"I Once was Lost, But Now am Found"!!!!

I am thankful for windows in my classroom, but thought I would share with you my view!

Yes, the waters have "ceased to flow".....A COOOOOLD hello to my friend at "Talkin Texan". http://writeforhim.blogspot.com/ . And to my friend, Susan at "Susan's Colorful Life, she would love to get a load of the snow we have here in Iowa, check her out at http://bigsticksblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/more-snow.htmlThe weather man called it a "deep freeze". The pipes under the kitchen sink froze. There is snow in my porch...the wind blew it under there during the night. I am sleeping with a jogging suit, an additional jacket, and two pair of socks. My thermometer in my car said -8 degrees and there is a windchill of 30 degrees below! The cars don't want to start. They make these squealing, moaning noises as they try to warm up. I now have a window that won't roll up and down, one headlight out on dim, and yesterday, I let my car warm up for a while, but the ice on the windshield was not budging. I tried to turn on my wiper and shoot some of that blue wiper fluid out to help it along. One wiper worked, the other not....I tried several times in disbelief. I even got out to see if it was frozen in place. It was not. I turned it on again....I think I burned out the motor! My daughter argued and argued with me about driving/not driving to school. It is just too cold for her, her old car, her age and lack of experience on the road. She rode to school with me....fighting all the way. After school, I took her right home to get ready for the bus ride to a basketball game. I let her drive to school to get on the bus. She called at 10 p.m. "MOM?" Ok, I expected her to say her car didn't start. Not the case...she was stranded at the side of the road, in artic temps and "some man stopped to help me". Ok, who is this man....are you ok....do you have heat? Her tire blew out and she pulled over. Thankfully, she could run the car for heat. Now a new concern...I forgot to remind her to crack the window a bit to not killed by the exhaust!!!!! Ok, what can I "Choose Joy" about today? I will tell you, it is there....mine in the form of tiny, sparkley, round and cherished. My rings were lost, but now are found.....(sung to the tune of "Amazing Grace")
Remember what I do for a living? I teach art at our local school, grades 7-12. I am in a mess most every day, but it is the dreaded "clay unit" and I am literally covered with the stuff most days. I get right in there with my hands and model how to do the potter's wheel many times each day. You just can not TELL them how to do it. You HAVE to SHOW them.



Andy and Abby centering-

The scraps - lots of them!

I own 4 good rings and I love to wear them. They all have some sentiment. They are all special to me. NOT a good idea to take them off and put them in your pocket. This idea is better than taking them off and letting them lie around. I have not had to worry about them being stolen, but I would worry about them being thrown away or ground up in the clay extruder as someone is quickly cleaning up scraps at the end of the hour. Anyway, hands in clay, rings in pocket, on with the day, no more thoughts of rings until evening, away from home, helping our son move.....when I get home I have to remember....rings in pockets in laundry basket. I sure hope Dave doesn't decide to wash clothes....no.....not worried about that. I got home, checked in pockets, still in the laundry basket....2 rings....not 4. I looked through all the baskets, through all the pockets of all the pants, piece by piece through each piece of dirty laundry...2 rings...not 4. Prayed for rings. I went to bed.....thought of rings....probably dreamt of rings....prayed about rings. In the morning, I looked through coats and bags and purses and in my car between the seats, I looked in the recliner I had dozed in the night before....no rings. I went to the basement, looked around the floor, and found one very dirty, clay filled ring. Thank you Lord! 3 rings, not 4. Went to help move our son more (actually, I didn't have to move much-I was given Grandma patrol-shoot, huh?), came home looked around the basement more, swept, prayed, moved things, looked through the laundry again. Can you believe it????? I am now 4 for 4 and I am so very blessed. Thank you Lord! "I once was lost, but now am found".

The wide band was my Grandma Nonnie's wedding band, rose gold, I heard it was brought home from Germany by her husband, Voly. The silver one on the top right is my original wedding diamond, 30 years old. The silver one on the right on the table is my childrens' birthstone ring, 3 children...3 stones, and the top left gold one was my mama's. She had 5 good rings...5 daughters. We drew lots (sort of), and I became the owner of her beautiful diamond. Sorry, I didn't take such good care of it, Mom! Thank you Lord for helping me find them. They are just "things", but some of my fondest treasures. What joy when the lost are found. Imagine the joy of our Heavenly Father when we are lost and then found!!!! I am blessed beyond measure and I certainly can choose to "Choose Joy" this day!