"A Get-Away, Fast Cars, Dying Hair and Birthdays!"

Alot seems to have been goin on lately at the Moore household. A absolute wonderful trip to an East Texas get-away with most, but not all, of our family.....purchasing an AWESOME car for Dad, in Irving, which he so deserved......Dad causing fits of laughter from family when he decided to dye his hair......and birthdays.

I will assure those of you who possibly wondering about Dad. He is by no means whatsoever going through any said "mid-life crisis" - if anything it's just a couple of fun mid-life changes! The car he has wanted since it came out about a year and a half ago and as for the hair THAT was a simple fun "lets do it and see what happens" situation. He never went to the store with any intentions of buying the stuff. A funny joke if nothing else. Haha! It won't last long anyways.....his hair is kept short! :)

As I think about these things the word CHANGES comes to mind. That word alone can scare some people downright silly sometimes. But it doesn't have to be such a scary word when looked at it in a good perspective. Take for instance our trip. It was a change of scenery, a change of activity, a change of blessings, even a change of trust (meaning: I had to trust that God was goin to make this trip turn out well even when it appeared to NOT be starting well). And next would be "the car". This car DEFINITELY was a change in vehicles from "Big Blue Bus- Suburban" to a super awesome FUN car that gets the most attention we've ever gotten from a car! Of course there is now the change of having a car payment once again after not having any for some years now. And there is the change of having to work a little harder to get in and out of "super awesome fun car" as there is just 2 doors and it's a sports car requiring some folding up of body parts. Ha! But it's worth it .....right?!  Next would be the dying of Dad's hair. This in and of itself was a change from practically all grey hair to now what once was....dark brown hair. It was a visible change for sure! It was also a change to see a daughter have a GOOD time with her parents. It gave her confidence to see us trust her to be able to administer color to Dad's existing (although little) hair. It brought a time of shared laughter....together.....definitely a plus! In fact, the change of the car and the changing of the hair brought us so much closer, if just for one evening, to this daughter that she even chose to continue the rest of the evening with us.....goin out to eat with JUST us as well as watching our fave American Idol later. A very good night indeed! And ...... birthdays. Everyone knows with birthdays come changes. Change in age, change in parties (if any), change in size (after you ate all that cake and ice-cream!) change in perspective as in how are you goin to view your special day (it was the worst day ever or the best day ever), change in your now one day closer to meeting God face to face, and sometimes even a change in finding out who your friends are.

Sometimes change is needed to put us on a better path in life. God can use people, circumstances, failures, mistakes whatever it takes to bring about a change in our life that leads to all that He has in store for us.....BLESSINGS.....MANY BLESSINGS! And WHO doesn't want more blessings in their life?! God never brings a change that isn't for our best and we can trust Him in that....for He has promised. Romans 8:28 is a sure guarantee!

So, my friend, if and when God decides to bring some changes to your life.....don't fret, don't worry, don't plant your feet and say "I'm not moving.", and most of all don't be afraid. God doesn't want us to be afraid anyways because He gave us 365 Bible verses on not being afraid....one for everyday of the year as a matter of fact!
Instead ~  accept it, go with it, give it a good perspective, look for the positive....even the fun. And most of all.....trust in a loving God Who has it alllll planned out for your absolute best and His absolute glory. "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." I love that saying. : )

Remember: Change can be good!

I know these are trivial changes to some, but maybe it gets you to stop and think about changes in your life and see that it's a good thing! However it goes.....I always have fun sharing me with you! So thanks! :)

THE END!

"Alligators and the weekend that almost wasn't!"

It started off as what can we do to bring our family together and have a time of fun and fellowship? It became something quite the opposite! As they say. . .it got worse before it got better!

We decided we would look into a resort formerly and most known by as the Chain O Lakes. As we researched the resort and what they had to offer we noticed that the cabins offered were either a 4 person cabin or a 8 person cabin leaving nothing in between for a family of over 4 and less than 8. With that said, we decided then that each child could take 1 friend with them and that would fill up the 8 person slot. That seemed to work well....and especially well for the child who said they would NOT be going without a friend. Although the oldest said "That's just weird." and the youngest couldn't decide on which friend to take. Finally they had made their decision to join in and we would all come together for a good time. Well.....MOM made the comment to middle child that she might want to bring a favorite board game or two for at night being as though there was NO Tv and they MIGHT need something to do. That comment broke the straw on the camel's back I guess. We were later notified through text message that middle child and friend are no longer going to be a part of this. . .  too boring for their liking so they thought. With that said, Dad told Levi he could invite ONE more friend. The other friend picked decided he would rather stay home and play a game of golf leaving Levi quite frustrated with said friend. Sooo.....he went for the next friends in line. I will say here that there are no more next friends in line that Mom and Dad feel meet the criteria of our liking to want to be able to spend an entire weekend with! This left Levi then very FRUSTRATED once more and he then decides he no longer wants to be a part of this family weekend as well! Great!! <Sigh with a deep breath> Dad and Mom now figure since daughter #2 and son #3 are no longer going that would simply mean daughter #1 and her friend would back out for lack of not wanting to be the only uncool ones who are stuck on a weekend trip with weird Mom and boring Dad.

David and I decided at this time that no matter what....extra money spent, extra food bought, an un-unified family left at home.....we were setting out to have a super awesome time. It's a mind set, a perspective, a decision that sometimes you just have to reach and go with it! My truly amazing and faith filled husband gave me his words of encouragement when I was frustrated about the situation of money spent and such. He said "No, I'm not upset. Afterall, it isn't even my money to be upset about...it's Gods." He is my rock and I'm so extremely thankful for his solid faith and contentment of life.

The next morning, I woke Levi up and said "Make a choice and make it now. Otherwise, you're staying home and that's that." He made his choice....and that was to go. I informed him then that should he go, he WILL go with an attitude of expecting to have fun....looking for fun.....and if he couldn't promise me that the same would apply....stay home. He agreed....

And now we're off! Everyone is together minus second daughter who never reconsidered. We had lunch in Porter, Tx about 20 mins down the road. While there I realized we had left some very important things at home. So after lunch our caravan of 6 travels back home once again to retrieve items. Me growing up should this have happened, we most likely would have just stayed home after that. Not my David thankfully! On the road once more! All is HAPPY, all is exciting....all is good. We traveled a hour away from home about 20 miles N of Cleveland, Tx. I will tell you that it was just as if we traveled to another state entirely ( at least in my opinion) we may have just been a hour away, but it appeared and felt like so much more because of the complete beauty and the amazing sights everywhere! Who can beat a vacation spot that is only a hour away from home?!! No fussy, tired, cranky kids to deal with after being in the car so long is always a plus! :) Woo!

This place was amazingly beautiful everywhere! Our cabin was right on one of the lakes with the absolute BEST view around.....don't worry we checked other people's views and YES ours was the best!! We were in the deep deep Piney Woods of East Texas so those of you that know....yes we were surrounded by heavily wooded nature at it's BEST!! Some find their peace, satisfaction, happiness, excitement in beaches, big cities, cruises, mountains, etc. David and I find ours.....in the woods! Afterall, I am Hillbilly by nature and blood! :) Thankfully, my David shares my passion as well!

Once at our cabin we saw the most AMAZING, EXCITING, SUPRISING sight.....2 alligators swam right up to our cabin!! Our cabin was up on stilts, so it wasn't like they could knock on our door and say "I'm waiting for you to come and plaaaaay!" But there was an uneven place of sloping land between the water and our cabin down below....this is where the gators were. In NO time flat my daredevil son was down there attempting to get the best shot with his camera phone!! Levi's friend, his sister, and her friend appeared to be more nervous about the situation than Mom and Dad did. I will tell you right here.....this weekend trip was NOT for just your everyday Mother. I'm thinking MOST Mothers would have had a big hissy fit and laid down the law that this child nor any other would be seen or heard within yards of said alligators again.....period!! Would you believe that as I went about my business of trying to make a phone connection wherever I could and Dad doing his business of unloading the car....poor Dad....he always does all the work......my son now traveled on foot .....alone.....to somewhere along the banks on the other side from our cabin....balancing himself on a tree and hanging over the banks attempting to call the gators enticingly over to him??!! Yes, as we watched perched safely from the porch, Levi is now making all the noises he can and bounicing on tree limbs that are dangling dangerously over the water!! He did make it back alive however and we continued with our day of fun and discovery. You have to know that I look to David as my guidance and if Dad's not concerned well then Mom just learns to not be concerned as well. Have I mentioned...it takes a whole LOT to concern dear Dad??!! That's ok....it teaches you to not live a life of worry and fretting. As David would always say "Why is there ever a reason to worry?" God is simply and always in control.

As time went on, the gators continued there menacing stay....menacing because they wanted to steal fish from your lines....menacing also because well....they're still an animal to be unsure of. So we accepted their company....at least I did....I found them so extremely fascinating!! And as time goes on you learn to respect the animal, but to also stop fearing it's menacing and intimidating presence. Often my son and or husband would be seen fishing down below with the gators lurking only feet away. Even my fearless....ok not so much fearless.....Heather was seen on the last day fishing alone with gator only feet away! Again, I don't think just any Mother could walk off with husband and go on a forever long hike while leaving unassuming, daredevil, adventerous son to himself with dinosaur reptiles.....but I did! :)

Our first day was filled with fishing, hiking, swiming in the lake as well as in the pool and grilling! We saw a alligator in the PEOPLE swimming hole that night lurking in the shadows while 2 boys were going down awesome slides into the lake!! I never DREAMED they would also be in the people part....but nothing was keeping them from coming. I later told the housekeeping lady and she said "yeahh...when that happens you just tell someone and they will come move them." Umm....right lady....just casually come move them for us! Haha! Well, we never did come tell anyone to come "move them" for us as the next day all my kids were right smack dab in the lake where he was the night before....only this time no sign of him or others....as far as we could tell. < Haha! That night we came out on the porch and listened to all the haunting sounds of the night......I LOVE IT! So many undetermined sounds....so many eery sounds.....life is so exciting sometimes. I will tell you that David and I both set off for a walk that night. As we did, we passed a cabin with actual raccoons up on the porch taking food right out from people's hands! Before we had left we saw 2 raccoons down below us as they scurried on there way only to find one coming up on our porch, but was startled as David had rounded the corner to meet face to face with him! Little did we know that just down the road they were eating right from people's hands! We went farther away from the lights on our walk. I love adventure!! And with darkness....comes adventure!! As we neared a deep and dark cluster of woods, we begin to hear a eerily scary low growling coming from them! We both stopped and listened..... In little to no time, I decided this was not a growl to be messing with....and turned to run all the while telling David..."LET'S GO!! RUN!!"  As I'm running away....he has stopped and is listening once again. I say "What is it....c'mon run David!!" He claims he had to protect me so he had stopped to listen to see where it was coming from. As I stayed planted in my spot and he in his, we soon begin to realize that our thought to be growl was simply an airplane so FAR up in the sky and our surroundings being so quiet ..... that it was simply a passing airplane!! That gave us a laugh to share with ourselves!! :) Your imagination runs wild ..... in the wild.....so much fun it is!

Day 2 was filled with it's own excitement as well!
We fished that morning and at 11:30 went on our official trail ride with horses! Can I say here that trail rides are never as much fun as they SHOULD BE?! I mean let's loose the line, loose the forever slow steps of the horse, get some galloping in there....adventure! You're paying for it....right?! Ah well....it was nice I suppose....although Mom got put up front right behind trail guide lady who wanted very much to talk to Mom the entire time of ride. Needless to say, I didn't see anything on that ride....just talked to lady who told me a quick story of all that she is involved in.....in 20 mins. When she asked about my life....I said "Well, your life makes mine look rather slacking and un-eventful." Haha! I always hate those questions of "Soo, what do you do with your time?" : P     It was Crystal's (Heather's b/f) first time to ever ride so that was neat for her. : ) Later and still today, we refer to everyone as their horses' names. Btw....I'm Derrick! Levi was Booger. Heather was BayBay. Crystal was Sassy. Hobbs was Bertha! And Dad was Travis. :)
Later, we had lunch and kids went swimming while David and I went to look for a missing forgotten major ingredient for our dinner that evening.....spaghetti noodles! We thought we were going to have to travel back to Cleveland which was a good 25 miles away....but thankfully we came upon a little country store on side of road that just happened to have spaghetti noodles!! YAY! After that, we got back in car and found some surrounding history for one of Mom's BIG interests! We traveled to find them...which wasn't too far. One was a plantation that was colonized and started in the year 1819!! Another was a church and CEMETARY (my favorite!) that began in 1845! We got out and took pics as well as walked around complete cemetary. It was hot, my David was tired....but he loves me. : )

We got back in time for the kids to just be finishing with their swimming.  As they cleaned up, we took another hike. This was a very loooong hike and in fact we ended up in a section where people actually lived in AWESOME cabin homes that looked to be worth probably millions! At breakfast the next morning, I overheard a lady that works the resort restuarant say that these are mostly 2nd homes and rented out. O my gosh!! if I had something that NICE....you wouldn't find me trusting another to rent it out!! WOW!
We made our way back finally and found the kids decided to go swimming again. David and I went back to the cabin, rested and then began our dinner which consisted of a dinner normally mixed together, but more seperated as to meet the needs of our catholic adopted daughter who could eat no meat - for it was Friday. :) No problem....and it turned out great!

Later that night, we started a "fabulous" campfire that would roast our marshmellows for our YUMMY S'mores! That was yummy fun indeed! While out there, we begin to hear movement in the very dark bushes! The kids decided to take a walk by themselves while David and I stayed behind. We were enjoying the fire when all of a sudden I see two shapes running in the very near distance! COONS! They cautiously made their way over to us....by the way.....not all animals are scared off by fire! We begin to feed them marshmellows right there at our feet....but we could barely see them it was so dark! In fact, the only time we really saw them precisely was when I would turn the flash on to take their picture! Exiciting stuff for sure!
The kids did come back.

David was exhausted and went to bed. I stayed up with the younger crowd and had a good time of laughter shared with them all. Such a blessing this was......not just this time time but the whole ENTIRE time of it all!! I finally made my way to the bed when the kids decided they needed another night walk around 11:15. Later, around 1am I would wake to a creak creak creak sound. I got up to go look for them and only found Hobbs. Later, I would find out they had pranked Hobbs with pickle juice and shaving cream. Ha! I found their "innocent" bodies hiding and warned them to get in bed now....I was tired.

The next morning and last day, we were met out front with a horse and carriage to take us to breakfast at the very nice Hilltop Herb Farm Restraunt. Nice but SHORT ride that is. The breakfast which was complimentary was simply and wonderfully AMAZINGLY delicious!! Later, we saw a no-kidding-you-MAMMOTH size turtle in the water that looked to have swam right out of the dinosaur days! No lie! He was bigger than alot of the gators out there! That was a genuine high light! That was the thing about this wonderful place we were staying at....animals and more animals everywhere! We saw alligators, raccoons, armadillo, snake< thankfully NOT plural, beautiful cardinals all around, and heard multiple other various non-distinguishable animals as well. Simply awesome! : )

We finished our stay with a tad more fishing, a visit to the gift shop to buy the shirt that says "I saw the alligator at The Retreat Of Artesian Lakes" It SHOULD've said "I saw the alligatorS at The Retreat of Artesian Lakes" Many many gators!!
Once in the car to go back to normal civilization as we know it.....we decided to travel around the area and see the lots for sale that had the potential for us in another 5 years when David retires. Nice Nice Nice I must say! Kids had enough....but were nice about it.....so we started on our looooooong track back home. ; ) We stopped in Liberty for lunch, sending all kids in different directions to eat, after we parked.

Once home.....we unpacked and settled back in to living. But with me there was a new perspective of thinking that God blessed me with through this amazing trip He gave us! Part of this was in the fact of when things SEEM to be going in only a bad direction with no means of getting better.....HOLD ON.....for God is just getting ready to turn it all around and make something wonderfully WONDERFUL out of it all!! How many times can we use that positive thinking in our day to day life?! Also, another blessed perspective is that there are so many unseen blessings out there....if we just stop and take the time to see and realize them! And lastly.....God can ..... God does......bring healing to ourselves and shows us that all is well....mentally, physically and spiritually!

Thank you God for my renewed and new perspectives that you gave me!! : )

And thank you friend for allowing me to share a very lengthy story of our blessed weekend!

God bless each of you in your day and throughout! : )



"Garage Sale....anyone?"

Well, we finally did it.....after talking about it for a year and a half....we had a garage sale! Yes, it seems about that long for us to finally get around to having one. As a matter of fact, I think we may have only had 2 in our married life...this being the second. The first one was probably 10 years ago. Needless to say, we don't like having garage sales NOR going to ones. Normally, I just give all our "stuff" away to charities. If the kids can't find something - there has been a running joke in our household that Mom gave it to charity. Annnd...she probably did. This time we had such an accumaltation of furniture and such that we thought we would give it a try.

Well.....it was a good try at least.

We set the alarm for 6am. Alarm went off....we rolled over. Our allergies have been going crazy and I wasn't sure I wanted to get up and face the day quite yet. So, we let all those super early shoppers go right on by. We did however catch the 7:30 shoppers! I knew as soon as David posted the sign out on the main street it would be no time before they arrived. We were still trying to pull it all out as they did....didn't bother them none....they just dove right in and went to digging. As I mentioned in my status, it is SO hard to determine a price for each and every item someone picks up! Over priced....under priced....will they accept it or will they walk away....do you just wanna say "Here, take it all...IT'S FREE!" or hang in there for some kind of severance pay for all the hard work you put into making this thing happen? Garage sales are hard work!! I wish there was some kind of sensor you could run over these people and it say "I'm broke. I can't afford your price." or "I'm lying. I have money to spend." Ah well.....so goes life.

We did make over $250 however. Not bad, even with all the big stuff we really wanted to move, staying. Our top seller seemed to be clothes....and clothes we had! That and shoes....43 pairs for sale! :)

Savannah informed us that we picked the worst day possible to have one being the church close to us was having their annual communtiy rent-a-space sale. David said "Just see it as a possible way for more people to be out in the neighborhood and see ours." He is my Mr Positive. :) One guy did see the garage sale sign on our Suburban family car and asked if he could buy our car instead. Haha! He was serious too! My brother would love that one being as though he is Mr I- Can- Sell -A- Car- In- No -Time -Flat  man.

So, enough with the trivial garage sale story of the day.

As always I like to tie in something inspirational, informative, thoughtful.......and I think......what can be inspirational and thought provoking in a garage sale story??
One man's junk is another man's treasure! Just as we think there is no use for our "junk" anymore, others come along and see the potential in it. They take it home, clean it up, give it care and dispaly it for all the world to see....or wear it in some cases. :) God does the same with us. He goes to the garage sale of life, chooses us, cleans us up, gives us care, displays us for all the world to see His glory and what He has done through us! We are His forever treasures that sit no more in a dusty garage waiting for someone to care. May your life proudly display all the wonderful works He has done in you....through the bad times as well as the good times...for we know BOTH has a deep and meaningful purpose!

Shine brightly for Him, my friend.....for you a treasured piece! :))

"What would you say?"

A friend recently posted a status that said something like "If you were to die today...what would you say, what would you do?" That got me to thinking.....   What would I say if I had the chance to say something to others? I focus on the part of what I would say rather than the part of what would I do being as though I don't really think I would do anything different than what I'm already doing. I have no bucket list to finish, no big sites I just gotta go see, no grand adventures I need to take before I die. For Heaven will be FAR greater than anything I could ever dream up to do here on this earth!! My David asked me just the other day "What's on your bucket list?" to which I replied, "I have nothing. I just take one day at a time." He is the dreamer and has many places he wants to go see upon retirement....and I will go with him and will enjoy them as well for I will be with HIM and that's all that truly matters to me. As mushy and silly as that sounds....it's the honest to goodness truth in every way.

So for now..... I focus on the "What would I say?" part.

First and foremost I would tell you that I love God.....and He loves YOU. He loves you more than you simply can even begin to imagine! Just today, I was thinking of what in the world did God do with all His time before He created the universe we live in. As I did, I sensed that His answer to my thoughts was He simply said "I thought of you." How amazing it is to think that God didn't simply have an idea of us suddenly pop in His head and *PRESTO* He made us. Think of all the infinity of time that He had to think and design each and every single one of us....before we ever were to come into existance! You, my friend, have been well thought of and specially designed with significant amounts of love and purpose.

Second, I would say be very sure you know that Heaven is YOUR home when you die! God wants you to know. "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life." If you don't know....well just as I have posted several times before in Blogs and FB status' there is a way TO know.
A= Accept that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour!
B= Believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead!
C= Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and call upon Him to save YOU!

Third, I would tell you that I love my family! I know that my family was hand chosen by God Himself for me. And He did the very same for you, my friend. God knew that each of these special people placed in my life would help me to become the very person He designed for me to be. So with each challenging personality, each stressful situation, each unexplained heartache.... as well as each loving times, happy times, tender times....I will accept them ALL as a plan of God's to shape me into the very person He desires me to be. Maybe someday my family will read this (I do save all my Blogs) and read that I dearly love each and every one of them more than some of them even can begin to realize and accept. I love you not only with words....but with my heart and all that it holds. So to my family I write with heartfelt words: I love you my David, I love you my Heather, I love you my Savannah and I love you my Levi. :)

Fourth, I would tell you I love my life! You see I have not always been able to honestly say that in all trueness. But today, with all honesty, I tell you with great sincerity - - I love my life! I know that I am WHERE I'm supposed to be, being WHO I'm supposed to be and I was created for this very time to cover the WHEN I'm supposed to be as well. I am me....and me doesn't have to act, look, think, do anything like anyone else in this entire universe! I'm unique and I like it that way. :) For many years I have felt in comparison to others that I was "missing out" and inadequate because I wasn't like the majority, my kids weren't like the majority, and the list goes on. And to that I say WHO IS THE MAJORITY? God didn't make us to be just like the next person! He made me to be me.....and I'll bloom where I'm planted in the time He blooms me and however blooms me is just more than wonderful for me! God has done significant "blooming" in great and mighty ways in these most recent times. I will tell you honestly....He does His greatest and best blooming with us through times of failure, mistakes and heartaches. For this alone I will praise Him with a great voice and say "THANK YOU JESUS!!!" He is stronger in me today because of weaknesses allowed. I can shine brighter for Him in ways I could not before! :)

Fifth, I would tell you that this life is NOT about ourselves, not what we can attain, not what we can achieve - but it IS rather everything and all things about God and God alone. Our purpose, our goal is to live a life that brings glory and praises to the one and only true and living God. To be the love of Christ and the hope of Christ to those in need of such. Our jobs, our titles, our possessions will ALL pass away and what will be left is what we truly did, out of the love God put in our hearts, for others.

And lastly. . . I would tell you two things - 1.) Don't sweat the small stuff. 2.) It's all small stuff!
Really! When we bring into perspective that everything. . .anything. . . ALL things (and people too!) are in the sovereign hands of a loving and just God Who knows exactly how to bring the BEST from any and every situation that arises in our life. . . why then would we have any reason whatsoever to sweat/worry any stuff?!?! There are no "what if" questions when it comes to God and His provision for us for we simply know that HIS grace is sufficient for us.....regardless. He will bring you through safely to the other side of whatever you are facing in life and when He has He will use you to shine all the brighter for Him simply because you trusted Him.

O and PS: I thank God for each of you as well, my friends. You brighten my day, make me smile, give me hope, make me feel special and give me a reason to say "Thank you, God, for all my dear friends!" May you be blessed today and everyday knowing there is a God who knows you and loves you. . . more than you know. : )