Kids

Last night I went to the Levelland softball games to watch some of my former students play. When I got to the game some of my freshmen from this year were there watching and they asked me to come and sit by them. That is probably the most I have laughed in a long time. It was so much fun just to be able to sit and get to know the kids as well as just getting to have some fun. I wish there was a job that paid you to just hang out with kids, I would love that job. God has given me a heart for these students, so many of them are looking for someone who will just listen to them or spend just a couple of minutes with them. There was an eighth grader at the game last night who asked if I was really a teacher because I was cool. Cool?? Me?? All I did was sit with them and laugh and invest a small piece of my time. It is the small things in life that make a difference. I have now started to build relationship with these girls and hopefully one day when they need it the most I will be there with loving arms to help them and to share with them the love of Christ. It was for this very reason that I became a teacher. So many of these kids just want someone who will listen to their story and who actually cares about them and God has given me the heart to try and be that someone. They are hurting, they come from broken homes and just long for a little attention and some love. If you think the world is a wonderful place you need to walk into a classroom and hear the stories of each student, then you will see how much pain and suffering there is in the world today. These students have to grow up too fast and they do so with very few people who believe in them. I want to be the person who tells them that their dreams are possible and then be the one to help them reach those dreams.
So I guess I will leave you with a challenge. The next time you see some teenager at church, the store, and just around town some where stop and talk to them. Actually listen to what they have to say and build a relationship with them. Trust me they will truly bless your life.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Patience

Monday was a really rough day for me. It seemed like everything went wrong that could go wrong and on top of it all I did not feel good. Well I came home from work and just really needed a good cry so of course I grab the phone and call my mom. Well I talk to her for maybe two minutes before the tears just start to pour from my eyes. I tell her all the things that I have been holding in and also vented about my day. Not too long after mom and I get off the phone it was like God just said watch this. The things that I had gripped about the most were fixed before I went to bed that night.
I think that it was a great less for me. That I need to be patient and allow God to fix my problems. Instead I expect everything to be perfect or to be fixed shortly after it stops being perfect. However, I don't really think that is how God works. He works things in His own time. I think it always was a huge help to get it out in the open. God never meant for us to carry things on our own. First off He sent His son to carry the load of death for us. Secondly I believe that he places people in our lives to help us through our times of need.
Well I hope that you all had a better Valentine's Day than I did. Remember that God will always love you; just be patient, He will show Himself.

I Just Want to Feel Like I Belong

This weekend I finally got out and hang out with people, both on Friday and on Saturday. I had been really looking forward to this weekend because I would not have to spend the entire weekend by myself and my parents were going to come visit me. Well Thursday my Dad calls and tells me that him and mom are not coming because they are going to get snow yet again on Friday and since the weather had been so bad we would just move their visit.
Then on Friday I went out with a guy from work and his wife and some of their friends. We went and ate and then went to some art exhibits. The conversation was good and I really enjoyed the paintings but dinner was the down side to it all. I have tried very hard to stay away from drinking and when we went to dinner almost everyone at the table ordered something to drink. I felt so uncomfortable and then the rest of the night you can smell the alcohol on their breaths. Also after the art trail closed they were trying to think of something else to do and they were like we could go to a bar. Thankfully God rescued me and we went to a coffee shop instead. I know that drink is not bad but that is just something I have never wanted to be around. The whole time I felt like I did not belong there.
Then on Saturday night we had a Sunday school party. We were going to get together and play some games. I was really looking forward to that night because I thought I was beginning to make some friends. However the entire night I felt so out of place. All of these people showed up who I had never met before and the people who I usually talk to were talking to them. I tried to be sociable and talk to the new people but they just wanted to hang out with their friends.
I have really been struggling lately with living in Levelland, I mean I am so far from my family, I have been here two years and haveno friends outside of work and I still have not found a church home. This weekend just added to my feeling of not belonging here. I know that Christ says we will have struggles and that following Him will not be easy. I guess all I can really do is ask for guideance and wait to see what God has in store for me. So if you could just pray that God shows me where I belong.
If there is anything that you are struggling with and would like some prayer please let me know I would love to pray for you.

Winter Wonderland

As many of you know by first hand experience, this week has been full of cold weather and snow. In fact I know of many people who did not have school because it was so bad in their area. However, Levelland decided that we could make it to work everyday this week if we just started two hours later. But that is not what I am going to be talking about today.
One reason I love snow is because it makes everything look so beautiful. It coats everything in a shimmering white blank. Unless of course you live in West Texas in which case it starts out white and then become brown as the wind continues to blow. I was driving home the other day from school and an analogy came to me. There is that hymn that says he washes us white as snow. And then I thought about it, our sin to God is like that little grain of sand that has been blown onto the snow. It stands out like a sore thumb and there is no way that we can hide it. Even if we try to throw something on top we can still see the effects of our sin on our lives. God turns us into this shimmering beautiful creation and then we just go and mess it up by trying to satisfy our worldly desires. I know that right now there is a lot of sand staining my life and the only person who can clean it up for me is Christ. So I must ask for his help. What is polluting your snow today?