New Life

Hello Friends,
This blog has gotten a new life.  Please pop over to my Retirement Countdown blog to enjoy, with me,  living abundantly during my last year of teaching!
http://donna-retirementcountdown.blogspot.com/
See  you there!

Anniversary!

On Thursday, April 1, eleven years ago, I married my sweet little husband. I was 43. It was my first and only marraige. He was so worth waiting for. He is my best boy friend, my knight in shining armor and a Godly man. He is patient with all my flightyness. He is gentle with my self-doubt. He never raises his voice and we love being together quietly.
Love at its best.
I thank God for him in my life!

Finding Joy

As I walked this evening I listened to my friend, Patrick, talk about joy. He took great pains to point out that it is not happiness. Happiness is not bad in any way, but it is only superficial. Joy is soul deep and our safe harbour even when happiness is no where to be found. Joy is our safety and our hope. Joy is knowing that God knows us...and loves us to distraction anyway...and wants us to know him and the joy he assures us.
Having married late and only tallied up 10 years so far I am still often surprised by the joy being married to my husband brings me. Just last night, I woke up only enough to turn over and in doing so, brushed against the sturdy, warm presence of my husband. In that instant I was filled with the joy of having him there, sleeping quietly beside me (yes, he was not snoring at just this perfect moment...) and I was filled with joy. It was a physical sensation and I went back to sleep with a smile on my face and joy in my heart!
Where did you find your joy today?

Lovely Children

Yesterday was one of "those" days. A member of our extended school "family" was killed in a horrific traffic accident. At lunch, my aide went home and found out that her father, who has been ill, had taken a turn for the worse and they wanted the family there. Another aide had to be taken home with complications of her diabetes. One of those days.
Today at recess, on Fun Friday, one of my lovely children decided to make a card for Miss Teresa, who was not back yet today. She decorated the front and went to everyone in the class explaining who it was for and why and getting them to sign it for her. She was so careful to get everyone. She was so happy to have something to give. All she asked of me was to mail it to Miss Teresa. Stevie delivered it and when Teresa got home she was so touched she had her husband call to thank me...and he could hardly talk either. Ahhh.
Another little darling comes in first thing, hugs me, looks up and says, "I'm so glad I got to come today. I love you." I love you, too, B.
Another was still thrilled with her day when she got home, singing, "I love Fun Friday, I love Fun Friday."
No wonder Jesus said to let the little children come to him.
What a great way to spend a day.
Oh, and the birds were singing this morning and the sun was out!
Thank you, Lord!

Blue Sky Miracle

So, it was maybe not the smartest thing I ever decided to do. We were in the beginning stages of the latest "mother of all storms" in this winter of 2010 and I NEEDED to get up the mountain to Thomas so I could deliver my art to Mountain Made for the scheduled show during the month of March. It seemed like the best day to go of the next few...and it turns out I was right, but it was still maybe not the smartest thing I ever decided to do.
So, I talked my friend, Stevie, in to going with me. We packed it all up and both drove up to Terra Alta. She is used to that drive and not too worried. Before we even got to Terra Alta or Evan's Curve (aka Whiteout World) I called her and said, "I don't think I can do this." The car was being jerked all around by the snow/slush on the road. There was nothing to do but keep on going, because there was nowhere to turn around. I started praying. I know...but, better late than never. When we went through Evan's Curve it was clear and beautiful. Amen.
So, we determined to continue on up into snowier country. But Stevie decided she should drive...OK by me! The trip up was uneventful and beautiful again. We did the delivery and started back so we wouldn't have to drive after dark. Because Stevie is such a great friend (and she had to get some hamburger for her famous meatloaf) she suggested that she lead me through Evan's Curve on my way back down the mountain. Yes! I accepted.
So, I started praying a little bit sooner this time. There was a bit of a white out this time, but I was able to keep her in sight most of the time. As she pulled off to turn around and go back through again we waved and I up sized my praying...I was on my own. Well, that part turned out to not be true at all.
This next bit is the best part.
I had not gone far enough for her to even be out of my rear view mirror when the snow pretty much stopped and the sky cleared over me. I mean blue sky! And just a small piece of the sky. The piece over me. I just started smiling, really BIG smiling, and saying, "Thank you, Lord". The blue sky followed me all the way down the mountain and home. And I wasn't home more than 15 minutes until the sky had clouded back up and it was snowing again!
Amazing, huh? Well, our God is amazing! It was kind of like the opening of the path in the Red Sea.
As an aside, I find it interesting that for years in my youth, I would have thought nothing of making this trip...on my own..no friend, no God. As I have grown older God has shown me how to lean into him and friends he puts in my life. It is a much nicer place to be. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Cowa-CataBunga, Dude!

In my new gig as a housewife I am busy this morning sweeping up the heaps of dog hair and bird seed that seem to multiply overnight. I use just a broom because the noise of the vacuum cleaner irritates me and I like seeing the pile I am making...shows my progress. I do have to place the dogs up on a piece of furniture to keep them from wanting to play "Catch the Broom"...well, they probably still WANT to but they are well trained enough to stay where I put them for awhile. Anyway, I have swept up a nice little, OK, not so little, pile right over by the trash can in the kitchen. I am ready to put it in. I put the broom down, turn my back to get the little scoppy thingy and I hear behind me the thundering of little cat paws and I see out of my peripheral vision a streak of gray cat and Mr. Skippy Jo Lohr, aka Skipper Doodle, launching himself from a running, leaping, slide into the pile! You just have to know he was saying to himself, "Catabunga, dude!"
After he finishes his slide he leaps up, turns completely around to go the way he came and charges back into the living room and up onto of the highest piece of furniture he can find (oak filing cabinet) and sits there with a look of supremely satisfied innocence upon his little feline face!
What a hoot.
Find the joy in your day!
Amen.

Be Still and Know

Part of God's plan from the very beginning was to have a regular time of rest. It's called a Sabbath. Even God rested on the 7th day, right?
We need to refuel so that we can be God's hands, feet, heart in our world.
Church is part of that perhaps. It can be a place where we come to get fed. To grow stronger in our faith and love. With our full hearts, bellies, and souls we can go out and share.
I don't know about the rest of you, but our world is a tiresome place at times. It is a battle. I need a rest after awhile.
All of this snow reminds me to, allows me to take time to be refreshed and refueled. In the quiet whiteness I can be still and know that he is God, he loves me and I can continue on ... after I rest...and shovel!
Enjoy this time of rest and quiet and apartness from the world as usual.