Faculty Devotion Notes

So, I don't have to lead devotions for a few months yet, but when it gets close I get nervous and can't think of anything to say. So here is the outline of what I've been thinking about saying the last few months.

Faculty Devotions 2009

I. Not Judging:

A. Matt. 7:1-2 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

B. James 4:12 But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?

II. Forgiveness

A. Eph. 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

B. Col. 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

C. Matt. 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

III. His Kindness leads to repentance: Romans 2:1-4

IV. It is ok to mourn and feel pain: 2 Samuel 1 (David mourns the death of Saul, Jonathan, and the Israelites. He mourned for Saul, even after all that Saul had done to him. I think that he was also mourning what Saul was call to have been, but didn’t fulfill because of his sin.)

V. His Grace is a seed that grows in our hearts. As we do what he says that seed multiplies, blooms, and gives off more seeds.

A. John 16:20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. (Jesus talking about the end times)

B. John 12:24 Very truly I say unto you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But it if dies, it produces many seeds. (Jesus talking about his death)

VI. God doesn’t give up on us. Lamentations – when Israel was being punished for their evil deeds, even in the midst of this, Lam. 3:21-32, so we shouldn’t give up on him, ourselves, or each other.

Forgot to tell you!

Shooting is going a LOT a lot better. Weekend before last I finally won the E class division enough times to be promoted to the D class. And yesterday I shot well enough to win the D class. (Technically, it doesn't count as a win because it was rainy and so there was only 1 other person in the D class present, but I did beat him, along with some C class shooters too). I'm finally getting more comfortable with the gun, sure that the bullet is going where I think it should go, and I've found a position to stand in that is comfortable enough that I can stay in it the whole time without hurting my back. The real turning point for me was the Pala match, down near San Diego, when Josh didn't come along because he had work. Not having Josh there really helped because I didn't care what anyone else there thought of me and so I relaxed and did a lot better. Once I learned how to relax and enjoy myself my shooting improved drastically. Way more fun! My accuracy is better than Josh's now, but he's still faster so he still beats me ... but someday, we'll be a lot closer. I just gotta keep working on it.

It was cool. Yesterday there was a "bonus shot" in one of the matches that I didn't even try for because I didn't want to waste time shooting at something that I didn't think I could hit. It was really far away and the smallest plate that our club has. When we had all finished the match we decided to try and see if we could actually hit that plate. Josh hit it on the third try. I hit it on the first. The best shooter in our club actually came and shook my hand when he saw me make the shot. I got a kick out of that. I don't think that I would have been able to hit it during the competition though, because to be that accurate at that range I have to go really slow and gentle with the trigger and competition has a lot to do with speed.

snap crackle pop

I went to see the chiropractor today. He's one of my TA's dads. It was really great. Apparently my neck is really messed up. I have to say, it was the only Dr.'s appointment that I've even had where the doctor called me 3 hours later to make sure that I was doing ok and then said, "Wow, and to see from your x-rays, I can really tell why your neck has been hurting you." I'm going back on Wednesday. It was cool though, because I had sent Josh to go see him last week for Josh's back stuff, and the Dr. totally loved him, remembered him and thought that Josh was just the nicest guy. Of course, his son is also a sheriff, so that might have something to do with it. ;D It was cool to see a doctor that I actually felt cared about us though and explained my back stuff by saying, "You see, the way God made it to work is ..."

Just a slight sigh...

This Saturday Josh works from 2pm to 2am. That means no Valentine's Day for me. I do, however, get to babysit Deb's adorable little boy while she and Jeff go out, which is great, but still, slight sigh at life. And the thing of it? If I weren't American it wouldn't even matter.

The rest of life is going well. I'm really enjoying my classes. Some days it's hard to believe how much I really love my job. The kids are so great and even my rough class was angelic today. Today is our last league game for basketball so I'm looking forward to getting more gym time soon.

Some days I am tempted to depression, but when I look at my life, it's honestly wonderful and I really can't justify feeling sad.

Confession

I went to a Catholic Mass today at the church down the street from me. I miss the liturgy and I really can't stand to be Episcopalian. Is it ok to choose the less heretical of the two? And no, I didn't take communion, which sucked, but it was still cool to go and hear it and they had a really cool homily and I like how they encourage families. I've never heard a sermon that pro-family in all my life (especially as it was given by a celibate guy!) and to be honest, it was really heartening. Maybe there would be less divorce if there were more active support for marriages like that. He talked about vocation, and how each of us have a job to do here on Earth before we die and that in order to know what we are supposed to do we need to have an active prayer life and talk to God and then listen for him to tell us what to do. It was nearly downright charismatic!

I know that Catholics get a bad rap because so many people say that they are Catholic and then act like creeps, but isn't that the same of the Protestants as well? I think that if you really follow after Jesus you'll be less of a creep, and that goes for all types of Christians, quaking, incensing, tonguesing, and otherwise. For all that the Catholics have arrogant pomp, and the Protestants have arrogant laxity, there is a true love for Christ in each denomination and that makes us family. I also like how the church is laid out in a cross shape. I sat at one of the arms so that I could meditate on a stained glass window of the nativity while I devoted. Everyone in it was looking at Jesus, and that it how it ought to be.

Fun times

The funnest thing that I've seen this last week? On the freeway there was a big, blue exercise ball bouncing around between lanes. It was like a beach ball at graduation. Very very fun!

I confess that I'm really enjoying The Office.

I also confess that I'm really enjoying my 2.5 T.A.'s. I wonder what things I can come up with for them to do? ... hmmm... creative suggestions welcome. I could randomly send them to serenade people who it would really bug ... hmm... practical jokes on other classes? ... this needs some thought.

Spanish III: They are learning the present perfect ex: I have written on my blog today. They had to come up with questions. My fav?

Kid 1 (in Spanish): Have you died?
Kid 2 (in English): That's a dumb question.
Kid 1 (in English): Not if I'm asking Jesus.

My other problem this week? I'm starting to have a really hard time keeping a straight face when the kids are totally wrong. I have several kids who, even though we are only working on the present perfect, insist on answering everything in the preterite. It's so funny!!! They answer so seriously and they are so wrong! (Gratifying: at least they are using the preterite correctly!)

Not fun part of life? Basketball is losing a lot and getting really grumpy about it. Sigh. We're totally better than the other teams, but we're being sloppy and not putting in the easy baskets. It's not very fun to spend a lot of time coaching people and then see them not play up to their potential.

Ah well, Europe is coming up soon. That will be new and exciting. I love adventures!