I promised the ladies at the retreat that I would put on my blog the 'tools' I recommended: TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY by Bill Hybels/ PRAYING GOD'S WORD by Beth Moore / THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE by Stormie Omartian.

I've got to tell you a funny from the retreat. At the very beginning, Sandy and I did a skit of all the crazy things (made up) that happened 'on the way' to the retreat. But throughout retreat, we laughed harder as REAL LIFE things happened to us. (She ran over me with the luggage cart as she 'claimed' she could not see me. I actually looked down when eating lunch at Chick-fil-a and had toilet paper dangling from heel of my shoe (who knows how long I dragged that around). She tangled me up in blow dryer cord (I could have fallen and broken my neck). I accidentally hit the panic button on my car key thingamajig early Saturday morning and felt certain I woke up everyone in hotel. Moral to my story - some things you just can't make up, you live them!

Pigeon Forge or Bust

In just two days, I will be leaving for Nashville to pick up my sister and mother-in-law headed to the Women's Tennesse State Retreat. I have mixed feelings as I am excited about the trip, but I am speaking at the retreat which is really not in my 'comfort zone'. But listening to Beth Moore a few weeks ago, I was encouraged when she said, "Not everyone is called to be a 'speaker', but we are all called to 'speak'. Therefore, my sister and I are speaking kind of tag-team style (scary thought of us in wrestling outfits complete with tights!yikes! Trust me, we are NOT wearing tights, I repeat - we are not wearing tights! (Although I really thought it would be funny to borrow our brother's fake 'wrestling belt' I got him for his birthday a few years ago).
One of the stories I am sharing at the retreat is from when Sandy and I were little. I talk some about mom being such a great prayer warrior and how she prayed about everything and so we did too. Every night Momma or Daddy would come into our room (we shared a room and that was a big mistake because we liked to talk back then, too), one of them would kneel beside our bed and Sandy and I would take turns praying. But then, MY SISTER started a new thing. As soon as my mom or dad would enter our bedroom (sometimes before entering the room), my sister would hit her knees to the floor and start praying (we were still starting to kneel by the bed). She wanted to be first so that when I would say my prayer, and if she had forgotten something, she would interrupt and shout out “ME TOO, LORD.”
As most of you know, we now pray together each week (for you) and I love to say (under my breath of course, when she is praying her turn) "ME TOO, LORD." How ironic that after all these years, as we pray together (via Verizon) that our hearts are tender toward God and to each other.
By the way, Sandy ends our 'sermon' (just kidding, it's a lesson, we are not 'preachers'haha), with the story of how mom's prayer was answered after years of praying for healing. It's hard to believe that she died almost 7 years ago (October 12, 2002).

Quotes for the Day

"In a season of doubt, we must let what we know invade what we feel."

"What's showing on the outside, makes you wonder what's on the inside."

Ankle Report

Good news and bad news about visit to the anklologist. The good news is that it was not cancer. (I told the doctor that I had not even thought about that, so now anything he said would be good news to me.) The bad news is that it is calcification, in other words I am getting old!haha They could do surgery with pins, etc. blah blah blah - I let him know right away that I would have to be crawling around on my knees before that! So he 'recommends' that I get some shoes with good arch support. I did not know whether to cry or laugh!

I want a hat like that!

This is one of my favorite pictures from Ecuador with Pastor Lucas' wife. I know, the hat looks pretty silly on me. But it shows just how much joy that comes from the mission trips there. As the trip gets closer, I will be giving you some specific prayer requests.

God Owns Dollar General

I realize that title sounds like a perfect start to a country music song. Those of you who are so inclined, feel free to put lyrics and music - I forfeit all my royalties to you. The reason for that title is that SIX weeks from today, I will be leaving on a jet plane (ok, don't write a song about that, because it has already been done). I leave for Ecuador in just six weeks! I cannot believe that this will be my fourth trip there. My heart is still so burdened for reaching those children. Back to the title (I get distracted very easy)....I have to give a testimony of how last year when I went to Ecuador and with the cold mornings, I realized I was only one with gloves on. So, I thought...why not take gloves back to the children? I had some people from church (a shout out to Mary Ann, Janice and Karen) who bought some but I needed lots more. So my sister found some on clearance at Dollar General. That was good, but still not enough. So, when I went to visit her (we are always looking for excuses to 'visit'), we started on a mission to go to every Dollar General store as they went to 90% off. (Do you have any idea how many Dollar General stores are in the city of Nashville?) At the last store, which my sister just happened to think of and made a crazy turn to get to, we hit the jackpot! I am not sure why God had us travel all over Nashville when He owned that Dollar General and all the gloves, but it's just like Him to allow us to enjoy the journey! And that we did! Thank you God for the gloves for the people in Ecuador! Thank you, God that You care not only for their souls, but for their hands!

I have already received two phone calls from prayer group at church to see how my dr. appointment went today. I told Mrs. Gibby that I am so special that I am going to the specialist's specialist. I do not know what you call an ankle specialist so I have made up the name "anklologist". (Sorry, Mr. Webster I just made that up.)