It’s a new school year and a new way of life here in my world at Spokalulu. SnakeMaster is a freshman in high school and Humorous-Juniorous is about to leave for his freshman year of college; Encyclopedia Blue is back at college for year 4 of 5 (or more… it’s hard to tell), and MusicMan and Rapunzel are enjoying a new phase of married life without the burden of college courses. It is hard to believe that in just a few weeks, H-J will be off to college and we’ll be at a 2:1 ratio of parents to kids for the first time in 22 years.- Just for fun, SuperDad and I looked at some vehicles with towing capacity before poking our heads in some glampers on Labor Day. Nothing moves very quickly here so there’s no need for excitement, but in our slow-as-molasses style, we are beginning the path toward a gentler-on-the-aging-body kind of camping. Give us a few years (like maybe when the child over on the right there graduates) but I will be the proud owner of a smallish camping trailer before I am too old to enjoy it!
- Working in a church office continues to be a good fit for me. I grew up hanging around church offices (my dad is a retired pastor) and was familiar with much of the goings-on before I took it on as a job. I enjoy making the weekly bulletin (which doubles as a newsletter) and the little bit of worship service planning that I get to do with other volunteers. There is much I need to learn before being proficient in planning a service (what is really a Call to Worship, etc.) and dealing with money/Quickbooks, etc., still makes me anxious (I do not want to mess that up!) but it is both challenging and fulfilling — and really, isn’t that what makes a job worth going to each day?
- There are several older people in our congregation whom I have come to love. I see them aging, slowing down — and in the case of one, visibly becoming frailer each week/month — and it makes me sad. It brings brings them closer to heaven but it brings me closer to grief. I tear up just thinking about losing them. When they die, part of my job will be assisting with the planning and carrying out of the memorial services. It is going to be difficult. Last month was the memorial service for a friend’s husband. He had a long-term disease that slowly took his independence away but the ending was a little unexpected. It was actually an honor to find the right picture to go on the cover of the bulletin for the memorial service and make it all look as nice as possible. I hope I can feel the same way when the sweet older man who tells me “anecdotes” passes from this life to the next. His dear wife died 17 months ago and I think he is slowly dying from heartbreak, which in turn breaks my heart.
*****Okay, time for a tissue break…
Some of the photo note cards I make to sell, gift, and personally use
- I continue to stay busy with work, family, household responsibilities, and the weekly farmer’s market on Fridays. Lately I have been averaging about $40 in sales each week, which isn’t stellar by any stretch of the imagination but it isn’t bad, either. I am selling my photo notecards (cropped photos on cardstock, blank inside, stamped and signed on the back) and beaded items such as earrings, eyeglass leashes, lanyards, and suncatchers. Since I enjoy making all of these, it is a pretty decent way to spend 5 hours each Friday. (The market actually runs from 3-7pm but I have to factor in the set-up and take-down time.)
Currently for sale
I confess that my time spent on facebook probably needs an intervention. It is much too easy to park myself on the sofa in the evenings and get nothing of substance accomplished. Instead of doing many useful things that I would actually like to do (read a book, organize my crafting workspace, clean up my clutter that is strewn about the house in various places, decorate for fall, etc., etc.), I find myself engaging in the online equivalent of small-talk. Yes, it keeps me connected with people from all different parts of my life — and many of you that I know from blogging — but at the same time it has taken the place of reading blogs (which help me to form much deeper relationships). There are times when I have to agree with my husband that facebook is evil. (Not really.) (Yes, really.) It’s true that sometimes after work I am too tired to do anything more than having to produce a “like” but I suspect it is both a cop-out (facebook rarely requires one to THINK) and addiction to easy social media. I feel guilty when I miss wishing people a happy birthday or special events in their lives; however, it is quite likely time for me to take a little facebook “vacation” in order to get back to meaningful blogging.
That’s what I have to share today. What is happening in your world?
Spokalulu 
We are having a great road trip!
What’s going on here? Let’s see if I have five things.
1.Our oldest two are off at college, an event which always makes me say “Whew” for several reasons.
2. Our youngest is doing the back to school dance – already lost a textbook. And she is overwhelmed by having to read BBC news every night. I ache that she has to hear about the current world news.
3. Tomorrow my husband and I will be dealing with Elderly Relative #1 (again).
4. I also waste too much time on facebook.
5. Tonight, for the first time, I am going to be a chaperone for the marching band at a football game.
Facebook 🙂 I enjoy it, and certainly spend too much time on it. Truth –I removed my birthday from public view so that others wouldn’t be FB-reminded of my birthday, so I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about not catching everyone else’s birthday. I also easily “unfollow” people if they post things that raise my blood pressure. I like FB to be relaxing and fun, not guilt-inducing and stressful.
I’ve been thinking about making a sun catcher all summer, and haven’t done it. And a rewarding job is one of the best things life can offer (as you already know, since your prior job as SAHM was one you loved).
Now I know that you do to know what a”Call To Worship” is–Your husband used to be a really good “Call To Worshipper” at SAPC out here in Virginia. I was at those services and heard him speak. Are they different at your new church?
Cyndie, at SAPC we combined the Call to Worship with the Welcome; at our church here the CtW is printed in the bulletin (the Welcome and Announcements are done separately) and I am learning exactly what does or does not qualify as a CtW. Luckily there are resources to choose from that have examples we can use. And yes, SuperDad still does a good Welcome. He’s also a pretty good sermon-giver! 🙂
What a great update. Thanks for all the news.
Your art always gladdens my heart. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, I enjoy how you are living your life–a job you love, creative outlet for expression, pride in your children who all lead productive and interesting lives–and a possible GLAMPER in your future! And your church is awful lucky to have you, physically and emotionally supporting the congregants.
Nice to catch up on all the news. Those photo cards are GORGEOUS! I’ve always wanted to do that and have never taken the initiative to get the supplies, make the prints, etc. Have you considered selling them on your Etsy shop?
For many reasons, I wish we lived closer but selfishly so that I could bring you all my broken earrings and bead orphans and have you teach me to make something fabulous. 🙂
I have tried to believe FB is bad, but I get so much good stuff done and learn so many interesting things that I just can’t. I do believe I need to check less often and I did just that this weekend!
Jenn, I find it much too easy for me to open the tab on my computer and allow 90 minutes or more to pass by, just scrolling through and briefly commenting here and there. I miss the solidness of blogging but I can’t seem to get my brain to agree to work harder in the evenings after work.
I love this update! I think I would love working in a church office. I did quite a bit of volunteer work at my old church years back and I found it a mostly peaceful place to work. Even if co-workers sometimes got in the way of one another, everyone had good intentions and hearts. Love your creations! I rather like Facebook for the quick exchanges and updates with family and friends. Since I work at home behind my computer, I don’t leave the tab open, but rather pop in every now and then, like a trip down the hall to the coffee room if I worked in an office. When I feel like I’ve spent too much time there, I just go dark for a bit. But I find it mostly relaxing. I just go with that.