Christmas 2012

 I realized that I hadn't posted on the blog for six months.

 Not that there haven't been any blog-worthy moments.

 But I guess I shared them in other ways.

 I don't want to forsake this little blog.

 For me, it's a reminder of the year, moments that otherwise would be forgotten.

 I received a new camera for Christmas, so perhaps I'll be able to chronicle the moments more systematically. ;)

 This Christmas was very special in many ways.

 As of January 10th, I'll be teaching for one year. "If I could survive till Christmas..." I did. By God's grace. And I even enjoyed the experience.

 On Christmas, I was with my wonderful family whom I love so much.

 It snowed the day after Christmas...which made everything feel right.

 That evening, a friend showed up at my door step after driving through the snow storm to see me. :)

 We had a delightful time being together.

 I'm thankful for a friend who knows me yet still wants to know me more.

 In years past, after a big snow, my family and I would walk back to the pond in the woods behind our house. We went back to that pond today. We were taller, older, but there was that pond, and I was still filled with child-like wonder. Some things never change.

 And in the words of Ebenezer Scrooge, "I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."

O Emmanuel, Thank you for coming for me. For abiding with me. For guiding my steps. For leading me in the way I should go. For giving me purpose, a hope, and a future. I worship you.

 

What Demons Talk About...

Excerpt from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis:

"The sense of ownership in general is always to be encouraged. The humans are always putting up claims to ownership which sound equally funny in Heaven and in Hell and we must keep them doing so... And all the time the joke is that the word 'Mine' in its fully possessive sense cannot be uttered by a human being about anything. In the long run either Our Father or the Enemy will say 'Mine' of each thing that exists, and specially of each man. They will find out in the end, never fear, to whom their time, their souls, and their bodies really belong - certainly not to them, whatever happens. At present the Enemy says 'Mine' of everything on the pedantic, legalistic ground that He made it: Our Father hopes in the end to say 'Mine' of all things on the more realistic and dynamic ground of conquest..."

Wisdom from Proverbs 17

"Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife."

"The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out."

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones."

"He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding."

"Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent."

Do Hard Things

During the last two months, I've been doing the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm teaching ten second graders at LBA, the Christian elementary school where I attended.

I remember thinking at one point, "It would be cool if I could finish out the year long-term subbing after student teaching..." and here I am.

Teaching has to be the most humbling experience of all, next to parenting. Actually, I think teaching is a type of parenting.

I'm learning so much. It is hard...sometimes so. hard.

But, I keep leaning on the promise that God won't lead me where He won't give me the grace to finish.

I'm confident that God is my good Father and is leading me through this difficult time to prepare me for my future.

If I ever needed you, God, it is now.

Made Me Glad

Tomorrow is January 9, 2012

I have a thing for dates.

Well, yes I love those kind of dates, but I was specifically referring to calendar dates.

It's weird; I just remember random dates. I still remember that my childhood friend's birthday is May 2.

I'm sure that tomorrow's date, January 9, 2012, will be a date I will remember for a very long time.

I'm still in shock where God is taking me on my journey. Wow!

Blessed

"Sometimes in the business of day to day life, you just have to step back and remember how blessed you are."

So true, Barb, so true.

11.1.11

I am officially hired at CHCA as a Preschool Aide!

Thank you Lord. You always guide my steps.

Words from Abe Lincoln

I saw this quote on Sarah's blog about her son's first day of school. What a good reminder of my responsibility as a teacher.

"World, take my child by the hand- he starts school today!

It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently. You see, up to now, he has been the king of the roost. He has been the boss of the backyard. I have always been around to repair his wounds, and I have always been handy to soothe his feelings.

But now things are going to be different. This morning he is going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand and start on a great adventure that probably will include tragedy, sorrow and hurt.

To live in this world will require faith and love and courage. So, World, I wish you would sort of take him by his young hand and teach him the things he will have to know. Teach him –but gently, if you can.

He will have to learn, I know, that all people are not just –that all men and women are not true. Teach him that for every scoundrel, there is a hero; that for every enemy, there is a friend. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest people to beat.

Teach him the wonder of books. Give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky and the flowers on green hill. Teach him that it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon. Teach him to listen to others, but to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and to take only the good that comes through.

Teach him never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears on the howling mob- and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Teach him gently, World, but do not coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.

This is a big order, World, but see what you can do. He's such a fine litttle fellow."

~Abe Lincoln

HOPE

I walked into devotions Tuesday morning, my mind heavy with a seemingly hopeless situation. Little did I know that I would be sitting at Jesus' feet as He reminded me that with Him, there is always hope. I'm always amazed when God speaks directly to the need of my heart. Sometimes, I forget that He sees the beginning from the end, that He knows me more intimately than anyone else.

"O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:1-6 NASB

Susan shared so beautifully how hope is like an action verb and faith the noun. Our faith is grounded in who God is; our hope is that joyful expectancy that He will be true to His character. Faith is like the roots of a plant while hope is the stem through which the faith flows. She gave the following acronym:

   H - Holding

   O - On

   P- Praying

   E- Expectantly

She then showed us the video of a song by Gungor "Beautiful Things." I've heard the song before, but I heard it in a new way that morning, and it has been in my mind the last few days. Yes - I don't understand everything in my life right now. At times, I feel rather hopeless as if I've done all I can do, but then God reminds me of what He can and is doing. And He makes things new. My hope is in Him.

Jesus, keep making me new.