Simply Glorious!

These are the exact words that came to my mind as I thought about what happened a mere hour ago. It was 4pm and we were about to finish our faculty meeting at Kemp when it was time for Bekah and I to make an announcement...

"Our church would really like to help you all (the staff) out in any way possible, whether it be bulletin board making, organization, maintenance, whatever during the week of October 20-24th. So here are the forms if you all want help because we have tons of people who are ready to help!"

So that was pretty cool in itself, BUT absolutely NOTHING compared to what happened after the announcement...

Teacher 1: These are the same people who offered to help run Fall Festival!
Teacher 2: They also buy shoes for the kids at Christmas!
Teacher 3: And I think they've contributed to buying clothes and backpacks too!
Teacher 4: Yah, it's Living Hope, that same church!
Teacher 5: This is so great!
Principal: I'm so excited for their help!

Wow. That was such a blessing to hear in person. We didn't even mention what church or anything, because that's not what's really important...but they know us. AND, on a separate note, they need to raise money for the school through selling Kemp t-shirts so everybody get excited! Yay for getting out into the community and for schools ministry!

One Week!

Today marked the end of week one of my new job at Kemp! What do I do you ask? Well, lots of things! Legos (I built a house today), etch-a-sketching, basketball (aka shooting a 4-square ball in a trash can), read lots of kids' books, hangman, do bubble letters, read things out loud, count play money, go to the playground (sadly i have to watch), wear scrubs, play lots of games, etc. There's a little more to it but it's complicated so just ask! It's got its interesting moments but I am really enjoying it. I get to hang out with some kids who've had some tough stuff go on in their lives and we talk about it/ work on stuff that will help them in the classroom! Let me tell you, I work with some really bright kids (and very sweet too). Working in an elementary school is really funny at times too. This morning after repeatedly telling kids to be quiet or they would have to sit on the floor facing the wall, I had 2 kids cry on me for punishing them, and it was only 7:45... I get there at 7:15 to welcome the kids off the buses. Definitely a difference from doing the whole middle school and older thing:) but i'm learning! I'm particularly fond of the jeans and bryan high t-shirt on friday tradition:) that's all i got for now!

Proverbs 13:12!!!!!!!!! By Faith!

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Well...so it's been kind of a frustrating last few weeks in terms of the whole job thing. Being back in College Station has been amazing, with my roommate Miss Ashley Baldridge soon to be Mrs. Landon Carl and lots of my other favorite people, including the LH goers. We have entirely too much fun together! But as we've gotten settled in, I'd been working on my substitute teaching papers...I guess what I'd figured i'd be doing this year. I just have known that I'm supposed to be in CS this year, be in the schools somewhere, and God said "We'll work that out later. By faith...". SOOOO with that, this week I was sitting in Shepherd Group talking about my most recent climbing adventure with Mr. Derrick Oliver, commenting on the fact that we were both jobless as on that day. And lo and behold, God drops. Literally, Miss Bekah Gooden turns to me and tells me that they have an assistant aide position at Kemp Elementary, and they're looking for someone with a teaching degree to fill it. This is Tuesday evening...Fast forward, I have an interview at 9am this morning...it lasts 17 minutes and my thought is this could be really good or not so good. I LOVED the principal, the school, the teachers, the aides I'd be working with, everything! After my interview, I went to chill with Mrs. Kelly Williams and 2 of her clan and Mrs. Ashley Kinnard and her 2 as well. After spending some delightful time with them, I received a phone call...I got the job! Whoop! I'm so thankful. Most of the Bryan kids at Saturday night service are from Kemp so I'll get to know them really well, I get to be in the schools, I have a job that provides, I get to work with tight people, the list could go on. But more than anything I'm just so thankful. So overwhelmingly, totally, thankful for this gift and for the body that prayed about all of this for me. Gosh I love you people! I still don't know many details, just that I'll be working with Resource and doing one-on-one and small groups! I find out more on Monday, but I don't think I start til Tuesday because I'm taking a teaching test monday morning to be officially certified!

Pondering...

So I've been thinking a lot the last few days, and I've come to a strange conclusion. I have a problem. Okay, it may not be a problem, but I don't know what else to call it. When I see people I'm really excited to see, like beyond excited, I have absolutely nothing to say to them. My heart is so happy to be with them, that I lose all train of thought. The second I walk away, I have a million things to say to them and to talk to them about, but while in person, my mnd goes blank. Case in point: church. I get SO excited to see some of my most favorite people in the world and yet, I open my mouth, and nothing comes out. I think a lot of it comes from the fact that I skipped the awkward middle school years and I think I'm making them up at the age of 24 (which is totally ok, but really funny to me). I see people who are some of the greatest blessings, maybe people I haven't seen in months, and I'm just so happy to BE with them. So it's not a huge problem, give me a while and I can compose myself and my brain returns to actually ask them that question I was wondering about their life the last week, month, whatev. But I just want you to know, if you encounter me and I have little to say but I can't stop smiling and am very happy, it's you. Even if I can't get my brain to work correctly, I like you a whole lot, and I'm just being an awkward teenager at the age of 24. :) One of my favorite conversations in college consisted of a friend of mine and I talking for a few minutes and then I looked at them, my mind completely blank, and said, "I'm sorry, I have nothing left to say. You're great and I'm so glad to have seen you." and with that they said, "Awesome, me neither. See ya later!"

But then there's the flip side. Sometimes I can't be quiet. So just know, my brain has its own schedule and sometimes I don't get it myself. Does this ever happen to anyone else? Comment. Go. All 3 of you. :)

Crush Reality...aka new poem:)

Bring on the feedback please...I like this one.

I feel like I’ve had crushes on you
But I want to fall deeply,
Headlong,
Desperately,
In love with you.
For good.
With every ounce of my heart.
For better and for worse.
Til death do us part.
Only we don’t have to!
There is no death.
Only life.
This is a difficult concept to grasp.
Help.
Help me get how long,
How wide,
How high,
How deep
Is the love of Christ for me.
For us.

And at the same time
I want to know
That you’re in it
For good.
That you deeply,
Headlong,
Desperately,
Love me.
That you want me.
For good.
The pain of the past
Knocks at my door
Seeking entrance.
Wearily at first instinct
I try and open that door
Once again.
Embrace my old me
And push it out
To make room for the new one
Two of me is far too much
The new one please.
Show me your permanence
That I would allow my heart your entrance
Rejection is gut-wrenching
Bring healing and reminding
That you’re not leaving
And all these things I’m dreaming
Aren’t truth

We are for good
We are for forever
There is no death
Only life
And amidst this strife
Is beauty
Of you, your cross and your life
There is mutual wantance
Based on my forgiveness
From your gracious self
Without it, I’m basically bound for hell
But instead my heart soars
As I embrace this deep love, Yours
And fall deeply,
Headlong,
Desperately,
In love with you.
Forever.
Starting…
Now.

Little Chunkers aka Chaney

This is my adorable sister Chaney, or little chunkers. Ok so she's not that little, she's 21. Chaney is absolutely wonderful and just got back to A&M after a semester off with mono. I'm TOTALLY excited about the fact that she just joined LH and will be coming to Hope Group and getting plugged in...so for all you LH bloggers, if you see her around feel free to say hi! I think Chaney is one of the funniest people i know. really. She'll play off that she's shy, don't be fooled. And keep in mind, these are real conversations we've had.

Example 1: Christmas Day, I'm working on a puzzle I got with Hello Kitty on it.

Chaney watching me: Do you think Hello Kitty is a boy or a girl?

Me: A girl, she has a bow!

Chaney still in deep thought: maybe it's ambidextrous...oh wait, i mean neutered?

Example 2: today we're going to lunch and in Dallas we live about 2 miles away from SMU, but we're in College Station at the moment.

Text Message from Chaney: i have a break from 12:30-2:20. Wanna pick me up in front of moody (moody colliseum is smu's colliseum)?

My text: moody?

Chaney: collseum. duh.

My text: you mean g rollie? we don't go to smu.

Chaney: WAHAHAHAH.

Example 3: At Black Eyed Pea back in the day with the fam.

Chaney: I don't like mashed potatoes.

Mom: You must be a communist because all Americans like mashed potatoes. :)

Chaney: commUNists (she pronounces it like coh-mewnists) live in newbraska.

This receives lots of blank stares from the family, followed by lots of laughing:)

Just a few things about sweet Chaney. She's pretty entertaining, and pretty great, so get to know her!
And the name Little Chunkers? When she was little, her Sunday school teacher couldn't get her to speak up so she thought her name was candy, then chancy, and then chunky. It stuck and became her instant messenger name and pine cove name:)


I'm on the job hunt right now...i think it's going to be tutoring and subbing...but I will keep you posted!