Crockpot Jesus in a Microwave world

In recent conversations with some of my closest friends, I have found that I am not the only one "waiting".

I have tried to be the gentle spirit that reminds people to just wait- but waiting is hard.

Things I hate waiting on:

• The laundry to finish the wrinkle release cycle
• Test results- either in medical or physical form
• Slow people in aisles
• Slow people on the road
• Slow people in general
• a service company- I'm looking at you alarm and cable companies
• a long time for food at a restaurant
• answers when I don't have or know them
• long lines
• people using EBT cards with big buggies
• people with EBT cards
• food that requires more than 3 minutes of microwave time
• people who are fully capable of serving themselves- but refuse

So- there are a few "earthly" things I hate waiting on. Sometimes- we are really tested with waiting on things we really want.

A new house - car- job. A significant other. A promotion. An answer to a long time prayer. A better life for our families. A better life for us. A new opportunity. A change in place. A feeling of purpose. Restoration and healing.  An understanding and clarity. Just some peace, Lord. Strength- guidance- and comfort. Many things, yet we don't always get it instantly.  

We live in a microwave world but serve a crock pot Jesus. (direct quote from me)

Microwave is almost instant. I lived off of instant Kraft mac and cheese in college because it was easy and quick. 2 minutes and you are done. 

Crockpots seem to take FORRRRRREEEEVVVVVEERRR (in a Sandlot voice). You can't open it until it is had the full time to cook- but man, isn't it Amazing when you finally get to open it?!

Our life: Why not now- God- why not? Why can't this, that, or the other go my way?

In reality: God says "It is not time"

Everything has a distinct and purposeful time. It may not come when we want it- or expect it- but I believe it will come. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says "He has made all things beautiful in its time". A favorite verse that reminds me- its time is not my time. 

What power is that to know that something beautiful will come from every situation we struggle with. 

The first part of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 goes like this:

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

I don't know what "time" you are in right now- but my prayer is that you will be reminded that your time is not really "yours" and that God's timing is always perfect. Sometimes our waiting is a miserable process- and we want to give up. But in that process God makes you to be exactly what he wants you to be- and is making something beautiful out of it. Sometimes, we have to realize we might not get to see the beauty, but it will still come. 

Your time will come, it may not be the way you would have chosen, but thankfully the Creator of the world holds us in his hands and he doesn't wear a watch or follow earthly deadlines. 

..When 30 Was old

Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

 age 3-4 Burger King Milly

 Age 22, Applebees Milly

Age 22, Amelia Island Age 23, Comedy Club Macon

 Age 24, Pottery painting Macon

 Age 25, ATL Airport- #5 missed flight to Vegas

  25, Vegas

  26, At my little house in Milly

  27, Milly at GCSU

 28, Hilton Head Island

29, Tybee Island

 29

30, Milly









There you have it. A look back over the last 10 years of birthdays- minus my 21st- because clearly that wasn't documented (trust me- that is a good thing). I did have a huge pool party- but those arent digital prints.

I have reached another milestone and can only credit God for that. In the past 10 years, I have done some incredible things. I think I wrote about those things a while ago (I think 10 year HS reunion). In the past 2 years, I have found the one whom my soul loves, got married, and are expecting our firstborn in a few months. Whoa- time goes fast when you hit that married point.

As far as an astronomical birthday for my dirty 30- I wouldn't take it that far- but good that is what we will call it. I woke up to 3 little pups snuggling with me and singing me happy birthday. My sweet husband had taken me out to dinner and a movie the night before- and was now at work. Then I said- what the heck I'm 30- I'm eating cupcakes for breakfast. ..with a bagel- it was balanced....

Sprinkles make everything better. Then I went to church and it was a really good sermon- and my sweet friends in Sunday school had brought me a breakfast strudel with "30" candles on it. After church I went home and Kevin was there.

Yay for presents! My husband is a PHENOMENAL gift giver- hands down. I got 3 dvds that were great- especially another copy of The Goonies since someone stole my other one... a HAMMOCK! (this is huge because I have been saying I wanted one for the past 2 years)... a foot spa (heated, massaging, and amazing..since I complained about my last one getting broken and my feet hurting now that I am pregnant) and the dinner and a movie (The Giver). Oh! and a onesie for Kaleb that says "My daddy knows a lot but my mommy knows everything". So good- he takes notes, literally, and never has to question his gifts!

After presents we did laundry and Kevin took a nap - told you it was exciting. I got SHOCKED from putting something in the baby's room and touching the wrong part of the missing light plate. Needless to say the cover goes back on today!!

We finally went to his parents for lake time around 2:30- the bottom fell out- we finally got the boat situated and ready to go- get on the water for 10 minutes as Kevin is about to wake surf- and ALARM ALARM ALARM... a SWAT callout.

High tail it back to the dock- drop him off- and he's gone. I did enjoy a nice boat ride with my in-laws and dogs- so I just made the most of it (my parents were out of town- if you were wondering). My sweet in-laws ordered my favorite pizza (Dominos hand tossed bacon, pepperoni, pineapple) and we had a nice dinner just hanging out. Kevin finally made it about around 9:30 and we enjoyed this masterpiece of a caramel cake made by my Mother in law. (it won't rotate in the program)

So, overall it was a good birthday. 30 seems so ancient when you are 21. Now that I'm here- it is still hard to say, but I'm guessing that I will be just fine. I'm surrounded by a great family and an awesome MIL and FIL, have a best friend, lover, and match made in heaven husband to share life with, and have a lot of friends who love me. A decade has come to a close- and a new one is underway. 

Missing the Boat

Last week my awesome husband and I were out of the country on our summer vacation. Wait you didn't know? Oh my gosh we totally (intentionally) didn't put it online. Anyway- we had a wonderful getaway from the world- my favorite part was not hearing my husband's cell phone go off all hours of the day and night.

We set out on the road Saturday to not have to wake up as early on Sunday and drive down to Florida. We made a few childhood stops in my old hometown of Baxley, Georgia before finding a nonsketchy hotel in Jacksonville (ps- that was hard to do).

Here is the house I grew up in from 3rd to 6th grade. I remember a much prettier yard and it had white shingles.

My daddy built that wood fence. Still standing years later.

Here is Kevin at his favorite restaurant from going to the beach with his family every year when he was young- in the place where I grew up- small
world. I'm willing to bet we could have been in the same place at the same time sometime during his vacations!

Before we set sail- we had a major  huge tiny set back. I had sent off my passport to be updated the very first part of July. It didn't make it back in time. And I realized when we got to Jacksonville that I needed my birth certificate. Crap. So- after calling Carnival and explaining the situation- things were looking really grim for me to get on the ship. Even though I was a past cruiser- they weren't going to let me on without some kind of proof of citizenship.

Enter panic. We only had ONE week the entire summer to go on vacation. ONE week y'all. This was it. We had patiently waited allllllll of summer seeing our friends and family on trips for our time to come. And it was about to happen without me. I did manage not to cry, but I really wanted to. I just felt bad for being a horrible wife who managed to pack everything for my husband- and forget the one thing to get me on the stinkin' boat.

So- what did we do? We called our mommas- that's what we did. I called my mom and asked her if she somehow by the proper planning of a good momma had a copy of my birth certificate. She could tell I was in panic mode. She said she would look and call me back. I then proceeded to call my Milly and ask her if she would go on a treasure hunt in our house for a piece of paper that may or may not exist. My mom called back and said she had a certified copy of my birth certificate. Hallelujah!

But- we were still in the car and I needed a copy in my hands. 10ish that night we finally received a fax from home at our hotel and I could semi- relax for the trip.

The next morning- I tried to check us in online- and apparently we missed that option at midnight. The lady (on the phone) told Kevin we needed to be at the port at 11:30. We were still 2 hours away and it was 10am Sunday morning. Not going to make it. (ps the cruise had called and said don't get here before 12:30 because of inspection..so we were really confused).

We set out and I'm in freak out mode again. We finally made it- and got through with no problems and were on the ship by 1:30-2pm. They were more concerned with my pregnancy release form than my birth certificate.
In all my panic and lack of planning- we finally made it on the ship and once we got here- there were no more worries about missing summer vacation.

Our room was the same size as on our honeymoon- minus the balcony- but had a window! even though we booked an interior. Thanks God for working that upgrade out!

We set sail and the world drifted away for 5 days. We had a great time and I can't wait to go on our next adventure.
Here are the 'lights of the trip. You determine high or low:

• Kevin broke up a FIST FIGHT *with blood* (in the buffet line) before we even left the dock- ps it was between TWO WORKERS- not guests. I told him he should've stuck his face in the middle of it so we could have cruised for free. He knows now for next time. 
• Kevin got food poisoning (from the ship's prime rib) the 2nd day. It was awful.
• We decided to go to dinner when we wanted- not during the time we were given and the people we had dinner with turned out to be our next door neighbors to our room. Crazy.
• We snorkeled with our own gear twice and it was awesome. So many cool fish. 3 beaches in 2 days. Either Blue iguana tacos or ice cream every day.
• Kevin sang karaoke. I have a video- but I will see if he wants it posted. 
• We did shows, comedy, and piano bars. And a movie by the pool for dinner. 
• I got sick on the last day thanks to no air conditioned taxis and heavy exhaust fumes.
• Oh. And Kevin watched as I told off a kid about 8-9 years old on the last day to quit jumping over my head and stop hanging from the hot tub window to jump in a pool that clearly said do no jump and no horse playing. Had the little joker made contact with me when he threw his hands up to splash me and stick his tongue out at me- I'm pretty sure SACURITY would have been called. Kevin was watching him like a hawk. Needless to say- he left the pool after I told him he needed to respect adults and when he turned 21 then "he could teach me a lesson". 

So even though the chance to miss the boat was severely high- it all worked out in the end.  It was a fun trip and I can't wait til the next one!

Freeport, Bahamas  22 weeks