This is a red letter day! No ... this is even bigger than a red letter day. I think I need to do a happy dance around my desk.
The occasion of all this celebrating came from paying bills this morning. I usually feel some relief when the money in the account and the bills go equal distance. But today I paid a very special bill. I made the very last payment in on the legacy my former husband left for me, a huge pile of debt. When the divorce was finalized I offered to take half of the debt. I paid off my half and then ... I discovered he had no intention of paying anything on his part of the debt. I knew that creditors have no respect for divorce decrees and there was little I could do except begin to pay it off.
For the last 5 years I have been agonizingly making headway on what seemed to be an insurmountable problem. I have sacrificed, struggled and driven a car on its last legs to get this final debt paid off. And today it is finished ... completely done. I do not owe on anything but the house.
This is a pretty good feeling. It means I now have the money to pay for health insurance. I can now put money in my savings account. I can take a deep breath and begin to look at what my options are. Right now I am feeling that there is a huge weight off of my shoulders.
And that is a pretty good feeling ... I think it is time for my happy dance!
Just Connie
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Hope Puppy Thoughts
This morning I took her with me to the office as I often do during the week. She curls up with the squeaky toy I keep there. In fact she lays under my desk while I working on my sermon and does, "Squuuueeeak, Squuuueeeak, Squuuueeeak!" Believe it or not I have learned to tune it out. The relaly entertaining times is when I am talking on the phone. Because she knows since it is just she and I in the office, I must be talking to her. She gets so excited and immediately comes and drops her squeaky toy in my lap. Her drippy, drooly squeaky toy ... it is no wonder I always have dirty spots on my pants.
On my way home, I stopped by to talk to my treasurer at his nearby business. He is one of Hope's favorite toys so of course she had to go in with me to see him. She not only talked him into throwing her toy, but she convinced every customer and driver who came in as well.
Hope Puppy is so funny and so much company. She keeps me laughing and showers me with unconditional love. I am so very thankful for her and for the joy and love she brings into my life.
it would be a good problem to have ....
Just Connie
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Annual Society Meeting
Today was our Annual Meeting at church. Annual meeting is a time to take a look back and then a look ahead as well as church elections for the year. Our Annual Meetings usually do not last very long and have never been contentious or difficult.
Today I had something important that I wanted to talk to them about. I needed to get them thinking about the necessity of adding onto the church. The discussion went very well and I will be setting a date for our first brain storming session. We want to explore all of our options as we look to the future.
I have to admit that this is not something I would have chosen to be doing. I have never been one of those "building pastors". I have always considered myself a teaching pastor, but the reality is that we are completely out of space. We have to find a way to address our space problems. We need short term solutions and we need a long term solution.
Even though this is not something I would have chosen I can see the value and the need of doing it. So over the next few months we will be dreaming and planning. I have a feeling that it will be an interesting time for all of us.
Doesn't that sound like one of those pastoral euphemisms for challenging and difficult?
Just Connie
Today I had something important that I wanted to talk to them about. I needed to get them thinking about the necessity of adding onto the church. The discussion went very well and I will be setting a date for our first brain storming session. We want to explore all of our options as we look to the future.
I have to admit that this is not something I would have chosen to be doing. I have never been one of those "building pastors". I have always considered myself a teaching pastor, but the reality is that we are completely out of space. We have to find a way to address our space problems. We need short term solutions and we need a long term solution.
Even though this is not something I would have chosen I can see the value and the need of doing it. So over the next few months we will be dreaming and planning. I have a feeling that it will be an interesting time for all of us.
Doesn't that sound like one of those pastoral euphemisms for challenging and difficult?
Just Connie
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Unexpected Blessing
For the last couple of months one of the projects I have been working on was a 70th birthday party for a friend. Today was the big day.
There is something very precious about spending time with friends that lifts my hearts. To have the chance to sit and talk and really learn about each other is a somewhat rare experience for me. So often I am so tied up in an event that I do not really get to visit and talk to people. Today I got to visit and even make some new friends. I found myself packing up at he end with a smile on my face.
Not only am I glad that I had the chance to do something nice for a friend, but I really think that I ended up doing something nice for myself as well.
I love how there are so often unexpected blessings as we serve other people.
It is always worth it ...............
Just Connie
There is something very precious about spending time with friends that lifts my hearts. To have the chance to sit and talk and really learn about each other is a somewhat rare experience for me. So often I am so tied up in an event that I do not really get to visit and talk to people. Today I got to visit and even make some new friends. I found myself packing up at he end with a smile on my face.
Not only am I glad that I had the chance to do something nice for a friend, but I really think that I ended up doing something nice for myself as well.
I love how there are so often unexpected blessings as we serve other people.
It is always worth it ...............
Just Connie
Friday, January 24, 2014
Fearful
I have lived alone for 5 years. I have become comfortable and confident for the most part. But every once in a while something happens that makes me uneasy with the "things that go bump in the night". Last night I had one of those moments.
It was a normal kind of evening, I was watching TV and working on the computer and Hope Puppy was outside playing. As a border collie there is virtually nothing that scares her and her unfailing enthusiasm for life always cheers me. She normally will stand at the door and quietly woof for me to let her in. Last night she came racing up to the door with her tail between her legs and hit the door about 3 foot off the ground. I was not quite fast enough so she once again leaped into the air and hit the door. I rushed to the door and she ran in the room and hid behind my legs. I was totally stunned. I had never seen her run from anything. She chases the deer, the raccoons and anything else that comes into the yard. But here she was shaking, trying to tuck herself completely behind me.
I turned on the outdoor lights and peered out into the dark. But I saw nothing. I turned around just in time to see Hope Puppy dash into my bedroom where she promptly hid under the bed. And it was at that point that I decided if Hope was scared I needed to pay attention. I made sure all my security lights were on outside. I turned off the room lights and with my 357 and my cell phone on the table ... I watched.
But all remained quiet. Feeling uneasy, I decided to call it a night. I carefully made sure the house was locked and laid in bed thinking. I have never seen Hope react to some thing like that. I considered possibilities, probably not human unless they had hurt her and there was no yelping. Probably none of the usual animals ... and then I remembered ... our resident cougar. Yes .... that could have sent her in the house with her tail between her legs.
Feeling relieved as the pieces fell into place, I laughed at myself, coaxed Hope Puppy from underneath the bed and told her she was a smart doggie. She quickly hid herself behind my pillows and I snuggled into bed. Feeling at peace.
Another fear met and conquered. And I guess that is pretty much a large part of life on your own. I am thankful for resources, skills and a GREAT BIG GOD!
I would not want to do this without Him .....
Just Connie
It was a normal kind of evening, I was watching TV and working on the computer and Hope Puppy was outside playing. As a border collie there is virtually nothing that scares her and her unfailing enthusiasm for life always cheers me. She normally will stand at the door and quietly woof for me to let her in. Last night she came racing up to the door with her tail between her legs and hit the door about 3 foot off the ground. I was not quite fast enough so she once again leaped into the air and hit the door. I rushed to the door and she ran in the room and hid behind my legs. I was totally stunned. I had never seen her run from anything. She chases the deer, the raccoons and anything else that comes into the yard. But here she was shaking, trying to tuck herself completely behind me.
I turned on the outdoor lights and peered out into the dark. But I saw nothing. I turned around just in time to see Hope Puppy dash into my bedroom where she promptly hid under the bed. And it was at that point that I decided if Hope was scared I needed to pay attention. I made sure all my security lights were on outside. I turned off the room lights and with my 357 and my cell phone on the table ... I watched.
But all remained quiet. Feeling uneasy, I decided to call it a night. I carefully made sure the house was locked and laid in bed thinking. I have never seen Hope react to some thing like that. I considered possibilities, probably not human unless they had hurt her and there was no yelping. Probably none of the usual animals ... and then I remembered ... our resident cougar. Yes .... that could have sent her in the house with her tail between her legs.
Feeling relieved as the pieces fell into place, I laughed at myself, coaxed Hope Puppy from underneath the bed and told her she was a smart doggie. She quickly hid herself behind my pillows and I snuggled into bed. Feeling at peace.
Another fear met and conquered. And I guess that is pretty much a large part of life on your own. I am thankful for resources, skills and a GREAT BIG GOD!
I would not want to do this without Him .....
Just Connie
Angry Bunny
I have a very angry bunny. You have never lived till you have seen a very angry 6 pound bunny. You would not think that a 6 pound bunny can express much anger ... let alone a 12 year old, 6 pound bunny. But yet ... there he is.
The anger stems from my decision to give him a bath. His fur was looking a bit ratty and dry and I decided to give him a good scrubbing. He thought that was a rather poor idea. In fact he thought is was a terrible idea. From the moment I lowered him in the warm water of the bathroom sink he began to try to jump out of the sink. If I took one hand off he immediately would make a break for it throwing water and soap in a 2 foot radius. So for 10 minutes we struggled with wild escapes while I tried to scrub him and rinse him.
But at long last I had rinsed the last of the soap off and I wrapped him in a thick towel and began to try to dry him off. That is when he took exception to my next brilliant idea .... using the hair dryer to take the worst of the wet off. When he realized that he was not going to be able to escape, he suddenly went completely limp and flopped on his side. "Oh my gosh!" I thought, "I've killed him!" But no ... he weakly waved a paw at me .... for all the world saying, "Help me!". I grabbed a thick dry towel and and wrapped him up while I cuddled and talked to him. It was when he began to snuggle down and give the "chuck, chuck, chuck" sound that contented rabbits give that I realized I had been played.
So I grabbed the hair dryer again and got him about half dry. Then I began to comb lose fur and matts while all the while keeping one hand on top of his head trying to prevent his escape. But I finally decided enough was enough and set him on the floor where he promptly stomped his foot at me (the equivalent of a bunny flip off" and ran in the corner under the chair where he turned his little bunny back on me and began to groom himself.
Then I took stock of the damage, There was water and soap all over the bathroom (including me) Fur clung to every surface (including me) Wet towels, pools of water and chaos reigned. All from one 6 pound bunny getting a bath.
And he is mad at me? ....
Just Connie
The anger stems from my decision to give him a bath. His fur was looking a bit ratty and dry and I decided to give him a good scrubbing. He thought that was a rather poor idea. In fact he thought is was a terrible idea. From the moment I lowered him in the warm water of the bathroom sink he began to try to jump out of the sink. If I took one hand off he immediately would make a break for it throwing water and soap in a 2 foot radius. So for 10 minutes we struggled with wild escapes while I tried to scrub him and rinse him.
So I grabbed the hair dryer again and got him about half dry. Then I began to comb lose fur and matts while all the while keeping one hand on top of his head trying to prevent his escape. But I finally decided enough was enough and set him on the floor where he promptly stomped his foot at me (the equivalent of a bunny flip off" and ran in the corner under the chair where he turned his little bunny back on me and began to groom himself.
Then I took stock of the damage, There was water and soap all over the bathroom (including me) Fur clung to every surface (including me) Wet towels, pools of water and chaos reigned. All from one 6 pound bunny getting a bath.
And he is mad at me? ....
Just Connie
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Exciting Trip
Churches talk a lot about vision and yet frankly so often we do not move into the future we envision. There is often a disconnect between what we envision and what we actually do. it has become clear to me that it is time for us as a church to dream and out of those dreams begin to plan for the future.
Our reality is that we are out of space. We are critically short on classrooms and offices. Our bathrooms are small, cramped and totally inadequate. And all of this has come to a head because we have nowhere for our babies and toddlers. Our nursery is very small and is only for about two babies. Currently we have 6 nursery age children and one more on the way that we know about. They do not fit in the nursery.
It is time for us to find a short term immediate solution and time to start strategizing for a long term solution. For the short term it looks like we are going to split up the toddlers and the infants and move the adult class into a different area. For the long term it looks like we have to build.
I do not know what that will look like ... we have lots of options. It is exciting, it is scary ... and it is everything in between those things as well. There are good things ahead ... we just need to find the path.
This should be an exciting trip ....
Just Connie
Our reality is that we are out of space. We are critically short on classrooms and offices. Our bathrooms are small, cramped and totally inadequate. And all of this has come to a head because we have nowhere for our babies and toddlers. Our nursery is very small and is only for about two babies. Currently we have 6 nursery age children and one more on the way that we know about. They do not fit in the nursery.
It is time for us to find a short term immediate solution and time to start strategizing for a long term solution. For the short term it looks like we are going to split up the toddlers and the infants and move the adult class into a different area. For the long term it looks like we have to build.
I do not know what that will look like ... we have lots of options. It is exciting, it is scary ... and it is everything in between those things as well. There are good things ahead ... we just need to find the path.
This should be an exciting trip ....
Just Connie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)