Dear Family and Friends,
My overview of this past week has been affected in the past couple of days by great sadness and concern for the family of Rodney J. Guilbeaux, Jr., the father of my spiritual director, Denise Donahoe, and the father of our new counselor at St. Louis, Gisele Puckett. Mr. Guilbeaux lived a full and rich life and died at 80 this past week. The funeral was on Saturday morning, and I was able to attend with my friend Joan Vallee-Rettke. That funeral was one of celebration of a man well-loved and a life well-lived, and I was touched by the entourage of his grandchildren who accompanied his casket into the sanctuary for the service. The shock in this is that the very next day, something very tragic happened to one of those grandchildren. Adam Puckett, Gisele's middle son who was married and in his twenties, died in a ski accident on a river in Baton Rouge yesterday afternoon. I can only imagine the shock to his parents and to the entire family based on my own shock at hearing about it. Please hold this family in your heart and in your prayers. Their sorrow must be overwhelming.
I also just had a conversation with my friends Jean-Jacques and Daniele Sicre in France. I spoke with Jean-Jacques first to offer him my condolences at the lost of his brother, a cardiologist, who died at age 52 in his sleep while he was on holiday in the south of France in August. I then called Daniele, who is spending a month in the French Alps recuperating and enjoying the view of Mont Blanc every morning, and she spoke of how strong her sister-in-law is in facing this loss. She, too, is a doctor, and they have five children, ranging in age from 25 to 16. Daniele's mother is also having difficulty. She's in the hospital right now having stints placed in her arteries. Please also hold this family in your prayers.
My trip to China has had many twists and turns and has receded into the background with all of this, but let me tell you how it's looking to me now. Three conversations have changed the course of my plans, and turning to the Bible for direction has cinched my decision. The first person I spoke with last Tuesday was Charlotte McCallum, an LaTaaps mentor teacher at a local middle school. Jackson Schrumpf, one of Ray's best friends, hooked me up with Charlotte. He'd mentioned her to me the first time I mentioned China because Charlotte was a missionary in China for two years--2000-2002--teaching English at a university over there. In actually speaking to her last week, I was instantly taken with her candor and her generosity. I felt, in this first conversation, like I was talking to an old friend. I'm seriously considering taking her up on her invitation to accompany her to China in June after school's out. She has been on a People to People Ambassador trip herself with students, and she gave me feedback that caused me reconsider--about things that didn't happen that were scheduled and about the price. She feels the price is steep, knowing the cost of things from a personal standpoint.
The second person I spoke with was a representative of the People to People program. She returned my call on Wednesday, and I was able to ask her my long list of questions that I'd written down. In that conversation, I found out that I had been recommended for this delegation as an executive--not as an educator. That concerned me, and the more I thought about going on a trip in which I'd have to wear business clothes the whole time bothered me, especially after my conversation with Charlotte in which she told me that most Chinese people have only two changes of clothes. I also tried to look up the airlines this woman said I would be flying over to China on, and I can find no record of it. I don't know what that means. Surely she was mistaken or something, but anyway, I'm rethinking going to China for the first time under these auspices. This is especially after I spoke to the third person who could answer some questions. Freddie Ann Reagan has just returned from one of these People to People Ambassador trips this past week. She went to Russia for a meeting of physical therapists. I haven't spoken to her at length yet, but she indicated to me that her trip was completely a professional trip with little or no sightseeing. She was in meetings and visiting physical therapy establishments the whole trip. Again, this information has swayed my decision against going to China in a professional delegation on Women in Society. I just think I would end up frustrated and disappointed that I didn't get to see much of the sights of China after going all the way over there.
Turning to the Bible, as I said earlier, cinched this point of view. When I asked God to help me clarify my thoughts, the passage that I was turned to was the story of David and Goliath. I read it and the accompanying commentary thoroughly the other night before I went to bed, not at that time really understanding what God was trying to tell me. But the next morning, in a flash of understanding, I got it... In that story, David is advised to put on heavy armor to go into battle against this major opponent, Goliath, but he opts to take it back off. It is heavy and very uncomfortable. He decides to go into battle against Goliath trusting in God and taking only a slingshot and a few smooth stones as ammunition. As I'm sure you know, he successfully knocked Goliath face down on the ground with a stone to his forehead. My flash of understanding was that I should not go to China this time dressed in armor (business dress), but I should go much more simply (in Berkenstocks and capris) and slay Goliath (China, I guess) on a personal level, trusting in God. I take this advice to heart, and I'm hoping this week to actually meet Charlotte face-to-face and determine whether a trip with her would be feasible. What she described over the phone sounds even more up-my-alley than the People to People trip, and I'm very excited at this prospect. I'm hoping that maybe Charlotte will also be open to my sister Debbie's going with us. Debbie's expressed that interest.
My bathroom project got accomplished this past week. Ted told me that it would take about two days, and it did. They started first thing Wednesday morning, which thankfully was a day off for me, but I had several things on my agenda that still got done. Ted helped his helper, Danny, replace the faucet on my sink first thing. Thank God they didn't have to turn the water off at the curb this time. The new one was in place very quickly. Ted's other helper, Tracy, was put in charge of taping everything, removing shelving, etc., and then painting. He's not the most detailed person nor nearly as meticulous as I would have liked, but I figure, at least it wasn't me doing this work. I'm just pleased to have the ceiling lime green and the walls and cabinets a bright white. I've asked Ted for some touch-up paint, and the next time my brother Lee comes over, his project will be to get the cabinet knobs done right. (He always wants projects when he comes over, and now I've got a new one for him.) Abbakadabra has been very interested in the new things in my bathroom. (See Photos #1 & #2) She likes the way the new rug slides when she comes running in there, and the ribbon shower curtain is very entertaining. I like that these new things match better with the old tile on the wall in there. I didn't want to totally redo this room. I wanted to keep the retro-fifties-looking sink and just recaulk the tub basically. I'm overall pleased with the results.
I had a full week of teaching last week, which meant my class met three times for 70 minutes each. In recent weeks, this schedule hasn't happened due to holidays and hurricanes, so I really appreciated getting as caught up and I could be with my curriculum. Just a little while ago, I finished evaluating college admissions essays that my students turned in on Friday. What a pleasure it was to read them and to know these girls better. They turned in two essays each, and each one of them painted a new picture of who these young women are and where they've already been, what they've already experienced and seen. This is a new addition to my formal assignments in AP English this year, at the request of Gisele Puckett, and I'm so glad to have done it. In the past, I've given out an EssayEdge packet to give the students some guidelines about writing these admissions essays, and I've offered support if they wanted it from me, but it was never a formal, graded assignment before. It will always be from now on--just because it gives me such insight into these students' lives and because I think I can make a difference in the quality of editing they really need to be competitive.
Our discussion of John Updike's "A & P" was the most productive and deep of any I've had in the past seven years. There's something unusual happening in my class of all girls this year. There's a bond that's forming that's producing more candid and open discussions, and I'm finding it very gratifying as a teacher. This story narrated by a nineteen-year-old store clerk who ogles three girls who wonder into the store in bathing suits became clearer to me through the eyes of this batch of students. They put themselves in the girls' place and delivered insights, as a result, that could be written up in a journal. I'll be very interested to see what they've done with their composition assignment to analyze tone and relationships in this story. I will get those papers tomorrow.
I went to the District Theresians meeting in Lafayette last Tuesday. All four of us from Lake Charles were able to go together. That's part of the draw for me in being a representative--getting to know these women both coming and going for that 75-mile trip and breaking bread with them before the meeting. (See Photo #3) Wanda Benoit is our new leader in this organization, and she led the meeting well. We were done in less than an hour with a very detailed agenda. I loved the new room where we met with couches lining the walls. It gave the feel that we were all in an intimate circle together. I hope we continue to use that room. I had the idea for article for the district newsletter to get everybody's input on the retreat that we attended in July at Antique Rose Ville. I'm glad I got some input that night because nobody else has emailed me with theirs. I plan to sit down and write that piece later this week.
Wednesday while the renovation on my bathroom was underway, I had many places to go and many things to do. I am so grateful to Denise, my spiritual director, for making time for me with all that was going on with her dad that morning. She also helped me clarify my feelings about this trip to China, and it was very helpful. From her office, I popped back home to see how things were progressing, and then I headed over to my church for the PrimeTimer's luncheon. I'm so glad I went. I enjoyed the company (See Photo #4), but I really enjoyed the spiel that Ron LeLeux, the mayor of Sulphur, gave to us about how God has moved in his life. He's a poet and a very funny man. I loved the way he told stories on himself from the past and shared so much from his heart. I saw him again on Saturday at Denise's dad's funeral. Both he and Lake Charles' mayor, Randy Roach, were there to honor Rodney Guilbeaux.
After Ron LeLeux's talk, I popped home again and then went to a jewelry-making lesson at Cassie Ames' home. I had made a necklace out of rhodonite semiprecious stone beads back in July, and due to circumstances, Cassie wasn't able to have a class to teach us to make earrings until this past week. I ended up with a very dainty pair with just a few beads, but I like the way they came out. (See Photo #5)
I had my quarterly meeting with Ann Knapp, my Merrill Lynch adviser, on Friday. Since our last meeting, I have paid off the loan that was pledged against part of my CMA account so that it's now possible for me to buy and sell within that part of my portfolio. With that ability, Ann is helping me to get a more balanced and diversified portfolio. I feel that I am in good hands. As Clerk of Session at my church, she was also the one who called me to see if I would accept nomination to be an elder for my church in the coming year. I had already thought about that possibility and considered what it would entail, and I told her I would accept. We'll see where God is leading me in that.
I had been weighed and measured at Curves on my way to Merrill Lynch. My weight is creeping up on me again. It's scary to even think about growing out of my beautiful wardrobe. So I'm taking the Curves Challenge again and going on a diet. It began today, and so far, so good. I'll be cutting back on carbs big-time again, and I pray that this does the trick. I also intend to get over to Curves to exercise more regularly than has been happening in recent weeks. When Judy Guidry weighed and measured me, actually I was only one pound heavier than two years ago, but my measurements were all up. Exercise will definitely help with that. I hope to be toned back up in no time. As soon as I get this letter off this afternoon, I'll head over there.
Before Mr. Guilbeaux's funeral on Saturday, I attended my MITE investment club meeting at the Pitt Grill in Sulphur. (See Photo #6) I didn't eat the breakfast, but I did enjoy the meeting. We looked at Florida Light and Power and Travelers Insurance as possible buys and decided to turn them down. We, too, are trying to get a balanced and diversified portfolio, and it's a learning experience for me to research a stock. I'm glad Ann Knapp helps me so readily and well with that.
Sunday the choir was lively and bright with our uplifting "Sing a New Song." As Rev. Fred went about defining the word "shrewd" in his sermon, I was thinking about how I'm asking my own students to look deeply into the connotations and denotations of the examples of diction that we encounter in the stories we're reading. There is so much to know about a word that's not apparent at first hearing or first glance. To be "shrewd" can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing, but to be a "shrewd saint" is probably a good thing.
In the afternoon, I went to help put together health kits for victims of Hurricane Felix in Central America. The Friend Ships is getting ready to make a trip of mercy down there to help the people affected. My role yesterday was also to take pictures, of course! (See Photo #7 & #8) This is where I was when Barbara Dupont called me to tell me about Adam Puckett's accident.
Again, please hold all of these people in your hearts and prayers. That includes my friend Cissie McLeod, who has also just been in the hospital after a scare with her heart. There's not a day goes by since I lost Ray that I don't think about the fact that we never know what's around the next bend.
I hope we all have a better week ahead...
With love and blessings, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday Evening Reflections - September 17, 2007
Dear Family and Friends,
God seemed intent on stirring me up this week. The experiences that have presented themselves have taken me to deep levels of grief, to memories of extreme anger from the past, to elation over the possibility of that trip to China I'd been dreaming about. I feel a bit wrung out, as a result, but I think this is a good thing.
The possible trip to China is highmost in my mind right now. I received a letter Friday from the People to People Ambassador Programs. Someone has nominated me to be a delegate for an international professional and cultural program related to women in society. I'm wondering if one of you reading this letter was the loving soul who has made this inviting experience possible. The conference will run from December 9-21, leaving from L.A. I made an appointment with Glenda Williams, the Academic Assistant Principal, this morning about the possibility of missing my last class before Christmas break and my semester exam. I had already consulted with Barbara Dupont, my department head, about the logistics of missing these two classes. Quickly, and with the hand of God in it, it's all coming together rapidly. I will talk to my Merrill Lynch advisor on Thursday about pulling the funds together to go. Glenda Williams just went on a similar junket two summers ago, and she said the price is good. She also filled me in on a lot details about what this trip will be like. I'm just feeling that it's too good an opportunity to pass up. This trip would combine meeting people from around the world with seeing sights that I've only seen in movies.
President Eisenhower started this Ambassador Program during his administration in the 1950's. He believed that if people from different cultures met face to face and with good will that world peace would ensue. A private organization continues promoting this idea through these various professional programs. If you're interested yourself in pursuing this kind of travel, go to www.ambassadorprograms.org. The itinerary for my trip can be pulled up. I will be traveling to three cities--Beijing, Guiyang, and Shanghai, seeing many of the famous sights, but what most appeals to me about this kind of trip is that I'll also be interfacing with people from China and people from lots of other places, too. I can't help but think that God has some kind of plans for me in this endeavor. I can take a guest with me so if you should have the time and the money for travel in December, please let me know right away. Otherwise, I'll be traveling on my own over to China in December, but I know I won't be alone...
I plan, on this trip, to upgrade my cell phone to one that I can use while in China. Glenda was able to make calls the whole time she was in China, although she said the 15-hour time difference makes timing calls difficult. Knowing that any rental issues could be dealt with in this manner gives me more ease of mind. The dates of this trip are so good for my being away from R & L Leasing. Rents will have come in and been deposited and recorded, and bills will all be paid in advance. I see this trip as God's invitation to go out and meet some people.
Friday, before this exciting letter arrived, I had another fulfilling thing occur. My son Will was over in Orange, Texas, on a job for Trane, and he invited me to meet him for lunch. This is a first, and I hope it won't be the last. I loved getting to run over to Orange, a thirty-minute drive away, and spend an hour with Will and his friend John. (See Photo #1) I've known Will now for almost 13 years, and we're more and more scratching the surface in sharing our lives with one another. I feel so blessed to have him in my life.
The Grief Workshop that I attended at my church last Tuesday night taught me that I still have grieving to do about giving Will up when he was a baby. In recounting my story about the losses in my life, I stirred up tears at many junctures, including this one. I also cried about my later infertility and losing so much when I lost Craig. Revisiting these old wounds was a cleansing thing, I feel. Interestingly, I seem all cried out about Ray. I feel I've mourned Ray in the healthiest way I've ever grieved anyone. He was such a positive chapter to my life. I'm so glad I've come full cycle through the mourning cycle to remembering him with such good thoughts. Losing Craig was even worth it because I found Ray in the end. The people who have volunteered their time to bring this Grief Workshop to First Presbyterian are wonderful people. They opened and closed the session with a man playing a Native American flute. It will be calling me back again soon. I'm so sorry that I have to miss the session tomorrow night. I'll be back the next week.
Another very moving experience that I feel God brought into my life this week was the Women's Spirituality and Anger Retreat that Judy Savoie facilitated yesterday at the home of Eileen Cormie's parents. (See Photo #2) The Women of Spirit gathered for a long afternoon to look deeply into a time when anger came up, a time when anger got resolved and how it got resolved. Again, my infertility and losing Craig over it was what came up for me. I don't think I had ever thought until yesterday about how angry that whole situation made me--angry with Craig for leaving me over infertility and angry with God for seemingly punishing me for my teenage pregnancy. Again, I feel cleansed through this kind of process. Dredging it up and verbalizing it, somehow this takes some of the power away. God obviously knows what He's doing in guiding me to these places.
A broccoli soup supper was served after the closing ritual of blessing each other's hands with dust. We had each brought a soup bowl to exchange with another Theresian. The person who contributed the bowl we each picked became our prayer partner for the year. I picked Brenda Veazey's beautiful cobalt blue painted bowl, and Rachel Rauland picked the heart-shaped cobalt bowl I had brought. I'll be praying for both of these women, and I hope they will hold me in their prayers, too. I drove by The Gardens on my way home, and on a whim, I popped in for a short visit with Elday Latiolais, my dear friend. I caught her at a good time, and she told me all about the 50th Anniversary celebration at Lady of Good Counsel that she'd attended that day. I, of course, was bubbling over about China.
It was interesting, the progression I took in deciding that this China trip was feasible. When the Pelzers saw me Friday night for dinner at Archie's, I was still in the mode of I can only do this if more Mesothelioma money comes in, but after investigating further and talking to more people, I decided that the signs are just too clear that this is the time for me to go. Everything is thankfully falling into place for me to do it now.
In this week of so much soul-searching in me, God also gave me a day to contemplate at home. I couldn't believe it when I awakened on Thursday morning and found out that school was closed. Hurricane Humberto surprised us all with its quickly forming into a hurricane so close to shore and barreling its way through people's homes west of here. When I drove over to Orange on Friday, I saw Interstate signs that were down, and I know it was even worse in Beaumont. Anyway, I stayed home all day Thursday, didn't venture out until choir practice time. The hurricane for us, though was a non-event. It was downpouring when I got up at 5:45 a.m., but by 7:00 a.m. it had stopped, and it never did rain again. They were predicting up to 15 inches of rain, and that's why schools closed, but it never happened. God had to have had a hand in that...
The day before I had spent with Diane Pelzer at The Eye Clinic again. She had her right eye zapped this time, and with that procedure, she's now done with this long ordeal of getting the cataracts out of her eyes. She told me Friday that she can read again--at last!! She and I had lunch that day and did a little shopping as usual. (See Photo #3) There are still some really good 75% off sales going on. There's nothing like a good bargain.
Wednesday night, I attended the Family Night Supper at church. (See Photo #4) I love the feel of this kind of gathering. Everybody brings something, and when it's all laid out, there's something for everyone's tastes. I think we all have happy memories of these dinners from childhood, and we get to continue them as adults. The evening's entertainment was based on apples, an autumn fruit. Carolyn Sharp comes up with really cute ideas to make us all laugh and enjoy ourselves. A questionnaire on little-known apple facts, along with bobbing for apples, was on the agenda. (See Photos #5 & #6) Lots of people, including Rev. Seay, got into the act. It was hilarious.
Celena Perry, Phyllis Morgan, and I tried everything to find someone to take Cissie McLeod's place when we went to the theater on Saturday night, but nobody turned up. We were a threesome this time. (See Photo #7) The play we went to see was one by Neil Simon's daughter, Ellen, called "Moonlight and Valentino." We came away feeling like she must have been coasting on the laurels of her dad in getting this play published because the lines were really bad. They were often the kind of lines that were so awful that they made you groan. I felt sorry for the actors trying to bring life into this story. Valentino was very cute, though...
The reason my letter this week is an evening letter is because of all my activity toward this China trip and because of Open House at St. Louis tonight. I may have only eight senior girls this year in my class, but I think all their parents showed up. I was sorry we only had seven minutes and I didn't get to talk personally to each of them. (See Photo #8) I gave my spiel, which I never really plan out word for word. I just trust that whatever I'm supposed to say, God will trigger the scripts in my mind. I did get across that I'm very happy to be teaching their children this particular course. It's the favorite of my teaching career.
My rental business has been quiet in recent days. A burned out fluorescent light is the only thing I heard about this week. Ted has bought the paint and caulk to get started on my bathroom renovation. He's asked me to go pick out a faucet for my sink, which I'll do tomorrow. He's giving me the gift of his labor for this project for my birthday present. I'm very grateful, but don't really look forward to the temporary upheaval. It's a good time to do it, though. As I said, things have been quiet with my tenants this week. Just please keep Abba in your prayers with this. She loves to climb into the upper echelons often, (See Photo #9) and she'll have to be locked up while Ted and his helper are in the house.
I hope all goes well with each of you. When I gather my thoughts each week to write this letter, I think of all of you who will receive it and possibly have time to read and enjoy it. You're in my heart...
Love, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
God seemed intent on stirring me up this week. The experiences that have presented themselves have taken me to deep levels of grief, to memories of extreme anger from the past, to elation over the possibility of that trip to China I'd been dreaming about. I feel a bit wrung out, as a result, but I think this is a good thing.
The possible trip to China is highmost in my mind right now. I received a letter Friday from the People to People Ambassador Programs. Someone has nominated me to be a delegate for an international professional and cultural program related to women in society. I'm wondering if one of you reading this letter was the loving soul who has made this inviting experience possible. The conference will run from December 9-21, leaving from L.A. I made an appointment with Glenda Williams, the Academic Assistant Principal, this morning about the possibility of missing my last class before Christmas break and my semester exam. I had already consulted with Barbara Dupont, my department head, about the logistics of missing these two classes. Quickly, and with the hand of God in it, it's all coming together rapidly. I will talk to my Merrill Lynch advisor on Thursday about pulling the funds together to go. Glenda Williams just went on a similar junket two summers ago, and she said the price is good. She also filled me in on a lot details about what this trip will be like. I'm just feeling that it's too good an opportunity to pass up. This trip would combine meeting people from around the world with seeing sights that I've only seen in movies.
President Eisenhower started this Ambassador Program during his administration in the 1950's. He believed that if people from different cultures met face to face and with good will that world peace would ensue. A private organization continues promoting this idea through these various professional programs. If you're interested yourself in pursuing this kind of travel, go to www.ambassadorprograms.org. The itinerary for my trip can be pulled up. I will be traveling to three cities--Beijing, Guiyang, and Shanghai, seeing many of the famous sights, but what most appeals to me about this kind of trip is that I'll also be interfacing with people from China and people from lots of other places, too. I can't help but think that God has some kind of plans for me in this endeavor. I can take a guest with me so if you should have the time and the money for travel in December, please let me know right away. Otherwise, I'll be traveling on my own over to China in December, but I know I won't be alone...
I plan, on this trip, to upgrade my cell phone to one that I can use while in China. Glenda was able to make calls the whole time she was in China, although she said the 15-hour time difference makes timing calls difficult. Knowing that any rental issues could be dealt with in this manner gives me more ease of mind. The dates of this trip are so good for my being away from R & L Leasing. Rents will have come in and been deposited and recorded, and bills will all be paid in advance. I see this trip as God's invitation to go out and meet some people.
Friday, before this exciting letter arrived, I had another fulfilling thing occur. My son Will was over in Orange, Texas, on a job for Trane, and he invited me to meet him for lunch. This is a first, and I hope it won't be the last. I loved getting to run over to Orange, a thirty-minute drive away, and spend an hour with Will and his friend John. (See Photo #1) I've known Will now for almost 13 years, and we're more and more scratching the surface in sharing our lives with one another. I feel so blessed to have him in my life.
The Grief Workshop that I attended at my church last Tuesday night taught me that I still have grieving to do about giving Will up when he was a baby. In recounting my story about the losses in my life, I stirred up tears at many junctures, including this one. I also cried about my later infertility and losing so much when I lost Craig. Revisiting these old wounds was a cleansing thing, I feel. Interestingly, I seem all cried out about Ray. I feel I've mourned Ray in the healthiest way I've ever grieved anyone. He was such a positive chapter to my life. I'm so glad I've come full cycle through the mourning cycle to remembering him with such good thoughts. Losing Craig was even worth it because I found Ray in the end. The people who have volunteered their time to bring this Grief Workshop to First Presbyterian are wonderful people. They opened and closed the session with a man playing a Native American flute. It will be calling me back again soon. I'm so sorry that I have to miss the session tomorrow night. I'll be back the next week.
Another very moving experience that I feel God brought into my life this week was the Women's Spirituality and Anger Retreat that Judy Savoie facilitated yesterday at the home of Eileen Cormie's parents. (See Photo #2) The Women of Spirit gathered for a long afternoon to look deeply into a time when anger came up, a time when anger got resolved and how it got resolved. Again, my infertility and losing Craig over it was what came up for me. I don't think I had ever thought until yesterday about how angry that whole situation made me--angry with Craig for leaving me over infertility and angry with God for seemingly punishing me for my teenage pregnancy. Again, I feel cleansed through this kind of process. Dredging it up and verbalizing it, somehow this takes some of the power away. God obviously knows what He's doing in guiding me to these places.
A broccoli soup supper was served after the closing ritual of blessing each other's hands with dust. We had each brought a soup bowl to exchange with another Theresian. The person who contributed the bowl we each picked became our prayer partner for the year. I picked Brenda Veazey's beautiful cobalt blue painted bowl, and Rachel Rauland picked the heart-shaped cobalt bowl I had brought. I'll be praying for both of these women, and I hope they will hold me in their prayers, too. I drove by The Gardens on my way home, and on a whim, I popped in for a short visit with Elday Latiolais, my dear friend. I caught her at a good time, and she told me all about the 50th Anniversary celebration at Lady of Good Counsel that she'd attended that day. I, of course, was bubbling over about China.
It was interesting, the progression I took in deciding that this China trip was feasible. When the Pelzers saw me Friday night for dinner at Archie's, I was still in the mode of I can only do this if more Mesothelioma money comes in, but after investigating further and talking to more people, I decided that the signs are just too clear that this is the time for me to go. Everything is thankfully falling into place for me to do it now.
In this week of so much soul-searching in me, God also gave me a day to contemplate at home. I couldn't believe it when I awakened on Thursday morning and found out that school was closed. Hurricane Humberto surprised us all with its quickly forming into a hurricane so close to shore and barreling its way through people's homes west of here. When I drove over to Orange on Friday, I saw Interstate signs that were down, and I know it was even worse in Beaumont. Anyway, I stayed home all day Thursday, didn't venture out until choir practice time. The hurricane for us, though was a non-event. It was downpouring when I got up at 5:45 a.m., but by 7:00 a.m. it had stopped, and it never did rain again. They were predicting up to 15 inches of rain, and that's why schools closed, but it never happened. God had to have had a hand in that...
The day before I had spent with Diane Pelzer at The Eye Clinic again. She had her right eye zapped this time, and with that procedure, she's now done with this long ordeal of getting the cataracts out of her eyes. She told me Friday that she can read again--at last!! She and I had lunch that day and did a little shopping as usual. (See Photo #3) There are still some really good 75% off sales going on. There's nothing like a good bargain.
Wednesday night, I attended the Family Night Supper at church. (See Photo #4) I love the feel of this kind of gathering. Everybody brings something, and when it's all laid out, there's something for everyone's tastes. I think we all have happy memories of these dinners from childhood, and we get to continue them as adults. The evening's entertainment was based on apples, an autumn fruit. Carolyn Sharp comes up with really cute ideas to make us all laugh and enjoy ourselves. A questionnaire on little-known apple facts, along with bobbing for apples, was on the agenda. (See Photos #5 & #6) Lots of people, including Rev. Seay, got into the act. It was hilarious.
Celena Perry, Phyllis Morgan, and I tried everything to find someone to take Cissie McLeod's place when we went to the theater on Saturday night, but nobody turned up. We were a threesome this time. (See Photo #7) The play we went to see was one by Neil Simon's daughter, Ellen, called "Moonlight and Valentino." We came away feeling like she must have been coasting on the laurels of her dad in getting this play published because the lines were really bad. They were often the kind of lines that were so awful that they made you groan. I felt sorry for the actors trying to bring life into this story. Valentino was very cute, though...
The reason my letter this week is an evening letter is because of all my activity toward this China trip and because of Open House at St. Louis tonight. I may have only eight senior girls this year in my class, but I think all their parents showed up. I was sorry we only had seven minutes and I didn't get to talk personally to each of them. (See Photo #8) I gave my spiel, which I never really plan out word for word. I just trust that whatever I'm supposed to say, God will trigger the scripts in my mind. I did get across that I'm very happy to be teaching their children this particular course. It's the favorite of my teaching career.
My rental business has been quiet in recent days. A burned out fluorescent light is the only thing I heard about this week. Ted has bought the paint and caulk to get started on my bathroom renovation. He's asked me to go pick out a faucet for my sink, which I'll do tomorrow. He's giving me the gift of his labor for this project for my birthday present. I'm very grateful, but don't really look forward to the temporary upheaval. It's a good time to do it, though. As I said, things have been quiet with my tenants this week. Just please keep Abba in your prayers with this. She loves to climb into the upper echelons often, (See Photo #9) and she'll have to be locked up while Ted and his helper are in the house.
I hope all goes well with each of you. When I gather my thoughts each week to write this letter, I think of all of you who will receive it and possibly have time to read and enjoy it. You're in my heart...
Love, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
Monday, September 10, 2007
Monday Afternoon Reflections - September 10, 2007
Dear Family and Friends,
I feel like my whole planet Earth is in harmony with the way my friends and family reached out to touch me for my birthday this past week. Thank each of you for the attention and love you've sent out to me through phonecalls, cards, e-cards, presents, and meals together. I feel graced by God that you are a part of my life. My family will be gathering for fall birthdays the weekend of October 26, so the celebrating will be extended until then for me. Each year becomes more precious to me. Knowing that Ray's 56th year was his last year, I go forth to make the most of every day I have left. My life becomes more meaningful in that way.
Last week, I was telling you the woes of my car troubles. This week, let me tell you that I feel like the Lord moved in my favor. Last Tuesday, the day after the Labor Day holiday, I was on the phone at 7:00 a.m., calling Ramon Capeles, my VW mechanic about what happened to my car on Sunday morning. He told me to have it towed over to his shop so that he could investigate. Minutes later, I called AAA, and within an hour, a tow truck appeared, and I was able to get this situation handled before I had to be up at school to teach my class at 9:00. (See Photo #1) Joan Vallee-Rettke was kind enough to give me a ride over to St. Louis so I didn't have to be hot and sweaty walking over there. I felt like an idiot when I discovered that the reason why I couldn't get my car out of Park was because I didn't have my foot on the brake. Thank God that was all that was. The tow driver was easily able to get it on his truck, and away it went.
After my class, Gayla Abshire was kind enough to alter our original plans for lunch and bring Wendy's salads for us both to eat. While we were sitting down to eat this lunch, the phone rang, and I had good news about my car. The computer was not blanked out like I had feared; there was simply a loose wire going to the fuse box. Maybe I didn't even need a new battery the week before. Maybe that was the problem all along. But anyway, I'm glad to have a new battery and to feel secure again about my car starting when I turn the key. I hope I think about my gratitude to God every time I turn the key from now on. I couldn't help but notice the orchestration that made this whole ordeal so easy and non-interrupting-of-my-life for me.
Tuesday night was the last belly dancing class. We had learned all the basic belly dancing shimmies and shakes, and we had learned to apply them in a dance called "Chiribim" and another slower one danced with veils. The whole experience was a good time. On Tuesday night, our instructor, Anne Monlezun, passed out certificates, and we had to shimmy up to her to pick out own personal navel gem. (See Photo #2) I picked cobalt blue, of course! Afterwards, Anne posed us for a final group graduation shot. (See Photo #3) We're almost all open to going another round of this together, but Anne won't be available again until October. We'll see if the belly dancing continues in my life...
I started a new Bible Study at my church on Wednesday at noon. Dr. T. L. Lewis is taking on the project of exploring the Book of Acts with a group that seems to be growing. I didn't make it the first week, but there were a bunch of us this time who were brand new. I'm sorry I'm going to miss this week's session, but I will be going with Diane Pelzer to The Eye Clinic for an appointment. I look forward to seeing everybody in another week.
Wednesday night a spontaneous birthday celebration erupted with Cissie McLeod and Wendy Dees. (See Photo #4) As you can see, Logan's was the spot we picked for this supper. We had a good time sharing our stories over steak salads. Wendy was kind enough to treat both Cissie and me to dinner in honor of our recent birthdays.
Thursday, the actual day of my birthday, I got the gift of not having to teach school that day. Due to the altered schedule for Labor Day, my class didn't meet. I had the day to just kick back and enjoy the cards and phone calls I received all day and night. I had a hair appointment at 10:30, and Sheila Tradewell, my beautician, posed with me for a picture. (See Photo #5) I was dressed up for the Profit and Loss Luncheon that I shared with Debbie Perry and Karen Dore and her son Jonathan. The guest speaker, James Groves, introduced us to a project of Samaritan's Purse called Operation Christmas Child. Debbie and I looked at each other during the presentation and agreed that this is a good possibility for a mission project for our Women of Spirit Theresian group. We'll tell everybody about it at the retreat next Sunday.
I stopped by St. Louis on my way home from this luncheon to talk to the new counselor, Gisele Puckett, about the senior portfolios she's proposing. We came to the agreement that my seniors need to write essays for this project that they can actually use for their applications to colleges. I presented this to them the next morning, and they're going to do two of them in the next two coming weeks, on top of the other assignments I have planned for them. Class has been going well. It's such a pleasure to have lesson plans turn out even better than I had hoped they would. I can truly say that with every year, teaching has become more and more an art form for me. I plan a class, and then I execute it. With the magic that occurs in this orchestration, I can say I feel like I've completed a piece of art when I'm finished. It's a very good feeling.
One of my oldest friends, Barb Klebe Baker, called me on Friday from Daytona Beach, Florida, where she's visiting a friend of her this week. Talking to her always brings home to me how important these connections that I have for the duration of my life are to me. Every week when I send out this letter, I'm reaching out to not just my aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings, but I also send it out to friends from around the globe that I've met over the years and to four special people that I started kindergarten with in Elkhorn, Nebraska, more than fifty years ago. I live in a town where there are lots of people who have connections like this, too, but I also know that in this day and age, staying connected to our pasts to this degree is not heard of so often. I'm very grateful for all of you in my life.
I had a real urge on Friday to go buy myself some birthday presents. I learned while I was living in Galveston, those years of being divorced, that one of the best things I could do for myself on my birthday or some other special occasion was to go out a treat myself to something I really love. In this case, I felt like God was moving me along, and I found a beautiful brown fall outfit at TiCi's, 75% off Nurture brand sandals at Dillard's, and a green and brown necklace and earring set at Talbot's. My birthday was complete this way. I also found another cobalt blue cross at a Touch of Glass. (See Photo #6) I've symbolically placed it in the spot where this plaque used to be at my table. (See Photo #7) Somehow this represents the changes in my since Ray has passed away. I turn more and more in my daily thinking toward God in my life.
I spent all day Saturday at our First Presbyterian Church Choir Retreat. Chris Miller, our choir director, had put a lot of thought and effort into the music he had us sight read that day. A theme that I noticed in his choice of titles was the idea that music is a ministry, music is our way of serving God in our church and in the world. The anthem that we prepared for yesterday's service was called "Instrument of Grace." We ask God to make us instruments of grace, to help us to bring the message of his love to those around us. Although my voice got tired and strained by the end of the day, I was so happy to have a voice that might be shared with others. We had new people and old who came together to share the day. (See Photo #8) It was a happy place to be.
After the retreat, both Ann Knapp and Sarah Harmon asked me if I had some photos that they might use for a Power Point presentation they're putting together for the Session. It made me feel good to know that my penchant for taking photos everywhere I go is coming into good favor. I have to tell all of you who are reading this that I feel like I'm following in my mother's footsteps in being the unofficial photographer for my church since I joined in 2005. My mother used to do the same thing for her church when she was alive. My brother Lee, who inherited all of the photo albums she left behind, can attest to the many, many pages of photos of people from my mother's Lutheran Church in Pasadena, Texas. My mother captioned all of them and would have made a great historian for her church. When my Circle was discussing the historian position for the Presbyterian Women at my church yesterday, I also thought about my mother and how great she would have been for such a position. I like to take the photos, but unfortunately, I don't really know everybody at my church quite yet. I will continue to take photos, though, and hopefully there will be other occasions when they would become useful to somebody.
Sunday at the 11:00 service, the Chancel Choir was commissioned for our ministry in 2007-2008. The sermon was entitled "We Can't Pick Family," and I had fun thinking over the family I have actually picked in my life. One thing I've learned from moving around the world a bit is that everywhere you go, "family" somehow spontaneously happens among people. When I lived in Cairo, the holidays were celebrated in new ways, and the people who gathered became our surrogate sisters and brothers. Even now living in Lake Charles where I don't actually have any blood relatives, I find myself feeling warm and close feelings to the people in my life. So in a way, God does provide us with ways to pick our family. It's just not the usual way of thinking.
The Sunday Circle met yesterday afternoon to kick off the new year. We're studying Jonah and Ruth, which might seem strange to you, but they both were called by God to do some amazing things. I imagine through this experience of studying them, we will also find ourselves realizing that we are each called by God to do useful things in His world. This group was also a mixture of old and new faces. (See Photo #9) It was good to come together again.
Abbakadabra has been cute again this week. She is such a sweet companion to me. (See Photo #10)
My brother Lee got safely back to Houston Sunday morning. He was exhausted when I talked to him, but he thought he was going to try to stay up all day after staying up all night, just to get back in sync with his family. I hope he was able to take today off from work so that he could truly get rested and caught up from such a strenuous and productive trip to Bolivia. They had much success in doing heart surgeries on children. I know the whole team must have a real sense of doing God's work in the world, going down there.
I feel a real sense of it myself. May we all have a good week ahead...
With love and blessings, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
I feel like my whole planet Earth is in harmony with the way my friends and family reached out to touch me for my birthday this past week. Thank each of you for the attention and love you've sent out to me through phonecalls, cards, e-cards, presents, and meals together. I feel graced by God that you are a part of my life. My family will be gathering for fall birthdays the weekend of October 26, so the celebrating will be extended until then for me. Each year becomes more precious to me. Knowing that Ray's 56th year was his last year, I go forth to make the most of every day I have left. My life becomes more meaningful in that way.
Last week, I was telling you the woes of my car troubles. This week, let me tell you that I feel like the Lord moved in my favor. Last Tuesday, the day after the Labor Day holiday, I was on the phone at 7:00 a.m., calling Ramon Capeles, my VW mechanic about what happened to my car on Sunday morning. He told me to have it towed over to his shop so that he could investigate. Minutes later, I called AAA, and within an hour, a tow truck appeared, and I was able to get this situation handled before I had to be up at school to teach my class at 9:00. (See Photo #1) Joan Vallee-Rettke was kind enough to give me a ride over to St. Louis so I didn't have to be hot and sweaty walking over there. I felt like an idiot when I discovered that the reason why I couldn't get my car out of Park was because I didn't have my foot on the brake. Thank God that was all that was. The tow driver was easily able to get it on his truck, and away it went.
After my class, Gayla Abshire was kind enough to alter our original plans for lunch and bring Wendy's salads for us both to eat. While we were sitting down to eat this lunch, the phone rang, and I had good news about my car. The computer was not blanked out like I had feared; there was simply a loose wire going to the fuse box. Maybe I didn't even need a new battery the week before. Maybe that was the problem all along. But anyway, I'm glad to have a new battery and to feel secure again about my car starting when I turn the key. I hope I think about my gratitude to God every time I turn the key from now on. I couldn't help but notice the orchestration that made this whole ordeal so easy and non-interrupting-of-my-life for me.
Tuesday night was the last belly dancing class. We had learned all the basic belly dancing shimmies and shakes, and we had learned to apply them in a dance called "Chiribim" and another slower one danced with veils. The whole experience was a good time. On Tuesday night, our instructor, Anne Monlezun, passed out certificates, and we had to shimmy up to her to pick out own personal navel gem. (See Photo #2) I picked cobalt blue, of course! Afterwards, Anne posed us for a final group graduation shot. (See Photo #3) We're almost all open to going another round of this together, but Anne won't be available again until October. We'll see if the belly dancing continues in my life...
I started a new Bible Study at my church on Wednesday at noon. Dr. T. L. Lewis is taking on the project of exploring the Book of Acts with a group that seems to be growing. I didn't make it the first week, but there were a bunch of us this time who were brand new. I'm sorry I'm going to miss this week's session, but I will be going with Diane Pelzer to The Eye Clinic for an appointment. I look forward to seeing everybody in another week.
Wednesday night a spontaneous birthday celebration erupted with Cissie McLeod and Wendy Dees. (See Photo #4) As you can see, Logan's was the spot we picked for this supper. We had a good time sharing our stories over steak salads. Wendy was kind enough to treat both Cissie and me to dinner in honor of our recent birthdays.
Thursday, the actual day of my birthday, I got the gift of not having to teach school that day. Due to the altered schedule for Labor Day, my class didn't meet. I had the day to just kick back and enjoy the cards and phone calls I received all day and night. I had a hair appointment at 10:30, and Sheila Tradewell, my beautician, posed with me for a picture. (See Photo #5) I was dressed up for the Profit and Loss Luncheon that I shared with Debbie Perry and Karen Dore and her son Jonathan. The guest speaker, James Groves, introduced us to a project of Samaritan's Purse called Operation Christmas Child. Debbie and I looked at each other during the presentation and agreed that this is a good possibility for a mission project for our Women of Spirit Theresian group. We'll tell everybody about it at the retreat next Sunday.
I stopped by St. Louis on my way home from this luncheon to talk to the new counselor, Gisele Puckett, about the senior portfolios she's proposing. We came to the agreement that my seniors need to write essays for this project that they can actually use for their applications to colleges. I presented this to them the next morning, and they're going to do two of them in the next two coming weeks, on top of the other assignments I have planned for them. Class has been going well. It's such a pleasure to have lesson plans turn out even better than I had hoped they would. I can truly say that with every year, teaching has become more and more an art form for me. I plan a class, and then I execute it. With the magic that occurs in this orchestration, I can say I feel like I've completed a piece of art when I'm finished. It's a very good feeling.
One of my oldest friends, Barb Klebe Baker, called me on Friday from Daytona Beach, Florida, where she's visiting a friend of her this week. Talking to her always brings home to me how important these connections that I have for the duration of my life are to me. Every week when I send out this letter, I'm reaching out to not just my aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings, but I also send it out to friends from around the globe that I've met over the years and to four special people that I started kindergarten with in Elkhorn, Nebraska, more than fifty years ago. I live in a town where there are lots of people who have connections like this, too, but I also know that in this day and age, staying connected to our pasts to this degree is not heard of so often. I'm very grateful for all of you in my life.
I had a real urge on Friday to go buy myself some birthday presents. I learned while I was living in Galveston, those years of being divorced, that one of the best things I could do for myself on my birthday or some other special occasion was to go out a treat myself to something I really love. In this case, I felt like God was moving me along, and I found a beautiful brown fall outfit at TiCi's, 75% off Nurture brand sandals at Dillard's, and a green and brown necklace and earring set at Talbot's. My birthday was complete this way. I also found another cobalt blue cross at a Touch of Glass. (See Photo #6) I've symbolically placed it in the spot where this plaque used to be at my table. (See Photo #7) Somehow this represents the changes in my since Ray has passed away. I turn more and more in my daily thinking toward God in my life.
I spent all day Saturday at our First Presbyterian Church Choir Retreat. Chris Miller, our choir director, had put a lot of thought and effort into the music he had us sight read that day. A theme that I noticed in his choice of titles was the idea that music is a ministry, music is our way of serving God in our church and in the world. The anthem that we prepared for yesterday's service was called "Instrument of Grace." We ask God to make us instruments of grace, to help us to bring the message of his love to those around us. Although my voice got tired and strained by the end of the day, I was so happy to have a voice that might be shared with others. We had new people and old who came together to share the day. (See Photo #8) It was a happy place to be.
After the retreat, both Ann Knapp and Sarah Harmon asked me if I had some photos that they might use for a Power Point presentation they're putting together for the Session. It made me feel good to know that my penchant for taking photos everywhere I go is coming into good favor. I have to tell all of you who are reading this that I feel like I'm following in my mother's footsteps in being the unofficial photographer for my church since I joined in 2005. My mother used to do the same thing for her church when she was alive. My brother Lee, who inherited all of the photo albums she left behind, can attest to the many, many pages of photos of people from my mother's Lutheran Church in Pasadena, Texas. My mother captioned all of them and would have made a great historian for her church. When my Circle was discussing the historian position for the Presbyterian Women at my church yesterday, I also thought about my mother and how great she would have been for such a position. I like to take the photos, but unfortunately, I don't really know everybody at my church quite yet. I will continue to take photos, though, and hopefully there will be other occasions when they would become useful to somebody.
Sunday at the 11:00 service, the Chancel Choir was commissioned for our ministry in 2007-2008. The sermon was entitled "We Can't Pick Family," and I had fun thinking over the family I have actually picked in my life. One thing I've learned from moving around the world a bit is that everywhere you go, "family" somehow spontaneously happens among people. When I lived in Cairo, the holidays were celebrated in new ways, and the people who gathered became our surrogate sisters and brothers. Even now living in Lake Charles where I don't actually have any blood relatives, I find myself feeling warm and close feelings to the people in my life. So in a way, God does provide us with ways to pick our family. It's just not the usual way of thinking.
The Sunday Circle met yesterday afternoon to kick off the new year. We're studying Jonah and Ruth, which might seem strange to you, but they both were called by God to do some amazing things. I imagine through this experience of studying them, we will also find ourselves realizing that we are each called by God to do useful things in His world. This group was also a mixture of old and new faces. (See Photo #9) It was good to come together again.
Abbakadabra has been cute again this week. She is such a sweet companion to me. (See Photo #10)
My brother Lee got safely back to Houston Sunday morning. He was exhausted when I talked to him, but he thought he was going to try to stay up all day after staying up all night, just to get back in sync with his family. I hope he was able to take today off from work so that he could truly get rested and caught up from such a strenuous and productive trip to Bolivia. They had much success in doing heart surgeries on children. I know the whole team must have a real sense of doing God's work in the world, going down there.
I feel a real sense of it myself. May we all have a good week ahead...
With love and blessings, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Labor Day Reflections - September 3, 2007
Dear Family and Friends,
As of this past Thursday, I had no plans for the Labor Day weekend, but things fell into place, and the holiday has been a rich one. Saturday I met Will, Andrea, and McKenzie at Logan's in Beaumont for an early birthday luncheon. (See Photo #1) They treated me to lunch and shared all the things going on in their lives. I can't tell you how much I cherish this opportunity to have my son and his family in my life. They found a cobalt blue beaded cross to give me for this year's birthday. (See Photo #2) I love it, and I love them. I was so happy to spend a few hours with them Saturday.
On the way home, I felt the urge to do something that Ray and I often did together--stop by an antique mall. I hadn't gone antiquing since before Ray died, and going this past Saturday felt like some kind of hurdle was gotten over. I stopped at the Antique Mall near Orange, Texas, and quickly went in to scan for cobalt blue glass pieces, which is all I'm really interested in buying or collecting. I couldn't believe it when I found a new piece for my cobalt blue bird and fowl collection in my kitchen. (See Photo #3) This one is a turkey-shaped toothpick holder. Somehow finding a new piece to my collection marks some kind of moving-on in me. I can walk into antique stores again.
God had other experiences planned for me on Sunday to mark the two-year anniversary of Ray's death. I don't know whether this is possible, but when my new battery that I just had installed in my VW Jetta on Wednesday died on me Sunday morning as I was leaving for church and with it died the computer in my car, I couldn't help but think that there was some kind of understanding I was to gain from this experience pertaining to Ray in my life. Rev. Fred Seay's sermon on Sunday had references to letting God help us in our life, and out in the congregation, I was realizing that my mind was tracking all kinds of worse-case scenarios about what had just happened to my car. I walked over to the church, by the way, and was about five minutes late for the service. As I was sitting there with my mind reeling and Fred talking about God in our lives, I came to the realization that whatever now happens with my car, this situation doesn't compare in any way to the magnitude of what I was feeling and facing two years ago. God did a funny thing in having me face this new crisis in my life on this particular morning. It's helped me put other things in my life into perspective, and I know He is with me and I will overcome this new setback one way or the other.
Phyllis Morgan has been a jewel in helping me with my car this past week. She gave me several rides to and from the Lake Charles Import Service and home from church on Sunday. In fact, she and I went to DeAngelo's after the service and caught up on each other's lives. With my boundaries about what had happened to my car snapping back into place, she played the role of setting my mind at ease about things I might have to do this week to get this problem solved. I love her for that.
I didn't mind spending most of Sunday at home by myself, thinking about the anniversary of Ray's death and remembering him with loving thoughts, especially since I knew I had an outing planned for today. Joan Vallee-Rettke invited me to ride along with her to Lafayette this morning to meet her son-in-law. Drew, Joan's little grandson, had spent the weekend with her, and it's about half-way from Baton Rouge, where he lives, to bring him back to his parents. With that as the catalyst for this trip, Joan also made it into a birthday celebration for me. She asked me to pick a restaurant for lunch, and I picked Prejean's, where I'd been just a little over a week ago. We had our picture taken with the alligator in that Cajun restaurant. (See Photo #4) Then we ordered a light lunch of eggplant, crabmeat, and shrimp. It was delicious. From there, we went to the Acadiana Mall so that Joan could take back some make-up, and we also stopped into Chico's and Cold Water Creek. I swear the clerks in Cold Water Creek are trained to comment on your jewelry. They did it again this time... Friends of mine from Lake Charles spotted me in Chico's, and I had the clerk snap a happy picture of the four of us. (See Photo #5) Cathy King and Rose Viau are both Theresian sisters of mine. The trip to and from Lafayette afforded Joan and me ample opportunity to visit on all kinds of topics. I hadn't really been with her since she flew to Wisconsin for a family wedding, and I heard all about it on this trip. She also sang "Happy Birthday" to me, and I feel so blessed. My family won't be celebrating fall birthdays until probably sometime in October, so this was nice to feel so special for my 56th birthday.
My rental business was quiet this past week. No one called with emergencies, and Ted was just finishing up a few odds and ends for me. Rents started coming in on Saturday. I had to handle a new situation with one of them, for I had a letter ready to give to my oldest tenant. Her floor has warped, and there is no way I'm going to go through what I went through last winter with trying to repair such a thing with so much stuff in a house and a family trying to live through such a thing. I've given her notice that next August I won't be renewing the Section 8 contract. She has almost a full year to find some place to go. I won't fix that floor until she is out. I've encouraged her to move out sooner than a year from now, but with giving her that much notice, my conscience feels good with this move. Ray used to feel just sick when he'd go over there and see how she was treating our house. Now, with this excuse, I'm getting rid of a tenant he wanted out so many times and just didn't have the heart to confront. I can't fix this floor, though, with her there, so I see it as another hurdle of mine, and I feel good about it. This tenant took the news very philosophically, and it went well.
School continues to bring me pure pleasure. I don't know why I never used the Creative Thinking techniques that I learned how to apply in the classroom during a practicum I did in 1995 in my classroom. I guess it's because AP training that I received didn't go in that kind of direction, but now that I'm starting to apply some of them, I can see how enriching this is going to be for my curriculum. Glenda Williams, our new Academic Assistant Principal at St. Louis, is encouraging all of us to use the new Bloom's taxonomy in setting our learning objectives in the classroom. In this new taxonomy, "creating" something is at the top of that pyramid. With these creative thinking techniques that I'm adding to my lesson plans, I'm getting my students up to that level as often as I can now. Friday the eight girls broke into pairs and took the Rite of Passage paradigm they'd learned about and applied it to the Battle Royal chapter of INVISIBLE MAN. We haven't discussed their symbolic renditions of this yet, but I put these large-sized post-in papers on the wall in the classroom, and each one looks unique and very astute about this topic. My course just got richer and probably a lot more fun. Some of the girls were dying laughing in figuring out what to draw and include in their posters. I think this is a good thing.
I got kind of shocked at the faculty meeting Friday afternoon. We've lost two key people at our school rather suddenly. Bill Simon, our principal, is taking a recruiting job at McNeese State University, and we've also lost our counselor. With Glenda Williams being new to her job, Jim Hughes, the other assistant principal, has a lot on his plate, especially since our building is under construction for a new library. Please hold all of us in your prayers about replacing these positions. Already one person has stepped up to the plate. Gisele Pucket, who came out of retirement to teach a couple of math courses for us, has agreed to take on the counseling position. She retired as a counselor, and I'm sure will do a wonderful job. God is asking her to do a big job.
My brother Lee got off on his trip to Bolivia on Friday. It's going well from what he's said in a couple of emails. The team from Texas Children's Hospital in Houston is doing many open-heart surgeries on children and saving lives. I called Lee's house Thursday night to wish him well, and his eight-year-old Hannah answered the phone. What a nice conversation I had with her! She told me all about so many things, including her first week with a new teacher. She and her sister Jessica have swapped bedrooms, and they're in the process of getting settled into their new spaces. Hannah now has the deep lavender room, and Jessica has the yellow one with the antiques. I'm sure this is serving as a nice distraction from missing their dad.
I got together spontaneously with Brenda Leger on Thursday. Without much notice, we met at a new cafe called Renee's in the Capitol One Building. (See Photo #6) From the photo, you can see that there's a view of downtown Lake Charles from the windows. We went searching bowls for our upcoming Theresian retreat, but we didn't find any in that particular gift shop. We bounced around ideas for where else we might look. Our Theresian group is going to exchange soup bowls this year and bring them each meeting for the simple evening meal provided. Whomever's soup bowl you receive will be your prayer partner for the year. I found a nice one later that day at Tuesday Morning, but I also looked some more when I was in the Antique Mall on Saturday.
It's been a few weeks since I've told you about cute things that Abbakadabra has done. She scared me the other day, getting up into one of the top windows in the house with seemingly no where to jump down safely. (See Photo #7) She's a smart cat, though, and she found a ledge that she could maneuver, and I lured her down with the cap to one of my Diet Lipton Green Teas. She loves those things. They're her favorite toy.
Wish me luck with my car tomorrow. I don't know whether I'm going to have to have the car towed to a VW dealership or whether Ramon Capeles, who replaced my battery on Wednesday, can help me with this. I know everything's locked up with the computer down. I don't even know how they can get the car out of Park to tow it. Surely, there's a way to solve this problem... I'll tell you about it next week.
Lots of love, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
As of this past Thursday, I had no plans for the Labor Day weekend, but things fell into place, and the holiday has been a rich one. Saturday I met Will, Andrea, and McKenzie at Logan's in Beaumont for an early birthday luncheon. (See Photo #1) They treated me to lunch and shared all the things going on in their lives. I can't tell you how much I cherish this opportunity to have my son and his family in my life. They found a cobalt blue beaded cross to give me for this year's birthday. (See Photo #2) I love it, and I love them. I was so happy to spend a few hours with them Saturday.
On the way home, I felt the urge to do something that Ray and I often did together--stop by an antique mall. I hadn't gone antiquing since before Ray died, and going this past Saturday felt like some kind of hurdle was gotten over. I stopped at the Antique Mall near Orange, Texas, and quickly went in to scan for cobalt blue glass pieces, which is all I'm really interested in buying or collecting. I couldn't believe it when I found a new piece for my cobalt blue bird and fowl collection in my kitchen. (See Photo #3) This one is a turkey-shaped toothpick holder. Somehow finding a new piece to my collection marks some kind of moving-on in me. I can walk into antique stores again.
God had other experiences planned for me on Sunday to mark the two-year anniversary of Ray's death. I don't know whether this is possible, but when my new battery that I just had installed in my VW Jetta on Wednesday died on me Sunday morning as I was leaving for church and with it died the computer in my car, I couldn't help but think that there was some kind of understanding I was to gain from this experience pertaining to Ray in my life. Rev. Fred Seay's sermon on Sunday had references to letting God help us in our life, and out in the congregation, I was realizing that my mind was tracking all kinds of worse-case scenarios about what had just happened to my car. I walked over to the church, by the way, and was about five minutes late for the service. As I was sitting there with my mind reeling and Fred talking about God in our lives, I came to the realization that whatever now happens with my car, this situation doesn't compare in any way to the magnitude of what I was feeling and facing two years ago. God did a funny thing in having me face this new crisis in my life on this particular morning. It's helped me put other things in my life into perspective, and I know He is with me and I will overcome this new setback one way or the other.
Phyllis Morgan has been a jewel in helping me with my car this past week. She gave me several rides to and from the Lake Charles Import Service and home from church on Sunday. In fact, she and I went to DeAngelo's after the service and caught up on each other's lives. With my boundaries about what had happened to my car snapping back into place, she played the role of setting my mind at ease about things I might have to do this week to get this problem solved. I love her for that.
I didn't mind spending most of Sunday at home by myself, thinking about the anniversary of Ray's death and remembering him with loving thoughts, especially since I knew I had an outing planned for today. Joan Vallee-Rettke invited me to ride along with her to Lafayette this morning to meet her son-in-law. Drew, Joan's little grandson, had spent the weekend with her, and it's about half-way from Baton Rouge, where he lives, to bring him back to his parents. With that as the catalyst for this trip, Joan also made it into a birthday celebration for me. She asked me to pick a restaurant for lunch, and I picked Prejean's, where I'd been just a little over a week ago. We had our picture taken with the alligator in that Cajun restaurant. (See Photo #4) Then we ordered a light lunch of eggplant, crabmeat, and shrimp. It was delicious. From there, we went to the Acadiana Mall so that Joan could take back some make-up, and we also stopped into Chico's and Cold Water Creek. I swear the clerks in Cold Water Creek are trained to comment on your jewelry. They did it again this time... Friends of mine from Lake Charles spotted me in Chico's, and I had the clerk snap a happy picture of the four of us. (See Photo #5) Cathy King and Rose Viau are both Theresian sisters of mine. The trip to and from Lafayette afforded Joan and me ample opportunity to visit on all kinds of topics. I hadn't really been with her since she flew to Wisconsin for a family wedding, and I heard all about it on this trip. She also sang "Happy Birthday" to me, and I feel so blessed. My family won't be celebrating fall birthdays until probably sometime in October, so this was nice to feel so special for my 56th birthday.
My rental business was quiet this past week. No one called with emergencies, and Ted was just finishing up a few odds and ends for me. Rents started coming in on Saturday. I had to handle a new situation with one of them, for I had a letter ready to give to my oldest tenant. Her floor has warped, and there is no way I'm going to go through what I went through last winter with trying to repair such a thing with so much stuff in a house and a family trying to live through such a thing. I've given her notice that next August I won't be renewing the Section 8 contract. She has almost a full year to find some place to go. I won't fix that floor until she is out. I've encouraged her to move out sooner than a year from now, but with giving her that much notice, my conscience feels good with this move. Ray used to feel just sick when he'd go over there and see how she was treating our house. Now, with this excuse, I'm getting rid of a tenant he wanted out so many times and just didn't have the heart to confront. I can't fix this floor, though, with her there, so I see it as another hurdle of mine, and I feel good about it. This tenant took the news very philosophically, and it went well.
School continues to bring me pure pleasure. I don't know why I never used the Creative Thinking techniques that I learned how to apply in the classroom during a practicum I did in 1995 in my classroom. I guess it's because AP training that I received didn't go in that kind of direction, but now that I'm starting to apply some of them, I can see how enriching this is going to be for my curriculum. Glenda Williams, our new Academic Assistant Principal at St. Louis, is encouraging all of us to use the new Bloom's taxonomy in setting our learning objectives in the classroom. In this new taxonomy, "creating" something is at the top of that pyramid. With these creative thinking techniques that I'm adding to my lesson plans, I'm getting my students up to that level as often as I can now. Friday the eight girls broke into pairs and took the Rite of Passage paradigm they'd learned about and applied it to the Battle Royal chapter of INVISIBLE MAN. We haven't discussed their symbolic renditions of this yet, but I put these large-sized post-in papers on the wall in the classroom, and each one looks unique and very astute about this topic. My course just got richer and probably a lot more fun. Some of the girls were dying laughing in figuring out what to draw and include in their posters. I think this is a good thing.
I got kind of shocked at the faculty meeting Friday afternoon. We've lost two key people at our school rather suddenly. Bill Simon, our principal, is taking a recruiting job at McNeese State University, and we've also lost our counselor. With Glenda Williams being new to her job, Jim Hughes, the other assistant principal, has a lot on his plate, especially since our building is under construction for a new library. Please hold all of us in your prayers about replacing these positions. Already one person has stepped up to the plate. Gisele Pucket, who came out of retirement to teach a couple of math courses for us, has agreed to take on the counseling position. She retired as a counselor, and I'm sure will do a wonderful job. God is asking her to do a big job.
My brother Lee got off on his trip to Bolivia on Friday. It's going well from what he's said in a couple of emails. The team from Texas Children's Hospital in Houston is doing many open-heart surgeries on children and saving lives. I called Lee's house Thursday night to wish him well, and his eight-year-old Hannah answered the phone. What a nice conversation I had with her! She told me all about so many things, including her first week with a new teacher. She and her sister Jessica have swapped bedrooms, and they're in the process of getting settled into their new spaces. Hannah now has the deep lavender room, and Jessica has the yellow one with the antiques. I'm sure this is serving as a nice distraction from missing their dad.
I got together spontaneously with Brenda Leger on Thursday. Without much notice, we met at a new cafe called Renee's in the Capitol One Building. (See Photo #6) From the photo, you can see that there's a view of downtown Lake Charles from the windows. We went searching bowls for our upcoming Theresian retreat, but we didn't find any in that particular gift shop. We bounced around ideas for where else we might look. Our Theresian group is going to exchange soup bowls this year and bring them each meeting for the simple evening meal provided. Whomever's soup bowl you receive will be your prayer partner for the year. I found a nice one later that day at Tuesday Morning, but I also looked some more when I was in the Antique Mall on Saturday.
It's been a few weeks since I've told you about cute things that Abbakadabra has done. She scared me the other day, getting up into one of the top windows in the house with seemingly no where to jump down safely. (See Photo #7) She's a smart cat, though, and she found a ledge that she could maneuver, and I lured her down with the cap to one of my Diet Lipton Green Teas. She loves those things. They're her favorite toy.
Wish me luck with my car tomorrow. I don't know whether I'm going to have to have the car towed to a VW dealership or whether Ramon Capeles, who replaced my battery on Wednesday, can help me with this. I know everything's locked up with the computer down. I don't even know how they can get the car out of Park to tow it. Surely, there's a way to solve this problem... I'll tell you about it next week.
Lots of love, Linda
"Whatever you do may seem insignificant,
but it is most important that you do it."
--Gandhi
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