Christmas Decorating

Okay, blog world.  I've made requests on Facebook, Twitter and now on my blog.  I'm not super great at decorating.  If I could hire someone to tell me what to buy and where to put it, I would.  But I am not exactly at that point in my life financially, so I'm propositioning free advice.  :-)

Here's my mantle.  What should I do to make it look better???

And while I'm at it, here's the tree and nativity scene.  Any and all suggestions are welcomed (as long as you say things nicely)!  :-)

Thank God for Thanksgiving Break!

Seriously.  Thank you Jesus for that break!!  I spent the majority of my break cleaning, shopping, eating and generally getting my life back under control (although I'm confident I'd need an entire month to really get it under control).  I met with my pastor before Thanksgiving break to talk with him about a couple of things - one being how to give my all to my job and still develop my relationship with Christ.  While he empathized with my situation (torn between my two passions - Jesus and teaching - and trying to give each 110%), he said something that I knew but that has echoed in my mind for over a week now.

"You cannot put Jesus on the altar of sacrifice."


Even if it's for something as honorable as a child's education.  Jesus cannot go on the altar of sacrifice - and that's where I've been placing Him.  I still am completely unsure as to how I'm going to manage to be the teacher I want to be and nurture my relationship with Christ.  But I cannot put Him on the altar of sacrifice any more.  It follows, then, that my job will have to be sacrificed at some point for Jesus - and I need to get okay with that.  


Having said all that -- here are a few snippits from my five-day break!

These are the latest cupcakes to join my Cupcake Creations Facebook album.  Lesson learned here - never make outlandish cupcakes without first doing a trial run.  I regretted that big time.

Post-Thanksgiving football watching.

While I refuse to be a crazy Black Friday shopper, I did get to hang out with one of my best friends (Allison) and her beautiful babies!  

I want a couple of those for my own!!  

After a truly blessed break, I'm heading back into the routine of work.  

How horrible is it that I'm starting the count down to Christmas break????

Relationship

This semester has been at the very least a whirlwind.  Maybe more like a hurricane.  New job.  Crazy grad school requirements/hours.  A confused social life.  A Savior throwing all kinds of thoughts and ideas and quandaries my way.  I haven't blogged recently because I haven't known what to say.  I feel like a broken record - I'm tired.  I'm overwhelmed.  I'm ready for a break.  And part of me has been longing for a break from not only work and grad school but from the weight the Lord has been putting on my heart.  I was walking in obedience with Him.  He was doing things I didn't understand, but I was walking in obedience and in utter contentment.  And then little by little, I let life take back over.  I bowed back down to my idol of job and success and purpose.  The contentment I was so loving (and slightly scared of) disappeared over night.

I lived in South Carolina for my freshman and sophomore years of college.  How I adore South Carolina!  I found the Lord there, so I can't help but love it!  It was in South Carolina where I fell in love with the band "Silers Bald."  I've been living with that CD in my car for the last week or so.  Don't you love when the Lord uses something old to speak something new to your heart?!  Here's the chorus:

I ask You how many times will You pick me up
When I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall of your glory,
How far will forgiveness abound?

And you answer, "My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face,
you'll walk in the power of my daily sufficient grace."

Seeking His face.  Delighting in Him.  Relationship.  I've been struggling with this whole "relationship" bit lately.  What does it mean to be in relationship with someone?  What does that look like?  And what exactly does it mean/look like to be in relationship with the God of the universe?

I love what Kelly Minter said.  "Coming to Him, hearing from Him, putting other things aside that get in the way, and speaking back to Him - all of these make up the ingredients for intimacy with another, in this case with God."

We can't be engrossed in the world and still engrossed in the Lord.  I'm struggling with this right now.  My job is so special to me.  I feel like I'm truly making a difference in the lives of my students.  But it's taken over my life.  I'm being defined by what I do for a living and not by who I am in Christ.  I'm struggling with that.  I spend more time at school working than I do anywhere else - and that includes with Him.  I don't know how to be what I need to be for my students and be in relationship with the Lord.

And during this season, I feel like the Lord is asking me to at least temporarily step back from some old friendships.  That's surprisingly easy.  When I'm walking with Him, He really is my daily sufficient grace.  He's all I need, all I desire.

So, if you've made it this far, congratulations!  :-)  Nothing like a little Sunday night verbal vomit to close out the weekend.  (PS...This makes me laugh.  With one of my phonics groups at we're working on the "ur" sound.  One of the words in our flashcards is "hurl."  One of my kids just thinks that's the funniest thing!  Every time he reads it he follows it up by saying, "Like when you throw up!"  And just laughs his little head off!  Sorry....side note.)

Lord Jesus, as I we sang to You in worship this morning....

Let now our hearts burn with a flame
A fire consuming all for your Son's holy name
And with the heavens we declare
You are our king!