Tag: Life and Faith

At the beginning of the year, I decided I wanted to write a series of blogs about women I admire.  Today, I’d like to introduce you to Stephanie of Stephanie’s Mommy Brain.  Stephanie and I went to college together.  I met her during our Sophomore year when we ended up in the same Spanish class together. We bonded over studying and, if memory serves me, maybe rolling our eyes at the Professor.

One of the things I have admired about Stephanie since our years in college has been her organizational skills and determination.  When Stephanie sets her mind to something, she pursues it and stays with it unless there is a good reason for setting it aside.  She has been organized for at least as long as I’ve known her.  I have watched Stephanie use her skills as she has raised a family and I admire how she has done that.  In more recent years, I have enjoyed reading her blog.  Though I don’t have a family myself, I enjoy keeping up with her in this way and invariably, she shares a tip or two that I can use in my own life.

Stephanie, thanks for your friendship, for sharing your faith and for stepping out into the blogging world to share your practical life experiences.

More lists have been going around today, but I really liked the suggestion of my friend Jamie-listing your top ten magical moments in your life so far. It’s great exercise. The following are mine in no particular order:

* An unexpected weekend my freshman year of college where I got to spend an evening in prayer with two dear friends.

*Hearing my nephew sing Twinkle, Twinkle little star over the phone for the first time

*Walking in to a cleaned up, decorated and organized apartment

*Receiving an award for the female with the highest GPA in the MACE degree in Seminary

*Watching the nephews dance and sing ‘I like to Move it move it”

*African Sunrises and sunsets/sunset at De Gray Lake

*The first time I watched someone’s eyes light up because they got something when I was teaching my first small group

*Getting a kitten for Christmas

*Watching 5 lion cubs “roar” while their moms lazed in the sun.

*Being less than 5 feet from a Cheetah as she sat on the hood of our jeep and watched her 3 cubs playing

Last Tuesday was my birthday. All in all, it was a good one though not nearly as dramatic as last year, but that’s another story. This year, I was greeted first by my brother and one of my nephews (Daniel). Zachary (the other nephew) was mad at my brother for taking his toy away so he refused to talk to me. Ah kids. Still, it melted my heart when Daniel wished me happy birthday. I know he was coaxed, but there’s something really cool about the voice of a little one telling you happy birthday. It was definitely better than hearing my brother tell me that I was closer to being closer to 40. What’s that about? This combined with my Dad telling me over breakfast that it takes longer to get over pulled muscles as you get over made me think there was a conspiracy. Thankfully, it was only my family that focused on my being older. I guess that’s what family is for. (Note that both nephews sang happy birthday to me later that day after being threatened with not being able to go ride their bikes.)

Moving on…my dad took me to breakfast and while there, I got a phone call from my best friend. Lunch was out with a co-worker and dinner was with my uncle and my dad. Meanwhile, all day long, I received wishes on Facebook. The festivities continued on Friday night with dinner and a movie with friends. This is always good, especially when it involves queso-yum.

For some reason, this year I have reminisced more about previous birthdays. I’ve had some really great ones. One year, in high school, I was “kidnapped” by two single adults in our mission. They came in with bandanas and squirt guns and blindfolded me and took me to dinner. My Senior year, one of those same two singles “hired” this wonderful older couple to tp my room while I was out to dinner with them (this is a long story). This couple supposedly had never done that before. If not, they were naturals for it was a job most excellently done.

My 21st birthday was memorable because my best friend at the time posted posters all around our college campus on my various routes wishing me happy birthday. For my 30th birthday, two of my friends threw me a party and unbeknownst to me had people bring things from the 80’s that I might have might have missed out on growing up in Nigeria. I don’t know who had more fun, me or the guests. Every time I opened something, someone had a story. It was a blast. Last year was memorable because two of my best friends went to my apartment while I was working and cleaned, unpacked and decorated (See the story here). This was one of the most awesome gifts ever.

I have been blessed over the years with some really great celebrations and some really great friends. I’m looking forward to many more to come.

I’m sick of being sick. I’ve been to the doctor three times in the last month. My doc keeps telling me to stay away from doctors. Trust me, I’m trying. I stayed home all weekend in the hopes I could kick this latest by today. I didn’t. Doc says I have sinusitis.

The silver lining of my trip to the doc today is that he gave me a prescription for a tetracaine popsicle. This, in my opinion (as one who tends toward sore throats), is one of the best products ever. You stick it as far back as you can in your throat for about 15 seconds and it deadens it. I haven’t slept much the last three nights because it hurts to swallow. This should do the trick.

Discovering google reader recently has allowed me to keep up with friend’s blogs more easily. This has been a lot of fun although I have probably spent far too much time online. One such friend is Stephanie at http://stephaniesmommybrain.blogspot.com/. Now, while I have enjoyed reading her blog, it is also somewhat depressing. Stephanie has four children and still manages to be one of the most organized people I know. I can’t even keep my desk at work organized. I have to say, I’m envious of her organization skills. I’m hoping if I keep reading her blog, maybe I’ll learn something.

Today, I got an email in which the writer shared some of the things in 2008 that brought him joy. He challenged his readers to do the same. Never one to give up a chance to make a list and reminisce at the same time, I took up the challenge. Now, I challenge you. I did find my” soul awakened” to the gifts and joy God brought my way this year and the list keeps growing.

My new job, friends, Dad being home, the adoption of my nephews, Nigeria Reunion, mini-reunions, Tallowood, watching children perform the Nutcracker, trip to Kenya, safari, seeing Aunt Sandy after far too long, feeling like a grown up, having a little extra money, watching my best friend fall in love and being in on the engagement, Nertz, crunches, Danny Stone (my boss at LifeWay), LifeWay friends, enjoying not working for the holiday season, bridesmaid dress shopping, clothes shopping, getting my hair cut and highlighted, seeing White Christmas with Dad, learning to be a better intercessor and prayer warrior, praying with and for my church family, writing articles on prayer, relaxing by the pool/beach in Mombassa, reading more than 40 books, meeting with Eddie Whittenberg, Duane Brooks, Larry Heslip and Larry Bertand about the prayer ministry (ok so maybe the moment itself was more scary than joyful, but certainly the end result has brought much joy), seeing the passion for prayer that our Intercessors have and learning so much from them, praying with Pat Perry, walking with Margaret Campbell, working with Mary Latham, Monday night MacGyver with Jamie, having breakfast with my brother, getting to minister to those who have ministered to my family for so many years, being surprised by two of my best friends who cleaned, unpacked and decorated my apartment, Straight No Chaser’s Christmas album, Carrie Underwood’s “Crazy Dreams”, my nephew singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, blogging and reading friend’s blogs, Facebook, Introducing my dad to Facebook, my nephews saying “I love you”, snow in Houston.

This past Wednesday, we actually got snow in Houston. There’s something magical about snow when you don’t usually get to see it. Everyone had a spring in their step and emails started flying at work. It was great fun. My Northern friends are probably rolling their eyes at this. As much snow as they see, this was more like a spit, but for us, it was a little flurry. They say it won’t happen again this year, but here’s to hoping.

I went into LifeWay today to do some looking around to start thinking about Christmas. It was odd how different it felt not having been there for five months. I really do miss the people and some of what I did there. That’s not to say I don’t love what I’m doing now. I do. It’s just different.

My old boss said he’d still hire me in a heartbeat and I could do keyholder stuff in the evenings. It’s a little tempting to make a little extra money and while busy, Christmas was my favorite time to be there. On the other hand, I think about all the people and how tired I’d be and I’m not sure the money is worth it. It is, however, nice to know that I am still thought well of.

I have to say again how grateful I am to be doing what I’m doing now. I’m learning so much about church life and about prayer. Though I feel like I’m always working on something, I like that. I just need to figure out how to be more organized.

It’s been forever since I have written anything. I figured since I got a brand new haircut, maybe it was time for a new post. I’m getting a head start on “new” things for the new year. Where did this year go?

Yesterday, I got to participate in one of those events you can love or hate as a single. I got to go look for bridesmaids dresses. I confess that I wasn’t terribly excited mostly because I have had something going on every weekend for the last month and will be busy the next two as well.

I have to say that the day turned out to be a great deal of fun. We found the dresses and I actually really like them. I might have to try to find some place I can where it again. Anyone know of any formal events after June?

After dress shopping, my best friend, her fiance and I hung out playing more nertz. Here’s another confession. I’m about 1000 crunches behind right now. There have been a few times we played where her health or my state of mind kept us from actually doing some crunches. This is NOT an excuse. I do plan to do them.

In the evening, Cris, (Amy’s other best friend)had set up an appointment for me to get my hair done with her stylist(Back when Amy got engaged, I started letting my hair grow out so I could do something with it). Amy and Cris went with me and I opted to go for partial highlights as well. They told me I looked terrified. I really wasn’t–just self conscious.

I have to say that I love my new hair cut! It really is totally different from anything I’ve ever done before and it’s great. Everyone thinks I got a makeover!

I know this isn’t terribly interesting, but it was a really fun day.

513 is the number of crunches I did yesterday. I never thought I’d actually have fun doing crunches. There are two things that make it fun. First, thinking of the end result. Second, it means I’m hanging out with my best friend.

4 is the number of years it has been since I didn’t have to work on Labor Day. Actually, I think there might have been one in there that I didn’t. The result is 1-One day-tomorrow that I’m looking forward to sleeping in and hanging out.