This Reminds Me

Archive for August, 2008

As Hurricane Gustav whips toward shore, Baptist Family Services is assisting in the evacuation of the most vulnerable citizens in its projected path.  Friday night, our church went on alert to begin staffing for the arrival of special needs evacuees.   We knew they’d be from the Golden Triangle area (Beamont-Orange-Port Arthur), but we didn’t exactly “who” or how many.  Or – it turns out – actually when they’d arrive.  Staffing for the shelter for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the first time I ever totally exhausted a cordless phone battery.  Luckily, we’d replaced ours only last week.

Keith and Rachel were at the church from 11:30 p.m. last night until 11 a.m. this morning.  The buses and ambulances begin arriving around 7 a.m.  When I saw Keith for the first time today (around 8:15 am.). he was “glowing” in the heat and humidity of traffic control/unloading in the parking lot.

The church lobbywas a constant hub for unloading guests, luggage, linens, meals, medical supplies, etc. Police officers assisted with security and confused guests.  Oxygen tanks had to be wheeled out to fire trunks to be refilled. The city health inspector ran his white glove around.  The youth – who are meeting in the gym because of construction – were milling around, waiting for the sanctuary to be emptied from worship so they can have Sunday School.  I had to pop into the sanctuary a few times to grab some young, strong arms and backs to help carry medical equipment and hot meals.  So somehow….this sign…

…..just cracked me up.

I’ve watched my girls play endless games of basketball in this gym.  I’ve attended umpteen dinners and banquets in this gym.  I’ve taken hundreds of pictures of youth events and VBS in this gym.  But I have never seen this gym put to better use, or been prouder of our church family in it. Matthew 25: 37 – 40:  “Then the righeous will answer him, ‘Lord, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?  Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?   When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’   The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth.  Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Here is what I have noticed when asking people to help with something that is going to inconvenience them, or put them out of their comfort zones.

Really, really busy people are going to hmmm and hawwww for just a few seconds, maybe scrunch up their faces and look off in the distance.  Maybe purse their lips and shut one eye.  And then they’re going to say something like, “Ummmm…yeah.  Okay.  I can make Thursday work.  Put me down.”

Other people are going to tell you their life story.  Slowly.  Culminating with excrutiating rabbit trails to “no.”  Which you knew when they started.  Because pretty much, it’s the same people that scrunch their faces and the same people that want to tell you their life story.  Every time.

Not a fair judgment?  Maybe not.  Maybe so.

But it is what I’ve noticed.

I’m still in denial.  This is the first day of the new school year, and there’s a high school senior living here.  How did that happen?!

Lois – 9th grade (now w/glasses); Rachel – 12th grade; Julia – 2nd grade; Hannah – 7th grade.  Julia wanted to wear her new blue school spirit shirt, but Rachel talked her out of it.  “Julia, only dorks wear school spirit shirts the first day.  Do you want the cool kids to turn you over into a trash can?”  She gets lots of guidance.

Rachel’s first day of kindergarten in 1996.  I cried.  She didn’t.

Lois got “a little lost” her first day in (the huge) high school.  Rachel started her after-school job and, “It’s work.”  (imagine that)  Julia is coincidentally sitting next to the daughter of Ukranian natives and “Mom, she speaks Russian.  Real Russian.”   Hannah started homework the minute she got home.

Rinse and repeat for the next nine months.

School starts Monday.

I’m in total denial.

Yeah, Pooh.  We know.

No more sleeping until 6 a.m.  No more “just make two lunches and out the door.”   No more wondering where all the traffic is.  No more shutting our door at bedtime because I really don’t care who’s still up and who’s not.  And no more quick dinners at the pool.

I took Julia to her school open house tonight.  We did lots of hugging.  Lots of labeling.  And I brought home the first batch of dreaded school forms.  My return address labels are ready.

Julia’s brick in the school entryway was laid over the summer.   Moses’ fellow Hebrews were forced to make bricks. Joshua’s army marched and brought down Jericho’s wall of bricks. Paul described Jesus as a cornerstone. So we decided years ago our school bricks would offer a biblical reference.  Like Jesus’ promise in John 14:18  – “I will not leave you as orphans.  I will come to you.”

Rachel selected a very prophetic verse for her brick in 2001 – “A gentle anaswer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  She must have realized she was going to turn into a teenager one day and that I’d need to be reminded of this verse over and over.  And over.  Again.


Lois is always one for the basics so in 2001 she chose – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomsoever shall believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  Hannah selected the 10 Commandments.  I remember when the girls had to memorize them for Pastor’s Pals.  The first four – relationship with God.  #5 – relationship to parents.  #6 – #10 are all those darned sins, which Hannah was having trouble memorizing in order.  So she, Lois, Rachel and I formed a conga line and danced into church that Sunday night chanting, “Murder!  Adultery!  Steal!  Lie!  Covet!”   They all got ‘em right.

Tomorrow it’s off to Fiesta Texas for one more day of water park fun.

“Get thee behind me, school supplies!”  1st Rebecca 8:21

Rachel and Lois asked to hold a church youth girls slumber party. to welcome the incoming 7th graders – including Hannah – into their tribe.  For some reason, I said “yes.”  The “party” part – yeah – I saw that.  The “slumber” part – ummm – I missed it.

Sixteen girls, plus Julia.  Most arrived in their swimsuits to invade the neighborhood pool.   Remarkably – with all the clothes and  junkola  scattered about, only one item was left – a really nice blue striped beach towel.  It’s my door prize if no one claims it.

Youngest in Hannah and Julia’s room for Make Up 101.  Hannah’s collection is less impressive than is Rachel’s (thankfully.)  They called Radio Disney often enough (estimated 200+ calls) that they actually made it on the air, as announced by the screaming herd of girls that crashed into our bedroom at 2 a.m. to shout about it.  Keith muttered “Daughters,” rolled back over, and promptly returned to sleep as I sat with the sheet clutched in my clenched fists and my heart pounding wildly, glad I took my bedtime blood perssure meds.


Dance, Dance Revolution for PS2 is the best money we ever spent.  Our game is about five years old and how the mats have lasted is beyond me.

Joey – one of my faves – stopped by for some Guitar Hero action.  Alas, poor Joey’s house was wrapped in the wee hours – imagine that.  Naturally, our high school girls knew nothing about it, sainted vessels that they are.  Joey is the pastor’s son, and I’m pretty sure that means whomever wrapped their house is going to hell.

While the high school girls were “somewhere” – the younger ones hid all their stuff in retalliation for not taking them along.  To wherever they went.  Ahem.

Throwing M&M’s into each other’s mouths – don’t say these girls aren’t skilled.  And many can vote next year!  What a comfort!

This coming weekend is Promotion Sunday at church where the kiddos move up a grade to match what they’ll do in school the next day.  For the incoming 7th graders, it’s especially meaningful as they leave the children’s department and move into Youth.   Our children’s minister started a neat tradition of parents collecting cards and notes of encouragement for their kiddos, to be given to them their last Sunday in the children’s department.  If you sent one to Hannah – thank you – she got hers on Sunday.  And no, she wouldn’t let me read them because, “Mom, they’re private!”  (sigh)  So I can’t find a pithy paragraph to share.  However, I made her this card, so I can darn well share that.

I scanned photos of Hannah through the years at church stuff and used Shutterfly to make her card.  We moved to San Antonio and joined Shearer Hills when she was barely four.  It’s a shame I didn’t have a picture of her licking the handrail of the balcony staircase, or bending over on the landing to flip her hem singing, “Shake Your Booty.”

Slumber parties are rights of passage – just like promoting into another grade.    Or trying make-up.  Or wrapping houses.  And as Keith and I hid out in our bedroom, watching snatches of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off- well, Ferris said it best.  “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t slow down and look around, you might miss it.”

Danke schoen, Ferris – you are so right!