Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I GIVE UP!

Okay, I give up. My wife has been after me to update this blog. After all, May 20 is my last entry so i do not see her point! Anyway, she decided to embarrass me on Facebook so I will comply.

This summer we married off one daughter and are getting to marry off the other daughter in march of 2010. We are proud of both of them and approve of their chosen spouses. I finally have the son(s) I never had. Since Sherry refuses to "go for it" one more time in hopes of a male heir, I guess Alex and Ozzie are the next best options.

The house is in a state of flux - at least that is what my fluxometer says. Sherry has been busy tearing out and putting back together. She has become quite a handyman(woman). In fact, she wants tools for Christmas. I am ready to hire her out for home makeovers to make a bit of money.

I know this post has made your day since it is the first in 118 days. Now I am waiting for an apology from my wife on Facebook.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Saga Continues (Part 2).....

Well, I am legal - finally! It only cost me $131.29 to have the lights fixed on the truck, but it was worth it. The Ford dealership issued my inspection just minutes before closing and then I went to get gas. But, my Shell card would not work! I got it straightened out when I got home.

On Wednesday morning, I was the first one through the doors at the tax office to get the license plates for the truck. It went smooth and the lady was extremely nice. Then on to the DPS office to get my driver's license! I had to dig and to search to find our Social Security cards and birth certificates, but I did locate them. After gathering the rest of the paperwork off we went.

It did not take too long to get the licenses. Once we were finished, the line had grown behind us. We got there at just the right time! Now I am once again a Texan! A shiver went up my spine when I was handed my temporary driver's license! I walked outside the building and took a deep breath of fresh West Texas air. I could hear in the background "The Yellow Rose of Texas". It was an emotional experience!

Now I can truly say........Don't mess with Texas!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Saga Continues.......

Okay, so I have not posted in a while. It is hard to be creative when you write two sermons a week along with one Bible Study along with five (5) daily blogs for the church website AND an article for the weekly newsletter. But, I am faithful to you, my wonderful friends who like keeping up with me. So, I will post.

Sherry and I are still in the process of becoming official Texans. I learned as I tried to get license plates for our vehicles that they needed to be inspected first. So, here I go...off to the inspection place. The Camry, no problem. The truck, problem.

"You have a leak in the power steering hose," I am told. Failed inspection. Suzanne, our secretary recommends me to a garage which cannot see me until four days later. "There is no leak in the power steering hose," I am told by the mechanic. "They do not know what they are talking about. Take it to the Ford dealership and the truck will pass inspection."

Moments later I arrive at the Ford dealership. The inspector made it known that he did not like me bringing a Chevrolet to be inspected at the Ford dealership. He was kidding, I think. "Your break lights do not work," I am told. Failed inspection. Back to the mechanic I go. At this moment, the truck is still in repair. Will it pass the third inspection? Stay tuned.

In the meanwhile, I take the Camry to get license plates. After some paperwork, she says, "That will be $187.80." I did not pay a total of $187.80 to license all my vehicles combined in the ten years I lived in Arkansas! But what can I do? Now I have two shiny new plates on the Camry and a bright blue sticker on my windshield.

Next on the agenda is the Texas Department of Public Safety for our driver's licenses. "Could I help you?" the lady asks. "We are here to get a Texas driver's license," I say with trepedation. My fears were realized. "Have you inspected and licensed your vehicles yet? That must come first." AAArgghhhhh!!!!

So it now all hinges on whether the 1994 Chevrolet truck can pass inspection. I am expecting a call shortly from the mechanic. She (yes, she) holds my Texas citizenship in her hands. Pray for us!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Who Rocks My World?

This is a copy of my blog for May 12 on our church website www.fbcbigspring.org


If you want to get in on the ground floor of something exciting, then go to www.whorocksmyworld.com. This is a website designed by my friend Danny Johnson, the Director of Missions of the Pulaski Baptist Association in Little Rock, Arkansas. This web site is an attempt to enable ordinary people like you and me to share the gospel story with people through the internet.

When you go to www.whorocksmyworld.com, type lindseyfamily into the left box. It will take you to my page which gives some information about me and a short testimony. Click on the far right box "seeWhoRocks" and you will see a flash presentation of the gospel message designed to reach people who may never enter a church. At the end of the presentation type in your email address signifying you want to know more and (in future days) you will be sent to our church web page. I will also receive an email showing you want more information. This would give me an opportunity to contact you by email for a follow-up.

You too can register and set up your own page for free by creating an account on the home page. Once you register you can print from your profile page (on the right) business cards to give to people for them to access your page. These cards could be given to friends, classmates, restaurant help, people in the grocery line - you decide how to distribute them!
Remember, this is just the beginning stages of the site. More features will be added in the future.

Once you access the site, then let me know what you think! After all, it could one more tool to use in sharing the gospel message.

"I will become all things to all men so that BY ALL POSSIBLE MEANS I may save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:22

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Back and forth...

These last few days behind us and the days before us are tiring. We have been traveling back and forth between Big Spring and Sheridan. We spent a week in Sheridan packing up our belongings and loading them on the moving van and closing on our house. It was good to be with friends, but it was a working week.

Then, six days later we returned to Sheridan for the memorial service of our friend, Carol Balwanz. We arose at 3:00 a.m. on Friday to fly to Little Rock and to arrive just in time for the 4:00 p.m. service. The next morning we arose at 4:00 a.m. to fly back to Midland. It was a quick trip and extremely tiring. I am still trying to catch up on my sleep!

Now, five days later, we drive back to Arkansas for Kimberly's graduation at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. We will help her pack her apartment for the trip to North Carolina where she and Alex will live following their wedding on June 20. The long drive back is concluded on Sunday evening.

Then 40 days later we are back for the wedding!

Hopefully, we will finally get into a "groove" once the traveling is finished. The people here in Big Spring have been wonderful in supporting all of the times we have needed to be absent. The upside to all of this is that we are piling up the mileage on our Rapid Rewards with Southwest Airlines and gaining more points with Hampton Inn. Perhaps one day we will benefit from all of this back and forth with a free trip and a free hotel!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Carol

This past Sunday a good friend, Carol Balwanz, went home to be with the Lord. She fought a good fight through two heart valve replacement surgeries in the span of 10 years. Carol loved her family and was so fond of Caroline, her granddaughter.

My prayers continue for Rick, her husband, and her daughters, Morgan and Jessica. Carol truly touched countless lives through the school, the community, and the church. Many are grieving today because of her death.

Death seems to be the ultimate enemy because it takes away people we love and cherish. But, our Lord, Jesus Christ, conquered death through His death on the cross and His resurrection. Paul so eloquently wote in 1 Corinthians 15, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Carol has won the victory! Thanks be to God! She has experienced the healing for which we have all prayed. In our finiteness healing is only physical, but in God's infitness, true healing goes beyond the physical to the giving of a new body. Thanks be unto God!

To Rick, Morgan, Jessica, and Carol's family...So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

At Home

The long week of packing and moving is over...PTL! I wonder why we have so much stuff. Even after going through boxes and discarding some things, we nearly filled up an 18 wheeler! In reality, the things of this world mean nothing and have no eternal value, but still we want to accumulate.

We were able to connect with some precious friends in Sheridan, if but for a moment or two. But, the time in Sheridan seemed weird. It is no longer home, but there are many memories there. A part of each of us is still in Arkansas. However, the closer I got to Big Spring the more comfortable I felt because it is now home. We love the people here and are learning the value of true friendships developed over the course of time.

The house hunt has been slow, but we are not discouraged. Sherry and I are waiting on the Lord to provide the right property. In the meantime, we are settling into the apartment. Having our own furniture and things are a great comfort. Who knows, we may even want to stay there permanently! Maybe not.

The transition goes on, but at least it is made easier knowing the Lord's hand continues to guide us.