Sunday, June 27, 2010

Princess Peach Parade, Sisters, Cousins and More!









Summer wouldn't be complete without a visit from the family. Last summer, when Tricia and her crew came for a visit, we all, yes ALL, got the stomach bug. It wasn't pretty. Luckily, this year was peachy!

I was so excited about their visit that I actually made a list of all the things I wanted to do while they were here.
1. decorate living room (Tricia's job was to place stuff on the bookshelves)
2. rearrange newly painted guest bedroom (Natural Choice by Sherwin Williams)
3. check out china cabinet in Bernice, LA
4. take girls to pool
5. eat sushi at RAW
6. make a care package for Meemaw
7. pick out a dress for the Princess Peach Pagaent
8. test drive convertible
9. make signs for the parade
10. eat ice cream


We checked off most of them...never got to test drive the convertible though!

Grace was a doll! She played with Harper and mama'ed Baylor! She even babysat both girls "by herself!" while Tricia and I listed to Fox News anchor Greta van Sustern. I wore my swanky new "Carlos Santana" heels and super cute dress. Thank God for Spanx!

Tricia and I exercised each morning in the driveway, but took a nice walk one morning down Tech Drive Road. We agreed that neither one of us can visit the ranch without crying. I guess those roots run deep.











Codie, you and mom were missed! We did a lot of laughing!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A time to....be content

In high school I had to memorize and recite Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 for Mr. Chandler's English class. How bold! How brave of him! But I guess even, hmmmm....10-15 years ago it wasn't such a crime to read from the Good Book. Now he would have to tie that scripture into some GLE's and make sure it was a standard from the scope and sequence for the curriculum. Whew!

I started Chapter 5 today, but was inclined to go back and reread chapter 4. So far, two things are sticking out to me.

1. vs. 6.. "...But I say it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind." CONTENT...I wonder how often that is used in the Bible and just how it would be defined? Isn't the amount that you have relative to what someone else has? I've got a house, but it is a mansion to some and a camp to others. Do I have a little or a lot? I buy most of my furniture from junk stores or get hand me downs. Little or lot?

I think I'm dwelling on this today because we are finally at a point where we are considering a "new furniture" purchase. Should I be content with what I have? Or, am I content but it is ok to buy new stuff once every...well, once. It started out that we would get the cabinets painted. Now we might need some new furniture to make the room look put together, and we'll need some new "stuff" for the shelves and mantle to pull it all in. And the windows!! New windows or window treatments to cover up the cracks?? Is it ok to be content but also splurge every now and then??

2. Chapter 5:8 "In some places you will see poor people mistreated. Don't be surprised when they are not treated fairly or given their rights." Well, that ain't happening here! I promise I am not even going to put my big toe on a soap box right now, but several scriptures about "the poor" made me realize how far we are from that mentality. I don't think the poor are mistreated in the U S A at A L L!! It is almost glorified. Make less than $x and we will GIVE you tons of benefits! Don't have a job, we'll pay you! Don't have insurance, have your baby for free! I'm not on a soap box because I don't envy politicians. I would have NO CLUE how to make things "fair" in our great country. But I don't believe in hand outs....I believe in a hand that is out. If you are knocked down, you still have give some effort to get your kiester of the ground. Nobody should pull you up. As a matter of face, the Bible even addresses this in Proverbs "don't promise to pay another mans debt."

I've witnessed a great example of this mentality. I had a woman and her 3 children knock on my door yesterday evening. She was looking for housekeeping work. She parked her car, swallowed her pride and walked door to door looking for a hand that was out. Contrast that with a text I received asking me to "find a job" for an acquaintance....handout.

My house looks better already.

Friday, June 4, 2010

My Girls....


I can't talk about God and what He is doing in my life without talking about the sweetest of all blessings that I get to kiss each morning and tuck in each night. Harper Leigh. And Baylor Kate. My girls!


With all the tutu's and hair-bows decorating my house, you'd never know that I wished for boys. I thought I was going to be "Tim the Tool Man Taylor's" wife with three sarcastic boys. I wanted to be her. I wanted jerseys and cleats. I am so grateful that what "I want" isn't always what God wants for me.

How then would I know the joy of watching twenty little toes pirouette around the living room carpet? How would I know how precious it is to overhear your little one "playing Mom", and actually saying something nice? How would I know the tenderness of bouncing curls down the sides of my arms with a sleepy head rolling on my shoulder? How would I know that your heart really can love another one just as much? How would I understand the power of "sisters?"

I wouldn't.

God is so good! He knows what we need, despite what we think we want. My goal now is to surrender all areas of my life to Him! How much richer will my life be when the outcome is aligned with His Plan? We will see.