Miss Brenda & the Loveladies

Miss Brenda & the Loveladies

Wonderful book; all of my favorite elements, true story of hardship and redemption. 

Brenda had her own rags to riches stories, then a potential prison sentence changed her life’s course of wearing herself out for more and more money and stuff to opening a ‘whole-way’ house for women leaving prison. 

In Brenda’s life, looking back, it is beautiful to see how each huge hurdle was God’s turning point for the next best thing in her.  The other ladies had so much evil in their young lives, and the book reveals it, graphically at times, but most are able to overcome.  Its called a whole way house because Brenda added in the element of faith and trusting Christ. 

I am not sure why the tag line is ‘Seven women fighting the odds for survival on the outside’, there were more than seven ladies’ stories shared.  Also the book begins with cuss words not spelled out but --- then in the middle it changed to printing the whole word.  It would be better for the same format to be used through out.   I also wished there would have been some pictures.

Overall, Miss Brenda & the Loveladies was truly a page-turner:  will they come back from Thanksgiving?, will they go back to drugs?...I stayed up too late to finish it one night.  I really recommend this book for anyone, but especially anyone interested in prison ministry, poverty or drugs. 

I got this book for free by agreeing to blog about it from Blogging for Books and WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

I was inspired by this book because of what Jesus says in Matthew 25:

34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

I have (or can rationalize) doing all of these at one time, except the visit in prison.

Hungry-we donate to food pantries, give crackers to homeless on the street and have served food at Church Under the Bridge

Thirsty-donated to dig wells in Africa

Stranger-of course this is my favorite and I help with English and other things with refugees and other internationals

Naked-we donate clothes

Sick-this one not a lot but we have helped sick friends

Prison-Lydia baked cookies in GAs for a lady who visits and I ate one…nope that’s even too much of a stretch. 

I don’t feel like God is calling me to prison ministry at this time but I do know that as a believer we are called to all that he says.  I know doing these things in a relationship and not just a donation is so important too, and I am glad to hear of Brenda’s successful personal ministry!

Six Flags

 Maryam's family (her dad & sister) came to Texas and we went to Six Flags.

 The weather was gorgeous and though its different going with little ones, we still got to do a lot and took turns going and holding the little ones.

 Lydia & Gloria enjoyed the rides-5 times on the Merry Go Round, the big and little Ferris Wheel, some spinning stuff that I volunteered to hold Sara.  The only huge one was the Iron Rattler, it was fun but the motion stuff gets to me more.

When the sun went down, all started getting tired, but we enjoyed the Christmas lights as we walked out including the huge tree.

Ice Skating

 Whole Foods has a winter ice rink on their roof patio.  The day after Christmas, Kara and family came to visit us.  We had brunch at our house and then skated!  The girls loved it, and after a while (we stayed for several hours) they even got off the wall.

 Lydia took this picture of Caleb, me, Kara & John.

The girls had fun with Sam and Claire.  When we got their Christmas card, Gloria was so excited to know that Claire is her age and they would get to play-they weren't disappointed.  They had a great time!

Christmas in Salado

 If you are my friend on FB then you know I am in no way opposed to pictures of myself, but now as I review these I see for the Christmas post, I pick ones only of the children!
Oh well, here they are posing "in their Christmas jammies"

 Bathing beauties, little Lucy was big enough to really interact with her cousins this time and they had a blast!

 Nativity scene.  Same roles as last year but we had a real baby Jesus in Silas!  Glory to God in the highest!

 The angel adoring the baby!

 Here are some adults-cookies making.  Bill and family came for the weekend and we enjoyed playing.  Caleb got another deer with his bow. After they left Kathy and we remained until Christmas lunch and decorated cookies, visited Grandmama, went to the church Xmas service and Jake's Chinese for dinner.

 Christmas service best.

 Getting it all ready for Santa.

Sweet girls.  We had a nice Christmas morning with lots of gifts and family time.

December

 What a fun, packed, crazy busy month.  We arrive back home from our family vacation and Thanksgiving in Beaumont and the month of December is off with a bang, on Dec. 1 was Lydia & Gloria's church choir performances.  They both did beautifully and we enjoyed Nana & Grandpa coming and burgers after.

 That weekend we had Lydia's party (see next post) and that evening set up our tree and Christmas decorations, later in the month including outdoor lights!

 At church we had a special prayer wall for all the people of the world so the girls and I dressed up in international clothes.  That afternoon we made gingerbread (graham cracker) houses at UT with Janine.

 Friendship International's Christmas party, Mom & Dad came and we did a pj skit of a typical family Christmas morning.  It was super fun

 Then we all went to see Santa at the mall, not too bad a line and sweet girls.  And celebrated Grandpa's birthday at Matt's El Rancho.

 Rasmia, Gloria and I took a trip to San Antonio and this is the tree in front of the Alamo.  It was a cold drizzly day so we meet Julie and baby Jude at their home before horrible traffic all the way home.

 Our Sunday school Christmas party.  Over 30 kids and their parents packed out the house, performed a wonderful nativity play, ate a potluck and decorated cookies.

 Gloria and I had lots of fun visiting friends including sweet baby Sara who was matching in purple this time!

 To make December even more festive, it is the month that our Bradford Pear tree's leaves turn beautiful colors and fall off.  So we had several afternoons of fun, raking and jumping!

 Gloria's Pre-K had a Christmas musical.

 The class

 A group from Friendship went to Mozart's coffeeshop to watch their Christmas light show.  We had a great time chatting and enjoying it.  3 ladies came from Morocco, two from Iran and me and Roxane.

 Texas Parks & Wildlife had a big Christmas party with Santa, division potluck, tons of crafts and activities, and Caleb got off at noon to go to….

Lydia's class party.  Gloria is about the same size so she slips right now.  They consumed as much sugar as they could in one hour of fun.  Her teacher LOVES Christmas, they had learned about it in various countries, did Santa problem solving and more.  We got to take her home to begin the Christmas break.  That evening we walked around the neighborhood enjoying Christmas lights (easier than going to Zilker)
As I write this it is New Year's Eve and I felt a little behind the whole month.  Now I know if we plan another family vacation for Thanksgiving week, I need to think ahead a little.  We didn't do our advent candles or advent activities.  I hope overall it was a good mix of fun cultural activities, friends and still focusing on Jesus!  Merry December to all!   And next to blog Christmas in Salado (though I did stay up to date with FB pics)

Lydia's Party

 Would you like winter to finally come to Texas?  Well just have us schedule Lydia's party and its done :)  Almost every year its seems the weekends are beautiful until her day, we had a pony scheduled but this Saturday was cold and potentially icy and windy, so Mom/Nana planned some more indoor craft/game fun and we partied inside.  Here is making hat bands for cowboy hats.

 The moms had a good time hanging out too.

 Girl pic:  Mia & Amber from school, Lydia, Maddie, Abby, Summer, Lucy, Rachel, Gloria, Nita and Flower.

 You can see the pin the tail on the pony behind Lydia with her desert mountain horse cake.  She was dressed like Saige.  We also played with sugar cubes and had hot chocolate as well as snacks.

Fun time with fun friends!

Thanksgiving

 We arrived home on Wednesday night, Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, we were back in the car, heading to the other side of Texas:  Beaumont.  We arrived for a light lunch and then helped a little with dinner prep.  Linda had knee surgery so Christy did most of the work.  The weather was warm and the sun was out so the kids played outside a lot.

 Family Thanksgiving Dinner!!

 Friday we went to the park to play.  Christy and family had to leave so we had some quiet time with Linda.

Thankful for these blessings