Libby's Fruit Cocktail

Life

2009-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

After about TWO YEARS of an unusable shower and a hole in my bathroom ceiling, it appears I will actually have them fixed today! The ceiling probably won't be completely finished until next week but it will be SOOOO nice to actually have BOTH showers available again! Next projects? Taking care of a couple more much needed repairs THEN I'll start on the fun stuff!

Forgive Me, Fellow Dieters, for I Have Sinned!

2008-03-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

There1 I've said it! I admit it! I am on vacation and I have eaten like I'm on vacation. I have had 3 pieces of fudge, 6 Milk Duds, Garlic Shrimp Penne Pasta, 1/2 bag of Doritos (lunch size not the big one), Cuban Sandwich, plantain chips, a popscicle, mashed potatoes, German potato salad....OH and popcorn! I didn't just fall off the wagon, I took a nose dive into ocean of sinful foods!

I may not get on the scale for at least a week after I get home and start eating right again! Oh well, I've had a great time this week anyway.

Still At It!

2008-03-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

I have lost 17lbs. now! Just 5 lbs. and I will be within my normal BMI. My waist to hip ratio is already where is should be. 7 1/2 lbs. and I will be where the Dr. wants me to be. Hoping to get there by the end of the school year. I think I am going to make it!

Braggin' Rights!

2008-03-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

I have to brag on my son! He has been accepted to the Engineering Physics program at the University of Illinois in Urbana. It is tough enough to get in to this program but he has also been named as a James Scholar! This is a very special honor. Only about 400 students of the over 35,000 undergrads are selected for this (about 100 per class). This honor allows him special privileges to the library and computer labs, a special adviser, special research projects, and special honors courses. He will also have this designation stamped on his transcript at graduation. There are other honors and benefits as well.

Congratulations, son! I'm proud of you!

Weight Update!

2008-03-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

I have lost 14 lbs now! I am just 10 1/2 lbs from my goal. Still persevering. I hope to have met my final goal by the time school is out.

Feeling Better, Sorta

2008-02-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

Got back on the scale today and the pound and a half was gone again.  Yeah!  I was feeling some better this morning.  I am feeling worse again now.  I am hoping that if I have to feel poorly that I will at least get the benefit of losing weight this time.

Misconception

2008-02-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that a previous post may have been misunderstood. I spoke previously about getting on the scale "6 times". My husband indicated that I was going overboard. That I should not weigh that many times in the same day. All six of those measurements took place back-to-back. The scale was doing weird things that day so I wasn't certain that the number given was correct. That is why I got back on the scale. Sure enough, I got a different number almost every time I got on the scale!

Now, here is another thing that amazes me about my weight. When I get sick, I often GAIN weight instead of lose it! How fair is that!? I have not felt well this weekend and REALLY feel bad today so what is the benefit? A GAIN of 1 1/2 pounds! ARGGG! We'll see how tomorrow goes!

Ode To The Love of My Life

2008-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a poet but I did want to let my husband know that I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to have him as my husband and father of my children. Whether times are lean or plentiful, I am still blessed!

Happy Birthday my love! (Happy Valentine's Day as well!)

I Think I'm Winning!

2008-02-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

I got on the scale yesterday - 6 times - and each time I weighed something different. Once it showed I had gained a 1/2 pound, then I lost 1/2 pound, then I was the same, then I gained again, then lost... I tried cleaning the bottom of the scale because sometimes fuzz gets caught around the feet and will mess up the scale. I tried it again with the same erratic results. Finally, I gave up and said I'll try again tomorrow.

Today, I got on the scale and had lost a net of 1more pound. I got on the scale again to make sure and it was the same! I decided to not press my luck by trying it again.

I am now down by 13 lbs. I am 9.5 pounds from my acceptable BMI and 11.5 lbs from the goal the Dr. set for me.

Now, today will be a challenge. I have been offered Hersey's kisses today (which I politely accepted but have sitting on my desk to take home to my sweetheart) AND today is my love's birthday so there WILL be cake.

I don't want to lose my momentum being so close to my goal but how do you turn down a piece of your husband's birthday cake!? Especially when it is RED VELVET!

I did fit into my size 6 jeans today (without lying on the bed and sucking in my gut)! I was really pumped by that! Hopefully that will keep me on track.

We'll see how I fair tomorrow!

The Battle of the Bulge!

2008-02-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

In addition to blogging firewalls, I have been battling my weight. The doc told me to lose 15 lbs about 2 years ago because my "bad" cholesterol was getting a little too high for his liking.
All of my other numbers looked great with the exception of my good cholesterol which needed to be a little higher. I told the Doc that it was hereditary. My entire immediate family battles this thanks to my wonderful genes (not jeans, folks). All the more reason for Doc to tell me to lose weight but now he wanted me to lose TWENTY-FIVE instead of 15!!! That'll teach me to keep my big mouth shut (well, probably not but we can always hope!) I argued with my toothpick-sized doc that I could lose 15 but that other ten would really be a challenge to which he replies, "Well even I had to take off a few more pounds after looking at the BMI chart!" Remember I said "toothpick-sized doc"? After that statement I knew I didn't have a leg to stand on so I agreed to try to follow the doctor's orders. (Blast those stupid BMI charts!! Who ever came up with that idea anyway!?)

Well, I went to work on the diet. I lost 15 lbs! The doc was pleased. I was pleased, my husband was pleased. Things were going great! Then I fell at work. 2 months of sitting on my behind taking dose after dose of steroids took care of those fifteen pounds! I was starting over.

I got better finally, started taking the weight back off, was down 10 - 12 pounds again and BAM I was exposed to a dangerous chemical at work. Guess what the treatment was? You got! Two more months of steroids!!! Now I'm back to within a 1/2 lb of my original weight! Pretty much back to square 1!!!! ARGHHH!!!! It was closing in on the holidays by that time so I decided to weight until January to tackle this again. In spite of getting my favorite candy for Christmas and still having some left, I was emotionally ready to start again on January 2, so I did.

I am following the low carb diet the Doc recommended for me and I am pleased to say that as of today, I am down by 12 lbs!!! Just 2 1/2 more lbs and I will be back to where I was before I fell almost 2 years ago. Frustrating? Absolutely, but I am pleased that my clothes are starting to fit again and I am almost 1/2 to my goal!

I'll keep you updated on my progress so stay tuned!

I JUST MIGHT BE BACK!

2008-02-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

For about 2 years now I have been locked out of blogging by the firewalls where I have worked, therefore the blogging was at well pretty much a standstill. Yes I know I could have blogged from home but somehow I just don't get the urge there. Like my husband, blogging was a release. Sometimes things just get so intense at work that I need to step back, take a breather, and think on something else for awhile to clear my head before I can get my mind back on what I should be doing. After the break, I am generally more productive and creative.

Well, today I discovered that the firewall will let me in again! I am hoping this is not a temporary situation. If this new found freedom becomes permanent, you might just be hearing more from me again.

Look out cyberworld! I'm BAAAACKK!!!

OK! OK! OK!

2007-01-25T18:26:00.000-08:00

I have been pestered a BUNCH about blogging so here it is such as it is!

Life has been bananas lately. Thanksgiving through finals in mid January is always nuts around this place, but add being evaluated; being selected as a member of the "principal selection committee" at school which involved SEVERAL hours of time outside the school day; having to restructure and realign the science curriculum for the district; rewrite course descriptions and prerequisites for courses; complete a grant application; and still try to get my regular school and personal work done, I feel like the dog chasing its tail! Which way was I going again?

I've started tutoring after school again. I have a Scholastic Bowl meet Saturday and I'm coordinating the potluck for work which is scheduled for next Friday! ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just keep telling myself, "Things will slow down soon and you'll get a chance to catch your breath..." Yeah! Just in time for the next wave! I'm so optimistic. Truth is this isn't so out of the ordinary. Welcome to my world! (Scary thought, isn't it?)

Well, maybe now that I have joined the NEW BLOGGER world and have broken the ice with a post after such a long dry spell, perhaps the words will flow once again. Stay tuned for the "Life and Times of Libby Garrett" coming soon to your favorite local blog channel.

The Keys To Your Heart

2006-11-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to good manners and elegance.

In love, you feel the most alive when your partner is patient and never willing to give up on you.

You'd like to your lover to think you are optimistic and happy.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is comforting. You crave a relationship where you always feel warmth and love.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you don't need. You just feel like flirting around and playing right now.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Does Anyone besides Me see a Problem with this?

2006-11-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

Japanese Researchers Find Dolphin With 'Remains of Legs'

TOKYO — Japanese researchers said Sunday that a bottlenose dolphin captured last month has an extra set of fins that could be the remains of back legs, a discovery that may provide further evidence that ocean-dwelling mammals once lived on land.

Fishermen captured the four-finned dolphin off the coast of Wakayama prefecture (state) in western Japan on Oct. 28, and alerted the nearby Taiji Whaling Museum, according to museum director Katsuki Hayashi.

Fossil remains show dolphins and whales were four-footed land animals about 50 million years ago and share the same common ancestor as hippos and deer. Scientists believe they later transitioned to an aquatic lifestyle and their hind limbs disappeared.

Though odd-shaped protrusions have been found near the tails of dolphins and whales captured in the past, researchers say this was the first time one had been found with well-developed, symmetrical fins, Hayashi said.

"I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery," Seiji Osumi, an adviser at Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research, said at a news conference televised Sunday.

The second set of fins -- much smaller than the dolphin's front fins -- are about the size of human hands and protrude from near the tail on the dolphin's underside. The dolphin measures 8.92 feet and is about five years old, according to the museum.

A freak mutation may have caused the ancient trait to reassert itself, Osumi said. The dolphin will be kept at the Taiji museum to undergo X-ray and DNA tests, according to Hayashi.

I found this on the Fox News website. First of all, why can't they just be an extra pair of fins from a mutation. That really wouldn't be all that unusual. Secondly, as I remember Evolution, the water creatures sprouted legs and moved to land NOT the other way around!

GEEZ!!!!

The Real Heros

2006-10-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

To my friends in education:

"Where are the heroes of today?" a radio talk show host thundered. Many blame society's shortcomings on education. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes, and models aren't heroes: they're celebrities.

Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn't make the news. There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse, and crime in today's America. Education didn't create these problems but deals with them every day.

You want heroes?

Consider Dave Sanders, the schoolteacher shot to death while trying to shield his students from two youths on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Sanders gave his life, along with 12 students, and other less heralded heroes survived the Colorado blood bath.

You want heroes?

Jane Smith, a Fayetteville, NC teacher, was moved by the plight of one of her students, a boy dying for want of a kidney transplant. So this woman told the family of a 14 year old boy that she would give him one of her kidneys. And she did. When they subsequently appeared together hugging on the Today Show, even Katie Couric was near tears.

You want heroes?

Doris Dillon dreamed all her life of being a teacher. She not only made it, she was one of those wondrous teachers who could bring the best out of every single child. One of her fellow teachers in San Jose, California said, "She could teach a rock to read." Suddenly she was stricken with Lou Gehrig's Disease which is always fatal, usually within five years. She asked to stay on the job.... and did. When her voice was affected she communicated by computer. Did she go home? Absolutely not! She is running two elementary school libraries! When the disease was diagnosed, she wrote the staff and all the families that she had one last lesson to teach....that dying is part of living. Her colleagues named her Teacher of the Year.

You want heroes?

Bob House, a teacher in Gay, Georgia, tried out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After he won the million dollars, a network film crew wanted to follow up to see how it had impacted his life. New Cars? Big new house?

Instead, they found both Bob House and his wife still teaching. They explained that it was what they had always wanted to do with their lives and that would not change. The community was both stunned and gratified.

You want heroes?

Last year the average school teacher spent $468 of his/her own money for student necessities...... workbooks, pencils..supplies kids had to have that could not afford. That's a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world.

Schools don't teach values? The critics are dead wrong.

Public education provides more Sunday School teachers than any other profession. The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year.

You want heroes?

For millions of kids, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day because the nation is living through the worst parenting in history. An Argyle, Texas kindergarten teacher hugs her little 5 and 6 year olds so much that both the boys and the girls run up and hug her when they see her in the hall, at the football games, or in the malls years later.

A Michigan principal moved me to tears with the story of her attempt to rescue a badly abused little boy who doted on a stuffed animal on her desk......one that said "I love you!". He said he'd never been told that at home. This is a constant in today's society......two million unwanted, unloved, abused children in the public schools, the only institution that takes them all in.

You want heroes?

Visit a special education class and watch the miracle of personal interaction, a job so difficult that fellow teachers are awed by the dedication they witness. There is a sentence from an unnamed source which says: "We have been so eager to give our children what we didn't have that we have neglected to give them what we did have.

"What is it that our kids really need? What do they really want?

Math, science, and social studies are important, but children need love, confidence, encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to listen, and standards to live by. Teachers provide upright examples, the faith and assurance of responsible people.

You want heroes?

Then go down to your local school and see our real live heroes....the ones changing lives for the better each and every day!

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-10-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

"And that's all I have to say about that."

Pick And Choose

2006-09-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

I'm amazed at how people want to "pick and choose" the parts of the Bible that suit them. A movie was given a PG-13 rating not because of profanity but because the dialogue discussed God! Parents needed to be warned of this!? NBC has edited Veggie Tales to get rid of any religious language because that might unduly influence someone or offend them. (Amazing how they defend the right to show trash saying parents should monitor what their kids are watching. That the remote has an off button!) I heard on the radio that a female minister left a denomination because it taught against homosexuality saying "those scriptures really don't apply to today." I hear of people arguing against tithing because it is an "Old Testament" teaching. (What do they do with the seventh chapter of Hebrews?)

My question to people is how can you just pick and choose the parts you LIKE!? Can you remove the eggs from a cake once it has been baked? NO! If you don't like eggs or are allergic to them then you must not eat the cake! God inspired the entire Bible. Nowhere do I find that He says we only have to abide by the commandments or the passages that make us feel good! Nor does the Bible indicate that any part of it is merely for our reading pleasure!

What kind of society would we have if we got to pick and choose the laws we want to obey! "You know, I don't like that law against stealing. I really want that man's Beamer so I'll just steal it. My defense will be that that stealing law offends me."

This may seem ridiculous, but it is how we want to treat God's laws! No we can't pick and choose which laws of the land we want to obey and we CERTAINLY can't pick and choose which of God's laws we want to obey! It's all or nothing, folks. Your only choice is to accept it completely or reject God completely. Just remember that for every choice you make, there is a consequence.

The Name Game!

2006-08-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

If you have seen The Dawg Howse recently, then you know about the quest for "What's in a name". In other words, why did you name your blog what you did. Here is my "why."

My name is not really Libby. It is a nickname my mother gave me ... I guess almost since birth! She had a little neighbor girl that had blonde hair and blue eyes whose family nicknamed Libby. She thought the girl and her name were really cute so tagged me with it. That's ok with me. My name is unique enough that I rarely meet someone else named Libby. If I'm in public, and someone yells Libby I can be pretty sure that I'M the Libby who should turn around and look.

The... err... side effect to my name, however, is that all through school I had the Libby's canned goods jingle sung every time I was introduced to someone. (If you're not old enough to remember, it went like this: Libby's Libby's Libby's on the label label label. You will like it, like it, like it on your table, table, table.) People were always sure they were the first to think of it. I just let them believe that.

Instead of getting ticked off about it, I decided to use it to my advantage. When introduced to someone who seems to be having difficulty with my name I will say, "You know. Like Libby's fruit cocktail?" They seem to never forget then.

Fruit cocktail seems to be a food that describes me anyway. I love bright colors and each scoop is different from the last so you're never quite sure what's coming next!

Kinda Puts Things Into Perspective

2006-08-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky.

Makes you realize how insignificant we are compared to this universe God created yet he knows the number of hairs on our heads.

What If......

2006-08-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

You could see your own funeral? How would you want it to turn out? What would you want people to say? How do you want to be remembered?

I attended the funeral....no... the celebration of the life of a wonderful woman today. Although I cried many tears, it was still a joyous occassion. The lives she touched. The smile she always wore. The love she always shared. She truly exemplified Christ in the life she lived. Every story, every song, every remembrance pointed to the joy she had and how she shared it with others. Even if one knew her for but a short time (as I did), you would immediately see Christ in the joy of her heart.

This funeral was very much like what I would want for my own. Celebrate for I have gone to a better place. Sing joyous songs unto the Lord for He is worthy. Dance for God's glory. Worship the Lord for who He is. But most of all, preach a message of salvation for those who may never darken the doors of a church. This could be the only time you have them as a captive audience.

Thank you, Margaret Loraine Karns (sp?), for the life you lived. It was and is an inspiration to all who knew you.

"So you've had a bad day. ..."

2006-08-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

There is a joke in my family that you never want to go out to eat with me because something ALWAYS goes wrong. Tonight supported that theory.

I was going to grill ribs but needed charcoal so I went to the store to purchase it. When I got home I asked my son to start the fire. He got the grill ready and poured the charcoal in. Upon inquiring as to why it was taking so long I discovered he couldn't find the lighter fluid. Someone has put it away but no one seems to remember doing so. By this time we decided it was getting too late to cook so we went out to eat.

At the restaurant we ordered 2 pizzas and a calzone. When the pizzas came, the large was a medium and the medium was a large. Not a major issue but my daughter's calzone was non existent. We waited patiently. Finally the server comes over and tells us that another server mistakenly gave the calzone to someone else. It was the wrong kind so they had to start another one. We waited and we waited AND we waited some more. When the calzone finally arrived, the rest of us had finished eating AND it was chicken instead of steak!

Earlier I had gone to Lowe's regarding the door I had painted for my daughter's room. I waited about two weeks for that door. I painted it as described in the post "Yesterday". I had to sand and repaint some places where the cheap paint ran. I then carried the door to her room to be hung. My suspicions were correct. The door had been delivered slab length instead of finished length. In other words, they didn't take into account the length that the mounts for the top and bottom of the door would take up so it was too long. When they tried to reorder the door properly there were MORE difficulties. The system tried to charge me extra for a special order door!

The title of this blog actually comes from a song. I love the song that has this line. It was the theme song for youth camp this year. It talks about taking the bad and turning it around for the good. I could have just as easily titled this post "Blessings or Cursings".

My son remarked jokingly that "The curse of Mom has returned" when our order got so fouled up. I in turn replied, "But how many times have we gotten free meals as a result?" The family had to concede. Tonight was no different. They gave us our daughter's meal PLUS two free deserts!

Because of the mistake at Lowe's and because of my trouble they gave me the special order door at the standard door price AND gave me a 10% discount to boot!

So my question to you is this. Would you choose to avoid eating with me because chances are good your meal will be messed up or would you want to eat with me because you might get a bargain? :) In other words, do you see the blessings or the cursings in your circumstances?

Yesterday!

2006-08-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very hectic day. I had picked up the door for my daughter's bedroom a couple of days ago so it was in our family room where I could lay it flat to paint it. Now the downstairs family room is between the living room and dining room, open to view from both. On Wed. I painted one side of the door and was letting it dry before turning it over. After church a couple came and told Darrell that they were intending to elope, but decided they wanted him to marry them just before they took off. When asked when they wanted to do this the response was, "Tommorrow!"

There are several activities that generally take place on Thursday nights at the church. The couple wanted to keep the wedding a secret until after they at least left town so this presented a situation (I've been told to use this word instead of problem. It softens the blow if you will.) Now my son is in band camp right now which wasn't to get out until six and was to be at church for Yuitsido by 7:15. It was decided we should do the wedding at our house at 6:30 in order to maintain secrecy. WOW! OK, we can do this.

It was 9:30 pm by now on Wednesday. I wanted to make their day as special as possible so I decided to use a couple of the nice table cloths from church and whatever else I could find to decorate. I went to the storage drawer. No table cloths. Now, I figured someone had taken them to wash them and to be truthful there was only one person at our church who would have done such a thing so I picked up my husband's handy dandy cell phone to call her. I felt a little guilty about this because she had missed church due to illness AND it was past her little ones' bed time, but I was in a pinch so I made the call hoping her husband would answer. Rats! Foiled again! They had employed the use of their handy dandy answering machine! It would have to wait until morning.

I went home and turned the door over to paint the other side with the other color of paint chewing myself out all the while for buying cheap paint in this color. The first side covered in one coat. This side took THREE. The expensive paint was about a third more in cost but covered in one coat so I actually LOST money buying the cheap paint. Lesson learned; moving on.

I folded the clothes I had washed while letting the paint dry between coats. Finally, I got to go to bed.

The next morning, after taking my son to band camp (still no license because he still hasn't cleaned his room) stopped in a grocery store bakery to get a single layer cake decorated for the wedding. After getting all the information from the lady behind the counter, I began to place my order. She then explained that the decorator was off duty that day. Now what?! I went home and went to plan B.

I called Amber and asked if she had gotten my message about the table cloths. "Yes, ...this morning. Who's getting married?" "I can't tell you, but she likes black, white and pink. Do you have any ideas?" "Yeah, I have several things left over from a shower, all in pink and white." "Great!"

I told Darrell about the cake dilemma. He said I could tell Amber who was getting married since I needed to ask her if she could decorate a cake. "Amber, can you make a wedding cake for me today? I want it to say 'Congratulations __________ and ___________' but you don't know them. Remember, I can't tell you who is getting married." We thought it best to spill the beans under the circumstances.

Amber didn't have any icing ready, but she found someone to make the cake for me. (Thanks, Amber.) Back to the business at hand.

I checked the paint on the door. It didn't need another coat (Thank you, Lord!), so my daughter and I carried the door upstairs. I taped off the doorway and painted the other half of the inside. (2 to 3 coats again!) I cleaned up the paint, then went downstairs to get to work. I carried up the paint cans, folded the drop cloth and removed any other signs of painting. I had my husband carry the metal shelf that the door was on down to the basement. Then the cleaning began. I went to get my son at lunch time. Did the lunch thing at home and took him back.

I continued cleaning until three at which point I took my shower. (Ashley did all the floors while I was gone. Darrell also helped as he could, but remember, he's doing the ceremony. He had to put that together.) I picked the decorations up at 4 from Amber's house then went to Wal-Mart to get the other supplies: flowers, cake topper, tulle, candy kisses, nuts. I then picked up the cake and and dinner mints at the grocery store and was off to pick up Daniel with 15 minutes to spare. Luckily, the band director let him out 15 minutes earlier than my note requested (it was now 4:45). Back home we went.

Darrell took the kids to pick up McDonald's while I decorated. After eating, I finished decorating, then we all had to get ready for the wedding. WHEW! 6:15 and we are ready, waiting on the couple and the other witness. (Darrell is the officiate and the kids are too young so we needed one more witness besides me.) Finally they arrive.

The bride had lost weight since she purchased her dress so we had to do some quick pinning (wish I had that problem). When she felt comfortable, we began. My 13 year old did the filming and my 16 year old was the photographer.

The couple loved the decorations and the little reception we created for them. It was a simple but beautiful wedding. The names of the new Mr. and Mrs. will be announced Sunday at church while they are away on their honeymoon.

Now that that's over I get to go back to my remodeling job which was preempted. But first, I have to pick my son up from band camp.

See what I mean about "Now my life will return to the speed of light"?!

It ... Is ... Finished!!!!

2006-08-04T23:49:00.000-07:00

At long last, we are finished remodeling Ashley's room. With all the setbacks it took nearly two years! If I can find the before pictures I will post them but for now here are the after pictures!

Time to Get Back to My Routine

2006-08-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

This has been a very busy summer, but one of the best I can remember. It actually started early. Just before school let out, my daughter left for NYC where her choir sang at Cargnegie Hall. One week later we left for camp meeting, just over a week later our kids went to youth camp where both were awarded the Camper of the Year Awards. After church on July 2nd, we drove to the St. Louis area. We took our kids and one of our nieces to Six Flags on July 3rd then spent the Fourth with family there. On the fifth we left for Atlanta. We got stuck in a traffic jam and almost missed the Cardinal vs. Braves game at Turner Field we were headed for. As we sat in the heat, we changed seats so Daniel could get in hours for his permit as the other drivers watched. I explained what we were doing. 2 lanes over another driver told us if we could cross the lanes to the on ramp, go up it the wrong way then turn left we could get to a highway which would bypass the jam. Daniel was driving at the time. He did something neither his father nor I have done and that is cross 3 lanes of stopped interstate traffic and drive the wrong way up an entrance ramp. We made it to the game just after the first inning began.

The next morning we headed for Orlando for Daniel's 16th birthday. We didn't do any parks. We just went swimming, went to a couple of movies and spent some family time together. 10 days after returning home we went to Port Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas. If you have read Darrell's Blog then you know what a great time we had there. In the midst of all this, we finished remodeling Ashley's room. (Whewww! Deep breath!)

Now I start to get busy. School starts in three weeks and life will be at the speed of light once again. Pictures of my summer adventures will follow so stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

2006-07-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Daniel will be sixteen on Saturday so we are taking him to Florida for his birthday. Six Flags, family visit, MLB game, Pirates of the Caribbean: Deadman's Chest, miniature golf, swimming and surrey rides are on our agenda. I hope it really is a "sweet sixteen" for him.

Having his permit means he will get to help us drive. That should make the trip less tiring. Since we will be out the state on his birthday, he won't be able to get his license until we get back. (That's ok with me. Our insurance doesn't increase until he is officially licensed!)

I'll give updates when we return. Until then! Have a great summer and happy Independence Day!

Happy Birthday, Monkey!

2006-06-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today is my daughter's 13th birthday. Both kids are teenagers now (oh boy)! I just wanted to say Happy Birthday Ashley. We love you!

BTW folks. This beautiful girl (quickly becoming a woman) and her Handsome (Albert Ingalls looking) brother made youth camp history last week! It was the first time in the history of IL youth camp that relatives took both the male and female Super Camper awards in the same year!

Please indulge me for a moment while this very proud mother brags on her (not so baby) babies! (I'm a firm believer that all parents should brag on their kids from time to time.)

Blessings

2006-06-12T07:09:00.001-07:00

God says, "Give and it shall be given unto you." I am not here to preach the "prosperity gospel" that we hear on television so much of the time, but I am here to talk about God's principle of giving. I have heard one single mother say "I can't afford to tithe." yet she smokes several packs of cigarettes each week and seems to struggle financially. Another said she couldn't afford to give but she and her daughter tan regularly and get pedicures and manicures often. We always seem to have money for what we want. Still another single mother pays her tithes and God blesses her with a new car. None of these people has a job making tons of money, but their priorities are different. I'm not trying to pick on single parents here. I know raising children alone has to be very difficult in many ways not just financially, but God's principles work no matter your situation.

I have witnessed the same types of comparisons in two parent families of similar income. The one which does not give to God saying they can't afford it constantly struggles the other is blessed. Satan has convinced those of you who don't give of a lie. You cannot look at your checkbook and determine the giving! If you set your mind to give God what is His first, everything else is taken care of!

I'm sure people think that my husband and I make a lot of money because our house is big and we are able to travel, but that just isn't true. In fact our income is low enough that if our son wants to go to Harvard he can go for free! However, we understand that all that we have is not really ours, it is God's. If God asked us to give up our home (which He has) and move, then we must do it. If He asks us to give up our jobs that we love and pay well (which He has) then we must do it. The thing is, every time God has asked us to give something up, He has always blessed us many times over.

When we gave up our 2400 square foot home in West Frankfort to move to Lincoln and live in about a 900-1000 square foot parsonage that had mushrooms growing up through the bathroom floor to pastor a church, we did it. I gave up my big beautiful home, but was blessed with a wonderful job. The community was economically depressed, yet I had one of the best paying jobs in the area which paid full family insurance! 3 in my family had to have surgery within about a year and a half's time and all it cost us was a small co-pay for the initial Dr. visit. THAT is being blessed. Not only was my job well paying with great benefits, I loved working there as well! We were able to purchase vacation timeshares while we lived there. My husband was able to keep his promise to his daughter that one day he would take her to Disney World. We have visited Disney, Universal and Sea World parks numerous times since then.

God then asked me to give up my job to come to Galesburg. I had to start the tenure process all over again, I took a paycut (I make over $10,000 less here) and family insurance would be almost $700 per month now. We can't afford that so we carry an individual plan on Darrell and the kids which costs a little less than half but has a deductible of $2500 on each of them ($7500 total if all were sick in the same year)!

In man's eyes I'm sure we looked nuts. Yes, Darrell would be making more, but it wouldn't make up for what we were giving up in my job. There also wasn't a place to live. We had to find a place to buy or rent within a couple of weeks.

We knew we were supposed to come to Galesburg so we trusted God. He provided us with a home that is approximately equal in size to our home in West Frankfort PLUS the one in which we lived in Lincoln! It is worth more than TWICE what our house in West Frankfort was worth, but only cost $30,000 more than that house did! That is GOD BLESSING!

We thought we would never be able to take our kids out of the country, just couldn't afford it, but we will be traveling to the Bahamas next month! The total cost of airfare and hotel for seven nights for all four of us totalling less than $500 (that's including port charges)! Tell me that God doesn't bless when we are faithful! God doesn't have to provide money. It is ALL His! Not just money but everything! We need to get past the idea that if we give $10, God will give us $100. We need to recognize God doesn't do things OUR way but HIS!

We once had a $10,000 debt completely wiped clean! God didn't drop the money in our laps. He simply got rid of the bill!

If you are obedient, God will bless you beyond your dreams! When you don't tithe you are in disobedience! I want to be obedient to the one who created me and all things of the universe! We don't give to see what blessings God will bestow, but it certainly is fun watching what He does when we are obedient!

Are You Missing Something?

2006-05-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

I just thought I might be of help to those of you who have lost precious articles within the past few months. I believe I have found where they disappeared to.

We have been after our kids to clean their rooms for some time now and though they go and spend HOURS in them supposedly cleaning somehow the rooms look no better when they come out. Amazingly, they often times look WORSE after the kids have "cleaned"!

My niece and her family are coming to stay with us this weekend so I decided it was time I took matters into my own hands. My daughter's room is the worse so I chose to risk life and limb and start there. As I entered with my mountain climbing equipment, picks and shovels I began digging through the pile. (It's just one huge mountain. To have separate piles would imply there is some sort of organization.) As I dug, I began pitching clothes to the hallway to be rewashed (fully aware that 90% have probably not been worn since the last washing,but since they had been trampled on numerous times, I figured it warranted a rewashing). To my surprise I found not only mounds of Ashley's clothes and shoes that she outgrew right after we moved here, but I also found her brother's clothes, her brother's underwear and socks, a variety of shoes belonging to numerous people, her DAD'S jeans, her dad's underwear, school papers from second grade, half eaten food from who knows when, a ziploc bag of some unknown substance which looked and smelled like vomit (which I almost did when I found it)....you get the idea.

I came to realize as I shoveled and climbed that MANY lost treasures (among other scarier things) might be in this room! So...if you have lost something valuable just let me know. I'll mark it and set it aside for you. All I ask in return is a small finder's fee...you know for taking my life in my own hands for your service.

Oh, by the way. You might want to add my children to your prayer lists. Otherwise, when asked about them my response may be, "Ashley and Daniel WHO?"

I'm BAAACK!!!

2006-05-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well, almost. The therapist says I am responding well so I should be able to be back at work in 7-10 days. I smiled when he said this because the 24th is the last day of school. The last day of finals is the 22nd! The Dr. did say I had really improved with therapy and may be able to return to work by next Friday so he wants to see me again next Thursday. The school year may be a wash but at least I'm getting my life back! I do have a really good sub so I am thankful for that. At least the end of the year hasn't been a total loss. I'm looking forward to summer and next year to get a fresh start.

I love fresh starts. The wonderful thing about them is you get to have them pretty much whenever you choose! Just look to a good starting point in the future and brace yourself to get there!

Thanks for all your prayers. I KNOW that is the real reason I have recovered so quickly.

It's the End of the World As We Know It!!!

2006-05-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

At least that's what our children think. As you know if you have been reading the Garrett blogs, Darrell and I both have been pretty much out of commission. As a result, our portion of the "chores" have not been done.

I have made the kids cook some simple meals a couple of times. I figure it's good for them to learn this responsibility anyway. They each have been cooking certain things for years, but to just put the two of them alone in the kitchen without supervision.... Well, I do believe this was the first time I have been brave enough to try it. Bravery really had nothing to do with it. It was actually one of those "between a rock and a hard place" situations. I was absolutely amazed to find that a child with an IQ of somewhere around 160 can't follow the directions on the seasoning packet for tacos! However, everything turned out okay in the end. As you can see, I lived to tell about it! No one died or got food poisoning.

The second reality shock that has hit our children is that Mom and Dad do all the laundry. With my injury, the bending and lifting that goes with laundry have prevented me from doing much. As a result our son has actually had to dig through that pig sty of a room of his and find clean clothes that have been buried for ...well... probably for months now. I think he had been rotating the same three pair of underwear through the laundry until this happened and mom hasn't been able to do laundry daily!

He is also starting to learn the value of finding his clothes the night before because several times he has tried to get ready for school and been unable to find any jeans! (He refuses to wear shorts to school.) I have intended to teach him to do laundry but have been trying to get him through this school year first. He has been so overwhelmed with homework, there has been little time for anything else. Thank God the AP Calculus class just took the AP exam yesterday so homework from that class will be minimal for the rest of the year now. I have a feeling his system is going to be in for a shock.

In addition to doing some of our chores, the kids still have their own. To be perfectly honest, I haven't had the where withal to be after them as much as usual so my living room looks like a bunch of pigs have set up camp. It is at the point of driving me crazy. I would be truly embarrassed if anyone were to show up at my house right now. (To the honery ones of the congregation, this is not an invitation to come over and embarrass me.) If the kids don't get their rooms clean, at least they are upstairs hidden from sight, but EVERYONE sees the living room!

My kitchen floor is also embarrassing. I mentioned to the therapist yesterday that it really needs to be mopped. He just smiled and said, "Just look at it and think about how you don't have to do it!" Yeah right! All I can see is the filth. Somehow God has given my children special vision because they never seem to notice the juice they spilled on the floor or the food they left on the counter. All spills of any kind completely miss them. I wish God had given them my vision! I don't really want theirs. The health department would be shutting our HOUSE down!

All in all, I am having a much better day so far. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to sit here long enough to write this. It is just 8:15 though, and I took a break in the middle.

I go back to the Dr. next Thursday to find out how much longer. I just want to get "my world" back to normal. This whole experience has taught me something, though. I realized I "have a life" as they say. I am normally a very active person not just busy. And I have been blessed with the ability to do many things. I have been taking the ability to do house work, painting, cleaning my yard, teaching, cooking, being able to be in the sun all for granted. I can assure you, I will appreciate those "everyday chores" much more after this is all over.

Update on Lucy

2006-05-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

The Dr. has some concerns regarding my reaction to the meds. I'm not healing the way I should and the spots are not what he initially thought they were. He sent me to get blood work to check liver enzymes, white blood cell count, etc. I haven't gotten the results as yet.

He has also ordered physical therapy and I am off work indefinitely pending weekly re-evaluations and and evaluations from the physical therapist.

I was in such pain after sitting on the Dr. furniture that I had to come home and take some pain meds. It has made me nautious. My system must still be sensitive from my last reaction so I am not tolerating meds as well.

Thanks for your prayers. Please don't let up.

MAY DAY! MAY DAY!!!

2006-05-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

It is May 1st which is May Day. Most people don't celebrate May Day anymore. From my understanding, on May 1st people would dance around a "May pole" interweaving ribbons in celebration of this date. It seems I read somewhere that this was actually a pagan celebration, but I don't have the energy to research that right now and my mind is too fuzzy to remember all the obscure facts I once knew.

However, the title of this post is actually a pun. It is May Day, but I AM calling for help. I go back to the Dr. today for a re-evaluation. I know that I am still having pain, but I don't want to stay home if I am able to go back to work.

How can you help? Pray for my healing and my Dr. that God will give him wisdom. My Dr. is a Christian and also believes in healing so I know the faith is there as well.

Why Not Vote?

2006-04-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

Why do so many Christians think that being involved in politics is wrong? If Christians don't run for office or justice positions, we are leaving the running of this country to the unsaved and we wonder what has happened to this God fearing nation?!

The same reasoning holds for schools. I have been criticized for teaching in public schools instead of a private Christian school. First of all and most importantly, this is what God has called me to do. But aside from that, if we take all the Christian teachers out of the schools, what influence have we left for the young people of the U.S. to follow and look up to as role models? If we take all the Christian students out of the schools, what peers have we left for other students to be influenced by. I truly believe my children are missionaries on a mission field.

I am not putting down anyone who chooses home schooling or private Christian schools. You must do what God has directed you to do, but I do think sometimes we try to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world! Not just politically, not just in education, but we do it in our churches as well! We fail to become friends with the unsaved and spend all of our time with other Christians. How are we going to reach the lost if we are never around the lost?

The Bible says we are to be in the world but not of the world. I understand that to mean we live and function in daily lives as normal people. We just don't partake of sinful things. Jesus made his closest friends people that most people at that time wouldn't give the time of day to. They weren't the holy saints from the synagogue. He befriended them, taught them, discipled (trained) them. They weren't "good Christians" when Christ met them!

We are to be the salt of the earth. Salt doesn't just "sit" on the meat or other food and look nice. It chemically changes and reacts with the food, preserving it and changing its flavor. We can't change lives of the unsaved if we don't get involved with them! I don't mean go drinking at the bar with your coworkers. I do mean going to dinner with them. Sitting and chatting with them at work. Spending time building friendships, then they'll notice something in you that they lack.

I do believe this includes the political realm. I had a friend at the school where I worked in Lincoln, whom I loved dearly and still keep in touch with by email. She openly confessed she was not a Christian. She knew exactly where I stood. She would tease me sometimes calling me a closet liberal because I didn't look down on her for her beliefs, but she was keenly aware of my stand on abortion, gay rights or other "conservative" issues. She knew I disagreed with her, but still gave me the opportunity to express why I believe what I believe. She allowed me this right because I had become her friend.

Schools, politics, work, little league, the GROCERY store, these are all areas where we can let the love of God shine through! We should not limit where God wants to use us. We need to be involved in ALL everyday aspects of life! Especially those that affect the moral direction of this country.

Growing Up Pentecostal

2006-04-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book titled "Growing Up Pente- costal". It was written by J. Stephen Conn. Some of you may have noticed that he occassion- ally posts comments on mine and Darrell's blogs. You may read seven of the chapters on his blog. Click on the highlighted title or the image to link to that site.

The book tells of experiences both bad and good that Pastor Conn experienced as the 3rd child (of 12) of a Church of God minister. I laughed at many of the antics Pastor Conn pulled as a child. I became angry over the way he was treated at times. I felt saddened at times. I read of experiences like some of my own childhood. And I learned some things about the history of our denomination which helped me to understand why some people do the things they do. WE taught them to be that way!

I wish I could have read this book early in our ministerial lives. Perhaps it would have helped me to cope better with folks I considered to be "holier than thou". Some of the older folks in our denomination can't seem to break loose from the holiness-on-the-outside perspective they grew up with, but I thank God that changes are taking place. I just pray we don't follow the swing of the proverbial pendulum and go too far the other way.

Those who have not been raised in our denomination will find insight into some of the "why we do the things we do" and hopefully learn from the mistakes of our past so that we don't repeat history.

It is an interesting book. A great read-at-the-beach or on the porch swing kind of book. What I liked most is that I didn't have to read it cover to cover. I can choose a particular chapter of interest then go back to another later without losing any understanding. In this give-me-a-tidbit-and-let-me-run-world it is the perfect book.

You can get the book at Amazon.com or your local book store.

"Lucy! You've got some 'splaning to do!"

2006-04-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm home again! I went to work on Monday, but was in such pain by 3rd period I was in tears. I called the Dr. At my appointment he prescribed 2 additional meds and took me off work until after he sees me monday. "Great!" I thought because I had a guest speaker and a field trip to Six Flags planned for this week.

The speaker came without me and the Art teacher is taking the physics students on their field trip so they don't lose the money they paid. I'm still trying to convalesce.

I started the meds as directed. I didn't sleep well last night. I woke up this morning with my thighs itching like crazy! I got a slight sunburn on the top of my thighs Saturday so I just figured it was worse than I originally thought and now I'm peeling.

WRONG!!!! Upon taking a closer look I realized I had broken out in red welts all over my legs! I called the Dr. AGAIN. When the nurse called me back, I gave her the low-down. She instructed me to stop taking all meds (Well, duh!) she would call back again after speaking with the Dr. He agreed with my diagnosis that it was an allergy to one of the meds. He called in new scripts. A steroid to get rid of the hives and a new anti-inflammatory. Because the latter was not generic I had to pay $50 just for it. Apparently, insurance companies don't care if you are taking a name brand because you are allergic to the generic!

I ate something and took the flexeril (muscle relaxer). I called my mother to give an update. She informed me that flexeril broke her out into a rash which started on her legs, itched terribly, and moved up her body to her arms and face. DING! DING! DING! We have a WINNER! These were the exact same symptoms as mine.

The nurse had told me if I had trouble breathing to call back or go directly to the ER. I noticed that my tongue had begun to swell as well by now and that I was having the burning sensation inside my mouth and throat as well now!

I called the nurse back relating the new info. Sure enough, I was allergic to the flexeril and didn't NEED to pay $50 for new meds! I took 50 mg of Benadryl (sp?) and started the steroids.

Some of the symptoms are subsiding now, but I still have an unbearable itch and my tongue still feels fat. I'll be glad when I get through this.

The good news? Doc says nothing is broken and I should be completely well in a week or two. In the meanwhile I'm at home lying around feeling groggy and itchy.

Lucille Ball

2006-04-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

My mother once asked my husband what it felt like to be married to Lucille Ball. I was a bit offended at the time. My thoughts? Thanks, Mom, for your support! But as time has past, (20 years in fact) I have had to admit she may be right. I seem to have a knack for the er... unusual to occur when I'm around.

This past Wednesday afternoon, our school was having its biennial mock prom crash. The fire and rescue squad, the ambulance service, State police, local police and helicopter were all at our school to dramatize what could happen when kids drink and drive at prom.

The kids were released at 2 pm for the event. At that time of day I'm supervising study hall downstairs. I was expecting a call from the Dr.'s office and had forgotten my phone so when the kids left I took my book upstairs and retrieved my jacket and phone. Sure enough, there was a message from the Dr.'s office. As I was walking down the stairs to the second floor I listened to the message. I was given a direct line to call.

At the second floor stairwell I dialed the number and began the decent down the next flight of stairs. At the next landing the nurse answered. I took the 1st step down the final flight of 18 steps. I lost my footing and went bouncing down about 15 of them! The phone went flying as I lunged to grab the railing to catch myself. All the while the nurse continued to talk. I asked a co-worker who had already reached the ground level safely to please hand me the phone. I apologized to the nurse for not hearing anything she just said and asked her to please repeat. (Yes, I was writhing in pain but it wasn't polite to not listen to someone who had made such a special effort to speak with me.)

When I hung up the phone, Mr. Hughes asked if I was alright. I explained that I did hurt quite a bit so he offered his hand and helped me to solid ground and out the door. I hobbled to the bleachers where the teachers were sitting and asked if anyone had access to ice. One of the PE teachers went to fetch a bag and returned quickly. Upon returning she asked, "Does he (the principal, Mr. Callahan) know you're hurt!?" I shook my head. She quickly marched off dutifully to report the accident.

"Hey, Mr. Callahan, we've got someone REALLY hurt here!!!" (I love, Terry.) Mr. Callahan hurried to my side to check on me. As luck would have it, every kind of emergency personnel in Knox county was immediately available. The director of the county ambulance service immediately questioned me and recommended I be taken by ambulance, immobilized on a board, to the hospital! Pads were placed around my head, a neck brace about my neck, straps across my head, chest, torso and legs; the only thing I could move was my hands. I explained that "I freak out when I'm strapped down" (bet your wondering how I would know this; another time, another post) so the EMT might want to talk to me all the way to the hospital.

I was loaded into the ambulance, lights flashing, sirens going, most at the school none the wiser. Except for a few witnesses, everyone thought it was just part of the "show"!

I received immediate, personable (that is the word I meant) care at the hospital. Everyone was attentive and pleasant. The Doc sent me home citing no broken bones. Three days later, I'm still sore and moving kinda slow, but I thank God I wasn't injured seriously. I also thank God for everone's prayers and that He made arrangements for such timely medical care!

I'll return another time with more evidence as to how I embody Lucille Ball.

Out of Touch?!

2006-04-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

My posting has slowed tremendously. I have not been able to read many blogs either. The reason? Over spring break, the powers that be at my school decided to change fire walls because "there have been so many complaints about how many sites were blocked. The new one is supposed to give more access." Well, I can no longer access any blog supported by Blogger. The tech guy has emailed the computer guys who have not responded as yet about getting rid of the block on blogger. (I love our tech guy. He is so real and down to earth. Not a "blogger", however. Guess I'll have to enlighten him.) Because of this my blogging may be slow for me for awhile. (I do get all of your comments emailed to me so I get to read them.)

However, I may get to tomorrow because I fell at school today and the Doc made me take tomorrow off! Take what I write with a grain of salt, though. Not too sure how the pain meds are going to affect me!

Ah well, such is life ;)

CELEBRATE!!!

2006-04-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

HALLELUJAH!!! At least TWO people gave their hearts and lives to God yesterday during service! PRAISE GOD! It is wonderful anytime, but the significance of this occurence on Easter just really brings home the awesome sacrifice God made for us! I chose green print to represent the NEW LIFE God has given!

Thank you, Lord for the two that have made a choice for you. Help me personally and our church as a whole to disciple these two new babes.

He is a mighty and awesome God!

I Need New Glasses ....Still

2006-04-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of nights ago, my family (minus the boy child) went to a little family diner in a neighboring town. We had been there before and remembered that the food was good and it was inexpensive so we decided to make the trek. Nearly an hour after we ordered and everyone else in the restaurant had come and gone, we got our food. All I can say is it is still fairly inexpensive.

We had to pick up some dog food (we were still unsatisfied from our meal and thought this might help) as well as a few other household items, rubbing alcohol, fabric softener, toothpaste. You know the kind of trip. You go to the store for $20 worth of stuff and come out missing an arm. Well this trip was no different, so off to the "store that has it all" to shop.

While we were at the store, we saw some pre-paid cell phones. Now my husband and I have phones, but our daughter is getting ready to make a trip to NY next month to sing at Carnegie Hall and we are probably NOT going to be able to go. I'm not too sure about sending one of our phones off with her, but neither do I want to be unable to reach her or her me if need be so we're checking out our options. Two of the young men there politely answered all of our questions, but told us that this route is really expensive. They were right, so we decided to continue weighing out all the options.

My husband was looking for one of our listed items while our daughter had spied something of interest. She had found the portable DVD players... and they're on SALE! "This can be my Easter, birthday AND Christmas present, Mom! Daniel won't go in on it with me and let it be one present for both our birthdays so I'll just put everything together and it will be just mine, PLEASE!"

To placate her, I went to look. As luck would have it, they really did have some good prices. Unfortunately, the $100 off would end Saturday, there were only two left, and no more were on order! We had been looking at buying one for trips for some time so this really wouldn't be a "spur of the moment buying decision", right? We convinced ourselves it was a good decision. Only one obstacle remained. I had no extra money to buy it at this time. I looked to Darrell as if to say, do you want to take it out of savings? Do you want to put it on a credit card and pay it later? Yes, it's a great buy, but "you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip" as my DH likes to say. Well, apparently you can because we told the young man to take it to the service desk. We had made the decision to buy!

We brought our new treasure home. Oh yes, and the dog food, too (Cinnamon was quite pleased with that purchase). And we put it aside. Ashley kept bringing it out wanting to “look" at it. "I just want to look at it!" Then it was, “Can’t I just cut the plastic off? I'll be really careful! I promise I won't open the box!" Then, "We really need to make sure it works, Mom, please!"

After two days of a little fox working on this vine, we're sitting on the couch last night and I'm trying to read the instructions on how to charge the battery. Now the instruction manual is in FOUR languages, 28 pages each all compacted into ONE 1/4 inch thick book that fits into the length of my hand! In addition to having microscopic print, for some reason the printers decided that the actual instructions had to be written in pale gray on a grayish white background!

As you all know, I have just had a birthday and I am old now, so seeing print like this is difficult even WITH my glasses on! I decided to make the effort anyway. I succeeded in finding the page which stated how to charge the battery, but was shocked to find that it had to be charged for 45 to 65 hours! Unbelievable! I turned the light up. Yes, that is what it said. I put my glasses on. Yes, I read it right. I had never heard of such a long time needed to charge a battery. My family and I reasoned it must just be for the initial charge. Surely it would not take that long every time! I proceeded to put all the pieces together and set it up.

Meanwhile, my daughter took the manual and started to read about the charging process. "Mom! It says '4.5 to 6.5 hours not 45 to 65! HAHAHAHA!"

The math teacher in me couldn't resist, "See the importance of a decimal point!" Yeah, it would have been really nice if the printers had made it BIGGER!

My lesson? I'll be making an appointment to see the eye doctor next week.

Kitchen Rules...

2006-04-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

...and other Barbara Johnson wisdoms

1. If a messy kitchen is a happy kitchen, my kitchen is delirious.

2. A husband is someone who takes out the trash and gives the impression he just cleaned the whole kitchen. (I have to say. This is not true of my husband, but it is certainly true of my son!)

3. Countless people have eaten in this kitchen ... and gone on to lead normal lives.

The happiest marriages are surely those where love and laughter overcome any brokenness. Between these couples, laughter is a natural part of every day.

Friends help us just by their willingness to laugh at the goofiness that unexpectedly pops into our lives to brighten the dark places.

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out...but she can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.

Encouraging Words

2006-04-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

When God permits His children to go through the furnace experiences of our lives, He keeps His eye on the clock-and His hand on the thermostat!

Jesus' gift to us is eternal life, something we don't deserve, didn't work for, and can't buy for any price.

Barbara Johnson

Did you hear....

2006-04-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

...about the doorbell and humingbird who fell in love?

They had a little humdinger!

Quotes for the Day

2006-04-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

"You never can think what a good place Heaven is without knowing who [Jesus] was and what He did."

Charles Dickens

[Moms] are the world's greatest actresses. We have to act as if our heart isn't breaking when our child comes home from school crying because he doesn't have any friends. And yet we will never receive an Academy Award.... We are th emost overworked and underpaid occupation there is. And yet, we are the most important. (I would have to include Dads.)

Mary Jo Malone

THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO GET SOMETHING DONE:

Do it yourself.
Hire someone to do it.
Forbid your kids to do it.

Barbara Johnson

Daddy's Girl?

2006-04-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

My daughter has been a Daddy's girl almost since she was weaned. Before she started pre-school, Darrell would get up, get ready and either start studying or making phone calls for church, whatever was on the agenda for the day. When Ashley got up, she would search out her Daddy and drag him back to bed to snuggle. She had to have her morning time with Daddy. After she started pre-school, she didn't have classes on Mondays so they were celebrated as "Daddy and Ashley Days". They would do special little things together even if it was as small as making breakfast together, going to McDonalds for lunch or just singing a song together. They still sing "My Girl" and "You Are My Sunshine" as a duet on a regular basis.

As she has gotten older, the Daddy addiction hasn't stop. If we're sitting in the living room watching T.V, she's snuggled up to her daddy. If I am sitting next to Darrell, but happen to get up for some reason, she will jump in my spot. When we go out to eat if she can weasel her way into her brother's spot, she'll sit next to Daddy. If we go somewhere and Daddy can't go, she wants to call and tell him every little detail about our day. She even has this little competition with me that Daddy is her man instead of mine. She has told Darrell that if he wasn't already married to Momma that she would marry him when she grows up, but since we're already married that just wouldn't be right. No doubt about it. This girl adores her Daddy.

Having been "2nd chair" for all these years I've been amazed at a change that has been taking place of late. Ashley has started wanting to snuggle me on the couch. She wants to sit on my lap if I am at the computer at home. She begged me to take her to get a curling iron last week to fix her hair for spring picture day. She had never cared much about primping before. She wanted this curling iron so much she offered to pay for it! So I took her to Wally World to get the one she had spied out a few days before. I figured if she cared that much about fixing her hair, I was certainly going to encourage it. It had been a battle just to get her to blow it dry when it was cold outside!

Sunday, she was on the primping path again. She was completely underfoot when I was trying to get ready for church. I was actually starting to get frustrated. When I tried to fix my hair, she was between me and the mirror. When I went to the bedroom to put on my jewelry, she was between me and the jewelry box going through all my brooches. When she tired of the jewelry she started checking out all my colognes. She asked if she could wear some so I let her choose. She started sticking bottles in my face to smell. "Honey, I know what they smell like. They're mine!" I said trying to be patient. She came to my closet wanting shoes to wear, so I let her wear my black casuals. When I had a moment free from her, I remarked to my husband, "What is going on with Ashley? She is underfoot everywhere I go today! She is usually such a Daddy's girl!" My wise husband replied, "She's becoming a little lady and I can't give her that."

His response really touched me. I started thinking of all the kids growing up in homes with only one parent for whatever reason, all the boys who don't have fathers to model being a man, all the girls who don't have mothers to model being a lady. Parents are truly important during all stages of a child's life. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that God has preserved our family. I am also grateful that at the age when most girls begin to resent or rebel against mom, mine has decided to model after and spend time with mom. The reminder of my awesome responsibility humbled me. I am grateful for my husband's help. I yearn for my Heavenly Father's help. I can't help but pray that my Father in heaven helps me to be a Christ like example for my daughter to follow.

Abba, Father, thank You for entrusting me with this precious one. Help me to be mindful of my words. Help me to be cautious of my actions because my soon to be 13 year old is becoming a woman and she's watching me. Help me to mold her into the woman you would have her to be.

I Had an Odd Thought Today

2006-03-31T07:30:00.000-08:00

I know that anyone who knows me personally would not be able to imagine such a thing, but I had a really odd thought today. As I was getting ready to back up in my drive and leave for work I noticed 2 squirrels "playing" in the nieghbor's bushes. It is a gorgeous day (thank God after the long dreary winter) and the squirrels were out taking advantage of that fact. This scene wasn't that unusual. We have lots of squirrels of every race and ethnic origin who scamper, run, jump, climb the trees and yes "play" on a regular basis in our back yard giving no apparent thought to their physical differences. I enjoy watching them jump from one tree to the next, stand on their hind legs while eating a nut, run across the fence. Their agility amazes me, so I was pleased to see the squirrels back enjoying the day. But as I watched the squirrels tumbling in a circle it dawned on me (my odd thought). With all the squirrels we have "playing" in our back yard and the neighbors' back yards why aren't there any baby squirrels? I never see any babies! There ought to be little ones running around as a result of all this "playing". I mean the squirrels have apparently figured out the truth Will Smith refers to in "Hitch" when he says, "In case you never went to high school, hitting is a good thing!" So where are the babies? Are the parents hiding them? Are they tucked away in the knot of a tree somewhere? Even so, they should come out at some point! So where are they?

If you have any wisdom to enlighten me, please share it. I don't remember learning this in high school biology.

Microsoft vs. General Motors

2006-03-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

I received this in an email from the business/keyboarding teacher.

For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on. At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating:

If GM had developed technology like! Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -- but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

More Pictures

2006-03-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how much the kids have grown since these pictures were taken! Ashley is catching up with me and Daniel is almost 6 INCHES taller than I am now!

2006-03-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Darrell took this picture with our digital camera. I thought it looked like a postcard.

2006-03-28T20:36:00.000-08:00

Darrell, Daniel and Ashley in front of the Men In Black Ride at Univeral Studios Theme Park in Orlando.

"The Drug Problem In America"

2006-03-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

I received this in an email. Thought it was worth sharing.

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ''Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?''

I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young:
I was drug to church on Sunday morning.
I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.
I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.

I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, didnot speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word.

I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

author unknown

I'm HOME - Again!

2006-03-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

Pastor had to take Pastor Neil to the airport today so I get the priveledge of staying home and taking care of my sick little one. Since I finally get to blog from home I thought I would finally post those pictures I promised months ago.

Speaking of the little one, she just made a request for me to watch a movie with her so the blogging will have to wait. Have a good weekend folks!

smenita

2006-03-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

Demon possessed! That's what it is! That group of letters~ s m e n i t a~ is demon possessed! They keep appearing on Word Verification on EVERYONE'S blog that has Word Verification where I have tried to post a comment lately! And EVERY TIME "s m e n i t a" appears I get the message "Type the letters in exactly as they appear!" I HAVE!!! Over and Over and Over AGAIN to NO AVAIL!!!! ARGH!!! ~rusemfrusem~

"In Sickness and In Health"

2006-03-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

My dear husband has had a lot on him this past week or so. I have been sick for several days, my son was sick a couple of days and now my daughter has the flu! Our dear Pastor has had to do all the cooking, dishes, sweeping, laundry and nurse-maiding for the house. I've been NO help! I've pretty much done nothing but sleep for almost a week now!

We also have Pastor Neil with us who is easy "to keep" as he likes to say and like having a family member visiting (one you like), but DH has had to make sure there are plenty of groceries on hand and see to it that Pastor Neil is taken care of. When a person is in a different place there are just some things that person has to rely on others to help with no matter how self-sufficeint that individual may be otherwise.

Additionally, Pastor has still had ALL the responsibilities of being Pastor. He is still visiting, taking and making phone calls, counseling, checking on the church and the alarm system, dealing with the Pepsi guy, taking care of the mail, sending correspondence that can't wait. As much as people don't like to admit it, a church is a business and still has day-to-day business to conduct no matter what else is going on in the Pastor's life.

As I was leaving for work this morning, Pastor was sweeping up the mud that dear son had tracked in while taking out the trash he neglected to take out the night before. I leaned over toward him to kiss him good-bye and said,"Thanks for taking care of us while we've all been sick." His response? With a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his lips, he replied, "You owe me."

I smiled and left for work, but I kept thinking about what he said.

DH is right. I do "owe" him, not because I have to "pay him back" for all he has done recently. We have taken care of each other numerous times during sickness over the past 20 years. Who's counting? We aren't keeping score to see who has taken care of the other more! I "owe" him because I made a covenant with him before God over 20 years ago where we said, "...for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part." I "owe" him because I said I would! No matter what we face, good or bad, I will be by his side facing it with him. Sometimes I may have to carry more than "my fair share" of the load. Sometimes he may have to (like this week). But when it's all said and done, no one looks back and says, "Hey! wait a minute! You were sick one more time than I was so you have to take care of me an extra time to make it fair!" When we went into covenant with each other, we became one! Do you "keep score" with yourself?

Thank heaven God doesn't keep score either! We'd all be in the hole! DEEP!! God has made a covenant with us, His people, as well. He often refers to us as His bride in His Word. This isn't to "sissyfy" being a Christian. God knows you can't be spineless and weak and be a Christian these days... or anytime in history that I have read about! It is to show us how important and special the relationship is that God wants to have with us! There should be no relationship known to humans that is closer than that of a marraige relationship. When you marry you literally bond with that partner spiritually! What better analogy could God have used to help us understand? I love my husband with all of my heart and put no one nor anything in this world before him, but I love my God more. God should be our reason for living, worshipping, existing, doing!

I do "owe" my husband, but I "owe" my God more!

Thanks for Your Prayers

2006-03-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

I was never so grateful for a snow day as I was yesterday. I knew I could not miss another day of work, especially since it was time to turn in grades. I have hated missing the revival the last two days as well. I have looked forward to it so. I was going to try to make it last night, but all of my energy was consumed by taking a shower and trying to eat supper. I laid back down on the couch and fell asleep. I was awakened when my family and Pastor Neil got home. When I awoke, I felt a bazillion (it's a word! I just made it one!) times better! I was told that the church had special prayer for me. Thank you so much! I can tell God is doing a work in my body! If He was not, I wouldn't be at work right now and I wouldn't be posting! Praise God for His faithfulness and for a people willing to listen and obey!

Quotes for the Day

2006-03-22T08:01:00.000-08:00

Lewis and Clark were not really meant to explore the West for all those months. They simply did not want to admit (especially to Sacajawea) that they were lost.

Sherrie Weaver

Do all the good you can by all the means you can in all the ways you can in all the places you can at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as ever you can.

John Wesley

A Place for Grace

2006-03-18T13:33:00.000-08:00

While reading comments on various blogs, I linked to a site that is really interesting. This man is from the Tampa area and has some wonderful thoughts on family and living a Christ-like life. I got tired of taking the loooong route (linking to this blog, then over to that one, then to this one ...) so I asked his permission to put a link on my blog. Yes, I know I could have put the link under "favorites" on my computer, but I don't always read from the same computer! Besides, I really think some of you may enjoy his thoughts as well. The site is called A Place for Grace.

It is now a part of my links for anyone else who would like to read it in the future as well. Check it out!

No Boundaries!!!!

2006-03-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

What is it with today's generation???!!!! (I sound old, don't I?) Maybe it is just this area. I did grow up in the South and manners are different there. Maybe it is just people today. I don't know what it is, but I really don't understand this concept that if it is out in the open or at least where someone can see it, they think it is community property!!!! I have supplies on my desk at school positioned at my fingertips for ready use. I have set a separate set of supplies on a another, readily accessible, desk for students to use. I have STRESSED frequently what is theirs and what is mine! We will be in the LAST quarter of the school year MONDAY and I am STILL having to remind kids to leave the things on MY desk alone!

I set up a set of staplers, tape dispensers, hole punch, paper clips and tissues specifically for the students to use primarily because I am tired of MY stuff always getting broken! I also get tired of my writing utensils, note pads, calculators, scissors, etc. disappearing!

Now I have heard the arguement, "It's the school's anyway!" Firstly, that is not necessarily true. Many of my supplies I have purchased with MY money and I don't get paid enough to supply everyone's children with pencils and tissues!

Secondly, it is just the PRINCIPLE! We don't issue books and lockers to students and then tell other students to go into another student's locker and get whatever books and supplies they want, "Afterall, it all belongs to the school anyway!" What happened to the mere courtesy of ASKING first?! The same students who take things off of my desk would have a COW if I started going through their backpacks to get something I wanted to use!

We have had a similar problem with people at churches we have pastored. There have been people who have walked into the parsonage without knocking or asking permission to come in! I was in the bathtub getting ready for church one Sunday morning when a lady just walked into the parsonage! Darrell started locking the door if he left before us after that happened.

Darrell has had people to not only go into his office, but to even go through his desk! Their justification? "It belongs to the church!" (Even though the desk didn't necessarily, but since the office did, then everything in it was fair game!) They use the same justification for playing with the mics and instruments. Schools often own many instruments, but not just anyone who pays taxes in the district or attends the school is allowed to PLAY on them!

What happened to boundaries? When and where did people get the idea that they can just take or use anything belonging to someone else just because they think they have a need for it?

I'm done. Thank you for reading patiently while I ranted and raved.

What Is Going On?

2006-03-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

The blog sites have been wacko lately. One second they're there, the next they're gone. I try to post something and it doesn't want to work. (tried loading a picture...didn't take) I try to make a comment and it doesn't show up or if it does, it takes a couple of days! At first I thought it was a sign from God that I just shouldn't make that comment, but then it kept happening and my husband mentioned he was having the same problem. That's when I decided it wasn't a spiritual enlightenment, but just a system glich. (WHAT? God can speak through the internet!)

I have to say it has been driving me crazy! I have had a very sloooooow week at work with students being gone for testing, state tournaments, field trips, school play, this reason, that reason. I have had to make several class periods study halls because there haven't been enough students to have class. With all of this free time on my hands, I have had plenty of time to read my Bible (as you may have noticed), organize my lab order my supplies for next year and go blog surfing. With all the blog surfing, however, it has been very unsatisfying to NOT be able to post or comment. I couldn't even get anyone stirred up about anything!~GEEES! Can't wait 'till it gets better. Of course, by that time things will settle down at school with the students and I'll be overwhelmed trying to catch up on everything I couldn't accomplish while they were gone! Ke Sara, Sara!

A Life of God-Worship

2006-03-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

Later in the sixth chapter of Matthew the Word says this (post titles came from The Message Bible):

"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being....

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-Worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body....

"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion - do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of which are never even seen-don't you think he'll attend to you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

I think that pretty much says it all.

Pray With Simplicity

2006-03-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

I was reading from the 6th chapter of Matthew in The Message translation today and this passage really hit me:

"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for gettin what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply."

This is the preface to the Lord's Prayer. How many times I have read this passage, but it never spoke to me quite like this! How many televangelists are giving us "formulas" for how to pray or act to get what we want from God? How many times have we had "programs and advice" dished on us to tell us how to make a church grow or to get wealth? We just need to simply petition God and then do what HE says! Quit putting our faith in others or in things and trust GOD!

God Is Moving!!!

2006-03-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

We had two wonderful moves of the Holy Spirit yesterday in our services. People were worshipping as I have never seen them worship before! We had children in the altars, tears streaming down their faces. Teenagers who work the sound and power point presentations came out of the sound booth, praising God and dancing before the Lord! One eight year old boy was claiming victory unlike most adults, speaking with athority! Some were laying prostrate before the Lord weeping and speaking in tongues! Even the toddlers in the nursery were raising their hands, singing praises, dancing and shouting hallelujah! (Tell me God isn't pleased with that!) That was one of the most pleasurable nursery duty experiences I have ever had! In the back of the church looking through the window into the sanctuary, we could see how God was moving across the entire congregation! All I can say is it was AWESOME!

I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit so strongly as I sit here and type this at school. (Yes, God is still in the schools with every teacher and student who carries Him in our hearts!) My husband's most recent post was "Do You Feel It?" I commented then about how I felt God moving but I think God has something in store unlike any generation before us has ever seen. I praise God for what He is doing! I am so excited! God is moving in such a powerful way and we haven't even started our revival yet (officially)! I can hardly wait to see the souls saved, the lives reformed, the mountains moved, healings performed and so much more that we cannot even fathom!

Pastor called us all to a 3 day fast this week for the revival (with instructions :) this time). I believe he was directed by God to do so. I just feel God in this. If you are anywhere within driving distance of Harvest Church, you need to be there. Please understand, I'm not trying to "steal" you from your church on Sunday. I just believe there is a mighty move of God on its way and I don't believe it is meant for our people alone! God wants to move in all of His people!

God bless!

Fasting...101?

2006-03-09T15:09:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry. I just don't get it. I know that it is scriptural to fast. I mean Esther commanded the entire nation of Israel to fast for her. Our pastor (my husband) has asked our church to fast for various reasons. His most recent request was for us to fast as a body for our upcoming revival. I am trying to be obedient, but I struggle with this. It is in fact almost embarrassing for me to even admit this failure.

At the worship conference this past weekend one of the presenters was so honest regarding her battles with this same issue. She talked about how she would start the day with the best of intentions, but would have to "press delete" and start all over by lunch time. I feel very much like this. So many times I have tried and failed.

I have been a Christian since I was 5. I attended my first service at the tender age of 7 days. In almost 42 years of faithful church attendance, I have never heard any teaching on how to fast! I've only been given the examples of why we should fast.

I am eager to learn and I truly want to be obedient but has anyone thought of writing a book on how to fast. How about "Fasting for Dummies" or maybe a course, "Fasting 101"?

Surely I am not the only one in the dark. Help me out somebody!!!

Cinnamon

2006-03-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

This picture actually goes with the previous post on "Worship".

Worship

2006-03-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Wor'ship n.- 1 prayer, service, etc. in reverence to a deity 2 intense love or admiration

The worship team from our church attended a conference on worship this past weekend in Powder Springs, GA. (This is just north of Atlanta). It was a great conference if for no other reason than to have the experience of continuous worship for periods of 3 to 4 hours, without being conscious of this passage of time. (You have to experience it to understand it.) But in addition to the wonderful praise and worship time, there was some wonderful teaching. During one of the sessions a woman by the name of Barbara Yoder spoke and related worship to how her dog is toward her. The lights came on in my head. I immediately thought of my dog, Cinnamon.

I call the dog mine not because I chose him. I didn't. My husband did. He isn't mine because I play with him the most or give him the most attention. I don't. The kids and my husband do. I say he is mine because HE (Cinnamon) made that decision.

In the mornings, Cinnamon has a tendency to start whining around 5:30 to go out. I usually sleep through it so my husband graciously (or not so graciously) gets up and lets him out. Cinnamon will go about his morning routine and return to the door. When I do come downstairs whether it is awhile later or while he is still outside, as soon as Cinnamon sees me he wants back out! It's as if it doesn't count if someone besides me lets him out.

I feed and water the dog in the mornings. Now I know what you're thinking, that's why Cinnamon prefers me, but you're wrong. I feed the dog simply because he won't eat if anyone else feeds him! Not only that, he won't eat if he can't see me from his food bowl. Even then he goes to the bowl, picks up several pieces of food and carries them to the room where I am before he will eat. Often times he won't eat if I'm not in the same room with him even if he can see me. He would rather starve than leave my presence.

When I leave for work in the mornings, Cinnamon goes to his cage and "mourns" until I get home. He seems to know what time I am expected back because around that time each afternoon he comes out of his cage and becomes antsy. He'll go toward the door I am to enter as if to say, "It's time! Where is she?" He even knows the sound of the car I drive. When he hears it finally pull into the driveway, he gets excited.

When I walk in the door, he comes to see me and for the rest of the evening will hardly let me out of his sight. He follows me from room to room. Wherever I go, he is always close by. If I just stand up from my seat, he raises to his feet until I sit back down. He readies himself just in case I should move. He is prepared to follow wherever I lead.

He always wants to be as close to me as possible. If he can't be in my lap, he chooses to be beside me. If he can't be beside me, he chooses to sit at my feet. If he is forced to leave my presence, he tucks his tail and hangs his head as he mopes toward his kennel. As soon as he is allowed to return, his entire countenance brightens and he quickly trots back to my side.

As I write this, tears are welling up in my eyes, not because I love the dog so much or that his love means so much to me, but because I realize that the kind of devotion that dog has is how I should be toward my God.

I should desire to be in God's presence over anyone, anything or anywhere else. I should desire His presence more than Earthly food and drink. His food should be what I hunger for. His living waters should be what I quench my thirst with. I should expect to meet Him wherever I go and strive to never leave His presence. My desire should be to please Him above all others. I should be devoted to Him forsaking all others.

Cinnamon loves the entire family it is obvious. The family is his top priority, but I am his life! My husband has often said if something happens to me that they will have to build a little coffin for Cinnamon because he would die without me.

God, help me to make you my life!

HOW THINGS WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF MEN GOT PREGNANT:

2006-03-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

Materinity leave would last two years - with full pay.
There'd be a cure for stretch marks.
Natural childbirth would become obsolete.
Morning sickness would rank as the nation's number one health problem.

Barbara Johnson

Houdini!!!

2006-02-28T12:14:00.000-08:00

I have discovered that I have Harry Houdini reincarnate in my homeroom at school. Now I have never been one to "buy into" the teaching of reincarnation, but I have no other explanation for this student.

Earlier in the school year this student would come in with a pass to go to the computer lab every day during homeroom. I was suspicious of this, but the passes always turned out to be legit. I started getting reports that he was showing up in the year book class because there was a girl in there he wanted to visit with. He got out of that mistake because the pass said "computer lab" but didn't specify which computer lab! I did clarify with the student that he could use the 3rd floor lab (by my room) only. Definitely not one that had a class going on.

He then started coming in with passes from another teacher. That petered out so a third teacher was employed to help him in his diabolic scheme of driving me crazy. Finally he came in with a pass from a teacher under the guise he "needed to take a test". A few minutes after he left, I went to the office to have them call that teacher's room. He did not show up! Not only that, there was no test to be taken! The office did an "all call" where they paged for him throughout the school. "Houdini had left the building!" I had him dead to right! (I know! I know! I should have been utilizing my time more effectively, but I just couldn't stand the idea that he was getting away with something on my watch!) The next day he was suspended for skipping and put on "lock-down" in homeroom. He would not be allowed to leave anymore under any circumstances unless the principal himself escorted him!

Everything went along well for a few weeks. Then one day I got a page from the office to send "Houdini" down. Now I knew "Houdini" was in class because I had taken attendance and saw him, but when I turned to his seat to send him down he was gone! I checked the sign out sheet, nothing. I asked the other students (maybe I was going crazy). Nope, he was there at attendance but now he was gone. Did anyone see him leave? No! Did anyone hear him leave? No! (My door is very noisy so this was quite a feat!) The office did an all call. No "Houdini"! He had simply disappeared!

This is my 14th year of teaching and I have taught in some pretty rough schools, but I had never lost a student! In fact I have a reputation for being tough when it comes to discipline. Admittedly, I was embarrassed, but no one ever taught me in college that I would have to deal with magicians!

Barbara Johnson's Diet

2006-02-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

"I have a great diet. You're allowed to eat anything you want, but you must eat it in the company of naked fat people."

I'm not sure that would work in my case!

Interesting Pictures

2006-02-18T15:24:00.000-08:00

Do you see 7 horses?

How many people do you see?
Do you see a face or "liar"?

Do you see black blocks or "lift"?

Where does the middle column end?

Do you see 4 people?

Alphabet Soup?

2006-02-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like your entire conversational language is in code? I don't know how it is in other professions, but in education everything is referred to by letters or numbers. Schools are identified as KHS, GHS, LCHS, LJHS, CSC, MSU, etc. Or you might hear them referred to as CUSD #202 , #210, CSD #104, etc. Kids with special needs may have IEP's or 504's. The organizations are in code as well. Schools may have NHS, NJHS, FFA, FCA, FTA, or FHA for students to join. We have AD's and AP's at the HS or the JHS. The NEA, IEA or KEA may submit a request or complaint to the ROE if they get no satisfaction from the LBOE. Even the parents have gotten in on the act with their PTAs and PTOs!

I've noticed this trend flowing into the community as well. My daughter's choir is CSCCCC! The TV stations are NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, WB, BBC. The radio stations are WCIC, KMOX,WMIX, WKRP :).

It's even in our churches. We have FTH, WYEA, SS, PUSH, EDGE.

We certainly can't stop there. Anyone on the internet has there own set of coded language. We ROFL, LOL, TXT. We'll BRB and say BTW. We ask A/S/L. We have DH, HTML, GIF, ROM, RAM, CDROM, DVD. We even have little codes for facial expressions! :) ;) ;-)

I realized one day I needed an interpreter because everything I said was in strings of numbers or acronyms and the person I was speaking with didn't have a clue what I was talking about! I decided at that moment I would start speaking English again. After all, communication is one of the most important things we do in any relationship. If only one person understands the conversation then am I really communicating?

BFF, OXOXOXOXOXOX, TTYL,

J/K

CUL8R

What NOT to Say During an Interview

2006-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

We were discussing interviews at lunch today and it prompted memories of some interesting interview questions I have endured over the years. Here are some of my favorites.

I would hire you for the position immediately if the position were at the Junior High. You look so young, I'm just afraid those high school boys would eat you up.

Well, I've decided I'm going to hire you. I really wanted to hire a man, but you're the most qualified for the position and the state is coming in this year to evaluate our school.

I know I'm not suppose to ask this question, but since I know your husband is a minister and they move around a lot, just how long do you think you would be here if I gave you the job?

(And my personal favorite)

You're an attractive woman. How do you deal with it when the high school boys come on to you? (My colleagues remarked, "So he was hitting on you while he was asking the question about your being hit on?")

What are some of your favorite interview faux pas?

Praise Report!!!

2006-02-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

We have really been under extreme financial stress with medical bills among other unusual expenses. I have requested prayer numerous times and have asked God to intervene. Of course we always want our answers yesterday, but in His time things are resolved. Of the over $4000 in medical expenses incurred over the past few months, we have gotten word within the last week that over $3000 has been paid or forgiven! God has also provided unexpected funds from elsewhere! I just praise God for His faithfulness!!!!!

Fathers and Childbirth

2006-02-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Note: Parents my wish to read this before allowing small children to read it. Wives may also wish to prepare their husbands:)

At the beginning of my physics class one of the students announced that 2 of the basketball coaches at our school came very near to missing the births of their children. I said that would be grounds for divorce in my book! After all, they had a part in the err development of the condition. They should at least pretend to endure the pain! This discussion prompted the memory of when I was expecting my first child.

Being a first time mother, I wanted to learn all I could about the development of the child. What I could expect during the pregnancy; my options for childbirth. I studied everything I could get my hands on. I even checked a book out at the High School library which gave the history of coping with childbirth in various cultures throughout history. I found this book to be particularly interesting. My favorite part was the section regarding the way the Aztecs dealt with childbirth. Their practice was as follows:

When the expectant mother began the pains of labor, she was taken to a barn with tall open rafters. She would be laid on a table and handed two ropes, one for each hand. When she would experience a sharp labor pain she would pull on these ropes to help her endure the terrible pain. The father would climb up into the rafters overlooking the mother. (Here comes my favorite part!) After positioning himself securely, the ropes would be tied around his testicles so that when the mother pulled on the ropes at the peak of her pain, the father could share in the labor of childbirth!

I have since wondered if this was a method of birthcontrol for this people. It might also explain why they died out!

"The Quest for the Ring" Journey Ended!

2006-02-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

On October 19 I made a post titled "The Quest for the Ring" where I describe the history of ups and downs regarding Darrell's wedding ring and whether or not I should purchase yet another ring. Well, the quest has ended! Darrell found his wedding ring! Some months ago, he noticed that the front panel that is next to the ground of his chifrobe had fallen off so he put it back on. Today he noticed that same panel had fallen off again. He bent over to put it back on and noticed something shiny. When he looked to see what was reflecting the light he discovered his long lost wedding ring! He came back to our room and announced "I'm married again!" After a pause he added, "Wait a minute!" of course he was in trouble for the last comment but I was so glad that he found his ring I forgave that lapse in judgement. I just wanted to let everyone know that it has been found and give God the praise!

Why Computers Crash!!

2006-02-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

Dr. Seuss explains why computers sometimes crash.

If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port
and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort
and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort;
then, the socket packet pocket has an error t o report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash,
the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash
and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't hash;
then, your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!

If the label on the cable on the table at your house
says the network is connected to the button on your mouse;
but, your packets want to tunnel to another protocol,
that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall
and your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss;
so, your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse;
then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang,
'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!

When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk
and the macrocode instructions cause unnecessary risk;
then, you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM
then quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!

from our staff bulletin

It's Time to Celebrate!!!

2006-02-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I may be considered a little strange, (so what else is new, right?) but I get excited every year when the calendar turns to February 1st! No it's not an anniversary or birthday or any holiday (at least that I know of) it is simply one of my methods of surviving the long dreary winter in Illinois.

I have little difficulty getting through November and December because I 'm too busy (busier than I'd like to be) to think about the nasty weather, but then January rolls around! Not only is it dreary but it is SOOO LOOONNNGG!!! I mean 31 days of dreariness and NO good holidays! That's sheer torture. Seriously, who was the brain child who set up the calendar to have one of the longest months to be in the dead of WINTER anyway!?

Yes, it is still winter and dreary in February, but at least you know that there are usually only 4 weeks to deal with AND there's Valentine's Day right in the middle to break it up! The days start to get longer, the sun starts to shine again and best of all Spring is just around the corner!

I celebrated today by putting colorful hearts and flowers up on the glass doors of the storage cabinets in my classroom, right in front of the 500 ml beakers and erlenmeyer flasks! Yes, I am ready to celebrate the month! No more SaDS for me! Spring, here I come!

A Word to Women

2006-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

Women: Remember, as we get older we are no longer having hot flashes. They are now called power surges!

From the Barb Johnson calendar

The caption reads, "You might be in menopause if you can't remember if you're coming or going!"

Kids Say the....!

2006-01-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

A little boy took his pet iguana to school to show the other kids. If you've ever seen an iguana, you know it has a large flap of skin, called the dewlap, that hangs down from the neck. The kids asked what it was, and when the boy explained, a little girl said, "Oh! My grandma has one of those."

From my Barb Johnson calendar

Do It Anyway!

2006-01-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

This was in our staff bulletin for this upcoming week. I thought it was well worth sharing.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
It is between you and God;
It never was between you and them anyway.

I DID IT!!!!

2006-01-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

I was actually successful at adding links to my blog! I mentioned to Christa (Exqsme) that I would add her blog as a link if I knew how so she sent me the html language and voila I now have links to some of my favorite sites! If you haven't visited these sites, you should try them.

Thanks, Christa!

Out of the Mouths of Babes?

2006-01-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

There is a committee of ten that has been established to study the feasibility of consolidating Knoxville and Abingdon High Schools. This committee met last Wednesday or Thursday night so their discussion was the hot topic at school on Friday. My fourth period students came in wanting to discuss the issue and the conversation went somethting like this:

Student 1: What do you think of the possibility of consolidation, Mrs. Garrett?

Student 2: It'll never happen because Abingdon is the one hurting, not us.

Student 3: I don't know why we don't just consolidate with Galesburg. That makes more sense.

Several all together: Yeah! We're closer to Galesburg. That's what we oughtta do!

Student 3: What would our colors be? I hope we don't take Abingdon's colors!

Me: What are their colors?

Student 1: Red and Green! Christmas colors.

Me: That's what they are at Lincoln High School! I had never seen that combination before I worked there. It worked out great for me. I have a lot of shirts to wear in December, now. (Couldn't resist giving them a hard time.)
Don't worry. Usually when schools consolidate, they don't take either schools colors. They establish a whole new set of colors and a new mascot so no one can be upset if theirs wasn't used.

Student 2: Well, I've been giving this whole thing a lot of thought and I think Galesburg, Knoxville and Abingdon should all consolidate! Just make it one big county high school! Then we could be called The Streaking Blue Commandos!

Note: Galesburg's mascot is the Silver Streaks, Knoxville's is the Blue Bullets and Abingdon's is the Commandos.

Be Good to Each Other!!!

2006-01-19T07:26:00.000-08:00

9So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. 10Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Galatians 6:9-10

The Message

Just thought this was some pretty good advice especially since the source is so well respected.

This is a Test.

2006-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

It is only a test.
If this were your actual life,
You would have been given better instructions.

Myrna Neims

Proofread, Proofread. Proofread!!!

2006-01-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

Finals ended yesterday so today is a teachers' workday. I have had many things on my agenda, such as meetings, power point presentations, talking with chemical supply houses, writing lesson plans...plenty to keep me busy for the day.

I had attended all the meetings and called the supply house and had settled in at the computer to do my lesson plans. I began typing the plans for next week for each of 4 different courses. I typed Physics II, Physics I, Chemistry II, Chemistry I. As I was typing I was trying to hurry but proofread my work at the same time since a copy of each one must be submitted to the principal. I don't want something in my file which might indicate that maybe I'm not on top of the game. As I was proofing my chemistry lesson plans, I came to the section where I discuss the tie-dyeing lab we will be doing. I talk about preparing the solutions, soaking the shirts, putting the rubber bands on the shirts, etc. When I came to the section regarding the rubber bands I noticed a mistake. The statement was supposed to read, "Prepare the shirts for dyeing" I had written the statement with the "r" omitted from the word "shirts". (Think about it.)

I decided this was a great example of why we should always proofread!

Testimony Time

2006-01-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

I was reading a post on another blog about the miracle God had performed on a mother and her unborn child. It is actually from the blog name "Exqsme". You can click on the highlighted name under comments on the post below this one and read it for yourself. If you need encouragement, I highly recommend reading it.

Anyway, in reading this post it prompted the memory of what my husband and I experienced when we were expecting Daniel. I feel it is good and encouraging to remember what God has done in the past. He deserves the continual praise and it helps give us faith for our current plights. (I believe this is scriptural, isn't it?) So I felt I should share the story of Daniel.

Sixteen years ago now when I was expecting Daniel I went to the Dr. for some standard tests. When the tests came back, however, the Dr. had some somber news for my husband and me. He told me that our unborn child tested positive for spinabifida (sp?). I didn't know what that meant so I asked the Dr. to explain. He said, "It is when a part of the spinal column forms outside the body. It results in deformation, paralysis and many times brain damage. The life span is typically short as well even if the child makes it to term." Very bleak news for first time parents who had already experienced one miscarraige. I asked the Dr. if there were any prenatal surgeries available to correct the problem. I had read about advancements in this area and was willing to go anywhere necessary to get the care my child needed. The Dr. told me that while prenatal surgery had made advancements, there had been no surgeries developed for this particular malady. I then asked, "Then what are my options?" The Dr. indicated that abortion was the only alternative. At that I responded rather matter-of-factly, "Then don't bother wasting the time and money on tests because I'm not having an abortion. My God can take of the situation but if he chooses not to heal, then He'll give us the grace to care for the child."

I'm not going to tell you I had no apprehensions. I had managed a group home for mentally challenged adults and was a case worker for the chronically mentally ill at that current time. I knew the challenges that we faced ahead and was well aware that I couldn't do it without God's help if He chose to bless us with a child of special needs. It wasn't what we had planned, but God has perfect wisdom so we waited what seemed an eternity for the child's arrival. I continued to do all I knew to do to have a healthy child, but knew that ultimately it was up to God.

When I was about five days overdue and as big as a Mac truck I stopped feeling the baby move. I went into panic. He had been so active throughout the pregnancy that I was very concerned something terrible was happening. I went to the hospital, tests showed he was fine. He was just too big to move! I went into labor on that following Friday and about 35 hours later on a Sunday morning, the Dr.came in and checked me again. He said he had some place to go but when he got back we would need to talk about what we needed to do. I said,"Whatever you gotta do just do it!" He smiled and left. He returned that afternoon and had me prepped for a Caesarean section.

When they opened me up they discovered the problem. The baby was too big to pass through the birth canal! Thank God! The Dr. also discovered that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck a couple of times and had I delivered normally the cord would have tighted around his neck. There would not have been enough leaway or room for the Dr. to remove the cord in time and he would have died at birth!

That baby was 21.5 inches long and weighed almost 9lbs. Good size for a mother who only reaches 5 feet if she stretches!

Today that would-be mentally and physically challenged child plays in extra curricular sports, participates in marching band and is currently taking AP Calculus (as a sophomore)! This child has accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour and has been Baptized in the Holy Spirit as well. I can't tell you the thrill it is to watch Him lifting his hands and praising God, laying hands on others in prayer, witnessing to his peers and teachers and being generally involved in ministry!

When God does something, He doesn't do it half-way! Isn't God awesome!

God has done so many miraculous things in my life it would take forever to list them all at once but I just wanted to praise Him one more time.

Want do you need to praise Him for?

Pray, People, Pray.....PLEASE!!!!

2006-01-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

If you have seen the latest post on "The Dawg Howse", then my title needs little explanation. If you haven't, then you need to go there and read it. I was going to write about these events myself and saw that my husband beat me to it. Saved me time anyway.

The whole filming thing started Friday evening. I had already had a difficult day at school. We were scheduled to have meetings all afternoon with the only break besides a conference period (which by the way had been shortened to 20 minutes because of the shortened day for students) was a 45 minute lunch period. The lunch was being served at another building so we would need to travel there, eat and be back at our building in that time frame. All the teachers, staff and administration were eating there so the line would be long as well.

Just a few minutes before the lunch break an office worker comes around passing out a memo from the Principal that he wants copies of our semester exams which weren't even scheduled to be given until the middle/end of the next week before we could leave the building!!!

I went to the principal and explained I could not get them all finished by that time. I'll skip all the messy details of our conversation (no I did not raise my voice, curse, etc.) but I ended up skipping lunch and being late for the meeting and still had one more to write... from scratch!

The principal gave permission to turn it in on Monday. This brings me back to the begining of the story and Darrell's article on the mad house we called our home this weekend.

We were all scheduled to work on sets for children's church at the church on Friday. I left Darrell and Ashley there to work while Daniel and I called at least eight families and drove around town trying to find the equipment needed for this project! This is above and beyond checking with the immediated families of the boys involved first! You know how the rest of the weekend went.

Sunday night after church, I ended up photo copying pages out the student workbook and cutting and pasting to make an exam for my students then making a clean copy this morning before getting to school. Of course when I got here, all of the machines were being used so I had to go to the office and get the secretary to make me a copy (teachers aren't allowed to use theirs so the secretary was kind enough to use her code) so that I could meet the second deadline I was given.

"Why do I get stressed when going to a job I like?" (See previous post) I'm STILL wondering!!!

Note: Do I really need to explain why I gave this post its title?

"My Philosophy of Life"

2006-01-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

My son had to write a ten page paper on his philosophy of life in his honors English class. He is a sophomore in high school and only 15 at that. I told my husband, "How much of a philosophy of life can a kid that age have? I don't think I could write 10 pages on that subject and I have a masters degree!" Darrell said that he could probably do it but then writing is what he does for a living. Even he admitted it would be a challenge, however. I remarked that my paper would be one line, "Life is short. Eat your dessert first!"

The paper was due today so I had an opportunity to proof read the final draft. I have to admit, I was amazed. Daniel discussed how the decisions of all those who came before him affected who he is and what his philosophy is, essentially stating that ultimately it is his choice. He made his case for why being a witness and seeing lost souls saved is the most important thing in life. This touched my heart that a 15 year old kid could be so mature in his thinking (spiritually at least).

So I began to wonder, how many adults have really contemplated their philosophy of life? I would like for you to share yours. Obviously, I don't expect a 10-page paper, just a quick comment would suffice. Let me know your thoughts.

Back to Reality!!!

2006-01-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

Well, break is over. It was great while it lasted but now it is time to return to the everyday grind of reality. As I was driving to work, I began feeling stressed. I started analyzing why? I happen to like my job so why would I stress over returning to work? HHMMM

I realized while getting ready for work that I have misplaced a set of tests and my gradebook sometime during the break. No idea what I've done with them. I got to school and someone had been messing with all the computers. No need to worry, it was a company installing new software and working on the system. They called our tech guy and told him to reboot every computer in the building. This had to be done before the students and teachers got on them. The company didn't call Phil until 7:00 am this morning. The kids enter the building at 8:10 and the teachers before that. I quickly hurried around the building helping Phil accomplish this task. Not only had the company left this mess, they had also disabled the anit-virus program on the server so we had to wait until that was reconnected before we could use the internet (which I use almost daily in class lectures).

I then went to use my overhead projector (throwing it back old school as Sarah would say) and remembered the bulb had blown just before break and hadn't been replaced yet. I had to track down the tech guy who had to track down numerous bulbs and then come to my room to see if he could fix it. (He's still trying to deal with computer issues mind you.) At first it appeared it wasn't the bulb at all but he finally got it going. I get my lecture underway reviewing the Bohr model of the atom, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and then begin explaining the Aufbau principle and electron configuration all the while asking myself if I need my head examined. What teenaged kid wants to come back from a two week Christmas break and listen to this!!??? I wasn't too sure I wanted to listen to it and I like the subject!!! All of this occurred during the 1st hour I was at school!

Ironically, today's events were not all that out of the ordinary. I went back to re-evaluate my intial quandry. Why do I feel stressed when going to a job I like? HHHMMMM, I wonder!

It's a Wonderful Life

2005-12-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

I just want to tell you, hon, how much I appreciate your taking a day off to take me out of town and just dote on me for a day. (Yes, I know I sound spoiled but everyone should get to be spoiled once in awhile!) I had a wonderful time and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful husband. Thank you for loving me the way that you do.

There have been a lot of for better or worse's in our twenty years together but I wouldn't trade our life together for anything. I feel as though I live in a storybook love. You are my treasure. I appreciate your love. I appreciate the kind of father you are. I appreciate that you put God first and that you are the priest of our home.

Thank you for twenty wonderful years. I can hardly wait to see what the next twenty and beyond will bring.

Merry Christmas!!!!

2005-12-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May there be peace, love, joy and happiness in your home this season and throughout the year. But most of all may we ALL remember what this holiday is really all about. Thank you, God, for the gift of your Son who came to save us all.
God bless you!!!

Ooooooppps!!!!

2005-12-21T19:14:00.000-08:00

Apparently I had something set wrong in my comments profile. I think I have it fixed now so please repost any comments that somehow got lost in cyberspace.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks for your patience with my blond moments.

The "Fridge"

2005-12-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

If you have been reading this blog, then you have figured out by now that I am a science teacher. Being a science teacher is a lot of hard work, preparing and researching for lectures, preparing for labs, researching new technology, etc, etc, but there are distinct advantages. For example, I can act very strange at times and no one seems to think anything about it. People who know me say, "She's a science teacher" and the response is simply, "Oh" as if that description alone explains all my eccentric behaviors.

Another advantage is being in like flint with the biology teachers. They always have access to a private fridge for their experiments and specimens and are more than willing to grant me some space free of charge for my lunch and drinks. Some people may get grossed out by having their pastrami by fetal pigs or cow eyes but it doesn't bother me in the least (remember that eccentricity thing). I'm just glad to have some safe place to stash my stuff.

The one time I decided to put my Diet Pepsi in the fridge in the teachers' lounge someone in an earlier lunch period DRANK it! I had to bum money off of another teacher to get a soda (note to self: pay Janice back)! That cinched it! I went back to sharing space with the cow parts.

Well, yesterday morning I went to get a bottle of water out of the bio fridge and they were all gone! I finally found my water on top of another small dorm fridge which was sitting on a counter unplugged.

I went to ask the generous bio teacher, essentially, if I had done something to lose my priviledge of sharing space with the animal parts. He explained that he had so much to store in there on Friday, that he had to move the water and forgot to put it back. He continued that I probably would want to find a different spot for my stash starting next semester anyway explaining it may not be a good idea to store my food with the e.coli experiments he would be conducting in microbiology. I thought this was probably sage advice.

He offerred the small dorm fridge for my use. I would just need to clean it and move it into my room. So fourth period I had my handy, dandy lab assistants complete the highly scientific job of cleaning and sterilizing the fridge and moving it.

The young gentleman did all that I asked and when finished I checked the setting on the fridge and waited for it to cool in order to store my stash in this new found treasure.

2 hours later, the fridge was still not cool. I had students check the outlet. It worked. I thought perhaps it needed more time. I waited until the next morning and checked it again, still not cool. I remarked to the bio teacher that it didn't work. He said, "It did when I last used it. The problem with it was it froze everything!" So I went back and checked it again, outlet works,... check, thermostat set to max, ...check,...wait ...look through bottom of glasses... check thermostat again, ...thermostat set to off!!!!! (I thought the reading was "10"!) Ooooopps!

I went back to Mr. Bio teacher and announced, "I discovered the problem with the fridge. I need new glasses!"

NOTE: I enjoyed an ice cold Diet Pepsi with my lunch today. No one was able to steal it! Life is good again!

The "Tech. Guy"

2005-12-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

Our librarian/technology guy at Knoxville High School is... well, let's just say straight forward. You never have to guess where you stand with Phil. Good or bad, you will always know. Now, I truly like people like this. With Phil, I never spend all day or night concerned that I did something "wrong" or said something to offend him. He lets me know immediately. No anxiety there. If he's grumpy, I know up front if it is me or if there is some other cause.

Last week, during 8th period study hall, I was having difficulty accessing the internet from my computer. Now, I just figured it was my computer because I'm constantly having trouble of one sort or another with that machine. In fact, the last time I told Phil I was having trouble, he pretty much said, "It's a crappy machine". (His language may not have been as benign as the quote.) So I just kept checking all the connections and even tried rebooting trying not to bother Phil with a nuisance over which he had no control.

Then one of the students from the adjacent computer lab comes and informs me he is having difficulty with the internet. I went to check on the students and sure enough, everyone who was trying to access the internet was having diffuculty. This prompted me to go across the hall and "ask" Phil if there was a problem with the internet. Now, I was fairly sure of the answer I was going to receive considering the mounting evidence, but I wanted to let Phil know there was a problem without sounding demanding.

Phil was busy working at his desk when I came in and made my inquiry. He quickly finished and took a break to respond, "It's supposed to work." He then proceded to check his computer. Before he even tried the browser, however, he continued, "I'll call the internet provider and get an answering machine because they already know its down and won't want to talk to me." I politely said "thanks" and returned to the computer lab where I informed the students, "Chaddy says, 'It's supposed to work!'" The students chuckled and I returned to my desk getting nothing accomplished during the period.

The bell rang, I packed up my belongings and returned to my classroom for homeroom, the last period of the day where we listen to the daily announcements and watch Channel One. The secretary read the announcements in her bright cheery voice as usual, then a deep, slow, monotone voice takes over saying, "THE INTERNET IS NOT WORKING...... DO NOT TRY THE INTERNET..... THE INTERNET IS NOT WORKING. .... IF YOU TRY TO USE THE INTERNET, ....IT WILL NOT WORK ......SO DO NOT TRY THE INTERNET."

As I said before, Phil is straight forward. Do you think anyone misunderstood what he was trying to get across?

"Merry Christmas" from some Students

2005-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

Two of my students sent me this link in an email as a Christmas card. I thought you might enjoy it as well. You may have to copy and paste the address because I still don't know how to do links on this site. http://www.andiesisle.com/thefirstchristmasgift.html (It works on my computer but I find that isn't universal truth for computers.)

Also, regarding the previous post, my apologies if you use Mozilla as your browser. I can't figure out how to fix the overlap of the pictures. If you use Explorer you should have no problem. However, the pictures have been moved since the comment that was posted.

Christmas Cheer

2005-12-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Just some pictures I found that remind us of the season.
Merry Christmas!!!!!

Apologies

2005-12-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

Trying to get access to the computer at my house is, to say the least, difficult. With Darrell using it for work and the kids using it for school, availability at home is very limited. So I generally write on my blog at school during study hall supervision. When I would check the presentation of the font after publishing, it would always be large enough and easily read. I figured if I could read it (as my eyes have gotten weak in my old age), anyone could read it.

Last night I actually got to check my blog at home. I couldn't believe how small and difficult to read the fonts were! What a difference! We have the exact same operating system at home as we do at school but there is still a big difference.

So, my apologies for straining your eyes. In the future I will try to remember to make the font "larger than life" so to speak.

lol I just checked the blog and realized I forgot to change the font again just now! It's fixed now (I hope)!

Points to Ponder II

2005-12-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Our librarian is at it again. Here are some "Kids' Instructions on Life..." collected by Phil.

Never trust a dog to wathch your food

When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents

Never smart off to a teacher whose eyes and ears are twitching (my personal favorite~twitch, twitch, twitch)

Wear a hat when feeding seagulls

Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning (my own children have taken this advice from time to time)

Never ask for anything that costs more than five dollars when your parents are doing taxes

Never bug a pregnant mom

Don't ever be too full for dessert

When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?", don't answer him

Never tell mom her diet's working

Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat

When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone

Don't spit into the wind

When mom's happy, everybody's happy

As before, please feel free to add in the comments section

TEENAGERS!!!!

2005-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

I love teens. Yes, I know they can have smart mouths occasionally. They can be messy and otherwise generally drive a person insane. I have had many people accuse me of being nuts for wanting to work with them day in and day out. Sometimes I question my own sanity, but then things like the following incident occur and I remember why I love working with teenagers.

On Tuesday of this week my students watched what is known as an EFT (electronic field trip). Through the magic of the internet and streaming video, my students and I were able to watch a live broadcast from Houston where NASA flies its C-9 plane for astronaut training and research purposes. The plane is flown in repetitive parabolic motion (up and down like a roller coaster ride) in order to experience free fall for a few moments of time.

The students were able to call in on an 800 number or email questions for the astronauts and pilots to answer, virtually in real time. The delay in the feed was only a few seconds. The students thought this was great.

One of my students asked if he could call and ask a question. After I approved his very intelligent question, he proceeded to make the call. When the representative from NASA came on the line, the student was asked to state his question, where he was from and his name before he was transferred to the live feed. "Timothy" proceeded to ask his question and give the requested information. Unfortunately, when he came to his name he apparently had a "brain fart" and said he was "JOHN SWANSON". At that point it was too late to stop him.

When he got off the phone, I asked him why he didn't use his real name. His response, "If it was a dumb question, I didn't want them to know who asked it!" Like they would ever meet him or know who he was anyway, right?

Today I received a phone call from the electronic field trip personnel. I was called out of class to receive the phone call so I figured it must be important. When I answered the phone the voice on the other end explained who she was and asked, "Do you have the student named John?" Knowing to whom she referred I said,"Yes" (What else could I say?) She proceeded to tell me that John was selected from the students who submitted questions to win a prize. She asked for the correct spelling of his name and to confirm the address. I verified the address but then explained, "He prefers to be called Timothy". Fortunately, only his 1st name was recorded when he asked the question.

The prize? One of 4 movie posters to be personally autographed by Tom Hanks. (I thought he might want his real name on it.)

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

I wish you a merry Christmas.
I wish you a merry Christmas.
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year!!!

Just a reminder of what the season is really about!

Points to Ponder

2005-12-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer - Most of these have been borrowed from other wise souls. Primarily, the sage we at Knoxville High School call our librarian who may or may not have gleaned his wisdom from another wise sage.

Why is it that every time you fill your mouth full of food while in a restaurant, the sever comes and asks you a question?

Never under any circumstances, take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.

If you had to identify in one word why the human race has never, nor will ever achieve its full potential, that word would be "meetings".

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, that a lone amateur built the ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic!

The most destructive force in the universe is gossip!

You should not confuse your career with your life.

I will add more as I come across them or think of them. If you have any to add, please feel free to comment. I need all the advice I can get.

SNOW!!!!!

2005-12-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

I hate the cold! I get depressed if winter lasts too long. My family and I spent several recent winter and early spring vacations in Florida and Myrtle Beach to get a break from it.

This year we are going to NY in May to hear our daughter sing at Carnegie Hall so we had to forego our winter escape. I've been dreading the seemingly eternal winter ever since. I have put off making our flight and room reservations because one can never be too sure how many days the school year will be extended due to snow.

Well, right on cue, the first official day of the meteorologists' winter, we get our first accumulation of snow. The weather man said an inch, maybe two. My husband swept 5 inches of light snow off of our vehicles this morning. ...And at least another inch was brushed off again by the time I left for work!

The roads were terrible. Even the interstate had only a path on one lane to drive on! Somehow it still wasn't bad enough to call off school. I'm actually relieved. I don't want the end of school extended. Although, those surprise days off, especially in december, are really nice.

In spite of my hatred for winter, even I have to recognize its magic. I looked out my bedroom window upon the new fallen snow and was in awe. All the ugliness of the barren trees, the brown, dingy, dried up leaves, dead grass and withered flowers was now covered with a beautiful blue-white blanket that glowed in the faint morning light.

I know all the science behind "how it works" but still I was fascinated. The little kid in me wanted to put on my galoshes and go out and play. I envied my husband a little bit (very little bit) because he got to play using the broom. It looked fun brushing the snow off the cars. I wanted to go pack some snowballs and pound him with them. I wanted to fall on the mounds and make angels. I followed the tracks that my dog left to see if I could figure out exactly where he went on his morning excursion. I wanted to put up twinkle lights outside and watch the beautiful colors that reflect on the snow. I caught myself wishing I had already decorated for Christmas outside. I would have turned the lights on this morning just to see the glow they would make under the snow.

I would love to put my life and obligations on hold and go out and play! But I must return to reality. My students are turning in tests that must be graded. I have classes to prepare lessons for, a dinner engagement after school then a concert for my daughter. By that time it will be bedtime and the whole cycle will start again. And so I will be the adult I am expected to be. Just know that in my heart...I'm making snowmen!