{5} on friday.

{1}  it's been one of the busiest weeks my little world has seen in a while.  filled with goodness, but so, so busy.  looking forward to a weekend at home just trying to get caught up.

{2}  we have a new stove/oven ... and it's beautiful.  in fact, I think I'll make a batch of cookies in it tonight while I cook on the stove top!

{3}  my classroom is in complete disarray and I'm ok with that because if it wasn't ... I would have to wonder what I've been doing all week.

{4}  I'm already looking forward to my class next year ... and there are a bunch of kids and parents that are too.

{5}  I bought Jesus Calling to start doing with Mason, but the funny thing is, it's speaking directly to me. 

Matthew 11:28-30
"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out ... ? 
Come to Me.  Get away with Me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest. 
Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. 
Learn from the unforced rhythms of grace ... keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."  ~ Jesus

...............................

May you find time to walk with Him this weekend.

this journey ... called life.

Sometimes, this journey isn't easy.

Oh really - who am I kidding?

It's never easy.

And if it is, well ... I was once told by Mac Bledsoe that if you've had an "easy" day ... you weren't teaching, or living.

............................

Most of the time you don't end up where you thought you would.

In fact, a lot of the time, the twists and turns and detours are as far from where you think you should be than you ever dreamed possible.

But every corner, every road, every path ... it's your journey.

...........................

Some of us are waiting for a phone call.

That one phone call that might possibly change everything.

Some of us are fighting for life.

A life without pain, disease or suffering.

Some of us are searching for truth.

Truth that takes away any doubts or fears.

Some of us are planning for, hoping for, praying for a child.

A child that will rely on us for everything.

Some of us are praying.

Praying for a miracle, a chance, test results that are positive, test results that are negative, a sign from God.

Some of us are reading.

Reading about grace and faith and the life of Jesus and His followers.

Some of us are learning.

Learning that life is a journey.

• Traveling from one place to another.
• Passage or progress.

 ... and without our past, without the wait, without the planning and preparing and praying, without the trust  ...

then we're really not on a journey.

And as difficult and hard as parts of our journey may seem - they are our story. 

They're the chapters in our book of life.

................................

So, go ...

Start searching for those glimpses of God written on your pages.

Start uncovering those hidden treasures as you start another chapter.

Quit trying to make the story go your way.

Quit trying to fix everything.

And maybe, just like Mack, you'll begin to anticipate the turning of the next page, the change of characters, the hidden, but yet, ever present Hero of your story with excitement, with joy, with trust.

It's yours to live, so live it well.

wordless wednesday.

Always be joyful. Pray continually ...

and give thanks whatever happens. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

109.  soaking feet - rubbing the anxiousness away and calming the spirit of a boy and his mama.
110.  words hanging from the ceiling for all to read.

114.  an email changing so much in my little world and my teaching career - one of my biggest fans is leaving.

116.  pizza, ice cream cake and a 34th birthday celebrated well.

119.  cold wind. cold, cold wind.
120.  parents that call (and are willing to call) when they don't understand an assignment.
121.  my mom's amazing way of knowing every birthday song under the sun.

123.  John 16:24 - ask & you will receive ... and your joy will be the fullest joy.
124.  an unexpected card in the mail and words only a "farm girl" would know to write.
125.  warm feet burrowed under my "cold" legs.

128.  bits of sunshine in between snow flurries.
129.  U.S. symbols and their gigantic importance in our country's history.
130.  the majestic bald eagle and future writers.

132.  a bank account loaded with money - only if it is for just one day.

135.  arm loads of hamburger = taco meat for a crowd.

137.  the weather and the "power" it seems to hold over our world.
138.  the Foot Book ... again and again .. practice makes perfect ... well, really - what is perfect?

140.  my newest scarf - made with love just for me ... and admired by all.

142. sharing ideas and watching my friends teach.
143.  realizing that my classroom doesn't function very well without me.

145. a bull calf from Murdock Lindsay sold at a good price.
146.  walking through the grocery store only getting what was written on the list.
147.  a house full of friends, food and laughter!  4 birthdays celebrated and another successful taco feed in the history books.
148.  best friends from Nebraska and an extra bed for them to rest their heads on.

152.  cookies and hot chocolate for breakfast.
153.  mornings with less darkness and a lot more light.
154.  time taken to write a note.

158.  email and the "reply all" ... the misunderstanding ... the laughter ... the WOW!  Did she really type that?
159.  a 10 year old shirt worn proudly.
160.  a "pie in the face" finale that made the crowd go wild.

163.  driving into the sun and feeling the warmth - even at 20 degrees.
164.  a safe 3 hour trip, filled with praise music, soft snores and a beautiful view that leads to "home."
165.  politeness oozing from Mack and Mason - I knew it was in there somewhere.

168.  my mom's arm moving ... and moving well.
169.  old toys, dolls, and clothes that bring back all sorts of wonderful. yes, wonderful.

Slow down!  Did you yawn and stretch and thank Me for a healthy body that can get out of bed?  Did you peek outside and see that beautiful sunrise I made for you?  Did you thank Me for the people who love you?
~ Jesus Calling, Feb. 25th

174.  a common life.
175.  old friends and the miracle of new life... almost here.

176.  a competitive spirit. not always my best character trait.

178.  sunglasses, glow-sticks, birthday candles, bowling pins and a balloon.

179.  dinner, dessert, and a mom to celebrate.

180.  blindfolds and a paper donkey - searching for just the right spot with eyes covered tight - not an easy task, but something we try to do a lot in our every-day lives.

184.  fields covered in snow and worship music.
185.  a sermon from the heart of Uganda.
186.  Praise the Lord.  Amen ... Hallelujah ... Amen.
187.  Peter and the hand that reaches for help to a God who is reaching right back.

189.  A pancake and the magic of a candle.

191.  a gas tank filled with love.
192.  Happy Hour at Sonic.

194.  a car unpacked, laundry started, and a house picked up.
195.  bedtime stories and kisses goodnight.

another week - fully lived ... and lived fully.

........................................

and ... if you haven't started counting your {gifts} that the days, hours, minutes and seconds bring - do.

it's worth all the time in the world.

{5} favorites on Friday.

{1} First graders that love to read & are reading because they love it, not because they have to ... but because they want to.

{2} I tried to be sneaky today & avoid getting a pie in the face ... it didn't work out so well for me and now... well, let's just say I think I got what I deserved.

{3}  My messy desk.   A mess means I've worked hard this week ... and a mess means that I will find little notes and cards and little drawings under to do lists and lesson plans.   Definitely worth the mess.

{4}  Mack loves to sit and watch and read ... as long as he can rub the corner of his blanket along his lip.  Precious, peaceful and probably the one thing I treasure most about his {relationship} with his blanket.

{5}  We're headed {home} for a fun weekend with my family.  Fast & furious ... and another chance to kiss and hug this sweet little girl.

spilling over with goodness.

No man is an island - your actions touch the lives of those close to you ... therefore, the decisions you make today spill over into the lives of others tomorrow. ~ Daily Walk Bible

........................

Lots of goodness spilling over into our lives this week.

This week filled with colds and coughs and runny noses.

This week of cold winds, snow flurries, and hail.

This week of tantrums, tears and toys broken.

.............................

Rough stuff ... but still, through it all, we seek and search for the goodness.

And we find it.

In apples, cattle guards, sweatshirt pockets, and unmasked smiles.

Goodness.  Found.

wordless Wednesday.