grow, connect, serve

I just had a fantastic weekend.

The High School group at church went on a winter retreat this weekend: High Altitude. It was GREAT!
We played: in the pool, dodge ball in the gym, card games, relay races, tubing run, and we duct taped several people to the wall. It was fun!

We ate: food was good at the camp, and one of our moms sent a TON of great snacks. We ate all weekend. The group that eats together, stays together...?

We worshiped: Jeff came up and led us in several great times of worship. It was perfect, to be able to sing and worship all together as a group.

We fellowshiped: several of us just sat around and made bracelets and talked.

We talked: our topic was Grow; Connect; Serve. Our new pastor come up and did our talks on Saturday. He talked about how important it is in you spiritual life to Grow - to be continually in the scriptures. To have a plan to do this, and to be faithful in it, otherwise your faith will founder. He talked about how important it is to connect with other believers - to have people you know and that know you. People that will support you, as well as call you on stuff. People to live life with and alongside. To have a plan to do this, otherwise your spiritual life will wither. He talked about how important it is to serve - to find people outside your usual circle of influence, find out what their needs are and meet them. Because in serving others, you have relationship. It was really good. Then, on Sunday, we all talked in a big group about how we can do this in real life after retreat is over.

We celebrated: my friend got a personal relationship with God this weekend. That was the MOST exciting part of the weekend. I'm super glad she came and that she opened her heart up to Jesus.

We loved: my friend Beth was there, and we got to spend time together and grow our friendship. I REALLY enjoy spending time with her.

We didn't sleep so much, but that's what tonight is for!

On the way to a nap,
K

the bag lady

If you are not a bag lady, like I am, then read no further.

But if you are drawn to a well made bag with beautiful fabric and great organization, the go check out my friend Karen. She makes custom bags, and they are fantastic. I personally own 5, and gave my sister one for her last birthday. Karen does beautiful work, and has an eye for what will just "work" in a bag. She makes purse-bags, messenger-bags (both for boys and girls), knitting-in-public-bags, coin-purse-bags, wallet-on-a-string-bags, and many more.

She's having a giveaway right now to celebrate 15 years of being in business, so head on over to
www.zoesbagboutique.blogspot.com
and see what she's got going on.

I may have to see about ordering another bag...
K

not so new years

Confession of the week: I really don't like New Years. Yes, I've cheerily said "Happy New Year!!" to several people this week. And I don't hold a grudge. But, I really don't feel like this time is the NEW YEAR. It still feels cold. There's no change in the weather. The school year is not even half over. I am still sneezing from packing up the fake tree and putting it back out in the garage. And, yes, I still have lights up outside.

Even though it technically is a new number I write on my checks, I don't FEEL like anything is new.

This week I was thinking about newness, and longing for the real beginning: Fall. Even though I'm not Jewish, I am totally down with the idea of Jewish new year. In Fall, there is a delicious change of seasons. In Fall, the school year is new and laid out in front of me like a blanket full of possibilities. In Fall, it's my birthday. Fall is the best part of the baseball season.

I've been on the Fall=new year schedule for my entire life: first in elementary and high school, then college and grad school, then teaching school. I think at this point that the new year is wired into my being as starting in the Fall.

As much as I love the tantalizing possibilities of the NEW YEAR, I think I will still celebrate in the fall. Maybe from now on I will do New Year's resolutions on my birthday. A new year, a new age, a new resolution to start fresh.

Happy New (middle of the) Year!
K

a little laugh

Mom sent this to me awhile ago, and it made me laugh.

Hope it makes you laugh too...

K

pigs

Have you ever noticed the connection between Christian high holy days and pork? I was just thinking about this today, and it occurred to me that the traditional meal for both Christmas and Easter is ham. Christmas ham, Easter ham...just wondering if there is a connection. I'm thinking it must be cultural, because I don't think this was true for the early church, like 2,000 years ago. Did 1st century Christians gather around the family table on Christmas and have a big ham dinner???

Just a thought.
K

quietude pt. 2

Today is the first day I haven't had to rest after going up the stairs.
Today is the first day I haven't been out of breath in the shower.
Today is the first day I felt like getting out of bed.
Today is the first day I thought about going out of the house.
I've had pneumonia.

Pneumonia is ridiculous. For the past week I've had such a hard time breathing, it almost defies words. When you know you are getting better because your breathing time at the top of the stairs is much less than yesterday, that's pneumonia. When you have to do breathing exercises just to stop coughing and take a breath, that's pneumonia. I have to say, I'm not a big fan.

Last night it occurred to me that I am really grateful for many things, and breathing is on the top of the list. Family is just above breathing. They've been taking care of me for the past few days, and it has been nice to have a little help. I would be lost without family, and am very lucky to have the family I do.

If you can avoid pneumonia, please do. Breathing is important.
K

on my recent quietude

I haven't written much lately. You know how it goes: it's a busy time of year, there's lots of stuff to do, blah, blah, blah.

But I DO have 2 things to say.

My 4th, 5th, and 6th graders had a concert last week at school. We got a holiday concert ready, and it was magnificent. They were awesome!!! This is in NO way related to the fact that I am their director - for reals. I am SO proud of them and how they truly rose to the occasion. 6th grade especially, because I assigned them the most complicated piece in the whole thing, and they really pulled together and did a great job. I am continually awed that I can ask for bigger and better things, and they step up to the plate and deliver. Their hard song was Jingle Bells, but the music was to several different tunes from The Nutcracker. These are not easy melodies to sing, and they sang fantastically.
The other reason I am so proud is because all of my kids in the concert sang the Hallelujah chorus from Messiah. When we finished the parents all lept to their feet and my principal had a tear in his eye. Granted, it was several keys lower than the original, and in 2 parts (instead of 5 or 6) but they rocked it. Many adult choirs can't sing this piece well, and my elementary kids stood right up and did me proud. I can't say enough how grateful I am for following me, and for doing a great job of it.

The other I'll have to write about later. I'm still beaming about what a great concert that was.

smell

Today I was printing out my Christmas letter. You know, the one that says basically that nothing much happened this year...
Anyway, as the pretty green Christmas-y stationary was coming out of the printer, it had a smell. Not a BAD smell, but kind-of a weird smell. Like the mimeograph machines from elementary school. The ones where the ink is purple, and it would often rub off on your hand, and I always had to smell the freshly mimeographed sheets when they were handed out.

I just had a smell memory.

It was kind of odd, but a little comforting at the same time. Made me feel like I was in Mrs. Auble's 1st grade class all over again.

I think it is funny how some things - feelings, smells, songs can instantly transport you back to a much earlier time in your life. How your person holds all these memories inside, from the life you've lived up 'til now, and in one split-second a random smell or song or feel of a blanket can bring this all flooding back. When our brain memory fails us, our senses keep those memories just under the surface.

Just thought you'd have a mimeograph memory in there somewhere too.
K

a goodbye

My friend Beth wrote a beautiful post yesterday. Our Friend passed away late Wednesday night, and she said everything I could say, but so much more elegantly. We'll miss you Michelle.

snow

I have to honest, I have NOT enjoyed the weather for the past few days. We've had snow. Pretty constant, but not heavy, snow. It's snow that's kind of like powdered sugar. It dusts everything, and makes things much more pretty than they are usually. And, I will admit that this is a HUGE improvement over the "soggy-mashed-potatoes" snow we had a couple weeks ago. That was awful!

I do like the way that the snow covers everything, and makes the mountains look spectacular. It was a stunning drive to work this morning.

But I think that the snow is my least favorite part of the Colorado weather. Maybe if I'd learned to snow ski before I got out of High School I might be a little more enthusiastic. But...not so much.

I guess I will enjoy the parts I can, and wait until we have some more sunny days, and not-so-bitter cold. Did I mention that it was 10 degrees when I drove home this afternoon???

O Lord please help me to not to go nuts before the weather changes...