A long time coming

You know...its been awhile since I've taken the time to do this...blog I mean. I've told myself I'm just too busy to do anything like this. So today, I put the teacher books away early (at 5 PM!) and just relaxed. That's a new word in my vocabulary as of late.

This week I've tried a few new things...sadly I don't have pictures to show it! I tried 3 new recipes this week!

1. My friend Christina and I made dinner together on Monday night. Whole grain pasta with chicken, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and slivered almonds. D-E-L-ICIOUS. I bought bread and made a dipping sauce too! For dessert we made angel food cake and had fresh strawberries with a touch of whip cream (perhaps more than a touch...) :)

2. I made gaucamole yesterday for the first time ever. People that are good cooks are probably thinking, "only a rookie would write about that..." but that's EXACTLY what I am! A rookie!! So you get to read about it! I learned how to pit an avocado and use all the avocado! It was amazing!! It was so pretty and green! (Many don't know that I'm obsessed with green!!) And for the first time around, it didn't taste too bad.

3. Today I made acorn squash!! I've never had it in my life. Some friends at church gave it to me to try. It was F-A-N-TASTIC! For real. I just sliced it in half, and put it in the oven for about 40 minutes. Then buttered it up some and put it back in the oven. Simple enough, but simply divine! For real. Wow! Wow! Wow!

I'm learning to take time for myself right now. And learning to trust my Lord and Best Friend for my future...and that's a good lesson to learn.

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You know, there are two kinds of people in this world. Those that tell you how much everything cost because they got it so cheap and those who pay full price for the very same items so the other group of people can get things that cheap.

I find myself in the latter group. All the time. No matter what. However, all my friends are in the first group. In fact, my friend Erin Gillum is a prime example of this first group. I complimented her shoes and the first words out of her mouth were, "Oh, guess how much they were? 5 bucks!"

Next conversation....her phone. "Erin, is that a blackberry?"

Erin, "Yeah. It was free!"

Weird.

And again! "Erin, cute shirt, where'd you get it?"

Erin, "My sister's closet!"

Weird. Weird. Weird.

One more time. "Erin, sweet computer. Bet you got that for free too."

"It was a gift."

The only thing she was wearing that she paid money for was her jeans...$10.

What a cruel life I live to be in the second group. You are welcome, Erin. It was me that saved you all that money. I expect a thank you card.

A humorous morning

Admist our daily morning conversation, the following took place:

Annie: "I'm mad at you, ya know"

Sylvia: "Me? Why?"

Annie: "Cuz you have spring break."
Sylvia: "Well, I'm mad at you then"

Annie: "Why? I don't have a spring break!"

Sylvia: "Yeah, but you're going on a cruise."
Annie: "Well, I'm still mad at you!"

Sylvia: "Why?"

Annie: "Because you have summer vacation!"

Sylvia: "No I don't! I'm taking classes this summer!!"

Annie: "Oh yeah. Ok, I'm not mad at you then."

My response to Him

I was floored by Psalm 96:7-10 this morning...five things we are to do because of God's worthiness and glory...

1. Ascribe (To attribute or think of as belonging as a quality or characteristic)

* Glory (due His name)

* Strength

2. Bring him an offering

3. Worship Him in the splendor of His holiness

4. Tremble before Him

5. Say "The Lord reigns"

Ascribe, Bring Worship, Tremble, Say...wow. And He is worthy of it all.

Good points to dwell on...

On another note...I saw my 2nd grade and 4th grade teacher at a high school basketball game tonight. It was so fun! They were both excited to find out that I was a teacher. We talked like real adults together...not a teacher to a student. Bizarre...more for them than for me I'm sure! Fun to transition through life!

I felt like an adult with my car this week...we've had some bonding moments. I had to get a new tire (nail in a place that couldn't be patched...I love nails!) and then had to get my oil changed (4 months overdue and about 2000 miles over, but hey, way better than last time!). Feels good to be a responsible adult. :)

Spring is near and I can't wait! Until next time...

God taught me a lot about prayer this AM...Hannah prayed a hard, hard, hard prayer in 1 Samuel.

"O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life."

What a beautiful cry. She was committed to it too. She made a vow before the Lord, and kept it. Hannah wept, in bitterness of soul, and yet still saw God for all he was, praying a mighty vow.

I was challenged this morning to be true to what I pray. Not just throw words out, but really think about what I'm saying. Hannah made a huge commitment in her prayer, and it was honored...but it was God she honored first. A challenge for a Monday...

Crazy week!

Well, its been a fun, but crazy week!

Monday = MLK Day (no school, but teacher inservice day!)

Wednesday = snow day (ice day really...fun day skating on my drive way, getting rid of ice, and fixing my garage door!)

Thursday = 2 hour delay...then 2 hours later the power went out...1 hour and 45 minutes later, we got to leave...

Friday = full day of school! Then the weekend! Haha!

Learned a lot about humility on Thursday. Admitting when you are flat out wrong is so against our culture and our nature. No one likes to do it...I saw that on Thursday. I was so convicted when I was part of a problem rather than a solution, but God did a number on my heart...convicting me to stand and admit when I was wrong. Not an easy day. This blog doesn't even do it justice...darn.

A Thankful Week

Well, I had a post all ready and it was about my Monday night, but then I forgot to push post, so it got erased. Oh well. :)

Monday night was such a great night. I ended up going to Panera to help some basketball girls with their math and drank a delightful cup of hot chocolate. The girls did a lot of math problems and I helped every now and again. It was fun to get to help out. I took pictures to post so they will be coming.

This week, I've been so thankful for my body, my mind and my ability to walk and talk. I have watched students with disabilities all week and the more I watch them, the more challenged I am. They are content. They really are. As I watched them with their peer helper, I was brought to tears with how often I am discontent with my lot in life. I have been so thankful this week that God made me the way he did. Able to walk and talk. And if he ever decided to take those gifts away, I only pray I'd be just as content as the students I've watched this week.

I am excited for Thanksgiving. It will be a good day of relaxation and of being with my family!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!