FMF: Worship

It's Friday. One of my favorite writing days, because it's writing with abandon.  Free writing with Lisa-Jo Baker and encouragement and good reading with friends I've never met. 



Worship.

I grew up thinking worship was a place- going to Worship service.  We had worship today.  A place you had to enter into with your Sunday clothes on and good attitude and perfect prayers.  The word eluded my understanding.  I watched and wondered how I could get worship right.  I was looking for something concrete to identify with. 
And then I stopped trying to find it- and I experienced it.  Really experienced it.  The I can't hold my insides together because I just love you so much kind of feeling and I didn't care where I was or who was around or if I did it right- because it wasn't about me anymore, it was all about Him.

Once you've experienced true worship you want more of it.  And you learn it isn't a go to place, it's a right here right now place.  It looks different and it looks the same. 

It can be anywhere.  Riding down the Interstate with hands (just one really) lifted high because Holy Holy Holy is blaring through my radio I just can't stop praising Him because I know that He alone is.

Or, its the poopy pants that some days make me crazy- and other days take me to my knees in gratefulness for the boys who live and breath and call those pants their own- and I worship their creator for giving me the privilege of being mom and am awed at the responsibility and I'm a mess of I can't do this God and thank you for being my strength and the conflict of my own self is so woven together I can't make sense of it.

Worship isn't something you can always see- but sometimes it is and the sight can take your breath away.  Like 20,000 women singing praise to the King in a cramped coliseum.  Or standing in the sand with the mighty sea crashing at your feet.  Nobody but God could do that.

Or it's in the sun shining between the branches of the big oak trees warming my skin on a day when I wish God could literally wrap His arms around me.. and I realize He is.

Worship is whenever and wherever I am connecting to God Almighty by simple acknowledgement- HE.IS.ALL; be it a whisper or a shout. 

And it is concrete--- a solid foundation for my relationship with Him. 

Happy Friday y'all!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I celebrate the day I was born.

29 years ago.

Yes, I'm telling my real age- give or take a decade or more.

The boys sang to me bright and early.  And then they argued over a $1 until I corralled them into the van for school.

Then my Daddy called to wish me a Happy Day.  I love being his favorite daughter in VA.

It was a very normal day- so much so I was completely lazy and didn't shower or wash my hair- which is okay because I worked from home today

I treated myself to fancy lunch. From 7-11.  A hot dog and Big Gulp. 

And in the mailbox found a little package with my favorite soap and a new pair of earrings from my sister. 

And cards.  With checks.



And when work was done, I rearranged my living room.

My husband worked late tonight so I took the boys to football practice and then a fancy dinner - Arby's takeout. 

My phone dinged at me all day with happy wishes from my Face book friends.  Made me feel
p-r-e-t-t-y special- I didn't know that many people cared.

Teri and JJ came over after dinner just to hang out for a while.  It wouldn't be a birthday without them.  I was really glad we got to spend some time together... we both needed each other today.

Then Rex got home with Brownies and Chocolate covered strawberries.  And hugs. And my Shaynie gave me a sweet card that implied I am old obstacle... signed with his handwritten note that I'm the Best. I'm pretty sure he means I'm the best Mom- not the best old obstacle.

And that my friends, is how we do an uneventful birthday at 39.  Give or take a few years :)

Happy Thursday y'all!

I'll take Grade 2 and Grade 3 for a year, please!

Isaiah was up and ready at 6:20 a.m.- Eli was not.
Isaiah was anxious to see Rosie, his girlfriend.  He has missed her so much this summer.
Eli informed him that he shouldn't be worried about a girlfriend, that he (Eli) didn't even have one and he is older.

Isaiah told him it was okay "there is time"

I am excited for them because they are so excited, but admit that the crazy "school knot" in the pit of my stomach started tightening up about midnight last night.  Our experience with Roanoke City schools has been much better than we had in the county, so I'm praying that this year is even better than last- and maybe by next summer, the knot will be completely gone.  If we can just keep them on the bus and in school without any suspensions, I'll be a happy momma for sure!

Isaiah started getting ready yesterday.

Eli was all smiles when he came downstairs this morning

breakfast of champions... scrambled eggs and bacon with a side of the Hub

"Eli"
the name Elijah has asked to use going forward

Isaiah

Shayne picked out their shoes for them- a surprise last night.
"sweeeet" according to Isaiah

Welcome Back

ready or not, here they come







Eli and Isaiah- getting ready to take on the new year

 

 

 

We heard Erica on Spirit FM last week talk about how for back to school prayers for her own kids, she prays for them to have at least 2 lunch friends.  My boys heard that and thought it was a good idea, so we've been praying for several days that they too would have at least 2 friends the first day of school that they felt comfortable with, enjoyed being around and could eat lunch with every day.   

 

Since we were out tonight celebrating our friend Cheryl's birthday and Shayne had them in bed when we got home, I don't know how their first day went or if they had the two friends we've prayed for.  I'll keep you posted.

 

Happy Monday y'all!

 







Trading in the Work Boots.

Shayne's been working for a while now- starting as a "sewer rat" at Camp Eagle when he was 14.  He worked hard and he worked long hours.  He grew to appreciate love T-shirts, dirty jeans and his work boots. 

He wears them everywhere, including church. We even had to beg him so he wouldn't take them to the beach--and he talked about them the whole week.

Yesterday, Shayne ended his fourth summer at Camp Eagle. The door on joining the Marine Corp shut when he got an infection around his heart.  He is fine, but it was a disqualifier for the corp.  Unsure where God would lead, he has been praying all summer for a job.

And today, he started what we're calling his "grown-up" job. 

He could have taken a few days off but no, not Shayne- he wasted no time getting started.  

Shayne on his first day at Ntelos

Today, Ntelos gained an awesome employee.  I know I'm bragging, but it's my blog so I can.

Sales Rep's don't usually have steel toe work boots in their dress code, so he is trading in his Carhartt's and work boots for nice pants and dress shoes.  

 

Don't be fooled. 

 

You can take the man out of the boots, but not for too long.  

 

He had them back on his feet as soon as he got home.  That's my boy!

Happy Thursday y'all!

 

Who gets us in the divorce?

someone will.  but who? 

we are your friends.  we are your family. 

we're the ones who love you both more than you realize.  

we're the ones who are getting both sides of the story and our hearts are breaking for yours.

we're the ones who now- instead of just calling y'all with news- have to stop and decide who to call first.

we're the ones who- while it seems like it won't matter to us- it will.

we are affected.
we are sad.

we too, have kids who don't understand.

we want both of you at the party's, the ballgames, the graduations, the weddings. 

we all know it won't be the same. 

one of you- whether written or not-  will get us in the settlement.  the other, will slowly fade from our lives.

when you decide who's paying the mortgage, who gets the lawnmower and who gets to keep the picture albums- decide who gets to keep us.

we can't choose, we won't choose.  but we all know that eventually someone wins the friends. someone gets to keep the family.

so if you must divorce and you won't fight for yourselves-

fight for us.

because we don't want a divorce from you...


it's Wednesday y'all!

Might have...

More than 30 women headed to Pigeon Forge Tennessee last weekend- retreat bound.  It was my first retreat with my new family, my Villa Heights Sisters.  

I might have been a little nervous- you know, spending several days in an unfamiliar setting with sisters, some yet unmet. I might have been afraid that I wouldn't fit in. 

We might have drawn chalk bodies at the Cracker Barrel and asked policemen to sit in the back of their car- all for a few more points.  We might have seen our competitive sides push through in hopes of winning the Scavenger Hunt. 

We won't tell.

We might have started shopping as soon as we arrived in town.  We might have stayed in the biggest cabin I've ever seen. 
ever. 

We might have enjoyed the best apple fritters I've ever eaten and filled our bellies with goodness like chicken pot pies and country fried steak at the Apple Barn.

We might have played a speed friendship game where the noise level broke the sound barrier.  We might have followed it with card games and movies and such craziness until the wee hours of the morning.

We won't tell.

We might have had Saturday breakfast in our jammies.  We might have been test riders for the brand new Smokey Mountain Alpine Coaster.  We might have liked it so much, we rode it twice.

 

 

We might have floated down the river in tubes. We might have napped by the sound of the slow rushing water, read books under the shade trees, swatted gnats and we might have rocked and laughed while we witnessed our sister tumble out of her chair right.in.to.the.river.

We won't tell.

We might have eaten the best catered BBQ, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw and other fixings in the massive dining room that seated us all.  We might have gathered together on a Saturday night piled together in a living room where we read the Word, prayed, encouraged each other, offered thanksgiving songs and worshipped God while we sipped coffee and soda and lifted each other up. 

We might have celebrated our Pastor's wife's 48th birthday, again.  And we might have sent our Pastor a message that he is loved.  You might have had to be there to understand.  It's all about loving each other - not losers.    

We won't tell.

We might have talked most of the nights away- realizing that our sisters yet unmet hours before are much like ourselves and we might have bonded through our trials and triumphs already shared.

 

 

We might have spent the rest of our time doing all manner of things like watching movies, taking a run (not me of course) crocheting and shopping, shopping, shopping.  We might have bought fun rain boots-  never before considered but too fun to pass up.

 

 

We might have enjoyed our time so much that we were torn between hiding out by the river just one more day and hurrying home to the husbands who kept life moving while we were away.  We might have come home to piles of laundry and grumpy kids and busy schedules.  We might have been so excited once we fixed our eyes on our families that we were no longer torn but ecstatic to be right.where.God.designed.us.to.be.

And if you ask us, we will tell.

We will tell you what an awesome time we had and what a mighty God we serve.  God who revealed Himself to us in the river and the trees and quiet and the loud and the silly games and the serious burdens and the funny story's and the prayers and songs given in thanks.  Revealed in the quick chats and conversations lasting hours ---a gift we'll cherish.

I might have been nervous, I might have been afraid... but no more.  I quickly discovered I was among family- 33 new sisters to be exact.

Thanks y'all!

FMF: Story

It's Friday. One of my favorite writing days, because it's writing with abandon.  Free writing with Lisa-Jo Baker and encouragement and good reading with friends I've never met. 




FMF: Story

We all have a story  -lots of them.  I like to capture mine in pictures.  As I roam through photos from yesterday and yester-decade, I am reminded of the hundreds of stories that make up my life.

Little pictures- stories- completing a collage of life. 

Like this one- can you guess the story here? 

Lenny and Laverne aka Rex and Robin

 

 



You might guess a party- and you'd be right.  You might conclude we were having a good time.  And we were. Yep, at first glance, it looks like all fun and games. 

What you can't tell from this picture, the rest of the story, was that we had just found out my best friend had cancer.  We were together with her and her husband for a Sunday School party on this night, and while our smiles were big and our wigs were bad- the real story was one of sadness and uncertainty.  Not sure we'd have her for the next party.

Yes, we all have stories, and just like you can't tell it all from this picture, we can't know each other's full story without going past a first glance.

That old saying is true- we can't judge each other (the covers) until we've read the book (their stories).

Happy Friday y'all!