Missed a few...

So I know I'm already behind in staying up to date on posting, but it is due to 1) not having a keyboard for my Ipad and 2) my husband using the laptop every night until super late editing for a theological journal (yeah, not my thing and no, I'm not sure why he enjoys it)! Anyways, I will post pics and more stuff from this week.

Oh, Common Core...

So, I'm trying to writing thorough lesson plans this year. I'm not saying that I haven't been detailed before, but I actually want to include promptings that I give my students, questions to guide our discussions, etc. Along with the thorough-ness I am trying to make sure that all of my objectives align with the objectives found in the common core. After all, why do something that is not aligned? Therefore, I have now spent multiple days trying to figure out which objective fits what I'm doing. I'm super grateful for the fellow teachers that compiled a quick guide to finding the objectives; however, they are not specific. All in all, it will be good for our students, but oh to learn a new curriculum. This takes time. So for all of you that can empathize with me, here's to frustrating times of reading standards and figuring out what the heck they're talking about and how that matches up! Back to standardizing!

Picture Explanation

I have to explain why I just posted the picture that I did.

These two little precious faces are kids we ministered to on a mission trip oh my, 3 years ago! As I was flipping through pictures trying to find one that suited me for my profile picture I couldn't pass up these faces. As I look at the pictures I hear, "My name is DeeDee," coming out of the cutest little pucker face you've ever seen! Love this kid! The Lord brought back sweet memories of ministering the Gospel with our students and interacting and loving on these kids. As I remember them, I am lifting up prayers that they may one day know and worship our Lord and Savior! That is all... :-)

Dissatisfied

I'm sitting here needing to get something things accomplished for school. For example, I have one class's paragraph responses that I need to read through. I still need to type up lesson plans because I'm slightly behind on that and I thought I would be ahead given my students are in the library for research since Monday. On to the point, though. I cannot even bring myself to do any of those things. I have what feels like a lump stuck in my chest and I cannot get rid of it. I feel a bit of anxiety, containment, and eagerness all lumped together to create an uneasy feeling inside of me.

I am dissatisfied!

Simply put, but not simply solved. Ever since I was in high school and the Lord changed my heart, I have wanted to serve Him in ministry. I believe He called me to that purpose with all my heart. However,  my "job" is as an English teacher at a local high school. I love teaching! I love my students! I love being able to push them mentally and culturally, which I feel is so often misdirected. I love getting to interact with them, building relationships with them, and being able to speak into their lives on a much further level than if they understand a soliloquy in whatever Shakespeare tragedy we may be covering or what the donne of the current short story is. Despite the things I love about my job, I still feel dissatisfied. Why? What do I need to do? Is this dissatisfaction from the Lord? I'm not sure I'm ready to answer that completely - which drives me crazy because I'm a pretty black and white kind of person. But whether it is or is not, I'm not sure it matters at this point. I know the Lord is allowing me to walk this path to challenge me to pursue him in a way that I never have before. I am ever so dependent on Him and so what I need to do, is be still and know that He is God!

I have been in a funk and I am tired of it. I feel as though I cannot get through the day and it was then that Lord reminded me of who He is and of His precious grace. He brought a Psalm to mind that He was so kind to lay on my heart for more than a week earlier in the summer.

The Psalmist writes:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm 103)

So I said to myself (yes, I know this sounds crazy), but Soul, BLESS THE LORD!!! Remember who he is. Remember that He is holy! Remember that He has forgiven you through His Son Jesus Christ! Remember that you were a filthy sinner condemned and unclean. But remember that it is Christ who took on your condemnation and exchanged it for his righteousness. Remember that you were once an enemy of God. But it is Christ who, though you were that enemy of God, brought you near to the Father through His own Remember that you were sick with a diseased heart. Remember, Hallelujah! that it is Christ who gave you a heart of flesh to replace your heart of stone. Remember that you were falling in an eternal pit of despair. But remember it is Christ who saved you and gave you eternal life through His blood so that you can spend forever worshiping the One true God!

Now, my heart is overjoyed! Now I don't know why my soul is in turmoil within me, but when I dwell on Christ and the Gospel...it suddenly fades a way!

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 15:57