re-blog

I am SO VERY thankful that the Lord gifted us with friendships. It is distinctly possible that I often put significantly more value in them than in seeking The Father himself. However, on the other hand, he continues to bless, grow, strengthen, refine, and bring joy to me through the people he so purposefully placed in my life. I absolutely LOVE the following excerpts from a another blogger. It strikes the things that run the deepest within me my relationship with others. Some treasures are worth passing on! So this is like a re-tweet of sorts...a re-blog.

It is fun for me to research the Word just a bit when I started thinking about friendships in the Bible and how the Lord blesses His children with people during various seasons of life.

The first one that comes to mind is David and Jonathan. Jonathan's father, Saul, was on a man-hunt for David...and so Jonathan helped protect him. In 1 Samuel 18, it says that Jonathan was "knit" to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved David as himself. Jonathan even risks his relationship with his father, King Saul, to protect his friend David.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego - friends of Daniel who refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's Baylonian god. The three stood firm together, even if it meant being thrown in to a fiery furnace. Not one waivered.

Ruth and Naomi...an odd couple, not necessarily bound by friendship at first. Maybe it's more mother/daughter-ish, but Ruth definitely showed characteristics of a good friend by not leaving Naomi with whom she had no ties. She was constant and committed, selfless and helpful.

Mary, Martha and Lazarus...brought up a few times in the New Testament. It starts in Luke 10 when they invite Jesus in to their home. Maybe He knew them ahead of time? I'm not sure. But they develope a deep relationship, so much so that upon Lazarus's death, Jesus comes back to them and WEEPS with them (John 11). It even says "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus."

Paul, Priscilla and Aquila - I love these 3 because this has been me many times in my own life, even now...being friends with a couple when I have no one to accompany me - it's like I'm intruding on date night! There have been a few times over the last couple months where I spent dinner with friends of mine who are couples...couples that I respect and admire, who have prayed for me and with me. There's no feeling like a 3rd wheel here. I'm sure Paul didn't either...he lives with Priscilla and Aquila for a short period of time, and even travels with them (Acts 18). He refers to them in Romans 16:3-4 as "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" and mentions them several more times in other books (1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy) in regards to greeting. He loved them and missed them.

"Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel."
~Proverbs 27:9~

These individuals highlighted in the Word give me some interesting characteristics of friendship to ponder. When friends do life together it creates a community that is rewarding beyond words in both the heights and depths of circumstances.

birthday wishes from students

Being in the classroom with twenty-two 8 and 9 year-olds can drive me crazy...but on days like a 31st birthday, being in a room with twenty-two 8 and 9 year-olds keeps me from going crazy! On the way to school, I was feeling sad about this birthday, which is very out of character for me. I told a co-worker, "I just want it to go away." Then the students came in and began showering me with homemade cards and sweet birthday wishes.
You're not really getting old...just think of it as getting another year closer to total awesomeness.

Dear Ms. M., You are the best teacher ever born that I know of! :) Love, Molly

Students love you! Dear Ms. M., You are so lucky to have the smartest kids in 3rd grade! We all love you so much and hope you have a jolly birthday! We are so thankful to have a teacher like you! Love, Molly

We've loved having you as a teacher and hope you have a wonderful b-day. You're the best teacher a kid could ever have. Sincerely, your best class

Roses are red. Violets are blue. Thank you for all you do. Happy birthday! P.S. You're a queen for a day!

Ms. M is wow! Ms. M is awesome! Ms. M is cool! Hope you have a happy birthday. You're very special to us. You are the best teacher ever! Hope you have a good birthday. Love, Baylee

Happy birthday, Ms. M! Marvelous, Student teacher (teaching students), Mind exerciser, Always teaching, Caring, Kind, Educate, You're nice. You're the best teacher! Happy birthday Ms. M. from Ryan

How could a girl stay sad after such words of adoration? It turned my day around. I am so lucky to have these gems in my life! We've had a great year that I will cherish.

good friends, food, and wine

After doing a little online research this week, I was reminded that I must have been born to put on some saucy clothes and spend an evening with great friends enjoying good food and wine. Ok, maybe the "born to.." is a bit of an exaggeration since I do not have hope in these things...but it is definitely something I enjoy! These sweet times of fellowship develop into moments that I cherish.

So if you are up for a little adventure eating and don't mind sparing a little cash along with it, please let me know which of the following locations in Dallas that you would like to explore! Listed in no particular order...
Abacus
Mi Piaci
Ferrari's
Ziziki's
Tom Tom Asian Grill
Jaspers
Dish
Hibiscus
The Grape
Mercury

I am sure that there are many other places that I would also like to go, including some of the great burger restaurants listed in Texas Monthly, but this is what made the list at this time until further review.

new favorite words

As part of the Esther bible study by Beth Moore, I have been introduced to several of my new favorite words...

"the reversal of destiny" (aka "the reversal of fortunes")--the complete changing of the course of a series of events. This happens several times throughout scripture. Here is an example:
2 Corinthians 5:21-For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

"peripety"-a sudden turn of events that reverses the expected or intended outcome, particularly in literature (dictionary). It is the hinge on which the reversal of destiny occurs (Moore).
A monumental example: Jesus rising from the grave. Before this significant event it looked little different from many other situations common to that day. However, this was the turning point that changed EVERYTHING!

So as I processed and internalized this literary device, I realized that this applies directly to individual lives. In fact, Esther and Jesus were individual lives--not just a piece of literature. So I attempted to think through various events in my own life to pick out the peripety that caused a reversal of destiny...
The day that my mom dropped me off to stay at Nana's "for a while". Often we are unable to see a peripety when it happens because it is in the representation of ordinary events, however the course of my life was changed in that moment. It wouldn't be for years that I could look back, view it for what it was, and be so thankful.
Obviously, the day that I accepted Christ as my savior.
Possibly the moment that I decided and stood firm to go away to college, despite the instruction from at least one who didn't think it was the best idea.

As I continued to inspect what this intriguing aspect of journeys looks like, I considered that it could also apply to negative changes in course. Beth did not mention any of those examples and when I looked briefly online did not find any either, so I am unsure whether the same word would apply.

It made me wonder...What is the peripety in other people's lives? What do some of those moments look like that cause the reversal of destiny?

to my sweet (future) husband

Honey,
I am thinking about you today. I wonder where you are. I wonder what your day has been like and what filled it's time.

Over the past week or so, I have been led to pray for you. I know this is God whispering in my ear because it has come at times when I didn't even realize you were on my mind. This has renewed my faith that you really are out there somewhere. In those prayers for you, I have asked that God provide protection over you, physical and emotional, that he will guard you. I was led to pray for your job and the relationships with those that you work along side. I prayed that you follow God's guidance during this time, staying true to His desires for us, that you will grow in knowledge and faith in Him.

Lastly, I asked that he will hasten the time for us to finally come together. I look so forward to beginning to share life's journey with you. I can't wait to hear your stories.

Love you,
your future wife

P.S. Although we haven't directly talked about it, I believe that one of my friends is praying for you, too. You are already loved!

My Sweet Baby

Tomorrow is a TAKS test across the state of Texas...so I called Mitchell tonight to give him a pep talk before the 5th grade Math test.

He immediately knew my motives..."I know you called to talk about the TAKS test tomorrow."

"Well, yes, I did. Which one do you have...blah, blah, blah"

After a couple of seconds of asking him how he feels about it, etc. I say, "Well, I have gone to a lot of meetings about the secrets of TAKS. Would you like to know what they are?"

He cracked me up! So seriously and with sincerity, "Well, only if it isn't cheating." I said, "Oh, it's definitely not cheating. What I know is that students who show their thinking get more correct."

Humm, he is listening. I ask if he knows about UPS check. He's never heard of it. So in that style that I can't turn off, I just briefly explain what the letters stand for and let him know that basically that just means slow down, show your thinking, and do your best work. I check for understanding...so, what do each of the letters stand for? He repeats it back to me. Alright, well, if you do that tomorrow....thrown in with a good dose of I believe in you, and I love you.

At this point, my heart bursts with pride...Mitchell says, "Whew, I sure am glad that I have a sister who is a third grade teacher."

He's almost set! A few more affirmations. I check on the plan for a good night of rest and a good breakfast. Check!

Now, just a little prayer that the Lord will take care of my sweet baby tomorrow!

I love him!