DST

Good morning Daylight Saving Time!  I hate you!

Ok, now that's out of the way...actually, "hate" is probably too strong a word.  I dislike you intensely.  I have never understood the concept of cutting off one end of the blanket, sewing it on the other end, and insisting you have a longer blanket.  But that's just me.  I was listening to a radio conversation where the morning host was saying that you COULD, in your own little kingdom, refuse to acknowledge DST and just perform all of your obligations an hour earlier.  That would mean I would arrive at school at 7:00ish, and get to leave, well on a normal day, at 3:30 ish!  Wow! I'd love getting off at 3:30.  Except it's not really 3:30...

On another note, today is Sunday, and a nice day it will be.  We are in the midst of our "spring campaign" at church in our ministry, Parkview Cares for Cleaveland (Cleaveland school a few blocks west of the church) and are collecting items that teachers indicated they would like to have. So far in this new ministry, we have provided Thanksgiving dinner and a grocery shower for several families, a gift card shower for Christmas, where 8 or 9 families were helped, a mitten and glove shower for students, and now a "teacher shower"  (who wouldn't want to be showered with teachers?)  In case you didn't know, teachers pay for much of their own supplies.  These teachers are asking for hand sanitizer, Kleenexes, and wipes to fight off the germ fest that their classrooms are, dry erase markers, paper towels, sandwich bags, pencils, printer paper, etc - not anything too terribly expensive.  We can do that and are glad to help.

The coffee is very good this morning - I finally figured out what was going on with the awful coffee I was brewing every morning.  One sniff in the coffee can told me it had "turned".  Yuck.  So now we have new coffee (it's supposed to be "smooth" and have less acidity) and a half gallon of "drinking water" from the jug, and I've got a pretty good cup to get my day started with.

Aren't you glad you're reading this blog?  It's nothing but minutia after minutia and it will continue to be like this at a fast clip for awhile.

I miss Facebook, but am finding plenty to fill my time.  Like ruminating about DST and bad coffee.

Too much

Yesterday, I went to Dillons and purchased one thing - a flower arrangement for my boss, who was having a birthday.  (Lest you think I'm a suck up, it was from our whole team.)  Today, I was cleaning out my purse and saw this huge white receipt folded up in there.  What is THAT, I thought.  Hadn't done my weekly shopping.  Hadn't gone to WalMart and bought 30 things.  Unfolding it, I discovered that it was for the ONE thing I purchased the day before.

It was 14 inches of white receipt for one item.    The first 4 inches is the Dillons logo, their motto (Great food.  Low prices.)  Then my item, rung up, etc.  Then we have an opportunity to take a survey (Tell us how we are doing!), we have information about the fuel points I have and how to use them (for February), then we have March fuel point information, we then have a website, two Dillons stores listed as the "Nearest participating locations", then information about the Dillons "Coffee Club" and the "rules" for the club.  Finally, at the very end, it tells me how much I have saved "year to date" by using my loyalty card.

Really?  For one flower arrangement I have 14 inches of information.  I will say that today at that particular Dillons store, they were very very helpful.  A woman actually unloaded my cart which has NEVER happened in my history of going to that store, and I told her that.  She said, "Actually, I unload carts all the time..."

The Shockers are about the win their game, and it's a nice Saturday with the grandbaby here.  He's figured out how to make the walker go, and does he ever move fast in it.  He's a cutie pie if I must say so myself.  I need to find a picture to post on the blog - can't get it off Facebook though.  (And you thought I was gonna cheat..)

March 6

So, did you hear about the 18 year old who sued her parents because they refused to pay for her educational expenses?

"In a lawsuit, Rachel Canning of Lincoln Park, New Jersey, asked a court to have her parents pay the outstanding tuition for her private high school, pay her living and transportation expenses for the foreseeable future, use money from an existing college fund to pay for at least some of her college education, and pay her legal bills."

The judge denied the request for current living expenses and for the outstanding tuition from her private school.  The other issues will be taken up at a hearing in April.  Some are blaming the parents, saying they contributed to her "lack of work ethic".  All I can say is that the lawyers will be the only ones coming out on top in this mess.

Speaking of lawsuits, a Miami doctor sued a restaurant chain, stating that they did nothing to prevent him from eating an entire artichoke, stating that their failure to do so caused him "severe abdominal pain and discomfort".   Don't know how that turned out, but I'm sure SOMEBODY made some money there.

Two people were in a lovely garden, designed exclusively to meet all their needs.  They had ONE admonition to follow from the Creator of the garden, which was, (paraphrase) - Feel free to eat any fruit from any tree you like!  I made it all for you and it is delicious!  However, there's one thing:  Don't eat of the fruit of this ONE tree in the center of the garden.  If you do, you will die.  And that would be a bad thing.

So for a time the couple enjoyed the beautiful garden - the moderate temperatures, the pleasant surroundings, peacefully cohabitating with all the animals and birds, eating what they wanted when they wanted, sleeping well at night, working with purpose as they discovered new and wonderful things about this environment so perfectly made for them.  The best part was that the Creator visited them each day, and they walked with Him in the evenings.  Can you imagine what they talked about?  Perhaps He showed them new flowers or plants which sprang from the perfect soil.  Perhaps He explained why He made a giraffe with a long neck, and laughed with them at the sight of this graceful creature.  Maybe He showed them how to care for orchids and roses and tomato plants, and it's very possible that He delighted in their wide-eyed innocence as they marveled at what He made for them to enjoy.  I can imagine laughter pealing from these encounters as the Lord God became flesh and visited them, cherished them, instructed them, laughed at zebras and monkees and warthogs and the family cat as it entwined around their legs.

Ah.  You know it's not going to end well.  You know the evil one doesn't like this new setup.  He's going to slickly present half truths, and not even to the man, but to the woman, who considers his oily words.  She listened and she chose to eat of the forbidden tree.  She gave it to her husband, and he ate.  Immediately, things changed and they knew it.

Creator comes for His evening stroll and...where are they?  Hiding.  Only He knew exactly where they were.  Excuses begin.  "The woman you gave me made me eat", said the man.  "The snake deceived me", said the woman.  What would have happened had they fallen on their knees and taken responsibility for what they did?  If they would have said, we are guilty, we sinned, we are so so sorry, it is our fault".  But no, they blamed others for their choices.

We are still doing it today, people.  I hear it almost every day.  And oh, the temptation to skirt responsibility is strong.  The pull to abscond, to run, to deny, to lie, and to duck for cover, all the while blaming it on other people is very real.

Maturity in the faith does NOT allow for this.  Admit your faults.  Confess your sins.  The resulting healing will amaze and strengthen you.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Did I mention that a little guy I was working with yesterday asked me if I would like to feel his teeth? I politely declined, and he said, "Why?  Is it because they have germs?"  Yes, yes, they have germs", I said.  "Oh."  The wheels in his little brain were still turning, however, our session was thankfully over.  

Again, with the Facebook!

I have once again deactivated my Facebook profile for a short period of time.  I am finding that it is a bit inconvenient, however, I'm sure there's a "work around".   My reason for doing it this time is simply the conviction that one needs to examine one's priorities on a routine basis and make corrections if things are not what they should be. Although I'm not Catholic, Lent is a good time to examine these sorts of issues.

My daughter tells me this evening, "Facebook just isn't the same without you mom..."  I think she's just trying to tell me I'm missed, and that's always nice to hear, but really, the way people communicate these days has so changed even from 5 years ago.  This Lenten season some are taking up the challenge to "unplug" i.e., turning off cell phones for periods of time and giving up texting and personal email.  It was hard for me to think about going that far, but if asked, I think I could.  I know people who live quite nicely without Facebook, and, only check their email about once a week.  Heck, I live with a guy like that.

As I did when I gave up Facebook temporarily before the election, I will try to blog more.  I feel like I am a writer at heart, but truthfully, life gets in the way of these desires.  It's not just the job but it's other things crowding in too - not necessarily bad things, just things.  I always have a book I'm reading and sometimes more than one - you should check out the top of the cedar chest which is beside my bed.  There are books piled on there - I've got enough right now to last me for a year. Sometimes when I read I think - I could write like this - then the absolute WORK which is required overwhelms me and I discard the idea.  But like a bad penny, it always comes back.

One of the other reasons I'm letting Facebook go for awhile is because there is a situation at one of my schools which has the potential to wreak some havoc - and not only am I a part of that situation, but I'm friends with others who are involved.  I began to realize that I needed to be careful how I responded to posts - and so I just thought it might be easier to not participate until things are more resolved.

In the meantime, I'll try to blog more regularly.   I haven't been convicted about that yet!

Friendship Etc.

     So, my friend of 37 years, Gretchen, found my blog and enjoyed reading some of my entries- she left me a comment and it had only been, oh, since 2012 since I've spoken to her.  I called her this evening and we had a wonderful chat on the phone.  I met Gretchen when we both worked at Skaggs Community Hospital in Branson in 1976.  We worked in dietary, setting up trays, delivering them, and then, the worst part of all, scraping and loading all the dishes, silverware, cups and glasses as they came back to the dishwasher room from all the patients.  Gretchen and I became fast friends - she was an "older" person and I, a young 21 year old whippersnapper.  She was single with 4 young kids - me, I was just newly married in April of that year.  We kept in touch regularly as our lives took different turns, first writing long letters, then phone calls, then emailing.  In the past few years, however, not quite as often, but when we do,we pick up our conversation where we left off.  She's a survivor, and was for many years, on a quest for a relationship with God.  I was privileged to be a part of that journey and I have learned much from her.  So it was good to hear her voice and make her laugh, and just connect with her once again.
     I'm sure no one else is following or reading this blog and that's fine - I write so infrequently it doesn't really matter.  Last time I wrote regularly was when I was going without Facebook for 30 days - wonder if I should try that again this Lenten season?  I'm wading through "Scarred Faith", a book my brother gave me.  Perhaps a 30 day Facebook fast and a re-reading of that treatise of suffering would be good for me.
     2014 - what can I say!  It'll be interesting. Hope to write often.  How about you?
   
 

Pain comes in all forms

Last post, I wrote about physical pain, from an injury to my neck.  I expressed great admiration for those who deal with physical pain every single day, and I still feel that way.  But recently, I've come to know more acutely, pain that isn't physical in nature.  I'm talking about the sharpness of emotions  when they are activated in some way by circumstances-and how these feelings can roll up and over like a tidal wave.  You know, I'm almost 60 years old and I still work on what seem to be basic issues - keeping my mouth shut and dealing with regret from past mistakes - these are two classes I will never graduate from and it's these two issues that can cause me the most grief. 

A third issue - I've been a follower of Jesus since I was 9 or 10 years old.  I am steeped in knowedge of who God is, and of what this should mean for me, living my life now.  Even with that, I asked this week, "Where were you God, when _________ was, day in and day out, going through such agony in her young life?  Were you standing there, just watching?"  

I've been reminded again this week of a American pastor who is in prison in Iran because he will not recant his faith. "Where are you God?  Just watching him suffer?"  I'm not having a crisis of not believing in God.  I'm having a crisis of faith, of not being able to find answers.  Then suddenly I'm reminded, sometimes the only answer is, "I AM".  "Moses, when they ask you who sent you, you tell them, 'I AM' ".    So, a ray of faith is born.  I AM.  That's all I know today.

The worst for any parent, is watching their children struggle.  How I wish I could make things better when my kids are called upon to navigate their canoes around rocks and hidden obstacles that come out of nowhere and upset them into the water!  But they need to know "I AM".  They won't know that the only thing they can cling to is "I AM" if they aren't challenged in life.  I understand that, both as a believer and as a parent.  But I'm here to tell you, it's painful to watch. 

Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow, as the hymwriter so aptly penned.  That's all I've got.  And it's all I need. 

Pain

Once again, I am reminded, albeit temporarily, what life is somewhat like for those who live with chronic pain day in and day out.  I say "somewhat" because I only have had a glimpse of that life from Sunday to today (Wednesday afternoon), and it is, as they say, only a drop in the bucket compared to what others live with day after day.. 

I did something to my neck while moving my daughter, and on Sunday morning, I woke up in excruciating agony even doing something as rudimentary as turning my head from side to side.  I went to the MEC Sunday afternoon, and he prescribed a stronger Lortab, and Valium.  Not helpful to a great degree.  Today I talked to the doctor's nurse, who says doc wants to prescribe something other than the Valium, so am taking that, and continuing with the Lortab.  One more day of rest, then back to school on Friday. 

Pain saps your energy and all your goodwill.  It causes you to see things in a skewed way,  and being thankful certainly didn't cross my mind.  Pain - I hate it.  I hope this is temporary, it should be.  But how much I've grown to appreciate those who struggle with this every day - and who still carry on with their lives the best they can.  I think of Wanda, whose hands and fingers were twisted and crippled by an aggressive form of arthritis -  so much so that she was unable to turn a key in a lock by the time she was 55 years old.  Wanda would stop by my office when I was a church secretary and she would greet me cheerfully and ask how I was doing.  Or my friend "Grandma Warren" - how are you Grandma? I would inquire.  She'd look at me with wise old eyes and say, "I'm just agoin' on!  How are you dear?"  The list of people I know who struggle with physical pain day in and day out could just go on.  Me - I've got nothing to gripe about, do I.  Best get my mind off of me and on to to Somebody Else.  Yeah.  I like that plan. 

Post Title

     One time someone said, man, the world would be a great place if you just didn't have to deal with ornery people.  May I second that motion?  Thank you.  I'm feeling tonight like I would so enjoy living in a cave somewhere, however,  I'm sure that there are those in my circle who feel the same way about dealing with me.
     I haven't written in a long time.  I have ideas, I have thoughts to share.  I just don't have whatever it takes to write regularly - but, it's always helpful to me when I do.
     Lent is upon us, and soon, Easter will be here - it comes early this year - the end of March.  Lent - I'm not Catholic, but I sometimes participate in giving up certain things during this time.  Nothing I can do will ever impress God, or earn my way into His favor, however, it's a spiritual discipline that should probably be practiced.
     I just wanted to write here to let someone know I'm still struggling.  Still keeping on.  Still learning and growing,  Still getting exasperated at the human race, and myself.  I know no one reads this blog, but that's ok.  I'm putting my thoughts out in cyberspace and leaving a footprint - I don't know why.  I wish I were more like my sister-in-law.  Quiet and contemplative, rarely misspeaking or saying foolish things.  Always, her speaking is well-thought out and she offers wisdom.  I look and sound like a little girl when I'm beside her.   I so dislike myself sometimes.

**************************************************************************************

    

Aftermath

I put the following in an email to my sister, then she decided to put part of it on Facebook, which is fine - but as I said to her, actually, this probably should be in a blog post - as I haven't written in several weeks.  By the way, my brother is nagging me gently to write, and I appreciate that.  I wish I were more diligent.  Anyhow, the entirety of the post I wanted to share, edited and including the comments that have already been shared on Facebook are as follows:

I'm somewhat emotional due to the horrific news from CT, and, that although i didn't know her, a fellow school psychologist died - but the children...the evil is too unspeakable.  I've had a FB friend post that he never thought he would be scared to send his daughter to school, and I wanted to reply something like this:  If something happens at your daughter's school, people like me will not hesitate to lay our lives down for your child, and all the children we serve.  I would so do that.  It is something that is engrained in us as educators, not taught formally, but in the everyday business of knowing we are responsible for the safety of 48,000 children in this district every day that we come to work.  We do the very best we can to protect, anticipate, be on alert, question, and watch.  The last time one of my schools was in lockdown status was because someone in the neighborhood called 911 to say they saw a person with a gun walking down the street.  All of the classrooms were locked, outside doors were locked, and -  who patrolled the halls with walkies, looking out doors and windows, checking closets and bathrooms for the next 30 minutes until all clear?  Me and 4 other people.  I do not take my responsibilities lightly.

Many people on FB are posting that God has been "kicked out" from public schools.  They are clueless.  God lives everyday in public schools, through the lives of those who are called by Him to serve.  God is present anywhere His people are, and I know some awesome dedicated servants of Christ who tirelessly and fearlessly serve our students.  I know many teachers who spend their own money, who give their own time, who comfort, encourage, console, discipline, teach societal rules, and who pray for their students every day.  It offends me when people post that God is not in public schools. As Francis Schaeffer titled a book, "God Is There, and He Is Not Silent!"

Canna Bulbs

     This morning I spent some time digging canna bulbs out of my little raised garden bed.  As you may know, this summer was not good for cannas.  It turned way too hot, way too fast.  Only two bulbs produced blooms all summer and the rest of them sent up these sick looking stems with leaves which wilted and dried out in the summer heat, even though I watered them as much as I did the tomatoes growing a few feet away.  This was the first year for these bulbs as I bought them "new" at Valley Feed and Seed.  One hot morning last summer my brother stopped over, and looking at the sorry state of the cannas said, "Well, this is the first year.  They won't do very well."  He was making a good effort to console me. 
     So today, I decided to dig them up and winter them at his place because the bulbs are not winter hardy for this area.  He's going to store them for me in exchange for a few of them to plant in his own yard.  Next year, I have a different place in mind to plant them, so I'm going to give it another go and see what they do.
     What's the point of this rather boring post?  Well, it is this:  As I was digging them up, I noticed new growth.  There were new shoots coming from new bulb growth - they looked like they thought it was spring and they were ready to greet the new season.  I was surprised at how the bulbs had grown underground, how many deep roots there were, and how they had multiplied the number of points that stems will come up next spring.  All this was happening right under my nose and I didn't know it until I got out there and unearthed them.
     In many areas, I think, we are surface examiners.  We take things at face value without knowing what's underneath, and our greatest tendency is to do that with people.  If someone looks a little different and talks a little different, we form our judgements.  If someone has mental health issues God forbid, we are quick to determine if they are a worthy employee, or, worse, a worthy friend.  If someone is homeless, we wonder what's wrong with them and why they can't have a roof over their heads like "everyone else".  With every person you know, there's a soul, a spirit, and many times, a creativity born of original thinking that we do not realize is there because we don't bother - and we don't bother because our prejudices have already spoken.
     Don't be like me, someone who was surprised about the canna growth that took place underground where I didn't bother to look until now.  Be a gardener in the dirt, yes, but be a gardener of people too.   
     
    
    

To Think

     Do you believe, generally speaking, there's a whole culture in this country of people who do not know how to think?  The art of thinking is not really talked about much, at least in my little tiny corner of the world.  Maybe where you live and function people know how to use their brains productively, but I postulate that people many times surrender the task of thinking to others to do it for them.  This is true in many arenas - politically, in the workplace, and of course, in religion.  Why do we seem to have a lack of great thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, A.W. Tozer and Oswald Chambers?  Or are they out there, and I just don't know where to look?
     I have started listening some to Bott Radio Network, 94.3.  A variety of speakers present programs, some are thought provoking and some are a little like cotton candy.  I have found that I enjoy thinking about, and listening to the challenges presented by people like Alistair Begg, Erwin Lutzer, and Ravi Zacharias.  In fact, his show is called, "Let My People Think".  On his website, he lists some beginning reading materials for those who are interested in apologetics - or, "the art and science of Christian persuasion: communicating the relevance, coherence, and reasonableness of the Christian Gospel to skeptics, cultural influencers, and critical thinkers across the globe."  (from Ravi Zacharias' website,   http://www.rzim.org/about/.  
     
John Bunyan, Pilgrims Progress
Daily Light on the Daily Path (collection of Bible readings)
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters
J.I. Packer, Knowing God
Roger Steer, George Muller: Delighted in God
John Stott, The Cross of Christ
John White, The Fight
Brother Yun, Heavenly Man
Ravi Zacharias, The Grand Weaver: How God Shapes Us through the Events of Our Lives

Have you read any of these? 

     Anyhow, my son gave my husband a book called, "Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God" by John Piper.  The purpose of the book:  "This book is a plea to embrace serious thinking as a means of loving God and people.  It is a plea to reject either-or thinking when it comes to head and heart, thinking and feeling, reason and faith, theology and doxology, mental labor and the ministry of love.  It is a plea to see thinking as a necessary, God-ordained means of knowing God.  Thinking is one of the important ways that we put the fuel of knowledge on the fires of worship and service to the world."  (From the introduction, Page 15). I'm interested in this book, and in learning how to think.  I'll let you know how it goes.  In the meantime, I encourage YOU to sit somewhere, and just, "think".  Who knows what may happen next...

Weekend Comfort

     I did not feel very well this weekend.  I'm fighting allergies, running nose and watery eyes, sneezing, etc.  Everything I take for the symptoms makes me tired and groggy.  Blech.  But, one must move on with life, musn't one.  I took TWO, count them, TWO naps on Saturday, and still went to bed at my normal time and slept all night.  Waking up today - I felt better, so off to church, lunch with kids, etc.  There is comfort in routine, isn't there.
     So let's see - took Lyd to the dog park on Saturday where she promptly got into a tussle with Rebekah's dog, Zowie.  This after she had done so well there before with other dogs she didn't know.  My daughter, the dog whisperer, is going to see if she can get them to get along - I don't know if I can watch or not. Their next session is next Saturday.  Anyone want to come and watch?
     Coming up this week we have conferences and early release at one school, but a normal schedule at the other.  Then the next week, it's the opposite.  I hope we have a good parent turnout for conferences.  It does my morale good to see concerned parents come in and have intelligent conversations with school staff about their kids. 
     So there's "stuff" going on everywhere I live.  "Stuff" with family, "stuff" at church, "stuff" at work.  Reminds me of this song:
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

     Hope the week ahead is filled with blessings, and not just "stuff" for you.  God bless.

Organized Birds

     So after arriving home from work this afternoon, I let the dog out, and followed her out the back door to my yard.  It was cloudy and cool and as I sat in the lawn chair and breathed in the fresh air, I tried to let the day's activities fade into the atmosphere above me.  I became aware of an increasing noise of bird chirps and calls - and I realized that the two trees in my neighbor's yard had filled with roosting cawing birds.  It seemed like hundreds of them were perched among the branches and as the throng noisily settled among the leaves, I wondered if could be as many as a thousand. 
     All at once it was quiet.  The entire flock suddenly and without warning took flight, swooping, gliding, and making a flowing black river in the sky.  I wished I had a video camera to record the patterns - and then, they were gone.  How did they all decide to suddenly fly, and what precipitated their departure?  They headed west - and were out of sight. 
     Nature simultaneously baffles and amazes me.  These birds with brains the size of walnuts somehow instinctually have a plan and excute it flawlessly.  Is there one leader for these thousands of birds who makes this decision, or do they just somehow know what to do and can do it together?  I wish we humans were as coordinated, with a singular plan and purpose.  Just think of what we could accomplish. 

Not a boring Tuesday

     No, not boring at all.  Today, I was informed of a pretty severe case of cyberbullying some of our 5th grade students were involved in.  A student set up a Facebook page titled "I Hate ______", and filled in someone's name from his/her grade.  The student was savvy enough to protect the page so that it could not be found easily, and also invited others to join, which a few did.   Adminstration found out about this from one of the members of the group who decided to spill the beans about it.  The steps that must occur when this happens are very important, and "downtown" gets involved, but they culminate in making contact with someone at Facebook, who then will delete that page.  I was told today that the parent of the child who set the page up made him delete his Facebook account, as did some of the other parents of the kids who had joined.  This, I'm afraid, happens far more often than we think it does.  We MUST have severe and immediate consequences for these crimes, and yes, they are crimes. My question was, why do 10 year old kids have Facebook pages, but then I was informed that even 2nd and 3rd grade students have them.  Well ok.  So much for Facebook's assertion that kids under 13 cannot join. 
     Additionally, earlier this week a student also in an upper grade (but still in elementary school)engaged in explicit and purposeful sexual harrassment of a teacher.  You might tend to think that elementary students do not do that, but I've got another think for you.  In elementary schools all across this district, cyberbullying and sexual harrassment are addressed in classrooms on a regular basis.  I sometimes cannot believe what we have to talk to kids about.  They weigh all of 90 pounds and stand about 4 ft tall, and they are participating in some of the most disrespectful behavior toward their peers and authority figures that you've ever seen from a child.  A CHILD.  I told someone today that if this were my son,  I can tell you that I would have taken drastic steps immediately - even hospitalization and intensive treatment to try to figure out what was going on.  These children are  drowning and they need immediate lifesaving measures - whatever it takes - but, I'm afraid parents are having drinks on the beach under the canopy.  A sad, sad commentary on what's happening today in our culture. 

Post 30 days

     I signed back on to Facebook last night, and as I scrolled through a couple of pages, I realized that I didn't miss the "big" things. Instead, I sort of missed the minutia of people's lives.  I missed my friend posting a picture of an art work made with BACON of all things (which I immediately reposted for my son in law), a friend who had "minor" surgery but is recouperating, a picture of a dessert someone made, a casserole recipe someone else is going to try, etc.  These are the exact things which drove my other half right off of Facebook a week after he got his account set up.  They make him nuts, they make me feel connected.  Makes me think twice about talking with him about the minutia of my day.  I really try not to do that, but I find that he likes sharing the details of his day with me.  That's ok. 
     It was a hard day at school.  At one building, a teacher sorta lost his-her marbles and blew up in the office, a kid said and wrote some disturbing things but talk was that it will not be handled correctly by those in charge, another kid I went to the classroom to retrieve for some testing melted down in sobbing tears when I appeared because, and it took a long time to figure this out, he thought I was taking him to the nurse (for some reason, he panics about that), a long meeting resulted in - no results, a parent who happens to be a lawyer had, um, issues, etc etc - it just piled up all day long.  I was supposed to go to Wichita Chorale practice, but I just couldn't do it.  I stopped by Panera, got a salad to take home, heated up some soup, put on my flannels, and enjoyed the evening.  There ya go.
     The women's Bible study I'm attending is starting to look at Nehemiah this evening - Yeah, you wouldn't think of Nehemiah first, maybe, for a Bible study, but there's something, or maybe more than one something I need to learn from that book.  In the first chapter there's a prayer by Nehemiah that's bold, specific, but yet, our author says, it's not outcome based.  Too often we pray and in the prayer, we tell God how to make things happen for us.  We give him the plan and the details of how to accomplish it, when, we need to let Him figure that out - that's why we're praying in the first place, right?  Have a blessed day-

Addendum

I appreciate those of you who read my blog.  You've been a pretty quiet bunch, so I hope you're all still out there. 

Day Twenty Nine

     I've sitting here at the desk, with four pictures of my colon in front of me.  TMI!  Yep, I had a colonoscopy yesterday, so with the PREP on Thursday I've checked out of life briefly..  After we left the surgery center, we had a little breakfast, but I was so tired that I came home and went to bed and slept for 3 hours, only waking up to find my brother standing over me paying me a "sick" visit.  All day yesterday I sorta felt foggy, but today after a good night's sleep, I'm feeling pretty good and my guts are making noise, which is good I guess.
     I have been asked if I'm going back on Facebook on Monday October 1, and yes, yes, I am.  Reactions to my departure have ranged from, "Really?  I could give it up like THAT" (invariably followed by a snap of the fingers), to, "You know, I COULDN'T give it up, that's how I stay in touch with my family.  We don't call and we don't do email."  To each his own.
     This month, I feel like I've been (not just because of facebook), I've been in sort of a war with myself.  If you ask God to help you see what you need to deal with in your life, don't worry, I'm here to tell you that He will answer that prayer if you are sincerely asking.  And it's not a pleasant procedure.  Sorta like the prep and colonoscopy procedure, the Holy Spirit points out things that need to be cleaned out, then removed..  (Sorry for using that awful example, but it's apropos in my situation).  The problem is, while these things are coming to your attention and being dealt with, our enemy comes along and tries to disrupt that process - it's to his advantage if he can either hand us a pair of rose colored glasses so we don't see how bad it is, OR, if he can make us feel as if we have failed at everything, and thus not worthy to be in the arena at all.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  Psalm 139:23-24

Day Twenty Six

     Wowza, I have missed 2 days of blogging.  I have to tell you to the truth, even after doing this for almost a MONTH, I completely forgot about it.  Isn't the human brain interesting.  Let's see, Monday evening I had "Messiah" practice with the Wichita Chorale, and last night the women who go to my Tuesday night Bible study got together for dinner at Jose Peppers, then I took Rebekah home, then I talked to my sister on Messenger, then I went to bed. 
     With Monday evening practices, I'm gone from home 4 nights a week.  Not counting Friday evenings, when our family usually goes out to eat.  Last night was fun, though.  We stopped in over at Scott and Laura's to see kids, and to see exhausted parents - well momma anyway.  Dad looked pretty healthy and chipper.  I played two games of "Memory" with Rachel - guess who won, Rebekah read a book with Gabe, we interacted with Julia (with translation help), and we held the baby, who does what many babies do in the evenings - she fusses for a period of time from about 6:00 on.  Momma can't get much done.  I thought having 3 kids under 5 was a challenge!  Bless her heart, Laura is hanging on to sanity the best she can.  I feel for her.
     We got some relief last night in the form of rain rain rain.  I hear about 3 inches in the Wichita area - but it was so dry, a lot of it ran off.  Today more rain, so I hope it soaks in more.  My house is scraped on the north side, but because it's wet, no painting will happen today.  Did I tell you about that?  My friend Cindy, a jack-of-all-trades but particularly a painter, and a sheetrocker, and a remodeler etc. is painting for me.  I don't want to climb up a scaffold (somehow I see disaster looming ahead) but she does it like we would breathe, so I'll just hire her.  She's worth her money so I don't have to scrape and paint.
     The bicycle is ready for the homeless person attending our church so we picked it up last night, and the pastor will deliver it to him today.  He's also got a helmet, an air pump, and a bike lock as well.  It turned out really nice - they cleaned it up and put on new tires, fixed the chain, etc.  It looks great.  Thanks to my son-in-law for his donation.  Time to get going - have a great day.

Day Twenty Three

     Today is Sunday.  I'm reminded again of how blessed I am to have a family, people who support me, a home, a job, a church family - the list goes on.  And I'm reminded because we have had, the last three Sundays, a visitor attending church who says, and I have no reason to doubt this, who says he lives in a tent in some trees along south 235.  He has attended worship the last 3 Sundays, and is coming for supper on Wednesday nights.  A church member has given him an opportunity to do some contract work, which he has done, and has performed well.  He has not asked for anything until today, when he inquired if anyone knew where he might obtain a bike for transportation.  Arrangements are being made for him to be given a bike this week if possible.  I think he's walking all the way downtown to eat supper every evening at the Lord's Diner - I would say a distance of 8-10 miles or so from where he says his tent is.  A bike would certainly expedite his getting around to where he needs to go, so I'm hoping that will work out for him.
     This week I have training all day tomorrow, then Tuesday I'm at one school, Wednesday the other, Thursday morning back to the first school, Thursday afternoon and evening I have the privilege of prepping for a colonoscopy, Friday is that procedure, so no school for me.  It'll be either a short week or a long week, depending.
     For my Sunday School lesson today, I looked up some examples of oxymorons.  I thought these were interesting:  peacekeeper missile, authentic reproductions, tight slacks, pretty ugly, minor crisis, and, one I used recently, exact estimate.  My friend Denise pointed out there's a town in Kansas which is an oxymoron - Mound Valley.  On this same website I found these, I also found what is known as "Tom Swifties".  Have you heard of these?  Here's a couple of examples: "I have a split personality," said Tom, being frank. "I love hot dogs," said Tom with relish.   Get it?  ....said Tom, being "Frank".  Split personality....ha ha - you get it.  How about, "I need a pencil sharpener, said Tom bluntly."   Or this one:  "I can no longer hear anything", said Tom deftly.  
    And on that note, "Time for bed", said this blogger chiming in."