09/30/11

I hope you read yesterday's post.  If not, I encourage you to read that one before this one.

Let's see how Lot's "septic tank" worked out for him.

Remember how Lot "pitched his tent toward Sodom?"

Eventually, in Genesis 19, we see Lot living in Sodom.  God had promised Abraham He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there were just ten righteous people there... but, unfortunately, there was only four.  Those four were Lot, his wife, and his two daughters.  Unfortunately, they weren't the most righteous, either.  Lot was willing to give his two daughters up to the reprobate men of the city when they wanted to go after the two angels.  

Lot had been so much a part of Sodom that he forgot the ways of the Lord and began to follow the same ways as those that were around him.  He was told to leave the city and leave quickly because of the destruction, but he was so much a part of the city and what was around him, that he didn't really want to leave.  God's Word tells us that the angels had to actually take hold of them to get Lot, his wife, and two daughters out of the city.

God's mercy was all around Lot.  As I read that to my students I couldn't get over how much mercy God showed him!  He was in a place he should not have been, when told to leave he didn't want to go and when he was forced out and God told him to go up to the mountains to be safe, he argued with the Lord and said "Oh, not so, my Lord."  He wanted to go to a small city because he was afraid he was going to be killed somehow in the mountains.  If God sent him there, he would have been safe!

He was still being selfish, but this time there was more to the selfishness.  The life of his family depended on doing what the Lord said and he chose to do his own thing.  In the process, he lost his wife to the destruction of Sodom and he and his daughters ended up with a warped sense of a father/daughter relationship.

When we become like Lot and follow too closely to the ways of the world, we can get caught up in disaster.  I wonder when Lot moved into Sodom if he thought he could make a difference.  He was "sitting at the gate" when the angels came and that shows he had high job in the city.  Instead of making a difference, he became just like the wickedness that was around him.  

This is what we need to learn from Lot.  We can't become like the world.  We are living in it, but we still must be separate. 

Do people look at us and see a difference?  

Do we talk just like the world?  

Do we act just like the world?  

When we are too close to the ways of the world we get caught up in all of the mess.  It is much better for us to listen to the Lord and his desires for our life.  If we do that, blessings will be abundant.

9/29/11

Crepe Myrtle trees are so lovely... but I will be the first to say they are difficult to photograph! 

 

We're going to have some lessons from Lot today and tomorrow.

Yes, I am talking about Lot from the Bible. 

I have been teaching my students about him the last couple of lessons in my Bible time.  As I was walking today the Lord gave me the idea to do these "Lessons from Lot" because I think we all can learn from his mistakes!

You can read this in God's Word in Genesis 18 and 19.

We first read about Lot when Abraham took him with him to the land God had promised Abraham - the land of Canaan.  Truly, the land belonged to Abraham and his "seed" but when they got to the point of settling down in the Promised Land, Lot's servants and Abraham's servants had some "words."  There wasn't enough room for them all so Abraham kindly let Lot choose the land where he wanted to live.

Lot took the best... the greenest, the part that would be "easier" to maintain and he would be richer for it.

Abraham took the land that wasn't so great... and he took it humbly.  God blessed him for it in more ways than one.

Back to Lot... the Bible tells us that he "pitched his tent toward Sodom."  He wasn't in the city, but he was close enough. What he didn't realize is that he was heading for more than he bargained for.  This city was full of wicked men and women, but all he saw was a prosperous and an easy way to live.

Aren't we just like Lot?  We want to take the easy road... the one that seems like it would benefit us the most.  The problem is, we usually take that type of road with the thought that we are in control and what we see is the best.  We forget to see that the harder times in life actually bring us the most blessings from the Lord and we become richer for them.  The easier times are when we fall away from the Lord because we seem to depend too much on our own ways.

I like this saying best to sum it all up for today:  

The grass that is always greener on the other side of the fence may be because there is a septic tank.

Tomorrow we'll talk about Lot's septic tank.

09/28/11

 

I was reminded of this poem today and thought I'd share it on here.  It is an "oldie but goody" and it still brings tears to my eyes when I really think about the meaning.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”

- Mary Stevenson

09/27/11

Showing more of those beautiful Mexican Sunflowers today.

What a day!

Here are a couple of thoughts:

"Education has for its object the formation of character." 

~ Herbert Spencer

"The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts but of values."  

~ William Ralph Inge

09/26/11

How about some day brighteners here?  I just love our Mexican Sunflowers each year.

Something I learned today:  

Catfish do not have scales like other fish.  I learned this from a well-learned 7 year old.  See... teachers can still be taught.

Something I did today:

Well... a lot.  It started at 5:00 am just like Friday....

Something I prayed for today:

The wisdom to know the heart of my school children.  Knowing the heart is so much harder than just handing out the consequences.  I can't change the heart... only God can do that.  I am thankful for how He's helping me grow in that aspect of teaching.

Something I noticed today:

People are beginning to put out their pumpkins.  I love this time of year.

Something I forgot today:

CAR DUTY!  OOOPS.  I thought I had it in October.  I'll remember the rest of the week.. I promise.

Something to share today:

My friend Gretchen asked me two questions in my comments yesterday.  I realize her wonderful Mom, Sandy, has already shared this info. with her, but thought others may wonder as well.

The first thing she asked was from where did my email name of "Maujun" come.

My email name is "Maujun" - it has significant and sentimental value to me as I had to make it up many, many moons ago when we finally became modern at our house and got a computer and the internet.  Our first name was hacked because, being the naive person I was back in 1998 or so, I gave out my password and someone sent tons and tons of ugly junk mail around with our other one.  Steve uses that one now because it has been long enough that people don't hate us.  

On to my real story, here.  SO... I had to come up with another name.  I tried everything I could and they were all taken or they would give me a weird one with some numbers.  I didn't want  that.. I wanted my originality to shine through so I made up my own word/name.  

M is for May when Steve and I got married.  AU is August for Steve's birthday and JUN is for June, my birthday.  See why it is so special to me!?  I have had many a people fooled thinking it was French or something.  

Her other question was what does the "skwm" in my skwmjustme.blogspot.com mean.   

Well... they are the letters of our names... Steve, Kellie, Wesley, Mikayla.  

Something else I thought I'd share:

Gretchen didn't ask about this, but I thought I would share that my blog name came from me wanting to be "Just Me"... real, every day me.  Someone you can see isn't perfect but learning lots from the Lord about life.  I hope that is what you feel when you come here.

Something I am glad I did today:

Walked.  I was dog tired when I got home, but I persevered and went on outside and walked.  I felt the energy return the longer I went.  I'm really digging my walking if you haven't noticed.

Something I need to do:

Get off of here and enter grades into my grade book.  

Something I want to say before I go:

I am really enjoying the comments I have been receiving lately.  They make me smile and make me feel like you all are with me in my conversations to "myself."  :)  So, THANK YOU bunches.

OH... and if you want to do a "Something I...." post, please feel free to do so.  I'd love to read it!

09/25/11

Isaiah 43:18-21

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.

Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it?  I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

The beasts of the field will glorify Me; the jackals and the ostriches; because I have given waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.

The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare My praise.

09/23/11

My day in a nutshell... or two.

1.  Alarm went off at 4:30 telling me it was time to rise and shine.  Only, I wanted to stay there.  It was raining outside. 

2.  Got out of bed at 5:00.  Got a move on....

3.  Went to school... had to open the back gate.  I had Herculean strength as those iron bars slipped from their resting places.  (I almost lost it one time as the gate was slippery from the rain!)

4.  Today was "Silly Day" because the kids earned all of the marbles in their jar.  SILLY DAY on a RAINY DAY.  Maybe that wasn't the best timing on my part.

5.  Began the day with tests.  Aren't all Fridays supposed to start out that way?

6.  Taught. 

7.  Taught the children why salt doesn't leave the ocean.  Did an experiment with that.  Yes, I am that cool.

8.  Because of rain we had indoor recess.  Did I mention today was SILLY DAY, too??

9.  Read about Rosa Parks.  The kids couldn't believe there used to be bathrooms and water fountains separate for blacks and whites.  They thought it was crazy a black person couldn't shop in the same store as a white person.  ME TOO.

10.  Had indoor recess again because it was raining.  Have I mentioned enough it was SILLY DAY today?  Just checking.

11.  Said goodbye to my little "chil'ren"....

12.  Finished up grading papers like a mad woman.

13.  Walked out the door... trying as best I could to leave the desk that had looked like a bomb had blown up on it was a little more organized.

14.  Glad I am home and that it is Friday.

09/22/11

Let's chat.

Well... I'll chat, you read, and then comment. 

Yeah, that is it.

1.  I finally learned how to shuffle music on my MP3 player.  It was by accident.  I have no idea how I did it and no idea how to get back to it.  At least now when I walk I can get excited about what is next instead of knowing verbatim what is next.  It really has made a difference in my walks.

2.  Speaking of those walks.... they have been therapeutic this week. They have greatly helped to clear my head after school.

3.  I have heard much about my "vlog" the other day.  So glad I have made many of you laugh or made you feel that you love me more because I talk like you do.  I must say... I may have to do another something like that soon just so you can hear me instead of "read" me. 

4.  That vlog of mine was watched by one of my former students about 3 times the other night while her mom was cutting her hair.  The student was disappointed I did not mention how I say "chil'ren".... I'll have to remedy that for her.  Maybe I should tell one of my "Mrs. Fowler stories" for you all.  Yeah... that may be what I need to do.

5.  If you were wondering (and I know one of you mentioned this..) I will definitely be putting the muscadine jelly in the fair.  It is one of many entries, but that is another day and post.

6.  I am mentally and physically "out of it" tonight.  I decided I just couldn't really do my cleaning like I normally do on a Thursday.  I did go for my walk, but the thought of vacuuming after I got back was less appealing than I previously thought.  The house will survive.

7.  I did manage to climb the Mount Everest of laundry in our room and fold it all.  I now have two more loads waiting on me in the washer and dryer.  I can't wait.  No, really.... I can't wait.

8.  I have a date tonight. With my couch.

So.... now that you have heard my thoughts for today, how have you managed this week?

That "post a comment" button below is dying to be clicked upon and the comment box is just waiting for your words of specialness that you would like to share today.

Go on.. it doesn't bite.

09/21/11

I finally did it.

I made jelly from "scratch."  

The jalapeno jelly wasn't from "scratch" because you could use white wine vinegar. 

With this jelly... I got to pick the fruit, cook it and then process it for jelly.

Here is the rest of the story:

I went over to one of my best friends' house and picked her muscadine grapes.  I love that they are purple.  :)

I brought them home and the next day I cooked them to get that wonderful juice.  The aroma in my kitchen was delightful!

I then got to use this sieve to press the grapes and get more juice from them.

(I remembered using this when I was growing up when Mom made tomato juice... good memories.)  Mom is letting me have this one because she has two.  Oh the joys!  :)

What was left of the grapes was an ugly mess...

But the juice... oh, the juice... it was ready to be stored for a week to let the sediment separate from the juice better. 

This past Saturday I was able to get the juice out of the fridge and strain it twice through cheesecloth to get any remaining sediment out of the juice.  You definitely want it clear!  I was able to make four batches of grape jelly...

...and we had it for breakfast the next morning.

Oh. My. Word.

This is some good stuff! 

(and I am not sure why there is so much space between this and the picture.... it will not be fixed!)

And....
I am such a sweet teacher that I took biscuits to school today and let all of my students enjoy the treat of some muscadine grape jelly with their biscuit. 

Don't you wish YOU could be one of my students now??

09/20/11

 

Here is a conversation between Wesley and me this afternoon after school.

Background:

Wesley had forgotten to get Steve or me to sign his homework agenda last night.  This can lead to "moving your stick" out of the wise column to the simple area.  You just don't want to move your stick.  He shared with me before this conversation that his teacher gave him grace today.

Wesley:  I prayed I wouldn't have to move my stick today and I didn't.  I am thankful the Lord answered my prayer.

Me:  Did you thank the Lord for doing that for you?

Wesley:  Yes ma'am.

Quietness for a few seconds.

Me:  Wesley... what if you had been told to move your stick, would God have answered your prayer then?

Wesley:  Yes ma'am... God would have just said "No, you need to learn something from this."

Out of the mouth of eleven year old "babes."

If only we adults would remember that truth!

09/19/11

Today I am doing something a little different.... I am letting you "hear" me instead of writing like normal.  I read one of my former student's (Ashley) blog and she did one of these.  I finally decided to "bite the bullet" and do one, too.  It is an "Accent VLOG" that gives people a chance to hear how you talk.  You have to say certain words and phrases which I have posted below my video.  So, sit back and enjoy the accent.....

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you use to change the TV channel?

Whatcha think?

09/18/11

Job 23:10

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

09/17/11

I needed a day brightener so here is my pic for today:  Fire Azaleas from the mountains.  It has been cold and dreary around here the last couple of days.  A tease of fall!  Nothing like North Carolina weather.

Here is a thought for today:

"Our view of life may be so distorted that we will not be able to see that hard times can become the best years of our lives."

- Ray C. Steadman

09/16/11

We had our pond study field trip today and this picture reminds me of it.  We had a good time and no one fell in the pond! 

I read this in my devotions the other night and have been "chewing" on it ever since.  It causes one to stop and think that as a parent we have a huge responsibility to rear our children in the ways of the Lord.  The words in red are from my Dwell devotional.

I Samuel 2:12-34 (If you can... it would be great to read this passage of Scripture!)

Eli and His Sons

Have you ever been with a parent that obeys his child - instead of the other way around?  In most cases, the child has no respect for the parent and constantly throws a fit to ensure that he gets his way.  Oftentimes these children grow up without respect for their parents, family, others, or God.  As adults, they can possess a sense of entitlement and a lack of conscience that creates havoc for those around them.

That describes the actions of Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli.  Even though their dad was the high priest of Israel, Hophni and Phinehas did not know the Lord (v. 12).  That was their main problem, and it became a major problem for many people.  Eli never got through to his sons.  The Bible tells us that they did not listen to the voice of their father (v. 25).

Parents are to love their children, teach them, spend time with them, and discipline them.  This prepares them for life's realities.  Hophni and Phinehas are both examples of undisciplined, untrained terros.

Among their vile behaviors, Eli's sons committed fornication with the women who served at the tabernacle (v. 22).  Eli warned them, but they were defiant and refused to repent.  Regrettably, Eli's weak verbal caution - he took no action to prevent his sons from such wickedness - caused him immeasurable harm.  By condoning their sin, Eli had shown preferences for his sons above the Lord.  Because of this, he was unworthy of the Lord's blessing (v. 29-34).

The blessing of the Lord for Eli would have been that his family would have stayed in the Priesthood.  Unfortunately, that was taken from him and his sons in their sudden deaths, and those that remained in the family were eventually taken out of the line.  

Using discipline and consistency with our children can be challenging but it is worth the effort.  When our children see that we "mean what we say and we say what we mean" that shows them stability and a consistency that allows them to thrive in a safe environment. Over the years I have observed many parents who have allowed their children to run over them just as Eli allowed.  This only caused great heartache for the parent and a child who refused to listen to authority.  When a child will not listen to his/her parents, that child will also not learn to listen to the greatest Authority - the Lord.

Learn to be the parent and instead of your child telling you what they will and will not do.  The Lord will bless that.... and one day your children will thank you for it!

Ephesians 6:4 - Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

09/15/11

 

So what have I been up to?

Well... crazy busy at school for one thing.

Crazy busy at home for another.

and....

WALKING.

I have finally gotten a routine going where I can get out and walk again.  It isn't always easy to walk after school.  My body is already tired from being non-stop since 5:00 am, but I am finding that the walking is even helping that.

It has also been a good way for Wesley and me to have some talk time.  He loves to come with me and he will run some to build his body up for next years tryouts to be on the cross country team at school.

He keeps telling me how much he enjoys walking with me and we have had some pretty neat conversations.  Sometimes, selfishly, after a day of hearing "Mrs. Fowler" 400,321 times, I would love to walk quietly, but I keep remembering that I will not have times like this with Wesley for long.  I need to capture them while I can and enjoy the walk.  Not only does the walking benefit me physically, but the benefits of being with my son strengthen me emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.  I love hearing his thoughts and being able to help guide him along life's "walk."

09/11/11

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day...

.... teaching a class full of innocent children.... 

That is what I was doing that day.

I remember that song and I am remembering today that Tuesday 10 years ago.  The Tuesday that changed our lives forever.  It was the "Pearl Harbor" of our generation.

In remember how a co-worker walked into my room as I was teaching to share with me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. 

At that moment there was no major panic.  It was tragic, but we didn't realize the evil intended. 

YET.

A few minutes later that same co-worker walked back into my room to share about the other plane. 

I remember feeling weak in the knees and wondering how I was going to keep acting as if everything was normal with the little ones I was teaching when we now realized everything was not.

Not too much later this same co-worker came in to share that another plane had crashed into the Pentagon.  I was getting to the point I didn't want my friend to come back into the room! 

I was overwhelmed.  All I could do is sit.  And at that moment I told the children in my class that we needed to pray.

I don't remember what I prayed but I just knew I needed to reach out to the Lord.

My babies were just a little over a year then.  I remember wanting to come home and hold tightly to my family.  There were many people who would never have a whole family again because of what happened on that fateful day.

In the years since, I have not wanted to forget.   We have gone on with our lives, as we should in some ways, but we must never forget the horrible evil that happened in our country.  I still get so emotional when re-living that day and the weeks to follow.

As I have been talking with Wesley and Mikayla in the past few days about this tragic time, I am reminded that they don't know how it felt that day.  They don't remember because they didn't experience it like we did.  They have lots of questions as to why it happened.

We even talked about Osama bin Laden last night.  Wesley asked if he knew Jesus.  I told him that from the way he lived his life I would have to say no. 

But we all commented that Jesus Christ died for Osama bin Laden and those terrorists that carried out the heinous attacks just like He died for you and me.

Do we ever stop and think of that?

There were people in those towers and in the Pentagon that were good people... but they were lost in their sin.  They were no different than those that flew the planes in the simple fact that they did not know Christ.  Their life ended tragically and so suddenly without knowing the One Who could give them eternal life.

On this ten year anniversary it is a reminder to me that life is short and we, as Christians, have a "call to duty"... that of reaching the lost souls for Jesus Christ.  I was humbled this morning thinking of times I have wasted not sharing Christ with others. 

Something so simple but yet so hard for some people to believe is John 3:16 -

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Let this day be a day of remembrance, but also a time of reflecting on whether we are doing what we should for the cause of Christ.  Man makes choices every day and ten years ago we saw the evil choice that affected thousands upon thousands of people. 

May we make the choice to live our lives for God's glory and share God's Word so that others can know Christ.  You never know where your words or actions can "affect" or "infect" someone for the Lord.

09/08/11

I am missing something.

I am missing my creative photography.

I haven't photographed anything really creatively in over a month.  Yes, I have photographed people, but I have not photographed anything that caused my creative juices to flow in a way to make one think about what was photographed.  I hope to remedy that soon!

My sweet Wesley left me a love note on my desk at school this morning.  It said "Love you Mom have a good day!"  I put it on my cabinet by my desk next to Mikayla's that she gave me last week that said "I love (heart) you Mom! Have a great day! I love (heart) you!"

Wesley and Mikayla's class was going to P.E. when I had taken my kids to Art this morning.  Wesley and Mikayla both hugged me in the hallway.  They were coming out of P.E. when I was picking up my kids from Art.  They both came out to hug me and say they loved me.  Then they "yelled" "bye, Mom!" as I was walking up the hill with my class.  

They are in fifth grade. 

They have made their Mom's day.  

I pray they will always be willing to hug me and/or tell me they love me in front of their friends.

09/07/11

 
So here is a bunch of randomness today about things I have purchased recently.  I know you can't stand the wait so read on.....

We had to buy a new iron.  Steve accidentally melted the other one on the stove.   

You know the eye of your stove that has the vent pipe... well, don't let your iron stay on that when you turn on the oven cause it will melt like chocolate on a hot day.

The new iron is pretty cool.  It actually steams up all well and good... maybe it was a subliminal thing that caused Steve to leave the old one on the stove...

The new iron came with basic instructions.  Here are a few fun ones out of the 36 instructions:

"Before using your iron for the first time, please remove all the packaging material."  DUH.

"Empty any excess water from the tank.  Don't touch the hot surfaces, water or steam because injury may occur."  Really?

This one is my favorite: 

"Never iron or steam clothes while they are worn."  You know someone has tried that for them to have put that on there....

Speaking of irons, we also bought a new padded ironing board cover.  I knew our other one was cheap and had issues, but just didn't realize how much until I ironed on the new padded one.  Yes, there was excitement in the Fowler household over a padded ironing board cover.

I also had to purchase a new hairdryer.  

Mine sounded like it was an airplane about to take off.  It was pitiful. 

The new one should work just fine... once I find my hair again.   

The first time I used it on LOW it about blew all of my hair off.  Let's just say I didn't have a good hair day.  I need to learn how to control that puppy!

I also had to get some new mascara.  Mine was dried up past working.  I bought the latest and greatest mascara (using a handy coupon) that would not only add volume but length to my lashes.  Funny how my lashes still look the same as they always have with mascara.  Maybe I am doing something wrong....

We had to get a new calculator.  The one I have had pretty much all of our married life has finally shown it is slowing down and not "computing" too well.  I can't believe I got giddy over a calculator.

Wesley bought a new model airplane.  He wants to enter it into the fair.  We'll see how it goes but he has been working like a wild man on that thing.  He does love to work with his hands!

Mikayla bought her some of those cute erasers they have out now.  They are high heel shoes and lipsticks.  So her.  I can't believe what they make erasers into these days.  I must say they are quite cute.  :)

We bought more craft pieces and supplies for projects that have begun.  The kids are ahead on the International Project they are doing this year and it makes me extremely happy.  I just can't repeat last year!  Their International paper dolls were due today but turned in yesterday.  Oh yeah.  The country flag is due at the end of September.  We have ours finished.  Maps are due in November... we're working on those this weekend.  

Oh yeah.  Momma's got a brand new plan this year.

We bought the new Narnia movie that came out a while back... Voyage of the Dawn Treader.   

They had them on sale for $10 at LifeWay Christian bookstore.  That is a lot better than the original price of $30 doncha think? 

We saw it in the movie theaters and I loved it then, but watching it again and understanding some of the parts better, it made me love it even more.  There is so much symbolism of how Satan likes to tempt us in our weakest areas and get us to choose the wrong path God would want for us.  It was also a great movie to talk through with the kids and help them see the spiritual battlefield we face each day.  

Love the movie... and if you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it!

Have you had to buy anything recently to replace something in your house?

09/06/11

Here are some old mailboxes I photographed at "Walton's Mountain" this summer.

How many of you still love to get good old fashioned SNAIL MAIL?

I, for one, am one of those people.

Most of what I get, though, seems to be junk mail, credit card applications, and BILLS.

Last week my best friend sent me a card in the mail... just because.

I challenge you this week to do the same.

Take the opportunity to brighten someone's day and send them a card in the mail for no reason.  Let them know something they have done for you that means a lot.  Let them know you care.

It will probably even make the mail carrier happy, too.  :)

09/05/11

My favorite colors all in one picture.  Makes me smile.

When the teachers went back for orientation to get ready for school to begin, we got to "take a test" ourselves.  One of our principals gave us the "Lion/Otter/Golden Retriever/Beaver" test.  You know the one... it is all about your personality strengths and weaknesses.

As we were having to circle a word in each row that best described who we are, I kept noticing many that I used to consider myself to be, but can honestly say now that I am not as much that way.

This one category was the "Lion."  I definitely used to be a Lion in a lot of ways.  Here are words used to describe the Lion:

Forceful
Pioneering
Self-Reliant
Assertive
Adventurous
Commanding
Independent
Impatient
Unyielding
Strong-willed

Hmmmm.... I see so much of my former self in those words!

Now, there are strengths to that type of personality:

Gets things done, persistent, takes charge, makes quick decisions, solves problems, self-reliant, works hard, accepts challenges.

Not all of these are bad!  I can still see a little of that in myself.

However, here are the weaknesses:

Insensitive, overlooks risks, impatient, inflexible, takes on too much, too demanding of others, resents restrictions, inattentive to detail (I must say, this one was never me...)

Yes... those would have described me a few years back.  I was all about getting things done, but it was usually at the cost of appearing as if I had it all under control.

I found I was also a lot of the "Beaver."  Here are the words to describe that one:

Careful
Correct
Logical
Perfectionist
Disciplined
Critical
Orderly
Serious
Modest
Observant

Most of these I would still consider of myself today and, in fact, were the areas I circled the most on my "test.

The strengths are:orderly, self-disciplines, thorough, analytical, competent, precise, diplomatic, committed to quality.

Weaknesses: overly cautious, too rigid, too detail-oriented, fault-finding, pessimistic

There are a lot of people in the world that say that "they are born the way they are and they can't change" or something of that nature.

What they don't realize is that God is Who made them and He CAN change us to be who HE wants us to be.  Sometimes that change requires some hard times.  Sometimes that change requires a brokenness.

Mine required a little of both.

As I took this test I began to see qualities in this one area that I would not have always seen myself.  Not saying I was NEVER any of these, but just not majority.  It was the "Golden Retriever."  Let me share the words to describe and show what the Lord taught me.

Restrained
Satisfied
Gentle
Generous
Deliberate
Slow-Paced
Kind
Procrastinator
Easy-Going
Friendly

He taught me to hold my tongue and not always say what I think.  

He taught me to be satisfied with what I have because He was never going to leave me nor forsake me.  

He showed me how to be more gentle, generous to others, and kind. 

He taught me that hasty decisions were not always the best even when you "think" you have thought about them. 

He taught me that slow-paced means I can hear His voice better.  
He showed me that being a procrastinator wasn't always bad because I was taking time to come boldly to His throne of grace and it was worth it. 

He helped me see how much less stress I experience when I am easy-going and not so uptight.  

He helped show me what a true friend is.

He changed me.. as He is continuing to change me into who He wants me to be.  He can change you, too.  Don't hold on to those negative sides of your personality thinking that it is "just how I was made."  Anyone can change with Christ giving you the strength.  And, one day, when we see Him face to face, we who know Christ as Savior will all be changed again.....

Philippians 3:21 - Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,

09/04/11

Matthew 8:24-25

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Are you founded upon the Rock of Christ today?

09/03/11

Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a Gift from God.  

- Blaise Pascal

As I was looking up a quote the other day, I found this one also.  It goes so well with what I have been chewing on for days now.  

I have been teaching my students about Creation, sin entering the world, and next week will be Noah's Flood.  I LOVE teaching these accounts from God's Word because they are the reason our world is as it is today!

Last weekend a friend of ours from church was helping us with our computer upgrade and such.  He shares my love of learning about Creation and the world around us using God's Word as the magnifying glass.  I will say, he has more of a gift of understanding the higher thinking in the Science and Math world than I do!  However, we both believe the same thing and he helped me understand some things that have always been interesting to me, but I couldn't quite understand in this "second grade brain" of mine.  I love to learn more so that I may pass that knowledge on to my students.  My conversations with my friend are no different.

He helped me understand how scientists today (he knows.. he has been there!) will do anything they can to refute God's Word and "prove" evolution.  I have known that, but he gave me specific examples that helped me understand more of what I have learned.  Their "proofs" are nothing but taking the truth from God's Word and turning it into false knowledge with no real way to factually prove it.  This Scripture states these scientists all so well!

Romans 1:21-25

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened^. 

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

There are so many people who believe so readily that our world began with a "Big Bang"... or as I recently read in my ICR monthly publication of Acts and Facts, an "inflationary universe."  It takes so much more faith to believe in something as ludicrous as this organized universe being brought about by a big BANG or something inflated.  There is too much order in this world for it to come from disorder.  There is a whole other blog post I could do on what Noah's Flood... a true, WORLD-WIDE flood... did to our world.  There is proof everywhere in our world, but Evolutionists act as if they are a 5 year old child with their hands over their ears and their eyes are closed while saying "La, la, la, la, la" loudly so they don't hear and see the truth.  I could go on and on, but you get the point, I think.

There are many areas in God's Word that support Creation and even discuss the Flood.  Try Job 38 and 39 and Psalm 104 for ones off the top of my head.  Another one that shows that Christ was there at Creation would be:

John 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

If you want to learn more about how God created our world, go to Institute for Creation Research, Six Day Creation, or Answers in Genesis.  These are wonderful web sites written by Creation Scientists who KNOW about what they are teaching!

As I teach my students:  Everything we need to know in this world we didn't learn in Kindergarten as the saying used to be.... we learn it through God's Word.  The most important being:

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

09/01/11

Heard this in devotions at school this morning and it made me cry.  We all face these times and this is a beautiful word/song picture of God's love for us in hard times.