The Clock is Ticking

Ah..it's Friday. It's Halloween Friday, even. WonderDog's birthday is today. Since I have plans this evening, tomorrow he and I will make a pilgrammage to the big pet store and buy a new toy. And TREATS!

Today's Friday Five theme is "Positive Potpourri." This is the the time of year that we all start that craziness of fall and winter holidays--that goes right through to the first of the new year.

1) Your work day is done and the brain is fried, what do you do? I run home for a cuddle session with the WonderDog. And eat pasta. And find an episode of House.

2) Your work week is done and the brain is fried (for some Friday, others Sunday afternoon), what do you do? Vegetate. And read pure drivel.

3) Like most of us, I often keep myself busy even while programs are on the tv. I stop to watch The Office and 30 Rock on Thursday nights. Do you have 'stop everything' tv programming or books or events or projects that are totally 'for you' moments? House. Stop everything and watch it. As for an event..well, the WonderDog keeps me grounded, having to take him out for a walk just makes you slow down and breathe.

4) When was the last time you laughed, really laughed? What was so funny? Last night, actually. Mother had picked me up to go to a rehearsal. After rehearsal, we got all the way home--her home--and into the garage before we realized she hadn't taken me home yet.

5) What is a fairly common item that some people are willing to go cheap on, but you are not.
Socks. I'm all about fabulous socks. I don't buy Hanes socks.

Bonus:
It's become trite but is also true that we often benefit the most when we give. Go ahead, toot your own horn. When was the last time you gave until it felt good? Everyday..my students know that my reason for being is them. I am not above crying in front of them out of joy or frustration. I've dropped everything and run to help them more than once.

For more positivity this weekend, visit RevGalBlogPals.

Even on the most solemn occasions I got away without wearing socks and hid that lack of civilisation in high boots.
~Albert Einstein

So, this week is Red Ribbon Week at our school. Today, is supposed to be "Sock it to Drugs," so we're all wearing crazy socks.

Oh yeah...these are making an appearance...

Luckily, it's been cool out, so there's more than just one reason to wear them.

So, yesterday, I'm flipping through channels yesterday and land on Oprah. I have to explain--I don't watch Oprah. I believe that she's disturbed and completely well...off her rocker.

Yesterday, she had a panel of people on. All I caught was that she was checking in with a mother who had called in about a disturbing series of text messages her 12 year old son had received from another 12 year old after a failed first kiss. The girl had texted him saying she loved him and offering him oral sex. The mother's question was does she or does she not address the girl's mother?

Okay, easy answer...yes. You're daughter has some issues if she's 12 and offering that. Chances are not good that she just doesn't realize what she's said. Sady, twelve year olds know these days.

As disturbing as that was, what really disturbed me was that Oprah was giving this advice. I work with teenagers every day, but I would never dare to tell someone how to parent his or her child. Why? I'm not truly a parent. Sure, for 8-12 hours a day, I'm "mom" to my kids at school, and they know they can come to me. But I'm not really a parent.

So...because that disturb-ed me...Some music for you. I realize that this song doesn't lend itself to this issue well, but..that's not the point.

1 Corinthians 10:23. Paul tells us,
"We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good." (Bible in Plain English verision)
Paul's not just saying be careful what you do (which is the jist of the 1st sentence), he's also reminding us in the second sentence, we can't just take care of number 1, we have to think about numbers 2-infinity sometime. We can't be so focussed on "me", that we bring harm to someone us, either by commision or ommission.

Let me take this moment to get political for a second, something I rarely, rarely do. While I feel this is a good individually socially-responsible way to think and behave, I do not think it's fabulous all-the-time practice for nations. Particularly ours. We aren't intended to be police force for the world (regardless of what previous presidents have said). We aren't intended to fund the social programs, like welfare, for the planet. Sometimes, when talking about nation-size individuals, you MUST take care of #1 first, because #1 is who is filling your coffers with his taxes. But maybe I'm crazy for thinking that my government should use my money in ways that benefit my country--not others. And shouldn't squander it.

Off the political thing.
The real reason I'm posting today. It has something to do with this.

Yes, my friends, it's my birthday.

Gifts and cakes are optional. Embarassing me is not--don't do it on penalty of death. *hugs* Also, birthday suits are not optional--I prefer to not see yours. And I promise not to show you mine. It's nothing personal, I just don't want a messy cake incident.

So, I've resolved something. You may know already that I don't do New Year's resolutions. However, I see birthdays as a perfectly legitimate time to resolve some things.

So, I am.

1. I resolve to balance my life more, well..to get my life more in balance. For years now, I've been to heavy on the work-not-personal side of the scale, and I'm going to tie my church responsibilities into the heading "work." There's only 3 months left for some of that responsibility, and I will add no new church responsibility for at least a year, maybe 20. I've already got my work-work sorted into a more balanced place, so that helps.

2. I'm resolving to balance my checkbook. Stupid, I know. But I used to be fanatical about it. Then I got depressed every time I'd do it and have $2 left for the next 15 days. I'm going to do it again. I bought a new checkbook and got a new register and everything. Yay me!

3. I'm also going to resolve to really get back on my diet. A diet, rather. Because my diet right now is, frankly...bad. Any other diet couldn't be too much worse.

Somebody hold me to it. Please?

Yes, I know it's Wednesday. I actually started this last night, but I was encouraged to go to bed early, so I'm up early now and am finishing my list.

I haven't posted a Tuesday thankfulness/blessings in a few weeks. It's not that I haven't been blessed or thankful, it's more that I've been a bit more...um...occupied with life. So much so that sitting down to write wasn't much of a possibility.

1. I'm grateful for opportunities at work. These chances to earn a little more, and do a little more for my students at the same time, are giving me the chance to feel more secure financially. Something I hear not everyone is feeling right now.

2. Cool mornings. I love cool fronts. Which I know is odd, since I don't like the cold.

3. You know, I kind of see it as a blessing that I'm paying attention to the presidential race this year. Somehow, I think my grandfather is pleased that I'm paying attention. I think he might also be pleased that I'm at a loss..I don't know who to vote for (especially since I'm not canceling his vote this year!).

4. Maybe I've told you about my little dog. Do you remember him? The WonderDog? Something happened in the last month or so--he grew up. I know I've said that before, but this time I mean it. He's been....insightful. Can a dog do that?

5. I'm having a birthday this week. I'm not enjoying the idea much. I keep inserting the new age into conversation--I'm hoping it will make it easier when I really am that age. I know I'm supposed to count this as a blessing, so I'm doing that in the same vein.

For the record..I expect no gifts, but I particularly like the items at Rebound Designs. Specifically--To Kill a Mockingbird, The Wizard of Oz, The House at Pooh Corner, and Nancy Drew and The Secret at Red Gate Farm. But, please, feel no pressure. ;)

6. Augmentin. If you've taken it, you know whatI mean.

7. The cool front has pushed the clouds out of the way so that, this morning, the sky was pretty clear. At 5 a.m., it was nice to gather up the WonderDog at the end of our walk and look at the stars.

8. Hot cocoa. I traded that for the coffee this morning. Not a big deal, but it was nice to have a warm cup after the chilly star-gazing this morning.

9. I'm planning a trip to New Orleans! Yay for me!

10. Supervisors that appreciate the job I'm doing. Go figure. There are supervisors who do that. Crazy.

Visit XBoxWife for other blessing and thankfulness.

Sally at RevGals reminded us that Friday was the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. You may remember him as the Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment. Check out her retelling of his story for this week's Friday Five.

In honor of St. Francis, she dedicated this week's Friday 5 to him.

1. Saint Francis experienced a life changing call, has anything in your journey so far challenged you to alter your lifestyle?
Yes, actually. It may well seem like a small thing, but it was very difficult for me. I've pushed for so long in my life to be independent, on my own. Somewhere along the way, I missed the point that none of us can ever really be independent of anyone else. It's not enough to "do it on my own" and lean only on Jesus. I have a network of people (and animals!) who, despite my stubbornness, pick me up and show me that sometimes, a little co dependence is alright.

A couple of years ago, it seriously hit home. I was sick, had been sick for months, and wasn't getting answers from my doctors. I was losing weight and trying to hide the fact that I was sick from a new boyfriend. He is probably still amazed to know that for 2 months, the only time I ate real food was when we went to dinner 2 or 3 times a week. The rest of the time I drank Ensure shakes because nothing stayed down. Just as I found a doctor who was getting answers, boyfriend left and I was scheduled for surgery. I went from being completely independent, even to the point of not talking to my parents about all the various issues involved in being sick, to desperately needing my mom and daddy to help me with the surgery and recovery to helping to heal my broken heart. In 10 years, I hadn't turned to them like that and it was horribly hard to do. But it taught me to hold on to that network and to let them take care of me, to let them care about me.

To be fair, it turned out to be only a gall bladder that had mysteriously died on me. Well, in me. But none of the tests showed that, it all looked like everything was working fine, but I was losing weight practically overnight. I was a little overweight when it started, maybe 10 or 15 pounds. By the day of surgery, I'd lost that plus 35 more. It was bad.

2. Francis experienced mocking and persecution, quite often in the comfortable west this is far from our experience. If you have experienced something like this how do you deal with it, if not how does it challenge you to pray for those whose experience is daily persecution?
I can't say I know this feeling. I've never been persecuted for anything, really. But I do admit that I don't often think about those who live through constant persecution. It's much like the war in Iraq (or the whatever going on in Iraq)--it's not happening in my living room or next door, so it's not really real to me. I suppose it's a blissful ignorance of sorts. Bringing it back to the forefront of my mind, in reading Francis's story, and in thinking more about the things that go on outside my comfortable little bubble, I am challenged to remember those people that don't have the option of ignorance, like I do.

3 .St Francis had female counterpart in St Clare, she was influenced by St Francis sermon and went on to found the Poor Clare's, like the Franciscans they depended on alms this was unheard of for women in that time, but she persisted and gained permission to found the order. How important are role models like St Clare to you? Do you have a particular female role model whose courage and dedication inspires you? If so share their story....
I think women need role models like St Clare. I think sometimes women believe that because religious history seems to be more focused on men, women cannot or should not push. But strong women who bucked the patriarchal system can show us that God moves in and through us just as strongly (if not more so, sometimes) as He does in men.

My grandmother was not mover and shaker. But she was incredibly dedicated to her role as wife, mother, and grandmother. When I was fresh out of college, in my first real job, I angered my grandfather very much, to the point of being disowned and bad-mouthed to my family. A rift was created my father and his, because obviously my choices (about politics of all things) were directly influenced by the job my parents did in raising me--which apparently was a poor job. I wish, still, that my grandmother had stood up to my grandfather during that time and supported me. But I also, now, respect her decision to remain loyal to my grandfather, a man she vowed to support in all things, as tough as it must have been to allow relationships to be battered and bruised and severed.

4. Francis loved nature and animals, how important is an expressed love of the created world to the Christian message today?
I think it's immensely important. It's not just about nature and the animals, or the people around you. I believe everything is here by the grace of God, the good and the not so good. God can be found in some way in everything we see, do, or experience. Painful and evil things even. I love the world my Father has put me in, though I don't always love the things in the world. But those individual things that I find hard to love are the things He has placed in my path to learn from, to open my eyes to Him.

So is it important to express love of His created world? Yes. He loves it enough to have sent His Son into it. And He gives us this created world, with all it's problems, so that we might appreciate Him and eternity better.

5. On a lighter note; have you ever led a service of blessing for animals, or a pet service, was it a success, did you enjoy it, and would you do it again?
I've never done this, but would love to at some point. For now, I am content to do my praying and Bible study with WonderDog in my lap. When I was at my mother's during the summer, I would spend the cooler mornings and evenings in her screened in patio with my Bible and my laptop. I would pray out loud, and would open my eyes to find that not only WonderDog was sitting still (a miracle in and of itself) listening to me, but her cats had wandered up and were curled at my feet. All three (WD and the cats) had glazed eyes and were breathing slowly. I would feel God's presence more strongly than I ever have in that house. He was there, with the 4 of us, wrapping all of us in His love, through my prayers. What an amazing way to start and end a day.

To view other thoughts and ruminations on these questions, visit RevGalBlogPals this week.