Friday, April 11, 2008
Irony to anyone else?
I was driving to work one day this week and saw the strangest combination of car advertisements. A car in front of me had a Central Warriors (I think that was it - it was was whoever their mascot was) sticker on the window - Central Catholic. Then near the bumper was a Darwin fish symbol. I know - you don't have to be a catholic to send your kid to school there but still a very confused message....
Monday, April 7, 2008
Will the real Nana please come forward….
From Emily 4/7/08:
“Everything is pretty ok here for now. I had Nana come out of her room today for the entertainment. She was out for 45 minutes without her oxygen on. She did ok and seemed to have fun. She even had strawberry short cake - all of it! Here is the real kicker to show you she is not herself (though it is a good ‘not herself’) - she had curlers in her hair! I put a scarf on her but 3 months ago she would have been horrified! She did not care. Aunt Becky thinks the ativan is helping her ‘break free” from what was holding her back and that now she is being more like her mother was - which was funny and silly and having fun. Yesterday we took her for a ride in the car. She did not hold her face once. We should have had her on 4mg of ativan for years. E”
God has reasons for allowing her to stay with us for now. :)
“Everything is pretty ok here for now. I had Nana come out of her room today for the entertainment. She was out for 45 minutes without her oxygen on. She did ok and seemed to have fun. She even had strawberry short cake - all of it! Here is the real kicker to show you she is not herself (though it is a good ‘not herself’) - she had curlers in her hair! I put a scarf on her but 3 months ago she would have been horrified! She did not care. Aunt Becky thinks the ativan is helping her ‘break free” from what was holding her back and that now she is being more like her mother was - which was funny and silly and having fun. Yesterday we took her for a ride in the car. She did not hold her face once. We should have had her on 4mg of ativan for years. E”
God has reasons for allowing her to stay with us for now. :)
Shaken
Today I am like a fizzy can of pop. I keep getting shaken up and I keep praying that God calms me so I don’t blow. Just little things. Just little questions in my head
“It isn’t fair that I don’t have kids – or money.”
“That isn’t fair that the rules don’t apply to her.”
“You’re going to say the wrong things and he’ll be angry.”
“You’re never going to make it through this.”
“If only I had done better at keeping a handle on this and such – maybe we wouldn’t …..”
They are just little things but they are making my insides burn. All of them are answered in
1Timothy 1:7 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
“It isn’t fair that I don’t have kids – or money.” I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU
“That isn’t fair that the rules don’t apply to her.” I WORK IN FAITH NOT FAIR
“You’re going to say the wrong things and he’ll be angry.” THE LOVE OF THE LORD ENDURES
“You’re never going to make it through this.” PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE
“If only I had done better at keeping a handle on this and such – maybe we wouldn’t …..” THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU CONTROLLING ANYTHING. I NEED TO BE THE ONE IN CONTROL
If I can just keep those in the front of my head- I will be okay. Father I know this to be true but only in Christ. Amen
“It isn’t fair that I don’t have kids – or money.”
“That isn’t fair that the rules don’t apply to her.”
“You’re going to say the wrong things and he’ll be angry.”
“You’re never going to make it through this.”
“If only I had done better at keeping a handle on this and such – maybe we wouldn’t …..”
They are just little things but they are making my insides burn. All of them are answered in
1Timothy 1:7 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
“It isn’t fair that I don’t have kids – or money.” I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU
“That isn’t fair that the rules don’t apply to her.” I WORK IN FAITH NOT FAIR
“You’re going to say the wrong things and he’ll be angry.” THE LOVE OF THE LORD ENDURES
“You’re never going to make it through this.” PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE
“If only I had done better at keeping a handle on this and such – maybe we wouldn’t …..” THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU CONTROLLING ANYTHING. I NEED TO BE THE ONE IN CONTROL
If I can just keep those in the front of my head- I will be okay. Father I know this to be true but only in Christ. Amen
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Great day at ICC
Today was a really good day at church. Beautiful weather, a great message and a huge cheering section for Bob! I arrived with a spring in my step - just a little perkier than normal and found many in the same spirits. The buzz in the cafe lobby was really invigorating with so many folks there. We are moving to a new level of attendance - 63 people today - very exciting. I was actually looking forward to possibly running the visuals this week and voila' - my prayer was answered. I was on and things went relatively stress free if not smoothly!
Bob had a great day too. His dad made the effort to come and see him play. If you could only have seen how that made him feel.... Bill came too so he really did have his own section. God is doing amazing things through him. And he felt like he had his best playing day ever! I think he does great every week so I'm biased. I never hear any mistakes he makes. They were rough on a few songs as a band but I'll tell you - he should always go to concerts just to keep his feet moving! He was really up there playing his heart out for God. The second time they played the song "We Stand" was awesome!! Bob was psyched and Neil really got the crowd riled up. If you want to hear crowd reaction, check out last week's first few seconds of the podcast. You can hear the reaction people had to the song.
http://www.ironcitychurch.com/downloads.html
All this leading up to his baptism day. What a day! I'm really excited about it.
Bob had a great day too. His dad made the effort to come and see him play. If you could only have seen how that made him feel.... Bill came too so he really did have his own section. God is doing amazing things through him. And he felt like he had his best playing day ever! I think he does great every week so I'm biased. I never hear any mistakes he makes. They were rough on a few songs as a band but I'll tell you - he should always go to concerts just to keep his feet moving! He was really up there playing his heart out for God. The second time they played the song "We Stand" was awesome!! Bob was psyched and Neil really got the crowd riled up. If you want to hear crowd reaction, check out last week's first few seconds of the podcast. You can hear the reaction people had to the song.
http://www.ironcitychurch.com/downloads.html
All this leading up to his baptism day. What a day! I'm really excited about it.
Some more photos
Go Tour
Friday night I took Bob to his first Christian concert - at least his first as one of The Family :).
What a great time!!! Great music, great message and I got to share it with a great guy. Thanks twice to my sister Carrie and the Slusser family, I saw them in Indiana and thought Bob would really enjoy it. Carrie and I were talking about his birthday and I let her know that I was thinking about taking him to see them. They pitched in for his birthday and we decided to do it!! I thought the Newsboys put on a great show and I thought he'd appreciate it. And indeed he did!
http://bobmasterino.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-try-something-newagain.html Check out his preconcert and post concert reactions. Very impressive:)!
Article One's lead strings - a violin. I just love watching musicians that LOVE what they do.
Rush of Fools does "You Are," the song that he and the band did at church a month or so before.
Newsboys come out to "Shine" and two cannons full on confetti!! It was awesome being on the floor so close to all the action.
REALLY close when you consider the catwalk! Row G!
We just loved it. We had an awesome date night for sure! Thanks, Carrie, Dan, Emma and Hope!! And thanks to our Father who made the sharing possible on all fronts!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Newsboys Drum Stunt
It keeps getting loaded sideways because I took it sideways - that'll teach me not to do that. Oh and make sure to turn your sound down - the drums are irritating on the video. :)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Good lunch, good people, great strength
I had a great lunch with my friend today. It's been a long time since we've had a chance to catch up - 6 weeks or more I think. And being around her is just so awesome. I know I am not unique but she makes me feel like we've known each other forever. I tell her things that to most other folks would sound crazy and she gets it. And she is just a brimming optimist. I gain so much every time we get together.
In fact, a short time after I returned, I needed a little bit of that positivity and grace. I needed that energy to smile and know that God was there. It was like I took it out of my pocket and said - yeah, God knew I'd need this :).
In fact, a short time after I returned, I needed a little bit of that positivity and grace. I needed that energy to smile and know that God was there. It was like I took it out of my pocket and said - yeah, God knew I'd need this :).
Crazy Nana
I don’t know how crazy Nana was in her younger years but one special and recent time of craziness I feel at least partially responsible for. One year, I went for a visit by myself. It was after Popi died and I think I went down there before meeting up with Mom and Dad in the Keys. Anyway, I got down there in the midst of a very rainy season (that would make sense – September is hurricane season.) The ground was saturated and we got a torrential downpour on the day I arrived. We shut ourselves in and waited until it was over (if you know Florida rain not very long – just very, very hard.) I think Aunt Mildred called and said that things were really flooded two streets over. So we peeked our heads out the door of 522C Crooked Lake Lane. The water was halfway up the stop sign post at the end of the street!! Nowhere for the water to run!!
It was long enough ago that I cannot recall exactly how I talked her into this but I wanted to go over and see how bad it was at Aunt Mildred and Uncle Ham’s. And without a canoe, the only way that was going to happen was to take off the shoes, roll up the pantlegs and start a-walking! And you know, if she didn’t want to do it – there would have been no way of talking her into it. So she and I held hands and waded our way across two streets of water up to our knees or more in some places to go exploring together. I think we both laughed at ourselves wondering what ever possessed us to want to put our feet in that water without knowing what was in it. And she did make mention of a woman her age acting so crazy:). The pictures are so clear of her with her pants rolled up and a light jacket on that I almost believe that I have a picture somewhere….. Now I’ll have to go digging and check.
Anyway – that might be my very favorite memory of Nana. I felt like maybe there was something about her that I never knew before. I learned we were more alike than I had once thought. And maybe that was the beginning of the friendship we’ve shared in the years since then.
That’s why I love the funny things she says now. Reminds me of wading in the flood waters with her. :)
It was long enough ago that I cannot recall exactly how I talked her into this but I wanted to go over and see how bad it was at Aunt Mildred and Uncle Ham’s. And without a canoe, the only way that was going to happen was to take off the shoes, roll up the pantlegs and start a-walking! And you know, if she didn’t want to do it – there would have been no way of talking her into it. So she and I held hands and waded our way across two streets of water up to our knees or more in some places to go exploring together. I think we both laughed at ourselves wondering what ever possessed us to want to put our feet in that water without knowing what was in it. And she did make mention of a woman her age acting so crazy:). The pictures are so clear of her with her pants rolled up and a light jacket on that I almost believe that I have a picture somewhere….. Now I’ll have to go digging and check.
Anyway – that might be my very favorite memory of Nana. I felt like maybe there was something about her that I never knew before. I learned we were more alike than I had once thought. And maybe that was the beginning of the friendship we’ve shared in the years since then.
That’s why I love the funny things she says now. Reminds me of wading in the flood waters with her. :)
Answered Prayer
I should not be in the least bit surprised and yet ……
More than a month ago ART’s only other administrative employee quit. Better opportunity for her. Since I’m it, I would say that initially I was on the verge of panic. Thoughts of late hours, total overwhelm and burn out streaming through my head. This was it in the first ten minutes. Then a wash of calm came over me. I prayed that God would help me to handle things and I remembered that He never gives you more than you can handle. And in the weeks since then, I am astonished at how powerfully He has worked. I’ve had help from my friend Carrie. She’s been here 3 days a week for at least the mornings and once a few additional IT things change, I think I’ll be able to let her go back to working with EIP all except Monday mornings. It’s amazing – faith and peace….
Volume has been relatively low (which wasn't my hope) but call volume is way down and radiologist independence is at an all time high despite both of them squirming at the thoughts of that. And so my calm has been so great! I love talking to clients again. Love to help them through problems. That was one of my concerns. I remembered before that I hated getting calls because I was so stressed that I saw everything as an inconvenience. I prayed because I needed God’s help to NOT turn back into that ugly stress monster. I wanted to be here what I am in the rest of my life – optimistic and happy!!!
And I have it!!! God truly gave me the strength to manage the panic and then the rest followed. Let me remember this next time my first instinct is to freak out…. Someone please remind me! Father let this lesson stay in the front of my cranial rolodex!
More than a month ago ART’s only other administrative employee quit. Better opportunity for her. Since I’m it, I would say that initially I was on the verge of panic. Thoughts of late hours, total overwhelm and burn out streaming through my head. This was it in the first ten minutes. Then a wash of calm came over me. I prayed that God would help me to handle things and I remembered that He never gives you more than you can handle. And in the weeks since then, I am astonished at how powerfully He has worked. I’ve had help from my friend Carrie. She’s been here 3 days a week for at least the mornings and once a few additional IT things change, I think I’ll be able to let her go back to working with EIP all except Monday mornings. It’s amazing – faith and peace….
Volume has been relatively low (which wasn't my hope) but call volume is way down and radiologist independence is at an all time high despite both of them squirming at the thoughts of that. And so my calm has been so great! I love talking to clients again. Love to help them through problems. That was one of my concerns. I remembered before that I hated getting calls because I was so stressed that I saw everything as an inconvenience. I prayed because I needed God’s help to NOT turn back into that ugly stress monster. I wanted to be here what I am in the rest of my life – optimistic and happy!!!
And I have it!!! God truly gave me the strength to manage the panic and then the rest followed. Let me remember this next time my first instinct is to freak out…. Someone please remind me! Father let this lesson stay in the front of my cranial rolodex!
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