Taking A Break

Alaina and I are taking a media break this week. We need to get back to basics and commune with God, nature and each other.  See you in a week!

Risky

Today I shared a link on Facebook.  This is something I've done many times before, but today was different.  I linked to a sermon by a former youth pastor of mine.  He has gone on to pastor the largest church in the Springfield, Missouri area and one of the largest in the nation.  He sermon had to do with human sexuality.  It discussed the sin of homosexuality and made no bones about the fact that this is no more of a sin than adultery or drunkenness or cruelty.  I rarely find myself agreeing 100% with anyone and yet today, with him, I did.  I titled this post risky because I have no doubt that posting that sermon will bring me hate mail and lose me friends. I don't want to lose those friends.  I love them, but I will not hide my beliefs out of fear of offending.  I don't really like to be at odds with anyone and yet the Bible tells us that the gospel will bring offense.  So, it was risky to share that sermon.  I think there are many who need to hear it.  I hope that people who actually take the time to listen to it will see that we all, every one of us, struggle with sin of some type.  We don't have to give in to it.  There is hope.  There is help.  There is Jesus.     http://www.jamesriver.org/jra-messages/1485

No Vacay

So we are not getting to go on our trip as planned.  We had planned to go to a wedding in Oklahoma and then see my mom and go to Springfield, MO and then etc.  My car is acting up even after we had the battery replaced.  Yesterday I was out and could not get the side door to the mini van to close.  None of the electronics would close it and it took me a while to get it to release so that I could close it manually.  I simply am not interested in driving hundreds of miles across the desert in a car that I cannot rely on.  So, I don't get to go.  We will make the best of things here and take some time to slow down and enjoy life!

Car Problems

So, my car has been in the shop for over a week now.  It wouldn't start a week ago Saturday and then again on Sunday.  The AAA people ( not a reliable group in my opinion ) said there was nothing wrong with the battery or alternator.  I thought it was the battery and was glad it was under warrenty, but no.  So the car was taken to Firestone.  2 days and they could not figure out what was wrong with it.  So then it was towed to a dealership.  A week there and they could not figure out what was wrong with it so even though they had the printout from the AAA people they decided to test the battery on their equipment.  The battery is dead.  It is supposed to have 800 ???units and it has zero.  That's right none.  You see the battery was a AAA battery and is under warranty so they would have to replace it for free.  Hmmmmm interesting how their equipment said it's fine and it's not.  Plus now we have all the added expenses of Firestone and the dealership.  Alan is going after them to make them pay.  They will really wish they'd just replaced the battery after he gets done with them.  He's not the type to let something go.  Especially if it cost him money.

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel And No It Isn't A Train

Although for a minute there I thought it was.  We've had such a rough time of it since we moved here. Haven't found many friends and then when we think we've made a friend they find out Alan is a field grade officer and we never see them again.  The thing is, we don't care about all that.  We are not the type of people who care what your rank is.  While we have to observe military protocol insomuch as we could not socialize with anyone enlisted who is in Alan's chain of command, that does not include very many people because he has transferred to public affairs.  Public affairs is a small area of the Army and in his current position he doesn't supervise all that many people.  Not like when he was a company commander.

So, back to the light.  We have made friends!  I've met a few lovely ladies who are Godly women - really love the Lord not just that church lady on Sunday business - and they have kids our age!  And they're willing to let them play!  Even though they lead busy lives!  Isn't it amazing!  Alaina has an average of one play date a week at this point!  We have a family of friends coming over next week to jump on the trampoline and play!  Next week is spring break you see.  Then another day we are meeting a group of people at the zoo!  Praise the Lord!  She is getting her need met for playmates and I am getting mine met for grown-up, meaningful conversation!

Murphy's Law - Army Wife Style

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong and will do so while your husband is gone.  Couldn't be truer.  The mini-van is not working properly. I got stuck out in public for hours last Saturday when it wouldn't start and AAA took forever to come. They said there was nothing wrong with it.  Said they checked the battery and the alternator etc. I was so very happy to see my husband there when I got home! So of course the next morning it wouldn't start and we missed church.  The guy who came out to start it this time said the same thing, but recommended we take it to a shop to have it looked at since there is something that is draining the battery every night.  Firestone can't figure out what's wrong with it and recommended we take it to the dealership for diagnostic testing.  So, now it's been there for 3 days and they can't figure it out either.  We may be in the market for a new vehicle.  :(  This is especially sad as we may miss a wedding we were really looking forward to.  It's out of town and I can't go and leave Alan stranded with no car.

Alaina's 7th Birthday (Yes, from last summer when I wasn't blogging)

Some pics from my daughter's birthday last year.