Where have I been?

Saw friend Donna in the store the other day. That's where we pretty much see each other when we see each other. ;-)
She said, "You're not writing much..." and I realized she meant my blog here. I haven't been here since February. Why is that? I talk about Facebook being so easy, yet voyeuristic. And, yet, I don't blog. Facebook has begun to make me feel vulnerable, too exposed. Too many coworkers, etc., that I'm friends with...I don't want everyone to know the inner workings of my life. Most don't know about this blog. I want to keep it that way.
I've had a rough patch these past months. Up and down Lupus numbers. I'm lucky that it's so mild...but fatigue is a difficult thing. People don't understand dragging through days sometimes. I love my job, though, and can always find the energy to go there. A smile or a hug from a child certainly transfers energy to my soul. These two weeks off were welcome since I've been battling bronchitis on top of everything else...but now I'll need to use the next week to rest up! No matter how much I resist, for some reason, since I'm the female...the holidays seem to rest upon my shoulders. It doesn't matter if I say I'm not up to it...I always cave and always do too much.
We have a new person in the house. A friend of my sons' who battles a few demons of his own. His family is very dysfunctional, and suffice to say, he has suffered for it. He has no car, is working, but no one in his family will house him and help him get back on his feet. He was in a car accident a few years ago, and his dad kept the insurance money instead of giving it to him for a down payment on a new car.
No car....hard to work. His mother, a hoarder and alcoholic whose other children won't speak to her, locked him out of the apartment in cold rain. His brother offered him a place to sleep....in his car. These people say they are Christians.
He has a job now. Is saving money for a car. We'll be going to an auction soon, I hope.
I've seen so much selfishness, so much egocentrism, dishonesty, and arrogance lately that my heart is hurting. I don't understand. Can the world truly revolve around everyone individually all at once?? ;-)
So, this story and a bunch of others weigh on my heart and I cling to my little ones at school because I see sparks of love in them...and I want to feed that love. Maybe they'll remember that some old lady named Ms. D. told them that they would change the world for the better..and maybe they will! There is so much potential in these kids. What happens to alter us so horribly when we grow up?
Is this a bummer of a post?? Ha! Sorry. I'm pondering, and will continue to do so......Merry Christmas! Praying for the blessings of the Holy Spirit upon you all.

Progress

Progress with one of our spec ed kiddos, the non-verbal. He has some violent tendencies, but he loves music. I brought my guitar a Friday ago and I played one song. He signed, "More, please."
!!!
Awesome! I almost cried.
One of the first things I've taught him is emotions on the CHATT board. When he can tell us he is angry, sad, etc., he is less likely to lash out. I guess that's true of us all, hmm?
I'm struggling with the certification thing. I'm so tired when I come home. I do more than expected, and take work home. If I'm teaching, I'll have even more coming home. With CMS and Lupus, I just don't know if I can do it. A bit frustrating. I usually end up taking a nap when I get home and don't get much else accomplished.
Got to let Him lead the way. It's hard. I keep getting in His way.
This year is flying by. I find that I am letting little distractions get in the way of my visits with our Father. That makes me more stressed and scattered. I have a new friend, a bipolar fellow, who is pressing into God and that has helped me to get more grounded. We always have to be brought back, don't we? We let past and future mess with our present.

Exodus 4:2
The Lord askes Moses, "What is in your hand?"

We are led out of bondage, right?
The shepherd's staff is in our hand. No regrets about the past, no fear about the future. Stay in the present with His plans for us.
Gotta remember that.

Waiting on a new year

Just hoping that the next season is gentler on some of us.

Here are my new babies. I hope your Christmas was merry and your new year blessed!!

New reasons to knock the dust off. . .

Matthew 10:14
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.
I've always liked this verse. It's sort of a second chance (and isn't our big Daddy the God of second chances?) and speaks to me of moving on, unhindered.
A pastor friend of mine did a live-stream message last week about moving on in 2009. He referenced that passage and put a new light onto it.
We see this as shaking the dust off so we can forget what has not been received and move on.
How about shaking the stuff off so we don't drag the old garbage to the new place?
Ho ho! That's interesting! How much of our old junk do we haul around on our "shoes?" Some of it, I think, we'll really need to scrape off!
Let's move on into 2009 and try not to take a bunch of baggage with us. Let's forgive and forget--perhaps even farther back from 2008! Let's take ownership of what we actually own and let go of what we don't. We can only handle so much. Embrace the new. Let go of the old.
What are some things you need to let go? I'm thinking my list is pretty long!

Saturday afternoons. . .

I hear that cats and dogs aren't supposed to get along, but Lizzie and Gracie didn't get the memo. I love days like this. Quiet, overcast, chilly without being outrageously cold. Working on a couple of client projects and sipping some java. Most excellent. I hope your day is special.

Last few days. . .

I had a whopper of a migraine; the boys and I went out to my dad's to help him in his yard and around the house a little. I guess breathing in all the plant stuff plus already having allergy problems set it off. The fact that he keeps his house at 80 degrees didn't help much either. However, I managed to clean some vines out of his landscaping and help him with the NY Times crossword.

It finally rained....and a GREAT rain it was.....yesterday. Absolutely fab!

Michael spent some time

with us. Gracie doesn't like

rain much. She sits on the furniture....like ON the furniture--the top, edge, whatever. She tries to sit on your head, too.

I managed to finish my brick curvy "line" in my back yard between my graveled french drains and my grass. It was getting frustrating

keeping the gravel out of the grass....may not be much better, but it

looks lots nicer. Thank God it was cool this a.m.! We're putting in

a stained concrete pad (that irregular shaped bed there) for our grill toward the back there, with a berm (in the back corner) that will be mulched and planted, and a quiet place way on the

left for a hammock. Getting there.