Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Significant Events that Happened on August 30th.
1. 1997 - The first WNBA Championship-Houston Comets beat New York Liberty
2. 1995 - CNN joins the internet
3. 1990 - Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey, Jr. become the first father/son to play on the same team (Seattle Mariners)
4. 1984 - The 12th Space Shuttle Mission (Discovery I) launches
5. 1979 - The first recorded occurence of a comet hitting the sun
6. 1976 - Tom Brokaw becomes news anchor for The Today Show
7. 1967 - The US Senate confirms Thurgood Marshall the first African-American judge
8. 1965 - Casey Stengel announces his retirement after 55 years of baseball
9. 1957 - US Senator Strom Thurmond speaks for 34 hours and 27 minutes against civil rights (We've come a long way, baby!)
10. 1954 - Hurricane Carol kills 68 people
11. 1945 - Hong Kong is liberated from Japan
12. 1918 - Czechoslovakia becomes independent
13. 1862 - Second Battle of Bull Run

Thankful Thursday

Sometimes stress really gets us down. It feels as if nothing is going right, and it seems as if no one cares. The good news is that someone does care! That "one" is the Almighty, our Creator, God, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Father, the Great I AM. In the midst of all the chaos of our lives, going to work, kids going back to school, homework, practices, lessons, duties, committments...

Then... "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

Take a moment. Be still. Close your eyes. Rest. Listen.

We are blessed. Truly blessed. Our homes, families, churches, schools, neighborhoods, friends, necessities, responsibilities, luxuries, privileges, and freedoms are all gifts from our God who wants us to be happy, who wants a relationship with us, who deserves to be served with a giver's heart. No matter how hectic life gets, we still have so many gifts to be thankful for. Let's give thanks to Him.

That Sinking Feeling (for Sunday Scribblings)

I hate that sinking feeling I get when I realize something important that I have forgotten, usually accompanied by the words, “Oh my gosh!” I know that I’ve let someone down.

There was something I was supposed to do, and I didn’t write it down because I knew I absolutely would not forget it, but I did. It feels as if my heart is on the downside of a ginormous roller coaster ride, as though my heart has dropped to my lower extremities. There are actual pangs and aches in my chest when I realize the disappointment I’ve caused. An elephant may as well have stepped on my heart

Tears come to my eyes. And I am helpless because there is nothing I can do to relieve that sinking feeling.

Transitions

No. Not the kind you put in your picture slideshows; the kind that take an emotional toll. My "babies" are going to Intermediate School this year. (middle school, junior high, whatever your part of the world calls it) I've been a middle school teacher for 19 years. Yes, 19. My babies can't be going into sixth grade! They're not ready! More important, I'm not ready! Yes, they could come to school with me, but they are going to to to the school we are zoned to, which is not mine. I struggled with the decision for several months. My daughter is the shy type, and she knows no one at my school. At this school, she has friends from 4th and 5th grade who are in her classes (as well as new people to meet). My son would rather be with his friends, too, but I don't worry about him making new ones. They will have to adjust to having 7 different classes, 7 different teachers, lockers, crowded lunchrooms, more freedom, more responsibility, and so on. They just don't seem mature enough to be going into intermediate school, from both their mom's point of view, and when I wear my "teacher hat." It's going to be a ride, for sure!

The younger step-daughter is going into high school. Since I work for the district, we also struggled with the decision about which high school to send her to, the one we are zoned to, or the one that is actually a little closer, and better academically. We chose the one that is better academically. Her sister went there. Her father and uncles went there, too. One problem is transportation. No bus service. Dad will have to take her. Grandparents will pick her up. I think it's an imposition. She'd have bus service to the school we're zoned for. She'll also have to deal with kids who come from "richer" homes with their Abercrombie and Fitch, BMW's, iphones, and so on. I have nothing against all of those things. We just can't afford to buy them for our daughters. There's more social pressure. She's got common sense, though. But HIGH SCHOOL! So different from intermediate. She's getting more "teenager-ish" if you know what I mean.

And the oldest step-daughter is going off to college. I almost cried talking to her about it tonight. She has a lot of freedom already. She sometimes makes poor choice, but something makes good ones. Academically, she'll do fine. I think she's ready mentally, as well. But, she can be extremely lazy sometimes and is definitely a procrastinator, so I worry in that regard. But high school to college is a huge transition. She is a bit nervous. She's going to do fine, but will we? It's hard to let go. Not that I every had hold.

And the oldest one who turned 27 yesterday. He and his wife are expecting identical twin boys, due in December or January. Is he ready? He better be! Now parenthood... there's a transition!

And my transition from summer to school is always a bit difficult, but I'll manage. I'm glad to get all this off my chest. If you read this far, you're a gem!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things to do before school starts Monday:
1. decorate my classroom
2. plan lessons for the first week
3. type rules and procedures
4. set up expectation charts
5. fix the podium
6. hang the “butterfly”
7. connect my VCR.
8. pick up my remote control
9. confirm that the presentations are on the F drive.
10. make copies
11. gather materials
12. set up teacher website
13. attend orientation with my own children

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that God forgives.
I am thankful for the new class at my church giving people of all ages the ability to express their worship through dance.
I am thankful the Lord has allowed me to live in a country that values education.

Wordless Wednesday-Memories

My "babies" start sixth grade Monday. I miss the age they were in this picture.

Secrets

The prompt for this week's Sunday Scribblings is "secrets." This may be a bit juvenile, but it's what I thought of when I read the prompt.

I have secrets,
But none to share.
My heart holds them near,
my burdens to bear.

If I could tell secrets,
I would first have to trust.
And trust is a privilege,
Written in dust.

Look into my heart,
They are hidden well.
Personal misfortunes,
Not meant for sale.

I keep secrets safe
In the emptiness I feel.
Saying them aloud
Would make them too real.

I can forgive,
But I haven’t forgot.
My loneliness is torture,
But trust, I must not.

Trust, once given,
Is a double-edged sword.
It may cut you and slice you,
Strike a raw chord.

Secrets! Stay safe!
Stay hidden inside.
They’ll be used against you,
So, Secrets! Run! Hide!

Thankful Thursday

On this rainy Thursday in Texas, I am grateful for the rain. We are usually suffering hot, dry weather this time of year, and though we have had almost a record rainfall these past three months, I am thankful. The rain is better than the drought. Besides, there is something soothing about lieing in bed with the one you love (whether it's a spouse or a child) and snuggling together for a nap while the rain patters on the roof.

I am thankful for my freedom. I can express my thoughts without fear of reprisal. Why did Peter deny Jesus? My speculation is fear. Not just fear for his safety, although that was probably a big part of it, but also fear of ridicule. Insecurity. So, I am grateful for freedom to believe, freedom to worship, freedom to read the Bible. I am fortunate to live in a place where the Bible is readily available.

I am thankful, as always, for my family. I may not always agree with them, I may not always get along with every member, and I may not always like to be around them, but I always love them, and I am glad I have them all.

I am thankful that my dad was a man of faith. His passing does not get easier for me, even though two years, almost three, have gone by. But I am grateful he knew the Lord.

Goosebumps! (for Sunday Scribblings)

What give you goosebumps - what I often call "chills"? What makes you shiver? For me, it's a number of things, but not the typical scary movie kind of shivers/chills/goosebumps.

First, there is that kiss my husband gives me on a certain spot on my neck. That is my weakness. It never fails to produce goosebumps all along my arms and legs. It is the sexiest thing I have ever eperienced. It's not a wet, mushy kiss or a firm, solid kiss. As baby bear would say, it's just right. But it is the most reliable way to give me chills.

Sometimes something I read gives me chills, often something that might seem inconsequential to someone else. For example, I offer the following words: "The dedication of this book is split seven ways: to Neil, to Jessica, to David, to Kenzie, to Di, to Anne, and to You, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end." This is the dedication page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I am one of those who have been with Harry since the beginning until the end. I don't know exactly why, but J. K. Rowling's dedication gave me goosebumps.

Sometimes I get chills when singing a song at church such as "How Great is Our God" or "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High." When I feel the spirit moving me in worship, and I realize how much of a treasure our lives are because of God's bountiful blessings, and I am praising His name, I get goosebumps.

There are some movies that give me the shivers. One of them is "Pay it Forward," particularly at the end when everyone is singing and holding candles gathered in front of Arlene's house. The magic of that movie, the reason it produces goosebumps, is the way everything comes full circle in the movie. A good deed done beforehand sparks other good deeds across the country. Now THAT is awesome!

Of course, I get goosebumps any time my children show me natural affection out of the blue. They can be so sweet, and they can sense when we're hurting and need that extra hug, even if we give no outward sign of sadness. They know. And that gives me chills!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful to the Lord, and the glory is all to Him.

1. For all of the many things I accomplished today.
2. For my wonderful family at church.
3. For blessing me with great neighbors.
4. For giving me the ability to read and learn.
5. For the health of my children.

Wordless Wednesday

Brothers and sisters working together to accomplish a goal, and having fun doing this!

Decisions, Decisions!

My first instinct, in response to the topic of "Decisions" on Sunday Scribblings, is that I don't like to make decisions. But that is ironic because I like to be in charge. I guess it really depends on the situation.

For example, a big decision such as whether or not I am going to buy a new car is usually pretty simple, likely because big decisions such as that do not happen every day. It's the little decisions that are sometimes difficult for me. What am I going to wear today? What movie do I want to see? At what restaurant shall we dine tonight?

Shopping! Clothes shopping, in particular, is difficult. Do I really want to pay $50 for this item? Do I really want this shirt, or am I just buying it because it's a really great sale? Do these pants make me look fatter? (On an aside, of course they do! If you have to ask, put them back!)

I make decisions for others much more easily than I make them for myself. I decide what I will allow my children to eat, what they can watch on TV, whether or not they can have friends over at a certain time, and so on. I guess it is easier to dictate to others than it is to decide for myself. I make decisions in my job every day, most of them quite simple choices.

Why is it so hard to decide things for myself? Is it laziness? Is it fear of rejection of some sort? Is it worry that I will do something wrong or make a bad decision? I can't decide!