Jesus Died for You and Me....

.....and everyone else. It is easy to see God's grace in our lives or those closest to us. We simply say "only by the grace of God" and think of our family and friends. Well, what about everyone else? Do you ever find yourself looking at someone and thinking 'well, I know God forgives them, but you know what they used to do or how they used to be?'

Today, I found out about a couple that I have prayed for over and over and over and over and over. It seemed that Satan sat at their doorstep and just couldn't wait to destroy their lives. They had what most of us call "bad sins" and really needed to "clean up" their lives. Well, tonight they took the perfect steps to do just that! I am so happy for them and I know God will bless their lives.

The biggest questions are: can we see God HAS FORGIVEN them and cleansed their souls?, do we understand God has worked miracles in them?, can we forgive them?, and most of all can we wrap our minds around the fact that Jesus died for THEM?

As much as I love this couple, I do take a step back ocassionally when the tatoos slap me in the face or the piercings make me cringe with pain. They don't look like you and me, they haven't lived a life like you and me, they don't have professional jobs like you and me, but THEY ARE God's children!

Take the time today to see someone's soul like God sees it!!!

She's Here!

Just wanted everyone to know we finally got our puppy! We chose Meagan but named her Chloe. She is the sweetest little thing. She cuddles and just loves for you to talk to her. She has even had her first tea party!

Spending TIME in the ER!

Last week, Garrett complained of his hand turning purple! One of his teachers sent him to the office because she was concerned. It was the weirdest thing. Lonnie calls me one afternoon when he picked up Garrett from school, we discussed it and thought we'd wait to see if it happened again. Well, it did...many more times.

On Wednesday night, I asked our doctor to take a look at him (I firmly believe against doing that). He evaluated him and decided that Garrett needed to see a cardiologist! Kind of made you take a second breath and then hold...We got an appointment but not until June 1.

On Thursday, Garrett texted me at lunch and said it was all purple and hurt badly. He did the same at 4:15. Lonnie had seen him at 3:15 and said it was purple and he felt like we should probably call the doctor back.

We were waiting for Garrett to get out of Driver's Ed (!) and my cell phone rang. It was our doctor. He suggested we take Garrett on to Amarillo to the ER and get into a cardiologist that night. Well, we picked him up from Driver's Ed and got Guthri situated and headed for Amarillo. Got to the ER about 11:00 and waited until 5:00 a.m. to see a Dr.!!!! By that time Garrett's hand looked completely normal. The doctor basically blew us off and treated us like idiots. I kept telling him over and over there was something wrong, our doctor had sent us to Amarillo. He ordered a doppler and blood work and said he would be laughed at by radiology for the order!

The experience was totally uncalled for. I have never been so upset with a group of professionals in my life. We had waited patiently even though the waiting room was full of filthy language, crude people and to top it off it was dirty!! We even had to experience the police with a gun shot victim and angry family and completely wasted friends!!! There were times we felt like leaving but no, our son had a problem and we wanted to see a doctor.

We waited an hour after the doctor saying "I knew there was nothing wrong. Everything is normal." We were finally released from the business office (had to give them $100 before they would let us go)! We walked out of the ER at 7:45 a.m. It was a horrible night and we knew no more than we did 9 hours earlier.

We are so blessed to live in a small town! Got home and our doctor was very upset with the Amarillo ER and has taken it on himself to help us. Garrett is doing fine and his hand has not done it again since Thursday. So maybe there is nothing wrong, but we just can't take that chance. We will keep our appointment with the cardiologist and do whatever tests our doctor orders.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I was so disappointed in the doctor in Amarillo. He was very condescending and very unconcerned! If you have a good doctor or come across an ER doctor that treats you with respect and concern, please tell them thank you....they deserve it!

Ladies...This Is Good!

A young friend of mine has an awesome blog. She is young married woman who is wise beyond her years and is lovingly offering a free give away for those that participate in her blog activity. As a woman she is asking that we step up and see what is so wonderful about our husbands or boyfriends. I am not going to say much else because she says it so well. Just click here and see what Charla has to say!

Dump Fund

We are so blessed in Childress to have a preacher that truly has a heart of gold. He not only teaches giving but lives it as well. He is having an awesome event this Tuesday, May 5. On his blog he is raising money to send to Honduras to buy food for people who literally live at the city dump and eat the scraps from other people's garbage. Your help is needed !

Go to www.treymorgan.net to read more and donate!

Just another week.....

The buzz in Texas this week is TAKS! Well, it is more like a roar...We spend hours preparing (to put it lightly), worrying over our own children and our students, dreading it more than anything, or just hating it. Yes, I said it, hating it! Thankfully, I teach 3rd grade so I only had one test to give for the class. That was math on Tuesday. The kids felt like old pros and just went about their business. We all walked on pins and needles that day, so scared of doing something wrong...it was a stressful day but like I said that was it for me. Had to give a make-up test to a poor kid today after being sick for 3 days. He sniffled all the way through but bless his heart he finished!

Facebook is covered with comments about TAKS, none are positive and most relate to being exhausted. It is exhausting just from the pressure, not necessarily the work. There are principals, counselors, test coordinators, test administrators, hall monitors, auditors and I am sure somewhere TAKS watch dogs. It is just plain crazy on how out of control it has gotten! In the mist of all this chaos there is the swine flu mess, so that just added the the hectic atmosphere.

Today, I handed in that poor kids test after several laborious hours (for him...I just sat there) and returned to my classroom. There were my kids working like always, going to the library like always, having their little tiffs like always. Nothing was any different. School let out and our principal so graciously came over the intercom and told us to go home. Guthri and I shuffled out the door and got in the car. My phone rings...

Lonnie "yea, I was just checking on how much longer you are going to be there?"

Me "we're in the car about to head home."

Lonnie "well, I went to Vernon today and got the 'Something Fishy' and 'Wildlife' curriculum so thought I would unload it."

Me "come on..we'll wait for you."

Not so thrilled I hung up and just sat there and in a few minutes there he was. We unloaded the curriculum and then headed for Sonic for a drink (it was still Happy Hour!). Finally got on the road for home and started down our dirt road and realized there was no way the bus would make it down it to bring Garrett home. So I backed 1/2 mile and sat on the side of the road waiting on the bus to get Garrett. Garrett gets in the car...Guthri starts in and Garrett just gets right back in her face. A mile down the road we are screaming. Everything was pretty much the same as usual.

I came in the house and sat down. About a minute sitting there, it hit me. This was just ANOTHER week. Lightning didn't strike my students (even though we have taught them that lightning was a sure thing if they didn't work diligently through the whole test), all teachers are well and accounted for, all admin. is still breathing, nothing was any different than last week! It was just another week. On Monday, this week will just be a fog as we start to wind up the year.

Now, I don't know if all my teammates would agree with me or if my admin. isn't just a little worn out, but when it all comes down to it, it was just another week.