FINALLY!

June 20, 2012

After some major problems with my email account, and having to link to another account thru a temporary account, and Caleb's MAJOR encouragement....I DID IT!  I managed to reopen my blog!!!  Now if I could just understand why we had to change it around in the first place, we would all be more knowledgeable!

However, who knows....it works again.

This week has created some challenges in getting Cooper down to the MET for her dance intensive, getting Cymbre to girl's camp, and getting attacked by a bird in the Target parking lot, and meeting up with the homeless man I have befriended.

Cooper has been dancing in a dance intensive downtown at the MET for two weeks now.  Last week I had to drive her everyday, which meant that Cymbre had to ride along too so that we had 3 people in the car for the HOV lane.  Cymbre wasn't too impressed!  However, she was a good sport.  It takes an hour and a half to do the round trip when we leave at 7:30 am in the rush hour traffic.  So to reward ourselves one morning we went and got donuts for breakfast.  We were sitting at the table eating our two donuts when this older couple came in.  The woman asked us if they could join us, and they looked pretty safe, so I said yes.  BIG MISTAKE!  While they were friendly enough and asked Cymbre what her summer plans were, I wasn't sure we were going to be able to break up their conversation with us in order to get Cymbre to girl's camp on time.  The lady was carrying on about how her grandson was going to boy scout day camp, and it was far away, and her son had to drive him there and then go back for him, and why can't they just sleep over?  Then we had to hear about how they come for donuts and coffee every morning, and if you buy the cups the store will refill them for free.  The man was setting up the coffee cups, buying donuts, and arranging a napkin as a table covering in front of his wife all the while she was talking.  We finished our donuts, and Cymbre was looking at me like.....Mom, how are we going to get out of here?  I just picked up our trash and stood up and said to the lady...We've really enjoyed talking to you but we really must get her things packed in order to get her to girl's camp, so we must say our goodbyes.  Cymbre looked at me, stood up, and started walking to the car.  On the way out, she was like....Mom, I was really thinking we were never going to get away from her.  And when I looked back into the store, they were changing tables anyway....after all that set up effort.  INTERESTING......

So now, Cymbre is safely off to girl's camp until tomorrow morning when I have to drive a carload home.  It's another 2 1/2 hour drive each way....

Cooper and Hannah have one more day of dance downtown....thank goodness.  I don't know how many more days Hannah's mom and I can deal with all that traffic every morning! And we have alternated doing the driving. Today, I was almost run off the road by a guy who just decided to take over my lane while I was still using it.  Needless to say....he heard my horn for a long time!  AND I kept my lane....just saying.  Score one for the carpool Mom!!

Then another day, I had gone to Target to pick up a few things, and parked near the entrance to the store.  I walked under this tree next to my car, and the big black bird swooped down and starting attacking my head!  I didn't do anything to it....guess it doesn't like people walking under the tree.   Anyway, I beat the thing with my umbrella and he flew away with some very ruffled wing feathers!  I walked away with messed up hair, and a scratch bleeding on my head!  When I texted my grandson about what happened, he told me that I didn't need to worry as birds don't eat people....so I asked him what about my bleeding scratch...did it deserve a hug....he just said a sleepy....okay.   So now I am hoping that because I came home and washed the scratch and put neosporin on it that I won't get some strange bird disease!  So I guess if I start chirping and flying away, someone needs to tie my foot to the ground and call someone!

Another day this week, I went to Walmart to pick up a few things that I didn't get the day before because when I was in the grocery store, the weather caused the power to go out.  When that happens, the store has about 20 minutes that they can check people out before they loose their back up generator.  So I just paid and left.  So when I came out of Walmart, I went to make the turn to go home and stopped at the light.  There was the homeless man who I have befriended and fed on many occassions.  I still don't know his name, but he recognizes me when he sees me.  He came up to the car, said hello and I told him I had something for him.  He said since it was Monday, he could only take $100's.  I told him he was in luck....I was giving him 400 pennies.  That was all the one dollar bills I had in my purse.  He just smiled, took the money, and I wished him a wonderful day.  He turned back and said...I can always count on you.  Interesting, because it is weeks between when I see him each time, but yes, when I see him I either drive around the corner and bring him some food from Wendy's or Taco Bell, or give him some money.  I have been known to sit on the street corner and eat with him.  I don't know his story, but I do know he is a friendly, well-mannered man who has a wonderful smile even though his teeth are rotted and black.

My Sunday School class thinks I am a lunatic for feeding him, let alone sitting there and eating with him, or giving him money.  But I just wonder, how do I know that isn't the Savior?  And if it is, do I really want to be found not helping him?  I don't ever really miss the money I give him or spend getting him food.  And he isn't like some of the people who stand on the corner and beg for money...you just get the feeling that he really is homeless and in need of someone to help him out.  So sue me, I help!  My girls even recognize him when they see him, and they say mom there's that man we help.  So it can't be all bad, they have at least learned something.

Two weeks ago the lesson in Sunday School was about pride and humility.  So during the lesson, I was telling the kids that pride can really get us in trouble.  Then I told them that when I died I wanted to be in charge of the lightning bolts.  They all got really big eyes!  Then I said that I could really use them to get back at some of the people who have really irritated me while I was here on earth.  Then I told them that I really SHOULD NOT feel like that.  Because it was pride talking.  I shouldn't feel like I was better than anyone else, and could use lightning bolts to get even with them.  So now there is a running joke in my class regarding....don't make Sister Flanagan mad....she's going to be in charge of lightning bolts!  Guess I got their attention!

And this week, the lesson was about Alma teaching the people in Ammonihah.  It talked about how they were so mean to him, and how they spit on him and cast him out.  But while he was on the road leaving the town, the same angel who had previously appeared to him to tell him to quit trying to destroy the church appeared again to him.  This time the angel told him to return again to Ammonihah, and to tell the people to repent.  So I told the kids the story, and then asked them if they thought that Alma thought when the angel came for the second time.....NOT you again.  I'm not doing anything wrong.  What do you want this time?  Well, that set them all laughing!  But they laugh at me all the time anyway.  They think they have a crazy teacher.....but they do listen to what I say.  Anyway, we then continued the story about how Alma went back into the city of Ammonihah, and met up with Amulek.  Then I showed them a box and told them that it had a hula dancing monkey inside.  I didn't show it to them, but asked who believed me.  Only a couple out of the 18 sitting there.  So I called up a boy, who I know tried to put things over on the others all the time, and showed him what was in my box, and told him to tell the class what it was.  He looked, and then told them it was a hula dancing monkey.  So then I asked them how many believed me now.  Well, more than half the class.  SO, then I talked about how come they believed two of us saying the same thing even though I said the same thing when I was speaking alone?  Then I established that the Lord ALWAYS establishes His word in the mouths of two or more witnesses.  Then I finished the story of how Alma and Amulek went about teaching the people in Ammonihah the same gospel principles.  And this time, some of the people believed them.  However, it was Father's Day and I didn't remember to take them treats, so now they think I need to repent and bring treats this week.....will I ever get one up on these kids?

On that note, I think I will go see if that homeless guy is still on the street corner and share a burrito with him.....I could use some blessings today!!

Here We Go Again....

June 10, 2012

Just before church today I get a phone call from a teacher who loves to just dump her class of around 15 kids on me at the last minute on a Sunday morning.  Today I told her that I couldn't take her class.....she asked me why?  I just told her that I had some special things planned for my class and I didn't have enough to go around for her class too.  She tries to do this on a regular basis, and I've helped her out before, but it is getting out of hand.  She has "emergencies" every other week it seems.

I teach the 16-18 year olds, and her class is 12-13 year olds.  My class thinks they are the "babies", and they don't want them in our class.  My class is very protective of their crazy teacher who does crazy things, and I guess they just don't like to share the craziness!  The Bishopric member tells me on a regular basis if they even think of mentioning a change of teacher for my class....they are afraid of the revolt they will have on their hands.  It's true...I'm not trying to brag here....just saying.  Guess that means I won't be retiring anytime soon.....

 

So when we get to church Guy goes to talk to the bishopric member over Sunday School.  He tells Guy that they will talk to the teacher who keeps trying to just dump her class in mine.....ok.....SO

 

I start to teach my class, and then there are several kids from the 14-15 year old class that come into mine.....WHAT??

 

I let them stay, but then after church I emailed the SS president and told him that my class was not the dumping ground for any teacher who decided they would not be in church today.  I have 18 kids in my class, so when they decide to put other classes in mine I can have up to 30 kids when I am prepared for 18.

Teaching that many kids isn't the problem for me....heck, I could teach 100....but the problem is when you are prepared with an activity for 18, or  treats or handouts and suddenly you have so many extra what do you do?  My class knows that I have them....they look forward to them....and my class doesn't want their baby siblings in their class.  So I defended my class today.....guess we'll see what happens now.  The SS President said he sent the ones in today because there were 4 in the class....excuse me....then teach 4 kids.  I told him I thought that the SS Presidency should have taught the other class, and in the future I would appreciate being asked if I can take extra kids.

The bigger problem is that the younger kids ALL want to be in my class because they have been once, and they hear about what I do.....I should say the crazy things I do....and they want to participate too.  Maybe what we need is just a gospel doctrine youth class instead of this mass of confusion every week.  No, I'm not volunteering!  There is a limit to my craziness....just saying.

I must admit having lots of kids could come in handy when we play Gadianton Robbers, or the 2000 Stripling Warriors, or when we do the Ammon protecting the king's flock story....I mean some of them could be sheep! It could be fun to have a whole bunch of kids for the Samuel the Lamanite on the city wall story, or even next year for the mobs that attack the pioneers.  It's a different thing though when we are talking about more serious things with object lessons, and intimate sharing of testimonies.  And where were all these kids when we were building our ship the beginning of the year?

Today I took mirrors for my class with a question, Have you received His image in your countenance?  attached.  The lesson was about how Alma the Younger was teaching all the people in Zarahemla and Gideon.  And he asks them a series of questions....hence the question.  We talked about people in the ward that I can sometimes see their love for the Savior....a man seminary teacher, my visiting teacher, our stake president, the prophet.  We talked about repentance, and how truly being converted helps us to have the image of the Savior in our countenance.    I told them that Alma chapter 7 was like a contact lens for us regarding the Savior and his purpose in coming to earth.  We talked about pride, and being humble. We talked about how pride makes us feel like we are better than everyone.....and I told them that when I die I wanted to be in charge of the lightning bolts....so I could get back at the people who irritated me here on earth.....then how bad it was that I sometimes thought that.  My class decided that it was probably not a good thing to upset Sister Flanagan!  We talked about the difference it makes in our lives when we decide that the worldly things of this life....fancy clothes, homes, cars really don't make up for the things that being humble can bring into our lives.  The ability to serve others, to share what we have been given, to sacrifice, to strengthen our testimonies.

Then I watched as those 16 year old kids came up and picked up a mirror to take it home.  One of the boys said to me....Sister Flanagan....I have to have an octagon shaped one for my room.....OK....take one.  You would think that a 16 year old boy would think a mirror was something he didn't really need.

Score one for the crazy teacher!