ZUMBA and numbers galore

Okay, I finally got back with Kaleigh and this is what she said, this year (only) she is half the age I was when I gave birth to her, and if you add half the age I was when I gave birth to her, you will get my age today! That's the numbers wonder.

You should've seen her face when she realized TJ's name had 18, not 17 letters.

Now, for all you out there who have discoverd ZUMBA...oh my!! We had our first free night of ZUMBA last night at TSC...and I wiggled (or tried to wiggle) my hips more than they've ever been wiggled! Over 100 women jiggling, giggling, and wiggling together was quite a sight! I'm hoping Melanie will offer the beginner's course for the next few MONTHS, as I'm sure I'm going to need it!

Numbers Galore

Those who know me, know that although I have many character traits in common with Mary Poppins (I even had someone tell me I reminded her of Julie Andrews!) --being "practically perfect in every way" I do have one teeny weeny itsy bitsy flaw.

I am numbers illiterate. I don't know what you call that disability--it's kind of like dyslexia with numbers! I find it quite humoruous--Tom doesn't. I can sign my credit card slip at the grocery, get in the car and be driving home and suddenly have this thought, "I wonder how much I just spent?"

However, my daughter Kaleigh makes up for my insufficiencies. She's always had a real knack for numbers--and a love for number games. When she was a preschooler she absolutely loved the sorting games. We had these little plastic bears that she played with all the time. When we were in the car she begged to play "the numbers game." This was in her early elementary school years. So--we'd play. I'd say, "You have one peppermint candy, you add 4 then take away 2. How many do you have?" While I was still figuring she'd shout out, "3!" In a minute I'd say, "That's right!" The games got harder until I couldn't play anymore!

Just yesterday she and I were riding to church and she said, "Mom, did you know that right now--only this year--if you take my age, and add it to the age you were when I was born, you get your age. This is the only year that will work. It took me a minute, but sure enough--if I added 15 (Kaleigh's age) to 30 (the age I was in Kaleigh was born) I got 45 (my age today). It took both of us a minute, (actually I was still trying to understand what she was adding) to make sure this was so--only this year. And sure enough it is. Next year Kaleigh will be 16--add that to 30 and you get ...hmmm....wait a minute...you still get the age I will be then, 46. You know what? I honestly can't remember what point Kaleigh was trying to make last night, but it was a good one, and it did work. I'll get her to explain it again to me today and I'll update this thought tomorrow.

But this I do remember about last night's conversation: Kaleigh told me that Mikel's full name has 15 letters in it. Kaleigh's has 16 and TJ's has 17. How cool is that???

Mikel Lorin McCoy (15)
Kaleigh Rhea McCoy (16)
Taylor Jamison McCoy (18)

oops. I'll have to tell Kaleigh that TJ's name actually has 18 letters not 17. Never mind...I'll get back with Kaleigh and get her to walk me slowly through these numbers wonders.

In the meantime, just know there must be numerical dyslexia and I must have it!

Two great churches in January

I've "hit the trail" again with the new year, went to Louisiana (Pine Baptist Church) a few weeks ago and to Kentucky/Ohio (on one side of the river we were in Kentucky, on the other we were in Ohio) also a week or so ago. Both weekends were amazing!!

I traveled with Melissa Greene (Avalon) to Louisiana--what a TREAT! And, we stayed at the beautiful Liberty Motel (across the street from a delightful "mall" with the anchor store being an interesting place called "Dirt Cheap." Unfortunately our schedule kept us from getting to shop there.) The women were amazing...I think the true heroes are those who are shouldering the burden for family and friends in the trenches of life. In Louisiana I met a remarkable woman named Sherrie Bumstead who is a missionary in Zimbabwe. WHAT A STORY!! Sherrie was born into the occult. But God miraculously brought her out and placed her smack dab in the middle of a place where even the devil shudders at her presence. You go GIRL!! Pray for Sherrie as she serves women and children in Zimbabwe.

I traveled with my good friend Karen to Kentucky. We talked from the moment we drove out of my driveway Friday morning until we came back Saturday night...non-stop. I think she and I got our quota of words in for the MONTH!! (But don't worry, I am fully capable of many more where those came from.) While we were with the women of FBC Russell, KY we met many remarkable women. Two who gave their testimonies...oh my. Kathy, I still smile when I remember you saying, "Oh by the way, the pastor who prayed for me is now my husband." You girls never cease to amaze me! I am by far the one most blessed in the ministry of traveling and partnering with you at your events.

Karen and I bumped right into the activity of God when we went to Kentucky with the possibility of starting prayer clinics in both the church and possibly four hospitals! Iwould be amiss if I didn't also tell you that she and I have been also talking to another friend, Cheryl who is beginning the groundwork of a prayer clinic in Germany! PRAISE GOD! Karen and I both are praying toward a possible mission trip to Germany--and we're praying our Kentucky/Ohio friends a trip to us in Tennessee.

Just thought you might enjoy reading about my travels. I'm next off to Alabama and after that...East Asia! (In February)--I'll try to do better getting on and off this blog, as I think of things that might interest you.

Of course, I could probably do another entire entry on the evening of making rice krispie treats at our Super Bowl party last night...but its another story entirely so I'll save it for another day.

I'm back! And basketball season is in full "bounce!"

Oh my. I am sorry I haven't been here for the past few weeks! I've finally digested all that Christmas goodness, and have been off and running to basketball games. With both Mikel and TJ playing ball this season, we have 5 games a week spreading over a 60 mile radius. Tonight Tom's going with TJ, and Kaleigh and I are going to watch Mikel.

In November I put a little yellow sticky note on my calendar. I'd just written in all the ballgames and almost had a coniption (not sure I spelled that right--for you southern friends--I nearly had a FIT) when I saw how many nights I'd be in somebody's gym. Immediately the devil started whispering, "what kind of mother are you? You'll be eating nacho's and popcorn for dinner most every night of the week! Your family has not and will not sit down together for months for a meal! How can you possibly write and teach when your house is not in order?!" He went on and on like he likes to do when I'm especially vulnerable.

All of the sudden the voice of the Holy Spirit blasted into that mess and this is what He said, "I gave you those healthy children!! You prayed for TJ to make that team! You begged Me to open the door for Mikel to play ball in her new school even though she wasn't supposed to get to do that! This is a time to REJOICE!!"

And with that, I took those thoughts captive with my little yellow sticky note where I wrote, "I will ENJOY basketball season!" Little did I know how much I'd need to see that note. I've switched it from November to December and now to January--in a week I'll move it on to February (when praise the Lord this blessing will come to an end the third week of that month). TJ has struggled with playing time (or the lack thereof) and last night Tom and I were with Mikel in the ER--she got an elbow to her nose, and had to get it "glued." But here I am enjoying basketball season!

I WILL ENJOY BASKETBALL SEASON!

Why did I eat all that??

It happens every year--but this year it happened even bigger. First off--we got a zillion delicious variations of sugar and butter and cocoa in little bags tied with ribbon. YUMMY! I'd tell myself every morning to stay away from the treats...but, I'd end up eating little bits throughout the day.

Then, we left Tennessee for our annual Christmas pilgrimmage to Georgia, and my mother (who happens to be the BEST COOK IN THE ENTIRE WORLD), greets us with...pecan pie, coconut pie, plum nutty cake, raisin cake, cocounut cake (made from REAL coconut peeled and grated) and assorted goodies her neighbor dropped by. I told myself that I would have just one piece of the coconut and raisin cakes (we only get those at Christmas) and that would be enough.

But, I had a sliver of pecan pie on Christmas Eve, a pile of coconut cake crumbs and sliver of raisin cake after feasting on turkey, dressing, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, strawberry congealed salad, lettuce and mayo --with green peas and bacon salad, AND green beans. THEN in the afternoon I had my own personal spoon that I used to scrape the crumbs all the others left behind on both those cakes. I also took another sliver or two of the coconut cake and when the leftovers were set out for people to pick on for dinner, I did my fair share of picking with the rest.

I went to bed and my stomach looked like the grinch's when he finished taste testing the fudge in who-ville.

December 25.

So, on December 26 I said, "Leighann, no more sweets for you--that is enough!" In fact, I decided that I could most likely go until 2009 before I needed anything else to eat. But, by ten, I feasted on my friend Laura's leftovers--hashbrown casserole, egg casserole, ham, creamy grits, and ambrosia! YUM! (Their family had brunch on Christmas Day). Then, I actually asked her if I could munch on her daughter's chex mix??!! How ridiculous is that? But, since I'd been away from my mom's house all day, I did keep my promise to leave the coconut and raisin cakes alone. Until...I made my way back home for dinner. We ordered out Chinese. So--I ate rice and chicken with cashews, and pork and cabbage and who knows what else that always tastes good after eating ham and turkey AND for dessert? You guessed it, another pile of coconut cake crumbs and a tiny sliver of raisin cake.

December 26

This morning I got out of bed, squeezed myself into the biggest pair of jeans I own, went downstairs and ate a bowl of oatmeal. My stomach thanked me sincerely...finally something normal. (I even sweetened it with splenda). But, while I was eating breakfast my mother was making another pecan pie.

Why was my mother making pecan pie? Did we lack sweets in our Christmas house? NO...but my sister made this innocent comment last night when she was packing her Christmas sweets to go: "Oh, I missed the pecan pie. Bummer!"

That's all it took...with that, my SWEET Mama got up this morning and baked my poor sweet-deprived little sister her very own pecan pie to take home with her today.

So, what does that have to do with me? Well, you see, Mama had just a teeny bit of crust leftover when she made her pie. And so, she spread that little bit of crust in another pie pan, and topped it with just a dab of pecan pie filling. The result? One of the most delicious pecan pie tartlett/cookies you've ever tasted! And, yes...I tasted it.

But finally I made it home. No more pies...no more cakes. Oh, except for those candied pecans that are still sitting on my kitchen counter AND that chocolate pound cake I had to eat to top off my lean cuisine.

December 27.

Facebook and SNOW!!!

Oh my, I just couldn't pass this weekend up without taking a minute to talk about it. Wasn't the SNOW incredible? I felt like we were in a Christmas card!

Mikel got stuck in Columbia (much to her delight and my chagrine), Allie (Kaleigh's friend) got stuck here with us (much to Kaleigh's delight) AND TJ's Coach Kelly had to come home with Tom for dinner (much to everyone's delight). We had country ham, eggs and biscuits.

It was like the old days when traveller's dropped in when the weather got rough. The next morning Tom and I got up and out early...I'll show you the picture of the barn across the street when I get around to downloading the photo's.

Then..to top off all the excitement, Kaleigh decided to set me up on facebook. Within 2 days I had over 41 friends!! WOW!! Now that makes one feel special!! I'm feeling five years younger with each friend request that comes my way! Of course some of my friends are other mama's and married's but LOTS are my kid's friends!!

Oh yea, I'm cool!!

Hope you had as much fun this weekend as me! Maybe we WILL have a white Christmas even in Tennessee!!

Preparing your heart and home for the holidays

I bet some of you are thinking, "It's about time we heard from her!" Others might have wondered if we fell off the mountains somewhere in North Carolina. Then the rest of you might be so busy with your own holiday preparations you could care less that I haven't updated my blog in weeks.

But for those of you who are wondering, chomping at the bit to hear from your favorite "sister pastor" I'm back. I've been here all along, just writing in another place. My project? A book I'm calling "preparing your heart and home for the holidays." It is a book that challenges you to "make the holidays holy" mostly by not doing too much. The hiliarious irony of it all is that I am the least qualified to write such a book!! For, I of all people, need to STOP DOING SO MUCH!!!

Anyway, since the 2nd week of November I've written 57,612 words. I'm not sure how many pages that is, but it's about two of my books that are sitting on Lifeway bookstore shelves right now! The chapters are really daily devotions. They cover topics from "Don't miss Thanksgiving" to "What about Santa Claus" to "Preparing for the New Year." If we get this one published (which I sincerely hope that we do), it will take you from the week before Thanksgiving through Christmas and into the New Year--are you ready for this?....

....in 40 days.

Clever, I know. All I need now are a few more home decorating ideas and recipes to sprinkle throughout. We've been hosting this book as a class and have picked up quite a few decorating tips and recipes, but I could use a few more. So, if you have any you'd like to have published in next year's holiday bestseller--send them to me (just include your source).

Hope you all have been well. I'm now off to "prepare my heart and home for the holidays." So, you might not hear from me again until the New Year.

Merry Christmas.