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My friend, Leon, lost his mom this week, so please pray for him. I provided music for her funeral this morning, and I tried to incorporate her favorite hymns.
My pastor did an amazing job today. He not only officiated at the funeral but also sang a beautiful solo that I'm sure she would have loved.
I think she would have been pleased to see folks enjoying fellowship with one another afterwards.
She would have liked that.
Goodbye, Eleanor. We will miss you, and I look forward to seeing you again someday.
My son asked, "Hey Mom, can we go to the movies?"
I had to decline; although I'm feeling much better, it will take me two years to pay off a $2,000 hospital bill, and that's after my insurance took care of the other $15,000!
My budget was tight before my surgery, but it's even tighter after that unexpected medical procedure. I explained that my budget simply couldn't allow for a night out for three people right now.
He replied, "No, Mom, I want to treat you."
Wow.
Isn't he sweet?
So in a few hours, we will head out the door so that my son can treat his momma and brother to a movie. We're making a pit stop so that I can get them a "treat" as well, and then we'll enjoy a movie together.
I will need to turn off my phone, though. My ex has been calling all three cell phones today, and it's getting tiresome. I'm more than ready for a relaxing evening with my boys. I hope you have fun too!
This morning's prayer was incredibly encouraging for me. I was able to listen as a pastor shared his reason for being absent from a prayer group the previous evening: he made his family a priority, and he chose to enjoy some family time since his daughter was going out of town soon.
Wow.
I would have given ANYTHING to have my Dad put me first once in a while. I know that he loved me, and I'm sure that he's in heaven right now because he gave his life to Christ when I was a teenager.
Still, it would have been nice if he had shown me (by spending time with me) that he cared.
Brion is a blessed little girl to have a father who doesn't allow ministry to overshadow his responsibilities to his family.
After all, we should be able to minister to our own families before anyone else, right?
I give my boys a great deal of freedom as long as they don't cross the boundaries I've set. However, we still do things together as a family, and I'm pleased to say that my son gave me a kiss in front of his friends yesterday. WOO HOO!!!!! I was beginning to think they were choosing friends over me because they didn't want to be "Mama's boys," but I think they're simply stretching their wings a bit. In a few short years, (less than five....Lord, help me!) they will be out on their own.
What will I do then? When I'm not doing ministry-related activities or working, then I'm cooking, cleaning, fussing at them to get their homework done, etc. When they leave, that "empty nest" feeling will smack me upside the head.
Oh boy....
Instead of worrying, I'll just try harder to enjoy this time. They grow so quickly, don't they?
Happy thoughts....happy thoughts....
Ummm....
Oh yeah! School was canceled today since our basketball team made the semi-playoffs. They will hit the court at 5:15 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio, and a huge chunk of our staff and students are traveling to support them. I, on the other hand, am typing this blog before getting our church bulletin done. I usually type the bulletin on Saturdays, but we have a funeral tomorrow morning. Sunday is full because we'll have our regular morning service in addition to an evening one in Alliance, Ohio.
Let's pray:
Father, thank you for such a moving, enjoyable, anointed prayer time this morning with my friends. We only gather for an hour, but it goes so quickly! I kept wanting to pray about more stuff, but I didn't want to interrupt other folks. Isn't that wonderful, Lord? We're all looking forward to time with you in prayer! :o)
Please be with the Coach, who is a dear friend of mine. He's such a sweet person, God! After the pep rally, I was rushing across the school to my classroom when someone tapped my shoulder: it was Steve! He's so excited, God, and I pray that you keep them safe as they travel this weekend. Even if we don't win, we know that you have placed Steve in the lives of these players because he is a strong role model, someone who doesn't just give lip juice but actually lives the life of a godly, friendly, kind gentleman. Be with him as he coaches the team and mentors them, perhaps even as father-figure, and allow them to be proud of coming this far, even if they don't win the game. If they are trimuphant, Lord, please don't let them come back cocky and arrogant. Instead, help them to stay humble and lovable.
I also want to thank you, Lord, for relieving the pressure I've been feeling about some personal issues. You are so wonderful! I pray for the administration, staff, and students in our school district, and I also thank you for the testimonies of some folks who were bursting to share stories of answered prayer! That's so exciting, Lord!
I love you, Jesus, and I hope you stick close to my side over the next few days. Holy Spirit, please comfort my friend who lost his mother this week. Help him and his sister to feel your peace, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today was the first time in three weeks that I've gotten home by 5:15 p.m.!
I had dinner done in the crock pot, but my children were with friends in the beautiful sunshine this afternoon. I ate alone, but it was relaxing...I was chatting on the phone with pastor while I nibbled on the pork chops and veggies before savoring a homemade cinnamon roll for dessert. (I love making those...they're cheap, and the boys think they're yummy too!)
Although it was tempting to stay at my desk and get more done at work, I chose to come home shortly after drama club rehearsal. Then I did some reading, watched a bit of t.v., and came downstairs to type this entry.
I'm planning to be in the bed early so that I can get up at 4:00, put chicken in the crock pot for supper, try to do one of my Taebo workouts for the first time since surgery, shower/dress/put on make-up, go to 6:00 prayer, and be at work by 7:15. Actually, that morning schedule looks entirely too hectic, but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. In fact, after Easter Sunday I'll be able to sleep in until 5:00 every morning. ;o)
Since it's 8:38 and I'm already sleepy, I suppose I should jump into prayer:
God, thank you for allowing me to slow down today! Thank you for kids who come in, hug and kiss me, and actually talk to me about what's on their minds.
Lord, you are so amazing! You see each of us where we are, whether we're happy or depressed, content or distressed. I like spending time with you, and I LOVE when your spirit ministers to me (especially in my lonely moments...like now).
Help me not to get too involved emotionally with anyone but you, Lord. I don't want to need anyone. You and I can do this together, right God? Help me to remember that.
Perhaps you can help me with boundaries. Maybe I need to stop carpooling when visiting other churches, which has been often due to Lent. Driving alone, listening to worship music, and praying calm me quicker than anything else. Would you like more time with me that way?
Father, I pray that you bless every person in my life, especially those who have hurt me. They didn't know any better, God. Some of them are just irritated at the world, and I seem to be a convenient punching bag. Others have difficulty listening to me because I'm so much younger than they are, but bless them anyway, Lord.
Clean me up, Lord! I want to be pleasing in your sight at all times, but I need you to help me. I love you, and I praise you with every breath that I take. In Jesus' name, amen.
It seems unbelievable that I haven't been on this computer since Tuesday. Wow.
I've been incredibly busy at work, but I'm happy to report that God has been showing off lately. ;o) He has gotten me in touch with some folks I haven't had opportunities to see, and he has allowed me to meet some folks I probably wouldn't have spoken to before my journey through the word this year. He is helping me to get along with some folks I used to argue with on a regular basis. And, yes, he is showing me parts of myself that simply need a bit more work.
What is he up to in your life?
I had fun today! Let's see...
1.) I went to prayer, which was nice. Then I went to prayer at my job and made plans to visit my friend, Annette, tomorrow morning before a staff meeting.
2.) I was asked out on a date this afternoon. Yes, I've been wanting someone with whom I could enjoy dinner and movies, but I just don't feel God urging me to date this particular guy. Believe me...if God isn't in it, I don't want it, regardless of his wealth or looks. Still, it's always nice to feel beautiful.
3.) My other friend, Chris, and I were able to chat for a while this afternoon. He is just a coworker, not a boss, so he never asks me to do anything for him. Man, it's nice knowing that he is interested in me as a person. He doesn't seem to care who sees us chatting; in fact, he isn't uncomfortable coming to my classroom for a good laugh.
4.) Yet another friend, Matt, told me about an open invitation to see Fireproof at a church. My older son was ill, and my younger son didn't want to go because, for the first time in a while, the weather was nice enough to play basketball with his friends in the driveway. So I went alone, and I'm glad I did. I highly recommend it! (Someone told me that I'd cry, but I didn't. Really. I didn't cry. I just had something in my eye...)
5. I received lots of compliments on the suit I wore to work today. It was a gift from a friend, and I'm sure she'd be pleased to know that folks like her taste. :o)
Sorry, folks...I'm sleepy and can't even think straight anymore. I suppose I'm done for now. Sweet dreams!
I love to worship God!
When I'm blogging or working on the computer at work, I'm usually listening to some kind of worship. My taste varies from gospel (like "Melodies from Heaven" by Kirk Franklin, which I'm listening to right now) to hard rock (Family Force Five is amazing) to soft rock (Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin).
What do you listen to on a regular basis?
After prayer this morning, I went to my favorite cafe to get some work done before a 9:15 meeting....but it was closed! :o(
So I went to church a bit early and finished the bulletin. While I worked, I praised God and lifted my voice to him. Simply blasting some worship music is all it takes to get me hyper, and I'm pleased to say that God was with me this morning! What fun!
Keep lifting your voice! He hears you, and he loves it!
These are a few of my friends at work. :o)
Annette, Melanie, and I praised God together this morning. All three of us happen to teach English, and when we sing there are three parts: soprano, alto, and tenor. It's actually kind of cool to worship God with these beautiful women...and today we did it in the hallway of the third floor as students hustled to their lockers before school. :o)
Derek is a dear friend who is not only a new teacher but a new husband too. We chatted for two hours today, both venting and also encouraging one another. He has been in the military, and it definitely shows in his "teacher personality." He can be so harsh on the boys, but they seem to respond well to that. Maybe I should treat them that way too, but I am much more of a motherly nurturer than drill sergeant. We simply have different (but equally effective) teaching styles, and he's a wonderful friend.
Linda is one of the wisest women I know! She is old enough to be my mother, and she's quick to let me "have it" (a stern "talking to") if I need it. She is a strong, black woman who isn't afraid of anything, including correcting me...which she has done on several occasions, I might add. Her advice is always godly and wholesome, and I'm fortunate to have such a personal relationship with her. I rarely get to see her, but we were able to chat in my classroom this evening.
Chris is a hip bachelor who is quick to hit the party scene. He teased me about his "friends" who are always trying to get him to go to church (hmmm....I wonder whom he could have possibly been thinking of....), so I grabbed some strands of his hair and teased him about all of the gray since he has more than I do. (I dye mine, but he has more gray than me even if I didn't.) Chris has been an incredibly hard worker, holding at least two jobs, for the entire 10+ years that I've known him. This sweetie pie must have told me at least three times that he's glad I'm back to work because he missed me. I feel so loved!
[side note: My son just said, "Mom, you must have been really tired last night because you were snoring...and you NEVER snore!" I suppose that's my cue to hit the sack soon since I have prayer at 6:00 in the morning...and I literally had a 15+ hour day today.]
I'm off to check one more set of e-mails and then it's time to rest. Sweet dreams!
6:00 prayer was awesome as usual, but my friend (Pastor E.) kept hitting on some topics that had me thinking and remembering...I had a difficult time praying without tears. I gave my pitiful little 30 second contribution during the last five minutes and then immediately left...because I didn't want to be late to host my first prayer time at work. We're not allowed to pray together during the school day, but I've invited several folks to come and experience some worship and corporate prayer time during the fifteen minutes before our school day officially starts. Most forgot about it, but I'm not discouraged; at least I wasn't alone. I blasted some awesome worship music, and we (my friend Ed and I) jammed for a while! :o)
More happy news:
Today I got a dozen roses and a "welcome back" note from my principal. Wow! I've never gotten roses from my boss before. :o) I carried those perfumed, precious petals with me all day long. I have no shame.
Not-so-happy news:
We (teachers) were observed by the state dept. of ed., and, rather than sit at my desk pretending to be pristine and proper, I chose to teach as I normally would. :o)
My students were struggling with understanding Shakespeare's language, so we took a breather today. I wanted them to experience "translating" something so that, hopefully, they would realize that Romeo and Juliet really isn't impossible to comprehend.
At first my observer seemed impressed as I recited some middle English for the kids and had them pick out words they recognized (classes averaged three words in four lines of poetry). However, when I wrote the same words on the board, they recognized at least five words per line.
Miss Evaluator liked that part.
Then I had the kids break up according to rows, and I assigned two pages per group. They were instructed to read their pages aloud among themselves and discuss the meaning. I wanted a 3-4 sentence summary, but they only had 20 minutes because I wanted each group to share before the bell dismissed them.
Miss Evaluator liked that part too.
And then we had a discussion.
If you're familiar with Shakespeare, then you know that he was, um, shall we say, not exactly "G" rated. One of my students caught on when Romeo said, "Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?"
YAY! They were thinking and starting to paraphrase!
That's when the woman's smile dissolved and her eyes turned into dark slits which seemed able to emit fire at any given moment. She transformed into a cranky, hateful entity who glared at me for allowing such filth in the classroom. (It wasn't quite that bad, but I'm embellishing to make the story more interesting, ok?)
Romeo and Juliet banter back and forth often. It's actually kind of cute how they tease one another.
Maybe one day I'll be able to say, with a smirk on my face, "Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" and my sweetheart will immediately smile because he "gets it" without needing an explanation. ;o) Maybe I'll meet a fellow English teacher or professor at one of the many conferences I attend.
It could happen...
Hey, guys.
I'm tired.
I'm trying to keep up with everything, but it's tough. Tonight, for example, I got home at 9:00. My day included prayer from 6:00-7:00, work from 7:35-2:15, church treasurer work and a little bit of prayer time with pastor from 3:00-5:30, supper, and then Bible study from 6:30-8:30.
I just finished my chores, but now it's almost 10:00 p.m. (and my alarm is set for 4:45 a.m. because my son didn't finish his homework and is too sleepy to do it now). I was going to get up at 5:00 anyway.
(sigh)
Yes, I'm enjoying myself, but I'm exhausted. I might need to postpone workouts until after Easter. :o) Otherwise, I'll need to get up at 4:00 even though I'll rarely, if ever, make it to bed by 10:00...9:30 at the earliest. Six hours of sleep isn't enough for me; I'd be cranky all the time!
I don't, however, want to give up my prayer time with local pastors every morning. That's an awesome way to start the day!
I'm booked every day, though. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to avoid working 7 days per week. That's definitely a problem. So...I think I'll have to take a break Sunday night. My church is supposed to fellowship with another church, but perhaps I'll just stay home and sleep...
My day began with some prayer time with a group of folks I am beginning to love. I liked them immediately, but I am beginning to appreciative all they offer to our group prayers. My buddy, Jo, initiated prayer for me as I returned to work, and I'm still feeling the effects of that. Wow. One pastor even prayed for my boys!
And guess what?!?!?!
I got to go to work today! WOO HOO!!!!!!
As I cleaned/disinfected my desk, several students popped in to chat for a minute before heading to their lockers. Then one of the staff members delivered breakfast (a blueberry muffin) and a card for me. :o)
Every single class was on point, and I'm actually a bit grateful that they had a less-than-stellar sub. Why, you ask? Because they now appreciate me. Some said, "This class goes so fast when you're here!" and "You make this so much fun!" Another said, "You make Shakespeare so easy to understand. I'm glad you're back!" Another student pulled up a chair and sat directly next to me as I led the discussion. (According to him, he just missed me.)
One, however, was honest: "I'm glad you're back cuz I miss all the candy!" (I sell candy for the Robotics team.)
Oh well. I needed that last comment to keep me humble, which is something that I've been praying for; I can't complain! In fact, it helped me fit my somewhat inflated head through the door so that I could go home on time. ;o)
I spent two hours organizing paperwork after school, then I worked on church stuff, went home, fed my boys, and then brought one of them back to church for youth group (while I began typing the bulletin).
After that, I did some laundry, and I just finished ironing.
My day was full of amazing moments; my favorite parts of the day were the numerous hugs I received from both staff members and students. I am so loved!
My throat is a bit sore from all of the talking; I rarely spoke during my six weeks off, so speaking all day was a drastic change to my routine. I'm sure I'll assimilate soon.
I've also had great intentions of working out at 4:00 a.m. before my 6:00 a.m. prayer group. Unfortunately, after I finish all my chores after work, I'm not able to get to bed before 10:00. Maybe I'll give myself a few more days to get used to working before I add a daily workout.
What do you think?
I'm so excited about my life right now! I hope you are just as thrilled with yours. Best wishes, and God bless!
My pastor invited me to a 6:00 a.m. prayer group, and today was my first day participating.
Wow!
I knew that my pastor wouldn't be there because he had to go out of town, but I went alone anyway. As it turned out, I made two new friends (Loretta and Jo), and my beloved friend, Pastor Everett, was there too! ;o) I was also acquainted with two other pastors, although I don't know them well. The atmosphere was definitely charged with the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I loved every minute of it!
And the best part? There was NO competition in the prayer time; on the contrary, we prayed FOR each other! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
It was sooooo much fun! Unfortunately, the last day will be Easter Sunday, but I still have three more weeks to enjoy the company of such a great group of folks who have hearts to serve the Lord.
I'm absolutely sure I'm not the only one who enjoyed praying together and encouraging one another this morning. I'm also looking forward to starting my mornings this way, especially when I return to work tomorrow (hopefully).
Thank you, Lord! I'm so excited!
Man, I had a horrible week, but Saturday was awesome! I spent several hours in prayer and praise/worship with my pastor, and it was amazing!
God brought up some stuff that I thought I had long ago dealt with for the last time, but I'm completely healed now. Woo hoo! Praise God!
Pastor is going to let me share my testimony today during the service, and I'm so excited! I've been here at church working on the bulletin since 6:15 a.m., and in a few minutes I'm going home to get my boys for church.
I hope that all is well with you. I picked "It Is Well With My Soul" (among other songs) for today's service. I'm bursting to praise God corporately! I can't wait!
I am living proof that God can free you from emotional bondage; all you have to do is ask Him. I feel sooooo blessed!
Have fun today, wherever you are!
