More school

With the end of the semester approaching, I've been looking forward, trying to plan my future school schedule. My goal is to get into the Occupational Therapy program at Sac City College. They take applications in the fall and the program begins in the Spring. I've been thinking that I could get my GE done and put in my application this fall (Fall '09). After this semester I'm rethinking my plan. In order to apply this fall I would have to take 6 units this summer and then 12 units this fall. Maybe that's no big deal for some of you, but I know that would be really stressful for me - mentally, socially, emotionally, and financially. It's looking like a much better idea to take fewer classes and go an extra year. It would enable me to work more hours which would ease the financial stress. It would also ease the homework load which would ease the mental stress and allow more time for a social life, which would all ease the emotional stress. I believe that I could finish by this fall, but at what cost? It seems that a one year delay would not be too much to sacrifice for personal sanity and well-being.

Seeing the best in people

Usually I'm a pretty easy-going type of person. I have an amiable personality and, except for a very limited number of cases, give people the benefit of the doubt and see what's good about them. Lately, I hate to admit, I've been really struggling with two particular people. Everytime I'm around them, all I can see is their faults. Sometimes my mind is bombarded with negative thoughts about them even when they aren't around. Grumble grumble grumble. I really hate it. I don't want to be that way. It isn't Christian, it doesn't really bother them at all, and it really isn't an effective way to be a happy, positive person. I've really tried to forgive and let go, but I haven't been able to figure out how. So I've been doing a lot of pondering and praying. Last week I got an answer. It was one of those times that I knew that it was not my own thought, but was inspiration given to me because I asked and had been striving for it. My epiphany, once realized, was pretty obvious and simple, unless you're an imperfect human being. The answer was to look at these people as if they were my children. Now, unless you're a parent (a good one - there are not-so-good self-centered parents out there) you can only begin to guess how much one person can unconditionally love another (spouses can come really close, but parenthood is different). I can look at my children, and even though I know their faults, weaknesses and the mistakes that they've made what I see is what is great about them. I know their true character and who they're striving to become, and because I love them what I want for them is their success. I want them to learn and grow and overcome their weaknesses and become that truly great person they have the potential to be - and I would do anything I could to help them to achieve that. It's also how I want my children to see each other. It now seems like a no-brainer that that is how God sees us, his children, and that is how he wants us to see and treat each other.
Now come the more difficult part - proving myself ... by actually putting this new perspective into practice - not just when I'm alone, but when I have the "opportunity" to interact with these particular people. I know it's the right thing to do, so I know that God will help me, too, to overcome my weaknesses.

A Great Weekend

What a great weekend! On Friday night I went to see the movie "Monsters vs Aliens" with 5 of my kids. We watched it in 3D. I thought it was a really fun movie. There was no great moral or great purpose for it, but it was really entertaining. One really strange thing was that throughout the movie there was one character that I kept thinking that I knew - it was someone that I knew. Finally, as my kids and I were talking after the movie, I figured out who it was. It was amazing, because even though the character was a reptile, it looked and acted so much like my son's friend, John, that I would swear that the movie writer must have known John and based the character on him. Then we all wore our 3D glasses to the store and got some ice cream. We ate it together at my son's house, while we watched a Bali-wood movie called "Salameishk" (I'm not sure of that spelling). The next night I went with my youngest son to my daughter and son-in-law's house for dinner, movie, and a sleep-over. Tonight I get to hang out and go bowling with another son. Yeah, for family and for spring break!