...good all the time and all the time GOD is good.
This was a phrase that I said at my church in Korea every Sunday. God Is Good, was the titled for Our Daily Bread today. It made me miss the people I met in Korea and my time spent with them and mostly GOD there.
Here are two parts that stood out to me from ODB:
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. Psalm 25:8
We can't rely on feelings. But day by day as we choose to trust Him more, we learn to believe with confidence that God is good--all the time.
-Anne Cetas
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
A teacher's pay...
The following was sent to me by a friend, who is also a teacher. I loved it and felt I had to share it here, especially with all that is happening in my world with being a special ed. teacher and getting my masters.
May it make you smile as well. May you recall a teacher who did something extra special in your life to change your world. For me, I always think about Miss Steed and Mrs. Watson. For that matter, most of my teachers from Jonesville. GOD blessed me in such amazing ways in my life, even before I really knew HIM.
Those teachers NEVER got paid nearly as much as they deserved, but the eternal value is worth more than they will ever know. Here's that email:
Teacher's Salary
Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do--baby sit!
We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time. That would be $19.50 a day (7:00 AM to 3:30 (or so) PM with just 25 min. off for lunch). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
NOW... How many do they teach in a class, 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! We're not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE.... That's $585 x 180= $105,300 per year.
What about those special teachers and the ones with master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage, and just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour. That would be $7 x 6 1/2 hours x 30 children x 180 days = $245,700 per year.
Wait a minute--there's something wrong here! Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277/per day/30 students = $9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student. A very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even try - with your help - to EDUCATE your kids! WHAT A DEAL....
Make a teacher smile; send this to someone else who appreciates teachers...
May it make you smile as well. May you recall a teacher who did something extra special in your life to change your world. For me, I always think about Miss Steed and Mrs. Watson. For that matter, most of my teachers from Jonesville. GOD blessed me in such amazing ways in my life, even before I really knew HIM.
Those teachers NEVER got paid nearly as much as they deserved, but the eternal value is worth more than they will ever know. Here's that email:
Teacher's Salary
Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do--baby sit!
We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time. That would be $19.50 a day (7:00 AM to 3:30 (or so) PM with just 25 min. off for lunch). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
NOW... How many do they teach in a class, 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! We're not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE.... That's $585 x 180= $105,300 per year.
What about those special teachers and the ones with master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage, and just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour. That would be $7 x 6 1/2 hours x 30 children x 180 days = $245,700 per year.
Wait a minute--there's something wrong here! Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277/per day/30 students = $9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student. A very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even try - with your help - to EDUCATE your kids! WHAT A DEAL....
Make a teacher smile; send this to someone else who appreciates teachers...
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My Valentine's Gift
I had the BESTEST Valentine's Day that I have ever had. Why you ask since you all know I am single? Well, it is because my Valentine was GOD Himself. And also, because HE gave me the best gift ever.
I had a huge paper due tonight and really needed some time to finish it. It was going to snow and I was praying very hard for a snow day. If we had a snow day then I would have all day to work on the paper. I didn't get the snow day, but GOD gave me something even better. Because it was Valentine's Day most of my kiddos had parties in their general ed. classroom. Thursdays are also a special day for my sped kids and that gives me a longer lunch hour. We also had a delayed start at school, meaning we started the day an hour later. So I only had to be in the classroom for my reading group. I KNEW this was GOD. HE knew exactly what I needed, because I got to spend time on my paper (which was finished at 2:10pm). If we would have had a snow day I would not have gotten to work as easily as I did, for at home I would have had distractions. It was just a beautiful boutique for me.
Not only that, but because of writing this paper and two others that are all due I haven't slept. For the past week, I haven't gone to bed until 2:30 or 3:00 am. I am feeling exhausted and wondering if I have what it takes to complete this Masters? So yesterday I received this in an email from a friend:
Being in school is not easy. Higher education is somewhat like a "rite of passage". It is designed to see who can make the cuts. You are one of the toughest people I know. You can do it. I'm so proud of you for what you are trying to accomplish and all your hard work. I look at you and feel for you remembering many a nights like you've had. Before long you will start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and you won't believe that you've actually done it. There is no greater accomplishment in life. When I was at my graduation, I literally wepted as I sat there after my name was called. I could not believe that I did it. But I did do it and you are going to do it too!!!!
And then before going to bed late, I had to read a devotion. "God Calling" for February 13, went right along with that above email and what I needed to hear from GOD. Here is what it said:
In a race it is not the start that hurts, not the even pace of the long stretch. It is when the goal is in sight that heart and nerves and courage and muscles are strained almost beyond human endurance, almost to the breaking point. So with you now the goal is in sight, you need your final cry to Me. Can you not see by the nerve and heart rack of the past few days that your race is nearly run? Courage, courage. Heed My voice of encouragement. Remember that I am by your side, spurring you on to victory. In the annals of heaven, the saddest records are those that tell of the many who ran well, with brave stout hearts, until in sight of the goal, of victory, and then their courage failed. The whole host of heaven longed to cry out how near the end was, to implore the last spurt, but they fell out, never to know until the last day of revealing, how near they were to victory.
I shared that with my friend who sent the email and she wrote this:
Well Kimie I guess I understand why I felt led to write that email to you yesterday. I guess God is your biggest cheerleader here making sure that you know He is behind you even when it is tough.
So after reading that last night and GOD giving me the gift HE did today. Again, just reminders to me about HOW GREAT GOD IS!
I then received some great words of encouragement from a couple of friends who thought of me today. The first was an ecard which said:
Your Divine Valentine
A Valentine may play a love song for you,
but GOD sings you the
sweetest love song in the universe
The Lord your God...will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers,
But GOD sent you the
most beautiful rose of all, Jesus
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may take you out to dinner,
but GOD has invited you
to the most amazing feast ever given
Blessed are those who are called to the marriage of the supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:9
A Valentine may bring you chocolate,
but GOD provides you with
something even sweeter, His Word
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter then honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103
A Valentine may be far away,
But GOD is always with you
I am with you always. Matthew 28:20
A Valentine may give you something,
but GOD has given you everything
God...gives us richly all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime,
but GOD loved you before you were born
and will love you for all eternity!
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with loving kindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Praying you're blessed by the wonderful love of GOD this Valentine's Day and always!
I also received an email from a friend, who didn't know what the words would mean to me or even if I would want to read them. I did and it reminded me of the times when I have had dates with JESUS. I started them in Nashville and have had quit a few here in Denver as well. The following words reminded me of those times:
Dating Jesus: The Single Cure for Loneliness
Julie Ferwerda
"You'll never be satisfied in a relationship until you're satisfied with Jesus."
If you're single, you've probably heard the well meaning, albeit superficial-sounding, vague admonition thrown at you usually by seemingly content married people. Great. How in the heck do you find contentment with Jesus when you feel the daily nagging ache for true earthly love--the love that even God said is the better way (Genesis 2:18)?
Really, I've found there's only one way. Date Jesus. And the reason why married people "insensitively" tell you in so many words to do this, is because they know that marriage doesn't solve all your longings for intimacy and belonging. They're trying to give you the hint that, while marriage has it's advantages and is overall a good thing, it isn't the end all to loneliness and love hunger. Many have discovered this only after they got married and were still lonely. Now they're letting you in on the secret: only by dating Jesus will you find what you're truly searching for.
I just so happen to be married, but a few years ago when I was single--and lonely--I began dating Jesus. Now that I'm married, I still date Jesus. My husband, great guy though he is, can't possibly be all I need for unconditional love, security, intimacy and belonging. Nor I for him. Without dating Jesus, I'd still be as lonely as a raft at sea.
Is it possible? Is it weird, thinking of Jesus as a romantic interest? And how do I do it?
The Bible tells us that when we get to our heavenly kingdom, we (his followers) will walk the holy matrimony aisle as his bride, celebrating our own great wedding day with our Prince of Peace (Revelation 19:7-9). That means to me that while we're here on earth, we are in a sacred courtship with the King of kings. We're in the relationship-building stage, getting to know him mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, but not getting to be united with him physically ... until our wedding day. There's nothing weird about thinking of Jesus like your greatest romantic interest, even if you're a guy. He wants that kind of intimacy with you so that he can win your heart with his amazing, perfect love, and make you ready for the big day when you get to live happily ever after with him.
THANK you my friend. I love dating JESUS. Must admit I haven't done it as frequently as I use to. I know once I am settled back into my own place I hope to start making a date night again.
I had a huge paper due tonight and really needed some time to finish it. It was going to snow and I was praying very hard for a snow day. If we had a snow day then I would have all day to work on the paper. I didn't get the snow day, but GOD gave me something even better. Because it was Valentine's Day most of my kiddos had parties in their general ed. classroom. Thursdays are also a special day for my sped kids and that gives me a longer lunch hour. We also had a delayed start at school, meaning we started the day an hour later. So I only had to be in the classroom for my reading group. I KNEW this was GOD. HE knew exactly what I needed, because I got to spend time on my paper (which was finished at 2:10pm). If we would have had a snow day I would not have gotten to work as easily as I did, for at home I would have had distractions. It was just a beautiful boutique for me.
Not only that, but because of writing this paper and two others that are all due I haven't slept. For the past week, I haven't gone to bed until 2:30 or 3:00 am. I am feeling exhausted and wondering if I have what it takes to complete this Masters? So yesterday I received this in an email from a friend:
Being in school is not easy. Higher education is somewhat like a "rite of passage". It is designed to see who can make the cuts. You are one of the toughest people I know. You can do it. I'm so proud of you for what you are trying to accomplish and all your hard work. I look at you and feel for you remembering many a nights like you've had. Before long you will start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and you won't believe that you've actually done it. There is no greater accomplishment in life. When I was at my graduation, I literally wepted as I sat there after my name was called. I could not believe that I did it. But I did do it and you are going to do it too!!!!
And then before going to bed late, I had to read a devotion. "God Calling" for February 13, went right along with that above email and what I needed to hear from GOD. Here is what it said:
In a race it is not the start that hurts, not the even pace of the long stretch. It is when the goal is in sight that heart and nerves and courage and muscles are strained almost beyond human endurance, almost to the breaking point. So with you now the goal is in sight, you need your final cry to Me. Can you not see by the nerve and heart rack of the past few days that your race is nearly run? Courage, courage. Heed My voice of encouragement. Remember that I am by your side, spurring you on to victory. In the annals of heaven, the saddest records are those that tell of the many who ran well, with brave stout hearts, until in sight of the goal, of victory, and then their courage failed. The whole host of heaven longed to cry out how near the end was, to implore the last spurt, but they fell out, never to know until the last day of revealing, how near they were to victory.
I shared that with my friend who sent the email and she wrote this:
Well Kimie I guess I understand why I felt led to write that email to you yesterday. I guess God is your biggest cheerleader here making sure that you know He is behind you even when it is tough.
So after reading that last night and GOD giving me the gift HE did today. Again, just reminders to me about HOW GREAT GOD IS!
I then received some great words of encouragement from a couple of friends who thought of me today. The first was an ecard which said:
Your Divine Valentine
A Valentine may play a love song for you,
but GOD sings you the
sweetest love song in the universe
The Lord your God...will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers,
But GOD sent you the
most beautiful rose of all, Jesus
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may take you out to dinner,
but GOD has invited you
to the most amazing feast ever given
Blessed are those who are called to the marriage of the supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:9
A Valentine may bring you chocolate,
but GOD provides you with
something even sweeter, His Word
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter then honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103
A Valentine may be far away,
But GOD is always with you
I am with you always. Matthew 28:20
A Valentine may give you something,
but GOD has given you everything
God...gives us richly all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime,
but GOD loved you before you were born
and will love you for all eternity!
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with loving kindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Praying you're blessed by the wonderful love of GOD this Valentine's Day and always!
I also received an email from a friend, who didn't know what the words would mean to me or even if I would want to read them. I did and it reminded me of the times when I have had dates with JESUS. I started them in Nashville and have had quit a few here in Denver as well. The following words reminded me of those times:
Dating Jesus: The Single Cure for Loneliness
Julie Ferwerda
"You'll never be satisfied in a relationship until you're satisfied with Jesus."
If you're single, you've probably heard the well meaning, albeit superficial-sounding, vague admonition thrown at you usually by seemingly content married people. Great. How in the heck do you find contentment with Jesus when you feel the daily nagging ache for true earthly love--the love that even God said is the better way (Genesis 2:18)?
Really, I've found there's only one way. Date Jesus. And the reason why married people "insensitively" tell you in so many words to do this, is because they know that marriage doesn't solve all your longings for intimacy and belonging. They're trying to give you the hint that, while marriage has it's advantages and is overall a good thing, it isn't the end all to loneliness and love hunger. Many have discovered this only after they got married and were still lonely. Now they're letting you in on the secret: only by dating Jesus will you find what you're truly searching for.
I just so happen to be married, but a few years ago when I was single--and lonely--I began dating Jesus. Now that I'm married, I still date Jesus. My husband, great guy though he is, can't possibly be all I need for unconditional love, security, intimacy and belonging. Nor I for him. Without dating Jesus, I'd still be as lonely as a raft at sea.
Is it possible? Is it weird, thinking of Jesus as a romantic interest? And how do I do it?
The Bible tells us that when we get to our heavenly kingdom, we (his followers) will walk the holy matrimony aisle as his bride, celebrating our own great wedding day with our Prince of Peace (Revelation 19:7-9). That means to me that while we're here on earth, we are in a sacred courtship with the King of kings. We're in the relationship-building stage, getting to know him mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, but not getting to be united with him physically ... until our wedding day. There's nothing weird about thinking of Jesus like your greatest romantic interest, even if you're a guy. He wants that kind of intimacy with you so that he can win your heart with his amazing, perfect love, and make you ready for the big day when you get to live happily ever after with him.
THANK you my friend. I love dating JESUS. Must admit I haven't done it as frequently as I use to. I know once I am settled back into my own place I hope to start making a date night again.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Missing Friends...
This past weekend was spent up in Estes Park on a youth retreat with my church. It was a great time meeting the RISEN CHRIST. I even played broom ball on the ice while it was snowing with some junior high kids, never to old for fun.
The hard part was that it made me recall my time working with the youth back at Christ Church in Nashville. This made me think about Eric and Emmy.
On Saturday as I was playing broom ball and missing my friend, Eric, very much, it hit me that a year ago that day was when He and Emmy got to go home and be with the LORD.
All week I have not stopped thinking about this amazing guy and all my wonderful moments spend with him. I longed to call him on the phone this week, to hear what GOD was doing in his life. Just like many times in the past, but I can't.
So today I finally decided that I needed to sit down and write, to let you all out there know that I am missing one of my most amazing friends.
Eric, you were an awesome man of GOD and I know that you are wrapped in HIS Loving arms as I write this, looking down on us here. PRAISE JESUS, for the Light you shined and left here. I miss you and love you dearly.
The hard part was that it made me recall my time working with the youth back at Christ Church in Nashville. This made me think about Eric and Emmy.
On Saturday as I was playing broom ball and missing my friend, Eric, very much, it hit me that a year ago that day was when He and Emmy got to go home and be with the LORD.
All week I have not stopped thinking about this amazing guy and all my wonderful moments spend with him. I longed to call him on the phone this week, to hear what GOD was doing in his life. Just like many times in the past, but I can't.
So today I finally decided that I needed to sit down and write, to let you all out there know that I am missing one of my most amazing friends.
Eric, you were an awesome man of GOD and I know that you are wrapped in HIS Loving arms as I write this, looking down on us here. PRAISE JESUS, for the Light you shined and left here. I miss you and love you dearly.
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