Christmas is Exciting

Christmas is a wonderful time and I look so forward to having all the children in the house at one time and enjoying a wonderful meal together. We don't go all out with presents (see David's blog) for each other but we do have the stockings stuffed and monetary gifts for the children. But now it's over! The Christmas holidays are drawing to an end and the big celebrations are over. Our children came and went within 4 hours. Again, as at Thanksgiving, the preparations took far longer than the actual event.

My step-daughters are visiting their mother and my boys are back in Wilmington and visiting relatives respectively. So, my husband and I are home alone! Sounds pretty romantic, huh? Well, let me remind you of our occupations. He is a Baptist minister and I am a minister of music and youth, both in the same church which is synonymous with "never a dull moment".

Our respective families were begging for us to take the few days after Christmas to visit with them. One set is in Ellerbe, NC and the other in Appomattox, VA. We had considered to do just that since we didn't have services on Wednesday evening but because we had a church member in the hospital recovering from a triple by-pass and one in the hospital/rehab recovering from a serious back operation, we just didn't feel we could leave town. This didn't go over too well with the parents, but it's just the way it has to be in our professions.

The day after Christmas, David and I headed to Wilmington to visit our heart patient and the girls headed out for a day of shopping and to their mom's. On our way home we got word that one of our church member's grandfather had passed away Christmas night. Since the grandfather was not a member of a local church, David was asked to officiate the service which would require a funeral service and several visits to the home. As he was preparing this service, we did our worship planning for the upcoming Sunday which includes 3 services.... all in the morning. The phone rang, another death. This time it was the mother of a woman who had visited our church several times but had no church and they requested David do the service. Being the compassionate person he is, he couldn't turn this family down. Funeral #2 preparations are now to be made. One would be Saturday @ 3:30 and the other on Sunday at 2:00. On Sunday afternoon, I will be taking our youth to Caswell for The Edge Conference, an annual event for us but only after I sing in the Sunday funeral.

Christmas is a busy time for most folks and for many, as myself, enjoying the hustle and bustle the season brings is part of the excitement. However, I've had just about enough excitement for one Christmas. Our prayers are with the families we are currently ministering to because of the deaths of their loved ones. May God be with all the families who are experiencing grief this Christmas season.

Christmas Is 4 Giving

Christmas is for giving. I like that phrase and the youth at Brunswick Islands Baptist Church, where I serve as Minister of Music and Youth, took that phrase to heart this past weekend. Since the majority of our members are retired, we have a small youth group but they do great things ... most of the time.

I picked the girls (all of the youth are girls except one and he was involved in family stuff this weekend) up at the church at 4:00 on Friday afternoon and we headed to Wal Mart. Prior to our meeting the girls had picked 3 recipes a piece from Mrs. Claus' Cookbook and sent them to me via email so I could compile the ingredients list.

I divided the ingredients and printed them onto index cards: Dairy, Baking Supplies, Grocery and Other. Each girl was given an index card, a grocery cart and sent on her way. Of course before the chore was over, they were all huddled together picking and choosing their items carefully.

After the shopping adventure, we headed to an oceanfront beach house owned by one of our members. The girls took turns making and baking their goodies until about 1 am Saturday morning. They had a great time and did a terrific job. We had gingerbread men, Rice Krispy Christmas Wreaths, Peanut Butter Kisses, Fudge that didn't turn out too well, 7 layer cookies, etc.


We packaged everything into containers with an assortment of cookies and candies and headed to bed for a few hours. We got up, cleaned up our rooms and headed out. Now, you may wonder out to where. Our mission was to bake goodies for the shut ins. We made home visits and nursing home visits. The girls hate that sort of thing, until they get there.

One of our shut-ins lost her daughter to Cancer last week. Needless to say, this was an emotional time for the lady and the girls. We didn't quite get through delivering on Saturday so we began again on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday our lone guy joined us. We had a grand time and the young people realized it truly is better to give than to receive as was noted by the smiles and the tears from those who received.

Is God Greedy?

Now that school is out for a little while I am able to expand my horizons, so to speak. Tonight was no exception. I filled in for the teacher of the 4-6 grades Bible Skills & Drills class. As it turned out, I only had one student, Elijah. One of the regulars is a heart transplant patient and was in Chapel Hill getting his regular scheduled biopsy and the other two were out of town.

Elijah and I had a nice class time playing the Books of the Bible CD game that went along with tonight's lesson and we got into a discussion of God's character. We talked about big words such as omnipresent and omniscient and omnipotent. Then out of the blue, Elijah asked me if I thought God was greedy.

Of course my first answer was, of course not, why do you think God is greedy? He preceded to tell me that God wants everything. He wants us to love him and worship him and adore him, etc. By this perception of this young boy, he decided God was greedy.

I thought about this before answering and wondered if I could come up with something that would help Elijah understand the difference. I told him that if I were a greedy person, I would want everything for myself. Since God already owns everything, the things he wants from us is for our good, not God's.

Since God doesn't need, God can't be classified as greedy. Can he?

Missing CUDS Already

I must say today was filled with mixed emotions for me. I am usually so ready to be finished with a semester. Goodness knows I've seen several semester endings over the past years. This one, somehow, was different. Today was the last day of exams at Campbell Divinity School in Buies Creek, NC. That may not mean too much to some of you, but to some of us, it means a few weeks of rest and relaxation. It means no cramming for exams or pulling all-nighters to get a book read in order to write the review by daybreak. ( I didn't do that but I know who did!) :) It means being able to spend more time with our families and enjoying the little things like staying up a little longer at night to watch the entire game on Monday nights.

Even though I was finished with another semester, today was a little different. I began to ponder why this one was unlike the rest. When I tried to come up with a good reason, all I could come up with is the fact that I am in my "last" days. No, I'm not dying. Not as I know of, anyway. But you know the days ... this was the last Advent season I will celebrate with my Campbell friends. This was the last time I'll leave the Campbell campus wishing everyone to have a Merry Christmas. It was the last time I had to fill out a class request form...(previous blog).

I've tried to get Dr. Cogdill to create a position for me at the Divinity School so I can stay around. LOL. He said he wasn't sure the campus could handle that. LOL

I have had to remind myself over the last few days that even though there were challenges along the way (exams, papers, etc), there is much to be thankful for. I have met new folks every semester I've been at Campbell, but have been able to keep in touch with the old ones too. This semester seemed to be chocked full of even more new friends, and for this, I am thankful.

For the professors who have challenged us and expected the best but who have seen fit to offer grace when necessary, I am thankful. For the folks who replaced the stinky paper towels in the bathrooms, I am thankful. For Elaine's great smile and willingness to "be there for ya" and Joyce's sense of humor, I am thankful. For Irma's big smile and Kelly's sweet grin, I am thankful. For Lynn's precious disposition and Amanda's willingness to serve, I am thankful.

You see, Campbell is a great place to be. Why wouldn't I miss it when I'm gone? Yes, I'm glad the exams and papers are finished, but I look forward to January when old friendships are renewed and new friends are found.

Mother/Son Graduation

College graduation is a huge milestone in the life of an individual as I well remember. I was 34 when I received my college degree and I was so excited about going to the graduation exercises at Campbell University and having my children there to see "Mom" get her degree.

Well, now the tables have turned. My oldest son will graduate from UNCW in May of next year. It has taken 5 years but isn't that the norm nowadays? I'm not sure I know too many who get a 4-year degree in 4 years anymore. He went to St. Andrews Presbyterian College on a partial baseball scholarship but decided after a couple of years he wasn't going to play baseball the rest of his life, so he wanted to transfer to UNCW. When he was first applying to colleges, UNCW was his only choice even though he had several colleges interested in him to play baseball for them. He applied at Wilmington and I remember the day so vividly. February 15, 2002 was the day he got his acceptance letter. He was thrilled. It wasn't until later in the year he decided to give St. Andrews a try so he could play baseball a little longer. Five years later he's going to graduate from the one and only school he wanted to attend. I am so proud of him and can't wait to attend his graduation ceremony.

When I entered Campbell University Divinity School, Daniel and I joked about us graduating at the same time. Of course we had no idea, then, how long it would take either one of us. Well, it's going to happen but we have a slight problem. My hooding date and his graduation date are THE SAME BLESSED DAY!!!!!!! (sorry about the exclamation points, Dr. C)

I was doing a little checking on the UNCW site the other day and came to a startling realization. If the December graduation is any indication, his ceremony will be at 9:30 in Wilmington and mine is at 3:00 in Buies Creek, 2 hours away. I think we'll make it. :)

Is Blue a Christmas Color?

Today is Thursday which means a 12:30 class at Campbell Divinity School. I usually leave home around 10 which gives me about 15 minutes for error. Today was a little different for some reason. I left home around 9:45 and enjoyed a leisurely drive down Hwy 17 and then around Wilmington on Hwy 421. My mind was on a thousand things, none of which were too important. I was thinking about this being the last day of classes for the semester and how I would have to get busy studying for exams tonight when I got home from class.

Hwy 421 becomes 2 lane about 15 miles out of Wilmington but this time of day doesn't usually pose any problems. Most everyone is where they need to be by the time I come passing through so I don't usually have to think about my driving skills too much.

I was still ahead of my Thursday schedule and in no rush as I cruised down the road when I noticed the yards of the community I was passing through. They were all decorated for Christmas. This had happened since I went through on Tuesday. One yard had a blow-up Santa and Snowman while another had the Nativity scene outlined in various colored lights. I chuckled a little to myself when I noticed Mary was outlined in red and Joseph in green. The shepherds were outlined in some dark color and then I saw the camel. It was outlined in blue.

BLUE. Who ever heard of a blue camel? The other colors fit the traditional Christmas color scheme but a blue camel? Blue isn't a Christmas color.

Because the road isn't very busy, I set my cruise control at 61 and don't usually have to change it except in Clinton at the stop light and at Spivey's Corner at a stop light. For some reason I had come off my cruise control when I was "admiring" the colorful Nativity scene. Evidently a car had turned off the road in front of me and I had to put on brakes. I guess I never reset my cruise when all of a sudden I saw blue, again. So much for being a little ahead of schedule.

The dreaded words were drifting into my window, "Ma'am, is there a reason you were speeding?" Well, I couldn't come up with a good reason so I simply said, "probably not" even though I wanted to add, "but give me a minute and I'll think of something."

After 15 minutes of the agonizing wait and wonder, the patrolman got out of his car with the pink paper. Why couldn't it have been blue? After all, isn't blue a Christmas color?

My phone rang shortly after the incident and it was David. He asked me what I was doing. My answer ........ about 55.

10 Hours of Cooking - 15 Minutes of Eating

Easy come, Easy go.

My parents came to our house and brought my 92 year old grandmother. My mom told me earlier in the week that they would be leaving around 10 which would put them here around 12:30. This was fine considering I was planning to have lunch on the table by 2 pm.

I decided I wanted to get my Thanksgiving shopping done on Tuesday night after I got home from classes at 7:45 pm. Wednesday morning I mixed up everything we were having and had it ready to go in the refrigerator by 2 pm. Roast Turkey Breast, Baked Ham, Dressing, Gravy, Broccoli Delight, Cheesy Corn Casserole, Baked Pineapple, Sweet Potatoes w/Apricots, Cranberry Salad, and Deviled Eggs. For dessert we had Butterscotch Supreme, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie and some Potato Roll my grandmother contributed. Everything was in the refrigerator ready to be baked on Thursday morning.

We had a great Thanksgiving Eve service on Wednesday night but I was beyond tired by the time the service was over. I was more than pleased there was no choir rehearsal after the service as is usually the case.

Anyway, my parents were early and caught me mopping the kitchen floor, which was the last thing on the list of things-to-do. My oldest son and his girlfriend came in a little later with my two grand-dogs and then my youngest son called from California where he is in the midst of desert training for the US Marines.

The dinner bell rang and we all gathered around as David said the blessing and we started the process. It was over in 30 minutes and that's only because we sat at the table and talked for a little while. Something that took 10 hours to prepare was consumed in 15 minutes. Can it possibly be worth all that?

Absolutely. To be able to spend time with my family is worth everything. I hope each of you were able to spend time with some if not all your family today.

Love One Another - The Same

While David and I were away at the state convention this week, there were two deaths connected to our church family. Mike McGinnis' father died - both Mike and his wife, Pat, sing in the choir I direct. another woman in the church lost her adult son in a fire, a tragedy we learned about only upon our return from Greensboro.

The McGinnis funeral home visitation was packed. We stood in line for nearly 50 minutes before we ever reached the doorway of the room where the family was located. If Pat had not come out and seen us and insisted we come on to the front of the line, I'm not sure how long it would have taken. It was apparent this man was well loved and that his family was well loved.

David went to see the woman who lost her son on Thursday while I was in class. She was home alone.

The McGinnis funeral service on Friday was over flowing with friends and family members wishing to show their respects. The speaker was full of praise for this man and his family and their dedication to God and his plan for their lives. It was a beautiful time of worship and the crowd was a testimony to the love the McGinnis family expresses and receives.

The kitchen staff of the church was prepared and waiting for the end of the service to offer this family a bountiful feast to further show their love and respect to the man who had just been
laid to rest and for his family.

We left the funeral, stopped by Food Lion to pick up some chicken and off we headed to the home of the woman who had lost her son in the fire.

This woman, a widow, had just buried her only child who died in a house fire.

We drove in the yard of the grieving mother to find ...... NO ONE. There were NO visitors to help console this lady, NO ONE bringing food, NO ONE there to wrap their arms around her to tell her how sorry they were for her loss, NO ONE. I was heart-broken. Not only because there was no one there to support here but because I didn't want to go either.

After following David up the broken steps and down the wooden walkway covered by some resemblance of AstroTurf that obviously was there to cover the rotten boards, we entered this home.

She lives in a single-wide mobile home with a floor that feels like it will give away any minute. Her furnishings are far less than anything you would find in a thrift store. The inside is dirty and scattered from here to yonder. There are cats climbing all over the counters, the stove, over dishes, etc. And, it stinks. Get the picture? It's terrible.

She was sitting alone, in this place she calls home, surrounded only by her animals. The "mother" in me wanted so badly to start picking up and straightening and washing and wiping, but my heart said to stop and listen to this heart-broken mother who had just lost her son.

Is there a difference in these two church members who had lost close family members? Then why was one family so surrounded and the other not?

A van full of church members drove 40 miles to a funeral home to visit and show respect to one family. I did not hear of a van full of folks going to the home to visit the other. There were church members who drove 40 miles again to attend an elaborate military funeral for one family, but I would be interested to know how many church members drove 5 miles to attend the small and simple graveside service for the other.

I don't know who went to the other because I was not one of them. I could try and justify my actions in that the son and daughter-in-law who lost their father are members of the choir and the other lady is a member who shows up once in a blue moon, but that doesn't make it right and it certainly doesn't make me feel better.

I hear the words ringing in my ears, "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" and "...whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me" (Matt. 25:40 & 45).

The McGinnis family will move forward and survive. They are a close knit family and will be able to lean on each other. The woman who lost her son will survive, too, but maybe she will need someone to help her through it and someone to be there to lean on. Maybe that someone is me.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, all.

My Obituary

I had the strangest feeling this afternoon. I got home from school around 7:30 PM and decided to go ahead and get a head start on next week's assignments. I will be at the Baptist State Convention in Greensboro on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and I know my study time is going to be limited those days.

Our assignment in Ministry of Writing for next Thursday is to write our own obituary. I thought this should be pretty easy since I check our hometown paper every single day and the obituaries are the second section I look at.

I was moving along pretty well until I got to my death date. Do you know how hard it was to "predict" your date of death? I put a date WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY in the future. It would feel pretty weird for the date to get here and then have to wonder all day if I was going to die.

I decided to "die" at the age of 98. My husband told me if I didn't take better care of myself I'd never make it to 98 so I figured it was a safe date.

However, after he smarted off, he preceded me in death.

Rules ... Do they exist anymore?

I grew up in a small family, Mama, Daddy and one pestering younger brother. I guess we were happy. I don't remember too much turmoil at least until my brother and I got older. He was and is a pain in the patootie and he's 45 years old. LOL.

What I do remember, and quite vividly, was my parents' intentions for us to follow the rules. I grew up knowing that if I didn't follow the rules, a spanking was the next step. I didn't get many. Actually, I don't remember but two. I'm sure I deserved more, but I did try to behave most of the time back then. :)

What is so different? Do parents think they are going to spoil their "buddy buddy" relationships with their children if they discipline them? The word "No" is not such a hard word to say.

I think it's time we made our young people responsible for their actions. Consequences are going to face us as long as we live. I think we would do our young people a great service by holding them accountable for inappropriate behavior now before they head into the big world and find some that are not so forgiving.

Are teen-agers too old to learn the rules? No! See that wasn't so hard, was it?

I Love My CUDS Mailbox

There have been times over the last 4 years that I wondered if this day would ever come, but at last, it's here.

When I arrive on campus on Tuesdays I always stop on the first floor to check my mailbox before heading up two more floors to my first class of the day. I'm a little on the short side but because of the alphabetical arrangement of names my mailbox is the 2nd from the top. Needless to say I can't see in the box so I reach my hand up there and pray I can reach anything that has happened my way. There's always an Update with news from the Div School and once in awhile another piece of paper with some information I may or may not need.

Tuesday was no exception. I reached in, pulled out my Update and there was another piece of paper in there. This one was one I definitely needed and had long awaited.

MY LAST CLASS SCHEDULE.

Yes, you heard me correctly. The class schedule for next semester was in our boxes. This will be the last time I will fill out a class request for the next semester. My first reaction was a resounding YES YES YES but then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was my LAST class schedule. I'm not sure I'm ready for this. This is not the feeling you get in your Junior year when selecting your classes for your Senior year. That is an exciting time for sure. You get to leave high school and head into new adventures.

In a way, this is sort of my last adventure. I do not plan to get my DMin so this is my last big educational stop. Oh, I'm sure there will be seminars here and there and training classes now and again I will attend but nothing will compare to Campbell.

I think I have enjoyed these past 4 years as much as anything in my life but with the last semester ahead of me, I am going to try to soak in all I can in the next 193 days left (yes I'm counting).

So, I ask you, God, please help me make the most of the days ahead.

But, I have 4 more weeks and tons of writing to do before the end of this semester so I might better focus on today.

Just When I Need Him Most

Just when I need Him, Jesus is near,
Just when I falter, just when I fear;
Ready to help me, ready to cheer,
Just when I need Him most.

That's the song that I thought of late this afternoon after I finished, what I thought was going to be, an easy task. I read an article this week about the drought and how bugs were finding refuge indoors. No sooner than I got through reading the article did I find a baby roach in the kitchen. I was sick. I hate those critters. I know God made roaches just like he made flowers, but he had to have another task for them than for crawling around in my kitchen.

David and I had to do a funeral this morning and then there was lunch at the church following the graveside service, so I decided to bomb the house. Not literally, of course, but with one of those Raid Roach Bombs. Actually, I used 3.

I yanked everything out of the cabinets and covered it up, moved my plants outside, and set off the bombs as I set out for the funeral.

When I got home, I knew the task of putting everything back in the cabinets awaited me, but what I didn't know is that it takes 4 times as long to put things back. Especially if I wash everything, sort through spices, wash down cabinets, sweep and mop the floors and throw away unnecessary "stuff".

Anyway, when I was returning the non-perishables back to the cabinet, I found a package of Batherpy ... Bathe away your sore muscles, aches and pains. Now, don't ask me why Batherapy was in the kitchen cabinet for I fear I can't answer that question, but it did come at a great time. I had reached the last task of the whole bombing adventure and I was sore and aching.

While the water was filling the tub, this song came to my mind. Just When I Need Him Most. Isn't it wonderful how Jesus is always near and just when we need him, he's right there, ready and willing to soothe away our aches and pains?

Gone To The Dogs

It's Wednesday and that means lots of things for those of us in the ministry. For me as the youth minister and minister of music it is an especially long day.

Since this is the 3rd Wednesday, our supper menu is Taco Salad and the youth are responsible for the meal. I went shopping, picked up one of my youth and came home to brown the hamburger meat and make the brownies. In the midst of all this, I was working on homework for class tomorrow. As the hamburger browned and the brownies were coming out of the oven with others waiting to go in, I began to clean up.

I know folks that lived during the Depression and they are as much a stickler for saving things and not wasting as I am about making sure the lights are off when you leave a room and cleaning your mess as you make it.

Everything was back in its place and you couldn't tell I had made 4 pans of brownies and browned 15 pounds of hamburger. The dishes were washed and put up and I could leave the kitchen, after turning off the lights, proud.

I left for church around 4:30 p.m. I guided the young people in getting things together for the supper: making the tea, getting the salad put out, the sauces, the cheese, the sour cream, etc. then it was time for Discipleship Training after which we had a regular scheduled quarterly business meeting. (yippee) After the business meeting, we had choir rehearsal until 9:00 p.m.

When I got home, every light in the house was on and there was no one to be found. My step-daughter was in her room and my husband was in our room. I went in to the bedroom with this question on my lips: "Why is every light in the house on with no one in the rooms that are lit?" I'm not sure I ever got my question answered because my husband began to tell me that when I left the house at 4:30 p.m. the back door didn't catch so the back door had been left ajar the entire time we were at the church.

We have 3 dogs: A Doberman, a Dachsund, and a sweet mix of ugly. While we were gone, the dogs enjoyed free rein of our home which included a trash can full of egg shells from the brownies and breakfast for the last 2 days, the hamburger wrappings, the coffee grounds from the week among other various and yucky things. The trash was scattered from one end to the other. There were coffee grounds all over the rug in the living room, CDs had been knocked over from a table beside my recliner, there was even trash that they had taken out to the back deck. My husband was not happy. They had to vacuum, sweep, mop, re-arrange, you name it. They even got into my step-daughter's room and played havoc in there. (not that you could tell....she's a teenager).

I guess it has finally gotten through the brains of those that live in this house with me that I hate messes. You couldn't prove it by me that the our house went to the dogs while we were gone, but I'm glad it was cleaned up before I got home.

They are too.

A Little Math Problem

"Reading Days" divided by a take-home midterm + a 1 Samuel midterm + 2 church members in the hospital + church work + a baby shower to host + 3 church members in the nursing home =


NO FOOTBALL!!!!!!! and NO TIME FOR BLOGGING.

Timothy B. Tyson was Under My Bed

I hate to clean but when I finally do get in the mood, I do it right. Today is Saturday and it was time to change the sheets on our bed. I took the sheets off, put them in the washer then decided it was time to wash the bedskirt, too. We have a king-sized bed so taking the bedskirt is no small task. But, since David was working on his sermon (it is Saturday, afterall) I decided to handle it myself.

After the skirt was off, I got on all fours to see what was hiding under our bed. Oh my goodness!

At night we let our dogs come in from outside to sleep. We have three. Earl, the Doberman, sleeps on his dog bed on the floor at the foot of our bed. Maxie, the 'I'm-not-sure' usually ends up in the bends of our knees and Pickles (I didn't pick this name), the Dachshund, sleeps under the bed. Hence, the "Oh my goodness" statement.

I use the underneath part of our bed as a storage building. Our bed is sitting on eight inch risers so it gives ample space for large storage containers of winter clothes and various other 'stuff'. I put bedding ensembles in trash bags and put them under the bed as well. It's a pack rat's dream space.

I pulled all that stuff out from under the bed and began to re-arrange. As I pulled the last article out from under the bed I found a box of books. I opened the box and was reading the titles and all of a sudden I found a book I had been looking for. It's actually one of David' books, but I had started it a long time ago and "lost" it before I finished it.

I doubt I'll get to finish it at the present time because of mid-terms coming up, but I have put it in a safe place where I can see it so as to remind me to finish it soon. So far it's a great book and even though I haven't finished it I gladly recommend it. Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B. Tyson.

What's hiding under your bed?

Don't You Just Love Mondays?

Monday mornings are pretty laid back at my house. My step-daughter leaves home around 7:30 for school and David leaves for the church office in time to be there by 9. By this time, I have gotten up, made the bed, taken a shower and fixed my usual breakfast which consists of a sausage, egg and cheese something; could be a bagel, could be a sandwich or maybe even a biscuit if I feel like waiting long enough for the biscuit to bake. (Don't get crazy, I don't make my own biscuits, but you still have to bake the frozen ones you get in a bag at Food Lion).

Then I get my book bag and class syllabi to see which books are going to be necessary to have close by to finish up the reading assignments for Tuesday and if I'm productive, for Thursday, too.

Today was a bit more hectic. David and I are attending Pastor's School at Campbell this week which required a whole new routine. We wanted to get off early enough to be in Dunn by 1, don't ask me why, and then be able to take our time registering and all that is necessary for tonight's program.

If you are on staff at a church or know folks who are, you know how impossible it is to enter the doors of the church on a Monday morning and expect to get anything done you had planned to do in a timely manner.

So, here it is 4:00 and we have just checked in to our room. David is rushing around, changing his pants and asking me why I'm on this stupid computer when I need to be getting ready. Rush, rush, rush. Don't you just love Mondays?

Studying with Notecards

Did you know that 4x5 index cards will fit perfectly in the top opening of your steering wheel? I found that out today when I was on my way to Campbell. I had my first exam in Church History at 2:30 and I was still studying on the way to school. It's a 2 and a half hour drive if you make a stop through a drive-thru for breakfast or lunch, whatever the case may be.

Anyway, I leave on Thursdays at 9:45 in order to make a 12:30 class. I waited until I got on Hwy. 17 before I brought out the cards. I was trying to figure out how this was going to work so you can imagine my joy when I found out the card would sit right on top of the center section of my steering wheel. If I folded the card on the bottom two corners, it would fit on the bottom section while resting on the rim.

Usually during my trip my husband and I are on the phone talking about various and sundry things but today was different. No time for chatting. I have had my nose stuck in my notes or making note cards since Sunday afternoon. Wednesday night I was lying in bed with my arms wrapped around my pillow, my eyes closed and listing 4-liners that MIGHT be on the test. David thought I had lost my mind, but he recognized the terms coming out of my mouth, so he understood.

I don't test well. I never have. In fact, I've never learned how to study. I breezed through elementary and high school and graduated with a Beta Club stole around my neck, but not because I knew how to study.

My friend, Rita (see previous post) showed me how she studies for a test and I tried her method on a Harmon exam last semester with pretty good results. NOTECARDS. So, I resurrected the idea for today's exam. I felt pretty good when I came out of the exam an hour later.

Maybe even at my age, I can learn how to study!!! (sorry Dr. Cartledge, but the exclamation marks are very necessary here.)

Thank you, Rita

This past weekend my husband and I were invited to lead a worship service in Wilson. The church was celebrating Homecoming and their 15th anniversary. We had a terrific time. We drove up to Wilson on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the rest of the day with our hosts, one of those being a great friend I met in Divinity School.

Rita and I met in Dr. Hatcher's class my first year at Campbell Divinity School. We had to participate in a "get-to-know-you" exercise at the beginning of class. The class was at 5:30 pm and I had been at Campbell since 8 a.m. which means I left home at 5 a.m. I knew I had 2 more hours to go before I left for home and I was so tired.

Rita had been there most of the day, too, and she was as tired as me. Since we were both sitting on the front row, we looked over at each other and decided to do our ice-breaker with each other so we wouldn't have to get up. Well, the rest is history. We shared several classes during the next 2 years and became very good friends. Rita graduated with her MDiv in May of '06.

I sang 2 songs for the Homecoming service on Sunday and while the sound guy was getting my second tape ready, I felt the urge to say something. I wasn't sure what, but something was begging to come out of my mouth. (If you know me, this is not an unusual happening). I acknowledged Rita as a good friend and thanked she and her husband for inviting us and then acknowledge how much she had meant to me since our first meeting.

One of the most memorable times was on a Tuesday morning in chapel when I questioned what I was doing with my life. I didn't go back to college to finish my undergraduate work until I was 32. Ten years later, God decided I still had not fulfilled my task and called me to graduate school at 42. Now, if God calls me back to do more schooling at 52 we're going to have to have a serious chat. Anyway, I was having a difficult time with where my life was heading. I was a single mother of 2 boys with divorce as part of my history and here I was looking to go into full-time ministry. A divorced woman. What was I thinking?

Enter Rita. She and I sat beside each other in the Ensemble group. In this particular service touched me in a special way. The message was on our calling and listening to God for our instructions. At the end of the service she wrapped her arms around me and prayed with me. She didn't ask what was wrong, or why I was crying, she just prayed that God would intervene and give me a peace about whatever was bothering me. From that time forward I never questioned my call to ministry. At one service we even washed each other's feet. Now that's love.

Over the years there have been many people that have influenced my life and many that have prayed with me and for me. As I was struggling with the decision I had made to follow Christ's call God knew just what to do. He sent Rita into my life.

Thank you, Rita.

Puddles

I was sitting on the couch this afternoon around 2:00 and I heard this strange noise. David had gone to make a hospital visit so it was very quiet. (If he's home, MSNBC is on TV) I thought the noise was the ceiling fan but it was coming from the bathroom in the hall. I really didn't want to get up since I had my laptop in my lap (of all places) and I had books and my notebook spread out around me.

The noise had seemingly stopped so I went back to reading. After just a few moments, there it was again. Just a bit disgusted, I moved my laptop off my lap, set my book off to the side, set my notebook on the floor and put the reclining loveseat back in its original position. I got up and walked toward the bathroom where the noise was a little more prominent. I checked the sink to see if there was a drip. No drip. I checked the bathtub to see if a pipe was dripping, but no drip. I thought...oh no...don't let there be a leak in the pipes under the sink. I simply didn't have time to tackle a project like that today. But the noise was coming from the vent overhead. Since we live in a one story home, it wasn't likely that we had pipes above our heads to burst or leak.

All of a sudden it dawned on me. IT WAS RAINING. It had been so long since I had heard that particular sound. I ran through the house to the living room window, then to the back door. It truly was raining. I even stuck my arm out the door to make sure it was water I was seeing dripping off the house. Don't ask me what else I thought it might have been if it wasn't water. I was so amazed. Even our three dogs were standing in the yard with this strange look on their faces. They, too, were shocked.

The rain had stopped for a little while when we were at church but when I took a choir member home after rehearsal, I actually ran my car through puddles on purpose. Ain't God good? (Now you see the true country girl emerge.)

Campbell Chapel

I love Tuesdays. If you knew how early I had to get up to get to an 8:00 class at Campbell you would wonder if I needed my head examined. But all that aside, Tuesdays are the days we gather as a Campbell Divinity School family to enjoy a creative worship experience. Every service is different and every service touches me in a special way.

Today Rev. David Crabtree from WRAL-TV brought the morning message. Again, it touched my heart. In a different style as I have become accustomed, he reminded us that we are called individually to follow Christ. Not because our mamas told us to, or because this is what Daddy thinks is best for us but because we have had a personal experience with Christ and heard his voice in our own lives.

He used his trip to Normandy to bring forward a point of individuals who gave their lives for our freedom. At that point my thoughts were of six years ago and the thousands of people that lost their lives in the 9/11 tragedy. They had no idea what the day would bring when they got up from their beds earlier that morning. Because of this terrible event, many have joined forces to fight the war on terrorism, my youngest son included.

Campbell Chapel is a wonderful place to be at 10:35 on Tuesday mornings. Not one chapel service goes by that I don't bring a message home with me. Today it will be two-fold. I have heard his voice calling me to service as I count myself blessed because I serve a God that sent his son to die for me and I am honored that my son has chosen to die, if necessary, for you.

May God Bless You and May God Bless America

Sunday Afternoons

Don't you just love Sunday afternoons? I used to. I would come home from church, fix lunch and put away the dishes. Next on the agenda was nap time. I knew I had to be back at church at 6 pm for the youth meeting but for 3-4 hours I could nap at my leisure. My husband is a pastor and he gets up very early on Sunday mornings to help himself prepare for the three sermons he will deliver that day so by the time lunch time rolls around, he's give out. So we usually enjoy an hour nap in the afternoon to refresh ourselves for a Sunday night football game or some other sporting even that might happen to be on the television that night.

Well, those days are over. I am only allowed to enjoy that schedule during the summer break from Divinity School and the summer break is over. I have been a student at Campbell Divinity School since January 2004. Each semester is a little more challenging than the one before and this semester is no exception. I have 3 classes that require extensive reading and one other with minimal reading. Needless to say, my weekends are (or should be) spent reading.

This weekend proved to be less productive than others. We celebrated Homecoming at our church today and had a terrific time. In order to prepare for this special day, we held a "Clean-Up Day" on Saturday which took up a major portion of the day. Then the preparations began for what to take for the Homecoming feast that followed today's services. Reading? Well, let's just say it hasn't happened as planned. So, what am I doing right now? I'm posting my excuses on this blog instead of picking up my Justo Gonzalez book on The Story of Christianity.

I guess I better get to it. Do have a great day and enjoy some free time for me.