INTO ALABAMA

Despite the somewhat hazy morning, I caught a nice glimpse of downtown Houston as we took off for Atlanta on Thanksgiving morning. I think it was the 30 mph winds from the North that changed the usual flight take-off patterns.

How swampy, nasty is this? I think it's around Channelview or Baytown, which is the upper end of Galveston Bay. If I could zoom more, you'd see the area peppered with factories and industrial areas.

My husband picked up a great book he foundvin the airport called Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans, and Vagabonds: Mexican Immigration and the Future of Race in America. He was able to do quite a bit more reading in Alabama and is enjoying the book so far.

Along with the new flight-path south of the city, we flew over this huge rail-switching yard that's a major artery for all the goods and products that come through the Port of Houston, the railroads, and the tractor-trailers.

Something neat I've never seen before was the shadow of the plane cast just below us on the clouds as we approached the Atlanta airport. I'm not sure what type of optical trick was going on, but the polarized ring about the shadow was a cool effect too.

Breaking through the low lying clouds near the Atlanta airport, I spotted all the beautiful fall colors of the trees lining the gently rolling hills. I knew it was going to be beautiful on the ground, as long as the rain stayed away!

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: It's going to be another great month at work for H.

DAY 12 WITH THE SON

I'm taking the 40 days leading up the Christmas to focus on the life of Jesus and do a mini-reflection. I'm following along with Liza on her special blog called 40 Days with the Son, based on the Max Lucado book 3:16.

Here is how to join us in reflection of the spirit of this upcoming holiday season.

Titled Just Call Her Grace: "He knows me inside and out." John 3:49

I've read and thought about today's passage and I just really couldn't get into it. All of my previous readings & reflections have sparked some type of reaction and deeper thoughts. As I went through my day, I tried to think about the literal title of the chapter, being called Grace, and the verse of Jesus knowing us inside and out, not necessarily the larger context of the woman at the well.

I had a long, stressful day and I think I especially needed the title of Grace. Normally, I'm pretty much a klutz and totally non-graceful in the physical sense, I don't often ponder grace in the spiritual sense. I woke up at 4:45 (eastern time!) and instead of H just hopping on the hotel shuttle to the airport, he called up to me to drop him off. I frantically threw on my clothes, dashed out into the cold rain and battled the airport monsters to drop him off for his flight back to Houston. I headed back to the hotel to finish packing & drive across Atlanta for my seminar.

My morning went downhill from there. In the dark, rainy morning I drove about half way across the city when I realized I didn't have my camera with me. I just about had a panic attack, then slowly tried to re-trace our steps and tried to convince myself that I just left it in the hotel room. I pulled over and spent a few minutes making phone calls to get the hotel phone number and then leaving a message pleading with them to please find my precious camera. Continuing my cross-city trek, I arrived in the area near my seminar and missed the turn-off the road into the building and accidentally turned back onto the freeway. What a mistake! About 6 miles to the next exit, then bumper to bumper traffic back in the direction I needed to go for my class. Normally, I'm pretty calm, cool and collected about all sorts of situations. However, I know nothing that will getting me more agitated, panicked and generally flipped out than being lost or confused about where I am going.

Luckily, I made it back to my class on time and the rest of the day went smoothly, including driving back across Atlanta to retrieve my camera and back up North again. No great revelations about today's material, other than I needed some extra grace to get through my day and put all my worries into God's hands. I remember that no matter how well I manage to reign in my emotions or reactions, God can still see the inner agitation or anxiety. And He still loves me.

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: Though I may not have all the physical-grace I desire, I assuredly have all the spiritual-grace I will ever need.

DETROIT AIRPORT

I really don't have many comments about my Detroit trip, other than the Westin at the airport is awesome and I never even had to set foot outside on my trip. The hotel is attached directly to the Detroit Airport, a short walk from the ticketing counters & baggage claim. In the lobby, many of the airlines have check-in kiosks & there is even a security line just for the hotel. You'd hardly think we were in Detroit with all those trees- like they actually cared about environment or something.

Being my nervous, Type-A self who had to over-prepare and over-pack for my big meeting, I was all dressed up and ready to go at least 30 minutes before I needed to go downstairs and grab breakfast. I thought I'd take a self-portrait in front of the shower curtain since I rarely wear suits or heels.

The meeting went well, and I was quickly back at my terminal ready to head home to Houston. I've been trying to snag a Boeing 747 shot because I've always wanted to fly on one and

Continental doesn't have any in their fleet. Maybe on my trip to Fiji in a few years....

The square building in the center/right is the Westin Detroit Airport, which you can see is right next to the new control tower. It was super-swank and very modern place to drop a few hundred bucks on a comfy bed and marble bathroom.

You could even hear the gentle hum (roar) of planes taking off all night. It wasn't that bad though ;)

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: Today, tomorrow and Wednesday I get to attend a training class in Atlanta.

DAY 11 WITH THE SON

I'm taking the 40 days leading up the Christmas to focus on the life of Jesus and do a mini-reflection. I'm following along with Liza on her special blog called 40 Days with the Son, based on the Max Lucado book 3:16.

Here is how to join us in reflection of the spirit of this upcoming holiday season.

We're still in the part of the Gospels that tells about Jesus life before he started he stated his public ministry of preaching and teaching.
Titled Almighty- Not High & Mighty: "Both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding - John 2:2 (NKJV)

Urgh..I had typed out like 3 paragraphs and Blogger didn't save it. Guess that means I should write something else!

This passage caused me to reflect on how my husband and I invited Jesus to our wedding- more specifically to be the foundation and cornerstone of our marriage. It was important for both of us to feel comfortable going into the marriage that we were both in the same book of beliefs and that we were both headed in the same direction spiritually. We struggled with the fact that we weren't both on the same page and at exactly the same point in our faith, but we realized it was more important that we were both on the same track and going to the same conclusion.

We've also made Jesus a very important part of our marriage- we attend church together every week and we pray together before meals. We are also looking for a place to be in part of a small group of believers at church and spend more time studying the Bible. I know it is faith that will keep our commitment to our marriage strong and prayer is the best defense against the forces that try to destroy marriage.

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: God has blessed us richly in our marriage the first 10 months and I pray that having Jesus as a fundamental part of our marriage will continue to protect and strengthen our bond.

DETROIT BOUND

Last Monday afternoon, I headed up to Detroit for a meeting on a case I am working on with my boss. It had been unseasonably warm and overcast in Houston, but the late afternoon sunlight shining through the clouds created some dramtic shadows.

I even caught this plane flying below us as we sped North at 30,000 feet.

Then there was yet another beautiful sunset, with a bonus feature of a cool plane shot with a neat trail.

The sun probably set within 30 minutes of taking off from Houston, but the skyline provided a spectacular show for at least another hour with radiant colors and dramatic cloud formations.

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: Although our last day in the country, we are headed up to Atlanta today.

DAY 10 WITH THE SON

I'm taking the 40 days leading up the Christmas to focus on the life of Jesus and do a mini-reflection. I'm following along with Liza on her special blog called 40 Days with the Son, based on the Max Lucado book 3:16.

Here is how to join us in reflection of the spirit of this upcoming holiday season.

We're still in the part of the Gospels that tells about Jesus life before he started he stated his public ministry of preaching and teaching.

Titled Bifocals and Binoculars: "We have found the Messiah."- John 1:41

What a simple, yet profound statement that the Savior, our Messiah is found. The Jewish people had been waiting and watching and wanting for their Messiah for hundreds of years. Only certain people of that time recognized and accepted that Jesus was the Messiah. I find it ironic that on Jesus cross, the charge for which he was being crucified was written, King of the Jews. It was an attempt to mock his claims, but they were indeed words of truth. He was the King, the Messiah.

It gives me great peace in my life to claim those words, that I have “found the Messiah”. Although I was brought up in a church and taught the basics of Christianity, I have spent the last few years of my life in a much deeper study. I needed to verify for myself these claims that were given to me, to have all my questions about life answered and to internalize these truths to which I now believe strongly. I have gained a much greater understanding of the other religions of the world, and I have been confronted with all the arguments that doubters have about the authenticity of Christianity. However, instead of being pulled away from my faith by the questions of this world, I have grown stronger in my convictions about the Truth revealed in the Bible and it’s promise of eternal life for whoever believes in the Son.

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: More beautiful weather and good times in Alabama- going for an excursion today.

GOD'S MASTERPIECE

My whole busy day in LA last Friday was covered in low-lying fog and gloom more typical of June for those parts. Within 15 seconds of departing LAX, we were in the clouds again- so no beautiful ocean shots this trip.

I was however blessed with a spectacular sunset as the plane turned from its westward take-off path south and then finally west back towards Houston.

As a somewhat knowledgable photographer, I'm all the more amazed at the dark blue sky and the bright, brilliant oranges as the sun slips below the horizon.

I've been blessed with some very beautiful sunsets the past few flights, so I've got more to share!

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: I'm spending time with two of the most amazing people I know, who are teaching me about love, land, history and family.