really busy week

ahhhhhh.
sigh of relief that this week is over.
i was insanely busy on practicum this week. it was the last week of the semester, so kids were handing in late assignments all week, on top of their regular work. i think i have a cramp in my hand from editing essays.
also, my inner editor has had too much free reign.
patrick was talking to me, and my inner editor said, "sentence fragment. awkward wording. revise."
seriously.

last night was fun: a bunch of friends came over for a sandwich party (even though i had sent out an invitation and ignored them all for the rest of the week), and we played a homemade version of catch-phrase afterward.
today was also fun: ang hosted a baby shower for reemo, and it was done in her trademark better-than-martha style. (homemade pompoms, fruit skewers, fresh flowers, just to name a few of the delicious details)
tonight we hung out at bekah's and then hit the hill behind gorsebrook jr high ... best sledding ever. the sky was starry and when i laid at the bottom of the hill after a whooshy ride down, the stars glimmered at me.

i'm looking forward to exam week next week. no classes to teach and a lot of marking to do (and i'm already used to that ...). here's hoping we get all the marking done during school hours!
ha.
(sentence fragment. revise).

i love him

i called my sister today, but she wasn't home. her cute mother-in-law was watching the kids, and just when we were about to hang up, she said "oh, oh, laurie wants to talk to you."
so my sweet little lolo came on the phone and told me she was doing her homework. she had to make sentences for a list of words. she needed a sentence with "him" in it.
i asked her what she does to her papa. she told me, "i love him!"

which is pretty much the best sentence in the world.

i was really tear-y tonight when patrick went to work (stress-residue from my first day back at school i think). he's just so awesome, and it's hard now that i'm working all day because i don't even get to see him in the mornings anymore. i'm gone before he gets home. so it's really hard to say goodbye for a whole day, every night.

when i came home from school today, i had a bath and watched tv. patrick woke up and noticed how tired i was. so he put me to bed, then crawled in with me to read. i asked him if he'd mind reading me to sleep ... so he did. then he got up and made himself supper and did the dishes. he takes good care of me. i feel ridiculously spoiled, especially because he does things for me when i have no energy or time to reciprocate.

what do i do to patrick? i love him.

beautiful things that last forever

pettiness.
selfishness.
thoughtlessness.
greed.
ignorance.
foolishness.
legalism.
addictions.
depression.
sorrow.
cruelty.
carelessness.

sometimes all the ickiness of the world just seems to come at once. flying on new year's day, with bad weather and delayed flights, patrick and i saw so many short tempers and inconsiderate actions. the young guy waiting at the gate who sprawled on four seats, watching a movie on his laptop while other passengers had to sit on the floor or remain standing. the middle aged man who yelled at the stewardess for the flight's being late. the sour-looking couple who eyed nearby children angrily.
what a little difference some consideration would have made. some understanding. some kindness, some love.
sometimes it just seems like there isn't any goodness in the world. i can't wait to get to heaven and expand my lungs to breathe in the sheer goodness of a place without sin.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. (Revelation 21:4-5)

all things shall be made new. all of the ugliness of the world will be erased. all of the grime that gets on our souls and makes us so tired ... washed away.

and just when i was longing for heaven, God reminded me that yes, there are some beautiful things that will last forever. even some things we have here on earth.

adoration was the first one He pointed out. we will adore Him and praise Him forever - and we can start that here, our praise and worship and love start here (even in the middle of grouchy days and impossible passengers). then i started looking for more. here are a few things i found that will last for ever ... things we can enjoy here and now, too.

the mercy of the Lord is everlasting (psalm 100:5)
righteousness is everlasting. (psalm 119:144)
the joy of the ransomed will be everlasting. (isaiah 35:10)
the kingdom of the Lord is everlasting. (daniel 7:27)
the life He gives is everlasting. (john 4:14)
the gospel is everlasting. (revelation 14:6)

hope. love. joy. kindness. caring. gratitude.
praise will last forever.
(incidentally, i'm listening to a nigerian praise song on youtube, and they start off with "are you from the east? west? north? south? rise up on your feet, let's get your praise on! amen!")