Archive for August, 2005
Here She Comes
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Storm Stories on August 29, 2005
It’s 6:30 am. I’ve only been up since 6:00. The wind has gotten a bit….um, wild? And the Weather Channel is blinking in and out. So far my internet seems okay…but I don’t know how much longer that will last. The wind….wow. I forgot just how that sounded! (It’s pretty cool.)
I’ve heard Katrina has made landfall…just a little bit ago. The highway near our beach has been swallowed by the sea (info from the Weather Channel). The surge is up to 10 feet but expected to get up to 20-25 feet. It’s gonna get a little crazy here soon.
Luckily, I’m a bit off the coast now. It’s a little wild here too, though.
I tried to take a few pictures of the pine trees whipping around and my parent’s yard filling up with water but I don’t think you can see much throught the rain in the pictures.
You cannot see much…but the yard is full of water if not flooded. That will come. I’ll post pictures of my parents flooded yard as soon as I can. It may be awhile if we lose power. Which I fully expect to do. And I left my Scrabble game at my house! 
Oh well…I’ve plenty to read.
Oh yeah…we are under tornado watch too. The rain is pounding down….limbs are already all over the yard and carport.
I’ve tried calling my boyfriend…power must be out. He said he’d have the phone by his ear. Must be the power.
Rain, Rain…
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Storm Stories on August 28, 2005
At 10:30 pm the wind has picked up and the rain has begun to fall. Now I’m off to watch the Weather Channel. (Since I’m staying in a house with cable for a change!)
Stormy Ramblings
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Rambling in Progress, Storm Stories on August 28, 2005
Well, it’s still that time of year. For you guys who haven’t read my blog from the beginning (which is probably most of you) I’ve written about this time of year already.
Hurricane Season is in full throttle. And throttling my way at this moment is Hurricane Katrina. Now a category 5 hurricane she’s threatening to wreak havoc amongst us!
Now, since my last hurricane post, when Hurricane Dennis was expected to pummel my fair town, I have moved. Closer to the coast than I was. By about a half hour.
I have received several phone calls from concerned citizens (relatives and friends) asking me to flee to my parents home a half hour north of here. I’m in a bit of a fix. I don’t know if I want to go or not.
I love bad weather. Passionately. I do not love the lives hurt by it or the destruction of property caused by it…but I love the flash of lightening, the rolling boom of thunder, the stinging sensation you get from standing outside in the pelting rain, the eerie whistle of the winds, the splintering crack that foretells the imminent doom of a 100 year old pine tree. It just excites me.
I was not alive during Hurricane Camille. My parents were. They remember the highway north of my house being consumed by the ocean. I don’t. I guess I’m headed to their house. As big as this storm is I should be able to take part of the excitement still…and without the worry of waves crashing down on my house (which, incidently, did survive Hurricane Camille….may she survive Katrina as well!)
So…if things continue on the path it looks like I might have some really cool pictures to share…well, until I lose my internet connection that is!
Hope the weather is fair where you are. I’m about to go Dancing in the Rain! 
Joshua
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Picturesque on August 27, 2005
Another picture of Joshua. My sweetest boyfriend! (All my other boyfriends aren’t nearly as sweet! 
)
And he took me out on a date last night! We had dinner and we went driving on the beach. We found a concert (6 local rock bands). We missed the first two bands. The third band was great! The fourth band was funny (it was high-school kids trying to be punk) and we were greatly amused. The fifth band was pretty a pretty hard metal band and they scared me. So after a few of their songs we left without seeing the sixth band! It was entertaining and fun though!
How Badly Do You Want to Go to Church?
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Family Matters on August 27, 2005
I’ve written a bit about my brother before. He’s a really great guy. He is in college now on a basketball scholarship and lives about six hours from home.
He’s just returned to school after summer vacation and as soon as he gets there the clutch in his Dodge Ram goes out. My brother Cade finds himself without a vehicle.
Well, Wednesday night rolls arounc and Cade is traveling everywhere by foot. His church, however is some distance away from his hotel room (the ball players stay in apartments and there was some sort of mix-up and the apartments will not be rid of the current occupants for a few weeks….so the players are living in hotel rooms currently).
Cade decides he really, really wants to go to church. So he walks. It is a 45 minute walk in 100 degree weather. At church he finds several people who are willing to give him a ride home but they are all staying another 1 1/2 after church for choir practice. (Cade is not in the choir. He’s much smarter than his oldest sister and decided since he’s not exactly musical he probably shouldn’t be in the choir. I’m afraid I’m not as bright and stay in the choir regardless of lack of musical abilty!)
Cade decides to walk back home. Another sweltering trudge through the city. He arrives at his hotel only to find he’s been locked out. His roommates decided to go for a game of hoops and there was noone to let him in. He ended up waiting outside the hotel room for another 1 1/2 hours before he could get in.
Last week I skipped Wednesday night service. I did not have a reason. I was just tired. I live approximately two minutes from the church. Talk about feeling guilty!
We asked Cade why he didn’t just skip church that night. He said he really needed to go. He said it was worth it because he needed the fellowship and Bible study.
Now, I know in other lands people often walk miles and miles with babies on thier backs, no shoes, down treacherous mountians to stand in un-airconditioned huts for an all day church service. And I am in no way comparing my brother’s experience to that.
But I am proud of him for being committed enough to endure a little hardship in order to be fed from the Word.
Update 09/06/05: Cade’s truck is fixed so no more long hikes to go to church. But another thing to admire about him….as soon as it was fixed he loaded it and a trailer up with supplies and headed to Houston to volunteer at the Astrodome. You gotta love my baby bro. He is awesome!
Admiring the Admiral
Posted by Bethany in The Great Game of Basketball and Other Mediocre Sports on August 26, 2005
David Robinson is one of my favorite people ever. He plays my favorite sport. He retired from my favorite team. He loves his family. He loves God.
I loved watching him play basketball. He played well. He is a future Hall of Famer. He has won championships and MVP’s. He’s one of the best.
But, he never curses. He never puts down opposing players. He doesn’t spend all his press time bashing the game officials (even though I’ve been known to do it for him from my living room!)I’ve never picked up a newspaper and found him on the front page faced with domestic violence or rape charges.
He is a prominant member of this church. You may have heard of his pastor.
And he started a private school for underprivelaged children. (I actually have applied for a job here before. )
The Carver Academy opened in San Antonio on September 17, 2001 with 60 students pre-kindergarten through second grade. The school was named in honor of George Washington Carver (1864-1943), an African-American botanist, spiritual leader, educator and outstanding man of character. The Carver Academy is the vision of founders David and Valerie Robinson who believe all children, regardless of financial status should have the opportunity to better themselves through education. Through service and faith, The Carver Academy’s hope is to inspire students to be good citizens exemplifying the principles of leadership, discipline, initiative and integrity.
He was the number one NBA player in charitable donations.
I just found this article about the Admiral at the Spurs website and wanted to share. I wanted you guys to read a little bit about one of my favorite persons .
Enjoy! And be sure to tell me what you think!
Shamelessly Skulking 8/26
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Shamelessly Skulking on August 26, 2005
I’m at it again. A day earlier than I planned. I was going to make this a Saturday thing. But tommorrow I am taking engagement pictures for an old high school friend. I plan to get an early start and she lives about an hour away. Then, my oldest daughter got sick at school today and I had to bring her home. I find myself sitting here on the computer skulking around as usual and decide today will be better for sharing my finds than the morrow.
So…what have I found? Many interesting things! Matthew shares his heart concerning a charitable act and a missed opportunity.
However, even now I am in great pain for this man, my eyes washed for this precious Soul created in the image of GOD – with whom I shared what mattered least, and withheld that which mattered most!
The only peace I have in this is that I know that I know my error, and in being painfully convicted for it – will gird up my wits to not let such an invaluable opportunity pass again.
I have found myself in situations such as this on many occasions. An opportunity to share the Gospel presents itself and I do not act.
Jaygee from Lucid Moments has also been convicting me with his post on heart murmurs. He shares a bit about a self-diagnosis he’s given himself.
A while ago, I diagnosed myself with another type of heart murmur. This type is much more damaging to me — and even to people around me. In fact, this “new” heart murmur is not new at all. It’s been around and part of me since I first began speaking as a child.
From the moment that I was able to observe, understand and speak there have been times (mostly while driving) that I’ve criticized, complained, yelled and wielded a sarcastic tongue.
I found it particularly interesting. I seem to be currently suffering from a heart murmur myself. I used to have a reputation (at work) as being cheerful, always smiling, always happy. People used to comment about it all the time. This year however, my work situation is much more challenging and stressful. I’m afraid I’ve not been as cheerful and have spent much of my time complaining and whining instead of “Counting it All Joy”. Hopefully, I haven’t completely ruined my testimony yet.
He also writes a bit about his love of sports, which I happen to share. Even if he doesn’t have the far superior game of basketball listed as one of his favorites!
I like sports. I like hitting a golf ball on the sweet spot of the club and watching it swoosh down the fairway in a perfect shape. I like hitting baseballs on the sweet spot of the bat and watch the ball arc over the fence and beyond the outfielder’s reach. There’s nothing like catching whatever object it is you’re hitting on the one perfect spot of whatever it is you’re swinging.
Both SpunkyHomeschool and Stand Up and Walk mention this article.
There are 490 female students at Timken High School, and 65 are pregnant
It is one of the saddest things I’ve ever read.
And another interesting bit of news found at Word Magazine Blog (which happens to be my mom’s favorite blog!) can be found here.
A New Hampshire woman filed a complaint with the state medical board after her doctor told her to lose weight.
I cannot believe the things people will sue for! It’s quite absurd.
And other articles at World Magazine Blog are excellent. They have posts on the Chinese governments persecution of Christians, the pain abortion causes unborn babies, and an article about whether or not gas prices increasing is causing values to decrease. It’s all very interesting. I really enjoyed that blog even if the comments get a bit heated. You should read it all.
Bill, from Out of the Bloo shares a passage from Job for those who are down.
The answer I would give is, of course, the same as Job. No, Lord, I can’t do anything described above. I can’t bind the chains of the constellations, or tip the waterskins of heaven. I can’t send forth lightnings. I don’t know the ordinances of the heavens. Half the time I can’t even find my socks.
Ah. The comfort that can be found in the Word.
So…have a blessed day and lovely weekend. I will be having dinner with my parents and the rest of my family. We will be celebrating my father’s 53rd birthday! Happy Birthday Daddy!
Yes, Another Interview!
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Inquiring Minds on August 25, 2005
This interview thing keeps me from having to think too deeply when blogging. Hopefully you guys aren’t getting too terribly bored with it yet.
My most recent interview was of this person. I had a friend request that I interview him so she could get to know him better. So, Hope, I listened and asked. He answered my questions and they can be found right here.
Have fun and enjoy reading what the most handsome guy in the world has to say!
Bestest Buds
Posted by Bethany in Picturesque on August 23, 2005
Nothing better than having your best buddy live next door!
Compassion Week
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Family Matters, Motherhood, Out of the Mouths of Babes on August 23, 2005
I listen to American Family Radio fairly often. This week they are featuring Compassion International.
I just wanted to encourage anyone who could to consider sponsoring one of these children.
Now for a story to go with Compassion Week. It’s a story from Winter 2004-05.
My daughter has a Christmas birthday. Almost. At Christmastime this past year we recieved a Compassion International Christmas Catalog. It was an interesting catalog where you could make purchases for Compassion International. You could buy chickens for a village, have a well dug for a village, de-mine a field, pay for medical attention for a child, buy a young woman out of prostitution, etc.
My daughter has one of the most compassionate hearts I know. She was touched by this catalog and was making big plans to purchase farm animals and prosthetic limbs for communities and children all over the globe. Her problem….funding. She did not have much money. She wanted to be generous in her offering.
All by herself, she came up with the idea of having a birthday party where she took up donations, instead of recieving gifts, to make these purchases for Compassion International. We postponed the party until the second week of January so we could invite more people. (It’s difficult getting people to come to a birthday party two days after Christmas!!)
Well, during my daughters birthday party plans, the tsunami hit in Indonesia. My daughter was heartbroken at the destruction caused by that event.She heard that Compassion International was collecting money for tsunami relief on American Family Radio. She decided that she would send any money she earned for that purpose.
Well, she had her birthday party. She raised approximately $300 to help this ministry. She never complained about not getting presents. She was excited to help.
I don’t know if a mother could have been more proud of a daughter than I was during this time. I know we in America don’t really know a lot about sacrifice…real sacrifice that cost something.But I was impressed with the heart of this seven year old child, giving up what many consider a right (birthday presents out the wazoo!) in order to lessen the pain of a child thousands of miles away.
Matthew 18:5
Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Mark 9:37
“Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
So please, prayerfully consider how you might be able to help this ministry.