Jingle Bells

I hope this post finds you all enjoying a very happy holiday season! The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, should make all of our hearts swell with joy as we realize and contemplate the fact that perfection was made man to save us all! With that said, I want to talk a bit about what has been on my mind lately. During the holidays, I tend to think about my family that has gone on to be with Jesus and just how much I miss them. My mom and dad are both gone, and they both loved this time of year! I so wish they could both see how much Josh, Jeremy and Bekah have grown, and how they are turning into three fine young adults that are such a joy to be around! I miss my father in law too, who just went to be with Jesus this past May. He truly enjoyed the holidays as well, and will surely be missed this Christmas. I think we all think about family this time of year. I found a quote recently about family that I would like to share.
Family quarrels have a total bitterness unmatched by others. Yet it sometimes happens that they also have a kind of tang, a pleasantness beneath the unpleasantness, based on the tacit understanding that this is not for keeps; that any limb you climb out on will still be there later for you to climb back. 
I love this! Any limb you climb out on will still be there later for you to climb back. I love this analogy! Family should always be this way. No matter what happens, beneath it all is love and compassion. Forgiveness and understanding. Is this not the way the Father treats us? Every time we sin, all we have to do is ask forgiveness and it is given to us. Unconditionally! He does not file it back to use against us later, but understands that we are fallen and we are a sinful people and that we are going to constantly need forgiveness over and over and over again.
As we go through the hustle and bustle of the holidays, try and remember that we all sometimes climb out on a limb, but remember your family will and should always let you climb back.
 To all of my family, I love you and thank you all for forgiving me  of my short comings!

Father: Thank you that you forgive me over and over and over and over and over......

PAIN, NO GAIN

Sometimes I just do not understand people. Why would people want to hurt others on purpose? Why would they find joy in the pain of others?  Should we all not strive to be more like Christ? Should we all not love others as He loves us? This is short and sweet, as I would like for everyone to REALLY think about these questions.

Father: open our hearts and minds to listen to you and be ready to accept Your directions. Amen

MY HEAVY HEART

It is very difficult being a teacher sometimes! There are times that you just want to walk out of the class and go home. There are times you feel like you are making a difference. There are times you are making a difference. There are times when you wonder why you ever went into teaching to begin with. Today was that day for me. Just a bad day all around. The question is...was it a bad day because of the kids or because I just allowed it to be bad? Sometimes we let the bad in and don't look for the good. The good is all around us! In the beautiful sky, fresh air, faces of the students, etc. Why can't we concentrate on the good? Why is our glass always half empty? Why all the questions?


Father; help me to find the good in each one of my students. Amen

TIME DOES NOT STAND STILL

Oh my goodness! I cannot believe that I have not blogged since October 23! I have soooo much to talk about,  and yet I cannot find a starting point. All three of my children are in the CCT's performance of "It's A Wonderful Life". The play is a huge reason for the lack of blogging. I have been helping paint and put together sets for the performance. I enjoy it so much, because it takes me back to my high school years as a thespian. Watching my children on stage brings so much joy! (Although, my eldest son Josh has said this is his last play on stage, he prefers running the lights!) The story of George Baily deciding if his life is worth living is simply a wonderful story. Just imagine if you could see how many lives you have touched. I know that sometimes we are all overwhelmed with life and we feel that we are not helping anyone or truly making a difference, but we all  do! We all have a purpose for being here, and that purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! And that is not a small thing my friends. We have the awesome honor of praising the one true God of the universe! To love Him and be loved by Him is unmatched by anything else! Let us all remember that even though it may seem dark, there is a light that shines brighter than the sun!

Heavenly Father: I love that you chose me to serve you by becoming a teacher. Help me to love my students even when they are not loveable. Show me how I can show their worth to them, and show me how I can love them more each day.

JUST WHERE I NEEDED TO BE

Sometimes you just KNOW you are where you need to be. Today, I KNEW I was supposed to be in Sunday School. It was just what I needed to hear. We read in Ephesians 3:14-21. Paul is addressing the church at Ephesus, to discuss the church as a whole. The NKJV of the New Geneva Study Bible says the following: "The church is a building of people, grounded in the sure revelation of what God has done in history. The church is an organism where power and authority are exercised after the pattern of Christ. The church is an outpost in a dark world looking for the day of redemption. Above all, the church is the bride preparing for the approach of her husband." When I read this, I just smiled. As I sat in SS, and we talked about prayer and how and why we pray, I felt so grounded and sure. I felt at home, and I felt that I was JUST WHERE I NEEDED TO BE. I hope all of my family and friends were feeling the same way in their church today. I pray that you all were just where you needed to be. This world is dark and it is scary, but the light that Christ emits, brightens even the darkest corners, and prayer can bring us closer to that light. Prayer is designed to help us move closer to Him, by communing with Him and making our requests known to Him.

Father: Thank you for giving my family a church where we can learn more about your love. Thank you for everyone who was sitting around the table in SS today. I pray that you will bless each of them this week, and keep them all safe until we join up again next week. Thank you that I was just where I needed to be. AMEN!

WHAT A PRETTY PACKAGE..OR NOT

OK, today, I found this posted on FB, and I just HAD to share it with everyone.....it just affected me SO MUCH!

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? 


Father...help me to see ALL of the blessings you send my way, no matter WHAT kind of package they come in. You are truly an awesome God!

ROAD WORK AHEAD

While driving back to school today after two glorious weeks off, I ran into some road work. You see those flashing signs, those orange cones and you think, great how long will I be stuck here.  However, we should not look at the negatives of road work, but the positives. Soon, we will have fresh new pavement, which hides all the signs of wear and tear. Potholes will no longer exist, and maybe there will even be a wider road when it is all said and done. Rebirth and renewal after a time of difficulty. I think we need to remember that when we are needing a little work done in our lives, it may be inconvenient and difficult. We might have to take a detour and back up and go in a different direction. But the outcome can be beautiful.

Father, show me the places  in my life where I need to detour or find a new direction. Show me the times I need to slow down and smooth out the rough spots. Help me to be ready and willing to change when change is needed. Thank you for my students and help me to find ways to motivate them to be the best person they can be.