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