Highlight: Getting a hug from Caitlin & KJ after they received their extraordinarily overdue baptism gifts.
Summary:
a. Another day spent in the library. Enough said.
b. I traded emails with Blue Jean Baby. Man, I miss her. ;-)
b. I took the long way home today, and went by TCU. Ordinarily I wouldn't give a horned-frog about the school, but they've been winning in football lately. I wanted to see what their winning ways meant in terms of dollars for their football stadium. It's nice! It's been a month or so since I've been on a college campus, so it was good to be there.
c. I took two walks tonight - one with Cetelia, where she left me in the dust (she was walking fast to exercise), and another one by myself. No wildlife tonight - other than the mosquitoes, which DD knows all about down there in Houston.
What I Learned:
Commitments can be fulfilled when you put your head down, and do it - even if it requires grinding. I committed to blogging for 30 days, and I have done just that. Thanks for reading!
Highlight: The 3-hour nap I grabbed after church.
Summary:
a. We went to church at The Mount (Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church) this morning. As it was two weeks ago, folks were happy to see us. It's always nice to be feel welcome. Still, I missed being at WOLFC (Word of Life Family Church).
b. I finally got to hear a choir sing today. We've been in Texas for almost a month, and all I've heard is two male choruses and a children's choir. The choir sang Israel's You Are Good, and I was a little surprised when it didn't end like we end it at WOLFC. I guess I've heard it one way for so long.
c. In some ways I'm still experiencing culture shock. WOLFC is a church with great racial diversity, while The Mount is predominantly black. It has been almost 15 years since I've attended a predominantly black church, so it's taking a bit of time for me to get re-acclimatized to the worship style. It's all good. Just different.
d. After church we rode by a house we liked and toured Friday afternoon. While it has potential, I'm reluctant to put any emotion towards it at all. It seems like I've been let down to many times already while house-hunting, so I'm trying to keep from getting attached to any one property ... just in case.
e. The day ended with Cetelia and me taking a stroll. We saw our skunk friend tonight, but only after we saw a possum. So, we've seen a coyote, tarantula, skunk, possum, and a passel of deer. Perhaps tomorrow night we'll see a bear. ;-)
Today's Lesson:
Our limitations are typically imaginary. Because we don't care to do a particular thing or may have experienced difficulties in the past regarding it, we form a stronghold in our mind regarding it. The more we think and speak negatively about that limitation, the more we power we give it. I'm being tested right now to live beyond false limitations I've constructed in my mind over the years. Perhaps at another juncture I'll get into what they are. But, for now, if I'm to lead nourish my family, I must embrace the fact that my self-imposed limitations are imaginary, and only serve to hold me back.
Highlight: Working all day, and making strides on a Marriage Works! project
Summary:
a. There's not a great deal to write about today. I was in the library for six hours, at Panera for 2.5 hours, and have been working tonight for almost 2 hours. I was behind on my work due to an issue this week that took about three days to get under control. So today was my day to work, work, work.
b. On the way back to our hosts' home, I looked over in the field and at least a couple hundred cows grazing. I was able to see a few calf nursing. It reminded me of how my kids are dependent upon me to nourish and teach them about God and life in general. What a tall order! The only way I can do this successfully is to abide in the vine so I can be nourished myself.
Lesson Learned:
Both Cetelia and I can become headstrong, and entrenched in our positions. While I want to win, doing so doesn't benefit my marriage at all. It's better for me to back down, be cool, and try to find a way to move the conversation forward without trying to score points. I work with so many couples who are recalcitrant, bitter, and vengeful. I don't want to have a marriage like that. The way to avoid going that way is to love Cetelia. She's a lovely person, but sometimes she awakens the bull in Bullard because of our different of opinions, preferences, and perspectives (the new OPP?). I have a choice to make at all times: I can be a jerk, or I can be like Jesus. "Jesus, help me to be like you. I often want to be a jerk, and feel justified in doing so. Help me to love Cetelia like you love the church."
I managed to lose my entire brain dump prior to posting. Awesome!
Instead of rewriting it, I'll simply give you a skinny of the day ...
a. We looked at a lot more houses.
b. I was encouraged today by CBJ and my dad.
c. I saw South Fork Ranch today while on our house tour. Too cool! It's the one landmark I've wanted to see since we've been down here. We just happened to go past it while leaving a house that wasn't too far away. It was my highlight of the day!
