Remember

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate... we can not consecrate... we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government : of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

~Abraham Lincloln
Gettysburg, 1863

Remember Memorial Day

Believin'

I've decided to go back to school. I want to say I'm going to try to go back, but after all, "Hope Is Not A Plan." So here in print there is some accountability.

When I was mulling it over I I told a friend at work, "Who do I think I am, raising 3 children on my own, working full time, part time, and thinking I can go back to school?" And this wise woman answered "Somebody, that's who!" You're darn right.

Part time classes on my laptop after the kids are in bed will be a huge confidence boost, and step by step, they'll build my resume into something worthy. It is a statistical fact that 52% of the single mothers in our country live below the poverty line for the rest of their lives. Well. Not this one! Is that what I want to show my children? That we fought for less?

I know you guys are a wealth of information, so lay it on me. Tell me every tip, trick and scholarship you know of!

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

Believin' For More,
Carolynn

Heaven Sent

My sons and I started a Divorce Care group at a new church last night. It's fabulous. The children's group discusses the same topics as the adult group, at their level. It's a safe place for them to work through this and make friends with kids in the same boat. And whoamygosh, I get to decompress too. I've been too busy to work through too much of the divorce. I'm never getting married again, but I sure don't want to keep making the same mistakes. I want to learn, so I can really heal.

We drove home in a thunderstorm though, which really bothered my youngest. I've said it before, but my oldest is a Genius because he said, "hey, let's pretend the lightning is God's camera!" So for the 20 minute drive home we yelled, "CHEESE!" at the top of our lungs when it lightninged. (is that a word?)

It brought unspeakable joy.

It's been raining a lot in our lives lately. What a relief to laugh in it! Rain makes all things new. Jesus bring the rain. Tell me you're not twitterpaited with the smell after rain. We've got a rainbow coming, I can just feel it.

Cheese!
Carolynn