Spring 2012 - School is Out

May 17 was the last day of School at Cassville R-IV School District in Cassville, MO.  That is about 11 days earlier than last year.

We had a rather mild Winter, so we had fewer days to make up due to weather, ice, snow and such things.  We only had one snow day, and we made it up by getting out a bit later than scheduled.

Anyway, School is out; Summer is on the way, and boy am I glad to see it.

Have a great finish to Spring, and a whole Summer of warmth, rain, and sunshine.

The Blessings of the LORD of hosts be with you.

-tim

It Is Spring Again

The past few days here in Southwest MO. has been wet. Wet may not be big enough word for it. It has been downright in the, at least next to the Noahic Flood proportions. That is probably slightly overstating the situation, but I know that is how some of us have felt. Some have even accused me of building an "Ark" and getting ready to float away.

Life sure is interesting at times. One week we are dismissing schools due to snow, ice, and winter storms. The next week we are getting out of school early due to flooding rainfall. Letting out early so as to be sure we get the kids home without buses getting cut off, and such.

Well! Welcome to the second day of Spring 2008. It is great. I have never made any secret to Spring and Summer being my two favorite seasons of the year. It seems that I am especially appreciative of this Spring. Snow, ice and cold just doesn't do anything for me. I don't complain about it. It is the days our Lord have given us, and they do have their function and purpose, and they too give glory to their Creator.

Let me tell you about my last two or three days of Winter with Spring affects. Monday night March 17 we received a large amount of rainfall. Tuesday morning when I drove down our driveway toward the road I was wondering about my ability to cross the branch which crosses the road on both sides of our access. When I got to it I saw it deeper than any other time I had crossed; I looked and debated with myself whether it would be the right thing, and safe thing to cross or not, and finally decided I would cross. I did, and made it across in good shape. Upon returning home the branch had risen considerably, with the waters wavy rolling across the crossing. I decided not to cross in the car, but to find a fallen tree across it upstream or something. I walked upstream for awhile until I found a mangled mess of two or three trees which reached across. It was still raining, I crossed, walked to the house, soaked and ready to get my jacket off and my feet dry.

The School called me about noon, and told me they were lining up the buses at 1:15 p.m. to take the students home. The water was still rising. The rain was still falling, and at times in record proportions. As I walked back to the car, I once again crossed the mangled trees, got successfully to the other side, jumped down on the bank, at which time that bank collapsed and the bank and myself went down into the stream up to my knees. I crawled out even wetter than I hoped I would be, went on to the car, and went and drove my kids home.

When I came home that afternoon, the water was higher, and I decided to keep the car on the side it was on and just wade across the low water bridge. I have been around these waters around here for a long time, and I know what it can do so I was very cautious in doing it. I slowly put one foot in front of the other, through the water, got stable in the fast moving water, then would move the other. By the way, it was only about knee deep, but there is a whole lot of power in knee deep water moving with any speed. I made it safely home, took off my wet shoes, socks, and clothes and got comfortable.

The next morning going back to drive the School bus, I did the same thing. It had gone done an inch or two measuring on my knees, but was still a bit swift. I almost lost my balance, but managed to regain it. I sure didn't want to fall down; I don't think I could have stopped too quickly. On my return home the stream had receded some more, and I drove the car up to our house. I was glad.

I have had quite the adventure. I like adventure. I am thankful that the Lord is my Caretaker, and that He is still watching over all who are His, and over those who are not His. I am so glad that it is Spring, and that the grass will begin turning green, the easter lillies are blooming, the birds are singing the peepers are peeping. It is so good to know that "The LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet" (Nahum 1:3b).

-by Tim A. Blankenship

Just Another Rambling

It seems that most of the thoughts I write here are just ramblings. What I am doing is writing what is presently on my heart. Some of it is basically meaningless, at least to those who may read it; other than myself.

Sometimes I get really aggravated with people. Adults, especially Chrisitian adults, sometimes just need to put their feelings aside and go on with the way life is. Brush those feelings off the sleeve and go on loving like Jesus calls us to. Maybe I have grown hard, and don't let accusations bother me anymore. It bothers me more what the accuser is doing to themselves. It bothers me more that they are telling things to others and turning them off of Christ. It hurts to see my Christian brothers and sisters behaving so childishly.

Another thing is why do kids [children to you more sophisticated folks] not understand the safety rules for riding on a school bus. You know the simple things; like, stay in your seat; no standing, turning around backwards in the seat, no crawling on the floor - in the aisle or under the seats, no eating or drinking on the bus. These are all safety issues. If one child makes a sudden movement or scream this distracts the driver, and could very easily cause an accident. Today I caught a elementary age boy sneaking a candy treat from his case, and I asked him to bring it to me. He was upset. When he got off the bus at his home he asked if he could have his snack, and I told him no. I think that really upset him. He lost it. Period.

That's about enough of ramblings for today. Until next time. Say, after the Autumn begins.

What Is It With Kids???

Well here I am back to this blog writing once again. And the title of this one may leave some of you wondering. Wondering what is he going to write in this anyway?

Well! I have mentioned before that I drive a School Bus. Yeah! One of those big yellow, roaring road huggers, and maybe some would say "Road hoggers", because sometimes when you meet us it does seem like we are hogging the road. Don't complain unless you have driven one, and then, you will realize that those things take up most of the lane.

Anyway, back to the "Kids" thing. WHAT IS IT WITH KIDS??? While driving the bus, we have a mirror where we can look back and keep an eye on things, when we are not watching the road; which, by the way, watching the road is the most important thing; that is, if you want those "Kids" home safely.

Here is the thing I am wondering about. When I look into that mirror and I see one of them in one seat, then I return my eyes to the matter of driving, searching the mirrors, watching the road and such things as that; then, look back at those same kids. Only now one or two I have seen in one seat are now in another. It is almost like they think the driver doesn't notice. Do they think we don't know what seat they were in? Do they think we don't know one side of the bus from the other.

You tell them to stay seated, and they turn around backwards in the seat. You know the driver is not supposed to notice. I just pray that none ever get hurt. I sure would not want one to be hurt while I was driving them.

WHAT IS IT WITH KIDS??? They are kids, being kids. I do pray they will learn that the driver does notice, and that is why she/he is constantly on them to stay seated; especially while the bus is in motion.