Again! More Obvious Information

Remember this brilliant study?

Well, a new one says "In fact, the study found that low-attaining students were nearly twice as likely to be disengaged in classes of 30 students as they were in classes of 15." I couldn't read any further to find out if my tax dollars had paid for this study or not. They could have just called me.

Why I Go To Church

We had a bit of excitement last night at church. Every Wednesday during the school year we have a pre-service dinner. We call it 'Manna and More' because we are catchy and clever like that, and our church also never passes up an opportunity to name AND logo-tize something. Manna was particularly fitting last night as one particularly unidentifiable dish kept being asked about, "What is it?" (look it up, people).

So the evening was going as usual. Pay your meager fee, get in line, heh-heh with the serving ladies (teams of cooks, servers, and cleaners all rotate their duty about once a month) find a spot, get a drink, yada, yada. I was somewhere between getting a drink and the yada when one of the serving ladies stepped out of the kitchen to holler at the 100+ crowd of people, "Is there a doctor or nurse in here? We need a doctor or nurse!" I scanned the crowd trying to think of one person I knew who was such (sorry, Karene, but I was so freaked I couldn't think of one person). And I felt so helpless.

Trying not to be in the way, I just returned to my seat and glanced up toward the kitchen. There was one lady on the phone to 911, a small crowd around the evidently ill or injured person, one very focused woman trying to keep the food line moving by serving food, and a growing line of folks waiting to get their food. I watched and evaluated for a little bit -- I REALLY didn't want to be in the way or a gawker -- but it didn't take long to realize what I COULD do. So I got up and went to help the lone lady who was serving. (I only served one or two plates before I thought to stop and wash my hands!) Before long Tammy came back. Then she left when the 911 caller could return to her spot. Then Denise relieved me to go finish my meal as two other ladies were coming into the kitchen to trade out full trays of food for empty and replenish dessert trays as needed.

I'm sorry to say I can't give an update on the downed kitchen worker. She was awake and talking while I was in there, and the ambulance took her to be checked out. I'm not even sure what happened, and I don't know the lady's name. I'm not even positive I could pick her out of a gurney line-up. But folks needed help. Not only the sick or hurt, but the workers. I (and LOTS of others -- there is no tooting of my own horn here) just did all I knew to do or COULD do: I slapped food on a plate and smiled and heh-heh-ed with people. I teased the tiny gals for eating so little. I teased the teen boys for eating so much. I helped my serving sisters how I could and when I could. Because it has been done for me over and over and over again.

Years ago in a different, smaller congregation, we were welcoming a new staff member at a small gathering. I noticed one particularly eccentric member had the new staff member cornered and was talking non-stop. I told a dear friend next to me, "Wouldn't you like to follow around the new person and explain everyone to him? It's just like family -- that's just crazy ol' Aunt Trudy (Trudy's name is a pseudonym to protect the crazy). We love her, but we all know she's crazy." That's how church is to me -- just like your own family tree: full of nuts. But nuts that will serve, weep, laugh, mop, pray, build, hammer, teach, hug, and love as needed.

My church isn't perfect. Neither is yours. But they're my family and I love them dearly. And I hope no one sues me if they found one of my hairs in their food last night.

Slowly... Blogging Slowly

Okay -- here I am, 7 days later! Jehosaphat! My spring break consisted of a head-cold and frequent naps. We did do a little Dallas traveling at the end and I did see parts of North Texas I have never seen before. Wow. Texas is big.

I love the reactions to the quote. Stephanie and I would either get along fabulously or have some very lively conversations! :-) There's always an exception, isn't there? -- or, at my house, a loophole! The thing that struck me the most about that quote was how many talented people there are that aren't using that talent to its fullest (that is how I will choose to define 'unsuccessful' in this instance, Stephanie -- fair?) So true. Think of your friends: there are some amazing talents around us, aren't there? And don't you know a lot of talent that is shoved to the bottom of life due to everything else pressing in? I do. It just struck me -- mainly because persistence is so basic, yet so crucial. I wholeheartedly agree...

Oh -- update on aforementioned creek drama: one bicycle is total trash, the other can be repaired for about 50-75% the cost of a new one, and I'm investing in a new library book tomorrow. People irritate me on occasion.

Y'all go welcome Kelly to blogworld. 'Cause she rocks and I like to pretend that I'm all cute and happenin' like her.

10 weeks from today is June 3. Are you ready for sitting at the pool? I so am!

Agree or Disagree?

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

--Calvin Coolidge

Tiptoe-ing Back Into Blogworld

I looked for a picture of the t-shirt I saw on one of those folks who think their bad attitude doesn't exude from them enough without cue cards printed on their chest: "I'm here, aren't I? What more do you want?"

I figure my first little tippy toe back into blog land should keep the bar pretty low. There won't be any humor or ingenious observations on life (as if I ever just crank that kind of stuff out on a regular basis).

I had a few thoughts, that were actually even kind and nice, but my children just returned home from one of their adventures down at our local creek -- which I was so loving as their little fun slice of Americana -- and they came home with bicycles broken beyond repair from bricks or rocks thrown onto the spokes, and a ruined library book from it being thrown in the water. I'm so unamused with the general public of my "wonderful neighborhood". So my kind and nice thoughts are few and far between.

JD thinks that 'LOST' has 'jumped the shark'. What do you think?

It's our spring break. It's supposed to rain and my throat hurts.

This morning the scale looked better than it had in months, but my hair is still in its post-haircut rebellion stage. When it's a good scale day AND a good hair day, I'll let you know.

Anyone doing anything fun for spring break?

My Two Great Regrets of the Campaign of '08

1) That I EVER registered to vote, thereby putting my phone number on some "please harass the stuffin' out of these people" list.
2) That I don't have caller ID.

One more phone call from Barak and I am SO going out and rounding up anyone on the street and taking them to vote for Hillary.

*sigh*

The sigh of the heavy-hearted. Heavy hearted I am. My coffee group just returned from an amazing trip to Alabama, photos -- albeit a little fishy -- here. Our plane landed at about 11 a.m. and pretty much as soon as I could turn my phone on (to take this picture of the back of Kris Kristofferson in the Birmingham airport) I got a text from Troy with some fairly annoying news for us. Then, later in the day, at Denise's parents for dinner, Roxanne called to tell me that her dad had passed away that evening. I'm debating about whether I will continue taking my cell phone while I travel. But we did relay the story of his Sunday leg to her parents. What guy.

The funeral was today. I still can't believe I'm not there. I'm supposed to be there. Roxanne is the closest thing I have to a sister, and her dad is gone. He has circled up with his own mom, as well as a host of others. He has two healthy legs now. He has received the ultimate healing. I'm so thankful for him, and so sad for her and her family.

As I try to console myself, I realize that, really, for most of the unscheduled big things in our lives, Roxanne and I have been there for precious little of it for each other. Yet we're there. We stood next to each other through both of our weddings -- me beating her down the aisle by a few months only meant I had to be labeled a 'matron' at her wedding, which I did NOT appreciate. But since then the big milestones have been 'caught up on' with email and phone calls. And this will be no different.

The funeral is there, 500 miles away, and I am here, juggling too many mom/teacher/wife/church-type-folk obligations to break free. I picked up the phone to call her 4 different times yesterday, but my throat tightened too much to speak and my tears blurred the phone to dial. I know I can't DO anything being there, but I need to help her cry. Evidently, I'm doing that from here.

On a far happier note, I actually won a prize-type-thing from Antique Mommy. Who knew, but chocolate is included in the prize, and I think it goes without saying that I could use some chocolate right about now. And that artwork from Sean? Will cheer me right up!

Good Things Out There

Since I have virtually nothing to say these days, I'll send you around the internet instead!

Troy has an interesting poll on his blog.

Boothe has some wonderful thoughts regarding Oprah's new "A Course In Miracles" program (or, what Sarah is referring to as "The New False Prophecy" -- you kind of need to be aware of THAT whole mess, too).

Kem is a friend of mine. You can see how much I think she rocks:

The Perfect Valentine

You may remember that last year, as I started down this teaching road again, I had a moment that I was very humbled that the Lord had led me to this job. I confess my thoughts don't roll that way very often. My thoughts these days are more of a checklist of what needs to be done and making it through one task to get to another. So Valentine's day has pretty much only been one of those things to do. Just another something to buy and get ready for. But one of the beautiful souls that I teach with sent our grade level this email today, subject line: "The Perfect Valentine", that brought it all back into perspective:

This morning I feel reminded of what a loving God we serve, and how much we all
need Him.

A student came in this morning to tell me that her dad
came up to her this morning and gave her “live” roses and kissed her upon the
head and said “I love you”.
Then he threw roses at her mom and called her a
bad word.

I had to fight back tears as I heard the
story. Oh how we all need Jesus, but it reminded me how much HE loves us
all too. It also reminded me how important it is that I share HIM with
others.

Happy Valentines Day,

(she signed her name and
included this verse:)

And we know and believe the love God cherishes
for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and
continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. 1 John 4:16

Again, I am humbled and reminded of the precious souls entrusted to me on a daily basis. I am thankful for the campus where I work where godly women call me to a higher level of teaching and love by their words and actions. And, most of all, I am forever thankful for Jesus, our perfect Valentine, who gave all He had to win our hearts for eternity. Because of Him, we can go on one more day, loving one more soul.

Reasonable Restrictions?

In preparing for an upcoming flight, I was reviewing the list of carry-on restrictions. So, we can take a corkscrew and knitting needles, but no gel candles? Well, of course.

Linda Kenwright, Break out the Map Shirt!

(There is a VERY small segment of my blog readers -- like, Roxanne, and potentially my parents -- that will understand my post title. A whole other story for a whole other time).

The yo-yos. They are coming back. Did we learn nothing?

What Time Are You?

This made me laugh...

Listen for the Whisper

I have to hurry up and write this somewhere before I forget it.

Earlier this week in some rushed blog-perusal, I came across a comment Brandi made to someone. She said that the discouraging thoughts this person was experiencing was Satan screaming, trying to make himself heard.

Then she wrote: Listen for the whisper.

Sometimes I am frustrated at how counter-intuitive faith is. When life presses in, our flesh nature commands that we speed up, go faster, get more done. A life of faith says, "Be still and know." When it seems we are constantly being beaten down by life anyway, and the world (and our survival instincts) tell us to look out for number one, a life of faith says, "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

And when life screams at us from every direction, and the awful and negative are everywhere we turn, a life of faith must listen for the whisper.

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of
the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and
powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD,
but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but
the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but
the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings
19:11,12

Further Enlightened

Another google search that has landed someone here in the past was: "it's Friday but Sunday's coming is this a true statement". I can't figure this one out. What would NOT be true about "it's Friday but Sunday's coming?" Is it a breakdown in English language perhaps? I don't get it...

Another valuable jewel that came out of the parenting class on Sunday was this quote (that they attributed to a local counselor): "All negative emotion stems from unfulfilled expectations." They used it in the light of parenting to make your expectations for your children -- especially through the tumultuous teen years -- very clear to your children. But I thought of it this afternoon -- when I almost lost complete control. I realized it was because I had expected to be home in a bubble bath at 5 p.m. today. Instead I was standing in line at Walgreen's to have them tell me that they are completely out of the medicine needed for my ailing husband, and a Walgreen's half-way to Zimbabwe could have it for me somewhere after my expected bath time.

That one is a keeper: All negative emotion stems from unfulfilled expectations. Indeed.

Intentionality

"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands." Anne Frank

In relaying this quote to another person, I could remember that it was a well-known female, so I attributed it to Helen Keller. But it's Anne Frank. A child that didn't live to see her 16th birthday. Can you imagine a 15 year old today saying that the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands? I wish I had known Anne Frank. (I played her mother in a play -- definitely not the same).

We had a wonderful class at church yesterday -- this semester class is about building strong families, with guest speakers each week. Yesterday was about 'raising girls'. I don't know the parents, but I know two of the adult daughters -- and if I can sit at the feet of the parents that raised those two, I'm taking notes. The main thing I walked away with was (again) my favorite word: Intentionality.

They encouraged us to envision where we wanted our children to be by the time we kicked them out of the nest, and take steps to get them there. Have a plan. It seems so simple. It seems like so much of a better way to parent than waiting for a crisis and then reacting. It also sounds like work. It sounds like making parenting your job. Now there's an idea.

Too tired to say much more. The biggest problem for me is envisioning where I want my children to be. I'm not much of a visionary. I have hopes and dreams for my kids -- but specifics? That's tough for me. So that is my current prayer.

Calendar Fun

Tomorrow is the birthday of one of my little friends. She's turning 10, but I so vividly remember when she was in kindergarten. I asked her when her birthday was and then realized I had totally stumped her. She thought for a long while and finally said, "Ummmmmmmmm, it's Febwoo-ehwe thuhty-thud." Yes, that's February 33rd. I had to ask her mom if her birthday was February 3rd or March 5th! :-)

Thursday afternoon one of my guys asked me if he could help me update the date listed on the white board: "Can I erase the thirty-oneth and make it the thirty-twoth?" I was too tired to correct any of that sentence, so I just said, "No, thank you."

Claimin' It!

Troy and I went here this weekend. Amazing. Humbling. More later. Maybe.

While there, Judy led us to this scripture, which we've both read before but needed NOW. Troy and I love it and are claiming it!

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Psalm 37:1-8

Let's Try This Again, Shall We?

Sitemeter tells me people are still coming by. Go figure. Most of my visits come from Google searches. Thankfully, at one time, we actually had a comment about 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs'. That makes it seem like an intelligent blog. Then, some people want to know things like 'hammy downs' (oh, jehosaphat -- how many people spell it that way???? If you land here in a search for it -- it is 'hand-me-downs', because someone handed it down to you. It's not good grammar, but it is the way it is). Someone in the United Kingdom googled my grandmother's name. (???) ( -- Queen Elizabeth -- contact me and I will tell you where you can send any gift you have for my late grandmother. Your majesty.)And, at one time, I evidently had coherent thought coursing inside my head about the love the Lord lavishes on us.

Nothing like that here. I'm still decluttering my house and my brain and it's hard to tell which is more cluttered! Thankfully, even with yukky cold and rainy, I haven't (so far) gone through too much of a winter depression. Maybe my time away from here is part of a little bit of one -- but the main thing I'm doing to stay away from depression is easing up on myself -- expectations-wise. That means, first of all, no New Year's resolutions! Because by now I would have already tanked them, which would scream "FAILURE!" inside my head! So, the January theme has been, "Being kind to myself". Sadly, it's harder than I thought. But it also explains why I haven't been here. Not a lot to say. Anyone who has a discussion-starter is welcome to throw it out there. I could TRY one...

So, how do you feel about Brittney's absolute loss of control? Oh, never mind -- I definitely don't have the energy for THAT conversation!!!

Maybe more later. For now, enjoy one of the very clever and funny videos Southern Hills has shown recently...

Can Anyone Relate?

I had to come out of blog-hiatus to post this:

Still Nothing

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.