Four Somethings

My post today is linked up with Heather Gerwing and friends for Share Four Somethings. This is my first #sharefoursomethings post, so, for me, this will be my Summer Four Somethings!

Something Loved

I've been in our pool A LOT this summer and love it!  While I'm swimming, floating, or cleaning leaves out of the pool, I've loved listening to podcasts!  I have a sort of eclectic library, ranging from essential oils to spirituality to comedy.    If you haven't listened to podcasts, they are a great source of information, wisdom and entertainment. Here are a few of my favorites. (they can all be found on your favorite podcast platform - Apple, Google, Sound Cloud, Spotify, iTunes etc.)

This Is Jen by Jen Fulwiler.  I first became familiar with Jen while listening to The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM.  She's a hoot to listen to!  Jen is a standup comic and author. She's my first go-to when I start a session.

 Catholic Bytes This podcast is short and to the point.  A great opportunity to learn more about your faith and grow in your relationship with the Lord.  A variety of themes include liturgy, saints, Church history, Scripture.

Essential Oil Solutions from doTerra Essential Oils.  A great source of education about essential oils. 

God Splaining is another faith-based podcast merging Church tradition with present-day issues.  From the Dominican Friars.

Live Inspired  from John O'Leary.  Challenges me to live my best life.  

The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman.  Life is hard, decisions can be hard.  Here are some tips on how to navigate through. 

SomethingRead

I seem to always have a pile of books and am in the middle of reading ALL of them!  I did complete one book, Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown and Volume 1 of a 4 volume set.  This is a great story of four strangers who embark together on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual formation.  

Something Treasured

I had several opportunities this summer to be with family, and I treasured every moment!  From high school graduation.....visiting my daughter and grand children in Idaho.....visiting parents and children in Nebraska....hosting a family gathering while my sister-in-law and family were here from Michigan....not to mention TWO new great-grandsons born this summer!  

Something Ahead

I'm once again teaching music at Martin Grade School!  I'm officially a "long-term sub" and only teach 2 days a week.  Of course, I love teaching music, and the opportunity to do it again is an exciting one for me!  It's been great seeing the kids again!  Not sure how long this will be, but I'm going to enjoy every second of it!  

The Gerber Daisy

    My Gerber Daisy is beautiful this summer. Right now it has three lovely blooms in the foliage is dark green plentiful and healthy. It hasn’t always been that way. 

    I had this plant last summer as well. It was nothing extraordinary.  There weren’t many blossoms but it was still alive.  When wintertime came, I brought my daisy inside and even though it looked pretty bedraggled, I nourished it with water and sunshine from the window.

    When spring arrived, my plants that had wintered inside were excitedly brought outside to enjoy the warm rays of the sun.  In our area, frosts can be frequent up until early summer, so I kept an eye on the forecast, dutifully bringing my plants inside  when it looked like frost was possible.  

    And then it happened.  For whatever reason, I didn’t get all of my plants inside and the frost came one night.  The Gerber Daisy was one that was left outside.  In the morning, it’s broad leaves turned dark green and wilted, I knew it had frosted.  I was saddened that one of my favorite plants had apparently succumbed to the cold temps.  

    Instead of throwing it away, however, I removed the dead foliage and continued to give it water and sunshine, just in case there was life left in those roots.  Time passed, and sure enough, leaves began to sprout, and before I knew it, the plant was MUCH healthier than it had ever been!  Now there are blossoms, amid the green leaves, which are abundant and healthy green. 

The plant has never been so beautiful.  Just a couple of months ago, I thought it had probably died, yet, here we are today, flourishing and beautiful.  I didn't expect this plant to become so beautiful!  Think what would have been missed had I not continued to nourish it, despite it's seemingly bleak future.

    Isn’t it this way as well in our own lives?  We become lost, our spirits are all but dead.  What good could even come from that?  No joy, no tangible contribution to others.  What hope is there?

    There is ALWAYS hope.  We have a loving God who created us from His great LOVE.  He is our Hope.  In Him alone will we find Life.  We are already good enough!  We are already loved!  Given the chance each one of us can be whole, healthy, and blossom like the daisy.  Look to God - not the chaos, the hurt, the ugliness of this world.  

    We are REDEEMED!  God's grace and bountiful life is a free gift - we only need to reach out and accept it.

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Remember not the former things,

    nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I am doing a new thing;

    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

    and rivers in the desert.

Ephesians 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. 

 

 

September 14 - An Important Day!

In music classes we have been talking a lot about the Star-Spangled Banner  as well as other patriotic songs as we begin this year.   
 September 14 is the 204th  anniversary of Francis Scott Key writing of the poem, "In Defense of Ft. McHenry" which later became known to us as our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner.  

Mary Pickersgill was known as one of the top flag makers in Baltimore.  Major George Armistead wanted something flying over the garrison guarding Baltimore's waterfront that would be seen by the British, even from a distance.  Mary was commissioned to make the flag...30 by 42 feet....it required 300 yards of wool, and had 2-foot wide stripes as well as 15 stripes and stars.  She had to work on the flag in a nearby brewry as her own home wasn't even large enough.  Taking 6 weeks to sew with the help of about 5 other women, Mary Pickersgillcompleted the flag and was paid $405.90 for her work.  The main flag weighed about 50 pounds (23 kg), and it took 11 men to raise it onto a 90-foot (27-meter) flagpole.  There was also a smaller storm version that flew during the battle, costing $168.54. 

In addition to reviewing proper etiquette while singing the Star-Spangled Banner, students have done a variety of activities to reinforce the lyrics as well as the pattern of colors in our flag for the younger students.  We are all very proud to be citizens of our country!