Monday, March 31, 2008
Prayer
As many people already know, there was a terrible tragedy yesterday in Baltimore when a father drown his three very young children at the Inner Harbor Marriott hotel. I just found out today that two of those children attended the school where I taught, a Christian school in Silver Spring. I'm just calling on you all to lift that mom up and that school up in your prayers. It's a devastating loss for that community. Sadly, they held a funeral just over a year ago for a child who was murdered by his father. That this would happen twice there is really heartbreaking.
Just Another Manic Monday
Whoa, oh! Hehe, truly, it's not going to be as bad as it sounds, there are just way too many things happening today that I'm feeling like I'll forget something! I'm feeling disjointed. Of course, that might be lack of sleep. Yesterday I was jolted out of bed by T telling me our neighbor was trying to call us on one of our cell phones that was on vibrate.... so I quickly jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and ran down to their house. They went off to have their baby!! This is my neighbor who was told back in November that if she even made it to term, her baby would weigh no more than 2 pounds. She was born yesterday at 9:04 (they left the house at 8:15!!) and was a whopping 9 pounds 9.6 ounces. Sometimes multiple opinions are necessary! =)
Today I have a plethera of things to try to accomplish: volunteering in first grade, working in the lunch room, possibly visiting my neighbor if she isn't home already!, grocery shopping, meeting someone here to give us an estimate on installing these gorgeous lights my mom bought us back in November, mailing out our support letters that are finishsed, getting the girls off the bus, piano lessons, homework..... All mundane (sounding) and very routine. It's just the perfect storm of stuff, so to speak, and my head is already spinning.
I'm off to go set this perfect storm in motion - happy to have a few moments to myself first, thankful to have a God who orchestrates storms perfectly. =)
Today I have a plethera of things to try to accomplish: volunteering in first grade, working in the lunch room, possibly visiting my neighbor if she isn't home already!, grocery shopping, meeting someone here to give us an estimate on installing these gorgeous lights my mom bought us back in November, mailing out our support letters that are finishsed, getting the girls off the bus, piano lessons, homework..... All mundane (sounding) and very routine. It's just the perfect storm of stuff, so to speak, and my head is already spinning.
I'm off to go set this perfect storm in motion - happy to have a few moments to myself first, thankful to have a God who orchestrates storms perfectly. =)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Easter: The Sequel
Our pastor today spoke on the above topic, which was built around John 3:16 and our response to Easter. It was awesome, and I felt like it was a great message for people who are on the fence, so to speak, about following Christ. I'd love to post a link to the message on our church website, but I'm not sure it works. =(
"Christianity" is not really all about what Christ/God did for us... it's more about how we live in response to what He did. For me, it's just so basic as that, which is why I think I really embraced what he was saying today. For me, all other religions are man-made as a response to not wanting to believe in God, in the gift of His son, His love for us - created in His image, choosing to want to live forever with him. I find it difficult to engage in conversations about religions other than those following Christ because to me they are just all false. Maybe that makes me intolerant, or maybe it just makes me a firm believer.
If I can get that message working, I'll link it here.
"Christianity" is not really all about what Christ/God did for us... it's more about how we live in response to what He did. For me, it's just so basic as that, which is why I think I really embraced what he was saying today. For me, all other religions are man-made as a response to not wanting to believe in God, in the gift of His son, His love for us - created in His image, choosing to want to live forever with him. I find it difficult to engage in conversations about religions other than those following Christ because to me they are just all false. Maybe that makes me intolerant, or maybe it just makes me a firm believer.
If I can get that message working, I'll link it here.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
31,000
I had my 31,000th visitor today... from Germany! I have no idea who they are and what they were looking for, but they went to my page exactly one year ago today. So funny to remember that terribly bad hair cut, selling our art deco coffee tables on Craigslist and seeing that the cherry blossom trees bloomed last year on exactly this same day. Just saw some today!! Yay!
So, that's a lot of visitors. Of course, half of them are just my husband! ;-) Nice to be loved and stalked all at the same time!!
So, that's a lot of visitors. Of course, half of them are just my husband! ;-) Nice to be loved and stalked all at the same time!!
Re-entry
Typically when T and I talk about reentry we're referring to bringing our missions teams back home, to their "real world". When we do this, we design a debrief and when possible some kind of post trip support. Mostly, this is cultural in nature. In this post, however, I'm talking about those serving in the military and their reentry back to their lives apart from war.
When I was in grade school I had a friend who I was certain I was going to marry because 1) his father was a Baptist minister and he was the only Baptist I knew outside of those in my little Baptist church and 2) because he daily copied my spelling homework while we waited to be called as walkers to walk home halfway together. I assumed this meant that he at least like me and thought I was smart. Of course, at the naive age of 10 I knew very little about marriage, life or about war.
As we went through school together, I watched this friend develop into a gorgeous but crazy person who in high school lost all interest in anything academic and focused all of his attention on "training" himself to not feel pain. He came from a really nice family so I still to this day have no idea what led him to do that, but honestly, it was kind of painful to watch. His ultimate goal in all of this was to join the Marines, which he did right before Desert Storm.
B was smart, although he didn't think so, or if he did, he didn't want anyone else to know. While he honed his callous and hardened appearance and attitude, he was typically all smiles for me. Whenever we'd meet up at a party or at some event, he would smoke up a storm, perform crazy stunts for his friends like eating fish alive and tell funny stories. But when I'd get him alone, his heart would soften a bit and I'd hear a smidgen of his thoughts. And they scared me. Even more so, they were heartbreaking.
Stories about Boot Camp at Parris Island were crazy enough, but the tanks on the front lines in Iraq made me shudder. I'd heard plenty of news out of Iraq from my cousin, a career Army enlistee. We'd been penpals during his first round in Iraq. In college I wrote to him again and to B, but that was apparently only half of the story.
When B finally came home, I saw him for one of the last times. It was disturbing. He was 19/20 years old, was a hard core Marine and could barely hold a conversation with his friends, who each said he wasn't talking much to them. He sat in a corner, smoking, drinking and not looking entirely pleasant. I eventually made my way over to him, feeling pretty awkward and we started chatting. We moved outside and he finally just looked right at me and said, "Every night we had to clean our tanks off. I cleaned body parts.... I ran over people who I couldn't even see, they were little white blobs on my screen." In that moment, I saw for the first time since probably fourth grade, a deep sorrow in his deep blue eyes, something he'd not allowed himself to do in years - feel.
After talking with him that night, we lost touch and I really don't know where he is right now. Last I'd heard, he was off somewhere in the south, dating a nurse, got into a motorcycle accident and busted up his leg (making reenlistment no longer an option) and finishing wood floors. Never the same, always changed, forever broken.
All of these memories and more came flooding back to me last week in my Bible study group as a woman there shared her brother's experience. It was not quite the same, since her brother was someone we knew, never conditioned himself to feel nothing. He was in T's last D-team, the boys who are all getting married now, graduated from college and have "real" jobs. Her brother was sent to Afghanistan with his Army unit, fought on the front lines, experienced his best friend dying in his arms and is now home, serving the rest of his enlistment with the National Guard. His sister described to us a 22 year old who is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and getting very little support from the Army or the National Guard. They are very worried about him, and while he first had plans to join the police academy he can now only manage to wait tables at a local restaurant.
For anyone who has read my blog, you know I'm no anti-war protestor, in fact, I'm not even anti-war. I support what our troops are doing in the Middle East, but I think we owe it to each of them and their families to continue to support them in every way possible when they return. There was a hearing today in Maryland about the pathetic services these soldiers receive when they return and I'm more convinced than ever that we can do way better than this for people who choose to defend freedom around the world. This is serious, and for my two examples here, there are millions more, past and present, who deserve better than three power point presentations and volunteer counselors. That is just pitiful.
When I was in grade school I had a friend who I was certain I was going to marry because 1) his father was a Baptist minister and he was the only Baptist I knew outside of those in my little Baptist church and 2) because he daily copied my spelling homework while we waited to be called as walkers to walk home halfway together. I assumed this meant that he at least like me and thought I was smart. Of course, at the naive age of 10 I knew very little about marriage, life or about war.
As we went through school together, I watched this friend develop into a gorgeous but crazy person who in high school lost all interest in anything academic and focused all of his attention on "training" himself to not feel pain. He came from a really nice family so I still to this day have no idea what led him to do that, but honestly, it was kind of painful to watch. His ultimate goal in all of this was to join the Marines, which he did right before Desert Storm.
B was smart, although he didn't think so, or if he did, he didn't want anyone else to know. While he honed his callous and hardened appearance and attitude, he was typically all smiles for me. Whenever we'd meet up at a party or at some event, he would smoke up a storm, perform crazy stunts for his friends like eating fish alive and tell funny stories. But when I'd get him alone, his heart would soften a bit and I'd hear a smidgen of his thoughts. And they scared me. Even more so, they were heartbreaking.
Stories about Boot Camp at Parris Island were crazy enough, but the tanks on the front lines in Iraq made me shudder. I'd heard plenty of news out of Iraq from my cousin, a career Army enlistee. We'd been penpals during his first round in Iraq. In college I wrote to him again and to B, but that was apparently only half of the story.
When B finally came home, I saw him for one of the last times. It was disturbing. He was 19/20 years old, was a hard core Marine and could barely hold a conversation with his friends, who each said he wasn't talking much to them. He sat in a corner, smoking, drinking and not looking entirely pleasant. I eventually made my way over to him, feeling pretty awkward and we started chatting. We moved outside and he finally just looked right at me and said, "Every night we had to clean our tanks off. I cleaned body parts.... I ran over people who I couldn't even see, they were little white blobs on my screen." In that moment, I saw for the first time since probably fourth grade, a deep sorrow in his deep blue eyes, something he'd not allowed himself to do in years - feel.
After talking with him that night, we lost touch and I really don't know where he is right now. Last I'd heard, he was off somewhere in the south, dating a nurse, got into a motorcycle accident and busted up his leg (making reenlistment no longer an option) and finishing wood floors. Never the same, always changed, forever broken.
All of these memories and more came flooding back to me last week in my Bible study group as a woman there shared her brother's experience. It was not quite the same, since her brother was someone we knew, never conditioned himself to feel nothing. He was in T's last D-team, the boys who are all getting married now, graduated from college and have "real" jobs. Her brother was sent to Afghanistan with his Army unit, fought on the front lines, experienced his best friend dying in his arms and is now home, serving the rest of his enlistment with the National Guard. His sister described to us a 22 year old who is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and getting very little support from the Army or the National Guard. They are very worried about him, and while he first had plans to join the police academy he can now only manage to wait tables at a local restaurant.
For anyone who has read my blog, you know I'm no anti-war protestor, in fact, I'm not even anti-war. I support what our troops are doing in the Middle East, but I think we owe it to each of them and their families to continue to support them in every way possible when they return. There was a hearing today in Maryland about the pathetic services these soldiers receive when they return and I'm more convinced than ever that we can do way better than this for people who choose to defend freedom around the world. This is serious, and for my two examples here, there are millions more, past and present, who deserve better than three power point presentations and volunteer counselors. That is just pitiful.
In a Pit
OK, let's just face it. If this were a book review blog, it would have sadly failed prior to onset! I'm just not a huge reader, but I'm trying. I just finished the book In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson and by far my favorite chapter of all is right there at the end - all about being foolish. Here's my favorite excerpt (well, one of the anyway!):
But here's the deal: If you aren't willing to look foolish, you're foolish. In fact, faith is the willingness to look foolish.
Noah looked foolish building an ark in the desert. Sarah looked foolish buying maternity clothes at ninety. The Israelites looked foolish marching around Jericho blowing trumpets. David looked foolish attacking Goliath with a slingshot. Beniah looked foolish chasing a lion. The wise men looked foolish chasing a yonder star. Peter looked foolish stepping out of a boat in the middle of the lake. And Jesus looked foolish hanging half-naked on the cross.
But that's the essence of faith. And the results speak for themselves...
... Can I tell you why some people have never killed a giant or walked on water or seen the walls come tumbling down? It's because they weren't willing to look foolish...
... The greatest breakthroughs, miracles and turning points in Scripture can be traced back to someone who was willing to look foolish. (pp 149-150)
This whole chapter really resonated with me. I really do think that I don't act foolish enough about Jesus, but I kind of chuckled to myself the other day when 2 of my Facebook friends, one I know very little of (but love his wife!) and the other an old friend from my pre-college days, both chose as a Superlative for me "Most Likely to Kick it With Jesus". Really? I'm glad they think so... or am I? Well, anyway, I love Jesus and if my friends don't know that then I'm in deep do-do.
Back to the book (this is why I don't do book reviews - I'm way too ADHD!).... I wonder to myself why we live so close to DC and we've not yet visited this guy's church. I've got another post on the horizon about why I think we have not wandered down south yet... that's for later. Back again. Here's what I love most about this book as a whole: it's a book for everyone who has a dream to chase. It's not a book about everything Christians do wrong (I'm really not liking those kinds) but about how to do life better, how to live, how to put your heart into living for God despite all the negative messages heading your directions. It's about chasing lions AND chasing dreams. I really think there's something for everyone, Christian or not, about grasping onto and holding onto passion. It's quite inspiring.
OK, so I'm not a great book reviewer, but I did love the book and thought of several people I'd love to have read it. It's been fun reading it in our small group, throwing around the ideas and our own dreams. So, if you have some time and can keep an open mind, I say give it a whirl. It's high on my list of recommendations. Now I'm off to tackle one of my lions: my (messy) house!!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
What Keeps YOU Up at Night?
I sometimes am so tired but just can't fall asleep. It's usually on days where I have a million things running through my head that I can't really process fully. I think today is one of those days. Here are some of those things:
1) T was stressed out - trip stuff, family stuff, work stuff all converging and nothing really getting accomplished.
2) My neighbor is going to have her baby today, we're pretty sure, so I'll probably end up sleeping on her couch tonight, getting her girls up... then again, mabye I won't!
3) A young mom in my Bible study group, who we've known since she was in high school, has been suffering from vertigo for the past few weeks. They just found a lesion on her brain stem today, will do an angiogram tomorrow. I'm praying for some good news in all this but not really seeing it.
4) T's dad will be having yet another biopsy on a new "funny looking thing" - he just completed chemo for his second cancer in a year.
5) We're having all our summer leaders here for lunch on Saturday - potentially around 30 people... and I really need to clean this place up!
6) We are still nowhere with our overnight accommodations in Vienna and Paris, just waiting on Buffy and Alison!
7) A father of one of my former students, whose sister I also know because I taught her daughter, passed away this weekend suddenly from complication due to diabetes. His funeral is tomorrow, but I'll be working while the whole family I work for attends... and that's OK.
8) Trying to plan a big fundraiser for our SPACE teams.... silent auction.... abiding by our church guidelines, which basically do not allow us to advertise or ask in church in any way (up front, bulletin, or on a website) for donations.... have actually gotten to the point of considering making spaghetti and meatball hats for everyone to wear to church to get a little attention. That's not too obvious, is it?
9) 4,000 deaths in Iraq.... what do I think of that?
and, finally, what has kept me alert and awake most often:
10) Amazingly, this week each of my Bible studies and books I'm reading and sermon on Sunday all have to do with faith. In girls grace adventures we even talked about the Shield of Faith today. What does this mean?
Now, maybe I can get some sleep.
1) T was stressed out - trip stuff, family stuff, work stuff all converging and nothing really getting accomplished.
2) My neighbor is going to have her baby today, we're pretty sure, so I'll probably end up sleeping on her couch tonight, getting her girls up... then again, mabye I won't!
3) A young mom in my Bible study group, who we've known since she was in high school, has been suffering from vertigo for the past few weeks. They just found a lesion on her brain stem today, will do an angiogram tomorrow. I'm praying for some good news in all this but not really seeing it.
4) T's dad will be having yet another biopsy on a new "funny looking thing" - he just completed chemo for his second cancer in a year.
5) We're having all our summer leaders here for lunch on Saturday - potentially around 30 people... and I really need to clean this place up!
6) We are still nowhere with our overnight accommodations in Vienna and Paris, just waiting on Buffy and Alison!
7) A father of one of my former students, whose sister I also know because I taught her daughter, passed away this weekend suddenly from complication due to diabetes. His funeral is tomorrow, but I'll be working while the whole family I work for attends... and that's OK.
8) Trying to plan a big fundraiser for our SPACE teams.... silent auction.... abiding by our church guidelines, which basically do not allow us to advertise or ask in church in any way (up front, bulletin, or on a website) for donations.... have actually gotten to the point of considering making spaghetti and meatball hats for everyone to wear to church to get a little attention. That's not too obvious, is it?
9) 4,000 deaths in Iraq.... what do I think of that?
and, finally, what has kept me alert and awake most often:
10) Amazingly, this week each of my Bible studies and books I'm reading and sermon on Sunday all have to do with faith. In girls grace adventures we even talked about the Shield of Faith today. What does this mean?
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Now, maybe I can get some sleep.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Happy Belated Easter!
Sorry it's a day late... but Happy Easter! The girls and I (T joined us on Friday) enjoyed our spring break in Connecticut. It was so nice to have a breather interjected into our lives of school, kid activities, kid sickness and missions trip planning. We had a great time with my mom, brother and sister-in-law and now.... we're baaaack!
I can't really think of one thing that stands out or one thing I should mention other than it was exactly what the doctor ordered. We DID have fun subjecting our CT relatives to taking the Myers Briggs and we also completed that assessment for my dad (postmortem) and it was exactly as I'd envisioned.... my brother and my father are one in the same! Other than the fact that, amazingly, my brother came out as an extrovert and my dad was clearly an introvert. I wasn't that far off from either of them, which brings me to my possible conclusion for my most recent MB change.
I've always been borderline S/N - sensing as opposed to intuitive. I've considered myself an S, as my dad was, but more recently have noticed I'm more of an N, and the description for that INTJ sounds way more like me. I was just wondering if, without my dad around to influence me - and he was a HUGE influence on me - if I'm able to let that N shine through more, since I don't have to seek his approval for anything! Just an observation, I have no idea if that's even possible.
OK - back to the real world. On Sunday in church, Pastor Dave made a statement that made me think a bit. It's from a verse that I have heard often:
He was speaking of things eternal, but mentioned the oxymoron it is to fix our eyes on something we can't see. We can only do that if we see things through the eyes of Christ. I'd never thought of that, but it's been swimming around in my head.
I'm so thankful that Christ conquered death, it doesn't even bother me when people think I'm crazy for believing. I think people are crazy not to believe, not to hope in something eternal. I want to be fixed on things unseen.
I can't really think of one thing that stands out or one thing I should mention other than it was exactly what the doctor ordered. We DID have fun subjecting our CT relatives to taking the Myers Briggs and we also completed that assessment for my dad (postmortem) and it was exactly as I'd envisioned.... my brother and my father are one in the same! Other than the fact that, amazingly, my brother came out as an extrovert and my dad was clearly an introvert. I wasn't that far off from either of them, which brings me to my possible conclusion for my most recent MB change.
I've always been borderline S/N - sensing as opposed to intuitive. I've considered myself an S, as my dad was, but more recently have noticed I'm more of an N, and the description for that INTJ sounds way more like me. I was just wondering if, without my dad around to influence me - and he was a HUGE influence on me - if I'm able to let that N shine through more, since I don't have to seek his approval for anything! Just an observation, I have no idea if that's even possible.
OK - back to the real world. On Sunday in church, Pastor Dave made a statement that made me think a bit. It's from a verse that I have heard often:
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
He was speaking of things eternal, but mentioned the oxymoron it is to fix our eyes on something we can't see. We can only do that if we see things through the eyes of Christ. I'd never thought of that, but it's been swimming around in my head.
I'm so thankful that Christ conquered death, it doesn't even bother me when people think I'm crazy for believing. I think people are crazy not to believe, not to hope in something eternal. I want to be fixed on things unseen.
Monday, March 17, 2008
La Boutique de Mon Amie
Last week I stopped in at my cousin's new boutique in Old Ellicott City. It's the most adorable little shop. She and her friend have been working on this place for months and their grand opening is this weekend. If you are going to be around for Easter, you should stop in. The have a serious range of jewelry, gifts and home goods, all price ranges and quality. I picked up a cute purse for $29, an adorable watch for $9 and some linen home spray for $5. They offer purses, fine jewelry, home scents, scarves, furniture.... and the shop is adorable. It's situated in the "Tongue Row" area off the public parking lot and is sandwiched in between a great food/gift shop and a jewelry repair shop. They have three floors packed with everything a woman could want. Great for gifts or even for yourself! ;-) And just like my cousin, it's perfect!
Register this weekend if you visit to win diamond earrings (a favorite of my cousin's)!
Register this weekend if you visit to win diamond earrings (a favorite of my cousin's)!
Who Am I?
Over the past few months, I've been somewhat contemplating my Meyer-Briggs Assessment. For most of my adult life, I've always tested as an ISTJ and for the most part have been that. But more recently, I can see that I'm not nearly as disciplined or refined as most ISTJ's I know. In my assessment, I'm totally an I, totally a J and mostly a T. My S/N is completely borderline, and I think I may have somewhere over the past couple of years crossed over to an N. Here's a little description of both:
The Portait of the Inspector (ISTJ)
Inspector Guardians look carefully and thoroughly at the people and institutions around them. Making up perhaps as much as ten percent of the general population, Inspectors are characterized by decisiveness in practical affairs, are the guardians of institutions, and if only one adjective could be selected, "superdependable" would best describe them. Whether at home or at work, Inspectors are nothing if not dependable, particularly when it comes to examining the people and products they are responsible for-quietly seeing to it that uniform quality is maintained, and that those around them uphold certain standards of attitude and conduct.
These quiet, no-nonsense Guardians have a distaste for and distrust of fanciness in speech, dress, and living space. Their words tend to be simple and down-to-earth, not showy or high-flown; their clothes are often homespun and conservative rather than of the latest fashion; and their home and work environments are usually neat, orderly, and traditional, rather than up-to-date or luxurious. In their choice of personal property (cars, furnishings, jewelry, and so on) price and durability are just as important as comfort or appearance. Classics, antiques, and heirlooms are especially valued, having achieved a certain time-honored status-Inspectors prefer the old-fashioned to the newfangled every time. Even on vacation, Inspectors tend not to be attracted by exotic foods, beverages, or locales.
Their thoroughness and orderliness, combined with their interest in legality and standardization, leads Inspectors to a number of occupations that call for the careful administration of goods and services. Inspectors feel right at home with difficult, detailed forms and columns of figures, and thus they make excellent bank examiners, auditors, accountants, and tax attorneys. Managing investments in securities is likely to interest this type, particularly investments in municipal bonds and blue-chip securities. Inspectors are not likely to take chances either with their own or others' money, and the thought of a bankrupt nation, state, institution, or family gives them more than a little uneasiness. The idea of dishonoring a contract also bothers an Inspector -their word is their bond-and they naturally communicate a message of trustworthiness and stability, which can make them successful in business. With their eye for detail, Inspectors make good business men and women, librarians, dentists, optometrists, legal secretaries, and law researchers. High school and college teachers of business administration, home economics, physical education, civics, and history tend to be Inspectors, as do quartermaster officers in the military.
Queen Elizabeth II, Harry S. Truman, Warren Buffet, Queen Victoria, James K. Polk,
and J.D. Rockefeller are examples of Inspector Guardians.
Here is the INTJ:
(Both descriptions can be found at www.Keirsey.com)
It's a little crazy that one letter can make such a big difference, but I feel like I'm not strongly either, but may have made the shift. Either way, I'm just plain crazy. There's no if's, and's or but's about it. I've highlighted in each what I'm most like. If you think I'm wrong, have at it! Sometimes, I scare myself.The Portait of the Mastermind (INTJ)
Of the four aspects of strategic analysis and definition, it is the contingency planning or entailment organizing role that reaches the highest development in Masterminds. Entailing or contingency planning is not an informative activity, rather it is a directive one in which the planner tells others what to do and in what order to do it. As the organizing capabilities the Masterminds increase so does their inclination to take charge of whatever is going on.
It is in their abilities that Masterminds differ from the other Rationals, while in most of their attitudes they are just like the others. However there is one attitude that sets them apart from other Rationals: they tend to be much more self-confident than the rest, having, for obscure reasons, developed a very strong will. They are rather rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population. Being very judicious, decisions come naturally to them; indeed, they can hardly rest until they have things settled, decided, and set. They are the people who are able to formulate coherent and comprehensive contingency plans, hence contingency organizers or "entailers."
Masterminds will adopt ideas only if they are useful, which is to say if they work efficiently toward accomplishing the Mastermind's well-defined goals. Natural leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command of projects or groups, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once in charge, however, Masterminds are the supreme pragmatists, seeing reality as a crucible for refining their strategies for goal-directed action. In a sense, Masterminds approach reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error or adversity. To the Mastermind, organizational structure and operational procedures are never arbitrary, never set in concrete, but are quite malleable and can be changed, improved, streamlined. In their drive for efficient action, Masterminds are the most open-minded of all the types. No idea is too far-fetched to be entertained-if it is useful. Masterminds are natural brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking them. They are also alert to the consequences of applying new ideas or positions. Theories which cannot be made to work are quickly discarded by the Masterminds. On the other hand, Masterminds can be quite ruthless in implementing effective ideas, seldom counting personal cost in terms of time and energy.
Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Ulysses S. Grant, Frideriche Nietsche, Niels Bohr, Peter the Great, Stephen Hawking, John Maynard Keynes, Lise Meitner", Ayn Rand and Sir Isaac Newton are examples of Rational Masterminds.
(Both descriptions can be found at www.Keirsey.com)
Happy St. Patty's Day!
My mother always told me I should wear orange on St. Patrick's Day because I'm Scottish. I like orange, but green is my favorite color. I have no problem finding something clean that's green in my laundry, so today I'm wearing green!! Plus, I'm really in the mood for spring, so green is a color I'm happy to wear!
The girls just made me a "gourmet" lunch. They set the table and made a fruit salad consisting of grapes, apple and carrots, peanut butter sandwiches, mini Pringles, cheese curls and a dessert of rice krispy treats. This is what happens when we run out of food! Hehe... but it was fun. They cleaned up the kitchen - and that's all that really matters!!
OK - off to pick up Kt's meds, the dogs, and get some laundry done so we can head up to Connecticut tomorrow for the rest of our spring break. Once there, I'm just going to relax!
The girls just made me a "gourmet" lunch. They set the table and made a fruit salad consisting of grapes, apple and carrots, peanut butter sandwiches, mini Pringles, cheese curls and a dessert of rice krispy treats. This is what happens when we run out of food! Hehe... but it was fun. They cleaned up the kitchen - and that's all that really matters!!
OK - off to pick up Kt's meds, the dogs, and get some laundry done so we can head up to Connecticut tomorrow for the rest of our spring break. Once there, I'm just going to relax!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Retreat Recap
This past weekend, we had the joy of hanging out on our spring high school retreat. It's hard for me to fathom that my own last high school retreat was 20 years ago!! Our kids stay at this really cool retreat place on the North Chesapeake Bay, complete with a high ropes course, climbing walls, gym, plenty of space, nice rooms, great food.... it was amazing! T and I and the girls stayed in a hotel like dorm - the girls even had their own room.
As we roamed around on an incredibly beautiful day yesterday, so many juxta posed thoughts went through my head. I'm sad to see some of our favorite seniors head off to college soon, but so excited for where they are headed. I'm so scared to send these kids into the world, yet so hopeful for the future because of them. Their silliness makes me roll my eyes, their enormous amount of potential to impact the world for Christ overwhelms me. I'm just amazed that they let us into their world, I'm honored.
I wish that I could share more than just a glimpse with you of just how important they are to us. What high schoolers do you know - more than 150 - who would embrace a group of leaders in their 30's? I mean embrace, encourage, thank, love... in a way that makes me feel like I'm just inadequate as a friend! We are so blessed year after year with a group of kids like this.
Twenty years after high school there are so many things I would have loved to have shared with them, but it was their weekend, their youth, their time to process life at their level. T did a session with them on creating, embracing, possibility and then creating. We spent a lot of last week talking through his session, thinking of worthwhile things to share, trying to shape something that would resonate with teenagers. It was really a message from T's heart, to speak into the hearts of kids that in our life here on earth, we matter and we make a difference. These are the kids who have the influence to shape culture.
One of our senior interns chose to get baptized on this trip, in the frigidly cold bay. It was really an amazing event and the people who shared about her and her impact on their worlds really speaks to the quality of kids we are launching out to the world. As she came up out of the water, I was imagining that the ripples she created were much like the ripples she will create in the world, the reach she will have because she's totally sold out, engaging and applying all that we've invested in her. More importantly, all that Christ means to her - and she's taking it with her into the world. It's some great imagery and some incredible energy.
So, to the kids in cpr who even bother to read the blog of a 30 something leader's wife, just know that we don't consider any of our time spent with you or given to you a sacrifice. It's more than an honor and our pleasure that you allow us to influence you in even small ways, that you are interested in being invested in, and the hope that you give us creates an unspeakable joy in our hearts. We do it for Him, and we think you get that. What we give to you does not even compare to what we've received - you've touched our hearts forever and we're happy that you keep us at least a little young!! Just know that God uses you in our lives and we thank you for your authenticity in His name.
thanks!
As we roamed around on an incredibly beautiful day yesterday, so many juxta posed thoughts went through my head. I'm sad to see some of our favorite seniors head off to college soon, but so excited for where they are headed. I'm so scared to send these kids into the world, yet so hopeful for the future because of them. Their silliness makes me roll my eyes, their enormous amount of potential to impact the world for Christ overwhelms me. I'm just amazed that they let us into their world, I'm honored.
I wish that I could share more than just a glimpse with you of just how important they are to us. What high schoolers do you know - more than 150 - who would embrace a group of leaders in their 30's? I mean embrace, encourage, thank, love... in a way that makes me feel like I'm just inadequate as a friend! We are so blessed year after year with a group of kids like this.
Twenty years after high school there are so many things I would have loved to have shared with them, but it was their weekend, their youth, their time to process life at their level. T did a session with them on creating, embracing, possibility and then creating. We spent a lot of last week talking through his session, thinking of worthwhile things to share, trying to shape something that would resonate with teenagers. It was really a message from T's heart, to speak into the hearts of kids that in our life here on earth, we matter and we make a difference. These are the kids who have the influence to shape culture.
One of our senior interns chose to get baptized on this trip, in the frigidly cold bay. It was really an amazing event and the people who shared about her and her impact on their worlds really speaks to the quality of kids we are launching out to the world. As she came up out of the water, I was imagining that the ripples she created were much like the ripples she will create in the world, the reach she will have because she's totally sold out, engaging and applying all that we've invested in her. More importantly, all that Christ means to her - and she's taking it with her into the world. It's some great imagery and some incredible energy.
So, to the kids in cpr who even bother to read the blog of a 30 something leader's wife, just know that we don't consider any of our time spent with you or given to you a sacrifice. It's more than an honor and our pleasure that you allow us to influence you in even small ways, that you are interested in being invested in, and the hope that you give us creates an unspeakable joy in our hearts. We do it for Him, and we think you get that. What we give to you does not even compare to what we've received - you've touched our hearts forever and we're happy that you keep us at least a little young!! Just know that God uses you in our lives and we thank you for your authenticity in His name.
thanks!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Sick World
While we're on the subject of sick.... are we now glorifying the call girl/prostitute that took down New York's governor??? I'm just completely appalled that she's all over the news, getting the press she wants, all while that family is falling apart. Have some decency, news outlets, and give that mom and three daughters whose lives were just torn apart a break!! Oh, for shame!
Sick Sandwich
No, I'm not planning on getting you sick before lunch! Just a brief recap of my week... Monday - sick child, Tuesday - work, Wednesday - sub, Thursday - work, Friday - sick child. My week is a sick sandwich. Now I'm off to shower and take care of a child with a cold all day!
Suing Proponents of Global Warming
So, the founder of the Weather Channel is proposing a law suit to sue proponents, such as Al Gore, about global warming. Apparently, these proponents are unwilling to enter into a debate about the existence of global warming, instead "scamming" the world into literally buying into their theory of global warming. I think he has a valid point here and I'll be following this story.
In essence, the global warming propaganda may have a very negative impact on the environment should it be proven to be wrong. That GW proponents have been very strong in their criticism of environmental issues, all in the name of an unproven theory. The sad thing is that many of their suggestions would have a positive environmental impact and should not be discarded. But should they be proven wrong, especially in a high profile court suit, the impact could be devastating for them and their suggestions, which may be discarded after a heavy hit.
Really, without the global warming scare tactic, we really do need to be better stewards of God's creation, looking for alternative forms of energy, reducing waste, and being more aware of the impact humankind has on nature. We owe it to ourselves, but more importantly to our children, to do all those things and more. We need to be forward thinkers when it comes to environmental impact. Global warming aside, Al Gore gone, what can we do to improve life on earth for future generations?
In essence, the global warming propaganda may have a very negative impact on the environment should it be proven to be wrong. That GW proponents have been very strong in their criticism of environmental issues, all in the name of an unproven theory. The sad thing is that many of their suggestions would have a positive environmental impact and should not be discarded. But should they be proven wrong, especially in a high profile court suit, the impact could be devastating for them and their suggestions, which may be discarded after a heavy hit.
Really, without the global warming scare tactic, we really do need to be better stewards of God's creation, looking for alternative forms of energy, reducing waste, and being more aware of the impact humankind has on nature. We owe it to ourselves, but more importantly to our children, to do all those things and more. We need to be forward thinkers when it comes to environmental impact. Global warming aside, Al Gore gone, what can we do to improve life on earth for future generations?
Passover/Easter....
So... I've been having a problem with this Passover and Easter not coinciding this year. I don't understand all the intricacies of how they "choose" when certain holidays will fall, but these two are supposed to happen together in my mind. At least they did in the Bible, with great historical and religious significance.
Passover is the Jewish holiday where the Jews in Egypt painted the blood of Passover lamb over their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would passover their homes when he came through the land to take the firstborn, the tenth plague. After that plague, when all the Egyptians woke up to find their firstborn sons dead, the pharaoh let the Israelites leave Egypt - he freed them.
The very first Easter, Jesus entered Jerusalem on what Christians call Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter. He was arriving for the Passover festival, which lasts a week. His Last Supper was a Passover Feast and he rose from the dead, or conquered the Angel of Death, on the last day of Passover.... no coincidence there. It was planned that way by God, although I'm not sure that modern Jewish culture recognizes the significance of the two events happening exactly the way they did.
So, back to 2008... just doesn't seem right to me! Easter with no Passover!
Passover is the Jewish holiday where the Jews in Egypt painted the blood of Passover lamb over their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would passover their homes when he came through the land to take the firstborn, the tenth plague. After that plague, when all the Egyptians woke up to find their firstborn sons dead, the pharaoh let the Israelites leave Egypt - he freed them.
The very first Easter, Jesus entered Jerusalem on what Christians call Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter. He was arriving for the Passover festival, which lasts a week. His Last Supper was a Passover Feast and he rose from the dead, or conquered the Angel of Death, on the last day of Passover.... no coincidence there. It was planned that way by God, although I'm not sure that modern Jewish culture recognizes the significance of the two events happening exactly the way they did.
So, back to 2008... just doesn't seem right to me! Easter with no Passover!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Mathematical Mess!
I have a difficult time with panel findings that suggest that we, in the US, "typically cover too many topics without enough depth." They discovered this after researching why our *test scores* are so much lower than over countries around the world. Well, let me help you out, oh wise panel. Why do we teach soooo many topics without any depth??? Because we give *standardized tests* to see how our students are doing compared with the rest of the world in March/April.... and those tests covers a *wide range* of topics that teachers are told to cover before the *test* so that kids will do better on the *test*. We aren't teaching kids math, we're teaching them how to do better on a *standardized test* - THAT'S WHY WE ARE FALLING BEHIND!!!!! Just had to get that out!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Have Learned Nothing!
I feel, in a way, that I'm back to square one here. With everything I have on my plate and my attempts this year to simplify and say "no" to more things, I found myself just not able to function with MBS at 7:30 this morning. For those of you who don't know, that's just way too early for me! I was sound asleep, awoken abruptly by a call for help. Those are the kinds I just can't seem to decline.
To make matters even worse, my husband, also sound asleep, even though his alarm had already gone off, didn't bother to lie for me. I guess under any other circumstances I would have preferred he not lie, but this time I really needed him to tell this person that I was not here - I mean, they would believe that, right?? OK, I'm stretching a bit!
Anyway, I had plans for today - gym, laundry, visit my cousin's new boutique (more on that later!), sign Kt up for tennis camp, pick up more essential groceries, clean up a bit around here..... instead, I ended up subbing for mother's day out. Why? Because when she said, "Are you free to sub today? I'm in a bind." I could not for the life of me think of one good reason I could not sub. At least not one that would mean anything to anyone, and I just couldn't lie. I'm, what my husband so lovingly refers to me as, a sucker.
So, my day just added to my mushy brain... morning/early afternoon spent with 2 year olds, direct flight from there to new boutique, home for a 25 minute break before the girls got home, homework, gymnastics, 15 minutes for dinner, off to Girls Grace Adventure.... home to again sit around comatose, brain dead and wondering how I'll get everything done, now that I have to work tomorrow.
Well, at least the boutique was fun, fun, fun!!
To make matters even worse, my husband, also sound asleep, even though his alarm had already gone off, didn't bother to lie for me. I guess under any other circumstances I would have preferred he not lie, but this time I really needed him to tell this person that I was not here - I mean, they would believe that, right?? OK, I'm stretching a bit!
Anyway, I had plans for today - gym, laundry, visit my cousin's new boutique (more on that later!), sign Kt up for tennis camp, pick up more essential groceries, clean up a bit around here..... instead, I ended up subbing for mother's day out. Why? Because when she said, "Are you free to sub today? I'm in a bind." I could not for the life of me think of one good reason I could not sub. At least not one that would mean anything to anyone, and I just couldn't lie. I'm, what my husband so lovingly refers to me as, a sucker.
So, my day just added to my mushy brain... morning/early afternoon spent with 2 year olds, direct flight from there to new boutique, home for a 25 minute break before the girls got home, homework, gymnastics, 15 minutes for dinner, off to Girls Grace Adventure.... home to again sit around comatose, brain dead and wondering how I'll get everything done, now that I have to work tomorrow.
Well, at least the boutique was fun, fun, fun!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Back to that Mush...
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, because T is doing all this Strengthfinders stuff. One of my strengths is responsibility, and right now that one is really leading me down the path to a major coronary! I just hate it when things are left unresolved. Whether it be something someone did without explanation, a task I'm responsible for that cannot be resolved right this minute or something I just have no control over yet feel attached to for some reason. I turn to mush when too many things I'm responsible for are hanging in the balance. It's a monster of my own creation and it seems a life I'm destined for!! Now I just have to go back and read through all that responsibility stuff in that book to find out how to get out of this mush!
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