Sunday, January 30, 2011

Crazy Love

I finished Crazy Love.  Right now all I know to say is "Wow." I keep thinking over and over about all Francis Chan said and I am certain I will have to re-read. It was amazing and heart wrenching. And eye-opening and soul-searching. I would love to tell you what was my favorite part but I don't know. It is not a book that I can say,"Oh I loved it when Chan said......." Because rather than being a book that I read that I will tell everyone how much I loved it, I think maybe that I will tell others I read it and was reminded how much God loves me and how challenged I am to ask,"How do I show God I love Him?" Do I look at my life and say,"God is so good and has blessed me so much. Thank you God for all you do for me." Or will I look at it and say, "WHO am I Lord, that you love me so? WHO am I telling about You? WHO can see You in me? WHO am I loving in Your Son's name?"
It was a preaching book if you get what  I am saying. Chan quotes Annie Dillard, "How you spend your days is how you are living your life."  Preaching book. I will read it again.

On to the new book! Sometimes I teach some precious ones that love to read and discuss with me what they are reading long after they have left my classroom. I love when they make book recommendations and feel it only fair that since they read what I made them read, that in turn I follow their lead. I taught a brilliant young lady who is attending Stanford and she is always emailing me her papers, wanting my opinion on what her professors have shared, and passing on books she thinks I might like. So I am finally getting around to one of her recommendations - The Unforgiving Minute. It is a soldiers account of his time spent in defending our freedoms. So far I am riveted by it. The author writes in such a way as to draw you in immediately to his story. While school is going on I don't get through my books as quickly as normal, but I will let you know my final thoughts when I am done. Anyone else read this?

Have a great rest of the weekend!
Blessings,
Michelle

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Mid-week Blahs

I am embarrassed to write this but I am going to anyway - I am worn out as this is the first full week we have had of school since before Christmas! This past Monday was the first Monday we have had school since the Monday before Christmas. I know - all you readers are thinking "Teachers. They have no shame with what they complain about!" I am really not complaining. I wouldn't trade my job - well most days I wouldn't, but today I am TIRED! Those kids wore me out. Do you ever have those days, even as a momma, when you think,"If I hear one more person say my name I am going to lose it!!!" Today was that day. If it wasn't the kids it was my phone ringing in my classroom. It rings nonstop. I think people must get the idea I am sitting at my desk staring at the phone and waiting to answer one more call that has someone asking,"Hey, my child can't remember if we ordered a yearbook. Can you?" Really? Argh! I think people forget sometimes that when I get bored of waiting for the phone to ring I do occasionally teach some stuff.
Yesterday I gave my AP students this quote and told them to write a one-pager:
"Reality is something you rise above." They looked at me as though I had six heads. I thought it was a brilliant quote. A much better choice than what I wanted to put: "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers." Of course I would not want them to think I was referring to them. I just want them to know that I too, like the French aristocrats, am always on the lookout for a coup to take place. For on the days when their brain cells seem to not be connecting I tell them in the words of Shakespeare to "Wind up their wit, for by and by it will strike!"
I am sure I am not making sense to many, but as I tell my little scholars, I amuse myself if no one else. Hence the reason they all snicker about their crazy old English teacher who blows a gasket every time her phone rings.
Thus this is my reality and I must rise above it!!!!
One more for thought: "Beauty fades; Dumb is forever."
Please feel free to share one of your favorite quotes!
Blessings,
A tired teacher who can't wait to go do it all over again tomorrow!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Worth a visit

Today I want to invite you to hop over to Randy Alcorn's blog on EPM and read his post on how we spend our time. Here is the link: http://www.epm.org/blog/2011/Jan/18/living-life-or-documenting-insignificance
Really interesting. Let me know what you think. I enjoy his blog so much. He is a wonderful writer and very thought provoking.

Getting ready for another rainy day here in the South! Makes me want to stay in my pj's, drink coffee and read, write and be lazy! Not spending my time wisely is what it would boil down to. So.... since that is not an option for me today I will go and impart my knowledge to a room full of students that I pray will not figure out today that they are smarter than I!

Have a blessed day everyone and make your time matter!
Michelle

Saturday, January 15, 2011

SSMT #2!!!

2 Timothy 2:15
 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."


Time for my second memory verse! Lately I have been doing a lot of thinking about God's word. Some recent events have troubled me greatly. There are many Christians out there who don't believe the Bible! At least not parts of it they say. I don't really need to turn this post into something negative, I just am most concernced about the generations to come, including my own children having a FIRM understanding of what they believe and why. If all of the Bible is not true who are we to decide which parts we think are? I used to think the Bible contradicted itself but that is only because I never read it or studied it. That is a brilliant thing to make an authoritative statement about something of which one has no knowledge!Learned that lesson.

It is my prayer that God sees me as handling the Truth in His word correctly. I have to study and know what it says! I have to ask Him to help me discern and give me wisdom. I have to look for His truth, not the world's truth. His truth  is bread and life to us.
Have a blessed weekend!
Michelle

Monday, January 10, 2011

What are you Reading?

I love to read - which is probably part of why I am an English teacher! I was always the kid in class with a book under my desk. Which explains why I was unable to help any of my children with their math homework. But you need some verbs conjugated or some symbolism explained - I'm your girl! They don't like any of that though. None of my children love to read the way I do. It makes me sad. One of my daughters is in college right now and I am praying she gets a renewed interest in literature. I would rather read than do just about anything else. However, while school is going on I re-read a lot of what I am teaching and don't have time to read anything new. I am vowing to change that this year. So much to read and so little time!
I just got through with Jan Karon's In The Company of Others.   Jan Karon wrote the Mitford series of which I am such a fan I have read the whole thing twice and the first four books three times. I think that qualifies me as a major geek. I adore them. When she announced that she was ending the series I cried. Seriously. My mother-in-love and sister-in-love are huge fans as well. We talk about the characters as though we know them and live in their town. We mourned the death of our series that we looked forward to continuing into eternity. But she then continued with our favorite characters and they are now called The Father Tim series. Not one of her books has been a disappointment. This latest one finds our favorite Reverend and his precious wife traveling to Ireland and once again sharing the message of Christ and forgiveness with a whole new cast of characters. So if you have been a fan of Mitford, pick up this book. You will be glad you did.

How about you? What are you reading? What do you want to read? Have you read the Mitford series and did you like it?

I am going to try to keep up my book review! Next up is Francis Chan's Crazy Love. I have had it for awhile but haven't gotten around to reading it. I am beginning today. Let me know if you have read it and what you thought. I am also anxious to hear any book suggestions!!

Happy Reading,
Michelle

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Putting It Away or Keeping it Out?

Well I finally got all my Christmas decorations down YESTERDAY. I am the last to get them up and the last to get them down. I still can't remember where I hid all my normal stuff that decorates my house the rest of the year and it looks so empty and plain. Baby girl said,"Momma the house looks sad."  I think it is sad. It has been so full of lights and nativities and spirit. Now all that is put away until next season.

This morning I am looking around at all the empty spots and wondering, Is this how we are too after Christmas? So full of Christmas joy, and all the stuff that goes with it during the season but then we pack it up until next season? Christmas has a way of making us look at the needs of others like no other time of year does. You know,  Peace on earth, goodwill to men. And we feel good about ourselves when we do it. Like we have checked something off our Christian to-do list and won't He be proud of us? Probably so except for the pride that accompanies it. Now don't get me wrong - I am not saying this is true of all people, I am speaking (or in this case- writing) rhetorically.

Somehow after the Christmas season has passed we tend to get all geared up for the New routines we have vowed to make for the New year and sooner rather than later for many of us, we slip back into the old. Old habits, old thought processes. We celebrate our Savior's birth at Christmas and celebrate with abandon. Do we live out the rest of the year in abandon to Him, or do we put Him away until the next season is upon us? God didn't send His son so we would have reason to celebrate at a certain time of year.

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (KJV)


ALL YEAR LONG!!!! Not just at certain times of the year. So, how do we keep ourselves filled with that "CHRISTmas spirit" all year? For me it is to make a decision to get in His word and be filled daily with what is bread and life to us. To share His love with others DAILY not just at certain times of the year. That is the Spirit I want all year long.

What about you? How do you keep that joy from Christmas an everyday habit not just a once a year habit?

Michelle

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Stretching it out

I feel like this is somewhat like the day before I go back to school at the end of summer. Well, we actually go back in the middle of the summer here in the sweltering humid South, but who is paying attention to that other than people with bouffant hair like moi! The last day of Christmas break. I am trying so hard to extend it. I keep lounging in my pj's, eating, reading, eating, cooking, eating, thinking about taking down my Christmas decorations, eating, watching movies I have already seen a zillion times, eating, looking at my pics from Christmas and grinning from ear to ear. It has been a great break. Did I mention I have been eating a lot? I have rested and spent a lot of quality time with all my peeps that I love so much.  Lots of quiet time by myself and lots of not so quiet time with  my family. I am most thankful for the past two weeks.

During my devotion this morning I came across one of my favorite verses that I posted in my header. How appropriate at the beginning of a new year and a new decade. Who am I Lord and what is my family that you have brought me thus far? I am a long way from where I started with God and thank goodness not where I will be further down the road with Him.  I know that before I can fully dive into what a new year holds I needed to look back at where all He and I have been the past year. How humbling it is to look back at prayer requests and trials I went through and see how He worked it all for good. Lots of blessings to behold this year. I have lived long enough to know that you can be up one minute and the wind knocked out of you the next. However I am so thankful that I am at the point in my life I trust He is in control. I may not like it at the time but I do know He is in control.

So back to the daily grind tomorrow. I am thankful for that too. Thankful for my job that I needed a rest from, but I love it so much. Can't wait for the fresh faces of newbies as a new semester begins. I wonder at all the ways this group will change me. Cause each group does, in their own way make me different at the end of the semester than I was at the beginning. So I will enjoy these fleeting moments with my man tonight. I have something simmering on the stove that smells so delicious he will mourn me going back to work as well!

Seems only fitting to end my break with something good to eat - I haven't eaten much lately!

Blessings,
Michelle

Saturday, January 1, 2011

SSMT #1

I am so excited for the SSMT to be starting up again. In case you want to join in check out these instructions: http://blog.lproof.org/2010/12/siesta-scripture-memory-instructions.html

This was such a blast to do two years ago and I am looking forward to doing it again this year. I have been thinking about what I wanted my first verse for the year to be. I wanted something that would set the tone for the year for me. I was perusing another blog I read and this verse was the topic she was writing on :

Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.

This verse speaks volumes to me. I did a bible study a few years ago and this chapter was the focus of the study. There are many things on my heart that I have been praying for and will continue to pray for in the upcoming year. Things I don't need to give up on praying about. This verse reminds me God has a plan and I must wait for it. There will be a perfect time for the revelation He has for me and I don't want to miss it - I want to wait for it -  for it will certainly come!!! What a gracious God we have. His timing and not mine.

New Year Blessings,
Michelle