The Shack

Can you like and dislike a book at the same time?

Back to School

Hard to believe we are headed back to school so soon. The school supplies are labeled and bagged, new clothes bought and teachers met. The time goes by so quickly in hindsight. One day she is going to kindergarten and the next she is going to 6th grade with 10 different classes a day. I guess it is a sign of growing old when the time passes so fast. For example, we have 4 months until Christmas. Didn't we just "do" Christmas????

Another Sampling

This just warms my heart so much I had to share. As many of you know Kori is deaf. Legally according to the state of Texas but she can hear some. Well, we just found out last Sunday that she can get this hearing device from the church sound guy and it hooks over her ear and amplifies the sound. Up until then, she couldn't hear what our pastor was saying or really understand any of the songs. Words in music are really difficult for her to get. So, we tried it out.
She was she thought she was hot stuff with that thing on and loved it. She sang for the first time in worship and has been bellowing "Here I Am To Worship" non stop since. So, if you are even remotely near us on Sunday mornings, that beautiful, freckle faced blonde who is singing at the top of her lungs and way of key is my daughter making a "joyful noise unto the Lord." And to Him it is beautiful!
And to know one day when she gets to heaven she will be singing with the angels and be able to hear every note without a single device. And to know one day when my sisters get to heaven they will hear it too. And in that day my little sister will hear how her son's voices sound, to hear them say "I love you." instead of reading on their lips. God is good! Even when it takes a bit longer for us to "hear" His praises.
Wouldn't it be funny when we get to heaven and find out all those who were "disabled" were the "normal" ones and us "normal" ones were really the ones who were "disabled"?

The Shack

Just started The Shack. I have heard the buzz and it seems to have gotten mixed reviews. Jeers from people who are particularly hard-nosed legalistic theologians it seems (that's you Lanny Joe Groves!). Cheers from all other "normal" people. So far it is good but then again I am only on page 25. Should have it finished this weekend.
On a side note, my doctor said that a movie is being made from it. And Queen Latifa is slated to star in it. He didn't say much else since I then blurted, "Don't say another word! I haven't gotten to a woman part."

Also got a recommendation for 90 Minutes in Heaven from my neighbor but haven't read that yet either.

Theology 101

Another sampling from my life. Kori checked out this Bible stories book from our church library last Sunday. You know the ones. They were made in the 1950's with a blue hardcover and there are a ton of volumes that retell the bible in story format for children. Well, tonight I was reading her the story of the woman who was bleeding for 12 years and just touches Christ's hem and she is healed. Here is the conversation that followed:

Kori: Can we see Jesus?

Me: We can see and feel His spirit but not His body. When He comes back to earth, we will see His body then.

Kori: So when He comes back to earth will He get married?

Me: I don't think so. I don't remember reading anything about that.

Kori: Yeah, probably not because all the girls would want to marry Him.

Me: I think you are right. He would be quite popular.

Kori: And everytime his wife would touch him she would get more healed.

San Antonio or Bust!

I am so super excited becuase I am going to go see Beth Moore this weekend with my mom and sister. It will be a great time of fun, rest, food, and God. I rarely get to do things like this so that makes it even more special. And going right before school starts just doubles the pleasure. And how cool is my principal to just let me do this even though teachers just started back to school this week?! She is really great!
Part of the reason is it so exciting is I won't have to take anyone to the bathroom, no one will ask me what kind of toy I want with my meal, I will have no one to check on in the night, and no fights to referee...no wait that might not be true, my mom and sister ARE going. :)

To be a missionary or not be a missionary

Saturday night the girls and I had a movie night when Mo was out of town. We watched The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, an old movie with Ingrid Bergman, a true story, about a missionary (Gladys Aylward) who went to China. It was super long but good.
So, Kori decides she wants to be a missionary too. And last night she mentions it to Mo and I said, "Maybe you could be a missionary like Stacey and feed hungary soldiers since you like to cook and treat them like family since you like to take care of people but you would have to find a husband who wanted to do that too since that is the rules for their type of missionary work."

Here was our discussion tonight:

Kori: Mom, I don't think I want to be a missionary anymore.

Me: OK.

Kori: Cause I am not sure what husband would want to do that and maybe China is too far away. So maybe you could come with me and we could go to not far places...like China or California.

Me: Oh, is California far?

Kori: Yeah, so maybe like Oklahoma...but I bet everyone in Oklahoma knows about Jesus so maybe a place that is a little far like Mexico...but I don't know how to speak Mexico.

Me: That's called Spanish.

Kori: Oh yeah. Do they have soldiers in Spanish? I mean Mexico?

Me: I dont' know. You have lots of time to find out and the good news is God already knows all of it so just pray for Him to show you what He wants you to do and where to go.

Kori: But maybe my husband won't want to go to Mexico and maybe he will want to go to China. But I would have to tell him that there are no bathtubs in China cause I saw those dirty kids on that movie.

Me: That was just an old movie and when you are running for your life you don't worry about bathing.

Kori: I should maybe pray for bathtubs in China just incase.

Me: Good idea. Now you go get in our tub and be thankful you have one.

Thumbs Down

I went to see Mama Mia! today. Not a fan. Too much singing. Yes, I understand it is a musical which I generally enjoy, but here is my beef. I can't get my mind around actors who turn musical actors. Like Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. In my mind, they just aren't supposed to sing in a movie. Julie Andrews...sings. Christpher Walken...actor. It was the same thing with Moulin Rouge, which when I went to see it I did not know it was a musical so therefore I was not prepared for spontaneous singing and left the movie 15 minutes into it. Nicole Kidman...actor. It just does weird things to my mind. Zac Efron...singer. Colin Firth...actor.
It is just not normal. And I really like musicals. My favorite kid movie is Mary Poppins, for crying out loud! I just don't make the transition well when actors decided to switch to singers in a movie when clearly in my mind they are actors.
Or now that I think on it. This could mean I have some weird medical condition. I may need pills for this.

Groovin' on a Saturday Afternoon

Our Sunday school class spent the evening at Lake Ray Roberts. It was a fun time of fellowship, fun, water, food and sand in some uncomfortable places. You would never know that by looking at the kids though.

Hello Honey! I'm Home!

Mo is coming home tonight! Yea, Me! He has been gone all week playing golf with his dad in their traditional “Heart of the Hills” tournament the first week of every August. I know, like a mom could ever get away with that! But still, I love that it gives him time with his dad and a chance to get away for a bit. The girls have really missed him and I am ready for another adult in the house. We are glad you are back!
And Mo came bearing gifts! Peaches from Fredericksburg, homemade muscadine jelly from his dad's wife, a box of votives in different scents from Circle E candles (my fav) and a HUGE Circle E Bird of Paradise candle for the bedroom (woka, woka!).

Food For Thought

Here is a hot topic that Mo and I have been discussing for a few weeks now and thought to get some other perspectives, so please comment if you have a view. I am kinda sticking my neck out here because it is a sensitive topic for some folks, but heck, isn't that what bloggin' is for.
Trans-racial adoption. Good or Bad? Here are some thoughts from us and what literature says. Research and "the experts" say that unless the parents live in a multiracial community then trans-racial adoption should not occur. It is harmful to the child as they age and search for an identity and struggle with not looking similar to their adoptive parents.
Sanger is not a multicultural mecca. It doesn't matter to us, but it is not about us. It is about the child. Is love enough? Mo brought up a valid point. "The adoption should be the child's story to tell, not his skin's. No one should be able to look at our family and say he is not ours. " Makes sense. But we can't get away from the feeling like we are ordering a pair of shoes. "Yes, we would like to order a child to adopt. Make it a male, 0-2 years old, Caucasian and limited handicaps. Drug addition is OK." It just doesn't sit well with my heart.
And in case you haven't noticed, soon everyone will be multiracial and being a "pure blood" will be the minority. And although it doesn't matter to our family, we have never been the minority and so we don't have that perspective. Can a white man teach an African American boy how to be an African American man? Can a white man teach a Latino boy how to be a Latino man? Research says no. Cultural views from other ethnic groups say no. And we don't know any adults who have been trans-racially adopted to get their point of view. The sad fact is that most couples who are wanting to adopt and do foster care are Anglo. Where are children who are of another ethnicity to go? I mean, there are such strong view points that there are even adoption agencies that specialize in placing children who are other ethnicities with only those ethnicities to which they belong. This is huge.
So, what are your thoughts?

Childlike Faith

Kori just said the sweetest thing. We have been talking for some time now about Christ and praying the prayer of salvation, baptism, why Christ died and what that means. And tonight, she said, "Mom, I think I want Jesus to come into my heart but I think He has always been there with me. I believe in Him and I believe what the scriptures say. I just think He has always been there. I was never alone even when I was a baby. So I might have asked Him when I was little because I always knew He was there with me in my heart. I just don't know any other heart but with Jesus there. So I think I very muchly asked Him before."

Yes, it is that simple.

Come Walk With Me...as long as you don't write or highlight!

Just a bit of background. I love reading. I really do love reading. And I love books in general. I am so in love with books that I am really protective of my books. Just ask any of my past kindergarten students. I go over how much I love my books the whole year and how sad it makes me to find destroyed pages. But, I hate paying full price for a book. I don't use the word "hate" much but it is warranted in this case. It kills me. I agonize. I stew. I check the library. I ask friends if they have a copy. I wait for it to go on sale. I even hate using a gift certificate for it. It pains me! I guess because I read so much that a book just doesn't last that long in my hands. (I read about 12 books this summer, see what I mean) I have to really want it badly for months before I plop cash down for a full price book.
Now the story:
I just got something kinda fun in the mail today. I was wanting this book, Come Walk With Me by Carole Mayhall but Mardel didn't have it so began my trek on the Internet to get it. I ordered a used edition from Amazon in July. They sent the wrong book and didn't have another copy of Come Walk With Me. Sad for me. So, I searched again and found another used copy and just got it today. I was so excited. I tore open the package and started thumbing through it. I was a bit anxious to get it 'cause I hate it (OK, maybe I use the word a bit much) when other people have written in books. That is my job. I gotta write in my books! I don't want other people's notes or highlights. It's not that I don't value their thoughts. It just bugs me. You can imagine the pickle I was in during my college days. Buying textbooks about did me in! And then to find writing in it!! It's a wonder I graduated.
Anyway, as I thumbed through it while praying there were no written notes or highlights, I found a couple of notes on separate paper! God bless your soul, Joan Bennett from McHenry, Illinois (the previous owner did have her address label on the title page)! Now I am really pumped because she didn't write in MY book or highlight in MY book plus, she has her notes still left in it so maybe I can learn something from her! Pure bliss! Oh, my goodness! I just thought of something. I should mail them to her (after I read them of course)! Maybe she has been looking for them or maybe just forgot about them and if I mail them to her she will remember something just at the right moment that she needed to be reminded of something that God revealed to her! It is like a Hallmark movie! Gotta run! Got some written correspondence to to do!