Necessary Chocolate

And it begins again.

Two weeks ago, I started this post:

It's Saturday night, class starts Monday, and I'm lying on the couch NOT getting bronchitis (I've been not getting bronchitis for a week now). It's my fifth year. FIFTH. Wow. For those of you who aren't familiar with the program, it's a four year curriculum. So this year, I teach the New Testament - the same lessons I taught the first year. While of course I'll customize them for this group, it's exciting to think that there won't be as many hours needed. 

HAHAHAHAHAHA. 

But today, I finally feel better after three weeks of not getting bronchitis. I don't feel overwhelmed, or discouraged, needy, or teary - my primary emotions for the last two weeks. I do, however feel very very behind.

So behind, that I didn't notice that the last day of summer has passed me by. For those of you playing aloong with Read for Fun, be assured that I'm still playing and plan to post more stuff. Let's give it until the first weekend of October, and call it good.

Despite my discouragement, I did have some lovely moments over the last two weeks. The students in my class are wonderful as ever, and sacrifice a lot to be at class. That's part of the problem -- how could any teacher, especially me, be enough for these teenage wonders? Cinnamon rolls, Isaiah Days, and an ever-expanding-bucket of colored pencils are not the answer. I have to TEACH. I have to teach in a way that encourages them to think deeply and to teach each other. 

Last Wednesday, I went to a training meeting. There I was surrounded by teachers that have real problems. They have, and I'm not exaggerating, faced flood, accidents, and REAL health issues (I'm talking blindness, as opposed to my prolongued cough). Almost all of them have families who they have to feed and love and support. And then there's me.

Okay, back to the lovely moments.

It was just a few weeks ago that I had a strong impression that maybe it was okay that my house suffers from deferred maintenance; that areas of it are cluttered; that I don't have enough bookcases; that I don't finish all of my projects; that I'd rather read a book or play than do what I'm supposed to do. Maybe that's exactly what the Lord needs at this time. Maybe he needs a grasshopper instead of an ant?

It was just last week that I looked back over the first week of class, and a particularly harried week at work, and a week of planning and helping at a fundraiser, and realized that I had been magnified so much that I hadn't even recognized it in the midst of it all. I could never have accomplished all of that on my own. I needed heavenly magnification. 

That quilt up there, my mom's latest quilt, is filled with stars and color and light. Do you know what the first few chapters of the four gospels focus on? Stars, and angels in glory, hope, and LIGHT. So here we go, leaping into the light. Magnified and hopeful. 

 

Reaching out

And I'm back. After a wonderful, but busy, holiday season, and two funerals and a hard drive crash (back up files? why would the person IN CHARGE OF THE COMPUTERS AT THE OFFICE have backed up her own files?), this was the weekend to write letters, reach out to friends, deliver cookie dough, and update the blog. It wasn't until this afternoon that I remembered that this is my aunt's birthday. While other family members are providing service for the prison where she taught/volunteered, I'm too far away to do that. But I think that reaching out to friends is perhaps the best gift I could give her.

She was in charge of her community's production of a sing-along Messiah (the neighbors played "He Shall Feed His Flock" at the funeral), so I was really excited when I found these cards. Aren't they beautiful? Kristin was kind enough to put them up on etsy. I framed them for my uncle and cousins; I still need to frame one for me. 

More holiday posts to come! Since most of my decorations are still up, as usual, I have no problem with that...

I've said this before, but the prizes (put on hold over the holidays) are SO close to being done. They'll be revealed in the next week or so. 

The Saturday after hurricane Irene

Cleaning up in Schoharie after Hurricane Irene. I learned that wet carpet weighs a lot, that children pulling wagons full of food for volunteers make me cry, and that stuff is just stuff.

It's bad. And these are people that I admire and love. But I've also loved seeing the number of volunteers just showing up, walking into houses, and going to work. Yesterday, many of the members of my congregation left church early when they heard that there was a need for volunteers. They ran home, changed into their workclothes, and left. Immediately. Many went back again today, working in the rain. Shoveling mud, rinsing dishes, carrying out garbage bags full of wet debris. We'll be back in force next Saturday.

As I'm sure you've heard, this is just one town that was hurt. It just happens to be the town with my friends (some of you will know the pumpkin patch - the barn was flooded and the crop is probably lost). There will be lots of opportunities to send funds and donations, I'm sure - one author is already gathering books for the flooded libraries. When I hear more, I'll post. But for now, they need shovels and willing workers.

A little more Shakespeare

At the moment, I'm expecting the power to go out, and hoping that the basement doesn't flood (yeah, right) and that a tree doesn't fall on the house. (Don't worry - the trees around my house are really old and big - that one probably won't happen.) (Edited to add - so far so good at 8pm) No church today while we wait, so I'm grabbing this opportunity while I still have power to catch up on some posts. I'll save the spiritual stuff - don't need electricity for it!

Thank you for all of your great comments about reading Shakespeare (or Gary Schmidt)! I love that we're scattered across the world but sharing this one moment. And speaking of sharing Shakespeare:

(image from Shakespeare & Co.)

My friend Janet (the mother of the Arizona kids) was in town, and we took in Shakespeare & Co.'s production of As You Like It. The production was, as usual, exciting and accessibile. The best part, though, was watching Janet's reaction as she realized just how much fun Shakespeare is when performed well. She's one of the most gracious women I know - so she didn't hide any of her enthusiasm (I tend to act a little too cool for school). So I now have another convert! I really must plan an expedition to the Cedar City Shakespeare Festival - within a day's drive for so many of my friends and family.

We have elephants, too

My cousin keeps posting photographs of her exotic adventures in the East. I'd just like to point out that upstate NY has elephants too. Ours saunter down the street near my office to have lunch once a year.

I feel like I'm under a herd of elephants at the moment. Six-day-work-weeks with twelve-hour days, not to mention church stuff. But everything is due soon; the Memorial Day picnic posters are done; seminary class will be over in a few weeks; miracles keep happening; and I'll make stuff in June. I just have to remember that last May's workload was equally demanding, and then I only had one working arm and had to sleep sitting up...

IBOL - for once, I'll tell you about it BEFORE the deadline

For the last couple of years, I've had the opportunity to participate in Iraqi Bundles of Love. It's an opportunity to send some of your stash, thread, yarn and sewing supplies to Iraq. You can read more about it here.

There's another campaign going! So sign up by leaving a comment at the IBOL site. The IBOL guy will send you the guidelines and the army PO address. He hopes to distribute 500 boxes this time.

And it begins again

It's that time again.The cinnamon rolls are made, the lesson is prepared (I hope) and the alarm set for 4:45.

I've been working evenings and weekends most of this summer, but the last of the reports went out last week. Yay! Now I get to change focus again, back to these wonderful students, and (while I'm at it) not watch TV quite so much...

Wish me well!

P.S. I promise to update this blog this week. It's been such a crazy summer.

Everyone together

Twice this year I've had groups of people that I love under my parents roof. In August, the aunts and uncles converged in Virginia for my parents' anniversary. And for Thanksgiving? The Arizona crew. Yep, they all came out and did DC and tried to do everything I've ever wanted to do with them if only we had the time and the house and the city. Of course, there's that cooking for twelve thing (2 parents + me + nine)  that gets in the way of some of that. But we still managed to hit the Smithsonian:

 

visit a few other landmarks (there are three kids in front of the fountain, if you look closely):

 

and make pies and EAT.

 

Those are oak leaves on that crust. You can't tell? The pie-making was interesting, to say the least; and I claim that it's because Mom taught a pie-making class a few days before we arrived. If that's not going to jinx the dream of perfect pies, what will? But the cherry, pumpkin, apple, and buttermilk pies all tasted great. I chose not to take a picture of the crust we threw out.

Tomorrow - the doll stuff.

Some women made Halloween decorations in October

I, on the other hand, made an Isaiah banner.

I've declared "Isaiah Days" as holidays in my class. Anytime we read from Isaiah (as in the Old Testament prophet Isaiah), there will be treats.

I happen to love Isaiah. LOVE. I don't worry about whether I understand it all - I love the language and the imagery that I do get (this is King James Version, of course - none of that modern prose for us). I want the students in my class to feel that same love. Or at least drool whenever they hear him quoted. I've threatened to make them sing "For Unto Us a Child Is Born," but so far they've only had to listen to it.

Today we ate warm apple crisp. They now ask if they can't read a little Isaiah with every class...

In case you like fonts, I used Olduvai for the letters, and Blue Goblet Frames for the swirly frames. I like Blue Goblet ornaments, frames, and vignettes almost as much as Isaiah; they're designed by Cory Godbey, who hosts the Terrible Yellow Eyes site.

(I also made Halloween decorations, but it's a better story if I ONLY made this, don't you think?)

50 years

I'm back in town after spending the week in Virginia with aunts, uncles, and those two up there in the truck, celebrating my parent's 50th anniversary. There was a gathering at the DC temple, followed by a cookie buffet featuring eleven of my parents' best cookie recipes (yes, they create their own recipes). Then, on Saturday, a dinner with even more friends. I told them that they really needed to be more unlikeable - then we'd be able to have smaller parties. Until then, it's good to be surrounded by all those people who love them!

On a crafting note - Mom & my grandma made that dress. I used to sneak into the box and try it on when mom left the house...