The Judge, The Meteor and the Rock

Christy had a conference in Reno so Cathy and I boarded planes and we all met up in Albuquerque to go on up to Nevada together. We always enjoy getting to spend time together and this time it was in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains.
On Tuesday we drove up to North Lake Tahoe. Probably one of the prettiest places I have ever seen. It started snowing big ole' snowflakes and it was perfect.

On the last day of the conference, Christy did a little quiz thing that gave a name to people with different types of personalities. She figured out what all of us are. Christy is the Judge. The Judge does all the planning of all the details for an event and makes sure they are carried out. Cathy is the Rock. The Rock also is a detail planner but goes along with things if there is a change in plans. Before she even told us what the Meteor does, I already knew. I am the Meteor. The Meteor is the one who just goes along with whatever, pretty much oblivious to the planning or details. I tell you those definitions were right on. At least mine was. Especially when I'm on a trip with my sisters. I don't have to be the planner, I know I'm taken care of -along for the ride. Pretty sweet.

We always do pictures trying to figure out where to sit each one so I can crop us all into one picture. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The focus button on my camera won't move, which I didn't know until I got back, so most of the pics were a little fuzzy, but I worked with them anyway trying to salvage what I could. The cropping went well on two of them, but on the third I got a little frustrated so I started cropping my head all over the place. Pretty funny. At least to me.

Thank you, girls, for the sweet time. For the laughter, the movies, the popcorn, and for North Lake Tahoe. It was all beautiful.

Pray People Pray

Hannah and Leah just walked in with their driving permits.

Enough Said.

Still Small Voice

So I was jumping up and down in the concert the other night . . . okay, not really, but the thought of that made me laugh. Out loud. Okay, start over. I was swaying back and forth at the concert the other night, careful not to lift a foot just in case someone might think I was acting younger than my age. The music was deafening. I have no idea what the young lady was yelling in the microphone. And then I heard it. God spoke to me.

He told me to start thanking Him for the victory instead of pleading for the victory in a situation I've been desperately praying and pleading for. Whoa. I heard it. It was so clear and so exciting to me that I shouted "WooHoo!!" I shouted it out loud for 20,000 people to hear. This girl knows when it's safe to shout and still keep ego intact.

There has been several other "Woohoo!" moments and a few "Yippee!" moments in the last six months. At least that was worth an 'out loud' expression of elation.

I usually try to be in bed by weather time, around 10:15 p.m. Back in October I was already watching Pete Delkus give the forecast. I didn't shout, I just said "Yippee!" Michael walked in and asked "Did you just say "Yippee"? My reply: "I sure did. The low is going to be in the 60's tommorrow night, which means our days are going to start cooling off!"

If you are an over fifty hormonal woman you understand where the excitement came from. When you have an internal oven there is much gratefulness and excitement when the outside oven starts cooling off. Makes me a little easier to live with.

Another night I was in bed waiting for Pete's forecast to begin. There was another story on before he began that warranted a "Woohoo!" That time Hannah came in and asked "Did you just say "Woohoo"?" My reply: "I sure did. They just said shoulder pads are coming back in style. When I used to sell Premier Jewelrey, they told us to tell women that shoulder pads make you look five to eight pounds lighter. Add earrings to take off another two. I'm about to look 10 pounds lighter!" Pretty exciting, huh? Definitely deserved a "woohoo".

At Christmas when the kids were all home I was at the sink doing the dishes from supper when one of the kids told me to look at Eli. He had his 'Big Bro' t-shirt on. I felt all the "woohoos" and "yippees" rolled into one couldn't express how big my heart felt.

So this "Woohoo" moment in the middle of a very large, very loud crowd was because I could hear His still small voice in whatever situation I find myself. It was because I can trust His word to me that He will deliver victory.

The next morning His word was confirmed to me when I was watching Charles Stanley before church. He was preaching about David and Goliath. He asked what we thought was going through David's mind as he was standing across from that big ole' giant. Dr. Stanley thought he wasn't afraid. He thought that little shepherd boy David was picturing himself holding that big mammoth head up in his hand so all the soldiers of Isreal could see how good their Holy God truly was. He saw the victory before the battle ever began. Wow.

To trust that much. Oh, how I want to trust that much.

Thank You, Father, for the victory.

Apologies

I realize that when I begin rambling on about the aging process that my children want to close their eyes, plug up their ears and sing "My Country tis of Thee". I guess I should spare them the shame of knowing their mom lays it all out there for all to see.

So kids, "I'm sorry". I'll try to better.

No promises. I'll try to warn you from now on so you won't have to field any more questions about facial hair and the like. It is a little cathartic though. I've been so busy lately with the pictures for the pictorial directory that I feel a bit mechanical in some of my daily responsibilities. It feels good to sit and type without thinking. Just let it come on out.

Sunday after church we had a fund raiser lunch to send kids to camp. I met Brandi at the church about eight thirty to start making tea and getting things set up. It wasn't until I spilled some tea on the floor and bent over to clean it up that I discovered I had on the wrong shoes. They worked okay, but I was a little disappointed the rest of the service. Not that I liked these less than the others, or have ever been a shoe connoisseur, it was just another reminder that I'm losing it a little. I'm not sure what "it" is, but I do know I'm losing it.

I received a coupon for a manicure for my birthday. The lady worked on my nails then put a salt scrub on my hands and started massaging. I started crying. It was so sweet. How could she possibly know I needed a little pampering? It didn't even lose it's sweetness when I saw the lady next to me do the same thing for the little grandma sitting at her station. They are either really sensitive or they do it for everyone. I'm kinda thinking the latter is true. But I don't even care.

We took 11 students to a Christian rock concert Friday night. We had seven adult sponsors. I am old enough to be the mom of the sponsors.

I just heard someone laugh.

The music was so loud that my clothes were vibrating. We stood for two-plus hours. I felt like I lost ten pounds. That music was so loud I know it had to pulverize fat cells without me even moving. By Sunday I was hearing a little better. By Monday I decided we could take the kids again in April. May even wad up some toilet paper a poke it in my ears like the elderly gentleman did in front of me. I thought he looked pretty ridiculous, but now, not so much.

Sorry for the rambling. Just needed to talk.

Sorry kids.