Being truly grateful now and always...

I had one of the best Thanksgivings I have ever had in my life this past week.  What made it the best?  There were numerous factors to contribute including the fact it was my first time to host one and all of the food turned out beautifully.  I also had the ones I love most right there next to me, and got to spend quality time with them. (something I really don't get to do during the school week!)  My sister was here with Devon, my sweet husband of course, Tasha and Joey came with their mom, and they brought their two little babies.  We watched football after eating, and then played some board games and ate some more.  It was amazing.

Let me say something that may just blow you out of the water right now.

At 24 years old, this was THE FIRST Thanksgiving that I really and honestly understood the importance of just hanging out with family, loving them for who they are, and thanking God for all of the ways He has blessed us.  This was the first time I really thought about the real meaning of why we cook turkey and share it, why we pray together around the food, and how important it is to just sit on the couch and laugh with one another.    I know how cliche it is, but it really got me thinking about how many people and things God has blessed me and my family with.  I then started thinking about how... if God has blessed me with all of these things that I do not deserve rightfully, at any given moment if it was His choice, He could take it all back again.

That's a hard pill to swallow, especially after Thursday.  We are so accustomed to wealth and spoil here in America, that we hardly notice an opportunity for gratitude or encouragement when it arises.  God forbid it should take us all year long until we get to Thanksgiving to truly appreciate the loves in our lives.

 I am so incredibly thankful for my family, friends, and all of the ways God has blessed me.  What an amazing and Mighty Creator.  Thankful for His grace, thankful for his mercy, and so grateful for who He is.

Losing focus effects everything!

I have been having a really hard time focusing lately.  Not on one particular thing, it's just there are so many different things going on at once I am not sure my mind knows how to process it at the speed it's coming in.  Some of these things are good, and some of these things may be on the stressful side.  Either way, basis of the story is: I can't focus.  When I can't focus, I over think.  When I over think, I get into this really angry and pensive mood. I have been doing some serious thinking about focus today, and where mine should be at the moment.  God surely does not call me to be a disorderly, variously-minded person, who cannot seem to focus her priorities.  He also surely does not call me to have a mean and grouchy mood about my life, or towards others.  Even on my best days, I must admit I am only human.  Is that an excuse or a crutch?  Most definitely not...it's one of my flaws.  Miraculously, I have been given the gift of God's Word, and if I really take the time to dig into it, all of my questions can be super naturally answered.  How often do I forget this...HAHA.  Try daily.  So what does God say to me about what I need to be focused on?


"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things." Phil 4:8 (ESV)


Paul wrote the letter of Philippians to the Church of Philipi while he was IN JAIL.    This man, who was most likely sitting in a very rotten, stinky, cold and damp jail cell, was writing a letter of encouragement to friends and family.  To make the story even more interesting, he was telling them to think about pure and honest things.  I'm sorry....are you kidding me?  I can tell you exactly what I would be thinking if I were in a jail cell with Lord knows what kind of varmint, stinky stenches, and feeling starved on a regular basis.  I bet you can guess it would be very difficult for me to focus on pure things when I'm surrounded by all of that filth.  Kudos to Paul.  I am a woman after a heart like he had, and I mean that.  Maybe this is the type of focus I have been called to.  Not only the kind of focus that steers towards truth, honesty, justice, purity, and loveliness...but the kind of focus that even in the midst of the filth I can remember to think of others.  I am called to have the type of focus that prevails to encourage other people,  even while I am sitting in the darkness of unknown obstacles.  That's a pretty high calling if you ask me, and almost unattainable.  His yoke is easy though, and His burden is light, so...I'm thinking if I've got the Creator of the Stars backing me, this higher calling that's described in Philippians 4:8 is closer than I imagined it could be.  


Here goes nothin'...

Classroom update...almost there!

This is just an update on the classroom.  It is almost complete!

Sprinklers and stars

I was listening to the radio yesterday evening, and the radio host was talking about how worried he was about becoming one of those "boring adults".  You've seen them, because here in America it has become the norm.  After you reach a certain age, it's suddenly okay to no longer become thrilled with life's simple joys, and it is automatically okay to wear grandpa sweaters and teacher-butt pants. Life becomes a chore...you wake up, take a shower, drink some coffee, go to work, come home, watch the news, and then go to bed.  Somewhere in between there you have to eat, go to the bathroom, and spend time with family and friends.  In order to get a thrill, we must go to a ridiculously rated cinema flick, or go jump off of a plane, or take our families to exotic places and call it a "vacation".  "Look at me!  I'm so exciting.  I jump off planes and take my kids to Disney World!  Quit judging me!"  The minute this adult gets home, it's okay to slump down on the couch and enjoy some good old fashioned Sports Center or Netflix, and then brush teeth and lay down for bed.  Since when did America become so calloused that it takes an extreme adrenaline rush in order to be moved even in the slightest?

 Observe a small, two year old child.  What does it take to get his heart racing?  A trip to Disney World, a plunge to the depths of the earth from the seat of a plane, or maybe even a racy film at the theater?  Hardly.  Just give him a sprinkler, a pair of swimming trunks, and a lot of grass to run around in and he is absolutely happy.  It gives even more meaning to the idea of having the heart of a child.  I think when it comes to hearts, God's heart is much closer to that of a child's than it must be to that of an adult.  I doubt when God created simple things like rabbits, stars, and trees that he was expecting to forget about them and only enjoy the more exciting things about the earth experience.  Here in America, simple things like sunshine and fresh air have become a means to an end, and the end just so happens to be jet skiing.  Or bungee jumping.

 I think it's nice to realize you are an adult, and have moved past childish things such as  argumentative drama, disobedience, and slander towards others.  To realize you have responsibility now is a wondrous thought...to be able to pay bills by your own labor is a great yet stressing conclusion to finally arrive.  God forbid though, I should ever get to the point when I can no longer take joy in acting immature right along with the teens.  God forbid I ever feel like I am above anyone else...simply because I pay bills now and am considering grandpa sweaters and teacher-butt pants.

 Please God, do NOT let me become a boring adult who cares all too much what others think about me.  I want to be funny, adored, and loved for the one you created me to be.  Let me take joy in Your simplicity and love.  Let me be moved by things like sunflowers, and wonderfully spicketted sprinklers on hot sunny days.  AMEN.  

Soooo...take a break today.  Stop going to crude R rated movies and bungee trips just to reach a point of excitement.  Breathe deep, and enjoy the ride.  Be a kid for once...it could save your life.

Making a tree!

I had a wonderful lady come and help me yesterday.  She is the tree expert.  Originally, I was planning this big elaborate jungle tree, but decided last minute that I wanted a palm one instead for the kids to read under in the literacy center.  It worked out awesome.  We work very well together, and could probably go into the tree making business.  So much for teaching. ;)  Here are some pictures of the fabulous tree that we made:

The trunk is made out of a left over cardboard carpet roll that I went and got from a local carpet store.  All I had to tell them was that I was a teacher and wanted to make a tree, and they were more than happy to hand over the goods.  I mean, what were they going to do with it anyways!?  We had to cut the top down with an x-acto knife because it was a little tall, but that's okay.  After that, we rolled it in brown butcher paper as a base, and then cut some strips of paper to fit around the trunk in pieces, and scrunched each strip in order to give the bark some texture.  We used a hot glue gun to glue those on, and they worked out wonderfully!  I will update this post next week with a closeup of the texture on the trunk so you can see our handy work.  For the leaves, I just free handed the shape I wanted, and traced on green butcher paper.  (shiny side down) We used 8 leaves in total, I believe.  I painted the leaf veins with a light brown  tempera paint, and cut diagonal slits up the leaves to give them a "palmy" look.  After that was finished, we murdered an umbrella. (Took the fabric off, ripped off the wire ends...etc) All that was left of the umbrella was the metal star shape thing at the top!  I got shards of steel in my hand from doing that.  If you ever decide to murder an umbrella, learn from my mistakes and wear leather gloves. I taped pencils to the end of each star point in order to give the leaves somewhere to lay other than flat against the sides.  We used the piping hot glue gun to glue the leaves at the top, and after two or three times trying to figure out the best placement for the leaves and a couple burnt fingers later, we were done!  Woo Hoo!  

Seriously though...if you want a tree for a small charge...let me and Rachel know.  We've got your back ;)

Look! Progress!

Went to work on the classroom with my bud Emily B today.  We didn't get a TON accomplished, but I brought some things from home to set up, and organized some things.  We put the fabric up over that nasty ugly peg board that just so happened to be a puke blue color....BLEH.  Problem solved, needless to say ;)

So here is the classroom looking towards the back from the front door.  Those paper lanterns are mighty

snazzy, aren't they?  Again, until I get my desks...we won't know for sure where to put those so that is just a temporary placement.  UMM...Can you see the cute clouds in the lighting?  

Here is my desk, and part of the front area of the classroom.  Notice the pink fabric with zebra border over on the back corner.  That's where I plan to put all of my personal notices, pictures of animals/family, you know...like ya do.

And here is my little lamp next to my computer desk.  I decided to get a little creative and add some flair to the lamp shade.  I'm thinking it's pretty cute.

All in all...we are getting there!  Tomorrow I plan to beef up the literacy center and do some book organizing. I'm also going to work on some fillers for some of my bulletin board space.  I looked in the C-scope plans for the first six weeks, and the focus for the first week or two will be weather and classroom rules.  I'll figure something out.  This is too much fun for words.  :)

The Beginning of a New Adventure

If you know me, you know I finally got a legit teaching position at a real school, in a REAL district!  I cannot explain how much of a God-send this job is.  Not that I deserve it by any means, but God is good, and I have waited patiently long enough.  Seems it's my turn, now.   I got back from Florida last week, and wanted to start working on my classroom again upon my return, but unfortunately they were waxing the floors.  They were done and floors were dried by this weekend though, so Geoff and I loaded up the truck and carted over to do some work on the classroom.
  SIDENOTE:  In weeks prior, I must make a short shout out to Michelle Boller and Alex Harwood.  They helped out a ton as far as organizing the disgusting lockers that were stocked full of crap, going through black-line masters upon black-line masters, and tearing off that faded bulletin board paper I doubt anyone touched but once all last school year.
Anyways, Geoff and I got there and tackled the clouds (which went inside the plastic covering for the transparent lights).  That turned out way cute, and takes some of the shallowness out of the transparent light.  We wanted to hang the Chinese paper lanterns, but couldn't because instead of tables, my classroom will have desks.  We didn't want to hang them without being sure where exactly the desks would be.  I'm so excited, and promise to post the after picture when it's all done!