I know...I know. Kind of lazy blogging. I do have ideas for posts but they take time to write and make sense of and I don’t have that kind of time today.
It’s been a busy week. Not busy in that go-go-go way, however. In fact, most days, I’ve managed to stay home the entire day until I absolutely have to leave. I think I’ve planned it that way on purpose because of my upcoming weekend, which has my stomach all in knots with its schedule.
1. The Young Women in my ward are coming over to my house Friday night for a retreat/sleepover. I know I just wrote about the horrors of sleepovers and this is not my usual schtick but something needs to happen with this particular set of girls to help them become better friends with each other. Girls are girls and this may totally backfire with the usual girls only interacting with their approved list of comfortable friends the entire evening but I hope spending more than 45 minutes in a row of hard folding chairs like they do on Sunday or an hour and a half on Wednesday nights whining about participating in a planned activity is a means to better unity. The retreat activity is to make venetian masks, which one of my laurels is heading up as one of her personal progress projects. It sounds insanely messy but sometimes I can handle mess if I know and expect it advance. There’s nothing a mop and vacuum can’t clean up, right? The original plan was to have dinner (pizza), make masks, sit in the hot tub and maybe watch a movie. Then, Jay cleaned out the hot tub for me so it would be fresh and ready to go and...it’s broken. Some motor on some part and the repair people can’t get here until next week. So...now I’m hoping that they’ll settle for karaoke or a dance party - two activities for which I’m always game. And, can any of you help me with a movie choice? Obviously, it has to be clean and cute and entertaining. I don’t watch a lot of movies and with all the males in the house, I really don’t watch many of what might be considered “feminine” movies. A little advice would be nice.
2. Saturday, as soon as the last person leaves, I need to get Sam down to a town about an hour away for his soccer game. No big deal except that I also have to get Seth to his soccer game by 1:30 and be at the church by 6:00 so that I can present a 15 minute class on having a cash budget for a ward activity on having financial peace. Jay also happens to be on call so he’ll be away and busy the entire day. I’ve thought a ton about what I want those 15 minutes to feel like but I haven’t written much down. I’d like it to be informal enough for someone to throw a question or opinion in whenever so I’m trying really hard not to over prepare like I sometimes do. Instead, I’d like to rely on the six years of cash budgeting experience we have and what has worked, what hasn’t, and why I think it has far greater implications than just financial peace. I think it brings relationship peace/ spiritual peace and parenting peace.
3. On Sunday, Jay, Seth and I have been asked to speak in Sacrament meeting. We’ve been given the topic of praying vocally as well as in secret and, for some reason, from the moment I heard the topic I knew I was going to speak about music. Jay was a bit surprised by my interpretation and for as prompted as I felt initially, the preparation sure has been slow going. There just aren’t a lot of talks to use as references and that’s usually my mode d’emploi for talks. I want to use some personal experiences but it’s hard to talk about music and its influence without using the actual music. You know what I’d really like my talk to be like? I’d like to break out into song here and there to make my point. Obviously I can’t and I won’t. That’s just not how things are done. But, reading the lyrics to music isn’t the same thing. It’s a big part and hugely moving but the music - a melody and harmony and rhythm and dynamics - well...it’s more. Now, with only two days left, I’m wondering if I should have gone in a different direction because my talk could be a big ol’ flop. I am forcing my family to sing the special musical number. I’m rarely bossy but I am quite comfortable with it when it comes to music. In spite of their protests and groans, we are going to sing “A Child’s Prayer” and I hope the three boys can know it well enough to sing the first verse by themselves, have Jay and I sing the second verse and then...you know what comes next...the mash up. Oh yeah. I love those dual melody songs.
Of course, I’m avoiding all of this weekend reality and procrastination in a very dangerous way. So, if the blog is quiet until Monday, you know why.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Um....Three on Thursday??
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13 comments:
Oh man. Good luck!
I say you bust out in song. They do in Hawaii! I remember one of my first sacrament meetings there, testimony meeting, and there were quite a few that stood and sang rather than spoke.
I'm going to check back for movie references.
Again, good luck!
the problem, Jane, is that I am not Hawaiian. I am a life-long member well indoctrinated in the unwritten order of things and even I would be aghast at my own singing. Sacrament meeting isn’t a place to make people feel uncomfortable and I fear any pulpit serenading would do just that. I’ll have to save my talk for a visit to Hawaii, though.
A few classic chick flicks:
Pride and Prejudice (short version)
While You Were Sleeping
You've Got Mail
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
I hope you'll share your advice about cash budgeting-what works and what doesn't. I have intended to transition over to a cash budget for about two years now. I am a big Dave Ramsey fan but I just can't seem to get that going.
Busting out in song in Sacrament meeting certainly would be interesting. And uncomfortable. Good luck with the talk prep. I hate public speaking. For someone who loves to sing/dance/act/teach in front of people I don't really know why speaking in Sacrament meeting terrifies me so but it does.
Thanks, Lindsay. I love those movies. I wonder if the girls have seen them? what are classics I wonder? I mean, these girls could be my daughters and I watched most of those when I was in college or thereabouts.
The biggest thing about cash budgets is to not give up. No month EVER has been perfectly budgeted. It doesn’t work to only budget what you wish you spent on things like food, eating out, entertainment. The trick is to budget for what you actually spend. If it’s more than you can afford, using cash will eventually help you cut back more than saying, “it’s too hard” and using debit. It’s also important to be generous to yourself and not think you can do with $10 of “blow” cash for the month. Obviously, it depends on what the incoming vs. the outgoing responsibilities are but cash budgeting is so much like eating responsibility. You need flexibility and accountability. I do so well with the cash, I have no explanation why the eating is still so bad!
Oh Boy! You've definitely got a lot going on. The speaking assignment alone is enough to send me into anxiety attacks. I do love your topic, though. I really like your idea of speaking about music. I gave a talk several years ago based on the scripture "a song of the righteous is a prayer unto me." I'd be happy to email it to you if it'd help get your juices flowing...
I love the idea that your family will sing together. I wish I could be there to hear it.
Good luck with your crazy weekend. You'll do a fabulous job with all of it!
I second Lindsay's movie choices. Some more ideas: Enchanted, Ever After, Ella Enchanted, Letters to Juliet. Or, since it's a sleepover and you'll have lots of hours to fill, you could show them North and South (the BBC production about class values in Victorian England featuring the lovely Mr. Thornton, not the Civil War one).
We watch a lot of movies with the girls at work. Unfortunately even though all the movies have to be approved and appropriate I'm not sure they would cut it for a church activity. letters to juliet is a cute one. Other thanthat animated movies would be appropriate but not as much fun.
I love a cash budget but I can't get jerry on board. Frustrating
Tara, send it over! I need some help!
I've seen letters to Juliet and thought it was so dull. Did you all see a different version than me? I'm thinking big fat Greek wedding for the humor. Am
I forgetting any inappropriate scenes?
I wish I lived closer so I could help or offer the driving services of Michael and Jacob. Good luck with the sleepover - you are courageous. My favorite chick flick is Return to Me, but it has some swearing so it's out. I would say if you're going for an older show preview it first. I remember showing Michael and Jacob some oldies (like Footloose) and being down right shocked at the scenes and language I didn't remember. You could go with a church movie like the RM or Singles Ward.
My friend just told me last night of a missionary rapping his testimony. So. Awkward. Not that you couldn't pull it off :)
I would beware of Greek Wedding with a church youth group because they very clearly sleep together before they're married. My favorite suggestion so far is Ever After. I also think Ella Enchanted or Pride and Prejudice would be good.
I, too, am hoping you'll post a version of your 15-minute budgeting class!
(Oops, just realized your YW sleepover is over by now!)
You'er one busy lady.. : )
I hope you had a great weekend...
When I lived in IL, I went to a really easy-going church. I was giving a talk to inspire others to assist with the Wed. nt. youth program and wanted to emphasize how much the programs' singing gets ingrained into a child's mind, so I BURST INTO SONG with two songs and how they impacted my life later on. Looking back on it, I feel awkward about it, too. It was just the unexpectedness of it, I guess. Hope your talk went well. I, too, pray in song from time to time!
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