'WALKABOUT' UPDATE

I will be off a little longer. My daughter will be getting married in 2 ½ weeks; we are trying to get everything finalized. She also spent 6 hours in the E.R. with low blood sugar problems last night. After numerous tests, the doctors are leaning toward tumors on her pancreas. We are still waiting on more test results due in Friday. We have started her on some alternative medicine this morning. She is staying down, eating meals every 3 hours and eating Jell-O, hard candy and popsicles in between meals. She is feeling some better today. Prayers are solicited!

Monalea

Walkabout

'Walkabout'

1. A brief, informal leave from work, taken by an Aborigine to wander the bush, visit relatives, or return to native life.




I will be away from my blog until Tuesday the 19th. I have gone for a 'walkabout.'

Monalea

10 Things A Preacher's Wife Needs to Remember!

10. Be yourself.

9. Keep you mouth closed. You have lots of information about others. Keep quite or take it to God. Don’t share it with others.

8. Read your Bible faithfully

7. Lift your husband up daily, even when you want to pinch his head off.

6. Pray without ceasing, especially for the ones who presecute you and your family.

5. Look for the good in everyone.

4. Reach out to the ‘unlovely’ in the Church and community.

3. See yourself and others through God’s eyes.

2. Help with teaching, showers, potluck cleanup, etc.

1. Remember 'who' you work for …….. GOD! Live like it.


Ephesians 6:7 "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

Actually these are good for all Christian women to follow. Would you like to add a few?

The Amazing Bruce - Part II

Trey and Bruce’s friend was Shane McCloud, the preacher’s kid. The three of them got into many scrapes together, one which included a motorcycle that Shane owned. None of the three were old enough to ride the motorcycle on the streets, so they rode it in the alley.


One morning they decided to ride to Toot-n-Totem via the alley to get candy. Trey was driving, Shane was on the back and Bruce was walking. On the way home Bruce kept saying, “Hey guys, it’s my turn.” “Come on, it’s my turn.” Over and over Bruce kept repeating his plea while Trey and Shane drove up and down the alley passing by Bruce taunting him as he walked and they rode back to Shane’s house.



Finally Bruce had reached his limit. He grabbed a stick off the ground and as Trey and Shane passed by for the umpteenth time, Bruce jabbed the stick in the front spokes of the tire and sent Trey and Shane tumbling head over heels with bike and bodies everywhere. Shane jumped up off the ground screaming, Trey scanned Shane in horror looking from head to foot for any sign of blood. Finally Shane screamed with passion, “My Pushup got dirty.” Relief flooded Trey. Trey picked up the motorcycle and the three of them walked the rest of the way home.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Years later Bruce was getting ready to leave for a year stint in Portugal with the AIM program. The family gathered the last week to bid him farewell. Bruce pulled out his ten-speed and rode up and down the street, reliving his childhood. As he made one last pass down the street he decided to cut across the neighbor’s driveway and pop one last wheelie over the curb. As he ramped the curb, with the bike in midair, out popped the handlebars, leaving Bruce on an ‘out of control’ bike headed toward the sapling cypress tree at full speed. The bike lurched at record breaking speed from right to left with Bruce’s arms flaying and his feet trying to gain some sort of control. Finally Bruce’s leg wrapped around the sapling cypress tree and he and the bike came to a stop. Bruce’s eyes were as big as saucers. Bruce’s leg was scrapped from knee to shin. Bruce’s face broke out in a big grin, ‘Yep, he still had it.’



II Kings 9:20 The lookout reported, "He has reached them, but he isn't coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi--he drives like a madman."

Bruce, An Amazing Brother - Part I

I have a little brother that is quite amazing. He has a fresh outlook on life, a great sense of humor, is a wonderful story teller, loves and worships the Lord in his daily life. I admire him in so many ways and look up to him and the way he follows God. He is fun to be around and has a good heart.

Bruce also has had several interesting encounters with bikes and I would like to share them. But before I do, Trey told me I had to make this ‘disclaimer:’ “These stories are based on actual events.” I believe Trey just wants you to believe they are based on true stories and not actual events. You be the judge.

When Bruce got his first bicycle he was quite the Evil Knievel. Instead of applying his breaks he would use the garage door, side or back of the station wagon or tree to come to a complete stop. We counted the dents in the car or garage to keep up with Bruce’s stops. We estimated the depth of each dent to keep record of his speed on impact.

A few weeks after getting his new bike, Bruce trudged into the house with a downcast face and something behind his back. “Momma, I had an accident;” like anyone was surprised. We all stopped what we were doing and gathered around. “Momma, I ran over Melinda’s car.” While making this statement he pulled her antenna out from behind her back. We all stared in disbelief. Considering Bruce’s crashing abilities, this was an amazing feat. We all sat around trying to estimate how he had accomplished this. Had he ramped the car thus ripping off the antenna as he made his exit off the hood? No, after acquiring great speed, while passing the vehicle he hooked his handlebars onto the antenna therefore ripping it off. The radio never sounded the same again.

Bruce and Trey were real ‘daredevils.’ There wasn’t much that they were afraid of. They would get on their bikes and race up and down the sidewalk in front of our house. From time to time they would face off, one on one end of the street, the other on the other end; then the game of ‘Chicken’ would commence. Trey would give the signal and then they were off, racing toward each other gaining great speed. Standing while peddling brought greater results and increased their speed as they raced toward each other with great anticipation. As the sun shone down, the breeze blew in their faces, and adrenaline surged, fear would began to mount as they closed the distance to the crash. Bruce flinched; veered to the right and rode the bike up the tree like a cat. There was a moment in time when the world actually stopped and everything became suspend in air then, Bruce and bike came crashing down. Arms, legs, tires, handlebars seemed to litter the yard. Then Bruce emerged victorious; not from the battle of ‘Chicken’ but from the confrontation of ‘Man, Bike and Tree’ and Man had won; or so it seemed as he limped home for bandages and antiseptic.

II Kings 9:20 The lookout reported, "He has reached them, but he isn't coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi--he drives like a madman."

Not True

10 Things you have been told as a child or told a child that was not true.


10. If you play with fire you will wet the bed.

9. If you continue making that face it will freeze that way.

8. I’m not going to tell you again.

7. Do you want me to spank you?

6. In a minute.

5. If you do not eat all your food, you will not grow up to be big and strong.


4. Don’t cross your eyes or they will get stuck that way.

3. Eat your spinach so you will be strong like Popeye.

2. When you loose your tooth, if you don’t put your tongue in the space a gold one will grow to replace it.

1. If you eat your carrots you will never have to wear glasses. Have you ever see a rabbit wearing glasses?



Can you add any???

10 Things I'm Glad I Did With My Kids....

10. Played games.

9. Taught them to work.

8. Went to the park.

7. Laughed when they spilled, broke or made a mess.

6. Baked cookies together.

5. Wrestled on the floor.

4. Went to places they liked.

3. Dug in the dirt.

2. Read the Bible to them.

1. Taught them about God.

*Do you have one to add?*

Deut. 6:9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."

June Bugs

When I was little I loved the June bug, he was my all time favorite bug. He was red with a hard shell and little feet that tickled as he would crawl around on my hand. And unlike the roly poly and the doodle bug, he was fairly durable. I would watch and wait with great anticipation every spring for his appearance.







I would gather several June Bugs into my hand and then transfer them into a paper cup or other container. They were amazing little creatures. They would spend hours crawling around the bottom of the container, crawling over each other or trying to climb up the steep sides only to fall back down into the bottom to start all over again.

After enjoying them myself I would always share them with my dear sweet sister, Melinda. I would walk up and say, “Melinda, look what I found.” As she would crane her neck to look into my hand, I would open it oh so slowly. Shrieks would escape from her lips that were delightful. She would somehow go from sitting on the floor to a dead run in a matter of seconds and screaming “Momma” at the top of her voice. Usually after several minutes had passed and several shrill shrieks had split the air Momma would eventually say, “Monalea, stop!”

Momma would sometime give me a lecture on ‘chasing with bug.’ I would listen intently stifling the smiles that would eventually escape in the form of twinklings in my eyes. Only if you looked closely could you see the mirth oozing from every pour of my body.

Sometimes after the scolding’s I would sit just near enough to Melinda with my wonderful bugs in hand and smile deviously at her. She would screw up her mouth and wrinkle her nose in my direction and say, “You’d better not!” That only made the temptation greater and then we would be off again her running, me chasing through the house. Life was good!

Chasing Melinda with bugs became a yearly sporting event like football or baseball. I never had to run to catch up with her, just her knowing I was somewhere back there was enough. I would sometimes take a detour, wait a few minutes and then begin the chase again with new screams and venomous threats escaping from her mouth. I wasn’t too frightened, she was 8 and I was 6.

Forty-two years have past since those long ago times of childhood antics. I still tease and harass my beautiful sister every chance I get, she will attest to this.

I Peter 4:8

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

The DARK

When I was young I was afraid of the dark. When the sun would set I would start turning on lights. I had to sleep with a nightlight and several other lights. I was known to sleep with a different assortment of ‘weapons’.

At night my ears became acute to every little noise that during the day would go unnoticed. So when I would crawl into bed at night with my ‘weapons’ of choice, my nightlights and my acute hearing, I didn’t sleep too well. I was always waiting for the night when someone would break into our home.

I knew that 2 + 2 equaled 4, but I couldn’t get the math to work for the reality of the dark. The reality being 7 kids in a small house + no real valuables equal no break-in. I knew that one day soon the break-in would occur then everyone would be sorry that they hadn’t listened to me.

One evening as I was digging though the kitchen cabinets I found a can of honey that Grandma had given to us kids. The can looked like a paint bucket with the handle. I opened drawer and there was a small paint brush. Wow, was this great or what?

I took my treasures the honey can and the paint brush to the backyard and began to paint honey on both of the gate latches, the garage door handle and all the windows. I was a genius! I could sleep tonight knowing that I had protected my family for the villain. I could close my eyes; turn down the volume in my ears and experience sweet sleep.

The next morning everyone was up doing chores and getting ready for school when I heard Mom yell, “Monalea!” I came around the corner and there stood Mom and my little brother Bruce. Bruce was holding out his hands with a look of disgust of his face. Pointing at Bruce’s hands Mom asked, “What is all over the gate that Bruce got all over his hands?” Wow, how did she know it was me out of 7 kids? Mom really did have superhuman powers.

I started to explain, “Well I found this honey can and a paint brush in the cabinet and I decided to paint the gates, outside windows and garage door.” “What would possess you to do that?” Mom asked. “It is very simple” I explained. “It is to keep burglars away.” “Honey will not stop someone from breaking in” Mom said as irritation began to build in her voice. I looked up at her and said, “Your telling me if you were breaking into a house and you got sticky all over you hands at every window you tried that you wouldn’t stop and reconsider?”

If Mom’s had gaskets, here’s where hers would have blown. She drew a bead on me with her eyes, pointed her finger and said, “You will come in from school today and wash the gates, garage door and every window before we get ants.” The look on her face and the tone of her voice caused a small tremor to course though me. In other circumstance I might have clicked my heels together and said “Hile Hitler,” but I wanted to live. So I decided a “Yes Ma’am,” would suffice. None of my family really appreciated my ability to ‘think outside the box.’

Proverbs 16:25

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

The Meeting

I met Daryl at a skating rink while we were both in College at Lubbock Christian. He was playing roller hockey. He was tall, 6 foot 3, handsome with a charming smile and green eyes. My friend Brenda introduced us.

We spent the evening visiting about classes, teachers, likes and dislikes. I enjoyed watching him play roller hockey. Before the evening was over he had asked to meet me in the Sub the next morning and walk me to my first class.

I’m basically a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal, but this morning I wanted to make an impression. I spent extra time on my hair and makeup. I picked out a favorite dress and borrowed my roommate Jackie’s high heels. I surveyed myself in the mirror and with a smug smile thought “He can’t help but notice me.”

I walked across campus with my head held high and with confidence. I carried my books under my left arm and my purse over my shoulder. The closer I got to the meeting place the more nervous I became. Several times I had to still my racing heart.

When I entered the Sub it was crowded. I had to make my way through the throng of people. “What if he doesn’t show?” I questioned. “What if we miss each other?” And then I turned and he was beside me.

“Monalea” Daryl said. I was caught off guard. Where was my 6 foot 3 guy? It was the same guy I had met last night. The same charming smile and handsome face, but he was 5’11 this morning. I stammered, sputtered, choked and turned red. I had been so right, “He couldn’t help but notice me”, because now I towered above him.

I surveyed him up and down. There was something definitely different about him this morning……..he was missing his roller skates! With his skates on he had been a good 3 inches taller and now he was a good 3 inches shorter than me.

I finally found my head and said, “I have to go back to my dorm room for a minute.” “That’s fine,” Daryl said. “We can meet at 12:00 by the swing and then have lunch together.” “Will that be ok?” “Sure” I smiled regaining some of my composure.

Back in my room as I changed from the dress and high heels and donned my jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes, I breathed a sigh of relief. From now on I would just be me. No more being something I wasn’t. If he liked me, it would be for me.

This September we will celebrate our 28th anniversary. We often look back at our years in college and laugh about all the little things that seemed so important at the time.

Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."

"On The Road To California"

One summer when I was 15 Mom and Dad loaded up the station wagon with all 7 of us kids ages 7-17, hitched up a camper and headed to California to visit relatives. We traveled 2 ½ long days, for 13-16 hour a days. Each night we would pull into a KOA, set up the camper, prepare supper for the 9 of us and then would crawl into our assigned places in the camper. It was a long trip, in an overcrowded camper but it was more fun than imaginable.




The last 100 miles of the day Dad would announce “Kids, start looking for a KOA sign,” little did we know that he had already mapped out the entire trip. When we stopped for the night we were all ready to stretch our legs, move about and be shut of each other. As Dad and I sat up the camper, Mom and several of the girls began to cook supper on a camp stove. Other campers had arrived before us and had their supper cooking. You could smell different mouthwatering aromas lingering in the air.



When supper was finally ready we sat down around the picnic table and began to eat. Different ones began swatting at the air, slapping at their faces. Gnat, gnats were everywhere. It was like one of the plagues from Egypt. Between gulping down the food and swatting at the gnats, everyone finished their supper in a hurry and headed into the camper. There would be no enjoying the evening air or tossing a ball back and forth. The only safe haven was a camper full of nine people. We lay in bed that night laughing and coming up with cleaver names for a gnat plagued KOA. There was an occasional, “Mom he’s touching me.” But get real; everyone was touching everyone else in these cramped quarters.

The next day, after traveling several hours, we stopped at a station to fill up, use the bathrooms and buy snacks. Bruce 7, the youngest was checking out the vending machines when Stephanie 9 walked up. “Hey Bruce, will this machines take pennies?” asked Stephanie. “Sure will” replied Bruce with confidence and a deep wisdom. Stephanie proceeded to deposit 35 pennies into the vending machine, but much to her horror the machine ate her hard earned money and didn’t give her anything in return.

On this trip we brought along a rubber gorilla. His place of honor was the dash or rearview mirror. Dad would drive and hold up the gorilla and make him do and say funny things. He also used him to tell wonderful stories. Occasionally we would pass the gorilla around and take turns telling stories. We had some good stories, but none could top Dads. We would also fill the long hours in the car singing John Denver and Carpenters songs. We brought Crayons and color books, but the Crayons melted in the Nevada heat and made coloring more creative. Ever 30 miles or so you would hear Trey say, “Dad, do you think there are any fish in that water?” The water could be described as a river, a lake, a creek, a pond or a puddle.

On our second day on the road we were traveling through hot Nevada and I looked out the back window and announced, “Dad is this thing supposed to be shooting sparks everywhere?” Dad pulled over and the trailer hitch had broken. Dad wired the hitch to make do, then we crippled into the next town where we found a welder that would be able to fix the trailer the next morning.



On our 3rd and last day on the road we stopped at a beautiful roadside park up in the mountains for lunch. There were Blue Jays, red birds and squirrels scampering about the tree tops. The smell of the pine was wonderful. The sun twinkling through the trees casts amusing shadows on the forest floor. Nothing could be more beautiful. Then a sanitation truck pulled up next to our table, ran hoses to the outhouse and began pumping out the toilets. Some pinched their noses; others gagged as we packed up quickly and left. After we got in the car and headed out everyone burst out laughing.




We made one more stop before arriving at our relative’s home, the Giant Redwood Forest. The trees were magnificent. We felt so small among the massive trees. All nine of us gathered around a gigantic tree, stretched our arms wide and finger tip to finger tip encircled the tree.

When we arrived at our destination we spent two fun filled weeks with Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. We went on a snipe hunt, swam in a bayou, ate fresh boysenberries, played Annie Over, watched a local softball game, walked to a corner Dairy Freeze for ice cream and had the time of our lives.

Psalms 68:6 "God sets the lonely in families..."