Westwoods

I was reminded recently of how slaves in the state of Texas didn't know they had been freed until two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. It is thought to be the fault of the slave owners. I suppose they thought if they kept their mouths shut, life would go on the way they were used to. How often do we forget we have been freed spiritually? Do we live like we are freed or do we put ourselves in safe boxes where we behave and do only the things that are expected of us? Do we put limitations on our abilities because we do not claim ownership of our freedom? I think that I am guilty of this. For the longest time, especially while growing up, I tried to hide my love of writing because I felt shame that I couldn't really write. In my world there was scoffing  toward people that loved the arts in general, so admitting that I was one of those who had fluffy dreams of making a living writing best sellers was ludicrous. And it worked too. I hid...

Do you ever feel you are on the outside looking in? Like everything in life is a great big picture window and that you can see all the good things inside the room from the outside but no matter how hard you press your nose against the glass you just cannot quite become a part of the things you see going on inside the window? I do. I know a lot can be said for those who have been brought up going to church every single Sunday and also on Wednesday evenings for prayer meetings. I know it is a blessing in belonging to a local body of believers, after all there is something wonderful about belonging. But belonging can sometimes make us feel exclusive and premier like we have special dibs on the goodness of God. Or maybe we are more prone to becoming sweetness spoiled like too much candy in one place. Maybe we think we deserve special privileges and benefits because we are loyal church members. Could it be we think we know more accurately what Jesus taught than those outsid...

  Yes, it is time for quiet but it is also very unlikely that it will happen. What should a person do when the world comes crashing in and takes over every fiber of their being?   This desire to be quiet, is not such a bad thing in of itself, but hold it too tightly and it can make you feel like a tight-fisted Scrooge, especially this time of year.    Sometimes the striving created to find quiet and peace has the opposite effect; better to learn to embrace the chaos and anticipation along with every little boy and girl. Even the sugar cookies with the messy frosting and sprinkles that will scatter everywhere...that you will be wiping off the kitchen floor for the next month...They too are part of what you are better off embracing.  Dear Mommy, do I have to?   It comes to this. You can find quiet and calm wherever you so choose. It can be found knee deep in the clutter of laundry and dirty dishes. Or it could be in those hours of sleeples...

Nov 20 I've been thinking... we should be thankful for our differences. Diversity is what keeps us growing, learning, and stretching. Having to practice grace when we ourselves do not understand how that certain someone can tick that way or behave in such a manner...that is when we learn to use our differences to the glory of God. And thank God we all have something a little unique of our own to bring to this thing we call "living". Nov 21 For the gift of compassion. To mourn with those that mourn and to rejoice with those that rejoice. Yes, all this while not taking on too much of the pain of the others' struggles so much that you cannot bear it. Trying to remember it isn't my job to change or soften the struggle. My job is to stand alongside and just be there while God gives the strength to walk through. His Power...He has given us everything we need for life and godliness...2 Peter 1:3 Nov 22 For the generosity of people...A turkey was put on m...

  Nov 12...  Keeping it simple. Here's the run down of the week's thanksgiving...This was my walk last Sunday...and an all day date with my man. We stayed home from church and the kids spent most the day away so we could catch up with one another. Thankful we have health and that we take time to make each other important. Nov 13. Monday and the beginning of a great thaw. Most of the snow is gone from the valley. Helps tremendous with school sale preparations. Nov 14. Finishing up school sale projects...Embracing simple things. Cuz they're easy don't ya know...and make for more time to squander on reading and studying. Nov 15. Extremely thankful for physical rest and the reminder of our eternal rest once we finally get home. Home is a wonderful place to be...if you need more on this go check out my instagram @delight40. Nov 16. A quick duck into a thrift store after school and I came away with a genuine leather purse and a few beautiful coffee mugs. This, I...

Nov 5.  Thankful for home this Sunday. I love love love home and Sundays. I catch my breath this day. I make a huge Sunday dinner and as my mom used to say, "We eat feathers all week." aka, leftovers. I usually spend Sunday afternoon writing and planning for the next week of school. On Sunday, my brain is quieted and I am able to make a grocery list that makes sense. It's the one day a week I get to be a family with my people. Usually everyone is in and out of the house yet mostly together. Nov 6. Morning sky...a good Monday morning reminder...His mercies are new every morning...Mondays are usually a bit grueling in the classroom so waking up with the sky and remembering His mercy is perfect to begin the week. Nov 7. Thankful that God made boys and girls and trying to teach them one is not as good without the other...Praising God for making us each unique in our genders and that we complement each other not try to outshine each other. Try telling a fif...

                  30 Days of Thanks giving... Week 1:                     Nov 1:  On my wall blackboard...Healthy foods. Why, you might ask, would a grown woman be thankful for healthy foods?  I recently watched a couple TED talks that helped me understand some of the confusion I have felt about food over my life time. Food and I have lived as enemies longer than as friends. I am ready to make peace with it.  When I was in my teens I finally got my weight a bit under control by following Weight Watchers guidelines. The biggest thing I learned from that experience was balance in nutrition.  Then I got married and had babies. I found it a lot harder to follow those guidelines after marriage and babies, but with fierce determination I kept after it.  In the meantime, I started feeling arthritic through out my body. I did the ELISA test which said I was very ...

Even with all the criticism Polly Anna gets for her always cheerful attitude; I think she truly understood thanksgiving more than many a fine Christian person today. I used to sorta scoff the whole Polly Anna theory for lack of realness and for being too "idealistic". More and more though, I am beginning to realize her attitude for soundness as well as being "spot on" for what the Bible teaches. Everyone knows how much God hated the whining and complaining the children of Israel did while He led them through the wilderness. He hated it so badly it was punishable by the ground opening up and swallowing people whole, among other great and terrible things He did to prove His point. I understand His anger a little bit better after trying to teach my toddlers to share and be thankful and now, while teaching fifth and sixth graders. The truth is, children are not even aware they are complaining until we show them they are. They don't think about their co...

                                                Hygge:              Pronounced: hue-gah or hoo-gah I thought I had learned a new word the other week when I bumped into this one...turns out though, its been around ages and has been floating around social media for the past five years or so. I blame my own practice of "hygge" to just now be finding out about it. It became one of my favorite words once I read the meaning and since it has Nordic roots I felt I could identify with it immediately. Not that I know a lot about my Norwegian ancestors...somehow it has always felt very cool that I have a small portion of Norwegian in my blood.  That is beside the point.  I remember as a child I struggled for words to describe the emotion attached to snuggling a hot cup of cocoa in mittened hands after a moonlit evening of sle...

I've been thinking about serving and how tired I get doing it. School teachers know how any given day can leave them completely drained. Actually, anyone serving in any capacity knows about the tiredness and feelings of exhaustion...schoolteachers aren't special in this. I was complaining to Bruce about the seven active wild boys in my classroom and how I don't get paid to teach them manners and about how I am tired of gross ideas and potty mouth...my rant continued on these lines of ultimatums. I stated, “It's going to stop! I don't have to put up with this. They can use their manners while they are in my presence.” etc... Do you know what that man said? He said, “Umm, actually you do. It's a part of your job to see that they behave themselves and learn. And boys will be boys.” I think this man of mine is good for me. But it made me wonder if I need to accept listening to armpit noises and burping and smelling farts as a daily part of educat...

Post started last week one day...it still seems relevant so here goes... We were in the middle of Math class yesterday when I felt a sudden burden to stop everything and pray for my friend who is in Ukraine going through the legal work to bring home a son. I wavered and felt stupid for one second then decided to listen to this urging and just... Do It! Afterward I wondered, why do I even waver? What makes me want to question prompts of the Holy Spirit? Why would I even stumble over the fact that that is what is taking place? Later in the day, I watched a sweet student receive a fresh new school book. First she ran her hands over the front, appreciating the clean, crisp cover, then she brought the book up to her face and inhaled the paper, her eyes closed. Suddenly her eyes flicked open with a look of self awareness. You could almost see the thought flutter across her face, "Did anyone see me do that?" This morning my verse of the day: Now the Lord is that...

Because I am so very human...I ponder my actions, my thoughts. How much of my inner turmoil is the Holy Spirit whispering changes and convictions? How much is just me at war with self? Because I am so very analytical and opinionated, I cry out to God for mercy and grace. I need it. I want to see my people as hearts, as precious souls. I want them to see me like this too, but I know I deserve when they don't, that I say and do things that offend and trespass against them because I am not unusual and will continue to make ever so many bloopers. Because I have so much to learn. There is nothing that has made me more aware of my lack of God as teaching has. I have never been so needy of 'all of God' as now. Every mistake shows me more that God and only God can amend what I have messed up. Even so, Sweet Jesus, keep teaching me. I've been thinking about my darkness and God's light. It seems there are times of stumbling through dimness and clutter, like grop...