What Was I Thinking?

Oh dear Brazil. I just spent 10 wonderful fabulous days in another country without Carl and my kiddos...what was I thinking?

I did my best to consult my mentor and former boss, Dr. Phil Jett as to what clothes to wear...what was I thinking?

I jump on my plane on Friday, sat on the runway in Tulsa for 2 hours, came back to the terminal for 2 hours and then set off once again for Houston. I land in Houston with just enough time---perhaps 40 minutes to make my connection to Sao Paulo and I get a phone call from my wardrobe consultant/personal travel agent/great friend, Lyle Larson. Uh my group (that I didn't even know in the first place) from Jackson, Mississippi was delayed at the airport in Jackson and would not make the flight. AND I would be flying solo to Sao Paulo...what was I thinking!!

Did you know that not many people speak English in Sao Paulo airport? And did you know that I only know two words in Portugese? Good morning--and thank you. Seeing as I landed at night only one of those words were working for me....what was I thinking?

Well some how (hello we all know it was the Lord), I made it onto my flight to Porta Segua where I was greeted by the wonderful missionaries for Pioneer Evangelism, Eduardo and his sweet wife Rosa.

I am always amazed--at the graciousness and thankfullness of people in other countries. They are so grateful that you would come and help them minister to those in their country. It has been 8 years since I have been on an international mission trip...what was thinking?

I finally meet the wonderful team from Crossgates Church in Brandon, Mississippi. For the record there is nothing like southern people. We take a 6 hour BUMPY ride up the mountain and reach our final destination.

Our week consisted of construction work,

washing feet of precious Brazilian children, giving reading glasses, dental clinic, playing games with these children, speaking at a conference

has the opportunity to lead 6 people to Christ--one who was a bar owner and one precious lady who had tried to commit suicide more than 4 times...what was I thinking?

I will tell you what I was thinking....I serve a God who can take an ordinary girl like me and through His power do extraordinary things! I was thinking I serve a God who is worthy to leave my husband and children for 10 days to love on people who need to know about my Saviour. I was thinking how incredibly blessed I am!!

Father's Day 2010

I dearly love Father's Day---because I dearly love the two most wonderful fathers on the face of the earth that are in my life---Jess Stenner and Carl Lopez.
I'm really at a loss for words--I am not kidding, I really am. Because I am just overwhelmed by these two men. I know they neither one are perfect--for those of you that know them---I am not kidding--they aren't. But for sure they both were the two perfect men to have in my life to make me into the woman that I am and to love me for who I am.
One of my favorite memories growing up, was to stand at our big picture window that looked into the driveway of my grandparent's house about 50 yards away and wait for my dad to pull in their driveway to drop my grandpa off (they rode to work together Everyday for almost 50 years---I am not kidding, they did.) Anyway, as soon as I would see them I would take off running down our drive way which was very long---just so I could hop in the truck and ride home with my daddy. I can't even tell you how exciting that was to run to meet him just so I could ride up the driveway with him. I loved and still do spending time with my daddy.
Last week my LITTLE sister turned 40--I am not kidding, she did. Which is totally weird considering I am only 35 myself. But she did and so I drove to KC for her birthday party. I had to turn around and come right back to Tulsa the next day because of my crazy little family and our crazy little schedule--I am not kidding, it is! But on my way out of town, I stopped at my dad's machine shop and visited with him for almost two hours. He was running some parts so in between putting the sheets of metal in to be cut by the laser, we talked ALOT about my grandpa.
This is our first Father's Day without him. Can not tell you the sadness for my family--BUT the joy of having such a godly heritage. My sweet 89 year old grandpa went to be with Jesus 6 months ago. I am so thankful for his character, his work ethic, his love for the Word of God, his desire that EVERYONE know Jesus--and that he passed that on to my daddy and daddy passed that on to his girls and to his grandkids.
SOOOOOO thankful for Father's Day and for the chance to say thank you to my daddy and to Carl----for showing us on a consistent daily basis the love of our Heavenly Father.
One of the things that has made me sad today is to think of people in my life that are spending today with out their fathers-- perhaps for the first year. My prayer for them today is that they will find comfort in knowing that we have a God who has promised to be a Father to the fatherless--I am not kidding, He has. (Psalm 68:5)
Happy Father's Day!
I do hear by solemnly swear to be more consistent with blogging---I am not kidding, I really am!!!

9 Months Behind

Well well well--it looks like it has been almost 9 months since I last entered the blogosphere. When I started my blog, one thing I wanted for sure was to be transparent--like that would ever be a problem with me. Could my lack of blogging be any more transparent of who I am--inconsistent. And as with most of my former posts, I usually try to relate; to all my 5 readers, something that God is teaching me through just EveryDay stuff. And well my inconsistency is no different.
Literally I blog for sure once a week---in my head. Why is it that it never makes it to the lap top and onto my blogspot? Why is it that I long--desire--want so badly to share my thoughts--lessons--ideas and yet do very little about it. Why is it that I feel horrible and guilty and like an L-7 loser when someone says, "I wish you would blog Denise" Okay so that is only my mother but still...I feel laden with guilt for not following through with something that I started. Why is it that I feel soooooo incredibly guilty and worthless when I fail to blog?
Well isn't that where we end up spiritually sometimes--inconsistent and left feeling guilty? Oh how I love my Southern Baptist conservative roots. And oh how thankful I am for disciplines I learned growing up in a wonderful little church in Kearney. And sad to say along with that wonderful heritage came a baggage of guilt for not measuring up to what I thought God expected of me. But at 45 years of age (are you kidding me?--I am halfway to 90) the Lord is teaching me to do less and be more--live in grace. And so well my desire, my hope, my intention is to blog more often--for sure more often than once every 9 months--but if I don't it'll be okay. Won't it?