Blessed

Can you believe there is only about a week left in this month?! I guess I anticipate this time of year so much that it seems to come and go so quickly. Today was my last day of work for the week. We had a Thanksgiving chapel this morning and my students made me proud!! They quoted a Bible verse and recited a poem. They dressed up as pilgrims and Indians.... they were so cute and did an awesome job! I am SO thankful for my job! 


Speaking of being thankful.... my heart is full today! As this is Thanksgiving week, I have been really thinking about how blessed I am. Okay, so this sounds like I'm not thankful any other time, but I am, it's just that this time of year really helps me to stop and focus on the goodness of God. How he even cares about the little things in my life and how he knows me even better than I know myself. I am so thankful I serve a living God who is constantly with me and helping in this journey of life. 




              Shout to the Lord, all the earth, Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 
              Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Psalm 100




This Thanksgiving I'm very thankful that I'm able to spend time with my family and enjoy all the wonderful, yummy food that my mom will be cookin' up! I'll be bringing the pumpkin roll, again! That seems to be my job every thanksgiving... not that I mind because I think I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Hopefully, I'll be helping mom out in the kitchen when we get there. Oh, and the shopping.... I always go shopping the day after Thanksgiving. When Trevor and I got married, we decided it was easier to alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas every year with our families. So, this year I get to shop with my mom. And yes, we get up early and are usually ready for lunch by 9am.... heehee. I'm also hoping to get my family to play some board games on Friday, after the shopping of course.... oh, and the nap and dinner.  Ok, so we'll see. But mom if you're reading this.... pull the games out and dad  - chinese checkers... although you're usually the only one who can beat me (heehee)! I'm also looking forward to a little getaway with my honey tomorrow. I'm SO excited!! 


I hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving and remember to cherish the special times that God blesses you with your loved ones. Treasure the memories and  maybe even start a new tradition. Also remember those who are less fortunate, and be a blessing to someone else. Share the love of Christ with someone by sending them a card, inviting them to your Thanksgiving dinner, or taking dinner to them. Pray and ask God how He would have you reach out to your neighbors or those who are hurting. 


Well, I'll leave you with my pumpkin roll recipe. It's very easy and delicious! I'll have to show you a picture next time.... I'm not making it until later tonight..


Pumpkin Roll

ingredients:
3 eggs, beaten
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 C. pumpkin
1 C. sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger
3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. nutmeg


Beat eggs till frothy. Gradually add sugar and lemon juice. Add pumpkin. Combine flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix until well blended and add to pumpkin mixture. Spread on a 15x10 waxed paper lined jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15min. Turn onto dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up and cool.

Icing:
6oz. cream cheese
2C. powdered sugar
4 tbs of soft margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth. Unroll bread, spread with filling and reroll.
Refrigerate.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Renewanation

Last Tuesday night, I attended a benefit banquet with the staff from my school. The banquet was for an organization call RENEWANATION and included area Christian schools, churches, businesses that have supported them. This organization was birthed out of a pastor's heart to see every child in America be offered a Christian based education. Their mission is to secure a bright future for America and the world by instilling a Christian worldview in the hearts and minds of children.

Ok, so I must admit I really wasn't looking forward to going last week. Actually, I was looking forward to the dinner part. The banquet was held at the Hotel Roanoke and I knew I would at least enjoy a nice dinner. I know, that sounds awful, but it's the truth. Lately, my weeknights at home have been few and far between and I felt like this was just "one more" thing added to list of places to be. Well, I must say, I am so thankful I went and when I left I felt refreshed, encouraged, and  sensed God speaking to my heart. And an added bonus, my school was one of three in our area to receive a $10,000 grant. What a HUGE blessing!

The speaker for the evening was Dr. Jeff Meyers from Summit Ministries in Colorado. Wow, did he have a powerful message. He challenged us, as Christian educators and parents, to not sit on the 'sidelines" and continue to allow the world to take control of the minds of our children and youth. He reminded us of how important it is to take every situation to teach our children to have a Biblical worldview. He referenced Deuteronomy chapter 6, specifically verse 7-9 ... You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
He gave a really neat example of this. As a researcher, he had done tests on the effects of video games and the brain. So, he said he came home from work and told his children that they wouldn't be playing video games for awhile. Of course, his kids quickly tried to convince him that there was a "new" kind of game system that kept the body active while playing. Their example was playing tennis... so he said okay, you want to play tennis, then get in the car. He took them to play tennis. Then he said they continued to push and said they could also act out bowling on this game system. He said, ok, you want to bowl.... then get in the car. He ended up taking them bowling. Finally, his kids told him that they actually liked to play the "shut 'em up" games. He said, ok...... get in the car.  LOL! He took them to buy airsoft guns and they played in their backyard that evening. His point was that as he was playing with his children, he was also teaching them, spending time with them, using the situations to talk about God.  One morning as he was coming downstairs for breakfast, he said he could hear his children discussing "deep theological" issues like Clifford. You know.... the big Red Dog! lol   Their discussion was whether Clifford really loved God or not. So as he was listening, his three year old said... "I don't think he loves God because he never talks about him." This really made me think. A biblical worldview does not just happen by chance or just by going to church.... it starts in the home and then filters out into other influences... school, church, etc.  Because their father spent time playing with them and while playing, talked about God... he was instilling a Christian worldview in their hearts and minds.

Eventhough I'm not a parent, God has called me to be a teacher. I pray that I am instilling in my students a christian world view and that I'm taking every opportunity to teach them about God... not just during our Bible lesson but in every part of our day.

A challenge to you.... are you taking every opportunity to develop a Biblical worldview in the lives of the children in your life?!

I encourage you to check out the renewanation website.

Have a blessed week!!