Yesterday I received my materials that I'll be teaching the end of September. My "dry run" (where I teach to the Board of Elections staff to make sure I know the material and am prepared) is September 9th. We will be teaching in a mask, thanks to the surge of Delta variant covid cases.
Tomorrow Wake County enters mask requirements for anywhere in public
once again. This time they are not mandating social distancing, just
masks. Personally, I think they may fear the outcome of the upcoming
elections if another stay at home order comes. But that is solely opinion and not fact.
Today Alabama Free Will Baptists lost two more pastors to Covid. One of them, Bro. Glen Hood, was very influential in Dad's life when he first started as a pastor. I attended college with his oldest daughter Stephanie, who is one of the kindest and classiest people I've ever met. My heart goes out to her and her Mom and younger sister Allison.
My great-niece Lucy started school this week. I think there were many prayers going up from the Stox/Parrish/White family. While she is only two years old, (three next week!), we are so thankful the state of Virginia provides special education classes when children need them that includes helpful therapy free to families. The report from her first day made me laugh, and my understanding is that on day two she was still loving school. She did actually speak a word the first day, which now makes twice in six months she has spoken actual words. We are rejoicing!!
Tonight we went to GPAC (Garner Performing Arts Center) to hear the Chatham Rabbits. I loved it!! They limited the crowd to only 50 people and livestreamed for others. We were the only ones sitting in the back of the auditorium. My mother-in-law acted like she does in church - the mask came off not long after she sat down (her church requires masks inside and never dropped that requirement), Bobby was getting too hot so not enjoying it, but I have followed the group on Facebook and might actually see if they have some of their music on itunes. (Yes. I still use my ipod.)
A mole destroyed the root system of one of my tomato plants; snake skin found in the garden; peas are dying out but okra stalks have suddenly appeared. I did pick one eggplant this year. One! Ha! Bobby said our younger dog actually dug up a mole last week and set it down and backed away as if to say "What am I supposed to do with this?" I don't think she killed it.
My heart continues to hurt for the craziness happening in Afghanistan. My thoughts bounce all over the place as I attempt to pray. I do not understand why God chose me to be born in a country of such great freedom and wealth when others who are so much more talented are born in places of suppression, poverty and no opportunities. But I do firmly believe the principles of Genesis 12:1-3, that we have been blessed in order to bless others. A group that helps refugees relocate and restart is located in Durham NC and they are preparing for up to 30 families to settle here within the next two weeks. The tutoring/mentoring volunteers that they need do jobs very similar to what I had to do in language school in China, so I am seriously praying/considering whether that is an avenue to pursue, or if that is more time/energy than I have to invest at the moment. Meanwhile, I can help gather needed items to stock apartments for families who literally had to flee with only one or two small bags.
And I have been very disappointed with American media and am again going to BBC for world information. While our nation is amazing, we are also so inwardly focused that the country term "navel gazing" aptly applies.
While Mom & Dad are doing well, they are aging. It's harder to hear/read reports and not be close enough to help them with daily activities.
And my goal to reclaim the dining room from two massive projects has not yet happened. But I am steadily plugging away, hoping that one day they both will actually be finished. Or at least in an acceptable state of progress. Several years ago a friend of mine posted a statement that read something like "I can't stop a bird from flying overhead; I can stop that bird from building nests in my hair." That has been my mantra these last two months. I'm still in the pulling twigs out of my hair stage, but thankfully there has yet to be the shape of a nest forming! Meanwhile I agreed to do a project for my sister in the next two weeks. I'm hoping it's as quick and easy as the pattern says!
And that catches us up to this point in August!
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