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This week has gone by crazy-fast!!!!!
Today is the last day of my grad class, and I had planned on turning in my paper early because I'm such a nerd. However, I spent many hours ministering to folks this week during the little bit of free time I had. I'm no longer in leadership at church, but I haven't slowed down one bit as far as listening, praying with, and ministering to hurting people. I've even had people in my grad class ask me about my spiritual life. Cool, huh?!?!
Anyway, my paper isn't due for two weeks, but I'm going to write it tomorrow (Saturday) morning so that I can relax and breathe. This is the last paper I have to write for at least two years, which is when I'm planning to take more classes for the fun of it. At this point, it looks like the boys are going to college for free because of Wilson's disability, but I still want to help them a little every month. I'd prefer that they do not work while in college, so the money I would have paid for tuition can go for clothing, cell phone bills, food, or whatever they'll need. :o)
I keep forgetting my camera, but I'll try to take pictures of the beautiful campus where I've spent the majority of the last four days. It's gorgeous! A convent is on the other side of the grounds, and the nuns are so cute in their habits! They're sweet, too, and I enjoy chatting with them before/after class or on breaks. Walsh University pays them for three classrooms, and they've been renovated. It's an older building, but it looks brand new on the inside. I'll have to show you with some pics this evening.
My son, Shaq, volunteered to do some ministry with our pastor, and I couldn't be happier about that. My little one is going to the "The 99" with my mom tonight; maybe I'll see if since I'm a prayer counselor. I'm planning on staying until Shaq calls me for a ride home.
I hope you have a spectacular Friday!
I just finished checking my e-mails and reading recent news articles.
In the last ten minutes, I've read 3 articles about people hurting children in gruesome ways.
Let's pray:
Father, these situations clearly do not reflect the love and care you expect parents to show their children. Please protect little ones! Keep your arms of protection around them, and touch the minds of parents who are contemplating hurting their own children. In Jesus' name, amen.
On a happier note: I only have two more days of my grad class. It's interesting! I've learned a great deal of time savers that I'll try to implement this school year. I also received a behavior analysis that is almost 100% correct! I LOVE taking questionnaires like that, especially when they are amazingly accurate.
I just got off the phone with my buddy, Iva. We spoke for several hours, laughing and being silly. She's such a sweetheart!
I'd better get to sleep. I have a long day tomorrow. See ya!
Today was my "first day of school" for my grad class, and I wasn't sure what to expect.
Thankfully, it's a wonderful experience! It is NOT a joke or a waste of time, but he isn't piling on the homework, either. I've learned a great deal today, all of which is applicable to my teaching career.
I'm looking forward to the next four days! :o)
Granted, I'm tired because my brain was working all day. It's also a 1 and 1/2 hour drive round trip, so I'm tired. It was nice quiet, worship time, though; I listened to 95.5 The Fish (contemporary Christian station) during my drive.
If I remember, I'll take my camera so that you can see the gorgeous grounds where my class is being held. There is a flower or plant, though, that has an awful stench; we could smell it all day until we close the windows and turned on the air. :D
Happy Monday!
Church was cool today! Pastor did a sermon on "first fruits," and I know that he's not particularly fond of preaching on that topic. In addition, we happened to have quite a few visitors today, but he still did a wonderful job.
I also met a great new friend named Amy. She's so sweet!
My headaches are back, so I was uncomfortable during the sermon. I was tempted to run to the drinking fountain and take a couple of Tylenol, but I would have interrupted the service big-time since I was sitting in the front.
I pray for myself when I'm sick, but sometimes God doesn't heal me. Oh well.
I'm making Hamburger Helper for dinner. I might be more creative if I didn't feel so icky. I took a nap, and it DID help a little bit.
In a couple of hours I will go to M. Church and lead the music for the worship service. Corporate worship is always fun, isn't it? :o)
Have a great evening!
Thought-provoking, isn't it?
I prayed with 16 people this evening, and three of them came to Christ for the first time!
WOOO HOOOO!!!! Heaven got a little bit bigger tonight!
There were around 100 counselors eager to pray with folks, and I had a BLAST!!!!
I will definitely go back tomorrow evening. Pray for the counselors, please. I'm specifically asking for wisdom and discernment to pray effectively for these precious souls. Thanks!
Let's pray:
Thank you, Lord, for an amazing night! I thoroughly enjoyed ministering to hurting hearts, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to pray for so many folks, including two married couples. God, you are so amazing! Please use all of us tomorrow and soften hearts to be ready to accept you as Savior! In Jesus' name, amen!
Tonight is the first night of "the 99," and I'm psyched! I can't wait to counsel folks who have never accepted Christ into their hearts! It's going to be incredible!
I was speaking with a fellow counselor last night before group prayer, and she was feeling intimidated because she can't quote scripture very well. I told her, "You know, I don't think that's important at all. Before I knew the Lord well, I couldn't care less if people could recite scripture. I knew people who could do that but were mean and judgmental. What caught my attention were the folks who exhibited God's love, and you do that just fine!"
She felt a lot better at the end of the evening when we walked together to the parking lot. :D
I'm a morning person, so I'm going to take a nap later so that I won't yawn while I'm trying to lead people to the Lord at midnight (or later). ;o)
Have a beautiful day, my friend!
( I'll keep this rated G.)
My friend, Melanie, went to Subway to pick up sandwiches for our lunch, but on the way back she saw a guy riding a bike. What's so odd about that? Well, he had apparently forgotten to put on his clothes.
Yep, he was adorned with only his birthday suit as he exercised. :D Thankfully, the police were quick to arrive.
On a happier note, today was my last day of summer school!
On an even happier note, every student passed with a C or better!!!!!! WOO HOOOO!!!!!!!! One of my little darlings said, "Ms. S., I learned more from you in four weeks than I did in a year. Thank you."
Wow.
Thank you, Lord, for blessing them with understanding as I presented material. Please keep your arms of protection around them as they begin their senior year of high school or, in some cases, graduate.
Father, all of them have tickets to "the 99," so PLEASE touch their hearts! Let them be curious enough to attend. I pray that all of them receive you as Lord and Savior! In Jesus' name, amen!
When I was hurting and decided to leave the church, Brian stepped up and faithfully played every single week. Now, I am hesitant to play during a service. I want him to continue playing. Besides, he has been playing (and doing a great job!) every week.
I think I'll bow out for a while. Pastor will be out of town, and Brian actually wants to tackle the challenge of playing by himself. I don't mind; it's on my birthday, so I'll be able to sit back and relax. :o)
I'm not really needed at my church anymore.
The work that I would have done is now being accomplished by a beautiful, sweet, kind, loving woman who is willing to tackle just about anything.
The music I would have played is being done by the capable, friendly, lovable husband of a friend of mine.
I think all of this is happening for a reason. I won't say what that reason is here, but I sure am excited about it! I will keep praying for the growth within my church and the opportunities for others to become involved in ministry.
God, thank you for allowing me to move aside, to allow Brian to shine as he worships you each week. Thank you for blessing him and his beautiful family with a wonderful vacation! I'm also grateful for the folks who are willing to put their hands to work for you!
Father, I will continue to pray as you lead me, and I appreciate every opportunity to show you my love for you through obedience and humility. I am yours, Jesus, and I'm listening for your voice every day. I love you, Lord, and I pray that you continue to use me however you see fit. In Jesus' name, amen!
We had an unannounced fire drill at an awkward time: break (lunch).
But it wasn't a drill at all! Somehow the lunch ladies caught a pizza on fire.
Umm....I'm not quite sure how one does that, but that's the story I heard.
So my students and I enjoyed the beautiful summer weather for 45 minutes while the firefighters got everything under control. Unfortunately, one of the workers suffered smoke inhalation, which is why it took such a long time for us to receive clearance to reenter the building.
This afternoon, I'll meet a friend at 5:00 to help her with a project, and then I'll just sit tight and wait for my church's Bible study to begin. (We'll be at Panera; come join us!) After that, I'll get some much-needed rest. I stayed up late playing the piano/singing to the Lord, but now I'm sleepy!
Have a wonderful evening!
Every now and then the prayer time at the women's Bible study blows me away.
Tonight was awesome!
I'm so excited about the friendships that are unifying this kind, compassionate group of women who attend M. Church.
I'm also thrilled about the visions God has given some folks at FBC!
God is moving, ya'll!!!!!! :o)
Be happy, and look for opportunities to share God's love. He'll give them to you!
By the way, I love you, and you are loved by the most high King! Be blessed!
After work, I had a meeting with Pastor about my role in the church, and I feel MUCH better about everything. You may have noticed that quite a few of my blog entries have disappeared. That's because I have decided to erase every entry that contained even one ounce of whining.
:D
I want this blog to bless, NOT DEPRESS, people!!!!
(Hold me accountable to that, please. I'm on an "accountability" kick, and I'm getting blessed by the words of truth that my friends are sharing with me.)
I'm going to spend several evenings with some fellow Christians as we witness and pray with young people in the next few weeks. Please pray that we say the exact words God is calling us to use.
My boys will be home soon. They went to Cedar Point with their youth group, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about it! :o)
I praise God for every blessing, and I'm looking forward to seeing what He's up to not only for my life but for the lives of everyone I know! I love you, and I'm interested in your testimonies. I'm all ears!
I thought I was supposed to play at M. Church today, but I'm supposed to play NEXT week!
Duh!
The music director let me play anyway since I had already picked out the songs. :o)
I enjoyed some incredible prayer time with her and the pastor after the service, and I feel so refreshed!
I had quite a wonderful opportunity this weekend to reflect on my behavior, mentality, and attitude as a woman of God, and I have to say that I liked what I experienced. Yes, there were some intense moments when the Lord allowed some residual pain to surface, but I've dealt with it, and so has God. Here are some affirmations that I will try to remember in the weeks to come:
1. God made me; therefore, I am precious. I don't have to do good works to get His attention. He loves me already!
2. I have the power to forgive, even when folks don't even want my forgiveness. The act of forgiving offenses is for MY benefit too!
3. There is a reason that God has me where I am at this time during this season of my life. It is not my place to ask, "Why, Lord?" All I need to do is be obedient and wait for further instructions!
4. I want to be accountable. Although I have only recently begun to get to know Iva, she has already agreed to be one of my accountability partners - - - she'll keep an eye on my behavior and attitude, and I'm so grateful to her for that.
5. I want to be the woman God is calling me to be right now. I want to be a bright light that draws folks toward God's love! I want to bring peace to every relationship I have! I will try very hard not to inflict pain; instead, others will feel better after knowing me, in Jesus' name! Amen!
I shared my love for God with come folks today, and it felt wonderful!
I am totally enjoying my private prayer time with some Bible reading with the Lord, and I usually play the piano/sing some worship songs to God after work every day. My dog looked so relaxed as he listened this afternoon! :D (I'm serious! I think he might have felt the Lord's presence too!)
I confessed some immature behavior to someone last night, and he laughed. (I'm so grateful that I didn't get a long lecture. Instead, I received precious friendship, complete acceptance, and his typical encouragement. We simply sat and talked for a couple of hours like we used to do so often, and I smiled as I drove home.)
My Mom also got a visit from me last night; I just wanted to check in on her and make sure she was feeling well. We ended up talking and laughing in my car for an hour! She's reading a book and wanted to tell me all about it. :o) I didn't mind listening - - - I love her dearly.
Recently I read about some folks who displeased God so badly that the earth swallowed them up...including their wives and children. Aren't you glad God doesn't punish that severely anymore? If He did, I would have been dead long ago!
**** WHOA! **** I just got a call from my friend, Iva, who won tickets to the Women of Faith Conference in Cleveland tomorrow! And guess who she asked to use the second ticket?!?!?! Praise God! A few weeks ago some of my girlfriends spent some serious moolah that I just didn't have to arrange a group trip, but God knew the desires of my heart. It's funny; I type the title of this entry 15 minutes before the phone call! :o)
THANK YOU, GOD!!!!!
Let's pray:
Thank you, God, for your presence, your love, and your forgiveness! I know that I have found favor in your sight recently since my hard-headedness transformed to a desire to obey Your will for my life. There's still so much I need to improve, though. Please continue to walk with me every day.
Forgive me, Lord, for my immaturity! I know that you're not shocked by my decisions, but I am truly sorry for giving up on You too quickly. As I've already told you, I'm ready and willing to do whatever you ask!
Your kindness astounds me! I am humbled as you show me myself daily, but I'm also encouraged because I know that You are helping me in so many areas of my life. I am truly grateful!
Father, please continue to knit our hearts together! Remind us of what our mothers and grandmothers had said for years: "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." I also pray for balance as we try to communicate with each other regarding offenses. Don't let us judge and convict others; instead, Lord, allow us to simply address offenses in as loving a manner as possible and to feel eager for any correction that is going to ultimately bring us closer to You. Jesus, I also pray that you would embolden the women in my life so that they will be willing to correct me if they see me out of hand. I really do want to be holy because You are holy!
Thank you for the best evening (last night) I've had in a long time! I really missed my friend, and I'm so thankful that you've allowed the tension to totally disappear. He is such a blessing to me, and I pray that you bless him in every way. Father, I pray that you use me to bring him peace, to help him relax on the rough days, and to encourage him with visions you give me in prayer.
And thank you, again, for Iva's thoughtful heart! I'm still in awe that she thought of me when I'm sure she has lots of friends her own age! (I hope I'm not old enough to be her mother; perhaps I'm just 15 years older than her). God, thank you so much for allowing me to know this sweet, amazing woman who loves you with all of her heart! Bless her with a pain-free night of rest this evening, and touch her home with peace and excitement for what You're up to in their lives. Let her, her husband, and their cutie pie baby boy have some fantastic family time today before he goes to work. In Jesus' name, amen!
John filled in tonight while Woody is on vacation, and he spoke about FORGIVENESS! (That's exactly what God has been dealing with me about for several days!)
He encouraged us to keep standing on God's word, to keep loving one another, to keep behaving in a way that is holy so that those without God's love can see a difference in us.
Worship was amazing; Mandy harmonized with me as we led the music, and it was fantastic! God's spirit ministered to me tonight, and I loved every second!
I'm off to write three tests and get some sleep. Goodnight!
Jamil and I spent the morning rearranging my living room!
I had a large rug on the floor, but at 8:30 a.m. Jazz's collar got caught on a loose loop. The poor guy was freaking out; it took a few seconds to get his collar off to see the problem. If that had happened when we were in school, he would have been trapped from 8:30 until the boys came home at 2:30.
The carpet had to go.
That was a no-brainer. :D
I have beautiful hard wood floors, but they'll need to be stripped and waxed - - which will need to wait until I have extra money (probably January when I'll get three paychecks).
I spent the day cleaning up, trying furniture in different spots, cooking, doing laundry, and watching a couple of movies on t.v.
I've had quite an amazingly relaxing day! I might spend tomorrow relaxing at home as well; we shall see. I'm not exactly motivated to go to church; it's not fun anymore, and I have so much more joy spending time with God right here at home.
I enjoyed some fantastic worship time this evening, though. I have come to cherish my private time with the Lord more than ever.
Sweet dreams!
I have had a long, busy week. I worked 7 hours every day, and then I helped with the kids at church on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening for Kids Fun Nights. Although it was enjoyable, I still greatly prefer teaching my teenage students. :D
I'm pleased to say that everyone earned an A or B during the first "semester,"which ended yesterday. Only ten more days until my summer begins!!!!
The weekend will be spent working on homework for my next grad class. It doesn't begin until July 27th, but I'm getting a head start since I already have the book. I'm looking forward to enjoying a few cups of decaf tea as I catch up on some recreational reading.
Enjoy your weekend!
I misunderstood the directions last night, and I gave prizes to the kids...even after all their tickets were used.
That means we were running out of candy, pencils, etc. pretty quickly.
So.....
I just bought about 15 bags of candy to replenish our supply for tonight! :o) I also bought some pencils with encouraging sayings and someChristian playing cards (like "Bible Memory"); if we can't use them tonight, then we can always save them for Sunday school.
We had at least 3 times as many kids tonight as we did last night, and perhaps we'll have even more tomorrow.
Yes, I'm tired, but my nieces made some little friends this evening. :o) Speaking of "tired..."
G'night.
I didn't think to bring my camera, but I'll try to remember to take it tomorrow (and Wednesday).
Iva did a wonderful job organizing this three-day kids' fest. There were games, balloons, snacks, fun, and fellowship! I invited my great-nieces who had a blast! I was thrilled to see them behave so well and participate with the others.
I am exhausted, though; I'm used to the big boys and girls. :o)
I'm off to relax by playing a game or two of Tetris before I finish a writing project and write a test. Hopefully, I'll be in bed by 10:00 or 10:30 (at the latest).
Have a peaceful evening!
Hello! I had a fantastic 4th of July! My family gathered at my house this year, and we had such a wonderful afternoon being silly, eating, and singing some worship songs together. You already know how un-talented I am with a camera, which is why I'm including some not-so-glamorous shots of myself to appease those who aren't thrilled with their own pics.
This first pic is of my beloved son, Jamil. He does NOT like getting his picture taken, but he humored his mama today. What a sweetie!
My Mom's excited about Lina coming over today!
This is one I took of myself just to see what the lighting looked like. Note to self: wait until hair dries completely after shower, and then check hair before pressing button on camera...
My son, Shaq, wasn't cooperating regarding a pic, so I snapped this one without permission. You can't run away if you're sitting down with a plate of yummy food! :o)
This is my sister mid-sentence as she's talking to the fam.
My sister Lani is getting a big 'ol hug from her baby girl, Lina. Man, it was good to see her today!
I got a hug from her too!
My Mom is surrounded by three generations of her family (counterclockwise): Lani (my sis), Lina (my neice), Tiana (sunglasses - my great-niece), and a family friend (pink top).
The guy in this picture, Christian, is Lina's fiancee. They haven't set the date yet, but they're shooting for some time in the spring. I hope I'll be able to attend!
This is what we saw of Aaron's (Lina's son's) head most of the afternoon. Oh well...I can't say that I blame him. If I were a 10 year-old kid, I'd probably prefer playing a PSP to talking with women at the kitchen table. ;o)
After eating a big meal, Tiana just couldn't hang with the big kids anymore. She conked out on the couch...errrr, on my dog! (Jazz didn't mind, though.) If you look closely at his face, you can tell he's more annoyed with me and the camera than he is with being her pillow! 
Lina and Aaron are getting ready to leave, but we wanted one more picture with Mom.
I have more pics, but they're terrible. I just need to practice, practice, practice. I promise to try to improve so that my birthday (in August) or the Thanksgiving pics won't put me to shame.
Have a wonderful holiday! And God bless the USA! (And Canada!)
God woke me up really early this morning, and I felt an urge to check my e-mail.
I'm glad I did.
My friend, Ruth, wrote to let me know that someone's mother passed away on Wednesday. I spent some time with her at the hospital last week, but I haven't seen her since then. The least I can do is attend the funeral and support her daughter, Nancy.
Please keep my friend and her family in your prayers. Although they've known that mom was terminally ill, I'm sure it's an intensely painful week for them.
One of my favorite songs, "Let the Worshipers Arise" is playing on the radio, and I'm smiling. Even at times like this, there is still time for some praise to the Lord for all of his blessings. From his perspective, death is no big deal.
May God give you a wonderful sign of his love today!
I am sooooooooooo excited! My neice, who lives in Tennessee, will be here tomorrow!
The boys and I have been cleaning up more than usual since Mom volunteered my house for the family get-together, and I'm truly looking forward to seeing everybody.
I will have pictures soon!
I have been involved in several Bible studies lately. The first one is a women's group at M. Church; we meet on Tuesday evenings, and they are so enjoyable! There is one woman there who tries to dominate every conversation, but we cut her some slack since she is a new Christian. She doesn't know any better.
My personal Bible study time has been with devotionals from the book Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be, and it is going slowly. I am gleaning from this piece of writing, but it is starting to become aggravating to read. If I were grading her work, there would be several notes in the margin indicating her excessive repetitiveness. She literally repeats phrases verbatim several times within the same paragraph, and it's annoying. I will try to finish this book in its entirety, but I might not make it...
I returned to a Wednesday night Bible study (for FBC) this week, and it was interesting. I am currently praying about my role in this church (the one God called me back to), and I haven't heard any definitive answers yet....which is why I'm doing nothing except attending and giving my tithes/offering. We will have a special kids ministry this week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening. I am NOT gifted with little children, but I offered to help oversee the games. Others will be running them, though, unless they need me to help with that too. I was told that she needed someone to simply make sure the teens were staying on task as they helped the little ones play.
I have a few errands to run, and then I'm coming home to finish cleaning. Have a happy 4th!
I'm going to meet my mother at 2:00 after work today. She has been throwing hints that she's "tired." She has also been getting things in order for her death. Her burial is already paid, and today we're going to run some errands for the same purpose.
She really misses my dad, and she has seemed preoccupied lately.
She had chest pain recently, and she refuses to go to the doctor. Gathering from what she is not saying, I think she's ready to go "home."
But I'm not.
Although she is not what I'd call suicidal, I do believe she doesn't want any intervention if something should happen.
I can handle this...I can handle this....
