Perspective

It's 12:07 and I should be in bed. After the way I felt today after getting 9 hours of sleep, I should be aiming for that again.

But I can't.

I'm talking to someone online.

And this isn't just any someone. This is a someone who's been through a WHOLE HECK of a lot. Adam Long. I went to high school with him. He was like a little brother, always teasing and trying to prove to me that he was a good kid. He knew where I stood with God and things and it was just really cool. This kid, age 21 was diagnosed with cancer and was so close to death that I was just waiting for the call from my mom to tell me he was gone. I prayed for him so much. While he was going through chemo and the fight for his life, his dad was diagnosed with cancer.

Adam's dad passed away Wednesday morning.

He sent me a message first. I was sooo surprised. Really? Adam is talking to me? A day after his dad died? It's so awkward. Death is always awkward and hard and strange and hurtful, and sad, and bllllahhhhhhhh. What do you say? How do you make him feel better through words on a screen? How long do you talk about his dad's death? How do you write things without making them sound all cheesy and bible answery? After you've talked to him about everything about his dad and about how AMAZING God is that he's still alive to comfort his mom while his dad has passed away...then what? What do I say that he hasn't heard a million times from everyone else?

He tells me that his dad asked God to take his life instead of Adam's. Now he is going to live life to the fullest for him and his dad. He says he had accepted it a couple months ago so he's doing okay right now. His mom isn't so good, but he says he has 2 good shoulders for her to cry on. He's there to help. That's the amazing part. He's here. He didn't die when everyone thought he was going to. He's here. Praise God. I think he's now officially in remission and making plans to attend nursing school to become a chemo nurse. He wants to help people who are going through what he went through. He also figures that he'll get a one-up on his resume--- been there, done that, and have the bald head to prove it.

And the greatest, most amazing thing about this is.....Adam's dad became a believer just days before he died.


Yesterday, I complained about stepping in a puddle and not having my chapel skit work right. And now I'm talking to a guy who's life was saved and whose dad just died.

Puts things into perspective. God is good. All the time.

It's 12:46, and I'm going to keep talkin' away until he says good night. I can't be there to give him a hug, but I can talk to him online.

Who needs sleep anyhow.....?

A funk

I've been posting for the past hour about the past three weeks of my life. The reason why I got on Blogspot was to write about my day TODAY. Not all the past stuff. So now, I don't even feel like writing about why I wanted to write in the first place!

I'm just in a funk. I think it's because I was thrown back into life here in VA so suddenly. I didn't get a chance to recoup or prepare myself for reentry into adulthood. I'm going through culture shock and I don't like it. I went from being at the Castle and getting very little sleep with very great amount of activity to my teaching life. It's not fun. At all.

I taught chapel today. I was so excited about what I was going to do and then everything about my plan when wrong. I forgot the DVD in PA. Then, I find out that I can't get it in an email, it has to be on YouTube. YouTube is blocked at school, so I have to work with that. Then, on Tuesday, I find out that we can't have chapel in the sanctuary because they are putting down new carpet. So, now i have to find a place that i can get internet, can have a projector and computer for powerpoint and that can fit 48 middle schoolers. It was such a headache.

I thought I had it all worked out. Then, in the middle of my lesson, the wireless internet lost its connection and we only saw 3 mins of the 9 min video. SO I have to remember what it was talking about and tell them all how the rest of the dialogue goes so I can use it for my lesson. I felt like it was all out of control but I hope the kids were blessed. I hope it really worked on their hearts. It was another reminder from God that it's not about me. It's about Him and His word.

I only ate a bowl of cereal, some goldfish crackers and an icecream sandwich all day. So, I was starving, cranky and not feeling so well. I went to Baja Fresh (so much for getting skinny) and parked in a puddle. I didn't find that out until I stepped in it. It was been raining torrents of rain all day. If this was all snow, we wouldn't have school for a week. It's been that much. Oh to live in VA.

And all I want to do now is talk to a boy on the phone. That's my desire right now. It seems like that would be the best solution for my funk. I'm so discontent. It may look like I'm totally fine, but I'm not. Not right now.

But...there's no boy to talk to on the phone........it's 9pm and I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll sleep the funk away.

A little delayed, but still a ton of fun!

Here are pictures from my trip to the National Tree! We went with our home group and it was so fun. It was 60 degrees on Dec. 20 when we went! It wasn't right!

Eric, Wendy, Jessica, Erin, Me, Jessie, Laura and Nate

The Tree in front of the Capitol

The White House Tree!

Friends through thick and thin! We were the only ones in the group who had gone before!

The Pennsylvania Tree

Roommates

Eric-the coolest guy around (at least that's what he thinks! :-)

The Castle-13 years running!

The Castle.

Say that to any random person on the street and they'll look at you funny. Say that to someone from the ages of 13-35 who attends or is friends with someone who attends Portersville Bible Church, you'll get a smile and you will release a flood gate of memories. Goofy times, hard times, fun times, and spiritually changing times.

It's an actual castle in Franklin, PA where we take a youth retreat for 7h each year during Christmas break. This year, if I've calculated right, was my 13th year in a row. 6 of them as a student, 7 of them as a counselor/helper/do whatever you need me to do. It's such an amazing time. I've been there with a myriad of youth leaders and helpers. We've done EVERYTHING under the sun to reach kids. Each year the Castle is the same....yet completely different. The food is the same, in the same order, Mary is the same, the building is the same, the trip is the same, the gym in the same, the rules are the same, the awkward PDA convo in the same (still awkward). . The kids are the same---the faithful, and different---the friends of the faithful. The kids are the same---their names, and different---matured and changed through Christ, or changed through other things-good or bad, over the years.

This year was so amazing for me. Tyler, my youngest brother, is a senior. I started helping at the Castle when the seniors were in 7th grade. I have watched them for six years. As I stood there and watched them worship, God brought me to tears. My precious 7th graders are now worshipping God and having great communion with Him. They are standing there, eyes closed, praising our Father. Amy is in deep prayer, asking God for direction in her life. Praising Him for who He is. I have been through so much with her. She is sooooo precious to me. I cannot wait to see how God is going to use her. Tyler is going forward to commit to serve. My little brother, in love with God, not caring to be the center of attention at school or wanting to do wrong things. The picture of my cousin Lee with his arms out and in all-out worship is burned into my memory. He used to be so little. Now he's so grown. He's going to change the world.

I cried a lot this year. I know....I'm a leader. I'm not the one who is supposed to be affected. Yet...I was.

I was put to the challenge to create a Prayer Room-Sanctuary- for the kids to get away and get quiet before God. Kristin gave me great ideas which I put into action. This was only completed with amazing help. I just pray that someone was blessed by this. It was totally God.

Come...all who are weary...and I will give you rest.

Know God.



Forgive and wash away the hurt and pain caused by people.



Look back at the commitments you've made in the past. Have you kept them? What's keeping you from them? Renew them today.


Look in the mirror. What do you see? What does God see? What do others see?

Look around you. Where can you serve? What can you do? You're not too poor, too young, too alone, too little to do something for Him.

I was the Senior High Girls counselor. They are amazing. I love working with that age group.

Trip to Ohio!

I'm so glad that Rachael's family lives in Ohio. It's SOO much closer to PA than Indiana. It has been at least 4 years in a row that I've spent part of Christmas break with the Stricklands. It was only about 12 hours this year, but they were precious hours.

Rachael is my kindred spirit. It was so amazing to see her. I wish we would have had time to have deep conversation, but anytime with her is good. Next time I see her, she might be HUGE or I might get to be holding the little one! I'm also this baby's aunt. Biologicially-No. Hand Chosen-Yes. :-)

Ben, Rachael, Baby Strickland and me!

Mommy and Baby Strickland!

I didn't get to see Joyce on this trip to Ohio. I miss her a ton too. Hopefully soon.

I'll be Home with Bells on...!

Christmas Break.

Almost the most precious words to a teacher.

The most precious words-Snow Day. I've yet to hear those most precious words, but there's always hoping. :-) Winter is far from over. I don't have as much of a chance as a did in Cleveland, but people down here---they freak out in bad weather. I can't even imagine what it would be like if I was REALLY in the south.

Christmas Break was amazing. I worked until 8:30 on Friday, getting things ready in my classroom so I didn't have to come back early. Then I packed and waited anxiously for my roommate and her NEW FIANCE to come back from the airport. It was such a sweet return. I'm soo happy for her!! And here I go again, searching for roommates once summer comes. I told them they could live upstairs and I would live in the basement, but Wendy didn't seem too anxious to sign the lease on that idea. I still have 6 months to convince her!

It was so nice to spend time with my family. I love going home. I love being able to slip back into the routine of being a kid, spoiled by mom's hugs and home cooking, and dad's beating me with a newspaper because I shocked his ears (...repeatedly....while he was trying to start the fire... :-) and his "complaining" to make me feel bad, but I know he really loves it when I bring car problems home and when I bug him to help me figure out how to buy my laptop. He loves to feel needed. I love to need him. I had two brothers to beat up-an outlet I've been needing. There's nothing like throwing your brother on the couch after a battle in the living room. My kitty got to snuggle with me and I got to be lazy. I got to see my sister-in-law, 8 months pregnant and so beautiful (though she says she looks like a house!). I can't wait to meet my nephew. 19 days and counting!!! My brother is SOOO pumped to be a daddy. I didn't really get to talk to him but I can tell. Can you tell?


Baby Everett. :-)


The Christmas Eve service was a step back into time. We do almost the same thing every year, seeing that you can't change history :-), but the characters just change. It's always interesting to see who are the chosen Mary and Joseph. Amy and Tyler were the chosen betrothed. Donkey ride and all. The candlelight service is my favorite. The glow of all of the candles and the sweet accapella version of Silent Night.

Christmas morning was so fun. Us big kids keeping traditions alive. Of course, we do it all for Tyler, the baby of the family. :-) Yeah...right. We they went to Gramma and Papa's for Christmas dinner. After dinner, and the MASSIVE amounts of silverware that had to be washed, games abounded all around the house. Gramma and Papa opened their gifts and then I asked Papa and Gramma about their Christmas memories. This is something that we rarely do. We don't really TALK. We play games and goof around....but I don't know how much relationship building we do when we get together. It's usually the kids and adults playing games, and Gramma watching or trying to talk to us while we are playing ;-) and Papa in the living room with his brother, watching TV. It kinda makes me sad. Times have completely changed since they were children. It was really good to listen. I loved it.



Tyler, Jay, Abby, Craig and Me. On the stairs for a Christmas picture. Another tradition. :-)

One Day

One week left. You can do anything for a week!!!



One day left. You can do anything for a day!!!


This was the encouragement given by our middle school administrator. Tomorrow is the one day. The last day before Christmas break. And it's going to be a glorious one day. I have one class tomorrow morning-a very rough kindergarten class- and then its off to the bowling alley with the middle schoolers! I've been taunting them all week, claiming victory. I've also been taunting Eric who is sure that he will conquer. Erin let the cat out of the bowling bag when she told Eric I own my own ball. I had to defend myself, telling him that I wasn't obsessed, but just taking advantage of a yard sale find of a left handed bowling ball. That's it.

But, I will beat him.

I hope. :-)

After bowling and lunch at the food court, it's Christmas Chapel. Always fun! The 1st graders are doing " All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth" which fits perfectly. There are at least 9 or 10 kids who have that wish. They are so cute. It'll be interesting to see all 35 6 year olds doing a song together. Erin, Eric, Amanda and I were going to do the Chipmunk Christmas song. We were going to turn upside down, put shorts on our heads, nostril dots on our chins and sunglasses on our necks to look like singing potato heads. BUT....we were canceled. We didn't plan ahead enough so it was too complicated for the media team. Oh well. Next year.

2 more sleeps until I'm home. This time I'll get to sleep in my own bed :-)

Decorating for the Holidays

I know, I know... I'm the girl who would YELL at girls in the dorm for playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving....I'm the girl who would grumble when seeing lights in the streets weeks before we even ate a bite of turkey...I'm the girl who made sure she didn't shop for Christmas gifts before Turkey day to prevent taking away the holiday special-ness of it.

But now, I think I've changed. Erin has a great point. We are never home to enjoy our Christmas stuff, so why not put it up early??? Tonight, Erin, Wendy, Becky, Rachel, Jessie and I decorated Becky, Wendy's and my house for Christmas. I have my own tree! It's 6 feet tall! Yes-it's fake. I hate that. But, it's all a girl can do when living without a strong man to go out and cut her a tree and without a little brother to water it. I don't have beautiful ornaments from my children, so my tree looks classy and matchy-matchy. Maybe a little like Home and Garden, but I like it. A lot.

Wendy and I even put icicles on it. Hmmmm....fun day! We watched Elf while decorating and then put in The Holiday to enjoy a nice girls' night.

I don't know WHY we do that to ourselves. WHY do we insist on watching sappy love movies??? Do we think that we'll actually be HAPPY and CONTENT with our situation after watching the picture perfect ending to the beautiful girl and the handsome guy's life? Why do we like to torture ourselves? Then, we are upset when the movie leaves us in a funk.


(music note) All I want for Christmas is some contentment... (music note)

Day o' Fun!

Wendy and I had an amazing day. Around 1pm, I saw Wendy stumble out of her room, and I, only a few minutes early, had awoken. We then did lazy things, like watch episodes of House and Office online (because we were too busy during the week to watch them) and then headed off to our last birthday hoorah. Wendy got me a dinner and a movie roommate date and I got her a lamp for her room. So, off to IKEA we went, and chose some amazing decorations and lamps for the house. I think I found a solution for getting rid of that boob light in our dining room. I know the guys in my life will be happy with the exchange. We then searched for Olive Garden. 40 min wait. Nope! On to our second choice, 10 mins later-On the Border. 25 min wait. Nope. Off to search for a Subway. Pablo-Pablo told us about non-existent Subways, leaving us in the middle of the highway- "You have reached your destination." So, we circled around past IKEA about 10 times, found a McDs and ate a burger and fries. Ironic, how Wendy didn't want to go to Red Robin because she wasn't in the mood for burgers. We passed Red Robin 10 times as well. (Mind you, we have only been awake for 6 hours and all this drama had taken place.)

We get to the movie theater and have to park 2 miles away from the doors. I set the car alarm off while trying to lock the door. We do the touch screen shortcut, only to find out that Eagle Eye is sold out. BUMMER! So, Wendy, in her fluster and hurry chose for us to see High school Musical 3-SING ALONG. Praise the Lord I caught it before she committed us to doing that for 3 hours with crazy tweenagers. We switched our tickets to Max Payne. I thought it was the new Bond movie, so I was stoked. Come to find out it involved deamons, murder, violence and other craziness. PG 13--BA LO NEY! We left after 30 mins, got a free pass for next time, went to Shoppers and rented Made of Honor from Red Box and headed home.

Fun, good movie. Cute guy. :-) Becky watched most of it with us. I got to tell her the above drama, so it gave me something to talk to her about. Finally, at 11:30, our birthday fun ended on a good note. I was left in a "aww, I wanna get married" funk, but soon, sleep will over come me and I won't worry about it anymore.

Although, I wouldn't mind a dream about Patrick Dempsey....

She's Baaaaackk......

I got a call yesterday to inform me that my roommate would be coming home today. She was being discharged. I called her sister, and found out that she's medically defined as "safe"- able to carry out every day functions without harming herself or others. Right now her sister has used up all her tears and now she's ready to throw reality at my roommate. She's frustrated because RM (roommate) won't take all of her medicine and is refusing treatment. She's in total denial.

Wait....I have a 3rd roommate?? She has been gone for so long that I've put it out of my mind. I've prayed for her, but the reality of her coming back to the Susquehanna house wasn't there. When I got the call, it took my breath away. I was instantly thrown back into the reality of my life that I have a sick roommate who has been gone for 2 months and is coming back. Every time I think about it, it takes my breath away.

Tonight, we got home around 10:30, and we see her car. We panic. We freak. We are still in shock. What do we say? How do we handle this? Do we get more involved in her life? Do we maker her talk to us? Do we push her to find a job and search for one for her? Do we go on living like we did, not trying to interact?

I don't know what God is trying to teach me through this. I haven't been a good roommate. I haven't purposefully involved her in my life or included her in my activities. Is He wanting me to become more involved in her life? What lines do I cross? Where do I push myself? What is my role? Where do I belong?

Could you please pray for Wendy and I about this? Ask God to give us wisdom as to what our next steps are. I need to pray fervently about what to do next. Tomorrow morning (maybe early afternoon, depending on consciousness) will be spent asking Him for wisdom. She needs a job. We need to meet with her friends and possibly a pastor from church to see what to do next.

She's back. Now, what are we to do?

More Pictures

Coach Peffer and the most amazing Assistant Coach Craft


Calvary Road Christian School 2008-2009 Girls Volleyball Team

WOOHOOOOO!!!!!!! WE LOVE VOLLEYBALL!!!!

Volleyball. My Favorite Sport. Ever.

We did it! We finished the season!!! The 19 girls of Calvary Road Christian School placed 3rd in the Tournament and 2nd in the season!

Unbelievable. Half of these girls haven't even played vball before. I've never coached before. I'm still in shock. I'm sooo happy and so proud of them. Soooo so proud.

But BEST of all we were also honored and surprised to find out that the coaches voted us to win the Best Godly Character award. We could have come in 6th place and won SO MUCH just with that honor. That says so much for our school and what we believe to be important. The trophy below is the Godly Character award. We didn't get a trophy for 3rd place (so I'm going to go buy us one. :-). This trophy is worth so much. This is what matters. Any team can win 1st place. It's possible for anyone to attain that. This---this award, not possible for anyone. Not possible without His help.

Chic-Fil-A Our FAVORITE place to eat!

The faithful fans!!!

It's over. The 2008 Volleyball season is over. No more practices, no more drills, no more driving that 15 passenger van an hour away for a game. No more getting lost, no more Chic-fil-a, no more begging of allowing drinks or milkshakes in the van. No more making the girls put their seatbelts on. No more horrible refs. No more yelling at the girls to CALL THE BALL and communicate. No more ice packs. No more stress about planning how in the WORLD I was going to get 19 girls on the court in 2 (or 3) games.

No more wins. No more losses. :-) No more close games. No more heart attacks or 2 minute volleys. No more watching the girls improve each practice and each game. No more AMAZING moves on the court. No more fast thinking with a quick slip over the net into a hole. No more great pass, set, spike combos. No more great net work. No more circle jumping to get ourselves pumped up for the game. No more game face. No more break checks. No more stories in the van and no more creating Miss Peffer's perfect man. No more eating out with my family of 19 girls, an amazing assistant coach and the faithful 5 moms.

Until next year.

The Incredible Hulk

Hi. This has been a week of all weeks, let me tell you!

First, Monday morning, I was in the teacher's meeting and started coughing. I left to get cooled down and get a drink. I went into my classroom to open the window for a breeze. The window has no crank on it, and previously I've been able to pound on it gently, and it pops open. Pound, pound, SMASH! My fist went through the window. I broke the window with my fist. Apparently I'm the Hulk.

After the initial shock wore off, I said, oh no, oh no, oh my goodness, Oh my GOODNESS, and hurried to the office. I brought everyone out of their offices to my side, looking for glass, applying pressure, and trying to problem solve for me. The cut was about 1/4 of an inch from tendons, 1/2 inch from veins. The cut was more of a slice sideways, like peeling an apple. Not straight down in, but not a scrape either. After gauze and tape, I called Kaiser, (my dr's office), and told them the problem. They had me on the phone for about 10 minutes, trying to set an appointment up for me! I was pushed out the door by the secretary who took care of the rest of the phone call, and out I went, driving myself to the hospital, 10 mins away. Yep. I drove myself with my hand on my head. Good idea, I thought, until blood came through the gauze I had on. Then I thought it was probably a stupid thing to do. Dad concurred.

I get to Kaiser, and it feels like I'm in an E.R. episode, staggering in, asking for a doctor, showing my wound. I ask the pharmacy where I could go to find a doctor. He told me I needed to drive to the emergency room because they don't do that here. What??? I said, well, I know there are doctors here, and i need one, so I'm going to find a doctor.

2 hours, 2 antibiotics, 4 shots of anesthesia (I can't think of the medical term right now, but I know I've heard it on TV) , 5 stitches and an arm splint later, I head back to school to teach for the rest of the day. Nope. I didn't go home. I wasn't even asked if I wanted to go home.

But, I did stay home from school on Wed. I needed a break to get over this cold and to heal my arm. It was a great day.

So now I'm babying it as much as I can, always wearing the wrist brace to prevent too much movement at that skin.

Now, pictures for your viewing pleasure. (I didn't include the grossest ones.)





I took my camera into school to show the kids. They LOVED it! My friend, Eric said that it looks like a shark bit me.

Who does this? How many people put their hand through a window? Dad says a lot of people. I think of how dumb I was and laugh at the fact that I broke a window with my fist! This will go in the books as one of the stupid things I did while teaching. What memories AND great scar story!

And you know what? My repaired window now has a handle on it. Hmmmm.... :-)

A milestone

25. I'm now officially 25 years old. 25 years ago, the world didn't know about Abby.

It sounds like such a small number. In reality, it is. If I had 25 cents, I'd be bummed. If I had 25 minutes before a test, I'd be cramming. BUT, because I have 25 years (tengo veinte y cinco años), I'm freaking out.

After our loss on Tuesday, we were sitting at Chick-fil-a and I was talking to my amazing assistant coach and a player's mother and her 2nd grade son (also one of my students.)
Coach: Is it a milestone birthday?
Me: yes, as a matter of fact, it is. I'm a quarter of a century old.
Coach:....hmm...I can't even remember 25 (she's about 40)....let's see....where were we? We were in Kentucky just starting a youth group...
Me: We! See! You had a we! At 25, you had a we! I want a we!

2nd Grader: I have a Wii.

All of us burst into laughter, just amazed and dumbfounded.
Me: Well, I guess my problem's solved. Just go to Walmart and I can get a we!
Coach's husband: Well, if you stay in the electronic section long enough...you might be able to get yourself a we. That would be the place to go to find one.
Me: Yah, but I'd really want to find cingular in the section so it could turn into a we...


My day was great. I felt so treasured. I was sung the happy birthday song at least 8 times today. Sometimes they sang in English THEN in Spanish. The lady in an office beside my room was about fit to be tied after all day of singing. I also received "giftcards" from the 2nd graders-paper folded in half with things like, $23,948,604,928,274,574,930@#¢. I also got a flipbook of birthday pictures, 2 3 cornered birthday hats and a ring.

More to come tomorrow....I'm so beat!

I want to go home!

I don't want to be here. I want to go home.