Ants

God says to consider the ants...they are busy little creatures! We have been under attack for a few weeks now, and thought we had it beat, but today I came home to an army of ants scurrying around the floor. They have found a new way in. Hmmm...yep, they are relentless that is for sure. I almost feel bad exterminating them, but not bad enough! I went for the spray and wiped out this newest wave. There is always tomorrow: They will launch a new attack; I will fight back!

Watching Katie grow!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Focus

I have been reading back through a Bible study I did years ago by Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God. The premise is that God is at work all around us, actively pursues a love relationship with us, and wants us to join Him in the work He is doing. Today, I started my day out with the sweet reminder that-a love relationship with God is more important than any other single factor in my life! Yes it is! I made myself a note during the original study to "Focus on Him-not the world and circumstances around me." Of course, that didn't stick...I still want to focus everywhere but where I should be...I still want to figure everything out...come to some sort of resolution when things don't go the way I imagined they would...but I, as is everyone, am a work in progress. God is using the things around me to conform me...and right now...He is using this Bible study to remind me where to look for Him! Here is a link to the Blackaby ministries for you to check out too. http://www.blackaby.org/

Done, done, done

Off to the next hurdle...SCHOLAR'S FAIR IS DONE! It was a crazy week-being coordinator kept me from really enjoying the week and seeing all the kids' work, but it did come together, and we did get to wrap it up with their awards which was fun! Their were lots of surprises, laughter, and cheers. We love it when the kids cheer each other on! Next on the to do list...scrapbooking...yep, yep, yep....sewing, painting, cleaning, and graduation! Oh yea...I also have to find time to study for my GRE, PRAXIS I and II! Time flies by way too fast, and I am sure a month from now, I will be amazed at all that came together and wonder how to accomplish what didn't.

Who cries during a Scholar's Fair?

Actually...there are more tears than you would imagine, but today, the tears were mine. Here I am surrounded by utter chaos, so busy, I can't even sit and have lunch...run...run...run, and then time for the music category. I had been encouraging some of the younger students to step out and try. Today they were sitting there absolutely horrified. One of those students hadn't brought a track to sing to-she thought she could just sing to a CD. Her grandmother ran to the store to buy her a track and she got a very brief practice run, during which Katherine and a few other students stepped up to help her. She couldn't hear the cues or keep on key. Way too soon it was time...she stepped up to the mic with absolute horror written on her face, shaking her head. We cheered her on and the music started. She missed her cue and started to quit, but one of our students made eye contact with her and sang along with her. She cued her, gave her the words, and I watched...and I cried. This same student was singing her first solo and very hesistant. I watched as she dug deep and gave this other student, one she has been known to pick on and torment, the courage to keep on. I cried again. It made every up and down, all the chaos-absolutely everything -worth it. After all..it is easy to want to come out on first, it is easy to criticize someone who hasn't walked in your shoes, but both these students knew how afraid they were, and instead of criticizing, they came together. WOW! To live in a moment where no one was attacking, no one was criticizing, everyone was cheering each other on. I couldn't begin to express the beauty of it! I couldn't wait to tell both those young ladies how proud I was of them; the one because she didn't run off the stage-she stuck it out, the other because she didn't let her sink alone! As a teacher, as a student "cheerleader," if all I get right this whole year was lighting both their fires-I will be content with the job I did! Praise God!

Laugh A Little

Got these "Biblical" jokes from a dear friend in my email...thought they were pretty funny and wanted to share...so laugh a little!



Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth? A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany? A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible? A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a Little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible? A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph Was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles Were all in one Accord.

Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible? A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ? A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible? A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy? A. The area around Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible? A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents? A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark? A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. ( Groan.) PS... Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee? Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . . 'He-brews'.

Evidence of the Spirit

Today, our pastor opened the sermon up with the question, "What evidence is there that the Holy Spirit is in control/present?" The answer is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance... (Galatians 5:22). Of course the flipside is, if those things are not present in my life, especially at times when I am trying to serve the Lord, then God is not in it. He manifests himself in my life by bearing fruit. That brings me back to how to grow in faith? It is all about God and His Word. Am I faithful? NO, not always...and that would make me disobedient which is not without consequence. Reading and studying Jonah for Sunday School, a question struck me..."Why hast thou done this?" (Jonah 1:10)-which is the question the crew asked Jonah when he told them that he feared the Lord but was disobedient. Why would I disobey God's Word, why would I try to run my life my way, or try to rely on my own strength or my own wisdom? I do try, and I do fail, because anything that is not of God is sin. Lord, thank you for the lesson today and teach me to apply it to my own heart. Change me into a reflection of you and make me a see-through servant!

Don't Blink

Both Katherine and I blink when we get pictures taken...makes for very frustrated photographers! We decided to risk it and get a picture taken together-the first one in about 16 or 17 years. We had so much fun taking the picture and they turned out so cute. These 18 years went by so fast-here she is working on graduation stuff-getting all ready for her big day! I have loved watching her grow into the beautiful young woman she is. The years went by in a blink, but we have every memory to hold in our hearts...and I will do just that even as the years continue to go by one blink at a time.