HAVE YOU SEEN MY HUSBAND?

Dustin went to the hospital around noon today. I have not seen or heard from him since. I have called his cell phone. (If he is in the hospital this is a mute point). I talked to his best friend, who apparently has left him about three voice mails this evening.
I went to church and assumed he would be home when I got here. I got home at about 9:30. Talked to my M-I-L, talked to Dustin's friend E, Called Dustin's cell again and texted him. No word. So, if someone sees my cute blond haired, blue eyed, husband-send him home. He's dressed in maroon scrubs, tennis shoes, and he just got a new haircut, which is very cute. Tell him his wife misses him and the dogs do too. The cat doesn't because she's laying on his side of the bed.
Good night all

Antibiotics! I'm still sick! No Confirmation!

So, I'm on day three of antibiotics! I'm feeling better today, but still struggling with the sinus headache. It is a full blown sinus infection and on Monday it was hurting so bad that I couldn't go for my ride alongs. (Truth be told, I was so sick that Dustin wouldn't let me go) Dustin sent me to the walk-in clinic instead. The part that stinks--the ambulance had 8 calls that day, I would have been done with all my ride alongs. Blast! I know I was absolutely in no condition to be there, but I could have been done!
I can barely talk, so I canceled confirmation today. I have a worship service yet to lead today and I decided that was the priority and with the headache, 10 jr high kids was not going to go well.
We're going to get our stuff done for confirmation before the end of the year, so I think we'll be fine. Good news about EMT class too. Last night we had our medical exam and I got an 87%. That's really good. To pass the class you need an 80%. I'm really holding steady. My quizzes haven't been great, but the test and my last quiz were good. I think I would have done better if I hadn't been so sick the day before and the day of, but I was impressed that I could drag myself to class last night anyway.
I need to do some things for church yet tonight. So, I'll sign off. for now.

I'm sick, I'm tired, I got a patient contact!

I have a sinus cold, which is making my head feel like it is full of all sorts of cotton. I'm tired, because the dogs kept waking up and barking at stuff. (for two hours they did this every 20 minutes, just enough time for me to fall asleep again). This morning I got up and came to the ambulance. As part of my EMT class, I am required to ride along with the ambulance and I need to have contact with 5 patients. As of 5 PM tonight, I will have spent 20 hours at the ambulance and I will have had one patient contact. But, this is one more contact than I had before, so I won't complain. I'm trying to get patient assessments down, it's tough, but I will get there. I will be testing for my National Registry Exam in March. So, less than a month away and I will have to be ready.
I have had some much needed time to work on my sermon for Sunday. I should have that finished by the end of the evening. Dustin will stay in town for awhile, he might stay over for clinical contacts for his paramedic. So, I can get the house cleaned up and the laundry put away.
So, that is my day. Have a good one all.

It's been too long!

Greetings one and all. I am killing a couple minutes before I have to go out into the cold and drive to my round robin church tonight. For Lent, colleagues and I take turns at each others churches. Our parishioners stay put, we move. I am going to a country church tonight.
Last week we had church canceled. Which contributed greatly to my mental health last week. This week I am much more prepared and able to handle worship.
Dustin was going to meet me, but instead he is going to church with his mom. His dad has a meeting tonight, so he is going to church with her. She didn't ask, but she hinted and she will appreciate it a great deal.
I have my sermon done, bulletins for my own church handled. Hymns picked out for the next three Sundays, (thanks to my wonderful church organist husband) Dustin did not want to see me have my 4th breakdown in two weeks, so to help he offered to pick music. I love that man! I love him anyway, but greatly appreciate him when I get that kind of help. It is not easy being a pastor's husband. He at least new the politics of churches because he had worked on a church staff. But the truth is...no one really knows what to do with a pastor's husband, so in many ways, he just gets to do what he wants...but sometimes there are expectations that we could never imagine because we don't know what they are.
Example: People think he will drive me to church for things...Um, I have a car...I have a license (I've had it since I was 15) and I can drive. No, I'll get myself to church on time.
Yes, he sometimes drives me, but more often than not, on a Sunday morning we have both vehicles at the church. I lead two services at two different churches, he doesn't want to go twice. I don't blame him, I don't like to listen to me twice either, but I'm use to it.
My sermon tonight is pretty good. I think. Our series is questions in teh book of John.
My question is "What are you looking for?" from John 1. It should be fun. I actually preach more on the disciples question, "Where are you staying?" and show how that question being answered with come and see, answers the question, "What are you looking for?" The disciples didn't know what they were looking for until Jesus invited them.
So, My answer to the question...What are you looking for? Becomes..."A place to stay." For that is what they find. We all find a place to stay in Christ. Forgiveness, Wholeness, Healing...We stay here. We also find that Christ stays where those who need him are...
So, I think it might work out okay.
Good night. I need to start my car and get ready to go.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I never have really put a lot of time or thought into Valentine's day. The last time I went all out was in elementary school when we made boxes for the valentine's we handed out to each other. I always have thought of the day as a time to spend with friends, usually single friends, and enjoying a nice dinner. I also use to buy myself a new wine goblet and a good bottle of wine each year.
The last three years, I haven't known what to do. I'm not single, so I feel this pressure in the day that I never noticed before. I really don't care about the day, so I never make a big deal out of it. Shouldn't we value the people we love every day. Friends, Family, the special people in our lives. Why is this day so special?
Tonight I have EMT class, so we aren't doing anything, but I don't really think we would have. We did find a sale on crab legs at our local market, so I think I'll buy those tonight after class and we'll have them tomorrow night.
To everyone who has a real fondness for Valentine's day. Have a wonderful day. Remind those you love that you love them. All year, not just today.

Trauma, Taxes, A Blizzard, and Time to Myself!

So, I haven't posted for awhile. I could not handle doing one more thing recently and tonight I have time, a bit of motivation, and a bit of relaxation.
We are in the midst of a blizzard, so our church and about every church in the state canceled Lenten services. Now, I like Lent, but I wasn't particularly disappointed to cancel tonight. You see, I have been under quite a bit of stress and wondering how I was going to get my Lent stuff done. I didn't have the bulletin done or a sermon written. Now, this would not have been a huge deal, except...we had out tax appointment today! (Someone remind me next year to remind them that I can't go to these things on Wednesdays, Wednesday's in Lent are particularly bad.
I have been working on getting our tax stuff and farm accounting done for the last week like a made woman. The last week, I am sure I have worked on the books for about 20 hours. Now, in addition to a full-time job, this has been daunting.
I also had a Trauma exam in my EMT class. By the way, I got an 88%. This is a very good grade for this particular exam. I am feeling quite proud of myself. I studied my butt off on Monday.
Monday I did ride-alongs at the ambulance. (For my EMT-B I need 5 patient contacts) Unfortunately I sat there 10 hours and there wasn't one call. (Blast!)
With all this going on, I have been feeling very overwhelmed, very emotional and very tired.
When church was called off tonight it was the first time I could breath in weeks.
We didn't have worship tonight, but I was given the gift of sabbath. Real rest and time to take care of myself. I'll be honest I did a lot of nothing. I talked to friends on the phone, watched TV, read, and spent time being nice to myself. I have been wearing my flannel pants since 2:00 this afternoon. It has been delightful.
So, our tax appointment, that I have been stressed over for the last two weeks, went really well. I have three records I still need and then it should be done. It went great. I had some things a little unorganized, but I had everything I needed except for the three things I mentioned and I can get them all yet this week. Whoohoo. This appointment being done relieved my stress level almost immediately. I still want someone else to keep the books. Ugh.
So, tonight has been pure bliss. I wish Sabbath for everyone. Time to really rest and say, "This is good. I am a child of God and I deserve to be renewed and recharged."
Good night all.

Going down in flames! Literally.

The day has not gone well. Last night I was up working on "the books." I was up early to bring some stuff to town for Dustin. Our pickup was having an oil change. Dustin took my 4Runner and I was going to drive my Grand Prix for the day. The grand prix is my old car that I was going to sell. It hadn't been run for about a week, but the weather had been warm, I figured I'd have to let it warm up awhile, but it would run.
Instead...It warmed up...A lot.
I turned the key to start it. A loud backfire noise came from under the hood. I didn't think anything of it, just thought it was really cold and not going to run. I tried again, nothing happened. I came in the house to call Dustin and tell him I couldn't get the car started. I came in, as I was calling him, I looked out the window and saw smoke coming from under the hood.
By the time the rural fire department got here I had wasted two fire extinguishers (they did nothing) and...well, the entire front of the car was destroyed, engulfed in flames. I'm serious! My car started on fire and the entire front is a melted mess.
I must extend my thanks to the rural fire department who put the fire out.
We have no idea what caused the fire. It was likely electrical from the battery.
Did I mention that this is how the day STARTED!
It could only get better from there, but my day was tarnished. I went to town for lunch with Dustin and the ambulance crew. I stayed in town and studied with my classmate L. I studied for my quiz...went to class...failed my quiz. (not good)
I now am up late again tonight...Trying to figure out everything for tomorrow. (I have a crazy full day.)
Dustin is in town for the night, so just me and the puppies.
Tomorrow will be a better day. It has to be.

Friday night of home projects and ribs!

Today has been crazy, nothing went as planned, but that's life. I was going to start the day by going to the office and kicking off early, but I didn't get there. We decided to move cows this morning, so off we went to play with the cows. It went fairly well, we moved them for our neighbors to my in-laws in two trips. It went way better than expected. Although, amusingly, we had one get away and she is still out somewhere (we can't find her). Now you would think we'd be worried, but truth, we are pretty sure she went to the summer pasture and if she gets hungry we think she'll come back to the neighbors. Either way, when she made a break for it, she looked all sorts of mad and no one was going to stop her. There is a look a cow gets in her eye when she decides that you are not going to get in her way, when she gets that crazed look...Just let her go. Now, I was nowhere near the cow when she made a break for it, so I did not have to make that decision. I did see that she was Mad.
I have to say I have come a long way since I joined the family in working cows. I never grew up with them, so I had no idea what I was doing. Wait, I still don't know what I'm doing. I was terrified. Not quite so terrified anymore. But I have gotten better. I only get yelled at every other time we have to work the cattle. Even when I get yelled at, it's usually everyone yelling because things aren't going well.
Back to my day. So, after cows it was the afternoon. I made some phone calls then went to the office. Ran off my bulletin, church calendar and other various things. (Now some of you may think the church secretary should do these things. I don't have one. I'm am a country, country preacher, I guess, so I do all my own secretarial.) The secretarial work sucks. Can I say that?
On an aside about the secretarial work. this year someone asked why we don't have a newsletter and why we don't mail out the church calendar. My response was, "Who is going to get it together and mail it?" The look I received was obvious (You, Pastor) Even though it was not voiced. I asked for a volunteer to help with that project if it was desired...Crickets...even the person that asked didn't volunteer (shocking). People do not realize that if I don't get as many visits done in a day as they would like, if my sermons aren't there, if I don't get some things done, they should directly trace it back to the 10-15 hours / week that it takes to do the office stuff, even on an easy week, it takes at least a full day. I'm just pointing this out. No one cares and I will continue to do my own office work.
Wow, I really went off the track there. I went to the office, got the bulletin, church calendar, insert, monthly report and a couple other things for Sunday ready to go. I had a volunteer for some of the stuff this week and so I had my photocopying reduced this week. People ran off two of the things that had to go out this week. YAY. I would have had help putting the stuff together except the person who was willing to help me could only do it on Monday. (My day off) and she was gone until today. Oh well.
Now, I am sitting in my basement keeping Dustin company as he replumbs our washer and dryer (we relocated them) I'm typing and the cat is keeping me company on the work bench. And for supper, we had ribs. Yum. I ordered them from our local bar (and grill) and picked them up and headed for home. Our local bar makes the best ribs, so it was quite the treat. So, that is why ribs got such a prominent place in my title for this evening. Also in honor of the cow that jumped the fence because she will be sold and eventually, she too will be hamburger.
Carol Aimee, if you read this, please call. I've left messages and I want to know how the move went. (You moved! That may be why I haven't heard from you, they packed you and haven't gotten to that box yet!)
Oh, one more bit of news. I won the t-shirt give away from ~moe~ cool. Thank you very much.