Radiance

...and they shall be radiant over 

the goodness of the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:12

so good.

Snow, Snow, Snow.

I haven't been here in a while, but I am here now. I hope this allows you to look past the lack of posting since my ode to the New Year. Actually, this is a poor excuse because all I have been looking at for what seems like an eternity is this:





Which is a wonderful time to either go cabin-fever crazy, cook a lot, or spend time reflecting on what the Lord is doing in my life.

Truthfully, I've done the latter 2 because I don't really mind being in my apartment. (where it is warm, and less dangerous than the untreated streets of NWA) I'm an independent lady and really love the quiet (I think this is really called being an introverted hermit but "independent lady" has a classier ring to it.)

I have also learned that the key to a successful snow day is: equal parts coffee and snow. I know this sounds a little absurd, but there are only so many things that can make a week of snow days productive.

Anyway...

Sunday at church our pastor talked about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We looked at John 16. We started by looking at v. 5-6 which describes the uncertainty the disciples are feeling about their future and what their life was going to be subject to. At this point Jesus is having a conversation with the disciples and explaining that He is returning to the Father...they aren't concerned with Jesus- and by what method He will return to the Father, but more so what their livelihood will amount to without Him.

Step back (putting myself in their sandals): I, in my selfish nature, have always been worried about the disciples too. Why should I wonder where my Savior is going? Why should I wonder how He got there? He can take care of Himself. I am more concerned with Him leaving Me to face it 'alone'.

So I sat in my seat at church on Sunday--humbled. I was reminded that my Parakletos is here. I'm not alone. I have a Savior that left so that a Helper could come. I was reminded that my relationship with the Lord should not be chalked up to the number of "mountain top experiences" or "high time" interactions with the Holy Spirit - but my time with Him should be steady because of my obedience to the Word of God.

To walk by the Spirit is to live with moment by moment dependency on and sensitivity to the initial prompting of the Holy Spirit. -Charles Stanley

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Enjoy today!

Here's to 2011

I have this really bad habit of writing a blog, reading it, deleting...and repeating the offense. It's hard for me to decide what I want to type for the world to see.

Conveniently, with this time of year comes topic after topic of:
-renewal
-new beginnings
-starting over
-fresh starts...
-etc.

Whatever phrase you have coined to signify this time of year; the one thing I see to be a constant after the rush of the holidays is a time of starting over, vowing to make this year better than the rest...better year, better you...then it typically not working out and 365 days later we're at it again.

What if we took each day that the Lord blesses us with, and allowed Him to work through us to make each day better than the day before, for His glory? What if we took each day and let the Lord stretch us, and use us in a different way than the day before? I am confident that each day would be completely different than the previous, and the Lord would be glorified. What if we looked at each situation in our life, good or bad- and gave glory to our Lord's sovereignty without asking why?

I am excited to know that in my inadequacy the Lord still sees good in me. I am excited to know that my passions are being revealed to me each day as I set foot into room 4B. I am absolutely thrilled to know that the Lord loves through me each day. Humbled to know that my own strength is worthless always, but especially in front of 15 4th graders.

In this moment I feel really blessed to be where I am. I have never been a very emotional person, but I have noticed that when in pursuit of a relationship with the Lord, I can't help but show emotion at His glory revealed to me through His word, sweet friends, and the most special 4th graders I know.

The Lord blessed me with a lot in 2010:
-graduation from college
-sweet summer at YouthFront
-unbelievable job in ARKANSAS
-new friends
-fun new apartment
-new sister

SO MUCH NEW!

Here's to 2011, and the Lord revealing Himself to me with each morning cup of coffee.

Enjoy today!

Humility.

I have been reading "Radical" by David Platt. I am on the last chapter and savoring it to the last drop. The Lord gave him just the words I needed to read at just the perfect time. The Lord is good. I am humbled.

The last chapter offers a challenge to the reader. The Radical Challenge is comprised of 5 challenges:
-Pray for the entire world
-Read through the entire word
-Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose
-Spend your time in another context
-Commit your time to a multiplying community...

Since I am "savoring" the last chapter I have only read through the first challenge and the scripture that tags along.

In Matthew 9 Jesus sends out His disciples. He sends them out and asks them to pray. That seems easy enough because at the time they found themselves surrounded by destitute, starving, hurt, troubled, LOST people. It's easy to pray when it's so obvious. Jesus then became a little more specific. He challenged and sent His disciples out to pray for the CHURCH. The CHURCH which was at a "better" place...the people of the CHURCH which were healthier...the people of the CHURCH who weren't consumed with such circumstances...and they weren't lost...but were they really better off? Jesus' concern wasn't with the hurting people and if they would come to know the Father--Jesus had a bigger concern. Jesus was concerned with His people not going to the lost like He commands.

There are a multitude of lost people waiting to hear and so my biggest prayer is that the Lord would begin preparing the hearts of His people (and my heart) that He will begin sending out into the harvest field...My inadequacy and my inability to accomplish anything apart from prayer has become very clear to me since my move to Arkansas in August. I have learned since August that I am: a planner, strategic, controlling, and an implementer of the plans and strategies I make for my life. Yet, the greatest call upon my life is obedience to Christ no matter the obstacles, and true obedience to Christ requires that I be a woman of prayer.

Enjoy your day!

so much JOY!

...and I have created a monster. I figured out I can change my blog background as much as I WANT to coincide with the upcoming holiday. Christmas is next and that brings me so much JOY because it means MORE family time. I love my family, so this is the perfect blog background. I have also figured out how to create a signature. Oh my goodness!

Speaking of my family...I just got back to Arkansas from the best week of rest and family time. I say family time because my friends are just as important to me as my family and I got a lot of time with EACH. It was a time of renewal, refreshment and so so so perfect. Three weeks until more...BUT I will not wish the time away. When I walked into my apartment last night I was a little giddy because I know that for the next 3 weeks I get to hang out with 15 of my favorite people. They are good for my heart.

My break was so wonderful. Seriously. I can't even put into words how blessed I feel to have spent so much quality time with such wonderful people such as:




MY Garlich boys, and their wonderful parents- Andy and Alli. I love this family. :)




My lovely, Prue.




My wonderful family.




My Momma. So beautiful!


I took more pictures but they haven't found their way into iPhoto yet. Soon!

Here's to:
3 Mondays
Sweet family
Lots of turkey
Fun 4th graders who make me laugh
My Jesus who saves
Kansas City
Arkansas
JOY! ...in YOUR presence their is fullness of JOY! -Psalm 16:11


Enjoy today!

Thanksgiving...

As I go into the last week before a week long break I am scrambling to prep for the week, entering grades, listening to a podcast and sipping on tea. Life is happy.

I am trying SO HARD not to wish this week away. Kansas City is waiting and I CANNOT wait to reconnect with friends I haven't seen since July. BUT I still have a week of life to live here. A week to love on my kiddos. A week to live life with my friends HERE.

We are such fast-paced people that it is hard for us to slow down and enjoy the time we have now. There is always something more fun or more exciting going on TOMORROW and we look to that time, leaving the down time we haven't even lived yet in the dust in anticipation for the fun of tomorrow.

I pray that I won't wish away this week. That I would embrace each day that the Lord has made. That I would find Jesus in the center of each moment. That I would recognize his sovereignty in EACH moment. That I would seek out each unique quality of my 4th graders this week and that I would love them for it...because Jesus does. I pray that I would give the Lord my weak moments. That his strength would shine through them all---and that my students would recognize that their teacher is only strong because Jesus is strong through her.

I have many hopes for this week.

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

I am thankful for my weakness. Because when I admit my weakness, He then can be strong through me.

Enjoy today!

A big CHECK off the list of firsts.

I made it. My first field trip has come and gone and I am here to tell you about it. While I may be being a little dramatic, I did make it through my first field trip with no more than a splinter. That's a good feeling. The first year "firsts" are slowly being checked off my list.

This week I checked off my list:
--Successfully completed Parent/Teacher Conferences with minimal tear shed.
--Went on my first field trip as a teacher.


I would say that is a productive week!



Obviously I cannot check off my list: Got all kids to look at camera and smile.

Baby steps.

I am also learning how much my students love to hunt. With this realization I am learning how little I know about hunting. Little being none. I know zip. BUT I can listen and smile and nod with the best of them.

Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks. Right now I am feeling good. I feel rested and still haven't reached a point where I have felt completely overwhelmed. I don't think I will get there. I am confident in the Lord and Him leading me here, and comforting me while I am here. Plus, I have my lesson plans done for the next 2 weeks so I am happy.

Here's to bonfires and cooler weather--Fall is here!