Fall Mystery

It is definitely fall. I've been enjoying crunching and shuffling through leaves on my way to and from fall meetings. The air is cooler, especially in the mornings, and I'm dealing the "it's barely above freezing when I leave the house and almost summer weather in the afternoon; what do I wear" conundrum. 

Earlier today I was working at my desk and noticed that it had suddenly become very noisy outside. I looked out the window to discover a wild windstorm had sprung up. The noise was the wind, the trees, and the dry leaves being spun about everywhere. It was wild and wonderful.

I started to prepare the garden for winter, which really means pulling up and cutting down plants that are pretty much dead. I left some that are still flowering and doing pretty well despite some frosty nights. The petunias especially have surprised me this year; they not only grew taller than usual, but they're hanging despite the cold.

That is where the mystery came in. As I was dealing with some plants, I noticed other plants had recently started growing. in one area of the spider flower (Cleome) pot, there were little green shoots. I don't know what they are or where they came from or why they started now. Then I was removing the dead leaves from the balloon plant (side note: their leaves turn colours in the fall, and I did not know that, so it was an unexpected pleasure; also, they're perennials, which I also did not know), I found a small green clump in the middle of the plant. Finally, as I was dealing with some of the unknown flowers, bought because they were pretty, I found something that looks like grass growing beside them, tangled a bit with their branches. I untangled it gently as I removed the dying plants.

So three bits of green growth where I did not expect it. Except the balloon flowers, I'm not entirely sure what's growing. It's my fall mystery!

Happy Thanksgiving

 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalm 103:1-5

September

September was my month of hospitality. After mostly neglecting it in the first part of the year and using summer as an excuse for rarely having people over, I was convicted in summer that I've been lacking in the "love one another" that comes from hospitality, so I started inviting people over.

I had 4 families over for supper and one for lunch (although they brought lunch). We didn't have anything fancy: I either served one of my variations on chicken casserole (with tater tots, or potatoes, or pasta!), or taco rice bowls for the family with food allergies. It was fun to have people over, get to know them more, and build relationships. I have a few other families coming over in the next couple months as well.

I was also out more in September. We had our staff meeting, complete with the pot luck lunch; our kick-off, complete with tacos-in-a-bag, and our first support group, followed by the Edmonton area PGP group meeting, complete with lemon and blueberry tarts. There was also the Women's ministry kick-off, complete with a pot luck brunch.

Basically, September was about food!

As the weather started to cool off, work started to pick up. I was checking program plans, getting after people to get their program plans done, and booking meetings. History class also started, with my group of 5 wonderful and strange students meeting in my living room. They're a talkative bunch and the challenge will be to get everything taught each week!

And so starts the new year of classes, meetings, and fellowship.

Sunday School

The third Sunday in September has been the start of Sunday School for several years now. Before then it fluctuated a bit; sometimes it was the second week; other times, when we were renting space, it had to be put off a couple weeks so as not to interfere with special events the other church was having. For several years, now, it has been the third Sunday.

This past Sunday was the third Sunday in September and there was no Sunday School. The plan is to not have Sunday School until the third Sunday of next September.

The reasons are good: Renovations started on Monday, and we don't have access to the Sunday School rooms. They were all emptied out on Sunday, and the roof tiles were gone. If all goes according to plan, by next summer we should have a second floor, more Sunday School rooms, and enough room for all the children. Maybe we can have a junior high class again.

I knew this was coming. I agreed with the necessity. I was pleased with the break, especially over the summer which, for the first time in years, did not include planning for Sunday School. I like having a year off to prepare new curriculum, make sure policies are in place, and plan for new teachers, new classes, and proper teacher training.

I did not expect it to hit me so hard on Sunday. Not having Sunday School was hard. I love my kids and I love teaching them. I miss them.

It's only a year. It's a good thing to take a break. It will result in more space.

I am happy about the plan. I miss Sunday School.

What I'm Thankful For

Today I am thankful for:

• Flowers blooming in my garden.
• Getting to spend time cuddling, talking to, and loving on a baby this morning.
• History class starting next week.
• Good music to listen to.
• Good books to read.
• Being able to put off encumbrances and focus on the important things.
• Almost all of my families completing their program plans.
• Having friends over regularly this month, before things get too busy.
• Sound preaching every Sunday.
• Fairly good sleep lately.
• A new, and very good, blueberry muffin recipe.
• Blueberry season.
• God's faithfulness.
• Sunny days going into fall.
• Public libraries.

More Summer Reading

I am almost done the summer reading list! I have one more on hold at the library, and I just need to pick it up (it came in the day after I was at the library this week).

There aren't many to mention this time; I think I was close to finished last time I reported. 

I have read the first book in the DreamKeeper Saga: The Dragon and the Stone by Kathryn Butler. It was a good story, full of imagination, allusions to Christianity (I think it's intended to be an allegory, but not quite), and fun. I have just started the second book as well.

Not fiction, but I did look at two book in The Story of the Orchestra series: The Planets and Carnival of the Animals. They were fun, with buttons to push to hear parts of the symphony as you read a story (and I learned that if you stack the books and one is too heavy, it will also make the music play!). It's a good way to introduce classical music to kids and maybe adults as well.

Someone had recommended the Brave books, a whole series of picture books by different authors, including Kirk Cameron. I could only find a few at the library, but they're pretty good on the whole, although some of the stories are more engaging than others. They teach life lessons from a biblical viewpoint and include the Brave Challenge at the end of each book, with games and activities to reinforce the lessons. I'm considering them for the church library.

Not on my original list: 

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. A friend read it to her boys, cried a lot, and insisted that I read it as well! I cried a lot too, and loved it! It's beautifully written and wonderfully engaging.

I stumbled upon The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall. I enjoyed her Penderwick series, and this one (a stand-alone) was also fun. It has a neglected girl, a wonderful uncle, a young neighbour, a library, and some tiny creatures that usually can't be seen by anyone over the age of 6. My only problem was that she and the librarian justified the theft of a portrait; I don't really want children thinking that crime can be justified so easily.

I also started reading more the the Dear Canada series, just for fun. There are several newer ones that I don't know.

It's been a fun summer of light reading.

August

August is gone, although the summer weather is still here. After all, it's still 3 weeks until autumn. My flowers are blooming and my tomatoes are ripening. We're hoping for a week or two without rain so the farmers can get the hay in.

August was a nice, sleepy month, just as it should be. It was nearer to the end of the month before I began thinking about fall and look at work-related stuff; until then, it was quiet days.

I spent some time with friends. I went out for dinner to one family's house and had another family over to visit and went for sushi with other friends. We had a baby shower for my newest granddaughter. Not much else happened. 

I read a lot in August, continuing my quest to read as many children's books as possible. I'm still waiting for one from the library; I'm next in line!

Really, it was quiet. I started looking at building curriculum for next year. I enrolled enough children to hold history class this fall. I began looking at program plans and answering emails. I ordered a couple books for my professional growth plan and put others on my "for later" list at the library, but I haven't started reading them yet.

It's September now, so it's time to get going. There is church history curriculum to review and prep, program plans to approve, meetings emails to set up, meetings to book, and all the things that come with fall.

Summer was good, and I feel better now. I've been spending more time in prayer and Bible reading/study, and I'm starting to memorize Scripture again. I'm very thankful for the rest, and I'm ready for the new year.