New house, new life

It will be two weeks tomorrow that I have lived in my new home!  Time is just FLYING by.  It really is.  The gaps keep growing in between times I write on here!  

Here's a little update for the last few weeks...

Still taking the Financial Peace class (Dave Ramsey) on Monday nites.  It'll be over in a few weeks.  Been learning tons about finances in general, and more specifically about a budget.  It's been hard for me to figure out a budget because of recently moving into a home where I will actually be paying rent, buying my own food, etc.  I've done all that before, but I was blessed to not have those expenses by living with the K's.  

I finally got my Indiana tags and registration for my car!  Yeh, I know, big news!  Well, it was just pretty challenging to get over to the BMV during non-work hours, so I was glad to say the least when I actually got them!    

Celebrated 3 months of dating with Justin last Wednesday!  Yay for that!  God has been so good.  God uses Justin in many ways to humble me and teach me to how to love like He does.  

Sunday was the first day of volunteering with Justin to clean the community center (connected to Faith Baptist).  He's been cleaning there for a couple years, but recently asked me to volunteer with him on the 2nd and 5th Sundays of the month.  It was a blast.  

I've been on a job search since December, and I finally found a job opening this week that I think might actually work out.  It is a case manager position working with Group Homes for Children.  It is an Independent Living case manager, spending time teaching troubled teens basic life skills, as well as help with parent/family interaction. Good pay, and benefits.  Interesting hours, but not horrible.  I had an interview this week, and will probably hear back early next week.  God is the One who brought this into my life, and I'm curious to see what His plans are with this.  

I will be seeing Beth D. get married next weekend!!  Wow!!!  It's already here!  Can't believe it.  I'll be fun to spend time with everyone again.  

God is so gracious in His gifts to us.  He really is.  He provides all we have.  A year ago, there was no thought in my mind that I would be living in Lafayette, IN.  I am content with where God has me.  No, things are not perfect.  But, I am learning so much about trusting God with my circumstances.  

I will update next week about the case manager position!  

Run run run

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

All about ME!

When I get stressed, the first thing I will notice is that my thoughts are all focused on myself.  

I had this thought yesterday at work during a really stressful time with the kids.  When things are not going my way, or things go a way I do not expect I start to feel my adrenaline kick in and my heart rate starts to rise....

But, I've noticed that when I am stressed, I am more easily angered (esp. with the kids in my class).  I think the reason behind this is that my thoughts are all centered around me, myself, and I.  It's all about me, what's happening to me, how it will affect ME, etc.  P-R-I-D-E.  My focus is off of God, of who He is, and how He is the One who has allowed these things to happen to me for my good,  and His glory.  

I guess I wouldn't have really thought about stress that way until I read Mark 10:45 and 1 Peter 5.  

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Even when I am stressed, I am still commanded to serve and love others.  Maybe to be stressed is sinful??  Hmm.  I'm not sure.  The idea of stress....I just think that for a person to be in a state of stress, they are not keeping God's promises in the front of their mind.  They are not trusting Him or believing God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do.  

1 Peter 5:6 says to "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exult you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever." 

So this passage mentions humility and anxiety in the same passage.  It makes sense.  We definitely need to be reminded to humble ourselves when we are stressed.  

Beginnings of Spring

Wake up deer!

So it's 6:45am - just got back from takin the sis to the airport.  Her flight was scheduled to leave at 6am, which meant leaving by 3:30am to get there in plenty of time.  As we pulled out onto 550, there were definitely some very startled deer eating breakfast by the side of the road!  They were probably thinking, "Hey, watch it!  What are you doin here this time of the mornin!?  This is OUR time!"  It was entertaining to guess what they were thinking...assuming they think and respond to things like that.

Havin Lena here was just the greatest thing!!!  Wow.  For two main reasons.  1. It meant so much for her to make the time and effort to come and see me.  Especially on her spring break.  2. It was just so wonderful to have my "twin" here, in the place that is becoming very dear to me.  For her to meet some of the peeps who have blessed my socks off in the past seven months.  

We had some good times...catching up about life, taking long walks in gorgeous weather, laughing, going to Indy, meeting special people :) , coffee time, looking at art, singing, etc.

On my drive home, it was sad to suddenly have Lena's beautiful presence gone from the passenger seat of my car.  It'd been a while since I'd driven by myself for even an hour distance.  And it's amazing to me the kind of things I thought about driving home in those early day hours before the sun came up.  Started thinking about all the people I have developed relationships with up here, as well as those I have not talked to forever, but have been meaning to call forever.  There is no doubt in my mind that I should be in Lafayette right now, but I definitely miss friends and family back home.  It's just crazy how time has flown, and it's been months since talking to certain people.  Leaving KS, I wondered how much I'd keep in touch with friends.  There are def. those friends you can call up after a few months and pick up right where you leave off.  That is such a blessing.  But then there are those that you call and call, and they never call back.  I have a hard time with that.  That's where my sinful nature kicks in and starts getting selfish and prideful. It's hard to not expect and put all the focus on yourself and be hurt when friends stop making the effort to connect.  There's always a lesson in that is what I've been finding out.  God is always good and always ready to teach through those lost friendships.

Well, my 16 oz. of caffeine is wearing off by this point, and I don't think I make much sense on here anyway.  So now my bed is callin.  

A few friendships since August...

Can't wait for you to meet these wonderful people God has blessed me with in Lafayette!!!

Get ready Kansas

Just a few for starters...

Rock of Ages

I think it to be true that everybody wants stability and assurance.  We sang "Rock of Ages" in church this morning, and it sure got me thinking about those things.  Everybody wants things that will last and be stable.  Whether it's a new car or job or a relationship.  We want to be assured that what we invest in will not break down or disappear.  Eventually, cars and material things wear and break.  (Except for this one car I used to drive "Sunburn", it just seems to keep going...) But, the point is that we all want to have things in our life that build stability.  

Jesus is referred to in the Bible as a "Rock".  He will not change and will never leave you.

Psalm 18:1,2,36

"I love you, O Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

We can have STABILITY in our lives through a relationship with Jesus : "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."  There is peace in Jesus.  There is hope that is REAL in Jesus.  But you can't have that if you don't have Jesus.

Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." We are all sinners and can never be perfect.  There was One who was born on this earth who was perfect, and that was Jesus.  Someone had to die to pay the debt of our sin, and that was Jesus, God's Son.  The Bible says in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

And then, Romans 10:9 "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  

So, if you 1. Confess your sin to God 2. Ask for forgiveness and 3. Believe in Jesus, then Jesus will be YOUR Rock and source of stability! He is ready and waiting for you to let Him love you.  Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Rock of Ages

There is no rock 

There is no god like our God

No other name, worthy of all our praise

The Rock of Salvation that cannot be moved

He's proven himself to be faithful and true

There is no rock

There is no god like ours

Rock of Ages 

Jesus is the Rock

Rock of Ages

Jesus is the Rock

Rock of Ages 

Jesus is the Rock

There is no rock

There is no god like ours

Rock of Ages

Jesus You're the Rock

There is no rock 

There is no god like ours

Rock of Ages

Kids say the darnedest things!

Compliment from one of my students:

-"Ms. Renae, you look like a grandpa!!"  

-"Thank you, Andy."

:)

TV

-"Ms. Renae, the tv on top in my house is 6 feet pounds." 

-"I think you mean that it is 6 feet high."

-"No, Ms. Renae.  It is 6 feet pounds."

Super Bowl part-ay

Adonai

"Adonai" (ah-doh-noi) is a Hebrew word for "Lord" or "my lord".  It was a title of reverence for God.  The Jews used its vowel points to fill out the tetragrammaton Yhvh or Ihvh, "the incommunicable name" (Yahweh).   They would use Adonai in substitution with Yahweh because of the holiness of the name.  

"Praise Adonai" - Paul Baloche

Who is like Him

The Lion and the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Mountains bow down

Every ocean roars

To the Lord of hosts

Praise Adonai

From the rising of the sun

'Til the end of every day

Praise Adonai

All the nations of the earth

All the angels and the saints 

Sing praise

--------------------------------------

I first heard this song back in high school at my home church.  I hadn't heard it for a few years until I heard it at a friend's house last weekend.   The reason for the use of the name Adonai strikes me with humility.  In American culture, I don't think we have much understanding of the word, "reverence".  God is to be revered as holy.  He IS Holy.  I think I need to get on my knees or even have my face to the ground quite a bit more than I do.  God is WORTHY of praise for His Holiness.   

A proverb

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, 

but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."

Proverbs 28:13 

Drying up

In Sunday school this morning, we studied Psalm 1 : 

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, 

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the instruction of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its' leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

4 The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.

Verses 1 and 2 describe a person who loves God, and how their life would look if he were to delight in God's Word.

Verse 3 describes the person who CONTINUALLY read's God's Word as a tree.  They are firmly planted.  They will yield fruit - you will be able to see good product in this person in result of them reading God's Word.  They will not dry up and be weak.  They will be growing and strong, instead.  This person, in whatever they do will prosper...because they are meditating and dwelling on things that are "true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise".  (Philippians, 4:8).  

It goes on to describe someone who does not delight in the truth of God's Word.  These verses call these people "wicked".  Honestly, as I read scripture that describes the "wicked", I usually tend to skim over it.  When I think of someone who is wicked, it tends to be someone who kills people, and is a "bad" person.  But, as I have read this passage a bit more carefully and more closely, I have come to some new realizations in how it applies directly to me!  When I have chosen to live my life for myself and by my desires, I have been a "wicked" person.  "The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away."  The wicked are not firmly planted, but without a source of nourishment.  They daily waste away, not producing any fruit.  They do not proper, but rather they perish!  That has definitely been myself many a time in my life.  

I don't desire to put the focus on what I have not been, but I just desire to share this because I think we need to stop daily and look at what we are delighting in.  What are we spending time dwelling on throughout the day?  Are we delighting in real truth (of God's Holy Word that He wrote for us to grow for His glory and eternal kingdom??) or in things that are not for the purpose of the glory of God?  Is there fruit in our lives??  Let's not be too quick to think we are prosperous.  

"How BLESSED is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked..."

God is waiting to bless us!

Springness

Spring Favorites:

-Smell of fresh rain

-Taking walks and hikes

-Easter

-Thunderstorms

-Eating pre-summer foods

-Graduations

-Green

-Cleaning!

-Brighter sunshine

-Happier moods

-New life

-Easter programs 

-FLOWERS

Glorious Snow

Working Hard

There are so many things in this life that cause us to be sad, frustrated, angry and sorrowful.  Right now it is especially hard for some of my friends and family in their daily life.  It is always the easier thing to do to remain in the mindset of hopelessness. 

Something I have been working hard at these last few weeks is to keep my mind focused on working for Jesus.  I have found that in some of the most challenging times at work that those were prime opportunities to please God.  When I choose to work for Jesus, it makes my day so much more peaceful and joyful.  Not necessarily easier, but much more rewarding and satisfying.  Choosing to do something for God's glory brings the fruit of the Spirit.  When we let Jesus be our strength, the Holy Spirit works and provides fruit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, kindness...etc. And when I have the fruit of the Spirit alive in my life, that definitely brings HOPE!

Something else I have been meditating on is truth about God being pleased with me.  When I choose to do the Lord's will (love Him and other's) God is pleased with me.  I have no one else to please.  That's it.  I am justified and sanctified through the blood of Jesus and I am free.  I am freed from the pressures of this world and the law.  Praise the Lord!!

Wake up

Tonite, I was driving home from a friend's house and it hit me that I will have lived in Lafayette for almost 5 months.  

Observations from a T-townian: Lafayette

Lafayette definitely has some very distinct characteristics that I have come to find as re-occuring topics on my brain since arriving here.  

The first obvious characteristic is the taste of the water.  It just tastes like rust.  Bad.  Yucky.  I really haven't heard a straight answer as to why.  I wondered if it was just the water in the home I am staying in, based on the fact that they use well water.  But it is definitely a taste found all over the city.

Second: The smell.  One of my first weekends in Lafayette, I went shopping with Jana.  We were walking through the parking lot of the mall when I smelled something very strange.  It actually smelled good and what I proclaimed to Jana, "It smells like brownies!"  She then responds, "That's the smell that comes from the Purina cat food factories."  

Third: Outdoor freezers.  The weather here is cold enough in the winter, you can just leave your food on your back step.  (Watch out for cats.) But you don't even need two refrigerators!  (It was -19 degrees last nite!)  

Fourth: Pizza restaurant names.  Lafayette has some true, authentic (I think) names for pizza places like: "Bruno's" and "Moncino's" and "Cozzoli's" and "Puccini's".  It is my goal to try most of them.  :)  

Fifth:  The word "color".  I've run across a few people that pronounce the word "color" like "collar".   :)  I love you guys.  

Sixth:  Driving.  Lafayette drivers are so...aggressive!  :)  Well, being from a small city, ahem, where the average speed limit is 30 mph, makes driving here a little more stressful.  Lafayette is only two hours away from Chicago, but people drive like they're in Chicago.  As soon as the light turns green, REV that engine up to 45 mph in 2 seconds flat!  And they do this only to rush ahead to the next red light only 30 feet in front of them.  And they are definitely NOT hesitant to let you know you are going too slow in front of them.  Maybe I just drive slow...

Seventh: Factories and trains.  I had no idea before moving here how much Lafayette is a factory city.  My drive to work is right along some major factories (couldn't tell ya what they are) so it seems as if they are everywhere.  At nite it is actually kind of cool to look at them with all their lights on.  

Eighth: Hospitals.  Lafayette has alot of hospitals!  Clarion Arnett, St. Elizabeth, Home Hospital, Wabash Valley Hospital, etc.

I enjoy hearing about how a city originates.  Here is some Lafayette history in case you enjoy that kind of thing as well:  

The area around what is now Tippecanoe County was inhabited by a tribe of Miami Indians known as the Ouiatenon or Weas. The French government established Fort Ouiatenon in 1717 across the Wabash River and three miles (5 km) south of the location of present-day Lafayette. The fort became the center of trade for fur trappers, merchants and Indians. An annual reenactment and festival known as The Feast of the Hunters' Moon takes place there each fall.

Lafayette was platted by the river trader William Digby, in May 1825. The town was made county seat for the newly formed Tippecanoe County soon after in 1826. Like many small frontier towns, Lafayette was officially named for General Lafayette, a French military hero who fought with and significantly aided the American Army during the American Revolutionary War (September 6, 1757—May 20, 1834).

In its earliest days Lafayette was a shipping center on the Wabash River. The Wabash and Erie Canal in the 1840s further cemented Lafayette's regional prominence, which was also escalated by the arrival of the railroads in the 1850s. The Monon Railroad connected Lafayette with other sections of Indiana.

Lafayette was the site of the first official air mail delivery in the United States, which took place on August 17, 1859, when John Wise piloted a balloon starting on the Lafayette courthouse grounds. Wise hoped to reach New York; however, weather conditions forced the balloon down near Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the mail reached its final destination by train. In 1959, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 7¢ airmail stamp commemorating the centennial of the event.

Modern history owes a fair debt to Robert Kriebel, a reporter since retired from the Lafayette Journal and Courier newspaper. By way of his books and columns the curious are provided a convenient, accessible, and even colorful way to grasp the events around and preceding him. Old Lafayette in two volumes is highly recommended.   (Wikipedia)

FUN Fact: Jeremy Camp is from Lafayette, IN!

How does a cow make milk?

Girl from my class: "Miss Renae?  Do you know how a cow makes milk?"

Me: "Yes."

Girl:  "Well, I know too.  Do you want to know how?"

Me:  No response.

Girl:  "Well, the cow shakes his belly really really fast!!"

Oh my.  I definitely learned something new today!  Ha!  My life this week, has pretty much been my work, (which includes "my kids") and sleep.  On Monday, we welcomed four new students to our existing 21, and moved one to a room down the hall.  Last week with alot of our students on winter break, and my co-coordinating teacher in a different room, we did not have the time to get ready for the new students.  Monday morning (this week), you could say that we were a little stressed!  

This is definitely my first real teaching job mainly because I do lesson planning and have curriculum I am required to follow.  I am a teacher, but yet, most the time I feel like a babysitter.  Working with 3-4 year olds is very trying mainly because they are want to try things on their own, but they still need your assistance.  You have these little people who are bursting with enthusiasm to learn and soak up new things and try new things by themselves, but yet, they need help opening the little package on their juice box with the pointy straw.  

However, I really enjoy this age because of those very things.  Usually by this age, they are potty-trained and are developmentally able to carry on a short conversation with you.  It is mostly one-sided, but that can be very enjoyable and entertaining.  

Most definitely I enjoy "working with" children, but I'm not quite sure about the teaching part.  I will do it, but I don't find this position that satisfying.  If I could work with children as a teacher, I would do it for a morning or afternoon, but not as an all day thing.   (But then you wouldn't get paid for full-time and that is what I need currently.)  So, I am currently on a job search.  I am trying to find something that I hope would be a good fit for me and the gifts that God has given me.  

God has greatly blessed me with my current job working at Burghett's Learning Center.  I am so thankful that He provides what I need.  Especially despite my complaining and lack of trust.  He is faithful and that is just who He is.  

Child-like joy

This was the flower girl for Dan and Robyn's wedding.  :)  Robyn was definitely the queen of the dance floor that nite at the reception, but I think this little gal was the "Dancing princess"!  She was just dancing her heart out and I was able to capture a little snippet from her performance.