True Confessions: I ODed on HGTV!

When James said, "Confess your faults one to another," I'm not sure he had this in mind. But this post is especially for those of you who have long been amused by my style of getting things done.

In the last year or so, I've become a fan of HGTV. My favorite programs are Design on a Dime and Designed to Sell. This summer I've also followed Design Star. (One of the judges reminds me of Steve's sister Robin, and when the finalist Jennifer smiles, she makes me think of my friend Marla.)

Earlier this summer I developed a monster rash from poison ivy, and my doctor put me on steroids for two-and-a-half weeks. She told me I would have trouble sleeping and would probably feel a compulsion to clean out closets at 2 am.

Well, no closets got cleaned out, but I did catch up on some reading. One night I explored all the bells and whistles on my cell phone. And I spent the better part of many nights dozing in the recliner watching the news and HGTV. We went way beyond Steve's favorite question: "How many of those shows can you watch?" to my own: "Just how many times can I watch the same re-run?"

Being fully saturated, I finally had to act on all I had learned. My project has been two old rickety chairs from the church. Brother Jerry Larpenter installed cross pieces to make them a little more sturdy. My vision was to paint them a glossy brownish-red. Last night I opened the paint can and went to work. The color wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but I was sure that when the paint dried, they would be beautiful.

This morning I was all set for coat #2, but the shade looked even worse in daylight than it had last night. I took a closer look at the paint can and realized that the color was named for something to do with wine. I remembered seeing a lot of old paint in the shed, so I went digging around for something to mix with my paint to get the color I wanted. I didn't find exactly what I was looking for, but I was not going to the store. Without going into detail, I'll just say that the mixing process involved some old spray paint.

When that didn't work, I went back to the shed, dug back a little farther, and found just what I needed, or so I thought. I mixed it all together and set to work applying the paint. The longer I worked, the worse it looked. It was time to break down and go to Wal-Mart.

When you combine cost of paint, plus multiple trips to the store, plus hours of labor, these are truly THRIFTY pieces of furniture. They may not be safe to sit in, but THE CHAIRS will be in our new Sunday school classroom on Sunday!

And now for my personal decorating tips. Tip #1: If you are looking for a distinctive shade of purple, may I recommend Krylon's Gloss Cabernet. (Spraying in red-brown primer will only deepen this lovely paint color for a more customized appearance.) Tip #2: If mauve is more your taste, mix in Krylon's Gloss Canary in a ratio of 1:4.

Happy decorating!

Y-E-S to VBS!

I've had a great week at "Outrigger Island" with a group of 3rd and 4th grade students who kept me hopping! Summer wouldn't be summer without VBS, and I enjoy it as much as an adult as I did as a kid.

I never cease to be amazed at the open hearts of children to accept the message of the Gospel. This week we focused on the basics: God is real; Jesus, God's Son, is the only way to Heaven; there is absolute truth and it can be found in the Bible; our actions show what we believe -- timeless truths for kids and adults. We had some fun -but forgettable -music, but one song will stay with me: "The Word" was absolutely beautiful. (Did I say forgettable? "Y-E-S to VBS" keeps rapping away in my head!)

As much as I loved interacting with the kids, another special blessing was seeing so many young adults from my 20-30-something Sunday school class involved - from leading worship, to teaching, to serving refreshments. The week would not have been the same without them!

Brooke and Brayden at Lake Arthur, LA Camp Ground. My mother attended church camps here in the 1930s.

Footprints of Faith

Today I joined a host of old friends in paying tribute to a life well-lived at the homegoing service of Dan Hoffpauir. Dan and Edith were two of the heroes of my youth. Dan was instrumental in leading my oldest brother to the Lord, and Edith played a vital role in my own faith journey, especially during my teen years. Like a lot of kids, I had a sharp eye for anything phony, but these two never disappointed me. Their faith was an integral part - the ultimate definition - of who they were and how they lived. They were the "real deal," and the care and encouragement they poured into people was always authentic.

Their generation is slipping away from us so quickly. It is humbling to realize that my children and their friends must now search for role models of faith among my peer group. I could never hope to fill the shoes of the saints of my youth. But today, as I've reflected on the life and faith of Dan Hoffpauir, I've been asking God to help me follow the footprints.