Isabelle

Applebee's Adventure

As many of you know, Micah is a host at Applebee's.  For weeks, Matt has been telling her that he's coming to come in with a group of friends when she's working and embarrass her to death!

The group of friends became his best friend, Corey, and today was the date.  Here's the funny part of the story:

While Sam was telling Micah to ask her manager if she could get a group of co-workers to surprise the guys with a resounding chorus of "Happy Birthday" along with cake and ice cream - just to embarrass them, of course! - I was telling the guys to go in deaf.  Both of the hosts tonight, Micah and her friend Brianna, are in ASL together and they could give Brianna a run for her money, or at least some good ASL practice!

Matt won't tell us what happened - and Micah closes tonight - so we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the rest of the story, but Matt did mention he crab walked in to the building . . .

Micah's Fish Tail

It's my best one yet!

Thankful Thursday

I honestly thought I had made the entire year at the Y without a staff evaluation and that did make me thankful.  I must have had at least one a session last year so I was glad to go without this year.  In just four days, I would have made it - but I got caught today!  

My supervisor observed my 10:30 a.m. Level Two's and gave me "5's" (the highest ranking) across the board.  For that, I was thankful - it's a new curriculum and i want to do well.

But I turned to her and said, "Don't you have anything I can improve on?"  Her response:  "You did start class late."  I laughed and she laughed with me when I told her why:

My earlier two classes today were from Sterling Academy, a Plymouth Brethren School.  I had promised the girls I would teach them how to do an "outie" French braid the first day of lessons (six weeks ago!) as they all have long hair.  Today, I joined them in the locker room and was one minute late for my third because I showed them how to braid hair.  

Forty-Year Friend!

I met my friend, Denise, for lunch yesterday in Cannon Falls.  It's a half-way destination for us since she lives in Rochester.  Sadly, we hadn't done it since Micah was very small.  But even though we hadn't see each other for years, we had the most glorious time laughing and talking and sharing our lives.  It's one of those friendships where we're never apart . . .I'm blessed.

My Favorite Son.

It's a very good thing that I only have one son and one daughter because then I get to have a favorite son and a favorite daughter!  Today my favorite son said to me, "Mom, I've hardly seen you all day . . ."  (True.  I came home from work.  He had lunch while I walked the dog.  He mowed the neighbor's yard while I had lunch.  Now he was getting ready to leave for work.)  "Would you like to come in and help me make sandwiches?"  He loves me.

The Testimony.

Part of our prep for serving in Ukraine this summer - and due tomorrow evening - is to write out our testimony, our personal story of how we came to know Jesus; practice it five times and then share it with a friend, asking them to honestly give feedback.

While outside yesterday afternoon, I saw neighbor Jill and asked if she was going to be home on this afternoon so I could run up and share my testimony with her.  Sadly, she had to work - but could I come up that night?  Then I could share it with both her and her husband, the one with the doctorate.  She went on to share that he gives speeches all the time for work, he's really good at them, and he would love to give me constructive criticism.  Awesome.  I was thrilled.  Not.

I walked up the hill at seven, handed my "testimony tip" sheet to Brian, the doctorate, and said, "Go head, critique me."  Jill sent the kids downstairs and we all sat down.  As I shared (and read!) my testimony, they were attentive.  When I got to the end, I shared my conclusion:

"In the many years that I have been given to serve my Jesus, these truths I know:

• He is my only hope;
• He is a faithful, Mighty God;
• He always heals the heart, though the body may remain broken."

What happened next was a half hour conversation on that very last line.  You see, Brian is battling Stage Four cancer.  He has been prayed for by a group that believes if God does not heal you, you do not have enough faith.  Oh, the fallacy of that and the wounds they cause.  I am grateful for the opportunity to share the truth from God - that He always heals, it just may not be the body.  To God be the glory!