Welcome To Year 34

Yes, the title refers to my age. Now if I was like my mother, I would never reveal my age to anyone, let alone on a blog for all the world to see. But I realized today that much of life comes down to my attitude. I started the day off with a pretty good one. Got the kids up, was blessed by their hugs and kisses, “happy birthdays” and poster pictures they created for me. What a great start to the day. I sent them off to school (we were actually on time for once :) and then came home to a ringing phone and the pleasant surprise of my parents voices on the other end. We talked for almost an hour and I was refreshed, as I always am when I’ve been able to talk with them and hear their voices. But then my attitude started to go down hill from there. I started to work on something I should have finished weeks ago, but because of my bad habit of procrastination, had left until the left minute and now it was crunch time.

I just got into the swing of things when Josiah arrived home from school and I had to step back from my project to make him a snack and spend time teaching him math and phonics. I was able to push aside the nagging feeling about all the things I had to do, and focused on teaching for the next hour and a half. It went well and I would call it a productive and enjoyable time together! I walked him back to school and then returned home and sat down determined to finish my project. But all too soon the time came for me to leave it so that I could go and pick up Josiah and Keyana from school. Why today I had decided Keyana could have friends over, I don’t know but I had promised and so I came home with two extra little persons. Then another one showed up unannounced and just walked right on in when I opened up the door. Oh well, what’s another one?

I cooked lunch, got them all fed, then turned them loose to play and tried to get back to the project I needed to finish. But I forgot that I had promised Josiah some computer time as a reward for doing so well in our teaching time together. That meant I couldn’t use the computer I was presently working on, so I changed projects and decided that now would be a good time to finish up Joyful Praise for this week. Besides, it had to be uploaded today in order for it to be aired on CIAM tonight, Alberta time. I started to work on it but was interrupted by numerous problems and numerous needs. As I was outside, trying to help deal with a situation involving the kids, our neighbor, Maryanne, asked how I was doing and I answered, “I’m feeling stressed.” I went on to say that I had two projects that had to get accomplished today and that having extra kids over to play wasn’t helping. I told her that it was my birthday and that Anthony was off doing a workshop and wouldn’t be home until tomorrow, that I still had to take Keyana to see the Dr. about her tick bite and then we were trying to get to the restaurant for supper since I didn’t feel like cooking for myself on my birthday. She was very kind and sympathetic and asked if they could join us for supper to help me celebrate. I told her that would be wonderful.

I tried to return to my work on Joyful praise and managed to accomplish a bit before the person who was suppose to pick up one of Keyana’s friends, came an hour late and I was starting to feel the pressure and panic of two project deadlines with little hope of getting either of them finished the way things were going. So I plugged in a movie for Josiah and Keyana, (something I don’t like to do often but I was beginning to feel desperate) and returned to making Joyful praise. It was coming along well when up popped a box saying “Adobe error” and I lost everything I had put together in my session. I was reduced to tears and tried to recover it but was not successful.

At this point my attitude was at it’s lowest and I was feeling sorry for myself and listening to the negative, sarcastic voice in my head that said, “this is some birthday, eh?” I realized that the best thing for me to do at that moment, was to walk away from the computer and try again later. So, I closed it up, turned off the TV, got the kids ready and said, “let go see the Dr. about Keyana’s tick bite.” As we were going out the door, 2 fellow MCCers arrived, I had forgot they were coming, they asked about my day and I replied that it wasn’t going well. They were caring in their response and asked if I was on my way somewhere. I told them we needed to see the Dr. and they offered to give us a lift. I called the Dr. to see if it was still okay to come his way, but after talking on the phone, he answered my questions and we decided it wasn’t necessary for us to see him unless things worsened. So at this point we are continuing with the course of antibiotics and will keep an eye on the site for any further change. Then Anthony called to say his workshop was done and to ask if he should come home. I told him I would like it if he did and that my birthday had not been going well. I then informed our colleagues that they didn’t need to give me a lift to see the Dr. and that we could proceed to the restaurant instead. So we did and there began the beginning of a better birthday! We relaxed and visited and then another couple from the school arrived, they had heard there was a birthday party happening (they brought me chocolate chip cookies:) and our neighbors showed up, not to long after them. Then Anthony arrived to join the wonderful time of fellowship already started and which continued throughout our meal together. To my surprise, Maryanne produced a chocolate cake, iced and decorated with “Happy Birthday Karlene.” They sang and all the stress slid away and gone was my bad attitude that had dis-colored much of my day. It was a good feeling and I thanked God at that moment for the blessings of another year, for the blessings of this past year, for my precious family and for precious friends and then I asked Him to forgive me for my negative, down in the dumps attitude.

So really, in the end, what’s another year since it all comes down to attitude anyways? Welcome year number 34…I look forward in anticipation to what you have in store! ~Karlene