Fabulous Friday!!!

It's another beautiful autumn day! P has come over the day while her mother helps her other grandmother pack up and clean out her apartment because she's moving in with R & R and P for a while to save some money for a down payment on a home of her own. This was my son's idea; he's a good, helpful and supportive man. I pray that it will all work out well.

Last night we attended a Real Estate Function that was held at the new House of Blues in downtown Dallas. This annual function has been held at the Gaylord Texan for the last couple of years and has been rather dressy. Last night's attire was Downtown Blues Chic which was everything from dressy jeans and sparkly blouses with jeans jackets to evening dresses with sequins and men's jeans, cowboy boots and dress shirts to suits and everything in between. The function is to honor real estate men and women who are giving back to our community and raises money for community needs. The main entertainment was Aaron Neville and the Neville Brothers. It was fun and really loud! We had a great table... 2nd row, center because the company that my husband works for was a Platinum Sponsor. We had a table of 10 with 6 of young men who work for my husband along with wives of 2 of the men who are married. The other 4 men are still single. They're all such nice young men, well mannered, and well spoken. They were all so respectful towards my husband and me. It was strange being the oldest at the table and my husband being the leader representing the company with some of the younger talented employees. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were always the youngest couple at these sort of functions and sitting with the older, wiser and more experienced mentors of Jim's. Even though it was odd feeling, it showed me a different side of Jim and his career that I hadn't really focused on before... Time has marched on and Jim now the older, wiser and more experienced leader who is mentoring 18 young professionals in the world of commercial real estate. I am very proud of him and so happy to be married to such a wonderful man.

Our hard wood was delivered today so it can become acclimated to our home before it gets installed next week. Now I need to start looking at carpet for the staircase and the upstairs.

We're going to a conference tonight, tomorrow morning and Sunday morning at our church. The conference is entitled, "Gospel & Life Conference" and there'll be 2 guest speakers -- Dr. Mark Bailey, President of Dallas Theology Seminary and Dr. David Allen a Christian physiologist and author from the Bahamas. The theme is "Discipleship ~ Shrinking the Distance Between Me and the One I Follow." We're looking forward to attending.

Well, Miss P is waking up from her nap, so I need to go get her and enjoy some more playtime before her daddy comes to pick her up in about 2 hours.

God is great and greatly to be praised!!!

Weepy Wednesday

Wow, it's been quite a while since I last blogged... sorta got out of the blogging flow 'cuz I've been feeling down off and on for a few weeks. I've been contemplating what to do with the 2nd half of my life and just don't have a clear picture of what, how, where, or when. I do know the why... because I want to follow my Lord and walk in His will for my life. I guess that's why I'm struggling with the next step -- I want it to be right. I'm just finding that difficult to figure out right now. Lots of paths are swirling in my head... going back to work (and if so, where?), going on the mission field, staying at home to be available for my family, something else??? What is it Lord that You want from me, what do you want with me?

In the meantime, I've been cleaning and organizing our home because I feel the Lord telling me, 'Get your house in order.' Doing that is easier now than ever because our oldest son, his wife and daughter have settled into their own beautiful home and we have a lot of empty space since we cleared out a lot of old stuff when they moved in with us last April. Our younger son really doesn't stay here much and is planning to move out sometime this month or next. So, we'll be empty nesters again.

We built our home 15 years ago so its now at the repair and renovation stage. We scheduled to have new hardwood floors installed the end of next week in the family room and master bedroom, but have just received an estimate for the A/C & Heater repairs we need to have done soon, so we're reconsidering the timing for new wood floors downstairs and new carpet upstairs. My husband and I both want to complete all the updates on our home soon so we can host visiting missionaries and other Christian workers passing through. We would love to host a Life Group again. It has always been an honor to open our home and spend time in worship, studying the Word, breaking bread and fellowshipping with fellow Christians.

I'm missing my hubby, Jim -- he has been in California this week on a business pleasure trip. He is actually playing golf at Pebble Beach which has been a lifelong dream of his. I'm so happy that he's been blessed with this trip and can't wait for him to be home tonight to tell me all about it and to show me his photos. He was away at a men's retreat last weekend where he was a speaker sharing about Studying the Word. Studying the Word is a passion of his and when he shares his passion it makes me so proud to be his wife and I feel so blessed to be married to him.

Another passion of Jim's is music. He is so gifted in playing the guitar and singing! God gave him a real talent for music; his mother recognized it when he was just 18 months old. Jim's mother was the organist at the church we grew up in and says that she could play one note on the piano and he would sing, 'Jesus loves me' in that key and with perfect pitch and then again in a different key... over and over, in whatever key she would play for the first note. Jim doesn't get to practice as much as he would like to, but when he does it is a blessing for so many, especially for me when he sings for me and sings over me.

This reminds me of my second trip to Russia... I had a crown fall out during dinner on our first night. It was painful and scary because we had to find a dentist. Our Russian friends and co-labors in Christ said they would find a good dentist for me and told me not to worry, but I was worried and scared! (You know, the whole growing up in the 1960's propaganda stuff about the USSR being so evil... it all came rushing back into my brain!!!) Well, Jim takes his guitar with us to Russia to lead worship with the kids at the orphanage, so he pulled it out and began to play and sing over me. He must have done so for more than an hour before I finally fell asleep, which must have been so tiring because it was our first night there and we hadn't laid down horizontally for close to 30 hours. I'll never forget how unselfish he was to sing me to sleep when he was so exhausted himself. That's just the way he is and it's amazing to share life with him!

Okay, I'm feeling better now. :)
God is so good! And so good all the time!!! Praise His Holy Name!

Thankful Thursday!

Thank you Lord that...

Our kids, P's parents arrived home safe and sound last night from their vacation in Mexico. They had a wonderful time, but were so happy to be home and with P again. Her mother said, "Oh, my goodness! P's looks so different -- she looks older and more mature." P preceeded to show off standing up on her own, right in the middle of the room for her Mama & Dada. Of course, they were both amazed.

P had a great time with her other grandmother and came home healthy and happy.

Our other son, J was working from home yesterday so I was able to have a nice visit with him.

Jim has stayed in town all this week! It's so nice to have him here with us.

My whole family is healthy and happy. PTL!

Cooler temperatures... sitting out on our new back patio reading my Bible and Bible study.

For serving my Lord.

Having His grace and forgiveness every day because I mess up so often, but through Jesus there is always a 'do over' and 'try it again.'

Thank you Lord for so many blessings, more than I can ever count.

You are so amazing and awesome!

Where Did This Week Go?

Wow! This week is flying by with beautiful days and cooler temperatures. We took our P to church with us on Sunday morning because her parents are still in Mexico on vacation. P was happy to play with 3 little friends in Sunday school, but ready to come home for lunch and a long Sunday nap. Her other grandmother came to get her around 4pm and took her to stay with her for 3 days until P’s parents come back home.

Tuesday morning began our Women’s Ministry Tuesday Morning Bible Study. We had almost 100 women there to study, “Going Beyond Yourself” by Beth Moore. It’s a study on the Fruit of the Spirit. It’s been quite a while since I was in a Beth Moore study and I’m so excited to be taking part in this one.

Our kids will be home this evening. We’re looking forward to seeing them and I know they’ll be happy to be back home to P.

Well, I’m off to enjoy the beautiful day while the lawn men plant the remaining bushes and decorative grass.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday! God is good – all the time!

God is so Good!!!

Yeah! Thank you Lord for good health… my good health and my precious P’s good health. We both felt well enough to make the 1 hour trip to attend my niece’s Grandparents Day Luncheon. My niece was so happy and so cute – 2nd graders are just the best! The 4 hour excursion was well worth it. I forgot my camera at home after taking photos of P’s parents leaving early Friday morning for Mexico, but my sister took photos with her camera. As soon as she emails me a couple of pics, I’ll post them.

My hubby arrived home safe and sound yesterday evening in time to take P and me out to dinner at one of our favorite Mexican food restaurants. He was ready for Tex-Mex after being up north for the week. P and Papa got to hang out this morning while I went to church for a Women’s Ministry Fall Kick-off Luncheon. I volunteered to decorate one of the 15 tables with some of our Russian items and had to be there at 9am. We had a special guest speaker, Carrie McDonnall who has written a new book about her mission experiences in the Middle East. Her book title is "FACING TERROR" -The story of how love for the Muslim people cost an American couple the ultimate price. My favorite Bible teacher, Beth Moore wrote the forward for the book. Carrie has a compelling testimony and is still praising our Lord even after losing her husband and enduring years of physical pain and surgeries from her own injuries after they were attacked in Iraq while they were ministering there. Carrie’s testimony was very encouraging and uplifting; she was a huge blessing to the 120 of us today.

Dear Lord, please bless my sister, Carrie McDonnall and the new ministry, 'Carrie On' that you have given to her. Bless her with continued encouragement, with strength and health and with your joy and hope. Amen.

My hubby has started cooking our dinner so I need to go be his sous-chef; I mostly clean up around him (he's a great, but messy cook).

Have a blessed weekend!