Not the best weekend I've had....

What should have been a good weekend went downhill in a hurry.

I was signed up as the third trainer for a Platform Tent Camping class. The lead trainer had just transistioned to the Experienced level but had done a number of these classes and knew the drill. The second trainer is one of the most experienced outdoor trainers we have and I've always enjoyed working with her. The weather forecast was cool but clear. So far, so good.

Well, the weatherman lied. It wasn't just cool, it got cold - like 34 degrees cold - and the rain POURED all day Saturday. To make matters worse, the class had 23 participants which is a bit large for that particular workshop. On the plus side, the trainers and all the participants agreed that we could still have a good time and get everything done, which we did. But this was the first time I've ever had trouble sleeping at camp because I was uncomfortably cold. And the cold made my knees and back really hurt. The weather on Sunday was beautiful, but by the time I got home and unloaded all I wanted to do was take some Alleve and sleep. And that's all I did for the rest of the day.

Today my legs are still sore and I'm fighting some sinus trouble, but I feel better now than I did first thing this morning.

A lot of the participants mentioned the weather in their evaluations, but they understood the situation and made the best of it. Only one eval was negative and his/her complaints were so much about the weather as the it was the Experiential Learning Cycle system we use in the classes. He/she just didn't get it. (There were three men in the class.) We figure this is someone who does everything his/herself insteading of leading the girls to do it and then burns out in two or three years. Since the eval was anonymous, we can't even contact him/her to discuss the issues.

When I got home I found out that Don Knotts had died. Granted he played only one character, but he played that character perfectly, and in several venues. I was always partial to him because he was from Morgantown, WV. According to my dad's senior yearbook, Don was Sophomore class president - and already looked like Barney Fife at the age of 16. I think it was neat that Andy Griffith was with Don and his family when Don died.

The deaths of Darren McGavin and Dennis Weaver this weekend were sad, but I'll miss Don Knotts the most.

Oh, one more thing. The daffodils and cherry trees are blooming and the Braves are in Spring Training. Spring is in the air. General Beauregard Lee was right and Puxatawny Phil just doesn't understand the Southern climate.

Spiritual Gifts

I took a Spiritual Gifts Discovery test today. Scores range from 0 to 20. I had 20s in two categories: Administration (organizing and bossing) and Hospitality.

Four areas tied at 18 each: Helps, Faith, Serving, and Music.

Craftsmanship came in at 17 points and Knowledge at 16.

Interesting results for 15 points: Discernment, Teaching and Shepherd/Elder (maybe I should volunteer for that and see what happens).

Giving and Missions, 14 each; Proclamation, Wisdom and Ministry to the Sick, 13 each; Intercession and Leadership, 12 each; and Evangelism, Exhortation and Mercy at 10 each.

I'm not sure how accurate it all is, but I think it's probably pretty close. It gave me a list of areas I can serve in at Campus that uses my "top 3" (administration, hospitality and helps) and they were basically the ones I had identified by looking through the literature in our welcome package.

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On another note, I watched "Zorro, the Gay Blade" the other day. I got it from Netflix on the recommendation of a friend. It was cute, and definitely a different take on the Zorro story. I'm glad I didn't cough up cash to see it in a theater but it kept me entertained for a couple of hours.

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray.

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live ! within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Working from Home

There are several reasons I like working from home, although I get to do it only one day a week.


1. I can sleep until 6:45 or so.


2. I can wait until lunch to get dressed if I choose to do so.


3. I have a window in my "office" (otherwise known as the sewing room).


4. I can turn around and see my babies, Schroeder and Lucy, napping on the daybed.


5. There's no one in the next cubicle turning his speaker phone so loud I can't hear my radio or jostling his desk so hard I can't write legibly.


6. I can take care of household chores during breaks.


7. No traffic hassles.


8. No distractions.


9. Solitude.


Of course, there are some problems.


1. Time sensitive mail.


2. No direct access to files.


3. Solitude.



It appears the pros outweight the cons 3:1. Too bad I can't do it all the time.




Oh well, one day is better than none.

Gotta Vent

I figure it's better to vent here than out loud.



I have this co-worker we'll call "Bob." "Bob" is a quick and easy to type name.



I really like Bob and I'm glad Bob is here, but sometimes Bob drives me up the wall. When a previous Bob would encounter a task that was somewhat out of the ordinary, that Bob would simply not bother to do it. This Bob will do it, but whines non-stop about it and expects me to hold his/her hand while he/she does it which means I don't get anything done during that time.



I handle such unusual tasks all the time. No one helps me. No one holds my hand. Generally speaking, no one even knows what is happening. I just get the job done and move on. That's what I expect of others, including Bob. Is that asking too much? I don't think so.



Bob has managed to raise kid(s) alone and handled all the accompanying crises. You'd think Bob could handle the issues at the office as well.



Oh well. I've vented. I feel better. Time to move on.

Four Things

I stole this from Sarah's blog and she got this from The Proctor Post .


Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Cashier in the service department of a Chrysler/Mercedes Benz dealership

2. Claims clerk for an insurance company

3. Customer service rep for a furniture manufacturer

4. Traffic Assistant for an aluminum company



Four movies you could watch over and over:

1. Gone with the Wind

2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy

3. The one where the Nimitz goes back to the day before Pearl Harbor.

4. The one where the president has a stroke and Kevin Kline takes his place



Four books you could read over and over:

1. Kids Say the Darndest Things

2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy

3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

4. The Proverbs 31 Lady and Other Impossible Dreams



Four places you have lived:

1. Norcross, Georgia

2. Gourd Neck, Arkansas

3. Russellville, Kentucky

4. Fairmont, West Virginia



Four TV shows you like to watch:

1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

2. M*A*S*H

3. Dharma & Greg

4. Ballroom Bootcamp



Four places you have been on vacation:

1. Smoke Hole, West Virginia

2. Las Vegas, Nevada

3. Verviers, Belgium

4. Adelboden, Switzerland



Four websites you visit daily:

1. AJV Vent

2. My email website

3. Michael's and Sarah's blogs

4. AllStarPuzzles



Four of your favorite foods:

1. Milk Chocolate

2. Cheesecake

3. Cauliflower

4. Pasta



Four places you would rather be right now:

1. With my granddaughter

2. The mountains

3. Cruise ship

4. Camp