I love my students. I love student teaching. I'm terrified about getting a job.
I'm trying not to be, but I feel like so much is hanging in the balance.
I've been praying about it - trying not to freak out, trying not to stress out, trying to gain some direction.
I'm just not very good at hearing God's voice, or recognizing it as that.
So I'm going to keep on praying, keep on waiting, and apply for jobs here and in Anchorage and wherever else there might be a FACS position. And then, wherever I get a job I'll go. (if you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them).
I've just never been a huge fan of the unknown - um, in relation to those big decisions, I like adventure, but this is a little too, um, important, more-so than trying to figure out my way around Portland or the back-roads . . . you know?

I have had 4 new students in the last couple days and I just want to give a shout out to my amazing middle school students. I am so impressed by their responsibility sometimes. I paired two of our new students up today with classmates - and they got totally caught up - a whole week of work in one day - impressive. Those four students probably thought I'd eaten a crazy pill at breakfast they way I kept raving about how proud I was - but I truly was. The two students I asked to help teach their new classmates just seemed to step up to the plate and hit that grand slam today - they stayed on task, they glowed under their little halo of leadership . . . it was a beautiful thing to watch today.

I've gone to Solid Rock for church over the last few weeks and I've been so blessed from the sermons. A couple weeks ago we were in James chapter 3 - the tongue chapter . . . errr, I'm still working on it! And this Sunday the guest pastor approached the Christmas story in a new way. Sometimes those of us who grew up in the church kinda just brush over those stories we've heard so many times and it was refreshing to see this timeless story in a new light.
"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people..." Luke 2:10
There is actually a lot to unpack from this verse but the part I want to look at is "for all the people." Remember that "lame" genealogy in Matthew 1 - uh that long one that we always skip reading because we don't know how to say all the names? Well pastors always make a point of the women who are listed there, and how incredible that is based on the culture etc. Well the pastor pointed out that in the line of Jesus (but really in the whole Bible) there are a bunch of screw-ups. And when the angel says that there is good news for ALL the people, that's really what it means. It doesn't matter what we have or haven't done. It doesn't matter where we've come from, who we are etc. Jesus came for us.
Look at the genealogy - specifically the women - Tamar, is the lady who slept with her father-in-law and gave birth to twins, Rahab was a prostitute, Ruth was a Gentile, Uriah's wife - anybody remember Bathsheba?? And Mary, Mother of Jesus - yeah, she was the 13 year old who was found to be pregnant but no one ever knew by whom. Do you realize that Jesus grew up being called the bastard-child?
There's probably a lot more I could reiterate from the message, but I was just blessed by looking at the story through a new lens. And I was encouraged and reminded that who we are doesn't matter - as long as we lay that down at the foot of the cross.