Update Monday morning 3/5

Good morning!  Long time no write, it seems.  ;-)  I was surprised to realize that I only blogged once last week, as if things only happen in our family once a week.  Dale was set to attend classes as normal on Thursday, but the weather got in the way.  To our surprise Wednesday evening, it began to snow (just flurries), but these throughout the night were enough to bring about a 2-hour late start Thursday morning.  What fun for the kids to sleep in extra during the week!  Since school did not officially start until 10:25 a.m., and Dale had to leave at 12:20 p.m., I just kept him in my classroom to work on stuff for those two hours rather than make him try to shuffle between classes that lasted only thirty minutes each (2-hour late start schedule).  We went home for a few hours, then went to SP at 3:00.  I was so glad to have been able to reschedule that appointment and leave Friday completely open, since we already had a day off scheduled.  We did a little bit of cleaning before just spending family time together.

Chad's newest (part-time) job began Friday afternoon.  He will have a good schedule, I think, as his new boss made clear that she understood that Chad's daytime job is his primary income and concern and made sure he started work at 5:00 p.m. and got off by 10:00 p.m.  She wants to ensure he gets some good sleep before his daytime job begins.  Praise the Lord!  Chad came home from his first full night's work Saturday tired but doing fine.  He said he'll have to get used to the routine of flipping burgers and making sandwiches, but I know he's thankful to have some extra money each week.  One funny note:  Chad had to buy some non-slip shoes for this job.  When he tried to put them on Friday, he discovered that there were two left shoes in the box!  He'll have to return them and get one shoe for each foot before he can wear them!!!

Our pastor preached a convicting sermon last night on "How to Get a Divorce."  He was, of course, being sarcastic but made several good points during the message.  He showed us from the Bible how to prevent strife in our homes and broken marriages by telling us what to do to "if we want a divorce."  His main points were things like:  (1) Practice your faults.  (2) Bring sin into your home.  (3) Use the word "divorce" frequently.  (4) Keep your old "youthful lusts."  There were more, but these were the ones that spoke to me.  I'm so thankful for a pastor who preaches straight from God's Word what we need to hear, not what we want to hear.  I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit Who convicts me of sin in my life.  And I'm thankful that I still hear the Spirit's voice, that my heart has not grown hard over the many years I have been saved.  As Preacher said yesterday morning, none of us has "arrived."  We are all still growing as Christians and need to be constantly on guard against complacency and sin.  Satan knows he will not get most of us to turn away from God completely, so he tries to make us satisfied with our present stage in our Christian walk.  He tries to make us think sin is not so bad, thereby distancing us from God and His Spirit by our very thoughts and actions.  Please, Lord, make my heart ever tender to Your instruction and prodding.

Chad, Dale, and I have a special trip planned this Thursday/Friday.  We will drive down to Vancouver, WA, Thursday afternoon, spend the night in the Hilton (WOW!), and attend a special event Friday morning.  The Red Cross of that region accept nominations each year for heroes, people who get involved when someone needs help.  They look for folks who may or may not have had training, folks who are prepared to help when needed, folks who do what needs to be done regardless of convenience or danger.  Then, each March, the Red Cross hosts a giant fundraiser where they honor these brave people, and, this year, they wish to honor those men who pulled Dale out of the water.  We have been invited to attend as well as the Red Cross' guests.  Originally, they wanted Dale to present the award to those men, but, due to a training schedule conflict, the men will not be able to be present; so Dale will accept the award in their stead, and we will give it to them personally when we make our hoped-for trip this summer to see all those who were involved in Dale's rescue and subsequent care.  Still, what an honor to be a part of the Red Cross' Heroes Breakfast and see all the people who will be awarded for their selflessness, courage, and kindness to others.  Suzanne Arnits, the one in contact with us about this fundraiser, said this is the only public fundraiser they do each year, and there will probably be about 650 people present at this event!  No pressure whatsoever!  Seriously, please pray that Dale will have a really good, steady morning this Friday when he needs to go up to accept the award.  I'm quite willing to allow my husband to assist Dale in this effort while I remain seated, out of sight, at the table!  Suzanne believes that, once the attendees revisit the story of Dale's drowning and rescue via video presentation and then see him in person at the breakfast, they will gladly give donations to help the Red Cross work.  She contacted us a couple of months ago, asking us to be a part of this event and telling us that our room would be paid for Thursday night as well as the breakfast Friday morning.  We are very excited about going!

I need to sign off for now.  I do ask, though, for your thoughts and prayers these next few weeks as our family faces decisions concerning our future, Dale's academic success, and general questions.  God be praised for His continual mercy and grace through times of trials.  He is, above all, good.

Psalm 111: 1 - 2  "Praise ye the LORD.  I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."