Thankful for Five Year Olds

I never wanted to teach kindergarten.  I mean never.  It seemed overwhelming to have so many little ones with minimum school experience under my watchful eye and teaching guidance every day.  Don't get me wrong, I thought they were adorable, but I did not think I was cut out to be their teacher.  The idea of teaching not one, but several (ahem, 23) five-year-old children the basic building blocks that are essential to the rest of their school learning experience is a rather daunting task.  How does anyone do this?

Of course I know the educational answers to this--repetition, multiple representations, activating multiple learning styles, etc.  But, things get messy when you are actually doing this with real children.  Children who miss their mommy and daddy, children who have tummy aches, children who need to use the bathroom, children who have no idea at the beginning of the year why they are at this place called school.

I love my kiddos.  They make me absolutely crazy, but I am wild for them.  They stole my heart the first time I met them on that incredibly hot and humid August evening.

Here are some of the things I love about them as a whole:

1. They show me love in consistent ways.
          I am not kidding when I say they make me crazy...I think almost every day there is some point in time when I have to put both of my hands on my face, think to myself "oh my goodness", take a deep breath, and persevere despite their lack of focus and tattling tongues.  However, they are so sweet.  It doesn't matter if I just finished scolding them or praising them, every day I am met with hugs, "I love you Mrs. Olson", and the love sign language.

2. They love to sing.
          I never thought I would sing in my classroom--ha!  What a joke that seems like now.  We sing every day and multiple times a day...in fact I make up at least one, if not two, new songs for them each week to learn our new sight words for the week.  They love to sing with me and they love to sing on their own.  It is delightful to hear them singing our songs while they work.  It was adorable on our field trip to the pumpkin patch when we were on a tractor ride and they were belting out our "October" song together all on their own.  Music is so important in learning.

3. They love painting and special projects.
          Today we did a special turkey craft that they knew was coming and looked forward to all week.  Ah, they get so excited to paint and they paint and paint and paint over the exact same thing until they are sure it is thoroughly covered--wow that paper is wet by that point!  I love how excited they get for little things and how focused they are during that time.

4. I love seeing their learning.
          Yes!  They are learning!  Not only do their assessments show this--almost all of my kids know almost all of their letters which is a HUGE improvement from the beginning of the year, they are so much stronger in other areas as well--but I see this every day.  I love seeing their growth in all areas of kindergarten...when I consider what they were like the first day of school I think it is remarkable to consider where they are at now.  Wow.  No other grade level allows such a total transformation for all students in a trimester.  It is truly incredible.  Even now I am smiling as I consider how awesome that has been to see them learn and own why they are at school and to see the emotional and academic progress.

I have been learning so much about myself and teaching through being these 23 children's kindergarten teacher.  They challenge me and excite me.  I have been convicted of my need for more patience and grace on several occasions so they are also pointing me towards my constant need for Jesus.

I am thankful to have the next week off of work--I need a break, they need a break, and we all need rest (we are a bunch of snotty, coughing individuals), but I will be missing them and excited when I can greet their smiling faces next Tuesday for our first day of kindergarten in December!

Where our learning and growing takes place :)

Thankful for Friendship

Human beings were not created to live life alone.  This is clear throughout scripture and it is not that hard to figure out as we live life.  Do we need to be around people all the time?  No.  However, I think companionship is very important.  Sharing life with others stretches us and causes us to grow.

As I think of the friendships I have and those that are especially dear to me, I find myself considering what about those friendships I am most thankful for.  What makes a good friend?

In my life, I consider a good friend to be...

1. Someone who shares my love for Jesus.
This is crucial in my life.  It's not that I cannot be friends with unbelievers, but when I don't see eye to eye with someone on something so important to my identity, it can be hard to go as deep in conversation.  There are also many places in Scripture where we are given direction as to the kinds of people we should spend most of our time with and be closest to.  When I think of my closest friends, I cannot think of them and my time spent with them without including our spiritual conversations.  Such a sweet blessing.  Ah it makes my heart happy.

2. Someone I can count on.
Now I will be the first to admit that you cannot put total dependence on anyone or anything apart from God, but I do think you should be able to count on close friends.  That is not to say that they won't let you down sometimes--we are human and as such we struggle with sin and living selfishly.  However, the people I consider to be my closest friends I know have my back.  I know that if I needed them, they would be there for me as best as they could.

3. Someone I can be myself with.
I am a relatively shy and quiet person.  I do not usually talk a lot in groups and it takes me a while to get comfortable enough to be myself.  Some of this stems from self-conscious sin issues, but some of it just comes down to how much I trust the other individual.  It is such a sweet blessing to feel comfortable enough around other people to be myself and be vulnerable.

4. Someone I can talk with.
Good conversation is important to sharing life with others.  Good conversation can be had when both individuals are talking about something they agree about and when both individuals see a given topic differently.  Both can be challenging and can lead to growth.  However, I think to best have these deep conversations and grow and be encouraged, Jesus needs to be shared between the two individuals.

5. Someone who will share themselves with me.
Honesty and vulnerability are important in relationship and I think to best build trust in friendship these things need to go both ways.  It is an honor to share trust with people and it leads to stronger relationships.

I love true friendship.  I love that there is depth.  I love that the relationships are going somewhere.  I love that I don't have to wonder if they care for me in return.  I love that they love Jesus.  I love that we can share this life together, encouraging and challenging one another along the way.

Thankful for Family

This post contains summaries of my families and also specific reasons why I am thankful for each person involved in my life through family.

I love my family.

I love the little family Michael and I share together.  While it is just the two of us for now, I love the foundation we are building through Christ that we will get to share with our children someday.  I cannot think about it without getting excited.

Michael--his God-centered wisdom, his generosity, his sense of humor

I love the family that I come from.

My parents are wonderful.  How great to have a mom and dad who love Jesus and have stressed his importance in our lives for as long as I can remember.  My parents seeking to honor God with their lives has played a huge role in shaping not only myself but also my brother's and sisters.  Each of us have our own faith, but our parents have been faithful witnesses to the truth.  It is also awesome to have parents who love each other.  Not everyone gets to witness a consistent and good marriage.  Seeing my parents relationship with each other has played a role in the way I act towards Michael as his wife.  Finally, I have been blessed with parents that love me and my siblings despite our imperfections.  I could go on and on and on about how much I love and appreciate my parents.

Dad--his spiritual leadership in our family, his genuine heart for others, his honesty
Mom--her nurturing actions, her positive attitude and joyful heart, her encouragement 

My brothers and sisters are four of my best friends.  We share many things in common.  We share a love for Jesus, we share a history, we share a similar sense of humor, we share some similar interests.  I love spending time with them.  I love sharing life with them.  I love playing and laughing with them.  I love singing with them.  I love the freedom we have to be ourselves around each other.  I love seeing their faith in their actions.  I love talking about Jesus with them.  I love that we can be honest with each other.  I love how Shelby, Sam, Charley, and Jos each play an important and irreplaceable role in our family.  

Shelb--her compassionate heart, her willingness to laugh, her honesty
Sam--his joyfulness, his silliness, his genuine love
Charley--her sense of humor, her genuine heart for others, her independence
Jos--his leadership among peers, his discipline, his good humor

I love how my family has welcomed Michael with open arms.

I love the family that I married into.  I love that they love Jesus.  I love that they have real relationships with one another.  I appreciate that they can be honest with one another.  I love how silly they can be.  I love their laughter.  I love their generous hearts.  I love how Michael's parents love their boys, their daughters-in-law, and their grandchildren.  I love having Jason and Claire as a brother-in-law and sister-in-law.  I love spending time with them.  I love have nephews and a niece who are cute and silly.  I love being a part of this family.

Dennis--his discipline and his generosity
Denise--her silliness and her willingness to serve others
Jason--his patience and his dedication to go above and beyond to make a difference
Claire--her activeness and her intentionality in relationships
Jonas--his enjoyment of others and his interest in learning and growing
Freya--her feisty attitude and her obvious love for others
August--his attempts to keep up with his brother and sister and his quick smile and laugh

I love my extended family.  I have loved growing up with grandparents and great -grandparents.  I love the legacy they have left for the families.  I love laughing, playing, and visiting with them.  I treasure the relationships we share.

Grandma Mert--her positive attitude
Grandma Book--her happiness
Grandpa Book--his sense of humor
Grandpa Sodey--his kindness towards others
Grandma Sodey--her enjoyment of others and relationships

Grandpa Butch--his joyful heart, his purposefulness in relationships
Grandma Diane--her gentle and quiet spirit, her servant heart
Grandpa Denny--his sense of humor and his supportive attitude/actions
Grandma Karen--her laughter and her care for others

I love having aunts and uncles.  I thankful for their involvement in my life.  I appreciate the ways they have shaped my parents.  I love having 16 cousins.  I love the unique relationships that we are able to share with one another.  I love laughing with them.  I love remembering with them.  I appreciate how our relationships have shifted and changed as we have gotten older.  While the relationships I have with each aunt, uncle, and cousin are different, there is something specific I appreciate about each other them.

Uncle Scott--his enjoyment of joking with others to and his sacrificial love
Uncle Brett--his sense of humor and his genuine care of others
Uncle Kent--his joy and his thoughtfulness towards others
Uncle Bruce--his laughter and his relational heart
Uncle Mark--his acts of service and his steadiness

Aunt Cathy--her purposeful investment in others and her creativity
Aunt Kelly--her silliness and her intentional relationships
Aunt Meg--her quick laugh and her honesty in interactions
Aunt Kim-- her gentleness and her love for others

Uncle Brent--his steadiness and his loving support of others
Uncle Marc--his good memory and his appreciation for laughter
Uncle Trevor--his interest in our families' pasts and his concern for others

Aunt Shauna--her dedication towards friends and family and her heart of service
Aunt Michelle--her discipline and patience towards others
Aunt Liz--her joyful heart and her ease in conversation

Jon--his drive to work hard and his dedication
     Katie--her confidence and her commitment to others
Jess--her discipline and her contribution to the lives of others
Max--his humor and his heart for others
     Kristin--her genuineness and her friendliness
Jordan--his leadership and his appreciation for goofy things
     Hannah--her easy-going attitude and her happy disposition
Steven--his thoughtfulness and his desire to always be the best version of himself
Jackson--his compassionate heart and his silliness
Beth--her purposeful attitude and her care for others
     T.J.--his hardworking attitude and his devotion
Nathan--his sense of humor and his certainty in who he is
Noah--his consistency and his willingness to help others
Natalie--her servant heart and her sweet nature
Nolan--his sensitive heart towards others and his playfulness

Maddie--her goal-driven attitude and her ability to let loose and be herself around others
Tanner--his ability converse and his good-natured attitude 
Kinz--her fun-loving disposition and her dedication towards others
Rachel--her confidence and her quick laugh
Mia--her sense of humor and her concern for others

Thankful for Truth

November is upon us and I am already feeling the excitement of the coming season.  In the next two months we will have Thanksgiving, Christmas and begin a new year.  I love this time of year.  It is a wonderful time to cozy up and reflect and through our reflecting learn and grow.  As November is the month that holds Thanksgiving, many are beginning to share their 30 days of thankfulness and I wanted to jump on the bandwagon in a way.  I know I will not have time to share an elaborate post on things I am thankful every day for the next month, but every few days I hope to share something I am very thankful for.

So let us begin...

I am thankful for Truth.  Truth is the triune, holy God.  

Truth is a rock and a fortress.  It is immovable.  It is unshakable.  It is unstoppable.  It does not depend on anyone or anything.  It has been before time began and it will remain forever.

We are only able to understand Truth through union and communion with God, and this can only occur through the Gospel.

I love the Gospel.  That a holy God would choose to pursue and save sinners through crushing his blameless son on a cross is absolutely incredible.  Our sermon at church last week stated that, "the cross is the great exchange of the universe," and it most certainly is.  The Gospel is only dependable and possible because it is based on God alone.  I am saved by HIM ALONE.  I have done NOTHING to deserve grace.  I did not seek him, he sought me.  I did not choose him.  He chose me.

That kind of absolute theology where we have no control can be scary for us as individuals as we desire to have control over things...especially control over our own lives.  It is hard for us to come to grasps with the fact that God is sovereign over all things--sun and rain, life and death, sheep and goats, the elect and the cursed.  I have been there and I get it.  I wrestled with that for over a year in college and I cannot say that I totally understand it now ...HOWEVER, there is so much that comes from the truth of the total sovereignty of God.

There is peace.  There is hope.  There is confidence.  There is love.  There is beauty.  There is adoration.  There is laughter.  There is crying.  There is worship.  There is much more.

God is I AM.  He is LORD.  He does not depend on anyone else.  His worth is found solely in himself.  He cannot be defined apart from himself because He alone is holy.  He is perfect in his holiness.  He is perfect in his Love.  He is perfect in his judgment.  He is God.

I think so often we try to put God in a box.  In fact, I have heard and read that phrase several times recently but in a different context.  God does not need our stamp of approval for what we think should be right and wrong.  Just because God hates sin (and He most certainly does) does not mean that He is not love.  God is love, but He is not a fluffy love.  He is not a love that says "Ok, I love you so you can do what you think is best and I will support you in that" NO!  He is a love that says "I am holy and I hate your sin.  In fact, I hate it so much that because I want you for myself, I will send my perfect son to earth to live perfectly among you.  He will take on your flesh.  He will walk like you, He will eat like you, He will laugh like you, He will cry like you, and He will die like you.  BUT  in his death will be undeserved because, unlike you, He will be perfect. For this reason the grave will not be able to hold him.  He will not stay dead.  He will rise and conquer death and create a way for you to be with me forever. You will become new through faith in him and repentance."  Sin is a HUGE deal to God.  It is such a big deal that Jesus not only had to leave his throne in Heaven, but He had to die.  God doesn't take any sin lightly and neither should we.  God is not wishy washy, He is absolute.  All sin leads to death.  There is no life in a lifestyle characterized by sin.  All lives are characterized by sin without Jesus.

It makes me sad when I come into contact with people who do not see and know this truth.  It happens every day.

It saddens me when people criticize people who stand by God's whole word as truth.  When they call us hateful and accuse us of fearing things that are different.  It saddens me not because I want the approval of others, but because I see they are missing the point.  They don't get it.

Because God has graciously allowed me to see and hear truth, I am confident in who He is and who I am in him.  My worth is not found in another's opinion of me.  How sweet to trust in Jesus.  I love the song "Cornerstone" by Hillsong.  I cannot listen to it without worshiping.  Hallelujah!  The Lord reigns forever.  He is over all!  He will never fail.

Listen to "Cornerstone" here...

Oh that more would come to know the true and reigning king.

The bedrock of our lives is the mercy of God.   Without Christ alone, no one would believe.  It is only through his grace that eyes can see truth and ears can hear truth and that hearts can respond to it.

Ah, Sweet Jesus.  Make your name known in my life.  May others see less of me and more of you.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

When Darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless stand before the throne.