Christmas Laughter

Last week was a whirlwind, so I never found time to submit a post. I'm sure your days were busy as well. Each Christmas is a little different as you get older. The younger kids are growing up, bringing their friends and in a hurry to get to the next event and their top request for a gift is money. But I'm the one who really dislikes giving money. I want to find gifts that people might not get for themselves, but would nonetheless enjoy.

This year was easy because of our trip to Hawaii over the summer. I was able to buy Christmas gifts early and tuck them away. I found things made on the islands and hopefully things each person would enjoy. Our big family gathering was full of good food, old stories and new friendships. 

For our little family, the kids asked for more electronics. I'm pretty sure they will all have neck problems in their future based on the amount of time they are looking down at a device, but I digress. However, I wanted to find something fun and a little more interactive, so I sprung a ping pong table on the crew. There was a lot of laughter as each of us took a turn to see just how good (or bad) we were at getting that tiny ball across the table. 

And we are still trying it a little each day. It's amazing how such a little thing can get us out of the rut we create when our lives revolve around computers, phones and social media. 

Psalm 126:2-3 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.,,The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. 

Grateful

Over the past month, my pastor's sermons and our Bible Fellowship class have been going over what it means to be grateful. It's easy to be grateful when things are going the way you want, but a lot harder when life seems to run off the tracks. Did you know that being grateful is a choice? It's not situational, but continual. It's all about perspective.

When I returned to work after my unexpected vacation, I was told that two people on staff had turned in two-week notices. I wasn't shocked or stressed. In fact, someone even mentioned that I was very calm. I believe that the lessons learned over the past month had a direct effect on my reaction because I was looking at the good things that would happen. These two were moving on to jobs that would be of great benefit to them. (I would never want to hold someone back.) There was also the opportunity for others in the office to move to new positions and expand their knowledge. Putting the needs of others first, makes it much easier to be grateful.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Unexpected Vacation

Normally stay-cations are planned and I get a great deal of work done around the house. This past week's vacation was quickly created only the week prior and the weather didn't cooperate. What began as a warm enough week soon turned bitterly cold in just a couple of days. (Highs in the 40s are bitterly cold to me!) When I try to recall what I did this week, I wonder if I was a slug. I began cleaning out a closet in the carport, but not finishing; wrapping Christmas gifts; treating a couple of birthday people to lunch/dinner; floating in mineral salts; reading a few books; and watching about a dozen Hallmark Christmas movies.

Our plans for Christmas/birthday parties on Saturday and even attending church on Sunday were derailed by the weather. (I don't like ice and I like my one car too much to tempt it.) Fortunately our church uses Facebook Live, so I sat in my PJs watching the service, then made chocolate chip waffles. I'm cozy, warm and not out in the cold, wet weather. 

On weeks like this, I always go back to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Weeks that are not dictated by work or a schedule. It's a time to do something different, take care of business, think, make some decisions, relax, plan, hope, dream, and enjoy.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3

Weather in the South

If you don't like the weather in the South, wait a few days. Why? It will change, sometimes drastically! I would place this week firmly in that category. We began last week with slightly cooler November temperatures, which proceeded to take a dive over the first 3 days. I woke up to 27 degrees on Wednesday morning and even pulled out my big winter coat for those few days. 

As the temperatures began to climb above freezing, the rains began. It rained and rained and rained. By noon on Saturday, the yard was flooding and I was ever so happy to be inside and dry. I awoke Sunday morning to more rain and while I was at church, the clouds parted and sun began to shine. 

As I sit here writing just a few hours later, it's now 70 degrees with full sun. It's glorious! I am going to cut this short so I can go outside, something I didn't enjoying doing any other day this week. I'm so thankful I live in the South and that God made the 'greater light'. :)

Genesis 1:16a Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.

A Week of Thanks

Last Sunday my pastor challenged each of us to make a daily post on social media. These were my thoughts.

I am grateful that God is...

   our Protector;

   my Confidante;

   the Healer of both ailments and heartaches;

   my refuge and strength;

   merciful;

   faithful with His promises;

   for us.

Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Happy Thanksgiving! May we keep it in our hearts throughout the year. 

Rain and Cold

I'm a Southern girl and I am accustomed to warm weather, even in the fall and winter. This week was not my idea of fun. For four days we had rain, several inches of rain. That alone was not so bad, however, combined with cold temperatures under 45, I felt like I was in the wrong state!

Now the temps are back in the 60s, but I'm sitting here in a sweatshirt. Now that I've reached that point of being too cold, I fear that I will not be warm again until May. It has nothing to do with the temperature, but rather my mindset. We experienced winter weather so now it's winter, regardless of what the calendar shows. 

I Kings 1:1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 

I feel like King David, except for that old part. I'll just take my blanket and get toasty. :D

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

Appreciation

Sometimes it's the little things that brighten your day. My favorite is being gifted with something I didn't ask for and didn't know I wanted or needed.

Saturday my 12-yr-old asked what we were doing that day. Usually I tell her we would be cleaning the house, but instead I told her I would be cleaning out the kitchen cabinets, and I didn't ask for her help.

By lunchtime, she had surprised me by cleaning her room, cleaning her bathroom and sorting the laundry. I was shocked! I didn't give her any direction on what should be done. She just knew and did it. I appreciated her efforts so much, especially because she did it out of love!

Sometimes it's good to be reminded to be thankful for these gifts. It is a visible representation of a person's love for you. It is also a picture of God's ultimate gift for you. 

I John 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

Venting

After working at the same place for so long, I have certain expectations about when I can take time off. I plan those days carefully and never leave the office in a bind. However, I've been there so long that I get 4 weeks of vacation each year and I must take those 20 days so that I don't lose the time. This week I asked off for Thanksgiving week, the same week I've had off for longer than I can remember. It never occurred to me that there might be an issue with it.

Within an hour of submitting the request, I received a message that left doubt that I would be granted the week off. I was so mad! It was close to lunchtime, so I headed out to just get away. After an hour I responded to the message with my reasons for why I needed to be absent and that the office would be fine without me that week.  Still, I got no word about the decision.

Then I did what I should not have done. I began to tell my coworkers how aggravated and angry I was about the request not being approved immediately. I should have stayed quiet and waited, because the next day my time off was approved.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

As I look back, I realize how petty I was and how fortunate I am for that to have been my big issue this week.

Milestones

October is a month of celebration in our family because my son and mom both have birthdays. 

I've been telling people that I'm now the proud owner of an adult since my son just turned 18. He's at that age where he'd rather be with his friends, but I was so happy he allowed me to treat him to lunch that day. <3 He seems very responsible. He even went to vote early because he is in school all day on election day. This week he's going to complete his application to the US Air Force Academy and in about 5 months, we will know where he will be studying next year!

My mom turned 75, so we had lunch out with some of the family. My dad told the waitress that mom was almost 100. That cracked me up! We had a meal, cake and sat around talking. No one was a in a big hurry to leave, except the 18-year-old who had already made other plans. ;) Mom is doing great! She takes good care of herself and dad. 

I'm so happy we got to celebrate both of these milestone birthdays! So for our October babies...

Psalm 20:4 May He grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Sick, Bummer

I had been on the road so much this month, pushing as hard as I could, until my body said, "Really?" On Tuesday (while in Athens) the sneezing began. Just a little at first, it grew to sneezing fits by the evening. I couldn't really stay out of work, but I ended up leaving early on Wednesday. The Kleenex box was my constant companion and I wondered if I had enough hand sanitizer to make it to mid-afternoon. Needless to say, I skipped Backpack Love that evening and headed home to rest. 

My son got home at 8 p.m. for one last study session, getting ready for a calculus test. By 9, he released me from tutor duty and I was able to hit the hay. By the next morning, I was feeling better. By Friday, I was almost back to normal. So thankful it wasn't a lingering virus. 

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? 

It's good to know that our physical sicknesses are only temporary and we can push through most of them. However, the important thing is to build up our spiritual health. Just like exercise and good food for our bodies, we need to give our spirit daily Bible reading and prayer.

Travel

Does traveling throw off your schedule like it does mine? I'm in the midst of the busiest work-travel period I've ever had. From October 3rd through the 16th, I'm away from home for 9 days. I've had an overnight in Macon and 4 nights in Savannah. I'm leaving by 6:30 in the morning for Macon again, then I'll be in Athens on Tuesday. It's like I'm doing a tour of the state of Georgia. :D

And while I was away, Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida; an unbelievable category 4 hurricane. I was in Savannah at the time and was contacted by multiple people as to whether I would return home early. I looked at the estimated path and determined that leaving early would actually place me in the path of the storm. So I didn't change my plans as overnight the tropical storm passed between my location and home. In fact, as a left the following morning for home, the roads were clear and I had the safest, fastest ride I've ever experienced returning from Savannah.

It made me think about how we react to impending storms. We rush in and try to prevent them from happening or somehow try to lessen their severity. Sometimes just waiting for God to lead us would be like me waiting for the storm to pass. I sometimes jump into the fray of a problem and get overwhelmed when perhaps I should just wait for God to show me the best way to pass through.

Psalm 107:23-31 Those who go down to the sea in ships,...they see His wonders in thee deep. For He commands and raised the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble...and are at their wits' end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm,...so He guides them to their desired haven. 

Down Time

I've been working pretty hard over the last few months and was beginning to feel slightly under the weather this past week. Nothing major, just bloodshot eyes and sinus aggravation. I treated myself with homeopathic eye drops and Emergen-C. After a few days I was feeling physically better, but knew I needed to give my brain a rest. 

I used a sick day on Friday to take a break. I spent the morning with my 17-yr-old son, chauffeuring him to our state senators' offices so he could turn in his service academy nomination applications. This was just one of the many steps in his pursuit of an appointment to the US Air Force Academy. I was just happy to spend the morning with him.

After a quick lunch, I took myself to float in a pod of magnesium salts. Yes, that's a little odd, but it actually allows you to float without any effort. (infinityfloating.com) It's very relaxing and is supposed to pull toxins from your body. Whatever. I just know it feels good. :)

I was able to grab groceries, put them away at home, and get in the car-rider line for my daughter a whole hour before school let out. I was in the first set of cars, so she only had to walk out of the building and climb in. (Usually, she has to wait at least 20 minutes on me.) I told her that it might be the only time it would ever happen. :)

We grabbed an early supper, then I went out to mow the lawn. I was cutting it close with the amount of gas in the tank, and yes, I ran out. Thankfully Daddy was able to save the day! After my third shower that day, I sat down to enjoy a book and go to bed early. 

Ir was a day full of family, rest, and a little work. I felt so much better as I closed out the day.

Jeremiah 30:17a For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the Lord

The New Sanctuary

I missed my post last week because at church we had practically a full day celebration in the opening of the new sanctuary. So many people attended that I'm not sure there were even parking places remaining (and it was raining!). The new worship center has seating for 2000 and it was quite a good crowd. 

I sat in the generally area as I did in the old worship center, but I didn't like that spot and tried a new one today. I'm thinking I'll be moving around a lot until I find my magic seat - where I'm comfortable and can see well. :D

Last Sunday's Block Party was a success even with the rain. Most of the events were moved inside and I was thrilled to see all of the kids attend, from toddlers to young adults. It was an exciting evening that end with a fabulous fireworks show. 

Ezra 6:16 Then the children of Israel...celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

The best part about last week was that 21 people joined the church an 5 professed their faith in Jesus. That's what it's all about!

Sunday School

It has been almost 30 years since I've been part of a Sunday School class just for me. I attended such a small church in my college years, that it just really didn't work out. When my kids were younger, I  was very involved in their classes, even teaching for a couple of years. But, today was the day to step back in. 

They don't even call it Sunday School at my church; it's known as Bible Fellowship. I walked up to the Welcome Desk and said, "I need a 9:30 ladies class" and they gave me a room to try. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting the ladies there and was surprised at the ages represented, 20 - 70. A couple of their service projects piqued my interest, so I think I've already found a place that fits. :)

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 

I'm looking forward to this new adventure because you are never too old to be taught new things!

Be a Light

Our middle school pastor preached the message this morning at church. It was simple, direct and memorable. He spoke about being the salt and light in our world, from Matthew 5:13-16, and noted that church should not be our 'safe zone' to surround ourselves with other Christians, but a hospital zone to treat those in need of a savior.

Near the end of the message, he turned on a lamp placed on stage. It changed nothing in the room. He asked them to lower the lights and you could see that the lamp gave light to the darkness on the stage, but not out in the audience or in the balcony. 

Next he asked all of the men to turn on their phone's flashlight. He had women, then students also turn on their flashlights. It brightened the room some for each group, then everyone joined as one and you could see the difference. Great visual; great message; great reason to wake up each day!

Matthew 5:18 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

Week One - All the Stars

For most people, Week One occurs in January when a new year begins. For me, it happens the first week of classes in the fall at our school. It's monumental. It's hyperactive. It's exhausting. 

Monday began with an influx of about 8000 students, along with their cars. The entire week revolved around welcoming them to campus and making certain they start off the semester with success. There were welcome tents plying them with directions and swag (notepads, cling stickers, phone holders, etc.). There were doughnuts with the Deans, entertainment, crafts and a fireworks show at the end of the week. 

After the fireworks show last night, I noticed a full moon in the sky. When I got farther away from the lights of campus, I saw the stars. I thought, "Fireworks are temporary, but stars shine on." 

Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. 

Wow! God names the stars! How much more important are all of us than the stars? Every person on campus this week held more value than a star and God knows them all by name. It's rather humbling and helps put me in a better frame of mind this week, when it's my turn to help someone and not ignore them to do my own thing. 

Flying High

My son has wanted to be a pilot since he was 13 years old. He is an active member of the Civil Air Patrol and attended college full-time, starting his junior year in high school. He took some tough classes last year and kept an A in every course. He ran cross-country in the fall and track in the spring. He even went to a summer seminar at the Naval Academy in Annapolis for 6 days this summer (think Navy Seal boot camp). 

After the camp, he decided to work on his private pilot's license for the remainder of the summer. This week, at age 17, he took his first solo flight! He's still a student pilot and needs more flight time before getting his private pilot's license, but WOW!

Proverbs 10:5a He who gathers in the summer is a wise son;

Now we begin his senior year in high school, still aiming high!

Floods and Rainbows

On Wednesday evening at my house, we got over 3 inches of rain in an hour. The yard was flooded and the 4 ft ditch in the back was overflowing. I honestly don't ever recall seeing that much volume of water in such a short period of time. I was simply amazed!

It didn't take long for life to get back to normal. Other than discussing the unbelievable deluge, we were back to work and school the next morning. The ground began to dry out enough that on Saturday I was able to do the yard work. But that evening, the rains came again. This time softer and gentler than the downpours a few days prior. The best part was the beautiful rainbow that greeted me from the sky.

Like me, you might be thinking about Noah's Ark and the rainbow covenant. But there are other mentions of rainbows in the Bible. 

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. 

Do you know how you always smile when you see a rainbow in the sky? It's just wondrous! Can you even imagine the smile you will have when you see Jesus? 

My Friend

On Monday I was finally able to connect with my friend Gina and celebrate her birthday with lunch. We've been taking each other out for our birthdays for years and it is rare that I can celebrate with her during her birthday week, much less the actual day! She's often on a trip in early July and by the time she's back I'm barely staying afloat at work. I was thrilled that we actually got together during her birth month this year. :)

Friends like Gina are special. You know the ones that you can not see for weeks at a time, sometimes longer, and suddenly pick right back up where you left off. The ones you can call at any time day or night and know they will answer. The ones who really care what's going on in your life and is a great cheerleader for you. Yep, that's her. 

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray. 

Caring

Summer break is quickly coming to a close for my kids, with school beginning in less than 2 weeks! Yesterday I took my 12-year-old and one her friends to spend the morning at a splash park to play in the water and ride water slides. 

While they played I sat under a giant umbrella reading and also watching, both them and other people. All ages were at the park, from babies to grandparents. There were the fashionable teens, the toddlers with swimmies, the parents who were trying to get their kids to relax and enjoy the water, and the parents who were just the ride to the pool (like me!). 

I noticed a little girl in a wheelchair especially made for the pool. Her parents would roll her into the water to let her splash around, then roll her to the shade for a snack. There was a lady holding a baby, dipping his toes in the water. There was a dad waiting at the end of the water slide to catch his little girl as she plopped into the pool. There were lifeguards watching for any issues. The kids in the water were surrounded by people who simply cared that they were safe and enjoying the day. 

Job 10:12 You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit. 

It's good to realize that God cares for us even more than all those people cared for all of those kids yesterday. 

Painting

For over a year I've wanted to attend a painting class with my 12-year-old. You see, my sister and aunt have been going once a month to paint with a local artist, however, it was always on a school night. This week we finally got to go! Honestly, my child was worried about how many people would be there, who would see her in slightly unfashionable paint clothes and if she was going to fail miserably at this endeavor.  I was surprised at her hesitancy because she's a true artist, having taken art in school. I'm not, having only painted walls in my house. :D

Once we got settled in and started, she forgot about the other people and got lost in the painting, as did I. We had a great teacher and painted beautiful pictures of the ocean and a lighthouse by following only his instructions. He was a willing teacher and showed us much encouragement. He wasn't looking for perfection, only a willingness on our part to take a step and try something new. 

God does the same for us. He's a willing teacher who never asks for perfection, but does want us to work on His canvas. In doing so, we are likely to discover true beauty.

Psalm 25:4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 

Play Ball

I skipped out on writing my blog last week because I attended a AA Baseball Game. It was an event set up for our Middle School kids at church. My daughter wanted to go with one of her best friends, so I offered at accompany them. It was the Gwinnett Stripers vs the Charlotte Knights and I had a blast! It had been years since I attended a baseball game in person and I truly forgot how much I enjoyed them. The girls were a bit clueless and I tried to explain a few things. However, I found myself more wrapped up in the game as the innings progressed. With a 3 run lead of the Stripers by the top of the 9th I thought it was going to be an early afternoon, but the Knights tied it up as we headed to the bottom of the 9th. It was close, but the Stripers pulled out a run and the game ended on a good note for us. 

By the time I arrived home that evening, I had forgotten all about the blog. I apologize to my faithful readers receiving CrossSums in an email. Please don't think I am ending my blog, I'm not. I just took a day off to play. I searched for the word 'play' in Bible Gateway and found many references to playing an instrument, but this one fit better. It is a description of the future city of Jerusalem. 

Zechariah 8:4-5: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.'

This sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?

Goals

I operate best if I have an attainable goal. It can't be too easy to reach because there would be no growth. It can't be too hard to reach because I would give up before I got started. I reached a goal this week that I didn't really set initially. 

About 2.5 years ago, I attended a workshop and was given a code to take 3 nationally sponsored financial aid credentials. Each exam was valued at $99 each. I gave it a try over the next 6 months and thankfully passed the tests. From that point any time I attended a workshop or conference, I would sign up for a 2 hour class to get another code, since the price of the conference included the exam fee. Over a 2 year period I was able to take 14 exams and in my mind I was done - unless any of the last 3 subjects were ever offered for 'free'. 

Honestly, I didn't care if I ever finished all of them. However one day my supervisor decided to do a group purchase for our staff. My last 3 subjects were in the set. I felt like I had to bite the bullet and try for them all. Thankfully, I completed the 17th exam on Tuesday. Finally! I was done and I was the 1st in our office to do it. 

Proverbs 13:19a A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,

I am so relieved that goal has been met. Next I plan to set goals, perhaps more in line with the things I love. 

Naval Academy

My son wants to attend the Air Force Academy, so as a rising senior in high school he applied to all of the events sponsored by the various US military academies. He was accepted to the US Naval Academy Summer Seminar, which began last Sunday. A better description for it would have been extreme boot camp for 5 days. 

I knew it would be tough, but I was shocked when he told me the events he had experienced over the past week. From the lack of sleep to the intense physical training to eating mostly MREs, I'm guessing it will take him a week or more to recover. 

I suppose the point of the Summer Seminar was to give the teenagers a true idea of what it is like to experience basic training. They were immersed in situations that put a strain on their mental and physical capabilities and the entire focus was on making it through the week. 

I've often heard that we are soldiers in the Lord's army, but I never really understood the extent of the training required of good soldiers. 

II Timothy 2: 3-4 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier, 

He succeeded at the Naval Academy Summer Seminar, but I'm really praying he goes Air Force!

Hawaii

My daughter and I returned late yesterday from a 10 day trip to Hawaii. It was our first visit, but I hope it won't be our last. It was everything I hoped for and more. We visited three islands, Oahu, Kauai and Maui. We had more fun in Maui because we had more time and could really play - with snorkeling and biking. However, we loved Kauai because it was so laid back and relaxing. Kauai lived up to it's moniker as the Garden Island. The scenery was beautiful, the waves were big and it was a lot of fun to ride around in a Jeep with the top down. :)

On Maui, we took a trip along the Road to Hana. It's famous for the 600 turns and 54 mostly one-lane bridges along a 30-mile road. It took about 4 hours one way with the few stops we made. One place was a arboretum named Maui Garden of Eden. It was like a rain forest with trails in which you could see gorgeous flowers, trees, waterfalls and the ocean in the distance. 

This was a dream vacation and we did our best to make every minute count. The weather was warm and breezy, the kind of place you wish you could live full-time. As we drove on each island, we were surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean. Looking on the horizon there were no ships or boats to mar the view. It was only water as far as you could see. 

Genesis 1:9-10 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And I saw on this trip that it was absolutely beautiful!

Camp

This week was strange. I went to a conference as usual, but instead of leaving my youngest with my parents, she went to church camp. For 5 days. And 4 nights. With no phone. This was her first venture away from home for more than one night. It was also the first time I didn't have to watch the clock to be sure I called her to check in while I was away. (I'm sure that my parents felt like we deserted them with so little communication!)  

Everyone at my conference knew my child was a church camp because I would wonder aloud what they were doing, if the storms were bad there, if I would get a call about any problems. Thankfully, we all made it through the week and, according to my daughter, it was a wonderful success! They played in the rain, had Bible studies each morning and services each evening. Out of the 330 students attending, they baptized 31 kids and 50 accepted Christ!

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

They may not be the littlest of children, but these 330 sixth to twelfth grade students were allowed a week of faith, fellowship and fun. I believe they will forever be changed. 

And she's already planning for next year's camp...

New Season

The school year is complete and summer is upon us. There is that wonderful relief that I no longer need to get anyone besides me to school on time and I don't need to put together another school lunch for a couple of months. The late sleeping of the kids has already begun. The list of chores (that aren't even given a second thought while I'm at work) are already not being done. Church camp, a conference and vacation are in our immediate view.

Life is still busy, but in a much different way. I notice that in the summer I pull back trying to relax and everyday tasks pile up, causing me stress. I need to put together a plan for the summer so that I won't float through the next few months and wonder why I seemed to accomplish nothing.

I want to remove clutter from my house. I want to work on my business. I want to exercise more. I want to stress less. I want to enjoy time with my kids. I want to read more (even though I probably do this too much already!). Perhaps I can break it down into small bites and look back at the end of the summer and say, "Yes, I accomplished some things this summer!"

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;

Ups and Downs

I realized late last Sunday that I forgot to post on my blog. I would have written about being so busy that I had to shut my door at work, getting 16000 steps on my Fitbit while walking in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and celebrating Mother's Day. I could have stayed up a little longer to write my blog, but I had taken to heart what my Mother's Day card from mom and dad said - "take a break and enjoy what makes you happiest!" So, after celebrating with the family until mid-afternoon, I came home and read a book the remainder of the day. :)

I had no idea how much that break would mean to me as the week progressed. Talk about a another tough week at work! I finished a major project on Tuesday, went to a 4 hour off-campus meeting on Wednesday and found that there was an error in my project. I headed back to work and was able to talk it through with a co-worker and repair the damage before leaving around 6 p.m. From there, I picked up fast food and headed to a parent meeting at church to talk about camp. Thursday gave me another off-campus meeting, then back to work to test upgrades to our system. Friday was my final day for testing and I was able to sign off on it. My job was done and I was ready to crawl in a hole to hibernate.

Weeks like this make me really appreciate the high I was celebrating on Sunday. It's important to grab on to the little pieces of joy and feed off them when things don't go the way you envision.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him. 

Learning Well

Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 

My son is a dual enrollment student at our college. He has just finished his first year and is still a junior in high school. I couldn't be more pleased with the effort he has put in to excelling this year. He just completed finals from his 2nd semester (taking 5 classes) and it was a tough week.

His classes were in English, Geography, Economics, Spanish and my favorite, Calculus II. Somehow he balanced that with Track practice every day, club meetings at the high school, Civil Air Patrol and spending time with his friends. I think that if I were not his math tutor, I would never actually see him!

Finals week is loaded with the pressure of performing well in every subject. There is a test or project due almost daily and the stress can be overwhelming. He pushed through and got everything done, sending me a text last evening telling me he had all As. :) He's taking a week of downtime before starting a job for the summer. He needs it and deserves it!

Do the Right Thing

My son leans toward being an overachiever. His ultimate goal is to become a pilot. To get there, his current goal is to be accepted into the Air Force Academy. It's very competitive and he pushes his limits to achieve all he can to get an appointment and hopefully be chosen.

Leadership is one of the qualities the AFA seeks, so my son goes after leadership roles. This year he is the Secretary of the his high school's National Honor's Society. He's been very active and volunteered many hours for the group. This week were the elections for next year's officers. He ran for VP against a popular student who, only known by the other officers, was not truthful in recording volunteer time for his friends. My son and the other officers chose not to publicize the infraction.

On the morning of the club meeting, initial vote for VP was tied, so each was asked to address the group before a new vote. My son was declared the winner, but after everyone left, the club adviser indicated that the first vote was not a tie. My son had lost. They decided to open the vote up for a third time, running it until 3:30. The vote was tied again, however some of the votes were made by non-club members. The adviser had to remove those votes. In the end, my son lost.

It was tough for both of the kids to wait over 24 hours for a result, as well as be jerked back and forth regarding the winner of the election. I feel that the adviser handled the situation poorly, but I was exceptionally happy that my son took the high road and did not reveal the other student's poor judgment in order to win an election.

Colossians 3:23-25 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. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. 

In the end, I truly feel like my son was not supposed to serve in the role. I think he's going to be very busy in the coming year.

Strategy

On Wednesday, my son ran in his last track meet of the season. He and three others were running the 4 x 800 Relay (that's 2 laps for each person). They were evenly matched against a second team from their school, but also had several visiting teams to race against. My son was the fastest on his team (2 min, 13 sec) and was slated to run last. When he saw the other teams, he looked up the fastest times of the final runners. There was one guy whose time was 10 seconds faster than my son's 800 time. He knew that it would be impossible to improve his time by that much.

That's when he began to look for a way to win the race. Just before the race, he changed the order of the runners. (His coach said he could do what he wanted.) He became the lead runner. He told his teammates that he would give them a big lead...and it was up to them to keep it. The race started and he ran 2:13, then the other boys ran their legs of the relay. As the last runner crossed the finish line, the new strategy paid off and they won the relay! 

My son didn't run any faster than normal, but by going first he was able to transfer that momentum to his teammates. He was a good leader, who looked at the situation and made a new plan. He had a good team, who listened to his counsel.

What if my life depended on the outcome of a race? What if I tried to do everything on my own, without any input? I don't have to worry about that because I have a good leader. All I need to do is listen to and follow Christ, my righteous leader. 

Proverbs 21:21 He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor. 

Distractions

Every week is filled with distractions. I believe I noticed them more this week because they took me out of my routine. I accompanied my son to get his First Class Medical certification to begin training as a student pilot. I attended an opportunity meeting with the company that I'm currently working with on a home-based business. Finally, I had my annual physical.  

Individually, maybe these are not so unusual, but all in one week had me constantly checking my calendar to be sure nothing was missed. My son had no problem getting his certification. The business event was a success, and I saw how far I could take this business and the good I could do with it. The results from my physical were excellent. My doctor even lowered the dosage of my only prescription because my numbers had improved so much - due in large part to the supplements I've been taking as part of my new business.

Overall, the distractions this week were very welcome and needed. Getting out of my routine and seeing the successes helped me feel good about the direction I'm going. Thankfully, I'm back to my routine, including church today. Pastor Rick preached a great message for us to Draw Near to God, Hold on to Hope, and Watch Out for One Another. Even with lots of distractions, it is so important that I remember to draw near. 

Hebrews 10:22a Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...

Pre-check

When flying out of Atlanta I have typically gotten to the airport at least 2 hours in advance. Five years ago, I would be hanging out in the gate area for over an hour before boarding. However, the security checkpoints have become more intense and I almost missed my flight the last time I flew. (We were actually the last two people who boarded the plane!) That convinced me to look into TSA Pre-check. The idea is that for $85, a background check will be done in advance and for 5 years you can go through the much shorter pre-check line. 

Since I was off this week, I decided to take care of it Tuesday. I found a place about 45 minutes from home and I showed up with my birth certificate and drivers license. Unfortunately, it was not enough. I also needed a certified marriage license to show that my maiden name connected to my current name. The next day, I spent $10 at the courthouse to get a certified copy of the license.

I tried again on Friday. I presented all of the documents and the person was distraught over the fact that neither of the certified documents had a document number on them. She was befuddled as to how to complete the application. She actually just picked numbers on the copies and added them to the application. After scanning the documents, she had me pay the $85 non-refundable amount and sent me on my way. Wow, I hope it will be successful!

I didn't think applying for TSA Pre-check was going to be so involved. I got to thinking about all of the hoops I had to jump through and still have to wait 30-60 days to see if it works. At that time, I'll be assigned a number that I can use to get where I need to go, but, it does expire. It's a good thing that God doesn't work that way. It's not a Pre-check, it's a Life-check

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

A Weekend of Blessings

The week before a vacation is always tough for me because I want it to hurry and arrive! I was going through the motions all week, just to get to Friday. That's when things began to turn. I wanted to go to the Good Friday service at my church, but had volunteered to work at my son's Track Meet - not realizing the date. I worked an hour and stayed to see him run. It was in the upper 50s, but the wind was ferocious and I was freezing, along with all the kids in tanks and shorts. My son had one race and I waited 2 hours to see him run. What a blessing! He ran a personal record of 2 min 13 sec in his 800m race and won the heat! I had never seen him win before and it was thrilling!

On Saturday, you could have labeled me a slug because the only thing on my agenda was a trip to the grocery stores. (Yes stores. I'm one of those.) I took my time. In fact, I actually stopped for lunch before I was finished. My son needed me back home to look at some calculus, and we did that before having steak and potatoes for supper. (I actually cooked!) Usually, he's out the door when done with schoolwork or supper, but he hung around for a while. We began to watch a movie together. It was a lot of fun and I don't recall the last time we did that. :)

Sunday arose with my thoughts on a Risen Savior and my Daddy having a birthday. After a great morning service, we met for lunch to celebrate. The whole family was there and actually stayed around for a few hours. It was filled with laughter and joy. I can definitely look back on this weekend as one that will stay long in my memory. 

And there is never a bigger blessing than this:

II Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

How a Fire Goes Out

Over the past 5 months, we have been clearing a fence for replacement. I hired someone last September for the job. He said it would only take a day or two. He underestimated his ability to do the job with the equipment that was available to him. I don't even know how many hours it finally took. Along the way, there was a broken down tractor in my yard, wrong things dug up and barbed wire found in unusual places. 

We seeded the area a few weeks ago, and are now down to burning the brush and reinstalling the fence. My neighbor told me he would install the fence if I paid for the supplies. Done. [Happy Dance!] Saturday, I was finally able to get a burn permit and three of us worked all day to burn the 6 piles. At 9:30 last night, the rains began and we put out the two remaining fires, or so we thought. This morning, smoke/steam seeped out of those two. Somewhere deep underneath, wood remained with its hot coals still smoldering. 

Proverbs 26:20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

In searching the online Bible for the word 'fire', I found this verse very interesting. A talebearer would be a gossiper. Strife could be arguments, tensions, stress, etc. It seems obvious that a fire would go out with no wood, but I never really thought about arguments, strife, or stress going away with no gossip. I need to spend some time making sure I'm not keeping these fires burning and causing strife for anyone. 

Lows and Highs

It's been an interesting week for my 12-year-old daughter. It began with too many Flaming Hot Cheetos. She was with a friend and I suppose they tasted great, but 10 hours later we discovered that she could not digest the red dye or whatever made them so hot! Her body reacted so violently that she developed a petechial rash, which looked like red freckles covering her face and eyelids. Of course, we didn't know that until we visited the doctor on Monday morning - ending 4 years of perfect attendance at school. 

On Monday evening, I was at the local City Council meeting voicing my opposition to a grocery store and strip mall being proposed across the street from me. Unfortunately, the proposal was passed. (I see lots of tree planting in my future.)

After a few tough weeks at work and the stress of the meeting, I finally decided to take a personal day on Friday. I even had a massage - a big treat for me! That evening, we attended a Youth Art Gallery at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center where my daughter had one of her sculptures displayed. She received an Honorable Mention among the 6th graders. I was so excited for her to get 4th out of the dozen 6th grade pieces from the area schools in the competition. This week was memorable, ending on a high note!

Psalm 3:1-4 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. 

Seven

I finished and filed my taxes yesterday. The last few years I have done them electronically, but this was the first year I had to add a self-employment business to it. It was relatively painless and I was relieved that I did not need to find a tax preparer. :)

Yes, I'm still working full time at the same school I have worked for the past 27.5 years. At first I was looking at this new business as gravy - like paying for vacations; but now I'm really seeing the potential for how I can transform it into a full-time retirement job. Perhaps retirement isn't the correct word. To me retirement is no longer working, but that's not what I want to do. A career change is really more like it. I've always said that I would stay working at my job as long as it was fun. Over the years, I've actually changed jobs within the school 4 times - whenever I was struggling with continuing in the given role. Being a teacher overlapped with institutional research, then directing an office switched over to a technical position. I just realized that I seem to go in close to 7 year segments. 

Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 

Seven is a special number in the Bible. Jacob worked 7 years for Leah then 7 years for Rachel. Debts were cancelled and slaves were freed every 7 years. The law was read to Israel every 7 years. Joash began his reign as King at the age of 7. I think I'm going to contemplate 7 for a while. 

Random

I've been contemplating what to write about this week and I haven't zeroed in on a subject. It happens occasionally, especially trying to write something each week. So, I'll just tell you about my week. On Monday I decided to clean off a credenza in my office. This was no easy task since I'm notorious for just placing something there as I walk in the door, with good intentions of dealing with it later. Of course as things sit for months they become irrelevant and outdated, so I can simply toss them.

That method doesn't work quite as well at home and I had the opportunity on Saturday to see just how poor my housekeeping skills were in recent weeks. I'm pretty sure it's been at least a month since I did any major housework and I paid dearly for it. I scrubbed and scoured for hours. At one point I was even flat on my back in the floor, staring up at the ceiling fan, wondering if I would ever finish cleaning. 

Did I finish? Not completely, but I was more than happy to say, "Good enough." I worked on my business a little while and discovered that I had made enough in the last 2 months to send a kid to church camp this summer! (I'm donating 50% of my commissions to that cause over the next 5 months. It is $350 to send one 6th - 12th grader to camp.) I've decided I want to use what I make to be a blessing to others.

This is one of God's promises to Abraham:
Genesis 12;2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 

I don't want a nation or a name for myself, but I would like to share what I have in a meaningful way. I'm hopeful that sending some kids to camp will change some lives for the better. 

Struggling

After a rather wonderful week in D.C. and a multi-day birthday celebration, I felt like all that was right in my world came crashing down. It's always difficult to get back in the swing of work, and to be given a less than stellar evaluation on the 2nd day back was disheartening. My job performance was rate 3 out of 5 => meets standards. I'm a type A overachiever, so that kind of rating is like being told that I'm not doing my job. I've been fussing about it for days to anyone who would listen. Honestly, I just needed my ego stroked. However, it should not matter how other people perceive what I do as long as I do it to the best of my ability and to the glory of God.

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.

I'm heading back to work tomorrow, with what I hope is a better attitude and a desire to keep my game at a high level.

A Gift from Above

I came back from my conference and took a couple days off work - mainly to celebrate my birthday, which have decided to count in levels instead of years. I mean doesn't it sound cooler to say I've reached Level 52 than to say I'm 52 years old? It sounds more like a planned accomplishment.  ;)

Thursday, I volunteered at my daughters school, ate lunch with my son, did almost nothing during the afternoon, and had dinner ready for my daughter. I think I even did a little calculus with my son. On Friday (my birthday), I had a massage, ate lunch with my BFF and son, had cake with my mom, dad and daughter, and just enjoyed spending time with everyone. 

Life began returning to normal on Saturday with way too many loads of laundry. However Sunday was a true gift! It was sunny and warm (70s). I got to go to church, out to eat and for a wonderful walk outside with my mom. The weather was absolutely perfect! I could have received no gift for which I was more thankful than a warm, sunny day. And no gift better than knowing God is guiding me toward my path in life.

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Giving Honor

On January 29, 2017, Navy Seal William Ryan Owens died on a mission in Yemen. I once talked with him on the phone after finding myself in posessiin of dozens of photos and letters his mom had saved over his lifetime. I wanted to return them, so I tracked him using his wife's name Carryn. The call to Virgina Beach was brief, but I assured him I would send her personal memories to him, mailing them the next day.

That awful day in January, I stared at the news article announcing his death. He was smiling, just like in all of those old photos I found. It broke my heart for his wife and kids. I vowed that if I every traveled to DC, I would go to Arlington National Cemetery and see where he was buried.  

Yesterday I went. It was a rainy, dreary day. I walked to the far corner of the cemetery which held the most recent graves. I found him. I said goodbye. I gave a silent prayer for his family and that he was enjoying the riches of heaven.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

May you always know you served your country well, Ryan.

Not the Routine

I have a routine on Sundays - a little exercise, a little coffee, mid-morning church, picking up lunch, writing my blog, doing some calculus or some other homework with my kids, walking if it's warm enough, making supper, getting ready for the week, and bedtime. 

Last week, my routine got sidetracked right after church. We had our white elephant cousin's party with my mom's family. It's a downsized reunion, complete with a crazy game of re-gifted Christmas presents. A little less than 40 relatives gathered to celebrate just being together. We played and laughed and generally filled a few hours with joy. 

For this one reason, I forgot to write my blog. I remembered it Monday on the way to work and the next time I thought about it was Wednesday.  By then I decided to wait until today. So, my apologies for not updating my story last week - but it was a time with the family that I wouldn't trade for anything. :)

Now we have jumped into February 2018. Wow! What happened to January? I awoke this morning to freezing temperatures, ice on the trees and heavy rains. My routine got derailed once again. 

Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans is a man's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel - that will stand.

My day hasn't gone as planned, but God provided a way for me to hear His Word. I was able to watch our church service live on Facebook and it felt as if I was there, using technology in the best way!

From 6 to 60 in Two Days

The topic of the week was weather. A snow storm moved in on Tuesday and disrupted classes Tuesday evening, Wednesday and Thursday. We may have had an inch or two of snow, but the bitter cold kept everything frozen for days. Ice was a real problem on the roads, but thankfully the power stayed on and we were warm. On Thursday morning, the wind chill was 6 degrees. In Georgia! However because of where we live, we were enjoying 60 degree temps on Saturday. This must be the #1 reason that I live in the South in the winter. :)

I must say that I enjoyed having several 1/2 days this week. It was just what I, and probably others, needed. God knew that and orchestrated everything. 

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.

Job 37:9-10 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen. 

To Excel in Giving

Last week I told you about my plan to put half of my commissions to work for scholarships to student camp. I had all intentions of working on my business at least 30 minutes each day. Unfortunately, it seemed I was pushed and pulled from every side. I stayed up until 12:30 Monday night (actually Tuesday morning) watching the National Championship, then arose at 5:30 to begin my day. I wish I could say that I actually slept those 5 hours, but it was more like 4.5 hours. The college was back in session and they were still accepting students. Our office was jumping! As the 'fireman' for all things that go wrong with our computer programming and having to test for an upgrade this weekend, I was treated to a crazy week. Adding to that the loss of sleep and getting back into Calculus with my son, I had to let the business rest for five days. 

I received notice of my first commission check for January and it was about $100 lower than the last one. At this point, I can pay about 1/3 of a scholarship. I'm going to need to pick up the pace to send more students to Deeper Camp 2018. 

Today at church, the pastor gave the sermon I needed to hear. He spoke about giving and how when you commit to do that, you will be tested. (I can say that's exactly how I view this past week.) However, if you stay on course, you will also be blessed and grow in Christ-likeness.

II Corinthians 9:10-11 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which cause thanksgiving through us to God. 

He has supplied the seed and direction, now it's time for me to sow the seed. Praying for guidance to do what I've been tasked to do. 

Great Things

January 1, 2018 started off with a bang when my beloved UGA Dawgs won the Rose Bowl! I believe it was absolutely the best football game I have ever seen! With such an exciting evening, it actually wasn't very difficult to get up early the next day to exercise and return to work. 

Every morning, I'm rising at 5:30 for exercise, making breakfast and lunch for my daughter, then sitting down to read my Bible until I must get dressed to head out the door. The difference is striking: I'm no longer rushing around; I'm not forgetting things; I'm more calm at work; and I feel like I've already accomplished a lot for the day.

I've got another idea I'm working on in regards to my network marketing business. Last year, the goal I had for my business was to pay for the products I was personally using. That was accomplished by August and has been met ever since. As I'm getting more involved in seeing how this business works, I'm thinking more about what kind of good I can do with it. Or rather, what kind of good God can do with it. I've prayed for ideas and yesterday this particular project took hold of my heart. 

Every summer, my church conducts a 5 day retreat for 6th - 12th graders. It's available for any student who wants to break away from everyday noise and build their spiritual lives. This will be the first year my daughter will go. I'm excited for her and will be happy to pay her way. But I also remember that every year there is a call to sponsor other kids. I want to do this, so I am pledging 50% of my commissions from January - May to go to sponsoring kids for the BPBC Deeper Camp.  If I stay at my current level, I'll be able to provide just over 2 scholarships. However, I don't want to stay at this level. I'm going to endeavor to pray over and work harder at the business, sending more kids to this church camp!

I Samuel 12:16 Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.