My Voice, My Heart, My Life

At midnight another year will have passed and a new one lies before us. Today is a day to reflect back at all that has pasts and a day to plan what's ahead. Yes, the look back may be painful but I'm sure that joy emerged. Take this time to see what has been accomplished and what needs to be improved.  Enjoy the time with family and friends. Enjoy the fellowship of the season. Thank God for the trials and blessings of the past and pray for wisdom and strength for the future. For me this year has been full or surprises both pleasant and not so pleasant. There are parts in my life where I have been stretched and have had to learn to rely on God greatly. This year He has also blessed me with deeper friendships. It's been a blessings to have sister-friends. This year has been eventfully and I wouldn't change a thing. Every event that has occurred had a purpose.They've each taught a lesson and caused me to reflect. Thank you Lord for continuing to show me something n...

This was confession is from December 18, 2005, but I believe what he says still has merit. Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are.  I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I’m buying my dog biscuits.  I still don’t know.  I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores who they are.  They don’t know who Nick and Jessica are, either.  Who are they?  Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they’ve broken up?  Why are they so darned important?  I don’t know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I don’t care at all about Tom Cruise’s baby. Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I’m a subversive?  Maybe.  But I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.  Is this what it means to be no longer young?  Hmmm, not so bad. Next confession:  I am a Jew and every single one of m...

 A dear friend sent me this poem written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA It's a beautiful tribute to the precious children lost in Sandy Hook Elementary. Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38 when 20 beautiful children stormed through Heaven's gate. Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air. They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there... They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say. They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day. "Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse. "This is heaven," declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house." When what to their wondering eyes did appear but Jesus, their Savior; the children gathered near. He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same. Then He opened His arms and He called them by name. And in that moment was joy that only Heaven can bring. Those children all ...

I heard this letter read on KLOVE, a christian radio station, and found it comforting. From Pastor Ray (Bayside Church): Today is a heartbreaking day. Our nation experienced the second worst school shooting in American history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. I, like all Americans, am devastated. During tragic times like this there is inevitably a mad scramble for CLARITY. How could this happen? Why would a good and loving God let this happen? Who's to blame for this senseless violence? The problem – Shallow Christian clichés fall short and ultimately Clarity never comes…because at best, we see ‘through a glass dimly…' During times like this we think we need Clarity when we really need is Certainty. • I am certain that this senseless act breaks the heart of God because… I am certain that God understands what it means to lose a son. • I am certain that every one of todays victims ...

So this has been a long week. The school schedule has been normal, lots to do with not a lot of time, adding on top this Scrooge schedule has drained me. I enjoy it but by Sunday I'm dragging my feet. I woke up feeling a bit sick, coughing and just plain exhausted. I sat on the couch debating "Should I not go to church today. I could use the rest? I don't why we think its okay to miss church if we're feeling tried or just don't feel like it. We justify it to ourselves someway and say God will forgive me. Well I got and got ready, because I knew I would benefit even if my body was fighting me. Today at my church we had our Christmas Potluck. When we walked into the church I was so taken back. They had decorated the space with tables and decorations. All set up for a communal lunch. The centerpieces on the table were colorful and the walls had snowman decorations. The advent candle stood front in center. We walked in when worship had started so we got the whole p...

I'm a big tea drinker. I prefer it to coffee. A cup in the morning. A cup at night. A cup or two in between if its doable. No matter the family, green, oolong, black or herbal I love it. I began buying tea through the supermarket. Celestials Season, Twinings or Stash Tea. They tasted fine and I enjoyed them. But then I discovered loose leaf tea. It opened up a whole new world for me. The taste was more intense, the aroma more fragrant and the color more saturated. It was a beautiful discovery. I started ordering tea online. That worked well enough, but it was inconvenient. If I ran out of something I couldn't just go out and get it. So I began my search for local tea shops. I found a few but they were either too far or too much. I couldn't believe how expense tea could be! So my dilemma began. I love the taste of loose leaf but I'll go broke drinking it. With no tea shop in town with variety and price that would fit my budget, I returned to the tea bag world. A we...

Today is the last day for one of kids. She and her mom will be moving down under to Australia. Ysabella is a first year highlander. Unlike most of my students she didn't attend HCS preschool. She came fresh from an outside school. Though she didn't have the Highlands background, she was completely prepared for kindergarten. With our academics being a year ahead than normal, there is always a bit of concern for those new kids, but that wasn't the case with her. She flourished. The first time I met Ysabella wasn't on the first day of school. It was actually during the summer at the "Free Kindergarten Day."  It was a day of fun activities and some academic work, a mini preview of kindergarten. It was a four hour day and Ysabella was one of the participating kids. She was quiet and a bit shy. Very timid. She reminded me of myself at that age. She opened up a bit but not much. By the end of the day, I knew I wanted her in my kindergarten class. I prayed that sh...