Daddy's girl

I got a text from my dad today. It said "Kalie, you made me a dad. I am so thankful for you. Love always."

I cried.

I'm such a daddy's girl. I love my dad with my whole heart. He is the best man I know. He loves unconditionally, has a heart of mercy, serves tirelessly, never judges, always hopes and protects like no other.

The most important thing that my dad has done for me is show me a glimpse of what my heavenly Father is like. My God loves me unconditionally. He always wants the best for me. He thinks I'm beautiful and showers me with blessings. He dries my tears and comforts my sorrows. He believes in me, He's got my back. My God is mighty and awesome and loving and compassionate.

I am a blessed Daddy's girl!

King of the Wild Frontier

Yesterday I had an adventure. It wasn't intentional, but that makes it even more fun, right? Well, here's the story - I was asked to attend a funeral for an HPU alum in Crockett, Texas. I'd never been to Crockett before, so I left extra early to make sure I got there in plenty of time. It was a 4 hour drive and I ended up in town a whole hour before the funeral.

I was wondering on my long drive if Crockett had any connection with good old Davy, the king of the wild frontier and as I drove into town, my question was answered. I passed right by the "David Crockett Spring," so naturally, I had to stop! Apparently Davy stopped at this spring to get a drink on his way to San Antonio for that fateful battle at the Alamo.

I have a really good museum radar detector, and as I was looking around at the spring, I noticed a sign for the Houston County Museum right across the street. Since I had an hour, and nothing to do, I decided to go check it out. I learned quite a bit about Houston County - the oldest county established under the Republic of Texas in 1837. There were two really sweet old ladies that worked at the museum, and they spent extra time giving me a personalized tour of the musuem. They both grew up in the area, so many of the artifacts had personal significance for them. Here are some of the things that I saw:

A firetruck from the 1920s

An entire room dedicated to their old coal mining office from the 1910s

One of the ladies suggested that I go see this house in town. It was built in 1893 and it was so beautiful! Small towns can have so much charm and beauty!

On my way home I was able to stop in Waco and have dinner with my college roommate Meredith. It was great to catch up with her! Then God blessed me with an awesome sunset as I got back into town 12 hours after I left. It was so gorgeous! Quite a day, to say the least!

Coffee House Poetry

When I was a sophomore in college, my friend Brandi and I wrote some poetry one night during a BSM coffee house. Our methodology was quite unique. We would start with one word and then take turns writing words or phrases, not looking at what the other person was writing, until we mutually decided we had reached the end. I stumbled across our poems today and I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

Rainstorm
Flash of light
A piece of hair in her face
All alone
And the thunder rolls
Crash, bang
76 trombones
BOOM
A cell phone rings
Silence
Adjectives

Jesus
Amazing grace
Sunset
Father & Son
Projection screens
Walk in the park
Closed eyes
Sweet joy
Stains
All I need
Memories
Fly away
What a ride
Jesus

Quasi Window

I love stained glass!! I think it is so beautiful, how the light streams through and makes colors become so vivid and brilliant! Since I don't have a window in my new office, my boss Louise had the wonderful idea to share a stained glass with me to give me the illusion of a window. This stained glass was donated by an alum and was originally in a church somewhere in Tennesse. I don't know it's full story, but it's beautiful nonetheless. Our campus carpenter framed it and put a backlight in it to make it really look like a window and today he came and hung it in my office - it's awesome!

Here's a close up picture so you can see what it looks like.

This is a view of my whole office - doesn't the stained glass add so much?

And, speaking of stained glass, I took this picture on campus today in our new Grace chapel. I thought it was really breathtaking. I just looked up and this is what I saw.

Taking over Texas

The Lowries are taking over Texas - that is for sure. Mom, Dad, Jamie and Madie headed to El Paso on Thursday (Dad's first Sunday is tomorrow) and we are officially spread all across this big ole state! Here's a visual for you of where we are right now.

A) El Paso - Dad, Mom, Jamie and Madie
B) Brownwood - Me
C) Galveston - Lorin and Philip

I'm 500 miles from El Paso and 338 from Galveston, so not exactly in the middle, but pretty close. It's crazy how far apart we are, but I know we are all exactly where God wants us right now. And I've already signed up for Southwest's Rapid Rewards program, so I can start working on my first free ticket to visit mi familia. (that's Spanish in case you didn't know, haha).

Well, there's your geography lesson for the day. You are welcome.

Special thanks to Google maps for making this possible.

New Officemate

We have a pest control problem in Packer - by way of a large bronze yellow jacket. haha. Actually, allow me to introduce you to my new office mate -

He doesn't have a name yet, but he's my friend. I don't think the pictures do justice to how huge he is. If you have ever been curious about the intricacies of a yellow jacket, stop by Packer 108 and you can find out!

It's so funny because EVERY person who comes over to our new office has a comment about our new friend. Some find him frightening, others think he's awesome.

Nine Years Ago ...

my family and I moved from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to Canyon, Texas. It was the summer before my senior year in high school, and needless to say, the hardest move of my life. When my parents told me that they were feeling called to Canyon, they talked with me about the possibility of me staying in Wisconsin while they moved to Texas. I could have stayed and enjoyed my senior year with all of my best friends, but I would have given up my last year with my family before college. It was a hard decision - I loved Wisconsin! I thrived there and I had no clue during my junior year that it would be my last year at Tosa East. After a lot of praying, thinking and crying, I told my parents that I felt like God was asking me to go with them. I knew it was going to be hard, but I knew that it was what I was supposed to do.

Fast forward nine years - as I stood in the sanctuary of FBC Canyon this Sunday hearing my dad preach his last sermon as pastor there, these memories came flooding back. I reflected on the last nine years in the my life and you know what? God is so good! I'm not going to lie and tell you that the year that I lived in Canyon was easy - because it wasn't! It was definitely the hardest year of my life. But God used it in so many ways to change my life! During that year, I learned to rely on God, I found a best friend in my sister Lorin, I played dominoes with sweet older couples, I grew closer to my parents and little sisters, I enrolled as a student at Howard Payne University (which forever changed my life), I learned about sacrifice and love and grace and strength. So much of who I am today has been shaped by this time in my life.

It was a bittersweet morning, saying goodbye to the church members who have meant so much to my family. Canyon has been my family's home for the past nine years, and it was sad to say goodbye. I know that God used our time in Canyon to change each of our lives. I can see how He has allowed each of us to be challenged and grow into who He wanted us to be. I can say with confidence that as the Lowries leave Canyon, we are all leaving as better people.

At the same time, I look with anticipation toward what God has in store for my parents and sisters in the future in El Paso. God is mighty and faithful and a great provider. I know He is going to do some great things!