The Silver Lining

Some days are just better than others, you know? Not that today has been "bad" -- it has just sort of been....blah. I've let several things sort of get under my skin the past few days. Not really big things, but just an accumulation of junk that keeps dragging me down. For example, not having a job yet. That has been a "mixed blessing." I've enjoyed the break; 30 years of getting up before 5 am and being dressed, ready to go, and out the door by 7 was not a lot of fun. Add to that the pressures of the jobs that I have had, plus the pressures of being a working mom (yes I know ALL moms work!!!) -- I sometimes look back and wonder how I managed it for so long. So it has been nice to get up whenever I wanted to, read the papers, work the crossword puzzle, then do whatever I wanted to with the rest of the time. Yet...some days I need more of a sense of purpose. I gazed out the kitchen window this morning, and through the woods I could see some of the bu...

We had dinner guests this evening. Sasikumar and Liu Lei -- both USC graduate students -- visited us and shared dinner. I met Sasi earlier this year in response to a craigslist posting. I was actually trolling the list to try to find job opportunities. Sasi posted that he was a foreign-born graduate student who needed someone to proofread his papers for English grammar. His post stated that he couldnt offer any monetary gain, but would be very grateful for any help. You know me. I answered the ad. **laughing** He's an anthropology major, working on his doctorate. Home, for him, is Sri Lanka -- the other side of the world. I've found his work to be fascinating, and have learned a great deal just by reading his papers. (His English, by the way, is really quite good -- so it's an easy "job" for me to proofread!) Along the way, we've become friends. He's a young guy, in his 20's -- far away from home. We've shared a few lunches, he's joined...

It's been a not-so-good week, but we're still standing, so it's all good. God sends us signs to remind us that HE is in charge, and I'm really glad that He is. If i was in charge, I'm sure I'd goof things up. :D This past Sunday, we went to church twice. During the morning, we went to a local church that we attend fairly regularly. Our pastor moved away last week, so we were greeted by an interim pastor this morning. The choir sang a beautiful song, we joined in with hymns. Then the pastor delivered an eloquent message telling us of God's love. I left feeling uplifted. That evening, we accompanied our neighbor to her church to listen to some Christmas music. The choir processed in, carrying lighted candles. I loved the singing and the scriptures -- all about the Advent Season. A couple of solos filled my heart with such joy -- and the pastor's message about the Gift of God's Son caused my skin to tingle. In the morning service, everyone w...

I've enjoyed swimming since I was a child. I guess one reason is because it came so easy to me. For whatever reason, I am exceptionally bouyant. I can stretch out on my back atop of the water and take a nap. It is difficult for me to get below the water, and for me to dive down to the bottom of a 10' pool is almost impossible. A couple of years ago, I attempted to scuba dive. The instructor (who was very impatient to start with), gave me a couple of weight belts to strap on. I still was unable to get more than a foot below the water, and the guy gave up on me, ordering me back up to the boat. My husband was able to go on, and he really enjoyed the lovely views of the world beneath the waves. A day or so later, we went swimming. David was going to "help" me get below the water, and wrapped his arms and legs around me in an attempt to show me how "easy" it was to submerge. Instead -- we both bobbed like a cork, on top of the water. My bouyancy kept u...

The sun was shining, the air was unusually warm for late October. David had an early morning appointment in Columbia, and we decided to spend a little time at River Walk. http://www.riveralliance.org/West%20Columbia%20Riverwalk.htm and http://www.scgreatoutdoors.com/park-westcolumbiariverwalk.html It's a lovely "secret" in downtown Columbia, SC, with miles of paths alongside the Congaree River. If you get the chance, come and visit! We walked along the winding path, hand in hand. The Walk itself is neatly maintained with boardwalks and concrete paths. Occasionally we'd meet someone jogging, or walking a dog; a few people were taking advantage of the sunshine and enjoying picnic lunches. Eventually, we stopped underneath a bridge for some CO2 time. Not Carbon Dioxide -- CO2 stands for Church Of 2. Just the two of us, worshiping together, on a glorious afternoon by the water's edge. Underneath a canopy of red and golden leaves, we sat on a large rock and w...

Sometimes you just have to let a guy know that he's doing the right things. I've got a husband that works really hard to do what is right. So this blog entry is a little testimony about this special guy I married! I may be over 50, a bit pudgy, and silver-haired, but I'm still a girl at heart. And a little romance can go a long, LONG way! David truly amazes me, with the "little things" he can say or do that makes my heart flutter. For example -- just yesterday, we were at the SC State Fair. As we walked by one stage, we could hear a fellow singing a beautiful ballad. David pulled me into his arms and in the midst of the crowd we danced for a few moments. Right there, near the rows of crazy fair food and a few steps away from the rides. It was almost like the rest of the world just sort of stopped and all we knew about was one another. I never in a million years thought I would ever be with someone who would even think about a dance in a crowd -- much les...

2 4 16 I wasn't very good in math. It has bamboozled me ever since the 4th grade when my parents would make me stay in my room and try to memorize the multiplication tables. YUCK. I still hate it. I limped through Algebra 1 and 2, making the absolute lowest grades of my high school career. I almost enjoyed Geometry, though. I could draw pictures and figure out the right answer, many times. My teacher would be provoked that I didnt follow the same steps as those she demonstrated (I'm sorry, Mrs. Randall!), but hey I still got the right answer. My senior year of high school, I was forced to take Advanced Math. According to the guidance counselor, ANYBODY who planned on going to college MUST take Advanced Math. That turned out to be a crock, unless you were going to major in engineering or something. But I sat there struggling through that class, taught by one of the biggest male chauvinists I have ever had to associate with it my life. There were only about 6 girls i...