vous avez placé les étoiles dans le ciel

God is so amazing. Every day I find new clarity and more answered prayers!

I struggled for so over a month wondering if I had heard him wrong - if perhaps I shouldn't be a teacher. I prayed and prayed for guidance, for strength and for his will to be made clear to me. A light went off one day and I decided that perhaps I should try a private Christian school - after all, the troubles with my post-bacc plan would not matter in a private school AND I'd be able to share my faith with my students.

The very first call I made to a secondary school was met with enthusiasm and God's providence was shining brightly on us. The dean of the school "just so happened to have" the department head in his office and he "just so happened to have" me on speaker phone when talking to me. God secured an interview for the following weekday.

I put everyone I know on prayer alert. I wanted to make sure that I was moving in the direction God chose for me, that I was following His will and above all else, guidance in the days to come.

The interview that following Monday went extremely well. The dean, department head and myself seemed to be on the same page about many things. I came prepared - I had spent the weekend researching the school, their statements of belief and the course outlines that I would be teaching as well as modifying my teaching portfolio to accommodate the unique needs of a private Christian school.

The job as described to me would be challenging and spiritually strengthening. I knew in my soul that God could give me the power to meet the challenges were He to bless me with the position.

Tuesday afternoon rolled around and once again, little things that normally don't happen, happened. Traffic on the way home was slow. As I became impatient, the Spirit reminded me that I would get home and to relax. When I pulled into my driveway I received a call from my oldest son's school telling me that his bus was running extremely late and that I could pick him up if I wanted to. I decided to go get him. As I was pulling into the parking lot, my phone rang again and this time it was the dean of the school. Normally, when I get home, I put my phone away and don't look at it again. Today, I hadn't made it home yet, so my phone was on hand. In the course of this conversation, I was offered the job! Praise His Holiness!

Not only had I been praying for this job, but I had been praying for God to guide me so that I could become stronger in his word and in my faith. God is so miraculous that he met all of those needs at once.

On Tuesday, I spoke with a friend of mine who is also attempting to become a teacher. We were talking about her choice for daycare in the fall. The one she chose has curriculum and good hours. I had intended to enroll my youngest son in pre-k in the fall. After asking her how much the center cost, I called the daycare to find out if they had any openings. They did! I enrolled him in the center and ended up saving $100 a month in daycare expenses as well as providing him with pre-k education!!!!

I have also been heart sore because my youngest son seemed so far away from me. During most of his infancy, I was working and in school. As a result, he spent a lot of time with my mother. I am grateful for her help, but it hurt me that he seemed to be closer to her than to me. After all, he is my son! I prayed that God help me re-strengthen that bond. On Friday, I was able to take him to work with me, then we had a "date" and he had a friends birthday on Saturday. It may seem like nothing to some, but suddenly, my son was my son again! Instead of calling me "mom" all the time (a habit he picked up from me calling my mother mom) he started calling me "mamma" again and he cries out for me again when he's happy, sad or hurt. And now I have the entire summer to nurture that relationship!!!

I praise God for all of the blessings and goodness he has given me!

Psalm 103

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

² Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

³who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

⁴who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

⁵who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Bless the LORD, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his word,

obeying the voice of his word!

²¹Bless the LORD, all his hosts,

his ministers, who do his will!

²² Bless the LORD, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

providence de Dieu

God is so amazing. I have been hired to teach texas history, geography, government and economics at a Christian high school for the upcoming school year.
Praise HIM!

ennui descendant

heart shaped world.

i'm really struggling with "letting go" and giving it up to God.

i spent so many years intent on one professional calling - law. last summer, i was moved to abandon that calling so that i could spend more time with my children - in the short and long terms. everything fell immediately into place for me as far as accomplishing my teaching goals. i firmly believe(d) that God is working in my life and directed me to this path.
i am getting certified to teach social studies 4 - 8. these positions are hard to come by, knowledge that i only gained late into my certification process. however, this spring there are more than 6 openings in my particular field for the 2010/11 school year! when i got that news, i just *knew* that God was working hard for me.
this past week has been a blur of phone calls and frantic activity. unless God intervenes again, the past year of work will be laid to waste. there are two tests that one must take to become a certified teacher in the state of texas; the pedagogy and professional responsibilities (PPR) and a content test (to meet the NCLB highly qualified standards). i am registered to take the PPR tomorrow morning.
there is a job fair tomorrow night for a school district here in setx that has 4 of the SS 4-8 positions. unbeknown to me when i registered for my PPR, i will not be allowed into the job fair without having taken my content test (something that i cannot change at this date). i am lifting my life and work to God, because i cannot see a way for me to do it. if this is indeed His will, i pray that He will put His hand to work in my life once again.
there are several other obstacles in my path to a career in teaching as well. i am doing everything i can to give it up to Him, 'cause i just don't see how they will be accomplished without him.

my current struggle is one of desperate need to "fix" it - even though i know i can't. and i feel the anger trying to worm its way into my spirit - blaming Lamar for their inefficiency and general inability to guide their students in a manner that makes sense. i'm giving it over to Him. i cannot control it.
please add me to your prayers.

je me réjouis!

1 sam 2:1-10

Hannah’s Prayer

2 And Hannah prayed and said,

For ver. 1–10, see Luke 1:46–53

">f“My heart exults in the Lord;

ver. 10; Ps. 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 112:9; 148:14

">gmy strengthHebrew horn

">1 is exalted in the Lord.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because Ps. 9:14; 13:5; 20:5; 35:9

">hI rejoice in your salvation.

2 Ex. 15:11; Ps. 86:8; 89:6, 8

">i“There is none holy like the Lord;

there is none besides you;

there is Deut. 32:30, 31

">jno rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

4 Ps. 37:15; 46:9; 76:3

">kThe bows of the mighty are broken,

but the feeble bind on strength.

5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.

Ps. 113:9; Isa. 54:1

">lThe barren has borne seven,

Jer. 15:9

">mbut she who has many children is forlorn.

6 Deut. 32:39

">nThe Lord kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

7 [Job 1:21]

">oThe Lord makes poor and makes rich;

Job 5:11; Ps. 75:7

">phe brings low and he exalts.

8 Ps. 113:7, 8; [Dan. 4:17; Luke 1:52]

">qHe raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

Job 36:7

">rto make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

[Job 38:4–6; Ps. 24:2; 102:25; 104:5]

">sFor the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and on them he has set the world.

9 Ps. 121:3; Prov. 3:26; [Ps. 91:11]

">t“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

10 Ps. 2:9

">uThe adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;

ch. 7:10; Ps. 18:13; [2 Sam. 22:14]

">vagainst them he will thunder in heaven.

Ps. 96:10, 13; 98:9

">wThe Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

ver. 1; [Ps. 89:24]

">xand exalt the powerHebrew horn

">2 of his anointed.”

1 sam 3:11-18
11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel 2 Kgs. 21:12; Jer. 19:3

">kat which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli See ch. 2:30–36

">lall that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 [See ver. 12 above]

">lAnd I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, ch. 2:12, 17, 22

">mbecause his sons were blaspheming God,Or blaspheming for themselves

">1 ch. 2:23–25

">nand he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli [Isa. 22:14]

">othat the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. [Ruth 1:17]

">pMay God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, [2 Sam. 10:12; Job 1:21; 2:10; Ps. 39:9; Isa. 39:8]

">q“It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

quel jour!

I have a very dear friend whom I met just before God called me back to him. She is a wonderful woman, mother and child of God. I don't always agree with her views, nor does she always agree with mine. However, she is a sister in Christ all the same and I love her.

Without knowing (or sharing) too many personal details, I can safely say that she has encountered a serious problem in her marriage. I worry for her and her wonderful children. I worry for her husband.

I had a dream while on vacation that shook me deeply about her and her husband. I hope that is not what happened.

Their family is deep in my prayers and thoughts, I hope whomever might read this will include them in theirs as well.

est que ma bouche demande?

I am struggling with habits. Trying to create new habits. Trying to abolish old habits.

I don't pray enough. I don't study enough. I have so much to learn about God's Word and His plan for me. I want to do better, to be better, so that the Lord's light might shine through me. I need to pray more. Praying is the key. I'm sure of it.

My prayers lately have been for Him to remind me to pray.

I don't even know if that's what I'm "supposed" to do - pray for Him to remind me to pray? It's not like God is an alarm clock or anything. I dunno. And then I wonder if I'm even doing it "right".

I'm hoping to find some answers this weekend.