Posts from — October 2007

I absolutely love fall. I love the cool weather where you can wear a t-shirt or a sweatshirt and be comfortable. I love the idea of a fire, changing leaves, and the fall fragrances. And I love what happens in the fall. Football, Thanksgiving, beautiful tree lined drives, and a burning Harvest Yankee Candle.

I’m sitting at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR waiting for my husband to complete his workday and am just so thankful to be here. I now understand why my friends Kelly & Geo want to live out here. Granted, it rains a lot and is cloudy most days out of the year (I do happen to like this weather) but I believe we could not have picked a better weekend to be here. Fall is in FULL bloom here complete with brightly colored leaves of red and yellow, millions of fir trees, crisp clean air, and the kind of drizzle that stops just shy of being annoying. Nashville has not really begun to experience fall yet because it has been so warm and is still lacking in rainfall. I hope November turns out to be beautiful as I will be disappointed if we skip from summer to winter.

I grew up in what I would consider an ugly part of the country. I am not trying to forsake my roots and am proud of my West Texas heritage but after living in Nashville and visiting places like Oregon, I just don’t understand the choice to settle for an ugly landscape. True, there are other things that matter like family, heritage, personal taste, and business. I also know some people highly value the West Texas sunsets and that it is not “ugly” to them but I cannot imagine settling for an uninspiring locale.

We drove the Historic Columbia River Gorge yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me why I love the outdoors and how I need those experiences in my life. A simple hike can inspire courage, an adventurous spirit, and a lightheartedness to my life that I can somehow seem to lack when I like in an indoor rut. I did not do any research for this trip which is amazing in itself and am loving the go with the flow vibe. I’m just so thankful and feel so blessed to have an opportunity like this and to not have to “do” anything else while I’m at it.

So, I definitely recommend Portland in the Fall.

The LBD Dual Significance: Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Count your blessings!

Carrie Underwood – Lessons Learned

I’ve really grown to appreciate the lyrics of Lessons Learned on the album Some Hearts by Carrie Underwood. I’ve added the song to this page above so that you can listen, too. It is one of those that you might not notice as much at first because of the other songs on the album but the writing is great and it’s one of those songs that makes you stop and think about your life. I like it. It’s deep. And you know me and deep. Well, I learned a few lessons today. Daniel and I are actually on our way to Portland, Oregon right now for his business trip. We’re sitting in the Oakland airport looking out at the bay after a 5 hour flight from Nashville. It’s beautiful…at least in airport standards. We just had a little California Pizza Kitchen (since we are in Cali) while waiting to get on the last leg of our flight. Lesson #1: I checked us into our Southwest flights about 20 hours prior to departure….only 4 hours after online checkin opened for them. Our Nashville flight was already in the boarding group B by that point. Apparently others have learned the lesson I just learned. I normally wouldn’t care that much, but when you are on a 5 hour flight with your husband (or friend, or family member) on your semi-vacation trip, you kind of want to sit together and the letter “A” is usually your only guarantee for that. So the lesson I learned is to always check in ASAP for long flights because it seems like everybody else is doing the same. Lesson #2: Once we arrived at our gate, we got in the “B” line which was already quite long only to discover when we were boarding that a second “B” line had formed about 5 people ahead of us. This second line truly was the second line because it was not there when we got “in line”…but they didn’t know that. I’m trying really hard by this point to not care that much but find myself stressing over this a little too much. So, I remain calm and promptly tell my husband I am worried about not getting to sit together and hoping that some how he will fix it. (Random side note: I’m sitting next to this girl who is typing like 1000 words per minute and I am simultaneously finding myself trying to type faster. Ha! My typing skills are looking pretty lame about now and I used to consider myself a pretty good typist. I’m laughing at this competitive streak I have going today. Keep reading.) As the friendly Southwest personnel calls for group “B”, I inch my way forward trying to keep my place in line. And the lines converge…dun, dun, dunnnnn. So there is jostling, and scrambling, and screams, and scratching….just kidding….but there definitely was an air of competition and king of the hill syndrome going on between me and a few other people. I wasn’t going to make a scene but I really did want to sit by my husband and I knew that every person ahead of me was going against achieving that goal. I compromised and let two people go in front of me. I made a mental note to be kind and smile and then I was just frustrated with myself that I was caring this much. So this part of the lesson is a little more vague to me but definitely encompasses kindness, chilling out, and strategizing in line a little better. Lesson #3: Ok, here is the real lesson. So we are boarding the plane and the announcement is made that every single seat on the plane will be taken. As we make our way to the back of the plane, it becomes evident that there are not two seats together in the entire aircraft. Erghhhh. So I’m instantly disappointed and immediately turn my attention to finding two seats close together. I’m feeling a little obsessive at this point and somewhat crazy but it is my husband after all and we are on our trip together right? So I find two center seats on subsequent rows and go for them after Daniel says “I guess this means we don’t get to sit together.” After climbing over the aisle seater and sitting down, I turn around only to see Daniel going to the very back of the aircraft. What?!?! I think. I mouth to him something about him sitting close to me and he shrugs his shoulders. I went from disappointed to hurt and furious in about 1.5 seconds. I can feel the angry vibe seething from me and am feeling very sorry for the people beside me at this point. I honestly wanted to cry which seemed absurd and ludicrous but I was so upset by it and then upset that I was upset. Gosh, I let my emotions get the best of me sometimes. I decided in the 10 seconds before I am supposed to turn off my phone to text Daniel and tell him that I’m hurt and mad. I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea but I had a quick decision to make and the next 5 hours was already looking long in my middle seat. As soon as I pressed send, he walked up the aisle and asked me to get my bags and come with him. I felt like I was going to the principal’s office only for the lesson to hit me like a ton of bricks. I spoke way to soon. He had gone to the back because he saw a way to get us together by using some of his mad negotiating skillz. I should have known. I cannot jump to conclusions so quickly…especially when it pertains to my husband. I knew this one! I’ve already learned this lesson before. And then, to top it all off, the flight attendant makes an announcement about switching seats so a newlywed couple could sit together on their honeymoon. Ugh….I am so selfish. The LBD Dual Significance: I was reminded by my sweet friend Emily yesterday to lighten up about some things. She’s one of the only people on this earth who could smack me across the face and tell me to straighten up something and I wouldn’t be hurt by it. She’s definitely earned the right to speak truth into my life but somehow does it in a way that humbles me rather than upsets me. Thanks, Em. I went into today determined to do just that on this trip and on the very first segment of it, I’m already struggling. However, I am comforted to know that even though it is blatantly obvious that I am selfish and weak, I have this promise to cling to: Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Lord, thank you for your never ending supply of mercy and grace. Help me to live it out in every circumstance of life so that I make your name great and known rather than my own selfishness.

I believe this post started in my mind a few weeks ago as a way of not writing too many “complaint” posts (see my #1 dislike). I by no means think that most of this stuff in the grand scheme of life is even that worthwhile but they are still my thoughts nonetheless and it is me being honest about my current life. I decided in order to state a dislike, I had better think of something I liked too. It’s all a matter of perspective and I want to maintain a positive perspective.

Top 10 Things I Dislike About My Current Life
10. Spiders
9. The addictive lure of the computer
8. Not being as tired at the end of the day… aka…
trouble falling asleep
7. It is lonely at times and I am not around friends as
much
6. Hard to be motivated without time constraints
5. Work on the house is really slow
4. Not as much in my day to talk about with others
3. My cell phone not really working at the house
2. Suffering of people that I love
1. Getting honked at by random men when I get the
mail or get in my car

Top 10 Things I Like About My Current Life
10. Going out of town and not having to catch up at work
when I return
9. Having a clean house
8. Time to really serve people
7. Getting in late & sleeping in the next morning
because of it
6. Having more undistracted time to think, journal, pray
5. Rebirth of cooking, baking, and grocery shopping
4. No alarm clock
3. Reading
2. Blogging
1. New definition of busy: Leaving the house

The LBD Dual Significance: With my analytical personality, it is really easy to get bogged down in the effects, consequences, and ramifications of decisions and circumstances. It is an area of my life that God has been working on. (See #37 & #66 of The List Post) I want to use that part of me as a gift for his glory, not a hindrance.

I’ve really seen the truth that feelings follow thoughts and that what I think about, dwell on, analyze, etc. really affects the way that I feel. In fact, in this very moment, God has just convicted me of dwelling on a certain area of my life and I am totally seeing how that has affected the way that I feel about it. Gosh, I can be so amiss.

Philippians 4:4-9 — Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you

My sweet friends, how are you feeling about your life?

If you are feeling down, what are you dwelling on and thinking about? Is it the types of things Paul mentions above?

If you are feeling good, what are you dwelling on and thinking about? Is it the types of things Paul mentions above?

I hope the Peace of God is alive and at work in you today!

We just returned from a last minute trip “home” to Lubbock, TX. My husband’s great-grandmother passed away after living over 99 years on this earth. It was a blessing to be with family and be able to remember and celebrate her life and that she is with Jesus for eternity.

After the funeral and burial, most of the great-grandkids went by her old house and then to see the old family farm. There was not much left of either and most of the younger kids were somewhat bored with what they were seeing. I don’t blame them, I probably would be too at that age.

However, as I watched my husband try to explain to his younger siblings the history of what they were seeing and after listening to the pastor talk about MaMarie living through 17 Presidents, the unveiling of the Model T, the Dust Bowl, and the Great Depression, I was struck by the enormity of the loss of this precious woman. Even apart from her influence on the people and places she touched, her perspective, her history was a huge asset. And although I know that those of us who knew her will carry many of those memories, stories, and perspective with us, it brought a new appreciation for what history really is and its precious value.

I never have been that much of a “history buff” and I still have a hard time appreciating historical things that I don’t feel the personal connection to, but my eyes have been opened even further to its importance.

The LBD Dual Significance: Remembering is important in scripture. From the old testament to the new testament there are countless examples of God remembering his covenants, of prophets remembering the law, of Job remembering the truth of God’s character, of David remembering His wondrous works, of Jesus admonishing His disciples to remember His teachings, to His disciples remembering his words. May you and I always remember all that He has done and has promised to do. Check out www.esv.org or www.bible.crosswalk.com for some word searches on “remember” for your own encouragement.