Spring Break 2011 at Wolf Creek, Colorado has been a blast! One more day to slip and slide and sometimes ski the slopes. It's always fun to vacation with friends. New friends and old friends, where would we be without our friends?
Proverbs 18:24 (American King James Version) says, "A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." I am so thankful for my friends. I am making some lasting memories with my family and friends here in Pagosa Springs, but I'm staying "tuned in" to what my friends from FBB and my Peruvian friends are doing this week. If I could only be two places at one time! LOL!
What a beautiful day! We woke up to snow covered trees and hillside. We loaded up to head to the ski area. It got a little tricky as we continued to drive up the mountain. The snow was falling harder and the roads were slippery. It didn't help when we were passed by several natives who could navigate more carefully and quickly up the mountain.
As we rode (and Ronnie drove), we were singing PT's newest Hillsong cd, "Avalanche". How appropriate as we carefully continued our crawl up the mountainside. And what an awesome reminder of His love for us!
I don't have any pictures to post from our skiing fun and follies today- snow and wind were blinding at times. Maybe tomorrow? But if you haven't listened to Hillsong's "Avalanche", click below. The lyrics are on the screen. Have I mentioned that I love this cd? LOL!
As many of you know, tomorrow is phase I of LEAP testing. 4th and 8th graders will take the ELA Writing and Math Constructed Response portions of the test. How fortunate that this year Ronnie and I are parents of both a 4th and an 8th grader?! Lucky Us!! What were we thinkinig?!!
Oh well! No worries! I believe my students and my personal children are plenty prepared to face this challenge! BRING. IT. ON!
However, I know me, and I know kids- and sometimes we still get in a wad! Oh it may not be a test, but face it- we all get wadded up over something!
So, I've got a plan. Look up! I sent my students' parents a little note tonight about testing tomorrow. One reminder was for the students to "look up" over my board and read my favorite verse. Jer. 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future."
But by typing that simple message, "Look up" ~ the Lord was speaking to me. How many times do I try to do things my way- on my own- and I do not "Look Up"? Too many to count. But, I'm working on it! I'm "Looking Up" to the Lord, reading my favorite verse, and trusting Him for my "hope and future". After all, His ways are much better than mine! LOOK UP & WATCH OUT! My kiddies are gonna ROCK that test! Can I get a "Hosanna" or a "Hallelujah"?!!! (more about that to come....LOL!)
There is so much sadness and devastation in the world today. I have a friend and coworker who sits with her precious young daughter in Dallas waiting for medicine to work and trusting Jesus for His will to be done. I can't imagine her pain.
As I continue to watch the footage on the news of the suffering and hopelessness of the people of Japan, it makes my heart break. How awful to see the physical damage and destruction, not to mention the heartache of the people with lost loved ones and friends. Their way of life has changed forever in just a matter of minutes.
As I try to make sense of the madness, I am reminded of a concert I had the privilege to attend with PT last Saturday night. Uncle Lewis gave PT Hillsong tickets for his birthday. What a wonderful gift! However, the concert was in Dallas and didn't quite fit into my "perfect" weekend plans. (that was from my last post) But, we packed and left for a brief trip to Dallas to attend the "Aftermath" concert. And what a blessing it was!
People from possibly every nation of the world stood as the concert began and didn't sit until it was over! God definitely inhabits the praise of His people, and no one can deny that He didn't show it that night! It was like a little bit of heaven on Earth! No one could question that the presence of the Lord and the Saints were in that music hall. It was incredible! Indescribable.
One of the most vivid memories of the night occurred when we sang, "Hosanna!"( I love that song, and I can't sing, but I was trying!)
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes
Yeeeah
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing
[Chorus]
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest [x2]
I see a generation Rising up to take their place With selfless faith With selfless faith
I see a near revival Stirring as we pray and seek We're on our knees We're on our knees
[Chorus]
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity
[Chorus x2]
When we got to the verse about the generation rising up to take their place~ with selfless faith~ with selfless faith~ they were belting it out! It was amazing! Astonishing!!! This group of young people really do realize the importance of their role in our world at this time! Not only did they realize and understand their role, I believe they were energized by the responsibility of that role!!! Incredible! God is raising up young people all over our globe to help bring revival to our world!
As the concert began, this verse was on the large center screen: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 The first song on Hillsong's Aftermath cd is "Take Heart". What an appropriate song title and verse as we reflect on the heartache of past few days and look to the future! We don't have to look too far to see and experience the "trouble" this world offers, but we serve a Savior who has already won the battle. And I can hardly wait to see how He will use that "Generation rising up to take their place, with selfless faith!" Now, that's something to sing about!
Please continue to pray for my sweet friend's child and all of the other hurting people in the world tonight.
I've been singing my Michael Jackson "Hee Hee" all day. It reminded of a song by Michael, "Man in the Mirror". Maybe the Lord was trying to tell me something.
As long as my boys have been in school, I have had to explain to my friends and co-workers that my children are "perfectionists". Yes, both are driven, and that is truly a blessing. However, I get a little embarrassed when they show out because they don't achieve perfection. For example, when a teacher or coach offers constructive criticism to push them to the next level, and they melt. Fall to pieces. They are hurt because their original effort just wasn't good enough. Uggg!!!
I have told my boys for years that the only perfect person walked on water. Neither can pull that off! So, why can't they let it go?
I have even tried to pin their "perfectionism" on Ronnie. Hee hee! I mean, it couldn't come from me! I'm NOT a perfectionist! No way! Look at my house, my truck, my classroom. Not even close.
I guess you could say it kinda snuck up on me. While Ronnie was folding towels, (yes- Ronnie Folding Towels) I corrected him. I showed him ~for the one millionth time~ how to fold the towels CORRECTLY so they would go into the bathroom cabinet neatly. Again, I lovingly reminded him how we fold towels one way (double fold) for our bathroom and another way for the boys' bathroom and the guest bath. (triple fold) And then it hit me. I know where those boys get their perfectionist ways. YIKES!!! I have issues, too! I may not have the tidiest classroom, truck, or house, but I have "perfectionist" ways set in my mind. I want things to be a certain way, or I might just fall apart! Humm.....
Lord, is there any help for me, a closet perfectionist? For my perfectionist boys?
Philippians 3:9-14 says, "I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
I'm starting with the (Wo)man in the Mirror, as MJ would sing. ~
I'm asking the Lord to help me change my ways! No message could have been any clearer... if you want to make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make that CHANGE!- Michael Jackson
MESSAGE for RONNIE: No, you are not off the hook about how to fold towels correctly! If I mow the lawn by following your directions as a help you, then you should fold the towels as I have politely suggested. Questions: see Doc.
Ronnie & Lucy. I was sporting my Michael Jackson shirt at Atlanta airport after MJ's funeral. So many compliments on my tshirt! Everyone wanted a MJ shirt! I made Ronnie & the boys so proud!!! Happy Moment!! Hee hee! LOL!
Kids at Wolf Creek
FBB friends & Peruvian friends
