Serenity

Today's journal entry required students to make a list of people, places, or things that come to mind when they think of the word "serene". I was impressed with the lists my students came up with so I decided to share a few from each list with you...if you knew my kids, you would be as touched as I was. I hope you are moved by their thoughtfulness anyway! 

 
an eagle soaring high above
walking through pine trees on a sunny day
water splashing on the shore
midnight sky
watching the snow or rain
a hot bubble bath
a sunset
the sunlight through my window
my sister's skin
a mountain range
space
a bride and groom's first dance
Bethlehem when Jesus was born
a baby falling asleep in his mother's arms for the first time

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Early Morning Funny

"I'm feeling less sneezy already."
 
Poor Noah, one of my fourth grade math students, has allergies or something that cause him to be sniffing and sneezing constantly. When he feels a sneeze coming on he gets up for a tissue, but the sneeze disappears. You know the feeling! This morning during his test I had him just get some tissues to keep at the table beside him. Getting up for the tissues, Noah commented, "I feel less sneezy already." I love this kid!! =)

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Fearless Feet - Beautiful Feet

I was walking last night and I thought of all the places my feet have been and all the things they've done. Of course, my whole body went along with the feet, but if you take a moment to focus just on your feet, thinking back to what they've been through, you'll remember a whole lot things. As I thought of the places and things, I was amazed at what a full life I've led! Take some time to ponder the paths your feet have trod over the years, the things they've done, places they've been, and THANK GOD for the life He's given you. Here are a few examples that I thought of for my feet...praise God =)
 
*Hiked in the Alps, Appalachians, Grand Tetons, and Badlands
*Stood in the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron
*Danced the tango, foxtrot, chacha, samba, swing, mambo, waltz, salsa, and hustle
*Walked the streets of California, Mexico, Ukraine, and Germany
*Driven bicycles, go-carts, two-seater sports cars, 15-passenger vans, and my Ford Focus
*Toured cathedrals, museums, aircraft carriers, zoos
*Kicked soccer balls, chased little kids, escaped little kids, walked to and from classes for four years, ran up and down a zillion stairs at Rosy Mound
*Been stepped on, pampered, door to door selling candy or passing out tracts, blistered by burning blacktop, stuck with thorns, buried in sand, at the edge of the Grand Canyon
 
The list could go on and on and on...but you get the idea. I'd love to hear where your feet have carried you over the years! My greatest goal for my feet, though, is found in the book of Isaiah - "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" My feet have done much over the years, but they are most precious to God when they carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard it. The travels and trials of my feet are in vain should I forget to take with me "Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

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Silliness

"I don't smell anything. Don't plug your nose, there's no stink!" (2nd grader to his classmates)
 
"Nice carrot. It's orange...like all carrots should be." (4th grader to me)
 
"I'm always talking." (5th grader to me, and unfortunately it's completely true!)
 
The following took place just prior to taking a 5-minute, addition-fact timing in 2nd grade math class -
Jared: "I have butterflies in my stomach."
Jack: "Me too!!!! Jared, I have the same thing! Miss D. isn't it funny that we both have the same thing?!"

So, my second grade boys fight over where to sit at the table during math class. They usually work it out themselves, though one or two boys might be unhappy with the arrangement. Well, I got tired of it so I labeled the spots at the table with numbers 1-5. Today we "drew sticks" (popsicle sticks with the boys' names on them) to see who would sit where. They will get the seat for one week, then we'll rotate clockwise next Monday and so on for the rest of the year. Problem solved! When they came in this morning I asked if they noticed anything different about the table, thinking they'd see the little white papers with numbers on them (they were just below the edge of the tabletop on a little part of the table that runs perpendicular to the top, so not immediately visible, I admit). Anyway, I asked, "Do you notice anything different about the table?" Here are a few responses I got, before they found the number tags:
 
"It's wider."
"It's longer."
"It's cleaner."
"It's waaaayyyy dirtier."
"It's new."
"It's old."
"There's a white thing on it." (a tiny scrap of paper, not the number tag)
 
Perhaps my second graders aren't the best "noticers" in the school. Oh well! I love them, they love me, and we all love math - so it's all good!
 
 

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A "Must Read"

If you want to read a powerful book and be challenged in the time you spend in prayer, read Power Through Prayer by E. M. Bounds. I have one chapter left - thus far my mind has been changed, my eyes opened, my faith challenged, and my determination to live for God enhanced. I recommend this book to any serious Christian who desires to improve their relationship with God for it lights a fire and pushes one to action in the area of prayer and communion with the Savior. It's not a light and fluffy book, so be prepared to think as you read. I've been reading just one short chapter at a time because the author gives so much to ponder in just a few pages! I hope you'll read the book, take action to change things, and be blessed!

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Do Over

As a teacher I would love to move through all my lessons at a rapid, consistent pace with students picking up each concept quickly. I would like to stay on schedule, get a steady rhythm going, and not be interrupted til the last day of school. How nice it would be to just flow smoothly through the year without questions, confusion, distractions, or delays. Unfortunately, that would only happen in a perfect, Utopian world....I don't live there. So today, the sixth graders are taking a make-up math test because the highest score yesterday was a D+, and the fifth graders will spend the math class doing corrections because most of them got C's, D's, or F's. In my brain I think, "AAHHH!! Why can't they get this right?! We go over and over and over the concepts and in class they participate and answer everything right. Why is it so different on a math paper?!" I could scream and throw the papers at the students in frustration, but what good would that do? No good, because with me they would probably laugh, knowing I wasn't serious. But really, they need a do-over day, a re-do, another chance. What good am I if my students leave my class having learned nothing? I would rather they master a handful of concepts than vaguely understand a myriad of them. And how many of us always learn a new concept perfectly the first time? I, for one, have made mistakes over and over again in the same areas, but God keeps giving me another chance. And that's life, not just math class. I wonder how often God thinks about me, "We just went over this, Lindsey, why are you not getting it?!" In His grace and mercy, He probably doesn't even think that, but I sure think that about myself! Thank God for the many second chances and do-overs He gives, and think about someone you can give a second chance to today. I'm off to make copies of that math test...

Being Great

2010 has definitely begun on the right foot - pretty much on every level. Praise the Lord!
 
School - Heading back into the school year I was just getting over a bad head cold that had me practically bedridden for an entire week. I was not at all ready, physically or mentally, to come back to school. But come 7:30 Monday morning, January 4, I was at my desk preparing for the first day back. All day I felt awful, but God gave me His amazing grace to not only survive the day, but to actually stay on top of things and get much accomplished. And it's stayed like that since then. I have been working more diligently, focusing better, and getting much more done both in class and in my prep times. I can only thank God for His power in me because on my own I am weak in every way.
 
Service - I am excited this year especially in my work with the Youth Group. Last June I started with the senior high youth group, and I love it. On Monday nights I work with our youth pastor's wife to lead the girls' group, LACE (Ladies After Christ's Example). As I help Kris plan and participate in the Bible studies and activities, I have opportunities to minister to teen girls who are at every stage emotionally, spiritually, and so on. I feel it's both a huge responsibilty and an incredible blessing. Besides LACE, I have finally been able to join our youth pastor, the youth music leader, and some of the teens once a month for a Sunday service at a local retirement home. Last year my schedule for volunteering at the jail church service fell on the same Sunday as "retirement home Sunday" so I was not able to attend until December. This year my commitment to the jail ministry will not overlap with the retirement home Sunday except for September and October. Finally, this summer I may have the opportunity to join the senior high youth on a trip to South Dakota to study the land with a Creationist professor. I am thrilled about this opportunity!

Spiritual life - As I contemplated the new year back in December, I tried to think of areas of my life that I could work on in 2010. One area is that of my prayer life. I started reading Power Through Prayer, by E. M. Bounds, a while ago, and God has used that book to impact my life. I have been convicted about the time I spend in prayer, who and what I pray for, why I pray. Since then I have had more, and longer, meaningful times of prayer than I had in all 2009 probably! Praise God!! I am also striving to deepen my faith and my relationship with God. I have been a shallow, lazy Christian and that is about to change. It's time to get my eyes off myself, to get up off my couch, and go do something great for God. And let me tell you, my quotidian lifestyle may not offer many opportunities for greatness, but I don't have to leave Grand Haven to be great for God. As much as I would love to start a new and exciting life elsewhere, God has planted me here for the time being and I can't wait 'til if or when to start living a great and godly life. It starts here and now, today, with me.  

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