First in my life is my faith. I am a born-again Christian. For those that might not know what that term means exactly, it is the description Jesus Christ gave of those that have been born again in the Spirit. John 3:1-8 says, "There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Being born-again more simply put means that I have given my life completely to Jesus Christ and accepted the free gift of salvation He paid so dearly for.
Next comes my family. I am the oldest of seven children. My natural father Lloyd, who is now deceased, had four children. One sister and three brothers. I was not raised by Lloyd and only met him once when I was 18 years old, the Christmas before my first attempt at college. My mom, Audrey, had three children (counting myself). I was raised with my brother Gainey, who is currently 30 but will be 31 in November. I have another brother, named Reno, who is 10 and was the shock of the family. Mom was not supposed to be able to have children due to a medical problem. Our Lord Jesus & God obviously had other plans! He's been a delight and I cannot imagine life without him. I cherish the time I spend with my mom, dad-Damien, and brother Reno on my days and hours off from work.
Third comes my friends. I have two best friends, named Tawnya & Tuesday. Tawnya is a person who will shoot from the hip and tell you exactly how it is without a qualm. I admire her for that because I will often hesitate from saying something, even if I think it really should be said. Tuesday has an amazing gift of discernment. She always knows what I am feeling and so it is impossible to keep my mask on when I am with her. Both of these ladies are awesome. I also have other close friends. There is Linda who lives just around the corner and is quickly becoming a dear friend. She has two daughters that are just beautiful! Linda has a smile that can brighten a room! It is always a joy to have her come over to fellowship and share candidly about life and love. My friends Tammy & Arlinda are like Mom's #2 & 3. In fact, Tuesday often refers to them as "The Moms" (my own included). I also have a BIG brother in the Lord named Charley. He is a Vietnam vet with a heart as big as Texas. He encourages and comforts me continually and I'm blessed to have him in my life. I have other friends, of course, at work and at church but these are the closest to me.
Fourth comes my "babies". I have two dachshunds name Jeremiah & Sadie. They also had a daughter, which is my mom's "baby" named Ariel. When I call the baby, I always say, "Come to Mamaw, baby." She is like my grandchild. Since I don't have children of my own, all my mothering instincts go into Jeremiah, Sadie & Ariel. I love those little critters deeply.
Although I live in Iowa, I consider myself a Texan. I was raised in West Texas. First in Odessa & Gardendale and later in Snyder. In my mind, I can still see that land as if I was looking right at it. I have a love for that place but my family is here and I honestly don't have any good reason to ever go back. I would be lonely if I did, even though I do still have friends in the area. In my heart of hearts, I love Texas and that land. When I remember my fondest memories, it is of my years in Gardendale. What a beautiful little community. The sunrises and sunsets are beyond description and the night sky is so big and so wide that you get "goosebumps" just from looking up at it.
If I could come up with single words that best describe me, I think these are those that I would use: sinner, saint, lover, fighter, dreamer, friend, honest, stubborn, and always changing!
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