The Weekend in Chesapeake

This past weekend was spent hanging out with "my friend Emily" in Chesapeake, VA. We've lived in the same state for 6 months, so I figured I'd make the 3 hour journey to see her. It was time WELL spent.

The drive was beautiful! I was getting sleepy and searched aimlessly for a Starbucks, but couldn't find one! I thought Starbucks were everywhere! Well, Mr. Starbucks, how about planting some down 95 past Fredricksburg?

I was greeted with big kisses from her two dogs, which by the way, are very cute. They became my pals over the weekend and were very sad to see me go. Seriously, droopy eyes, hanging tail, the works.

On Saturday night we went to church for a gathering, which happened to be a fondue and board game gathering. I was dipping all different things into chocolate. Who knew that pineapple tasted great in chocolate??? We then played a 3 hour game of Phase 10 and gave up because we were getting silly and really bored. Sunday night we went shopping at Kohls. We were there for 3 HOURS! Our buggy was so full we couldn't get through the aisles. I totaled the ticketed prices. $490. I spent $81. Savings=$310. WOOHOOOOOO!

Our morning started very early on Monday, as Emily, her friend Katrina, and I ventured off to a taping of the 700 Club. Yep....you read right. The 700 Club. BUT the reason we were there was because MercyMe was going to be on the show and it was a live taping! So, we got to enjoy good old Pat Robertson and MercyMe!! They only did one song, which was a bummer, but we got to enjoy pictures and autographs afterwards. Em was bummed that she didn't dress as a "groupie" in her MercyMe shirt and get it signed. Maybe next time, Em! Keep looking for those ads in the paper!

I think my favorite time of the WHOLE weekend was when Em and I jammed, like old times. I brought my guitar with me and we spent about 1/2 hour just praising God and singing together. Em was the one who made me fall in love with playing the guitar and we've been singing together for awhile now. Every time we were home from college together, Em and I did special music at church. We would sit in our rooms in Carter's Bottom and just strum and sing our hearts out. We have our favorites--ones we've sang together every time we are together. Ones we've mastered the harmonies on. Your Love is Life to Me by Avalon is our utmost favorite. Best friends shouldn't have to live so far apart or spend so much time away from each other. But, best friends also have the ability to find where they belong in each others' lives, no matter how much things change. Em, Salad Shooter, Aaron---I love you. I love you with all of my heart. Thank you so much.

Content Watch: The Thorn in my Flesh

It's Friday and school is out! I was only at school 3 days this week, seeing that the flu was trying to wake me up and urge me to the bathroom Tuesday morning around 5:15am. I argued with the flu for about 20 mins. I WILL not throw up. I WILL not throw up. I lost that argument and was sick for the next 16 hours. Wednesday was spent recovering, trying to convince my stomach that food was NOT evil and that it was okay to keep things there. I returned to school Thursday, feeling as if I did sit-ups for 2 days straight while missing school. I hurt that bad.

I come back to school to see that the level of filtering on websites has been increased on our computers, which prevented me from using ANYTHING worthwhile for my class. It's SOO frustrating. It has really become the thorn in my flesh. I don't have internet at home, so school is the only place that I can check my email. It won't even let me in to Google or Yahoo. I can't change my settings on this blog because it says there is "Adult/Mature" content on that page and it wants to protect me. WHAT?!??!?!! How in the WORLD is there Adult content on the SETTINGS tab???

Every picture I wanted for my reading chapters, any news websites, any videos for making my classroom "come alive" are blocked! There was even a blocking on the United Streaming Website which the school subscribes to for us to use! It just really makes me frustrated. I know, protecting the kids. I know, I know. We have computer gerus at this school and we haven't figured out that we need to make the kids log in when working on the computer???


Grrrr......

And your name will be written in the Book of Life...

Today, as I look through blurry eyes and as tears roll down my cheeks, I praise the Lord. I praise Him from the highest mountain. HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord GOD Almighty!!!!!! I praise Him for He has given us grace and mercy and love that we don't deserve. I praise Him for the unfairness He lays before us. It is not fair that we get to have salvation. It is unfair that He chose ME to be one of His children. He chose me.

He also chose Alivia, Shardae and Hannah, three girls in my 5th Grade class. I was just bombarded with the news. I came back from my PE class, and Alivia yells to me, "MS. PEFFER, I GOT SAVED!!!!!!" Shock filled my face and I couldn't believe it. I gave her a hug and told her how excited I was. Behind her, Shardae said, SO DID I!! Another hug, another look of amazement. Shardae's a reserved girl, not one to fill me in on news. This was big. Then I hear from somebody else that Hannah got saved too! Everyone was talking about it, telling me the news of what had happened. 3 new children of God. 3 precious young babes in Christ, wanting to proclaim the news.

It wasn't just an invitation at the end of Bible class. They were talking about fears and about Jehosopaht. After Bible was over, the 3 asked Ann if they could talk about it. They voluntarily missed RECESS to talk to Ann about salvation. You know it's real if a 5th grader wants to miss recess to assure their salvation. She kept giving them choices, letting it be their decision, not her pushing. Children love to please and will do what you ask. Even say a prayer for salvation. I feel that these girls are genuine. I can't wait to see the changes He is going to do in their lives over the next 5 months.

Please praise God for their salvation. Please pray that they will flee Satan's temptation. Pray that their homes will be a place they can grow. I don't think any of them have believers as parents. Pray that we will be great guides and help as much as we can. Pray that they will tell people and that they will choose to be baptized next Wednesday in front of the whole elementary school.

Oh Lord, you are so good. Thank you for calling them to You. Thank you. Thank you.

HOORAY!!!!!!!!

SALLY'S HOME! Praise the Lord! It has been a hard road...(haha...road, car... get it?) but I'm on the other side of it now. They only had to fix the first thing and if it doesn't act up again, then I'm home free! Everything's not perfect on it, there is still hesitation when I step on the gas and Jay says I should take it in, but the last thing I want to do is put my car in the garage AGAIN.
I told my kids about the good news and they all clapped and praised God with me. It was priceless. A mom even wrote me an email, telling me that her daughter told her I had a rough day and that she was thinking about me. I found out a couple other parents heard of my distress too.....oh kids...