What's buggin' you?

Yesterday I got the call from the sitter explaining that I have to pick up Savanna because she has lice. YES, lice. The thought sends feelings of total dred to the depths of my being. I lived in Irving for 30+ years and only got it once as a kid. Since I moved to East Texas 4 years ago someone in my family has gotten it at least twice per year! It is just killing me. This is the buggiest place I have ever heard of. How can something so small be so mobile?


I used to think of people who had lice as dirty. Well, after getting it several times I mentioned that theory to the doctor. When she finished laughing she explained that in reality, they cannot live long in oily hair, or the eggs wont stick or something like that. That is why black people rarely get it. I wash my hair daily and so, my hair all but screams for them to on over! So before work this morning I had the privelege of washing 3 loads of sheets and blankets and there are several more to do before I can go to bed tonight. YEA. Doc also advised that it is not just my area...there seems to be a national epidemic of the little critters and they have grown resistant to the typical solutions. Yea again.

The Flood

My Savanna LOVES to talk, sing, holler, make up words, and anything that involves (insert The Grinch voice here) noise, noise, noise, noise. Sometimes it makes me laugh, other times it makes me nuts! Her favorite Bible story is the arc. Not sure why with all the drowning and death but still it is her favorite. I read it 9 times to every one story on any other subject!

Today we were listening to "Nothing But the BLOOD" by Justin Coffield band. We recently discovered how much we love this CD...it is a hand me down from my teenager. Pathetic I know. So, we are driving along singing to the radio when I realize Savanna is singing Nothing but the FLOOD! I guess it is time to put my row down and insist on new bible study material.

Single Mom?

I have been reading Kay Arthur’s book “How to Study Your Bible”. It is not a new book, so if this is old news to whoever might be reading this, forgive me. It is new to me because I borrowed it recently from a friend. It teaches how to get the most out of the Word. It suggests starting with a short book that is more literal and less figurative such as 2 Timothy. That is where I started, and still am. I have never been able to retain anything I read biblical or otherwise other than the general IDEA of the text until now. It is really awesome. I am enjoying my bible study time so much more than I ever have before.

In reading 2 Timothy over and over doing my careful study of the book I realized that we hear about Timothy’s mom and grandma, but there is no mention (at least not in 2 Timothy) of his father or grandfather. As a single mom I find this VERY interesting, and inspirational. I have read this book before but never have I learned so much from something that is NOT written. If this seems odd, forgive me again, I am still new at this. I became a follower just in the last 4 years. So, back to Timothy. I am left wondering if the males in his family were deceased, or unbelievers, or even just not around. In any case I find hope as a single mom that it IS possible to be and raise a child to be a follower. J Being the type of person that constantly looks for, no, NEEDS confirmation, this makes me happy.

I am at the point in the book study where I need to do some word studies is Greek and Hebrew. I would rather look the info up online instead of buying several word study books. Can anyone suggest a good (by good I mean free) resource?

New Orleans again

Wednesday I went back to New Orleans. I enjoyed the trip. I went with several people from my church, most of which I didn’t know very well until now. That was the best part, as always. We gutted a building that is used by a church to feed kids hot meals after school and it also feeds and houses about 20 men in a substance abuse recovery program. The buildings are all connected, and we worked in a large room about 1200 sq ft. that had a balcony type thing in the back third of the building. We tore the balcony down, replaced the front and back doors, and cut a doorway out of the brick. We spackled all the holes in the sheetrock, painted, we removed a fridge and a MASSIVE safe. We tore up the flooring, part of which was solid concrete and the other was wood. We filled a 30 foot dumpster TWICE with debris. We also fed the entire block catfish, shrimp, fries, jambalaya, hush puppies and coleslaw…about 125 came. The leftovers fed a homeless shelter.

We toured the church that my church fixed up last year. It is STILL the only one within many miles that is operational, and two other congregations use the building. It is in the upper ninth ward just over a bridge from the lower ninth ward and was totally ruined except for the outer brick structure. It looks amazing. Then we toured the lower ninth…It is much better than it was last year when I went. Last year there were houses that had floated into the streets, rusty cars everywhere and cars and refrigerators up in trees. All of that has been removed but the area is still totally empty other than the few work crews and church teams. The houses are still uninhabitable, most if not all will have to be demolished.

I hope to have before and after photos posted soon.

Pity parties and birthday parties

Today is my first born's 16th birthday. She had a nice almost surprise birthday party last night. She brilliantly figured it out as soon as her friend text messaged me on accident instead of her... "How are we gonna get Bri outta the house?" Innocent mistake I guess, I am surprised Bri didn't find out sooner. Lesson here: It isn't always best to have your family cell plan numbers one digit away from the others!

As I sit here alone at home, which in itself is a miracle since I have been BOMBARDED with teens since yesterday, I wonder how my 5 pound preemie is now 16 and at the movies til midnight. I am happy for her to be at this point in her life. BUT as I sit here alone thinking back thru the years I can feel the hairs on my head turning grey. I am weepy and I just hate when I do that, especially if it is caused by a pity party.

We have been a cell only family for 4 years. My gift to her was high speed internet and a home phone. That so far has been a nice plus for me as well since I am using HER new internet connection now. Her other gift is simply the knowledge that I have found her a car and will be buying it for her in a couple of months. That sentence made me weepy again.

I just cannot believe that she is only a couple of short busy years away from college and out of the house. I miss her and she isn't even physically gone yet. Even thru the toughest of times, the worst part of the teen years for me hasn't been the attitude or the lack of help around the house or even other issues steming from the typical teenage 'wrapped up in myself' misbehavior. It has been the growing sense that I am becoming less central in her life and becoming only a PART of her life. As much as I try to remind myself that she isn't mentally moving away from me but more moving TOWARD something else and it is healthy for her...it just plain sucks.

Pity party is officially over.