Complete AnXiEtY

I like camping..at times love it really, but today as I am packing for a short trip we're taking soon, I am having an anxiety attack. Grant you T gets the list ready for me and even gets the stuff down from the attic. Thank you husband. But me... I am remembering all the work to get ready to go...laundry, grocery shopping, reminding the kids what to bring, food prep, hoping I got it all on the list, charging batteries for cameras, towels; I'm the one who remembers those too..... Aghh! Look at it all. I'm not even done yet!

Date in the Downtown

T invited me on an afternoon date and of course I took him up on it! We went to a plaza where the jazz band Dotsero was playing first. They were great! It's been a long time since we were able to attend a smooth jazz concert. I miss that. We walked across the street to this great micro brewing company to eat afterwards. I had a special summer brew made with blueberries! Yum! Our lunch was right on too. The downtown area of the Springs is real clean and very inviting. Glad we tried something new. So then we headed off to buy some camping supplies for the upcoming trip. I tell you, the weather here is AMAZING! I keep saying over and over... I can't think of one thing I don't like about living here except the crazy drivers on interstate 25 of course.

Yah for afternoon dates. I love my man....

Trees for the Forest

Can you see the trees for the forest? Maybe you see the wood blind in the way of both?

Today my girls and I went over to Joanna's house to surprise her with a "the baby's coming" cleaning. It's tough to do it all with a toddler and a big belly. We were so excited! Robby even got in on the action and "took her on a date". We finished in 2 hours..whoo hoo. Teaching your children chores (all your children, not just the girls!) pays off. Anyhow.. after we left with smiles on our face, I took my daughter to the orthodontist for a monthly check-up. In comes a lady full of anxiety who "happens" to sit by me. After listening to her tell her daughter a long saga, her daughter walks back to have her retainer repaired. She and I are sitting there and she says she has a headache. I told her,"Give me your hand." So she does.. I know, I look so trusting anyone will hand me their hand. I start to rub on the area for headaches and talk with her about her stress. She then continued the story and explained all that is happening in her life today. Best friend's daughter is in the hospital, her niece falls and breaks her arm in her house yesterday, surgery tomorrow, her niece doesn't have insurance...on and on. I switch hands and keep rubbing. In the conversation I had a chance to talk with her about Valerian Root for her stress, asked her if she had any water today, and kept rubbing her hand. By the time she left I had 2 names to pray for today. Don't know these people but do know they need prayer. I told her I'd pray for them and she thanked me. And thanked me again.

So ... when it comes to being the hands and feet of Jesus, just find one tree. Sometimes you have to look for them, sometimes they sit right by you in a doctor's office. The wood blind.. that's you. Sometimes you need to raise it up and get yourself out of the way.

Reality Check: Where are you today? Are you seeing the wood blind? Is the forest looking pretty big? Can you see the trees? Once you ask Jesus to use you, to be His hands and feet, expect it. The Forest will fade and you'll see so many trees.

Thanks for Listening,
Tuna Jones

Swimming in July..Hot Diggity!

Our family, well.. most of us, went to the GlenEagle Country Club pool today with our neighbors. I was so excited to be in the water again. The place was clean and very kid friendly. Pool toys, big spaces to play, lifeguards that let the kids play! It made me miss walking out back and jumping in our pool! I think we may have to join here next summer!

We Started the Play House!

Today T and I planned, talked, and came up with a master plan for Lina's playhouse. I think some details will continue to work out as we move along. We do know it'll be around 6 x 5 inside and the porch will be around 3 extra feet. My job is to hold the lumber in place, measure it, say Good Job!, and make T laugh at my engineering ideas. He is so good at building! Yah Husband! We have a patch of Scrub Oak in our back yard that we're nestling the house into. It'll have a cute front porch and hopefully be the same color as our home. I can't wait! Neither can she! Lina says it's gonna be for lots of fun activities like beauty shop, make up, and of course just hangin' out in.

I've always wanted enough room for the kids to spread out and play like I did when I was a young whipper snapper in Kentucky. This is just a blast for me to see it happenin'.