tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729583014930418052024-02-02T09:42:54.799-06:00Musings From My Front PorchKrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-14428004462973095372013-06-18T08:27:00.002-05:002013-06-18T08:28:29.478-05:00Straight Paths On a Winding RoadProverbs 3: 5-6<br />
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.<br />
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A common passage, used often, read often. Understood fully? For me, not until this time in my life. I do not understand all that has gone on in my life these past two months. I understand that I'm not in control and I had no power to change or prevent what has become of my life and marriage. But I do know this, because of that powerlessness and that lack of understanding, I have no choice but to stop trying to control the outcomes. I simply trust. I say, "God, do with me what you will. Heal me how you see fit. I know your way is the only way for things to ever be right again, however that is supposed to look." And amazingly, He is making my paths straight. Other versions of the Bible say, "...and He will direct your paths." He is definately directing, but I love the idea of Him not just directing me, but Him actually straightening out the mess of my life and unbending the crooked roads, straightening my path all along the way. Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-80834002812019991982012-01-01T22:26:00.004-06:002012-01-01T22:38:04.558-06:002012 - A New YearMy life is abundantly blessed. I am completely and utterly amazed that I have the life I have. At the same time I am completely and utterly aware that it can all be gone in an instant, in a moment, all that is right and perfect in my world can go spinning out of my grasp and out of my life. It's scary to think about that, losing the three most important people in my life. I do though. I think about it a lot. <div><br /></div><div>It seems as though all around me people are losing those they hold close. It happens way too often and way more than it used to. Is it because I'm older? Is it because my friends and family are older? Is it because the world is much worse off than it used to be? </div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever the reason, it is life. And in this life there is death. </div><div><br /></div><div>2011 has been a year filled with death, cancer, and heartbreaking loss for people I love. I pray for them the peace that passes understanding and the assurance that beauty rises out of the ashes. I don't know how to help them except to just be present, present in the pain and to pray. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-54130417992970498102011-09-30T20:34:00.005-05:002011-09-30T21:27:54.271-05:00Let the Children Come<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A little girl, age 8, and a boy, age 11, lost their mother. Pain. Sadness. Unbearable. Beth, the mom, battled pancreatic cancer for 11 months before it took her life. Cancer. Thief. Killer. A disease that ravages the body by both nature and cure. Not easy. Not right. Not fair. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There's just not much good to say about it...or is there? See, that's the amazing thing! There is so much good that comes from the difficulty, the wrongness, the unfairness of it all. Does it still hurt? Absolutely. But is there good? Definitely. Sometimes you have to look for it. Sometimes it's right there in front of you. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So, my daughter is 8 as well and because of this I get to hang out with the little girl mentioned above. I was with her Saturday. I was with her Wednesday. I am with her now. I can't really put into words the way I feel when I look at her. It's almost as if I'm searching for glimpses into her soul and I can't really get over the fact that inside her (and outside her) are pieces of her mother, whom I miss very much. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What I can express though, is the life she brings to her surroundings. That she and her brother are good things in the midst of all the darkness. When I watch them, I see a strength that only comes from faith. Jesus said let them come. Beth and her husband, Dave, took them and sat with them at the feet of the Savior. And because of this, though they've been handed this awful tragic experience they will breathe life, love, and Jesus into others. They will find and be good and light in all this darkness. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So when they come, watch them and you will see it too.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><br /></div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-39870201794594173002011-08-24T21:13:00.003-05:002011-08-24T21:33:26.044-05:00What's the Good In This?Okay, so on our first day of in-service this year we watched a little movie made by a guy named Dewitt Jones. He was a photographer for National Geographic. The movie is super motivational and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. (Thankfully). He uses his experience as a photographer to teach this simple yet powerful message...What good do you see in every situation? It's simple yes and very common sense, but how often do we go that route. I have more often than not been very easily pulled into the black hole of negativity and just kept myself sinking deeper and deeper into it by focusing on all the things that were wrong or bad. It takes one little shift in thinking to make a difference you'll notice the rest of your day.<div>I say all this to say that each day of this week I've had a bad start. Usually when my day starts bad it's a downhill spiral of which I can't get off. But this week, a small thought kept creeping into my conscience asking me to find the good in the situation...What's good about it? In wracking my brain to find the "good", it totally took my focus off the bad even if I couldn't find much good. It's been a good switch and has kept me from talking and harping about bad situations. There really is good in all things...even if the good is not immediate, it's there, under the rubble and beneath the smoke, there, waiting to be grasped if only we reach for it.</div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-75754533525417898722011-08-05T21:31:00.006-05:002011-08-05T21:55:07.566-05:00The Lighthouse and the ParentLighthouses stand guard all along jagged and malicious coastlines. Waves churn and beat time with the wind. All around the tower of light is danger. Sometimes the danger rolls in quietly with the fog, others it announces itself with fury, while still others it is just there, the nature of the landscape. It can not afford to not pay attention. It can not wait to provide its protection and it can not assume it is doing enough by just being there. It has to go ahead of the danger. It has to shine before the danger is too near. It has to be watchful, guarding, and persistent as it guides its ships to safety. <div>In the same way as a parent, I am a lighthouse...not to ships, but to my children. I too must be vigilant. I too must be watchful. I too must be looking ahead for harm. The world offers dangers more treacherous than any coastline. Satan doesn't always do his work with arrogance that spews, "In your face!" Sometimes he slips in softly to the simple and the mundane and the ordinary. And just when you forget to turn on the light of protection, the damage is done. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully if you are Christ's, it doesn't end there. </div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-12981437861698960652011-08-03T23:20:00.009-05:002011-08-04T00:16:39.931-05:00What a Wonderful LifeI<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> am amazed by all the blessings God has given me. Amazed because of the goodness and because I'm so undeserving of it all. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The other day I was driving home from somewhere and as I looked out at the bright blue sky and the billowing white clouds, I was overcome with the greatness that is my life. I felt "joy unspeakable and full of glory" as the old hymn goes. I feel that a lot. And yet, I can look back over my life and count the many whom my husband, Chad and I have lost:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">James Moore - my dad </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ricky Sewell - my stepbrother </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Erna T Moore - my paternal grandmother </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jason Arrington - my brother-in-law, Chad's twin</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sam Daderio - his step-grandfather</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jim Justus - his uncle</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jewell Hallonquist - my maternal grandmother</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bill Arrington - his paternal grandfather</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">JD Hallongquist - my maternal grandfather</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tommy Currey - friend/Chad's cousin, brother of my best friend</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Buck Ethington - his uncle</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Joe Hollinquest - my favorite uncle (mom's side)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sherry O'Donnell - my favorite and only aunt (dad's side)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bobby Sewell - my stepdad.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Carline Currey - friend/Chad's aunt, mother of my best friend</span></div><div><br /></div><div> My dad and stepbrother passed away before Chad and I were married, but the rest we've gone through together, side by side, and hand in hand. And I could write on and on about crazy circumstances that surrounded many of their passings...from pregnancies and our babies being born to anniversaries and losing grandparents within hours of each other. Each person on that list meant a lot to us in different ways and for different reasons and each made an impact on our lives. </div><div>They also represent times in our lives that have not been easy. Which is why I am not only amazed at my life but that I have been given the understanding to see through all the clouds to better days ahead. That I can be full of joy at all that I've been given - from my beautiful children to the bed I lay down in each night. That amazes me too. Where else does that come from but God? </div><div>I am because He is and I can because He does. </div><div>I don't know how people deal with death and hard times without Jesus. We all face troubles and there is no promise of relief. No promise of earthly protection against hard times. But praise God there is more and we can live with hope and we can die with hope. I am thankful for my life...good times and bad for they've made me who I am and will continue to shape me into who I will be.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Thank you Lord for those I've loved. I miss them! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Thank you Lord for those I love. I enjoy them! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Thank you Lord for those I will love. I look forward to them. Amen</span></div></div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-68722467210960630652010-01-10T21:54:00.002-06:002010-01-10T22:04:42.981-06:00Need to Blog MoreI wish that I had a job that allowed me to spend an hour each morning on the web. I'd like to think I'd spend that time updating my blog and checking in on other's blogs. I just don't ever have the time to do this daily or even weekly like I'd like. Maybe when the baby is born and I'm sitting around the house some I'll find time to make it a habit. <br />So, until I become a better blogger, I will continue to just do this occassionally.<br /><br />On a different note, I'm exactly 17 days from my due date. I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions since Friday, but there are no other signs of baby being ready to come into this world yet. I go to the doc tomorrow afternoon and am hoping for some signs of labor. Last Monday they said it was going to be a "big" baby, and that scares me some. Jay was 6 lbs 15 oz and was so so easy. Monday, the sonogram lady said the baby was 7 lbs. 9 oz. She said if the baby goes to the due date, it will probably be around 8.5 lbs!<br /><br />So, we wait.Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-49162926118306524762009-12-22T09:50:00.003-06:002009-12-22T09:58:47.526-06:005 Weeks LeftHere I am just 5 weeks until my due date and still finding myself shocked and amazed that I am going to have a baby. It just wasn't ever supposed to happen. I am excited and amazed and a tad bit apprehensive as to how our family dynamics will change. Jay is beginning to get really excited and loves on my belly everyday. Chad is still going through so much with his job right now it's hard to have the same connection we had when we were pregnant with Jay. Most of the time I haven't even known exactly what week I'm in. Maybe that's just a first baby thing - everything is so new and unique. I don't know, but I don't think it will hit me full force until this little person is in my arms. I pray it is healthy and normal. Those are real fears for me as well. I pray that I will be the parent I need to be to two children as being a parent to just one is hard enough. Wow, how our lives are fixing to change!<br /><br />Not a better time than the beginning of a new year. I'm excited to see what God has in store!Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-3035825022091600882009-11-01T20:27:00.002-06:002009-11-01T20:50:04.475-06:00It Wasn't Supposed to Happen Like ThisAfter the birth of our daughter, we thought we'd wait a year or two and then have another baby. WRONG! Fertility specialist #1 said...you'll probably need invitro for the best chances of conceiving. Not for us. We didn't want to do anything that invasive or anything close to that. I firmly believed that if God wasn't blessing us with a baby, there was a reason. If it wasn't an easy fix, the last thing I wanted to be doing was placing a baby in my womb for Him. Fertility specialist #2 was taking his time evaluating us both carefully (which I greatly appreciate) and we just decided to let it ride. We basically believed that we would not be able to have any more children. <br /> Honestly, it took me while to get over the fact that I couldn't have more children. I hated going to baby showers and I was secretely jealous anytime someone I knew became pregnant. As we began to get used to the idea that our family would be three and no more, adoption was something both Chad and I thought about, but just weren't ready to take any steps in that direction. I<br /> Within the past year and a half I finally became okay with the idea that we would be just three. I was set in that and I firmly believed that I would raise one child and she would be okay without a brother or sister. The idea only continued to grow as I watched friends have to get this child in this place and the other in another. I would think, wow...life is going to be so nice only having to get kid around. I was truly beginning to enjoy all that I had. Jay was getting older, more independent. Life was good and only getting better.<br /> Then, the next thing I know...I'm pregnant. WHAT?!? How could that be? That wasn't supposed to happen. You've got to be kidding. Sure enough, I was and still am today. I am 7 months pregnant with a child I never thought I'd have. It's funny because I then spent the next two months just trying to get used to the idea that we would no longer be a family of three, but four! <br /> God's timing is great. Looking back, during the time we were trying to conceive, I know it was not the right time. I can see God's provision in giving us this blessing now rather than then. I am thankful for this baby and thankful that I'm having it now and even more thankful that God gave it to me prior to my 40th birthday. (I used to say, "I don't want to have that miracle baby when I'm 40.) <br /> It wasn't supposed to happen like this, but I'm glad it did.Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-79929927970490393832009-05-03T23:04:00.003-05:002009-05-03T23:15:33.158-05:00Taming the TongueThe sermon this morning at church was about watching our tongue. Steve used an illustration of interacting with people as a "dash" or an "L". It took me back to a conversation I was in last week where I deliberatly chose to go the dash route and in a not so nice way. I don't normally choose to be rude to people or just unleash my fury on them, but in this situation I did. And the worst part, I actually heard a still small voice saying, "Kristi, it's really not a good idea." I chose to ignore it and tell this person what I really thought. Later that evening I regretted it. Of course I knew it was wrong. Yes, that person wasn't treating me as she should have and she totally didn't understand the situation as it truly was. But I CHOSE to do the wrong thing. <br /><br />If I had listened to the voice or stopped to consider God in my anger, I wouldn't have dealt with her in that way. <br /><br />I learned that day, first to listen to that voice and second to not react to my anger.<br /><br />I want to remember to consider God in my words EVEN with those in which I'm angry.Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-43280003440698357982009-04-01T21:53:00.005-05:002009-04-01T22:34:02.883-05:00If You Don't Mean It, Don't Say ItOver the years I've come to realize that what most people mean when they say, "Let me know if there's anything I can do," what they really mean is "Let me know if there's anything I can do that I WANT to do and isn't too much trouble for me or take too much of my or my family's time." Or maybe it's that they really don't mean it at all it's just become the appropriate thing to say when things go wrong in the lives of our friends.<br /><br /><br /><br />I can count on one hand the number of times people have actually followed through with this gesture. It's a tough one, I'll admit. But honestly, it's just as tough to break down and ask someone for help.<br /><br /><br /><br />One situation actually made me laugh outloud. I had found out some really awful news earlier in the day and was going to be out of school the rest of the week. I needed to stay at school that evening and do sub plans and get things together but I couldn't get focused and was having trouble getting anything done. So I texted several friends, told them my delima, and asked if anyone could come hang with me while I worked. One person responded sayng they couldn't come up there because they were busy, they were sorry about the news, and to let them know if I needed anything. HA! That's crazy!<br /><br /><br /><br />I honestly try not to hold that against them, but it's difficult to see that person as the close friend I had considered them before. She's a great person and I love her dearly, but she obviously missed the point of my message. However, there are those that get it right away. One person did show up that evening and I was able to finish my plans. I'm thankful for her and her willingness to be in a classroom late in the evening listening to me talk and helping with a few things here and there.<br /><br /><br />Truly the best friends are those who know you need help even before you ask. They can tell by talking to you that you need help. Or my favorite, they just show up with their sleeves rolled up and say, "Tell me where to start. " I've experienced a few of those kinds of friends in my life, but too few in my opinion.<br /><br />Let's face it, we're all busy. So if you're too busy to "do anything", then don't say offer it. Someone might just take you up on it.<br /><br /><em>*Warning to self - remember these words as you're consoling those in need.</em>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-83841907867909260922009-03-15T22:11:00.007-05:002009-03-15T23:16:29.042-05:00Ms. O'Donnell<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEdZhC-xGuZW4VmIfRv6vwEhpJ7ZrbvyXiyDqFcm6g3yTCcIu-63C5pbvqn40WWtap5WNW2BjBxNMH-IIiv7m_rtyacSUh8EeIvQhx84iWrreOuTxwi1WvW_8OmKFJrep_i80YzwGK1M/s1600-h/memorial.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313633413596924018" style="WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEdZhC-xGuZW4VmIfRv6vwEhpJ7ZrbvyXiyDqFcm6g3yTCcIu-63C5pbvqn40WWtap5WNW2BjBxNMH-IIiv7m_rtyacSUh8EeIvQhx84iWrreOuTxwi1WvW_8OmKFJrep_i80YzwGK1M/s320/memorial.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Wow. I can not begin to express the thoughts and feelings I've had this past week since the passing of my aunt on Tuesday morning. My mind has been a whirlwind and my heart has been a literal drum pounding against my chest for hours on end. All the plans I had for the week, which were daunting at best, seem like nothing compared to the last few days. I have been amazed at how much my aunt influenced the lives of her students and it leaves me with a sense of longing to carry on her legacy with them. I feel an urging, a strange desire, to be close to the kids who loved her so dearly. I see their faces etched in my mind as tears pour from their eyes, their hearts silently breaking from the loss of their mentor, their teacher, their mom, their friend. I feel the need to stay close to them: the soccer team who are dedicating every game this year to her, the young man who silently walked up to me and hugged me...he couldn't even speak, the other who came to tell me all she meant to him, the girls and their mom who found her, and many more. Their faces are a constant in mind. I can't seem to let them go.<br />I spent almost two days in her old school. As I walked in the front door on Thursday afternoon and walked toward the office, my eyes centered on the bulletin board. A big picture of my aunt was right there in the middle encircled by the words We Miss You Ms. O'Donnell. As if that weren't enought, both kids and adults in the school had written their goodbyes all over the board. "You were the best teacher to ever roam these halls.......You will never be forgotten.......Thanks for always being there for me...." Friday I returned to the school alone to take pictures of the board. They sent me to the auditorium to see the star they'd made for her as well. The kids were having a talent show that afternoon and the seniors had decided to dedicate the show to her. They made a large star out of paper and placed her picture in the middle. On the star in sparkly letters was written, "You are our shooting star, Ms. O'Donnell."<br />As I was leaving, the halls were filling as students filed into the auditorium to see the show. I met the soccer coach just before I left, and he expressed his condolences and how much Aunt Sherry meant to the guys on his team. She had gone to every game and cheered them on even on the cold nights. She was always there and they wanted to present a game ball to someone in the family. I was there and they weren't going to be able to attend the memorial that night because they had a game. So, I stayed. I silently went into the auditorium and tried to blend into the back wall as they began this show. I was nervous and a little uneasy about my situation and did not know what to expect. After about four acts, they called the soccer team up on stage. The coach introduced the players and then me. He told the kids there was someone very special here that he wanted them to meet..."Ms. O'Donnell's niece, Kristi." I honestly thought that most would meet me with indifference and was shocked as the place erupted and kids began shouting "We love Ms. O'Donnell!" at me as I walked down the aisle and up onto the stage. The soccer team stared at me as if they expected something of me, like maybe a hug or something miraculous. I honestly don't know but remember feeling at a loss that I couldn't be more or do more for them. Then as they presented me the ball he said, "We never got to thank Ms. O'Donnell for all she did for us, so let's go ahead and do that now." Once again, and even louder than before, the air exploded with shouts of adoration for my aunt. I can not tell you how that felt except that I am glad to have been able to experience it. I could see no faces and it all seemed a blur. Tears filled my eyes as honor and respect filled my heart. I thanked them for the ball and for loving my aunt the way they did. I am proud of her for making such an impact on the lives of others.<br />In one of her emails just two weeks ago, we had been discussing why we taught, she expressed that she wanted to leave this world a better place. She wanted to make a difference.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">And that is what she did. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrHHyttLFEmSdr6iF97MwvaXOaS6WK2QGbMY1kWbzumLIE9Vxo1ehzD7COiW7ZD0QGXjGycJoc4ScZ8jU7QotRDoLLQL6NILeWbkvE91m7pVTyJj7aD4cDz2l2tpWn4TrnsA07Il0iQo/s1600-h/IMG_0952.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313633425970180194" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrHHyttLFEmSdr6iF97MwvaXOaS6WK2QGbMY1kWbzumLIE9Vxo1ehzD7COiW7ZD0QGXjGycJoc4ScZ8jU7QotRDoLLQL6NILeWbkvE91m7pVTyJj7aD4cDz2l2tpWn4TrnsA07Il0iQo/s320/IMG_0952.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF7jVvVi78SAymWnSWSt-CAdlxxyCyt59RcEII9me6pydF1kVjzp3_FBFsQ1HAy4rvnEpFt_M4cbh9updZmlYZ2LNWjX7eDBTasgl7KDZdNdvOR1ZdShWwTczE6vjFeBiZ9UioSohB4s/s1600-h/IMG_0966.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313633425692967602" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF7jVvVi78SAymWnSWSt-CAdlxxyCyt59RcEII9me6pydF1kVjzp3_FBFsQ1HAy4rvnEpFt_M4cbh9updZmlYZ2LNWjX7eDBTasgl7KDZdNdvOR1ZdShWwTczE6vjFeBiZ9UioSohB4s/s320/IMG_0966.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmUm7jYHm8-vCDzMISzeB1OxtC4Zs6wgcnLvTfv6n3Mz1EqYN1TkQyzR4f8PElw6OAXmhpJ7SAB_QPN57uH_Ui7pzuwlMinp8Ck-DI7pwsP2mio5Tqh8p176ObyfsZKALCQMr9ekva5A/s1600-h/IMG_0978.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313633430406929682" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmUm7jYHm8-vCDzMISzeB1OxtC4Zs6wgcnLvTfv6n3Mz1EqYN1TkQyzR4f8PElw6OAXmhpJ7SAB_QPN57uH_Ui7pzuwlMinp8Ck-DI7pwsP2mio5Tqh8p176ObyfsZKALCQMr9ekva5A/s320/IMG_0978.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-60506596618399573512009-03-06T22:47:00.005-06:002009-03-06T23:18:39.684-06:00Dream - MakersSo, our church has brought this group in called Team Impact. They're a group of big muscly men who break stuff and lift very heavy things and at the same time share their love for Jesus. They spent Thursday and Friday going to our schools and talking to our kids about goals, dreams, and working to acheive them. The kids loved them and were so excited to see them break baseball bats, bend metal rods, and crush cans of soda all over the place. It was exciting. But when all the breaking and crushing was finished, their message was simple. What are you...a dream maker or a dream taker? With what or whom are you surrounding yourself...dream makers or dream takers?<br /><br /><br /><br />My kids got it...quickly...and I'm already using it to motivate and instill within them to be all they were created to be.<br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks Team Impact for caring about kids and for giving me another way to help build them up.<br /><br /><div align="center">Dream Maker or Dream Taker?</div><br /><br /><div align="center">What about you?</div>Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-30601980250346797422009-03-01T23:52:00.004-06:002009-03-02T00:08:17.285-06:00ExcusesI was scolded today for starting a blog and then not posting anything on it. :) Sorry, I know I should keep it current. And really, what's the point of having one if I'm not going to post? So, here is a post along with a couple of excuses...for your amusement. And I promise, I will do better.<br /><br /><br /><br />- When I get on the net at home, I get hung up on tooling around facebook. Arrrgggh.<br /><br />- I have another blog that I work on at work called "Arrington's Island". It is a edublog where I post thoughts on my profession and work my kids have done in class. Our current big project is "Arrington on the Air", a radio show recorded and partly written by my kids. Great fun!<br /><br />Check it out if you'd like....<a href="http://www.mrsarrington.edublogs.org/">http://www.mrsarrington.edublogs.org/</a><br /><br />- I find it difficult to sit down and write without a specific purpose or thought. Once I have one of these thoughts, I then have to find the time to sit and write. These two things don't usually coincide well. So, I tend to postpone adding the post until I have a good amount of time to thoughtfully write it. (see the first excuse here)<br /><br />Thanks JP for being my blogging conscience. :)Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1372958301493041805.post-22203107150447115352009-02-21T19:13:00.004-06:002009-02-21T19:51:32.821-06:00The FRONT PORCHGrowing up I spent many hours swinging, playing, and sleeping on my grandparents' front porch. It was a huge screened in porch that provided security and shelter from not just the elements but also the world. As I've grown older, I long for the days spent with cousins, aunts, and uncles in an old wooden house with no central air and heat, not even a window unit. Sultry summer nights were spent sleeping on cots cooled by the night breeze or spread eagle on beds and couches, no covers, trying not to touch the person next to you. Late night snacks of peanut butter and apple jelly sandwiches washed down with cold apple juice were punctuated by card games at the kitchen table or "rasslin" on the TV. Without fail, I was awakened by the haggling of blue jays and mockingbirds and the smell of bacon and breakfast on the table. Seats were assigned as Grandma sat at the head of the table and Grandpa sat to her left. I always sat facing him. Grandpa JD was a stern old man with a boistrous sense of humor and a contagious laugh. Laughing was a constant there and a marker on the Hallonquist DNA as I've never attended a family gathering short of laughter. Grandma Jewell was sweet and giving. She cooked three square meals a day and spent much of her time visiting people in the nursing home, quilting, and sewing. I could go on for days sharing the wonderful times I spent at Grandma and Grandpa's. My senses were overwhelmed in that house and in their arms. I am forever grateful for the laps that held me, the hands that shaped me, and the lessons about life, love, and family on their front porch.Krishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13704380848084884401noreply@blogger.com3