Another One Bites the Dust

Back in September, I posted about my bad luck with pointy fingers. You can read that HERE:   http://jim-merson.blogspot.com/2012/09/bad-luck-with-pointy-fingers.html

I have this pointy finger thing I use with my document camera.  Last Friday I was out of school because I had this Girls Retreat. . . I had a great sub, left lots of work, my room was reasonably clean.

Before I left on Thursday, I saw my pointy finger (with a Cracker Jack prize pencil topper on it!) on my cart with my document camera. I started to put it away, but thought no, it will be OK. 

Today, I get back to school, read my note and breath a sigh of relief, mostly. Three of my four classes were good, one was terrible, but I sort of expected that. I’m going on with my classes today, having a pretty good day.  Imagine my surprise when I walk past my cart and see. . .

the Cracker Jack pencil topper lying on the cart and the pointy finger – NO WHERE TO BE FOUND!! I think of my students stole it, but first, took the topper off and left it on the cart. I was (and still am)  furious!!  Who does that??  I guess I need a yellow once, since I’ve had every other color and they have all disappeared!! I can’t believe it.

The Most Interesting Man in the World

You know that commercial with the most interesting man in the world?  You know – I don’t often drink beer but when I do???? It is an advertising campaign for Dos Equis beer and it it brilliant!  I don’t drink beer (or anything else alcoholic for that matter) but those commercials make me laugh.

I have decided I think I know the real, most interesting man in the world – or at least one of them.  I spend six weeks in London in the summer of 2008.   A group of us took two classes at the FSU Study Centre.  Our professor, Dr. Nancy Everhart has taught every year since then but not for 6 weeks! Her husband, Harry came with her. When we met, he and I just sort of hit it off – he is a retired middle school Science teacher  and first, we commiserated about middle schoolers. I just love him – he’s great!!

“Uncle Harry”  is interested in EVERYTHING.  He embraces new technology. He writes a blog called “Florida Coal Cracker Chronicles.”   What a great name is that – it’s a mix of his past and his present.   He  reads and writes about politics, education, the Seminoles, cars, and house movers – do you know anybody else with such eclectic tastes?  He is retired, but he definitely hasn’t  given up on everything.   He’s very frugal (okay, he’s tight!) and he’s always looking for a good deal. But he finds them!!  He can definitely make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!

Sometimes when people retire, they slow down and fade away!None of that for our friend Harry! He’s always working on something. He retired early – he’s certainly not an old man, but he’s always, always busy!   I’m constantly fascinated to see what  he’s working on today.  I want to be like him when I grow up!  

Interested in the Florida Coal Cracker?   You can meet one of the “World’s Most Interesting Men” here: http://everhart.blogspot.com/

This was Harry taking our picture at the Abbey Road Studios!

This is the picture he took:

Why Me?

Tonight I feel blessed beyond measure. Tonight at AWANA, I was showered with gifts, cards and goodies.  I’m always slightly embarrassed when people bring me gifts and I never know what to say.  I know that’s hard to imagine – me NOT knowing what to say – or at least pretending to!  I’m always thankful, but sometimes “Thank You” just doesn’t seem like enough. 

I’m never really sure why people choose me to bring gifts.  Why me?? I certainly don’t deserve them!  Why do people who have a whole bunch of other people to purchase gifts  for add me to their list??  I’m flattered and I always feel unworthy! Tonight one of my AWANA ladies brought me some home-made Oreo truffles. Several years ago, she made some for girl’s tea we had and I was just blown away at how good they were. She remembered that – and brought me some!  They are fabulous!! I have eaten WAY too many sweets today, but I HAD to eat one of those – and almost cried. That’s how good they are.  I was tying on a Grinch mask at the time when told me the package was for me.  I thanked her, but I know it seemed like I wasn’t paying attention. I was! My AWANA leaders gave me a  lovely sweet card – again, I felt stupid and couldn’t find the words I wanted.  All night, I just kept feeling like I wanted to cry. Partly because  I’m so thankful that people care,  and partly because  I can’t say what I want to say. So let me try this – Thank you to all of you who  make me feel special and important – and that the things I do matter. You have NO idea how much that means. I wish I could tell you how it makes me feel to know that you invested something of yourself in me.  Thank you all for caring about me!  

I <3 Music

I have NO musical talent.  My dad is very musical – he played in the FFA band for years. My oldest sister is the very best pianist I know – and I’m not just saying that because she’s my sister! My other sister sing beautifully.  I got nothin!   My talent is to turn the pages of the sheet music. (Apparently I got it honestly, I think my mother was tone deaf!) 

But oh, how I love music. I sing (badly and loudly) quite often – when no one is around.  There is always a song in my head – and sometimes it bursts out!  I didn’t realize how much I sing until I got this LightSpeed system in my classroom. It has these two little microphones you can wear around your neck and it connects to the speakers they put in my ceiling, so even when my A/C is on and I have a huge classroom, everyone can hear me.  (I’m not sure that was ever a problem before, but anyway!) Now, unfortunately, I realize I sing to myself out loud quite often – and my students suffer for it!

I have very eclectic musical taste. I mean how many people have Bon Jovi right  next to Barry Manilow – HUSH! Don’t laugh!!  I love him! He’s my dying wish. If I’m ever dying and I get a wish from the Make a Wish Foundation – I want him to sing “Sandi” instead of “Mandy” just once!!

Oh and the next shelf has soundtracks from movies and plays. I’ve got “Wicked” and “The Wedding Singer.”  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Handel’s “Messiah” right next to Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys – and the Chipmunks!! Christopher Cross next to Chris Tomlin ( lots of him!! ) next to Jim Brickman next to Journey next to Kenny Chesney. 

I read this quote the other day “When words leave off, music begins” by Heinrich Heine.  I’d never heard of him, but he was exactly right.  There are things I can’t say  that I just don’t have the words for, but someone has already said it for me.

Last month at Women of Faith, Sandi Patti did her “Jesus Love Me” thing – she sang Jesus Loves Me as she sang it through her lifetime. My sisters and I heard her do that years ago, when we first EVER  heard her. It was our first “girls only” night and we were fascinated because she spelled her name just like we did! It’s pretty simple, but it’s exactly right. Through every circumstance in my life – that one thing is constant – Jesus loves me! When I’m happy, Jesus loves me. When I’m sad, Jesus loves me. When I’m confused, Jesus loves me. Isn’t it amazing – the first song I ever learned is a foundation stone for my life!! Is it any wonder I music??

Day 12–I’m thankful for. . .

My pastor! I’ve had several pastors throughout my life and quite often, it was my daddy! I’ve been blessed to have wonderful men of God who were truly dedicated to the Lord and His service.

My  church now is blessed with a wonderful pastor. I love that he loves us, in spite of us.  Lately, he’s been preaching to me pretty hard, at least I feel like it. But that means he’s preaching what I need to hear, right? Even if it’s painful?

I love, Love, LOVE that he reads often and frequently! Because I’m a reader, when he talks about this book and that book – he’s speaking my language.  I believe that we all should be life-long learners and he is!

I’m thankful for a pastor that loves his family – and is not embarrassed or ashamed to say it! I love that he holds hands with Mrs. Debbie and that he has a verse for each of his grandchildren. 

I love that he makes mention of his salvation story frequently. That tells me that it is STILL important to him. His life became  very different on that November day and  I like it when he tells it again.

I am thankful for his availability. When I had my gallbladder out, he and Mrs. Debbie came to see me before. When my sister had surgery and was without a pastor, he came and prayed with my sister – who he doesn’t even know!  And on Monday, which is his day off!!

My church is blessed and I am blessed. We had a guest preacher last week who reminded us that we need to pray for our pastor all the time. It really convicted me – and I’m making it my goal to pray for my pastor EVERY SINGLE day. If you see me, ask me if I’ve prayed for my pastor yet today. I’m ashamed of myself that I hadn’t been. I do on Sundays and on Saturday nights and when I know he’s stressed, but EVERY day is my goal. 

Thankful for. . . (Day 3)

I’m thankful today and everyday for parents who not only were readers themselves, but encouraged us to become readers.

(This was supposed to be  just a Facebook status update, but it needs more.)

C.S. Lewis – who  happens to be the author of my most favorite books EVER said ““You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” I may trade that cup of tea for a glass of tea, but it still rings true.  I was blessed to grow up in a home of readers. We always had books in our house and our parents could always find money for books. I remember visiting the Goodwill store called the “Re-reader” for books when I was little.  We could pick up books for a nickel, dime or quarter. (In hindsight,  that early experience makes it VERY hard for me to pay full price for hardback books now!)  They also taught us the value of the public library. We moved from Lakeland right after my 7th birthday and I had already learned to LOVE the library. Anybody else remember those funky colored wire mesh looking chairs in the children’s section of the Lakeland Library??

Our school was poor – we were poor, although we didn’t realize it and once a year we got RIF books.  The RIF (Reading is Fundamental) people came into our school library with boxes and boxes of books and we got to pick one  - a brand new book and take it home. It was ours to keep, for FREE!! We loved RIF books. 

My parents  always seemed to find money for book orders. You know, those little paper flyers kids bring home, every month? We couldn’t always buy every book we wanted, but we always got something, if we really wanted it.  Maybe that’s why I still send home those Scholastic book order forms, even if only one kid orders a book.

I have a poster in my room that says “Those who DO NOT read are no better off than those who CAN NOT read.”  I’m so, so thankful that my parents encouraged us to read. I can’t imagine my life without books. Books have taken me all over the world, allowed me to have grand adventures, and taken me beyond my circumstances. Books have taken me to every continent and nearly every country in the world.  I’ve traveled on planes, trains and automobiles, as well as hot air balloons, space shuttles and rocket ships. I’ve even visited other planets. I’ve eaten fabulous meals, and been starving.  I’ve lived in beautiful homes and in poor, desperate hovels.  I’ve been in love a million time and had my heart broken just as often. I’ve been in the tundra, in the desert, and just as quickly, in a rain forest.  I’ve been on the  the peak of Mt. Everest and explored  the barrenness of Antarctica – all while never leaving my home. 

Thomas Jefferson once said  “I cannot live without books.” It’s true about me – I absolutely cannot!!

The business cards I had made had this quote from Louisa May Alcott:  “She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.” 

Thank you, Mom and Daddy, for letting me become a reader!!

 

Hey, even my cat reads:

 

Sick

“Sick and tired.”

“Worried sick.”

“That makes me sick.”

“Sick at heart.”

We use the word “sick” to mean lots of things.  At work, we have sick days, but we also have personal leave chargeable to sick leave.  When we sign into our program that records our absences, it’s actually called “personal illness.”  I’m using a sick day but there’s no personal illness. I don’t have a cold. I do have  a sore throat.  I don’t have the flu, but I do feel achy all over.    I also  have a hurting arm/shoulder/neck thing that required a muscle relaxer and a pain pill – which doesn’t lead to a clear head. (And I’ve had 3 weeks without good sleep, which is not conducive to being a good teacher.)  And I’m sick and tired. And I’m worried sick. And I’m sick at heart. And there are things that make me sick.  

A wise man once said “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”  I’m wondering if my mental state is affecting my physical state.  We all know that the mind is a powerful thing, right?? Is my physical distress a  result of my mental distress?

I have a friend who is going through a difficult time – but she’d going through with grace and dignity. I have another friend who is taking care of a sick mother –it’s been a rough year and a half for her. She can’t even spell dignity, but she’s managing.  I know all these people who have much bigger issues than I do, but I’m feeling overwhelmed and wimpy and frustrated and nervous and powerless.  All together, it makes me feel sick!

But, in the same place I found that hope deferred makes the heart sick. I read this “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.”  And this: “All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” And best of all, this: A merry heart does good, like medicine.”

So right now, I’ll fall asleep, because of that pain pill. But later, I’ll put my arm in my stupid little sling, and head off to hang out with, bond with and worship with ladies from my church, (and several 1000 of our closest friends!) and trust that the medicine from the Great Physician can fix my “sick.”