A Month in the Life

Another Brutal Day

2009-01-07T22:38:00.002-06:00

30 mins before I went home from work today I counted receiving over 70 emails at work today. Probably hit 80 before I hit home. Brutal. (Count 'em - 80 from people who want something in return & then figure many emails take 5-15 mins minimum work before they're answered. Then try to do your normal work.)

Everyone is replying to queries they didn't answer over the holiday period (most gone on vacation) & I can tell the field people are getting hit by endless replies as well. My mind turned to mush - so distracted that I forgot about the last oatmeal chocolate chip cookie Nita made last night! That, my friends, is an unprecedented lapse in my life.

I hope your day was better.

News

2009-01-05T23:38:00.002-06:00

There's going to be some 90&9 news soon on this blog, so while I realize it's a new month in a new year, ye olde editor is still blogging. I hope you're okay with that.

Alcohol, Coffee: I Continue to Amaze

2009-01-05T23:23:00.003-06:00

Brutal day at work. Everyone returned & answered all my emails and voice mails simultaneously. No one should have to deal with all of that.

Exit self pity, stage left.

A short time ago, I was on a business trip with a couple co-workers I didn't know well. So as we talked on the way to dinner, they discovered that I had never had a drink of alcohol in my life. One said he knew only 2 other people who could say that & I think the other said they only knew 1 other person. I wasn't trying to be a holy Joe, it just came up.

Then I blew them away. I said, "I also don't drink coffee." That seemed to amaze them even more. Should it have?

You tell me.

Welcoming the New Year

2009-01-02T18:26:00.001-06:00

So how do you welcome each new year, a present of 365 days, into your life?

Nita & I go to dinner on New Year's night (most often we dine on Indian), and go over a list we created for our Sunday School class, that covers everything from our prayer life to the books we'd like to read to the money we'd like to save/invest and the vacations we'd like to enjoy to the necessary career move to the friends we'd like to make dearer.

It's an important tradition, realigning ourselves and our habits into something healthier and stronger. Yes, there's much we can't anticipate, but the baseline goals (Bible reading regimen, financial focus, time commitments, vacation destination) are often malleable if we're willing to apply a bit of discipline toward them.

Last night we dined on Shrimp Tikka Masala and Lamb Biryani with Samosas and Garlic Naan at the House of India.

After discussing 2008, and some of the choices we made (friends), were handed (my employment), and happy progress (financial blessings, which no one ever testifies about, but "Thank you Jesus!"), we dug into the baseline nuts & bolts of 2009.

Don't allow the possibility of failure or the vaporous nature of resolutions prevent you from making worthwhile goals for your next year. The stronger you are, the more God has to use.

Amazing Twins

2009-01-01T12:59:00.002-06:00

So it's the UK Sun, notorious for its tabloid sensibilities and Page 3 (topless) girls every day, but the story appears to be legit:

"SUN doctor Carol Cooper, author of a book on twins, said there was a two in a million chance of a second set of twins like the Durrant girls."

A mixed-race couple has 2 (yes, two!) mixed race set of twins. (They don't allow pictures to be used w/out permission, so check it out here.)

Happy New Year!

New Years Eve

2008-12-31T13:47:00.000-06:00

Low on the excitement scale for me. High on the enjoyment scale though.

The Curry's are hosting a Risk party for the testesterone-charged males, and a Wii-&-Chat party for the estrogen-charged females, while the kids get to stay up late and drink soda all night.

Risk is one of those classic 3-to-5 hour "Conquer the World" board games that many love, but never can find an entire evening to play it. So we've got some guys in town for the holidays & the time, so we're going at it mercilessly & with every intent to win. Nita's actually a tough player, and I've several of my female Bible Quizzers who relish their past victories over yours truly as well. Tonight, it just happens to be a male thing.

Our church doesn't usually do a New Years Eve service, but it's Bible Study night, so we're doing a fellowship meal with testimonies and communion. While I'll never downplay the essential nature of communion, am I un-Pentecostal to admit that I'd rather have a quite evening pre-party than church festivities? (Yes, I'm un-Pentecostal. Which will surprise none of our 90&9 critics.)

Billion$ Lost

2008-12-30T22:55:00.002-06:00

I love stories like this, not because I love to dance on the graves of the mighty who have fallen, but because it’s a brilliant snapshot of the world economy today – as we’re living in it.

Also, I love to contemplate the psychology of what it must feel like to lose $30 billion, or to go from a net worth of $1.1 billion to zero & wipe out your son as well. Wow! That’s drama.

Plus, it makes you wonder how many of these Business Titans actually relied on paper profits to be deemed majestic on the covers of glossy magazines. (Doesn’t James record the rich man weeping over his lost wealth?)

Guerrilla Warfare: Youth Congress Style

2008-12-30T12:22:00.000-06:00

Comments are easily the best invention created for blogs, articles, and SNS pages, not only because you can read what intelligent others have to say on a topic, but the priority of a topic becomes obvious.

In November, I mentioned how we were still receiving comments on two ancient posts concerning the UPC and TV. However, we're also still receiving comments on how our girls dress at Youth Congress.

Yes, NAYC was in August 2007, yet in December 2008 we're still getting Apostolics either attacking or defending how how girls dressed at Youth Congress. Per usual, we did our group blogging from the event, with literally tens of thousands of new visitors checking in, but it wasn't until I posted these girls' pictures (as we do every year of girls & guys, shoes and suits, hairstyles and hats) that animosity appeared.

You could tell most of the Commenters were not attending Youth Congress, with its amazing moves of God, and they weren't commenting about how exciting it was that people were baptized in a fountain Thursday night, they just railed on how ungodly our girls were (which, of course, wasn't my intent when publishing their pictures).

Many on both sides made good points--and it hasn't stopped. I suppose that's as telling a sign of our era as anything.

Christmas (non) Celebrations?

2008-12-29T23:03:00.004-06:00

In the past, 90&9 has discussed how so few Pentecostal churches actually offer a Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day service, but Time noticed how few mainline churches celebrate Christmas anymore.

"If that sounds like the triumph of culture over religion, it is. By the middle of the 20th century, Americans had embraced a civil religion that among other things elevated the ideal of family to a sacrosanct level. The Norman Rockwell image of family gathered around the tree became a Christmas icon that rivaled the baby Jesus. And Christmas Eve services — with their pageantry and familiar traditions — became just one part of the celebration, after the family dinner and before the opening of presents."

It's worth thinking about. (Thanks to alert reader Steve for the link!)

Four Day Weekends Are . . .

2008-12-29T12:14:00.002-06:00

. . . Glorious!

Christmas’s big score at the Curry’s was a family Wii. We’re already wearing out the family room carpet & the prodigy is trouncing me in Tennis, my best game, so my morale has been terribly low most days. (Happily mom beat him in boxing, so I can throw that in his face.)

I also got the usual assortment of clothes, but am most treasuring a biography of William Wilberforce, the British politician & vociferous Christian, who waged a 20ish year war against slavery until he beat it. He’s fascinating because he never made the Prime Minister’s cabinet but stayed an MP (Member of Parliament, the equivalent to a State Representative), & wanted to leave politics to be a good Christian because it was just as hard to be righteous in the late 1700s/early 1800s as it is now. People were still greedy & wanted to maintain the status quo despite the obvious sin against mankind. Yet, he prevailed. Inspiring.

Plus, the holidays mean old friends return home & you get to catch up with them at church & over lunch. I was so graced with Sunday lunch w/former primary (& current emergency backup) 90&9 webmaster David Schultz & his lovely wife Dana and their two boys.

Reality, alas, returns w/a 4 day (light) work week, but that’s okay. I’m nearly recharged.

More later.

The Day After Christmas

2008-12-26T13:32:00.003-06:00

I suppose I resent how everyone else wants to prepackage my time, especially when I have a lazy 4 day weekend. I’ve been sleeping & reading my new William Wilberforce bio, yet email insists that I have another 20+ Facebook notices, sale emails scream that I must leave the house to get in on the new Black Friday, & freelance responsibilities prod my getting underway quite soon.

Forget it.

I live at my own pace so rarely, get enough deep sleep & robust mental nourishment so seldom, that the world can pass on by with its anxiety-producing (“You must be doing what everyone else is doing to matter”) hustle & bustle without me. I can get to them when I get to them.

True Christianity embodies 1) Peace of Mind, and 2) Quality of Life. If those attributes aren't obvious in my daily life, how am I any different from the society I'm attempting to influence?

Cheers for now!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2008-12-24T15:11:00.003-06:00

From the 90&9 staff & the Curry's, to you.

May this glorious celebration of Christ's birth be wonderful wherever you are!

(And yes, w/the wind chill dropping below freezing & sleet yesterday in St. Louis, I wish I were in Florida.)

A Literary Christmas

2008-12-24T08:47:00.000-06:00

I offered some thoughts on Laura's Miller's revelation that somehow the world of Narnia best epitomizes Christmas over at Collideoscope.

It's fascinating how thinking non-Christians always realize Christmas is about love, isn't it?

The Story of the Year

2008-12-23T18:20:00.000-06:00

I know the economy is in a bit of a historic meltdown and a many millions of people are suffering. I know that Phelps guy won an unprecedented (and possibly unrepeatable) 8 gold medals in one Olympics. And yes, I know that Obama guy was elected our first minority president, but wouldn’t you say the true story of the year was the career resurrection of Britney Spears?

Think about it people – she was left for dead, literally unable to watch her children (as decreed by a court order), laughed off the stage of the MTV Awards two years ago and now . . . now, you can’t listen to Top 40 radio without “Womanizer” blaring every 15 minutes.

Plus remember, in America, entertainment always trumps politics, sports, and the economy. So let’s give the award to someone who deserves it, a woman who gives all of us the hope of a second chance. Let’s hear it for Ms. Britney Spears—the Story of the Year 2008!

Naturally, the Mainstream Media (MSM) has the termity to disagree with me.

The Best Laid Plans

2008-12-22T19:09:00.001-06:00

Alas! When I would do good, technology is present with me.

So I mislabeled the 90&9 eblast time, so it went out mid-day, while the issue doesn't go live until tonight. Argh!

Sorry for any confusion this might have caused you.

My Books of the Year - 2008 Version

2008-12-21T21:15:00.003-06:00

For my Books of the Year, go here.

I'm KdC and I'll be your pilot for the rest of this month. (And no, that's not me with a pipe, that's one of the featurd authors on my list.)

Christmas Favorites

2008-12-21T20:24:00.002-06:00

Kent told me to share a few of my favorites & traditions, so here goes!

Christmas Movie--Home Alone, followed by the cartoon version of the Grinch, and A Charlie Brown Christmas

Christmas Song--I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, What Child Is This, Mary Did You Know, I Ain't Gettin' Nothing for Christmas

Christmas Character--Frosty the Snowman

Christmas Ornament--crystal grand piano

Christmas Food--sugar cookies

Christmas Story--traditional Christmas story and all the Little House on the Prairie Christmas stories

Christmas Tradition--as a kid--being a part in the church Christmas play, waking up really early to open presents, going to the nursing home to play Christmas carols

Christmas Memory--When I was in 4th grade, my parents told us we could not get out of bed until 7:00 the next morning. I was awaken by my brothers, informing me that it was 7:00. I got up, went into the living room, and discovered I had gotten a brand new piano from Santa Claus! I immediately started playing on it and woke my parents up, who came out to inform us that it was only 1:00 a.m. and if we didn't get back to bed, Santa was going to take our presents away!

It's been a great week! Glad I had a chance to blog again, but now I think it's Kent's turn...I hope you all have an amazing Christmas week and that in the midst of the hustle and bustle, you take time to remember the reason for the season.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Crazy Season

2008-12-21T20:09:00.003-06:00

So I agreed to blog without really thinking about the fact that the week I chose would be so hectic I could barely breathe...since my last post on Tuesday, I've had 6 Christmas parties, gone to the ballet, went caroling twice, and helped with a couple of charity things.

Wednesday, we took our classes to see the Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the St. Louis Ballet Company. It was really cool once the soldiers came out. My favorite part were the candy canes from Russia! The kids really enjoyed the program. Then, that night, we had our youth Christmas party, which is always an enjoyable time. There were games, food, and fellowship galore.

Thursday, we had our work Christmas party, which is one of my favorites every year. It's nice to get together with all of the teachers for a little fun and not have to think about school. Our bosses have us over to their house. We play the present game and eat tons of good food--my favorite is always the queso dip.

Friday was the last day of school before our 2 week Christmas break!!!! My kids took a couple of tests and then we started the party around 10:30. We watched Garfield cartoons, ate chili and beanie weanies along with all the junk food, played human pinball, and shared gifts with each other. The highlight of the day was playing Dirty Santa, which is basically hot potato with presents and you can steal other people's presents. The kids had no idea what the gifts were since they were wrapped, so the gumball machine being the biggest present was stolen every time! The kids loved it so much that we played it again with a stack of prizes from the treasure box!

Friday night, I went to a girl's 16th birthday party. Her mom had rented a suite for the girls and we had a spa night. It was very relaxing. I had to cut the party short as I had old friends coming to stay for the night on their way through town. So, I stayed up all night talking. Saturday, we went Christmas caroling to raise money for a local homeless shelter and then had a party afterwards, complete with singing around the fireplace.

Then, today we had a Christmas dinner for our bus kids. The dinner was festive, complete with ham, chicken, to die for mac-n-cheese, green beans, corn, rolls, and 2 tables full of desserts! The kids really enjoyed it, especially when they got to tackle the 3 tables full of presents and pick a few out! We had a couple of parents and aunts that attended as well. It was a great success! Then, tonight, we went Christmas caroling at the nursing home. This brought back so many good memories from growing up back home. I enjoyed visiting with the residents and bringing a smile to their faces as I passed out tree ornaments that my school kids had made.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

My Darling Little 4th Graders!

2008-12-16T17:52:00.002-06:00

So this year's class at school is so very different from last year's class, but I love them to pieces! I have Super Smart Kid who is off the charts on state testing, then I have Kid Who Needs A Lot Of Help that is at the bottom of the testing. I've got Mr. "Actually" Knows Everything. There's Mr. On-The-Verge-Of-Being-Psycho...Miss Attitude...Mr. Excited About Everything...Mr. Just Glad To Be Living For The Lord...

They are a very diverse group, but a very enthusiastic group. They're a little less mature than last year's class, but I like that because they are very pleased with the simplest little things. I have to laugh because I was told they would never be able to learn the amount of Bible verses that my kids learned last year, but alas, they have learned a lot more and we are doing a Jr. Bible Quizzing team from the class! They've excelled in a lot of other areas too that have impressed me. And the best part of it is they actually comprehend most things!

A few cute stories from this year...one child had been asking prayer for his excema (sp.?) for a few weeks. In prayer time, I called on another boy to pray who started praying for the other child's "ex-mom" that she would want to be a part of their family again and would come back to them...Mr. "Actually" tried to pack a ziploc bag for their family cruise, so that he could bring me back a lobster...I get called "mommy" a lot this year by several of my kids, but when one boy called me "daddy" the other day, I lost it! I laughed my head off!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

The End of the Frozen Door...

2008-12-16T17:47:00.003-06:00

So my car door finally came unstuck...it was quite a comical site though to behold...after prayer, I crawled back through the passenger side, went to the local QT to get some de-icer, crawled out only to discover they did not have any de-icer, crawled back in, crawled out at Wal-Mart, waited forever for them to dig a new box of de-icer out of the back room, checked out, sprayed the de-icer on the door...it still doesn't open, so I crawl back through the passenger side and head home on the highway. I'm going about 50 mph when suddenly the door becomes unfrozen and opens as I'm driving down the highway. At that point, there was no place to stop, so I'm driving with one hand (never a good thing) and trying to keep my door semi-closed with the other hand, but it keeps opening and closing, so the stupid ding-ding sound keeps coming on and the overhead light keeps flashing. Finally, I came to a stop light and was able to shut the door. It opened without a hitch after that!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

The Best of All Bosses!

2008-12-15T20:16:00.002-06:00

So my boss is probably my favorite person in the whole world today! School was cancelled due to an ice storm last night. The 5:30 a.m. wake up call to let us all know was the perfect way to start my day! I promptly rolled back over and slept until school would have started. Then, with productive plans to clean my apartment, rearrange the living room, and finally put up the Christmas tree, I threw it all out the window and curled up to read a couple of books and watch a movie. I have accomplished nothing all day. And because anytime I'm not in school and don't have a schedule, I forgot about youth prayer; thankfully, I was reminded with 15 minutes to spare. Of course, I ended up being late because my car door was frozen shut...I had to crawl through the passenger side of the car, rearrange the stuff I had in my front seat, shift the seats to a different position, so that I could crawl over long winter coat and all...the whole time I was praying no one would see such a spectacle! I've had this happen before, but the car door would usually open when I got to wear I was going. Not the case tonight! So then, when I got to the church, it was quite a sight watching me get out of the car on the other side. Now, if only we would have another ice storm tonight and school could be cancelled again, maybe I would actually follow through on my to-do list. Not likely!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

I'm Back!

2008-12-15T20:08:00.002-06:00

Hello! It's Mandi again...I think I blogged in January, so it's been about a year since you've been forced to listen to me! :) Just a few reminders of who I am...live in St. Louis, teach 4th grade, help run a bus ministry and quiz team...

Christmas time is here and all the things that go with it. Our Candlelight service was last night and it was absolutely incredible. Kudos to our music director, Sis. Laura, who never ceases to amaze me. It was an amazing and anointed production. I'm still trying to figure out my favorite part, but it would probably have to be the drama "Everything" done by our youth group, X7.

My shopping is not done and probably won't be done until Christmas Eve! I've got a closet full of gifts, but most of them are for school kids, baby-sitting kids, bus ministry kids, and other random charity things. I still have to get stuff for half the family...finding Dad's gift is tough--all he wants is a Cardinal calendar, but I'm not satisfied with JUST getting that! Actually, if I had the money, he would want me to get him a new gun or a motorcycle; he's asked for those every year! Then, there are the brother-in-law and sister-in-law who are beyond difficult. Then, there's the bigger problem of knowing when to stop buying gifts for my niece and nephew, who are just plain fun to spoil!!!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Who are You?

2008-12-11T08:30:00.002-06:00

So my week almost over and I realize I have failed to introduce myself. Well, reintroduce, actually. I am Kris Newman, she of many adjectives. I didn't mean to be presumptuous and assume that you would know my voice. I just simply . . . forgot.

It happens when you get older.

Or maybe it's the two Christmas programs I'm in charge of this week. And the Morning Kids and the Students. And the tests to take before break. Or I could blame it on the angelbabies who take so much of my mental attention. (Angelbabies? Oh, yes, those are my grandchildren. Mavrik, Anna and Arthur. Oh my word. You can't imagine how much you will enjoy grandchildren until you have them. And at Christmas time it's only multiplied!) But I digress.

I'm caught in the middle of the bustle of the season right now. Whirling in a wind of activity. Baking and doing and writing and directing and cutting and pasting and coloring and . . . .

I can't wait for Christmas. I love the twinkling lights. I love the soft glowing snow. I love the peace of a choir singing 'Silent Night.'

This morning, I am making an extra note to myself. I hereby promise myself to take a bit of each day to enjoy the reason of the activity. To focus on the fact that my Saviour came to bring me life, real life. To remember the wonder of the story. To stop and watch the snow fall and the stars shine.

Happy Thursday!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Who took Tuesday?

2008-12-10T10:45:00.003-06:00

Oh my word! Someone stole Tuesday! I can't believe it. I went to bed on Monday and all of a sudden it was Wednesday . . . well, okay. I saw Tuesday come and go, but it was so full and went so quickly that I didn't have time to enjoy it.

I hate days like that.

But today is another day. Wednesday, to be exact.

Since I told you a bit about my Morning Kids on Monday, I will tell you a bit about my Students today. There are 12 of them. Grades 4 to 12. They are funny and interesting and creative and expressive and enjoy life in small bites. Every day has some sort of mundane pleasure for them as they trod through school work trying to learn all that they can. I really do enjoy them.

Tomorrow night is our big Christmas program. We have a chorale recitation, a skit and a song/skit. It's going to be great! It never fails to amaze me how much kids can memorize and how much they enjoy performing.

As for a weather update, in case you are not in Minnesota, yes. It's winter. I think we'll reach a balmy 15 or so today. Mostly because of the 6 inches of snow that we have already accumulated.

If you are looking for a white Christmas, we got it!

Happy Wednesday!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Happy Monday World!

2008-12-08T08:12:00.002-06:00

Well, good morning! I can't believe Kent asked me to blog again. How fun is that? I know I'm supposed to talk about the holidays, as that's what everyone is in the throes of, but first I have to tell the world about my Morning Kids first.

About a month ago I came to church/work early on Monday because some guys were working on our roof. I thought they might like a warm place to start the day. Well . . . unknown to me, a passel of kids were waiting at the building, too. "It's warmer to wait for our bus if we stand by the door."

Oh my word! You can imagine my poor Bapka heart breaking for these little lovelies waiting in the cold! It was barely hitting 20 that morning. One of them said he has to leave 20 minutes early because that's when his mom leaves for work. Well, that started something for sure.

Needless to say, I find myself at church/work at 7:30 every day now to see my Morning Kids. We have walked through the church and read all the stained glass and told all the stories and talked about baptism and the Holy Ghost and Christmas and God. My pride wants to be patted on the back for this "great sacrifice," but honestly, I get so much joy from them that it's not a chore at all.

They are clearly my gift from the Lord to brighten every morning.

Tomorrow, perhaps, I'll tell you some about the 12 other bright spots that make my day shine.

By the way, did you know I like kids? Yeah. Pretty much.

Happy Monday!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!