Running away from my Mess!

I am running away tomorrow! My classroom has officially overwhelmed me. I have procrastinated in various forms this entire week. I have tried and failed to get a lot accomplished. So, how do you deal with the wall once you hit it. You run away to the beach. Why? Because I can, I am not in Kansas anymore and the beach is calling my name! The mess will still be here on Monday so I think I just need a little UV Ray boost! I will post tons of pictures now worries!

My Castle

I have posted below a picture of my little castle. Oh, How fun it is to be there. By the Lord's grace it is a safe place to hide from the world. When I am home I do not have to think about the million tasks ahead just rest. I do still think the well laid out plan below is the best tactic for me to remain at my little castle. However, His ways are not our ways so I will just cherish every little day that I am there.

The Castle

Lesson From The Heels

Did you ever really want to impress someone and you try so hard that you end up looking like a donkey? Well that is what happened to me this week. I had a meeting with two people scheduled for Wednesday lunch. I knew what I wanted to wear since the Sunday before. I had it all planned. I wore my cute skirt and these amazing shoes. Even though they hurt my feet I did not care I was going to look GOOD! I had cheer camp before the meeting and when one parent saw me they asked "Are you going to cheer in those?" Hint #1 I might had over did it. Then I really got my tail feathers wagging before the meeting to try to get the papers printed out so I looked like I had it "all together" when I went. Well I end up being late to my meeting by 30 minutes due to commitments elsewhere. Then hit every red light and in the midst of all of this my brain was screaming "You taught on the fruit of the spirits this morning, "PATIENCE!" Then at last I make it but I am so worked up I am even a bit out of breath nervous as can be and talking a million miles an hour. Oh How I wish God would have taking me up in a cloud at that moment like Elisha. But that was not to be because when one of the people from my meeting saw my heels he said "those are not the best shoes to be wearing with a hurt foot" (I hurt my foot a couple of weeks ago and stopped running this person knew I did that). At that moment I just wanted to run but then I said something so dumb I can not even remember I just wanted that moment to past. Then after all the hard work I hand them the papers and the poor person looked overwhelmed. Lets just say the meeting lasted forever and when I really wanted to make a good impression I just ended up having a miserable time. So, my beloved friends why did I have you read this to know that I have not changed yet even 1,100 miles away from home. My affirmation still must come from the Lord Praise Him! I am thankful for the moments when I just make myself look dumb because they affirm who I really am supposed to be. So please just be who you are the world is much more fun that way. So, I will still love my heels only maybe when it will be more sensible. Like when I Vacuum. :)

The "Plan" to keep my grocery store

I know this may seem crazy the Lord affirms me everyday. Sometimes in the big ways sometimes in just little itty bitty things that delight my heart. Such as this picture. An all natural foods selection with ALL Natural Peanut Butter Dispenser, along with rows of other treats that make my heart smile and my tummy happy. This may sound stupid to some but this little place of heaven is only a few blocks from my house! Oh how I wish my home was a permanent residence. After I found this fabulous place I ran home and told my amazing friend/roommate/landlord that I will just have to marry prince charming buy her house and live happily ever after. With of course my prince but more important my grocery store. A few prayers never hurt anything :)

I HATE MY SIN!!

I just found out that one of my beloved people back home has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. This makes my pickle seem so so so stupid. I hate my sin.

In a Pickle

I have found myself in my first big Pickle in South Carolina. My princess bedroom can no longer be my home after next Friday. So by next Friday I have to find a new place to live. My head and heart does understand that the Lord will be glorified in all of this. I will admit I have cried a lot. Then I cry even more for crying. (Men I don't know if you can relate to this but please just give me Grace). This is an adventure and I am excited to see where the Lord will have me go. Please pray that I will continue to think of and praise God for His protection and provision in my life. For the greatest gift of Christ and being His daughter. However, even knowing this has not excluded me from fear or worry that a single women faces in these types of situations. Everything in Heaven and Earth is His and yet I still struggle against worry and fear. How foolish am I!

A Wonderful Distraction

I am sitting in my new classroom surrounded by things to clean and go through. However, I have come across a great and wonderful distraction. The book “Future Men” by Douglas Wilson, I began reading this book before I came to S.C. But, now I have reunited with it today. I am afraid not much will get accomplished in my classroom; however so much is being done in my understanding of Biblical Masculinity and Femininity. The book “Future Men” reveals God's design for Biblical Masculinity. As well as how within the family a young boy is to grow into a Man through the family teaching Him what it means to be a Man according to God's Design. The reason I began this book was because I will be teaching seven young boys who will one day be men. I did have other motives as well. I love to read things that discuss Biblical Masculinity and Femininity. My heart desires to fulfill the God given roles as a woman within the covenant of family and church. However, the culture teaches women quite the opposite through the language of “rights” and my sin causes me to reject my roles as well as do the opposite. This is why I love to read books like “Future Men” or “Fruit of Her Hands” because they help remind me in the midst of my depravity what my true calling is as a women. This does not mean that once I read these books I will be the picture of femininity that everyone should obtain or that I will have grasped my role as a woman. What it does mean is that as I read these books God will continue to remind me of my DEPENDANCY on Him. Only by His grace will my heart and mind be able to understand how to daily walk in His care as His daughter. I do hope you have a chance to read these books one day as well. Love, Jeri
P.S You can find both "Future Men" and "Fruit of Her Hands" on Google Books

Cardio Fellowship

Today I spent an hour and a half doing cardio at the YMCA with this great lady from church. The benefit was not only some serious calorie burn-age but also some amazing relighting of my heart. Through us sharing with each other our stories I was so amazed at how off the beaten track I had come. My head has overruled my heart when it has come to Christ. I have gotten so caught up in my theological headiness. That I had lost track of WHO Christ is, not just what He has done for me in the physical sense but His love that drew me to Him as a little girl. When she asked me the question when was I saved? I struggled with the answer. The reason I did is because I have shared my "story" with so many people the last week that with further reflection I came to see that I always was His. I was baptized as a little girl and was in the Catholic Church for a while. Whenever we would go to church on Christmas I would remember seeing Christ on the cross and my heart would be broken for I knew some how that for me He was on that Cross. I don't know the date or time at which I was "saved" I know when I said a prayer with bad motives as a teenager. Yet, with all I don't know about myself what I do know is that I am His beloved and not by my own accord. Praise The Lord Oh My Soul!

Toto.. We are not in Kansas Anymore!

This is the record of events that have happened this past Month in my life. I lost my place to live and summer job all in one day in Kansas. My church family took me in while I was figuring out what to do. I received a job in South Carolina teaching sixth grade and I took it. I had no car to get to S.C God provided Belle (Car) to use for a year from a family from church. I drove out West across the State of Kansas and visited OZ for the first time with a dear friend. My friends threw a fabulous Good-Bye Bash for me. I saw the beauty of Christ in relationship with the church at a dear friend’s wedding. Had one more surprise party from my friends the night before I left filled with fabulous swing dancing. I thought I had to leave my beloved blue jay (my bike) behind but my daddy bought me a bike rack. (I know I am too old to call my Father daddy but get over it). I had no computer to use at school yet again my parents surprised me just minutes before I departed. I drove 1,100 miles and only got pulled over once. The cop took pity on me because I was so cute (just kidding) and let me go. The night of my arrival in S.C I went swing dancing. (Yes, I was tired but it was worth it!) The Lord allowed me to stay with some precious families for about a week while I was still in transition mode. All the while God was opening up a door for me to find a home with a beautiful older woman through church connections. I moved into a little girls dream princess room. I have cried several times out of homesickness yet, God has always brought me back to perspective. He reminds me of His past faithfulness and the hope of HIS plan that He is unfolding in my life. So even in the midst of sadness I can laugh at silly things like a lady walking her dog in a stroller and a man wearing a beer beanie hat but instead of using it to drink beer he used it for coffee. I am definitely not in Kansas anymore but don’t worry I won’t be pulling out the ruby slippers anytime soon.