The Sky is Blue

I have been hearing God speak to me in stereo lately. I borrow that phrase from a friend, because it fits my situation perfectly. Now before you start worrying that I am losing my cookies, let me explain. I had a week this summer where I was feeling good, energetic, taking on the world. I was excited to be teaching crafts in Vacation Bible school, I was excited at some things going really well in my life, and I was singing God's praises at the top of my lungs. Within that week, I got a severe burn, like six inches long on my upper arm, (I didn't go to the Dr. of course, because it didn't really hurt, ha ha, like that is a good thing, lesson learned), I then almost landed myself in the hospital with an infection from said burn, and then....I got bit (really hard) by a nasty little pooch at a jewelry show I was doing. The dog bite turned me black, blue, purple, & green about the size of a toddler size basketball. Nasty stuff. These events made me feel like someone

I am having a deja vu moment. I just met with my son's kindergarten teacher to begin planning for the class Halloween party. It feels strange. It has been a while since I had a Kindergartner . Planning extra simple crafts, and healthy snacks. Gone are the days of cupcakes and sacks of candy. Thankfully Nick's teacher is very easy going, and really wants it to be fun. He also goes to a school that hasn't outlawed dressing up & marching around school in a Halloween parade. Yeahh ! I am so thankful I get to do that with him. My older sons school has abolished all that good old fashioned fun. Ba hum bug. -- doesn't really apply to Halloween, but you get my meaning. So while I am planning for High School Homecoming events and drivers permits with my big guys, I am planning for spider crafts, and pin the nose on the pumpkin with the little ones. The Rhodes life is pretty cool. I am right where I am meant to be.

I never cease to be amazed at the work God still has to do in me. He is teaching me some cool things right now. I am finding that the gifts he has given me, gifts of confidence, gifts of communication, gifts of empathy, he wants me to be using them in full-- in some parts of my life. In other parts of my life, he is forcing me into situations where I must exercise my weaker muscles, like patience, silence, and humility. If you know me, you know that silence is not one of my natural abilities..... my optimism, and articulation of ideas, often runs ahead of thinking things through in detail, analyzing pro's & cons, etc... I am a woman who has leaned heavily on my keen intuition for 44 years. While I still trust my gut, I am learning that I need to temper it with prayer, patience, and council. This weekend I went away on a Women's Retreat with my church. I have never been to one. I have always been to busy, or too broke, to make it work. This year I decided to make t