Secure in the ATL

This past weekend was the So Long Insecurity simulcast at Woodstock Baptist in Atlanta. I’m wouldn’t characterize myself as an insecure person but perhaps the fact I just told you that proves contrary.

I should have taken better notes.

Aside from hearing our Siesta Mama call us out on all our issues – in love of course – I had the chance to see many, many blog friends. Some I’ve known In Real Life for a while, others I got to hug for the first time.

Friday night we met up at the fabulous Pappasito’s .  These are my girls Fran, Karen, Becky Jo, Jan, and Teri.  Not even 1/10th of the size of our group.  I felt so sorry for our waiters.  All of the shrieks as a new face walked in the door had to be more than their hearts could stand.

I love Georgia Jan!  She’s the pastor’s wife I want to be when I grow up.  So full of wisdom.  So full of fun.  She can mother us and crack us up all at the same time.  What a treasure.

Move over Jan, it’s time for Fran.   Isn’t she wonderfully photogenic?  Mrs. America, for real.

Fran’s Boyfriend.  She was smitten with his lyrical and fashionable stylings. 

My home girl, Brooke.  She was also my traveling companion to San Antonio for the Siesta Fiesta.  She is the most fun road trippin’ bff in the world.  We laughed ourselves into delirium over things of which I can not speak.  I love you my friend.

Behold, the Pappasito’s table side guacamole.  It was the best I’ve ever eaten in my life.   Can I just tell you how naive I am?  I thought it was free.  What?  Why would Pappasito’s give away free guacamole?   I was chowing down on someone else’s dish – I don’t even know whose – before I ordered my own.  No doubt she was thinking, ‘dang girl, get your own food!’.  I’m really sorry.  I was even sorrier when I found out it cost $9.95.  

My roomies, Karen and Anna Nicole.   I’d never met Karen before this weekend and it’s official.  I’m in love.  This woman has a fire in her bones.  And of course who doesn’t adore that Nikki?  She’s the only person in my life who sends me handwritten snail mail cards for no reason whatsoever.  I wish my son were 10 years older.  They would marry – I would make sure of it.

Abby, the rock star.  She promises I can be her backup dancer.  Lindsee Lou – the girl with the best bangs ever.  Jen my new friend.  She and Lindsee hit it off from the beginning.  It’s like they had been bff all their lives.  (Back story:  They have been bff all their lives, flew to the conference together from Houston, but Karen didn’t know it and introduced them to one another when she found out they were from the same town.  Classic.)

This picture is for old times sake.  In San Antonio the girls were always hitching a ride in the cargo hold.  Some things never change.  

Kim and Robyn.  I epicly failed to get a picture of either of them on my camera so I totally stole this from someone.  Don’t know who.  But thank you.

There are lots more pictures floating around on Facebook that I’d love to continue thieving but the truth is – I’m lazy.  And I’m secure in that. 

And saving the first for last, I owe y’all a winner on the book giveaway.  The numbers are 12 and 13 as randomly chosen by my daughter.  That means that Kay from Off the Beaten Path Ministries and Julie from Come Have a Peace are the winners!  Girls, send your mailing addresses to thepreacherswife1 AT gmail DOT com to claim your book.

Okay, I have to get.  It’s time to get supper on the table.  My son just said, “Mom, you have no idea how happy it makes me to smell meat.” 

Alrighty, then.

April 26, 2010 | Filed Under Girls Just Wanna Have Fun | 19 Comments 

‘Cute Shoes’ Online Discussion ~Chapter Six and a Giveaway!

UPDATE: 

I will select a winner  of the giveaway and post her name on Monday.   I’m not going to close comments so the discussion can continue but know that the current entry 37 will be the cut off for the giveaway.  In the meantime, I’m headed out the door to the ATL to see Mama Beth and worship with 10,000 of my closest friends.  I hope to see lots of you there!  I’ll tell you all about it when I get back!   xoxoxoxo   Lisa

Hey Girls!  It’s time for us to jump back in to our book discussion but it seems rude to get straight to business without catching up for a bit first.

Last week was Spring Break and the weather was p-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n.  Luke and I cleaned out our storage building and if we’d had a camera crew could have easily filmed our own segment of American Pickers.  If I were a better blogger I would have some pictures for you.  The reality is I’m a stinky blogger so you’ll have to envision my awesome locker baskets that I’ve held on to for years waiting to find just the right place for them and the box of old metal toy trucks Luke bought at an auction before we met.   We also have an antique bed that was manufactured by the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Furniture Co. in 1927 and an old laxative tin that came out of my great-grandmother’s pie safe.  The medication is long since gone but I’m thinking the tin would look cool on a shelf in our bathroom.  An inspiration piece of sorts.

The kids went to their grandparent’s house in Georgia Thursday.  Luke spoke at a banquet for a ministry we dearly love on Thursday night.  Friday we hit every homebuilding supply store in a 100 mile radius to gather ideas.  Saturday morning I spoke at a women’s luncheon for a group of adorable women with some serious skillz in the food/decor department.  (I’ll show pictures and tell you more about them in a couple of days.  Lots of great ideas from their event.)  Saturday afternoon Luke and I drove to Cartersville, GA to see the house we are building in real life.  A developer has it for sale so the darlin’ realtor let us go in and spend lots of time taking pictures, etc. so we could see if it felt like home. (It totally did.)  I am challenged when it comes to seeing a house plan in 3D so the tour was gold.

And then it was Sunday and since all the kids were still gone I got to church on time. 

Whoot!

And now that I’ve finally worked myself around to church, let’s get to our discussion on ‘Embracing Your Thing’.  I’m going to pitch out some straight forward questions.  I also want to point out to you that I’ve added a plug-in that allows you to reply to various commenters.  I’m trying to use that more to communicate with you and I hope you will use it as well to talk back and forth with one another.  Don’t forget to begin your response with your name, state, and area of ministry.

This chapter deals with our individual giftedness and how that is manifested in our congregations.   Let’s talk about it!

1.  What is your favorite area of ministry within the church and are you currently serving there?

2.  Which activities and ministries are you doing that fall outside your personal calling?

3.  Would you characterize your contribution to the body as exhilarating or exhausting?  Keep in mind that exhilarated exhaustion is not the same as burnout exhaustion. 

4.  If you are burned out, what are some of the reasons you’ve not yet stepped out of the fire?

5. Has caring for young children or perhaps aging parents caused you to grieve being unable to do more with the church? In what ways has the Lord confirmed caregiving is the ministry ordained for you in this season?

 

I’m looking forward to hearing your answers on this one!  To thank you for your participation, I’m going to give away two more copies of the book for those of you who don’t yet have it.  Simply leave a comment telling us if you are hoping to win one for yourself or your pastor’s wife.  I’ll announce a winner on Thursday.

April 19, 2010 | Filed Under Cute Shoes, Cute Shoes Online Discussion, GiveAway | 43 Comments 

An Update from Jenni Black

Those of you who have been around awhile remember our friend Jenni Black and the heart-wrenching loss of her husband, Randall,last November.   I believe that a measure of grace is reserved for those who are suffering the unimaginable.  If I didn’t believe that before, I certainly would now as I see Jenni and her girls living smack in the middle of a dowpour of peace that only God can give in times like these.   I want to personally thank this blog community for holding this family in their hearts.  I could tell you more but Jenni has sent a letter to update all of you who have been praying for her family.   Here she is….

To all of our dear praying and caring friends in our community and so many other places,

I apologize for taking so long  to give you all an update on our family since God took Randall to be with Him in November.  The Lord has been extremely good to us and ever present in every aspect of our lives.  This has obviously been the hardest thing we have ever gone through.  Although I still wake up most days feeling crippled by the loss of half of me, I do catch myself smiling now.  I can feel great joy and satisfaction in knowing that Randall is singing around the eternal throne of grace.  It is what he had worked for since he was twelve years old. 

The girls are doing very well.  Lindsey, the six year old has had some problems, mostly behavioral and some anger.  There have been many prayers for her and I am thankful to say that she is doing much better.  She still has a way to go but things are very much more manageable now. 

Wow….what can I say about my two teenagers.  Alicia is now 17 and she is really a help to me.  While she has always been very responsible and concientious, she has really stepped up to help me when I am having my moments (which sometimes come from out of the clear blue!) and she takes care of Lindsey when I need some time. She has always been a good friend to here mama. She helps with so much and she works and still manages to keep a 4.0 grade point average. (yes I just took the opportunity to brag!) Allison just turned 14 and she has totally amazed me these past few months.  I really was worried about her before her dad passed away because she tended to internalize her feelings and not share very much.  The Lord has really been healing her.  She hangs out with me a lot and we talk more now than ever.  She has turned to her music as a creative and emotional outlet and has even been composing some really beautiful piano pieces with both music and lyrics. 

I really want to express my sincere appreciation for every single prayer for Randall and our family through his illness and passing and up until now.  I really have been so overwhelmed through all of it.  There were so many people that contributed to helping our family through that time.  It was so amazing how whatever was needed was just there whether it was a meal or a group from one of many churches to come and have prayer or our lawn to be mowed. 

Our Father is alive and working.  He has proven that to me.  Although I knew that before, I am so much more aware now of His working in the details of our lives. The horrible things that were supposed to happen to my sweet husband just never did.  You know they said he would forget everyone and he never forgot anyone.  The doc at the Mayo Clinic said his brain waves showed he should be having seizures.  Awful seizures come with this dreadful disease.  But not for Randall.  Angry, agitated and violent is what it changes people into.  However, my husband through God’s grace was as gentle and kind and happy as he had ever been as long as I have known him.   He repeatedly told me and the girls ”live or die, healed or taken, I will be just fine.”  He never complained even one time.  He kept his awesome sense of humor even when he was falling down or me dropping him.  One day after his speech was getting very slurred he said “Heaven….. I’m going there”. After that he stared for a long time and we couldn’t get him to talk any more.  Later he told my dad that he saw Heaven that day.   

I am very sad and empty to be without Randall but really can you imagine losing someone in death that you were not completely sure was ready to meet Jesus?  I cannot imagine.  Just the other night I asked Lindsey what made her happy to think about Daddy.  She said that her Daddy told her that he loved EVERYONE.  Isn’t that how our Father wants us to be.  All of you have shown us that love. 

I want to say now that I have truly felt your prayers as if you were right here with me praying with me.  I have felt myself being held up through everyone’s prayers like I did not know was possible.  Thank you all so much.  I love you all whether we know each other or not.  I remember one night when Randall was sick I was sitting up reading Lisa’s blog and ran across a comment from a woman from several states away that said she was awakened during the night with a burden to pray for us.  That touched my heart and gave me strength. 

As I wrap this up I also want to add my thanks to everyone that has been supporting our upcoming trip to Washington DC. Any of you away from our area may not know that Allison recently won the state spelling bee and won a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She won a trip for 2 but obviously I must take my other 2 girls.  They have been selling candy and doing anything they can to get cash for the trip and once again our community has been amazing.  Anyone need a Hershey bar? Allison recently recorded a few of the songs she has written and is planning to sell some copies to raise a little money.  And really Randall’s family has been trying to get the money raised to also go.  It really makes me feel good that so many of them want to go and support Allison and they are all so willing to get out and sell doughnuts and whatever it takes.  Our friends, families, local churches and business, have all been so kind and willing to help.

I think you all can tell I have been really overwhelmed at all of the prayers and support from all of you, our friends in Christ. 

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Jenni Black 

April 16, 2010 | Filed Under Prayer Warriors Unite, Randall Black | 11 Comments 

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