Crusted Over

I've been writing this one post and it was going to be all about why I like my new job so much more than other jobs I've worked in recent history. It's ok to have preferences, BUT my attitude has been hard-hearted and purely pragmatical.

You're getting this post instead.

The Reading of the Law in this morning's church service convicted me. Have you ever had one of those moments, where you are reading or hearing some of the most familiar words of the Bible and they just seem to leap out at you? Read this passage, and I'll emphasize for you what leapt out at me:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. --Ephesians 6:5-8 ESV (emphasis mine)

The double-edged sword of the Word of the Lord cuts through even our attitudes--not just our actions. I confess that my 'sincere heart' and 'good will' have been crusted over by a layer of cynicism. I do like my job, but I want to think about the reasons that are positive in and of themselves, instead of "why it's so much better than my previous jobs." My cynical hard-heartedness shines forth in that sort of comparison. So, I'll wait another few days till I post about why I like my job.

Writing Writing Unit Plan

I haven't written a Unit Plan in over three years, and I'm pretty rusty! As much as my heart and my mind miss teaching, and as much as I've wanted to get back into it, I'm finding myself surprised that it's this hard to write a simple writing Unit Plan.

I'm trying to keep in mind that Writing was never something I enjoyed teaching (it's time-consuming! hard! confusing! hard to systematize!), so that's part of the challenge at this time. BUT on top of that layer of challenge is a layer of dust...or rust...or just plain stiffness...in my Unit-Writing muscles.

The only way out is through. So off I go.

Awesome/Not Awesome

Awesome: the weather wasn't killingly hot today.
Not Awesome: the days are getting shorter and winter is creeping our way. :(

Awesome: we had a superfun weekend with my sister-in-law!
Not Awesome: it's a two-hour drive away and the weekend is over.

Awesome: Ian had a good day today in his InService.
Not Awesome: School is starting, and that is a grind.

Awesome: I submitted about 10 job applications today.
Not Awesome: I need to be working (and getting paid) now.

Awesome: Job applications can be submitted online (thus less gas burned).
Not Awesome: Spending all day on the computer is hard on a recluse like me.

Awesome: I have all this time! I can visit friends, hang out and read, blog all day,...
Not Awesome: I can't afford to drive anywhere unnecessary or buy anything non-vital.

Awesome: Deeper, truer knowledge that God Provides.
Not Awesome: The painful side of sanctification.

'Re-Entry'

Whew! I have been out of commission for a long time! Where have I been? Well...here and there, traveling and relaxing, but mostly hanging out with my family.

I miss them a lot when I am not with them. My life is here in Chattanooga, so I sometimes even miss them when I am with them...because their lives are away from Chattanooga.

We've hit the ground running as far as our 're-entry' into Normal Life. Except that I didn't bring a dish to the Sunday Potluck at church.

My main project has been to (as seems to be the case for me) find a job. This time I'm looking everywhere but retail because I'm DONE with retail. My ideal job would be a middle school Language Arts classroom somewhere in the area, and that is what we have been hoping and praying for...but it's hard to maintain the level of faith it requires to pray boldly and with faith.

Good thing my faith was a gift to begin with and comes with maintenance guaranteed. Seriously, if maintaining my faith was solely up to me, I'd be sunk.

Leap Day 2008

A great posting idea taken from here:



In honor of Leap Day, here's a tiny history lesson:

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4 years ago (let's see, that was 2004...):

I was single. I had recently returned from my Hawaii Adventure and recovering emotionally from some hurts I sustained while there. I was living with Mom and Dad, my sister and her husband were still living in Georgia. (The emotional hurts were more than just a 'skinned knee,' people--they were really deep and we were all still in the midst of the hurt and healing process.)



That was a really hard season for me and for all of us. It was tough, let me tell you, and we still deal with some of the fallout from that season. But I also have a deeper and stronger knowledge of the Lord's faithfulness even in the midst of terrible hurt.

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Today:

I am a married woman, coming up on my 3rd anniversary of being engaged. I am not working (the business I was working for closed) but am looking for a teaching job for next year and for a hold-me-over job for right now. I am taking one class at Covenant College. I loooooove my honey!

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In 4 years:

Hah! 2012? I have no idea...but ideally, here are some goals: own a house, have at least one child, and possibly relocate. But who KNOWS what the Lord will bring us? We offer our plans and goals and ideals to him, and when life throws us a curveball, we do our best to do what is right in the sight of the Lord. (Thankfully, we know that 'life's curveballs' really and truly are ordained by the Lord--and that He is faithful and good even when those curveballs are horrible and terrible and awful.)

Monday Update 2 (Written on Tuesday)

• Hours of class attended: only 1
• Cups of coffee: 2 (+1 decaf)
• Conversations with friends (old and new): 2
• Conversations via email with SIL A: 1 (extended over the whole day, though)
• Conversations with a publishing house confirming the cancelling of my Free Trial Account (and that my credit card will not be charged): 1 (it was very civil)
• Conversations with a passport official (he must have been in New York or somewhere because it was not civil at all): 1
• Applications collated, stuffed into envelopes, and mailed (with well-written cover letters!) : 7
• Reference request forms stuffed into envelopes (with corresponding cover letters and stamped, addressed envelopes): 3
• Number of times I annoyed the Covenant Mailroom people while copying, collating, buying stamps, etc.: 4 or 5
• Meals eaten yesterday: 2
• Time we arrived home after a long day: 9:00pm.
• Time we got into bed and turned the lights off: 10:30pm.

Monday Update 1

(I've been plugging away at the mound of paperwork required for a complete application to W-County Schools.)

I also have my GoogleReader window open, and have had one (1) reading break. One of the frugal-homemaker blogs I read talks about bringing a calculator while you shop. That thought appeals to me, but the only calculator I use on a regualar basis is about the size of a business card. (I used it for the arithmetic associated with figuring test scores back in the day when I was teaching.) That calculator would not be so useful.

However, a few years ago we procured a huge, big, jumbo calculator in a Christmas White Elephant Exchange. It's the size of a notebook--about 9x13--and would be just the trick in the baby-seat of the shopping cart. (Especially because I don't have a baby sitting there, just a shopping list.)

Weeked Update and Monday to-do list

Wow! Everyone is busy on a Monday morning updating their blogs. Let me join the flow.

Weekend events:
*Cleaned house
*Cooked food for Saturday night party
*Cooked food for Sunday lunch
*Hosted Saturday night party (I got some girls together and we watched the pre-recorded Miss America I had on hand. It was fun!)
*Attended morning church
*Hosted Sunday lunch (SIL A and her two former roommates came over)
*Cleaned up from Sunday lunch--including the fine china (thanks to Mom and Tanta for the two extra place settings I have now!)
*Attended evening church
*Found crochet project (it was in a project bag) and resumed work on a baby blanket for Heather of Troy

Menus for meals:
Saturday party:
Macaroni and Cheese (I'll share this recipe later--it is sooo good!)
"Taco Night"
Dessert: fruit (grapes and strawberries)

Sunday lunch:
Quiche Lorraine + cheese -- will share this recipe when I am at home
Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche -- will share this recipe too
Salad
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (Love the doughboy--these are always sooo yummy!)
Dessert--Easy Cherry Cobbler provided by J and A, SIL A's two roommates. (will share this recipe too)

To do list for today (compiled last night by my dear friend and husband...he wrote it onto a large *Post-it and stuck it onto the front of my planner):
*Get transcripts for schools
*Make decision about Tuesday Night activity
*Copy/Scan teacher's license
*Print resume for C-County School District
*Get and fill out application
*Send/email applications to W- and C-County Schools

So...off I go!