Disney World 2012

This is Expedition Everest Roller Coaster. I rode this twice at Animal Kingdom. This was the only good thing there.

This was truly a breathtaking site....one of the best in the world.

I wanted to stuff this in my pocket and bring it home. Fall is the best. Here , it was magical!

Where Have I Been?

Where have I been? BUSY! Not busy in the way I used to be or the way most people are now. Not busy with fluff junk that is not important or that can wait. Busy with my family and my students.
New school year has begun. I love teaching so much. Plus, my hubby and I surprised our kids with a trip to Disney last week. It is hard planning and packing for a week long vacation when they can't know about it. Seriously.

Christmas play practice has begun at our church. Both my kids are in it every year, so that takes up some time. The sign choir I am a part of, is performing at an event this year that is open to the public, so that is taking time as well.

My kids are in scouts and gymnastics, and my hubby and I take time to go with them to these things. My resolution this year to do less is working. I have time for important things, and I do not feel guilty when I say no.

As you walk around today, notice how many people have their phones out texting...or are talking on them. Notice people in the store, or in the pickup line at school. We busy ourselves with junk.....time wasting junk....then say we didn't have time to do the things we really should have done to start with. Begin a "fast" with some of your time wasters. Don't check email in the morning until you have cleaned up the kitchen first. Don't play that game on FB until you have showered, dressed, and done your errands.

Put the important things first, and you will be surprised how less stresed you are!
Go think about that...........

I teach classes and one of my "things" is to throw my flip flops at students that tease me or don't listen...or whatever reason I deem acceptable. I do not hurt them, it is all in good fun.
Well, as a project, my students have to do a skit. This group did a skit all about me. They took turns doing things that drive me nuts, and then had "me" throw shoes at them. It was very funny.

This group did the red carpet at a hollywood event, and interviewed famous people.

I had a student of mine ask me about drinking this week. He asked me if I did and if I had any problems with people drinking. I was honest. I do not drink. I never have been a real drinker, but after I got married I thought: I'm grown and married, and I can drink if I want to. BUT...yes it's a big one..BUT God spoke to me during a church service and told me to go home and pour it out and not drink again. So, I have not. The Bible does not say Christians cannot drink. TEchnically it says not to get drunk..
BUT...yes another one....BUT it tells us not to do anything that could make a newer Christian stumble and go down a wrong path. We are to be an example.

I never knew why God had me do that. Now, I do. I teach young people, mostly high school, but some middle school. I am a role model for them. I lead a church group consisting mainly of high schoolers. Once again, I am in a position of young people looking up to me. What am I showing them?

I know that one day I will have to stand in front of Jesus and account for what I did with these young people. I will have to account for what I did, said, and told them. Not only do I want to help these young people with their walk with Christ, but I want to make Jesus happy too.

So, who is watching you? You are being watched whether you know it or not...and whether you like it or not. What kind of role model are you? What will Jesus say about the kind of role model you are? Will He be happy? Will you help young people draw closer to God with your example? Go think about that..........

Supporting a Student

I have a student that has auditioned for X Factor...which will air later summer or fall.
She will find out by a phone call if she made it thru to the live TV auditions.
I am very excited for her. Her parents drove her to New York for this audition. It made me think of Scotty and all he went thru, but boy was it worth it for him!!!
Think of all the times Scotty has mentioned God , Jesus and praying on television since last May. (yes, it has been a year)
I hope this student understands the opportunity God has placed before her, and I know she will make me proud!! Go Kinsey!!

God is so Good

I know, this is an understatement. God is super good to the point we can't even describe it. But, I can tell you He helped me with a problem.

I have had requests for a Sign  Language 2 class for the coops I teach. I had many ideas, but could not seem to get them lined up properly. I mentioned this to one of the moms. She said why not put all your ideas under one umbrella and do all of them. I loved that idea. So, I went home and began to write down the ideas that came to mind. By the time I was finished I had filled up a whole page. It was fantastic!

I knew then it was totally a God thing! When was the last time you just asked God for help, and then acted on it? Go think about that.....

Outreach

I have been thinking a lot the past 6 months about what God wants us to do as Christians and as THE CHURCH.

I promise you He does not want us just hanging out at church. He wants us to go out into the community....tell about His love, help people know there is hope in Jesus.  Jesus was a trouble maker. He was always in the bad parts of town, hanging out with the riff raff that no one else would be seen with. He was walking the walk...in a BIG way. Why do we think we can just sit in our pews and expect people to walk in our churches off the street? They don't. People want to know we care...that we mean it.

Haven't you ever heard the saying: people don't care how much you know, till they know how much you care? It is true.

I think we need to embrace our inner trouble maker and do what Jesus would do....which is NOT sit in our seats and wait for the masses to come to us. The devil makes sure that won't happen.
If this is outside your comfort zone, then good. That is where we need to be. We aren't growing if we are satisfied where we are....instead we become complacent and ineffective.

God has moved me outside my comfort zone, and I am discovering I like it better there. So, ask God what kind of community outreach He would have you do..and do it. I promise there is someone out there waiting for you to speak up.

Embrace your inner  trouble maker. Go think about that............

New Year, New Me

Okay, it is finally 2012. I don't really make resolutions, mainly because I make lofty ones that are difficult to attain.
This year is different. My only goal is to simplify my life and tell people "no" more. I am going to have more time for the important things.

See, I think I am Wonder Woman...that I can do it all, and do it well. (Insert laugh here) Well, surprise, I am not WW. So, I am choosing the most important things to me (sign classes, sign choir, my kids and hubby) and doing them. I now have more time for ministry opportunities and family things as they come up. My daughter wants to take gymnastics, so now I will have time to take her.
So, if you hear me say no, I can't....then know I am sticking to my resolution this year.

I do have many cool things to share, but let's take it one day at a time. Now, go back and look at your list of resolutions this year, and take off the ones you won't do..........and see how you can simplify too. Go think about that.............