Birthday Blog

If I had known turning 50 would be so much fun I would have done it a long time ago:-) Yesterday a large box arrived in the mail from my Julie friend with strict instructions not to open it until today. Mature, matronly, self-controlled person that I am, I ripped into it at 6:30 am today and what I found inside made me weep. Julie and Gail, two of my sweet, sweet friends in MI had asked 50 people to get me a birthday card, enclose a $1 bill, and when those were all collected they sent the whole bunch of them down here for my birthday. I was overwhelmed with their thoughtfulness! It was soooooooo much fun to read greetings from former youth group kids, ladies from my Weds. morning weight loss group, Joe's friends, relatives.........it is alot to be thankful for and I don't have the words to express how this gift touched my heart.

And when I got to work I found this big banner hung over my desk from my YL family. Tuesday mornings are staff meetings and they spoiled me with yum snacks, gifts, and probably the worst rendition of Happy Birthday I've ever heard in 50 years:-) Later on in the day my friend Ryon took me for a ride along the TN river on his motorcycle which was so fun since I hadn't ridden one since I was a teen-ager. I didn't get a lick of work done today!

These are pictures from the party at the Bridgers after hang gliding on Saturday. We grilled out and had a feast including a cake with a hang glider on it fashioned by Kris, my friend who "spends her life married to amazement." After dinner we went out by the bonfire and sang songs from the '70s like "Pass it On" and "They'll Know We are Christians by our Love", songs that were pretty radical back in the day:-)

What an amazing birthday it's been....lots of phone calls from Crew and my kids, my brothers and sister and old and new friends, theophanies around every corner! I am humbled and grateful by the love received today and it will be a good memory for as long as I live.

Tagalongs

It's so fun how you can read a piece of Scripture a million times and all of a sudden see a fresh perspective. Yesterday the choir sang a wonderful song about mercy and it brought Ps. 23:6a to mind...."Surely goodness and mercy (love) will follow me all the days of my life...."

And I realized that they have been following me around like forever, that goodness and love....even when I've tried to ditch them, deny their presence, ignore them, they're still back there!! Goodness and love are determined to stay with me wherever life takes me - they're tireless!! I like how The Message says it..."Your beauty and love they chase after me every day of my life."

Sometimes Satan and/or life's circumstances tempt me to believe they've finally pooped out and given up. But then I stop quick and they bump into me they're so close behind. Sometimes I acknowledge their presence with a quick, breathless thank you. On my very best days I just stop and let them tackle me and we roll around the grass like a couple of 5 year olds.

Up Up & Away or Sally Fields ain't got nothin' on me

My entourage/prayer group?!?

Holding the document with lots of small print about liability

Joe pointed this sign out to me - very funny!!

Pilot's name was Rex (Wrecks?!) I decided to take it as a good sign.

Ready for take off!!


Being pulled up by an ultralight - sorry for the teeny pics - technically challenged 50 year old blogger!


Thinking...."I am really doing this and this is very cool!!"

On our way to 2500' !! Side note....if I ever do this again I'm going for the 4000' package so it takes longer to come down!! The trees are just starting to change in Lookout Valley and it was so beautiful! Hard to take it all in at once! Sensory overload but bring it on!!

After we were released from the plane, Rex let me take the "wheel" for awhile and I got to turn and dip - I let him handle the loop de loops:-)

Look, Mom, no hands! Super Mari!

Thumbs up! What a rush! I'd do it again in a heartbeat! The Flying Nun fantasy has been fulfilled at last. Hmmmm....wonder what I should do when I turn 60?!

Gliding

What a way to celebrate 50 years of life! This was one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. I was never scared to do this, only excited and curious. Even during the loop de loops I was exhilirated and buzzing the viewing tower was tooooo much fun! Sharing the experience with a bunch of folks I love very much just made it extra special!

How do you keep the multi-sensory memory of this alive in your mind forever?! My friend Linda took tons of pictures of the flight and the party afterwards - if you'd like to take a peek you can see them at http://picasaweb.google.com/lgutherie/MariSCelebrationOfLife?authkey=M8cCDmI4dzs

I'll write more tomorrow...................

Leadership, Life, Love

It has been too long since I've been able to go to YL Leadership and I was so glad to be there tonight meeting new leaders and reconnecting with old friends. When I am sitting in that room worshiping with these amazing young people it is one of those times when "as for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes."

Raley's talk was from the passage in Acts where Peter escapes from prison with the angel's help and he talked about how often in life we have moments when something incredible occurs and we say "did that just happen?!" I feel this way so often when I'm part of a Young Life event. I felt that way the day I realized we had really, really moved to Chattanooga.

Tomorrow I go hang gliding and I'm excited! And afterwards I get to hang out with my Chattanooga family at one of my favorite places in the world in Wildwood, GA and have yum BBQ and sit around a campfire on a crisp fall evening and sing songs from the 70's. And at the end of this wonderful, amazing day I'll say, "Wow! Did that just happen?!"

My heart is full tonight as I start to realize that soon I'll celebrate 50 years of life. "Since early childhood my life has been shot through with God" Macrina writes and this is true for me too. And what a wonder that this Father who whispered my name so many years ago will never run out of love, and surprises, and revelation right up to the second I am enfolded into His arms and know Him fully even as I am fully known.This is the moment of divine and complete intimacy that I long for even as I live out each day here on earth which is filled to the brim with blessings!

Grand Kitties

Lone Ranger & Tonto

Meet the newest additions to Dan & Bre's household! Aren't they adorable?!

Horticultural Highlight

In our ongoing attempts to subdue the earth here on Rocky Top we threw some seeds in the ground under the mailbox earlier this summer and this monstrous plant keeps growing and growing.....every morning when I pass it on my way to the car I say "good morning glory"....it seems to appreciate that.

Party on the Potty!!!

So how embarassed will Crew be someday when he realizes his grandma (and his mom) put pictures like this on their blogs for all of cyberspace to see?! And on Friday he even (I have no idea how to say this delicately) peed!

Old Friend

You know how it is when someone mentions a mutual acquaintance in passing conversation and it brings that person to mind? Yesterday at work someone mentioned the author Robert Benson and his book "Living Prayer", one of my all time favorite books. As soon as I got home I pulled it from the "B" section of the bookshelf (aren't your books alphabetized?!)

And it felt exactly like a reunion with an old friend as I re-read this lovely book. Familiar, highlighted phrases brought a grin to my face and joy to my spirit. The passage of time and life's experiences since we last met were applied in a fresh way to the counsel and wisdom and beauty of this little book. Books are treasures! Here are some of the words that continue to knead truth into my heart......

"It is a life lived at attention that I seek, a life in which prayer has woven itself into the very fabric of my days, a life in which prayer has become a constant, as regular as breathing out and breathing in."

"I have always enjoyed the part of the prayer (John 15:16) that suggests to us that we are taken by God, that we are chosen. "You did not choose me, I chose you," we are told Jesus said to His friends once, and I claim it for myself as often as I feel I can get away with it. I remind myself of the hope of it when the darkness comes, and I celebrate the astonishment of it when the Light is all around me."

Lovin' Louisiana

I spent the weekend in beautiful St. Francisville, LA with Dan & Brea and had a great time! Their annual fundraiser was a success in many ways! Lots of folks came out to hear more about Young Life in West Feliciana - lots of high school kids came to help - it's a growing ministry!

It was soooo good to see Dan & Bre again and meet some more of the people who are in their daily reality. The path they have chosen and their lifestyle remind me alot of my brother Tom and his wife Donna, someone that Dan spent quite a bit of time with during his teen years. It is so fun to trace the path that God has sketched for His children's lives!

Dale was unable to come because of his new job (which he loves by the way!) so I had to road trip it alone. My friend Jennie lent me the audio version of Ken Gire's book, "The Divine Embrace" and it was wonderful! Listened to the whole thing on the way there and again on the way home. I LOVE being read to - I think it goes back to being read to so often by my sweet mom.

After lots of time away I'm going to settle in at Claremont Ct. for a couple of months and that sounds great!

Small Group(s)

I've started leading a small group on Weds. nights that starts at 9:15 pm and goes till 11 pm. It was the only time that worked for everyone. So Dale & I get home from our church small group at 8:45 and the girls are here a half hour later. I wondered if I would be too tired to enjoy our time together but they bring me so much life and conversation and fresh perspective it's invigorating:-)

And it feels like a sweet piece of restoration to have the GTCA (Girl Talk Cry Area) filled once again with younger sisters in Christ and walk with them through a life that only makes sense because of the Lord's presence in it. To share the lessons learned in the wilderness and listen and learn from their stories too. I am excited and grateful and look forward to the coming months as we light the candles, pull the tissue box a little closer, and go through "Captivating" together!

New Job & New Wheels!

Dale started his new job today - it had the feel of the first day of school:-) What a neat challenge this will be for him! It's a job that he's well qualified for after so many years of being on the installation side of construction. I know the installers will appreciate his knowledge and understanding.

The blue Dodge will get a much deserved rest as the job comes with this snazzy (?) little HHR company car - I guess it's fairly obvious it's a company car!

Well, time to give my spouse email lessons so he'll know what to do with that computer on his desk!

Our Vacation Scrapbook

On Sept. 30 we celebrated our 30th anniversary!

We always sign our cards to each other with the letters, MTYLTT - "more than yesterday, less than tomorrow"

Grow old along with me, Dale Allen - the best is yet to be!

Sweet Crew came all the way from Indy with his mom and dad and it was wonderful spending time with all of them!

This is a picture of our time share in Gatlinburg - it's beautiful!

Joe & Bailey came for a couple of days! We wish Dan & Brea could have come too but it just wasn't possible this year. We're all looking forward to Thankxmas when we can all be together for a few days!

We took the kids to the Apple Barn Restaurant in Pigeon Forge - yum food!

The resort has an amazing indoor water park!

Mark, Crew & Joe

Crew loved jumping off the edge of the pool into our arms!


Crew giving his mom a little sugar
Crew's first attempt at miniature golf - he found that it was alot easier to just throw the ball into the cup to make that fun clunky sound!
After the kids left Dale and I had a few days with just the two of us. We spent part of our time wandering around Gatlinburg.

We also drove to the Great Smokey Mtn. National Park and hiked back to this waterfall - we got caught in a warm rain shower on the way.
The colors were just beginning to change - it should be beautiful in a couple of weeks!

There was also great hiking behind the resort and we found these two butterflies feasting on thistles.And what trip to Pigeon Forge is complete without a stop at that Southern icon, Dollywood! The entire month of October features various Southern gospel groups, one of Dale's favorite types of music!

It was really fun to get away for a whole week. Tomorrow Dale starts his new job as production manager at Hullco! We are so thankful for the many blessings of the Lord in our lives especially our marriage and our family.

Home again - Home again

We had a wonderful week of vacation in Gatlinburg and got home in time this afternoon to catch the rest of the Vol's victory on T.V.! It was great to have a break from helping to run the world for a week. I'll post pictures from our vacation tomorrow! Thanks so much for the anniversary wishes in various forms!