I'm Back!!!

I had been having difficulty getting things to post to my blog so I got frustrated and quit for awhile using the excuse I was "too busy". While it is true I have been busy (and I really need to be working on my Physics Lecture right now instead of doing this) I probably did have time to fight with it some.

Here are some of the drafts I had saved while fighting with the server. There are others that will follow as I have time to finish them.

Thanks for your patience.

The Sounds of Home

I began to become nostalgic as I read a recent post to a blog. I have a few hobbies and activities that I enjoy when there is time, (if you have read my profile you must realize I don't have much time to enjoy them) but one of my favorite past times is listening. I love to listen to the sounds of my house.

I smile to myself as I sit in another room listening to my husband and son watching some game on TV; yelling at the umps or refs as if they could hear every word; cheering at a great play; chiding each other if they are for opposing teams.

I enjoy hearing my daughter singing as she goes through the house thinking no one is listening (or maybe not caring if they are).

I get tickled at my husband when he plays "chase" then "hide-and-seek" with our 6 lb pomeranian. Darrell will run in circles, one room to the next, the dog chasing and barking after him, then Darrell will hide behind a door while calling the dog to see if the he will figure out where Darrell disappeared to.

I chuckle when I hear my daughter become melodramatic over some homework problem or other occurrence crying out, "ALL is Lost!"

I love to hear my family respond to some television show or movie they are engrossed in.

I feel love when my family finally notices I'm "missing" and begins calling "mom" in various languages.

My children are teens and my dog is getting old and I realize many of these "sounds" will soon be absent from my home. So for now I will enjoy them while I can as much as I can. Because all to soon the "sounds" will become merely cherished memories.

Photo Album

I have been reading blogs by other mothers and I have noticed that many have put family pictures on their sites. And even though I don't know some of these ladies, I have still enjoyed visiting with their families through the web. So I thought I would share some of my favorite memories as well.

Yes, these are 3 or 4 years old but more will come.

Confusion

Do you ever feel like this? You have the directions but they don't make any sense? Or maybe you just feel like you're going in every direction with no true destination in mind so you just keep going in circles! Sometimes I feel like I'm getting somewhere just to look up and find I'm right back where I started. I get very frustrated at these times but then sometimes I look and I realize that I see something new this time.

I may be going in circles but sometimes I think God lets us do that because we missed something on the journey the first time. Kind of like the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. They missed the whole point of trusting God. Maybe God was symbolically sending them in circles because they didn't see the whole picture the first (or 39th?) time.

I hope I figure it out sooner than that!

God, open my eyes!

Music!!!!

A BIG Thank You to Chuck Hoots for working on our sound system. Last night was the first time I can ever remember actually being able to hear the vocal as well as instrumental mix on the platform! I know it still needs work, but you did wonders with what you had to work with! I'm sure it had to sound better to the congregation as well.

Also, thanks for working on the electrical problem at the church. You've been a great asset to the church!

Nursery News

At our church we believe in staffing our nursery with an "Equal Responsibility Employer" motto. Fathers are just as welcome to assist in the care of infants and toddlers as mothers. However, this can lead to some err... "compromising" situations.

Last night I was staffing the nursery along with one of the fathers. Other than a few mysterious odors, things had gone quite smoothly. We found toys, books, drinks... many things to keep the little ones entertained during the service.

On the jacket of the dress I was wearing was a rather large (about 5 inches long) very colorful, shiny brooch. As you might imagine, this caught the attention of one of the toddlers. As I was holding her, she pulled and tugged and played with the brooch as best she could considering it was securely pinned to my jacket. She became bored with the brooch so I put her down and she ran off to play with something else.

It was getting very warm in the nursery so I took my jacket off and hung it up. As the service neared the end, I lifted my jacket up to put it back on. The "securely" pinned brooch came loose and fell down the back of my dress. It got caught on the material and would not fall the rest of the way out. It kept sticking me as I danced around the room trying to shake it loose. I couldn't ask my co-worker for assistance for that would require reaching down the back of my dress. Since he was another woman's husband I thought that would probably be inappropriate. The congregation was in the middle of an alter call and my husband was on the platform with the mic. I was running out of options. Thankfully the pin finally jarred loose and fell.

I repinned the brooch, put on my jacket, regaining what was left of my dignity and returned my attention to the children. Soon afterward, one of the little boys said, "I want to hold you!" Of course I couldn't resist. I replied, "I want to hold you, too!" and picked him up. He started reaching for that irresistable brooch. At least that's what I thought until he grabbed the front of my scooped neck dress, pulled it out and with a wide-eyed gaulk at what he discovered cried,"EWWWW!!!" Yes, that father was still in the nursery and there went what was left of my dignity.

Kids!! You gotta love 'em!

Two Builders

A builder builded a temple;

He wrought with care and skill;

Pillars and groins and arches

Were fashioned to meet his will;

And men said when they saw its beauty

"It shall never know decay.

Great is thy skill, oh builder,

Thy fame shall endure for aye."

A teacher builded a temple;

She wrought with skill and care;

Forming each pillar with patience,

Laying each stone with paryer.

None saw the unceasing effort;

None knew of the marvelous plan;

For the temple the teacher builded

Was unseen by the eyes of man.

Gone is the builder's temple;

Crumbled into the dust,

Pillar and groin and arches

Food for consuming rust;

But the temple the teacher builded

Shall endure while the ages roll;

For that beautiful, unseen temple

Was a Child's immortal soul.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN