271

271 miles... that is the distance between Waco, TX and Natchitoches, LA. Several people have commented on how much I've driven (and will again for Christmas) these sometimes long and always barren miles through the east Texas piney woods. The most recent trip was a painful one... when I arrived my Dad expressed his regret for all the miles I've logged lately. I think they're easy, especially when you put them in the context of our lives over the last 26 years...

518... that's the number of miles from Natchitoches, LA to Marshfield, MO. For all the summers of my life my Dad and Carol have made that trip.... most of which they drove all the way up and picked up my brother and I, brought us back to Louisiana, then turned around one or two weeks later and did it again to bring us back to Missouri. Maybe you don't understand the gravity of this... EVERY summer for 15 years my father sacrificed his entire vacation to drive 2072 miles to see his kids. Imagine not taking a real vacation for 15 years just to see your kids. Now that's love. So, the very least I can do is make a mini-pilgrimage home from time to time. This song always reminds me of our summers...

Highway 20 Ride - Zac Brown Band

(see the widget in the side bar to listen)

Thanks Dad! I love you!!

Driving Home

A few weeks ago I went to Louisiana. I met my cousin, Layna, there to help my grandmother (and my Dad and aunts and uncles for that matter). My granny recently had surgery for a pacemaker that didn't go well... so Layna and I met there to clean and sort and organize and just generally pitch in. I love Granny and the memories I made that weekend will last a lifetime. I also learned a few very important life lessons in my alone time with her. They aren't blog appropriate, but I assure you she taught me the importance of making "permanent" decisions. 

On the way home I got to see some of the most beautiful Texas skies.... enjoy! 

Now a storm is moving in... 

I will never understand how mankind can look at the heavens and not KNOW there is a God.

Quilting

I haven't blogged in forever! Let me catch you up on the quilting stuff... 

Here is the second block from the red/white/blue block of the month quilt:

This is a really really ridiculously cute wall hanging (or table runner or whatever else you want to use it for) that I made for Natalie. She loves America like I do and this is so country/chic/cute how could I not give it to her??? (and her love language is gifts - so I love you Nat!):

Contentment!

Photo Credit 

This is water off a duck's back... it's very zen. ;)  My former boss, and still dear friend, Brad "Poppa Bear" Kendrick is the master of water off a duck's back. Like a little grasshopper I wander to the hill he sits on everyday and hope to glean some understanding of life. Most days I miss, but every once in a while I hit it out of the park. This isn't one of those days, but God hit it out of the park for me today... 

I've been praying about my attitude. Most of the time my external attitude is ok, but internally I don't feel so optimistic or so joyful... and I rarely feel content. Yikes, right? Because when you lose your peace, you lose the battle. Satan sets us up to get us upset... hmmm. So, I've been praying for an "attitude of gratitude" and make a conscious effort to be more positive. I'm a firm believer in that fact that everyone has the ability to check their emotions and attitudes at the door, each and every day (yes some days it is hard than others). 

Well, today I was on my way to work and a dear friend (and co-worker) called me... because the fire alarm went off and he just wanted to make sure I wasn't there yet and not stuck inside somewhere. Isn't that kind? 

I was annoyed with myself because I was running a little late... but then something happened in the car... I was sort of working out my day with God... and singing loudly (and horribly) with the radio... and it hit me... I am so content I can hardly stand it! 

Let's rewind for a second... this past weekend was Tax-Free Weekend in TX. As I was leaving work on Friday my boss asked if I was going to buy anything and I said "no, 8.25% isn't really a big sale and I honestly don't need anything" and he said something that, honestly, annoyed me at the time "Wow, that's a good place to be in life." Why was I annoyed? Because my attitude about being "successful" still sucked as of Friday. That's just me keepin' it real. 

I mulled over this conversation all weekend... you know what? It all came together this morning in the car... do I have debt? Yes, and it stresses me out in a way I can't describe. Do I own a home? No, and I long for a place to live where I can paint the walls. Am I married? Nope, and not even dating! Do I have children? I hope we all know the answer given the previous question!! Am I at my dream job? Probably not. There are a lot of things I don't have or do have that I may want (or want to get rid of). BUT, there is nothing that I need. All of my needs are met... I have food in tummy, a roof over my head, a reliable car (and let's all pray that holds out for 5 more years!), clothes for my body (probably more than I need), and most importantly... I have something to do (my job), something to love (my friends, my family, my Lord), and I serve a good God. I felt such an overwhelming sense of blessing (or Hakuna Mattata for you Lion King fans) that I felt so full I could burst!!! 

In the last few months I have had the unique and wonderful blessing of adding new people, activities, and opportunities to my life. Several of these things contributed to my abundant blessing feeling (God alone was my sense of contentment - the rest is just bonus, baby!)... and I counted them as blessing, BIG TIME, this morning. I realized something later... remember that "little" covenant I made with God at the end of June? I have been pretty good about keeping it... and all of those amazing new blessings have happened in my life since then! You know why? Because when you make time for God, He makes time for you (and all the things that truly matter in you life)! 

This is me, praying that you are all peaceful ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!! 

*Side Note #1: I am truly and deeply grateful for all of my blessings not listed - i.e. the old blessings, like my dear friends and family!!! 

**Side Note #2: A few "bad things" happened today and none of them phased me. Yay Jesus! 

Quilts, again!

This is what became of that pile of "boy" fabric from a few posts back. Exciting, huh? When I realized how many quilts I was about to finish and how VERY expensive it is to have them quilted I decided to hand quilt this one and the pink one... that may end up being a very bad idea. I started it today and will try to post pictures when it is finally done. 

Recently, Lisa talked me into doing a quilt block-of-the-month with her. They are really cheap, but you only get a block a month... since I finished the above quilt (cut and sewed) in an afternoon this will likely be a test in patience for me. It is a red/white/blue quilt and this is our August block:

*It really is square. The camera angle is just bad. 

Summer Cookies

So just what can you make with all this stuff??? About a million-billion cookies!! It made like 30 cookies per box of cake mix. This is how they turned out:

Delicious, right? 

So here is the recipe:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. cake mix

Cream butter and cream cheese. Blend in egg yolk ad vanilla. Add dry cake mix 1/3 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 8-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. 

Adventures in Pottery

A few weeks ago my dear friend Mary had her two precious nieces for a few days. They called me one evening and invited me out to paint pottery. I made an ice cream bowl (for someone else, since we all know I rarely eat it):