Yesterday was my 43rd birthday. So far, the 40's have been pretty good. Of course, it's had the usual ups and downs of life. But there is something beautiful in being in your 40's. Different level of maturity, knowledge of self, understanding of others, and hopefully growth and nearness in your walk with God.

I am thankful for the air I breathe, my family, my friends, the ability to run, the beauty outside and my dog named Bubba. {He's really a cool dog.} I'm sitting here remembering that everyday I need to wake up and thank the Lord for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me. It is to Him that I am thankful for all of the tangible, and most importantly, the intangible things of life.

Hope you too take a minute to thank Him for what makes you uniquely you.

This is my 'teacher' photo. Where is the apple?


Model switcheroo

Just gigglin'


A little more gigglin'


Peace out baby!

Every year, our staff is blessed to spend an entire week away from the office - relaxing and learning how to 'sabbath.' It is not as easy as it sounds. This year, we went to east Texas and spent a few days in and among the pine trees. The mornings were cool. The sun sparkled off the lake at our retreat site. Worship was intense and deeply moving.

Some of us spent time playing flag football. Some read. Some played their guitars among the trees. Some watched movies. Some of us went horseback riding.

I got 'Marge.' And no, she doesn't have a big blue beehive of a hairdo nor is she married to Homer. She did, however, have spunk. She wanted to pressure me into who was boss, but I showed her. Well, I tried to anyway. I sure would love to spend more time riding horses. It's been years since I had gotten in the saddle. I hope it's not years before I do it again. Thanks to my friend Denise, here are a few photos of my favorite part - the helmet!

P.S. I really am a dork in real life!

From the Web-site of 'ActiVote - a nonpartisan effort getting Americans to vote':

The history of voting in America is a story of ever-increasing voting rights. The rules for eligibility have changed substantially since America's founding, and continue to change today. When America was young, only white males over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. Some of the landmark changes since then: Black suffrage which gave the legal right to vote for African-Americans was established at the end of the Civil War. However, due to numerous restrictions, many blacks weren't actually able to vote until the 1960s Voting Rights Act. Women's Suffrage brought about the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote in 1920. This amendment resulted in an international movement. However, women were unable to vote in Switzerland until the 1970s and as of 1990, women could not vote in Kuwait. In 1971, the legal voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 as a result of the 26th Amendment.

Voting was not secret in the United States until the mid-1800s. Prior to that, voters would be sworn in and announce their choices by voice. The secret ballot box was seen as a means to increase voter participation, but also has problems with fraud.

In the United States, we utilize an indirect election system whereby the Electoral College formally selects the President and Vice President. The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives which is equiavlanet to the number of Senators and Representatives of the specific states. While Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, in practice they pledge to vote for specific candidates and voters cast ballots for favored presidential and vice presidential candiates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors. Each elector casts one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. In order to be elected, a candidate must have a majority (at least 270) of the electoral votes cast for that office. If no Presidential candidate receives the majority of electoral votes, the choice is referred to the House of Representtives. If no Vice-Presidential candidate receives the majority of electoral votes, the choice is given to the Senate.

There is much debate about the features of the Electoral College and whether or not it protects the rights of specific groups. Numerous constitutional amendments have been introduced in Congress seeking a replacement of the Electoral College with a direct popular vote; however, no proposal has ever successfully passed both houses.

Anyhooo - get out and vote. It is your privilege to vote. Early elections are taking place now. to find your voting location in Texas, go to www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/pamphlets/earlyvote.shtml.

P.S. I will be glad when it's all over. Things can get back to normal......

I just returned from the memorial service of our dear friend, Del. What a time of honoring and praising a man who always preferred not to be in the spotlight. He always sought out the lost, the one who was a little away from the crowd, and I pray that through his service today the same occurred.

As I stood in the foyer to hand-out programs, I saw people from days gone by dawn the doors of the church. You see I started working at First Baptist Church of Highland Village, as it was formerly known, six years ago almost to the day. The church was small with about 200 adults coming to church faithfully week in and week out. I observed these families gather in the foyer, shake hands, hug, smile, laugh, and share stories of how their week went. Their children were not quite in college or just leaving for college. They would share tears. And they would share their fears, expectations, hopes, and try not to be the weepy 'parent.'

Today was an emulation of those days gone by. Six years in, we now have over 3,500 adults on average dawn the doors of the church in Highland Village alone. About 20 miles up the road, another 650 adults attend our Denton campus. While I am grateful for what the Lord has done (and I'm not truly speaking numerics here), I do miss the community of families that drew me and my family in. You see in this group of about 200 adults, I knew all of their names. I knew their names by their faces or their spouse's face. I knew their children. But what was greater was I knew they loved the Lord and felt a calling to this place becoming The Village.

Due to various circumstances, some of them no longer attend. They have moved on to other churches, moved to other states, or haven't step into the doors of a church for years. It is for the latter that I grieve. I grieve for their loss of relationship with our Lord Jesus. I grieve for their loss of community. I grieve for their loss of being known with a group of people with whom they walked and journeyed through some dark circumstances. I grieve because, selfishly, I miss them. I miss seeing their face, their laugh, witness their tears, watching them smile, worshiping, hoping...

I am grateful for this gift that was provided today because of our dear friend's passing. This gift is the gift of friends.

One of our patriarchs at the church passed away a couple of days ago. A sad day for us left here on earth. A glorious day for him to see Jesus. As we've sat around, cried tears and shared stories of all that he had done and all that he was to each of us, I thought I would share a few words about him.

1. A man of quite gentle faithfulness. Del was a gentleman through and through. He had a quiet countenance about him. He was faithful in everything, even what some would consider to be the smallest of details. He didn't consider anything beneath him. He served and lived out his faith quietly and gently.

2. A man of loyal service. Del served our Lord, by serving His church. Del made himself available to help out whenever needed. From signing checks, to counting money, to filling the pens in the seatbacks, to picking up trash, to smiling and shaking hands at the front doors, to leading our Elders, and the list goes on... Week in and week out, he was there. Del served faithfully and loyally.

3. An unselfish man. Del put others first. As many have said, he did not particularly like the type of music we played during worship. However, he put the potential for others to hear the Word above his personal preference for music. Also, he would assist elderly women who had no means of transportation.

4. A man of discipline. I met Del after he had his heart surgery. But I knew him to disciplined in his eating habits and exercise habits. Every morning, I mean early morning, he would rise and go to the rehab center. Not only did he go there to work-out, but he went there to minister to others in the program.

5. A man of family. If anyone had a conversation with Del for longer than 5 minutes, you knew how important all of his family was to him. He was always talking about his grandkids, going to eat donuts with them, watching soccer or baseball, having them over to spend the night. You knew he loved them through his words, but also through his actions.

6. A man of humility. Del never sought praise for himself. While he served faithfully, he also served humbly. He was an example to those of who remain behind.

7. A man who listens. A good friend of mine said, when you spoke with Del, you had his full attention. He had the gift of listening whole-heartedly. He paid respect to whoever he was in conversation with.

8. A man of surprises. When I started working at the church, Mr. Del was on the Counter Team along with Gerry, Emmette, Tim, and Danny. Shortly thereafter, Sherry joined the team. What a combination we all were. My office at the time was nothing but furniture and a door. However, every Sunday after the 11 a.m. service, a combination of us would gather in my office to count the money and post to the database. We had great times together telling stories, laughing, and watching things just grow. We would be in the middle of a conversation. Del would be quietly working, and then he would pop off with a little comment. Which, by the way, would throw all of into hysterical laughter. Which, in turn, would cause him to get so tickled his face would turn pink and he wouldn't be able to stop laughing. Sometimes, the old saying 'the good ole days' has meaning...

There are many more attributes of this man. While his mere presence and name commanded respect, he would not have desired the attention to be drawn unto himself. He would have preferred that the testimony of his faith in Jesus commanded the respect.

We will miss him and love him dearly. However, he is sitting with our Lord and Savior right now - pain free and cancer free. What better place could he be?

Del and his wife, Gerry, at our 2006 Village Church Staff Christmas Party.

As I've entered the world of blogging, I've come to observe different types of bloggers. What type are you?

Are you the wanna be blogger like I was when I started? I joined on-line journaling in July 2007 only to not publish another post for six months. I had grand and glorious ideas of what to say, images, provoking thoughts – only to let life steal them all away for a while.

How about a blog stalker? Blog stalkers peak into the lives of others. Others they may never even physically encounter. They get glimpses of different cultures, struggles, situations, and, sometimes; someone’s most intimate thoughts.

A bleeding heart blogger lays it all out there for us to read, sense, try to grasp or imagine ourselves in similar positions. They are not afraid of what others may feel or think about their thoughts and struggles rather they are inviting others into their lives.

Just for fun bloggers post photos, keep family and friends updated on the light, fun and enjoyable side of life. I believe I am primarily a “just for fun” blogger because I am intensely private. However, I believe I am moving and progressing to opening up more and more…while not quite to the same level as the bleeding heart blogger.

Devotional bloggers give us something to ponder. Challenging us to think about God, creation, Jesus, our relationship with Him, our response to Him...

The deep blogger is so lost in their own thoughts that it may be difficult to peak into their lives. Their thoughts may be dark and ominous, yet very real and poignant. The deep blogger doesn’t want to put surfacy words out there for us to contemplate. They want to get lost in the universal unknown world of blogging.

Blogging is an ultimate voyeuristic activity. One can see another’s life from the outside without any emotional or physical contact. Blogging may appear to give us a sense of intimacy that does not exist. It is this lack of true intimacy that can be a problem if one is so wrapped up in blogging that they evade real life. However, blogging can lead to some very positive results. For instance, a blog stalker may stumble across people dealing with deep hard life issues and stop to pray for them. Imagine a world where people are praying for you…and you don’t know their name…and you don’t even know they are praying for you…

Blogging is also a simple tool for family and friends to keep up with your daily life. Our lives sometimes seem to be spinning at warp speed. There hardly seems time to spend 15 minutes on the phone with a loved one. Running errands, working, taking care of our families, keeping up with our households - let alone doing anything for ourselves - are the priorities of the day. The simple life of hanging out on the porch with neighbors and friends seem to have gone by the way side. In my neighborhood, closed garage doors and front doors are the norm. While blogging doesn’t replace good old fashioned chitty chat, it does help to keep up with loved ones more frequently than a once a year Christmas letter.

Let me know what type or types of blogger you are OR if think of any other types of bloggers…I’m sure I’ve missed some.

Caring

Gracious

Giver

Faithful

Servant

Believer

My memoir in six words. Pretty difficult and it may change over the coming days as I ponder what would I really want to be said about me. And do I live up to what I would want?

Two years ago, I chained all my teeth together with braces. Metal mouth became I. My motto has been "pretty teeth." You see, I have had ugly teeth my whole life. Spaces here and there. Two teeth that never came again. I love genetic defects. Although, missing two teeth genetically speaking is far down the line of what is considered important and vital to life here on earth.

Once I got braces, I started noticing everyone's teeth. How beautiful, straight, white...and always comparing to my misaligned, spacious gaps in my mouth. Comparing is not always such a good thing to do. Fortunately, my comparing always led to a desire for pretty teeth rather than a jealousy or envy of the other person. My braces made me appreciate the beauty in teeth at a completely different level than before.

One of the first actions of my braces was to the bridge the great divide between my two front middle teeth. My ortho wired my teeth together, tied them together, looped them together, and all kinds of other things. Well, about a year and half after getting them on, I awoke one day to no gap in my front two teeth. I couldn't hardly believe it! I hadn't seen my mouth without a gap since early childhood.

Well closing the gap open up two gaps on either side of my two front teeth. I went from teeth like Lauren Hutton to teeth like a hillbilly. My teeth now appeared as if I had never been to a dentist. It's a good thing my mouth isn't very large as I don't think most people ever recognized the huge spaces in my mouth. I felt even more self-conscious than before. I would laugh with my hand over my mouth or close my lips when smiling.

Well today is a new day! My hillbilly teeth have been replaced with fake teeth! My ortho fitted me and locked two fake teeth in my braces. Fully bracketed and chained on, my mouth is completely full of teeth. I was shocked when I looked in the mirror. Amazing, a glimpse of what my teeth will be when the braces come off and my 'dental' implants are securely in place.

Below are some silly photos of my "before and after" fake teeth. My friend and I cackled as we took before photos. I think she about peed her pants laughing at my stupid facial expressions. The after photo was fun just for the sake of fun. I know my teeth aren't perfect yet, but they give me hope to continue the journey. So if you are blessed with beautiful teeth, say a word of praise and thanks! And if you are fortunate to have braces, say a word of thanks for an invention that can turn you from hillbilly to human.

Do you always know when you are getting a phone call you don't want to hear? I was in the middle of watching a movie late Saturday night when the phone rang. It was way past the normal time that my mother would be calling me, so I knew it had to be bad news. I wasn't prepared for the news - fearing the worst. Well, I finally summoned bravery enough to call her back. It was bad news indeed. My oldest brother has a son named Jordan who lives in Florida with his mom, Pam. The news was Pam's mother - Helen - had passed away on Friday April 4th. She had been battling cancer and now succumbed to this terrible disease. I remember Helen having stayed at her house in my early 20's. She was a lovely joyous lady who always made me feel welcome. It was like she never met a stranger. As I think about my nephew Jordan, I grieve for him as he wanders through the path of loss of a loved one. I am comforted to know she did love the Lord. Maybe one day that will comfort her closest family and friends.

On Sunday, I opened my e-mail to find one from a very dear old friend. The title had a name from my past that I hadn't heard in years - Carol. Carol was the best friend of my dear old friend. Carol had been feeling unwell for quite sometime. She too passed away on Friday April 4th from respiratory failure. I met Carol when I was a teenager. My friend and her painted ceramics every Tuesday evening. At one point, they invited me to join them. I felt honored - being 20 years their junior - to be included in their party. They talked to me like an adult, listed to what I had to say, and treated me like a friend. It was a great place of acceptance and love. Even though I haven't seen Carol in years, I will miss knowing she was here on earth. But as my dear friend said, it is better for Carol because she has been unwell for so long.

Times of death always make me think of fleeting life. No matter when it comes, it always seems to be here early. I find comfort knowing when people have loved the Lord. It provides me with peace and a different understanding into their death. It takes the edge off of the "earliness." While I will miss these people, heaven is far better than what we could ever imagine or dream. May they truly rest in the peace of our Lord.

Many of you know our friend, not just mine, Paul. He has been on my heart lately as he is preparing for a big change in his life. He will be coming home from Asia. I have been praying for his leadership while in country, the work he has been doing, his relationships, his re-entry into this amazing, but complex and very selfish materialistic culture called America...I am asking if you too would pray for him as well as the rest of our team returning. They are going to need an extra measure of grace and love from our Lord during this time of transition. Please reach out and encourage them.

Paul with our friend Gilberto at a Village Church staff Christmas party.


Paul and I on my 40th birthday. Denise and I offered "photo ops" all day long. What a great time!

Spring Break has come and gone, but what a time we had. Christopher and I left early on Friday and headed to Kansas City - Missouri not Kansas. My childhood home. My parents, four brothers and their families all live here. I have lots of nieces and nephews. They have been a great joy to watch grow up.

My oldest brother, Jim, has four kids and has been married to Margaret for about 11 years. Jordan lives in Florida and is college-aged. I remember him when he was a baby. My parents and I drove to Mountain Home ID where Jim was living at the time. The town it not far from Boise and sits in a valley at the base of the mountains. What a little guy he was. He was also the first grandchild to represent five living generations in our family. I'll have to find a baby photo and post it later. Brooke is going to be 16 this summer and driving! Eee gads. I can't hardly believe it. Such a lovely, caring young lady. Kendra is married with one son named Skylar. What a fun kid. Krystal is graduating from college this year and ready to embark on life.

This photo is of Brooke Shea and her cousin Rachel.
Jim and Krystal playing Santa.

Jer Bear, formerly known as Jerry, formerly known as J.D., is the next to oldest son and has been married to Janet for - gees a long time! They have one daughter - Rachel. She is a very smart and helpful young lady.

This picture was taken a year ago at Christmas time. She is sporting new clothes from her Aunties.
Shawnie Pawnie Wawnie - oh he would hate and love it! What a nickname from our childhood. Shawn is married to Denise and they have two children. Megan recently got engaged. And Josh found football last fall and I think fell in love with the sport. He is such a loving young man. Kind of a flirt actually. Like father, like son.

These photos were taken at Christmas a year ago also - Megan with her mommie Denise; and Josh playin' pool. Shawn, Megan and cousin Lauren.
Well the baby of the fam is Markie Clarkie. He is the youngest of all five children. I of course was stuck in the middle, but we had fun! Mark is married to Alberta and they have two children: Jake who is a teenager (like Christopher) and missy Lauren. Jake loves sports and is naturally gifted athletically. Lauren is just cute. A girl who loves her "bubba" aka Jake.Hello Miss Kitty was her fave!
The great thing was the younger ones were all on Spring Break at the same time! We had a great time going to the movies, shopping, bowling, and just plain hangin' out. It's too bad we live so far away...