03/19/08

I realize it has been quite a few days since my last post. Between not feeling well (finally feeling better, though!) and having a CRAZY last week and this week, I am here again. It is amazing how many things I feel I have to fit in at school or truly HAVE to fit in before we start Easter break tomorrow afternoon. I have felt a bit like I am in a pressure cooker about to blow. I'll be glad to have a break.

My pictures today are from a couple of weeks ago when Wesley found that snail. I haven't had the energy, or even the time, lately to even photograph. That will tell y'all how bad I have felt! Anyway, he loved this little snail. lol He talked to it and wanted to keep it but we basically told him he couldn't come home with us because it would die.

Last Monday (the same night as my last post) our "doughnut" yard people decided to come back. This time, though, Steve said they just sat in the driveway and didn't actually go in the yard. He thinks the light scared them. We haven't seen them since but he said the drove away really slowly. Last night the driveway alarm went off twice in a row. Steve jumped up only to find there were twelve deer in the front yard. lol They are terrible right now... they are eating up as much of our foliage and stuff as the guy was doing running doughnuts in our yard. I don't think we can arrest them, though. lol

I survived last week at school and then on Saturday I finally gave in and rested. Now, for those of you that know me, I don't usually just sit around all day. I am always knowing something else has to get done. I actually slept until 11:30 on Saturday morning!! I don't think I have done that since highschool!!!! Then, I slept off and on all day so I knew it was just my body telling me I needed to do it. I did feel better this week, but my body is still telling me I am ready for a break. So are my nerves. lol

I have been reading in my Bible about the betrayal/arrest/crucifixion of Christ this week. Even though this is something I know and teach my students, I found certain things about it that made me stop and think again. I have actually thought a lot about Peter. Peter seemed to always speak before he thought and did things that were really, well, stupid. Many times we see recorded where Jesus would tell Peter something and he would go on and on about how that wouldn't affect him or he wouldn't do what Jesus had said. He would then find out that he did exactly what Jesus said he would do. Today I taught the children about his denial of Christ... the thing he said he would DIE before denying Christ. The Bible says that after the rooster crowed and he realized he had denied Jesus three times that he went out and wept bitterly. I can only imagine the feelings he had within himself knowing what Jesus had said earlier that evening.

You know, we are all, in some ways, like Peter. We try to do things on our own and don't want to listen when God is telling us something. It may be something He wants us to change about ourselves or it may be something He wants us to do. We decide to "plow through" on our own and "take charge" and we forget that we are nothing without Christ. One thing was pointed out to me this past week that caused me to think further, though. Even though Peter denied Christ, Christ still loved him. When Jesus arose from the grave He said to let the disciples know AND Peter... mentioned Peter intentionally. He knew what Peter did... knew it before Peter knew it, but He loved Peter just like He loves us when we "pull a Peter."

At this time of the year when I stop and reflect on what Christ did for me on the cross I am still amazed and humbled at the love that poured out of Him that day during those hours. Easter surely isn't about the Easter Bunny and it isn't about going to church on just that day. Easter should be celebrated every day because if Christ didn't rise from the grave, our faith would be nothing and we would still be sinners lost without hope. Think on those thoughts as the weekend nears. I challenge you to re-read the Gospel accounts in God's Word of Jesus' last days before the crucifixion. I have really enjoyed learning more about something I "thought" I already knew.

I have had a lot of thoughts jumbled through my mind this past week that I have wanted to share but they are not coming to me right now. I know part of it is the weariness of my brain. lol I'll share more later.

I better go get ready for church tonight. Off to more kiddos. :) Enjoy your evening!