God is really doing something big!

Interesting! It has 5 1/2 years since I've written in this blog! Much has happened. We have two adorable grandsons! Yes, grand-parenting is amazing! One boy is 2 1/2 and the other 6 1/2 months. They are so cute at every stage! I love every minute with them, and can't get enough of them! Also, I have a new employer: another religious publisher in town. I started 4 1/2 years ago. I'm not in an editor position as I formerly had in the career I lost, but am doing production editing. I get to work on children's products and that can be fun. Some days I work puzzles, make crafts, and color! I do enjoy that! The main reason I decided to resurrect the blog is to provide updates on the health of husband David and me. The last six months have been crazy! I suffer back pain that seems to have no cure. Surgeons say I'm not ready for surgery, which is fine. I don't want surgery. I've long seen a chiropractor, which offers minimal help. And I've gone through the gamut of injections and other procedures, which has done little. In October I saw a new surgeon to get a fresh perspective. A few days later, on my birthday, I had an MRI on my back. Then after getting back to work that day, I received a call to return to the doctor's office immediately. They said the scan showed something unusual. It turns out they saw a large tumor, probably attached to my right kidney. Now any attention to my back trouble would have to take a back seat. Happy birthday to me! I had surgery December 7 and did well. They removed the tumor and the kidney. After 4 days in the hospital, they released me, and I went to stay at my Mom's, since David was at school during the days. My time at Mom's was fun. I was there about 12 days, I think. And I believe she enjoyed mothering me! I know I enjoyed it. We sometimes plan for me to hang out with her some weekend to return to those days! In January I saw an oncologist and he prescribed my treatment plan: surveillance! No chemo or medical trial, but a watch-and-wait plan. I'll have a scan in July to see if cancer returns. The day after my surgery, David was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma! He had seen a pulmonologist in the spring for his coughing. The doctor thought he had fibrosis from an earlier illness, but no treatment required. Then in October David had pneumonia, which required an X-ray to diagnose it. After he was over it, the doctor had him have another X-ray to confirm the pneumonia was gone. It was, but the scan revealed a couple of unexplained spots. The spots had originated from the melanoma he had had two years ago when he had a mole removed from his back. David has since been seeing an oncologist and been part of an immunotherapy treatment plan, plus had a little radiation. He began infusion right after Christmas and has had it every three weeks. The infusion isn't like chemo to kill the tumors, but chemicals that encourage the body to attack the tumors. He had a scan two weeks ago to see if there has been any improvement. Unfortunately, the answer wasn't cut and dry, but only indicated activity, which is the tumors being attacked. The plan is to keep getting infusions for the next few months until they scan again and make another determination and treatment plan. David has held up well, despite the side effects. The first side effect was a rash, which has been extremely itchy. And his cough is increased and he has many times of extreme exhaustion. He struggles with keeping an appetite. Unfortunately, this has caused him to lose over 25 pounds. I know this is all1 frustrating for him. I'm so thankful for daughter Natalie, son Zach, and daughter-in-law Marie. They have been such great support. And because I was still fragile after surgery (29 staples for the 13-inch zipper-like incision down my middle), Zach and Marie accompanied David to his first appointment. They all have attended some of his subsequent meetings and appointments so this new information is absorbed and comprehended! Whoever heard of a husband and wife being diagnosed with cancer at the same time?! I think it is interesting how my kind of cancer and treatment allows me to be fairly healthy (after surgery) while he's doing treatments. I know God is doing something big! Our job is to wait and watch! We are taking each day one at a time, and letting Him handle it all! He's got this! He knew we'd go through this. Some of my favorite sayings/Scripture are: "In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me" and "I'll make it because He carries me." So we carry on. Life is a little less hectic, because on some days we just can't do what we want to do. We've missed church and Sunday School, as well as other services and gatherings. I was out of orchestra for a while, and continuing attendance is hit or miss. I had to decline playing in the orchestra in the latest community theater presentation. I just couldn't do it. That was disappointing. But God is with us and He will get us through! He is doing something big!

Hope!

Have you ever thought about the word "hope"? We casually may say, "I hope the team wins!" or "We hope that the house sells soon." But the word means so much more! I recall after my job was deleted, I'd locate job ads that seemed really promising. The hope would just rise in me! I could imagine a new commute, new workmates, new responsibilities. My whole look on life was temporarily boosted while I waited to know more. But that hope was always short-lived. No interview, so no new job.

Thankfully, real hope is not in possible jobs,, team wins, or real estate transactions. Real hope is in Jesus Christ! Romans 15:13 says "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him." The apostle Paul wrote that Christ Jesus is our hope (1 Tim. 1:1). The next time you use the word "hope," think about what it really signifies. Do you have that hope? Do you know Him? Let the joy of knowing Christ rise in you! See you next time!

A Fun Day

Wow, isn't it amazing to have a great day when you least expect it? The Lord is so good and gives us so much more than we deserve! This morning our church orchestra had its annual Christmas workshop/rehearsal. We're three months away from the presentation and got our first look at the music we'll play. I love that first introduction. We get to learn the "personality" of each piece, and begin a relationship with them, whether it is fun, difficult, or boring! This music seems to be fairly challenging, which is always good, yet not impossible. This afternoon David and I had talked about going to our city's monthly flea market. Every month I want to go, but something comes up or I forget to plan it. The only issue with going today was that we'd be going in the afternoon, which I've heard isn't as much fun for some reason. Plus, I was torn about taking up David's time that he'd needed to use mowing or doing something else. We wound up going antiquing in Goodlettsville, Nashville's antique capital and my hometown during the last half of my school years. There are several "malls" one can visit. We chose the one I thought might be the largest and most productive. And it was lovely, though hot. The building was a car dealership in the 60s and 70s. This mall had several settings of living arrangements in the "showroom" area, then the back "repair shop" of the building was the bulk of dealer booths. I was surprised to see a decent variety of items for sale. I'm always drawn to my favorites: blueware and chairs. And I'm on the hunt for a coffee table to distress for our den. There was a great amount of cobalt and Delftware, my two primary collector items. I found a couple of unique pieces of Delft and purchased, plus a cute, solitary blueware saucer in a pattern unlike the usual Blue Willow or Currier & Ives. I'll try to post photos soon. We also did a little Christmas shopping, which is always gratifying! We dodged raindrops and came home to an afternoon of watching the Little League World Series playoff with the team from Goodlettsville! So exciting! One of the boys goes to David's school and others have family connections to both our church and my work church. One positive that transpired today was the decision to finally make business cards for myself. While I wait for God to provide my "happily ever after" job after my downsizing 4 years ago, I will continue to use my skills for additional income. So I created two business cards for those two lines of work. One is for my writing and editing work. That's my bread-and-butter work and I need cards to promote that with folks I meet. Then the other work is chair caning. Today I found a chair with a broken cane seat that I hoped to buy at a reduced price, knowing I could repair the seat. But the chair wound up being part of a set of 4 and I didn't want the whole set. Besides thinking that I'd offer the mall owner my information about caning chairs, if a customer needed me, it dawned on me that if I had a chair budget, I could buy the set, fix the seat, then resell them myself. Might need to think about it! Oh, and still found no coffee table! Anyway, I ordered two sets of cards! See what you think:

These cards only cost the shipping and I'm happy with the formats. The editing business card photo reminds me of the glaciers we saw on our Alaskan cruise a couple of years ago--my favorite scene! And the chair caning card photo seemed inviting and suggested thoughts of chairs. Guess what I named my caning business: "Have a Seat." Seems kind of welcoming and Southern! I'm sorry if there are no paragraphs in this posting. The preview shows none and I know that makes reading tedious. I've rambled enough for now. Time for sleep before church tomorrow! Blessings!

Revive!

Well, I think I've had a long enough break from writing this blog! I really should revive it and continue this endeavor. After everything that has colored my life in the last four years, I understand now how blogging was not the best thing to do. I'd need to share some of my heart, and I've been working so hard to heal it. In finding new adventures and ventures in which to fill my mind and heart, I've discovered that I'm in love with home decor. I usually have to avoid Home Goods and Kirkland's stores since I love so much there. But my house has been in flux forever. Hopefully things can began to come together. Maybe writing about home decor, among other things, will help me accomplish things. More to come!

Sad Day

The last few days have been interesting, with treacherous driving conditions in the most recent snowstorm and the passing of a 26-year-old family friend.

A snowstorm hit yesterday afternoon, making a huge mess of everyone's commute home. I left work around 3:30 and was home in almost 2 hours. My normal drive is about 25 minutes--10 miles. Folks downtown had huge trouble since traffic just stopped. Some people reported 5- and 6-hour commutes! Son left a little early, so missed the worst of the driving. Daughter got some good driving experience, as her normal 40 minute drive took 2.5 hours. She did great!

Roads were still covered today and temperatures very low, so we stayed home from work! That was nice!

We were saddened to learn that our daughter's friend, who had recently been diagnosed with colon cancer, was being transported to hospice right in the middle of the snow yesterday. She had abdominal issues in the fall, with severe pain that led to exploratory surgery. That exposed stage 4 cancer, with the colon and liver affected. They tried alternative health treatment since her liver was too affected to endure chemotherapy, and had plans to go to the West coast for treatment last weekend. But instead, they had to take her to the ER, where they determined her liver had shut down. She passed today. We are so thankful that she knew the Lord, so she's there ahead of us!

Show Us Your Life -- Singles

Kelly at Kelly's Korner http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ is having a "Show Us Your Life - Singles" blog, where we can introduce people to their single friends and family.

Let me introduce you to my friend and daughter Natalie!

Natalie is in her mid-20s and lives in the Nashville, TN area, She's a Christ follower and loves the Lord. She's witty and fun and a true friend. Natalie loves music and movies, Elvis and cupcakes! She formerly worked at Starbucks, where Ricky Skaggs and Taylor Swift were among her regular customers. She now works in customer service at a Nashville media conglomerate. Natalie enjoys hanging with friends, going to concerts, or simply watching a movie at home.

You are truly blessed if you can call Natalie your friend!

Why We Do What We Do

In orchestra rehearsal tonight, Keith made a great point. Some songs we may really enjoy playing (singing) and others may not be our favorites. However, we should remember that each song touches someone else. It doesn't matter how we personally feel about the song. Our job is to play (sing) it for His glory.

Much of what we think is important is actually not. How we feel doesn't matter. What does matter is that we are obedient. We may think we're in limbo, but if we stay focused on Him and obey Him, He will use us in remarkable ways.

So it doesn't matter! We might love a worship song or might have the perfect ministry career. Or we might not.

If you don't like the song, play it like it is your favorite! It is His!

Has it really been that long?

I really must get back to writing this blog! I can't believe it has been so long since I've touched it.

I think I struggle with knowing what to share. There are some days that nothing happens and some when you don't want to hear from me. I can write pages of stuff, sharing my heart, then realize you don't need to know all that. I know writing can be therapeutic, but we don't want to go there.

The folks at my work church lost three people yesterday. One man was in hospice, another elderly lady with medical issues, and another younger woman who just dropped. Then I heard today of a young man who lost his sister in a car accident yesterday: his birthday. I grieve for him and these other families. I hurt for the families who lost loved ones in the shooting in Tucson. In the days following our tornado experience in '06, it seemed so strange that while we were rushing around tending to salvaging our home and belongings, other people laughed and seemed to have no care. It is the same when families experience death. While we laugh at a joke, someone's world is upside down.

Loss is hard and affects each person differently. I lost my dad when I was in college. I lost a vocal cord 15 years ago with thyroid surgery. I lost my career two years ago.

But I have life and a warm home. I have a loving husband and wonderful children. And I have a heavenly Father who knows the course I'm traveling. Thank You!

Fun dinner and mixed feelings

The kids came over for Sunday dinner tonight, though it was Tuesday. I had splurged and bought a roast for Sunday dinner two days ago, but then they had lunch plans with friends. So we made it today. We--it was mostly David. He got the roast started before I got home. The kids (our new name for Zach and Marie), plus resident daughter Natalie, and David tried my new recipe for creamed corn. It calls for a 3-hour stint in the crockpot, but we skipped that and microwaved it to death. It tasted great, but didn't look like the corn I had when I got the recipe. I guess next time I'll use the crockpot! The good thing is that marriage has expanded Zach's food choices. He won't turn down Marie's meal, even though she used mushroom soup or something else he hates. He used to give me major grief. So it was important that the cream cheese in the creamed corn melt so he wouldn't know it was there! :)

Today a man we know from church was featured in a major news story, not in a good way. It really gives you a sick feeling, both for the possible crime and for what the person is going through. I'll never forget the time a couple of years ago at work when I started chatting with a young guy who worked for the caterers at the cafeteria. It doesn't make sense not to make conversation when you see the same people every day. He was a friendly guy, with a gentle quietness. Then one day he was on the news, arrested for physically abusing his child. It was so hard to believe. Truthfully, that sinful behavior lurks inside all of us; it is just the people on the news who do it and are caught.

This is random, but I saw a website today with cute photos. I don't recall the address, but if you search "piglet" and "dachshund," you'll find it. Such a sweet story of a mama dog and her adopted baby pig!

Well, that's two blogs in two days. I know you can't believe it. Thanks, Renee, for your encouragement!

I'm trying this again, plus My Wedding Day

Well, I'm going to try to write again. I write everywhere else, so I might as well do it here.

The last year has been so difficult. Thankfully, the Lord has provided a job with sweet, loving people that allows me to heal. I have to admit that I have occasional setbacks, but I guess that's normal.

To start things off, I thought I'd start with a questionnaire that my friend Renee posted on facebook. It was fun to do.

My Wedding Day

1. What was the date of your wedding?
July 5, 1980. We scheduled it for a holiday weekend so that family would have an extra day to travel.

2. Was this your first wedding?
Yes for both of us.

3. How many times were you a bridesmaid?
At least 6. I was a flower girl in a couple and photographed a couple. Now I can say I've been mother of the groom at one.

4. Did you get married in a church?
Yes. Two Rivers Baptist in Nashville, where I belonged.

5. Did you write your own vows?
No

6. Who walked you down the aisle?
My uncle Lacy. My dad had died 4 years before.

7. What were your colors?
cornflower blue and peach, so 80's!

8. How many attendants did you have?
5, all bridesmaids. I'd wrestled too many flower girls in my time to have children in my wedding.

9. What was your something old?
I think I wore an old handkerchief within my dress

10. What was your something new?
my dress and veil

11. What was your something borrowed?
earrings from Mom, I believe

12. What was your something blue?
Garter

13. What kind of flowers did you have in your bouquet?
white roses and gardenias

14. What were your centerpieces at the reception?
no. We kept the flower budget low--one main arrangement for the church, my bouquet, and silk arrangements for the girls.

15. If you could go back is there anything you would change about your wedding?
spend more time with people. Our photographer rushed us through the whole process.

16. How old were you when you got married?
I was 25 and David 29.

17. What was your first dance song?
did not dance

18. Did you have alcohol at your reception?
no. It was a simple punch and cake event inside the church

19. How many guests did you have?
About 200

20. How long were you engaged before the wedding?
5 months

21. How long did you date before you were engaged?
1 month. We married 6 months to the day that we met. And we met on a blind date.

22. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Florida. We spent one night in Birmingham, AL, then several days in a travel trailer park in Panama City Beach, FL. We left there for the Tampa area and visited a little lady in her 80s who David knew.

23. What did your wedding band look like?
gold band with cut swirls, same as what we wear today

24. What was your most memorable moment about your wedding?
the first moment in the foyer after coming down the aisle after the ceremony

25. Were you nervous at your wedding?
no, just excited

That's all for now!

Maybe I'm back!

Well, after quite a while off, I thought I'd crawl back here. Let's see if I can stay with it!

I'm still waiting for God to reveal what is next in my life. It has been 7 1/2 months since I lost my great job of ministry. It has very nearly killed me. I don't know when I've felt so broken and wounded.

But God is faithful and provides! I know He has a plan and my responsibility is to be obedient. I'm hoping I'm climbing out of the valley I've been walking of late. It will be nice to feel normal again.

I'm going to try this again!

Well, nothing like about spending 10 weeks away! I haven't been sure what to post or if I had anything post-worthy these days.

Nothing is new on the job field. I've averaged a little more than 1 application a week since August 1, and only 1 interview with no result of that yet. The whole process is getting old and I'm praying that God will reveal something soon! There just aren't any editorial jobs open and few others that I qualify for.

Natalie has moved home since the last time I wrote. Even though we don't have much extra space, it has been good having her back. And it came at the perfect time, just before she left her last job. The office situation there was terrible, so I don't blame her a bit. But she is having as much trouble as I am finding new work. So our unemployment rate at home is 50 percent! Yikes!

I did have a three-week period of a little steady work. The job interview I had in October was for a small publisher that produces children's books and teacher supplies, such as certificates, games, and workbooks. Well, they called and needed some freelance work done. I worked about 15-18 hours a week for those three weeks. The drive into Nashville was bum for only half a day's work, and their hours stink
(8:30-5:30), but it was some cash and I am grateful. Plus, the work was fairly enjoyable. But I wonder how serious they are about hiring someone full time, since they haven't made a decision yet.

I'm still working at church for 2-3 hours a week. Budget trimmings affected the publishing of a newsletter, so the 12-15 hours I used to work have disappeared. Oh well. I still hope that God will give me full time work at church. If I can't be at LifeWay, I'd love to be at church.

Natalie and I went to a job fair last week that my career placement guy told me about. But what a disappointment! We drove the 45 minutes to Smyrna to spend 10 minutes walking around a small ballroom with less than 15 vendors/employers set up. And then the job choices were security guards, insurance sales, and cellphone customer service. We walked the circle, then hit the road again. Our time together was fun, though.

Last week I had the opportunity to be part of a writers conference for Student Ministry at LifeWay. It was strange to be a writer/participant instead of the editor/facilitator. They put me up for 2 nights in the Holiday Inn and bought a few meals, so that was nice. I did get to experience my first visit back inside the LifeWay building for lunch one day. I was a little concerned about it, but it was OK. Several folks seemed glad to see me. And being at the conference with my good friends was great!

So, if I don't have any other major freelance work in the next couple of months, I have my hands full writing youth Bible studies. This is a new challenge and I pray that I won't be a disappointment.

Other than that, nothing much is going on. I still work the church library on Thursday evenings and enjoy that.

Today I pray for another family who lost a LifeWay job and the wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. A health event isn't fun in itself, much less with an unemployment issue.

I'm so thankful for God's provisions! He is faithful and I trust Him.

Till next time!

I've Been a Bum!

I'm back! Yes, I've spent too much time not writing here, but with all the emotions I've felt over the last 4 weeks, it was probably best not to write.

The four of us spent a good day in Dover today with Mom. And Aunt Linda was there too. We six went to our favorite Cindy's for lunch and it was good as usual. Then we spent the afternoon just hanging out. I took a nap! and David hung a curtain rod for Mom. Then got back home around 7:30.

I've been staying pretty busy lately. I'm going in to church on Tuesdays and Thursday to work on the bulletin and newsletter. Then I've had a little freelance writing/editing from a friend that has been fun to do.

The job search is pretty slow. I met with the transition placement guy that LifeWay pays for. I've had to revamp my resume and learn the new mentality of job searches. And I've spent hours online searching every job site I can find and various companies in Nashville. A couple of jobs did come up this week that I applied for, but haven't heard anything yet.

Nat completed her 2nd week of work at the ENT office. So far, so good. She likes it well.

I'm thankful we had a good trip today and for safety on the road. I'm also thankful for God's providing. About one day a week I struggle with things and question why and how. But I know He's in control and I have to wait.

Till next time.

It's a new world!

Well, things have changed. God is in control and I'm trusting.

LifeWay deleted about 100 jobs last week, including mine. I had been there over 14 years. Perhaps I can go back someday!

The news came on Friday and I stayed the day, instead of leaving early upon getting the news, as offered. Saturday, David and I went in and packed up much of my stuff, which was too, too much. We filled the car! You forget about how much stuff you accumulate over the years, plus a lamp or two, and 5 years of seminary books.

Then I worked all day on Monday. The work was at a good stopping place and the rest of my team was out of the office this week. So I worked the day, emptied the last couple of desk drawers, and said my goodbyes.

I have many, many friends who I'll greatly miss. This will make reasons to try to connect with folks socially, every now and then.

In the meantime, I'm sleeping in some (except that I still wake up at 4:45 a.m.), stay up late some (I'm naturally a night owl), and bumming some. I've had several phone calls from friends, checking on me, and many emails of encouragement. I am blessed! I hope to spend a little time doing some stuff at the house--you know, those things one has trouble getting to. And I hope to find some projects at church to help with.

Thankfully, after a few days of processing, the Lord has given me peace about everything. He is in charge and will order my next steps, as He has the last steps. As one of my writers encouraged me: "God is our Provider and the God of great surprises!" Like a kid at Christmas, I'm ready for my next surprise!

I'm praying for the several others who're experiencing job loss. Also, for little Kennedy, who I've written about before. She's fighting a new infection of some sort that complicates other conditions.

I am so thankful for God's hand! He is Abba Father!

Till later!

Happy 4th of July!

Hope everyone is enjoying this Independence Day! I love having the day off!

I've about decided that I have been suffering from Patio Furniture Envy. Now, for the first time in all these years, I'm the owner of real patio furniture. I'm a regular person now!

I guess over the years, my outdoor furniture matched the potential of the outdoor space.

First, I think in my single years I owned a matching set of aluminum and woven web lawn furniture--a chair and a chaise lounge. My space back then was a wooden balcony in my apartment complex. The set just hung out out there until I'd decide to chill on the balcony sometime.


I brought this set into marriage, and when it fell apart (the set, not the marriage!), I bought a plastic-ribbed chaise lounge--one that could be flattened for those periods of sun worshiping that was so "in" back then. It didn't last long either, but not necessarily from use. During this time, we had another small wooden balcony at our Erlanger apartment, then had the backyard with garden at the farmhouse-in-the-suburbs in Florence. Though the backyard wasn't conducive to entertaining and sitting, we did spend a fair amount of time on the front porch, where there was an old-fashioned porch swing! Most excellent! Even though that house had limitations in space and age (a 1920s Sears kit house), I think I enjoyed that place the most. Maybe it was because it was our first real house (not apartment).

The next furniture we owned were two white plastic-coated wire mesh stacking chairs--popular back then. At that point in the mid-80s, we were in our newly built brick ranch in Burlington. There we had this most excellent brick patio that David made with his own hands. He'd be out there digging in the sand and placing those bricks, while 2-year-old Zach poked around the yard, playing. Those chairs fit the bill for a time, then rusted and fell apart. Also during this time, David's siblings and families gave us a stationary bench swing. We enjoyed that on the front porch!

I think the next time we bought patio furniture was maybe to have a couple of the above-mentioned aluminum folding lawn chairs. One had to have something to take to a church picnic!

Our move to Lawrenceburg brought us to the 1920s bungalow house that was never finished, complete with no back door, but a side door. The floor plan just didn't work for having much going on in the back, except for the swing set. Life was hectic at that house, but the neighborhood was great for front-porch sitting. We had a nice large, covered front porch, and had the swing there for a time. I can still see Natalie riding her pink and white Big Wheels up and down the sidewalks.

Our Gallatin house in Tennessee had our first deck, with potential for outdoor activity. But the back of the house faced west and there weren't mature trees to block the setting sun. It was so hot in the summer. The swing was in storage, plus the corner lot exposed the yard to major neighborhood traffic, so we never pursued outdoor life there.

Now in Hendersonville, we have a patio surrounded by tall trees. The old patio is quite sad in appearance, with a few cracks in the concrete. Personally, I'd rather have a deck with a screened area. But until that happens, we're going to make an outdoor space with what we've got! At our nearby big-box store we found a nice wicker-type love seat and chairs with cushions, plus a glass-topped coffee table. Plus, it was name brand and half off! I know we'll be spastic about keeping it protected from weather and bringing it inside occasionally, but it is definitely time for this purchase.


Last night David constructed the two chairs and we sat on the patio watching our town's fireworks display tonight from somewhere in the backyard! Just one mosquito bite, that I know of! I'll have to get some citronella candles for this outdoor living!

So, on my long list of outdoor furniture, that's one marked off. Next will be the screened porch with outdoor dining furniture, then maybe someday some Adirondack chairs under the trees!

Till next time!

I'm thankful for our country's freedom! And praying for Kennedy, who's recovering from spine surgery!

R

Nearly All Day at Church

Well, it is Sunday night again, and I'm just now getting back here. The week has been not one of my best, as it was an extreme roller coaster. I felt pretty blue much of the beginning of the week, but bounced back up fairly well by Wednesday. I'm definitely having to rely on the Lord!

We spent many hours at church today! We went in early for the 8 a.m. service, so played/sang for 3 services instead of just 2. We grabbed a great lunch at Demos with Natalie, then was back at church by 3 p.m. Had patriotic services at 4 and 6, with snacks in between. It was good, but we were glad to get home!

The house has been quiet this weekend. Zach went to Washington DC for a long weekend, visiting some friends from college. He's due back tomorrow night.

Yesterday Natalie went with us yesterday to visit Mom. She's doing pretty well. We did our normal visit to Cindy's for lunch, then back to her house, but this time by way of Fred's and Piggly Wiggly. Wes's daughter Terri and her four children were on their way up from Texas for a visit. So Mom needed to stop for a few things. Our visit was short again, but we had a good time!

Nothing much else is going on. I dread going back to work tomorrow, as always, but at least it is only a 4-day work week. I look forward to better days!

Tonight I'm praying for Kennedy, who has spinal surgery this week. She and her whole family are in Philly for that. Even her dad is in from Afghanistan.

I'm thankful tonight for progress in the healing of Erik, the little boy who nearly drowned a few months ago in an unknown well at his daycare. He's doing well and amazing his parents and rehab staff.

Till next time!

Another Sunday night

Well, I had meant to write before now, but it just didn't happen. The week has been long and hard, and full of disappointments. But I won't go into them here.

Natalie had a disappointment too. She flew out of town on a long-anticipated trip to visit an old friend, but the situation there with this girl was unacceptable and Natalie chose to come back home the next day. She felt cheated about her little vacation, and I don't blame her. But she made the right decision.

Saturday David and Zach drove to Louisville for a concert. So Nat and I met at church for a different concert. But we didn't care for the group that much, so left early and went for ice cream! That was nice!

Today we had an extra choir and orchestra rehearsal to prepare for next week's Patriotic Celebration. It went well. I always enjoy this type of music, particularly the marches. They are always a challenge to play, but fun.

I dread Monday mornings, so I dislike Sunday afternoons and nights! I spent some time Friday night reading an old diary, written during my senior year in college. I didn't like Sunday afternoons then either. It was weird reading this diary. It was only for about 10 weeks, but interestingly covered the time when my dad died. I somehow didn't write much on my feelings, but mostly the mechanics. Not that insightful.

I feel somewhat stifled. I don't know that this blog is the best idea. I have much I want to say, but just don't feel the freedom. This is primarily only an exercise in talking around the elephant in the room. But I suppose there is some benefit.

Today I want to ask for prayer for the sister of a friend. She's got cancer again, after surviving breast cancer a few years ago. Not sure what kind of prognosis she has.

I am especially thankful for God's traveling mercies lately. In the last two weeks, we've had round trips to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville, then Nat's flight to Minneapolis...all without incident. Zach has a trip to DC planned this next weekend, so I pray His cover of protection will remain.

Till next time...

Lazy Weekend

Yes, I admit it: I accomplished almost nothing this entire weekend. David and I caught up on some TV and caught up on some sleep. I feel a smidge guilty, but needed the rest. The past month has just been crazy.

Today was a great Father's Day. Church was good. The choir and orchestra did "Thou, O Lord," which always gets to me. Today I remembered how Bro. Glenn would sing along to the song, and I remembered how we all miss him.

After church the family ate at Cheddar's, David's pick. I tried their Philly steak sandwich for the first time. Great!

My children are blessed with their father, as I am blessed to have him as a husband. I'm so thankful God put him in our lives!

My niece is having a life crisis, or at least experiencing something we'd consider a crisis. Unfortunately, I can't help but trace some of the trials that my sisters and their children have gone through to the sins of my father. I'll never understand all that he did and the reasons he had, but know that his choices created baggage in each of his children's lives, and now their offspring. And those choices led to his early death and caused his absence in my life today. I ask your prayers for my niece and that she'll come back to the Lord.

I'm still waiting for the Lord's reveal in other areas. The waiting is more and more difficult. I pray He'll sustain me.

Today I'm praying for the Burgess and Chapman families who lost children in the past six months. I know today has been hard.

I praise the Lord for His provision and love. He is my All in All.

Later!

Wow, it's over!

Well, my time in Indy has come to a close. I've enjoyed it, even though my feet and knees hurt from the shifts of standing in the booth. I met several new folks, some old classmates from seminary, and even saw two guys I hadn't seen since high school and college. Crazy!

My all-time favorite thing of this time is the luscious stuffed chair in Starbucks. It has a magical affect on me, enveloping me in relaxation. I've been blessed to get to use this chair several times in the last two days. The hotel's free internet service is only in the lobby, so one has to come down to use it or pay for use in the room. But there's just something about this chair...like, when you stop and think, you realize you could take a nap right where you are, and you weren't even thinking of a nap before sitting down.

The rains and floods up here have been terrible. Several communities have lost homes and crops from overflowing rivers and creeks. I learned today that some of our SBC folks got stranded on I-65 trying to get up here, while roads were in process of flooding or being closed.

These last days have been good. I've needed the chill time and down time for my brain. There has been too much stress lately and I've overextended myself too.

Nat is still struggling with the job thing. She keeps getting interviews, but that is as far as it goes. She needs to find something soon! I pray it is around the corner!

David is in Cincinnati still, visiting family. He saw one aunt yesterday and another today, both of whom he hadn't seen in quite a while. Plus, he's hanging out with his siblings and getting caught up!

Zach is holding down the fort, but enjoying a quiet house to himself. When David contemplated not going away, Z pushed hard 'cause I know he wanted his own vacation from us!

Better go! I pray for those folks who can't take a break from whatever heartaches they have. I'm blessed to have health and good stuff!
R

First full day in Indy!

Well, it is Monday night after spending over 7 hours working the Young Adult booth at the Southern Baptist Convention. It was difficult for my knees and feet, so I'll be in trouble in the morning, probably. The marketing people brought a tall bar stool for me to use, but it wasn't like actually having a chair. But working was enjoyable anyway. I enjoy meeting folks. Saw an old friend and some newer friends I hadn't seen in a while, so that was good!

The trip up almost didn't happen. David and I had planned to leave after lunch after church, but that changed. After I dried my hair, I saw light smoke wafting in Zach's room. We had been smelling an electrical burning smell, but thought it was a bad outlet. Well, yes, that was it. I stayed home from church and made David go. Nothing else happened. Also, the Honda isn't performing well. The air is substandard and there's a rattle in the back.

Well, we cancelled David going with me and nixed my driving the Honda. So I had to hustle to find a rental car. Zach drove me to town to get the car and I was on my way. It made me 9 p.m. arriving in a strange place, but it went OK. Also, I regretted that my car didn't have cruise. Boy, do we get spoiled!

Turns out, David went on to Cincy himself today. A friend, Bob, from David's Sunday School class, came over last night and replaced the electrical outlet. Should be OK, at least until I dry my hair again. David wound up having to get a tire fixed this morning before leaving town. So things were crazy!

Well, I'm closing early tonight. Headed to bed to be horizontal, at least. Then will try to get some good sleep!

Oh, I was about 8 feet from Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy today. They brought him into the exhibition hall on a golf cart with security all around. You'd think he was the president! Anyway, he signed copies of his book that people bought in the LifeWay store section of the exhibition hall.

Later!