My Family

Just some pictures of my family- Brother, Sister, Mom, Dad... Sister-in -law, brother-in-law, Kyle's folks...

(I bet you can tell I REALLY don't want to write that paper!!) 

What A Week!

Not great, Not bad, just WOW. What a week. 

Things at work have been crazy, just the usual there as we prepare to All State (next Thursday-Saturday), District Festival (the following Tuesday) and State Festival. Also this week I started back work on my Master's Degree. My current course is Research and Bibliography- which basically means, lots of reading and writing about how to reading and write.

To top it off, my kids went psycho on Friday and on Thursday I found out I have another pregnant student. In the 3 years I have been teaching, this is the 4th (that I have known about)- which is just added stress to think about the poor kid. I really wanted her to do well- she was doing so much better, but this was just a bad choice. 

Kyle is working all weekend, but I am really enjoying the time at home to clean, reflect on the past week and do homework. The rainy weather has also kept me in, which is nice because it makes me get things done. 

On a positive note, I have walked the dog about a mile every day this week, done pilates 3 times (about to be 4) and have been limiting and watching what I eat every day this week cutting out about 300-400 calories a day. YAY for me. But this is not a DIET, I refuse to use the D-word, because then I will quit. :) 

So here's the point: I know this is not my usual type of blog, but this has not been the usual type week! 

Retreating...

This weekend, our church held a marriage retreat at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina. It was a great weekend of fun, fellow-shipping, worship, learning and hiking. While the weekend had great speaking and lessons, I most enjoyed spending time with other married couples and hearing their stories of marriage through the seasons. Also, Kyle and I had the opportunity to hike around the Ridgecrest property and enjoy God's beautiful creation. It was just great to be alone and away from the world (no TV!) and spend time together talking and enjoying the outdoors. 

So here's the point: Nothing beats learning from other Christian couples and spending time with your husband in God's great creation! 

Bad Girls of the Bible...

After a while of browsing at Barnes and Noble today (during my 2nd snow day in a row!!)- I came across this book 

Of course I was immediatley intrigued by the title. It jogged my memory, I had heard it before and was interested to see what it was all about. This is the poem by the author that summarizes the book: 

Eve had a hunger that cost her a garden;

Potiphar's wife had an appetite too;

Lot lost his mate when her past swirled around her;

Delilah went bad when she snipped a new 'do.

Sapphira fell flat when it came down to money;

Jezebel ordered her husband around;

Michal missed the message in King David's worship;

To the bone, in a moment, their badness was found.

Yet...

A woman of Samaria found a thirst quencher;

A sinner, a woman, anointed Christ's feet; 

Rahab, the harlot, became a beliver;

Her sin, like the walls, crumbled down defeat. 

Bad for a season, but no, not forever, 

Not these three role models, saved from despair. 

Made new by God, their changed lives teach the lesson:

If we but ask him, grace waits for us there. 

-Liz Curtis Higgs 

Wow- I mean really, is there not one thing that I cannot claim to have struggled with that these "bad" women did!!

One final quote from the author: 

"When she was perfect, beautiful, and innocent, I found no toehold where I could connect with Eve. When she was tempted by her flesh, humbled by her sin, and redeemed by her God, I could sing out, "Oh, sister Eve! Can we talk?" 

So here's the point, I am spending some time reflected on my own Bad Girl self and seeing how I can learn from these women in the Bible. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. 

II Timothy 3:16. 

...Even the Bad Girls. 

Snow Day

I just love Snow days. The beautiful bright white, the feeling that it is okay to have pj's on the majority of the day, the feeling like you have an extra day in your week to get things done at home. There are also things I don't like, primarily being the power going out last night while your husband is at work! But I survived, the power is back (and so is my husband) and I am glad to have a day just to stay home!

So here's the point: I am going to use this day to the best of my ability! It is a free day that is a gift! 

We may have a winner

So, as many know, Kyle and I adopted a puppy this past Labor day. She has been a great family addition, but what I hand full. She has also become quite the topic of conversation as to what breed of dog she is... the most common response thus far has been lab and something. Well, her paperwork says German Shepherd, which we just don't get. The other night Kyle was watching TV and he found these dogs, the Rhodesian Ridgeback. We have never found a closer match. 

Here is our little Mac, first as a puppy with her buddy Cozy (Top right) , then more current (Top left) ... Compared with the puppy and grown Rhodesian... Notice they sit the same as puppies and they both have the white spots on chest... Interesting find in our opinion. 

So here's the point... these dogs are not full grown until 3 years of age...meaning the Jurek family still has a lot of growing to do... Uh-oh!