Hi, Siestas! AJ, our trusty Siestaville Blogmaster, is sitting right next to me in my office at LPM and she is tutoring me on how to add images into my posts. As you might recall (if you have admirable taste), I rocked at it when we were on Blogger but I’ve stunk it up on WordPress. Hence, Heaven alone knows all you’ve missed. In order to practice my new skills, I am going to take you through a random backlog of pictures I’ve taken with my iPhone during this season of blog-blackness. Knowing in advance that these are pictures taken with a cell phone should tell you what level of quality to expect. I know. I can’t wait either so let’s get right to it!
This is a picture I took of AB when I moved into AJ’s with the kids while she moved into the hospital with CJ. In order to give Jackson a bath by himself and let him be a fish for 20 solid minutes until he wrinkles up like a prune, I had to put AB in the Pack and Play. This is her cutest “Bibby, get me out of here before this gets ugly” look.
This is Jackson being Jackson. No, it’s not a clear picture but it is clear Jackson. He is my best friend in the whole world. Never has there EVER been a Bibby who loved a boy more.
This is Trav and me. After every few LPL’s when we get to hang around with the team and all act silly, one of us holds up our iPhone in front of our own face and says, “Hurry, jump in!” We have noticed over time that if he is holding the camera, oddly, he is the main one in the picture. If I am holding the camera, of all things, I’m the main one in the picture. Such a mystery. We have a ton of these. I bet you can guess who is holding the camera on this one. No, I have not been drinking. My eyelashes were just getting heavy.
My in-laws (Meems and Big Pops, who live right next to us) recently put in a vegetable garden and the four of us (them, my man and me) are completely obsessed with it. Sometimes the four of us just sit there in folding chairs and stare at the veggies like we could watch them grow. That’s Meems. (Short for Memaw) You can see the tiniest glimpse of Big Pops in the corner. Per Travis, one might wonder if Meems was the one taking the picture. It would have required a really long rubber arm, however.
This is Big Pops showcasing our first tomato. As soon as it ripens, we four have agreed to quarter it as our firstfruit and eat it together with hilarity and thanksgiving. Now that we have a vegetable garden, we like to say, “We grow our own food.”
This is a very good friend of mine’s recent 1-year token from AA. My pitiful photography here is a crying shame because, if you could really wrap your mind around this, you’d know it was worthy of a screaming shout of praise. Yahoo, God! I love You, I love You, I love You, I LOVE YOU!
The next four comprise a series. Recently, while Hawk and I were waiting at the gate for a flight back to Houston, a small herd of people walked right in front of us and one of them dropped the equivalent of a Sonic Route 44 Dr. Pepper. It hit the floor with a boom and exploded. The mother of said spiller promptly began dabbing at the edges of the broken dam with something the size of cocktail napkins while Hawk and I looked at one another like, “Somebody do something!” All the sudden, almost like a ray of light from Heaven broke through the ceiling and shone upon it, I looked up and saw this on the wall directly in front of us.
Does that say SPILL CENTER????? Could my eyes be deceiving me??? Let’s take a closer look!
I was like Clark Kent spying a telephone booth just in the nick of time. “Hawk, look!” said I! “A Spill Center!” I leapt over to it in a single bound and, knowing not what it was, perceived that I should reach into the bottom of the cylinder and pull. To my great surprise, this was no super absorbent giant towelette! It was the greater blessing! BEHOLD!!
I set it down right over said spill and some might say I saved the day. I felt empowered! Like any minute official airport personnel were going to wheel up on a golf car, saying “Scuse cart!” through the herd and deputize me. I was red-faced with humility.
While I waited, I felt a demonstration was in order. Here is what could happen to a person if caution is not quickly heeded. Or if Clark Kent can’t find a phone booth.
Whew. Even recounting it to you is thrilling. My heart rate is elevated.
Thank you, AJ!! If not for your excellent tutorial, all of Siestaville would have missed this profoundly important visual experience.
Lastly, with further thanks to AJ, I now have a picture with my blogger name when I comment. When it came Gravatar-time in our tutorial session, my brain was already at maximum absorption so I made AJ do it for me while I iced my forehead. She felt, then, that it was only fair that she get to choose the picture. You’ll understand when you see it. It goes to prove what I’ve long since believed. Every kid wants her parents to love each other. They can survive without it – many of us are proof of that. But, they want it still.
I love you guys!
well lady lady look at your GOOD hair day, all down in the floor and everything. bless you….i KNOW two blonde-haired 3 year old twins that woulda had a hay-day in that mess on purpose whether their nanny *yours truly* approved or not.
so thank you, from all the care-givers of the world…real moms, and substitute ones
and ps, i had a good thick, curled eyelash day today. knew you’d be proud.
you’re a doll.
I shall not covet Abby’s eyelashes. I shall not covet Abby’s eyelashes. I shall not covet Abby’s eyelashes.
Infinity.
I am so grateful you posted your friends medallion Beth. I have always wondered if you supported 12 step recovery. I knew when you mentioned it at the simulcast, but posting it here was cool! Tears are flowing knowing that I am one of many sober siestas. I don’t post often (because I’m always reading this on my iPhone, and yes, I’ve typed this on my phone too)! You, Amanda and all the Siestas sharing, laughter and fun always remind me that I am part of a huge work of God. I love you, I love all the studies…and more than anything in the whole universe I love my sweet Lord Jesus who paid the price to save us and still goes to any length to free us.
Hilarious. I adore how much fun you have and that you show us your silly side. From the phobias to being a Spill Center Superwoman you just make my heart sing.
P.S.– I still want to see the iPhone photos that Trav sends after one of your speaking engagements. 😉
I too would like to see those photos from the cell
phones that Travis sends.We found that so funny at the meeting
I know I’ve already posted and this is random but I thought it was sweet and you might be interested. My Sweet Mom and Dad (78 years) visited me this last week here in Phx. My Dad watches Beth on Life Today every week. While he was here he started reading “SO Long Insecurity”. I told him he could take it to finish. As we were wheeling him through the airport I realized that he had the book in his hand all the way through the airport, it occured to me that my Dad is very secure.
Beth, you missed your calling. You should be a model for the spill center cone – people would really pay attention. LOL, Thanks for the pictures and the smiles, I needed them today.
Thank you so very much for the laugh! I’m trying to laugh quietly so I don’t wake everyone in my household. The Spill Center just put me over the edge. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard!
I love this post!! I love it’s random-nity. I love you all!! And way to go on the learning–so great. It FEELS great to keep learning, doesn’t it?
And by the way, Beth, while listening to “Mary of Bethany” in the ‘burban today and about to munch on some breakfast from McD’s with Miss Sydney, we turned it off to pray. Sydney prayed like this, “Thank you Lord for mom and dad. Thank you Lord for Mrs. Beff.(And you have to hear the southern drawl here) A-a-a-mehn.”
My sweet Beth-
I have such affection for you!!! You make me smile when my soul is weary…..and that is often these days. Thank you for your random post. Please raise our family up in prayer. We have been dealing with some MAJOR issues with the kids and their biological mom….and we have been doing really well up until this point. Now it feels like we are slowly slipping into a pit of despair…each in our own way….each in our own time. The devil has got a hold of me right now and I know he does not speak truths over my life.
In Him,
Andrea
PS: Love the pic of you and Keith….such a beautiful couple!
Dear Andrea,
I have walked some of that road.I will pray for you.Keep reading the Truth of God’s Word( out loud)-no matter how you feel.God promises that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.If we resist the devil he will flee.Also when I am struggling to praise God , let others praise Him around you.
Put on some powerful worship tapes.God loves them and the devil hates them!
You have loving family all over the world..God’s family
and your heavenly Father knows what you have need of.
Love in Christ,Noella Clarke from Ontario,Canada
Thank you so much. This is so encouraging to me. The kids and I just sat down yesterday afternoon and talked about how everyone is feeling, what we can do about it and what we can’t. We talked about God’s perfect timing and his perfect will. We have so very many verses we are clinging to right now; but the verse we keep praying over one another is Romans 8:28
“God works all things together for the GOOD of those who love Him and live according to His purpose.” He has our big picture in his hands, we can’t see the end of this mess….but He can, and so we simply trust God.
I love this Blog community so much for this purpose! We are truly supporting each other through the thick of this tough life we lead in this world. Thank you girls for the prayers….thank you for the love and support. It makes such a difference!
In Him,
Andrea
I am glad to see all these photos.. You are a hoot! Love you!
L-O-V-E this post!
Well speaking of funny stories….
We went out for Greek food last week with our 4-year-old son. We had gyros and he quite enjoyed them. Today, I was craving gyros again and thought I’d try to make them at home.
We’re sitting at the table eating our gyros when my son calmly looks up from munching on his food and says “Is this zebra?” My response: “WHAT?!?”
Him: “Is this zebra?” Me: “You mean the meat?!?”
Him: “Yes.” Me: “No sweetheart, it’s not zebra. Why do you think that?”
Him: “Well that’s what we had at that restaurant last time – zebra.”
Me:”No sweetheart, it’s lamb and beef – and that’s what we had at the restaurant last time too.” Him: “Oooooh. I thought it was zebra.” Calmly keeps eating.
I haven’t stopped laughing yet. And aside from being totally hilarious, it’s also quite terrifying if you think about it. That child trusts me so much that he would eat a zebra sandwich if I fed it to him!! He will do what I do, go where I go, eat what I eat. It’s like our brains are hard-wired to trust and emulate our early caregivers.
I’m doing the Breaking Free study right now and this really spoke to me about how things can get so mixed up in your head when you grow up in a family (as I did) where there is some dysfunction. My mom descended into mental illness and addiction when I was 12, so I saw many unhealthy ways of living/thinking. I KNOW my father had sleepless nights wondering what would become of us as a result. Thankfully, he POURED HIMSELF OUT for us and only ever showed us one answer for our challenges: GOD.
I was so blessed to have a positive influence that more than overwhelmed the negative. And yet, despite having avoided all of my mom’s destructive patterns/choices… I still find not so healthy ways of thinking hidden in the corners of my mind as I’m doing this study. And this definitely persuades me of the need to deal with them. Don’t want him “eating” my emotional zebras!
Loved you comment! Especially about eating emotional zebras, Amen to that! GOD gave you a great dad it sounds like. Funny and terrifying is right! 🙂
Dear Beth,
Iphone has a program called camzoom…if you do not have it yet..it is way better than what comes on the Iphone and it is priced just right, FREE. HTH.
Beth, you seem to know when I need a laugh. I’m about where you are when it comes to adding pictures to posts. I’ve only begun to use a digital camera….where’s that thing anyway? Life’s been very difficult lately and making changes because of it won’t be easy. Again thanks for a little bright spot in my day. Love you.
I am so glad you included the picture of the 1 yr token from AA! What a testimony to the power of God! Please tell her that ladies from the Tampa Bay area are still praying for her.
I sooooo needed a laugh… on a business trip and sitting in a hotel in Silicon Valley — funny to be looking at Beth and Travis and feeling like I am chuckling over photo’s of brothers and sisters… Thank you for your love and laughter
Shawna
I want to be playful again
whitestone
I love that God allows laughter to be good for the soul. This gave me a good laugh!
Loved the pics and stories (as always, I’m smiling when I see the pictures of your grandchildren). Loved the last paragraph, when you said how kids want their parents to love each other, no matter how old they are or how old we are. Amen to that, Beth!! Talk about security, there’s an equation to increase their sense of security!! love, Pam in San Diego
Eyelashes getting heavy! I love that, and totally know what it feels like!
I must comment on those adorable children. Absolutely want to gobble them up!
I completely understand your feelings on your garden. This year I planted my first garden. I was so anxious I started planting in March! (I live in Idaho, for pete’s sake.) These vegies are so dear to me that I couldn’t thin the radishes. But last night for supper and today for lunch I had a garden salad with lettuce and radishes from my own little plot. Simply delish.
Thanks for the pictures. Looking forward to more!
I love the comic relief of your writing. I pray that someday, I too, may be able to master the use of the spill center!
Might I add your hair looked FABULOUS!
Great pictures!! Good thing Beth was there to save the day! They should really have some absorbent towels at the “spill center,” don’t you think? Otherwise it’s just a “wet floor” sign.
oh my word mama B, get the heck out of here!!! you are too flipping adorable for your own good, how do you stand it?!! i love you so much!!!!! you are my favorite!!! i love your recounting of events and i am OH so happy you are “up to speed” (we’ll see how ya do when amanda’s not monitoring you! 😉 on pictures! i’ve missed seeing your life via phone pics during this blackout! oh my, thanks for making my night! love you, love you!!
awwww! your gravatar IS adorable! how did i miss that?!
This was a fun post! Thanks for the laughs…I need them. Life really hurts right now. Just lost my job of 5 years teaching autistic preschoolers and lost my house at the same time. I feel like a failure…I have no clue what God is trying to teach me but keep praying that my ears be open to hear Him. Appreciative of your prayers 🙂
oh bethany, I’m sad to hear that 🙁 I’ll be praying for you…YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!!! Something beautiful is ahead for you…God says!!
I love your new picture and can’t agree more with you. It does make children feel more secure knowing their parents love each other. It also teaches them about love and hopefully how to find it one day.
You are so right! My life would have been so incomplete without seeing these! Especially that last one! I’d have gone my whole life with the sense that somehow something major was missing from my life and never know what! Can you think of anything worse?!!! LOL
Beth and Amanda, I have to tell you this post today just cracked me up! So glad Amanda decided to “help” you with the pictures Beth! They are great not to mention SO FUNNY! Beth, so glad you could find something to make us all laugh, especially while in the Atlanta airport…for if you have not been there it is a CRAZY airport! Maybe that is why you had such a Clark Kent experience there, Beth.
Jeanne Messer
currently living in Hawaii
Beth,
your joy of salvation shines! It may come naturally to many (I am one of those people) but for others, it does not. I have a mentally ill person in my path who God is using to demostate this with. I am affirmed this morning by your post in many ways. I am celebrating a faithful God who loves for us to laugh out loud! Thank you for being you and having the courage to share your life.
Love through Christ
beth 🙂
Love this post! You make me laugh! At first glance I thought you might be break dancing…
I dreamed about a spill center last night! Lord, help me!
Ok I am finally better from being sick with the flu. Nasty stuff! I just loved seeing this post this morning. I so needed to laugh again.
Beth, if I saw you in an airport with the spill center and you on the floor,……………. I just don’t know what I would do! You are just too funny! I love your new pic, thanks Amanda!
Glad you are feeling better!
This post has me smiling still! I read it last night but thought I’d better get to bed before I got sucked into the computer’s “no man’s land” for another hour!!
but I’ve got to tell you, when I fed my baby at 4 a.m., I was thinking about that AA coin and the siestas who’ve done amazing work! blessed be their faithfuless and dependence on God. Wow!!
So happy to see your Gravatar!! precious!!
I know what you mean, I sit for hours at the computer…doing what? I don’t know! GOD is so amazing, I am so proud of those coins.
I love it!! AJ is a wonderful tutor, the pics were great and actually they came out looking pretty good. I loved the SPILL CENTER pic. Keep them coming and have a blessed day in the name of Jesus!!
Love this post! I’m always so grateful to God for laughter. Thanks Beth and Amanda. This blog and the both of you (Melissa too!) are such a blessing.
I love the random posts best of all. And I think I hooted out loud last night when I was at Sam’s Club and saw a spill center–that I had certainly never noticed before.
But the real hootin needs to go to the recipient of the one year of sobriety, representing a lot of work, well done. Also realizing that in the midst of it all, it may not feel well done. But looking back, one can say, “I stood firm.”
still laughing, don’t know what we would do if you EVER broke your funny bone:), I love your antics!
also must add that the comment about Jackson did bring me to tears. How I pray I will feel the same way if and when I have grandchildren one day. My 4 sons have missed out on that with my parents/in laws and has broken my heart so many times because I have wanted that for them. I know He has and will continue to put other adopted grandparents in their life and am so grateful for that. My prayer is that I can be even a percent as awesome as you are to little Jackson and AB!!
Wow, those were amazing, Beth! When I saw the spill series, I just couldn’t help but imagine what I would have done if I had been an unsuspecting traveler walking through the airport only to find Beth Moore sprawled out on the floor in front of the “Wet Floor” sign. You crack me up! Love ya!
Very cute jacket, by the way!
Hey there Beth,
Jax checking in here from a very wet and cold rainy day in Cape Town South Africa!
I have to say that you brightened my day today – i have just read this blog and have literally nearly had a ‘spill’ of my own, i could not stop laughing!!! It is one of those days when you’re just kinda thinking, “really? Anymore Lord? I mean reeeeeaaally, do you think i can cope with more?” And then there your blog was – thanks for that special lady! It was like God just put on the breaks and gave me my own commercial!!
By the way, our ladies group are doing the DANIEL bible study – SHEESH! Is it challenging! We loooooooooove it!! Our group is an inter-denominational group of woman from all walks of life and one or two none-Christian women – praise Jesus – who come together for a season of prayer and then a season of bible study. We just love what God is doing with you!
Thank you again for this little ray of Sunshine!!Blessings!
Jax
Miss Beth,
In all honesty, I don’t think that AJ could have chosen a better picture. When this came to all of us out in blog world, it literally took my breath away.
Love YOU all,
Yolanda
We do the same thing with our garden…we love to walk to the backyard every day just to see if “something” has grown just a little. I’m sure that in Texas yall are a little further ahead of us because we don’t have a single tomato yet! We are so ready for what we like to call “BLT season”…sometimes we have BLT’s 3 or 4 nights in a row!
HAPPY GROWING BETH AND FAMILY!
Amanda B in Tennessee!!
Beth thank you for sharing with us. What a great way to start a FRIDAY morning but in your humor. Thanks for all that you do! Have a wonderful and blessed week-end.
Hello Siestas!! This is my first post. I’ve been reading off & on since I got SLI. (CHANGED MY LIFE!)
I love to come here & soak up all the love you are sharing! I want to be a part of it! So decided today was the day to jump in!
Beth, you are such an inspiration to me! I am a mother of 2 girls & am praying that mine turn out as lovely as Amanda & Melissa!!
I have been feeling so blue of late.. thank you for the laugh.. and Clark Kent would be SO proud..
Great pose! HAHA And, great picture choice!
Shawn, Georgia
You crack me up! Thank you for the laugh…a nice way to start my morning at work! Love the pic AJ picked! Have a wonderful weekend. :0)
http://www.youtube.com/user/RhemaMarvanne#p/u/0/PIQl6ygRqhw
I know you might not post this to the blog, but I thought I would share. It is an amazing 7 year old girl named Rhema Maranne, singing AMAZING GRACE no music, just her GOD GLORIFYING VOICE! Enjoy and be blessed!
Yay!! This post is soo great! I am glad that you have added “wordpress master” to your list of awesome skillz! Along with “spill spotter/cleaner skillz” and “SWEET pic takin’ skillz” you are quite the skilled Siesta Mama! (We’re not even going to mention your Bible teaching skillz because that falls into a whole other level of awesomeness!)
And I agree with everyone…that pic that AJ used for your avatar is absolutely perfect! That just made my heart smile! Love it!
Hope y’all have a wonderful Friday and a happy weekend!
Love,
Nikki
H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the demonstration picture!
Thank you for being you…Christ in you and you in him…posting the grace of both or the grace of one :)…”that they may be one in us”
Any way what I mean is thank you for showing how the one “life eternal” is not seporated from the other…
Funny, just so funny…know that I am learning levity from you and it’s all good…
I think I am one or tend to be more a stuffy serious believer…I am learning to figure in more “the time to laugh”
Love to you and LPM!
Deborah