11.29.09
better late than never
Somehow Thanksgiving came and went and I didn’t sit down and think deeply about the things for which I am truly thankful.
So better late than never, here is the short list:
My little brother – I have really loved this fall with Merritt living so near! We are able to see one another all the time, and I just really enjoy spending time with him. Watching Star Wars with him is like watching a pop-up video. He knows the most random facts, and rattles them off as if it were nothing.
Seminary discussion boards – In all of seminary, the lessons that have stuck the most are the ones that result from our weekly discussion boards. They force me to clearly state what I profess to believe, look critically at the thoughts of others, face the criticism of others, discern when I need to stand my ground and when I need to admit that I am wrong, measure my words, disagree respectfully, and value the thoughts and opinions of others even when they are different from my own.
Our happy teachers’ lounge – I look forward every day to going into the teachers’ lounge and spending time with my co-workers. Because my conference and lunch are back-to-back, sometimes I take extra long lunches just so that I can enjoy even more of my co-workers. It is usually such a happy place, and for that I am thankful.
J and D – Two little guys that I call by their first initial. I love those two kids even though they are always stirring up some trouble. I thought of them while watching The Blindside and cried for them and for the overwhelming feeling I get when I think about their future. I am thankful for those rare moments when I look into their eyes and instead of sadness, I see hope.
Staying up late…and sleeping late – I almost never get to do either, but this week I did both of them a lot and it was so refreshing!
Poland – My gratitude for Poland runs deep. God has used Poland to change me. My view of the world, my dreams, my priorities, my relationship with Him, the way I discipline my students – all of these have been deeply affected by my time in Poland. I am thankful for the people that Poland has brought into my life – Delinda, Mariola, Wojtek (the person, not the cat), and Bozena. So thankful.
Friends who understand that I am awful at phone communication – I have so many friends who have moved away. That is what happens with you live in a college town. I hate that we live so far apart! I am thankful for technology that helps us stay in touch, even if I drop the ball a lot. Thank you for giving me grace with the phone thing, seriously. Long distance friends, if you ever want to move to CS, I would be okay with that.
FBC Bryan – I love the people who make up my church. I love Chris Hoover’s goofy announcements, Jiggy and his super musical talent, Toney and his leadership style, my sweet friends who have lunch together on Sundays, the Coffee House people who love international students, the ladies in my small group, Martha who lets me interpret The Vine for her, and my roommates and our Monday night potluck friends.
Finally, I am thankful for Survivor. Please don’t judge me.
Sometimes I wrestle with God and accuse Him of withholding good things from me. That is craziness! Look at all of the good that He has given me! Next time that lie is whispered to my heart, I can choose thankfulness. He has been so, so good to me!
11.28.09
shifting sand
I was listening to Caedmon’s Call’s song “Shifting Sand”, and the second verse really spoke to me:
I’ve begged you for some proof
For my Thomas eyes to see
A slithering staff, a leprous hand
And lions resting lazily
A glimpse of your back-side glory
And this soaked altar going ablaze
But you know I’ve seen so much
I explained it away…
I have spent a lot of prayers asking God for a sure answer, a certain sign, a simple yes or no. The only problem with those prayers is that He typically doesn’t work that way. Most of the time He answers my prayers with just wait, trust, and you will see. And months later, I realize that somewhere along the way the prayers were answered, but I was too busy to notice.
Then, when I realize that the question I had asked was answered, instead of giving Him the credit, I explain it away. Oh, well of course that is the answer. I actually knew that all along. Why did I even bother asking?
Silly me. My faith really is like shifting sand. I am so thankful that I can stand firm on grace.
11.26.09
browser convert
Because my family is celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow (Friday), I am spending Thanksgiving at Starbucks working on seminary like a maniac. I have been super productive, so tomorrow on neo-Thanksgiving I can spend lots of time with the family and not worry about seminary! I have also spent some time exploring some new techy stuff, so I thought I would share:
I have long been a Mozilla Firefox snob. I don’t know why people still use Internet Explorer. Yuck, yuck, yuck. Mozilla is a thousand times better for a thousand different reasons.
But I have found something even better than Mozilla Firefox.
If you are still using Internet Explorer, repent and turn to Google!
11.20.09
Friday Five
—–1
This week I learned that people from Liverpool are called Liverpudlians. Awesome.
—–2
Last Friday we had an African storyteller come to our school. I was sitting next to a kid who was talking and messing with other students and not paying attention. I was tired of telling him to stop and him continually disobeying, so I challenged him to a thumb war. That thumb war lasted 30 minutes, during which he was silent and never took his eyes off of the storyteller. Magically, just as the lady finished talking, he won the thumb war. Muahahaha.
—–3
If you were to translate “the bee’s knees” (as in “He just thinks he is the bee’s knees!”) into Polish, it would be “pępek świata”.
If you were to translate “pępek świata” into English, it would be “the world’s bellybutton” (as in “He just thinks he is the world’s bellybutton!”)
Just in case you were wondering.
—–4
I’m teaching this to my sign language class to perform in the spring talent show:
I love this video and watch it at least once a day!
—–5
Thanksgiving Break starts TONIGHT!!! A whole week off…to rest, work on seminary, and be with my family. Sounds perfect.
11.18.09
flattery
Yesterday I had my 4th graders write a rap song about nouns and adjectives.
It went something like this:
Nouns are people, places or things.
The mall is a noun.
A ball is a noun.
A doll is a noun.
A house is a noun.
Mrs. H is a noun.
Ms. Moore is a noun.
An adjectives is something that describes a noun.
This pen is yellow and black.
My water is see-through, too.
Ms. Moore is very, very special.
She is awesome and nice.
She has pretty hair.
I’m such a sucker for the shameless flattery! It reminds me of this time. Needless to say, they got a 100.
11.17.09
new class pets!
Since Rico died, I have been extremely lazy about going to buy a new fish.
But Sunday night I was at the carnival, and there was a game where by throwing a ping pong ball into a fish bowl, you could win a goldfish.
I told the lady working the booth, “Oh, this is great! My class’s fish died, and I have been needing a new one!” We exchanged a short conversation about my classroom, and she was really rooting for me to win.
Sadly, I did not.
But as we were walking away, she pulled a coupon out of her pocket that said One Goldfish and said, “Here, before you leave, come back and pick up a fish. For the children.”
So at the end of the night, we went back, and she gave me not one, but FIVE goldfish for my classroom! Isn’t that so kind? I am really excited about it.
So yesterday I let each kid put one name into a jar, and I pulled out five winners.
My new fish are named:
Star
Yoshi
Foofy
Chocolate Coin
and Wario
Seriously, my students crack me up with their fish naming skills! Their creativity never ceases to amaze me.
11.15.09
weekend with the Millikens!
I spent the weekend in Dallas with Jessica (roommate and best friend from freshman & sophmore year of college) and Reed (her husband). It was SO wonderful!
What made the weekend wonderful? Because we did nothing! How often do I get a weekend to be a total bum and not feel guilty about it? Never. Except this past weekend. After living together for so long, Jessica and I are pros at being bums together. We just talk and talk and watch movies and talk and run menial errands and talk and talk some more. All that time spent together was so worthwhile, there was no room for me to feel guilty about being a bum.
She is such a sweet friend, and she has such a great husband. I enjoy their company more than I can express. It was so refreshing to be with someone who knows me so deeply, who I know so deeply, where no topic of conversation is off limits, and no back-stories are necessary.
When God (through the potluck people) chose us to be roommates 6 years ago, He certainly knew what he was doing!
(Since we were bums, we didn’t take any pictures this weekend, but here is an old one, for old times sake – at a Nickel Creek concert! Our favorite!)
11.13.09
Friday Five
—–1
Monday night my roommate, Judith, and I were sitting on the couch talking about You Tube and she said, “I really like watching videos of people falling or getting hit with balls.” Haha, oh Judith.
We proceded to watch videos of those two things for the next 30 minutes. It was a lot funnier than I expected.
Then she introduced me to MLIA. And that’s how I spent the rest of my week.
—–2
I used to hate text messaging. Then I got unlimited texting. My life will never be the same.
—–3
One of my students has spent the entire week at Disney World. I know it is ridiculous, but I miss him! I haven’t filled my daily quota of, “Take that out of your mouth!” or “Go get some Germ-X!” in a whole week. I’m ready for that child to come back! What am I going to do next year when he goes to Jr. High?
—–4
All last week the song Here is Love was on my mind. I listened to it on repeat at work, in the car, while running, getting ready in the morning… Sunday morning before church I prayed through the lyrics, it came on during my drive to church, and then we sang it in church!
Here is love, vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast a gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love
No love is higher, no love is wider
No love is deeper, no love is truer
No love is higher, no love is wider
No love is like Your love, o Lord
—–5
You know my favorite sentence? He edited it.
I have found one that is even better: Ted edited it.
It reminds me of that episode from Arrested Development with “Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog” and the newspaper headline “Bob Loblaw Lobs Law Bomb”.
Ted edited it. hehe.
11.11.09
collections
I am not a collector. Mostly, this is because I don’t like junk or clutter, things that are useless, or things that aren’t beneficial.
I collect Polish dishes which are inherently useful (um, I eat on them every day) and meaningful.
But the other thing that I collect is infinitely useful and infinitely meaningful and infinitely beneficial.
I collect Bible verses that share the gospel in one verse.
My favorite is 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Ephesians 2:5 “Even when we were dead in our tresspasses, God made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.”
From death to life. These were the first ones that came as I started writing this post. I come across more all the time, and want to be better about writing them down. Do you have any to add?
11.10.09
James 1
I am in a Bible study, and we are using the inductive Bible study method to learn about James.
I have really enjoyed it – it is all women, half are college-age, and half are young mothers, and a few in between.
So today at work I learned about Wordle which makes word clouds, so I made one for James 1. Look!
The more a word is used, the larger it appears. Isn’t that neat? You can really get a sense for key words and ideas. It’s magical.
And it’s pretty.
