Morning Prayer

Glorious God, source of joy and righteousness, enable us as redeemed and forgiven children evermore to rejoice in singing your praises. Grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts we may practice in our lives; so that being doers of the Word and not hearers only, we may receive everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Elmer is a Dragasaur!

One day several weeks ago my day started off really bad.  I will not get into it here, as it has been resolved.  I walked into one of my bosses (I currently have 3) office, and told her that I was leaving and when I returned could she please pretend that it was 8:30.  I needed to start my day again.

Digging through her desk drawers she came up with two options to keep me there.  One a mini bottle of Jack Daniels.  Only to be used in extreme emergencies, and she thought that this situation qualified.  The second option was a McDonald's Happy Meal toy.  I took the second option, after all I was expected to stay AND work.  A little JD would not have been helpful.  The office administrator, Stephanie, offered her 20 multi colered sharpies, and I got to work. 

Elmer was born.  (His name was also supplied by Stephanie.) 

Elmer has been on many adventrues with me.  People do sometimes think its a little weird when I pull out this little plastic toy, but I think its fun and funny in a little bit of an off sort of way.  Really I blame one of my college roommates (Mary) for making me this way.

Here are the latest adventures of Elmer.

Creamy Jalapeno Dip

A friend gave me the basics for the recipie, and here is how I made it.

One big container of cottage cheese.  One medium container of sour cream.  One packet of Ranch Dressing mix. One bunch of cilantro (stems and all).  Two jalapenos (I removed the seeds, and my dip is not spicy, just flavored).  Dump in the blunder and hit liquify.

Easy.  Do it!

Ch-ch-ch Changes

What a week it has been. The past 7 days have been filled with to the brim with changes. “My cup runneth over” takes on a whole new meaning for me. My cup is running over, and I can’t find the turn off valve, and I don’t have enough towels to soak everything up! I have had no choice, but to wade around in it.
     Last Tuesday marked the last morning I woke up in my old home. It marked the last time I got ready in my old bathroom. I really liked the duplex. It was our first home that we lived in only as married people. It was the first home that Dotty knew us and our family together. It was a good place for James and I to be together, and in our own space all at the same time.
     Last Wednesday, the JorMats (pictured) left the state and the lower 48. They started their world adventure. You can read about their adventure on Eva’s blog. I suggest starting on the 1st page. It explains why it’s called The Long Way to Kansas. (I came up with the name.)
     Last Thursday and Friday were days to get all the odds and ends into boxes to get ready for Saturday.
Saturday was moving day! 7:45 the door bell rang and in an instant (actually 1.5 hours) all of our worldly possessions were in a truck and on the move. I am so glad that we hired movers. I think we would still be moving (instead of still unpacking) if it wouldn’t have been for them. Saturday night James had a back spasm, so he was down for Sunday cleaning!
     Sunday I spent 6 hours and two trips to get the last of our stuff & dirt out of 6201 Parkwood Drive. I could have used the help, but I did have a good time. Here’s why. I had time to think and meditate. During my cleaning I was sort of in prayer. Prayer for the next steps in my life, and in our life. Prayer for the JorMats that they are safe and careful, and full of adventure and that they come back to me. Prayer for the new family that will live where we have lived and grown for the past three years. I was tired yesterday morning when I got up, but I am home. (Home, home on the range, where the dogs and the kitty cats play. Home, home on the range…)
     It isn’t as strange as you'd think to be renting your parents house. As a kid I only lived here for 3 months (the summer before I went to school in San Angelo), so this has really never been my home. I have visited a lot over the past 12 years, but with addition of my furniture and things it looks like my home now. Slowly, I will feel more and more like home here.
     I am on an adventure too. James and I have goals too. James and I are striving for adventures that will keep us here for now, but may take us away. I am proud of my family. I am proud that we are all in it for each other.

A Multi-Faceted Jewel

Two weeks ago I was present to witness 7 young people confirm their baptism.  One of my students was even baptized!  Over the past 9 months I had the honor to teach 7 sixth graders  about the United Methodist Church, about  what it means to be a child of God, and how important it is to go into the world to do Christ’s work.

I was so proud to stand up in front of our congregation to tell them that these 7 students were going to be the newest members of our congregation.  I feel so confident that they will be a shining example of Christ’s hands and feet in the world.

This is the second class of students I have shepparded through the confirmation process.  I plan on another journey again this coming September.  I can’t wait. I hope to grow in my faith in the same exponential rate that I have in the past year and half through the past two classes. 

I often am finding myself searching for a mission. I know that my mission is multi faceted.  What I don’t know is how many facets this jewel will have.  I know that the ministry that I have found is one major part of what will define me in my life in the season that I am in right now. 

Is Austin in Texas or in Pennsylvania?

I have been friends with Jennifer since 1981. Since I was born in 1980 that is pretty much my whole life. Jennifer recently had a baby. Jennifer and her husband now live in State College, PA. Both sets of grandparents still live in the Austin area, and when it was time for Austin to be born, Jennifer's mom brought some Texas dirt to place under the hospital bed, so that Austin would be born over Texas soil. I love it! That was about 9 months ago. 

Just this past month Jennifer and Andrew came to Austin (Texas that is) to have Austin baptized. My mom and I were invited to go, and we really had a great time. Not only did we get to see them, but it was a celebration of Jennifer and Andrew's new family. Thanks for letting us be a part of it! Here are some pictures of the fun time that we had.

Where Have You Been?

So, I have been MIA for awhile.  There has been a lot going on, and I hope to share it all with you in the next few posts. 

The good news that I would like to share is that I have gotten a job.  I am working for the same company that I worked for about two and a half years ago.  I am doing the same job I did when I left this company.  Some may say that it is not a step forward, but I think that this opportunity is going to allow me to do what I really have been called to do.  Teach. 

Since September I have been the Volunteer Confirmation Cooridnator for my church.  More on what that really means soon, but essentially I have been teaching sixth grade Sunday school.  I really love the age group, and I don’t think I would mind teaching them in school too.  I really love math, so the connection is made. 

My plan is to work, and get some undergraduate math classes on my transcript, and go through emergency certification.  The plan has been a moving target for a couple of years, so I hope the target stays still for awhile. 

So, know you know the reason I have been absent.  I have a lot to share with you, and I can’t wait for the next post.