In Whit’s words…
Posted by: terisue on: September 19, 2008
Two things that Whit has recently said that made me laugh…
1) While looking at each other’s eyes, I started opening and closing mine to which he says “Mama, your pimples are getting big and little, big and little!” (Pupils not pimples…get it?!)
2) We’ve been praying alot for Ms. Jessi’s mom. Well…tonight after we prayed for “Ms. Jessi’s mom”, Whit says – very matter of factly – “Mama, don’t you think it’s about time we got on a first name basis with Ms. Jessi’s mom?!?!”
In other news – not in Whit’s words…we ordered pizza the other night for dinner. I had on my old Elevation t-shirt…not one of the fancy ones…plain white shirt, black “Elevation”, orange (^) logo. I walk out to meet the delivery person and I’m signing the debit receipt. Out of stark silence he says “Dang. Are you a walking billboard sign or what?” I then realize that not only do I have on my shirt, but I took out an Elevation pen (don’t judge – you have one, or ten, in your house too!) to sign the reciept AND we’re standing next to my car with the sticker! “Are you a walking billboard sign?!” Why yes, Mr. Domino’s Pizza Delivery Man, I am a walking billboard sign! Wrote down the locations and times, with my Elevation pen, so we’ll see if walking billboards work! I even gave him the pen! 
Time
Posted by: terisue on: September 16, 2008
Every woman needs time. Time to escape from everyone and everything except girlfriends. A time to be accountable for one person – yourself. A time to stay up way too late. A time to sleep in – a little. A time to play in the ocean like a kid again. A time to laugh hysterically – until you think you’re going to wet your pants OR go into labor! A time to bond with other like minded women. A time to realize our differences and embrace them. A time to have no schedule. A time to have “no holds barred” conversations. A time to contemplate tattoos! A time to eat too many Britt’s doughnuts. A time with no television – except to check the weather. A time to recognize each other’s unique qualities. A time to really appreciate those qualities. A time to enjoy the sisterhood of women.
I had a really, really good time. Sometime soon, take some time for yourself…and a few really. GREAT. women.
Random Pics
Posted by: terisue on: September 9, 2008
Whit snapped this picture of Sophie over the weekend. I was so impressed with his photography skills (and her cuteness!) that I thought I would post it!
And because I’ve never posted a picture of my wonderful husband – here he is on Whit’s first day of school!
Lastly, here’s Whit after getting his hair cut!
What a beautiful family! I wish I was a little more electronically advanced so I could figure out how to remove the date off of the pictures. Obviously, it’s wrong – and it doesn’t look very pretty on the pictures. Oh well! Now that I know how to post pictures – maybe I’ll be able to do it more often!
There’s nothing better than….
Posted by: terisue on: September 5, 2008
….hearing a song on the radio that was sung at your wedding, then dancing with your husband of ten years in the kitchen. For the entire song. Life is good!
Daniel Fast
Posted by: terisue on: August 19, 2008
Real original title for someone that attends Elevation, huh?!?
Day 2 of the Daniel Fast is just about over. So far, so good. Loving all the fresh fruit and vegetables. Really missing the flavored water and Cheerios! Is anyone else having a problem remembering that we’re fasting? That sounds crazy, I know, but I have caught myself going to lick the knife that just spread the ‘real’ peanut butter on my son’s sandwich. Or going to the cabinet to get the lemonade packet to pour into my water bottle. I made pinto beans in the crock pot for supper tonight and I was two seconds away from putting a big ham bone in the pot! Go figure. I’m sure as the days march on, it will come more naturally.
OK, so here’s the real reason for this post. This is what really, truly, honestly amazes me about this fasting period. I hope I can put it in writing the way it sounds in my head…
Everyone that is participating in this fast is so excited. There are emails going around with different recipe ideas. So many blogs referencing this and that. Go to Trader Joe’s for the Ezekiel Bread. Go to the Home Economist for yummy tofu. (Isn’t ‘yummy tofu’ an oxymoron?!?) Don’t make this salad dressing, make that one. There is a buzz all over about our fast. And it’s a happy buzz. An excited buzz.
Pardon me, but aren’t we in the south? Meat and potato country? Fried everything? The main ingredient in every recipe begins with sugar or butter. And you definitely don’t fix supper ’round here without any bread. I won’t even mention the sweet tea…
My point? For southerners to be excited about fasting…IT. IS. A. GOD. THING. Period. Think about it. Those that are addicted to caffeine are excited about going without it for 21 days. Those that are addicted to salt are excited about going without it for 21 days. Those that are addicted to chocolate are excited about going without it for 21 days. Those that are addicted to hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza, etc., etc. are EXCITED about going without it for 21 days!!! Not just staff members. Not just staff wives. Everyone that wanted to participate. People that have attended Elevation for two months. People that have attended for two years!
What? How in the world do you explain that? What reasoning can you give to explain how people willingly want to remove pleasant things from their diet? Only one thing. GOD!! The same way you explain what has happened with the Joye twins. GOD!! The same way you explain the baptisms at Elevation!! GOD!! For hundreds of people to be excited about omitting their favorite foods for 21 days…GOD!! Period. If people need reminding that God is moving in this city…here’s your sign!
Whew. I get all worked up just thinking about it. Makes me want to go eat a banana. Or a rice cake.
Quotable Quotes
Posted by: terisue on: August 14, 2008
Just thought I’d share some of my favorite quotes from some of my favorite people:
“Mama, you don’t seem to know much, but I like what you do know” -Whitman Miller, August 13, 2008 (In my defense, he was asking questions about Spiderman and the Green Goblin – and I really don’t know who is the fastest!)
“Mama, why couldn’t Nanny just pick out two pairs of pajamas and stay in heaven for two nights?” -Whitman Miller, August 1, 2008
Thanks to my papa, we’re big storytellers in our house. So, after hearing this: ”Once upon a time, there was a princess named Sophie…” for so long, Sophie began to tell her stories like this, “Onetuponatime, der a pincess name me.“ -Sophie Miller, August, 2008
And my favorite, from many years ago. One of my dear friends who, admittedly, is not the brightest bulb in the box got her first job at a locally owned family restaurant. When asked to make some tea, she responded with: ”Where are the sweet tea bags?” Hmmmmm?!?! -???????, 1996
How wonderful…
Posted by: terisue on: August 3, 2008
Hundreds of people were baptized at Elevation today. I don’t know an exact number, but I think I can safely assume it was hundreds. I’ve never been a part of a spontaneous baptism – meaning that the people that were baptized did not come to church with the intentions of being baptized – but the Holy Spirit moved within them and they decided to publicly declare their love for Christ in a moment of spontaneity.
Because I have never experienced a spontaneous baptism, I didn’t know how deeply it would affect me. When I saw these people POURING out of their seats and out the door to be baptized, I was overcome with emotion. Teenagers. Grandpas. Sons. Dads. Aunts. Moms. Daughters. Uncles. Grandmas. Friends. Husbands. Wives. Siblings. People that had been waiting for months to be baptized. People that had been waiting for years to be baptized – and didn’t even know it. Tear streaked faces. Smiling faces.
Tears welled up in my eyes and started rolling out before I knew it. I stood in awe of the presence of God…because, you know, only God can take credit for what happened today…and I’ve never seen such an act of God. So I cried. And I smiled. And I rejoiced. And if I’m telling the whole truth….I cried a little more!
As I watched friends and strangers boldly walk towards the tank, it made me realize that we are all a part of something that is so incredibly amazing. How wonderful it is to be a part of a church that is making such an impact for the Kingdom! How wonderful it is to be a part of that Kingdom! How wonderful it will be to pray for those hundreds of people tonight before I go to bed! How wonderful it is to know that they will lay their heads down tonight with a cleansed soul! How wonderful it is to know that God is moving in Charlotte! How wonderful it is to know that this is ONLY. THE. BEGINNING.
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: terisue on: July 29, 2008
In the midst of my grandmother’s death, someone very special in my life had a very special birthday! Sophie turned three on July 15! Thank God she’s only three because we completely ignored her birthday on the 15th and celebrated it on the 22nd as if that were her actual birthday! If she were any older, she might have known that we weren’t around on the actual date. (Kemp and I were in Tennessee on her birthday – she was here in Charlotte at her loving Aunt Sumer’s house.)
Sophie is our little princess…literally! She is all girl and right now, is completely enthralled in everything princess! I think her favorite right now is Ariel, which could change tomorrow. Sophie loves make-up, dress up, high heels and baby dolls. She LOVES playing mommy and baby. Right now, she talks all the time about getting her hair cut! I’m not all about that right now…except maybe a trim!
Applying her "wipstick"!
I didn’t know if Sophie was ever going to talk to us or not. Now – I don’t know why I ever wondered! She talks our ears off. She sings all day. Sometimes, she’s still hard to understand, but I love to hear her voice! Especially when she very politely reminds us to buckle up in the car by saying “Buckie Lupp Mommy!” I wish I could spell the way she says Little Red Riding Hood – it’s something like this – “Yiddle Eh Eyeing Ooooh”! I could listen to it all day – and I do!
We made up for missing her actual birthday, by having lots of friends and family over for dinner, cake and ice cream.
Cake and ice cream!
Whit and Sophie in her bed on her "Birthday" night!
In Memory
Posted by: terisue on: July 29, 2008
Two weeks ago today, my Nanny died. After months of receiving weekly blood transfusions and platelets. After a month and a half in a rehabilitation hospital with a broken femur. After two weeks in the ICU because of multiple chemotherapy side effects – she died. My mom, my dad, my aunt, my uncle and myself were in the room with her when she took her last breath. And then there was nothing. No more labored breathing. No more moans. No more beeps. No more drugs. No more pain.
Nanny was a beautiful woman her whole life. Both inside and out. She never met a stranger and she wouldn’t hurt a fly. She was gentle. She was kind. I don’t ever remember her saying an ugly word about anyone – even if they deserved it! Nanny was the poster child for “shop till you drop” because she sure could do it! She loved life and lived it every day. She loved her church. She loved the beach. She loved Cracker Barrel. She loved her family. And she sure loved my Papa.
Nanny would often wait with anxiety for nap time to roll around when Whit and Sophie were babies. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on them to rock them to sleep. At times, I feared that her feelings would be hurt, because I just KNEW that there was NO WAY that they would fall asleep in Nanny’s arms. Well, she did it every time! EVERY TIME they would fall asleep. I used to tell her she had a magic lap! I told Nanny right before she died that all the babies in heaven are getting ready to get very lucky! Because they’re about to get the best arms and lap for rocking – the magic lap is coming to heaven!
Nanny was a christian. Very devoted to God. I became a christian almost a year ago. Got baptized about 9 months ago. Little did I know that Nanny and Papa had been praying for me for years. They were so excited when I told them I was getting baptized! They tried to get here because they wanted to witness what they had been praying about for so long. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it. At least, as Kirsten reminded me, she died knowing that her granddaughter would forever be a part of the Kingdom. I’d already rejoiced in knowing that Nanny was in heaven and I would see her again. But I never thought about the fact that Nanny died knowing that I’m saved! I’m on her team! She didn’t die wondering about my salvation – she KNEW!! What a great gift that God gave me and I, in turn, gave to her!
I will miss Nanny. I am, however, so happy that she is in heaven. She is no longer in pain. No longer using a cane to walk. Her blood is clean without transfusions. She is reunited with her mom, sister and brother. And knowing my Nanny – she’s already tracked down Elvis!
I love you, Nanny. Godspeed.
God is good.
Posted by: terisue on: July 9, 2008
I dated Kemp for eight years before we got married. These years allowed me the time to dream about what was going to make my wedding super special. Far and above any other person or item that might or might not be at our wedding, our grandparents were the most important. You see, Kemp and I both, at the time of our wedding, had ALL EIGHT of our natural grandparents still living – even one great grandmother! I couldn’t wait to take the picture of the bride and groom on stage with NINE GRANDPARENTS! (BTW – combined years of marriage of all the grandparents at the time of our wedding was 207 years!! Wow!)
One month before my wedding, my Papa (who I’m closest to) had a massive heart attack while playing softball at the senior Olympics in Augusta, GA. It was touch and go for days. While at a couples shower for our wedding, I got a phone call telling me that the doctors had called the family in because Papa was not going to make it through the night. That night, he defied the odds. (And is still defying them today!) He lived through the night, but it was still touch and go.
Trying not to be selfish, my wedding was still tucked in the back of my mind. Will he make it? If he can’t make it, will Nanny still come? Should she come? What’s going to happen to the picture I’ve always dreamed about?
I got married at five o’clock on Saturday, May 16, 1998 and at ten o’clock that morning, Papa’s doctor released him and said “Go to your granddaughter’s wedding!” I will never forget the feeling when I saw their car pull into our driveway. It was a dream come true!
So…on to the wedding….as the doors open for me to walk down the aisle, I try to take it all in, as all brides do. I look at how handsome my future husband is. How beautiful my mom looks, even after all she’s been through. I look up at my daddy and notice how proud he is to walk his only daughter down the aisle. Then I look at my Papa. Papa had a glow around him. Can’t explain it. Don’t know if anyone else saw it, although I’m sure it was there just for me. But it was there. Even though I didn’t have a relationship with God back then, I think He was trying to show me how powerful His love is. I stopped on my way down the aisle to hug my Papa, my Nanny and my Mama. I didn’t see the glow after that. Haven’t seen it since. Until today.
My Nanny is not doing well. If she lives through what she’s going through, it will be, yet another miracle from God. I went to Tennessee today to visit. Nanny just went through her third round of chemo treatment for leukemia. She has MRSA. She has pneumonia. She has three other staph infections. She has fungus growing in her blood. Her heartbeat is erratic. Her blood pressure is high – then it’s low. Her breathing is labored. She can’t talk clearly. But her mind is sound.
I had some alone time in her ICU room with her. I placed one hand on her head and the other on her hand and I prayed. I prayed that God would wrap His arms around her, so that she would remember that she’s not alone. I prayed that God would help Papa through this as he struggles through his despair. I prayed for comfort for my mom and my aunt. I prayed that I can be strong when the time comes. I prayed that everyone’s suffering will draw to a close.
Keeping in mind, that 90 percent of what Nanny has said to me at this point, I have not been able to fully understand, after I finish praying over her, she says to me, “Teri Sue, you remember, God is good.” And there it was. Nanny’s beautiful green eyes were shining and she had an illuminant glow around her face. The same glow Papa had at my wedding.
With everything that she’s been through and going through, she’s reminding me that God is good. Do I think this means that she’s going to defy the odds and live another ten years, like Papa? No. Do I think that this means she’s going to die tomorrow? No. Am I completely healed of all sorrow and sadness? No. Do I think this means that God is reminding me that He still loves me and my Nanny? ABSOLUTELY! In less than ten words, my critically ill Nanny reminded me that God is here and He will provide everything. I needed that reminder.
Yes, Nanny, you’re so right. God IS good. And I can’t think of a better way to end this post.
