Tea Party

Yes, its true. I turned 100 on May 17th. My dear friend, Dale, had me a tea party!  I dislike tea sooooo, she made me coffee and served it in a golden pot.  It was amazing!!!!!   We laughed. We giggled. We were giddy! It was extraordinary!!!!  It was so much fun having a tea party that we decided we would certainly do it every month and take turns at each others house. 

We got to have tea party names and dress up!  I was Bubbles.  I'm not sure if thats a tea party name but, Dale always calls me Bubbles from the character on Power Puffs Girls so I figured why not????   

Anyhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooos, I bought a CD online by Emily Riddle and it is the type of CD that just makes you want to smile and twirl around.   My favorite song is "Puddles"...  Here is the link!   Its a fun CD, Christian and happy!   Its fun to have playing in the house when you have company over !  

"Grace is the most perplexing, powerful force in the universe, and, I believe, the only hope for our twisted, violent planet."   - Philip Yancey

To make you smile :)

A little girl walked daily to and from school. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school.

As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child.

Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword, would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school.

As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly, each with the little girl stopping, looking at the streak of light and smiling.

Finally, the mother called her over to the car and asked, "What are you doing?"

The child answered, "God just keeps taking pictures of me."

I love that!  :-)  

Hope your day is beautiful!
Libby :)

Hi Friends!

Have you ever wanted to take a couple of years and do Missionary work or perhaps you know someone interested in being trained to do Missionary work?  There is a DTS, which means Discipleship Training School, coming up in Heredia, Costa Rica in September of this year. Although there are DTS all over the world, this one is one that my son and his wife are leading. I want to go to  it so badly but, fat chance. :)  Its for 5 months I believe and 2 of those months will entail a mission trip to Cuba.  I'm hoping to be on a month long mission into Guatemala for the month of August so I doubt Paul will ever agree to me going off for another 5 months. As a matter of fact, I didn't exactly ask Paul if I could go, I just sorta sweetly told him I was going to be gone the month of August to Guatemala. I made the information casual.  Kinda like an every day thing for me to leave the country for a month.  But, I was gone for 3 weeks last year so, whats another additional week?  He spent that entire time redoing the bathroom so when I came home it was like a little mini palace bathroom... as palace like as you can possibly get for a bathroom not any bigger than a closet and inside a cabin. :)

So anyhoos, here is the information for your consideration:

Youth With A Mission is an international volunteer movement of Christians from many backgrounds, cultures and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM (pronounced "WHY-wham"), our purpose is simply to know God and to make Him known. 

When YWAM began in 1960, our main focus was giving young people opportunities to demonstrate the love of Jesus to the whole world, according to His command in Mark 16:15. Today, we still focus on youth, but we have members (known as “YWAMers”) of almost every age and many of our short-term efforts have grown into long-term endeavors that have impacted lives and nations.

YWAM has a decentralized structure that encourages new vision and the exploration of new ways to change lives through training, convey the message of the gospel and care for those in need. We are currently operating in more than 1000 locations in over 180 countries, with a staff of over 18,000.

A Discipleship Training School (DTS) is a five month course, three months of what is called the Lecture Phase.  It is twelve intensive weeks of classes on a wide variety of topics, like The Father Heart of God, World Missions, Hearing the Voice of God, etc...  The last two months is called the Practical Phase, or the Outreach, where the principles learned in the first twelve weeks are put into practice on an international level.  It is cross cultural and for this particular DTS will be multi-national, the first part being in Cuba, (or somewhere else for those who don´t feel ready for Cuba)  and then other nations to be determined.
  The cost for the Lecture Phase is $1200, which covers food, housing, and transportation, the price of the lecture phase is determined later in the school, but it is recommended that students be prepared for about $1500-$2000 for the outreach phase, which includes airfare, food, other transportation, and housing.  Those who complete the DTS can then take secondary schools if desired.  Here in Heredia we have the School of Frontier Missions (SOFM) which begins in April, and the Environment and Resource Stewardship School (EARS) which takes place every January.  The DTS begins on September 12th and ends mid-February.  For more information, or to apply: (www.ywamheredia.com) 

            I just finished this book, No Greater Love, by Kathi Macias. It was really good.  It is written loosely based on historical events and set in Pretoria, South Africa during the violent upheaval.
Forbidden Romance - Race issues
Unlikely Martyr - tear jerking
Unlikely Hero - didn't see it coming.

Bye for now!                

I did it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ran a Full Marathon on Sunday. It was the Oklahoma  Memorial Marathon. 26.2 miles.
I've never ran one before, not even a half one. 
I don't even know how to describe it because the weather was so bad I don't know which part was more in turmoil, my body running for 5 hours in freezing bitter pelting rain that would not let up, feet so frozen I could only feel them by their tingling and parts of my body going numb from the cold...I was running through puddles so my feet were just freezing rain soaked...it was bitter cold... I felt the depletion of every cell and marrow and organ in my body.  Unfortunately I had focused more on preparing for heat. I packed only shorts and a tank top with ankle socks.  That was it.  Gratefully, Paul brought a jacket and so I wore it but, the rain just soaked me. I was so frozen I couldn't even speak.  But then there is the physical part of forcing your body to run.... after 20 miles it was all will power and inner self pushing because my body was done. I was literally dragging it.  It was like my spirit was pulling it and dragging it. I passed healthy muscular men moaning and groaning and no shame, just blantant crying...this didn't happen till around the 23rd mile but there were ambulances, paramedics, wheelchairs... you think...gosh why do people do that to themselves right? 
After it was all said and done, the first thing I said was never again will I run a marathon and by the next day I was wanting to run another one. Why?  I think its because when we physically push ourselves beyond our limits it is exhilarating. There is a new confidence. I did it. I did it.  I endured and lived and am fully recovered by day 3... well except for a few muscles that keep tightening up... Anyways... It does something inside the mind as well as the physical aspect.  I feel I can endure more than I ever thought I could before because I lived through something that ended up feeling like it would kill me and I could of sat down and quit but I didn't. 
There were these college guys and I kept getting stuck in their pod... they were like spitting and stuff and laughing... I wasn't laughing anymore but I couldn't get away from them because I just couldn't go any faster and this was at mile 16 so I was just kinda trapped with them.  They were still laughing and having fun and when they spit I wanted to ...well...I wanted to not play so nice  and say HEY HELLO i'm behind you and I don't feel like getting spit on...I know the difference between spit and rain.   Yeah I wasn't feeling like my sweet self. So I endured the freezing rain, the run and them but after 22 miles the guys were mercifully mostly silent and in their own private torment but when the clouds just opened up again and poured on us, one of the guys said, "I wish the lightening would just strike me"... and for some reason I busted out laughing... that was just so funny. Because seriously thats how it felt...like lightening striking would be mercy. 

After 5 hours of running I crossed the finish line staggering and disoriented. My face was wracked in pain but I don't know if it was from the cold or physical. I just don't know. I do not like the cold at all. I don't like rain either.  I like it outside and me inside but thats it. I am not a dancing in the rain sort. 

Give me 100 degree weather any day. Any day any day any day.  103. Just give it to me and keep the cold and rain away.
After it was all over I had to sit down to wait for Tiffany because I finished first  and thats only because I ran faster to get out of the rain and I was also having fun at first. I was playing a game in my head. I would tag people up ahead and pass them... just to get passed the boredom and so I ended up playing this little passing game until mile 10 and that was it. After mile 10 I began to have a concentrated pace.  I wasn't giggling anymore. :)  By 10 I was a Popsicle. 
But after the run, the minute I sat down my body went into cramping up. I freaked out.  I couldn't even move without a cramp and I was just mush, I couldn't move right, I couldn't focus... body betrayal. I thought, Oh my gosh this is how people die, the body betrays you and your spirit can't do a thing about it.  The spirit is so strong. Its rock solid strong... thats why we can imagine ourselves climbing mountains and swimming across seas because our spirit thinks we can... but most of us can't.  I tried that one time...swimming across the lake... 

But, its over now and I am done but looking forward to maybe another one next year. 

There is only place in which success comes before work.
And that is in the dictionary.


 I've got The Father on my side, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit and 2/3 of the angels... What do you think I'm going to do? Sit down and cry? ~ Leonard Ravenhill

Hello Hello Hello Friends!

I've never believed in Fairy Tales but, then there I was at Universal Studios and Shrek and Fiona were right there. I mean, I gasped and took off running after them. I am not exaggerating, I ran until I caught up with them because they were changing locations. I didn't realize they weren't disappearing but just going to another place for photos so I ran as fast as I could yelling "Shrek, Shrek, Shreeekkkkk!!!!! When I caught up I was just simply giddy.  

The deal is that since we won the 10K on American's Funniest Home Videos we were flown back for the 100K show and so we decided to take a few extra days of vacation and enjoy California. 

My precious parents spent the vacation with us. They were just amazed at the roses in California. Even black roses! They were breathtaking.

I got kinda burned so, the next day was the taping of the Big 100K AFV show and they had cake on makeup upon my face. I was wearing a white dress... you can visualize the oompa loompa look.  This show had a brief interview.... we blew it.  I wonder if they will only keep in the things that make us look normal and edit out the rest?

On the trip we made a decision to cut back on Annah's sugar intake and so Paul bought her this. Serious and not kidding. :-)  

So hope you can watch us again May 8th on ABC 6 o'clock Central Time, America's Funniest Home Video.  Mothers Day. Everyone stay home and watch it with your Mothers. :)  

I haven't checked yet to see if I still have blog friends following me but, when I get back tonight I can't wait to come catch up with your blogs!

And to my friend who I've managed to carelessly lose along the journey of life, if your reading this, hope your happy and well. Miss talking to you. I miss you.

After all the glam, I'm happy to be home. It almost seems the weather is straight from the book of Revelations doesn't it?  I realize how important it is to keep my eyes where they are suppose to be. I don't want to be hit with disaster and not know where my God is...to know Him and be known by Him. To know that no matter what happens I am safe in His sight and care. I want to always have that assurance and that nearness.  It doesn't always come easy. Sometimes I suddenly look around and find I've managed to get myself lost.  But I always know its just me thats lost, God knows exactly where I am. But my feelings can also dictate my faith so I know its vital to spend time with God in worship, prayer and listening.  Not a day should go by or begin without it. 

okay, I really gotta run!  :) 

Feb. 20 We are on TV !!!!

Whats Happening to my world?

I don't understand. I don't know what is happening to my world. Never in my life, and me being of sound mind and advanced age, have I seen this much ice and snow in TX.  Sure, we have had a couple days of snow and ice per year and we all squeal like piggies and delight in it but this is going on days.... and now its snowing. I haven't been out of my house since Tuesday and that became perilous on my way home that evening and since then here I am.  Paul's little car was trying to turn into the driveway yesterday and instead, it slid on down the road.  I mean, whats happening... and as I said...now its snowing.  I'm not sure if  TX can cope ...I mean seriously, they turned off our heat for 15 minutes every hour because of the stress of power usage and here I am in a cabin in the woods with a baby and my heat is being turned off.... its not like we have emergency back up things..  sigh.... and then, just coming back from LA and being on TV...and now snow and ice ... within 2 weeks I am on TV  and then catapulted into a world of snow...whats happening, is this the end?  :)

And I have basically used an entire huge bag of bird seed to feed the birds because they are hungry toooo... and the squirrels...there are a ton right on my deck... keeps the baby happy, sitting by the window looking at all the critters.  

Can't have a snow day without pizza.

Annah decided to make snow muffins.... I told her they would melt and turn into water but for some reason she was convinced she had seen it on tv...that you can bake snow and eat it.   So I decided that we shall make snow muffins.

Annah gets all ready with mismatched gloves and the jumbo muffin pan.

And she's off!

Scooping up snow and carefully arranging it into the pan.

Coming back

Lets bake!

Into the oven our snow muffins go

Annah is feeling cheated at this point. All that effort

And Wahlah!!!! Snow Muffins!

She refuses to be interviewed about her muffins melting.... not something she wants to admit....

Hope your having a warm and cozy day!!!!  :-)  
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh and if you have a child who is learning to read, check out: ReadingEggs.Com .. love it!  We have tried lots of programs but this one is really fun!

And God bless you!  :)

We will be on TV - AFV !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So how this all came about is that we sent in a video to 'America's Funniest Videos' and it was selected as one of the final 3 !!!!  We were flown to LA.... Manhattan Beach area... and stayed at the Marriott in a Suite!!! ...all expenses paid including food!!!!  We were there for 3 days, with a few hours of taping and it was a blast!  We spent the entire day on the beach...walked there from the hotel!!!   My gosh, okay. So my opinion of LA is that it was almost as much of a culture shock as Panama. Uhhuh.  The beach lifestyle... all the pretty manicured people and omgosh the dog walkers were fun to watch!  Just like on tv!  And the tree hugger, mother nature artsy places all up and down the streets... and doggy water bowls in front of the shops so the doggies could be refreshed... and the weather... oh the weather!!! We flew in from Dallas wearing sweaters and ended up in shorts and tees!  It was nice!  I hope you will watch us on ABC, Feb. 20th! I'm not allowed to divulge the outcome of our video place as there is a 1rst, 2cd and 3rd place win. Ours is the thermometer mix up one..... :)   

Annah jumping or is it flying on the bed!

Tiffany and Annah out by the pool...  must of been early morning because they are in sweaters.

 Just swinging by the beach !

Fun fun fun until she slipped and fell into the ocean! :)

So in the midst of wanting to go live in the jungle, instead we went to LA and lived in luxury for a few days. :) Is God fun or what??? 

Right before we left I had finished a book "Evidence Not Seen"...the story of Darlene Deibler Rose.... what fascinated me was that as she was a prisoner of war in a Japanese concentration camp.... and treated very harshly...starved.... she found a way to balance on the door handle of her caged area and she could stand just right balancing on one leg and be able to see out a tiny little hole to see the outside and breath the air.  One day she saw someone get a banana and she became obsessed with having a banana... she kept thinking about the taste of a banana, everything about  a banana and she was just longing for just one banana...she told God she just wanted one banana but she felt like it was not even possible to ask God for such a treat... that there just was no way he could even do it...couldn't provide that due to her circumstances. That day she was given some time in the prison area and she saw a man that she had briefly encountered when she was free and she remembered him to be friendly. She was just so refreshed and delighted to see him!  She was taken back to her cell and within moments the guard threw in a bunch of bananas from that man who asked they be given to her... she counted them all, 92 bananas!  She said she began to weep because she hadn't thought it was possible for God to give her one banana and he gave her 92. 
A friend of mine said "Well why didn't God just get her out instead".... well thats because there are boundaries that we live in within the spiritual realm of good and evil....she was a prisoner.... but God blessed her and loved her and showed her he saw her.  Really bad things can happen to us because we aren't in the part of the Bible where the Lamb and the lion are laying down together... we are still in a bloody war between good and evil and thats just how it is but expect to see blessings and miracles in the midst of even the worst of nightmares when you cling and hope in God.  

Panic of the day

This is my baby boy and his wife, Karmy.  They have been in Argentina YWAM for the past 6 months. They are en route to Panama and Alan emailed me from Chili to let me know they would be in Panama City the next day but that he had passed out at the baggage check point ... he said next thing he knew he was being carried out into the infirmary but he was fine. Thats all I got from him and then the next day I saw the number calling me was from Panama so I picked up the phone and said "ALAN!!" but it wasn't Alan at all...no. It was somebody speaking Spanish and I couldn't understand anything they said...nothing... very disappointing seeing as I took a college Spanish course a few months ago and have Rosetta Stone and think I know something ...I know words but as rapidly as the guy was talking all I could understand was that he said he was the family of Karmy. When I told him 'No Espanol'...he sighed and hung up.  So then I'm thinking the very very very worst.... Alan is laying near death in a hospital and they can't even tell me because I don't speak Spanish and obviously nobody speaks English ... I called my mom and we both just bawled and cried because Alan was obviously not well and maybe worse and we are a billion miles away  .... I got an International phone card, did an emergency call to Tiffany at her work because she can speak the language and gave her the number and told her to call it and find out... turns out it was Karmy's parents house but they had NO idea who called....they said that Alan was fine, Karmy and Elias all fine.... ???? I felt like I was given a new lease on life...I was suddenly happy again.  :)   But it still remains a mystery as to who called us and why.  

The newest angel in the house.  6 months old...he was trying to pull down everything on the tree and the shades. :)  Probably the easiest baby we have had...well second easiest. Katie was by far the easiest. 

I just love this picture. I don't know why. But seeing shoes lined up in a little row of different sizes and even personality just makes me all warm and fuzzy feeling. :)   

Christmas Morning!  :)
If you have never seen this video,its called "The Bridge"....Only 2 minutes but, I bet it will make you cry or smile or something.... its about a man and his son.... gives you an idea of God and Jesus and His love for mankind.... all of mankind.  Lemme know what you think.