Calendar

[CatieladyB]

Ode To A Scaredy – Cat or All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go!

So here it is almost 3 mos. post op after a total hip replacement and I'm dressed for Church, ready to go, got my favorite leather boots on!  It's raining and freezing cold, but I think nothing of it, until I step out onto my sidewalk with my crutch in hand and start to slip, it's a solid sheet of ice!  I go back inside, change my boots to snow boots, try again with the same result, so I nix the sidewalk and head out through the garage. So now I think if I just stay close to the parked cars as I walk down the driveway, I'll have something to grab if I start to slip, but again solid ice!  Then I decide I could just walk through the snow on the other side of the cars to get to the one I want, so I start trudging through it only to realize that I still have to stand on a patch of ice to get in the car!  Now I'm really bummed!  Next, I think to myself, I'll have to call someone to come get me, but then I figure out that the driveway is so steep they can't get up and I can't get down!  Now I go inside and change my clothes!  Drat!  Winter you've won this round!   But I'm confident that the Lord knows, that I know, WHERE to find HIM!   His Word is ALIVE & I KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT!  THE B-I-B-L-E!

[CatieladyB]

And now for something completely different "Bowling for Geese"!

There was a time a few years ago, when I was very active in the exercise department. I took aerobics three days a week and on two other days I would jog to and walk around the local park. Then I started having some trouble with my foot which made it very difficult to run or walk a lot so I had to give up the trips to the park for awhile. Finally I was able to get my foot problem under control and started making my rounds in the park again.

The park near my house has a lake in the middle with a paved path that goes around it and has three bridges that cross over it at certain points. I would jog from my house to the park and then walk around the park on the path crossing over the bridge in the middle to make a figure 8. I'd make this figure 8 trip around about two or three times before jogging from the park back to my house. By the entrance where I came in there is a gazebo and parking lot on one side and the basketball courts on the other side along with the restrooms, further down was the high school practice field behind the high school itself. The high school gym teachers used the path in the park for running the mile and aerobic walking during gym class, so every now and then you would have to dodge the kids. The park was also filled with seagulls and geese everywhere all during the spring, summer, and fall months, so much so that it was almost a health issue with all the droppings!

So I would start out jogging from home and when I reached the path in the park, I'd walk, sometimes with my friend and her kids or just the two of us or sometimes by myself. One day I was by myself and on my last trip around with my headphones blaring music from my iPod shuffle, when as I passed the basketball courts this fellow walked out in front of me carrying a basketball. I only noticed him because he didn't look as though he was dressed to play basketball, because he was wearing khaki pants and a polo shirt, as though he was on his way to work or taking a break from it. So I was just walking along behind this guy, listening to my music and day dreaming, we crossed over the middle bridge and started down the path toward the play ground which was near the tennis courts and another restroom. There was a huge group of geese milling around on the grass by the side of the little stream that ran off from the lake. Out of the corner of my eye I could see this fellow leave the path and walk toward the geese, as he got closer he raised the arm with the basketball in hand and let it fly onto the ground just like a bowling ball! He was actually aiming for them! He had invented a new sport, "bowling for geese"! He let his ball go a few more times before gathering it up and walking away after scattering most of the geese!

I was trying not to stare at this marvel, but at the same time wishing I had a camera of some kind instead of my lame cell phone! As I continued my walk, I imagined to myself just how you would score in this game, maybe "x " number of points for how many you could scare into flight and you'd get double if you actually hit any of them! Although I don't condone messing with nature on this level, I found it to be far more humane than the popular sport of using a car to try to hit them as they cross the road in a line during rush hour!

[CatieladyB]

The X-Factor, just one more thing they didn't tell you before you had kids!

When I was growing up as a kid on Long Island, back in the '50s and into the early '60s, there was a show on TV we liked to watch called "The Little Rascals".  It was about a group of neighborhood kids who hung out and went to school together. Two of the main characters were boys named Spanky and Alfalfa and the show centered around the trouble they and their friends would get into. They were always skipping school or "playing hooky" to go fishing. Then the teacher, Miss Crabtree, a pretty young woman, would always have to call the truant officer to go find them and bring them back to school!

When I married and had my first child, I never could have imagined that someday I would find myself facing this type of thing down the road! I didn't even think there were such things as truant officers anymore, much less that I would have to deal with one! Most of us think that when our children miss a day or two of school, all we have to do is write a note explaining why and everything will be fine, no harm done! Unfortunately this is not the case anymore, when you write the note it goes on file as an unexcused absence, the only true excused absences are the ones where a doctor has been evolved and given his written consent as to why the child was unable to attend school during that time.

I raised six kids, five of my own, four girls, and a boy along with a niece that came to live with me just before she turned two. I didn't really have trouble getting them to go to school, although some of them were tardy (or late) frequently, that is until the very last one! She was good up until the age of about twelve when she was in the sixth grade and then something happened! Suddenly everyday was a struggle to get her up and off to school. Sometimes she would fake a stomachache so she could stay home and then be fine later in the day. I took her to the doctor a couple of times, but the doctor couldn't really find anything physically wrong. She was classified as Learning Impaired and was in Special Ed classes, so I tried to get the Special Education department to have the school psychiatrist evaluate her, figuring I'd start there. My husband was out of work and our insurance wasn't that great so I didn't want to waste time and money if there wasn't really anything wrong with her. I got nowhere with the Special Ed department, one minute the case worker would say how they could write a time allowance into my daughters I.E.P., but when I requested that it be done, she said it wasn't possible. I started to feel like I was getting the run around!

Every time I would bring her in late, I'd end up in the principal's office and he was not very sympathetic, he kept telling me if things didn't change he'd have to take action. I had no idea at the time what kind of action he would take! This went on for almost a month, one day the police showed up at the house, a real life truant officer and drove her to school; it didn't seem to upset my daughter too much! Then in the mail I received a summons to show up at court and speak to the prosecutor, with whom I had several meetings and didn't think they had gone too badly until they actually gave me a court date. I then had to appear before a judge who was rather nasty, he basically told me "we don't like your kind" and truancy would not be tolerated, then proceeded to fine me $300 plus court costs, he told me he never wanted to see me in his court again! 

There are some things they just don't tell you before you have kids, one thing is that public schools get "X" amount of dollars from the government when they have "X" number of children in their schools for "X" number of days a year and your child or children better be in that "X" number or else! If not, you'd better have a written documented explanation other than the early onset of puberty! Another thing they don't tell you is that you will be responsible for every "dumb" thing they do and it can cost you some big bucks!

[CatieladyB]

Wake Me Up
By C.S Bosse

Wake me, O Lord
For I am sleeping
I have fallen asleep to your call

Wake me, O Lord
For I am sleeping
I have fallen asleep to your word

Wake me, O Lord
For I am sleeping
I have fallen asleep to your will

Wake me, O Lord
For my heart and soul
Have fallen asleep to your love

I come into your house
Seeking your help
My heavy heart weighs me down
I'm feeling numb and lifeless

Wake me, don't let me sleep
Give me your strength each day
Open my ears to your word

Wake me, don't let me sleep
Give me your strength each day
Lead me in the ways of your will

Wake me, don't let me sleep
Give me your strength each day
Help me give everything to your call

Wake me up, O Lord
Awaken me to the injustice around me
And to the plight of others

Wake me up, O Lord
Show me your love
That I may know how to love them

Won't you wake me, O Lord?
For I have been dozing far too long!

[rickyz]

Amen!

[rickyz]

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

[CatieladyB]

Song of the Carpenter King
By C.S. Bosse


Jesus, carpenter of the soul
Gone ahead to prepare room for us
In Heaven's golden estate
Jesus, born to a carpenter by trade
But God has made no mistake
Sent to rebuild a world torn asunder

Jesus born to be King
So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle he has won

Jesus, the carpenter of life
A million broken and empty hearts
He's come to mend in love
Jesus, the cornerstone was made
He left His throne above
And came down to give us life

Jesus born to be King
So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle he has won

Jesus, the Father's only Son
Has made restoration for our sin 
Built a home for all eternity
Jesus, the good Sheppard
Will return one day
To lead us into His Kingdom

Jesus born to be King
So let all creation sing
Of the carpenter King
Sent to repair the damage done
The battle He has won

[rickyz]

I love it!

[CatieladyB]

Heavenly Gates

At long last the lifetime journey had come to an end, the pain, the suffering, and loneliness had all vanished and there in front of her were Golden Gates, she sat staring in awe from the wheelchair which had become a part of her life over the last years. Then the gates opened and gazing into the multitude of faces one caught her eye, jumping up she ran through the crowd and straight into the arms of her beloved husband who had been waiting patiently for this day! Their time on Earth had been a blessing to family and friends, but together again in Paradise was the real treasure! A new life in a new home, built just for those who are willing to follow the Savior!

[CatieladyB]

Note to self:

Dear God,
Have I told you today how AWESOME and AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL You are, have I thanked You for the MERCIFUL gift of Jesus Christ! Each day I am grateful for Your ABUNDANT LOVE and COMPASSION! I am so thankful for the SALVATION and GRACE of life through the SACRIFICE of Your ONLY SON!
Forever Yours faithfully,
Me

[CatieladyB]

When I Stumble

Following hard on the heels of my Lord, I let out a cry and He reached down His hand pulling me up from the mire. As He wiped the tears from my eyes, I whined, "Lord, I want to follow you, but the path is too difficult, it's full of puddles and potholes, thorns and rocks, far too many hardships! Isn't there some other way, one less difficult? I'm so tired, won't you carry me?" His face was radiant, His smile blinding and as He squeezed my hand He gently lifted me up and cradled me in His arms, softly whispering "yes, I am here always!"


Written by C.S. Bosse

[CatieladyB]

Having a firefighter for a daughter can be abit scary sometimes, especially when she answers a call for mutual aid with our fire department to help a department in another town who is battling an explosion and wild flames with a huge cloud of smoke! It was in a Pepsi plant and has turned into a five-alarm fire with some injuries to two firefighters (I pray not mine!) I'm not sure if she will come back here to spend the night or go to her own apartment. Probably won't know how things went until sometime tomorrow, but it's already been on the news! I just hope I can sleep!

[Tom Johns]

Praying sister...

[dhenning3]

I saw a headline mentioning that fire. And I believe there was a massive fire at a distribution center not too far away in Indiana I believe. Scary stuff.
Praying for your daughter.

[rickyz]

Praying