Friday, May 29, 2009

Could it be?

I've been struggling for years to know what to go to school for. I'm pretty content where I am, not worrying about going back to college. Well, there is a possibility that I have finally found something that would interest me enough to go to school for!

This week I started thinking about our church and how easy it would be for us to reach out to our church members more during the week and to reach out to a new and younger crowd. I proposed some ideas to the pastors and from that I was put in charge of tweeting and facebook for the church! I am really excited about this and think it's really good for me. I mean, isn't that what work is supposed to be...something you love to do and then you HAVE to do it?! I'm not getting paid or anything, but it's giving me something to focus on that I really enjoy and feel I'm pretty good at. So, this got me thinking, I love computers, I love design, I love creating....why don't I go to school for web design?! Now, I know NOTHING of web design. How hard is it? How long do you have to go to school before you really know what you're doing? That's my problem...I want to know NOW. I don't want to sit around and learn stuff I don't need to know, I'd rather figure it out myself. I'm not sure if anything will come of this, but it could be really cool!

On another note, Rob has 2 of his last 3 classes going on right now. He's getting way better at time management and it is helping a lot! These 2 classes seem like they will take up a lot of time with writing and such, but I think it really helps that he is *thisclose* to starting seminary. He is so excited about actually getting to go to school for something that interests him so much. His application has been sent in Southern Evangelical Seminary, they have it, they accepted it, now they are just waiting on his transcripts!

School is over for the year (for me anyway, the girls still have a week and a half left much to Penelope's displeasure). We had our preschool graduation last week. It was a relief in a way for me not to have to teach anymore, but wow! When it comes to saying goodbye to some of the children in your class who you don't know if you will see again - it is not easy! One thing I did find out about myself...I'm getting over my fear of being in front of people. It's been good for me to have to be in front of crowds, during communion and graduation (to name a couple examples)...just don't ask me to say anything! I haven't come that far yet!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Restless feelings

Rob is feeling more restless than usual with his job. It can't be easy to dislike where you go and what you do every day to earn a living. There are 2 ways to look at it, either God is telling him that even though he is in the apprenticeship and on his way to being a full time pastor, that is still not enough for now. Or God could be telling him to pray for patience and to have open eyes to what God is trying to teach him right now through the next 2 1/2 years. Are these feelings telling us that we need to step out on a ledge even more and put our trust into God even more by quitting this job now and trying something different? Or are these feelings telling us to fervently pray for patience and understanding and contentment? I'm not sure. I feel like I already have so much faith in where we are moving with our lives. I know (or at least think) we will take a big pay cut when Rob quits his current job, but I do feel that God will provide and I'm not scared or even nervous about that pay cut. But, then again, we have 2 1/2 years to prepare for that and prepare for it, we are. We've buckled down a whole lot on what we spend our money on. There are so many things I see that I would like for our new home or I would like to get for the girls, but I just don't let myself. Somewhere I read in a magazine about how a couple knew they were going into the ministry, they knew tough times were to come so they went to the Bible and the story about Joseph interpreting Pharaoh's dream about Egypt having 7 years of famine then 7 good years. Because they knew this was coming in the future it gave them the opportunity to follow the Bible and save for the slim years. That's where we are right now. Trying to save like crazy, trying to pay the house off faster than usual and trying to put the money we do spend toward adding more value to the house. One thing we realized when we bought this house; how it really paid off for the people who built it and owned it to put their money into it. We want to continue to add to the value. It also makes it hard because I do not feel restless and I do feel we are where God needs us to be right now, but I am not the one who has to go into work and feel so unfulfilled everyday. So, we are in major prayer over all of that right now and who knows where it will lead! I trust that as we pray more, God will reveal His plan because I know he does want us to know it.

I had my 7th Mother's Day this past weekend! It's funny how your wants and desires change over the years. I used to want a whole day and gifts lavished upon me. Ehh...not so much anymore. Now, what does my heart good is thoughtfulness. For the girls to be excited and wake up early and get daddy to make breakfast for me. To see the joy it brings them when they bring me little homemade gifts and to just watch my face to see how I react to the gifts. To see the cards that they picked out for me by themselves. Really it is so sweet and that means so much to me. They let me sleep in on Sunday, which of course, meant I could not sleep past 7am! Why is it always the case that when you are given the chance to sleep in, then you can't! Never fails. Then, they brought me breakfast in bed - an omelet, sausage and strawberries with whip cream. Then brought me the sweetest cards ever and were so excited they could hardly contain themselves! It was a great day!

On another great note...I only have 3 more days of teaching this year. While I really do enjoy it, I did not take the summer off last year and it had me burnt out before the school year even began. I am so thankful for the super sweet children in my class who kept me going and I will really miss them, but I cannot wait for summer to come! Especially now that we have a pool! I'm thinking about starting Margarita Mondays and Thirsty Thursdays for all the moms out there that need a break and want to bring the kids over to relax! Mondays and Thursdays coming soon!