Hooray For Family

As I sit here, it's semi-early (7:15 a.m.).  The house is quiet.  But we have had the best time over the last twenty hours.


If you've read any of my previous posts, you know that it's been a very crazy summer.  It's been one filled with illness, recovery, and learning-both in classrooms and out.  But for a little while last night, it felt like our home was the way I remembered some of my relative's homes when I was growing up.  And it did wonders for my spirits.


Usually, my family is the one who does the traveling around.  If we have kinfolk who come up from Florida to Virginia, we'll visit Virginia, and manage to see lots of family.  (Once, when I was twelve or thirteen, I spent the week in Virginia.  Never even had time to miss my family-we were too busy having a big time.)


Since Daddy has been ill, people have been coming to us.  The fact that at the moment we are unable to travel makes me sad.  But all of the guests have been wonderful.  


Over the last few weeks, but especially the last 24 hours, we have visited.  We have eaten our fill.  We have reminisced.  I've heard stories about my cousins, my parents, my grandparents that I'd never heard.


And we have laughed.  


The kind of laughter that makes not only your sides but your face hurt.  The kind that makes you gasp and giggle and then start all over again.  The kind that you take for granted while you're laughing, but when you get a quiet moment to just sit and reflect, you realize how very blessed you are.  Because you haven't laughed that hard in a long time.


And you see you're blessed because you have so many people who care about your family in your life.  And to see how God sends you those people just when you need them.   And you can't help but echo David's sentiment, "What is man that you are mindful of him?" Psalm 8:4

Summer Reading List

Here are the books on my nightstand.  The Summer 2010 Rundown:

• King Lear by William Shakespeare.  Atleast I can now say I've read this classic.
• A Midsummer Night's Dream  by William Shakespeare.  LOVED IT!
• You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning by Celia Rivenbark.  Though I am a non-drinker, I love good southern humor.  This fits the bill. 
• Somebody Is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn't Catch That Bouquet by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays.  Again, another southern humor book that is just too good to be true. 
• 64 Great Games to Make The school teacher in me is getting her fix by reading what games I can prepare for the upcoming year.  Now if I can just get my hands on enough tagboard....
• Tools for Promoting Active, In-depth Learning by Silver and Strong.  Always on the look out for how to enrich my classroom.  This book as lots of great tools.  And I bought it (and the games book) at a consignment sale.  I love a good bargain!
• The Me I Want To Be by John Ortberg.  I have really enjoyed Mr. Ortberg's books ever since I went to a retreat in college at Lake Cumberland and the speaker used his book If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of the Boat as the topic that weekend.  Water will always be one of my favorites (I also really adore When The Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box), but this one is nice as well. 
• The Message version of the Bible is offering a new perspective on things.  I really love the NIV version, but this isn't bad. 

And there are more books I haven't gotten to yet, but they will be plowed through.  All in good time. :)

Dear Chris Tomlin

Dear Chris Tomlin,




Greetings.  By now I am sure it has come to your attention that I will not be in attendance Saturday when you lead worship at that wonderful pavilion of pleasure known as King's Island.  Knowing you are the sensitive type and are completely devastated by this absence, I feel the need to explain my truancy.


As you know, we go back.  Like way back.  Like, remember when you would sign cds? Before the whole mp3 thing became a big deal?  Guess which cd I have a signed copy of?  Not to Us.  Yeah, that's how far back we go. 


And usually if you are within a hundred mile radius of Lexington I (and some peeps) will happily traverse to worship with you.  [Okay, there was that whole 'nother time there was a trip to Nashville.  But that was due to an unfortunate debacle (see Ichthus comma, 2007 and people who would druther talk than sing worship songs).]  However, this is the venue and date at which I draw the proverbial line in the sand.


Dude, do you know what King's Island is?  I know you're from Texas and all, so let me enlighten you.  It's an amusement park.  And it's super fun.  They do have a lot of great roller coasters (if you need to know which are worth the wait and which to stroll on by, just let me know).  I really like the idea of this combo, but I just can't deal with it being on a Saturday.


I know the economy is rough and all, but you're going to be there.  So is Toby Mac. And Third Day.  On a weekend.  The weekends are usually crowded as is.  However, this is really going to bring in people by the truckloads.  (Though in this case, it's the church vans.)  Let me give you some perspective: I would sometimes have one of your cds playing when the bell rang as the kids came into my classroom.  One of my kindergarteners would ask me, "Do you have any Toby Mac?"  So you KNOW if five year old is requesting Toby Mac, it is going to be unmistakably crowded.  I don't abhor crowds, but I know enough to avoid gobs of people.  


I wish y'all a good time.  Please don't shed any tears because I'm sitting this one out.  Do ride the Beast for me-it's my favorite roller coaster.  A good time will be had by all up there though-those who are brave enough to face a blue million people at King's Island are sure in for a treat.  Surely the Lord will be there in your midst-His favor is definitely upon you.  Have a wonderful time!


Sincerely,
Robin

Why I Teach

Some do it for the money.  Others for the fame.  For me personally, it's to help kids avoid looking like fools.  I saw this yesterday.  If they had taken a moment to read the sign before getting on a machine and attaching it to the side, it would have saved them a lot of work.  But it sure gave me a good laugh.  Look closely and you'll see why. (You have to click on the pic to see the other half and see why this is hysterical.)

Happy Birthday America!

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you....You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.'  But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,
and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.  Deuteronomy 8:10, 17-18

We all know how blessed we are to live in the United States.  While the U.S. has its problems, and we are all aware of them, I still cannot help but feel gratitude that I am an American citizen. 

And much like the Scripture says, whcn I look at my possessions, at our great nation, sometimes I am tempted to pat myself (or collectively ourselves) on the back and take credit for a job well done.

Then, conviction creeps in.  And I realize that all I have has nothing to do with me.  It has to do with the sacrifices of others, from the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives and their occupations so that we can live, work and play with freedom and security.  It's about family members who sacrificed self so they could help form character and help make sure their families had all they needed.  It's about the founders of our who valued worship so much they were ready to venture to an unknown.

Above all else, the reason why America is great is because God has put His favor on it.  We have done nothing to deserve it, which is why it's called favor.  We don't need to delude ourselves into thinking that we earned it, it's simply His grace.  

So I humbly ask you this long weekend, as we celebrate America's birthday and contemplate how very fortunate we are to live in this blessed nation, to do exactly as Moses instructed the Israelites a long time ago.  Eat, be satisified, be thankful!  Just be sure and remember to whom those thanks must be given.

How To Ensure The ER Will Talk About You

As I mentioned previously, my father suffered a stroke not too long ago. 16 days ago to be precise. And because we like to make sure that we will be remembered (good or bad), my family takes certain precautions upon entering the ER. It is of the utmost importance to make a lasting impression on those who give so much to making the welfare of the community better. My family does our part to make sure we are not forgotten. This includes:

• My 71 year old father denying he needed ANY medical attention. Of course, as he was saying this, he couldn't hardly open one eye, limped, slurred every single word that exited his lips and had one side of his face drooping. Nah, Daddy, I just didn't want to do my homework this afternoon and decided that I'd druther run you to the ER instead.
• Daddy telling the ER physician we accused him of forgetting his own child's name. (While en route to the hospital, he couldn't come up with my sister's name. I asked him mine, and he thought and thought before saying, "Dr. Robin". Told you he was funny, even during a stroke.) When the doctor asks you what your kids' names are, reply without missing a beat, "Nosy and Busybody". That'll show 'em. [FYI-I informed my sister that she was Nosy and I was Busybody.]
• Make sure one member of your party wears the LOUDEST flip flops in the county. While your father may not be complaining or bellowing in pain, we need to make sure that everyone knows you're there. Noisy shoes will remind them to come and check on you.

Thought we were finished? Ha!

13 days later, Daddy was sent back to the ER under doctor's orders for a CT scan after experiencing several hours of mental confusion (including making my sister go to the mailbox at 7:45 a.m. and trying to make me check the mail even earlier, thinking I was my mother despite our nearly 30 year age difference-that made Mama's day).

Of course, thinking only of the comfort of our parents, my sister stayed at the house, ready to transport my mother to the hospital once she arrived home from work. So I took Daddy back up to the ER and awaited the diagnosis. He had been doing so well, that all the confusion was such a shock.


In walks the ER doctor and nurse. "Well, sir, so you're confused? What seems to be the trouble?"


My father replies without missing a beat, "You just wait until my wife and other daughter get up here. Then you'll see why I'm confused."


Needless to say, the medical staff laughed (as did I). They ran a bunch of tests and said that he was going to be okay. The confusion could be with him for a few months, or indefinitely. However, Daddy still has his sense of humor, and we are so grateful.


Explaining this whole mess to everyone though-once we got home, one of his sisters called. Daddy tried and tried to explain it. Then finally, he called Mama to the phone. Mom listened for a moment, then burst out laughing. "That's pretty much it," she answered. I asked her later and she said, "Your dad kept telling them, the girls felt bad so they put me in the hospital."


Any wonder Daddy won't let me help him with anything?


"A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22

Hope Comes One Bite At A Time

Ten days ago, my family experienced a life changing event: my father suffered a stroke. Now, thank the Lord, things are slowly returning to normal (although you could make an argument we weren't all that normal to begin with), but it's amazing how you measure progress.

Sometime I will tell you about how Daddy was completely and utterly himself throughout the ordeal (which meant even in the throes of a stroke, he was still laugh out loud funny), but things I've never even thought about I take for granted.

For example, eating. Being able to hold a slice of bread in your left hand and use it to move your food around is a BIG deal. Trust me on this one. A week ago, Daddy was released from the hospital. That first night home, he tried to eat. We stuck a dishrag in his lap because a napkin wasn't big enough. He couldn't hold anything with his left hand. He would try to pick up bread and his hand-eye coordination was off. He couldn't hold anything, even when you put it in his hand. It was painful to watch your father, whom you have seen as a powerful figure your entire life, be reduced to being fed with a fork by you.

And the left side of his face was paralyzed. This meant that he would "hide" vast amounts of food in his cheek. We were in constant fear that he would not chew his food well and choke or that he would not feel the food there and leave it in there. Mealtimes required extra vigilance.
Even though we put on brave faces for the visitors and well wishers, it was hard. We heard the doctors say that he would get better, but had doubts.

Fast forward to this morning. Eating breakfast with toast, there sits my father, holding his toast in his left hand. Again, this miracle had previously gone unnoticed in our household until this week. Not only that, he could bite and chew without needing assistance from us.

This morning I learned that God works in all kinds of ways. He does send us hope. This morning, He sent it one bite at a time.