I cannot speak for every single teacher because I know that there are lazy people just as in ANY profession.
But too many people discredit the whole for some of the parts.
I am a teacher...
And it's so much more than a job...
It's a calling.
I hear things in class about your family that would turn you 5 shades of red if you knew they told...but I just laugh because it's good to know everyone is human.
I answer the hard questions that I don't have answers to...like "do you think my daddy's ever coming home?"
I teach the art of thinking. Think about that one.
I have a Bachelor's Degree in education from Texas A&M University. Teaching was not my "back-up plan."
I shelter a child from the laughter and questions of their classmates after they've accidentally wet their pants.
I come up with ways to keep a child awake and attentive when they have no bedtime.
I am the mediator in every dispute.
I play disciplinarian when parents do not...all while trying to maintain order in a classroom.
I teach 20 different students on 20 different levels of understanding, so that each one will feel successful in their own way.
I answer to parents who arrive at conference in their pajamas and have rescheduled 5 times, but think I'm not doing my job correctly.
I influence character. My eyes, ears, and heart are always listening and watching.
I am a role model. Your child spends more time with me each day during the school year than with you.
I am a safe shelter.
I supervise and assist in the rebuilding of the Titanic and Oregon Trail wagons, so your child can be a historian too.
I could be sued and lose my teaching license if someone irrational decides that a crying child can't be hugged, or success doesn't deserve a pat on the back.
I explain finances to children...how to manage money whether they are in need or have plenty.
I am a world tour guide, even though they may never actually leave our city limits.
I am a nurse. Bandaids are gold, and I can only pray nothing worse than an upset stomach ever happens to one of my students because I love them.
I have shed many tears in just two years over the stories of students, or of having tried a million ways to help a student understand something.
I make the call about whether those bruises actually came from a bicycle accident or not.
I watch and assist in 50 attempts and then rejoice in the trill of success.
I spend hundreds of dollars from my meager paycheck each year, so that my students will have hands on activities and authentic experiences.
I find the answer to every why question...so that they never stop asking why.
I teach social interaction because video games can't.
I purchase snacks for the child who, after leaving school, won't eat again until they return tomorrow.
I manage your little league, dance, and sports camp forms, but I can't even get homework returned.
I motivate students to keep learning and stay in school, so they can be the first generation in their family to make it to college.
I attend all day workshops during the summer, when I'm not lesson planning and researching.
My day is never monotonous or repetitive. I don't get to be sick or sad because I must be at the top of my game every single day.
Heaven forbid anything every happens, but I will take a bullet, a hit, or jump in front of a car for your child.
I am an entertainer because at some sad point, parents stopped asking "what did you learn today?" and started asking "did you have fun today?"
I calm the anxieties of children over a state test that doesn't accurately test their abilities.
I am a community service advocate because we can't produce a generation that doesn't give back.
I don't reinvent the wheel, but must invent 100 different ways to explain it...sometimes in the middle of the day in front of 20 students.
I am at the mercy of a government that no longer believes education is a priority. I don't want more salary, I want better for my students.
I work (prepare yourselves) year round. I would LOVE to teach year round. I teach from 7:30-3:30 August though May. I stay at still until 4:30 at least...sometimes 6:30. Then, I go home to a stack of assessments to check to monitor understanding and lesson plans for the following day. In the summer, I attend workshops, tutor, read books on teaching, lesson plan, and prepare materials. If I only worked 7:30-3:30, your child's papers would never be graded; they would never have learning activities; they would never get after school tutoring; they would never have modified instructional assignments.
No, I sure don't deserve the pay of a CEO, but that CEO had teachers too. And whether you admit it or not, your teachers impacted your lives in a way very, very few people have or can.
So don't increase my pay...
I don't need your praise or thanks...
I don't need gifts and notes...
But I deserve respect.
I am a teacher.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Saturday, August 27, 2011
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." ~C.S. Lewis
It's just one of those things you don't adequately appreciate until it's gone. Now don't misunderstand me, Nick is my best friend (second only to my Savior). I wouldn't be marrying him otherwise.
However...there's just something unique and special about the bond between a girl and her girl friends. It's hard to beat the laughs or tears shared over a glass of wine or a margarita about things only your girls understand! I've come to the realization that you just can't replace your college friends, who become more like sisters in those few years. I think living so far from them has just hit me pretty hard finally.
I just long for the sweet, trusting, dependent, sincere friendships I shared with those girls. It's not easy to move somewhere so far from friends and family and not be able to develop those relationships. I just miss girls' night out, girl trips, women's Bible study, wine & movie nights, dance parties, and those special heart-to-hearts, as cheesy as it sounds. There's nothing like wedding planning to make you miss close friends to share it all with...My manly fiancé is only interested in so many details, haha.
So the prayers continue....I know God has a plan for this. My greatest desire in these selfish thoughts is to have the blessing of bring a good friend to someone else. God has given me the spiritual gift of encouragement, and I just don't feel that I'm using it to it's full potential right now. Maybe He wants me to lean more heavily on His friendship...to which none other can compare. Maybe He wants me to focus on my best friend as we prepare to spend our lives together. Maybe He is preparing my heart to be a friend to someone that desperately needs it.
In other news...I survived my first week of third grade!!! My students are so fun, but we've got a lot of work to do. I pray for them daily...pray that they will see Jesus through my every word and action.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
However...there's just something unique and special about the bond between a girl and her girl friends. It's hard to beat the laughs or tears shared over a glass of wine or a margarita about things only your girls understand! I've come to the realization that you just can't replace your college friends, who become more like sisters in those few years. I think living so far from them has just hit me pretty hard finally.
I just long for the sweet, trusting, dependent, sincere friendships I shared with those girls. It's not easy to move somewhere so far from friends and family and not be able to develop those relationships. I just miss girls' night out, girl trips, women's Bible study, wine & movie nights, dance parties, and those special heart-to-hearts, as cheesy as it sounds. There's nothing like wedding planning to make you miss close friends to share it all with...My manly fiancé is only interested in so many details, haha.
So the prayers continue....I know God has a plan for this. My greatest desire in these selfish thoughts is to have the blessing of bring a good friend to someone else. God has given me the spiritual gift of encouragement, and I just don't feel that I'm using it to it's full potential right now. Maybe He wants me to lean more heavily on His friendship...to which none other can compare. Maybe He wants me to focus on my best friend as we prepare to spend our lives together. Maybe He is preparing my heart to be a friend to someone that desperately needs it.
In other news...I survived my first week of third grade!!! My students are so fun, but we've got a lot of work to do. I pray for them daily...pray that they will see Jesus through my every word and action.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, May 19, 2011
1 down...approximately 35 to go.
TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF MY FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...well kinda...I still have Flex days, but they don't really count.
*long, slow, deep breath* It has been a phenomenal year. I don't even know where to begin.
We'll start with a few lessons learned:
-ALWAYS take ziploc baggies on long bus rides for children like myself who get motion sick.
-brainwashing is effective. gig 'em ags.
-if you don't dedicate time to teaching them to tie their shoes, you're gonna have to do it the whole year.
-get a flu shot. or get the flu.
-hugs are my favorite. even if they're at my knees.
-if you give a 5-year-old a gluestick, they may eat it. if you give them rubber bands, they WILL shoot each other in the face.
-you can learn a lot about life (yours and everyone else's) around a teacher lunch table.
-Panhandle temperatures below freezing=no recess=two looooooooooooooooooong months.
-there is no easy way to eat a cupcake, especially when you're 5.
-being left-handed is surely a handicap...because it is extremely difficult to teach.
-spills are part of life. an excessive part of life in kindergarten.
-if you ask 5-year-olds to perform on stage, someone is absolutely going to lift their skirt, pick their nose, or have to go pee.
-everything can directly relate to Justin Bieber.
-"If I lived in a castle..." is a writing prompt that will likely lead to sentences like "I would sleep with Justin Bieber" or "I would have a beer with Justin Bieber."
-"Miss Walker!!!! Poker face starts with 'P' too!!!"
-if somebody "said the 'F' word", it was probably "dumb" or "stupid"...and I should probably do a better job of teaching initial sounds in words
-I work with the MOST amazing people...I can't even adequately express my gratitude for how they have guided me through my first year and welcomed me into this community...
-it is so good to be back in small town Texas. even if everyone knows your name, your past, your present, and your future. or think they do anyway.
-at any time of day or night that you go to the grocery store, you will know at least one person.
-running is good for the body, mind, and soul. until you see a skunk, have to dodge a biker, or run consistently against 30 mph winds.
-I picked a great year to be a new Aggie in Raiderland :)
-there are some things around the house that men are just better at.
-a mustang doesn't handle snow well...at all.
-if you lose your keys...dang...just don't lose your keys.
-the greatest of friends come in all ages and stages of life
-a child is so fragile, so impressionable, with knowledge so underestimated
-teaching a child to read opens up their world and lights up their eyes
-patience is true love in action
God is so good, so faithful, so wonderful. His mercy never ceases to amaze me. This first year in the "real world" has taught me so much about myself...who I am in my Savior. I have never felt so in step with Christ, moment by moment...leaning on Him when my patience, body, and spirit are weak...yearning for His Word...pleading on bended knee for His reassurance and direction...relishing in His love and affection.
In the absence of my family and best of friends, my Heavenly Father has made me so dependent on Him. I have tasted the sweetness of His faithfulness and goodness...the words "'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" have never meant so much. I took such a leap of faith this time one year ago. One of the excerpts from my devotional describes that leap and this year so perfectly, "A little girl trusts her daddy so completely because she has no reason not too. He stands away from the edge of the bed that she stands on and continues to back away, calling her to jump to him...and so she soars, and so she flies...and so he catches her. And the two rejoice at the wedding of her trust and his faithfulness."
If He called me to leave this place, I would get in the car and drive. If He called me to change careers, I would not hesitate. Instead, He has called me to trust.
So instead of planning, I have surrendered...
I have renewed my contract.
I have fallen completely in love with my best friend.
I have formed new friendships.
I have demanded more of my body than I thought possible.
I have learned patience.
I have renewed my faith and commitment to Him.
He has stolen my heart, my plans, my future, and turned my world upside down. I have the God of all "as my pinch-hitter, my lawyer, my dad, my biggest fan, and my best friend." Sacred delight is a moment by moment decision, and more of a blessing than I could ever have imagined.
...well kinda...I still have Flex days, but they don't really count.
*long, slow, deep breath* It has been a phenomenal year. I don't even know where to begin.
We'll start with a few lessons learned:
-ALWAYS take ziploc baggies on long bus rides for children like myself who get motion sick.
-brainwashing is effective. gig 'em ags.
-if you don't dedicate time to teaching them to tie their shoes, you're gonna have to do it the whole year.
-get a flu shot. or get the flu.
-hugs are my favorite. even if they're at my knees.
-if you give a 5-year-old a gluestick, they may eat it. if you give them rubber bands, they WILL shoot each other in the face.
-you can learn a lot about life (yours and everyone else's) around a teacher lunch table.
-Panhandle temperatures below freezing=no recess=two looooooooooooooooooong months.
-there is no easy way to eat a cupcake, especially when you're 5.
-being left-handed is surely a handicap...because it is extremely difficult to teach.
-spills are part of life. an excessive part of life in kindergarten.
-if you ask 5-year-olds to perform on stage, someone is absolutely going to lift their skirt, pick their nose, or have to go pee.
-everything can directly relate to Justin Bieber.
-"If I lived in a castle..." is a writing prompt that will likely lead to sentences like "I would sleep with Justin Bieber" or "I would have a beer with Justin Bieber."
-"Miss Walker!!!! Poker face starts with 'P' too!!!"
-if somebody "said the 'F' word", it was probably "dumb" or "stupid"...and I should probably do a better job of teaching initial sounds in words
-I work with the MOST amazing people...I can't even adequately express my gratitude for how they have guided me through my first year and welcomed me into this community...
-it is so good to be back in small town Texas. even if everyone knows your name, your past, your present, and your future. or think they do anyway.
-at any time of day or night that you go to the grocery store, you will know at least one person.
-running is good for the body, mind, and soul. until you see a skunk, have to dodge a biker, or run consistently against 30 mph winds.
-I picked a great year to be a new Aggie in Raiderland :)
-there are some things around the house that men are just better at.
-a mustang doesn't handle snow well...at all.
-if you lose your keys...dang...just don't lose your keys.
-the greatest of friends come in all ages and stages of life
-a child is so fragile, so impressionable, with knowledge so underestimated
-teaching a child to read opens up their world and lights up their eyes
-patience is true love in action
God is so good, so faithful, so wonderful. His mercy never ceases to amaze me. This first year in the "real world" has taught me so much about myself...who I am in my Savior. I have never felt so in step with Christ, moment by moment...leaning on Him when my patience, body, and spirit are weak...yearning for His Word...pleading on bended knee for His reassurance and direction...relishing in His love and affection.
In the absence of my family and best of friends, my Heavenly Father has made me so dependent on Him. I have tasted the sweetness of His faithfulness and goodness...the words "'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" have never meant so much. I took such a leap of faith this time one year ago. One of the excerpts from my devotional describes that leap and this year so perfectly, "A little girl trusts her daddy so completely because she has no reason not too. He stands away from the edge of the bed that she stands on and continues to back away, calling her to jump to him...and so she soars, and so she flies...and so he catches her. And the two rejoice at the wedding of her trust and his faithfulness."
If He called me to leave this place, I would get in the car and drive. If He called me to change careers, I would not hesitate. Instead, He has called me to trust.
So instead of planning, I have surrendered...
I have renewed my contract.
I have fallen completely in love with my best friend.
I have formed new friendships.
I have demanded more of my body than I thought possible.
I have learned patience.
I have renewed my faith and commitment to Him.
He has stolen my heart, my plans, my future, and turned my world upside down. I have the God of all "as my pinch-hitter, my lawyer, my dad, my biggest fan, and my best friend." Sacred delight is a moment by moment decision, and more of a blessing than I could ever have imagined.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Black and White
God bless those little children.
I've probably added 5+ years to my life simply by teaching them for a mere 7 months.
From observing children, I remember how everything in childhood was so black and white. Proof as follows...
"Don't be ridiculous! If you don't go to college, you will be homeless. Do you know what that means?! You have to sleep in the middle of the street NAKED."
"Miss Walker...you know that if it's not sweet, I don't want to eat it for snack."
"You CANNOT be serious. Pick one...you can't like the Red Raiders AND the Aggies."
"Miss Walker! I picked up his crayon for him! He said thank you! I feel good!"
"If you do not share that book with me, I just don't think you love God."
You believed in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter bunny...or you didn't.
You simply adored school, or you hated it.
There were foods you inhaled, and those you wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
Animals called for hugs and smiles, or fear and tears.
And the simple thoughts, words, and actions of children are so applicable to the most important things in life. "Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Mark 10:15
I was sitting in a Bible class on Sunday, when a discussion began about people who do not take all of the Bible literally, that time frames may not be equivalent to our time frames, or that there may be some "inaccuracies." The first thing that always enters my mind is...how can you believe some, but not all? How can you accept that God created, but not that He performed miracles? How can you not believe that He could do anything? When people begin deep theological discussions, I can't help but shy away. I have a simple faith...faith based on my testimony and salvation experience. The blood of the Sacrificial Lamb, God who humbled himself and walked on Earth as a man, was shed for the remission of sins...for those who desire to receive the gift of God. Out of gratitude for a gift that we are not worthy of and could never repay, we live to glorify Him...through a consistent heart of worship, through marriage that reflects the perfect relationship of Christ and His Bride the Church or through full devotion to him in singleness, through a heart of servitude, and through unconditional love and uncontainable joy.
When I think about trying to "prove Christ" many C.S. Lewis quotes also come to mind...
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him; I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and claim him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
- C. S. Lewis
So there it is...either you accept all of it...or you can't accept any of it. And how can you not accept it? Lewis also said "...if the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning..." Powerful truth.
I've started a new Bible study on my own that had a very relevant analogy. I am very much a daddy's girl, so I could totally relate...a little girl jumps from the bed or off a diving board into her daddy's arms. She looks at him, giggles, and jumps without hesitation. She trusts him because he has never given her a reason not to. "And so she soars, and so she flies...and so he catches her and the two rejoice at the wedding of her trust and his faithfulness." Those simple words brought tears to my eyes...I do not question anything about the majesty, omniscence, omnipotence, etc. of Christ but I worry, which is doubting Him...when he has never given me a reason not to trust him. And every time I take a leap of faith landing sweetly in His faithful arms, I am so embarrassed that I was ever concerned about anything.
And at the end of it all, what questions will you be asking when you gaze upon the face of the Savior for the first time? Will there be anything more important at that moment than falling prostrate at the feet of Jesus? Will there be any thought in your mind other than overwhelming joy, humility, gratitude, devotion, adoration, praise, and love?
"I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?"
-C. S. Lewis
I've probably added 5+ years to my life simply by teaching them for a mere 7 months.
From observing children, I remember how everything in childhood was so black and white. Proof as follows...
"Don't be ridiculous! If you don't go to college, you will be homeless. Do you know what that means?! You have to sleep in the middle of the street NAKED."
"Miss Walker...you know that if it's not sweet, I don't want to eat it for snack."
"You CANNOT be serious. Pick one...you can't like the Red Raiders AND the Aggies."
"Miss Walker! I picked up his crayon for him! He said thank you! I feel good!"
"If you do not share that book with me, I just don't think you love God."
You believed in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter bunny...or you didn't.
You simply adored school, or you hated it.
There were foods you inhaled, and those you wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
Animals called for hugs and smiles, or fear and tears.
And the simple thoughts, words, and actions of children are so applicable to the most important things in life. "Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Mark 10:15
I was sitting in a Bible class on Sunday, when a discussion began about people who do not take all of the Bible literally, that time frames may not be equivalent to our time frames, or that there may be some "inaccuracies." The first thing that always enters my mind is...how can you believe some, but not all? How can you accept that God created, but not that He performed miracles? How can you not believe that He could do anything? When people begin deep theological discussions, I can't help but shy away. I have a simple faith...faith based on my testimony and salvation experience. The blood of the Sacrificial Lamb, God who humbled himself and walked on Earth as a man, was shed for the remission of sins...for those who desire to receive the gift of God. Out of gratitude for a gift that we are not worthy of and could never repay, we live to glorify Him...through a consistent heart of worship, through marriage that reflects the perfect relationship of Christ and His Bride the Church or through full devotion to him in singleness, through a heart of servitude, and through unconditional love and uncontainable joy.
When I think about trying to "prove Christ" many C.S. Lewis quotes also come to mind...
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him; I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and claim him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
- C. S. Lewis
So there it is...either you accept all of it...or you can't accept any of it. And how can you not accept it? Lewis also said "...if the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning..." Powerful truth.
I've started a new Bible study on my own that had a very relevant analogy. I am very much a daddy's girl, so I could totally relate...a little girl jumps from the bed or off a diving board into her daddy's arms. She looks at him, giggles, and jumps without hesitation. She trusts him because he has never given her a reason not to. "And so she soars, and so she flies...and so he catches her and the two rejoice at the wedding of her trust and his faithfulness." Those simple words brought tears to my eyes...I do not question anything about the majesty, omniscence, omnipotence, etc. of Christ but I worry, which is doubting Him...when he has never given me a reason not to trust him. And every time I take a leap of faith landing sweetly in His faithful arms, I am so embarrassed that I was ever concerned about anything.
And at the end of it all, what questions will you be asking when you gaze upon the face of the Savior for the first time? Will there be anything more important at that moment than falling prostrate at the feet of Jesus? Will there be any thought in your mind other than overwhelming joy, humility, gratitude, devotion, adoration, praise, and love?
"I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?"
-C. S. Lewis
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2011?!
2010 was definitely an awesome rebound from 2009! It has had it's share of pain, and more "Leaps of Faith" than I ever thought possible...but I think I'll call it "The Year of Second Chances."
Some of my favorite memories:
Some of my favorite memories:
- Ringing in the New Year in dowtown Dallas with some of my favorite people in the whole world.
- PBR Rodeo at Cowboys Stadium & Cowboys afterward with my girls
- Spring Break on the beach - crazy, crazy, crazy.
- filling a weekly obsession with country dancing...Dallas, Ft. Worth, Sherman, Terrell, New Braunfels, College Station, Huntsville...
- Motorcross race weekend in Dallas with my sweet boyfriend...and Pete's Piano bar afterward with my cousin!
- Chilifest...Team Keystone Lake & Resort...enough said.
- Bridget's Aggie Ring Weekend!
- becoming a VIP/"penguin" at Harry's...I just love to dance.
- Surprising Nick at the River Trip
- Family reunion at the lake
- finding real, unconditional love
- "Does this shirt make me look tall?"
- weekends in the country with Britt's family
- River trip/Shiner Brewery tour with my girls
- 3 day driving escapade across Texas for job interviews
- Estes Park, CO with Julie and Jenn...what an awesome place to see the glory of my Savior!
- DeJong 25th Anniversary party
- Walker family reunion
- 1/2 of my first year as a teacher! and a Kindergarten teacher at that!
- the great move to the Panhandle...better known as Antarctica, TX.
- seeing Easton Corbin live
- getting back into running!
- surprise birthday trip to Colorado Springs with my sweet Nick!
- going home at Thanksgiving for the first time in a while
- Poncho!!!
- reunion weekend in College Station with my girls!
- Christmas break with my amazing family
So 2011, I don't know how you arrived so quickly, but I welcome you with open arms. I am in a career that I love, in a place that I love, near a man that I love, supported by a family I love, and under the watchful eye of the God of love. It doesn't get much better than that! Oddly enough (and a good way to start the new year), I was in staff development today with a speaker specializing in brain development and how to use that in the classroom. Little did I know how applicable it would be to my own life. The memory and brain develop through 5 important things; talking (I'm already pretty good at that), moving (good thing I've rediscovered a love for running- teaching Kindergarten might help that too haha), connecting (new information, old information, memories, etc), thinking positively (confidence and less stress/anger/fear), and having a purpose (find what and who you love).
So after some thinking and praying I've made some decisions for the new year...I refuse to call it "New Year's Resolutions" but rather a change of heart.
talking- Most of the time I'd rather just have surface conversations, short in duration and about nothing much deeper than the weather. That's not loving people as Christ loved people...I think it's time I open up a little.
moving- I teach Kindergarten...I am constantly moving. And I'm back into distance running, so hopefully this one is taking care of itself.
connecting- I love to write, so I'll be trying to use my blog and journal more often for thinking through my thoughts and ideas...and to have them for looking back on later.
thinking positively- I have improved so much in this area. I think it helps that the man I adore doesn't have a negative bone in his body and being around 19 of the most joyful people every day for 8 hours :) Life's too short to be upset. Little things that used to matter, just don't matter so much anymore. I'd rather delight in the joy my Savior brings.
having a purpose- to glorify God. I thought it was interesting that this was such a huge factor. People without a purpose live much shorter lives than people who determine and pursue a purpose. I'm reminding myself everyday to walk closely with my sweet Jesus and entrust Him with every future moment. I even taped a reminder on my bathroom mirror, so that I will read it every morning.
Each day, I'll be putting on the full armor of God and a smile...so 2011...bring on the blessings and joy!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Look forward to lookin' back with you...
Ohhhh life...the pace has definitely changed since my move up here to God's country, but I still don't even have time to keep up my blog...
I made a crazy last minute trip to Dallas this weekend to see one of my best friends and have my heart broken by my Aggies once again...so we'll just say it was to see one of my best friends :) In my 14 hours of driving, I had a lot of time to think and reflect. In a couple of weeks, I will be 23 and quite bit has happened in this 23rd year of my life. If I could sum it all up in one word, it would be...
Trust.
What I once thought was true love based on real trust was irreparably damaged by a shaky foundation...so I turned to friends...
I found the sweet trusting relationship of a group of sisters...not by blood, but by choice...
Once again, that trust was damaged in some of those relationships...but some of them are forever...
I forced myself into dating that my heart was not ready for...trust that my heart was not ready for...
So I turned to my family...those four people that love me unconditionally and eternally...those four people that pointed my directly to my heavenly Father...the only one who is fully deserving of my trust...the One who will never fail.
And then when I was ready, He brought someone else into my life...someone who took all of my post-graduation plans, shook them up, and landed me in Dalhart, Texas. But really, he was just a vessel being used by Christ because I know without a doubt this is where God wants me to be. Even on my hardest days of missing family and friends, I know that His purpose for me being here is bigger than my fears and insecurities. I have the love of a real man...a man who has become my best friend...a man who is so trustworthy and deserving of my whole heart. Having realized this, it has become so important that Christ remain the foundation of our relationship as we patiently wait for Him to prepare our hearts for whatever He has for our relationship and each of our lives.
I love Kindergarten. I didn't think I would possibly survive this year...I'm only two months in, but these precious children have stolen my heart. Every day I count my blessings and praise God for the family I was raised in. It has become even more clear that my attitude sets the tone for my classroom...and more than anything I pray that is an attitude of love and service. I pray for my students daily...they are so deserving of every good and perfect gift from God, as they have already been such precious gifts in my life. And here's what being in the will of God will get you:
-Within one week of teaching, the assistant principal passed me and said, "some people just have what it takes and you've got it! you're totally a natural!"
-The technology director met me in passing and just needed to mention that he had heard I was doing an outstanding job.
-My first 10-minute walkthrough observation was two weeks ago by the assistant principal. As she was leaving the room she said, "You make me want to skip the rest. You're fantastic and I know others won't go nearly this well."
-The P.E. coach grabbed me in the hall, "I heard some nasty rumor that you're a first year teacher?! That absolutely cannot be possible..."
-19 out of 19 parents during conferences this week said that their child LOVES coming to school...what more could a teacher ask for?
And none of those things is to my credit...all glory to God because without him I'm not sure I could put up with 19 five-year-olds on a daily basis. It is such an awesome challenge to keep these young children engaged and loving learning...and much less of a challenge for them to keep me entertained! Ha! We're headed to the Pumpkin Patch next week, then it's Red Ribbon Week, Halloween, etc...I think it's safe to assume that my currently hectic life is about to become chaotic.
On the personal life side of things...I've found some great, inspirational women. In fact, they are so inspirational, I've agreed to participate in a half marathon on May 1st in Colorado!!! We've already been training for a little over a month, and so far I love it. But running is not the only time I've enjoyed spending with them...thank God for kind, caring people. My roommate and I are reserved seat season ticket holders for the Dalhart Golden Wolves football team--it's not A&M, but it's football :) So between marathon training, hanging out with the girls, lesson planning, spending time with one amazing guy, being a grown up, driving all over the place just to find Walmart, going to bed at 9:00, and staying in touch with family and friends...life is pretty crazy, but I guess that's the way I prefer it! I'm certainly looking forward to heading home this weekend to some people I love and miss very much...no complaints! God is so good!
I made a crazy last minute trip to Dallas this weekend to see one of my best friends and have my heart broken by my Aggies once again...so we'll just say it was to see one of my best friends :) In my 14 hours of driving, I had a lot of time to think and reflect. In a couple of weeks, I will be 23 and quite bit has happened in this 23rd year of my life. If I could sum it all up in one word, it would be...
Trust.
What I once thought was true love based on real trust was irreparably damaged by a shaky foundation...so I turned to friends...
I found the sweet trusting relationship of a group of sisters...not by blood, but by choice...
Once again, that trust was damaged in some of those relationships...but some of them are forever...
I forced myself into dating that my heart was not ready for...trust that my heart was not ready for...
So I turned to my family...those four people that love me unconditionally and eternally...those four people that pointed my directly to my heavenly Father...the only one who is fully deserving of my trust...the One who will never fail.
And then when I was ready, He brought someone else into my life...someone who took all of my post-graduation plans, shook them up, and landed me in Dalhart, Texas. But really, he was just a vessel being used by Christ because I know without a doubt this is where God wants me to be. Even on my hardest days of missing family and friends, I know that His purpose for me being here is bigger than my fears and insecurities. I have the love of a real man...a man who has become my best friend...a man who is so trustworthy and deserving of my whole heart. Having realized this, it has become so important that Christ remain the foundation of our relationship as we patiently wait for Him to prepare our hearts for whatever He has for our relationship and each of our lives.
I love Kindergarten. I didn't think I would possibly survive this year...I'm only two months in, but these precious children have stolen my heart. Every day I count my blessings and praise God for the family I was raised in. It has become even more clear that my attitude sets the tone for my classroom...and more than anything I pray that is an attitude of love and service. I pray for my students daily...they are so deserving of every good and perfect gift from God, as they have already been such precious gifts in my life. And here's what being in the will of God will get you:
-Within one week of teaching, the assistant principal passed me and said, "some people just have what it takes and you've got it! you're totally a natural!"
-The technology director met me in passing and just needed to mention that he had heard I was doing an outstanding job.
-My first 10-minute walkthrough observation was two weeks ago by the assistant principal. As she was leaving the room she said, "You make me want to skip the rest. You're fantastic and I know others won't go nearly this well."
-The P.E. coach grabbed me in the hall, "I heard some nasty rumor that you're a first year teacher?! That absolutely cannot be possible..."
-19 out of 19 parents during conferences this week said that their child LOVES coming to school...what more could a teacher ask for?
And none of those things is to my credit...all glory to God because without him I'm not sure I could put up with 19 five-year-olds on a daily basis. It is such an awesome challenge to keep these young children engaged and loving learning...and much less of a challenge for them to keep me entertained! Ha! We're headed to the Pumpkin Patch next week, then it's Red Ribbon Week, Halloween, etc...I think it's safe to assume that my currently hectic life is about to become chaotic.
On the personal life side of things...I've found some great, inspirational women. In fact, they are so inspirational, I've agreed to participate in a half marathon on May 1st in Colorado!!! We've already been training for a little over a month, and so far I love it. But running is not the only time I've enjoyed spending with them...thank God for kind, caring people. My roommate and I are reserved seat season ticket holders for the Dalhart Golden Wolves football team--it's not A&M, but it's football :) So between marathon training, hanging out with the girls, lesson planning, spending time with one amazing guy, being a grown up, driving all over the place just to find Walmart, going to bed at 9:00, and staying in touch with family and friends...life is pretty crazy, but I guess that's the way I prefer it! I'm certainly looking forward to heading home this weekend to some people I love and miss very much...no complaints! God is so good!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Welcome to Kindergarten
So I'm beyond exhaustion...definitely too tired for this blogging...but I also don't want to have to repeat the stories 900 times. lol...so here it is:
6:00 am...wake up and prepare for the day...beginning on my knees in the presence of my Savior...because more than being a good teacher, I want to be the example of Christ to these children--to show them they are loved by at least one person in this world.
7:15 am...arrive at school and prepare for the day...and my first child shows up at 7:45ish soooo excited for life!
By 8:00, my class was full of 19 5&6 years olds. Our principal wrote a grant for free breakfast every day for the entire school because children cannot learn effectively if they are hungry. Today we had cereal with milk and orange juice...let me clarify, the children were allowed to eat DRY cereal and drink the milk to prevent many messes. HOWEVER...within the first 15 minutes of breakfast, we had 4 bowls of dry cereal spilled all over the floor and 1 juice box...making a pretty sticky mess. We actually accomplished much more than I anticipated! There is an aid in my classroom for the first two days and she insisted that I couldn't possibly be a first year teacher...everything was running much too smoothly, which made me feel very good. It makes things easier when you're doing something you were created to do :)
We had a meet your table-mates session in which each student did a puzzle of a picture of someone at their table...which created mass confusion because they thought the picture was supposed to be of themselves and that I had just really messed up. Then we had a meet the teacher session where each child had a picture of something about me (fav drink-Dr. Pepper, my best friends, my fav book- the Bible, my Dad, my Mom, my sisters, my pets, me in Kindergarten, etc.), which they absolutely loved!...especially knowing that their teacher was in kindergarten once upon a time ;)
Kindergarten is so interesting. They say the most hilarious things ("class lets create some rules for our classroom! give me an example" response: "don't throw rocks in the classroom!!!")...which will be documented throughout this blog...and they are really still babies. I had so many parents describe their child's special "potty dance," which has become high priority during my daily general observation for obvious reason, haha. At 11:15, I went to pick my class up from specials (P.E., music, computers, library) and several of them hugged me and looked at me and SHOUTED..."MISS WALKER!!!! We are sooooo excited to see you!!!" They are just too sweet and have stolen my heart already. One of my favorite things??? NOBODY is too cool for anything in Kindergarten. Their favorite part of the day was singing and dancing with me to a four line song about how we get to school! They probably would have done the song 800 times if I'd let them...it's the little things.
I just knew the morning went way too smoothly. We was about 15 minutes late to lunch because we were so engaged in learning...and because Miss Walker looked at the wrong lunch time :) Then, the school blew a transformer, so electricity went out all over the building. Meanwhile, the teacher's aid in my classroom was on the verge of losing conciousness from diabetic shock. I had no juice or candy in the room (which didn't even occur to me anyway until another teacher said it), so I was frantically running around the classrooms...great. And then I went back to teaching.
My students are precious. Their moods change at the drop of a hat and they will do ANYTHING to please the teacher. Every student demanded that I see every picture and paper that they completed. I have a couple of "energetic" ones...one who would probably walk backwards everywhere if I let him, one who insists on not listening and then telling me that he IS listening after I've asked for his attention for the third time, and a couple of very social butterflies...but I just adore every single one of them. When they get to go to the group carpet, it usually becomes a little chaotic, so I decided to create a masking tape grid so that every student would have a certain "spot" tomorrow...if necessary (or legal or socially acceptable) I would have a shock collar or hot wire fence grid because I think that would be very effective, hahaha---very much just kidding. And by the end of the day I learned they all have their trying side...I have cute name plates on their desks that were pretty pricey, so I had them laminated to be reusable. Each students name was written on them this morning, and as a I walked around this afternoon, not one name was one them...they wiped every single one off...hilarious. NOT. So I rewrote and TAPED over them. We'll see how they creatively undo that tomorrow.
So I left day one (at 6 pm) with:
green paint on my dress pants
a sore hand from class high fives gone wrong
heavy eyelids
sore feet
a semi-sore throat
"The first child gets to ride the bus" (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb) stuck in my head
a new knowledge for taking care of people with diabetes
a new appreciation for air conditioning
"lunch is at 11:30, not 12:10" engraved on my mind
a hatred for tying shoelaces
a new appreciation for parents
19 new loves in my life :)
time for bed...seriously...more to come
6:00 am...wake up and prepare for the day...beginning on my knees in the presence of my Savior...because more than being a good teacher, I want to be the example of Christ to these children--to show them they are loved by at least one person in this world.
7:15 am...arrive at school and prepare for the day...and my first child shows up at 7:45ish soooo excited for life!
By 8:00, my class was full of 19 5&6 years olds. Our principal wrote a grant for free breakfast every day for the entire school because children cannot learn effectively if they are hungry. Today we had cereal with milk and orange juice...let me clarify, the children were allowed to eat DRY cereal and drink the milk to prevent many messes. HOWEVER...within the first 15 minutes of breakfast, we had 4 bowls of dry cereal spilled all over the floor and 1 juice box...making a pretty sticky mess. We actually accomplished much more than I anticipated! There is an aid in my classroom for the first two days and she insisted that I couldn't possibly be a first year teacher...everything was running much too smoothly, which made me feel very good. It makes things easier when you're doing something you were created to do :)
We had a meet your table-mates session in which each student did a puzzle of a picture of someone at their table...which created mass confusion because they thought the picture was supposed to be of themselves and that I had just really messed up. Then we had a meet the teacher session where each child had a picture of something about me (fav drink-Dr. Pepper, my best friends, my fav book- the Bible, my Dad, my Mom, my sisters, my pets, me in Kindergarten, etc.), which they absolutely loved!...especially knowing that their teacher was in kindergarten once upon a time ;)
Kindergarten is so interesting. They say the most hilarious things ("class lets create some rules for our classroom! give me an example" response: "don't throw rocks in the classroom!!!")...which will be documented throughout this blog...and they are really still babies. I had so many parents describe their child's special "potty dance," which has become high priority during my daily general observation for obvious reason, haha. At 11:15, I went to pick my class up from specials (P.E., music, computers, library) and several of them hugged me and looked at me and SHOUTED..."MISS WALKER!!!! We are sooooo excited to see you!!!" They are just too sweet and have stolen my heart already. One of my favorite things??? NOBODY is too cool for anything in Kindergarten. Their favorite part of the day was singing and dancing with me to a four line song about how we get to school! They probably would have done the song 800 times if I'd let them...it's the little things.
I just knew the morning went way too smoothly. We was about 15 minutes late to lunch because we were so engaged in learning...and because Miss Walker looked at the wrong lunch time :) Then, the school blew a transformer, so electricity went out all over the building. Meanwhile, the teacher's aid in my classroom was on the verge of losing conciousness from diabetic shock. I had no juice or candy in the room (which didn't even occur to me anyway until another teacher said it), so I was frantically running around the classrooms...great. And then I went back to teaching.
My students are precious. Their moods change at the drop of a hat and they will do ANYTHING to please the teacher. Every student demanded that I see every picture and paper that they completed. I have a couple of "energetic" ones...one who would probably walk backwards everywhere if I let him, one who insists on not listening and then telling me that he IS listening after I've asked for his attention for the third time, and a couple of very social butterflies...but I just adore every single one of them. When they get to go to the group carpet, it usually becomes a little chaotic, so I decided to create a masking tape grid so that every student would have a certain "spot" tomorrow...if necessary (or legal or socially acceptable) I would have a shock collar or hot wire fence grid because I think that would be very effective, hahaha---very much just kidding. And by the end of the day I learned they all have their trying side...I have cute name plates on their desks that were pretty pricey, so I had them laminated to be reusable. Each students name was written on them this morning, and as a I walked around this afternoon, not one name was one them...they wiped every single one off...hilarious. NOT. So I rewrote and TAPED over them. We'll see how they creatively undo that tomorrow.
So I left day one (at 6 pm) with:
green paint on my dress pants
a sore hand from class high fives gone wrong
heavy eyelids
sore feet
a semi-sore throat
"The first child gets to ride the bus" (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb) stuck in my head
a new knowledge for taking care of people with diabetes
a new appreciation for air conditioning
"lunch is at 11:30, not 12:10" engraved on my mind
a hatred for tying shoelaces
a new appreciation for parents
19 new loves in my life :)
time for bed...seriously...more to come
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The Bucket List
That's right, it's time. I'm about to head out on my own and there are just a few things I'd like to accomplish...
(in no particular order)
1. teach
2. learn to play guitar
3. sing karaoke
4. go skydiving
5. learn to ski
6. go on a cooking vacation/take gourmet cooking classes
7. go on a cruise
8. volunteer in an orphanage
9. get married
10. have children
11. go scuba diving
12. learn to drive a stick shift
13. read the entire Bible
14. go deep sea fishing
15. go parasailing
16. swim with dolphins
17. run a half marathon/marathon
18. be a mentor to someone
19. wine tasting
20. own a horse
21. see a waterfall
22. go on a picnic
23. visit a castle
24. visit a brewery
25. visit another country
26. go horsebacking riding on a beach
27. visit a famous art gallery/museum
28. ride a mechanical bull
29. have a garden
30. have a carefree, tropical vacation
31. become an early riser
32. stop worrying about things beyond my control
33. donate blood....lol
34. create something
35. own a home...with a huge bathtub :)
36. make at least one person smile every day
37. see a Broadway play
38. have a wraparound porch
39. own a boat
40. go to a drive in movie
41. fix up an old house
42. learn to ride a dirt bike
...and after doing that, I feel like I haven't lived, haha. But there are things I have already done that would have made it on the list...so I'll just consider them accomplished :)
(in no particular order)
1. teach
2. learn to play guitar
3. sing karaoke
4. go skydiving
5. learn to ski
6. go on a cooking vacation/take gourmet cooking classes
7. go on a cruise
8. volunteer in an orphanage
9. get married
10. have children
11. go scuba diving
12. learn to drive a stick shift
13. read the entire Bible
14. go deep sea fishing
15. go parasailing
16. swim with dolphins
17. run a half marathon/marathon
18. be a mentor to someone
19. wine tasting
20. own a horse
21. see a waterfall
22. go on a picnic
23. visit a castle
24. visit a brewery
25. visit another country
26. go horsebacking riding on a beach
27. visit a famous art gallery/museum
28. ride a mechanical bull
29. have a garden
30. have a carefree, tropical vacation
31. become an early riser
32. stop worrying about things beyond my control
33. donate blood....lol
34. create something
35. own a home...with a huge bathtub :)
36. make at least one person smile every day
37. see a Broadway play
38. have a wraparound porch
39. own a boat
40. go to a drive in movie
41. fix up an old house
42. learn to ride a dirt bike
well that's a pretty good start..and of course...may God be glorified in and through every single one of those things...
...and after doing that, I feel like I haven't lived, haha. But there are things I have already done that would have made it on the list...so I'll just consider them accomplished :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
It's a beautiful thing...
It's a beautiful thing when you are drawing nearer to Christ, and He reveals more of Himself to you.
I'm reading a book right now called "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" by Rafe Esquith who is a nationally recognized teacher. He loves kids...period. He talks with his 5th graders about Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. I began to think about how to best relay this information to my students, but decided I first needed to evaluate it in my own life...
1) Pre-conventional - begins with how to avoid punishment and ends with selfish ambition.
2) Conventional - begins with social norms (the good boy/girl attitude) and ends with motivation from a "maintain law and order" mentality
3) Post-conventional - begins with recognizing individuality in the world apart from "socially accepted" ideas and ends with principles of conscience motivated by abstract, deep ideas such as...love.
So on to another example...Most serious relationship #1: I absolutely love to serve...it's the action I use to communicate love. I would cook for him, help him clean, assist in sending resumes for jobs, send gifts, etc...too many things to list. At first I expected things in return...maybe he'll send me flowers to work? maybe he wouldn't mind helping me with a particular task? and so on....Pre-Conventional. After about a year and a half, I continued doing these things out of love, but mostly to show that I was such a great girlfriend...and would obviously make a great wife, haha. I never really made it out of this Conventional stage. And that continued through the next serious of dates/relationships (probably a lot of the reason they failed)...until recently. The Post-Conventional stage has hit me unexpectedly....I still do these things, but solely out of love for him, expecting not one thing in return. It's a wonderful, peaceful change of heart.
And then there's my Savior...I think when we are young, most people tend to be "scared" into accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior simply to escape hell (punishment), or expecting an easy life filled with blessings in return for our devotion. Pre-Conventional. As they draw nearer to Christ and realize the influence on non-Christians around them, they start to live as Christ asks to be seen as a "good Christian" or to maintain the respect of other Christians. Conventional. As you further mature in your walk with Christ, you move into the Post-Conventional stage. I am completely assured in my salvation because of my own salvation experience and the multitude of scriptures declaring this promise...but this security doesn't change the way I live my life. I live the way I do out of love and gratitude for my Savior and His sacrifice, striving to be more like Him. I know where I will be when I die, but I hope my road to that destination shows others the way also....
I have learned that life is more than following rules simply because they were "established to be followed." Some legalistic ideologies I have let go of because Christ has revealed to me that loving sinners like myself is sometimes more important. Other "rules," I have renamed "standards" in my own life," such as adhering to True Love Waits, because I know that God is and will be glorified through that. It is a fine line between being above reproach and approachable...but more than anything He has called us to love. He has called us to turn over our most prized possessions out of love for Him...for me that's the ultimate love relationship He creates for us here on Earth.
I'm simultaneously reading a book called "When God Writes Your Love Story" by Eric & Leslie Ludy. It's about giving God this phenomenally important and stressful area of your life...what HE desires for the love relationship based in Him. Funny thing is, I tried reading this book about 2 years ago in the midst of another relationship (those of you who have been around me that long can fill in the blanks, haha), and although I'm ashamed to say it, stopped reading it because I felt convicted. This time around it's confirming so many of my feelings and thoughts...interesting...
So as I've moved into the Post-Conventional understanding of love...jealousy, being easily angered, insecurity, selfishness?...no thanks. Here's to a love that says "quit comparing yourself to others, (just like my Daddy always told me ;) I choose YOU. I want to grow old with YOU." Sound similar to the knowledge that Christ chose to die for YOU?! Here's to realizing love may not always be returned in the way you expect it, but instead in the way you need it...what if Christ decided He didn't love us because we weren't returning His love the way He expects us to? Here's to realizing what love is before you can see what it was not....to falling in love with my sweet Jesus....to letting Him show me how to fall in love.....
if it seems like that blog was all over the place, read it again...I promise it's all intertwined :)
I'm reading a book right now called "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" by Rafe Esquith who is a nationally recognized teacher. He loves kids...period. He talks with his 5th graders about Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. I began to think about how to best relay this information to my students, but decided I first needed to evaluate it in my own life...
1) Pre-conventional - begins with how to avoid punishment and ends with selfish ambition.
***Chores. An absolute dreaded part of everyday life when you were younger, right? Probably 90% of the motivation for any cooking or cleaning I did for the first 18 years of my life was one of two things: I feared the consequences of NOT doing them, or I wanted something in return.
2) Conventional - begins with social norms (the good boy/girl attitude) and ends with motivation from a "maintain law and order" mentality
***Then there were the times my parents would go on a date, and I would get the bright idea to clean the kitchen. When they came home, I was usually standing in the spotless kitchen with a huge smile on my face expecting a wonderful reaction. This was another motivation stemming from wanting to please my parents by being a good daughter.
3) Post-conventional - begins with recognizing individuality in the world apart from "socially accepted" ideas and ends with principles of conscience motivated by abstract, deep ideas such as...love.
***As I aged, I began to pull my own weight out of sheer love for my parents...the desire to make their lives a little easier...and the guilt associated with not doing my part. It didn't matter anymore whether they noticed; it was simply one less thing to cause them stress.
So on to another example...Most serious relationship #1: I absolutely love to serve...it's the action I use to communicate love. I would cook for him, help him clean, assist in sending resumes for jobs, send gifts, etc...too many things to list. At first I expected things in return...maybe he'll send me flowers to work? maybe he wouldn't mind helping me with a particular task? and so on....Pre-Conventional. After about a year and a half, I continued doing these things out of love, but mostly to show that I was such a great girlfriend...and would obviously make a great wife, haha. I never really made it out of this Conventional stage. And that continued through the next serious of dates/relationships (probably a lot of the reason they failed)...until recently. The Post-Conventional stage has hit me unexpectedly....I still do these things, but solely out of love for him, expecting not one thing in return. It's a wonderful, peaceful change of heart.
And then there's my Savior...I think when we are young, most people tend to be "scared" into accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior simply to escape hell (punishment), or expecting an easy life filled with blessings in return for our devotion. Pre-Conventional. As they draw nearer to Christ and realize the influence on non-Christians around them, they start to live as Christ asks to be seen as a "good Christian" or to maintain the respect of other Christians. Conventional. As you further mature in your walk with Christ, you move into the Post-Conventional stage. I am completely assured in my salvation because of my own salvation experience and the multitude of scriptures declaring this promise...but this security doesn't change the way I live my life. I live the way I do out of love and gratitude for my Savior and His sacrifice, striving to be more like Him. I know where I will be when I die, but I hope my road to that destination shows others the way also....
I have learned that life is more than following rules simply because they were "established to be followed." Some legalistic ideologies I have let go of because Christ has revealed to me that loving sinners like myself is sometimes more important. Other "rules," I have renamed "standards" in my own life," such as adhering to True Love Waits, because I know that God is and will be glorified through that. It is a fine line between being above reproach and approachable...but more than anything He has called us to love. He has called us to turn over our most prized possessions out of love for Him...for me that's the ultimate love relationship He creates for us here on Earth.
I'm simultaneously reading a book called "When God Writes Your Love Story" by Eric & Leslie Ludy. It's about giving God this phenomenally important and stressful area of your life...what HE desires for the love relationship based in Him. Funny thing is, I tried reading this book about 2 years ago in the midst of another relationship (those of you who have been around me that long can fill in the blanks, haha), and although I'm ashamed to say it, stopped reading it because I felt convicted. This time around it's confirming so many of my feelings and thoughts...interesting...
So as I've moved into the Post-Conventional understanding of love...jealousy, being easily angered, insecurity, selfishness?...no thanks. Here's to a love that says "quit comparing yourself to others, (just like my Daddy always told me ;) I choose YOU. I want to grow old with YOU." Sound similar to the knowledge that Christ chose to die for YOU?! Here's to realizing love may not always be returned in the way you expect it, but instead in the way you need it...what if Christ decided He didn't love us because we weren't returning His love the way He expects us to? Here's to realizing what love is before you can see what it was not....to falling in love with my sweet Jesus....to letting Him show me how to fall in love.....
if it seems like that blog was all over the place, read it again...I promise it's all intertwined :)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The First Man I Ever Loved...
...the first man I gave my heart to...the one who guided my heart to my Heavenly Father..
My Daddy's hands ...there's nothing quite like them.
Those hands have given me toys, food, gifts, basketballs, show halters, medicine, tools, academic awards, "scholarships from the Bank of Dad," my High School Diploma...and scripture. All my life I have admiringly looked at his Aggie Ring...those hands put my Aggie ring on my finger and turned it to face the world after graduation.
His hands have taught me to clean, to build, to shoot hoops, to bat, to cook, to lift and carry through several moves, to cast a line, to shoot a gun, to drive...
to turn the pages of a book, to write, to pray, to protect, and to console.
Those hands held me at birth and through a few concussions and trips to the ER, congratulated me through graduations and achievements, laid on me while I asked Jesus into my heart, and enveloped me through a breaking heart.
But the hands are the observable workings of the heart....
integrity, loyalty, wisdom, perseverance, strong work ethic, wit, patience, respect, and love
...qualities woven into his very nature
...a reflection of the image of Christ.
Even to this day, he has continually reminded me, "never compare yourself to anyone. You'll lose every time." These words meant nothing when I was younger, but as we all know, as we age our parents become more wise ;) These words have been foundational to the woman I have become, specifically my individuality and determination.
As my earthly father, what an amazing glimpse at what my Heavenly Father is like!
He is country and a cowboy to the core...from ranch manager to serving public education for nearly 30 years, he knows what hard work is and always serves whole-heartedly. He is a man of few words, but always important words, with a smile and sense of humor that are infectious.
Son and Brother
My mom has always told me to observe how the men that I date treat their mothers and to know that reflects how he will treat me...which I've learned to be very true. I have watched my dad's interaction as a son and brother and pray that I will be able to raise children with that magnitude of respect.
Husband
As a husband, he loves my mom unconditionally...and has set an example of a marriage relationship firmly grounded in Christ ...an example that I will wait for in the man God has for me.
Father
As a father, he loves unconditionally, teaching unwavering principles through discipline and by example through his every word and action. He is there to calm the emotions of three daughters with amazing words of advice.
Man of God
As a man of God, his perseverance is astounding. His faithfulness in service through the Church (from youth sponsor, to sound man, to choir member, to Sunday School teacher, to committee member) and through prayer is remarkable. He has faced more persecution that any one man should have to...all without hesitation in the name of Christ.
"Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever."
-Psalm 112:6
to my hero, my protector, the Spiritual leader of his household, my confidante, my advisor...my Daddy...Happy Father's Day, now and always...
Monday, June 14, 2010
“I don’t trust happiness… Never did, and never will.”
That isn't a quote from yours truely either...I've trusted and relied on happiness too many times...
And until you've experienced the difference, this may not make much sense...
If you "google it," you will find many quotes about happiness - that wonderful warm, fuzzy feeling we all hope to find. It comes from winning a game, having a crush, being complimented, and so many other pleasant moments. It lasts for a few minutes, or maybe even a few days, and then is gone the moment something bad or unpleasant happens....it is so temporary...
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit! I don't see "happiness" listed in there anywhere because the fruits of the Spirit are just that, OF THE SPIRIT....they are of Christ who is forever, so they are forever. Joy is experiencing God, it's a radiant smile through streams of tears, it's surviving a heartache knowing there's something better in store, it's rejoicing that a loved one is no longer in pain but rather in the prescence of the King of Kings...it's present even when that warm, fuzzy feeling is gone...and it lasts forever...
Society tells us to "be happy."
Christ tells us to "rejoice."
Look at the dictionary's listings about the feeling of happiness:
1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person.
2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure or contentment; a happy mood; a happy frame of mind.
3. favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky: a happy, fruitful land.
4. apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas.
5. obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usually used in combination): a trigger-happy gangster. Everybody is gadget-happy these days.
What stood out in these definitions? Happiness is fleeting. We feel it about some certain thing or person. But these moods and feelings that we experience change often...they are much too unreliable...
Joy is Biblical.
Three of my favorites:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory"
—1 Peter 1:8
I found a few synonyms for joy :
Humor.
Mirth.
So look at the things and people that you "love"...if you can't experience joy through the moments that the warm fuzzies aren't present...you may not know my Jesus. He is the only One that brings true joy. And if you do know Him and still aren't experiencing joy in these moments...you might need to re-evaluate whether those "loves" are worth every other temporary feeling that accompany them...
So I'd choose joy over happiness any day.
All credit for those thoughts goes to my Savior...He lays it on my heart, so I write. And I'm no expert, but experience is a pretty good teacher. :)
Happy Monday? blah. Experience Joy on this Monday!
And until you've experienced the difference, this may not make much sense...
If you "google it," you will find many quotes about happiness - that wonderful warm, fuzzy feeling we all hope to find. It comes from winning a game, having a crush, being complimented, and so many other pleasant moments. It lasts for a few minutes, or maybe even a few days, and then is gone the moment something bad or unpleasant happens....it is so temporary...
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit! I don't see "happiness" listed in there anywhere because the fruits of the Spirit are just that, OF THE SPIRIT....they are of Christ who is forever, so they are forever. Joy is experiencing God, it's a radiant smile through streams of tears, it's surviving a heartache knowing there's something better in store, it's rejoicing that a loved one is no longer in pain but rather in the prescence of the King of Kings...it's present even when that warm, fuzzy feeling is gone...and it lasts forever...
Society tells us to "be happy."
Christ tells us to "rejoice."
Look at the dictionary's listings about the feeling of happiness:
1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person.
2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure or contentment; a happy mood; a happy frame of mind.
3. favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky: a happy, fruitful land.
4. apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas.
5. obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usually used in combination): a trigger-happy gangster. Everybody is gadget-happy these days.
What stood out in these definitions? Happiness is fleeting. We feel it about some certain thing or person. But these moods and feelings that we experience change often...they are much too unreliable...
Joy is Biblical.
Three of my favorites:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
-James 1:2
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
—John 15:11
—John 15:11
"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory"
—1 Peter 1:8
I found a few synonyms for joy :
Humor.
If you have lived, you have (hopefully) learned to find humor in situations.
It's constant.
Treasure.Treasure is not fortune. Treasure is something close to your heart...
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" -Luke 12:34
Mirth.
It's the ability to enjoy life and to celebrate.
If you haven't learned this as a part of your every day,
you're missing life in general.
Now follow me on this...God is love. Joy is of God. Therefore, the truest, purest Love brings ultimate Joy. So once again, this is of God and things of God.
Those fleeting moments of warm fuzzies are not Love....or Love that is meant to last anyway.
So look at the things and people that you "love"...if you can't experience joy through the moments that the warm fuzzies aren't present...you may not know my Jesus. He is the only One that brings true joy. And if you do know Him and still aren't experiencing joy in these moments...you might need to re-evaluate whether those "loves" are worth every other temporary feeling that accompany them...
So I'd choose joy over happiness any day.
All credit for those thoughts goes to my Savior...He lays it on my heart, so I write. And I'm no expert, but experience is a pretty good teacher. :)
Happy Monday? blah. Experience Joy on this Monday!
Friday, May 21, 2010
1446.17 miles later...
Did I mention those 1446.17 miles were covered in 2.5 days????
College Station--> Abilene--> Seminole--> Amarillo-->Hereford--> Dalhart--> Alvardo--> College Station.
...5 interviews and approximately 25 hours of driving later...I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But before all that important stuff, here are some interesting lessons I learned:
-Texas is big...HUGE actually.
- the world is not awake at 5:15 am, therefore Jessica cannot get Dr. Pepper to be awake either.
-who needs trees when you have wind turbines?
-"west Texas" is synonymous with "nothing"
-you should have stopped at that last gas station because apparently people in west Texas do not need a lot of gas, so there will not be another one for 100 miles
-you could pass 6 cars at a time on a west Texas highway, if there were 6 cars in the whole region
-the sky is significantly larger up there
-wind turbines are hypnotizing
-these people spend more money on a courthouse than on the whole rest of the town
-Hereford, TX smells like cows...a lot...makes sense
-yes, the sunset/sunrise is gorgeous, but if you stare at it you will have to pull over and let your eyes recover
-if you are not driving a work truck or an 18-wheeler, you are obviously out of place
-driving 1.5 hours between two towns is normal...and feels like 5 hours.
-if I am ever again in Clarendon, TX, I will be staying at the "It'll Do Motel" after dinner at the "Nuttin' Fancy Cafe"
-44 ounces of Dr. Pepper makes your bladder feel like it's going to explode
-you probably cannot stop at Ft. Hood to use their restrooms even if your taxes pay for them
-singing and dancing to loud music in your car (completely making a fool of yourself) is pretty much the only way to survive 25 hours of driving
-watching a thunderstorm in that much sky is a little scarier, yet beautiful all at the same time
-I hate driving.
-cows and more cows.
-If you walk into small town Texas in a business suit where regulars are having coffee in the morning, you're probably going to hear a couple of comments. haha.
-I love kids...ALL kids. Everytime I interviewed and had a glimpse of the kids in the school, I just fell in love..they are so precious.
-There are people in the school business for the right reasons, and people in it for the wrong reasons. It's blatantly obvious who would be great to work for and who would not...
-Being an Aggie and living all over the state of Texas have proved very helpful in this job hunt. While waiting for one interview, I introduced myself to the elementary counselor who is the aunt of one of my best friends from junior high. A few seconds later, the wife of my junior high Youth Director walked through the office and recognized me! After mentioning this to the principal I was interviewing with, I find out that he is the recent father-in-law of one of my good friends from the same town!!! God is good!
-I called my mom overwhelmingly blessed by my Savior. In the course of that afternoon I lined up two more interviews...all just happened to be in the Pandhandle and none of them interfered with the others...and then read the daily Bible verse on my phone...
So while it's not my ideal position...it's where I want to be. And maybe that position is where God wants me! There are possible 3rd and 2nd grade positions that I was told I could choose from if they become available, so who knows. I am just beyond thrilled to have signed a contract as a teacher...I've been waiting 22 years for this!!! It's going to be a looooong summer, haha.
Since finding out I got the job, the number 1 most annoying question I've been asked..."Why in the world Dalhart?!" Why not Dalhart??? Yes, it's 10 hours from my family and friends, but there are these things called airplanes...and they have them in Amarillo. Yes, the landscape and weather are a little different from anywhere else I've lived in Texas, but change is good. Yes, I know probably three people in the entire Pandhandle, but I've lived in several places and never have trouble building relationships. Yes, Dalhart happens to be about 15 minutes from a very important man in my life, so look at my past and call me crazy, but sometimes it's too risky not to take the chance. It's a one year contract...at the end of a year if it all falls apart...count my losses and gains. I will have loved, gained a year of teaching experience, new friends, and lived in a new and different part of my beloved state. And if you are taking the result of my past serious relationship into account, you should definitely realize this is not a decision I have taken lightly in any way. Those who know me best should know I have spent plenty of time on my knees seeking only the will of God...everything happened to fall into place and I don't believe in coincidences...
“I want you to stop planning—stop wishing—
College Station--> Abilene--> Seminole--> Amarillo-->Hereford--> Dalhart--> Alvardo--> College Station.
...5 interviews and approximately 25 hours of driving later...I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But before all that important stuff, here are some interesting lessons I learned:
-Texas is big...HUGE actually.
- the world is not awake at 5:15 am, therefore Jessica cannot get Dr. Pepper to be awake either.
-who needs trees when you have wind turbines?
-"west Texas" is synonymous with "nothing"
-you should have stopped at that last gas station because apparently people in west Texas do not need a lot of gas, so there will not be another one for 100 miles
-you could pass 6 cars at a time on a west Texas highway, if there were 6 cars in the whole region
-the sky is significantly larger up there
-wind turbines are hypnotizing
-these people spend more money on a courthouse than on the whole rest of the town
-Hereford, TX smells like cows...a lot...makes sense
-yes, the sunset/sunrise is gorgeous, but if you stare at it you will have to pull over and let your eyes recover
-if you are not driving a work truck or an 18-wheeler, you are obviously out of place
-driving 1.5 hours between two towns is normal...and feels like 5 hours.
-if I am ever again in Clarendon, TX, I will be staying at the "It'll Do Motel" after dinner at the "Nuttin' Fancy Cafe"
-44 ounces of Dr. Pepper makes your bladder feel like it's going to explode
-you probably cannot stop at Ft. Hood to use their restrooms even if your taxes pay for them
-singing and dancing to loud music in your car (completely making a fool of yourself) is pretty much the only way to survive 25 hours of driving
-watching a thunderstorm in that much sky is a little scarier, yet beautiful all at the same time
-I hate driving.
-cows and more cows.
-If you walk into small town Texas in a business suit where regulars are having coffee in the morning, you're probably going to hear a couple of comments. haha.
-I love kids...ALL kids. Everytime I interviewed and had a glimpse of the kids in the school, I just fell in love..they are so precious.
-There are people in the school business for the right reasons, and people in it for the wrong reasons. It's blatantly obvious who would be great to work for and who would not...
-Being an Aggie and living all over the state of Texas have proved very helpful in this job hunt. While waiting for one interview, I introduced myself to the elementary counselor who is the aunt of one of my best friends from junior high. A few seconds later, the wife of my junior high Youth Director walked through the office and recognized me! After mentioning this to the principal I was interviewing with, I find out that he is the recent father-in-law of one of my good friends from the same town!!! God is good!
-I called my mom overwhelmingly blessed by my Savior. In the course of that afternoon I lined up two more interviews...all just happened to be in the Pandhandle and none of them interfered with the others...and then read the daily Bible verse on my phone...
"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own."
-Matt. 6:31-34
...and then I burst into tears of joy...wow! what a wake-up call...
-I have applied, interviewed, and traveled all over the state in theis job hunt. When you're within the will of God, you know it....I walked out of the interview at Dalhart Elementary (with a panel of 10 INTERVIEWERS!!!!) knowing in my heart they would offer me a job....also knowing it would be an ESL position. And the next day? a job offer from Dalhart for an ESL position...hm. :)
So while it's not my ideal position...it's where I want to be. And maybe that position is where God wants me! There are possible 3rd and 2nd grade positions that I was told I could choose from if they become available, so who knows. I am just beyond thrilled to have signed a contract as a teacher...I've been waiting 22 years for this!!! It's going to be a looooong summer, haha.
Since finding out I got the job, the number 1 most annoying question I've been asked..."Why in the world Dalhart?!" Why not Dalhart??? Yes, it's 10 hours from my family and friends, but there are these things called airplanes...and they have them in Amarillo. Yes, the landscape and weather are a little different from anywhere else I've lived in Texas, but change is good. Yes, I know probably three people in the entire Pandhandle, but I've lived in several places and never have trouble building relationships. Yes, Dalhart happens to be about 15 minutes from a very important man in my life, so look at my past and call me crazy, but sometimes it's too risky not to take the chance. It's a one year contract...at the end of a year if it all falls apart...count my losses and gains. I will have loved, gained a year of teaching experience, new friends, and lived in a new and different part of my beloved state. And if you are taking the result of my past serious relationship into account, you should definitely realize this is not a decision I have taken lightly in any way. Those who know me best should know I have spent plenty of time on my knees seeking only the will of God...everything happened to fall into place and I don't believe in coincidences...
So no, I am not moving for him. I am moving for God.
“I want you to stop planning—stop wishing—
and allow Me to give you the most thrilling,
exciting plan you can imagine!!! I want you to have the best!
Please allow Me to give it to you.
You must keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am!
Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.
And then, when you are ready,
I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful
than anyone would ever dream of.
“Know that I love you utterly.
I am God. Believe and be satisfied.”
and love like crazy...
Keep me in your prayers...I still have to find a place to live and enter into the real world...which should be pretty entertaining, so keep reading :) HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Her children rise up and call her blessed...
Many people are much better expressing their emotions and feelings through writing than through speech, and I happen to be one of those people..
It's a mostly thankless, selfless job...and more important than any other.
From skinned knees, to brushing my teeth with hydrocortizone cream (yes it happened, and I just publicly admitted it, and yes she did call poison control), to my years of ER visits and concussions, to a shattered heart not so easily mended with medication and bandaids...she held me through every moment...enveloped not only by her arms, but by her unconditional love.
So here's to you... my mentor, my prayer warrior, my friend, my confidante, my nurturer...and always and forever...my Mom....
Mom is truly the essence of beauty inside and out. Beautiful blue eyes, amazing hair, a smile that demands reciprocation, a laugh that is so genuine and so contagious, and the voice of an angel used for praising the One who blessed her with it. She definitely knows how to enjoy life, but is one of the most selfless people I know. She loves her family (pets included, haha) whole-heartedly, and she dies to self daily to make herself available to meet our needs and make our lives easier...something that I daily take for granted.
Prov. 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
This Bible verse hung crocheted in my room for years...and like many other things, I never really understood the meaning of it until recent years. Apparently the term 'mother' is synonymous with 'teacher' because she has taught me so much more than she even realizes. Much of it she tried to teach me growing up, but it wasn't until I was on my own at college that I realized I probably should have listened...those were things I now really needed to know. Cooking, laundry and sewing for example...she even created a cookbook for me from her favorite recipes and the meals that reminded me of home. I'm still convinced that birthday cake tastes better from a bowl, yellow roses are the most beautiful flowers in existence, and I've recently discovered that an obsession with making lists is apparently hereditary. However, I will never follow the 'white hanger code' or believe that 'push mowing is more fun than using a riding mower' :) But more important than these tangible lessons are the lessons that are woven into my very being...
to be compassionate - Mom has a no tolerance policy for teasing...and rightly so. No matter how innocent it seems, chances are it cuts much deeper than you realize. We are all blessed in different ways...In the words of my sister who is wise beyond her years "When you find yourself wanting to be like someone else think about this...If everyone was like everyone else God would technically need only one of us and that one of us would be awfully lonely..."
to be strong - If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. Mom is not afraid to express her opinion, and quick to admit she's wrong on the off chance that she is actually wrong. This includes facing strong persecution for making it known that her daughter would not be attending cheerleading practice on Sundays to honor the Sabbath as God intended us to. It is evidently (which I have learned from her and through experience) much wiser to make your beliefs known up front rather than having to justify your actions later. It also helps you keep yourself accountable. I always say "I don't know what my parents did, but they did it right" when it came to raising us... there are beliefs, principles, and standards we possess that are unwaivering...that have probably saved my parents several gray hairs and heartaches.
to glorify God- in every single thing. Along with obvious physical traits, she also passed her beautiful voice to all of her daughters... She always says that "you are blessed with these gifts to glorify God, and if you don't use it...you lose it." Anyone would agree that our voices are never stronger, or more beautiful than when we are praising our Savior. Not only in singing, but in prayer. Mom, through years of learning I'm sure, is quick to immediately take it to God before another thought crosses her mind. That is also the first piece of advice she has always given me when dealing with things...and there is no better advice than that.
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world.... it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
What an example of a Godly woman...
It's a mostly thankless, selfless job...and more important than any other.
From skinned knees, to brushing my teeth with hydrocortizone cream (yes it happened, and I just publicly admitted it, and yes she did call poison control), to my years of ER visits and concussions, to a shattered heart not so easily mended with medication and bandaids...she held me through every moment...enveloped not only by her arms, but by her unconditional love.
So here's to you... my mentor, my prayer warrior, my friend, my confidante, my nurturer...and always and forever...my Mom....
Mom is truly the essence of beauty inside and out. Beautiful blue eyes, amazing hair, a smile that demands reciprocation, a laugh that is so genuine and so contagious, and the voice of an angel used for praising the One who blessed her with it. She definitely knows how to enjoy life, but is one of the most selfless people I know. She loves her family (pets included, haha) whole-heartedly, and she dies to self daily to make herself available to meet our needs and make our lives easier...something that I daily take for granted.
Prov. 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
This Bible verse hung crocheted in my room for years...and like many other things, I never really understood the meaning of it until recent years. Apparently the term 'mother' is synonymous with 'teacher' because she has taught me so much more than she even realizes. Much of it she tried to teach me growing up, but it wasn't until I was on my own at college that I realized I probably should have listened...those were things I now really needed to know. Cooking, laundry and sewing for example...she even created a cookbook for me from her favorite recipes and the meals that reminded me of home. I'm still convinced that birthday cake tastes better from a bowl, yellow roses are the most beautiful flowers in existence, and I've recently discovered that an obsession with making lists is apparently hereditary. However, I will never follow the 'white hanger code' or believe that 'push mowing is more fun than using a riding mower' :) But more important than these tangible lessons are the lessons that are woven into my very being...
to be compassionate - Mom has a no tolerance policy for teasing...and rightly so. No matter how innocent it seems, chances are it cuts much deeper than you realize. We are all blessed in different ways...In the words of my sister who is wise beyond her years "When you find yourself wanting to be like someone else think about this...If everyone was like everyone else God would technically need only one of us and that one of us would be awfully lonely..."
to be strong - If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. Mom is not afraid to express her opinion, and quick to admit she's wrong on the off chance that she is actually wrong. This includes facing strong persecution for making it known that her daughter would not be attending cheerleading practice on Sundays to honor the Sabbath as God intended us to. It is evidently (which I have learned from her and through experience) much wiser to make your beliefs known up front rather than having to justify your actions later. It also helps you keep yourself accountable. I always say "I don't know what my parents did, but they did it right" when it came to raising us... there are beliefs, principles, and standards we possess that are unwaivering...that have probably saved my parents several gray hairs and heartaches.
to glorify God- in every single thing. Along with obvious physical traits, she also passed her beautiful voice to all of her daughters... She always says that "you are blessed with these gifts to glorify God, and if you don't use it...you lose it." Anyone would agree that our voices are never stronger, or more beautiful than when we are praising our Savior. Not only in singing, but in prayer. Mom, through years of learning I'm sure, is quick to immediately take it to God before another thought crosses her mind. That is also the first piece of advice she has always given me when dealing with things...and there is no better advice than that.
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world.... it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
What an example of a Godly woman...
devoted daughter of the King
advice from mom? step 1: always approach the throne...she has always been deeply involved in our churches from Vacation Bible School director to choir member to Nominating Committee member to Mission Trip sponsor and on and on and on...she knows her gifts and selflessly offers them as a sacrifice to her King. And she can testify to the power of a praying woman...if she tells you she's praying for you, you better believe she's petitioning to God on your behalf whole-heartedly....daughter
My mom was born in my grandparents later years of life. My Papa has gone Home, but my Nanny is still with us. I am amazed by the years of selfless care my mother has given to her. She has lived with or near us for the marjority of the time since my Papa was called Home. I think the grace with which she handles my Nanny comes from her realization of the years of selflessness Nanny gave to her...wife
Not there yet, obviously...but I'd like to think I'm somewhat well-prepared from watching my parents love relationship so grounded in Christ. My dad would be lost and incomplete without her...he knows it, we all know it. They still date realizing that they need time specifically for their relationship and lay down their lives daily for one another. My family has been through quite a bit, definitely not as much as other people, but definitely our fair share of persecution. She looked at each life change as a challenge and a new beginning. Every time his heart was breaking, hers was too, probably more so...they are the essence of "the two shall become one"....and I pray that God blesses me with the forever love that they have found in each other through Him...the kind that withstands the tests of time, persecution, and struggle.
mother
Very obviously not to this stage of life either, and probably won't be for several more years. But I like to think I helped raise my sisters...being a 'second mom' with knowledge that I could have only gained through my mom. I could not have asked for a better mother...she stayed home with us through most of our school years because she was called to be a mother first and foremost. My sisters and I are all overachievers and participated in every possible event throughout our school years, and I'm not sure she ever missed one...neither did the video camera. I have also seen her love students like a mother while she was a teacher...part of what has instilled a passion in me for teaching. I look forward to the day I need her advice in that amazing journey...the day I become a mother and she gets to spoil her grandkids ;) For now, I'm satisfied with giving that attention to my students!"Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
'Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.'
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
her husband also, and he praises her:
'Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.'
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
Proverbs 31:28-31
I love you, Mom...thanks for everything...Happy Mother's Day everyday....
Friday, April 30, 2010
It's not what you know, it's WHO you know...
Everybody tells us that our choices, mistakes, and character make us who we are...but did you ever consider what a hopeless feeling that leaves us? We are sinners who fail continuously because we are human....Those "good choices" we make? Consider your motives; to make yourself look good, to make yourself look better than someone else, to be a good person. These choices are made out of pride and selfishness, which is sin in itself, rather than to give gratitude to the One who gives them to us.
And as for mistakes, praise God they do not reflect who I am....I have asked for forgiveness for them and they are washed away. Only when we realize that it is not about who we are, but about what has been done for us through the sacrificial Lamb, can we experience a life worthy of the calling we have received and be blessed in the way He desires to bless us.
And when you come to this realization, you seek to discover who you are in Christ--who HE says you are...and it's gonna rock your socks off :)
There's a small hump you gotta cross first, though, the thing that holds us captive, Christian and non-Christian alike: FEAR.
(a little disclaimer: I hold a Biblical world view and the Word of God guides my life so the rejection of these fears is based on Biblical truths...St. Augustine said it best, "If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.")
(a little disclaimer: I hold a Biblical world view and the Word of God guides my life so the rejection of these fears is based on Biblical truths...St. Augustine said it best, "If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.")
if we fear it is because we have believed a lie...
fear rejection? someone once told you that you weren't good enough or worthy enough...
fear rejection? someone once told you that you weren't good enough or worthy enough...
The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
-Psalm 45:11
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me
together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
-Psalm 139:13-14
fear failure? someone once told you you failed past the point of forgiveness...
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
-Psalm 73:26
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
-Lamentations 3:22-23
fear death? you didn't believe the assurance of salvation and the promise of eternal life through Christ's sacrifice ...
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
-Romans 10:9-10
"For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
-John 3:16
fear loneliness? someone told you that you need another person to make you happy or satisfied ...
"...being content with what you have;
for He Himself has said,
I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU,
NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU."
-Hebrews 13:5
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8:35-39
fear pain? someone told you that you had to face it and survive it by yourself ...
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
-Psalm 46:1
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast
all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power
may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake,
I delight in weaknesses, in insults,
in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Corinthians 12:9-10
fear the future? someone told you that your future reflects your past because history repeats itself ...
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
-Jeremiah 29:11
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
-Matthew 6:33-34
The prince of lies is so good at targeting our weakest points and the lies we believe the most...
BUT!!!!!!!!!
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
-1 John 4:18
Happy Friday!!!!! I have an exciting weekend ahead...a very special and handsome date, amazing friends, and maybe even some job offers! God bless
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Read it...it's wonderful :)
I found it and needed somewhere to post it...obviously too long for a facebook status, haha. Read it and be amazed and comforted by the power of my Jesus.
The will of God will never take you
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercy of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.
- Author Unknown
THAT'S MY KING!
The will of God will never take you
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercy of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.
The will of God will never take you
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.
- Author Unknown
THAT'S MY KING!
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