Not sure why, but my Dad has been on my mind lately.

He passed away in 1988, and there are many reasons to miss him. But I think the most evident thing for me is the "I wish he were here to see my kids" reason.

I'm so proud of my kids, and I know he would get a kick out of them, also.

He was a quiet man. Studied and read and studied and read...in fact, he used to drive me crazy wanting to talk about the Bible. I wish now that I had engaged him more and listened more and learned more. But, I wasn't ready to hear all that he was saying.

Here's the thing I remember about him that impressed me most.

He put together this Saturday morning study/prayer time with other people. Not other c of c people, but people who just simply loved the Lord as he did.

I remember specifically there was somebody of the pentecostal area, a catholic man, and a one-cup church of Christ man, and then my Dad. I think there were others here and there, but those 4 were the "heart" of the prayer group.

It wasn't common practice in those days to "fellowship" with people outside of the c of c realm...at least not fellowship freely with the understanding that all have equal access to the Kingdom of Heaven. My Dad did. He gave the church of Christ a good name. I was proud of him for that...still am.

I'm so grateful we grew up in a home that didn't say we were the only "right" or "saved" ones.

I do miss my Dad. But, honestly, if you knew him, you knew he lived his life just to meet God. He wasn't interested in earth...at all. So, selfishly, I wish he had stuck around a little longer, but I know he's where he longed to be.

Those of you who read my blog regularly remember around the first part of November I said that the Henderson house had hit a blip in the 'ole radar. I told you I could explain later, but asked you to pray in the mean time for our family.

Along with a receptionist, a marketing gal, and a guy or two from the warehouse, Lex was "let go" from his job. In California, we have this thing called "at will". Some other states may have it but I know CA does because the last two employers of Lex has used it. What it means is that they can fire you for no reason. Basically, you're costing them too much money or they are just tired of looking at your face or whatever...they can fire you for no reason.

Now, those of you who know Lex know he is about the hardest working individual there is. He never misses a day of work, is always on time, always stays late to finish whatever needs to be finished, and always has a positive attitude.

This one hurt. He was so discouraged because all the customers he dealt with loved him. The reps in the other parts of the country would call and only talk to him. They had shining letters in his file from people so pleased with his service. So, what happened?

We're not positive what happened because they don't have to tell you...but I'll give you my personal "take" on it:

Lex's blood pressure was through the roof. He was working himself into a slow death. He was sleeping an average of 3.5 - 4 hours a night. He would never have quit...it's not the thing to do when you're supporting a family.

So, was Christmas tight? Only financially. Otherwise, it was beautiful. Is it hard to pay all the bills this month? Sure...but what's new about that. I can cut back.

Here's the real test...
Does my husband love me?
Are my children healthy?
Do I have friends that love me?
Am I headed for heaven?

Here are the answers...
more today than yesterday
healthy and Godly
more than I can count
ABSOLUTELY!

So, thanks God. Once again, you saved us from ourselves and helped us see what is most important.

P.S. After about 6 weeks, the motorcycle shop put him on full time as their Service Manager. He'll enjoy that until something better comes along...

It has begun...a little earlier than usual, but begun it has!

It's the "waking-up-at-crazy-hours-of-the-morning-unable-to-go-back-to-sleep-before-ZOE" time.

This morning my eyes opened at about 4:20. Totally wide awake. My brain going 100 miles per hour about all that has to be done before and to prepare for the ZOE Conference.

So, since it is almost 9:00 pm, I am going to call it a day.

I've learned to just go with it. I will wake up, there is nothing I can do to stop it. It's like telling your brain not to think. It just doesn't happen.

But here's the kicker...I hate to be awake alone. So, poor Lex gets to hear all my thoughts at crazy hours of the morning.

It's at times like that I realize God knew exactly what He was doing when he placed us together. Lex is a wonderful partner. Supportive, patient, understanding, and always on my side. So, on those days when I think, "hhmmm, he could be a little more romantic", I'll stop and remember that I've been waking him up just so I don't have to be awake alone.

Blessings to you all...

Christmas was nice. It really felt like the day was endless...that's not a bad thing...but endless, none-the-less.

Woke up at 4:00 am (as I'm sure many people did), not because I had little kids waiting for Santa (which, by the way, I miss very much), but because I needed to be ready in case my big teenagers wanted to at least check out their stockings before church. (which they did).

I am at church by 7:00 on Sunday mornings, to get ready for the Praise Team which arrives by 7:30.

Church was over...headed to our house where Lex made waffles for my brother and wife and son, my family, my big brother and his daughter, and my mom. Fun...

It impressed me how patient my nephew was. There stood the tree with lots of presents, but Uncle Lex's waffles were what he wanted. (actually, he ate more waffle than I did! He was a hungry boy!)

We opened presents, enjoyed each other, and then split to different locations for a couple of hours until time to meet up at my Mom's house for dinner. Had a wonderful dinner and then back home to crash. Long day...but great day.

Church was wonderful. Lots of energy, enthusiasm, excitement. We had people bring "gifts" for the Children's Ministries and then had the kiddos gather them and bring them to the stage where the ministry leaders were waiting to thank and love on them. It was so sweet.

Steven did a good job...as always. It was good to be together.

My favorite part of this Christmas, though, was Friday night. Lex and I had taken the kids shopping so they could by gifts for the family. Every year, Ashley and Avery put their own money together and buy things for Grandma's, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Lex and I, and each other.

Avery told me he wanted to get Ashley something "special" this year. (Avery tends to be kind of thrifty...very calculating with his money.) Avery is a saver. He tithes, saves, and spends wisely. I'm very proud of him for this.

So, when he said something "special", I didn't know what that meant. We talked, talked, talked, and I just wasn't getting it. Actually, he wasn't saying much. Until finally, I asked him..."what are you wanting to spend on her?" His answer shocked me.

I told him he didn't need to spend that much on her. Not necessary. He could find great things for far less than what he was talking about. Finally, he looked me square in the eye and said, "Mom, I like Ashley. And this is her last year at home."

YIKES! Did he have to remind me? So, on to Macy's we went where he found her the cutest, coolest, most beloved COACH Purse you've ever seen. (Those of you who know what that is, please comment.)

She saved his gift to open last. It's like she knew somehow he had done something special. When she opened it, not only did she gasp, but so did my niece, my sister-in-law, and, of course, I was crying a bit.

Avery loved the reaction from everybody. "Yes! I did good!", he said.

He did great.

The sweetest moment was the hug between them.

They are going to miss each other.

I decided something today...but before I tell you what I've decided, let me tell you about this week.

Great week. A bit of a "downer" time on Monday and Tuesday which is typical after a Musical or ZOE or anything you put months into preparing. It's over in an hour or a weekend. But, I'm used to it, and so is my family so they treat me gently the days following.

Life goes on, however, and so does the need to Christmas shop, plan worship for Sunday, continue ZOE preparations, try to get your house ready for Christmas, and so on and so on.

Lex and I managed to sneak in a few hours to shop together for the kids. A snippet of time here and there. Nothing fun and romantic like the "old days"...whatever the heck that means. Just times of necessity and "let's get this done quickly before we have to be at the next thing" kind of deal.

Our house is finally looking like Christmas after I made the big mistake of asking "Do you kids even want to put a tree up this year?" Of course, I plead insanity because it was Monday (the dark day after the Musical) that I asked this question. I knew I had made a HUGE error in judgment when my sweet daughter began her response by saying..."The fact that you would even ask that question..." (it went on from there) So, the tree went up, and I'm so glad it did.

Lex said it looks like a Christmas Elf exploded in our home. That's a compliment.

Avery has taken Driver's Education all this week and Ashley has worked so between trying to work and be the perfect Christmas wife and mother, I've driven them back and forth all week...in "week before Christmas" traffic.

Have you read anything yet about all the baking I've done? No. Why? you ask...Why hasn't this woman who bakes when she's happy, bakes when she's nervous, bakes when she's sad...why hasn't she baked?

I've not had one second to bake.

One of my favorite things about the holidays is...you guessed it...baking. Baking and visiting people and sharing the baked yummies. Not this year. In fact, not since I've had a Christmas Musical has the baking been done to my satisfaction. (this will be the 4th year).

I stood looking at all the sugar, flour, choc chips, white choc, peppermint sticks, butter, peanut butter, just waiting to be made into baskets of love for our friends and here's what I decided. (bet you thought I'd never get to the point...)

I'm going to be a New Year's baker. Yes...New Year goodies. I know Christmas is the traditional time, but I can't do it...so, the week between Christmas and New Year, I will bake and share with my friends. The only difference will be when I deliver it I will say Happy New Year instead of Merry Christmas!

I feel better.

There were moments on Thursday night and Saturday morning that I doubted the Musical would come together. I thought things like, "well, that's o.k., it will be o.k., the audience won't realize it if we blow it here or there..."

Ultimately, I knew God was in charge. I prayed for each heart that would participate, each voice to be clear, each person present in the audience to have a soft heart receptive to what God wanted to share with them during that hour. I prayed that the sound and video equipment would hold on and not throw us any curves. But above all, I prayed that God would be glorified and honored in what was going on.

The sound guys were flawless.

The children were adorable and sang "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Your love makes me sing!" with all their heart and voice.

The narrators said their words with precision and passion.

The singers were beautiful both in voice and heart. (and looked like a million bucks on top of it all!)

Every soloist did their very best.

But, above all, I believe God was pleased, honored, glorified.

Somebody said it was so fun to watch us all love each other through song. They said that our unity and support for each other is encouraging and blesses them as well as our obvious love for the Creator. That's a compliment. Because ultimately, what are the two greatest commandments? Love God, Love each other.

So, beyond all the good that happened, the success comes through in our love for God and each other.

Thank you for your prayers. I wish you all could have been here.

Wednesday...
Almost half-way through this exciting nerve filled week.

People are so sweet..."are you doing o.k., Sandra?" "Are you getting nervous, Sandra?" They have a genuine concern for the health of my spirit and mind. The great news is, I'm doing fine. Not perfect...a few panics every once in a while, but really fine.

It's fun to grow old enough to see actual spiritual growth in yourself. To know, without a doubt that a few years ago, you'd be a basket case the week before a musical. But not this year. Each year gets better. I'm actually excited...can hardly wait for the moment we get to present this message. Prayerful for those in attendance, hopeful that a message will pierce through someone's calloused heart, confident that God/Jesus/Spirit will not be just a quiet presence in the corner, but an obvious element to the evening.

I had a gentleman from the congregation call me today and ask if he brings a basket full of ingredients for a Christmas dinner and a Target gift card, will I please deliver it to a family he knows is struggling. I cried. (it really doesn't take much...and, he didn't know I cried).

The family he wants to deliver to is a great family. They come faithfully...Dad sings on the praise team often, but recently has had to step out of the music ministry because he's working nights and just isn't able to handle that with rehearsals. He can barely get himself to church because of exhaustion. He was recently laid off from that job because it was seasonal, so now he's been without work at all for a couple of weeks.

There are so many people who struggle in so many different ways, and this time of year, the struggles seem to be magnified. It's difficult to digest sometimes, and we feel overwhelmed at the grief, depression, sadness, and pain people are feeling. But, for one guy to do one thing for one family is exactly what should be done. I tend to stand around and pace and say "I can't fix it all", but one person reaching out to one person takes care of one need if even for a day or two.

Here's to hoping and praying God will show you just one need this week that needs your attention. One thing you can do to make a tiny difference in someone's heart. One little gift that will lift their spirits and help them see the presence of God in their life.

Blessings to you all.

It is the week before the big Christmas Musical! Very exciting. We had a great rehearsal last night thanks to our amazing "tech team".

Last Sunday (the 4th), we had every imaginable problem with every imaginable thing imaginable! It was deflating, scary, frustrating, and necessary.

When we have rehearsal times like that, it forces me, once again to say..."Oh...yes...God, you are in control of this!" So, all week long I gave it up over and over and over. I'm a slow learner. Or, maybe God just sees me as teachable. That's a good thing. I don't ever want to think "I got it".

But last night was beyond us. It's so exciting to see God equip people to do things beyond what we could have done alone or without Him. It's a wonderful lesson for all involved.

I had the privilege of attending 3 concerts in the past week for my daughter. She plays French Horn, so there was the Wind Ensemble concert. Beautiful. She performs vocally, so there was the Vocal Jazz concert. Very entertaining. And, of course there was the proper Chamber Choir concert. Very impressive. I sat there realizing I've been watching some of these kids for as long as I've been watching Ashley. Some of those big strong young men started with her in elementary school and have continued together...bound together in their love of music and performing and learning. O.K., yes, I cried a bit. It's something to see these young people stand so tall, confident, and accomplished. These people have spent time in my home, slept on my couch, eaten my cookies/brownies/homemade mac'n'cheese...

I was very proud. Proud to have the daughter I have, proud of her choice of friends, proud to have been a part of their development in a tiny way.

As her Senior year approaches the half way mark, I'm proud, sad, proud, sad... But, mostly proud.

This week is also Finals for both my kids. So, pray for us this week. I am obviously deep in Christmas Musical prep, but my kids need a mom who is calm and supportive and nurturing. That's my first responsibility. Help me keep that focus this week.

Blessings to all of you!

People handle many things at once all the time. "Multi-tasking" is an often used word these days. To be able to talk on your cell phone, answer an IM (Instant Message) on your computer, apply mascara, and fold a load of towels at the same time is just the norm in this crazy world.

But, as Steve mentioned in his last comment on my blog, I am trying to do many things at once and do them to a degree of excellence that probably isn't possible. Although, I'll die trying.

The weekly worship time is taking more and more time and effort because God is showing us (the Worship Committee) more and more ways to be effective...which takes more thought, more preparation, more phone calling, more set up. It's wonderful.

The Christmas Musical is outstanding. Not because of me, but because this church is full of gifted people who don't mind giving of their time and talents to put on a great production. However, the time thing...oh my...it takes heaps of time.

The ZOE West Coast Conference is coming rapidly. January 20 - 22 is the conference. If you're able, you will be blessed to be here. Greg, you need to come! I know you've gone to Nashville for it, you could at least come this far! If any of you are able, in all seriousness, you will be blessed beyond your greatest imagination. For more information, or to register before the early registration deadline, go to www.zoegroup.org

I'm teaching a 3 session (which translates to 3 hours and 45 minutes) class this year (which is also taking special time and prep) at the Fresno conference titled "Worship 101". Basically, how to get started. What to do if you're a small church, or a church just beginning to look at praise teams, different arrangements of songs, new songs, new ways to present, etc. Some churches have jumped on this "contemporary or emerging" worship years ago and are so far out of reach of some smaller or just starting churches, it frustrates the people trying to get started. We need to always have a beginning class. Similar to our Sunday morning assembly time. What if we started 40 years ago teaching and progressed from there and never went back to teach the basics? Obviously, we would lose people.

Anyway, then there's the women's retreat in February that I'm leading worship for that has some specific needs.

Along with that, as I've told you in a former blog, we've hit "blips" in the Henderson household and seem to continue hitting them. Some of you may know them better as meyluz OR hmkkyzm, but whatever you want to call them, they're time consuming and overwhelming and require daily prayer and a check of faith.

(anybody want to congratulate me on my first word verification use?)

So, I do apologize for the long periods of absence. Your comments are so precious and important to me. I appreciate you continuing to check my blog. I will try to set aside time more consistently.

Pray for my family. My husband is not totally healthy, in fact, he's a mess. My sweet daughter is in over her head with school and college prep. She takes the SAT Saturday morning, and my Avery is back on the NASA rocket project this year and is the lead guy.

Bless you...