Making Art... cause my artistic skills are so awesome.

We recently interviewed my friend Natalie. Awkward since she ended up not accepting the job even though she would be much happier coming to teach at our school. haha. Anyway, something she said during the interview really stuck out to me. I wrote it down so as not to forget it because my brain is crazy and forgets everything. I then promptly shredded the paper because it was part of the interview notes I had. Ugh. But strangely enough, I remembered it. Or at least a form of it and wanted to do something with the quote. At first, I thought about a coffee mug. But really, I don't drink coffee and if I have to shove another mug into that mug cabinet, there might be some shoe horns and oil needed. Plus I couldn't really find a mug that worked for me. So, I had to go for plan B. You see, I have this awesome thing that I got for mother's day called a Silhouette Cameo. I love it so much. It is amazing!

I got a plain canvas that I found on sale at JoAnne's and got straight to work! At first, I was going to just make the letters on the plain background, maybe paint it, and then peel the letters off but that just wasn't working for me. (Mostly because my craft closet is a mess and I had no idea where my paints were!) Then I thought about this really awesome stack of scrapbook paper I purchased recently. Maybe I could do something with that. I found a map looking page that matched the idea of WORLD, and got to work. But doh. the page was too small. (enter sad music here!) What in the world was I going to to?

So I picked out some really ugly paper from that same stack...

Sorry if you love it. I am not much of an ugly flower girl. So anyway, the back of said ugly flower paper was purple and cool, so I used that on the top and bottom to make a border of sorts.

After several coats of mod podge, it was on to step 2! Now I was ready to print and cut out my text in the super fancy silhouette studio program that came with the machine.

First, I made the words teeny tiny. So dumb. What was I thinking? Those went in the trash!

So after I cut out yet another sheet of vinyl, I got it all on transfer paper and transferred to my project. There was much cursing involved in this step but I will leave that part out.  Thank goodness my child was napping!   Add another coat of mod podge for good measure and I was done. I might go back and paint the edges of the canvas, but for right now, I am pretty happy with it. (Plus again, no idea where the paints are!) Ok, so it is not as straight as I would like it to be and that bugs me a little bit, but that is ok. I am not insane about that sort of thing and if you are, well, sorry. Don't look!

I love the idea of hanging up quotes from my friends. I either need smarter friends, or for my already smart friends to say smarter things. Either way, I will work on them. This will go in my office at work and remind me every day to support all kids. :)

Sorry, don't write much here.
Check out what we have been working on over at http://www.pike-thompson.blogspot.com

About two months ago in our small group, the topic of politics came up. One of the people from our small group, without hesitation, said, "Well, this is MY president". This really caught me off guard. Really? He believes in everything you stand for? You believe in everything he stands for? What at the moment, does he stand for? (that is another topic for another day) And what is it about this person as a leader that makes you call him YOUR president?

It is really no surprise to anyone who knows me or reads this blog that I am not into politics. I really am not. And I certainly can't point to any one person being MY president. Or MY congressman, or MY anything when it comes to politics. I just don't believe in what they stand for strongly enough to believe that they are really representing me.

We have been keeping an eye on the Iran election and the aftermath of the results. Those people, thousands of them, are out in the streets, risking being hurt, or even worse, shot, for freedom. For something they believe in with their whole heart. How lucky we are to be Americans. As much as I disagree with some forms of government and as much as I believe there are some crooked things going on in the US, I also know that there is justice. There is no justice currently in Iran. There is no sense of right or wrong, at least not a common one. How terrible that is!
And those people in their green masks, throwing rocks and shouting, they believe in freedom. They demand freedom, and they believe that the leader who didn't win was THEIR president.

My friend HH sent me a letter recently from a member of his church. That church member is a very well respected Sunday School teacher and leader of the church. He isn't someone I know well, but I know him. He wrote a very beautifully stated letter to his church, standing up for the rights of Gay people. He took a stand. One that may or may not create problems within the church. One that may or may not cause him to lose friends. He stood in his street and yelled for rights for his daughter and all other Gay people who have been turned away from church because church members just don't "agree with their lifestyle".
He took a stand.

This has really gotten me to thinking lately about my slacktitude. Would I, if given the opportunity, take a stand on this or other issues? Is there an issue that leads me to the point of standing in my street and yelling to the rooftops? Is there something that I believe so strongly in that I would risk my friendships with people I work with? People I go to church with? People I live with? People I call close friends?
I am not sure, but I think I need to start thinking more about it.

Iranians believe that each one of them can make a difference. R, the man who wrote the letter to his church believed he could make a difference. Isn't it about time we all believed we could make a difference? And then stood up and shouted for what we believed in?

Happy Mother's Day

More from my school friends...

Well, my little friend J has some new gems!

When asked if he sleeps with a teddy bear at night, he said, "No, but I do have a glow stick". 

Me: a glow stick?  

J: Yes.  it lights up at night and we put it in the freezer in the daytime.  It gives me luck.  

Me: Seems a little cold.

J: yep, it is, but the cold gives it good luck!

It seems that J was leaving for a doctor's appointment one day and was quite excited about it.  That was all he could talk about, all he could think about, all he could write about.  So the next day, I naturally asked about the doctor's appointment.  

I am still not sure why he was taken to the doctor in the first place.  

Me: so, you went to the doctor yesterday.

J: Yep.  It was fun.  The doctor wanted to trade me for another kid.  He liked me the best.

Me: (yeah, some days I would like to trade you too... *just my thoughts people!) Really, that is really nice.  So what did the doctor do?

(still trying to figure out why he went to said doctor) 

J: Well, he poked me in the stomach and then he smelled me.  

Me:  He smelled you? Do you mean he checked your nose to see if you could smell? (he has had quite the runny nose lately...that would make sense.) 

J: No he smelled me.  Then he checked my smelling thing.  

Me: your smelling thing, you mean your nose?  The thing that helps you smell things?

J: (with a disgusted look on his face) Uh, NO!  My smelling thing.  

Ok, have fun with that smelling thing buddy.

My new friend M was drawing a picture of his family for me as an intro activity so I could know more about him before I start working with him.  I like to know how many siblings, pets, the kid has.  It helps to do writing later on in lessons.  So he is drawing his four brothers and little baby sister who's names all also begin with M.  Then he draws his mom and his dad.  

M:  My dad lives with us.  But the other dad's don't.  

Me: Other dads?  What other dads?

M: Well, My dad who lives with us, he is only my dad.  He isn't everyone else's dad.

Me: Oh, I see.  Other dads.  How many other dads are there?

M: Well, it is like ice cream!  We each get our own!

Ah, of course, the way it should be with ice cream and dads.  You each get your own.

Sure.

Homeless the Guard Cat.

In one of the Harry Potter books, not sure which one, Harry is at the home of his Aunt and Uncle.  (Isn't that the beginning of almost every HP book?) Anyway, outside, sitting under the porch light is a tabby cat.  Just sitting there.  Watching and guarding.  Soon, once the cat believes all is well, she shape-shifts into Professor McGonagall and runs away.  

Since about October, we have had visits from this white cat that lives in the neighborhood.  We haven't picked it up, so we aren't sure if it is a she or a he.  We made the classic mistake of feeding it once and it has come back often ever since.  Sometimes it helps BT outside with watering the plants, other times it just meows at the door over and over again.  B even got a small dog house to put on the back porch for it to live in when it was so cold so the cat wouldn't freeze.  I call him Homeless.  B calls him Mooch.  He really is too fat to be truly homeless.  

He went away for a while.  I hadn't seen him for a month or so until he showed up last night when our friend George came over.  Homeless loves George.  They are buddies.

So now, ever since, Homeless/Mooch has been parked underneath our porch light just waiting and watching.  Like Professor McGonagall, checking to make sure all is well.  

I am half expecting to peek outside and see him shape-shift into a person and walk away.  

Is it too much to imagine that person to be God?  or at least Dumbledore?

A girl can dream right?

  

Yep...

  I didn't make this but I wish I had. This just about sums it up!  If one more person reaches out to touch my belly fat, I am going to hit them. 

Baby is hiding deep inside there.  Right now it is just fat.   

And I don't want to hear about how painful other people's pregnancies are.  NO THANKS.  I am stressing enough.  I would like to live blissfully stupid when it comes to pushing a human being out of me. Thankyouverymuch.

More from my friend J.

Ok, so yesterday, we were reading a book titled The Water Park about animals going on the water slide.  So in writing, I suggested we write about playing in the water...

I thought that would be simple enough...

Me: So, J do you like to play in the water?  Have you ever been to a waterslide?

J: no.  Never.

Me: Really? How about a pool.  In the summer do you ever go swimming?

J: No. I don't have a pool at my house. 

Me: Me neither but sometimes I swim at other pools.  You don't?

J: No. I don't. (shakes his head like I am the craziest person on the planet)

Me: How about in the summer, do you like to play in the sprinkler or have water balloon fights or play with water guns?

J: No, I just play Goddess of Weather.  I told you this already.

Me: Yeah, I remember.

J: Oh, and I like to play the "pee outside" game.

Me: The pee outside game?

J: Yeah, I pee on trees.  My brother pees on trees.  My sister tries to pee on trees but it doesn't work. 

Sometimes here at school I pee on trees. 

So, friends, if you see a kid out in your yard, holding a stick and peeing on your tree, just tell him to get his power of rain and get off  your lawn.  Or throw a water balloon at him.  Then at least we will have something to write about on Monday!

Now for something completely different...

Because I am even boring myself with this pregnant girl talk...

I entertain you with stories from my school.

My new little boy who is truly an "odd bird" and I were talking about what he likes to do when he is at home. 

J: Well I love pink.  Did you know I love pink?  It is my favorite color of all times.  I love it all the time.  I love pink (insert Jazz Hands here).

Me: That is really nice.  I like pink too.  But I was asking you about what you like to do at home. 

J: Did you know spiders shoot webs out of their butts?  

Me: Interesting.  So are you going to tell me what you like to do at home?

J: Sure!  I like to go outside with my sister and my brother and we like to play, (Insert Superhero announcer voice here) Goddess of (not sure, he has a speech issue... sounds like Leather) 

Me: Goddess of Leather?  How do you play that game? (I am wincing as I wait for an answer) 

J: Not Leather! (rolls eyes like I am an idiot!) Goddess of Leather Leather!  (I swear that is what it sounded like to me) 

Me: I don't understand,  Goddess of Leather? 

J: You know, like winter, spring, Summer, you have rain and snow and...

Me: Oh!  Goddess of Weather!  I see!  (with quite the relieved voice) 

J: Yeah.  But you need sticks to play. 

Me: (furrowed brow) sticks?  What do you do with sticks?

J: You each pick one up and hold it in the air and you get the power of whatever weather.  Mine is the power of rain/wind.  (yes, he said slash!) 

Me: Ah, I see. And what can you do with the power of rain/wind?

J: You blow things up of course!  

Me: Of course! I should have guessed that!

J: And my sister has the power of snow.  My brother has the power of ice.  

Me: So could I play if I had a stick?  

J: No. You can only play at my house.  If you came to my house with your stick, you could play.  

Me: Oh, I see. 

J: Did you know what I did in the bathroom today before school started? 

(another wince moment... what do I say?  Sure! Tell me?  Uh NO! but he doesn't wait for me to respond)  I threw up.  It was gross.  It was that yucky donut from breakfast.  

Me: Yeah, I have that issue with Nacho cheese lately.  (but I am pregnant, what is your excuse?) 

On cafeteria duty this morning at breakfast.  

Me: (to a very round little boy) You need to come sit right here in this spot.  (To a smaller version of the round little boy) And you can sit right here with your brother. 

Round Little Boy: How did you know we were brothers?  

Me: Gosh, I don't know.  I guess I am just smart that way. (It has nothing to do with the fact that you could be twins!) 

RLB: You must be super smart to figure that out! 

Me: Yeah. That's me!  Goddess of Brilliance!

If J can be Goddess of Weather, I can be Goddess of Brilliance!

I think I might be understanding now...

When B and I lived in Indiana, we had the cutest little duplex.  We were young and married and loved to throw dinner parties.  I know. we were young and had all the time and energy in the world!  Oh to have some of that energy now just to clean the house!

So, one dinner party, we invited this couple who worked with B.  He was a nice guy, seemed down to earth and then there was the wife.  Ugh.  They looked JUST like a Barbie and Ken couple and she acted a little Barbiesque if you ask me.  She would complain about her husband in front of the group.  She told us a story about how a year before, husband had gotten her a blender for Christmas.  That was the big gift.  A blender.  She was a health nut and loved smoothies, so he got her a blender.  This gift made her so mad that she actually threw the blender at him while he was on the treadmill running one day.  Yeah. She was not my favorite person!

So at one particular dinner party, she was pregnant.  Not HUGE 8 months pregnant but like 4 months kind of pregnant.  Not really showing yet other than a little baby bump.  But she embraced being pregnant.  She sat in her oversized maternity shirt talking about her acid reflux, her back pain, and her morning sickness.  At one point, she made we rewash strawberries that were in a salad because she was worried they weren't quite clean enough for a "pregnant girl" to eat.  

I pretty much had decided she was an unpleasant person anyway, so it didn't surprise me when she griped so much about being pregnant.  Ugh. "You have acid reflux.  I get it!"

A friend of mine recently found out she was pregnant.  Two weeks later, she was announcing to everyone her baby news and started wearing big maternity shirts.  At the time I thought, "You are like three weeks pregnant.  Do you really need that shirt right now?"  

Both of those times must have made such an impact on me that I vowed not to be  like them.  I vowed not to wear maternity clothes until I HAD to.  (they are pretty ugly anyway) And I vowed to never talk about throwing up, acid reflux, or any other pregnancy related problem in a crowd.  

Yeah. Yesterday I broke all of the rules, I am ashamed to say. 

In the middle of the meeting, I started feeling bad.  Really bad.  But it was a familiar feeling.  Something I am used to by now.  Same sort of feeling I get when I drink any kind of lemonade.  Yep.  The dreaded acid reflux.

I couldn't avoid it.  I couldn't fix it.  I just had to sit there.  Now I will say that I didn't announce it to the planet..."Hey everyone!  I have acid reflux because of the baby!"  But when asked by the people sitting around me what was wrong, I did tell them.  Ugh. One step closer to being THAT pregnant girl.

Thursday, I tried on three shirts.  All of them a little too snug.  I could wear them but I would feel like a stuffed stuffed sausage.  I don't feel pregnant.  I just feel fat.  Ugh. So Friday, I figured what the hell?  I will wear the maternity shirt.  Why not.  Friday is a day to not worry about how I look and just be comfortable!  And HOLY CRAP!  I was so comfortable the entire day.  Maternity clothes are sooo nice.  Why don't they make stretchy maternity clothes for people who just ate too much for lunch?  OOOH. The best.  Even though I am not showing really, (I can still fit in to my regular jeans, thank you very much) I wore the shirt.  

I am beginning to get it.

And unfortunately, I am becoming "the pregnant girl".

OY.

Who am I?

I was reading Exodus last night.  Cramming you might say, for our church small group.  Every Tuesday night we get together and ask similar questions of one another.  Every once in a while, the question comes up, "What have you been studying lately?" and I almost never have an answer!  I am a slacker!  So I figured I would do some study and actually have an answer.  

So I started reading about Moses.  I mean this is a big major super hero of the Bible right?  He has movies made about him!  Although he will never have his picture on the cover of an Entertainment Weekly or a People Magazine, he is pretty famous man.  

So imagine my shock when old Mr. Moses, in the midst of talking to God and getting directions, stops and says, "Hey, don't you think you picked the wrong person?  Who am I to do this big job?  Do you realize how big a job this really is?"  And God with infinite wisdom kindly pats him on the back and reassures him. Sort of like, "Dude, I wouldn't have picked you if I didn't think you could do a good job. Duh."  Yeah, God talks like that some days, I am sure.

B and I found out in November that we were expecting.  Two pregnancy tests and we were pretty sure of the answer.  Since then, we have heard the heart beat, watched the baby wave and do back flips.  Each time I think about it, I get freaked.  There is a baby inside me!  Do you know what this means?  We are going to have a little human that we are responsible for!  A little human to take care of and make sure they learn and grow and become the best person they can be.  I am not going to lie about how much that freaks me out!  The magnitude of the freak-out is immense!  I keep thinking less about the baby part of this and more about the raising a human part.  What if I screw up?  What if I don't do the right thing?  What if I just suck as a mom?  It is possible, you know.  I am so used to my way of doing things, my quiet time, my schedule.  All of that is nul and void very soon.  What about that?  

I have asked God several times... "Who am I that you gave this baby to? You trust me?  Really?  Are you crazy?"  

And I never really got an answer.  Not till I read about Moses.  Even Moses got scared.  Even Moses was unsure of himself and his role in the world.  Even Moses questioned God.  And God just politely and kindly said, "You will do fine.  Just take it one step at a time, and trust me to do the rest."  

Just take it one step at a time and trust Me to do the rest.  

My friend Heidi was talking about shopping with her daughters the other day when they saw a friend of theirs with a very little baby.  The daughters both, being little girls, ooed and ahed over the baby asking their mother if they could have one.  Heidi joked saying, "SHHHH!  Not too loud!  God will hear you!"  

When she told me that story, I realized that God had heard me.  God had heard B. God had understood our desire to have a baby.  And God believed in both of us.  Each time I ask God "Who am I to take care of this little human coming in to the world?"  God always says in a kind way, "Just take it one step at a time and trust Me to do the rest."

Faith

This past Tuesday, I got up early and wandered into my closet to find the perfect clothes for the day.  As I got ready, slipped into the flag sweater and drove to the polling place, I could feel a pit in my stomach.  I had been debating for a long time about who to vote for.  Quite honestly, I didn't like either one of them.  I didn't want to vote for either one of them.  

As I stood there and colored in the big square next to a name in dark print, I prayed silently.  I prayed for God to give whomever takes the job guidance and understanding.  I prayed for our country to work together and for things to get better.  

And as we sat and watched the polling information come in that night, I prayed again...for clarity for people of our country.  For Hope, and for good will.  

I watched as people (some of my great friends) cried, and laughed, chanted and celebrated. They have so much faith in one man, in the fact that he will produce change.  I didn't celebrate.  Not that I am not happy that he won.  I didn't celebrate because quite honestly, I have no faith in either one of them.  I have no faith in politicians to do what is right.  I have, quite frankly, very little faith in people.

My mom told me early on that I hold people to very high standards.  Then I get disappointed when they don't meet those standards.  She is so so right.  That is me.  Hence, my lack of faith in people.  They just disappoint me.

But God on the other hand, God I have faith in.  God is the one thing that I feel comfort about.  God is there.  No matter what.  

Don't get me wrong.  There have been days when I was PISSED at God.  When I wanted answers.  When I wanted to know WHY and WHEN and HOW and WHAT.  And I wanted those answers then and now.  

When BT lost his job was the first time I felt it.  I mean really felt it.  God was there, but I didn't want to speak to God.  Its like a good friend, who comes to see you every day and you sit there refusing to talk to him/her.  The friend calls you every day and you don't answer.  God wasn't gone.  I was.

And then there was the latest issue with God...

Every year, our church has a labyrinth.  As I walk through it, I talk to God. I love to get to the center of the labyrinth and just sit, listening for God to speak to me.  As I slowly walk out, I leave feeling a sense of clarity.  A sense of Grace.  And a sense of Peace.  

This past January, I walked into the labyrinth looking for answers.  I wanted a relationship with God.  I wanted to sit in the middle and soak up God's love.  But as I prayed, I watched myself as in slow motion walking out of the labyrinth.  Never once in that prayer time, in my walking, had I reached the middle.  I had walked in just as confused as I left.  

Even then, in the midst of chaos and confusion, I didn't doubt that God was there.  

I did doubt why God walked me out without full clarity.  But I didn't doubt that God was still there.

My prayer for you friend, is for you to know in the core of your being that God is there. 

You may be pissed at God.  You may be unsure of God's plans for you.  But know... beyond a Shadow of a Doubt, that God loves you.

Have faith in God.  The faith in people will come later.  At least I hope so.

Quote of the week...

So Braylon came in recently for his Reading Lesson.  Stopped mid walk, put his nose up in the air, and sniffed.  He then made a face and walked over to the table, books in hand and said with an indignant tone, "It smells like ball in here!".  

Ball?  Like a sweaty dance Cinderella attended?  

Or like a football?  Basketball?  And can it really smell like ball?

Ah, must be my  new Ball Perfume I got at the mall!

My other job...

My afternoon duty requires me to stand outside in the elements in front of traffic and make sure that cars are moving and kids are getting picked up safely.  Not an easy task when parents scream and curse at you for not letting them park their car in the drive through.  Not an easy task when parents lead their children into ongoing traffic.  Not an easy task when it is 900 degrees outside.  Not an easy task at all.

Days like these make me want another job.

So Thursday I was walking through a classroom to get to my "office" (My office is just a closet behind someone's classroom.  I have to actually walk through this classroom to get to my space...fancy huh?) and I am carrying a stop sign.  Maybe this time people will look at me as more official if I have a stop sign?  Maybe I would get yelled at less with the stop sign in my hand?  Maybe as soon as parents start yelling obscenities, I can flash the stop sign and the mean nasty comments will act as a force field, protecting me from meanness??? OK so I can dream right?

So I was walking through the classroom on my way to outside duty when this little girl jumps up from her seat and runs over to me.  In her very loud 6 year old voice, she shouts... "Oh, I know you!  You work on the streets!!!"

Yes folks.  My new job... working on the streets.  And I was wondering why I made extra money this month in my paycheck... I said I wanted a different job... just not sure I would want that one. 

:) 

Saturday Love Fest

Since I was in such a bad mood on Friday, I wanted to perk myself up with some lovin'

things  that make me laugh/smile

*Halloween

*anything referencing pirates

*children's laughter

*my friend Saba

*good news

*peppermint ice cream

*my fat baby boots

*texts from George

*reading 4 books at the same time

*being married for 10 years.

*my cat who will sit on the computer desk just to hang out with me

*extra money in my paycheck (cause I am worth it!) hee hee.

*impressions of people

*tests that come back negative.

*have I ever mentioned sonic ice?

hope you find something to make you smile today.

My two cents...

So I hate to make phone calls. Just something I hate to do. I don't like calling to order a pizza. I don't like calling to make inquiries about things. And calling a student's parents is the WORST! I just don't like to do it. It's not that I am afraid that someone will be mean to me or that they will think badly of me. I just don't like to do it. But sometimes it is necessary. Sometimes it HAS to happen. Like it or not.

So today in church, we read a parable about brothers that Jesus told. Oh that Jesus. He always spoke in parables. Love that! So Jesus told about these two brothers...the father asked them to work for him. One brother refused, but then repented and did the work. The other, readily and happily told his father he would do the work, but then got distracted and never actually followed through and did the work. What was the difference in the two brothers? Besides their desire or lack of desire to do work? Action. It is all about action and actually doing what they needed to do.

How many times are we the ones who don't actually take action? The ones who say we are happy to do what needs to be done but then make excuses? I think we easily fall into the trap of making excuses.

Oh gosh, I couldn't call. The phone will be busy. I don't have enough time to spend on that phone call... excuses.

But ultimately, it is all about Action. It is about what we DO, not what we say we will do.

So if you are miserable, if you are tired of living the way you are living, do something about it. Action.

If you are wondering why our world isn't the way it is, do something about it. Action.

If you are tired of the world being the way it is? Do something about it. Action.

Rob Bell's new book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, talks a lot about this. From the book of Exodus, God suggests and wants action. God wants us to complete the life that He started in Genesis. God wants action. God needs action. God wants us to change the world.

Sometimes it is hard. It requires things from us we didn't know we could do. Sometimes it is easy and all it requires is a phone call. What are you willing to do?
Make the call? Or sit around and blame others? It is all about you. It is all about me. It is all about action.

Quotes from a new school year....

Well, we have had 9 days of school so far and all is well.  The new batch of first graders are so cute!  

Here are some recent quotes that made me laugh...

Ean is my new best friend.  He is so serious all of the time.  Due to his shaggy Beatles hair cut, his eyes are hard to see.  He looks like a grown up in a little body.  He speaks in a monotone voice and rarely shows expression in his face.  

So when he was asked to tell me about his favorite food, he told me fish.  He loves fish.  Then I asked him to draw a picture of himself eating fish. 

He drew flowers, plants, grass, trees.  (Ok, so you catch fish?) Then he drew a little stick figure body with some hair standing by a tree.  (you have picnics eating fish?  Is that allowed in the picnic rule book?) And on his little stick figure arm, he attaches a box.  One white box.  I am quite confused at this point and I say, "so, where is the fish that you love to eat?  He points to the white unlabeled box.  "There," he says.  "My fish is there."  His teacher tries to help by asking if he goes fishing.  "NO" he says with a certain look.  "Oh," his teacher says, "your fish doesn't look like this?" she asks, drawing a pond and a quick little circly thing that looks like a cartoon fish.  

"No. My fish never looks like that" he says as serious as his little 6 year old face can be.  "My fish comes in a box and it is delicious!"

OH MY.

Yesterday, he came to school in tears clutching his stomach in pain.

He demanded he see the nurse.  

In order to assess whether a pass to the nurse was needed, his teacher and I did some investigation...

Teacher: Do you need to go to the bathroom?

E: No.

T: Do you need to get a drink?

E: NO.

T: Did  you eat breakfast this morning?  (this is the cause of stomach pain most of the time at our school in the mornings) 

E: Yes.

T: Here at school or at home? (Sometimes breakfast at school could cause WAY more than a stomachache. ) 

E: At home.

T: What did you eat for breakfast?

E: (the most exhausted sounding and with the most expression he could muster... which wasn't much but enough to notice)   Stuff!  That stuff!  You know...the stuff on a plate!!! 

Ugh.

Of course.  The stuff on the plate.  How could I have been so stupid?

Oh Ean.  You are my new friend.  I can't wait in the next 170 days to hang out with you and gain more wisdom and knowledge.

Things I love...

In the middle of all of the drama and stress... I could spend my blog time venting about life.  I could vent about work and about manipulative people, but no.

I choose to write about things I love...

Not in any particular order...

laughing

Sonic Ice

BT and his wit.

BT and his kindness

BT and his face

singing loudly in the car to musicals

Avenue Q

My parents

My laptop named Hobbes

That Saba got an iphone for her birthday

The way George and I make mean faces at each other in the hall

Thai food yummmmmm

drag shows

bingo

not going to Graduate School ANY MORE!

Watching snails.

playing with Owen and Miles

Shopping with Ginger

Debating theology with Sharon

Shaking things up.

Speaking my mind

Loving other people with my whole heart.

first graders

going to the movies on Sunday afternoons

the way my cat snuggles with me every night

grace

teenagers

kindness

immodium

boots

watermelon

corn on the cob

street meat

festivals 

craft shows

Canton

my life...

What do you love?

Hi there

Yeah, I know.  It has been a while.

Sorry for that.

I have been writing a paper and such.  

Really, I have just been wondering if it is worth writing here anymore.

Still thinking.

Till then, let me tell you about a few things I am excited about...

* GRADUATION!!!  Yep. It is about freakin' time.

* REATA after said graduation.  hhhmmmm... cheese grits.

* seeing my friend Owen. Oh, and his mommy Ginger

* going to movies on Sunday afternoons again. (this was a past time during Christmas break...when I had time) 

* knitting again.

* The Gods Aren't Angry DVD. (one day I will write about that experience.  It was amazing)

* Vacation in July.

so, what are you excited about?

:) 

Church... Good God, what is it good for?

I have been thinking a lot lately about church and its purpose or lack-there-of in my life. Don't get me wrong. Deep down I love my church. I love the people within my church. I love my Renewal small group and I love the fact that we have been adopted by the "other Thompsons".
I love that when we have trouble or something that needs praying about, we can call them at a moment's notice and they will be there or they will drop everything they are doing to raise up our names to God. I love that.

What I don't love however, is the fact that nothing seems to be changing in the church. No one wants to grow. No one wants to learn or talk about God. No one. No one wants to talk about and wrestle with their faith. They don't want to think about the fact that we spend less money helping people than we do on the electric bill. They don't want to see that the world is messy and we should all look at fixing it. They don't like to think about how they are being fed spiritually. They like being starved.
And the music. OY VAY. The music in the church is going to be the death of me. How long can we sing funeral hymns and call them spiritual? B and I look around on Sundays to see who out of all of them in the sanctuary, who is being lifted up by the music from the 1800s. NO one.
My friend HH tells me that is normal in the church. It is a Type 1 church, he says, and I should get used to it, as most churches around are Type 1 churches.
Well crap. That is helpful.

So I am posing the question here... What good is the church as a whole? What is the purpose of church? Greg tells me that the purpose of the church is to be the body of Christ. Why then would I want to be a part of a body that is dying?
Why is it that our churches very quickly are dying? I have an idea...

Just a few ideas at least. One has to do with Christians and the other has to do with televangelists, but I could be wrong...