There is no disconnect!

Have I mentioned that I love my home church and the things we're doing together this year? Oh right... I think I do that at least once a week.

Tonight, after listening to last Sunday's sermon on Leviticus, I am floored by how much I am learning. I have been in and around the church world for 25+ years thanks to my wonderful parents. I have been a Christ-follower for about 13 years. I have never understood the apparent disconnect between the Old Testament and the New Testament - the seemingly different characters of God in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

Now I am seeing it in a whole new light.

THERE IS NO DISCONNECT!

It all flows together seamlessly with so many parallels that I have missed before in reading one small section at a time and leaving out some sections (like Leviticus) altogether!

I have been told that the entire Bible, even the OT, points to Christ - but I have often struggled to see it. Now, when it's pointed out to me, it is so blatantly clear and obvious and I can't believe I missed it in the first place...

Tonight, with the help of Leviticus and Hebrews, I began to finally recognize the beautiful continuity of the Word and of my God. :)

Motivational Deficiencies

At first, when it was official that the elementary would close for Thursday and Friday, they said that the teachers would come in and work while the students stayed home. Then when the announcement was made to us at our faculty meeting after school, our director said that they had talked about it some more and had decided that they wanted us to stay home and rest.

I'm good at following directions.

Haha... Actually, I've slept so much in the last three days, and I've basically been lazy even when I wasn't sleeping.

I can't really tell if I'm just a bum or if I have really needed the rest. I've had a headache that has felt a little more like pressure than a headache off and on for the past few days. I'm thinking it's very possible that my body is feeling tempted to give me sinus problems, and so I'm more tired than usual. Or maybe I'm just lazy.

I went on today's grocery trip to the mall this morning. That's always a little bit of a longer trip so that people have time to shop in the grocery store in the mall along with the store that is exactly like Sam's Club across the street. I've never felt the need to shop in bulk for just one person - so I don't go there, and that leaves me with time to shop and/or eat in the food court. Today I bought trendy sandals that I can teach in, and then I tried Church's Chicken. The verdict? Ehh. It was only alright. While I was excited to see crinkle-cut french fries, from now on when there is a Church's on my left and a Popeye's on my right - I will choose Popeye's every single time.

So there you go. That's what I'm doing in Honduras right now. So much for ministry. Instead, I am sleeping a lot and solving great chicken debates.

Of course, I could have used these last few days to be a super-teacher. I could have graded every single paper in my classroom and planned lessons for weeks to come. I could have planned lessons for weeks to come. I could have rearranged and reorganized my entire classroom.

But I didn't... I haven't even walked up there yet. I still might go today. Maybe...

It's a lazy day in Honduras...

Well, at least, it's a lazy day for me in Honduras. I need to walk up to my classroom, but I've heard that the high school is bitter about having school when we don't, so I think I'll wait until after school instead of practically walking through the high school during the day. That would be my passive, non-confrontational side coming out - along with my absolute willingness to take one for the team and watch movies in bed all day.

Yesterday I felt like a "real" person with a "real life." Haha. We took the rapidito down the mountain to El Centro for some thrift store shopping and lunch at a cute little artsy cafe. It was fun to be away from the school and meeting up with friends for lunch.

I was definitely in a shopping mood, and I bought eleven pieces of clothing for $30!

Then I came home to a wonderful night of long conversations with friends and family along with the confirmation that my mom and Nancy are coming to visit in two weeks! The tickets have been purchased and the airplane seats have been arranged to put them together. Now I'm working on a list of requests for things they will bring to me and we're making plans for how to spend the few short days while they're here.

Finally, if anyone knows a trick for flipping fried eggs neatly, quickly, and without breaking the yolk - I could really use some tips!

Have a great day!!!

Awakened by a dream again...

This time the dream was very different and much better than last night's - although, I feel like its topic was between me and the Lord. It was nice though because it motivated me to stay awake, even at 2:30 am, for some prayer and Bible reading time...

It's a good thing I don't have school tomorrow or Friday! I guess I shouldn't be thankful for the return of the pig (swine flu), but the Lord has used it to provide my MUCH-NEEDED AND APPRECIATED break along with some time to seek Him in the quiet and stillness of night.

I am feeling an eager anticipation about the plans He has for my future and the details that He is working out, and I am excited to see what He puts together in the next few weeks and months. I love knowing that I do not have to fear or dread the uncertainty because I know it is not out of control. He has already shown His great faithfulness in my life. He sustains me and provides for me. He already knows the next steps that I will take on this path with Him, and I am trusting Him to guide me and align my desires with His plans.

"Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14

"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" Psalm 90:17

I just woke up and I'm already exhausted...

Why?

Because I was dreaming that I was teaching a HORRIBLE class that is much worse than my own. In all reality, I wasn't teaching at all. Instead, I was frazzled and yelling and sending kids to the office when I didn't even know their names. (That certainly presents a challenge when writing an office referral.)

They were supposed to be 5th graders, but they looked and acted more like high schoolers.

Aauugghh... Not the way I want to spend my sleeping time at all!

Maybe it's because I found some teacher blogs yesterday and filled my mind with their grumbling and their stories from the classroom. It was a relief to hear others putting my own feelings and experiences into words, but you obviously have to be very careful what you put into your mind.

So after "teaching" all night, here I go for another round.

I'm ready for another vacation.

Desert Song

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've recieved I will sow

I spent my afternoon sitting on my backporch in the sun, soaking up some warmth and some rays after a long, hard day. At 3:00, I was relieved to find out that pep squad practice was cancelled. As it turns out, progress reports went home on Friday, and some of our girls are ineligible because of low grades. We'll have a meeting tomorrow with them to try to figure out where to go from here...


My day was long because of continued struggle with classroom management and student behavior along with a dull headache that refused to go away.


Is it possible for me to not be miserable because of my job?


Will it be possible to take whatever the next step will be next year without dealing with these struggles?


Whatever. At least today's over now.


Based on something that was discussed in our Esther Bible study last night, I tried today to remember to act out of my mind-set and not my mood. I'm not sure I succeeded much, but I would like to think that I gave a valient effort.