A Chance Encounter at MacAlister's

This morning, Andy greeted me with the news that he "had to goto Borders" to use his discount points or lose them. So, we quickly pulled ourselves together, and up the road we went. Nothing like a bookstore and lunch out to get me moving on a Sat. morning.
We decided it was too late for lunch, so what now? I suggested MacAlister's Deli - Erin introduced us in College Station - and he went for it. I like it for two reasons, and forgive me if I've shared this before; but they have GREAT sweet tea and such a large menu that you could eat there for a month and never have the same thing twice. We got there just a little after they opened, and pretty much had the place to ourselves.
Here's where the encounter comes in. A little family was just ahead of us in line, with their little girl - maybe 4 years old. She was jumping up and down in place quietly as mom and dad ordered. I asked them, with a grin on my face, if she woke up like that. Dad laughed and said they put her to bed doing the same thing. Normally, that would send bells and whistles off in my head, but today, it had me chuckling. We ordered and took our place.
In a minute, here came the little family to sit on the row next to us. As I ate, the little one kept peeking through the curtain to "flirt" with me and I played back with here, until her mom told her to "leave the lady alone." She did. As we left, I stopped by to wish them a good day. Mom and dad may think I'm a looney, but it just felt like the right thing to do.
Especially in the city, we avoid eye contact and speaking, like someone is going to rob us or worse. I don't like that about how things are, and if I can't speak to a precious little girl on a beautiful Sat. morning, then I give up. I hope they felt as good as I did for the rest of the morning.
Bring on those encounters to us all!!

Who do you honor?

It seems like, lately, I keep thinking of the word honor. I have a little card I found at a shop one time that says, "May all I do and say today honor Christ in every way." I keep it at school and try to look at it daily. It helps me focus on my goal - to honor Christ. I don't always do the job I'd like to - after all, I do work with kids! :) But it is my desire to honor His life, His sacrifice, and His reign as Lord.
Honor isn't easy. To put someone's benefit ahead of your own is not always an American trait, especially now-a-days. It's Me first, second and maybe 3rd, and then others. To know that my words, facial expressions, reactions, and decisions reflect directly on how others see Christ is overwhelming at best. How can I do it without giving people an excuse to not see the Saviour as I do? How can I show Him as One worthy when I mess up? I want people to quit looking at Jesus as someone just to be thought of on Sundays, but to be held in great esteem all day, every day.
I also need to honor others. Our society is too casual with its relationships, and we don't hold people up as they deserve. I honor Andy with my life - he chose me and gives his earthly life for my benefit, and he is also worthy of my respect and admiration. I've come to love and honor the other elders as men who seek Him, and so I honor them... and my life is happier when I treat them with the honor they deserve.
I could go on... in fact, I will. I honor Gregg as my son-in-law for being the leader of Erin's and his home. I honor my boss, and those in governmental authority, even when I don't agree with them. Their position alone calls me to do this. And I feel better when I do.
I'm not sure where all this came from - perhaps as I dealt with surgery and came to respect the man who literally had my life in his hands - his expertise and desire to help others moved me. It helped me to realize that in this life, honor is a small thing to give but a great thing to receive.

I just hope I'm doing it right!

"Look on the sunny side"

I admit it; I'm an optimist. I grew up one, and I hope to continue in that mode until I'm gone. Life has enough to bring one down without it being what you choose to dwell on. Like the old song title says, "Look on the Sunny Side,"...

Case in point; this weekend. Our Ladies' Retreat. Hill Country. Beautiful weather, almost perfect, but not quite cool enough for me. Women I've known for years and newbies I'm learning to love, and nothing to do but enjoy them. Kim and Lorene did it all but arrange the date, and that was my big contribution. Whooee! We sang, we ate, we played, we studied. We loved on each other, and we missed friends who couldn't be there. It was what I needed, except for my comfy bed!
There have been a couple of things happen along the way that could steal my joy and refreshment from the weekend, but I choose not to dwell on them. People will try to take joy from you, but I won't let them, and I won't let my own thoughts interfere with the great memories I have formed in my mind. My mom always told me that you are as happy as you choose to be, and so I choose great happiness.
The highlight of my weekend? One would have to be watching Mildred Royal learn to play Catch Phrase with us. I hope I have her willingness to learn new things when (and if) I am in my 90s.
A weekend in the Hill Country. God is so good!!

My kids at school have been so cute since I've been back. The 1st two I saw, my Jimmy with the cartoon voice and my "tweener" Zoe, came running in to my classroom and took turns in my lap. Not really "legal" to hold a kid on your lap anymore, but who cares?! Jimmy just kept saying, "You're back, you're back!" over and over. He's the only one that wanted to touch my incision, so I let him after I inspected his fingers, and he made the appropriate noises and grimmaces. Man, I love everything about that little boy. (Gregg and Erin - I'll take one just like him; a stinker with a big, big heart! :) ) Zoe stood her distance and asked lots of questions, like, " how close did they come to cutting your head all the way off?" I patiently let them ask whatever they wanted, for the past two days, and have tried to answer them with careful but truthful answers. I've never felt like you should shelter kids from reality, especially if they ask. The thing about 3rd and 4th graders is that they - for the most part - are pure in their questions. They haven't figured out the "polite" way to put things, so when they ask about "all those ugly bruises" on my arms (I'm a hard stick!) they are just concerned. In their own ways, they've made me feel very loved and wanted. Not a bad thing when it comes to where you spend the majority of your days.
Good news, I hope. One part of all my blood work was a test for Dr. Massey - he called it a "tumor chaser." Lovely. He said they like to keep track every so often to see if any of those pesky cancer cells have hidden somewhere. So, several days have passed, and I've not heard from him to come in. I'm taking that as a good report!! Thanks, Father!!!
Well, tomorrow is Wednesday. I'm going to bed.
Sweet dreams!

God's Face

Growing up in the church of Christ, I've never had a picture of Jesus hanging on my bedroom wall or in the auditorium at church; in fact, when I went to my grandmothers, I'd almost cover my eyes to avoid "idol worship" caused by looking at hers. I was always taught that we were not given "graven images" in order to avoid worshipping the wrong thing, and I've read those scriptures about people dying because they saw the face of God. I know all that.

But today, I really needed to see the face of my Father. I wasn't there, spiritually, and I yearned to focus on Who it was I was there to honor. On other occasions, I've closed my eyes and just tried to focus on the whole Heaven thing, while avoiding His face. Didn't work today - too many distractions to filter. It would have been so very helpful just to see the One my heart and soul ache to praise. To have the tangible amid the ordinary would have taken my breath away, which is what worship should do to us -
I'm really hoping this weekend, on the Retreat, that I have that glimpse of Him!

First Impressions

Lately, I've been very aware of first impressions. I guess it's because I've been in lots of new places for the 1st time - mainly doctors' offices and such, and have had a lot of opportunities to watch people I'm unfamiliar with. It has been enlightening, to say the least.
Here's my conclusion; most people are just in too big of a rush to realize how awful they come across. Even on the phone, it feels like you're killing someone to make them converse with you for just a second before you commence business.
When I forgot a paper at my surgeon's on Tues., I had to call back to have them send it to me for work. The lady I was speaking to actually said, "You want me to MAIL that to you?!?" Okay, I could hear all the commotion in the background, but I wasn't just making this up to torment her. When I explained I lived an hour away, she wanted my fax number. (Andy and I are archaic, I know, we don't actually HAVE a fax here at home.) I gave up, called the school and got their fax number, and called the woman back with that number.
All I can say is, I always hope I realize the impression I am making on those I meet or deal with on the phone. I surely don't want to the be subject of their blog that day!!

Have a good weekend!!

The sky is clear!!

Yippee - the "fog" has lifted!! By far, the fog of the anesthesia from my surgeries has been the most frustrating. The pain and discomfort has not been fun - that's for sure - but not being really "with it" for a week or so is not my choice of how to be. Am I 100% ? Not by a long shot, but my sentences are more than 3 words and I'm catching on more to what is being said around me, and I'll take every little bit.

Andy is home again with me today. Tomorrow, we see the good Dr. Brown for stitch removal and nose opening, and then Andy goes back to work on Wed. I sure like having him around; a little preview of retirement, perhaps?

Speaking of - here's my plan for life after teaching. I think we sell the house and pick a place on the map we'd like to live. Go find a little rental, and live there a year. Meet new Christians and see new things, and then do it all over again. 5 places in 5 years - then we settle somewhere in a neutral zone between the girls and their lives.
Andy's not convinced yet... but I've got time on my side!! My first destination - the Pacific West Coast!!

Better Late Than Never

My dad was born Sept. 27, 1920, and he died in 1990.He was 70 years old, and the accident was on his only sister's birthday. He'd been over to eat lunch with her, and left the house on his bike. Since retirement, he spent time riding around looking for cans to cash in - like he needed the money! She'd had some bad birthdays before, a few people she loved had died on her birthday, and so she hated to "celebrate" it; but daddy went over anyway. As he attempted to cross the highway, something happened, and he was hit by a man in a truck. He lingered in a coma for exactly one month, and died on Nov. 18th, 1990.
For many years, the date of his birthday would come and go, and I'd be busy with school or the girls, or life in general, and I would feel so badly when I'd realized I'd forgotten. I forgot this year as well. It seems that, as I get older, it's more important to me to remember him, and mom, and to point out to others that they WERE. Their lives shaped my in every way, and especially this week with the surgery, I've been thinking alot about Daddy. It's actually a pretty gross story, but oh, well.
When I was in elementary school, Daddy had to have nose surgery. My nose is "his" nose (as is Dana's), with a little square on the end.(I also have his dimple in my chin when I lose weight!) Anyway, he had these really large polyps taken out of his nose, and when he came home, boy he was miserable!! The doctor had him all packed up with cotton, and he was all bruised. The best part, though, were the polyps themselves!! I actually got to take them to school in a baby-food jar and show my classmates!! What a treasure!! I'm sure my teachers were thrilled, but tolerated my enthusiasm as long as possible.
Well, luckily for my co-workers, I won't be going back to school with "trophies" to share! I'll just have to hang on to the memory of that adventure I had with Dad - sure wish he was here!!

Home again

Well, the deed is done; I am thyroid-less and have a new non-deviated septum. I also have a killer headache.

The surgery went very well; my thyroid was large and growing up under my collarbone, which is quite sore as I type. I also have a yard or two of packing up my nose, which is a little more than uncomfortable and makes my lips very dry from all the mouth-breathing. Other than those little complaints, I am fine. Andy took off the bandage today as the doc ordered and my neck in noticably smaller from every angle. Tomorrow, I get to shower and shampoo this nasty hair, and then I'm sure I'll be even better. I'm not sure how I'm going to cover this big smiley mouth on my neck when I go back to school; I don't want to gross out the kids. I may need Andy to go buy me a delicate little scarf for the first few days.

One thing I really like about surgery is the maching they put on my legs to keep blood clots away. They "puff' every few seconds, which constricts my feet and lower legs, and it feels like a constant massage. The nurses tell my most patients complain about them, but I love it. I'd buy one if I could - except for the hassle of taking them off to go to the bathroom.

So, that's it for the surgery news. I"m really hoping this is it for a long, long time. I asked God for something the night before, and it worked out, so I'm figuring I'm cool for a while.

Thanks for your prayers and well-wishes. I'm very blessed.