the parson's house

sanctuary...

2012-02-13T10:05:00.000-06:00

It hangs by the coffee pot. I say a thankful prayer every morning.

has it really been that long?

2012-02-12T10:37:00.000-06:00

Well, my.

I have aged another year since the last post!

My dogs have aged, my kids have aged, my house has fallen into another year's disrepair, the Parson has aged...

There is another crack in the pool, and the front flower beds are looking a little seedy. The dust is in the cracks of the handles of the flower pots. Why has nobody fixed that? I sneeze when I enter the laundry room. Every time. Is there not a Cause? Does nobody care?

The furniture is even still arranged the same way! Well, that does it! That's the final straw! Something has to give!!!

The Golden speaks for us all:

i am rich

2011-03-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

And that assessment is not in comparison to anybody. I just am. Period.

I have one brother whom I adore. Always have. After staying single for 40 years, he got married about four years age to the one who was born to be in our family.

My dad died 18 years ago and my mom has since devoted her life to my brother and me and my family.

We're tight.

But getting married and building a home and raising a family and pastoring a church and homeschooling and traveling extensively take an amazing amount of time and energy and many times our connections are limited to once a month suppers or days where it's just phone conversations. My mom lives 8/10s of a mile from my house and my brother only lives about 3 miles, but we can go days...weeks?...without seeing each other.

That is just flat out wrong.

So, Mardi Gras gave my brother a day off this past Tuesday and he gifted it to my mom and me. Just the three of us. From can until can't, doing what we wanted, rambling around the countryside.

A dear friend on Facebook knows us all too well and asked what we talked about all day. As I typed my response to her, I was reminded again that few people experience this much love in their life and I am grateful.

My response:

Ha! I KNEW you wanted to come! :-)

We talked about "Radical" (Kenny's reading that) and "Slave" (I just finished) and "Splashdown" (John Wolfram's book).

And we talked about heaven and then we talked about where the dead are. Lots of opinion on that one.

Then we talked about how dead outlet malls are getting and how stupid Mardi Gras is and how thankful we are we were doing what we were doing. (several times).

Then we looked for the old Indian Creek swimming hole and almost found it and then got out and took pics of a forgotten creek by Mom's old homeplace in the rain.

And they had Shipley's but I didn't cause I'm good.

And a couple of other things that I won't put on Facebook.

And then we had Mexican food, and rode the back roads all day til dark.

And it was a perfectly fabulous day.

I am rich.

If you have love in your life, you are rich.

the parson strikes again

2011-03-09T05:58:00.000-06:00

He really is the coolest man.

The Hawaiian Christmas ornament from last year's 25th anniversary trip was broken first thing when decorating the tree this past year.

Valentine's Day, 2011 didn't even exist at theparsonshouse because we were all frantically trying to close the suitcases and hop on the plane at 4:30 am the next morning.

So...on our stopover in Honolulu...when I was exhausted and didn't even want to leave the room to eat...and The Parson's Son was in need of some jump/scream/yell/letoffsteam time...off they went to explore the Strip for awhile.

And when they came back, I got this.

Happy Valentine's Day 'cause your 25th Anniversary Hawaiian Christmas ornament was broken and I love you.

So there. See if you can top that!

jet lag

2011-03-07T05:48:00.000-06:00

Traveling overseas ain't no piece of cake!

Jet lag is a real deal. If you have never traveled overseas (especially going west...that's by far the worst!) then you just have no way of knowing how debilitating it really can be.

It's not a sleep issue. It's a body thing. Like you are in the room, but your body's not. And then, around mid-afternoon somebody pulls the plug and lets all the air out of your arms and legs and you are like those balloon people that fly around on car lots going every which way. (Which, by the way, I have never understood. And just HOW is that supposed to want to make me buy a car from your dealership?) But back to jet lag...

So, I know it's a real deal. I've been up since 4:28 a.m., tired as all get out and wanting to say God woke me up to pray and I responded, but deep down I know that it's really jet lag and so do you.

So, it's a real deal. BUT...you knew there was a but...I am sincerely amazed at how extensive and powerful jet lag really is.

For example:

Them: Mom, could you iron my shirt?
Me: Why me? Why don't you iron it?
Them: I have jet lag.

Me: Did you feed the dogs?
Them: No.
Me: Why?
Them: I have jet lag.

Me: Where are my glasses?
Them: I'll help you look. Here they are! In the refrigerator! Why did you put them there?
Me: I have jet lag.

Me: I've told you not to text in church. Put the phone up.
Them: But Mom...(whine)...I have jet lag!

Me: I'm freezing! Who turned the heat down in here?
Them: I did.
Me: Why?
Them: I have jet lag.

Them: This soup is too salty.
Me: That's because I have jet lag.

Headlines in morning newspaper:
"Members of local minister's home found dead sitting in upright positions due to jet lag."

Uncomplicated

2011-03-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, you just don't need a lot of words...

Merry Christmas, 2010!

2011-03-05T10:03:00.000-06:00

So, about 150 cards are still stacked by my chair waiting to be addressed and sent... Sad.

Merry Christmas from The Homeplace!

(Consider yourself officially greeted.)

lonely walls wailing mournfully - STOP!

2011-03-04T09:24:00.002-06:00

The sound has been echoing up and down the dark, cold streets. Unidentifiable to many, those with keen sensitivity have recognized the mournful wails of lonely walls...walls accustomed to laughter, yelling, and loving have had only silence. Emptiness. Deserted despair.

The Homeplace has been a Ghostplace. Dogs are despondent, grass is brown, dust is prevalent. Plants are dying, smells are musty, pantry is bare.

Days, weeks too, even months. 2011 brought busyness, preoccupation, deadlines, and goodbyes.

But for a brief few days, all is well again. Washers are churning, tails are wagging, stoves are cooking, dust is flying. Laughter has returned, jetlag has turned middle-of-the-night lights on, and focus is flying around.

It's good to be home.

fourteen

2010-12-08T10:15:00.001-06:00

I am really having trouble wrapping my brain around the concept of time.

I really do believe that the 60 minutes I experienced in childhood were MUCH shorter than the 60 minutes we are experiencing in the 21st century.

It was an eternity from birth to 14 for me.

But it was only about 2 years from birth to 14 for the parson's son.

Fourteen. The Boy is 14. Crazy.

But yesterday's birthday wasn't just any ole celebration. For me, the mom, (the one who actually did all the work 14 years ago), the day was a poignant Thanksgiving Day brimming over with awe, gratefulness, and wonder.

My status on Facebook read this way:

Celebrating the birthday of my miracle son today. Survived birth with the umbilical cord wrapped TWICE around his neck and tied in a square knot, lives full and big even without part of his immune system, and totally thrives in life! 14 years of God's protection and mercy. I'm one grateful mom.

His journey has been anything but easy. But his challenges changed the gear mechanism of our home. And that, in turn, created a new environment...a better environment...a more purposeful environment. As a result, we are all much better people.

We learned that nothing in life is guaranteed and that, in order to fulfill our destiny, each day must be lived with laser-sharp clarity and focused intention.

And, in return, we received the privilege of sharing life with a wonderful, funny, kind, brilliant, old soul who consistently amazes us with his junior-high edition of wise intuition.

I love him fiercely.

the un-decorator

2010-12-02T08:57:00.000-06:00

Look, Mom!
Look what I found on the Christmas tree!
You were so kind to get me a toy that I could chew up and ruin.
You really shouldn't have.....

What in the world do you mean?
This tag doesn't say, "To Roxy?"
Of all the nerve!
I am so hurt.

black friday

2010-11-26T13:04:00.000-06:00

The Parson's Daughter is crazy.

She makes about $2 per day and decides to go Save Money by staying up all night and doing the Black Friday shopping thing in order to Wisely Spend her Christmas shopping money.

She ends up Saving Money on stuff that nobody needs or wants, the only thing that lasts out of her shopping experience is the Nasty Cold that she gets while shopping in the pre-dawn rain, and she winds up Cranky and Disgruntled.

But far be it from her to ever consider NOT shopping before dawn on Black Friday.

No, indeed!

There is a twisted sort of Heroism and Inflated Self Worth that envelopes my Black Friday Shopping Daughter. She has braved the weather and the crazies and has Survived. She has Saved Money. (It is totally irrelevant that she will only use her purchases one time before shoving them under the bed, in the closet, or on another poor soul who thinks they need It. It is also totally irrelevant that if her purchase is given as a gift, it is likely not really even wanted by the recipient.)

I love my Daughter and cherish every opportunity I have to be with her and make memories. But let it be known that there is a Line I will not Cross.

There is No Way I'm ever gonna do that Black Friday shopping thing.

You can write that down in your Little Black Book.

and melani begat kendra

2010-11-17T09:27:00.000-06:00

of all the haunting moments

of motherhood,

few rank

with hearing your own words

come out of

your daughter's mouth.

~victoria secunda

peace

2010-11-04T14:15:00.001-05:00

peace.

it does not mean to be in a place

where there is no noise, trouble

or hard work. it means to be in

the midst of those things and still

be calm in your heart.

(unknown. taken from a catalog cover)

Where have I been?

2010-09-17T13:58:00.000-05:00

I do not know.

But it obviously hasn't been on theparsonshouse blog. Couldn't believe it when I realized I had not posted on here in 2 months. Time is Flying. Literally. It has to be.

So. . .since I haven't had time to get really Crafty with my Words, I will just reassure that I still have an abundance of them rolling around in my head and occasionally flooding out of my mouth and hopefully will get them to this site in the next few days.

I mean, don't hold your breath or anything. They probably won't rock your world. The Parsons House has been a bit quiet lately due to the fact that when the Inhabitants enter through the back door, they immediately fall in a heap until it is time to rush back out the door to attend to another Duty and Function.

She's Twenty!

2010-07-10T01:44:00.000-05:00

The Parson's Daughter is now Twenty. Today. That's freaky.

Pardon me for reminiscing, but I happen to remember July 10, 1990 pretty vividly. It was a very long night the night before and a very long day. Eighteen hours of pretty intense labor if you want me to be specific. The doctor sort of played it out her way because she wanted to get in a full day's work. Tweren't pleasant, no indeed. I never went back to that doctor and still don't care for her very much.

She arrived weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 19 inches long. She had my nose and my mouth. She has since got her own.

She's twenty.

She's beautiful and smart, gifted and passionate. She loves God, kids, and the Philippines. She doesn't keep her room clean all the time, but that's okay. She will one day. I didn't keep it clean all the time when it was my room, either...

She is so funny. She can do Madea like nobody's business. She makes us all laugh so hard.

She can get in a bad mood now and then, but just show me somebody who doesn't! Now come on!

She is still searching about for her future, but if it plays off of her past, she's in good shape. She has learned how to smile when she's freaking out inside. She has learned how to love those who do her wrong and hold her head up and know that God will take care of it and she doesn't have to. Even at twenty, she has learned that time usually brings everything out and she doesn't have to fight to be heard or to tell her side.

She has learned the meaning of PK all by herself and she's making it a beautiful picture.

Scuse me for bragging, but it's my blog and my daughter, so I guess I can.

She's Twenty.

I couldn't have asked for a better one if I would have hand-picked her myself.

Happy Birthday to my roofus!

So, the Joke's on ME!

2010-03-13T11:53:00.001-06:00

If you haven't read the blog post below about Fundraiser Roses, scroll down and do so now. You must read that one before you read this one.

(pause while reader scrolls down and reads previous post)

Okay. So. You read it? Good.

Well, here is Part Two of this Fine Little Saga.

The Parson arrives home yesterday afternoon from a Long Day of Trials, Tribulations, Weddings, Stalled Building Projects, Disgruntled Dear Ones, and Glorious Ministry.

I immediately tell him how the Fundraiser Roses lifted my spirits and thank him for being the Kind, Wonderful, Thoughtful man that he is and how Glad I am that God let me marry him and Roses are Roses regardless of their Source.

He looked at me a bit funny and wanted to know what I was talking about.

I showed him the flowers and the little fund raiser card with the words "Love you. Terry"

He didn't do it. Said that the Church supported that particular project and the office must have bought the flowers and signed his name to it.

No wonder the fine elderly gentleman had the Cheshire Cat grin.

I'm not quite sure what to say now.

In Praise of Fundraiser Roses. . .

2010-03-12T11:12:00.000-06:00

About 4-5 years ago, the Parson entered the house one afternoon with an armful of beautiful Red Roses. I (being the sweet, loving, soft-spoken person that I am) looked over my shoulder from the Boiling Pot on the Stove and said, "Oh hey. What Fundraiser did those come from?"

Now before you go off on a Tangent in your mind about how Ungrateful the Good Wife is, let me explain. We had been married about 20 years at the time and NEVER--not ONE TIME--had the Parson given the Good Wife any flowers. (Which was fine, because the Good Wife said she would rather him spend that Hard Earned Money on something that wouldn't die in 4 days, anyway.)

But anyway, this was the One Time that he not only was thinking of how much he Loved me, but he didn't even get them from the Grocery Store. He had actually gone to the Florist and had them arranged in a beautiful vase.

He was quite Offended, and I felt really Bad.

This morning, quite early, there was a knock on my Front Door. It was an elderly gentleman from our church with a Big Smile looking like the Cat that just ate the Canary, holding out a bouquet of one dozen Pink Roses. He handed me the card, (which described the Fund Raiser), but the bottom said, "Love you. Terry."

I decided right then and there that Fundraiser Roses are quite lovely and carry just as Powerful a Punch as Roses from any other Source. The elderly gentleman's Cheshire Cat Smile didn't hurt. And the "Love You" message from Terry didn't hurt, either. And I'm sure the Money probably went to a Very Good Cause.

Yep, it's a really Pretty Day here at The Parson's House. (Soggy foundation and all!)

Calamity Strikes!

2010-03-11T18:44:00.000-06:00

Oh help us Lord Above!

The Parson and his Good Wife received Very Bad News this afternoon.

The sound of running water that has been faintly entering their ears the past 3-4 weeks (who counts when you are In and Out and Bustling About?) has been the sound of a broken water pipe UNDERNEATH the Parson's House foundation!

Due to a multitude of other reasons which I did not hear because I Covered My Ears, all of the plumbing within the Parsons' Brick House on a Slab Foundation must be Replaced.

WOE IS ME!

The Plumber (who is a Holy Ghost filled member of the Parson's Congregation, Thank the Lord!) will be here at 7:30 Monday morning to commence cutting Holes in Walls and Ceilings.

The Prayers of all the Saints are now Coveted and will be Most Appreciated!

Josh McDowell's Family Devotions

2010-03-11T11:42:00.000-06:00

I recently ordered Josh McDowell's Family Devotions to see if it would be a good devotional for our daily SFR (Shock Family Revival). I found it to be a very good devotional, even though it is not exactly suited for the life stage the Parson's House is in at this point.

It would be a Very good devotional for families with elementary and pre-teen age children.

I am including an excerpt below from today's reading so that you can get an idea:

Don't Be Devoured -- March 11. (Read 1 Peter 5:8-11) "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (NIV)

"She looks terrible!" Rachel said. She sat on the couch, watching a television report of the arrest of a famous music star.

"Who looks terrible?" Josh, her little brother, asked.

She pointed at the television. "That's Tawny Morrison, the lead singer of Toe Jam."

"Where are the police taking her?" Josh asked.

"She was in a car wreck," Rachel explained, "and they found out that she was on drugs, so they arrested her. I can't believe how terrible she looks. I would be so humiliated." Then Rachel got an idea. She and her family had been talking a lot about right and wrong. She pointed the remote control at the television and turned the volume down. Then she turned to Josh.

"See how Tawny Morrison looks there?" she asked, pointing at the singer's disheveled image on the screen. Josh nodded. "She doesn't look very happy, does she?"

Josh shook his head.

"See, Josh, Tawny Morrison is a really good singer, and she's really pretty," Rachel started.

"She looks ugle now," Josh interjected.

Rachel tried not to smile. "Yeah, she does in that picture. But that's what can happen when we don't pay attention to God's commands. See, Tawny Morrison would probably never go out of the house looking like that--"

"She's a mess," Josh said, starting to enjoy the conversation.

"Yeah, and she messed up her car and got herself in trouble, and might even have hurt somebody--all because she got messed up on drugs."

"I don't EVER want to use drugs," Josh said seriously.

"Good, Joshie," she said. "But it's not just drugs. People can lose control and get messed up a lot of ways--with drugs, alcohol, food, lots of things. That's why God wants us to be self-controlled. Because it'll protect us from stuff like that."

Josh crawled up onto the couch and said,"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Rachel said proudly, pleased that her brother wanted to know more.

"Can we watch cartoons now?" Josh asked.

TO DISCUSS: The lack of self-control can lead to all types of overindulgence and excesses. Obedience to God's commands to "be self-controlled" can not only protect us from those excesses, but also provide greater enjoyment of such things as recreation, music art, food, health, and so on. How has self-control protected you in the past? How can self-control protect you and provide for you in the future?

2010-Year of the Book!

2010-03-11T11:28:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I'm on a Book Kick this year. A MAJOR Book Kick!

I've always been a reader, but the past several years absolutely Stole my Reading Time. I became Lost in a Maze of Doing, Solving, Becoming, and Cleaning The Kitchen.

My one Big Resolution for 2010 was to make it the Year of the Book and restore Reading to my Life. It has been very inconvenient, but it is happening. And I am finding a part of me that I didn't even realize was Shriveled is opening up and Drinking In the Wonders of the Written Word.

So just get ready! I'm going to be throwing Book Titles your way all year!

Ish. . .

2010-03-05T20:21:00.002-06:00

Creativity is in full bloom at The Parson's House and Ideas are Flowing Freely from Outer Wall to Outer Wall. All of life progresses in Seasons, and this is a Season of Dreaming, Pursuing, and Declaring. The four Humans who abide here have all been Bit by the Bug. (It's about time. The Drought of Drudgery had quite overstayed its welcome.)

In the middle of all the wonderful ingenious, inspired, innovative inspirations that have been swirling through the atmosphere, it occurred to The Good Wife that we were all setting the Bar a little bit too high in some areas and, consequently, were beginning to Stifle the Good Ideas that weren't Great. We were editing our thoughts before letting them out. And some Good Thoughts that had potential for Great Thoughts were being killed before they were ever allowed to be born.

Then, there appeared in our house a book called, "Ish."

A delightfully, freeing little book that has set our Feet to Dancing and our Hearts to Singing even if they are off-key.

Perfection is not the Goal in our World of Wonder. Setting ourselves Free to Celebrate the Pursuit of Perfection is the Goal. So, we aren't Perfect, but we're Perfect-ish. Our days aren't Great, but they're Great-ish.

Ish.

It's the route that all people have to take from Start to Wonderful.

(You can purchase it just by clicking on the link to the left. A portion of the proceeds go to KingdomQuest Ministries/Philippines Missions.)

Thompson Chain RULES

2010-03-03T18:00:00.001-06:00

Well, the Shock Family Revival is in full swing and The Parson's Son is emerging (oops!) as the Prime Time Evangelist!

Due to Eat This Book, the class that I (The Good Wife) have been teaching on how to study the Bible (which the ENTIRE household of the Parson is attending, INCLUDING the Parson), the Parson's Son declared that he could not live one more day without a KJV Thompson Chain Bible. So, of course, we set out to buy him one. After all, if your Son asks for Bread, you don't give him a Stone. And if he asks for Thompson Chain, you don't tell him to just continue to use his Kiddie Version, cartoon-illustrated, New Living Translation. You get him a Thompson Chain.

Once home with his brand-new, black leather, gold-embossed, KJV, Thompson Chain Bible, he immediately began to practice some of his new Bible Study Skills that he has been learning at Eat This Book. And he immediately received insight into why none of us need to complain on this 40-day Daniel fast that we have now been on for 14 days. He drew verses from Jeremiah and tied them into a passage in Esther, and lo and behold if that Boy didn't come up with some Really Good Stuff!

He said it was all because of his new Thompson Chain Bible.

And I said that if that was all it took we would buy Gold Plated ones for each young person in the youth group.

The Parson said that he has won the right to claim Chief Evangelist title for the rest of the duration of the Shock Family Revival.

Shock Family Revival!

2010-02-19T22:16:00.006-06:00

The Parson's House is having Revival!

Well, we haven't really got to the Revive part yet, we're still just in the "darkest hour is just before the dawn" stage.

Three days ago, we began a 40-day sacrifice as a family. We are all four fasting in some form (Daniel, no meat, etc.). We met a few days before we began and talked about our goals and prayer requests for this fast and what we are praying to see in the Spirit.

As part of our fast, we are making a Special Effort to meet as a Family once each day for 15 minutes and share what we feel God has laid on our heart for the family that day.

The Parson's Daughter immediately christened this time "Shock Family Revival" or "SFR" for short.

Bless Her Heart.

The first morning, we met at 8:00 a.m. Some were dressed and chirpy, others were bleary-eyed with bed-head. It was a sight. NO pictures. Don't even ask. But The Parson delivered a beautiful Word which kept us inspired the rest of the day. (I even posted about it on Facebook: "The high calling is never realized on the low road." Love that! It's from Terry Shock's twitter, but since he isn't on Facebook, I'm sharing it here. That was his thought to us in our family devotion this morning. I DO love a man that will speak such wisdom to the four of us in a family room..)

Yesterday was one of the Can Until Can't days, so everybody Rushed into the Family Room at 5 pm to hear Me (The Good Wife) deliver her word for the day. It had a lot to do with Talents and Fulfilling Our Potential. I do believe that it Ministered. . .

Today was another one of Those Days. The Friday Schedule called for Hither and Yon, so Shock Family Revival (SFR) was scheduled for 7:45 a.m. (In case you haven't figured it out, we have Rotating Evangelists--The Parson, The Good Wife, The Parson's Daughter, and The Parson's Son). If you are good at interpreting patterns, you can tell who was the Evangelist scheduled for today's SFR.)

Unfortunately, today's Evangelist slept through the Revival service and we were left Bereft--not knowing what was what.

What to do? Well, a Quick Prayer for Safety, Blessings, and Thankfulness and we were off to School, Simulcasts, and Airports!

Tomorrow's is scheduled for 10 p.m. . . .

January Blessings

2010-02-16T10:21:00.000-06:00

The Homeplace has had more than its share of Blessings this year already.

Due to canceled flights and long goodbys, one Monday Family Night in January was made much richer by the presence of several guests from different parts of the world who are helping to spread the Good News!

We ate, we laughed, we talked...and we listened. I was thankful that our House had the privilege of extending hospitality to some of God's Family. The stories, the inspiration, and the faith that flowed throughout the rooms created an energy of faith that has lasted several weeks.

Heaven will be a wonderful place. Because when you mix us all together, the Family of God is a marvelous thing.

Perfection?

2010-02-15T13:49:00.000-06:00

Although it's not a new revelation, every now and then I am surprised at the realization of how many people expect Perfection to ooze from The Parson's House. It's okay. We aren't in Crisis. Our World is spinning normally and in control. Nobody is mad at us that I know of. But inadvertent Little Comments made blithely in passing give one a glimpse into this Realm of Thought Reality which does exist although we prefer not to think about it.

We DO strive to make every decision a Right Decision.

We DO strive to live lives as Godly Examples that are described within the Word.

We DO strive to make the right Call on Black and White and Gray (and Purple and Pink and Red).

We DO strive to love Everybody.

We DO try really, really hard to not get Tired or Hungry or Irritable.

But, since we have Two Teenagers and Two Middle Agers all co-inhabiting one dwelling and we are made of Flesh and Blood, that is not always possible.

So, yeah. Perfection doesn't live here. Although we HAVE extended the invitation. . .

More Snow!

2010-02-13T23:50:00.002-06:00

...and this time it was a Hum Dinger!

It started with 24 hours of Sleet, then about 12 hours of Real Snow.

The People down here in Dixie were ecstatic. Roads closed, schools closed, businesses closed -- just about everything closed.

A Day of Celebration ensued complete with Soup, Smiles, Sledding, and Snow People.

The Parson's House turned into a Thomas Kincaid painting and the People Inside were content.

Happy New Year, 2010!

2010-01-01T11:42:00.000-06:00

The Time of New Beginnings has arrived at The Parson's House!

Out with the Old, In with the New!

And my, my. It takes a lot of Flinging and Flailing, Shining and Shaping, Cleaning and Clanging for New Beginnings to happen properly. It's not enough to just put away the Christmas Decorations. Oh no. Here at The Parson's House, we always make it a practice of taking things just One Step Further.

Therefore, in the best interest of going Above and Beyond, we are not just putting away the red and green and bringing back the drab. Absolutely not. We aren't just vacuuming the glitter and sweeping up the berries. We aren't just rolling up the Twinkly Lights and packing away the Plastic Mistletoe. No indeed.

We are DISMANTLING the Parson's Son's bedroom and MOVING it across the hall after we have DRAGGED the tons of JUNK from the empty bedroom across the HALL and dispersed it to various and sundry Points of Charity and at the same time we are PULLING mountains of materialism from under FURNITURE and WASHING off dirt from said FURNITURE and THROWING AWAY piles of petrified toys, books, clothes, and unidentifiable objects which APPEAR in every imaginable CROOK and CORNER and PAINFULLY HAULING all of the MASSIVE AMOUNTS of STUFF from one point in this house that has suddenly grown quite large to another.

Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do with all thy might. Even if it kills you.

Bunch n Breeze

2009-12-19T14:01:00.000-06:00

They just have a way of bringing it all together....

Christmas Apologies

2009-12-18T10:41:00.000-06:00

I feel terribly guilty that I have neglected recording the High, Historical Moments here at The Parson's House in the past couple of weeks. There have been Many! Very Many! But it has all been moving so fast and there has been no time to get it in written form. I'm going to go back and try to remember all that I can of the High, Historical Moments from the last time I blogged. It will probably be Sporadic, but at least it will calm my Rattled Spirit to go back and Reflect on what has happened to all my Valuable Time.

But first, I have to get the first of many dozens of cookies in the Oven....

SNOW!

2009-12-05T01:28:00.001-06:00

Well, Heavens to Betsy! It came a snowfall here today the likes of which has not been seen EVER on Christmas Banquet Weekend in this town. The Homeplace looked like a Christmas Card.

Everybody went Stark Raving Mad!

Happy was running to the Horse's Bridle.

There was much Laughter and Screaming and Jumping Wildly With Abandon.

What in the world is it about Snow that makes everybody act like a Crazy Nut? People were walking Up and Down the Street shouting Merry Greetings to Complete Strangers. Laughter was Ringing in Darkest Corners. Fires were Raging in Fireplaces. Food was being Consumed like there was no Tomorrow!

If it wasn't Christmas before, it sure is Now!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve Eve

2009-11-24T22:40:00.000-06:00

Well, it's 10:11 pm and theparsonshouse is alive and kicking oh yes indeed it is.

The Gentle Golden Retriever is outside barking at a tree and scratching on the door every 5 minutes to be let in the house to join the close bonding she senses inside.

The Schnauzer With Attitude is barking at another tree and hanging on to the tail of the Gentle Golden Retriever. When the Gentle Golden gets enough, she just sits down. That's what I'm going to start doing. Just sitting down when I've had enough.

The Parson's Son is sitting on the couch strumming on his guitar and The Parson's Daughter is across the room making up words to match the music as she goes along. So far, the sound resembles noise and carries with it quite a bit of angst on the part of the Good Wife.

The Parson Himself is Home. In the Flesh. That is Number One on our "We're Thankful For" List.

The Good Wife is trying to have a serious moment of Thanksgiving in and amongst her brood and so poses the question to Her Little Flock: What is my Sweet Family thankful for tonight?

The Parson's Daughter: God's Love (She said she's on a kick about that lately), Text Messaging, The Philippines, Rascal Flatts, The Jokes of The Parson's Son, and Smarties.

The Parson's Son: the Fender Guitar Company, God, (he changed it to God first, then the Fender Guitar Company), his Fender Strat, his bed, his parents ( !! well, my my !!), his sister, his pets, his friends, and his cell phone.

The Parson: a funny family, 24/7 Fitness Center, every good sermon thought, good friends, email, iphone, Saints 10-0, church being paid for, God, the Good Wife, the Parson's Family, and a good Church also made the List.

The Good Wife: the Gentle Golden and the Schnauzer with Attitude, the Kids and the Man, the fire, my Kindle, and the new Kitchen Countertops. Also, the Mac, the Reverend Mother Mom, the Church and the Homeplace. The Brother and Wife, the fact that tomorrow's meal is already cooked and restored Health.

We all agreed that that is only the tip of a Very Long List and that None of the Things on the List are in the Correct Order.

The Good Wife is NOT thankful for: email, cell phones (for talk usage) or anything to do with numbers and/or mathematics. She IS thankful for Texting and wishes everyone would communicate that way. She is NOT thankful for telephones at all, nor is she thankful for Appointment Calendars. However, she IS thankful for Microwaves and Washing Machines as well as Digital Cameras and iPhoto. Her Water Filtration Machine also made the list.

More than anything, she is Thankful for This Life God Gave Her as well as the One to Come. This Life is chaotic, unpredictable, nerve-wracking, Full of Trouble, and Totally Wonderful. Because the Purpose of This Life lies in the One to Come. And that fact brings Joy Unspeakable to the Journey.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve Eve from theparsonshouse!

Monday Morning Musings

2009-11-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

It's Monday Morning of Thanksgiving Week.

The Parson is, of course, missing from the Homeplace. He has probably written 3 sermons and fed 234 homeless people since daylight and will appear for Mid-Morning Snack exclaiming with wonder how good it feels to not have anything to do on his day off.

The Parson's Daughter is preparing for school while lamenting about the Unfairness of Colleges not observing the Proper Thanksgiving Holiday by giving the Whole Week off to students. The Parson's Son is still piled in bed which only adds to the Parson's Daughter's Chagrin.

Another crazy busy week stretches before the Good Wife as far as the Eye can see. There is some Trepedition as to whether everything on The List will actually be checked off in time. But there is no Stress involved, only Focused Plowing Ahead.

But First Things First.

The Monday Morning Madness cannot begin until the Thankful List is started and Praised About. The Thankful List will be added to all week, but only One thing will be posted this Monday Morning. It is huge and needs to Stand Alone due to the massive amount of Thanks which goes up from The Parson's House quite often concerning it.

Thankful List

1. The Good Wife has not had one Migraine since March!

What's on your List?

Bees and Buzzing

2009-11-19T09:53:00.000-06:00

The Homeplace has been overtaken by Buzzing Bees and Beyond Busyness!

There are currently 19 Christmas trees inside and 3 outside. More to come. The outside looks a bit neglected.

The Parson's Son turns 13 in 3 weeks and the Good Wife has been obsessing over putting his Life Book together. The deadline for sending it off to be printed is this coming Monday and Various and Sundry Issues have been screaming and battling for the Good Wife's Attention. She is fighting the urge to Lock all other Voices into a Dark Closet until the Life Book is finished.

Thanksgiving is next week and the Homeplace is quite the Center of all Thankfulness and Hunger. Someone has to prepare the Turkey and Ham.

The Rite of Passage Party for the Parson's Son is looming closely on the Horizon...2 1/2 weeks to be exact. Much preparation Beyond the Life Book must still be accomplished.

There is a POA Leadership Connect Party to prepare.

There are Christmas Gifts to be bought for all who Travel in and out of The Homeplace.

It's Christmastime all over the World and High on the List at the Homeplace are presents for Missionaries and Missionary Kids.

There is a Junk Room that must be cleaned out, Dust must be removed from the cracks that has been placed there by the Addition of New Kitchen Countertops (we MUST do that at Holiday Season, not at a slower, more reasonable time of the year), the Jungle in the Back Yard is being Removed by Workers Who Will Not Show Up, and PICTURES ARE EVERYWHERE THAT ARE BEING PUT IN THE LIFE BOOK!

Background Noise includes Chipmunks Singing About Christmas and Dwight Yoakum throwing in his two cents.

In the Middle of it all, the Good Wife smiles a Thankful Smile as she realizes that the Beyond Busyness of Buzzing Bees is a wonderful Blessing of God.

May your Days be Merry and Bright....

Christmas is Here!

2009-11-05T20:52:00.000-06:00

Josh Groban has been been sending Holiday warblings through The Parson's House for about 3 weeks now. He has been replaced occasionally by Celine, Casting Crowns, Selah, James Taylor, and the Chipmunks as they each added their distinct Flavor to the Mirth and Good Cheer that has begun to emerge from the walls and floors of The Homeplace.

Pithy comments filled with Jeer and Carp have been hurled in my direction as knowledge of the Tinselly Tunes has spread. Growls of displeasure from those who would Rain on my Holiday Parade have caused Confusion in my Heart.

"NO!" they say. "Christmas Music should never begin until after Thanksgiving. We have to put up with it long enough as it is."

Excuse me? Put up with it? There needs to be a cave for Those People to retreat to during the Season of Festivity and Celebration of our Lord's Birth!

I will continue to Push the Envelope on stretching the Holiday Season with Twinkly Lights, Merry Music, Smiles and Sugar, and Secrets in the Closet for as long as I can possibly stretch it.

This Season, with all it entails, brings a Sense of Security to my Spirit. It brings a Smile when thinking of a cuddly Baby Saviour. It brings Hope while planning the Hospitality. It brings Gladness while purchasing the Gifts. It brings Laughter with the Lights. It brings Carols to the Cleaning of the Rafters.

The Music brings Merriment to my Mundane!

I'm putting up my tree tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

Pray for my Friend

2009-11-03T16:00:00.000-06:00

Okay. I need everybody to pray for my Friend. The Physical Therapist's Assistant Lady. She's a dear little woman who has been doing deep heat massages on my injured leg the past six weeks. She is always quite Opinionated about most everything. She has it all figured out, even the stuff that hasn't happened yet.

She is very Free with her advice and knowledge. About everything. Raising children these days, cooking vs. eating out, Being Responsible, proper Care of a torn calf muscle, and various other sundry issues most of which you have never even heard of.

I am feeling rather Victorious this week because I am finally being able to walk in public without excessive Gawking and Exclamations from people whom I have never met. For the past 5 weeks, I have walked with a very awkward and pronounced limp and not without quite a bit of Pain involved in the process.

The DOCTOR himself, whom I would imagine has had quite a bit more schooling than the Physical Therapist's Assistant Lady informed me early on that the position of the tear and the muscle involved was going to be most painful when my foot was flat. Therefore, since the position of the tear meant I could not be fitted for a boot with a raised heel, my most comfortable way of getting from Point A to Point B would be in a raised heel shoe. So, this I have done. For the past five weeks.

MUCH to the chagrin of the Physical Therapist's Assistant Lady. She did not agree with that assessment. And railed Loudly at me every time I went for an appointment until the Physical Therapist told her the doctor himself had told me to do that.

Well, would you just listen to this! At today's appointment, the Physical Therapist was not in. One of his substitutes was. But my Friend, the Physical Therapist's Assistant Lady, was totally there. Oh yessireeBob. Never would she be absent from work, not that one!

So in a voice the substitute therapist girl could hear, the PTAL begin telling me that I had my heels on again and that it wasn't going to get well for months on end if I didn't stop wearing them. I turned to her and very Quietly, very Politely, reminded her that the Doctor Himself had told me wear them. She said of course he did because I wouldn't be quiet about it and he finally just gave in but it wasn't what he really wanted.

Can you believe that?

I did not respond. I turned my face away and Prayed an Earnest Prayer for God's Presence to fill me Quickly.

I have six more weeks of therapy left. So, somebody needs to pray for the Physical Therapist's Assistant Lady.

I am thinking of praying that she would experience something that would help her to better understand the Plight of Future Patients who may experience a torn calf muscle. (There is nothing which helps one empathize any better than having been there yourself...) Heretofore I have not prayed that, you understand, I just said I am thinking of praying that...

Better yet, pray for Me.

2009: Elephant Season

2009-10-31T11:08:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of 2009, the Parson declared "Elephant Season" for the year.

Now that may sound a little bit Daunting, or a little bit Militant, or a lotta bit Confrontational.

What it has been is very Liberating. Oh my, yes.

All of us have Elephants in our lives. And our houses. And our churches. And our jobs. Those big, clumsy, giant Situations that suck all the air out of the room and cause tons of damage to their environment.

It is amazing to me how much we tiptoe around them and try to pretend they are the same size as everything else and spend Large Sections of Time (which are then gone forever) trying to clean up the Messes they create and repair the Breakage they have incurred.

Well, finally, we got tired of them. So, 2009 = Elephant Season. We didn't start out deliberately and systematically attacking the Elephants. We actually told God that He could see them, too, and would He please help us. If He would kill them, we would cut them in small pieces and remove them. He said "Okay."

We now have an Elephant Graveyard here at The Homeplace. It is a delightfully Free and Airy Spot to which we invite all to come. We also encourage all to create your own.

We even have Eight Weeks Left!

Anjana

2009-10-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

I received this in one of those Forwards. Those dumb emails that everybody hates and we usually delete before we look at it.

Well, The Parson forwarded this one to me from somebody else. And since he knows my aversion to Forwards, I figured it must be pretty good and I needed to take a look at it.

Well, I immediately just dissolved into a puddle.

Anybody that knows me at all knows how much I love animals. Any kind, pretty much. They just have a lot more sense and feelings than Human Beings give them credit for. And I'm not one to always see a sermon in every bush. But this one just spoke really loud to me.

This is the story of Anjana.

When hurricane Hannah separated two white tigers from their mother, Anjana came to the rescue. Anjana, a chimp at TIGERS in South Carolina, became surrogate mom and playmate to the cubs, even helping with bottle feeding, according to The Sun. But the amazing part is that this is something Anjana does all the time. She's also helped raise a leopard and lion cubs on several occasions.

What would the world be like if we all felt a sense of responsibility for others less fortunate?

You know. The 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' thing.

I think that tiger cub is smiling...

Weekends at the Parson's House

2009-10-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...we're coming to the close of another Weekend here at The Parson's House. The time of the week that the entire nation (and some foreign ones, too) look forward to. (Other nations don't have a clue what the word 'weekend' means in America. They are too busy trying to survive every day of the week! But we talk about that sort of stuff over on questmiles.blogspot.com...not here.)

Methinks that there are those who are curious as to what goes on at The Parson's House on the weekends. Oh my! It's a world of swirl, oh yes indeed.

The Parson's Family actually usually gets to have dinner together on Friday night. Sometimes. Unless there is an Event. Then, Saturday morning, the Parson is gone before the rest of the household stumbles to the coffeepot. He usually calls mid-afternoon to say hello. Then returns in time to rock back and forth at least two times in his chair before he falls asleep. The Good Wife smiles and nods as does the Parson's Son. The Parson's Daughter is nowhere to be found. The Gentle Golden Retriever looks up once, sleepily. The Schnauzer With Attitude growls and wiggles a greeting, then runs back to her place of slumber. They have played away the day and are now dog-tired...

The Good Wife and the Parson's Son do a myriad of activities throughout the day, but none of any consequence, because they feel they shouldn't if the Parson cannot actually be with them. Which, of course, he never can. So, there seems as if there needs to be a re-thinking of the Fences on Saturdays.

Sunday morning dawns beautiful. Raining, cloudy, cold, humid, hot, sunny...Sunday is always a beautiful day at The Parson's House. Energy, smiles, and goodwill radiate in waves throughout the rooms. The Parson is not in residence on Sundays, because that's the Big Day. Church happens. It's always great, people are always happy, and Nobody ever has a Problem on Sundays. Lunch is obtained from Wherever It Comes From because most of the time the Parson cannot join the family for lunch. The Parson's Daughter is nowhere to be found again. So, the Good Wife and the Parson's Son are nourished by Whatever and move on to their Sabbath Keeping.

The Parson's Family (along with 1500 other people) joins him for Part II on Sunday evening. Again, it's always Great. People are Happy. Everyone is always in agreement with the Pastors as to the Direction the Church is Moving. Church Ends. The Parson and the Good Wife deliberate for 15 minutes as to whether Feast A or Feast B will occur. The Weekend then ends.

Thank God for Monday.

Fall Fires

2009-10-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

Well, the First Fire of Fall 09 was built tonight. The wood was dry, the crackles were crisp and popping, and the flames were bright.

The Parson's Son and the Good Wife visited with Jimmy Stewart and Harvey, his 6'8" white rabbit whilst munching on pizza and soda. Brother Stewart offered this little Nugget of Wisdom:

"Several years ago, I was offered the choice between being Smart and Pleasant. Since I had practiced Smart for many years, I chose Pleasant. I have never regretted it. And you can quote me on that."

I believe I will, Brother Jim. I believe I will.

I LAUGH at Routine!

2009-10-07T09:40:00.002-05:00

Could the title of my last post have actually been "Routine Returns?" Seriously? Ha! I LAUGH at Routine! Such an idealistic, ridiculous concept. Only those who are Stuck in the Mud operate in a state of Routine.

Routine is a Machine which grinds Life into the ground one slow gear at a time.

Routine is a Plodding Animal which sucks all the Joy from the Spirit and leaves the Face Frozen in Frown.

Routine is a Stealer of Light, draining Color from the Landscape and painting the World in Sepia.

Therefore, we ban Routine from The Parson's House! YES! Routine is not wanted, not tolerated, not allowed.

Give us Chaos. Give us Scurry, Worry, Hustle, Bustle, Shout. Give us Flinging and Flailing. Give us Roadblocks, Obstacles, Challenges.

Give us Junior High Joys. Give us College Crises. Give us Mid-Life Madness.

Give us Weariness. Give us Hunger. Give us Junk Food. Give us Sleeplessness.

But DON'T give us Routine.

For if we were to obtain Routine, we might actually resemble some of the Sane people in the world.

And how Boring would THAT be!!!

Routine returns!

2009-09-11T11:58:00.005-05:00

All has been sane at The Parson's House for one solid week!

Angels are singing!

Every member of the Parson's family has been home at night and in town.

Meals have been cooked.

School is in full swing for the Parson's Son. He has begun taking guitar from Teacher #2 AND is continuing with Teacher #1. There is also some father/son bonding going on at the driving range and a new set of starter clubs is decorating the back door entrance to the Homeplace.

College is now a major part of the life of the Parson's Daughter. She is also working at a local boutique and has assumed an active role in POA KIDS.

The Schnauzer with Attitude is firmly ensconced and quite pleased with her position as Director of the Household.

The Gentle Golden Retriever is recovering nicely from the removal of a benign tumor on her side.

The Parson is continuing his quest to Save the World.

And the Good Wife? Well, the Good Wife has quietly assumed a new role as Director of the POA Children's Ministry. There are random and sporadic outbursts of lamentations and Pitiful Poor Me diatribes, but for the most part, the cloak of the meek and gentle spirit is hanging well.

So, carry on, My Readers! God's in His Heaven, the Parson's House is calm and collected, and the Spirit of Good Will is reigning.

For a few minutes, anyway.

The Parson's Daughter Turns 19

2009-08-03T22:04:00.008-05:00

July 10, 2009...the memory of a day 19 years ago that wasn't nearly so pleasant during the first part. Around 5:08 pm, the Parson's Daughter entered the world, however, and the sun came out from behind the clouds.

Nineteen years later. Kruger Park, South Africa. The Parson, The Parson's Daughter, The Good Wife, The Parson's Son, Senior Pastor and Pastoress, RD Missionary and Missionary Wife. Priceless Memories. The Good Wife is grateful to God for some things she has been allowed to experience.

It just took too long to unwrap the gift...the Final Pic is below...an ostrich egg painted with the Big Five...all of which we saw before 2 pm that day....Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Lion, Leopard...and we saw much more than that! Unforgettable....thanks to all who helped make it such a fun time.

African Adventure

2009-08-03T21:14:00.004-05:00

On July 7, 2009, all human members of The Parson's House boarded a Very Long Flight from AEX to Johannesburg, South Africa. We were going for the first All African Leadership Conference, but found ourselves sidetracked into the Bush for the first 3 days of our trip. The Parson's Daughter spent her 19th birthday huddled in the Freezing Cold in an open-air jeep bouncing along the remote trails of Kruger Park. Freezing Cold was not in our initial perception of Africa in July. But we soon found out that South Africa in July means Winter. And Winter in South Africa is beyond comprehension. Especially in an open-air jeep. The first hours of

the first morning are shrouded in a blur of icy memories, but about mid-day the weather warmed up, along with our eyesight and camera-clicking fingers.

We found some amazing sights along the trail.

This is a memory which all agreed will not be soon forgotten nor equaled....

The Summer No-Cooking Revolution!

2009-06-25T12:52:00.002-05:00

Well.

On May 27, 2009, the Good Wife cooked her last meal in the kitchen, washed the dishes, put the dirty dishcloth in the laundry pile, walked out and said, "That's that." And, as is the custom with her meek, mild-mannered way, the Summer No-Cooking Revolution was birthed.

After agonizing over menus, toiling in the kitchen for hours upon end, creating exotic delicacies upon which her family was to dine (only to have them not show up at all or show up when all was congealed), and getting red, chapped hands due to constant hot dishwater, the Good Wife quietly whispered, "I shall cook no more for the summer."

In the early days, her Family laughed. The Parson chuckled quietly as he walked into the kitchen to check the stove. It was cold.

The Parson's Son immediately realized this could be serious, but was quite excited because he thought that a daily McDonald's visit could be in his future.

The Parson's Daughter just said that she herself would cook so there would be no problem. Then she promptly packed her suitcase and left for camp for three weeks.

However, as the days and weeks wore on with relentless commitment and dedication to the Revolution on the part of the Good Wife, soberness began to creep onto the countenances of the Family.

Grumbling, complaining, and comparison to other wives has swirled in the air of the Parson's House.

Then, as of today, the Parson's Son has resorted to begging.

The Good Wife is now in contemplative meditation regarding whether or not the purpose of the Revolution has been accomplished or if she should stick to her guns.

We're out of potato chips....

It's All A Matter of Perspective

2009-05-08T14:29:00.001-05:00

Mosquitoes in Paradise

2009-05-06T09:06:00.009-05:00

Sad, sad.

The beginning of this week brought air hanging heavy with strife and contention at The Parson's House.

The Parson had his nose a bit out of joint and the Parson's Daughter was somewhat disgruntled, both of which caused the Good Wife to feel vocally unsettled and the Parson's Son to have mild heartbreak. To add to the simmering cauldron, the Schnauzer with Attitude took to yelping loudly and angrily upon being assigned to her cage, the cause of which was her desire to sleep in the bed of the Good Wife (a Great Sin which would bring a tsunami of strife and will not be tolerated).

The result was periods of silence with bursts of very firm, random phrases of intention and purpose from all inhabitants.

This season has passed and all are grateful. Peace and order is now restored with large servings of love and goodwill all around.

Next?

Celebration 24

2009-05-04T22:47:00.003-05:00

Today has been a day of joy and wonder. The Parson and the Good Wife celebrated 24 years of marital bliss and perfection on this very day!

We went away for a few days to sit by Old Man River and ponder our Past, Present, and Future. Of course, what is there to ponder when the past has been sheer perfection, the present is absolute joy, and the future holds endless possibilities and the tools to obtain them?! Being the Good Wife that I am, I felt compelled to point out that there just might be a few Mosquitos in Paradise, but that a little Off would take care of that just fine. Being the deep man that he is, the Parson got the point almost immediately.

We both had to wonder if the tornadic activity that came roaring right up the river to our very window on Sunday morning was some sort of subliminal message of some sort from another world. I took my computer (there wasn't a staff handy) and held it out and commanded "Peace, Be Still!" because I am just a bit tired of all the tornadic activity that has been a part of my life for the past several years. A little goes a long way in Paradise, and we've had enough, thank you very much but no thank you take it back, please.

As we dodged fallen trees and downed power lines in our idyllic little getaway place, we went back in time to our rehearsal night...the memories of coming out to get in the car and leave and being blocked in by fire trucks that had been called to the house...the firemen lecturing us on what a crime it is to call in a false alarm and we had no clue what was even going on...we found out later...our buddy, RC....

Lots of action through the years, but 24 seems to be a very good number. We are very happy with it.

All of which prompted the Good Son to say in a worried manner when we arrived home this afternoon, "There's something that's just WRONG about going away on an anniversary and saying you spent your time planning and getting stuff done and using words like successful and productive...there's something just WRONG about that!"

We thought that if he was so worried about that part, we wouldn't even mention to him that we spent today walking through the very, very old cemetery outside of town looking for the oldest grave. I won! Born: 1773 - Died: 1820...

He would NEVER have understood how that fit in!

The main thought of all this that has arrested me is that 24 + 24 = 48. Wow.

Comments Link Has Changed

2009-04-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

Just FYI for ALL those many, many people who leave or try to leave comments on the blog ... (smile)....

The settings for comments has been changed to make it easier for a comment to be left.

Carry on!

Opal Weidner (1920-2009)

2009-04-29T19:22:00.002-05:00

She was a gem, Lonnie, Jr. said.

He was right.

A character...one-of-a-kind...they don't make em like that anymore kind of ladies. She was 88, but still as cute as a button. She killed a water moccasin in her yard two weeks ago with a hoe!

I'll miss her Whitman Sampler boxes of chocolate at Christmas. Along with the note that always accompanied it. "Dear ones..." It always began the same way.

Her children are our friends. Mary Wolfe, Martha Weidner, Garland and Lonnie. Her grandkids are our friends, too. Karen Weber, Calvin Jean, and Lisa--The Wolfe Girls...Debbie, Tammie, Bethany, and Stacey--Lonnie and Kevin Weidner--Brad...

Their backyard joined MaMaw and PaPaw Brady's for so many years. So my memories are so similar to theirs...fish fries after a day on the lake, racing down the driveway down the hill, playing all over the La. Campgrounds, everybody kneeling and praying for as long as it took every night before we all went to bed...

Make sure you give the little dog a good home.

Covered Up

2009-04-29T16:58:00.005-05:00

Well, unfortunately, my Creative Space has been totally covered the past few days. There are so many things on top of it: fresh dirt from all the new flowers being planted in the front yard, wet dogs running from the wind and rain, noisy children wandering in, out, and around, sadness and death within the congregation, and groceries which must be bought!

I am trying very hard to dig past all of this, because I KNOW there is a Happy Place underneath it all. The bird bath in the midst of the new purple flowers has given me a small glimpse, so I will press on because it's very possible that the Happy Place lies under the bird bath. No, wait...that was the gas line and we're thanking the Good Lord that it wasn't punctured in the planting of the new flowers.

There is a strong smell of fertile soil that is also deterring my quest. The little people who came up my front walk on Saturday to ring my doorbell and tell me about Jesus also became very aware of this and remarked loudly about it. I stood on the closed side of the door and listened as they talked about what was going on in my front yard.

"Looks like somebody's plantin' sumthin!"

"Yep. Smells like it, too!"

"Shore does!"

"They gon' regret this. Next time it rains, they gon' be able to smell this all the way down th' street! Come on. Let's go. Ain't nobody home!"

Just for a second I thought maybe I had come closer to my Happy Place than I had thought.

So. Just thought I would share with all who care that I am continuing in my pursuit. It's just on hold at the moment, because the groceries that were bought must be cooked before church.

Missy Pearl

2009-04-26T02:33:00.006-05:00

I have a neighbor friend, Missy Pearl, who lives just a couple of blocks away from me and is also the Good Wife of a Parson. Her home is perfect, also.

I sometimes go visit her and we sit together and sigh in delight over the perfection of our lives.

We sat the other day upon her patio as the Brown Wren fed her babies who were soon about to fly. Miss Kitty was wandering back and forth with a watchful eye, so eventually she found her swishy tail locked in the laundry room so that the baby birds could venture forth from the nest in peace.

It didn't happen while I was there (which was quite a long time because we had a lot of perfection to review).

I inquired by email the next morning whether Miss Kitty was still in prison and whether or not the birds had flown. The story was not pretty.

A trap was set to catch a coon which had been eating Miss Kitty's food. In the process, a neighbor's cat was caught and was mad as )(*&^^% with words which could not be uttered. He was gone with lightning speed upon his release and Mr. Coon has yet to make an appearance.

In all of the hullabaloo, Baby Bird wound up in a crumpled heap upon the patio. There were no marks upon him...he had evidently tumbled from the nest before he was ready.

This just all wraps up the point quite nicely that the Parson has been repeating over and over and over and over again in the past several days: "Until the chaos is removed from our homes, we cannot be the families God intended us to be."

Sounds to me like some better coon traps would help the family situation, does it not? And some better guards for the nest....

My Happy Place

2009-04-25T23:58:00.003-05:00

The Good Wife is happy tonight.

It's a beautiful night and the Parson has long been fast asleep. The Parson's Son is now safely snuggled in his clean bed in his newly cleaned bedroom, listening to the limbs of the pecan tree brush against his second story window. (Oops--must be a mistake--thought I heard a door quietly close upstairs. Don't tell me. Let me dream. I'm not going to look. He IS asleep. He IS.)

Parson's Daughter is still out, but her whereabouts are known as is the Company she is keeping.

The dogs are quietly asleep on their beds and the Good Wife is experiencing the Sweet Sounds of Silence in her Happy Place. No matter that she can hardly hold her eyes open and her brain turned to mush hours ago. This is her Creative Space in her Happy Place. Yessirree, indeed it is.

It's only midnight oh three. I have no idea why all of this now seems so hard... I know that Sunday comes early and with it comes the Day of Energy, Sensitivity, and Social Awareness. All I wanted was to retreat to the Creative Space in the Happy Place to be able to fire on all cylinders in that great gettin up morning.

It ain't workin.

Fare thee well.

We're Sad

2009-04-25T23:24:00.005-05:00

There are heavy hearts in the Parson's House tonight.

Jock Scott was too young to leave us.

The suddenness of his passing has stunned us.

Our prayers for love and comfort are with Cindy and his children tonight as they gather together from around the world.

We pray the Peace that Passes Understanding will rest among them.

Just Sayin

2009-04-25T22:07:00.000-05:00

Meet the Parson's Family

2009-04-25T21:22:00.003-05:00

Greetings!

Sorta funny how people view the Parson. He's either not married at all, or has a family that lives in somber solitude and peachy perfection.

IF he's married, his Good Wife is certainly beautiful. And calm. Very calm. And her house is spotless.

The Daughter is the picture of perfection. Never makes a mistake, that one.

And the Son is a stalwart soldier who stands tall and never forgets to speak to little old ladies and hold the door open for his elders.

Yep. That's certainly our House!

So we're going to let you look in the window every now and then and get a picture of our perfect life...