Ridiculous Dilemna!

Its been a long time since I've posted, but this one is blog worthy I think. So last night I am headed for bed. I go to turn off my kitchen light (which by the way provides 70% of the light to my kitchen/dining/living room area. Then I think, "shoot, I was going to get a glass of milk." So I attempt to turn the light on when lo and behold - light burns out. No biggie, right? So I go to the closet, get the extra bulbs, and grab a chair to boost up on. Well, when the evil people in the lighting business created my kitchen light, someone must have really pissed them off that day. This fixture is so absolutely ridiculous! A) I can't figure out how to even get the thing off. B) If the case is that the fixture is just stuck, I should for sure have broken the glass by now - but all still in tack. I SO don't want to call my landlord and be all girly about it. Therefore, I shall spend the next however many weeks until a boy of some sort comes to visit me to have them change my lightbulb. Until then, mood lighting made from the faint hallway light that creeps into the kitchen and the light above my stove.

I can't change my own lightbulb. This must be a new all-time low. :)

It Must Be a Calling

So I bought a new couch the other day and had it delivered to my apartment. The two guys who dropped it off were nice guys; just taking a semester off or time off from school and working as a furniture delivery person for the time being. Last January, my parents bought a sleep number bed and had it delivered and set up at the farm. I let the boys in and low and behold, these were nice guys, just taking some time off school to either figure out what they wanted to major in or to save some money by working in the furniture delivery industry.

Okay, these were two completely different companies, which just made me laugh. Furniture delivery must be the calling for guys in their late teens/early twenties who just don't know what to do with their lives. I see their point though; they get to drive around and hang out together, take long lunch breaks, and finally show up back at the store by closing time. There are perks to be lazy, and I'm pretty certain that these guys enjoy their fair share of those!

AWKWARD

I highly dislike the first week of school - actually about the first month. Its so uncomfortable and awkward to find boundaries/limits for students, as well as get to know their personalities, home lives, and what their home life brings to their school life. It takes time, but I just don't like all the awkwardness that occurs in the "exploring" process. But each day that passes will reveal a little bit more, so that is a good thing. September 28th is my goal for reaching a point where all awkwardness goes away and to have fallen into routine efficiently; both for me as a teacher and my students as middle schoolers.

Family Week

WOW! Vacation was awesome. I got to spend a
week at my favorite place on earth (LIC). I got
to be a camper for the first time in 11 years
during family week. I got to spend the weekend
with my relatives. I got to see a bunch of my camp friends from years past. I got to babysit
Payton twice and see her everyday for seven straight days. But I think most of all, God led me to a place of healing in my mind and my heart for all the things that happened in the past year. I guess as usual, we just needed some time in the middle of a lake with a fishing pole in the water for Dad and I to realize that we've both grown up and also grown apart in our opinions and beliefs. I cannot change him and he will not change me. But the smile on my face in that picture is genuine. No matter how angry, upset, hurt, or abnormal you believe your family is, at the end of the day, they are your family, and no matter how dysfunctional they may be, we are blessed to have whatever family we have. That's what Family Week at Lutheran Island Camp taught me this week.

Vacation - All I Ever Wanted

I love that song....

Especially when I leave for vacation tomorrow and since I haven't gotten to attend our family vacation as a camper for 11 years. I feel like a kid again getting ready for camp; and I must say, I LOVE IT! And we have a new super-fun little girl in our family who is going to make vacation even more fun!

So for those of you who will be at camp this weekend or next week, can't wait to see you. To those who won't, there's a sneak peak at a beautiful certain someone who, sadly, you missed. :)

Those Eye-Opening Moments

There are times in this life when I feel like God has whacked me in the face with a "DUH" stick or something. Thing is: it doesn't usually hurt - it actually feels good most of the time. I find myself being close-minded too often. I know what I believe and what I feel is the line between right/wrong, however, I think that I don't display the Christian example like I should when people near me cross over that "line". I've always been a big believer in "stand up for your beliefs even when you are standing alone", but I'm that that isn't the best way to witness most times. As sinners, we are tempted to feel like our sins pale in comparison to others' sins, but in God's eyes that is not the case. As Christians, we know that we should forgive the sins of others because Christ first forgave ours. So it becomes an issue of "how" we go about forgiving. I was able to forgive a great friend recently for something that she did wrong (wrong in my eyes). But I KNOW I was also forgiven for my rage-filled actions in the way I confronted her sin and chose to hold a grudge about it. What I thought was such a terrible thing she did, she truly showed love, forgave my ridiculous actions spurred on by my own sin of anger, disappointment, and jealousy, and brought us both to a place where our friendship has been strengthened so much that I know it will last a lifetime. And in the process, she saw my side of the issue and I learned to become more accepting of other people and their faults, just like they try to do with me.

My small piece of advice is that if there is a relationship in your life that needs restoring - RESTORE IT NOW! I promise its so worth it!

What's Great About South Dakota

So its been a couple weeks here in Sioux Falls, and I've had the opportunity to check out what I really enjoy about this place.

1.) The grocery stores give you gas coupons and the discount changes daily. Yeah, I saved 6 cents a gallon today at the pump!
2.) While there may be tax on clothes and food, the sales tax here is lower AND taxes on services are amazingly low, too.
3.) There are 2 teacher stores within a mile of my school.
4.) Rent is far cheaper than anywhere else I've lived.
5.) There are parks EVERYWHERE! Frisbee golf, basketball, tennis, swimming pools, bike trails, benches to read a book on...
6.) This lovely little place called "R" Scrapbook Store - amazing!

So things are good. I think I like it here. :)