Monday, May 30, 2011

Bittersweet

9 days are left....9 days with my little lovelies...I am going to miss this group of kids. While I am so excited and so ready for summer break, it also means I have to say goodbye to people I have spent 180 days with. People I have come to know so well and understand and love. It makes me sad to think of. It even scares me a little, because you never know what is in store for you in the coming school year. What these children will never know is how much I have learned from just being around them. They always teach me so much..each year I learn so many things about life and myself from my students. They make me a better person and teacher.

I am so proud of the growth of each student. They were hard workers who worked to impress me and they have so much to be proud of. Their love for one another will never be forgotten. They have been such an encouraging group for each other and have shown pride in each other's accomplishments.

I will never forget them and hope they know how much they mean to me and how much I do love them.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

He must become greater; I must become less.
John 3:30


I read this today and it put something on my heart. I am always trying to prove myself to someone...anyone who is willing to look or pay attention to whatever it is I am involved in. I am constantly trying to make myself bigger, better than I really and truthfully am. I must become less....Wow! What a thought! It goes against everything in our society. Everyone is wrapped up in making a name for themselves, proving themselves to someone, becoming better and best at something in someones eyes. But instead this is what I should live by-- "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2 I need to let God be bigger. I become less and He becomes more. Even though this feels and may sound selfish, when I become less and God becomes bigger, he will still change me, mold me and make me perfect, pleasing and good.

I have to remember that I may not be destined for monumental things...I may not be an orphanage mom, I may not adopt a lot of kids like Katie in Africa (a blog I read), I may not be like the family in the movie Blind Side. I may lead an ordinary life, or I may not.

"Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Romans 9:21

Father, I pray that you will allow me to let you mold me and make me what you need me to be. I ask that you help me to be okay with who ever it is You have purposed me to be. More importantly, I pray that You will help me to live my life for the purposes You have brought me here and that I will always be the person You need and want me to be. It isn't always easy and I know there will be many times I fail. I am not being negative, but I am human. But Father, You are a God of grace and mercy and You love me no matter what. Help me to allow You to be the potter for the lump of clay that I am! :) Help me to remember that even if my life seems ordinary, as long as I am living it for You and doing what You want from me, then my life isn't ordinary, it is extraordinary!!!




Sunday, May 8, 2011

My Mom




My mom is a beautiful person inside and out! I am so lucky to have her in my life! My mom did a wonderful job raising me (if I do say so myself). She was very concerned with raising me to be a child of God. I will remember her always praying with me and teaching me in the way I should go. My mom was my mom first. She disciplined me, she taught me right from wrong and she loved me unconditionally. She has very high expectations for me still and has always believed in me. Now, she is not only my mother, but she is my friend. We don't always see eye to eye, we even drive each other crazy, but we are best friends. I am thankful for my mom and the rules she placed in my life. I am thankful that she made me go to a christian college. I am thankful my mom prayed over me. I am thankful she wanted me to meet a good christian guy to be my husband. My mother was always supportive of my dreams and has always wanted to see them through. Mom, there are not near enough words for me to say to you. But I want you to know I love you, I thank you for being a role model on how to be a good mother to my kids one day and I would never be where I am today if you did not love God and want Him to be a part of my life. God did well when He chose you to be my mom. I love you!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Big Dreams

I am a typical girl who had and has big dreams. When I was little I dreamed of being a little princess, marrying prince charming (which did come true :) and having a unicorn. I dreamed of being a professional equestrian jumper and rider, I dreamed of being a pilot for commercial airlines, I dreamed of being a irish dancer or playing the violin for the Riverdance, I dreamed of living on an island. But as I grew up, things in my life changed. I had to sell my horse because my mom was afraid Jazz wouldn't get a lot of attention with me going 16 hours away to college. It broke my heart to see my beautiful arabian mare go to a new home. My dreams of being a pilot were not long lived...that was a very temporary dream.

As I have gotten older, priorities changed. Paths changed, ideas changed, feelings changed, life changed, I changed!
When I would work with orphans during the summer I realized, I want to adopt or one day be the momma at an orphanage. I would also like to have a camp for children with all different needs where they can come and take care of horses, ride horses, anything involving horses. These are things that may not happen in the anywhere near future, but they are dreams that I could see in my future someday.

The past few months, I have been contemplating my job situtation. I love my children, I love teaching. I do not like the politics involved in it. It takes so much away from the actual job of teaching and knowing what our kids do and do not need. So much time is spent on worthless, meaningless, small things, that in the big scheme of things, DO NOT matter.

A dream that has recently come to me is one that involves the church I am now going to, Center City Church. Center City wants to start a coffee house called Ebenezer's Coffeehouse, here in Charlotte. Ebenezer's Coffeehouse is already in existence in D.C., but this church is trying to extend it to here. It is a multiple use venue where we can reach out to the community. One way David Docusen has mentioned reaching out to the community that really speaks to me is doing an after school. I would love to be in charge of that. I do not have a clue what that would entail, I don't know what I am doing, but God does. If you are reading this, please pray for this. Please pray for guidance and God's voice to be heard. I do not want to do something that He does not see favorable for my life or those at Center City or those in the community.

So those are my dreams. Ones that are closer than others, but exciting all the same! What are your dreams? Remember, you can have the best dreams planned out for you and your life, but Gods dreams and plans for you are so much bigger and better than anything you could ever imagine for yourself. Put your faith, trust, and hope in Him. He can work and will work miracles in your life if you allow Him to. He can make all your dreams come true and you will live happily ever after with Him for eternity!