The year has begun.

So most bloggers write a really self-reflective post on January 1st or shortly after thinking through what the previous year has brought, and what they would like to see come out of the new year. Welp, we are already halfway through January (like 1/24 through the whole year actually!) and I still haven’t produced one of those posts. But I should probably try. Here’s a break-down of 2012…

January- Began student teaching in 3rd grade and moved back in with my parents.

February- Learned about the chaos that is Valentine’s Day in an elementary school setting.

March- Started my second student teaching placement in 9-12 ESL

April- Applied for a gazillion jobs! Played the waiting game.

May- Graduated! Got a job! Found out I was moving to another state!

June- Started teaching summer school (3rd grade & K-1st drama).

July- Went to every garage sale in town. Did the Color Run! Went to the farmer’s market every week.

August- Started teaching a new grade level (Kdg) in a new state (CO). Met all new people. Made new friends.

September- Went Colorado camping for the first time ever! Hiking, too.

October- Turned 23. Had my first parent-teacher conferences. Learned how to party it up Halloween-style in Kindergarten.

November- Deepened my new friendships. Tried new things.

December: Went Colorado skiing for the first time ever!

 

It’s funny the things that stick out to me as I sit here typing this. I feel like these were the “big” things in my life this past year, but really? A lot of times it’s the small things that are bigger. So while I may have summed it up with a couple of grander events, a lot of the in-between things helped make 2012. Things I like to record on this blog, whenever that is.

I still hold to my (un)resolution of a few years ago, here. I can’t say I’ve excelled, but the least I can do is renew my resolve. To seek God more and ask him the hard questions.

And soon enough I’ll be back to feeling the pressures of new year’s/determination/resolutions/reflections, to post again while looking back. I just hope I do that oftener than January 1st. Here’s to 2013!

Let’s get praisy.

So there’s this blogger I follow—Jami Nato—and she’s absolutely hilario. She speaks truth like a gangsta. And she’s really creative. So she came up with this thing she hashtagged on instragram called #letsgetpraisy. Basically you take popular secular songs and find the gospel in them. Genius! The link to her post about it is here.

She started a competition to see who could come up with the best #letsgetpraisy quotes. I took part with this:

It’s based on Romans 8:37-39, where Paul states that we are more than conquerors through Christ. There may be stuff like, oh ya know…life, death, angels, demons, the present, the future, crazy powers, height, depth…but because of Christ we are like Titanium and are pretty much bulletproof. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ.

So if you would like to vote for this little creation, it’s here. You can also check out all the other entries…they are awesome! I will never think of radio the same way again.

The Bible tells me so…

Sometimes I don't know how to interpret the Bible. And it freaks me out.

I pick up the red-lettered, leather-bound mystery and think "What do I even do with this?"

Lately I've been struggling with knowing what things are still applicable today. How should I think about issues like homosexuality, slavery, women wearing head coverings in church?

I have a hard time having a consistent view of God. It's hard for me to understand the differences in people praying, even. I hear men speak reverently to God, "Almighty Father, how great thou art." But then others approach God in a different manner, like "Hey God, I thank You for this day...etc." These approaches are considerably different. My question is: does one person have a clearer, more accurate view of God?

I feel like I have so many questions, but the answers are coming very slowly. I believe there's truth in the quote that says "Learning is a continual back and forth between equilibrium and disequilibrium." I'm living in the land of disequilibrium, but I know soon enough I'll be back on the other side. God is faithful.