Never Say Never

"My kids will never act that way!"

"I'll never vote a straight ticket!"

"I'll never homeschool."

Do you have any "never's" that have found their way into your life?

Our family has just had a major life change...a "never" has come to fruition.

Yesterday, we withdrew our oldest son from high school. He is now attending the Alpha Omega Academy, which is an online school.

You may have read previously that he has been a victim of some pretty severe bullying this year. The problem is that the verbal bullying has gone on for a few years, and it's taking a toll on him.

Some might say that I am giving in to the bullies, but how can I let my son go to school for 8 hours a day, trying to keep a low profile and stifle his personality, hoping no one will "notice" him or physically hurt him?

My high school years were wonderful! I wouldn't trade them for the world. I had great friends and fantastic experiences. Marching band, clubs, friends... That's just not a reality for my son. I've had to come to a realization. My experiences are going to be different than my son's. We are in a different world.

He is so amazingly talented, and the school system in our town has absolutely nothing for him. There is nothing driving him to even "want" to be there.

We prayed, researched and decided this was the best option.

I would really appreciate your prayers for my son. He already seems happier.

What "never's" are you living with in your life?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. peaches
2. internet
3. liquid paper
4. squeaks
5. freedom

Some good news...

Ever since the bullying incident a few weeks ago, things have not been "normal". Everything is just off kilter. But, we do the best we can and just go along and do the next right thing. We'll get back to normal soon.

Sometimes you just need some good news...and we received the best email ever on Sunday afternoon.

My oldest son, who is a freshman in high school, made the New Mexico All-State Choir!

I am so excited and proud of him! My husband and I encourage his musical abilities and praise him often. We were both music educators in Texas, so we know good when we hear it, but when it's your own child you wonder if you are truly "hearing" right.

Sounds like we were :)

This accomplishment could not have come at a better time for my son. He really needed this encouragement (especially from someone other than his parents).

I'm so overcome with emotions that I can't begin to put in words how I am feeling.

But what I do know is that God is good, all the time.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. Music
2. Ginger ale
3. Nice hotel rooms
4. Homework
5. appointments

A Written Card

In our world of email, texts, Facebook, instant messaging, etc. we tend to forget the beauty of a written note. A card that someone took the time to pick for you and write a sweet note in.

I received a belated birthday card yesterday from one of my dearest friends, Minnie. She was my mother's best friend and is like a mother to me. She took the time to pick out just the right card and wrote the sweetest words. It made my day.

A couple of weeks ago my mother-in-law sent my oldest son a beautiful card. After his bullying incident, she was so worried and upset. And living long distance makes it even harder because she can't reach out to give him a hug. She picked out a special card and put a lot of thought into her words. It was very meaningful.

When's the last time you sent a handwritten note to someone? Has someone been on your heart lately? Why not drop them a line. It may be just what they need to hear.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. almost being done with my homework before the weekend
2. Oreos
3. Halloween decorations (spookies)
4. my wireless mouse
5. iTunes

I Am Able

Our Monday night Bible Study group is studying Lysa TerKurst's book, "Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl." The reading is really good and her insights on the DVD are very enjoyable.

Last night she talked about "having" to do things. "I have to do the laundry, I have to pick up after my kids, I have to wash dishes, etc." Those are entirely the wrong words to use! How about "I am able to do the laundry, I am able to pick up after my kids, I am able to praise God in all things."

Those words, and attitude adjustment, really hit home for all of us last night.

What a gift we have if we are able to wash clothes...that means we have a house filled with family. If we have to run around and drop the kids off and pick them up, then they are able to participate in many things and are happy and healthy.

I thought it was a great adjustment in how we tend to view our daily goings and comings. So often we get wrapped up in the dailyness of life, that we forget how truly blessed we are. How blessed we are to have family, friends and a God who loves us more than any of us can even begin to imagine.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. chilly mornings
2. new perspectives
3. Psalm 103:1-5
4. an organized linen closet
5. curtains

What Do You Do?

Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to tell someone how to fix their problems? You know, when it seemed so obvious to you what was wrong and how they could fix everything?

But you just can't do that. That person has to come to their own realization of the problem before they can start to make any kind of change. They have to decide what it is that makes them happy and dig deep into their souls to make it happen. It sounds so simple, but is often not that easy.

My heart is breaking for a friend of mine. I don't know what to say or do...all I can do is be there for her and have a shoulder when she needs it.

And, I can pray.

If you have a spouse who is your best friend, who helps in the raising of your children, who helps around the house and is just an overall wonderful man/woman, be sure you tell them you love him every day.

Please lift my friend "T" up in prayer. I adore her and she needs to feel the presence of God around her.

Thank you my friends.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. My seminary work
2. Piles of clean clothes
3. The zoo in Albuquerque
4. Broken computers
5. tortillas

What Surrounds You?

Last week was really hard.

My business meetings took everything I had out of me, and my son was assaulted at school. Not a great week. I took Friday off and slept until noon! I never do that! The weekend turned out great and so far the week has been okay. I'm still trying to get myself together.

I was about to throw myself a pity party (with hats and streamers) and I looked around me. My little one was outside playing choo choo's in the dirt with his dogs. Happy as a clam! Then I listened and heard my oldest practicing his sight singing with his Dad (for state auditions) sounding like an angel. Those are the things I should be focusing on!

So last week was bad! I've got to move on and look at the things that surround me! My family, my friends and my God!

What are you surrounded with that brings you joy?

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. music
2. dirt
3. smelly, little socks
4. messages on my voicemail from a dear friend
5. my husband washing the dishes

Bullying

While I was out of town this week something happened at Lance's school.

He was assaulted by two boys. Lance was sitting on a railing in front of the band hall and these two boys, who had been verbally harrasing him the week before, shoved him off the rail and he fell about 6 feet.

Lance has hemophilia. It was not a good scene. He called my husband and told him to bring his factor to school immediately because he was hurt. My husband did not tell me about his injuries in detail.

I walked in the door from my trip last night and asked my son to show me his injuries. I just wanted to scream! He has bruises and scratches on his body.

Someone hurt my child! I am so glad I was not here, because I know I would have gone absolutely crazy at school!

The school did handle the situation and the boys are expelled. We have filed charges and it is at the District Attorney's office.

I can't believe this is happening to my son.

He had to infuse two extra infusions because of this incident...each infusion costs approximately $3,000.

As a pastor's wife, in a small town, am I supposed to just "forgive" and let these boys off the hook? I want to press charges and make sure they pay for what they did! I want to sue them for the costs of the extra infusions! This should not happen to our children in school!

Just because my son is not a sports fan and he enjoys music, he is labeled "gay". And even if he was gay, how does that give anyone the right to assault him? The names they called him I cannot even begin to share with you.

My heart hurts for all the children in our society that are suffering at the hands of bullies. It has to stop!

My Dad

Today is a special day, yes, it's my birthday, but it's also the anniversary of the day my Dad went home to the Lord. It's bittersweet. So many things happened to my Dad in his last years with his health. He wasn't the same person. And seeing him deteriorate was very hard.

Everything in me said it was a blessing when he passed. He was in a better place. He was with my Mom who he missed terribly. He was no longer in pain. But none of those words ever made it "okay" that he was gone.

I adored my Dad. I was his little girl.

I would go with him on Saturday's to the school where he was principal and keep him company while he worked. Then we would go out for a burger at the local hamburger stand. And it was really cool because they had poppyseeds on their buns. We would drive in his 67' Mustang and he would speed up as we raced over the train tracks on our way home! And we would buy bags of Fritos and he would have one between the seats of the car with a hole cut into the top of the bag so he could eat them while he was driving.

And on some Saturday's he would take me to the local stables to watch the girls ride their horses and race barrels! See I didn't play with dolls when I was a kid, I played with horses! He encouraged my love for horses by taking me to watch them on the weekends and see the races on television. It was our special thing.

No one could love me like my Dad. He never expressed his love by hugging and kissing, but he would reach out to me and pat me on the shoulders or on the back when I hugged him.

I'm not anyone's little girl anymore. No one could ever love me like my Dad ever did.

I miss him.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. horses
2. laughter
3. 67' Mustangs
4. Fritos
5. Saturday's

It's All About Passion

I am out of town in meetings for work in Dallas.

I work for a company that cares for people with bleeding disorders, like hemophilia. I never dreamed I would not teach band for a living, as that is what my Bachelor's degree is in, but the opportunity to work to educate people with bleeding disorders was just too wonderful to pass up, so almost 8 years ago, I took a risk to work in the healthcare field and it has been a great experience....so far.

Our team is undergoing many changes...and change is hard. It's not comfortable.

My passion on the team shines through when I speak about patient care. About what a person living with a bleeding disorder deals with on a daily basis. How we need to care for the entire family, etc.

I have felt so overwhelmed in this meeting. Almost like no one hears me because my language is so different. I don't speak the corporate lingo that is laced with numbers, I speak from my heart. I speak from the love I have for my children and what I have learned from them. It's where my heart is and I feel like it is breaking.

One of my colleagues pulled me aside tonight and told me she was in the business for the same reason I was...the patients and their care. I totally broke down. She saw my heart and heard what I was saying in my presentation that morning. It did me so good to hear that my message was clear. That my passion was shining through. God sent her to me tonight. I needed that little bit of encouragement to know that I am doing the right things for a community of people that I love.

God shows up in the most unexpected places and through unexpected people. I had felt so alone until my friend caught my eye across the room and invited me in the house for coffee. She listened to God's nudge on her heart to call out to me when I needed it the most.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1. a cool, Texas evening
2. comfy beds
3. a cold Diet Coke
4. sneakers
5. phone calls from my boys