My Mississippi

Only in Mississippi can you go from wearing your favorite short-sleeved Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett shirt, to being under a winter weather advisory in LESS than 24 hours. Gotta love it, right?

Deliciousness...

I KNEW Facebook would end up getting me in trouble. I knew it! Thanks to my dear, sweet friend-- we'll just call her "Laura Marler" for safety reasons, I have discovered "Foodies". It's the fabulous cafe/market in Deville Plaza in Northeast Jackson.

Anyone familiar with the "Iron Horse Bar and Grill" (can I get some hands in the air, waving like you just don't care?) knows what kind of good food, good times I'm talking about. Thanks to my dear friend (again, we'll just call her "LAURA") I just made my husband spend a fortune on salsa and chips from "Foodies". What does that have to do with "Iron Horse" you ask? Let me tell you: Same people, same food, same deliciousness.

So, now I have a new, expensive addiction. I can't part with my money when it comes to shoes, purses, or clothes, but give me good food, good times, I can kiss it all good-by.

The first bite of that homemade tortilla deliciousness brought me back to the memories. Iron horse is where I requested every birthday be spent, and every date to take me. I remember my first visit. My dad told me it was a former slaughterhouse for cows. You could even see the huge hooks hanging from the ceiling. Freaked me out. But then, I took one bite of that food and I was a sucker. I even climbed atop the King Edward across the street while friends (and my future husband--which he didn't know at the time he was destined to be so lucky) cheered me on and called me crazy from the back porch of the Iron Horse. (No, I was NOT alone, NOR does my mother know about this little adventure to this day.) Good times, good times.

But most importantly, I have an excuse NOT to cook from this point forward. Thanks, "Laura", I owe you!

Small news...

I noticed today that Ethan has cut his first tooth. Now I will have some fun feeding times to look forward to. Brennan was 10 months before his first tooth grew in. I wondered if the child was ever going to have a tooth in his head.

Meanwhile, in more important current events, please keep praying for the Hall family. They have started chemo this week. I can't imagine what they are going through and what a long road little Xavian has ahead of him. They have been heavy on my heart and mind. Fortunately they are continuing to get a lot of support and there are literally hundreds of people praying for them.

My five- month -old has recently become acquainted with the fascination of blowing spit bubbles. He does it solely to amuse himself. Oh, how simple life is through the eyes of the young.

A quiz about my husband....

I don't have to get Chad to "grade" this. I already know these answers without him checking. :-)

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? Football, 24, or a movie on TBS, USA, or Cinemax.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Ranch. ALWAYS.

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Broccoli

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order? He doesn't. Sweet tea is the only drink he orders.

5. Where did he go to high school? Hillcrest Christian

6. What size shoe does he wear? 9 1/2

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Money.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? He doesn't like sandwiches. The occasional ham or pb&j made by his loving wife.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? Meat and potatoes

10. What is his favorite cereal? He hates cereal. My life would be simpler if he DID like cereal.

11. What would he never wear? Anything seersucker or plaid.

12. What is his favorite sports team? Ole Miss rebels, Colts and Giants.

13. Who did he vote for? Mccain

14. Who is his best friend? Me. Duh.

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Nag.

16. What is his heritage? Uh. Caucasian? American?

17. You make him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? Strawberry.

18. Did he play sports in high school? No. Band nerd.

19. What could he spend hours doing? Sitting on the beach.

20. What is one unique talent he has? He's patient. Too patient. I consider that a talent any day.

Christmas is over!

Could someone please tell my Rankin County neighbors that Christmas is over? I mean, really. It's over. Somehow I find it a little insulting that there are still remnants of Baby Jesus and the stable scattered about the yard. Along with what looks to be piles of inflatable Santa Clauses and the Holy star on a flag pole. But to top it off, it looks like they've now brought out what looks as if it is going to be a gigantic, yellow, inflatable Easter egg. I know we should celebrate Jesus and his birth all year long, but come on, it's time to put it up. If you're going to be selling puppies from a homemade cage made of chicken wire in the midst of it all, it's time. Let it go, people. Let. It. Go. (No, these are not neighbors on my street...it's worse. They are on Main Street. Downtown. Stop the madness.)

Life and advice...

When did I come to the point in life that my worries are now more than what I'm having for dinner tonight? Or when am I going to study for that test next next? When did my worries become more than who I'm going out with this weekend? It happened when I became a parent.

I was struggling really hard this morning. Actually, I've been struggling the past few days. I started questioning God and His infinite wisdom. I started wondering why God allows things to happen in life to people who don't deserve things, when there is so much unpunished evil in this world. I've lost sleep the past several nights struggling with my thoughts and being angry at God. I could not, for any reason, figure out why God does the things He does, and leaves a trail of heartache behind. I tried consulting God in prayer, and I even tried finding a verse of comfort in my Bible. Nothing would give me peace.

Fortunately, I have a wonderful childhood friend who God has blessed with words of wisdom and comfort. It's her gift. She's not in the ministry, but she definitely should be. She's probably one of the most wise earthly people I've known. I knew that God could speak through her to me. That may sound a little far fetched to some, but just as God speaks through ministers and others, my friend has this gift. I consulted with her on that wonderful new "necessity" of life called Facebook. Just as I logged in this morning she had just received the message I sent her earlier. We I.M'ed each other and, just as I thought, I received some comfort over my thoughts after I consulted with her.

But, after I "talked" to my friend it amazed me at how much our conversations have changed since we were growing up. There were so many days we would sit on the front porch swing on lazy summer days and talk about boys, and who we thought was cute. We would talk about fashion on the cover of her mom's latest "Cosmopolitan" magazine. Our biggest worries were trying to get our parents to take us to the mall. Or trying to beat that cursed video game. Or what swimsuit we would wear to the water park on Friday. Now the conversations I have with friends are worrying over our children. Worrying about our babies and trying to protect them from all that is wrong in this world. And then we have things that happen that we can't protect them from. We worry about those things that are bigger than us. We all know it could happen to us. It's always in the back of our minds. When we become parents we lose any and all peace of mind. We worry when our kids are small, and we will worry when they grow and start trying to be accepted. We will worry when they get their drivers license and when they go out on their first date. We will worry constantly.

My friend gave me a great quote by C.S. Lewis. It goes like this: "God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, and shouts in our pain, it is the megaphone to rouse a deaf world." How true. In my thoughts I struggled with why God allows innocence to hurt. Why babies are abandoned and why babies become sick. Why babies are born with defects and why babies are called to Heaven right after birth. Why undeserving parents have to suffer. It all seems senseless.

Here is how she put into perspective: God, who gave the ultimate sacrifice, is all-knowing and is the ultimate Deliverer. He uses us who are called to believe and follow as an advancement towards His Kingdom. God is so powerful it's hard for us to even begin to wrap our minds around His ways and His thoughts. We weren't designed to know it all. God will stop at nothing for the advancement of His Kingdom. We know His will is always done, and he uses our pain and suffering, and our grounded faith to help deliver others who aren't quite so sure what it's all about. For the span of this lifetime on earth families will continue to suffer. There will be heartache. There will be miracles, and there will be homecomings. We can choose to NOT believe how good God is, our we can believe it with every fiber of our being and use it to His advantage. Our God is good. And our circumstances do not define His goodness. His goodness defines our circumstances. He will always sustain us.

Verse for thought: “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
Psalm 27:13