Don't Ask Why

Johnny's sermon this morning was based on the passage of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. He started the sermon by telling us (the congregation) that we shouldn't ask why because even if we got the answer we may not understand it. He illustrated this point by asking the question, how does an airplane lift off the ground? Do you know? He then played a video made this past Wednesday night by one of our church members of another church member (who happens to really be a rocket scientist) explaining how an airplane lifts off. The rocket scientist wrote mathematical formulas and drew diagrams explaining the process -- I didn't even understand all the words he was saying much less have any clue what he was talking about. I would have to know all that Mr. Rocket Scientist knows to fully understand the answer to the question why airplanes lift off the ground.

Sometimes I want to ask God why? Why do certain things happen? Even if He answered my questions, I don't know all that God knows -- He knows past, present, and future perfectly and the same -- so I may not even understand the answer.

The question is not why but how am I going to move forward from this point on, according to Johnny this morning.

Why, why, why? I've spent a lot of energy on why in the past. Perhaps I will again in the future. Hopefully I'll remember this morning and won't.

On a lighter note, one of my favorite shows started back up tonight -- The Amazing Race. I really like to travel overseas and go to new places so it's fun to watch the show.

I am stinking hot so I gotta go...Jeanette

Happy Friday!

I went to 24-hour Fitness this morning to the body sculpting class. After I went last Friday I could hardly even move on Saturday and Sunday but I am feeling really good today and, hopefully, will be tomorrow as well. Johnny was playing racquetball and so I did walk/run on the treadmill for a bit while I was waiting for him to finish after my class was over. After lunch we went to the Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine. Johnny got some gift cards for Christmas and he finally decided to use them. (A gift card to any store would not stay unspent in my possession for 9 months but, whatever...) We got some things for our travel trailer which made me more than excited about our upcoming camping trip. Well, it's not until Thanksgiving but I am anticipating it anyway! I love, love to go camping!

We are getting used to not having the college kid around too much. He has fall break in a couple of weeks and he said he's staying on campus -- I mean, he's not coming home for fall break! He works at the bookstore on campus and they are moving to a brand new building during that week so he says he's staying to work. I don't know what I expected. Our lives are super crazy and busy right now so I guess it's just as well... No, nope... it's not.

Enough of that...

I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend with not much on the agenda. I hope you, too, have a wonderful, restful weekend!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

One Month from Today...

One month from today I leave for India. I am in my home office today doing a little prep work for the trip but, as usual, am sidetracked by my blog and facebook. So, here I am, typing away when I should be reading or studying or working on my outline. (I really have been working today...no, really, I have...).

I decided to take up running again. I ran yesterday on the treadmill at the gym and today I hit the pavement. I am just wondering this -- why is it so much easier to run on a treadmill than real running outside. Please, post your answer below! Inquiring minds want to know! I am motivated by my friend Julie who, apparently, recently ran 9 miles! (I hope you're reading, Julie. Way to go, girl!)

Today is See You at the Pole. Amazingly, this yearly event started when Johnny and I were first in ministry together and has just grown over the past couple of decades. For the first time ever, my kids didn't have to get up early and go pray at the flagpole before the school day started. At our new school, SYATP is a PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY! That's right, after school started at the regular time, the students then went out to pray. My kids were not as awed by this as I was. After all, they inform me, they pray everyday at school. I love private school.

Ok, this probably makes the top 10 list of most boring blogs ever. I'm surprised you're still reading...I'm out!

Jeanette

First Day of Fall

Another week, another Monday, except today is the first day of Fall. It doesn't feel like Fall quite yet in Texas. Actually, it almost felt like Fall last week but not so much today. This is the fashion-confusing season in Texas. It's officially Fall but feels like Summer so it's hard to know what to wear. Not the summer clothes, but too hot for the fall... To make for more season confusion, our lesson for Life Group this coming Sunday is the birth of Jesus -- the Christmas story from Luke 2.

I love the changing season. Now that we're a few weeks into school, I am enjoying the new schedule (though hectic) and all the activities that we are filling up our time in attending. I still miss Josh being home, sleeping in his bed, but we're getting used to it a bit. While life changes, schedules change, people change (my youngest child's voice is changing -- you know, the baby!), one thing that remains the same -- Our God, He is Immutable. He is unchanging. Check out James 1:17 --

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

No variation, no change. His perfect love, grace, and mercy remain constant.

Amen and Hallelujah!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

A Morsel

A funny thing happened to me yesterday. I got sleepily out of bed and walked over to my little, antique writing table that I have in the corner of my room. That's where I like to meet with God. As I was walking I was praying, "Lord, would you just give me a little morsel this morning." I literally sat down and flopped open my Bible. I started reading the page on the right but then my eyes went to the left page where I read Proverbs 17:1 (ok, I really just opened my Bible and randomly came to this text!) -- "Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife." I ASKED FOR A MORSEL AND I GOT IT. Sometimes I think God has quite a sense of humor.

So, today, I couldn't get that out of my mind. I have been working in my home office all day and am feeling a little discouraged about a project I have been working on for a while. I have 2 sets of commentaries on my bookshelf so I got the Proverbs commentary down from one set and tried to open it up to Proverbs 17. Do you know that particular commentary does not contain Proverbs 17? First of all, I will be returning the book for a replacement but, secondly, HOW CAN THE CHAPTER I AM LOOKING FOR BE MISSING? So, I got the Proverbs commentary down from the other set. THE PAGE CONTAINING PROVERBS 17:1 IS DOUBLE PRINTED!! And, unreadable. Friends & readers, I am not making this up.

I want to be still and quiet and hear a word from God. Check out this verse from Psalm 84:

"For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness." (verse 10)

Even a crumb from the table of the Lord is better than a bountiful feast coming from anywhere else. His Word is life to me. He is able to speak directly to me (if I'm listening) and I don't necessarily need commentators or teachers or other resources. (though those are all good and God uses those in my life as well!) So, give me the morsel and the crumb...

...however, tomorrow I'm asking for meat.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Sunday Afternoon Lull

I absolutely love Sundays. I enjoy my Life Group -- they are so great & we had a great day today!! They were so chatty -- I like that much better than when they sit there in silence, though! Worship was awesome today and the sermon was convicting and encouraging. Then, we got to go out & have lunch with some friends... an almost perfect day. And then there's Sunday afternoon -- made for napping. Really. I didn't make that up.

Remember the Creation story. God spoke and it was. Then, on the seventh day, He checked it all out, saw it was good, and rested. Do you think God gets tired? I don't think so -- the omnipotent God of the universe did not need to rest. He stopped creating, though. He took a break. We should follow His lead.

God doesn't need rest, but we do. He knew we would. It's good to stop activity and the hurry, hurry, go, go pattern we find ourselves in. Stop and renew your strength. Renew your mind and renew your spirit. Just stop. It's Scriptural. Not from a legalistic sort of way, but in a way that's just good for you.

So, I think I'll sign off now and go shut my eyes or read a book for just a bit.

Hope you will, too!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Home (Again) Sweet Home

I'm home from my trip to Ridgecrest. I had big plans to blog everyday and add photos from the mountains and of Johnny and I in all the spots where we first fell in love. We did take a couple of photos -- one in the spot where Johnny gave me my engagement ring -- and I did post one on my facebook, but am on a different computer and, truthfully, it's not that great of a picture. Johnny and I drove up a paved rode to the engagement ring spot -- a PAVED ROAD. When we were there 21 years ago it was a rough, gravel road that we drove up in an old pickup truck that belonged to the camp. There's even a wooden decking kind of thing built up there now. Amazing. We had a great time reminiscing. A lot of people asked if we had ever been to Ridgecrest before so we got to tell the story. It was great.

Johnny spent the remainder of our time there in meetings. I, on the other hand, got to have fun. There was a speaker for the 2 nights for the trustee wives, we got to go to a beautiful lunch at the historic Grove Park Inn, and shopping.

Yesterday was a long day, however. First, we had to drive to Atlanta to catch our flight. Our flight was delayed and it was really bumpy due to the inclement weather. We landed late then got stuck in traffic. I fear we are headed for more rain and, maybe, even some high winds even as far up as North Texas due to Hurrican Ike. It doesn't look good right now for our brothers and sisters in the Houston/Galveston area and along the coast of Texas. I'm praying that forecasters are wrong and the hurricane is merciful to those living along the Gulf Coast.

This is a solemn day -- a day of remembering and a day of appreciation. September 11th will always be one of those days that we will look back on and remember what we were doing when we first heard the news, the pain we felt for the families that were enduring great loss, the fear of the unknown about the future events as a result of the attacks.

I am thankful to be an American, especially today.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Ridgecrest - Day 1

So, we arrived here at Ridgecrest a little after 11:00 this morning. Johnny was quickly whisked away to his important trustee duty (to play in the golf tournament) and I was left to enjoy the day in the mountains on my own. I caught up on my facebook peeps and the news (no tvs here in the Ridgecrest hotel -- but I usually read the news online anyway) then took my book and headed out to find a quite, outdoors place to read. The summer Johnny and I worked here we spent a LOT of our time in an auditorium called Lambdin. My classroom was in a building next to it. I found some swings right across the street. I couldn't start reading for the longest time...I just sat there and thought about all that happened in that very spot 21 year ago. My life was forever changed.

A few days ago I wrote that I am reading a book called Same Kind of Different as Me. I am still reading that book but, as usual, I am reading another book as well and that's the one I took out with me today. Today I was reading The Problem of Pain: How Human Suffering Raises Almost Intolerable Intellectual Problems by C.S. Lewis. The very fact that the word "intellectual" is in the subtitle might let you know that I have to read every sentence at least twice. It's an excellent book, however. Anyone out there read it? It's a little serious for such a beautiful day in the mountains but if I could simplify the first chapter into my own words it would be this - the reason there is pain is that there is free will. While God is omnipotent (all-powerful) He acts in accordance with the laws of nature. He does act mysteriously and miraculously but not always -- because just as we are given a choice, so is everyone else.

Ok, that really does not do justice to the book or the subject. Johnny's back, though, and we're going to get some dinner. I'll get some pics up next time!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Working from home

I am working from home today for 2 reasons: #1 - I don't have internet at my office yet. I don't have windows either. Not the computer program, but real-live, look at the outdoors, windows. It's almost too much. There's nothing at all in my office but a table, a chair, and an empty filing cabinet. I'm not sure I can work that way. Maybe I should look at the positive side -- no distractions. (ok, I guess windows aren't alive, are they? ) #2 - I am expecting my son to come by. I am working at home, waiting for my son to come by and DROP OFF HIS LAUNDRY. How many times did I complain about the dirty clothes littered all over his bedroom floor or his lateness in bringing the clothes downstairs so I could wash them (I will NOT go upstairs for their dirty clothes but will gladly -- cough, cough -- wash clothes that are brought downstairs) or clean, folded clothes all piled up on the dining room table because he could walk by them 5 thousand times, pretending not to see & not carrying them upstairs? Countless times, I am sure. And now, here I am, working in my home office with the curtains open (to the sight of my overgrown bushes blowing in the gentle breeze, not looking at bare walls) watching for his truck to drive up and pull into the driveway. I've missed that sight. I know, I know, I just saw him on Monday at the lake. Yet, here I am...wondering where he is...because I don't have anything better to do than wash clothes...

People, he's only been gone 2 weeks! Two weeks! A lot has changed in 2 weeks.

I'm rambling so I will go.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Ridgecrest, NC

I am so distracted because I am more than excited about this weekend. On Saturday, Johnny and I are leaving for Ridgecrest, NC. Johnny is a trustee with LifeWay and I get to go to the trustee meeting with him!! I am always excited about getting away with Johnny but this is especially exciting because Ridgecrest is the place where we met. In 1987, I was a college graduate and a seminary student. I was hired to work at a summer camp called Centrifuge. There are several locations for the camp, but I was assigned to Ridgecrest. My first day there, someone captured by attention -- he was cooking hamburgers (some of the guys on the staff were cooking dinner for the rest of us) and acting silly. We became friends immediately. In fact, five weeks after we met we were engaged. Twenty years later, he is still the person I want to be with more than anyone else. He's my best friend and we have a blast together!

My mom is coming to stay with the kids. If you think about it, pray for her! She doesn't know about our crazy schedule yet. (yikes)

Focusing on today,

Jeanette

And this is where I ended up...

Yesterday, Labor Day, was a really fun day! Josh and Justin brought 6 of their new DBU friends out to the lake. We also had some other teenagers (high schoolers and middle schoolers) out there. We had a couple of boats and a couple of jet skis brought out by friends. We played, we ate, we relaxed. Then, I was talked into getting out on the tube by one of my friends. Going along, falling to peer pressure, was my downfall. I had already been witness to the boat driving, the circling and wave hopping done to the glee of the boat drivers to see who would be the sole survivor on the tubes each round. (2 tubes with a max capacity of 3 each -- oh wait, that's until the teenagers begin hopping back and forth and throwing each other off) I should have known better. "Go slow," I asked the boat driver. "Stay on your own tube," I begged my husband. Above is the picture of me -- the first thrown off each time we started out. I'm a wimp, I admit it. I am sore today. I have bruises and I can't take a deep breath without a sharp pain taking the breath away again. Ok, ok, I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Serving the King,

Jeanette