New Shoes

Listening to one of my favorite groups as I write this piece. I was introduced to Bread by the Norton family while living in Brazil during my Jr. High years...Enjoy a little background music while reading...

"Make It With You" Lyrics Link

 

I need to replace these shoes...

Smelly, story-laden shoes

They are comfy, still have a lot of life, but a bit smelly...even when I wear socks! I hate replacing them, but the scent of feet in unbreathable shoes is getting to me, not to mention my husband and daughter. They've been kind and laugh when I remove my shoes and run to the bathroom to wash my feet.



My Monika and Me

But these sturdy shoes need to bless someone else's feet with the rest of the life they have ahead. I spent yesterday shopping with Monika looking for a replacement, but no dice yet. I must endure the ripe olfactory wisps until then.

But I will miss them. They have a story to tell...

I got them around February of 2006, right before my Bammel church women's retreat. I was asked to lead the singing that year and nervous as a cat on its way to getting a bath.

But Mom taught me years ago if I am asked to help out at church, and can do it, just do it. It will bless me and others.

How right you were mom!


My amazing Mother!

I sang my heart out...maybe too much...but what a great retreat that was! I recall traveling to the retreat with my good friend then Dollwyn, and hearing wonderful lessons about how being in the family of God is akin to royalty, and to never ever forget it as long as I live!


I have not. It's guided me when the externals threaten otherwise.

What I remember when I look at my shoes is the role Bammel played in my life. John and I had been married 10 years when we began attending church there. He was a New-Englander come Texan four years prior. Bammel had a profound impact on my early spiritual formation and I wanted him to know this group of people too, and hoped they had not changed. But they had...they had only gotten better!

Boston

I first heard of Bammel when my youth group went for a youth retreat from our then temporary home of four months in Corpus Christi to Houston for a weekend. We had so much fun that weekend while growing our personal faith in God. I made new friends as a newly transplanted MK from Brazil to the US, and was made to feel so at home because of the love I saw radiated at Bammel.

When we began attending Bammel in 2004, John and I were welcomed with open arms and enfolded by Michael Montalvo, a wonderful minister that reached out to John and made him feel as if time and space had never separated them as brothers.

Houston

Gail Matthews was my mentor, allowing me to stretch a newly found gift; writing. She put me right to work editing a quarterly women's newsletter. I so enjoyed each newsletter we published with the help of a dedicated staff. I learned so much from the other contributors, namely Holly Lewis whose writings on motherhood watered my dreams of being a mother one day. I also enjoyed researching and writing my own pieces; it got me out of my head and focused on the good things God was laying on my heart to share.

I will always have great memories of Bammel because of these shoes. Though we are back in Houston, and not at Bammel, I still have great respect and admiration for the theology and work Bammel does, and look forward to events we can share together as lovers of Jesus!

There are so many other reasons Bammel has a piece of my heart...too many to go into, but know it's all good!!!



Catfishing with my awesome Father!

Since we left Bammel in 2007 a lot of life happened. One of the best lessons I learned during that time was what my father taught me long ago; appreciate those you love while you can, because you never know when you won't have them anymore.
So during some years we were away from Houston, I sought to appreciate my family and current friends more while reaching out to new friends. I learned a lot of lessons; mostly that it's easier said than done, but not impossible, for in the end, reaching out is always worth the attempt no matter the outcome! Thanks Dad!

Glad to be back in Houston by my folks! They're super grandparents to seven grands already, and will be getting their eighth grand in Monika!


With my sweetie hanging out at our San Antonio home!

You see, John and I are first-time parents! A quick note about us and our marriage of 21 years: If either of us had a seven-year itch, it was not evident. We so enjoy each other's company. Now at mid-life, we are chosing parenthood over crisis and loving it!

John is an amazing carpenter, landscaper, business-owner when he ran an irrigation company, faithful employee, focused worker, Financial Peace University facilitator with a teacher's heart, runner, soccer-lover, beloved friend! I could go on, but you get the picture. He's near perfect and only getting better. We are each other's mutual admiration society and have never doubted for an instant that God formed our lives in such a way as to "bump into each other" when we did. For the day we started dating, we never looked back and there were never any others...just so grateful!


First family selfie

And now, back to our story...

We just gave life to a bouncing beautiful teenager named Monika and are living the dream!

I was wondering how I'd introduce this piece of news onto Coffee...but timing and story are everything...and this is the point in the story of our lives when I can reveal our latest happiness!

So as I go shopping for new shoes, I am reminded of all the good "new's" I have had in my life... new loyal friends when moving to the US at 14 years of age, new experiences when I went off to an inspirational college-OC, new first adult job in Boston with the incomparable Ketchen-Lipson family, new husband, new start in Houston 6 years into our married life, new dreams of children and finally a new daughter to love and share our wisdom, wit and wonder with!

I can't find a period, so I'll end as my mother does, "let's put a comma here..."

***

This piece is dedicated to my husband, family and non-blood kin, particularly Harry Lipson who has encouraged me lately to keep writing my Coffee At My Table blog after a lot of time away! Harry, you're a wonderful friend, great husband to a super-woman in Bev, father to two of the kindest human beings I know-Sarah & Andy-my beloved charges of days long past, a big-brother persona, great mentor and former employer, and the most knowledgeable person on Texas music sending me the latest and greatest from your computer in Arlington, MA with the most breath-taking view of Boston!!!