Can You Believe??

Can you believe ......in Santa Claus? Can you believe that December is starting off kind of like I remember December of last year --really cold? I keep hearing about La Nino and El Nino and everybody Nino. (Supposedly the Ninos cause all of this weather phenomenon.) I just wish the Nino Family would go away and quit bothering us. Is that really too much to ask?

I would just like a truly typical southern winter. I think I would really enjoy that. How about you?

Being Cold....

I detest cold weather. I can not think of one redeeming feature of cold weather. Now, I guess I should define cold weather. Cold weather, to me, is anything below fifty degrees, but more specifically anything below forty degrees is really cold. If it is below thirty degrees it is down right brutal in my mind. Lest you get any bright ideas about my opinion(s) I have lived in and through some truly cold stuff.

I have this thing called light affective disorder or whatever. It simply means that I am really sensitive to the loss of light during the months of the year when daylight hours are shorter. So.. I have no love for the months of November and December due to the number of really short days and long hours of dark. I could never live at the poles or even in Palin's beloved Alaska. She can have it---and see Russia all day!!!

Each year I live for the days of January when the days start to lengthen by one minute a day. Wait, don't get me wrong, I didn't say I loved January. I was just saying that I appreciated the fact that the days begin to lengthen out each day in January. Gradually over the months until the latter part of June our days get longer. In my tiny mind, cold weather == short days and short days == cold weather.

Singing n' Sanging

So, where is it written that a church congregation MUST sing every song in the hymnal at least once a year or whichever?? Just wondered if anyone knew the answer. I can not think of a single reason why it should be a requirement for exaltation. Now, honestly, can you??

On many Sundays, almost most Sundays of late, I feel like I am giving a concert or that I am accompanying the chorister in singing a solo that neither of us chose or prepared as a solo.
As you may have guessed, songs that are being chosen as congregational hymns are not familiar or known by the congregation. Poor folks, especially those who do not read music, trying to sing along and be cooperative. Sort of like trying to ride a bike with one tire flat!

Oh well, when I get to be king of the world things really will be different!!

Teaching From the Heart....

For whatever reason the time that has lapsed since I last worked in my chosen profession has brought about a tremendous loss for me in terms of good memories of a career in which I invested heavily of my time and dedication for lots of years. I truly can not say I have wasted any time missing getting up early and going off to school each day. But my confidence in a job well done was dealt a sour end. I will not dwell further on that.

However, today for several hours I have spent time shredding and destroying written cards and communication from years past from students, family, and friends. Opening each of these cards, reading them, and shredding them was somewhat therapeutic for me. Among the cards I read were thank you notes from the parents of students for teaching and caring about their students (children), notes from students full of praise and love, notes from fellow teachers and teachers I mentored, and many, many thank you notes from principals for whom I worked for the hours spent performing many tasks and leadership roles that needed to be done.

I haven't even come close to getting through one third of this box but it certainly has rejuvenated my belief in myself and the job I performed on behalf of students for many, many years. It certainly renews my faith in myself and my abilities as an educator.

After some pondering I have concluded that if teaching is really what you want to do when you aim for and gain a college degree in education your feelings of fulfillment will most often be met when teaching students in a classroom. What I am trying to say is that no position in the field of education is more fulfilling that the sparkle in the eye of a student who finally "gets it" when trying to learn a new concept. One can lead and teach teachers, prepare materials, and do research for educators, do staff development and train educators, perform many leadership activities, but the true teacher teaches. It is the heart of the issue.

Thanksgiving Day OR......

What are you doing today to give thanks for all of your blessings? Are you choking down your turkey so that you can hit the streets and shop until you drop for the next big holiday? Is that any way for us to celebrate a "day of thanksgiving?"

I can't imagine that our forefathers really intended shopping on that day when Thanks was first given. I don't know about the validity of that story of Squanto and the Pilgrims but certainly those early settlers gave thanks at some point. What are we allowing to happen by participating? Or are we participating?

I vote for family time, giving thanks, relaxing and just enjoying the day with those we love the mostest!! Oh yes, I forgot the turkey!

So You Think You Are Boss....

What a difference ten days makes in a house with one less schnauzer! I wouldn't say there is a word to describe it -- other than different. We now have two schnauzers vowing to be number one.

A young one whose spirit will not be dominated or intimidated. A six year old who puts up with nothing but seems to be cutting the younger one a little slack while she seems to mourn the vacancy left by Sassy.

Sassy had an "easy" personality. It was as if you couldn't shake her ego. She knew who she was and no "upstart" could shake that. She seemed to know she was first in my heart so cut all of the shenanigans you please but when it is over you haven't changed anything. These two (Kami and Piper Kensleigh) are worlds different from my Sassy.

But now there seems to be a constant fight for my attention, to get out the door first, and there is some kind of confusion going on about who takes the first bite when I feed them. I think Kami really knows she isn't the head honcho but she isn't sure sure about the pecking order yet. Her little spirit is right in there vowing for every inch and squinch it can get!!

Watching dog behavior is intriguing. They want to be members of the same pack, they do not easily accept others, they spar with one another (play fighting), but past that it is very hard to figure it all out. I have been a schnauzer Mommy for almost twelve years and I don't have it all straight yet.

Stay tuned.........

Scrooge Season

Yo, tomorrow is this town's Christmas parade and thus the madness begins. It will not end until January 1st, 2011, when everyone's pocket is practically empty or they are deeply in debt or both. There was a time in my life when I, too, looked forward to this time of the year. But I must confess that I have become an old lady Scrooge.

Oh, I enjoy the music and some of the events that come with the season as much as anyone but the cons outweigh the pros for me. That the nations of the world set aside a day to celebrate the birth of the Christ child is quite commendable. The way we celebrate leaves a lot to question.

That the holiday brings families together and that they want to share with one another are both desirable events IF we are able to make the connections back to the Savior and his birth. Too often what is happening to celebrate has not much to do with the true meaning of the holiday.

I sometimes find myself just being glad when it is all over and everything is back to "normal" if there is a normal. Sorry Christmas season lovers but it is what it is.