Spring into Track

Spring time is known for two things in Texas, that is when the Bluebonnets come out and the prime time for track season. I have officiated track since I graduated from Baylor. Baylor Track is known as "Quarter-Mile U" because of our legendary track coach, Clyde Hart, and some of his star athletes who later enjoyed Olymipc fame. Michael Johnson. Jeremy Warriner. Reggie Witherspoon. I enjoy the individual effort it takes and it is a joy to see the human body in its prime. The PR - or personal record - will trump the place within the race. For the past four seasons, I have been one of the starters. For those who don't frequent the track...that is the one who starts the race - by shooting a gun. Here is a picture of me with Joe Moore, a long-time friend, at the 3A district track meet.

The picture below is in front of my cabin...such a great sight to wake up to or wind down with!

4 yr olds & King Jesus

Ok...so yesterday is Easter Sunday. The Kingdom Kids Ministry was in dire need of help for the first service, so I agreed to be in room 112 with the 4 year olds. I arrived a little before 9:00 am prepared for and hour and a half of "small talk." We played, talked, had a snack (hhmmm cookies with sprinkles - but nothing to hold the sprinkles on the cookies! :) ) and then came the craft! If you know me, I know you are laughing.

We had a transparency sheet with the outline of a cross on it. Imagine 4 year olds and a bottle of glue (remember they have no frame of reference and they think the more the better)...lots of "globs" up and down the cross...and they were to tear (or cut neatly - ha!) off tissue paper (color of their choice) and glue it onto the cross to make a stained glass cross. So they did.

We were at a lull in the class after snack, after craft, with 20 mintues to go before pick-up time. So, I held up the cross and said "does anyone know what this is?" Small talk did not ensue. Like popcorn testimonies I heard "that's the cross that Jesus died on!" As I turned to acknowledge the first answer another yells, "yeah, and they nailed him with nails in his hands and there was blood." A little surprised and taken back, I took a breath to try to tie the two together, when another says, "and he had a crown on - but it was the wrong kind of crown." I said, "what do you mean?" The 4 year old boy said, "it had those things on it that are like stickers!" I said, "you mean thorns?" He said, "yes and they hurt - but it was still a crown." Now mind you that all of this popcorn conversation was in a group setting - after snack...they were fully engaged. I said, "well, who wears a crown?" To which the entire group yelled out, "KINGS" and I asked, "who is this king?" To which they yelled, "King Jesus!" Of course remembering pep rally days I said, "who is YOUR king?" Their response, "King Jesus!" What a precious uninhibited moment of praise from 4 year olds. As I made my way to the second service after the reinforcements arrived, I thought to myself, "will the adults in this service be as demonstrative as those 4 year olds yelling 'King Jesus'?"
HHhhmmm what is holding me back?

Bride & Bridegroom

Well, Saturday was a first. This is going to be as vulnerable as I have ever been on this blog.
I went to the wedding of Erika Walter and Chris Snapp.
It was at University Baptist Church...filled with white candles.

They started with the Steven Curtis Chapman/Geoff Moore song, "Listen to our Hearts" and Erika came down the aisle to "In Christ Alone." I have cried many times at weddings over what I do not have (a husband) but this was the first time that I cried at a wedding over what I do have - Christ as my Bridegroom. This wedding was so worshipful to me. Thank you Erika, Chris, Logan, Megan, Mason, Jeff, and Teri for letting me participate in this union for all eternity.

Lady Bears Big 12 Champs

The Lady Bears defeated Texas A&M, 72-63, to claim the Big 12 tournament title game today in Oklahoma City. Baylor beat the Aggies for the third time this season.



This is so exciting since we lost our leading scorer two weeks ago. The team has pulled together to make this a true TEAM sport. They will find out their fate in the NCAA tournament Monday night on the selection show.



Kudos to the BU "Man Bears" who had a great run through the men's tournament by beating Nebraska on Wednesday, top-ranked Kansas on Thursday, texas on Friday. They lost in the Big 12 Championship game to Mizzou. They will most likely go to the NIT and will also find out for sure tonight.

The good thing about the NIT is that we can bid to play at home for the first two games. The semi-finals and finals are played in NYC at Madison Square Garden.

Lace Williams

Man how time flies. Last basketball season, some of my good friends were living at the cabin with me and Walker Paul "Lacedarius" Williams was born. He came home to the cabin and "Aunt Kim" quickly learned that early morning prayer time was also snuggle time. This time helped me gain perspective about my day...really, nothing seemed significant compared to holding a little person...a life, in your hands...watching him breathe and sleep...then to see him recognize familiar faces or voices and try to smile...just gums...then he was old enough to transport to the Baylor basketball games...where he picked up his name "Lacedarius" or "Lace" for short. And now, a year later Mr. Cutness is walking, running, babbling, throwing food, petting the dog, loving tractors, making car and airplane noises...wow, what a difference a year makes. Lace, here's to you...a toddler becoming a boy...I pray that you would continue to grow in wisdom, stature, favor with God and favor with man (Luke 2:52).

I love you little man!

Finally - I got my pictures from the fall off my camera..with the help of a friend.
Thanks Baker! So here are a few moments from last fall to catch up on.

First, the NOGS FIREPIT at the Ponderosa. My Bible Study girls came out on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and we ate some dinner and then took a hayride back to the firepit. We had to improvise since McLennan County was under a burn ban but we all had fun...till the husbands started calling around bedtime! just kidding..but the smores and the fire and some good Titus 2 talking....here are a couple of shots to remember that night:
NOGS with BLOGS at the FIREPIT.

Next, the Outdoor Adventure Rock staff came over for a little firepit action of their own, but they actually came on a warmer night and cooked out over the open fire...some were more adventuresome than those that opted for the traditional hot dog.

It is good to work with students. And, in Outdoor Adventure, there is no "10-second" rule...you just have to retrieve it before the dogs or other varmits. Kelli McMahan is the Outdoor Adventure Program Director and it is good to actually work with friends.

Finally, here is a head shot of me and my favorite bear (on my front porch).
My sweet brother hauled him back from Red River, NM one summer and he fits perfectly
(in the fam and on the porch).

Stay tuned later this week for the "Old Rattler" story and the ingenuity of my grandfather following the worst whipping of my life!

Gratitude Adjustment

As I try to navigate this world of technology, and find myself frustrated, it only takes a moment for reality to set in...this is not my domain. I grew up in the world of hand-written notes, party-line phones...only after college were the infamous "bag phones" created for cars, then came cell phones, the internet, email, instant messages, text messages, and Facebook. It is a wonderful world we live in with the capability to call our friends who life on different continents or to keep up with 100's or 1000's of friends and their families with the press of a button. My frustration melts into gratitude although I don't ever think this world will be my home...I'm just a'passin' through.

I am also grateful for the creation I see all around me. There are trees, grass, clouds, along with the sun and moon and stars. I feel the cool wind on my face and know I am alive in the natural realm. Yesterday as I worshipped in my home church, I felt alive in the spiritual realm. I am grateful to be alive on earth and moreover alive in Christ. On the dawn of a new year, I am hopeful that "...the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father loves us and had given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, [He will] comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

I am also grateful to have the time to catch you up on the past two months...from NOGS to Blogs to Walker Lacedarious Williams and Will the Thrill to Thanksgiving and Christmas and the start of 2009...Life is most certainly Good...just as is our God.

With a Grateful Heart.....