Reading and Writing - Again!

I really thought I was finished with "school" when I retired from public education last June. But I guess school never leaves someone who "played" school as a child, taught school from age 22-48 years old (with a few years off to raise our children), and administrated at school as a 50+ year old. It must be in my blood. Or maybe it's not school that's in my blood, but a yearning for learning. I think that's it.

Anyway, I'm hitting the books again and writing responses to the reading. It's all a part of the Growing Deeper Spirituality program I am doing through the ZOE Group in Nashville. As usual, I've been a bit of a procrastinator in getting all of my work done in preparation for a retreat/residency in Nashville week after next. Reading Marjorie Thompson's Soul Feast and Holloway and Lavender's Living God's Love has kept me busy. I need to complete my response papers to these two books before I go to Nashville. That's not really hard. I just do a lot of "marinating" over my words before I "publish" when I am required to turn something in. Also have to write a spiritual autobiography. That one is finished in my head, but not on paper.

These readings and all of the prayer, reflection and contemplation associated with this program are revealing a lack of discipline in my life. Is it ever too late to develop self-discipline? I hope not! It's not that I'm not disciplined in some areas of my life. It has just become more and more apparent to me that I need to spend much more time with God alone than I have been doing most of my life. The time I have taken to sit quietly and just listen for Him has resulted in so much more than I expected.

I highly recommend these two books. They will challenge your thinking and introduce some new ideas for many.

Need to get back to the task at hand:hitting the books and getting those words on paper. This next week I'll be gone to a mini-retreat at a lake house near Austin. That should provide me with the final drafts of my assignments as well as provide an opportunity for some quiet relaxation.

Will try to post again before I leave for Nashville. Have a great week!

Catching Up

Since I last posted, we have been quite busy. Skip and I helped Sarah and Easy move into their new home, and we all celebrated Paris' 4th birthday. Yes, the Princess is FOUR! It doesn't seem possible. Of course, I can hardly believe that I have been retired for a year as well. This time last year I had no idea that we would have another grandbaby, Sarah and Easy would move into their first dream home or that I would have lived at my mother's house for three months of the year. Whew! I get tired all over just thinking about it all. I hate having to admit that age is making a difference in the time it takes me to recover from all of this activity.

I'm still trying to figure out how to insert pictures at different locations in my post, so here are some pix from the Big Move as well as from the birthday party. Enjoy!

Easy loading items into our vehicles.









The new dining room full of stuff!







In Vivi's new nursery.






The house!



Now for some shots from the birthday party:

Paris enjoying the water.

Tripp loves the water as well.


The cake was beautiful thanks to Kara Dennis!


The new aquarium from Uncle Matt & Aunt Kara is a big hit! She now has three fish in it: Ernie, Howie and Fishie (Fishy?)

Vivi is not quite sure about all of this. Maybe by Christmas she'll be more into the party atmosphere. Oh my! Three children at Christmas - I better start shopping soon!!

As you can see our lives are full and happy. The Lord has blessed us richly and we thank Him. May He bless each of you reading this as well as we approach our celebration of independence in our nation.

More later.....