Company Girl Coffee 6.19.2009

Dearest Company Girls,
I am SO glad to be with you this week. It seems like every Friday I've been somewhere else or where the internet wouldn't work until it was much too late to join you!
The younger children are still out of town with their natural dad, stepmom, and grandparents in another state. Meanwhile I have been working working working on ministry projects while they are out of town. Most of the work has involved being in the town of Brentwood, TN working with a client who works with many clients, so I have been in the dressed up hose and heels outfits almost daily. It has been a walk on a different side of life. Les has joined me as often as possible but it seems we've spent alot of time on the road seperately. Brentwood is 90 or so miles from home, so often I simply stayed in an extended stay inn when we put in 14-18 hour days. I don't think I've ever worked so hard in my life, but the work is joyous!

Last weekend Les and I celebrated our seventh anniversary by driving from Alabama to Texas to hear our very own Rachel Anne Ridge share her Clothesline Story with the women of her home church. I cannot adequately express the joy and the absolute happiness it was to be with her during her "debut" as a speaker. She'll never brag on herself girls, but God so has gifted her with an amazing voice with his message. Of course we know that already from Home Sanctuary don't we! It was so fun for me to be with Miss Anne, Rachel's mom, and to meet her children, Tom and Big Tom and her son in law too! Les and I were so pleased and thrilled to have spent time with them, it simply set the stage for our anniversary celebration that night in Dallas and the next day as well. (Our college boy, Les Jr was kind enough to take care of the rabbit, fish, and dogs for us in Alabama)
Dallas is one of my favorite places on the earth. I don't know exactly why, but I think it has that "That Girl" feeling tone that I grew up with on t.v. Its a place of big stores, beautiful scenes, skyscrapers, and art. When I was a small girl, we lived in a tiny community where none of that existed except on "That Girl" which I watched with awe....Marlo Thomas played "That Girl" and it was set in a city scene with chic clothes and great scenes of city life.

One of the "moments" of the weekend was that we went to dinner at the Hotel Indigo. Its the Hotel I visited when I was at CBE. I love it there, the staff is friendly and they remembered me! I could not believe it, they knew my name! It was so fun for them all to come and meet Les and to share with us that evening! We had a romantic quiet dinner alone in the restaurant and the staff made it SO special. Later we went to the Dallas Museum of Art. What made it wonderful is that 22 years ago I would work there as a 2nd job when I was a teacher serving people at the parties there. I loved seeing their fancy outfits, and a car brought up for them to get into with their husbands who were so happy to be with their brides. At the time I was single and divorced, very alone on my own and there was such longing for me to have a life that included a husband who looked lovingly at me. It was a dream come true for us to be there as the guests, and indeed my handsome husband was in fact there with me, and we were then one of the ones that had a car brought up for us to get into. I knew God had given me yet another silly thing that I once upon a time dreamed of. You won't be surprised to know that I did indeed open the moonroof on the Volvo and played a CD too loudly as I squealed as I realized I was indeed living the dream 22 years later....God is good, and that was so unnecessary yet He remembered the dream and gave it to me. We had not planned to be there, it simply became available....a God gift...and it was wonderful.

Sunday morning brought us to my brother and his wife's home. We were so glad to spend time with them. M was so kind as to create a special anniversary breakfast for us and it was delicious. We loved being with them and stayed late, then drove to Texarkana for the night. Monday we picked up a young friend who is visiting us for two weeks and drove home to Alabama. I worked hard all week to get "caught up" and then Thursday we had the first B2G (Becoming God's Girl) Bible study for tweens at my home then I worked the rest of the day. This morning I leave again for TN until next Thursday, but I am thrilled to be working with the Write to Publish Author of the Year award winningKaren Rabbitt, author of Trading Fathers. Karen's writing has so affected me and I cannot begin to tell you what a joy she is to work with! I will also get to work with a few other speakers and presenters who will be driving or flying in to work with a new project. It is going to be an exciting week! I am even going to get to work with Allison Worthington, Mrs. Fussypants again on Saturday and this time she's taking me home for a planning session for the night, I simply love her five boys and adore her mister, My mister so enjoys them too....how fun is that! Y'all God is cooking up some amazing things right now that I will be able to talk more specifically and fully soon...just keep praying for us, I can't begin to explain how, or what, or even why...but God is God and He is so launching some loving and exciting things for all of our families!

You know, since November 12. 2008 this God of ours has so taught me so many things in very bold ways. Its a new growth in my old heart....After almost seven years of "wait,be still, not now, study, listen, surrender" any time I prayed about ministry to step and blended families, God said that morning "It is time". I'd like to tell you that I was estatic, happy, or even obedient....but the truth is I was like "you've got to be kidding me...I thought you said come home, I thought you said "be still"...I did what you asked...NOW you want me to begin WHAT? I really do have to be convinced with a 2 x 4 sometimes...I still think most days that my opinion counts....and we all know up against God Almighty, not only do I not count I shouldn't even bother to have an opinion other than His! I am astonished that He even allows me to be a part of his kingdom, much less work for a King! My ordinary life has become so much more precious, I realize so many things I simply didn't understand why I experienced in my life were the way they were. God however, is surprised by anything in our lives...our messes and our joys....for He truly did know us before we were knit in our mother's wombs. I am daily reminded by His works that He knew and knows all things, that we can indeed be at peace in our Jesus Christ, that worrying is truly a waste, and yet God is God and we are not. So many situations He weaves into our lives allow us to grow and reach out to others, yet we so often think we control anything and everything. We make messes of our opportunities, yet God weaves this too into His beautiful tapestry as he uses even the worst within us to help others when we allow Him to. This new walk God has me on makes me want to pull out my hair some days simply because I would for one moment like to know what happens next....but the truth is, I wouldn't miss this for the world!

I have fresh blueberries and blackberries to go with our coffee, lemonade, or slushes today. Please help yourself or use the blender and make a smoothy! Yogurt's in the fridge on the right. The farmer's market out did themselves

I cannot wait to catch up on all of your lives. I have missed you so, but tonight I have the evening set aside in the hotel to simply read up on your lives!

hugs!