This Week"s Happenings

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:  "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.  Is anything too hard for me?" ~ Jeremiah 32: 26-27

In Columbia, we have had the "thrill" of the state fair in our city.  In my old age, I dislike the fair.  I enjoy the food (from certain stands) and the animals (which I didn't even get to see this year), but other than those things, I just don't like it.  The Colonel and I took the Roosters Friday.  We were there for about five hours.  Five hours!!  The boys had so much fun, and I enjoyed seeing them have a blast.  However, it was all I could do to get my shower and make it to my bed Friday night.  My feet and legs and lower back just throbbed from standing and walking all day.  The boys were covered in dirt, pizza sauce, ketchup, cotton candy and every other fair flavor you can imagine.  Let me just say that I am glad it only comes once a year.

It was also intersession week in The Forest.  Since we are a year 'round school, there are certain weeks during the year when students can opt to have a vacation or come to school for intersession classes.  I usually teach one session per year.  The days are half days and we don't really have that many kids that come.  After classes ended one day, some coworkers and I went to have lunch together.  They wanted sushi, and I went to watch them eat raw fish and eel.  I'm sorry but I just can't not make myself try it.  I order the California Roll without the seaweed.  They wrapped it in soy paper and that is about as gutsy as I can get.

Really?  This makes you say, "Yum"?  I just don't get it.

Laina tried to get me to try these soybeans called something or other, but I couldn't.

This is something wrapped in eel with eel sauce.

Laina and her dish

These are my little California Rolls.  The pink is the soy paper.  No, I can't even handle seaweed.  Blah.

Church was awesome today.  Sermon was on God's Grace.  I tried to get a picture of Tyler getting baptized, but my phone camera would only pick up his image on the screens.  The section in the middle with the spotlight on it is actually where Tyler was standing.  I taught his brother and worked with his mother in The Meadow.  She is a good friend, and I miss seeing her in the halls every day.  I'm so happy for Tyler.  He is such a sweetie.

Yes, it is the weekly after church pictures. 

I don't know what John Ryan was doing when he took each picture, but they all looked like I was leaning.  I also realized when I got to church that I looked like Halloween.  The shirt I wore was black and had these panels in it that was supposed to look like leather.  It is hard to see them in the photo but there is one at the top and one where my hands are crossed.  Then, I grabbed a pair of bright orange pants to wear with them.  Yep, Halloween colors.  Ugh.

This is sort of my "new do".  I got my "hair done did" (as my kids say) this week.  Anita cut and colored it for me.  It was to the point where I could no longer say the gray hairs were highlights.  HA!  

John Ryan just cracks me up in this picture.  Neither one of us knew where to look.  

I hope to post more than just once a week.  I just have to find the time where I can write and not be interrupted.  So, I hope to see you before next Sunday.  Enjoy your week!!

Insights from Gideon

And Gideon went in , and made ready a kid , and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.  And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. ~ Judges 6: 19-20   

Lately, I've been having a really hard time at work.  Trying to get work done and constantly being interrupted.  Frustrations with knowing what my students need yet having to follow district mandates.  Doubting that I'm making any headway or difference with my students on any level.  It has just felt like this black cloud of doom and despair has been hanging over my head and I can't get out from under it.

I've said it before and I truly believe it--teaching is a calling from God.  It is such a demanding job in so many ways that one could not possibly be successful at it without being empowered by God.  So why is this black cloud of doom and despair following me?  For one, I believe it is satan.  He just loves to meddle and destroy people, doesn't he?  He loves to plant those seeds of doubt and despair.  He brings the clouds of doom.  However, we do have a way out from under that cloud and from the lies being fed to us--God! The lies become real and the cloud grows darker when we take our eyes off the only One that can defeat the evil.  So, today I put my lesson plans aside and decided to focus on my Bible study I've been doing on Gideon.  What would the next homework for the week be entitled "Gideon's Gifts"?  I really focused on the verses above.  In those verses, the Angel of the Lord appears to Gideon.  Gideon said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.  Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You."  And He said, "I will remain until you return." ~Judges 6:17-18 So Gideon goes and prepares his offering.  The part that struck me was what Gideon was asked to do with his "gift" when he returned and presented it to the Lord.  First, Gideon had to PREPARE his gift.  Then he PRESENTED his gift to God.  God told him to PUT IT DOWN on the rocks and POUR OUT the broth.  WOW!  Maybe, just maybe God is asking me to do that with my teaching.  Maybe, just maybe, I've been trying to force all the end results of my gift.  Could it be that God is telling me to do my job by preparing myself daily for my job?  Just DO/PREPARE what He has called me to do.  Go to class every day and teach my kids.  Give my gift to God--teach His children.  Put it down before Him and pour it out and watch what HE plans to DO with it.  Has my problem been that I have been placing a demand on God to use my gift in a certain way?  Maybe God has a better use of my gift other than the way I am imagining.  The Angel asked Gideon to release/put down/pour out the very thing Gideon put so much effort into.  And what did God do with it?  He turned Gideon's "tasty meal" into much more--it became a sacrifice to God. 

So, where do I go from here?  I think I have my answer: I'm going to prepare to teach my students everyday.  I'm going to go to work each day and remember the work I do is God's work He has chosen for me.  I'm going to present my gift of teaching He has entrusted me with to Him through prayer each day.  I'm going to put it down and pour it out and let God do what He wants to do with me each day in my classroom.  I'm going to forget the way I think the Lord should use my gift.  I'm going to watch Him use it in ways I can't even imagine.  What are you going to do with your gifts?  :)

I added this picture from a few Sundays ago because I had on my glasses and I think I look "teachery" in this picture.  

And these are a few of God's children that He has entrusted me with each day.

Our gifts:  Prepare it.  Present it.  Put it down.  Pour it out.  Then watch God pick it up and use it in ways that we can not imagine.  

"Jesus Never Fails"

This song was sung in church today and definitely spoke to me.  It goes along with my "Insights From Gideon" post.  I love the words to this song.  I hope you'll take the time to listen to it.