Wow, has the last week or so been a "green" one. After trying my hand at planting last week, and glad it was done, a gracious friend from work brought me a whole car-load of plants-so I got some more practice! Krista had thinned out everything at her house and was more than willing to share with this wanna-be gardener:) So...I've put the following in the ground and will be following up with pictures next spring!
Russian Sage
Black-eyed Susans
Lamb's Ear
Yellow Iris
Purple Iris
Varigated Grass
Purple Cone Flower
"Yellow Bush"
Purple Yarrow
Day-lillies
Chives
Some of the adventures that ensued during planting were racing against the rain, making friends with Mr.Snake-who enhabits the back half of our back yard...ok we didn't make friends and he has been granted the entire back yard after showing up ON THE DRIVEWAY yesterday...hee hee, until he meets Mr.Ice Chipper (insert my best evil cackle), and realizing that I can still sweat...it's been awhile and it felt kind of good:)
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Can I have ice cream with my Humble Pie?
Pride is a dangerous thing, and it comes in many forms. Here is a formal definition:
I am no stranger to pride. At one point it ruled my life. I was so prideful as to think I was above the authority of God, or I was too smart for God. Oh what a giant helping of humble pie can do for the spirit. God has put me in many situations to humble me (mostly because I'm a slow learner). I have certainly made progress but there is still work to be done. I am reminded of this by the situations I still find myself in.
As you all may know, I recently interviewed at Ames Middle School for a pretty sweet job...and didn't get it. Now I might have been inclined to feel sorry for myself (also a form of pride, "Why didn't I get the job?") but I took comfort in knowing it wasn't my time. Most recently I have had my pride tested again. Last year I interviewed at one of Ankeny's middle schools (also a sweet job) and got second place (which means I didn't get the job). So the other day I hear that the first year teacher that I mentored was hired at Ankeny middle school and is going to be making a lot more money than me (why do people feel the need to mention that?). Oh, there it is...that sting of pride. That feeling that sneaks up and makes you want to get angry and say the things that the devil puts in your head. It was a good test, that's for sure.
What did I do? Feel sorry for myself? Get mad at the teacher for getting an awesome job that I didn't? Get mad at the school for not hiring me last year? No. Did I want to? YEAH! What did I do? I humbled myself. It was an actual action (it's not natural for me yet!) Here is the verb definition of humble that I love:
To destroy the pride of. I like that. I made a conscious effort to destroy the pride that was welling up in me. I reminded myself of God's plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11). Who am I to rebuke Him?
The next time you feel that you haven't gotten what you deserve, want to feel sorry for yourself, feel that you are better than someone else, think your boss is incompetent, or any of the other negative and destructive thoughts that pride brings just go to the fridge and dish yourself up a big slice of humble pie, and don't forget the ice cream. It makes it taste better.
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.
I am no stranger to pride. At one point it ruled my life. I was so prideful as to think I was above the authority of God, or I was too smart for God. Oh what a giant helping of humble pie can do for the spirit. God has put me in many situations to humble me (mostly because I'm a slow learner). I have certainly made progress but there is still work to be done. I am reminded of this by the situations I still find myself in.
As you all may know, I recently interviewed at Ames Middle School for a pretty sweet job...and didn't get it. Now I might have been inclined to feel sorry for myself (also a form of pride, "Why didn't I get the job?") but I took comfort in knowing it wasn't my time. Most recently I have had my pride tested again. Last year I interviewed at one of Ankeny's middle schools (also a sweet job) and got second place (which means I didn't get the job). So the other day I hear that the first year teacher that I mentored was hired at Ankeny middle school and is going to be making a lot more money than me (why do people feel the need to mention that?). Oh, there it is...that sting of pride. That feeling that sneaks up and makes you want to get angry and say the things that the devil puts in your head. It was a good test, that's for sure.
What did I do? Feel sorry for myself? Get mad at the teacher for getting an awesome job that I didn't? Get mad at the school for not hiring me last year? No. Did I want to? YEAH! What did I do? I humbled myself. It was an actual action (it's not natural for me yet!) Here is the verb definition of humble that I love:
To curtail or destroy the pride of.
To destroy the pride of. I like that. I made a conscious effort to destroy the pride that was welling up in me. I reminded myself of God's plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11). Who am I to rebuke Him?
The next time you feel that you haven't gotten what you deserve, want to feel sorry for yourself, feel that you are better than someone else, think your boss is incompetent, or any of the other negative and destructive thoughts that pride brings just go to the fridge and dish yourself up a big slice of humble pie, and don't forget the ice cream. It makes it taste better.
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
Monday, June 23, 2008
Video Archive: Episode 3
Here is some video of the girls in swim lessons. This particular time Olivia felt more like discussing swimsuit fashion with another girl in her class rather than actually swimming! Sylvia enjoyed herself as always and had fun kicking and splashing.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
A Time to Plant....
Today we planted some trees and flowers around our home while the girls played in the sprinkler. Ab has decided that gardening may not be her calling! It was a nice time to enjoy the weather and some quiet time though. Here are pictures of Olivia posing with our new trees (Hybrid Poplars) and maybe the last time Ab's hands will look like this!
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Video Archive: Episode 2
This weekend we were visited by my parents, the Gerdes family, Nick, Julie, and Ashley. Ashley had a softball tournament in Ankeny on Saturday so we were all able to watch her play. It was a good time and the girls loved playing with their cousins. It had been a good long time since we had seen Cody & Ashley so it was especially nice to see them.
This episode of the video archive comes from Olivia's Tumble Tikes class that she took this Spring (March I believe). Enjoy and have a good week!
This episode of the video archive comes from Olivia's Tumble Tikes class that she took this Spring (March I believe). Enjoy and have a good week!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Video Archive: Episode 1
It seems that I have fallen behind on my video projects so I thought I would throw some older footage of ours up so you don't miss out! I will do my best, but I will be working without the aid of our more video-friendly desktop computer which has decided to die (for the third time). Anyway, I'll try to add videos as much as I can until we are up-to-date! Enjoy!
Here is Olivia performing an impromptu dance recital, she loves to dance!
Here is Olivia performing an impromptu dance recital, she loves to dance!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Entitlement?
Please bear with me as I wear the hat of a disgruntled father for a moment. I do not intend this post to be a complaint or a venting of anger, but rather a commentary on the state of society.
Tonight we had swim lessons with the girls. Ab was swimming with Sylvia on one end of the pool and I was observing Olivia at another. Olivia's lesson was going well, she was having fun and practicing her skills. There was, however, a particularly "strong willed" boy in her class that was giving Olivia a hard time. His actions were innocent enough, he began by splashing her. "Typical pool behavior." I thought to myself. Olivia was clearly bothered by this and told the boy to stop. He responded by yelling at her and telling her to "shut up." Okay, no harm in this, Olivia needs to learn how to handle difficult people and she's doing a good job. The boy now decided he was not finished with Olivia. He sat beside her at the edge of the pool and began slapping her and hitting her on the head.
Side note: Where were his parents? You may be asking. His mother was not paying attention to her son. I'm also sure that the high school students that are the instructors are not prepared to handle toddler discipline.
So as Olivia began to wail, the father/teacher in me stepped in and had a word with the boy in question. About this time someone must have alerted the boy's mother and she intervened. The boy was indignant to his mother's attempt at correction. The event did, however, prompt her to pay closer attention to her son. This, unfortunately, did not act as an adequate deterrent to her son.
For reasons unknown to me, this boy felt compelled to display his dislike for my daughter one last time, in the clear presence of myself and his mother. He decided to take a big gulp of pool water and spit it in Olivia's face.
His mother's response was an empty threat of "time out;" it was actually more of a question to see whether or not the boy would like one. I suggested to the mother that the boy be removed. She ignored me. I'm sure she could sense my intense stare and she turned to me as if to question why I was still looking at her. I asked her if she was going to do something about this. Her response is my sole purpose for this post. If she would have reacted in any other way I would have dismissed this whole event. I would have chalked it up to kids being kids and these are the facts of life. But no, her response disturbed me.
She responded, "Doesn't he have the right to be in swim lessons?"
In the face of her child's blatant disrespect of a peer, an adult, AND her, she responds how? With swift correction? With an apology? With ANY action of atonement? No. Her reaction is that of entitlement. She felt that regardless of the actions of her child that he had the RIGHT to be there and under no circumstances will he be removed. What does this teach the child? It teaches them ENTITLEMENT. This can be a very dangerous thing to teach a child, and it is painful for me to witness. We need to hold our children accountable for their actions and teach them respect for others. We cannot always make excuses for them. I pray for this mother and all other parents that we find the strength, wisdom, and courage to do what is right for our children.
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds.... Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19
Tonight we had swim lessons with the girls. Ab was swimming with Sylvia on one end of the pool and I was observing Olivia at another. Olivia's lesson was going well, she was having fun and practicing her skills. There was, however, a particularly "strong willed" boy in her class that was giving Olivia a hard time. His actions were innocent enough, he began by splashing her. "Typical pool behavior." I thought to myself. Olivia was clearly bothered by this and told the boy to stop. He responded by yelling at her and telling her to "shut up." Okay, no harm in this, Olivia needs to learn how to handle difficult people and she's doing a good job. The boy now decided he was not finished with Olivia. He sat beside her at the edge of the pool and began slapping her and hitting her on the head.
Side note: Where were his parents? You may be asking. His mother was not paying attention to her son. I'm also sure that the high school students that are the instructors are not prepared to handle toddler discipline.
So as Olivia began to wail, the father/teacher in me stepped in and had a word with the boy in question. About this time someone must have alerted the boy's mother and she intervened. The boy was indignant to his mother's attempt at correction. The event did, however, prompt her to pay closer attention to her son. This, unfortunately, did not act as an adequate deterrent to her son.
For reasons unknown to me, this boy felt compelled to display his dislike for my daughter one last time, in the clear presence of myself and his mother. He decided to take a big gulp of pool water and spit it in Olivia's face.
His mother's response was an empty threat of "time out;" it was actually more of a question to see whether or not the boy would like one. I suggested to the mother that the boy be removed. She ignored me. I'm sure she could sense my intense stare and she turned to me as if to question why I was still looking at her. I asked her if she was going to do something about this. Her response is my sole purpose for this post. If she would have reacted in any other way I would have dismissed this whole event. I would have chalked it up to kids being kids and these are the facts of life. But no, her response disturbed me.
She responded, "Doesn't he have the right to be in swim lessons?"
In the face of her child's blatant disrespect of a peer, an adult, AND her, she responds how? With swift correction? With an apology? With ANY action of atonement? No. Her reaction is that of entitlement. She felt that regardless of the actions of her child that he had the RIGHT to be there and under no circumstances will he be removed. What does this teach the child? It teaches them ENTITLEMENT. This can be a very dangerous thing to teach a child, and it is painful for me to witness. We need to hold our children accountable for their actions and teach them respect for others. We cannot always make excuses for them. I pray for this mother and all other parents that we find the strength, wisdom, and courage to do what is right for our children.
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds.... Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19
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