Beth Jones, International Speaker, Author, & Coach

I’ve been busy this summer with writing a new book (Write Your Book: Getting Past the Messy Middle), planning, organizing, and ordering sunflower-themed decorations for our upcoming Fall’s Glory & Harvest women’s event in Butler, MO, and just “life stuff.” I hope you’ve had a fun summer. I’m praying to travel to Destin beach, Florida again later this year for a much-needed vacation! Did you go anywhere?

 

I am really needing some “Vitamin Sea” to relax and refill.

About the closest I’ve gotten to this is trying fish tacos. I always thought this sounded gross, but I tried them one night from our local Mexican restaurant, Tu Casa, and I LOVE them! They have become a weekly staple for me. Being a “foodie,” I just love most food, period!

Ray and I just tried the new Q39 bbq restaurant this week at Heather’s recommendation. He got bbq tips, Mexican corn, coleslaw, and cornbread and thought it was fantastic. I ate half of my bbq sandwich, to be able to enjoy a hot cappuccino and a cheesecake afterward at Paris Baquette – so delicious!

I also tried something unique at Ray’s friend Chris’ party this summer. He had a crawdad boil. Ray also cooked alligator tail with a special Cajun sauce that had a kick (remoulade). I didn’t care for the crawdads (the texture resembles boiled shrimp, which I do like) and I only tried alligator tail once when Ray and I dated, and that was enough! Ray was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas, and he knew how to open the crawdads so he showed me. (I ate just one.)

Everyone else at the party loved both the crawdads and the alligator tail.  The cooks boiled them (still alive) in big silver pots and put big piles of the crawdads, corn on the cob, potatoes, and onion on picnic tables, where everyone dug in and had at it with their fingers. It seemed very primal, but I met a few new interesting people, such as Ray’s former coworker’s pregnant wife who was due to have her first baby soon. I encouraged her to rest when the baby sleeps!

Chris was texting Ray the following few days, asking what else he could put the “delicious” sauce on. You can put it on chicken, seafood, vegetables, sandwiches, Cajun fries, and more. It can be stored for 5 days in a fridge in an airtight container or frozen.

 

I far prefer Ray’s Cajun grilled chicken. He cooked it at our daughter Heather’s house when we recently went there to celebrate July 4th and Ray’s birthday. It is delicious and he’s famous locally for it.

When Heather was young, she always wanted a swimming pool. Unfortunately, we never could afford it. But she was finally able to get an above-ground one and a hot tub. She and her fiance Andy put it together, which amazes me. She gets in them almost every day after a hard day’s work. I’m happy that she finally got her pool. They also worked hard on the yard with decorative stones. God is good! She invited Ray and me to come over again after Labor Day to try them both out. I’m looking forward to this.

The beach/ocean is Heather’s and my happy place and place of peace. She has been remodeling her home with Andy’s and other workers’ help. She’s also been decorating her house with a “beach theme” with pictures of their fun trips to Panama City, Florida beach, Destin beach, and Myrtle beach, SC (the first beach that Andy and his kids traveled to with Heather; they had never been to the ocean and love it!).

 

 

 

 

 

The kids did fireworks after we ate, when the sun set. It was a great show in the back yard. We all had fun.

Heather owns a German Shepherd-Husky mix dog named Oreo. She is so sweet and pretty. She is well trained and loves her Pup Cup treats, lol! It is like whip cream.

 

My cats Natalya and Nichodemus still keep me entertained daily. They are sometimes friends, and sometimes not. They shed a lot of fur, especially Nichodemus being a Maine Coon-tabby mix cat, so I have to vacuum more now. I’d really love to be able to buy an automatic cat litter box, too!

Our daughter Leah has been planning and booking her 2nd trip to Japan with her boyfriend Raymond and their friends for winter 2027. They are very excited about going and I’m happy for them – and already praying for them and their trip, especially in winter when there can be snow! Please keep Leah and her friends in prayer for safety on this trip.

Leah has signed up for the next level of the Japanese Proficiency Language Test in December in Arkansas. She took the test last year and passed, in preparation for her first trip to Japan, that she and her friends loved. Leah, Raymond, and their friends study the Japanese language and practice speaking it with each other. Leah and Raymond also study the Spanish language.

Our kids work full-time and stay busy with work, friends, chores, and other things. I always miss them and love them so much! I try to see them as often as I can.

School is around the corner or has already started for some children. Our daughter Eden’s kids have probably already begun. Each time I see a school bus, I pray for them and all children for this school year, that they will study hard, obey their teachers and do well, and for their safety.

 

I’m excited about my Fall’s Glory & Harvest women’s event in Butler, MO (please join us!) and about a paid speaking opportunity to be the keynote speaker, Lord willing, next spring 2027 in Springfield, Missouri. I’m praying for more speaking events this year and in the coming years.

If you need a speaker for your women’s event or podcast or know someone who does, please contact me here.

What have you been up to? Please share in the comments below.