Car Trippin and Boondoggle
Well the trip with my dad to visit Mike and Janet was really fun. My dad was lots of fun in the car. We were listening to third day worship and he insisted on playing harmonica to one of the songs. He likes to take his time when we drive anywhere but I think I am the same way. We get there when we get there. No use being in a hurry.
Tuesday night I was tired from the dentist and we just hung out in the house. Janet made yummy pizza and then she and I watched chasing liberty while my dad read and my brother studied some computer stuff.
Wednesday Mike had a job interview in the morning and then we all went to lunch at zebbs. Janet had a turkey club while Mike, Dad and I each had a burger and fresh cut fries. I had fried mushrooms A-1 and provelone on mine and it was delicious. After lunch we did some shopping. I had to buy supplies for the activities on the island and mike needed a new saw.
When we returned Mike and Dad watched gladiator and Janet burned some photos for me. I half watched the movie...Not a violence fan. Before dad and I hit the road we had yummy milkshakes for dinner. The trip back was good, making a pit stop in oswego to see my old roomate and sister.
The rest of my week has been mostly work although I enjoy work more and more each day. I did my first of the planned activities today with the holiday weekend. The hotdog cookout was a bust but the crafts went so well I had to set up a second table before we started. We made bracelets and keychains. I ran into some trouble starting the boondoggle but luckily I had a few experts within my group who assisted me.
Well that is about it from this island chick. The sunset was gorgeous today despite the high winds with waves in excess of six feet. The wonder of God's creation never ceases to amaze me.
Here is the family at thanksgiving
Has anyone seen my car??
Thats some tallcake you have there....
Aussie Tims Going Away Party Pic 3
Two Happy Guys
Looks like it might sprinkle
Me and My sister at Thanksgiving
My brother looking sharp for his big job interview
A short post...
Ok I just got back from a trip to Rochester. My father and I went to visit my brother Mike and his wife Janet. We had a lot of fun and it is too late to write all about it so here is a little preview of a post to come in the next few days....
Dad: Hey Katherine, look over there- it's the zerox building- and there's another one just like it across the street
Dad: Yes, the Marx brothers were brothers- there was Chico, Groucho, Harpo, Gummo, Zeppo, oh and their other brother...Karl
Me: The father of Communism?
Dad:Yeah :)
Island Life
So I haven't posted here as often as I would like, mostly because not that much exciting stuff has been happening.
Yesterday my boss told me to call my Dad cause he wanted to ask him a question. I phoned home but there was no answer. So she says, "What did your parents go to happy hour?"
To which the Michelle who is 19 mos replied "Happy Hour, Happy Hour, Happy Hour"
So this weekend I am leading crafts at work. We are making jewelry. The only problem is I am no expert. I figure by the end of the summer I will be. I don't think it is exactly rocket science and I am sure some of the teenagers can help me out :) No seriously I think it will be ok. We are also having a hotdog cookout I planned, except I would have had a fire and we are grilling them :( And I am in charge of creating a four square court, also my idea.
What else is new? Well I am going to visit the number one brother this weekend and the number one sister in-law, ok actually tonight and tommorow, my weekends are tuesday and wednesday, this is what the hospitality bidness demands. Ah Ra Cha Cha, the city that never sleeps. Uhh...Right :) Oh and I have a dentist appointment this afternoon, stupid filling.
I guess that is the update folks. Thursday night or Friday I plan on posting pics from the huge storm of the winter and the last bbq behind scales and who knows what else was on that roll....So look for those.
"Without hope men are only half alive. With hope they dream and think and work"- Charles Sawyer
Well it is official. I have more stuff here then in Oswego (at the parents). So I guess it is really happening. The summer has really begun.
There are many things I have been looking forward to this summer. This past semester was great but also really stressful. It has been the hardest and the best. I think though it has been that way because God is really pouring out and whenever he does that then the enemy wants to rob me of things that don't belong to him. So praise God that he has given me a new hope and the ability and grace to preservere.
So the summer is in so many ways a deep breath. A new beginning and a break from stress. I love my job. I love being able to stare out the window at lake Ontario and help the baby learn new words. This week the favorite word is fish pronounced "BISH". I love pushing her in the stroller and watching the geese land in the lake and I love watching her nod off in the stroller and lifting her limp high on my shoulder and then laying her on the bed, taking her shoes off and watching her sleep. Watching her sleep reminds me of the peace that God offers to all of us. He wants to lift us all up just like I do her, he wants us peaceful in his arms. He desires to see us stop running and find rest.
Dreams of a workin girl
I keep having dreams. This dream I had last night was similar to others I had a few weeks ago. I wonder if it means something or if it means nothing at all. It is hard to say. Maybe the dream itself is insignificant but the fact I remember it is because of something significant which perhaps triggered the dream. Hard tellin not knowin.
Today is my first day off in 5 days so I am pretty excited. Back to work tomorrow but not until 3 which isn't so bad. Yesterday I worked 12-8 but ended up staying an extra half hour because we had some very entertaining French men in the office and I couldn't help but be entertained. I enjoyed sleeping in this morning and not getting out of my PJ's until after noon.
Lately I have really been enjoying work. I don't like the drive out there..Soon I will be back at the parents for good so that will be resolved. But The work itself is pretty fun. We have new people in the office and so I like that they ask me questions and I actually know the answers and it is good to have help. Also since more people are getting trained in the office I can spend more time planning the resorts activities and playing with my bosses daughter which I would much rather do than take reservations. This week I got look into buying stuff for bingo.
Lately I have been taking my bosses daughter on long walks, she almost always falls asleep in the stroller. It is a sweet jogging stroller you can also tow behind a bike. It has huge bike tires so it is like nothing to push. When I am on my walks I always talk to our guests if they stop me. People on vacation are so relaxed and fun. It is good times.
So they really left....
I went to New Covenant this morning. I guess it has sunk officially that the school year is over. I half expected to see certain faces but they were not there. I sat with Wal*Marty though and that is cool. I have been thinking a lot about this past semester. Mulling over relationships and events. I don't know if that is very productive. Only time will tell. I want to make some things better for next year. Correction* I want God to change the things in me that need to be so things will be better next year. It is a struggle to not focus solely on the ways in which I fall short, it seems those ways are greater then any accomplishments which have occurred. I think though I need to start to be more openly accountable, in so many ways though it is hard because there seems to be a great lack of encouragement in the accountability relationships which I have in the past formed. I would write more but lunch and the drive to the island are calling.
Blessings Large and Small
Today was a good day.
I suppose it could be argued that all days are good days if God is in your life. Today though, today felt good in so many ways. The day began lazily. I chatted a little on IM then got out of the house. I stopped at the Price Chopper then headed over to campus to say goodbye to some people. Tim performed some magic tricks with cards and quarters while Jon finished packing. Then I had to go because I had to work at noon so I said goodbye to them and the other Jon which made me sad because Tim and Jon won't be here next semester.
I drove to work and it was beautiful outside and my boss put me in charge of the baby for the day. Michelle was entertaining as usual. I took her on the big slide on the playground and then took her for a stroll around the grounds. She fell asleep in the stroller and I ate lunch while she slept. After she awoke we had a good time playing with toys and watching PBS. I fed her dinner and then later when she was grumpy we cuddled in the Lazy Boy Massaging chair and she fell asleep while we watched Jeopardy. Not a bad way to spend my day.
On the way home I spoke with my good friend Heather and she said she was sending some clothes my way that someone she works with had given to her. So I ate my dinner and went out to the car and brought them in from my sisters car. So I started trying some of the clothes on. I had been frustrated because I went shopping twice this week trying to find capris and found nothing. Ironicly in the bag I found two pairs of capris which fit me perfectly plus a pair of Gap jeans also which fit me perfectly. I know it may seem like a really small thing but it really made my day. I really didn't have any money to spend on clothes so this was the perfect end to a very fun day.
.jpg)
Basic Party 8
Basic Party 7
Basic Party 6
Basic Party 5
Basic Party 4
Basic Party 3
Basic Party 2
Basic Party
Changes left and right
Well it was bound to happen. The semester is almost over and change is coming. I should be packing but I will take a few more minutes to update my blog. They have, as if I didn't have enough change in my life, decided to change the look of the blog software. I digress. The good news is I can finally post photos. So Merry Christmas. Soon I will finish the roll which has the 6 ft snow banks and also the going away party of my good Australian friend Tim. Until then these old pics will have to do. Hope everyone is enjoying the good weather we are having despite the loads of schoolwork to be done. Remember that in a few weeks we will be so bored we will find ourselves wandering the library looking for things to read. (RIGHT! Who does that?)
If you are really bored my sisters birthday gift should bring you hours of entertainment. She received the entire season of Freaks and Geeks on DVD including never before aired episodes. 18 episodes in all plus never aired footage. Sadly I have to admit I watched 3 episodes yesterday. The show is hilarious. Among other memorable gifts Mel received was a lunch box her good friend sent her full of cookies. This was no ordinary lunch box. It was a
last supper lunch box. She also got a hand painted Ammo Box, some jewelry and a stuffed duck.
Someone else I know had a birthday. I celebrated his birthday by staying late at work to mop and wait for customers to arrive who we found out later didn't feel the need to check in the office and having paid in full simply drove past the office and set up on their site, their friends having already arrived. Work has been good. I took my bosses daughter on a walk around the entire island on Sunday. She rode in the jogger stroller and it took just over a half hour to walk it. In order to make the full loop you have to use the water/sewer treatment plant access road which is a crappy road ...No pun intended. Actually they got a good deal on the windows to that building and at least once a week someone comes into the office to ask us what that nice building is off the main road. Sewer treatment plant is never the answer they want.
Well I guess I had better get on with the activities of the day. Breakfast and Maybe some Freaks and Geeks before I get on with the studying.
Me and My Good Friend H-Squared
We are cool we made our own decorations...I baked all those stars in the oven.
This Photo was taken the day before the semester began, where has the time gone?
Fight fire with fire
Jeremiah tell me about the fire
That burns up in your bones
I want to know
I want to know more now
The burning of ambition and desire
It never could come close
To that fire
To that fire
Verse 1:
I was looking to myself
And I forgot the power of God
I was standing with a sparkler in my hand
While I stood so proud and profound
You went and burned the whole place down
Now that’s a fire
Verse 2:
I was caught up in this vice
And it’s power to entice
I was dwelling on my hopelessness and doubt
With the slightest invitation
You came with total detonation
Now that’s a fire
Bridge:
I was warming my hands by this little light of mine
but now I know it’s time
time to come in from the cold
Fight fire with fire, come fan the flame
come stir up these coals in my soul, in my soul
till it burns out of control
-Sara Groves
Drugs are BAD KIDS...The story of one bad nights sleep gone horribly wrong
OK so Sunday I came home from school with an armload of books and planned to study and work on projects and all that good stuff...
So around 11 I was tired but a little stressed so I took a muscle relaxer that my doctor had given to me to help me sleep..
Ok the rest of the nights events are a little blurry but the synopsis is the medicine didn't help me sleep and made me unable to function in a normal human sound mind way. At close to 5 am my sister drove me to the ER where they prescribed medicine to help me relax assuming I was having a panic attack. I being the good girl that I am took the medicine for two days three times a day. The meds made me a zombie and unable to eat, with nausea. Not eating made the meds which I realize now I was suffering a very bad reaction to stay in my system. Tuesday night I felt God telling me to stop taking the medicine despite the doctors advice that the medicine couldn't make me feel that way..It was anxiety not a reaction to the meds but if I wanted to stop no one could make me take them. I spent most of Wednesday in a trance, operating a motor vehicle while my eyes spasmed and unable to function or still eat but last night the medicine finally began to wear off and this morning I feel 100 percent better. What have we learned? Drugs are bad. Listening to your body is good. God was gracious as I did not crash my car yesterday when I had no business operating a vehicle. So yeah now that I am feeling better I am going to have to go about the business of catching up school work and taking some incompletes but it is all good. I want to thank all of you who prayed. I am going to be home with the parents for most of the day. Mel's birthday is today and I will post about that later.
'Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'"
Luke 8:48
For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.
So I have been really struggling in a lot of ways lately. I appreciate the patience and the prayers of those I care about and who care for me. It seems that the only way this is really going to get better is by doing one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. There are a few people who know what I had to do. What I did was what God intended for me. It was one of the most humbling things that I have ever had to go through. But I did not go there alone. So I am slowly as the lyrics below describe"climbing out of the rubble". I will not struggle with this forever, I have faith that God will lift this burden soon. I have felt as Job did "I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil." and I have confirmation that feeling that way was not a result of my disobedience. I also have a feeling that I have not been left alone. I appreciate all the prayers of my friends and your words. There is no magic answer to what I am working through but there is some steps I have been able to take. I have spoken with others who have struggled in the same way and their testimony has been one which encouraged me. My thoughts this morning are on the following Psalm.
Psalm 63
7For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.
8My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's been a hard year
But I'm climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it's
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like haunting, more like remember
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like
Character
Less like a prison, more like my room
It's less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like fear, less like an ending
And I feel you here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars
Just a little while ago
I couldn't feel the power or the hope
I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing
Just a little while back
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
You would come
And I need you
And I want you here
And I feel you
And I know you're here
And you're picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
But you are able
And in your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars (x3)
And more like
Character"
-SaraGroves
# posted by Kate : 5/4/2004 07:48:41 AM
Boat Metaphor
Ok I had this thought today..
Jesus is in a boat with all the great Christians who have come before. The boat is enormous and full to capacity. You have gone swimming and you have found that you have gone out too deep. The current is to stong for you to swim. You are caught up and see no escape. There is a shark around you whispering "Save yourself, you can do it on your own". Jesus Calls to you from the boat and you see him. He asks "Will you accept my help?" You think as the waves crash over your head. You call back "Yes Jesus I accept it" Jesus gets out of the boat and gives you his seat. You watch Jesus bear the suffering of the shark and the waters. He is dying. He washes up on shore and they bury him. You think it was my getting out to far that killed him. Days later you are weeping on the shores of the water and he sees you and calls to you. He is alive. You realize he died for you but he also overcame death for you. He was not simply a martyr but a risen savior. He died not only so you would live but also for anyone who answer him and get on the boat.
Words Words Words
The following is a post of rejoicing and also of conviction:
*Praise* Praise the One who reigns on high as he broke something in me during worship. I bowed to him and realized the selfishness of the life I was walking out. I was looking for him to make me happy in my way when his way is so much greater. So then after that happened I received prayer, confirming in me what I knew to be true and further allowing me to lay those things which hinder me down. Rejoicing *check* -words seem insufficient but there you have them.
*Conviction* Ok I know that I have a tendency to look for the best in people. I had stopped trusting people because I was afraid of being hurt. It seemed like whenever I opened myself up people had a way of disappointing me because I expected nothing but the best. When people who love God do things which they know and I know is not edifying and building up it grieves me. I think one answer is that I need to extend some grace to people as they have to me.
That being said I also feel convicted to say the following so here goes nothing: If you are in my life and you are doing things you shouldn't, cut it out. I am opening myself up and trusting our friendships to God. I am going to pray about them and I put effort into being the person God wants me to be. I know we are not perfect. I know I don't always say the right thing. I desire the Lord to burn up in me any impurities. To rid me of all the things which are hindering my walk and all the things in me which are causing me to stumble.
I feel like I need to say to some people either your in or your out. What you say, the fruit of your lips is unclean and grieves me. I know that I have been tempted to speak in ways which are not edifying as well and I ask that you would all forgive me in that, I am sorry if I have said things which were not what God would have me to say. I am going to put effort into improve in this area as well.
When you do the wrong things I don't see you in light of the wrong things, I see the good in you and it grieves me because I know this is the thing which is hindering the growth to so much more. If this is you, respect that your words have power, when they are what God would say they have the power to build up and to move mountains, When they are not of God they also have power. Pray about it, that is all I ask. Conviction *check*
Psalm 15
A Psalm of David.
1LORD, WHO shall dwell [temporarily] in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell [permanently] on Your holy hill?
2He who walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly, who works rightness and justice and speaks and thinks the truth in his heart,
3He who does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
4In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he who honors those who fear the Lord (who revere and worship Him); who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5[He who] does not put out his money for [1] interest [to one of his own people] and who will not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.(1)
1 John 4
11Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.
12No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!
13By this we come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we abide (live and remain) in Him and He in us: because He has given (imparted) to us of His [Holy] Spirit.
*if you don't like the baby stories-tough*
So tonight I was at work and my boss is eating with his wife and daughter Michelle who is one and a half when he phones me.
So Michelle takes the phone from him and she enlightened me with her new words. My boss said "say hi to "Aunty K" "and Michelle said "Aunty K" like four times...I was so excited. I have to say the thing she says that I love the most is this "I Know". She say is all the time. It is so funny cause you will tell her something and she will just say :"I know, I know" and she has this eerie sarcasm to it.
So I know that wasn't a very exciting post for all those who don't really enjoy the baby stories in person let alone on the blog but bear with me. Lastly I have added a button to my blog which will IM you when I update. I have found all sorts of new things for blogging. Another one is a thing that will notify you by IM whenever a person visits your site. If you do want to be informed just subscribe by clicking on the link and then the link in the IM and it will tell you that you are subscribed. If anyone wants to add it to their site I can help you. Have a great weekend everyone.
Oh by the way how come the spell check on my blog always picks up the words blog and blogger as spelled incorectly?
.jpg)
