Honor and Respect

This is going to be an odd, transparent blog. See, I have questions! I think I have the respect part down (my Momma can tell me that!) but the honor thing...I struggle with, especially in regards to family.

This last year has been hard on our family. There are things going on in our household that I don't feel the freedom to share with anyone! These same things are causing me to be so emotionally drained that I don't feel I can see straight most days.(no rumors please, my marriage is just fine thank you!)

Add on to that a baby in the house 8-10 hrs a day, plus school, church and all those other 'things' that are just part of life.

I am tired!!!

Now, please hear my heart...I know that God is in the midst of all of this. I see His hand at work in so many ways that I am continually blown away! Have you read Acts lately???
The Vicky Beeching song playing as I began typing sums up alot of my spirit walk...

"You are my strength and you are my song giving me hope and guiding me
on

(chorus)
At all times I will sing of your greatness
At all times I will sing of your love
At all times I will sing of your faithfulness
For your goodness remains and your love is the same at all times"

That doesn't change the fact that I am tired...really tired! Those of you that have raised teenagers know exactly what I am talking about, I know!

So, as the wife and Mom of my particular family, I feel torn. How do I respect the issues going on in my own home and yet honor extended family? I went to bed last night feeling like I just could not give any more of me away for the day, or the month for that matter!

My question to you, my dear blog friends, is not so much for advice but...

How do you show honor?

What are some practical things that you do to let your extended family know you really do love them?

For those of you that are older adults, how do you expect to see honor?

I do understand this is a season in life. I know that soon, the winds will change and life will become a different normal (the sooner would be better, please Lord???)Somehow, though, I need to get through this season and I want to do it well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for praying for my family.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...like blog readers

God's girl, Pamela

Graduation Day

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

This will be a short memory post...but a terrific memory it is!!!

The day we have looked forward to for 14 yrs, we held her back a year to mature a bit in 1st grade, and it went by in a flash...just like those 14 yrs feel!

Only one fly in the ointment....THEY SAID MY DAUGHTER'S NAME WRONG!!!! I will admit, she has a bit of an unusual name...but not unheard of. There is also a Hispanic way to say her name - and that is what they did!!! I was MAD!!! MAD, I say!

As y'all know, we love this school!!! They have very rarely said her name wrong! On the most important day of high school, the end, they mess it up! Oh, my!!!

Her former Chemistry teacher was sitting next to me and trying to console me by saying how many names they were messing up. It didn't help...only made me madder for those young people and their families, too!!!

My niece was chuckling at me afterwards telling me that I didn't even clap for CD as she walked across the stage! Apparently, I was too stunned and just sat there saying, "Are you kidding me?" I can see that of myself!

Okay....putting that to rest.....


She graduated #41 in her class of over 470!!! She graduated with honors, a 3.6 GPA, and a Texas Scholar!!! She's my daughter and I am so proud of her and her accomplishment!

The choir sang for the very last time - it is a tradition for them to sing "From Sea to Shining Sea" at graduation. When they finished the song, there were lots of hugs given and even though we weren't close enough to see, I'm sure there were more tears shed.

Now, life moves on. We still have one in high school - she will be a sophomore next year. I'm not sure if life will slow down or not....when something ends, it always seems we find something to fill up that time!

CD's plans are to attend a local community college for a while. She is still seeking exactly the path God would have her to take. Would you please partner in prayer with our family as we seek His face? For the summer, she has her last camper year at youth camp to look forward to and her mission trip to Columbia, which is all paid for!!!

Sorry this does seem rushed...gotta get other stuff done around the house before Miss PD comes!!!

I am definitely one very proud Momma!!!

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow....like children!

God's girl, Pamela

Six Days in May

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

As I've posted earlier, May always seems to be a very busy month and this year has been no exception!!! In fact, it seems to be busier than normal...or maybe it is just all of the emotion going into this time in our lives as parents of a graduating senior!!! Not sure, but there were six days that passed in a blur, yet I want to remember most of them for a long time! We took pictures and even some video and near the end of those days, sleep was very needed!!!

On Thursday night, CD (formerly DD1!) had her final choir concert...as in, this A Capella Choir will not sing together again in a concert setting!!! She has been in this choir for three years and has made some really deep friendships during that time. This year's choir has really gelled and become a 'family' within the school and it has been so neat to watch them work and grow together! It was a choir of 16 seniors....16!!! That is a lot of people that they will have to replace next year! I do not envy the director during that process!

I did cry, I cannot lie. As CD received her rose, I could not keep the tears from falling down my cheeks! I've watched the rose ceremony for 4 yrs now and it was even sweeter to hear my own daughter's name and accomplishments being called in front of everyone!!! The tears really began, though, as they sang a version of the Irish blessing, "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." Knowing that the time was short, many of the students began to tear up themselves and this Momma/booster club president, just could not keep the tears away!!! These kids have a special place in my heart because I know just how hard they have worked to get to this point and to know that after Saturday, the choir will change is a very hard reality...even for me!

Then, we woke up early that Saturday morning to make a trip to Waco for my niece's graduation ceremony at Baylor University!!! It started raining on us about an hour away from home and truly rained on us until graduation was over!!! We were in the auditorium/stadium listening to the rain pound the roof!!! However, to see my niece graduate with honors was so worth the trip!!! I am so proud of her accomplishments! She graduated with a BA in journalism and I know there is an awesome road of life ahead of her!!! GO JD!!!!

The next day was Senior Recognition Sunday at our church...ya know, the new one!!! So, that meant that the trip to Waco was fairly short lived! Thankfully, we have a 10:30 am service and that is the one we attend as a family so we did get a bit of extra sleep that day! There was also a lunch for the graduates so I didn't even have to cook - what more could a Mom ask for???

It was so neat to watch CD's pictures up on the big screen during the slide show. I was a very nice Mom and turned in mostly studio pics of her...except for the one of her and the Beluga whale - I just could not resist!!! The church gave each graduate a journal and the youth pastor called them up one by one to tell what they planned for the next stage in their lives and CD was called up first!!! She was not excited about that part of it but she did so well. She plans to go to community college this fall and get most of her basics then in a year or two head to a nearby university to get a secondary teaching degree! Can I just say, I did not cry that day!!! AT ALL!!! I PROMISE!!!

Then, to wrap up the insanity, we had Bunny's final freshman band concert on Tuesday evening! Both of her high school's bands, Symphonic and Honors, received sweepstakes at UIL this year!!! I would say that is a big accomplishment, but their director expects just that of them, so no one was really surprised! Bunny had been concerned for that night, though, because in practice some songs just were not coming together between woodwinds and brass. But can I just say, THEY BROUGHT IT!!! They sounded great!!! She is in the symphonic band, and will be again next year, so they are only losing a couple of seniors from their section (trumpets). I don't think it will make too big of a difference!

So, that weekend served to let me know that I should have bought stock in Kleenex a few years back! It was so neat to watch my daughters display their talent! It was equally awesome to see my niece and my oldest receive recognition for what they have worked so hard for....graduation!!! I am proud of these young ladies! They each bring their own brand of joy and smiles to our family and I would not trade for anything!

I have no pics right now because my desktop computer keeps acting up so I am doing this on hubs laptop! Just when I think it is fixed, another error box pops up with a different problem!!! Oh well, it's all gonna be okay!!!

Thanks for sharing a bit of the craziness that encompassed six days in May!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

God's girl, Pamela

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

I'm sure you have heard some whisperings about the latest work of Andy Andrews, author of The Traveler's Gift. My curiosity was piqued by just the title. One of my faults is that I miss the subtle things in life. I see what I see and usually don't go any further than the surface. In many ways, I desire to be a noticer.

A Noticer. That is what Jones called himself. I wish I had that same ability. Jones took it a step further, though, and was willing to share what he noticed.

How many times do we find ourselves at an impasse, or a crossroad in life? We truly don't know what to do or even which way to turn. For many of us, that is when we turn to our faith. For a Gulf Shores community, it seems God's answer was to send them a man named Jones - or was it Garcia, or even Chen? God sent who they needed, when they needed.

Jones brought a fresh 'perspective' to each situation in which he chose to involve himself. He had a way of seeing past the facade of a person and seeing into their soul. He would become your best friend, if you let him.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Noticer. From beginning to end, it doesn't seem to be a heavy handed book but by the time I put it down, I had begun to re-think many areas of my own life. Hard, oft times hidden areas. Jones take on worry, for instance, is that smart people worry. To him, our "creative imagination" creates all sorts of improbable situations that lead us to worry. Boy, somebody read my mail on that one!!!

My favorite quote from the book is during a conversation Jones had with a young businessman who had made many wrong choices in life and business. "It may take a long time to decide to change...but change happens in a heartbeat!" In my own life, I need to change some things and quit taking my sweet time deciding to change!

Do you need a fresh perspective? Do you need a faith-filled perspective? I suggest you pick up a copy of The Noticer by Andy Andrews. It won't take long to read but by allowing God to shed some fresh perspective in your life, the results may be long lasting!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

God's girl, Pamela