It Just Is

Itinerant. Traveling from place to place. Covering a circuit.

I am a woman, a daughter, a wife, a friend, a leader, and a United Methodist Christian.  I am all of those things at the same time.  I try to cover my circuit with grace.  I love being a part of a denomination that celebrates all the roles that I have.  I love that I am encouraged to be a better woman, a better daughter, a better wife, of course a better christian, and a better leader.  All of these roles allow me to part of the definition of my congregation.

When you refer to a place, how do you do it?  That church on the corner of 2222 & Burnet Road is Heather's church?  The pumpkin church is John & Betty's church?  The church between HEB & Lamar middle school is Valarie's church?  These are all accurate definitions of the church that is my home.

In the United Methodist Church pastors are moved around.  I have heard that being a United Methodist pastor is like being a member of the military.  Once you answer the call to ordained ministry you serve at the direction of the Bishop.  What does that mean?  It means you go where you are told to go.

My husband grew up in a tradition that hired new pastors via application, so the way United Methodists get a new pastor is foreign.   In the UMC all the churches are connected and pastors are appointed by the bishop, as noted above.  This is not to say that congregations do not get some say in who they are pastored by, but change in pastorial leadership is inevitable when you are a United Methodist.

Today, I learned who I will be pastored by for the next season.  This will be the 5th pastor that I have had in the last 18 years.  I have been a member of the same church during these past 18 years.  When change comes about there is uncertainty in the unknown.

I have had a lot of uncertainty in the past few months, so what is something more?  I am sad that David will no longer be my pastor, but I am glad that he will still be my friend.  I am unsure about the future with Paul, but I am excited for the new perspective.

I hope that Paul & Elizabeth will be happy to be a part of the definition of St.John's United Methodist Church. They have subscribed to itinerantcy, and thus the rest of us United Methodists have as well.  This is not the first time I have thought of this concept, but good or bad; it just is.

If we all stay pretty & smart we should be good.

Don't Throw Objects In the Water for Your Pet to Retreive

This past weekend we went to Brazos Bend State Park.  We loved it so much that we are going to go back in mid April.  I am really excited to be able to spend an extended period in this park.  We are planning on camping for three nights.

Here are some fun things to know about this Texas Gem.  This park is a stop over for many migrating birds.  Brazos Bend is a major attraction for serious bird watchers.  There were two women that pointed out several birds to us, and let us use their binoculars.  Their equipment was as nice and as expensive as James' new love (the Nikon).    Brazos Bend is perfectly positioned at the intersection of five different ecosystems.  I have never seen such variety of flora and fauna.

There were alligators.  If we didn't know this fact before we went we sure knew it once we got there.  Everywhere we saw signs that said "CAUTION! Live Alligators."   

This video is of a male alligator bellowing to females.  We almost peed our pants when this big guy started up.

On the map of the park there are some etiquette tips that one must adhere to when dealing with the Great American Alligator.  One in particular made me laugh:  Don't throw objects into the water for your pet to retrieve.  Do they really need to tell people this?!

Today is The Nephew's Birthday!

The Nephew turns 6 today.  

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Nephew!

Do You Know How To...?

There are instructions on how to do something every where.  Don't know how to wash that shirt you're wearing?  Well, you have a few options.  First on most washing machines there are instructions on the lid.  Select the amount of water you want in the wash tub, select the temperature of the water, select the cycle. There is even a fabric guide.  Washing machine doesn't have the instructions?  Look on the label!  The label will even tell you how to iron it.
The point here is that there are instructions everywhere.  Anything that you need to do, there are instructions on it.  If you don't believe me then just google how to do something.  More than likely you will be flooded with pages upon pages of how to do X. 
I have been busy looking for a full time job.  There are a lot of instructions on how to look for a job.  Do the instructions give you the right information?  I hate to say it, but I have never gone this long without the next opportunity, and it has only been three weeks.
Unlike washing that shirt the instructions on the job search are not clear & direct.  I like clear & direct. I am not getting clear & direct.
In the next few weeks I will be working on making my daily goals clear & direct.  I think that if I keep one part of this adventure clear & direct I will better handle the 1,000,000 + instructions on how to look for a job.

Muriel England

This past Sunday I had the honor of attending a memorial service for a long time member of my church.  Muriel was 91 when she passed away last Thursday. I can't remember when I first met Muriel, but I have a lot of memories.  One of her daughter's was the first person to know that James and I were going to be engaged. We ran into Susie while ring shopping.

Muriel had a granddaughter that lived in San Angelo, where I went to college.  Every time I came home from school I would see Muriel, and she would tell me that Valerie was waiting for my call.  I never called.  On Sunday I heard Valerie's husband, Neil, speak about Muriel (or Gigi as she was known), how much she was really loved by her whole family.  I finally introduced myself to them, and I wish that I would have called them way back when.

A few years Muriel moved to Sherman, Texas to be close to another one of her daughters.  I hope she knows that she was missed.  I hope that she knows that she is missed still.

Muriel, you are still Pretty & Smart in my book.

Crafty

Many of you know that I am crafty.  I once held the title of "Craft Queen" at Camp Champions. I know the store layouts Hobby Lobby & Micheal's. (By the way there are several layouts for each chain, and I am familiar with many of them.)  I recently had to re-organize my craft corner.  Crafts take up a lot of room.  One day when I get to design my own home there will be a room just for crafts.  But, I digress.

At the beginning of last fall (as we were waiting for our severance checks) all of us were getting crafty at finding things to do, so we got crafty.  Chantel started to crochet.  I knew how at one time, so I decided to see if it was still in me.  It was, so I started to crochet too.  It seemed like we had dueling crochet needles.  I know that I saw Chantel crochet at least 15 scarves.  (I am lucky to have one of them!) 

A few weekends ago I went to an all girls party.  There were no boys allowed.  The plan:  Learn how to knit.

The muscle memory is way different, and I feel like a foal learning to get her legs under her.  In this case getting my hands around the needles.  I think I have it down. 

Chantel is on the Praireland Tour, and won't be in Austin for another two weeks!  When she gets back I plan on teaching her how to knit too! Let the countdown begin! .......Knit 2....Purl 2....Knit 2...Purl 2...

I Am Going to Let You Down

So, it turns out that the Oscars were a lot closer than I had anticipated.  To be able to watch all of the movies on the list would have been a major undertaking!   I hope that you will be able to watch the Academy Awards on Sunday.  They are on ABC.  I can't wait.  I hope The Hurtlocker wins.  I really, really, really liked it!

Sorry to let you all down.  Pretty & Smart doesn't mean perfect.

900 + 1 to grow on

Saturday morning my do bell rang.  I opened the door to a box.  A birthday box!  The PaVa's sent me a box full of all kinds of goodies.  At first glance I thought it was party supplies.  There were leis, and party horns.  I dug a little deeper.  Buttons?  Paper clips?

Turns out it was a box of 30 bags full of 30 items plus one to grow on.  I am still laughing, and I hope that it brings a smile for a long time to come.

Here are all of the items laid out together.

30 birthday pencils, 30 bouncing balls, 30 popsicle sticks, 30 rubber bands, 30 paper clips, 30 buttons, 30 rings, 30 rings (there were two different types), 30 leis, 30 party horns, 30 shot glasses, 30 candy bars, 30 kisses, 30 poker chips, 30 pennies, 30 nickles, 30 dimes, 30 quarters, 30 tootsie pops, 30 tootsie rolls, 30 jelly bracelets, 30 drink umbrellas, 30 birthday candles, 30 lips (they're a noise maker too!), 30 stencils, 30 jelly snakes, 30 prisms, 30 whistles, 30 bugs, 30 balloons.

That's 900 items!  The one to grow on?  A pink flamingo.

Thanks Dad & Joan!  The two of you are Pretty & Smart!

Its a New Year

There are many ways to welcome in the new year. There is the traditional and standard way on January 1st--also called the Gregorian Calendar.  It works, and gets everyone on the same page. 

Did you know the Chinese New Year just happened the same day as St. Valentine's Day?  We are now in the year of the Tiger.  There are 12 animals assigned to each year.  The animals cycle, so someone that is 12 years older than you has the same animal sign.  Last year was the year of the Ox.  James is an Ox. Next year will the the year of the Rabbit.  I am a Monkey. 

I had lunch in a Chinese food restaurant last week, and the place mats had the personality traits of people born in those years.  If you have an opportunity you should look up the year that you were born and your assigned animal.  Do the traits fit?  For James & me they fit us almost exactly.  There was just one trait per sign that was the exact opposite of how we behave.

Today is my 30th birthday.  I am starting my New Year today.  Today's date is 30/1 (just for me & my birthday twins- of course)  The last day of my year will be dated 30/365. 
As with any New Year the question of what I am going to be resolute to do or be is forefront in my mind.  Can I make New Year's Resolutions today?  (Yes, of course you can-- you are, after all, pretty AND smart!)

Resolution 1:  Don't yell.  I was once told that if I had a super power it would be my voice.  I could yell or scream you into submission. Certain members of my household have let me know that this is not my best attribute.
Resolution 2:  Be patient with my husband.  He is an Ox, and if you read the description you know that can be a mixed bag.
Resolution 3:  Call my dad at least once a week. I am a grown up now, and its really not important to keep the number of initial phone calls equal. 
Resolution 4:   Be mindful of others. I love to gossip!  Enough said.
Resolution 5:   Be mindful of and for myself.  There is a lot to do this year.  This list is long, and I have to keep up my strength, physically & mentally.

When does your New Year begin?  Are you going to resolve to anything new?