Update and Upcoming

Update:
Well, it has been some time since I have updated my blog and kept it current. However, this is going to change. I have seen the faithfulness of God in the last year in so many ways and my life has changed dramatically. I got married in July to the one I have been waiting for. Waiting pays off! We have been married for a month and I am loving married life. The teaching position that I was in last year got cut due to budgetary restraints so I have been on the hunt this summer. I did a few interviews which makes me hopeful. However, I am going to be subbing. I am ready to go in one district and have a few things to get going to sub in three other districts. I have also applied in a few others which I haven't heard from yet. This does not change the fact that I am called to teach. God is just moving me. I am submitted to Him and what He wants to do through me. In subbing, I will get to focus on other things that I need and want to do.

Upcoming:
Psalm 37 - I have been meditating on this Psalm. It is amazing how much is packed in one Psalm. It made me think about people who have just one scripture or one page of the Bible and how it changed their life. It is also amazing to me how one chapter or verse is so life changing.

Current Reads - What I am reading and why....

How We Met - It is interesting on how small promptings from God can change your life!

Book List - I am going to create a list of books that I am going to read, am reading and have read.

Word Study - I have to get back to my Greek. I have had this as a goal for some time. All the books I need are downstairs. I just need to do it!

Keep Running

Today on my run, I encountered someone who encouraged me. There she was heading towards me on the path with her cane in hand. I saw her from a long way off coming down the hill I was headed up. I was thinking about how I wanted to be done but I turned my focus on her instead. She was struggling along one step at a time but she was doing it. Watching her made me think about how thankful I am for my health and where I am at. I have not reached my goal but I am on the way. It made me a little ashamed about how I complain to myself about my progress. It also reminded me that I cannot compare myself to others. I have to go from where I am at. If I keep running, I am going to continue to see progress and results.

When I caught up with her, I had to say, "You are looking good, keep it up." She laughed and said "Thanks." I should have stopped and told her what an encouragement she was to me. If I see her again on my run, I will do exactly that.

It reminds me of what Paul said in Philippians 3:12: "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." He continues on in verses 13-14 saying: "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for that prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I am going to keep running.

We are all at different places in our walk with God. Sometimes I feel like I am moving so fast towards where I should be going and at others I feel like I am struggling along. I cannot compare myself to others. How can I compare an apple to an orange? There is no one else on earth like me. No one else is called to do exactly what I am called to do. No one else is called to reach those I am called to reach. (Of course, if I neglect what I am supposed to be doing God will send someone else to do it.) If I am focused on someone else and what they are doing, my focus is not on what I am supposed to be doing and it is likely that I will miss something. The same is true for you.

Keep running. Keep pressing. Don't worry about the pace of your progress unless you are not working towards your goal. If you keep going, there will be progress. If you quit, there won't. It is pretty easy, isn't it? Why do we complicate it sometimes?

Running

I have been running since December. I have to admit when I started. I was saying "I am not a runner." It was very true at first. It took time. It helped that I have a friend that runs because I was meeting someone many times so I couldn't change my mind. I also have somewhere indoors to run. Our local high school has an indoor track that is open to the public. My ipod helps me too. When the run gets hard, I focus on the music instead of thinking about how I want to be done.

Another thing that helps me is running right away in the morning. I get up, get dressed to run and I am out the door within a few minutes. (I am sure I am quite a sight to some of my neighbors. If you are one of them, honestly I do look in the mirror and freshen up a bit.) This helps because I focus on getting ready (which takes all of my mental capabilities when I first get up) instead of thinking about how I don't really want to go outside, hit the pavement and get all sweaty. It is also much cooler at this time of the day. I have found that when I run in the morning I don't tend to suffer the afternoon tiredness which is very helpful.

I have seen a lot of benefits from running. I feel great. I have also dropped two pants sizes. I am sleeping better.

One website that a friend mentioned to me was Map My Run. I have enjoyed using this for about the last few weeks. You can use it to keep track of your workouts. I even joined the Asics challenge which is to run 100 miles in a month. I am 32 miles towards my goal.

How do you challenge yourself? Is there something you thought you could never do? Have you tried it? If you have and found it very difficult, do you have a support system? If you need encouragement, I will volunteer because I know how helpful it is to both of us.

Remember Philippians 4:13. Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I know you have probably heard it before and perhaps it seems a little overused but does that make it untrue? The key is "through Christ." Perhaps it seems like your goal would be unimportant to Christ but Paul said "all things." Your goal is important to God.

The Saturday Survey

I missed last week and I am a day late. I believe that it is better late than never.

To Do This Week
1. Work out at least 3 times
2. Modify this post
3. Organize my reading list
4. Post here at least 3times
5. Look to God
6. Clear the Clutter from my desk file drawer, closet and dresser drawers

I will say that I have been doing well working out. Today, I ran 2 and a half miles and walked more than a mile in addition to that. I have been running in half mile intervals with a lap of walking in between. I am running about 7 minute half miles. I feel like I am getting somewhere. Running is most often easier each time.

Saturday Survey

Last Week's To Do List
1. Physical goals - work out at least twice
2. Refine this weekly post....add a graphic and think about it
3. Start on a book about worldview
4. Keep up with my posts on this blog
5. Continue to Look to God for everything
6. Come up with a plan to study Koine Greek and think about how to incorporate it into my blog. (I have a minor in it from college. I believe that if you don't use it you lose it. It is time to get back at it.)

Last week, I worked out three times and met my physical goals. I located my book on worldview but didn't start it. I looked for graphics for this post but didn't find one. I did not do really well keeping up with my posts on this blog. I am going to move the things I didn't do very well with to next week.

Next Week's To Do List
1. Work out at least 3 times
2. Make this post more exciting
3. Start the worldview book.
4. Add more posts
5. Look to God
6. Koine Greek- come up with a plan

This is coming a day late because I spent some time with my brother yesterday. Have a good start to the week!

Heavenly Minded

Colossians 3:1-3
1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This is another scripture I am going to focus on this year. I believe that sometimes I am too earthy minded and much to focused on what is going on in my day to day life. It is amazing how earthy trials pale when I set my eyes on things above.

Look to God

My personal theme for the year is Look to God. I would like to place more emphasis in my life into going to God first about things. Last year was a bit difficult. After finishing my M.A., I thought I would be back in the classroom last fall. I was trusting God and doing everything I knew to do. I filled out applications and applied for more than 50 different positions. I even did a few interviews. I did that all spring, summer and into the fall. I had followed the direction of the Father for when to complete my degree yet in the fall I did not have my own classroom. Instead I began working for 3 different school districts and one private school. Because I was subbing I didn't work for a whole month, but God took care of me and my needs were met. At this time, I was still feeling like I had missed it somewhere.

I was so nervous to sub that first day. In fact, I had a few opportunities prior but chickened out. In retrospect, it was partly due to some circumstances beyond my control. The first job I excepted was in a Kindergarten classroom. I thought it would be doable because of my Pre-K experience. When I was looking for the room, I ran into my fourth grade teacher and she remembered me. She called me by name and showed me to the classroom I would be subbing in. What are the chances of that? I was subbing in the school district I attended grade school in but not at the school I attended. I had also not followed the directions to the classroom that I had been given very well. Looking back I can see God's Hand upon that morning. He lead me right to someone who encouraged me and helped me.

After subbing these last four months I can tell you I have seen God's hand more than once. He has sent me to so many different classrooms. Not every day has been easy but there are many that I am so glad I got to experience. I have gotten to use a SMART board, be a library media specialist for a day, meet lots of different students, experience what it was like to be an English Language Learner, be in classrooms from K-6 grade, and become more confident in my ability. It has been an adventure. If I had gotten the opportunity to be back in my own classroom I would have taken it. I didn't miss it...I just relied on what I thought this fall was going to be.

The Saturday Survey

I know that many people make goals or resolutions at the beginning of the year. Some people are very successful in keeping resolutions or meeting goals. I will admit my track record is spotty. I would like this year to be different. As I was pondering this for a few days, I heard Dr. Rosenfeld mention Healthy Monday, which is a day started at Stanford to check on physical goals. I wanted to include my other goals as well. I picked Saturday because it is the last day of the week. I think it is a great day to look back and evaluate the progress I am made towards my goals. It is also a great day to refocus myself on my goals for the beginning of a new week. It is also a non work day so I have the time to do it.

Happy New Year! (2008)

With another year starting I have been thinking about the year that has past and the year to come. Last year I finished my M.A. in education. It is an enjoyable journey and I am very happy to have completed it. In thinking about this new year I have begun a list of goals that I am going to work on this year. The list is not exhaustive.

My goals include:
1. Memorization of all the Presidents and the Vice Presidents - years served, interesting facts, and memorable moments
2. Spend less on Books - using the library and checking Half-Price books before paying full price
3. Starting this blog and keeping it up
4. Improving both blogs
5. Reading 6 books on Education
6. Reading books on Christian Thought and Worldview
7. Get into shape and a size 6
8. Organize, organize, organize

I am also going to be adding one about my Greek studies.