Come To The Well

This morning Megan's boyfriend, Thad, was singing his first solo at their church.  He was a little nervous to say the least.  At my church on Friday night we had a movie night with a showing of "Courageous".  which if you have not seen it..go now and buy it, rent it, borrow it...it is an amazing movie that left me challenged as a parent and grandparent to step up my walk with God.  Plus, I cried my eyes out!!!  So good.  But anyway, I told Thad that I was coming Sunday morning to hear him sing.  I skipped teaching my Sunday School lesson for a greater thing I think.  I went to support Megan's boyfriend but I was blessed beyond measure.  No, Thad won't win American Idol or get a recording contract but what he did do was place a smile on the face of God.  As he was singing his heart out and playing his guitar I watched person and after person go forward.  They came to the well you might say.  I videoed with my phone so that a few others could hear him from my own church.  People that truly love this boy.  Thad has come a long way in his walk with God and I am so proud of him.  When I got to my ladies this morning in my Sunday School room I told them all about him singing and what a great job he did.  I am so glad I went.  God uses all His children in a multitude of ways.  Through songs, written words, acts of kindness, all kinds of methods.  I watched God use a young man today minister to a congregation of people that just needed a drink from the well that never goes dry.

Reason # 872

There are many reasons why I totally hate Walmart.  Sorry, to those who love the store and a bigger question...WHY???  Saturday night I ate dinner at my daughter's house.  I left at 7 p.m. and told my girls that I had to stop at Walmart for a few things and then I would be going on home.  I just needed a few grocery items and some Advil.  When I pulled in it was surprisingly empty.  Shocker!!  Saturday night at 7:00...where was everyone??  I tooled around the store and picked up about 25 things.  No crowds, no screaming children, no children running around unsupervised terrorizing patrons, no stock being put up...weird???  I went to a check out lane and there 3...THREE mind you...that were empty.  A-MA-ZING to say the least.  I was getting excited.  To back up the story a few aisles, I bought three 2 litre drinks.  This is something I never do because   A.)  We don't drink soft drinks.   B.)  They always go flat.  C.)  They take up to much room in the fridge.  But I did buy 3 because I was having my kids over for Sunday lunch and I was too lazy to make a new gallon of tea.  Now, back to the check out line.  The young man (he was really sweet, too) that rang me up was talking away to me.  How was your day ma'am?  Is it still raining Ma'am?   On and on and on...  When he reached for the Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper, which I was going to partake of, and he knocked it over.  To the floor.  Where it proceeded to explode and also implode.  It sounded like a bomb went off on aisle 13.  (Yes, 13) The entire bottle completely shattered.  Little pieces of plastic were everywhere. I just stood there with my debit card ready to swipe...dripping with sticky, red Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper.  My mouth hung wide open.  Of course it was a total accident and the checkout boy was horrified and kept saying how sorry he was.  They had to shut down 3 lanes to clean this huge mess up.  The reason I dislike Walmart so strongly is this... The customers behind me went nuts.  She started screaming, "Oh my Gosh!  Looky y'all it's Cheerwine!  It's Cheerwine!"   Like she just had a celebrity sighting in Winston-Salem, NC.  Only she pronounced it "Chair-whine".  For some (stupid) reason I felt the pressing need to tell this woman that, "No ma'am, it isn't Cheerwine but Dr. Pepper."  I forgot to say diet and cherry but I was a little beside myself.  She corrected me by saying, "Nuh-uh, it ain't.  It's red and that means Chair-whine."  To make a long and soggy story short (ha-ha) I did not get offered to get another Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper by Walmart, nor did they offer me a towel, nor did they help me in any way whatsoever.  I even had to ask for a papertowel to sop out my shoes!!!  And this people, is reason #872 of why I hate Walmart.

Somthing I've quit doing...

This whole downhill side to midlife is harrowing to say the least.  Menopause aside...I have quit doing something.  Sleeping.  I never sleep through a night anymore.  Never.  Ever.  It is not insomnia.  Because I can fall asleep and stay asleep and take a nap and all the things that kitty cat around sleep.  I just can't make it in long stretches.  I got up Friday morning at ...ready for this...2:11 in the morning people.  Morning.  Awake for the day.  I would love to say that I make all this extra time productive.  But I don't.  I got up this morning at around 5'ish.  It is Saturday for Pete's sake.  I have cut out coffee after lunch.  It is my only caffeine intake.  I am sipping on a heavenly cup right now.  With all this sleep-lack I am having I have have found out a few things.  I am tired...all the time.  I am irritable.  I am weepy over the dopiest things.  I have a very short fuse.  I don't like this.  These feelings and emotions are not fun or are they productive.  I thought at first this was all part of menopause.  But now I think it is that plus old fashioned stress mixed in the pile.  The past few years have been rough on me.  Very rough.  I like to huddle all my problems up under me like a big chicken but I am thinking this mama hen needs to fluff her feathers out and shake a few things out of my nest.  Not people mind you but things.  Issues that do not matter.  For one, the stresses with my job.  I am just going to start doing my job at work and let all else fall by the wayside.  Second, the things I cannot change about people.  I want so badly for others to care as deeply as I do about things and people.  they don't and I can't make them.  My friend Tracy likens this to tending her own garden.  She and I could run a small commune of gardens.  Gardens we would get to run!!!  We are movers and shakers..us two.  But I (and she) have both found out that this world does not care for this kind of thing.  Too bad, we are pretty good at it.  I need to concentrate on my own family of daughters, parents, grand daughters, close friends and take care of them.  Not take over their lives but be there for them way more than I am and have been.  I am spread too thin and it shows.  Taking off these burdens is going to be hard.  Handing them over to God will be even harder.  I do not like that.  Awful to say but honest.  I am an Israelite at heart and I long to return to Egypt.  Freedom in Christ is not an easy road.  Captivity and bondage are the easy paths that we Christians really like.  I think maybe God has me waking up to spend time with Him that at this season of my life I desperately need.  To listen and be still and to allow Him to sing over me.  To really rest....in Him.

Touching Lives

In the Sunday School class, that I am priviledged to teach each week, we started a new book.  I am working through Angie Smith's "What Women Fear".  I loved this book and I think that my ladies will too.  Yesterday we went over chapter one.  It deals with the fear of What If...  What if God doesn't hear me... What if God doesn't care???  The list is endless.  One of my sweet girls is plagued with worry.  She looked at me yesterday with tears in her eyes and said this is an awesome book.  Already, after just one week, her life has been touched.  The Biblical character associated with this week was Hagar.  I love her and cannot wait to meet her in heaven someday.  Her paralyzing fear embraced her like iron.  She lay folded up in grief watching her son die from a distance.  When God opened her eyes to see the well that had been there all along.  How my own heart resonated with Hagar.  How many times in my life have I been paralyzed with fear (or anger, or despair or...you fill in the blank)  that I have not seen the well God has right in front of my eyes?  I am just so glad my ladies responded to doing a more book like discussion instead of a typical Sunda School lesson.  The lives that are and will be touched over the next few weeks will be amazing and so freeing.  That is my prayer.

Half-Way

 

This go around I have not taken a weekly picture of Erica.  Mostly because she is super-duper reluctant.  And also she has been really sick this time and just hasn't felt good at all.  I am thinking that is finally passing.  She has really blossomed in the last week and a half.  She is officially 20 weeks so she is half way there!!  Their little girl is now a cantaloupe.  I love cantaloupes.  I wish I had a really good and ripe one right now.  It won't be long before this little chickie makes her appearance.  We are all very excited and can't wait to meet her.  I know her mommy and daddy are excited.  When you ask Piper if she wants a baby sister she says, "No??"  Even though she doesn't have a clue her mommy is having another baby I think she will be thrilled with a baby.  She loves dolls and really likes to be around other little children.  Keep praying for Erica...that the rest of her pregnancy goes well and that God puts things in place for her and her family with all the changes coming.

                                                            Erica and her little "cantaloupe"!

Sorry!..It is just too funny!!

When I was young my family always watched The Carol Burnett Show on Saturday nights.  It was the funniest thing ever to us.  I was goofing off today watching old clips on youtube and I thought y'all might need a laugh too.

Enjoy Eunice and her fabulous "Family"

A couple of things....

The last few days have been such a blur.  Let me update you on a few things.  I changed up my blog site and got all the Christmas music off.  I finally got all my Christmas decorations down but I am still working on putting things back out around my home.  I did my first weigh-in this morning and I was down 2.5 pounds!!  Woo-Hoo!!  School is back in session and off to a thrilling new year start.  Not.  I know jobs are hard to come by and I am grateful that I have a job but if I am totally, totally honest.  I really do not like my job anymore.  I really don't.  But until something better or an idea that pops in my head that would actually work as a self-owned business.  I am sorta stuck.  I have to have benefits and being a single woman I am relying on just old me to hold down this fort. 

So much is going on around me though.  Yesterday our Assistant Pastor and his wife had their 50th anniversary party at church and I took some photos for them.  It was so sweet.  I got to talk to a dear friend that came by and realized how much I had missed talking to her.  She is helping out a friend of hers that is dying with cancer right now unless God intervenes (and He could) and I could just tell that it is breaking her heart.  You know the look in someones eyes when there is a sadness that is just way down deep.  I got to talk to a couple of young and beautiful girls.  One is engaged and is so excited about her upcoming wedding.  The other beauty is hoping for a ring soon.  She has waited a while for one from this young man and it is time.  Some young men are just gun-shy I suppose but I think there is no time like the present and this young lady is ready, ready, READY!  Hopefully it won't be too long until she is official!
We had a special speaker at church.  He is a born again Jewish man and he was fascinating to listen about what it is like to be Jewish and accept Christ.  Amazing stuff. 

Tomorrow is my sisters' birthday.  We will be the same age for the next six weeks.  My mama and daddy didn't waste any time with having babies!!  I am cooking dinner tonight for my girls.  Blake is on third shift this week so I get to spend a little more time with all three of my girls.  I like that.  I like that...alot.

We are welcoming....

We are welcoming to our family come this June....a Girl!!  I am just thrilled and so is everyone else.  Blake and Erica were both really happy with another girl.  She looks perfect on the sonogram.  I think she even waved at me!!  I cannot express how grateful I am for this sweet little blessing.  I already love her to pieces!

Starting Out

With a new year starting out I have begun a new exercise regime.  I am working out every day.  I mean it!  I did Pilate's and a lower body workout this morning.  I get up super early so I plan on doing it when I get up each morning.  I also started back on Weight Watchers today.  I have slowly watched my weight creep up for the last year or so and I don't like how all my clothes are too tight.  So, I know what to do and I am doing it.  Megan is jumping on the wagon and so is Blake.  Supporters are so needed in any weight loss goal.  I have a couple of new addictions though....Pinterest is the main one.  If you have never been on Pinterest  Puh-leeeese, Get On It!!!  It is the best idea board I have ever seen in my life.  I have checked so many things that I love and plan to do it is unreal.  The wedding ideas alone are crazy good.  Also, my sweet baby Piper was "baby of the day" one day last month so that makes my family practically famous.  I am also addicted to the tv show "Chopped" on the food network.  I have never watched it before and Blake and Erica said it was so good.  I tried it one night and what do you know???  I loved it and now I cannot get enough.  The pressure is mindblowing.  I would probably burst into tears if I was a contestant.  I consider myself a pretty good cook but these people are amazing with the ingredients that are tossed in their baskets.  I have also (insert back pat here) cleaned out several areas of my house and thrown stuff away.  As in the trash that got picked up today.  My daughters say that I am de-hoarding.  Whatever,  I just like to hold onto good stuff.  But I have cleaned like a madwoman over this Christmas break and it does feel pretty good to have so many things accomplished.  School starts back tomorrow so I am glad to have all that stuff behind me.  Also, tomorrow we find out what my new grand baby is going to be!!!!!  Everything about this pregnancy has been so different for Erica.  I can't wait to find out what it is going to be so we can get some planning done.  If it is a girl she will be covered for the most part but if it is a boy....lookout!  We have not had a boy born in my family in forever so he will need major stuff.  Going back to work tomorrow I felt a little depressed and discouraged so I went to town for a bit today.  On my way home I stopped at Walmart and needless to say I feel so much better about myself.  Honestly, I just don't get wearing my pajamas out of my house and to a store???  I mean, really??