View from the Harris County Criminal Courts Bldg.

If you must be at the Criminal Courts Building in Houston, then you want to be there as:

1) An Employee, or
2) A Guest, or
3) A Juror

Some of the other options are not so pleasing, but the window view from the 19th floor is incredible.

As a guest, I stood and looked down at the Bayou and across the blue horizon while thinking about how fortunate we are to have such an incredible metropolitan area at our fingertips.

Standing here at the corner window, I see the bayou below and kayakers have just paddled through the waters within my view. It strikes me as slightly ironic that I'm standing here in air-conditioning on the 19th floor watching people kayak below as a murder trial is taking place a few steps away. Trying to momentarily detach from the serious business of this place, I enjoy my sky-high viewpoint and watch the ant-people below. Strangely, in this high-rise professional building, I feel as if the kayakers are so close, yet simultaneously far away; they are within my eyesight, yet they are experiencing an alternate existence. This moment is so typical of Houston. By kayak, the sightseeing group actively enjoys another interesting perspective of our city. With leisure, they paddle onward in their kayaks. It's awesome that they are getting to savor nature with the Harris County Criminal Courts building behind them, looming skyward.

This moment yet again confirms my strong belief; this is the city with just about everything. In fact, if you live in the Houston area, you should rarely find an opportunity to be bored. Well, that does not mean you will not come across a boring person...those are everywhere. Personally, I believe that country living, solitary moments and quiet times do not qualify as boring times. Being drab is about  poor personal character; it is not a reflection of your GPS position nor is it a lack of tickets to a scheduled event. However, if you live within the Greater Houston area and are complaining of being bored, then you need to take action. It does not take much effort to find simple enjoyment in this town. So much of it is free.

Want to get out of Houston? There are great options. To start, drive a few miles North of Houston and you can finding yourself walking through a forest. Go the other direction and you're standing on the beach. What could be better?

Harris County Criminal Courthouse courtroom - obviously not in session.

And if you still desire alternative entertainment, go hang out for a day at the court house and watch your local judicial system in action. But, to warn you, it might not be very "entertaining." It could actually be mentally disturbing. Therefore, for a softer side of court life, you will find, the Harris County Civil Courts building just across the street from the Harris County Criminal Courts building. Make sure to leave any weapons at home because you will need to first go through the metal detectors, but that is no big deal. You might also want to wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off because you often must remove them during procedures to enter the building. Yes, it's an adventure. Good thing is...entrance is free.

Early morning Harris County Criminal Courthouse hallways soon to be full.

Just remember that a civil court proceeding can also be rough. In fact, some people prefer a criminal court room over a family court session highlighting a child's life as the pawn. It's a personal choice. Regardless, it has been argued that the courtroom is often more fascinating than an orchestrated live-theater performance. In the courtroom, you just might see actual hand-cuffs in use; you might hear a Bailiff's booming verbal lashing; you might see orange jumpers as the latest, yet classic jailhouse fashion; a judge being judicial; and you can make a mental notation as you watch good and bad lawyers earning their reputation. Put down the remote, and go check it out. 

Surprising Side-Trip, The Woodlands

I must admit, this weekly excursion was quite by accident. As we were heading to The Woodlands for Taco Bueno Day, we made a wrong turn and came across Fellowship of The Woodlands Church as we were turning around. We had never been to this church, but we could not pull away from its lure. Was this a coincidence? The day would get more strange with unexpected bonuses.

We didn't turn around, not just yet. We decided to ignore our tastebuds that were demanding Taco Bueno's goodness, at least for a while. Altering our mission, we kept driving and took a fascinating tour throughout the Fellowship of The Woodlands Church grounds. We were not disappointed.



Surprising Detour during Taco Bueno Day.



First powerful sight as we drove onto the Church grounds.



"Chapel in the Woods"
Located on Church grounds.

Meditation areas all around outdoor Baptismal fountain. Each area is
dedicated to an area around the world.

Outdoor Baptismal fountain - Baptisms actually take place in this beautiful setting
and weddings can also be booked at this outdoor site. Incredible.

One of God's little friends joining us in our Fellowship of The Woodlands Church excursion.

I can only imagine the fun that families have right here.
Of course, we had to play water-sprinkler dodge before leaving.

During our outing, we visited the Bookstore on the church campus. "Sycamores Bookstore and Cafe," has a wonderful atmosphere and fantastic Christian resources with unique gifts. The bookstore has surprisingly long hours and the adjoining cafe serves breakfast and lunch on most days. Check this site for posted hours: http://www.kerryshook.org/

As if to shine down upon our sporadic visit, we were unexpectedly invited into the closed worship center during a private music practice. Okay, I had been trying to find a door with a window to peer through so I could take a peak at the source of the sounds wafting through the lonely church hallways, and this unknown churchman walked up to me, took my hand and led me to a seat in the auditorium. Yes, I felt like a kid. My husband and daughter trailed along. We're from the Bay side of Houston, so, of course, we were all wearing appropriate church clothes...flip flops on all three of us.

With no one else present in any other seat throughout the auditorium, with the main lights off and stage lights in full glorious production, we listed to Sarah Kelly, two time Grammy Award nominee, sing "How He Loves Us." My husband put his long arm behind my daughter's chair and my chair and we each sat mesmerized. It was beyond beautiful. Sitting there and listening as the other singers took their turn at the mic, we gave thanks for the powerful, solitary concert experience. Since this was our first time in the worship center, we were in awe at the stage production in action. This church is a true testament to the talented gifts God has given man for creativity on many levels.

To see Sarah Kelly's album and to hear her music, go see...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k9Bh7aHas4&a=GxdCwVVULXfTQbVyxogMYdgIBlHI4SSt&list=ML&playnext=1

Personally, we have not yet attended a LIVE service at Fellowship of The Woodlands Church, but we do regularly watch the sermons broadcasted on television, and we have purchased several of their resources, such as the "One Month to Live" package. So, this unplanned experience with the musical group was amazing. We also enjoyed one of the musician's emotional free-dancing and joyful movements on stage as the singers belted out their melody. All considered, it was pretty cool.

Yes, we did finally end up at Taco Bueno. By the end of the day, our bodies and our spirits were nourished completely.

Taco Bueno in The Woodlands, Texas

Beans and Cheese Nachos. A second Heavenly experience of the day.

God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food and for our awesome side-trip at Fellowship of The Woodlands.