I love both cities very much, as well as the other two cities that make up our little Quad-cities area. They are Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia. Many people around the country know of Muscle Shoals due to the music industry and Tuscumbia due to Helen Keller’s birthplace. Florence is known for its University of North Alabama.

However, Sheffield, is the odd man out. Often times forgotten and left out. I love the town for being a quiet and quaint place to live. I could ride my bike and could see beautiful homes, forest and park areas, a bird sanctuary and the beautiful river flowing around the bend. I received a great education from the best technological school in our area. We had an awesome arts and sports foundation along with an education that prepared me for college on so many levels I never knew until I attended. Today, I visited my hometown and see a place designated on the roads for pedestrians and bike riders throughout the town. The historic water tower at the end of Montgomery Ave. (main street and place with a trail to the cliffs known as Whippoorwill where I got into big trouble in Jr. High-long story for another blog. ) has been beautified and has a viewing platform to see the sights of the river. There is also a wonderful place for the children to play known as Riverfront Park with a great sand box, climbing wall, jungle gym, and water play areas. Right beside the boat docks for fishing and water sporting. Down town is a little run down only because of its location. See Sheffield has no place for growth. The river cuts them out on one side and the way the train tracks cut through the town, many people avoid Sheffield so they don’t get “stuck” waiting for trains. So now, Sheffield, has become a destination town. As a place people go to only when they plan too.

Florence, however beautiful, is a lot less personable than Sheffield. Known to the United States as one of the top places in the states to own a restaurant or hotel. Since the Marriott and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course came into town, Florence’s growth has tripled. I love Florence because I can get what I need when I need it. The University of North Alabama has undergone some major renovations and has become a beautiful place to attend and experience. I also know that my daughter will receive the best education and obtain all she needs for her future. However, unlike Sheffield, when I enter a favorite store or restaurant, I don’t feel the familiarity or welcoming or knowledge of the people serving me. Don’t get me wrong, the people are very nice and welcoming in Florence, but I miss knowing the people and their families and having conversations about life rather than the weather.

Also a major difference between the two cities is the gas prices. Why is it that today, on March 20, 2010, regular unleaded number 87 gas is $2.67 in my hometown, Sheffield, and in Florence (just across the river, not even a mile between one gas station in one town to the next,) it is $2.73. Am I the only person that sees the irony in this? What is it about Florence that they feel they have to charge 6 cents more per gallon that their competition JUST ACROSS THE RIVER!!!!!! That isn’t all…..clothes, music, and even food all the same brand and bought from the same distributors are all different prices too. What’s up with that??????

Kevin took me to work and kept Anna with him. They went out to eat at Anna’s favorite restaurant, Mcdonalds, for breakfast and watched the snow. Then they went to some stores to get some errands done.

I suggested that when they were done, Kevin should take Anna to a park to play in the snow while they waited for me to finish at work.

Kevin wondered what he should do about dry clothes. I told him to not let her make snow angels, and she should stay pretty dry.

While I was at work I received a text message from my husband that read, “Too Late.”. When he picked me up, I asked what he meant.

Kevin had to go to Lowes to get some equipment for a project. He said that as soon as he parked the car…..Anna openned her door and became so excited about the snow that she immediately threw herself down and made some snow angels right there in the parking lot. She didn’t have a care in the world execpt to make those snow angels as soon as she could. Which made my suggestion for keeping her dry obsolete and Kevin remembered it too late.

Later while at the park after making more snow angels, Anna looked at her dad and said, “Daddy we have to go get Mommy now. I’m sure that Mr. Sain (the owner of my school and my boss) will understand if she has to leave.”

I laughed until my ribs hurt when I found out how much fun she had. I just wished that I could have been there and that Mr. Sain would have understood.

The class is on the book of Daniel and the author is one of my favorite bible study authors, Beth Moore.

The homework today talks about how our world and culture today parrallel with ancient Babylon. Especially the need to be wealthy, strong, beautiful, intelligent, and being capable of responsibility. This parallel is evident in Daniel 1:3-4, when the King of Babylon ordered certain Israelite people to be taken into the palace, but only when they met certain qualifications.

Now what really got me to thinking was that the Israelites brought their own captivity upon themselves. In verse 2 it states that God delivered them into captivity. I have learned the reason for this is because the Israelites played with fire after being constantly warned not to by God.

I realize that maybe I need to reassess my life and way of thinking in order to be freed of my own Babylon captivity. I know that I am a good, well loved, strong willed, intelligent, royal (due to Jesus’s sacrifice), and a hard working person. However, my captivity in my Babylon has a lot to do with my insecurities. Today, a friend and co-worker opened my eyes to my own wrong self impression. She told me what helps her is to not let it get to her when someone is unhappy with our services. She reaffirmed that I am everything I said and more. I believe that God put her in my life today to help me better understand and know ways that we can work against ourselves. She answered God’s call and has touched me in ways she can never imagine.

So, I now realize that Satan is using my own insecurities and low self mentality against me. He will do anything in his power to take away the wisdom and understanding that God wants to give everyday. As long as Satan can keep my focus on myself and my low self-esteem, then my eyes are not on God. I need to open my eyes in order to see the ways to do good, be used by Him and be in His perfect Will.

So, now I have to ask…What is your Babylon and what ways can you see that God has tried to warn you? Have you allowed the captivity to happen anyway?

Now, do you see that the only way out is through……..GOD!!!!! Allow him to work His love and grace in your life and the world will change and the colors your eyes will see are beyond what you could ever imagine!!!!!

Now your probably thinking…..”What the heck has gotten into this girl,” or, “Oh No! what she rambling about now?” Well it is something that happens to me often. Many times my feelings get hurt and the other person either doesn’t think, notice or care.

Ok, so I work really hard on things to help people out. I bend over backwards to get stuff done. However, often times, I feel like my efforts are unappreciated or inadequate. Many times, especially at work, I feel like I’m almost invisible, not allowed to help make decisions that concern my students and classroom, and constantly trying to out grow other more popular teachers’ shadows. Often times I feel more like a pawn instead of a teacher. Many times I want to say, “Hello!!!! I’d like to be included in that decision. Haven’t I proven that I can handle this too, or is there some other reason I seem to be invisible to you?”

So here is my question, how do I start standing up for how I feel without feeling guilty for possibly hurting someone the way I was hurt?

This last January 14th, Anna turned 5. It has been really hard on me. 5 is a big milestone and I can’t believe she has grown up so fast. Now she will be graduating from her Preschool that she has attended since she was 18 months old. She will start Kindergarten in August and she doesn’t need me as much anymore. She is so independent and outgoing. I just am having a hard time cutting the cord lately, I guess. She is even to this day asking when she can get married!!!!!!! Every pretty dress is a wedding dress.

Right now she is playing in her new dress-up princess clothes, helping her daddy put together her play house castle. They are making noise like they are playing trumpets and expecting a royal gathering of some sort. Kevin is wonderful with her. He takes these things in stride. I am constantly praying that we are doing everything humanly possible to help her grow into a beautiful, God-fearing young woman……..I am just not ready to let go……. This is a constant battle I know……Does it get any easier?

I couldn’t help but to cry all through this book. Not tears of sadness, but tears of love and happiness. I was able to feel how much God loved me even when I refused Him.

I highly recommend these books for anyone how is within the body of Christ. I also believe that if there are any loved ones who don’t understand the love that God has for us should definitely read these books. I have a whole new perspective thanks to these works of fiction on loving everyone as God loves me.

I highly recommend this book. Especially for anyone who maybe torn between what appears real and what is spiritual.  The way I see this story is that yes it is fiction, but it also make me stop and think about my life and the way I treat my enemies and friends.  Am I really portraying God to others so they will want to become a part of the family; Or am I just going through the motions of religion so that it seems as such?  These are questions we all have to answer as Christians everyday.

At that point one of my girls looked at me and said,”Mrs. Shae?  What is a walk man?”  I couldn’t believe my ears…….WHAT IS A WALK MAN?!?!?!?!?!?!  I felt so old and couldn’t believe that she didn’t know.  Before I could explain one of the other girls spoke up and said, “I know…..its something you would use to play one of those tape thingy on. My grandpa has one and still uses it.”  I just had to laugh and said, “Wow…I am really feeling my age now.  The only way I can explain it is that is was an ancient version of a portable CD player or an iPod that only allows the person to listen to one band at a time.”

I am sooooooo OLD!!!!!!

I really do like this book. The suspense grabs you an runs you into the end of the world and ne’er let’s you go. This book has nonstop emotion, action, and suspense all the way through. I periodically had to stop and calm down so that I could enjoy it more. Except for a few gory parts, I have really been enthralled with this story. Now I am left wondering…..Is Thomas gonna make it? What will happen to both worlds if he doesn’t?

I guess I’ll just have to go on to the next book to find out. It’s called Red.

See you on the other side .