We laugh sometimes and say "When it rains, it pours..." Sometimes it seems that way doesn't it? David and I are emotionally, physically and mentally drained after these last few weeks and now we are physically sick with this upper respiratory stuff, I also have conjunctivitis to go along with it. All we can do now is rest.
When God tells us to come to Him and rest, how often do we do that, do we have to finally get to the point where we can go no more on our own before we finally give in and collapse? I think that is what we do most of the time instead of coming to Him and learning to rest in Him on a regular basis.
We need to learn to rest more, sometimes the pressures of the world don't allow us to rest like we should, there are always demands on our time and we feel we must press on. Sometimes we feel that we are too importand to the grand scheme, only to find that people managed to get by without us just fine.
Well today I am going to rest, not only physically, but spiritually as well, rest in the One who can give true rest.

A very rough week

Last week was one of the most difficult weeks we have ever had. I found out that my dad has bladder cancer and he had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor, all this took place on a day that we had an ice storm. So far the prognosis is good, but we will know more in six weeks or so. We had just made it through that time whem I got a call from David that Lindsay his 25 year old daughter (my step-daughter) had been found dead in her bed on Friday morning. It appears that she developed pneumonia after having the flu, we will know more after we get results back from an autopsy.
It is so hard when a parent loses a child. Her mother is also devastated. We had just had a great visit with Lindsay the week before. We will cherish that memory as our last one with her. She was an amazing young lady. She had a fantastic testimony and she loved God with all her heart.
We do not sorrow as others who have no hope, but Lindsay will be missed because her seat will be empty.

The week that wasn't

After looking forward to my birthday week, I'll go ahead and say I was sorely disappointed. Oh the birthday wasn't bad-I seemed to not flinch much at all at the prospect of being 46. I only noted that now I was closer to 50 than 40, a little scary but nothing to fret over. Then the bombshells began dropping and the week went downhill.
First I found out that my current position with the DeSoto ISD as a technology coach has been eliminated due to budget constraints next year. I am still employed this year and next year too, if I want to go back into the classroom in DeSoto, but the job that I absolutely loved, is now gone. I am not at all thrilled with the prospect of returning to the classroom in DeSoto, that is why I changed jobs in the first place, so now I am looking to see what doors may be open for next year somewhere else. In education it is always a waiting game to see what jobs will be available and where so I just need to have patience and wait and see what is available. Change is good, right?
Now for the other bad news, the doctor has discovered a growth in my dad's bladder and it does not look good, or at least that is what that doctor had to say to dad. He will be having it removed on the 28th and we will know more then.
After all of this, I know that all I have to do is trust that God has the best for me and that Dad will be all right no matter what the prognosis. I'm just going to put my faith where it needs to be in the One who can take care of it all.

New Year

2009 is here. This will be my 46th year on Earth, wow! Where did that time go? I always say even though I know I am older I don't feel any older in my mind. David would agree, his maturity level is about the same as it always was...about that of a 12 year old boy! We both laugh about this, but for him every new day is an adventure. Me, I am much more pessimisitic about the day than he is, that is why it is so good that God has brought us together because he has helped me to change my attitude. He keeps me smiling and laughing most of the time.
We are both back to work now and trying to get into a routine again. His run changed so it will be an adjustment for both of us, especially since on the days he works he is out the door at 1am.
Sleep is optional. Anyway, I am ready for the day and have a smile on my face...it is a great, great morning!

December is here!

Although I love the holidays, I find that the Christmas holidays can be a bit stressful at times. The Christmas parties that I feel obliged to attend start this week on Friday! I have been able to slow down a bit in the last few years and not be involved in too many things. But there are still things that keep us too busy.
I guess I just have a longing to get back to some simple kind of Christmas, where we are not concerned with parties, presents, cantatas and such but are concerned about remembering the reason we celebrate in the first place-God incarnate sent down to man to redeem him. I know we remember that is the reason, but how much time do we spend pondering that thought and try to grasp the vastness of it.
The grace of God is truly amazing and I am trying to experience it everyday.

Getting Sentimental

It seems that in the last few weeks I have reconnected with several people from my past, and God has brought to remembrance how He led me to places throughout my life where I would learn and grow.
Some folks are bitter about how life worked out, some are stronger in their faith than I ever imagined they would be. Some have never grown at all and have stayed stuck in a very narrow spiritual mindset. There is so much more to the Grace of God than they will ever realize!
I am reminded where in scripture we are reminded not to remove the ancient landmarks as they will mark the way for those who will follow after we aren't to camp out in the past but we are told to remember. Remember how good God has been, remember from where we came and remember where we are going. We are headed to a greater future than we can ever imagine because eye hath not seen nor ear heard what our heavenly Father has prepared for us.

Finding time for what is important

I thought technology was going to make my life easier, right. Well I'm sure you chuckled as you read that.  I absolutely love spending time on the computer, but sometimes it is not the way to best spend my time.  Facebook has become a recent technological obsession and I have to make myself walk away from the laptop so as to not spend too much time there. 

But it has given me the opportunity to reconnect with people that I thought had left my life for good because of where they live and time passing.  That has been a real blessing.  It has been good to know that some folks have "stayed by the stuff" so to speak.