FIRST day of school

This first day of school was so very different than ... well than all preceding (as i have been a student up to this point) and also from what i expected!!!

I woke up at 6:50 to my alarm and thought, 'yay, its my first day teaching'. Then I closed my eyes for just a few minutes and it was 7:20.... *paaaaaanic* ! I frantically pulled Pippen from his kennel and ushered him outside. Upon the click of the door I realized that I had neglected to unlock the door! (so while barefoot and gradually becoming very wet(it was raining) i wondered who invented 'egress' and whether anyone had shot them yet) I padded over across icky mulch and pushed open one of our basement windows ( um, ok so i knew it would be open because I locked myself out on monday, apparently i'm NOT one of those experience learners afterall) I attempted to go in feet first this time and found that head first trully is a better way to try and mount the washing machine. I was doing ok until i tried to pull pippen in through with me... wet scared dog plus precarious position equals frustration. I let him wander around outside as I jumped down off the washer. *kersplush* hmm my feet are 'wetter'. ah yes, our basement was 'flooding' at this point prayers were happening such as "are you kidding me Lord?!" I ran upstairs and said is quite a bit of love, "PIPPEN GET IN HERE NOW" then padded down the dog with local towel while ringing husband and running back downstairs. 'Hello? (says Chris)' "I overslept, i locked myself out and the basement is flooding!" poor Chris. He asks me to locate the leak and describe it- (ahem, why was he not panicing- this was a good panic situation!) "its coming in from where the wall meets the floor", "OK dont worry that shouldnt cause any problem it will drain through our sump" yada yada click.

Poor Pippen is completely neglected at this point as i sprint up the stairs and decide whether or not i will shower in my remaining 20 minutes. "Lord! REAlly?! orientation has been crazy, i'm teaching jr high and high schoolers, i want to be prepared! Lord I know i'm not asking reverently or in awe- but you better bring me some peace!"

and then it was very very clear.

" Do you want to do this in your strength or mine?"





So now i sit writing this, weeping as i let it all sort of sink in, I remember yet again that He is very good at being soveriegn, very good at being GOD!

I'm so thankful He is patient and I'm so thankful that I am His!

preparation

tonight i'm nursing a strained neck and trying to figure out how to create an 18 week drama course. I'm learning alot. I didn't know a strained muscle could teach me so much about james- counting it joy is difficult and i think that may show i'm getting a little too used to comfort. preparing for something completely out of my range is pretty humbling and i'm scared i'll land on my face. i'm learning about trust too.

trusting someone who cannot be ignorant, cannot be wrong, cannot be compromised sounds so logical... yet its hard to pay out trust in the medium of control...

i'm excited that God has begun another part of my journey- i feel new lessons coming.

moving in

well i only have a minute because i need to decide what we are eating for dinner. but we have moved in and are working our way through the house- cleaning and refurbishing. its really exciting and i'm so glad chris and i have been blessed by God to do this!

Here is a bit of a montage from moving out of the apartment to moving in last thursday to sanding and refinishing the floors!
{'hmm?' catching a last bite before packing the truck}
kitchen under attack!

...
isnt it the most beautiful inanimate thing you have ever seen? other than mountains ... :)