In the Pink...

I love pink! It is the color of happiness for me... all the shades you can think of from the softest palest baby blush... to brilliant almost red... I love it! So the season of Valentine's just makes me happy to see all the pretty pink possibilities! Currently, I've discovered that Valentine's M&Ms are delightful, and there's a pink floral arrangement on our kitchen table that is really just plain lovely! I'm glad that God made so many shades of color, and especially glad He created pink!

That's What Friends Are For...

Last night, I caught up with a dear friend! We used facebook and chatted for over an hour and just had a fun evening... My theme of the day is based on a comment from last night and a memory shared! In seventh grade, I sang that song with a group of friends in our school talent show. I think back on that night and the words in the song...are sung in my heart... "in good times and bad times..." and I think how much life has changed since that night we sang. I know that I thought I understood the song then, but how much more I understand the song now. I grew up in a small town, and have gradually realized how unique it is to have lifelong friends... from preschool, kindergarten, grade school, middle school and high school... (I never thought that it was unusual basically because my parents have friends like that!) But over time, I have realized that it is rather unique.
My mom's family has a set of friends whom our families have had a friendship for over three generations. My age mate in that group of friends was a lifelong friend. We grew up together, played games at picnics, were penpals from elementary school through high school, and celebrated life's events together. She passed away unexpectedly about two years ago. I always wanted to be lifelong friends... but I wanted to grow old together. She is missed on this side of heaven.
I think I have a unique perspective on life. As a relatively young person, I've lost multiple relatives in tragic accidents. Most people think of middle age as your 40s and 50s, but I've played with middle aged eight year olds. (We just didn't realize it at the time.) As a teacher, I think that knowing that you don't know what the future will bring makes me more aware of making school an inviting and comforting place. I think that sometimes people look at things as if there will always be a time for fun later... but the reality is that sometimes there isn't... I think it helps to keep things in perspective. School is important, but the students the school educates are infinitely more important.
I'm not sure how I ended up writing about this today. But I guess it relates to my life right now... Take time for your friends in good times and the bad ones! Don't forget to take time out of the important stuff like cleaning and working for the fun stuff like chatting, gathering, remembering, celebrating, and living. After all... you aren't going to be remembered for the deadlines you met, but by the people you loved! You, my friends, are definitely loved!

In the Bleak Mid-Winter... Groundhogs do appear!

Happy Groundhog's Day! Today... the pine boughs of Christmas are disappearing and we celebrate winter Pennsylvania style! Groundhog's Day is a little bit of fun in the midst of a long winter! It's a moment of choosing to have fun... instead of whining about when will spring arrive! Yes, it's a bit of bliss in an otherwise rather bleak season. Spring is coming but coming slowly in my neck of the woods. The ground is snow covered, but the birds are singing in the bare branches of the bushes. Beneath the white frozen blanket, plants are growing... getting ready to appear... It's a time for hope. We know it's coming... but not yet...

Considering the Lilies...

I may have named this blog "My blissful beautiful life..." but it isn't always... and sometimes I wonder at the adventure my life and career has taken me on... But today I'm remembering that I need not worry, because God has it covered, and he knows exactly where I am and what I'm doing. My career has been a roller coaster, and it's not done yet. But in spite of the craziness of my career, I know that for now, I'm where God wants me to be. I have told my friends and family about my wacky unique career. It isn't what I planned... but it seems to be what God wants for me. Each year, I find myself wondering about the year, and somewhere in the middle of the year... it makes sense why I'm doing this instead of that... (Well, most of the time it's the middle of the year...one year it was probably two years later that I saw the bigger picture.) Today is a bigger picture day... I got to see one of the reasons I'm a sub. This career has helped me see life as an adventure, and just how cool it is to watch how God works to help and comfort those who love Him. God is Amazing! He is Good! All the time!

Let my lifesong sing to you!!!

God is good, All the time....All the time, God IS Good! We say this every Sunday morning as our benediction. It's a simple phrase, but it's a difficult concept on a tough week. But I know that God is good always. We sang about our lifesongs this week, and I remembered a quote about friends are the people who will sing your lifesong back to you when you forget the tune. I think our community is finding itself singing our united lifesong back and forth to one another as we ask... Can I help you??? Do you need anything??? What can I do for you??? For in this place as God's servants, we are truly the hands and feet of the living God. We will sing our lifesong of praise and worship in sorrow as well as joy. For it is out of our great love for the one who made us that we have learned to sing, and he loves our praise and worship in all times... even when our voices have don't have words to tell of our sorrow. He knows our very thoughts and prayers even when we do not know them. So remember that in all things and at all times... GOD IS GOOD!!!

Sorrow surrounds you...

My title comes from a beautiful song that my church choir has sung several times in the past couple years. It describes how though there are trials in life... God is with us. This title describes my community this past week. A dear friend lost his life in the line of duty for the Pennsylvania State Police. He was a man of honor, quiet dignity, strength, and faith. Our community has hurt this week. We have been heartsick over the sudden death of a protector doing his job. Bliss has been suddenly interrupted. It's a reminder that bliss on earth isn't perfect, and that we are in a battle against things that are truly evil. So onward we must go turning away from evil to see the beauty of life in Christ.

Once in a Blue Moon...

A Blue moon occurs on New Year's Eve once every nineteen years or so... meaning that in my lifetime. I've only experienced two of them on New Year's eve! I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in this blue moon year!