My First Flashback Friday!

I love Mocha drinks! Don't you? Well since I adore Mocha - usually skinny mocha's when I'm trying to be good -  I thought I would join in this week for Flashback Friday @ Mocha with Linda!!! But her Mocha is far more rich and much less fattening to the body - but boy oh boy does it nourish the soul!!! (And help with memory loss on Fridays!!)

Join our favorite foo-foo drink, Mocha Linda and her Flashback Friday - share your memories, maybe even embarrass yourself, but definitely join in on the fun!!!

Linda asks, "If you have a child in your life, your calendar for April and May is probably quickly filling up with end-of-year activities - performances, recitals, etc. Did you take lessons as a child? Piano or another instrument? Gymnastics or dance? Other types of lessons? Were they weekly? How much were you required to practice between lessons? Did you participate in recitals? If so, do any of them stand out in your memory? Did they foster a love or a hate for that activity? Did you want to take lessons in a certain thing that you never got to? And if you have kids now, how did your experiences with taking lessons like these impact the activities you had/have them do?"

As a child I took twirling lessons! I had my baton up until I was 20 and it disappeared in transit from my aunt's house to my new one with my hubby.:( But it was a lot of fun! Me in my pink leotard with sequence and my Dorothy Hamil hair cut! I learned the famous newby twirls like "Lick the Icecream Cone" "Crazy 8's" and how to toss it a little in the air. I only remember one recital and I was nervous!! I think secretly I have always been able to dance but just too embarrassed to do it in front of others.

I liked twirling at Eisenhower's School of Twirling in Corpus Christi, TX, but I also played Laguna Little Miss Kickball! I was on the Meadowlarks and I did not see that they still had a team....guess we broke the mold!!! L-O-L!!!

Well, I could not continue to play both so, I was presented with a choice to twirl or to kick.... I  chose kickball. I had fun, lots of fun, but I do wish I had picked twirling because it would have added more to me. I was not, am not, and will never be athletic. I am competitive but not athletic. As a matter of fact my competitions consisted of the Texas Bluebonnet Reading Awards!!! I still have my certificates some where!! lol 

Anywho, because of making, what I believe to be, The Wrong Choice, it did affect the way I handle it with my kids. First of all, we always finish what we start at least for the season. Secondly, they do get to choose but I lay out all the details to make sure they look ahead and not just to "today" and how they "feel" today.

My daughter has asked me why I did not make her continue ballet, and I had to tell her she was convinced she was a "tomboy". She has the strength, courage, and endurance of one but she is girly through and through. I always knew it and around 14 she figured it out too. "Mama, always knows." She played softball for years and we tried to talk her into golf....she started playing a year and half ago and she is getting really good! Now she asks us why we did not force her to play golf then....she would hate it now like softball. The child has more athletic talent in her little pinky than I do in my whole body!! She was a cheerleader for 3 years, played volleyball for 4, and then at 16 she gave all of it up for GOLF! Go figure.... Now on Monday and Tuesday she will be in San Angelo at REGIONALS!!!!!!!! 

My son has played football, t-ball, baseball, and golf. He was going to play basketball but cut his toe through the bone on 12/31/2003, he had just turned 5. He jumped off a piano bench backwards and it cut right through!!! He is fine but never played basketball. He has golfed since he was 6, but his love for it began the minute he knew how to work the remote. He was mesmorized by the golf channel. Most kids find their way to Disney or cartoon channels - he found the Golf Channel. This is not a joke! The kid at 2 1/2 was watching golf intently and that was the only channel he knew how to find. I don't know how he found it; perhaps golf found him!

Post your answers on your blog, then come go to Linda's blog and link up then visit other participating bloggers!

This was a blast - fun and from the past!!!
Abiding Still,
Chel

If God were to paint His grace, what color would HE use?

If Spring represents renewal, new growth, and a fresh perspective then I would say that God would definitely use blue to color His grace!  God's grace is as abundant as the blue skies in Texas and the blankets of Bluebonnets that cover our ground like His robe of righteousness!!! 

You know I often feel like a wildflower! It looks a lot like a weed doesn't it? It grows quickly and the bloom doesn't seem to last very long at all. But because of God's grace no matter how "weedy" I may look at times He promises a wonderful blossom for me! He will crown the top of this wild, weedlike head of mine with a magnificent blossom to show His glory!

I don't know about you but I am so glad that His grace is blue!

I wish I could tell you that I took these marvelous snapshots of God's Masterpiece but a wonderful lady at my church took these just outside of Llano, Tx. I stole them from her Facebook!!! I plan to go to a Bluebonnet Festival in Ennis, Tx soon and I plan on taking a day with my camera and pulling over every chance I get to capture the wonderment that is spring in Texas!

Now it would not be appropriate, being a Texan and all, if I did not state this observation....

looking at these pictures and thinking of God's Grace.....Don't it make your brown eyes blue?

Glory To God

Abiding Still,

Seriously Random, Randomly Serious Questions of the Random Dozen!

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay?

Well usually after wearing "gladiator" "Jesus" sandals, I have blisters on my blisters and because there is no arch support my feet are screaming "ahhhhh the agony of duh-FEET!" That would be how I feel about them. :) But they sure are pretty! LOL


2. What is your favorite pizza?

Panjo's Pizza in Corpus Christi, TX - BTW, if you go I wanna go too!!! Then we can hang at Padre Island!!!


3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could?

[Ex: Hurley's "I Love my Shih tzu" shirt from LOST, the plantation home "Tara" from Gone With the Wind, or Tracy's tambourine from the Partridge Family.]

From U2 Concert footage: Bono's sunglasses , his jacket, his hat, etc. Larry Mullen's drums....
From the Brady bunch - Marsha's hairbrush!! Just kidding
oooo the Pièce de résistance would be the Ferrari 308 GTS from Magnum PI!!!

I don't ask for much!!!



4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.

We have a mexican restaurant in Fort Worth whose earliest advertisements were hung on the side of a donkey. This donkey was dropped off in downtown Fort Worth to advertise their wonderful (and still wonderful) tender corn tortillas that will make any flour tortilla lovin' mama weep! People would follow the donkey straight to the restaurant and enjoy a delicious handmade authentic mexican meal! And not to mention that the owner and creative genius behind this was a local Kingpin! Check out the Mexican Inn's site for accurate and precise details.

5. What is your current favorite snack?

Coconut Snowcone!


6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")



A. Dancing with the Stars - This one. I don't often share what I can shake but I know its there....shhhh don't tell anyone else!

B. Biggest Loser - Nope Jillian scares me and my fat doesn't count as enough for this show! Hey it's something I'm too thin for!!! yay! I feel better already!

C. Survivor - Nuh-uh! Nope, No way! No how! Not gonna happen'!



7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?

(7) It's clean enough for visitors but I'm constantly wiping and wiping. But it does need one of the machines you know that sucks up the stuff off the carpet....hmmm what is it called....I think mine is purple!

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until _________.

you see the seed of a pine tree fall on the putt line of Phil Mickelson!




9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is ____.

when the president signed the "Health Reform Bill" which will drive up cost instead of decrease it and force citizens of the United States to purchase something and call it constitutional! I have seriously never laughed so hard, oh wait, that may have been uncontrollable sobbing...at that point it is so hard to tell!

or when a certain person of interest was rumored to be our next Supreme Court Justice - but see you have to be able to spell J-U-S-T-I-C-E first.


WAIT.....this may not be what you are asking.....hmmmmm...
Oh I know, when I told my daughter that the Bluebonnet Festival was near the Drag Strip in Ennis, TX, she totally went another direction....there was awkward silence then all out bursting forth laughter! If you don't get it then email me! lol
10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward.

I am working on some very important goals:
Short-term: Our ladies ministry, WOVEN Ministries, has a conference May 21, 22 and we are trying to get things wrapped up.
Mid-Term: Still writing that book and going to school for a degree in counseling.
ASAP - A "me" less several pounds!

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.

From our class at church by Dr. Joy Neal, "Was there ever a time recorded where you find Jesus acting in only a human way?" (yes, it is a trick question.)

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you.

Unexpected acts at unexpected times....Playing in the snow after midnight, getting snowcones before bedtime, etc. They LOVE it!
And I keep a journal for each of them for unique and funny moments so they will have the memory later of something that touched me deeply and then share it with their children.


Wow Lid!!! This blew the "lid" off the top here! Great questions!!! I had a lot of fun especially since I can't sleep! lol

If you want to join in on the fun, hop on over to 2nd Cup of Coffee topped with a Lid, Linda that is!

Tootles,

Random Dozen - April

Thank you to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee for continuing to host this meme! I have not had any time since beginning back to work a month ago to play along. So while I had a few I wanted to thank you and play!

1. Define a great relationship.

Relationships can all be great if Christ is the center and all that is HIM flows into each of you offering GRACE when needed, FORGIVENESS at all times (from both people especially since Christ is the center of this relationship), HUMOR  at all times, APPRECIATION OF DIFFERENCES, THICK SKINS AND TENDER HEARTS (thank you Chel for that one, I'll never forget that quote). And, this is huge-massive-ginormous, when you can be yourself to the fullest with that person. No matter how serious or goofy you can get, you can be that with them without fear or aversion!




2. Why is it called a "drive-through" if you have to stop? (Real question: What was the last food/drink you purchased at a drive-through?)

I bought my daughter WhatAburger and Chel at Legacy is going to freak over HOW it was ordered...Sara orders hers with ketchup, pickles, and cheese only. (Yes I said KETCHUP!!!) Why must-ard be people who don't order WhatAburger with mustard???



3. As I type this, the Butler Bulldogs are getting ready to play in the NCAA championship game. Every Hoosier is hysterical about this except me. So in honor of the Bulldogs ... what is your favorite breed of dog? (I tried.)

This actually is a hard question! I love my mini-schnauzer! Bogey (Casablanca's Bogart) is the most awesomest smartest dog evah! I dearly loved my Chow-Chow, China 1990-2005. She was the sweetest most respectful dog in the world. I love our Beagle, Jenny! She is ooey gooshy sweet - but she simply will not fully house train. She is about 12 or 13 now. And then there is Rufus! He is our Shepherd Chow mix. And talk about sugar sweet but just enough of the protective factor in him to get respect from everyone! We have been so blessed with dogs of wonderful disposition!!



4. If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move?

I have lived outside of Texas twice and did not enjoy it much so I would have to state the obvious....Georgia. Chel-Chel my best friend and truly the closest thing to a sister this side of Heaven! I would love to live near her once more. We have been friends since she was three (nearly four) and I was four or turned it right away when we met. God kept us close in heart even when we lost touch. So Georgia it would hafta be!



5. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

If I had the power to do so, I would have my father be a Christian and raise me in church. Then he would have been home more after my mom died when I was 11. Our relationship would have been greater sooner. And if I could change it, my mother would not have died of breast cancer in 1983. (yes that makes me 38 for all you math gurus.) :)


6. Who's the funniest person you know?

Most of all my daughter, Sara. She can be down right hilarious! (even if it is unintentional at times!!!)



7. Did you get enough sleep last night?

Don't bother me yet!........................ I have NOT had my 2nd Cup of coffee yet!!.....................
 No really, it was nice and I awoke in enough time to actually COOK breakfast for the kids!



8. What's the first thing you thought about this morning?

"Lord, why do I have to wake up with a headache???"



9. Grilled or Fried? --HONESTLY

Grilled! My belly and mouth do not do fried without a revolt!



10. Are you afraid of the dark?

Yes but then I turn on the LIGHT! (inside me that is)



11.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A psychologist. (Now I am going to school to do just that!)




12. If you had one word to describe yourself , what would you choose?

Bright (b/c of my hair not my brains) IDK my BFF Rose!

Please write your post, come back tomorrow after you've published it and link up so that others can come and visit you. Be sure to visit and encourage a few other people, too. It's the NICE thing to do!

Hey, ya'll hop on over to 2nd Cup with our love, Linda and join in on the Random Fun!


Abiding Still,
Chel