Happy Fun Girl: "What a Girl Wants" and changing, "The List"

Happy Fun Girl: "What a Girl Wants" and changing, "The List": My daughter recorded, "What a Girl Wants," not too long ago but we haven't watched it yet. She says I've seen it already. My other dau...

"What a Girl Wants" and changing, "The List"

My daughter recorded, "What a Girl Wants," not too long ago but we haven't watched it yet.
She says I've seen it already.
My other daughter told me on the phone this week, "I don't think you know what you want."
"Or maybe we just want what we can't have."

Pretty sure I know what I want.
Pretty sure I'd still like to be a super hero.

Or a pop star.
Oh, and I was wrong when I mentioned the band from the pop up underground stage at Adventureland in Des moines. They were in fact not singing, "Celebrate Good Times," by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Actually, it was, "Celebrate," by Three Dog Night. I loooove that song!
I just heard it on my tv/radio and immediately had a flashback.
The good kind.

They say there's a reason your rearview mirror is small and your windshield so much larger..... it's because we are not supposed to keep looking back at what's behind us, but only forward, to what lies ahead.

I'm really trying to not look backwards...there's too much I wish I could change.
It's not pretty.
And I was too fat.

Those were the exact words spoken during one of those ever so sweet romantic, tell all (or most anyway) moments with the one you love.

So I say, "I remember when I saw you for the first time...I looked across the dance floor and there you were. I even thought I heard a whisper say to me, "That's him, your husband."

"Get behind me Satan!" is what I should have said but I didn't know that kind of lingo back then.

"I thought you were the most handsome man I'd ever seen and was so totally drawn to you. And then we danced to Dream Weaver."

By Gary Wright.
In my world, that is some seriously incredible irony.
Either that, or God's weaving one really unbelievable story!

"What did you think when you first saw me?" I asked coyly, expecting a compliment about my beautiful blue eyes.
"I thought you were too fat and not quite pretty enough for me."

"Oh."
I am only recently learning to not ask questions, I may not want to hear the answers to.
Ugh.

But there are some things I really do want to know!
Like, "Is that true? Do I even know what I really want?"

Looking back again at 22, on our first date, I knew what I wanted.
I told my best friend Cathie on the phone.."I hope he smokes pot."
He slept through the first date.
Be careful what you wish for.

At 45 I can tell you that is no longer any where near the top of my "want" list.
It's not even on the list anymore.
Either is repetitive rejection.

Years of hearing, "You always loved me a lot more than I loved you," have made me question the validity of the,

Love Is........
poster we all had back in the 70's.

Recently, Natalie and her friends and I went to go see, "The Perks of being a Wallflower."
One of the lines in the movie has stayed in my head since.
"We settle for the love we think we deserve."
Interesting thought, isn't it?

We had a connection that ran deep. Or so I believed.
I always thought it was an extraordinary kind of love.
My mom says I don't see things as they really are and have a heart the size of Texas.

I know she's wrong.
It IS extraordinary to get left in Mexico on your pre-honeymoon and marry the person anyway.
It IS extraordinary to have your wedding ring get pawned instead of the shiny blue Strat. (that's a guitar.)
It IS extraordinary to have someone walk out not once, twice, or even three times on the lady and still love.
and forgive.

Okay, so truth be told, maybe it wasn't so lady like to try and run him over with the Volvo.
For real!
It was his own fault, of course.
He should have just taken me out for Chinese food like all the other nice church husbands were doing!!
It was Mother's Day for gosh sakes!

Yep. As a believer, I actually did that!
I reaaallly wanted Chinese food!
I think the word says something like, "Why do we get angry? Cause we don't get our way."

I can still see the look of fear on his face as he ran through the drainage ditch.
We laugh about it now.
Or I do anyway.
It takes some of the sting out of the rest of it.

Tara, my oldest daughter was having guy trouble and she asked how long I had waited for him to change. "I don't know. I lost count. 14, 15 years?"
"Wow," she said, "that is so craZy!"
"Ya think?"

When I hung up...It finally dawned on me that it wasn't so much that I wanted him to change.
Okay, maybe I wanted him to get off the couch once in a while, love holidays as much as I did and make a decision to participate in life a little...

But, it occurred to me in a flash of truth....I think what I really wanted all that time was for him to just love me as much as I loved him.

And that's probably how God feels about us.
He knows what we want.
He loves us and wants what's best for us.
Smartly, because He's God like that, sometimes he doesn't give us what we want because it's not what we really need.

Even if sometimes, because you're kind of crazy, you think what you might really want is for someone to be layed out all over the couch saying, "Hand me the remote Hamster Face."

1st Corinthians Chapter 13 says,
"Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
It is not proud.
It does not dishonor others.
It is not self-seeking.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes.
Love always perseveres."

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
1 John 4.

That's a real, "crazy little thing called love."

Happy Fun Girl: WOW! What a Weekend!

Happy Fun Girl: WOW! What a Weekend!: Oprah Winfrey said, "There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women." And I know just what she meant. I h...

WOW! What a Weekend!

Oprah Winfrey said, "There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women."

And I know just what she meant. I have friends like that. They happen to be scattered all over the U.S., but they know who they are. The bond created between women is like no other.

We share in our womanhood....and all the pain, joy, sorrow and laughter that it brings.

After spending Friday and Saturday at the Women of Faith: Celebrating What Matters conference in San Antonio, I am encouraged, refreshed and ready again to be a mountain mover!

There is something about women coming together to celebrate God in the midst of our brokenness.
The presence of God so thick in the Alamodome, you could literally feel it the minute you walked through the doors.

And as much as I soooo wanted to peek during the kindly discreet call for salvation, I didn't.
It wasn't necessary.
With tears streaming down my face, I felt the holy spirit at work as I heard Lisa Harper keep repeating, "I see you...I see you...I see you...hundreds of hands are going up."

Oh how I wanted to crack my pointer and naughty finger apart just enough to catch a glimpse!
But I didn't.

Low on funds and coming undone, I knew I needed to be there.
So I volunteered and was disappointed that the positions for ushers were already filled.
At the last minute I received an email saying they had an opening come available for product sales.
I responded immediately, "I'd love to."

As long as I don't have to do math, I thought to myself.

So for a day and a half, I pushed books, tapes, cd's, bracelets and apparel.
Mostly the books. And I could actually see, "My Book" displayed on a table just like that someday.
And it energized me and I knew I was in my element.
I have not had that much fun since the signing at Barnes and Noble.

To see these women, all in different places on their journey was amazing.
(In fact they played Journey...how cool is that? Except for the fact that, "Faithfully," makes me cry like a baby and I had to keep repeating to myself..."No break downs, no break downs..."

Instead I focused on selling, "Fully Alive", "God Loves Broken People", "The Voice", "Stumbling Into Grace", "Anything", "What Women Fear", "Mended", "Stuck" and so much more!!

"What is this book about?" they'd ask.
My response was, "It's God's Book of Wisdom. Who knew you could get that for $15.00 dollars!?!
I'd happily pay $20.00!"

And then I'd confess that the Lord whispered to me earlier, "I'd give you $30.00 if  you'd actually listen."

Yikes! And we'd laugh.
Not because it's funny. It's just true.

I pushed Ken Davis' "Fully Alive," as a great book but also admitted to skimming over all the triathlon talk!
And they got that too!

Miraculously, God orchestrated a run in with the women of Grace House that I had the privilege of speaking to, okay, bawled in front of, last month,and also a dear friend, Rhonda, who lost her husband just last year.
He was in his 40's. Just like me.

Thousands of women there and I bump into women of faith that I reaaaallly needed to see!
He works like that.

And so we worshipped.
Selah and CeCe Winans were amazing and Ken Davis was just so stinking funny I just wanted to run down and hug him for making me laugh.

It's the best medicine in the whole wide world.

Which is what you need when you're dealing with the blows that life hands you sometimes.

I was so fortunate to be able to talk with a woman who also understood the challenges of keeping God a priority in your teenager or young adult's lives.

She said to me, "My son has gone from being an atheist, to agnostic, to just calling me up the other night and saying, "Thanks! Thanks a lot!! I keep talking with my friends and the whole time all I hear in my head is, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son!"

I met, Cynthia and Rose, who were my product table mates.

"Have you been coming to Women of Faith for many years?" I asked.
"No. I've never been here before," said Rose.
"WHAT?? Then how did you come to be a volunteer?"
"I've been...I don't know..kind of feeling like something is missing. I don't go to church and I don't really do the God thing, but I kept driving by the Alamodome on the way to work and saw the sign that they needed volunteers and well, it sounds strange, but...I just felt it was something I needed to do."

"That doesn't sound strange to me at all. That sounds like God, doin' his Thing!" I winked.

And then there's Cynthia, who I told, "I'm Tina. Do you want to be my friend?"
Sort of in jest, but also totally serious because I was so drawn to spend time with her.
She laughed and said, "Yes."
She said YES!!!! lol!

Then she told me I was so good at pushing product I should be in sales.
"I am in sales!! Real estate for 22 years now plus years and years of hustling Thin Mints and other Girl Scout Cookies!"

Oh! And speaking of God doing his thing.
"Jesus Calling " by Sarah Young.
OMGosh!! I sold tons of that book!
Actually, the other women sold them for me.

Now I can get pretty enthusiastic about, well, about anything...but perfectly normal looking women, would stand all poised in line, spot this book, and suddenly turn into Tony Robbins!

"This is the best book!" They would scream to their friends.
I started selling it by telling the others how much the other women were freaking out over it.
And don't we always want what a sister's got???

I'd say, "I don't know if they are just sitting on their couch, dropping pounds by the minute reading this or what? But everyone is crazy about this book!"

And then I picked it up, read a daily devotional page and went, "Ooohhhh! This book is as annointed as all get out!"
This is not just your average run of the mill devotional.
Perhaps the publisher paid extra to get the boxes of books prayed over by The Prayer Warrior Team Extraordinaire or they were sprinkled with holy water during the binding process, but it was undeniable.

Towards the end of the event, from my table I could hear a song that has always had a special place in my heart and spoke volumes to my spirit.

"Once upon a time, I was falling in love....now I'm only falling apart...nothing I can do...a total eclipse of the heart."

Jesus was calling thousands of women to unite in their brokenness this past weekend and to celebrate a love that never fails.

We were loved into understanding how desperately we are in need of a savior, and how he loves us so unconditionally.

Thank you Women of Faith! You gave us just who we needed, right when we needed Him!

And Cynthia...I'll see YOU at lunch this week! :)

Happy Fun Girl: The Secret to Love that Lasts: Subscribe Now

Happy Fun Girl: The Secret to Love that Lasts: Subscribe Now: Years ago there was a book that came out titled,  "The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts"  by Gary Chapman.  Having n...

The Secret to Love that Lasts: Subscribe Now

Years ago there was a book that came out titled, "The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts" by Gary Chapman. 

Having not actually read the book yet, I'm very curious what those languages are, and if I'm going to need a Rosetta Stone companion guide for the translation.

Food is my love language.

I woke up at 5 am this morning to secretly bake what I hope will be, a delicious Blue Berry Coffee Cake for my daughter.

We got into it yesterday morning when I threw out breakfast suggestions and she didn't want any of them.

Last night before bed, I said, "Let's just figure out what you want for breakfast tomorrow so we don't have to argue about it in the morning."

Being the honest kind of girl she is, she replied, "I wasn't arguing with you, I just don't like the selections you were offering. I'm bored with our breakfast food."

 I bit my tongue and kept from my initial sarcastic comment, "I'm sorry Paula Deen..."

"How about if I make a coffee cake in the morning?"

She rolled her eyes as if to say, give me a break, but instead said, "You're not going to get up and make me coffee cake."

In her defense, I have not been springing out of bed with a Mandisa kind of "Good Morning,"  attitude.

Perhaps if Toby Mac were to wake me singing, "Top of the morning to ya..." I'd be a little more excited.

But I love her.

And so I baked.

In just a few minutes I will say, "Rise and Shine..Behold...Blue Berry Coffee Cake!"

And I pray she doesn't reject it.

That is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Sometimes I will spend several hours preparing something scrumptious, sometimes burned and when I make the formal presentation to those I love, they will say something infuriating like, "I'm not hungry," or "I'll try it later."

Aaagghhh! That makes me crazy!

I just want them to receive the love that I am trying to share with them.

But no.

They'll have no part of it.

And admittedly, there is a part of me, that feels like they are not just rejecting the food...but me too!

As I was waiting for the cake to bake I made myself some coffee and checked my email.

For the last several days, I've been attempting to get a bunch of addresses in my data base, and I really despise data entry but was excited to get the October newsletter out.

And then I started getting the emails.

Client so and so has opted out of receiving communications from you.

Oh wow.

I expected one or two.

I've received five.

Considering there are about 1000 names already in the data base, I guess that's probably not bad.

But still, it's rejection.

They have chosen or "opted out" of receiving what I have for them.

And at about my second cup of coffee, it occurred to me that is exactly what I do with God sometimes.

I click the "Unsubscribe" button.

I opt out of accepting his grace, his forgiveness, his power, or his instructions.

All of those things that he has prepared for me to receive, because of his great love for me.

Essentially....I am rejecting the server.

"God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life." 1 John 5.

That's a tough one. I know a lot of people who "opt out" of the Jesus scene.

I myself thought it was ridiculous for a lot of my 'life'.

Of course, in hindsight, it wasn't really living at all. 

Even believers struggle at times with unbelief.

I love Hebrews 4, in The Message, it says, "We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn't do them a bit of good because they didn't receive the promises with faith."

I woke up my little breakfast non-believer and a huge smile appeared on her face when she saw the plate of coffee cake.

Yayy!!

She gratefully received the communication of love that I was sharing and chose not to reject the server, i.e., me.

I'm so glad, that despite my own disbelief some days, I've never yet opened a a message from Godmail@yahoo.com that says, "The server has rejected your communication."

His inbox is never too full to receive communication from you. 

Just hit "SUBSCRIBE" and he'll always reply back with love that lasts.

Happy Fun Girl: Let go of the bear! I gotta pee!

Happy Fun Girl: Let go of the bear! I gotta pee!: I was sooo excited to hear this week that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are reuniting for a benefit album titled, "This ...

Let go of the bear! I gotta pee!

I was sooo excited to hear this week that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are reuniting for a benefit album titled, "This Christmas." 

Grease is one of my absolute all time favorite movies, and also one of the first I was allowed to see without parental supervision!

After the "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee..." slow and depressing melody at the drag race, I was totally surprised and shocked when Sandy came out strutting her stuff with kinked up hair, black leather pants and 

some seriously super red lipstick.

Now that I think about it, she kind of made smoking look cool for a minute!?!

Maybe subliminally, I refuse to quit entirely because I am still waiting for Danny to show up all squared away in his letterman's sweater and sexy black t-shirt so we can rock, "We go to together..." in the Shake Shack.

In reality, I'm the "Brusha, brusha, brusha..." girl.

But seriously, they do go together.

A perfect mix and match.

Like Rose and Jack in "The Titanic."

Sort of like Marie was a little bit country and Donnie was a little bit rock and roll.

Although, they were related, so that's not exactly the same thing.

We long for companionship.

I overheard a woman ask her friend to, "Come with me," to the restroom.

That was mandatory behavior at ages 12-25...but seriously? She was at least 40.

I refrained from commenting, "Honey, at some point, ya just gotta go it alone."

Or do you?

Not if you are a tiny chihuahua mix named "Pepe", I think it was.

"Pepe" came running as fast as he could down the sidewalk of my apartment with his owner lagging behind.

I could not help but notice that the dog was carrying a gigantic stuffed teddy bear in his mouth.

"Oh my gosh! That is soooo cute! I can't believe that tiny dog can carry such a big bear."

"He always does. Ever since he was a puppy. It's his teetee bear."

My eyes grew wide.

My "Mr. Riley" dog's eyes grew wider.

He looked at "Pepe" then at me, then back at "Pepe."

"What do you mean, his teetee bear?"

"Ever since he was little, when he wants to go outside to go potty, he grabs his bear."

"Seriously?"

Then I watched amazed and dumbfounded as "Pepe" found a spot in the grass, tossed the bear over near the bushes with a simple shake of his head, then proceeded to lift his leg and pee all over the yellow lantana plant.

When he was done, pepe-ing, he retrieved the bear and started to walk smartly back down the sidewalk.

Mr. Riley looked at me like he had just seen the stupidest thing he's ever seen in his 7 dog years.

He actually had a look on his face like, "Are you kidding me?"

If he could talk, he would say something that apparently is not allowed to be said anymore because it's offensive. 

"That is so _ _ _!"

Hangman anyone? lol!

It used to mean happy.

Sometimes you just need someone to walk along the road with you.

Quality companionship makes people happy.

In the very first book, God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion."

Later, in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 of The Message it says, "It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. If one falls down, (or gets tossed in a bush, I guess) the other helps."

I kind of think I need my own teetee bear!

Reading 1 Corinthians chapter 7 tells me though that this single life is supposed to be simpler in many ways.

Then it goes on again and talks about when things are really mixed up.

Oh wow.

In the midst of the look up, I just landed on the scripture that was indeed my basis for the divorce in 1998.

15-16.."On the other hand, if the unbelieving spouse walks out, you've got to let him or her go."

It's been "Let it Go" theme season around here.

Reading on, "You don't have to hold on desperately. God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can. You never, know wife: The way you handle this might bring your husband not only back to you but to God."

Yeah? Mmmhh....

Really not the case here Big G.

.

Nearly 14 years after the final day, which was ironically the same as our anniversary, I humbly flew to Wisconsin.

It was just this past January and I had come to understand some things and wanted to apologize for my wrong doings.

Also because I was psychotically convinced we were suppose to work it out.

The final straw hit me when I suggested prayer and was answered with a very loud and angry, "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF I ASKED YOU TO PRAY TO SATAN WITH ME?"

I was on a plane back to Texas the next morning.  

You never know what to expect from an ex I guess. Even if you are old friends.

The whole scene has had me super saddened in my spirit over the last several months.

It's the recognition of reality and loss.

Lost love. Lost dreams. Broken promises.

Much like Rose saying, "I'll never let go, Jack...I'll never let go."

But she does.

You never know how hard it is to let go.

Especially when you're still holding on.

I can feel my grip is slipping.

Finally.

Happy Fun Girl: Who do you think you are?

Happy Fun Girl: Who do you think you are?: (photo courtesy of 123rfphoto.com) I woke up the other day with "The Who" in my head.... "Who are you?" I blame it on a four year ol...

Who do you think you are?

(photo courtesy of 123rfphoto.com)

I woke up the other day with "The Who" in my head...."Who are you?"

I blame it on a four year old.
At our National Night Out, little Jordan with the Rock Star t-shirt came up and announced to me very enthusiastically that he was going to be Spider Man for Halloween.

"I have Spider Man socks too!" he shouts.
"That's so cool! I want her socks!" I replied, pointing to a pre-teen girl with braces and black polka dotted knee highs.

Then he caught me off guard.
"Who are you gonna be?"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Who are you gonna be?"
"Oh! For Halloween! I haven't decided yet. I always wanted to be Wonder Woman, but again, my bracelets don't really repel bullets like they used to."

I don't know why I thought he would see the humor in that.

He stared at me like any sane four year old would.
Politely he said, "Oh."
I know he was thinking, "Whatever, lady."

But I woke up with "The Who" in my head, wondering who I was?
I really want to know.

The first thing I remember wanting to be was a singer. (Not that I can, I've just always loved music)
When I saw the stage come up from underground at Adventure Land Park with a band singing "Celebrate Good Times," I was hooked.
Well, that, and I really, really, really wanted to live with the Partridge family.

When the birded bus failed to show up, I decided maybe a Dairy Queen worker? (I used to love the smell of that place...back when it was just ice cream)

Airline stewardess? (I had a Barbie Airplane and loved the cute skirted outfits & plastic food trays..and yes, Ken looked like a dream in his pilot uniform.)

Next a cop, like Angie Dickinson in Police Woman. (She was a crime solving, bad guy getting hottie)

Then a writer. (Everyone said I should be. I was good at it. And I loved it.)

Next, a Super Hero. ( I actually planned a Super Hero wedding once where I was Wonder Woman and married Batman or Superman...I can't remember which....now, I'm just too afraid to fly.)

So, who am I, really??
I wondered.

I'm an author.
Though "Pig's Big Adventure," is not on the NY Times list and I've gotten a little discouraged quite honestly about the number of sales.

Real estate broker for almost 22 years now.

Mother of three daughters.
Daughter.
Sister
Granddaughter
Aunt.
Friend.
Ex-wife.
Ex-girlfriend.

Excellent.

It's important to know who you are.
John the Baptist, the crazy haired, bug eating, "Jesus is coming!" messenger guy knew who he was.
And who he wasn't.
"Who are you?" the Jewish leaders asked.
"I am not the Messiah."
"Well, then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?"
"No"
"Are you the prophet we are expecting?"
No.
"Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
There are different translations for his response, but I love this one best.
"I am thunder in the dessert."
"I am the voice in the desert shouting...Prepare ye the way for the Lord!"

Sometimes when you're in the desert, it's just nice to have the hope of the sound of thunder.

Later, when Jesus showed up, they questioned him relentlessly as well.
He tried to explain in John 8, "If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at a dead end of sins. You're missing God in your lives."

"Just who are you anyway?" they asked again.
He tried to answer, but they ended up basically calling him crazy and trying to throw stones at him.
But, Jesus knew who he was.
They just didn't want to believe that he was the son of God.

I wonder sometimes if he wanted to chant back at them loudly, "Stick and stones may break my bones..."
Or maybe an urban version of, "YOU DON'T KNOW ME!!" with a sharp head bop.

Some days it's hard to believe that we are everything that God says we are.
I am a child of God.
I am justified.
I am qualified.
I am an heir.
I am the apple of his eye.
I am redeemed.
I am chosen.

I am a woman with dreams, knit in my mother's womb who God knew and created to love him and do good works.

Some days I don't do so good.
And that's when I remember who I really am...a sinner, saved by grace.
That's who I am.

Who are you? Who? Who? Who? Who?
I really wanna know.

Happy Fun Girl: National Night Out...Who are the People in YOUR ne...

Happy Fun Girl: National Night Out...Who are the People in YOUR ne...:                                                                                                     (photo courtesy of star94fm.com) La...

National Night Out...Who are the People in YOUR neighborhood?

                                                                                                    (photo courtesy of star94fm.com)


Last week, I hung 49 door hangers inviting people in the Lost Creek subdivision to attend my open house.

I actually printed 50, but ended up with very smelly dog feces on the last one.
Just so you know, don't try to take your dogs with you when walking door to door, tying fancy curling ribbon invitations to each and every door knob.....in semi-high heels.

Talk about ruff!

Thinking I was smart, I brought an extra plastic bag along, just in case they decided to poo poo in one of the yards.

Not only did they want to poop in one of the yards, but being in new territory, they wanted to poop in all of the yards!
They wanted to sniff every driveway, pee on every bush and lick the dried up, flattened frog carcass in the street.
Then of course, there is the general dog world meet and greet which usually entails.....butt sniffing.

Needless to say, I ran out of plastic bags and had to use my last pretty invitation with a catchy, "Who are the people in YOUR neighborhood?" greeting at the bottom.

I love, love, meeting new people and although it poured and poured during the open house last Saturday, a few of the neighbors did stop by.

So, I stuck my nose in their lives a bit and we chatted about the area, retirement, life in the military, the artisan platter at Sandstone Cellars Winery, cake, dinner parties and how much we love shopping at HEB.

Continuing the "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself" theme week, tonight is National Night Out in Texas.
I'm making four loaves of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread to take down to the apartment lobby to share with the rest of my fellow temporary apartment dwellers.

Many of us are in, ummm?, transition, but I'm hoping they will embrace the meet and greet, minus any actual butt sniffing and join me in a fun game of, "Who are the people in your neighborhood?"

I'm pretty into that kind of thing.

I love the idea of getting together and making new friends and sharing our lives. So many times I think we restrict ourselves by just hanging out with people who are just like us.

We tend to group together with people who believe the same things and look and act the same.
Quite honestly, I find that super boring.
Why not mix it up a bit and get outside of our comfort zones? Maybe meeting new people who are different than ourselves?

I want to know who lives near me and what their needs are.
I want to lift up Chris, the Vietnam Vet who lives downstairs with his 24 year old son who doesn't seem to do much but chill on the balcony and smoke from his hookah all day long.
I get that.
The stress of living with an adult child, I mean...I'm not even sure what a hookah is.
I think that's what it is. Again, I'm really not sure.

Honestly, I love all of my new neighbors, and was totally unaware of the verse that says, "If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse."

What the heck? Really?
Yikes. I better quit yelling, "Have a great day!" to everyone from my balcony.

I enjoy knowing Andy and Sherry and talking about the roller coaster of real estate, even though they work for Keller Williams and I am a RE/MAX girl all the way!

Or Bob and Sharon who made us the most delicious chocolate rasberry cupcakes last week and are building a new home.

Then there's Camilla, right below me bless her heart, who has to hear the thumping of 70's music and my earthquake like footsteps, gliding across the floor when I wake up at 3 am 'cause I can't sleep.
She was sweet enough to bring her beautiful grand daughter to my book signing.

Ricky and his big slobbery dog, Roberto who tool around on his unicycle kind of thing all day...I'm not sure why....he has a stinking gorgeous sports car, but he chooses to spend most of his time rolling around on the pavement.

There are the twins and their young mom and dad who occasionally get a little loud, 'cause that's what young families do, and also the "perfect family" one floor below who home school their kids and are always taking one wonderful outing or another together. They always come back smiling and happy.

I'm really only familiar with outings that result in slamming doors and name calling, but, it's nice to see a family functioning.

These are just a few of us, cohabiting and doing this thing called life together in very close quarters. Sometimes it's difficult or challenging, or monotonous or joyous.
But we are all just people, sharing in a journey.

"You have heard it said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matt 4:44

I take that to mean that even if the guy next door chopped off part of your pecan tree because it was hanging into his yard and you haven't spoken to him in years because of it....take him a pie.

Or the people across the street are collecting junk cars in the driveway that make your blood boil every time you go to the mailbox....take him a pie.

Many times, the answer to peace is.....pie.

My hope is that tonight, all over Texas, despite our differences, people will meet and greet those living around them in a loving and neighborly way....truly embracing the concept of "loving our neighbors as ourselves."

We are great lovers of 'self' are we not? :)

Oh, wait...I just thought of this....
While you're out there loving on everyone, it's especially important to remember...
DO NOT covet your neighbor's wife.

That's a pretty big no, no.