i believe.

i am a believer... 

i believe that God created the world in 6 days... 

24 hour days.  

and that He rested on the 7th.

i believe the serpent tempted Eve AND Adam 

and that sin entered into our world.
i believe that God, Father, Jesus, Son, and Holy Spirit...uh..Spirit 
are ONE.
yet THREE
i believe and it is clear to me, yet for me to put it into words - not something I am good at explaining.

i believe that Jesus came as a baby, 

born to a virgin named Mary

I celebrate Christmas in December in honor of His birthday, 

even though he probably wasn't born in December.

i believe that He lived a sinless life

even when tempted.

i believe He honestly cared for and loved the poor, 

the fatherless, 

the widows, 

the prostitutes, 

the thieves, 

the 'sinners'

i believe He loved the Pharisees, 

but their attitudes truly pissed Him off.

i believe that Judas had the unfortunate role of betraying Jesus.

i believe that Jesus still loved Judas, 

even though He knew Judas was going to make some wrong decisions.

i believe that Jesus was crucified.. 

on a wooden cross, not a beautiful gold one.

i believe that it was horrible & gruesome.

i believe that Jesus didn't want to go through it
but knew it was what needed to be done so that He would be the final sacrifice for the sins of everyone.

i believe He forgave his crucifiers,
and the mockers watching. 

i believe he did die on the cross.

i believe the Roman soldiers were good at what they did.

i celebrate Good Friday.

i remember that Jesus died, horribly, for me.  

and you, and you, and you.....

i believe that Jesus was buried in a tomb

i believe that there was a huge stone blocking the entrance.

i believe the guards knew what they were doing.

I believe Jesus rose from the grave.

i believe He is no longer dead.
i believe that He rose form the dead to show death had no power over him.
for me..
and you and you and you.

i believe it as truth, not a hoax.

i believe He forgave Peter for denying Him.

i believe that the Holy Spirit stayed when Jesus went up to Heaven.

i believe Jesus is in heaven right now, 

watching us and preparing things for each of us who love Him.

i believe in Jesus Christ and what He has done for me.

That's what I believe.

i also believe that i can screw up.

i am a human

if Adam and Eve could screw up and they actually walked with God, 

and conversed with Him...

than i am not surprised when i mess up.

i believe the Holy Spirit is with me and giving me God's strength.

But i believe that i just need to keep trying to live like Jesus, 

and relying on God for the strength I need each day.

this girl has mad skillz!

Hi i wanted to share a blog i follow.

Twilight Tree.

this girl has some mad skillz.

Her most recent creation has me wanting one - -

i would love to be able to make one for myself, but i just don't see that happening anytime soon.

anyone want to make me one :)

Check out this blog..

and see the Vintage Linen Top

have a super creative day.

April's Song: The Stand

I love music.

I love singing.

i was thinking i am going to try to share a song each month with you. 

if i can find it on YouTube i'll post a video...

if not i'll try to write out the lyrics for you.

the first song is one we sang at church this past sunday.

this summer i saw Hillsong United live.

I think i need to correct it - - i experienced a Hillsong United concert.

The song is 'The Stand'

it is a song that stirs a passion in my heart and i want to share it with you.

School Days...Part 4: Teachers

I have shared the boy's school experience in part 1, 2 & 3...
welcome to the 4th and possibly final school days post.
 ***
Teach, v
1.  To impart knowledge or skill to; give instruction
2.  To Instruct in.
3.  To cause to learn by example or experience
4.  to advocate or expound. 
***
I always had great teachers from JK thru to 6..
some of the 7 - College were spectacular too

(but there are so many more that are a part of those school years)

When we made the decision to send the boy to school this year i was scared of him having a teacher that was in it for the summer off and the pay,

and not in it for my little boy

 with his fears, his passions, his giggles, his smiles, his shyness. 

i began praying.

I prayed.

i prayed for his teachers. 

(JK and on in the years, but focusing on JK.)

i prayed he would have teachers that obviously cared for him.

teachers i could talk with and work with through any issues that may come up.

teachers he grew to love and appreciate.

they didn't have to be followers of Christ, but i prayed they had a love for my boy and the kids they worked with that imitated Christ,

whether they knew it or not.

i will be honest

when i went to the school intro to kindergarten night i wanted the Early Childhood Educator from one class but the teacher from the other class...

i got the ECE i wanted.

but, i'll tell you now,

i LOVE his teacher. 

She has known my husbands family for a while, and is actually a sweet woman who adores my little boy.

His ECE loves him too.

He loves his teachers.

Even when he was scared to go to school he would tell me he liked them.

They have been wonderful.

the conversations we have had and the encouragement i have received has been appreciated.

His teacher even phoned one night to see how he was doing because when she put him on the bus he was so distraught, and in tears. 

we have had a couple phone conversations.

we have had a bunch of at-school chats.

i am thankful for a teacher who is in the position because she loves to teach.

When i told her i was sending him 3 days she was glad.

(how relieved i was, since i was expecting a fight)

she said she thought the school board needed to make sure the parents knew they had the option.

she said that we know our kids and she'd prefer to have crazy individual schedules than having a whole bunch of exhausted, sad kids in the class for 5 full days.

his ECE told me she related to my boy because he is so much like her in personality,

prefering the smaller groups. 

She understood him, and i loved that.

i am thankful for the women teaching my son in his first year of school.

i am thankful for the teachers i know and have had as well, as i know there are people in this position because they truly have a heart for teaching children.

thank you to my past teachers: (the ones whose names come to mind - jk-college)

Mrs. Teal; Mrs. Langley, Ms. Buchanan, Mrs. Ceni, Mr. Holouschko(sp?), Ms. Earle, Ed Fontaine, Marv Penner, Kaj, Rob, Paul, Mr. Lehrer, Mr Dawson.

You all inspired me to do my best even when i didn't know i had it in me. 

 i know there are many more whose names i can't place.  

Thank you to those who are teaching or have been teaching and who desire to see children grow, learn and strive for excellence:

Kristin S(in PNG), Sue A, Mel M, Kent M, Christine T, Wendy S, Alison K, Darren M, Tracy M, Jody F,  Kerri-Lynn, K, Lisa M...

i know there are more who are teaching but i'm drawing a blank.

And thank you to elijah's teachers... Jane Keevil and Sarah Dix - you are wonderful.   

the boy's wisdom

My kids are making an Easter scene.

There's a hill and a tomb,

we had to make 3 crosses.

on Good Friday we'll place the crosses on the hill.

(and add a stone in front of the tomb, which, on Sunday we'll move to the side.)

i left them while i went to get some hemp to tie the sticks together.

and listened while a good, wise, big brother explained to his little sister why we needed 3 crosses.

(this has been 2 days in my memory, some of the exact wording may be slightly off)

"We need three crosses.

Jesus was in the middle and he had robbers beside him.

The robbers did bad so they were dying because they did bad.

But Jesus was good.

He didn't do any bad.

But he had to die on the cross.

Then they buried him in the tomb and put a big rock in front so he couldn't get out.

But then one day he moved the rock and got out."