Simple Woman's Daybooks

For Today, Thursday, February 23rd

Outside my window...absolutely beautiful day! I went running this morning and the weather was perfect. After school we rode bikes/wagons around the block and jumped on the trampoline. I LOVE being outside and hate any kind of weather that stops me from going out.

I am remembering...Why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut. I haven't been feeling unhappy with teaching, but had felt like I had lost a little passion for it. But after having a student teacher and not being able to have my class to myself for a while made me miss it bad! I also remember telling myself in college that I felt called/wanted to be at a low-income school/area. I know that sounds weird...whatever...you don't have to understand me. And I definitely am in that place...and I love it. I'm not saying it doesn't stink sometimes or that I don't want to bawl my eyes out at the end of some days, but its just what I need to do and have to do.

I am thankful for...my husband. He does little things all the time to help me out. Give the kids a bath, load the dishwasher, go get a huge list of groceries. But the other day I sent him a text saying that I had forgotten my students folders and a stack of important papers at home and saying that I was tired and dragging. He showed up at my school about 30 minutes later with the folders/papers, a Diet DP and a "hidden message" in the folders that said, "I hope you have a great day." Love that man.

I am creating...I was just thinking that I had not really created anything in a while. Hadn't had much time for it. I have been thinking about buying some canvases for the kids to paint on to hang in our play room. The room is done, but needs wall art and I might also sew some curtains to hang down there.

I am going...well COLIN is going to start T-ball lessons next week! I'm so excited. His team will be the Pirates!

I am reading...Finished Radical (Loved it!) and have not picked up a new book yet. Still debating on what to read. I have a TON of books here and already on my kindle to choose from. Just a matter of picking which one to read. But I am reading through the book of Romans and loving it. Good stuff.

I am hoping...Colin's correct dosage of medicine is reached quickly. We up the dose about once a month. Every time I see improvement, so it IS working, but its a slow process of slowly upping it. I'm just impatient I guess. But praise God that it works for him without all the crazy personality/mental changes that it does for some kids. I was extremely fearful of all of that when we started him on the meds.

On my mind...foster care or adoption...still. I really think we will eventually do it. We just want to wait a few years.

From the learning rooms...just enjoying being back with my kiddos. We are reading leveled books every week, counting objects up to 20, writing stories everyday, and learning about living and non-living objects. Next Friday is Dr. Seuss Day and then the next week we will begin our Texas unit (my favorite!!!)

Pondering these words..."I think we forget that having faith in God involves us being faithful TO God." -Jeff Stapleton

From the kitchen...We've done ENTIRELY too much eating out/eating on the go because of our crazy schedules lately. But I have full fridge thanks to Jeff. Tonight is fend for yourself, but tomorrow will be fried egg burgers!

Around the house...I'm so ready to buy some potted flowers for my front porch. Its looking rather dull out there. Flowers and plants really make me smile.

One of my favorite things... Carley's giggle. It is a sound that spreads joy. I could be in tears, and her laugh and smile can change it all. She has also starting "Love you" but it sounds like "La-Shu." I love her.

A picture from my album... We had an eventful weekend. Jeff's sister, Jenni, had baby Eli. Colin was also the ring bearer in the wedding for Jeff's cousin, Kristin's, wedding. So here are pictures of 2 very special and precious boys.

Dear 21 year old me...

I guess since Valentines Day is approaching, I wanted to honor my husband, Jeff, by posting this letter. This is a letter that I wrote to myself. I wrote it today but am addressing my past self...myself 8 years ago when we were first married.

Dear 21 year old me,

You didn't know what you were doing. You didn't know who you were marrying. You thought you were marrying Prince Charming. You thought you were marrying innocence. You thought you were marrying someone who was going to work his way up in the technology department and eventually make some big bucks. You thought y'all were going to work really hard to save a ton of money and buy a huge house and boat and nice cars. You thought marriage and life was going to be a breeze and you'd live happily ever after.

You didn't know that he would break your heart and disappoint you. You didn't know that he wouldn't be able to meet all your needs. But you also didn't know that he was never intended to because there is a God who CAN meet all your needs.

You didn't know that God would take hold of his heart the way that He violently did. You thought you were already in love with him. You didn't know that watching his heart be radically changed by God would not only capture your heart but would change your own heart as well.

You didn't know that the man you married could be so disciplined and hard working. You didn't know how extremely intelligent and creative he was. You didn't know how much he would end up loving to read and didn't know that he would lay in bed next to you and read EVERY night for hours on end. You also didn't know that he would hog the dinner conversations to talk about things he was passionate about...photography, guitars, and the re-telling of what he'd read so far in his current nightly readings. You didn't know that he'd be so different from you but that his character would fascinate you so much. You didn't know that your opposite personalities would work so well together.

You didn't know that he would actually follow through with obeying God's call to the ministry. You didn't know how much he would teach you about God's word and God's character. You and him both said that you'd NEVER do youth ministry. You didn't know that you would...and that you would work together to do it...and actually love it. You didn't know that you'd both make pay cuts by moving and starting ministry. You didn't know that there would be some months that yall would crunch numbers and wonder how you'd make it. But you also didn't know that God would always provide.

You didn't know that he would make you feel the way he would. That when you were trying to be mad at him and yell at him that he would end up making you laugh with a dumb facial expression or a stinky fart. And that on the worst days of your life, you'd just want him and no one else.

You didn't know that he would start losing his hair or that you'd see wrinkle lines around his eyes when he smiles. But you didn't know that for some reason he'd be so much more handsome to you now than he was when you married him.

You didn't know that watching him be a Daddy would give you such a clear picture of God's love for his children. You didn't know how much of a huge role he'd play in raising our kids. You didn't know how LOUD he could be when playing with them or how overly excited the kids would be every time they hear that carport door open upon his return.

You didn't know it would be this hard, but you didn't know that it would be this rewarding. You didn't know you would be capable of loving someone this much. You didn't know you would thank God for him everyday.

Love,

A thankful wife of almost 8 years

Sanctity of Life...

This has always been a big debate between Christians and Unbelievers. Pro-life or Pro-choice. I want to share with you some bits and pieces from our pastors sermon a few weeks ago. These thoughts are not mine, but come from the heart of a man of God, and more importantly, come from the Bible.

Love = an intentional action which counters all forms of hatred, indifference, and violence towards anyone, with the love that they have received from God through Christ.

Hate = the devaluing or indifference of human life.

1 John 3:11 commands us to love one another. Verse 16-18 tells us how to do that.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

The Sanctity of Life involves WAY more than just the topic of Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. It has everything to do with love vs. hate. The Sanctity of Life is not an idea to protect just the unborn. It is to protect and value ALL life. So things like racism, salvery, abuse/neglect of children and elderly, and pornography are all issues that deal with the devaluing of God's finest creation.

It boils down to hate and selfishness. A friend of mine quoted on facebook, "Since when did our 'choice' hold value over 'human life?'" He said this in reference to abortion, but how true is that for the way that Christians and non-Christians alike choose to hate and devalue the life of another. I find it interesting that many Christians (including myself) think, "Well yeah, I love others. I'm not mean, I would never hurt a fly." But the kicker is in verse 17 above for me... indifference is included as a form of hatred. Choosing to do nothing about a person in need is devaluing their life and is therefore, hatred. Dang...

I just recently read a debate on facebook between some mutual friends. There was about 45 comments worth of arguments defending pro-life or pro-choice. It was very sad to me that someone would have so much hatred and bitterness built up that they felt their rights or choices were more important than someone that God created. Yet at the same time, it saddens me when Christians spend more time and energy trying to prove they are right than they do loving those who are lost. In the definition of love that I typed earlier in this post it said that love is an action that counters hatred "with the love they have received through Christ." Why would you expect someone to be "pro-life" if they have not received love through Christ?

I'm not saying that we as Christians shouldn't speak against abortion or racism or any of those other issues. We are most definitely called to stand up for the justice of others. But the root of the problem is not found in the depths of a debate on abortion. The root of the problem is that we cannot truly love others unless we have experienced the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.