We’ve been all over the place this week. All were anxious for Katey to get home after her 9-day ministry trip to Chile. They arrived safe and sound yesterday. She called as soon as they touched down in Atlanta – 5:25am CST. As a mom I’m always torn. It’s a great concern when your child goes to a foreign country. But it’s also a blessing that she is willing to do God’s will and that Andy supports her and is so great w/ the kids.

And Laurie thought she would have Pearce Monday or yesterday. Didn’t happen. She’s very disappointed and very uncomfortable. Dr. C will put her in Friday if nothing has happened before then. Here again, I’m torn. L&D have 5 (almost) children, with the oldest just having turned 6, so I’m concerned about her health. But I also know they have prayed about this and are following God’s plan for their life together, which is also a blessing.

Molly & I talk on the phone often, but I’d like to see them more. And she would like to be closer to be a part of what little drama we have in our lives. You need to click here for The Saga of the Phones.

Life has a way of ordering its own priorities. Work takes up a good portion of my waking hours so sometimes the daily challenges / frustrations / aggravations can leach over into my personal life. But in the last few months family has ruled.

We certainly enjoyed all the family festivities during the Christmas season. And Sunday all the extended family came over for Katey’s & Marcus’ birthday lunch. These times of fun, food and fellowship serve to warm my heart and calm my soul when the work aggravation rears its ugly head.

I told Molly that I’d surely been bending God’s ear a lot lately with family issues. Katey, Andy & kidlettes needed to sell their house and move into their new digs. Katey had to make a decision about going to Chile and when the decision was made we all started praying in that direction. Molly & Kevin, while not facing any traumatic events since their move to Southaven, have dealt with strep and a boatload of respiratory ailments. Laurie is 10.5 months pregnant with child #5 (so she thinks) and caring for four small children. Dewayne who does his fair share of caretaing will have oral surgery tomorrow. Marcus had surgery several weeks ago.

So, you see, God has been hearing from me a lot lately about all those near & dear to me. And I am persuaded that our Heavenly Father wants to hear from me regarding these matters. But this morning as I finished reading my Bible, I heard that still small Voice reminding me that I need to spend more time in prayer praising Him for Who He Is. He wants me to consult Him about every aspect of my life; and He certainly wants me to acknowledge to Him my sins so He can lead me to repentance and cleansing.

Am I the only one who tends to rush through prayer time in order to get on with my day? Martin Luther rightly said, “I have so much to do (today) that I must spend the first three hours in prayer.” The frenetic pace of our lives would be ordered properly if we spent more time in prayer and less time trying to figure things out for ourselves.

I like Joseph; he’s extremely fascinating. His life’s story, so concisely told in Genesis 30 – 50, is one of human error (sin) and divine intervention. When I start reading his story I can’t stop until I reach the end. And when I get to the end, I cry. Why does it make me sad when he dies? Everyone in the Bible died, and stayed dead, except Jesus. There are lots of folks in the Bible that I really like, but Joseph feels like a personal friend.

Joseph’s story has all the human elements imaginable: jealousy, envy, greed, sex, power, lying (not an exhaustive list). The read will keep you on the edge of your seat if you’re reading it for the first time or for the thirtieth time. His is certainly a success story, but that’s not what appeals to me. Maybe it’s that so many events in his life were beyond his control coupled with the obvious workings of God through these events that gives me hope.

He didn’t have humble beginnings; Jacob was rich and powerful. And in his younger years he seemed an obnoxious little pipsqueak – bragging about his dreams and wearing that favorite son symbol in front of his brothers. But life taught him some tough lessons and he matured through his difficulties. A tiny glimpse of the old Joseph shows through when he hides his identity from his brothers, but he can’t sustain the charade and all is forgiven on both sides.

My life is a lot like Joseph’s. Oh, I’ll never be the #2 person in Egypt, powerful beyond thought or measure. But…a) Many events in my life are beyond my control; and, b) God is working through all these events to mold me into the person He wants me to be (if I cooperate). Bro. Jim’s email message today is about “sticking our neck out” for God. That’s what Peter did, and so did Joseph. God did some extraordinary things through both of them. What extraordinary thing might God have planned for me?

Dire straits...People are concerned about the presidential election. People are concerned about peace in the Middle East. Mississippi people are concerned about the special congressional races. Me? I'm worried about a cut & color.

That's right. My sister-in-law, Betty, has taken care of these naturally curly locks since we married brothers oh so many years ago. I just don't trust anyone else to do it. She knows just how to cut this curly hair to make it manageable; and when the gray started sticking out every which way, she said, "It's time to start coloring this hair to give it some conditioning." I listen to her. If she says it needs to be done, it gets done.

The problem? On Tuesday before Thanksgiving Betty was playing outside with her grandson, stepped in a hole and suffered a spiral fracture to a major bone in her ankle. The nature of the fracture has necessitated a long recovery. In fact, she's still home, in a cast, unable to put much weight on that foot. Walking cast? It ain't gonna happen. Poor Betty. In pain, very uncomfortable, inconvenienced, confined, loss of income. But enough about her. What about me? I need a cut & color.

Call me crazy, but when the barometric pressure starts dropping, I get sleepy. I mean lie-down-on-the-floor-under-my-desk sleepy. Kids get cranky; I get sleepy. Terry watches the Weather Channel; I go to bed (with my clothes and shoes right by the bed, at his insistence). Where would we go if it “came up a cloud”? Our house is about the soundest structures within miles. Oh well, maybe he’s concerned that I should be properly dressed if the house blows away.

Laurie had a doctor’s appointment this morning and Pearce McGuire should be making his appearance Feb 1st, if not before. She is sooooo ready. Her nights are spent moving from the couch to the recliner to the bed to the couch… Katey & crew are moving into their new house this weekend. We are so proud for them; they’ve sold their other house and are ready for larger digs. And she leaves for Chile on the 21st. Pray for my baby and her family as they face all these new events. Molly & Kevin has strep and stayed home from work one day to let the antibiotics kick in. She still doesn’t feel well, but was going to work, anyway.

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Couldn’t sleep long under my desk b/c of tornado warnings. The weather’s been nasty in all parts of the state. Closing this out for the time being….

A trip to the optometrist and ophthalmologist yesterday netted no good news. The double vision I’m experiencing when trying to read is caused by the RP and will not get better. Surely no one likes all the lights they shine in your eyes; for a person w/ RP it’s a nightmare. Big, bad headache. And to make the headache worse, I had to pay $416 just for lenses for two pairs of computer glasses. Merry Christmas, LaRue.

On a happier note…we got a picture of the whole clan Christmas Day. Aren’t we a blessed bunch!

http://www.xanga.com/kingmookaThis week has gone a lot better than anticipated. When a plant has been shut down for any length of time it’s hard to get equipment to run and employees to cooperate. But things have gone smoothly and it’s been a good week.

My time off from work over the Christmas holidays was such a relaxing, fun vacation. There were a few get-togethers, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and several days of peace & quiet.

The visit w/ my mom, brother, sister-in-law & nephew went well. I was anxious for nothing. Guests started arriving at 3:30 and started leaving about 9:00. There’s no gift-giving at this gathering – we make donations to Foundation Fighting Blindness in memory of DaddyG. We ate and visited and ate and visited and ate some more. Fun!!

News on the family front: Katey is going to Chile this month to work with MKs whose parents are missionaries in South America. And K’s crew will be moving into their new house soon. Marlee K took a few steps Wednesday night and she stands for long periods of time w/o holding on to anything. Check this out for the “sock” story. Pearce McGuire will be making his appearance near the end of this month. And Tip stays in the house on these cold days. A few years ago you’d never have made me believe that Molly would let a dog stay in the house.

Oh, Terry & I didn’t buy the minivan. Too many other things have a higher priority this time of year – taxes, Sep IRA, taxes, EDU funds, taxes…..You get the picture.