of the on sale potting soil but they were out.  Guess that means I need to make a return trip at some point this week. 

Roy had some dental work done Friday afternoon.  This weekend's theme; soft foods.  That theme is made a little more difficult by the fact that Roy isn't a fan of most soft foods.  He doesn't like mashed potatoes too much, not a mac and cheese fan and he really isn't that big of an egg eater but dang it, if he wanted something more than ice cream for dinner Friday night, he was going to have to have some scrambled eggs.  So Roy's diet was high in pudding and ice cream consumption.  Saturday, he ventured into enchilada land and by Sunday, he subsided on tamales and of course more ice cream. 

Saturday evening I watched our recording of Suspicion.  Love that movie and then I found myself watching Saturday Night Fever.  AMC was celebrating its 35th anniversary.  Yep, that movie came out the year Roy and I were married.  And in light of the previous post on ugly clothes of the 70's, watching SNF confirmed once again  what all the pictures and memories of the 70's brought back to mind while looking at the FB pages.  While I was watching SNF, it reminded me of the SNL skit, Samari Fever with John Belushi.  It was almost as good as the dance scenes from the movie. 

I had to break away from the Super Bowl last night to watch Downton Abbey.  So glad I did and still saw the last play of the game.  It was a win/win.

Seems like each time I sit down to write and I have a couple of serious things on my mind to blog about, I can't seem to get the words together.  Guess it means, the words are quite there yet and I have more to ponder. 

Long, Long Ago

OK, the 70's had to be one of the ugliest decades for fashion.  Why am I thinking that?  I have spent some time the past few afternoons looking at FB pages and websites of Houston from the 1950s and beyond.  There is a page on FB called, does anyone remember Westbury Square?  Oh my gosh, of course.  It was the hangout place.  Even before I was old enough to know how to hang out and be "really cool," Westbury Square was a Camp Fire Girl's sponsor's dream.  We got to make and dip our own candles at the Candle store.  There was Rumplehiemer's, ice cream, candy and limited menu items.  A lot of my allowance was spent at Cargo Houston.  That was a fun store to shop through for all the latest must haves.  Westbury Square was ahead of its time, the mixture of shopping and apartments overlooking the shops.  I thought my dream come true would be to rent one of those apartments when I was older.  There was a pizza place, the Village Inn, I think.  My boyfriend and I would go there for pizza when we wanted to hang out with my friends and we went to the Pizza Hut on Hillcroft next to the Purple Cow when we wanted to see his friends from Bellaire.  The Villiage Inn Pizza place is where we went after going to a James Robinson Crusade and Revival service.  We both were saved that night.  It was our first true test by fire, because we told everyone I knew that happened to be there, what had happened to us at Willow Meadows Baptist Church.  After that night, it was never difficult for me to share my faith.  Westbury Square had great 4th of July fireworks and since our friends had the perfect house for up close viewing, we headed over to their yard each year to ooo and ahhh ourselves silly with the spectacular show.  Even as young marrieds, Westbury Square was trying to hold on.  I never felt so grown up when we ordered personalized Christmas cards from the Pink Giraffe.  Fast forward to 2012 and Westbury Square is pretty much vacant and the civic club is trying to get what's left of it demolished. 

There is another page on FB and it is a remember when of Southwest Houston.  People have posted videos from their childhood and pictures of places that have been gone out of sight but not out of memory for a long time.  Meyer Speedway, 2 K's, Meyerland Shopping Center when it first opened for business and lots of other places like Wee Wild West, Peppermint Park, Kiddie Land and Playland Park.  Amusement parks before Astro World came on the scene. 

I even read through a page dedicated to the Westbury Rebelettes.  I interviewed to be a part but the first question I was asked in the interview was, if I didn't make it into Rebelettes, would I play on the volleyball team?  Even then, I knew my fate was sealed and I would never be a Rebelette, but I had a lot of friends who were. 

Lots of fun memories of places that are etched into the fabric of my childhood and teenage years.  Almost all those places are gone, in ruins or have been re purposed.  It has been fun looking back.  I am so thankful that my brain and emotions didn't stop growing and maturing because there are way too many people whose lives are still ensconced in their "glory" days.  Too bad, they are missing a lot of the present and soon to be future.  The 70's weren't that great of a decade to get mired in, remember double knit, pant suits,leisure suits, polyester and the whole disco thing came from that decade. 

A World of Firsts

An update on Buddy the border cat.  Apparently, I wasn't too observant on Buddy's behavior toward the stuffed sheep on display in the guest bedroom.  True, she hasn't been ripping their faces off as she has with other stuffed animals, but strangely enough, on the sheep, she is chewing through their feet and legs.  What can I say other than Buddy is being biblical in the sense of being a good shepherd that breaks the lambs leg to keep the lamb from straying.  This morning I was pulling some sheets and towels out of the linen closet not paying attention to Buddy's where abouts because this is usually her late mid morning nap time.  I just happened to see a flash of gray tail on the towel shelf.  Buddy has ensconced herself in the linen closet with the towels.  Good thing I saw her tail because that door would have been shut.  Once she woke up and wanted to move about, what noise she would be making and what if I was gone for most of the afternoon?  She would not be a happy camper for sure.  I left her in the closet but with the door slightly ajar. 

Something has been kind of rolling about in this addled brain since Wednesday.  Nothing to do with Chilly Bowl, at least not directly.  Pictures will be coming of that fun event.  No, it has to do with a conversation I was having with a friend and fellow choir member.  We were discussing Bible study and the subject of a particular study that has three initials that are kind of like BFF came up.  We both laughed at our mutual lack of personal diligence and personality that would make us less than suitable for following their strict rules.  My friend had actually gone for a couple of weeks and thought it best that she and the Bible study part ways.  I only tried one attempt of joining that study, early on as a young married.  In fact, it was probably in the hay or hey days of this organization.  There were so many women wanting to study the Bible that they limited their enrollment and would only take a few new ones to participate.  The old sanctuary of Second Baptist, which back then was the only sanctuary at Second Baptist, was filled with women interested in studying the Bible.  We filled out the information cards and would be notified by mail if we had made the cut.  My mentor had been studying with them for a couple of years and she knew how much I loved to study the Bible.  My mentor had been my Sunday School teacher when I was a new Christian and junior in high school and now she was once again my Sunday School teacher in the young marrieds class.   Her presence in my life had made a huge difference and effect on my life, and still it continues even to this day.  Because of her teaching and influence, I believe I was picked at Southwest Texas University's Baptist Student Union to be on the freshman council.  My area of service; Bible studies to be started and led in all the women's freshman dorms.  Loved that and even when I came home to finish out my studies at U of H, I was involved in leadership for Bible studies there on the campus and at church.  And now, I was thrilled to maybe have the opportunity to study the book I loved so much and serve the Lord with all my heart.  But, it wasn't meant to be.  The year I wanted to join, they already had their quota of Baptists and would put me on the long waiting list if ever a "Baptist" spot opened up.  Never heard from them again.  Yes, I was overly disappointed and at that time I didn't think the rejection had much impact upon me.  In retrospect it did.  Not by any one's fault but my own, my interest in studying and learning about the Bible wained, I audited a few Bible courses at HBU, but my spiritual journey took a detour.  I became a little more cynical about "Bible study" and a whole lot more cynical of women's ministry in general.  I saw it more like the popular sorority and like B*F, and pursuing any activity involving women's ministry surely would just lead to more rejection.  So I did the real mature thing and rejected it before it rejected me. 

With that, and I have written about this before, we kind of put other priorities in a different order than we usually had.  Pretty soon you could really only find us at church on rainy Sundays and that was due to the fact it was raining, so we weren't out sailing with friends.  But, the Lord had other plans for us besides sailing and He is bigger than any real or perceived rejection I felt.  It wasn't Sunday School attendance or Bible study attendance that got us to step back in the doors at First, other than rainy Sundays.   The Recreation and Fitness Center, formally known as the CLC, opened and it is there we made so many friends.  Also about that time, Beth Moore was transitioning from aerobics instructor to Bible study teacher.  A friend invited me to attend her Bible study at First Baptist and I was hooked!  There wasn't any closure on enrollment.  As her classes grew, room was made for the expansion.  I think I started Bible study with Beth when it first moved to the chapel.  Beth actually went over the homework with us.  Along the way, that love for the scriptures and study returned.  I wanted more than a casual Sunday morning relationship with Jesus and I was learning how that happened and how love for Him could grow.  I made many friends from that Bible study and all these years later, we are still friends.  

There have been a lot of firsts at First.  The style of the worship center with access to the balcony from the main floor, The Christmas Pageant, the dream and creation of Gerald Ray, made cantata's and shepherds in bathrobes obsolete, a church that survived and thrived during a four and a half year interim period without a pastor, calling a pastor who had never pastored a church before and giving a young woman the opening to change Bible study forever.   Fast forward to 2012 and Bible study with Beth fills the worship center, the chapel, the fellowship center and probably every other room that has a flat screen in it.  All are invited and there isn't a quota for only a certain amount of every  denomination.  In the words of Toddlers and Tiaras, Bible study with Beth is the complete and total package.  There is worship, learning, guidance, laughter, fellowship, friends (both old and new and those waiting to become friendships), growth, dreams birthed and maybe, just maybe many would love to wear a tiara to Bible study. 

In no way am I trying to lift up Beth and her Bible studies or trying to ease my way into attracting her attention.  I'm merely marveling at the mighty needed change she introduced into women's ministry and Bible study and how God has used this to His glory.  She never set herself up as the perfect example of what a Christian wife or godly woman looks like.  She shares her struggles and victories.  No rules concerning how many inches needs to be between you and the next person sitting on the pew, no discussion not allowed if you haven't completed the homework, no exclusion because the class has too many Baptists or any other such silliness to this sanguine.  I'm very thankful to be blessed to have had the opportunity to attend and be changed and transformed by the Word. 

In reality, it is probably good the B*F didn't chose me,  I would have probably been kicked out before the first semester began. 

Well, I better go check on Buddy's status and see if she has moved from the linen closet onto one of her regular napping spots. 

A Lovely Way to Spend a Weekend

We've enjoyed two days of wonderful January weather.  No really!  Actually, Friday wasn't half bad either.  I went to the eye doctor to pick up my new glasses and took the opportunity to have brunch at Le Peep.  On my way back home I heard from Peggy and she wanted to know if I wanted to go shopping or eat.  Called her and we decided to go look at the gift shop at Brookwood and look at a few shops in Fulshear.  Only, I had to stop at Hobby Lobby first because I think that is where I found the wheat grass looking stuff,  Brookwood has lots of cute spring decor out.  Peggy bought some plants and I contemplated a few things in the gift store.  Yesterday, Roy and I had breakfast at Otto's since we got a late start because of Buddy's mani/pedi appointment with the vet.  The farmer's market was out again at La Centerra and after eating we did a walk through.  This time there was actual produce!  Got some home grown tomatoes and some spun cinnamon honey that tastes like red hots.  Had some on my toast this morning, not the tomatoes but the honey, and it was delicious. 

Last night we went to Taste of Texas with David and Emily and 100's of our closest friends.  We even went at senior citizen time of 4:30 and it was rather crowded even then.  Is there ever a bad meal at Taste of Texas?  I think not.  Better than the food was the conversation and laughs.  Since we started dinner so early it was close to 7:00 when we left.  Ah, the night was still young.  So we went to Barnes and Noble before heading back out to the prairie.  Once we got home Roy began working on some things at the computer.  He ended up having to call HP support for a problem he was having with a DVD.  He said it was after midnight when he came to bed.  He is our official wake-er upper and he overslept this morning.  Thus, I did too.  So, we took a sabbatical Sunday.  We went early to lunch to beat all the Katy church crowd and headed back Brookwood way.  He needed to take more pictures for his homework assignment in his photography class.  How convenient!  He could take pictures and I could go back and get the things I looked at on Friday.  Roy also suggested we make a trip out to the Katy Prairie Conservatory for Birds.  So after Brookwood we headed over to Brookshire and farther North past Dewberry Farm.  The last part of the drive was on rocks and we had just had the car washed on Saturday, so I suggested he come back at sunrise one Saturday to find all the birds he wanted to take pictures of.  Funny, we were doing the very same thing today that I hated as a child, the dreaded Sunday afternoon drive.  We saw lots of cows, rice fields, birds and did I mention cows?  Oh and some beautiful horses.  Once we got back home, I was ready for a nap.  After getting a few winks in, I joined in the good fight against weeds.  Roy and I got up a lot of the bigger ones that have slowly been taking over our backyard.  We focused on some of the smaller ones in the front yard.  All in all, not a bad way to spend a weekend. 

Slopes, Slop, Shepherds and Scripture

The weather has settled down here in the Rancho de Five.  Our little pond that is to the side of the house now looks like a lake.  It will only look like a lake for a day or so and then it will go back to its normal size within the sloping banks.  Ad a P to sloping and you get slop.  That is something entirely different.  We were fortunate not to have lots of lightning and thunder, but there were a few too many lightning flashes that seemed rather close by for my comfort.  Buddy was glued to my side and never left my presence.  We sat there together on the couch while I did my Revelation homework.  The sound of thunder is really such a nice back drop to Revelation 13.  Since Peggy lives only 2.6 miles from us and we being farther west; Peggy called to tell me when she is picking me up for choir and we discussed the weather.  Weather with TV alliteration, Wicked Weather!  Both of us had the coverage of the storm on in the background.  It is really sad to be a reporter and nothing weather wise is happening when the anchors do the check in with you.  The reporter and camera person show drains, flags barley blowing in the wind and maybe a piece of trash that floats along lazily like a summer's day to the storm drain in the curb.  One day we plan to dress up as Mildred and Gertrude and run to where all the crazy rain coverage is and see if we can get interviewed.  We would so look the part.  We might shoot a video to send in and see if it ever makes it on the air. 

I think Buddy has a bit of border cat in her.  Either that or she is a frustrated Shepherd.  In our guest bedroom I have some old wooded boxes and of course they are stacked in an interesting eye catching way.  The top crate is open with the lid back and in it I have put some of my favorite stuffed lambs from my ubiquitous lamb collection that is all over the house.  In the night time when nobody knows about it, Buddy shepherds the sheep.  I wonder if she is familiar with Psalm 23 because she sits some of the sheep around her water bowl and places others around her food bowl.  If it is an especially busy night, she has the sheep spaced at various intervals around the house.  Sometimes she even has them sitting on the couch.  I'm surprised that she is such a gentle shepherd because unlike her stuffed cats and bear, she has not ripped their faces off. 

If there is one thing I'm consistent with and to my disadvantage is; having random, from all kinds of devotionals, or verses posted on Facebook or something biblically that has my interest in researching quiet times.  Today a quote on Twitter got my attention in between breaking news, gentle teasing, cynical observations, sports updates and the like, there was a quote from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  "Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace."  Oh I so needed to read that today and also the accompanying scripture from Hebrews 13:15.  My natural inclination is to set a fast pace and these past couple of years have been an up close lesson from the Lord to slow down, to stop being busy for busy sake, to stay in a moment, to know where I am in the transition process, to listen for His voice, to watch His hand and to choose joy.  Another quote from today's reading; "Sit still in the Light of My Presence and receive My Peace.  These quiet moments with Me transcend time, accomplishing far more than than you can imagine.  Bring Me the sacrifice of your time, and watch to see how abundantly I bless you and your loved ones."  I mean really, who couldn't use God's blessing and who couldn't appreciate especially God's blessing on loved ones.  Most importantly the loved ones who get on your last nerve, you know those loved ones who sometime make it difficult for you to call them a loved one.  And I am so sure that I sometimes, hopefully not too often, can be the one getting on every one's last nerve.  Selah!

The pace of laundry is calling out to me because a pair of jeans that I want to wear to choir tonight need to be dried.  Going early so Peggy can get ready for Chilly Bowl.

Once Again, Avoiding Homework

It's Tuesday and once again I find myself doing everything but Revelation homework.  Once I get into it, I love answering the questions or if I don't understand what the answer to the question might be, I just use a ? and maybe come back to it later.  Since it is supposed to be rainy tomorrow, I hit the grocery store this morning.  Since returning home, I've been busy hanging all kinds of accoutrement's in the laundry room and in my reading room.  I also rearranged the mantel since a few things have been added to make the mantle all things springish.  Love the red iron gate I found at K T Antiques.  It is the centerpiece of the mantle.  Friday afternoon kind of looked like Christmas around here.  I think the UPS and Fed Ex deliveries were about 2 minutes apart.  I finally found a picture for over the bed in the guest room and it was in the massive bunch of boxes sitting in front of the door. 

How many of y'all are watching Downton Abbey?  I missed the first season but have the DVDs to get caught up and it doesn't seem too difficult to follow coming in on the second season.  Sunday night I was flipping between Downton Abbey and Mob Wives.  Talk about conflicting culture.  Basically, the same problems of comparison, gossip, getting along, misunderstandings, love, and talking things out take place on both shows, but the way the people of 1919 deal with these problems and the ways of  21st century language include massive bleeping out of cuss words on Mob Wives, sets itself apart from the genteel.  You can't confuse the two for sure.  Masterpiece Theater must balance out Mob Wives, Toddlers and Tirara and Dance Moms.  We have recently discovered Cajun Pawn Stars and we've gotten a kick out of that show.  Doesn't it seem like I really, really need to be doing my Revelation homework instead of discussing the fine high brow entertainment we fill the evenings with?

I find it oddly disturbing that advertisers know what I have been shopping for online and those things are running on the sides of websites reminding me of what I had been interested in at one time.  Things from the Levenger catalog and from One Kings Lane website have been showing up.  Williams Sonma and Pottery Barn send follow up emails to see if I am still interested in nesting tables.  Yes, but I refuse to pay such high shipping and handling charges.  I'll takes me chances on finding something in person.

OK, I better go and do homework. 

Convoy or Erie Canal, You Be the Judge

What is it with hair appointments and eye doctor appointments?  Both of them seem to require a nap after the appointment.  This morning I had my annual eye check up with Dr. Yankelove.  No, I did not make up his name.  He's a great opthomologist and the process of getting an eye exam is so organized.  This time since I had a coupon for half off, I went with the MAP and limited eye dilation.  That is so the way to go.  My eyesight has barely changed since last year and everything is looking healthy inside my I spy with my little eye, eyes.  A couple of years ago when the doctors discovered that the virus that had attacked my heart had also attacked my pancreas, that made my vision go south in a big hurry.  It was as if it had changed overnight and literally it did.  Since that time my vision has improved and they feel like my eyes are out of harm's way and today that was confirmed.  PTL!  Not having the regular type of dilation made picking out frames much easier.  After the appointment I called Roy and announced boldly, that with this limited dilation, I didn't even feel that I would need a nap later in the afternoon.  Ha ha ha...I was so very wrong.  Usually, since my eyes are dilated, lunch is next door at Collina's.  Since I was finished a little before 11, I went to Le Peep for brunch.  Oh cinnamon pecan pancakes how I have missed you!  Then I headed back to the prairie with a Target run on the way home. 

Both morning and afternoon trips in the Ranch de Five, I feel like I have been surrounded by a mini van convoy.  It was frightfully Erie.  OK, I totally know I used the wrong Erie in the previous sentence.  I am not trying to say that it was frightfully Erie, like on the Erie Canal, but I cannot remember and spell check isn't being very helpful in giving me the correct word.  Sure I could use another similar descriptive word, but dang it, I am hung up on using Erie.  Has word gotten out about my dislike of mini vans because almost everyone who drives one, thinks they are driving a Greyhound bus?  Those mini vans had me boxed in.  Two ahead of me, one to the side of me, thus I could not change lanes, and three mini vans behind me.  I was really getting impatient with the whole slowed down, I am driving a bus mentality.  In fact I sang out a few of the only words I could remember from that trucking convoy song of long ago...CONVOY!  Then I got to thinking and yes, I am getting ready to go all spiritual on you, that maybe these slow moving mini vans were like some kind of guardian angels and by only going 25 mph just might be keeping me from a speeding ticket.  Maybe it was just the timing of my trips.  I left for the appointment right after school had started and my return trip just happened to be right before school lets out. 

So to get to the point I was writing about in the first paragraph, when I got home I felt as if I had been drugged.  My eyes were heavy laden and my energy level low...only thought being...must.take.nap.  It was heavy sleep in nap time.  I only hope I can fall asleep tonight.  Those limited dilation drops and the yellow dye drop did me in.  Or maybe it could have been the carb laden pancakes?  I don't know, but I feel refreshed and ready to go out and eat dinner.  Never mind the Target purchases that need to be put up, I will think about that tomorrow.  After all, tomorrow is another day.

Weekly Thursday Thoughts

Quiet evening out here on the prairie.  Roy got home, grabbed some dinner which I opened, plated and then heated up.  That counts as cooking right?  It should, I went to the store,  microwaved it and then presented dinner in the buffet style.  Roy gobbled down dinner with a little bit of conversation.   He brushed his teeth, kissed me goodbye and I'm personally glad it was in that order and has gone to his photography class.  He is taking a break from the one offered by Spring Branch and is branching out in attending the one in Cinco Ranch. 

Today was brunch day at Bible study.  At first, I wasn't a fan of the monthly brunch but this year it is a favorite thing.  There are some great cooks in our core group and we really enjoy one another's company.  Our ages range from newly married to oldly marrieds.  Our discussion of the antichrist and the beast from Revelation 13 was deep and interesting.  So glad I had actually sat down and did the homework.  This afternoon our core group leader emailed me letting me know that I hadn't missed as session yet and I believe in the fall I chose Bible study over the opening of the Nord Rack in the land of sugar. 

The construction noise around here is almost deafening.  So instead of coming home to sound of framing and the laying of water pipe, I decided to drive the back way over to Brookwood.  It is a beautiful drive and the scenery looked like a cold, winter day but probably the look is due to the drought, not dormant trees waiting for the beginning of spring.  I turned off the radio and drove in silence.  Refreshing!  Then I shopped a little at Brookwood and headed back home going a different, but as scenic route.  The quiet soothed my soul.  Really, after reading and discussing all the horrors that are coming in the Tribulation, it was a respite and a moment to be grateful to the Lord for His handiwork and the beauty of the earth.

I stayed up way too late last night.  Peggy and I rode together to choir.  We left a little earlier than usual because she needed to get into the costume closet at church.  Some churches have a crisis closet, but we have a fun and well locked closet of fun and biblical outfits.  She is working fervently on Chilly Bowl for the cast, orchestra and choir.  Choir practice was awesome, maybe even amazing, amazing.  The Pastor shared with us that someone in the 9:30 service had anonymously given generous funds to help with the choir mission trip in June.  We rejoiced at this welcomed news.  It was kind of funny that after the Pastor had shared this and left that John chose the choral arrangement of Jesus Paid it All to be the next piece we worked on.  I don't even think he thought about the timing of it.  After choir, Peggy met with those in Chilly Bowl and we ended the evening at church visiting with friends.  Rides home after choir are much more fun with Peggy.  I was so wired when I got home and couldn't settle down.  So I watched the latest DVR'ed episode of Toddlers and Tiaras and then some Dance Moms for good measure.  Getting up this morning, difficult and with additional time needed to fix a salad for brunch, I was a tad late for Bible study. 

Yesterday was a wrap on therapist sessions of working through the process of my mother's death and some of the after shocks that accompany loss. No, I don't think a couple of hours is enough to deal with a loving lifetime of a dear mother.   I'm so glad that many years ago a call and visit to Cheryl  began the journey to deal with another kind of loss and so much discussion and hard work tracks had been laid down.  I cannot say enough good things about going to a good, Christian therapist.  She has saved my life from lots of unnecessary burdens and taking ownership of emotions and jobs that were never mine in the first place.  It was a good session yesterday and we booked an appointment several months down the road if there is any dangling loose ends that haven't been resolved.  After the appointment, it just seemed right to make a visit and pay my respects to the play grocery store.  I headed back to the prairie after several other errands.  Found a jewelery store in old Katy to get some watch batteries replaced and made a major mistake of stopping in HEB after school has let out.  My goodness...it is not the place to be.  It felt a little chaotic and frazzled on the aisles. 

That's it.  If you have made it all the way through this post, congratulations!  Now if you have insomnia this week, return to this post and it should do the trick and put you right to sleep. 

Random All Over Me

Really, I should be doing my Bible study homework right now, but I am having a bit of difficulty into settling down to do it.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's because it feels like spring but it's overcast like January.  It could be that my attention span of a gnat is having more trouble than usual focusing on one thing.  Could this inability to focus and settle down now be attributed to all the machinery sounds coming from the green space where water pipe is being laid?  Lack of sleep, maybe.  Honestly it could be long ago ingrown habits about homework, wait till the last minute.  I love our study of Revelation but it could just be a restlessness of procrastination and dare I say, a wind of change in the air.  I don't know but I have now seriously delayed the beginning of homework for at least ten minutes with this paragraph.

Last night the Katy Bunko group I belong to came to our house to eat dinner and roll the dice.  It was really a lot of fun and I spent a good portion of the day making our home a welcoming environment, read cleaning house, and preparing dinner, read picking up chicken pot pie.  All throughout the day, things would distract me and they were good things but not necessary things to accomplish the work that needed to be done.  Like Acts 12.  My Sunday School, I mean my Sunday Bible, oops I mean my Life Bible Study teacher based most of her lesson on the beginning of this chapter.  Peter gets rescued from Herod's hands when an angel comes to prison, wakes him up, tells him to get dressed, walks him through the iron gates, walks about a block with him then leaves Peter.  So Peter goes to John Mark's mother's house where the church is praying for his release but they don't believe Rhoda when she tells them that Peter is at the door.  Well Mary and Sue Ellen tell Mr. Grant that....oh yea, wrong Rhoda and wrong in referencing the once ever so popular Mary Tyler Moore Show.  OK, back to the lesson in Acts 12, so of course I read the rest of the chapter and find it intriguing the story of Herod, Blastus, and the people of Tyre and Sidon.  Later I asked my walking commentary, Roy, what he knew about those circumstances.  We talked about it and later when we got home he looked up the passage with his Logo software.  Not a whole lot of information there, but enough to keep my attention.  Yesterday, I pulled my Net Bible off the shelf and began reading.  It referenced Josephus' recording of the same incident.  Pulled Joe off the shelf but couldn't figure out how to get to the reference.  Maybe that was a good thing because you know Bunko group coming over that evening. 

Today I have read about the Japanese mafia, Steve Martin's article on Earl Scruggs and how he changed blue grass by his mastery and new techniques in playing the banjo, and a lawsuit against Chevron while putting off homework.  I've watched Paula Deen being interviewed by the NY Times and I ordered the British uncut version of Downton Abbey.  Read some in depth book reviews of Southern fiction recently published and considering three of the books, yea, like I need more unread books in the house.  There is laundry being done and I've been playing with the Roman shades adjusting them at different lengths because I really don't want the new neighbors to have a full view into our family room.  I've yet to empty the dishwasher but I'm considering elevating that job to priority number one, well that is until after I finish this blog post. 

Did you miss me?  I've been watching a trailer for Hey, Boo, the story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird.  Ironic that there is a mockingbird sitting on the fence right now?  Anyway, you can see random is all over me. 

One more thing and then I have to start working on my Bible study homework, well after I fold laundry and empty the dishwasher.  Not going to go into much of this but I have fallen in love anew with Isaiah 55, in particular 11-13.  Things to ponder and quiet to listen with a renewed ear and heart.  I really want to dig into this but, Revelation 12 and 13 await me, as well as the dishwasher, laundry and I may need to play once again with those shades.  Did I mention I also paid bills today?  Wrote some thank you notes? 

A Quiet Saturday Night

It's lovely.  Sitting at home on a Saturday evening.  Both Roy and I are down for the count and we are fading quickly.  Ah youth, where have you gone?  Yesterday, I went from thing to thing to thing with very little down time in between and that caught up with me today.  Since we overslept this morning, I didn't make it to the Saturday addition of choir camp.  We pulled into the BWC for a later type breakfast and then made a quick Home Goods and Target run.  We returned home to work on a couple of projects and then ran a few more errands.  WE stopped in an antique store that I have only been to once or twice.  We came away with the mother load of antique tools, at really good prices.  Instead of filling the wood toolbox I found in Rosemary Beach with flowers, I decided to fill it with things that that the tool box was originally intended to be used for. Old tools in shops are usually found among other things and on the floor.  So glad that Roy has good knees and can pull things out for me to view. Once all our errands were done, we arrived back home with a delicious take out pizza in hand and we have lazed around watching football games.  My tiredness has not been physically but sleepily.  I think I could have come back home after breakfast and gone right to sleep. 

Yesterday morning I went to my dad's home.  He had a couple of things he wanted to discuss and as I suspected, the topics were not new.  They are things we have discussed many, many, a whole lot of times.  Early on when it is noticeable that he is going to go on that same track, I interrupt and say something to the effect, you've told that to me before or you have discussed this in depth many oh so many times. He just ignores me and goes right on.   It takes so much emotionally to keep the conversation on track and have some bit of productivity to it.  It was really sweet that he had gone to the little bakery at the end of the street and bought us cherry turnovers.  Like I really should be eating one of those things, but for the sake of family unity, I ate mine, only for the greater good. 

On the way home I stopped for a few things in the land of sugar.  I would have done this on Monday, but rain and the threat of more flooding cancelled those plans.  Got home and had a little minute to rest and then I was out the door at 4:00 with Peggy.  We were meeting friends for dinner before choir camp at church.  What a totally fulfilling evening.  We sang, we laughed, we shared, we worked and we did it all to glorify God.  I love being back with the choir, the choir family.  What joy!

I made the Christian bookstore run this week, hitting both Mardel and Lifeway.  We got a Lifeway catalog in the mail which included a 30% off any regular priced Christian item in the store.  So, there are non Christian things in a Lifeway store?  Maybe it was a veiled reference to the new edition of the NIV, I have no clue, but the coupon struck me as rather funny.  I got the last set of James audio CDs of the Beth Moore Bible study.  I'm looking forward to listening to them going back and forth into Houston. 


I am trying to get things cleared and cleaned for bunko Monday night.  I'm hosting the Katy group. 

Buddy has settled in on my lap and it is making typing rather difficult.  So that's all for a Saturday night.