Life at the Moment

I generally don't like to write on my blog about my life, except when I am writing what God is teaching me. I really don't have time to read blogs about what people did today or what they ate for dinner, unless it is really funny or a recipe worth sharing! I guess I just don't get the "online journal" thing... my journal is not stuff anyone else needs to read! But I know that most people who read my blog know me personally, and so today I want to mention some things going on in my life so you can pray for me and my family. It may end up like the Christmas family letter that I never got around to writing...

I have some writing projects in the works, and I am being told to publish, but the big question is where and who? There doesn't seem to be anyone who already publishes the kind of devotionals I naturally write. It has been suggested that I self-publish a devotional for martial artists, and that seems like a great idea, but it costs $$. Right now we need money coming in, there is none available to go out! I am also going to write my testimony. Please pray for me as I do that, it can be difficult emotionally.

Wesley is considering taking a teaching job next year. If he does he should still be able to keep his studio open, but also have a regular pay check and benefits. As we get older health insurance is getting to be a bigger deal. These last couple of years have not been good economically. Change is hard, even when it is a change for the better, so pray for us here too. And perhaps this would give us time to pursue some short term missions trips in the summers again.

Jacob graduates from High School June 1. College plans are coming together and I find myself wishing I could go back and do it all again, doing it right this time . Yesterday I discovered that I had been looking at the estimated costs wrong for the last 6 months... I thought it was /semester, but it was /year. That means he has half the expense I thought he had! His scholarship will cover all university costs, and we hope and pray that grants will cover travel and misc expenses so he will not have to work at all. He will need to spend a lot of time studying to keep his grades up to keep his scholarship.

Hannah is looking at college options and scholarships. She is planning to take some college classes at Jeff State this summer. At this point she could end up anywhere from Oregon to Montevallo for college. She still has a year to decide.

Sarah is dancing and playing harp, headed to Ohio for Scottish Harp Camp (on a scholarship). Next year is High School for her, so we are evaluating what outside classes she and Hannah should take next year.

Emily is still shorter than me; the only one left who is. She is playing the flute and coming to my karate class, planting roses in our yard, and helping me in the vegetable garden we are starting this year. She will be in 5th grade next year.

Between husband, 4 kids, school, karate teaching and training, money management, meals, house, garden, writing, and church, I am beginning to feel pulled in a zillion different directions, and I am sure that I am losing some pieces of some things along the way. Planning graduation, planning college, planning high school, planning karate class, karate testing, meals, cleaning, gardening; the list of tasks is endless and I will never actually finish everything on it; the names will change, but the list will stay the same length. All these things are things to do, but in the midst of them all I think that who I am and the relationships I am building are what will last long after the thing gets done. It is easy to focus on what is urgent at the moment and lose sight of what is most important. And so I must keep my focus on God and who He is, who He wants me to be, and the people I am with.