SUMMER BLAHS

We're now full into summer and things are happening and changing. Life seems to have its ups and downs and there are some definite "downs" for me as of late. These are personal "downs" but I have found throughout my life that it always helps to talk about it and, for me, to write about it - much of which I have in my personal journal - but it helps to do it in this format too. At some point in time, we all move into different seasons of life and so it has been for one of my best friends, Christy. I have known Christy for six years now, she teaches at the same school I do. Through that time, we have formed a special bond as friends, especially since we are both single and have a considerable amount of down time on our hands, at times. She has been the person I could go out and eat with or just get together and order a pizza or go shopping, or whatever. We could always do this because we had this commonality of being single and independent. Well, she and her boyfriend of one and a half months went to Las Vegas last weekend and got married! They did not tell anyone except their parents. This hit me really hard and has, as they say, "rocked my world." So it is that I am in a "down" time right now in my life. When things happen suddenly like this - especially major things - I do not take it well and really need a lot of prayer and time before things return to some normalcy in my life. So, I'm dealing with this as best I can as I continue through the activities and events of this summer.

DAYTONA TRIP - One of the bright spots coming up, however, is my annual trip to Daytona Beach for the "Music Explosion" Conference put on by Kempke's Music. It's a great time to "get out of Dodge" as it were and into a neat environment. Before I do that, I will be travelling to Florence, South Carolina for the second time this summer. My friend Sherry is having to go back up for more dental work. So, we'll head there for a couple of days then to Daytona. It should be fun.

FAITH UMC - Ministry continues through the summer there, although we currently have a lot of folks out for various reasons. We're continuing on as best we can. Vacation Bible School is coming up week after next. I will be doing music for all of the grade levels, and that should be fun. It's been a long time since I've done a VBS, so I'm looking forward to it! I am also in the midst of fall and Christmas musical planning, now, too - as is usual for me during the summer. I have one musical that I'm about 95% sure that we'll be doing, but I always like to wait until the conference is over before I make a final decision on that.

SCHOOL - I haven't heard anything from the middle school I teach at in terms of what I'll be doing next year, so my sense is that I will return and do what I have been doing. My school district has been in a major financial situation where they have had to cut some $43 million from the budget, which means, at leat, no raises for next year - but also cutting a lot of positions. They are saying that there will be more of that to come for the following school year too.

HOUSE - The house is mostly done, at this point except for a couple of things. I have been going through boxes and things in storage in the effort to get the house put back together. It's interesting and challenging to find homes for all the stuff we have! I'm hoping to have it mostly back in order by the end of summer.