Same Purpose/Different Role

Two weeks ago was my first week to start the venture for a new church. The first place I visited is having a sermon series on parenting, which made me all tingly inside. One thing I would like to have in a church is a place to serve (preschool ministry). I decided to volunteer this week to experience the preschool ministry at the church. It was a perfect week, since I was babysitting the Wilson children.

My plan would be to serve during the 8:30 service and attend the 10:00 service. (I must say that being home by 11:00 has been wonderful.) I got up early and started getting everything ready. I got all three kids dressed, two loads of laundry done, the dishes in the dishwasher and out the door by 8:10. I got to church and made the rounds dropping everyone off. Rylee was very confused about what church we were going to and why I had a new church, but she finally accepted it and went on her way.

Not being an "official volunteer" I just got a chance to observe the children and volunteers. I went to every classroom from Infants-4's. It was like a game of tug-o-war was playing inside me. I had a hard time taking a step back and accepting my role as a volunteer. My mind was racing with things that bothered me about the program and frantically tried to make a mental picture of the things that I thought were useful and top notch. At one point I had to take a step back and pray that God would allow me to focus on what my purpose was.

My prayer is that as I start this new adventure in life I will be able to embrace the fact that my purpose remains the same even though my role has changed. I am still seeking to minister to families and help them raise their children up in a Godly home. My role is no longer to oversee the ministry, but to take part in a new and exciting way. The ministry opportunities were endless and I was a bit overwhelmed trying to even think of what I would want to do for sure.

This morning at school two kids ran up to me and told me they saw me at church yesterday. They said they waved at me, but I didn't see them. At that moment I felt God working. I know it was his timing for me to move to public school and I can see that it will bring new opportunities to minister to families in ways I can't even imagine.

I ask you to please pray for me as I continue to make a decision about what church I will be attending and adjust to the new opportunities God has given me to serve him.

An Ode to Jenny Perot for her Birthday

Happy Birthday, Jenny Hanks (Perot).
Sorry it is one day late.

I searched my records high and low
and in the end cried "Oh no".

With all my changes I have lost your info
which means birthday wishes were a no show.

I hope your birthday was full of fun
and glad that this year it brought some sun.



I really did remember it was your birthday yesterday. I woke up and looked in my phone and realized your number didn't make it to my new cell phone. Then I went to send you and e-mail only to realize I don't have your e-mail address anymore - it was in my UBC address book. I was going to send you a facebook message, but I got home with 3 babies in hand for a fun filled weekend of babysitting. I am sorry to say that it slipped my mind last night. I hope you had so much fun!!!!!! I miss you and love you!!!!

PS - Do you remember the year Sara B. and I made you the scavenger hunt to find your birthday present? and Somehow I craved Blue Baker thinking of you and your birthday!

Entering the Throne Room

This weekend is one I have been waiting for ever since the day I accepted my new job. Two important things happened this weekend that I got to enjoy. I got to enjoy a three day weekend. I got to enjoy a Saturday, Sunday and Monday off of work. It was an absolutely incredible fun filled holiday weekend with my family and friends.

Friday night Michelle, Madisyn and I ran errands together and just enjoyed each other's company. We did girly things - mall, Target, Marshall's and DSW. We had a lot of fun and laughed until we cried.

Robert and I left for Livingston around 1:00 Saturday afternoon (he had a Cross Country Meet Saturday morning). We got to Livingston and enjoyed a nice home cooked meal with family and friends. It was a pretty low key night and we got to rest and relax.

Sunday morning was my first Sunday to go to church after leaving UBC. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience with God. I enjoyed a time of worship with the church family I had grown up with. I got to see people I had not seen in 5 years. We walked into church a few minutes late, threre were no expectations, no questions, no concerns, no responsibilities. I walked into the sanctuary for one purpose and one purpose only - to worship God with my church family. I could never explain to anyone the freedom I felt in that moment. The freedom to embrace the moment and spend time with God. I sat there as I listened to my dad lead the congregation while my mom played the music softly behind him and I felt like a small child again. I felt like I was a little girl listening to my parents, watching their examples, depending on their strength, learning from their wisdom. I truly felt like I had entered the throne room and enjoyed the presence of my God, a place where I can be healed, loved and sanctified in pursuit of pure holiness - I place where I can experience freedom.
Robert and I helped out in the nursery for the second hour. We got to help in Eli and Gauge's class, which was a lot of fun. We just got to play with the kids and spend time with my nephews. Aunt Kristin was super happy! :)

For those people who know my family you will understand how much fun I had enjoying Sunday lunch. My mother's family gets together every Sunday after church to eat lunch together. I have only been able to attend 4 Sunday lunches in the past 5 years, and I enjoyed every second of it. I especially enjoyed watching Robert get cornered by Papa to listen to endless stories of his life. We were no help - we just sat in the other corner and laughed.

That night we all got together for hamburgers, homemade ice cream and the slip-n-slide. Dad and my brothers rolled out plastic down Mema's hill and we used soap, sprinklers and water hoses to make our very own slip-n-slide. (They have done this before, but I have not been able to participate in the events.) Eli, Gauge and Cylas were ready for the fun. Eric has a broke foot and Stephen was on call, so it was just the boys, Puddin and Robert for the fun. They slide down the hill over and over for probably an hour. Everyone had good laughs and good fun. I went down the hill with Robert twice - we laughed - with each other and at each other.

Gauge spent the night last night and Roper came to play all moring. We got some good time to love on them and play with them. All in all I would say the weekend exceeded my expectations - and they were set high!!!!

Thoughts on teaching - more to come

This week I began my first week teaching at Bay Elementary (CCISD). I am teaching K-5th Resource. Teaching is a job that requires a great deal of effort and is at time very exhausting; however, it is a rewarding career and one that I have believed in and supported for a number of years. Anyone can earn a degree and be trained to complete a certain task, but it takes a special person to be a teacher. Teaching requires so much from an individual and definitely has to be something that comes right from the heart.
Children are the future and having the chance to impact their lives, one way or another, makes teaching that much more extraordinary. To teach is to impart knowledge, character, personality, ability, talents, stability and decision making to children of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors and ability levels. Teaching isn't simply academics, learning how to read and write, but it is about building and shaping lives in an effort to produce productive and successful citizens in the 21st century.
Teaching is more than standing in front of a classroom to give a lecture at the white board. It is about learning the individuals in your class, who they are, how they learn, what they like, etc. It is about helping them develop as people. It is about doing whatever it takes to reach each student to help them internalize the lessons. It is about making sure every child as the same opportunity to learn.
In my personal life I place a high importance on learning both formally and informally. It is my goal to help children find that same passion for learning however it looks in their individual lives.

more thoughts later....

"Bridewars" (a blog for Jenny)

My parents caved and put a television in my bedroom when I was a smalll child, which started a very bad habit for me. Every night I would go to sleep watching "Nick @ Night". I love shows like "Green Acres", "Dick Van Dyke", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "The Patty Duke Show", and the others. (The only problem was waking up in the middle of the night to "Drag Net" or "Alfred Hitchcock".) I became accustomed to noise as I fell asleep. With the noise in the background I was able to drown out the conversations I was having in my head.

When we moved to our new house in the 5th grade, my parents made the decision to no longer allow televisions in our bedrooms. Yikes. This caused problems for me, because I couldn't sleep well. I would stay up until all hours of the night worrying about and pondering things in my head. I started going to sleep watching something in the livingroom and then go to bed later in the evening.

In college I earned the privilege of making my own televsion decisions. I chose to have a tv in my room. I got in the habit of putting a movie in and making it my bedtime movie for weeks at a time. This is how I have learned almost every line in "The Wedding Planner". This movie wins the title for longest running air time on my nighttime viewing list after being the top (only) pick for an entire semester.

For about a year and a half I chose to go off television at bedtime. I had complications with televisions, cords, cable, etc. I also started having headaches and the light/noise was making them worse. This was a complete shock to my college roommie, Jenny.

After the short stint of breaking the habit, I have returned to the evil addiction of nighttime noise. Robert graciously (I mean listened to my words when I said "I want that") gave me his old television. He got the cords to connect the television to the dvd/vcr. I don't have cable in my room, so movies it is.

The first night he fixed it I put in "Bridewars", and tonight as I tuck myself in for a good night's sleep I am watching "Bridewars" for night number 24. It is good, but I don't know that I am looking for another "Wedding Planner" incident. Any suggestions for the next selection?

"Miss....MIss....MISS" an update on my life

These past two weeks have been crazy. I have been busy trying to wrap things up at UBC, while beginning my new job as a teacher. This will be the first time in my life I have ever been referred to as "Miss Wood". It will definitely be interesting and a change for me. It makes me feel extra old and a little impersonal. I picture the first week of school being pay back for the way we so "respectfully" called on our teachers growing up "Miss....MIss...MISS", as if their entire focus should be directed on me and my needs and desires. I imagine it will be fun. Another interesting firsts this job will entail is the need to relate to 5th graders. Personally I am not convinced 5th graders are relatable, so this will be a challenge for me.

A little side note - I have almost finished decorating my room. I am super excited out it. It is definitely bright and cheery. YEA!!!! Now if I can just the furniture I want/need and get it arranged in a way that is acceptable.

Anxious Anticipation

I'll never forget the summer after my first year in college when I began to ponder what my life would look like. Would I be the next Katie Couric? This had been my dream up to that point and everything in my life centered around making it as the next Today Show host. As the reality of life began to unfold I began to question my dreams and where my life would take me. My roommate, Shawna, had gotten me a part time job working at The Texas A&M Children's Center. Although I loved kids, I did only take the job as a way to pay my bills. During that first summer I finally admitted it outloud - my purpose in life would be working with kids.

Everyone who knows anything about me knows that my world from that point on has been consumed with small children and how I can invest in their lives. I have learned many things over the past 7 years (wow - that made me feel very old) about working with children. The main thing is that I have realized that if my true passion is investing in the lives of children I must be focused on investing in the lives of families. This has/will look different through the years.

For the past three years I have worked as the Director of Preschool Ministries at University Baptist Church in Clear Lake. This has given me the opportunity to work with families as they begin to foster the spiritual journeys in the lives of their preschoolers. I am so thankful for the confidence they had in me to allow me to do this job. It has truly been an honor to serve with these families.

For the past year I have been praying about where my life would take me from here on out. After much prayer and consideration I made the choice to begin searching for a teaching job. The search was long, but I am excited to say that I have accepted a teaching job for the 2009-2010 school year. I will be working as a Resource Inclusion teacher at Bay Elementary in Clear Creek ISD. I am looking forward to the new realtionships I will make as I am able to invest in the lives of families from a different perspective.

Through this process I have learned to be patient and that God really does grant the desires of your heart. I am full of joy as I anxiously anticipate my future endeavour.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!