Ready or not...

Well it's that time again...back to school! Thankfully no students this week, just teachers. I know a week for the teachers might seem like a lot but believe me, it didn't feel like enough! So many meetings and planning...there was barely enough time to get rooms ready! We had Open House on Thursday night so our rooms had to look presentable. Physically, it was an exhausting week...I am not ready to get up so early again and next week is even earlier!! Emotionally, it was a very up and down week. I want to have a better attitude this year!! I want to be excited about teaching again!! It's been rough though because I am teaching a new grade and though I am excited about having most of the same students again I know the working with the 5th grade team is going to be a challenge. I also like the fact that I didn't have to change rooms and move all of my stuff, but I know that though I love the people who I share a building with, it's going to be hard to be away from the rest of the 5th grade at times. I feel like I don't really fit anywhere...
I'm sure things will get better once school officially starts and I get back into the swing of things. It is going to be a tough year with changes that are being made and the need to bring up our test scores, but I do think there is a sense of excitement and hope among the staff that has been missing the last couple of years.
Anyway, gotta enjoy my last weekend of freedom before the craziness begins!

A hunting I will go...part 3

I visited church number 3 today with a friend. The church has 2 campuses...I looked up service times online but obviously didn't pay careful enough attention to which campus I was looking at. My friend looked up directions and off we went. When we got there we realized that we matched the wrong campus with the service time I had found. Luckily we made it to the other campus quickly enough to not miss much. A bigger church than the rest...more like my old church. Friendlier than last week's. Overall not a bad experience, but I'm still not ready to call it home. The big question that I've wanted to ask at all of these churches is...where are all of the people my age?! I just want some people my age to hang out with...is that so much to ask?!
I have no idea where God is leading right now...I want to find a new community...somewhere to worship and serve but I don't want to just settle...
Guess next week will be church #4...

Favorite Quotes...

Well, I would love to share what I've been learning and encouragement that has been given but frankly it's been an up and down week. I've just been annoyed this week...I think more annoyed with myself than anything because I keep letting stupid things and people get to me! One of the worst feelings is caring for someone who just doesn't care about you! I just feel blah! I decided to share some of my favorite quotes instead...enjoy! :)

In church we talked about Him, we sang about Him, we read about Him, we gave testimonies about Him, we had emotional fits and shouted hallelujah--But what would we have done if God came right into the room and we all met Him face-to-face? It's one thing to feel the sunshine, but it's another thing to fall into the sun.

Faith without works is as useless as a screen door on a submarine!

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it'd be easy...they just promised it would be worth it.

Why place pictures along with wedding announcements? Who cares what they look like if they're not available!

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.

It's always darkest before the dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

This last one is from the book Crazy Love (read it if you haven't!)...this is definitely how I feel right now~
Jesus, I need to give myself up. I am not strong enough to love You and walk with You on my own. I can't do it, and I need you. I need You deeply and desperately. I believe You are worth it, that You are better than anything else I could have in this life or the next. I want You. And when I don't, I want to want You. Be all in me. Take all of me. Have your way with me.

A hunting I will go...part 2

So I tried out another church today. There's not much to say. My roommate went with me because my friend who went last week couldn't make it. The people weren't as friendly as last week, no one came up and talked to us, but unfortunately I think that comes with the territory when it's a bigger church. I was surprised that they sang songs that I didn't know (that doesn't happen very often as I love to sing :) ) It wasn't as encouraging of an experience as last week but it wasn't a bad experience either. Again, not ready to call it home but we'll see what happens. Look for part 3 coming next week :)

Lord Reign In Me!

We sang this song at church on Sunday...I was so excited because I love this song and had almost forgotten about it! It's my heart's cry right now!

Over all the earth
You reign on high
Every mountain stream
Every sunset sky
But my one request
Lord my only aim
Is that You’d reign in me again

Lord reign in me

Reign in Your power

Over all my dreams

In my darkest hour

You are the Lord

Of all I am

So won’t You reign in me again

Over every thought
Over every word
May my life reflect
The beauty of my Lord
‘Cause you mean more to me
Than any earthly thing
So won’t You reign in me again

A hunting I will go...

So today was the big day...time to start looking for a new church. I was not looking forward to the task. I hate the awkward, uncomfortable feeling of sitting in a church where I know no one, especially when the pastor asks you to stand and greet those around you. I knew that I had to go though because we are not meant to be alone as Christians and I need to find a new community to connect to in order to grow and serve. So the alarm sounded this morning and I knew it was time to start this new journey...
Thankfully I didn't have to go alone! One of my friends is in the same boat that I am so we joined forces and decided to attend a church together this morning. We picked a church that we had heard good things about and had wanted to check out. It was weird walking into a new place and not knowing what was going on...frankly it was weird to even be sitting in a service as I haven't done that in months because I was working with the children. Who was the first person other than the greeter at the door to talk to us? The head pastor himself! That's impressive! Three different people stood in front of the church and talked about (with tears in their eyes) how important it is to work with the children and invest in them now! Amen!! It was smaller and much different than our other church but it was nice.
Anyway, you don't need a play by play...overall it was a great experience. Am I ready to call it home? No but it was a much-needed, refreshing change for the day and an encouraging start to this "hunt" for a new church. We'll see what next week brings...