A Whole New Vernacular

On a whim, I left Houston in the wee small hours of the morning on Saturday morning to drive to Austin for the grand opening of Mellow Johnny's - Lance Armstrong's new bike store. I'm not THAT big of a Lance fan - I think I did it more for inspiration as I start to train for his rather difficult bike ride come October. I made it there in plenty of time for their 7:00 AM opening. I really thought there were be lines of people just waiting to get in. There were maybe 6-8 people waiting patiently. Wow, Austin really is a laid-back town. So, I drove around Austin a little - got some great photos of some famous neon signs.

After the opened the doors, we all scattered around the store like children looking for eggs on Easter morn! It's a rather small store. I have to admit it is quite cool. I lolligagged my way around the entire store at least 4 or 5 times just looking at all the good stuff. While there, I learned quite a lot of new meanings: fixie (a fixed gear bicycle), Mellow Johnny (taken from the french words for yellow jersey - malliot jaune), and juan pelota (a term the spanish called Lance - I'll let you figure that one out).

But man o man, the lack of sleep and long drive caught up with me pretty furiously. I got to the point where I could barely keep my eyes open! But I wanted to hang around until at least 12:00 because Mike Ward would be there for a book signing - and I thought Lance might make an appearance.I went back to my car around 11:00, rolled down the windows, laid back the seat, and promptly fell asleep for 30-45 minutes. I woke up just in time to head back in, run to the restroom and see Mike Ward sign books, play his guitar, and speak about biking and music. Alas, no Lance.

So, I decided to cut my losses, head over to Wahoo's for a quick fish bowl, dash over to REI to check out their sale, then head on back home.

All in all, it was a very spontaneous trip. Just the thing for a lazy Saturday. And I think the trip did the trick - I'm even more enthused about the upcoming LiveStrong ride.

Photos link at left.

All for now,
Lisa

5/9/08 = 11:11 + 14 years

Well, that's about as logical as Chris Rice's song, "Smell the Color 9", huh? Well, let me see if I can explain.

It all started back in 1961, when Brenda Ann was born to George and Georgia. She was a beautiful baby and the parents were ecstatic to have been given such a wonderful gift from God. Almost three years later, another was born - a little sister to Brenda. George and Georgia were equally ecstatic and felt they truly had a full house!

As most do, that little sister idolized her big sister and tried to do everything she did. Growing up, Brenda was more of the "perfect child", but also more of the dare-devil! (The little sister was a little more laid back, more of an adventurer than a dare-devil.) Brenda won beauty pageants, law-school mock-trials, and the hearts of many.

All along, those two sisters were extremely close. It was just like that song that is sung in "White Christmas"!!

As Brenda grew older, some problems arose in her life. Many people tried to help her, but some of her problems seemed to overwhelm her. On a tragic day, May 9, 1994, my sister, Brenda Ann Karabatsos, left this planet.

As I sit here fourteen years later, some days it feels like it was yesterday and some days it feels like it was an eternity-ago. The funny thing is, somedays, I can still hear her voice echo in my ear. I will always miss you, Brenda.

I wrote a poem and read it at her funeral. I thought I would share it here:

eleven-eleven

There are not enough words to pen my love for that girl wonder,
That's ok, we had a code for it, and that was a number.

You see, it started long ago when were were just kids
and I got a new digital clock,
Over and over again, we'd see the same time on that tick-tock.
Because it was my birthdate, she gave it a special meaning,
When she would tell me that time, she'd always be beaming.

It continued through the years and when she was away at school,
Even though money was tight, she was no fool.
It was one ring and a quick hang-up at that special time,
That said, "I love you, Lisa", yet still saved her dime.

Through the years, simple coincidences would always be shared,
Because it showed just how much we truly cared.

So, if you think of old Bren, just look up to heaven,
"I love you" is said with "eleven-eleven".

All for now,
Lisa

Keeping Christ in Christianity

We've all heard so much about the "seeker services" - led by Illinois-based Willow Creek Community Church. The were on the forefront of this movement. It caused quite a bit of controversey, but I dare say they have re-looked at just what exactly the unintended consequences of their actions were.

to God be the glory!

read more here

all for now,
Lisa

Continuing to be Humbled

I just received a link to a great YouTube video - a newstory about a woman who, in the midst of being robbed, witnessed to her attacker. In an earlier blog, I wrote about the voice of martyrs. But I don't think you have to be a martyr to have a voice to be listened to. This is proof. Take a moment to watch it, and then time to talk with the Lord. I truly believe it was her regular Bible reading and prayer time with the Lord that allowed her to be so calm when in danger.

All for now,
Lisa

Feeling Like You're Not Enough?

Remember:

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...
AND Lazarus was dead!

Aren't you glad you're not the message, and just the messenger? We're all in this together - each a small piece - pointing to a very BIG God!

Brother's Keeper
Rich Mullins

"Now the plummer's got a drip in his spigot
The mechanic's got a clank in his car
And the preacher's thinking thoughts that are wicked
And the lover's got a lonely heart
My friends ain't the way I wish they were
They are just the way they are

And I will be my brother's keeper
Not the one who judges him I won't despise him for his weakness
I won't regard him for his strength
I won't take away his freedom
I will help him learn to stand
And I will ~ I will be my brother's keeper

Now this roof has got a few missing shingles
But at least we got ourselves a roof
And they say that she's a fallen angel
I wonder if she recalls when she last flew
There's no point in pointing fingers
Unless you're pointing to the truth

All for now,
Lisa

Still Working On It

My friend, Karrie, passed me this video link.

Get Service

All for now,
Lisa

4-Wheeling Right Here in H-Town

Well, my first off-roading romp was yesterday afternoon - right here in the thick middle of city! Just love the Heights... truly have a little of EVERYTHING!

All for now,

Lisa

Wrangling in a New Toy

Well, I finally decided to do it! Buy a convertible that is... well, my version of one that is. I bought a 10 year old Jeep Wrangler on Saturday! It's not very practical, but that's not the issue - I'm probably going to keep the daily driver. This will just be something fun. The photo at left is the day I bought it at the Jeep dealership in Huntsville. I'm a little more red-faced today.

All for now,

Lisa

How Fresh is Your Bread?

Editors note: I started this blog entry on Friday, 1 February, 2008 - a day after having a wonderful lunch with a friend of mine. For one reason or the other, I did not finish it in my usual time of 1-2 days. Now, I see why... God had other plans. Oh how I love the way He loves me.

I had a lovely time with a friend of mine yesterday. He had agreed to meet me at my house for a quick lunch while someone looked at my kayak for sale. What a great time we had!!

Toward the end of our time together, he asked me an interesting question, and one in which I've pondered yesterday and today... and I thought blog-worthy. Let me preface this with he and I are the type of friends that can ask each other those difficult male-female perspective questions.

So, the question was this: in dating, and especially dating in the Christian-realm, he asked how I felt about the man not being as spiritually mature as the woman. We agreed that we thought it not only comfortable but also right for the man to lead the relationship.

I thought about it... it's a good question to ask yourself. I told him that while my preference would be that the man was more spiritually mature, what I thought was more important was that he was readily walking with this Lord... daily. And that beat out any knowledge. You see, anyone can be intelligent about God, but to walk with Him is something that is crucial. Actually, I want my man to have to seek God to find me. And I guess it depends on what "spiritually mature" means, but I suppose it would be preferable for me to be with someone who may be newer to the faith (and thus less"mature") than someone who has been a believer a long time (and may even be knowledgeable), but not as obedient. I guess obedience and surrender, to me, is most important.

So, why am I posting now, almost 12 days later. Well, first off, I needed time to really think about it. And second, today's "Our Daily Bread" is just perfect timing. Of course it is! Thanks be to God.
All for now,
Lisa

P.S. Today's "My Utmost for His Highest" is pretty timely also

The Best Advice I've Seen in a Long Time!

I just received my weekly crosswalk.com singles email. And while I feel each week's message is quite good, this week's is especially good. It's probably the best advice I've seen in a long time on the plight of the Christian single in America today. And I know... I'm one of them. So, let me just speak for myself instead of all ACS (American Christian Singles), I've often struggled with what actions I should take... should I step back or step forward or stay still or whatever! And what I've realized in all of this is that it has nothing to do with movements around you but movements in you - and time spent with the Lord. And I'm sure that's not a big aha to anyone (single or not). For I think most big events in your life (and I'd even suggest ANY event in your life) should be wrapped in time spent with the Lord. I learned with dating, I have to listen for Him (with a big H), instead of listening for him (with a little h). There's nothing wrong with getting out there, just don't do it alone (make sure God is leading the way).

It's a good article and I recommend it:
He Said-She Said: Time to Find a Husband?

All for now,
Lisa

Broken

On a whim, I purchased Steven Curtis Chapman's new CD, "This Moment" (mainly for song, "Cinderella" - which is SO sweet). Well, I was blown away by the second track on the CD. Below are the lyrics. Let them sink in. And that last line of the song... well, that's the best... that's the hope!

Broken
by Steven Curtis Chapman

I'm just a well dressed wreck
I'm just a made up mess
Working hard trying to keep everybody impressed
All the while I'm falling apart on the inside

I look around to see
Is anyone like me?
First glance tells me I'm all alone in the sea
Then I look again a little deeper

And we're all in the same boat
We all just need to know

We're all broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior
Broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior

'Cause we're all broken

This is a fool's parade
The way we masquerade
Trying to make everybody think it's all okay
When the truth is we're all living a story

What if we all got brave?
Enough to take away
All we're hiding behind even just for a day
And let the scars show even a little

But I know the honesty
Will show us all to be

Broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior
Broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior

We don't have to pretend about it
We don't have to keep acting like we're all okay
If we lift our eyes to the cross
We'll see the reality

That we're all... broken
And we all have a Savior
Broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior
Broken
We're all broken
And we all need a Savior
We all have a Savior
We all need Jesus

So, I looked in the liner notes, and SCC had some scripture associated with this song. Here they are (in NIV):

Isaiah 53:5-6
2 Corinthians 12:9
Romans 3:23-24
1 Peter 5:5


All for now,
Lisa

Winter Training.... more lists

I'm not sure what it is with me right now, but I seem to be drawn to lists. So, here I give you 10 winter training tips from active.com. I hope this inspires you to get out there, despite the cooler weather.

1) Use base-layer clothing made from fabrics that are designed to wick moisture away from your skin. This will keep you dry and warm for the duration of the workout.

2) Do not overdress. Though this may feel nice and comfortable at the beginning, you will sweat much more than you would otherwise, making your clothes wet. Wet Clothes = Cold Body. Generally speaking, if you feel slightly cool before starting your activity, you have dressed perfectly for the conditions.

3) Dress to your training plan. Hard workouts will require less clothing than easier workouts. If you are unsure how to dress, bring a shell jacket that can be used for your warm-up and cool-down, but can be easily taken off and stowed for the more difficult part of the workout.

4) Wear shades. In most cool or cold weather conditions, sport sunglasses will protect eyes from the bright sun reflecting off of the snow and prevent them from watering due to the cold or wind.

5) Keep it down. The down coat is king when it comes to cold environments and intermittent activities that involve stopping. A light-weight down coat is the perfect solution to keep you toasty during winter sports that incorporate periods of prolonged rest.

6) Staying on your feet and keeping them warm go a long way toward enjoying outdoor winter activities. Over-layering your feet will cause them to sweat, which can lead to cold toes. For cardiovascular-based sports, a single pair of warm, wicking socks will normally do. In very cold conditions or for gravity-based sports, use a double layer of socks.

7) A good trail running shoe provides extra traction for slippery surfaces and many offer waterproof features that help keep your feet dry. In areas with deep snow, a pair of light gators will keep the snow out of your shoes.

8) H2O. One of the biggest challenges for training in cold temperatures is avoiding de-hydration. While it may feel unappealing, drinking regularly during these lower temperature workouts is just as necessary as in warmer weather. Filling water bottles with lukewarm fluids will help to prevent them from freezing or being too cold to drink comfortably.

9) Plan your route ahead of time. Use a loop course to avoid getting too far away from home in the event something were to go wrong during your activity.

10) Avoiding frost bite and hypothermia is the most important consideration when preparing for cold weather activities. Make sure all of your skin is covered and carry an extra layer in case the conditions change during your workout.

All for now,
Lisa

Listening to the Voices of the Martyrs

I just received a mass email - from Focus on the Family - entitled, "The Most Courageous Stories You Will Ever Read". Of course, that enticed me to read on. It was an advert email telling about a newsletter called "The Voice of the Martyrs". If you're like me, when you think of "martyrs" your mind goes to Stephen or other characters in the Bible. Well, unfortunately, it's still happening today.

Three quick testimonies awed me:

A Sudanese Christian boy has his knees and feet nailed to a board and he is
left to die. When rescued he says he forgives the man who did this because Jesus
was also nailed and forgave him.

A Vietnamese pastor is sentenced to two years in prison. When he is offered
an early release, he declines stating that he has a group of new Believers in
the prison he has to disciple.

A Colombian missionary is kidnapped and told she only has two hours to
live. She tells her captors that if she only has two hours to live, she wants to
spend it telling them about Jesus.

All for now,
Lisa

More Putting off and Putting On

Well, mostly putting off. According to Bob Greene, six foods to avoid:

1) Soda
"Soda is empty calories and sugar, so you have to cut it out. Instead, drink water, low-fat or fat-free milk, or tea. Fruit juices are good too, but remember, fruit juice, not fruit drink." (emphasis mine)

2) Transfats
"They clog your arteries, they're high in calories, and they may even make your body store fat in the abdominal area. Aside from being unsightly, it's also bad for your health. You'll find these in cookies and baked goods which might be made with margarine."

3) Fried foods
"I mean, even if you use a good fat oil like olive oil to fry foods, anything fried has a lot of calories. Try things that are oven baked instead of fries. There are calories either way, but oven baked has fewer."

4) White bread
"You don't have to get rid of carbs entirely, but white bread is made from refined grains, which are stripped of their most nutritional parts, so you're eating empty calories. Instead, we want you eating bread made form 100 percent whole wheat or whole grains."

5 and 6) High-fat milk and yogurt
"Use 1 percent or non-fat dairy in their place, which are often just as good, only with lower cholesterol, fat, and calories."


Do yourself a favor - just eat the stuff God made. It works well that way.


All for now,
Lisa

God is Speaking

Today, just simply read the lyrics of this wonderful song. Ponder the meaning. Feel His grace.

God Speaking
lyrics by Ronnie Freeman
sung by Mandisa

Have you ever heard a love song,
That set your spirit free?
Have you ever watched a sunrise
And felt you could not breathe?
What if it's Him.
What if it's God speaking.
Have you ever cried a tear that
You could not explain?
Have you ever met a stranger
Who already knew your name?
What if it's Him.
What if it's God speaking.

Who knows how He’ll get ahold of us?
Get our attention to prove He is enough.
He’ll do, and He’ll use
Whatever He wants to.
To tell us,
I Love You.

Have you ever lost a loved one
Who you thought should still be here?
Do you know what it feels like
To be tangled up in fear?
What if He’s somehow involved?
What if He’s speaking through it all?

All for now,
Lisa

On the Subject of Lists

While mindlessly surfing, I came across a very interesting list. It gave the 26 Keys to Having An Extraordinary Christian Marriage. I thought it was a good list and wanted to share it. But here's a bit of personal information: Not wanting to appear desperate, I've often shrugged marriage off as a "God will bless me when God will bless me". When He's ready He's ready. But I think there has been an unfortunate consequence of my putting the "big ig" on marriage.

So, regardless of when it happens, I want to start now to prepare for a good marriage - which takes time and purpose. My new thoughts around marriage stem around the purpose of marriage. Should it be for companionship? Family? Unique intimacy? I can get Biblical and say, "for two to become one". I saw this somewhere: "uncovering your true self and, ultimately, your unique purpose for being created". For which I agree, but I think there is more responsibility. I think each partner needs to be willing to lay down their life (truly lay down their life) for the sake of the other becoming more in the image of God. wow! Blows my mind to fully comprehend that. And I savor the day when one day I'll look my husband in the eye and know that he would truly lay down his life for me.

But, don't I already have that? I call him The One: Christ.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. I'm still preparing for my number two! ;-)

THE TOP TEN PREDICTIONS FOR 2008

I received this from a friend and thought is was blog-worthy:

1. The Bible will still have the answers
2. Prayer will still work
3. The Holy Spirit will still move
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching
6. There will still be singing of praise
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people
8. There will still be room at the Cross
9. Jesus will still love you
10. Jesus will still save the lost

All for now,
Lisa

Putting On and Putting Off

Ephesians 4 says to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Well, I'm sure this is speaking of spiritual needs. However, I'd like to look at it in view of physical needs. Yesterday, a nurtionist was on KSBJ and spoke of things we should take out of our diet and put into our diet. Below are some she listed. I got to thinking about them and I think I want to try it for 2008.

put off
corn syrup
refined sugars (aka enriched)
refined flours (aka enriched)
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
diet sodas

put on
FRESH (not canned) fruits and vegetables (keep apples/oranges by the door)
legumes (black beans, lentils, garbanzo beans) - can be from a can
maple syrup, honey, agave nectar sweeteners

What about you?

All for now,
Lisa

The Sin of Self-Reliance and The Stupor of Worldliness

This is a direct quote from John Piper. And when I read it, I had to take a deep breath. For it hit the core of my being. It probably hit the core of your being also.

All for now,
Lisa

Thoughts for the New Year

My friends have come up with some catchy phrases for the new year:

It'll be great in 2008
It's 2008, don't be late
Get a date in 2008
Find a mate in 2008
A clean slate in 2008

All these are great, but it got me thinking. And then I started thinking about thinking - and what the Bible says about thinking. Specifically, Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

S0 - my question to you (and I really hope I get some good answers here - so, you lurkers out there come out!) is: what is true, what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, what is admirable - excellent or praiseworthy? What are these things that (at least the NASB says) on which we should dwell?

What would your list look like?

All for now,
Lisa

Welcome to Our World

music and lyrics by Chris Rice
story by God

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Do You Really Get It?

Today's My Utmost for His Highest is so good I have to share it here - but first with my two cents! After all.. isn't that what blogging is all about?

The bottom line is that, hello, it's not about us. It's really not. The focus is and should be on God alone. That's the focus Christ had... to do what God had called Him to do. We were just in the way. I first heard this from John Piper, nearly 10 years ago, when he spoke at Passion 98. I was slackjawed to hear that statement for I always gripped John 3:16 as my ammunition. But these thoughts can coexist. God did love the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son. But that's not why Christ came to earth (to take Chris Rice's words.. wrapped our injured flesh around Him)... but He did and I'm thankful. For this reason and this reason alone, I will one day see God face to face. Amazing Grace!

Here's the devotional...

The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind
and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His
death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been
prevented. His death was the very reason He came.

Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption "much ado about nothing." God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. "We see Jesus... for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor..." (Hebrews 2:9). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— "It is finished!" (John 19:30). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.

Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of
pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us.
Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the
tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to
us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ
hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.

All for now,
Lisa

Adventures Abound!

The past two weeks have brought very fun adventures for me:

Two weekends ago, a group went to Bastrop to enjoy the inaugural journey of an inland paddling trail - the "El Camino Real Paddling Trail". It's a new 6-mile paddling trail where the legendary El Camino Real crossed the Lower Colorado River. That Saturday was B-E-A-utiful and it was a day-long trip full of fun - and even a last-minute detour to a winery (the Lehm Berg winery in Giddings). We had a GRAND time. Photos at left.

Last weekend (my birthday weekend), a group traveled to Martin Dies, Jr. State Park to enjoy a weekend of camping... and kayaking... and mountain biking... and road biking... and even a late-night marshmallow gunfight! All that, along with campfires (with s'mores and guitars), great food and lots of laughs, we had a BALL!!! Photos at left.

Here's the top six quotes that were brought home from the trip...

6. "I'm on a dinner date, and I can't stop thinking about you. I find you very intriguing," wrote Ryan's new "friend"
5. "Yep, some people are driving the canoes over to the lake," said the park ranger.
4. "Oh, I put her away," explained Melissa
3. "Man, I love Immodium!!!" expressed Paul with relief
2. Sharing lofty dreams and sincere longing, Melissa sighed, "I've always wanted a mag lite..."

And the number 1, never-to-be-acted-out-again quote comes from the Bee-Day
girl, "Wanna see my sting?" (wink, wink)

All for now,
Lisa

Biking Among the Giants

One beautiful Saturday recently, I found myself riding my mountain bike around town with a few of my friends. It was a brisk day, but we had so much fun discovering wonderful sights right here in the middle of the city. This photo was taken at David Adicke's studio.

David Adickes is a local sculptor and is famous for his larger than life sculptures. He is the creator of such notable works as the 60 foot tall Stephen F Austin statue, the 67 foot tall Sam Houston, and the 20 foot tall busts of the U.S. Presidents in President’s Park.

From what I understand, the 36 foot tall Beatles statues will stay here in Houston and be located along I-10 that runs right beside his massive warehouse studio.

Well, it was an amazing day and I wanted to share it with you.

All for now,

Lisa

Satisfied

sat·is·fied - Pronunciation [sat-is-fahyd] –adjective

1. content: a satisfied look.
2. completely paid, as a bill.
3. convinced, as in an argument: Their opponents were finally satisfied.

[Origin: 1565–75]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

This past summer, we saw this tombstone in Kenya - in a cemetary where many missionaries had been buried. Obviously, a tombstone like this catches your eye. It made me wonder about K.W. Allen MD. Was it a he or a she? In their roughly 69 years on earth, what made them want to put "satisfied" on their tombstone? How long had this person been a missionary?

Then a long ago sermon replayed in my head. In it, the preacher talked about our lives here on earth. And the fact that it is so brief. So brief, in fact, that only a dash on our tombstone represents our entire life! (for Dr. Allen, it's 1886 - 1955).

What will you do with your dash?

All for now,
Lisa

And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness (Psalm 17:15 NIV)

LiveSTRONG ride - at a glance

On October 14, I rode the LiveSTRONG challenge in the Austin area. In my opinion, it's one of the hardest, yet most beautiful, rides I've ever done. I got to view wonderful vistas, beautiful small dams, amazing longhorn cattle, and tall wheatgrass swaying in the breeze.

And talk about challenging! At one point, we climbed 550 ft within 10 miles.

I hope to do this one next year. It was very well organized... I was impressed. But I will definitely need more hill training!! ;-)

With the contact sheet at left, you can relive it with me!

All for now,
Lisa

15 Years and Counting!

I cannot believe I've lived in my little house for 15 years now.

It's been such a great opportunity for me to have a 3D canvas in which to try my hand at different types of art (and construction).

Overall, I've loved every minute of it, save the dry wall dust!

Here's to 15 more!!

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. At left is the poem that the daughter of the original owner of my house wrote for me and read to a small party the night I signed on my house.

The Hawk

Well, there's the photo and here's the story:

Just the other day, it was perched at the end of my drive way, near the garage. As I turned into the driveway, it really didn't move at first (which surprised me). As I drove up, it flew away (with a small dead bird in its talons) -- it was then that I realized what it was! It just flew to my next door neighbor's fence. That's where I took the photo.

I think he had a dove in his talons.... at least it looked like at a distance. There was actually a dove INSIDE my studio over the weekend (I had left the garage door open). I think he was a little sick because he was flying crazy.

Let me tell you it was the strangest thing to turn into my driveway.. look up the driveway and think it's simply a dove in the driveway (what I would have expected). Then to see/hear... whap whap whap of his wings as he spread them to fly away. AMAZING. Then to just fly to the neighbor's fence. Incredible. So I took those photos and then realized I had a better camera inside. I went in, got it, came back out. He was still just sitting there. I tried to take a photo.. and alas, no memory card in the camera. OUCH. So, I went back inside, found a memory card, installed it, came back outside, then pointed the camera to zoom and then whap whap whap he flew away. DAGNABIT.

I came inside and a few minutes later I could hear him screech as he flew over my house... as if to say, "I'm still here!"

Anyway, it was cool.

WOW!!! I just can't believe the wildlife RIGHT here in the thick middle of the city.

Love it! Love it!!!

All for now,
Lisa

Psalm 46 (NIV)

oh, someone needs to hear this as badly as I did today:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore
we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the
heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake
with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of
God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will
not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms
fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the
God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the LORD, the
desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of
the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields
with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the
God of Jacob is our fortress.

All for now,
Lisa

The Lecture of a Lifetime

Yesterday, I saw an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer-science professor. It seems that he delievered his "last lecture" to students and colleagues. While a few colleges are doing these last lecture series, his was a little different because he's been diagnosed with a pretty radical cancer which doctors give him just a few months to live.

I read his take on life and how he delivered his speech. He showed his life, his past, as a gift to his children. While noble, his gift of legacy falls short. No disrespect to him because, you see, we all face the same fate as Randy. One of the few certainties of each of us is that our lives here in this world will end in death. We can live our lives boldly, nobly, cleanly, risky. But if we don't live in holy, then really all our life can be is archived film.

He says this life calls for boldness. I wonder if someone has been bold enough to share Christ with Randy.

What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? I wonder if someone imparted to Randy Pausch the truth of Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel.

You see, for each of us, it may just be our last chance with someone we know, someone we love.

What is your lecture of a lifetime? What would you say? Who would you say it to?

Do it!

All for now,
Lisa

Age Ain't Nuthin But a Numba!

Many of you know that's one of my mantras (and some of you know the funny story behind it). However, I just read a great story that supports this thought:

Flynt, 59, making comeback with Sul Ross State University

Updated: August 22, 2007, 12:24 PM ET
ALPINE, Texas -- Mike Flynt was drinking beer and swapping stories with some old football buddies a few months ago when he brought up the biggest regret of his life: Getting kicked off the college team before his senior year.
One of his pals asked why he didn't do something about it? So Flynt started a comeback -- at age 59.
Flynt has returned to Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, 37 years after he left -- and six years before he goes on Medicare. And, he's has made the roster of
the Division III Lobos and could be in action as soon as Sept. 1.
Flynt enrolled in graduate school so he can take advantage of his final semester of
Division III eligibility.
Flynt is giving new meaning to being a college senior. After all, he's a grandfather. He's eight years older than his coach and has two kids older than any of his teammates. His youngest child just started at the University of Tennessee.
Flynt's position is still being determined, but he used to play linebacker. Wherever he lines up, just getting into a game likely will make him the oldest player in college football history. Neither the NCAA or NAIA keeps such a statistic, but research hasn't turned up anyone older than mid-40s.
And with around 200 pounds on a 5-10 frame, about the only visible difference from his playing days is a shaved head. He's in tremendous shape for his age because he's made a living out of working out.
A longtime strength and conditioning coach at Nebraska, Oregon and Texas A&M, Flynt has spent the last several years selling the Powerbase training system he invented.
He recently taught it to some of the military's special operations forces, keeping up with them in their workouts.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

All for now,
Lisa

Triathlon Triptych

Swim, bike, run. And all of it with a smile. God is good.

All for now,
Lisa

River Cities Triathlon

Well, against all good sense and judgement, I competed in a triathlon in Shreveport, LA last Sunday.

This was my training routine:

last open water swim: one year ago

last time on bike: MS150 in April

last run: one week ago in Kenya!

And not to mention I had to purchase new running shoes the Friday before the traithlon (I had left my running shoes in Kenya).

But alas, I finished the triathlon. I wasn't the first to finish, but I wasn't the last either.

Training, schmaining! ;-)

Truly, the best part of it all - and the part that made it well-worth it was to spend time with great folks - like my good friend, Tessy.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. photos at left

Two Years and Counting

I had another blog birthday. Can't believe it's two years of writing whatever is on my mind. Kinda fun. But kinda shows how little is on my mind. ;-)

All for now,
Lisa

A Trip of a Lifetime

My church planned a mission trip to Kenya. This was part of the description: Beginning next summer (2007) we will develop our partnerships in Kenya with Kenya Baptist Theological College and in the region of Mukaa. This missionary journey to Kenya will be challenging and breathtaking. By challenging, we mean accommodations, cost, flight schedules, and ministry in Central Africa. By breathtaking, we mean an excursion of the end of the trip to Masai Mara National Reserve Park.

I knew I had to go! Matter of fact, I have just returned. And let me say God met us there!!! I wrote 18 pages in my journal. Needless to say, I can't write it all here. But alas, I took over 1000 photos. I'll be sharing them at left.

All for now,
Lisa

London (again)

I was fortunate enough to be able to head to London for a business meeting. I was able to see a show and I took some miscellaneous photos... they are at left.

All for now,
Lisa

Do You Remember?

In a post back in November, I remarked that most of Houston's great landmarks are being replaced by strip malls and chain stores. I asked you to remember the great landmarks.

Well, I just came across a great list. I may be showing my age, but I remember most of these great places. Do you?

- Guido's (remember the shrimp and crab sculptures in front of the S. Main restaurant?)
- Sonny Look's
- Sakowitz on Main Street
- Jim Jamail and Sons (world's most famous grocery store that's now a car wash)
- The field that used to be Astroworld
- The Amtrak station

On a good note, there are still some great places around:

- the Astrodome (they haven't demolished it yet!)
- the Battleship Texas and San Jacinto Monument
- Courtlandt Place (grand homes)
- Space Center Houston
- Saint Arnold's Brewery
- the Downtown Tunnels
- Galveston - Sea wall and strand
- Hermann Park and Miller Theater
- Warren's Inn downtown
- La Carafe (oldest commercial building in Houston)
- the Petroleum Club
- the Magnolia Room

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. I'd like to add Kemah to the list, but not sure which list to add it to... as the old Kemah restaurant area was so much cooler than the new "boardwalk".

You Just Never Know Who You'll Run Into

Well, so I'm on a trip to Bangkok, which takes 3 flights to get there. My first is a flight from Houston to Los Angeles. So, I'm sitting in the airport, waiting for my flight to board, talking on the phone and you would never believe who walks right up and starts talking to the person sitting across from me? CHRIS TOMLIN! How cool is that? He and I both do double takes. I imagine he first thinks I'm some sort of stalker (but he walked up to me, right?). Eventually, I say, "Hi, I'm Lisa". He says, "Hi, Lisa" and walks away (politely) with his other friends.

I get on the plane and guess who sits right in front of me? Yup, person mentioned above. We talked a little. He says he's on his way to Sydney, Australia for the Hillsongs Conference (how cool is that?). He asks me where I'm going. I then had to show him my ipod, which has every CD he's ever released (including his first, which he calls, "blackmail material"). I got the chance to tell him that his songs are powerful to me.

I had to get a photo as the opportunity presented itself. He was kind enough to ablidge. Holly, my colleague I'm traveling with, said as he departed, "He's cool". Yeah, he's cool.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. Photos at left

2007 New Orleans Jazz Fest

A group of 10 of us traveled to New Orleans this weekend for Jazz Fest. Below are just some of the memories:

Friday
Are we there yet?
Backseat porn (in the car next to us)
Shell or Chevron?
You gonna be that way all weekend, Bret?
Can we eat at Chilis?
Remoulade!
Want to see my compost pile?
Sweet Caroline!
Does anyone know what this is?

Saturday
It's Showtime!
David bringing sexy back
Slap ya mama!
How do you get an elephant out of a safeway bag?
Crawfish bread and orange mandarin tea
Rebirth
Smoking is SO last year
Helen and Lisa's flip flop
David, what did you do for those beads?
Hey baby, wanna party? We're going to the seminary!
Funky Butt
I am sixteen going on seventeen

Sunday
I got me a photography degree!
HOOOO
CHEE
The Rocks of Harmony
I wish you well
Slap ya mama (again)
Who around here voted for Bush?
For you guys, I'll do it for $15
B-E-A-utiful sunset

photos at left

All for now,
Lisa

Biking it to Austin!

This past weekend, I rode my bicycle over 150 miles to Austin. Well, I wasn't alone. 12,999 cyclists went with me! I did the MS150 bike tour.

It took 2 days and was my fourth time to ride my bike to Austin. I had an incredible time. Especially, the last day, after lunch, when I and 9 others steamed into Austin in a draft line.

But there is so much to the bike ride than actually riding your bike. As a matter of fact, I wrote the following in an email to some fellow riders, who had not ridden it before, where one was talking about the more hard-core cyclists:

Yes, some people do the whole bike ride in one day (and are in Austin by
3:00). It's amazing. I'm not in that category... but then again, the
journey is fun, but you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it as you
ride (and not get caught up in finishing fast). There are amazing views,
and amazing people along the path. Truly, in the 3 times I've done it,
that's what I remember most (not what time I get to where).

I re-read that now that I've finished the ride and couldn't agree more. In fact, before we got on our bikes the first day, we specifically prayed for safety, fun, strength, and divine appointments. And God met us there! I thank Him for providing all of that and more. And I can tell you specifically about all four:

Safety
Personally, I had one or two close calls - where my breath was taken away when I got too close to a wheel in front of me - but I am so thankful for arriving safely to Austin. I'm sure there were more, but I know of just one person (so sorry Marie) who was injured on the ride. The good news is that I do believe Marie was able to finish the ride.

Fun
Yes! The fun started when we got to our off-site starting location at 6:00. The fog had rolled in pretty heavily that morning so we were delayed a bit. But it surely was nice to start away from the crowds and to have a bathroom at the ready! Thanks Scott!! (And speaking of being thankful, I am also so thankful to Tarek for the EARLY MORNING drop off, Stacy for the showers in Austin, and Melissa for the roundtrip pickup in Austin!)

There were a lot of fun things along the way. I saw a bicycle built for 3!!! A unicyclist (whom I think made it all the way to Austin). I saw plenty of fun things attached to bicycle helmets and innovative bicycles. The funniest "flick flub" I saw was the huge MS150 welcome banner in Fayetteville. It said "MS150 welcomes you to Fayettville". If I had been faster with the camera, I would have gotten it on film!

Now, the bicyclist's banter was a lot of fun too. Mostly inside jokes, but lots going around. It made the miles go by very quickly. For instance, if I said bananas and sunblock to you, you probably might raise an eyebrow in question. But it would cause some of my fellow riders to snicker!

Strength
As some of you know, I have a fairly bad knee resulting from knee surgery 20 years ago. Basically, the maniscus was removed and my knee is now "bone on bone" and, resulting, I have a large bone spur. So, long story short, it's painful. However, the Lord was so merciful. I am so thankful that I was able to "ride the park" - which is the most challenging portion of the bike ride. But I have a more touching memory of strength. And it involves a bit of a confession. Although we were not allowed to listen to ipods while on our bikes, I confess, I did listen, but only the last 5 miles coming into La Grange. But it was worth it! I had downloaded Lincoln Brewster's version of "Everlasting God" right before leaving for the trip and synched it to my ipod without listening to it. So, the first time I heard the song was the last few miles coming into La Grange. The song is great; I love it. But it was this version that got me. At the very end, there was a small child reciting scripture. Man, it brings tears to my eyes just as I type this. The child was reciting Isaiah 40:31:

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

I wasn't expecting that! But it surely came at the right time. Praise Him!

Divine Appointments
This is a wonderful story that happened to one of my fellow riders. It was his first MS ride and, initially, he was mostly doing it for the goal of riding to Austin. However, God had another idea. It was the last lunch of the last day that he happened to meet a woman who had MS. Her story was amazing and he was able to put a face to this tragic disease. As he told me the story of meeting this woman, tears welled up in his eyes and I just knew the Lord had met them there also. He was even able to pray with her. Praise Him ever more!!


Well, that's a quick story of the MS. So much more than a simple bike ride.

photos left.

All for now,
Lisa

The Adventure Continues

Perhaps this blog entry should aptly be renamed, The Adventure (Racing) Begins, because I competed in my first Adventure Race at Inks Lake this past weekend!

For those of you who have never heard of an adventure race, it's kinda like competing in a triathlon in a state park. You compete in multiple events, each timed (even the transition is timed). The events I competed in (with my race partner, Jon) included a mystery event, paddling, mountain biking, and trail running (all while orienteering and navigating to hidden check points).

Our race was a "sprint" race, which meant that it would only be one day (we started at 9:00 and the course would be closed at 6:00). There are some races which will continue over multiple days (can you believe??)

So, here's our story:

Four of us drove up to Inks Lake Friday night (through some pretty fierce thunderstorms). However, praise God, the rain stopped just in time for us to set up our tents (we were to camp the whole weekend at Inks Lake). The race folks were amazed that two teams fit into one car to make the drive up to Inks Lake. Actually, we were pretty amazed it all fit into one car also! One kayak, 4 bikes, 4 people and their stuff (race stuff, camp stuff, personal stuff) all crammed into my 11 year old Toyota 4-Runner (which was dubbed "Myrtle" for the trip).

Saturday morning came early as we had been advised to put "slime" inner tubes in our tires due to the abundant cactus in the park (more about the cactus later). So, having a quick power breakfast, changing our inner tubes, then setting up our transition area became our order of events before the real "pre-race" events began.

At 8:30, the race directors gave us the "coordinate points" for leg 2 of the race. Leg 2, that's right. They gave us 30 minutes to plot the points then come back to the start to receive leg 1 coordinates (since leg 2 was the paddle event, they had to give us something to break up the masses. They didn't want everyone dashing for their boats at the same time). The first leg was a mystery event of sorts... had to figure out the clues to run to different points in the park. Once finished, we went straight for our canoe.

This is where the interesting leg began as the wind on Saturday was as strong as I've seen it! So strong, in fact, there were white caps on the water (it looked more like an ocean than a small lake). What was more challenging was the fact that the wind whipped around a couple of times while we were out on the lake! It seemed as if we were ALWAYS canoeing against the wind. We finally finished our canoe check points and headed back to dock our canoe. Once docked, we received our biking coordinates. While Jon plotted them, I changed clothes as I was soaked from being in the front of the canoe (whew!).

Off to the biking portion! Well, the half biking / half trekking with your bike portion! The trails were actually hiking trails, not biking trails, so some of the course was too rocky (way too rocky) to navigate on a bike. The trails were beautiful though!!! I don't think I've seen as vibrant of bluebonnets as are what is at Inks Lake. But don't take your eyes off the course! The cactus are right there among the bluebonnets. And I know very intimately how prickly cactus can be. I actually fell into cactus (well, right by it... where are the spines had fallen). Yes, I got a backside full of cactus spines. OUYEEEE!!! That's all I could yell as I sat smack dab on my backside. Jon turned around and came back to check on me. After I got up and got most of the ones I could see off me, I realized my backside must have looked like a pin cushion. After we got as many off as we could, we headed back to camp (we had gotten all our check points by the time). I managed to sit "just right" on my bike to avoid the sharp pain. When we got back to camp, I had hoped to find either some tweezers or some duck tape (neither of which I could find). The EMT, Mary, ended up getting an up-close and personal view of my backside and she plucked with her fingers one-by-one the cactus spines from my backside. I'm forever indebted to her!! Thank you Mary!! Well, with still quite a few spines in my backside (and yet another clothes change), and after Jon did his wonderful job with mapping the trekking check points, we were off to the trails!

The trekking portion had six checkpoints and let me tell you Jon honed in on them like a magnet! It was amazing. My favorite checkpoint was "top of the world" and we stopped to get some photos while we were up there. We made it back to the transition area around 5:15.

The bottom line is that I had a great time on this race, challenged myself, saw some beautiful country, had a great time with my race partner, Jon, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting a lot of new and interesting folks.

More adventures to come. Next week is the MS150!

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. Photos at left

Seeing the Cross

Outside the campus of my company's worldquarters in San Ramon, CA, there is a wonderful view of a simple cross on a mountain. I had not noticed it until a coworker pointed it out last time I was there. He told me a story of how a friend of his knew the people who built it. A few weeks later, he sent me (and his friend) some photos he took with his camera phone (one of them is at left). Well, his friend (and now my friend!) sent me some WONDERFUL shots of the cross. Here they are:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/412247606_d11566fc62_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/371356584_1cd8ff3aa0_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/321593363_fa3ed1886f_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/110/277921763_2d4f58e51f_o.jpg

He also told me the rest of the story of the cross on that mountainside. Here are his words:

My wife used to attend a Bible study with the lady who lives up
there. She and her husband run a farm (ranch?) with cattle and such.
Her husband wanted to do something to show his faith and decided on putting up a
cross on the ridge. They tried several things using large pipes and such
but nothing was very visible. A neighbor asked them to help him dispose of
a large dumpster that was falling apart. They took the dumpster, cut it
apart and welded it into the cross. They had to drag it up the hill with a
large tractor as the cross weighs about 3000 lbs. Then came the inevitable
legal challenges. Nothing too serious but they did end up having to get a
“use permit” from the county.

And now you know the rest of the story!
John Wright
http://bikejohnsdailyphoto.blogspot.com

I urge you to see the cross clearly as we enter this Easter season. I pray for you a reflective day as we observe Good Friday today... to discover the real meaning of Easter - Jesus Christ loves you.

All for now,

Lisa

Austin Adventure

Two words... LOVED IT!!!

This past weekend, a few friends went to Austin for an adventure. We all had a great time. The weather could not have been better (were were slackjawed in amazement). It was absolutely gorgeous.

Friday night began our fun with an outing to Threadgills (we were hoping for some live music). Dinner was great though.

Saturday moning, we drove to Boomer's Rocky Hill Ranch for some trail riding. The bluebonnets at the top were fantastic... and even though there was heavy rain Friday night, we made it up to the top on our own (we didn't need no stinkin' ride!) But because of the rain, there were probably a few more water hazards than usual... which only made for a more interesting trip.

We made it back to base around 2:30... just in time to clean up our bikes, get back to Austin, and head to Town Lake for some kayaking! After munching down on some good fajitas, we kayaked to the Congress Avenue bridge just in time for sunset (and the big bat release!!!)

Migas at Trudy's began our Sunday morning... only to be topped off by worship at Austin Stone Community Church.

Our leisurely drive back was dotted by beautiful vistas of bluebonnets... and a great burger in Bastrop.

Photos at left.

All for now,
Lisa

First Flippin' Blog of 2007

Yes, the rumor of my demise has been greatly exaggerated! I'm alive and well and have been having a great time - spending most of my time outside enjoying our B-E-A-utiful weather.

I have been cycling quite a bit, readying myself for the MS 150 (April 21-22, 2007). Seeing the bluebonnets in bloom from the saddle of my bicycle is quite a treat.

Further, a few friends went camping at Huntsville State Park the first weekend in March. It was a glorious time of trail biking, canoeing, resting, as well as cooking quite the extravagant meals. Who says you have to rough it when you're camping?

And would you believe I bought a kayak! I took it out on Buffalo Bayou last Saturday afternoon... well, there's a whole nuther story there... I actually flipped over in Buffalo Bayou while trying to get into my kayak!! Yup! flipped right over... can't you believe?!?!?! Well, I was trying to get in to the kayak from the boat dock at the Sabine St. bridge (first time in my kayak) and went right over. I think I was more proud of myself that I was able to flip the boat back over (first try) and get in from the water (first try). You know... I have to make the best of it!! ;-)

So, hence the title of this blog. I guess there will be more adventures to come!

All for now,
Lisa

Thank You for Playing... the Gentrification of Houston is Now Complete

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion (jĕn'tre fĭ-kā'shen) n.
The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

My friend, SWM, just informed me that the Pig Stand restaurants as well as Deitrich's would no longer grace Houston. I knew about the Pig Stand restaurants (bankruptcy - which I kinda feel like is their own fault), but Deitrich's was sold out by their landlord. Apparently, the landowners want to expand their spa... and that's what Houston needs... another spa! Worst of all, SWM informed me that Deitrich's would be selling all their stores to Starbucks! Say it ain't so! I mean, I have nothing against Starbucks. I love a good grande nonfat latte. But let us have choices, people!

I suppose I'm in such a foul mood about this because I just drove by that great old building on Allen Parkway and Studemont just to see that they're demolishing it... along with most of the metal buldings along that drive.

And I've recently heard of threats to demolish the River Oaks theatre... in favor of condominiums. Whatever.

I've lived in Houston pretty much all of my life. As I reflect back, I'm mindful of all the fun places that no longer grace Houston.

Landmarks
Shamrock Hotel with its GIANT pool
Jefferson Davis Hospital on Allen Parkway

Music Venues
Old Music Hall
Club Hay Hay on Washington
Fabulous Satellite Lounge

What do you remember?

What's still in Houston that makes it truly unique? The orange show, the beer can house... what else?

I can hear Bob Dylan in my head, "the times they are a-changin'". But is it for the better?

All for now,
Lisa

The End is the Beginning

This is my tribute to Erin B. I just read today on her blog that she's decided to quit blogging. With all the upcoming activities in her life, I can definitely respect her for making this decision. And so like her to not let something idly stand by, but make an active decision. I appreciate that. I know I'm not alone when I say I hope her blogging decision is more of a long hiatus than a permanent decision. But I think that decision can come later.

I looked back and the first comment on my blog was from Erin! So like her.

hmmm...the unshackeling of mysteries. i'm sure many of the mysteries that have
become known to me are secondary to various experiences, even allusive ones.
traveling has always done this for me - getting out, away, alone. solitude, true
solitude as Henri Nouwen speaks of in The Way of the Heart, does this as well.
it's scary, but it's awesome. art and journaling definitely. being brave enough
to share myself with myself. sounds weird, but sometimes i think i hide things
from even my mind's view. digging things up, letting them spill

Most of you may not know this, but she was the reason I started blogging in the first place. I didn't even know her. Just was referred to her blog as I was surfing one day. Read her entries, then her bio and I knew I just had to meet her. Then, at the next First Things First in the city (and First Prebyterian), I asked someone to introduce us (I was hoping she wouldn't think I was a complete weirdo... "hey, I read your blog... huh huh huh huh"). Well, that wasn't the case at all, we decided to meet for lunch at the Daily Grind one day and our frienship was immediate.

I have learned a lot from my friend. Not by anything specific or deliberate, but more of how she has daily lived out her faith, and the perspective she takes. Very much as her comments states above... being brave enough to share herself. I find that unusual, unique, and unbelievably cool!

Here's to you, my friend! I read somewhere that in true art, the end is merely the beginning.

All for now,
Lisa

Night showering vs. Morning showering

Do you shower before going to sleep at night or when you wake up? I have tended to be a morning showerer and depending on what I have done during the day, I will sometimes take one before bed. So, which is better? This has been a topic of conversation recently, so I present to you this:

benefits of showering at night
you go to bed clean (especially nice if you have just put clean sheets on the bed)
a warm shower relaxes you before bed
you have less work to do in the morning

benefits of showering in the morning
a hot shower refreshes you for the day
even though you may shower the night before you still feel dirty in the morning (especially on a warm night in Houston)


I suppose all of this still applies if you prefer a bath over a shower.

All for now,
Lisa

An Editorial About Election Day

So, I walked down to my voting location this morning (I love being able to walk to the location and the fact that it's a 1930's school building just adds to the appeal). Incidentally, I ran into Daniel Williams in the voting line, which was a nice surprise. But I digress.

Today was not much different from most voting days. I've lived in my house for almost 15 years so I have a bit of a perspective on the situation. As a matter of fact, the voting precinct “judge”, or whatever her title is, has been the same lady since I’ve been voting there. As I was waiting in line, I pondered that and the fact that each year has brought new changes and rules. I empathized with her as she struggled to make sure all her bases were covered.

So, my editorial comment is this: why is there so much frustration experienced with voting? I think I experienced the most frustration with the new voting machines. Now, you have to go through two lines. The first was to be qualified to vote (this is where you sign and get a ticket). Then you turn in the ticket to get a code. Then, the second, much longer line was to wait for the voting machines. Unless you vote a straight party vote, it takes time. But what took longer was the fact that the voting machines weren’t working properly, as well as there being so few machines to begin with. UGH! It makes me want to go back to the paper ballots, hanging chads and all.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. Cartoon courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

Tell tale signs of Jesus!

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I was mindful of how little Christianity I saw around Hong Kong. Well, lo and behold I saw this van on my final day in Hong Kong.

It was parked at the Ferry dock and I took a double-take when I saw it.

I wanted so desperately to find someone who knew about how and why it was parked at the dock, but there was no one around.

Thought it was cool anyway.

All for now,
Lisa

It's All About Perspective!

I mentioned earlier that I was going to talk about the Big Buddha that I visited in Hong Kong, so here's my musings!

The Tian Tan Buddha, (aka "Big Buddha") is on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It's the "world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha". The statue is located near the Po Lin Monastery and is supposed to symbolize the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. It seems to be a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

I was amazed at the commercialism around this little monastery. As I walked around, I was amazed at how easily the monks walk amongst the tourists.

As I climbed the steps to the Buddha, I was mindful of what all of this meant to a Buddhist. And being in Beth's class right now on the Study of the Psalms of the Ascents, I was very mindful of Psalm 121 as I climbed the stairs. As a matter of fact, I had the song, "I Lift My Eyes Up", going through my head as I climbed each of the 268 steps to the top.

I Lift My Eyes Up

I lift my eyes up Up to the mountains
Where does my help come from
My help comes from You
Maker of Heaven
Creator of the earth

O how I need You Lord
You are my only hope
You are my only prayer
So I will wait for You
To come and rescue me
To come and give me life

My final thought as I toured this place was that I was happy that my God could not be contained in bronze or anything else.

All for now,
Lisa

Confucius Say, Chances of Finding a Nativity Set Slim

OK, so I have been all over Hong Kong in the last 24 hours. It's truly amazing how crowded EVERYTHING is. I've been to Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha (more on him later). I've been to Stanley, which is on the far south side of Hong Kong Island, which is where the flea market shopping is. And I've been to Kowloon, to walk up and down the store-lined streets.

Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise, believe me. But what I've yet to find is a Nativity Set. If you know me, you know I collect Nativity Sets from around the world. It's just one of those things, along with cheesy magnets, that I collect. They don't have to be big or expensive. Just interesting.

Well, nothing. Nada. Zip. Not a one in sight. Oh, I can buy a Buddha in every shape, size, material. But a little Jesus... not a chance.

All for now,
Lisa

Holiday on a Hong Kong Holiday

Much to my surprise, when I arrived at my Hong Kong hotel, I was told by the hotel staff that it's Guóqìngjié! I had no idea what Guóqìngjié was so I had to look it up.

Guóqìngjié, or Chinese National Day, is one of three major holidays in China. The name comes from guó (country) + qìng (celebration) + jié (festival). It marks the founding of the People's Republic of China by Mao Tse-Tung on October 1, 1949.

Hong Kong is going to glow tonight! There will be a fireworks display in Victoria Harbor tonight to celebrate.

I was also told by the hotel staff that there should be large crowds of spectators around the harbor (like there aren't enough people around already!). So, I decided to spend a little extra on my room and get a harbor view (my hotel just happens to be right on the harbor). I'm up on the 32nd floor and I have an excellent view of the harbor! I can wait to see the fireworks display!

What I was also told is don't expect to do any business in China this week. China is closed. He He, I hope the shops are open!!

I feel so fortunate to be here on Hong Kong on one of their major holidays. I am smiling and thanking God now!

All for now,
Lisa

Adventures in Dining, Singapore Style!

I've been quite adventurous while I've been here in Singapore. Here's what I've tried so far:

• grilled octopus (I've had calamari before, but this was a little different)
• grilled squid (was ok)
• shark fin soup (flavor was kinda good)
• bamboo clams (I really liked the flavor of this)
• durian pudding (whew!)
• chicken katsu curry (not that exotic, but really tasted good!)
• Indian-style tapas... go figure!

Looking forward to trying more and more new things!

All for now,
Lisa

Random Musings about Singapore

General Observations

• Everywhere you go there are MASSES of people! And I thought New York was crowded.
• The weather is pretty much the SAME everyday, sunrises and sunsets are the same each day also (because of the proximity to the equator).
• The two best things to do in Singapore is SHOP and EAT!
• There are HUGE shopping malls everywhere. Not huge in American terms though. Think multi-story (4-5 story), COMPACT malls, with very narrow walkways. Every store you can imagine -- and again, masses of people.
  

Personal Experiences

• I worked out at California Fitness yesterday, which is owned by 24 Hour Fitness (and would you believe they even honored my card... what a global village we truly have!).
• Just like the malls, the gym was multi-story with so many machines it felt like a maze to navigate. And again, masses of people.
• Last night, I had my first experience with a unisex bathroom... 4 stalls, 2 sinks, 0 urinals (thank goodness!)
• It's taken a while for my body to adapt to the severe change of time... so far. As of now, I'm fully awake in the middle of the night and falling asleep in the middle of the day.
  

On a Spiritual Note

• The conference has brought representatives from many different countries - I've counted 15 countries from Asia, the middle east, and southern Africa. That also means that there are many different religions represented. I'm intrigued by the melting pot right here in our little conference room (about 150 people).
• Right now, it's Ramadan, so my Muslim colleagues are fasting and praying during the day. It's been very interesting to observe both the Muslims and the non-Muslim colleagues, especially the way they appreciate the diversity.
• I have yet to see a strong Christian presence here, but I've seen the following things in a variety of ways already: Love, Grace, Mercy, Redemption, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Self Control. Interestingly, I've seen these in the people of this region.... most notably, non-Christians. It makes me wonder about the state of my own heart. Do I exhibit these? Are they as visible in me to others as they have been in others to me?
• I remember the end of a "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional, "The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). Lord, let them see the undiminished radiance, and know the reason!

Another Milestone

A co-worker passed along to me yesterday the fact that we went over the International Date Line while flying from San Francisco to Hong Kong. These little milestones may be insignificant, but they're kinda fun to look at; reminding ourselves that the world is much bigger than our everyday environment.

For it was July 2003 when I was in Greenwich, England (zero degrees longitude) and it was July 2004 when I straddled the equator in Quito, Ecaudor (zero degrees latitude). Now in September 2006 I crossed the International Date Line.

What's Next?

• The North Pole
• The South Pole
• Stepping foot on all 7 continents (I have 2 to go!)
• ??
  

I'm open to suggestions!

All for now,
Lisa

Soon, There Will Be Three More to Add!

I did not know this at the time of my previous post, but I will be traveling to more countries soon -- and three of them I have yet to travel to AND they're on my list of favorites! I am smiling and thanking God:

• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Spain (Barcelona)

Can't get much better than that! I will give a synposis of my trips upon my return. I'm so looking forward to Asia as I've yet to travel there at all. How exciting to literally see the other side of the world! We have a big big world... and we have a bigger God!

All for now,
Lisa

Surrender vs. Resignation

I've been pondering these two words from the standpoint of a child of God. Here's what the dictionary says:

surrender: To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion.
resignation: A giving up of a possession, claim, or right

They look pretty close, but I dare say they are completely different. And I would say the difference is hope.

Resignation is void of hope. Surrender isn't. Both of them require your hands to be off, the white flag to be lifted. But resignation offers no hope for change. Surrender doesn't. Surrender means you're offering up control to another... and my hope is in God. And He always controls it perfectly.. if I let him.

Here's to hands off!

All for now,
Lisa

Today Marks One Year

One year of blogging. Not much else to say.

All for now,
Lisa

Random Little Things

I just read Laurie's blog and was completely inspired! Here's a random list of things about me:

• I wake up most days without using an alarm
• The first book I remember reading is "Fun with Dick and Jane"
• I can curl my tongue but I can't flare my nostrils
• I love the smell of freshly mown grass
• I played the trumpet in High School
• My sophomore year, I marched in the Rose Bowl parade
• I failed my driver's test the first time
• I have been para-sailing
• I hate mopping the floors
• I used to hate being late, but now I don't mind so much (but not too late)
• My favorite number is eleven
• Like in the Wizard of Oz, if I had to choose, I would take a heart over courage or a brain
• If I could choose my own name, I think it would be Lisa
• I am more of a risk-taker now than when I was younger
• My favorite movies are "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "To Kill a Mockingbird"
• I love the color green
• The person I admire most in the world is (was) Rich Mullins
• There are few things better in this world than a good Sunday afternoon nap
• I don't and won't have any tatoo's
• I went downhill snowskiing this year, for the first time in 25 years

All for now,
Lisa

Have Passport, Will Travel!

I recently counted the number of countries I have visited. I believe it's 22. Don't take this as bragging, but I was surprised it wasn't more. I guess I thought I'd visited more places than I really have.

So far, I've visited (in no particular order):

• Mexico
• Ecuador
• Cuba
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Puerto Rico *
• Canada
• USA
• UK (Scotland, Great Britain)
• Ireland
• France
• Netherlands
• Germany
• Luxembourg
• Lichenstein
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Monaco
• Italy
• Greece
• Turkey
• Israel

Those places or trips on my list:

• Spain, Morocco, Tunisia (for the mosaics)
• Brazil, Argentina
• Peru (Machu Picchu)
• Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai
• Japan (Tokyo)
• Malaysia (Singapore)

All for now,
Lisa

Cuba 2006

Most of you know that I recently traveled to Cuba for a mission trip with my church. At left is a link to a chronological photo journey (my thanks to the many others who also took photos - I've added some of them in here to fill in gaps where I didn't take photos).

Basically for me, each day started off with power-walking with my friend Jody, then leading praise and worship for our group devotional. After which, we'd be off to the college campuses for the afternoon (where I'd play guitar). Then we'd come back to the hotel, clean up, and then head back out for an evening worship (where I'd also play guitar)... sometimes in the strangest of places (like a traffic circle!).

The last day was spent at a wonderful beach!!!

Hope you enjoy the photo journey.

All for now,
Lisa

Encouragement to surrender... ouch!

I encourage you to let the holy Spirit search your heart for what God could have
set in your heart and you haven't surrendered to it.

I read the above as the last note on a friend's blog. It hit me like a ton of bricks. As I know there is a stirring in me and has been for a while... like I'm on a cusp of a calling. But I don't really know what it is... mainly because I haven't taken the time, opportunity, or openness to let it develop.

ouch.

It hurts more because I've done such an excellent job of ignoring it... putting it on the "big ig" as a friend of mine often says.

Well, the big ig only serves to let confusion fester. And I'm afraid I've layered busyness, head knowledge, and other shiny objects that I've let distract me on top of denial and what I've got is a heap-a-mess.

Know the feeling? I'm sure you do. So, what to do?

I'm blogging this as somewhat of a confession. The word I think I've gotten lately is "service". And I'm serving in my Sunday School class right now, but I think it has more to do with service to the church in general... not sure what.

So, I ask the Holy Spirit to come right now and search my heart and intercede for me with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26); to show me what God has set in my heart, to give me the power to surrender, and to surrender to it.

All for now,
Lisa

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

"Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?" is a popular song, written by Scott Wiseman. Although most of us know it sung by the raspy-voiced singer, Rod Stewart, the song was actually published in 1945. But the thought is timeless.

Most of you who know me, know that I'm a fairly verbal and fairly affectionate person. But few of you may really know why. And I have no idea why I'm bringing it up now save that it's been on my mind lately.

You see, I had a wonderful older sister. A beautiful woman whom I adored. But she was taken from me over 12 years ago. Very suddenly. And since then I often wonder (sometimes daily) if I told her enough that I loved her. I think I did, but the thought lingers.

Have you told the people you love that you love them? Even if you have, they would probably appreciate hearing it again. You may not have as much time as you think.

I should tell those I love I love them before time splits us asunder, leaving
someone else to wonder where we are and how it goes. ~ Jim Mugford

All for now,
Lisa

My First Retail Opportunity!

As some of you know, I have had a jewelry company for about 5 years. I mostly make necklaces, earrings, and bracelets out of precious and semi-precious stones on gold/silver, and dabble a little into silversmithing.

It's a great outlet for creativity. However, I also have a full-time job, so my modus operandi has been to make jewelry as I can, and when I have a good inventory I'd have a trunk show. However, lately I have not been able to have a trunk show. And a couple of weeks ago, I really questioned whether or not I should keep the company going.

I asked the Lord for guidance: whether or not I should close the company down, and/or how I could continue selling the merchandise.

It wasn't a week later that I was having a casual conversation with a friend of mine, who owns a retail shop. She mentioned that she was thinking of having a line of jewelry in her store and what would I think about showing Liesel merchandise there. I had never even thought about that idea. Brilliant! And a direct answer to prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me the questions... and the answers. You are seldom early, but You are never late!

All for now,
Lisa