Quick Trip Down Memory Lane

Just remembering the time when my daughter loved the "Funny Face" Pancakes at IHOP.

She always ordered them there on vacations and such.

Until the one day, when she did order them, but they told her she was too old.

When she protested, they assured her that she had to be under 12 (or something like that) to order the Happy Face Pancakes.  She tried her best but when she understood that they would not take that order from her, she promptly said "Okay then, I will have a regular stack of pancakes.  Add a whipped cream smiley face with chocolate chips please."

Oh that girl...

MAKE IT COUNT

I am about to turn 50 years old in a few weeks.  (Feb.5)  I don't really know how I feel about that.  In one sense it doesn't bother me at all.  In just the same way as turning 30 or 40 did not bother me.  But in some ways I have a new realization that I am half a century old.  I have definitely lived over half my life.  Also the aches and pains and differences I see in the mirror are speaking more loudly than they did at 30 or 40.

50 years

50 years of what...

That is one thing that is screaming at me.  That's for sure.

I keep thinking about the next phase of my life.

What's left?  Whatever it is, I want it to count for something.

I want to make every day count.


The first 10 years of my life I rode on my first airplane, made friends, experienced an earthquake, and was a crossing guard.

In my teens, I got braces, moved from Georgia to Louisiana, played a little softball, joined a youth group, developed a relationship with Christ, and fell in love.

In my twenties I married that love (well okay I was 19 but I soon was 20), we joined a church we loved (love), bought a home, had 3 babies, and ran a day care.

In my thirties I tried to be the best mom I could be, raised teenagers, started working in the School system to bring needed income to our household and lost my dad.

I think this is the last hug we ever got.

In my forties I saw my children graduate from high school and college, watched my daughter get married in the most beautiful wedding I have ever attended, learned to play the guitar,  saw such pain and heartache at the loss of our grandson Carson, experienced the largest life roller coaster at Avery's 2 lb. 2 oz. early birth, received the huge blessing of becoming a Nonna, went on a mission trip to Peru, and was excited to witness the proposal of my handsome son Mark to his beautiful fiance Paige.

WOW

That's a lot!

It makes me think -  What in the world could my fifties hold?

More weddings, more grandbabies?...

Maybe, but what else?

Whatever it is, Lord, let me make every day count.

Beautiful God

 Back in November Casey, Avery and I made a trip to see my mom and brother in Tennessee.  I drove. It was a nice drive.  You dont usually hear me say that.  I am not normally a fan of driving a road trip without my sweetheart.  But recently God has been dealing with me on some things.  One being not letting things worry me or stress me out.  Normally a road trip without him would do that.  But I am letting some of these things go and God was gracious and allowed us a very nice drive.

We left early that morning so on the way we ended up seeing the sun rise.  It was so so beautiful.  I was driving so I made Casey get my phone and make pictures.  I would say "Wow, this is beautiful.  Take a picture."

Then a couple of minutes later, "Wow this is so beautiful, here take another picture."

"Would you just look at that!  Here, take another picture."

"Oooh do you see that?!"

 "OH MY GOODNESS, how beautiful.  Get that"

"Hurry, Hurry, get that picture.  Oh my goodness."

 Seriously that was what was being said.  Over and over.

I love sunrises.   It was awesome how God just showed out.  It was almost as if he was speaking straight to me.

•  About his beauty. 
• Aout how he will be with me.  He is with me.  Emmanuel
• About how when I let go of things that are holding me back and allow him to carry me,  He will make something beautiful of it.

 I love it when he speaks.

We made it safely and with little to no stress.  Even when we made a wrong turn and ended up downtown Memphis right by the river.  God is good.  It was such a blessing to make that trip without any anxiety.

Then after a few days it was time to head home.  We hung out that morning a bit, before getting on the road.  Just enjoying a few more minutes with mom.  Then we got back on the road and had another great trip back.  It was nice getting to talk to Casey and hear her heart.  She is amazing and I am very proud of her.

Then before making it all the way home.  He did it again.  I know the sun rises and sets every single day.  But I dont always get to see the beauty of it.

Once again I was handing over my phone so she could snap photos.

Again the conversation turned to the beauty God was placing right in front of us.

Again reminding me of his beauty.

Again speaking

• The beauty of his grace
• The beauty of  walking with him
• of how you can start your day with the beauty of him
• of how you can end your day with the beauty of him
• and of how your entire day can be about the beauty of him

We serve a beautiful God.