How's that for a title!!!
Well this is a blog sorta in response to a blog written by an excellent writer who should be doing it for a living....
In general, the blog was about hearing about death and then moving on from it. Especially when it personally does not effect us.
I think we are so flippant about death sometimes, is because it wasn't us. "Perpetual care and perpetual denial today." When Drew was in Iraq, and now Pat, I rarely watched the news but when it was unavoidable and I heard that some soldiers had been killed, I sorta stuck around to see where and who. I remember distinctly one time when I found out the latest batch who had been killed were British I was so relieved it wasn't Drew; then I went on. But a few hours later, I just broke down and weeped for those soldiers whom I flippantly passed over. Not because they had died exactly but about my attitude when I found out I didn't know who they were.
Yes, we are to move on and live life fully. I recently sent Patrick a package with a recorded message from me, and I read him two verses.
Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
and
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
The same should apply to us. Why not live courageously and boldly even, no matter where we are. Look who is on our side!! It seems to me a "duh" statement, but so hard to live by. We...or, I get so caught up in the "woe is me" attitude and that is just not pretty to be around, let me tell you. I usually get despondent and isolate myself, without turning to the one being who can actually do something about it. Or I forget what He has already done for us and is still doing for us. I get too comfortable in my own pain and wallow in it. It's hard to climb out of that sometimes. And even when I know the solution to the problem, I find it very difficult to just reach out for the very easy, ergonomic step ladder that is right there for me to grab. See, it's even easier for me to write about pain than write about Jesus, our Savior who is the ultimate healer and protector. That's why there are so many songs that are wonderful that deal with pain and not necessarily the solution, or the solution is not a wonderful one: drinking, drugs, sex, death, even. We can totally relate. Well I can't really relate to "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd, except that I have been comfortably numb but not because of drugs...but it sure is a cool song.
ANYWAY!!!
Enough! Let's talk about being couragous!!! Why not!!! Beautiful things happen when you are couragous. Like the first time someone says, "I love you," to another or giving a helping hand to someone you dislike. Those are personal, how about taking a personal couragous step with another and changing history. As a history teacher, I see many of America's leaders who were couragous to fight against tyranny, otherwise we may be talking with a different accent right now. Samuel Adams comes to mind and Thomas Paine (sounds intellectual, right? well we just studied it in US History...don't get me started). I am amazed at what it took for people to speak out for what they believed in, such as Thomas Paine who wrote Common Sense. In his own "blog," he wrote that is was "duh" not to break away from Britain and that historical document was the precursor to the Decleration of Independence.
This may sound corny but you should try "breaking away" from a life filled with such a careful life...if that makes sense.
Jesus said, "I have come so that you may have life, and live it to the full." (John 10:10)
Wonder what that means? Maybe it means we need to quit tip toeing around and actually live. Experience life...fall in love, go to school, have a career, travel, be with friends and family and don't get caught up in petty issues that we think are huge drama.
OK. Enough...go out there and live.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Satisfied
Thought I would just write something. I'm deeply satisfied and I didn't realize it until just now. It's fall (and I LOVE fall). Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it is my favorite holiday. I am blessed with a wonderful family and brand new family through Jason. I like who I am...granted there are a few things I'd like to change about myself, who doesn't?
My life has been strange, interesting and so much fun. Sure, there has been some major drama in my life, who hasn't? I can't wait to see what is in store for me in the future. It's exciting.
Today I didn't have to go to work because we had parent teacher conferences until 9pm last night. They went really well!
I haven't done much today except play my Age of the Empires game on the computer. I did write some letters and make an eye doctor appointment. I'm about to actually clean up and go give blood too.
Just thought I would give a shout out that I am blessed. Take care!
Jessi
My life has been strange, interesting and so much fun. Sure, there has been some major drama in my life, who hasn't? I can't wait to see what is in store for me in the future. It's exciting.
Today I didn't have to go to work because we had parent teacher conferences until 9pm last night. They went really well!
I haven't done much today except play my Age of the Empires game on the computer. I did write some letters and make an eye doctor appointment. I'm about to actually clean up and go give blood too.
Just thought I would give a shout out that I am blessed. Take care!
Jessi
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Random things....a lot has happened in a month!
Well I was typing a blog yesterday and I accidentally closed it out and lost it all....ugh! I was almost done and had a LOT of stuff typed so I'm going to try again.
1) I felt terrible Friday. I ached all over and throat hurt and a headache and just was miserable. However! I had already taken the day off so I was at home and feeling terrible so that made me feel a little better. :)) Make sense? Well I did nothing that day except sleep, get a free flu shot (my first ever), watch a little TV, slept some more, played on the computer and cleaned the apartment. Jason's Mom came for a visit! The bad thing about sleeping all day is that you (or in this case I) wasn't able to go to sleep until around 1am, which sounds not all that early to some of you, but it's really late for me, OK!!! I don't know if I had a reaction to the flu shot or if this was left over from me feeling terrible Sunday through Tuesday earlier this week. ?
2) The previous day (November 1) was Jason's birthday! So we went to OKC and saw Jeff Dunham in concert. He's a comedian ventriloquist. If you know who Walter and Peanut are...they are my favorite characters! Jeff is really good too...it's like there are actually two different people standing up there. He's really great! Afterwards we went to one of Jason's favorite places to eat. Buffalo Wild Wings. Yummy! It was a great evening because Ruth and Cliff was able to come too.
3) Let's back up a little bit. School had a fall break. YAY!!! Started on a Wednesday and it was really needed. I went and got a haircut (desperately needed), my toes done (and I was in the chair for like and hour!!!) (so maybe my feet were in not so good shape), and I got my nails done too. This is one of the great things about living in a smaller town. It's a LOT cheaper to get these things done. :D Anyway Wednesday was wonderful. I got to rest and relax. Thursday Jason (who also had fall break) and I went to McAlester to pick up his parents so we could go to Fayetteville so the parents could meet! Aaaahhhh!!! Nah, it was awesome!!! They liked each other, we ate catfish, enjoyed the scenery, grilled and visited. What more could you want?
4) Ok, so now I'm down to 3 cheerleaders to sponsor at the high school level. Grades and infighting have narrowed the field so to speak. This is fine with me! It's ridiculous to see it happen. Obviously their priority (as they say) is not cheerleading. I tell them and my classes that whatever you do in life you are going to have to work with people you don't like and you are going to have to learn how to deal with it. Either you will do it badly and be miserable or find a way that will work without being mean or, hey, positive! They just don't get it....yet. They will find out the hard way, some of them. I was really disappointed on Thursday with one of my classes for ganging up on the bully during a review game. Which may or may not have been ok, but I didn't want them to. I told them their attitudes they form as a kid will not necessarily change when they become an adult. Their actions today will most probably be what they do as an adult. I don't know if that got through to them but they sure did quiet them down!
5) Halloween Carnival for the school. Because I am the sponsor of a club and co-sponsor of the junior class...I had to help manage three booths for the school carnival. The only good thing was that the junior class didn't have to think of a booth to do. The junior class always does the concession stand and bingo, which are probably the hardest things to manage. The cheerleaders decided to do a Goldfish ping pong game where you bounce the ping pong into a bowl to win a goldfish...well they didn't listen to me when I said they had put way to many goldfish out. All the goldfish were won half way through the carnival and so we made not even $100 dollars. (rolling of the eyes). However! I had fun because Jason came with me and helped out and it was nice to interact with the kids and see everyone dressed up. (kids that is) I dressed up on Halloween day as...you guessed it, a pirate....they've never seen me as a pirate and I had the costume...so what they hey!!
6) Want to ask for some prayer!! My Mom is not feeling all that well right now. She fell about a month ago at school and hurt her hip. She's been going to physical therapy and had an MRI last week to check it out because it really wasn't healing. She's having some other difficulties as well as missing Patrick. She's by herself and is pretty lonely, I think. She does have Beowulf, though! (Patrick's dog).
Also be praying for my nieces, Alex and Emma. They are having some balance issues and Drew and Mandy are taking them in for tests to see what the actual problem is. For Alex her feet were formed a little awkwardly and needs to have surgery...again...which wasn't a big surprise. Next week on the 14th is her surgery. This time it's going to be difficult because she's a big girl now and when she had her other surgeries she was a baby and really didn't remember it. This go around may be a little more difficult just because she's been able to walk for awhile. Pray for Drew and Mandy too as they are the ones taking care of those sweet girls!!! I just can't get enough of them!!
Pray for Pat as he is in Iraq. He has two jobs and one of them takes him away from the other. Apparently his "buddies" think he's shirking his duties and they are giving him a hard time. It seems, though, it's getting better. His specialty is Military Police, so you know that's going to be stressful!
7) What else? I really can't think of anything except that Jason and I are going to get our engagement pictures taken this Saturday! Yay!!!
Wow! Not writing for a month is not the way to go....I will try to write more often. See ya'll later....hopefully there will be some pictures to show off!!!!
Later taters,
Kitty
1) I felt terrible Friday. I ached all over and throat hurt and a headache and just was miserable. However! I had already taken the day off so I was at home and feeling terrible so that made me feel a little better. :)) Make sense? Well I did nothing that day except sleep, get a free flu shot (my first ever), watch a little TV, slept some more, played on the computer and cleaned the apartment. Jason's Mom came for a visit! The bad thing about sleeping all day is that you (or in this case I) wasn't able to go to sleep until around 1am, which sounds not all that early to some of you, but it's really late for me, OK!!! I don't know if I had a reaction to the flu shot or if this was left over from me feeling terrible Sunday through Tuesday earlier this week. ?
2) The previous day (November 1) was Jason's birthday! So we went to OKC and saw Jeff Dunham in concert. He's a comedian ventriloquist. If you know who Walter and Peanut are...they are my favorite characters! Jeff is really good too...it's like there are actually two different people standing up there. He's really great! Afterwards we went to one of Jason's favorite places to eat. Buffalo Wild Wings. Yummy! It was a great evening because Ruth and Cliff was able to come too.
3) Let's back up a little bit. School had a fall break. YAY!!! Started on a Wednesday and it was really needed. I went and got a haircut (desperately needed), my toes done (and I was in the chair for like and hour!!!) (so maybe my feet were in not so good shape), and I got my nails done too. This is one of the great things about living in a smaller town. It's a LOT cheaper to get these things done. :D Anyway Wednesday was wonderful. I got to rest and relax. Thursday Jason (who also had fall break) and I went to McAlester to pick up his parents so we could go to Fayetteville so the parents could meet! Aaaahhhh!!! Nah, it was awesome!!! They liked each other, we ate catfish, enjoyed the scenery, grilled and visited. What more could you want?
4) Ok, so now I'm down to 3 cheerleaders to sponsor at the high school level. Grades and infighting have narrowed the field so to speak. This is fine with me! It's ridiculous to see it happen. Obviously their priority (as they say) is not cheerleading. I tell them and my classes that whatever you do in life you are going to have to work with people you don't like and you are going to have to learn how to deal with it. Either you will do it badly and be miserable or find a way that will work without being mean or, hey, positive! They just don't get it....yet. They will find out the hard way, some of them. I was really disappointed on Thursday with one of my classes for ganging up on the bully during a review game. Which may or may not have been ok, but I didn't want them to. I told them their attitudes they form as a kid will not necessarily change when they become an adult. Their actions today will most probably be what they do as an adult. I don't know if that got through to them but they sure did quiet them down!
5) Halloween Carnival for the school. Because I am the sponsor of a club and co-sponsor of the junior class...I had to help manage three booths for the school carnival. The only good thing was that the junior class didn't have to think of a booth to do. The junior class always does the concession stand and bingo, which are probably the hardest things to manage. The cheerleaders decided to do a Goldfish ping pong game where you bounce the ping pong into a bowl to win a goldfish...well they didn't listen to me when I said they had put way to many goldfish out. All the goldfish were won half way through the carnival and so we made not even $100 dollars. (rolling of the eyes). However! I had fun because Jason came with me and helped out and it was nice to interact with the kids and see everyone dressed up. (kids that is) I dressed up on Halloween day as...you guessed it, a pirate....they've never seen me as a pirate and I had the costume...so what they hey!!
6) Want to ask for some prayer!! My Mom is not feeling all that well right now. She fell about a month ago at school and hurt her hip. She's been going to physical therapy and had an MRI last week to check it out because it really wasn't healing. She's having some other difficulties as well as missing Patrick. She's by herself and is pretty lonely, I think. She does have Beowulf, though! (Patrick's dog).
Also be praying for my nieces, Alex and Emma. They are having some balance issues and Drew and Mandy are taking them in for tests to see what the actual problem is. For Alex her feet were formed a little awkwardly and needs to have surgery...again...which wasn't a big surprise. Next week on the 14th is her surgery. This time it's going to be difficult because she's a big girl now and when she had her other surgeries she was a baby and really didn't remember it. This go around may be a little more difficult just because she's been able to walk for awhile. Pray for Drew and Mandy too as they are the ones taking care of those sweet girls!!! I just can't get enough of them!!
Pray for Pat as he is in Iraq. He has two jobs and one of them takes him away from the other. Apparently his "buddies" think he's shirking his duties and they are giving him a hard time. It seems, though, it's getting better. His specialty is Military Police, so you know that's going to be stressful!
7) What else? I really can't think of anything except that Jason and I are going to get our engagement pictures taken this Saturday! Yay!!!
Wow! Not writing for a month is not the way to go....I will try to write more often. See ya'll later....hopefully there will be some pictures to show off!!!!
Later taters,
Kitty
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