Sunday, November 29, 2009

Project 365 Week 28

If you remember, I got sick last Sunday evening.
hmmmm.
I didn't take photos while I was not feeling well.
So this week starts on Wednesday, when I was feeling better!

Wednesday, November 25
Our drive to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.
This is the casino just past the Texas / Oklahoma border.
It is huge.
And easier to see than the sign that says,
"Welcome to Oklahoma"
which is what I was going to take a picture of, but missed!

Thursday, November 26
Rebecca and Aunt Debbie and Uncle Mike's dog Isabelle.
(Izzie for short)
They were together most of the day.

Except when Rebecca was daydreaming about the horses in the backyard!

Uncle Fred (my husband) helping
his great niece with her shoes!
This cutie pie is the newest edition to the family!

Here is the chaos right before dinner!
Matthew was in charge of the turkey and spilled a little of the drippings into the oven.
We teased him relentlessly about the smoke!

Friday, November 27
My sweet and beautiful niece.

Saturday, November 28
We came home so that we could start decorating for Christmas.
One of our family traditions is to have homemade sugar cookies when we decorate the tree.
Rebecca (and Josh was here too) did the honors.

Sunday, November 29
While Fred and I were out to see a movie (we went to see New Moon)
Rebecca put the garland on the mantle.
She also did some of the other decorating also...for which I was VERY grateful.
Josh came over to see the finished project.
(well, he was really bringing her home for the evening and we drug him in to see the house!)

Another week in pictures!
Blessings,

Friday, November 27, 2009

Prayer for my pastor, Matt Chandler

After a Norman Rockwell sort of Thanksgiving, I checked my email as I gathered belongings to load into the car for the trip back to my mom's, where we would spend the night. I saw one from our church that I thought was a Thanksgiving note from our pastor, Matt Chandler, but it was a prayer request for him.

Pray for Matt. He suffered a seizure Thursday morning, falling and hitting his head. He was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where they ran several tests and will run more tests next week. He is home resting with his family, the elders, and friends.

Next, a Twitter update from Matt that said a small mass had been found on his frontal lobe; that he would see a neurosurgeon early next week. Then he added, " I am His and confident."

Everyone I know who is in Matt's pastoral care is praying. I notice that many, many others across the nation, even world, have joined. I saw a facebook status of a friend who lives in the state of Washington, asking for prayer, and I asked, "how do you know my pastor?". Oh, yeah, I think, "He does speak all over the country (add world), and is friends with Mark Driscoll, and John Piper, and so many others." This is good and I am pleased so many are praying for my pastor. More prayer, more power. The world just got real small in my mind.

What I know is we pray for healing. We pray for peace for his beautiful family. And we wait for God to take care of the one he lifted up to pastor The Village Church because Matt is HIS!

And this morning, I lay awake in prayer. And I am pondering the things this pastor has taught me, how God has used him in my life and in the lives of the others I know, and I praise the living God for His wisdom. When I came to the Village, I was done with church. Even more so, I was totally done with pastors. Matt's name for what I am is a "Recovering Skeptic". I had been part of a church where the pastor was an angry, abusive man. God heals all, but this man refused help for many years and I witnessed things that hardened my heart like a rock. God heals! He healed my hard, cold heart. God can heal the brokenness in my former church and in the family of that former pastor. He could even heal the broken relationships between myself and them, if we remain soft to his will. If My God can heal that sickness, I know He will take the best care of "His Matt". And I pray for my pastor with a new heart, a healed heart, and a heart of mercy and love that is brand new.

Please join me in praying for Matt Chandler, his beautiful wife, Lauren, and their 3 babies.

Grateful for all He has done and will do!
God is faithful, He is mighty!

Updates at The Village Church Facebook page.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Project 365 Week 27

Late on my post this week.
I fell ill on Sunday afternoon and took a little time to rest up.
A few cheats and a few extras.
It was my birthday week!

Monday, November 16
AND
Tuesday November 17
I spent both evenings here in this building.
Monday, I came for a tour. This is our church's new building but we haven't held a worship service here yet. That will come on December 6.
Open House was Monday.
Tuesday, I came back for an interview with the area pastor. See blog post November 17.

These are my birthday present from Fred!
New Cowboy boots.
He took me shopping last Saturday.
I am showing them off to my mom!

Wednesday, November 18
My mom came to pamper me on my birthday.
This is when she was on her way up to bed. Rusty is talking to her.

Thursday, November 19
My mom and daughter woke me up at 4:45 a.m. (I usually wake at 5:00) with a
birthday cake and presents.
My hubby was out of town.

This is Rebecca at my 5 a.m. birthday party!

When I got to work, my desk was decorated.
I also had a tiera that I wore all day.
It said, "Cycle Queen"
because they all know how diligent I am attending my cycle classes.

Friday, November 20
The family took me to eat dinner. This is while we were waiting.
Joining us is Aaron's new girlfriend, Sofi.
We really enjoyed spending time getting to know her.

Aaron took this photo with his phone.
He is doing a 365 project also!
It's a family affair.

Saturday, November 21
My friend, Marla, turned 40 this week!
We took her out to celebrate her birthday.
This is the beginning of a very fun night!
Dinner, Limo ride, and dancing the night away!

Sunday, November 22
Dallas Cowboys won....whew!
It was a horrible game, but I watched it!
It was during this game that I started to feel puny.
Went to bed right after this and wasn't back to normal until today!
So...that was my week in photos!
What a wonderful birthday!
What a wonderful week!

This week will be fun...
Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Fun, Fabulous, Fantastic, and Friday!

Thank goodness it's Friday!
Every week, Friday gets here and I think to myself,
"I am so glad that it's Friday.
I might be happier that it is Friday this week then I ever have been."
Then,
I realize,
I thought the same thing last week.
:)
1. We need _God. After that, He gives us everything we need!_

2. _My mom and my daughter woke me up with a lit birthday cake, "Happy Birthday song" at 4:55 a.m. yesterday_ and it made me smile.

3. If you want to _eat whatever you want, you need to exercise to keep a healthy body._

4. _I want to take a nap_ because _it's cold and rainy outside._

5. Massachusetts has a proposed 5% sales tax on elective cosmetic surgery; I think _it doesn't matter much to me...I hope to never live there. (it is TOO cold)_

6. _Having my family all home_ makes for a happy holiday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _dinner with my family and meeting my son's new girlfriend-this time as his girlfriend, tomorrow my plans include _well...that's a suprise...I better not say (a suprise birthday party for a friend...sshhhhhh!!!!!)_ and Sunday, I want to _go to worship services, and see a movie!_

Happy, Happy Weekend!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Even in the Small Stuff

Today, I met with one of the pastors at my church. The reason for the meeting was so that my area pastor could get to know me a little better, get an idea of where I am spiritually, and then give the go ahead - or not - for me to become a small group leader.

We discussed the obvious; my spiritual gifts and why I felt that leading a small group was something God was leading me to do. We also discussed my church background, the good, the bad, and the ugly, why I dropped out of ministry for almost 4 years, and even the spiritual health of my family members. My application was 6 pages long and we went over that too.

What it boiled down to, was God had asked me to do this, and even though I knew He had gifted me in such a way that I felt prepared (enough), I know that only with God...only because of God...and only to glorify God is how and why.

So, as I was leaving the meeting, there was some "parenting of teen" drama going on at home.
And my job, well, my job feels like just a job. And I started to think, how is it that I can do "ministry" for the glory of Him, but I struggle to parent for His glory and even more difficult, I find it extremely hard to work in my job to His glory? Ministry - the purpose is easy to identify. I know that His call on my life in this area is to honor Him. When it comes to parenting, sometimes I fool myself into thinking that I can do it - alone. That I am the one who will get the honor if things turn out right with my kids. And at work, well, I work for the doctors. My work is for the benefit of the practice and to keep the patients well.

But, that is not true. Did God just not remind me over and over a few weeks ago that the cause of all I do is Him? Everything I do, and I mean EVERYTHING I do, should be done for His glory. Not just where He asks me to serve in ministry. But in all things.

I think it is just as hard (sometime harder?) to honor Him in the small, mundane, and humble things in life as it is to honor Him in the big "callings."

Please, God, I pray that when I teach my child, I speak to my husband, or even if I am speaking to a patient that doesn't understand his bill, that I will bring you glory. Just you.

Whatever I do, do it for the glory of God!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Did I Really Say That?

Yep...I said it.

I told my friend that I would participate in a triathlon with her next April.

Training...here I come!
Serious training.

The cycle thing is good because I am already cycling about 40 miles per week.

I have run a 5k before, think I can do it again.

But the swimming?

Not too sure about this one! But I will be getting in the water and giving it a shot.

I have 5 months to get ready!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Project 365 Week 26

Another week has now passed and that means another week of photos!
I did not forget any photographs this week!
So, here we go, my week in photographs...
Monday, November 9
Our friend, Jim, is a pilot for Airtran. Every now and then he gets to Dallas and his
lay-over is long enough for us to visit with him.
Monday, he was here so Fred and I met up with him at his hotel.


Tuesday, November 10
I rarely wear dresses anymore, but I did on Tuesday and Rebecca took a picture of me.

Wednesday, November 11
You can find me here several times a week, but my favorite is Wednesday.
I take a couple of different cycle classes during the week, but Wednesday is the one I like
the best. The instructor, Randy, works us really hard!
What's funny is, I have been coming to this gym for almost two years and never noticed the
Star of Texas on this sign!

Thursday, November 12
It was really foggy this morning when I was driving to work.
This is at a stop sign on the road I take to get on the Highway.

Friday, November 13
Lucky day for me!
The Pampered Chef that I ordered arrived! Yay!
I had a "book party" which means I asked my friends to order with me so that I could get the hostess gifts and discounts. We all got a lot of good stuff!

Saturday, November 14
Too many pictures from this day, so there is an entire post with more of these below!
But, here are a couple more of my favorites of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium!
Above is a photo of outside the stands, in the entry/lobby area from the main entrance.
This is about on the third level. Texas Rangers Stadium is directly behind me.
(see below)

Here is one of the Party rooms. Look at the lights! They are shaped like footballs!

This place is so cool!

Sunday, November 15
Grocery shopping today resulted in a beautiful bouquet of fall flowers.
My birthday is this week, so I bought them to celebrate!

Have a wonderful week!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Our Day At Dallas Cowboys Stadium

What a fun day!
FMHS went to the District Playoffs
and they were held at the new
Dallas Cowboys Stadium!
Here are a few highlights from our day!
(too bad winning the game was not one of them...but oh well!)

Me and my hubby's best friend...walking in!
Do we look excited??

It was SO cool to see our Jaguar placed on the Cowboys field!
Our football players run through this big blow up thing to enter the field at all games.

Here is our baby girl, playing her flute at the game!

And here is our best friend's son getting ready to play his tuba.
Steven is a Senior this year - how fun for him to get to come to the new stadium!

Rebecca's boyfriend and his trumpet...just getting ready to play!


Our Jaguar Marching Band on the field.
And the gigantic and famous television screen.
This screen is in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Touchdown by the Jaguars on the Big Screen!

Isn't she sweet?
The cutest fan in the stands!

Me and my hubby, Fred, in the stands!


Fred and Dan waiting for me to catch up.
I was on a photo taking frenzy!