commentary- BC government extortion & Orwellian life

September 7, 2014 Be Enough Leave a comment

I resonate… One day I will be brave enough to share why I no longer work as a teacher in the public school system.

Until now this woman of words says it all. Thank you!

Shawn L. Bird

I am not a political person.

I voted conservative most of my life. I have never canvassed for a political party. I have never held any union position, including shop steward.

I believe in a ‘live and let live’ attitude about most things, but I have voted every election since I was old enough. I take my responsibility as a citizen very seriously. I try to be educated about my opinions. I seek information from those who know what’s going on. I don’t trust the news to tell me the whole truth. I am living in an Orwellian world these days where politicians and some news stories are making declarations completely opposite to what I know is true, because I live it. Calling a black cat white does not change the fact that it is a black cat!

Here’s what I know.

After then Minister of Education Christy Clark ripped…

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cancer, Family, God, Grief

Be Midnight Me

September 6, 2014 Be Enough 2 Comments

Last night I wrote the poem below at midnight, not because I wanted to but I am realizing that this is a good time for me to write.

Quiet.

Dark.

Completely present.

Being.

My mind zips along on its hamster wheel of thought.

Writing helps me grab words, themes, feeling and alas the wheel stops.

One year after my mom’s second session of ~~crazy poison~~ chemotherapy, my grief is deep. The benefit of living a year past this moment is that I know the waves won’t consume me, the grief won’t paralyze me and my sleepless nights will end.

Here are my midnight musings:

Midnight Me

I am a northern girl.

A redneck to some.

I am six feet tall.

A woman.

Imperfectly perfect in His image.

Overflowing with God’s grace.

(Cause He knows I need it!)

I am a Jock.

And an artist.

A mover and shaker.

A beautiful outlaw.

A writer of words.

A bearer of my soul.

A sole bearer.

My heart hurts.

As I ponder.

Watching my best friend.

My mama.

Die.

She has gone ahead of me.

Leading the way to heaven.

My mom’s life and death has re-ignited the gift Jesus gave me at 19.

A reminder.

Freedom to the captives.

Hope.

Grace.

Love.

The rope is frayed.

Split.

Disintegrating.

Nothing holds me back.

Expectations.

Judgement.

To do lists.

I am free!

Glory to God alone who brings freedom to the captives and weaves EVERYTHING together for his goodness.

cancer death friendship grief life midnight mom poetry

Boys, God, Grief

Be Holding Tightly to Little Things

September 5, 2014 Be Enough Leave a comment

I sense a loosening of many expectations I used to have, a fraying rope.

My grip is also loosening on so many of the things in my own home as I watch my dad go ‘through’ mom’s things.

I am blessed as many of the fantastic clothes mom had fit me. A few of her shoes do too!

I must admit though, that I am holding very tightly to a few little ‘things’: This is the birthday announcement we put in the newspaper for mom’s 70th birthday on March 30th, 2013.

A grocery list from last November.

The Christmas present tag my mom wrote for me last Christmas. She was very ill before Christmas but she always had her shopping done early!

As I look at the three little pieces of paper I wonder why they are important. I realized it is because they represent the little things.

My mom was excellent because EVERY DAY she did the little things well. She remembered my boys favourite foods and books. She celebrated every little thing – birthdays, first day of school, thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, plays, practices…. EVERYTHING! My mom always thought of us, how she could help or what she could pick up or when we could get together. Our lives were interwoven. She thought about holidays and how to include everyone. She planned and organized all the details. Mom would often surprise us with beautiful handmade placemats or table runners that she had been working on for months before they were meant to be used.

She was very present for all the little moments. Sometimes, I would walk in my laundry room and find our clean clothes folded. Often she would clean out our hand vac. She always took the dogs for a stroll, just because she liked to think of the little things.

Right now there are a lot of ‘big things’ going on around me that affect our family profoundly (teacher’s strike, mainly).

I am taking a page from my mom’s book of excellence and I am focusing on the little things.

bctf cancer grief life little things mom musings teacher's strike

Boys, Parenting

Be Floating a Boat on the First Day of School

September 2, 2014 Be Enough 1 Comment

Kindergarten and Grade two was scheduled to start today for our family. Due to an impasse between teachers and our close-minded government who deems summer school an essential service but not the regular school year, half a million students are not in school today.

I am sick to my stomach for my colleagues on the picket line but full of joy for my boys.

We started off this school year dropping Daddy at school because his car is in the shop. I asked the boys what they wanted to do today on the first day of school. As I folded the laundry, the boys put on their aprons, picked their wood from the pile in the garage and boat construction began. JC even showed me he can safely use Sexy Neck’s saw.

Now off to Mommy School at our kitchen table classroom after a quick swim. It will be an encouraging taste of writing, reading and Math.

Building my boys up.

Extending our summer.

Praying for a resolution.

Enjoy each of these ‘bonus’ days.

No place I would rather be.

Raising boys into men.

One day at a time.

One pencil mark.

One piece of paper.

One piece of wood.

One nail.

One Christ guiding my ways.

Glory to Him who weaves everything together for good!

boys first day of school Parenting strike woodworking

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