You Can't Sink This Sub!

It has been six months since I have been back in the United States. I've submitted employment applications to many different places. I had a decent amount of work at Hobby Lobby during the Christmas season. Of course, once the Christmas season was over, my work hours dropped off sharply because...well...not as many people shop at Hobby Lobby when Christmas decorating is not a major activity.

New Work 
After several weeks with very little income, God opened up the opportunity for employment as a substitute teacher in several school systems in the area. 

This looks like a fun book. You can find it here

My first day of subbing fell on Valentine's Day. I subbed for a tenth grade social studies teacher, and I have to admit that greeted the students with a bit of nervousness. After all, it has been something like twenty-seven years since I have been in a high school classroom in the United States. Numerous people talk about "kids these days". You know what I mean. The saying "sink the sub" has been around for quite some time, and I wondered how hard the students would try to "sink" me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the tenth graders to be generally very respectful and a pleasure to work with. Of course, the teacher had left lesson plans that were very easy to follow. The classes practically ran themselves, so I had it easy, but it was a very good re-entry experience into the classroom.

Since that first day, I have had work almost every day. I thought it might take awhile before I started getting jobs, but it seems that I will not have trouble getting as much work as I can handle. In fact, my schedule is full through the first two weeks of March.

As for tomorrow and Friday, I will be back at the high school teaching Social Studies again, but for a different teacher this time. I am looking forward to it this time. God is providing the work, and I am trusting Him that this class, like the other one, will not be out to "sink the sub". If they are into "sub-sinking", though, I trust that Gd will make me "unsinkable".

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Big Melt-Off

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Today is February 20th. Snow is piled high outside after weeks of some of the coldest, snowiest weather this area of Ohio has seen in decades. Actually, the snow is not as high now as it was just last week. We have had somewhat warmer temperatures the last few days, and some of the while stuff has melted. The fact that a temperature of thirty-something degrees can be thought of as "warmer" says something about how bitterly cold we have been here.

We have had so many snow days this winter that the President's Day holiday was cancelled in order to make up at least one of them. Unfortunately, that very night, we got another snow storm. What happened? You guessed it. School was cancelled on Tuesday.

I am not writing merely to seek people to commiserate with me about the weather, though. As I drove to work this morning, I got to thinking about what many areas that have been hit by record-breaking snowfalls and freezing temperatures are going to face as things start to warm up. Then, I started comparing this whole situation to life. May I share a few thoughts with you? Yes? OK, let's go.

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Frozen Ground
After weeks of frigid temperatures, the ground under the piles of snow is frozen hard. It will thaw far more slowly than the snow piled on top of it. Consequently, the ground won't be able to adequately absorb the water from the melting snow. The result? Flooding, of course. We all look forward to warmer weather, but face it. That warmer weather will bring with it certain challenges that we don't have to face as long as the snow stays piled high and deep in sub-zero temperatures. 

Frozen Hearts
In the same way, some of us walk around with frozen hearts. Things have happened to us us that have really hurt. Defensively, we allow our hearts to become hardened so we can't be hurt again. More and more "stuff" piles up on top of the frozen ground of our hearts. We don't like it. We wish for spring. We long for new life. We grasp at a glimmer of hope that God can bring His warmth into our frozen hearts. Yet there is something risky about allowing that warmth to touch us. Let's suppose that we go ahead and take that risk.

 

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Melt-Off Mess

As the warmth of God's love touches the "stuff" that has piled up over the years on our frozen hearts, we start to get some run-off. Thoughts and feelings that we have piled away start to pour out. Often, this gets a bit messy. Even as the residents of the flood plain of Findlay, Ohio, will inevitably have to do some clean-up after the coming flood, we also have some clean-up to do in our hearts. This is most definitely not a fun process.

 

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"Post-Flood" Clean-up

As daunting as the task of "post-flood" clean-up of our hearts can be, we have one advantage that homeowners living in the flood plain do not have. Our Heavenly Father is not like insurance companies that try to pay out as little at they can manage to get away with on each claim. We don't need to worry about whether or not He will provide the needed resources to restore our hearts and lives. 

There is no need to fear what the warmth of God might reveal. Allow the piled up snow to melt away. Allow God's warmth to thaw our frozen hearts. Our Heavenly Father will work right alongside us in the "post-flood" clean-up of our lives. He won't leave us with warped doors and mildewed walls in the home of our heart. He will make all things new. 

 

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Be Humble, Be Teachable

Four words. Just four words. So simple. Yet at times...so difficult.

Those four words sum up an important lesson that God had to teach me several years ago when some friends who had the best of intentions challenged me on the wisdom of adopting my daughter as a single mother. No need to go into detail on those challenges, but needless to say, it was not an easy time. Part of me wanted to get defensive...and I probably did get defensive from time to time. Let's be honest here. But the message God continued to give me was:

Be humble. Be teachable.

I am so thankful that I listened to Him. It was indeed God's plan for me to proceed with the adoption. But those challenges I faced in those initial months actually helped me to more effectively balance the time spent mothering my daughter with the time spent on work and ministry. Without those challenges, I might have floundered. That, I think, comes from the "Be teachable" part of the lesson.

Because I learned the "Be humble" part of the lesson, my friends and I were able to weather that difficult period of time with relationships intact. For that, I am so very grateful.

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Have you ever noticed that sometimes God repeats the same lessons from time to time. Sometimes, that is because we didn't learn it the first time around. Sometimes, He simply wants us to learn to apply it in new ways in new situations. He wants us to expand our grasp of the lesson.

I'm going through a bit of that right now as I adjust to life back in the United States after twenty years in Indonesia. Over there, I had help to do quite a lot of the normal household tasks that I need to do myself here. I'm not doing horribly at those things, but I must admit that even six months after returning to the United States, I still haven't gotten on top of some of them, (Let's not go into detail about exactly what those things are.) 

A dear person who has my best interests at heart is helping me get on top of these things. If I am perfectly honest, part of me sometimes gets defensive, and sometimes I might wish this person wouldn't point out the things that have been left undone.

Yesterday, as I was struggling with this, the Holy Spirit spoke those four words into my heart.

Be humble. Be teachable.

OK Lord. We've been through this before. 

I have already seen the positive outcome of putting this lesson into practice.

It may not always be fun. 
I may not always like what I hear.

But it is good. 
It is for the best.

I will grow through the experience.
I will find peace.

Relationships will remain intact, 
growing even deeper and stronger.

Lord, help me to always...always...

 Be humble.

Be teachable.

Be Yours.

In Everything Give Thanks

After so many days and weeks of cold weather and snow, it seems that only the die-hard snow-lovers aren't feeling the urge to whinge and complain a bit about the colder-than usual winter. Pretty much everyone has expressed a longing for spring.

Today, school was cancelled again. I wasn't scheduled to work. With a Level 3 snow emergency declared for our area, Rachel and I stayed home. We slept in, had a late breakfast of French toast. We basically had a lazy day, although I did get some work done toward putting together a press kit to promote my books.

After supper, we watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy...two of Rachel's favorite shows. After that, we watched a couple episodes of The Waltons. Rachel complained about her skin being dry and itchy, so I told her to go get some lotion. She did that and took care of herself. Then she knelt down by my feet and started giving me a really nice foot massage. Let me tell you, that little girl is good at it, too! I hadn't asked her to do that. I hadn't hinted at it. It was all her own idea.

When she finished, she curled up in my lap and we cuddled for a while. Over and over, I thought about how very blessed I am to have her in my life. Often, things are busy enough that I don't have...or take...the time to slow down and just enjoy her. 

As I prepare to sleep tonight, I find myself thankful for a snow day and a Level 3 snow emergency that kept us home. Even in the midst of a long winter, I am thankful for the warmth of my little family.  

In everything give thanks...

1 Thessalonians 5:18a

Shelter in the Time of Storm

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Here in many parts of the United States, we are in the middle of the coldest winter in decades. Bone-chilling temperatures leave people dreading to go outside. Most stay in unless it is necessary to go out, but staying indoors was not always an option. Strong winds buffet those who venture out. After being out in the bitter cold, it is such a relief to step back into the warmth and comfort of home.

A couple nights ago, I went to bed with the sound of the wind howling and whistling around the house. I was so grateful for warm shelter - a safe haven in the midst of the storm. 

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I am also grateful for God's protection in the midst of the storms of life. Things may...and often do...get difficult. We may feel that we are facing raging storms. Like those of us who have to go to work and go about the duties of life, avoiding the storm entirely is not an option.

Our Heavenly Father promises His protection in the midst of the storm. He is the "cleft of the rock" in which we can take refuge. He provides an anchor, so the wind and waves of the storm do not overwhelm us. He is our "shelter in the time of storm".

I am so thankful for that shelter.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19a)

 

Taking Care of the Pipes

Christmas vacation was almost over. Kids were supposed to go back to school on Monday, January 6. None of that happened, though because a record-breaking cold front was moving in through our part of the country. 

Rachel and I stayed with my parents during that time which meant that my grandmother's house, where we live, was empty. I usually keep the thermostat turned down believing that it is more economical to put on extra clothes or cuddle up in a blanket than to turn up the heat. There is some truth in that, I think. 

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Unfortunately, there are limits to this way of thinking. I didn't turn the heat up in anticipation of the extra frigid weather as I should have. The cold front hit on Monday. My nephew went in the house to check things out on Wednesday and reported that the pipes were frozen. At least, no water was running through the taps in the house. Fortunately, no water was pouring out into the house from a burst water pipe, either. Things appeared to be OK, and we didn't get back out right away to deal with the situation. (I know, that was dumb.)

Eventually, ice built up in one place in the garage where a plastic pipe went into a metal fitting. As the ice expanded, it forced the plastic pipe upward. Eventually, although the pipe didn't burst, water did begin spraying out from that location. I was the one who found that chilly scenario. I got pretty well soaked with freezing cold water before I found the turn-off valve and stopped the flow. 

This problem might not have happened in the first place had I been staying in the house at the time. Had I been there, I would have noticed that the cold was getting well beyond the "put on another sweater and grab another blanket stage". I would have turned up the heat and made sure the taps were running. But since no one was paying attention to what was happening there, the problem got bigger until it demanded attention. 

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It occurs to me that we are much like this in our lives. When our relationships—with God, with family, with friends, with co-workers—are not attended to, major problems can develop. Communication is blocked. Pressure builds up. Stresses and strains either "burst through the pipes" or push things out of alignment. There is potential for major damage.

I was fortunate that the damaged pipe was in the garage, and in an area where the water did not cause any major damage. I learned a good lesson through experience this about the importance of attending to the house during periods of extreme cold. Am I also attentive in my relationships, or do I, through neglect, allow blockages, pressures, and strains to cause damage that could have been prevented?

We find instruction all through God's Word about how to attend to those relationships. Is it possible that sometimes, we are just too preoccupied, or even lazy to practice the "one anothers" of Scripture? I don't know about you, but I don't want to find my relationships with those I love damaged because I allowed "frozen pipes" to burst.

What about you? You may be great about taking care of the house in which you live. How are you at taking care of your own relational "pipes"?

The Sweet and the Sour

Time has really flown this first two weeks of 2014.  As I look toward the year ahead, I have no idea what all the year holds. Will it be a year full of good things? Pleasant things? Exciting things? Will there be sadness? Struggle? Disappointment? I don't know. As I thought about the mixture of possibilities that 2014 might hold, I recalled a short piece that I wrote for my newsletter back in August 2006 when Rachel was ten months old. Please allow me to share it with you today.

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Rachel’s first taste of yogurt produced an interesting expression on her little face.  I put a spoonful of the plain, unflavored yogurt into her mouth.  She puckered her lips, and looked at me with an accusing expression as if to say, “What in the world do you think you are giving me?!?”  She didn’t spit it out, though.  She got a good taste of it, swallowed it...then eagerly opened her mouth for more.  I almost couldn’t spoon it in fast enough.  Now, when she is less than enthusiastic about her breakfast, I mix a bit of sour yogurt with her sweet bananas making the whole meal much more inviting.

I think that sometimes, perhaps often, God allows things, or puts things into our lives that cause us to “pucker our lips”, spiritually speaking, and ask, “Why are you giving me that?”  Things that are difficult, disappointing, frustrating, or just plain directed at us out of spite can be very “sour things to swallow”.  I am coming to realize, though, that just because something I experience seems a bit “sour”, that doesn’t mean it isn’t good.  The proper balance of sweet and sour in a recipe makes for a delicious dish.  In the same way, God often mixes “sweet” and “sour” things in our lives to produce something far more “delicious” than either thing would be alone. 

Joseph learned this lesson in Egypt.  He had more than just a spoonful of “sour” fed to him, but in the end, by the time God had finished mixing all the ingredients, Joseph was able to say,

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” Genesis 50:20a

Can I say the same?  Can you?