How To Explain Santa

 

Merry Christmas!

HOW TO EXPLAIN SANTA......

Son: "Dad, I think I'm old enough now. Is there a Santa Claus?."

Dad: "Ok, I agree that your old enough. But before I tell you, I have a question for you. You see, the “truth” is a dangerous gift. Once you know something, you can't unknow it. Once you know the truth about Santa Claus, you will never again understand and relate to him as you do now. So my question is: Are you sure you want to know?"

Brief pause...

 

Son: "Yes, I want to know"

Dad: "Ok, I'll tell you: Yes, there is a Santa Claus"

Son: "Really?"

Dad: Yes, really, but he's not an old man with a beard in a red suit. That's just what we tell kids. You see, kids are too young to understand the true nature of Santa Claus, so we explain it to them in a way that they can understand. The truth about Santa Claus is that he's not a person at all; he's an idea. Think of all those presents Santa gave you over the years. I actually bought those myself. I watched you open them. And did it bother me that you didn't thank me? Of course not! In fact it gave me great pleasure.

You see, Santa Claus is THE IDEA OF GIVING FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING, without thought of thanks or acknowledgement.

When I saw that woman collapse on the subway last week and called for help, I knew that she'd never know that it was me that summoned the ambulance. I was being Santa Claus when I did that."

Son: "Oh."

Dad: "So now that you know, you're part of it. You have to be Santa Claus too now.

That means you can never tell a young kid the secret, and you have to help us select Santa presents for them, and most important, you have to look for opportunities to help people. Got it?"

Help each other this Christmas and...be kind

Celebrate!!

 

"Celebrate!!"

liz sekerke

Today is the beginning of a weekend of celebration!

For some reason, we think it means "family, gifts, eating, drinking, loneliness, black clouds and unrealistic dreams of a family like those we see on Hallmark movies" and wonder why we're disappointed on December 26. We set ourselves up for failure...because our focus is all skewed.

But what if instead, we concentrated on the original meaning of Christmas? The true meaning. The day we were RESCUED from this POW camp called Earth from the greatest military Soldier there ever was. He left the safety and security of His Homeland....put on His fatigues....and traveled to Earth to rescue....wait for it....YOU!!

And don't think for a second He didn't feel every hit of that hammer that placed spikes in His hands while He was trying to get you to safety! He felt the pain just as you or I would.

Friends, enjoy the family time.....eat too much...give each other gifts....and celebrate. But don't forget to acknowledge the Soldier in the room. The One who made it all possible...our Rescuer from the prison of this earth.

 

Merry CHRISTmas.......

SOLD!

 

Look who sold her house last week!!! The crazy excited one next to me is my SUPER COOL and AMAZING realtor Angie Johnson with Keller Williams who sold it in 4 days and is truly the best realtor this chick Liz has ever used buying and selling homes over the years.

The guy in the next picture is my husband upon arriving home that day and finding this sign waiting for him as he drove into the garage. 

 

 

Our home (not "his"...not "hers" but "OURS") we're building in Mansfield is just a few short weeks away from being complete!!

Merry Christmas from the Homeless Sekerke's.

Couples Adventure Challenge #8

 

Couples Adventure Challenge #8

We decided since our 1st Anniversary was yesterday, how fun would it be to do our Couples Adventure Challenge in celebration of this special day!

The Challenge said to "Go on a progressive 3-course meal adventure from 3 different restaurants in 1 night (appetizer, entree and dessert). Attempt (key word) a different accent at each place and give yourself a new name. You must give that name to the server. Film yourself."

 

 

Soooooo.....we headed to Zen Zen Wine Bistro who catered our wedding reception. We decided on Australian accents and names for this 1st stop. Wayne was "Paul" (he wanted to be Crocodile Dundee Paul Hogan) and my new name was Penelope (no stinkin' good reason). We spoke with criminally bad accents to our server using words like "Bloody" and "Plonk". She just went with it and looked at us weird. We finally told her what we were doing and shared that Zen Zen had been the caterer at our wedding the year before. She then said, "I KNEW IT! You guys looked so familiar but the accents through me off!! I was the cake cutter at your wedding!". I personally didn't know how our cake got cut...but now I do!!

We then moved on to Date #2....but not until we took some pics in front of the wedding chapel and accidentally ran into Carrie, the Chapel's wedding coordinator. As she walked towards us, she smiled big and remembered everything about us and our story. I guess when old people get married, people remember you.

We, Maria and Francisco (our new names complete with sick accents), then had a nice dinner and toast on the patio of Harry's On The Harbor as we watched the sun go down. Year 1 was in the books!

Oh but wait....we still had Date #3....Dessert! We decided to head to the movie theater and let popcorn be our dessert as we watched the Johnny Cash movie. We ended our Adventure Challenge with our wedding dance in front of the theater whether anyone wanted to see it or not. Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/OkEzhCc799I

 

I love this man MORE with each passing day. He's the real deal....he loves doing crazy adventures and he loves me with all his heart. I simply couldn't ask for more than that.

Happy 1st Anniversary to Us.

#lizandwaynesworld

#couplesadventurechallenge

 

Guest Post by Cindy Fulton

 

Happy One Year Anniversary to one of my dearest friends Liz Etheridge Sekerke and her beloved husband Wayne Sekerke! 

 

These two have a love story that only the Lord himself could think up - with both being widowed on the same day over four years ago, after having faithfully loved and taken care of their spouses during their long term illnesses, meeting two years later. They truly set a beautiful example of how to lovingly introduce and integrate two worlds of friends and families impacted by grief and the loss of a loved one in their dating relationship. 

 

 

As they moved forward towards engagement and marriage which was like a real life Hallmark movie, I often told Liz she should write a book on how they are doing this in a way that honors each family member. I’ve loved being a witness and walking alongside their journey together as they exude living life with intentionality, with grace, in Christ, and not taking their time together or moments for granted. 

 

 AND they are hilarious and FUN too, and are ninjas at the Couples Adventure Challenge! #lizandwaynesworld

 

 

One year down — a lifetime to go! Happy Anniversary!! Love you two to infinity 

 

https://youtu.be/NFFusz4hC9g

 

Happy 1st Anniversary, Chief.

It's been a FAST-PACED year.....married, sold 2 houses, built a house, traveled all over the country, and each step of the way, laughed till I hiccuped as we waited to see who God was going to drop in our path that day.

Thank You for choosing ME as your 4th Quarter partner. Life is never dull with you.....What a gift from God you are to me!

I love you. #lizandwaynesworld

 

(Click on our wedding video below)

Anniversary Weekend #1

 

Day 1…….of Anniversary Weekend.

This day last year, my sis Debbie & cuz Sheri and I were going hotel to hotel delivering little “goodies” for our out-of-town guests headed our way for our wedding in 2 days. 

 

 

This year, we are in historic Jefferson in my cherished East Texas and sharing a B&B with my husband & introducing him to this magical little town.

 

 

#lizandwaynesworld

Rain....Always Brings Growth

 

As I opened up this place called Facebook.....a place of Memories and History.....of Joy and Grief....I see this staring back at me from 2016.

This chick named Liz has learned that RAIN ALWAYS BRINGS GROWTH.

 

 *V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*

 

I woke to the wind howling... the rain pouring out of the sky like a hard sobbing cry this morning.

 

Today marks the 1-year anniversary of the beginning of a month-of-floods for this little family of ours....

 

"There is no fear in letting tears come. Sadness is a GIFT to avoid the nothingness of numbness, and all hard places need water.  Grief is a GIFT, and after a rain of tears, there is always more of you than before. 

 

What seems to be undoing you can ultimately remake you." 

(Ann VosKamp, "The Broken Way")

 

Rain always brings growth.......

 

Being Thankful.....For The Gold In This Life

 11-24-2022

Being Thankful.....For The Gold In This Life

LizSekerke

When I was a kid, our family would load up Mom’s Buick, leave Texas at 3:00 am and head east....east to central Alabama....to Grandma-In-The-Woods’ house.

Grandma and Grandpa Calloway were known around their area of Alabama as the couple that owned a gold mine on their 200 acre property. By “gold mine”, I mean a creek...Blue Creek to be exact....that had a gold vein running through it. Each day, except Saturday, they would drive down to the creek in the middle of nowhere, grab their stainless steel pans and pan for gold. In the summers, my siblings, cousins and myself would join them at Blue Creek. They would hand us our very own pan and we would start sifting and “looking” for nuggets of gold.

Grandma and Grandpa Calloway never got rich panning for gold, but they did learn how to “see” the gold when the dirt had been sifted through their pans and that tiny nugget was left sitting on the bottom. They would take it in their fingers, hold it up to the light and smile. It was in the “looking” that they saw the gold. 

 

As I read my morning devotional in Jesus Calling the other day, it reminded me of those summers we spent in Alabama. For my siblings and cousins, it was like Disneyland being at the creek. But for Liz, it was pure torture. I was afraid of everything. Too many crickets, snakes, sharp rocks, and the water was too cold, and I failed to “see” the nuggets of “gold” that were hidden in that creek.

Jesus Calling, November 23: “As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you, Liz, and plant little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one.” 

 

There was so much more at Blue Creek than nuggets of gold. There were the tallest pine trees I’d ever seen....Indian arrowheads....swimming holes and grandparents spending time with their grandkids. Priceless gold.

And we’re reminded that God strategically places on each of our paths, day after day, “His” nuggets of gold He promised us. But there is a catch: It requires us to “sift” through the dirt of our day to find the nugget of gold at the bottom. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving Friends.....and keep an eye out for those glistening nuggets of gold He has lovingly placed on your path today. I promise you they are there!!

 

 

The Blessing of Pup Friends

 

This morning, I ran across this picture from this day in 2012.....Our lake neighbors and I decided to have a Christmas card made with all of our pets that year.

So we lined up all the dogs on the double-sided wooden swing Chuck had made years before and did our best to keep them still and all looking the same direction. We were like parents at a Christmas program trying to get their kids to be still and "get-along" until the snap of the camera.

I remember having to Photoshoot Togo, the big white dog in the middle, in as he and the other "kids" simply wouldn't get along.

And I smiled BIG as I remembered all these dogs running from house to house at the lake; no fences keeping them in their own yards, and how we desperately miss them all....except sweet Molly. The only one still with us at the ripe old age of 15.

What a true blessing each of these pups brought into our lives...AND....a stinkin' cool Christmas card if I say so myself!

Couples Adventure Challenge #7

 November 15, 2022

ADVENTURE COUPLES CHALLENGE #7 has gone to the dogs, folks.....dogs named Lady and the Tramp that is!!!

 

This Couples Challenge required us to head to the store and purchase ramen noodles (a 1st for Liz!).....prepare it as a "nice" meal complete with mood lighting and candles....while watching Lady & The Tramp (another 1st for Liz). The last part of this challenge was the tricky part; re-enact sharing a long noodle without breaking it. SCORE!

 

I love this man who loves doing these challenges.....

Wait till you see Challenge #8! Ohhhhh....I can't wait!

#couplesadventurechallenge

 

 

Cunning, Baffling, Powerful

 

Cunning Baffling Powerful

  ·

 

 

Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.

God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.

 

Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God.

Train them up in the authority of His Word.

Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control.

Empower them to know they can change the world.

 

Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.

Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.

 

He knew Daniel could handle the lions den. 

He knew David could handle Goliath.

He knew Esther could handle Haman.

He knew Peter could handle persecution.

He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!

 

Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose YOU to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime.

 

Rise up to the challenge.

 

Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers and Peters!

 

God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world.

He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth.

 

Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this.

~Alex Cravens

#CarryTheLight

The Only Scars Are In Heaven

 

Each year for the past 4 years, November 5 has started a week ahead of itself.

We remember where we were, what we were doing, things we were feeling during that last week.....Chuck and Cyndi’s final week on this earth.....and we’re grateful for the blessings in the struggles of this life.

I woke that morning, November 5, 2018, placed my hand on my sleeping husband’s chest next to me just as I did most every morning,

and felt his heart quietly beating. Thirty minutes later, the last grain of sand fell in his hourglass of time and that same heart came to a stop. Four hours later, as they drove my husband to the funeral home, a man in Ft. Worth found himself standing in a hospital room as he watched his wife Cyndi go into cardiac arrest. Same Day.....Same Morning.....Wayne and I found ourselves suddenly alone.

And I'm reminded by this sudden and unexpected exit from this world of ours that we never know when that last grain of sand called our-life-on-this-earth will fall from our hourglass of time. We were never promised tomorrow....just this moment we're standing in right now.....and what we do with this moment is all that matters. How we live our lives.....what we do with the time we are given...and most importantly, WHO we put our trust in.

Live life fully, friends....just like Chuck Etheridge did. Just like Cyndi Sekerke did. Love deeply and make sure, friends, that your last day on this earth becomes your first day in Heaven. It's the only thing that matters.

“I know the road you walked was anything but easy, Chuck and Cyndi....

You picked up your share of scars along the way

Oh but now you’re standing in the sun

You’ve fought your fight and your race is run

The pain is all a million miles away

The only scars in Heaven

They won’t belong to either of you

There’ll be no such thing as broken

And all the old will be made new

And the thought that makes me smile now

Even as the tears fall down

Is that the only scars in Heaven

Are on the hands that hold you now”

(Scars In Heaven, Casting Crowns)

The Day She Turned 18

 

TODAY.......is this Precious girl's 18th Birthday!!!!

She is one of the funnest, most mature 18 year-olds this Lele has ever met!

She has experienced a lot of pain through surgeries in those short 18 years with few complaints.....

She has held her head up high, worked extra hard to stay in physical condition so as to stay well.....

She has agreed to Dinner Dates with her Lele when I feel sure she would have rather been out with her friends...

She is fiercely independent....

And she is my beautiful Granddaughter....

HAPPPY 18TH, My Sweet Brie-Brie.....Your Lele loves you so very very much!

For Sale

 

Angie Ernst Johnson

October 25, 2022  · 

When you put a “coming soon” sign in your client’s yard and a few hours later they send you this video.…I love being a realtor and working with people like Wayne and Liz make even more special! They love God and each other madly.