Sorry Ladies, He's taken!

I've just got to take a moment to brag on my man. John amazes me. He is the most talented, intelligent, and hard working person I know. Watching him on mission trip reminded me of all the things he does an a daily basis that often get overlooked. His official title on the trip was 'program director'. However, he did a lot more than plan evening activities for the kids. John worked throughout the day to provide a meaningful worship service for the kids each night. As someone who usually serves as a pianist & percussionist, he found this trip in need of guitar & vocals. Although he claims not to sing or play guitar, he led worship throughout the week doing both. He also spent the days interviewing kids, taking pictures, & playing videographer (He refers to himself as a 'professional amateur' in these areas, yet I don't see anything amateur about them - sorry to disagree with you John). On our last night of worship he incorporated a 15 min. video that completely captured the essence of the trip - bringing laughter & tears in the process. Isn't that what any good movie does?? Above all the stuff he did on the trip, I was also blessed & humbled by his attitude & servant's heart. I think he did more on that trip than Chris (the 'big boss') & me combined, yet he was content to stay behind the scenes. So even though he's going to be crazy embarrassed when he sees this post, I just had to let everyone know that my hubby is totally awesome!

Jr. High Mission Trip

We just spent 6 days in Cleveland, TX with about 50 Jr. High kids. Confession time: I did NOT want to go at all. I’m usually excited about going (we do this every year), but this year summer seems shorter than usual & I’ve been feeling really selfish with my time. Well, leave it to God to change my mind & heart about the whole thing. It was an amazing week. This was truly the greatest group of kids I’ve ever seen on a mission trip. They were polite, hard working, patient, & helpful. They were not just willing, but excited about spending 4 days in the hot & humid weather digging post holes, scraping & painting, tearing down old structures, and building new ones. God really taught me a lot through these ‘kids’ & His joy was truly flowing out of them as they served Him. He reminded me of so many things & I’ll try to sum up a few here: I had the opportunity to do 2 of the evening messages & I really love sharing His truth with kids in this age group. The first night was about our personal journey with God- how He meets us where we are, knows us better than we know ourselves, & loves us more than we know. The second one was about our response to God’s love though serving Him & ‘shining as stars in the universe’ as we live out His ways of love.

The Bible is so amazing! I was completely enthralled by Philippians as I read it this week. It’s always been one of my favorite books & one that I know better than others, but have you ever have those moments where a certain passage you’ve read a million times suddenly becomes new again? That’s what it was for me this week. I put a few of the verses that inspire/challenge me in the margin.

I also had one of those humbling experiences where I was reminded that it’s not all about me, & all those good things I think I’m doing for Him are really gifts from Him.

Prayer Request

Please pray for the Anderson Family - see Esther's request below. For those of you who don't know Esther, she is my friend who was married to Aaron this June (see pics in the margin). I will send her the link to this posting if you would like to comment directly to her. Dear friend, This is a prayer request for my dad Jim. Yesterday he was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma. This is a very rare and aggressive cancer affecting the smooth muscles (the involuntary ones). It has been found in his liver, lungs, spinal cord, pelvis and in a large tumor behind his kidney. The tumor on his kidney is pressing against the major artery leading to the heart. This is also very serious, as any blood clot could cause a stroke leading to death. Dad is in stage IV, the latest stage of cancer. The doctors are saying that he has an average of six to nine months to live. This all comes as a tremendous shock to my family, especially as my Dad has been in great shape and health most of his life. My Dad is a man of faith and prayer. I know that my Dad will not be promoted to Glory until his assignment here is done. I believe there is more glory for him to behold and share here on Earth. Both my parents are wonderful people and have been very calm about the whole thing. They told me they are choosing to take this one day at a time and to thank the Lord for all the blessings He brings them each day. I'm asking God for his healing—for a miracle. I'm praying for a revival of faith for my whole family. I'm asking the Lord for wisdom on when to visit and what to bring (spiritually) when I go. I'm praying that through this the Lord will receive all the glory that is due His wonderful, powerful and holy name. I want to say that I am so proud of my mum and dad. Mum has been the perfect helpmeet for dad, pressing on with doctors visits in her usual persistent manner! Dad has been humble and faith-filled, and is feeling the best he has felt in a long time now that the fever/shivers are under control. Together they are strong, full of hope, and courageous in the truest sense of the word (ie: not absent from fear but overcoming it). On our end, there have been many tears, but none fall without hope. I pray that God would steady us with His guiding Spirit, teach us to pray & believe, and renew dad to the likeness of His image. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want. In a place of green pasture, there hath He made me to dwell; Beside the water of rest hath He nurtured me He hath converted my soul He hath led me on the paths of righteousness for His name's sake For though I should walk in the midst of the shaddow of death, I will fear no evil, For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they have comforted me. Thou hast prepared a table before me in the presence of them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup which fillesth me, how excellent it is! And Thy mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days. "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, BUT God has revealed it to us by His Spirit…"(1 Cor 9-10). So, if you will, please pray with me. Esther

TV on DVD

Hi, My name is KT & I’m a TV on DVD-oholic. If you read this posting & feel inspired to admit your own TV addiction, please feel free. This is a safe space.

For me (& my hubby) it all started with LOST. Everyone had been talking about it for over a year, & we finally decided to check it out. So, over Thanksgiving break we rented the first disc of season 1. We quickly realized, this would not be sufficient (we watched it straight through without leaving the couch). We went back & rented the rest of season. When we finished that we rented Season 2. In 3 days we watched 48 episodes (about 40 min. each).

Next came Scrubs & the Office. These we had seen before, but there’s something about watching episodes back to back, that keeps you from turning off the TV. We own all of the released seasons of both of these shows & have watched them all…more than once.

After that, I really thought we were over the whole TV on DVD addiction thing - until this summer. So, we’re walking through Blockbuster picking up some new releases because we have a WHOLE WEEK to just hang out at home and enjoy time together. We walk up to the counter with 4 new releases & worker-boy starts the sales pitch about blockbuster rewards, blah blah blah…we pretty much tune him out at the beginning, but soon crack under the promises of great savings, etc. So we join. Our immediate deal is we get a free ‘old’ movie for every new release we’re renting – cool. We begin to peruse the aisle & come upon Grey’s Anatomy. We’ve never watched it, & according to many friends & family members, it’s all the rage. So we get the first 4 discs (basically season 1).

Thus, the addiction begins again. In less than a week and a half we have now completed 4 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. What’s that? Season 4 isn’t out on DVD yet, no problem, we can get it on iTunes – and we did. To sum up, this means we have watched 78 episodes, about 40 minutes each, which = 3,120 minutes or 52 hours of viewing. That would be over 2 and a half days of couch time. We’re sick people, really sick.

I love the beach!

Once you endure the preparation stage of gathering supplies, slathering on the sunscreen & securing a good location on the beach, it's the best ever.

Our activities included:

• Sitting/Talking/Dozing under a nice little canopy in our cheap-o, yet fabulous chairs we bought last time we went to the beach.
  
• Helping our little friends Luke(5) & Lauren(3) fly their Winnie the Pooh kites - My hubby looks especially macho flying one of those bad boys!


• Playing in the waves & watching the fish while discussing how unnerving it is that we are basically standing in the middle of a giant fish tank (full of giant fish & other critters).


• Discussing the probability of sharks eating us.


• Discussing the probability of jellyfish stinging us.


• Building sandcastles - it's a must.


• Watching Lauren sit in the huge moat of the sandcastle & proclaim that it is her bathtub.


• Watching Lauren destroy the sandcastle.
  
• Watching Luke, I mean Batman, fight off the forces of evil (i.e. waves) using his amazing superhero moves.


• Sitting at the edge of the water until we start getting buried in the sand, then contemplating how to best get the sand out of our bathing suits without flashing the world.


• Digging up the tiny clam thingies & watching them burrow back down as the next wave comes in. Yeah, so maybe that's weird, but it becomes like some sick obsession - you just can't look away as they're wriggling back down into the sand...I know...I'm a freak.


• Catching little fish with a random family (who happened to own a really cool net). The most surprising part of this experience was when the dad asked his cute little girl if she wanted to release the fish when we were done (they were keeping them in a bucket of water). She shook her head violently & said, "No! We should feed the gulls!" So, for the next few minutes the kids took turns grabbing a fish from the bucket & throwing it as high as they could. Then the gulls would swoop down, catch them in the air, and swallow them whole. Poor fishies.

Pain in the...

I had to get a steroid shot today to help ward off a nasty sinus infection before we leave for vacation tomorrow. All I have to say: Ouch.

The Battle for Flopsy

I have the greatest pillow ever. It’s flat & squishy & the softest ever. It’s so great in fact, she has earned the name Flopsy (I decided Flopsy is a ‘she’ because of the pretty pink flowered pillow case she wears). Every night I hug Flopsy & wedge her up under my chin which leads to instant sleep. So the other night I wake up at some point & I can’t fall back asleep. I realize the problem: Flopsy is missing. Once I start groping around in the darkness, I realize my thieving husband has kidnapped Flopsy & cuddling with her while I sleep! Instead of ripping her out from under his head, I decide to kick him lightly so he will roll over. The plan is a success & I retrieve Flopsy. Well, apparently my darling hubby has similar tactics, so we’ve now developed a pattern of stealing Flopsy back and forth all through the night. Although we don’t talk about it or acknowledge this battle is going on, it has reached the point that when I get up to go to the bathroom, I hide Flopsy under my other pillows to keep her from getting stolen. I’m not sure this strategy will last long (I’m guessing it’s all over as soon as my hubby reads this), but chances are the battle will continue to escalate. Maybe we’ll have to work out a joint custody agreement, or maybe I’ll have to find a new Flopsy – not for me of course – for Him. Whatever the case this can’t be conducive to a healthy sleep pattern, so it’s gotta end…soon.