smiling

This afternoon, I went to an ordination service. I don't really know Luke very well, but I've chatted with soon-to-be-Mrs.-Luke a few times. Our church was invited, and I've never been to an ordination. Since I've decided to acknowledge my call to teach (not necessarily preach), I wanted to see for myself what happens at an honest-to-goodness ordination.

I got choked up several times. What a beautiful, moving service!

Someone reached out and punched my arm as he walked past in the recessional. As a reflex, I punched back....at the guy who happens to be second-in-command of our area churches.

Oops.

He started it, though! ;o) Don't worry; he's actually a friend of mine, but he's also way up there as far as church hierarchy is concerned.

Anyway, he later had some words of encouragement that were right on time. I haven't shared my more recent struggles with anybody, so I know that God was speaking to him. God sees you right where you're at, you know?

I also enjoyed some fellowship with my friend, Nancy, her husband, and my pastor. I also met a gal named Audra who is compassionate and kind. We prayed together before departing, and I hope that God blesses her family (especially her son) immensely.

Then I was able to shave 15 minutes off of my drive home because my pastor asked if I wanted to follow him cuz he knew a shorter route.

Nice.

The tail end of the drive was a bit difficult because a headache was forming. Headlights are no joke, eh? I can't wait until tomorrow; I have a doctor's appointment, and I should find out whether or not I'm a candidate for surgery. If I am, then the surgery coupled with the proper meds might eliminate my headaches for good. Yay!!!!

How was your day?

peaceful day

Well, as usual, my ex canceled the plans he made with my boys. I didn't have my hopes up in the first place, but he is the one who asked to have them overnight. As far as I can remember, that was the first time this year when he initiated that.

Oh well.

Today still had some pretty wonderful moments, like getting hugs from D., J., S., D., and T.

Nice!

Hugs rock!

I hope you're having a restful weekend. Peace!

Crazy traffic

My boys wanted to go to the mall this afternoon, so I bravely dropped them off at the entrance.

Have I mentioned that I don't like crowds? Or bumper-to-bumper traffic?

As usual, my family gathered at my house for dinner yesterday, and I'm grateful it's over. There are times when I feel inadequate as a parent, and I welcomed some help from my brother. My boys didn't like it at all, but I think everything will be fine. If nothing else, they do NOT want me to ask my brother to help me discipline, so I'm hoping that the major problems I've been having with them will disappear.

Overall, they are GREAT kids!!!!!!

I think I'm just more sensitive than usual because I've been ill. Surgery should help tremendously, but that might not happen until summer. I'm trying to save my sick days in case my Mom needs me.

How was your week?

T.O.P.S.

I'm thankful to T.O.P.S.: Take Off Pounds Sensibly. It's just like Weight Watchers, but it's only $2 per week instead of $12 (and I get to spend time with my church family).

Hopefully, I will get these last few sizes off by my birthday in August.

I'll keep you posted! :o)

I won't be back until after the holiday, so....

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! God bless!

bittersweet day

Why I'm happy this morning:

1. I'm thankful that my ex and kids chose to see the show yesterday afternoon. In fact, they LOVED it! My ex said, "I was sleepy when we first got there, but that was WAY better than I thought it would be. They kept me awake the whole time!" Ummm....I suppose that's a compliment! :o)

2. My friends who played the flute and clarinet/sax gave me a present for being a good piano accompanist. They are so sweet! They've also been giving me advice on how to handle my "friend" since they'd seen him at the piano a lot lately, and I truly appreciate their godly perspective.

3. I visited another church last night, and one of my new friends could tell I was hurting. He didn't even hesitate...he plopped on the bench in front of me and simply listened and then shared about his own similar situations. [Please pray for his wife; she has been battling cancer for quite a while and wasn't feeling well last night.]

4. Pastor A. and his wife N. gave me some much needed hugs. :o)

I won't go into the reasons I've been frustrated lately. I just have to suck it up and keep plugging away at the jobs God has for me to do, both to support my family and in ministry. I should pro'ly just pray:

Lord, thanks for allowing me to cultivate the beginning of a friendship with Joe over the last few weeks. I care for him a lot, and I pray that you help me to heal from past friendships/relationships before anything serious starts to happen with Joe. I pray that your will is done in my life, especially with anyone I date. I pray that you are with me today as I teach your precious young people! Thank you for my life, salvation, family, friends and career. Thank you, Lord, for everything. In Jesus' name, amen.

Phew!

This has to be quick because I've gotta type the church bulletin and run to do a show (Guys and Dolls). I haven't been here for a few days, so here are a few reasons I feel thankful this evening:

1. JOE - what a sweetheart! We're just friends right now and probably will stay that way for a while, but it sure is nice to have him in my life right now.

2. MY CHURCH - I can't explain it, but I am sooooo anxious for church tomorrow. I miss my church family!

3. EX - Yes, I am even grateful for my ex-husband. He has been so supportive lately, and I'm thrilled that he's helping me discipline the kids. We had to get divorced for this to happen, but that's fine...my kids now know that they have TWO parents who love them enough to kick them in the patooty when they need it.

4. MY FRIENDS - Words can't express how much I love you guys. Thank you for your forgiveness when I'm stupid, love when I'm hurting, and laughter when I'm feeling afraid. FYI: I saw the doctor again last week, but I'm no longer afraid. The worst case scenario involves surgery, but I'll be healthy when it's all done.

Although I am mentioning him last, I'm thankful to have GOD in my life! He has seen me through some crazy situations, and I'm so glad that he's with me now. Life will slow down after tomorrow; I'll try to post some pics soon. Take care! Excuse the typos; I need to get started on this bulletin and then go to work...

Mom

Tonight I'm thankful for my Mom!

She was in the audience for Guys and Dolls, a musical at a local theater. I am the accompanist, and she decided to support me this evening. She loved it! She was so excited as I came from backstage...she was grinning and waving to get my attention.

I love my Mom!!!!

I enjoy playing with the band, although some of us need to learn a bit of humility before folks stop taking us seriously. We are, after all, the band - - - the show isn't about us. In fact, it's quite the opposite: no one really cares who's in the band as long as we sound great. They WILL care, though, if there's no balance or if we're rushing the singers at a maddening pace.

Church was fantastic today! I hadn't been in a service for two weeks because I missed one Sunday when my child konked his head on cement and then last Sunday for a vacation day. I have one more day to use this year, but I probably won't need it. I feel pretty refreshed, and I'm raring to go. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas!

May God bless you and yours.

Thankful for pastors (past and present)

I already thanked God for my friend, Matt, but I didn't tell you that he's also my pastor. :o) He puts up with me even when I don't feel well (which has been quite often since February), and he always has a kind, uplifting word for me. He's wonderful!

Today I ran into my old pastor. Actually, his church is next door to my new doctor's office. [I haven't had a regular gynecologist since J. was born, and he'll be 14 next week. I know, I know...shame on me.]

As I left Dr. E.'s, I saw my ex-pastor's truck and decided to stop in to see him.

God seems to know what we need, you know?

I received some not-so-encouraging news from the doctor today, yet God placed me in a situation that required me to put someone else's needs before my own. I never did get to tell him about my appointment. Instead, after talking with, listening to and praying for him, I worshiped at the piano in my old church for a couple of hours.

Isn't it fun to praise God?????

Today I was given an opportunity to minister to someone I love very much, and I don't take that for granted. We are soooooo quick to whine and complain to our pastors, but how often do we simply love on them? I don't pity my pastor (or my previous ones) because they knew what they were getting into when they chose to be spiritual leaders. However, I also know that they need prayer warriors surrounding them. We need to constantly intercede on their behalf.

Will you join me?

Let's rally around, encourage, and pray for our pastors! They pray tirelessly for us...why not do the same for them?

Why not start now?

THANK YOU, Father, for the pastors you've placed in my life! Thank you for their encouraging words, prayers, support and love! Thank you for allowing me to be blessed by them, and I pray that they feel blessed by me sometimes too.

Lord, W. was feeling a bit beaten up today, so I pray that you strengthen him. I think the battle has just begun, so he needs to rest when he can. He's a fighter, Lord, and I pray that he doesn't give up. Please let him know that you see him where he is; allow him to feel your presence, even in the darkest moments. He needs to remember that he is not perfect and was never meant to be. Let him know that he's on the right track.

Jesus, I truly thank God for You! Thank you for forgiving all of my sins. I pray that you help me to be a better woman. Lord, I love you, and I am looking forward to being used by you to spread love and joy to those who need encouragement, including pastors.

Finally, Lord, I pray for my own pastor. Please strengthen and bless him! I pray that your will is done in his life; please give him peace and joy, no matter what crazy situations may pop up at any given moment. Continue to help him keep everything in perspective, and bless every ministry in our church to do your will. Thanks for my church family, God!

In Jesus' name, amen.

Thankful for my ex-husband...

He served in the army, and he was an E-4 in Iraq when the U.S. marched into Baghdad.

Although he is my ex-husband, he will always be a friend. He cares deeply about me and the boys, even though we are no longer a family unit. He does what he can to help, and I'm grateful for that.

He supports me in everything that I do, whether it's a drama production at school or accompanying Guys and Dolls or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at a local theater.

I jokingly told my mother that I have quite possibly experienced the most loving, amiable divorce in the history of Ohio! :o) It was truly painless in that courtroom, and I'm glad that we agreed on everything. I've heard so many horror stories that I can't help but feel blessed because of the way my divorce occurred.

I pray, Lord, that you will continue to bless him immensely for every act of kindness and love he shows me and the boys! In Jesus' name, amen.

I'm also grateful for my friend, Joe, who was incredibly compassionate and understanding this evening. Thanks, Lord, for my friends!

My biggest blessing today: my friend, Matt

My morning began with some accolades to the big guy upstairs. Feeling content and thoroughly blessed, I praised God on my way to work. I'm in awe at how he's taking care of me and my boys! I know that the Lord is completely in control.

When I got to work, I called my friend, Matt, to ask for an appointment to see him sometime this week. He squeezed me into his busy schedule today, and I couldn't be more grateful!

Have you ever met anybody who can calm your spirit simply by being near you? If you monitored my blood pressure, you'd probably find that it goes down when he's around. Does that sound corny or unbelievable? Well, it's true. I wish everyone could have a friend like that. In fact, I hope I have that effect on other folks.

God, thank you for honoring Matt's prayer and removing that horrible headache. Thank you for blessing me with such an understanding, compassionate, empathetic, kind, silly, intelligent, loving, honorable friend who has no qualms about gently pushing me out of my comfort zones. I pray, Lord, that you would allow Matt to know how much he is loved by me and all who know him. In Jesus' name, amen.

Whew!

I just got home from a show. I played the piano, and we have at least 11 more performances before Thanksgiving.

Tonight was different from the first two though: I had to lead the music.

That may not sound like a big deal to you, but I'm spoiled! Alan usually leads the music, and he couldn't be there tonight.

I'd much rather follow than lead when it comes to entrances, scene changes, solos, etc.

Thankfully, I only made one mistake tonight, but the audience probably didn't even catch it.

I'm sooooooo sleepy. Have a wonderful evening!

Let the games begin...

We opened Guys and Dolls last night with a free performance in honor of our senior citizens. It went so well!

Tonight, however, was "Opening Night," and it had some issues:

1.) My hands kept playing chords and notes that were nowhere in the score.

2.) The gun, which was supposed to be in a holster, decided to fall from its spot and go off at an inopportune moment.

3.) A friend of mine didn't realize for almost an entire scene that the reason the audience couldn't stop giggling was because his pants were unzipped. Poor guy; nothing I said seemed to make him feel better. :o(

Tomorrow will be another busy:
1.) Doctor's appointment
2.) Try to do the bulletin for church
3.) Rake leaves
4.) Do lesson plans
5.) 8:00 p.m. performance of Guys and Dolls

I'm off on Sunday, so I'm going to sleep in. I don't have to be at the matinee performance until 2:00; yay! For now, I better get some sleep. Goodnight!

bizarre moments

I am so grateful for my teaching job! I enjoy teaching, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my time during the day.

However, sometimes parents are bizarre. I had a parent call and fuss at me because his child had so many check marks on his paper. When I asked him what he meant, he said, "Quit picking on my son! What's with all of that writing? Why do you have to write so much on his papers?"

Wow.

In my world, that's called "grading."

A couple of hours after that phone call, it was time to see his son in class. Unfortunately, he had a book bag, which is against school policy. When I told him to put it away and get a tardy pass back to class, he decided to leave school property and skip my class. When I called home to let Dad know that his son was truant, he said, "Yeah, I know. He's here with me. He's allowed."

Really?

Wow again.

There are certain folks in politics who want to pay me based on the performance of my students. I'd like to see how they'd handle my class load if they were in my shoes. And what would that do to our special education departments? I know a woman who runs a business with her MH kids, and she does a phenomenal job with them. They can't read, but she uses pictures with the words underneath to try and get them familiar with letters anyway. She is amazing! Does she deserve less on her paycheck because her kids won't ever pass a proficiency test?

Sometimes student success is simply their responsibility, and parents should be encouraging them to set high goals for themselves. I'm doing what I can, but I wish folks who make the rules would try a little harder to understand and empathize.

boldness

My students have no doubt that I will protect them to the best of my ability.

My children know exactly what I expect from them at all times.

I can easily share the gospel with others, even strangers.

I have no qualms about defending underdogs, especially those who are "right" but too afraid to speak up.

It has become second-nature for me to apologize for my boldness, but this evening I can honestly say that I'm glad God created me this way. Thank you, Lord!

John McCain's concession speech

I just watched it.

Wow.

What an articulate, classy, admirable man.

I knew I'd pray for whoever won the election.

Might as well start now...

Lord, Barack Obama has been chosen by the people of the United States as our next President, and we ask that you would give him wisdom as he embarks on this journey. Although his political background is extensive, walking in the shoes of the President is something he hasn't done yet. Please protect him, Lord, and surround him with men who have his best interests in mind. Give him discernment on whom to trust. Equip him to do all that you're calling him to do. Strengthen his marriage, Lord, and protect his loved ones, especially his family. Bring him peace as he remembers his grandmother. In Jesus' name, amen.

What am I thankful for?

The Momma of one of my friends invited bloggers to write about at least one gift from God every day this month. I'm game! Let's see...

I'm thankful today for my boys. My kids are amazing! Yes, they are a handful at times, but they also bless me.

For instance, my son spent his lunch money on a belt. He didn't want to bother me for money, so he took it upon himself to buy what he needed at K Mart.

Isn't he sweet?????

(By the way, he was immediately reimbursed.)

My other little one, who is actually taller than me now, has a big heart too. He's quick to help me in the yard and rarely gives me any problems.

Thanks, God, for my kids! I also appreciate the opportunity to vote this week. I never want to take our democracy for granted.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Adios.

"on the warpath"

That's what we used to say when our teachers were mad at us.

I suppose that could be said of me today.

Although I love my students dearly, they get on my last nerve...and then stomp on it.

I have stripped them of all possible bonus points for the second quarter due to lack of work and sickeningly low grades. I have also restricted access to passes, even to the bathroom and the nurse.

The majority of them had A averages. What happened? They chose not to prepare for a major exam, and 80% of them failed it. They also have a MAJOR reading project due tomorrow, and I'm afraid they're going to bomb that too...even though they've had more than two months to prepare for it.

I am determined to see these grades improve, whether or not they like me anymore.

Hmph.