Saturday, September 28, 2013

seasons




A new season of Fall has begun...

There is cooler air (which is actually unusual for us- it is usually blazing hot until Halloween), the leaves are just starting to change colors, and Pumpkin Spice Lattes are at Starbucks (*sigh*) (yum!)...

I do enjoy this time of year. 

I think it is funny, though, that I am so ready for the next season to start and the last season to be over.  I'm ready for fall, I'm done with sweating every time I walk outside. I can't wait to start wearing sweaters. I look forward to the first snow day... well, that's probably actually it for winter... Once that happens, I'm ready for sunshine and warmth again.  So it's a short lived excitement in winter (too cold!).  Then... the newness of Spring is lovely, and fresh, and warm. Then, summer is the time to be care free again (I love to sleep in!)!

Everything has a season.

God gives each of us seasons to grow through. 

Sometimes it is a fun care free season like summer.

Sometimes it is a cold and dark season like winter.


God is growing us through these seasons, though.  He will lead us through the ups and downs if we just ask Him to.  He desires us, and uses us for His glory.  And, He makes all things work together for our good, for those who love Him.


It's hard to change (I had to update an iphone this week- trust me, I'm not a fan of change), to deal with change, to allow change... but, what if the perspective that you view your circumstances focused on growing, and learning instead of resistance and fear?  What if you could look at this time, these moments, as a season?  Then, perhaps, allowing God to work through you might just be the perspective you need to grow a little, change a little, and embrace your season, instead of resisting it...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 ESV

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ...


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Hallo!


Pray and remember.

from google
Always in my heart...

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OK, so, Katie and I were getting in line at Wal-mart to check out with our groceries on Monday or Tuesday this week (mom brain, can't remember exactly), and the boy at check out greeted us like this: "Halloooo there!"   Katie's eyes got really wide and she pulled me down so she could whisper in my ear, "I think he might be one of those aliens on Dr. Who..."

- So, Katie is. not. subtle.  She whispers loudly, and she doesn't have any sort of a poker face.  This boy is looking at me like, 'what is the deal'... and I'm trying not to laugh because this boy really does look like David Tennant.  So, smiling, I say to him, "Well, it's like this, she thinks you're a time lord."


from google


He smiles, kind of cocks his head to the side, and says, "I'm actually OK with that!"

Then, he looks at Katie and says, "Don't blink!"  I laughed, Katie smiled, and then she promptly started to back out of the line... very slowly... trying not to blink.... this actually, kind of, made my day! She has only seen the show once or twice with Tommy (who LOVED this story, by the way, and wants to go see the guy at Wal-mart, I'm guessing, to see if he really looks like Dr. Who), but I guess she has seen it enough to make an impression. So cute!

ALSO...

Another week is almost done in the incredible adventure called the school year...  :0)

My focus this year is to not be so busy.  Our pastor preached last Sunday about how busy our earthly lives have become, and how we wear it like a badge of honor (OK, obviously not everybody, but, a lot of people do).  The message was more about how to set our sights on eternal rewards, and not earthly rewards.  Both of these thoughts resonate! I can totally relate with the busy part... and I needed to be reminded that things of this world, while important while we are here, are not going to Heaven with us... the stuff, I mean.  God isn't going to care about what car we drove, or what brand name of socks we wore, or what kind of house we had...

He's going to care about if we used our car for His glory.

He's going to wonder if our feet were beautiful because they carried the Good News.

He's going to wonder if our house raised up a generation of warriors for Him.

:) I've got some work to do...

So, I'm really trying to focus on that more this year.  I think it's my challenge.  I keep telling myself when I want the new floor (sooo badly, I can't wait to get a new floor. really. for real.)- I have a floor, it works, and, in time, the new floor will look great- but... it better be supporting a warrior, for God, that carries beautiful feet, that proclaim good news!! Right?




Right!

I know this is a choppy sort of update, but lots of other stuff going on, too...

We volunteered this week at the food pantry, and had our first co-op class day for home school.  Tom-Tom is settling in to junior (!!) year in high-school- he is really digging the criminal justice class he is taking!  Mark is training with officers from Ontario and their canine partners (happy!). 

And.... we are trying to NOT be too busy;)



Friday, September 6, 2013

first week of school....check!

I am so thankful for teachers.  I know they teach because they want to, and not because they have to...

I was trying to explain this to my 16 year old son who does not home-school with us.  He has so many needs, and learning to navigate groups of different people and situations outweigh other reasons (for now, anyway) to keep him home.  Namely, respect for teachers and educators, for example, is something he needs to get. through. his. head.  That being said, after 24 hours of calming down, I can understand why he thinks the principal dressing up as the Lone Ranger, and music from Justin Bieber (truly, not high on his list of acceptable music, and quite honestly rapidly declining on my list of acceptable music) are stupid.  Come on, people, he is autistic.  I am sure he is not the only one, either.  Principals (teachers, administrators, etc.) aren't supposed to be in anything other than casual clothes, maybe a tie, or skirt, and definitely NOT dancing, singing, miming, or even pretending to like anything by the Biebs.  I'm just sayin'.  No judgement.

It was a good lesson to teach how important character and respect are to us humans (yes, even my Tommy - superior, smarter, autistic, et al.... as he proclaims... I promise he isn't trying to be rude...).  Letting Tommy know that the administration was not out to make his day miserable, and that increasing school spirit for EVERYONE was probably the objective of the assembly, did a lot to bring him down a few notches on the anger scale.  I'm not sure we convinced him it was ok to put on a costume outside of Halloween, and for sure, nothing said about Justin Bieber was remotely received by him; but we did make the point that teachers are awesome, and they are there to. help. him.  I know enough to know it isn't for the pay check... and yes, I told him that.  Granted, I have limited teaching experience and don't generate income, but I still do it because I WANT to...  that, and because of the whole feeling that God kind of put that call on us as a family, and I don't feel released from that call...  Still...

So, thank you to all of you educators out there!!:) You all are awesome (especially those dealing with middle school... another post for another time)!!!:)

Our first week back went well, too.  I only made Katie cry once this week (this is good news, believe it or not).  Danielle has been very motivated.  Math is laid back (I can't stand math, but so far, so good).  Katie did tell me symmetry is where you put dead people.... :)

We had an awesome summer, and a great time the last week of summer at the beach in Emerald Isle!!!!  So, I'll include some pictures:

me my man!

the kiddles!

yes, that's me

coming in for a landing...

just playin' around:)

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