Author / Bethe

by Bethe
Last year I ran a half marathon. My goal was to finish without dying or puking, and somehow I managed to avoid both. It was a wonderful experience and a great test of my own personal resolve and work ethic. Just when I thought I was a big, lazy whimp
ast year I ran a half marathon. My goal was to finish without dying or puking, and somehow I managed to avoid both. It was a wonderful experience and a great test of my own personal resolve and work ethic. Just when I thought I was a big, lazy nothing, I somehow trained to run 13 miles. Go me.

But that was last year. This year, I needed a new challenge. So I have chosen a different sport, one that I am equally as clueless about, but one that I think will take me far in life.
I’m learning to salsa.
Two friends and I are taking weekly salsa lessons from a leading salsa instructor. Every Monday night you’ll find me in my strappy high heels, jeans, and a tank top (a la Dancing With the Stars), shaking my tushy to the reggae flavor of the month. Luis, my teacher, is fabulous, and his class is a hoot. It looks like you may find me at the local salsa club on the weekends, dancing it up with my new-found friends. Who knows, maybe I’ll find myself a latin lover and kiss the single life goodbye… all because of my salsa class.
Nah, probably not. But it’s still excellent exercise and provides endless amounts of entertainment

by Bethe

My half-marathon replacement

Last year I ran a half marathon. My goal was to finish without dying or puking, and somehow I managed to avoid both. It was a wonderful experience and a great test of my own personal resolve and work ethic. Just when I thought I was a big, lazy nothing, I somehow trained to run 13 miles. Go me.

But that was last year. This year, I needed a new challenge. So I have chosen a different sport, one that I am equally as clueless about, but one that I think will take me far in life.
I’m learning to salsa.
Two friends and I are taking weekly salsa lessons from a leading salsa instructor. Every Monday night you’ll find me in my strappy high heels, jeans, and a tank top (a la Dancing With the Stars), shaking my tushy to the reggae flavor of the month. Luis, my teacher, is fabulous, and his class is a hoot. It looks like you may find me at the local salsa club on the weekends, dancing it up with my new-found friends. Who knows, maybe I’ll find myself a latin lover and kiss the single life goodbye… all because of my salsa class.
Nah, probably not. But it’s still excellent exercise and provides endless amounts of entertainment
by Bethe

My Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad… Week

I wrote a story in the 6th grade about my terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day. My teacher loved it so much that she kept it, and years later she told me she was still showing it to her classes. Maybe it was an early sign that I would choose a career in writing. Or maybe I had written about a day that was so bad, even Mrs. Lewis was impressed.
This week has been THAT bad.
That car repair? Oh yeah, much worse than expected. When my dad broke the news to me, I dissolved into tears (again). He asked me over the phone, “Are you okay?” That’s when I told him that I felt the overwhelming urge to throw up.
Of course, I didn’t. But it would have added to my week.
Just about everything that could have gone wrong, did. From the moment it started until the minute work ended tonight, it was one set of bad news after the other. One stressful moment after another. One tough conversation after another. I’m really glad the week is over.
And then I went to dinner with my family, and everything changed. As I told them about my crummy week, we all started laughing at just how horrible it had been. Next thing we knew, we were laughing so hard that tears were streaming down all of our faces. I think the laughter began when my dad recounted that tearful telephone conversation, and I started hyperventilating just thinking about the cost of the repair bill (think thousands and thousands of dollars). The hyperventilating triggered a minor asthma attack, which just tickled everybody else, and from there, we couldn’t stop.
It was a great night.
And then, the night got better, because I spent it with my new favorite boy.
(Insert sigh here)

(Go ahead and insert another one here…)

(Maybe one more?)
After our family dinner my sister introduced me to the greatness that is High School Musical 3. Granted, I haven’t had that much cheese since my last jumbo pretzel at the hospital employee party that came with hot, melted cheese dip (and bbq sauce, another tasty pretzel treat). But Zac is just the cutest thing ever, and I’ll admit that I loved the dance numbers. Now I need to see HSM 1 & 2. 
After the movie (and the out-takes, and the special features), we had a debriefing. My sister decided that in our family, she would be Vanessa Hudgins, and I would be Sharpay. I’m not sure how I feel about that, especially since that means Sarah would get the boy, and all I would get is some little yappy dog. But pink IS my color, and I do love my sister… although I’m not sure I love her enough to give up Zac without a fight. 
Tomorrow will be better. I’m going for a run and then spending the day at the zoo with a friend. It has to be better… Surely it will be better…
by Bethe

Tow trucks, backpacks, and hobbits

Today was my very last first day of school. Ever. I made my family promise that if I ever decide to pursue a PhD, that they will hold an intervention and, if necessary, knock some sense into me by force. Or, they have my permission to lock me up until I return to my senses. This is indeed my very last semester. And I think it’s going to be a good one.

And if it’s not, that’s okay, because it’s also my LAST one. Three and a half long years, and I’ll finally have something to show for all that hard work!
As for my car… they towed poor Snowflake away today. I laughed as I hid my key under a flower pot on my front porch, thinking that somebody might try to steal poor Snowflake. But they sure wouldn’t get very far! No word yet on how bad the damage is… I appreciate any prayers you might send my way for an affordable fix. I keep reminding myself that it’s just “stuff.” I’m trying to keep it in perspective. No need to stress too much about temporary things.
I wonder how many skipped pedicures it will take to pay off this repair bill? I’m guessing I may have hobbit feet by then. I’m also thinking about getting rid of my lawn boy (gulp). I know. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
In the meantime… I’m taking up a new hobby. It’s a bit of a surprise, but I promise to write all about it next week. Let’s just say that it’s an athletic endeavor that should prove to be a lot more fun than that silly half marathon I had considered training for. This one involves athleticism… precision… and cute shoes. 
Oh yeah, that’s my kind of sport.
by Bethe

Because I’m having a bad day

Today really stunk. Like, really stunk. I have had car problems almost constantly this summer. 

  • Car broke down in the fast lane of I-35 south of Temple = $450. 
  • Flat tire = $300 for two new tires. 
  • Car overheated = $200 for a new thermostat. 
  • Then car overheated again. 
  • Then overheated again.
You get the idea. It has been an expensive summer. So you can imagine my distress when I found out this morning that to fix my car to drivable condition (because right now it needs a tow truck) it will cost $1200. Best case scenario. Worst case? Around $4,000. Maybe more. 
Oh, the joy of old, beat-up cars. But this old, beat-up car is paid for.
So after I had a good cry (thank you Jesus that I have an office with a door, for such a time as this), I made a quick visit to my local car dealership to see if I would be better off doing the “Cash for Clunkers” option instead of fixing poor Snowflake. Today was the deadline, and I quickly learned that the car dealership had no incentive to make any good deals since they knew I was desperate to get my deal made by 5:00. So after a long discussion with my dad, I decided to give Snowflake another chance. I’m going to hold her hand and get her through this illness and hopefully she’ll survive a better car (quite possibly a car with a brand-new engine, lucky thing).
So in honor of my crummy, financially devastating day (there goes my plans to redecorate my bedroom or take an African cruise… or to be able to afford groceries) I have decided to make a list of things I’m thankful for. I sure need a gentle reminder today. 
  • I have an amazing God who has been speaking to me like crazy through his scripture and through some other folks around me. I am so thankful for spans of time where I can feel his presence, where his Word pierces straight to my heart. Where my prayer time is sweet. In every Christian walk there are times of plenty and times of want, and I am thankful to be enjoying a time of plenty.
  • Along the same line, I am thankful that God seems to be answering a prayer that I prayed fervently over the past year (no, I don’t have a boyfriend, I know you’re thinking it!). I have prayed that God will change my heart and my desires about one particular area of my life, and am watching an inexplicable change that can only be of Him. I can only pray that he continues to work.
  • I have the sweetest dad in the whole wide world, who dropped everything today to go car shopping with his poor, stressed out daughter who is completely clueless about cars. I am also thankful that he lent me his truck to drive while Snowflake is taking her extended vacation to the mechanic.
  • Even though my car has given me nothing but fits this summer, I am thankful that I was never once stranded, never had car problems at night, and only once had a problem on a weekend. Every time, I was able to get it to a mechanic to get the problem taken care of. This last time, I wasn’t able to make it to a mechanic (it happened on a Sunday) but I was able to make it safely home.
  • I am blessed with some fantastic friends, and in particular some wonderful Christian girlfriends who are such an encouragement to me. Socially, they’re super fun. Spiritually, they challenge and encourage me in ways they’ll never realize meant so much to me.
  • I have had the best summer ever. Not only did I kick it off with a fabulous European cruise and then a family wedding, but I have spent the past three weekends hanging out at the lake, spent the weekend before that riding down a river on an inner tube, enjoyed countless dinners out, dinners in, watched movies, and played as much as was humanly possible. I wish I could relive this summer a hundred times. It was pure bliss.
  • Tomorrow I begin my VERY LAST DAY of graduate school! In 117 days, I’ll be walking across the stage at my graduation ceremony, sporting that dorky cap and gown and then celebrating in grand fashion with the party of the century. I can almost taste the freedom. And the free time.
  • I am getting free tuition again this fall, and this time I don’t have to work as a grad assistant to get it! I just get the free tuition, no strings attached. You have no idea the relief I felt when I got the good news!
  • I have a job that I love and I work for a boss that I respect. 
See, I feel better already. I know I’m blessed, and I know that my God is bigger than a stinky old head gasket. 
by Bethe

Such a sap

I’ve become such a sap… today I was sitting at my desk at work, minding my own business, when someone sent me a silly forward about a soldier giving a little girl a hug in an airport… and it sent me right over the edge, probably because I have friends over there. I cried right there at work! Sometimes I’m so thankful that I have an office that offers me privacy for silly days like today.

Then I cried again when I read this blog. You probably will too. We’ve been praying for this cute little boy for months now, and I’m so encouraged by these posts, as well as by the messages folks leave in their guest book. It’s great to claim to have faith when life is rosy, it’s another to be tested and proved through the fire. Watching others go through the trenches and still cling to hope challenges me to move past purely reading scripture and truly living it. Experiencing it. Knowing it. 
Besides, when others are suffering, it gives the rest of us an opportunity to step up to the plate and show Christ’s love in a real, tangible way. I have been blessed with friends who have shown up in the middle of the night with ice cream and hugs when I suffered unexpected heartbreak, or who have sat at the hospital with me, or who have looked me straight in the eye and have spoken hard truth that was exactly what I needed to hear. It’s amazing how God chooses to use us to touch others… and I only pray that God gives me very real opportunities to show his goodness in a way only He is capable of orchestrating.
But enough of the sap. I need to get back to eating my M&M’s and popcorn… don’t act like you don’t know exactly how wonderful that sweet and salty goodness can be. 
Oh, and if you’re looking for some new music (I’m on a total iTunes downloading kick) check out these two songs from Needtobreathe:
Lay ‘Em Down
Washed By The Water
Pure greatness! 
by Bethe

I passed!

PS–I got an A in summer school! I guess this proves that procrastination is perfectly acceptable, since I wrote my 50-page paper in just four days. It was kind of like ripping off a band-aid, only to reveal a raw, bleeding wound. So glad it’s over.

Ten classes down. Two more to go. I’ll be completely finished with grad school in only four months. Praise Jesus.
by Bethe

Beet ’em

Let me introduce you to the greatest softball team ever.
Oh wait, guys in the back, you’re not facing the camera.
There we go.
Meet Schrute Farms, the team that went from 2-8 last season to 7-2 this season, with one more game to go next week. These folks are awesome softball players, but they’re also super fun to hang out with. Their left fielder is always dropping pop-ups (that would be me) and yet the team always greets me with high fives when I get back to the dugout, and nobody seems to hold my error-filled ways against me. Every time I go to a game, I know I’m going to have fun, and my teammates only harass me a tiny bit for being the only person in the entire league who wears a batting helmet.
We also have the best jerseys in the league. I’m a much better shirt designer than I am left fielder! And of course, not at all biased.
by Bethe

Recap

What a week it has been…

Last week started off with a midnight trip to the Emergency Room. I’ve been struggling with some major asthma issues over the past two weeks, and it really got ugly late Sunday night. I got to the point where I could barely breathe and finally drove myself to the ER. By the time I arrived, I was in pretty bad shape (imagine trying to breathe through a stir straw), but after lot’s of drugs and some heavy duty breathing treatments, I was better. Not great, but better. 
Luckily I work at the best hospital in the Metroplex, and they took good care of me. I can happily say that I’m not only the spokesperson, I’m now also a patient (it worked for that Hairclub for Men guy). I’m just hoping to not be a patient again anytime soon, although this asthma stuff still isn’t under control. I’m working with my doctor on it… feel free to send a few prayers my way!
So that was Sunday night. Monday night I had 20 people at my house for dinner and a church meeting. You know me… I don’t do anything half way. Luckily I have some wonderful guy friends (thanks Joel) who came over early and set up everything so I didn’t have to do any heavy lifting in my sorry state. I had already baked pies the night before, and we just ordered pizza, so it was a relatively easy party… at least as far as dinner for 20 goes.
Then Tuesday, I found out my big summer school paper was due on Friday (note to self: always double check the deadline). I thought I had another week. My 50 page paper was only a 10 page paper on Monday morning, but by Thursday night at 11:55, that sucker was written and edited and emailed to my professor. Let’s just say that I didn’t eat or sleep very much between Tuesday and Thursday. That’s a lot of writing.
Then Friday I celebrated the end of my paper with a road trip to float the Comal River in New Braunfels. It was such a nice trip–18 of us stayed in two rather posh condos and floated the river for two days. We also managed a little outlet mall shopping (yes!), some two-steppin’ at Gruene Hall, and dinner on the patio at the Gristmill. It was such a nice, mellow weekend and it gave me the chance to get to know a few folks better, as well as travel with some of my very favorite friends. I had a really great time, and I got to wear my cowgirl boots.

And now I’m back, unpacked (not really, my bags are still on my bedroom floor, but I just step over them), and life is back to normal, whatever that is. This really has been my favorite summer in my history of summers, and as I look toward the fall and some upcoming fun trips (San Diego and Estes Park, Colorado!) I must say that I can’t wait.
by Bethe

Sick Day

I’m having a wonderfully enjoyable sick day at home, listening to the rain dance on my windows and enjoying a day of lounging around and not doing much.

Of course, my mind is racing with a huge, long list of to-do items, but I realize that most of those things will have to wait. Today I’m just going to rest. And maybe work on a road trip play list for my trip to float the river this coming weekend.
Last night I had a bit of an asthma scare that took me to the ER… I literally could not breathe (I’ll admit, I was scared), but after three breathing treatments and more steroids than a Yankee power hitter, I’m feeling much better. Exhausted since I was up all night, but breathing normally and with only a trace of that old lady smoker’s cough I had been sporting all weekend. So attractive. I’ve had my asthma my whole life, and had been proud of my record of zero ER visits–I take great pride in being able to treat my asthma with some prescription drugs, a little caffeine (it can work wonders) and just lying still and staying calm. But last night none of that seemed to work, so off I went, in my PJs and without any makeup. I’m sure all of my coworkers in the ER were quite shocked to see what I really look like under my beloved MAC concealer and mascara. It ain’t that pretty, folks. 
Today Beth Moore posted the most wonderful blog… you’ll have to check it out for yourself. I completely agree with her premise that our God is a God of details. His timing is perfect, and he can perform great and mighty miracles. But he also performs little miracles that minister to me in exactly the way I need it.
For instance… one time I was really grieving over a broken relationship. My heart was broken, and I mean BROKEN. One night, at my lowest point, I had a dream that the boy’s mom came to visit me and told me that I would be okay. That I was going to be fine, that she still loved me (I was very close to this guy’s mom and missed her dearly) and that I would be much better off following God’s plan for me, which didn’t include this boy. For some reason, that dream brought me so much more comfort than anything my friends or family could tell me. I really believe God orchestrated that silly little dream to comfort his grieving child and renew my spirit so I could keep plugging along.
Another time, I got this overwhelming urge to call a girl who used to be in my Sunday School class. She had stopped coming a few months previously, and honestly I had been so busy that I hadn’t followed up with her like I should. But one night, it just hit me as I was heading home from an errand that I should call this girl NOW. Not knowing why, I picked up the phone and called the girl, only to find out that she was in a total crisis and needed help that very night. Within a few hours some of our other girls had rallied together to help this gal get through what was probably one of the hardest weeks of her life. I take no credit, I just followed what I know was the Holy Spirit’s very persistent push. Luckily, sometimes he speaks so loudly that even this dense blonde girl can hear it.