Enough, already!!

 

Okay, so the weather here has been so messy.  We got the front yard weeded before Frank left and my legs are still stiff and sore a week later.  I left the can in the yard thinking I could pick up piles of weeds and fill the can for the next trash pick up.  Well, it won't quit raining and just to spite me, it's snowing, too.  This is April and I live in the desert!  Where is my sun?!! I want it to be warm.

 I need to load the van on Monday and head down to the "valley of the sun" for District Council.  I will be manning a display table for Special Touch Ministry, Inc.  Promoting AZ Summer Getaway.  With the dates of Aug 8-12th this year, the contacts I make at District Council actually have time to get applications in and we could have many new guests.  I also want to promote the Caregivers in Training (CIT) program.  We have teens, age 14-17, come and we pair them with a caregiver to form a training/mentoring relationship.  It's a missions trip for them and they don't have to even leave the state.

I am spending the month of April without my husband.  He is laid off the whole month and having always bemoaned the stories of people able to take a month and travel, we found this to be a God-send for him to do what he has always wanted to do.  He is making it a game to spend as little as he can besides gas.  He is calling it a "couch surfing" trip.  He has his still camera and his new video one too and I hope he is taking pics.  He wants to journal the trip and pictures and video always help tell the story.

My time alone is not without activities. I have a pretty full month.  District Council next week with the day I return, hopefully getting to the practice for our first performance of a women's barbershop singers group I recently joined with my Mom.  The concert is on Sat the 16th.  We are sharing the spotlight with the City of Kingman Community Choir.
The rest of the month is filled with Dr's appointments and the such.  I've been working in my office on paperwork that has created a small mountain.

I bought a program called Paperless.  I need to start with tax related receipts but want to go through a lot of files and make files of important docs and get rid of  the paper.  (Looooooonng term goal)
For now, I need to file an extension for our '10 taxes because my back has had all the desk time it can take.  And put together the stuff I need to take to Phoenix next week.


So even with the man gone, my life continues on it's merry, busy, way.

Okay, life is speeding up again. Had a great birthday and anniversary. Now it's time to get busy again. I have my office back in the room, but far from settled. I can get to my desk, that's about it. I have a trip to Phoenix with Dom tomorrow, a concert I want to attend next week, Memphis trip to St. Jude's the 2nd week in Aug, Special Touch Chapter meeting the 3rd weekend. I need to hold a rummage sale at the church for the rest of WM's retreat registration monies, and the only time is the 8th, and that's not far away. We camp out with the church Labor Day weekend and the end of that same week is Wm's retreat! Alicia Chole, what a treat, can't wait. Then at the end of the month/beginning of Oct is a Special Touch Coordinator training in WI, and Gracey graduates in December. Frank and I haven't decided who goes to that. I would love for him to get away, but I would love to be there, too. We'll see. Then already already looking at next year, in March I have a trip back to Waupaca for Exposé. We could possibly put off the rummage sale. I'll have to check on what we have in the WM's account. Amazing what just thinking I have some level of adjustment in the schedule can alleviate some of the stress.
I'm almost done with the first book from NavPress. I signed up to review books and get to keep all the books I read. I will finish today and write and post maybe by the end of the week.

The way things appear

My mind/emotions most of my life were formed by unhealthy people and environments. I waited a long time to develop the "self" that I needed before I could grow and mature. I used others personalities and tastes to portrait myself to the world. Now that I kind of know that I am wonderfully made by my creator and have purpose and a future, I don't have to worry that someone will find out that I may have been "bs-ing" them with a made-up person. I can just be me and let people like me or not. Well, lately, I guess the "me" that people see is someone who is competent enough to take on some pretty big positions. I travelled to Phoenix on Tuesday to attend the AZ District Council of the Assemblies of God. I went to a women's missions brunch because the Women's Ministry chooses a focus mission for the year and take pledges for that mission and raise funds all year. This year the focus is Special Touch Ministry, Inc. What a blessing to know there will be a large donation coming to this ministry which has captured my heart. I sat at the table with the coordinators for the Arizona Getaway as well as key people who put a lot of time and energy in and watched their thrill when the pledges of $44,750 was announced of which we will get about 43% of this time next year.
Later I was able to mingle in the open lobby where we had a booth set up to talk to interested people, I was acknowledged by several top people in the district. It was amazing that people recognized me and seem to have beeen seeking me out with intentions of connecting me to other key people. I met a mother of a teen with disabilities. Her husband is executive vice president of American Indian College In Phoenix. We had quite a lengthy conversation, but the thing that surprised me was that several people had sought me out to introduce us because they thought I had something to offer. That same day, the Women's Department Director asked if I would take on a Seconal leadership position. Regretfully, I declined, but offered her my cooperation should she need me for projects from time to time. I really felt my focus should be single right now and special touch is it. Then to finish off this astounding day, I was asked to take on a new position at our Arizona Getaway this June as Team Leader. This is a stepping stone, as the Arizona Coordinator wants to hand off their reins to me in the next couple of years! Who is this person that others see and where did she come from. I know where I started and with what few tools I had. Keeping this in mind, I can trust that who others see is someone purposely fitted into the body of Christ to further the kingdom. Fearfully, I advance in that direction and take on more than I think I am capable of only to see it accomplished to His glory. So, maybe I'll be able to call the Women's Department Director at a later time and take her up on her offer, after some of the fear and trembling has subsided.