Daisypath Anniversary Years Ticker

Thursday, September 27, 2012

MISSION OPPORTUNITY

My mother, Maxine Patterson, is sitting between me and my brother in the picture above.  She is one amazing lady.

We are in a Bible study together on Tuesday evenings.  We have 6 small groups studying the book of James.  She is actually part of the welcome team each week.  She surprised me the first night when she asked to be in my small group. 

This week our Mission Opportunity is to minister to someone in need.  We were instructed to ask God to show us the opportunity and then we are to act on it.

Well, yesterday I was allowed the opportunity to witness my mother taking an opportunity to minister to someone and at the same time live the scripture from Matthew when Jesus responds with the question, "Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?

I went with my mother to her annual physical checkup.  I wanted to meet her doctor (again) and hear what he had to say about a couple of concerns I, along with my siblings, had.  After her checkup (which went very well) we got to go out for lunch.  We had some delicious food and some great conversation.

When we returned to her home, she looked out her front window and saw a lady who had been her neighbor until just a week or so ago coming out of the apartment next to hers.  She wondered out loud if Mrs. Blackman needed a ride back to the resident's hall.  I told her to go find out if she wanted to do that.  She did.  She came back inside, looked at me and said, "I'm not trying to run you off but she needs a ride."  She got her keys and didn't wait for me to leave first; she headed out the backdoor.

I could have had my feelings hurt a little.  I did just take the whole day off work to spend it with her.  I am her daughter, family.  I could have just said I would wait on her but she really didn't give me that option.  She didn't have to look at me and say, "Who is my daughter? and who is my sister?"  She demonstrated it.

I heard the Holy Spirit whispering to me - Look at this Child of God responding to a need without thinking.
What a lesson.  What a blessing.  I am one of the luckiest daughters in the world.

I do love Maxine Elaine Voss Patterson.

Friday, September 7, 2012

55 THINGS ON MY 55TH BIRTHDAY

I really don't know if I can accomplish this goal but I am going to try it.  AND I'm not making a list to check off.  Just going to see what I do today.

1.  Checked email - what a way to start the day.  I woke up at 3am and could not go back to sleep.  So at 4am I got out of bed and checked my email.
2.  Brewed hot tea - awesome.  Enough said.
3.  Ran/walked 3.1 miles in 47 minutes, a new record for me.  Then finished up by walking the rest of the way home for total of 3.4 miles in 54 minutes, burned 342 calories.
4.  Quiet time - Read Streams in the Desert, and then studied the readings for this coming Sunday.  What a lesson I learned.  I can't wait to hear how Pastor Shealy preaches on Sunday.
5.  Got ready - yes I am counting that because it takes time and energy to do all that stuff to be ready to walk out of the door and go shopping in a little while.  (Rereading this - I should have counted each step!)
6.  Purposely put on the ring my husband gave me on September 6, 1976.  The first piece of jewelry he gave me. 
7.  Ate breakfast.
8.  Clorax clean uped my kitchen counters so Jeb wouldn't have to do that later.
9.  Made my bed.  I know it just has to be done.
10.  Moved three cases of Coors upstairs.  Yep we drink beer occasionally and it was on a big sale so we bought it.  I just was ready for it to be out of the living room.  I live in a little house and our living room is more like a den.  But I still call it the living room. 
11.  Finally threw away the roses Jeb gave me 1 1/2 weeks ago.  They were done.
12.  Washed a load of clothes
13.  Fed Lucky - the dog!  She was very happy I did that.
14.  Opened birthday card from my mother.  Beautiful card with a check!!!
15.  Looked for a new hair dryer at Kohl's.  Didn't find one.
16.  Bought my best friend part of her birthday present.  Her birthday is next week. 
17.  Bought two - yes two - commentaries on James.  (I left them in my mother's trunk.  So sad.)
18.  Went to lunch with my mama.  55 years ago around 10:30am I was born.  60 years ago at 2:00pm my parents were married in Freeport, Illinois.  (I was child #3.  3 children in 5 years!!)
19.  Answered an email from a friend.
20.  Laughed hard when my mama told me about arriving at the motel on their wedding night.
21.  Went to Dress Barn.
22.  Bought the cutest vest that looks like a scarf.  It is great.
23.  Folded the load of clothes that had been left in the dryer by my husband.  (What a shock, he really doesn't ever do this.  He's a put everything in its place right away person.  Thank you Lord.  Because I am not that person.)
24.  Opened two birthday cards I received in the mail.
25.  Puts the clothes in the dryer.
26.  Drove to Freeman's Bakery. 
27.  Bought a birthday present for my best friend.  Debbie if you're reading this, it will make you wonder for 7 days.
28.  Bought a loaf of bread for someone that has been on my heart and mind all day.
29.  Bought a cranberry white chocolate chip cookie for myself - it was delicious.
30.  Went by someone's house to deliver bread. 
31.  Answered my phone while parked in front of someone's house.  Talked so long that a neighbor came outside to  look at the crazy person parked in front of her neighbor's house.
32.  Rang the doorbell of someone's house.  They were not at home.  The neighbor told me that they were at the beach.
34.  Talked to the neighbor.
35.  Drove to Lisa's house and gave her the loaf of bread.
36.  Talked to Lisa about so much stuff that it would take an hour to repeat it all.  That was so much fun.
37.  Came home/folded another load of laundry.
38.  Answered a call from Jackson.  Happy Birthday to me!!!
39.  Went to Stefano's for birthday dinner.
40.  Said yes when asked by "the management" to sample a glass of a new bottle of wine.  It was delicious.  Don't know what it was.  Just can't remember.  How sad!!
41.  Ordered not 1 but 2 pieces of "million dollar pound cake" and "tiarmisu".  Brought home half of it.
42.  Opened presents - Large Yves Delorme "provence" soap - I love this soap; Tyler candle - English Ivy; and a new bag by Rowallan.  THANK YOU PORTER'S FOR HAVING ALL OF THIS FOR MY HUSBAND TO GIVE ME!!!
43.  Read lots of birthday wishes on facebook
44.  Oh my, I still have 11 things to do before bed.  #44 typing up the list.
45.  Sat and just talked with Jeb.  How fun!  It really is fun to just sit and talk with him.
46.  Wrote two thank you notes.
47.  Answered the phone and talked with my friend Joann.  We just can't seem to get our schedules fixed to celebrate my birthday.
48.  Put on pjs
49.  Brushed my teeth.  I'm really pushing it here.
50.  Said thank you to God for such a wonderful 55th birthday.

I did do some other stuff.  It is amazing how much "stuff" we do every day.