Checking In...

Well, I am slowly sliding -- actually waddling due to recent caloric consumption -- into real life and I am not very pleased with it. I really enjoyed my not-real life so very much.

And, of course, my precious husband was most excited about our weekend away. He was more worried about whether or not any students were going to be expecting him Friday afternoon. Once he figured out he was in the clear there, all was good. I asked him SOOO many times about missing hunting, "Are you SURE you don't mind??" he finally said, "Babe! It's one weekend out of 9. No worries!" How cute is he?

You know how you get in your head how things will be and start to get mad about it before it actually happens? I was SO worked up and just positive that Troy would be really disappointed in not hunting that by Thursday I thought (not for long, but the thought did cross my mind) about calling him and screeching: "IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THIS WEEKEND THAT IS JUST! FINE!! I WILL HAVE A GLORIOUS WEEKEND ALL! BY! MYSELF!!" Now it's funny -- actually, I think the comic effect of it is what kept me from doing it. When I told Troy about that today, he said, "What made you think that?" "Oh, just my crazy, crazy head...!"

And, of course, went to breakfast the first morning and the only other couple there was a couple from Temple whose son was in Ashley's pre-school class for 3 years in a row. We don't know them well, but that was funny. The B&B owner, a salty, say-anything kind of guy, drawled, "Well, at least you were with your own spouses; we've had that happen..."

It was GLORIOUS to just 'be' with my hubby. It was wonderful to go and do whatever, whenever, and however we wanted. For the record, it wasn't much, and might be boring to most people, but it was great. These things did make me laugh about being in Small Town, Texas:

• Chicken-fried BACON (yes, bacon) was served for breakfast yesterday. Yes, I ate it, yes, it was as gloriously wonderful as it sounds.
• We pumped gas at a place that didn't require you to prepay.
• I stood behind a gentleman named 'Conrad'. I know, because his name was stamped into his leather belt.
• We ordered the pecan pie with Jack Daniels ice cream for dessert last night. Y'all the PECAN PIE was fried!! I have consumed more fried food in the last 48 hours than in the last 12 months combined. P.S. Jack Daniels ice cream? Oh, yeah...!

All in all, it was so great. Every time Troy and I do that -- take just a little time for the two of us -- we agree it is well worth the financial and time investment. But we just let life keep rolling by for a year or two and forget to make it a priority. I think we've been better about it in the last few years. Probably because we have seen what a mess we become when we don't...

One last thing: I know I asked you to pray, pray about God being in the details. I need to sit and write all of the little tiny things that God took care of so beautifully and perfectly for us. I hope it will teach me to breathe that prayer far more often: "God, be in the details..." He really is, and as our loving parent longs to take care of us and delight us. It's only when we snatch back trying to take care of the details ourselves that the biggest mess is made.

God, be in the details...

My Daughter is My Sister!

For a while now, as Ashley's friends have made the decision to give their lives to Christ and be baptized, she has mentioned it. We have talked about it as a family, and I have prayed about it frequently. Truly, her biggest obstacle, in her mind, is her 'crowd shyness'. She absolutely, positively, didn't want to be baptized in front of the church and she absolutely, positively, didn't want to be 'singled out' in front of church afterward even if she chose to be baptized in private. I continued to assure her neither of those were requirements for telling Jesus you were ready to be His girl, but she just wasn't sure...

Last week, while Ashley was safely tucked away at camp, and Troy and I were cuddled on the couch watching a movie, she sent me a text message, "I HAVE to get baptized in the next week! I can't explain it, but it's something I have to do." There were other words, that I treasured in my heart (and on my iphone! ;-), but with those words, she didn't HAVE to explain it. I knew. We really didn't talk about it much at all when she got home, but last night after we got home from church, we opened up the conversation about it. In short, she felt exactly the same: it must be done. She was ready to go in my bathtub!!

But we chose to break into let ourselves into the church, just the 4 of us. (Roxanne said, "There's nothing like a little breaking and entering with your parents before giving your life to Christ." Indeed). Her daddy said some beautiful words about her decision, what it meant to HER, as well as what it meant to all of us. I didn't cry too much. But I am so amazingly thankful. According to Acts 2:38, now my daughter has received the gift of the Holy Spirit. I believe that with that indwelling, no matter the choices she makes in her life or the roads she may walk, the Spirit will remind her again and again of the cleansing waters she experienced -- a joining of Christ in his death when He was the ultimate sacrifice. I'm walking on the clouds right now, watching the heavens rejoicing as they welcome my new sister!

P.S. youtube is still chugging trying to upload the video. If you would like to see it, email me sstirman [at] gmail [dot] com and I will send you the link to it (if it ever fully uploads!)