Hey, Siestas! Well, I’m sitting right here in Terminal B at George Bush International in Houston, Texas about to head to Nashville, Tennessee to Rich’s wedding! Those of you who are not familiar with Rich may not realize he’s one of our all-time best Miestas. He’s the one who prepares all our slide shows from the events. Glance down a couple of posts and you’ll see a picture of him and his bride-to-be. My sweet, sweet relationship with that young man is one of those kinds of things only God could contruct. YEARS ago the event team at LifeWay realized they needed all hands on deck and could use somebody whose entire job at events was to get me where I needed to go. At that time, one of the event team members had a little brother (he seemed about 15 at the time but that’s a slight exaggeration) that was available for a little part time job. That was my dear Rich. I cannot even express what a fun friendship developed between a middle-aged Bible-beating woman and a young man still trying to figure a few things out.
I have watched Rich grow up. Laughed my head off with him. Prayed for him. Worried over him. Celebrated with him. Mothered him. Mothered him. And mothered him. (He’s got a fabulous mom. I’m just a maternal hormone waiting to happen so I’ll happily even mother the well-mothered.) Was around when he got serious about his first real Bible study. Was around when he first got his heart broken. Was around when his beloved grandmother went home to be with the Lord. Was around when God began to start making a photographer out of him. Was around when he first used the “L” word about a young woman named Gretchen. I nearly died. I knew he was serious when he DIDN’T tell me not to get overly excited about it.
I love this boy.
This man.
And his gorgeous, smart, godly bride. I so approve. Not that I had to – he was dead set on marrying her – but I’m blessed to say Rich would have wanted me to.
And I will have the privilege, along with my good buddy, Travis Cottrell, to be part of their wonderful, blessed wedding ceremony tomorrow. The Cottrells (all of them I hope) will pick me up at the airport and I’ll stay in their blast-of-a-home just like Trav stays in ours when he can.
I got a text from Rich early this morning. I just pulled my phone out and propped it on my lap so I can dictate it straight to you since it involves you. It says, “Thank you for your prayers from your family and siestas. This week God has put a calm on everything. He is so good.” Yes, Rich, He is. And He has so often been good to many of us through you.
If you heard my phone ding, that was Travis sending me a text. We’re getting pretty excited. They’re just about to call passengers on Flight 2474 to Nashville to board. I loved spending these few minutes in the airport with you. I hope the onions weren’t too strong on my Schlotzsky’s Medium Original.If this post seems a bit disjointed, I have stopped and started a lot while having the privilege to say hi to several people. And then I realized I had the continent’s biggest fleck of pepper between my front teeth. I hate myself.
Y’all know good and well I love you. No time to proof. Deal with it.
Tags: Rich Kalonick
Beth – you have a wonderful time in Nashville. The weather is just wonderful here in the deep south. Please let Rich and Gretchen know that prayers are sent their way.
And to Anonymous — darling girl (and I use that term for women 18 to 108) my heart hurts with you. Can you find another place to work? A transfer? Oh, my dear, it’s hard to get over a hurt like this, but it’s truly difficult when you’re face to face with the man who you thought was your future every day.
I’m praying that you’ll find a wonderful Christian counselor who will lead you and guide you. I’m also praying that the Lord will take this pain from you, but remember to release it to Him — give it over. Let the Lord fill this place where this pain now resides.
Beth, you are so funny and you made me smile . I will be praying for Rich and his precious new bride. Have fun with the Cottrells. Thanks for loving us, we love you too. robin
You are such a hoot. And how fun that people say Hi to you in the airport. Last year at Deeper Still San Francisco, you walked right past me (I was on the outside of my aisle) and I so wanted to jump out and say Hi and hug you…but I was a little afraid of the security guard that was walking right by your side. It was at the end of Saturday, so I know you had to skidaddle out of there.
We enjoyed a wedding here in Colorado last night as well. I still have tears in my eyes. She was so beautiful! Just the way our Jesus sees us! Pure, spotless, His! And though OC is not sure where life is taking her right now, rejoicing as well in the reunion of her workmate and his wife. Our God is faithful to never give us more than we can handle and He numbers the very hairs on our heads. He knows your pain, dear one. Trust Him to be your beloved and you will have true joy. You don’t need mothering, you need the love of your Father. Run…His arms are open wide.
Safe journey, Siesta Mama. Take lots of pictures to share with us all. Give Travis our love!
What a great laugh right before going to bed after a wonderful day. Can’t wait to hear about the wedding.
I always eat at the Schlotzsky’s in Terminal B when I fly out of IAH. Thanks for the warning about the pepper flecks … I’ll be on the lookout.
My prayer is that Rich and his bride would love God more than they love each other! Works for me and my husband of 17 years! You are such a blessing Beth. Luv ya!
Oh, so sweet! I will pray for their marriage! Yay!
Thanks for sharing Joy!
Please keep praying for my dad’s salvation (from the letter at the Jacksonville, FL conference in April ’08). I’m so grateful for your prayers!
His,
LBT
Thanks so much for sharing Joy with us!
Please keep praying for my dad’s salvation (from the letter @ the Jacksonville, FL conference in April ’08). I am grateful for your prayers!
His,
Lindsey
I LOVE weddings, so I am hoping for a good recap from you, Miss Beth. (And maybe a picture, you know, that is if you took your camera along with you!) 😉
Seriously though, hope you have an absolute blast with those precious friends and praying the Lord blesses their marriage in such a sweet way!
Congratulations, Rich!
Lindsee
So just who takes photographs at a photographer’s wedding?? Just wondering. I hope there’s someone wonderful, because Rich is simply the best at his art. I was so blessed to talk to him briefly at the Siesta Fiesta. What great guy!! Give him a big hug from me.
And yes, we want PICTURES!!
Much love,
~Cheryl
So sorry about the pepper, but wishing that I still had a Schlotsky’s in our area… they closed our’s here in Wausau, WI and replaced it with all things, a USED CAR DEALERSHIP!!!!
sigh…
i am bummed…
I hope you have a good trip and that God blesses the wedding, and the couple. I can’t wait to hear the update!
God bless,
Heather from WI
hope you guys have a blast! Pepper and all!
love you and your team
Delilah
Thought of Rich today and wondered if this was his special day. Praying over their tomorrow! May God “rich”ly bless them in every way and go beyond their wildest dreams with a joyful journey in the Lord.
Thought of you today, too, Beth. Had a dream about you last night–our family was moving to Nashville. Hmm…we’ll go where God says. And I hope it means staying right here in beautiful Colorado. I love, love, love how God has decorated the place! He is so magnificent!
Love to you!
Holly
That’s beautiful! Have a great weekend!
Doesn’t pepper just seem to be like that…. it wants to be like broccoli!!
Beth,
This is my second attempt. I am new to computers and have never blogged! You have a way of putting a smile on my face and making me feel like a close friend or part of your family; I so appreciate you sharing your life, stuck pepper and all! I have been blessed by your ministry more than I can say. Some day I hope to let you know. For now, I just want to say, “God bless you” and enjoy this precious wedding!
love, Gail
Blessings to you Beth as you travel. Thanks for sharing life with us. I love you so dearly.
I haven't posted in a while – life has been so busy. But I have been reading the posts & keeping up with all my dear Siestas. Today, I feel led to post to encourage all of you to go & see the new movie, FIREPROOF. My husband & I saw it last night with 6 other couples from our church, & I must say "Praise God!" What a movie! What a blessing! It's all about doing marriage God's way and it will bless your socks off no matter how many years you've been married or what kinds of challenges you are facing. Even if you are just thinking you'll get married some day, it's so full of treasure & wisdom from God.
Blessings & love to all of you.
So blessed by being reminded once again how sweet our God is to weave us into sacred friendships. I thought of you, Beth, waking up in Trav’s home and meeting there with the Lord, and him doing the same at times in yours, and I found myself asking the King for deep friendships and partnerships like that. Thank you for your transparency.
I love ya Beth and tell Rich this siesta will be praying for this new season of his life.
Speaking of all this love stuff, if I had gotten my turn at the fiesta I wanted to ask you how Keith proposed to you, so feel free to share a good ole Beth story
Woo-hoo! Yeah for Rich! Marriage is such a blessing from God…we just love it. I pray for a wonderful celebration and blessed marriage. How precious to witness him mature in the Lord over the years and now marry his bride!
Mrs. Beth..
I have a feeling.. although you’re my Mama’s age.. we could be BFF. You crack me up!!! You’re realationship with Rich, reminds me of a relationship with a wonderful lady friend of mine. She “mothers” me all the time, but I think her and my mama tag team together on it.
It’s ok, deep down we like the mothering.. shows y’all care. We sure appreciate y’all in our lives! Love ya ma’am!
Miranda
Joy and laughter SO good for the soul! Beth have a fabulous time and know you are being prayed for during your travels. What a wonderful wedding celebration you all are attending! May the Lord abundantly bless this new family.
Sweet times – watching young guys turn into Godly men – weddings – a baby girl on the way. These are my favorite posts when your life sounds like everybody else’s. I know you’re enjoying some precious moments. I’m saying a prayer for you as I write.
BTW, I just got my Christmas tickets and you’re at the Berry Center! That is a beautiful venue. I hope we can show off FBC soon, though–it is so pretty. I am doing an Adrian Rogers study for ladies at my house this fall, but can’t wait for spring to be back studying with you.
Safe travels and journeys.
Love, Annette
TO SIESTA OC, I just want you to know that I am praying for you today . I dont think there is anything more painful when you read of others who have been blessed with true love when you so desperatly want it for yourself. God loves you and knows the desires of your heart . Just remember that Gods delays arent no’s! Blessings, Robin
Have Fun ! Stay Safe and I will be praying for you! Quick question went to see the Movie FireProof with my daughter last night . I can’t remember the song but does Travis have a song in that movie? All I can say Sista’s it is a must see movie with your hubbys. I cried and was convicted. Have a Blest Day. Bring back pictures from the wedding sister Beth.
I know you will have fun! Beth we love you. Isn’t God amazing to give us marriage? I’m in Montana visiting my son and his wife who are visiting her parents. Anyway they have a baby heard her cry this morning. Thought I would give them a hand knock on the door. There in bed was my son and his wife and baby between. It was beautiful I thought that is how the Lord loves us and so much more!
Liz Hinze
Weddings are such fun! Glad you had the opportunity! Have to admit I’m jealous of the Schlotzsky’s medium original – Oh that someone would open a Schlotzsky’s in Corrientes, Argentina!!
Alisha in Argentina
Have fun!You always make me smile!
Oh, Mrs. Moore… I do so love to read the way you write! Felt as if I was sitting in the airport with you (pssst… onions weren’t THAT bad but… have a mint!) Have a wonderfully blessed time at the wedding. Blessings!
I love reading your blog and I’m so enjoying the Steppin’ Up: Becoming Wise Proverbs study we’re doing at our church.
I have been blessed through you and I so much wish to be a “siesta”!!!
Blessings from FL
Rich has blessed us all by allowing himself to be the window through which we look to view God moments at all the events.
God, thank you for the eyes you gave Rich… now he has a second set the view life with!
Double vision can be a God thing!
We love all of you at LPM!
Beth – You are the biggest ray of sunshine with this posting. On vacation and have had 3 straight days of rain in Maine, but the colors of God’s paint brush on these beautiful trees makes up for it. Your post perfect.
Nancy
Hope the wedding was wonderful in everyway! This morning in church the “worship guide” (why can’t we just have a bulletin anymore!) said that Travis will be w/ us next Sunday AM and PM…..I’m thrilled already! I’ll be the fool singing along to everysong. Happy week to all my siestas, Jill
Here is the REAL question, “WHO IS TAKING PICTURES????”
OH, MAN, BETH!!! You’ll actually be in my neck of the woods! COOL!
Have fun with Trav and Angela and enjoy the wedding… Trav and Angela are old pals from a former church from many years ago. (Just young ‘uns, all of us, really…in the same singles Sunday School class back then… AND TO THINK — GOD HAD SUCH AN AWESOME PLAN!!!) Love them both dearly!
Well… Have fun in Nashvegas while you are here!
The thing i love most about you and your God is the way you love people….Everything you teach and show is so informed by the living proof of your walk….His Glory is all over this post
The thing i love most about you and your God is the way you love people….Everything you teach and show is so informed by the living proof of your walk….His Glory is all over this post
OH Beth you are so funny and so real, that’s why we love you.
I ate at Western Sizzlin for lunch today after church and I am so full I am miserable but it’s a food bar and in our little town we dont’ have many of those!
Have to get moving I have friend coming to help me (get on her hands and knees) with my house since I’m still dealing with a broken foot! I’m too full to help!
Congratulations to Rich and Gretchen! We look forward to pics. Loved meeting you in San Antonio and what great pics you took.
Blessings to you Rich and Gretchen! Send us pictures here in Siesta-ville…
gena
Hey Beth,
Just wait till you get a little bit older and your gums start receding!! Half your sandwich will be still hanging in your teeth. I have to take a toothpick with me everywhere I go. I love you and hope you have a great trip.
Spiritual Mom Beth!
You crack me up! I’ll bet that wedding was/is fabulous!!! I love weddings!:) I’m going to one in Oct.:) That’s cool that you have been able to get to know Rich, and pray for him, and now his wife!…mothering hormone-that’s funny:)…Yay, you get to meet people in the airport, stay with Travis and his fam, AND go to Rich’s wedding! Blessings all around:) Awww, you poor thing, we all will still claim you, pepper in your teeth and everything. All of us have had that (oh, the humanity!):)
Love you too Spiritual Mom Beth:)
katiegfromtennessee
I love you Beth! You are so touchable! You make us believe we can actually “do this thang”! Thank you sweet sister!
Love to you and the bride and groom and everyone in between!
Judy
Beth, I caught my breath for a second when I read “I am on my way to Nashville for the wedding” ! ….since I’ve not heard much about Rich before, and I have had a certain OTHER soon-coming Nashville (ok, Franklin) wedding heavy on my heart and mind lately….the wedding of Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter Emily next Saturday, Oct 4th. I was really going to have to be doing some “believing and speaking” against jealousy if that’s where you were heading! 🙂
Seriously, I know you will have a great time. I love love love to see young men and women who are chasing hard after Jesus, bring their lives together in holy pursuit of Him. Blessings on all of you this weekend!
Beth, I love you. “The continent’s biggest fleck of pepper between my teeth.”:) I’m so glad you’re real.
By the way, I am rejoicing because Jesus set me free from stuff I have been dealing with for a long time last week! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love this post. Pepper in the teeth and all.
Beth, I know exactly what you mean
about being motherly. I have two grown sons and a wonderful daughter-in-law who I love to mother. I often say that “I’m just a big old mother”. I’m not sure that that sounds quite right but you know what I mean.
In Him,
Esabelle
Beth,
I’m so glad you ride regular planes like all of us 🙂
See you at LIT tomorrow!
Love you!
Rebecca
Mama Siesta I love you! You are are such a great teacher yet but so normal and I mean that in the nicest way. You make me feel like I am normal too (I always have things in my teeth). It is the Evil one is telling me I am not normal and that God can’t love me. He is such a liar!! Thank you for reminding me through everyday things that happen to you that we are both God’s children!
Becky
then I realized I had the continent’s biggest fleck of pepper between my front teeth. I hate myself.
Oh my goodness Beth, you are so real I just love it!!!
I love these posts when you just type away. 🙂
love you,
Lelia
I just finished Beloved Disciple!! It was so incredible. The 1st BM study that literally took me a YEAR to complete. Had LOTS of family craziness this last year, but I was so determined to finish it and I’m so thankful I did. So life changing Beth. I can hardly wait for Esther! My goal is 10 weeks, but if it takes 2 years I’m stickin’ with every page of it! 🙂