Week 9 & 10

Keeping this blog going has been quite a challenge for me.  I have enjoyed my reading time immensely, but I can't say it enough...life goes on.

Almost two weeks ago, a very good friend of mine lost her Father in law unexpectedly.  We got the call on my birthday that he had passed and from then on it was a blur.  Life is like that.  One moment, you are celebrating your special day with friends.  Enjoying every minute of the attention and loving the fact that you are alive to see another birthday.  The next minute...you get a phone call that the life of a friend has forever changed.  My friend has three young children the same age as my kids.  They were very close to their Grandpa.  And he was gone.  One week before Thanksgiving. 

Life is so very fragile. 

I read his obituary over and over.  Trying to make sense of it all.  Something that doesn't make sense.  But I read it anyway.  He was 62 years old.  He was preceded in death by his parents.  He was survived by his only son, Jeff.  His son Jeff has a wife named Shannon.  He had three Grandchildren and he was crazy about them.  He was also survived by his wife of 36 years.  He had two sisters and one brother. 

Life is just so very fragile. 

I am a woman of strong faith.  I believe everything happens for a reason.  I don't dare attempt to understand.  When you can't trace His hand...trust His heart.  Him being God.  I don't always understand the journey.  But I am on it and I trust that He has a plan for all of our lives. 

I spent the week buried in my devotions.  Sometimes when bad things happen, I need to be closer to God.  I need to feel that security in the word.  And I did.  That was my week nine.

Week ten brought me many things to be thankful for.  We were given the opportunity to pay our respects for my friend's Dad on Tuesday.  The service was nice.  As nice as a funeral can be I suppose.  But we were there to support our friends.  And two days later, we were gathered around our table.  We gave thanks for our family and for our friends.  We prayed for those who were hurting and for those who weren't with us.  It seemed as if the events of week nine gave us much to be thankful for in week ten.  We are so blessed.

I am continuing to read The Help and am really getting into it.  It is hard to get into the heart of the book when you are constantly distracted by life.  But it seems to me that the book is based on a white woman writing a story on the black women's perspective of working for white women.  It is an upsetting thing to read about.  It brings tears to my eyes to think of the way things used to be.  It is amazing to me that it isn't fiction.  This was life.  This was the way things were.  These women gave their lives to raise white children that were raised to turn on them when they were older. 

I realize this is a LONG post.  And I also realize that it includes more than you were looking for.  But it was on my heart and my mind.  And those things tend to come out through my fingertips. 

Have a blessed week!
Amy

Reading Roller Coaster

Reading a good book is like...

The feeling after a roller coaster.  The ups and downs of the roller coaster making you uneasy with every turn.  The fear and the excitement all rolled into one.  The ups and the downs...not knowing where it will take you next, but trying to predict where you might be heading.  It happens so fast that you barely have time to think about the emotions that take over your body.  You look forward to the ride.  You enjoy the time when you are there.  And you have fond memories as you walk away.  A smile...a rush...a moment of pure excitement when you hit the first hill and the last.  A roller coaster has a beginning and an end.  It has all the twists and turns of the in between.  A thrill that you can't wait to share with your friends.  They MUST try it! 

I can only hope that when I am teaching my students to read, they'll respond with the enthusiasm of a child coming off of their first roller coaster ride. 

Have a blessed day!
Amy

Week 6

This week was a challenge in the reading for enjoyment department.  My husband's football team went on to play in the regional play offs in Topeka.  Our middle son was finishing up his football practices and took first place in their bowl tournament this weekend. 

However...I read.  I trudged along in my book, trying to keep my eyes open.  The book itself is quite good.  I love the story line and feel like slowly, but surely, I am getting into the heart of the matter. 

My daily devotions have been almost the only thing carrying me through this busy time in our lives.  I am looking forward to the holidays as I know they will bring a much needed break in all of our schedules. 

I keep telling myself as Dori tells Nemo in Finding Nemo...

Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming swimming swimming

or running/reading.  Just keep running/reading...

Have a great week!
Amy