erin comes to town

My fabulous friend from seminary, Erin, has been here visiting me for the past few days.  We haven't seen each other in way too long and I had a great time showing her some Texan hospitality.  We had the best time at Port Aransas (my favorite place to go in the summer) just relaxing on the beach and wading into the warm, salty water.  Erin also found a fantastic hat to beat that persistent Texas sun.

Then I took Erin to Goliad to see the Mission Espiritu Santo and Presidio La Bahia.  The Mission was just that (a mission) and La Bahia was an old fort. Both have amazing chapels (which I knew a fellow churchy person like Erin would love). She said they reminded her of what she saw in Merida, Mexico.

I love the doors to the Mission. 

  I always have to take a picture of this font.  It's the most beautiful one I've seen.  (Though, like everything in Texas, it could use a little water.)

 Erin giving the impressive pulpit a try.

Yes, were both Presbyterian ministers, but we have no qualms about a little Catholic candle lighting for prayer.

 Erin having a Jackie O moment.

Then we moved on to La Bahia.

  Where the hardware was amazing, with brilliant turquoise oxidation.

The chapel had beautiful statues.

And more of those prayerful candles. 

 (How cool is that rainbow the light made?  Holy ground, indeed.)

We also enjoyed lunch at the Blue Quail and a little stroll 

around the square in Goliad.  

What a charming place.  And a wonderful time with Erin.  There's nothing better than a few days with an old friend spent drinking wine and talking life, exploring some of my favorite Texas places together and just relaxing.  My dog Hayden's a bit infatuated with Erin...I better check her suitcase before she gets on the plane tomorrow! :)

this little preacher goes to market

-Going to Market Days in Goliad with my lil' guy Hayden in tow and leisurely perusing the random assortment of mostly-homemade wares for sale.  What I most enjoyed, though, was the beautiful architecture of the square in historic Goliad.  (That, and the icy cold lemonade that helped me survive the heat.)

(One of the more eccentric stalls.  My nieces would've had so much fun!)

(Hayden really wanted me to buy this for him, but I think he was satisfied with the icy water I gave him instead.)

-Preaching at that charming little church in Port Lavaca again and being greeted as soon as I walked in the door with a big bear hug and a "I'm so glad you're back!"  What wonderful folks.

-Seeing adorable pictures of my sister and nieces.  She's such a gorgeous pregnant lady. :) 

thanks a latte!

-Getting a fun new haircut.  I realize that in light of rioting and looting in England and conflict in Syria, a haircut seems pretty insignificant.  But you need to know a bit of my haircut history, y'all.  Our story begins, of all places, in a hair salon in a massive shopping mall in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.  I was there as a leader for a cross-community reconciliation trip of Protestant and Catholic teenagers from Belfast in the summer of 2005.  These kids were fantastic, and had a very particular way of showing affection: sarcastic banter like you've never seen it before.  Insult = endearment with them.  At the end of our life-changing trip, we stopped by a mall before going to the airport so folks could get last-minute gifts and I had the sudden impulse to spend my last Rand on a haircut.  "A fresh haircut will make a 13-hour flight much better," thought I.  I thought wrong.  I wanted a simple bob: what I received was somewhere between a mullet and a pageboy haircut...choppy in the back, straight across at the sides and just plain terrible all over.  The woman who cut my hair - I kid you, not - cried because she was so embarrassed by the hair cut.  She wouldn't even let me pay her.  I ended up giving her a hug, telling her I loved it and hurriedly leaving to catch our bus to the airport.  I knew it was truly dismal when those quick-witted, harsh-bantering teens saw me and said, "Oh, it looks nice."  At one point on that flight back to Belfast when I went to the restroom on the plane, I looked up at the mirror and jumped from my own weed-eater hair looking back at me.  So you see, dear blog buddies, a haircut is just a haircut, but a great one like my Audrey-Twiggy-ish one today is a rare and wonderful thing.  After my hairdresser Gary finished my hair today, he said, "We did good today."  I replied, "YOU did!"

-A particularly delicious and sermon-inducing hazelnut latte.

-Walking barefoot in soft grass.

shine, hum, refresh

-Sunlight dazzling on the coffee pot this morning.  It's like God was making sure I could find it!

-Putting together the bulletin for Sunday, and selecting some great old hymns that fit well with the text.  I found myself humming "I've Got Peace Like a River" all morning.

-An unexpected breeze that brought some relief from the heat.

colorful creatures

-Taking Hayden outside before bedtime and seeing the vibrant, loquacious tree frog who lives in a planter on the front porch hanging out on the wall.  I've never been able to see him before (though I've certainly heard him).  What a cute little guy.  Speaking of cute little guys...

-Hayden stepping into a rainbow coming through the window this morning, alighting his face with color.

-The sizzle of blueberry pancakes cooking.

port a day

My great friend Ashley and I made a little trip to Port Aransas for the day yesterday.  It was so relaxing (and the food: coconut shrimp, oh wow!).  There's a level of easiness and rest that only comes when sitting with your toes in the sand, a good friend by your side, an enjoyable book on your lap and the lull of the ocean in your ears.  Just delightful.

 As we drove onto the ferry for the brief ride to the island (Port A is an island), the navigator made it look like we were being far more adventurous (or perhaps more like the Magic School Bus).

Ashley relaxing.

Those are my very happy feet!  What an idyllic day.

extended family

-Two little grey-haired, young-at-heart ladies holding hands in the grocery store.

-My mom giving the mailwoman and her friends cold water as they worked in the heat to get her car started again.

-Getting another supply preaching invitation.  And at the church that has a wonderful pint-sized pulpit!

mo family time

Mo Ranch is my happy place.  And it has been since I was about in the 6th grade.  I spent formative time there as a teenager at Midwinters, grew into my identity as a camp counselor for two summers in college, I discovered and clarified my calling as I led worship, small groups and keynoted at various conferences over the years...but my family time there is something different from all my other Mo experiences.  We all get together at Mo every summer for an extended weekend and, whereas typical Mo conferences have orchestrated recreation events, we're content with a glass of wine and a puzzle, or a long-overdue catch-up, or a soak in the river with the little ones.  Whereas at every other Mo event I've been to, I eat in the socially-stimulating but perhaps culinarily-limited cafeteria, with my family we each prepare a meal for the group, resulting in ridiculous amounts of divine food.  There's no designated "siesta" time in the schedule: in fact there's no schedule at all.  It's all siesta time.  I love Mo, and having my family all gather there every year is such a gift.  Especially this year, because last summer I was in Romania leading teenagers on a mission trip and didn't get to come, and because the amount of adorable children is rapidly multiplying.  To see Mo through the eyes of toddlers is so much fun.

Gianna having her "Marilyn" moment.

I painted Natalie's nails, which she was very proud of.

Adorable, charmer Grant, Adele & Justin's little one.

Grant and my Uncle Jack (his Granddaddy).

Gigi always has, um, hair statements to make. :)

How cute is my pregnant sista?  

Story time (we start 'em young).

My mom formed quite the attachment to this wrought iron gate.

A gorgeous sky.  We had every sort of weather: blazing hot that demanded time in the river to gentle rain that demanded reading in a rocking chair in the dogrun.

Could be straight out of a fairy tale, no?

Momma loved the greenhouse (as always).

Pomegranates growing in a sprawling garden.  Who knew Mo had pomegranates?!

Aunt Madelynn with Grant after a fun swim in the kiddie pool.

Gigi doing what she does best (smiling).

Natalie the Queen of the Kiddie Pool.

Delightful.

Papa playing with Gigi (the fearless waterfall climber).

Sooo relaxing to soak in the river.  As you can see, we like our hats.

Great-Grandmother and Natalie.

Adele's amazing blueberry loaves and sausage for breakfast.  We ate SO much fabulous food.  See my food blog for more on all the yummy food.

The whole gang.

And here we are in our more "natural" state.  My cousin Lee (far right) might be the most sarcastic, hilarious person I know.  See her being terrified by the toy snake that Natalie and Gigi had (they are fearless snake charmers, at least wooden ones).  So funny.  And I believe Gigi's not impressed with Lee taking her snake.  

I can't wait for next year.