First Annual Konda/Henningsen Golf Oklahoma

It was to be a weekend of surprises . . . Our son in law Tracy asked us to come down to Topeka on Sunday night, and surprise Casey.  Just show up unannounced.  So we did . . . with a surprise of our own - our new car.

We parked on their street and texted the picture to Casey - - - she however didn't get the text and we ended up in the drive way and honking the horn before our arrival was announced!

Surprise part #2 . . . We told Casey we were there to golf with her the next day on her dad's birthday.  Tracy then threw out the rest of the story . . . pack a bag girl because we are headed to Guthrie, Oklahoma to golf for two days!    

Don't know how you are with surprises like this??  I being a "first born" and little bit bossy . .  I like to have a plan . . meaning I need notice so I can have a plan . . . but Casey can roll with it and was excited to go!

Tracy chose Guthrie as he and his best friend Gary had golfed there before - four championship courses within two miles, one even named "Augusta".

Monday we headed out and arrived in the red dirt state at our destination around noon.   After checking into the motel - we headed out for our T-off time of 1 p.m.    I myself am not a golfer  - but was allowed to ride along for free.  I did sneak in a few holes.  We had the best time together, laughing, golfing, and enjoying the beautiful area.

Tracy had special supper plans for us . . . after four hours of golf and some rest time at the motel, we headed downtown Guthrie to Stables Cafe.  One of my favorite kinds of places to be . . .full of memorabilia.  And known state-wide for their chicken fried steaks.  

More great times!  Even though they were fresh out of chicken fries!

Day 2 of Golf Oklahoma or The First Annual Konda/Henningsen Golf Oklahoma Vacation started out early on the golf course after a great breakfast at the motel.  Kudos to the Holiday Inn Express.  Great rooms, great pool, and great food!

  

What a great way to start the day - - - This course was named Aqua Canyon . . . LOTS  of water to deal with!!

 

 Wrapped up a very special mini-vacation with these two great people.  How blessed to have them in our lives.  One of Clay's first comments was, "we've got to get Todd's up here to golf".   Hard to do things with one of the kids and not wish that they both were there.  We will do it!    And anytime that we can all get together - we are blessed!

Thanks to a son in law who means the world - and thought to ask the in-laws along on the Surprise Trip!    Great memories made - we will treasure!

Refocus

FOCUS FOR 2014

• WORSHIP
• HOMEMAKING
• FRIENDSHIPS
• TRAVEL
• WORK
• EXERCISE
• READING

This is how my New Year's post probably looked.  These are the seven areas that I chose to spend my time on this year.  Didn't set resolutions - just thought about the important things in my life and set out to focus on making improvements and growing in each area.

More than midway through the year and here is where I stand:

Worship - attending church less and attempting to read and study my Bible alone.  There is much to be said about Hebrews 10:25:  Let us not give up on meeting together as some are in the habit of doing . . . My kids heard this multiple times.

Homemaking - no change here.  I enjoy an organized and clean house.  

Friendships - this has been a very sad focus for me.  I have been able to say for the last decade that I have a best friend.  And I believe that we have friends for seasons of our life.  I have not kept a friend FOR life.  People change and situations change and although I love my dear friend still - we don't find the time to spend on our friendship like we did at one time.  We both know it.  We discuss it.  No change here.

Travel - This has been one of the biggest surprises of my life actually.  I had never understood why people loved to travel and why anyone would want to retire and travel the countryside.  I became a traveler in 2002 and actually I became pretty mobile in 1998 when my son went to college and I had to check in with him from time to time . . . Then we have traveled to see our granddaughter, who is nearly 12 now.  Precious memories made on every single trip to either  South Dakota, Texas, Great Bend, Junction City, and now Garden City. Ballgames for our daughter.   Many trips now to Texas and Topeka to see our kids.  Throw in a few trips for business and or business-related and I have seen some territory and love it!  I wanted to focus this year on making travel easier.  I have done one thing to impove travel.   I have given up taking a "carry-on" bag that Southwest so nicely lets us have - I used to stuff it full of everything I might possibly want or need for the flight and trip - and found out that lugging that plus my purse (not a small item either) was too much for my broken down back.    So I travel lighter.  Just my purse.  And of course my luggage that I checked.  

Work - Much thought, worry, prayer, stress and anxiety here.

Exercise - Have done almost none.

Reading - Have done almost none.

So . . . I still like my plan for focusing on these areas, but as you can see, I didn't get a very "clear picture" in several of these areas.  But I'm a work in progress.  To finish out 2014, and please disregard any other post recently where I have said differently, I will focus on taking action and improving my life in these areas:  Worship, Work, Exercise, Reading.

I plan to take action and write about it as I do - - - stay tuned - - - I promise to be back on track before it's time to sing "aulde lange syne" my friends.

                                     

A vow of silence . . .

"Silence is golden . . . "

                    “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”   

        

            
                                         “My personal hobbies are reading, listening to music, and silence.”

 

 

I recently decided to explore silence.  I have a Bible that teaches of the "spiritual disciplines" and one of them is silence.    Spiritual disciplines are ways to imitate Christ in our lives.  Thought up by someone who noted in scripture that certain fruits were present in the life of Jesus.  And so what better reason to practice those ways.

 

That being said, my motivation as well as being more Christ-centered - is to eliminate some stress in my life.  Let me explain:   Here is my pattern - and would some psychoanalyst out there please leave an in-depth comment on how to fix me?  In the situations of my life I stay jolly and positive and want everyone around me to feel comfortable.   Sure wouldn't want to upset anyone.  Instead of sharing healthy opinions - I stuff them and stuff them - until they come popping out at seemingly small issues.  Confusion abounds.  I then feel bad and apologize.  Or I just say too much and get tied up in a long conversation of which I do most of the talking . . . Then I buy into negative self talk.  Great life strategy huh?

For whatever the situation - whether it be at work, with family, or with public I end up thinking to myself - be quiet - don't get involved - practice silence.

For the next three weeks I'm going to work through the area of silence in my spiritual disciplines Bible.  I'll be back to share . . . or . . . not.

Enjoy some quiet time for yourself too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open Your Mouth Only If What You Are Going To Say Is More Beautiful Than Silence