Courage and Risk

This morning, I got the privilege of attending my first worship service at First Baptist Church Port Orchard. Pastor Jamie's message was unique this morning, he did a review of the first half of the year's sermon series in his church. 

Before I get into the part that really got me, I need to explain some things. Ever since my first summer in the northwest in 2004, I felt that this is where God gave me a heart for. I love the people, the culture, and the beauty of all I have seen while being here. I always feel like I am coming home when I make the treck up here, and always feel like I am leaving a part of my heart when I return to Texarkana.

 At the end of his review, Jamie hit Acts 1:8 "you will be filled with power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you". He mentioned that is impossible to fulfill the calling God has for your life without th Spirit and that by feeding yourself everyday, you will be able to better discern the His will for you. Then he went on to explain two characteristics about the early Christians.

 1. They had Courage.
         They had no safeguards for their lives.
 2. They took risks.
         It is easy to be brave, but not always risky. Sometimes God's will requires us to to walk away from safety and be dangerous. 

Right now I know I am courageous, but I am not sure how risky I am. Sometimes I feel as though I am stuck in that safeness, not willing to give up safety for the risk that it would take to go. It is a hard place to be. I am praying for faith to know when to move. I am praying for God to provide.

 The time may soon arrive when I need to get a little risky.

Top 10 Things I Learned at Kids Camp 2012

This year was my fifth year to be given the opportunity to serve at OBA Kids Camp.  In honor of that, I would like to share with you the top ten things I have learned in my 5 years at Camp Kursa.

10.  "Rise and Shine" will never be a good way to be summoned to get out of bed in the mornings.

9.  Becoming a belly flop champion does not come without and immense amount of pain.

8.  A ladder can always bring out the competitor in grown men.  And then cause them to be jealous and take said ladder out of the competition.

7.  No matter the outside temperature and humidity, you better not forget to wear your jacket to campfire.

6.  Make sure you pack your fiber supplements.

5.  Don't call Aubrey Beard sweetheart...she does not like it.

4.  No matter how warm the water is, swimming in 60 degree weather is pneumonia waiting to happen.

3.  Don't worry about the rules to the Cabin Challenges, because they will be changed halfway through the challenge.

2.  The "Throw-up Song" can make any cabin the stars of skit night (especially when accompanied by interpretive dance).

1.  Never get on Mike Jarret's bad side, you will pay. (Just ask Pastor Dan, Pastor Mike, and Pastor Jim)

My First Black Friday

My First Black Friday

There once was a time when I thought that those who ventured out on the wee hours of the morning on that Friday after Thanksgiving were insane. Why did they go out while most of us were still sleeping out our turkey comas? Was anything really worth waiting in line for those doors to be unlocked?

Well Thursday morning, I woke up and went downstairs. The paper was massive, all those catalogs beckoning shoppers to doorbuster deals that looked so enticing.

I pulled out the three that caught my eye. JC Penny had a great luggage set on sell for $39.00 (original price valued at $200). Bealls had a pair of gloves that are sensor touch so I can use my phone without taking my gloves off. And then there were some books on sell at Books-a-Million that I wanted to look at (even though I have a kindle).

My Plan:

1. Get some sleep and go when ever I wake up.

2. Hit JC Penny first, they opened the earliest and I knew I had to get there fast if I wanted the luggage.

3. Bealls would be next, because it was also at the mall.

4. Then hit BAM, if I was still in the mood.

So I was set, I went to sleep late because I was watching a movie. However, I woke up at 5:00. I got up and got dressed. Penny's had only been open for an hour, I had a chance. I got in my car and headed over. I luckily got a great parking spot as someone else (one of those aforementioned insane people) was just leaving.

I asked a sales person where the luggage was, showing a picture from that catalog. He walked me right to them, and they not only still had it, but I had my choice of colors. I was so excited.

That meant it was time for Bealls. As a drove around to the other side of the mall ( as the mall doesn't open until 9) I noticed a line formed outside. When I pulled out the catalog, I noticed they didn't open until 6 and I had like 5 min, so I got in line. Guess that make me one of the insane. When the doors opened I knew exactly where to go. I got the gloves and went to get in line. That is when the best Black Friday experience comes. I was in line at the cashier and I was the one who made the line start to curve. As I was standing there, ladies started joining behind me. That is when I noticed a woman had gotten on the other side of the line and intended to cut in line. I didn't mind, I was only getting the gloves. But the older lady behind me did mind and she says something about it. And then this other woman (a large black woman) starts getting an attitude back at her and it almost went to blows. I was almost in the middle of one of those things that would have made the morning news. But I did get the gloves.

On my way to BAM, I stopped into Sears, just to look at the electronics. I met a former classmate from college, and we got to talking. I told him I wanted to look at the tvs. So he showed them to me. And I got one (not on my list, but a major want). He told me about some that were on sale, but not out on the floor. Thank goodness for old friends.

I never made it to BAM, but I had a very great morning and was home before 7.

Call me Insane.

The "Joy" of Being Sick

As with every change of the weather here in Texas, those nasty little bugs are starting to go around. Working with kids, it is just bound to happen that one of those bugs will find me. In past years, if I got sick I was able to just stay at home and not worry about going to work or even getting out of bed for that matter. But now that I am an official teacher and with that only a limited number of days a year to miss school, I have to fight through what I am feeling and try to make it one day at a time.

On Tuesday night I started feeling it. By Wednesday, my cold was full blown and getting worse. However, since this week was the last in this grading period, I had to go to school. Each day it was a struggle to stay on top of my kids to get all their work finished and corrected. But i made it. At 5:00 on Friday I was going home, grades finalized and no planning needed to be done.

That is when the worst hit. Last night I was up every two hours, coughing up a lung and not being able to swallow anything. I was miserable. And because I couldn't sleep, I started to read. I rarely get to read anymore because of school and it was a pleasure to get to do that this morning. I fell asleep reading and had one of the best dreams I had head in a while.

Maybe it was the book, or maybe the medicine that I am taking, but I have had a Joy being sick!

Let's Go Rangers!!!

You would only have to spend like 3 seconds with me to know that I am a huge sports fan. Not just a sports fan, but a Dallas Sports Fan. Rangers, Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, I love them all. This past spring we saw the first NBA Championship to the Big-D, and tonight, the Rangers have once again given us hope of our first ever MLB Championship.

I have been a Ranger fan for as long as I can remember. I really started following them at the age of seven when, in July of 1994 Kenny Rodgers pitched a perfect game because a rookie right fielder laid out to rob a hit from the first hitter of the top of the ninth. The Rangers made it to the post-season for the first time in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Each time they faced the Yankees in the first round and were shut down. Last year, we made it all the way. Only to be shut down by the Giants when they got there.

This year just feels different. With Cruz, Beltre, Young, Hamilton, Napoli and many many more, the line-up is hard to navigate through. Then there are Wilson, Feldman, Ogando, Feliz and a few more arms that have been lights out on the mound.

This is our Year...

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!!

Another Day in this Wild and Crazy Week

So is get to add another day to this wild week that I have already had.

Friday morning at about 2am, I woke up with excruciating paint in my lower back and abdomen. I didn't know what was wrong. I was scared that after the fall I had on Wednesday morning, the doctors had missed something.

After I started trowing up at 3:00, I told my grandparents that I wanted to go somewhere. I was scared and in so much pain. So we headed to the ER. I had to email my principal and the teachers on my team at school to let them know I wouldn't be at school and where my sub stuff was. Then we were off.

After 3 hours, they told me that the pain was from a kidney stone that was trying to pass. I have four of them, three are still in the top of my right kidney and that one was probably knocked loose during the fall I had on Wednesday morning.

I spent all day yesterday sleeping, and with the pain med they have me on, the dreams I was having were crazy.

I can't wait to get this week behind me and start anew, but until this stone passes, the pain will be a reminder of the week that was.

How a Shower Curtain Saved my Life

If you were to ask my grandparents, they would probably tell you that I am a very accident proved person. I am also very sickly. I get hurt and get sick often. Therefore if you know me, the following story isn't that out of the ordinary. But for those of you that don't know me, you are in for a treat.

Yesterday morning I woke up at 4:45 so that I could get in the shower. Why so early you may ask? Well, my grandmother and I both work at the same school, me as a teacher and her in the office as a secretary. That means we both have to get up and ready to go to school in the mornings using the same shower. So I got in the shower.

Being a girl, I thought that it was time for me to shave my legs again (I wanted to wear my favorite dress and jeans jacket, which meant I needed smooth legs). Leg up, stroke, leg down, rinse razor, repeat. The first few strokes went just as planned. Then came the fourth rotation. Leg up, then another leg starts to come up and I began to fall. I was thinking to my self, "Be ready, this is going to hurt!" As I began to fall, I grabbed behind me. The shower curtain was what my hands found. The entire curtain and rod came down (Even the part that was attached to the wall). I landed on my back while my left side slammed into the sink and toilet.

Knowing that my grandmother was awake and reading the paper in the living room, and that my grandfather had probably heard and woke up, I grabbed a towel to cover up. I was so embarrassed, I didn't even think about what was hurting. The first thing my grandmother asked was if I was alive, and if I could move. I said, "I don't know." She stepped back out of the bathroom and let me get myself up and somewhat dressed so her and my grandpa could come in. I was worried about the curtain rod, they were worried about me.

I went to school because we were giving an all day test and I knew that I wouldn't have much to do other than facilitate. As the day wore on, all those little nicks started to make themselves known. I was hurting all over. My shoulder was killing me and my back was not far behind. I went to the doctor after school was over. He said nothing was broken or torn, just really swollen and really bruised. After looking at the X-ray of my back, he said that I have arthritis in my lower back, which is probably why it started hurting after I fell. His last words," Go home and thank your shower curtain, it probably saved your life."

That my friends is how a shower curtain saved my life!