Fruit Basket Upset

Hello, strangers, it's me!  The past couple of months have been a whirlwind of change and uncertainty.  For those of you who do not know, David is not in the police academy at this time.  It was the combination of several things that brought him to the point of having to resign, but let it be known that I'm so proud of him.  It was a difficult road, and few would have taken the risk to walk it.  It doesn't end here.  Members of the police academy want David to reapply.  We want it too!  So, the process starts again! 

David will have to go through the application and testing process again - starting from scratch.  This means that it could be up to 8 months from now before we know whether David will be accepted to the police academy for a second round.  Yes, we're crazy.  Yes, there are safer routes to take.  But, God has lead David and I to Lubbock and to pursuing this line of work.  The more foolish act to me would be to ignore it and miss out on something really great.  So, we're going to keep walking forward until God directs differently.

In the meantime, David and I were without incomes.  No money coming in, but still needing to pay the bills.  Our reserve was depleting, and no one was picking up the phone to hire us.  We were to point of needing to decide if we should take the risk and stay in Lubbock or use what we have left to wrap things up and move back home.  I miss Colorado.  I miss my family, friends, mountains, trees, fresh mountain water...........but, God made it clear that we needed to move here.  We just needed Him to confirm that and come to our rescue.

There was one position at the Department of Public Safety.  Over a hundred applied, but only one would get in - David.  I had just received a dollar raise before leaving my job in Colorado.  Fully expecting to have to settle for less, I applied for everything and everywhere.  I now work at an insurance company making .50 cents more than my previous job in CO!  God's taking care of us!

It's funny to think that the things that have occupied our minds and lives can be typed out in a few short paragraphs.  Adversity, discouragement, questioning and God to the rescue.  The thing is, God was never out of the picture.  He was in the midst of each stage, and was bringing us closer to himself.  Have we arrived?  Not on this side of heaven.  Trust me.  There have been tears and major doubts.  Thankfully, God isn't dependent on me.  Rather, He is my everything.

Dry Retching 'n Rough Roads

           Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.  ~Mary Anne Radmacher

David and I knew that moving to Texas wasn't going to be easy.  David was embarking on a journey of physical and mental challenges, and I was leaving the only home I've ever known - Colorado.  Knowing that the road ahead was going to be rough is nothing compared to living the everyday challenges that come with a 180 degree life change.

David is continuing to grow in his physical fitness, and he hasn't lost his humor about the growing process.  He's had me in stitches more than once with stories of his body not cooperating with the commands of the mind.  I'm sure that dry retching while running sprints or sarcastically being asked if you need a hospital by a superior isn't funny at the moment it's happening, but David is able to turn the day’s events into a comedic routine when he comes home.  Laughter is good medicine - right?  Maybe laughter and the massage I give him with, not oil, but pain relieving cream. 

Yes, the physical fitness road has been laden with pain and laughter, but there is more.  I see David becoming strong.  His arms, his chest, his legs...........you reap what you sow, and David has sown discipline and strength.  It shows not only in his physic, but in his countenance as well.  He walks with strength.  Please don't think that I imply that this man has become proud.  Nothing would be further from the truth as David is quite aware that he is completely dependent on God.

The physical challenge is only one part of this journey; hours of class and study have been constant companions.  David will spend 6 to 8 hrs of class time and then return home to finish the day off with an additional 2-4 hours of study.  Weekends are speckled with taking time for church, each other and more study.   Even with all this study, test taking is far from being a strength of David's.  We are in constant prayer and work to help David in this area of greatest weakness.   

Then, there's me.  I knew that coming down to Lubbock, Tx would increase my dependence on God by leaps and bounds.  Part of me wants to run out and fill the lonely with something - perhaps a job.  But, I reign in the desire to fix 'n find.  Instead, I need to be deliberate with my choices and my path.  I pray that God will continue to guide me and that I won't shy away from the hard or difficult.  Right now, I need to be patient.  So, I continue to support David by making meals, helping any way that I can with study, ironing and boot shining.

So, that's us.  We remain in the midst of this journey and, as always, are in desperate need of God's power and strength.  We appreciate our family and friends!  Thank you for all your prayers!

Week Two: Check!

Today marks the official end of week two in the Academy!  Woo hoo!  According to the instructors, the recruits have completed 7 classes thus far!  Constitution & Amendments Class: check...Multiculturalism Class: check...Stress Management Class: check, check...Class 4,5,6 &7: check, check, check &check.  The moment of enjoying the success is brief.  Class 8, 9, 10, 11 await. 

David's been working hard hitting the books and hitting the gym.  PT happens 3 days a week now - Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  On these days, David's up "at the crack of butt" (aka: 4:30 a.m.) getting ready to head out to be yelled at (aka: weird form of encouragement) and beat down (aka: built up).  Since I'm not able to sleep once he leaves, I too get up at the "crack of butt", mosie-on down stairs at around 5:30 and lay on the couch for a good 2 hours (aka: waking up).  By the end of the day, we're like two old people - David with his aches and pains and the both of us ready to hit the sack at 8:30p.m.  Sigh.

While David's away getting beat down and crammed with information, I'm still getting our little place just right and taking the occasional visit to near-by shops.  Today, I witnessed the take down of a store thief by Wal-Mart security!  It was quite the scene!  Security personnel apprehended the guy in the parking lot and walk-wrestled him from the door in the garden center, through the store and to the office near the doors by the pharmacy.  Koodoos to Wal-Mart security...they are not to be messed with!

God is good all the time!  I praise Him for caring us through these weeks of mind and body overload.  God got us to where we are, and I know He'll carry us through!  Please continue to pray....we appreciate it!

Howdy Ya'll!

We've been here in Lubbock, TX for a little over two weeks, yet it feels like a whole lot longer!  David and I were joking that the first week through the Lubbock Police Academy felt like a month's worth of life had been squeezed into 5 days!  I guess it was the anticipation of what was to come along with trying to digest all the information being hurled our way that landed us crashed on the couch by the end of it.  Imagine that! 

Life is full and, in a way, fast here in Lubbock!  My goal is to keep you up to date on Texas happenings; in particular, David's journey to becoming a police officer.  It's such an honor to be witness to God working in David.  It wasn't that long ago that David was at the end of his rope.....he felt directionless with no success in his career attempts; he was tired of trying so hard with no desired result.  It was hard to see David fed up with his faith.  But God is amazing and takes His relationship with His children seriously.  David may have been giving up, but God was gearing up to be alive and real in David's life.

Coming to the realization that trying really hard doesn't work was just where God needed David to be.  It wasn't an overnight transformation, but a steady working in David's heart and life by our Father that brought David into a living relationship with God.  Fast forward 9mths, here we are in Texas!  We took each step of this journey in prayer, so I have to believe that God wants us here and David in the academy.  It's not going to be easy......It's going to be a long 5 months with a lot of study and discipline.  We are dependent on God everyday for everything, and we covet your prayers!

Now for the up-dates!  Last week, David's first PT day was rough.  His calf muscle seized up and caused him to fall out of rank.  As he limped to catch up with his team mates, he found them doing push-ups until he caught up.  Not good! On the bright side, he wasn't among those who threw up that first day!  Muscle pain cream, Ibuprofen, stretches, Google searches, lots of prayer..........we did everything we could this weekend to make sure he didn't elicit negative attention again.  Today - success!  It was still rough, but he made it through!  Woo hoo!

I've been working on getting the house in order, and I'm pretty happy with the result.  I continue to "fiddle" with stuff in the endless effort to get it just right.  I haven't shrunk into a homesick lump.  Instead, I kinda feel like I'm on a extended vacation (sort of).  If I do find myself getting overwhelmed with a new town and a new routine, I head to Target or Wal-Mart or some other store you would find in CO.  I guess the familiar setting of these stores gives me pleasure.