Shopping

I took off Thanksgiving week, so on Monday my daughter and I decided to go shopping at a kid's consignment store about an hour from home. Although I had been there often looking for various items for her, it was her first trip to the store. I told her to look around and hand me anything that she wanted to try on. The pile of clothes in my arms grew so heavy that I had to find a table to hold the load. Once finished, she was ready to try on the vast array of clothing she had chosen. I do believe she tried on 20 pairs of jeans along with a dozen other items. It took quite a while, but eventually she settled on one pair of jeans, one sweater, one dress, a pair of boots and my purse strings thanked her.

It's easy to walk in a store and say I want this and this and this, but after trying them on they might be the wrong fit, the wrong look, the wrong price or just unnecessary. It's also easy to walk through life saying I want this and this and this. Our poor choices give us some of the same results with the wrong fit, the wrong look, the wrong price or something that is simply unnecessary.

Psalm 25:12-13 Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. 

God won't keep us from shopping for things we don't need, but thankfully if we fear the Lord, He will teach us what we do need.

A Sew-Sew Day

So it's been 18 months since I pronounced my Sewing Room finished and until yesterday I had not yet sewn a stitch. I stocked the room with cloth, thread, craft supplies and more, then I just didn't do anything. So what would make me actually begin? My child. She asked if I would finally teach her to sew.  She's been asking for a year and I couldn't find the energy to do it. We had laundry and cleaning to do, but we were also looking at a full week away from school and work. My thought was that she would whine all week if we didn't do something she thought was fun.

It took 30 minutes to set up the 'new to me' sewing machine with the help of an online manual. Thankfully it ran like a dream. I gave my child some scraps of material and she decided to make a patchwork quilt for her stuffed animals.  I helped her cut material and sew pieces together. While she was creating, I sewed a new ironing board cover and a book cover.

Ecclesiastes 3:7a A time to tear, and a time to sew;

After 6 hours we called it a day.  Time was not wasted, it was enjoyed.  It was a memorable Sew-Sew Day.

7 

Asheville

Cathy and I met last February at a regional financial aid conference where we were introduced as the incoming presidents for our state associations. As part of the regional board, we got to see each other almost monthly at our meetings. We soon became friends, so she and I agreed to host each other at our own state conferences. This past week I was able to attend the NC financial aid conference in Asheville.

It was a beautiful hotel and I had a nice room with a balcony, plus a basket of fruit in the room. I felt as if I were a princess. However, it was the gifts form Cathy that made me feel special. Back in June, I shared with her that I was teaching myself how to tat, a way to make lace. So she got me a new tatting book, some shuttles, a tatting needle and thread. Then in July, I spent an evening with Cathy and her husband in Memphis. So her husband printed a photo of Cathy and me beside an fancy car on Beale Street.  The photo just makes me smile and reminds me of how closely she listened to what was going on with me.

Proverbs 1:5b A wise man will hear and increase learning.

I arrived in Asheville knowing a handful of people at the event, but left on Wednesday with quite a few new friends and a deep appreciation of the welcome I was given by both Cathy and by those who attended the conference.

Rainbows

One morning a few weeks ago, I was on my way to a meeting on our campus that is about an hour north of where I normally work.  The drive is usually uneventful and I tend to spend the time bouncing from one radio station to the next.  I was about 15 minutes from my destination when I noticed some dark clouds closing in. I was getting ready for rain when I saw the most beautiful rainbow arching across the sky.  With the sun to the east and the dark clouds to the west, it was absolutely brilliant in color.

Just the sight of the full rainbow made me smile and lifted my spirits.  I rejoiced in the few minutes I glimpsed it and when I reached my destination I asked others if they had seen it.  It was something that I so wanted others to have experienced with me.

Ezekiel 1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

If a rainbow can do that, can you imagine the joy we will feel when we see the glory of the Lord?

The Award

Last Friday I received a big surprise. At the school where I work, I was given the 2014 Eleanor Crawford Award. The award is named after the very first employee of the school and is given to a staff member with a longstanding dedication to excellence at the institution. My entire office came to celebrate, but best of all, my dad, mom and best friend were invited too.

As part of the presentation, a member of the selection committee talked about what I had done in my 24 years at my school. As he talked, it sparked memories of what I had worked on, and more importantly, who I worked with. I actually had a few tears in my eyes by the time he was done.  I got a standing ovation from those present, along with handshakes and hugs.  It was so special.

Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

My colleagues gave me a special gift by recognizing the work I have done.  But it's not time to 'rest on my laurels'.  I intend to work hard for I serve the Lord Christ.