Traveling Ramblings...

I’m writing this one on the road.  So, if this one is confusing, it's because I am tired.  :)   I’m actually at an airport in Memphis.  I just left a beautiful island in Galveston where I spoke at an ACSI Conference (Association of Christian Schools International) and I’m somewhat stranded from home where there’s been a huge winter storm.  So they are rerouting me all over the place.  Next stop… Atlanta, and then Lynchburg (hopefully before the night is over).

If it wasn’t for having to leave the kids, I would really enjoy the occasional trips I make.  It is just a great time to unplug from the routine of life and reflect on my challenges and blessings.   I always try to make a point to do something special on these trips, even if it is small, like tasting the local food  J, which is actually one of my favorite things to do.  But lately I’ve been a little grander in my adventures.  Last night I spent four hours at a Spa since I was staying at a Spa hotel.  It was heavenly.  I left feeling such a sense of peace leaving the Spa.  And a sense of joy that God allows me so many opportunities to just enjoy life.

So as I travel, I also really enjoy watching people.  I find myself feeling very small when I travel, wondering how I think that God cares about me in the midst of so many people, problems, pain, etc.  But somehow he must, because he blesses beyond measure.  But as I watch people, I mostly find myself wondering if God thinks we’re funny or pitiful.  I think I’ll go with funny… God thinks us funny. .. I’d tell the many travel stories.  But I think I’ll just keep those smiles to myself.

God's Favor at LU

It's budget planning time of year.  So, we are all busy analyzing numbers at LU.  And I can't help to share some of the amazing things happening at LU.  There is no doubt that we currently have God's favor.  I pray we can stay true to Him through our blessings and trials and he will continue to guide us and direct us.

I started this position about 2 1/2 years ago.  At this time we had 8 on-line faculty with about 2,000 students.  We now have 180 on-line faculty and 30 residential faculty with about 7,500 students being educated from the School of Education.  I attended LU for my undergraduate degree in the early 90's.  And at that time the entire campus had about 5,000 students.  And now just the School of Education has greatly surpassed these numbers.  What an awesome phenomena and opportunity!?!?!  

As if this isn't amazing enough, we have also managed this growth with few problems. So, with this... I have to thank everyone that has been part of all of this.  First of all, the students... who have been very patient with us as they approached bottle necks and waited graciously as we worked frantically to correct these pressure points.  The staff and faculty, who showed unbelievable patience, perseverance, and service as we stretched ourselves further than we ever thought we could reach.   And administration who have fought for us to have everything we need to not only grow, but to do so while holding onto the integrity of our academic programs and our mission of impacting the world for Christ. 

And even more amazing... we are continuing on the same path of growth.    The budget numbers last year at this exact time were at 4500 students for the School of Education... and now 7500... I wonder what it will be next year?  :)  When I first started this blog I talked about the ability to influence the world... each one of our teacher candidates representing 900 children in their careers... so with our current students... and not even counting our alumni and the many who have come and gone... right now at this moment... just the School of Education... this is 6,750,000 children!!  Praise Him from Whom all blessings flow!

Remembering My Sister

Well, this has been a difficult week...my baby sister died 9 years ago on January 17, 2001 in a car accident.  She was 21 years old.  And this week is when you remember that dreaded phone call, the funeral, and the visits from many family and friends who mourn with you during a difficult time.  It is one of the harder weeks.  I actually prefer her birthday... that date doesn't seem as dreaded or depressing to me... rather it seems a time to celebrate her life. 

But during this difficult week, I thought I would post one of her poems that she wrote in 1999 at age 19.  It reminds me of my sister, Amy, but also it reminds me of those of you who have been there for me during my difficult times in my life.

A Smile Came Over Me by Amy Caroline Parker

A smile came over me

Like the escalating sun

It rose in my heart

And grows in my eyes

I hope you saw it

For perhaps it may fade

As the setting sun

And obscurity that follows

And if by chance you missed it

I will bring it back to life

For I want you to comprehend

The happiness I feel inside

I hope you notice it in my face

And lingering in my eyes

I pray you hear it in my voice

The only pleasure of its kind

For it is far more

Then solely a day breaking

It's the sun illuminating the sky

After a disheartening storm

The reason I want you to see

Is simply because it is YOU

That brought the smiles

To me when I could not endure!

My 2 cents worth on job advice

I often hear from students and friends that they don't know if they are where God wants them to be in their life.... that feeling of not being happy where you are at... or that God wants "me" somewhere else.   God often uses those feelings to guide us to new places...So I do think we need to be aware of those feelings.

BUT here is the hard thing to realize - in the meantime - we ARE where God wants us!!  Otherwise, He'd have us somewhere else.  I honestly think that is the whole point of Proverbs 3:5-7.... "acknowledge him in all your ways and he directs your path".... and then everyone always leaves out verse 7 "be not wise in your own eyes". 

The weirdest thing is I never really felt like I chose my job or my school, etc.  God just opened and shut doors for me.  And it is such a freeing feeling.  It's like he's saying "this way... no this way... no turn here".  Like, I have my own personal GPS. :)  And I think it came from the fact that His expectations of me were far more than the expectations for myself.  So, my point is.... First, recognize that you ARE where God wants you.  So, what does he want you to do right now... where he has you... the job your in?  THEN he'll direct your path...  at least from my experience.  :)
 

Happy New Year

So, tomorrow will be 2010.  So it is time for us to reflect on the past year and be thinking about our New Year Resolutions.  Today for me is also my birthday, 37 years old.  (I feel like I can say how old I am, because I doubt many folks actually read these things).  :)  So as I reflect on 2009, I also reflect on my past year of life.  So, what does my next year have in store for me?  Well, really God only knows.  :)  

Reflections of this past year - With my family, I've had the privilege of watching my children grow from babies to toddlers.  Jeanie started preschool and Johnny is my wild little boy.  My husband and I have bought land and have began the process of building a house.  And what an adventure that will be in 2010!!  Professionally, I've watched the School of Education grow leaps and bounds.  We now have over 6,000 students that we educate from SOE and it was just a few years ago where it was closer to 2,000.  So much is happening so fast at LU and it is an awesome place to be.  But a great time for me in my life.

Looking forward to next year - I read once that we start making change in our life by saying "I'll start on Monday" or
"I'll start in the new year", then we are doomed to fail.  Like when we say we are going to start a diet after the holidays and feasts are over.  When we do this, we don't recognize that change is a good thing and not a bad thing.  That is something we should thrive to do everyday, while recognizing their are times for celebration and times for discipline, etc.  So I read that sometime this year and now I actually feel guilty about making New Year Resolutions that I know I won't keep.  :)  So, I guess I will say my resolution is to just thrive to be a better mother, wife, friend, teacher and administrator every day.  And then just recognizing I have His grace helping me through all my failures and short comings.  In the School of Education, we have our nationally accrediting body (NCATE) coming to our school in February.  So we have that to prepare for and prayerfully - celebrate.   I pray God just continues to bless SOE and that He guides us towards being the best that we can be.

And for each of you - a blessed and Happy New Year.  If you have had me for a teacher, I've probably ended my class with one of my favorite verses... so to all of you in 2009 -

May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make his face shine on you, and be 
gracious to you: May the Lord lift up his countenance on you, and give you peace.  
Numbers 6:24-26

Christmas

It is the time of year to celebrate and reflect on Jesus' birth.  Lynchburg has been hit with a big snow storm the last few days. So in addition to playing in the snow with children and grading papers, I've been reflecting on what Jesus means to me.  I've been so blessed in my life.  Blessed beyond measure.  I think this analogy best describes where I feel right now.

Remember in PE when the teacher would choose "captains"... then the captains would choose the teams.  Remember that dread... the feeling of being chosen last.  I wanted to be captain so bad, just so I wouldn't be chosen last.  And then when the teacher calls the names of the captains, the teacher didn't choose me... but the teacher called my best friend.  I would think - wew!!  Thank goodness!  My best friend doesn't care if I'm athlete, if I can run fast, catch, throw or anything... I was just already chosen.  So, I guess this year... Jesus is my best friend and captain.  I've been chosen.  But now is the responsibility.  When my friend chooses me, I don't want to let her down.  I don't want to make her regret her decision. So I do as much as I can to make her proud.  And so the same with my Captain, Jesus.

And boy have I been chosen.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that I've not really done anything on my own accord.  But I am so continuosly blessed.  So, I just pray and pray that I can still somehow make him proud... if not on my own accord... but that I'll do the best I can with the resources he has given me... and I pray when I meet Jesus that he may just say "well done".   Because "too whom much is given, much is required".

I pray you all take time to reflect on what Jesus means to you at this time ine your life.  Is he your Captain, your Counselor, your Teacher?  Where is your relationship with him now? 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

And here is pictures with the kids in the snow - :)

ACSI in Dallas

ACSI Conference in Dallas

So I just love mixing fun with work!!  Here is what I enjoyed in Dallas in addition to the ACSI conference, a Cowboy's football game in their state of the art studio.  Good times!   The conference is great as well.  These Christian school conferences is one of the most rewarding things I do!   I have the opportunity to talk about special education and dealing with difficult students to a culture that has not handled "the least of these" in the past.  It is so exciting to see Christian school educators be open to how we can best reach ALL of our students as the Great Commission Commands us.   God is so good to give me so many awesome opportunities!

On the Road Again, and Again, and Again

What a busy Fall!!   I just got back from Charlotte where I spoke on Evaluating and Mentoring On-line Faculty at the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children.  I traveled with Dr. Deanna Keith where she also spoke on Principal Efficacy.  We had a blast!  It actually felt like a college road trip with Dr. Keith, though we managed to stay out of trouble.  ;)

This weekend I am heading to Dallas to speak on Dealing with the Difficult Student and Differentiated Instruction at the South Central Region of the Association of Christian Schools International.  I LOVE that my job affords me the opportunity to travel (though my husband wouldn't mind me slowing down a little bit... so I will in the Spring for sure).  But I have tickets to see the Redskins and Cowboys on Sunday while I'm in Dallas.  I'm so excited to see their new stadium.  I'll be sure to post pictures when I return.

Ok... back to grading and answering emails...   :)

FALL

It is Fall here in Lynchburg.  And I believe it must be one of the most beautiful places to be in the Fall.  You'll see some great pictures of the campus on their main page in the Fall.  And the mountains and hills are just beautiful.  But here is Fall for our family...  :)   My husband rakes mutliple piles of leaves, just to watch the children run through them and spread them out again.   Good times...

Fall for me is also many conferences.  It seems most of my education conferences land in the Fall.  So in just 6 weekends, I have had and will have - a conference in Chesapeak, Orlando, Charlotte and Dallas.  But I do just love doing these conferences!!!

Back from Orlando

I had some fun at Disney with the family when speaking at Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (FACCS) in Orlando.  One of our adjunct faculty is also the Executive Director of FACCS, Wesley Scott.