Lindsay Willis

Mother's Day

I am sitting in a chair in my "little" sister's (when we are both over 50, "little" doesn't work any more) living room, catching up on some email.  My mom and dad are here.  We are big Twins fans so we are all watching the Twins beat the Red Sox.  That is good!

I like days like this.  We have spent the day together...eating, talking and walking.  Mom is going to be 86 in June and dad is going to be 90 in July, so I count this Mother's Day extra special.

We all went for a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon.  With an 86 year old mom,who has survived open heart surgery, a stroke, and two broken hips after she turned 80, walking is a bit slow.  But I am thankful she can still get out and walk.  We talked about aging.  I asked her what was good about it.  She said there was really not much....except that they really like the assisted living center they live in now.  The staff keeps them real busy and they always have something for the residents to look forward to.  She said there is a lot to dislike about aging, but she is thankful for many things and she tries to focus on that.  I think that is pretty authentic.

Tomorrow, we are going to go shopping and get her some new pants and a few new summer shirts or blouses.  Then I will drive them back to Brainerd, which is where they live.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!  I hope you have good memories from today! I know I do!

A little vacation

I left this morning for a short four day vacation.  I am heading to Vancouver, Canada, to visit my dear friends John and Helen Burns.  They pastor a great church there (www.familyvictory.com) and Helen's annual women's conference starts this week.

I am going to play for a couple of days before the conference and will be there for the opening Thursday night.  Then I will fly home on Friday morning.

It will be a welcome rest.  I have been going pretty hard the first four months of the year...and that was after a very busy second half of last year.  So I am looking forward to just chatting, drinking coffee, and resting.  If I could fit in a round of golf, it would be a PERFECT vacation! 

Computer bugs

I don't like bugs.  I am not scared of them;  I just don't like them.  (I think it is because I have never been able to have a conversation with one...but that is beside the point!)

The bugs I like least are computer bugs.  I have run into some of them recently.  I installed a new program on my laptop last week....actually I updated my Norton anti-virus program...and since then, I have had nothing but little bugs.  Programs are running slower, my computer gets hung up on occasion and all I can do is stop and waiting till it gets unhung.

I don't like this part.  It makes me realize how impatient I am.  And I am not fond of calling tech support because it is always another software program's fault.  Ugh!!!

And it is making me wonder if I need to buy a new laptop.  It is a little over 2 years old and has thousands and thousands of hours on it.  I won't...now....but it makes me wonder!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Home sweet (cold) home!

Well, I slept in my own bed last night....that was nice!!   And it is the first of at least 10 nights in my own bed!!!  Now that is a welcome change of pace from the past two months. 

But I did a double take this morning when I woke up.  I let myself sleep in this morning (till 7:15!!!) and I had to look out my window twice before I believed what I was seeing!   My backyard is heavily wooded and it took me a moment to realize that the snow was blanketing the trees and the underbrush.

Then I got the real shocker...as I was sipping my coffee a little later I looked up and it was snowing like the middle of winter!  On April 26th? 

Now I have to admit....I am a winter fan (I actually enjoy a cold winter day more than a beastly hot summer day)....but this is LLLLLLLOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGG enough!  I am really ready for some nice spring weather!  And I want several weeks in the upper 60s and low 70s for the month of May.  I don't want to blast right into the mid-summer 85 degree weather!

Oh well....I have lived in Minnesota long enough to know this too shall pass....Merry Christmas!

Where's Waldo?

Remember those "Where's Waldo?" books?  The crazy pictures and the little Waldo guy hidden in the midst of them?

That is kind of what I have felt like....since I last wrote you I have been traveling a lot...it's all good, but rather busy!

A week ago today I left home for Nashville TN to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of one of my favorite parachurch ministries, Mercy Ministries (www.mercyministries.com).  Mercy Ministries is a residential program for young women who struggle with debilitating issues (depression, suicide, drugs or alcohol, eating disorders, sexual or physical abuse).  It is an amazing ministry with an astounding rate of success...only because of God's amazing love and His power to set people free. 

I spent five days in Nashville with old and new friends catching up and celebrating God's faithfulness.  I met a new friend from South Africa (Mercy is going to open a home in Johannesburg).  I got to spend a good portion of the weekend with Ginny Marsden of the Rivers Church (www.riverschurch.org.za) in JoBurg, talking about life and ministry in South Africa.  It was great to hear about a different culture and what God is doing to touch the people of South Africa.  Again, I am reminded that God loves people in all places and will do anything to touch and change their lives.  The hope that Jesus brings is effective in all cultures and all nations!

I also got to spend time with my dear friends, John and Helen Burns from Vancouver.  They pastor a church like RVC in Vancouver (www.familyvictory.com) and are like a brother and sister to me.  It is always good to spend time with good friends in fellowship and celebration.

I got home Sunday with just enough time to wash, repack, have a quick dinner with my siblings and their kids.  I left on a 6AM flight Monday for a trip to the East Coast.  I have been in Manchester New Hampshire, Springfield MA, and am now in the Hartford CT area until Friday morning when I fly home.  The trip is going great, but I miss being home...and cannot wait to get back to church this weekend!

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful spring weather in the Metro area....please save some for me!

See you this weekend!!

Congratulations Trevor!

The 2008 Masters is now in the history books!  Trevor Immelman is the new Masters Champion.  That means he is much richer than when he woke up this morning, has the right to play the most beautiful golf course in the world for the rest of his life....absolutely free...and will be on a bunch of talk shows both here and in his native South Africa.

It was a great afternoon of golf.  Again, the Masters lived up to its reputation as being one of the most exciting golf tournaments every year. 

Tiger could not quite mount a charge.  He gave me a moment or two of hope, but my dream of a grand slam for him this year crashed this afternoon around 4:30.  Alas, I will have to wait for next year.

I have to admit, I am a little sad that it is over.  I so love watching this tournament.  It is hard to think it is over for another year.  It is kind of like the feel you have after Christmas was over as a little kid. 

There is some good news though....I bought a cool book about the Masters the other day and I am eager to read that.

And, in another few weeks, there is another great golf tournament (The Players Championship) and I will be right there to watch the drama unfold.

And for you...the good news is probably no more blogs about the Masters until next year!  Aren't you glad!!

Next topic?  Check back to find out!

Half way through

The MASTERS tournament is now half way through.  36 of 72 holes have been played and the two guys at the top of the leaderboard are not household names....even in a golf-loving household like mine!  The only two people that would have chosen Trevor Immelman or Brandt Snedeker to be leading at this point would be Trevor's wife and Brandt's fiance....and I am not even sure that Trevor has a wife!

Tiger is 7 off the lead and Phil is 3 off the lead.  I think that 4 stroke difference is the real key.  In most majors, the guys without the experience fade quickly under pressure and the ones with the experience rise to the top.  So I am thinking we could be heading for a Tiger/Phil duel on Sunday afternoon.

Tomorrow is moving day at the Masters.  That means a lot of people change places.  It is the second best time to watch the tournament...other than Sunday afternoon.  The weather is so lousy, you may as well just stay home and catch some great golf!

The MASTERS...nothing better!!

Oh, here's the link to the MASTERS home page.  You can check the live leaderboard there!  http://www.masters.org/en_US/index.html