Silly Me!

Earlier this week Cole was out of town with a group of international college students for a spring break trip while I was at home. Most of the time I would accompany him on college ministry trips, but due to the 10 (yes, that's right 10!) snow days we had this year, my school district decided to help ease the burden of making up the days by using the Monday and Tuesday of Spring Break. So, I stayed...no big deal, until Tuesday night when I started cramping, which shouldn't be a big deal, but it seemed like a bigger deal since Cole wasn't home. I called Cole and a close friend for thoughts on what to do, drank a big glass of water and went to bed. I woke up the next morning still cramping. This woulnd't be any big deal, except I have had several friends who have gone into premature labor...and those stories stuck with me. Fast forward to middle of the morning, I called the doctor and went in only to find out everything was fine except for a urinary tract infection. Made me feel a little silly, but I guess it was worth the peace of mind. I'm wondering if I will ever figure out what is normal during pregnancy...One thing is sure though, I'm glad I have the Lord to guide my head and my heart when I know both of them a deceitful. Praise God that he has the wisdom to make me a good Mom and wife and that I don't have to walk this journey alone!

Am I walking the talk?

So, as I was singing this morning in the band for our college worship service, the Lord really convicted me of how the words I was singing and the actions of the previous days had not been adding up. For those of you who don't know, I have a huge ESL project that is due April 1st. This project is to show the results of what I have learned and implemented from my ESL academy that I did last summer. As I was singing this morning of God's love being enough, I realized that I have not been living this out in my attitude toward this project. Number one, I have been trying to do this in my own strength...and number two, I am treating this project like it has some bearing on eternity (a little dramatic sounding, I know...but it's truth). I do know that God placed the desire to go to ESL academy for a reason and I want to work on this project as unto the Lord...but regardless of the grade I get on this project I have to keep in perspective that this "suffering" that I think I'm going through right now is nothing compared to Christ's sacrifice on the cross. If I get an "A" on this project or fail it miserably does not change the status of my relationship with the Father....it might change the way some people look at me, but then again I can't serve two masters. I have to trust that all the difficulties and challenges that seem to overwhelm me right now have been allowed or put in place by the Father to refine me into who he needs me to be. I pray that my actions and attitude over the next couple of weeks would reflect who I am in Him rather than who I am in me.

Laura Story - Blessings

Hope this song blesses you like it did me!

Hard Choices, Right Choices

So, I made the official announcement this week at school that I will not be coming back next year to teach. I first met with both of my principals to let them know of my decision. I think they thought something was seriously wrong with me, because I couldn't even tell them what I was wanting to talk about before I burst into tears....I know...I never cry right;) Cole and I have been planning on me staying at home with our children since we got married. I think in my plan, though, I thought that would be a year or two longer. I have been so blessed by my co-workers and students that the decision to leave became a very difficult one. But sometimes we have to let go of the current blessing to go forward to the next blessing God has for us. I am excited to stay at home next year, and I know that God will use the things I have learned as a teacher to change the world for Him, but outside of a classroom setting. This verse really seems to sum up what the Lord is doing:

Philippians 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

God bless! Have a great weekend!