Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from LONDON! I know you are thrilled. Especially since I have no idea what most of these pictures represent. I'm going to amaze you with everything I do NOT know about England!

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Paula Deen Recipe Challenge did NOT happen last night. I was busy making a big Welcome Home Dinner for The Boy, and I decided to stick with all of his favorites. (However, the peas are cooked and ready to go. If I have eight minutes sometime today, I may do the "Prep Work.")

RANDOMNESS #2 - The Boy's Welcome Home Dinner was a success... if you do not count The Boy NOT eating anything but a roll.

I took him to lunch at Jim & Nick's (because obviously restaurants in London aren't known for their Southern barbecue). He ate and ate and ate. And he started "fading" right before my eyes.

By the time we sat down to dinner, his eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred and his appetite was gone. Jet lag! It's a real condition!

To be honest, I think I had "sympathy jet lag." (If I see a picture of a sleeping baby, I have a strong desire to curl up in the fetal position for two, three or four hours. I'm sensitive to others that way!)

Everyone else seemed to enjoy the Welcome Home Dinner. I think they're ready for Austin to take another trip.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Carpooling Article - Part Two - Today I'll share the second half of this article (first posted in 2009). This is the part which will stay with you and make you think, think, think. Read yesterday's post for Part One.

Years before, I'd prayed that God would give me a grand purpose in life. He answered by giving me two daughters and a set of car keys.

"Drive," He said.

So drive I did... and became known among the other moms as Transportation Central. And I loved every minute of it.

It actually proved to be quite educational. I learned I could be invisible. The girls would all pile into my car and start talking about stuff girls talk about, which meant boys and other girls. As if I wasn't even in the car (hence the invisibility factor) they would start dishing the dirt.

You can learn a lot by being invisible, and as I listened to their conversations, you can bet I prayed as I drove!

During my years of driving girls, my car was used as a cafeteria, a beauty parlor, a dressing room, a last-minute study hall, a laundry hamper and a place to take a nap.

It was also at times a confessional and a sanctuary. Something amazing happened when my little red Tempo filled with girls.

God entered.

Sometimes I wondered if those girls in the backseat realized His presence. I think maybe they did, because every once in a while (when they would acknowledge my presence) they would ask me questions about Buddhism, paganism and Marilyn Manson. Sometimes I was able to pray out loud for them.

It was all so very natural. It was mundane and ordinary, yet incredibly holy. Now that my daughters are grown, I actually miss those days.

At one time I'd wanted to be somebody important, to do great and grand things. I ended up driving girls. It wasn't what I'd envisioned, but for a good portion of my life it was what I'd been created and called to do.

As I talked to Kelly's mom, I remembered that Kelly was one of the girls I not only drove places, but listened to, prayed for and loved. God used me to share Christ with her... and she died loving Jesus. I realized that for all those years behind the wheel of my car, I had no greater purpose.

I had asked God to give me a grand purpose, and He did.

While driving girls all over central Florida wasn't lofty, it was heavenly. And although it wasn't what I would have chosen, it turned out to be what I will always cherish.

Isn't that an amazing article? Food for much thought. As I said yesterday, this article was taken from Today's Christian Woman and was written by Nancy Kennedy... a very wise mom.

Weekend Happenings

I'm going to do the list thing. It's not a super busy weekend, so it will be short and sweet.

Me and Mikie - We're buying our mattress tonight, and hopefully having it delivered tomorrow afternoon. (I hope, I hope!) Which means we'll be going to bed around 7:00 p.m. Saturday night and sleeping 12 hours. (That's our goal!)

Saturday (early afternoon), we'll be attending the 4th birthday party of Matthew, great-nephew extraordinaire... and holding Lauren, precious great-niece. I'm really looking forward to Saturday (early afternoon).

Sunday we'll be going to church, and Sunday afternoon is an "up-in-the-air" afternoon. (I'm thinking a nap on the new mattress.)

Austin - The Boy is working a couple of shifts at the Chick before heading back to school next Tuesday. He's still struggling with a little jet lag (as mentioned above), so I think his weekend will be pretty laid back.

Josh - He's making plans, but I am not privy to them at this time. He's going to attend Matthew's party, but the rest of his weekend is up to him. The holidays are over, and I'm taking a couple of weeks off from major planning.

Roxie - Read the above. Exactly the same.

I may have the busiest weekend ever, and I just don't know it's coming.

If it is indeed the busiest weekend ever, I will have a WONDERFUL new mattress to "recuperate" on during the nighttime hours. (I'm expecting to look at least ten years younger in a week or so after I "sleep the correct way." I hope I won't be disappointed.)

Have a great January weekend. I'll be back first thing Monday morning with Mindless Monday and pictures of our mattress (100 or so).

Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting and Well-Rested-To-Be Belinda