nearing march...
Well, as February draws to a close, life is going pretty well. God continuously provides for me (see last post) and I simply have nothing to complain about. Rob and I spent a very nice weekend in the Charlotte area of North Carolina visiting Megan and Truman, his sister and brother-in-law, who moved up there a few weeks ago from south Florida. Baby Scott is delightful, and Megan and Truman seem to have settled in nicely in their new place. We also got to spend some time with Rob's aunt and uncle (Connie and Keith) and his cousins Nathan and Matthew. They're such a great family. I really enjoy being around them, as well as the rest of the Stone family.
In other news, the new job is going well. It's relatively uneventful and brainless, but it's money. And the people are nice, as is the office. And I have my own office and computer, which, in combination with the fact that I have plenty of down time here, provides me with the opportunity to search for a new apartment and do wedding research, etc. (There's a wedding in the plans, for those who don't know.) Anyway, not much else to say today. I should be better at updating now with this job!
Feb 22, 2006
fell into my lap...
Hey everybody! I know I haven't written in ages, and I'm not even sure if anyone will read this, but at long last I actually have something to talk about, so here it is:
I have a great life. I pretty much always have. God has blessed me so much more than I could explain or even realize. The past several days have been, yet again, another testament to that. As most of you know, I've been subistute teaching for the past month-and-a-half. God has blessed me in that area by providing consistent work for me. Yesterday was the first day I didn't have work, other than when I took a sick day, since the first school day of January. As I have been trying to plan ahead for the summer, I have come to the realization that "summer" according to the school calendar is only 2 1/2 months long, and while I need a decent paying summer job, it would be hard to find one for such a short period of time. While having all of these facts in mind, I was really just leaving everything up to God and hadn't really taken much action in the way of finding a summer job. Then, on Monday night, Lisa came to Bible study with business cards of a lady who is an attourney who needs someone to work as a receptionist in her office. Of the roughly 20 ladies at Bible study, I was the only one who seemed even remotely interested, so I took a card and thought that this might be a good opportunity. Although I enjoy subbing and being in the classroom, it doesn't pay very well, so not only would it be more practical to take a different job now for pay reasons, it would also be easier to get a job now that I could keep through the summer, rather than finishing the school year and then looking for a two-month job. So after talking with Rob and some of my room mates to determine if this really was a good idea, I gave the lady a call yesterday and left a message. She returned my call this morning, and I met with her this afternoon. In about five minutes, I got the job and I start tomorrow! How crazy is that?! Benefits of this job over subbing: better pay; guaranteed full-time work; possible healthcare benefits! What a huge blessing! So I will still be trying to get a permanent teaching position for the fall, but in the event that that does not happen, I can stay at this job as long as I need to.
Other good things happened today, too, involving a surprisingly pleasant doctor's appointment, lunch with the girls, and simply having the day off. Life is good. God is dropping things in my lap, left and right. Things are definitely falling into place and all coming together. I am looking forward to what's in store!
Hey everybody! I know I haven't written in ages, and I'm not even sure if anyone will read this, but at long last I actually have something to talk about, so here it is:
I have a great life. I pretty much always have. God has blessed me so much more than I could explain or even realize. The past several days have been, yet again, another testament to that. As most of you know, I've been subistute teaching for the past month-and-a-half. God has blessed me in that area by providing consistent work for me. Yesterday was the first day I didn't have work, other than when I took a sick day, since the first school day of January. As I have been trying to plan ahead for the summer, I have come to the realization that "summer" according to the school calendar is only 2 1/2 months long, and while I need a decent paying summer job, it would be hard to find one for such a short period of time. While having all of these facts in mind, I was really just leaving everything up to God and hadn't really taken much action in the way of finding a summer job. Then, on Monday night, Lisa came to Bible study with business cards of a lady who is an attourney who needs someone to work as a receptionist in her office. Of the roughly 20 ladies at Bible study, I was the only one who seemed even remotely interested, so I took a card and thought that this might be a good opportunity. Although I enjoy subbing and being in the classroom, it doesn't pay very well, so not only would it be more practical to take a different job now for pay reasons, it would also be easier to get a job now that I could keep through the summer, rather than finishing the school year and then looking for a two-month job. So after talking with Rob and some of my room mates to determine if this really was a good idea, I gave the lady a call yesterday and left a message. She returned my call this morning, and I met with her this afternoon. In about five minutes, I got the job and I start tomorrow! How crazy is that?! Benefits of this job over subbing: better pay; guaranteed full-time work; possible healthcare benefits! What a huge blessing! So I will still be trying to get a permanent teaching position for the fall, but in the event that that does not happen, I can stay at this job as long as I need to.
Other good things happened today, too, involving a surprisingly pleasant doctor's appointment, lunch with the girls, and simply having the day off. Life is good. God is dropping things in my lap, left and right. Things are definitely falling into place and all coming together. I am looking forward to what's in store!
Feb 8, 2006
Jan 20, 2006
friday...
Regardless that I had Monday off this week, it still felt like Friday would never come. And now that it's here, it's been such a long day. It seems with my class that we alternate between good days and not-as-good days. There's hardly ever two bad days in a row, but there's also not usually two good days in a row. Yesterday was good. For whatever reason, I thought today might be the same, but it's been a little hectic. I know Fridays are generally a little crazy, but I was really hoping for a nice relaxing day. Oh well. I am planning on having a fantastic afternoon when I go home. And as for tomorrow, I'm not waking up for a very long time. Then, tomorrow evening, my baby niece Allison is having her first birthday party! Granted that whole concept is a little rediculous since one-year-olds aren't able to comprehend "birthday party" yet, but I'm still kind of excited about it anyway. I bought her a cute green plush frog. It's that super-soft vellure fabric. I like it a lot. I wanted to get her this elephant I saw, as I love elephants, but it was bigger than she is, so I opted for the frog. Anyway, gotta go. Later.
Regardless that I had Monday off this week, it still felt like Friday would never come. And now that it's here, it's been such a long day. It seems with my class that we alternate between good days and not-as-good days. There's hardly ever two bad days in a row, but there's also not usually two good days in a row. Yesterday was good. For whatever reason, I thought today might be the same, but it's been a little hectic. I know Fridays are generally a little crazy, but I was really hoping for a nice relaxing day. Oh well. I am planning on having a fantastic afternoon when I go home. And as for tomorrow, I'm not waking up for a very long time. Then, tomorrow evening, my baby niece Allison is having her first birthday party! Granted that whole concept is a little rediculous since one-year-olds aren't able to comprehend "birthday party" yet, but I'm still kind of excited about it anyway. I bought her a cute green plush frog. It's that super-soft vellure fabric. I like it a lot. I wanted to get her this elephant I saw, as I love elephants, but it was bigger than she is, so I opted for the frog. Anyway, gotta go. Later.
Jan 19, 2006
Jan 16, 2006
very precious in the sight of God...
Tonight at ladies' Bible study we started our study of the book of Esther. It's one of those books of the Bible that reads like a novel, the story of someone's life, without necessarily blatenly laying out spiritual disciplines. For that reason, it's kind of cool in a way, because there's so many different things you can take from it. Tonight, from the first chapter, we talked a little about how we are called to respond to authority, and how that applies to us as women (among lots of other things). At the end, we talked about 1 Peter 3:3-4 which talks about not letting your beauty be merely about what's on the outside, "rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." What powerful scripture! A gentle and quiet spirit produces beauty that CAN'T be destroyed, that won't tarnish or fade or go away. And this is the beauty that is very precious in the sight of God. But being gentle and quiet doesn't mean silent. It doesn't mean you don't speak your heart. It's all about the approach. As I taught my kids all last week about Dr. Martin Luther King, a quote of his kept coming up that talked about how hate cannot combat hate, only love can. In the same way, when responding to anything, our response is more effective if done in love and gentleness than in rage.
There was a lot more we talked about tonight, such as how Queen Vashti (assuming her motives were right) refused to compromise on something she knew was wrong. You don't give up your integrity on a whim. You stand firm and do what you know is right, even when that choice may cost you a lot, even when the other option may be easier. You can't value the opinions of others more than integrity. You shouldn't pursue status at the cost of right living.
Those are my thoughts for now. Pursue a gentle and quiet spirit. God sees that as beautiful and precious.
Tonight at ladies' Bible study we started our study of the book of Esther. It's one of those books of the Bible that reads like a novel, the story of someone's life, without necessarily blatenly laying out spiritual disciplines. For that reason, it's kind of cool in a way, because there's so many different things you can take from it. Tonight, from the first chapter, we talked a little about how we are called to respond to authority, and how that applies to us as women (among lots of other things). At the end, we talked about 1 Peter 3:3-4 which talks about not letting your beauty be merely about what's on the outside, "rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." What powerful scripture! A gentle and quiet spirit produces beauty that CAN'T be destroyed, that won't tarnish or fade or go away. And this is the beauty that is very precious in the sight of God. But being gentle and quiet doesn't mean silent. It doesn't mean you don't speak your heart. It's all about the approach. As I taught my kids all last week about Dr. Martin Luther King, a quote of his kept coming up that talked about how hate cannot combat hate, only love can. In the same way, when responding to anything, our response is more effective if done in love and gentleness than in rage.
There was a lot more we talked about tonight, such as how Queen Vashti (assuming her motives were right) refused to compromise on something she knew was wrong. You don't give up your integrity on a whim. You stand firm and do what you know is right, even when that choice may cost you a lot, even when the other option may be easier. You can't value the opinions of others more than integrity. You shouldn't pursue status at the cost of right living.
Those are my thoughts for now. Pursue a gentle and quiet spirit. God sees that as beautiful and precious.
Jan 13, 2006
encouraged...
Teaching is going well. Wednesday was one of those horrible days where I came home wondering why on earth I wanted to be a teacher, but ever since then things have been going really well. I had a wonderful compliment from the media specialist (librarian) this morning, saying that the class comes in much quieter and calmer with me than with their regular teacher. (As he said, Mr. Sherman has a very high noise threshhold.) I was glad to hear that because it makes me think I'm doing something right! The media specialist is such a nice older gentleman. He even volunteered to write a letter of recommendation for me! That's awefully nice.
This week I did a lot of things different in the class, and I'm glad to say it worked out well. And I think the kids are starting to adjust to the fact that I have different expectations of them than they are used to. Also, I'm learning to try different things. If what I "usually" do doesn't seem to be effective, I've been trying to find what works. It's usually little things, but they really do make a difference. I'm also getting used to what the "survival stage" of teaching feels like! It's not always fun, but you get through it eventually. I think starting off with my own class will be much smoother than taking over someone else's. Speaking of which, if you want something to pray for, pray that I can get a permanent teaching position for the fall. Whatever happens, I want what God has planned for me above all else. I know He has big things in store!
On a totally seperate note, I absolutely love living in downtown St. Augustine. Rob and I went on a walk Wednesday evening after my long day, to be away from people for a while, as I require lots of "recharge" time which I haven't gotten much of this week. Anyway, it was wonderful. I love this town. We strolled St. George Street for a bit, had some Kilwin's, and hung out at the park for a while. Where else would I have all that available to me in walking distance of my house? After we're married, Rob and I want to get an apartment downtown for a year or so, if we can find a place. There's lots of cool places, but being downtown, their prices are sometimes a little high. I'm sure it'll all work out, though.
Veronica's boyfriend Jeff is staying with us this week. He a nice guy. He made a really great dinner for all of us on Tuesday night for Marilyn's birthday. It's been nice getting to know him a little. I think he's here until Sunday morning.
Anyway, my kids are done in the computer lab now, so I have to finish up this post. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. (I love teaching... we get MLK Day off!) Later!
Teaching is going well. Wednesday was one of those horrible days where I came home wondering why on earth I wanted to be a teacher, but ever since then things have been going really well. I had a wonderful compliment from the media specialist (librarian) this morning, saying that the class comes in much quieter and calmer with me than with their regular teacher. (As he said, Mr. Sherman has a very high noise threshhold.) I was glad to hear that because it makes me think I'm doing something right! The media specialist is such a nice older gentleman. He even volunteered to write a letter of recommendation for me! That's awefully nice.
This week I did a lot of things different in the class, and I'm glad to say it worked out well. And I think the kids are starting to adjust to the fact that I have different expectations of them than they are used to. Also, I'm learning to try different things. If what I "usually" do doesn't seem to be effective, I've been trying to find what works. It's usually little things, but they really do make a difference. I'm also getting used to what the "survival stage" of teaching feels like! It's not always fun, but you get through it eventually. I think starting off with my own class will be much smoother than taking over someone else's. Speaking of which, if you want something to pray for, pray that I can get a permanent teaching position for the fall. Whatever happens, I want what God has planned for me above all else. I know He has big things in store!
On a totally seperate note, I absolutely love living in downtown St. Augustine. Rob and I went on a walk Wednesday evening after my long day, to be away from people for a while, as I require lots of "recharge" time which I haven't gotten much of this week. Anyway, it was wonderful. I love this town. We strolled St. George Street for a bit, had some Kilwin's, and hung out at the park for a while. Where else would I have all that available to me in walking distance of my house? After we're married, Rob and I want to get an apartment downtown for a year or so, if we can find a place. There's lots of cool places, but being downtown, their prices are sometimes a little high. I'm sure it'll all work out, though.
Veronica's boyfriend Jeff is staying with us this week. He a nice guy. He made a really great dinner for all of us on Tuesday night for Marilyn's birthday. It's been nice getting to know him a little. I think he's here until Sunday morning.
Anyway, my kids are done in the computer lab now, so I have to finish up this post. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. (I love teaching... we get MLK Day off!) Later!
Jan 10, 2006
Marilyn was feeling old on her 20th birthday today (cry me a river), so we planned a special "you can't feel old after this" activity for her. We wrapped her in toilet paper and sent her running down the middle of our street singing Happy Birthday to herself in French at the top of her lungs. It was great. Krissy then burned the toilet paper uncomfortably close to my car.
running...
running...
Jan 9, 2006
fish weep about radient men...
Magnetic poetry rocks.
Anyway, for the real post, there's often times in my life when God "whispers" stuff to me, but I don't really realize that it's Him and not just me until He has a reason to speak a lot louder to me. The topic right now is 1 Corinthians 13. I kept thinking about it (as in the actual chapter) recently, but over the past several days I've been even more convicted about the actual issues discussed therein. Chapter 13 is "the love chapter." The huge, convicting part of it is the "love is not self-seeking" part. God keeps reminding me of how important it is to love people, and the whole "don't be selfish" part of that is the hardest part. Last Thursday night I gave a testimony at Fusion (to our group of 18) about how God's been teaching me that our lives as Christians and as Leaders can't be lived for ourselves. We have to live for Him primarily, and furthermore He calls us to live in a way that benifits others. We are called to look out for the best interest of others above and beyond living for our own pleasure. That's tough! I'm selfish! It's a battle against my nature to live for other people.
This weekend God kept speaking to me about chapter 13. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Serious stuff. I'm trying to learn.
Magnetic poetry rocks.
Anyway, for the real post, there's often times in my life when God "whispers" stuff to me, but I don't really realize that it's Him and not just me until He has a reason to speak a lot louder to me. The topic right now is 1 Corinthians 13. I kept thinking about it (as in the actual chapter) recently, but over the past several days I've been even more convicted about the actual issues discussed therein. Chapter 13 is "the love chapter." The huge, convicting part of it is the "love is not self-seeking" part. God keeps reminding me of how important it is to love people, and the whole "don't be selfish" part of that is the hardest part. Last Thursday night I gave a testimony at Fusion (to our group of 18) about how God's been teaching me that our lives as Christians and as Leaders can't be lived for ourselves. We have to live for Him primarily, and furthermore He calls us to live in a way that benifits others. We are called to look out for the best interest of others above and beyond living for our own pleasure. That's tough! I'm selfish! It's a battle against my nature to live for other people.
This weekend God kept speaking to me about chapter 13. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Serious stuff. I'm trying to learn.
Jan 5, 2006
caution: bumpy road...
My first two days of teaching went really well. Today, however, has been rough. I just feel like I've been yelling all day. (My kids are at the Library for now, so I'm taking a break to vent.) I think it mostly comes down to the fact that teachers with a loud voice rely upon their loud voice as their method of classroom management. If kids are too noisy, you speak louder than them to get their attention. I'm not loud. I have no desire to be loud. In my internship class, they were used to soft-spoen teachers, as neither Judy nor myself raised our voices often (and if we did, you knew someone was in big trouble). This class is used to a male teacher. Males, in general, have more volume than females. Not to say that Dave yells at his class, he is just able to speak loud enough to get their attention, even when they're noisy. And for that matter, he tolerates a lot more noise than I do. I'm a little frustrated because breaking their habits will be hard. I'm not sure how to get them used to paying attention to me without the yelling. Anyway, I have high hopes of this all working out one way or another, so I'll just have to wait and see, and do my best. For now though, I'm a little hoarse.
My first two days of teaching went really well. Today, however, has been rough. I just feel like I've been yelling all day. (My kids are at the Library for now, so I'm taking a break to vent.) I think it mostly comes down to the fact that teachers with a loud voice rely upon their loud voice as their method of classroom management. If kids are too noisy, you speak louder than them to get their attention. I'm not loud. I have no desire to be loud. In my internship class, they were used to soft-spoen teachers, as neither Judy nor myself raised our voices often (and if we did, you knew someone was in big trouble). This class is used to a male teacher. Males, in general, have more volume than females. Not to say that Dave yells at his class, he is just able to speak loud enough to get their attention, even when they're noisy. And for that matter, he tolerates a lot more noise than I do. I'm a little frustrated because breaking their habits will be hard. I'm not sure how to get them used to paying attention to me without the yelling. Anyway, I have high hopes of this all working out one way or another, so I'll just have to wait and see, and do my best. For now though, I'm a little hoarse.
Jan 2, 2006
i will follow you into the dark...
Those who will be spending this week in Nashville for the Passion conference left early this morning. In light of that, and in light of it being Ryan's last Sunday in town, yesterday was filled with even more Ultimate Frisbee than usual. I skipped out on the afternoon game, but then found out that plans had been made to play a night game... at MIDNIGHT. So after making sure I wouldn't be the only girl (J.P. joined me), I decided to join in. The night games are really fun... we use Ryan's fiber-optic frisbee, and mark boundaries and teammates with glowsticks and glow-bracelets. We played 4-on-4 with really well matched teams. While it was a blast, injuries seem to be easier to come by when playing in the dark. Mikie P. took a hit to a rather low section of his abdomen... poor guy... but he was fine; I stopped one with my lip/chin, which resulted in my bottom teeth cutting the inside of my lip; J.P. took a hit to the side of her jaw; Jeff and Ryan collided and Jeff caught Ryan's knee in his throat. All this on a slightly unlevel field, in addition to the usual bumps and bruises. We wrapped up the last game around 2:00am just as it was starting to rain. I took a quick shower, dried my hair, and went to bed. Krissy got home from the Middle School trip around 4:00am, and as I discovered this morning, had lost her license and credit card, so she was up the rest of the night trying to fix everything as best she could so she could still catch her plane this morning to go to Passion. I drove her to the airport this morning, both of us unsure if she would actually be able to get on the plane, but everything worked out fine. Meanwhile, the Passion group (which includes Rob) left the church around 5:00am this morning. I didn't go this year because I start work tomorrow. I'll be teaching 2nd grade for six weeks at Hartley. I'm looking forward to it. I think it'll be good. More than just the six week position itself, I'm really looking forward to the possibility of this opening a door for a permanent position at Hartley. That's what I'm praying for! I have no idea if anything is even going to be available, but I hope it will be.
Anyway, that's all for now. Happy New Year to everyone. It's going to be a great year!
Those who will be spending this week in Nashville for the Passion conference left early this morning. In light of that, and in light of it being Ryan's last Sunday in town, yesterday was filled with even more Ultimate Frisbee than usual. I skipped out on the afternoon game, but then found out that plans had been made to play a night game... at MIDNIGHT. So after making sure I wouldn't be the only girl (J.P. joined me), I decided to join in. The night games are really fun... we use Ryan's fiber-optic frisbee, and mark boundaries and teammates with glowsticks and glow-bracelets. We played 4-on-4 with really well matched teams. While it was a blast, injuries seem to be easier to come by when playing in the dark. Mikie P. took a hit to a rather low section of his abdomen... poor guy... but he was fine; I stopped one with my lip/chin, which resulted in my bottom teeth cutting the inside of my lip; J.P. took a hit to the side of her jaw; Jeff and Ryan collided and Jeff caught Ryan's knee in his throat. All this on a slightly unlevel field, in addition to the usual bumps and bruises. We wrapped up the last game around 2:00am just as it was starting to rain. I took a quick shower, dried my hair, and went to bed. Krissy got home from the Middle School trip around 4:00am, and as I discovered this morning, had lost her license and credit card, so she was up the rest of the night trying to fix everything as best she could so she could still catch her plane this morning to go to Passion. I drove her to the airport this morning, both of us unsure if she would actually be able to get on the plane, but everything worked out fine. Meanwhile, the Passion group (which includes Rob) left the church around 5:00am this morning. I didn't go this year because I start work tomorrow. I'll be teaching 2nd grade for six weeks at Hartley. I'm looking forward to it. I think it'll be good. More than just the six week position itself, I'm really looking forward to the possibility of this opening a door for a permanent position at Hartley. That's what I'm praying for! I have no idea if anything is even going to be available, but I hope it will be.
Anyway, that's all for now. Happy New Year to everyone. It's going to be a great year!
Dec 27, 2005
christmas weekend...
seriously...
seriously...
Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope the holiday was pleasant for you. Mine was nice. Rob and I have discussed several times lately how there's just not the same excitement anymore as there was when we were kids. The day comes and goes without much hoop-la. Which is fine. I sort of like the way it feels to have a less "commercialized" Christmas. Overall, we had a pleasant weekend in Jacksonville. I introduced Rob to Chamblin's Book Mine on Saturday, which was a big hit. He left with his very own copy of a Bartlett's book of quotations, which was a very exciting moment for him. He also purchased a gift for a friend of ours, as well as a copy of Mere Christianity for me, as I have been intending to read it for some time, and his copy is on loan, possibly never to be seen again. Saturday night was presents for the kids at Mom and Dad's house, followed by a trip to the Adams' residence to visit Allie. Rob and I exchanged our gifts that night, as well (I received a digital camera, hence the above picture). Sunday morning was blueberry muffins, church, presents with parents, and a big lunch. After being sent on our way with leftovers in tow, we stopped by the movie theater to watch whatever was playing. We spent the remainder of the evening back in St. Augustine at Rob's house hanging out with friends. Monday we hit the road again to Orlando to see Rob's family who were staying with their god-family. Today and tomorrow will be normal St. Augustine-only days (unless I decide to go to lunch with my mom tomorrow), but on Thursday we'll be going up to St. Simon's Island for Kathy and Todd's wedding. I actually don't mind being on the road so much, especially since I'm not working this week. I'd much rather do that than be bored all the time. Being here three days this week rather than five gives me enough time to do things I need to do but keeps me from running completely out of stuff to do, especially with none of the room mates home. Like today, for example... I needed to go buy this dress I saw at the store the other day, and I needed to buy some shoes to go with it. I got a great deal on the shoes... which makes me feel a little better about what I paid for the dress! Anyway, now I'm rambling. I'm gonna go. Later!
Dec 21, 2005
i have returned...
Well, the posts have been lacking because I spent last week in New Orleans. I went with a group from my church to do disaster relief stuff. It was intense, but a very good trip. We stayed at Metarie Baptist Church and worked with the Southern Baptist disaster relief organization.
Being in New Orleans and seeing the damage there is weird. I've lived in Florida my whole life, so I've seen my fair share of hurricane damage, but what you find in New Orleans is mostly flood damage, which is completely different. For miles and miles and miles, everything is completely deserted... homes, stores, everything. It's like a ghost town. Even cars have been abandoned everywhere. And for the most part, the damage isn't all that visible from the outside. It's just that everything had been flooded, so the insides of everything (houses, buildings, cars) are waterlogged and/or rotted out. Our first few days, we went into homes that had "minimal" flood damage, which means the water levels weren't very high and it was mostly clear water as opposed to really dirty water. But in these homes that had "minimal" damage we still ripped out all their floors, trim work, and the lower-half of their drywall. At least most of their possessions were salvaged. In the other homes we did, where the water levels had been much, much higher, everything they owned was completely destroyed. We went into those homes, often for the first time since the storm and flood, and literally threw out everything these people owned. Books, blankets, clothes, furniture, computers, televisions, appliances, kitchen utensils... everything. It was all destroyed. The furniture would literally crumble as we picked it up to carry it out of the house. And the mold. Everything was covered in mold. The smell was suffocating. (Needless to say, we worked with masks and gloves all week.) The worst of it all was when we came across containers that had been holding water for the past three months. If the containers had previously been empty, it wasn't too bad (bowls and cups on shelves, etc). But if the containers had other things in them as well, such as books in one case, three months of standing water only increased the "rotting" process, so the stench was increased. The only way to explain the smell of these containers is like a fish tank that hasn't been cleaned in a very, very long time, and the fish have possibly died in it also, and as you empty the water out and the sludge on the sides of the tank is revealed the smell hits you in the face and makes you want to puke. Worse still than these small containers were the refridgerators that had been lying on their side for three months, holding old food and flood water. The team always waited until a house was almost finished to even attempt doing anything with a fridge, but in both houses where they attempted to move one, the most putrid water and smell you have ever experienced came seeping out as soon as they moved it. These attempts were quickly abandoned.
Okay, so mostly I've rambled about how gross some of the stuff was. But realistically, the damage we saw was really sad. All week I kept dwelling on the fact that material possessions really just aren't important. The biggest thought I had was that I'm glad that we were able to do this stuff for the homeowners, because we don't have the same emotional attachment to the stuff that they would have. It would be way harder for them to throw away all their things. I don't know if that came out right, but it makes sense in my head.
*****
In other news, Rob and I have been together for a year and a month, as of yesterday. Amazing. This weekend we are spending Christmas Eve and Day with my family in Jacksonville, which should be a pretty good time. I'm nearly done with my Christmas shopping. I still have to get my mom's gift, and then I think I'm shopping a little with my mom tomorrow, after going to my dentist appointment. I'll actually make the trip to Jacksonville three times this week... today I'm riding with Kathy to pick up her wedding dress, tomorrow I have the dentist and shopping, and Rob and I will be back again on Saturday. At least it's not too much of a drive.
Anyway, now that you are up to date with random facts about my life, I'll go. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday. Later.
Well, the posts have been lacking because I spent last week in New Orleans. I went with a group from my church to do disaster relief stuff. It was intense, but a very good trip. We stayed at Metarie Baptist Church and worked with the Southern Baptist disaster relief organization.
Being in New Orleans and seeing the damage there is weird. I've lived in Florida my whole life, so I've seen my fair share of hurricane damage, but what you find in New Orleans is mostly flood damage, which is completely different. For miles and miles and miles, everything is completely deserted... homes, stores, everything. It's like a ghost town. Even cars have been abandoned everywhere. And for the most part, the damage isn't all that visible from the outside. It's just that everything had been flooded, so the insides of everything (houses, buildings, cars) are waterlogged and/or rotted out. Our first few days, we went into homes that had "minimal" flood damage, which means the water levels weren't very high and it was mostly clear water as opposed to really dirty water. But in these homes that had "minimal" damage we still ripped out all their floors, trim work, and the lower-half of their drywall. At least most of their possessions were salvaged. In the other homes we did, where the water levels had been much, much higher, everything they owned was completely destroyed. We went into those homes, often for the first time since the storm and flood, and literally threw out everything these people owned. Books, blankets, clothes, furniture, computers, televisions, appliances, kitchen utensils... everything. It was all destroyed. The furniture would literally crumble as we picked it up to carry it out of the house. And the mold. Everything was covered in mold. The smell was suffocating. (Needless to say, we worked with masks and gloves all week.) The worst of it all was when we came across containers that had been holding water for the past three months. If the containers had previously been empty, it wasn't too bad (bowls and cups on shelves, etc). But if the containers had other things in them as well, such as books in one case, three months of standing water only increased the "rotting" process, so the stench was increased. The only way to explain the smell of these containers is like a fish tank that hasn't been cleaned in a very, very long time, and the fish have possibly died in it also, and as you empty the water out and the sludge on the sides of the tank is revealed the smell hits you in the face and makes you want to puke. Worse still than these small containers were the refridgerators that had been lying on their side for three months, holding old food and flood water. The team always waited until a house was almost finished to even attempt doing anything with a fridge, but in both houses where they attempted to move one, the most putrid water and smell you have ever experienced came seeping out as soon as they moved it. These attempts were quickly abandoned.
Okay, so mostly I've rambled about how gross some of the stuff was. But realistically, the damage we saw was really sad. All week I kept dwelling on the fact that material possessions really just aren't important. The biggest thought I had was that I'm glad that we were able to do this stuff for the homeowners, because we don't have the same emotional attachment to the stuff that they would have. It would be way harder for them to throw away all their things. I don't know if that came out right, but it makes sense in my head.
*****
In other news, Rob and I have been together for a year and a month, as of yesterday. Amazing. This weekend we are spending Christmas Eve and Day with my family in Jacksonville, which should be a pretty good time. I'm nearly done with my Christmas shopping. I still have to get my mom's gift, and then I think I'm shopping a little with my mom tomorrow, after going to my dentist appointment. I'll actually make the trip to Jacksonville three times this week... today I'm riding with Kathy to pick up her wedding dress, tomorrow I have the dentist and shopping, and Rob and I will be back again on Saturday. At least it's not too much of a drive.
Anyway, now that you are up to date with random facts about my life, I'll go. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday. Later.
Dec 9, 2005
to do list revised...
I stole this from Niki. I like it. It's a list of things to do before you die. You highlight the ones you've done.
01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swim with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain(updated: I highlighted this one for Rob... I think this means mountain climbing with ropes and caribeeners etc., but he says a mountain in Georgia counts)
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula. (at least I think I did... I know we had one in my 8th-9th grade science class... his name was Esau because he was red and hairy)
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it.
09. Hugged a tree
(I didn't make this list... I don't know what happened to 10 & 11!)12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea (not at sea, but from an airplane)
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars (do tents count?)
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon (well, not officially a "trip" but I've been in one)
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (while teaching... while trying to scold a child... wasn't quite a "giggling fit" but close enough)
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse.
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can(updated)
35. Held a lamb (umm... Danny and Tina used to own a sheep... it smelled like urine all the time... I never held it.)
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run (maybe in elementary school)
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days (teaching feels that way sometimes)
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking(Rob says in front of my room-mates does count!)
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors ("IF I KNEW WHAT THAT WAS THEN I MIGHT" says Niki. I agree.)
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts (my internship... but I wasn't paid)
51. Taken care of someone who was ill
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip (somehow I missed this one the first time through)
59. Gone rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Gone sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Bench-pressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your CDs/DVDs
70. Pretended to be a superhero (I totally had a second-hand Wonder Woman costume when I was a kid!)
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude for pictures (no, although it would almost be worth the lie to say "yes" to see the reaction of people who read this!)
74. Gone scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better ("I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION" says Niki... I don't either. )
84. Started a business (umm... I sold bracelets in elementary school!)
86. Toured ancient sites (Hello! I live in St.Augustine!)
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Had a sword fight
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie (no, but on tv)
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy (I would have to get his opinion!)
95. Gotten divorced
96. Eaten cold pizza (cold pizza for breakfast is the best!)
97. Gone without food for 5 days (HECK NO!)
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a talent contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
Okay, so I have some work to do. But I guess that just means I can't die yet. Rob will be thrilled.
I stole this from Niki. I like it. It's a list of things to do before you die. You highlight the ones you've done.
01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swim with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain(updated: I highlighted this one for Rob... I think this means mountain climbing with ropes and caribeeners etc., but he says a mountain in Georgia counts)
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula. (at least I think I did... I know we had one in my 8th-9th grade science class... his name was Esau because he was red and hairy)
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it.
09. Hugged a tree
(I didn't make this list... I don't know what happened to 10 & 11!)12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea (not at sea, but from an airplane)
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars (do tents count?)
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon (well, not officially a "trip" but I've been in one)
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (while teaching... while trying to scold a child... wasn't quite a "giggling fit" but close enough)
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse.
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can(updated)
35. Held a lamb (umm... Danny and Tina used to own a sheep... it smelled like urine all the time... I never held it.)
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run (maybe in elementary school)
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days (teaching feels that way sometimes)
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking(Rob says in front of my room-mates does count!)
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors ("IF I KNEW WHAT THAT WAS THEN I MIGHT" says Niki. I agree.)
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts (my internship... but I wasn't paid)
51. Taken care of someone who was ill
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip (somehow I missed this one the first time through)
59. Gone rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Gone sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Bench-pressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your CDs/DVDs
70. Pretended to be a superhero (I totally had a second-hand Wonder Woman costume when I was a kid!)
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude for pictures (no, although it would almost be worth the lie to say "yes" to see the reaction of people who read this!)
74. Gone scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better ("I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION" says Niki... I don't either. )
84. Started a business (umm... I sold bracelets in elementary school!)
86. Toured ancient sites (Hello! I live in St.Augustine!)
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Had a sword fight
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie (no, but on tv)
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy (I would have to get his opinion!)
95. Gotten divorced
96. Eaten cold pizza (cold pizza for breakfast is the best!)
97. Gone without food for 5 days (HECK NO!)
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a talent contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
Okay, so I have some work to do. But I guess that just means I can't die yet. Rob will be thrilled.
Dec 7, 2005
good morning, in the pm...
I had an algebra teacher in jr.high that would say "good afternoon" any time prior to noon and "good morning" any time past noon. I think she did it just to catch people off guard. She was pretty quirky. There was no point in me telling you that... I just felt like saying "good morning" and then realized it was nearly 6:00pm.
Random thought of the day: I hope the best but fear the worst for many of the people I've known in the past. I feel like that's pesimistic of me, but I've been proven right too many times to feel any differently.
I had an algebra teacher in jr.high that would say "good afternoon" any time prior to noon and "good morning" any time past noon. I think she did it just to catch people off guard. She was pretty quirky. There was no point in me telling you that... I just felt like saying "good morning" and then realized it was nearly 6:00pm.
Random thought of the day: I hope the best but fear the worst for many of the people I've known in the past. I feel like that's pesimistic of me, but I've been proven right too many times to feel any differently.
Dec 6, 2005
all grown up...
There are various points in one's life that are somewhat defining as steps toward adulthood. Yesterday, mine was being a "big girl" and going to get a shot all by myself. Aside from when I was deathly ill over the summer, this is the only other time I've even had to go to the doctor by myself. The actual "going" isn't so bad, it's more everything leading up to going. Over the summer, it was figuring out which doctor I was allowed to go to in St.Augustine that was covered by my insurance, and then actually getting in to see him, and then finding out there was a problem with my insurance and having to make the necessary calls to figure all that stuff out, all while my tonsils were swelling to the size of ping-pong balls. Yesterday wasn't nearly as confusing. I just had to figure out the right office of the health department to go to. So I went and got my Tetanus shot (so I can go to New Orleans next week) by myself, and it wasn't that bad. But it is a Tetanus shot, which is known to make you sore, so my arm hurts a little today. It just feels like when you've pulled a muscle or something.
Speaking of New Orleans, I'm going there next week with a group from church to do some disaster relief stuff. Honestly, at first I wasn't that excited about it, but I just felt like I should go. Now I'm pretty excited about going. I went last year to Punta Gorda to do similar work, and that was a really good experience. I'm just hoping for more organization while we're there this time, which I think there's a pretty good chance of.
Anyway, that's all my news for now. Hope everyone has a great week! Grace and peace!
There are various points in one's life that are somewhat defining as steps toward adulthood. Yesterday, mine was being a "big girl" and going to get a shot all by myself. Aside from when I was deathly ill over the summer, this is the only other time I've even had to go to the doctor by myself. The actual "going" isn't so bad, it's more everything leading up to going. Over the summer, it was figuring out which doctor I was allowed to go to in St.Augustine that was covered by my insurance, and then actually getting in to see him, and then finding out there was a problem with my insurance and having to make the necessary calls to figure all that stuff out, all while my tonsils were swelling to the size of ping-pong balls. Yesterday wasn't nearly as confusing. I just had to figure out the right office of the health department to go to. So I went and got my Tetanus shot (so I can go to New Orleans next week) by myself, and it wasn't that bad. But it is a Tetanus shot, which is known to make you sore, so my arm hurts a little today. It just feels like when you've pulled a muscle or something.
Speaking of New Orleans, I'm going there next week with a group from church to do some disaster relief stuff. Honestly, at first I wasn't that excited about it, but I just felt like I should go. Now I'm pretty excited about going. I went last year to Punta Gorda to do similar work, and that was a really good experience. I'm just hoping for more organization while we're there this time, which I think there's a pretty good chance of.
Anyway, that's all my news for now. Hope everyone has a great week! Grace and peace!
Dec 1, 2005
lacking...
I haven't been in the Word like I should lately, and I can feel it more now than I ever have before. There have been plenty of times in my life when I've gone without quiet times for given periods of time, but this time seems to be having the most effect. I guess it's good in a way. Not good that I'm out of the Word, but good that I'm feeling its importance by the void that is left without it. I read yesterdsay, and, as always, God was faithful to go above and beyond what I expected. There was a certain passage, the last among many, and when I got to it, it was like being in a dark house with heavy drapes on the windows, and when you pull back the drapes the sunlight comes pouring in. The light and warmth fill the room and change the entire atmosphere. "Wow," you say, as you stand in amazement of all that you had been missing when the drapes were closed. That's how I felt yesterday. That's how I want to feel every day. Yet it's so easy just to leave my Bible sitting there closed. All it takes is a little determination. I'm working on that. Pray for me. Grace and peace.
I haven't been in the Word like I should lately, and I can feel it more now than I ever have before. There have been plenty of times in my life when I've gone without quiet times for given periods of time, but this time seems to be having the most effect. I guess it's good in a way. Not good that I'm out of the Word, but good that I'm feeling its importance by the void that is left without it. I read yesterdsay, and, as always, God was faithful to go above and beyond what I expected. There was a certain passage, the last among many, and when I got to it, it was like being in a dark house with heavy drapes on the windows, and when you pull back the drapes the sunlight comes pouring in. The light and warmth fill the room and change the entire atmosphere. "Wow," you say, as you stand in amazement of all that you had been missing when the drapes were closed. That's how I felt yesterday. That's how I want to feel every day. Yet it's so easy just to leave my Bible sitting there closed. All it takes is a little determination. I'm working on that. Pray for me. Grace and peace.
