Using My Grumpy Voice

Ever had one of those mornings? Of course you have...At least 4 times during our drive to Omaha this morning, my precious daughter reminded me that I was using my "grumpy voice." Bless her heart...she stopped and prayed for me every time. Nonetheless, it was a rough start to my day. I feel lately like I'm barely keeping my head above water, and I can't seem to get ahead. I'm feeling overwhelmed at work, at home, at church...My house looks like it's exploded...this morning, I couldn't even find a place to sit and do my Bible Study, so I sat on the floor in front of the couch.

Where do you turn in the Bible when you're trying to keep your head above water?

Urgent Prayer Needed

I read about this on a friend's blog this afternoon. Honestly, our society would be outraged if these acts were being committed against animals. Yet, we're strangely silent when it happens to children. Please, please, please take a moment to read about the plight of these orphans in Sierra Leone, then get on your knees and ask the Father to intercede on behalf of these children.

You can read more about this situation firsthand here.

As my friend posted:

Psalms 12:5
"The Lord replies, "I have seen the violence done
to the helpless, and I have heard
the groans of the poor.
Now I will rise up to rescue them,
as they have longed for me to do."

And the Football Just Gets Better

This is in honor of Nebraska's 300th consecutive sellout in Memorial Stadium...the third largest city in Nebraska on game day.

A Beautiful Friday Night

Picture it with me...small town living on a Friday night in September. The rain is falling intermittently. You can smell the burn piles in town on this crisp early autumn evening. Everywhere you look, you see a sea of blue and white. You find a seat, brush the water off the bleachers and snuggle up with your family of three in a space meant for two.

It's Homecoming night in Ashland. The band is playing the national anthem, slightly out of tune. It's a small town band, and the damp weather is wreaking havoc on their intonation. The band itself is made up of people in marching uniforms, dance team costumes and cheerleading skirts. You see, in a small town, these kids are involved in many, many activities.

Now you hear a whoosh of air as a hot dog is launched from a hydraulic cannon into the stands. Dinner consists of hot dogs, nachos and a candy bar (surreptitiously hidden from a four-year-old who doesn't need it as much as her parents do.)

This same four-year-old sees her eight-year-old friend and very politely asks permission to sit with her friend's family (yes...we're letting her wander from us at an early age...the letting go was a little hard.) From our vantage point, we catch glimpses of these precious girls sharing a bag of gummy worms (so she does get a sugar kick, after all).

Shortly after halftime, the young-ish family of three walks nine blocks home. Along the way, we are instructed to play "Dora" (let me tell you...Daddy makes a pretty cool "Swiper.")

Honestly, could a Friday night be any more perfect than this?

All I Need

I had a bit of a scare on Monday at school. I was called to the principal's office (not usually fun for a teacher.) Apparently a parent had called earlier in the day reporting that her son told her I picked him up by the ear in class the previous Friday. In that brief moment, I pictured being escorted out of the building with questions asked later (something that very likely could have happened with previous administrators I've known.) I must say, my principal handled it beautifully, and in the next 30 minutes, she, the parent, the student and I got to the bottom of it all. Long story short, the child changed his story, the mother believed me, and all is well.

Still, in those moments, I pictured a career I have worked for since I was 5 years old...a passion more than a career, really...slip out of my grasp. In those moments, I lost all control (as though I ever had any) of the future events of my life. And yet, in those moments, this teacher who is prone to anxiety and panic attacks felt a complete peace.

Because I know that whatever may be taken from me, I will always have my Lord. And He is enough.

Friday Night Frenzy

Last year, the Wilsons started a tradition called "Friday Night Frenzy." In essence, it's a way to spend time together as a family while spending as little money as possible. Ideas have included camping in the backyard or in the living room, having "Backwards" night and reading books from the end to the beginning (Dr. Seuss is particularly funny) and playing Candyland while starting at the Candy Castle.

Last Friday, we introduced Dayna to her first Black & White movie and watched "Heidi" for free online through Netflix. Typically four, Dayna was on and off the couch many times and had a difficult time paying attention. But, when Heidi and her grandfather went to church (a pivotal moment in the movie), Dayna jumped off the couch again and exclaimed, "Mommy! They love Jesus, too!"

Later that night, while tucking Dayna into bed, she prayed and thanked Jesus for making Klara better so that she could walk again. "And thank You that Klara loves You, too, 'cause that's the most important thing!"

While You Were Out

Dayna had a few messages for Daddy while he was gone.

And a special "welcome home" gift, too.