(Random preface: Can I please just tell you why my MacBook just got SO much better? I downloaded “Mozilla Firefox” as my internet browser- I think it is kinda like taking your favorite blankie to college. Not the cool thing to do, but still the thing that brings you comfort. So I’m feeling more at home now. Trust me, it was about to get to me. I needed my blankie.)

On to more normal musings….

I don’t usually go to the book of Job for inspiration. I mean really, who wants to read about someone who pretty much lost everything for being a good guy? It kinda gives me the heeby-jeebies. But, thanks to this AMAZING new CD I bought (“Glory Revealed”- have you bought it on iTunes yet?), I can’t get out of this portion of scripture.

Job 11:13-18
Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

I actually wrote about this scripture last night and what it means to me where my life is today. But I decided to just put the verses and let you enjoy them. I won’t tell you why it’s my new favorite. Just trust me that it is- God’s promises are TRUE and TRUSTWORTHY.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

1) I purchased a MacBook yesterday. And though I am enjoying it, I am NOT a fan of change so it is tugging at my heartstrings to see my old Dell sitting over there, neglected. I’m sorry, old friend. It was nothing personal.

2) I have the stomach flu. Trust me, that’s all the info you want. Except this- Pedialyte tastes better than the average adult would imagine.

3) The only highlight of today was purchasing a new CD on iTunes. It’s called “Glory Revealed”. It is all scripture set to music with a bunch of awesome Christian artists singing them. It rules. You need to buy it. Today. Seriously.

4) And now, to celebrate the lack of solid foods that I have consumed, I’m going to lay in my bed and watch a DVD on my brand-spankin’ new laptop. Here are my choices-

a) “Finding Neverland”- a classic to me. Fantastic movie. Johnny Depp. Enough said.

b) “Pride and Prejudice”- the new one. My favorite scene is when they are the only two dancing. Oh Mr. Darcy.

c) “French Kiss”- kind of old school romantic comedy, but I’m getting the spring itch to go to Paris, so it would be a good choice. Don’t get me wrong- I don’t live some sort of rock star life where “I spring in Paris and fall in Boston” or anything like that. I just grew up with Parisian missionaries (shout out to MC!) and we visited them on spring break. So every spring, I get to wishing I was on the Seine River, floating by Notre Dame.

What did you say? Watch all 3? Well, since I already have a sub for tomorrow, that sounds like a great idea. You….. you always have such good ideas.

I don’t know how much you know about my classroom experience this year, or what this class has meant to me, but I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that the Lord used this group of kids to save my teaching career. I know that sounds extreme, but I feel that it is true. I adore them. They are, each of them, going to leave a small hole in my heart when they go to 5th grade. They have changed me.

So when the art teacher mentioned that each student AND teacher got to create an art project for an art show, I was pumped. I had a picture in my mind of exactly what I wanted to do.

Here’s something you need to know about me (if you don’t already)- if I don’t think that something is purposeful, I usually don’t do it. Not the most impressive quality in my life, but still who I am today. So, as I watched the teacher next door to me spend 3 hours sketching a turkey, I was shocked when she said that she didn’t even care about it- she was just following directions. If I’m going to spend 3 hours working on something, it better have meaning to it.

I spent about 3 hours on my piece as well. And, no shocker here, I cried over it. Because as I look at it, I see God. I guess, more than seeing God, I see how God held my little life in His hands and said, “I made her for them.” All I had to offer Him was scraps- just like the collages in this painting. And look what He did.

Isn’t that just like God? You give Him the pieces and He makes a masterpiece.

This has every one of my students’ names, eyes and mouth. And I can’t stop looking at it because I think it is gorgeous and it reminds me of God’s faithfulness.

The students named it “We Are.” because they said “that is who we are”. And I loved the title. I could finish that sentence 100 ways: We are loved. We are a family. We are hilarious. We are loud. We are spunky. We are happy. We are kind. We are imperfect. We are exhausting. We are affectionate. We are (at times) frustrating and annoying.

BUT- We are the ones who rescued Ms. Downs’ heart. We are exactly what she needed.

The company doing this art show is going to frame and mat all the paintings, then we can purchase them in May. Yes, it will be hanging in my house. And it will remind me, again, to trust Him with EVERY area of my life.

I remember it was MLK weekend my sophomore year of college. I was skiing with the youth group from East Cobb UMC- skiing being a funny word to use, since I had actually torn my MCL that day, and so I was just sitting on the back porch of the condo. It wasn’t snowing, but it had, and it was cold. And this CD called “Heaven and Earth” was playing on my headphones as I watched students I knew fly by at completely unsafe skiing speeds.

One of those songs just played on my “Party Shuffle” on iTunes. (Tell me you love the “Party Shuffle” like I do- it is good.) And it took my mind back to that ski trip, at the same time my mind was right here, right now. And again, God showed me new elements of His LOVE.

Here are the lyrics to “In Your LOVE” by Nichole Nordeman.

1) Yesterday, a student at school stood up and growled/yelled, “I HATE YOU” in a deep voice in my immediate direction. Yikes. Angry, but quotable. I mean, did anyone hate YOU today? Probably not. But you also didn’t assign the massive 10 math problems. I know, I’m a slave driver. (Yeah right.)

2) On another note, I was reading aloud to my kids during lunch (so sue us, it was an amazing book- we didn’t want to quit) and I was trying to spread butter on my sweet potato with one hand while staying in the story. As I read, I felt little fingers grab my fork from my hand and whisper, “I’ve got this one, Ms. Downs“, and I watched as she gently fixed my lunch. It almost made me cry. And THAT is why Jesus loves the little children. It was a selfless act because her quesadilla got cold in the process. I want to serve people that way- I want their sweet potato to be worth more than my quesadilla.

3) Gilmore Girls quote of the week: “Just eat the whole [darn] pie, Bill!” (Marie, Caroline, KTB, that’s for you.)

4) And my personal favorite:

Titus 3:4-5
But when the kindness and LOVE of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.

I truly love Him more today than yesterday.

Hey, you got a quote of the day? Please share.
(Kathleen, that means you.)

I don’t know how this happened. It started so innocently. I wasn’t even LOOKING. I was just there. Helping a friend. And the next thing I know, I’m planning our future together. Isn’t that always the way it is? When you’re looking, the well is dry. But when your focus is on someone else, that’s when perfection drops in your lap.

It’s never been like this before. I mean, don’t get me wrong. There have been others. Others that were great- but nothing like this. I didn’t think it would ever be like this. This true. This pure.

I want us to be together always. “It isn’t possible, it wouldn’t work.” That’s what all the skeptics will say. But I’ll prove them wrong.

It’s new and not always comfortable. But we will get used to each other. And you’ll probably have to beg us to separate.

I know it is quick to make such huge assumptions- I mean, we just met today. You’re probably thinking I should be guarding my heart. But I KNOW this is right. I’m not afraid to say that I’m in love.

Silly as it is, I already have a picture to show you. I care about my blog community (blommunity? communiblog?). And I want you to approve of my choices.

Oh, I’m sorry…. were you thinking something BESIDES my new shoes from Target? I’m apologize for leading you astray. But they are rather fabulous, aren’t they?

And honestly, I know I’m pretty transparent, but do you really think I’m going to blog the day I meet the MAN that I fall in love with? You’re right…. I probably will.

This blog is dedicated to my friend Jennifer Haas McIntosh. She fully appreciates my blog humor (blumor? humog?).

“God sets the lonely in families….”

And this below is what happens when the Mom and I are talking in the front seat and the kids in the back figure out Annie’s camera. I don’t care who you are, that’s funny. I forgot they even had it until I was on my way home and thought, “I should look at my pictures to see what he did.” And I laughed until I almost ran off Hwy. 316. There are about 14 companions to this photo that are almost equally funny. You are a funny man, D. I love your self-portraits.

Thanks for a great day, y’all. I love you.