Praises While Packing Up

Packing Day One went well. I had the dining room on the agenda first since it is the least used of our things...you know fine china and all that. I cleared out that room and will use it as the box storing area as it will be quite easy to get the movers in and out of there. This is our third move in 1 1/2 years and I have gotten pretty good about organzing it although it is not a fun task no matter how many times you do it. My solice is knowing that this move will be permanent unless God calls us elsewhere.

Jason had his final interview yesterday. It went really well and the hiring manager called him yesterday afternoon and formally offered him the job. He gave him $1 an hour over what he currently makes which is about double what we were told he could expect in Abilene. Praise the Lord. He is to report in Abilene by September 28th.

In thinking about this move and how it has come about I keep thinking about Psalm 118:23 "This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous to see!" Jason and I are amazed. This is truly the Lord's doing over and over and it is marvelous and amazing to witness.

Now, in that spirit, where is the tape gun?

The Next Adventure

Jason and I announced on Facebook last night that we are moving to Abilene October 1st. We are so excited about how God has shown us that we're to move and about starting our new adventure there. Of course that excitement doesn't come without its sadness about leaving our precious family and dear friends. This coming month will be one of many highs and lows as we ride the emotional roller coaster of relocating. But, one thing I know and hold strong to is that my Redeemer is faithful and true. He is Emmanuel...God with us. He goes before us and prepares the way. Only good comes from Him!

As we get ready to do the big move, look for pictures and updates from our adventure!

After a long hiatus...

It has been a long, long time blogger world! After the new year, we were very busy at our house with moving and there wasn't much to blog about. Then in April, our overused laptop crashed and we have been without a computer since then. Thankfully, we got a new laptop last week and things are looking up. I'm so happy to be connected to cyber space again!

Twas the night before Christmas....

Raylen woke up on Christmas morning at 4:30am. She came to our door and began beating on it calling for me to wake up. As an official Santa's Elf, I had only gone to bed 3 1/2 hours earlier so it was a bit hard for me to drag myself out of the warm bed to answer her calls. When I got to the door, my little blonde girl, dressed in her red plaid Christmas nightgown and still rubbing her eyes, told me that she had just seen Santa. She put her hand over her mouth as she always does when she has just told or heard something so amazing she can't even believe it. Still groggy I asked her to repeat it and she told me the same thing. "Honey, I think you were dreaming", I said. "No. I saw him, Mommy" she replied. Raylen then told me a whole story about how she had been dreaming and something woke her up. She said she saw Santa at her window tapping on it and waving. Then, she said he got in his sleigh and flew away with the reindeer after he wished her Merry Christmas. I shook my head with a grin on my face and hugged her and told her that was a fantastic story. She hadn't even seen what was under the tree yet, so I directed her to look while I tried to wake up and reflect on what she'd just told me.

Now, I have to admit that throughout the morning I kept thinking about the story. Raylen had told me the story in such vivid detail that it seemed magical and convincing-I really wanted to believe it too! This thought puzzled me. I am a grown woman who has been VERY well aware of the details of Christmas wonderment for some time. I KNOW in my mind that there is no way in the world that Raylen saw Santa Claus at her window. Yet my heart, soft, whimsical and always looking for a fairytale, somehow wanted to believe that the joke had been on me all along and that truly, for me and Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Later that day, still thinking about the story as I recalled it for other family members, the Lord spoke to me about my belief in other things...namely Him. I was reminded about how easily it is to be swayed by others thoughts and beliefs and of course by the media and our culture. I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is God and Jesus is His son, all God and all man, died on the cross after leading a sinless life and rose from the grave three days later and that by faith in Him I will live in Eternity with Him and others who trust in Him. These things are non negotiables and I KNOW them to be true like I KNOW that I am breathing right now. But, somedays, when I've watched way too much television or I've read too much garbage, I think, what if they're right? What if I'm wrong? When I question those things I know are truths, I go back to point A and I am reminded of what and who Truth is.

The Lord used my daughter's fanciful dramatization of Santa to remind me of the importance to guard my heart and mind from lies and thoughts that are only half truths. The Bible says, "Above all, guard your heart for out of it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23. I'm going to do a better job of that in 2009...this I resolve.

Extreme Fun!

If you haven't heard already, Extreme Home Makeover has come to town....well not exactly the town that my zip code corresponds to, but around here, towns overlap so easily that it feels like it's our town! The house is located only about 3 miles from our house and the family receiving the gift is someone we used to go to church with and the photographer that did our precious 5 year anniversary photos. The whole town has been buzzing this week and it's been an exciting time to watch the community join together to help this family.

So....of course I wanted to be apart of that too! I didn't get the opportunity to go hang out at the the house until Saturday night. My friend Rachel and I left our hubbies home with the kiddos and ventured out to the site around 9pm. The workers literally work throughout the night and a spectator area is set up for gawkers to watch the work as it happens. We spent a little while watching and taking pictures and then realized that we had to get a free tshirt that they were handing out to volunteers. We petitioned to be a volunteer at the volunteer tent, but they said that the slots were all full and there was an eight page waiting list! We saw our friends Vanessa and Janna go to work their shift and we decided to stay for a bit longer to watch them work. By 11:15, we were ready to give up, but a security guard suggested we go to the volunteer tent one last time to see if anyone had not shown up. We were ecstatic to find that they needed more people and we were quickly given shirts and hard hats and escorted to the concession tent to serve. We were taken aback though when we heard that the shift was until 6am! We just couldn't do that long with our Sunday family duties coming soon, but we assured the foreman we could stay for a couple of hours anyway. We were a little giggly and delirious while serving and stocking the tables with cokes, snacks, cookies and pizza as far as the eye could see. We were able to load up trays of goodies and walked around serving those working in and out of the house. The house is beautiful, but we weren't permitted to take interior photos. We left shortly after 2:30, just after eating a Texas favorite Al's Hamburger which had been delivered for the 2am meal. We were so happy to have helped out even a little and can't wait to see the show in February or March. For more info and phots on the house visit http://www.extreme.wall.com/default.html


Extreme Reality! Woo Hoo!

My official tshirt after a long night of work!

Me on trash duty

Food as far as the eye can see!

Vanessa and Janna while we were still on the outside looking in.

Rachel and I are bonded for life after this experience!

Looking at the house from the spectator area.

Hard workers....

Join the Conspiracy

Happy Birthday To Me

Yesterday was a rough day for me. There's a lot of stress in life right now...all productive, but stress none the less. And then, the day I never thought I would see came-I turned 30. I know it's not that big of deal, but to me, I still feel 17 inside and I can remember clearly my parents turning 30, so it seems a bit odd that I am there now too. Anyway, below is an email that my mom sent me last night. It was interesting to me to see in print the many adventures of my parents around the time of my birth. Life seems so chaotic to me sometimes and I wonder if Raylen is getting the stability and attention that she needs and deserves. When I read my mom's email though, it made me feel better to know that life happens as it happens and you learn and grow through it all. (Sorry Mom for printing your email without your permission :)

Jenny,

This is a very special day for me. You were born 30 years ago and oh how wonderful that was. We were so young we really didn't know what to expect when we got you. But during the whole "year" of gestation something was always going on to make it memorable. For instance:

1. Daddy started a new job in Dallas and 20 minutes into the job he falls and breaks his leg. It is winter and he is in a Dallas hospital.
2.In February on the way to the doctor to see if I was pregnant, daddy hit a truck in front of us. ( He was looking at a blonde at the 7-11.) Aunt Lynn separated and divorced Phil. March or so she met Michael Rowan.
3. In July we went camping 2 hours away and neither one of us remembered to wear or bring shoes with us. And at that time I thought you were going to be born at the end of August or the first of September.
4. Daddy went back to work in September.
5. We were given showers for you with the cards addressed to "Jason".
6. Aunt Lynn and Uncle Michael got married on November 10th. I was way overdue with you. After the wedding we went and ate at the German Restaurant.. After dinner it was cold and I ran to the car with daddy, panty hose falling down all the way.
7. November 11th Daddy and I wanted to make a sign for the front yard saying that the baby was here, leaving room for boy or girl, even though we thought you were a boy.
8. That Saturday morning I started labor even though I wasn't sure that I was. Daddy and I worked on the sign and also put a dish washer in. That night we were going to Reggie and Linda's to play games, usually Tri-Ominoes. I was in clear labor at that point.
9. Because I couldn't sleep all night on Sunday morning November 12th, 1978 we called the doctor and said my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. He said to go to the hospital. We got there about 9am. You were not born until 7:46 pm. A lot of people were there. Your great grandmother on your mothers side was there with gifts for a boy, but she gave them to us anyway.
10. When you were born daddy could not be in the room but he was just outside the door. When you were born the nurse couldn't tell him what you were when he asked her, all she said was that "she" was born. Daddy was so happy. They asked me what your name was and I told them Jennifer Len Tidwell. As I was laying on the table while they finished with me, I looked over at you and just immediately fell in love with you. You were such a special baby. The first thing Daddy said when he saw you was that you looked just like me. You had lots of dark hair, (I'm sure that you got that from PaPa) and you were absolutely beautiful! And yes new borns are beautiful. I knew that I was blessed. Your daddy and I both never regretted having you. We loved and cherished you from the very beginning and I still love and cherish you now. The next day after you were born Daddy and Memaw went all over town looking for just the right shirt for you. And he found it. He always made life so fun. You got your fun side from him. Your serious side we know where that came from.

I just wanted you to know what a special year that was. We went through quite a bit before you were born and more after. Nine days after you were born daddy got hurt again, this time he broke his other leg and his right arm. And that began a whole new story. To be continued........

You are very much loved by a whole lot of people, but mostly by me and your daddy, because I know that you feel him around you all the time.

I love you baby girl and Happy Birthday

Mama