PamelaVV

The Wedding People

Now we'll see what happens with bandwidth, especially once I e-mail this link to people...=|

Back to the world of air conditioning, where the people can wear shoes and socks all day long without anyone commenting on it. LOL! I'm back to the world of work, school, and home responsibilities. I'm glad to be back, but I'm also glad I went...I got to see a really cool wedding, meet some really cool people, and come to some really cool resolutions. I think I'm going to start a proactive method of limiting my LJ time (by scheduling more interaction with local people...if their schedules allow for it). At the same time, I'm going to have to look for edifying activities, so that could be a little difficult, but we shall see.

The wedding was fantastic. After my dad picks up a new USB card this afternoon, I should be able to download and upload pictures for everyone to see...out of the hundreds or so that my mom and I took. I tried to keep a daily journal while we were gone, but I might end up just going by pictures or saying very little since tomorrow is when I get back to work. Tonight is Children's Choir, where I will be playing music I have only seen once before. The place we stayed in Hawaii did not have a piano...I nearly went crazy. They did have several guitars, but I didn't borrow any of them because I'm really not that great on the guitar...and I don't love it the same way. Anyway, it is time for me to practice music tonight, but I did want to make the announcement that I'm back. I hope you all have stayed well. If any of you (besides Ruth) have announced pregnancies, engagements, or weddings in the past week and I don't comment on it, please let me know what's happening. Thanks!

Instead, I've been sitting here reading more of those old posts from "Skye's World." That's my means of procrastination in preparing for this trip. I guess we have to be out the door in about sixteen hours. LOL! So much for the dress I was going to make. My energy is sapped. I need to fold laundry and then go to Wal*Mart once again...because I again forgot to get some things. I couldn't find a power cord for my camera--I guess I'll eventually order one on-line. It's too bad I couldn't get it before Hawaii, but I did get a charger (that takes at least 12 hours, unfortunately--it was that or pay more than twice as much), six batteries for that, and sixteen regular (Rayovac--plus/maximum...whatever their called) batteries. Since the camera only takes two at a time, I'm hoping that's enough. I'll just have to be careful about how I use the camera. I'll go ahead and take my other camera, too, just to fool around with, I guess. It's kind of ironic that I have a power cord for one and batteries for the other...but batteries won't work for the one with the power cord and I don't have a power cord for the other.

But back to those old posts...it's really interesting to see how people have changed and how they've remained the same. I'm reading through my own posts with great interest, since I had forgotten what I said. I think I pretty much agree with it, though, and I can also see myself--as ever--trying to take a non-controversial stance (read: be the final authority) on each subject.

Which reminds me...I've decided which presidential candidate to vote for in November. LOL! For now I'm not telling, although you can probably guess. =D Part of what helped me reach my conclusion was my SS teacher's comments when I brought up the subject in Sunday school a few weeks (maybe a month) ago. Yes, I brought it up...the whole deal of God's sovereignty, man's responsibility, issues of character/integrity, and everything. And the ultimate conclusion is that--as Scripture says--each man must be fully convinced in his own mind, for whatever is not of faith is sin.

Unfortunately, our USB port is broken, so I can't download right now. I'm hoping my brother will convince my dad to get a new USB card before I return from Hawaii, though, so I can download lots of pictures. The camera is a Canon PowerShot A310, with a 32 MB card. I also purchased a 128 MB card...paying around $185, with the expectation of a $10 rebate on the extra card. So I'm really excited. I didn't think I would be able to afford a camera before leaving (and now my checking account is practically empty), but I saw the ad in the paper this afternoon, and I called the store...they only had two left at that point, and when my mom got home with my car, I called them to reserve and the model was different, so that's how I ended up with the 310 (twice the memory and more features) instead of the 300.

I definitely have whatever virus my siblings have been experiencing. I'm going to take Vitamin C and ibuprofen until it's gone, gone, gone! I cannot stand fatigue when I'm trying to get ready to leave. The amount of sewing I still need to do has been overwhelming...because, you see, I now need to make swimming shorts because I discovered that the bridesmaids will be sleeveless, and I have to even out my not-so-beautiful farmer's tan. I don't feel too bad, though, because the Bible college bridesmaids who are already in Hawaii are working on their tans right now, and they are starting out a lot lighter than I am.;-) I guess it pays to be half-Filipino.

And my darling little brother decided to cut one of the finished patchwork placemats, so now my mom has that repair to do, although she may do it at a later date and send it. I just want to start packing.

But I need to sew. And I need to go to work tomorrow and Tuesday. And I was planning to make bread tomorrow afternoon, go to the chiropractor Tuesday afternoon...and leave Wednesday afternoon. LOL! I'm so glad that school is over.

Sunday school with the fifth and sixth graders went well this morning. Only three kids were there, and of course I know all three of them.=D We talked about God's purpose in suffering and how He achieved it in Paul's life. I talked to them about Charles Templeton, the atheist who used to be an evangelist at the same time that Billy Graham first began. Templeton saw a picture of an African lady with her starving baby (on Life magazine) and said that he found it impossible to believe that a loving God could withhold rain when just rain would make it possible for the lady and her child to be nourished. Then I asked the kids how they would respond to something like that. It was an interesting discussion...I'm not too big on the Sunday school curriculum. It seems a little elementary for the kids in that church. But nothing's to prevent me from adding stuff...except that my only Sunday with them--for now--is over. I'm not really planning on teaching a Sunday school class regularly any time in the near future, but I do enjoy subbing occasionally.

The kids will begin choir practice on Saturday, after I've left. I told the director that I would be back two weeks from Wednesday, though, so that will be good. She talked about giving me the music at church tonight, but my head was hurting too badly for me to wait around and see...so I guess I'll just play it when I get back to church on the first of September. I'm sure that will be fun, especially if the kids have already learned the music well.;-)

Okay, enough procrastinating. I still haven't come up with ideas for what to take to people, but I guess I'll figure that out later, if ever. Maybe the little I have is going to have to do. Or maybe we really will get terrycloth potholders.

I never got a call from the last work-study interview, but my boss from the basket place called me today. Her main employee got a teaching job, so I'm for part-time again, starting Wednesday morning. Is that cool or what? I'm really excited. I have no idea how long it will be, but it's so good to see God leading and providing. I think of that saying that He's always on time--never late, but never early, either.

So now I can get ready for Hawaii and not think about how hard it is to get a job when I'm going to be gone at the beginning of the semester. =D

Now I just need to clean my room...that task that I was planning to do during the break that I didn't end up having (at least not as long as I expected). I have plenty of sewing and cleaning to keep me busy. The lady who interviewed me today said she'd call and let me know whether I'm hired Friday. There is one other applicant. If that applicant can work the last two weeks of this month, she should be hired...because it looks like they'll need some help right then. But it really is in God's hands. Either way, things are looking up...maybe it's just because I'm done with classes for a while.;-)

Well, I asked Kananigirl about food prices in Hawaii and I did a little on-line searching (of Safeway's circular, posted on Sunday saver)...some things there are pretty expensive (although, for the record, Safeway's selling milk at $7/two gallons this week, which sure beats ONE for that price!)...and I'm not exactly a rich girl. However, that reminds me. I'm really curious to know how much all of you pay for

Bread

Bananas

Milk

Yogurt

...and anything else that comes to mind (please specify whether it's store brand or name brand...for comparison purposes).

We get bread at Wal*Mart (100% whole wheat) for $1.14, bananas for $0.48/pound, milk for three or four dollars, and yogurt at about $0.44/8oz. container (unless we get it in larger quanities, in which case it can cost less...but I don't remember how much less).

Please pray that God would give me wisdom and discernment in job hunting. I am currently laid off, as I figured was coming...so no surprises. I prayed previously for God's direction on what to do, and felt that He was directing me to stay as long as I could, which I did. More recently, because I haven't been able to get many hours, I have prayed more about what to do, and I began applying for jobs at the school. I posted my "resume'" on the school web site Tuesday night and have not had any response to the one application that I submitted. I submitted more applications today. I'm not really sure how much to pursue this at this point because I'm in class four hours a day right now and at times that don't work well with a work schedule, especially not if I have to go out of this particular town. Classes will end in five weeks, when I'll have two weeks to prepare for my two-week trip to Hawaii, after which I'll have until October 15th to work anytime. Fall classes will be mostly Friday evening, Saturday morning and afternoon...and only for eight weeks. So I'm really going to have plenty of time, but I don't right now--at least not at the right times.

Meanwhile, I have seen how God has provided for all of my needs, and even my wants, and I'm sure He will continue to do so. I just want to make sure that I am fulfilling my responsibilities, so I'm looking for a job. But I don't want to be closed to any possibilities just because they don't seem like they would work, etc.

As for classes, they began today. My math teacher (the morning one) is a married lady with a southern accent. My literature teacher (the afternoon one) is a single lady from Los Angeles. She looks a little as if she's out of it, but she isn't really...however, her idea of people as social constructs is a little different from my perspective. LOL! I think this class is going to be interesting...I know it's a lot less writing than I had expected. We'll do three one-page papers (I hope those are single-spaced!), one three-page paper (that's our final project), and a journal on all the readings (we just have to spend twenty minutes a day on it, so that should be pretty easy). And she gives points for effort, so I'm thinking it will be an easy A. Of course, by easy A I do NOT mean to imply that I think it will be without work; I just think that my work will pay off easily without giving me a lot of stress.

Today's reading is...the Epic of Gilgamesh.=) And we watched "Superman" in class today. I hadn't ever seen it; very interesting portrayal of a hero...the story line and relationships seemed very much to mirror what the Bible says about God the Father and God the Son. Anyone know any background on that? It was weird to see all those parallels...what the teacher is looking for is hero-related (that's the theme of our class). She's wanting us to look at heroes as social constructs, both in the past and in the present. So even though we're studying literature up to 1650, we'll be comparing it to present representations of similar ideas.

I'm bored and ready to go to bed...even though I know it would be far better for me to study like crazy for tomorrow's chemistry test. I am definitely not good at getting scientific stuff fast...but that's what I get for not studying all along. That's also probably why I haven't done so well on that subject. Hmm.

But anyway...the reason I'm laughing is because I'm so bored that I actually looked to see what might be at a web site called stupidity.com. I mean, I just wondered what someone might put on the web on that subject. And guess what? There's really a web site and it is really devoted to the subject of stupidity! I just started reading the intro. to the first book and it is positively hilarious! I haven't looked carefully to see whether it's supposed to be funny or not, but it cracks me up.

On a more serious note, I went to see the lawyer today...and got a lot more money than I expected. Of course, that wouldn't have to be much, since I didn't expect anything. But it was enough that his third of the money made him very happy.=) And he apparently didn't have too difficult of a time in obtaining it. I'm very grateful that the bills are all paid. But with what I got, which was a little more than a third of the amount, I am going to be able to pay my car insurance for the next six months AND purchase two tickets to Hawaii so that my mom and I can go in August. If anything, this is definitely a clear confirmation that going to Hawaii IS in God's plans for me. I am very amazed and blessed...

Because...my saving for that plane ticket is not going too well right now. In fact, it is not going at all...because my work is basically seasonal, I'm on "vacation." That's very helpful for me in terms of school because of the exams I'm preparing to take (although I'll be going full speed ahead with work AND school at the time of finals)...but it's not helping me save. But anyway, here's this money. Somehow, I never seem to trust that God can provide funds from "other sources." I don't know why. But His provision over the last year or so--not just of things that I need, but things that I want--has been incredible.

Next week, my family is going on an anti-fungal diet. That should be very interesting. It's basically meat and veggies the first week...no grains or potatoes or fruits besides green apples and citrus. No cheese or other dairy besides yogurt. And, of course, no sugar. To be honest, I'm not planning to observe the diet. But maybe I should. I don't know. I don't think I have the problems, but I suppose the diet would at least improve my health. Still, I'm not sure I could live with it...=) I have never gone on a diet before so I have no idea if I'd be able to maintain it.

I'm getting really excited about all the babies that are on the way. I suppose I've probably congratulated the people, but I doubt that I fully expressed how very much I'm looking forward to hearing about the births. There were two newborns at church on Sunday and one of them was just to my right...I was SO distracted. Newborns are so exciting! But, alas, neither of the newborns belong to people I'm really acquainted with...and the expected ones are not in families that I normally interact with, so I'm a little sad. I want to hold a newborn! That's so weird. But anyway. I doubt I will for a long time.=( That's kind of silly for me to say. Oh, well.

Monday, I met with a guy from Western Civilization for a "study group meeting." Two ladies were supposed to be there also, but one was in class and the other had forgotten due to a math test. But I talked to the guy--a Republican and a Christian--about the questions that will be on the test and we eventually talked about what the instructor believes, etc. I said that I was incredulous that the teacher could believe all that he says...but the guys says that he has actually sat down and talked to him about it and he really does believe quite a bit of what he says. I find that so difficult to believe, and yet...it's rather apparent. When someone asked him whether he's an atheist or agnostic, he replied that he is an agnostic. His reason: "The concept that God sits on His throne and judges is too simplistic for me." I suppose one could call his emphasis on science/nature/knowledge agnosticism, but it's really humanism because God's not big enough...right? Sometimes his logic strikes me as faulty, but it's hard for me to see how to combat the reasoning of someone who thinks he is correct...in fact, is firmly convinced of it.

I actually spoke to a friend of mine on this subject...do we HAVE to address all the fallacies that instructors put forward? Although I believe that Christianity is perfectly reasonable, I believe just as strongly that unsaved people canNOT be perfectly reasonable...so that the battle for their hearts is not one that can be won in the intellectual realm. While I believe that we should be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us why we have hope, I don't believe that we should be smart mouths or cast pearls before swine. If Christianity were merely intellectual, that would work...but it's so much more.

As I looked through the essay questions for the upcoming Western Civ. test, I realized that my thesis for most of them could be, "It's hopeless; the world is imperfect and things will always be imperfect in an imperfect world." And I can support that very well. I can support it based on KNOWLEDGE, FACTS. Knowledge without truth, it seems to me, leads to hopelessness. I think that may have been the essence of Pilate's question to Jesus when he asked what truth was. He missed the Truth that stood before him...perhaps because he had become convinced that there was no such thing? Perhaps because he was cynical, like SO MANY intellectuals?! Solomon was rather cynical, too. Knowledge without truth is empty. So if we have hope...=) We SHOULD show it and people WILL ask...sincerely.

Well, that was a much longer entry than I had planned...this journal is, as many of you have noted, a VERY excellent tool for procrastination. But I think I may regret this tomorrow when I'm taking my chemistry test.=\

As one might expect, I suppose. I have neither busyness nor forgetfulness to excuse my neglect of LJ. In fact, I cannot even plead that I have had little to say! Perhaps it is more because I am thinking of so much...and am so uncertain of what to devote my time and thought to developing and sharing. At any rate, I don't think I will make a decision now.

I still read people's journal entries, but even less than I did during my busy time during December. I think that I will come back to LJ when school begins again...somehow it provides a delightful outlet for my complaints.;-) Or maybe sympathetic ears/eyes.

I am still off from school and work. I will probably return to work on Thursday morning, and school recommences on Monday morning. My dear brother will begin taking classes this semester. He has given notice that he is quitting his job this week...and he NEEDS another job very much. I wish I could help him, but I have no idea what he could do since he wants to earn more than $8.00 per hour and he has some expenses in the way of his getting a job as a mechanic (for which he is qualified by technical schooling/training).

I am more certain now that I will be going to Hawaii in August. It's very exciting to think about visiting people and places that are ever-dimmer memories. I am looking forward to observing the changes that have taken place, although I fully expect that more of them will grieve me than will give me delight. And, much as I hate the gritty sand of the beach, I look forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean again...I have not seen it since I left Hawaii in 1997. And although I live in the mountains, I don't see mountains...not really...we're in a somewhat flat area. I miss the Ko'olaus in Hawaii. I did not think I would ever relish the thought of visiting Hawaii, but I do now.

My littlest brother continues to be quite rambunctious. One of his most recent...don't know what to call it...I would say escapades, but I'm not sure that it is precisely what I mean. Anyway, my mom had put him to bed in his crib in my parents' room one afternoon, and she went about her work. Not too long after that, she went to check on him and found his crib--and her room--empty. She came out asking, "Where's Gabriel?" We found him in my room (the closed door had prevented us from seeing him)...with half a dozen muffins crumbled on the floor. I had made chocolate chip muffins for my secret sister at church, and had placed them in a Ziploc bag on my desk. LOL! Oh, well. The muffins aren't wonderful enough to lament losing. And I shouldn't have left them on my desk...I DO know better! LOL! It seems funny to me to realize that I find such events so common, and really quite unruffling.

I have begun further paragraphs, but I don't think I really want to say anything else...all else I would say has more to do with what has truly occupied my thoughts, and that would take more time to tell (and it is not news...just thoughts about various topics that have been stirred in my mind and heart).