Anticipation

I can't go to sleep.  Know why?  There's so much anticipation in my heart!  And I think that's crazy!!  If I had to give a word which I thought would describe this point in my life it would be "resigned."  And that probably comes from watching people who've traveled this path before me.  But instead, I am incredibly filled with anticipation.  And for that, I'm glad...and grateful.

Isn't it good of God to do something like that?  To surprise me at the last 1/3 of my life with anticipation?  I absolutely have no clue what is ahead of me.  But God has thrown out some incredible possibilities and gotten me all excited!

Andy had an agent tell him today that she couldn't put his book down (the book he wrote about his experience of being kidnapped in Budapest).  She wants to send it to a publisher and thinks they'll pick it up.

I love surprises.  And God knows me.  I'd hate to get to a place where I was resigned with life.  I hope God constantly fills my life with surprises.  I want to anticipate each phase of my life.  What a great Daddy!!

Jump on over!

Well....I've resorted to opening a new blog.  I hate moving because I'm so used to this site.  But David set up a new blog for me with my own domain.  So jump on over to thebestofbecky.com.  If you have me as a site you follow, you'll want to change to that one.

Thankfully, David was able to forward ALL of my old posts to this new site!  Thank you, David.  Now I just need to see if I can figure out all things new.

Photo Full

Has anyone gotten a notice that their blogspot has used all their space for photos?  What have you done?  I was going to put all my Thanksgiving photos up and with the first one, I got that message.  NOOOOO!!!!!!

Change is Coming

Well, the word is out.  I've resigned from my position of Executive Director at Living Water.  It's such a bittersweet moment.  When I began the position, I prayed that I'd never become cynical as I helped the less fortunate and that I'd know when it was time to step down.  I knew it would be easy to become burned-out in this job and I wanted to give it my best as long as I was there.  I clearly believe God told me to hire Selena McClellan two years ago and to "get her trained."  I trained her for a year.  But then last year, I told her that I was going to train her with purpose for the next year....the purpose of being able to lead the ministry.  Of course, I knew the board would have the final decision, but I felt it was my duty to have someone completely trained to run the ministry in my absence.  So I did.  By August of this year, I knew it was time.  Things were just coming to a point that I knew it was time to let Selena take the reigns.  In October, I advised my board that I was resigning.  I asked them to consider Selena for the position.  And then the wheels began to turn.  Selena was hired and was given the freedom to hire someone to take her position.  I wanted to help Selena through the holiday seasons (our busiest time) and teach her what I knew.  So my official last day will be December 31, 2012.  Selena will begin as Executive Director January 1, 2013.

There are so many emotions that accompany this transition in my life.  I'm excited.  I'm scared.  I'm anxious but anticipating.  I told some friends that I most look forward to sleeping in a few mornings!  I dread adjusting to a new home budget....but at the same time, I'm excited!  See?  I told you my emotions are all over the place.  I'm going to miss this ministry.  I look back and see just how God has grown me.  I think the most important thing that happened along the way was that I became comfortable with who I am.  And...I was privileged to lead hundreds of people to the Lord in the past 5.5 years...and got comfortable doing it.  That's amazing!!  I've grown to love the extraordinary volunteers and our clients.  I know that with any crisis or calamity, I could be exactly where our clients are.

I know I'm going to feel lost for awhile.  Or maybe not.  Before I began working at Living Water, I was ready to get outside of the 4 walls of the church and be around lost people so I could share my faith.  That happened.  And now I'm anxious to get back inside the 4 walls of the church and minister to so many hurting people who need encouragement and love.  Funny how God does that.  I want to work alongside my husband and minister.  I just want to love on some people.  I want to invite people who go to Living Water to become involved in my church!

Please pray for me.  I've already started grieving the loss of this ministry.  But I'm ecstatic over the new ministry in front of me.  I think for the first time in my life, I'm not trying to twist God's arm.  I'm taking each day as it comes and praising Him that He allows me to be involved at all.  I know He's already got my future carved out.  And I can trust Him.  Change is coming...but I'm learning to embrace change.

Dallas Days

Andy & I did something we never do--we took off for a few days just to be with friends and family.  We went to a formal dinner in Dallas at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium for the Messianic Jewish Bible Instititue.  They honored Glenn Beck as a supporter of Israel and he was their keynote speaker.  Andy & I love Israel and we recently met the founders of this organization through some friends and were invited to attend this dinner by those friends.

There was a display of many scrolls.  This was the Torah in a special case.

It was a real pleasure meeting Glenn Beck.  I appreciate that he loves Israel.  He was very warm and personable.  I've heard that before, but it was very true.   Amy calls this our Olan Mills family photo with Glenn Beck.  Ha!!

This is the group of friends we met in Dallas and spent time with.  These were some of the first people we met in Borger 25 years ago and we love them dearly!!  We went to dinner together at PappaDeaux's the night before and laughed our heads off!!  Oh...are there some stories!  It was great being together.

After the MJBI dinner, we went to spend some time with Jay & Amy and their family.  It felt delicious to take the whole weekend (we hardly ever miss our church on Sundays!) and visit the kids and even go to church with them.  Andy had never been to their church (All Saints Dallas), so it was really special to get to go.

Miss Olivia.  She's getting so big!  And she's becoming such a sweet, thoughtful, caring big sister.  

Miss Hadassah...the little sister.  She's adorable and has managed to quite become a Wright.  She fits right in.

Saturday morning, Andy went to throw the football with Isaac (black shorts) & Josiah (red shirt) and the whole neighborhood turned out for the game.

Mom & Dad attended a wedding of some friends from Dalhart Saturday night, so we had a party.  It included Subway, The Muppets and popcorn and candy.  Later, Buff told an original Buff Bedtime Story.

Josiah took a photo of us girls Sunday morning as we prepared to go to church.  Olivia gave me the bracelet I'm wearing.  We got to participate as Jay led worship at his church and observe a moving service of confirmation.  We had a great time in Dallas!!  

We saw this beautiful sunset on our way home.  We made it home...and 30 minutes later, Andy joined the staff in driving to San Antonio for the evangelism conference!  I, for one, was glad to unpack.  But what great fun we had!

Anniversary Weekend

 It's anniversary weekend.  David & Lindsey asked us a few months ago to babysit for them so they could take an anniversary trip.

They're celebrating 10 years of wedded bliss.

We've been anticipating some quality time with their kids...and vice versa.  I can only hope we've met their expectations.  Because they had some pretty high expectations of these grandparents.

 We started the first night right.  We taught them how to carve and boil a weenie so that it had a face and hair.  (Just like we taught their dad.)  Ryan's had a really mean face and some fabulous hair!

Addie's had a happy face, some great hair and a designer dress!

That first night, Pops took them to a Borger Bulldog football game.  They got their photo taken with the mascot (Addie's favorite part of the game)....and then they sat at the top of the stadium seats to watch the game (Ryan's favorite part).  They came home with a megaphone and clappers.  

Today, Pops had to sing at a funeral in Pampa.  That created a new game plan for us.  We called Granny and made plans to spend the day with her.  And cousin Ben came over!  The boys discussed Tai Kwan Do and then the three of them pretended to be spies behind Granny's great trees.  They had a blast!

While we were there, Addie came in with a pecan she found in the backyard.  Granny told her a squirrel probably dropped it there because she doesn't have a pecan tree.  On her own, Addie went in the backyard and smashed the shell and cleaned it...and ate it!

When we got back to Borger, we went by Mama's house and Ryan got to take a close look at Papa's Indian arrowheads.  He's been fascinated by arrowheads and we even looked for some last week together.  He was pretty impressed.

And, of course, you can't make a trip to Mama's house without enjoying a soda.

We've watched movies, thrown the football, taken deep baths and finished off with hot towels and still have a day of church ahead of us.  It will be over soon.

I'm sure mom and dad know that, too.  I only hope they've had as much fun as we've had...

;)