What We Did on Spring Break 2011

Spring Break in Dallas. The Galleria....

Ice Skating! Luke and one of our TX cousins, Matt... Eating with the staff at Campisis.... SOOO yummy! Coaches kids ORU Golden Eagles Vs. SMU. Loss in overtime, but a great trip to the Big D

Walking on Water

How do you suppose Peter felt as he climbed over the edge of the fishing boat and sunk his toes into the Sea of Galilee? With his eyes on Jesus, one foot sloshing in front of the other, the water providing a strange and cold pressure he had never before experienced, Peter made his way across the sea. Slowly and steadily, he balanced above the churning waters.

I close my eyes and see through Peter's eyes. I imagine my own feet taking those steps, halting yet sure, keeping my mind focused on the one ahead. Not looking to the left or right, but only ahead at Jesus. Fleetingly, my mind considers the water and wind, but I immediately refocus and think only this: "Jesus."

Through the tough moments that life has brought lately, I literally picture myself in Peter's shoes. Mustering all the faith I have, I walk. My knees are wobbly, but I set my eyes like flint on the One ahead. And guess, what? It helps! I'm reliving Peter's footsteps over and over.

Unanswered prayer? a tiny Splish.
Circumstances that threaten to drown me? a bitty Splash.
My toes are cold, but my feet are firm.

And then, yesterday came. Like Peter, I noticed the wind! One foot slipped down into the sea, the next one to his calf. In desperation, he cried out to Jesus: "Save me!" And I cry out too.

We all know the end of the story. Jesus reached out to save Peter and he is reaching out to save me. I, like Peter, will end up in the boat, WORSHIPPING Him and saying "Truly you are the son of God." (Luke 14:33)

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

Cuddlebug

From {Idea} to {Reality}

It only took me 8 months, but by gosh, I got er done!

Happy about that. Cause it seems I have a lot of ideas that just kind of take root in my head but never really bloom... so anyway....

{the idea}

Last summer, we went to the OKC Science Museum. There were thousands of square feet of interesting exhibits and interactive amazement. But Luke was obsessed with 5 square feet of the place - with The Peg Board with dowel rods and ramps that allowed him to build a series of mazes and jumps for a little marble to roll through. We literally could not peel him away from it! The idea hit me later that afternoon... why not put a wall of peg board up in his room for endless building?

{the reality}

Finally, a couple weeks ago, I paid a dandy handyman to mount the peg board an inch away from the wall. I tried dowel rods, but they were too big and not fitting very well in the holes. And carving ramps from wood was not going to happen. Problem. But then when waking up one morning, it came to me to use the hardware that you can buy specifically for peg boards....and let Home Depot be my source for "toys" for his pegboard. Pipe insulation, plumbing pipe and a few funnels later, I had it figured out! And thankfully the end of this story doesn't go that Luke had outgrown the peg board. Not at all.

He has already spent a good chunk of his day making his {ideas reality.}

S'up?

S'up is that I'm totally absorbed with this:and this:

and this: (just the one on the left) and that's a good thing. I'm just thankful for each minute....

even if I am spending hours (upon hours) after school in the car, being this:

but I wouldn't trade it for anything. No sir.


I read this on my trip to New York. You've gotta pick it up. Unique, refreshing, encouraging and a true story.

A little earthly window into that very real place called heaven.
Get it today. They have it at Sam's for ten bucks.

And of course what's up this time a year is always, always basketball.
And MORE basketball.
After a gut-wrenching start to the season
(I think we were 5-12 at one point - this is cause for misery),
we recovered at the end and won, I think 10 in a row!
We lost a tough one last night on ESPN2,
but God is good when we win and He's good when we lose.
I found myself praising Him despite the loss.






Ah! I had one of these!

And I mention that because I got this from a dear friend! Looking forward to taking it in.

Experiencing more of God's love and presence.

Not just going through the motions. A paradigm shift.

I love what I saw on Twitter (yes, I joined twitter! @anniehank)...

C.S. Lewis: God is basic Fact. He must not be thought of as a featureless generality. He is the most concrete thing there is.

And THAT's What's UP.

Flat LJ in New York City!!!

Ugh! I have been so negligent on the blog!

Guess why? Well one reason is that I took a trip to New York!

I traveled with five wonderful ladies from work to a reading and writing conference at Columbia University. Along the way, we fit it some eating, entertainment and shopping!
Coincidentally, as I prepared to go to New York, LJ's class (he is known as LJ at school because of an abundance of Lukes) was preparing to mail their Flat Stanleys around the world to see what they could see. It didn't occur to me to pack Flat LJ into my suitcase, but that is exactly what LJ requested. So I slipped him in between a book and Tom's ipad and off we jetted to the Big Apple!

Flat LJ got many, many bumpy rides on the subway tunnels underneath NYC.

It snowed the second day we were there. But it was a pretty snow and for some strange reason I liked the thought of being in New York on a snowy day.

Besides that, when it snows in NY the snowplows come out of the woodwork, the sidewalks are cleared and nothing really seems affected.

(Unlike good old OK-lahoma where it takes us weeks to dig out). Another subway shot or two on the way to Columbia University. That's right, Ivy League baby!
Flat LJ took in the art and architecture of the university. I took a picture of him with a statue that I later realized was mostly naked. I decided not to email that one on to the teacher, though I'm sure LJ (the real one) would have gotten a kick out of that.


Flat LJ is listening to the speaker and taking notes playing on the ipad.
He loved walking all around the city and it's a good thing, cause we did lots of that. Almost walked off all those New York style meals. Not really though.
Flat LJ got folded in the middle. gettin a little road worn.
Look at that super duper long bus. What kind of traning do you think that driver had to get to drive that thing around the streets of Manhattan?
Flat LJ goes to Broadway! Billy Elliot!
It was a great story with awesome choreography and an amazing performance by the 12 year old lead "Billy."
Chillin in Times Square.
This is one of the many jumbotrons we saw.
If you look very close, you can see me holding Fat LJ under the big 2 in the picture below. Flat LJ's 15 seconds of fame!
We also took Flat LJ to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You know, where Claudia Kincaid went when she ran away from home? (The Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler)
Ancient art and Flat LJ.
An enormous Grecian pillar and a flat LJ.
Nice view in the MET.
It doesn't get any better than going eye to with a little Henri Matisse.
and Vincent Van Gogh...
This is the modern art gallery.
Flat LJ wonders if this is actually art.

Grand Central Station should be one of the modern wonders of the world.
It really is gorgeous. The ceiling is my favorite color in the world, light blue.
The apartment buildings are so quaint and interesting. Or "flats" as they're called.
Bye bye New York! Flat LJ is headed back to OKlaHOma!