Lost and Found

Lost.

Completely lost.

Beginning to melt down kinda lost.

...and I was in the grocery store of all places! But, wait, first let me give you the story.

The cashier was scanning my last few items as we continued our pleasant, back and forth conversation. I reach into my purse for my wallet and, **gasp**!!

WHERE is my wallet?

I stopped moving.

A blank stare enveloped my face.

I knew danger was imminent. Identity theft and disaster loomed large in my mind. (and for some wierd reason, the Priceline negotiator theme started playing in my head and a vision of William Shatner appeared)



I looked up at the cashier, and plainly spoke, "I don't have my wallet".

After what seemed like minutes of us moving in slow motion and staring at each other, she asked, "Where was the last time you used a card out of your wallet?"

"Um, I don't know" I replied in a really intelligent way. I was trying to think but no thoughts were forming across the synapses of my brain. I realized the futility of just standing there and quickly began expressing a plan of action of her holding my groceries and me running home for the checkbook and then coming back.

She was patient, calm and just exuded peace.

Me?? Crazy-eyed. No speech but mouth-wide-open-chick. Standing in my hubby's sweatpants, a cute and not-so-ratty tee shirt, day old makeup smeared across my eyelids, flip flops a danglin' and my hair thrown up in a pony tail.

All of a sudden I was becoming very public!

The cashiers had pretty much stopped cashiering and the customers were now looking my way.

I felt lost.

Something precious and priceless of mine was gone and now others in the store were looking on...waiting to see what would happen next.

I scream, "oh, wait....I got it!!"

I yell back to the cashier, "I'll be right back", because I was already halfway out of the store and on the run. I was moving so fast my hair was whipping in the wind, ok, well, maybe it just felt like I was going that fast. lol

I remembered stopping at the gas station before the grocery store. I was thinking maybe I didn't put my wallet back into my purse and it's in the car. I peer into the car window and there it is! My beautiful, shiny, black, Nine-West wallet with a world globe accessory. Aaahhh.....my wallet.

Back in the store, cheers erupted from others and I breathed a huge a sigh of relief.

I looked at the cashier and expressed thanks to her for her service and we ended up thanking God together. Of course she was in the God-family. Everything about her kindness, compassion and willingness to help spoke of her faith.

So, out of my lost state comes one provided by God who's able to assist me.

A lost and found incident that nudged me to remember my very own life story with God. Rescued from being completely lost and now founded in new life with God.

Church Status

Guess what? We're done searching! My family and I have landed in a really cool new church place to call "home". ;)

Check it out .... Crossings Church

I could go on and on and tell you how great it is and why it is a good fit for us, but.... I think you'll get a pretty good jist of the place just by reading an excerpt from the Pastor's Blog:

This Sunday will be a Sunday like no other. It's actually kind of an experiment. Were testing the waters and trying new things. Changing things up and bucking the trends of what people envision church looking like. This Sunday there will be no worship and no message. WHAT!!! Yep.

We will have more food, games, some special elements, and time to mingle and hang out. And that my friend is called church. This Sunday is our small group kickoff Sunday. What better way to promote small groups than strategically allowing relationships to flourish on Sunday morning.

Call me a heathen.

See why we chose it? lol

When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.

And now we're here, O Jerusalem, inside Jerusalem's walls!

Psalm 122:1-2

All in the Family

DeSoto Dell Dimension

It started with Dell, my bff's Miniature Schnauzer, as we traveled the roads together to Mississippi. I fell in love with him immediately and, upon my return home, had to have one of my own.

Convinced that I, too, needed to be a Schnauzer owner, my hubby lovingly and sacrifically acquiesced and we contacted the same breeder that Dell birthed from.

To keep it all in the family, we brought home Copernicus (who is Dell's half brother - Baylee is their dad). He is super snuggly, easy to train and an absolute joy to have in our family!

Copernicus Magellan 

Even daddy was caught lovin' up on him this morning....

Well, Copernicus is 6 months old now and we've decided it's a great time to get him a playmate ... a brother. The tricky part for us was how to keep it all in the family. We discussed, prayed, looked, eye'd every detail and....now, we're busting at the seams with joy!!

Please welcome our newest addition born on 9/4/08 and photo'd at just a few hours old .....

Newton da Vinci 

Newt is Cappie's cousin (his mom is Trudi, Baylee's full sister).

It really is all in the family! ;)

I-change

My organizational system is headed for change.

My system, a Franklin Covey paper planning system, has kept me organized, on-task, looking super stylish and been ready to help me employ superwoman powers each and every day.

I love my system - we've been changing the world together for over ten years now. I wasn't even aware that I needed change until that day.

One glance.

Wait....a longer look.

An unending stare.

Gorgeous, swift, willing and able to do anything I wanted, whenever I wanted.

I was overcome with fascination and desire and....well, please meet my new superwoman tool ...

the Apple iPod touch.

Please bear with me as I-change.

Sit Awhile

Can I be so quiet
that silence becomes praise
Can I be so still
where clarity forms from haze

Will you let me worship
with nothing more than breath
Will you let me love you
even unto my death?

Please don't try to explain this away
where you've been inside my heart
Just keep speaking whispers of grace
as your truth continues to part

The old me from the new me
I am nothing of what was
One that's been rescued
and it's just what your love does

You love me well
I will be quiet
You love me well
Listen and hear
You love me well
Silence is praise
You love me well
My breath is my worship
To you.

Happy Birthday!!

Some approach birthdays with materialism. Inventorying gifts, correlating value to givers based on gift cost or quality and developing grudges against those who didn’t acknowledge their day.

Some approach birthdays with greed. Inviting all of the attention that one can garner regardless of true connection or reciprocal relationship.

Some approach birthdays with disappointment. Anguishing over things not achieved because it’s that title, that car, that job, that spouse, that body, that beauty, that strength that will mark personal success.

Some approach birthdays with nonchalance. Believing the day is just that: one day. Nothing special.

I approach my birthday with so much awe and wonder at life itself. Thankful for my days and years so far and welcoming so many more should God bless me with them.

Come, my friends, and celebrate with me!

But you’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you.
Let the party last all night!
Stand guard over our celebration.
You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers, for decking us out in delight.
Psalm 5:11-12 MSG

Recovered

I’m thankfully back in the land of the living with you. It seems as though I’ve lost about 2 weeks worth of abundant living due to some nasty ear and sinus infections. Thank you so much for the prayers and cards and all the things you've done to make me feel loved and cared for during my hiatus.

But, alas….I am well. It’s hard to keep a good woman down, eh?! But, may I share a bit of a "first" for me?

I gave myself permission to rest while my body went about the healing process.

I allowed myself to rest.

Appointments were cancelled while accommodating the unknown timeframe for wellness.

I allowed myself to rest.

My house was not in the usual state of order and cleanliness.

I allowed myself to rest.

My family ate, survived and found all necessary items.

I allowed myself to rest.

I didn't think in terms of what I was missing.

I allowed myself to rest.

Self-permission is sometimes hard but so rewarding when allowed.

“I said to myself, “Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings.”

Psalm 116:7 MSG