Mom, Johnny Depp, & Home from Houston, Part 3

In my last post, I mentioned I had a picture of Mom with Johnny Depp on our flight home.  I'll post that in just a sec.  I also mentioned Mom's pat-down fiasco(s) due to the shimmery nature of the shirts she wore to the airport on Friday, Sunday, AND Monday.  I never explained why we had three unfortunate episodes with airport security, so for all two of you who may be reading and may be somewhat inclined to show an ounce of interest, here's what happened last Sunday and Monday:

On Sunday morning, we awakened to an overcast day in Houston, Texas, packed our belongings in our rental car, enjoyed a lovely breakfast, and drove to the airport for a noon-ish flight.  Mom had her pat-down while going through security (which we had anticipated), and we were told that she was alarming the security scanners with her shiny shirt and NOT with her knee replacement, which we had assumed was the reason for her pat-down in Little Rock.  So, we chalked it up as a lesson learned and resolved to wear non-metallic clothing on future flights.

We found the gate where we were to board and had some time to spare.  For an unknown reason, our flight was delayed for about 45 minutes, but we didn't mind.  When we finally boarded our plane, the pilot apologized and explained that poor visibility in Arkansas was the reason for delay and that all seemed fine for takeoff.  So, we left Texas and headed toward home on a very turbulent flight.  When we were approximately 15 minutes from landing in Little Rock, our pilot announced that due to ZERO visibility in Little Rock, the airlines had instructed him to turn the flight around and head back to Houston.  (From what I was told, the Little Rock and Memphis areas experienced some severe weather that evening.)

So that's what happened.  From about 2:30 until 8:30 that night, we searched for our luggage, only to find out that it had somehow made it to Little Rock even though all passengers were told that all flights for the rest of the day had been canceled.  It was a mess, y'all.  I'll spare you most of the details, but I will say that God was again gracious because of all of the passengers who were trying to find a way back to Arkansas, we were the only two who were NOT put on standby.  We had confirmed seats for a flight at 7:10 a.m. on Monday.

We had a few adventures and met some nice and some obnoxious people during our ordeal at the airport on Sunday.  Some of the highlights were getting kicked out of the terminal and not being able to get back to our gate because our new boarding passes had the next day's date on it, having a chance to minister to fellow travelers who had no cash to find food or shelter for the night, and spending another night in a hotel in Houston--this time, with no luggage.  THAT is why Mom set off the security scanners a third time; she couldn't have changed out of her metallic shirt if she had wanted to because our luggage caught an earlier flight home than we did. 

Are you still reading all this babble?  Bless your heart.

Oh, remember in yesterday's post that I mentioned that sometimes Mom just can't keep her mouth shut?  Well, here's one more example of that:  When we arrived back at the Houston airport on Monday morning --at 5 stinking a.m., mind you-- the security folks were getting ready for a shift change and the big honking full body scanner machine had been turned off or SOMETHING.  We were directed AROUND the big scanner machine to more primitive, less embarrassing scanner.  I walked through the scanner with no problem, gathered my belongings, and prepared to move on to our gate.  My mother, God bless her, just HAD to announce that she would need a pat down because she would probably set off some alarms with her shirt or her knee.  So, she walked through the same scanner, which to my knowledge didn't have any objections to her clothing, but she still had to receive a pat down because she had said something out loud about it and the guards felt obligated to go ahead with it.  I'm thinking that she would've avoided that last bit of public discomfort if she just hadn't said anything.  Mom, if you read this and I'm wrong, please correct me:)  Also, lest anyone think I'm being disrespectful to my mother, she said so herself that she sometimes just can't keep her mouth shut.

In case you have actually kept reading up to this point, I'll go ahead and end your agony.  I know all you really wanted was to see Johnny Depp with my mother anyway, so here's that long-awaited picture:

If I could give back to you all the brain cells you used in reading this post, I would gladly do so. 

Thanks for hanging in here with me.

Bless your heart.

Home from Houston Part 2

Well, I'm trying to finish the post I began a few minutes ago. If you didn't read the previous post, do that.  This may make more sense if you do.  Now let's see if I can upload some more pictures.

This is the verse mom wrote on the scripture wall.

Me writing on the scripture wall

(Yes, your vision is still just fine.  Camera phone=poor picture quality, remember?)

Yes, that's BETH MOORE at the scripture wall.

For those of you who aren't familiar with her, she's a Bible teacher and author of several Bible studies that mom and I have done over the years.  She has a blog that we follow, and the SSMT thing is part of her ministry.

I've got to tell you about this before I post anymore pictures.  Mom was standing at the table across from this scripture wall, minding her own business, looking at some books that were for sale.  I was minding MY own business out of the way of the crowd, standing back by the scripture wall, patiently waiting for mom.  As I was minding my own business by the wall, I noticed three women walking toward me with cameras.  One was a security guard, one was a pleasant looking brunette, and the other was Beth Moore.  Apparently, Beth wanted to see what was going on at the scripture wall, and she wanted some pictures of it for herself. 

Y'all, she was RIGHT BEHIND MY MOTHER and my mother NEVER NOTICED. 

I stood there and tried to snap some pictures without looking like a creepy stalker.  Eventually, some other ladies noticed what was going on and started to gather around Beth for hugs and pictures.  At that point, Beth had to make her way back to the worship center, but on her way out, she grabbed MY hand and said, "How is everything? Are we all right?"  (Mom was still looking at books, never noticing that Beth Moore was RIGHT behind her.)  I didn't know what else to do but grin and say, "Yes ma'am.  We're just fine."  (I'm sure you all would've said something more cool or profound, but hey, it's not like I had time to prepare a speech or anything.)

Anyway, Beth and her crew went back to prepare for another worship service.  I took four steps to the table where mom was STILL not noticing anything and told her what had just happened.  Of course she asked me why I didn't say anything sooner, but I told her I just couldn't bring myself to shout, "Hey Mom! Look behind you!"

Ok, I'll try to post the rest of the pictures.  Remember, I was trying not to be too stalker-y, but when all the other ladies whipped out their iPhones, I went for it and snapped as many as I could.  Here are a few that turned out ok. 

Now don't be judgmental--didn't I already explain why the quality is so poor?

Ok, that's the back of Beth's head.  If you look to her right, you can see the black, pink, and white plaid on my mom's shirt. 

I guess even Beth wanted some pictures for her own blog.

If you look closely, you can see mom's shirt behind Beth's neck.

Yours truly at the scripture wall.  I wrote out Psalm 73:26 & 28.

By the way, did you know that metallic threads in fabric do not agree with the x-ray scanner security thingies at the airport?  Mom wore shirts like the one above to the airport on Friday AND Sunday (and Monday, which is another story), and because some alarms went off, she had to be patted down every time (except Monday, but you already know that's another story). Those folks in airport security apparently don't give a rat's behind about a person's sense of modesty or desire for privacy, either.  Poor mom.  She handled the whole thing with her usual grace and dignity.

It's a miracle we weren't locked away for questioning, though.  If you know my mom at all, then you know she just can't keep her mouth shut sometimes.  For instance, in spite of all the recorded announcements that are CONSTANTLY aired throughout the terminals --you know, the ones that warn passengers against making inappropriate or suspicious remarks that could threaten the safety of others--in spite of all those announcements, my mom just couldn't watch her mouth.  At the ticketing desk when we were asked if we had any film or firearms in our luggage, Momma just HAD to say, "Nope, no film, no firearms, and no bombs."

It's a miracle we weren't locked away.

On the train inside the airport

God was so gracious to us.  This trip was a big deal because it was mom's first major outing since her knee surgery last year.  Her knee worked fine, and we had no major catastrophes or traumas, praise the Lord!

Aaaahhh, Shipleys.  This was a big deal, also.

Yes, a big deal indeed.... (don't judge me.)

One final picture from the SSMT Celebration

Did you really sit through all of this silliness and nonsense?  Bless your heart.  Come back again sometime if I haven't bored or scared you away already:)  I've got a few more pics to share --one is mom with Johnny Depp on the airplane.  You don't want to miss that, now do you?

Home from Houston

So, mom and I finally made it back from our Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration in Houston.  It's a school night, so I'll make it brief.  I have much more to say about the actual verses I was reviewing, and I DO plan to continue reviewing them later and I'll explain THAT later, but anyway, on with the pictures.

In January 2011, over 10,000 women who follow Beth Moore's blog committed to memorize two Bible verses a month for the entire year. By December, about 1,700 were still memorizing. The reward for those who finished was a celebration in Houston hosted by Beth and Living Proof Ministries.  We enjoyed worship led by Travis Cottrell, met other "siestas" face-to-face, and dug deep into the Word during Bible study sessions taught by Beth.

Mom & me in the worship center of Houston's First Baptist Church

(Don't worry--Your vision hasn't suddenly become blurred.  The picture quality is poor because I used the camera on my phone.)

Beth teaching from 2nd John

She memorized all of 2nd John.  Yes, it's a short book, but I'VE never memorized an entire book of the Bible.  Have you?

A really bad picture of a truly wonderful time of worship

Another really bad picture of Travis Cottrell and his worship team

(Please stay with me.  It gets better.)

Beth still teaching

Mom writing one of her memory verses on the scripture wall

Ok, I'm having trouble getting my other pictures to upload. I'm going to pubish this post as it is, but I'll be back with some better pictures and a really good story about how momma did NOT get to see Beth Moore face-to-face and I DID.  Please come back:)