Two Weeks

This time two weeks from now I'll be sitting at the DFW airport waiting to begin my journey to India. It seems like our trip is kinda short this time and I mentioned that to Johnny last night. He said that, no, 8 days is not short. I guess it doesn't seem like very long because we only have 4 full days there. Three of those will be really busy -- we'll be at the children's camp in the morning and speaking at the women's conference in the afternoons.

I've been planning the women's conference for weeks. I've assigned topics and speaking times to our team members that are going. I am anxious (in a good way) to see how God is going to use each one of the ladies and to hear what she will say, how she will share with those precious women in India. India is a spiritually dark country and it is much more difficult to be a light for Christ in that culture. Not to mention that many of them are living in physically difficult circumstances. I cannot imagine not having access to clean water. Or, to have to walk to a well and pump water into containers and then carry it back to my house. I cannot imagine living in the heat without air conditioning. I cannot imagine facing persecution and even fearing for my family's physical safety as a result. Yet, these are the very real situations for many we will encounter while we are in India.

So, I covet your prayers for our team over the next 2 weeks as we finish our preparations to go. Please pray that our hearts will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we desperately seek His leadership for the words we will say. Please pray for those we will encounter. Pray for their travel to the conference and the time we'll share together.

I'm sure I'll have more to write about the trip over the next couple of weeks. I'm watching the Rangers right now and they just let Tampa Bay go ahead in the 9th inning...ugh!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Homecoming

Tonight was our high school homecoming football game. They had a party at school after the game. I got home at 12:33 and was followed shortly after by a bunch of teenagers. What I mean by a bunch is 21... 21 teenagers and only 2 belong to me. And, to top it off, Johnny is in Georgia. His uncle died and he went for the funeral. I stayed, of course, because of the homecoming festivities.

The game was exciting -- really close and the lead went back and forth between the teams. We were ahead with just a few minutes left but our opponent had the ball and was driving down the field. We held them off and our quarterback was able to just take a knee the last play of the game. whew!

Jessica talked Jacob into playing a drum to help the cheerleaders out with some of their cheers. Since we are a small, private school we don't have a band so it was great for our girls to have the extra sound of the drum.

Ok, there's some craziness going on out there. I guess I'll go check it out. I won't be sleeping anytime soon which almost makes me want to cry.

I guess I'll just wrap this up by giving you one little funny story from tonight. I got out my Mary Kay lipstick to put a little on since my lips were a little dry and my friend asked what color it was. It was dark and, if you're a follower of my blog, you know I have to wear those little cheater glasses, so I couldn't -- I mean, I absolutely could not -- read the lipstick name. I tried to shine some light from my cell phone and my other friend also had her cell phone out. Nope, still couldn't read it. We passed it around the 4 of us and none of us could read it. We finally gave it to the 4th grade daughter of one of our friends and she tried to read it and couldn't. We finally realized she was trying to read the really small print around the edge of the label. As soon as her mom told her we wanted to know what the word across the middle was she said, "Oh, that says Golden." Smarty pants. Just kidding... it's a sad and funny day when 4 women have to rely on an elementary girl to read a lipstick lable for them.

And that's it. One teen just left. I'm down to 20. I think 7 are spending the night so I've just got to get rid of 13...

only 13 more...

Serving the King even when it feels like I'm serving the kids,

Jeanette

My Sad, Sad Dilemma

I got some really great news today and I'm a little giddy so it's been hard to concentrate on my Fusion study this afternoon. I'm teaching on the Temptation of Jesus in the morning and so I gotta get with it. I actually have been reading from one of my all-time favorite books today, The Illustrated Life of Jesus by Herschel Hobbs. Love, love this book. It was given to me at a conference I attended a few years ago. I was sitting in the back and the conference leader held it up as he was talking about it. It was a new book and it looked interested and I simply mouthed, "I want that book." Kinda thinking there's no way he would've seen me but HE DID and he gave me the book! It's a super great book. I'm not kidding.

Anyway, it's Homecoming week at the private school where my 2 younger kids attend. I mentioned that on my blog yesterday. Everyday this week they are having dress up days for the students. Yesterday was nerd day. Jessica looked hilarious -- I wish I had a picture. She had on a skirt and leggings and she wore some of my shoes... She asked to wear them and I agreed just thinking that it would be nerdish because they totally didn't match her outfit. Only thing is, apparently, several kids asked her where she GOT THE SHOES. LIKE, THOSE WERE SUPER NERDY SHOES AND WHERE ON EARTH DID YOU FIND THEM?

I don't mean to yell on the blog but I LIKE THOSE SHOES. I wear them all the time in the colder months of the year. My dilemma is this: now, will I ever be able to wear those shoes again? Will her friends think I am even more nerdy than they already do if I wear the shoes? Will I be super paranoid to wear the shoes? Are the shoes really nerdy and I just never knew it? Fashionista I am not and never claimed to be. I did like to think I had decent taste though. What else am I wearing that I totally should not be wearing?

If you decide you should really answer that question please be kind. Otherwise, can you answer the question about the shoes without seeing them? Do I wear or not wear shoes just because teenagers think they look particularly nerdy?

Enough about the shoes. Back to Matthew 4...

Serving the King and not the culture,

Jeanette

A Regular Week in Sight

The last few weeks (since school started, really) have been super crazy. I had these dreams of the kids getting back and school and I immediately getting into a routine. HA! This week actually looks unexciting and I am thrilled! I had a meeting about future mission opportunities this morning and spent the rest of the day writing and studying for Fusion. I am loving working on this project with Johnny! He is awesome!

My other project is getting ready for the trip to India. We have 3 days with the pastors' wives -- 2 hours each day in the afternoon after we finish with the children's camp. I pulled out a curriculum I wrote for a class at seminary a few years ago that I titled, "Women Teaching Women." I've been picking it apart and sending sections to my speakers to get the sessions lined up. I think it will give us some great continuity for the conference and I'm thrilled with the positive response I've received from my girls that are speaking with me. I'm also working on the day-long conference at the hotel and my spot at the evening conference. Maybe something from Fusion....

The only exciting thing going on this week is homecoming. Jacob actually asked someone to go! Jessica made the mum for his (date -- although that's not what he calls it). Jess is going with her friend and it should be a fun weekend.

Alright, gotta get to dinner. Making Johnny's favorite -- he loves my spaghetti sauce! Just stopped by to say hi and hope you'll keep checking in. I might actually have something interesting to write...someday....maybe...

Serving the King,

Jeanette

The Show Goes On

This picture was taken in 2002, I think. See my sweet Grandmother sitting there with my little nephew in her lap? She's in the presence of Jesus now. This was my daughter's facebook status this morning:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer, grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed.

I have been sitting in my office much of the day trying to prep for Fusion tomorrow. I'm working on the desktop computer but have the laptop open on the corner of the desk -- it's playing a slideshow my brother made for my Grandmother's 90th birthday celebration a couple of years ago. I've played it over and over again. There are pictures from the time my grandparents were young until recent times. The last song my brother chose to use for the slideshow is a Bruce Hornsby song called "The Show Goes On." I have no idea what the song lyrics mean or why my brother chose that song. But this I know, life goes on. I will miss my Grandmother but she had a great life and leaves a wonderful legacy. I have such great memories; things that I haven't thought about in years until last Thursday and today. I'll keep holding on to those and try to pass some down to my own kids. They never knew my other grandparents or anything about Bluff Vue. All the more reason to live with purpose and to make it count. Life is but a glimpse, a vapor. Now I see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but I long to see face to face. Now I know in part, but Lexie Lou knows fully. Her vision is completely clear. Finally.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Waiting

I'm waiting by the phone today. I'm having a hard time doing anything else at all. I talked to my dad just a bit ago. Not much has changed with my grandmother but he feels sure that these are the last hours of her life. All 5 of her children are gathered by her bedside. On the one hand I long to be there listening to their conversation, sharing in their sorrow. On the other it's a time meant for them, in that tiny room, around the bed of the one who gave life to each of them. Their ages span almost 2 decades -- the oldest was already in college when the youngest was born. There are 11 grandchildren. All are grown and married now. My own children are 3 of her great-grandchildren. There's over 20 in all. My kids call her Great Granny and great she is.

"For we know that if our earthly house, a tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And, in fact, we groan in this one, longing to put on our house from heaven...Therefore, though we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord...yet we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord." (from 2 Corinthians 5)

My grandmother's little tent is just about gone. But soon (let it be soon) she will be perfectly clothed and finally at home.

Waiting in confidence,

Jeanette

A Hard Day

What follows are some thoughts I jotted down in a journal while I was in Waco today:

I am beside my grandmother's bed in hospice care. She looks so small and frail. She didn't seem to respond when I arrived and leaned in to tell her I was here. My mom, her sister, and her brother have gone to my parents' house to make "the arrangements." My grandmother moved her mouth some and shrugged her shoulders a bit after my mom told her she was leaving and that I would be here. I wonder what she was thinking. Was she trying to speak? I'll never know.

Two of my aunt's friends came by. One brought a snack for my aunt but since she's not here I'll make it my own.

The nurse and an aid came in to turn my grandmother. She seemed restless after they left so I opened my Bible to the psalms and started reading to her. She settled down and seems to be resting comfortably again.

That's all I wrote while I was there. I read to her one other time before my mom and aunt returned. Again, she was restless but settled into a more peaceful sleep as I read to her from the Word she treasured. I mostly sat in a chair close beside her bed and thought about all she means to me. I thought about the days when she was young and strong...even though when she was still young I already thought she was old. Now I know better.

I remember being at my grandparents' house when I was young and all the family was there. My granddad would call us into their room and we pile up on the bed and sit all around on the floor and he would read to us from the Bible. My grandmother lost him over 20 years ago -- more than 20 years without him...they were crazy about one another.

My grandmother read her Bible everyday. I'm not sure if she did over the last months as her health declined, but a long time ago she told me she started her day by reading The Word. What a legacy she leaves. She is a beautiful example to me of faithfulness, of courage, of selfless giving, and love.

Today was hard. She'll be in the presence of her Savior in a matter of days. Her legacy, however, and the things she taught me by word and example will remain.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

A Totally Shocking Dunk in the Pool

For our last anniversary Jessica took some of our really old pictures (like, from our wedding & honeymoon) along with some more recent ones and put them together with the song by Jason Mraz, "Lucky," which starts off "Lucky to be in love with my best friend..." It's a perfect song for Johnny and me. We really, usually, have a lot of fun together. Writing our new Bible study together has been a very interesting experience. I have loved talking to Johnny and brainstorming and studying and searching to prepare our devotion guide and indepth study. Yesterday we went 5 miles on a trail by the river in Fort Worth in prep for the 15k. Let's just say, I've gotta lot of work to do if I'm gonna run 9 miles in 2 months. Today we worked in the yard together. I had to pull some weeds and he came over to help when he finished his other work. When we finished with the weeds, he brought over a big bag of mulch to put in. I sat with my feet in the pool and tried to get the dirt and mud out from underneath my fingernails because my gloves got left out and were soaking wet and I had to pull weeds barehanded. Jessica came out about that time and Johnny said thanks to me (sarcastically) for helping with the mulch. I replied that I couldn't pick up that big bag cuz my back hurt. (stay with me, I'm about to get to the good part) I then walked over and said, "I think the flower bed needs more mulch." He said, "Be careful or I'll throw you in the pool." I looked at Jessica and said, "I'm not scared." Not scared, because never in a million bazillion years did I think he would throw me into the pool. Next thing I know, however, I was off my feet and we were both in the pool. Fully clothed. Johnny still even had his work boots on. He just picked me up and jumped in. I couldn't catch my breath when I first came up because of the shock of actually being thrown in the pool. Once I did, however, I laughed. Jessica went in the house to get Jacob because she thought it was just hilarious.

Yeah, I'm lucky to be in love with my best friend... even if he did thrown me in the pool.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Bumps in the Road

Sometimes I feel like I have no control over my life. I don't mean the good kind of uncontrol where God is in the driver's seat and I'm the passenger. I mean, having a schedule and everyone and everything around me sticking to it. I know, I know, stop the whinning. Yesterday I sent a simple email that led to an unexpected appointment that is leading to another unexpected and unplanned appointment. Unexpected, unplanned and I don't want to go.

When I think about bumps in the road I generally think of hard times. Man, I've had plenty of those. Times when things are really out-of-control and I'm doing all I can just to stay afloat and keep my chin up. I had a perfectly good reminder last night that I am blessed beyond measure and God has been really, really good to me and my family. Life is good even if it's bumpy right now. I've just got too many things going on. I have a hard time departmentalizing and taking on only one at a time. Then, the unexpected throws me off even more.

So, time to get off this blog and get to work. Focus, Jeanette, focus.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Football Weekends in Texas

It's back-to-school time in Texas and that can mean only one thing for weekends -- football. Friday night is high school football. We attended our school's game Friday night. We are a TAPPS 1-A school so our team plays 6-man football. They have the 45-point rule. I think the rule basically states that if one team has 45 or more points than the other at the end of any quarter then the game is over. I think the score at halftime was 61-0. Our favor. Needless to say, the game was over.

As fun as that was (and it was fun, BTW) the big fun for the weekend was going to the new Cowboys Stadium. Someone at our church gave us tickets to the Dallas Cowboys preseason game this past Saturday night. We've watched the stadium going up -- it's in Arlington and close to where our kids play basketball. Besides, it's humongous and can be seen from quite a distance. We've heard the news reports about the BILLION dollars spent on it's construction. People we know have paid money to go tour the stadium. It is amazing, I'm not gonna lie. Check out the video board -- it's humongous!

And here we are in our seats, in the upper concourse.

(Ok, I've typed another paragraph to put here at least four times and have deleted it each time. I guess I don't really have anything else to say about football, the Cowboys or their stadium.)

Have a great day! Jeanette