I have two prayer requests...
First, for my Aunt Colleen. Earlier this week I found out Aunt Colleen has been diagnosed with Non-hodgkins Lymphoma. Her prognosis is good and she'll begin treatment in about a week. Colleen is young--48--which is in her favor and they've caught it early. Her diagnosis made my work with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society much more meaningful for me. I always felt as though I was running for the future, and the future is here. I wasn't going to run with the team this fall, but I will be sending in my registration over the weekend. The least I can do is pray and run in Colleen's honor.
Second, for Miriam, the mother of two of my former students and wife to Pastor here in San Antonio. She went into the hospital earlier this week and it was discovered she had a stroke. She too is very young and this comes a week before her daughter's high school graduation. They are a dear family who mean the world to me. I saw her right after she learned it was a stroke and she was in shock, but is doing better then earlier in the week.
Thank you prayer warriors!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The first week of vacation...if one can call it that...
I'm not sure this week can be called a vacation. It's been busy...different than when we have students, but it's still not the relaxed, read a book and chill kind of week I'm eagerly looking forward to.
Monday was a holiday, but it was not as relaxed as I'd like it to be due to a funeral for the mother of my roommate's co-worker. Bethany, my roommate, teaches at one of our association grade schools and I've had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of her colleagues well. Cheryl's mom was not someone I knew, but I've gotten to know Cheryl and her husband, Bob very well and they are dear people. Cheryl's parents had been in the restaurant business, which meant liquor sellers would give them complimentary bottles of liquor. Well, at our "stock the bar" party a couple of years ago, Bob brought over a 40-year-old bottle for us. All of this information is to explain why Bethany and I had a shot of whiskey Monday night in Eunice's honor. I've never actually done a shot in honor of someone and I think it's pretty funny that we did Monday night. Bob thought it was a great idea and told us to enjoy it.
We've had two days of meetings, with today's going two hours over, but that meant not having to meet tomorrow, which was better for all of us. I have a number of things to do tomorrow and Saturday before I leave town for awhile.
Really, it's been a boring week, although I've been out almost every night. Last night it was a cook out for a Cards game, the night before it was to welcome a new associate Pastor to town, and then there was a SPURS game to cheer for Sunday night. Which is also why I feel like I haven't relaxed yet. I need some down time at home to feel as though summer is here.
There are some indications it summer. I get to run a little later in the morning. I get to drink coffee out of regular mugs and not just travel mugs. This brings me no end of pleasure. I'm also home a little earlier. Oh, and my neighbor keeps bringing over tomatoes and cucumbers from her garden. Love it!
Monday was a holiday, but it was not as relaxed as I'd like it to be due to a funeral for the mother of my roommate's co-worker. Bethany, my roommate, teaches at one of our association grade schools and I've had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of her colleagues well. Cheryl's mom was not someone I knew, but I've gotten to know Cheryl and her husband, Bob very well and they are dear people. Cheryl's parents had been in the restaurant business, which meant liquor sellers would give them complimentary bottles of liquor. Well, at our "stock the bar" party a couple of years ago, Bob brought over a 40-year-old bottle for us. All of this information is to explain why Bethany and I had a shot of whiskey Monday night in Eunice's honor. I've never actually done a shot in honor of someone and I think it's pretty funny that we did Monday night. Bob thought it was a great idea and told us to enjoy it.
We've had two days of meetings, with today's going two hours over, but that meant not having to meet tomorrow, which was better for all of us. I have a number of things to do tomorrow and Saturday before I leave town for awhile.
Really, it's been a boring week, although I've been out almost every night. Last night it was a cook out for a Cards game, the night before it was to welcome a new associate Pastor to town, and then there was a SPURS game to cheer for Sunday night. Which is also why I feel like I haven't relaxed yet. I need some down time at home to feel as though summer is here.
There are some indications it summer. I get to run a little later in the morning. I get to drink coffee out of regular mugs and not just travel mugs. This brings me no end of pleasure. I'm also home a little earlier. Oh, and my neighbor keeps bringing over tomatoes and cucumbers from her garden. Love it!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Ahhhhh....
That is the sigh of relief after the last graduate turned in their gown, picked up their diploma and walked out the door. The tassels have been turned, the morter boards were thrown...some even stuck on top of the roof, by the littlest girl in the class...and I drank my lovely margarita from Cha-chos. It was a rougher week than most last weeks. I felt as though it was my first time coordinating graduation, even though it's my third. I haven't quite pin-pointed the reason yet. It could be because the senior advisor from prior years is in Germany now, and so the realization of all she did hit. It could be because this class is almost equally split between highly academic and highly apathetic and the apathetic ones really pushed a lot of things to the last minute. It could be because I was in charge of coordinating four major events or activities in one week and was actually too relaxed going into the weeks prior to this one and so I paid dearly. I don't know.
Regardless, the Six Flags all-school activity was a blast for those that participated on Friday. Or so I've heard since I couldn't actually go due to Senior brunch set-up. Senior brunch was beautiful. Graduation was grande. I was honored to introduce our valedictorian and my little speech went off without a hitch.
I've finished my seventh year of teaching. I am now closer to ten years of teaching than my first year. That's odd. My colleague Sarah was just a bit older than me when I began teaching and I think back to how wise I thought she was. Am I viewed that way now? How would a first year teacher view me? It's interesting. I feel like a veteran in so many ways, especially in the art classroom. But those rookie moments still occur. Maybe that's good. Keeps me on my toes.
Regardless, the Six Flags all-school activity was a blast for those that participated on Friday. Or so I've heard since I couldn't actually go due to Senior brunch set-up. Senior brunch was beautiful. Graduation was grande. I was honored to introduce our valedictorian and my little speech went off without a hitch.
I've finished my seventh year of teaching. I am now closer to ten years of teaching than my first year. That's odd. My colleague Sarah was just a bit older than me when I began teaching and I think back to how wise I thought she was. Am I viewed that way now? How would a first year teacher view me? It's interesting. I feel like a veteran in so many ways, especially in the art classroom. But those rookie moments still occur. Maybe that's good. Keeps me on my toes.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Commence...
One of our teachers, Remkea, did a chapel on the word "commence" and how it means the beginning and the end...she talked about how we need to throw off our old selves and begin living our lives not how we want to, but how God wants to.
I like to consider myself a godly woman. However, I all too often fall into the traps of living a life that is contradictory to that idea. There are so many things I need to throw off.
I've started to try a little harder, to pray a little more about it because really, I will never be able to throw off my old self on my own. That's giving myself way too much power.
The Holy Spirit can...and He's working on it. So now I'm going through the stretching and growing process. As I'm sure you are all aware, stretching and growing can hurt. I get pouty, or indignant, about it because it means not doing things that I want to do. That everyone else is doing (THAT sounds like my 95 teenagers!).
Actually, sometimes I feel like I'm far to close in life to where they are...the biggest difference is that I too often knowingly make bad choices and shrug it off with a, "That's my choice and I'll deal with the consequences when they come." Rather than just not always understanding the natural consequences of my actions. Teenagers often know when they're making the wrong choices, they just don't understand and appreciate what the natural consequences will be.
Right now I'm wondering if not going to morning worship and using our afternoon Baccalaureate service as my worship service is a bad choice. It's a selfish decision and one wrought with excuses. We had our choir concert last night, I went to a friend's to play games, and then I stopped by a bar to check in with some friends I hadn't seen in a month. I got in at 2ish and when I woke up and I had a headache and just wanted to have a relaxing morning. I didn't drink or anything last night, so it's not like it's a morning recovering from festivities. The headache is the excuse, the rest is just selfish.
I don't know. Is that wrong? I know that it is because I'm trying to justify it all over the place.
Argh...I fell again.
I like to consider myself a godly woman. However, I all too often fall into the traps of living a life that is contradictory to that idea. There are so many things I need to throw off.
I've started to try a little harder, to pray a little more about it because really, I will never be able to throw off my old self on my own. That's giving myself way too much power.
The Holy Spirit can...and He's working on it. So now I'm going through the stretching and growing process. As I'm sure you are all aware, stretching and growing can hurt. I get pouty, or indignant, about it because it means not doing things that I want to do. That everyone else is doing (THAT sounds like my 95 teenagers!).
Actually, sometimes I feel like I'm far to close in life to where they are...the biggest difference is that I too often knowingly make bad choices and shrug it off with a, "That's my choice and I'll deal with the consequences when they come." Rather than just not always understanding the natural consequences of my actions. Teenagers often know when they're making the wrong choices, they just don't understand and appreciate what the natural consequences will be.
Right now I'm wondering if not going to morning worship and using our afternoon Baccalaureate service as my worship service is a bad choice. It's a selfish decision and one wrought with excuses. We had our choir concert last night, I went to a friend's to play games, and then I stopped by a bar to check in with some friends I hadn't seen in a month. I got in at 2ish and when I woke up and I had a headache and just wanted to have a relaxing morning. I didn't drink or anything last night, so it's not like it's a morning recovering from festivities. The headache is the excuse, the rest is just selfish.
I don't know. Is that wrong? I know that it is because I'm trying to justify it all over the place.
Argh...I fell again.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother's Day = Renewal
I was a bit of a negative Nellie last week and by the end of the week I was in drastic need of time to recharge. Thankfully a short trip to Houston to spend most of the weekend with mom and dad seems to have done the trick.
I left early Saturday morning...as in I pulled into mom and dad's driveway by 9:10 am. We proceeded to hang nine more pictures in places around the house and then we went through mom's jewelery. I love jewelery...if you know me you know this...so it was especially fun for me. Mom shared stories about certain pieces that are particularly meaningful to her. We also put a certain number of pieces in the "garage sale" bag. The highlight was relocating two charms mom had made in 1986 of my sister's and my silhouettes. She's never worn them, but she did today and I think she will more often in the future.
We also found a buried treasure in the box of pictures we were working through. There was a framed, weathered image of a downtown scene--a small-town downtown scene. I had never seen it and mom said she thought dad had had it up in his dorm room and then in his home office in St. Louis. I asked dad more about it and he said it is one of the few mementos he has from his Grandma Martha, his dad's mom. We were trying to decided what kind of print it was, because it was not a photo, but it was in color, but it wasn't a true painting either. I opened the back and it was a newspaper clipping. The article was folded over so just the picture showed, so we could still read it.
It's a painting of the downtown of Webster City, IA. The painting is by Grant Shaw and was featured in the Des Moines register because he had done a series of small towns in Iowa. The article is dated 1957. Webster City is significant enough to frame because it is where Grandma Martha was from before she married Great-Grandpa Waterman. I need to research more, such as who framed it for Grandma Martha and what Webster City is like today. But what fun to find such a treasure!
A little fun with mom and dad has me feeling ready to begin the week. There are two weeks left in the school year, which means many details to attend to in the next few days. My prayer is that the seniors hang in there just a little bit longer and the underclassmen finish strong.
Friday, May 09, 2008
eharmony
It's late, but I have to share this funny story from several weeks ago.
My parents' good friend, an executive in the LCMS world, called me up with a request and advice...sort of. The request was to meet with his new son-in-law to discuss teaching art and what that entails. I was of course more than willing to do so.
The second reason for the phone call is hilarious. He launches into a story about an LCMS principal he and my father know who was in a horrible marriage, got divorced and gave me all the nitty-gritty details. This was NOT the hilarious part. At first I was fearful he wanted to set me up.
Now, he goes on to share how this gentlemen was dating again and how he began dating a lady more seriously. The family friend had asked the principal how they met and he shared it was over the Internet. Family friend thinks this is interesting and asked for more specifics. The principal shared it was through eharmony.com, the site created by Dr. Rick Warren.
The family friend shares with me that he knows that once one is out of college it is difficult to find people to hang out with, etc. and he just wanted to share with me the information about this site.
I had to hold back the laughter...truly, because if I didn't know him so well I might have been offended, but I do know him and I know it was a phone call made out of love and concern. I thought it was particularly funny because he wanted to make sure I was aware of the site and I think you'd have to live under a rock to not be aware of this site or match.com! Maybe that's just me, but the commercials are everywhere! That and I've read Dr. Warren's book and enjoyed it.
I thanked him, got off the phone and laughed. I shared this story with some colleagues and one said he was glad I had a sense of humor about it. And really, what other way is there to respond? I was a little concerned my parents were in on it, but they claim minor ignorance. I think my mom worries a little bit about me getting married one day and having children. I worry about it sometimes too.
But here's what she doesn't always know. I go on dates. Sometimes even two dates with the same guy. But I'm not going to announce it to the world because it's not worth getting everyone excited if the guy isn't going to be around for awhile.
Also, for the most part, I'm enjoying my life as it is right now. I love meeting new people and there is a part of me that wants to find one man to share my life with someday. But I'm not so certain it will be soon, nor am I certain it will be in San Antonio. And thankfully I have God to guide me because I would have royally screwed it up years ago.
Good friends are precious, aren't they?
My parents' good friend, an executive in the LCMS world, called me up with a request and advice...sort of. The request was to meet with his new son-in-law to discuss teaching art and what that entails. I was of course more than willing to do so.
The second reason for the phone call is hilarious. He launches into a story about an LCMS principal he and my father know who was in a horrible marriage, got divorced and gave me all the nitty-gritty details. This was NOT the hilarious part. At first I was fearful he wanted to set me up.
Now, he goes on to share how this gentlemen was dating again and how he began dating a lady more seriously. The family friend had asked the principal how they met and he shared it was over the Internet. Family friend thinks this is interesting and asked for more specifics. The principal shared it was through eharmony.com, the site created by Dr. Rick Warren.
The family friend shares with me that he knows that once one is out of college it is difficult to find people to hang out with, etc. and he just wanted to share with me the information about this site.
I had to hold back the laughter...truly, because if I didn't know him so well I might have been offended, but I do know him and I know it was a phone call made out of love and concern. I thought it was particularly funny because he wanted to make sure I was aware of the site and I think you'd have to live under a rock to not be aware of this site or match.com! Maybe that's just me, but the commercials are everywhere! That and I've read Dr. Warren's book and enjoyed it.
I thanked him, got off the phone and laughed. I shared this story with some colleagues and one said he was glad I had a sense of humor about it. And really, what other way is there to respond? I was a little concerned my parents were in on it, but they claim minor ignorance. I think my mom worries a little bit about me getting married one day and having children. I worry about it sometimes too.
But here's what she doesn't always know. I go on dates. Sometimes even two dates with the same guy. But I'm not going to announce it to the world because it's not worth getting everyone excited if the guy isn't going to be around for awhile.
Also, for the most part, I'm enjoying my life as it is right now. I love meeting new people and there is a part of me that wants to find one man to share my life with someday. But I'm not so certain it will be soon, nor am I certain it will be in San Antonio. And thankfully I have God to guide me because I would have royally screwed it up years ago.
Good friends are precious, aren't they?
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Blessings
I need to remember my blessings...
1. I have fantastic colleagues.
2. I do have students who care and seek to help others.
3. I finished my Research Methods class last evening and I won't ever have to take it again!
4. My parking citation from UTSA was reduced so when I had to pay it to finish registering for classes it was NOT a $100 as it was before.
5. I was actually registered for summer classes, even though I thought they dropped me, but really I was on hold due to the parking citation.
6. I will have some summer since I won't be pushing myself to finish my Masters by December. (Which was a difficult conclusion to come to because I've had it in my head I would finish in '08 for years and I will have to come terms with the fact that I will be 31, and not 30, when I finish it.)
7. I have wonderful friends.
8. My parents only live 3 hours away.
9. I get to go home and read whatever I want!
10. I can chew on the left side of my mouth now that the permanent crown is in. Which means I can go back to my OCD habit of chewing equally on both sides of my mouth. It's the important things in life people! Really!
1. I have fantastic colleagues.
2. I do have students who care and seek to help others.
3. I finished my Research Methods class last evening and I won't ever have to take it again!
4. My parking citation from UTSA was reduced so when I had to pay it to finish registering for classes it was NOT a $100 as it was before.
5. I was actually registered for summer classes, even though I thought they dropped me, but really I was on hold due to the parking citation.
6. I will have some summer since I won't be pushing myself to finish my Masters by December. (Which was a difficult conclusion to come to because I've had it in my head I would finish in '08 for years and I will have to come terms with the fact that I will be 31, and not 30, when I finish it.)
7. I have wonderful friends.
8. My parents only live 3 hours away.
9. I get to go home and read whatever I want!
10. I can chew on the left side of my mouth now that the permanent crown is in. Which means I can go back to my OCD habit of chewing equally on both sides of my mouth. It's the important things in life people! Really!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
More, more, more
The concept of "more" has been on my mind the last few weeks. I think it began after listening to a sermon on faith and having enough faith. And then it came up again when I wanted more of something. We always want more.
More sleep
More food
More time
More money
More stuff
More friends
More time to spend with friends
More passion and enthusiasm for ministry (that might just be me)
More faith
More time to spend creating
More time with family
More time...more time seems to be a theme...
I wonder how someone becomes content. People always tell me that it is when one become content with their life that they meet the person they are going to marry. When they least expect it. How does one become content then?
I've certainly been trying. I've tried faking contentment. It doesn't work. I tend to be conent for one or two weeks at a time and then something happens that makes me discontent. I think I start to get hopeful that since I'm content, something is going to happen! So is that REALLY contentment? I don't know.
I know that overall, I'm happy with my life. Sure, I'd like to lose a little more weight. Sure, I'd like to always be the faithful, godly woman I'm supposed to aspire to. Sometimes I'm there, but more often than not, I am not that woman yet. Maybe with more time I'll get there.
There goes that theme again...more time...
More sleep
More food
More time
More money
More stuff
More friends
More time to spend with friends
More passion and enthusiasm for ministry (that might just be me)
More faith
More time to spend creating
More time with family
More time...more time seems to be a theme...
I wonder how someone becomes content. People always tell me that it is when one become content with their life that they meet the person they are going to marry. When they least expect it. How does one become content then?
I've certainly been trying. I've tried faking contentment. It doesn't work. I tend to be conent for one or two weeks at a time and then something happens that makes me discontent. I think I start to get hopeful that since I'm content, something is going to happen! So is that REALLY contentment? I don't know.
I know that overall, I'm happy with my life. Sure, I'd like to lose a little more weight. Sure, I'd like to always be the faithful, godly woman I'm supposed to aspire to. Sometimes I'm there, but more often than not, I am not that woman yet. Maybe with more time I'll get there.
There goes that theme again...more time...
Thursday, May 01, 2008
"Climb on with your bad self!"
That was the signal from the ropes course instructor that we...I...could begin the climb up the 23 ft. pole. I'd already climbed up a 25+ ft. climbing wall and rung a cow bell. I'd already climbed 25 ft., walked across a cable while hanging onto a net, and then walked across planks attached to two cables with nothing to hold onto. So why was the phone pole different? Because I'd passed on it 10 years earlier at RA training. I'd done just about everything else, but I had stayed on the ground and cheered on others rather than challenge myself. Weight, fear, whatever had kept me from it.
Not this time.
This time I am fearless. I climb up without hesitation. I get to the top and begin to move to where both fee are on the round surface. Without hesitation I count.
One. Two. Three.
Jump!
I didn't reach the trapez bar...but that was never my goal. My goal was to jump. And jump I did.
"Woo-hoo!"
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13
Okay, so now that I'm up here, I'm going to what?
1...2...3...go!
I did it!!! And now I'm like Spiderman!
Not this time.
This time I am fearless. I climb up without hesitation. I get to the top and begin to move to where both fee are on the round surface. Without hesitation I count.
One. Two. Three.
Jump!
I didn't reach the trapez bar...but that was never my goal. My goal was to jump. And jump I did.
"Woo-hoo!"
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13
Okay, so now that I'm up here, I'm going to what?
1...2...3...go! 
I did it!!! And now I'm like Spiderman!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)