Currently Reading Atonement Child By Francine Rivers see related

Okay, I know, I know, I have dropped off the face of the earth.  But I assure you it hasn't been intentional.  I have had a lot of time off, so I decided to try to help my mumsy clean and organize the old house a bit.  The home where I dwelled from 5th grade on can only be described as a beast.  It's a two story house with six bedrooms and two bathrooms, that was built the same year Oklahoma became a state. And yes, if you guessed 1907, you would be correct. 

After my mom quit smoking, she started collecting what can only be described as the most random decorations (with a few exceptions), as well as cutesy type knickknacks, to put it in yiddish, tsatske (chachski).  Then after my stepfather stopped drinking, he got into the world of building model airplanes, cars, entire villages, bead work, leather work, and I could go on for a while.  So between to two of them, and all of that stuff, the house has become quite disheveled.  So giving them a week and a half of my time, I got one room together, you know: painting the ceiling, walls, and trim, I hung pictures and decorations, moved and set up the funiture, and tidied up a bit.  But tomorrow it's back to Idabel to work again. 

PAST EVENTS:

NEW YORK TRIP-awesome

NOMAN VISIT-good time with friends, Gerber wedding, dinner with the Harveys", Trinity, hearing all about the WH team's summer!  This was a great weekend! 

See you didn't miss much!

Well, sorry to end so quickly...but I must be going!

Dana K.

I would love to have comments again!  I miss my fellow xangaers!

Currently Reading He Speaks to Me : Preparing to Hear the Voice of God By Priscilla Shirer see related

Well 4th of July weekend was great!  I went to Dallas and got to visit with my dad.  It was good, and I think that we came to a deeper understanding of each other.  And then I went to visit Christina.  We had a blast!  We laughed until the cows came home, prayed together, went to a movie, and Medieval Times.  Yes my second time this summer.  I love that place, and it was an awesome experience for Christina.  I think our serf was flirting with me because he gave me an extra piece of bread.  And then the red night gave me a carnation.  I know!  What a night!  Anyway, the next day it was back to d-town (Durant) to celebrate the 4th with the fam. 

Crazy days are coming and going no doubt!  Well, our summer program said goodbye to our juniors last week.  This coming week we will bring our sophmores on for a week of seminars and career field trips.  And originally we were going to take them to New Orleans for their second week, but our contact there change the plans on us at the last minute.  So we may end up taking another group of students in October over fall break to work.  Now the second week will be a time of college tours, which I am super pumped about, because we will get to visit OU and I can tell the students about all of the ins and outs of my alma mater.  Yeah!  Also, our bridge students and seniors go home at the end of this next week.  And Ronnica is coming to visit.  But unfortunately there will not be enough time to visit I-town, but she will get to be at work with me all day.  And she will get to go to the farewell dance.  That should be fun.

All and all this summer has been awesome.  The Lord has provided in some amazing ways.  And I have had great opportunity to invest in my family.  What a summer!

Peace friends!

Dana K.

Oh and comments are welcome peeps!

Currently Listening Hopes and Fears By Keane see related

Hazards of the trade...

There are things that happen to a person just because of their jobs.  For instance, I'm sure every now and again a fireman gets burned, a dog catcher gets bit, a doctor gets sick, and a icecream scooper puts on a few pounds.  Well it's the same with my job.

In my job one of the hazards include, dealing with teenage attitude, which includes a wide array of things.  Just a few weeks ago a former student who wasn't supposed to be here came up probably just to start trouble.  Who knows really?  But I went to him and explained very kindly that he wasn't supposed to be visiting.  And he gets this attitude going, gets in the car he was leaning on, slams the door, peels away, all simultaneously while giving me and the other staff the bird.  Yes some of the kids are too gifted for their own good.  Normally I could care less if that happens, you know your just driving down the road and you may not be going as fast as someone else thinks you should, or you honk at someone maybe just as a nudge to tell them the light is green.  But in this instance it really hacked me off, and I yelled "oh yeah, you're real mature!"  It's doubtful if he heard me, but it did make me feel better.

See, I don't even know that kid.  I had nothing to do with him getting kicked out.  And to top it off, when I asked him to leave I was very civil about it.  Anyway, that is one of the hazards of my job.

But there are good hazards too.  I just found out that I will get to be one of the staff sponsors on the trip to NYC.  That will be awesome!  One of the things we will get to see is Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.  Yeah!  I haven't been there is 1999, so it will be interesting to see how things have change. 

As for what the Lord is teaching me, is how do I overcome my flesh.  It's an uphill battle these days, and I think the main difference is that there aren't a lot of people around me on a daily basis that will call me out on the things I do wrong.  Although I have learned that when I start speculating about this and that, that really has nothing to do with me.  It seems to always help when the Holy Spirit reminds me, Dana that is none of your business.  Actually a good friend of mine said that to me not too long ago, and I don't think I will ever forget it.  JoJo if you're reading this, thanks, it has really stuck with me!

Currently Listening Second Circle By Enter the Worship Circle see related

DALLAS

This post is not about the show that was and is still such a hit, that is now claiming the likes of international audiences.  Oh no, but this post is about a well-placed city in Texas that inspired such a show.  Yes, you guessed it, this post is about our orientation weekend in Dallas.

Firstly, we got the students here is in Durant.  All of them moved into the dorms, and we spent the night.  Then we headed out for Dallas bright and early.  Our first stop was either Six Flags or Hurricane Harbor (a six flags water park formerly known as wet n' wild).  Predetermined by our bosses I was to go to Hurricane Harbor.  It was amazing! 

I got a group of a few students, and a few of our part-time summer staff together, and we had a blast.  I will just  name a few rides we rode; the black hole, the texas tornado, and the carribean chaos (this was great because one of summer staff is from the carribean, and I think if he ever decides to become a professional wrestler that he could use that name for a very lucrative career). 

We also frequented the lazy river for our ventures about the park, and fought five-year-olds on their floaties, as they pummeled us in the wave pool.  Lesson: Never underestimated the power of an unsupervised five-year-old on an otherwise helpful device used for floatation, while in a wave-maker pool.  So after nearly drowning I saw that we all got a little toasty after that because some genius gave us the sunscreen that wasn't waterproof, yes, the people going to the waterpark.  Okay, now when I say that really I don't know who it was...I mean that could have been my responsibility for all I know,  but the point is we were all looking a bit red.

We went to the hotel, cleaned up and headed out to Medieval Times for some dinner and a show.  It was awesome!  It was my second time to go, which the first time I went was in High School, but I hardly remember it except for the Blue Knight going down for the count in the very first duel.  And yes we were in the Blue section.  But this time I was in the Red section...ha, and then the battle at the end was against red and blue and guess who won...Okay I know you know, because you know me, yes you are right is was the blue knight.  But it was an awesome time, and one of my students celebrated it by having me sign for him to purchase a sword.  Which of course people thought I bought it, since I was carrying or wielding it around.

Then we had a Book study and I played the guitar for people to sing songs to Father.  It was awesome.  There were some new and old faces there, and overall we had a great time.  I will also be doing the music for our weekly Book study this summer, which is really cool.  It is amazing how Father has given me so many opportunities with music the past couple of years, and really He helped me to learn some of the guitar stuff at a very rapid speed.  Sure, I'm no Jimmy Hendrix, but I can spin out a song here and there.  Anyway, it's has been a great summer so far!

I miss my peeps!

Much love friends,

Dana K.

Currently Listening A Diamond in the Rough: The Jennifer Knapp Collection By Jennifer Knapp see related

A slight reflection...

Well this past week I was at orientation week in Kansas.  I won't go into a lot of detail of course, just because it is not beneficial to some to post details about last week.   Anyway, on with it. 

Even though I won't be going anywhere this year...(which is a bummer at times) I am learning to be content with my place in His plan this summer. Father just continues to amaze me with the truths that come out during this week in my life!  Father is no doubt, so faithful!  I really learned a lot about myself...which was really good.  Things like misconceptions I had of Father as I shared the gsp.  And I have definitely come away with a heightened awareness of those around me, and that life without hope is miserable, plain and simple.  Furthermore, that inspite of how good these people without JC try to make it look, that it's only a facade.  Sure it's well conceived, it's riddled with shards of truth, and is actually believable at times...but it won't last because it does not have any kind of eternal longevity. 

Also, Father affirmed me in many ways this week.  I feel there are things in my life He has given me to use for the benefit of others.  How to use these things in Idabel still escapes me, but I will keep on persevering.  I always do.  But during this summer I will be in Durant working, so maybe He will show me how to use them here?  Maybe?

Also I love the teams this year!  I will be lifting them up like crazy...will you join me?

Well I better go!

Persevere friends,

Dana K.