The great escape! April 26, 2008

I am still working on my 20th class reunion and tonight I talked to a fellow classmate, Bill Thoroughgood.  I have been trying to get up with him and several others over the last few months and tonight I actually talked with him.  It was really strange talking to him.  I haven’t spoken a word to him in 19 years and I must say that I have laughed about our conversation since hanging up.  I don’t remember him talking the way that he did tonight.  I guess it has something to do with the fact that he was 18 the last time we spoke and therefore he has matured since then.  But something about it was really funny to me. 

I guess for those of you reading this who don’t know Bill, he was the boy that I dated for 2 years in high school, the same boy who broke up with me at the beginning of my senior year which then enabled me to meet and fall in love with John.  Thank you BIll! 

Anyway, it was funny talking to him because he had a tendancy to dominate the conversation.  I would say something and he would run off talking at great length about whatever I had mentioned.  Then I had to try to get a word in when he took a breath, to try to change the subject.  I don’t remember him being like that in high school, but then again that was 20 years ago.

I was telling BIll about how active my two boys were and as an example I told him the story of when I was 6 months pregnant with Nathan and Jonathan just 24 months.  When Jonathan was little he could escape any locked room, get into any locked cabinet, and from the time he started to walk at 9 months old he hasn’t stopped.  So in light of our little escape artist we installed a small screen door hook at the very top of the inside of my bedroom door, so that when I got in the shower I could turn on a video and lock Jonathan in my room as I showered.  During this “escape” time I learned how to wash my hair, wash my body, and shave my legs in 5 minutes.  So I hadn’t been in the shower a few minutes when I heard my door slam against the wall and Jonathan taking off out of my room.  I quickly finished and threw on my robe.  I found that Jonathan had stripped all of his clothes off, stacked enough books on top of the night stand to climb up and flip the hook up and get out of the room, got out the child safety, door, knob on the kitchen door and was streaking in the back yard on the coldest day so far that winter.  Now you have to understand that I had nothing on under my robe and the robe wouldn’t stay shut as I chased my naked boy all through the yard, to the sound of giggles galore!  Now at the time, it was not funny; but today it is hilarious!  Needless to say Bill was shocked, somewhat impressed with his abilities, and found my story just as funny as I do now.  I told him Jonathan gets it from his Dad’s side of the family!

There isnt anything profound in my story it’s just a funny memory to share with you. 

Gross I know! April 25, 2008

Now before I get lots of comments about the blog that I wrote entitled, “Are you eatting throw-up”, let me say that I know it is gross, but read it.  Then go read my husbands blog called “Feed me”.  johnhobbs.wordpress.com

 

Are you eatting throw-up? April 25, 2008

What are you doing to deepen your own relationship with the Lord?  I just read my husbands blog, Feed me, and it made me think about my own need to be fed.  I have been working in the Kidstuff room for several Sundays and when I don’t get to hear the Word at all then I certainly have to take responsibility for my own spiritual growth, but the truth is I should be responsible everyday! 

So again, what are you doing to deepen your own relationship with the Lord?  Quit begging for someone else to do the work for you, do it yourself.  Quit sitting with your mouth open like a baby bird waiting for your pastor to reguritate what he has already consumed for himself.  Isn’t it about time you left the nest in search of your own food?!  Allow what the Lord tells you personally, to be miraculously confirmed weekly as the Lord uses your pastor.  How cool is it when you encounter what the Lord has said to you in the sermon that your pastor preaches. 

Why settle for throw-up, get your own meal!

What a way to start a Tuesday! April 22, 2008

What happens when your 8 year old (who should know better) flushes the lining to his box spring down the toilet?  Yeah, you know what happens, the toilet gets clogged up and won’t go down.  So then what happens when your husband goes under the house to snake the line?  Yep, he gets the clog free and then can’t get out of the way in time and gets covered in well, you know what he got covered in!  

Ok, so then what happens when your 10 year old, who is in bed sleeping, gets a bloody nose?  Well for starters he wakes up and is so out of it, he leans over the side of the bed and lets it drip all over the floor and  his brother who is sleeping on the bed below.  He then gets up and drips all the way to my room and stands, wakes up Dad, and then drips into the bathroom, uses your “fancy” towels to dry up his nose, and touches every surface available in the bathroom, just to make sure that he really leaves his mark.  Meanwhile Dad goes to clean up the trail only to discover that the previously mentioned 8 year old has peed the bed!  So Dad is really frustrated now and the message he preached on Sunday is being put to the test.  Mom gets up to help change beds because one is covered in blood and the other pee.  (In Mom’s defense, she was asleep until Dad started to “get frustrated”.)   

Not mentioned yet is 14 year old in the bed moaning with body aches, fever, soar throat, and ear ache.  What a fun weekend and Monday night! 

Now, Mom has to wash two beds worth of laundry, one set of peed on pajama’s, one fancy towel, one bloody set of pajama’s, tend to a sickly 14 year old, and wash her own bedding from the trail that was left behind.  What a way to start a Tuesday, thank you Jesus! 

Welcome to San Antonio! April 21, 2008

If you’ve noticed I now have a photo on my blog.  My sister-in-law asked me about it because she couldn’t tell what John and I were holding and thought “it looks a little sketchy”.  Here it is: I don’t remember the actual name but they are welcome eggs. 

When John and I went to San Antonio, Texas back in February, to speak at a youth retreat, our hosts (Robbie and Annie) took us to downtown San Antonio to the Mexican Market.  Where we shopped for souvenirs for our children.  The boys got t-shirts and cowboy hats and I got a tortilla warmer, SCORE!  When we weren’t looking though Annie snuck off and bought a few welcome eggs.  As we walked out the market doors they crushed them on our heads and we were covered with confetti and glitter.  Each egg has been emptied, hand painted, filled with confetti and then sold five for a dollar.  It is a tradition of San Antonians to welcome guests this way.  It was the most fun thing.  I decided to let the confetti stay in my hair all evening, which made me feel like a party all night!  The photo was taken with two unbroken eggs right after the “welcoming”.

For me, a person who loves a party and loves to welcome people into my home and church, I love the idea of a welcoming egg.  I would love to crush a confetti egg over the heads of all of the visitors I encounter.  I don’t know that everyone would enjoy it as much as I did, but I sure would love to do the welcoming! 

So the picture is not sketchy, just out of the ordinary!  Fun none the less. 

Press on! April 17, 2008

Pressing on today!  Everyday you have to choose to either wallow around in what makes you miserable or you can choose to press forward.  So today I chose well.  Not that everything in my life is miserable ’cause it’s not.  Just a few things are not quite right.  I will however survive it and as my father-in-law recently told me, I am learning what it is to suffer as Christ suffered, for his sake. So I press on.  So should you.

I’ve been bit. April 16, 2008

Just for the record, one of my “beloved” cats bit me today!  It hurt but I am healing.  It really ticked me off because it came out of no where!  Oh well, that’s a cat for you!

Don’t know what I am talking about, read Stray or not. 

Noah, build an ark! April 16, 2008

Those of you who know me well, know that I have a crazy Noah’s ark collection.  I have been collecting since I got pregnant with Jordan.  This precious, little, old, lady in our church painted a plate, bowl, and cup with the ark on them and the rest is history.  Over the years John has added to my collection and I have furniture and beautiful paintings.  I have quit buying things because now I have run out of wall, floor and table top space.  I am now collecting sheep.  It’s not a big collection but I have several.  Since we pastor a church and have a church full of sheep I might as well have some here at the house.

Yesterday I had someone tell me something really profound and I am not sure that he realized how what he said would minister to me.  He told me that he had been studying about Noah and how he was a man of great faith.  He had to believe what God said to him about building a boat and it took him forever to build the boat.  All the while he was building that boat he had people standing around making fun of him and telling him he was crazy, yet he had to believe.  Then he had to believe God would bring the animals two by two and somehow get them on this enormous boat.  Again all while folks were giving him a hard time.  Then wouldn’t you know that he had to ride out 40 days on a boat, full of stinky animals, with the knowledge that now everyone is dead except for his family and they are responsible for populating the earth.  Talk about faith.  Then how long did he have to wait for the waters to recede and then get off the boat.  I am sure that there had to be days when his faith was greatly challenged.  I’d like to think that I would be able to do what he did but I wonder.  What faith Noah had!

I find that my own faith is being put to the test these days.  As we launch our “new” church, The Dwelling Place, (www.thedwellingplacecc.com) I am trying to hold onto what John and I heard the Lord say about what it would become.  When I look with my “fleshly” eyes I don’t see it happening but when I look with my eyes of faith I know that it will be what has been promised.  So as I look at my ark collection I am now reminded that I have to press forward and believe.  He said it I just have to be faithful to what He has asked of us and believe!  Thanks Robbie!

Stray or not? April 15, 2008

I love animals especially cats, but I don’t love their shedding hair.  It sticks to your couch, your bedspread, and your clothes.  In the end though cats are worth it.  They know when you need to cuddle and make you feel better just with a stroke of that fur that sheds. 

John’s Granny Hobbs has a great love for cats and has had her fair share of them in her 89 years.  It has never mattered where she lived the strays always found her house.  I imagine it has something to do with her seeing them, calling them, then putting out a bowl of food as a bribe.  Before they know it, they have been trapped, “fixed”, and brought in the house for a life of love and affection (however no one else can ever love them because they are skittish and only love Granny Hobbs).  I don’t think that I will be like that when I am 89, but never say never.

I do however seem to collect strays, people that no one else wants to take time to love.  They tend to shed too and I don’t always like the “hair” that they leave behind but sometimes helping them can make you feel just as warm and fuzzy as stroking a cat.

On the other hand, sometimes strays bite and scratch and that is something that makes helping them out more difficult.  You have to arm yourself with antibacterial cream and band-aids and hope that the wounds heal quickly.

But what about the cats that you know and love and are used to having cuddle up and  make you feel better when you stroke them.  Do they ever bite the hand that feeds them or serves them unselfishly?  I know that I have been scratched by my beloved cats, but it is worse when the beloved people in your life wound you. 

So for my friend who was giving of herself to a “beloved” cat and got scratched recently, this is one kitty who loves you and has your back.  I promise not to bite!  I don’t however, promise not to leave my mark on your life, hair and all!

The cake! April 14, 2008

Ok, so I have committed to bake a wedding cake for a friend whose daughter is getting married the end of May.  Now I have made a few cakes over the years and have taken 2 classes, but I am a bit over whelmed with this project.  She wants a pound cake with filling.  Now the only recipe that I have for a pound cake is my husband’s grandmothers recipe.  Now I am not a cake lover like my sister-in-law, Joell is, but I LOVE Grandma’s pound cake.  I know that I could make this cake with no problem, if I could just bake it in a bundt pan, but in a 12″ round cake pan I just don’t know.  I could try to “pimp up” a cake mix, but I am not sure that that will be sufficient.  I guess I just want to get it right because this is my friends “party”. 

I have spent my evening looking all over the web for recipe suggestions, only to just decide that I am gonna have to try and see!  I have to try to make marshmellow fondant too.  Oh yeah and I have to make a raspberry filling too.  I think that if I can just succeed at baking the cake, the decorating will be fun! 

Just my thoughts…nothing spiritual but hey still on my mind.