Sunday, August 24, 2008

Pretend I have a creative title ~

I wish I had a creative title, but creativity isn't one of my gifts or talents, so let's pretend it's creative.
I don't even know where to begin a post about the weekend. The conference was phenomenal. Wait, I don't want to start there. I want to start with the peeps God put in my path this weekend. On my flight were some ladies (Siestas!) from Birmingham. It was nice to have someone to walk and talk with during our layover. (We also shared the flights back!) We rode the shuttle to our respective hotels and met a couple of other ladies too who were going to the conference. One of them didn't blog, but she had met Beth Moore when Beth stayed in her FL house! How cool!
On Saturday, a couple of Siestas were in the hotel lobby and we caught a taxi to the Dome together. After the Fiesta, we ran into each other and they invited me to go eat some really good Mexican food with them! Thank you, Deb & Heather, for inviting me and listening to me babble. (I pretty much chattered the whole time we were together - the downside to my being by myself for too long.)
There were two sweet women who I sat with on Friday and Saturday, D'Ann and Holly. We didn't have a whole lot of time to chat, but I could just tell they were nothing short of precious. They made sure I was loved on during the conference! Thank you, ladies, for making sure I had someone to sit with and for showing me love!
We were split into groups for group pictures with Beth, Amanda & Melissa. Can I just tell you that they are all so tiny??? Size 0 maybe? I got to hug Beth & Amanda! I was telling my daughter that they knew my name, and she said "Were you wearing a name tag?" *sigh* I had already come to that conclusion, but I was trying to think they knew my name because of my witty and snazzy comments on the blogs. Oh darn, who am I kidding? I'm going to keep on thinking it's because of my wit!
The Siesta fiesta was fun. It was neat to put some real faces to some of the blog names AND I just loved seeing Amanda & Melissa interact with each other and their momma! After hearing so much about them through the various studies I have done, it was just neat to see it first hand. I could so picture Melissa saying to her mom, "Are you going to boss me today?" tee hee hee
Beth said "peeps" during the conference and said Melissa told her she should never say that again! I loved it (the fact that she said peeps).
The conference was out of this world. When Travis started the worship music, I started crying. I was so overwhelmed with all the beautiful voices worshipping at the same time. We had a song that we sang a Capella and none of the praise team was singing, and I thought that the sound was so sweet that it must be the sound God hears when we sing His praises. Ummm ummm mmmm.
I didn't get to see a whole bunch of San Antonio AND I missed the PJ party! I was so tired when I got back to my room last night and I was sinusy feeling that I fell asleep! I think all the non-sleep of the last month and the past couple of days just caught up with me.
Oh, the topic of the conference was about inheritance and how I'm an heiress of God! Yahoo-Jah!
I have to get ready for my first day of work :-)! Mary, you're the only commenter (and probably reader), so I hope you've enjoyed a tiny recap. Oh, I forgot my darn camera!!



For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Mobile blogging test

Testing mobile blog function to get ready for this weekend and potential blogging opportunities!

(It worked!)

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Weekend in and around Savannah, GA

My husband is in the Army, and he's stationed in Louisville, KY. When we met and married, he was a recruiter with the AL National Guard, and he wasn't supposed to be leaving. However, as is life, this ideal work scenario didn't work out. Hubby deployed to Kuwait and then became part of the active Army. Since January 2, he's been stationed in Texas and Kentucky. Since he's been stationed in KY, he's gone to Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Georgia! He's done more traveling than staying in KY, which is one of the reasons we aren't living together. Anyway, he's currently at Ft. Stewart, which is outside of Savannah, GA for the next 3 months.

Because of work schedule, he isn't going to be able to come home very often, plus he doesn't his car which will make it hard for him to get home…I don't have a lot going on right now *cough* and I thought it would be a good time to take a road trip! Friday, after the girls got off to school and I dropped Maggie off at the vet for the weekend, I headed on to Savannah. From Birmingham to Macon, I had all sorts of things to look out and signs to read. However, from Macon to the Base, there was NOTHING to keep me amused. It seemed to take longer for that part of the trip than the 5 hours it had taken to get to Macon! I did have a book on tape (Teacher Man by Frank McCourt – very good!), which helped pass the time.

I had good timing because hubby got done with work about the time I was passing through the Base! I picked him up and we headed to his temporary home quarters. Oh me oh my…his quarter is a tiny hotel room with 2 beds and mold on the ceiling! One of the chairs had so many stains on it, neither of us would sit in it. He's going to be in there until November and there is a chance he'll have a roommate! Holy smokes!! I certainly hope that doesn't happen. I mean, I love the man with all that I have and I wouldn't want to share that space with him for 3 months!!!

We went to Savannah last night and got a nice hotel room in South Savannah. Oh the bed and pillows were heavenly and everything was so clean! There was even a coffee pot J. We went to downtown Savannah and took a horse carriage tour around town. I've always wanted to do that – it looks so romantic. (You aren't really expecting the smells of the horse and those aren't romantic.) We took a private tour at a public tour price *score*! We saw where Forrest Gump sat waiting to take the bus to Jenny's house; the house from the book Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil; places Julia Roberts filmed "Something to Talk About". After the tour, we walked down to the waterfront and walked (and walked and walked and walked) around looking at all the shops and did some people watching. There's a City Market, so we walked down there too. Come to find out that on Saturday night it's more of a City Bar Scene. Oh we found Paula Deen's restaurant, but it was closed already.

I don't get out and do much physical activity (gotta work on that), so I wasn't quite ready for all of that walking. Luckily, I wore my "comfortable" flip flops...*cough* My dogs were barking loudly by the time we made it back to the hotel and the memory of the super hard bed from the night before was alive in my memory and my back. I was very happy that hubby remembered to pack the generic Advil®!

We enjoyed a little lunch and Starbuck's before I had to hit the road back to Birmingham. L I tried to get him to come with me, but you know his employer is a little funny about folks not showing up for work. They threaten soldiers with things like court, demotion and prison time if you don't show up! Can you imagine?

I had a nice time spending time with hubby. We really needed some alone time, without any interruptions or kids needing chauffeuring. It felt more like "old times" where things were comfortable and easy between us. Praise God for answered prayers. We have to keep on communicating, but this weekend was nice start. I don't know when we'll be able to do this again because the troops they are going to be training will be in GA soon, and he won't get much off time. Also, there's this whole need for me to be employed and not having free time. We're hoping he won't be working without time off, but we just don't know yet.

I didn't get back in time to get my Maggie from the vet, and my other dog (who is older and doesn't tear up things so he can be left unattended) was looking forward to her coming back. He was so excited to see me drive up and walk up the stairs, but he seemed quite disappointed that Maggie wasn't with me.

I'm looking really forward to Friday, when I'm in San Antonio and I get to meet fellow Siestas! Yahoooooooo-JAH!!! I have lofty plans for the week (like working out and cleaning) OH and fall bible study starts on Wednesday! (I'll have to see who has signed up and get the workbook so I'll know what I'm supposed to do.)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Happy BIRTHday to me!

Today is my second birthday! It was two years ago today that I surrendered my life to Christ! Woo hoo!!!

I'm sure some folks thought my becoming born-again was just a phase, but I'm really glad I proved them (and myself) WRONG!

If people who aren't believers or who are fence riders (like I used to be) could understand how great it feels to be a Christian and have a relationship with Christ (even if it's still growing), they would never want to not be in relationship with Him.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me yet another chance. I'm glad this one has stuck.

I'm believing God!


For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11

Ramblings

Monday night was the first small group leader meeting of the "new" class year. It's about the only time we have to come together and try to get to know each other, even in a small way. Oh, we see each other often, but it's passing in the hall on our way to our rooms.

We start the meeting with prayer and then song (soooo glad the Lord says "make a joyful noise"). I got excited because I saw that "Revelation Song" was cued up. It's my new favorite song after I heard it at the Beth Moore simulcast a couple of weeks ago. It was sang at church last Sunday and then *boom* there it was again. However, that wasn't the song we were singing. But, I was still excited to see it. (We sang Hosanna, in case you were wondering.)

We went through stuff and then Pastor Paul took over the meeting. In October, we'll be starting a new study on prayer by Jim Cymbala, and he (Pastor Paul, not Jim Cymbala) was talking to us about prayer. He lead us in a prayer time that was very unique to me. First, we separated into two groups: men/women. We quieted ourselves and asked God to speak to us and lay on our hearts what the person to our right needed prayer about. While we were still quieted, we were to pray for the needs God laid on our hearts for our neighbor. When the prayer time was over, we were then to share with the person what God laid on our hearts.

I shared with my right hand friend that God wanted her to know to let go of her son, who is going to college next week, and to let her know that He will finish the work He has started in her son. The lady to my left shared that she prayed for me to keep what I'm doing with my family, amidst all the struggles; I was doing what He wanted me to do! Now, my right hand friend is also my mentor and my friend, so it would be easy to rationalize how I knew what to pray for her. But, the lady to my left and I know each other, but I can't rationalize her knowing about my struggles other than it being a God thing! Most of the women were weeping a wee bit and so were some of the men! I thought this was the coolest things, ever. Maybe if I stilled myself more before God, I would hear Him speak.

Does anyone else just crack up at the new Swiffer commercials where the mop, broom or duster is trying to woo back the female who stopped using them? If I'm finding amusement from commercials, am I spending way too much time watching TV? (Oh, I can answer that. YES!) Oh, I'm cracking up just thinking about the broom peeking out from behind a tree and "Baby Come Back" playing. tee hee hee hee

Looking for a job is going really really slow. I can't even keep up with the number of applications I have put in and nothing. I don't think craigslist is the best place for me to look...unless, of course, I want to review and input ads. I would gladly do that; if it didn't cost money to start!

I can't believe the Siesta Fiesta is NEXT WEEK!!!!!!! I'm really excited to meet my fellow siestas and of course mama siesta!!!!!!!! I'm looking forward to a lot of laughter and giggles. I so need giggles and laughter.

I've been enjoying tooling around the various blogs that I have recently found. How have I not seen these incredible blogs before? So many talented and FUNNY and godly women out there. Yahoo-Jah!

Well, another episode of Law & Order is on (the original), so I guess I'll go watch it. Heaven knows I haven't watched enough TV today *cough*.

Thanks for reading the ramblings ;).



For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11