Singularly Blessed

Pathways

2012-02-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

Each of our paths is so uniquely our own. Sometimes I wonder at the seperate journeys God has us on. They are all so different, His calling on our lives so individual. At times I hurt because people do not understand mine, but do I really understand theirs? We all are so quick to judge another's life because it is not our own.

A passage from Jesus Calling says, " I have called each of My children to a different path, distinctly designed for that one. Do not let anyone convince you that his path is the only right way. And be careful not to extol your path as superior to another's way. What I require of you is to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Me - wherever I lead."

I do not completely understand why our paths are all so different but I suppose it is because God has a special purpose in the world for each of us, and He only needs one person for that specific purpose - you or me or the lady down the street. We don't need to worry about why our story looks so much different from someone else's - we only need to keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting that He will complete the good work he has begun in us, and give our calling, our purpose, our path all we have to give.

For when I am weak...

2012-02-22T05:50:00.000-08:00

"You need Me every moment. Your awareness of your constant need for me is your greatest strength. Your neediness, properly handled, is a link to My Presence. However, there are pitfalls that you must be on guard against: self-pity, self-preoccupation, giving up. Your inadequacy presents you with a continual choice - deep dependence on Me, or despair. The emptiness you feel within will be filled either with problems or with My Presence. Make Me central in your consciousness by praying continually: simple, short prayers flowing out of the present moment. Use My Name liberally, to remind you of My Presence. Keep on asking and you will receive, so that your gladness may be full and complete."

from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

For when I am weak...

~ Then is HE Strong. ~

Singleness Appreciation Day

2012-02-18T03:26:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day has come and gone yet another time. For many people who are without that special someone, it is a sad day full of regret, longing, and loneliness. "Singleness Awareness Day," as it is often called, reminds lonely hearts everywhere to be miserable and count the curses of singleness. BUT I am here to tell you - it doesn't have to be that way! Singleness can be and IS a blessing! Here are some reasons why:

1. Singleness gives you a chance to pursue your hobbies, dreams, and goals. You have the whole rest of your life to be married - you will most likely only be single for a relatively small portion of your life. So, live it up! Take classes in something you enjoy, travel to a place you have always wanted to visit, spend time developing a talent you have never had a chance to hone, find your dream job. Once you are married, time for these activities will be much more limited.

2. Singleness gives you freedom. You can pick up and move across the state - or to another country - if you wish. You can change jobs or go back to school. You can plan your own schedule. Once you are married, you and your spouse will have to plan together.

3. Singleness gives you a chance to focus on the most important relationship of all. If you are a Christian, being single allows you to pour all of your love into Christ. 1 Corinthians 7 says "He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife....The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord...but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."

4. Singleness allows you to build other important relationships in your life. When you are married, much time will necessarily be spent with your spouse, developing your relationship with each other. While you are single is the perfect time to build strong, close-knit relationships with family and friends.

5. Singleness is simpler. This may seem like a silly reason, but think about it. How much stress, heartache, headaches, and mini-crises do you hear about every day just from relationships with significant others? It just goes with the territory. No relationship is easy, and dating/marriage is the most difficult of all. Men are complicated. Women are complicated. Men and women understanding each other's complexity = impossible. Seriously, though, having a boyfriend/ girlfriend/husband/wife does NOT fix everything and make all your dreams come true. This isn't Disney or a romance novel. Relationships are a lot of work and add their own problems and stresses to an already full and stressful life.

(Or women, if you are a guy!)

6. Singleness is really out of our control. Sure, you can go out looking for the perfect someone. And sure, if you just sit at home and twiddle your thumbs, your prince/princess is probably not going to appear. However, that being said, you can not MAKE the right person come along. When it is time, you will meet him or her. If you try to force a relationship to happen before it is time, chances are you will end up with the wrong person. Better to be single forever than to be trapped in a relationship that brings you nothing but sorrow and misery. Life.is.too.short. to waste it away bemoaning something we cannot change.

Soooooo....ENJOY your singleness! Celebrate it! For most of us, this is just one season of our lives, and one that will soon be over. So, treasure each moment as a single person and resolve to get the most out of this time in your life.

Happy Singleness Appreciation Day!

God's Measuring Stick

2012-02-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you just don't measure up? I feel like that a lot. It is probably the perfectionist in me, but I just want to excel and exceed in all areas of life and when I don't and when others think I don't and when I think I don't, it can be very discouraging. I always try to do the right thing, and I think that others should be able to see that and not criticize what they do not understand. But, of course, life is not always like that, people don't understand and they do criticize and I don't understand them and I criticize. Sad but true. The good news? God doesn't expect me to be perfect. In fact, He knows I never can. And when God uses His measuring stick, He does look at my intent. God sees how hard I am trying and how badly I want to do right, and He is pleased. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." People may look at appearances and results, as they see them, and say I don't measure up, but God looks at my motives and intentions, as they really are, and He says through Christ I am perfect and complete. Now that is good to hear.

The Revenge of the Bridesmaids

2012-01-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

So. About a week ago I got into a fight. I know those of you who know me are surprised - fights probably don't seem like what someone as charming, peaceable, sweet, and loveable (and don't forget humble!) as me normally participate in. But, when we went to try on bridesmaids dresses for Kristi's wedding, it happened. Or, supposedly it happened. Or at least we told Taylor it happened.

It all started innocently enough - Taylor texted Mom to see how the day had gone with trying on bridesmaids dresses and all, and since Mom was driving, Hannah texted for her. It seemed boring to just say the day had gone well so she said that everything had gone well EXCEPT that Kim and I had gotten into a fight. We expected Tay to be like, "Yeah, right," and that be that. One problem - Tay never did! The story kept growing - each time Tay texted back, we added a new preposterous (we thought) detail. It evolved to a final version in which Kim would not share the cheese at Olive Garden with me and said my dress was ugly and then punched me in the nose. Then, I refused to have her ride home with the rest of us because I was scared she would hurt me again, so she had to stay in Savannah at David's Bridal and wait for her mom to pick her up. We never thought Tay would believe it, but he did, called Joe to ask him about it, who then called me to see what had happened. Guess what? Joe believed it too. And as the story spread around, so did my dad and the rest of my family. It made for a VERY amusing car trip home as we spun our yarn and laughed incredulously at the trust of the rest of the family. We kept it going until we heard my dad was furious at Kim for hurting me. I figured I'd better call and tell him that actually she hadn't. But, we asked him to not tell the others, and I arrived home with makeup on my nose to make it look bruised and continued the act a bit longer. Finally, we told the truth and had a good laugh. So, moral of the story, do not rest assured that when you make up a preposterous story for a joke that others will automatically understand it is only a JOKE. People will actually believe some pretty outrageous things. At any rate, it makes for a good family story. Generations from now, we will still be talking about the time I got in a fight. Only maybe we won't tell our grandkids that it didn't actually happen. After all, they need a tough grandma, right?

Get Back Up Again

2012-01-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you just keep messing up? Your list doesn't get done, you let people down, you don't meet your goals. If it doesn't happen to you, I congratulate you. You are of all people most fortunate and successful. You also probably 1. do not live on earth or 2. have an unduly inflated view of yourself or 3. are content with small accomplishments. Very small. Because, let's face it, this is something that all of us who are trying to live a successful, productive, exemplary life deal with at some point or another. It is something I deal with almost weekly (if not daily). It is so easy to beat myself up, get super discouraged, give up in despair and bury myself under the covers with some ice cream and chocolate. But, the truth is, none of these strategies are going to result in success and satisfaction. So what are you supposed to do when you fail? What am I supposed to do when I fail? The answer is simple yet surprisingly hard to do. Get back up again. I have note cards that show a picture of a girl roller skating and say "Success consists in getting up once oftener than you fall down." And you know what? As simplistic as that sounds, it is true. As long as you have the courage to keep trying "just one more time," you will make progress and you will eventually be successful. You never really hear of people who never, never gave up despite the odds not succeeding at the end. The people who really do fail are the ones who get discouraged and throw in the towel. So, although I feel a little discouraged right now because this week has not gone how I have planned, I have not been following my New Year's resolutions even though it is still January, and I haven't gotten half the things done that I wanted to this week, I am not going to give up, give out, or give in. I am going to be brave, get back up again, dust myself off, and keep on persevering towards my goals. Who knows? This may be the time I finally succeed.

A Visit

2012-01-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

After Christmas, Hannah, Bethany, and I traveled to South Carolina for a couple days to visit Ashlyn. She had been wanting us to come see her new house, so this was the perfect chance to do so. We visited our grandparents while we were there, plus I met up with old friends and professors. We had a great time. It was wonderful to see everyone and it was a lot of fun to hang out with Ashlyn. We enjoyed shopping, walking downtown, eating lunch in a quaint Italian cafe downtown, watching chick flicks, and just spending time together. The couple days we had there were over very quickly, but it was a great trip and I think everyone would agree it was time well-spent!

A Cousin for Christmas

2012-01-22T03:35:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have been wondering who the "Amber" that I mentioned in my last post was. Here's the scoop: my cousin (Amber!) needed to find a place to do her student teaching in order to complete her degree. So, she worked it out with the school I teach at (and Joe goes to) to do her student teaching there. So, Christmas Eve, she arrived at our house, complete with all her winter clothes and all her summer clothes (As we explained to her that the way the weather works around here is that it could be 80 one day and 40 the next. This is NOT an exaggeration.) She spent Christmas with us, got to see how crazy we really were (we tried to warn her, but, well, some things you just have to see to believe), and decided to stay (or maybe she just didn't have any choice). At any rate, we now have one additional member of our family! She moved in with Hannah and Bethany and seems to be fitting in nicely. She is holding her own quite nicely and has even shown us that she also has a devious, crazy, mischievous side!!! :)

December....in a nutshell

2012-01-22T03:15:00.000-08:00

In an effort to capture some of the main events of December quickly so that I can move on (seeing as it is mid January!), here is a list of some of the highlights:

Musical opportunities - I kept busy with my music over Christmas, playing a concert at First Baptist Church in Cochran, playing for Christmas parties, and accompanying a children's choir at Christ Church on St. Simon's Island. They were wonderful opportunities which will hopefully open the door to future chances to play as well.
Christmas party at church - this will forever go down in infamy due to some events regarding the um "12 days of Christmas," six geese a laying, my dad, and some...uh...."air freshener." That is all I am going to say...you will have to talk to an eye witness if you want more details! :)
My students' piano recital - this was a great chance for my little students to join with two other teachers' students and play Christmas carols. I was so proud! :)
Christmas Baking - Who knew baking Christmas cookies could be so much fun? We put on movies (like Elf!!) or Christmas music non-stop and baked away. Our pantry and our kitchen were proof that some epic baking took place!! And of course, seeing as it was OUR family who was baking, there were some "unusual" occurrences with some of the cookies - key words: Benjamin, ninjas, my sweetheart, the Gingerbread man, and MORE!
Kidnapping the "Sherris" - This tradition began a couple Christmases ago with the kidnapping of Jase and the Ds. In the absence of those dearly beloved people, we felt that we must continue it with the kidnapping of our dear friends the "Sherris." Armed with all the (toy) pistols we could find, we barged into their house and told them they were being kidnapped and must come with us!! :) They were all loaded into our huge van, and then we drove around and enjoyed Christmas lights together! :) Afterwards, we enjoyed some delicious pizza and general fun times together.
Christmas Eve - we finished up a whirlwind of preparations for our party that evening, then my family headed off to our church and I headed to play for the church I am currently serving as pianist of. When we got back, Ashlyn and Amber were there! (more about who Amber is later! ;) We all worked together to set up all the beautiful hors d'oeuvres and goodies we had made. Taylor made it home just in time, and we all enjoyed the good food amid much laughter and fellowship. After eating, we commenced the annual sibling gift exchange. This is always an epically good time with many tricks being played, hilarious moments where we are rolling on the floor in laughter, and general craziness and fun times. After that, we normally watch a Christmas movie together or play games but this year it was so late and we had church the next day, so we forwent the movie in favor of a few hours sleep.
Christmas Day - we normally have a traditional breakfast before opening presents. This year, however, with Christmas being on a Sunday, we did have the traditional breakfast but it was a bit rushed and was the prelude to scrambling out the door to church. This year, too, I found out what it is like being a church pianist when Christmas is on a Sunday! I had to hurry with preparations for the solos I was either playing or accompanying that morning, so Christmas morning was mostly spend preparing those and rushing out the door! That afternoon when we got home was much more fun - we FINALLY got to open presents(! :) and then prepared a delicious Christmas dinner. And that night we got to watch a movie. All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas.

中國歡迎您

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

中國歡迎您 "Welcome to China." That was what we kept hearing over and over again. Were we in China? No, but China had come to us in the form of 30 Chinese government officials - at our house for dinner. It all began that summer when my dad had been chosen to be part of a government education exchange program (sponsored by the University of Georgia), where representatives from the US traveled to China for two weeks to teach Chinese officials about US government. Now, nearly six months later, Chinese officials were returning the favor with a visit to the US. When my dad heard they were coming, one of the first things he did was invite them to our house for dinner. My mother graciously agreed to cook for the 30 foreign guests (and you will be glad to know she did not cook dog or donkey, two Chinese delicacies).

The night of their visit, as we all worked together to prepare for their arrival, little did we know what was in store.

"They're here, they're here," someone called, and we all scrambled frantically to put the last touches on the house and tables and assemble in the foyer to greet them. As the Chinese delegation crowded into our house, some even going up the stairs in their efforts to find a place to stand, it was an out-of-body experience, being surrounded by smiling, eager Chinese faces all laughing and talking rapidly in Chinese. My dad introduced our family and welcomed them to our home (all of which was interpreted by Jong Fei), and then to our surprise, they began presenting us with gifts and showers of welcome and thanks and expressions of what a great honor it was to be in our home. I felt like I was in a movie - it was so surreal and magical.

The entire evening it was the same story. They told us over and over again in broken English or with an interpreter, sometimes with tears in their eyes, how much this meant to them, what a great honor it was to be in our home. They were constantly smiling, laughing, and trying to communicate with us through broken English, gestures, or one of their comrades who spoke better English than they. And amazingly, we DID communicate - heart to heart. I have never met such open, friendly, loving people. Although they were in our home, in the United States, they kept saying over and over, "Welcome to China." They told us about their families, asked us all kinds of questions about our family and lives, taught us Chinese words, played games with the little ones, and all in all, in a few short hours managed to capture our hearts forever.

I showed one lady how to do Zumba.

I played the piano for them and they sang for me.

When it was time to say "goodbye," many had tears in their eyes, begged us to come to China, and said they would never forget us. We will never forget them either.

It is impossible to describe what that evening was like. Nothing could have prepared us for how special and unforgettable it would be. They came for dinner but left with our hearts.

Better Late than Never

2012-01-21T04:48:00.000-08:00

Well. This is certainly a *wonderful* start to the new year. As in, horrible. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to keep up with my blog better. And instead I've kept up with it worse. Even though I have had many wonderful thoughts and exciting events to blog about. Oh well. Better late than never I always say. So, get ready - I am about to update you... on well... the last month or maybe two!!

A Few of my Favorite (Christmas) Things...

2011-12-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

I just L.O.V.E. Christmas!! Here are some of the things I love most about it:

the Music: From wistful, lyrical tunes like "White Christmas" and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to Carols like "What Child is This?," "Away in a Manger," and "Silent Night" to holiday classics that never get old like "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" and "It's the Most Wonderful time of the Year" to upbeat, energized songs with swing and pop like "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bell Rock," the music of Christmas has to be one of the best parts. Love: Pandora, Josh Groban Noel, Bing Crosby, Jim Brickman, Louis Armstrong, Andrews Sisters, Mannheim Steam Roller, and So Much More!!
the Smells: think pine Christmas trees, spicy gingerbread, peppermint, hot chocolate,
the Movies: from heartwarming Hallmark movies like A Season for Miracles to hilarious comedies like Elf, to fantasies like Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus and Santa Baby, to classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, to random adorable movies like Eloise at Christmastime, Christmas movies are simply the best!
the Decorations: Christmas trees, lights, green and red, nightlights, pillows, knicknacks, dishes, stockings, candles, mantel piece decs, garland, greenery, bows, silver, gold, nativity sets, treasured ornaments - each with a memory -- There is Christmas EVERYTHING! and I LOVE it!!
the Goodies: gingerbread, sugar cookies, fudge, peppermint bark, winter hugs, layered bars, scotcheroos, buck eyes, chocolate balls, chocolate covered pretzels, mini reindeer, all of the hors d'oeuvres on Christmas Eve, peppermint punch
the Books: so awesome to read all of the adorable Christmas Stories to my elementary students in library class! #cutestbooksever
the Traditions: so much of Christmas is the traditions handed down from year to year. They make Christmas so nostalgic and special and such a family time.
the Parties: Christmas recitals, Ornament Swaps, Staff Parties, Church get-togethers - Everyone wants to party at Christmas time!
Other random wonderful things: Break from school, Advent, Presents, Candy, Surprises, Christmas Cards
And of course, the best of ALL - Jesus was born to die that we might live!

Tis the Season

2011-12-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

You know that song, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?" Yeah. Well I really believe that song. True, things seem even crazier than normal but there is just such a feeling of excitement, anticipation, joy,

family-ishness (yes, I just made up a word), mystery, and general delightfulness that I cannot help but *love* it. My only regret about it is that there is never enough time to enjoy it all before it is here and over and the new year has begun.

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I persuade my family to put up the tree and decorate the house. We have special decorations that bring back treasured memories each year when I pull them out. My mom gives us each a new ornament each year, and, so, I have a collection dating back to my very first Christmas. Pulling the ornaments out of the box and hanging them on the tree is like being reunited with dear friends.

Of course, playing Christmas music while decorating the tree is an absolute must as is making and eating peppermint bark and hot chocolate. We always laugh and joke around and quote Elf and declare that "This Christmas is going to be the best Christmas Ever!"

Our house is decorated, inside and out, Christmas music is playing, and the Christmas Spirit is high. With any luck, it is quite possible our prediction will be correct. Happy Christmas Season, Everyone!

Giving Thanks with a Grateful Heart

2011-12-02T07:14:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. In fact, maybe it is my Favorite holiday. I love Christmas...but I love the Christmas SEASON. Once Christmas is actually here, it is basically over. At Thanksgiving, you have the same sense of family togetherness and celebration and all of the Christmas delight is still AHEAD of you. This Thanksgiving was wonderful as usual.

It started on Tuesday with the Thanksgiving Luncheon at school and early release!! YES!! On Wednesday, I drove to Macon for my weekly piano lesson and then returned home to help with the Thanksgiving prep.

Thursday morning, we rose early to participate in the Turkey Trot, a local Fun Run and 5K. Bethany and I did the Fun Run (which by the way, WHY do they call it the "fun" run?? It didn't feel fun to me!!) Chris, Hannah, Luke, and Matt did the 5K. It was the perfect way to start Thanksgiving Day, and then we all headed back home for a delicious homemade breakfast of grits, eggs, biscuits, and bacon.

After breakfast, I made the pies (pumpkin and apple) while watching the Macy's Day Parade, a tradition of course!

Then we worked together to set the table, finish the last minute food items, and get ready for our bountiful feast.

My handsome bros

Later that day, we gathered by the fire (See what I mean?? other time of fire making actually occuring in Brunswick!!) and watched Happy Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown and dozed and snuggled and ate pie.

It was wonderful to be together with family and get a chance to pause and thank God for all of His wonderful blessings. He has given me so, so much, and I thank Him for His mercy and grace in giving me so many rich and wonderful treasures which I do not deserve.

Fall Fun

2011-12-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes I know. I am an epic failure at blog posting. *sigh* What can I say? It seems that I have 24 hours in the day same as any one else, right?? How long can it possibly take just to pop off a blog post? But, alas, it seems to be nearly impossible for me to keep up my blog. Well, I shall take the only course of action there is - make some more good resolutions!! :D (and hope that they actually work out this time.)

So, anyways, I have been quite busy these last few months, which will not surprise anyone, but what may be slightly surprising is that I have actually taken a bit of time for fun as well.

In October, we had our church fall festival, which was loads of fun. There was a costume contest and a cooking contest. I entered both. The whole family went as characters from Narnia (surprise, surprise). I was Susan. We wanted to enter as a group, but alas, they would not let us. Joe did manage to take second prize as Prince Caspian though.

"Little" Lucy Isn't she adorable?

In the cooking contest, I succeeded, winning first prize for my apple pie. My grandmother taught me how to make them, and I am carrying on the tradition of homemade apple and pumpkin pies every Thanksgiving and Christmas (and yes, I mean homemade crust too).

A few weeks later, we had a quite enjoyable weekend. Epically wonderful things happened that weekend - 1. Abby, Joe's girlfriend and my wonderful friend and sister <3, and her friend Steph, who is also an awesome person and was great fun to meet and get to know, surprised Joe by visiting for the weekend. Result? Very, very happy Joe. and happy rest of us because we all love Abby too!!

Secondly, it was Kristi's birthday, so we celebrated Ours family style with a big surprise birthday dinner. Tay was home from college, Abbs and Steph were there, and Tay's friend Ethan were all there, so the table was full and the house rang with laughter, love, and good times.

Third, we chose Saturday night as a wonderful time to build the first fire. It fit in perfectly with the general happiness and coziness and plus, we figured we may not have another chance to build a fire as it would probably never again get cold enough in Brunswick. I LOVE fires, so it was amazing to have one that night and get to enjoy snuggling by it why we watched a movie - Borrowed Hearts. If you have not seen that movie, I highly recommend it - so cute and heartwarming!! (and on a side note - as it turns out we have actually had two other occasions to build a fire so far! Shocking isn't it?? What is the world coming to?).

And finally, the other wonderful thing about that weekend was I had Friday off from school. That just made it a *very* happy weekend. #icingonthecake

The Magic of Ordinary Daze

2011-10-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but for me life has a way of whizzing by at lightning speed! I cannot believe it is already mid-October. With all there is to do each day and each week, it is hard to slow down and actually enjoy all that I do. A typical day for me begins early - usually between 4 and 5 am. I get up, curl up with my Bible and coffee for a few minutes to start the day off right and then quickly transform myself into a stylish masterpiece...er...or at least something that doesn't hurt someone's eyes to look at (hopefully!)! :) Then, depending how early I got up, I practice piano for an hour or two (after I shut everyone's doors!). The more I can squeeze in in the morning, the better because it is hard to get all of my practicing work done in the evening when I get home. At seven, I grab a quick breakfast and then run (literally!) out the door to leave for work. I work from 7:30- 3:00. My job includes teaching computer, Spanish, and library to the elementary students, cataloguing and organizing books, helping with computer and other media issues, and other random tasks such as planning the book fair. At 3:00, I either rush home (Tuesdays and Fridays), have a faculty mtg (Mondays), or teach a piano student at school (Wednesdays and Fridays). On Tuesdays when I get home, I teach two piano students. Whenever I do get home and am finished teaching, after changing clothes and grabbing a snack, I buckle down to some serious practicing. I take a break to go running with my siblings and to eat supper. Sometimes, if we can persuade Mom, she lets us eat in the family room and watch a show like Get Smart or Hogans Heroes. We love the old shows! After dinner, I go back to practicing. I try to get in between four to six hours of practice a day (hopefully closer to six). I also try to squeeze in studying some music history, music theory, and ear training because I am thinking and praying about going back to school to get my Masters degree in Music, in which case I will have to take entrance exams in those subjects. I am trying to figure out how to squeeze in Zumba, but that hasn't worked out very well yet because I am usually exhausted by this point in the day! This is what my week days look like. On Saturdays, I leave at 6 am and drive 3 hours to Macon for my piano lesson which usually ends up being around an hour and a half. Then, I drive back and spend the rest of the day trying to get everything that didn't get done during the week completed, in addition to those special weekend activities like cleaning house and doing laundry! :) I try to spend some time with my family as well. Sundays are busy with church, finishing up weekend projects, and occaisonally, an afternoon nap, trip to the beach, or family activity. Whew! Just like that, my week is gone and a new one has begun. I am beginning to see why 90 year old people always say their lives went by just like that. My goal is just to find a way in the midst of all the stress, craziness and pressure to enjoy what I get to do, to cherish each memory-in-the-making, to really "see" the beauty all around me, to appreciate the little things like coffee in my favorite mug, to love with all of my heart, to infuse each moment with all of my energy, passion, and joy, to take time to notice all the little gifts and surprises God sprinkles in my day, and to glimpse the magic behind the mundane.

Higher than Mine, Part 2

2011-10-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

So, when I went in to the school on that Friday afternoon, they explained that one of their enrichment teachers had unexpectedly had to quit. They spoke with me about what was involved in the job, and amazingly, all of the things that she had done were areas I had experience in through either my actual "job" or through times when I had just volunteered at the school to help out with tasks that there was no one else to complete. The school offered me the job and told me to come Monday to sign the contract. Praise God! I could not believe it - He had truly answered my prayers! I mean, I knew that He could - I just was not sure that He would answer them the way I wanted them to. I thought He might want me to go through something that would be good FOR me but I might not really like. I mean, I am sure that I would build a BUNCH of character working at McDonalds. Sometimes, God does answer our prayers in ways we do not particularly like. However, this time, He saw fit to provide me with a good job and answer my prayers in a way that was quite satisfying to me.

Of course, it has been hard leaving my friends, school, church, and life in Albany. However, I have enjoyed starting this next phase of my life. God has taught me so much through this entire experience and built my faith in ways I would never have expected. In addition to this job, I also have four piano students, and God has opened other doors with music that I would not have had if I had stayed. I cannot believe all that God has done and I look forward to what the rest of this adventure will hold. A few months ago, if you had told me all that was going to happen, I wouldn't have believed you. God didn't do anything the way I expected Him to. But, I guess that shouldn't have surprised me. After all, He does say "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." His plan for me? Better, higher, more wonderful than mine could ever be.

story.of.my.life.

2011-09-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

So. um. yes. I found this on a friend's facebook and it pretty much sums up the way I view life. So............yes. I'd better sign off now ---------------------to go practice.

The Sea

2011-09-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

I stand at the edge of the shore
Endless blue reaches to touch the sky
Crashing waves sweep
The gentle foam tickles my toes
I giggle.
Seagulls swoop
A warm breeze kisses my cheek.
I close my eyes.
I breathe.
My troubles melt away.
here.
i.
am.
at.
peace.

Awakening

2011-09-16T05:13:00.000-07:00

Deep, dark sky warms to soft blue

Gradually, gently paling, and then,

The sun splashes on the horizon

Vibrant colors dancing

to the music of the morning

Higher than Mine, Part 1

2011-09-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

It all started in May. Things had finally been going smoothly, when something happened that shook up my comfortable little world and pierced my sensitive soul. While I cannot share the details here, suffice it to say that tears and questions flowed as I sought to process what had happened. I discussed the situation with my parents and as they grieved with me they offered this advice, "Maybe it's time to move on. Maybe God is trying to tell you something. Maybe you should look into relocating." While this may seem a bit drastic of a response (leaving town?!), the truth was moving wouldn't be an out-of-the-blue decision. I never wanted to stay in Albany - actually scratch that - I never wanted to even move there in the first place! I only moved there after college because my family was there. And now that my family had moved, there wasn't much to keep me there. I didn't like the atmosphere, location, or mercantile opportunities, and certainly it wasn't the most artistically stimulating environment either. However, until that point, I hadn't sensed God saying it was time to move on. Now, though, I wasn't sure.

I began praying about relocating and submitting resumes to schools in various places - Brunswick, GA (family and beach), Greenville, SC (sister, grandparents, friends and just generally wonderful place), and Macon, GA (piano teacher and close to Atlanta). I had not yet signed a contract for the next school year, and as the summer stretched before me, I prayed and waited for the Lord's direction. I was fine with either leaving or staying - there were pros and cons to each - I just wanted to know what HE would have me do. Now, I just have to say, waiting isn't exactly my strong point. I like to know exactly what I need to do and what I am going to need to do and make a plan accordingly. However, even though I explained to God that I wasn't very good at waiting, He decided to have me wait anyway.

Well, I waited and waited (and waited and WAITED) as the summer sped by. At the end of the summer, I still hadn't heard anything from any of the places to which I'd applied, so I assumed it must be God's will for me to continue living in Albany. Around the beginning of July, something happened that changed all of that. Now, I have not mentioned this yet, but one large factor in considering moving was my finances. A teacher's salary isn't very large to start with, then add to that the fact I was a teacher at a Christian school and that we had already taken a large pay cut the previous year - basically, I was hardly making anything. Well, that's fine if you can make ends meet, but all of my insurances (car, health, etc.) were going up, student loans were coming due, and quite honestly, the only way I had even making it thus far was because of large tax refunds each year which I had saved and used to live off of. However, I knew the Lord was able to provide, so I assumed if I stayed in Albany, He would stretch my resources, give me a raise, drop money from the sky, or provide in some other way. Anyway, one day I looked at my bank account and realized I was broke! It had happened suddenly due to some unexpected expenses and also a business mistakenly taking some money from my account. Well, when this happened, shock though it was, I felt that it was the Lord showing me that I was going to HAVE to make a change. I realized I was not going to be able to make it even another month living on my own as it was, and since I did not see a raise forthcoming, I made plans to move in with my family.
Now, this was very difficult for me. I felt like I had failed in some way, even though I knew I had been as careful and thrifty as possible. I didn't want to resign my job to say that I was going to move in with my family with no job prospects in sight. It did not fit my human reasoning at all. However, I felt clearly that this was what I was supposed to do, so I went on. I have to say, this was just not at all how I thought God would show me his will - by emptying my bank account. I thought a wonderful new job would open up and it would just be clear that I should move from one job to the other. It sounded so nice and easy and comfortable. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and He did things HIS way (Surprise!).
I resigned my job, moved in with my family, and kept beseeching God for a job that would match with my education, experience, and skills. My faith seemed to grow by the day as I fought a moment by moment battle to not worry, to trust, to let go. I thought surely God would provide. But a whole month went by, and still I had nothing. Bills were coming due; I tried not to panic. "Trust, just trust," I reminded myself. Still, nothing came and it was getting to the point where I felt I should go out and look for anything at all - the mall, Longhorn's, Chick-fil-A, the government - just to pay *some* of the bills. I asked God to provide a job for me by the end of the first week of August - if I had not heard anything by then, then on Monday morning I would start looking for just "anything."

It was Friday afternoon, and I was resting on my bed, taking a small break from practicing, when the telephone rang. It was the principal from one of the Christian schools in the area, one of the schools I had applied at and had a mini-interview at. They had been interested but had not had any openings at the time. "When can you be here?" she asked. "Give me an hour," I said, and then flew through the house screaming, "Mom, Mom! That school just called and wants me to come in as soon as I can!" While my mom began praying, I danced through the shower and headed to the school just as fast as I could.

To be continued... (Dun-duh duh-duh)

Keep On

2011-09-14T05:33:00.000-07:00

"Do not be weary in well doing: For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:9

~ With a heart for any fate, learn to labor and to wait. ~

Answering His Call

2011-08-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

"Is that always what music is? Answering the call of God?
Because on this whole spinning planet — this is the only rhythm that makes music: to do the will of the One whose heart beats at the center of the cosmos. Regardless of what anyone thinks of us."

From A Holy Experience by Ann Voskamp

Weird is Better than Boring!!

2011-05-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

Soooooo :) I was thinking the other day and I realized that one reason I do not really relish the thought of being an adult is that adults are so...well...um...boring. There, I said it. But before you just label me as judgemental and immature, think about it. You're at the beach...what are the adults doing?? Sitting in their beach chairs (if they made it to the beach at all - some are still sitting in their beach houses). Sometimes they are reading in their beach chairs and sometimes they are just SITTING. Doing nothing. Staring into nothing. Sleeping occasionally. Now, don't get me wrong, when I am at the beach, I like to spend some of my time sitting and sleeping and reading and reflecting. BUT (and that is a big but) I also love to take walks, play ultimate frisbee, bump the volleyball around, play football, play cards, swim in the ocean, scream when I touch the slimy stuff at the bottom, jump the waves, ride on the boogie board, run from spot to spot trying to chase down the biggest waves, take the perfect jump pictures, and, of course, Hannah's and Maddie's and my favorite thing of all...walk on the squeaky sand and make seagull noises.

OK, now, you might say that that's just the beach. But, picture scene 2, the pool. Again, where are the adults? In their chairs just sitting and sitting. If they get hot enough, they might delicately venture into the water and sit there for a while. Now, think about kids..they do somersaults and flips and handstands and play sharks and minnows and chinese freeze tag and Star and Marco Polo and Categories and have jumping contests off the diving boards. Now, age aside, which category do you think I fit into? That's right - the kids, obviously. I like to play games at the pool not sit there like a zombie. Which is why recently, when I went swimming at my apartment complex, I immediately made friends with the kids in the pool. Normally, I don't have to worry because I have my siblings. But at my apartment, I don't, so I had to fix the situation right away. I instroduced myself to the kids in the pool, taught them how to play Star and played with them the rest of the time.

And you know, the list of boring adult behavior goes on and on. What do most adults do in their spare time? Watch TV and maybe read a book. Nothing ENERGETIC!!!! And when adults get together, what do they do?? Sit and talk. No games, no guitar hero, no FUN! And how often do you see adults riding bikes or playing sports?? Pretty much only if their kids beg them to. It's Sad. So, that is why I am never entering that boring adult stage of life. I may be an adult on the outside for situations like work and paying bills and important stuff like that. BUT - get me to the beach, the pool, to my free time, and my Kid Side can No Longer be Suppressed. Too bad if people think I'm weird. Like Hannah says, I might be weird, but you are BORING!! :P

Why I love being a teacher

2011-05-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Summer break. Christmas break. Summer break. Spring Break. Summer break. and need I mention it again?? Summer break!!!! :) Actually, there are lots of other more important reasons as well, but there is no doubt that I adore having the summers off. I look at the start of each summer as the beginning of a time filled with all kinds of possibilities. Fun to be had...goals to be reached....new skills to learn....it fills me with excitement that tingles from my head to my toes and through every fingertip. I always set goals for myself for the summer because even though I want to relax and have fun, I do NOT look at the summer as just a time to kick back. No indeed! It is the time to DO everything I want to do but don't have time for during the year, to experience new things, to Live with more intensity than ever. This summer is no exception. It stretches before me, a magical space waiting to see what I will make of it. My goals are ready, my tired self has found new energy with the arrival of freedom, and now I eagerly embark to create two momentous, memorable, magical months. Summer, here I come!

Ice cream, Chocolate, and Shoes

2011-05-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Stress is a very real phenomenon in many of our lives. Without doubt it is very real and present in mine! According to http://www.essortment.com/stress-relief-tips-15899.html, stress can be both positive and negative. It can be a positive motivator causing people to get things done, but chronic stress can also cause all kinds of problems:
"Stress affects thoughts. Thoughts of low self-esteem, fear of failure, inability to concentrate, worrying about the future, preoccupation with thoughts/tasks and forgetfulness can be present. Stress affects behavior. It can cause stuttering and other speech difficulties, bouts of crying for no apparent reason, laughing in a high pitch or nervous tone of voice, increased accident prone behavior, overeating, under eating and increased use of drugs and alcohol.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80% of health care is spent on stress related disorders. These ailments include hypertension, migraine, headaches, ulcers, anxiety, allergies, asthma, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Constant, chronic stress can also suppress the immune system thereby making the body more susceptible to disease, even the common cold and flu."

For a while, I thought I would try to figure out a way to live a less stress-filled life. But I've finally realized that I love being busy and having a full plate and that I have so many goals and plans and dreams that I love much more than being stress-free. So I have changed my goal from reducing stress to learning to manage stress. Here are some of my favorite ways to manage stress:

1. Exercise: This is a highly recommended way of dealing with stress and one that I personally find effective. It's hard to drag myself to the gym sometimes, but I almost always feel better when I make myself do it. Zumba is my favorite form of exercise. I dance away some of the tension as I get lost in moving to the music.

2. Eat ice-cream! :) This tip must be done in moderation or weight gain will result and cause further stress; however, there REALLY is something about ice cream and chocolate that can be very comforting, especially if you put on your comfiest stretchy pants and eat the ice cream right out of the container while lounging on the couch watching your favorite TV show.

3. Go shopping! This again must be done carefully; otherwise, you might break your budget and that will not help anything. But even if you don't buy anything (although a new dress and pair of shoes is a great help in any situation), just getting out and walking around and being around fresh sights and sounds can help you feel better.

4. Make a list of everything you have to do. This helps organize your thoughts and sort that confusing muddle of your mind into concrete tasks to accomplish.

5. Take a walk. Being out in the fresh air and sunshine does wonders for stress relief. Plus the act of walking makes you feel like you are leaving your problems far behind and helps clear your head and think through things.

6. Focus on one task at a time. Sometimes, when I have a lot to do, I look at the big picture and everything that has to get done, and I get overwhelmed completely. But a lot of times when I force myself to focus on just one task at a time, things don't end up being nearly as bad and overwhelming as I thought.

7. Talk it out. Guys probably never will understand this, but sometimes the only way to resolve things is to "talk them out." I don't know what it is about talking about things that makes them better, but somehow it just does. Sometimes I think that it's pointless to talk about something because there is nothing anyone can do, but when I finally DO talk about it I end up feeling SO much better! Just getting it off your chest and out in the open somehow takes away some of the pressure. And sometimes people have better ideas and advice than you give them credit for. Pick a trusted friend or family member and confide your troubles. Just be willing to do the same for them if they need a listening ear later on.

8. Pray about it. I almost didn't include this, because it seems so obvious, but it really should be the first thing we do. God has everything in control. If we (if I) could ever just realize that, we would all be so much more peaceful and happy. God can do anything and everything - leave it in HIS hands.

9. Step back and look at the big picture. Sometimes we see all of the little things we have to get done and we freak out. Think about which things really matter to get done and which if left undone will not matter in two years or even two weeks.

10. Take time. Take time to have your quiet time, eat, sleep, exercise, practice good hygeine, dress cutely, etc. Sometimes I think that I really just don't have time for these "extras," But actually they are essentials. Taking the time in the morning to have my quiet time, eat breakfast, and dress nicely for the day affects my entire outlook.

These are my personal favorites. I also looked on the website I mentioned earlier and they suggested these strategies as well: laugh, make time for fun, get rid of negative influences, and accept what you cannot control. I pretty much think what it boils down to though is this: Eat chocolate, consume ice cream, and buy shoes! :)

P.S. I Love You

2011-05-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom,

Every year there is one day set aside that we celebrate mothers and all that they do for us. We buy them flowers, give them gifts, and seek to thank them for their impact on our lives. The question is - how can we in one day thank our moms for all that they do for us EVERY day - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? How can I thank you, Mom, for all that YOU do and are and mean to me?? I don't know how.

You are amazing, Mom. They say that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world and you have rocked TEN cradles! That should mean that you will have 10 times the impact on the world. You have undertaken the greatest task any one ever could - to raise up the next generation, a generation that with a Biblical worldview that can effect change in the world. And, yet, this noble calling entails much daily, mundane work. You cook, you clean, you rock sick children, you discipline, you teach, you train, you clean up throw up, you smile, you love, you hug, you support, you encourage, you plan birthday parties, you make every child feel special, you listen, you counsel, you stay up all night with the feverish and still get up the next day, you do laundry and laundry and laundry, you step back and let us make our own choices and then are there to pick up the pieces when we fall apart and don't even say I told you so. You do all of this willingly, every day, for all of us. You have done and do this for me, Mom. You lay down your life for us...for ME. Do you know that I love you? Cause I do. I know you don't feel like doing all of this every day of every year. But you do it anyway and keep on doing it because you love us. And I love you too. I don't even know how to tell you how much I love you.

As I have gotten older, we have become more than mother and daughter and become friends. I love giggling with you and talking about girl stuff and our early morning coffee chats when we are supposed to be having our quiet times. You are so strong too....I don't know how you keep going, keep smiling, never give up even when you are sick, tired, and discouraged. You tell us you are fine and remind us to get enough sleep at night with true concern in your voice, but the truth is you haven't slept enough for months or maybe years. Or maybe since you became a mom. Thank you, Mom. I love you for that. And I love the fact that you listen...even when your ears probably feel like they are going to fall off and even when you are so tired you fall asleep halfway through and we have to keep waking you up. Thanks Mom. I always know I can talk to you and that you will care. And thank you for doing special stuff for us even when some people (not me, I do have to say! :) don't get their chores done and make you sorry that you did something special, thank you for still doing a special thing the next time. I love you for that.

Thank you for home schooling us. I know it would have been easier to just send us all off to some school. Maybe then your task as mother would have been only 10 times impossible instead of twenty. But you cared enough to protect us and to instill in us the values that you believed were important. Thanks Mom, I love you for doing that for me. Thank you too for paying for music lessons and driving me to them and letting me practice (as much as you did! :) even when you were about to scream if you had to listen to one more minute and when you thought that maybe we could actually feed Taylor if we didn't have to pay for lessons and when you were pretty sure that the car could find its own way to lessons from going there so much. I love you for doing that for me.

Well, Mom, the list could go on and on and on forever. But the point is, thank you so much for all that you are and do for me and have done for me. You are incredible and beautiful - inside and out. I love you a million red m&ms. Happy Mother's Day! :)

Love,
Tiffany

P.S. - Did I mention that I love you?

Awareness

2011-04-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in the frantic rush of life, the pressures of deadlines and events, lengthy to-do lists, and unexpected daily mini-crises, it is very difficult to really ENJOY my life. I just get so caught up and before I know it, the day, week, month, year is gone.

Recently I was reading in Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts. In the book, she talks about the importance of savoring each moment. A pastor she knew once was asked what his most profound regret was looking back at his life. He answered, "Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing....Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out, I was throwing it away." Wow! That completely describes my life....I am always rushing from thing to thing, rarely being completely given to the thing in front of me...usually my mind is about 15 places all at once. I thought that was called multi-tasking! But maybe, it is keeping me from being aware of the blessings in this moment now. That is Ann Voskamp's solution to the problem of not enjoying each moment, of being caught up in the torrent of life ~ looking for the blessings in each minute, being aware. Consciously being aware of each moment, consciously seeking the beauty and blessings all around me.

Ann Voskcamp says, "Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respector of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter into time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. I can slow the torrent by being all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment. And when I'm always looking for the next glimpse of glory, I slow and enter. And time slows."

~ May I live in the moment, in THIS moment. May I be aware. ~

Practice Makes Perfect

2011-04-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

As much as I love the piano, there are still days when I don't feel like practicing. Comparing it to a long term relationship again, there are certainly days and times in any relationship when you do not feel like doing things for the other person whether it is doing household tasks, spending time with them, or being nice to them! Well, it is the same way with piano, there are days and times when I do not feel like doing what I know I need to do. But, just like in a relationship, love and committment is a choice, and when you don't feel like doing things for someone you love, you make a choice to do them anyway because you love that person. So, same for piano.

My teacher says that playing the piano is the hardest thing anyone can do because it is so complicated and demands so much on such a myriad of levels. And she also says that it is easy to put off practicing because it is so difficult and demands so much. Recently, I read a book called Note by Note by Tricia Tunstall. In the book, Ms. Tunstall explains why practicing is so challenging.

"...To strive for mastery at the piano, or any instrument for that matter, is really to redefine one's definition of 'hard.' Difficult passages must be broken down into their smallest parts and played - well, you know: over and over and over. When you think you cannot bear to play a passage one more time, you play it ten more times. Or twenty. If you have not maintained a meticulous, painstaking precisioon throughout those twenty times, you repeat it twenty times more. When you are tempted to give up and go make yourself a sandwich, there is no coach to stop you; you must be trainer and athlete, good cop and bad, all at once. It's a tall order for a disciplined grownup, much less for a [child]."

But practicing is necessary -

"An instrumentalist is an athlete. There is no way around the need for intense physical training; without it, the ability to play a Beethoven sonata is about as unlikely as the ability to pole-vault. But while pole-vaulters and soccer players and gymnasts usually practice together, a piano student practices his technical exercises alone, and it can feel like drudgery."

Nevertheless, practicing can be both intensely fulfilling and rewarding. I love a challenge and the piano constantly presents great challenges to overcome. I feel a great sense of accomplishment as I am able to play the pieces the way I hear them inside and as I am feel my technique getting better and stronger. Because there is no denying it - to be suberb at anything, you have to practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect!

Piano Lessons

2011-04-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Piano lessons are the joy and the curse of my life. I absolutely adore the piano - music is in my blood, and furthermore, I am NOT content to merely be mediocre at the piano. Every time, I try to do piano "just for fun," it just doesn't work, and I end up back at the same realization that the piano and I were not meant for a mere flirtatious fling but rather a serious, committed relationship. And with all serious, committed relationships, sacrifice is required. So, I pour blood, sweat, and tears, at times MANY tears, into the piano. The hours required to practice and drive to lessons (2 hours one way) put a strain on my already bursting schedule. The money required for high class lessons put a strain on my already tight budget. But, try as I might to leave the piano, it will not let me. You see, music is not just a part of me, it IS me. It is entertwined in the very core of my being, so much so that I can't always tell where I stop and music begins. And whenever I try to disengage myself from it, back off, relax, "be more realistic," as so many of my well-meaning friends and family members advise, I cannot bear it and find myself back again fully committed to insane hours of practice and striving after elusive perfection. You see, as much as it sometimes hurts to be so committed to piano, it hurts worse to NOT be. So, I guess I might as well as resign myself to it - Piano and I are together for Better or for Worse....Forever.

These quotes from Great Pianists Speak by Adele Marcus (who was by the way my teacher's teacher at Juillard) express a little of what I am feeling:

"You must have the craziness to go on continuously, whether you are sick, or you aren't sick, or you have a headache or you don't have a headache. You must have this sort of craziness to go on every day. If you don't have it, success is absolutely out of the question. When I say every day, it is not only two or three hours, it is your whole life. You have to dedicate everything; if not, you cannot do it....When they ask me 'What makes an artist?' I find that apart from this urge to express oneself, an absolute dedication and willingness to work like I-don't-know-what for hours without end, to build a repertoire, are the elements which are absolutely imperative. Together with all that is enormous sacrifice."

And yet - with all that sacrifice - it is still completely worth it. As Sergei Rachmanioff said, "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music."

In fall of 2009 I wrote the following words:

"What is it about piano that captivates me?? Why is it that no matter that I'm sleep deprived and brain dead, I am willing and even eager to come to the piano and endure vigorous mental and physical labor instead of resting or relaxing? Why is it despite the pain and pressure, the fatigue and rigor, I always desire, nay demand - MORE? Crank up the intensity another notch, push myself just that much harder - I can't stop and I can't get enough. Ever."

Playin' the fool at school

2011-04-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

April Fool's Day just presents too many delicious opportunities for innocent mischief for a fun-loving soul like mine to miss. So, accordingly, as I realized April Fool's Day was rolling around again, I had to devise a devious plan to prank our headmaster, Mr. Bess. I spoke with the other teachers, and we came up with a brilliant though devilish plan. Here is how it all transpired:

Time: Friday, April 1, 2011, 7:30 am
Place: Byne Christian School

Teacher 1 (me) texts Mr. Bess informing him she is throwing up and has a fever and will not be able to come to school.

7:40 am - Teacher 2 texts him telling him they have a family emergency and will not be able to come in.

7:50 am - Teacher 3 texts him explaining their parents are in the hospital and they HAVE to go see them and ...you guessed it....will not be able to come in.

7:51 am - Mr. Bess is frantically trying to find subs. Only one small problem - the school secretary is in on the joke and regretfully informs him that there are no subs to be found.

7:53 am - Mr. Bess' blood pressure rises dramatically.

7:59 am - Mr. Bess thinks his heart is going to come out of his chest.

8:03 am - Mr. Bess thinks he might have to call 911.

8:10 am - With students coming in five minutes and still no subs to be found, Mr. Bess considers asking parents in the parking lot to sub.

8:15 am - Teacher number 1 (me) drives into parking lot and prepares to exit vehicle to wait for other teachers so they can all surprise him together. At the same time, Mr. Bess heads into parking lot, blocking route of escape.

8:15 and 1/2 am - Teacher number 1 (me) tries to maintain a low profile inside her car, hoping Mr. Bess will not notice she is there.

8:16 am - Plan fails. Mr. Bess walks over to Teacher 1 (my) car. Teacher 1 is forced to open car door and say sheepishly, "Happy April Fool's Day, Mr. Bess!"

8:16 and one quarter am - Teachers 2 and 3 arrive and reiterate, "Happy April Fool's Day, Mr. Bess - we love you!"

8:16 and one half am - Pavement melts under Mr. Bess' feet.

8:17 am - Teachers now think they are having a heart attack and simultaeneously wish they had worn their running shoes that day.

8:18 am - Mr. Bess recovers his sense of humor. Teachers breathe sighs of relief as he laughs and agrees that it was a good joke.

The day continues. Teachers teach their classes and all is back to normal....or so it seems. But before the teachers leave that day, Mr. Bess warns them, "I will get even. You won't know when and you won't know how, but I WILL get even.

Teachers leave thinking that the Freedom to play April Fool's Jokes = Eternal Vigilance (or Eternal Terror, whichever way you want to look at it).

Destination Byne

2011-02-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

For weeks, I have been spending every drop of energy, creativity, and time into an event called Destination Byne. This event is a cross between an open house, progressive dinner, and international fair, and was designed as a promotional event for the school I teach at - Byne Christian School. The event took place this past Tuesday, February 8 and was a tremendous success. Each classroom represented a country and served a traditional course from that country as well as providing information about the academics that take place in the particular classroom. My class's country was France, and we had fun decorating with Paris themed items and serving French desserts - chocolate eclairs, madelines, and piroulines - yum! Representatives from FOX news and the Albany Herald reported on the event, and the general consensus by parents, staff, and students was that it was a fun and educational evening. Below are some pictures from the event.

Italy Room

Spain/ Latin American countries room

France room (my room!)

Me in a poster one of my student's cousins created for photo ops!

Some of my students' projects - book report T-shirts, science notebooks, habitat models

China room

Registration room with tables about different aspects of the school

Australia Room. This class actually had Outback Steakhouse come and serve some of the food!

Chemistry models and students dressed up outside of the Greece room

Student dressed up for China room

There were 12 countries represented in all. I am now EXHAUSTED, but the result was well worth it!

Check out this video we created to advertise for the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPAdAaHv554

Mastering my Masters

2011-02-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

After two years of working quite diligently on my masters of art in teaching degree, I am finally finished! I received my diploma and final transcript in the mail the other day. I finished with a 3.63 GPA. While that is not a 4.0, I still feel pretty pleased when I realize that I completed my degree with that GPA while teaching full time, working as church pianist, and driving to Macon to take piano lessons every or every other week plus practicing many hours at home. Additionally, I plugged away at it through a death in the family, moving out on my own for the first time, my family moving 3 and half hours away from me, and a personal emotional crisis. While at times I thought it would master me, I kept at it and now I have a masters degree to my name! My family and I celebrated with dinner in Savannah at Olive Garden.

It is hard for me to believe I am finally finished! Now, on to the next challenge. Doctorate, anyone??

No Pain = No Gain

2011-01-31T01:48:00.000-08:00

I hate Pain. I always have. I shrink from it. I dread it. I fear it. I do everything I can to avoid it. When the pastor preaches about the suffering in the Christian life, I want to cover my ears.

But...I've been thinking. Doesn't being exceptional at anything require pain? Growing = changing = pain. Olympic athletes - don't they call pain their friend? The long hours of practice, the pushing beyond their breaking point, the grueling sessions they put their bodies through. A plant breaking through the seed - it must hurt if plants have feelings. And when you are working out -running, lifting weights, dancing- it is not doing any good if it doesn't hurt. When you feel the pain, that is when you know you are growing, changing, getting stronger. Otherwise you are just going through the motions. Even piano practice I have found is supposed to hurt. My teacher says I should wake up sore in the morning from pushing my hands, fingers, arms to play faster and louder and longer than ever before.

So, the Lack of Pain means Lack of Growth. When my life hurts, it means I am going somewhere, getting stronger, Growing, changing, becoming exceptional.

I hate the pain. But I hate the status quo, the average, the weak, the un-exceptional more. I want to become all I can be - in Every area.

So, I should love the pain. Maybe that is what it meant in the Bible when it said, "Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, wehnever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing."

I never really understood it before. How to be excited when pain comes. Why I should be. But I guess it is just like when I'm excited when my arms feel like they are falling off when I practice octave scales or when I wake up sore after working out. I Love the Pain because I Love the Gain that comes with it.

The Motions by Matthew West sums it up:

This might hurt, it's not safe

But I know that I've gotta make a change

I don't care if I break,

At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough

Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions

I don't wanna go one more day

without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,

"What if I had given everything,

instead of going through the motions?"

I'll give my all. I'll embrace the Pain because I know it's the price I must pay to be Exceptional.

Family is Forever

2011-01-25T02:42:00.000-08:00

My family is incredible. They are loving, hilarious, godly, caring, and insane. Maybe that is why I miss them so much when I am away from them. I try to explain my family to people sometimes, but unless they have actually met them, there is no way for them to truly understand. Allow me to introduce you to them....maybe then you will get the picture.

First there is my Dad. He is a man of integrity who loves God and his family and is always faithful to provide for us. He is a quiet man but he shows us his love every day by his hard work and he does special things for us like taking us on vacations, to special places, and out to eat (and with ten children three of which children are Taylor, Joshua, and Joseph, this is no small act of love). BUT don't let his normally quiet demeanor fool you. Everything changed when he became the new 30. He has been known to give Elvis impersonations and wild pep rallies with split jumps, pom poms, and his own version of the cheers and then there is his infamous duck joke.... :) My dad is respected by those whom he works with for his strong leadership and thoughtful touches like sending his employees cards on their birthdays. He also is my shopping buddy - yes he has taken me on two all day shopping trips! And let me tell you, he wore me out! :) My dad is a man of strength, love, and character.

Next there is my Mom. She is my best friend. We laugh together, cry together, and sometimes we read each other's minds. She is a godly, selfless woman who spends her life making a home for us. She works unbelievably hard each day filling all of the roles that wife, mother, and home schooler entail. But even with all that she has to do each day, she still takes time to do special things for us like make cookies, mail me a package, and sit down and watch a movie. She always takes time to listen to me - and I tell her everything! A lot of times she has good advice and even when she can't fix my problems, just telling her about them makes me feel better. She is a wonderful writer and a delicious cook! She is always trying new recipes and ideas. My mom is a beautiful, hilarious, dedicated, and strong woman.

Then there is Ashlyn. Ashlyn is a beautiful, godly young lady with a heart for others and a heart for God. She lives each day seeking to glorify God and bless those around her. She is smart, talented, funny, and hard working. She is sensitive to the needs of those around her and is always looking for ways to bless other people. She sends me random packages that make my day (even when they get lost in the mail for 3 months!). A gifted photographer, she captures the every day beauty she sees around her with the camera. I wish I got to see her more often, but I am thankful for the times we are together. I love you, Ashlyn!

Then there is Taylor. Everything Taylor does he does in a big way. I think it's part of his "swagger." haha :) He is goofy, crazy, and has the healthiest self esteem I have ever seen! :) He is not afraid to be himself and does not worry what other people think about him. He just is completely himself and expects other people to love his awesomeness! Taylor, I admire your confidence! He likes to tease people, but underneath all of his swagger and silliness, there is a compassionate heart deep down that cares about others.

Joshua is very hard working and does not give up easily. He is always full of plans for how to earn more money, have a better career, or fix something around the house. He is a true entrepreneur. He is also very friendly and can strike up a conversation with anyone. He thinks a lot about life and takes it seriously. He works hard to make good grades and has big plans for his future.

Joseph is not your typical "Joe!" :) He is effortlessly cool, extremely intelligent, and incredibly handsome! :) However, he seem deceptively quiet to people who have just seen him in public. They think of him as well-behaved, mannerly, and quiet. Haahahahahahahahahahah! :P What a joke! He is actually crAzzzzzy and a complete goof ball! (in a good way!) He breaks out into random songs in the middle of the house and makes weird faces and is just generally hilarious! :) He is also my guitar hero band mate! :) But, he is also very sensitive with a sweet spirit and cares about others. He is also super smart and very athletic. I love you Joe!

Christopher is always making us laugh with his randomly amusing comments. He is unabashedly laidback and surprises us with his cute sense of humor. He is great to play games with and hang out with. He really is smart but he doesn't believe in working any harder than he has to. :) Chris has a sweet heart and even though he is getting quite grown up we still consider him our teddy bear! :)

Hannah is growing into a beautiful young lady. She is quiet most of the time but a lot goes on in that blonde head of hers which you can tell if you read her blog! She works hard at her school, is a budding photographer, and relishes her computer time. She is sweet and caring and also quite silly. She and I burst into random bouts of giggling and have all kinds of quotes and jokes that we randomly rehearse. :) I love spending time with Hannah! Hannah, you are a gorgeous young lady inside and out!

Luke is a crazy wild child with a mischievous twinkle nearly always in his eyes! :) He really is sweet and sensitive but he hides it most of the time under his all boy exterior. He is thin and athletic as well as very smart. He works hard at school and plays hard at whatever games he is doing. He is very competitive and almost always wins! :) Of course, when he beats me it is just because I let him win, but you know. :D Luke is super fun to play with and is an awesome little brother.

Matthew :) Well, how do I even begin? Matthew is my honey, my little buddy. He constantly makes us laugh with the cute ways he says things and his hilarious antics. He dances like a rock star and then sleeps like an angel. He is very dramatic and acts everything out that he says with all kinds of facial and bodily contortions. He is my bestest honey. Matt I love you more than a million boxes of chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce! :)

Bethany is supposed to be our princess but she is actually more at home on the football field! :) She is feisty, bossy, thinks she is 25, and is our little drama queen. She keeps us laughing with her adorable expressions and hilarious stories. She says the sweetest things, is absolutely convinced she can do anything her brothers do, and is super cuddly and fun to snuggle with. I love you, my sweet Babe!

So, now you know! My family is special and one of a kind. And no matter how old I get, I am still going to miss them and want to be with them. I love you guys!!!!!

Gratitude Journal

2010-11-15T03:30:00.000-08:00

31. Quiet times of stillness with Jesus in the morning
32. Fresh inspiration
33. Unexpected blessings
34. Pleasant dreams
35. A fresh start every morning
36. Hope
37. A God who Never gives up on me
38. Crisp morning air
39. The sound of children's voices
40. The Determination to conquer the day

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

2010-11-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

"And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing"
Psalm 107:22

I have been reminded by several wise people lately that counting one's blessings is a great way to cheer one's soul. And so, this is my rather belated start to a Gratitude Journal.

1. bright, cheerful sunshine
2. The deep blue skies of fall
3. pumpkin breads, muffins, pies
4. a job I love
5. a Wonderful, Amazing "real" family
6. a Wonderful, Amazing adopted family
7. Friends who are always close in heart even when time and distance separate us
8. A Heavenly Father who delights in me and pursues me with a relentless love
9. a very warm, comfortable bed
10. My sweet little dog, Sofi
11. Pumpkin Spice Latte coffee creamer
12. Thanksgiving break is coming soon!
13. clothes, shoes, jewelry - all the fun "girly" things of life
14. Hot chocolate
15. Waffles
16. Music that speaks to my heart
17. laughter
18. the unending, ever changing and yet always the same beauty of the ocean
19. My family's new, amazing, huge house
20. movies, TV, Wii, Xbox, computers, cell phones - all the crazy technology that enhances and clutters our lives at the same time
21. Fall colors
22. Holiday decorating and baking
23. God's Word that is always relevant to my life today
24. My Crazy brothers
25. Creativity
26. My cute, cozy apartment - even though sometimes it's lonely
27. All of the children I get to impact and love every day
28.The Church I am blessed to be attending right now and all the people who are in it
29. My Mommy :) I don't know how to even summarize all that she is so I'm not going to even try - she's just simply incredible! :D
30. Memories. Heart warming, vivid, forever memories.

And I think this is a good start. More sacrifices of thanksgiving to come.

Awards are fun to get!

2010-01-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Mom, for this blog award! I would like to give it to my sister, Ashlyn, for her blog Captured by Beauty. She has a gift for "capturing beauty" with her photographs and then using them to turn our eyes to the beauty of the Lord.

Treasure Lost

2010-01-18T03:48:00.001-08:00

Today I was working on memorizing John 16. As I glibly recited the verses I have already learned, I was struck by verses 6-7: "But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." God had to take something away from the disciples, something that they loved dearly - Himself, before he could give them an even greater blessing - the Comforter, the Holy Spirit - who would be with them every second, "guiding them into all truth." Yet the disciples, not realizing the intended blessing, were sorrowful, clinging to what they already had and loved. They didn't understand that momentarily painful loss was going to result in eternally satisfying joy ("and your joy no man taketh from you.") They had to lose in order to gain.

I think of how many times this has been true in my life. God has taken something I loved from me, only to give me something He knew I would love even more. While I thought my heart would break from aching loss, He whispered, "Child, just wait and see what I have for you now. Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor could your heart ever imagine what I have prepared for you." And sure enough, blessings that I could never have imagined have become mine, gifts from The Perfect Giver, precious treasures that would have never been given if he had not seen fit to take.

Lord, help me to trust you. Help me to look beyond this moment and all its glitter and remember the best is yet to come.

Coffee, Prayer, and Possibilities

2010-01-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but my new year's resolutions always feel a lot like the picture above - impossibly long! Being the overachiever that I am, I always have a million plans, goals, dreams, summits to surpass, and obstacles to overcome. In fact, forget about my new year's resolutions - the pic probably just as accurately represents my daily to-do list! (Ask my mom - I exaggerate only slightly!) So, this year, I decided to try to keep my goals down so that I would have a little more chance of reaching them. I don't know if I actually reached any of my goals from last year but I did make progress towards them. A few notable achievements from 2009:

Lost 15 pounds
Visited 3 of my college friends and my sister
Memorized John 14, 15 and part of 16
Read through the Bible
Completed 2o hours of course work towards my MAT with a 3.9 GPA (while simultaneously teaching full time, taking piano lessons, and serving as the church pianist)
Made it through my first year as a teacher and half way through my second (now, if you could have met some of my students, you would know this IS an accomplishment!)
Passed the GACE basic skills test and Content tests 1 & 2
Read 5 educational books (including Ike, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and War and Peace)

I probably did some other stuff too, but this is what most stands out in my mind. It is always a good feeling to look back and see that I actually DID accomplish some things contrary to what it might seem. Now, for this year...(deep breath).........drum roll please!!

Oh wait - little side note before I begin - I always like to structure my goals into four main groups following Luke 2:52 "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." OK, without further adieu - my Goals 2010!

Wisdom

Be faithful in piano practice and make lots of progress
Graduate with my MAT
Read at least 12 new educational books
Practice flute at least 1 time per week
Work on my needlework at least 1 time per week
Work through my Piano repertoire listening list

Stature

Lose more weight and get in shape
Faithfully take a multi vitamin
Improve my posture

Favor with God

Read through the Bible
Memorize John 16 (the rest of it), Galatians, and Ephesians

Favor with Man

Keep in touch with my friends
Listen to Matt read at least 1 time per week
Spend more time investing in my family

So, there they are. As the year unfolds, I am sure that I will face challenges both expected and unexpected that will threaten to get me discouraged and off track. However, this year, I want to learn from a sermon our pastor preached and: Not judge my future by my past or present, See the Possibilities in the Problems, and Remember that my Outlook determines my Outcome. With a positive, unwavering attitude and God's grace, I am sure that I will have a successful and productive year come what may! In the words of my new favorite coffee mug, "With enough coffee and prayer, I can do anything!" :)

P.S. - If all else fails, I can always throw my resolutions out the window and claim as my mantra the cartoon below. You know it's true! :)

The Gratitude Attitude

2009-11-28T05:36:00.000-08:00

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

This Thanksgiving, I feel like I have more than ever to be grateful for:

*A good job in a struggling economy - and a job I enjoy, with great co-workers, an amazing boss, and a Christian atmosphere
*A caring, supportive family to whom I can come home every day and be warmed, comforted, and surrounded with their love
*A beautiful home, plentiful, delicious food, and an abundance of material possessions
*The time, resources, opportunity, and ability to continue pursuing my passion for music
*The opportunity to worship the Lord as church pianist
*Wonderful, caring friends whose love transcends the boundaries of time and distance
*And of course, a loving, forgiving, never-failing Savior-Father-Friend who is Always There

The list could continue forever - blessings large and small to count and cherish, for which to lift my voice in thankfulness.

This time of year it is so easy to be thankful. Time off work, holiday festivities, pantries and tables bursting with delicious food, happiness, fun, fellowship, friends, family, laughter, beautiful decorations, barely-restrained-childlike-anticipation, heartwarming carols old and new ringing from houses and hearts everywhere, and so much more make this season - starting with Thanksgiving and continuing through Christmas - truly the most wonderful time of the year.

So, as I think about giving thanks in all things, with belly full, face glowing, and hands and heart warm, it seems pretty easy. But then I wonder....what about January.....bleak and unadorned by holiday magic.....will I be thankful then? Because having a thankful spirit is not just for Thanksgiving when it is relatively easy to give thanks. It is for rainy Mondays, bleak Januarys, heart wrenching, trial-filled days and days of motonous sacrifice, for valleys and plains, as well as the peaks. It is those days that really test whether I have a "gratitude attitude." A thankful heart can transform the bleakest day, the most painful experience into a beautiful act of worship. It is not circumstances that determine our destiny but rather our response, our attitude, our outlook. "Your attitude determines your altitude."

So, this holiday season as I lift my hands and heart to praise God for all that He has blessed me with, I also whisper a prayer that come January, I will make my own heart magic as I choose to give thanks in ALL things.

"...he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]."
~ Proverbs 15:15 (amplified)

Trifles

2009-10-31T04:08:00.000-07:00

All weeks are crowded with eventful trifles;
at least we in our blindness call them trifles,
although we are constantly discovering their importance
and being constantly astonished over them.
(from Ester Reid Yet Speaking by Isabella Alden)

Trifles. Little things. Why are the little things sometimes the hardest? This week I have been struggling, getting bogged down in the monotony of life, finding it hard to live inspired and energetic. Many days, while I do not live at the height of inspiration and motivation that I want to, I am excited about life, motivated to strive for excellence in what I do, to find ways to go to that next level in at least Something that day. But then there are the OTher days - like this week - days when I am tired, bored, when I cannot find the deeper meaning, the inner inspiration to reach higher, push harder, live. laugh. love. MORE. I lose that zest, zeal, zip for life, and daily living becomes a chore - a bore. But the truth is...life is made of little things - lots of them - they are what will define the majority of my life. Little things...listening to a student with all the love and compassion I can muster as she shares with me her tragic weekend (in which she didn't get enough sleep, lost her DSI tournament, and didn't get to have that party - all tragedies in the mind of a 5th grader.); trying to make phonics flashcard drills just a little less monotonous by pretending we are relaying a secret code through the blends; hugging a little brother as he greets me eagerly when I arrive home; trying to make the house a little more of a haven by whisking away some of the clutter; laughing as a little sister sassily marches out in *quite an outfit*; pushing myself to squeeze in just a bit more practice time, to play that scale just a bit faster, to play the Chopin with even more passion; sipping a cup of fragrant coffee as I attempt to finish that paper; all of these and many, many MORE little things that fill each day are what define my life - are what define ME. And yet seeing their significance and seizing their potential is difficult. At least some days. But that is what I yearn to do - to grasp those little moments, those little things, and squeeze every drop of joy and passion from them.
Oswald Chambers said:

Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking
on the water is easy to impulsive pluck, but walking on dry land as a
disciple of Jesus Christ is a different thing....We do not need the grace
of God to stand crises; human nature and pride are sufficient--we can face
the strain magnificently; but it does require the supernatural grace of
God to live twenty-four hours in every day as a saint, to go through
drudgery as a disciple, to live an ordinary, unobserved, ignored existence
as a disciple of Jesus. It is inbred in us that we have to do exceptional
things for God; but we have not. We have to be exceptional in the
ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, among mean people, and this
is not learned in five minutes.

Yet that is just what I want to do - be exceptional in the ordinary things, in the little things, in the dailyness of life. The Trifles are what we must overcome - not the Mountains, not even the valleys, but the plains, filled with miles and miles of sameness, of dailyness, of little things. And yet the trifles also give us the greatest opportunity to Shine, to be a consumed candle that keeps burning, burning, burning, burning, yet does not give out. Trifles = Opportunites to be Exceptional.

20 Random things about ME!!

2009-10-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?

Hmmm excellent question. Actually, I have done such a little bit of blogging that I haven't actually snacked yet while blogging!! :D But in general I love bagels, cinnamon sugar toast, honey sunshine with walnuts and fruit and soy milk, and chocolate soy milk...These are a few of my favorite snacks! :)

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?

I have to pick just 1?? Impossible! I would not want to live without: my piano, my wardrobe, coffee, chocolate

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?

Mountains from October to February, Beach from March to September

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?

ironing!!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?

A drop dead gorgeous super model of course! :D Or a hollywood actress! J/K lol Actually, I don't know just random people that they know and I don't. Which always makes me nervous because I don't know if the person they are talking about is a gorgeous belle or a hideous monster!! It is quite disturbing and disconcerting. I always hope for the best...but you never really know!

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?

Hmmm depends. When I feel bouncy, bubbly, crazy and brimming with mischief and fun, I enjoy going to parties - when I know people at them to hang out with. Most of the time though I prefer to snuggle up with some of my little siblings on the couch with a nice cup of coffee and one of my favorite books, movies, or TV shows. I also love to play family games. Of course this all depends on whether or not I even have time to indulge in anything enjoyable!! Most of the time I am slaving away on practice or schoolwork.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?

Probably Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?

I am ashamed to admit that I fall in the bad girl category most every night and simply fall into bed in exhaustion without washing my face appropriately. I am always repenting of this horrible sin and making new resolutions which involve detailed face washing marathons including masks and preventive anti-aging treatments, acne removal, etc., etc., but alas I am afraid that all my resolutions go out the window once bedtime rolls around!!

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?

I have always wanted to learn ballet, gymnastics, and figure skating, but I am afraid I do not have any hidden talents in these areas - just the desire to learn them!!

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?

Ummm I can't really think of anything!! I am bad at lots of strange random things - like I can't snap my fingers for the life of me!!!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?

Nothing - considering I am not married yet!! :D

12. What is something you love to smell?

fresh apple pie, cinnamony anything, soapy fresh showered smell, coffee!!

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.

Practicing 2 hours a day!! It drives my family absolutely crazy!! I also tend to over obsess/ analyze things.

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?

Go shopping!! Clothes, shoes, jewelry, and purses!!!!!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?

Loud laugher. Mostly when I am too tired and stressed - then I just laugh regardless!!

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?

Kohls, J C penneys, Bath and Body Works, Barnes and Noble

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?

Have fun!! :D lots of things - exercise, sleep, read, play family games, watch TV, go shopping, go to the library, I don't know - everything!!! Time is the missing ingredient in my life!! lol

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?

Um a big spender...i guess?? I like to buy clothes and things I want but I also go through long periods without buying anything. Just depends how much money I have and how many things I can't live without!!

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)

Definitely Anne with an E from Anne of Green Gables. I am definitely a kindred spirit with her - maybe even her twin!!

20. Would you want to be famous?

Only sometimes. Mostly not. But I would love to be rich!!! :)

Need a brake??

2009-10-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

I do!! Sometimes it is hard to tell how to get one admidst my hectic life! Especially when I start wondering when the last time I took a breath was!! Maybe it's just me, but the last time I checked, breathing was essential to living. Hmmm just a thought. Between piano lessons, piano practice, teaching full time, working on my MAT, family life, church - including my duties as church pianist, working out, etc., etc., I don't have much time. Get the picture?? If not, come follow me around for a few days and I think you will get it real fast!!

Recently, a fellow teacher from school shared a devotional with us that went something along the lines of, "Do you ever feel like you are on a train and it is whizzing by so fast that you can't even enjoy the scenery? Well, take heart, because you are not on the train - you ARE the train. So, stop and take the time you need - make choices about where you go and how fast." I thought this was an excellent point - just one problem - I don't think my brakes work anymore!!

AFraiD

2009-07-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid. A lot. Of spiders, snakes, robbers, fire, tragedies, PAIN, yes, - but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm afraid of people. Now - WAIT - before you run off in mortal terror and think I have some weird phobia or something or wasn't properly socialized (I was homeschooled after all), let me explain. I'm afraid of what people Think .... About Me. I don't know exactly how I developed this debilitating syndrome, but all I can say is I care what people think of me *A LOT* and that has led to fear of them thinking something BAD about me!! I believe the Bible talks about this syndrome - it calls it the Fear of Man. And according to God, this Fear of Man doesn't seem to be a very great thing to have. The Bible says the Fear of Man brings a snare. And I would agree. If you are worried about what people think about you, it is paralyzing. You're afraid to be yourself because "They" might not like it, but you're afraid to Not be yourself, because maybe *they* won't like that either. You're afraid to try new things, you're afraid to share what is really in your heart, and most of all - especially if you are a perfectionist like me - you are afraid to (*GASP*) make a mistake. It's OK for other people to make mistakes but if you make a mistake it is the *End of the World* because they might think something BAD about you. This Fear of Man has led me to lose my confidence and caused me to base my opinion of myself entirely on what "They" thought. Just in case anyone was wondering - that is NOT a fun place to be in! Fortunately, God has placed people in my life that have patiently, persistently reminded me that I am a wonderful, special person because God created me and that No One except for HIM has a right to judge me. After all, who makes the rules?? Who says that everyone that is cool and valuable and special should dress a certain way, act a certain way, BE a certain way?? What makes their *opinion* (because that is all it is!) any more valuable than mine??? We are all equal in God's eyes. SO, I am praying for Courage to Be Myself - the wonderful, special, unique, and yes - imperfect - person that God created me to be. Little by little I am learning to Fear God rather than man and to have the audacity to Be who I am regardless of what ANyoNe (besides GOD) thinks of me. After all, I want to *live* my life to the Very Fullest - Carpe Diem - Seize the day. Not waste it worrying about what so and so thinks about what I did or said. Fact is, if they have the time to think negative thoughts about me, they are probably Not doing such a great job of making the most of their lives!! Life is TOO short for me to waste one second worrying about the *opinions* of people - opinions that I can't do anything about. It is my Life to live not theirs, after all. So, in the words of my lifetime hero Ms. Frizzle - I am going to: Take Chances. Make Mistakes. And... GET MEsSy!!!

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of POWER and of Love and of a Sound Mind."

A moment on the Lips, Forever on the Hips.

2009-07-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

I love my Alma Mater. They have a rigorous academic program, inspiring professors, and lots of Opportunities-for-Fun. However, despite all of these wonderful qualities, I am afraid I still have "aught against them." For you see, although their career service program is exceptional and they provided lots of seminars on how to succeed, they did not adequately prepare me for
Life-After-College. You see while I was warned on every side by zealous seniors and helpful Community Advisors to *BEWARE* of the Freshman Fifteen, no one, Not a Single person, warned me of the even more deadly Graduate Gain (or BA Bulge as it is also known). So, as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma, secure in my knowledge that I had successfully avoided the freshman fifteen from freshman thru senior years, I was naively and Blissfully Unaware of what awaited me (Ignorance = Bliss they say). That summer the Graduate Gain struck with a vengance. I hoped that it was merely a "phase" but fall came and the BA Bulge was firmly stuck to my stomach, thighs, and especially my hips. And when I say firmly, I mean firmly. I have been "dieting" for the past year and working out - BUTT (yes - the pun is intentional) - to no avail. I have decided that my problem is *Consistency* and that if I want to see success, I am going to have to find a way to diet and exercise *every* day instead of just a day here and there.
So, with the start of a new school year, I am renewing my efforts to Budge the Bulge. Here is my workout plan:

Monday:

T-tapp Arms
Run 1 mile
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Stretch

Tuesday:

T-Tapp Ladybug Standing
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Stretch
Swim laps

Wednesday:

T-Tapp Torso
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Stretch

Thursday:

T-Tapp Legs
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Run 1 mile
Stretch

Friday:

T-Tapp At Home
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Swim Laps
Stretch

Saturday:

T-Tapp Ladybug Floor
Awesome Legs and Diva Derierre
Stretch

Sunday:

Rest!!!

That is my workout plan. As for dieting - I am going to mainly focus on eating wise portions of healthy foods (and trying to keep my Friday night ice cream serving down to the small size of 2 or 3 scoops instead of 5 or 6!! : ) Whenever I am tempted to eat something Not-So-Healthy, I've gotta think - "This may taste great on my lips but do I really want this Forever on my Hips?" After all, nothing tastes as good as Skinny feels!

A "Mourning" Routine

2009-07-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. The morning and I just really don't get along. I've always wanted to be one of those people who spring from their bed at the start of each day, throw out their arms, and break into singing, "GOOD Morning, Good MORNING, GOooood Morning to YOU!" at the top of their lungs as they skip delightedly to the shower. BUT - I'm NOT. Period. End of story. Unfortunately, however, my boss has this crazy idea that all the teachers at our school should not only be there before school begins, but also (Get this!) be there in time to have teacher devotions and prepare our rooms for the day AND as if that weren't enough, he expects us to be there ON TIME!!!!!!! (Shocking, isn't it?) As all of this must occur at the early hour of 7:40 am, that means that like it or not, the morning and I are going to be permanant Buddies (at least if I want to keep my job). Since last year my boss didn't really love my habit of sliding in there at the very last second before devotions started (if they hadn't already), I am also going to have to leave a couple minutes early (it would also be nice to avoid getting a ticket). Although this completely defies my sense of time managment - which is squeeze everything I can into each moment and wait until the very last second to sprint to my car, throw my *many* bags, totes, and briefcases into my car while hoping I don't break anything or spill my coffee, and book it down the road, hoping that no cops are around (and that if there are I can charm them into not giving me a ticket with my big blue eyes and best puppy dog expression), yelling at any car that happens to go too slowly with not-so-very-well-concealed righteous indignation, and finally flying into my parking space, grabbing all of those bags and running (as best as I can in my heels) inside while praying fervently that devotions haven't started yet and that I have (HOPe beyond hOpe!) avoided that dreadful sweaty, windblown look (which most of the time I haven't). *DEEP breath* Yes. Well, while obviously this is a very *efficient* way of doing things, my boss didn't like it that sometimes I was a wee bit.....well you know......late?? (1 minute max, I PROMISE!!!!)
Sooooo, duh da dunda.....(drumroll please)..... enter new resolutions! Since when school starts each year, there are always so very *many* new things to work on, I decided to start working on my morning routine a bit earlier this year. I figured that maybe if I gradually got up fifteen minutes earlier every three days, maybe it would be easier than all of the sudden going from getting up at 8 am to getting up at 5 am. So, I have been gradually getting up a little earlier every few days. I am proud to say that I am now getting up at 6:15 am almost every day. In the next couple weeks, I still need to move the time up another forty five minutes or so, but STILL - significant progress, don't ya think??
This in a nutshell is my new morning routine:
1 FIRST and Formost - Coffee
If I have to get up, the ONLY way it is going to work is if Mr. Coffee and I can be intimately acquainted - the sooner the better. I get the coffee ready the night before so that I will awake to its tantalizing smells luring me from my bed. And my brother even got me a new coffee mug that has a place to write my to do list and a marker to go along with it! (Now how's that for time management!)

2. Quiet Time
For my quiet time, I read five Psalms and 1 Proverb (that correspond with the date) and two chapters of the old Testament and one in the New (it's a plan by Elizabeth Elliott for reading thru the Bible in a year). I also work on my Scripture Memory (right now I'm almost finished with John 14 - I've already memorized John 15) and spend some time in Prayer (I usually have a lot of sins to confess already - like turning off the alarm so I can go back to sleep, grumbling that the morning is already here, etc.)

3. Exercise
Now it is time to get my lazy butt off the couch and work out! My mom and I are doing this exercise program called T-Tapp which we have renamed Torture Tapp. A lot of days I don't really feel like working out, but as one T-Tapper says - "When you don't feel like working out, just tell yourself "Thanks for sharing - now get up and get moving!"

4. Shower/dress
Then it is time to transform myself from a sweaty slob into a *Gorgeous superModel* (OK maybe not the Super part). This usually involves a shower, much agony over what to wear, lots of makeup, and a battle with the straighter, curling iron, and/or blowdryer.

5. Breakfast
Finally. By this time I am STARVED!!!! and very ready for a healthy breakfast of eggs, toast, milk and more COFFEE!

And that Ladies and Gentlemen is my Morning Routine! I am trusting God's grace and strength to help me be disciplined each day to follow this routine. My new Piano Teacher says that tiredness is all in our brains anyway, so I guess I don't have any excuse, right??

i am a person

2009-04-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - it seems like an oxi-moron, doesn't it? But sometimes between work, school, piano, working out, family, etc., etc,. etc., it doesn't really seem like I have time to just be a person! To do the things I enjoy, lay around, act goofy - enjoy the life God has given me. If you all thought I had dropped off the face of the planet these last few months, you were just about right! If I didn't have time to be a person, I certainly didn't have time to blog. But, April has finally rolled around and with it, one of the most blessed inventions known to man - SPRING BREAK!!! Whenever I think about the struggles of being a teacher, I remember that five letter word - break - and the four different wonderful ways it presents itself throughout the year - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring, and Summer, and suddenly, teaching takes on a whole new meaning! : P Anyway, because of this wonderful thing known as Spring Break, I am finally able to be a person again! (And it's a lot of fun BTW! : )
Friday and Saturday I spent lying around and watching TV and doing basically as little as possible. Sunday after church was over, we had a wonderful and very competitive Wii tournament. Below are some pics from the game:

Then Monday we took a family trip (at least most of the the family) to the aviation mueseum in Warner Robbins. It was a lot of fun. I shocked the little ones by declaring that my favorite part was climbing inside the plane simulators they had there. I really didn't understand their surprise as everyone know that I am really a kid posing as a grownup! :) Actually, my favorite part was later on when we stopped at an outdoor shopping mall, complete with Ann Taylor, Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, and Gap to name a few. Hannah and I browsed for a little while and then sought out the starbucks coffee inside of Barnes and Noble. In all seriousness, though, the aviation museum was pretty neat.

Shopping is the New Aerobics

2008-11-23T18:02:00.000-08:00

I have a confession. I am a shop-aholic. I love hitting every sale in every store around and shopping until either my wallet or myself is exhausted! There is just nothing like the feeling of *bambammin* down the mall with my high heels, dark jeans, and favorite lip gloss. Of course, in a pinch for time (because who would want to waste valuable shopping time!), a more casual approach works well too (such as the one I'm modeling in the pictures above : ). This time of year, shopping is even more enjoyable - the stores are festive in holiday lights and greenery, the strains of "White Christmas" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" warm the atsmophere, and everywhere the stores are crowded with shoppers all intent on the same thing - finding that perfect present for everyone on their list for the cheapest price before anyone else can grab it! Yes, there is just nothing like shopping. Considering my shopping obsession, therefore, it came as a bit of a shock when my mom actually outshopped me last weekend! :) We shopped all day and I came back with one bag and she came back with - well - see if you can count them in the pic above. But we had a marvelous time and even got a great workout. Because, yes, shopping is the new aerobics! : )

Pics from this weekend

2008-11-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

Weekend Whirlwind

2008-11-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

Another busy weekend come and gone! This weekend started off with a bang with my brothers' last home football game. It was senior night, so my brother Taylor was recognized, which was cool. It was an exciting and close game, but our team won 21-20! I was very excited. This win resulted in Sherwood's having its first winning season ever 6-4. So that made it doubly wonderful. My sister, Ashlyn, and good friend (and adopted sister!), Bethany Cook, drove from Greenville, SC to join us for the game and spend the weekend. It was a chilly night for South Georgia, so we brought out our sweaters and coats (in Sherwood colors of course!) and snuggled in for the game. Of course, we also kept warm by cheering and screaming and stamping our feet! By the time the game was over, our throats were sore and our voices hoarse. But it was worth it. I like to think that somehow all that cheering helped the boys to win the game. : ) (Although somehow I kind of think that all their grueling practices had more to do with it.) It was an especially exciting game for me because I felt that I had finally reached my goal - to be able to watch a football game and actually semi understand what was going on. I've never really gotten football - I mean, why in the world a bunch of guys would want to go out there and beat each other up is beyond me! I've never really understood what the whole big fascination in it was. Now take ice skating, ballet, or gymnastics. THOSE are worth watching. But I guess that's a post for another day. : )
We spent Saturday hanging out with Ashlyn and Bethany. We three girls hit the gym in the morning, then went to find clothes for our new and improved bodies, and finished out the day with a very boisterous family game of Catch Phrase (which is pretty much one of the coolest games ever!) and ice cream sundaes (which of course undid all the hard work in the gym that morning!).
Sunday, of course, was church. I got up earlier than normal to try and squeeze a little more practice in before my piano lesson that afternoon (I am continuing my music instruction with a teacher in Talahassee, FL who teaches at FSU and whom my teacher at Converse, Dr. Weeks, helped me find.) After church, we ate quickly before I left for my lesson and Ashlyn and Bethany left to go back to EI. I had been nervous about my lesson as it was only my second one and I wasn't quite sure what my teacher's expectations were. I never feel that I've practiced enough before my lessons, so I'm often nervous anyway. But, with a new teacher, it's especially scary because you don't know exactly how much they were expecting you to learn. But my lesson went fine, and I came back home with plenty to work on and renewed motivation to practice hard.

The rest of Sunday passed in a blur and now here it is a new week all over again! Counting the days until next weekend...

Sleep?? What's that?!

2008-10-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder when I'll have time to breathe again. And then I think I probably never will. Between working full time, helping my Mom as much as possible with the laundry, housework, cooking, and kids, keeping up with my own interests (piano lessons and practice, reading, my dog, etc.), working out, trying to be a supportive Big Sis by going to the boys' games, playing with the little ones, and encouraging them all to be all that they can be, spending time with God and trying to grow in my relationship with him, keeping up with other relationships like friends and grandparents, and somewhere in there, sleeping a little (yes, it is neccessary!), I just never seem to have enough time or energy to go around. However, I have to admit that I enjoy being busy and seem to have a knack for filling my schedule full to overflowing. The thing is, I don't think it will ever slow down. In the next couple months, I need to start working on my master's degree (online), which will add hours more of work to do each day. And sometime in the future, I want to get married and raise a family - no break there! So, I think I just had better get used to it. Because life is crazy and busy and hard and wonderful and breathtaking (literally!). But I love it.

Single does not equal Miserable!

2008-10-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

If all my favorite people have one of these, then I'm going to have one too!! : ) I don't know how much time I will have to do this, but it looks like fun - SO, here it goes! I am an Official Blogger now. And in case anyone is wondering about the title, I wanted to point out that although I definitely want very much to have my own home, husband, and family some day, I am also very happy and fulfilled being single. So, that's why I chose this title. I am VERY blessed with a wonderful family, good job, and many interests that keep me constantly busy trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in!!! So, I am blessed - with singleness, and with so many other things. Thank you, Lord!