Peace, contentment in the midst of ?????

Prayers, what would we do without them? I asked my Sunday School class last week to pray for two of my students who daily give me grief. These two young men are in the same class, (with three others who act out on a lesser basis each day) with the same defiant attitude, 'you can't make me', 'this sucks', and every day they throw things across the room. They have destroyed my chalk, crayons, torn up their papers, my eraser, their erasers....I now have all my items behind my desk. These are 13-15 year old boys who I can't trust. We prayed last Sunday, and I decided Monday to try to be pro-active. I called both of the boys moms and asked for their help in controlling their sons. One didn't answer, so I left a message, the other mother started crying. She told me that she is having the same difficulties and is putting him in anger management counseling. We talked about the issues of single parenthood, and I mentioned that I pray for her son each day during our quiet time after the pledge. Then she REALLY starting crying....and asked me to pray for her. And yes, it is working.



This young man acted out two times in class on Friday. I gave him an additional chance...then he did it again! BUT, as we were walking to the office, rather than being cussed and yelled at, he was begging me to give him another chance. Only the miracle of prayer....


On Friday, I woke at 4:15 am and could not go back to sleep. Ate a bowl of cereal, read the paper online....gave up and went in to work at 6:20. But all that was on my mind when I woke up was, "God, what are you trying to teach me through this?" I am not angry, not upset, I just don't understand why everything is such a battle. Why can't anything just be cut and dried? Simple would be nice.



So, despite all this, my heart is at peace, and content in God's hands. The verses in James 1 came to me Friday morning lying in bed. With perserverance, joy, peace then patience.... I guess I am at the joy part. Because there is nothing that can take away my joy from my Lord. Not rowdy, cussing students, not angry sons, ...not even lack of money to help my sons through college. God will and has provided.

Thanks be to God!!

Ups and Downs

First: UP --I LOVE teaching in regular education!! The first week I 'taught' prepositional phrases...only they ALREADY knew them!! Never had that happen before...same thing happened the next week with Verb Phrases...Amazing....

Some of them actually get my jokes....and they ace the critical thinking questions in class. I love this year!!

Second: DOWN -- A dear friend died two weeks ago. I grew up with him at camp and spent every summer working with him. His name is Bill Wright and one of the most compassionate men I know. He died from cancer in League City.

Third: SCARY --Another dear friend from camp, is the Deputy City Manager of Galveston. Brad and I email back and forth, especially when a hurricane is coming. I knew from his comments that this one, Ike, was worrying him. Usually he makes comments like, "these folks down here don't know what high wind is....they didn't grow up in West Texas." This time, "My house is insured, and I will soon be living in a FEMA trailer. I am going to ask them for a double-wide DEELUX, cuz of my West Texas roots." He promised to contact me as soon as he could. He and the other city folks that had to stay were hiding out in old Fort Crockett below the San Luis hotel. It is a concrete bunker 50 ft high with no windows. Heard this morning that the top floors of the San Luis busted out windows, and debris fell. They evacuated the upper rooms about midnight.

Fourth: DOWN --My uncle, Pos, yes, Pos....he was a farmer and high school basketball coach around Weatherford, died early this morning. He is the man who introduced me to basketball. When I was in elementary school, he took my cousins, brother and dad to a North-South game at Tarrant County Coliseum. I have been hooked since then!! Never did I see Pos without a smile on his face, and up to something. He loved to pick on people! And loved to be picked back on!!

Fifth: DISGUSTED -- After I told my oldest son that my uncle had died, I got off the phone and walked into his room to ask him for a hug. His response, "Why?" me: "Cuz Pos died" His: "So?"

I really have tried to raise my sons to be compassionate human beings. I have prayed that God's love will flow through them...obviously I have done all I can. And it obviously wasn't enough.

God bless you all!!