God Chose Me!

I could have been born to a tribe in Africa.

I could be living on the streets of Chicago.

I could have been raised in the jungles of Asia.

But I wasn't...

Is it fair? No!

It's not fair that I was raised in rich America.

It's not fair that I have a loving, functional family.

And it's definitely not fair that I KNOW of JESUS love!

But I do...

He chose me!!

He chose to tell ME of His love!

He chose to tell ME of the relationship He wants with ME.

He chose to give ME His grace, His peace, and His strength.

I have it!!

Am I worthy? No!

But God chose me anyway!!!

uncertainty... yet certain

Normally at this time of the year, I'm busy getting ready for the school year to start.

Bulletin boards

Books to read for story time

Games

Room decor

Activity time activities

Vines, Leopards, Giraffes

Classroom seating

A Christmas program

Cleaning schedule

Lessons

Class schedule

Pulling out books and answer keys

Planning morning devotions

etc. etc. etc.

But this year I am not teaching school. I will actually be staying in the classroom, not as a teacher, but as a student. I'm going to attend Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute from the middle of Sept. to the middle of Dec. After Christmas I am planning to return to SMBI until about April, to help my sister cook in the kitchen. Most of the time I'm excited about doing something different. Excited about broadening my horizons. Excited about meeting new people. Excited about change. But with change comes uncertainty. Will I actually enjoy the Bible school life again? Will the studying and assignments be too much? Will I regret leaving the classroom? Will I miss working with children? Is this really what I want to do? Only time will tell... but as I embark on a new journey, there is one thing I can be certain of, and that is, God has lead me this far. He has plans for my life, prosperous ones at that!! And I can, and will rest assured that whatever my future holds, God has designed and written it for a purpose.

So with that in mind....

"Lead on, O King Eternal"

a beautiful evening at the lake

Come to the edge, he said. They said:

We are afraid. Come to the edge, he

said. They came. He pushed them,

And they flew..."

- Guillaume Apollinaire

Spring!

SPRING TIME!!!!

-melody of robins chirping each morning

-bright blue sky spanning the horizon

-green grass shooting through the undergrowth of matted dead leaves

-newborn lambs skipping around their mother

-playing kick-ball with my students for a few hours

-buds on trees pushing out new growth

-the first dandelion

-warm sunshine tanning the faces of children

-frogs croaking their evening song in the road side creaks

-long walks praising God for His goodness through another long winter

God is good...

through the bad and the good, the winter and the spring, the difficult and the easy.

It takes a long hard winter to truly appreciate the beauty of spring.

Surrounded with song...

I love how God speaks and works through

verses or songs. God surrounds us with

singing! Isn't that BEAUTIFUL!!!!

He's always ready to show us His most

AMAZING LOVE!

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people

spake of stoning him, because the soul of all

the people was grieved, every man for his

sons and for his daughters: but David

encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

I Samuel 30:6

"You are a hiding place for me, You Lord, preserve

me from trouble. You surround me with songs and

shouts of deliverance. (Selah, pause and calmly

think about that)" Psalm 32:7