Uncovering the Lurkers Week!

It's not just my blog that has lurkers, this one has the same but what is most frustrating is when it is your friends and family who lurk. Come on peeps where is the love?!?!

So since I am extremely busy with work this week (it always happens this way when I am trying to get out of town for the weekend) I thought it would be fun to bring out the lurkers!

Lurker-anyone who reads the blog but NEVER comments!

Leave a comment say hello. And if you read someone else's blog daily, weekly or every time they post then spread the love to them as well. And if you have a blog and have been feeling the same frustration then by all means play along on your blog as well. Let's just see how many people we can uncover this week.

I am off to work.

So comment away, I won't be back for a few days. But what a treasure, joy and delight it would be to come back to the blog and see my old friends back in business. I will comment on your blog, you know I already do because I love to stay in touch with my peeps even if it is via the Internet!

:D!

Look Who LOVES! CAMP! DEER! RUN!

Oh where do I begin this blog? I guess I will just come right out and say it..."Hayley won the Best Camper Award!" I could not be more proud of her. Uncle Jeff and I are always saying she is wonderful but this just goes to show that we aren't just being prejudice.

KrisAnn, her co-counselor told us the day that we visited that she is the sweetest camper ever! Well duh! I could of told you that! Then she proceeds to tell me one of the sweetest stories that proves she is the best. When they were walking back from out camping she and Krisann were laughing and talking. Then KrisAnn turns around to see that Hayley is no longer with her. Hayley had noticed a girl in her cabin walking alone so she went to hang out with her. And per Krisann this is not the only example of this. She was always looking for the person who was sitting by themselves or who didn't have much friends and being their friend. I don't know about you but that is the sweetest thing that I have ever heard.

Last night when Hayley told me about this award, I got tears in my eyes and hugged her real tight. I told her how proud I was of her over and over again. The light that shined in her eyes was so priceless to me. What a great boost of confidence for my sweet Hayley! And already at a early age she is treating people like Jesus treated others, caring about the individual rather than the social status or looks of that person. What a great lesson for us all!

Oh and Hayley and I spent a good quality of our time last night singing silly songs and Deer Run songs together. I just love being able to share my favorite place on earth with her. But as we were leaving, she said, "I am really glad that I got the best camper award and all but I would of really enjoyed getting the big feather for capturing Chiefy." To which I quickly assured her that as she grows bigger she will have more and more umph under her belt to tackle the Chiefy and save his wretched soul in the waters of Killi Creek!"


(Note to the Non-Deer Runners Out there: No real souls were lost while attending CDR, there maybe some saved but I guranteed NOT LOST. The above statement is a CDR thang that you just wouldn't understand until you were at camp. Trust me, Jeff and his family have tried but they sometimes get lost in the chatter of Hayley and I and our love for all things Deer Run...except the water slide...we hate the gigantic slip and slide!)

Sunday's Good Word!

"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24.

"Yeah!" says Elijah

"Aunt Sue Sue, we SOLD OUR HOUSE!!!!!!!! Can I come live with you for 30 days while the new house is still being built??? "

Well, one thing on my prayer list has been answered. Go here for the full story. I am praising God with my family today and still waiting with hopeful anticipation for the next thing on the prayer list.

What do you do when your day is totally out of whack?

YOU BLOG ABOUT IT!


I was supposed to be on my way to Frisco, Plano and Grapevine today to get the final parts of my inventory tour done for work. When I came back from phase one of the tour yesterday I had a ton of emails to attend to. I woke up early to get them done, I am still working and I am waiting on a very important phone call from a client who works in L.A. They are two hours behind me and he doesn't start working until 10:00 a.m California time which means it will be noon my time before I get to talk to him. And who wants to drive to Frisco, Plano or Grapevine in the middle of the afternoon on a Friday! NOT ME!

So I head to Plan B.

The turn of events reminds me of a conversation Jeff and I had this week. Both of us are tired of the "waiting" period we have found ourselves in for, oh say, the last 4 YEARS!

"God please release us to move forward." In Jesus Name, AMEN!

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me."
--Micah 7:7

The other night I cried. I prayed to God to break us free from this holding pattern. I prayed the prayer that seems to be in every breath of my being these days...the one for a baby. I never thought it would be this hard to wait. But God is faithful, I know this. I continue to wait. But I no longer wait with a heart full of bitterness, I wait with joyful anticipation as I watch my life unfold day by day. I told a friend the other day that if we never have kids it is because God has other plans for us and I am fine with that. Maybe this is what God has been moving me towards all along. I have a heart that trusts Him completely where as before I was afraid of the "what ifs." I have a heart that is taking life one day at a time, where as before I wanted a plan, to be in control of my circumstances. Now I just live each day fully. For instance like today, I would have been angry in the past if things didn't go my way. But I know that there is nothing I can do about the inventory. I will do it later, the stores will still be there but the client has a deadline of today at 5. So I have altered my plans for today...no big deal. What can I do! Nothing! No need to stress out about it. I know my boss won't be stressed, she will be proud that I handled this client while she is away handling another client.

I guess I share all of this with you to encourage you in your life wherever your holding pattern may be.

The job will come.

The buyer for the house will come.

The insurance agent will come.

The doctor will come.

The kids will come.

The church members will come.

The direction of what to do next will come.

But we must wait. We must trust. We must keep moving forward one day at a time. How about we wait with hopeful anticipation for whatever God brings our way? The more the merrier, right?!?!?

God bless your journey!

Yes, The Template is NEW!

Thanks to Susie at Bluebird Blog Designs for my pretty new template. She is simply the best.

Especially after she sent over a preview and I hated the colors. You see, when I originally ordered the new blog look, I was probably going through a mild depression and the colors were very dark and just so not me! But I choose them, not Susie and she was only going off what I told her so I did not blame her. I just kicked myself for being so well, how should I say it....BORING! DARK! OH SO SAD! I asked if we could change the colors up after a sleepless night one night and she said, "Sure no problem." And I must say, this is so much better.

The picture in my header is a picture I took at the Arlington National Cemetery. I just thought it was a quaint little chapel. I chose that picture because it was on our trip to D.C that I started to blog. And soon after this picture was taken, Jeff and I were part of a funeral procession. It was an accident I swear. If everyone wouldn't have looked so solemn in the band I would have asked if I could play too. But even I know that would totally uncalled for. My Mama didn't raise no fool! I just choose to act a fool on my own sometimes!

And the Bible verse is my theme verse for THE BLOG. My prayer is that my little blog can be an encouragement to everyone out there in the world wide web. I pray that as I share life experiences that you will be encouraged. One thing you can bank on here... if God is teaching me a lesson through life experiences than I will most definitely share them with you. And I pray that my stories can help you in your day to day circumstances. You may either learn from me or learn to do things the complete opposite of me! And you may laugh with me! To my husbands utter embarrassment, my life is an open book! Actually I am learning to keep quiet on most things until after the lesson has been learned or once Jeff says, "This is a good story to share." Hmm...maybe I am finally maturing! Just a little not much because I NEVER WANT TO GROW UP!

Speaking of growing up, I have to run, I am doing inventory for all 7 Ashley Home Stores in the DFW metroplex the next two days. Sometimes my job is great sometimes my job is...BUSY! I will take great and busy anytime, I don't care. I actually get to get out and see the sun! And if you work at home, you understand when I say, you have to make yourself go outside sometimes during the day.

So I am off!
Have a great one!

A Rainy Day at Deer Run!

We spent the night in Sulphur Spring so we could go to camp on Saturday night and Sunday morning. It was the best idea I ever had! Why I did not think of this sooner is beyond me!! The night before we left I was so giddy, I couldn't wait to see Hayley at camp, to see old friends and to see my in-laws reaction to the camp grounds.

Here is Hayley and her camp BFF Mary Clarie. God could not of hand picked a better cabin buddy for these two people. Both highly intelligent, both home schooled and both close to the same age. Emma the counselor says they are joined at the hip. I am so thankful that she has a good camp friend. Since Don, her Dad is the Camp Director there will be many more years of them camping together. This was an answer to my prayers! Plus Mary Claire told me and her mom Jane that "Hayley is her best friend at Camp!"

Here Hayley is telling Nanny and Poppy a ghost story. For the Deer Runners out there, it's the story about Babe the camp dog and licking the girls hand. "People can lick hands too!" You can tell by their faces they were very into this story. One day she will be on staff telling others her version of this story, she is a great story teller if I do say so myself.
Krisann, I was her first counselor. She has been Hayley's Co-Counselor two years in a row. She is so sweet and I love having this time to catch up with her.

Killi Kaper skit..."Danny Tanner!" Doesn't she look hilarious! The following pictures will make Cousin Clint and Clay very proud. She is going to try to become a Cardinal or Bishop or whatever it is called. I never really cared too much back in the day but I was very impressed that she almost had it down. She corrected me a few times. She totally cracks me up! She was just as serious as Clint and Clay always were.


Paige! Look who was in Hayley's cabin...Skylar (Michelle's Memory). They were so excited to realize that they were "almost cousins" I took this picture before I realized who I was taking a picture of. While flipping back through my pictures later that night, I looked more closely and realized it was little Skylar all grown up! Plus Gay helped trigger my memory as well. Thanks Gay for helping me out! Another reason why we cousins need to get together more often! She looks just like Lauren to me here.
This is what it did all day Sunday....rained!
So much so that the water was almost to the bridge behind the ball fields and Scarecrow was able to go tubing down the river!

And camp is never complete without a hug and a good chat from Cousin Gay. It was so good catching up with you Gay! I love you dearly! Oh and thank you for washing my clothes all those times growing up at Deer Run. While I was washing Hayley's clothes Sunday morning, I smiled realizing we had officially come full circle.

I love you Hayley Bayley and can't wait to see you when you get back. I am so glad to see sweet smiles on your face! And no worries about not liking the slip and slide, like i told you before, I hated that day! Especially when I walked away each time with a jumbo bruise! You are the cutest little camper ever!!!

I Praise HIM With Song!

When Jeff and I first started dating, we realized early on in our relationship that we would need to find a church home that met both of our needs. I was sad to leave the church that I had known since grade school but felt that it was more important for Jeff to find his niche since he was a new Christian. So we started a journey of church visitation that was very new and strange for me.

During this time, I was working as a manager for Wing Stop Restaurants. My best friend in high school's dad had started a new business venture and asked me to come work for him. I was still working at Chili's, about to head into management but so many road blocks kept coming up that I jumped at the chance to manage my own restaurant. But with this came new challenges and sacrifices.

One of the sacrifices was church on Sunday. It was frustrating to realize that Jeff and I would not be able to attend church together. Even though we were just dating, both of us felt that God really wanted us to be in church together. Sadly Jeff and I stopped looking for a church all together soon after the restaurant opened it's doors. It was easier to sleep in on Sunday than
try to coordinate a meeting place and time since we were not married and living together. My schedule changed at work as well, so most Sundays I was opening up the restaurant and closing on Saturday nights, not getting home until 2:00 a.m or later. And if you know me, you know that I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night or I am horrible to be around. HORRIBLE!

Since we were a new location, our Sunday business was very slow. I hated coming in but what else could I do- I was the head manager after all. This Wing Stop is located just a few blocks from a local church. I started getting regular diners from this church and because we were slow we often would find ourselves saying hello and talking about this or that. I asked them one day if they had just come from church. Their eyes started glowing as they answered "Yes, in fact they did." I then started asking them about their doctrine, what they believed, how big, when did they meet...you know all the typical "I am looking for a church home questions." So later that day, when Jeff came to visit me, another sacrifice of the job was not seeing each other, I told him about my conversation with my regulars. He said, "Let's try it out next weekend."

Long story short, we found our home on the first visit. It met each and everyone of our needs. It was big but not too big. It had many ministry opportunities for both of us to serve. We both fell in love and found ourselves doing whatever we could to be at church together on Sunday mornings. The greatest blessing of all is that it was close to work for me. We would attend the early service and I would leave right after the invitation in time to open the store. We met many people during the next few years, many we are still in close contact with. But one of the many blessings that came out of this time was I was able to sing again.

A month after we placed membership they started putting together a choir to sing with the praise team. I jumped at the chance to sing again. Soon after the choir was assembled they started discussing plans to put together a praise and worship CD. This church was full of talented singers and songwriters so most of the songs were original songs by these people. We worked very hard to put this CD together. How I ever balanced work, planning a wedding and singing is a miracle from above. But I would of moved mountains if it meant more time for me to sing these songs. These songs blessed me during this time in my life and are still blessing me today because I purchased a song after all and my name is even mentioned on the inside cover!

I realized during this time that my way of praising God is through singing. I love a good worship time where my heart and my head are united in worship to God. When nothing else in the world could take away this time of song. When no distraction from the people around me could stop me from praising God. I Praise HIM with Song! It is just who I am.

But why is it that when I was asked to sing in church on Sundays last week I hesitated and said, "I need to pray about it?" Why did I not jump at the chance to stand and sing in front of our small congregation?

(In order to not confuse my readers let me interject a tidbit of information: We are now at a new church than the one mentioned above-another post all together but not important to the story)

Not sure yet where God is leading me but I do know this: I can praise HIM with song surrounded by a bunch a three to six year old or I can praise HIM with song surrounded by the parents of these three to six year old. I can also praise HIM with song in the car. I can praise HIM with song in the apartment with praise and worship blaring. I can praise HIM with song while I fold laundry (my new trick to getting the job done) . I can praise HIM with song anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

I will keep you posted on what I decide-for now Jeff and I are taking a break from all forms of serving and allowing ourselves to be served so we will see where God leads. Please pray for God to show us clearly where we will be serving after this hiatus is done.

Let's play M*A*S*H!

I haven't played this game in years. Or maybe a few months... not too long ago a friend and I played this during a meeting that was EXTREMELY boring!!! Go Play then come back with your results, here are my results:

Your husband's name is Bra*d P-tt and you have 5 children. You're a head of state who drives to work every day in a yellow Jag.
It's truly a wonderful life when you consider the countless romantic nights you have spent with Br*d P-tt in your shack in Texas.

All I have to say is SWEET! Imagine me married to Brad, raising 5 children (probably his from Angelina days...which by the way, "YUCK!", hopefully one of these is actually mine and not a joint custody thing-now that would be weird) And I work as the Head of State in Deep in the Heart of TEXAS ,while living in a SHACK! This of course is due to the fact that my husband believes living all nature-AL is much better for the environment than jet setting to here and there while buying the most expensive houses in California and New Orleans. What can I say he is a much better than when he was with the other women in his life! And for some reasoning that's a little refreshing!

Oh and no, I have not done one thing today at work. It is now 1:15 and I guess I should start working now

See you in a few!

(edited to add: sorry for the wierd * and - in the above name, I am trying to keep people from checking out this blog by "accident" from a search of this boy that I will one day be married to!)

A Good Thought...

God wants us to plan but not panic…
To be busy but not burdened…
To be righteous but not restless…
To be working but not worrying.
He wants us to have our minds on what we’re doing while our hearts are fixed on Him.

Quote from Never Forgotten…Always Loved! By Roy Lessin

Look Who Is Spending Her First Two Weeks At CDR!

Niece Hayley is attending her first two week session ever, last year she went to a one-week session. Y'all I am crying typing this, I found this picture this morning on the website and my heart has been aching all day for her and for my old Deer Run friends. I am so happy that one of my extended family members is able to enjoy the beauty, fun and spiritual growth that Camp Deer Run has to offer. I loved my time there and Jeff asked me the other day before she left, "Do I need to buy you a trunk full of camp stuff so you can go to?" Yes!! Would you Please! If I could of got a few days off work you can guarantee that that is how my summer session would be spent.

For those of you fellow Deer Runners you understand the joy and anticipation that comes from counting down until it was time to drive off to East Texas. Remember when we all would start writing each other (before email and text messaging) or we would even sneak in a long distance phone call (before cell phones and one low long distance price). We all would ask the questions like what are you bringing? Who will be in our cabin this year? Will Sarah still be a Cheuk you think? Who do you think is returning from last years staff? And we would laugh at old memories shared and anticipate new ones that would be made. We would plan out our nights where would sneak out and could we top off last years prank. Do you remember our drive to camp Jodi after we got old enough to drive? Do you remember the song we played when we turned on the long, winding road that leaves Deer Run? "There's No Better Place on Earth than the Road that Leads to DEER RUN!" Or do you remember the music we listened to driving on the way up to camp...Micheal Jackson's greatest hits. YEAH BABY! I still can't hear his music without thinking of you and me driving like the devil up to camp. Laughing everytime we passed Dyke, TX.

Do you remember your first day? Running to hug the old friends you made last year? Enjoying getting to know the new ones (or in my case peeing in the woods with my now dearest friend still to date during night games-no one saw right?), getting the first hug from last years summer fling and wondering if the flame would be rekindled again. In some cases we did in other cases these flames are long since burned out. But some are now marriages-connections made under the East Texas stars and the blazing sun.

We cemented friendships that I know will last until the day we die-or that is what I choose to believe. It also helps that half of us our blood relatives and the rest of us we consider ourselves relatives because I can't imagine a day in my life when you guys weren't there. We have laughed, we have cried but most importantly we have prayed through good times and bad. And for that I say...."KILLI KILLI KILLI KILLI WASH WASH WASH WASH KILLIA KILLIA KAI-YA!"

Hee! Hee! Half of my non Deer Run Readers are scratching their heads saying "WHAT?!?!?"
And if I haven't lost them yet I am sure that will do the trick. Y'all come back now ya hear!

I love each and everyone of you fellow Deer Runners out there in blog land and the real world. I will be at camp on Saturday night and Sunday during the day because that is what you do when you are an adult and you are not "allowed" to sign up for a summer session. I guess I am turning into Cousin Gay! LOL! But you know, my sweet MIL told me she would of been glad to have paid my way so Hayley would not of been alone. I am still wondering why I didn't take her up on that offer? I guess it was a moment of weakness! So stay tuned if I spy another picture you can guarantee I will save it to post here. I will also give you a full write up come Monday from my time spent with sweet (probably smelly) Hayley!

And So It Came To Pass One Day...

Chilihead is hosting this great meme about how your blog came to life. Here is my story-share yours and add your link at her place!


How did you start blogging?


One summer Jeff and I were visiting his Aunt and Uncle who were living in Washington D.C for a few years as his Uncle finished up his job that he is now retired from. Jeff and I both have always wanted to see the Nation's capital and couldn't wait to explore the different places. As we were walking into the Smithsonian, we ran into an Amish family. I have never seen an Amish family up close and personal but had read the Beverly Lewis series about a small Amish family and to say I was excited would be the understatement of the year.

We also saw the President fly into the White House in the Air One Helicopter the day after Hurricane Katrina. This of course was memorable to us because that night when we came back to the his aunt and uncle's apartment, all the news channels were criticizing the fact that the President didn't show a sense of urgency in getting down to New Orleans. I will leave my opinions out of the blog but I wasn't made at George for giving me great blog material and a great scrapbook page. It is almost like he knew I was in town! Anywho! These two events helped catapult me to blog land because who would want to keep this to themselves and wait until they got home to share. Sadly these posts no longer exist because the switch to beta-blogger destroyed all memory of them. Or was it the CIA?!?!

Did you intend to be a blog w/a following? If so, how did you go about it?

No. To be honest, I don't want a HUGE following. If the Lord makes it that way, well then so be it. You see, I am a southern girl and would feel obligated to respond back to each and everyone of my readers who happen to leave a comment. It's just something I think is necessary but I have a hard enough time doing this with the handful of people that comment now. So my policy is leave a comment or not but if you do I promise you I will try my hardest to get by your blog and say hello!

But you know what's funny? I have real life readers who will start conversations with me by saying "I read your blog this week." or "You need to update your blog." I secretly and humbly love this! It has helped spark great conversations and helped spur on some great conversations not to mention friendships.

What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?

My first blog ever was intended to keep the family back home in the loop on our international travels. Just a fun way to share our Road Trip Pictures. The second blog, Blessed Assurances, started in hopes to write daily devotionals. I had been writing for a few of my friends and family who were gullible enough to give me an email address. For two years, I filled their inbox daily with things God had laid on my heart. A year ago, I felt the Lord calling me to another form of media and felt like He was calling me to a time of renewal. Sadly the daily devotionals were something that had to be laid to rest. I can't explain it really but basically I feel like God wanted me to take a break so He could challenge me and grow me in other ways. When I stumbled upon all these fun memes and carnivals, old friends, family and making new friends I started using Blessed Assurances as a way to get to know and reconnect with people.

Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?

See above. I also have had a renewal of Spirit in the last few weeks. I plan on going back to the roots a little more. I want to write the things that are now written down on sheets of paper. People are always telling me what an encouragement my little blog is to them and I would love to expand on that. My prayer is that people walk away from this blog knowing two things. One that I love Jesus. Second that I love life and all it has to offer, the good and the bad.


What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started?

Don't say things about someone that you know in real life. They may hold these things against you because they believe what you said was untrue or unkind or they didn't want their stories mentioned via the blog. "Not everything in real life is blog worthy!" says Jeff.

Do you make money with your blog?

Heck no! But Jeff would love it if I did! He is always looking for ways that I can make more money so that one day he can live out his dream of being a "kept man."

Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?

Uh yes, we are a blog family too! Look to the right and you will see all the links to different family members I blog with. And by the way, the next cousin outing should be a hoot because we all have kept up with each other and got to know each other like never before. Or should I say we have "the dirt" on each of us!

What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?

Don't get discouraged if you don't get as many comments as the next person. If you find a blog you like, comment on their blog and be consistent with this. They may or may not come check you out but you will get your name out there. If you don't want people trying to see your blog...don't comment and by all means get out of blogland all together. (just kidding-do what you want-it's your blog!) Some of my favorite reads and people I now consider friends have come from doing meme's and carnivals just like this. So if you would like to meet others in blog land than join in the fun.

Second be cautious of the pictures you post on your blog. People hear me say this in a kind and loving tone, predators are lurking even if you think they are not. Don't post pictures of the baby in it's birthday suit. I have recently read some scary articles where people are taking your pictures off the blog and using them for thier own pleasure if you know what I mean. This is not meant to put anyone down who chooses to post such pictures but I am not a good friend if I don't warn you. Oh and to my family, thank you for posting sweet pictures of the family. I take them off the site to save and print these for Granny since she will NEVER get on the internet although she has her own email address. GO FIGURE!

Writing this Post with Wet Carpet under My FEET!

First off, I had grand plans of telling you all about my time with Elvis on Friday night. The Botanical Gardens hosts a Concert in The Park series each summer and this year they had an Elvis impersonator. Jeff, my mom, Sam and myself rented a table and picnicked in the park and listened to good ole Elvis music surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers. It was so much fun! "Elvis" did a great job-he sounded just like the real deal and could move almost as good as the real Elvis. Let me throw you a few pictures to view and tell you about the other exciting things happening at our place today. Since this seems to be the biggest problem right now.




I am going to get my mom to blog her version of the story since it really happened to her. But here it is from my point of view since she is resting in my bed as I type this. (Update to add: Click here for Mom's version of the story)

Last night Jeff and I were cooking out with his parents when we received a phone call from Mom with the sounds of rushing water in the background. Why was there rushing water in the background you say? Because she had a water leak-bigger than ole Faithful from the apartment upstairs. She called the apartment complex at 8:30 to report this, no reply from them came until 2 1/2 hours later! She called 911 and got more sympathy from the dispatcher than she did from our own apartment complex answering service. Finally when maintenance man strolls in at 10:15 pm he says "Oh your pipe broke from your hose on the washing machine." He turns it off-calls the carpet people and he leaves. It gets better.

During this time, Jeff and I are trying to figure out do we leave or do we stay? We had yet to eat and I was STARVING! All I wanted was to sit down and eat. Jeff was the "grill master" he said it would be finished soon so we can eat and get over there. We were in no rush b/c what could we have done at this point? Especially when we thought it was coming from upstairs and not my mom's washing machine. He kept having me call my mom to check the status. Come to find out she is getting no where with our apartment complex. We are getting upset for her but not really too upset...yet. Mom later calls, "The water is at your apartment now too!" She is on the verge of tears because she is just watching all of her stuff get ruined and with no assistance from the apartment complex. I kept telling Jeff that we needed to hurry because mom was really needing our help. Once Jeff heard how bad it really was, he got on the phone with apartment complex messaging service. Now for those of you who know Jeff, you will understand when I say he was fired up after this phone call with the not too bright answering service personnel. Jeff used to work for a law office and was half way through law school when he realized this was not for him. But he is very, very good at heated conversations from his time in law school and his many years working for this law office. Friends and family are always asking him to write a letter because his verbal litigation skills are fantastic! This is why I hate to get into an argument with him. He was all ready to write a few letters last night, let me tell you.

So to make a long, not too funny story shorter we got home at 10:30 pm the same time the carpet people came. They stayed until 2:30 am getting mom's apartment cleaned and cleaning our closet, bathroom and hallway. The carpet people were AMAZING! A real trooper. We all laughed and shuffled furniture here and there. They did not complain once and trust me it was horrible so they would not of hurt our feelings if they did. Mom is staying with us, Jeff went to his parents last night and today we are washing wet clothes and towels, drying out carpets, I am trying to work a little and we are trying to rest. There really isn't much more that we can do.

The good news is that our furniture is still in tact since we do not have renter's insurance! I know, I know it is one of those things Jeff has put off for oh say, 5 years now. But my mom does have renter's insurance and her furniture did not fare as well. We are working today on getting a list of the damages together to give to them in a few weeks. The bad news is her apartment will be "under construction" for 2 weeks. The good new is Jeff works nights so she can stay with me if she wants. The funny part to all of this...she has been telling me for weeks how she just wished she could move her big furniture and dust her whole apartment. She has also been saying how she would like for the apartment to give her new carpet and paint the walls. So Mom, if you ask you shall receive along with 100 gallon plus water wash down!

Stay tuned she will post pictures on her blog later!

My Life As a Tennis Pro

It's been my goal this summer to try new and challenging things. Who knew that I would end up being a "pro" at tennis! I have skills, y'all! Okay so that is a TOTAL exaggeration! TOTALLY PARSE!



To say I suck would be a better term. (sorry for the harsh language just speaking the truth in love) At least I am having fun that's all I can say! I am having fun and I am stretching myself that is for sure.



So let me give you a run down of last night....



1. I hit the ball way over the fence almost every time. And after hitting the ball way over the fence I would yell very loudly "HOME RUN!" and did the tennis pose you often see after they make a great hit. You know something like this...

2. The Tennis Instructor helped me get my form just right. So the next time it was my turn to practice, he started yelling "FORE!" or "WATCH OUT" to the court next to us since that is where the balls were now landing. I guess I went a little too far to the left. It gets better...

3. Tennis Instructors name is Bobby and if you have ever seen the show "Being Bobby Brown" on Bravo than you can probably hear the way I started to say his name. Whitney used to call Bobby really fast and southern girl like or maybe it was more valley girl like, "Bob-aye!" Then she would add his last name and yell Bobby BROWN! SO it sounded like this..."Bob-aye Bah-ROOOWN!" So anytime I needed to ask Bobby a question I said his name like Whitney, "Bob-aye! Bob-aye!" One of the ladies in my class said, "Oh that's funny you are calling him like Whitney calls her Bobby." So by the end of the night, we all were calling him BOB-AYE!

4. Later in the evening, BOB-AYE asked us to grab a ball and line up and while saying this he lightly tapped a ball and it came flying up to greet him in a very graceful sort of way. Well, I thought to myself, "I can do this." And proceeded to imitate what he just did. Well I didn't get the same result. The ball came flying up and smacked me in the face. At this point, the whole class dies laughing. (I can barely type, I am still laughing at myself.) Bob-AYE was turned around and did not see me so when he heard the class die laughing he says "What did you do?!?!"

"Oh I almost knocked myself out from imitating your move you just did."

He started to laugh and said "You are the most animated student I have ever had!"

(that is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!)

So am I learning anything about tennis? Yes, I am learning that I need to practice more.

But am I having fun? Yes, I am having a blast! Even if the whole class is laughing- I promise they are laughing with me and not at me!

Oh and the good news is, I am the same skill level as all the others-we really are a talented bunch...really! And...all of us are women (except for one who is being a moral support to his wife) so we are having lots of girl bonding on that court! We may put Bob-aye in an early grave (he is only 35) before the summer is done!

Ahh, He Loves Me!!

I often find myself complaining about the things that Jeff doesn't do for me. I know it sounds selfish but isn't it easy to see the fault rather than the good?

Well this man don't bring me flowers anymore. Sometimes I think Barbara was prophesying over our marriage when she wrote this song. He used to send me flowers for no reason. Now he says flowers are a part of a "hallmark holiday" and he just doesn't believe in the hallmark holidays. He would rather do the practical loving things than buy flowers that will soon wilt and die.

Okay, whatever Jeff!

Lately my man though has been bringing home something so much better than flowers. Friends, he brings home fresh lemons to me. One of my favorite things in all the earth is to squeeze a lemon wedge in my water. It is seriously one of my all time favorite things about drinking water. A fresh lemon floating in my water brings me joy. Pure joy through and through y'all!

Why I did not notice him making sure I had fresh lemons on hand at all times is beyond me? Could it be I was too focused on the fact that precious one never sends me flowers?!?! Yes I think I may be on to something. It wasn't until I started focusing on the things he does do that I was able to truly enjoy the moment and this small but very thoughtful gesture.

And to top it off, let me tell you what he did the other night at a restaurant for me. He asked the waiter while I was in the bathroom to bring a few extra lemons. I arrived back to the table at the same time I heard this request and my heart skipped a beat. It felt like we were dating all over again.

Jeff asked me if lemons brought me joy?

I said "Yes, lemons bring me joy. But more than that it brings me joy that you recognize the fact that it brings me joy and keep me stocked up at home and in public."

And then the music started playing and we lived happily ever after with fresh lemon floating in our glasses of water!

When God Speaks to My Heart

I recently asked your opinion on how you view God. I knew that most people would say, "I believe Him to be loving compassionate" because that is often the standard answer people give. (Stay with me please, I do not mean that to be a critical statement.) But then there were some who said that sometimes they see God as hurtful, distant and uncaring. I believe that most people at some point in their life have felt God to be the later-whether you admit it or not. Yet I pray that most people will journey to the place where they are able to see God as the loving and compassionate God He is as they begin to trust Him completely. I may share a journal entry I wrote during this time but for now I am enjoying keeping it between me and God. If He says post I will post. Promise.

I just finished the book "Captivating" By John and Stasi Eldredge. I believe this to be one of the most gut wrenching, honest, completely grabbed me from start to finish kind of book. If you are a woman read it. Especially if you are a woman who has had someone hurt you in your past or live with any regrets from your past. It will transform you and if you allow it to dig deep-it will heal you. A blessing this book was to me and I pray to you as well. God spoke to me while reading this book. (Laura, if you want me to send to you just say the word-if you haven't read it yet! Since you are out of the country and all it is the least I can do!)

I also just spent a weekend with Beth Moore. Not really with Beth Moore but under the same roof as she poured out the word to many of us for the taping of Life Today. (These shows will air at the end of October beginning of November-hopefully they will not air the time I had to scratch my head) I also spent great quality time with my mom, Missy and Cousin Paige-waiting to be seated for the taping sessions. All weekend long, I knew God was telling me to hold on He had a word for me. And do you want to know the funny thing about this? God spoke to me! I mean spoke to me. The day before the taping, I had one of those days. Jeff and I were at each others throats-he annoyed me, I annoyed him. It was one of those marriage things that pop up from time to time and leave you thinking "Where did I find this man?" But then after you have said your apologizes you say, "I love this man!" Marriage is a roller coaster y'all!

Anyways you already know God has been leading me through a series on the "Power of Your Words." You may also know that God has been teaching me to be joyful in my circumstances today-not waiting on having joy until this or that happens in my life. And do you know that the theme of the lessons today were on "Joy in the Present" and "The Power of Your Words." And I have the proof, PROOF that these were just for me because my journal is full of these two themes! To say I have been begging God to help me with these two areas would be the understatement of the year.

So I start this week knowing fully that God orchestrated this weekend to show me what I had been asking Him to show me. I also know that He is calling me to write devotionals again. Some of you are readers of THE BLOG because you allowed me to fill your inbox with my daily devos for two years. I started this blog to get the devotionals in one central place and out of the inbox. But somewhere along the way, I found old friends and decided to use THE BLOG as away to keep everyone in the know. I am sure Jeff would LOVE for me to go back to writing devotionals so that his silly mug stays off the world wide web.

Please hang with me as I start getting this blog back to it's roots. I will keep you posted when I figure out what this will be. All I know is that God spoke to me and said, "Get it done my friend!" So I guess I will get it done whatever done is!