Friendship--God's in control!

" True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." -David Tyson Gentry

So after two years of prayer, God has provided a really cool group of friends! :)

It's really cool the way God works. Because as I look around the room at the different personalities, clothing, and music taste, I think to myself, "God this is unique, only you could have put us together." Yes, we do have differences but with those come similarities. Our ideas, thoughts, and our love for God and his people. God is showing me thorough them how much he is in control. Because it wasn't till September or so, when we started having dinner on Tuesday nights, that I realized how much I see this people. We see each other all the time but it wasn't till we were in a smaller group that I realized how much we were connected. God's in control.

God,
Your Awesome! I never would have thought you would provided in the way that you have. For years I have always thought my beliefs and ideas were wrong, specifically the ones about you and your church. However, it was in your plan for me to wait till this season in my life to find people to share these times and thoughts with. Thank you. More and more you are showing me who you are through them. By allowing them to challenge me in my thoughts, actions, and service. I can't say thank you enough. I have never desired to read.... books... books that apply to my relationship with you and others. I am so excited about what your are doing and what you are going to do. I am speechless.....

Love you lots and Amen!

Tommorow..

Soooo looking forward to starting a new school year. I feel an overwhelming sense of peace and calmness as this year is coming to reality. God has shown me alot this summer. I plan to see his will through and love on all people (his children) as much and as often as possible. Just seeing my students through the eyes of God is going to really change my perspective on who I am to be in Christ. And as hard as their little lives can be at times, it makes it easier on them if all are sympathetic to their needs and actions.


Thank you God for allowing me to experience the most AWESOMEST summer ever in my life. I don't think I will ever be the same. Thank you for flipping me and guiding me in your ways. Don't let this summer be void in the coming fall and spring of this school year but it always be with me in all I do. Allow the children and school personnel be all we are to be for you and one another in all me do. Let our actions speak WAY louder than our words!

Love ya God!

One down one to go.....

So one week of professional development down and one more to go! YEAH!
My room is done as I previously posted. However, I keep finding new and improved ways to do things. Which I am so excited about! But anyway, God is keeping me focused on the work at hand. Tomorrow.... shopping... yeah... a break!!

Talk to ya later!!! :)

Decorating down........ files and lesson plans to go.

So with the help of two wonderful girls (my cousin and her friend), the decorating in my classroom is FINISHED! I am so blessed to have their help but also God had plans for me this summer. And he made sure that with his plans and the time needed in the classroom was planned out and ready for me. He is truly an all-knowing God. Plus the fact they will be waxing the floors next week and there will be no way to get into the building and work on it. God is so cool!
All I have left is to organize my own desk, files, and lesson plans. Which will happen in between the mundane professional developments and workshops. I hope that I will be able to finish ahead of time. But if not I am okay with that. But it would be really nice to get it done by Meet the Teacher night. But I don't know what day that is just the week before school sometime. We start school on the 24th! So yeah!

Summer 2009~~What a RIDE!

I asked God if he would please if all possible not allow me to have a boring, time wasted, spending every free moment at work summer.WOW did he ever supply me with an amazing summer.

First I would just like to say that at the beginning of the summer I was somewhat struggling with being settled with what my life was. I was a 27 year old Christian, teacher, daughter, sister, etc. and I was saying to God, " Seriously this is BORING! God there has got to be more to this life you have given to me. Please show me more because this is a bore!!!" Then I just happened to go to the local Bible book story with my mom, and I picked up the book titled " Who Has Your Heart?" by Emily E. Ryan. I have always struggled with singleness off and on since college, read books on living life single for Jesus. But this book was different. It took the story of Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11: 30-40) a story of a heroine that is so easily overlooked. It was through her story that I saw how caught up I was in the world's view of what I was to be doing and what God's view is. It refocused me on his work, his life, and his guidance. The world lets me down but my God will never let me down. It was through this study that I began to really see what was right in front of me. It prepared me for the summer I would soon experience.

June was full of Summer School (4th grade Science yuck!), Mission Arlington, Sports Camp, and Concession Stand. I don't like Science, why you ask? Because for the most part it has everything and any thing to do with numbers. And math is not my friend either. However, I co-taught with another teacher that LOVES it so I was like okay, I show up, do cool experiments and go home, good enough for me!! So I eventually liked it a little bit.

The second week of Summer School I had the privilege to serve God at Mission Arlington. I went with a group of 40 consisting of my church's youth group and adult sponsors. I had always heard about the Mission while I was in college so I jumped on the chance to go. It was all a God thing because I signed up to go not knowing if I would have the money to go or if I could find a substitute. So it was all in God's hands, so four days before we were to leave God said Go and I went. Within five minutes of being there I was asked to pick up donations. I was like WHAT GOD ARE YOU SERIOUS! You know how I am with directions, then he supplied to awesome youth navigators!!! It was fun and we all three learned the streets of Arlington on that day. The days following we were in different groups within our groups. Relationships grew and God grew in us. While I was there God lead me to the book of Psalms and he has been changing me everyday with it's wisdom and strength. He had me start in Psalm 69- which tells me that I am to be all I can be as an example of who Christ is and was so that others will not be turned off by the way I am. But drawn by who I am in him.

The next week was Summer School by day and Sports Camp by night. I really enjoyed the three hour naps that I had to have that week. They were a physical and mental necessity to function. I got to get HOT and SWEATY for the Lord. The temperature hit 90-100 every night, but it was all in the Lord's name. I got to spend some time with the kiddos of the community and it was fun. The first night they were surprised to see that I actually didn't live a the school. I was at the basketball spot so I got to play with kids that I taught and it was so God. Because they got to see the human side of me and not the teacher side. It also let me see that although I was called weird this past year, I don't need to be like crazy kid weird, but weird in that my students should see less of me and more of Christ. Which seems to be the theme of my summer. Because although I show it from time to time I need to show it all the time.
Well I had to miss out on the last day of Sports Camp, which was Water Day, (yeah the best day I know), to work the Concession Stand at the Boy's Baseball Fields. I had volunteered with my church at the end of May and loved it so I told the manager to call me if she ever needed help. So the last week of June there was an All-Star Tournament for the 9-10 year olds. Yes, the age group of my students. I like working the concession stand because it gives me a chance to see people in everyday life. Not at work or a school, but as they really are. And when they see me in the same way it seems to open up a line of communication and gradually a relationship. What I see as a way to share the gospel in a relational way. I love the smiles on the kids face when they get that Pickle Pop or the mom who is sweating bullets and ask for water for her son whose playing. Oh, and I got ask to work the High school football games this year, and I said yes and boy I can't wait!!!! It has shown that once again, less of me and more of God. June was AWESOME, thank you God. He supplied!

Then there was July, which was also busy, but it was welcomed and short! Junior College, Camp, and beautiful wedding.

I had a few days to recuperate from June then it was time for some more adventures with God. I spent one day at the Junior College that I attended. Helping my aunt and two cousins prepare for their journey of college. It was a long day but it was extremely productive. I told all three of them that next year will be sooooo much easier and less stressful.

Then the other four days of that week was spent praying and waiting on God's answer to see if I was to be an adult sponsor for camp. His answer was yes, even though it was last minute and I had to get ready within four days to be gone for seven days it was good. If I had know I as going ahead of time I don't think I would appreciate God's timing and lesson in patience. So we left for Florida at 5am on Sunday arrived at a church in Florida spent the night and drove the rest of the way into Daytona on Monday. There were many attempts from the Enemy to stop us from going, being, and returning from camp. But God prevailed and he unified us in away that wouldn't have happened if we wouldn't have experienced all of the vehicle issues that we had to deal with. While at camp....................................................... God's presence was EVERYWHERE!!! It is any day and everywhere but for the most of the group it was a non ceasing presence that we experienced for the first time. I have felt it myself over the years, but now Psalm 105:4 is an ever present in my life. " seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. (ESV) I experienced worship like I never have before and I will never go back to the old way of which I was. My posture of which I used to have I realized was more worship than I thought it was, so with the old I have seen that God raises me up and added in some new. And it is AWESOME!!!! Once again he showed me how to be less of who the world wants and more of what he wants and intends for me to be for him. The camp theme was FLIP, and boy did he flip us all over the place!!!

Then there was this past weekend. I had the honor and privilege to be a bridesmaid in my college roommate\friends wedding. I was so excited for her and I still am. I got to meet the groom for the first time on Friday and knew from the first meeting as many had said they were meant for each other. They meet on a blind date, dated for 6 months, and on their 6 month anniversary he proposed. It was fun to be with her and a few other college friends. The Maid of Honor and myself spent alot of time in the car and on our GPS' however I was very proud of myself. Because as we were there we got to reminisce about our college years, which was only 4 years ago. And it was so cool to look back at all we had been through together and with God. Because our friendships were all God's doing, no way would us three ever crossed paths if he hadn't intervened. It was cool to see her life and his intertwine. With that God gave me hope. Because I have from time to time thought about being single for life, it's not like Jesus didn't think it was okay. I am not saying that I believe I am called to surrender myself to celibacy, what I found at wedding of all things was peace. Yeah PEACE!!! Crazy I know but it happened for me. I thought about the bride's journey and how it was somewhat parallel to my own. And it was then that I realized that I usually would be all depressed and loathing in self-pity. However, this summer God flipped me. It started with a trip to the book store and now it is coming to a slow end of FLIPPING everything I knew, did, and felt to become more of him and less of me. I was not looking forward to being a single bridesmaid at 27 years old. It obviously brings up alot of self doubt, worry, and insecurity for a women. However, God knows me so well that he had to provide me ways to see that the world that I was living in that thinks I am a weirdo for not having any kind of relationship with a man, that world is wrong. His way is\was showing me that my focus is not to be on the future but on the HERE AND NOW. Which is funny! Because at the end of May when I bought that book, I had just finished the weekend at a Disciple Now. The message for the weekend was living in the Here and Now and letting the Holy Spirit work within you. The Holy Spirit is working in me like I have never experienced before. So I will wait as patiently as I can on the one that God has for me no matter how long it takes. But if it is celibacy is what he calls me to, which is scarey, I will because this will mean that I will be focused on his purpose and not mine!!

It is only right to praise and thank God for his plans that have flipped and changed my life forever!!!

"God your are all knowing. I went into this summer desperate not to spend time watching hours of mindless TV. And you provided over and above what I could have every imagined. THANK YOU! I don't question this summer because as innocent as my prayer seemed to me I know that when I spoke it to you, you were smiling and thinking to yourself, I have a plan for you. Which I can not and would not take any moment of this summer back and change any of it. Even the so called bad parts. Because it is in those times that you said we are to rejoice. I love it, I love you and I just love how you know everything before we do. God do not let me forget one tiny second of what happened this summer because I do not want it to return void. You have a plan even past this, so use me and guide me in your ways because they are better and higher than mine could ever be.
I love you Lord, and it is in Jesus Name I pray Amen!!!"

Summer School

is OVER for this year! Yeah God!!!!!!!!!!!!

A long over due update....God is working

Well my first year of teaching is over. Well it has been for about a month now. I am very blessed by the lessons, people, and time that I have been overcome with. Since the school year has ended God has been doing some awesome stuff in my life.

At the end of April I joined a new church. God has challenged me in my walk with him ever since I have been attending. It is really awesome to attend and serve in a church where things are different. Different in a good way... at my new church it is like all the things I have ever liked in all the churches I have every attended put into one. I love it. (And I am also making a lot of new friends. Which is an answered prayer for at least for about two years now. Yeah God!!) I have been able to serve in ways I have before but it is different for me personally because before I was either a youth or a college student. But now I can focus more on serving and less on what else I have to do for work\ school. God is awesome.

Since school has ended I have been teaching summer school. Well co-teaching 4th grade science. I don't really like science all that much, but it is good that we are only doing experiments. I was able to take off for a week and go with the Youth to Mission Arlington. It was really awesome... God is doing sooooo much there. He did a lot with the youth and the adults of our group also. It was really neat to see the transformations of relationships with God and with each other.
While I was on the Mission trip God showed me a scripture that I now think on daily. Psalm 69: 5-6 - "YOU KNOW MY FOLLY, O GOD; MY GUILT IS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU. MAY THOSE WHO HOPE IN YOU NOT BE DISGRACED BECAUSE OF ME, O LORD, THE LORD ALMIGHTY; MAY THOSE WHO SEEK YOU NOT BE PUT TO SHAME BECAUSE OF ME O GOD OF ISRAEL." God is showing me through this scripture that I need to watch my actions and words even when I don't think others could or would be influenced by them.

This week has been full of summer school in morning and Sports camp at night. My church does a sports camp instead of VBS. I really liked it a lot. God did an awesome work this week. I was unable to go tonight, it was the best night to, water night. Oh well maybe next year. I worked the concession stand at the ball field. I like it a lot, because you get to meet all kinds of people. And the extra cash isn't bad either. I'm working the All-Star tournament, it end Thursday and so does Summer school! Yeah for sleep!!! : )


Well I guess that's about it! Hope to talk to you again soon!

A long over due update....

Well my first year of teaching is over. Well it has been for about a month now. I am very blessed by the lessons, people, and time that I have been overcome with. Since the school year has ended God has been doing some awesome stuff in my life.

At the end of April I joined a new church. God has challenged me in my walk with him ever since I have been attending. It is really awesome to attend and serve in a church where things are different. Different in a good way... at my new church it is like all the things I have ever liked in all the churches I have every attended put into one. I love it. I have been able to serve in ways I have before but it is different for me personally because before I was either a youth or a college student. But now I can focus more on serving and less on what else I have to do for work\ school. God is awesome.

Since school has ended I have been teaching summer school. Well co-teaching 4th grade science. I don't really like science all that much, but it is good that we are only doing experiments. I was able to take off for a week and go with the Youth to Mission Arlington. It was really awesome... God is doing sooooo much there. He did a lot with the youth and the adults of our group also. It was really neat to see the transformations of relationships with God and with each other.
While I was on the Mission trip God showed me a scripture that I now think on daily. Psalm 69: 5-6 - "YOU KNOW MY FOLLY, O GOD; MY GUILT IS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU. MAY THOSE WHO HOPE IN YOU NOT BE DISGRACED BECAUSE OF ME, O LORD, THE LORD ALMIGHTY; MAY THOSE WHO SEEK YOU NOT BE PUT TO SHAME BECAUSE OF ME O GOD OF ISRAEL." God is showing me through this scripture that I need to watch my actions and words even when I don't think others could or would be influenced by them.

This week has been full of summer school in morning and Sports camp at night. My church does a sports camp instead of VBS. I really liked it a lot. God did an awesome work this week. I was unable to go tonight, it was the best night to, water night. Oh well maybe next year. I worked the concession stand at the ball field. I like it a lot, because you get to meet all kinds of people. And the extra cash isn't bad either. I am working the All-star tournament, it ends next Thursday I think. Four more days of summer school yeah! Extra sleep here I come!!

Publish Post

Save Now

Save as Draft

Using your resources......Wisely?

Need to get the attention of a room full of kids?

Do what I did....look up and grab the projector screen string.... pull it over your head.

Take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and then pull it back up.

The result a room full of children shocked, surprised, and the most important thing ready to LISTEN!!!

Yes this works!

2 more months later.....

I have joined a gym... and love it most days!

Love my students one day and they drive me crazy the next!

However, I realized this week that we are in the 5th 6 weeks and within the past few weeks that my students are really learning what I AM TEACHING THEM!

It is so coooollll!

Oh and the Writing TAKS in on March 4th! Not this Wednesday but the next! Ahhh! I've done all I can do so we shall see!

I passed the PPR, the last teacher test for my certification! Yeah God!

Oh and an answered prayer, I am now the Wednesday night Youth Bible Study leader. I love it! It has really alllooottt of fun!

Well maybe I will talk to you before 2 months!

Two months later.....

Sorry it has been so long since the last post. I have obviously been BUSYYYYY!!! However, it is a good thing because it seems as if I am getting in the swing of things. Thankfully it is in such away that I am actually getting use to it all. This 3rd 6-weeks has been the best because the first week of it was soo awesomely productive. Well my "Assistant" and I decorated for Christmas today so if I remember to I will post some pictures. As a reward for good behavior, at the end of each class I am teaching my students Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer in sign language. They are really enjoying it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

My Challenge of the Week!

a stick

plus

me walking



equals



me with a sprained ankle (NO this is not me!)
This is what I "ride" at school. From the nurse's office, I will have arms of steel by the end of the week. And boy is my left leg sore from working double time.

But the best part is the love of the kiddos in helping me it makes my day and theirs!


Have a good one!





Yes I am on crutches, hopefully only till Saturday. Then one more week in the air cast.

I have survived! Ike please send Tina next time!

The district cancelled school for last Friday and then after Ike hit they called school off till further notice. Well thankfully we will be back this Monday! I am so excited! However, my prayer is that all those students affected will be able to move on. Also for Galveston Island. I was one of the blessed ones with my family and home not being damaged. No lights or water was the extent of our loss. But we got that back within 5 days! Thanks to all of the thousands of electrical workers! Well I can't wait to see my kiddos, 10 days without students makes one energized teacher!!!

GREAT, WONDERFUL, GOOD, NO PROBLEMS....who are we kidding!!!

So as you can see there wasn't much thought that went into this post. No, the students have NO clue how crazy the school becomes when they are gone. However, what they don't know won't hurt them and the best part is that all of us are working together to stop the madness of the craziness.
The craziness it the fact that there are old people in new positions, new programs changes, new class changes, and new, new, and more new things happening this year. My first year, which all of these things are good. However, it is just a matter of working out all of the kinks and bugs. So maybe I should read this book to make me feel better. I googled it and it looks good!

See ya on flip-flop latter!!!
- Jack Black, School of Rock---

I HAVE SURVIVED!!!

<---For those of us who needed a laugh!!!
Well yes I have survived!!! With God's and my mom's help I got through my first week of school as a Teacher. It was full of paperwork, confusion, questions, and lots more. I had one kid on the first day of school who wanted to finish his color packet instead of play at recess. Don't we all just love G. T. kids. Yeah! And on the third day I had to take a kid to the office. Oh fun stuff indeed. Anyway the three day week end, turned into four day weekend because of Hurricane Gustav. The School District was afraid there would be lots of flooding. However, there really wasn't any at all. Anyway, I have gotten A LOT done with the extra days of the weekend.

Classroom Pictures!!!

Well the first day of school is only a few weeks away! I am nervous, excited, and ready! Almost ready that is. My classroom is probably saying, "Gosh! It July\August, rest awhile!" However, if I had not spent the past month in a half on it it wouldn't be what it is today. I have taken a few pictures to share with you. I thought I would take you on a Three minute tour.

As you walk up to my classroom this is the first thing that you see.
Welcome to my class.
My Mom was very impressed that I wrote it this well!




I know there is a glare on where it was laminated from the flash on my camera.
However, this was a labor of love. My wonderful cousin\assistant and I took a whole day to blow up, trace, and outline this masterpiece. But in the end it was worth it.




This is my Social Studies board.
I had most of it complete and then stepped back and saw that it was all sideways.
It looks cramed but I think it is good for what I have to work with.




This was my mom's idea, a paw path. Our school's mascot is the Lion.
It starts at the front wall and continues on the back wall.
My patient assistant put my mom's idea into reality.
It turned out great!



These are the cabinet above the sink.
I thought it would be a good idea to implement school spirit.
I am sooo ready for some Friday night Football.
I will change out the sports\activities whenever the seasons change.
I am excited about this!



I made this to assist with unneeded disruptions and so that I wouldn't have to get up constantly.
It is on the left-hand side on the top of the whiteboard.
On the right-hand side on the top of the whiteboard there is a red hand with 1-5 on when\how to be quiet\get attention.




And finally last but not least.....my Cousin and Assistant. (She took this picture herself.)
I think she did this to show me how crazy I can be at times. Yes, I am a picky at times, but she usually can read my brain. As I read hers, it really weird, but we can.
She has been a true lifesaver, friend, sanity giver, advice giver, amongst sooo
many other things. I don't know how I could ever repay her!
However, I don't think we could ever do without one another.






Well, this is your tour guide signing off! Have a great week!
I have a week of new teacher stuff, then another week of district stuff!
So, it might be a while till the next update.

One down... Three to go!

Well, last week wasn't as painful as I expected it to be. I got ALOT completed, finished, started, etc. I was an amazing and productive week. I also had an amazing assistant whom at times thought I was crazy. But in the end her question was, " How do you know how to decorate and organize the room?" My response was that it just comes natural, you just know how to do it. It was so funny to hear her question because I felt like she was saying I was a pro or something. Because I am anything but that. But it gave me a boot of confidence in that it really looks like I know what am doing. Or then again, I guess I do know what I am doing.

This week will also be just as successful. However, I hope this crazy storm, "Eduardo" passes through. Hopefully, VBS will go on at church this week. I am suppose to conduct Recreation with some others. Hopefully the storm will not stop VBS, but the Lords will be done not mine. I have looked forward to it all summer, and it will be a good break from all of the school mojo.

Ohh.. and before I my favorite part about last week.... my assistant and I completed the Owl for my door. The one that I previously posted. I will try and post a picture of our owl. It is not the same exactly. But it is so coool!

Have a greeeattt week!

WOW! Four Weeks in counting!

So, there are only four weeks till school starts! : ) I thought I was not nervous, but after this week. I am! It came with the two day workshop this past week. For the first time I was sitting among fellow teachers and they were talking about the ups and downs of teaching and what kids understood and what they didn't. I caught myself thinking, " Wow! This is actually happening. I will\am responsible for a student to understand the material. I AM, NOT SOMEONE ELSE, BUT ME!" Crazy, that I was thinking this because I knew it was true before that day. But it was all of a sudden a reality.
Then I went a bought the stuff for my class at the teacher store. I didn't even spend half of the money I had designated to me. So I spent about three hours in Wal-mart on Friday spending the rest of it. It took that long because I wanted to spend it wisely and effectively. It is safe to say that, I am pretty sure that the mission was accomplished. However, it was the same day that I found out that I not only had one week of teacher\staff meetings and etc. But two weeks, the first for new teacher orientation and the second for all staff\teacher meeting, etc.
Yes! I am excited but I am overwhelmed. Which is okay, because although they say, oh you can work on your room the week everyone is on campus. I am thinking ok that's a week before school starts. And I haven't even touched the curriculum book. So yeah, for the next two weeks I will be busy as a bee working in my classroom. But my relaxation will be that the second week I have VBS at night. And the best part I have one of my College best friends\roommate coming in. I cant' wait to see her! Well anyway, I guess I better go for now! Always something to do! Have a great week!

Social Studies.... my second favorite subject!

Yes! It is true that I have always loved Social Studies\ History. Which is a good thing because today I attended my first teacher's workshop, it was there that I learned that I would not only be teaching Language Arts, Handwriting, and Spelling, but Social Studies also. Which I am fine with. I later confirmed with school staff that at the moment it was true. Schedules and the such were being worked out. So unless told other wise ELA and SS are mine to grasp and teach!

I just can't wait...to teach my two favorite subjects. WOW, what a hot tiring day!! : )

I Got not one but two....

Keys that is! I received them yesterday. I also have $$$$ from the district to spend on my classroom! I am soooo excited, I love spending money! I can't wait! Anyway have a good weekend everyone!

Key's open doors!

Yes they do! However, I won't have one until August! Therefore, I went to the school this past Friday, all excited and ready to work on my room. As I drove into the parking lot, no cars! As I parked my car, building was dark! As I reached for the door knob, the building was locked!

: ( Yes, I was sad! Especially since I had just spent the last ten minutes trying to buy ziploc bags to use to store last year's extra school supplies! Well as you may have guessed, I am over it. However, I can't WAIT for tomorrow! It will definitely be unlocked then! But wait I thought the same thing about Friday also! We shall soon see!

Peace, Love, and Owls!

Just kidding, have a Owlisous week!

Oh, I am sooo corny, sorry I haven't been in the presence of children in a week so my corny jokes have built up and I needed an outlet!

Bye : p