Spring Break

We decided a few days camping might be fun for spring break this year.  We loaded up and headed out to Lake Whitney. The kids did a great job helping to set up the camp site and within an hour we were ready to just sit and enjoy the view. 

Our site was next to the creek so the boys skipped rocks and used their sling shots 99% of the time, but when they were not down by the water we played a few games.

Bocce Ball

Croquet

We went in search for a trail to hike but had no luck, so we just found a creek to explore for a little bit. 

It was so peaceful to just sit and do nothing, but enjoy the surroundings. The sunsets were beautiful, the campfire was warm and eating s'mores always makes everything better.

I found all 5 kids, at some point in the trip, enjoying some alone time.  To get away and think and listen is priceless and I loved seeing each of them find some solitude. 

I think we all agreed that we need to camp a lot more often! 

The Shack

**Spoiler Alert: if you have not seen the movie you might not want to read this!**


I loved The Shack! I had read the book several years ago and really enjoyed it and was hoping the movie would do it justice and it did!!

First, I loved the picture of the Trinity, both collectively and individually. The way they all work together, yet have different personalities and purposes, it's hard to wrap your mind around.  The Trinity is such a complex topic and to see it a bit more clearly was so neat!

The second thing that stuck out to me was the leading of Jesus and Holy Spirit. They appeared at just the right moments; the deer that walked by when the main character was contemplating suicide, Holy Spirit appearing when he wanted to leave and Jesus coming out on the water when he was going down in the boat.  Every time just wanting to love of the main character and help him through the hard times and point him back to God. How true it this!! How great is His love for us and how many times does He come after us, pursuing us with His love!

Lastly, my favorite part was the oak tree. Several times they showed the garden and the work going on inside. It was a mess but it was also beautiful at the same time.  At one point they worked together to cut down the flowers mixed with weeds to find one small poisonous root that was deadly. As they cleared away the debris a clean hole was left. At the end of the movie they returned to the hole in the garden and placed his daughter inside and when mixed with his tears a huge oak tree grew and attracted butterflies to itself. What a stunning picture!! When we choose to partner with God and allow Him to help us sort through tragedy it becomes so sweet, never easy, but so sweet and we become one that attracts others to us and ultimately to the Lord.

We took the youth group and so many mentioned how it changed their perspective in one way or another.  It was an amazing movie and I highly recommend it along with a box of tissues!

Extraordinary

The only word I have for this past week is surreal. Last Friday my principal, along with several of my friends and colleagues walked in my classroom with flowers and a gift card and announced I was a nominee for Teacher of the Year at our campus. What a wonderful feeling that was!

Last year my one word for the year was Lead and as the school year ended I felt good about where I was professionally and where I wanted this new school year to go. Unfortunately, this year has been my toughest year in teaching. There are a handful of reasons why but it has caused me to reevaluate a lot of things in my classroom. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has been a stressful task for me.  So, all week I have spent time writing essays, interveiwing with a committee and reflecting over my teaching career and it has been so good. To look at things with the big picture in mind rather than getting caught up in the day to day details has been refreshing.  I have received so many encouraging notes and emails and the kindest words spoken to me and it's all been so sweet and affirming.  I did not win our campus's Teacher of the Year but to have even been considered was an honor. The Lord knew I needed to go on this journey with Him this year and it was so rewarding!

Basketball Season

Basketball season was so much fun for these two! Last year they were a team of 3rd graders playing in the fourth grade league, but this year they were 4th graders playing with other 4th graders and they did awesome! With only one loss, they all grew so much in their skills! It was an exciting season!

Kelby

Troy

 As their team party we took them to Cici's and then a Baylor basketball game! 

    At the game they were the loudest group during a cheering contest and won a free pizza! 

They also stayed after and got several of the players autographs. What a great way to end the season!

Extraordinary

A month into my 2017 word and I feel like I am being more intentional this year than any other year prior.  In this word, I wanted God to move through me in extraordinary ways and to see His effect on others' lives.  In January, my brother was been given some tough dicisions to make and I have felt God say specifically for me to pray and keep praying.  And not just pray like I normally pray, but intercessory prayer.  One definition says...

"Intercession is prayer that pleads with God for your needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God's will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass.

Intercession is warfare -- the key to God's battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not of this earth. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and spiritual powers in the heavens above" (Eph. 6:12).  Intercessory prayer takes place in this spiritual world where the battles for our own lives, our families, our friends and our nation are won or lost."

I can truly attest to this being a battleground.  As I have started to pray for my brother in this way things within my personal life have become very tumultuous.  At first, I shifted my focus back onto me and began to pray for those areas to quiet down, but as I did this, I was reminded what God had asked of me and that was to pray hard for Blake. I soon realized that all the drama arising around me was only a distraction.  So do I choose to let it draw me away from what I was told to do or do I choose to overlook it.  I chose to take the spiritual perspective.  I know that if stay faithful to Him and obey what He's called me to do then God will take care of the attacks coming against me.  It reminds me of the song taken from Isaiah 54:17 that says " no weapon formed against me shall prosper, it won't win."  What a sweet place to be! 

Disciple Now

Our annual Disciple Now weekend was so much fun. Each year our group grows and we are able to take more students along to enjoy this life changing weekend.  

Teague had to tag along for the first night so he found us a little prayer closet to sleep in.  He called it his cubby and refused to leave to help unload the car because he didn't want anyone to steal it.  My parents came into town Saturday so he left with them for the rest of the weekend. 

Saturday we had a dodgeball tournament and the youth pastors decided to be nerdy refs so here they are ready to call the games.

The Acts crew

Our youth leaders.  We could not pull off a weekend like this without help, and they are the best! We love them, the kids love them and they love the Lord! What else could we ask for?!? 

The whole group together....83 teens, 25 leaders, 3 churches, 1 God

2017 Word

As I look back over all my words I love the progression the Lord has brought me through.  In 2010 I heard on the radio about the concept of a word instead of a New Year's resolution.  It sounded like something I could do so I thought I'd give it a try.  I was 6 months out from the divorce and starting to feel like my feet were back under me a bit, so I chose the word Adventure. The next year my life began to feel more and more "normal" and I wanted to continue to seek Him just as fervently in the good times so the word was Crave.  I then met Richard and the boys and I moved to be closer to him and my 2013 word was Community as we looked to find a church home and get plugged in.  We got married later that year and 2014's word was Legacy as we learned how to join our families as one.  I didn't feel too successful at that one so I made it my 2015 word also.  In 2016 I chose the word Lead as I am starting to feel comfortable in my career and looking for ways to better my classroom.  It has been a fun 7 years! And I know this year won't disappoint!  

My 2017 word is extraordinary.

We've all heard the saying "hurt people hurt people." There is a lot of truth in that and it has helped me change my perspective when dealing with others.  You could substitute many words in the place of hurt to change the statement, but my favorite is "free people free people."  In this case free meaning not under the control of another.  My life is far from perfect and I still have lots of areas of refinement in which the Lord must work, but overall I do feel "free".  Acts 13:39 states "through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses."  I still sin and seek His forgiveness daily, but through Him sin no longer has control of me, and that makes me free.

 This caused me to look at my life.  If I am free am I helping others find freedom?  As of now, the answer is no.  My life does not look radically different.  Oh I pray for others and read my bible and go to church, but my life is not radically changing others.  Francis Chan has the best quotes on this...

Acts 3 is a perfect example of this.  Peter and John met a crippled man at the temple gate who was begging for money. They told him they didn't have any money but what they did have they would give to him and with that statement Peter grabbed his arm and said "in Jesus' name, walk". And he did. That's faith!!  That's a moment where you are desperate for Him to come through or you're screwed, as Fransic Chan puts it.  Peter didn't sit down with him and ask him if he could pray for him.  No!!  Peter was so sure of his faith and the authority behind his faith that he put action behind it.  There is nothing wrong with praying for others, but what if we took our authority in His name and put it to action!  What if?? 

Free people free people.

The definition of extraordinary is: very unusual or remarkable. Synonyms being exceptional, unbelievable, phenomenal, astonishing.  So, my goal is to take this year and really pursue an extraordinary life.  To look for those needing freedom in whatever way they need it and pour out the love of Christ on them in a bold way.  My pastor from Lubbock wrote "the only part of the gospel you believe is the part you do."  I want my life to look like the gospel and the gospel includes extraordinary faith with extraordinary results. I don't want my life to make sense to unbelievers.  I want Him to use my life to draw others towards Him because I chose to do it His way and His way will always be extraordinary! 

NYE 2016

Another year at the Fireworks Store for us.  This is our fifth season and each year we get more and more repeat customers who love helping out our youth.  In 2012 I never would have imagined it turning into the ministry that it has become.  Usually people start by asking why there are so many teenagers working in there and we are able to share how each one is earning their way to summer camp.  We have Christian music on the stereo and we get many comments about that as well and how people appreciate it.  This season was the first where I had several customers come in and ask if this was still the youth group and once I said yes they told me that is the reason they come to our warehouse.   What a blessing!

I the flip side, I also love how we are getting to expose our teenagers to the line of work that is a lost art these days...customer service.  Difficult customers, rude customers, chatting customers, sweet customers, by the end of working two 12 hour shifts they have seen it all and I hope have learned that even though we are tired and worn down, we still treat others with kindness and respect. 

I even had Troy and Teague helping out bagging and they quickly realized the nicer you are to others, the nicer they are to you.  By the end of the night they each were tipped a few dollars for their hard work by random customers and they thought that was the coolest thing. So they had to buy a few poppers with their earnings.

Every few hours they would ask to take a break and Troy would work on his Rubix's cube and Teague was on his tablet.

One of the youth was so kind and patient with Troy and was able to help him in learning all the algorithms needed in solving the cube.  He was so proud once he finally got it!

Goodbye 2016...Hello 2017!  We are looking forward to a fantastic year!

2016 Word Wrap-Up

Another year has flown by and it's time to reflect and move forward as January 1st is right around the corner.  The first of the year always brings the excitement of new beginnings, fresh starts, and the anticipation of what is yet to be.  As I've looked back over the all the years in which I have chosen a word I've noticed that it truly does keep me focused and pressing towards the things God wants.  2016 was the word LEAD.  I wanted to be a better leader in my my home, at church, and at my job.  I looked for opportunities that would force me to lead and I jumped at them.  The first being to take the challenge of reading the One Year Bible this year.  My church is full of amazing women of God and I knew I wanted to be among them so I found out what they were doing and joined in, and one thing they do is read the One Year daily.  It's such a great way to get the Word daily and routinely.  After 365 days, it's pretty much become a habit and has made me better in so many ways.  I have always read the Bible daily, you know, a verse here a chapter there, but this year I get to end the year saying I've read the whole Bible, every word of it!  To be a follower of Jesus it's so important to know His Word. I'm looking forward to continuing this reading throughout this next year so the words and stories and promises can continue to soak in.

Last January, I also prayed to have an intern join me in the classroom.  I knew it was a long shot because they only look at teachers who have been in the field for over 3 years.  Plus, I missed the training class over the summer due to Youth Camp.  So, I was prepared to have to wait another year, but I continued to pray about this opportunity.  When I turned back to school last January there was paperwork in my box for an intern.  I was shocked and confused! I went and talked to the Assistant Principal just to make sure there hadn't been a mistake.   Sure enough, everything was good to go and I got my first intern!! 

And with the start of the 2016-2017 school year last Fall, I got my second intern! I have been so blessed with young ladies who have a passion for teaching and an internal motivation to do their best.  You never know what you will get with a randomly placed intern, but God has been so gracious and given me great girls to work alongside.  

2016 has been a great year with lots of learning and stretching and I'm proud of the progress I've made.  A year almost doesn't seem long enough for some words, but 2017 is coming, like it or not, and He has already set my sights on the new task at hand.