Snow days . . . Go days

  I have been wracking my brain of things to do today, as the snow has fallen all day long. I began by doing everything except what I should be doing. I did a little work for work, I fixed dinner, and I relaxed.

  After about 14 hours, it hit me. I should have used this time with God. I began by searching for scriptures and phrases on Pinterest. Then, I began to read the word, to find out, "What the word say" (a phrase from my past - yes, it is grammatically incorrect). 

  God has reminded me to seek Him, and I will find. Knock, and He will answer in His Way. May I remember this daily.

  Happy Snow - Go to Him Day 2014!

Beautiful

Today is a beautiful day. I just came to realize this once I stepped outside. I wish I had come out sooner.

Life is like that. We allow events and people to blur our vision from God. We are unable to see the beautifulness that exists everyday.

May we seek more ways to see God every day, whether great or small. May our vision be clear and full of beautifulness!

Nothing to Lose: a generation for desperation

As I was walking around with my youth group, here are some of the sites and sounds (courtesy of TN): loads of vendors (Crowder, Kari Jobe, as well as others), Nothing to Lose gear, conversations about the "Secular world", and loads of bassy music. All of this brings so many memories back into my old youth days. Interesting perspective this weekend.

It's magic!

I love this time of year! It's usually like magic during the Thanksgiving/Christmas seasons. It is filled with times with friends and family. It truly is a blessing.

These seasons also bring about the magic. The childlike magic and excitement that comes every year. It is a time of reflection and joy of how God has blessed us over the year. Why can't we have that magic every day?

We can! Take time to remember the magic and share how God has blessed you with others. Seek ways to share how you have been blessed by God with other around you.

<3 JCD

It's all about You . . .

Today, I began thinking about was I doing enough. As I taught Sunday School this morning to the youth, I began to remember my calling. At the age of 14 or so, I knew that my calling was Missions. Little did I know that I would be sharing God to others through my job as an educator. As a young adult, I constantly grappled with this concept- Where is God going to send me, out of Rocky Mount, NC. Fast forward about 20 some years, and it finally clicked. It's not about Jessica conquering the masses out in some third world country or even somewhere away from home.

It's about doing God's Will right here in Rocky Mount. It's about loving people right where they are. It's about building relationships with friends and people you don't even know.

I encouraged my Sunday School class to reach out to someone this week, even someone that they may not like. Then, I watched this video here on Stephanie Brown's page.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me in the public school arena in the next few years. God has been preparing me for this mass group of students that I will one day be responsible for as an Administrator.

I will be finished with my add-on license in July. I hope that I will be able to get a job here in Nash County where the involvement in religion is at an extremely low percentage.

So really, it is all about Him . . .

What can you do to share the love of God with others this week and every week?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgg2KYdMpqc&sns=em

So, lessons learned in the last few months ...

I really hate learning lessons, especially lessons that I should know already. I have spent the last few months trying to figure out why I am still single. *Disclaimer - I really have low self esteem.* I am a happening chick. I have a great personality, successful worker, nice house, great kid, and I am semi-cute.

It hit me today while watching one of those teeny-bopper movies. I cannot see what is in front of me. I do not truly love myself. I like myself on most days, but I am not satisfied with who I am right now, in my skin. Not that this will change with time, but I am going to work on loving me for awhile.

I really like my life and who I am. I don't think that will change. What can change is the way that I think about myself, and the way that I present myself.

I was waiting for something or someone, who clearly does not believe in the me I am currently. I now know that I want a person who will accept me for who I am. I am not going to change me too much.

It may not be the picture that I thought that I wanted, but I should give it a chance.

Just a walk in the park . . .

I have just been thinking lately about how my life is "just a walk in the park". I know that sounds strange coming from me, but it truly is. I have always felt that my life was not going in the right direction, or the direction that I thought that it should be going. I have realized that my life is exactly where it should be, and even a walk in the park. Let me try to explain . . .

You know how you plan things out in your mind as a young adult? Well, I did all of that, and strangely all of it has occured. It just occured in a different manner than I thought. I planned on getting married to my soul mate, having children, and having that fabulous job/ministry. I got all of that, but it did not occur the way that I thought. I got married to someone I thought I loved, but in actuality I loved who I thought the person was. I have a precious child that cannot be replaced. I would love more children, but that requires a new soul mate. I love my job, but it is not the direction that I believed that I was supposed to do.

Now, things are changing, yet again. Still looking for that new soul mate, although there is the dark horse that I cannot get out of my head. I would like more children, but I refuse to do all of that alone. A new scenario has popped up into the equation regarding that perfect job. I believe, wholeheartedly, that my life's work is to be a missionary. I get to do this everyday as a teacher, but now I have an opportunity to be a principal. Add to that, the exhaustion of everyday life as a singleton.

But really, my life is "just a walk in the park". I have food to eat, a place to live, a car, parents and a sibling that love me no matter what, and I have a beautiful child. As if that is not enough, I have a job, friends that support me, and I have a church family that I can count on when times get tough. To top it all off, I really do not lack for anything, other than material possessions, that are not important.

So, life is "just a walk in the park". You have to take a step back when you are feeling frustrated, confused, and overwhelmed. You may have to visit that graveyard to get yourself together, but you are just taking a break from the park scene to be the you that you are supposed to be.