This one makes me cry everytime I hear it...

Make us one, make us one
Make us one, undivided body
Make us one, make us one
For the sake of Your name make us one

Make us love, make us love
Make us love so the world will know we love You
Make us love, make us love
For the sake of Your name make us love

Make us pure, make us pure
Make us pure and righteous. make us holy
Make us pure, make us pure
For the sake of Your name make us pure

-----
Thus ends my Twila posting obsession for today.

Referenced below; I love it's simplicity.

Christ in us
Christ in us
Christ in us, the hope of glory
Christ in us
There is just
One confession, Christ in us

God with us
God with us
Who could ever be against us
God with us
There is just
One confession, God with us

There is just one confession
Christ in us

Gratitude & Snow

Il neige!!!
on my birthday even!!! How special. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am thankful for a lot of things in my life, and thought I'd mention a few....

-for my union's contract negotiations being almost complete.... 9 months early! Unheard of! What a load off my mind for sure.

-a dear friend being able to get pregnant...

-a job that I love, that changes and challenges me everyday

-a home of my own

-my 1st digital camera, courtesy of mes parents pour mon anniversaire

-BOOKS! especially the 2 Henri Nouwen devotionals I found for Christmas & Lent!!

-Music... Can't wait to hear your concert Dad, plus I love the Techny Towers Bookstore... such an eclectic collection of books.... and I love going out for dinner afterward.... also for "Music Machine" which was referenced in Cath's blog: catherinemcniel@blogspot.com & for the Twila Paris hymn CD she lent me. I MIGHT give it back, if you make me a copy.... I like the song "Christ in us"... it reminds me of the prayers of St. Patrick

-tangents & randomness, & the ability of my loved ones to make an effort to follow along my train of thought

-BINDER CLIPS!!! I LOVE THEM! Not the cutesy ones, just regular black & silver... but last year I even asked for them for my bday... sigh.... it's a love affair of unspeakable fathom

-health, loving family, hair dye, Burt's Bees chap stick, Minute Maid Cherry Limeade & I think I should stop while I am ahead.

Holiday Update

Well, Tuesday morning I finished up my holiday shopping! Bam! Just like that! (Thought I'd throw in some onomotopoiea for ya.) Thank you AMAZON.COM! Actually, I have to order something for my g-ma through virtualflowers & pick up something for my Dad. It's not my fault they don't take Discover.

I printed out my Christmas letter yesterday. Most of my cards are addressed and stamped.

But here's the thing..................

I have no stamps.

And I for some reason ALWAYS procrastinate in getting them. I HATE going to the post office ANYTIME of year... & always forget that they have them at Jewel or Dominicks.
So I cannot say for sure that they will be sent prior to Valentine's Day. Hopefully, by PRESIDENT's Day though.

Bon/ne Anniversaire a moi!

I love where my birthday falls in the calendar. Typically I have p-t conferences, then my bday (sometimes during conferences which is okay because then I celebrate @ work), and then Tgiving, and then D's bday, & then p's anniversary, & the C-mas! I'm not trying to take the Christ out of Christmas, just feeling the abbreviation instead.

P-t's went very well. It's nice to have parents who actually take responsibility for their children's behavior/learning rather than blaming peers/teachers for the students' deficits/misbehvior. It's not... "What are YOU going to do about it...." Rather... "How can I help my child at home?". This year's classes' parents don't treat me like the cleaning lady, they treat me with respect. And do you know why??? Because they are all FOREIGN!!! And I LOVE it!!! Now this is going to sound REALLY racist, but the downside to have ELL parents is that you end up with some VERY INTERESTING holiday gifts.... Sigh.

A side note... ever since I starting teaching in BG, I use the phrase "knock on wood" ALL the time. I'm not superstitious... it's just habit!!

Anyway... back to MY bday...
I was able to go downtown to see the lights & window's at the former Marshall Fields. (I cannot bear to use that other M-word... as the girl I tutor calls it, "Stupid, Macy's!)Martha Stewart decorated the tree this year, & she did a really nice job. It was different layers of color all the way up the tree. Of course we ate in the Walnut Room, and had the traditional lunch & dessert: chicken pot pie, Mrs. Field's Special sandwich, snowman sundae, & FRANGO mint pie. I went with my cousin T & her 3 kids... and the kids were so funny while we were waiting in line... they were going around from Frango box to Frango box, sniffing them all! Cute.

Well, it's off to Jamesons' Steakhouse for bday dinner! 32 is great!

I kid you not.

Recently I gave our first trimester social studies assessment. My eyes popped out of my head & my jaw just dropped when I read this client's answers.

How has Illinois' physical environment changed over time?
It was a war a long time ago and then it changed because the President said that people have to change it to Chicago.

How do you think Illinois' physical environment will continue to change?
It will change when you see black people in a new state that they never been before.

Verbatim, people.

Advice: The Great Commandment

"Love yourself enough to fill your own love tank,
so you can share that love with others.

And build an intimate friendship with the real God,
not just the "Heavenly version of your earthly father."

Think God outside the box.

Chat with Him throughout every day,
like you would a best friend accompanying you."


-Dr. Paul Meier (Meier Clinics)