Thursday, June 28, 2012

Maintenance

I have moved into a house with beautiful tile floors with sandy brown colored grout.  They hide dirt very well which is great! Right?  Except for the fact that... they hide dirt.  How does one know when to clean such floors?  During our transition all of our belongings were locked up in a stuffy eighteen wheeler.  On moving day I opened our garage fridge that I had painstakingly scrubbed before it was loaded up.  It wreaked of mold and mildew.  Great big patches of green fuzzy disgustingness was splattered throughout. Somewhere in those two examples are sermon illustrations that rival Jean Larroux's chicken truck.

Today I was reminded how maintenance is very important internally as well.  Carolyn James spoke to a group of women in the Chattanooga area gathered for a Scenic City Women's Network breakfast.  She reminded us that "we are studying an infinite subject (in theology) and we shouldn't count on mastery."  Her primary focus was how we are constantly learning theology through suffering.  When we neglect the study of God we are like little children trusting a stranger and how in our own personal struggle we will ultimately turn to our own understanding.  Therefore, we need to be prepared.  Carolyn used the example of Naomi to bring about three main points on emptiness:

1) Emptiness is Part of the Journey- when struggling you are in good company, Ruth 1:13, 21
            Ps. 13:1
2) Emptiness is Purposeful- not a sign of His absence but a sign of His presence
           "Ruth and Naomi weren't forgotten by God.  They were mobilized for His Kingdom."
3)Emptiness is Productive- suffering allows us to see things differently,
           we see things "dried eyes" wouldn't see

One of the main "take aways" for me was when she spoke of her brother in law Kelly James who was lost on Mt. Hood in 2006. She talked of all the people who were praying across the country, how helpful and supportive the media was, how thousands of climbers came together to risk their lives for the sake of three strangers.  Carolyn said every body was helping except God.  Hurricane force winds and terrible avalanches brought the search to a halt.  She said "There is a gap between who Jesus says He is and brokenness.  That's where we find faith."

Monday, June 25, 2012

40 is old!

Imagine 20 cars driving down the road with flashers blinking, children hanging out of sunroofs, and dirge music blasting out of a speaker strapped to the top of the lead car.  Now imagine that line of obnoxiousness turning into your driveway, surrounding your house and spilling out what appears to be hundreds if not thousands of people.  At some point during the madness you realize that these people are your family and friends and you're being handed 40 black balloons one by one.  Last Saturday we accosted my unassuming much older sister with a surprise party a month before her 40th birthday.  The heat was true to Mississippi form but the music was groovy, the water play was filled with laughter and the Little Dooey's was delicious.

There's just something about having people from all stages of your long 40 years come together to celebrate.  God's goodness permeated through memories both recent and those that have been told and retold dozens of times and are still as funny as the day they were born.  His goodness was also very apparent as we were peppered with water balloons by our very own offspring.  It was a wonderful party that even included the proverbial cake fight between the town prankster and an innocent bystander.  It was a special day celebrating a special lady.  

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Circles and Stairs

Happy Lord's day!  We attended Rock Creek Fellowship for the second week in a row and this week we had a surprise.  As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed a car we have seen at the swim club.  Inside said car was Daniel's very sweet swim coach from our very own pool!  Somehow this gave our new existence continuity.  It was like planting a stake in a wide open field.  We have lots of acreage in this new chapter God is writing but it's nice to have some resemblance of a circle forming. 

This afternoon we celebrated the wonderful man we call Papa by hiking to see two beautiful water falls.  Cloudland Canyon State Park was beyond lovely and we will definitely return to climb it's many many many stairs. 


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Settling In

For days we have been unpacking boxes, positioning items, adjusting and readjusting our belongings. Today we started to adjust in a different way. We joined the local swim club! As we were filling out membership forms a lady walked up and asked if she could post flyers advertising a Cheer Camp to be held in July. The teenager's eyes lit up. We claimed our chairs with our towels and jumped in the water. Within 15 minutes I struck up a conversation with a nice lady named Elizabeth (irony). She shared how much her bible study meant to her and how her closest friendships were a result. Then she said, "Do your kids play baseball?"

Now, I may not go to her bible study but it was nice to hear that people in GA do hold such events. Of course the cheer camp will be deeply inquired about and the lady floating in her inter tube just could not stop talking about the local baseball rec leagues. I found it providential that in the span of 15 minutes our most favorite things were mentioned.

Andy is in Atlanta tonight but the rest of us ended the evening at Rock Creek Fellowship for dinner and a time of prayer. During dinner we seemed a bit lonely, the four of us eating our food, watching groups of people converse. A very sweet, pretty lady named Ashley saved the day and approached the unknown loners. Of course she turned out to be the Associate Pastor's wife cause pastor's wives are just plain awesome. It was all down hill from there. The youngest ran wild with the 1000 other kids running wild while E and E played soccer with the youth group. The oldest E was expecting more of a teaching time and seemed a little disappointed. I assured her that her father can have a lecture prepared at any given time.

A good day. I have to keep reminding myself and those around me that we've been here less than a week and settling our things takes way less time than settling new relationships.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Life on the Farm

There's nothing like going home.  I love driving into town and having a flood of memories wash over me.  Last week I surprised my family and hauled the kids to Starkville, MS so they could dig in some dirt and pet smelly animals.  They just love running wild at Granny's house and on Aunt Heather and Uncle Barry's land.  They get their fill of dogs, horses, chickens, ducks, and goats...lots of goats.  They love to help milk the goats.  My youngest slept in one morning and when his little eyes finally opened he said, "Mama, text Auntie Hey Hey and ask her to save me a goat."  He didn't want them all milked before we could drive the few miles to Aunt Heather's goat farm.  After the feeding, milking, laying down hay for their beds we got to experience my favorite part...ice cream. 

My sister invited some great friends of ours to join us for delicious goat milk ice cream and fun fellowship.  It was perfect.  That is, until the kids found a baby rat snake and threatened to enter the house.  I of course followed my wise instincts and very calmly proceeded into the bathroom where I could lock lock the door.  I even allowed my friend Heidi and her two kids to join me in safety.  We were all waiting out the storm quite patiently until my brother in law and Heidi's husband stuck the end of the fishing lure under the door.  Women were screaming and flying onto the bathroom counter which in turn terrified the children.  It was mean, ugly, bad and may never be forgiven. 

I've avoided the gazillion boxes covering the floors of our new home long enough.  In coming days you can expect a "I'm never moving again" blog post followed by the 'ole "I love baseball" post.  GO BRAVES!