40 Surprises

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1 comment

My boss turned 40 today! The faculty and staff did a fabulous job coming up with 40 surprises to celebrate the day, and she was surprised.....and very happy. We have this philosphy at work called the 'FISH' philosophy, from a 'fish' shop in Seattle-a successful way to run a business. Make their day! Play! Be There! Choose Your Attitude! I hear these words all the time....and now I apply them everywhere. I've eaten a lot of goldfish crackers since I started working at Northrich, but it has been a fun way to approach work. I would say-today was FISHY!

At the risk of being 'boring....'

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 1 comment

So far,things have been relatively normal the last week in my life. This weekend was all about shopping, eating, and spending time with lots of different friends. There was a minor kink in the weekend called Saturday School, but not even that is so bad after all these years of trugging up there on Saturday :O). The one thing I'm doing right now that I'm LOVING (and it's something I will be doing for at least another 6 months) is a bible study called 5 Aspects! It's a study of how and why God created woman,and it's a really beautiful way or seeing His inspiration, and plan! It's divided into 5 Aspects, and it takes each one, explains how woman was created, how sin has impacted that, and how to regain that aspect. I could never do it justice, other than to say it is my absolute favorite bible study thus far. It was originally created for a theology college course. I attend that study on Sunday night and have been enjoying the company, the discussions, and the reading! This week has brought the last full week before the first series of TAKS test. There are few students testing next Wednesday, but keep them in your prayers! They are put under a lot of pressure, and have put in a lot of work to grow this year,and to prepare. I have an opinion on a test that test all kids in the same grade, regardless of the situation in life with the same source (not that they aren't capable, but some have not been equipped equally), but I am for holding teachers accountable to show a year of growth for each child, there's a better way, but for now...this is it, so....you know what I'll be doing to fill out the rest of my week! P.s. ...because post are a litlte more fun with pictures, I'm attaching a picture of one of my favorite things about every week, my furr baby.

Today....

Friday, February 22, 2008 No comments

Feelings

Thursday, February 21, 2008 1 comment
This is a long one: Yestereday my 'feelings' got a little hurt. What I 'felt' like doing, and what I knew I would do didn't align for a short time. I often have to sit and wade through my 'feelings' to find the truth of what needs to be done. I was doing some reflecting and this morning, when my mind was fresh, and my heart was ready, I had a daily devotional delivered (like usual) via email. These are really great, but today I 'felt' especially good knowing God had crafted this, and timed this for me. I started to cut out the 'story' so this wouldn't be so long, but in the end, I wanted everything. Here it is-My Lesson, maybe you can relate, or maybe I just need you to know this when I talk about how I'm 'feeling' and need some guidance! :O)

Purpose Driven Live Devotional: 2008/02/21

The Truth About Feelings
by Jon Walker

… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ …. (Philippians 1:9-10 NIV)

Submitted now for your consideration: Pamela, a loving wife, a nurturing mother, a prayerful Christian. This morning, her husband, Richard, left a tender note on the bathroom mirror, inviting Pamela to join him for lunch at their favorite restaurant.

Pamela eyes the clock throughout the morning, anticipating meeting her life-long love at 1 p.m. She’s excited and feeling extraordinarily loved by her husband, so she leaves for the restaurant early in order to buy Richard a small gift. She splurges more, buying two balloons, which float up from the ribbon wrapped around the present.

As she pays for the gift, she looks in her purse and notices she’s left her cell phone at home – again. No matter, it’s 12:30 and in a few short minutes she’ll be with Richard, giving him her undivided attention. Who needs a cell phone in moments like that?

Pamela arrives at the restaurant first and patiently waits for Richard to arrive. What she doesn’t yet know is that Richard has been in a horrible traffic accident and was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:24 – about the time Pamela was tying the balloons to the bow, buoyantly anticipating the approaching romantic rendezvous.

The point to this sorrowful snapshot is that our feelings don’t always reflect the truth. Pamela is soaring high on her feelings of love, even though her husband is already dead. The truth is bearing down on her, and it will immediately alter her feelings when it hits – but her feelings are not yet in line with the truth.

Imagine Pamela as she waits for her husband, and he does not arrive. She’s forgotten her cell phone, so she waits. After a while, she becomes annoyed; after 20 minutes, she’s irritated and hurt. Her feelings still do not line up with the truth.

After 40 minutes, she begins to worry. This just isn’t like Richard. Maybe something has happened. She asks to borrow the restaurant's phone, and she calls Richard’s office, but is transferred to his boss. He says, “Pamela, we’ve been trying to reach you. There’s been a terrible accident ….” The truth and Pamela’s feelings collide.

The fact is, God gave us feelings. There’s nothing wrong with them. As one of my friends often says, “Feelings are just feelings.” Sometimes they reflect the truth; oftentimes they don’t. They can provide positive insight, such as when our fear warns us of nearby danger, or they can give us social discernment, like when we realize we’re falling in love.

But your feelings do not define the truth. Only God defines the truth. You may feel worthless, but the truth is you are uniquely created by God, who loves you deeply. You may feel like you can walk on water, but the truth is you can only do that if Jesus calls you from the boat. You can’t; God can.

Just as the Apostle John tells us to test the spirits (1 John 4:1-3), Paul teaches us to discern the truth through knowledge and deep insight, not through our feelings. He writes, “… and this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ ….” (Philippians 1:9-10 NIV)

Eugene Peterson, in The Message paraphrase of the Bible, translates it like this: “… You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush ….” (Philippians 1:9b-10a MSG) Otherwise, you end up in a life “shaped by things and feelings, instead of God.” (Colossians 3:5 MSG)

Your feelings are from God. They are a gift, and there is no need to avoid them or be ashamed of them. Yet God never meant for our feelings to be the gauge that measures your life and how you live it. Your feelings are not designed to define you or interpret the situations you now face. Only God’s truth can define you, and only God’s truth can pass judgment on the circumstances of your life.

The great and best Good News is this: God’s truth is a person – Jesus Christ, our Lord.

What does this mean?

· You are not your emotions – You are not defined by your emotions. You are defined by God. You may feel worthless, but God says you are wonderfully and fearfully created in his image. You may feel like you’ve failed God, but God says you are accepted in the beloved and that he loves you no matter what you’ve done.

· God uses your feelings – God may use your feelings to reveal a piece of your heart that you need to turn over to God; he may use your feelings to draw you closer to him. Paul speaks of feeling like a wretched man, and that draws him deeper into the grace of God. Your feelings of hopelessness in a situation may be what God uses to show you that you’re hanging your hopes on the wrong thing – because he is a God of hope, and it is a hope that will not disappoint.

· Your obedience is based on the truth, not feelings – The facts may appear daunting, but it is up to God to interpret the facts, not you and your feelings. God calls us to be obedient to the truth, not the way we feel. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says that if you don’t love someone, act as if you do, and your feelings will catch up.

Goin' To Kansas City....Kansas City, Here I Come....

Monday, February 18, 2008 No comments
Last summer I made the 'mistake' (:O)) of playing the soundtrack to Wicked on my road trip (I had just gone to see it, after waiting several years to get tickets). My cousin, Holly heard it, fell in love, and has been dying to see it ever since. This year she graduates from college, and so today we snagged some tickets, in celebration of the upcoming event, she will finally get to see the play she has been dying to see over Memorial Day weekend in Kansas City. The tickets went on sale at the end of last week, and they are all almost sold out....I don't think she will be disappointed. In the meantime, here's a little tune to feed your need, Holly. I'll make sure I only play soundtracks to plays that are coming into town on future road trips, as opposed to those that just left the Dallas stage.

Psalm 139: 13-14

Sunday, February 17, 2008 No comments
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

The New 'To Do'

Saturday, February 16, 2008 1 comment
So now that I scratched the album off my list, here are the random things I'm currently working on this weekend:

Project 1: At the end of March I'm going to make a wedding cake for my co-worker Heather's parent's anniversary (which I'm excited to 'try' again), so I've decided that I want to serve the slices with little white chocolate hearts (2 to a plate, I need to make 300-400, they are very small). I bought the mold last weekend, and my goal is to make them all soon. The lady at the store assured me they have a shelf life of up to 2 years, so I work on a tray at a time (usually when I'm talking on the phone). I have a few more bags to go. This is one of those details few other people will notice, but...I do (and have at other weddings and can remember when there is a little spray of mousse, or a sugared design on the plate)....so for the one other person at the vow renewal that would notice, this is for them. Anyway, just a random project-I love to multitask, so this activity feeds that 'need.'

Project 2: So...one thing on my 101 list (disclaimer this is NOT a "Bucket List"....the 101 thing on the list is to make another list of 101-this is just a list that prevents me from always saying I'm going to do something, and makes me actually DO it, and I've been working on it for years) is to cook 50 new entrees (I blame it on a lack of tracking as to why, despite the number of years I've had the list, I haven't done this yet, but it's probably more a lack of cooking). I pulled three recipes I'm GOING to try this week (which will bring me to a grand total of 27 since I started tracking). I tried out one I saw on the back of a bread yeast package (anything that involves bread's main ingrediant has to be good)....it was for a pizza.....it was fine, but it wasn't great.....I'll share any recipes I find that are 'great.' Any suggestions or recipes for favorite meals you have is greatly appreciated, I usually 'miss' on the recipes I choose. I took a picture, because pictures are just more fun on a blog, and I'm going through a dry spell!
Projects I should be working on:
Project 1-101: Cleaning my house!

Mission Accomplished

Friday, February 15, 2008 2 comments
I really don't know that scrapbooking is something that can be understood outside of the scrapbooking circle of people.....so when I say this, it won't impact anyone but myself, and maybe two other people, but....I just finished my 2007 scrapbook! Scrapbooking is definitely a labor of love. It takes forever. It cost a fortune. And if you don't do it, it's really hard to 'get.' By the end of EVERY scrapbook I do I'm slapping down stickers, cramming pictures on pages and covered in gluesticks. I've been working on 2007 since last spring (granted, I couldn't finish it then, but....I've been working on it on and off for a year). I am sooooo glad to say I'm done, and I just remember I had it on one of my to do list, and now I get to cross it off, which makes me EVEN happier! Every album I recommit to only doing my best job, but then a few hours in, and a few pages done, and nothing seems right, so I start plopping pictures down. The last few months I had a ton of fun with my newest addition (Christmas gift from Mom) to my tools-a Cricut that cuts out different styles of letters!

I do NOT love....

....teaching Saturday School! Spring Saturday school starts tomorrow at 8 am. It runs through April....help....

My Funny Valentine

Monday, February 11, 2008 No comments

Muffin's Big Yawn

Chocolate Covered Festivities

Monday, February 04, 2008 No comments

The school (one of more than 45 elementary schools in my district) I work for was given one of the four Gold Awards from the district because of our continued success as a school (we have received the 'second to the top' award the last two years, but finally moved on up to 'gold.') Anyway, on to my real purpose for this blog: I'm on the Leadership Team for the school, which basically means that I get to be bossy as part of my job description. We designed the event we wanted to host in celebration of the news. At first it was going to be cake and punch (yawn), but then....ta da...this Christmas I bought a chocolate fountain, for no particular reason other than the fact that I don't generally need a reason to buy random, strange, generally useless, yet fun objects (it's my Mode of Operation). I love to find ways to use those things and try to justify the cost, and space they take up during the other 364 days I store them. With the collaborative work of the design team, the chocolate festivities turned out to be a big hit. The tables all had black table covers, huge ice buckets with sparkling cider, champagne glasses, candles, and gold candy (instead of confetti). My boss had her husband and his friend come play the piano, and sax (they were awesome). I had to post a picture of four pounds of flowing chocolate (disregard the date on the photo, it's wrong).

A Post For Regan

Sunday, February 03, 2008 3 comments

A 'friend' sent me a yahoo article they found recently. It is not such a secret that my childhood bff, Regan and I were total 'blockheads'....the gossip is the NKOTB (New Kids on the Block for those of you who slept through the early 90's) are reuniting for a reunion tour. I IMMEDIATELY called Regan, and she has since been doing her research, we would, of COURSE need to be a part of this experience should it happen. In the meantime, I'm posting a very 'sacred' (please take this word lightly) video for Regan, or....a good laugh for the rest of you. The number of letters we had going back and forth as pre-teens with pictures, articles, gossip column news is off the chart. We were ::cough cough are cough cough:: in love with Joe. ;o) Ahh....to be 10 again. Regan and I always fought over who liked Joe better.....in case you were wondering....it was me!

Babies, Wedding Bows, and Bowls....

I don't have any photos for you, I have been a very conservative photographer lately (I think it's because I'm looking at my 2007 album and all I have to scrapbook, and avoiding creating any more work for the 2008 album...once I've completed the album, I'm sure I'll be equally as obsessive as I have always been about taking pictures again). Today I'm giving a general run down of my weekend highlights. Friday I stayed home from work with my Mom, and I puttered around the house, ran a few errands, and went to the Angelika with Kelly in the PM to see the Bucket List. I think one might consider this a 'good movie'....if you like 'sad movies, with a good message.' I don't like any movie that makes me cry, and I pretty much started crying within the first five minutes,and despite some 'fun, light-hearted moments'....I'm not sure that I ever entirely quit crying through the entire movie knowing what was going to happen (though it did end a little diffrerently than I expected). I cried so much my teeth hurt. It was good if you don't have a problem with tears, I do. Saturday's highlight was getting to visit with my friend Carrilee visiting from Washington (who just announced, a few weeks back, she is pregnant again, and due in July). Henry is now a toddler and was helping his Grandma bake some Valentine cookies....not having had a child, am I still allowed to say-I can't believe how fast they grow?!?! I also got to visit with the whole family, and Carrilee's newly married sister (Trina :O)), what a fun time for them with a new son-in-law, a new grandbaby on the way, new growth in the town, and church her Dad leads. It was a 'feel-good' afternoon, they are such a sweet family. On the way home I start returning phone calls (I WILL be better about doing this in a more timely fashion, along with emails....) and I found out another one of my college friends is headed to the alter.....I don't know if she has told everyone yet, and it's her news to tell, so...friend, let me know when 'everyone' knows and I'll be able to put your name . I can't wait for the visit, the details, the pictures of the house etc etc etc. This blog takes me up at Sunday afternoon waiting for the Superbowl....I have a few errands to run, and emails to write, chores to do....another good weekend :O)