Building Some Sand Castles?

Beautiful song by Jennifer Knapp-Faithful To Me

All the chisels I've dulled carving idols of stone

That have crumbled like sand 'neath the waves

I've recklessly built all my dreams in the sand

Just to watch them all wash away...

So true. I, like the lyrics in this song, have wasted so much time recklessly building my own dreams in the sand. Sometimes (let's be honest, most of the time) I just want what I want when I want it. So I just charge through God's perfect timing and seize whatever that may be at the moment. Or at least I try...

Thank goodness He is merciful. Thank goodness He protects me. I sometimes reach for things that may not be the best for me. Why is it human nature to want to do things on our own? What is it that keeps causing me to forget that God has a perfect plan for my life?

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

His loving eye.

When someone loves you, don't they want the best for you?

Yep.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

So what happens when I want something that God doesn't want me to have? That sounds like a bit of a problem wouldn't ya say? Here's what Elisabeth Elliot says on the subject (by the way, I love her, she's super wise).

"He (God) wanted Adam and Eve to be happy but He didn't give them everything they wanted. He knew it would be the death of them. So they got mad and decided he didn't love them and was being stingy when he told them not to touch the fruit. How could he love them if he didn't let them have it? They put more stock in the snake's reasoning than in God's."

Where are you placing your trust? In your own limited resources/vision/knowledge or in God who has infinite amounts of resources/vision/and yes..knowledge and most importantly, knows our hearts much better than we ever will. :)

"Happy (insert holiday of your choice)!"

I thoroughly enjoy my part-time job. I work at a Hallmark store at a local mall. My co-workers are fun, I get to help people pick out gifts and cards, and I get a discount. Not bad. I also enjoy chatting it up with customers. We have a bunch of "regulars" that come in and like to talk.

We also get some weirdos. I love weird people. I love to watch them and to ponder on what it is that makes them so peculiar. But there are two kinds of weird.

There are the harmless weirdos. This would be the 70 year old woman that comes in and tells me about the stuffed animal she bought, named Chloe, and sleeps with every night and then goes on to explain that she enjoys watching tv with her numerous cats. This is also "weird whistling man" who comes in every Saturday at the same time and just walks around the store whistling the same tune. Harmless weirdos are great. They are fun and make life much more interesting.

Then there are WEIRDO'S. I use all caps because I really don't have one word to categorize them. This type of weirdo is the one who comes in during holidays and likes to wish everyone a "Happy _______" in a tone that insinuates that if someone does not celebrate this 'said holiday', they are a complete and utter moron. The sad part is, this sort of weirdo is usually a Christian.

Yikes.

I am a Christian. I believe in God. I think J.C. is the man. All of that. It's not good that these people are freaking ME out....what would someone that doesn't believe in God think? Let me help you...they would think, "This person is a judgemental, close-minded WEIRDO."

Joyce Meyer talks about this a little in one of her devotionals. She addresses the fact that a lot of us (Christians) like to have our fish sticker thingies and what not to make sure people can identify us as a believer...but do we then go out and make sure we are 'acting' like Jesus would? And when I say acting like Jesus, I mean are we loving people without judgement or reservation? We should be identifed that way.

Maybe we should keep our 'Happy Blah Blah Blah's' to ourselves and stop freakin' people out. :)

Student Teaching = No Time For Blogging

Welllllllllllllllll it's been a long time! You might be wondering (or you might not, that's okay too) why have I not blogged for such a very long time? Two words...

student teaching.

I am student teaching in Upper Darby (close to Philly) for a class of kindergartners. It's been quite an experience, probably one of the most trying experiences I have ever had (I now understand why Arnold had such a tough time).

You may be chuckling and thinking to yourself, "Mandy these kids are what, 5 years old? How hard is it to teach them about their shapes and colors???? Seriously??"

Okay, seriously, I'll be honest...the curriculum is not hard. Yes I am teaching them their shapes, colors, how to read, and the like. What is hard is loving these kids day in and day out even when they don't listen to a darn thing I say (which happens more often than I'd like). I mean really why, oh why did I sign up to teach in the first place? Well I am good with kids, I think they are great, and I thought I might as well make money doing what I'm good at. But when you wake up at 6 every morning and get ready to go to a job where you have twenty 5 and 6 year olds in a room for 6 hours you need a little more motivation than a salary.

So this student teaching experience has taught me a lot. It is also supposed to help me decide if teaching is really for me.

I'm still not sure. . .

Does that worry me?

Yes.

So I still don't know what I am going to do with the rest of my life?

Nope.

Even after all these years of college?

Yep.

Do I know that if I continue to listen for God's guidance that He will provide me with a job that will include my passions and my talents?

Yes.

It's all down to the when and where. Right now, I'm pretty sure He just wants me to graduate and get THE HECK out of college. Then, I'm planned up until about oohhhhh...August. After that....????? Your guess is as good as mine.

Anyway...I'm back...going to try to blog more (it may not really pick up until May 2nd, GRADUATION!)...and am waiting on God to show me what's next :)