Finally sittin' down.....

Whew, I'm tired! Yeah, I know....that's not exactly a Fox News Alert, but I thought I'd say it anyway.

I'm sitting here trying to find something to write about, but nothing is coming to me. I guess that tells you how 'not interesting' our lives are.

So, I guess I'll just talk about how good God is. (Like you don't already know that). I have been blessed with a husband that loves the Lord and strives to be more like Him each and every day. I have been blessed with four pretty awesome kids.....each with their own individual personality. Each with their own quirks. Each with their own special gifts. They are all doing well in school, although I think my oldest two are realizing they need to start studying now that they're in middle school.

Joe and I have been blessed to have 3 other couples be a part of our lives. 3 other couples who love us....just because. Three other couples that we don't always talk to...all of the time, but that's OK. They understand our busy lives and we understand theirs.

The Lord has blessed me with some pretty awesome opportunities to substitute teach. I've worked almost 80 days this school year and every one of them has been wonderful, in its own way. Some days were tougher than others, but I've learned something each time I've stepped into the classroom. I love to be with students. I love to help students learn. Whether it's reading or language arts or science. I love it. And prayerfully, one day I'll be able to be that teacher, full time. Several of you have asked if I've heard how I did on the Teacher certification exam. Well, the answer is no. Scores are not due to be reported until February 11 and frankly, I'm not expecting anything positive. Besides the fact that it's not my personality to think positively, the test was too hard for me to believe I may have passed. But I will check scores as soon as I possibly can....for one reason. So I can register for the test again before the registration deadline on the 15th.

The Lord has blessed Joe and me with a pretty good sized income tax return. One that will allow us to pay off a couple of things still hanging out there and possibly allow me to get my braces. Praise the Lord!

I am blessed to be able to pray, too. What a comfort it is to know that when I'm burdened for someone I care about....all I have to do is take it to Jesus. For the educator friend struggling with cancer (who, by the way, has a better understanding of God's blessing and provision than most of us will ever have). For another friend who is going through one of the most frightening experiences in her life. For a teacher friend who is seeking God's will for his church. For another teacher that I've never met who is going through a tough time right now.

For everyone else I know but may not know what they're going through....that God would show them how much He loves them. That He would show Himself to them in mighty ways. For my children....that they will make wise choices when it comes to friends. For my children....that they will grow in the love and admonition of the Lord. For my children.....that they will fall in love with Jesus. For my husband....that he will use the gifts God has given him for the glory of the Lord. For my husband....that he will be safe as he travels. For my husband....that the devil will just stay away. For me.....that I will be the godly example to my daughter. For me......that if there by any wicked way in me.....that God would bring it to my attention, remove it and fill it with something joyful and beautiful.

And more than anything else, the Lord has blessed me with my salvation. Wow. Every time I stop and think about the fact that I've been saved.....I'm speechless. It is truly amazing to me that God could love me that much. I know my thoughts. I know when I get angry. I know when I get frustrated. I know when I get too busy to stop and read His Word consistently. I know when I get selfish. I know when I am lazy. I know when I grumble. But yet God, in His loving, mighty and powerful way, bore all of my sin and nailed Himself to the cross, so that I could spend eternity with Him.

A couple of weeks ago I found an old Higher Call CD. One that had about a dozen songs on it from 2005. I loaded it into iTunes and put it on my IPOD so I could have it around the house and when I'm at school, but I put the CD in the car so we could have it on the drive to Oklahoma for Christmas. By the time we drove back into Georgia, the CD was dead. Too scratched to listen to. But thanks to the wonders of technology, I was able to burn the iTunes playlist back onto a new CD. And it's back in my car with a few more songs added to it.

I love all of the songs on the CD, but a couple of them are really special to me and are ones that I will put on repeat. Sheltered in the Arms of God, Freed, Love Brought Me Back, and Marriage Supper of the Lamb are those songs. These songs talk about God's love for me...about being safe....about being redeemed....about being forgiven...about the celebration when we get to Heaven. Which brings me to another blessing from God.....music. I can honestly say, if music weren't such a big part of my life, I'd be one unhappy person. I love to be able to just sing. Even when I'm out of tune and off pitch. I love to be able to praise the Lord. I also love how the Lord will bring a certain song to my ear....with a message I need to hear. Thank you, Lord for music.

Thank you, Lord for all of the blessings you have given me. Thank you, Father for my family. For my friends. For my church. For teachers. For students. For this life I get to live. Thank you, Father. Thank you.