Ugh

Some things are just wrong. This is one of them.

As Time Goes By

Spent most of the afternoon helping my grandmother sort through a large pile of calendars. She had saved her calendar for every year from 1977-last year. That's a lot of family history. When I reflect on all that was written on the calendars, it is fascinating to see the changes over the years and the different content. In 1977, my parents got married, my aunt was still in high school...the avon lady seemed to visit quite often. Unfortunately, my momentous birth didn't make an appearance on the 1979 calendar, but as the 80s rolled along and more grandchildren were added to the family, the calendars began to have things such as school vacations, babysitting gigs--various activities related to us grandkids. The funny thing about the calendars from the 80s is that every once in a while you'll come across kid handwriting surrounding that child's birthday, or a few funny things written here and there. The calendars from the 90s explode with many grandchildren related activities--concerts, sports events, dancing things--you name it and it was on the calendar. I noticed that the calendars even marked when I was going or coming home from college. And it wasn't just me, but for the others as well.
So...a person can definitely see where my grandparent's priorities were.

It was interesting to see things marked on the older calendars--events that I remember happening, but never had a date to attach them to as I was so young when they happened. It was definitely a bittersweet occasion. It was fun going through them with Grandma because we'd stop and chuckle over something, or try and figure out what certain mystery numbers were. It certainly is amazing how much a person's calendar can tell you about that person.

I received this video in an e-mail from For Zion's Sake and thought I would share. It is a view of the Holocaust that we usually don't see or hear about: how the Lord worked through it.

An Uncluttering Day

Not too much to share, except this has been the first time in over a month that I've been able to attack some odds-n-ends and pack a few boxes for the great move. All in all a productive day, which is always a blessing.

In teaching news, the last day is next Friday, at which time I may just throw myself a party. Professionally this has been a great year; personally, it has been a school year that I never thought would end. I was ready to retire back in October! Lydee wrote about retirements in her building as being the "end of an era." We have four key people either leaving or retiring this year, people I've taught with for the past six years, and unfortunately, they are all a part of the small handful of sane people in the building. Definitely the "end of an era" on my end as well.

So many changes have taken place in my life since the school year has started that I'm not dreading the change as I would've if the rest of my life wasn't turned upside down in some ways. But I can't complain, because the Lord warned me and gave me the desire for change--I just wasn't prepared for how many changes have or will be taking place. :-)

Led by the Spirit

A college friend's blog sparked something that I've been pondering for awhile: what to do about next year. Right now I'm teaching three days a week at the school where I've been for the past six years. Because I wasn't teaching at church anymore, earlier in the year I put in to "transfer" to a full time position within the district. At this point I haven't been offered a full time position, but so many music teachers are moving around that it is creating a chain reaction and the chances are good that I could be offered something. Meanwhile I have gotten a new part time job teaching strings at a Christian school in the area. They want me for two afternoons a week next year.

What to do? Part of me would like to wait out and see what I get offered in my current district. It would seem crazy from a worldly point of view not to take a full time job if it is offered. Even the other teachers at the Christian school have made it clear they think a person should take a full time job when it is offered. But I'm not fully convinced that that's what the Lord would have me to do in this case. You see, ever since Fredonia days I've had a vision for a Christian music program that has become stronger the longer I've been teaching. I built up a program at church, but it was made clear that it wasn't the Lord's plan for me to be there longer.

I long to help students develop their ability to worship through music. The Lord has given each person the amazing ability to worship Him through music. I firmly believe that everyone has the capability to learn how to sing in tune and create music. I truly believe that there is a call for people to learn how to worship in a congregational setting without being inhibited or worried about what others think.

The new Christian school where I'm at is far from perfect in many ways. In some ways it is far behind the public schools. But the Lord has birthed in me a heart to continue at the Christian school. I've begun to develop relationships and I'm interested to seeing what the principal's vision for the music program is. In the Bible, people who were led by the Spirit were often led to do things that make no sense to the observer. Knowing this, and after having done some "crazy things" myself, I still find it difficult to relinquish the idea of possibly going full time in my district. But I also see where a part time position in the Christian school could possibly lead to a full time position someday down the road.

So, here I am at the crossroads, just praying that the Lord would keep guiding me, and that I would have the grace and discernment to follow His will.

Quote from Berean Call

"Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust his skill and thank him for his prescription."

--Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist and theologian

Maine: The Return (Part 2)

We stopped in a Wal-Mart in Maine and to our surprise we were greeted by a rack sporting not one, but three new Mt. Dew flavors. Excitement ran high as I was stocked for the ride home.






Notice the wonderful color coordination between my sister's arm and her Mt. Dew can.















I noticed on the back of one of the labels that it said there would be another new flavor released this summer as well. So...4 new Mt. Dew flavors in one summer. I'm not sure if I can handle the excitement. The only problem is that they don't have the new flavors in a diet variety. So...sugar carbs galore.

The Honey Dew coffee is Dan's. It is a brand we found in Massachusetts on our way back. What you can't see in this picture is how early in the morning it was. The Mt. Dew got opened at 8:30, due to my lack of coffee. But unfortunately it didn't really help my extreme fatigue that I was starting to feel that morning. I do believe that was the result of something else: a tick.

But you'll have to wait in suspense for that story because I'm too tired to add it right now. Have a goodnight!

Maine: The Return

So after reading my last post you might be thinking that I could use a break from reality. Thankfully that opportunity was provided in the form of my brother needing a ride to Maine for the summer. Funds were secured and my sister, brother-in-law, and myself spent the weekend taking my brother and his "stuff" up to Maine. Provided we didn't spend a whole week camping this year, "stuff" is a slight understatement of everything that traveled to Maine in the Subaru (see last year's picture below).

Thankfully all appropriate people and items were disposed of accordingly and the return trip was made in the lap of luxury with an almost empty backseat.

Sanity was maintained throughout the trip by a variety of beverages and smart remarks. Last year's beverage of choice was diet Mt. Dew:


While Mt. Dew still proved to be the overall beverage of choice, the trip started with a Dunkin Donuts stop:



Note this year's trip upgrade included a handy GPS (not mine) which was helpful in finding more Dunkin Donuts to stop at. (We were able to hold off until Massachusetts to make our second stop.)

Upgrades for future Maine trips were discussed at length throughout the drive up. Suggestions included a GPS that includes downloadable wise cracks, gives whether forecasts, allows one to check his e-mail and watch movies, a camouflage RV and a jumbo jet. Thankfully my brother is not planning on going back to Maine for a few years in order to give us time to make the appropriate upgrades.







I should make a note hear that at the second caffeination stop of the trip I did not, I repeat, did not purchase a caffeinated beverage. That is my Gatorade in the photo at the right.

Well, I realize that you are waiting in suspense for the rest of the details of our fabulous trip, but as the hour is getting late for the old lady school marm that I am, I must wait till tomorrow to share with you the beverage excitement that awaited us in Maine.

I also realize that I did not do our first Maine trip justice as far as blogging goes, so I will have to do better this time. So...adieu for now...and more later.