Contentment March 8, 2010

We hear it on the news almost daily.  Job losses.  No one is hiring.  Factories and schools are closing.

There are some question marks about the stability of my job.  Will there be enough funds for it to continue next year or will this be the end of the road for this position…

Contentment.  How can I be content with all of the questions and the unknowns?

Paul said the secret to contentment is (This is a test.)

a.  preparation.  Prepare for all of the possibilities.

b.  fun.  Just have as much fun as possible along the way.

c.  busyness.  Keep busy so there’s no time to think about it.

d.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.“  Philippians 4:12-13

Really?  That’s it?  I can handle any situation because of Jesus.  Everything!  I can do it.  He said it.  That’s the secret, the key, to contentment.  I can do everything through him who gives me the strength.  Nothing is exempt from everything.

It’s not the ability or foresight to plan.  It’s not the pleasure of lots of friends.  It’s not the luck of dodging life’s arrows.  It’s the promise that I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  He gives.  I receive.  Thank you, Father.

I can do everything because of the one who gives me strength.

Wow.

New Liberty Tax Company February 19, 2010

Have you seen the guys that stand on the corner during tax season and wave, dance around, and try to get your attention?

I would drive up to this stoplight and cringe.  I thought it was intrusive and rude.  I couldn’t believe this place of business could get away with this kind of advertising.

However, this tax season, I see these people in a whole new light.  These folks are working.  They are earning money.  The people on the corner dress up in ridiculous costumes and get an amazing workout.  They are cheerful and energetic.  They have found a job!

I’m sure it is tightly connected to my oldest child looking for a job in the past few months….

I have hence been know to give them a wave as I pass by ( much to the embarrassment of some of my passengers).  I still would like to talk to the CEO and help her find a better way to use these employees great enthusiasm, but for now, I will wave and appreciate their willingness to work.  Honking, however, is out of the question…

My Morning Exercise February 6, 2010

The arena needed clearing out because rain was coming and I had a session on the rainiest day of the week! So I had to get the hay out and I needed the exercise anyway.

My Exercise Equipment:

Headband from days gone by when I ran around a neighborhood for exercise.

Tennis shoes have been exchanged for boots.

And a pitchfork and gloves completes the outfit! These are awesome gloves…

My exercise buddy:

Not the most enthusiastic of partners….

The Exercise

Take this hay…..

and put it in that truck….

and dump it in that pasture.

Not a whole lot of help.

Tadaaa! I thought it would take about an hour….3 truck loads and 3 hours later…

Things Change December 24, 2009

Timer went to a new home yesterday. It is so easy to accumulate too many horses.  In an effort to keep our herd manageable, Timer will be a little girl’s present this year.

I know that he will be well cared for and loved, but it’s still hard to see him go.

It’s time for him to take care of another little girl who loves horses.  He will be an awesome Christmas present!

Meredith has outgrown him and he is too good of a horse to leave in the pasture while she rides more challenging horses.

He was my “go-to” horse as I  began to do equine-assisted learning and therapy.  He was always ready and willing to work with people.  He enjoyed the interaction with people.

Thanks, Timer!  I will miss you!

Shoes Matter December 16, 2009

Today I wore the shoes that feel really good.

I splurged at a school auction (for the good of the school) and bought a pair of those Australian boots.  Uggs.

I love them.  I can’t wait to get home every day and put them on.  I wear them constantly.  They are warm and soft.  They welcome my feet.

I finally wore them to work….today.

Meredith, my 12-year-old cowgirl, said,”You’re wearing those with your slacks?”

Don’t look.  They are not pretty, but I don’t mind walking anywhere in them!  I am avoiding anyone who is a superior today….I’m not positive, but I don’t think Uggs are the mark of a professional.

I may just stop on the way home and get groceries….because I can. I’m not rushing home to change shoes.  I would rather have PBJ for supper than stop at a store when my feet hurt.  Supper may be glorious tonight!

I know there is style in them somewhere.  But to me, they look like house shoes and I’m too old and dumpy to stuff skinny jeans into the tops and waltz around the school yard.  But I love them anyway.

Tomorrow I will have to go back to some heels, but for today – my feet are happy.

Is there something you love to wear?  Something that makes you happy just to slip into it?

Compelled to Cook May 30, 2009

Before leaving for my almost week-long training in Michigan, I made a scrumptious breakfast casserole.  The kind that everyone in my family will eat. There are never any leftovers.  The children sing my praises when I bring out this dish.  I feel so accomplished as a homemaker when all of the food is gone.

The morning I was leaving, I scurried around and got myself packed, Meredith to volleyball camp, Locke was at a friend’s house, and Barrett was at work.  Scott was at home getting ready to go to his office and had just finished a bowl of cereal.  Now what should I do?

There were clothes that needed folding, the dishwasher needed unloading, and a few other household chores that needed attention in the 30 minutes I had left before I needed to leave.

I fixed a beautiful breakfast casserole.

I can’t explain it. There was no one at home to eat it.  It was an emotional need of mine to cook.  I was compelled to cook.  I had to laugh when it finally hit me, I was cooking this for me, though I wouldn’t eat a bite.   Hopefully, someone will heat it up while I’m away.

If they go hungry while I am gone, it’s not my fault.  There is a lovely, cold egg casserole in the fridge.

Mucking Stalls May 2, 2009

My teenage boys have hired out for a month to muck stalls.  They are working several hours every day to clean out stalls for a trainer down the road. Meredith likes to go and hang out and ride our horse who is there for training.

Wednesday afternoon I got home and everyone was milling around the house and down by the pond.  My 17 year old asked me to wake him up in 30 minutes and he and Locke would go to the barn to work before church.   Meredith planned to go with them.  I knew he could bring the kids to church when they were done with their stalls.

I was teaching class, so I planned on leaving pretty early.

I woke Barrett up, he headed out the door and I watched the Camry roll down the drive.  All was quiet.

I scurried around and found my study book I thought I had lost and headed out the door.  Quite pleased with myself that I was leaving so early.

All was well until I discovered after church that our children weren’t there.  None of them.

I had forgotten that Barret has a small group Bible study in town on Wednesday nights in the opposite direction of the church building.

He left Locke at home with Meredith who had been left there by everyone.  She hadn’t gone to the barn and I had not checked for her before I left.

Logistics…we have a few logistics to work out, but I know this must be good for the boys.

————

Last night when I came home late from a workshop, no one was there.  Everyone was at the trainer’s barn.  The boys were working, Meredith was riding our new horse and Scott was probably riding, too.

So I turned the car around and took a late night trip to the grocery store for milk and sandwich stuff.  I hate going to the grocery store.  But at least no one was needing me and now we have milk!  I’ve got to have milk for my cereal-loving family.

First Job April 20, 2009

The first job I ever had was working for my neighbor to help her keep house. One or two days a week I would get home from school and go next door to vacuum and dust for about an hour.

I would like to think that I was a great help, but I may have been more trouble than I was worth. For one thing, I could never remember to go. My normal routine was to walk home from school, get a snack, and watch Gilligan’s Island. I loved Gilligan and pulled for him and the castaways to get off the island. I was really disappointed that they never made it off the island. They were always so close to a rescue.

Housekeeping was not a great fit for me. My mom couldn’t understand how I could spend hours in my messy room reading and be perfectly content. I never really noticed the mess till someone came over and then I would apologize for my room as if the mess was an anomaly.

I did get better about my room eventually, but it has never come naturally.

I loved having a little spending money, but I really didn’t have anything to spend it on except our little corner grocery store on Market Street. Mrs. Cowan always had Slim Jim’s and fudgesicles in her store. This was before I was concerned about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I would ride my bike to her store and buy a snack with my own money.

My first job didn’t last very long. I don’t remember much about it. It seems to have just fizzled out. It was probably best that way.

Let the Ragged End Drag March 4, 2009

“Just let the ragged end drag.”  That’s what my mom said to me when I was telling her about a decision I was trying to make at work. I am in charge of a grant that has to be zeroed out or totally spent by the end of the fiscal year.  I don’t know how much to hang on to and how much to spend.  I can’t have any left over at the end of the year, but I also have nowhere else to get more, should I run out too early.  Too much pressure!

She told me to do the best I could with the information I had and “just let the ragged end drag.”  In other words, it doesn’t all have to be perfect.

Okay.  I’m going to let the ragged end drag…like Linus. 

Are you able to let the ragged end drag at times?  Are you a perfectionist?  Does everything have to come out just so?