Hello...I'm still alive!

Hello friends. My sincerest apologies for my absence. To catch you up in brief, I am currently teaching 9th and 10th grade English at Caroline County High School in Caroline County, VA. The school has about 1200 students and is located in a rural area. It has been quite the learning experience already. I am very thankful to the Lord for providing this job for me. I will share in a later post how it came about. It happened rather abruptly. So, if you are still waiting on God for something, don't be discouraged. He always answers and provides in His perfect will and way...and that includes His timing!

Okay, so long for now. Have yourselves an absolutely fabulous day!!!

amber dawn

Update on Finger

My right finger is in a splint and may be for the next two to three weeks. The Dr. said I may have broken the bone in the tip of my finger , but decided to forgo the x-ray because I have no insurance at present. There are times it still bothers me, but it is feeling much better. My handwriting leaves something to be desired at times these days! :)

"God Knows What He Is Doing"

This phrase was spoken by my friend Kathy as she told of her husband's home-going. It had been at least six years since I had spoken with Kathy. She and her late husband Dave, owned a cleaning business in Wisconsin and I cleaned with them for a year after I graduated from high school. Spending most of my weekdays with Kathy, we had the opportunity to become good friends. She and Dave were wonderful people to work for.

Back to last night's conversation...Kathy's attitude and testimony were absolutely wonderful. Truly unbelievable and amazing humanly speaking, but a tribute to God's marvelous grace and sustaining power! She said that she has learned a lot about trusting the Lord and fully relying on Him.

I'm very glad the Lord allowed me to talk with Kathy and to hear her say "God knows what He is doing." Perhaps it's the way she said it...how the phrase just flowed right along with the other things she said that makes it especially stand out. She was talking about the death of a loved one and the fact that God knows exacty what He is doing - even in such a serious and sad situation as that. It still just amazes me to think about it. To see that God's grace can and is helping someone to not wallow in the grief and dissappointment, but to face the loss and say in essence"It's okay becuase my God knows what He is doing." What trust!

And what a challenge and testimony it is to me. I'm not facing the loss of someone, but I face disappointments almost daily. Recently I was disappointed about a job "falling through," and lately I've basically felt very uncaring and depressed about the job hunt. And now I am reminded that God does know what He is doing and that I need to - and have the opportunity to - trust Him through everything. If I am truly God's child, seeking to have a right relationship with Him, and seeking His guidance I can trust Him - everything He says and is! Christians, our lives are not by chance or fully based on what we do. Doors do not open and shut arbitrarily.

God is in control and is absolutely GOOD! Let's trust Him.

A "Dead" Finger

Silly me shut my right hand middle and ring fingers in the trunk on Sat. The middle one is not too bad...just bruised especially at the bottom of the nail. The ring finger is another story. It's bruised badly and cut below the nail. It is swollen right now and causing pain. Other than the fact that the bruising is probably causing it to swell, I think I may have used the right hand too much today.

Just to give a quick update...the job with the Middle School in VA didn't end up happening due to a completely unexpected reason. The person I was to replace ended up staying at the school. All I do know is that God is in control and never surprised. I was very disappointed, but it is good to know that it was God's will and He is always good. Please pray for His continued guidance. Thanks!

I will post more later. Hope everyone is doing well.

Wednesday Wanderings

"Teachable Moments"

In some ways, I think that adults retain some of their childish ways. There are certain things that just don't change. Take, for instance, one of humanity's prevalent and natural responses to a lack of sleep: a general case of..."the crab." Adults and children alike can find themselves a bit ornery when they are not rested,but adults have a different way of showing "the crab." Thoughts such as "Go away. Please stop talking to me. Leave me alone." They cloister themselves in their offices and act very busy so that others are less inclined to bother them. Perhaps they may even find these feelings expressing themselves in their words and actions. They certainly (I hope) don't lie on the floor kicking and screaming or cry continuously for no apparent reason.

This morning I find myself keenly aware of my lack of sleep. For me, a general feeling of unkindness toward people comes as well as not feeling quite well. An additional struggle I have when in these moods is the knowledge that, as a believer, I am not supposed to be unkind toward others. I cannot just allow my feelings to control what I do and say. I must admit, I do not always feel like obeying the Holy Spirit when He reminds me of such things. It is easy to think about this and feel that it is a "chore" to obey God, but that thinking must be changed! How can I say such a thing? God gave His only Son to die so that I might have eternal life (John 3:16) and the opportunity to have a relationship with God. What an incredible opportunity...and what love! I can only hope that I would want to do anything and everything to show God my appreciation for His incredible gift and my desire to keep my relationship with Him right and growing. We have much to be thankful for Christian! "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." (Psalm 34:8)


"Comments on my Blog"

The settings on my blog have been changed to allow anyone to comment (not just those with Blogger accounts). I apologize if you tried to comment before and were denied that opportunity. Thank you for your patience...I'm still learning. :)


"A Bright Spot In the Day"

...they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. ~Psalm 34:19

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is night unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. ~Psalm 34:4, 17-18

God's Sovereign Guidance

Praise the Lord for His wonderful goodness to His children! I mentioned in an earlier post a job possibility that the Lord brought my way. Well, today the Lord saw fit to have the principal of King George Middle School call and offer me the position. It is not absolutely final yet because I have to be approved by the Board. The Board's decision will be made this Wednesday. Please pray that God would continue to show His mind concerning this matter. It has been wonderful to see His Sovereign hand this summer. All glory and honor to Him! Thank you for your prayers and encouraging support!

Chicago

It really is cool to have had the opportunity to live in and around Chicago for a while. At various times over the past seven years I have been able to work downtown at Navy Pier and a few law firms. Today my mom, sister, and I drove into the city to pick up boxes from the office where we work. It was very enjoyable to watch all of the different types of people in the city. I think that is one nice thing about the city...all of the things to look at. You have buildings, people, window displays, sculptures, etc! If you have never visited Chicago, I suggest you put it on your to-do list. It offers activities and sights for all people, and you really can enjoy yourself without spending too much money. The museum at the Art Institute only requires a donation. Millenium Park offers free concerts at their outdoor concert hall (I was able to hear Mozart's Requiem and Yo-yo Ma this summer) free of charge, interesting art, and a beautiful park. The Michigan Mile (along Michigan Avenue) has myriads of shops to peruse. Navy Pier is a fun place to just meander through with it's small shops, stained glass window museum, and Chicago skyline. There is a lovely park near Navy Pier and along part of the shore that offers solitude and beauty. Need I say more?! Now, don't get me wrong, there are a number of things to do in the city that cost money and would be a lot of fun - an Architectural Riverboat tour, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, fabulous restaurants, g9ing up in the Sears Tower, and more. So, if you want to do those things, just save up some money and then come. :) We'd love to have you!

On the Hunt

If you think hunting for something you lost is challenging...try hunting for something you don't have! :) The "job hunt" has consumed a good portion of my time and energies this summer. It began with a general destination (Virginia/DC area) and the knowledge that I needed to provide for myself and fulfill financial obligations. A resume and cover letter were constructed, the Lord provided a contact for finding jobs in DC, and applications were sent out. I was pursuing non-teaching jobs at first even though my undergraduate degree was in English Education. Not much was happening at first.

I then applied to see if I could get my initial certification in VA. The VA certification is another story in itself...and an incredible praise! The Lord allowed me to get a Postgraduate Professional Teaching License to teach English in VA, and the license doesn't expire until 2011. This point in the hunt was very exciting! After that I started looking into applying to VA schools near DC and Fredericksburg.

For the sake of not boring you (or myself) let it suffice to say that God has opened and closed doors along the way this summer. There have been ups and downs, and things certainly haven't always worked out the way I thought they might or would, but God's hand has been apparent and I know that He is directing and leading me to the place He has for me this fall.

The latest news on the hunt regards a Phone Interview I had this morning with the principal at King George Middle School in King George, VA. The interview was for a full time teaching position that involves teaching Drama part time and Music (Choral) part time. I was floored when the principal called earlier this week and asked if I would be interested in the position. I hadn't really thought much about teaching in those areas in the Public Schools because my certification is in English. This job prospect does excite me though. I love Drama and Music, and in a sense it would be "playtime" everyday! We will see what God has in store! He truly does work in mysterious and amazing ways! I have truly seen His goodness and guidance this summer.

So, please pray that God would show me His mind regarding this job. The principal said she would call me again on Monday. Thanks so much!