Kudos to Southern Illinois

I am ready to go serve my last full-time day as a PE teacher for Mrs. Cindy Colman.  She is more than ready to get back to work and I am semi-ready to get back to my life.  This 6.5 week experience of teaching for me has been incredible.  I have felt such a privilege to go and be with great kids everyday and with outstanding teachers and administration!  

I have personally been in many, many school systems and my kids have now been in 2 since we have lived in Southern Illinois.  I have to say that I must tip my hat to the schools in Southern Illinois.  Entering Norris City when we arrived in January of 2007 I just knew that my kids would be quite far ahead - after all I was paying some big tuition prices in Charlotte.  Yikes - my kids had quite a bit of catching up to do.  Mrs. Barton did everything possible to get Tucker up to speed!!!  She did well.  And Jan Carroll just took Emmajoy in, treated as her own, and made a lasting impression on her!  Charlotte is a school I miss for the Christian education and wonderful staff, but the Lord was so faithful to give me all the same in Norris City just without the title of Christian school and without the big prices!!  Yeah!!  I am so thankful for my time there!  

Now we have moved on to Carmi just 10 miles down the road.  From a parent perspective it too has been wonderful.  But now I have had the privilege to "do" school with 2 of my daughters each and every day for an extended time.  I can not tell you how impressed I am!  

All teachers need roughly a $100,000 raise!  I have come to realize that I most enjoy 2nd grade and up.  So I am just amazed at what is asked of the Lincoln teachers because of the age of those kids.  There is not a trying day that goes by because of one reason or another and they do their jobs with smiles, enthusiasm, and energy.  I just about die around 11am and they just keep on ticking as if they had just gotten there!  I can say with authority that each and every teacher at Lincoln is incredible.  I have watched each one of them so closely while being there day in and day out and can not say enough!!  If any of you are reading - thank you!!!!!!  

Mrs. Stocke - wow!!!  The precious way that you interact with each child making them feel as if they are the only one there on that day - it is truly is a gift!  My Sarahjane feels so much love and knows that "you are cool" as she says it!  Thank you for allowing me in your school for a time!  I don't think I am cut out for a forever kind of job with kids that young, but I know who is - you and your staff!!!  Thank you thank you!!!  I have enjoyed it all!  

Jefferson has been much easier for me to teach at.  The kids are just that much more experienced in their skill levels that makes it extremely fun to teach, coach, etc!  I too can not say enough about that school.  Teacher are hands on - wanting to know how their kids did, and teachers love each other - it appears to me.  I see a very unified staff and one that is truly working for the betterment of the kids!  

At both schools I am just amazed at teacher aids!  Yall go above and beyond and just absolutely blow me away with your patience!  Melinda Nelson and Jeannie Browning - girls - those kids love you with all their hearts.  They would go home to live with you in half a heartbeat!  Mrs. Peacock - you are incredible!!!  So good.  I will never forget the day looking over to see you jumping rope, double dutch, with the girls in your flats!!!!!!!  Ginger, Kathy, Vicki, all of you!!!!  I know you may not be amassing a huge treasure here on earth - but your mansion in heaven is going to be something to see!!!  Holy cow girls - you are it!!!!!!!  

Dr. Dixon - you are step above and of course you always go above and beyond as well.  I am always impressed how your door is open and ready for any conversation.  You too are not scared to answer phones as I have seen Mrs. Stocke at Lincoln.  Amy, your teachers think the world of you and have the utmost respect - from what I have seen and heard!  The kids see you as quite an authority and look up to you as a hero.  They are eager to preform when you walk in the room.  Eyes never leave your presence and many are hoping to be just like you one day!  Thank you as well for allowing me in your school for this time!!!  

I would be remiss to leave out the wonderful janitors at each school.  I do not know all by name personally but you all are awesome.  Cleaner schools I have not seen.  Mr. Lee - you bring tears to my eyes when I try to muster up words to explain what you are to the kids at Lincoln.  My girls want to adopt Mr. Lee!  And Mr. Peacock - your gentle spirit and hard work with a smile is priceless.  Thank you both for helping me to learn the ropes and names of kids too!!  ha!  

Ok - I am going to be late!!!  I am excited and ready to go!!  I am sad and want to stay - all at the same time!!!  I love you all!  

412 - People, work together!

Lord Jesus - today is the first real day of school. Emmajoy woke up at 6:15am and Sarahjane just woke up too. That is such a good sign! I hope the excitement will stick with SJ for a long time. She is not an early riser, nor did she ever enjoy preschool - well at least the school part. Hopefully since we sat her out an extra year she is good and ready - mature! EJ is a lot like me and loved school from the word GO! Tucker says he doesn't like it, but I am sure he will be up and at 'em in just a few minutes. Thank you Lord for getting back to a schedule.

This morning I found myself once again in Phil. 2: 1-5. Some good stuff! I looked up several different versions and was really encouraged and inspired by the Words. Have you ever come to a point in leadership when you just throw up your hands and say, " if you are getting this at all, would you just please do this............." I think in this passage we find Paul at this point. He has just explained to them at the end of chapter one that suffering and believing are things that are granted to us. A benefit of Christ. And in the scripture it is like he had stood up from the table put his hands on the top of the desk, leaning over looking deep in their eyes and saying, "People, if Christ and His love, and mercy, and Spirit, and His fellowship have meant anything to you then Work with me here! Be like minded and make me proud - "make my joy complete". Have the same purpose and work together, not against me and certainly not against each other."

I know it can be that way in women's ministry. Everyone has their own thoughts, opinions, conclusions, means of production, and insecurities! If there are too many chiefs things can go hairy in a split end or i mean a split second. I have never really been in the corporate world, but I hear that as long as roles are well defined and responsibilities and cut and dry things work very well. It is in those times that things get slow or jumbled that there is confusion and that brings about dissension. I guess that is why the Lord reminds us in the Proverbs to not get idle - trouble will find us! Paul, it sounds like to me, is begging these people to work like Christ and get it together. It would make his joy complete, or like i have heard my Aunt Joyce say often, "that would just tickle me to death".

And just like my Sarahjane, the questioner, I can see her raising her hand at the end of Paul's plea and saying, "But how, how do we do such a large task - working together for the same purpose?" Paul replies, "I am so glad you asked. If you all would just work for each other, promoting one another, looking out for one another instead of your own self, just consider others better than yourself or more important - people, just have the same attitude as Christ and things will go more than smoothly around here. It will be glorious! TO His glory!"

And this is one of my key verses for ministry. Ginger and I have briefly talked about working for each other and not ourselves. I would work on getting her events and she would do the same for me. It is like we would be each others agent. I have been in ministries where you had to do all the work yourself or many times I found people not doing anything just waiting for God to drop it in their laps. Just sitting and waiting is not my conviction. I am a worker - I feel responsible to do my part to be able to use the gift He has given me. So I pray that Ginger and I can things together and begin working "being like-minded having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." For His glory alone!!

You know all these principles work the same way in marriage and in parenting!! Think of him first in marriage, think of them first in parenting, think of Him and what He would do!!! Simple, but oh so hard at times!

Well, i just got back from dropping the kids off. Lord Jesus, be with the kids today as they are learning all the ropes again! I pray SJ loves the idea of school and then actually is excited about learning and doing!! I pray she makes her own friends and is a good friend. Lord for Emmajoy, I pray you will protect her heart. Even at this young age she is willing to give it away to anyone that is willing to show her some attention. Protect her sweet spirit and keep her smiling! And for Tucker, Jesus, make him a leader and one that others will want to follow. Lord, instruct him in Your ways and make him confident in You! Lord, help him to be a good friend and a better listener! Help them all to not be so selfish! Bless their teachers! Thank you for today, Lord!

211 - Created for Good Works

Lord Jesus - it is a good morning. No, not just because the kids are going to school, but because we have woken me up on time to be able to spend time with You and bask in Your word. Thank you.

I was in 1 Sam. 16: 8-13 this morning and the verse that stuck out was the last one - the one the devotion concentrated on as well. "from that day forward the power of the Holy Spirit was upon David". Wow, that is really cool. Especially for that day in time. In the OT the Holy Spirit would just come and go and not always be there in power or even proximity. He showed up in a heart that was willing to be used and one committed to Him - 2 Chron. 16:9, my favorite verse and lifetime prayer!

Oh Jesus, i know because of being a New Testament believer Your Spirit will never leave me, but there are certainly things i can do to diminish the working power within me. Lord, my attitudes, my reactions, my actions, my thoughts, my sin!!!!!!!!!!!!!, all of it can cause You to not work as powerfully as possible. Lord make me aware of sin in my life so that i can confess it quickly and move forward in your power. I want to live a life full of Your power, not to be powerful, but to hear Your still small voice and to know when to act and how when You are prompting! Reacting correctly when You call or when You move - now that is living in the power and i think glorifies and honors You. Help me Father - clean out my ears and my heart to hear You more clearly. I want to please You!

Yesterday i was going to go to a near by MOPS group with my new friend Tara that i have actually never met. We have just talked plenty over the e-mail. But her child got sick with the real flu. I would have gone anyway, but i felt i really needed to stay home preparing the kids for school, and Clay and i did a bunch of stuff around town like bank accounts, etc. But my unbelievable treat for the day was when the door opened and huge basket of goodies came popping in from Nancy and her absolutely gorgeous daughter Rachel. Clay made the comment that those were the best brownies he had ever had!! I mean scrumptious!! Wow. I had never met them either but the Nancy reads my blog pretty regularly she said. Isn't that the neatest thing. She nearly knew more about me than i did. It was great. Rachel teaches school at the grade school and hopefully keep an eye out for the Gray kids. Every day i am just still blown away by every one's kindness, generosity, and welcoming spirit - and what great cooks.

Lord, thank you!!!!!! thank you thank you thank you!!! You are moving and blessing and i am not going to let go. Thank you. May you take care of the kids today at the first day of school and allow them to make a friend or two. It is going to be a great day!!! Let the good works You have created for me to do and the reason You have created me be very obvious and plain for me to see according to Eph. 2:9. I want to live out a life of putting feet to faith!!! I love you.