Tiffany reminded me that I hadn't posted the good news...I'm done with Algebra!! Forever!! The dragon that kept me from finishing my degree for 20 years has been slayed. Woo-hoo!!! I got a B- for the first class, and a B for the second. I'm not a dang bit ashamed, either. I did each class in 5 weeks, as opposed to the 15 "normal" universities give you. Plus, I learned how to do a lot of it, so that counts for something (counts...algebra...ha!)
I will happily take my B- and my B and dance in happy circles around the voices in my head that told me I couldn't do it. With God's help, I certainly did pass!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Farkle
1)Get six dice.
2)Roll them.
3)Ones count as 100 points, fives count as 50 points.
4)When you roll, you must keep at least a one or a five for each roll, but you may "give back" any others and roll them again, if you choose.
5) You must roll a score of 500 to get "on the board" the first time; after that no minimum score is required.
5)You can roll until you decide you're done...but...6)On any roll, if you get NO ones or fives, you've Farkled (which equals no points, even if you have saved other dice with ones or fives).
7)On the first roll of each turn, if you get NO ones or fives, you have a Grand Farkle. Which doesn't help any, it's still a score of 0. It's just more fun to say.
2)Roll them.
3)Ones count as 100 points, fives count as 50 points.
4)When you roll, you must keep at least a one or a five for each roll, but you may "give back" any others and roll them again, if you choose.
5) You must roll a score of 500 to get "on the board" the first time; after that no minimum score is required.
5)You can roll until you decide you're done...but...6)On any roll, if you get NO ones or fives, you've Farkled (which equals no points, even if you have saved other dice with ones or fives).
7)On the first roll of each turn, if you get NO ones or fives, you have a Grand Farkle. Which doesn't help any, it's still a score of 0. It's just more fun to say.
Timing
Timing really is everything.
I took the kids to their usual children's choir practice tonight, and as we were coming home, turning the corner onto our street, I went by my husband's grandpa's house. I had noticed the police car with blinking lights, but thought it odd that the car the policeman had apparently pulled over was behind his car...hmm...
Rounding the corner, I saw a ginormous tow truck in grandpa's driveway, with a car on it. At this point my mind started to race...was it his car, broken? Judy's (my MIL) car...nope, it was black. As I went around the tow truck, which was sticking out into the street, I saw a big hole in his house, right through and under the front window. Now when we came through it was dark, but my husband had been there taking pictures...here's what happened.
Someone had driven right through grandpa's yard, through the posts on his front porch, and into his living room!
I took the kids to their usual children's choir practice tonight, and as we were coming home, turning the corner onto our street, I went by my husband's grandpa's house. I had noticed the police car with blinking lights, but thought it odd that the car the policeman had apparently pulled over was behind his car...hmm...
Rounding the corner, I saw a ginormous tow truck in grandpa's driveway, with a car on it. At this point my mind started to race...was it his car, broken? Judy's (my MIL) car...nope, it was black. As I went around the tow truck, which was sticking out into the street, I saw a big hole in his house, right through and under the front window. Now when we came through it was dark, but my husband had been there taking pictures...here's what happened.
Someone had driven right through grandpa's yard, through the posts on his front porch, and into his living room!
Now, here's where timing comes in...God's timing. Grandpa, happily, was in the kitchen. So, while was was shocked to hear the big crash and breaking glass, he wasn't run over. His chair, where he sits to read most of the day, was about 3 feet past where the car stopped. Everything in the living room was, of course, moved about 4 feet...the other recliner, the organ, and of course, the window itself.
Grandpa had been married to grandma for 50 years when, in 1987, she developed colon cancer and passed away 7 months later. Her little bric-a-brac that had been in the window (she collected little glass things...elephants and eggs and such) was on the floor, but unharmed. And the little window hanging you see in the picture is perfectly okay, too.
The driver, when interviewed by the policeman (who looked about 13, but did a great job), said he had been driving 25 miles an hour. HA!!! Sure. Right. NOT. I don't buy that. I still don't know how you can come around a corner (and these are city block corners, not rural, rolling hills corners) and drive into a house with your car in that position. And the really weird thing is, right next to the window, to the right, is the driveway. He missed grandpa's car by inches, too.
Well, that was grandpa's evening. As for me, like I said, I took the kids to choir practice and then played Farkle with our regular group of Farkle players, other choir parents, while the kids practiced. Farkle is fun...I'll post how to play later.
As for you, I hope you have a great day/night.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
No Banners here
Well, this was not a banner day. I did get some needed things done...like my paper for art class. Well, it's not 100% done, but I'd say at least 80%, and it's easy. I also got my nails done...all of them. So I'm all set for looking decent at work for the next month. I laid around and watched movies. I got groceries, put them away, and did dishes. But all day, I felt kind of "empty."
I also had a mini-argument with my husband, which probably contributed to the emptiness. I got totally frustrated with a situation, and told him so in a phone message. It's a whole big mess I don't want to get into here, but there it was. I don't feel sorry that I said what I did, really. I wasn't mean, I didn't say anything that wasn't true. I didn't intentionally say hurtful things (though he may be hurt). I said what I felt, what I wanted, and what I needed. Then I called back and apologized for telling him these things. And I am sorry, if I hurt him.
But I don't feel better, or worse, for having communicated what I felt, or for apologizing. I'm stuck in the middle. I know God loves me when I'm stuck in the middle, but I don't feel like I'm all that much to write home about.
Does anyone else watch happy, goofy, chick-flick movies when they're having a bummer day, or is that just me?
I also had a mini-argument with my husband, which probably contributed to the emptiness. I got totally frustrated with a situation, and told him so in a phone message. It's a whole big mess I don't want to get into here, but there it was. I don't feel sorry that I said what I did, really. I wasn't mean, I didn't say anything that wasn't true. I didn't intentionally say hurtful things (though he may be hurt). I said what I felt, what I wanted, and what I needed. Then I called back and apologized for telling him these things. And I am sorry, if I hurt him.
But I don't feel better, or worse, for having communicated what I felt, or for apologizing. I'm stuck in the middle. I know God loves me when I'm stuck in the middle, but I don't feel like I'm all that much to write home about.
Does anyone else watch happy, goofy, chick-flick movies when they're having a bummer day, or is that just me?
Thursday, March 22, 2007
In Case You're Interested...
The words to the hymn, as best I can remember, are:
Walking with Jesus
Walking every day
Walking all the way
Walking with Jesus
Walking with Jesus alone
Walking in the sunshine
Walking in the shadows
Walking every day
Walking all the way
Walking in the sunshine
Walking in the shadows
Walking with Jesus alone.
Maybe it was more of a campfire song than a hymn. I don't know. I went to a lot of great campfires at Park of the Pines camp in Michigan...did a lot of singing. Singing is a great way to worship, and an awesome way to feel closer to God. I remember that our campfire leader, Ann Doty, would plan the campfires every day, and would take "requests" for entries in the schedule for that night. The campfire circle was right next to Lake Charlevoix, and boaters would often get as close as they could to the shore so they could hear us singing. We were across the lake from...what was the name of that place? It was a venue for Rock Concerts...Castle Farms! (Thanks, Google.) Anyway, sometimes we would have to sing a little louder to drown out whatever was going on there. But we did. And as we sang, the waves lapped on the shore and you could hear the water slap against the roller raft that was out past the buoys. Back then, I assumed the only valid spiritual experience was seeing a vision of God (I was a teenager, for cryin' out loud...whaddaya want??), and often during campfire time, I'd look up, over the lake, hoping to see him there. I didn't see Him in the clouds. I cherish my memories of Park of the Pines. Some of my most peaceful, happy, safe times in childhood were there. Whether or not the church I attended at the time was "right," I know for a fact that I was closest to God when I was there.
This was all years ago, before I knew the truth about God: that He loves me just as I am. Oh, He wants me to follow His ways and spend time with Him, and if I follow His plan I know that I'll be happier and better off, because He knows what's best; but He loves me in this moment, at this time, no matter what, no chanages required.
Walking with Jesus
Walking every day
Walking all the way
Walking with Jesus
Walking with Jesus alone
Walking in the sunshine
Walking in the shadows
Walking every day
Walking all the way
Walking in the sunshine
Walking in the shadows
Walking with Jesus alone.
Maybe it was more of a campfire song than a hymn. I don't know. I went to a lot of great campfires at Park of the Pines camp in Michigan...did a lot of singing. Singing is a great way to worship, and an awesome way to feel closer to God. I remember that our campfire leader, Ann Doty, would plan the campfires every day, and would take "requests" for entries in the schedule for that night. The campfire circle was right next to Lake Charlevoix, and boaters would often get as close as they could to the shore so they could hear us singing. We were across the lake from...what was the name of that place? It was a venue for Rock Concerts...Castle Farms! (Thanks, Google.) Anyway, sometimes we would have to sing a little louder to drown out whatever was going on there. But we did. And as we sang, the waves lapped on the shore and you could hear the water slap against the roller raft that was out past the buoys. Back then, I assumed the only valid spiritual experience was seeing a vision of God (I was a teenager, for cryin' out loud...whaddaya want??), and often during campfire time, I'd look up, over the lake, hoping to see him there. I didn't see Him in the clouds. I cherish my memories of Park of the Pines. Some of my most peaceful, happy, safe times in childhood were there. Whether or not the church I attended at the time was "right," I know for a fact that I was closest to God when I was there.
This was all years ago, before I knew the truth about God: that He loves me just as I am. Oh, He wants me to follow His ways and spend time with Him, and if I follow His plan I know that I'll be happier and better off, because He knows what's best; but He loves me in this moment, at this time, no matter what, no chanages required.
Walking with Jesus
Yes, I know. This used to be "The Start of Something Big." Well, I changed it. For one thing, it 's not the start anymore. I'm a year into my degree program already. I've made a bunch of progress. For another, I've felt that I need to rename this and take my focus in a different direction. As well as academics, I'm learning a whole lot about my walk with Jesus, as well. I wanted a place to share that. So, for my one-and-a-half readers, I hope you won't be too confused. I think you'll find it intereesting.
My Salome Nature, if you're out there, I hope you're doing well. I haven't heard from you in awhile. Toofakind414, I know you're still out there. Maybe you'll drop by here once in awhile.
Anyway, on to the new topic. Walking with Jesus. It's what I choose to do, and it's been the best thing I've done in my life. What does it mean, you ask? Well, I don't have to drink any Kool-Aid or eat "enhanced" pudding and wait for the spaceship to come. It's a personal choice I've made to accept what God has provided for me-salvation through His son Jesus Christ.
Some wonderful friends prayed for me for six years before I realized that my view of what God wanted from me was incorrect. The hard thing to accept about Christianity is that God loves us-just as we are, this minute. He loves us when we follow Him and when we don't. Much like a parent loves his or her children even after they color on the wall with markers, He loves us no matter what we do, whether or not we deserve it. In fact, we DON'T deserve it. We simply CANNOT deserve it-nothing we humans can do can measure up to God's standards-BUT THAT'S OKAY!! Do you know why it's okay? It's because Jesus came to earth in order to die for the sins of all mankind. He didn't have to, but He did, because He loves us.
There's a lot more I could write about this, and I will another time. I'm happy to have gotten this far on the subject tonight. On another subject, school is going well. I'm done with college algebra, and I know that God got me through it. I had a good teacher and a great team. I was blessed. I'm in Humanities class now, and I went into it kicking and screaming. See, I've taken an art class before (which is basically what this is). I took said class in 1986 at Graceland College in Iowa, and my professor was Lester Wight. I've remembered this because his name is kind of cool-he went by Les Wight, which of course sounds like Less White. Good name for an art teacher, eh? But, to return to the subject; I'm paying ridiculous money to complete my degree at University of Phoenix, because with the kids and the husband and the job and breathing and sleeping and such, I thought it wise to get done fast. I did not want to spend ridiculous money on art class. No offense to artists, I was just hoping for, you know, a necessary class. Which technically this is; I needed another humanities credit, but still...art? (And, by the way, people who are 39 years old do NOT, in my humble opinion, need humanities credits. If you're that sheltered by that time, something is seriously wrong). But I digress. I'm in the class. And you know what? It's COOL! I'm seeing beautiful art and learning about it. After algebra, which caused me to pull out more hair than I'm comfortable discussing here, it's actually kind of nice to be in a 100-level class again...I can do this! I can write! I can look at pictures and sound reasonably intelligent! It's not a bad gig, as it turns out.
As for walking with Jesus, it's been a good walk lately.
My Salome Nature, if you're out there, I hope you're doing well. I haven't heard from you in awhile. Toofakind414, I know you're still out there. Maybe you'll drop by here once in awhile.
Anyway, on to the new topic. Walking with Jesus. It's what I choose to do, and it's been the best thing I've done in my life. What does it mean, you ask? Well, I don't have to drink any Kool-Aid or eat "enhanced" pudding and wait for the spaceship to come. It's a personal choice I've made to accept what God has provided for me-salvation through His son Jesus Christ.
Some wonderful friends prayed for me for six years before I realized that my view of what God wanted from me was incorrect. The hard thing to accept about Christianity is that God loves us-just as we are, this minute. He loves us when we follow Him and when we don't. Much like a parent loves his or her children even after they color on the wall with markers, He loves us no matter what we do, whether or not we deserve it. In fact, we DON'T deserve it. We simply CANNOT deserve it-nothing we humans can do can measure up to God's standards-BUT THAT'S OKAY!! Do you know why it's okay? It's because Jesus came to earth in order to die for the sins of all mankind. He didn't have to, but He did, because He loves us.
There's a lot more I could write about this, and I will another time. I'm happy to have gotten this far on the subject tonight. On another subject, school is going well. I'm done with college algebra, and I know that God got me through it. I had a good teacher and a great team. I was blessed. I'm in Humanities class now, and I went into it kicking and screaming. See, I've taken an art class before (which is basically what this is). I took said class in 1986 at Graceland College in Iowa, and my professor was Lester Wight. I've remembered this because his name is kind of cool-he went by Les Wight, which of course sounds like Less White. Good name for an art teacher, eh? But, to return to the subject; I'm paying ridiculous money to complete my degree at University of Phoenix, because with the kids and the husband and the job and breathing and sleeping and such, I thought it wise to get done fast. I did not want to spend ridiculous money on art class. No offense to artists, I was just hoping for, you know, a necessary class. Which technically this is; I needed another humanities credit, but still...art? (And, by the way, people who are 39 years old do NOT, in my humble opinion, need humanities credits. If you're that sheltered by that time, something is seriously wrong). But I digress. I'm in the class. And you know what? It's COOL! I'm seeing beautiful art and learning about it. After algebra, which caused me to pull out more hair than I'm comfortable discussing here, it's actually kind of nice to be in a 100-level class again...I can do this! I can write! I can look at pictures and sound reasonably intelligent! It's not a bad gig, as it turns out.
As for walking with Jesus, it's been a good walk lately.
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