So, what does one do on the first day of a vacation???? Why, get up at O'dark hundred...and drive to the airport, slog thru all the security, sit at the gate for an hour, only to be told, "The plane is delayed getting here"....and then, "the flight is cancelled". (seems there was "fog" - at the airport, mind you - NOT at our HOUSE, though!) Our options? We could take a flight, 3 hours from then, to DENVER, "enjoy" a layover of 3 more hours, then fly to Dallas, getting in sometime late evening???!!!! Nope, sorry, won't spend the first day of my vacation in airports and on planes....besides, isn't Denver where some of the worst delays and cancellantions have been lately???

So, we took a $40.00 taxi ride home, took a nap, surfed the web, watched a movie, took in dinner at Don Pablo's (pretended we were already in Tejas!)....and am turning in early....so we can do this all over again tomorrow - same time, same flight...different day..

Oh, wait! Isn't there a movie about this sort of thing? Groundhog something?

It will be 70 degrees when I get there....It will be 70 degrees when I get there....It will be 70 degrees when I get there..........

g'nite!

This morning's sermon had some really interesting stuff in it. It was a call to action to get out of our comfort zones and pay attention to evangelizing those around us. Nothing new, there, I know - but some of the statitics were interesting that they reviewed. In a 3-mile radius of our church building:
Most households are of the traditional married, two parent families
The average age is 34.8 (younger than the national avg of 37)
College graduates account for 62.5% (as compared to 24.4% in the US)
84% are white collar workers
1.6% unemployment
Avg. household income $123,289.

As I reflected on these stats, I remembered back to the days when I was longing to move away from here. Early in our marriage I constantly begged to move back to Texas, to live in a less expensive economy, to be nearer my mom and sisters. While those were all good reasons to move....however, there were some really strong reasons to stop and think about raising my family in THIS environment. I was becoming more and more aware that elsewhere in this country the expectation is NOT necessarily for one to go to college...unemployment rates are much higher...and while housing is cheaper...incomes are not nearly what they are/can be here. We have obviously made it quite well...and that's even with my not working full time for the majority of my children's lives.

I agonized over the worry that my kids wouldn't be raised around a whole bunch of other Christians...so we moved to the Fairfax Church - specifically so my kids would have a youth group and mentors. I believe that paid off in a big way. They have great memories of church activity and involvment, mission trips, friendships...and most importantly a "church home". It was a committment I made to my kids and it was probably the single most important one I ever made.

Tim once told me that if we hadn't gone to Fairfax - then he'd probably never gone to ACU - and would really have missed out on that portion of his life.

So much of what we do and decide impacts a lifetime....especially for our kids.

So, while I DO regret not being closer to my mom - she knows I love her and we have a good relationship.

I Don't regret that each of my kids experienced a great youth group and church family
I Don't regret that each one went to college - and finished !
I'm proud to be living in the capital of the nation - amongst people who are smart, intelligent and invigorating. (My mom taught me the importance of that - that's why we left WV and didn't raise the kids there).

It's expensive, busy, crazy at times....but we are so blessed to be here....
Yes - I still LOVE Texas - but I really do think God kept me here for some reason. (Sorry, God - I really fought you tooth and nail didn't I?) It has made my kids who they are today....it has opened doors of insight and understanding within myself about God and His church via the wonderful family of God at Fairfax...the diversity here has made me more tolerant and understanding of so many other cultures - and helped me be less judgemental as to traditions and manners of living and worship.

Haven't given up on living in Texas again someday - maybe when I'm an old withered up widow.... or maybe by some miracle Steve might even come with me (oops, I was just dreaming there for a minute - never!)...we'll see!

"Be Still and Know that I am God"....it's so HARD to be still!

I am so anxious about Tim & Jill's job situation..

I LOVE Val's new BF - am anxious to get to know this person so important in her life! But don't want to "jinx" anything!

I worry about Matt and his spiritual life....it's SO out of my control (isn't everything!??)

I worry, I worry, I worry...and it's WRONG to worry!!!! ARRGH!

Guess I'll just have to keep busy. and pray.

A scripture I was reading the other day caught my eye. Mark 14: 51 & 52 is the end of the moment when Jesus was betrayed and all of his followers left him. I had never noticed and now wonder why it was included the phrase,

" 51A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.".

What a strange word picture to have added at this point. What is the significance? Is it allegorical? I have always believed the God has a purpose for ever word in the Bible.

Perhaps tomorrow, I'll add another puzzling scripture to ponder...

Wow, what a week we've had! The roller coaster from memorial services to the amazing Christmas program has me exhausted!

However, there were several "moments" that have stuck with me (and WILL stick with me for a LONG time!)

#1. The words quoted at Sarah's memorial service... "There's more to it that this"...referring to the importance of a relationship with Christ and family and fellow Christians in comparison with everything else that tries to get in the way of that.

#2. The story about the visitor to the memorial service who turned to one of our
members and asked, "Are all of your members like Sarah was?" Wow....so profound I hardly can take it in....so many layers of meaning packed into such a short phrase!

#3. The blending of voices in our chorus for the Christmas program. It felt amazing.

#4. Seeing Sarah's daughter sing her heart out in song for the church..l day after her mother's memorial...continuing the tradition that her mother has instilled in her to share her voice and praise ... a lesson for all of us!

#5. The praise that we were able to do via the songs...especially "This Is Our Son"...the chorus praising God, and acknowledging the "mortal and immortal voices"...
well, I was singing there right along with Sarah, with my dad...with all who have gone before and are already singing praises for eternity!

Moments to carry me through life for a while....WOW.

Wow, I just was looking at my blog heading...and re-reading my comments at the top, noticing that I had referred to the song "It Is Well"....that song has always been top of my list of favorites...because it is what I truly believe and strive to communicate. AND, I've just found out that it is the song that will be the focus of the memorial service for Sarah Bergquist tomorrow night!

We never, ever know what the future holds for us...the next day, week, or even the next moment. We are taught to be prepared at all times, to be ready to journey on to live with God. And we are taught for it to be "Well with our Souls".

Am I ready? I like to say yes....however, I've always couched that response with a prayer to God to "wait a minute", just in case He had plans for an early exit for me! When my kids were young, I prayed that I would live to see them grown and dedicated Christians. For the most part they are...although I now pray that I can be around a little while longer so that maybe I can continue to help Matt in healing his spirit...and be there for little Ian who has gone through (and will continue to go through) an up and down life having divorced parents...and the confusion that comes from that. I hope and pray that God will let me be there for him. And I continually pray and pray that Steve will acknowledge the power and Glory of Christ someday soon...he is a good man....I'm confident that somewhere down the road he will overcome his pride and humble himself in front of the Lord.

However, whatever happens, even in sad times like we're facing this week, I want to remain confident that "It is Well...with my soul".

I've joked with my family over and over that there is one particular song I'd like sung when I pass...."The New Song"....it is such a glorious song...with such hope and confidence and praise. We sang it at my dad's funeral....and it is truly written on my heart.

I am so thankful for the gift of song. When I was little I remember sitting in on rehearsals of my dad and a quartet who sang gospel for a local radio station. Then I learned to play the piano, and the glorious beauty that God had given me the talent to use in making music! The older I get, the more I recognize that the gift of music is one I MUST use to His glory. It is powerful...it is moving....it is instructive...it draws us nearer to Him. Whether I am playing the piano, singing in the choir....or listening to someone else offer this gift....I continually praise God for that gift.

It is my humble prayer that as I sing tomorrow night with the group singing at Sarah's memorial service, that once again, God lifts my voice as a gift of music and praise - for His glory...and for the encouragement of everyone there. Sarah loved music...embraced it....so in her honor...and for HIS glory...it is the gift I bring.

I hope this doesn't become a trend in my posts - because it certainly isn't what I expected...but I have to tell you about an incident on Monday at work. Someone was telling me about a compliment someone paid me, and in describing me to that person - to make sure they were talking about me, I was described as the nurse who "looked like Mrs. Claus" - because of my granny glasses! WELL, the rest of the day I was known as "granny" and am being asked to bake cookies!!!

ARRGH...I truly don't FEEL as old as my granny - but, then, I guess technically I AM a granny!

Isn't life great ?

Oh, yes, I'm also planning on baking cookies..........

Am I Becoming just another Q-Tip?

Hello from the great state of Texas! We've just returned from a few days in the gorgeous Ozarks mountains of Missouri, where we joined at LEAST a million white-haired people enjoying the beauty, the crazy, the outlandish.....whatever adjectives you can insert...that defines Branson, Missouri! What an interesting place! Steve and I kept looking at each other and wondering if WE looked as old as everyone else there!

Seriously, though, it was a great adventure with my mom and sisters - we've never taken a trip - just the 5 of us...and it worked out great....we all got to see at least one show we enjoyed, my mom actually LEFT HOME to travel somewhere (something she hasn't done in years)...no one got sick....we didn't argue (as sisters COULD do, but we didn't!)....the food was great...the prices even greater! (how cool is it to travel to a tourist trap and not feel taken by high prices! actually - it was probably a psychological trap - we spent MORE because we felt like it was a "deal"!.)

The generation gap was very obvious, though, with one particular show....the Jim Stafford show....If you remember, Jim is an incredible classical guitarist...who, in the 70's decided to make his schtick a bit vaudevillian by adding jokes and gimmicks with an "aw-shucks" attitude....I vividly remember him on Johnny Carson show...on "Laugh-In"...etc, etc....and he was every bit as amazing this week as he was back then! Well...my "little" (younger) sister, Marca was absolutely horrified at the "stupid" show...she hated it. Now, I agree that everyone has their likes and dislikes...but seriously...how can Jim Stafford be called stupid...when her absolute FAVORITE of the week was the...
Venriloquist who had an act making his DOGS TALK?????? Seriously now, what is the definition of "stupid" here?????

Gotta laugh....and laugh we did - loud and long, each and every day...healthy, wonderful laughter...

I highly recommend it.
(and for those of you who don't know it..."Q-Tip" is a reference to the white headed seniors of our world..just look across an audience filled with 70-somethings...and it looks like a bunch of Q-tips!)

Going....and not sure of what's ahead......

Faith.....what we are commanded to have

so scary.

so true.

so right.

Life does have a way of coming at us fast....sometimes when we think we're most prepared...we find ourselves woefully unprepared! I've been blindsided by my eldest son, Tim, moving to Texas.....intelectually it makes sense...but emotionally I'm a wreck...probably mostly because I KNOW what is it to live halfway across the country from my family. It stinks...I hate it...but can't do anything about it.