HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I am coming off the fence this year--I have been sitting there for quite a while and well, it's just uncomfortable.

First, since this is my blog, I get to define Halloween:

Halloween: A celebrating of the seasons changing from summer to fall; a celebration which may include raking of leaves, drinking of hot cider, carving various funny pumpkin faces, or perhaps a barnyard dance; it is a season in which pre-teen children are encouraged to use their imaginations and become a princess, ballerina, cheerleader, fireman, policeman or anything wholesome their imaginations may create; for some children the custom is to share their "costumes" with neighbors on an agreed upon evening, usually October 31, and in exchange for their visit with the neighbor, the neighbor may choose to give the child a sweet treat of some kind.

If you don't like Halloween for whatever reason and choose not to celebrate it--I think that's great. I still love ya!

However, if the weather permits tonight, I will be looking forward to seeing some neighborhood cuties and tossing a treat in their bags!!!

Weekend pics

We continued celebrating birthday season this weekend with Crittermer in Knoxville.

The weather was clear and beautiful! We saw lots of color--it was game day Saturday, so we saw lots of that color of orange they wear there--but I am talking about the trees I love so much! For some reason I just love a beautiful tree in fall!





We got back and we weren't sure if it was 2005 or 1999--look at the gas prices here--$2.07 a gallon. On closer to the house we found a place at $2.06. (There were looooong lines to partake of this bargain, too!)

Invasion of the Stuff-alogues

I don't need a calendar any more to tell me I'm just a couple months away from Christmas--my stuffed, 3 inch by 4 inch mailbox screams it to me every day. Some days it takes a couple minutes just to pry all the *mail* out.

I am not a scrooge. I love Christmas. I love that Jesus music is played a lot, a few people that don't usually think about Jesus do for a few days, and I can occasionally talk about my favorite gift ever--my salvation!

As I am walking straight from my mailbox to my recycling bin to rid ourselves the day's haul of stuff-alogues I had this very clear thought. I don't need any more stuff. I need to start giving away stuff. I couldn't think of a person on my list that needed any stuff. I get frustrated because I try to buy stuff for some people and not only do they not need it, they don't like what stuff I buy for them.

So why buy stuff? Well, our economy would crash, because so many retail businesses plan for stuff buying to season to be so profitable. That's a great reason, right? I know there are people who just love to shop and give. I really don't want to rant against them. It's just I consider myself a fairly generous person, but I don't get much joy in buying stuff for people who may not like it and will have to find a place for their new stuff.

This post might be grim news if you are on my Christmas shopping list. The stuff-alogues really are all in the recycling bin.

If God ever blesses us with grandchildren, I understand I will be buying them some stuff. Even then, I pray that the stuff is not what they remember most about Christmas with granny jettybetty.

No matter what the age--for me, Christmas is the time to celebrate Jesus was born to die. In celebrating his birth--I am humbled he really was born so He could die for me--and now I can live with Him forever! What other gift could I really want?

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
II Corinthians 5:21 (NLV)

Thursday Thanksgiving

"Come into his city with songs of thanks. Come into his temple with songs of praise. Honor him and bless his name. " Psalms 100:4 (ERV)

Today I am thankful:

1. For God's unconditional love--I can't do stuff to make Him love me any more--or less. I bask in the radiance of His perfect love.

2. That I get to see how God is working to bring Christians together on the important things, leaving behind things that divide and really don't matter.

3. That God allows me to be one of His clay jars--and that He fills the clay jar with Himself.

4. That God allows me in on His plans as I see Him answer prayers.

5. That I was able to spend most of my weekend with both Aug and Aggie-Ed--I am just absolutely nuts about all my kids--and God teaches me about His love for me through them.

6. That I have many friends, both near and far, that blessed me with kind greetings and thoughts as I started my 52nd year!

7. That God has given us a string of beautiful faahhhll days here--that are well, breath-taking. They have been such clear, glorious days--I can't help but praise Him!

8. My friend Sandy, got the job!

It's All about JESUS!!

If you know me at all, or have read my blog very much, you might have picked up that one of my absolute passions in life is the unity of believers. Every time I read John 17, I have to pray for forgiveness because we, as Christians, have just messed up the one-ness that seems to be a theme of the last prayer of my Savior. I confess, I have let meaningless things divide me from brothers and sisters in Christ--I ask you for forgiveness!

I don't believe it's about being a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Communalist.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I don't believe it's about being a Calvinist, an Arminian, or confused because I have no idea what any of that is.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I don't believe it's about whether I am pre-millenial, post-millenial, a-millenial, pre-trib, post-trib , mid-trib or pan-millenial.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS! He is coming back!

I don't believe it's about liturgical worship, or pentecostal worship.
IT'S ABOUT WORSHIPPING JESUS WITH MY WHOLE HEART!

It's not about whether I homeschool my child, or put them in a public or private school.
IT'S PARENTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I don't believe it matters if I am red, yellow, black, white, or purple.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

It don't believe it matters if I am brilliant or not brilliant.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I don't believe it matters if I am a pacifist or a soldier.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I don't believe it's about being rich with worldly goods, or have nothing.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS (If you have a computer to read this you are rich with worldly stuff, too)

I don't believe it's about being a Green Eagle, a Vol, an Aggie or (fill in your fav team)!
IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

I believe what God wants to do so badly is show how His children can love each despite our differences-so we can live lives that show a world that needs Jesus--IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

""I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father —that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."
John 17:20, 21

Birthday Blessings!

I've had time to reflect on the ways God has provided, protected, and taught me in the last year today. I'm thankful for his patience--and I pray I understand I still need Him every minute.

I've been blessed with cards, calls and more from family and friends.

I've had some really good food--which, of course, includes avocado enchiladas and chocolate.

So, I turned 51 today--and so far, 51 is really good!

"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms."
Psalms 69:19

1005 words

It was a GREAT weekend!

Looking at the rear view mirror

We can only see our kid's teenage years in the rear view mirror now--Aggie-ed turns 20 today. This is the first day in 11 years I have not been the mom to a teenager!

I believe God blesses us with the ability to rearrange reality a bit--so that our memories might be sweeter than reality was. However, I can't remember a lot bad about my eleven years of teenagers. I must say hearing all the scary stories of what could happen did frighten me some, but as far as I know, none of those things ever happened. In fact, I love older kids and I enjoyed the teenage years more than I could have ever imagined--they were, indeed, a blast!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGGIE-ED!!
He is here today--so I am off to celebrate!

Good story!

I am thankful that this story comes from the public schools our kids graduated from:

"Last Friday night, Lyndon LaPlante, son of KISD's Executive Director of Special Services Genni LaPlante, fulfilled his dream by taking a handoff and scampering 99 yards for a touchdown in the Keller High School game versus Richland High. Lyndon, who is a senior with Down syndrome, has been an active member of KISD football teams since he was in middle school. He has always been on the sidelines for the Indians, even dressing out and going through warm ups with the squad, but this is the first time he ever entered the field of play."

This is the full story! If you have a tissue you handy, you will *enjoy* it!

There's lot of good things happening in our public schools!

Thursday Thanksgiving

"And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:20 NLV

Today I am thankful that:

1. God is faithful to His promises, even when I am not.

2. God is powerful enough to keep me faithful when I am weak.

3. God provides for my every need when I struggle to see where He is leading.

4. God has blessed me with some of the best rest I have had in years the past few nights--a month ago I was about to give up and beg my doctor for Ambien or something--the sleep has cut into this insomniac's blogging time--and as much as I miss the blogging world, I am so thankful for sound sleep!

5. The big silver praise machine runs again! It just died earlier this week--and I figured it was something really bad--but it was a battery--not a big deal at all!

6. God has blessed me with an incredible job--this week has been crazy busy, but I have been able to help people find money they didn't know they had--they were sooo happy! I absolutely LOVE my job!!!

7. Saturday starts birthday season at our house!

8. This may be the last day I have to use the air conditioner in 2005--cooler weather has to be here to stay soon--like tomorrow!!!

9. God has given us music so I can praise Him!

10. God desires a relationship with even me.

Touchdown!

It was good to see Aggie-Ed again--this is how I got to see him from my seat on Saturday--he's right there near the center of the picture in the student section.

The game was fun, exciting and hot!

I already knew about some of the Aggie traditions. I knew they didn't have cheerleaders--they have yell leaders. There are 5 yell leaders--all male--and they don't do flips and jumps, they do hand signs for all the yells.

I also knew that the whole student section stands the whole game--they are the 12th man--and they really do have lots of school spirit. The school spirit is so loud it hurts your ears some of the time.

One tradition I didn't know about was the huggie song. I don't think that's the real name for this song, but somehow I missed the real name, so I call it the huggie song. They did it twice and it was obviously planned, because right on cue everyone wrapped their arms around the people on both sides and we all swayed back and forth. I didn't catch many of the words--but I did hear Texas a couple times and Aggie several times and then somewhere in there they started singing about sawing horns off something.

I am pretty sure I still don't have all the Aggie traditions down, but I am learning. I do think school traditions are great--sharing them is a way of community--that truly enhances a university experience!

In case you care, A&M won the game 60 something to 20 something. PH thought it would have been better if they had only blown past our alma mater by 4 points instead of 40, but it sure was fun to hear the cannon blasts all those times when they scored, so I am not complaining.

And, we did see Aggie-Ed for our after game celebration at Coco Loco (or was it Loco Coco?). It was nice to see him up close while partaking of some awesome Tex-mex.

FOOTBALL

We are off to College Station for a football game. It should be a very interesting game. I have never been to an A&M football game and I am *told* that the experience of Kyle field will be well worth price of my ticket. A&M is playing Oklahoma State and both PH and I are graduates of OSU. I will be wearing maroon and cheering on A&M--because that's where Aggie-ed is a student--and he might not claim me as his mom if I didn't. THE most exciting part of the day will be when I see Aggie-ed--I have not seen him in 8 weeks!!!

I wanna be like this....

I enjoy David's blog--he has such a heart for loving all people through Jesus. Please check out his current post and see what he has to say about the invisible children.

This comment (from Patrick Mead) is on his last post:

"We are pushing for this to be a Christmas where we give away all we can and ask to receive nothing. The idea seems to be catching on."
Now is that a great attitude or what??

I really wanna be like this.

"All the believers were together and had everything in common."
Acts 2:44

Terri's Tag

First Memory

My parents left me with the neighbors while they were at the hospital for my brother's birth--the neighbors made me eat banana pudding!

First Kiss
Perma Honeee*

*I honestly don't remember, and I DO remember a lot about my first PH kiss.

First Concert
The Carpenter's

First Love
Perma Honeee

First Lust
Perma Honeee

First Thing I Think In The Morning
My mind refuses to work in the morning.

First Book I Remember Loving
Nancy Drew

First Pet
Daisy the rat terrier

First Question I'll Ask In Heaven
I get to stay here forever?

First Thing I Think Of When I Hear The Word Vacation
Sand and surf

First Best Friend
Debbie

Last Time I Dressed Up
Yesterday

Last Thing I Ate
Popcorn

Last CD I Bought
"Out of the Blue" RH Praise Team

Last Time I Cried
Today

Last Time I Told Someone I Loved Them
Today

Last Really Fun Thing I Did
Hey, I am doing this tag--need you even ask??

Last Thing I Watched On TV
Dr. Phil

Anyone else want to do a tag? Then, you're it!

Leakin' and Seepin'

If you came by my cubie at work, you might think I collect paper clips.

At the Zoe conference Mike Cope commissioned the entire group--by sub-groups--to be used where God has placed us. God wants me to seep and leak Jesus right where I am.

While I am at work, my primary job would be to help the people that need help with their pensions--I want to do that as efficiently as I can--and even leak and seep Jesus to them. However, that's not even close to the total reason God has me in the office where I work. He wants me to leak and seep to all those I work with, day in and day out.

I used to think the non-believers in my path might get turned off to Christianity because I would do or say something they thought was inconsistent with the Christian life. I am about to decide that God is bigger than my mistakes. He wants me to live for Him, and He is more than big enough to let those He puts in my path see and understand what they need to. I know I make lots of mistakes, but I still want to keep leaking and seeping for Jesus every where in my office--and every where I go!

So, if you drop by my office--I am not collecting paper clips--I am giving them away in the name of Jesus--because I am praying that every believer will be leaking and seeping Jesus--and that everyone in our path will come to know Jesus.

"Jesus is the only One who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people. We must be saved through Jesus!"
Acts 4:12 ERV

Mess and Ruth

The Zoe conference was rather like an intense, short church camp experience for me. I was inspired, I learned, I met new friends--I left on the mountain top--and I want to keep that *high* for as long as I can!

I took my new pen and was ready to take all kinds of notes, but this was not really a note taking event--it was something to experience.

There were a couple drama presentations that impacted me.

Jeff Walling's presentation at the Zoe Conference as Matthew was especially inspiring. It was funny and it was thought provoking. What I walked away with is this: we all are messy, and when we realize we are messy, we can realize we need a Messiah. When we accept the Messiah, we have a message for all the world. It's hard to put a 2 hour experience in a paragraph--but I think I will have the "mess" concept with me for a long time.

Another presentation was on the women in the line of Jesus. I can't believe I have never really "fleshed out" these women, since I am a woman. In, the presentation, we were given opportunity to feel some of what these women might have felt--making them more like real women instead of the words on the page. For instance, I have always thought Ruth was one strong woman--and I still believe she was--however, she probably still grieved when she lost her husband. Most likely she had some horribly lonely, difficult days (weeks), yet she still was a support to her mother-in-law despite her pain. Somehow, I had never really thought of her in pain, and doing so made her so much more real to me.

I was also thrilled in my Bible study last night as we studied Rebekah--a manipulating mother. In my mind, I have always kind of made excuses for her manipulations--I wouldn't have even called her manipulating. Last night, I was able to let her jump off the page and become human to me! She was manipulating, she was real.

I know the *high* may fade--but I am going to enjoy it as long as I can!

"Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:16

A Blogging second, third, fourth, fifth.....

I hesitate to write about this today, because there has already been some misunderstanding in my family about what we did this weekend. We went to a worship conference, not a bloggers conference. Since this is my blog, and I can be confusing if I want to, I am going share about the blogging buddies I met this weekend, and save the experience of the conference for tomorrow.

Last month, I met Sandy, a blogging friend. I really enjoyed my time with her. I truly didn't start blogging to make new friends--it just **happened** really--so why not be blessed by them??

So, this weekend while I was in Nashville, for the Zoe conference, I met several more of my blogging buddies.

I didn't get to meet her in person, but I got to chat with JMG on the phone. I so enjoyed getting to talk to her. She lives in middle TN, so if I ever get back, I'd love to meet her at Starbucks. Now, I even know her first name!

Tony and his family had us into their home for a meal. This was a wonderful meal, but it was not just a meal, it was communion with another brother and sister. This sweet couple helped me redefine Christian hospitality!

At the conference, I met Phil, who is a real life buddy of Tony. Also, Clarissa, her husband and all four of her children. She's a very talented musician. Also Beaner and Dwight were there and I am sorry to say I didn't get to spend any time with them.

I met Amy, who is the real life sister of Nancy who is my blogging seeester. Just *knowing* what I do of the two of them, I can say that is a family with a lot of talent!

I also met, and got to spend some time with Donna, Terri, Jenni and Mae. I was blessed to worship with these ladies, and fellowship enough to know I truly love each one of them.

This is what blew me away about meeting all of these blogging buddies. I have read their blogs for less than a year. I knew some things about them they chose to share--and some of these things their own families may not know (unless they keep up with their blogs). I already knew I would really enjoy them. However, the enjoyment I actually experienced was enjoyment on steroids. I was unprepared the humongous, incredible, unbelievable blessing I would experience from breaking bread, worshipping and fellowshipping with them. I thank God for allowing me such a blessing.

"But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin."
I John 1:7

From Nashville to Texas

When we got up this morning, we had no idea we would be in Miami for part of our day. After a sweet weekend in Nashville, what could be better than seeing the beach in Miami on the way back to Texas???

Since we were up early, I got to see the sun rise. If you were in Nashville, you probably didn't see the sun rise, but I since I was above the clouds--I saw the most beautiful sun rise--so I had a personal praise service right from my window seat.

I think I will have lots to say about our visit to Nashville and the Zoe Conference--I was thinking about what I would write in my blog before I left. Do any of you do that--you are somewhere and start thinking what you can post about what's in your head? If you are not a frequent blogger this might not make sense, but I am thankful for somewhere to write what is in my head down. The thoughts have been there for years, but I didn't really have anywhere to put them--it is my therapy!!!

Seesssters!

I don't have any sisters from my birth family, however, I so many wonderful sisters by faith.

Today I was blessed to have lunch with a couple of sisters. These two ladies were some of the first I got to know when we moved here. We have raised our children together and now we get to talk about adult children. I feel blessed because these women know me--they know so many of the struggles I have had the last 14 years--I know many of theirs. They praise God with their lives and with their mouths. Being in their presence encourages the socks off me.

Life has been busy for the three of us in the last few years--we see each other at church--but it's been awhile since we slowed down to have a meal together. However, I know if either of these sisters ever needed anything I could give, I would be there--and I know they would do the same for me.

I am so thankful God put us in spiritual families. I think the community I experience with my spiritual family gets better and better, the more history we have together!

I am thankful for all my seesssters! (and brothers, too!)

"Then I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people."
Psalms 22:22

Help!

My most common prayers are "help" and "I need You."

Sometimes I need to know what to say and sometimes I need the discernment to say nothing.

Sometimes I need to know what to do and sometimes I need the discernment to be.

Sometimes I need the strength to not do, say or even think what I should not.

Sometimes I feel vulnerable, sad, or defeated and I just need Him.

"Pray without ceasing."
I Thessalonians 5:17

**Laughter**

I think all of us enjoy laughing. We love being around people that make us laugh.

I didn't do the tag on *7 things*, but for those of you who did--I noticed most people put humor on the list of things that attracted them to another person.

Aggie-ed was busy being the 12th man for A&M, but both Aug and Crittermer have been here a lot this weekend. One of my favorite things about family time is we laugh so much. We laugh at each other, so we try to remember it's not funny if the person is not laughing with you. We also love to laugh about *old* times, and someone usually has a new joke.

Here's hoping you have lots of laughter in your new week!

"We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them."
Psalms 126:2 NIV

LST

Crittermer is back in Texas. She's here for a Let's Start Talking trainer's workshop, but she came a day early just to enjoy the family and the beautiful fall weather. We had a great visit yesterday!

I tagged along with her to the opening session last night to try to get a better understanding of LST. Both Aug and Crittermer have done LST trips, so what I knew of their methodology was good, but I wanted to know more. After spending the evening with these fine people, I am even more impressed.

I gave you the link above if you want specifics of LST, but in case you don't read that, Let's Start Talking has capitalized on the fact that many in foreign countries want to learn English or practice speaking their English. They send teams of 4-6 to these identified locations to read the book of Luke with these people. They don't teach a lot of doctrine or theology. They let the Word speak for itself, praying that the readers will see Jesus through the book of Luke and the lives of the team members. It has proven a very effective way to do mission work in the past 20+ years.

Whether or not we ever join a foreign mission team, I am once reminded of the importance of communicating Jesus--any way God gives me to communicate it. It may be by consistent praying, it may be the way I live, it may be words, but it needs to be done. I shock myself so often as to how easy it is to become complacent. I have a treasure--and I cannot hide it!

"'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Luke 10:27