Change

It’s exciting. It’s frightening. None of us embrace it wholeheartedly, but some deal better than others. Change for the sake of change is not necessarily good. But some change refreshes us – keeps us on our toes.

Why am I thinking about change? Well, for one thing, Toyota is coming to Blue Springs. Over the next several years residents in this area can expect a lot of change. Folks who live on or near the development site will have to relocate. This may include Kevin’s parents. Building or buying a new house is probably exciting, but leaving property that’s been in your family a long time can be “saddening”. And having a company the likes of Toyota in the area will drive labor costs up for the rest of us – not something a non-profit business like ours can tolerate very well. Here’s hoping the benefits outweigh the problems.

Then there’s the change of family dynamics. Marcus, Laurie’s one-year old son, must be wondering when the intruder will leave. He’s been an unhappy little boy for a few days. This happens in most families as more children are added to the mix, but you have to feel a twinge of pity for him as he tries, at his young age, to adapt to little sister. It will be OK, Marcus. We all love you as much as ever and you’ll still get plenty of attention.

Another change comes w/ new jobs. Looks like Molly & Kevin will be headed to Memphis in June after he completes his Master’s. I was so hoping they’d be closer to us, but it’s a good opportunity for them and it’s not that far away. New jobs, new house, new church – lots of new.

Sometimes I wish God would spread out the plans He has for us so we can be prepared. Then I realize that would more than likely scare me to death. There’s a reason He gives us one moment at a time. Thank You, Father, for change and for the resources You give us to deal with it. Give us a mind and heart that are undivided, focusing fully on You in all things.

Can you even imagine 150,000+ women worshipping and praising God?!? Churches and civic centers across North America joined together for Bible study on Saturday. There was a church in Anchorage, 18 centers in Canada, one in Mexico City, a Women’s prison in Florida – a total of over 500 viewing sites where God’s Word was taught, praises were sung and fellowship was sweet.

Rain threatened at BBC, but held off until a couple of hours after the event. One of our prayer team members asked God to hold the rain 'cause women don't like to get their -do's west. It was a miracle of planning and organization to get 400+ women fed, freshened up and back into the sanctuary in one hour. I was very impressed with the tech guys, the male volunteers and all the women who put in long hours to make it look easy. One of the volunteers who went through the surveys said there was not one negative comment. God had a plan and He saw it through. We give Him the praise, the glory and the honor.

One of the sweetest, holiest moments was at the end when we were singing How Great Thou Art. I vow & declare that I could hear all 150,000 women’s voices raised to God in sweet harmony. We were blessed and the blessing goes forward.

Be good…AND DON’T FUSS AND FIGHT (Lessons from Joseph)

Heard that before? Said that before? I have. Three girls headed out the door, all laughing, exuberant excitement at a fun outing. But being the all-wise mom that I am, I knew that shared camaraderie would only last until the first traffic light on Main Street. By then they’d be fussing about whether to eat Mexican or Italian and fighting about which radio station to listen to. I’d been through it before when they were younger: sibling dust-ups are nothing new. Come to think of it, I’ve heard those words addressed to me before as my brother and I left the house.

But, as I discovered this week, the admonition is older than I am, or my parents. It dates back over 5,000 years. Take a look at the book of Genesis. Genesis!? Genesis in the Bible!? Yes, that’s the one. Let’s pay particular attention to the story of Joseph. You don’t remember anyone saying, “Be good…AND DON’T FUSS AND FIGHT?” Look closer. Joseph’s brothers took sibling rivalry to the max when they let Joseph be sold down the river. But it didn’t turn out exactly as they’d planned. Joseph hits the jackpot. By the will of God and his obedience to God’s instructions, Joseph winds up in the lap of luxury.

And in keeping with dreams interpreted long years ago, Joseph has the chance to pay his brothers back. There’s a famine in all the land, but Egypt, under Joseph’s hand, has prepared for this. Everyone is knocking on their door for a loaf of bread, including Joseph’s brothers. After giving them a hard time (They deserved it, don’t you think?) Joseph makes himself known to them and the reunion is a sweet one. The only thing missing is Jacob, so Joseph prepares to send his brothers back to get Jacob. Now, take a look at Genesis 45:24. (You thought I’d forgotten where I was going with this, didn’t you?) They’re headed out the door for the long journey to get Jacob and Joseph says, “Be good…AND DON’T FUSS AND FIGHT.” Well, actually, the New American Standard Bible says, “So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, ‘Do not quarrel on the journey.’”

We’re on a journey that will end in a long-awaited reunion. God has made Himself known to us and has sent us out on the road. Part of our trip includes getting others and bringing them to Him. There are logs blocking the road, and wild animals waiting in the brush to ambush us. The journey’s end is worth all we face, but wouldn’t the journey be a lot easier if we helped each other along the way? I’ll help you move the logs and you help me watch out for wild animals. God has sent us out on this pilgrimage. Can’t you hear him saying, “Be good…AND DON’T FUSS AND FIGHT.”

lp 01.15.01

Marlee K pics. Click on "Photos" and choose the "Marlee K" album.

Old friends. Old memories. When I stated my name to the lady who answered the phone at the local florist, her response told me she knew me and that I should know her. I said, “Who is this?” SANDY S, and she’s the one who delivered the hospital door hanger. We were able to talk a while and catch up on kids: Christy married w/ one child and Yo-Yo married & wanting kids. BTW, Cathy, she said tell you hello.

I didn’t have a lot of time to think right then (new grandbaby syndrome), but the memories would flood back later – both the good & the bad. It was a transitional time (read difficult) at FBC P’ville. I know I made some bad choices then and so did some others. Maturity didn’t seem to help, either. Some of the older members made some bad decisions as well. I often wonder how much of a contributing factor my attitude & actions played in what that church is today. Believe me, I don’t think I hold a lot of power – then or now – but we often don’t realize how the smallest action can affect our sphere of influence. I can only pray that I didn’t do too much damage. And, no, that’s not arrogance; it’s a sense of guilt that’s plagued me for years.

And, yes, there were some great times: choir, Cecil’s park, kids’ softball, eating out after church and many other things. We developed some lasting friendships, helped each other w/ kids and learned a lot about life (mostly from our mistakes). I’m going to search my heart for any harm I might have done during that time and I’m going to pick out the really good memories to hold on to.

Good morning all. The adrenalin has returned to normal and I got to spend some quality rocking time with Marlee K yesterday. Laurie wanted spinach/artichoke dip from O'Charley's so Molly & I made the run and stayed the afternoon with them. Note: A hospital room is a very small place for 4-5 adults and one infant. But we had a great time and a few visitors. Here's one of the visitors: MomaG is the oldest generation and Marlee is the younest - the Great-Grands

Marlee has Dewayne's family's coloring, and her mouth is shaped just like Aaron's - their second child. She has a mop of black hair. (Will it turn red?) I think Daddy's Little Girl already has him wrapped around her finger. Dewayne is definitely a hands-on daddy. So far he's done most of the feeding and a lot of the changing. Laurie is trying to recuperate. She & Dewayne were big babies and all their babies have weighed above normal. They need to buy a herd of cows to feed their crew. When their mommy and aunts were growing up Terry & I bought 7-8 gallons of milk every week!

They go home today on this cold February morning. I'm so glad there are laws about carseats for children now. Yes, it's nice to hold them in your arms on the ride home, like we did, but the risks outweigh the enjoyment. And there's plenty of time for holding later on.

Y'all have probably had about all the baby pics you can stand. From now on they'll be in the photo album on my Xanga site. I hope you'll visit there, too. And you know I'll still be posting the occaisonal pic here. I leave you with this close up of our little sweetie.

Our Newest Little Beauty

Marlee K
2/16/07
12:38pm
10 lbs / 6 oz
20-1/2" long

Mama, daughter & daddy are all doing well. This is #4 for them, so they have it down to a science. Laurie is the woman that all other women hate. After a drop 'o 'tus it took Laurie 3 hours to go from 4 centimeters to 6 (which she slept through). Then it took her 20 minutes to go from 6 to 10. Off to the races. She started pushing at 12:29, gave 3 practice pushes, gave 5 real pushes and at 12:38 (yes, 9 minutes) Marlee K made her appearance.


Isn't she a little beauty! It was such an exciting day; this is grand #6, but their birthdays are still exciting - every single one. Molly stayed in the delivery room just 'cause Laurie wanted her to. Since Laurie has easy deliveries & since Molly doesn't have children yet, it wasn't a traumatic event for her. Katey & I were in the waiting room and Carolyn got there just in time to go in as son as Marlee was born.

Will she be musically inclined like her mom, dad and older brother? Only time till tell, but she seems to be singing a tune in the picture below. Terry & I went back to the hospital last night to see her for a few minutes. She wasn't a happy camper then because her formula wouldn't stay down. Laurie asked that they give her regular formula instead of the extra lipid kind. Her other children couldn't tolerate that extra, either. Stay tuned for more pics.

Tomorrow’s the big day & excitement is building. February 16th seems to be a very good day to have a baby – especially since that’s the day Marlee will be born. Laurie & Dewayne have to be at the hospital at 6am. I’ll go a little later, thank you very much. Not that I won’t be awake & dressed by then. I probably won’t sleep a wink. Molly’s coming up in the morning and Katey & Terry will be there. Call it a family gathering.

To my friend Cathy: Tomorrow night should be a blast; wish I could be there. And for your information, your solo has been rattling around in my head since I first read about it in your blog. Please give me another song to drive me batty; I’m tired of this one. Can’t wait to see the pictures. (Surely you’ll take pictures?)

I talked to a friend in Watertown NY and they have only 4’ of snow. That doesn’t even faze them. I asked if he went to work and he laughed at me. He doesn’t understand that if it rains really hard around here we have trouble driving in it. Well, not me; I don’t have trouble driving in anything.

On that note I’ll close. The excitement is making me ditzy. Stay tuned for the BIG EVENT.

Happy Birthday Dewayne!! Dewayne is our middle son (-in-law) and he’s 32 years old today.

Son, you are dear to our hearts and special in our lives. I don’t know all the details of your birth, but I know about your life since you’ve come into ours. While you & Laurie dated several years before you married, your wedding day stands out in my mind. You might have been nervous, but you put on a very calm front. Do you remember that after the wedding the limo took you & Laurie back to our house? Katey & I followed in the car to swap vehicles and help y’all get off to the airport in B’ham. Katey & I walked in the house to find you and Laurie sitting on the couch staring into space. You said, “I can’t believe how tired I am.”

Over the years I’ve watched you teach Sunday school, sing in the choir, serve as a deacon and lead your family as a Christian husband & father should. You & Laurie have blessed us with three grandsons and a baby girl’s birth is imminent. God’s grace & love in joining you to our family is something I give thanks for always.
May your day be blessed.

What Matters at Work

This week a friend said she was brainstorming ideas that would make her and her department more efficient and productive, and since I was such a successful leader she wanted some ideas from me! After I picked myself up off the floor and sat w/ a blank mind and blank screen for a few minutes, the thoughts began to flow.

You have to understand: Most of the employees who work for me have at least one handicap and some have more. Some can produce at 100% efficiency or above; some can produce at 50% on their very best day. We are a non-profit manufacturing company and our goals are slightly different than most. Our #1 goal is to provide employment for people who are blind. In order to do that we have to provide quality goods & services at a competitive price, in a timely manner. Simple, huh?!?

You'll notice my ideas have very little to do with actual efficiency and productivity. In my particular case, it's more about how people are treated. If they feel valued they will give you all they've got. The very rare few don't want to work anyway and no amount of outside motivation seems to work.The very first idea that came to mind is that I have surrounded myself with some wonderful support staff. I let them know and I let my direct report know, too, that any success is ours; any failure is mine. I try to give them detailed instructions and the goal we’re trying to reach. Then I let them do their jobs. I don’t have to strain my neck looking over their shoulder.

Do I do all thethe following things? Don't I wish! Sometimes you’d think I get up in the morning just wanting to see how many people I can aggravate. That being said, here are some things that seem to matter:

• Praise people regularly. Even if their performance is poor, try to find something about them to praise. If the only thing coming out of my mouth is negative, they’ll never do anything positive.
• Don’t make it personal. a) Sometimes I have to reprimand/discipline employees that I have a good relationship with. I can’t let that good relationship enter into the particular situation. b) Sometimes I have to reprimand/discipline employees that I don’t have a good relationship with. I can’t treat them more harshly just because we don’t get along. c) Phrase reprimands/disciplines in such a way that doesn’t raise the other person’s defenses. “You make me so mad when you’re absent all the time”, doesn’t work nearly as well as “We have lots of orders and need everyone to be here everyday. If there’s a problem, let’s discuss it.”
• Forget ancient history. If an employee is trying to correct some inappropriate behavior and backslides, they need my support to get back on track, not a rant about how they’ll never get it right.
• Don’t make it a command. Even when giving direct instructions, say “Please” and “Thank you”. Manners matter. On the very rare occasion that it must be a command, it’s more effective.
• Work with people. Sometimes my work load is so heavy I can’t see the light of day, but if I hand someone else a long list of things to do, I offer to help if needed. In a manufacturing setting it is crucial that I understand how it all works together. The only way to do that is to get out in the plant and do the dirty work. The person packing at the end of the line appreciates that I’m out there seeing what they have to do every day.
• Treat everyone with respect. Just because a person works for me doesn’t make them less than me. Everyone and every job is important to the success of the company.

Pray before work; pray at work; pray after work; pray before every critical decision; pray before talking to someone. Pray! Pray! Pray! God has promised us knowledge, wisdom, insight, discernment and understanding - all necessary for success in leadership.

Got this from my niece. Have fun!!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs?
Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorant!

i can read it. can you?

I’m just gonna let go the breath and relax a little. Laurie’s little girl will come when she’s good & ready. Meanwhile, their pediatrician has put the boys on an antibiotic. Carter has a runny nose, fever & cough. He wants all of them well before Marlee K gets here. Mamaw is hoping for a little red-haired valentine baby.

Work, work, work. My day at the plant starts about 6:30 and ends about 5:00. Who has time for anything else? But this weekend is the Rita Sweatt Women’s Conference at Harrisburg. She’s a marvelous Bible study leader and I’m looking forward to Friday night & Saturday morning. (Since she’s waited this long, maybe Marlee Cupcake will put off her appearance until at least Saturday afternoon.)

Speaking of cupcakes. That’s one of the gifts I gave Laurie at her shower. This pregnancy she’s been craving Rose McCly’s cupcakes from Creative Cakes. In fact, while she was still working, she’d call to see if I needed a ride in the afternoons. Being sweet to her Mama? NO! I’m just so close to Rose and she could run in for a fix, uh, cupcake.

Katey is leading chapel at TCPS (Tupelo Christian Preparatory School) during the month of February. I have the utmost respect for most public schools and public school teachers, but there’s a very different atmosphere in the private Christian schools I’m familiar with. You couldn’t have a Bible-based chapel in a public school. And where else could this happen: At Hebron, where Molly teaches, 12 junior high kids were saved during one chapel after some high school kids gave their testimonies.

TTYL. Please pray for Laurie & the safe arrival of her little one.

At Belden Baptist Church we have a wonderful ministerial staff – called of God, dedicated to God’s kingdom purpose and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I mention this because Bro. Jim was out of town Sunday and Bro. Owen filled the pulpit. His teaching and exhortation are a testimony to his desire to learn & share and to the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Bro. Jim Holcomb is our Senior Pastor; Bro. Owen Riddick is our Associate Pastor; Bro. Kelly McGinnis is our Minister of Worship and Praise; and Bro. Mike Robertson is our Minister to Students – four ordinary men used extraordinarily by God.

I do so love going to church. The ladies in our class start getting there about 45 minutes before SS begins for coffee and fellowship. Then when it’s time for the lesson, we’re all eager to get into the Word. “Worship” service is just an extension of what we’ve already been doing in our classes and by the time I leave rejuvenation, regeneration and recreation have soothed my spirit, my soul, my mind & even my body. Then we get to turn around and do it all again on Sunday night. How can Christians not go to church?!?

Wasn’t it a powerful moment after the Super Bowl when Tony Dungy turned to the TV camera and said that even more important than the social implications of two African American coaches making it to the SB was the fact that two Christian coaches had made it and had done it the Lord’s way. AMEN! AMEN! How often does such an influential person get to witness to millions of viewers? The sports world (and many other areas of life) needs the likes of Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. Thank you, gentlemen, for your Christian witness.

Click here for Laurie's shower pics. There's a short post on My Xanga Site (linked at right). More posts later.

There was a good dusting of snow on the Explorer this morning, and the totally white roof was an indicator that Terry built a well-insulated, tight house for us. (No heat in the attic to melt the snow.) As usual in Tupelo, none stuck to the ground, but Laurie said New Albany had a nice ground cover and their schools are closed. At 9am they still dwelt in a white world & the boys were very excited.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a school-closing, everyone-stay-at-home snow in Tupelo. That weather trough we’re in is discouraging for students & teachers alike. Forget being in a 100-year flood plain. We’re in a 100-year snow plain. How nice it would be to curl up w/ a cup of hot cocoa and a good book, glance out the window occasionally at the pristine snow & give thanks for the brief respite from the hustle and bustle of our lives. How entangled we are in busy-ness; even the weekends offer little rest.
This weekend family & close friends are gathering for a shower for Laurie & Marlee K and you know how I love the family stuff. Sunday will also be a full day with all the regular classes & worship services. Add in a Prayer Committee meeting and there’ll be little time for a nap. At BBC we’re excited about the Beth Moore Live Simulcast and ticket sales are good. That’s what the committee meeting is about. It’s a unique event for us, and we hope not the last. The men of the church will be parking cars, preparing & serving meals and cleaning up. Don’t you love it, Cathy? For more info go to http://www.beldenbaptistchurch.com

The double standard is alive and well in American politics. Let Joe Biden (D-DE) say that Barak Obama is the first articulate, clean (gasp) African American to run for president. It was a gaffe, not an intentional slur. Let John Kerry (D-MA) say that young Americans who opt for military service are stupid. It’s a faux pas, not intended to denigrate those who serve and protect. These two gentlemen suffer from the occasional foot-in-mouth disease. We’ve all had it.

But what if a Republican made a comparable comment? Immediately the hue & cry would go up for this person to be stripped of any position of power or authority. Right away the press would persecute them. It’s not the same foot-in-mouth disease Dems suffer from; it’s a sign of a deeper, more sinister problem. That person would be vilified.

Oh, right, they did that, didn’t they! Sorry, Mr. Lott (R-MS).