Excuses!

I just want to start out by saying, I have lots of good excuses...

I went and brought home a puppy. I know right!! What is wrong with me?!! 

Why do we do it? Vow not to get another animal when this one crosses over the rainbow bridge. Within 6 months, if we wait that long, we have another one running around chewing on everything. 

She's really cute.

I think I'm in a season of holy discontent. Before I wrote those words out I looked up discontent  to make sure that was the word I wanted to use. Yip, it's the word.... a restless desire or craving for something one does not have. Ever have that? This one is hard to explain, because I can't just say it's about all holy stuff, cuz it's not. I still love Jesus and while my faith is challenged a lot, I do still have hope. It's more like this huge hunger. It's confusing. 

Found out last month that they sold the house we are living in. They would like us out early. We are trying to find a place and the excitement of moving again has lost it's luster.

So it's raining! We need it. Work is always slow when it's raining. I came home early and got some work done. Need to take the crew outside to potty. That's another thing, when we get puppies, we start all this crazy talk about going potty and stuff! 

I told you, I have lots of good excuses!

The sky is falling!

A strange thing started happening yesterday. It was so strange, I felt compelled to post about it. It started to rain.

Now most of you know we now live in Northern Texas. We have lived in a lot of different states, that experience different kinds of weather, at different times of the year. We were not here when Texas got it's flooding in the spring. I can only say I'm sure it was like letting 38 puppies loose in a kiddie pool filled with balls! 

These people do not, I repeat, do not know how to drive or act when the sky is falling, I mean, when it's raining! 

We own over 5 umbrella's, most Texans do not even have 1. 

I have 2 rain coats and a few water proof things that I would considered outer wear. Texans have boots. 

The phase "Turn around, don't drown", is more like a dance move to these people.

Every time an emergency vehicle went down the road, the girls I work with would say "Someone just hydroplaned into a ditch!" 

Truth be told, I love seeing stuff like this because it makes me feel a little more put together, well rounded and prepared. I'm glad my parents let me drive when we had an ice storm, it taught me what not to do. I'm proud of the fact that I also know how to drive in snow and rain. The most important thing to remember is to slow down and think ahead, something that too many people do not do.

As I write, 3 emergency vehicle's have gone by... really people? 

On a side note: It's pecan time. That means that we have pecan's falling out of the 5 trees in our yard! Gracie and I have been picking them up everyday. OK, I've been picking them up, she just wants me to crack them open and feed her. 

   

I've started filling a 5 gallon bucket, it will give Daddy something to do when they visit! I've got to figure out how to keep him from eating them all though!

This is what's keeping me sane right now! Preacher man!

And this...running. I spent 8 weeks race walking, and this week I started the run walk. I just know I'm prone to injury, so I'm taking it slow. It's a gross picture, but it's close to Halloween, so I'm trying to scare ya!  

By the way... This is a new head band. It say's "In my dreams I'm a KENYAN"

Peace out and Dream on!

Faith in Action

The chain fell off Lilies bike, or something tragic like that, and she's having to ride the three wheeler till the bike get's fixed. I believe she was going for the rickshaw look here. She was holding the umbrella under her chin, trying to keep it over her head without falling off the bike. I suggested sticking it down the back of her pants. The handle wasn't long enough so the umbrella was sitting on her head. Needless to say, she kept on riding the bike and singing some song I couldn't make out.

Sometimes, that exactly what faith in action looks like. It can start off by a challenging mishap that throws you a little off your game. Lily just learned how to ride a bicycle this summer. Before that, she was on this three wheeled contraption. The girl can flat out ride that three wheeler! But as most of you know, the turning radius and freedom of movement is greater on a bicycle. Our mishap happened (chain fell off bike) and we kept on going, finding something else (three wheeler) to help us with our goal (riding and singing).

While our faith is in action and we are doing our thing, feeding the hungry, loving on children, helping out at the local shelter, another road block jumps up and try's to derail us. It starts to rain! 

It is much easier to drop everything and run screaming into the house, as if the rain is melting us into the asphalt. Noticing an umbrella, and a red one at that, lying by the door was the perfect boost to our faith in action. This red umbrella comes in many forms. The Bible, a friends phone call, a nap, someone else with the same goals and road blocks. It helps us get back out there.

So, have you ever road a bike with an umbrella? I know, me too, but do you remember the first time you did it? Not real graceful huh? But you kept at it, trying things like sticking the umbrella under your chin, finding someone else to help you at the shelter, loving those kids anyway!

It looked so good in our mind when we thought about it. Riding a bike and singing a song. How did it get this messed up? Wrong bike, bad weather, ungraceful feeling...I mean, come on!

When we let go of what our picture looks like, and when we allow our faith to carry us into action, we need to remember who brought us to this place to begin with and we need to keep peddling.

Have you ever rode a bike in the rain and the joy over flowed in you until you burst out into song? Or walked, or ran or drove in the rain? 

Faith is action, it's like that. It's the action that keeps on going even when the picture changes some. It's showing up, even when you think your going to melt into the asphalt or your not feeling very graceful. Next thing you know, joy jumps in your basket and your off singing that song that no one else in the whole world knows the words to.  

       

Raccoons

We received a half an inch of rain since Sunday sometime. Much needed moisture was sucked into the ground effortlessly. Woke up to fog this morning that was breath taking. I love fog! It makes us slow down. It heightens our sense's, while at the same time it muffles everything! Sun hasn't burned it off yet and we are pass the noon hour.

Jack had a family of raccoons that lived in his neighbors Laurel bush. Every night they would come out and cause mayhem and destruction in the stream that ran behind Jack's house. Everyday, Jack would put the rocks back where he thought they belonged. One day, Jack's friend came by and asked him what he was doing. Fixin stuff! Jack then went on to explain how, this species of varmint was put on earth, for no real reason except to make his life miserable.

The friend then said But Jack, everyone has raccoon's in their life.

Everyone has species that come in under cloak of darkness and make piles out of the rocks that lined the stream bed so nicely. The question then becomes, What are you going to do about those raccoons!

Saint Ignatius talks about seeing God in all things. 

So this is where I am with raccoons right now, trying to figure out what use they have, if any, and what I need to do with them.

I wish I had the answer to all the raccoon questions out there, but I don't. I am however, aware of the raccoon and becoming aware friends is the start. 

Do you have raccoons in your life?