A Perk

One of the many perks of being married is that you inherit from your spouse a whole swarm of new friends . I have really enjoyed getting to know some of Brian's childhood and college friends. They hold memories with my husband that I will never know, and some that I don't care to know :)

Last weekend, Brian and I had the wonderful privilege of visiting Randy and Eleanor. Randy and Brian grew up in the same town, the same church, and went to the same college. Randy was a groomsman in our wedding last year, but I didn't really have the chance to get to know him.

Randy and Eleanor live about 7 hours away from us, so our paths don't often cross, but I wish that they did. I try to always go along with any plans that Brian makes to visit one of his friends, but I always go with some reservation if I wasn't involved in making the plans. This is probably due to the fact that I'm a poster child control freak, but I just worry when the guys are making the plans and there are no women involved. They are fine to stay in any conditions, while I can be a little choosier with my accommodations. So, I went with great anticipation of what laid ahead for us.

To my pleasant surprise, I arrived at a lovely home that abounded with hospitality. Eleanor is gifted with great creativity and generosity. She had prepared a lovely welcome basket for us, and cleaned her house to perfection to ensure a peaceful stay. I was delighted, to say the least!

We didn't really do anything grand while we visited with them, and that made for a perfect trip with lots of chatting and catching up. Randy is a youth pastor at a church in their town, and Eleanor serves tirelessly beside him. It was so neat to watch them thrive in the exact place where the Lord has led them. As they talked with passion about their ministry and their church, it made my heart leap with the joy of the Lord. I could look at them and tell that they were on the brink of doing amazing things for God's kingdom.

I wish that I would've taken more pictures of their cute house, and one of Eleanor, but I didn't think to pull my camera out very often. So, the dog washing pictures are all that I have.

What fun it was to make new friends! Randy and Eleanor, thank you for a wonderful weekend, and thank you for being such a wonderful example of selfless service.

Fondue Family Fun Night

For my sister-in-law's 26th birthday, she wanted a night out at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. I thought this was a great idea! It's a fun place for both the birthday girl and those who are celebrating with her. We decided on the four course meal, and we dipped and dunked until our tummies simply could take no more.

Brian and I got The Flaming Turtle Chocolate Fondue for dessert. If you look closely, you can see a blue flame in the pot. Very cool!

I have no explanation for this picture of Brian. I never do. He's a funny one :)
Brian and Dale pour over the menu.
Our waiter, Logan, whips up some yummy quattro formaggio cheese fondue.

Judy and Lauren (mother and daughter)

Brian and I suspended our diet for one day to fully enjoy the fondue experience. It was well worth the calories! And now, back to the diet...

I just don't see it.

A few weeks ago, Brian and I were taking our daily walk through the neighborhood when one passerby commented loudly about our doggie brood, "Those are some galutes!"

A few days later, another person stopped us to comment on the sheer size of our pups. Finally, I asked Brian, "Are they big? I just don't see it."

Brian was flabbergasted that I didn't consider a dog who was well over 130 lbs to be a large dog. Sure, she's bigger than chihuahuas and yorkies, but please, I just don't find her to be that obtrusive.

Maybe it's because she was an itty bitty 7lb puppy when we first adopted her, or maybe its because she just lays around all of the time, so she doesn't seem to take up much space in the house. Whatever the reason, to me, she is our little baby, and I will continue to treat her as such :)

Ugh.

I've always thought of vegetarians and vegans as the, "oh, you're one of those" types. I thought that there was little validity to what they said and even less to what they did.

Until...
Brian and I decided that we needed a slimdown. A health kick. A diet, if you will. So we decided to eat only fruits, veggies, and drink juice. Here's a little look at our refrigerator:


After about a week of this rabbit diet, I must say, we felt like new people. Our energy was up, our grumpiness was down, and our bodies were really feeling refreshed and renewed. I could eat to my heart's content, as long as it was a fruit or a veggie. I polished off an entire watermelon by myself in 2 days.

Needless to say, that was one heckuva week! But then, we went out of town and off of our diets, so today it's back on the wagon. The slim wagon. I think that's one of the biggest things I yearn for in heaven - a perfect body without the constant weight battle. Ugh.

Summertime

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...
Can you hear the words of that old familiar show tune? This song has definitely been the mantra on Pleasant Drive for the past 5 weeks. We've been travelling, and playing, and celebrating, and dieting, and exercising, and reading, and lounging, and resting, and visiting, and dreaming. It's probably been the most magical summer of my adulthood. It wasn't until this evening, as I was devouring my second bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream, that I realized the charm that this season has held - we're settled. That's the beauty of this particular time. We're not scared. We're not stressed. We're not in limbo. We just are. It's wonderful. Perhaps the year's events have made me more reflective. I certainly hope so. I always strive to learn something about God, myself, or life out of all situations - both good and bad.

No sooner had this revelation come my way, when the next thought entered my mind, "Okay, but now what?" You see, Brian and I, from the beginning of our relationship, always said, "We don't want to wake up when we're 50 and realize that we've not really done anything significant with our life. We want to live an extraordinary life of purpose for the Lord."

So, yes, we're on the mountaintop now. But, you know what comes on the other side of all mountains - a valley. During this season of ease, we're praying. We're dreaming. We're thinking. We're pondering. What in the world does God have for us? What does He desire from our lives?

It's fun. It's an awesome time of life to have limitless possibilities before us. Now, which one will God choose for us?

Wild Beasts!

It was a big challenge to capture on film the beauty that my eyes were seeing in Colorado. It was astounding! And, I would highly recommend a summer vacation to the mountains. It was so refreshing and rejuvenating, especially when it's a sweltering 100+ degrees at home. I think the highest that it ever got in Forbes Park was 75, with lows in the 40s. You can't beat that in July!

I'm not sure what it is about animals, but they are a source of fascination for both young and old. It's one of those things that all ages can enjoy together. On our second night on the mountain, Art took us for a drive through their "neighborhood" to search for wild animals. It was so much fun! We saw several herds of elk.
We also enjoyed more lovely scenery!

And, the deer were plentiful. Brian took this picture, and I thought it was a really neat one.

The whole time we were there we kept saying, "We want to see a bear!" A few years ago, a bear broke into Art and Jan's house and ate all of their food while they were away. They roam through the park freely. One night, while driving along, Josh spotted something moving among the tall grass. "A BEAR!" he announced. Quickly, I jumped out of the car to get a closer look. As I moved stealthily toward the bear to get a photo, another bear stood up in the grass. My heart almost leapt out of my chest, and I ran back to the safety of the car. This photo isn't the best, but it's as close as I dared to go.

Finally, Gladys the Great! She was the wildest animal of all! I mentioned on my Tuesday post that she was MOSTLY a good traveller - "mostly" being the operative word.

When we were about 6 or so hours into the trip last Thursday, we stopped at a McDonalds along the highway. At this particular stop, there were numerous fast food establishments and gas stations, as this was the main stop for about 100+ miles. "I'll get Gladys out to go potty while you throw away our trash," I said to Brian.

I coaxed the enormous dog out of the safety of the Tahoe, and headed to what seemed to be the only grassy spot surrounding the busy intersection. As I approached the grass, a small boy, probably about 5-years-old commented in his young voice, "That's a big dog!"

I replied, "That's a frightened dog." After all, she was slinking to the grass with her tail between her legs and her hair standing on end. I had no more than uttered my last word when I heard a scream and saw a flash charging toward us. For some unknown reason, the boy took my words to mean that he should run after Gladys.

When she caught site of him, she nearly jumped out of her skin, jerking me forward and causing me to drop her leash. I scrambled to retrieve it, but my efforts were in vain. The dog darted across a busy intersection, barely escaping the tire tracks of an 18-wheeler. "Stop, Gladys!" I yelled at her. She gazed at me with a look of terror in her eyes. "Sit down, Girl!" I commanded.

Gladys hunkered down, and I was sure she was going to wait for me to get to her when she darted off again, across an exit ramp and up an enormous hill to the edge of the four-lane highway. By this time, I was panicked. Brian was nowhere to be seen, and I was torn. "Do I go after her by myself? Do I go back and get Brian? If I leave then he won't know where I am." I wrestled with this internal dialogue.

"I saw your dog run away!" a man's voice broke through the discussion in my head. "Get in and I'll take you to the other side of the freeway," a kind gentleman offered.

By this time, Brian had found me and was aware of the circumstances. "Get in!" he commanded. "Then pick me up, too!"

Kindly, the man let me in the huge Ford truck and we stopped in the middle of the intersection for Brian to jump in, too.

"I don't think she made it across, but we have to go find her!" the older man stated.

During the next few moments, we three made our way through the intersection and to the other side of the freeway. My mind was reeling with the gloomy possibilities. "What am I going to do if she didn't make it?" I questioned.

"There she is! I see her!" Brian's voice broke through the stressful silence. Those words were music to my ears. "She's down in that little gulley," he continued.

The man drove up beside the red dirt field, let Brian out of the truck, and said, "You rush her that way. I'm going to let your wife out up ahead and you guys can corner her."

In a matter of five minutes, Brian had rescued a very frightened English Mastiff. Her heart was racing, her legs were restless, but she was alive!

At last, we got her out of the field and made our way back to the safety of the Tahoe, which was parked about 1/2 a mile away.

Thank you, Brian, for rescuing my doggie. Once again, you have saved the day for me!

Now, does that look like a dog who would cause her owner so much grief?

More from the Mountain

On day two of our trip to Colorado, I was eager to jump out of bed and look outside, since it was dark when we arrived the night before. Let me assure you, the sights did not disappoint! I had always pictured in my mind that Brian's grandparents (Art and Jan) lived the lives of recluses in their mountaintop cabin. Boy, was I wrong! Those two are constantly blowing and going from one social event to the next. As soon as we were all dressed and ready for the day, Jan was ready to give us a tour of two surrounding towns - La Veta and Cuchara. Both were nestled amidst picturesque landscapes.

Just outside of Cuchara, we drove to the top of a mountain that boasted of a 12,000ft elevation. Though the air was unbelievably thin, the wildflowers were rather fond of the climate. They grew to enormous sizes in the mountaintop garden.

Just outside of La Veta, there was a very impressive golf course (behind me). Maybe one day I'll get to go back and play there. That is, when I learn how to play golf.

Cuchara

Lauren and Josh (Brian's sister and BIL) shopped in Cuchara. They accompanied us on the trip.

La Veta

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Oh, and I mustn't forget the dominos. I lost. Miserably.

4

Heaven on Earth

Have you ever been to a place that reminded you of your idea of heaven? For the past few days, Brian and I have been in the Colorado mountains visiting his grandparents. And, the beautiful pristine scenery constantly made me praise the Creator for giving me a glimpse of heaven. I had been to Colorado before, several times. But, never before have I scene such lovely sites.

Art and Jan (Brian's grandparents) live in Forbes Park, Colorado on top of a mountain (with an elevation of of appx 9000ft). I must say, the thin air at this altitude was hard for a Texan who is used to cutting the air with a knife, but it was worth a little dizziness for the unbelievable landscape.

We set out on Thursday and made the 14 hour drive to the mountain. We decided to take Gladys with us, since she is not so fond of dogsitters. She was a great traveler, for the most part (more about that later). We arrived at 2:00AM and promptly headed off to bed. On Friday morning, I woke up to this:

We filled our time with hiking, resting, shopping, eating, talking, and chasing wild animals. It was such a welcomed break from the usual. And, I can't wait to go back.

Thank you so much, Art and Jan! Well, except for the gun. I don't thank you for that :)

[Art gave Brian one of his guns]

Recipe for Rest

[Disclaimer: I write devotionals for a website, and they are posted on a weekly basis. For the next 5 days, I will be posting my devotionals from this week.]

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. Psalm 23:1-2

Are you like me? Do you constantly move about from one obligation to the next, one chore to another to another? In fact, I am so busy preparing for and doing life that sometimes I forget to stop and actually live my life. Well, if you can relate to me, I think that you will agree that we could all use a little rest. David’s twenty-third psalm provides a resting model for us, and this week I’m hoping to find relaxation through his example. Will you join me?

In the first verse of the chapter, David comments on the Lord’s character as a shepherd. It is important to note the responsibilities of a shepherd in order to fully understand David’s description of God. A shepherd was responsible for feeding, watering, grooming, protecting, and leading the flock. The flock was fully dependent on its shepherd to meet its needs. Does this give you a picture of the Lord? He meets all of our needs, just as a shepherd met the needs of the flock.

The second component of that verse is that because of the shepherd’s perfect care, the flock did not have to worry about anything. According to the Quest Study Bible [NIV], “This does not mean that we will never want anything, but that we will not be in want. That is, we can trust God for the essentials of life.” Are you starting to relax now? Doesn’t it take a load off to know that God has got it covered?

The second verse says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” This reminds me of when I was a little girl and I used to visit my grandparents’ ranch in the summer. My cousin, sister, and I would spend our days roaming through what seemed like endless rolling hills. And after hours of exploring, we’d plop down right in the middle of the grassy knoll and gaze up at the blue, summer sky. Just the thought of those days somehow brings about thoughts of repose.

But, I think that David was on to something when he refrained from using phrases like, “pass through green pastures” or “move across green pastures.” David understood that the Lord wanted him to abide in His blessings. God doesn’t want us to simply accept His blessings and move on. No, His aim is that we relish and savor them.

The last part of verse 2 says, “He leads me beside quiet waters.” Just this afternoon, my husband and I had the great idea to go to the driving range in the sweltering afternoon sun. When we finished, we were unbelievably thirsty, and we stopped by the store to get drinks. No more than five minutes had passed before our drinks were dry, and we were thirsting for more. God is the Living Water, though. He leads us to the babbling brook that will never run dry.Friend, does this illustration of lying in green pastures and drinking from quiet waters bring rest to your soul today? Let’s allow Jesus to be our Shepherd, so that our spirits might receive the refreshing that can only come from Him.

Father, thank you for teaching us in your word how to find rest when our souls are weary. God, remind us to savor your green pastures and to drink of your quiet waters today.