Spring Break Project

I recently purchased a new television. My old television fit well in a wardrobe from my bedroom furniture.  The new television just wouldn't fit.  It just so happened that we were having a parking lot sale for our upcoming mission trip to Alaska, which we raised a whopping $1300.00! Anyway...I was interested in purchasing a little something I could refinish on my own for my new t.v. This little green monster was screaming at me from the moment I arrived to price things...

I forgot to take a pic before I started stripping...the chest that is. It had 3 drawers with some very plain Jane knobs. 

I converted the top drawer into a shelf for the DVR and such and spray painted her a turquoiseish color.  I'm on a hunt for the perfect knobs.

 I know what I want and it looks a little something like this...

I'm just not willing to pay 28 bucks a piece! OUTRAGEOUS! One knob would cost more than the $25.00 shelf itself.

Oh, yes... and I also purchased this little ditty for $3.00! I've been wanting a little something like a sidetable to put near my doorway. So this little cutie joined the turquoiseish club. The rest of my wood furniture in my apt. has an espresso finish. I thought this would compliment them well with my blueish/turquoiseish accents. 

Got any tips on knobs? Think I could make them?

The Dreaded Phone Call

I despise a phone call that can leave you running, speeding, and over thinking to your next destination. The first time I remember a dreaded phone call was when I was 18 and having just graduated from high school. I was at church camp. It was the only year the senior girls were aloud to stay in the "white house" since camp was packed. This is an extreme privilege with full size beds, showers with a tub, and a living room! All very different from the bunk bedded cabins, smelly carpet and see through shower stalls. I remember being in the dining hall when the phone call came. My mother was rushed to the hospital. My mother at the time was 52 years old and in her 13th year of living with the crippling disease, Multiple Sclerosis. By then, she was already confined to the bed and losing what remained of her left hand function. Her dominant (the right) was first to go.  I remember the hallway where I accepted the call. I remember watching the line of teenagers go by watching me, as tears streamed down my face I learned that mom was in the hospital and her kidneys were engulfed in stone and she was losing a lot of blood. I remember wondering if I'd ever see my mom again. Thankfully, the doctors were able to dissolve the stones in surgery and she recovered fully.

Last year, while at work the next one came. I was in my classroom teaching a math lesson. My classroom telephone rang for probably the tenth time that day. My school secretary was on the other end of the line and my Aunt Norma was on hold. The secretary asked if it was okay to put her through. As I waited for the line to ring again I knew something was wrong and my heart immediately began to race. This time it was my dad. He had come home early from work and was now in bed and could not move. Naturally, I thought it could have been a stroke. As I hung up the phone and turned around, in walked another teacher to relieve me. I remember being speechless. She simply said, go. I went. I was driving... no speeding down Beltline Rd. wondering what do I do? My father is the one I always go to in times like these. He's the care giver. He always goes over and beyond with care for his wife.  I arrived at home and much to my fathers disliking I called an ambulance. It's not an easy feeling following a loved one in an ambulance to the hospital. Fortunately, this is another story that happens to have a good ending. He had an extreme case of vertigo and was able to go home that evening.

A week ago, at the end of the day I just happened to pick up my cell phone to send a coworker a text when I saw I had a missed call and a text from my Dad. It was unusual for that time of day. All the text said was "call me as soon as you can." Immediately, my heart began to race. I called my dad and the unthinkable had happened to my mother. Her nurse had somehow dropped her and my mother had a possible broken shoulder. Again, I found myself speeding down Beltline Rd. The outcome is not final on this one. Tomorrow we go to the doctor to see what to officially do about the break. I'm nervous. She hasn't sat in a wheelchair since before the accident. I pray she can stand it.

It's not an easy transition as my parents get older and I begin to make the decisions - sometimes even for them. It's bittersweet when my dad asks for advice on how to handle my mother's current situation. It's responsibility I'm willing to take at a moments notices yet, wish I never had to.

I'm Gonna Let It Shine

I've been pondering a lot lately about sharing. The spark of the thought began at Student Conference a.k.a. Planet Wisdom a.k.a. PWiz. The lead singer of the band who lead worship that weekend told us about his church having a theme each year. This year's theme this year is to share. They were encouraged to share their faith wherever they are and daily. He began to tell us of a time he was in a bookstore and thinking about his pastor's challenge to share. Before the singer entered the bookstore he prayed that he would be able to share with someone. Long story short...God was listening. He was able to share with a man of another faith.
The very next day at my home church the fire began to ignite as my pastor was preaching on Luke 10. You can't help but hear the  message of sharing in "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out the workers into his harvest field." My pastor prompted on more than one occasion to share that day.
Today, a week later, I would have thought that Martha Hartley had read my mind and decided I needed a song to go along with my thoughts of sharing. Martha often comes to me with a song she's heard on the radio and a request for me to sing it. She hit the nail on the head with this one. She asked if I had heard "This Little Light of Mine". I chuckled and said, "of course!" She proceeded to inform this version was much different than the one we teach the children. The version she was referring to is sung by Addison Road. Mrs. Hartley has great taste in music for her age and her song request is just the kindle I needed for my flame.
This past week we purchased our tickets to Alaska for our "Mission in Alaska". This was huge for our team. Knowing that we have our tickets is making it much more real in my mind. It's got me thinking a lot about our purpose in the village we will be ministering to. Hopefully, we can share a message of hope to the children and adults. Maybe our message will go a little like the song from Martha... "There will be days when you wanna give up, when the clouds settle in, after the rain comes the Son... don't forget.
One day there will be no more pain, and we will finally see Jesus' face. So until then, I'm gonna try to brave the dark and let my little light shine."
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
Someone recently asked me what I was going to give up for lent this year. I think I have finally decided. I'm going to give up darkness. I hope to share and let my little light shine.

Life's Snags

 Monday's workday was a typical day with the students. It was after work that things became eventful.  I made my way over to the local Mister Carwash to get Shavodka (my Ford Edge named by my friends) cleaned up and have the oil changed. I dread getting my oil changed. In fact, I dread taking my car for maintenance and repairs, period! I wish it would magically be done all on it's own. Each time I get my oil changed, I can always expect the mechanic to come into the waiting room seeking me out,  dirty air filter in hand, telling me I really should do this and that, so Shavodka can have a long healthy life. Most of the time I kindly decline. So after feeling like my time was done, Mister Mechanic came back to inform me that Shavodka would not start. Mister M proceeded to instruct me to take her to AutoZone for a new battery. Mister Mechanic was able to restart her with jumper cables. Communication must have not been high on their priority list. Each time Shavodka went to another station at the carwash in the hands of another she was turned off. To my amusement, another jump was needed. I finally made it over to AutoZone where a nice gentlemen replaced my battery after a great deal of struggle. One hour later my car was mostly clean with a $90.00 fresh battery.

Next, I headed to Target and on to Chick-Fil-A. I decided to run in for my food since the drive-thru was wrapped around the building several hundred times. As I was leaving, a man around the age of 80 was leaning against a car with one shoe off. A young lady was standing near him holding a few bags of food. I walked to my car, but continued watching the situation. I then saw that the young girl was gone and the older fellow was still struggling in an odd position against the car. I hopped out and asked if he was okay. He stated in broken sentences that he was not okay and thought he had broken his hip. I immediately stated we needed to call an ambulance. He proceeded to be very concerned about his needing to get in his car to be taken back home to his wife. I believe he was in such a great shock that he could only point in the direction of his home. Eventually the girl came back with several people including a manager. By now, a crowd had begun to gather. Some were waiting to get into their cars around us, asking to help, or just watching with wide eyes. Finally, I was able to get Mr. Winkler's name out of him and that he lived in care center not too far away. A bystander called the paramedics and we were able to find a chair for Mr. Winkler to sit in the best possible way for a fresh broken hip. As the paramedics arrived, I slipped away praying Mr. Winkler would be able to heal quickly and continue making future trips to retrieve dinner for his dear wife. I have a feeling this was not in his evening plans either.

As I drove home I was thinking about how my evening turned into something I never expected. Life can happen this way. It can happen in wonderful ways or horrible ways. I'm so thankfully that I have a God that never changes. I feel like I have really had to grow up the past several years. I've had many ups and downs. More often down, finding myself sick with an illness normally found in the elderly. I get frustrated at the moment a car battery dies or bad news comes from a friend just diagnosed with cancer. As I look back on times like these, I'm thankful for health and more so for a God who will never leave us or forsake us.