The Light of the World...

"Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. " Isaiah 60:1

"A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel." Luke 2:32

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4:6

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May the glory of the Lord shine round about your heart this Christmas!

Sustained by Almighty God

This schoolyear has been flying by so fast, it hardly seems a week ago that nine shy and nervous four-year-olds walked through the door of my classroom to meet their equally shy and nervous teacher. We have just finished the twelfth week of school, and as I look back on the progress each student has made, I cannot help but rejoice in the One who is able to keep us from falling! (Jude 1:24)

It has been a long and exhausting couple of months, but I have been blessed beyond measure to see how God has strengthened and helped me. He has given me strength when I was weak, He has given me patience when I was on the verge of frustration, He has filled me with joy when my students were crabby, He has given me energy when I had thought I could not make it through the morning. How I am reminded of the verse in 2 Thessalonians that tells us "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."

Early Thirst

(Psalm 63)

The quiet light begins to dawn.

My soul awakes, as it is drawn

By silent thirst, with op'ning eyes

To cast off night and from slumber rise.

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A soul a-thirst, all consuming need

To open Thy word and upon it feed.

As a droughted land, dry and parched I lay

'Till thus I awoke at break of day.

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I long, not for water for a thirsty tongue ,

Nor yet for heart-soothing songs to be sung;

No! 'Tis more needful than all for me

To wake, arise, and commune with Thee.

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Oh, with my thirsty eyes to see

Thy power and glory revealed to me!

--To know your blest presence nearer yet

Than when in Thy house with Thee I met!

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More than life my Lord, my all!

Thy lovingkindness doth upon me fall.

I shall proclaim how great Thou art

With joyful lips and hungry heart.

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While life is in me, I'll praise Thy name

And bless Thee, evermore the same

With greatful heart my hands I'll raise

And offer up my inadequate praise.

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I come, and know that Thou shalt fill

My hungry soul, this morn so still,

As with a feast of extravegant things

Fit to be set before the richest kings!

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Thus satisfied at last, I raise

My sated heart and lips to praise

The greatness of Thyself, and then

Begin to hunger, and to feed again!

Voiceless Rejoicing

The past 4 days I have been without my voice due to allergies. I naturally tend to complain when such things happen to me, but Ephesians 5:20 says that we ought to give thanks always in all things, so here are a few things I am (silently) giving thanks for.

*My K-4 class is learning to pay close attention to their teacher.
*I actually experienced silence in my classroom during a schoolday!!
*I am less likely to say something I shouldn't
*I have an excuse to sleep more. : )
*I got to enjoy listening to my church's choir sing during the cantata rehersal today.
*Tea, anyone?
*I have an excuse not to make phone calls. : )

Seriously, though. It is strangely blessed to be without my normal speaking voice for a while. I am learning to appreciate silence, and to listen to others.

Thought this was funny...

So there I was, finishing up the last few things at my desk after re-decorating my classroom for the month, when I chanced to look over and see this:

My first inclination was to be annoyed that the banner I had just worked so hard to hang straight was now falling off the wall, but then the irony of it struck me and I had to laugh.

God is so gracious! : )

The Birth of Autumn

'Twas a misty, quiet September morn

When the still and vapour-enshrouded world

Prepared its welcome as Autumn was born,

Wrapped in robes of clouds with dewdrops empearled.

The spiders wove delicate, sticky chains

Linked bough to bough, both to highest and low

And to these garlands clung drops from the rains

While the sun-warmed mist lent an amber glow

Then, as soon as bright Summer said goodbye,

Her son began to celebrate his reign

With a fearsome storm from the cloudy sky

With strong gusting winds and hard driving rain.

And all nature rejoiced to taste the end

Of Summer's long thirst, which the rains did mend.

A Sea-Song

Savior, on the sea of life

Be Thou my Beacon bright

To warn me of the rocks of strife

That lurk just out of sight.

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Be Thou my Anchor, Lord I pray

That I may stady stand

Trusting in Thee by night, by day

Held firm in Thy steadfast hand.

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Be Thou my Compass and my Chart

To guide me on my way,

For as Thou dwellest in my heart

Thy word shall be my stay.

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And when my course is set, dear Lord,

Do Thou my mainsail fill

-For no sailing ship could e'er afford

To sail 'gainst the wind's strong will.

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Yea, Savior, on the sea of life,

Be Thou my captain, crew,

Yea, every part command and be

my life, the ocean, too!