The More Things Change...The More He Stays the Same!

     Hey everybody!  Been busy around our place lately!  Lots of new things and changes have taken place since my last post, and I had some words about change I wanted to share with y'all.  So let's jump right in!

    Well, school got off to a good start.  Hubby has stepped into a larger role at his secular job, so more of the school responsibilities are trickling down to me.  We have 19 students this year, and so there are days I can really identify with Mrs. Duggar!  There were some surprise changes as we began the school year, but I could see God's hand in each one, which made them easier to handle.

    Another big change that just happened was that Firstborn just turned 13!  It has only been a couple of days since this big event, so I am still adjusting to the fact that I have a teenager.  Y'all... I remember being a teenager.  I am not exactly sure how I got to have one of my own already...and we are into it with a vengeance!  Those of you with toddlers, please enjoy them.  Diapers, potty training, attitudes, and all.  Because the worst day with toddlers can be fixed with a nap... or a good night's sleep.  But teenagers don't take naps.  They're just there... All. The. Time.  The transition from boy to man is a rough one, but with lots of prayer and patience I am determined to get through this in one piece with my sanity intact! Because I have to remember that inside all that attitude is this:

     I have had some changes in my personal life as well.  A big one is that I have begun a new aspect of ministry recently.  I know...what was I thinking, right?  A husband, four kids, full-time teaching job, house to take care of, and the other extras like Scouts aren't enough?  I needed to go find something else?  Well, that's what I thought for a long time too.  but God just kept bringing it to my attention.  I realized that if I waited for the "perfect" time, it would never come.  So, I just jumped in with a leap of faith that if God wanted me to tackle this new thing, He would work it out for me to do it.

      I had been praying for a while about becoming involved in our local pregnancy resource center.  This is a local ministry overseen by several people who are members of local churches.  They offer counseling to young women who find themselves expecting a baby that they are not sure they want, or don't think they can afford.  They receive some prenatal care, counseling, classes, and a support network of people who want them to find God's way to deal with the unexpected.  So, I finally sent an email to the lady in charge of the volunteers and told her I would like to give some time, if they had a place for me.  Well, to make a long story short, they were overjoyed to have me and I am now going to be teaching the class for first-time moms!  I sat in on the class in August and learned how to teach it.  The classes are one day a week for four weeks, with the fourth week being a baby shower for those who attended.  The Gospel is presented at the baby shower before they are given the gifts.  Y'all, at the baby shower for the class I sat in for training, 6 people made decisions for Christ!!!  It was so exciting to  be a part of  that!  I will be teaching my first set of classes at the end of October.  Pray that I will have an impact for Christ on the lives of the girls who come.  And pray that more girls will realize that their little ones are gifts from God who ought to be loved and cherished.

     Just this week, another change was added.  Hubby was called to work out of town for 2 or 3 weeks.  Thankfully, this is a temporary change for us.  But I know that there are ladies out there who hold things together for months at a time while their husbands are working or serving our country.  I was only asked to do it for two weeks.  At first, my mind went into planning overdrive.  But then I stopped, and talked to the Lord.  I realized that resting in His promises would give me a better ability to process each change that He puts in my path.

     As we face the changes God puts in our lives--big or small--that is what we need to remember.  That He won't give us what we can't handle...and that He wants us to "handle" it by trusting in His grace and mercy and provision.  To put our hand in His and walk with Him through the hills and valleys of life.  And because He's holding our hand, we can look around and enjoy the journey! :)

    

Because He Holds Me

    The other day, Stitch and Little Sister were having a conversation.  Now, if you are a parent or teacher or anyone else who spends a lot of time around little kids, you know that their conversations can be very interesting!  And also sometimes surprisingly profound. 

     They were talking about family relationships, and who loves whom, and why they love the other people in our family.  So, Little Sister says, "Well, do you know why I love Daddy?"  Stitch replied with, "Because he's Daddy, of course!" (In a tone of superior knowledge...)  And she answers him right back (in her own tone of superiority!), "No!  Because he holds me!" 

    I smiled to myself and later posted a little funny report about it on Facebook, and didn't really think about it much more at that moment.  But it wouldn't leave me.  I kept hearing it in the back of my mind over the next couple of days.  And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was such a pure and simple expression of faith. 

    You see, Little Sister has faith that Daddy will always be able to hold her.  She doesn't think that one day she will be too big, or that Daddy might be too old.  She just knows that right now, this day, he can hold her.  She can run to him and he will scoop her up and make her feel safe and loved. 

    This must be the faith that Jesus was talking about when He told the disciples about the faith of a child.  This must be the kind of faith that God the Father wants us to have in His ability to hold us.  But we "grow up."  We think we have to catch ourselves, or make a plan, or maybe just not fall in the first place.  We forget to trust in our Heavenly Father just because He holds us.  Our circumstances overwhelm us, and we forget.

     Unlike earthly fathers, God will always be there for us.  He won't leave us, abandon us, or forget us.  He's never not paying attention to us, or too busy to see what we have going on.  He will hold us.  And we can love Him for so many things, but most especially that.  We can love Him because He holds us!  Or, in His own Words, "We love Him because He first loved us."  :)

    

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

     Well, once again it's been a while since I had a chance to sit down and blog a bit.  The second semester of school has flown by, and tomorrow is the last official day of school!!!  It is time for a break for students and teachers alike!

     As I look back on this school year, I realize that there has been a lot of change in my life.  As some of you may know, I am not a fan of change.  Which is probably why it has been a big part of my life the last few years....hmm...

     My life is so different now than it was only five years ago. I have gone from a house of littles to a house of bigs.  Big clothes, big shoes (that I trip over a lot), big mouths (!!), and big attitudes!  They have certainly jumped into the preteen/teen age group with full force!  I have decided that parenting littles brings a physical tiredness, and parenting bigs brings a mental exhaustion!  But it's good too...because you can begin to see the people they are becoming.  And this:

    

     In those same five years I went from being a SAHM to working full time in the school.  This has been challenging in its own right.  I admit I never had plans to work when I had kids.  I was content to stay home with them and do the mommy thing.  But God had other plans, which meant change for me!  And y'all...He has had to do it!  Because I have been the teacher for the littlest students, which means glitter, glue, paint, scissors, loose teeth, wiggles, and "accidents" of all kinds!  None of these things appeal to my OCD side, let me tell you! But it's good too... because you can see the light bulb moment when the words they are reading suddenly turns into a story.  And this:

     I guess I tricked myself into thinking that because I was approaching "middle age" that my life would be more of the same.  However, God had other plans.  And those plans involved me being stretched to my personal limits so I would be forced to realize that I wasn't doing it in my own strength...it was only Jesus working through me.

    You see, that's why God sends those stretchy moments in our lives.  Especially to those of us who "have the plan."  So we can come face to face with the truth that "not I, but Christ."  I can't juggle kids and work, but Jesus can give me the strength.  I can't fix all the behavior issues that arise, but Jesus can give me wisdom.  I can't heal the scraped knees or hurt hearts of the young ones God has place in my path, but Jesus can give me peace and the power of prayer.

     So, this week, as I face yet another new thing and I think to myself "There's no way I can do this!"  I will remember--"not I, but Christ."  And as you face the stretchy things in your life, I pray you will remember the same thing!  "Not I, but Christ!"  :)