A GREAT line

From a lady who has lamented to her minister about her husband's lack of spiritual development, something she was trying to nag him into developing:

"He [the minister] looked to me and said, 'You've installed yourself as part of the Holy Trinity...'"

Today's study gem

"My yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:30) If you feel that the weight of your circumstances is too heavy to bear, maybe it's because the burden is yours, not His.

Quote from one of my favorite cookbooks--and not because it's a Chinese legend

The Origins of Roast Pork:

According to an ancient Chinese folk tale, Bo-Bo, a clumsy adolescent peasant boy, discovered the joys of roast pork when he accidentally burned down his father's pigsty. As Charles Lamb relates in his Dissertation Upon Roast Pig, "Imitators were soon building and burning down pigsties at a terrifying rate."

Darkly hilarious.

Why Is There an Ech--Ooohhh

Mom called me this afternoon to ask that I report that their phone was down. She explained (so I could explain) that the tree service had started their work by knocking down their phone line. Thinking it would be easier to just call and explain (and maybe get expedited service), I just placed a 611 call.

As they say, that's what I get for thinking.

I got a lady who was obviously obviously following a script. I affectionately call her Bonnie the Brainless.

Me: I'm calling to report that my parents' outside phone line has been knocked down by a tree service.

Bonnie: I'm sorry that you're having phone trouble today. Could you give me the number of the phone you're reporting? Could you confirm the address? the name on the account?

(I did all the above)

Bonnie: I see they have wire care on their phone. If the problem is inside the house, it will be covered.

Me: Ooooooook.

Bonnie: Are they getting a dial tone?

Me: No. Their OUTSIDE line was knocked down. A tree service is there and they hit the line.

Bonnie: I see. Could you confirm the name on the account?

I did, for the second time, at least.

Bonnie: And what is your name?

Me: Carolyn Reid (new question)

Bonnie: Could you please hold, please?

Bonnie left. I sort of assumed she was calling one of the trucks that routinely buzzes the area. After an eternity, she returned.

Bonnie: I ran a test and I see that they have no service. It could be an issue that we have to resolve or, if you want, you could run and check it yourself to see if you can find the problem.

Me: (not shouting--remarkably--but FIRMLY) The problem is that the line that runs from the pole to the house was knocked down by a tree service. The fellow who did it came to them to report what had happened.

Bonnie: I see. (Me: Whatever, Bonnie.) We can have service there tomorrow between 8 and 12.

Of course, I'm running myself over the coals thinking that I actually thought calling could expedite the process, but I think I'm still a bit better off than is Bonnie.

From a book I'm not really supposed to be reading

Why? It's written for Christian men...NICE Christian men. It's called, No More Christian Nice Guy.

"The church told me to worry more about sin than purpose, more about keeping up appearances than searching for and embracing meaning. More about what I shouldn't do than what I should do. More about being nice than being good. Fear of failure, of falling short, of trying, but not being perfect, has us paralyzed, immobile, and, eventually, indifferent.

"...Think about how pleasing the illusion of a conflict-free life is to the ears of Nice Guys. Who can confront them with criticism if they don't do anything noticeable?..."

And, from R.C. Sproul (a guy I need to see more of):

"When I became a Christian, I understood that Jesus took my sin away. What I never heard from Him was that He intended to take my backbone away."

I could quote more, but I'm in danger of violating copyright as it is!

Gem from today's lesson

"The bigger the risk, the bigger the blessing."

Try reading that when your biggest risk is sleeping in the room next to you and see if you can hold it together.

Quotes from my study

This lady is blind physically, but she sure isn't in any other way:

"Eyes of faith see every problem as solvable because they see every problem as spiritual in nature. What is merely physical is confined by the laws of nature, but what is spiritual has no confines except those our supernatural sovereign God chooses."

"...As St. Augustine put it, the reward of our faith will be to see what we believe. How important it is to walk by faith! Look where it will lead us--face to face with God Himself!"

March 22, 2007; PM

I just found this in my list of postings. Oh, how well I remember this day. I just forgot to finish posting on that day!

12:22—Mr. L tells me to come see him at 1:30
1:30—Go to see Mr. L. Tells me he has to go to classrooms; see him at 2:00
2:00—Finishing mandatory meeting with insurance folk
2:07—Go to office; no Mr. L.
2:15—Go to office; no Mr. L
2:20—Go to office; Mr. L AND Mr. D
2:32—Go to office; Mr. L AND Mr. D; Mrs. H waiting
2:45—Go to office; Mr. L AND Mr. D AND Mrs. H; I grumble that everyone else winning game of “Catch the Principal”
2:35—Finished straightening shelves after Ms. Griffith’s melee.
2:55—Another melee. Students are saying, “YOU STRAIGHTENED THE SHELVES?” Considering doing bodily harm, even if it means to myself.
2:20-3:25—My three student aides are considering bodily harm to each other because the most impatient one is the only one who knows how to cover books.
2:30—Our French exchange student comes in, holding a computer printout of a woman. “I’m from aht. I need to print zis with za head.” Maybe it's stress, but I practically have to stab myself in the leg with scissors to keep from laughing in her face. I can't help myself. I'm not a mean person. The stereotype has come to life right in front of me.

To be honest

I'm having the time of my life!

1. The building is closed. The network is down. We have a principal. I'm not holding my breath, but NO ONE should have a reason to call me in for much of anything!
2. I'm watching Collier, our church secretary's two-year-old son, on Fridays. Having two two-year-olds, even when the female is being ridiculously female, is a blast. (No one should be allowed to have so much fun. I'm serious.)
3. I'm actually able to read (and BLOG!) some stuff that I want to read (and blog)!
4. My biggie: I'm doing the women's Bible study at church. You don't know how much I enjoy getting up early during the summer just to leisurely study and meditate in the mornings, especially when the world is beautiful as it is at sunrise.

I feel so at peace. I love the feeling. Something just feels "right." I'm not one to go on feeling, but boy, sometimes a feeling is worth going with!

AAAAAhhhhhhh.....

School is out. I have two extended days to complete, then I'm off for pretty much a solid month. Maybe more. I'll just have to see how construction/vacation/life goes.

Spent a hilarious day with two two-year-olds. Charissa and Collier played and played and fought and fought until nap time, then Collier fought ME about taking a nap. Then Charissa fought HIM from the time she woke until he left. Mars and Venus at two. Who knew?

I can't believe I'm trying to figure out what I'll be doing with my next few weeks, but I am. It's not so much that I have nothing to do as it is I'm not sure I can remember how to do it without constant interruption of SBDM, building demands, etc., etc. Weird to know that no one can get on--heck, they can't even get TO--their technology. Next year will be even more odd in that I have no STC, SBDM, or Academic Team duties. I don't know, but I think I can get used to this. I hope I'm given the leeway to find out for sure if I can.

In other news:

1. Brian is still working nutty hours. (Oh, yeah. I said "news," didn't I?)
2. Brennan has taken up FISHING.
3. We DESPERATELY need rain--and some friends have promised to send us some, to no avail. (Hint, hint to our Kansas family.)
4. We're headed to Texas soon to see Darrin, who is going to the Gulf yet again. (In the words of the Pope Julius II in The Agony and the Ecstacy, "When will you finish?")

That's all I have energy for right now. I'm still rebuilding my stamina after this year.