Sweet Blessings

Thanks to all of you who sent me birthday wishes yesterday. We were able to go out to dinner between newscasts and I didn't have to cook (the best part). We made it home in time for me to give the kids a bath before I headed back to work. While I was sitting on the floor dressing Will and Gracie was still in the tub, my husband walked in with a birthday cake lit with candles singing "Happy Birthday". I think Gracie was more excited than I was. I hurried her out of the tub so we could eat some cake before bedtime. She said, "Mommy, icing on cakes make birthdays beautiful!" Think about that one.

Throughout your day, God uses small things to sweeten your life--a compliment from a co-worker, an open parking spot near the front of the store, a thoughtful driver who lets YOU go first, or a totally unsolicited comment from someone that makes your day. These are little blessings that God sends our way. Sure, we can pass off the open parking spot as luck; we can shrug off the compliment from our co-worker and dismiss its value; and we can even say 'it was my turn anyway' to the nice driver who let us go first.

These are little things disguised as gifts...sweet blessings. Don't block them by ignoring them.

Age = Wisdom

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Brandon Senior Citizens Club for lunch. There were about 150 seniors in attendance. In my speech, I encouraged them to look at their senior years as a time to renew their life's passion. One lady came up and told me she was 69 years old. Believe me when I say she looked 55. I commented at how young she looked and she said, "I hope I never dress like I'm 69!"

Job 12:12 says "Is not widsom found among the ages? Does not long life bring understanding?" I couldn't help but notice the wisdom in that room yesterday. Men who have fought in wars, women who have been the rock for their families, and many who have overcome odds of various kinds.

I think back on some of my friends from home and how some of them didn't make it. Some were killed in car accidents and a few by suicide in their teen and college years. I don't know why the same fate didn't happen to me because I was no better than they. This morning, I realized how blessed I am to have made it to 35.

Maybe growing older isn't such a bad thing after all. If wisdom comes with age and long life brings understanding, I'll take all of the birthdays I can get.

Suffering in the Son

Saturday was planting day. We spent the afternoon planting merigolds, daylillies and periwinkles--all 216 of them! The kids were determined to help dig the holes for the flowers. With the week's previous rain, the soil was nice and loose. Nearly every hole we dug, we found an earthworm. Any fisherman would've wanted to dig in our dirt because of the abundance of bait. Gracie was amused at how funny the worms acted when we disturbed them. They would wiggle and writhe, moving to and fro, obviously upset that we had discovered them. After watching them for a few seconds, it was clear they were uncomfortable in the hot sun and wanted to be put back in their home.

Have you ever suffered because of a choice you made? Maybe it was the right choice and people looked down on you for it. Or, are you going through a difficult time and wondering when it will be over?

1 Peter 4:16 gives some encouragement, "If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed but praise God that you bear that name." Making the right choice because of conviction isn't always easy, but suffering because you see the bigger picture is well worth the effort it takes to come through the other side.

Rain, Finally!

Yesterday was busy! It was my husband's birthday so I woke up early to make a variety of fattening breakfast foods and took them to the office for him and his staff. I was honored to be nominated (thanks Susanne!) for Baptist Hospital and Lifetime Television's "Strong Woman" award. I enjoyed a lovely luncheon at the Hilton in our honor. Then, the weather turned rough.

Around 2pm, thunderstorms started going severe in southeast Mississippi and our weather coverage began with frequent cut-ins throughout the afternoon. When the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch, I knew it was going to be a long night.

I had plans to take my husband out to dinner between newscasts, but that idea was thrown out by news time. So he ordered take-out and brought the kids to WLBT and we had birthday dinner there. A birthday would not be complete without a cake and we enjoyed that, too--all while I monitored severe weather. Gracie and Will had fun roaming the hallowed halls of Channel 3, or as Gracie calls it "the number 3".

The storms continued until the wee hours of the morning and finally moved into Alabama. The good news is, Jackson recorded 1.11" of rain yesterday. That puts us +0.93" ahead. That's pretty good considering the month of May has just begun.

My birthday is Tuesday, so I'm hoping for a silent night. Wait, that doesn't come around until December.....

Hairy Emails

The countdown has begun to the big hair cutting event on May 21. At this writing, we have 1,402 people signed up to donate their hair on that day. This hair will be shipped to NYC that night on an 18 wheeler. Over the last couple of days, the "hair emails" have poured in and everyone has an opinion.


I just have a question: how did you get your hair to grow so fast? Did you take a special vitamin or what? Please let me know cause my hair on top of my head grows fast and the back grows so slow. Since it has gotten hot, I bet you are ready to cut your hair. I know I would.
Signed, Mary from Roxie

I've been asked this question numerous time lately. Much to some viewers' disappointment, I am not taking anything to make my hair grow. I don't even take vitamins, although I probably should. I attribute the growth to good genes and not wearing too many ponytails, which will cause your hair to break off.

I don't mean this to sound bad, but I have been trying to find a look that suits you since you have been growing your hair out for the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign. I know you don't have long until you cut it, however, the style you had it in today is a good look for you with your hair away from your face more. It fits you well.
Signed, Carlos from Ridgeland

Ok, I don't know what to say about this one. Thank you--maybe? Growing my hair this long is new for me. Every day I'm learning to do something alittle different with it which can be challenging. I didn't know viewers were "trying to find a look that suits" me. A little inconvenience on my part will be a bigger blessing to some cancer survivor.

Lollipops in Heaven

While I was driving around doing errands yesterday morning, Gracie piped up in the backseat and asked "Why is KK in heaven?" (see the blog archive from Friday, February 2). This question came out of no where and it caught me off guard. I explained KK was is heaven because she asked Jesus to come in her heart and when she died, she went to heaven. I reminded Gracie of what she has been learning in church and the importance of listening to God. "But I don't want to go to heaven. I want to stay here with you and daddy and baby Will!" she said. By this point, she was visibly upset and had tears in her eyes. I told her, "Mommy, daddy and baby Will will all be there in heaven with you. So will Mary and Joseph and Moses and all of the people you've been learning about." "And baby Jesus?" she asked. "Of course, Jesus will be there and so will God," I assured her.

She questioned me even further. "But I want all of my toys and my house in Madison to be in heaven," she said. I told her God had a much bigger house for us to live in and more toys than she could ever imagine. To make her more comfortable, I asked Gracie to name some of the things she loves. She gave me a list. "Parties, flowers, and lollipops!" she said. I told her, "I'm sure there will be lots of parties and pretty flowers in heaven," not knowing really what to say about the request for lollipops. "When I get to heaven, I want to share lollipops with Mary, Joseph, Peter and Jesus!" she quipped with a smile. "I want to make sure I go to heaven with you, mommy. So I want God to come in my heart, too." At that point, I smiled.

Now, I don't know if heaven has lollipops or if Jesus would care to have one, but I do know it will greater than anything we could ever imagine. And if there are lollipops in heaven, I bet it won't matter how many we eat before dinner.....

A Greater Purpose

"Glenn" posted a comment on yesterday's blog that has led me to today's topic. He congratulated me for being named the Associated Press' Best Weathercaster for 2006. This is the third straight year I have won this category. If you are doing the math, that means since WLBT named me Chief Meteorologist I have won the award. But it didn't come easy.

As many of you know, I used to work at WAPT. I loved doing the weather in the mornings with Rick Whitlow and Tiffany Tyler. They both quickly became my friends and still are to this day. However, I experienced things there that went against my own personal convictions. After working there for two years, one night God woke me up and told me to leave. I questioned Him alot and didn't understand His plan; after all, I had no other job to go to. After much prayer and discussion with my husband, I resigned. That's when WLBT came calling. In order to prevent me from going to work at WLBT, WAPT sued me and took me to court (more details on my spiritual revelations during this time in my book which is still being written). Through the legal wranglings, I slipped into a deep depression, confused as to how people could be so cruel in going to the newspapers with false information. I forced myself to forgive, move on and look ahead at where I believed God would place me...at WLBT.

I studied the life of Joseph and his quarrels with his brothers, his imprisonment and his ultimate rise to leadership in Egypt. After his brothers realized who Joseph is, he tells them in Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done."

So I am grateful for the awards, but more importantly, I'm thankful God had a greater good in mind for my life. I know He has one for you, too.