Musings, Shmoozings, and Shots of Novocaine

Hello Friends!

As I've mentioned before, I am a public school employee specializing in primary education in the Exceptional Student Education department of my children's school. I am a part of inclusion interventions for children with all sorts of problems ranging from ADD to Asperger's, Autism and Dyslexia.

It is the most fun I've ever had.

It is the least I've ever been paid.

And now since it is summer I am unemployed for the next two months. I'll be honest: I am not thinking about music...at all. I've explored the local beach, went swimming with my kids at my friend's house who was out of town, hit up Starbucks and GameStop (the latter being my least favorite but I suffer it because I have boys). Did I mention I'm selling my home? So let's just say I'm not writing songs right now unless they involve laundry folding. However, since it is my week I'll just share a few funny things from my life where music is not the focus of the musing, but rather the background noise - the wallpaper if you will.

FUNNY

So as I mentioned I teach little kids with problems how to read. My husband loves my stories, and really they can be quite hilarious. If in fact you are ever in Clearwater and we are sitting around a table at Chili's I will share my "Ground hog's Day" story or the "The Never-End Salutation." Uh, I digress.

So imagine my surprise Sunday morning when while I am leading praise and worship I look down to see a little familiar face standing next to my five-year-old son (who is a permanent fixture at the altar during P&W). So I'm placing....I'm placing....ohmyword!! It's "Jose" from my school! This little boy is the source of many of my funny stories. He is the sweetest little rascal who is, what we who deal daily with Autism call "on the spectrum". He has autism and serious language issues. He is our conundrum, but arguably our favorite conundrum. I've had plenty of conversations with his wonderful family, who happen to live close to our church, but being that I am a county employee I have not had the guts to outright invite them. I have told them where my church is and that I pray for them. I guess they put two and two together and came on over. So there is "Jose" pretty much climbing up the steps to greet me, his face beaming with recognition. I love this kid. So I gently take his hand and give him a quick hug and hand him over to the Sunday School director. I love my job. I love my church. This is a place that can be interrupted for a child without conflict. Kinda like Christ.

In The Chair

I'm terrified of dental work. Once while getting my first root canal I had such a reaction to the epinephrine in the pain medicine they were administering that I had a full on panic attack in the chair.

"IS THIS NORMAL?!" I asked while legs are arms were flailing uncontrollably. The doctor said "yes" while shaking her head No.

Since then I put off getting a crown so long that I had to have an emergency extraction the day before my brother-in-laws wedding. I drove myself an hour to the oral surgeon and then had to sadly refuse the narcotics they gladly offered. After the doctor proceeded to list the negative results pulling a tooth can invoke (did you know you could have a heart attack from this?) I decided upon music therapy along with novocaine.

While they yanked, and drilled, pelted with what felt no less like hammer and chisel, I hummed rather loudly:

I hear the Savior say,

“Thy strength indeed is small;

Child of weakness, watch and pray,

Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

As the The Excavator removed his rubber gloves he turned to me and said, "Yes, He did pay it all. More than we could ever afford to repay."

So there you have it devoted Notes readers. I have posted. And now I will go have a sugar-free popcicle. Enjoy your summer! And take time to sing!