Tuesday, 31 January 2006

We had a tragedy in our community. A local well-known teenager (turned 16 two weeks ago) was killed in a car accident last night. She died at the scene. All the local youth pastors were called to come help counsel kids today at the high school. I knew the young girl but not well.  Her father owns the local Texaco station.  I scrapbook with the girl’s Aunt. She had a friend with her but she basically “walked away” from the accident.  My friend Teresa’s (where the horses are) daughter (Leslie) was very close to the girl and is very upset. Vanessa went to see her after work tonight. Please be in prayer for the family, students and community. Viewing will be Thursday and the funeral Friday. I suspect it will be a packed house. It is so sad! I know this is every parent’s fear when their teenagers begin to drive.

Doyle and I went to lunch at Baris Italian Restaurant. We wanted to talk with my friend Nancy the owner of the restaurant. Our cell group (family home group) made plans to eat lunch as a group. There are fifteen of us. We didn’t want to spring that on her without warning. She has a back room that she uses for parties. We are hoping she will let us use that. We got to visit with her and her husband who isn’t always there. They are such a nice couple. We are praying they come into the Kingdom of God. Both their children have been coming to our church and have accepted Christ but I won’t be happy until we have the parents! Looks impossible to me but with God all things are possible! As we get ready to leave the restaurant we see another couple we know. It was the couple who used to keep our horses. It is also family to “Momma Rene”. (Small world huh?!) That’s what happens in a town of 15,000! We finally leave the restaurant at 2:30PM. I got paid today so made the “Wally World” run for household items and groceries.

I wanted to share some more notes from the Ladies Retreat. These were from the Saturday morning session. The speaker talked about how we control.

Crisis will come when least expected. I don’t have any say so about how or whe it will come.

Control is an illusion. If you think you can control the crisis you make a greater mess.

Quit trying to change your husband, your children, your friends. Let them go and be who they are. I can’t make them anymore spiritual. That’s God’s job.

Be prepared ahead of time so I am ready when crisis comes.

Do you run to someone for help instead of seeking God?

We need to know who to talk to and what to say.

God doesn’t try to control me. No one can control me. I can only control myself. “Self-control” is a gift of the Spirit so I can control myself.

Pride and fear are ways the enemy controls me. Bondage is control.

Control causes division

If you aren’t intimate in a relationship, control is the problem.

Control is always an effort to avoid pain.

Need to embrace weeping and learn to cry

We control because we don’t want the pain. Hold your nose and just go under!

The antidote to control is to embrace the pain. Let go and move into prayer. Don’t preach, don’t jab, they will leave.

All the intimacy we long for we destroy because we try to control.

What are my control issues?

How does control wound? Makes you feel not smart enough. That you can’t do it right. Creates fear. Makes you shut down. Causes people to isolate. People being controlled feel abused, stupid, broken.

How does one use control? Talking, the need to be right, withholding sex.

When I release control it will hurt.

Control turns us into mothers instead of lovers.

Look for the good in people. Praise the good in people.

Needless to say I don’t control like I used to but I still believe there are areas ever so subtle that I still try to control. I am asking God to show me so I can learn to “let it go”.

 

Here’s some more pics. Enjoy!

 

 

I should hope by now you all know who this is! My friend Kelly took this.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, we had a baby at the retreat. I had very mixed feelings. We are trying to reach this woman (the daughter-in-law of my friend Jean) but the baby wasn't very happy. She was out of her environment in a very noisey environment and she had just got her first round of shots before she arrived. It wasn't too bad until Saturday night and she wouldn't stop crying. Mom (on the far right of the picture, her name is Charlotte) burst into tears. At that point I felt like a heel for having thought bad about her bringing the baby! The baby is two months old and she is breast feeding. Holding the baby is my friend Kelly. Behind Kelly is April and the girl in the black t-shirt is Charis.

 

Not the best picture but this is Sue Allen. She too is in my family home group. Unfortunately I didn't start taking pictures until Saturday and some of the ladies had to leave early so didn't get pictures of everyone. This is the woman who has the husband and son who are both bi-polar. See the sign over her head for the "Quiet Room"?

Going through the "chow line" in the camp cafetera. I don't know who the man is but the lady next to him is one of ours. Her name is Lane, behind her in lime green is Dru, then her mom Irene, Sue Allen....it gets fuzzy after that but there are more ladies from our group behind her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is just a pretty view of the little man-made pond on the way to the cafeteria from our cabin.

 

 

 

That's all for tonight.

 

  

Monday, 30 January 2006

Hi all! I spent part of the afternoon sleeping. I was so tired. Mainly because I was up late Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. After church yesterday I went to my friend Teresa’s to crop. I didn’t get home until around 11pm. My daughter was home so stayed up until 12:30AM trying to catch up with her and get a quick post in on Xanga.

The speaker gave us lots of stuff to think on. It wasn’t really new information but it was presented in a fresh way. Here are some of the notes I took. Hope you can get something out of it.

We let circumstances define us. (I would but my husband or I would but my kids)

The most dangerous thing we can become is a victim. Being a victim can be very satisfying. Not many people feel sorry for you. You feel sorry for you. That is how we drop our inheritance on the ground is having a victim mentality.

We must be women of strength and  dignity

We need to learn how to deal with the truth about ourselves.

We must have a heart that’s open

Look for ways to build one another up. We need to nurture the call and gifts inside each other.

Don’t be too spiritual – don’t be fake.

The most dangerous place to be is in denial about my marriage, who I am and other relationships.

Real dignity and strength comes from truth

Can people come to me and tell me the truth?

We distance ourselves when we burden ourselves.

Dealing with truth requires me to change

Avoiding and ignoring truth is the most dangerous thing I can do.

Be open to truth and not in denial.

 

Here's some of the ladies inside our cabin in front of the fireplace. Back row L to R me, Shelia Fleenor, Angie Wright. Seated L to R Darla Lemons, Jean Anderson and Nancy Lynch. Nancy leads our women's ministry and is the wife of an Elder. Jean is one of my dearest friends. She is a member of my family home group but will soon be leading her own in a couple of weeks. Darla is another family home group leader.

Here's a view of the fireplace. No it wasn't cold but it just wouldn't be a retreat without a fire!

The woman on the left is Dru Sell. She is the woman who just moved here from Ohio. The woman on the right is Irene Purcell, her mother and the woman I call "Momma Rene" She's the one who gave me the nickname Miss Spunky.

 

These two are sisters. On the left is Naomi and her sister Megan who is married to the pastor's son. She and her husband are in my home group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The woman with the Texas Tech shirt is Perri the Pastor's daughter and youth pastor's wife. The other lady is my friend Kelly.

 

 

 

 That's all for tonight. 

Sunday, 29 January 2006

I'm back and the retreat was good!  Very powerful and challenging messages were given. Definitely wasn't any "feel good" stuff. A lot of TRUTH! Our speaker used the story of Abagail (1 Samuel 25). If you have never read the story before or maybe it's been a long time I encourage you to read it again. Some changes are going to have to take place with me. She spoke about being women of "dignity and strength". Inner strength that comes from knowing God intimately.

I discovered after looking over the retreat contract that I made a huge blunder. I had told them we wouldn't be eating dinner Friday night! What was I thinking?! We always eat dinner on Friday night. I called and explained my goof up. I was told the truck had already run for the cafeteria so they probably wouldn't have enough food for dinner. I'm thinking "how am I going to get a hold of 25 women to tell them to eat before they come?!! Then the Retreat Rep told me they could provide me with sandwiches in our cabin. "That's great!"

The pastor's wife loaded up the key board, music books and stand to take in her car Friday night. I realized we didn't have a microphone stand so go into the sanctuary to get it. While there I ran into the preacher's daughter who came to pick up a hand drum to take. I asked her if she was bringing her guitar. She said "yeah, but you better bring yours too!" Up until that point I hadn't planned on bringing mine.

I leave the office and had several errands to run. I had hoped to have everything done so all I had to do was pack and go but that of course didn't happen. Vanessa left me a note when she left that morning to go to the Dallas Market to take her check to the bank. Then while I was at work Keannon called me to go pickup his insurance check as he went with Vanessa to Dallas. Then I had my own banking to do! When I get to the insurance office to pickup the check for Keannon, the insurance agent wasn't there. Sorry Keannon, I tried!

I finally make it home, grab some lunch and then start loading up stuff. I didn't have all that much personal items but needed to take my Karaoke machine to use for taping the messages and my guitar.

Later that afternoon I arrive at the retreat center with two passengers. My friend Kelly and the woman Sherri who had all the foot trouble last summer. We eat our wonderful turkey and ham sandwiches on croissants with tea, chips and cookies for dessert. Not bad! We sat around and visited. We didn't plan to start until 7pm to allow women who had to work time to arrive. The guest speaker hadn't arrived yet. We were beginning to get concerned as the guest usually arrive early. She finally shows around 7:30pm. Our pastor's wife who had the key board and music books hadn't shown up either but then we knew she would be delayed in coming. Nancy, the woman over our Ladies Ministry said she wanted to get started. Well, Karen (our pastor's wife - who had the keyboard) was supposed to lead but she wasn't there yet. Perri (the pastor's daughter - who plays guitar) and I both tune up. Suzan, our other worship leader played the hand drum. None of us had any plan for where to start so Perri and I started playing a two chord progression and began singing whatever God laid on our hearts. It was really cool! All the ladies joined in singing to the Lord. I started getting some songs (bear in mind we had no music books so I was trying to remember songs I knew the chords to!) I got my com-padres attention and we were off! We had a great time worshiping the Lord. It helps when that's what everyone is gathered there to do! I just find it funny that I ended up leading worship when I almost didn't take my guitar!

 

My friend Kelly in the doorway to the room we slept in!

 

 

 

 

More tomorrow....good night!

Thursday, 26 January 2006

The week is nearly over again! I can’t seem to keep up with the pace. Oh No! Does that mean I’m getting “older”! UGH! I don’t feel it to one degree but the passage of time seems to definitely go much faster than I remember!

Still not much going on. I spent yesterday holding down the sofa. Today was a little more productive though not much. Went to Drive Safe to pick up my check. I usually wait until I go to work but even though I was supposed to work this weekend I swapped so I could attend the Ladies Retreat. I went to get my hair trimmed this afternoon. It was getting too long on the top. Then I went by the feed store and bought 50lbs of rolled oats, 50lbs of Equine Senior and two bags of alfalfa cubes. I headed to the horses. I have a little extra time so decided to drive down a road I hadn’t driven in a while to see if there is anything for sale. I actually did find a place and it wasn’t listed with a local realtor. I thought I might have something. I definitely liked the location. I took down the information so I could look it up on the internet when I got home.

I get to where the horses are and as I get out to open the gate and drive through, the goats get out of their pen. That gate wasn’t latched. So herded them back into their pen. Then the heifer that my friend won in a raffle comes up because I’ve been feeding her too so she knows what I came to do. I finally coax her into the round pen so I can drive through the gate without animals getting out. Just in time too as my horses heard me coming (diesel engines are loud) and headed towards me. Geez can ya’ll just wait a minute!! I finally get through the gate without incident. I get the feed fixed and get everyone situated. I go back to the trailer to finish unloading the feed. I then go into the house to visit while the horses are eating.  I thought I would go by the scrapbookstore when I left Teresa’s but I stayed too long.

I get home and I did look up the place that was listed. It was only 6 acres. I was once again disappointed. I’ll keep looking. 

I was having a “hankerin” for something sweet tonight. So I took the plunge and made me a bowl of ice cream with pecans and since I didn’t have chocolate syrup I used Nestles Quick! Makes the best chocolate ice cream. I’m sure that was loaded with calories but it sure was good!

I finished doing my ironing. I haven’t packed for my short trip yet but should have enough time to do that after work tomorrow. The retreat is only an hour’s drive away so will leave around 3pm tomorrow afternoon and help get the conference room set up and room assignments made. We have four big rooms that house bunkbeds. We label each room as the following “Loud Room” for night owls and talkers. “Snorer’s Room” that one is self explanatory. The “Early Birds” for those who like to go to be early and get up early. And last but not least “The Quiet Room” for those who don’t talk much or just don’t like noise. So basically we have two loud rooms and two quiet rooms. Want to guess what room I usually stay in? I choose to stay in the snorers room. Not because I snore but because a lot of my friends do! My husband snores and I manage to sleep through that. The snoring rarely wakes me up but if I’m not asleep I do have trouble getting to sleep. I think I may pickup some ear plugs before I leave tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I intend too! I’m hoping to encounter God in a very powerful way! At least that is my desire! I’ll post pics and tell you all about it later!

Tuesday, 24 January 2006

Talked to my grandmother today! She sounded pretty good! Dad had called me this morning to tell me it looked like she had stabilized and was continuing to improve. She has a long ways to go but is so much better than she was. 

Got my walk in this afternoon. Went with Doyle to the Christian School to do the painting we were going to do Sunday but couldn’t because of the rain. Went to the “card class” at the scrapbook store. It wasn’t really a card class. It is a small book. Cat was supposed to make one ahead of us. She got her kits in Friday and wasn’t able to work on hers until today. She had worked on it all day and still wasn't through! Granted she had to run the store and answer the phone but still! I went early because I had praise team practice at 7pm. In an hour’s time I only got the front cover made! UGH! It will be cute when it’s done but geez it’s a lot of work. I really wanted to learn to make cards but oh well. This is a good stretch for me. Makes me think “outside the box”! I left my project at the scrapbook store because I figure I have a better chance of completing it there than on my own. Besides I’ll need some help from Cat on what to do.

Praise Team practice was very boring tonight. We weren’t able to have practice last month because our drummer was gone. He was gone again tonight! UGH. Can’t learn new music if the drummer isn’t there! Our sound system was all out of wack so we spent and hour and 45 minutes doing a sound check. I know it was needed but it was very tedious and well, just plain boring. The guy who does our sound does the best he can but he himself says he’s not really a sound man. He’s just filling in until God brings us someone who really has a heart for it. This is a tough job because once the sound is set it doesn’t stay the same. Weather changes it and you need different levels for different people. We really need to do a sound check before every service but we generally only do it on Sunday morning.

Well, that pretty much wraps my day.

 

Monday, 23 January 2006

Went to lunch with a friend. She is the daughter of the woman I call “Mama Rene” She moved back to Texas after being gone 30 years! I feel as though I need to try to connect with her and give her someone to connect with from the church. She is attending Well of Life and has friends or people she knows that she went to high school with but I just sense she needs more than that right now. She was divorced about 10 years ago. Man she married out of high school. He cheated on her more than once. She had finally had enough. A couple of years later she met a man that appeared to be the best thing to ever happen to her. She really believed they would get married. She’s been with him about 8 yrs now when she found out he was seeing someone else. Just before she discovered this she had made a serious commitment to follow God. After finding out about the affair she felt like God told her to move back to Texas so here she is.

Spent part of the afternoon washing, drying, folding, ironing and putting away clothes! I still have a few shirts that need ironed. I then went up to the horses and fed them. It was a little cool today or I probably would have rode.

After coming back to town I stopped by CVS to finally print the pics I took over Christmas. I had 144!

I need to finish ironing. UGH! But I’d rather do it now and be done with it. I have the Valentine Card making class at Cat’s and Praise Team Practice tomorrow night.

I will lie down and sleep in peace for You alone oh, Lord make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

Sunday, 22 January 2006

Does anyone hear me singing the “Hallelujah Chorus"? It rained!!! I was awakened at 2:30AM by thunder. It had been so long since I heard it I thought I was dreaming! I couldn’t quit saying “THANK YOU LORD”. It isn’t enough of course but at least it’s a start. I don’t really know how much rainfall we got as I don’t have a rain gauge up but about an inch. You’d think as much as I watch and pay attention to that type of thing I’d have one wouldn’t you?! I had a real nice one from The Weather Channel that belonged to my FIL. I got it when he passed away. It was a large cylinder with a smaller cylinder inside. The rain would accumulate in the smaller cylinder up to one inch. Any extra would spill out into the overflow. To accurately measure the rainfall you pour out the smaller cylinder and pour from the out cylinder. I’m sure this means absolutely nothing to you! Anyway, I love this rain gauge. Well, I forgot to empty it one time when the temps were near freezing and cracked the inner cylinder so it won’t hold water. I tried to get another one but I guess The Weather Channel doesn’t make this type anymore as I haven’t found it. Hey, maybe I should check Ebay. That’s a great idea. I’m going to do that! Most of the small (rinky dink as I call them) gauges aren’t very accurate. I gave you that entire little spill to explain why I don’t have a rain gauge! Sorry guys!

Our family home group (cell group) went to the Christian School this afternoon to fulfill our commitment. We had hoped to do some painting outdoors but the weather wasn’t conducive to do that so we worked inside. We washed walls, replaced broken floor tile and secured loose ones in the bathrooms. Changed out broken and stained ceiling tiles and put missing feet on chairs. We also changed the air filters. We worked for a couple of hours. Came home and watched the rest of the playoff game between Denver and Pittsburg.

That’s all to report for now. Good night!

Saturday, 21 January 2006

Hi all. It’s better a busy couple of days. For those of you who’ve asked, my grandmother is doing okay. She is doing bad, then good, then bad, now good! But at that age (91) anything is possible. I’m at peace whatever happens. I’ve seen her and had a good visit and pics. My prayer is if it’s time for her to go be with Jesus then make it quick. Don’t let her suffer. If she does go home (to the Lord) then it will mean a quick trip to Missouri up in fratmom’s territory.

I planned to spend the day at my friend Teresa’s to crop Friday. I made those plans based on the fact that Doyle was supposed to be at work Friday at the fire station. Well, the night before Doyle told me he was taking off. I said “it would have been nice to know that so I would have made different plans.” Anyway we talked a bit more and he said if I wanted to go crop to not change my plans. So I get home after work Friday, had some lunch and packed up my stuff to head to Teresa’s. I get there around 3PM. I didn’t start cropping right away. I ended up staying until 1AM! I only got 4 pages done. But that was okay. I got to crop, visit with my dear friend and see my horses! Part of the problem was I had a hard time getting started. Then once I started my design it continued to evolve. The next two pages went pretty quick but then it was time to pack up and come home. I had to be back out there this morning to meet the farrier to shoe horses. If Doyle had been working I may have considered spending the night!

Today went to meet the farrier at Teresa’s about 8:45am. He was already there and started. Glad Leslie (Teresa’s daughter) got the horses up for me or I’d been behind. Leslie hadn’t something else to do so I held her horse for her. After that I paid the farrier and left. My horses stand tied at the trailer for the farrier.

Fixed Doyle and I some Grands flaky big biscuits and a pot of coffee for breakfast. I had signed up to do a class at the scrapbook store at 2pm. Cat called me and said no one else was going to come so I could come early and did I mind bringing her lunch. I didn’t mind at all so picked her up something on my way to her store. Doyle took one of our family home group members with him to prep before our entire group went to work on the project at Community Christian School. If you remember I told you we were going to do some painting and repair getting the school ready for the accreditation visit in March.

That was about the extent of my day.

Thursday, 19 January 2006

 Went to look at our first prospect in the country. I had been eyeing this place since April. I found it driving around and then looked it up on the real estate website. It’s almost 38 acres with a 4bd 2 bath. There is only one close noticeable neighbor. The house sits off the road nestled in some trees on a hill. You can’t see it from the road. It is been neglected and would take quite a bit of work to push cedar trees and have some ground for grass. It has a stock tank (pond) but it wasn’t very deep as it is already dry. Good tanks that are deep still have some water in them.

Anyway, it was way out of our price range but couldn’t help but dream big. This place is only about 4 or 5 miles from where the horses already are! So I rode over there a couple of times. I was never able to look inside as the windows had been tinted to help reduce heat from the sun (I presume). Well, it took me a month or better to get brave enough to even mention it to Doyle. He laughed. I told him I didn’t want to leave a “miracle working God” out of our search for a place. I wanted to look at all the possibilities. After all just because a price is listed doesn’t mean that is what it will sell for right?!!

I figured that Doyle going to look at this place would be a miracle in itself! The other day when we drove around looking at places we ended up over by that place. Doyle brought it up and said “wasn’t there a place over here you wanted to look at?” I told him “yes”. So miracle number one, we went and looked at it ourselves. We couldn’t go inside the house but we drove and looked around the property. A few days later Doyle once again approached me about this place and asked me to call and see if we could look inside the house. We went today.

I must say I was rather disappointed. I had somehow convinced myself this just might be “the place”! The house had actually be built onto and built around. The original structure is pretty old. All the rooms were pretty small except for the new that was added on. There is no barn and the property doesn’t have a fence on the back of the property. Two more strikes against it. The well house had a holding tank beside it indicating the well isn’t able to keep up with the demand of water. Not a good thing. We also tasted the water! Very irony and salty! Not good either. Seeing a water dispenser for bottled water should have been our first clue that the well water wasn’t all that good!

Needless to say Doyle wasn’t impressed at all and my thoughts about the place changed too upon closer inspection. I know it’s only the first place we looked at. Besides for what was being asked for the property I think we can do much better. I really liked the location and the potential of the property. I also liked the fact there weren’t a lot of neighbors around but there will be something else right?! And it will be God’s best for us. Patience is not one of my strongest virtues or gifts! Can you tell?!!

Worked tonight at Drive Safe. Some of you have asked what that is so guess I should explain. It is a video/dvd driven state approved Texas defensive driving course. Instead of sitting in a class for 6 hrs on a Saturday you can watch this in the convenience of your home and take breaks when you want to. You simply call to an 800 number and answer questions after each segment of the video. Really very easy. What I do is answer the telephone (I’m the “help desk), enter students who register into the computer, run computer checks on license plates and driver’s licenses and grade test. The grading is done by listening to their answers. It’s really kind of cool! Business has finally picked up. Monday when I got there they had been swamped all day. The lady I was relieving stayed to help me grade tests until 7pm! She’s supposed to leave when I get there at 5:30pm. When she left I still had 5 I was grading and there were 17 more that were in the computer. To add to this mix were students faxing in registrations and calling! When I finally got the 5 graded that I had and went to retrieve the 17, eight more had come in! Then the computer would print and well, it was a mess. I clocked out at 8pm like I’m supposed to but I just couldn’t leave 25 tests for the day crew to grade when there was the likelihood of there being more tests in there before morning! I forwarded the phones to the answering service and began feverishly grading tests. Now when I grade these I need to have a printout of the driver’s license and license plate. Well, I guess everyone was so busy they didn’t have time to do that because almost everyone I graded had to have an LP run! That takes precious time! I stayed until 9:15PM and still had 15 left! I decided to give it up and go home. If I got in trouble I just get in trouble. That is probably what helped to prompt them to ask me to stay until 10pm tonight. I don’t necessarily like staying longer but I like the money I make for it! I’m trying really hard to put back everything I’m making.

That was probably way more information that you wanted but there you have it!

Dad called me today to tell me they took my grandmother (his mom) to the hospital today for pneumonia. He called while I was at work to say they are going to keep her but she is doing better. She’s 91 and I keep expecting Dad to call me any day now and tell me she’s gone home to be with Jesus. But it’s not time yet.

Tomorrow I’m going to crop with my friend Teresa since the other crop got cancelled. Don’t know if I’ll post tomorrow or not. I had planned to do this because Doyle was supposed to be at the fire station today. Well, found out tonight that he took off today. Thanks for telling me! He said he didn’t mind if I wanted to go crop so will probably do that anyway.

Guess I should end this since I had more to say than I thought! Hope I didn’t bore everyone to tears!

Tuesday January 17, 2006

Vanessa is gone to attend 3 days of real estate classes. Doyle is at work. Nice day at home alone! Well, except for our furry friends! Vanessa left Sunday afternoon to spend the next three days with her friend Lindsey who lives in the Fort Worth area. Kaidence usually sleeps with Vanessa. I was going to let her sleep in her bed as she is used to. Well, the next morning I discovered that was not wise. I don’t know about your teenagers/young adults who live at home but Vanessa doesn’t keep a tidy room. Far from it! Anyway, I woke up to the sound of “thumping” in Vanessa’s room which wasn’t a good sign. When I opened the door she had chewed up two pair of Vanessa’s underwear. If you can call “thongs” underwear! Now you might think “oh, no, that’s horrible”. Well typically it would be except Vanessa has enough of these things that it fills a laundry basket full! I think Vanessa has a “thong fetish”! So last night I made her sleep in her kennel. Punishment for being destructive when left unattended! She barked at first protesting her confinement but finally settled down. Since Doyle is at work tonight I think I’ll let her sleep with me.

It was much cooler today. Lower 50’s with a wind advisory. Made it feel very cold! Still no rain in sight. It’s supposed to be back in the 70’s tomorrow!

Went up to the horses and feed them some grain and alfalfa cubes.

After coming back town I went by the (you guess where I went)….yep the scrapbook store! I was looking at Cat’s store website last night and saw a couple of classes she will have that I would like to attend. One is making a magnetic board. That should be really fun. That class is Saturday afternoon. Another class is making Valentine Day Cards. I really want to get into making cards. I definitely have plenty of scraps! And at the price of cards these days I think I could save some money and develop my creativity! Besides the cards would be more personal anyway. I have become very dissatisfied with the quality of cards these days!

I received an email today that the crop was canceled. My Creative Memories Rep’s cousin died and the funeral is Friday in Kansas. The family could use any and all prayers. I think I’m going to crop anyway. Talked to my friend Teresa while I was at the horses to see if she wanted to get together Friday night at her house to crop. That should be fun. We haven’t done that in a long time. She is working on putting collages together of pictures she took and sold during the stock show but it’s kind of the same thing.

That's all the news from the "Light House"! 

Monday, 16 January 2006

What a day! After work I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to use USPS, print invoices and package items that I sold for Vanessa on Ebay. We have sold three of her four outfits we listed.

Vanessa is spending the next three days with a friend in Fort Worth so she will be closer to attend three days of a real estate class.

Walked 2.5 miles today.  I hope to get back in the swing of things. Going to the horses tomorrow. Will ride while I’m there this time.

Doyle had Men’s Meeting tonight. I had to work at Drive Safe. It was crazy at work tonight. I stayed an hour longer than I was supposed to. It was busy when I got there and it didn’t get any better. I was soon alone and couldn’t get it all done. I have a hard time with that. 

I was looking forward to a crop at my Creative Memories Rep’s house on Friday but got an email that there has been a family emergency. One of her cousins was in an accident at work and is now on life support. He is in his late 20’s with a wife and his first child that was born in November. So she may have to cancel. She said she would keep everyone posted. I think whether she has a crop or not I’m going to crop!
 
Another great devotional today from “The God Chasers Network”.
 
Love: the Heart of Worship Mark 12:28-34
Nothing warms the hearts of parents more than to receive the pure, undiluted love of their children. Every time any of my daughters flashed her “I love you, Daddy” smile at me, my heart simply melted. There’s something about the innocent, unaffected love of a child that makes a parent willing to do almost anything for her.
 
God is much the same way. He loves to give good things to His children. Giving is His nature and He gives lavishly. But God especially loves it when we come to Him and spend time with Him not because we want something but simply because we love Him and want to be with Him.
 
In the eyes of the world, love usually comes with conditions: “I’ll love you if…” or “I’ll love you when…” or “I love you because…” Love with no strings attached and no ulterior motive is a rare commodity in the world. I’m talking about unconditional love, the kind of love that says, “I love you…period.” This is the kind of love that God shows toward us. It is also the kind of love He is looking for us in return.
 
The Westminster Catechism, one of the classic historical confessions of the church, says, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” How do we glorify God? By doing what He created us to do. And He created us to love Him. Loving God is more important than all the various things we “do” that we sometimes call “church.” Loving God is the heart of worship.
 
Few Christians ever reach this level of worship for God. Usually our love for God extends as far as our gratitude for what He has done for us. The real challenge is to keep pressing upward into the rarefied atmosphere of those who love God simply for who He is, totally apart from anything He has done. Loving and worshiping God at the level of thanksgiving for blessings and favor is okay. But there is a deeper level – the level of praise and adoration – available for those who dare to press into it. This is the level where the deepest intimacy and fellowship occurs. This is the level of true friendship with God.
 
Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength means loving Him with everything you are every moment of the day. It means abandoning yourself to a radical, reckless, passionate love for Him. A love in which your greatest happiness comes in simply being in His presence.
 
Are you up to the challenge? Take the plunge. Come back to the heart of worship. With everything you are, love God simply for who He is!
 
Father, I accept the challenge to unconditionally love You. I am eternally grateful to You for all that You have done for me, but I want to move beyond that level. I want to enter the heart of worship and love You for who You are – with all that I am!
 
Sorry for posting the entire devotional but it was too good not to.

Sunday January 15,2006

Had a little bit of a scare on Friday as a grass fire broke out around 5 miles from where the horses are. It burned 125 acres before fire departments and the forestry service got it under control. The horses were really never in danger but it is too close to “home”.

My friend Teresa who lives where the horses are has been involved in the county livestock show all week. Her daughter shows goats and rabbits but she is trying to get a photography business started and setup a booth at the stock show taking and selling pictures. It was great exposure for her. She has sold lots of pictures and had a lady ask her to come to a photo shoot of springtime branding on a nearby ranch in April. That is just way awesome for her I think!

Saturday, Doyle worked and I slept in. Had a nagging headache all day. Think it’s all the dust and ashes I’m inhaling everyday! The day Doyle and I went to look at property I feel like I was breathing dust! I went up to check on horses. I haven’t had to feed them any hay or grain but I think I may have to start. The last several times I’ve been up there they have coming running when they know I’m there. When there’s plenty to eat I usually have to go after them in the pasture. I gave them some grain and some alfalfa cubes. I haven’t tried to buy any hay. Hay has doubled in price around here. Lots of hay has been lost to the wildfires. I’m afraid if something doesn’t give pretty soon many of farmers and ranchers will be forced to sell everything. Our water sources are shrinking.

I went down to the tank (pond for you folks not from Texas) while the horses were eating to see how low the water is. I also took some pics while I was there. The weather reports are saying it could stay dry until April! At least the horses also have a metal water tank that we keep full of well water so if the tank does go dry I don’t have to haul water. I feel for those who have to depend on stock tanks as their only source of water. This is the fifth driest year on record and we haven’t had this dry a year since 1956! I am going to go up more often and begin to give them some grain. None of them are showing any ribs but I can tell they have lost some weight as they don't have the "grass guts" they used to have. Blue (the white horse) is the only one whose belly still sticks out some. 

These are the pens we have setup to feed the horses in. If I didn't do this then not everyone would get to eat. These panels are parts of what used to be our round pen. When we get our place we will probably set it up again.

 

 

 

Here's a self-portrait. I don't do as good a job as Vanessa as her arms are longer than mine. I took this so you could see how tall Blue is. I'm 5'5 and my arm is across his back.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another self-portrait. One thing I learned is it's hard to remember to smile when there isn't anyone to tell you!

 

 

 

 

 

This is the front of the Montalvo's where my horses live. What you can't see is the neighbor just to the right and another neighbor to the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 Our church had a prophet from France come to minister in our service November 6^th. He gave a word that we would be in a dry season for a while longer that God was doing something in the dryness. That He was birthing intercession. I do believe God is causing us to be desperate. The prophet also said the rains would come. Someone in our congregation also had a dream about the rains coming. There is definitely a spiritual connection to what is going on in the physical. But then I have always believed the two were connected.

Went to work at Drive Safe. When I got off I went to the scrapbook store. Yesterday was the 10-10 crop. I didn’t try to crop, just went down to visit and “shop while they cropped!” I had a 15% off my total purchase coupon that expired yesterday so wanted to use it.

The daily devotional from The God Chasers site is based on Tommy Tenney’s book “Finding Favor with the King”. This devotional goes right along with what Pastor Kirk has been preaching on. I would like to share some excerpts from it. I hope it touches you as it did me.

How Far Will You Go?

“The deeper you go into the palace, the fewer the people”.

Scripture reading Luke 14:25-33 in which Jesus lays out clearly the true cost of discipleship

How far will you go to realize your dreams?

A disciple is one whose dream is to be like Jesus.

Don’t confuse being a Christian with being a disciple. Every believer is a Christian but not every believer is a disciple. Disciples are believers who are committed to going deeper and deeper with the Lord – as deep as they can go. Most believers are content just to be saved. They’re just happy to have their ticket to heaven. The demands of the deeper life in Christ don’t really attract them. And with good reason: those demands are high.

The deeper things of the Spirit are reserved for those who are willing and determined to press in and claim them – to plunge headlong into the wellspring of the very heart of God!

You don’t have to be a trailblazer to be a disciple. You don’t have to be a natural leader. All you need is an abandoned love for Jesus and a heart that yearns to be like Him. It’s what Jesus calls hungering and thirsting for righteousness – and He promises satisfaction.

The deeper you go into the palace, the fewer the people. Why? Because few people are willing to pay the price of moving deeper. The demands of learning the protocols are too high.

How far will you go?

Jesus, I do love You and yearn to be like You so I guess that makes me a disciple. Increase my desire to commit to going deeper with You!

Lord, please send your rain both physically and spiritually to this dry and thirsty land.

Thursday, 12 January 2006

Doyle and I looked at property today. We had each made a separate list. We did have some of the same addresses listed. We drove south, west and north. We didn’t go east because we want to stay in the county we currently live in. Mineral Wells sits at the eastern edge of our county so it was pointless to drive east as far as he and I were concerned.

It was a little disheartening. The pics on the websites looked different when we were there in person. Three different places I thought would be promising once we got there the areas were junkie, or had neighbors very close by or were on a major highway….not conducive to quiet or safety of pets!

I did get Doyle to go look at the place I’ve been eyeing for several months. It is way out of our price range. It is a 4bd, 2ba, two story. It sits on a knoll of a hill so you can see a long ways. It’s on not quite 38 acres. There is only one neighbor that is close…being the down side to the place. It does need to have a lot of work done to the land as the previous owners have let the brush grow up. Probably will need some fence repair too. It sits off the road a bit and is hidden by trees from the road (big plus for me!) Sorry I didn’t take any pics. Didn’t have my thinking cap on! The only way I can see that we can buy this place is if God does it. We didn’t look in the house as we just took out on our own and didn’t involve a realtor.

I know it’s still very early and we have just started seriously looking. I did find out that my husband was looking more than I realized. He has noticed places for sale while he’s driving an ambulance and then looks into it further when he has time. I shouldn’t have been surprise that he had been doing a thorough search but I was. I didn’t think he was doing anything but once again…I was wrong. I need to quit fretting so much and trust God. I don’t have to trust my husband (though it’s better when you do) but God does require that I trust Him!

That’s all the news on the “home front”.

Wednesday, 11 January 2006

Hey Everyone! Hope it has been a good “mid-week” for all of you. Mine is so-so. I finally had the house all to myself this afternoon! I didn’t feel like doing anything really. I worked on my scrapbook a little while. Got four pages done. Should have been outside. It was gorgeous weather. Spent some of the afternoon asking God what songs He wanted me to do this evening. Finally settled on “Lord Reign in Me”, “I Am In Love With You”, “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” and “I Will Offer Up My Life”. I think worship went pretty well but I don’t like to be the one to judge especially if I’m leading. The teaching was good also. Pastor has had the teaching the last two Wednesdays. He’s been talking about discipleship. Some of the things that really stuck out to me is

 A disciple is a learner

Being a disciple means being committed.

Disciples of Jesus got to see Him perform miracles.

Jesus will reveal Himself to those who are committed to Him

Jesus reveals understanding to life’s situations apart from the “crowd” I have to pull away if I want to hear from Him.

Are you known as a disciple of Jesus?

Do you have love for one another John 13:35

Do you love your brother 1 John 4:20-21

Do you keep His commandments 1 John 5:1-3

 

Do you want to become Jesus disciple?

Do you want to learn from Him John 9:27

Are you warming yourself “by the fire” John 18:15-18

Are you hot or cold? Revelation 3:14-22

 

Jesus is standing at the door and knocking. He will restore all of us who will open the door.

Keannon found out today that his truck was totaled. The insurance is going to pay what he owes on the truck and a little extra. The decision now is what to get. He really wants to move out from his grandmothers. He really wants to buy a house. But he can’t do that and make truck payments on his own. He wants to have a house for when he and Vanessa get married. They aren’t in a hurry and they are, if you know what I mean. They both want certain things to happen first. Vanessa says she wants Keannon to have a house before he gets her a ring. Anyway, I’m saying all that to say he was thinking about buying a motorcycle as his primary mode of transportation and look at getting a pickup down the road. I personally am not to crazy about motorcycles. Have seen too many people get hurt and killed for those things. I do understand where he is coming from. Bikes aren’t nearly as expensive to buy or operate as a vehicle. They were asking for my input. I told them it sounded like a good plan. I could tell they had both thought about it a lot and talked about it. They have also gotten other peoples input. I just told them I didn’t want Vanessa riding with him on it. If they went anywhere together to take Vanessa’s truck. Even though they have asked my opinion, they seem pretty set in what they want to do. We’ll see. They did say they would continue to pray before they make a decision.

Well, it’s getting late. I told myself I was going to try to be in bed an hour ago because of prayer in the morning at 6:30AM. I guess I’ll be sleepy!

Tuesday, 10 January 2006

Went to lunch yesterday with one of the members from the home group Doyle and I lead. She is a very sweet lady and has it pretty hard. Her son and husband are both bi-polar. I think her relationship with the Lord is the only thing that keeps her sane! Her son is about 27 or 28 years old. He is so medicated he can’t work and bearly functions. At least her husband is able to function. There was a time that neither of them were doing very well. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to live in that type of household. I am praying with and for her that these two men be delivered and healed of this condition. After coming home I layed down and took a nap. I haven’t felt just real perky. It’s that time of the month and my sinuses are all messed up. I’m sneezing, blowing my nose, coughing, etc. I know it’s because it’s so dry. No humidity. The least little wind blows dust all the time. Yuck!

Today I was invited to lunch again by another member from our home group. This one is my pastor’s daughter-in-law. She is pregnant and due just any day. She and her husband have a son who will be two in April. This baby is a boy also. The last time she was pregnant we went to lunch at Baris Italian Food Restaurant and she went into labor. Neither one of us is superstitious but we thought it couldn’t hurt to “try again”! After lunch she showed me they house they just bought. They currently live in a three bedroom but with another one on the way the house wasn’t going to be big enough. It’s a really cool older home that has a lot of class. They are doing renovations to it now. It will probably be around March before they can move in. I’m really excited for them. After I see the house I go to the scrapbook store and visit a few minutes. I pay Cat for the upcoming scrapbooking retreat that will be in March. I also buy some paper (like I don’t already have plenty). I’ve been working on pictures from our first ski trip in 1997 and wanted stuff for those page layouts. I get home and once again lay down. It’s been nice to not have to “go anywhere”. I do have to work Friday and Saturday night at Drive Safe.

Mom did call me Saturday I think it was and told me she gave her apartment complex notice that March 31^st would be her last day. As of then she had not given notice to her employer. So she will be moving here soon.

Nothing else exciting going on.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Services were good today. Several people were out but worship and the message were very good and challenging. One of the songs that stuck with me today was Jesus, You Alone.

 

Jesus, You alone shall be my first love, my first love

The secret place and highest praise shall be yours, shall be yours

 

Day and night I lift my eyes to seek You, to seek You

Hungry for a glimpse of You in glory, in glory

 

To Your throne I’ll bring devotion

May it be the sweetest sound

Lord this heart is reaching for You now

So I set my sights upon You

Set my life upon Your praise

Never looking to another way, Father

You alone will be my passion

Jesus, You will be my song

You will find me longing after You

 

Jesus isn’t always my first love but I want Him to be.

I don’t always bring devotion to Him but I want to.

I don’t always reach for Him but I want to.

I don’t always set my sights upon Him but I want to

Sometimes I do look to another way but I wish I didn’t

Jesus isn’t my only passion but I want to be most passionate about Him

Lord, may You always find me longing after You. You are the one who caused me to fall in love with You. You are the one who drew me. Please don’t leave me where I am but take me farther with You. Make me into a “lover of God”. So much so that I don’t care what other people think or say. “Take the coal, cleanse my lips, here I am.”

I had an incident happen this week that has really disturbed me. I blew an opportunity to share Christ with an individual who I’m pretty confident doesn’t know Jesus. I work with her at Drive Safe. She is about my age. She recently discovered a lump in her abdomen. She has gone to the doctor to see what it is. She was supposed to go back this past Friday to get the results. She was being very light hearted about it all but I wondered if that might be a cover for how she really feels. She made the comment that she was probably going to hell but she wanted to look the devil right in the face anyway. I was flabbergasted, horrified might be a better description. Either way I was stumped. I wanted to say “wouldn’t you rather see the face of Jesus? You can ya know”. But NO!  All I could say was I’ll pray for you! How lame is that! Well, that’s not lame but I could have said something else that would have been more beneficial. I have asked God to forgive my cowardice and asked Him to give me another opportunity to speak the life and love of Christ to her.

 

On a lighter note, here's some pics.

 

Remember the "horsey" Vanessa bought Kaidence for Christmas. Well here's what's left of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After church was over I came home and this is what I opened the door to.

 

This is right as I opened the door and is in front of my computer desk.

 

But wait....there's more!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is looking from the living room into my hall way. Disregard the peeling paint on the doorways.

Hold on there's still more!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my kitchen the way I found it.

 

See the horsey I threw in the trash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking from my kitchen down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

 

 

 

This is the work of the "Tasmanian Devil" aka Kaidence! Vanessa, once again did not kennel her and this is the consequence! I was so angry! I called Keannon and Vanessa. They both came to the house and cleaned up the mess before they went to lunch. I had food in the trash can in the kitchen and she proceeded to help herself!

That's all the excitement for now! That's enough!