Mon.-Such a nice day at home, washing clothes, cleaning, blogging, studying, cooking. When Phil brought Susan home from school, they went hunting right away, but it began to rain and they didn't see anything. Made venison meatloaf, mashed potatoes, succotash, and salad for supper and Janelle and Micah came over to enjoy it with us. Buddy came along to visit with Roxy especially and Micah gave us a blow by blow account of the goings on.
I am thankful for the pit-a-pat of the warm autumn rain.
I am thankful for the smell of wood smoke in the damp evening air.
I am thankful for a sit down supper and lots of leftovers for tomorrow.
I am thankful for the promised plane ticket and the smile it brought to Susan's face.
Tues.-I loved today. It was dark, rainy and windy outside, but the smiles and warmth inside the school were like a fire softly burning and supper on the stove. When every class came into my room I thought, "This is my favorite group." I went through piano withdrawal this weekend. I kept looking for a piano in our guest's home even though I knew they didn't have one. They are hoping to get one soon. So today, I played piano during some free time as I often do, but it was sweeter since my piano bank was a bit empty, although I played for awhile at home yesterday. Mrs. Jones gave my 5/6th class some good advice. I had split them in groups of two and while one group sang, the other group watched them for areas they could improve as well as areas they were doing well. After one criticism that was a bit harsh, she made the suggestion that when we give constructive criticism, we should give some encouragement first, and then make a helpful suggestion about a way they could improve. I really liked that and wanted them to grasp that concept as a life lesson. I would love to have a select choir for grades 2-6. There are some beautiful voices in those grades and no one's voice has changed. After school we had a pep rally and I learned a little dance. We are doing well on our fund raiser and are about 4/5ths of the way to our goal. Susan's class earned an ice cream party. Select choir practiced their two songs and we will sing them for the school tomorrow after chapel. Susan and I went to Walmart afterwards where I choked for the second time today and could hardly stop coughing long enough to breathe. It was a bit scary both times but the people at the meat counter came over to me and gave me water and were most sympathetic. Susan and I lost each other for awhile and she was getting worried when she couldn't find me because she was worried that I would be worried about her. When we got home, Michael was here, and it was nice to hear about his time at Niagara Falls with Cutco. He had a framed letter that will do wonders for his resume. He took lots of pictures and videos of the Cutco Factory. Jordan came and hung out here for the eve. Philip has a bad sore throat. It got dark so early tonight and the leaves were blowing all over the place. I hope to go to bed early tonight so I can listen to the wind without any other distractions.
I am thankful for the gift of sanity after feeling a bit whacked out last week.
I am thankful for Michael's desire to comfort Philip who is sorrowing over the same news that broke Susan's heart the other day.
I am thankful for popcorn and family and wet stormy evenings.
Wed.-Good day at school. The children were rather rowdy. One class was especially rowdy and I asked, 'What did you just eat?' and they said, 'Candy Apples.' But then the next class was rowdy too. Maybe it's full moon. Maybe a storm system is coming in and the barometric pressure is dropping. We are working on our Christmas songs. I get so attached to these children. One family moved recently and it was really tough to see those children go. Today, I had to ask myself some difficult questions. If I were the only Christ an individual would ever come in contact with, would he/she want to know Him? If whatever we do to the least of these is how we treat Jesus, how are we treating Him?
Went to church tonight. Took Missi to Applebee's for a belated 40th birthday supper. Susan was at Vertical Edge. She always shares the sermon notes with me on the way home. She takes notes on her ipod. Then she sang worship songs and other songs the rest of the way home. She had a good talk with her dad before going to bed.
I am thankful that Michael gave us such a good deal on two new Cutco skillets that should last me the rest of my life and then some.
I am thankful that Jesus said we should pray instead of fret and He is helping me do that.
I am thankful for my little singer and her beautiful voice.
I am thankful that she understands justice and loyalty.
I am thankful that tomorrow is another day to hope to see the goodness of God in the land of the living.
Thurs.-Today after chapel, we ran through the students songs for Lessons and Carols and they did rather well. For art, I had the children cut out cloud like shapes and 'glue' them onto a white piece of paper with water. I had wrapped yarn around cardboard and we dipped that in green paint and tapped that onto the paper to make grass over the whole sheet. Then we took off the shapes and white blobs (sheep) were left. When the paper dried, we painted on black faces, ears, and legs. They dipped their finger in bright pink paint and made flowers with 3,4,or 5 petals. After that was dried in the dehydrator (which I use to dry many art projects in a hurry), they painted white eyes on the black faces, and little black dots on the white after the white was dried. I am mounting them on a purple background and they are really very cute. I want to put up verses around them when I display them. "All we like sheep have gone astray..." " While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night", etc. Mrs. Jones liked them so much she is going to help her 2 year old granddaughter make the project. Graham and Susan helped clean up the room and then he and his mother joined us at Dairy Queen for some ice cream.
In chapel today, we heard about a missionary and talked about serving people around us. I thought about how the school is my mission field. I could be sitting beside a child who needs to know the gospel of salvation. I am either drawing people to Him or pushing them away. I have a short time to influence each child. Years from now, what will they think about God when they think about me?
Yesterday I read something about alternatives in Leo Buscaglia's book. He said, "Find alternatives. The patterns that you are in are only one possibility. There are thousands of possibilities for everything...I am beginning to believe that maybe the truly mentally healthy individual is the one who has the most alternatives, the most viable alternatives. A person who can say, "If this doesn't happen, what else and what else and what else, is possible?" " ~~~~~
I am thankful for the littlest reader in the school who wanted me to sit and have lunch with her. She saw my cucumbers and said hungrily, "I love cucumbers." She wolfed it down.
I am thankful for good friends and good conversations.
I am thankful that Freeman and Philip stopped in at Dairy Queen at the same time we were there. It was nice to see them.
I am thankful that Phil found his 'lost' hunting clothes in a storage vehicle. We had taken all of his stuff out of the office in the old house when they were working on it and put it in the white van and he couldn't figure out where everything was. Thanks to Philip for his good idea.
I am thankful for alternatives and hope and freedom.
Fri.-Throat very sore. Body achey but no fever. Met some friends in Farmville for lunch. Alli picked up Susan at school and they stopped at the red box and got two movies-"Letters to Juliet" and "Sherlock Holmes." We ate pizza and watched movies. Alli's spending the night since Freeman is going bear hunting with Phil. I am thankful for a hot bath, clean sheets, and a warm house. I am thankful for Judy's invitation to be part of her family's Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow. I am thankful for Phil's sweet words this morning before he left. He said he thanks God every day that I am his wife and friend.
Sat.-Throat not as sore but still feel feverish. Day of mostly rest. Watched all three 'Back to the Future' movies with Susan and did lots of wash and cleaning up, cooking, etc. on the commercials. Jordan, Philip, and Michael went to pick up office furniture in Richmond for Michael for future Cutco office. Played the piano. I try to play something I've never played before several times a week to keep my brain keen. I think it is somewhat like reading a new concept and thinking about it. My mother reads difficult books. My grandmother won Scrabble games and ate fish. I join them by doing some deliberate activities in an effort to keep my mind keen. When the children were young, I had a hard time completing a thought or finishing a sentence. I am trying to break out of that habit of disrupted thought and uncertainty in speaking by writing what I think since I still feel rather clutzy in my speech. I hope it is helping me.
I am thankful for how much I really miss Phil. I am thankful that Alli was here until nearly noon and that she is so easy to be around. She and Susan snuggle like sisters on the sofa. I am thankful that the promise of a future and a hope helps us get through present day difficulties.
Sun.-Susan went to church with Philip and Alli brought her home. I stayed in my chair and watched Christmas movies all day. Still feel lousy. I can't remember what else happened this day since I'm writing this on Monday and cold meds make me feel so disconnected with reality. I am thankful for a day of rest and for the wonderful movie about forgiveness. I am thankful that Phil's mom didn't mind that we called her a few days later than her actual birthday. I am thankful that Phil is home.
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