Hey, my dear, dear Sisters! I had the biggest blast with the Siestas who made the trek to San Antonio and missed the rest of you so much. I’m back from a real, live vacation and pecking away at my computer in my office. Star’s right here at my feet. It’s Labor Day so my beloved staff members are with their families just as they should be. Since I really did take the week off (I usually cheat and still throw work into it somehow but refrained this time), I really needed the day to get a jump on the load I knew would be waiting tomorrow.
I’d have lots of silly things to tell you but my frame of mind is seriously tempered by Gustav. Having lived in Houston for 35 years, I, like anybody half-awake on the Gulf Coast, am highly alert to the constant wave of threats written across the sky from August through October. We find ourselves in a terrible quandary, asking God to cause the storms to bypass our areas but sick at heart to imagine them hitting another. None of us want to lose our homes but none of us want to see others lose theirs either. Of all people on the planet we want spared, surely its the population of New Orleans. Oh, Jesus, especially the poor. And, Lord, our dear Franklin Avenue Baptist and other faithful fellowships like it that have only recently reopened their doors. Have mercy! My heart has been in my throat for the areas devastated by Katrina, many of which have yet to be rebuilt. Let’s give highest praise to God that He sucked some of the air and water right out of Gustav’s angry lungs. This morning in my quiet time I reminded our gracious Father of His powerful words to us in James 5:16b-18. “The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” Elijah, a man with “like passions as we” prayed a change over the weather. THE WEATHER. And God heard him and said yes. That ought to give us some courage to pray like the same thing could happen today.
Keith and I have been in the wonderful middle of nowhere for a solid week on our cactus land at the edge of the Texas hillcountry. No cell phones. No internet. Just him and me and our two new baby girls, Star and Geli. The most exciting things we had going were watching God paint sunrises and sunsets, cooking on the Old Smokey, dodging rattle snakes, and taking rides on our rigged-for-dirt-roads golf cart with the dogs to admire the wildlife. I read the new Jan Karon novel (I think the name is “Home to Holly Springs”) from cover to cover and LOVED IT. Yes, I’ve read all the Mitford books and am so sad when one ends and another is not out yet. She is one of my favorite all time fiction authors. I want to be her BFF.
On the way home Saturday afternoon, however, we saw the eeriest sight. Keith was asleep at the time and yours truly was driving his big ole blue Ford truck. I even went the speed limit. (Believe it or not, I’m a slow driver. The leading cause of road rage in America, you might recall.) We were going east on Interstate 10 and right around the Luling exit I came over a hill and saw 200+ yellow school buses from Dallas, empty except for the drivers, in the left hand lane traveling lickety-split in a caravan our same direction. A police car led the pack and another had its back. We’d seen several Red Cross emergency vehicles already on our way home but this sight beat all. We knew those school buses were heading either to Houston or New Orleans (it was still up in the air – no pun intended – at that time) for emergency evacuations. I told Keith to wake his hind up and look at a sight he might live the rest of his life and never see again. It was so freaky. And to be one of very few vehicles heading their direction while traffic packed the west-bound lanes was sobering. There was no turning back, though, because Curtis, Amanda, Jackson, and our little Avocado were in Houston and I was going to be where they were or bust. Turned out our fair but hot city would be just to the west of Gustav’s fiercest breath. Far better than that, it appeared that New Orleans might not be hit as hard as they were three years ago. Oh, Lord, be her levee.
Anyway, I’ve looked so forward to saying hello but feel like it’s just not the day to be silly. And, oh, could I have been silly. After all, I’ve been perched on a porch for a week watching my man move the earth all over heck’s half acre on his green tractor. About the time I decided to venture out on my own and go for a walk, he popped the clutch and hollered, “Lizabeth, did you bring your snake boots?” Where am I? But I’ll just have to save that for another time.
I love you. Gulf Coast girls in particular, let us know how you’re fairing through the weather. We are on our knees for you.
Beth,
I’m must say I was a bit jealous as I read the numerous blogs about the wondering Siesta Fiesta. I wanted to be there so much.
But, there are important things to be praying about. I am on my knees praying too for all who are involved in the storms.
May our Lord Almighty shelter them in His presence.
Sheryl
Marietta, GA
Amen we are on our knees for you. I am in face as I type this. I have prayed and prayed that the storm would diminish in power since He is the blessed controller of all things. praying in Alabama
I meant to add that if someone is looking for a good bible study to do before Esther comes out I have been doing “LORD, Change My Attitude” by James MacDonald. It is dvd and workbook driven and it is wonderful. I have been listening to him for 8 years and I always say he is my male version of Beth…LOL!!! Siestas you can check him out at http://www.walkintheword.com
HEY BETH…..NEXT BREAK YOU GET, YOU GOTTA READ “THE SHACK” BY WILLIAM YOUNG…THEN CALL ME.
SO THANKFUL THE STORM IS OVER!
LOVE, PAMABAMA
My city was under a hurricane warning since Saturday and was directly in the path of Gustav on one of the hurricane tracking models for the Texas Gulf Coast near the Lousiana border. Most everyone evacuated Sunday, but our hotel reservations weren’t until Monday so we decided to wait and leave very early Monday morning. However, during the night Gustav corrected itself and was back on course toward the northwest, putting us on the east side, which meant only 40 mph winds. Of course, after the breath of relief that we wouldn’t have to evacuate came the realization that that meant others would be hit. I, too, had been praying to God that He would speak to the wind and the waves and make them dissipate. I’ve lived on the Texas Gulf Coast all my life–I’m 54–and we used to go 10 years or more between hurricanes. However, within the past 3 years we’ve had Hurricane Rita (’05) and Hurricane Humberto (’07)hit my town. Then the threat of Gustav. Now there’s another one to possibly enter the Gulf–Ike! I’ll be glad when this season is over!!!
From what I saw on the internet, all is well in New Orleans. Thank you, Jesus!
These verses “just so happened” to show up in morning devotions yesterday before Gustav made landfall….
“The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea–
the Lord on high is mighty.”
Praise Him for showing His mightiness in the weakening of Gustav. I pray He continues to show off His might as more storms are brewing out there.
Blessings to all,
Kelli
Oh, and those verses are from Psalm 93:3-4! Didn’t mean to leave that out!
Beth,
Happy to hear you made it back safely.
The Green Bay, WI Siestas are getting ready to start our fall Beth Moore Bible study. We are so excited to attend your study next August in Green Bay. We have our tickets and are designing our Siesta shirts!!
dawn
Welcome back Siesta Mama! Hope you and Keith had a wonderful, restful time…
We’re praising God that Gustav’s fury was tempered. Our God is MIGHTY! We were thinking we would see a lot of rain here in the Tennessee Valley from Gustav, but now it appears that won’t happen.
Hugs,
Adrienne
Oh Beth! So glad to have you back from your vacation! And so glad that you had a great time with your man and your 2 doggies. Praise the Lord that He kept you from working…You needed and deserved a true vacation so badly! Can’t wait to hear more stories when the time is right.
Gulf Coast Girls, we are praying for you. We have been for the last several days. Praise the Lord that He kept New Orleans from being hit…May His same mercies be apparant to all!
Much love to all the Siestas!
Beth…I also love all of the Jan Karon books. I am patiently waiting for a new one. Penelope Stokes with her “Blue Bottle Club” is another great Christian book..the ladies in my small group are passing it around now. Just finished “The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society”!!! The title alone is enough to make you pick up it…charming book. I should have given you this hints before you packed up and went on vacation, eh?? So glad you had time to get away from it all and just relax and spend time with your man and pups. The snakes scare the crud out of me, I never heard of snake boots!!! Praying for the people who are affected by Gustav. Our new series at Saddleback in Lake Forest will be starting in Sept. “Stepping up”..can’t wait. Welcome home!
Praying for everyone affected by Gustav. Beth, so thankful you had some time away. Always praying for you, your health, time, family and ministry. You are loved!
Love and Blessings, Debbie in Tennessee
Just reading about the image of those buses gives me chills. Loved your words, “Lord, be her levee”.
Amen!
So glad you had a week to relax and can’t wait to hear all the silliness:-)
We made the best of Gustav. We live in Beaumont and had to evacuate. We have some darling friends that live in North Houston. It’s like going to an all inclusive resort everytime we visit. Our schools in Beaumont closed for an extra two days but we decided to drive home last night to beat the crowd. We felt as if we were driving into a ghost town. My prayers go out to you who live in the Morgan City and Houma, LA area.
Glad to have you back Miss Beth!
Dear Beth,
I’m so glad that you had a restful vacation. I too have been praying for God to dissipate that hurricane. My husband and I both lead groups of college students to New Orleans for clean-up after Katrina. I can’t even begin to describe the devestation we saw or the hopefulness of the people who lived there. We met some determined folks and it was such a privilege to serve them. Most of all what a privilege to serve the God who does control the weather!
I want to ask a favor. I had my 8 year old daughter,Grace, with me in SA and she and I did the commisioning together. Although I’m sure it didn’t sink in at the moment, the whole time we were repeating your words I kept thinking, “Lord, help her to remember this!” Would it be possible to get a copy of that blessing? I want to do a scrapbook and would love to have those words as a reminder.
We had such a great time and made some wonderful memories! Thanks sweet Siesta Mama! You are loved!
Kimberly
Beth,
Even your serious posts crack me up!
Love you to pieces!
Traci
Hi Beth,
I know you’re facing a busy day at the office so I’ll try to be concise. I also know that yesterday we were all praying in one accord for our Gulf Coast siestas and especially our brothers and sisters at Franklin Ave even though we are scattered all over the country and beyond. God answered. Bless His name! You’ve been on my heart this morning so I’m praying even now that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Love and Blessings,
Patti Hayes
Lutz, Florida
I was glad to see a post from you today, Beth. My family is in Pensacola, FL and I felt the same way you did about Gustav. I didn’t want any of it, but I sure didn’t want New Orleans to get it again. Turned out God was in control. I loved the reminder about Him changing the weather for Elijah. I still am astounded that He would hold off the sunset like he did for a mere human. He is amazing. I really enjoyed LPL in San Antonio. I saw an some old friends and met a few new ones. I didn’t make it to the Fiesta though. I am sure you guys had a blast. Maybe next time. I am coming to the re-taping of Breaking Free, and I am bringing a friend from church. Can’t wait for that.
Hugs,
Lisa Covill
Pensacola, FL
Hi Beth. Just wanted you to know that you continue to be a blessing to me. I sure wish I could have made it to the Siesta Fiesta!
Glad you got some restful time away.
When are you coming back to Southern Africa??
Angie
I thank God that He turned and took the umph! out of the storm.
Just this summer we moved from right outside N.O to the mountains of N.C.
But we left behind my parents,sister and SIL. My heart was so heavy.
There are still many without electricity and many in the Baton Rouge area got hit pretty decently. My husband has gone home to help those in need.
I pray the damage was not much and he will be home here with us soon.
Thank you all for your prayers!
Glad you had a good vacation! I love the times that I am far from mobile phone range and internet. However I am always blessed once I am back and able to catch up with my LPM blog reading and the other siestas! Thank God Gustav wasn’t nearly as destructive as it could have been. My husband and I were scheduled to be on the coast this week for our 2nd Anniversary which is today, but God had other plans and we are blessed to be safe! We were driving around our little town in Arkansas and saw a huge convoy of National Guard heading towards Louisiana. Made my heart hurt.
Just so glad to know you’re all right! And that the worst didn’t happened. I still think it’s a miracle those levies held when so much work was still yet to be done, not to mention how wet the underpinnings must have been. Anyway, glad everyone is safe. Let’s don’t stop praying since there are 4 more hurricanes out there.
PS- I do not like you walking where snakes are. Makes me nervous.
I’m so happy to read a post from you…totally made my day!! I’m glad you had a good vacation.
Hey, Beth!
I don’t like SNAKES, I don’t like MICE, and I’m not too fond of SPIDERS!!! But…I sure like (and love) you, Siesta! Glad you had a great vacation and are back refreshed and raring to go.
Dear Lois, I’m really sorry to hear about your sweet furry friends ddiagnosis. I got an urge in my spirit to comment and let you know not to let the enemy lie to you about being alone… God isn’t far from you and when your friend is gone you won’t be alone!!! Grab hold of our Brother, your Saviour!! He is there right now catching every tear! And you have about a billion siestas who love you too!
Praying for you today!!!
Judy
I enjoy Jan Karon’s Mitford series so much I just keep rereading them every couple of years.
It’s hard to find decent fiction! Glad you are a fellow Mitford lover!!!
Beth! I loved it when you said “heck’s half acre!” My grandmother, from Arkansas of course, used to say that all the time! She also would say someone was “actin’ a Bill Jones!” I always wondered who was Bill Jones and what did he do? I’m sure most folks in Arkansas knew him! And I was certain he did not do good things. Heehee.
Glad you had some sweet ranch time with your man!
Praying for those in the storm path!
Blessings,
Marthanne
Dallas
The buses must have been an amazing site! We have lots of people from the gulf coast in shelters here in North Texas. They’re hoping they get to return home soon and that their homes are still intact. Glad you had a relaxing vacation. We live in the country (outside Decatur TX) and my theory on snakes is: The only good snake is a dead one!! Gail
Bless you Beth for the Godly example you set for us~ letting us know it’s o.k to take time to rest! Loving and supporting your husband in the way you always do. So glad you’re back! Missed you.
Jean
Oh! The Mitford series is my all time favorite series…..Everyone should read it.
Beth,
You always touch my heart. I loved the anonymous comment about snake boots being part of the armour of GOD. That made me snort diet coke through my nose.
Me too! Me too! I want to be Jan Karon’s best friend. I have heard her in person, she has the voice of an angel.
Jill S.
Jill S
I’m so glad you were able to have a restful vacation free of cell phones and internet. You needed that!
The Siesta Fiesta was amazing. You and your girls were so sweet to take the time to visit with us.
I sure wish I could have hugged your neck, but maybe another time.
I also wanted everyone on the gulf coast to know I’m praying.
Love,
Valerie
Welcome back Beth–thankful that you had a very restful and refreshing vacation. After returning home from San Antonio I was helping my Mom clean out some drawers and we ran across a box of old photos. Those are always fun to look at but what caught my eye was the brand name on the old box “Heiress”! Apparently it was a brand of lingerie in years gone by. But I was reminded again of our great inheritance! Thanks so much for those sessions!
Oh yes–I forgot to mention–glad you are a Jan Karon fan! Were you aware that she lived in Blowing Rock NC for awhile? I think she has moved now since so many people tried to track her down there while visiting the streets of the fictional Mitford. Westly–the college town in the books is Boone, NC! Just a little trivia for you all. The books are great! I’ve only heard of one mistake in the new book–MS people say a “pone” of cornbread while those of us in NC say “cake”.
Ms. Beth – I just wanted to say that I just bought your book “Feathers from my Nest” Friday night and I am in love with it! It is such a beautiful reflection of your love for your family. I really admire how you have allowed the Lord to shape you into a precious Woman of God. You had every reason to quit, fail, giveup, and not care, but you didn’t. You have persevered and God has rewarded you faithfully. It has been such an encouragement to me over the past few days. It would be good for you to do an “update” on the book given Jackson’s arrival and Melissa’s marriage!! 🙂 Just a thought. I love you sweet Beth!
Happy you are back. Hope you are rested and and refreshed and can’t wait to hear your stories of the week.
Hugs,
Susan
So glad you were able to take some much deserved time off. I so appreciate all you do for your Siestas. We love you! We want you to be refreshed! I hope that you and Keith both have benefited from your time away.
Please remember the residents of Houma, LA in your prayers. They received a direct hit from Gustav. There are missing roofs, trees have fallen into homes, etc. I’m not sure of flooding. They city is approximately 16 feet above sea level so more than not, there is flooding, too.
One of our friends pastors a church in Thibodaux (17 miles from Houma) said he got word that they lost the roof to their new youth center and part of the roof to the back of the church. He does not know anything about his home yet.
We used to live in Houma and have been in touch by cell phone with our friends — most of them evacuated to either Houston or North LA. Thank the Lord they are all safe and in amazingly good spirits.
I have read several of the Southern girls’ blogs and have been in touch with some by email. I have been praying for them, too.
We have an awesome God who is our tower and refuge. The Word tells us that He watches over His children and it is evident that He has done just that!
Blessings,
Sherry
Hi, everyone, just my second time
on here. I love reading all of the
comments. Glad you had a real vacation, Beth. I was at the weekend in Louisville with you and was a little worried as you looked so thin. Hope the rest was refreshing. Was listening to you the other day when you were laughing about how John always called himself the disciple Jesus loved. It suddenly hit me how John really got it. Each one of us
could call ourselves “the believer
that Jesus loved”, couldn’t we? Isn’t that the most amazing thing in the world.
In Him,
Esabelle
hey mama beth..
i can’t stop thinking about the new orleans area either…and echo your prayers, Lord, have mercy.
Praise God that Gustav lost some of it’s steam. Beth so glad that you and Keith and the pups had a relaxing time. We love our Texas hill country!
I’m glad to hear you had a true vacation!! I could use a week with a front porch, good book, grilling, and my man.
Praise God that Gustav lost his steam!
We are on a goat farm (it’s a beautiful ranch!) waiting to move into our new home but the snakes have me freaked out on my quick walks, I mean runs. You are quite the ranch girl! How awesome for you— a vacation w/ no cell, no internet. Your words sound rested and ready. So grateful for my hometown of N.O. getting sideswiped.
Dear Beth,
So very glad that you are home and that you got to take a real vacation from work. It was so great to be with you in San Antonio and when you said you honestly would love to hug each of us, I really felt the hug in my heart.
I join you in remembering the coastal residents during this time.
Love,
Dianne
I have just read a new Christian fiction author, Elizabeth Musser. She is fabulous! She is a missionary in France and has brought me to tears (happy tears..) with her writing. I recommend The Swan House, The Dwelling Place, and Searching for Eternity. The Swan House should be read before The Dwelling Place. Those two are based in Atlanta (I was thinking of Melissa) and mentions The Varsity like a million times. Searching for Eternity will have you, as my eight-year old says, “pouring down crying at the altar.” (That’s his sweet Alabama way of saying you are crying your eyes out.)
Paige
Alabama
Hi Siestas!!!
I am just now recovering from the awesome-ness of the Fiesta!! Had such a blast meeting everyone!!
Beth, I am soo glad that you and Keith were able to get away and have some time to rest and just be together. I would just say, stay away from snakes!!! They creep me out no end!!!
Also, Jan Karon?! My most favorite!!! I have turned so many people on to her and the precious town of Mitford!! I must admit that I did make the trek to Blowing Rock a few years ago…I dragged my Nanny and Nandaddy too! They hadn’t read the books yet but they both soon fell in love with them as I had. I have to tell you this story…I found out a year or so ago that Jan Karon was going to be in Franklin and you could go hear her speak and tell stories. I was sooo excited!! I called my Nanny and said that she and Nandaddy had to come too. Plus, there was the added benefit of Paula Deen being in town doing a book signing the next day! Nanny and I love Paula!! So they end up coming over and spending the night for us to go…we get to the church where Jan Karon was going to be speaking and we are waiting to go in. It was a first come, first serve seating thingy. So as we are standing in line, Nandaddy is looking around the room/line. I thought he was checking out the building because he used to be a engineer. Anyways, he looks around and then stops and says, “There aren’t any men here!” and looked at me and Nanny like we tricked him into coming!! But as the evening went on, more men showed up and he was okay. And Steve Green sang, which made him feel a little better because he loves Steve Green.
I love sharing things like that with my grandparents! They are my favorite!!
I hope you have a great week at work…and stay dry!
Praying for all my Gulf Coast Siestas!!!
Love, NIkki
– be her levee…PRICELESS!
Lots of gals on here have talked about the Jan Karron books….I’ve not read these and for me, a person totally in love with the written word, that is pretty unheard of. Are they really that good?
I am currently reading a book called Orchid House by Cindy Martinusen and I would recomend it to anyone who would take the suggestion…it is sooooo good!
For fun girly, friendship stuff you have to read the Yada Yada Prayer Group series by Neta Jackson. Oh my gosh….they are so funny, so serious at times, and so very encouraging in respect to our walk with the Lord. Amazing series!!!!
Praise God for taking some of the wind out of Gustav’s sails! Having grown up not too far from Houma (in Holden but now relocated to near Waco, Texas), I still have a great deal of family in that area. Although they haven’t had telephone or electricity since early Monday morning, I’m happy to report that the only other damage is a few downed trees and a shed that was blown over. It certainly could have been much worse and we are thankful it was not.
Don’t stop praying, though, girls as flooding is still a huge concern. Unfortunately, most of the areas that were hit really hard by this storm don’t have a levee system at all. Let’s keep praying Ike and Hannah decide they feel much more at home out in the wide blue seas.
Thank you for your words Beth!