Nutty Blonde

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Must Love Books

My husband is a bibliophile. Don't warn the neighbors...It means book lover....BOOK.
We had a small dryer fire earlier this spring and he knew the children were safe at school. The first words out of his mouth when I told him the fire trucks were there were, "Don't let them wet down my books! You will see me cry if they do that."
Each book is a treasure to him, a new adventure, a significant memory or a bread crumb of intellectual meandering. He is a thinker.
I was always told that we seek to marry people like our fathers. Soulishly John and my father favor; both kind, funny, strong. But I got my dad's sanguine back-slapping gene while my husband is more...prone to cry over damp books. Far from reclusive, he loves people. He just doesn't value the spotlight.
What he does value is life. So much that it overwhelms me. From the 28 cent goldfish from Wal Mart to the garden he strategically nurtures to his books, they all matter. I'm less concerned. If the fish kick off, big whoop. If the dog's pursuit of a robin means a shredded hosta, we can always replace it. I have taken my father's admonition about not sweating the small stuff to an outrageous degree.
We never lack for entertainment. I steal his new books before he is done and he wheels back in the driveway to reclaim his booty. I kidnap them, lose his place and write in them. I know I am a Barbarian in his pristine literary world. Pretty typical of our union; I scramble willy-nilly with arms flailing akimbo next to his perfectly-measured stride.
My Bibliophile is not perfect. Even now I can see glimpses of navy blue sock lint in his big toe and hear the sniffs from his allergies. But I am fascinated by the way he values life. And books.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Shoes For Orphan Souls

This past Monday night, I traveled to Longview, Texas for a Magnificent Mondays Banquet at First Baptist Church.
The style show was fun (those East Texas Women KNOW how to dress, now) and I did comedy & spoke but the BEST part was the emphasis on a mission project; Shoes for Orphan Souls through Buckner Baptist Benevolencies.
What I love to see is the church acting like Jesus! Passionate about this project, their goal as a church is 500 pairs of shoes. They have a gift-card insert for Mother's and Father's Day where you can provide a much needed pair of shoes to honor your mother or father. GREAT IDEA!
It reminded me of my amazing mother-in-law, Shirley Henson, who asked for this gift at Christmas many years ago; a gift for an angel-tree child. She is in heaven now but we still pick angel-tree children each year in her honor.
By skipping one dinner out, your family can sponsor a World Vision child or make a donation to rescue a precious young girl from the horrific sex trade they are sold into by desperate parents.
I was trying to answer my daughter's questions about why such horrible conditions exist but there is no explanation. But, we do have wonderful agencies in place to help the innocents and may all of us who have so much do just a little to help those with nothing.
So, let's celebrate and laugh and enjoy ourselves and eat our chicken salad and watch style shows, but let's also have our focus always be helping the least of these.

Monday, May 01, 2006

YORKTOWN LADIES SING THIS SONG

Doo-Daa, Doo-Daa!
I was in Rockport, Texas, this past weekend with the most fun women I have met in a great while;
The ladies from Yorktown Baptist Church!
From 7 hour tour around Corpus :) given so graciously by pastor's wife Suzy Lea to the Luau, we could not have had any more fun. What a blast!
God was so good to us all.
I met a HILARIOUS, talented & passionate singer, Lindsey Kane. Check out her website; www.Lindseykane.com
Off to Longview to another group of fun women.
I love my life!