Here We Go Again

You may remember back on February 5 that tornados blew through our part of the state. Well last Friday, May 2, we had yet another stormy day. This time it was in the morning. At about 9 am, I got a call from Brian that Conway County was under a warning and that a tornado had been confirmed to touch down. Of course my first thoughts were of my kids. They were at school, and here I was 25 miles away. All I could do was pray that they were ok. I spent the rest of my morning checking up on people and watching the local news on the internet. The kids were safe, but I soon found that several people I knew had lost their homes, including one of the little girls in Skylar's preschool class. The last I heard, there were eight deaths caused by the storms, so while losing a home is devastating, it could have been worse.

When I picked Skylar up from school, I quizzed her about her morning. She said when the sirens started going off they went to their safe room and Mrs. Cindy started praying over them. I once again feel so blessed that she is in a preschool where there is such a strong Christian foundation. She didn't know what had happened to her friend's home, and I struggled to explain it to her in a way that wouldn't scare her or upset her too badly. She was very concerned for her friend and all of her toys. I told her the toys could all be replaced and that we should be thankful her family was alright. She accepted that and then suggested we buy her something to replace her lost toys. We will be making a trip to the store very soon, and I won't be surprised if she and her friend end up with new matching outfits and something fun too.

New Goal

For my birthday, Brian got me exactly what I wanted, a treadmill. I have done really good at using it ever since. I started keeping a log of my distances and times on the second night. That night I walked 2.4 miles in 46 minutes. I have been increasing my distance ever since, but walking a minimum of 45 minutes each session at least 5 nights a week. On Tuesday I went 3 miles in 45 minutes. I even managed to jog one mile of that, which led me to set a new goal for myself. As you may remember, each October I participate in the Race for the Cure. By this October I want to be able to run the entire 5K - that's just slightly over 3 miles. While that may not seem like much, for a couch potato like me, it might as well be a marathon. So - I will keep you all updated on my progress and let you know when I finally reach my goal.

As far as the weight loss goals I have, I am still holding steady. I haven't been able to shake those 5 pounds I put on during the Christmas season, but I haven't added any more. I am hoping the new walking/jogging routine will whittle them away. I can already see a difference in the way some of my clothes fit. Even though the scale hasn't shown a loss, some of the fat has at least shifted around, so I have to consider that a non-scale victory.

Bon Jovi Concert

Well last Thursday night was the big Bon Jovi concert that Kathy and I have been looking forward to since November. It was definitely worth the wait and the six hour drive to Nashville. We had no travel problems at all, found everything without getting lost, and even managed to get in some shopping on a Tennessee sales tax free weekend (why cant we have those in Arkansas???)

The opening act was Daughtry - of American Idol fame. They did a great job, though I should have listened to their CD a few times before going just to brush up on the lyrics some. It's hard to sing along when you can't remember the words.

Our seats were really good - so Kathy may live down the fact that we didn't get to see them a couple of years ago because she kept waiting for better seats. We probably couldn't have picked a better venue to see them in considering this was their first (and last) attempt at a country sound. Since we were in Nashville, there were a couple of surprise guests - both Big & Rich and Leann Rimes showed up to sing the songs they collaborated on. The best part of the evening was when Jon came out on the second stage they had set up - it was a mere 12 rows in front of us. I was irritated that my batteries were getting weak in my camera so when he finally turned to face us my camera was out of commission. Oh well - this is a pretty good shot...

All in all, I was not disappointed at all. They put on a great, non-stop 2.5 hour show - not bad for a 46 year old guy. Brian asked if I would do it again and I said without a doubt yes. Most of the concerts I have seen lately have been a let down in one way or another and I left saying that I wouldn't have to see them again, but you can bet the next time Bon Jovi comes close, I will be there.

Wordless Wednesday - Skylar

Check out more wordless wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms and Wordless Wednesday.

And Now...

...back to your regular scheduled programming.

As promised, I am back. I have got to find my blogging groove, but tax season is over and I survived. All in all, it wasn't too bad. I worked a lot of hours, but was blessed not to have to work EVERY Saturday. I managed to make it through without killing anyone, or even biting off any heads. It was touch and go a few times but no one was seriously injured. We had some good part-time help this year and it made all the difference in the world.

I have had my patience tried on several occasions, and even now God is showing me that sometimes I have to wait for His timing. I know He has a plan all worked out, but as usual I want it now. And while I don't even know the detail of His plan, His word tells me in Jeremiah 29:11 -

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

So it's got to be all good, right? He was even speaking to me through the Sunday School lesson I taught just last Sunday. Even when David knew he would be king, he had to wait for God's timing. On more than one occasion, he could have killed King Saul, but God had to prepare David first. David was patient and his patience was rewarded when God's plan was played out in His time. So for now I am trying to be patient and wait for God's plan to be played out before me, because He is God and He doesn't need my help...