A day in the life

Woke up early, but exhausted after a long day yesterday (rode bike to work, worked, got a ride home and realized I had to work at the swim meet... 3 hours in the concession stand!)

Started laundry since I didn't have anything to wear to work.

Watered the garden (also known as Widow's Hill Farm from here on out)

I called Boss since my commute is much longer when I walk over a mile to the bus stop, then ride 40 minutes... and I was already running late.

He kindly suggested I take the day off to try and get the car fixed... good idea.

Took the clothes out of the dryer and hung them on the clothesline instead.

Called my bud Loralee to see if she and her hubby would help me figure out what's wrong.

Tried to jump start it... let it charge... it finally started and the motor clattered and clanged and grumbled very badly... something it had NOT been doing before it died on the highway Monday.

*sigh*

Maybe the battery is just shot, and it's throwing the timing off...

Dropped over $100 on new battery... nope that's not it.

Picked up Loralee's dog.... see Twitpic

Came home.

Set up my online account with BCTC
Today is the first day I was able to register for my summer class, because I'm a new student.

All sections of my class are full :(  I need to take this class this session or have to wait until Jan. 2013 to start nursing school.

Fired off a note to the instructor asking for permission to add the class (per the registrars suggestion)

Called to see if I could get a ride up to camp to pick up my kids.... I can, but there's not enough room to bring us back!  That's OK... I'll get a ride back with someone else... no worries.

Called another friend to see if she can bring us back... she's full... still need a ride. 
But I got to have a great talk with her.

Thought the cat looked dirty, so I wet him down with some no rinse cat shampoo and toweled him off...

Now I'm covered in cat fur.

Upside: the cat didn't seem to mind much.  He's soft and smells good now.

Walked out to the garden to put a bunch of cat fur in the compost heap and realized that our yellow squash seeds sprouted today while all this was going on.

*smile*

I sat on the ground and looked at this for a long time.

Bare ground this morning.

Sprouts this evening.

Widow's Hill Farm is growing.

Let the orphans eat!

Watered the garden again... thankful for all the good things in life. 

I still don't know what's wrong with my car, or how I'm going to pay for it. 
I may not be able to take that class... thus delaying my start date for nursing school.
But I have a feeling everything is going to work out just fine.

Just another day in life of this widowed single mom. 

Thanks for reading this far.

The Short Version of a Long Plan

In response to what I'll call a 'Holy Dissatisfaction" with the status quo, I spent some time praying.  I stopped looking out and started looking in.  I believe in the quiet of a moment, God whispered a "Yes you can, It's not too late" when I shot an idea down.  He told me this idea that I have that seems impossible really is possible with him.
I'm going to Nursing School.
As soon as I can.
It's what I never knew I always wanted to with my life.
I'm working on getting my transcripts from the college where I got my BBA - already encountered a roadblock. Apparently I still owe them $450 - oops.
Then I can meet with advisors to start the application process.
I want to take a few pre-reqs, and misc classes either this summer or fall, and try to start full time in a BSN program in Jan. 2012

Work part-time as a tax collector.

Work my butt off as a nursing student, and widowed mother of 2.

Graduate in spring of 2014

Get a job in critical care, surgery unit or whatever will prepare me the best to.... wait for it....
Publish Post
Go back to school again in 2 years to become a CRNA.

Work my butt off some more with my girls in high school and middle school.

Graduate before my oldest finishes high school.

Get a job where I can work hard, but have free time to travel with surgical teams to care medically for the worlds poor.

Do it all while leaning on Jesus - because I know I CANNOT do this by myself - humanly speaking, it's impossible but with God all things are possible.  He will equip me for everything he's called me to do.

Thanks for listening.

The very best thing about widowhood.

I really do wish I could have my husband back.  I wish that my little girls had their Daddy, and that we were one big happy family.

BUT...  There's one thing that's great about this situation.

Now,
I'm the BOSS. 

After years of an unhealthy marriage, we were really just starting over when he died.   Jesus took a wrecking ball to our marriage (that was very wrecked anyway) and was rebuilding something very beautiful.  But before that, Roger was controlling, manipulative and made bad choices that put all of us in challenging situations year after year.

But now it's up to me to lead this family.  Well- me and Jesus.  It's pretty hard to be in this spot sometimes, because I don't have a husband to help make decisions.  And on the big decisions I was used to being over ruled most the time.  (That's how we got to Lexington, I didn't want to come!)
Now, I can seek help from whoever I want, but ultimately I am the one who makes the choices around here.  

I'm feeling a little cocky about it right now... maybe a little too cocky.  I'm thinking of taking my girls on a trip... and I'm realizing that as long as I can fund it... I can basically do whatever I want to do, and there's nothing anybody can do to stop me.

It's kind of nice.
It's one of the few good things about widowhood.
Maybe the very best thing about widowhood.

How far would you go?

I want to write about something I remember Pastor Shaun King saying (not exact quote, but the same idea) -

Suppose you find out that the children who live down the street are being abused terribly? 
Or they are starving... living out in the elements (maybe living in a pen in the back yard)? 

Would you be outraged? 
Would you want to save them? 
Would you have the police, child services, ANYBODY beating down the doors to save them?  
How many people would you tell until you those kids were safe, fed, and sheltered?

What if those kids weren't down the street?
Maybe they lived in a different area of town? 
Maybe they live in a different state?

What if they don't live in the US.  What if they live in Haiti or Africa?
How far away do those babies have to be - before you stop caring?
How far until it doesn't matter to you anymore?

I'd be willing to bet there are more than just a few of my Facebook / Twitter friends who have muted me because they don't want to see me post about Haiti or Africa AGAIN.

But there's still work that needs to be done.  Little kids are DYING of Cholera in an outbreak in Haiti because they don't have access to clean water.   These are kids that would running around on the playground with YOUR kids if they lived here.   

My friends in Africa have rescued two little boys, Yamikani and Ishmael.  The older boy, Yamikani has been tied up in a goat pen for TWELVE YEARS because he has some kind of condition that causes him to fall.  His little brother Ishmael was so anemic he needed a blood transfusion.  It was too late for the mother's other SEVEN children.

So I won't apologize for the content of my facebook posts and tweets.  To the tell the truth, I'm ashamed I don't do more.

If this touches a spot and you and you want to help.... THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS!

If you want to help people in Haiti - Donate to http://www.fountainsofhope.org/
for more info (and how to donate from Canada) visit my friend Melissa's Blog .
UPDATE:  Melissa is at Northwest Haiti Chistian Mission working in a cholera clinic... things are bad and they are low on supplies.... if you see this please donate to http://www.mmrcglobal.org/ or http://www.nwhcm.com/

If you want to help Yamikani - Ishmael and other kids in Malawi- Donate to http://www.cohcommunity.org/
for more info visit the Circle of Hope Facebook page.


But for now this is the least I can do.
What will you do?

A Courageous Trip to Haiti -Intro

Recently I got to go to Haiti with a team of people from all over the United States (and Canada!)   This trip was the first in a series of trips put together by Shaun King of Courageous Church in Atlanta, GA.  The mission - to begin work on a new and improved Miriam Center as part of the A Home In Haiti initiative.  The goal of A Home in Haiti is to bring relief both physical & spiritual to the people of Haiti.  This organization is helping people in earthquake ravaged areas and people who weren't impacted directly by the earthquake but are suffering anyway.
First Phase - Tents
Many people in Haiti were left with no shelter after the earthquake.  A Home in Haiti was able gather the resources of caring people all over the country and send over 1.5 million dollars worth of tents to the people of Haiti

Phase 2 - The Miriam Center
This is an orphanage for children with special needs/ severe disabilities.  Right now the Miriam Center is overcrowded with children from the Earthquake.  This new center in will be both school and lodging for these children, but also a center of activity, learning and worship for the whole community.
Here is the Google Map - Google calls it Bonneou, it's actually Bonneau.


View Larger Map

It's late, and I want to write so much more, but I'll have to save it for another day.
In the mean time consider supporting the work there.
Shaun has come up with a unique way of raising the rest of the money to build the Miriam Center.  It's a celebrity twitter fundraiser. 

If you want to help complete the project we started, go to

Twit Change 

to bid on a twitter connection with a favorite celebrity.

Not into twitter?  That's fine!
You can donate directly to the project by going to www.ahomeinhaiti.com
PLEASE HELP IN ANY WAY YOU CAN!

Tune in later for more!
Sara

I wrote a story to be used in a curriculum for Circle of Hope in Malawi. My friend has translated it into Chichewa, the native language of Malawi. She gave me a list of words that accentuate the 'e' sound in Chichewa and I found the story that was waiting in those words. I also wanted to incorporate a simple science lesson about astronomy and a very friendly planetary alignment that occurred not too long ago. 

The boy's name in the story was originally 'Enoki' for the E sound, but if we ever publish this book in English, I would love to change the boy's name in honor of my friend, Timothy.  He was one of the kids at the Msipe campus of Circle of Hope.  Timothy was one of the first to greet me, loved to speak English.  He lead a small crew of boys, and was one of the sweetest young men I've ever met.  He died on October 23, 2009.  I'll miss him.

This is from an email I received last fall....

"It makes us very sad to tell you that one of our children, Timothy, was tragically killed when he was hit by a car on Friday evening. Timothy was a very special child. A few years ago he told Karen that he wanted to do what she did when he grew up, he wanted to take care of orphan children. Timothy was a true leader. When we took the kids to the beach to play one day, Timothy had no fear or hesitation, "Come on everyone, let's swim." He was the first one in the water!

Timothy was recognized by all in the community as leader. His school had elected him as the head boy for the entire school. An honor usually reserved for an eighth grader, but given to this young seventh grader because of his bright potential.

Timothy will be sorely missed at our project. He served as a peer tutor and could always be trusted to lead in any activity the children engaged in.

Timothy, we are glad that you are with Jesus, but we will miss you."

Since then, Circle of Hope has built Timothy's Home.  It's a home for about a dozen children that have been rescued from desperate situations.  It's my hope that one day, this story could be published with the proceeds going to Circle of Hope to fund the work Timothy would have wanted to do.

 

When the Moon Smiled Back

By Sara Dailey
Copyright 2009

One evening, Timothy went for a walk on the road by his home.
It was cool and breezy, so Timothy wore his jacket.
Timothy gazed up at the round full moon.
The moon’s brightness made him smile.
Timothy wondered if the moon looked back at him.

Timothy waved his jacket in the air.
“Eya! Do you see me?”
The moon only glowed brightly in return.

He climbed a tree to get closer to the moon.
“Eya! Can you hear me?” Called Timothy.
The moon did not yell back.

Timothy had an idea.
Timothy went inside, and sat at his desk.
He took out a pencil and piece of paper.
Timothy wrote a note to the moon.
“Thank you for sharing your light.
Thank you for giving me a smile.
May you be blessed on your journey.”

Timothy slipped the note into an envelope.
On the front of the envelope, in his very best printing,
Timothy wrote: “To The Moon”.
Timothy walked back to the road.
He climbed the tree again.
Timothy lifted his hands and gave the envelope with the note to the wind.

The moon is very far thought Timothy.

Days and weeks passed by.
Timothy wondered if the moon received the envelope with his note.

Then one evening, Timothy looked up and smiled.
He was happy and knew that the moon must have gotten the note,

Because this time… the moon smiled back.

Tracy Shiffman snapped this photo of a nearly vertical smiley face hanging in the evening sky.
Source: News Limited

Click here for an article that explains this phenomenon.

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The Future - Unknown

So as far as the future goes.... wow.


Here's some ideas:

Dating:   Yeah, I know it's kind of crazy.  This is what I alluded to in my previous post talking about considering pursuing a graduate degree, in marriage.   I'm not interested in dating a bunch of people just for the heck of it.  I don't want to be the kind of woman that parades men in and out of my kid's life.   I have two daughters, age 7 and 11.  The youngest has been asking for me to bring home a new dad ever since Roger died.   So I need to protect her little heart from getting too attached to someone that is not right for our family.  At first I was really convinced that I wanted to get married again when the time was right... now I'm not so sure.  Independence from 'the man' is starting to be kind of nice, and if I get involved with someone, then I will no longer be the leader of our little family.  Right now, I can kind of do anything I want.  If I get a wild idea that I want to move to Indonesia, there's nobody to stop me. But I can never be a Dad for my kids, and I think they might benefit from having a Step-Dad.

The Apostle Paul gives advice about this in the Bible:
The younger widows should not be on the list [for the church to support], because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.  And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.

-1 Timothy 5:11-15

So I think I'll try it out a bit... I might even have lunch with someone new next week.  Did anybody see that coming?  Heh heh heh.... Yeah, I got a few cards up my sleeve.  I'm not going to reveal too much right now... we'll just have to see.


What else?  
Well, I wasn't kidding about Indonesia.  I have wanted to go to the island of Lombok for years now.  Why Lombok?  I don't exactly know.  It's beachy, that is nice, but it's also not as developed as other beachy places.    I am more interested in visiting rural or off-beat places, not big tourist destinations.  I've wanted to visit Russia ever since I was little (which is when it was still the communist USSR)  I've wanted to visit China, Eastern Europe, (OK ANY Europe) Iceland, rural England or Scotland, Peru, and Africa too.  Of course, I got to visit Africa in 2009 and LOVED it.  (I'll blog about that too... don't worry.)  I've also considered visiting Jamaica too after volunteering this fall for the Nash Brighton Project.

So how does a poor widow on a fixed income get to travel to or even live in any of these exotic locales?  There's the million dollar question.   Here's the more important question though...  Is my INTENSE desire to get out of here something that God planted in me for a bigger purpose?   I don't really care much about self-gratification.  It makes me sick to think of spending loads of time and resources on my own selfish pleasure.  How could I just sit on the beach, when I could be out there making the world a better place for people who are less fortunate than me AND more importantly...  helping drag people from the gates Hell. (Does that sound too dramatic to you?  I'll blog about that later too.)


I think I have the answer. I'm going to need some major feedback on this one people.

TESOL.   Huh?  What is that? Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.  It's a career where I work either in the States OR abroad!  There are some issues surrounding this that make it a little tricky.
#1 I'm not a teacher!
#2 I don't want to be a teacher, and don't generally like kids.  American children especially get on my nerves.  I do love my own children... a lot.  But I'm not a kid person, never was, even when I was a kid myself.  The kids in school were mean to me and mean to the teachers.  I never wanted any of that punishment heaped on me.   Going to Africa though was kind of therapeutic, because I LOVED working with the Malawian children.  They were wonderful, so it gives me hope in that area.
#3 I don't know how to get certified in this area or how I would ever get hired.
#4 What do I do with my kids if we move to a foreign country?  Would they hate it?  What kind of school would they go to?  Would I have to home school them?  Who would watch them while I was working?  How do I keep them from being sold to sex traffickers?  (Seriously!!! My kids are gorgeous and it's a risk!)
#5 Future husband? *GULP* That's a whole 'nother can of worms.
#6 Does God want to use me this way, or am I just grasping at straws, trying to figure things out myself and not relying on Him.


Wow, that was exhausting.


Comments PLEASE!!!!!  Honestly, that's a big part of why I'm doing this.