Wednesday, September 29, 2010

end draws near-errrrr

My favorite month is soon at an end. Ahhhh, September! In two weeks we have fall break at school. I am hoping to finish editing the Handbooks to have ready when we come back. I also need to tweak the October school billing.

I have this Saturday off from "cakeland," so I plan to make the best of it and get some R-E-S-T. I need a pedicure, so plans are to kidnap Cori for the afternoon. CL has been fractious this week, Sarah is super-stressed, and Tricia and I have been study-oholics. Test and more tests.

I am hosting the first senior meeting for the CIAS Class of 2011 tomorrow evening...that one always scares me...not sure why. A lot of expectant seniors and their parents will be there.

I cooked dinner several times this week. On Sunday I made a DELICIOUS bacon and cheese quiche (I think from one of my bakery research recipes). Last night I made peppered steak (onions, red & green bell peppers, strips of tender sirloin steak, a beef stew seasoning packet) over rice. It was so yummy. :-)

Work at CIAS have been especially busy. Interviews have slowed down, but teaching, tutoring, and supervising is UP. Today was nice, since a student or two was missing, so I had breaks to get busy work done. I also need to start on the rash of senior transcripts, a task that I have been putting off. I have done a few but not the majority by far. I did get to spend some time last night working on the updating the Class of 2010 grad info webpage (i.e. accomplishments, college plans, etc.).

Sunday, September 26, 2010

September daze

September is my favorite month of the year. I wait all year for it to come around again. I blink, and then it is gone.

I was born in September.

The weather is starting to cool off just a bit. Not enough to go camping, but enough to notice and appreciate it!

Autumn commences...my favorite season. Also some of my favorite tv shows start their seasons.

I always get bit by a "reading bug" in September!  I have Cindy Woodsmall's new book The Bridge of Peace  ready to go, and Mom has just gotten Beverly Lewis' The Thorn and devoured it.

And this year, I can add the "period movie bug" to the list! :-P  I watched "Bertie & Elizabeth on youtube last night. It is the story of King George VI (Albert)  & his queen Elizabeth (the current Elizabeth's parents). Fabulous story. I wonder if all the parts about Edward VIII (David) and his twice-divorced wife Wallis Simpson were accurate.

We began a remodeling project in the house in September...combining the back-to-back half and full bathrooms into one large bathroom with a walk-in shower for wheelchair use (one day we'll need it for Tricia and maybe Mom). Consequently, I have lost my shower for the next several months, and Daniel has moved the laundry room from the hallway into Sarah's old bedroom. Daniel is doing all the dirty work. I was in on the planning, buying, and budgeting parts with Mom and Trish. It will be so nice when it is done, which realistically, will be December.

I started cleaning out closets this month too. Old linens, clothes I don't wear, etc. It is nice to be able to walk into closets again. And store things we really use and need, instead of accumulated belongings that we have had who-knows-how-long. :-)

Jesus in my heart

I always loved this painting by Warren Sellman. He is said to have been inspired to do this painting back in the mid 1900s by the passage found in Revelations 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, open the door." 

When I was a kid, I understood the concept of Jesus obeying His Father to die on the cross to save us from sin. Mark 14:36, ""Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." Later on, I understood what Jesus meant when He told the disciples that He had to go back to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them..."But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" John 14:26. 

I was reminded today of the import of the theology of the Triune God. Its first mention is in Genesis 1:26, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Jesus knocked on my heart's door as a small child. He opened the way to The Way. While I am here on earth, the Holy Spirit has been helping and teaching me. When I get to heaven, Jesus will be sitting at the right hand of the Father. 

Every day, my students ask me questions about God and our relationship with Him through Jesus. In January 2009 as a New Year's resolution, I promised the Lord that I would witness for Him every day. I never get tired of telling it. I'll tell it again and again, as long as I have breath.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

this is your life

So, I spent some time over the last day and figured out how to transfer old blog posts from my journal blog over into my new "public consumption" blog. It was worked nicely! I also uploaded some of the pics we took on the NOLA trip. They turned out CUTE! :-D

This week, in between studying patches, I found a new dating/introduction site, serving Christians wanting to meet and marry other Christians. It is called Marry Well and was listed on No Greater Joy's "Preparing to Be His Helpmeet" webpage as well as HSA. The folks behind Boundless are involved in it. Should be interesting.

I have spent the day doing insurance wage verifications (for the Odoms), payroll taxes, and studying. This evening we are having the family birthday dinner at Carrabbas. It should be fun (let's see if everyone will come!).

I found this hymn on Elizabeth Elliot's website today. Loved it!
Anna L. Waring in 1850:
Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come
I do not fear to see;
I ask Thee for a present mind,
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child
And guided where I go.
Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoever estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate.



Pics from the evening...













Friday, September 17, 2010

My 35th in NOLA

After planning (and saving for) a trip to New Orleans for years ( thanks to many friends and students who gave me travel tips!), I finally pulled it off for my birthday last weekend. We all had a blast...Tricia, Sarah, Mom and I spent Friday evening and all day Saturday there. We had a safe journey, thank the Lord. Arrived and checked in at the Place D'Armes Hotel on St. Ann's Street. Charming old place. We didn't get the room that I would have liked (leave it to me to leave THAT detail to the last minute.), but it was fine nonetheless.
The two arches were the windows to our room, right on St. Ann's.
The entrance to the courtyard~pool area
It had been a boys' school! :-)
I had made reservations for House of Blues for dinner, but as we walked up the dank alleyway, I didn't feel too good about it and was weirded out out about it. We walked back to Jackson Square and made reservations at Muriel's (our bellhop had recommended it). Then we had an hour's wait, so we took a carriage ride complete with historical narration from a cool old native who gave us 15 extra minutes to enjoy ourselves.
Our accommodating host and Baby Girl
Smile...It's your birthday!
My birthday dinner at Muriel's was DELICIOUS!!! I had a most perfect (melt-in-your-mouth) filet mignon, creme brulee, and pomegranate tea. The ambiance was delightful and the company fabulous, of course! We walked back down to the hotel; it was 11 or so by then. Showered. Sleep came in spurts for me; don't know why.


Woke up late and checked out by 11. Walked down to Cafe Du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait. We got a great table that could accommodate our rollator (Mom) and wheelchair (Trish). Enjoyed that immensely!


Yum, YUM!
We had several hours to kill, so we went shopping in the French Market. We got some gifts for our nieces and trekked down the strip for souvenirs and such. I got a pair of sunglasses, a tshirt & several magnets (for my "road trip" collections), a fleur-de-lis ornament, an adorable miniature english springer for my curio cabinet (to remember Hershey), and some rings and a brown brooch (something I have been looking for for awhile!).
Joan of Arc
Then we walked down to the loading dock for the Steamboat Natchez. That was a fun 2 hours! We all sat on the west-side deck, enjoying our lunch while listening to the captain's narration of the tour of New Orleans' harbor and history. After 3:15, I ducked inside to enjoy the jazz music and the AC!!!


Domino's Sugar Mill. 2nd largest in the world
 
 
  
  


We were exhausted by then. Went back to the hotel to retrieve the truck and headed back home. Sarah provided us with a few laughs with her CRAZY driving on the way back...hurtling down that exit to find the invisible Arby's was scarily great! :-P

We 3 at Jackson Square Park
It was a quick 24 hours but very memorable for my 35th. I do wish that Cori, Rachel & even Heidi had been able to come as I had originally planned. There was so much else to do in NO, so I must plan another trip to tour the St. Louis Cathedral, the Old Ursuline Convent, and the Old River Road Plantations tour. And Mom has scouted out the Bienville House Hotel for our next stay. :-)




Backtracking

I have felt for some time now that I should start a public blog, one that does not reveal the deepest of my heart struggles for reasons I will keep to myslef. I will keep my private journal blog for those sorts of posts. So this is the beginning of the new public MaryBeeBzz, available to be read by all my friends and family. Yay!!! :-D

I love writing and blogging and have often wished that others could read what I write and be blessed and encouraged by it. I wrote for Kindred Spirits and HopeChest magazines for many years and have kept a private journal since I was eight. Eventually my journal writing gave way to blogging, first on LifeJournal, then Xanga, MySpace, and now Blogger for the last several years. Writing is cathartic for me. It helps me to clear my head. It helps me to heal. It helps me to explain. It helps me to figure things out.

I will try to figure out how to transfer all the appropriate blogs from the past few years here. THAT should be fun.
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