More unusual things about me...

Of course, after I posted for my tag blog, I thought of so many more unusual things! Guess I don't do well in the moment. So,here are a few more interesting (or not!) things about me.

1. I read the obits every day. I critique them and love to find the really unusual ones and read them to others. My kids think I'm morbid and my hubby says I better write my own before I die so he doesn't have to. But seriously, it is so cool to see what people write. My fave was one about a guy who said he was the only boy with 3 older sisters who made him go to the store and buy cigs and tampons for them. It prepared him for life. It was so humorous and you could see the guy was loved and quite a character. Nothing like a good obit!

2. My favorite movie of all times is "It's a Wonderful Life". Love it! Must watch it every year, at least once! My kids all hate it because I have made them watch it with me. Now, they refuse. But what a great story! If we all knew the impact we made, wouldn't we try to be better people? Even the little things make a difference. And seriously folks, isn't it a wonderful life?

3. My dream job growing up was to be a model. Ha! Like that would ever happen! Once I was grown, my next dream job was to be a flight attendent. I even tried to apply at Southwest once. Got my headshots done, application all filled out, reference letters, the whole bit. Drove to Love field and right before I turned in, there was an announcement on the radio that Southwest had a hiring freeze for the first time in it's history. Bummer! Then, years later, my husband had just finished a year of barber school so we could work together. One of my customers told me she had worked for Southwest for years. I told her of my dream years earlier. She said she had a card that she could recommend someone & it would get you to the 3rd interview, which is just before the hiring. She was willing to give me one and recommend me. Bummer again! Just couldn't after all we had been through to get hubby through schol so we could work together. Oh well, God knew what He was doing!

So, there ya go! A few more things about me!

Ten Thousand Homes Web Launch

Hey guys! Wanted to share with you what our organization is doing to spread awareness about the AIDS crisis and how you can be a part of change. Below is an email from our director of communications regarding the new website launch and ways you can make an impact. Please take a moment to read and if you are interested, please contact TTH. Also, please click on the link to Dave Henry's website at the side of my page. His latest blog is about the time he has spent is SA and it is very powerful and insightful! Blessings!

Hi Friends,
We want to introduce a new way for anyone to engage with the Orphan Crisis in Africa... COMING SOON...A NEW WEBSITE!!! On DEC. 12 people from all over North America will be helping to launch our website & a new logo in their very own homes. You can be one of those people! It's another way for you and your friends to get engage with the orphan crisis in Africa.
Want to Help? Here's how!
-Host a Ten Thousand Homes party in your home, apartment, dorm room, gathering place or place of worship on Dec. 12 & help launch the new website! (www.tenthousandhomes.org)
-By Donating $100 we will send you a Home Kit complete with 10 t-shirts, 10 stickers, plenty of brochures, & other surprises
-Invite at least 10 friends & encourage them to donate toward Ten Thousand Homes
-Check out the website and give us your feed back
What better place to capture what Ten Thousand Homes is about .... bringing people into your home to share the story of those who have no home!
By hosting a Ten Thousand Homes Web Launch Party you are not only engaging with advocacy, but also with action!
If you're interested and need more details, please contact email David at davidhenry@tenthousandhomes.org
Thanks for joining us,
Ten Thousand Homes

I'm so proud of myself!

I learned how to post links to my friends blogs! Please check them out when you get a chance. Each of these friends have a unique perspective on the world around them and I enjoy reading what is going on in their lives!

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by my friend Jen! The rules are you have to list 7 unusual things about yourself and then tag 7 people. Not sure if I know 7 with blogs to tag, but here goes!

1. I was a tomboy growing up. Loved hanging with the guys, playing football, climbing trees, all that stuff.

2. Failed only 2 classes in school - home ec (sewing) and p.e. Yep, gym class! Refused to play softball because the coach wouldn't make the girls play right, so I didn't dress out all semester and failed. Thought my daddy was going to blow a gasket!

3. I make a mean coconut pie!

4. I love football! One of the few things about fall I really like.

5. I'm a cold weather wimp! Below 70 is cold to me and I can't stand it! Also don't like air conditioning! Could completely live without it!

6. I love to read. I read on average 2-3 books a week. Anything fiction, I like. Romance, mystery, classics, historical romance, doesn't matter. It can't be to small. I like getting to know the characters and it needs a good plot. Character development is very important and if I find an author I like, I will read all their books!

7. Hmmm, last one. Not sure what to say on this one. Besides, can't tell you all my secrets! ;)

Ok, now who to tag. Let's see if I can make this work!

Sherri, Zac & Anneke, Brett, and Rae. That's all for now!

Moving is Hard Work!!!

Moving is always hard work. But moving to a whole nother continent is even more than you can imaging. Wow! Seems like we spent the first hhalf of this season building up our relationships, both here and with the team we will be joining. And of course there was just the whole emotional aspect of it. Wrapping your mind around all the things you need to lay down can be overwhelming at times. It hasn't been unusual for me to just start crying as I think about either someone I am leaving here or just how things will be changing. And through all that, we have been raising our support base so that we can be full-time missionaries. All that while trying to work a full-time job and then just normal life. Whew!

I just thought that was the hard part! Since I have quit my job about a month ago, things have been really hectic. Now the reality of all the physical preparations is in full swing and I am so tired! I have spent 4 weeks of non-stop cleaning the house to get it ready to sell, sorting through all our stuff to have a huge garage sale, trying to condense our possessions to fit into 6 suitcases and 3 plastic totes and tyring to maintain all our relationships with family, friends and financial partners.

There's something to be said for doing things like this in your youth instead of waiting until you are not quite so young like we are. Seems like the roots are a whole lot deeper the older you get and it is a lot more work to dig them out! I can imagine how Abraham felt! Lord, I'm too old for this!!! Not words that come out of my mouth very often, but sure have been thinking them lately!

Relationships and the Shack

During worship Sunday, I really felt like I was more focused on all I needed to do for the move than on my relationship with God. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on Him, but sometimes, life is just overwhelming and I lose focus. Ever done that?

So, my first reaction was, "But God, I have so much going on, How am I going to do that?" and then there was the guilt thing too. After a few moments of just being quiet, I really felt some peace. And then I was reminded of The Shack. Wonderful book! If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

Anyways, in the book, their grace before the meal is just the 4 of them talking. And I realized, that's what God wants from me. And what I need from Him. Yep, the morning quiet time is good, but ultimately, it's about an on-going dialogue with God. If I just had 30 mins. every morning with my hubby, I sure wouldn't feel like I had much of a relationship with him. Same with God.

So, what it was that got me on Sunday morning was that I was missing that on-going, all day conversation with God. I've just been too caught up in the things going on around me and need to remember that God is right here with me all day long.