I love my job!!

Thank You Jesus for my job and for my students. I love them. This year's students are big huggers. I am thankful for them.

It is that time of the year to proclaim the things for which I am thankful!!

Psalm 118

4 Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever." 24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. 27 The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

As the weather is changing and the nights have been clear and crisp, I find myself sitting outside at night before I go to bed praying and contemplating the many blessings in my life. Lately, I feel a sense of contentment that is deeper than I can even fully understand; in fact, as I am sitting and writing, I feel that I can't even express what it is that I want to say, or how I feel. So forgive me if I am redundant. I want to share with you, some of the many things for which I thank my Lord.

Thank you God for:

Your love

My Bibles

Ample exposure to Your Word and good solid Bible teaching

Your wisdom in my life to discern Your Word

Your forgiveness, mercy and grace

Your faithfulness

The multiple blessings You have brought to my family and me

My husband

My family and friends

Our home

The encouragement of the Saints in my life

Giving us both job

Your provision

A bed and blankets to keep us warm at night

Food on the table

Our clothes

The skills with which You have entrusted us

Pillows under my head

Vehicles to get us where we need to be

Entertainment options

Travel opportunities

Desires You have given

The ability to read and write

The ability to walk, run, jump, hop, talk, hear, and see

My students, my coworkers, and my principal

My education

The roads I have traveled and the lessons I have learn on them

God... You are amazing, Your love for me is amazing. I am filled with a thankful heart to the many blessings You have given. My words are inadequate to express my gratitude. I love You.

I'm not posting here much

Check out my other blogs... I post to the other ones more. :) if i want it linked to facebook i post here... if not... well, u know

Status Update... keep praying

I talked to an inside source last week that told me there are still permanent teachers that haven't been placed for the 2010-2011 school year. That means that they all have to be placed before there are any jobs available for temporary teachers like me. There are currently 3 jobs that will open up a spot for those 5 but the question is... what about the other 2? Will they be placed before the school year starts? Until that happens.... well I just said it- I'm out. There are part time positions @ 5 schools and I turned in applications at all 5 schools. With these positions there are benefits but between the pay cuts this year and the less than 100% position, it would mean a significant pay cut. If I get one of these positions I can still be in the running for a higher % position. I really want to be full time and I really want a classroom position not a Resource position (or Teacher on Special Assignment- commonly called TOSA).

I know, I'm whining!

The district has already started the year round tracks with a 97% student turn out rate (that is down 130 students). No one will know what the full % is until the traditional school year starts but as of now, no new classes have been formed. We need a miracle in the state of CA or at least in the city of Anaheim. Hey anyone out there want to donate 25 million to the Anaheim City School Districts to lower class size so I can have a job? I'm losing hope.

prayers requested!

Hi Friends,
Tomorrow is the hearing (9am) - The Anaheim City School District vs. the Temporary and pink slipped teachers. We need a miracle! Please pray that the judge would find in favor of the temporary teachers and that it would be found unfair to hold teachers with a temporary status indefinitely. I will have been with the district for 7.5 years at the end of this year- I have more "seniority" than any other temp. teacher and yet I have NO seniority with the district because until you are made permanent, your years of service don't count! I need a major miracle. Not to mention, if things do not change- it seems very unlikely that I will have a job next year... Pray, pray, pray!!

Simple Truths

It is easy to get caught up on the things that aren't right. But a friend recently reminded me today of a simple yet profound truth. Don't dwell on the negative- think on the things that true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and things are of good repute. So today, I am practicing that idea.

What things are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute?

God loves me. He has a plan for my life that is good. He is in control and he has a say on all things that are going on in my life- even the obstacles that seem insurmountable.

God has blessed me with a great husband- even when he drives me crazy!! I have a home and we have two vehicles that work. I have a comfortable and warm bed to sleep in at night with extra blankets when needed. We have Bibles that we can read at any time that we want. We have access to good Christian teaching at our church, on the radio, and internet. We live in Orange County California in the USA. We have the right and freedom to worship as we choose (at least today) and we don't have to worry about losing our life for speaking the truth. I have a job (for this year) and God always provides for our needs and even our wants. We have family that loves us and that supports us. We have good friends that love us and pray for us.

We can take a shower when we want, we are able to eat 3 meals a day and have the means and accessibility to meet our needs.

We are blessed beyond measure and we are thankful to God for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon us.

These are the things on which we need to dwell. Thank you Jesus.

A Stormy Night

I am sitting in bed, watching the news, working on the computer and I can hear strong winds and thunder. I have seen a little bit of lightning and it a little weird to have thunder and lightning but no rain. I love it, but severe weather always freaks me out just a little bit.

Lord, we need the rain, but I ask that you protect us from the damage it can cause.

Thanks Jesus for 2009

Dear Jesus,

What a year. Some of it felt so familiar.

The year started out with Osmel in Cuba. He had a great trip visiting his family, and we both found that we really missed each other.

He decided that it was time to get healthy. He joined 24 hour fitness and we started working out on January 12th. We decided we would try to eat more healthy and I decided on January 23rd to get serious about it. Since then, I have lost over 100 lbs. It has been only by God's grace and I hope to continue on this journey. Through the course of the year, I have made some "workout buddies." My after school buddy, Kim. I have two morning buddies- Jane is my 5.30 buddy and Kristine is my 8.30 buddy- Of course we can only have morning workouts when there is no school. I thank God for my workout buddies, they help me stay on task. Of course, my husband started as a buddy, but that hasn't been very consistent.

He has however been a great encouragement through this year.

Through this year, Osmel has had some health issues and God really used them to get his attention.

Then of course, there was the job loss and then the new job. I really miss my Revere Friends, but I really love my new school. My new principal has been so encouraging. It is nice to have a principal that makes me feel good about what I do and how I do it. I love kinder, I never thought I would love it this much. I have to be more prepped than ever before, and it is really good. I get to do a lot of songs with my students- who would ever believe that I would spend so much time singing out loud (and in front of people?)... Now that is some big growth!! Half the time the tune gets lost in the process, but I just try to find it again and when I can't, my voice goes inaudible (at least in human terms, though you can hear the dogs in the distance).

My partner is great too. She and I pray together before the start of the day... although we haven't been as consistent lately. But I am very happy here. I am praying for a miracle that would enable me to not lose my job in the midst of this budget nightmare. And Jesus, while you are handing out miracles, give me permanent status?! Please?!

Osmel and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. And to all the skeptics who thought we would never make it this far... I say HA! I have a big God who does great things!!

We took a few trips- we went to Palm Springs, San Diego, and we did a stay-cation or two. We do love the weekend getaways. To my deep disappointment, I didn't make it to Arizona or Donya's wedding... it worked out that in the absence of work, going away didn't seem like the best idea.

We are praying and asking God what is next for us, and trying to figure out what His will is. It seems that my life the last few years has been a journey to teach me about taking life's steps one day at a time.

I looked at the possibility of rejoining the world of ministry outside of my home. I was a part of VBS and of the Anaheim VBS and that was awesome! But I really see that for this season in my life, my ministry is at home.

2009 was not just the end of a year... it was also the end of a decade. I would say this decade has held more change than all other decades combined. My whole way of looking at life, at planning, at careers, at marriage, at friendships, at ministry.... It has all changed!!

I'm thankful for all that God has done for me, just in this year, but also in this decade.