Christmas 2011

What a wonderful week this has been! Time spent with family, traveling, and chasing dreams as I enjoyed an extra special Christmas gift from my parents. My gift was a trip to the Upper Peninsula to go dog sledding at Nature’s Kennel near the town of Newberry. The kennel is owned by Ed & Tasha Stielstra; my class has followed Ed for several years as he’s participated in the Iditarod sled dog race. I’ve wanted to go up and visit for a while, but never dreamed I’d be able to go in the winter and dog sled myself!

Monday morning my parents and I took off and drove north to the Upper Peninsula. The weather was perfect for traveling: clear roads and sunny sky. We crossed the bridge around noon, had lunch at one of the few restaurants that were still open, and headed northwest to the Newberry area in search of snow. We finally found a thin covering of snow at the charming inn where we stayed overnight. 

We spent the next morning at Nature’s Kennel, in McMillan, where (thankfully) there was a little more snow. I learned how to harness a small dog team, maneuver a dog sled, and then drive my own team of dogs twelve miles through wooded trails (following a guide).  It was such an incredible experience – and deserves a complete blog post coming soon – I loved every minute! We also got to hold two-week old puppies. 

We took a little detour and stopped at Tahquamenon Falls on our way back to the bridge and then stayed overnight in Mackinaw City. The next morning we made a quick stop to check out the wintery beach near the bridge. This whole area is a lot quieter in the winter than during the busy summer months.

On Wednesday we met my sister and brother-in-law with their kids in Traverse City at the Great Wolf Lodge. They had arrived the previous day, so my niece and nephew showed me all around. The spacious lobby was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We had a great time at the water park going down the water slides, tubing on the lazy river, sitting in the hot tub, and getting splashed when the 1000 gallon bucket tipped over. It was great to spend time relaxing with family.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for such a special gift! What a great way to end the year!

Bethlehem

Earlier this month I attended "The Story Tour," a musical journey from Genesis to Revelation. It was a wonderful evening of worship and reflection, as some leading names in Christian contemporary music sang songs written from the viewpoint of various Bible characters (Moses, Job, Esther, Mary, Paul, etc) against amazing visual backdrops.  The songs varied in musical style, but the lyrics often provided me a new way of thinking about each character.   

One example comes from Mary's song: 

"I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem. Be born in me."

I love that thought. Later on the song says: "The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy."  That's my prayer this Christmas - to have a heart open to the Savior and His will for my life. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, may our hearts be Christ's Bethlehem.

P.S.  The video is six minutes long, but the song is well worth it 

(even the 1+ minute instrumental opening).

Puppy Love

Tigerbeat magazine - the lifeblood of teenage girls in the 70s. I’d eagerly scrutinize each issue, clipping pictures and discovering the latest news on all the teen stars. David Cassidy, Andy Gibb, Bobby Sherman, and my favorite – Donny Osmond.

As a young girl, I loved Donny Osmond. He was so cute. When purple was his favorite color, it became my favorite color. I watched the Donny and Marie Show on TV and all their Christmas specials. The Osmond brothers were great, but Donny was my favorite. He was handsome, funny, nice, and an all-around great guy – absolutely perfect in my dream world.

And then I grew up. Dumped the posters, stored the record albums, swapped my favorite color to blue, and moved on to the life of reality.  Graduated from college, became a teacher, worked in Pittsburgh, McBain, and Holland. Traveled to several countries and became involved in my church. I’m happy with my life and seldom think about my teenage pop star crush.

But when I saw that Donny and Marie were doing a Christmas show in Chicago, I couldn’t pass it up. It was the perfect way for my sister and I to celebrate our birthdays and bask in nostalgia.

So my sister and I spent a wonderful day in Chicago yesterday.  The weather was perfect: cold but sunny. We took the train into the city, enjoyed lunch at the Corner Bakery, and browsed the Christkindlmarket and Macy’s. And then we walked to the Oriental Theatre to see – in person – Donny and Marie!

The auditorium was packed - primarily with people in our age group.  Apparently I’m not the only one reliving adolescent memories. The curtain opened and – there he was!  Oh my – he’s still handsome. I actually felt a little giddy. My teenaged crush returned – for an afternoon. It was hard to believe that the boy I had spent my teenage years dreaming about was on stage just a few yards away.

Donny and Marie put on a fantastic show – geared especially to those who grew up with them. They mixed in a few of their teenaged hits and old video clips with new songs and Christmas medleys. There were numerous costumes changes and great dance sequences. They even included updated jokes, ala the Donny and Marie show. It was wholesome, lighthearted, and fun.  I loved their music; they can still belt out the songs. I might even have to check them out on itunes.

The only downside is my wish to have Donny sing Happy Birthday to me and get a photo with him is still unfulfilled. Although Donny and Marie both came down the aisles and shook hands/hugged those on the end, we were on the wrong end of the aisle. Oh well. I guess you can’t have everything. I had to settle for this photo:

(It’s amazing how lame middle-aged women can be; there was actually a line of women waiting to pose with the cardboard cutout!) 

Ah, puppy love!

Thanksgiving List 2011

I still rate last year’s list as the “Top Ten” things I’m thankful for, but here’s a few additions.

1. Variety in Creation – I love the fact that God created so many different kinds of plants and animals.  Large and small, striped and solid colors, wild and tame, vibrant and more restrained. Seeing the diversity in creation reminds me of God’s vast imagination and creativity.

2. Emotions – The joyful sound of laughter as well as the release that tears can bring are gifts from God to help us navigate through the joys and sorrows of life. I’m thankful for a sense of humor that I can share with my students and the times we can just laugh and enjoy life together. But I’m also thankful for the sense of community when I shed tears along with friends and family as we struggle to make sense amid difficult situations.

3. Sun – Besides the fact that the sun is necessary for life here on Earth, I just feel happier on days that I can see the sun shine. I love the feeling of warmth on a sunny spring day and the beauty of snow and ice-covered branches on a sunny winter morning.

4. Books – Reading is probably my favorite free-time activity. I love escaping into worlds of fiction where characters seem so real. I’m also thankful for the way my thinking can be stretched through the thought-provoking questions and differing viewpoints a good book (both fiction and nonfiction) addresses.

5. Time with God – My life, especially during the school year, tends to be so busy, constantly trying to stay one step ahead of each deadline. I’m thankful for times of quiet – both on walks through nature trails and when I’m just sitting quietly on my comfy couch – time spent praying or meditating.  I need these times, and I’m thankful for God’s love and presence in my life.

“Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:13

Racing

I tend to live my life the way my dog takes a walk. One of my goals this fall is to take advantage of the various local county parks each weekend and walk the hiking trails with Tosca. It’s been wonderful to enjoy the autumn colors and simply revel in the beauty of creation. Tosca loves going for a walk and is always eager to get out of the car and set off on the trail.

We went to Hemlock Crossing this afternoon, just north of Holland off US 31. After being cooped up all week because of rainy, windy weather, Tosca was raring to go. She took off on the trail at a run; it’s a good thing I was holding her leash tightly! She’d occasionally stop here and there for a second to sniff and then dash off again, only to be frustrated by my attempts to slow her down to an actual walk. She paid little attention to the beauty surrounding us; she just wanted to go her own way. At times she tried to veer off the path toward her own shortcut before being pulled back to the path by me.

We finally stopped at a clearing overlooking the Pigeon River. At first glance there was nothing to see. But, as I stood watching quietly, I began to observe the life in the meadow surrounding the river. The gently swaying leaves, small birds flitting among the cattails, the river slowly meandering along, and a butterfly dancing in the air all brought a smile to my face. A rustle among the leaves finally revealed a little chipmunk making a leap onto a tree trunk as he explored the woods. A peace filled my soul as I stood watching the river and meadow. I loved the life found here in the stillness.

My dog, however, paced around, anxious to be on her way again. And I realized how often I act like her in my daily life. I’m usually hurrying along, wanting to go off on my own path and moving toward the next thing.  I seldom stop and just enjoy the moment, being still and trusting God to steer my path. I’ve purposely tried to relax at school this week and just enjoy the moments with my students instead of stressing out about everything that has to be done. It’s been a good week, and we actually accomplished a lot.  I guess that Bible passage about not worrying (Matthew 6) is really true.

Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

A Time To Remember

Sometimes we forget. In the busy-ness of life and the efforts to complete all the to-do lists and just getting through each day, we can forget the original purpose for why we do what we do. I’ve been feeling the struggle of this lately. Working with a new writing curriculum, a new literacy management system, more technology tools/integration, extra committee work, as well as trying to find the time to fit in everything I’m supposed to teach has been overwhelming this fall. A lot of good stuff, but all at once. By last Sunday evening I was almost at the breaking point. I couldn’t do one more extra thing. I wondered if this was really where I was supposed to be. What I was supposed to be doing.  In the stress of all this “stuff,” I’d begun to forget the why. Why I became a teacher. Why God called me to this profession. 

Thankfully God, in His perfect timing, reminded me during these last two days at our Christian Educators Association convention in South Bend, Indiana. I am so thankful I was there to be reminded of the reason I became a teacher: to make a difference in the lives of children.  Building relationships with my students, helping them develop a Christian world and life view, living out the difference because of Christ, and showing grace and love – all of these are important life lessons that extend beyond literacy, math, science, and technology. I want my students to learn the academics, but most of all I want to show them Jesus. And when I return to my class next week, although all the extra “stuff” will still be there, it will not overwhelm me. Because I remember again. I remember why I am a teacher. I love my kids. 

Breaking an Addiction

My name is Melanie and I am addicted ...

to a game called Pathwords.

I've played this game on Facebook for a couple of years and justify the many hours time spent each week with the thought that I'm exercising my brain. I absolutely love this game. I begin and end each day with it; just a couple games (10-15 minutes max. - usually). At first it was fun just to see how many words I could find in the 5 minute time limit. But then I saw the scoreboard on the side and my competitive nature kicked in. I wanted to beat my friends in this game. I experimented with getting as many short words as possible (with fewer points per words) vs. searching for the longer (more points) words. The really long words are worth 130 points; get a few of those and you're doing really well. Anyway, ten minutes gradually turned into an hour (or two) and then I caught myself saying "Just one more game and then I'll stop" over and over each night. When I reached first place I was ecstatic! And also fearful that I would lose my top spot to someone else. I finally realized I had a problem but was powerless to stop it. I love my routine. And I need to keep working to remain in first place.

Until now.  I'm breaking my addiction tomorrow, but not by my choice. It's a harmless little habit that I really wish I could continue. But, alas, Zynga, the company who developed Pathwords, is shutting it down tomorrow. They sent a very nice note telling about their other games and inviting Pathwords players to join those. They apologized for shutting it down. But my beloved game will no longer be available after September 30. 

I'm sad.

I've been playing a lot this last week to try and reach a score of 2200.

But it's over.  I'm breaking this addiction, and I'll have to develop a new routine.

Great timing ... I just got an iPad. I'm sure there are some apps that could exercise my mind...

And it's all right as long as I go out still in first place!

Garden Observations

I often enjoy working in my garden during the summer mornings and evenings. The quietness in the yard gives me time to think and pray and just reflect on life and anything else that comes to mind.  There’s a feeling of satisfaction in seeing the colorful flowers surrounded by patches by dark black soil after the weeds are removed. I tend to avoid the warmer afternoons and hot days altogether, preferring to spend that time with a good book (in the air conditioning).  

Which brings me to the only explanation I can come up with for my yard this September: there were way too many hot days this past summer. I didn’t realize until I stepped into my narrow side yard how badly overgrown things had become. It’s amazing how quickly weeds can overtake a garden!  Well, actually, it wasn’t that quickly – I don’t think I weeded in almost two months.  But they can grow tall and thick and it’s only through perseverance and hard work that they were finally removed.

I spent most of Labor Day tackling the front and side yards, and finished the backyard up this afternoon. And as I stood (and sometimes crouched or sat), I was struck by the similarity between weeds and my sins.

Weeds tend to sneak in, at first unnoticed, until they almost look like they belong in the garden. Sin can be the same way, just one tiny little sin at first, but then it gradually feels acceptable and not a sin at all.  Pretty soon the weeds take over the garden, choking out the flowers. Sin can also take over my life if I’m not diligent in confession and staying close to Christ. 

As I worked to remove the weeds, I realized how different they could be. Some were short and thin and quite easy to remove. Others had thick stalks and towered over the other plants. A few had very deep roots, which required a shovel to totally eradicate. Again, sin can be the same way.  Some sins are easy to confess and get rid of while others continue to plague me and definitely require a lot of digging to get out. With all sin, though, as with the weeds in my garden, it’s the steady, consistent persistence in examining my life that will keep me in a right relationship with God.

Along with the weeding comes the pruning. I have a few bushes that look so much better now that I’ve pruned them. That too has spiritual implications (John 15:1-2).

The best part was when the trash guy came and took all the weeds away – they’re gone and my garden looks good. Unfortunately, (just like sin), I know they’ll be back and I’ll have to do it all again. With the garden, though, I have until next spring.

I love how God can use anything – even weeds – to teach me!

Movie Magic

My niece and nephew celebrated their 10th and 8th birthdays this summer. I took them shopping to pick out their presents and then we made short time-lapse videos using an app on my iphone.

Amanda chose a pottery wheel for her birthday present. It was fun to watch her as she learned how to guide the clay on the wheel; she picked it up quite quickly and remembered a lot from her school art class.

Joey bought a Lego kit - Alien Conquest - which he and I put together. For some reason, the time-lapse video didn't save correctly (at first it ran backwards and ended up only saving part of it). But we had fun, and it actually took less time to put the alien spaceship together than I thought it would.

Joey and I then experimented with the time-lapse feature. Watch carefully - this video is only 6 seconds, but look out for the alien space invasion in the farmyard!

And finally, my parents' gifts to the kids were special outings: Joey went to a NitroJam race at US131 MotorSports Park and Amanda had a horseback riding lesson at Karin's Horse Connection in Grandville, MI. Here's the video highlights of Amanda's horseback riding lesson.

Happy Birthday Amanda and Joey!

Summer Fling

With school beginning next week (teacher meetings all week; kids begin Aug. 29), my dog, Tosca, and I took off this morning on our second annual 2-day hiking getaway. Last year we went south to Indiana; this year we headed north to Ludington State Park. The day was perfect - blue sky, low humidity, comfortable temperatures in the upper 70s, with a slight breeze at times.

At first I wasn't sure we'd be able to go this summer as my dog has begun to show her 14 years of age. She's often stiff in the morning and we've cut our walks to 4-5 blocks, but she perked up a little during the last couple weeks, so I decided to go and just take it easy.

She was like a different dog when she got on the hiking trail. Bright eyes and prancing feet, she was so excited and couldn't wait to get started! She was always ready to keep going (even when I was ready to rest) and loved splashing in the water. We hiked for over 3 hours and she did great.

We began on the Sable River Trail, walking near the river and watching groups of people float on rafts. It looked like fun. Most of the afternoon was spent on the Island and Ridge Trails, beginning near Hamlin Lake and ending atop wooded dunes.

This is a view of the Big Sable Lighthouse from the Ridge Trail.

I watched a group of ducks swimming while we ate our picnic lunch. Later I saw a pair of swans with their cygnet. I also got a glimpse of a camouflaged toad near a tree. Tosca lunged at something in the bushes, but I pulled her away in time to save whatever it was. And once, when we came around a bend, I saw a mother deer eating in the woods quite near us. She looked at us but wasn't frightened and then went back to eating. I watched for a few minutes and then stepped forward to continue walking - and saw a spotted fawn! We watched each other a few minutes before Tosca and I resumed our walk. (I'm not sure Tosca ever noticed the deer; I think she would have charged if she had.)

After our hike, we checked out the Waterfront Park in downtown Ludington just in time to watch the S.S. Badger (car ferry) come in. That is a big boat! The park has several sculptures showcasing Ludington history in the park - pretty cool.

We also stopped at Stearns Park to see the North Breakwater Lighthouse.

After a busy day, Tosca was ready for bed in our hotel room!

I'm looking forward to a great morning of hiking tomorrow!

Then it's time to go home and think school.

What a great way to end summer vacation!

Painting

The paintbrush glides smoothly across the wall. Back and forth, the repetitive motion changes the cool ivory color to a welcoming butter cream yellow. Painting, at least for me, takes total concentration to keep even strokes, smooth edges (especially where the wall meets the ceiling), and drips/spills to a minimum. It’s a perfect activity to keep your mind occupied and wandering thoughts elsewhere. I’m very thankful that I had previously made plans to paint a bedroom and bathroom at my parents’ house yesterday. When the news of this case came out Wednesday morning, I needed something else to think about and I needed to be with people instead of at home by myself. I recalled how I felt this past October; the last time it made headlines, when I realized it will never completely go away.

As I glance around at the freshly painted walls, I realize how easy it is to change the tone of a room with just a can of paint. This new color makes the bedroom much more inviting and cheery. The previous shade is completely wiped away, as if it never existed. I wish a simple paintbrush could wipe away unpleasant experiences and memories from our minds. But it’s not that easy. So, for now, I’ll enjoy the beauty of a transformed bedroom and the therapy it provided while God continues to paint my life.

Do Unto The Least ...

I caught sight of him as I pulled up to the traffic signal. Sitting up on his knees, leaning slightly forward to keep his balance, the young man (maybe early twenties) held his sign as he perched on the side of the busy intersection and watched the line of cars pull up to the red light. His eyes passed from car to car as he lifted a faded, white bandana to wipe away the sweat from his face on this sweltering summer afternoon. His sign was partially obscured by tufts of grassy weeds, but two words written in black bubble letters read travelin and hungry.

As I sat in my air-conditioned car and watched him, my initial thought was how hot he must feel sitting outside in the sun. But that turned almost immediately into a feeling of criticism – why are you sitting on the side of the road looking for a handout instead of looking for a job. Words like lazy and irresponsible went through my mind as I sat in my car and passed judgment on this stranger without knowing anything about him or his life story.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young woman coming up the sidewalk, walking toward the young man. She was carrying a small paper take-out bag from a local restaurant in one hand and a large plastic cup with a straw in the other. As she neared the man, he stood up to meet her, and she handed him the bag and drink. I saw him mouth the words thank-you as he gratefully accepted it. As I watched the exchange, I wondered if she was his girlfriend, but as she turned and walked away I realized she didn’t know him at all. I turned my attention back to the young man who was again sitting on the cement; his sign lying next to him on the ground as he slowly began eating French fries one by one.

Immediately I was convicted of my judgmental attitude. Whether this young man was lazy or truly in need was not my place to determine. Out of all the people who passed him by the side of the road, only one lady stopped to give him food. That young woman demonstrated the love of Jesus as I sat in my car and mentally condemned this man.

Although I didn’t voice my opinions aloud, God knew my thoughts. He knew I wasn’t showing love to others as I so often profess: Love God and Love People. God used that brief 30 seconds at a red light to remind me again not to judge others, but to think about how I can truly live out His command – in thought as well as action.

Quiz

Guess which seatbelt parts go together?

Surprised?

I still love my car.

Summer: The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between

Ah, summer! I love this little reprieve from the intensity of the school year. Time to rest and relax a bit before beginning a new year. As I sit on my deck looking up at a beautiful light blue sky, trees with various shades of green sway gently in the soft breeze, and I am content to just sit and be. Life is good. Here’s a look at my summer so far.

The Good

- spending an afternoon at a friend’s pool, watching children splash and play with each other

- meeting friends for coffee or lunch

- eating outside

- reading books

- the smell of steak cooking on an outside grill

- corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake

- not having to set the alarm clock

- the news that my tech video was good enough and I get a new laptop from school

- taking walks with my dog

- attending the musical Shrek – twice! (following a great deal for $10 tickets)

- outdoor concerts

The Bad

- the abundance of rain and cooler temperatures this past June

- finding out that my dog who has never been afraid of thunderstorms or loud noises is now (at 14 years of age) utterly terrified by them – clinging to me, shedding, panting, and drooling heavily throughout the entire thunderstorm and afterwards

- difficulty sleeping (I’m getting tired of waking up at 3:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep … does this happen to everyone in their forties?)

The In-Between

- thinking that my checking account was overdrawn … and the relief to discover it only seemed that way because I forgot to record a deposit

- yard work

- two days of class at Grand Valley (good class, but still, it was a class)

- time spent preparing for next school year (curriculum work, tech. exploration, classroom organization)

- chipmunks in my yard (they’re cute, but they also have burrows)

- deeply thankful for my dad’s defibrillator (which worked just the way it’s supposed to yesterday morning)

Blessings

These past two months have been difficult, with the death of a mom from our school who I consider a friend. As her health quickly declined mid-May, I became acquainted with a new song by Laura Story, titled Blessings. God has used this song during the last six weeks to minister to me and others who loved Kristi. When I heard that Laura Story would be coming to the Big Ticket Festival (a large, outdoor Christian music festival), I knew I had to attend and hear her perform this song in person.

I made it to the festival yesterday, although I was a little nervous after hearing reports of muddy conditions causing cars to get stuck the previous night. Since I was going by myself, I really didn't want to deal with a stuck car (especially a new car). The first blessing of the day was the fact that they moved most of the parking to the local airport lot and provided shuttles to the festival, so my car was fine. I was also blessed by the songs of many Christian artists singing songs I've heard on the radio and some new songs as well. This was a bonus for me because I was there primarily for Laura Story. It's an amazing experience to be in a crowd of thousands of people all singing praise to God together outdoors. But the biggest blessing for me to was to hear Laura Story relate the history of her song and sing it. As she began, tears began to roll down my face along with a whispered reminder that God is in control and has a plan for each one of us. I was further blessed by the opportunity to share with Laura afterwards how her song has ministered to me and others in my school community. (Of course I got teary again, so I'm not looking real great in the photo, but that's real life.)

This song is a good reminder that the difficult times in our lives, when we don't understand what God is doing (or allowing), bring us closer to Him. And whatever it takes to bring us to a deeper dependence on God can become a blessing.

Time Travel

Do you recognize any of these? They are symbols of my past, my childhood back in the 70s. For all of you youngsters, they're called records. Old-fashioned, large CDs that played on a turntable. Just looking at these album covers brings back memories. I've kept a box of my old records in my basement because, being the sentimental person I am, I can't throw anything away. And, I've secretly hoped I would one day find a way to play them again.

My dad also has a bunch of old records; in fact, he has more than I do. And he's also somewhat sentimental about his things. So, while doing my Christmas shopping online last December, when I discovered this nifty little box that converts old vinyl records to the computer and CDs, I found the perfect Christmas present for my dad (and me too)!

We spent several weekends this past winter and spring sorting through records together, deciding which ones we wanted to add to our iTunes files or make CDs of, and then playing them on his old turntable with the converter box hooked up.

The only negative part is that it takes quite a bit of time. You have to listen to each record and push a button for each new song in order to have each song recorded separately. So someone needs to sit at the computer and listen to the entire record. That was part of my Christmas gift to my dad. I showed him how to work the converter, but his main job was to tell me which records he wanted, and I did the recording part. The bonus for me was that I converted my records in between doing his. It was also fun to hear these old records again and be instantly transported back in time - same feelings, same occasional scratches on the vinyl, now preserved in iTunes!

And when we finished converting, we actually got rid of the old records. Well, almost all of them. That's really hard to do, for savers like us. But my mom was very relieved. (I still have a small pile to work on during the summer.)

It was so much fun spending time with and reminiscing with my dad. We talked about various musical styles and why we liked them, we looked online to see what became of some of the old recording artists, and we recalled how certain songs reminded us of specific times in our life. I enjoyed spending this time with my dad and hearing about his childhood and teen years.

Wrestling

I’ve been wrestling with God lately. Not literally, of course, but intense just the same. I often pray as I’m walking my dog, and my prayers during the last month have been filled with questions, anger, frustration, and even doubts. They usually end with tears (which can be embarrassing when you’re out for a walk). I just don’t understand. How can it be God’s will that a young mother of three lose her battle with cancer? How can God’s plan be that her consistent testimony of His presence and strength throughout this four-year struggle result in her death? So many people have been encouraged in their family’s journey that I was sure God would heal her. Even as she rested in Hospice House, I prayed for the miraculous healing that I know God was able to provide. I realize many others battle with cancer, but this one hits close to home. I know this family. I’ve had two of their three children in my class at school and have come to love them all dearly. I’ve questioned God’s goodness, His plan, and even His existence at all. My head believes, but my heart finds it hard.

And then I was reminded of God’s promises by the faith writings of my second graders at the end of the year.

• “God listens to me. God always keeps his promises. God keeps creating new life. God loves me and cares for me. God helps me through hard times.”
• “I believe that God is faithful. And he loves me and answers my prayers. He keeps me safe.”
• “I believe that Jesus is everywhere and that he loves me.”
• “I believe that Jesus died for me. He always keeps his promises. He helps me up when I fall. He comforts me through hard times. He answers my prayers.”
• “Jesus died for me because he forgave my sins. So he was crucified for me. I can’t prove it but I know it’s true. Nothing will make me turn away from God, not even for a million dollars.”

I always love reading these year-end writings of my students. But this year they provide a renewed assurance for me. They remind me of God’s love and faithfulness, even in the difficult and “un-understandable” times of life. I’m glad I teach in a school where I can help instill in my students this trust in God’s love and care. I’m thankful that, even in my adult questions and doubt, God still loves me and provides the reminders that He is real and is always with us. I’m grateful that my heart is slowly coming back in tune with my head knowledge.

Coming To Terms

The shining sun and chirping birds

display a striking contrast to the heaviness in my heart.

Spring - the season of rebirth and new life -

yet I'm filled with sorrow

and pleadings

and questions

and - finally,

acceptance.

You, O God, are Lord.

You are in control.

You are bigger than the box I want to put you in.

You have a master plan.

Your ways are not our ways, O Lord.

I do not understand.

I do not like it.

I still ask Why?

My heart aches.

But I trust.

I trust you because you are God.

I trust you because you are in control.

I trust you because you are bigger than the box I put you in.

I trust you because of your promises.

Spring - a season of new life,

eternal life

resurrection

reunion

the presence of the Son and all who believe

SHINING TOGETHER FOREVER

Continuing to Pray -

http://briankristi.blogspot.com/