God

I don't blog about God much which is totally weird since I don't have any other part of my life segregated out--He is part of everything I do--my social work, everything! I learn so much about God and His greatness every single day and this week He has revealed Himself anew to me again in mighty, mighty ways. I have been a Christian for 28 years and I discover that there is no end to God and my need for Him. So this week, the FCA thing. I get stuck in ruts and it is hard to get me to change. We've done FCA in the mornings for 9 years. The last several years it just hasn't gone well, we can't get the numbers. There is now no reason to do it in the mornings since we don't have any coaches involved. So I let go and agree to try an after school FCA event. I talk it up and advertise it in all the usual ways, line up worship and the speaker and the details, and three kids sign up. Ok, have to trust God. The day before the event, 4 kids are signed up. So God says to put it on facebook. I do that. I get more prayer cover. At 11 pm the night before, the speaker texts me that his daughter is sick and he isn't sure if he can make it. I just have to trust and I manage to sleep like a baby. When I get up in the morning and have morning FCA, I am feeling incredibly discouraged. We pray, I do Spiritual battle in my mind all day long. I keep checking the list and there are more and more kids signing up. By lunchtime there are 10. I buy more pop. By 2 there are 15 signed up. Oh, I forgot to add that on Monday, I had put an open invitation to all the staff to come, too! So I keep busy doing social work and arrange for a guy to go get the pizza since I'm paying out of pocket. He shows up at 240 saying they wouldn't take a check. I talk him into going back even though he's supposed to be back to do after school supervision. I hear nothing from Jon. I cannot doubt that he's remembered and that he will find us. At 2:50 Jon texts me he's at the back door. Excellent. At 3 I walk into the room and it is swarming with kids! We get Jon set up and the powerpoint (which I haven't had time to check on) and the speaker walks in. It is gravy from there--Jon not only leads the kids in excellent worship, but he connects with them. He teaches them what worship is. He gets a student to pray! I pray and I feel so filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Ben has all the kids sit on the floor and he tells them a wonderful story from the Bible and they are enthralled. I pray again. Then we all fellowship joyfully and eat the pizza (there was just enough pop, pizza and cookies). All a lesson in trust and patience.

Also this week, I had two conflicts with a staff member that I've struggled with for two years--one conflict on top of another. Because of the incredibly difficult, hurting kids we work with, we have to work closely together, cooperating, collaborating, communicating, problem solving literally all day long. And I am bone tired and frustrated with her. I am feeling done. I really am thinking things like how can I get her fired. But I keep praying. I keep doing the healthy and right thing (for the most part). Nancy tells me to stand up for myself as the staff member calls me out in front of my peers one day, and makes me look like an ass in front of staff and a parent at an IEP meeting. I cannot tell you how done I was with this. Greg sees how downtrodden I look and asks me. I don't want to tell him but I tell him. He tells me maybe I've done something. I feel totally unsupported and do not want to hear this. It makes me angry at him. He comes to me later and tells me that he wants to pray with me. He prays that I will humble myself and stay in listening mode (I've already sent an email to set up a meeting to work this out with her). I do NOT want to do this. But I have done it again and again with God's help so I stay in prayer all day long. In she comes at 2:00 and we have an amazing talk. Usually my stomach is churning but it wasn't. God gave me the words to express what I needed to and she heard me. He gave me the ears to hear what she needed to say and I heard her. I humbled myself and realized that while she was assuming negative intent all week with me, I was also doing this with her. There is absolutely no way on this earth, using the world's wisdom, that this would have worked out. I think we both left that meeting feeling good and having healed our relationship. I know we did because we had to jump right into the fire together all the next day and the next with the kids. I'm talking about incredibly frustrating, stressful stuff that these kids put us through that can rip apart any collaboration and communication in an instant. But God held it together.

And today I was just journaling that God has bugged me all week that I need to go see my Dad. I have a to do list a mile long, need to get Adelle, have a Homestead meeting, don't see any way possible. I wake up early this morning and realize, when I stay in God's will in planning my day, He will multiply my time. He's done it again and again and again.

Read all about God and everything that He can do for you in Psalm 119. Every single thing I went through this week is specifically written about in there. :)

Reno update

Well, it still seems like there is tons to do on this renovation but there has been a flurry of activity and lots getting accomplished. I will take you on a visual tour with words. The front step is not done and in fact, has now broken off so it is a hazard. The front door insert not done. The front outside of the window and the siding near the new window still not repaired. The floors not refinished. The new room is looking good--lots of progress--it is done on the outside--siding and roof and shingles and windows and doors. (Funny story to insert here--this morning at 7 am, still dark, I know that the new sliding door on the addition does not have a lock installed and that the back room has a bunch of the contractor's equipment in it. So I'm getting ready to leave for work and I hear a noise out in the addition. Then I hear footsteps! I freak out and run as fast as I can down the hall to Scott, who is sound asleep, and I throw open the door and whisper loudly, "There is someone in the new addition!" He calmly turns over and says, "Its the electrician." Geez. I about had a heart attack.) So also in the new room, the closet has been framed in. The electricity has been put in and the heating and air condition unit has been installed in the attic. This will be awesome and supply more heat to our bedroom and also more air conditioning to the rooms upstairs! A bummer side note, though, one of the electricians stepped through the attic floor so now the livingroom ceiling will have to be repaired. The openings for the french doors into the new room have been cut and prepared for the doors to be installed. I got to see one of the openings the other day (they put plyboard up at the end of the work days). It looks amazing! So the bank of windows from the back of the livingroom has been moved and installed to the back of the dining room. They look so fantastic! It makes the room really bright and open and makes it seem bigger! No new progress in the kitchen or in the bedroom although I did install more contact paper that looks like etched glass in the bathroom for privacy. As I mentioned in my last blog, we are removing the remaining old wall board in the dining room this weekend and possibly also move the bed upstairs and remove that wallboard too. The sheetrockers are coming next week! Scott got some carpet samples for the new room, too! This is coming together! It is going to be soooooo cool!

Pinterest Addiction

I think I'm addicted to Pinterest. I know I am. I am thinking about limiting my time on it but I don't really want to. I know I should. I have spent many an evening where I intended to do something useful or important but the next think I knew, it was bedtime! I do still check my facebook, of course, and make my scrabble moves. But do I call either of my parents or any of my kids? No. I just love to Pinterest! And I've started rationalizing how it makes me a better person--a better cook, more creative, and stylish! I'm not kidding--every recipe I've tried from Pinterst is fabulous! And when I need to laugh, I think about some of the funny pins. I get compliments on my clothes because I've gotten inspired on Pinterest with color combinations and how to tie a scarf! I've even done some of the crafts and they turn out awesome! I notice that I work Pinterest into about 4-5 conversations at work per day! As I write this, I am looking forward with anticipation to my Pinterest time. Ok, maybe I will only allow myself to Pinterest on the weekends. Only after my to do list is done tomorrow. And tonight. And Sunday night--those are reserved to pure veg time. Then I will either not do it at all during the week or only for half an hour. See? I sound like an addict.

Hello Weekend!

Whew what a week! I've been insanely busy at work, then I've taken on more things outside school. I'm doing clinical supervision some afternoons and evenings for pay. I enjoy it but it does take up some free time. I am also on the advisory committee for Homestead which is a transition home we are opening for girls coming out of sex trafficking. I am helping put together the training for the mentors and staff. Its exciting work. I also had a special FCA event this week after school on Wednesday. Jon and his roommate led the worship and did awesome and 16 kids came! That was cool. Yesterday I got home from work and was supposed to text Kim to tell her if we could meet at my house for supervision and when I pulled around the corner, I just started laughing. There were trucks and vans parked all along both side of the street and contractors and electricians and workers streaming in and out of the house carrying ladders and stuff. So I went inside and they were cleaning up but there was a fine coating of dust over everything in the house! We were supposed to have people over in three hours for dinner! There was my crockpot bubbling away on the counter covered in dust. Scott took me aside in the living room and said, "I cleaned up most of it but see that plywood on the livingroom ceiling? One of the workers stepped through the attic floor and down into the livingroom. Insallation was everywhere!" I just laughed. Scott continued to clean while I met my friend for supervision at the coffeeshop. Jon and his friends came over and of course, didn't notice any mess. We had a good dinner with them.
So I am quite ready for this weekend. I haven't made a single plan although I have much to do--grocery, library, get Adelle, talk to my loved ones on the phone, move the bedroom upstairs, take down the rest of the sheetrock from the diningroom and maybe also the bedroom, a Homestead meeting, and Bible study. And I HAVE to work out both days-- by spare tire is starting to resemble a tractor tire. I worked out way too hard on Tuesday and could barely walk on Wednesday so took a couple days off:).
THANKFULLY Scott's stress level was way down--that is a huge answer to prayer and he was quite helpful this week--ran to the grocery one night, did some cleaning, helped with some of the construction, and took the trash and recycling to the curb this week! That rocked! I am looking forward to sleeping in. I need to go to the chiropractor and get my hair cut but I doubt I can get in to do that, too.
This blog entry isn't very interesting but so be it! That's my life! My job is really interesting so maybe I'll blog about it one of these days!

Wonderful Things

My life is filled to the brim and running over with wonderful things. Time alone is a wonderful thing, or can be, depending on the mood. Scott is in KC last night and today so I am enjoying my time alone. I went to my step class last night (a wonderful thing, and my gym is a wonderful thing) then got a Chipolte bowl (for sure a wonderful thing) then came home, ate it and took a bath. My new bathroom is a wonderful thing altogether. I took two baths last night to relax and warm up (right up there with a fluffy pink bathrobe, also a wonderful thing. I watched our new tv (yep, wonderful thing) and played on Pinterest--this is a wonderful thing that all of my blog followers would love--you pin pictures of websites and inspirations on topics like style, recipes, crafts, decorating. It is truly a wonderful, fun thing. I took my turns on facebook scrabble (both facebook and scrabble are wonderful things). Then I finished a fabulous book by JD Robb, one of my all time favorite authors ( books are wonderful things, aren't they?) Then went to BED (wonderful, wonderful thing) early. This morning I'm cleaning (the results of which are wonderful and cleaning itself can be wonderful if there is time to do it in a relaxed way). Weekends are wonderful things. I showered in my wonderful glass shower (you have to be very comfortable with your body:) and dressed in wonderful things--pink t, grey sweats, and pink slippers--all wonderful things! Of course, my wonderful puppies are keeping me company and right now I am sitting at my wonderful new kitchen island and listening to our new wonderful sound system. Music is a wonderful thing. I am going to go get Adelle in little while and she is wonderful as is our friendship. She was in a talent show this weekend and performed her most favorite song, Super Bass, by Niki Minaj. I look forward to time with Adelle. So as I enjoy my wonderful life on this wonderful weekend, I hope you have a wonderful day also!

Break and Progress

I am having a wonderful, relaxing, family-filled break! I took Friday the 17th off and spent the day with Leah then picked up Hannah and Joel at the airport late that night (which went as smoothly as it possibly could). Spent that afternoon and evening with my Dad and Jean. The next day we got up and had Christmas at the Lake with the Kuenzi's and Clarks. This is always a special day but for some reason, this one was even more special. I loved spending time with Shari and her kids and Season and everyone! We had an especially good Smith family Christmas also at Wooten's. Then Christmas here was very low key. This year I never got around to putting up lights or decorations of any kind (I did win a poinsetta for Christmas from work) or even a tree. I didn't shop until I absolutely had to and never shopped for the kids at all--we wrote them checks and they were happy! Christmas day was about relaxing and eating. Scott made a traditional Fire Department breakfast of sausage, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and hash browns. Leah had brought homemade cinnamon rolls. Then we just hung out. The whole time the kids have been here is laid back and relaxed. We hang out as a family or in smaller groups but there isn't any pressure so I feel like I go off and read or go to the gym or nap or whatever. I've discovered Pinterest and spent some time doing that and did some crafts, painted the hallway and trim, stuff like that. We try to go to the gym (Scott, Hannah, Leah and I) every day if we can together. The kids have had time with their friends, too. Very enjoyable times. Joel's friends have hung out but not too much--enough that he feels reconnected and home. Scott and I have had time together, too, which will help with the transition back to the two of us. Jon is moving out into an apartment so it will be very quiet around here for awhile after the kids leave. And they are leaving little by little instead of all at once, too, which will help. We are getting ready to head into craziness as I go get mom tomorrow and then I understand that Jon is on his way back from Mexico and then on Sunday, the Griffiths are coming up for the day with maybe some Clarks and Kuenzi's also! Gonna be exciting! Then I have Monday and then boom! The girls go to Newton and I go back to work! Joel will go with them for an overnight then come back and be here until he flies out Friday (or Saturday--can't remember). Of course, the house will still be getting worked on.
Progress on the house: Got the roof onto the new room and most of the siding and the windows in. Today got the sliding door in the kitchen! It looks amazing! Makes the room look much bigger! I got the hallway painted including the trim and doors (still need some of the trim put up). I guess we've turned a corner and I would put the house at about 65% done.
Wow! Scott and Hannah ran to the store and I just realized I'm alone for the first time in a long time. Nope, Leah got here. Now to start cooking (again:)--the grocery bill is HUGE!)

Eating Frenzy

Once I get in an eating mode, I can't get out. Today I have eaten:

6:30 a.m. Coffee with hazelnut creamer
7;00 a.m. Staff Christmas party: some sort of muffin, 2 helpings egg casserole, some sort of fruit punch.
10 a.m. poppy seed muffin, more egg casserole, more fruit punch
11 a.m. strawberry chocolate fudge (Christmas gift)
12 p.m. Large peice of fried chicken, cheesy mashed potatoes, tortilla chips, chocolate covered peanuts
2:30 p.m. strawberry chocolate fudge
4:00 p.m. post nap pre work out snack--tortilla chips
At this point I did attend spinning class where I gave about 80% effort and then sat in the sauna for 15 minutes
7 p.m. dinner spaghetti with wheat noodles and meat sauce, milk, two peices of dark chocolate almond (hey--I need antioxidants!)
7:30 strawberry chocolate fudge

This is ridiculous.