lifeafter50

January 8, 2009 (on the 9th )

Several years ago we had a terrible ice storm. It knocked out power all over the northern part of the state. It came in the earliest part of the spring, so we were all taken by surprise. Our High School youth group had scheduled a car wash for that day, so in the midst of the school, civic and meeting cancellations the radio announcer would end the long list with; “And … the Burnettsville Christian Church High School Youth Group, (dramatic pause) has canceled … their … car wash.” I love addressing the obvious. My Husband’s grandmother was without electricity for nearly two weeks. I remember her taking it all in stride and saying that if we had not become so dependent on electricity, people wouldn’t be complaining so much now.

And, that’s were I am today.

Our computer domain has a been down all day. A data line has been cut. I can write my blog in OpenOffice, but I can’t post it until it gets back up. Since I’ve started doing some freelance work and the other jobs I do also depend on the computer … I’m not producing. I’ll admit I’m not at a panic yet, but I committed myself to post on Today.com at least once a day. I don’t like not being able to fulfill that. I’ve become very dependent, not just on electricity, but also on computer domains.

Next week I will be in India. They have electricity … most of the time. I’m not sure about dial up. My plan is to continue writing each day and pretend to be posting ;}until I find an Internet cafe were I can get it done. Maybe this is a test run to see if I can handle no computer, without withdrawal. Man! And it’s my turn at Scrabble, too.

Jan. 7, 2009

Wednesdays can be rather long days. In addition to being the Preacher’s Wife, substitute teaching and helping with the massive addition to our house, I am the church secretary and the Christian Education Director. This is actually part of my degree. I hold a Bachelor of Religious Education. My major was in Ministry and my minor was General Bible. This was the degree that only guys took.

Back in the day, 1975 to be exact, all the girls in Bible college either went for a two year associate degree and then finished the four years somewhere else, or they majored in Christian Education.   

   1975 was an interested time of life. The Women’s Lib movement was in full swing and the Vietnam war was just over. We had survived the riots of the 60s. Things were becoming peaceful again. I grew up in the big city of Pittsburgh, PA, so moving to a small college in the upper Midwest was a jump. Almost like going back in time. The kids I went to college with didn’t seem to know about the Women Lib Movement and I’m not sure they knew the war was over.

   I remember being in my dorm room on the first day of Freshman Orientation when my roommate showed up. I was wearing blue jeans and a tee shirt with race cars on the front because I had just met a guy who raced cars. I had 6 inch platform shoes and a 12 string guitar and looked like I just came from Woodstock … the original one. My roommate was from Bristol, Indiana and she was wearing a green plaid jumper … that she had made herself. In my minds eye she had freckles and was chewing on a stalk of wheat. .Talk about the odd couple. I never would have survived college if it hadn’t been for her, but after our Freshman year – we didn’t room together anymore. I’ll have to tell you Freshman year stories another time.

   Like with my gall bladder surgery; I never quite do things like other people . So, I didn’t major in Christian Education like the other girls did. I majored in Ministry with the boys. (Another long story). I wasn’t just into the Womans Lib thing. In fact, theologically speaking I would not be a Minister in a church. As politically incorrect as that is … it is Biblically sound. I love the Lord and am 100% convinced that the scriptures are correct. It has nothing to do with my “calling” or my desire to serve or my abilities or my value as a woman. The Bible says that a woman is not to teach a man (I Timothy 2).That’s really all it takes for me.  I wanted to take all the public speaking classes so I could become a speaker for Ladies Conferences and travel around the world.  I’ve gotten to do that.  But, my plans for my path … are not always the plans of God’s path.  In Proverbs 3:5, He says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” 

Back to Wednesday, God has such a sense of humor. I spent the morning as the church secretary doing church secretary things, like letters and bulletins. Then I spent the afternoon cooking dinner for the church crowd. I really do enjoy this. We eat together every Wednesday night before Bible Study so those who work all day can come and relax before hand. They all chip in a couple dollars to cover the cost of the food. Tonight we ate Indian Cuisine since my Husband and I are leaving soon for a mission trip to India. Then, after the meal, I taught all the children so the adults can go to Bible study. I should have taken those Christian Education classes.

     This was the first day back to school this year but, I didn’t get called to teach.  Subbing is a great job.  It’s not for everyday, and if the kids are in a bad mood … you typically aren’t there the next day with the same kids.  On the other hand, you have to be a very flexible person … and not expect a lot of money!  Which brings me here . 

     There are times you are called in to sub alot, and then there are dry spells where you don’t teach at all.  January is like that.  I’ve told the teachers before, “It’s not the we (the subs) want you to get really, really sick ….”.  

      Today is Sunday and Sunday’s are never ordinary.  I love the Lord.  There is nothing complicated or political about it.  It’s not the most popular place to stay in this day and age.  Over the years I’ve been involved in several battles.  

     The first one was for my own soul.  I didn’t grow up having to go to church.  My Dad didn’t go to church and didn’t care if I did … or didn’t.  My Mom went sometimes, if it wasn’t too hot or too cold, but that changed later in her life.  Mom got her 1^st year Sunday School Perfect Attendance Pin when she was 57.  

     I go to church because I love the Lord.  I evaluated it a few years ago.  People weren’t always nice at church.  They usually were, but not always.  Some of the kids were pretty mean, like kids can be. But, I kept going, because I didn’t go for them.  I really did, and do, simple Love the Lord.

     If you’d like to get into a theological debate, I’m up for it.  Or, if you just love the Lord … I’d  love to hear about that too.

I’m a storyteller. I think this makes my life exciting. Ordinary life is better when told in a story.

    Several years ago I had my gall bladder removed.  The Dr. told me this was the most common, “ordinary” surgery that he preformed.  In fact, he had a student doctor working with him one summer, who asked if he ever did anything else.   All of this was to reassure me that nothing would go wrong.

     The plan was for me to be at the hospital, prepared for surgery by 10 :00 AM and I would probably go home that night.   We told our four children that they would hit the gall bladder with a laser gun and suck it out with a straw through a little hole they made near my belly button.   The Dr. said I would have three stitches that would melt.

     When the surgeon came out to talk to my husband, long after the surgery should have been completed, he sat down on the coffee table (like they do in the movies) and said, “She’s a handful isn’t she?”.   Of course, I wasn’t there, but my husband is a storyteller, too.   Apparently, my ordinary surgery was so ordinary after all.   My organs were in the wrong places.   The Dr. said he put the scope in to look at my gall bladder and he was looking at the back of my abdomen.   They opened me up, 47 staples worth, and put everything back “normal”.  Instead of going home that night, I wasn’t allowed to stand up for 6 days.

     I often wonder why “ordinary things” never seem ordinary when I’m involved.   My brother said it was so I’d have another good story to tell.

 January 2 … this is such an ordinary day compared to yesterday and the rest of the holidays. But, ordinary days are good.  If we lived each day as a holiday, we’d have a great time, but never realize it. They would all be the same.

     I like ordinary days.  It’s quiet.  I teach, so I’m still at home. … went to town to get milk … played Scrabble on Facebook with old college friends … and am learning to enjoy the pleasure of my own company.  Being over 50 it is time. 

     Since I’m new here, I’ll spend a couple days introducing myself. I chose odds and ends as my category, because it is so … me.  Eclectic is my style and my way of life.  So, I suppose, there is never a truly ordinary day.