At the Airport

Well, I have made it as far as the airport. My flight to Houston has been delayed by 30 minutes. Not the start I was hoping for, but that is life. I am not sure what the trouble is, but they have said the flight has left Richmond, Virginia and will be here around 4:00 pm. They are also asking for volunteers to give up their seat on the Houston bound flight and take a flight later this afternoon to Nashville. Not that I don't love Nashville and not that I don't have friends in Nashville, but that is the opposite direction of Texas, so I am hanging tough and not allowing the offer sway me!

Don't you love the fact that the Tampa airport has complimentary wireless Internet service?

I am also very grateful that I am not leave out of gate C33...Why would anybody be going to Fort Lauderdale? They already said that Fay/weather may keep the flight from landing and it may have to come back to Tampa.

Well, a plane just pulled up to my gate, so I better log off and get ready...I guess the pilot on the VA flight made up some time in the air!!!

Change of Plans

"I'm leaving on a jet plane..."

I was originally scheduled to leave for Texas on Wednesday for a couple of days to spend with family and celebrate some special family events.

However, Fay has changed my plans. Tropical storms/depression/hurricanes are very unpredictable and because I cannot change when Jacob's birthday is and when my grandparents 65th anniversary is I am just leaving early before any drama has the opportunity to occur.

I managed to change my ticket from Wednesday to Monday, and I was only charged $2.50!!! It also gives me an extra day and a half with my family which will be nice. That is 2 whole days without an agenda or an appointment or a party or anything planned...at least that is what I am hoping!

So, the next time you hear from me I will be in Texas enjoying some family time, celebrating some special occasions, and loving on my niece and nephew.

By the way, this is my 200th post!!!

Flashback Friday

Before their hits like "Jesus Freak", "I Wish We'd All Been Ready", "What if I Stumble", and "In the Light" these three guys looked like this:

By the time the finished out their career together they had put away the baggy clothes for a completely different look.

Originally I had found a video of "Gah Ta Be", which was on their self titled album from the late 80s, but I was not able to find it today. Enjoy these little video of the song "Walls". I will admit I found different information so this could be circa 1988 or 1991. Enjoy!

I Don't Understand It

I'm watching the Olympics...I mean what else do you watch this time of year. It looks like China just took another gold medal in synchronized diving. They are 4 for 4. It's completely insane. Especially when I think about it.

It was my observation (that's right, my observation...no proof, just an observance) that as a whole they didn't swim very well.

I went snorkeling a couple of times in Thailand and you could always identify the Chinese tourist because they were the group snorkeling in life jackets.

I guess diving and swimming really don't have much in common. I guess all the technically have to swim is the 15 feet to the side of the pool.

It doesn't really matter, they are quite the impressive divers!

Patience- Part I

So here is the deal...Recently I have felt that I just can't catch a break. I had two different things in my life that feel flat in a single 24 hour period a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, it was hard, and I was not a happy camper.

After a period of mourning...you can give me a hard time about it, but that is what I felt...I knew it was time to move on. I was still frustrated, wondering when my dreams would ever come true. I had been so close, but yet so far away. A wise friend suggested I do a word study on patience. Yeah, that's what I wanted to do, study patience. Thankfully I was in the middle of reading through the book of Galatians. However, I knew when I finished I would take my friend's advice. At the end of last week I pulled up Bible Gateway and began.

This morning I ran across the following passage:

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB)

Then I flipped to another translation:

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things- That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.

Colossians 1:9-12 (Amp.)

Verse 12 says, "[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light."

Invigorated, strengthened, powerful, endurance, patience, joy, thankfulness...whoa! That is a tall order. Can't I have the invigoration, strength, power, and endurance without the patience, joy, and thankfulness?

In the Amplified version there are those two words that follow the word patience...perseverance and forbearance. Dictionary.com defines patience as "steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement" or as a theological term meaning "continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation." If I am to be honest, I have not done a good job of persevering. I have allowed the difficulties, obstacles, and discouragement to change my course...at least make me think about changing.

Forbearance is "refraining from something, forbearing conduct or quality; patient endurance; self-control, an abstaining from the enforcement of a right." This one hurts. I think I will take a break and tackle my thoughts on forbearance at another time.

To be continued...Keep scrolling down as this is my second post for today!

Have You Heard?

According to The Joy FM, Chic-Fil-A is offering a "Triple Play" on Wednesday, August 13 through Friday, August 15 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

What is a "Triple Play" you ask?

That would be a FREE...that's right, I said FREE...3 count chicken strips!

Chic-Fil-A has just changed their chicken strips recipe and I hear they are supposed to be pretty good.

So save a cow, and eat some chicken this week!

Oh, and check back later today...I have another post forming in my head and as long as I can still remember it when I get home tonight, I will post again. Two posts in one day...who would have thunk it!

Where Did It Go?

Throughout the day I will have thoughts like "I should blog about that tonight." Or, I wish I had my camera on my right now because that would be a great photo for the blog. However, it never seems to fail that when I do finally get home in the evening, I can't remember one of the thoughts that flew through my mind.

Can anyone else identify with me?

I promise next week on my trip to Texas I will have more to blog about with the antics of my favorite red head in the whole world, his 5th birthday, and his new sister. Oh, and there is the rest of my family too! :)