This is Austin, and yes, I taught him to do that. I am just so proud!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Thursday, May 12, 2005
That's All Folks
I am officially finished with school for three months. Three years under my belt...one-and-a-half to go. I can make it. Just two more semesters of classes and a semester of student teaching. Praise the Lord. [For those of you who know me well, you know that I actually enjoy school and it will be somewhat strange to not be taking classes at some point.] I signed myself up for a summer online class, so this should get interesting, considering I won't really have easy access to the Internet for eight weeks. It will be a good class though. One of the books is called "Holler if You Hear Me." It is a first-hand account from a guy who taught in the Chicago Public School District. I have already read it once for fun, and now I get to read it again! I highly recommend this book. It is a fast read and it offers some very interesting insights, not only for potential teachers.
Thank you, all, for the reading suggestions. I have already made a few purchases. I am conjuring up a nice little book list, but it has definitely grown beyond ten books. That's okay though. I found out I have more layovers this summer than I thought, so these books will come in handy. They will come in nice and heavy, but that's okay too.
Mandy-where on earth am I going to find that old Donald Miller book without spending $35 for it?
Sammy Update:
On Tuesday after school, Sammy and I were moving through our normal after school schedule, which begins with bathroom break. While he was in the bathroom, he started yelling into the vent, "Rex! Rex! Where are you?" Then he started making walkie-talkie noises and saying, "Erin, Miss Erin, do you copy? Are you there?" I had no clue what he was doing. We finished with the bathroom break and he immediately ran into the kitchen and laid down on the floor next to another vent. "Rex! Rex! Erin, do you hear the voices? Do you hear them?" I was really trying hard not to laugh, but at the same time I was getting frustrated because he kept yelling and yelling at me about these voices. It wasn't until he said this that I figured out what he was doing: "Rex! Woody! Buzz! Where are you? Are you coming through this vent?"
Oh my goodness. It was hilarious. He seriously thinks that the Toy Story 2 characters are in his vents. So, I played along as well. Even Emily started in on it. For the next hour and a half and for most of yesterday, we laid by the vent in his room talking to these characters, reassuring them we would leave the lights on for them if they wanted to come to Sammy's room. Yesterday, Emily was trying to distract him and told him that the characters went back to Andy's room (if you are not familiar with Toy Story, Andy is the little boy who owns all of these toys). I thought Sammy was going to cry. He kept asking when they were coming back to his house and when he could play with them.
Priceless. Absolutely priceless.
I must go now. Hopefully we will have more Toy Story adventures today!
Thank you, all, for the reading suggestions. I have already made a few purchases. I am conjuring up a nice little book list, but it has definitely grown beyond ten books. That's okay though. I found out I have more layovers this summer than I thought, so these books will come in handy. They will come in nice and heavy, but that's okay too.
Mandy-where on earth am I going to find that old Donald Miller book without spending $35 for it?
Sammy Update:
On Tuesday after school, Sammy and I were moving through our normal after school schedule, which begins with bathroom break. While he was in the bathroom, he started yelling into the vent, "Rex! Rex! Where are you?" Then he started making walkie-talkie noises and saying, "Erin, Miss Erin, do you copy? Are you there?" I had no clue what he was doing. We finished with the bathroom break and he immediately ran into the kitchen and laid down on the floor next to another vent. "Rex! Rex! Erin, do you hear the voices? Do you hear them?" I was really trying hard not to laugh, but at the same time I was getting frustrated because he kept yelling and yelling at me about these voices. It wasn't until he said this that I figured out what he was doing: "Rex! Woody! Buzz! Where are you? Are you coming through this vent?"
Oh my goodness. It was hilarious. He seriously thinks that the Toy Story 2 characters are in his vents. So, I played along as well. Even Emily started in on it. For the next hour and a half and for most of yesterday, we laid by the vent in his room talking to these characters, reassuring them we would leave the lights on for them if they wanted to come to Sammy's room. Yesterday, Emily was trying to distract him and told him that the characters went back to Andy's room (if you are not familiar with Toy Story, Andy is the little boy who owns all of these toys). I thought Sammy was going to cry. He kept asking when they were coming back to his house and when he could play with them.
Priceless. Absolutely priceless.
I must go now. Hopefully we will have more Toy Story adventures today!
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Addendums
Well, I don't really know what to say. For those people who made anonymous comments (BTW...I really think anonymity is awesome), let me clear a few things up...
As for the incident last Friday at the pharmacy. I don't think I said it was at the pharmacy, but it was. I don't know if the lady was a Christian or not, but I was just using that example to pose a question I started wrestling with LAST SUMMER. I realize that Christians are not perfect. I never said they were. I am a Christian and I am a far cry from being perfect, but the One I am following IS perfect. I was just really upset about what had happened that day simply because any human being, regardless of their belief system or the lack thereof, has no right to be a jerk, especially to a customer! So sue me. That is my opinion, and much like many others' opinions, sometimes they stink. Also, within the last two weeks, I have dealt with human resources type people and service people who have just been plain rotten to be around. They were negative, sassy, and very short (and I don't mean height). I was simply frustrated and like I said before, confused.
That being said, let me clear up a few things about this little paper that I wrote this week. I included a letter to my professor about my struggles with said paper. This week I have felt like one of those dogs who runs around in circles chasing its tail all day long. There was never any resolution for my paper. I completely see both sides of the coin and I never intended for people to think I was being judgmental. I really feel like our society is at a really low point right now. You know, where do you draw the line? Come on, it is sad, and I know I am not the only person who believes that to be true. As for my paper, my thesis ended up being something like..."While it is necessary for children's literature to reflect society, there is a blurred line between reflecting and determining." Basically, I needed to write a critical paper for my class, I chose the topic of families, and this is where I ended. I am not saying I know the answers to the questions I posed in my paper, but that I too am CHEWING ON THEM. I am not trying to be "holier than thou" but it was something to look into. I waffled through my paper, never really landing on either side. I mentioned how books about divorce can be truly healing for children who have found themselves in the midst of that situation, and that books about same-sex parents can be the same. However, by continually publishing literature on these topics, I feel like we are at a greater potential to become numb to the whole thing. My paper was fairly decent, but nothing to call home about. I tried my best, and you know what, it is finished and that is all that I care about at this point. I will get back to you in a few weeks when I find out how I did on it.
Now, for more exciting things:
-All of my furniture has been relocated to a cute little 5x10 storage unit. Special thanks go out to my friend Josh who came up and helped us carry everything down the stairs, out to a truck, back out of the truck, and into the unit.
-After tomorrow, we will have NO furniture for the rest of the week. Kind of exciting, but weird at the same time.
-Next week, even though it will be sprinkled with two precious finals, is going to be a lot of fun. I have something special planned for every day.
-I will be home very, very soon. I am leaving in 17 days to experience what may become the best summer of my life. I just found out that I will be helping at a VBS in Nairobi. How fun is that?
-I have found more U2 songs to listen to. Actually, I just started venturing away from the four I always cling to. I can't remember the names right now, but nonetheless, they are fun.
-To my friends who know how to deal with confrontation, please offer me some advice. I cannot continue to bottle things up inside and then explode with tears. Not cool, not cool at all.
-To those of you who have seasonal allergies, how are you managing right now? Is it just me, or does everything outside and inside make you miserable right now?
-My parents are good people. They came up last night and helped me move everything today. My dad took care of the loading/unloading stuff, and my mom helped me clean our apartment, namely the kitchen and my bathroom. They also provided me with some quarters for my rip-off laundry room. Rock on.
-I am reading Blue Like Jazz right now. I started reading it last summer but put it down for various reasons. I have tried again though, and I LOVE IT! I can't wait to just sit back on my bare floor and read it until it is finished.
-I am searching right now for a summer book list. I would like to take ten books with me this summer...five for me to take in May and five for my parents to bring over in June. Seeing as I am in the middle of Blue Like Jazz, I would like to definitely continue reading more from Donald Miller. However, I need some suggestions. Any takers?
I apologize for another random post. Just felt like I needed to make a few adjustments, or for a more creative word, addendums.
That's a wrap.
P.S. Kim, I would love it if you could possibly make me a Bulgarian Adventure CD or perhaps an Egyptian Adventure CD. Your comment made me laugh out loud...again, so sorry about that silly little mix-up :)
As for the incident last Friday at the pharmacy. I don't think I said it was at the pharmacy, but it was. I don't know if the lady was a Christian or not, but I was just using that example to pose a question I started wrestling with LAST SUMMER. I realize that Christians are not perfect. I never said they were. I am a Christian and I am a far cry from being perfect, but the One I am following IS perfect. I was just really upset about what had happened that day simply because any human being, regardless of their belief system or the lack thereof, has no right to be a jerk, especially to a customer! So sue me. That is my opinion, and much like many others' opinions, sometimes they stink. Also, within the last two weeks, I have dealt with human resources type people and service people who have just been plain rotten to be around. They were negative, sassy, and very short (and I don't mean height). I was simply frustrated and like I said before, confused.
That being said, let me clear up a few things about this little paper that I wrote this week. I included a letter to my professor about my struggles with said paper. This week I have felt like one of those dogs who runs around in circles chasing its tail all day long. There was never any resolution for my paper. I completely see both sides of the coin and I never intended for people to think I was being judgmental. I really feel like our society is at a really low point right now. You know, where do you draw the line? Come on, it is sad, and I know I am not the only person who believes that to be true. As for my paper, my thesis ended up being something like..."While it is necessary for children's literature to reflect society, there is a blurred line between reflecting and determining." Basically, I needed to write a critical paper for my class, I chose the topic of families, and this is where I ended. I am not saying I know the answers to the questions I posed in my paper, but that I too am CHEWING ON THEM. I am not trying to be "holier than thou" but it was something to look into. I waffled through my paper, never really landing on either side. I mentioned how books about divorce can be truly healing for children who have found themselves in the midst of that situation, and that books about same-sex parents can be the same. However, by continually publishing literature on these topics, I feel like we are at a greater potential to become numb to the whole thing. My paper was fairly decent, but nothing to call home about. I tried my best, and you know what, it is finished and that is all that I care about at this point. I will get back to you in a few weeks when I find out how I did on it.
Now, for more exciting things:
-All of my furniture has been relocated to a cute little 5x10 storage unit. Special thanks go out to my friend Josh who came up and helped us carry everything down the stairs, out to a truck, back out of the truck, and into the unit.
-After tomorrow, we will have NO furniture for the rest of the week. Kind of exciting, but weird at the same time.
-Next week, even though it will be sprinkled with two precious finals, is going to be a lot of fun. I have something special planned for every day.
-I will be home very, very soon. I am leaving in 17 days to experience what may become the best summer of my life. I just found out that I will be helping at a VBS in Nairobi. How fun is that?
-I have found more U2 songs to listen to. Actually, I just started venturing away from the four I always cling to. I can't remember the names right now, but nonetheless, they are fun.
-To my friends who know how to deal with confrontation, please offer me some advice. I cannot continue to bottle things up inside and then explode with tears. Not cool, not cool at all.
-To those of you who have seasonal allergies, how are you managing right now? Is it just me, or does everything outside and inside make you miserable right now?
-My parents are good people. They came up last night and helped me move everything today. My dad took care of the loading/unloading stuff, and my mom helped me clean our apartment, namely the kitchen and my bathroom. They also provided me with some quarters for my rip-off laundry room. Rock on.
-I am reading Blue Like Jazz right now. I started reading it last summer but put it down for various reasons. I have tried again though, and I LOVE IT! I can't wait to just sit back on my bare floor and read it until it is finished.
-I am searching right now for a summer book list. I would like to take ten books with me this summer...five for me to take in May and five for my parents to bring over in June. Seeing as I am in the middle of Blue Like Jazz, I would like to definitely continue reading more from Donald Miller. However, I need some suggestions. Any takers?
I apologize for another random post. Just felt like I needed to make a few adjustments, or for a more creative word, addendums.
That's a wrap.
P.S. Kim, I would love it if you could possibly make me a Bulgarian Adventure CD or perhaps an Egyptian Adventure CD. Your comment made me laugh out loud...again, so sorry about that silly little mix-up :)
Thursday, May 05, 2005
All Over the Board
Only one day left. I can make it. Just a few more hours to go. With only a few things remaining on my beautiful to-do list, there have been a lot of things on my mind. In no particular order:
-I have been writing a huge paper for my children's literature class. I have been chewing on it for quite some time, but it hasn't been until this week that I have actually put any of it on paper. I decided to write about the portrayal of families in children's lit. Wow. What an eye opener. I really struggled with this paper for the simple fact that I am a Christian. It was very hard to look through the shelves of books like "Heather Has Two Mommies" or "Stepchild" or even "One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads" and not wonder what God is thinking about the things that have happened here. I have had several mini-conferences with my professor about this paper and each time, we come to the question of whether or not this literature is right or wrong. I have been swimming in circles with this paper, trying to ask the question "are these books okay for children to read?" I still don't have a solid answer. The only thing I could come up with is that children's literature should be society reflecting but not society determining or driving. It is just so gray...nothing seems to be black and white anymore. I like rules and I wish there were more rules about some things. I see both sides of the coin with controversial literature, but still, I just don't know what is right. I am sure none of this makes sense, but my head hurts now, so that's all there is about that.
-Tonight I went to dinner with the family I babysit for. They have really taken me in and usually include me in their family dinners once a week. Sammy's sister, Emily, is 13. Sometimes I really struggle with relating to her because we are just so different. She mocks me for listening to Christian music and tells me that I don't know anything simply because I don't know that Destiny's Child got back together or because I don't know Kelly Clarkson's newest song. She gets really sassy when I don't give her the answers to her homework. Plus, she talks back to her parents and to me and it really, REALLY bothers me. My parents are always telling me to try and remember the things she has to deal with (meaning Sammy and his autism). So, I try. Sometimes I do alright, but other times she just tests my patience. Back to tonight: we planned to go to Carlos O'Kellys to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. However, when we got there the place was crazy crowded. So, we left. Changing plans doesn't always go over too well with Sammy. He had his heart set on going there. Plus, he saw the WBNQ on-location van and was very excited to see them broadcasting. The whole way to the Schlotzsky's he cried in my backseat. It was quite pitiful. Anyway, when we went into Schlotzsky's, Sammy started yelling and somewhat made a scene. Sammy's dad was guiding him to a table, but he definitely didn't go quietly. Emily was with them for a bit but then came back over by me and her mom. She just looked at me and whispered, "This is sooo embarrassing." In that moment, I felt awful. You know, it is sometimes hard for me to take Sammy in public for fear of the reactions of others, but I don't do it everyday of my life. Emily has dealt with this for the last eleven years of her life and will continue to deal with it for the rest of her life. It has to be tough. Tonight I had a glimpse of her life as the sister of a boy who has autism. It was quite the humbling experience.
-The best band ever??? A few years ago, a good friend of mine introduced me to a band called U2. I liked to listen to them on occasion, but never really loved them. My friend sure did though. So, as time went by, I started to really like them as well. However, a time came that I didn't really listen to them too much anymore. Last week, though, I stumbled upon one of my roommates "Best of U2" CDs and I started to fall in love again. I am not sure that I would say this is the best band ever simply because I do not know all of their songs. But wow, I really do like their music. I find myself repeating these songs: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Desire, Sweetest Thing, and Bad. I am sure there are lots more songs I need to find out about, but these are really fun. I am intrigued by a lot of their lyrics. I really wish I could ask my friend about them, but not today. Maybe someday.
(BTW...all suggestions for U2 songs are welcome)
-Conflict. Confrontation. I need to be better at this. I am not saying I want to become combative, but my roommate kindly reminds me that we were called to be peacemakers, not doormats. I hate confrontation. I would rather shoulder all the blame than risk confronting someone or telling someone how I truly feel or how they have hurt me. Yikes, I have a lot to work on.
-Moving out. The time has come. My parents are coming this weekend to take the furniture away to a storage unit for the summer. Looks like we will be "roughing" it this week...no beds, no couches, no kitchen table, no desk...it could get interesting!
-20 days. That's all. I have to admit that my summer schedule still hasn't sunk in yet, but it will soon. I am starting to get anxious. I am curious to see what I will learn while I am away. Selfishly, I NEED this trip. I need to get away for a while and be alone. I am sure that I could have done that without skipping the country, but oh well. I keep thinking of all the things I learned four years ago when I was in Africa for only two short weeks. I will be there for six weeks, plus the two weeks in Italy and Greece. I am ready. I want to listen. I want to learn. I want to be changed.
Told you. All over the place.
-I have been writing a huge paper for my children's literature class. I have been chewing on it for quite some time, but it hasn't been until this week that I have actually put any of it on paper. I decided to write about the portrayal of families in children's lit. Wow. What an eye opener. I really struggled with this paper for the simple fact that I am a Christian. It was very hard to look through the shelves of books like "Heather Has Two Mommies" or "Stepchild" or even "One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads" and not wonder what God is thinking about the things that have happened here. I have had several mini-conferences with my professor about this paper and each time, we come to the question of whether or not this literature is right or wrong. I have been swimming in circles with this paper, trying to ask the question "are these books okay for children to read?" I still don't have a solid answer. The only thing I could come up with is that children's literature should be society reflecting but not society determining or driving. It is just so gray...nothing seems to be black and white anymore. I like rules and I wish there were more rules about some things. I see both sides of the coin with controversial literature, but still, I just don't know what is right. I am sure none of this makes sense, but my head hurts now, so that's all there is about that.
-Tonight I went to dinner with the family I babysit for. They have really taken me in and usually include me in their family dinners once a week. Sammy's sister, Emily, is 13. Sometimes I really struggle with relating to her because we are just so different. She mocks me for listening to Christian music and tells me that I don't know anything simply because I don't know that Destiny's Child got back together or because I don't know Kelly Clarkson's newest song. She gets really sassy when I don't give her the answers to her homework. Plus, she talks back to her parents and to me and it really, REALLY bothers me. My parents are always telling me to try and remember the things she has to deal with (meaning Sammy and his autism). So, I try. Sometimes I do alright, but other times she just tests my patience. Back to tonight: we planned to go to Carlos O'Kellys to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. However, when we got there the place was crazy crowded. So, we left. Changing plans doesn't always go over too well with Sammy. He had his heart set on going there. Plus, he saw the WBNQ on-location van and was very excited to see them broadcasting. The whole way to the Schlotzsky's he cried in my backseat. It was quite pitiful. Anyway, when we went into Schlotzsky's, Sammy started yelling and somewhat made a scene. Sammy's dad was guiding him to a table, but he definitely didn't go quietly. Emily was with them for a bit but then came back over by me and her mom. She just looked at me and whispered, "This is sooo embarrassing." In that moment, I felt awful. You know, it is sometimes hard for me to take Sammy in public for fear of the reactions of others, but I don't do it everyday of my life. Emily has dealt with this for the last eleven years of her life and will continue to deal with it for the rest of her life. It has to be tough. Tonight I had a glimpse of her life as the sister of a boy who has autism. It was quite the humbling experience.
-The best band ever??? A few years ago, a good friend of mine introduced me to a band called U2. I liked to listen to them on occasion, but never really loved them. My friend sure did though. So, as time went by, I started to really like them as well. However, a time came that I didn't really listen to them too much anymore. Last week, though, I stumbled upon one of my roommates "Best of U2" CDs and I started to fall in love again. I am not sure that I would say this is the best band ever simply because I do not know all of their songs. But wow, I really do like their music. I find myself repeating these songs: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Desire, Sweetest Thing, and Bad. I am sure there are lots more songs I need to find out about, but these are really fun. I am intrigued by a lot of their lyrics. I really wish I could ask my friend about them, but not today. Maybe someday.
(BTW...all suggestions for U2 songs are welcome)
-Conflict. Confrontation. I need to be better at this. I am not saying I want to become combative, but my roommate kindly reminds me that we were called to be peacemakers, not doormats. I hate confrontation. I would rather shoulder all the blame than risk confronting someone or telling someone how I truly feel or how they have hurt me. Yikes, I have a lot to work on.
-Moving out. The time has come. My parents are coming this weekend to take the furniture away to a storage unit for the summer. Looks like we will be "roughing" it this week...no beds, no couches, no kitchen table, no desk...it could get interesting!
-20 days. That's all. I have to admit that my summer schedule still hasn't sunk in yet, but it will soon. I am starting to get anxious. I am curious to see what I will learn while I am away. Selfishly, I NEED this trip. I need to get away for a while and be alone. I am sure that I could have done that without skipping the country, but oh well. I keep thinking of all the things I learned four years ago when I was in Africa for only two short weeks. I will be there for six weeks, plus the two weeks in Italy and Greece. I am ready. I want to listen. I want to learn. I want to be changed.
Told you. All over the place.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Food for Thought
I know, I know, clever title. In all seriousness, I have a concern. As a Christian, a person who is called to be different and to be set apart, how do we respond to those who are not Christians?
Hear me out on this. I just had a really disappointing experience with another human being. This person was cruel, rude, a bit sassy, and treated me like I was just a dumb box of rocks standing in front of her. My response: tears. I understand that Christians are supposed to try to live according to higher standards, but how, without being disrespectful in return, do we make our point that we have been hurt? I am sure that none of this makes sense, but it is a question that has haunted me for some time now, even with other Christians. I know that we can use Scripture and try to hold one another accountable, but what do you do when the person who has hurt you doesn't care about your Christian standards or the Bible or even the right thing to do in a given situation?
I know that there isn't always a "right or wrong" choice, but rather a good choice and a better choice. I just have a hard time with wanting everything to be black and white, right or wrong, good or bad, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
It's time to forgive and move on, I guess.
Hear me out on this. I just had a really disappointing experience with another human being. This person was cruel, rude, a bit sassy, and treated me like I was just a dumb box of rocks standing in front of her. My response: tears. I understand that Christians are supposed to try to live according to higher standards, but how, without being disrespectful in return, do we make our point that we have been hurt? I am sure that none of this makes sense, but it is a question that has haunted me for some time now, even with other Christians. I know that we can use Scripture and try to hold one another accountable, but what do you do when the person who has hurt you doesn't care about your Christian standards or the Bible or even the right thing to do in a given situation?
I know that there isn't always a "right or wrong" choice, but rather a good choice and a better choice. I just have a hard time with wanting everything to be black and white, right or wrong, good or bad, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
It's time to forgive and move on, I guess.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Thunder=Allergen
Funny story. Maybe it won't be so funny now, but I laughed pretty hard at this.
Today Sammy was asking me why I was coughing (really I was sneezing). I told him that I have allergies and I then asked him if he has any allergies.
His answer: "Yes, yes I do. It's the thunder. It makes me scream."
Anyway, I thought it was pretty cute. It is much better though if you can hear his little voice. Funny stuff.
Today Sammy was asking me why I was coughing (really I was sneezing). I told him that I have allergies and I then asked him if he has any allergies.
His answer: "Yes, yes I do. It's the thunder. It makes me scream."
Anyway, I thought it was pretty cute. It is much better though if you can hear his little voice. Funny stuff.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Loving and Loathing
Loving spring and its fragrance.
Loathing my body's response to said fragrance. Two words: seasonal allergies.
Loving the fact that I have only 13 days of classes left.
Loathing the overwhelming amount of work that I still have to do. Yikes. It could get ugly.
Loving that May 25th is almost here.
Loathing that again, I still have so much to do before I can leave. I don't know how I will finish it all!
Loving the sunshine and the possibilities for a tan.
Loathing my apartment deck and the fact that only a small sliver of it gets sun in the afternoon. Tanning this afternoon didn't really work out for me. Don't worry, I was doing homework at the same time.
Loathing my body's response to said fragrance. Two words: seasonal allergies.
Loving the fact that I have only 13 days of classes left.
Loathing the overwhelming amount of work that I still have to do. Yikes. It could get ugly.
Loving that May 25th is almost here.
Loathing that again, I still have so much to do before I can leave. I don't know how I will finish it all!
Loving the sunshine and the possibilities for a tan.
Loathing my apartment deck and the fact that only a small sliver of it gets sun in the afternoon. Tanning this afternoon didn't really work out for me. Don't worry, I was doing homework at the same time.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Trust
Trust is something that I struggle with. I think that a lot of people do, actually. It is hard for me to let someone else in because I have a deep fear of being hurt. Therefore, it is hard for me to trust God at times. I have been learning, bit by bit, that God won't let me down. I have learned this through classes at LCC, life experiences, and the testimonies of others.
Today I learned a lesson in the classroom of life. I sing with a friend of mine at his church sometimes and I have gotten to know some of the people in the congregation. There is this older man, let's call him Jack. He serves as an elder at this church and he has always been the first to greet me every time I am there. He is such a nice guy! I have been singing at this church all year and I really look forward to seeing Jack when I go.
Anyway, today's sermon topic was on tithing, but I would say that the overall theme was trust. The preacher talked about trusting God with our firstfruits and basically, trusting God with our whole lives. He reminded me that God isn't going to fail me and that if I choose to put God first, everything else will fall into place.
Enter Jack. Like I said, Jack is an older man and he could probably retire soon. Just two weeks ago, he lost his job. He was the only income for his family and their income was quickly cut off. The next weekend, this church body had a banquet where the families that serve as leadership were supposed to give a pledge for an upcoming building campaign. Jack and his wife had already decided that they would give based upon his income. Even though his income no longer existed, they still pledged the same amount at the banquet as they had decided before he lost his job. Wow. That takes courage. That takes trust. Jack and his wife stepped out on a limb. They took a leap of faith, knowing that God was going to catch them no matter what happened.
Lo and behold...
On Monday, Jack started applying for more jobs and came across three possibilities. On Tuesday, he sent in his applications. On Wednesday, he had two second interviews. On Thursday, Jack had three job offers! I don't know which job he will end up having, but wow. Isn't that amazing?
Thank you, Jack, for reminding me that God is so much bigger than me. Thank you, Jack, for teaching me through your very life to put God first. Thank you, Jack, for you taught me things today that you will never even know about.
Today I learned a lesson in the classroom of life. I sing with a friend of mine at his church sometimes and I have gotten to know some of the people in the congregation. There is this older man, let's call him Jack. He serves as an elder at this church and he has always been the first to greet me every time I am there. He is such a nice guy! I have been singing at this church all year and I really look forward to seeing Jack when I go.
Anyway, today's sermon topic was on tithing, but I would say that the overall theme was trust. The preacher talked about trusting God with our firstfruits and basically, trusting God with our whole lives. He reminded me that God isn't going to fail me and that if I choose to put God first, everything else will fall into place.
Enter Jack. Like I said, Jack is an older man and he could probably retire soon. Just two weeks ago, he lost his job. He was the only income for his family and their income was quickly cut off. The next weekend, this church body had a banquet where the families that serve as leadership were supposed to give a pledge for an upcoming building campaign. Jack and his wife had already decided that they would give based upon his income. Even though his income no longer existed, they still pledged the same amount at the banquet as they had decided before he lost his job. Wow. That takes courage. That takes trust. Jack and his wife stepped out on a limb. They took a leap of faith, knowing that God was going to catch them no matter what happened.
Lo and behold...
On Monday, Jack started applying for more jobs and came across three possibilities. On Tuesday, he sent in his applications. On Wednesday, he had two second interviews. On Thursday, Jack had three job offers! I don't know which job he will end up having, but wow. Isn't that amazing?
Thank you, Jack, for reminding me that God is so much bigger than me. Thank you, Jack, for teaching me through your very life to put God first. Thank you, Jack, for you taught me things today that you will never even know about.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Mazel Tov!
My two best friends from home just got engaged Wednesday night. I can't believe how quickly time has gone by! It seems like only yesterday that Shawna was secretly pining after him from afar. Look how far they have come! Congratulations are in store!
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Sometimes my camera shocks me and takes a fairly decent photo. This is one of the dogwood trees in my neighborhood. Isn't it beautiful? It's a good thing I took this picture when I did because the next day, my neighbor boys thought it would be cool to swing bats at the tree limbs and knock off a bunch of the petals. I guess it's true...boys will be boys!
Important Numbers
Number of days spent in classes: 19
Number of days spent taking finals: 2
Number of major projects that must be completed: 5
Number of days until I have to move out of the apartment: 32
Number of days remaining at my job: 32
Number of days until I leave for my European adventure: 43
Number of days until I finally arrive in Kenya: 60
"All good things come to those who wait." -I don't know.
Number of days spent taking finals: 2
Number of major projects that must be completed: 5
Number of days until I have to move out of the apartment: 32
Number of days remaining at my job: 32
Number of days until I leave for my European adventure: 43
Number of days until I finally arrive in Kenya: 60
"All good things come to those who wait." -I don't know.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
It's a BEAUTIFUL Day in the Neighborhood!
Man oh man. What a great day outside! The sun is shining, there is a light breeze, the grass is getting greener, I am wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops...what more could a girl ask for? I just got back from RIDING MY BIKE to class. It was delightful and money-saving. That's a huge plus. However, for those of you who are avid bike-riders, take note: Don't wear flip-flops that have no thong in them. Your feet slide everywhere when trying to pedal.
A few reasons why yesterday, April 4th, was such a GREAT day (in no particular order):
1. NO MORE SOCKS! Put them away and bust out the sandals because flip-flop season has officially arrived. I no longer have any closed toed shoes here except for my running shoes, because take it from me, you can't run in flip-flops.
2. Turned off our air this past weekend. I love having the windows open and I love saving money.
3. Went to my "kiddie lit" class on the quad yesterday. How cool is that?
4. The quad was packed with people. Very exciting. We had lunch on the patio in the sun.
5. Skin season has officially opened. Don't hear me wrong on this, but everyone starts shedding layers right about now. It is really quite entertaining. It just amazes me what some people wear to class. Enough on that.
6. I watched the Illinois game with my ultra-athletic roommate. I am such a loser when it comes to sports, but it was really fun to get into the game with her. Even though it was a sad, sad ending, it was still a great game to watch.
7. I finally started to feel and sound a bit better yesterday. The sickness isn't gone yet, but we are getting there.
8. I am going to have another cousin in Africa come October! Kelly sneakily sent an email late last night sharing the news. I have been secretly hoping for this news to come for a long time!
9. Sammy and I went to Miller Park yesterday and he was SO GOOD. We spent an hour, I kid you not, looking at these war-time memoirs. There are replicas of cannons, tanks, and such. He even climbed into a hatch on one of the tanks. I am not sure if we were supposed to do that, but oh well. He got to pretendd he was a soldier and he loved it! At any rate, he didn't run away, start screaming, or hit me during our time together. Maybe he has had spring fever since January and the sunshine is finally curing some of those temper-tantrums.
10. My dates have finally been set for the summer. I will have layovers in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Paris, France. Not too shabby, not too shabby at all.
Anyway, those are the reasons I can remember why yesterday was such a great day. Today is going just dandy as well. How could it not when my day started with an invigorating bike ride.
Let the sun shine!
A few reasons why yesterday, April 4th, was such a GREAT day (in no particular order):
1. NO MORE SOCKS! Put them away and bust out the sandals because flip-flop season has officially arrived. I no longer have any closed toed shoes here except for my running shoes, because take it from me, you can't run in flip-flops.
2. Turned off our air this past weekend. I love having the windows open and I love saving money.
3. Went to my "kiddie lit" class on the quad yesterday. How cool is that?
4. The quad was packed with people. Very exciting. We had lunch on the patio in the sun.
5. Skin season has officially opened. Don't hear me wrong on this, but everyone starts shedding layers right about now. It is really quite entertaining. It just amazes me what some people wear to class. Enough on that.
6. I watched the Illinois game with my ultra-athletic roommate. I am such a loser when it comes to sports, but it was really fun to get into the game with her. Even though it was a sad, sad ending, it was still a great game to watch.
7. I finally started to feel and sound a bit better yesterday. The sickness isn't gone yet, but we are getting there.
8. I am going to have another cousin in Africa come October! Kelly sneakily sent an email late last night sharing the news. I have been secretly hoping for this news to come for a long time!
9. Sammy and I went to Miller Park yesterday and he was SO GOOD. We spent an hour, I kid you not, looking at these war-time memoirs. There are replicas of cannons, tanks, and such. He even climbed into a hatch on one of the tanks. I am not sure if we were supposed to do that, but oh well. He got to pretendd he was a soldier and he loved it! At any rate, he didn't run away, start screaming, or hit me during our time together. Maybe he has had spring fever since January and the sunshine is finally curing some of those temper-tantrums.
10. My dates have finally been set for the summer. I will have layovers in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Paris, France. Not too shabby, not too shabby at all.
Anyway, those are the reasons I can remember why yesterday was such a great day. Today is going just dandy as well. How could it not when my day started with an invigorating bike ride.
Let the sun shine!
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Beautiful flowers! My friend Steph was in town last week and I was supposed to have dinner with her. BUT, since I have been so ridiculously sick all week, I couldn't go. Instead, she brought me these lovely flowers. Unfortunately, they are slowly withering away and I have yet to smell them! At least I can enjoy looking at them, right?
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Friday, March 18, 2005
Time for a Break
Spring Break. Two blessed words. I have DEFINITELY needed this break. It has been a fairly decent week, given the fact that I stayed in Quincy instead of jetting to Florida or Colorado. It has been one jam packed break though, that's for sure.
It all began with a lovely pizza party last Friday in the classroom in which I am tutoring. I stayed in control, however, and only had one slice :) Then, it was on to Lincoln for what I anticipated to be a 30 minute stop. Instead, it turned into a nearly 4 hour visit! It was what I needed though. I was pleasantly and gratefully reminded of my old community, a community that I miss so much. There was laughing, reminiscing, catching up, more laughing, and a Snickers frappucino without the frappucino, MY FAVORITE! Only the Warehouse has this fabulous drink of mine, so I have to indulge every time I am there. After LCC, I hit Java Junction to see Chuck and Gail and had a very tasty Italian soda. Ah, it was GREAT!
By the time I made it home to Quincy it was almost 7 o'clock instead of 2 o'clock as I had planned for. Since then, it has been a bit of a blur. I have been all over the place! I had one of my roommates come over, I have been in a 5th grade classroom for 2 days, I have helped with a 5th grade science project, I have been shopping, I have been to Santino's THREE TIMES, and I even ventured to the Gyro House today.
Overall, it has been a great break. Haven't done too much homework yet, but I am trying not to care about that. There have been a few moments of discomfort, but in time, that will get better.
Soon and very soon I will return to school. I am ready to finish the semester, but I am not ready for all of the work that I need to finish. It is too bad that we can't have a spring break every couple of weeks!
It all began with a lovely pizza party last Friday in the classroom in which I am tutoring. I stayed in control, however, and only had one slice :) Then, it was on to Lincoln for what I anticipated to be a 30 minute stop. Instead, it turned into a nearly 4 hour visit! It was what I needed though. I was pleasantly and gratefully reminded of my old community, a community that I miss so much. There was laughing, reminiscing, catching up, more laughing, and a Snickers frappucino without the frappucino, MY FAVORITE! Only the Warehouse has this fabulous drink of mine, so I have to indulge every time I am there. After LCC, I hit Java Junction to see Chuck and Gail and had a very tasty Italian soda. Ah, it was GREAT!
By the time I made it home to Quincy it was almost 7 o'clock instead of 2 o'clock as I had planned for. Since then, it has been a bit of a blur. I have been all over the place! I had one of my roommates come over, I have been in a 5th grade classroom for 2 days, I have helped with a 5th grade science project, I have been shopping, I have been to Santino's THREE TIMES, and I even ventured to the Gyro House today.
Overall, it has been a great break. Haven't done too much homework yet, but I am trying not to care about that. There have been a few moments of discomfort, but in time, that will get better.
Soon and very soon I will return to school. I am ready to finish the semester, but I am not ready for all of the work that I need to finish. It is too bad that we can't have a spring break every couple of weeks!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Life's Unexpected Lessons
I have a friend. His name is Sammy. He will be eleven next week. His favorite color is yellow and his room was recently painted to match his favorite color. He LOVES to talk to me about machines, cars, electronics, robots, and Thomas the Tank Engine. He likes to ride his go-cart on the golf cart path, and he loves his yellow bicycle. He has a strange fixation on screaming and crying babies. He wants to have his own RV with back-up video cameras, 6x6 wheels, and an air-conditioning system.
Sammy likes to go to the playground and he likes piggy-back rides. He likes to watch Monster Garage and just about anything else on the Discovery Channel or TLC that has to do with cars or any type of machinery. He is very talented when it comes to sound effects, especially motors.
Sammy doesn't usually like to be touched unless he touches you first. He likes to sit on me opposed to sitting next to me. He loves to listen to me read him Eyewitness books. However, he is not a huge fan of storybooks.
I have been babysitting Sammy and his sister for the past 6 months. I am with them everyday after school for about 2 hours. This job is like no other babysitting job I have ever had. I have learned more about education, families, and even myself at this "job" than any other job has ever taught me. Sammy sometimes challenges my patience and my sanity, but at the end of the day, it is all worth it.
Sammy has autism. He has a rather high-functioning form of this disorder, as he knows everything there is to know about my Honda Accord and almost every other car. I have had the opportunity to visit his classroom and see him in different environments.
Sammy's presence in my life has been a huge blessing to me. I knew going into this that I would be learning so many things, but never did I expect this relationship with this family to be so important to me. The things that Sammy directly and indirectly teaches me are priceless.
God is good. So very good. I can't wait to see how He will use these lessons later in my life.
P.S. There is a picture of Sammy below :)
Sammy likes to go to the playground and he likes piggy-back rides. He likes to watch Monster Garage and just about anything else on the Discovery Channel or TLC that has to do with cars or any type of machinery. He is very talented when it comes to sound effects, especially motors.
Sammy doesn't usually like to be touched unless he touches you first. He likes to sit on me opposed to sitting next to me. He loves to listen to me read him Eyewitness books. However, he is not a huge fan of storybooks.
I have been babysitting Sammy and his sister for the past 6 months. I am with them everyday after school for about 2 hours. This job is like no other babysitting job I have ever had. I have learned more about education, families, and even myself at this "job" than any other job has ever taught me. Sammy sometimes challenges my patience and my sanity, but at the end of the day, it is all worth it.
Sammy has autism. He has a rather high-functioning form of this disorder, as he knows everything there is to know about my Honda Accord and almost every other car. I have had the opportunity to visit his classroom and see him in different environments.
Sammy's presence in my life has been a huge blessing to me. I knew going into this that I would be learning so many things, but never did I expect this relationship with this family to be so important to me. The things that Sammy directly and indirectly teaches me are priceless.
God is good. So very good. I can't wait to see how He will use these lessons later in my life.
P.S. There is a picture of Sammy below :)
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
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