This schoolyear has been flying by so fast, it hardly seems a week ago that nine shy and nervous four-year-olds walked through the door of my classroom to meet their equally shy and nervous teacher. We have just finished the twelfth week of school, and as I look back on the progress each student has made, I cannot help but rejoice in the One who is able to keep us from falling! (Jude 1:24)
It has been a long and exhausting couple of months, but I have been blessed beyond measure to see how God has strengthened and helped me. He has given me strength when I was weak, He has given me patience when I was on the verge of frustration, He has filled me with joy when my students were crabby, He has given me energy when I had thought I could not make it through the morning. How I am reminded of the verse in 2 Thessalonians that tells us "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Escapades of a Travelling Pianist
It was raining.
It always seems to rain when I go out to do fliers, and this day was no exception. I was not looking forward to this particular trip, and as I stood in the doorway, in my best, most professional-looking outfit and with a briefcase in my hand, I could not help but sigh as I looked out at the grey, drizzly world into which I was about to step. As I sat shivering in the van, waiting for the engine to warm up, I sighed again, reflecting that one's best, most professional-looking outfit is almost never warm enough.
So, off I set to deliver flyers and to peddle my pianistic abilities at the senior living facilities in our area. The night before, Daddy had helped me (after much frustration) to print out some business cards for this new venture, so, theoretically, I was adequately prepared for the task. Reality, however, does not always go according to theory, and as I drove around, trying to find the first SLF, I felt entirely unprepared for what I was about to do.
After much driving and a little getting lost, I finally arrived at the first stop along my journey. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be a office, just apartments, so I turned around and kept driving. A little discouraged, I decided to do some flyers on the way to the next SLF. --At least I was somewhat used to that by now.
The next SLF had one available visitor's parking spot, which was not easy to get into. As I jockeyed back and forth, trying to get straightened out, I could easily imagine the people in the office looking out their window, watching me try to park. I finally finished parking and tried to walk confidently to the door --in shoes that are hard to walk confidently in at the best of times. (Why do they even make such things? Why do I even own them?)
I found the office easily, but unfortunately the lady I needed to talk to was out. I left my card, took hers, and walked back to the car, now imagining the conversation of those in the office.
"Well, you don't see that every day here."
"I wonder how old she really is? She was dressed up nicely, but she looks very young."
"I wonder how long she's been driving. Did you see her try to park?"
"She was trying so hard, though. I feel sorry for her."
Sometimes one's imagination can be terribly disconcerting.
Well, on I travelled to the next stop, with several flyer stops in between. I had been to that SLF before, so it was a little easier to find, and much easier to park. I even almost knew what to say once I got inside. The ladies there were very nice, and took my card, although, they said, their budget did not allow for such things very often.
By the time I came to the last stop, I was very much looking forward to going home again. I went to the office, only to find no one there. I could hear voices in around the corner, but upon a moment's reflection I decided that barging into someone's inner office would not make the best impression.
So I stood there, waiting, until finally someone came out. Unfortunately, it was not the person I needed to see, so I waited awhile longer. This time I knew what I needed to say, (having practiced it in the car on the way from the last stop) and the lady was nice. They were in need of pianists, and she told me what they would pay, and inquired as to my scheduling availability, and I left with the promise of receiving a phone call soon to schedule a time to play.
And then it was at last time to go home. I felt I was not going empty-handed, and was no longer discouraged.
It was raining.
I love rain!
It always seems to rain when I go out to do fliers, and this day was no exception. I was not looking forward to this particular trip, and as I stood in the doorway, in my best, most professional-looking outfit and with a briefcase in my hand, I could not help but sigh as I looked out at the grey, drizzly world into which I was about to step. As I sat shivering in the van, waiting for the engine to warm up, I sighed again, reflecting that one's best, most professional-looking outfit is almost never warm enough.
So, off I set to deliver flyers and to peddle my pianistic abilities at the senior living facilities in our area. The night before, Daddy had helped me (after much frustration) to print out some business cards for this new venture, so, theoretically, I was adequately prepared for the task. Reality, however, does not always go according to theory, and as I drove around, trying to find the first SLF, I felt entirely unprepared for what I was about to do.
After much driving and a little getting lost, I finally arrived at the first stop along my journey. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be a office, just apartments, so I turned around and kept driving. A little discouraged, I decided to do some flyers on the way to the next SLF. --At least I was somewhat used to that by now.
The next SLF had one available visitor's parking spot, which was not easy to get into. As I jockeyed back and forth, trying to get straightened out, I could easily imagine the people in the office looking out their window, watching me try to park. I finally finished parking and tried to walk confidently to the door --in shoes that are hard to walk confidently in at the best of times. (Why do they even make such things? Why do I even own them?)
I found the office easily, but unfortunately the lady I needed to talk to was out. I left my card, took hers, and walked back to the car, now imagining the conversation of those in the office.
"Well, you don't see that every day here."
"I wonder how old she really is? She was dressed up nicely, but she looks very young."
"I wonder how long she's been driving. Did you see her try to park?"
"She was trying so hard, though. I feel sorry for her."
Sometimes one's imagination can be terribly disconcerting.
Well, on I travelled to the next stop, with several flyer stops in between. I had been to that SLF before, so it was a little easier to find, and much easier to park. I even almost knew what to say once I got inside. The ladies there were very nice, and took my card, although, they said, their budget did not allow for such things very often.
By the time I came to the last stop, I was very much looking forward to going home again. I went to the office, only to find no one there. I could hear voices in around the corner, but upon a moment's reflection I decided that barging into someone's inner office would not make the best impression.
So I stood there, waiting, until finally someone came out. Unfortunately, it was not the person I needed to see, so I waited awhile longer. This time I knew what I needed to say, (having practiced it in the car on the way from the last stop) and the lady was nice. They were in need of pianists, and she told me what they would pay, and inquired as to my scheduling availability, and I left with the promise of receiving a phone call soon to schedule a time to play.
And then it was at last time to go home. I felt I was not going empty-handed, and was no longer discouraged.
It was raining.
I love rain!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Cure for Boredom #2...
Yesterday was an auspicious day for my “little forest” in the backyard. I finally pulled up the last of the ivy, and cleared out the massive pile of already pulled up from where I had been working under the trees. The last patch of ivy ran far back under the lower branches where it was obvious no one had gone in years. The farther back I went, the more I felt like an adventurous little kid, exploring some mysterious corner of the yard. I even got excited when I found a rather mysterious hole, seemingly dark and deep, and, in spite of my natural timidity, could not resist raking up the duff which partially obscured it, to find out how big it actually was. It was noticeably bigger than the holes in our lawn, so it seemed that it could not have been made by the same creature that made them. It had also been completely covered with ivy and needles, but had no spider’s webs in it. I was so perplexed by the size and placement of the hole, that I nearly poked the end of my rake into it to see how far it went before turning, but then I thought of all the nasty things that could be inhabiting the hole, and let it be till Daddy came home. : ) At first, I thought that perhaps it was where the old pump we found in that area had come from, but Daddy said it wasn’t the right kind of hole for that. I did find that, as I raked up more of the thick layer of dead needles in that area, another hole appeared. This one got bigger as I raked around it, and as it was in the same area as the other one, I began to think that it was just an empty pocket between two of the branches that had been buried by the many layers of needles. Daddy, however, thought that it was an animal hole of some sort. I hope it’s not! It is right in front of two low branches that are curved just enough to make a very comfortable-looking seat.
After all the ivy had been cleared away, I started to drag out the random assortment of junk that the ivy had covered. There were some interesting things hiding under the trees! : ) Soon after we moved in, we found a small trailer for a lawn tractor that had evidently been there for quite a while. As I worked, I uncovered a garden hose with one end cut off, some roofing material, and a plastic dishpan.
Once that was all gone, I began to plan out what still needed to be done to make the space habitable. I hope to put a low bench at one end, under a little tree which I cannot identify because it has lost all its leaves, and two chairs and a little table at the base of the cedar tree at the other end. Tristan has made me a swing, which he plans to attach to a sturdy branch on the huge hemlock in the middle. It will be a while before it is finished, but it will definitely be worth it! I am already looking forward to having such a pretty place to study in!
Of course, as soon as I had rid the area of all the ivy, I found another small patch wound around a smaller tree that I couldn’t get at. ‘~’ I am determined to find a way to get in close enough to pull it all up, but until I do, I must be content with watching it closely and preventing it from spreading as I continue to work on the rest of the area.
I am a bit sad that the ivy-pulling task is finished for now, because it gave me a reason to be outside and working at something other than schoolwork. My next big job is going to be pulling up the garden hose that is buried under our lawn. I’m not sure why it was there, but it runs all over the yard, and I have been given the job of getting rid of it. I found an end when I was pulling up the ivy at the far side of the little forest, and would have pulled more of it up than I did just then, but it ran right under the ivy pile, and I was too tired to move it.
So, I suppose cure for boredom # 2 is to take on a task that seems a little too hard for you, and stick with it until it is finished. -This especially works when the task is different from the things you usually do.
-By the way, if you want to see pictures, I will try to post some tomorrow on my Flikr page.
After all the ivy had been cleared away, I started to drag out the random assortment of junk that the ivy had covered. There were some interesting things hiding under the trees! : ) Soon after we moved in, we found a small trailer for a lawn tractor that had evidently been there for quite a while. As I worked, I uncovered a garden hose with one end cut off, some roofing material, and a plastic dishpan.
Once that was all gone, I began to plan out what still needed to be done to make the space habitable. I hope to put a low bench at one end, under a little tree which I cannot identify because it has lost all its leaves, and two chairs and a little table at the base of the cedar tree at the other end. Tristan has made me a swing, which he plans to attach to a sturdy branch on the huge hemlock in the middle. It will be a while before it is finished, but it will definitely be worth it! I am already looking forward to having such a pretty place to study in!
Of course, as soon as I had rid the area of all the ivy, I found another small patch wound around a smaller tree that I couldn’t get at. ‘~’ I am determined to find a way to get in close enough to pull it all up, but until I do, I must be content with watching it closely and preventing it from spreading as I continue to work on the rest of the area.
I am a bit sad that the ivy-pulling task is finished for now, because it gave me a reason to be outside and working at something other than schoolwork. My next big job is going to be pulling up the garden hose that is buried under our lawn. I’m not sure why it was there, but it runs all over the yard, and I have been given the job of getting rid of it. I found an end when I was pulling up the ivy at the far side of the little forest, and would have pulled more of it up than I did just then, but it ran right under the ivy pile, and I was too tired to move it.
So, I suppose cure for boredom # 2 is to take on a task that seems a little too hard for you, and stick with it until it is finished. -This especially works when the task is different from the things you usually do.
-By the way, if you want to see pictures, I will try to post some tomorrow on my Flikr page.
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