A Bit of a Hole

For quite a while now, I have been the co-director of our church's homeschool co-op and the director of our women's ministries. Two really big hats! Our co-op is our church's largest ministry by far! We have almost 400 people coming each Friday!

I love both ministries and have felt that for this short time, God has called me to both of them.

Today, I gave up women's ministries. That was really hard to do! But I know that there is someone God is calling to head that up for now. I do pray that one day I can go back to it, but for now, it will have to be some other gal.

Kind of odd feeling all day after I turned in my resignation. I know God is meeting me here and that it's going to be great...but for now...it's odd and I feel the hole.

All Things Work Together for Good!

Have you ever wondered when God is going to make good on HIS promise to work all things for good? Ever think back on sins you have done over and over...maybe don't do nearly so much (or at all anymore) and wonder when you will be able to use those experiences to help someone else?

Well, I have wondered those things a lot! And I got my answer to some of it yesterday.

A gal I know only as an acquaintance, called yesterday to discuss payment issues pertaining to her kids coming to our homeschool co-op. She and her husband are in a couple months of difficult financial times. As I was trying to think of a way, while she was speaking, about how the co-op could maybe scholarship her, she said something that snapped me back to the moment...."My husband has said he doesn't want us doing co-op this year, but I am overriding his decision on that."

WOAH!!!! I really felt called right there to share my struggles with submission and then to share God's extreme faithfulness when I HAVE submitted...especially in the hard things. I probably preached at her, but it was such a clear case of her choosing to reject her husband's wishes in this area. He had asked her to do this to help their family in several areas and she was willing to just toss that desire aside for her own feelings. She mentioned in the course of our discussion that she was wanting him to step up and be more of the spiritual leader in the home, but right here, when she could have encouraged him in that way, she was doing just the opposite!

I was able to speak to that because 1) it's the truth God lays out clearly and 2) I have been there and know just what choosing to go against Ben does for Ben, for me, for our marriage, and for my relationship with Christ!

God did just what HE promised yesterday....worked out those bad things I've done for good...by being able to help a fellow believer to see the path she was beginning to walk down. What a blessing for me to be able to do that! I praise God that HE allowed me to see that so clearly and to speak up. And though her absence would hurt our co-op, I pray that she calls me today to say that she wants to take her kids out of co-op and that she is going to do what her husband has asked even if it's difficult for her.

Darby-less For A Week

This sweet little girl who is peeking out from a tree....
this little girl who is safe, without a care in the world, on her papa's shoulders....

this beautiful girl trying out a new coy look for the camera....

is the same girl leaving by herself on a plane bound for Little Rock for a week.

We will miss her...but oh! what fun she is going to have!

I will miss you, my friend.

Chocolate Creamcheese Bars

Bakerella.com had a great recipe the other day. The minute I saw it I knew I had to try it...and soon!

This is the top of the Chocolate Creamcheese Bars....yummy! chocolate...come to mama!
It was almost painful to make that first cut...ruining the perfect chocolate lake. But cut, I must. And I was not disappointed!

Yeah! That piece was all mine! Perfect crust...silkly smooth middle...delectable ganache. So lovely. I WILL be making this again.

1st Annual Barbarian Night

We had our first annual Barbarian Night! Spaghetti and meatballs on the table with no plates, no silverware. Here is a snapshot of what it looked like:

Spaghetti and sauce had to get cooled off to room temp so that we could eat it with our hands.
Bailey and Darby being a bit prissy.

Ben being not so prissy.

Kally taking after Ben!

The hands!

What a great time! We will definitely be doing it again next year and for many years to come.

Wordless Wednesday

23 Years and Counting!

In November of 1986, I met Ben. The first date we went on was to a fancy restaurant in San Marcos, Texas called Katy Station. It was wonderful! I had to leave that date a bit early to attend an RA meeting in my dorm. A couple days later we went to a concert in Austin. The next day, because the first two dates ended without dessert...Ben made an apple pie and cookies and brought them to me to make up for the no-dessert dates. I was hooked!

He wrangled an invitation from my mom to come to our home for Thanksgiving. A couple of weeks later, I had to go to Minnesota for my cousin's wedding. When I arrived back, Ben picked me up at the airport and asked me to marry him. I was hooked!

He went off to pilot training and I stayed in Austin to do my student teaching. We didn't get to see each other very often. He made it down when he could, but it was difficult. But no matter how hard it was, I was hooked!

We married on August 8, 1987. It's been fun to get to know him over these 23 years. We laugh a lot! We have to! Five kids, 8 moves, 2 dogs, 2 birds, 5 fish, 11 cars, and 15 answering machines later...I am still hooked!

I can't wait to see what the next 23 years bring. I love you Ben.