At the outset – this is basically a rehashing of my personal reflections on my recent experiences – a diary of sorts, so it is long-winded, as most of my blogs are. Consider yourself warned.
Today is my friend Hannah's birthday. She is sixteen today and that reminds me of being sixteen. That was a good year. I wish I would have thought to buy her a present - I am terrible about buying cards/presents. I am good about thinking of folks though, does that count?
It's been a good week. Last week Andy's dad came to visit us for only the second time since we have been married. I think he and Andy were really able to re-establish some semblance of a healthy father/son relationship. Leaving the past in the past is really the way to do it sometimes. I was really proud of Andy and the way he treated him. He was so kind and respectful of his dad, regardless of their "history" and worked so hard to make his dad feel welcome. It showed a lot of maturity on Andy's part and I was very proud.
Saturday after Andy's dad left he was pretty down though – with his dad's health and all, we never know how long he will be around. So we went to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and ate Krystals. What a blast. The movie was fun! I really liked it.
I'm going home to visit with my folks this weekend. I wasn't sure if I would go or not, since I have been so busy. But when I reviewed my schedule, it looks like that if I don't go this weekend, then I won't be able to go for quite some time. Next week we have a children's ministry development meeting (which I need to be praying about more faithfully), the weekend after that is open, but my parents will be on vacation, the 12th we are taking the youth group to Six Flags (yay!) and the weekend after that we will be returning from our cruise. Of course, by then we will want an "at-home" weekend. Then Memorial Day, then a week off and we go straight into VBS, and then youth camp the next week! So, that being said, it's now or never!
I've started going to the gym and I am loving it. I don't think I would like just any gym, but I've been going to Impact Fitness here in Dothan. It's owned by a great lady that I met through work. She is a committed Christian woman, and one of those rare people who really let you "in" to see their lives. It sure seems to me that so many younger women (or at least me!) just crave to have an older mentor to learn from, to be able to discuss spiritual issues of the home and family with (and life too for that matter!) and to just generally see what Christian womanhood looks like at a different stage in life. I am deeply disappointed to say that I have extremely few role models, or even just Christian women that I admire. Sandy, the owner of the gym, is a beautiful exception. I have really enjoyed being around her and seeing her grace in the midst of personal difficulty.
Being around Sandy has challenged me though – to grow deeper and to devote myself more to my personal walk with Christ. It's easy to put it all on the back burner and just live off what we know in our brains, rather than consistently seeking him more fervently. I want to KNOW Him more and I want to WANT to know Him more!
The gym itself has been a ball. I am not a fitness freak, nor could I ever hope to be. I just do not enjoy sweating enough to qualify! This is one of those circuit gyms, similar to curves, but with childcare, better equipment and a bigger and nicer space. I just love it. Thirty minutes and I have really been able to tell some difference. But the people are what's awesome. Seems like Sandy just attracts folks of a like mind. Every single time I've gone, without exception, I've met some interesting person. When I went Saturday – it was wild. Andy has been wanting to learn Spanish ever since before he went to Guatemala in December. He's been working on it faithfully all this year, but feels like he needs to take classes. It's almost like something he feels "led" to do. Anyway, we went to La Bamba Mexican Restaurant last week and there was a sign for Spanish lessons, and I showed it to him and mentioned that it might be interested in going. So, back to Saturday, I go to the gym and meet this really nice lady and her daughter and we talk for a good while and I find out that she teaches Spanish for a living – at the same place we saw the sign for! So that was cool. Kind of a confirmation, I felt like. But she goes to Calvary Baptist here in town and we really just hit it off nicely. All that said, I have really enjoyed the whole experience.
Tomorrow night is Andy's last male chorale concert this season, so I am going to try to get out of work early and go to Chipley for it. I will probably record it also, providing I can borrow a tripod from Pat. I like to hear him sing in the chorale. It really stretched him vocally at a time that he needed it in his life and gave him an opportunity to excel, so that has made me very proud.
No news about work – it's been a rough week with taxes being due and all. Pat is so funny – he says that he likes to do taxes, but it sure does put him in a bad mood! Which seems to have the same effect on me! So then we are really a great pair – the two of us both grumpy! But taxes are done, so things should get back to usual now. I am still hoping desperately to be able to work less come Fall so I can be back in school. I should know soon though, one way or the other. It's all dependent on us getting out of debt, which we are working VERY hard towards!
We are going to Six Flags in May with the youth – I am really looking forward to it. Last year I dreaded it, hot weather, long lines, tons of kids to chaperone, and boy was I wrong. Weather was great, kids all divided amongst themselves and we bought a flash pass to save on line waiting. It was a ball. Almost like we were going by ourselves. BTW – this is not to say that we don't like having the kids around, because we love being with them, but sometimes on long trip, people get grouchy and then I DON'T enjoy their company! J So, this year, we are planning to do the very same thing – flash pass all the way!! Last year the kids got really upset and vocal when we jumped in line for Goliath and had to wait only ten minutes after they waited three hours!! (They weren't mad – it was a show, but it was a funny show!) This year they are all getting flash passes too, I think! It should be a good time.
We are starting back to our ballroom classes again soon. I am excited. We will be taking at a different place this time since the other classes just do not seem to work with our schedule at all. I am not sure if Andy is excited or not. He really enjoyed the classes, but says that he wishes that he just "knew" how to dance without having to learn. (Wouldn't we all.) But, I know Andy, and when he goes – he will enjoy it again. Hard-headed menfolk. J
Had to meet with a man today that is in the middle of sad situation – please pray for him. He has been in rehab for alcohol/drug use and graduated from the program today. He became a responded to a salvation message and became a Christian while in the program and the very next day received a letter from his wife telling him that she had been cheating on him for six months and that she was leaving him. When he got back to their home today, his son was sitting their alone on the bed – which was about all she left him. She left a day and a half ago and cleared all the food out of the house, leaving nothing for the son to eat, so he had to bum a meal off the neighbors. Needless to say this man is devastated and will need a great deal of prayer and support. Thankfully my boss is wonderful at this very thing and hopefully can get him plugged in to his church's men's ministry and their small group.
After visiting with this man, my little problems seem miniscule. I have a blessed life.
No comments:
Post a Comment