Well, it's finally happening! We have been hearing for years from the media how Houston has not been hit by a major hurricane and we are due for one. I hope they're happy.
We have decided to ride this one out. We will be staying in touch with my mom so she can let everyone know our situation.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I'll do better this time!
I promise to try to do better this time. As far as the weight loss is going, I'm doing pretty good. I have lost 35 lbs. since Feb. 28. It's slow but it is working.
I have been reading several blogs of children in our missionary parent group and thought I would put down some thoughts as to what it's like being a missionary parent.
It is such a big responsibility to think that we are parents of a son (and daughter-in-law and granddaughter) who are so committed to God that they would leave their homeland to live among people who are unreached. Would I have been that committed, I don't think so. And that is very humbling. As a parent, my first thought is "what can I do to support them?" To say the least I can do is pray is to minimize the most important way of support. Daily prayer has become much more a part of my life since they left. Not just for them and for those in their group but for the people around them.
When people ask me how I could let them go "way to the other side of the world", I reply, "how could I stop them?" In my "mother's heart", the last place I want them to be is France. However, God has given me another heart, one for their mission. In that heart, France is the only place they could be. When we went to visit them this summer, I saw how much happier they were in the center of God's Will for their lives than they had ever been in Austin.
We have found a mission here in the States, reaching out to other missionary parents. Many of them have children in areas where Christianity is not accepted and cannot be openly practiced. Our fellowship group is a ministry to these parents as well as those like our children who can openly profess their Christianity.
I have been reading several blogs of children in our missionary parent group and thought I would put down some thoughts as to what it's like being a missionary parent.
It is such a big responsibility to think that we are parents of a son (and daughter-in-law and granddaughter) who are so committed to God that they would leave their homeland to live among people who are unreached. Would I have been that committed, I don't think so. And that is very humbling. As a parent, my first thought is "what can I do to support them?" To say the least I can do is pray is to minimize the most important way of support. Daily prayer has become much more a part of my life since they left. Not just for them and for those in their group but for the people around them.
When people ask me how I could let them go "way to the other side of the world", I reply, "how could I stop them?" In my "mother's heart", the last place I want them to be is France. However, God has given me another heart, one for their mission. In that heart, France is the only place they could be. When we went to visit them this summer, I saw how much happier they were in the center of God's Will for their lives than they had ever been in Austin.
We have found a mission here in the States, reaching out to other missionary parents. Many of them have children in areas where Christianity is not accepted and cannot be openly practiced. Our fellowship group is a ministry to these parents as well as those like our children who can openly profess their Christianity.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Update
Well, its been a rough month since my lap band surgery. But the lap band is doing fine. I had my first adjustment this week and it went well. I haven't had any problems with nausea. So far I have lost 15 lbs. and hope to start losing again now that I have had an adjustment.
The one thing this has done for me is make me more conscious of what I eat. Since I can only eat small portions, I have to make sure it is healthy. Of course, Mexican food is my one exception to that rule. I was really nervous about the fill this week. But there were a lot of people there for their fill and most had already had several fills. So we talked about that and compared notes about what we could and could not eat. So far, I haven't found anything I can't tolerate. I haven't tried any kind of soft breads. I can eat crackers, corn chips, Baked Lays potato chips and croutons.
I've also been able to start walking for exercise. Hopefully, that will help with the weight loss. I want to be significantly down by the time we start traveling this summer.
The one thing this has done for me is make me more conscious of what I eat. Since I can only eat small portions, I have to make sure it is healthy. Of course, Mexican food is my one exception to that rule. I was really nervous about the fill this week. But there were a lot of people there for their fill and most had already had several fills. So we talked about that and compared notes about what we could and could not eat. So far, I haven't found anything I can't tolerate. I haven't tried any kind of soft breads. I can eat crackers, corn chips, Baked Lays potato chips and croutons.
I've also been able to start walking for exercise. Hopefully, that will help with the weight loss. I want to be significantly down by the time we start traveling this summer.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Back Again
Well, it's been almost a year since I posted last but now I have something to share. I am having lap band surgery next week and plan to use this space as my journal. Wish me luck!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A Day for Reflection
There have been two thoughts running through my head for the last two days. (Who said blondes could not multi-task!) The first one is the chorus that goes “Oh Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is Your name.” This comes from Psalm 8:1, “Oh, Lord, Our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth.” I started a new Bible Study this week, “The Patriarchs” by Beth Moore. The very first lesson was on God’s majestic name. One of the things she brought out was that the Israelites so revered God’s name that they wouldn’t even say it out loud. When the priest had to say God’s name during a ceremony in the temple, he closed his eyes in reverence to the glory of God. How often do we feel that kind of reverence for God’s name. As little children, we are taught that God is our Father and He loves us as his children. That is true. But sometimes, I’m afraid we look more on Him as a friend and don’t reverence Him as we should. As I sit here looking out over the water, I can’t help but be amazed at the different wonderful, beautiful works of God. The birds, the sky, the water and just my ability to sit here and enjoy the beautiful day He has given us. Does it ever amaze you that a God who can put all this into place for such a day as this can also care about the least little thing that happens in your life? Sometimes, I lose track of that amazing fact. I think things are too trivial for Him to worry about. But He doesn’t see it that way.
The other thought that has been running through my mind is the concept of “six degrees of separation.” I looked it up on the internet to make sure I understood the concept. This is the theory that everyone on earth is connected to everyone else within six people. You know someone who knows someone, who knows someone, until it gets back to you. There have been studies that confirm this theory and studies that disprove it. With the computer age, the theory is more easily proven to be true. Our Missionary Parent Fellowship meets this weekend. When God first laid this group on my heart, I thought this would be a group of people I didn’t know. But as the group has evolved, it turns out that I know most of them in one way or another. We all share one thing in common, though. Our love for God and willingness to serve Him through our children. Tiffany once told me that she was amazed how everywhere we went I would invariably see someone I knew. Today, at lunch, I was talking with a lady from our church. She was telling me about a lady that came to the last Bible study we did and accepted Christ during the course of the Bible study. She told me she was the daughter of a friend of hers and when she told me the name, I realized that I probably knew her through having her children at Bondy. Just goes to show you, I guess, that the theory is true sometimes.
I try to relate the concept of “six degrees” back to my relationship to God. All my relationships should begin and end with God. It is my responsibility to point others to him, as the saying goes, “and sometimes use words.” That is a favorite phrase of our Sunday School teacher. It goes along with one of Danny’s favorite sayings, “Be careful of the life you lead, you may be the only Bible some people read.” Oh, that my life would be such that it points others to God through my words and deeds.
Now on the lighter side, Claire’s birthday was this week. I am still waiting for pictures from Daniel and Tiffany (hint, hint!). I’m sure she had a wonderful time at her birthday party. The hard part of their being all the way over there is not getting to see Claire (and Daniel and Tiffany) as much as we would like.
The other thought that has been running through my mind is the concept of “six degrees of separation.” I looked it up on the internet to make sure I understood the concept. This is the theory that everyone on earth is connected to everyone else within six people. You know someone who knows someone, who knows someone, until it gets back to you. There have been studies that confirm this theory and studies that disprove it. With the computer age, the theory is more easily proven to be true. Our Missionary Parent Fellowship meets this weekend. When God first laid this group on my heart, I thought this would be a group of people I didn’t know. But as the group has evolved, it turns out that I know most of them in one way or another. We all share one thing in common, though. Our love for God and willingness to serve Him through our children. Tiffany once told me that she was amazed how everywhere we went I would invariably see someone I knew. Today, at lunch, I was talking with a lady from our church. She was telling me about a lady that came to the last Bible study we did and accepted Christ during the course of the Bible study. She told me she was the daughter of a friend of hers and when she told me the name, I realized that I probably knew her through having her children at Bondy. Just goes to show you, I guess, that the theory is true sometimes.
I try to relate the concept of “six degrees” back to my relationship to God. All my relationships should begin and end with God. It is my responsibility to point others to him, as the saying goes, “and sometimes use words.” That is a favorite phrase of our Sunday School teacher. It goes along with one of Danny’s favorite sayings, “Be careful of the life you lead, you may be the only Bible some people read.” Oh, that my life would be such that it points others to God through my words and deeds.
Now on the lighter side, Claire’s birthday was this week. I am still waiting for pictures from Daniel and Tiffany (hint, hint!). I’m sure she had a wonderful time at her birthday party. The hard part of their being all the way over there is not getting to see Claire (and Daniel and Tiffany) as much as we would like.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Back in the groove
Well, I'm back home from our various travels. We had a wet camping trip to San Antonio. The rain held off for one day and we had a fun time at Sea World. However, we had to cut the trip short because of continuing rain.
Over the past weekend, I made a trip to Seattle to a reunion of "bullriding buddies." These are ladies I met over the internet who shared an interest in watching (not participating) in bullriding. For six years, we met at various bullriding events around the country and always at the finals in Las Vegas. It has been three years since I have gotten together with any of them. We attended the bullriding event in Tacoma on Saturday and Sunday. The event was fun but I mostly enjoyed getting to visit with the ladies. We are from various parts of the country, Jodi lives in Florida, Laurie in Washington, Leanne in Oregon, Joann in Utah, and me in Texas. People always frown when I say I met them on the internet. But this was one time that the internet was a way to a lasting friendship. We stayed at Laurie's house which is just outside of Seattle. Can you imagine five ladies in one house with two big dogs? It was a great time.
This morning I am going to take packages of birthday presents to mail to Tiffany and Claire. I sure do miss all of them. I continually pray that God will bless their willingness to serve. Please pray for their language learning!
Over the past weekend, I made a trip to Seattle to a reunion of "bullriding buddies." These are ladies I met over the internet who shared an interest in watching (not participating) in bullriding. For six years, we met at various bullriding events around the country and always at the finals in Las Vegas. It has been three years since I have gotten together with any of them. We attended the bullriding event in Tacoma on Saturday and Sunday. The event was fun but I mostly enjoyed getting to visit with the ladies. We are from various parts of the country, Jodi lives in Florida, Laurie in Washington, Leanne in Oregon, Joann in Utah, and me in Texas. People always frown when I say I met them on the internet. But this was one time that the internet was a way to a lasting friendship. We stayed at Laurie's house which is just outside of Seattle. Can you imagine five ladies in one house with two big dogs? It was a great time.
This morning I am going to take packages of birthday presents to mail to Tiffany and Claire. I sure do miss all of them. I continually pray that God will bless their willingness to serve. Please pray for their language learning!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Let's Begin
Maybe I'll be better at this one than I was the last one! Today is Saturday before Spring Break. But since I am retired, every Saturday is like the Saturday before Spring Break. We are getting ready to go camping so today's will be short and I may not be back for a week. Thanks for stopping by.
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