Sleeping Boys

Here is an answer to a request for a picture from my last blog...since you can't see their faces, I think it's ok to post it! :) Gotta love this! Read the previous blog for more understanding.

Zoo Fieldtrip

Yes, we went to the Zoo today! And oh my goodness were those kids sooo excited! We didn't leave til a good hour and a half after school started and we didn't get much accomplished because the kids just could not stop asking, "When are we going? Is it time yet? Can we go NOW, please!?" An hour is an eternity for five and six year olds. We had fun even though we didn't have a real long time to spend there. But, I guess it was long enough when I noticed several kids asleep on the way home! It looked like a pack of puppies in that bus. Everyone was laying on each other trying to sleep in the most uncomfortable looking positions. For them, it seemed to work though. I even had to remind one little guy that it was against the rules for him to sleep on the floor of the back of the bus. The little guy next to me was asleep within the first five minutes. They were exausted! It was definately much quieter than on the way there! They will sleep well tonight.

Old Friends

There is nothing like spending time with old friends... I just finished having a wonderful 2 hour talk with a friend that I have known for about 11 years. She is now living in Tennesse and she met up with some of her family that came. It was very freeing and I realized when it was over how badly my heart needed to be with someone who I can let my hair down with and just be me for a moment. It was very refreshing!

Southern Seafood

As some of you may know, I have been in the South for a few days. Some might say that Oklahoma is in the South, but being in Georgia, I have come to know that they are in the DEEP South. I have been eating some really good food while being here in Atlanta. One thing that I do NOT like though is sea food that tastes like the sea. My opinion is that if it tastes like the sea, it needs to stay in the sea. I can handle popcorn shrimp because it's fried. Everything else, I can't handle unless it's flavored so much that it covers up the taste. So, I went with some friends to a nice seafood restaurant thinking I would order my regular grilled chicken or salad that I get at seafood restaurants. When the plates came, so did another little friend that I felt sorry for, but was grossed out at all at the same time. It happened to be on the plate next to me and stared at me the whole time. I finally had to cover it up with a napkin. Here it is:

My Greek salad was delicious and nothing was staring at me, so I was happy!

Stuck in Alabama

I am stuck at the Montgomery, Alabama airport becuase of bad weather... I am SOOO tired. Unfortunately there are tornadoes in Atlanta, so I'll be here awhile. At least there is a 25 cent M&M machine and the weather channel to watch. I sure hope my final destination won't be in Montgomery, Alabama. My bed time was an hour ago. I'm trying to hold back the gripiness, but it's getting tougher and tougher.

A Sense of Destiny

Today I spent the day with my parents. We went to look at cars... it happens to be my dad's favorite thing to do. So we traveled to Seminole, OK just to look at vehicles. I have several childhood memories of sitting in the car in front of dealerships while my dad looked at vehicles. My thoughts were, "Not again..." Sitting in a car for a long time would have been difficult for any child. I never understood why he liked looking at them knowing the whole time he wasn't going to buy one. Afterward we looked at cars (or watched him look at cars), my mom thought she would show me the house my dad lived in as a child. I remember seeing it a long time ago, but I can barely remember. It was a very tiny house that's since been remodeled. Seeing the house brought up a long conversation about my dad's childhood years. He took me to his school he attended up til he was 7 and then moved to Arizona. He showed me the corner of the school where he remembered getting in a fight with some boys because he rode their bike at lunch without asking. He then drove me down main street and showed me the side walk he walked down when his mom gave him $5 to go and buy a B.B. gun when he was 5. As I listened, I couldn't help but feel a sense of destiny as I was looking at the city in which my dad lived in up until he was 7. I couldn't help but think how the Lord knew my dad when he was a child, how he knows him now, and how He knew that my dad would one day bring his youngest daughter here to show me part of his past. I don't know if this blog can fully describe what I was feeling or do it justice. Makes me think of how the Lord knows our days and lives fully -- that our days are written in His book from the beginning til the end. It also makes me realize that our lives are so much bigger than ourselves and our role in other people's lives is so important. That little boy that loved B.B. guns and got in fights a lot was destined to be my dad. He, just like the rest of us, carries all of the experiences of his life and they have shaped him to be who he is today. He, in turn, has been a large part of the Lord's purpose in my life and helped to put the foundation I needed in my life at a young age.

Tenderness

Having a tender heart does not come natural (for me, anyways). I have to constantly work and keep my heart soft before the Lord. If there is no tending of my heart, the natural state of my heart becomes harder and harder as time goes on. I find it becomes the natural thing to carry someone's burden when my heart is tender. When it is not, it seems I have the "I don't care" attitude that easily just pushes people and situations under the rug. But when my heart has that connection of tenderness with Jesus, it seems that I care about others more and am moved by compassion more. I'm glad to know that Jesus' heart is tender towards us, that He cares, He is moved by compassion, and He carries our burdens. Tenderness is a gift that comes to those who go after it. I guess it's like anything in God -- those who pursue it, who are hungry and thirsty for it, will get it in time.

Off to change that darn belt in my car (not too tender about that, am I?).

Valentine Gifts and Cracked Car Belts

I'm sitting on my recliner in my living room with my feet up looking at my table which is overflowing with valentine gifts. These consist of candles, candy, a red valentine hat, stuffed animals, chocolate apples, more candy, flowers, pencils, numerous kinds of valentines (homemade, store bought, and everything in between) and did I say candy? Oh the joy of being with 5/6 year olds on Valentines Day! Some of the quotes of the day were, "This is the best day ever," "I'm never going to forget this day," "This is the best party out of all the parties we've had so far, Ms. Isaacs." I'm VERY exausted, which equals out to be a fun filled day for the little ones.

Do I even have to tell you whether or not I had sugar today? The real question is whether or not I ate anything BESIDES sugar today. I'm not even going to answer that question. Ok I will. I'm sure you're dying to know what I ate. I went to subway for lunch and got my turkey sandwich on honey oat bread with cheese, bell peppers, banana peppers, onions, salt and pepper, and vinegar and oil. And of course, my usual baked BBQ chips with water. Oh and one more important detail - it always has to be toasted. It is a must. So I guess I did eat something somewhat healthy. I won't mention the topic of sugar for at least another week until all of this chocolate is gone. Unfortunately it won't take long for that to happen, I'm sure. I really should just drop the subject anyways. I mean, are you really interested in what I eat every day? I highly doubt it. There must be something more blog-worthy I can pull out than food.

Now going to a completely different subject...my car. One thing I hate is spending money on cars. I have to get a belt changed before heading to my parents tomorrow. I guess it is necessary to spend money to fix it at times, but I'd much rather spend it on something else. Like clothes, for instance. I had my chance though. I went shopping yesterday and left very disgusted when nothing would fit. My pride got in the way when I left the store and refused to buy clothes that were the next size up from what I'm used to. As if it was the store's fault or something. Back to my car... It's also frustrating when I'm trying to wait it out a few months until I can get another vehicle. I'm trying to not put a bunch of money into it if I'm going to get rid of it soon. Ug...too many things that are not worth worrying about.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to a quiet and peaceful weekend. :)

Broken Strings and Superman Valentines

I hate when guitar strings break. The only thing that is worse is when I have no other strings to put on it. Today that is the case. Therefore, I cannot play. I guess I COULD play, but it sounds awful. Yep, strings -- all strings -- are necessary. Actually I do have some strings, but the same string seems to ALWAYS break. So, I have several packs of strings with that particular string missing because I've had to use them other times in which I've broke strings. It's like having all the ingrediants to your favorite food...and then finding that -- oops -- you are missing one small thing that makes all the difference so now you can't make it. Frustrating... What else am I to do when tornadoes, rain, and tennis ball sized hail is headed my direction? I guess I'll find a book or something...

And just in case you're wondering, I did eat sugar today. For some understanding on the topic, read my previous blog entry. I happily ate 5 small peanut buttery chocolate superman candies that my student brought me as an early valentine. Isn't that "sweet!"

OUCH

I am in pain. I think every muscle in my body is hurting. Kickboxing is my new friend. It's a love/hate relationship that is bitter sweet. Erin has been trying to get me to go for months. I finally gave in when she got rid of her 50th pound...yes, she has lost 50 pounds. Now that I've gone for 3 weeks, I can understand why. I almost died tonight. I really almost just dropped over dead. The worst part is when Gretchen, our teacher, says, "Get ready for burnout." As if I'm not already burned out and exausted... it's a killer of a class. I just tell myself if I can keep breathing it will be ok.

I'm also trying to lay off sugar. Now that's a whole other issue. Chocolate is always, always in my house and close by. If you know me well at all you know that it is practically a part of my identity. The only thing that stops me from eating it uncontrollably on a daily basis is the fact that I get migraines if I eat too much of it. It's actually probably a blessing. Those are not fun and I can't function when I get one, but it atleast sets some boundaries to my addiction. I have to admit that some chocolate desserts I have had are worth a migraine. For example, the warm chocolate cake at Red Lobster with the gooey hot fudge in the middle topped with vanilla icecream and hot fudge. Now that is worth a migraine. I always feel better about it when I get salmon and veggies before, which is very healthy. That is so ridiculous, isn't it? I'm trying to change my ways though. I think the only time I've gone without sugar for a few days was when I was in Honduras. The only reason I did was because I had none, not because I withheld my cravings. I lost a lot of weight on that trip. So today I awoke feeling strong and I decided I was NOT going to have sugar no matter what. It would be a real test because a valentine activity I did with my kindergarteners involved chocolate kisses. Of course I had extras left over after handing them out and they were laying there on my desk all day as I stared at them often longing to unwrap that foil and indulge myself in several. Lunch time came and I had not given in. Planning came and I had not given in. School was over and I had not given in. It was such a big deal that Lisa, who works next to me, even knew about it and it was a matter of discussion throughout the day. I was feeling very proud...then it happened. Another teacher, who is known for bringing the most delicious cookies in the world to school, walked into the room. He stood there holding a ziplock bag full of huge soft cookies with everything chocolatey imaginable in them. I sighed as I knew what was about to happen. He handed them to me and without hesitation I took one and ate it with no regrets whatsoever. Lisa got the rest of the cookies in the bag. She ate some and then wanted me to eat the last one. Being the good friend that I am, I did her a favor and ate the last one. Oh well...I guess tomorrow is another day.

Random Pictures

Random? Yes! I've posted several random pictures...I'm bored on a Friday night, so why not.

Here I am during my 4th year on the earth! It's the first day of Preschool! Is that exciting, or what?!

And these are my dogs Otis and Sugar...adorable!

This is the smallest fish I've ever caught...sad, I know. But I still beat you, Donovan.

Sea of Galilee in early morning:

Jerusalem:

Honduras:

Honduras again:

Colorado:

Colorado again:

The sky above an OU game one day... :)

Spiritual Lessons I've Learned from Kindergarten

Being around kids all day has given me a better perspective on God's view of our lives and how we all, in a sense, are just a bunch of kids in this huge plan of God's. I have a few thoughts about it. Here they are...

1. One goal in Kindergarten is that the children would be able to write and identify their first and last names. It is also God's desire that we grow in our identity as His child. That our true identity, or "name" is not in how others perceive us, what they think of us, or how we look to others. It's in how He views us. He wants us to learn our names.

2. Recess is a must in Kindergarten. Although teachers can (and should) make learning fun for 5 and 6 year olds, recess is a necessity. God gives us recess too. It's also a necessity. Although He desires all of our hearts and devotion, He isn't as serious as some may think. He likes us to have fun and wants us to take a break from the "serious" and often burdensome religiuos yoke that we often put on ourselves that isn't from Him. He wants to play with us on the playground.

3. As a Kindergarten teacher, I always have to be planning ahead and know what I'm going to teach them next. God always knows the areas He wants us to grow in next. He plans our seasons, days, and times accordingly and knows the exact circumstances to allow in our lives that will produce growth and maturity. He is great at lesson plans.

4. Kids don't always get along. God will use relational problems with others to show us about ourselves. Often He will purposely put a certain kind of person in our lives that rubs us the wrong way. He knows the exact situation that will cause our hearts to grow up. Learning forgiveness and resisting the temptation to be bitter and resentful is one of the basic lessons that we must learn.

5. A teacher must know about the age group they are teaching to have successful students. Lessons must be developmentally appropriate for the age and not be too difficult or too easy. The testing and trials He allows in our lives are timed perfectly with much purpose and thought. It's for our good so we will be ready for "first grade." They are at the perfect level -- both challenging and achievable. Yet, He is always with us and never leaves us during any of it.

6. Every child needs their own "space" to call their own in Kindergarten. It gives them ownership and makes them feel in control. In my room, we have cubbies. In God's big heart, there is room enough for everyone. Not only that, but there is a spot, or space, for each of us individually with our names on it. In that place in God's heart, He sees and knows everything about us. We can call it our own. We can take ownership of our place in God's heart and be confident that He has made that place for us.

7. Positive discipline works best with kids. It's easier said then done sometimes, but kids really do respond better when the authority in their life is positive. God's philosophy is positive discipline. He sees the areas we are weak in and He knows our sin fully. Yet, He changes us through a process of patience and love. He speaks kind words over us, which motivates us to change. His leadership is so different than anyone's on the earth. He is different than the "mean teacher" that many of us are used to.

8. Most Kindergarteners can't write. Therefore, art becomes their "writing." At the beginning of the year, a lot of my kids were simply scribbling and I had no idea what their picture was about unless they told me. God loves the scribbles. He not only loves them, He tapes them up on His wall. He loves it when He sees us trying and takes delight in the fact that we know we can't measure up or meet the standard, but we're giving Him our all anyways. Our scribbles are on His fridge, for sure.

9. The best teachers are those who give the children control and don't control the children. This is done by giving them choices and making them feel like they are in control. God is not controlling. He gives us the choice to love Him and to serve Him. He also knows the desires of our heart and what we like best. And sometimes He will give us both choices just because He is so nice.

10. I can't think of another, but for some reason it bugs me to keep it at 9 and not 10. So there ya go!

The Never-ending Job of Dusting...

Growing up, I loved allowance day. I didn't really love the things I had to do to get my allowance, but it sure payed off when I received my "paycheck." I was the youngest, so when it came to cleaning house, I didn't get to choose the job I did. I got stuck with the job(s) that no one else wanted...which was always cleaning the bathroom (hated it...) and dusting (hated it too...). To me it was not fair that one of my sister did the dishes and the other vaccumed. Those were so easy compared to my very very tough jobs that I inherited. I often fussed about it. As you can probably guess, it didn't change anything. I was stuck with the job and there was nothing that could change it. I had issues with these jobs. Bathrooms are just...well...bathrooms. Gross. And with dusting, I hated having to move everything. I must confess that most of the time I just dusted around it all. :)

Growing up in an AZ copper mining town, dust was a huge problem. We lived a few miles away from the actual town where we went to school. Our house was much closer to the mine than the houses in town, so the dust was a much worse problem for us and our neighbors. Here is the picture of our mine...you must be very very interested at this point! It is oh so beautiful!

I remember thinking as I faithfully dusted each week, "I don't know why I'm doing this..it's just going to be dusty again in a few hours....it's pointless." Yes, I grumbled about it often. Now that I think back, I wonder how much dirt was in my lungs from living there for so many years... it can't be worse than smoking though, right?

When I read the verse in Isaiah 52:2 "Shake off your dust; rise up..." certain thoughts of dust fill my mind. I am very familiar with it! I am an expert at dusting! But what I am not an expert at yet, is shaking and cleaning the dust off of my own heart. I think there will always be times and seasons where we don't feel as close to the Lord as we want to and our intimacy with the Lord seems to have become a bit dusty. Whether it's because of discouragement, busyness, or just plain boredom, I think we can all say that we have experienced the season of having a "dusty" heart. The scripture does not condemn us, but it does tell us what to do in that season. Shake it off! Rise up! We may be in a place where we feel far away (of which there is nothing worse), but we don't have to stay there. We can choose to shake it off by doing spiritual disciplines even when it's the last thing we want to do. It may not change in an hour or a day, but sooner or later, our hearts will begin to be in that close place with the Lord again that it once was.

Sometimes, just like when I was younger, I don't like dusting. It's a different kind of dusting (although I DO dust my house still), but it still requires a constant watching over our hearts and making sure the dust doesn't pile up too high. But if it does, you don't have to be condemned -- just shake it off, rise up, and just keep going no matter what life throws at you... Besides that, we aren't dusting for nothing! We have a wonderful allowance and inheritance that is awaiting us...Jesus -- whose reward is getting to spend eternity with us.