Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
There's just something about that name;
Master, Savior, Jesus,
Like the fragrance after the rain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all Heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away
But there's something about that name
Bill Gaither - "There's Just Something About that Name"
I grew up listening to and adoring Southern Gospel music, thanks to my mom. Particularly, we enjoyed the lyrics and melodies of a little man named Bill Gaither, his quartet (the Gaither Vocal Band) and the Gaither Homecoming series (where a whole slew of Southern Gospel singers would get together for a night of music and singing). As a child, my favorite songs were "Criminal on the Cross," "He's Still Working on Me," and "Death Ain't No Big Deal." Oh, and don't let me forget, "Your First Day in Heaven!" I don't know what it was about the songs, but I loved them. I mean LOVED them. I loved "Criminal on the Cross" so much that I learned every quickly muttered word and begged my mom to play it over and over again!
Though those were some of the more cheesy songs, Bill Gaither and his crew have also put out a number of incredibly powerful hymns. The one typed above, for example, is one of my all-time favorite hymns. What an incredible Truth! There is something about that name. :)
I just can't help but love these old hymns and songs. Go ahead, hate on me if you want. One day you'll change your mind. :)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Those Kids
Today was one of those days where all of the hardship, frustration, and stress of teaching was really worth it. To be very honest, the past few weeks in my placement have been rather difficult. There is a lot going on in my 4th grade classroom of 18 students. They each have issues, they each have needs, and they each need individual attention.
Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that my mind has changed towards at-risk/high-risk/difficult students. No longer will I think they just "can't" until I've exhausted every effort possible to prove that they can. Today one of our identified special needs students made his AR goals and got to come to the rewards party! Then, one of our ELL students made yet another 100 on an AR test and had was only .6 points away from being at the "reward" level! And THEN, our student who has severe behavior issues was AWESOME ALL DAY LONG! My cooperating teacher, the principal, and counselor worked on a daily "report card" for him and it totally worked. He just needed some extrinsic motivation and an attainable goal and he was good to go!
I have learned so much about behavior management and classroom management this semester and how to help my most difficult students. I am going to take a teacher vow and promise that I will always do my best to be a reinforcement of positivity, not a mouthpiece for negativity. The Bible says "the tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21). This week, I found out just how true that verse really is.
Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that my mind has changed towards at-risk/high-risk/difficult students. No longer will I think they just "can't" until I've exhausted every effort possible to prove that they can. Today one of our identified special needs students made his AR goals and got to come to the rewards party! Then, one of our ELL students made yet another 100 on an AR test and had was only .6 points away from being at the "reward" level! And THEN, our student who has severe behavior issues was AWESOME ALL DAY LONG! My cooperating teacher, the principal, and counselor worked on a daily "report card" for him and it totally worked. He just needed some extrinsic motivation and an attainable goal and he was good to go!
I have learned so much about behavior management and classroom management this semester and how to help my most difficult students. I am going to take a teacher vow and promise that I will always do my best to be a reinforcement of positivity, not a mouthpiece for negativity. The Bible says "the tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21). This week, I found out just how true that verse really is.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Feelings of Inadequacy
Yesterday evening, THE Blake Ball and I went to the Alabama/Florida game to cheer on our defending National Champions. Let me just say... I love some Alabama football these days! But, this post is - sadly - not about Alabama football.
When I get dressed for a football game (or really for anything), I try to think practically. What's the weather going to be like? What will I be doing while at this event? Will I need comfortable shoes? You get the idea... so, naturally, yesterday's dressing-myself-process was somewhat routine. It's going to get chilly and I will be standing the majority of the 5 hours we will be in the stadium. So, my inclination is to wear a light, long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Oh, and a cute houndstooth baseball hat someone gave me in Honduras. I asked Blake about six times if I looked okay... because I knew that I was going to be facing swarms of 18-22 year-old girls sporting slinky dresses and high heels. Stuff like that still hurts my ego. I do care about my appearance, but I am just not interested in flaunting 'what my mama gave me' (whatever that means....).
More and more, I am seeing that being 25 means that I'm not 18 anymore. I don't have time to follow the trends and I certainly don't have the money or the energy to spend on trying to be in style or hip or anything like that. And I don't have time to go out and party it up and all that jazz. I have a real life and a real impending career and real bills and a real wedding that costs real money. I guess 25 is technically still young, but being in the education field doesn't exactly require being super trendy nor does it lend itself to all that other "fun" stuff that comes along with being young. (And let's just make a note that I have NEVER exactly been 'trendy' or hip!!)
Normally, I have a whole heck of a lot of confidence and I really genuinely don't care that I'm not the trendiest, hippest person. Having the coolest 'stuff' is the just about the last thing I want to be known for after I'm dead & gone. But, I'm still a girl and I still want to impress my soon-to-be husband and I still want to feel beautiful. The problem is that my definition of beautiful and the world's definition are polar opposites.
Proverbs 31 is one of the most famous passages in the Bible and is often made to be a bit of a joke. Ever heard a guy joke about needing a Proverbs 31 woman? Ever heard a woman say "Well, I'm certainly no Proverbs 31 kind of woman!"? Jokes aside, when I read Proverbs 31, it brings tears to my eyes. This is a wife of noble character... a woman to be not only desired by her husband, but admired by her husband and community. She is hardworking, caring, intelligent, a loving mother, and upholds the respect her husband has earned. Verse 22 says "she is clothed in fine linen and purple" and verse 25 says "she is clothed with strength and dignity."
"Clothed with strength and dignity..." that is my prayer today. There is nothing inherently wrong with having cool "stuff" - including clothes. I have lots of cool stuff that I'm proud and grateful to own. But, I don't want to be known for all that stuff... because, in the end, it is just stuff. I want to daily walk in the ways of the wife of noble character and be clothed with strength and dignity.
I have to remind myself frequently that it's not me versus the sorority girls of the University of Alabama. I'm not competing with anyone. That's hard for girls to come to grips with, trust me! But instead, I am following God's lead and "clothing" myself in His righteousness and grace. And may each day be a testament to the way God has created me and all women: beautiful and precious in His sight and wholly loved by our husbands... and husbands-to-be. :)
When I get dressed for a football game (or really for anything), I try to think practically. What's the weather going to be like? What will I be doing while at this event? Will I need comfortable shoes? You get the idea... so, naturally, yesterday's dressing-myself-process was somewhat routine. It's going to get chilly and I will be standing the majority of the 5 hours we will be in the stadium. So, my inclination is to wear a light, long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Oh, and a cute houndstooth baseball hat someone gave me in Honduras. I asked Blake about six times if I looked okay... because I knew that I was going to be facing swarms of 18-22 year-old girls sporting slinky dresses and high heels. Stuff like that still hurts my ego. I do care about my appearance, but I am just not interested in flaunting 'what my mama gave me' (whatever that means....).
More and more, I am seeing that being 25 means that I'm not 18 anymore. I don't have time to follow the trends and I certainly don't have the money or the energy to spend on trying to be in style or hip or anything like that. And I don't have time to go out and party it up and all that jazz. I have a real life and a real impending career and real bills and a real wedding that costs real money. I guess 25 is technically still young, but being in the education field doesn't exactly require being super trendy nor does it lend itself to all that other "fun" stuff that comes along with being young. (And let's just make a note that I have NEVER exactly been 'trendy' or hip!!)
Normally, I have a whole heck of a lot of confidence and I really genuinely don't care that I'm not the trendiest, hippest person. Having the coolest 'stuff' is the just about the last thing I want to be known for after I'm dead & gone. But, I'm still a girl and I still want to impress my soon-to-be husband and I still want to feel beautiful. The problem is that my definition of beautiful and the world's definition are polar opposites.
Proverbs 31 is one of the most famous passages in the Bible and is often made to be a bit of a joke. Ever heard a guy joke about needing a Proverbs 31 woman? Ever heard a woman say "Well, I'm certainly no Proverbs 31 kind of woman!"? Jokes aside, when I read Proverbs 31, it brings tears to my eyes. This is a wife of noble character... a woman to be not only desired by her husband, but admired by her husband and community. She is hardworking, caring, intelligent, a loving mother, and upholds the respect her husband has earned. Verse 22 says "she is clothed in fine linen and purple" and verse 25 says "she is clothed with strength and dignity."
"Clothed with strength and dignity..." that is my prayer today. There is nothing inherently wrong with having cool "stuff" - including clothes. I have lots of cool stuff that I'm proud and grateful to own. But, I don't want to be known for all that stuff... because, in the end, it is just stuff. I want to daily walk in the ways of the wife of noble character and be clothed with strength and dignity.
I have to remind myself frequently that it's not me versus the sorority girls of the University of Alabama. I'm not competing with anyone. That's hard for girls to come to grips with, trust me! But instead, I am following God's lead and "clothing" myself in His righteousness and grace. And may each day be a testament to the way God has created me and all women: beautiful and precious in His sight and wholly loved by our husbands... and husbands-to-be. :)
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