Transitions and New Beginnings

So...school for me starts tomorrow. Work days anyway...class with kids doesn't start until after Labor Day. It's almost like another "New Year" celebration. There's the one in January...but the one in September is so much more of a "New Year" for me. It's when I start making other resolutions and promises to myself...my lunch will always be packed the night before...I WILL get on the treadmill first thing in the morning...mycorrected tests and projects will NEVER be more than a week out from being returned...I WILL be in bed by 10 on a school night:-)... hey...don't laugh...it could happen:-)

But there's other new stuff too...where, when, and what will I do my "Professional Certification" in?...will Sean go back to school, too?...what are we doing with the house situation?... moving?...remodeling?...and if so...when?...how will all of this affect family situations?... volunteering?...

It's all very "Up in the air" feeling... it's okay though because this time... as opposed to some other transitional times in my life... I feel good about these transitions..not scared or worried or wondering what choice I should make. Now...I'm feeling more like...hmmm...wonder what we'll do...

We had a Fantasy Football draft at our house today...Doug and I have our own team again this year...it's called the Fat Cobras...I can email you why that's our name:-)... It feels like a good team...although we are a little iffy in the Running Back department. I couldn't help it... I couldn't not pick Peyton Manning and then when it came back around I couldn't not pick Chad Johnson. Before I knew it it was round 5 before I picked our first running back...Duece McCallister.

Those are some images I've snapped lately...Sean talking to the "Ghosthunters" Producer outside our house...Sean and I at Creation Fest 2007...our babies playing together:-)... remind me to blog about "Ghosthunters" later:-)

Similarities

So...I have this friend. Wait...let me back up. One of my most favorite authors is Beth Moore. And one of my most favorite Beth Moore books is about David; it's called "A Man after God's own Heart". A quite significant portion of the book is about David's friendship with Jonathan...his rival's son. In this part of the book Beth Moore talks about two kinds of friendships...the kind that is knit together through the years and the kind that is knit together through God's divine timing. I had always been drawn to her description when thinking of my good good friend Carrie. She and I knew each other for less than three months while working at Camp Ghormley ten years ago. I declared her to be my first grown-up friend...meaning a friend NOT met in my elementary days. She was then and is now an incredibly good friend who knows me as well as any of my "oldie, but goodie" friends. Beth Moore's point is that David and Jonathan did not need time to build their friendship...God knit their hearts together as dear friends.

Okay...so as I was saying...I have this friend...this other friend. Our friendship is exactly the opposite. We met...dare I say it...27 years ago. She lived on one end of the block and I lived on the other. We met at the halfway point and introduced ourselves as I'm sure our mothers had instructed us to. She was the tomboy and I was the prissy girl...and we both wished to trade places with each other.:-) You couldn't have found two friends more joined at the hip than us. As with all dramatic stories there came a time when we had to part:-) She moved away to college and I stayed home for college. So, for the last 10+ years we've been more separated. Even when she moved back to the area we see little of each other. It is remarkably difficult to coordinate schedules...either that or we are just really bad at it. The times we do manage to eek out some coffee time are amazing...as if nothing has changed...no need to fill in back story...because we are each other's backstory:-)

My point in all of this is that I've been marveling at the David and Jonathan story because of Beth Moore's illustration of the lack of time built into their relationship. But as of late it has been on my mind in a different way. The point is not necessarily how God knit their hearts together...but THAT he knit their hearts together. A few days ago I sent out a mass email to let everyone know about my blog...one the commenters was this friend of 27 years. So, I went to her blog...which I'd previously visited but not been to in some time. I was so amazed, comforted, pleased that there are so many similarities between her and I STILL:-) Vacations at Waldport, Oregon...opening up to new groups of friends...remodeling our homes this spring and summer...home depot issues...creative projects that get started, stopped, started again and are cheered when they're finished...the thrill of not just being an aunt; but being an Auntie---yes there is a difference:-)...frustrated that there isn't enough time in the day...struggling with 'love your neighbor'...loving new things we learn about God...finding such an amazing experience in volunteering in ministry.

Sarah and I have been friends for forever and I have so much gratitude to God for making the pathway for our parents to each find the same block. What would've have happened if I lived one block over? I'm so thankful that God has knit us together as friends.

Bathrooms

I hate cleaning the bathroom...there...I've typed it. I've said it aloud many times...but now I'm typing it. I HATE cleaning the bathroom. I don't know what it is about the bathroom...but I hate it! I hate some other household chores, too...but not like cleaning the bathroom. That is the one thing I will procrastinate on the most. I've been saying for almost a week now that cleaning the bathroom is on my to-do list. I think maybe the issue is all the stuff in it. Our bathroom tends to collect stuff almost as bad as our dining room table. A friend once told us that we had flat surface syndrome. Meaning if there is a flat surface then that means something must be put on it. So currently there are all manner of hair products...hair clips...deodorants...towels not put away yet...new shampoos that we aren't using yet...all the fun new products I bought to clean said bathroom...even seven year old lotions and bubble baths. I know they're that old because I recall getting them at a bridal shower:-) I guess I don't take many bubble baths after all.

Once all the stuff is moved out then it's not a problem and it goes pretty quickly. And some of those new gadgets and products really work well...some not so much. So...now I'm blogging about it. Hopefully that will make me actually do it today!

On the other hand I LOVE...LOVE...listening to John Ortberg. That's my new-found love of the week. He's an author...some of his books include "If you want to walk on water, you better get out of the boat" and "Everyone's normal until you meet them". His newest which I just started is "When the game is over it all goes back in the box". He's also the senior pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California. He used to be a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago...that's where I first heard him and REALLY responded to his sermons. He was a speaker at the Leadership Summit last week. WOWZA!! He gave an amazing sermon using the story of Esther and talking about Shadow Missions. And now into a few chapters of his new book I LOVE it!

Okay...do you think that my blogging means I'm still procrastinating about cleaning the bathroom?

I wonder...

if everyone likes "Friends" as much as I do. In our new office we have a new 13" DVD/TV and I've been watching my "Friends" DVD's like they're going out of style!

I wonder...how many days eggs really do stay fresh in the fridge

I wonder...if there is a suitable amount of hours I could sleep and NOT feel tired when I wake up

I wonder...if I really could go a month without buying a new scrapbook supply

We finally moved the treadmill back into the office. It felt so good to get on it again. It'd been in the living room along with every other item from our office. There was barely room to walk in the living room with everything piled there; let alone room to get the treadmill down. So, today...I walked while listening to John Ortberg's sermon from two weeks ago. He's awesome!

I wonder...if exercising makes you have more energy later in the day...duh!:-)

Do you ever notice...

...how some of our best times come when not only do you least expect it, but when you'd never predict it?:-) These are thoughts I had last night as I was ending my evening and reflecting and enjoying my new desk.
*While working on our budget two nights ago I was SO blessed to walk with a dear friend through a family crisis. She will tell you that I deserve her thanks...but what a blessing it was to my life to be able to share with her and so completely be there for her.
*Then yesterday, during one of our busiest Sundays...Sean and I were greeters, ushers, and I even answered the phone during a song...I was blessed with a reminder and a challenge from my pastor. "Sure he's the Savior of your life, but is he the Lord of your life? Or do you still want to control your life and are just hoping for his stamp of approval?" Excellent question...mighty challenge...tough to do:-)

I'm thinking...had I concentrated on the little things of the little things I do each day I would miss out on so much of what God wants to bless me with. I saw a plaque that said "Friendship isn't one thing it's a million little things." I think that's what the beauty of doing life together is, too.

By the way...had a lovely interchange with someone needing directions...a very "Our Town" moment:-)

Must continue the cleaning/unpacking saga that is my living room:-)

The light...

at the end of the tunnel. WOWZA!... Sean has worked so hard on the office remodel and omigosh...we are almost done! He just put up the window sills and then he needs to put up the window molding. Eric is coming tomorrow to hook up the lights and then turn on the power and we are DONE!! And once the power is on then Sean can get his desk set up and then the wheels toward getting the living room clean will really get moving. And therein has been my problem. Everything from the office is sitting in the living room waiting...even the HUGE desk that we're getting rid of. So, now that we're getting stuff moved in I can have my living room back!!:-) Yay!!

I'll post pics soon...of Creation Fest, too!