Waltzing Across Texas (part 1)

Well, hello there! Yes, I know. It has been a while. Excuse me while I hang up my hat and knock the dust off of my boots. I've been waltzing across Texas.

Okay, maybe not exactly waltzing, but I've made my way across a good part of the state these last few weeks. Drag out your map of the greatest state in the USA and check out where I've been.
After a long summer of no work, hubby was finally deployed to a hail storm in El Paso mid September. (Answered prayer)
I stayed in Amarillo to help daughter #2 and my sweet granddaughters move away to be with their daddy. (It was a happy time for them but very sad for me.) I'm trying to be a grown-up about it all, but it's not easy. Remember my post about what seems good to some doesn't seem good to others?
Well, it is good for their family to be together following God's guiding hand, and I guess I'll live. But I surely miss having them around.
I spent a few days cleaning carpets and putting some of my furniture that had been in storage back in my house, then I was ready to be with my man. I set out from Amarillo on October 13th for El Paso via Greyhound bus. Now before you say anything, let me tell you that when I told some of my friends that I was going to ride the bus over 400 miles, I got a few doubting looks and discouraging remarks. (No, I'd never done Greyhound before.) So it was with great apprehension I climbed the steps and sat down in a seat as close to the front of the bus as possible. (I had been advised by my worried friends to try to sit up front for the sake of my safety and sanity.)

I decided--trying to look on the bright side--that if the bus trip turned out to be a bad decision, at least I would have something to blog about. Fortunately (but yet somewhat regrettably), the trip was simply long and dull. No one on the bus got rowdy, no one tried to steal my purse. It was not crowded so sweat and odors weren't a problem, and if you've ever driven from Amarillo to El Paso, you know there is not much to see except a lot of sand and a few small desert mountains. I even kept an eye out for little green men when the bus made a stop in Roswell, NM, but I didn't see any. I did encounter a couple of characters at the bus station in El Paso while I waited for hubby to pick me up. Just as I felt like I REALLY NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THERE my knight in his big blue truck came to my rescue. Whew!

While Rick finished up his last few days of work in El Paso, I hung out at the RV park.It really wasn't quite as bad as the sign said, but it was not a place I would want to retire! The sun was very intense even when the temperatures were mild. The park's brochure stated they had good shade.
Um hum. Never believe the brochures.As you can see, the spots were a little cramped, and the trees were about seven years away from making a good shadow.
The century plants were four feet tall (or taller) so maybe tucked beneath one of them was where I was supposed to find the shade.
The park had (as most parks do) a few coin-op washers and two dryers. One dryer melts clothes and the other just tumbles with no heat at all.I'm glad our rig is fully self-contained because the "facilities" weren't the best I've encountered.It wasn't a five-star resort, but it offered easy access to the interstate and was near most of the neighborhoods where Rick had claims. That made his commute time short and our time together longer.

If you've read my blog for a while you know I put out an effort to hunt for joy. Even in the desert of a place like El Paso, TX I found it. Riding down the highway I noticed the signs over the exits to the Mexican border. No fire arms allowed. I gave thanks to God for my right and freedom to own and possess a gun, to protect myself if need be. A quick glance across the border again brings thanksgiving for my home. Even my home on wheels is more comfortable and spacious than some of the homes just across the river. It was a good week.

Work done and "between storms" once again, we headed for Big Bend National Park.

(Check back for part 2 of Waltzing Across Texas.)

Midlife vs. Adolescense

Hmm. Can't say that I see a whole lot of difference between the two. Both are marked by change and growth, drama and anxiety, joys and sorrows, emotional turmoil --life is out of our control and full of uncertainties.

For me, adolescence was a long time ago, but according to my failing memory, I think I made it through that season much easier than I'm struggling through these midlife days. Back then, change was good. It offered hope, challenges, improvement, and excitement about the future. But now, when I look in the mirror and see how time has changed me, and remember fondly days gone by while wondering about the future, ...Oh brother!

The hair (what hasn't fallen out) is silvering more every day. The eyebrows (no longer arched just so) are relocating to other places on my face. I can't find my waist and, well, let's just say my girlish figure has headed south for the winter.

Uncontrollable physical changes are not the only anxiety triggers of midlife. Health issues--that's a biggie. And planning for retirement--wondering if retirement will even be possible before the age of 95--can keep us mid-lifers up half the night worrying. In seventh grade we stressed over pimples, wearing the right clothes, and who "liked" whom. Today I stress over things like the problems my children face, the economic downturn, and the future of my nation (just to name a few). Hot flashes, mood swings, double chins and bat wings...What pill should I take for my achy joins, and have you noticed how the print on those darn labels gets smaller ever time you buy a new bottle?

One of my friends once told me, "Whoever said life begins at 40 was full of c**p!" I'm inclined to agree with my friend and I'm thinking it must have been a foolish teenager that said it.

But hey, midlife is not all bad. One of the biggest benefits to this awful season of life is grandchildren. They give us opportunity to act like silly little kids without judgment or condemnation. We can play, pretend, make silly faces, talk like babies... Our kids may think we are starting to go through our second childhood, but who cares? We are finally smart enough to live every moment to the fullest and we aren't going to let anybody spoil it for us. Besides, tomorrow we won't be able remember what we did, so in our minds, it never happened!

Another positive is the senior discount at restaurants. We mid-lifers seem to want to color our hair and wear "younger" styled clothing, etc. to hang on to our youth. But, I've discovered that if you let your silver locks glisten and wear those unflattering pants with the elastic waistbands, a polite and considerate server won't insult you by asking if you want the senior discount, (even though you aren't really that old) she will just give it to you anyway.

The Bible tells us that all our days are numbered and written in God's book. So if I really am at the midway point in my life, then I'm 16,802 days away from seeing my Savior face to face and walking the streets of heaven for eternity. (If I live to be 92.) That day, no matter how many days away, is something to look forward to.

So until then, I'll avoid mirrors, wear my custom readers, use tweezers on my face, wear long sleeves, play with little kids, and just put up with the aches and pains while enjoying discounts when I can. No, life didn't begin at 40, but it didn't end there either.

And hey, look on the bright side. We don't have to worry about who "likes" whom any more. Frankly, we don't care!

White Water

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of hearing Brady Boyd preach. The sermon was about the prodigal son and our adoption by God. I don't remember every detail of his message, but I know that I was touched, moved, inspired--glad that I went to church that day. Somewhere near the end of the service, Pastor Boyd said something that made this thought flash through my brain like cloud to cloud lightening.

"I'd rather ride the rapids with God than sit on the bank, watching, without Him."

Little did I know...

My youngest daughter, only a few days away from celebrating her 22nd birthday, squirmed and twisted in her seat beside me. She was in pain.

Rebecca had been having neck pain and a headache, off and on, for a few days. She told me she needed to buy a new pillow because hers was hurting her neck. I didn't think much about it. (Life's river had been gently flowing & I never suspected...)

Two days later my baby came stumbling to my door. Her legs were numb, she could hardly walk, half her face drooped as if she had suffered a stroke, she was rapidly loosing the ability to speak, and she couldn't control her saliva. By the time I got her to the hospital she could hardly lift her arms and legs, she couldn't talk, she was not fully comprehending what people said to her, and she was having trouble breathing. (Suddenly, unexpectedly, the river was rough and dangerous.)

As the evening progressed so did Rebecca's symptoms. One minute she was almost unconscious, the next thrashing about. She was in the bed and out, unable to talk then screaming that she wanted to go home. One moment in tears and the next throwing up. Suddenly she fall asleep and just as suddenly four adults could not hold her down in the bed. Completely out of her mind and unaware yet with terror in her precious brown eyes she looked to me for help.  But she could not understand the words I spoke to comfort and calm her. She could only respond with guttural sounds, moans and groans. (In a matter of minutes my gentle river of life turned to white water rapids, rocks and deadly falls.)

Sedation drugs did nothing. CT scan was normal. Finally the doctor was able to give her a drug to knock her out and he pulled some spinal fluid. My little girl was only unconscious for a few minutes then the wild ride started all over again and lasted for hours. Blood pressure 155/115--blood oxygen levels low--body temperature over 102. Finally the day ended in ICU with Rebecca tied to the bed and fighting for...it seemed like she was fighting for everything. And the test came back positive--an infection in the spinal fluid and probably the brain.

The ICU waiting room became my home away from home. As I struggled to get a little sleep the lightening bolt zapped through my mind again. "I'd rather ride the rapids with God than sit on the bank, and watch, without Him."

This time the words hurt. Put to the test, would I pass or fail? Did I mean it? Was I really willing to accept life's trials with God to see me through or did I want ease and comfort more?

I felt as if Satan was sitting beside me, smirking, waiting for me to choose a safe seat on the bank over the dangerous white water ride with God. I had to make a choice, right then and there. In the waiting room of the hospital I had to decide if I would hold tight to God through faith, and praise and glorify Him no matter what happened to my little girl, or I would abandon my faith, (jump out of the raft) and trade it all for a healthy daughter and an easy way.

I closed my eyes and saw the dark red blood of Jesus wrapped around me as a life jacket. I saw God the Father at the front of the raft, guiding it down the rocky rapid river. I made my choice, grabbed a hand-hold, and as the raft crashed over the falls, cried "God I trust You! Be glorified in this circumstance and in my life!"

The next day the river ride got exciting. The doctor came by and told me that we were playing a waiting game. He had no idea how long it would be before Rebecca would "wake up" or be aware of what was going on around her. (Or IF she would.) It could be a few days or longer. There was no way of knowing if there would be any permanent damage. He didn't know what caused the infection so he didn't know the best way to treat it. Her vitals were stable and that is all he could tell me.

Then, some precious intercessors, men and women of God, showed up to pray. People across the country had gotten the word by then, so brothers and sisters I don't even know were praying. Satan was being bound and God's hand began to move. As I returned to the waiting room from praying with my sis and her husband in the hospital's chapel I said, "If we could just have a little glimmer of hope..."

The ringing of my phone interrupted. It was the ICU nurse. "Your daughter is asking for you."

There were more rapids and the ride has not been easy. After five days in the hospital and what seemed to be a relapse ten days later, my daughter is home and seems to be doing well. She still gets tired easily. She has had  some moments of mood swings. Her sense of taste still seems to be a little off sometimes. I still am not sleeping all night. I still wake myself up praying for all of my children. I still have moments of fear so gripping I cannot eat or concentrate. I may never be "normal" again. The ride down the river is not over. Rebecca has no medical insurance and only a part-time job. Her dad has not had work since the end of May. Every time we get a new bill in the mail I feel another huge rock in the middle of the river.

But, I know God is in control and I know the blood of Jesus saves us all from drowning in the river. May God be glorified in the white water rapids of life! Hang on tight with all the faith you've got--its going to be a wild ride!

Ya Just Gotta Laugh

Sometimes little crazy things happen, so crazy they are funny. This was one of those things for me, a ROTFL kind of thing, and I want to tell you about it.

I have a friend. (Yeah I know you're surprised.) She is one of those really good friends that will encourage you when you are right, tell you when you are wrong, and never stop loving you either way. She is smart and she is deep. We are just alike. (snicker snicker)

Really, I mean it. We chat online quite a bit and hardly a conversation byte whizzes through cyberspace but what one of us starts typing a thought and the other finishes it. We've thought surely we are twins separated at birth.

Now this deep friend and I talk about a lot of deep things and one of our topics lately has been prayer. We've covered it well-- everything from is it okay to tease with God to God knows what we are going to pray before we do and every other possible prayer topic in between. Oh, and we laugh a lot too. We often laugh a whole lot about really deep things.

One day this last week we were discussing some of the stressful and frustrating circumstance in our lives and how we should pray about them. I admitted to her that sometimes I just want to give up because life gets so complicated. I want to do everything just right and never make mistakes, but no matter how hard I try, I still mess up. I closed my little part of the conversation with this "prayer."

Dear Lord,

Send me an undertaker!

We ended our chat session and only a few minutes later my daughter knocked on my door, delivering the mail. On the top of the stack was a letter address to the Pflug Family, from--

Cox-LaGrone Funeral Home!

I live to testify: God knows what we are going to pray before we do, and He has a sense of humor! God is good!

Socially Unacceptable Prayers

I've been away from my blog WAY too long. I wonder--do I have any readers left? If so, thanks for hanging around and please bring a few of your friends over. I love meeting new people!

I think it is time for a word for the day and today it is--

perplexed:

1. Filled with confusion or bewilderment; puzzled.
2. Full of complications or difficulty; involved.

Boy, if that doesn't describe me right now I don't know what does. I'm hoping you, all my precious readers, will chime in on this one and let me know your thoughts and opinions, because my situation, I've discovered, is a ticklish topic that deserves discussion.

Let me set the stage. Most of my faithful readers know that my husband is an independent catastrophic insurance adjuster. (The independent part means he works and gets paid only when his company calls on him, and the rest of the time he is unemployed.) If you are new to my blog--well--now you know too. At the end of May, Rick signed himself out because he was suffering from burn-out, needed to have some major dental work done, and had to have cataract surgery. (It has been a costly summer as we are some of those uninsured Americans--targets of liberal government control. But that's another post for another time.) Now my man can chew his steak, sees better than before, is rested and ready to go back to work. Only one problem--no work to be had.

After two and a half months of no income and major expenses, we need money. There are only a few methods of financial acquisition. You can be gifted it, steal it, borrow it, inherit it, or earn it. Our society frowns upon beggars so I'm not expecting a gift, society and heaven frown upon stealing so that's not an option, borrowing when you have no income to pay back is just stupid, we don't have wealthy relatives, and if we did, certainly we would not want them to die just so we can pay the mortgage, so we choose to work for the money that we need. And our work depends upon--I flinch and squirm--storms. I put my faith in God, (El-Shaddai, the God who is sufficient for the needs of His people & Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our provider) therefore I am praying for a storm.

Yes, you read that right--I'm asking God to provide a storm so my husband will have an opportunity to do what he does best, and then we can pay our bills like upstanding citizens should do. I've even asked some of my friends and family to agree with me in prayer. Responses have been varied, but all have come with hesitation. Here are a few.

• How about if I pray that God just bless you?
• I'll pray that if there is a storm, you will benefit from it.
• I'll ask God to give you work.
• (Deer-in-the-headlight stares but no words.)

I've discovered that it is not always socially acceptable to pray specifically for what you need. But pray specifically I feel I must! God has, and continues to bless us beyond words. A Christian heritage, wonderful healthy children and grandchildren, a free country in which to live, good health, a sound mind, a good marriage...even some very beneficial rain on our tiny plot of land are just some of the ways in which He has blessed us. Yes, we always ask for God's blessings though we are already so richly blessed, but those blessing won't pay the doctors or the electric bill. My precious friend that offered to pray that if there are storms we might benefit was thoughtful and meant well. But, we could find ourselves in the middle of foreclosure if there are no storms. What about the generic prayer for work? We have plenty of work. Remember all the rain that came as a blessing? It has made mowing our 1.5 acre plot an almost full-time job. And the mud and grass that hubby tracks into the RV keeps me sweeping up between washing his dirty clothes. Weed pulling, trim painting, bush trimming...there is plenty of work around our house to keep us busy, but that work does not produce income.

My prayer request perplexes my friends and honestly sometimes even myself. People have a hard time asking God for something they see as negative or "not good." Nobody wants to be known as the person who prays evil or disaster into the lives of others. Not even me! So I am especially and personally perplexed because what seems good for me might seem not good for someone else. (I think I know how the tax collectors might have felt during the first century.)

I find a little comfort in the realization that we are not the only people that benefit from another person's misfortune. Doctors need people to get sick. A dentist and an eye surgeon profited greatly because my husband is plagued with rotten teeth and cataracts. The guy that owns the local tire shop needs folks to have a blowout ever now and then. Your mechanic needs your car to break down, police officers, lawyers, and judges have jobs because of unlawful deeds done to law abiding citizens, and guidance counselors, psychologists & therapists all profit when someone else has a problem. Even evangelists and preachers have jobs because lost sinners have yet to find salvation through Christ. Have you ever wondered if your doctor prays that one of his patients break a leg? I dare you to ask him the next time you are in for a check up.

Insurance adjusters are not the only people that profit from storms or wildfires or other disasters. Roofers, tree trimmers, contractors, painters, landscapers, electricians and linemen, shingle and siding manufacturers, trash companies,...(I could go on and on.)

Even the people whose homes are damaged and lives are disrupted sometimes reap a harvest. Life's trials give opportunity to seek God, place priorities, comfort and be comforted, gain strength and character, learn something new and grow faith. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trial, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1: 2-4) Could it be, that if I pray for a storm, rather than praying evil into someone's life I might actually be praying for the maturity and perfection of their faith?

I've given this a lot of thought. I know God cares about the tiny details of our lives, so I know it is okay to pray specifically for what we need. I know I feel encouraged and comforted when my brothers and sisters in Christ pray for us. I know I can't stand the look on their faces or the hesitation in their voices when tell them I'm praying for a storm and I ask them to pray for one too. I know that none of us have the mind of God and what seems good to us is not always good and what seems bad is not always bad. I know our bank balance is nearing the "E" mark and God needs to move on our behalf soon. And I know I want to hear what you have to say about my perplexing situation. Do I continue to pray my socially unacceptable prayers or do I lift up a less offensive version? If you were in my place, how would you pray?

This is a test

This is just a test. No beeps or bleeps, no important message, just a test.

I'm trying out a new tool for posting to my blog and I want to see if it works. So here goes. Click on the publish button and see what happens.

I'm a girly girl

and this is not my hobby!
What's up with my summer? First I had to go fishing with the guys and now I'm blasting away at a target with a 9mm handgun and a .22 rifle. (didn't get pictures of that one)

I believe every American should have the right to own a gun so he or she can hunt and defend his or her family and self. I also believe that if you have a gun, you should know how to use it, and you should use it with great wisdom, care, and common sense.

Now this gun belongs to my husband, not me. Personally, I think I could have gone the rest of my life without learning to shoot a gun and I'd be happy. But Rick insisted I go shoot with him. So I did.

I did alright learning to use my hubby's new gun. The arthritis in my thumbs makes it hard for me to cock it for firing, but I figure that if I ever have to use it to defend myself, adrenalin will rush to my aid. As far as hitting the target--I did okay there too. I didn't hit the mark perfectly, but I got very close. If an attacker were as near as 30 yards away, I could do some serious damage.

But this post is not about the right to bare arms or my eagle-eye aim. It's about hobbies.

Like a kid in a candy shop, after purchasing the gun, my husband grabbed up bullets, hearing protectors, more bullets, a cleaning kit, some more bullets, eye protectors (both the clear and sunshade kind), another box of bullets, a carrying pouch, and...oh yes, some bullets. Rick is not the violent type, and the boyish glee with which he clutched his new belongings told me the man may be developing a new hobby.

I know some people do shoot guns as a hobby and that's great. I enjoyed the brief challenge of trying to hit the X in the middle of the target, but standing out in the bright sun and 100+ temperature didn't make it to the top spot on my fun list. I'm a girly girl and I like to cross stitch, crochet, read, bake--you know--less aggressive, less competitive activities.

Yet I found myself accompanying my husband while he had a blast--literally. Sharing hobbies is one of those things that help to build a lasting marriage and make life together fun. Shooting with Rick was a good thing, and it has put my mind to thinking...

The next time I buy some new cross stitch needles or a crochet hook and yarn, I think I'll insist that hubby learn how to use them.

I have to go now, I think I hear someone laughing at me.

June ended and it's July already...

June was a busy month. Visits with friends and family, appointments with various doctors, and lots of playing with the granddaughters filled our days. We even took a few days to escape the Texas heat and vacationed at the family cabin in Ute Park, NM.

We had the usual early-morning visitors—deer and wild turkey.

The buzz of hummingbirds and wind whispering through the pines always makes me smile.

While Rick and his dad did a lot of fishing, his mom and I did lots of resting and chatting.

I was included in one day of fishing though. The guys thought it a good idea to take me along when they went out on Eagle Nest Lake. The more people fishing, the more fish you can bring home. Together the three of us had a limit of fifteen fish. All I had to do was buy a license and sit on the boat and hold a pole.

So, I got up before six o’clock in the morning, slathered on sunscreen, put on a goofy looking cap and my sunglasses, and took my seat on the pontoon boat. The rented boat came with a nice fishing guide who tied on my lures, baited my hooks, and made sure I was set for a good time. I told him I was just there to hold a pole. He promised I would catch some fish.

Sure enough—I caught fish. This pole holder snagged the first fish of the day, a salmon. I ended up catching two salmon and one rainbow trout. My trout was—well—I hate to brag, but it was the BIGGEST catch of the day! Woo Hoo! (I hooked three others that got away, but that might be a tale for another day.)

Now I really am just a pole holder, not a fisherman, so had it not been for the coaching of our guide I might have never gotten this big boy in the boat. But I did get it in the boat (after a good struggle), and it alone fed five people come supper time.

We ended up one short of our limit, but we got off the lake before the rain moved in.

When it was all said and done, I was glad I got up before the sun peeked over the mountain, and I’m glad I went fishing with the guys. I think I may have discovered a new skill. I’ll never know for sure because hubby and his father did a lot more fishing after that, but they left me at home.

After only a few days back at home we drove the opposite direction all the way to Houston for the 4th of July weekend to visit more family. We endured greater than 100 degree temperatures but had a very enjoyable visit. Another 10 hour day on the road and we are home again. Whew!

Tomorrow hubby is having cataract surgery. As soon as we get the okay from the doctor, we will be ready to go back to work, so your prayers for the surgery, recovery, and a good storm is appreciated.

With all that we've been doing, I wonder where the summer has gone!

The Scenic Trip Home

We headed east toward Asheville, NC in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our campground was up a steep winding mountain road. The truck roared and I prayed all the way up the mountain. When we got to the top...

the view took my breath away. Mountain ridges as far as the eye can see and the French Broad River (near flood stage) below. This, my friends, is my idea of vacation--just sittin' and soakin' in God's creation. That's the love of my mortal life in the foreground.
The sun began to set, Rick's blood pressure started to drop, and those fried nerves started to heal.
Take a deep breath. The air is cool and the smell of the forest sedates the mind. Ahhhh.
After a good night's sleep in the cool mountain air, we visited the Biltmore Manor in Asheville. I have a lot more pictures but they all bring about the same response--wow! Dubbed the largest home in America, this property is almost beyond belief considering the time period of its construction. Follow the link above and at least read about it and if you get the chance to go to North Carolina, make sure to put this on your list of things to see and do! It is a spectacular show of great wealth and ingenuity. (I want the Winter Garden Room in my house.)

Those of you who keep up with me on Face Book know about my fall down the stairs outside the winery. It is my opinion that they should have let it remain a dairy instead of turning it into a place of spirits. Now for my readers that didn't know that I hurt myself very badly trying to take four stairs in one stride, I DID NOT SAMPLE THE WINE!!!

I simply admired some flowers I passed by until they were so far behind me that I was doing the owl thing. You try turning your head all the way around so you can see where you've been instead of where you are going and experience what happens when a flight of stairs happens to be in your path.

I really do think I cracked the bone in my leg, but I'm a hearty woman, so I've endured without an expensive visit to the doctor. Now, a month later I still have a swollen knot, some bruising is still visible, and "tender to the touch" still is an understatement. But I'm so much better now, I hardly complain any more at all.

The day after my trip at the Biltmore, we took a drive along a part of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Our travels have taken me many places. A few of those places are so beautiful that they almost bring tears to my eyes and make me want to stand up and sing "America the Beautiful." The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of those places. God's handy work (in my opinion) puts the Biltmore to shame. I took a couple hundred pictures. I'll only share a few. (I know, you are so thankful!)Can you believe I hiked out there on those rocks with my banged up leg? I told you I'm hearty. And I wanted to be close to the falling water really bad! I payed for it the next day, but it was worth it!

(One of these days I'm going to put some more of my Blue Ridge pictures on my sidebar as puzzles. Watch for them.)

We did a little more looking around Asheville and found it to be a city of artists. If you like galleries and studios and the artsy type, Asheville is a good place to go. Art galleries are something I can enjoy for a little while, then all those painting and sculptures start to look alike. Good thing we needed to head on back to Texas.
There's no place like home--where the sun bakes ya, the wind blows ya, and the grandchildren give ya lots of hugs and kisses!

Hello, Remember Me?

Oh my goodness! Where have the days gone? Do I still have any readers? Oh how I've missed reading and writing--Blogging. And I've missed you, my readers!

Remember my telling you about my hubby's fried nerves? Well they finally sizzled and popped and smoked until he couldn't take it any more. So he signed himself out of the storms in Kentucky and vacation became his focus. Like a well trained puppy I follow him wherever he goes, so here we are, back at home in Amarillo, TX.

We did do a little traveling and sightseeing before we made it home.

Before we left Kentucky we visited Mammoth Cave National Park. It was good to get away from the camper and I enjoyed the day. The cave is mammoth for sure. If you are ever in Kentucky, you should visit the park. You should call ahead for reservations as the guided tours seemed to fill up fast and many were sold out. Check it out on the web before you go because there are about sixteen different tours you can take. We took the historical tour. It was interesting but left me wondering if the other tours would have been better. Some of the tours are only for the very brave and the very physically fit. That's not me. So I'll be content saying I saw Mammoth Cave and leave it at that.

The cave entrance--there is more than one!

Here you can see water dripping from the rocks above the cave entrance.

It is hard to get good photos under ground but I do have a few to show you. Somehow the hugeness of the cave is lost in a photo.

This photo I took looking up into a tower or sorts. Inside the cave was very dusty. You can see the dust floating in the air in this picture.

Inside the cave are many narrow passage ways. This one is called Fat Man's Misery. I made it through, just in case you were wondering.We exited through the same hole we entered.

Then...the last day of May we turned out backs to the setting sun and headed--wait a minute. Wasn't that the wrong direction to go if we wanted to go to Amarillo?

We took the scenic route. I'll show you those pictures in the next post.

Thelma Wells Blog Tour

Oh my goodness...

I didn't get lost, really. I have been on the road though. I'll tell you about it in another post later. But for now, I'd like to share my blog time and space with author Thelma Wells.

Thelma has a new book, Don't Give In...God Wants You to Win! And she is touring, promoting her book, via the blogging community. I'm reading the book now. I think Thelma knows what she is talking about!

Sit back and enjoy this blog interview then go out and buy the book. I think you'll like it.

OPENING: I’m delighted to be here today to visit with you and your readers, and share about a topic that is dear to my heart.

Thelma, you have had a successful banking and corporate career. You’ve spoken all over the country and around the world, done a lot of radio interviews, had your own television show, and written a lot of books. Many of our readers will be familiar with you from the Women of Faith conferences. It seems you’ve “done it all.” So when you left Women of Faith in February 2008, what was it that you were leaving them to do?

Actually, I really did not fully understand what I was going to do. I was simply following the very clear instructions of God that it was time to go. I had a few speaking engagements on my calendar but certainly not enough to make ends meet. My total dependence was on God and waiting to see what He had in store for me.

Your new book, Don’t Give In…God Wants YOU to Win!, is based on a real life experience. Will you tell us a little of that story?

I was in elementary school when one of my friends told people she was going to beat me up. I could not understand why but it was real. After school for two days I faced a crowd hungry to see a fight and a girl who I thought was my friend hit me and frighten me to tears. One the second day of my fighting ordeal my great grandmother who raised me gave me some strong advice, “Thelma, the only way to deal with a bully is to fight them. You better fight her tomorrow and beat her up. If not, you’re going to get a whipping when you get home. That was the determining factor. My Granny who had taught me that ladies don’t fight had just reversed the instruction to “fight the bully.”

I did fight her the third day and hit her hard, so she ran home, not me. I learned that when we are faced with the bully, the adversary, the enemy of our souls, the devil himself, the only way to win is to fight him with all the ammunition we have, the Whole Armor of God.

This book is about spiritual warfare, demons, the Holy Spirit, and some pretty heavy-duty areas. Why write on this topic?

In this day and age when all around us seems to failing like our economic system, the government, relationships, health, self-worth, business and workplace situations, the church, wayward children, divorce and so much more, it is imperative that people have something sturdy and reliable to hold on to. Everyday we are fighting some kind of battle small, great or tremendous. When we don’t know how to fight against the disappoint, heartache, confusion, depression, and all the emotional and spiritual fall out from these issues, we become desperate, violent, vicious and vile. John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy us. But, Jesus has come to give us life and that life more abundantly than the feelings of no hope. This book teaches about the only hope we have and how to use that hope physically, emotionally and spiritually with a guarantee that we are winners when we do.

Will you share with us the chapter titles?

Introduction: Time for Questions

Chapter One: Know How to Fight, but Never Start One

Chapter Two: Fight or Flight?

Chapter Three: Breakdown for a Blessing

Chapter Four: Weeds in the Garden

Chapter Five: Thelma’s Untold Rituals

Chapter Six: The Dynamic Duo

Chapter Seven: The Battle Is Not Yours

Chapter Eight: Winning Weapons

Chapter Nine: Fix Your Hair!

Chapter Ten: Pad Your Bra!

Chapter Eleven: Tighten Your Girdle!

Chapter Twelve: Put On Your Stomping Shoes!

Something Extra: More Winning Weapons

You’ve been known as the BEE lady, but it seems you’re evolving into more than that? Where do you see your ministry heading in the future?

God has so many surprises for me that my heart is overflowing. I have a teaching and preaching anointing that has made my ministry one of integrity and worth. God is doing great things in my life and reinventing some vital things that will be seen by everybody in a few weeks. He has guaranteed me that the international travel I’ve done over the past thirty years, the seeds I’ve sown over my lifetime, the barriers and tough times I’ve overcome are about to pay off in many different ways. He has put Christian people in my life that have and are changing the course of my life in great and wonderful ways. I will be taking a group to Israel next November, on other Ready to Win tours throughout the world, working with World Vision in their child sponsorship program, presenting mini Ready To Win Conferences throughout the world, and whatever else the Lord assigns me to do.

Congratulations on your first Ready to Win Conference. We heard you had an awesome weekend in

Garland, TX with a great group of speakers, musical artists, and attendees. Having done so many conferences in the past, why do another conference?

This is not just another conference. This Ready To Win Conference does not just excite people or create positive thinking, it gives everyone, saved and unsaved, the winning weapons to fight off all the wicked in this world. People are not only encouraged to win the war against the evil one, they are given easy to understand tools that they have reported are so vivid in their minds that they can apply every day in every situation. Coming together in a group and learning these tried and true skills is so much easier to understand than writing it in a book or seeing it on DVD. The reports have been that this works because they were able to see it, hear it, feel it, and use it instantly and forever. In today’s world, another conference is not what we are about. We are about people joining together from different denominations, ethnicities, geographic locations, languages, and thought systems and getting insight and instruction that can bring people of all walks of life together to become a mighty army against the forces of evil.

As a follow up, how can people get the Ready to Win Conference to their area?

People all over the world can contact me at contactus@thelmawells.com and we will get back with them with the details of how the Ready To Win Conference can come to their area.

In your book, Don’t Give In…God Wants YOU to Win!, you talk about doing rituals as it relates to fighting the good fight of faith. Will you explain that word to us and give us an example?

The word ritual is used on to denote the routines we have in our daily lives like fixing our hair, dressing ourselves, and being prepared for the day. It means nothing more than that and nothing mysterious that would attract any evil forces.

Spiritual warfare and putting on the armor of God is a daily activity for you. Is this because you’re a nationally known Christian speaker and author, or is this something that everyone should be aware of?

Spiritual warfare is the state of our lives whatever and whoever you are. We fight against anger, gluttony, smoking, frustration, and everything else that can make us less than our best. The warfare that we are in daily is because we live in a fallen world where Satan thinks he has power. Each and everyday he tries to confuse us into thinking that things are unfixable, out of control, etc. He is the greatest liar of all times and he lays tricks in our minds, if we let him. From the moment we were born until the day we die we will be fighting spiritual warfare. However, the good news is…people who have accepted Jesus as their Savior never have to fight alone. The end of the story is that Jesus and His people win and the devil is a number one loser!

Thelma, this book was released at a perfect time. So many people are struggling just to survive. They’ve lost jobs, money, health, marriages, and more. Many just want to give up! What can we do if we are in those situations to prepare for victory in the battle of life?

When you’re in a battle these are the things that must be done in order to win:

• Put on the helmet of salvation to cover your thought life.
• Put on the breastplate of righteousness to guard your heart against devil and sin.
• Put on the girdle of Truth so that you will be able to understand what real truth is and be able to use the Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God – the Bible) in every situation as Jesus did when He was tempted by the devil in the mountain.
• Put on the shoes that have prepared you with the preparation of peace so you can march and stay fit as you tell other people about the goodness and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Hold up the shield of faith believing that God will keep every Promise He made for our good.
• Pray for each other and for ourselves by asking God for what we need, seeking His perfect will in all we do and knocking continually until we know God has answered our prayers. We must realize that God does not answer all our prayers the way we want Him to but whatever way He answers them, they are for our good and for His glory.
• Praise God with thanksgiving for all He has done and will do for us. The worship of God brings us into an atmosphere of being able to fight the good fight of faith and WIN.

Where/how does “submitting to God and the devil will flee from you” fit into spiritual warfare?

God asks us to do a simple thing, trust Him enough to give Him all of us. That’s hard to do when you try to control your life yourself. It really amounts to us (you and me) worshipping ourselves instead of worshipping God. When we live in humble submission to God, Satan will try to attack but God is our Protector. This is not a one-time submission to God. Everyday and sometimes during the day we must ask Him to lead us not into temptation and to protect us from evil because evil is always near. We are told to pray without ceasing. This means that we must stay in the attitude of prayer 24/7. It’s simple but it presents a challenge for us because we are so distracted by our day, our desires, our dreams, our relationships, etc. that we often forget that none of this would be possible were it not for the Lord who grants it. Submission means to let God be the driving force and the guiding force in our lives and trust Him that He will do exceedingly abundantly over and above what we can ask or think according to His power that works in us. The most peaceful, contented condition of my life is when I actually and earnestly turned my entire life over to the direction of God. I can now recognize when Satan tries to tempt me, confuse me, and drive me into doing or saying things I should not. It has come about with trust in God and practice of His word. Satan will attack but God will counter-act.

Most of us are familiar with the list of spiritual weapons available for us to use as listed in Ephesians 6. You have a way to remember these that might be more relevant to today’s woman – as a mom, wife, business woman, etc. Will you share these five things with us that you do daily when you’re getting “dressed” in the morning?

Thelma, it seems you are all over the Internet these days. Anyone can find you on your web site, Facebook, Twitter, web casts, a blog tour, the You Go Girl Network, and other cutting edge things with technology. Why is it important for you to use all these various methods to spread your message?

Technology is the way God planned for us to get His message to the world according to Matthew 28:19.

How did you get the name, Mama T?

A young lady in my church named me that because she thought that was a fitting name for me and it has become a loving name for the ladies in my mentoring groups.

So what’s next for the Mama T and Ready to Win?

My website (ThelmaWells.com) is being reinvented to a teaching tool for people to learn more and more about how to win the battles of life. There will be powerful tools available, I will be personally speaking with people and many other changes that will enlighten, encourage, inform, influence and empower people to fight the good fight and win.

Where can our readers buy your new book and register for the webcast?

On my web site, which is ThelmaWells.com. They can click on the July RTW On-line Web cast button to learn more or register for the next series of web casts that start on July 7. You can also watch this video to learn more…click here.

My new book, Don’t Give In – God Wants YOU To Win! is also available online and at local bookstores such as, Family Christian Stores, Lifeway Christian Stores, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble Book Stores, Mardel’s, Anchor Distributors, Christianbook.com, and many other stores and vendors throughout American and the United Kingdom.

Is there anything that we didn’t ask that you’d like to share with us?

In all we’ve said, we need to remember that Jesus loves YOU and has a plan for your life. This plan includes you living a life free from worry and anxiety. God is in control of everything. When we trust in Him, give Him our lives to guide, seek the will of the Father, ask Jesus to be the Lord and Master of our lives, and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are winners and nobody or nothing can take that away from us!

CLOSING:

Thank you, darling, for having me today on your blog. I hope you and your readers will visit my web site at ThelmaWells.com. And remember always be READY TO WIN!

Thankful In The Midst Of Ridiculous Things

I haven't done a "word for the day" in a long time. Actually, I've been sluggish in my bogging about anything lately. (Sorry about that. I'll try to do better.) So today, I've got a word for you.

Ridiculous--Defined as deserving or inviting ridicule, unreasonable, absurd, silly.

The work load my husband has had the last four months has been ridiculous. As of today, he has worked 115 days without a day off. Even though we did take a quick trip home for a weekend in May, he still took pone calls, made phone calls, closed claims, and set appointments every day. His work day is not eight hours either. I'm talking twelve to fifteen hours a day for most of those days. Yeah, I think the word ridiculous (unreasonable) fits.

In this ridiculous situation I am thankful. I'm not thankful that my husband has been overworked to the point that his nerves are like the wires in a breaker box that has just been struck by lightning, but I'm thankful that he has a job. And I'm thankful that he is so good at his job that his company considers him one of their best--thus the ridiculous work load.

As I sit here and type, a mourning dove is talkin' trash to a sparrow over some seeds that other birds have pushed out of the feeder to the ground. Now that is ridiculous (silly) because there are more than enough seeds to go around, and the dove is three times the size of the sparrow. How ridiculous we must look to God when we mouth off and say hurtful things to someone over something senseless and trivial.

I'm thankful for the lesson from the ridiculous little birds.

A few days ago, Rick ordered his Father's Day gift. (I know it is way early, but he deserves it.) He bought some accessories for his truck--a bed cover, some gadget to lock the tailgate and a rubber seal. The bed cover was shipped in a box exactly the size of the rolled up bed cover. But the gadget to lock the tail gate and the seal came in a --- well, you just have to see it.


Now that is ridiculous! No packing peanuts or wadded paper, just a huge box. I'm sure there must be a reason the company shipped such small items in such a large box, but I can't imagine what it could be. Somebody forgot about saving trees and living green, ya think?

For this ridiculous thing I am thankful. First, I got a good laugh out of it, and Rick broke the large cardboard container down and used it as a "creeper" to protect his back from rocks as he worked under the truck.

Isn't God good to surround us with the unreasonable, silly, and absurd things of life? Just one more reason to give thanks!