What do You Get....

....when you grab your sister, your best friend in the whole world who has had a less than perfect day, you make fake mustaches out of black construction paper and skewers, grab a few boas just for fun, a birthday hat, tiara, and your mom the photographer?

You get Smiles...and giggles...and sides that hurt from laughing so hard!

I love the smiles on their beautiful faces.  What a gift from the Lord they are. 

And just for fun, I'm entering this in the I Heart Faces weekly challenge where there are already over 800 entries this week.  The theme is smile....I thought this picture fit in perfectly.  Happy 2nd birthday I Heart Faces!

Most Likely to....

....Succeed!  Our Rachel was voted, "Most Likely to Succeed," by her peers.  She and her friend, Sam.  How fun!  We thought it would be awesome to borrow my father-in-law's corvette for the picture and he graciously agreed.  I tell you, it was hard work to drive it to the school.  Really, the hard part was putting it back in the garage.  Ha!  Love that car! 

I thought you might want to see a few pictures.  Fun senior memories to cherish {sob!}

Can't wait to see all that God has in store for these precious lives! 

But, I'm still longing for time to just slow down a bit!

Where is Your Focus?

I read an article in USA Today over the Christmas break that talked about a woman who had lost her job a year ago and was living off of unemployment.  Unfortunately, in this day and age that is not unusual.  The part of the article that suck with me most was discovering that this woman was making more money a month living off of unemployment than I make in a month teaching school.  I have to admit that the article made me angry and left me flabbergasted.  I couldn't believe it!

Am I complaining about my salary?  Absolutely not!  I am so thankful to be a teacher.  I adore my students, even my "blessing students," and feel extremely blessed to be doing what I love to do.  But, the fact that this woman makes more money a month doing nothing just proves to me how flawed the system is. 

So as I wrestled with my thoughts about this article this past Tuesday morning, one of my beautiful, smiling, happy, beautiful-on-the-inside-and-outside students came to class first period looking quite distraught.  I asked her what was wrong and she told me that their house had been robbed Monday afternoon.  The intruders took all of their new Christmas presents, their televisions, cameras,  all of the money that she had earned over the Christmas break, and event the new sheets and comforter off of their bed.... and her family was devastated. 

And my heart ached for her.  But, I wasn't alone.  The news quickly spread throughout the high school.  It wasn't long before I received an email explaining what had happened and that our campus would be secretly taking up money to give to the family.

On Friday afternoon, I received another email.  This email explained that our small campus, along with the help from some members from the community and a youth group collected $1155 for the family in 3 days!  Wow!  And my heart rejoiced.   I can't imagine all that the kindness and generosity from friends and faculty meant to that family but I know that it made a difference!

Romans 12:9-13 says,"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality."

I love that!  What a blessing to work with God's people who are "ready to help and always eager to practice hospitality!"  That is worth far more than anything money can buy! The Lord faithfully reminded me that no matter where I sit or stand, my future is in His hands...and I can think of no other place that I would rather be. Held in His very hands...what a humbling yet thrilling thought.

And if I am living in the palm of His very hands, then my focus needs to be on Him and not on all of the yuck. Yes, I can hate what is wrong but continue to hold on to what is good.  And I'd rather focus on the good any day.  Where is your focus? Where is my focus?  And once again, our hearts cry, "Come!  Lord, Jesus, come!" 

Fresh Grounded Faith

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love a good devotional book.  "Streams in the Desert," by Cowman is still one of my all time favorites.  Don't get me wrong, nothing replaces reading the Word but I so enjoy a good devotional book too.

My parents blessed me with an incredible one this year.  Jennifer Rotschild doesn't know me from Adam but she is one of my mentor's in the faith.  What an awesome testimony she has.  The Lord uses her in amazing ways to further His Kingdom.

Her newest devotional book is called, "Fresh Grounded Faith" and it comes with a two pack of coffee if you order her book here:  http://www.freshgroundedfaith.com/  There is even a place to register for a Starbucks gift card.  Yum!
Jennifer will even autograph your book for you.  Mine is! If you would like to read an excerpt please click here.  I think you will really enjoy this book!  I am loving mine.  It is one of those devotion books that stays with you in your mind all day long.  Love that!  She also has a Fresh Grounded Faith conference that I would love to attend if she ever comes to Texas.

Like I said before, Jennifer has never heard of my little blog, I'm not getting paid to talk about her book, I just wanted you to know about it because I think it is incredible!  Coffee and a morning devotion...awesome!

A Song for 2011

Last Sunday during church, as my mind was reflecting on the beginning of a new year, the Lord reminded me of the song, "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us."  That song was played at our wedding 20 years ago and I've always loved this hymn. The songs says, "Savior, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need Thy tender care."

So true.  "Much we need Thy tender care!"

As I reflected on the words to that song and the specialness of having that song played at our wedding as we started a new life together as husband and wife, it seemed only fitting to start the new year with this very song. 

And you know what?  I've already had opportunities to put it into practise today.  I won't go into major details.  The gist of it is that I unintentionally angered some parents by not recognizing their student's achievements on our school's website.  To be honest, I didn't even know about the achievements or they would most certainly have been recognized.

As hard as I work on our school's website, the comments really hurt my feelings.  Nearly in tears, I called my man to tell him about it and to let him know that I just wanted to go back to being a stay-at-home mom.  He sweetly listened to me and told me that if that's really what I wanted to do then he would support my decision but to not let a few comments keep me from doing what I'm suppose to be doing. 

I love my man.  And he knows me so well.  I really don't mean that I'm ready to stop teaching...it is a ministry and I'm so thankful to have the great privilege of teaching and working with so many incredible people, I'm just having a week kind of day. 

On my break, I poured out my heart to the Lord and told him all about it.  And you know what He reminded me?  You are already ahead of me.  That's right!  It was like He sang the song over me, "Savior like a Shepherd lead us.  Much we need thy tender care.  In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,Thou hast bought us, Thine we are."

And then in His awesome humor, he reminded me of a quote I've heard my daddy say many times before:

It's hard to soar like an eagle

When you are surrounded by turkeys!

(I found these pictures on google images~they are not mine)

Can anyone relate?  No, I'm not calling those parents turkeys, I'm not being mean, I'm just trying to keep things in perspective.  So, I missed some recognition on the school's website.  I didn't do it on purpose, and hopefully the parents will realize that.  But, if not I'm okay with that too.  Because, my Savior sang over me today!  I've got goosebumps.  Let me say it again, the King of kings and Lord of lords smiled down at me and sang over me....me!  

What a Savior!  He put a song back in my heart...in His perfect timing.  There is no one like Him!!!!

If you are having a "turkey" kind of day, listen to Him singing over you today.  Oh, it brings joy and peace to your soul like no other.  If we will just stop....and listen.

Have I Told You that I'm a Bit Clumsy?

If you have read my blog from the beginning, you already know that I'm a bit clumsy.  If you are new to my blog, I'll put my pride on the floor and confess a little.  We all need a good laugh in January, right? 

Okay, here goes, I once fell through the attic retrieving my Christmas decorations because I became impatient with my husband for not getting them down on my time table and decided to do it myself while he was on a hunting trip with our girls.  My little exercise in "doing it myself" resulted in my falling though my kitchen ceiling.  Yes, I was dangling from two rafters over my kitchen island...in my house...by myself!  Stubborn much?  Yes, that's me but I'm learning....not really but it sounds good anyway.  What made that day even better was that my man hacked his arm with a new hatchet cleaning out a deer (sorry!  that made my stomach hurt a bit too) and I had to lower myself down from the attic and drive an hour and a half to take my man to the emergency room.  That was an expensive Christmas.

And what is it with clumsy-ness at Christmas time? 

What I didn't have time to tell you over this past Christmas break, is that I nearly fell to my death on my last photo shoot of 2010.  No, I'm not being dramatic!  Clumsy?  Yes!  So, if I am every blessed to photograph you and your family, please know "Clumsy" just might be my middle name.  And my parents were so hoping that I would outgrow that stage. (Do the words Cheeze-it Stomp mean anything to you Mom & Dad???)  Ha!!

Anyway, here is the story.  I was photographing my friend Tammy's bridal portrait at the historic convent.  We were so thrilled to get to shoot there.  I really was giddy with excitement.  A beautiful bride, incredible dress and being in an amazing building...it was an ideal photo session.  My girls and their friend Asheley came along to help and to see the Convent.  Here are my helpers:  Asheley, my Rachel, and my Hannah:

We were setting up a photo much like this one, it may be actually be this one, and I was moving backwards, as I often do, to get the best shot.  I LOVE my prime lenses, but since they are prime, I become the zoom as I have to move my feet to find the best angle.  I kept stepping back and stepping back to make sure everything was framed perfectly when my girls hollered,"Momma, stop!!!! Don't take one more step backwards!!!" 

I stopped and looked down at my feet only to see my right foot on the very edge of this:

Want to see a close up?

This was a "dumb-waiter" at the convent.  It is a wide opening for sending food from floor to floor.  What you cannot see is that the floor below where we were shooting is the basement...the DARK basement that is padlocked and the only access is through a rickety ladder.  I looked at my girls and at the bride and muttered something like, "Wow!  That was close!" as my heart nearly came out of my chest.  Had the girls not told me to stop, I might still be down in the basement!  Note to self, while moving around for the best angle, look first!  Oiy!

We all breathed a sigh of relief, it could have been so awful, thanked the Lord, and then continued on with our photo shoot. 

 

 I am so thankful my girls went on this photo shoot with me for sure! 

Instead of being the last photo shoot of 2010...it really could have been the last photo shoot ever. Gracious!

Happy 2011!

I always look forward to a new year ... fresh starts.... new beginnings.... but this year it's bittersweet. Our Rachel graduates in May {sob!}. But I know so well, the All Sufficient, Faithful One, will be with all of us every step of the way and that knowledge fills this momma's heart with joy and peace.

 Blessings to all of you in this new year!!