sisterpastor

Rainbows and promises

2011-07-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

Has anyone besides me noticed how many rainbows God has flung in the sky this year? Maybe it's just me but I think there have been more this year than in my lifetime combined.

I saw the first one on June 2, 2010. It appeared just over 840 when Tom and I were on our way home to confront our crisis. When I saw it I was immediately taken back to the summer of 1980. That summer I was captain of our high school marching band's colorguard. That put me responsible for 40 flag twirlers and 8 rifle tossers. Quite a big role for a rising high school senior. Our band director purchased new flags for us and they were colored like rainbows. It was a beautiful display--our 200 plus instrument band marching with a rainbow surrounding them.

At the end of the marching season I wrote each of the girls a note and printed Genesis 9:16 in it. "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

The rainbow still appears in the clouds and reminds us that "God always does what He says He will do." His covenant is everlasting! That means that all through the years...thousands of them, God has always done what He says He will do. NEVER has He EVER not kept His Word.

I find it also interesting that in our preschool class on Sunday mornings, the Bible truth we are teaching is this very one...that God always does what He says He will do. Two weeks ago we made rainbows out of popsicle sticks and ribbons (and an ark out of cardboard boxes).

This has been a season of rainbows and promises. I'm still suspended between the promise and the fulfillment of that promise but God's still suspending rainbows over my head. So I will choose to believe that since God always does what He says He will do--I will not only dance in the rain, but I'll worship under the rainbows and walk about with a smile in my spirit that says, "It's just a matter of time..."

God knew that summer of 1980 that I'd need a few rainbow in 2011. And that makes me smile.

Reflections in July

2011-07-10T22:05:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure of the exact date but in July 1975 I asked Jesus to be my Savior while I listened to a man sing "O Holy Night" at Camp Pinnacle in the North Georgia Mountains. We were celebrating Christmas in July and somehow taking the baby away from the trimmings, I was able to understand how very near He was to the cross.

This July we celebrated Tom's 48th birthday. That's right...my good husband is only two years shy of 50 and I'm right behind him! More than half of those 48 years I've shared with him...I chose wisely. :)

And our baby? She's growing! She turned five months old yesterday. Just look at the smile.

It's been a long time coming--and don't even get me started on what all transpired while it was in the making but my book is hitting the retail market soon. Spiritual Warfare for Women has been released. How could I have ever known the adventure God had in store for me when I gave him my life at Camp Pinnacle many July's ago.

All the way my Savior leads me...and wherever He leads I'll go.

The LONG SATURDAY

2011-04-29T09:33:00.002-05:00

We just celebrated Easter. On Friday night we attended the Secret Church Simulcast and heard excellent teaching on the Doctrine of Salvation by David Platt. It was a perfect way to commemorate "Good Friday."

Easter seemed different this year. I think it's because I'm stuck in Saturday. Think about it--Jesus tried to warn His disciples of what was to come, but they didn't hear Him. Here they'd left all that they had and put their trust, their vocations and their hopes in Him. When their world came crashing down and their hope hung dying on a cross--the Scripture says that they scattered.

What did they do on Saturday? I would imagine that some of them laid on the ground and cried in anguish like I did last summer. Others probably stared at the walls and questioned everything they'd ever believed about Him.

Saturday was a long day.

Saturdays like that can be excruciatingly painful and way longer than 24 hours. Long hours when nothing makes sense, countless promises linger (and almost haunt you with their voices), and things are just "not right." It's the time between God's greatest work and His greatest glory.

If you're living in the LONG SATURDAY, I hesitate to even say this because I don't know if it will make you hurt worse or help you feel better. And I only want to say something that will make you feel better although I'm not sure words are ever enough on the LONG SATURDAY.

But because I've been thinking about this LONG SATURDAY for a few weeks now, and I read this in my little "Streams in the Desert" devotional book this morning, I'm going to share it:

"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly." James 5:17. ...The literal meaning of this in the Greek says, "He prayed in prayer." In other words, "He kept on praying." The lesson here is that you must keep praying.

The devotional goes on to talk about Elijah's prayer that followed his great victory on top of Mt. Carmel. After the fire came from heaven, rain was still needed for God's prophecy to be fulfilled. But when Elijah prayed for the rain, he sent his servant six times to look for a storm cloud and six times the servant returned to report that there was no cloud. Nothing.

Yet the 7th time "a cloud as small as a man's hand" was reported to Elijah by his servant.

I would imagine that you've already prayed much more than 7 times! I know that I've prayed at least 7317 times. But, maybe God's answer is coming on my 8654th prayer and I only have another thousand plus a few prayers to pray.

The writer says this, "This is a story of faith and sight--faith cutting itself off from everything except God, with sight that looks and yet sees nothing."

This next part encouraged me, and I hope it will you--I DO believe it's true, but I am wrestling with it ...

"Our heavenly Father lives, and even the delays of answers to our prayers are part of His goodness."

Hmmmmm.....I know He lives and I know He's good--but it's been a very LONG SATURDAY for me, perhaps for you and I know for several of my friends. If you are one of those that I'm praying with, please know that I am praying for our storm clouds to form.

...couldn't put Humpty together again

2011-03-10T20:59:00.003-06:00

Just this week I had the privilege of speaking to the day and night Mom to Mom groups at the People's Church (a great sister church in our area). And I was reminded of a truth God revealed to me several years ago with Humpty Dumpty--you know, the egg that fell off the wall.

My sister and I were having one of those "sister chats" that only happen once in a blue moon (normally that moon shines during the holidays), and we happened upon Humpty Dumpty after his great fall. I told my sister that had I walked up to Humpty all splattered on the ground, and if I'd seen "all the king's horses and all the king's men" riding off in the distance, I would get down on my knees and start putting those pieces back together again. For even if no one else could do it--somehow I'd think that I could figure out a way--and I could fix Humpty good as new!

Last year Humpty fell off that wall. And ever since that day I've been up to my elbows in egg yolk and shell fragments. I've cried and prayed. I've maneuvered and schemed. I've shouted and even cursed. (Is that ok to admit on this blog--being a pastor's wife and all that?!)

And finally yesterday, through a text message I fell on my face in that rotten egg mess and realized, I couldn't put Humpty together again.

He fell. He shouldn't have been on that wall in the first place. I wasn't there to catch him! He hit the ground and he broke into a million pieces and I can't put him together again.

Not even when I pray.
Not when I fast.
Not when I read books about "getting over the fall," "forgiving him for cracking," or "putting the King's power into practice."
Not when I memorize Scripture.
Nor when I post it all over my walls.

Humpty is broken. And there is absolutely nothing I can do for him.

You'd think I would be devastated by this realization but just the opposite happened. On the same day that I realized this truth, the KING called to me from the distance. He reminded me (in a miraculous way that I will blog about in the future)of this, "I know what you are going through and I haven't forgotten you." Just a simple word to reassure me that He had His eye on Humpty all along. And even though His own men and horses--and I--can't put Humpty together again,

He can!

15 Things My Grandma Smith Taught Me...

2011-02-28T17:56:00.005-06:00

As a tribute to my Grandma Smith (whom we buried yesterday beside my Papa at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church just a 1/4 mile from the house where they lived for most of their lives).

1. I'm never too old to hold my husband's hand.
2. You can turn an ordinary meal into an occasion by adding salad plates; each one filled with a leaf of lettuce, 1/2 a pear (home grown and canned), a dollop of mayonnaise and shredded cheese (but you have to shred the cheese yourself).
3. Even very young grandchildren can help fry chicken if you have a paper sack.
4. Girlfriends are important and the party line is way more fun than facebook.
5. Wear a floppy hat and your husband's old work shirt if you want to work in the garden. And do your garden work early before it gets too hot.
6. Tell funny stories. It helps to keep life in perspective.
7. Learn to laugh at yourself and you'll never be without amusement.
8. Listen respectfully to the daily Bible reading even if the eggs are getting cold and the chapters are long.
9. Write encouraging letters to your grandchildren when they go to college and sometimes send them with tea cakes or fried pies.
10. Always frost the tea cakes you make at Easter (and sprinkle colored sugar on the ones you make for Christmas).
11. Don't ever stop believing in Santa Claus!
12. If your grandchildren can't stop giggling when they go to bed at your house--just jump in bed with them!
13. When life begins to take you in a direction you'd rather not go--look for one thing you can appreciate; like a good road.
14. If you want to tell someone how very much you love them--feed them until they pop!
15. Take time to sit on the porch and watch the traffic go by.

Mikel couldn't be with us at the funeral, but she texted me and said this about Grandma, "She made me laugh." Four words that sum up her life perfectly!!

"She is clothed in strength and dignity and she can laugh..."

The Picture God is Painting

2011-02-22T12:47:00.003-06:00

I'm embarrassed that it's been over a month since I updated my blog. I promise to do better. :)

If you've been keeping up with me, you know that on February 9 I became a NANA when my 18 year old daughter gave birth to her 10lb 2 oz baby girl. If you know me at all--you also know that in the picture I was painting for my daughter's life--not in a million years would I have painted THIS!

In my last shout out; I told you that I was convicted that I needed to "step away from the canvas" and let God do the painting. My exact words were:

...In the conversation with one of those friends, I told her that God was showing me the difference between begging Him for the "picture" and instead trusting Him for the "promise."

You see, God is faithful to HIS PROMISES, not to our pictures. We have a tendency to paint pictures that interpret His promises--imaginations gone wild--daydreams---snapshots of what the fulfillment of God's promises look like.

As I described this thought to one friend I told her that God was challenging me to let Him be the one to paint the picture. She responded to me, "Leighann, step away from the canvas!"

So right now I'm washing my paint brushes and putting them away--for God has assured me that when He fulfills His promises the picture He paints will be a MASTERpiece.

Well, I just want you to know that He is far from finished; but you tell me--how's He doing so far?

Hope Deferred Makes the Heart Sick

2011-02-22T12:28:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking a whole lot about the Proverb that says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." What does that mean?

I've come to the conclusion that it's talking about me this year--having my hope wrapped around whether or not circumstances will change (quickly) to bring peace to the storm and wholeness to what is broken. In essence, I want what God wants! Isn't He all about peace and wholeness? That's my "hope."

The "deferred" part is being disappointed at just about every turn. Because I'm so "hopeful" I watch every day for one tiny text message or phone call; or even a slight sigh that no one hears but me. And when I get that, I just KNOW my hope is about to be fulfilled--only to have that hope crushed as the next "big" thing moves me seemingly further away rather than closer to that which I'm hoping for.

I have a friend whose husband is determined to divorce her. She wants her marriage--he wants out. She is taking care of their 3 children (one who is autistic) and rallies prayer support. One day she's up because they plan to spend the weekend together; or they have a great phone conversation; or the family has some good family time. But the next day she's served papers; or receives notice of her 'day in court.'

Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

There are two things that she and and I need to do now.

1. Stand on the promise God's given us for the one we love. Claim it; rejoice in it; thank God for it; and shout AMEN to it. Just this morning I read this in Lynn Cowman's devotional book Streams in the Desert, "Faith adds the "Amen" to God's "Yes" and then takes its hands off, leaving God to finish His work."

2. Release ourselves to pour GOOD STUFF into the family He's given us to love (our other 3) and ourselves! While God is meticulously and methodically working with what HE knows in the lives of those we thought we knew; we get to carry on. Carry on with living our lives to the glory of God--trusting Him to bind our gaping wounds and to provide us with strength, mercy, grace and everything else we need to deal with the "mean time."

The other day God asked me if I trusted Him. I said, "Yes, Lord. I do trust You." He then asked if I trusted Him no matter how long it might take to make good on His promise. I cried, and I sputtered and told Him how hard it is for me, and He reminded me of another old hymn,

"Have Thine Own Way, Lord, Have Thine Own Way...Hold O're my being absolute sway."

Absolute sway means whatever, wherever, however and whenever.

I told my friend that it stinks this "hope deferred" stuff. The wise person who first penned those words certainly knew what he was talking about: Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Sick unto death--a daily death. Dying daily to my losses and my offenses.

But dying daily paves the way also for a daily resurrection--a resurrection in believing that God backs His promises with His very own name. He'll come through for us, my friend! He has to. :)

Pictures and Promises

2011-01-07T08:04:00.003-06:00

Sunday night I sunk into my "exotic coconut" bath and wept.

Like many of you, I'm on part of life's journey that simply STINKS!!! I've thought lots lately about the hikes I love to take in the mountains. You know, the ones that are supposed to be "moderately difficult" but then take you through marshy, mucky, yucky, stinky mud, right near a plant I can only identify by the smell: Stinkin' Benjamin, and straight through yellow jacket holes. Surely you've been on some of those paths. But when you keep on walking your trail finally takes you to the waterfall and you're glad you took the hike.

Well, I'm on that kind of path right now, the stinky mud is caked on my hiking boots, the smell of stinkin' benjamin is stuck in my throat, and the yellow jackets are swarming!

Note to self: "whatever bath oil Leighann was using, DON'T!"

So...in my tub--I cried out to God and told Him this: "Lord, I can put up with the mud, the stink and the stings but I've GOT TO KNOW YOU ARE WALKING WITH ME!!" The hardest thing about Sunday night was the feeling of being without Him!

God heard my cry for mercy (I KNOW that's a phrase straight out of the Psalms) and answered me. In my quiet time on Tuesday He took me to Lamentations 3 where I discovered I wasn't the first one to feel this way. Then on Wednesday He took me to Romans 4 where I was inspired by Abraham when he "faced the facts" and chose to believe. And on Thursday God took me to Hebrews 11 and 12 and gave me a good dose of FAITH. I can harldy wait to see what He has for me today!

But God isn't just showing up in my quiet times, He's making appearances in my conversations with friends--even prompting friends from as far away as Nevada and as near as Georgia to contact me. In the conversation with one of those friends, I told them that God was showing me the difference between begging Him for the "picture" and instead trusting Him for the "promise."

You see, God is faithful to HIS PROMISES, not to our pictures. We have a tendency to paint pictures that interpret His promises--imaginations gone wild--daydreams---snapshots of what the fulfillment of God's promises look like.

As I described this thought to one friend I told her that God was challenging me to let Him be the one to paint the picture. She responded to me, "Leighann, step away from the canvas!"

So right now I'm washing my paint brushes and putting them away--for God has assured me that when He fulfills His promises the picture He paints will be a MASTERpiece.

Recipe for Snowballs!

2010-12-21T07:41:00.002-06:00

After many requests I am sharing with you one of my tastiest Christmas memories. If you decide to make my Grandma's snowballs this year, please say a prayer for her, Mamie Smith. She is in a nursing home and so ready to go to heaven. :) She married Papa (Elmer) on Christmas Day. They eloped! Boy, would I like to have the rest of that story!! And wouldn't it be great it they could spend Christmas together? Papa went to heaven December 1995.

Recipe for Snowballs...
1 stick of butter, softened (forget that you did this)
1 cup of sugar (better forget this too)
1 small can of crushed pineapple undrained
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped dates
1 package butter cookies
2 tubs cool whip (or other whipped topping)
cocunut

To make the yumminess: Cream sugar and butter together until smooth. Stir together pineapple, dates and nuts, add to sugar mixture and stir well. Cover cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Place butter cookies about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Alternate a layer of yumminess with butter cookies until you have stacked yumminess between 3 butter cookies (3 cookies, 2 layers of yumminess). Cover cookies stackes with cool whip, then sprinkle with cocunut. Place in freezer for at least 3 hours. Voila!! ENJOY!
I know from experience they will save til summer. But the health department would most likely not recommend that. :)

Boundaries and Barbed Wire

2010-12-05T21:35:00.005-06:00

If you've been reading my blog for the past several months you know that I'm praying through the darkest valley of my life (thus far). In this valley I've learned that the battle I'm fighting really has two fronts. One is the obvious one with the circumstances that are breaking my heart and the other is with God.

That's right...my spiritual warfare includes my own personal struggle in my relationship with God. I'm not struggling with loving Him. Nor do I struggle with serving Him. But I do struggle with His sovereignty in this situation.

Every step of the way I've defined the reasonable boundaries of the other battle front. For instance I tell God what lines the Enemy must not be allowed to cross. I started doing this in June. But soon after I defined the boundary line, the Enemy crossed it. I was devestated. Then, last month I defined the boundary with a deadline. The Enemy blasted over that boundary too.

Today I'm tempted to define two more boundary lines. My struggle with God has been unnecessarily magnified by these boundary lines. Once I define the boundaries I decide that I know better than God how much is too much and how long is too long. When I do that I totally disregard God's Word in Isaiah 55:9

"As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

The boundaries I construct become like barbed wire. They hem me in when I pray. I camp out just this side of them and spend much of my energy begging God to keep them strong. Thus far, those boundaries have been blatantly disregarded by the Enemy and when he plows through them he drags me behind him. Often I'm left on the other side of that barbed wire bleeding and wounded wondering where God was when I just got taken further than I ever wanted to go into the depths of this valley.

But today, I've decided to stop marking off the territory. I'm finally ready to say to God--wherever You want to go; and whatever You want to do, take me there and do that. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are Your ways higher than mine and Your thoughts higher than my thoughts.

You know what You're up to and I trust you."

Hearing the Voice of God

2010-11-27T13:32:00.005-06:00

So, I've been teaching people to pray for years now, and one question that I hear a lot is: "How do I hear the voice of God?" The first person who asked me this was my daughter Kaleigh. She was six. "Mama, I know that when I pray, I talk to God. But how does He talk to me? I hear Daddy when he talks to me; I hear you when you talk to me; but I don't hear God? Why doesn't he just talk to me like you do?"

Just last week my son, TJ asked the same question. His went like this, "Mom, seems to me that if God made mouths and ears for us to use when we communicate with one another--He'd understand that THAT is the way we hear! Why then, doesn't He just speak to us with His own mouth so that we can hear Him with our own ears?"

My Sunday School answer to everyone--Kaleigh, TJ and all the others who've ever asked me about hearing the voice of God--has been, that most of what God has to say to us He's already said in His Word. We just need to read it; obey it; and as we do that we'll get better at being able to trust that inner "feeling...voice...whisper...whatever it is inside of us that makes us feel like we're hearing a voice other than our own..."

I don't think you can be a follower of Christ without spending time in His Word on a daily basis. How can you follow Him if you don't know where He's leading you?

With that said, I do read the Bible almost every single day. And everytime I open God's Word--He has a WORD for me. But sometimes, when I'm in a faith workout season of my life (such as I am in right now), I begin to hear that inner voice a bit louder. But because I know that my own thoughts can interfere with God's voice I always make whatever it is that I think I've heard from God--bow down to His Word. I ask God to validate the "voice" with Scripture.

This happened to me on October 20. I thought I heard God tell me something that I VERY MUCH wanted to hear. It was a miracle He was going to perform by Thanksgiving Day. In keeping with my own rule, I asked Him to validate His "word" to me by giving me Scripture. God gave me Isaiah 55:11-13 (a passage of Scripture that tells us that God's Word never returns to Him without first accomplishing all that He means for it to accomplish.) I was excited to hear this; since I'd waited for months for God to do this miracle. But the closer I got to Thanksgiving; the more I doubted whether or not I'd heard God's "word" or just validated my own desire.

Only Jesus never had to feel this way. He always heard His Father's voice. And He never doubted if His own desires were playing tricks on Him. His "secret" was that He'd come to a place where He genuinely had "no will of His own." (see John 6:38)

I haven't come to that place. I have a will of my own. I have my own timing and my own limits to my own distress. On Thanksgiving Day I learned that I still have much to learn and more to "die to." My miracle didn't come--not the way I expected it. But, in keeping with His faithfulness, God renewed my strength! (Isaiah 40:31).

He also gave me another "word" on Friday afternoon when I went with Kaleigh to the attic to pull down some decorations. This one was definitely from Him--it was printed on the doorframe that connects TJ's room to the attic. It was put there by the men who did the remodeling for us. I've been in and out of that door at least 100 times and have never seen that "word" before. So--because I know that God hears me everytime I pray; because I know that He collects every tear I shed; and because I believe that He is WITH ME NOW; I KNOW I heard Him this time. The verse above that door said this,

Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

And that "word" from that "voice" is quite enough for me today.

Never Doubt in the Darkness

2010-11-20T20:43:00.003-06:00

"Never doubt in the darkness what you believed in the light." (Joni E. Tada)

A very good friend sent me this quote today and oh did I need it! Lately I've heard myself say some things I never would have EVER thought would come out of my mouth.

No, I'm not cussing like a sailor-that would be mild compared to what I've said. Here I am bumbling about in a darkness created by someone I love very much and everything I've ever taught is heckling me in the shadows.

How can God be good when He doesn't answer your cries?
Maybe He doesn't really hear you!
Maybe He doesn't even care.
Maybe His are IS too short to save and His ear IS too dull to hear!
Maybe you don't know how to hear Him at all!
Maybe...

I'm afraid I'm guilty of doubting in the darkness what I believed in the light. I know God is good. I know He loves me. I know He will answer my prayers for His very own glory (which includes my very own good).

But...the mean time is MEAN! And there are still 24 hours in a day. And when all that surrounds me points to the exact opposite of all that I am praying...

I guess that's what makes the darkness dark. So, let me see if I can recall what I believed in the light. Here is an excerpt from chapter 2 in my upcoming book "Spiritual Warfare for Women"

Every attack from the Enemy brings with it a divine invitation from the sovereign hand of God to learn by experience what love does.

If I did not believe that truth I wouldn’t be writing this book. I told you in the introduction that since I started writing I have been diagnosed with cancer, our church was flooded and my daughter left home. I’ve no doubt that what I have experienced is more than what some of you have experienced in the past few months and less than what others of you have experienced recently. As I reference my personal battles please know that in no way am I diminishing the battles you face. I am humble as I share with you that already I have experienced the love of God in each of these situations. Two of them (the cancer and flood) have impressively demonstrated the power and glory of God. And I am fully convinced that He will do the same, perhaps even bigger and better in my daughter’s life as well. Furthermore, I am convinced that God will also demonstrate His power and His glory in whatever circumstances you find yourself in today.

Every attack from the Enemy, every one brings with it a divine invitation to experience what God’s love does. Romans 8:28 speaks to this truth:

Romans 8:28 (HCSB)
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

"Never doubt in the darkness what you believed in the light."

Catching up with my blogging friends

2010-11-08T11:49:00.002-06:00

Blogging is such an interesting hobby--one that I've neglected during this season of my life. The problem is that when I blog I don't really know who I'm talking to; and because I like to process my intimate thoughts when I write, I'm tempted to spill all my inmost thoughts to the faceless and nameless masses.

Only if I do that during these days I will infringe on the personal lives of people I love a WHOLE LOT! And...tomorrow I might be sorry that I divulged so much personal STUFF to people who are too smart to divulge their STUFF in return. :)

So...I've resisted the urge.

But in an effort to get back in the blogging saddle here I am!Let me see if I can just give you some little snapshots of my life (Kind of like the snapshots we don't admit that we like to digest in People magazine while we're waiting to earn our Kroger points at the grocery.)

TJ is doing something that I would have never expected him to do...He's NOT playing basketball anymore (I am thanking God for that decision daily.) But instead He's joined the Cheerleading squad!! I would have NEVER imagined that my SON would be my high school cheerleader!! Go EAGLES!

Kaleigh has just about decided to attend Samford University next year! And we are so excited about that...First, it's only 2 1/2 hours down the road. And second, Samford is my alma mater!! Go Bulldogs!

Mikel is giving Tom and me a granddaughter in January or February 2011. We are looking forward to seeing what God has in mind for all of us through the precious life of Misty Sierra. :)

There you go...a snapshot. Oh, and if you've been following my blogs! Our seniors won their float contest! I can't find a picture right now so go to Kaleigh McCoy's facebook page and see her pictures. :)

Class of 2011

2010-09-27T12:46:00.002-05:00

I love the Class of 2011. Don't tell the classes of 2010 or 2013, but this one is and always has been my favorite. Ever since they were babies in the nursery at church I have loved them. There were always more of them. As they grew up we scrambled to find them enough rooms and teachers. The class of 2011 is filled with leaders and question askers and dreamers and mischief-makers.
And in 2007 they chose to come to my house to build their homecoming float. A few other mothers and I fed them sloppy joe's and pizza. We figured that if they were fed they would stay on task. I was impressed that although 2/3rds of them were from Heritage and 1/3 were from Page--they quickly traded stories and friendships and allowed themselves to grow together to be the IHS class of 2011. As sophomores they made me so proud when at least 100 of them worked together to create a submarine. And as junoirs they truly outdid themselves with their pirate ship (even if the live fish did find their way somehow into my girls' bathtub on Friday night)!!
They are coming back today--I'm not sure what they'll build, but I'm headed to Kroger to get the ingredients for my 4th round of sloppy joe's and pizza. I can't wait to have them descend on my house this week. We'll have tissue paper piled sky high, and we'll be picking up wire for the next 6 months but this is what I live for. :)

To GOD be the Glory...

2010-08-15T15:29:00.004-05:00

2010 will go down as the year God literally "rocked my world." Not in a "rock concert, WOW, that's so cool!" kind of way but more like an earthquake, shake the foundations tsunami flood kind of way.

I am trying to journal and catch ALL the truth treasures that are whirling around me, and there are too many to record. But one of the greatest was this one that God taught me just this past week. (Actually I think He finally got to the POINT He's been trying to make with me for many years.)

It's these "rock my world" revelations that make the destruction almost bearable. (OK...I'm being melodramatic...actually the "destruction" is more than bearable. I was with my entire family yesterday and laughed until I almost cried. I think that is a bit like dancing in the fire! The valley is certainly bearable and the companionship there is actually cherished.)

But back to my truth treasure. I was praying for my daughter whom I love and telling God how I thought HE ought to work things out. He reminded me that HE is about HIS own glory not hers. This is what He asked me, "Leighann, do you want MY GLORY in this or (He said her name...)'s?"

I love it when God asks me questions, it's not like HE doesn't already know the answer. So I smiled and said, "Hers!" He smiled right back and whispered, "That's whay I thought. Don't forget my precious daughter-Mama...I am a JEALOUS GOD and the only GLORY I'm interested in is MY own."

That could sound arrogant or full of pride if it weren't for the fact that God is perfect and HE knows that His own glory is the only Glory there is. To focus His energy and attention on any other glory would be futile (and sacreligious). As a mother I want what makes my daughters and son happy. I want them to have lives void of suffering and free of pain. I want so much for them! But, if I pray for God to do something in their lives that is motivated by my mother heart the heart that cringes at pain...and if God's glory involves a measure of suffering on my child's part then I have to understand that He is willing to sacrifice my children's safety for His glory.

I know what I want. You see I have a "vision" of what would bring God great glory.It's a picture painted in my mind (more like a dvd that runs continually). But if God's GLORY is better demonstrated through something that doesn't look exactly like my picture then I have to decide if I'm willing to yield my picture to His Glory. Ephesians 3:20 tells me that God wants to exceed my dreams and abundantly overwhelm my requests with HIS OWN GLORY.

The Glorious Fish Bowl

2010-07-13T09:32:00.003-05:00

As I write this post, I'm in another state, far away from Tennessee and my church family. I'm enjoying the glory of the Lord in the mountains--a glory that is only there. :)

Sunday we shared our story--it was not easy, not even the 4th time. (Because we have 3 services and were leading a class for our adult leaders Sunday morning we had to share 4 times.) But we are glad we shared, and I really think that it's the only way to be a good pastor to our flock.

In May, 1991 I shook as I stood before our small congregation and told them about mine and Tom's struggle with infertility. We'd been seeing a specialist for three years--every month for three years. I'd had surgery, we'd undergone some interesting tests and I struggled silently away from my church family. Prior to sharing that Sunday morning in May I thought I was doing them (and me) a favor by not letting them know what we were really going through. I thought I was a better and braver minister for being willing to suffer alone.

But God told me that He wanted me to share. He wanted me to let them in to my personal pain and walk with me toward the future He had for me. He was teaching me so many things, and I had this burning desire to share them with our church. So, I stood in front of over 100 people and told them about our struggle, our heartache and our desire.

Ever since that day we've lived our life honestly and openly in front of our people. I know that many pastors and especially their wives might think we are crazy for doing that...but we have to lead the way God's told us to lead, and this seems to be the way He wants us to do it.

I'm grateful for the genuine love that grows out of honesty. I'm even more grateful for the multiplicity of prayers. I hope that our willingness to share will spur others toward doing the same--maybe not in front of 2000 people--but at least with a trusted few. God created us to be interdependent on one another. If we're going to be the hands and heart of Christ we have to be vulnerable with one another.

Life in the glorious fish bowl...it's not a life for everyone; but it's the only one for me.

PR Plan

2010-07-04T06:09:00.003-05:00

One of the unique elements of living in the fish bowl is the PR plan that has to accompany all that happens in our private lives. The day we discovered I had cancer Tom graciously didn't tell a soul for 24 hours. But then...we had to discuss the PR plan.

I didn't like that--having to deal with such upheavel on a deeply personal level (my colon for heaven's sake) and then to have to do it in front of 2000+ people, but it's just the nature of our lives. Tom held me when I cried a bit about it and said, "Leighann, this goes with what God has given us to do..."

And to tell you the truth it wasn't all that hard really. We were overwhelmed at the outpouring of love. I saved all the cards and took pictures of all the flowers that were sent. I still have people come up to me and ask me how I'm doing, and it makes me smile.

So, in a week or so we're going to open up and let the world in on our current situation. I can't imagine how I'll manage it but "this goes with what God has given us to do..."

We're not the first ones to walk this path, and unfortunately won't be the last. And just like the cancer, I want to do this right. A very wise pastor told us yesterday that when you are a pastor you aren't expected to manage your life in such a way that you don't encounter trouble, but instead, you are supposed to manage your trouble well.

We are going to try our best to manage our trouble well, to love God and to love people and to "Walk in the Light and Do Right." (something else our friend encouraged us to do)

2010-06-25T20:27:00.002-05:00

When TJ was first getting into gaming systems he had a game on his computer where he could build a theme park. He created roller coasters, decided where to place them, designed the landscaping...you know, all the things that go into great theme parks. Then, when his theme park was finally ready he would open the gates and let the people in.

He'd watch to see how they were liking the park (he could scroll over their heads and see what they were thinking). If anyone was having a negative thought, and if they were headed out of the park, TJ would intercept them and put them in the back of the park to make sure they would never get out. Sometimes he even tried to drown them in the duck ponds.
We chuckled at his strategy. The way he figured it, if they were having a bad time and they left the park they would tell others and his numbers would go down and if his numbers went down he wouldn't make millions of dollars.

Smart kid!

Only, I'm not having too much fun in this park, and it feels like God's picking me up and putting me in the very back. And that wouldn't be so bad if He were letting me float the days away on the little boat ride, but NO! I'm on the whirly thingy that makes you throw up when you finally get off. Maybe if I PROMISE not to tell everyone how awful this part of His park is He'll let me out!!

:)

You know I'm kidding. The reality is that we live on a battlefield, not in a theme park. And sometimes we find ourselves in the "thick of it." We have a formidable foe (after all He had the audacity to take on the heavenly host and God Himself)---and even though he's out for blood (and nicks me at times) He will never win. I'll die on this field if I have to--singing "Victory in Jesus" while I go down.

Scream machines, Mind Benders and ...

2010-06-19T05:52:00.005-05:00

So, life is full of ups and downs. But they all stay within certain limits. It's like the "scream machine" at Six Flags over Georgia. When I was a teenager we went there and stood in line for HOURS just to experience the thrill. I knew the roller coaster was going to take me up and down ridiculous hills, and around sharp curves I could see it all from the 2 hour line I was waiting in. I knew that even though it was going to take me high, shove me down and jerk me about--in about a minute and a half I'd get off and go recover on the antique merry go round.

When Dr. Caudill sat on the gurney beside me, wrapped his arm around me and said, "You've got cancer" I wept. Now, if you've walked that journey with me--you know that. I wept for several reasons--the first being because of the "C" word...but the grief that I felt had more to do with the end of my fairy tale life than it had to do with cancer. I sensed that the life I knew had just ended. And for that I grieved. Of course my grief soon turned to great faith, deep peace and almost laughter in the "pure joy" of the cancer journey. And when it was over I was just beginning to get my old life back. The "scream machine" one--with it's break-neck speed, highs and lows, sharp curves and abrupt stops.

God has been good to me! I've enjoyed my life...very much--even if it has made me a bit woozy at times. :) But, with this new twist I'm forced to realize that the grieving I felt that day was there because of what was coming next. God knew--and His Spirit that lives in me knew. Thankfully I was on a "need to know" basis and He didn't think I needed to know more then.

Just suffice it to say I was right to grieve. My fairy tale life is definitely over. And now, I'm fastened tightly in a metal box with a padded shoulder bar hooked over me and secured at my waist. But, unlike the "scream machine" I've got no idea where this ride's taking me. The hills keep getting higher, the speed faster and the curves sharper. It's more like the "mind bender" (another ride at Six Flags that includes loopty loops and was added a fews years later). Only there's no way to see where I'm headed or how long it will last. Not even a little bit (like space mountain at Disney world where eventually your eyes adjust to the dark and make out the shapes in the twinkly lights).

It's certainly NOT the "coaster" I know. Nor the one I stood in line for hours to enjoy. And I don't necessarily "feel Him" with me but I KNOW that God is still the Master of the Ride.

"For You are great and do marvelous deeds You alone are God." Psalm 86:10

To my blogging friends

2010-06-15T17:57:00.002-05:00

When I created this blog I wanted it to be place where I could be utterly honest, and let the rest of the world (or at least the 2 or 3 who might pop in every once in a while) capture an inside glimpse of what life is like in my seat.

When my children were learning to drive--I wrote about it here. When they had their first wreck--I wrote about it here...boyfriends, proms, cancer...I wrote about it here.

But now something has happened that is more painful than cancer and more serious than car wrecks. And I'm not going to write about it here.

So--what do I write about?

How I cry myself to sleep at night? Or wake up at 4:30 in the morning to talk to God about it? I don't really know how to do vague and discreet. But for now it has to be. So...I'll blog a bit--maybe figure a way to share without sharing and invite you into this journey with me.

Excerpt from New Book

2010-06-12T08:08:00.001-05:00

Meet Me at the Manger and I'll Lead You to the Cross

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

We stood in a semi-circle when we arrived at the opening. Under our feet was a cold dirt floor and we were surrounded by stone walls. The air was cool and damp. The tour guide explained that stables in Jesus’ day were not made out of wood (as they are portrayed in most of our nativity scenes), but that they were carved out of stone. I envisioned this “stable” filled with dirty animals and weary travelers. He then pointed to a gold plate on the floor that marked the (exact) spot where Jesus was born. My imagination carried me back to that first Christmas Eve. I could almost hear the hustle and bustle of people as they crowded into the City of David to be counted in the census. I could imagine the inn keeper looking at Joseph’s desperate face and Mary’s obvious pain. I could almost see Mary double over with the next of a wave of contractions as Joseph rushed to spread blankets on the hard floor.

And then, I stared at that gold plate. And I wondered at the majesty and love of God that would allow His Son to be born into this world. I wondered at the glory of God that would allow His Son to come to us since we were unable to go to Him. I worshipped God in that cave because I knew that had the Word not become flesh and dwelt among us, we could never have the opportunity to even begin to experience His glory. I thanked God for being full of grace and truth.

Cancer is over and Life returns

2010-04-22T14:58:00.003-05:00

So, this is the first week I've been responsible for family meals again. I thank God for Chick Fil A!! I'm wondering if our family could just sign up for home cooked meals every spring. They could start coming when softball begins and end when the last tennis match is over. :) (Of course next year there will be NO MORE SOFTBALL!!...Don't EVEN get me started!)

I thought that my journey through cancer would drastically change me. But I'm slipping back into my pre-cancer mode all too quickly. I still want to eat sweets at night. I have been satisfying that sweet tooth with Lucky Charms lately. Maybe the almond milk is better than skim and the "lucky" will counter-balance the cancer loving SUGAR!!

I told Tom that I was going to adopt a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for stress. But two days back in the office at TSC and Good Grief!! What was I THINKING?!!

And, when I was pondering the possible spread of cancer in my body I came in to my home office and CLEANED HOUSE! I mean I tossed away entire stacks of "I've got to get on that" projects! It felt good. For the first time EVER I saw clearly what God meant for me to do. I was convinced that I would never again take on more than what was supposed to be mine--I would "stay in my lane" to quote a dear friend who endured the autobahn with me last fall.

It was a good idea...

God is still good. I'm still smiling at how He rocked me close last month at this time, but it's kind of like He's set me down now on my own two feet, patted me on the behind and said, "get back out there and do your thing."

I just want "my thing" to be His thing too.

This is My Story...This is My Song...

2010-04-06T10:40:00.002-05:00

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord, save me!"

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to me."

Psalm 116:1-7 NIV

I read these words in a card that Mel Fell gave me just before I went in for surgery and knew they expressed exactly the way I feel. I've struggled with "why me?" Why should God be so good to me? And when I read these words my heart came to rest. Immediately I sang,

"This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long!"

And I realized, that "this is MY STORY..." He gave me a SONG! So just as the psalmist sang many years ago, so I'll join my voice with his...

"I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord--in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord."

Psalm 116:17-19 NIV

Still pondering these things...

2010-04-03T14:25:00.003-05:00

It's the Saturday before Easter; 70 degrees and gorgeous outside today on my back porch. The trees seem to be celebrating the Resurrection with everything God put in them!! And me? I'm shaking my head at His goodness.

To tell you the truth, I've experienced miraculous recovery from surgery. It's been 11 days since I had major surgery at Vanderbilt Hospital, and today I walked 3.8 miles!! (It's a big loop that I used to enjoy jogging.) Don't tell any of my healthcare providers, and for sure don't let my mother know I did that!! But...I feel great.

In fact, as my body has made this miraculous recovery, my heart and mind are trying to play "catch-up." One of the first things I confessed a day after I was told I had cancer was how angry and disappointed I was with my body. I felt a bit betrayed. For I have been one to try to eat right and exercise all my adult life. When my children learned I had cancer they immediately blamed it on "all the healthy food you feed us!" I told Tom I didn't think I'd ever trust my body again. To think it was sick for years and I didn't even know it!

But now that this same body has kicked into warp speed on the road to recovery, I'm beginning to smile--and make peace with the "old girl." She's doing what I expect and treating me well.

Of course this has been much more than a physical journey for me. It's been quite the spiritual journey as well. And the spiritual part is the one that makes me say, "hmmm..."

I wanted the miracle of no chemotherapy, I really did and even prayed for it. But for God to grant it so graciously...who am I? Who am I that He should be so sweet to me???

Before March 1, it's all I knew. All I knew was the goodness and sweetness of God. I walked with others in unimaginable places, but as for my own personal experience with Him, GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO GRACIOUS AND KIND! It's really all I have ever known. And even in this month-long journey through cancer---He's been more gentle, more REAL, more present than ever! And with Him granting me complete healing with surgery, it's all I still know. God is good--and why? Why does He do this for me?

If He hadn't been "good" would He still be God?

That question I now have an answer for...YES! Even if He had seen fit for this cancer to be in my liver and lungs He would have been just as good and just as God as He is in my health. I told my prayer partners on Wednesday, March 3 that if I died of colon cancer, I wanted them to be sure to testify to God's goodness to me. For I refused to let death rob God's glory.

For whatever reason He has chosen to hear our prayers and extend my time on earth. I am more grateful than what may be spiritual to admit; but I know that this healing is His "GREATER GOOD." So, it's with fear and trembling that I'm going to keep "working this out" in my heart and mind--and with faith I'm going to keep walking it out each precious day.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a spring so beautiful in all my life!

Good News!!!

2010-03-26T18:08:00.002-05:00

I'm still a bit "under the influence" but just want you to know that we received a call from Dr. Herline this afternoon to tell us there was no cancer in any of my lymph nodes. My cancer is stage 2 which means NO CHEMO!!!

God is good!! Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers!!

Supernatural answers:
Two church members were nurses one in pre-op and one in recovery
Had no nausea at all (while at the hospital)
Left way sooner than anticipated
The man who wheeled me out seranaded Mikel, me and my mother with old hymns all the way from my room to the curb where Tom waited, the ones I remember singing with him were "The B I B L E" "At the Cross" "Trust and Obey" and I know a few others...only God would give me a hymn sing on the way to the car.

You and your prayers have meant more to me than I will most likely ever be able to communicate in words. (and that's a lot since I enjoy communicating with words)

Living for the Greater Good

2010-03-21T17:55:00.002-05:00

I don't like cancer. My colon is sick, and you don't even want to know what that is like. I don't like surgery--it's scary. Being put to sleep does not appeal to me. What will they do to me while I'm sleeping? Will they talk about those stretch marks that my 9 pound 12 ounce baby tattoed on me some 16 years ago? What if I wake up too soon and they don't know it? Or, what if I don't wake up at all?

Cancer stinks.

But when Dr. Caudill told me I had it I had a choice to make. I could choose to make God small and decide that cancer was bad for me or I could choose to watch to see how God will take cancer and transform it into my GREATER GOOD.

I choose to wait and watch for God's GREATER GOOD.

Too often we cling so tenaciously to our limited understanding of what is "good" that we demand God to give us what we think is good and in so doing we forfeit what He knows is best.

Cancer stinks but thus far God's used it for some really great things.

I'm the prayer minister at TSC. And for years I've dreamt of our congregation experiencing corporate prayer together. I know that where 2 or more are gathered God is in our midst, but when 1000 are gathered 998 others get in on the experience!

My cancer brought 1000 people to TSC on Sunday night March 7 for the most powerful corporate worship and prayer service we've ever experienced. The March 7 service was originally scheduled for January 31, but we had to postpone it due to snow. I was aggravated at God for doing this and wondering why on earth He wouldn't let us have our gathering on the date we'd scheduled (and marketed for). Little did I know that He was rescheduling for my good and His glory.

1000 people experiencing God in prayer (while the rest of the world sits at home watching the Oscars) is certainly the GREATER GOOD.

When the Christ followers in the Vanderbilt Endoscopic Clinic chose to be bold with their faith and pray with Tom and me before my procedure--God brought to us His GREATER GOOD. There are simply some things about God you will not know unless you meet him in the prep area of the Vandy endoscopic clinic.

Our family has not cooked a meal since March 1 but we've eaten better than we have in years. My son TJ assures me that these meals are the GREATER GOOD!

Many people have promised me they are praying. I have people praying for me from Africa to Mexico, from Las Vegas to Florida, and just about everywhere in between. Some of them have chosen to fast when they pray (for the very first time), and all for me. Anything that draws people to the Throne of Grace and stretches them to exercise spiritual discipline is the GREATER GOOD!

It's a no-brainer for me. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
And if Jesus allows cancer in me then I am confident He will use it for my GREATER GOOD and His GREATER GLORY.

You want to know Dr. Caudill's dangerous prayer he shared with me?

"Lord, teach me what I need to be taught; take me where I need to be taken; and use me in the way I need to be used."

It's a prayer for the GREATER GOOD.

P.S. This will be my last pre-operative post. Tuesday, March 23 Dr. Alan Herline will be taking the cancer out of my colon. I cherish your prayers for him, for Tom, for my children and for me. We will post my status on our church's website (Tom doesn't know how to blog). The address is www.thompsonstationchurch.org

God is moving mountains

2010-03-15T17:12:00.003-05:00

One tendency I have on here is to be a bit too open with what really goes on in the lives of my children. Somehow they ALWAYS hear about what I say and I have to "cover" by assuring them that "no, I did not talk too personally about you." So, let me see if I can share with you how God is moving mountains without sharing too personally for the sake of my children.

If you are a mother you know what it is like to be "consummed" with prayers for your children. You know what it is like to hurt deeply when they hurt, to feel their dreams as if they were your own, and to wish to goodness that you knew then what you know now--also wishing that they would realize how much they need YOU to tell them what you know now!!

Well, I've had two specific mountain size prayers for two of my children. One has been prayed fervently for almost a year and the other has been prayed fervently for 4 years. Both these prayers depended on major break-throughs by God. I had done what I could do, and only God could impact the answers to my prayers. I have to confess that at times I was more disciplined in my fervency even adding fasting to some of my prayers. But right now I have not even had the energy to keep up with them. In fact, the moment I heard "you have cancer" God told me to let go of one of my children. He clearly said that He would take care of her/him and that I didn't have to. I was incredibly impressed with how much faith each of them has demonstrated in the past two weeks since we got our news.

And since March 1 when I was diagnosed with cancer both my fervent, mountain size prayers have been answered! I mean mountain-moving answers!! I so wish I could give you the exact details...but, I can't. Just suffice it to say that when I say God is moving mountains...they are Colorado kind of mountains, not the middle TN foothills.

I had a PET Scan today in an old building off Murphy Avenue. It was a sentimental journey. For 20 years ago I went to Murphy Ave each month for infertility treatment. As I sat still waiting on the radioactive glucose to make its way through my body I was reminded of the day I also sat still after artificial insemination. I thought about how different this journey is from that one. Instead of asking for new life to come into my body, I am hoping to protect and preserve the only life I have.

And I couldn't help but reflect on how faithful God has been to me through the years. He let my body conceive and birth life not once but 3 times and even now He's still watching over and intersecting those lives in ways that I can't. Surely the God who holds the world together can take care of cancer in me--and move mountains for my children.

And lo, I am with you always

2010-03-11T17:42:00.003-06:00

God found me today at Vanderbilt. Had I not arrived an hour early He might have lost me in the crowd! But nevertheless, He let me know again today that He is waiting for me in the "belly" of this thing.

You've just got to hear how He's been waiting for me every step of the way. Two weeks ago I finally got up the nerve to call Dr. Caudill's office. You see I knew I was having a problem, but I thought I could fix it with yogurt--you know the activia with "bifidus regularis"--sounded medicinal to me! But Tom kept encouraging me to call his friend Max. (Max Caudill, now one of my favorite doctors in all the world.) Tom and Max grew up together, been knowing each other since the 5th grade.

Now isn't that nice? Tell me, all you women out there reading my blog, is that the doctor you would want to call for a problem like the one I was having?! NOT!!!! So I looked in the directory of Williamson County medical professionals and decided Max was the kindest looking (that is a subjective opinion, I'm sure the others are great), took a deep breath and called Tom's friends' office. This is how it went...

"Good morning, Dr. Caudill's office, this is Ruby." (I can't write it southern saturated with sweet tea...but just imagine because that's how she did it.)
"Hello, Ruby, this is Leighann McCoy."
"Well, hello, Leighann, how are you today?" (still sweet tea, deep south overtop friendly).
Before I answered I smiled and thought, "they sure are friendly at Max's office." When it dawned on me that I might know Ruby!
"Is this Ruby Barnhill?"
"Yes, it is!"
"Oh, my goodness, Ruby. I'm SO glad it's you..." After which I told her more than she probably wanted to know about the reason I was calling.

When Tom and I came to Thompson Station we went door knocking on the first Saturday we were in town. At the first house we met a mean woman who told us she knew where to find us if she ever wanted a church (which she apparently did not!). At the very next house we met Sweet Tea Ruby Barnhill and her wonderful husband and son. Not long after that her husband was the first person to pray to receive Christ in our ministry at TSC. This was 21 years ago.

What are the odds of me needing this exact kind of doctor, of him being Tom's childhood friend and of RUBY being his receptionist???? I would venture to say they are greater than .2% of the population!

But that was just the stepping on place. Since my cancer has been diagnosed, Dr. Caudill gave me a "dangerous prayer" on his prescription pad (I'll blog about that sometime later); he prayed with us, my surgeon is a believer, and even in the "cancer mill" at Vanderbilt hospital, today

Rosemary (member of our church) met me in my little cubicle thrilled that we ended up in her world, Melanie asked if she could pray with me (both she and Rosie prayed with us), Dr. Sumner whom I'd never laid eyes on before today (the one performing the ultrasound) shared with us that he too was a believer and praying for me (then he held mine and Tom's hand while Tom prayed for us both), AND Dr. Herline (my surgeon) all ministered to Tom and me as if we were mere patients and they were our pastors!!

Now, how can I be bummed about cancer when God is showing off so beautifully!!! I'm in for the show, I don't want to miss one minute of this. What a tremendous privilege to be loved so sweetly by the CREATOR of the Universe. To think of all the other things going on in the world, and He found me in suite 1649 at Vanderbilt Hospital today.

A Different Journey

2010-03-10T08:29:00.002-06:00

I thought I was going to Africa. The last week of January Tom and I fasted Sunday through Sunday asking God to prepare our hearts and minds for all that He had for us in 2010. We were thinking mostly about our church, our children and our "chores." On the 2nd day of that fast I sensed God call me to go with Sumer to Ethiopia. I laughed about it every time I mentioned it! God confirmed that call when I heard Sumer's story and saw the pictures of the "children in the dump."

I've been reading Hudson Taylor's biography this year (it's long) and two weeks ago knelt by our bed and said to Tom, "I don't think we really 'get it.'" I was referring to the TOTAL SURRENDER to God's heart for His world that I saw in the missionaries who served China in the mid 1800's. They challenged me! God was speaking strongly to me about complete surrender. He knew something I didn't know, and was graciously preparing me for the news.

Monday, March 1 I discoverd that God was taking me on a different journey. Instead of going to Ethiopia on March 24, I'm going to Vanderbilt Hospital on March 23 to have colon cancer removed from my body. I never, in my wildest imagination dreamt I would experience cancer. When other people "got it" I assumed they had poor genes, or that they ate too many twinkies. My children are fussing at me. They are convinced that eating healthy has caused this cancer. I saw a poster that told me I'm in .2% of the population who "gets" colon cancer before the age of 50. (Lucky me.)

This is not the trip I signed up for. I told someone yesterday that I felt like I was being inducted into a sorority I never wanted to join. It's like all the other "cancer people" have adjusted to their situation and are eating and drinking and even laughing at times with one another and I'm frantically looking for an open window I can crawl through to escape. It's not fun.

But already God has been so incredibly REAL to me. I'm not even going to try to explain or describe it to you. You'll see when you get your turn to "dance with disaster." (Tom preached on that just a few Sundays ago!) Those of you who have already "danced" know exactly what I'm talking about.

Many people have marveled at my faith and some have encouraged me that I don't have to be strong all the time. (Believe me, I'm not.) But when Dr. Caudill put his arm around me and said, "you've got cancer" my mortality forced me to take notice. I cried, I looked at Tom's face and pleaded for it to not be so, but when we got in the car I took a deep breath and realized death isn't the enemy I thought it was. From deep within me I knew (in my KNOWER) that Jesus took care of death for me a long time ago on a cruel Roman cross.

Guess what the name of the Hudson Taylor biography is, "It's not Death to Die."

And it's not. Since Monday, March 1 we've discovered I'm not dying afterall, at least not now. Seems I just might live another 40 or 50 years. I do have quite the ordeal to endure. But I'm going to look at it this way; God has invited me on a journey. A sweet and precious invitation to put everything I've ever taught to the test. It's like lab work in my college biology class. Either what I've been teaching is true or it's not.

I've trusted God since I was 11 years old. He's never let me down--not ever. Now is certainly NOT the time to stop doing what's been working for me. I asked Him what He wanted of me when we were talking on Tuesday morning. Very clearly He said, "Leighann, I want you to trust Me. I want you to depend on Me. And, I want you to be obedient." It was a great relief to hear this command. I responded, "Lord, I can do that! I know how to do that." You see, I've been doing that for years--He's not asking anything more of me now than He ever has before.

Thank you for being interested enough to keep up with my journey. I'm not going to bog this site down with medical details. To tell you the truth I don't really want you to know the specifics of what I'm having to go through with my "innards!" But if you want to come visit here and see what God is teaching me I'm going to try to keep that flowing.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your expressions of love. I am humbled that God has so richly blessed Tom and me with incredible ministries filled with friends across the globe. We love you dearly and are sustained by your love in return.

Just Look (Poverty and the Gospel I)

2010-02-21T15:27:00.003-06:00

I'm on a journey--it's taking me to Africa March 24 where I'm going to meet some very poor people in Korah (a part of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia). There are children, I'm told, who live in a city dump. Imagine that--to live in the dump!

I have an imagination and immediately my mind goes toward children living in the landfill off County Road in west Marietta, Georgia. The county jail is right next to the landfill, and the car tag office next to that. When we took our driving test we hoped for a day when the wind was blowing "the other way." You could smell the dump before you actually saw it. No one wants to be anywhere near a dump--much less IN one!

But I cannot even imagine what life is like in a city dump that serves the capital city of Ethiopia! I've heard that the children first went there to forage for food. Imagine that. Yesterday I tossed a coffee grinder into the trash, this afternoon I added some week old vegetable soup, month old cheese dip and bones from last night's grilled steak. Let's say these things end up in the "dump" next week. I would imagine resourceful kids might actually make a less than decent meal off of them--and might even find a way to either fix--or use the old coffee bean grinder.

But I live in Williamson County, TN--one of the wealthiest counties in the nation! These children are poking about in what Ethiopians call "garbage." Isn't Ethiopia where I've seen pictures of starving children? What do Ethiopians collect in their dumps?!?

God has invited me on a journey. First He invited me to a fast--a week long fast. I'd never not eaten for an entire week! Not even when I've suffered stomach disorders...I've never been that disordered! But the last week of January He invited me and Tom to do what we'd never done before and one day I'll blog about that experience. But it was on the 3rd day of my fast that I heard God clearly invite me to Korah. Sumer's going back and I'm going with her (and 6 other people God invited on this trip).

She asked us to read "Fields of the Fatherless" by Tom Davis (www.hopechest.org). But before I read that I read "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I know, the whole world's already read this book and I'm way behind. Francis Chan took a similar trip with God--and when he took a field trip to poverty, he came back changed. Sumer reminded us last Wednesday at our team meeting that we will be changed too. I'm also reading a biography of Hudson Taylor (missionary to China in the mid 1800's). Before he ever left England to live in China, Hudson Taylor took a vow of poverty. He wanted to "train" himself to be ready for his mission field. As I read the various hardships that Hudson Taylor and the other missionaries experienced I am humbled. All of this reading is part of my journey. God is preparing me for a new place in my life.

I've known--for a very long time that people die of starvation. I've known for a very long time that people have no way of hearing the name of Jesus--or knowing how much He loves them. And I've gone to where they are occasionally; Nicaragua, India, Japan, China, Mexico, New Orleans, Houston, Techwood in Atlanta, GA, and now I'm going to Ethiopia. This time is different. This time God has not invited me to take a peek into darkness. This time He's invited me to take a long hard look.

I want to look away. I want to close my eyes, stick my fingers in my ears and hum "kum ba ya." But He's holding my head in the palm of His hands and whispering in my ear--"Look. These are MY CHILDREN! I love them like you love Mikel, Kaleigh and TJ. Just look."

I'll keep you posted...

Mazatlan, Mexico

2010-02-17T17:06:00.003-06:00

When we scheduled this trip to Mazatlan, it was all about Kaleigh. Being the child whom I sensed God call to missions when she was 6 months old (I'll tell that story here someday); and having sent her to the Vietnam/China border and into Nicaragua more than once, it was the least Tom and I could do to take her to Mazatlan for a scouting trip for the student mission trip she is helping to lead this summer.

And I am here to say that spending the weekend with Kaleigh was pure joy. We feel that way about all of our children all of the time (Don't you?!)!

But meeting Lilia and Jose Ramon (JR) was definitely the highlight of our trip. One: They live in exactly what I would picture a Mexican "casa" to look like--tile floors, bright colors, windows with planted pots, ceiling fans, a courtyard in front and behind--a beautiful home! And, she fed us Mexican breakfasts and lunches complete with tortilla's, avocado, purple onions sliced thin and tomatoes. I would have felt like I was eating healthy if it hadn't been for the tremendous dinners we shared at area restaurants after 9PM!

Seeing the ministries of Spirit and Truth church (that currently meets in the unfinished parking garage of a downtown office structure) and spending time with Pastors Joe and Laurie Pacheco was humbling. I was impressed most with the willingness of so many of their church members to be the "hands and feet of Jesus" And they didn't even read Crazy Love to be that way! It's just what they do! A group of women feed children of prostitutes every Saturday morning. I asked, "where does the money come from to feed these 80 kids?" Answer: from the women who come and serve it! Some of those women give sacrificially to reach out to children who have even less than they.

Then there was Marlin (not sure I'm spelling her name right) who put her nursing career on hold so that she could go take care of her grandmother in the village of Elota. Since she is there, she's opened her home for a church to meet. And two couples from the Spirit and Truth Church take turns traveling to and from Elota to host worship services and teach the children there. I am wondering why this is the norm in Mazatlan--and not in Thompson Station.

I could go on and on--but I won't. Just suffice it to say that Mazatlan was beautiful at this time of the year (they assured us that it would be much warmer in June when Kaleigh goes back with our students), and the work that God is doing through His Church there challenges me to get the women at TSC up and at 'em!! We have so much to give, and there are so many places to give it.

Air travel out of Nashville

2010-02-08T11:18:00.002-06:00

I was reminded this weekend of the price I pay to live in a "small big city" rather than a "big big city." I love Nashville. I love how I can bump into people I know at that mall, in restaurants, and even downtown! I love how I can bump into famous people that I don't know (and I have to confess that even though I'm bound to have bumped into some of them in the past 21 years--I haven't known it. There was this one time at my labor and delivery classes that I introduced myself to Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife and asked, "did you go to Samford University? Your name sounds real familiar to me." He graciously told me he didn't go to Samford, and couldn't imagine where we might know one another. It wasn't until later than my brain came alive and I said, "Stephen Curtis Chapman!! Duh!")

Anyway...I love my Nashville airport and how late Saturday nights I'm sometimes the last one there. I love the feeling that this little voice is gently saying, "just turn off the lights and lock the door when you leave, Leighann."

But there is one thing I don't love. And that is the places I have to go before I go where I want to go when I leave from BNA (the code letters for my beloved Nashville International Airport). For instance, this weekend I went to Alexandria, Louisiana. But first I had to go to Atlanta, Georgia where I sat for 6 hours waiting on my delayed flight to Louisiana. And then on Saturday night I had to go to Houston and walk 6 miles and ride a shuttle bus to get on the plane that was to bring me home to Nashville.

While I was in Atlanta I was trying to book flights for next month. I need to go to West Palm Beach, Florida. And as I was searching for flights it became apparent to me that I could choose to either fly through Detroit, Chicago or Atlanta (again) to go to Florida. Why is that cheaper than simply flying from here to there?

And then there are the little bitty planes that I fly in!! What happened to all the big planes? You know, the ones with two seats on both sides of the aisles!! And those with space to actually fit a purse at your feet?!

And what happened to "carry-on luggage" compartments!! They ought to call it "carry to" luggage, since we now carry our own luggage TO the plane where they still load and unload it while we wait in the COLD to get it.

Because there are no more of those nicely air-conditioned tunnels!! We now have to haul our selves down the stairs and out into the cold like I used to see people do in the 60's!! And those itty bitty steps we have to balance on getting in and out of those planes...

Whew, I love living in Nashville. It's just the flying about that tends to be a bit taxing. But I wouldn't trade it for the world!! Thank God we can actually get there from here.

Thursday I'm leaving in the morning for Mazatlan, Mexico with my husband and daughter Kaleigh (so she can lay the ground work for a youth trip this summer), and in a few weeks I'm headed to Las Vegas (WHERE I WAS ABLE TO BOOK A DIRECT FLIGHT!!) and then--to West Palm Beach, Florida. So right now I need to stop blogging and decide whether I want to go through Detroit, Chicago or...Atlanta to get there.

Oh the places you will go!!

2010!

2010-01-27T16:25:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I dropped the blogging ball, and one person caught me. So, for Beth's sake, here I am! Inspired by my dear sister-preschool pastor friend, Big Nanny (you gotta see her blog entries on her recent trip to Africa. I would link you but am not sure how to make that work.), here I go.
Don't you love new years? I do! Out with the old and in with the new. Something about moving on that makes me happy! I make resolutions. I'm a believer in them--even if I don't keep them I enjoy making them. Gives me a sense of direction; some goals and ways to measure my minutes.
This year I have only a very few:
1. Don't cry every day over Mikel graduating on MAY 15! (And leaving for Union University in August).
2. Don't cry every other day over Kaleigh taking me on college visits this spring and summer (and she's not even looking 2 1/2 hours from home!).
3. Stay in the country. (I've broken that one already, as I'm going to Mazatlan in February with Tom and Kaleigh to check it out for her upcoming mission trip with students this summer AND I might be headed to Africa in March!! How CRAZY is that?!)
4. And all those other things like dieting, exercise, keeping up with dental appts, etc.

It's good--love the way we make plans and God supercedes them. Happy 2010, I'll resolute now to blog a bit more.

I'm going to Europe!

2009-08-31T12:02:00.002-05:00

I can hardly believe I'm getting ready to go to Europe! I'll be spending my Labor Day weekend with Cheryl and Karen touring Switzerland, Italy and France to land in Kaiserslautern, Germany on Tuesday where Karen and I will lead a prayer conference (Tuesday, Thursday) for Kaiserslautern Assembly of God Church on the Vogelweh Air Force Base. Then join their prayer clinic ministry Friday night.

Only God would orchestrate such an adventure!

Cheryl teaches in the the elementary school for the military children (a fascinating job) but she spends her school holidays in Spring Hill, and has come to our church during her breaks. As she became familiar with our prayer ministry, she allowed God to use her to share the vision in Germany with her faith family there. So--at her church's invitation, Karen and I are going over the pond to spend a week with them encouraging them in their Prayer Clinic and their prayer lives.

I am humbled and honored for the opportunity. Please be praying for us--we need safe travel, good health, clear minds and open hearts. Pray that we will be bold in our witness and encouragement of the saints serving overseas. Pray also that God will use this as an opportunity to open even more doors to the Prayer Clinic ministry and to the prayer studies I've written. God is good!! And we are eager to follow Him wherever He leads.

Please pray also for Karen as she is in the midst of a move--selling her house and packing to be out just a few weeks after our return. Pray also for Karen's daughter Lauren, her granddaughter Della and her son-in-law, Joe as Joe leaves for another tour of duty with the army (while we are gone). Of course pray also for Tom and my 3 who will be fending for themselves in my absence. They'll be fine as long as I get to the grocery before I go!

Thank you for your prayers! Can't wait to tell you what God does when we return.

The Last Official Day of Summer

2009-08-14T14:05:00.002-05:00

Wednesday was our last day of summer, and we went to the lake, Kaleigh and me and three friends. You might not find that very significant, but I personally feel like I conquered the world! Or at least, Normandy Lake!! Tuesday night we put the trailer on the suburban, then took it to the gas station and filled it with fuel. I won't mention that I neglected to notice the suburban was also in need of refueling. But we got that taken care of the next day on our way to the lake.
Then after not too many attempts, I got the boat backed down the launch ramp, and Kaleigh drove it off the trailer. I thought we made a great team! All was well until the boat sputtered and quit running about midway through the day. With 4 teens bobbing up and down in the water, I lifted the lid to the engine, carefully removed a black thing, then took off a round thing and put my finger on the flap thing. Last time the boat stopped running this is what Tom did. But, my little finger on the flap didn't work. So, I texted Tom, from Nassau, Bahamas (in customs) he suggested we pour gasoline over the carburator then try again. I just guessed that what I was fiddling with must have been the carburator, and so we poured the gasoline, and cranked the boat, VOILA! We were running smoothly for the rest of the day.

Everyone skied and tubed...and went home with only minor injuries. Any day at the lake with only minor injuries is a good day at the lake!

It was the perfect way to spend the last day of summer. Kaleigh and friends (all except boyfriend who is off to TN Tech this Fall) were in class on Thursday, miles away from Normandy and all our fun. But summer's not really over. There's still lots of sunshine, and surely another day or two at the lake. With a few more tries I might even be able to back that boat down the ramp like a professional!

August already?

2009-08-05T08:12:00.002-05:00

Well, I didn't cry. I wanted to! But I maintained a bit of dignity and stifled the tears. Not sure that's the healthiest thing in the world. Why not just go ahead and BOO HOO everytime you feel like it!
I took TJ to Independence to get his paperwork turned in, purchase our athletic pass, take pictures and collect books. It was quite the afternoon! We normally miss all this excitement when we take our family vacation at the end of the summer. But this year, no family vacation at the end of the summer.
Kaleigh is in East Asia (or more specifically Hong Kong today). Tom's on his annual treck to the Bahamian waters for crawfishing (their crawfish are larger than our lobster!). And Mikel, TJ and I are keeping the home fires burning.
After spending the afternoon with TJ I took Mikel to walk through her schedule and fetch her supply lists at Zion Christian Academy. For her SENIOR YEAR!! Oh my--it's almost more than a Mom should be expected to handle!
But I didn't cry. Not yet anyway. Those tears are coming...in fact I am such a sap they'll probably flow all year! "the last 'first day of school', etc." I think I'll make her stand outside the front door with her backpack on and take a picture tomorrow before she leaves for her 27 mile commute.
Oh my....

How's your summer going?

2009-07-08T14:55:00.003-05:00

So, how's your summer going? When people ask me that, my brain freezes. It's like my computer when its trying to download a picture file. The papers are shuffling, but hardly any progress is being made.

I'm not sure what keeps me so busy--it's so much I don't have time to think about it. I used to make a daily "to do" list (learned that in a YMCA sponsored employee training event years ago). I carried my list around on a yellow legal pad. If I diverted from what was written on my list, I'd write it down (after I diverted) and cross it off--just for the joy of scratching through the list! At the end of the day I took everything that wasn't "scratched" and relocate it to tomorrow's list.

But now? Every once in while I create a "to do" list for my week. I print it off and carry it around with me. But sometimes the little corners get torn off to wrap used gum--and the edges get filled with grocery lists. And somewhere in the middle of "meet so and so at such and such" I'm asked, "so, how's your summer going?" And for the life of me, I don't know!

Even chickens run around a bit after their heads are chopped off! So--a few things do come to my mind: I remember fireworks at the Braves game and 2 homeruns (July 2). I also remember fireworks in my driveway (up close and personal) when TJ and Drake lit the fuses. I remember TJ calling to say, "Mom, I was just now in a car accident!" And Mikel calling to say, "I jumped off a 25 foot cliff!" I also remember Kaleigh suffering every known side affect possible after I insisted she get the immunizations for her upcoming trip to East Asia.

I faintly remember agreeing to teach conferences at Ridgecrest (next week) and booking flights to Germany (departing September 4). I do remember serving over 1000 hotdogs on Sunday, and challenging couples to pray together. But other than that, I'm not sure how my summer's going. I think it's good. In fact, I'm sure it is.

How's yours?

Blogging, procrastinating and "bowels"

2009-06-17T16:38:00.003-05:00

Ok, so blogging hasn't found its way into my summer schedule. With tanning, cleaning bird poo off the pool deck and getting kids to and from camps...I've hardly had time to write the checks that pay my bills, much less get on here and wax eloquent...

But, today, I'm back. The thunder is rumbling in the distance, muggy air surrounds me (that glorious weather we were enjoying up until two days ago is a distant memory), and I need to do some emails so I thought, "great time to procrastinate blog."

So...this is my procrastinate blogging. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago. First check up I'd had in 5 years. And it was COMPREHENSIVE!!! I saw a funny picture of what men ought to have to go through (a kind of male version of a mammogram....I'll leave the visuals to your imagination) and I wished it were so. But, I came out in "good" health. For so many this would be considered a "good" report. But for me, "not so good..." For ever I was in "excellent" health. And somehow my cholesterol and ldl have tipped over toward the border line between good and "could be better." How did that happen?! And I don't even want to think about my weight. Where I used to be at the low end of "healthy weight for my height and age" that also is "borderline" on the OTHER side!!

Funny how we choose to ignore what we don't want to see. And if that weren't enough--I also have a gall stone. Only OLD people have "gall stones." (Or maybe only old people talk about it!) My daughter went to visit our worship pastor's wife in the hospital yesterday and came home reporting on her "bowels." I'm having flashbacks of the Sunday afternoon organ recitals my mother and grandmother used to have!

But, here I am. I had a cheeseburger and fries (with a chocolate shake) for lunch. As if I were still 124 pounds with cholesteral free blood pumping through my 23 year old veins! And I smile.

Why? Because it's summer. I've had numerous teenagers at my pool, we've already taught a new one to water ski, I'm headed to the lake on Friday and life couldn't be better (perhaps my transport unit could use some work--but just am not sure I'm willing to work on it). TJ's playing some bball at the high school. Mikel's convinced she already knows the one and only school she wants to consider for college (sure takes a load off of our shoulders for her to make this decision so easily), both my girls have "boyfriends" (amazing how that brings peace to our home)and I have a new patio. Not only that, but our worship pastor's wife's bowels are getting much better.

School's over and I'm crazy!

2009-05-20T10:40:00.002-05:00

I bet you've been wondering what I've been up to lately. Well, first to the mountains with Tom (and I'm not blogging about that!). Then to "share the message" on Mother's Day at TSC. If you want to listen to "Storming Hell's Gates" it's already been archived at www.thompsonstationchurch.org (look in archived messages, non series). And then...it's been nonstop awards banquets, projects due, packing for trips, and other end of the school year festivities.

I did take a road trip to Madisonville, KY last weekend. Thanks Faith Missionary BC for a GREAT WEEKEND!

And here I am. Looking forward to a great summer with my kids, and my pool, and my plans and my books. I wish I could bottle today's weather and release it in August! It's amazing!

I let TJ skip his promotion ceremony today. We let Mikel beg off when she was in the 8th grade, then scheduled a trip to the lake when Kaleigh was in the 8th grade. But TJ didn't really have a good excuse, only that he couldn't convince me to rent him a tux. So...I let him sleep. Tom had a doctor's appointment and we both have a hard time with all the "to do" over simply finishing 8th grade. Of course putting middle school behind us is worthy of a celebration! I have to admit that the only thing I might possibly miss is Mrs. Paula's phone messages.

"Hello! This is Paula Pulliam, principal of Heritage Middle School with some important information..."

TJ's up now (it's 11AM). He just got a phone call that he won the "school spirit award" and the Algebra Scholar award. I feel awful for not being there to claim those!!

Kaleigh's the only one who went to school today. She's got an art test (and chemistry tomorrow). But I'm letting her boy "interest" pick her up early! He's about to graduate this weekend and she's only 15. Am I crazy?!

And Mikel? Her school's officially over tomorrow, but she's missing today and tomorrow because I dropped her off at her boyfriend's house this morning at 7:30AM to go with his family to Louisiana.

I am insane. I have to be.

But, on my back porch right now the wind is blowing softly, the sun is shining and I'm listening to the birds sing. Surely the God who holds all that in place has made allowances already for the lack of judgement in me.

Surely...

Iris pictures

2009-05-01T08:46:00.002-05:00

Iris in my backyard

2009-04-29T17:03:00.002-05:00

Oh my, I don't know if you like flowers, but my favorite one is the Iris--just happens to be the Tennessee state flower! However, I fell in love with Iris when I lived in Georgia. My father always had plenty of them blooming all over our yard. His mother always had plenty of them blooming all over her yard! So, it was only a matter of time until I talked him into planting me some when I moved to my first house on 2862 Windy Way. For 9 years we enjoyed my "hand-me-down" iris (whose great grandparents first lived in my grandma's yard in Commerce, GA). But when we moved to Sullivan Farms, I never got around to planting any iris.

However, in August of 2007, I talked my mother into helping me choose an assortment (so we hoped)of my father's iris. We brought them to Tennessee, and planted them in the late summer in the raised bed that surrounds our pool. She warned me that they most likely wouldn't bloom in 08, but this year, WOW! I simply can't get over them! I go outside every morning and walk around admiring them--the delicate petals, their strong stems, the green leaves...it's silly really but they are seriously amazing. What amazes me is that they do this all by themselves. Besides watering a bit when it gets dry in the summer, I've done nothing!

Makes me think about the best things God does in my life, just given the proper planting, a little water and good soil--and things bloom! And all this time I've been thinking I had to produce the blooms--God just wants me to soak up the nutrients, stretch toward the light, stand firm in the cold and He'll take care of the "show."

Ok...I need to post pictures, but once again you'll have to wait a day or two for those as my camera is with me but the cable that hooks it up to my computer is across the way in my garage office. I hope something's blooming in your yard too!

Prom Weekend

2009-04-21T09:42:00.004-05:00

I never went to prom when I was in high school. I know, that's sad. I'm a very well-adjusted adult woman, been married to the GREATEST man in the world for 22 plus years, and would have been proud to have been his prom date, but we didn't meet until 7 years beyond that time in my life. So, when I was in high school, the fanciest dress I ever wore, I wore on Easter Sunday (and mine matched 3 others that my sisters were wearing! Homemade by my loving mother from a Simplicity pattern and pastel blue dotted swiss.)

So, when Mikel landed her prom date, I enjoyed every single minute of it! I loved looking for the right dress, watching her embellish that right dress with her own design (she had to add straps to fit dress code, but added a few other splashes of white to match her date). Then, when it got to be prom day, Kaleigh and I both went with her to get our nails done, and to purchase last minute bobby pins and doo dads.

I loved watching my dear friend (and neighbor) curl her hair, and totally enjoyed listening to Mikel tell me how nervous she was. This is the kid that can stare down a fast-pitch pitcher and hit a line drive when the count is 2 outs and 2 strikes at the end of a tournament, but putting on a dress makes her nervous!
But when he came to get her and I snapped the photos' I didn't smile anymore. Instead I blinked back tears. Where did it all go? How did we get here? When did my precious baby girl grow into this gorgeous young woman? Is there a way to slow it all down? Will she really leave me someday, draped on the arm of her own "knight in shining armor" to never call my house her home again?

Prom...
Dress--$249
Straps and bows--$18.37
Shoes (on sale!)--$12.99
Bobbie Pins--$3.89
Seeing Mikel smile for the camera--PRICELESS

Pictures!

2009-04-15T10:48:00.004-05:00

This isn't many--but just a few

Spring Break ...at the beach

2009-04-13T20:42:00.002-05:00

I absolutely LOVE spring break. And this year's might go down in my personal history as one of my favorite break's ever. We took our family plus two to Destin, Florida where we unashamedly exposed our winter-white skin to the first rays of warmth (well, it was warm if you laid down flat on your back and stayed there close to the sand--and if your towel was a dark color. Did you know that dark colors absorb heat?). TJ got enough sun to create a burn, and I wore SPF 30 for the first time in my life. But we all came home with a healthy glow--nonetheless.
Tom and I rode bikes, he and Kaleigh played tennis daily (until Kaleigh broke her raquet strings--just like a PRO!), Mikel hung out with her beau, and TJ and Chase found a different group of girls to see each day! (They took a 7 mile bike ride to one set, then talked us into delivering them to another. I've never seen two young men take such full advantage of the beach!) I had all the starbucks I wanted, AND we found a Shake's (great frozen custard that is worth every calorie it holds).
We ate in--and we ate out. It was all good. But most of all--I didn't write anything, I didn't plan anything (well--maybe I made a few plans) and I didn't accomplish anything (except maybe a slight tan line). It was GREAT!
Reminded me of college days when I'd collect apples in the cafeteria line, then buy a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread and pool my pennies with my friends to rent a room across from the beach where we'd simply soak for two whole days before we rolled our rear-ends right back up 331N to 65N to Samford's campus before curfew on Sunday.
Those were the days, and so are these. I'll try to get some pictures on here soon.

I'm back!! And so are the future apples!!

2009-04-01T16:30:00.002-05:00

Oh my, what a few weeks I've just had. Have any of you ever read "Hind's Feet on High Places?" I'm thinking of offering that book as the "homework" for our women's Bible study gathering at Thompson Station Church this summer. Great book!! Maybe my all-time favorite.

Anyway, Much-Afraid (the little girl who dares to follow her Great Shepherd to the high places) gets caught in a valley of mist. For days she wanders around in that valley. You begin to wonder if she'll ever get to the edge of the mist! Well, that's where I've been these past few weeks.

It all started with my mission trip to East Asia. Great trip--lasting impact--there will be more to that as I get recommitted to this blog. But anyway--while I was there I received a critical email. Not critical in importance, but the kind of critical that makes you scrunch up your eyes, and utter, "ouch." I sensed God's assurance that He was far too kind to try to tell me something of significance through hurtful words, and quickly responded to my sender, and started praying that I'd let it be.

That's when the mist began to fall. The weather got a bit nasty in March--you know, those days when the sun refuses to shine, and even though the trees bloom--you just aren't sure spring has really sprung? (Today, by the way totally blasts that doubt away! It's a gloriously beautiful day and my APPLE TREE IS IN FULL BLOOM!!!)

And then, my computer crashed, my book was pressing me each week, Mikel turned 17, her dog got sick (I'm talking really sick)--and my inner thought life cried "insurrection!" as negative voices out-shouted my commitment to truth, and I sunk into the miry depths that David spoke of in his psalms. Before I knew it, all I could see was mist...endless mist.

This went on for days, weeks even. I started approaching everything I put my hand to with only one thought in mind, "what are they thinking? I started doing ministry for my criticizers! I started responding to the thoughts (or the perceived thoughts) of others and lost my way.

The only oasis I experienced was when I left home to go and speak to other women's groups--oh, what great weekends and dinners we've had this Spring! I thank God for the ministry you shared with me without even knowing you were doing so!

But the best part of this past month was that Tom and Jesus were in the mist with me. Everyday Tom tried to do battle with the voices in my head--it was not pretty. And, all along the way Jesus held my hand.

It was this weekend, while I was speaking to the women at Whitesburg Baptist in Huntsville, AL that I came out of the mist. God reminded me to hold on to His promises past the point of "I've gotta let go" and that soon I'd be walking on the water. He also reminded me that when I can't discern His voice, I just need to go back to the last thing I know I heard him say (this is Tom's advice--and good advice I think). And when I went back to the last thing I know my Father said to me it was this,

I love you.

I'm not sure yet what He wants me to "do" for Him--but right now, I'm just holding tight to that word.

This is a great time of year to reflect on the powerful truth that you and I--we are LOVED by God!

And that is enough.

Crash and Recover

2009-03-10T21:45:00.002-05:00

It happened today--the nightmare of all writers. I was pressing toward a deadline (tomorrow noon) to have chapter 4 of my current Bible study completed. I had been waxing eloquent for 3 hours when suddenly my computer starting sending me coded messages: disk full unable to save document; chapter 4 error disk full...I can't even remember what they were. Since I didn't have a disk in my computer, I just "x"ed them out and ignored them when all of the sudden the entire computer froze up. The curser wouldn't move, the letters wouldn't type, and I thought, "Hmmm, I should save this file!" Only, when I went to save it I just received the same weird messages.

So, I did what all computer savvy writers do. I turned off my computer. No, I didn't hit "shut down" I just clicked the switch. Then I left my office to go eat a cold piece of pizza for lunch and I prayed God would recover my file.

After lunch I turned my computer back on, opened the file and sure enough I saw my recovered file in the left column so I clicked on it, only to receive the same error message, "Disk full, cannot read." Then, I got another message "Cannot delete this file" which was fine with me because I DIDN'T WANT TO DELETE IT! So I clicked on the "x" to shut that command down and that's when it happened. My recovered file disappeared.

It vanished into computer never, never land.

I cried.
I prayed, "Dear, God! You know how great that chapter was and that I was more than half way done, Please, please, please give me back that file!"
Then, I called Andrew (our IT guy at TSC). He gave me specific instructions on how to recover lost files, I went through all the steps but my file never appeared again. It was gone.

So, I cried again. I prayed again. I tossed a few books across the room and tore a few slats in my window blinds (accidentally).

And after that, I started over on page one of chapter 4. It's 10PM and I'm not yet back to where I was at noon. But--I'm feeling much better.

At 3PM I had to fetch my 8th grade son. He took me on an errand to Target, then went with me to the post office (to mail books that are completely done and published!) Then we actually made it to happy hour at Sonic and I purchased my favorite Sonic beverage, unsweet peach flavored iced tea. (Sonic ice makes me happy.)

By the time we got home I only had 20 minutes before I had to go get Kaleigh from tennis practice. She and I then took TJ to basketball try-outs (travel team) and then she invited me to Chili's for dinner. We ate, talked about boys and mission trips, and order a chocolate molten cake. Somewhere inbetween "how cute is he?!" And my first bite of chocolate gooey-ness I felt much much better. Molten cake and dinner out with Kaleigh makes me happy.

So, life goes on. I'm trying to finish day 3 (of 5 I need for chapter 4), and I'm sipping some herbal tea (kindly served by Kaleigh). So, I will survive. And now Tom's commiserating with me, and that too makes me happy.

Face???

2009-03-09T14:33:00.003-05:00

Okay, here's my first post from my East Asia trip. When we arrived in the town of 60,000 my first impression was that there was a whole lot of construction going on. Then, I saw a man sleeping in a cot in one of the roadside "tent" dwellings--right at the construction site!

We ate a God-blessed meal at the little "cafe" by the river. And by God-blessed, this is how our host prayed, "Lord, thank you for the food set before us. Please help us get down what You keep down and keep it in there til You want it to come out." I'm just sayin' stay away from the "green stuff."

After lunch and a great game of cards--that we never quite figured out. (Playing cards with young adults who can't speak a single word of English is quite the experience. Tom and Reagan took a whirl, I think Tom even won a hand.) Anyway, after lunch and cards, we walked back over the bridge that crossed the river and watched a bride and groom take their wedding pictures. When they saw us they invited us over to ...BE IN THE PICTURES!! Imagine that!

After we posed for wedding pictures, we ventured over to the school yard where I was able to converse with the girls --when they gave their English a group effort. It was so fun. They taught me to say hamburger in chinese. It sounds like ham...bah...bah. How's that?! Once we shared as much as we could communicate one girl looked at me and said, "face?" I looked back, nodded yes and repeated, "face?" I wasn't sure what she was trying to say. But in response she simply reached up to my cheek and planted a kiss right there.

I was in love. The people welcomed us with smiles and kisses! They are so eager to hear what we have to share. Pray with me that God will open doors to the gospel through us. I'm seriously considering organizing a prayer team to go next year and march through the streets of that city, and up and down the paths of the market towns and villages where this unreached people group lives. Maybe you should go with me!!

East Asia and SPRING!!

2009-03-06T15:44:00.002-06:00

I just returned (Tuesday) from a trip to East Asia with "a few good men." (Tom being one, our mission's pastor being another and a seasoned world traveller being the 4th.) I have to say that traveling with 3 men was quite the experience--as was East Asia. I'm not going to blog about that until I get my pictures loaded, for a picture speaks a thousand words...

This morning I was walking with a friend and we noticed that spring is on its way!! The trees are budding, and the grass is getting greener--I love this time of the year! I am also excited that we spring forward THIS SUNDAY! I'm so ready for the sun to set later in the day. And since I'm already jet lagged anyway (the time was 13hours ahead of ours where we traveled)what's one more hour?

I love March because it comes "in like a lion and out like a lamb." When I was in elementary school we made paper plate lions and lambs. Today--it's kind of "lion-y."

I love March because God answered my prayer for a baby on the 12th of this month. She came to us at 12:08AM, March 12, 1992--7lbs 8 1/4 oz. Next week Mikel Lorin McCoy turns 17! We're planning a family dinner--she's much more focused on prom right now that she is her birthday.

I love March because of the daffodils! I LOVE daffodils! I always have. They signal the beginning of flower season, and here in Tennessee they pop up all over these fields! I have yet to plant any in my yard, but there are a few on the pasture fence line that separates my yard from my neighbor's. Daffodils also remind my of my daughter Kaleigh (whose favorite color is...yellow).

I love March because Spring Break is on its way!! We normally go on a trip--mostly to the beach, last year to Disney for Mikel's ball team but this year to the mountains! And, I love the mountains.

Basketball season has come to a glorious end!

2009-02-20T14:28:00.002-06:00

Oh my, to really appreciate this blog, you really need to go back and read every one that I wrote that dealt with TJ's basketball season. Let's just say--goodness!!

Let's just also say, GOD IS GOOD!! Even when we wonder! TJ learned more than I would have wanted to teach him during his season. But this week he proved his stuff in the tournament. The coach let him play lots in the first tournament game and he scored some significant points. In the final 12 seconds he was fouled. The score was 37-36 with us ahead and he was to shoot 1 and 1. (for those that don't know bball--that means he only gets to shoot the second shot if the first goes in) It was the kind of moment every child dreads and dreams of--the opportunity to make the difference!

Like a cool breeze on a summer day, TJ easily made the first basket, and his coach called a time-out to tell the boys how to defend their lead (now a 2 point lead). Back in after the time-out, he took a deep breath, dribbled 3 times, took another deep breath and SWOOSH! --made his 2nd shot giving his team a 3 point lead. With TJ's foul shots the Hornets were able to keep the other team from scoring a 3 pointer (to tie) and won the game.

After an entire season of disappointment, despair and all that goes with that...TJ came home a WINNER!

I'm reminded of the verse God gave me in my quiet time the first time I paraded myself into His throne room after the night TJ didn't get to play at all:

He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Mikel's first accident

2009-02-17T13:08:00.002-06:00

I think there ought to be a new "baby book" that we give mothers when their babies become teenagers. We could record all the "firsts..."

The first boyfriend
The first kiss
The first tragic, end of the world break-up
The first driving lesson
The first solo drive
The first broken nose, arm, wrist, ankle, etc from playing ball
The first experience with Eve's curse
The first homecoming dance
The first...

Oh, how I could fill that book. Most recently we experienced...the first car accident. It happened last Wednesday when Mikel pulled out of her school parking lot. "I never saw them at all!" Nor did she see the pasture fence until it was behind her. After a wham, bam, spin and land...she came out amazingly ok. Her 96 Camry...not so good.

She called her Dad--not me. When I told Kaleigh that I wondered why Mikel didn't call me, she said, "Because you never answer your phone!" Once her Dad found out she wasn't hurt, and that the people in the other car weren't hurt either...he wanted to know where her phone was. When he discovered it was in her purse and not in her hand, he then assured her that she was much more precious than a hunk of metal, and that we were so thankful she was okay.

I called when her Dad was on his way down and she sounded like a rock! Just a few days ago I collided with another car in the Academy parking lot, and was shaking like a leaf! (we are not blogging about that little accident) But here was my daughter in an accident that hit her so hard she flew off the road, through a ditch and a fence spinnning around in a pasture and she was holding up amazingly well. She did shake a little when we saw the spot on Thursday morning when I took her to school. But she also told me how her headmaster came and stood with her before her Dad arrived. She said, "Mama, Mr. Wahlman stood by me like a mother duck!" I LOVE that school!!!

She drove our 93 Suburban to school today. It's a TANK! Woe to the one who hits her in this!!

ZUMBA and numbers galore

2009-02-10T12:40:00.003-06:00

Okay, I finally got back with Kaleigh and this is what she said, this year (only) she is half the age I was when I gave birth to her, and if you add half the age I was when I gave birth to her, you will get my age today! That's the numbers wonder.

You should've seen her face when she realized TJ's name had 18, not 17 letters.

Now, for all you out there who have discoverd ZUMBA...oh my!! We had our first free night of ZUMBA last night at TSC...and I wiggled (or tried to wiggle) my hips more than they've ever been wiggled! Over 100 women jiggling, giggling, and wiggling together was quite a sight! I'm hoping Melanie will offer the beginner's course for the next few MONTHS, as I'm sure I'm going to need it!

Numbers Galore

2009-02-05T09:08:00.002-06:00

Those who know me, know that although I have many character traits in common with Mary Poppins (I even had someone tell me I reminded her of Julie Andrews!) --being "practically perfect in every way" I do have one teeny weeny itsy bitsy flaw.

I am numbers illiterate. I don't know what you call that disability--it's kind of like dyslexia with numbers! I find it quite humoruous--Tom doesn't. I can sign my credit card slip at the grocery, get in the car and be driving home and suddenly have this thought, "I wonder how much I just spent?"

However, my daughter Kaleigh makes up for my insufficiencies. She's always had a real knack for numbers--and a love for number games. When she was a preschooler she absolutely loved the sorting games. We had these little plastic bears that she played with all the time. When we were in the car she begged to play "the numbers game." This was in her early elementary school years. So--we'd play. I'd say, "You have one peppermint candy, you add 4 then take away 2. How many do you have?" While I was still figuring she'd shout out, "3!" In a minute I'd say, "That's right!" The games got harder until I couldn't play anymore!

Just yesterday she and I were riding to church and she said, "Mom, did you know that right now--only this year--if you take my age, and add it to the age you were when I was born, you get your age. This is the only year that will work. It took me a minute, but sure enough--if I added 15 (Kaleigh's age) to 30 (the age I was in Kaleigh was born) I got 45 (my age today). It took both of us a minute, (actually I was still trying to understand what she was adding) to make sure this was so--only this year. And sure enough it is. Next year Kaleigh will be 16--add that to 30 and you get ...hmmm....wait a minute...you still get the age I will be then, 46. You know what? I honestly can't remember what point Kaleigh was trying to make last night, but it was a good one, and it did work. I'll get her to explain it again to me today and I'll update this thought tomorrow.

But this I do remember about last night's conversation: Kaleigh told me that Mikel's full name has 15 letters in it. Kaleigh's has 16 and TJ's has 17. How cool is that???

Mikel Lorin McCoy (15)
Kaleigh Rhea McCoy (16)
Taylor Jamison McCoy (18)

oops. I'll have to tell Kaleigh that TJ's name actually has 18 letters not 17. Never mind...I'll get back with Kaleigh and get her to walk me slowly through these numbers wonders.

In the meantime, just know there must be numerical dyslexia and I must have it!

Two great churches in January

2009-02-02T12:28:00.002-06:00

I've "hit the trail" again with the new year, went to Louisiana (Pine Baptist Church) a few weeks ago and to Kentucky/Ohio (on one side of the river we were in Kentucky, on the other we were in Ohio) also a week or so ago. Both weekends were amazing!!

I traveled with Melissa Greene (Avalon) to Louisiana--what a TREAT! And, we stayed at the beautiful Liberty Motel (across the street from a delightful "mall" with the anchor store being an interesting place called "Dirt Cheap." Unfortunately our schedule kept us from getting to shop there.) The women were amazing...I think the true heroes are those who are shouldering the burden for family and friends in the trenches of life. In Louisiana I met a remarkable woman named Sherrie Bumstead who is a missionary in Zimbabwe. WHAT A STORY!! Sherrie was born into the occult. But God miraculously brought her out and placed her smack dab in the middle of a place where even the devil shudders at her presence. You go GIRL!! Pray for Sherrie as she serves women and children in Zimbabwe.

I traveled with my good friend Karen to Kentucky. We talked from the moment we drove out of my driveway Friday morning until we came back Saturday night...non-stop. I think she and I got our quota of words in for the MONTH!! (But don't worry, I am fully capable of many more where those came from.) While we were with the women of FBC Russell, KY we met many remarkable women. Two who gave their testimonies...oh my. Kathy, I still smile when I remember you saying, "Oh by the way, the pastor who prayed for me is now my husband." You girls never cease to amaze me! I am by far the one most blessed in the ministry of traveling and partnering with you at your events.

Karen and I bumped right into the activity of God when we went to Kentucky with the possibility of starting prayer clinics in both the church and possibly four hospitals! Iwould be amiss if I didn't also tell you that she and I have been also talking to another friend, Cheryl who is beginning the groundwork of a prayer clinic in Germany! PRAISE GOD! Karen and I both are praying toward a possible mission trip to Germany--and we're praying our Kentucky/Ohio friends a trip to us in Tennessee.

Just thought you might enjoy reading about my travels. I'm next off to Alabama and after that...East Asia! (In February)--I'll try to do better getting on and off this blog, as I think of things that might interest you.

Of course, I could probably do another entire entry on the evening of making rice krispie treats at our Super Bowl party last night...but its another story entirely so I'll save it for another day.

I'm back! And basketball season is in full "bounce!"

2009-01-20T16:37:00.002-06:00

Oh my. I am sorry I haven't been here for the past few weeks! I've finally digested all that Christmas goodness, and have been off and running to basketball games. With both Mikel and TJ playing ball this season, we have 5 games a week spreading over a 60 mile radius. Tonight Tom's going with TJ, and Kaleigh and I are going to watch Mikel.

In November I put a little yellow sticky note on my calendar. I'd just written in all the ballgames and almost had a coniption (not sure I spelled that right--for you southern friends--I nearly had a FIT) when I saw how many nights I'd be in somebody's gym. Immediately the devil started whispering, "what kind of mother are you? You'll be eating nacho's and popcorn for dinner most every night of the week! Your family has not and will not sit down together for months for a meal! How can you possibly write and teach when your house is not in order?!" He went on and on like he likes to do when I'm especially vulnerable.

All of the sudden the voice of the Holy Spirit blasted into that mess and this is what He said, "I gave you those healthy children!! You prayed for TJ to make that team! You begged Me to open the door for Mikel to play ball in her new school even though she wasn't supposed to get to do that! This is a time to REJOICE!!"

And with that, I took those thoughts captive with my little yellow sticky note where I wrote, "I will ENJOY basketball season!" Little did I know how much I'd need to see that note. I've switched it from November to December and now to January--in a week I'll move it on to February (when praise the Lord this blessing will come to an end the third week of that month). TJ has struggled with playing time (or the lack thereof) and last night Tom and I were with Mikel in the ER--she got an elbow to her nose, and had to get it "glued." But here I am enjoying basketball season!

I WILL ENJOY BASKETBALL SEASON!

Why did I eat all that??

2008-12-27T19:23:00.002-06:00

It happens every year--but this year it happened even bigger. First off--we got a zillion delicious variations of sugar and butter and cocoa in little bags tied with ribbon. YUMMY! I'd tell myself every morning to stay away from the treats...but, I'd end up eating little bits throughout the day.

Then, we left Tennessee for our annual Christmas pilgrimmage to Georgia, and my mother (who happens to be the BEST COOK IN THE ENTIRE WORLD), greets us with...pecan pie, coconut pie, plum nutty cake, raisin cake, cocounut cake (made from REAL coconut peeled and grated) and assorted goodies her neighbor dropped by. I told myself that I would have just one piece of the coconut and raisin cakes (we only get those at Christmas) and that would be enough.

But, I had a sliver of pecan pie on Christmas Eve, a pile of coconut cake crumbs and sliver of raisin cake after feasting on turkey, dressing, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, strawberry congealed salad, lettuce and mayo --with green peas and bacon salad, AND green beans. THEN in the afternoon I had my own personal spoon that I used to scrape the crumbs all the others left behind on both those cakes. I also took another sliver or two of the coconut cake and when the leftovers were set out for people to pick on for dinner, I did my fair share of picking with the rest.

I went to bed and my stomach looked like the grinch's when he finished taste testing the fudge in who-ville.

December 25.

So, on December 26 I said, "Leighann, no more sweets for you--that is enough!" In fact, I decided that I could most likely go until 2009 before I needed anything else to eat. But, by ten, I feasted on my friend Laura's leftovers--hashbrown casserole, egg casserole, ham, creamy grits, and ambrosia! YUM! (Their family had brunch on Christmas Day). Then, I actually asked her if I could munch on her daughter's chex mix??!! How ridiculous is that? But, since I'd been away from my mom's house all day, I did keep my promise to leave the coconut and raisin cakes alone. Until...I made my way back home for dinner. We ordered out Chinese. So--I ate rice and chicken with cashews, and pork and cabbage and who knows what else that always tastes good after eating ham and turkey AND for dessert? You guessed it, another pile of coconut cake crumbs and a tiny sliver of raisin cake.

December 26

This morning I got out of bed, squeezed myself into the biggest pair of jeans I own, went downstairs and ate a bowl of oatmeal. My stomach thanked me sincerely...finally something normal. (I even sweetened it with splenda). But, while I was eating breakfast my mother was making another pecan pie.

Why was my mother making pecan pie? Did we lack sweets in our Christmas house? NO...but my sister made this innocent comment last night when she was packing her Christmas sweets to go: "Oh, I missed the pecan pie. Bummer!"

That's all it took...with that, my SWEET Mama got up this morning and baked my poor sweet-deprived little sister her very own pecan pie to take home with her today.

So, what does that have to do with me? Well, you see, Mama had just a teeny bit of crust leftover when she made her pie. And so, she spread that little bit of crust in another pie pan, and topped it with just a dab of pecan pie filling. The result? One of the most delicious pecan pie tartlett/cookies you've ever tasted! And, yes...I tasted it.

But finally I made it home. No more pies...no more cakes. Oh, except for those candied pecans that are still sitting on my kitchen counter AND that chocolate pound cake I had to eat to top off my lean cuisine.

December 27.

Facebook and SNOW!!!

2008-12-13T21:23:00.003-06:00

Oh my, I just couldn't pass this weekend up without taking a minute to talk about it. Wasn't the SNOW incredible? I felt like we were in a Christmas card!

Mikel got stuck in Columbia (much to her delight and my chagrine), Allie (Kaleigh's friend) got stuck here with us (much to Kaleigh's delight) AND TJ's Coach Kelly had to come home with Tom for dinner (much to everyone's delight). We had country ham, eggs and biscuits.

It was like the old days when traveller's dropped in when the weather got rough. The next morning Tom and I got up and out early...I'll show you the picture of the barn across the street when I get around to downloading the photo's.

Then..to top off all the excitement, Kaleigh decided to set me up on facebook. Within 2 days I had over 41 friends!! WOW!! Now that makes one feel special!! I'm feeling five years younger with each friend request that comes my way! Of course some of my friends are other mama's and married's but LOTS are my kid's friends!!

Oh yea, I'm cool!!

Hope you had as much fun this weekend as me! Maybe we WILL have a white Christmas even in Tennessee!!

Preparing your heart and home for the holidays

2008-12-10T14:01:00.002-06:00

I bet some of you are thinking, "It's about time we heard from her!" Others might have wondered if we fell off the mountains somewhere in North Carolina. Then the rest of you might be so busy with your own holiday preparations you could care less that I haven't updated my blog in weeks.

But for those of you who are wondering, chomping at the bit to hear from your favorite "sister pastor" I'm back. I've been here all along, just writing in another place. My project? A book I'm calling "preparing your heart and home for the holidays." It is a book that challenges you to "make the holidays holy" mostly by not doing too much. The hiliarious irony of it all is that I am the least qualified to write such a book!! For, I of all people, need to STOP DOING SO MUCH!!!

Anyway, since the 2nd week of November I've written 57,612 words. I'm not sure how many pages that is, but it's about two of my books that are sitting on Lifeway bookstore shelves right now! The chapters are really daily devotions. They cover topics from "Don't miss Thanksgiving" to "What about Santa Claus" to "Preparing for the New Year." If we get this one published (which I sincerely hope that we do), it will take you from the week before Thanksgiving through Christmas and into the New Year--are you ready for this?....

....in 40 days.

Clever, I know. All I need now are a few more home decorating ideas and recipes to sprinkle throughout. We've been hosting this book as a class and have picked up quite a few decorating tips and recipes, but I could use a few more. So, if you have any you'd like to have published in next year's holiday bestseller--send them to me (just include your source).

Hope you all have been well. I'm now off to "prepare my heart and home for the holidays." So, you might not hear from me again until the New Year.

Merry Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-22T19:24:00.003-06:00

Several years ago, we stopped doing the "family thing" for Thanksgiving. Before that we would trade years. One year we'd go to the McCoy's and spend Thanksgiving at a catfish restaurant or at Montgomery Bell State Park buffet. The other year we'd drive to Georgia and gather with my Dad's family for the holiday. I loved my family members, but I didn't enjoy either festivity.

Catfish or the country buffet simply didn't seem enough like Thanksgiving to me. And driving to Georgia to turn around and drive back through the holiday traffic didn't appeal to me either. So, one year we told both families that we were breaking tradition and going our own way. So, we have a new tradition. The Thanksgiving holiday is spent with our immediate family. Just us--Tom, me, Mikel, Kaleigh and TJ. The first year we did this, the kids loved it! We found a condo in the mountains and took off.

We spent the holiday hanging out with one another, making Christmas presents, and doing whatever there was to do in the locale where we were staying. Then, about 3 years ago, we started going to North Carolina. My parents had a place there--oh my, it was incredible! We took all our food with us (I have this little envelope with the menu's, shopping lists and recipes in it.) and we played games, put together puzzles, watched ball games, took hikes and roasted marshmallows. My parents would come up on Friday after Thanksgiving and we'd all go together Saturday morning to cut our Christmas trees. Then--we'd haul it back home.

But my parents had to sell their house this past year. That, my friends, was a sad day. And so when this week was approaching, I was in a quandry as to what to do. I tossed around the idea of staying here. And, we almost opted for that. But, then I realized that all 3 of my kids would want to be anywhere but home, and I'd have to "ground" them just to have time together!!

So, just a few days ago, I got online and found us a cabin to rent--back in North Carolina. I'm leaving tomorrow (Sunday) and Kaleigh's going with me. Tom, Mikel and TJ are coming up on Wednesday to meet us. I shopped today using the lists in my Thanksgiving Menus envelope, and have all the food packed in my Highlander.

Just in case you are picturing the picture-perfect family all nestled in a mountain cabin enjoying one another's company--I want you to know what each of my children have said about my plans:

Mikel--"I found someone who will let me go with them to their Thanksgiving dinner if I can talk you out of taking me."

Kaleigh--"I don't know why we have to go over there. This is a perfectly good place to be. I'll miss my friends."

TJ--"Awe, Mom. Do we have to go?"

People tell me this is simply a phase we're going through. It seems that if you don't have a last name different than my own--my kids don't want to hang with you. Why is that? When did I lose my appeal? What happened to "Oh mommy, can I go with you?!" I'd even welcome a tear or two when we have to part for school in the morning!!

But...I'm still the Mama so I still get the "say so." And I say we're spending Thanksgiving together--far, far away. Where cell phones won't work, and computers won't link into the internet! We're eating pumpkin pie, turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce and WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME!!!

I hope that you have a Happy Thanksgiving too. And, that you'll take some time to thank God for giving (I'll be thanking Him for giving me these teens!).

Black walnuts and old bananas

2008-11-17T16:51:00.002-06:00

There is something you need to know about me. I have a very hard time throwing away old bananas. It's silly I know...I don't have any trouble tossing out bad lettuce, oranges or even old apples. But those bananas...they are hard to toss. My mother used to make delicious banana muffins out of old bananas, and although I travel most every weekend to the far corners of the nation--and work at the church in what time I'm at home. Although I push myself to write two to three books a year--and all three of my children are playing sports (that I support by watching) I still feel like I need to make something out of those bananas.

Then there are also those black walnuts. I have the hardest time not going out there and collecting those walnuts. They are falling all over the place, and staining the streets. When Mikel was a toddler, she collected them for me, and got covered with black "stuff." I don't remember actually cooking with them--I most likely gave them to my mother. She loves to bake with them. If the truth be known, I don't even like black walnuts--they taste like they've musted even when they're supposedly good.

What is it about me that is plagued by bananas and black walnuts? Come to think of it--wouldn't they both be tasty in a bread???

Moe's Barbeque Fish and Things

2008-11-14T12:50:00.002-06:00

Okay, if you live in Thompson Station or Spring Hill--you know how exciting it is when new restaurants open. For heaven's sake, when Captain D's opened--there was a traffic jam in front of Lowe's!! I was NOT in the line mind you. The last time I ate Captain D's I was pregnant with Mikel, catching a quick bite with Tom before spending the afternoon helping him with some of his doctoral work, and I regretted it the entire afternoon!

However, I did notice that O'Charley's is "NOW OPEN!" And I do hope to get Kaleigh down there soon for some of those big hot yeast rolls. (She loves O'Charleys!) And, the Olive Garden is coming soon. I've been meaning to taste some of Gigi's cupcakes, and I've heard great things about that new mexican grill (can't remember the name). I remember when our choices were two: the Spring Hill Restaurant (a meat and 3 in downtown Spring Hill--now for sale) and the Steeple Chase Inn (where Pancho's used to be and the Mediterranean restaurant is now. In fact, it was at the Steeple Chase that we interviewed with the entire congregation --in the large corner booth--on the last Sunday of January 1989 when Tom preached his trial sermon).

But the most recent banner that caught my attention is just outside the new Kroger gas station (beside the new Kroger that is beside the middle school--YES!! I plan to send TJ shopping in the afternoons timing it just so that I can pick him up in the Kroger check-out line to pay the bill.).

The banner reads "Moe's Barbeque Fish and Things"

I've nearly had an accident craining my neck to see where exactly Moe's is located. Is it in the Kroger plaza? No. Is it back there with that new childcare center? No. Sharing the building with the oil change place? Nope. Today I discovered Moe's restaurant. It's a trailer in the TSC Hardware (not church) parking lot. I kid you not--you can enjoy Moe's in the comfort of your own car--parking for FREE at TSC!!

Something about barbeque....fish...and things... kind of concerns me when it's served out of a trailer! but, more power to you Moe!! You're one MOE choice we have for dinner!!

I like sex

2008-11-10T09:46:00.002-06:00

Bet that got your attention!! We had a church member who said to Tom, (when he announced we were pregnant with TJ--which made our third pregnancy in three years) "I know that people do that--I just don't want to think of my pastor doing it!"

It's kind of like thinking of your parents doing it. UGH!

But, I'm just gonna say...I'm married! I never partook before I was married. I've been married for almost 22 years and I've been partaking ever since--I enjoyed it from the first and I enjoy it even more today.

There...did I make you blush??? (Tom is so going to get on me for this blog...)

Anyway, I've been amazed at the people God sometimes plops right into my path. For instance, I met D. James Kennedy--sat in his office and practiced my EE presentation with him. Morris Chapman (CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention) gave me my annual review when he was chairman of the personnel team at TSC. I've served lasagna in my dining room to Jerry Rankin (president of the International Mission Board) and his wife Bobbye, toured India with Rebekah Naylor (former missionary doctor there--a hero to Girls in Action), had dinner with Dave Ramsey, done jumping jacks and lunges in Travis' Cottrell's home (with his wife Angela)...the list could go on and on.

But just this month, I've met two new friends. One is Neil Anderson (author of The Bondage Breaker, Victory over the Darkness and Breaking Free), AND my neighbor is Joe Beam! If you google "sex expert" on the internet, you'll find his name. How cool is that???

Tom and I went to lunch with Joe and his wife the other day, we sat right in Jeffrey's talking about ------ (I will restrain my freedom of speech just a bit.) I love how God places people in my path.

So, if you like sex--visit my neighbor Joe's blog. Because he makes his living talking about it--you can get a good sex talk daily. I've added him to my links.

This will be the one and only time you'll get it here. :)

I'm closing now--but just let me say this. Sex was God's idea. And I think it was one of His BEST!

How 'bout those Titans?

2008-11-08T19:38:00.003-06:00

Okay, let's get back to the real reason we blog--to yick yack about the really important things in life.

Things like our Tennessee Titans! How about those Titans?

Now, I have to confess that I know very little about football. I'm one of those moms who says, "that's why I'm glad my son doesn't play." And when I watch those guys tackle one another--I praise God my son loves basketball!

But, I have to confess that I'm all caught up in Titan fever. We're undefeated, and I'm just sayin- that's something to brag about--don't you think?

Tom and I got to go to a Monday night game. Our good friends, the Chapman's invited us to join them in their high dollar seats. I'm not sure how high the dollar is--but since the seats are on the fifty yard line and the night we went we could practially talk in a normal voice to Eddie George, Steve McNair and that guy who owns the team--I figure they cost a pretty high dollar.

Anyway...sitting amongst the crowd I got a good taste of what it's all about. The game was great (we beat the Indianapolis Colts)--the booze was sloshing and the language made me blush (as did the scantily clad cheerleaders). I wish I could tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed my time--but I have to confess I'd rather have my seat at home.

In my own house I can enjoy the game, actually see the instant replays, and listen to the commentators explain what's going on. I can control the noise, and monitor the language. The only thing sloshing is diet coke and maybe hot cocoa. I don't want to sound like a prude, but if preferring a wholesome atmosphere --and wishing the cheerleaders were clothed--makes me so, then I'll simply let you call me "a prude."

Don't get me wrong, dear Chapman's. I'm grateful for our time together. I actually admire the way you live your witness week in and week out as you dive right on in to the middle of that mayhem! I'll pray for you like I pray for the missionaries serving in the places we cannot mention.

But as for those Titans' we're going all the way! And when we get there this time, we're beating our opponent! Go Titans!

I really like Stretch Marks post better than mine

2008-11-06T16:43:00.002-06:00

I just finished reading my friend Melissa's blog--and all I can say is "AMEN." Go to hers...she says it all much better than me. It's kind of like Norman Rockwall meets Evelyn Christensen. :)

Well then...

2008-11-06T16:04:00.002-06:00

Well. I guess we learned a few things this week...
...we learned that one can be evasive and non-committal and still get elected to office.
...we learned that America has come a very long way from the racial injustices of yester-year.
...we learned that while we stood together and cried patriots tears on the evening on 9/11/01 when our president told us we'd have to fight a long, expensive, difficult war if we wanted to win against terrorism--7 years is long enough for many Americans (although the battle has yet to be won).
...we learned that the Bible belt still votes values--but that the influence of those who live there doesn't reach very far beyond the "buckle."
...we learned that the majority of Californians still consider marriage being a union between one man and one woman--no matter how their state court wants to redefine it!

This is a new day indeed. Change is what we've been promised--

For too many years America has grown to expect those who are Christians to sit down and be quiet. My friends, It's time for us to stand up and be counted!

God put us in this country for such a time as this.

Salt and Light

2008-11-03T17:09:00.003-06:00

I'm going to do something I will rarely do on my blog. I'm going to get on my soap box for just a minute.

I read from Matthew 5 this morning in my Praying Toward the Election prayer guide. You know the passage, "you are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world..." Jesus urged us to be salty and to shine brightly.

I heard a preacher remind me once that salt was more than seasoning in Jesus' day. Salt slowed decay. When I moved to Tennessee I was introduced to "country ham." I'm thinking that salt didn't quite slow that ham enough! But, nonetheless, the salt-curing process make that ham "ok" to eat long after it was alive and kicking!

Salt was also used to heal wounds. (ouch!) So...when Jesus said "you are the salt of the earth" He was telling us that we are here to "slow the decay" and "heal the wound" of sin's festering sore!

Jesus also said "you are the light of the world. He said, "people don't light lamps and put them under bowls! They put them on lampstands!" And boy do they ever! What good is light if not for shining in the dark?

I'm sitting here hours before the election. Perhaps the most interesting presidential race ever. And although I don't know what the majority of American's will say with their vote tomorrow, I do know that just the fact that we're faced with such a choice tells me that America is much darker, much more decaying and much more wounded by sin than I knew before we got to this day.

And I have to wonder, why is that?

Is it because our salt has lost its saltiness? Are we hiding our lights under the bowls?

Perhaps we've seasoned our fellowship with other Christians and forgotten that our salt was given to us for much more than flavoring our worship gatherings.

Perhaps we've illuminated our houses of worship so brightly that we've completely forgotten how dark it's gotten outside those doors.

I don't know if Obama or McCain will be elected tomorrow. But I do know Who I trust. And I know Whom I serve. I know Who's called me to be His own. I know that He will remain where He's always been--on His Throne. And my friends...I know what He's told me to do:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16 NIV

Don't stop voting your values when you leave the polling place tomorrow. Keep casting your vote as you live your life. God has always blessed America--He's longing for us to join Him.

Yesterday was "Some Day"

2008-10-29T13:44:00.003-05:00

Okay, I do have two other children and a husband, but I've got to do one more post on Kaleigh. Yesterday was "Some Day" for her--you know what I mean: Some day I'll give up my bottle, some day I'll learn the alphabet, some day I'll start school, some day I'll lose my first tooth...the some days come and go.

Some day...I'll get my learner's permit.

That's what happened yesterday. I got Kaleigh from school later than usual. They get out at 2:30something but I don't dream of being in that line waiting--why should I get out in all that traffic when if I wait just 20 minutes I can avoid it all together?! I've always believed this--to the point that TJ was picked up last almost every day when he went to elementary school. He thought that my not being in the front of the line 45 minutes before school let out meant that I didn't love him. What is up with that anyway? Why do those mothers have to do that? It only makes the rest of us look bad. I knew one woman in our church who led a Bible study for the early liners!!! Not me, I could hardly make it before the flashing light stopped flashing! Anyway, to let TJ know that I did truly LOVE him! I flip flopped his way of thinking. I promised that each time he was last being picked up I'd give him $5. From then on he saw my tardiness as his reward (and I made a greater effort not to be the very last mother there).

Kaleigh still pouts a little when I'm well past 3 getting her. And tomorrow was no different. We rushed home to pick up a birth certificate, a utility bill (that needs paying), her social security card and her school attendance form. And off we went to the Franklin Driver's License office. We almost drove to Columbia for her to take her test because the people are nicer down there and the wait is a whole lot shorter. Not only that, but I just sent a complaint to the office of complaints regarding the people at the Franklin station not being very friendly--and I was afraid they might know I'd done that and take it out on Kaleigh. BUT---we decided on going there anyway--it's closer.

An hour later Kaleigh went into the room to take her test. She was excited to miss only as many questions as her sister missed (we live in a very competitive family)--she made a GREAT picture, and came out a licensed learner.

It was some day.

I took her right away to Starbucks to celebrate (we celebrate everything!! I still remember the $10 march we took around the kitchen when she kept her pull-ups dry 10 days). After that I took her to the church parking lot for her first driving lesson. Do we ever have a great place to learn to drive! It's like a city of possibility outside that church!!! We drove, parked, turned on the blinkers and I got bored after about 10 minutes and talked her into driving to the Tucker's. Off we went--maybe the scariest ride down TS road that I've ever had! But she did great. When the Tucker's were not home to help us celebrate we decided to take off to TJ's house (our student pastor)--it was another 4 miles or so away.

They were having their own celebration inside when we got there! TJ and his son were singing at the top of their lungs and didn't hear us at the door until we knocked and rang the bell 3 times!! But, it was definitely the right place to celebrate--after Kaleigh was duly rewarded with "way to go!" from her student pastor, his wife, son and daughter--we headed home. (I drove.)

It was Kaleigh's "some day." She showed her Dad her license, we all oohed and ahhed over how pretty she is in the picture--and she settled back into real life with her Euro history "friend."

It was my some day too--only I didn't "settle." Instead, I cried a little and remembered a lot. The some day I discovered she was on her way...the some day I thought I miscarried her...the some day she finally arrived...the some day she took her first step...the some day she learned to ride her bike...so many some days.....

Kaleigh's essay on Nicaragua

2008-10-27T06:03:00.002-05:00

Kaleigh McCoy
English II H, 4th period
Mr. Keathley
7 October 2008

A Journey Much Further Than Nicaragua

Going to Nicaragua in my seventh grade year changed my life forever. After seeing the poverty-stricken people that still readily embraced joy and love, my life, and the very fiber of my being was transformed. Never again would I go a day in my life without thinking about those people, and so many others that consistently love and serve their God and one another, while struggling simply to survive. However, even more that that, my heart goes out to those who do not have faith in Jesus Christ to hold onto; day after day they have no hope and no purpose, but only to continue to exist.

When I stepped off the plane, though I did not know it at the time, my life would never be the same again. The ride to the mission house was seemingly endless. As the rain pounded on the windows, and the lightning lit the sky, my eyes were opened to a world different than anything I’d ever seen. At every stoplight, children would be banging on the windows, shouting, trying to sell everything from food to watches to birds and turtles. These little children had been driven by desperation to earn what little money they could to avoid the shame of having to return to their parents empty-handed, and, here I am, complaining if my parents give me too many chores. The streets were full of people simply walking around in the chaos of their everyday lives. When we finally arrived at the mission house, we quickly unloaded and had a brief orientation from Guillermo. The room that I was staying in had no air conditioning, but we did have the luxury of fans unlike some of the men. It was there, in the hot humid bedroom, that my eyes first began to overflow. How could a child, younger than me, be forced to go and sell tings on the street, just so that their families can afford a meal? Why couldn’t they just be kids? Why were there countless people in the streets that appeared to be homeless? I could not understand how this was not even that traumatic, and these people were blessed compared to millions of others around the world, but I had only barely had a glimpse.

The following day, after a church service in Managua, we embarked on a journey to Juigalpa. On this three hour trip, I saw many average Nicaraguan homes. Most consisted of about a 12x12 building made out of scrap metal. I stared in astonishment when a boy, who could not have been more than six years old, was outside wielding a machete in order to “mow the lawn.” Just like the kids in the city, this boy had much more responsibility than any child I’d ever met. Not thirty minutes later, I noticed a group of boys playing baseball with a piece of wood and a rolled up pair of socks. They appeared to be having the most fun ever. I could not understand how anyone could be aware of this kind of poverty, where little boys could not even have a real ball and bat, and not do anything about it.

The most influential experience I had while in Nicaragua was on the fifth day when we visited a rural village. As we drove through the dirt roads, towards the local church, my heart grew heavy and my eyes filled with tears. As far as I could see, small, concrete, two-roomed homes lined the streets. Children with inadequate clothing, some too small, most too big, were running after the bus playing. After we arrived at the open air church building, our team split up into groups and filled the streets. We each had an interpreter with us. We went from one doorless house to the next, inviting their residents to a service that evening at the local church. Many people invited us into their homes. All of the houses were the same: two 10x10 rooms, a bedroom, and a sitting room. All the cooking and, in reality, living, was done outside. Families as large as seven or eight would share a single bedroom. The image was almost embarrassing to me. The thought that these people lived like this their whole lives, not even thinking twice, and I, in my lavish American lifestyle, always seem to find something to complain about. I realized how self-centered, selfish, and materialistic I was.

The few weeks I have spent in Nicaragua have made a massive impact on my life. I can not be satisfied living my comfortable life, after seeing firsthand what so many people live through. The fact that I had so much, and wanted even more, while there are children, that cannot even afford clothes that fit them and are lucky if they get a meal, are all over this world, put me to shame. Ever since that trip, I cannot stop thinking about the poor in this word, physically and spiritually. I pray that I never let myself forget them, but even more than that, I pray that I allow my life to be used by God, now and in the future, to help change. Knowing about that pain in the world and ignoring it or doing nothing but talk about it is far worse that not knowing at all.

Kaleigh's Mission Trip to Nicaragua

2008-10-23T17:50:00.002-05:00

Okay, Betty just reminded (comment on last post) that Kaleigh went to Nicaragua this past week. OH MY!! This week is always the longest week of the year for me. Ever since Kaleigh first started visiting Nicaragua when she was 12! I am so proud of her--and so pondering what God has in mind for her life.

She wrote a paper for school the other week about a life changing event. Her life changing event was her first trip to Nicaragua. I'm going to get that paper from her and print some of it here one of these days. But this was the part that really got me...she said, "now that I've seen poverty. I cannot NOT do something about it."

Wow--how many of us should be so pro-active. The past 3 years Kaleigh's earned her own money for this trip. She wants nothing all year except to raise her funds to go again just so she can hold the children, renew friendships with the people she's met before and work to share God's love in tangible ways. Every year she comes back different. More grateful, sometimes almost feeling guilty (this year she asked me to make her only a half a sandwhich because she'd been tossing the other half in the trash and she said, "I can't do that anymore.").

I saw something new in her this time--it's confidence and a real passion to get her friends to go back with her. She's right now planning another trip for June of next summer. I am so excited to see her embrace God's love for people through this trip!!

Of course Kaleigh couldn't have this experience without Mrs. Donna (our preschool minister who coordinates the Nicaragua mission trip) and the other adults who always fill in as Nicaraguan Moms and Dads for her during this week. THANK YOU EVERYONE who love my Kaleigh and pour into her!!

I'll get some pictures and post soon.

Pictures from our weekend

2008-10-22T16:58:00.002-05:00

Thought you might enjoy some pictures.

My Sister's Wedding

2008-10-20T14:02:00.004-05:00

My sister got married this weekend so I went to celebrate with her. Mikel went with me--It was quite the trip.

Here are the things I liked:

Mikel and I actually got to hang out together all weekend! She didn't drive off in the car to text me 3 hours later asking for another 30 minutes to be tacked on to her curfew. I like the fact that she still likes hanging out with me (when she doesn't have a choice).

My parents made the trip down, bringing with them the chifferobe (not sure at all if I spelled that correctly-but it's a large piece of furniture that my grandma used for a closet). I like the fact that a parent's love never stops giving no matter how old you get to be.

My sister has her own house! She bought it with her own money and has decorated it beautifully. I liked that they have 3 "Dans" surrounding them--how fun is that? Three men named Dan. One on the right, one across the cul-de-sac and one behind them.

My new brother-in-law Steve. He helped my sister put the pieces back together, and loves her enough to say "I do." What kind of sister wouldn't like the man who loves her sister!

My neices. They are simply precious. Fun, behavin', honest and incredible survivors. I like them a whole lot!

Here are the things I pondered:

Making vows to one another in front of a very few friends and family members is much more serious it seemed to me than making them in front of a church full of strangers.
Hmm...

My neices stood with their mother, and their step-grandmother, their step-cousin, their step-uncle and their step/step-cousin. (At least that's the way they described him to Mikel. When she asked what that was supposed to mean, Kes said, "Well, it means he's hardly related to us at all!") Hmmm...

I sat next to my (old) brother-in-law at dinner (yes, he came to the wedding and the dinner after--special guest of the groom) and he made me a hang man's noose out of the straw wrapper (with a working knot!). He told me it was his only dinner table trick and that he gave it to me because his girlfriend had already seen it before. That was in response to me asking if it was some kind of wedding party favor. Hmmmm....

And these are the things I observed:

Love really does conquer all--all sorrow, all pain, all broken promises and regrets. Love believes and receives, tries again and one more time.

Life is full of regrets. And we're all broken people. But children bounce back. I think they have Tigger in them. They take life in stride, trust their parents and simply love the people put in their paths. They don't judge, they don't criticize and they don't try to figure it all out.

The more I learn, the more I realize I will never know. And the more I think I know, the more I realize I simply have not yet learned.

Only those who don't have a clue would dare pass judgement on others--for unless you've been where they've been, walked in their shoes, and collected their tears--you just don't have a right to go there.

"til death do us part..."

I met some more amazing women yesterday

2008-10-12T10:52:00.002-05:00

I was in Grundy, Virginia this weekend. It's a tiny coal mining community with a great big vision and the power of move mountains! (literally--they have moved a mountain, and I met the wife of the mountain-moving man who did the deed!) I was in Grundy (or Maxie, or Harman) to partner with the women at Harman Memorial Baptist Church who were hosting their first ever women's conference. And...

I met some amazing women. One was Dee Dee. She is a physical therapist who told me right off that she met her husband in a nursing home. No, he wasn't a patient--but rather an optometrist. His office is in "town" (I couldn't ever quite figure out where 'town' was, but evidently neither can those who live there. For when they moved their mountain, they also opened a discussion as to where they want to move their town! The final decision is still up in the air).
Dee Dee called me several weeks ago--said she found me on the internet, and wondered if I might be interested in leading their conference. As I listened to her tell me what the Lord put on her heart, my mind wandered back to the early years at TSC. Something kindled inside of me (I learned this weekend it was the power of the Holy Spirit responding to the prayers on their end of the phone). And I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Grundy, Virginia (where ever that was) was where I needed to be on October 10 and 11.

Another amazing woman was Belinda. She's the pastor's wife. She grew up in a pastor's home (which is always encouraging to me when I see beautiful women embracing the ministry even after growing up in a pastor's home! There is HOPE for my three!!). She tole me that because her father was a pastor, she told the Lord that when she got married, she would NOT marry a pastor. However she did marry a Gideon and that Gideon later became a pastor! When she told me this story she laughed (with genuine joy) and said, "God tricked me into being a pastor's wife!" Isn't that funny???

Then I also met the former pastor's wife, Billie Joyce Owens. Her husband died in a car accident four years ago, and although I detected an undeniable loss --it was resting safely beneath a fountain of joy that bubbled over with faith, peace and abundance. She spoke of God as if He were her very BEST FRIEND (I've no doubt He is) --and told me of the amazing gift He gave her in her grandson.

And I can't remember the names of everyone I met--but I will remember the face and the testimony of an elderly woman who sat on the front row Saturday morning. She caught me in the break and shared how her husband of nearly 60 years (would have been 60 years October 23) died this past June. She shared how much she missed him. I exclaimed "what a gift to have a marriage for that many years!" and she responded, "there's not ever been another woman who was loved as good as me." She went on to say that she married him when she was 13, and had 5 beautiful children. She told me that her firstborn was married this past August, and he told his mother that he wanted what she and his Dad had. She told him "then do what your father did. Listen when she tells you what you need to hear!" I thought this was some of the best marriage advice I'd ever heard!! When she told me that her husband was 81 when he died, I said, "you must have taken great care of him." to which she responded, "we took care of one another." Isn't that sweet? I pray I can have a testimony like that when I use a walker to go to church.

I had a traveling companion this weekend. My friend Kim. She too amazes me. Kim is a single mother who has done an amazing job of raising her daughters. As we talked (and talked and talked) during the 8 hour drive from here to there and back home again, she became a hero in my eyes. But everytime I said, "wow, Kim you are amazing!" She would respond, "no, not me. I'm nothing! I would've crashed and burned a long time ago had it not been for the Lord."

So---maybe it's not the women that are so amazing, but rather their God. I learned this weekend that some people MOVE MOUNTAINS~ I learned this weekend that others conquer the storms, and I learned this weekend that women in the backwoods of Virginia are changing the world.

Textbooks are like siblings

2008-10-08T14:33:00.002-05:00

My AP European History taking sophomore informed me yesterday that textbooks are like siblings. She and her classmates have pet names for their textbooks. Their teacher (whom they love all except for the massive amounts of homework he assigns) encouraged them to have an amiable relationship with these books--he said, "they need to be your best friends."

That's what spurred Kaleigh on to tell me that her textbooks are definitely NOT her best friends. She said, "my Euro textbooks are like a siblings. I have to spend a whole lot of time with them and I don't like them at all. In fact, the more time I spend with them the less I like 'em!"

There you have it.

My eldest (the daughter that has deserted us on her march to ZION)...told me several years ago that she didn't have issues, she had siblings. She said, "if you'd never had Kaleigh and TJ I never would've had any problems."

Well then...

TJ doesn't even engage the matter in conversation. Now that we've moved him up to the attic he slips in and out trying hard not to say the wrong thing or look the wrong way. Honestly I think he's got it best...two older sisters that have tried to direct his life from day 1, and a great understanding of what he'll be getting into if he decides one day to marry. Come to think of it, no wonder he's immersed in basketball!!

I have to agree with my 3. Textbooks ARE like siblings--siblings ARE problems--and basketball sure beats being nanny-goated by a couple of older sisters.

Prayer meeting in the Equipping Center

2008-10-06T14:08:00.002-05:00

I thought I was going to stay home last night and work on my book-- "Learning to Love the 'S' Words: Surrender." But, Kaleigh had another plan. She invited me to join her at the prayer meeting for the Nicaragua mission team. They leave this coming Saturday--and Kaleigh's going for the 4th year in a row!

We had the prayer meeting in the new Equipping center. We met in the preschool worship room. There were between 25 and 30 of us there to pray for the 12 members of the mission team. We circled up our chairs, and when Donna asked me to open the prayer time I was suddenly overwhelmed by the moment.

I have moments like that...right out of nowhere I'm bombarded by the irony of where I am, where I've been and where I'm going! Here I was on the Sunday evening of the first Sunday we opened this new building for ministry. I was sitting next to my 15 year old daughter who was sitting between me and one of her best friends--inviting God to pour His safety, leadership and love on the mission team. That was my present.

But then came my past.

I was sitting in another room (one that no longer exists due to the renovation going on in the old building for our new youth center) and I was leading our first mission team (first ever for TSC) as we were preparing to go to Nicaragua.
Then I was standing in the kitchen area outside the Venue (which was then the worship center), posing for a picture with Kaleigh (age 5) and her friend Will (also 5) and his mother--the two of them dressed in those little white baptism robes; Terra and me beaming from ear to ear-- YES LORD! YOU SAVED MY CHILD!
I was in the "Red Brick" garage talking with the Vision team and our construction company about our vision for this next building. We passionately said that if we were going to spend this much money to build this kind of building smack dab in the middle of the belt buckle of the Bible belt--then we would be intentional about sending people out from this place!

And in my present, God let me see that the past was all coming together. Our church is sending 3 groups out this week. One to Mexico, another to east Asia and this one to Nicaragua (these 3 are part of many we've sent already this year). It all began many years ago--with that one little group I took to Nicaragua. My daughter and Will are walking in their faith! Both of them growing--he committed to pray for her during her trip--and she eagerly anticipating another great week serving the people she loves--sharing Jesus with those who have so little. And only God would put me in a prayer service (for the sole purpose of sending missionaries out) on the very day we opened our Equipping Center.

As I prayed I almost choked on the teeny little glimpse of what is yet to come. Kaleigh will continue to grow. She'll keep seeking after the Lord and He will continue to guide her into the very work He had in mind that she would do. The 3 women who've never been on a mission trip before will never be the same again. And this brand new building we just opened Sunday will send out hundreds, yes...even thousands of missionaries, preachers, lay leaders, counselors, teachers, mighty men and women of God in the years to come.

To God be the glory great things He has done!

Great things He is doing!

And Great things He will continue to do!

We won, we lost, we won, we lost, we won, we won

2008-10-04T20:36:00.005-05:00

We WON!! Our sophomore class of '11 beat all the others. Our float blew the judges away and we took first place!! I was so proud of these students. They had a great time, worked hard and worked together! This week is rapidly becoming a highlight of my year. Way to go guys!!

We lost...both our high schools had their homecoming games last night. Tom and I went to Zion first (their game started at 7 while IHS started their game at 7:30). Unfortunately the Zion eagles were playing the number 1 ranked team in their division. We lost...but we had a great time watching! The homecoming court was beautiful. I loved the way the attendants all wore black dresses and the queen wore white. They all rode in convertible classics. Very classy. Mikel's boyfriend plays center--and he did great. Not a single "hike" was missed. :)

We won!! Tom and I left Zion Christian Academy's game at half time and arrived at IHS right as the 3rd quarter began. The score board wasn't working so I never really new what the score was. But, we won!! I love IHS football games, the fans are so TOTALLY into it!! This was also a big night because Kaleigh found her own ride to the game. If you know my Kaleigh you know this is HUGE!!

We lost...if you know have more than one child, you know what it's like to have the best of times and the worst of times at the same time. Today--after a week of hosting the float building at my house, Kaleigh ended up at home alone during the homecoming dance. She was a little bit down so I made a pan of brownies. :)

We won...Meanwhile, Mikel rushed in at 3:45PM and dressed in record time to go to her homecoming dance with her very good-lookin', FINE boyfriend. Tom and I have to be careful not to be too excited over him!! He's great for her as far as we can tell-but we can't like him too much or that will work against him in her book.

And, we won...TJ had 3 friends over to make a simple machine today--I think it's a project for his science class. There was one very smart boy and two very pretty girls. Way to go TJ! All I know is they used the saw quite a bit, ate a pepperoni pizza, and the boy left TJ with the two pretty girls. He left with both girls to go watch HMS play in the Independence Bowl. Then, TJ came back home just in time to shower and prepare for his "not date" with a beautiful little girl and her Dad. :) TJ--what a boy!!

A picture speaks a thousand words...

2008-10-01T12:56:00.015-05:00

Class of '11 Float Construction. Tissue paper flowers in my living room, snacks, sloppy joes, chili and lemonade in the kitchen, a plywood and chicken wired trailer in my garage and lots of teenagers EVERYWHERE!

This was TJ's gift from the women who work the 5AM shift at the rec center. They wanted to congratulate him for making the basketball team. :)

And...Kaleigh's surprise birthday party!

Let Others See Jesus in You

2008-09-28T05:57:00.003-05:00

Tom and I visited some of our church members at Vanderbilt Hospital on Friday afternoon. And I was once again impressed with the presence of God in some amazing women. We visited with little Brenden Roach first. He's 10 and fighting leukemia. His Mom, Micki was all smiles and a tower of strength as she and Brenden's Dad hosted our visit. As I walked down the hallway of that special section of Vanderbilt Children's hospital I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is one place no parent EVER wants to be! But, when Micki found herself there-she did what mother's do...she's being strong for her son!

Brenden showed us their project. Together he and his mom have organized all his Dad's baseball cards--and I mean ORGANIZED! It's really quite impressive. Not just the cards...but that his mother thought to do that to fill the hours that are otherwise filled with pain. Micki amazes me. As she is walking in the strength that God provides--step by step.

After visiting with Brenden we went to the pediatric cardiac floor to see Charlie and Leslie and their newly adopted daughter Susannah. This story is far too long to even summarize in my blog. But you can go to my links and click on Room for At Least One More to read Susannah's story from her mom (who is a very good writer)! When we arrived Susannah had just been brought out of the procedure she had done Friday to prepare for open heart surgery on Tuesday. Because we were their pastor and wife, we were privileged to go back behind closed doors and visit with them both and their baby girl. As we heard snippets of their past week (they just got back from China a few days ago); Tom said to Leslie, "You are radiant hope." And she was!! Then I looked at Charlie, holding Susannah and rocking her (she was still somewhat sedated. I LOVE the way this hospital invites the parents back to be with their children in recovery!) --and I said, "and Charlie is peace." There we stood with peace and hope in that room!!!

Leslie said they've nicknamed her "spitfire" up there. And I've no doubt they have! But she said, "God knew Susannah needed a Spitfire for a Momma!" And He did. :)

We then went over to the adult hospital and visited with one of my favorite women at TSC. Mrs. Laverne has been in our church right by our side, supporting us, praying for us and serving with us almost 20 years. She's funny, practical, and simply amazing. Laverne took great care of her husband for most of the years I've known her. He was disabled and suffered a slow painful process toward his own death a while back. Laverne has had heart surgery and now pancreatic cancer surgery this year and last. We went into her room--visited with her for just a bit and after we prayed with her, she said, "Tom, I have already experienced the miraculous power of God. Here I am and in all of this I haven't sensed the slightest bit of worry." Wow. What an amazing woman.

I teach a conference where I encourage us to put aside our pre-occupations with what the world calls beauty and success. Instead we ought to realize what God longs to see in us. What God longs to see in us is the reflection of His Son. I see Jesus in Micki as she fights the good fight with her son. I see Jesus in Charlie and Leslie as they have chosen the "least of these" to call their own--and especially Leslie as she clings tenaciously to her confidence in God's sovereignty and His love. And I see Jesus in Mrs. Laverne (actually I always have--He just shone pure in that hospital room).

These are women who are skiing the black diamond trails of life and they're doing it with amazing grace and peace that passes all understanding. And in so doing, they are allowing God to shine bright in dark and desperate places. Wow.

(I made reference to black diamond trails of life--pick up my book Women Embracing Life...All of It! at a Lifeway bookstore near you to read more about that.)

HE MADE IT!!!

2008-09-25T13:18:00.003-05:00

YES!! YIPPPPPEEEEE!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!

Some of you charismatics need to express what I'm feeling in those heavenly TONGUES!!!

Thank you for all your support, prayers and comraderie in the deep unexplainable corners of a mother's heart. :)

The last time I was this excited I had that little tiny test in my skirt pocket--the one with a pink dot that said, "Mikel's on her way." :)

Oh, alright I won't be too melodramatic. Maybe I felt a little of this when Mikel hit her homerun at Page Middle School--or when Kaleigh's face turned red and tears ran down her cheeks Monday night when her friends yelled "SURPRISE!" Or...when that woman pressed that prod against my stretched belly and said, "It's a boy...see right there? That's a boy!"

Yea...that's MY BOY!!!

I'm Terrible With Numbers

2008-09-25T08:41:00.001-05:00

It's not a secret, I'm miserably challenged where numbers are concerned. Here are the TRUE stats (in case you're reading this, Coach)...TJ shot 44 out of 50 free throws the other day, 17 in a row!

He didn't actually shoot 17 3-pointers in a row--but, I'm here to tell you, HE COULD!! :)

C'Mon, Coach!

2008-09-24T16:32:00.002-05:00

So, tomorrow's the big day! He's suppossedly going to post the team (by numbers) in the locker room. TJ is number 105. So pray that 105 is on that list!

This afternoon when I was taking him to the rec center (fueled with nutritious #10 from the McD value menu); TJ said, "When I get to school tomorrow morning, I'm going to head right for the locker room and look at that list. I'll be looking for 105. The absolute worst thing that could happen would be for me not to see it. Then, if I don't see it, I'll double check, hoping that somehow I missed it. And if I don't see it the 2nd time I'm going to look once more. If it's not there then..." that's when his eyes filled with tears and he continued, "you know, that's the worst thing that could possibly happen."

I encouraged him, "Your number's going to be there TJ--I just know it!"

"Yea, but I know how it feels for it not to be there. And I'll never forget that feeling. But you know what, Mom? It really worked out for the best. If I had made the team last year I would have never made it this year. I wouldn't have worked so hard, and I would've been like (another kid) who just showed up expecting to get on--and would've gotten cut right off at the beginning."

"Hmm--so see there? God always knows what He's doing even when we don't have a clue." I responded.

"Yep, He always does!" TJ agreed.

And with that we started talking about how bad all those other boys are going to feel (the ones whose numbers aren't going to be on that list).

So, Mr. Coach--if somehow you're peeking in on this blog--you know TJ? He's the kid who's all heart. Did you know he shot forty something free throws the other afternoon, and 17 3-pointers without missing? He'll come in my room tomorrow morning at 4:45AM and say, "c'mon Mom, let's go!" And then...when I drop him off at school, he'll say, "thanks, Mom. I love you." Because that's what he says every morning that he drags me to the rec center. He's never made a "B" and he had to tell us so last year, because he never makes a big deal out of it either. He likes everybody and everybody likes him--just because he's cool like that. And all he wants right now is to play on your team.

C'mon, Coach--please, put 105 at the top of that list, please...

Keep on prayin!!

2008-09-22T17:16:00.003-05:00

Keep praying for TJ! He made the two cuts this weekend, but it will be Wednsday before we know of the final cut. TJ's still getting us up with the roosters, and dustin' his Dad (and the other old men) in the afternoons at the Rec center.

We're pulling off a surprise bday party for Kaleigh today. (Today is her 15th birthday!) I am so excited my stomach is jumbled! (And since we're eating pizza that is not good.) We're having her party at the Party Zone (a jumping place where Mikel works). All the friends are meeting us there--She things she's getting ready for dinner at a Japanese restaurant. :)

I wish you could know how much this child has transitioned from who she was to who she is today. I went by the school this afternoon to take her some clothes to change into (she wanted to stay after to play tennis with friends) and she met me with a birthday crown that said, "It's my birthday!" She looked hilarious and loved it. Her friend Lauren made the crown for her. I'm going to try to get her to wear it to dinner (party) so I can get a picture. Several years ago we were on our family vacation when I told Kaleigh that I wanted to meet her friends.

She accused me of implying that she didn't have any friends. And if the truth be known, I was concerned. She used to hang out at the church office every afternoon after school to help the assistants. She called herself the assistant squared. (that would be assistant to the assistant I think) And she loved the women and the work they'd let her do. But I was worried that her favorite people were more than 30 years old! And, I thought she buried her nose in a book at lunch time. I said, "Kaleigh, when we get home from vacation I want you to invite some friends over to the pool." She said, "Mom, you think I don't have any friends!" And I said, "then prove me wrong."

That's all it took. The next weekend we had 12 kids over at the pool. Kaleigh gave me that look she gives and said, "see, I told you I had some friends!" And boy does she ever! From that point forward I got a pool full of friends and hardly a weekend goes by that we don't have someone sleeping over or a group of them coming for a movie, cards, diving lessons, you name it they'll be here. Overnight my little bookworm turned into a socialite. So today when she came out of school with her friend-made birthday crown, I just smiled.

Next week her sophomore class will be over here building their float. We're going for the gold this year. We came in 2nd to the seniors last year. So this year...we're taking first place!! I'll try to get some pics of that too.

Never a dull moment at the McCoy's!!

TJ and basketball

2008-09-17T17:32:00.003-05:00

Okay, so my friend Melissa just brought home a baby boy. I remember when I brought mine home--he was so sweet. Just a bundle of potential that overnight grew into a bundle of curls!

Then just about a week later he grew out of those curls and into the girls! UGH!!! And now...he's totally into basketball. I dont know what possessed him to choose basketball for his sport. Could've been the bloody nose he got when he played baseball (or the swollen lip that made me think he looked like Cindy Loo Hoo). But, no matter what made him choose this sport (that only allows 5 players in the game at a time)-it's his choice.

And tomorrow he goes to try-outs. Just the word makes my stomach lurch. Try-outs...fertile soil for damaging a boy's ego forever! Last year he begged us to take him to Velocity or D-1 to prepare for this ordeal. We were too busy, and he was too laid back. He went to try-outs and got cut (the first day!). I'll never forget how sick that made me. OHHHHH, my dear Melissa--just you wait.

Fortunately the coaches invited him back to be team manager. They loved him--let him practice with the team and before the end of the season, he actually played. But, he'll never forget how it felt to "be cut." I don't have the time to go into all of it right now, but God had a tremendous plan (that culminated with his coach accepting Christ). We're all great friends even now, and that coach is TJ's number one fan and encourager.

Unfortunately he no longer coaches the middle school team. None of us know this new coach. But, here's how TJ handled defeat. After playing with the team last year he begged us to participate in camps this summer. We put him in camps (5 of them!). Then when school started, he got us out of bed at 5AM every morning (Tom and I take turns--he gets Monday, Wednesday and Friday...I take Tuesday and Thursday), and we go to the rec center for him to shoot and practice. Then, on most afternoons, Saturdays and even Sundays between church TJ plays basketball at the rec center.

Now it's time to see if all this hard work will pay off. He's nervous, I'm nervous, Tom's nervous. I think his last year's coach is even nervous!

So, I'll let you know how this all plays out. If you think about it, just say a prayer for my TJ -it seems like just yesterday I wrapped him in a blanket and swore I'd never let anything hurt him!!! But tomorrow I'll tell him how great he is, how proud I am and off he'll go...into the lion's den of middle school basketball

TRY-OUTS.

"Pastor Tom, I'm about to bust!"

2008-09-15T11:28:00.005-05:00

Wow! I hope your Sunday services were as powerful as ours were yesterday. There is hardly a Sunday that goes by that I am not amazed as I stand in the presence of God!!! Each week I enter the worship center wondering what God's going to do time. And, He always does SOMETHING!

Yesterday we sang. One of my good friends was already back from her miracle journey to adopt her brand new baby boy. And having walked with her through many sorrows then through many joys (in the adoption of her daughter) I was thrilled to watch her worship as she led us. (You can read all about all of that on her blog. Follow my link called "stretch marks.")

Then, Tom whispered to me to look at Mrs. Alys.

Mrs. Alys lost her husband of MANY YEARS just months ago. And after he went on to heaven, she joined the choir. I'm not sure how old she is, but she wouldn't mind me telling you she is old enough to remember when we worshiped with a hymnal in one hand and a funeral home fan in the other! Tom and I both love to watch her sing in that choir. She stands on the front row, with her hands raised and her eyes closed--I can only imagine what she is seeing as she loves on the Lover of her soul even through life's valley of the shadow of death.

Once our singing came to a soft hum, Tom went up to the pulpit and prepared to share Scripture that would lead us into a time of prayer. All of a sudden a man in the congregation cried (I mean literally cried) out, "Pastor Tom, I'm about to bust!" And with that, Tom invited him to the front, introduced him and gave him a microphone--"Church, this is my friend Jesse," Tom said, "Let's listen to what he has to say."
Jesse wept, then gained his composure and said to us, "I just want you to know how much this church means to my family. We moved here recently and you all have loved us. That love has meant more to us than I can share. I praise God for you! I thank God for you! I just want you to know that." And then he took his seat.

When he left to sit down, Tom told us this, "Jesse mailed me a letter before his family moved to our community, and in his letter he sent his tithe check." Can you imagine that? Tithing to a church you have yet to join! No wonder God met Jesse and his family here. When your heart is right with God (and my friends in America, the tithe check is a great indicator of a right heart) God opens the floodgates of heaven and pours Himself out on you!!

I took pictures last Sunday because my heart was warmed as I watched my friend Caitlyn worship. Caitlyn is the most innocent person I've ever met. She has known deep pain and loss. Just last year her father went to be with the Lord. She and I talk on the phone. Last week when she called she said that she wished I could have known him (they had only recently moved here and I hadn't had a chance to get to know her family when he died). I assured her that I would get to know him one day when we get to heaven. She said, "Mrs. Leighann, you are going to love him! Everybody loved my Dad." And I smiled.

I'll get her picture downloaded here. (If I could just find that little cord!) Then you'll see how Caitlyn worships even in the aftermath of unbelievable loss:

We had worship Sunday! I hope that you did too.

Women Touched by Jesus

2008-09-07T06:09:00.002-05:00

I traveled this weekend to Dunlap, TN (the Hang Gliding capital of the east!) to begin my "fall tour" of speaking engagements, and WOW what a weekend we had!! In my book Women Touched by Jesus I've written fictional stories of the women who Jesus met personally. This weekend I met them in real life. I'm not sure I've ever been more impacted by three personal testimonies.

On Friday night Mary shook like a leaf as she shared her story--raped at 9 and again at 18, abused and shamed--she shared how Jesus came into her life and redeemed her past. I was awed at her willingness to share her story and at the joy that shone from her face when she did.

On Saturday her daughter boldly stood before us and proclaimed, I am a child of God! She then told us that although for many years she was taught to keep her feelings and hurts to herself, she intended to "spill the beans" with us. And "spill the beans" she did! She shared with us what it was like to grow up with a mother who taught her not to trust anyone especially men. My favorite part of her story was when she said that after her mother married a wonderful man (I'd love to meet!)--they moved to Pennsylvania, and "the church people started coming."

What might have happened to these women had "the church people NOT started coming!" She then told us that she knew she was changed by God when she could look at people and see them NOT as a threat, but as people whom He loved.

After she sat down, a beautiful inmate from the local jail came to the microphone, and asked us to listen to the words of her song--not to her voice. I listened to the words, but was deeply moved by the rich melody of her voice as well. She sang a song with these words that were simply thanking God for a roof over her head and shoes on her feet and the privilege of knowing Jesus in her heart. WOW!

God moved in such a powerful way! Women from several different churches, across denominational lines agreed together that we are indeed LOVED BY GOD and therefore free to love others to Him.

I am so privileged to get to meet women like these when I travel. Women who have been transformed by the power of God. The women in Dunlap are serious about their mission. They have a ministry to teenage girls, they're starting a pregnancy resource center, they are active in the jail ministry, they reach out to mother's of young children, the list goes on and on.

My new friends in Dunlap, TN --you go girls!! God is changing His world through you.

Send your recipes!

2008-09-03T18:18:00.001-05:00

So, if you have some apple recipes, I still have 65 apples. Send them on! Alex and Jill, how about that pie? It sounds almost HEALTHY!! I figure anything you put an apple in has to be counted as a fruit serving, right?!

An apple update

2008-09-02T17:56:00.003-05:00

I promised pictures...here's some pictures! I collected about five of those baskets filled with apples. We have 87 apples remaining. Now they are being sliced and diced and frozen in quart-size freezer bags. So, if, this winter you get your taste buds groovin' for apple pie, apple cake, fried apples or apple turnovers, come on over and I'll share a bag with you!

By the way, I bought a copy of the September issue of Southern Living magazine--82 Great Tasting Recipes, including "our best ever apple pie!"

Spring Hill Place and my friend Robin

2008-08-30T10:52:00.002-05:00

Last night I did what I do so many nights...taxied Kaleigh and a few of her friends to a party. We were running late (which is amazingly typical of me!!) and in our rush, I never once considered where I was going. They told me that Shelby lived in Spring Hill Place, so to Spring Hill Place we went. They told me it was a pool party, but when we got to the pool, there wasn't a soul there. "Oh yea, we're going to eat pizza and cake at her house before we go to the pool!" My party animals informed me.

So, "where's her house?"

"Uh, we dunno."

"Does anyone have her address?"

Brad happened to bring his invitation and YES, we had an address...34## Round Hill Lane. So, armed with information we proceeded. Round Hill Lane we were on, so we drove forward, only when the addresses got to 3054 they stopped, no 3100's, 3200's and certainly no 3400's. The road ended into a construction trail (we have lots of those in our community, hard packed dirt and gravel with dump trucks and bulldozers parked at the end). Hmmmm. So what were we to do next?

That's when I got all excited about going to TSC. When we turned onto Round Hill Lane earlier (before we remembered the pizza/cake part of the party plan), we saw two of our TSC preschool teachers getting out of their cars and carrying casserole dishes with them. I mentioned that some of our church members must be having a party that night in that house. I didn't know which of them lived there--but I recognized the party guests. So...we turned around and headed back to the house when I saw my friend Robin. She's actually one of only two people I know personally that live in Spring Hill Place. Robin was headed to the house, casserole dish in hand when we caught up with her.

"Robin! Wow, am I glad to see you." I explained our dilemma, and she knew exactly where the "other" Round Hill Lane would be found. Here's how it worked, eventually Spring Hill Place neighborhood plans are to connect Round Hill Lane from the front to the north side of the neighborhood. But right now they are unconnected. If we would take a left then a right then another right we'd find a round about, vear to the right and there we'd find the rest of Round Hill Lane.

Go figure. The only way we could have found Shelby's house would have been if we'd gone online and mapquested it--OR we could have called her, OR we could ask someone who knew (Robin!). But since we didn't have the foresight to mapquest, we were at the mercy of someone else telling us how to get there.

I got to thinking about that. How many times do I start out on a trip certain of my destination, only to find myself confused along the way? How willing am I to ask for help? How often does God intervene and take care of me with an expert! (Like He did with Robin.) How often am I someone else's "expert?"

We followed Robin's directions, found Shelby's house (it was the one with the pink sweet 16 balloons tied to the mailbox). Everyone had a great time, and my backseat is only a little bit soggy from their wet bodies on the way home. (Did anyone think to take a towel to a pool party??? I don't THINK so!)

I made applesauce this morning

2008-08-27T19:54:00.002-05:00

We have one apple tree in our yard. The first year it produced 3 apples. We stretched them to make one pie. The next year was last year, we had that late frost in April and it killed all the blooms so we had no apples last year. But this year! Oh my did our little tree produce! We've been picking apples for a month, and I still have a few hanging on!

And these are not your typical backyard apple tree apples. They look like the ones you purchase at Kroger! I kid you not, when I get a little more time than I've had these past few days, I'm gonna download the pictures I took and put them on here so you can see what I'm talking about.

We've given away bookoodles of apples--I furnished my neighbor Lisa's entire school. She's a teacher and she took some with her to share with the others! They were so well received she came back for seconds (which we were more than happy to give.)

I've made two pies and three cakes, and today...I made applesauce.

That's a first for me, and when you get to be my age, "firsts" are red letter days on the calendar! I took the bag of apples my other neighbor shared with me (on Saturday her two little grandsons came over lugging a sack filled with apples between them. They explained that their grandma sent them over--we smiled, said "thank you" even though we didn't need anymore apples and thought they were incredible cute until the little one said, "I'm a Alabama BAMA!" Still kinda cute, even for a bama fan.) When they went home we did the taste test. Her apples were more the backyard variety. But still good for making applesauce.

Now this you need to know about me. I can't stand for anything to go to waste! (That's why I've gained the typical 20 in my 20 plus years of marriage and 16 plus years of parenting.) I HATE IT! I either freeze or make muffins out of brown bananas. I just can't toss them out. So, with apples piling up and all my friends supplied, I just thought, why not make some applesauce?!

As soon as the girls left for school, I started peeling apples. It was 7AM, I was in my nightclothes, knife in hand, apples rinsing in the sink, peeling and coring 24 cups of apples. (I'm sure I lost count) That's when it hit me...memories of Grandma Smith. I spent a week of each summer at her house, and she was always doing something. Shelling peas, stringing beans, blanching apples, soaking pickles--always something. She had a pantry that was really a closet in her kitchen (a very dark closet). And her closet was stacked with Mason Jars. Jellies, Jams, Preserves, Relishes, Pickles (sweet, dill, even watermelon rind!)...such amazing memories. I could almost see her wrinkled hands holding wormy apples, peeling them with ease (I must tell you that I've yet to find one worm in my apples--they are amazing!!).

If made me kinda sad remembering her and Papa like that. They got up so early in the morning that they'd already worked two hours before serving breakfast. I waited to rise to the smell of bacon frying for the breakfast. My papa always ate breakfast with us, and he read the daily Bible reading from his little devotional booklet--I think it might have been "My Daily Bread." Grandma would fiddle with the napkin as he read, then we'd all bow our heads for his prayer. I can't remember all of his prayer but this is how it always ended, "Lord, bless the bereaved, the poor and the less fortunate than we. Amen."

Sweet memories. I don't ever remember seeing my Grandma sit still--unless she was showing me how to crochet, or showing my mother the quilt she was working on. As my apples boiled, I could almost close my eyes and imagine I was in her kitchen. She'll be 95 next week. We're almost exactly 50 years apart in age. (Hmmm, I'm almost to where she was when I was born!) She never wanted this to happen, but it happened anyway. Tiny little strokes and dementia robbed her of our mind and today she sits in a nursing home still fiddling with her napkins. If only she could know that I made applesauce this morning...she'd be proud.

I'm Gonna Blog About That

2008-08-21T16:49:00.003-05:00

Every day I haul kids around in my toyota highlander, we talk--they say something profound (usually profoundly funny) and I say, "I'm gonna blog about that!" They say, "Mom, you always say that. You'd be a better blogger if you just would rather than talking about it!" So...Kaleigh and TJ here you go...(not that they are reading, blogging is for "old people" did you know that?)

Yesterday on the way to church TJ said, "Mom, here's the thing. Mikel just got to go to Zion. You're paying her tuition to a private school and that's gotta be a lot--but it's a Christian school and I understand and everything and it's good. (then before I could interrupt, he put his hand up and continued) AND, Kaleigh--she goes on mission trips and stuff, and you and Dad always make sure she has enough money to do that after she raises her support. So, I was just thinking...from here on out, I'm just going to ask for things from you and Dad like this--Can I play basketball and get some training for that IN JESUS' NAME?!"

There you have it. I've blogged about that!

The First Week of School

2008-08-20T11:11:00.003-05:00

Okay, so Tom's home--all is well with that, AND we survived the "First Week of School." If you want the spiritual version of this, go to my website and check out my devotion at www.prayalltheway.com

But, for the "real" scoop, you're in the right place.

Day 1 was great. Mikel and Kaleigh came home excited about their classes, seeing friends again and basically getting back into the groove of things. Kaleigh hosted a "back to school" pool party and TJ hardly noticed he was in class (isn't school about the friends???).

Day 2-pretty good as well. Kaleigh and her friends had yet to realize school had begun, and once again they were in my pool. Mikel was invited to eat outside with the seniors at lunch and after school she and TJ went shopping. The evening was spent organizing notebooks, relocating calculators and talking about the teachers.

Day 3--not so good. Kaleigh and her friends started pulling together their summer homework (but still found time to be by my pool); TJ realized classes had actually begun; and Mikel couldn't find anyone to sit with at lunch.

Day 4--good and bad. Kaleigh and friends--oh yes they were still in my backyard now picking apples (the pool was getting old). TJ--totally in his element. And Mikel begged off suffering from allergies she took her first sick day.

Day 5--the best of times and the worst of times. TJ-he's fine! Kaleigh--I'm thinking we STILL had friends over after school! But, Mikel...text I received at 10:40AM--"Mom, can I please go to another school? I'm miserable here."

What's a mom to do when she gets a message like that? High School's supposed to be fun. By the time you're in the 11th grade you should be running with your friends, ruling the hallways and juggling parties. But Mikel's friends were scattered out, and hardly any of them in her lunch period (those 20 minutes can make or break your day. I thank God for her friend Kaitlyn who ate with her when they found one another Wednesday), and she was one of about 35 in her classes, had already had to change her schedule because they'd given her two study halls--and she told me the "schedule changer" was in a terrible bad mood...it's tough.

Mikel has several good friends who attend Zion Christian Academy. It's a small Christian college preparatory school about 30 miles from us. For the past two years Mikel's begged to go there. But with our schedules 3 hours on the road daily (to take and pick her up) was out of the question. So, we never entertained the thought. However, Mikel's driving now. Last year she attended many of Zion's sports events, and this summer she visited back and forth often. So when she asked to change schools I had no doubt where she wanted to go.

However, another school invites another entire community into our lives. And we already share many communities in our home. There's Thompson Station Church (which is really several communities in one--the youth group for the kids, women's ministry for me and all of it for Tom); then we have Tom serving the TN Baptist Convention as president this year, Mikel playing travel softball, TJ playing basketball, Kaleigh PLAYING, and me traveling most weekends to the far corners of the world speaking. Then...we have Independence High School and Heritage Middle School. There's quite enough juggling going on already!

But here's the deal. I'm learning that as my children grow up--my parenting shifts a bit. When they were young, they were an extension of Tom and me. I chose who they played with, where they went--even what they were involved in. But as they grow, they start choosing some of those things for themselves. And thus, we find ourselves now carefully meandering through five individual lives that come together for support--mostly financial and maybe a little emotional, eating and sleeping. As I study my individuals (and wonder at the way God is growing them), I reluctantly realize that they (not me) will determine the course of their lives! So, the tricky part is knowing when to expand the boundaries and when to draw them in. With teenagers it's an ebb and flow kind of thing.

Tom and I listened to Mikel's pain. I took her shopping when she got home from school Friday afternoon so I could spend time with her and hear her hurt. We didn't find much to buy, but I did give validity to her by hearing her out. When Tom got home I tried my best to translate what was going on (remember, he was fresh off the boat!). Our hearts broke over what she was experiencing and we prayed. Sunday at church we prayed--I LOVE HOW WE CAN PRAY IN THE SETTING OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICES!! God meets us there in powerful ways!

Then Tom suggested that we go to Zion and talk with the headmaster. So, on Monday we went--just the two of us, praying as we drove down and asking God to give us total peace if we should let Mikel enroll. He gave us peace! Tuesday she "shadowed" one of her friends so that she could see how different Zion would be from IHS, then today she enrolled.

Is this going to be easy? NO!
Do I like her driving 40 minutes one way to school each morning and returning those same miles home in the afternoon? NO!
Would it be easier for her to stay where she was? YES!
Is public school fine for my kids? YES!
Do we love Mikel and want the very best for her? YES.

And we have determined that this just might be it for her. No more arguing with us over spending time with her friends down there to the detriment of developing better friends here. No more juggling her time between school, church and her "Zion connection." Now, she simply has two worlds--school and church! It's a little larger perimeter we've allowed her. A little more "letting go" in preparation for the life she'll be facing a few years from now. And I'm thinking a little more of God's plan unfolding for her.

I am incredibly blessed to be Tom's wife (and Mikel is even more blessed to be his daughter!). Tom's normal response to all this would have been, "Mikel, you just need to get with the program!" And, in time she would have--but this time, through his leadership he said, "maybe Mikel's program is different than what I thought." What a powerful lesson for us as parents to learn!

I hope your first week of school was all that God had in mind for you too!

Want to know where Tom is really???

2008-08-13T20:44:00.007-05:00

The last time I saw him he was here.

Says he's sleeping here.

He traded us for these guys.

But I'm sure ready to have him home!

I think the women at TSC are amazing!

2008-08-12T20:02:00.004-05:00

I know, I should be writing about the first day of school (and I will--hopefully before the last), or I should tell you all about my trip to Spanish Wells, Bahamas and swimming with the dolphins (and I will because it was one of the most incredible things I've ever done) but right now I want to talk about the most amazing women in the world.
They go to my church. But that's not what makes them amazing. It's what they do when they're not at church that amazes me. Kari's the wife of a soldier who's serving in Iraq. He responsible for over 300 Iraqi soldiers. Kari's suffered multiple losses in her family this year (grandfather, aunt, more...) and she's had to be here while he's there--he's had to travel two hours to get 30 minutes on the phone just to talk to her! And Kari praises God. She praises Him for holding her, for watching over her, for leading her husband as he baptizes men in Iraq, for teaching her more than she ever knew she needed to know...Kari amazes me.
Melissa amazes me. I'm not going to say another word about it--just go to her blogspot and read for yourself!(She's on my list)
Angela amazes me. She leads the preschool ministry at our church, but a long time ago she kept the resource room in order when I led the preschool ministry at our church. To see how Angela has yielded her life to God, and allowed Him to work through her-you'll just have to come to our church, put your baby in one of our classes and see for yourself! But what I love about Angela is that she hasn't met an obstacle she's not prepared to conquer (including skis behind my boat).
Mendy amazes me. She serves faithfully and thoroughly!! This summer she coordinated one of the greatest gatherings of women we've ever experienced at our summer Bible study! She covered every detail and begged us to never mention a word of this to anyone. That amazes me...
Kathleen and Alicia and Jill amaze me. They took off to Africa and wrapped their arms around those African children and loved them and got covered with dirt and came home exhausted and cry when you ask them to talk about their experience.
Then, the women who shared their testimonies at our Bible study this summer amaze me, my dear friend Kate, my new friend Lisa, my fun friend Kimberly, the list goes on and on--everyone's still talking about it and I just can't get over how God is working in the lives of these women!!Truly I am most blessed--to live, work, and share the building of this piece of the kingdom with such amazing women!

I know, they are the women in my very own church. And many pastors wives are terrified of that group--but not me. They simply amaze me. I LOVE the fact that they're my sisters, that they're my friends and that they display JESUS in such a beautiful way.

We WON!! Middle TN Thunderbolts, World Series CHAMPS!

2008-08-09T13:25:00.002-05:00

We Won!! Sunday afternoon we beat the same team we had to beat Saturday to stay in the play-offs. It was HOT, we were HOT! And the girls got to win a trophy bigger than us. I'm just here to say that watching your daughter play ball is the hardest and perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences in all the world! I can go into more detail later. I'll download a pic soon.

A few more pictures

2008-07-24T08:40:00.005-05:00

Okay, so I've learned how to do video, and now I'm learning how to do pictures. Here's a few more from our Gatlinburg trip!

Gatlinburg, softball and my neices

2008-07-24T07:56:00.004-05:00

So, I've been trying to pretend this is my dairy--and make that entry daily. But, it just doesn't happen! If any of you know me, you know I AM NOT A NIGHT PERSON! Once 9PM rolls around I'm beat! My mind is mush, and my body--is most happy if I'm in the prone position. Of course, I rise with the roosters. Much to the chagrine of my hotel room companions. They tell me that I wake them up when I click away on my computer early in the morning (if you call 8:57AM early!) but I'm convinced they are sleeping soundly. I hear them breathing!!
Speaking of hotel room companions--this has been a great trip. I traded Kaleigh and TJ for my neices Alec and Kes. Here's a picture of them making the trip to my house. (No, they didn't ride all the way up here in the back of that truck!)
We're in Pigeon Forge to watch Mikel play softball. So far we've eaten pancakes, visited the aquarium, laughed at the Comedy Barn, waded in the creek and seen Mikel play two games. Hmmm--nothing like a week of watching softball, huh?! Since we won both our games and no one has scored against us--we are the number 1 seed. That means that we don't play ball today (Thursday) until 7PM tonight. Then, if we win--we may not even play on Friday. It's hard to remember we're here to play ball! We're hoping for a World Series win to finish this season. Only that game will most likely be played on Sunday, and poor Tom. He lives for this--and he has to be home on Sunday to preach. You better believe that if Mikel does anything amazing or if our win comes during his sermon--we're calling. We'll interrupt the program for an important announcement.
Then...it will be time to reshuffle the deck and retrieve Kaleigh and TJ. This is typical of our family's life. On Sunday (after the World Series championship--hopefully) I'll travel to Atlanta, Kaleigh will meet us there (at Mammer and PopPop's house) and Tom will bring TJ to Chattanooga to meet us on our way. Because...we are on our way to our favorite place in all the world--Spanish Wells, Bahamas. (I'll tell you all about SW in another blog). BUT, in order to save considerable amounts of money the kids and I are flying to Miami from Atlanta and Tom is cashing in credit card points on his free ticket from Nashville. So--somehow we have to collect our family from the four corners of the world and all be on those two planes come Monday morning.
I'll keep you posted on all of this...the connections, the World Series, and the Dixie Stampede (which we plan to attend today). Just in case you want to know the details of our lives. :) (Why else do you read these things???)

Ever had one of those days?

2008-07-16T11:21:00.006-05:00

Last summer we came up with the world's greatest 12 year old bday party. Tom and I took TJ and a few of his friends to our friend Wayne's house on Smith Lake in Alabama, and we parasailed!! (We also tubed, skied and surfed, played that train game you can play with dominoes and ate BROWNIES!!) But our main goal was to experience the sensation of being one of those little bows that dangles below a kite. Now, I know that I am NOT a kid anymore, and I know that when I was growing up in my family the most adventurous thing we ever did was skip rocks into the lake without wearing life jackets. But since I met and married Tom McCoy, my life has taken a turn for ADVENTURE with the emphasis being on all sorts of life-defying activities. In fact, I've written an entire book on my adventure of snow skiing (brief infomercial--that book is coming out in the Lifeway Bookstores this Fall, Women Embracing Life...All of It!). These adventures have included jumping off 30 foot cliffs into mountain streams in Arizona (well--not me, but watching two of my children do it), and diving with sharks in the warm waters off shore in the Bahamas, mountain climbing vertical rocks, and the list could go on. I've done LOTS of amazing things--even learned to water ski (slalom) after 35. But I don't think I've ever impressed others quite as much as I did when I parasailed last May. The first video shows how it works. After that, you will see how it worked for me.

And Mary pondered these things in her heart...

2008-07-14T20:48:00.004-05:00

There is a phrase in Scripture that I often relate to; "...and Mary pondered these things in her heart..." Did you know my first name is Mary? It's a family name--my mother's first name is Mary, and I think my great-grandmother's name was Mary. So, I kind of read this phrase as a personal one.

And there are many times I "ponder these things in my heart." So many things.

19 years ago Tom and I went to Ridgecrest Conference Center to attend Sunday School week. Our trip was paid for by Earl and Jo Waldrup who were serving with us at our mission church. Tom took full advantage of every opportunity to rub elbows with the "great SS leaders" of that day. Harry Piland, Andy Anderson, Art Burchman, Larry Shotwell and others. We came home filled to overflowing with dreams, visions and plans! We also came home with the privilege of being "adopted" by Harry Piland. Through the early years of our ministry we were consistently encouraged and "coached" in how to grow a healthy church through "Sunday School."

So, when Tom was invited to preach this past weekend for the SS conference, and we took our worship team, 6 of our pastors and 120 or so other of our SS leaders with us--it was a time to "ponder." How did I get from one of 1500 plus people worshipping in the Spilman auditorium in 1989 to the wife of the preacher in 2008? How did we go from 3 SS classes back then with an average attendance of 30 or so to over 100 classes today with attendance pressing past 1500?

The slide show starts in my mind...the first Sunday of our young adult class, the summer I left to do GA Camps and gave the class to the Randy Coffman, Tom encouraging our people over and over and over again that if they didn't divide their groups we could never multiply...the business meeting when we argued over how much it would cost to rent a portable building for more space (because we were pressing toward the 80% rule). And the day we moved into that portable building. I see us making applesauce in my electric skillet in the preschool class, and playing a game in the 5th-6th grade class--I see each of our buildings open for their first Sundays, and remember how TJ scooted nearly across the TS Road before I found him (when he was a toddler and we were building another of our SS spaces)...the slides go on and on and on.

So, we went to Ridgecrest this weekend, Tom preached "the glory down" our worship team sang, 130 of our church members worshipped with abandon

and "Mary pondered these things in her heart..."

Moving right along...what happened to the stockyard???

2008-07-10T16:29:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I stirred up a bee hive with my back--for all of you out there, yes, pastors and their wives DO THAT!! ;)
Anyway...I'm moving right along...

What happened to the stockyards???? Tom and I have been in Thompson Station for 19 1/2 years and all that time we've enjoyed telling people of how God has let us build a church "right across the street from the stock yards!" Then, last Saturday when I was bringing TJ to the fireworks tent (to purchase discount fireworks the day AFTER the 4th--only to find them all packed up and ready to move out)...he and I decided to tour our new parking lot and driveway--(have you ever seen such a driveway for a church??? ) We were pulling back out on highway 31 when we realized the stockyards were demolished!

When did that happen? Nobody told me that was happening? How can it be? TJ almost got tears in his eyes. A landmark...a piece of history...a real reminder of our rural roots is gone just like that! What will we ever do without the STINK in July and the bloated dead things leftover in the parking lot and the 18 wheelers parked in our lot?? Never again will we chase goats around the building. It will never be the same again.

There was a time in our ancient history when Tom came home from church and said, "If we have to, Leighann, we'll just start all over in the stockyard..." Of course we never had to, but I just KNOW that stinky old spot inspired us. I'm thinking it was on a Sunday night when Tom declared, "If God can touch the world from a manger in Bethlehem, He can certainly touch it from Thompson Station Church across the street from a stock yard! We will TOUCH THE WORLD from Thompson Station!" And for years that was our motto: Touch the World from Thompson Station Church.

Of course, we changed our motto last year. Now we're not just gonna "touch the world" we're gonna CHANGE THE WORLD...so, I guess it's all in the motto--they're changing the landscape and we're changing the world.

I'm still going to miss those cows and pigs.

Back pain and getting old

2008-07-08T19:54:00.002-05:00

Oh my, right when I was starting to have a little FUN time on my hands, I got all ambitious and decided to BLOG! Now, I have another stress--gotta BLOG today! :) Okay, okay, okay. I'll just pretend it's one of those little pink books with the flap that locks with a key and call it a diary!

So here's what you've missed--a TSC staff trip to the lake. When I get my camera back from Reese Wagoner (she accidentally packed it in her diaper bag yesterday)--I'll download some pics and show you how Angela Spencer CAN SKI!!!

You also missed my bday gift to Tom--I gave him ME! And, that's all I'm saying about it--I'm also NOT telling you the real reason my back went out on Saturday.

And that brings me to the subject of the blog I'm writing now. Tom turned 45 on July 4. And when he had his bday, I just start calling myself that age (my bday is September 11--great thought for another blog; fireworks on his bday--flags flying half mass on mine...) Some of you may be reading this and thinking that we are in the prime of our lives. I read it and remember thinking people were kind of old when they got to be this age!

I stepped out of the shower Saturday morning and felt a "hitch" in my back. That was warning that this great BIG, wonderful, amazing, completely taken for granted part of my body was about to scream for attention. We had a long drive home and by the time we arrived, my back was ACHING!! I'm talking sharp pain, dull pain, constant pain, throbbing pain...you get the picture.
Okay, so when you hurt, you rest. So--I tried to rest. Only the pain was worse when I was lying down or sitting. The only relief I felt was when I was walking or floating in the pool. So I'm thinking "it will get better with time..." wrong again. It got worse. You should've seen my kids when I tried to unfold myself from the car as we ran our errands! Everyone's been amazingly patient, and only a little embarrassed. I'm just here to say, OUCH!!!
So today I finally broke down and went to the doctor. Oh my goodness, I'm loving DRUGS! I know, just say "no" and all that...but I'm counting the minutes until I get my next pain killer! I got my first cortizone shot. Thankfully they didn't put it in the pain-not sure I could've handled that, but they did put it in my rear--and when that medicine unleashed itself into my system, I totally forgot the pain in my back and traded it for a pain in "my you know where!" the weirdest thing was the immediate surge of pain as the medicine traveled up my side. It was like someone punched me!
Tom went with me to the doctor--that in itself was amazing. Now that he's a president, and pastors such a big church and has so many important things to do--I don't even think to ask him to take me to the doctor! (Besides that--I don't think he went with me to see the ultrasounds that revealed the sex of two of our three children! It's just not the kind of marriage we have.) But for some reason, today he offered to take me--thank you, LORD that he did!
When we went to pick up the meds and as the woman was breezing through the possible side effects, the cortizone was still giving me the whammy! and right when she said, "you could feel light-headed and dizziness" I grabbed Tom's arm with my cold and clammy hands and muttered, "Tom, I'm dizzy now--I'm not feeling so well." The woman's voice drifted far away and Tom carried me over to a little bench I guess they put there for such a time as this.

They found me a Diet Dr. Pepper and a spoonful of peanut butter--and after what seemed like a long time (actually just a few minutes) I came back out of my abyss (I didn't see a bright light, but my insides were screaming to let go of life as I knew it!) I've only come close to fainting once before (won't go into that today)--but my daughter Mikel has this happen to her often. Oh my! I have a much better appreciation for what she goes through!

So, that's the back pain. Want to know about the getting old? They took an x-ray and my prognosis sounded like this from Dr. K-- "here you have the disks between your vertabrae, and these are all good--but see this one between 14 and 15 (not sure those numbers are right, I've never been a numbers person) here your disk is thinning. This happens AS YOU AGE!!"
There it was, those 3 little words that flashed before my face and reminded me that I'm getting old!
So--what now? I can jog 6 miles, ride 20 and ski all over the lake (or at least I could LAST week)...now I can stand up--maybe lay on my side tonight rather than "flat on my back" and live to my next pain killer. And next week I'll go to physical therapy and start doing those exercises. Tomorrow I'll stop eating sweets and breads and keep trying to get this little bit of extra weight off. For, I can't change the fact that I'm aging, but I can do a few things to strengthen my poor old back.

All that to say...I'm BACK!! (No pun intended).

I'm blogging!!

2008-06-26T15:45:00.001-05:00

What do you know, I went to see "Bambi" (a tiny baby deer who somewho got inside my backyard, and created quite a show for my daughters' friends yesterday) on my friends' blogsight, and wondered--how did she do that? (You know, create a blog!) My children are on my space, facebook and they've told me email is out dated--and so I clicked on "Create a blog" and went through a few more steps, when voila! I'm here!!

I'll keep you posted on what's going on, what I learn about life from my teenagers, and I'll give you all the "rest of the story" in the "preacher's home."

(Will most likely be more fun for me to write, than for you to read...)

I think I'll stop now and enjoy this sunny afternoon poolside!