Category: Daily Work

Daily Work

April 11 – Burning Up the Day

rockyfort

The devotional today was almost 500 words. Then, I took care of trash. Showered and headed to my old school for day two of testing. I noted yesterday that we feed those kids who are testing in their rooms. We met and discussed the plan in the parent room and were just about to head to the cafeteria to pick up lunches when the fire alarm went off. This obviously wasn’t a drill – not during state testing. I wondered if a student who might have been struggling with part of the test had seen to it that he got an extra long break. Turns out some wiring in an AC unit above the cafeteria was sending out smoke. Kids left the cafeteria and the alarm went off. While we were waiting outside, 7 fire trucks and 2 ambulances showed up. Some, were waiting just in case they were needed, but it was heartwarming to see the Fire Department respond to a possible school fire like that.

Everything got pushed back a half an hour. Students who had to leave their lunches on the table got served another plate. We fed the 8th graders with no hitch, and it was home to do laundry. We’re having problems with our appliances, so it was off to the laundromat. Things went well, it just took a lot of time. Then it was time to go home and get ready for church. After church, I needed to pick a couple of things from the grocery store, and then finally got a chance to relax before I started my challenge. I only edited 3 days worth of devotionals for my book.

Today’s 488 Word Devotional – April 11 – With Him or Against Him: The Choice is Yours

Today’s reading – a couple of chapters of The Venom Protocols

Daily Work

April 10 – Yes, I’ll Wear Pink

rockyfort

Today began, as usual, with the devotional. It ran longer today – about 603 words. Then I got ready to go to the school I retired from and volunteer. Today was the beginning of State Testing and I go there to help serve lunches. They feed the kids in the classroom on testing days to cut down on opportunities to converse – because conversations at lunch might naturally gravitate towards the test. They had a shirt for the volunteers. A Pink shirt. They asked me if I’d wear pink. Pink is used for breast cancer awareness. I have no problem wearing pink! Teachers have a difficult time during testing. They can’t help, they can’t give hints, they have to walk around and monitor. It may sound easy, but it ain’t. If you know any teachers, give them some extra love during state testing time. After testing, I got ready for a chess lesson…but we had a bit of miscommunication and I wasn’t needed to teach today. This student is sharp! He discovers things on his own, he remembers the concepts I teach. He’s probably close to the point where he’s beyond my ability as a teacher. I should have used the extra time to write, but I decided to play instead.

When my wife got home, I cooked supper and THEN did my editing. I need to work on the May June Devotional book and get the final formatting done for that one.

I haven’t mentioned this in a while, but Driftwood Coffee Company is trying to help us get to Rwanda. They’re dedicating profits from web sales this month to help us go on a teacher training trip working with Africa New Life Ministries. If you buy from them, you can help us. If you want to make a tax-deductible donation, then you can go to The Africa New Life donation site and click on Mission Team Members. Scroll down and look for Lucy and Bob James. This organization does an amazing work in Rwanda.

Today’s Devotional – 603 Words – April 10 – Be a Neighbor…But Wait! There’s More!

Today’s Reading: Began looking at The Venom Protocols.

Daily Work

April 9 – Staying Focused

rockyfort

I think the title is more admonition than testimony. After the devotional, I had a hard time staying focused. I wrote the rest of the devotional I’d skipped that day, that year. I only needed 200 words, but it took a lot longer. I spent a lot of time networking and sharing information with other authors. There are a lot of new books that have just come out or will be coming out soon. Then I began editing, but was very restless as I tried to work. I took a power nap. I couldn’t stay focused. I went to chess clubs and worked with them, then stopped at the grocery store before heading home. I had to pick up some medicine for my daughter. She had ordered it last night with a delivery time around 2. I got there around 6, and it wasn’t ready. 30 minute wait because….well…because. Then tonight, I kept trying to stay awake to write….finally gave up after four days of edited material.

Today’s devotional (460 Words) – April 9 – You Can Be An Answer to Prayer

Daily Work

April 8 – …And I Did Some Writing, Too

rockyfort

Today was Sunday. All day. I got my devotional written before we left because I needed to attend the first service if I was going to worship. Then, I had parking lot duty. We have men who take turns being on the parking lot as a presence to deter bad people from thinking cars in the lot are easy targets. I get a lot of good exercise on those days. After that, I counted money as part of the finance committee. And, as Sundays go, I came home, ate lunch and then left almost immediately to go to the nursing home for the Bible Study. Then, came home for a partial time of relaxation, in time to get ready to head back to the church for our Financial Peace University Class. I’m excited to have co-coordinators working with me…they’re good as they showed tonight! Then it was home to cook dinner, clean dishes, and try to write. I was trying to write the devotional for the day I was missing, but had a lot of distractions. I still have a bit more to write tomorrow. I’m hoping to finish that early, and then begin editing the April part of the book. I really want to get caught up on the editing so I can have the devotional books through the end of June out in order!

Today’s Devotional (513 Words) – April 8 – The Weapon of Hatred 

With this full of a day, no other reading (other than the Bible)

Daily Work

April 7 – Scattered Priorities

rockyfort

Today was a day I touched on all the different areas that are important to me…well…except for one or two…. I began the day by working at a food pantry. I left the house before I did my devotional, so today’s devotional was late getting posted. At the food pantry I either help prepare bags of breakfast meat or do that and lead a devotional today. Today, someone from the church that does the pantry led it. I prefer that because it comes closer to where the people are. The cold (yes, I said the cold in South Texas in April) may have kept our numbers down lower than normal. I got home and worked through my devotional. Sometimes I struggle, like today, because the “through the Bible” program I’m using this year doesn’t jump around…so I’m getting all the gospels at the beginning of the year. I feel like I’m reading and writing about what I wrote about last month. In the middle of today’s writing, it was off to get coffee for my wife. I didn’t get it after the food pantry like I normally do because the local convenience stores were selling commemorative Selena cups. I couldn’t find a parking place, let alone imagine standing in line for that long for coffee!

Lunch today was targeted buying. A local 12-Step group with a strong Christian emphasis had a barbecue to raise funds. I’ve had many friends and family members who were friends of Bill W, and I appreciate this particular organization also. We ate barbecue for lunch! Then, it was off to our writers’ meeting – the first Saturday of the month. The only other person there today was the other leader. We talked for a while, then broke things up early. He always teaches me something when we talk! Then it was time to come home, and I tried to write, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open…so a quick nap. Errands, supper, and finally some editing happened after the nap. While editing, I realized that I had skipped a day of my devotionals. So, to finish that month off, I need to write a new one. Ah, this is the life!

Today’s devotional (543 Words) – April 7 – Let It Go….Let It Go (Yes, I did go there!)

Reading today – with everything else going on – it didn’t happen.