Did you know....

Did you know that  Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

Happiness

I am going to start by saying that I am So Happy!

College has been really tough and I have had my ups and downs.  Now, I can finally say that I am extremely happy and in a very good place with my life.  I love my job, I love my family and I love my friends.  But most importantly, I love the Lord.  Throughout college, my faith has constantly been challenged but now I feel strong and secure with God.  I wish I could say that I have found this security all on my own, but that would be a lie.  I owe this happiness to some of my closest friends.  Without them, I would not have a home at my wonderful church, I would not have a family small group, and I wouldn't have a wonderful support group for my stressful job.  Friday night when I was sitting at the baseball game, I looked over at my friends and just thought how lucky I am to have them in my life.  You know who you are and if you are reading this, know that I love you and thank God everyday to have you in my life.

Oh you know you have awesome friends when their bathroom book is How To Be A Better Christian instead of Playboy or Sports Illustrated.

2 Corinthians 4: 17-18

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times

I Love my job, I Love my job, I Love my job....But, I am exhausted!  I have successfully planned through the week after Spring Break, but now the only problem is that I still have to create mountains of materials, draft up my final PWS lesson plan and teach it Wednesday.  On top of all of this, I have my weekly assignments for my superviser and my weekly assignments for my Classroom Management class.  Lets just say I don't sleep anymore.  I was up until 12:30 last night working on my Rough Draft for my PWS and then up at 4:00 this morning to finish it and get things together for today and next week.  AH.  So, I decided to give my blog a facelift. Due to all of the busyness CRAZINESS in my life right now, this is going to be my happy place.  When I  look at the pink wallpaper and the pictures of my friends, I just can't help but smile.  I know I am a fruit but if you're my friend, you should already know that. 

TGIF!!! 

OH! Joke of the day (this is why I love my job, my kids are HILARIOUS!)

*How do you bug Lady Gaga?
                   (Answer will be posted another day)

Day One, CHECK!

So in one of my other posts, I mentioned how I was going to start reading the Bible everyday cover to cover for a year.  Well yesterday was day one on my schedule and not only did I read Genesis 1-3, I journaled (if that's a word) and prayed on my reflections. So as I am finishing up some work, I will start day two.  My goal was to originally get up before work and do my quiet time, but I am still getting used to that 4:45 Reveille.  So right now, I am going to end my day with the quiet time and keep praying that I can eventually wake up without falling back asleep; even after the lights are turned on.  Baby steps.....

OH!  HOW ABOUT THIS WEATHER!?!?!?! ITS AWESOME!!!  I now come home and eat a quick dinner downstairs and then go up on my balcony with my lamp and Christmas lights and do my work out there (wow, run-on...i'm just so excited!)

Saint Valentines Day

Here is the story of the REAL Valentines Day!  


Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Am I Prepared?

At church, we have started and new series called Doctrine.  We are digging into what it means to be a Christian, so that we can be prepared to spread our values and beliefs onto those who don't know.  In order for us to do this though, we have to be confident in our faith and understand the Bible so that we can speak truth.  Well, in order to understand the Bible, we have to actually read it.  Sounds simple right.  I know with me, I find it so hard to actually sit down and have my quiet time with just me and God.  It is not that I don't want to, or don't remember to, I have trouble finding time. Time is so valuable that I would 'rather' be doing something else.  During small group on Thursday, we discussed these challenges on why we always put off our quiet time.  To be honest, we sounded like we were throwing ourselves a pity party.  I realized that I am dumb and selfish and that reading the Bible should not be a burden.  Reading the Bible will actually help me with what I need to do because I will be more at peace with myself.  So, my solution.  I have set a challenge for myself and that is I am going to read the Bible in a year.  I found an online Bible study that has my entire year planned out for me.  This one is actually pretty cool because it is not just reading cover to cover, it has my layout planned out historically (planned out by when the books were approximately written).  Since I love history, I thought that this might help me with my own organization and so I won't get frustrated with piecing things together.

The challenge is set. Starting Tuesday, Feb. 15th, I will begin reading the Bible everyday for a year.  When am I going to do this?  Well, I have decided that I am going to do it every morning before I go to work/church/whatever else I need to do.  I believe I can do it, and I am going to journal along with it everyday, reflecting on what I have read.  This way there is a purpose and meaning, instead of just words.  

^"9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
   By living according to your word. ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you. ¹² Praise be to you, LORD;
   teach me your decrees. ¹³ With my lips I recount
   all the laws that come from your mouth. ¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
   as one rejoices in great riches. ¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts
   and consider your ways. ¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;
   I will not neglect your word."

Psalm 119: 9-16

I'll let this do all of the talking

Thanks Ryan,

What if?

Today, one of my students handed me this little flyer and it is very powerful. I want to share it with you.


What if you could read minds? What if you knew the winning lottery numbers one day early?  what if you could live forever?  What if you were breathing your last breath right now?  What if you had already eaten your last meal?  What if you had your conscience for a reason?  What if you knew what the reason was?  What if it were a beacon-a warning of an impending doom?  What if justice were not corrupt, but something true-something eternal? What if the standard for life were a perfect Law you already knew?  What if in the stillness of a silent moment you knew you had broken that Law?

What if life is really a test, a series of choices, in which only one choice really matters?  What if we ignore the inner warning light which pulses when we lie, steal and lust?  What if even our hatred is counted as murder?  What if pain and pleasure are only shadows of greater sensations to come?  What if there is a Heaven?  What if there is a Hell?  WHat if there is a just Judge who knows even our thoughts?  What if He holds us accountable for every thought, word and deed?  What if our idea of justice is only a shadow of something coming-where the prison times are eternal and no bond can be posted once the sentence is passed?  What if death is the fine for breaking an eternal Law?  What if someone paid that fine for you?  What if Jesus Christ is that person?  What if he defeated death by rising from the dead?  What if you could turn from your sin, put your faith in Him and live?  What if He gave you your conscience to point you to Him?

Every second two people die.... What if this is your second?