Stabs of Joy: 2006
1. Anna Kate
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Not only does she make me laugh and know just the right words to pick me up, she loves the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart. And that love comes out in our relationship as well as her teaching of pre-schoolers for a living (try doing that sometime. it's really not as simple as you think). My love for this girl has only grown stronger with time, and she continues to knock my socks off with how she shows that devotion in thought and deed. She is a blessing for a life that doesn't deserve it. I love you, darling :)
2. Interning at First Baptist Simpsonville
I owe Anna Kate for directing my attention toward this job for the summer. Never could I have imagined how God would use me to reach children in so many outlets that I never saw myself taking an active role in. G-Force, VBS, Creative Arts Camp, White Oak retreat, Paint With Me Mommy, and Music & Me were just a handful of the many enjoyable activities that I was involved in. So many great relationships with awesome people, too many for me to name here. Could God have a role for me in church ministry sometime in the future? Who knows?
3. Living the call
I had two major opportunities to reach people with the gospel this year (there were others, of course, but I want to touch on these). One was a student in my Special Ed. class who had thought off and on about God, but didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and another was a longtime friend of mine that I knew online, but didn't get to meet face to face until this past summer. She knew Jesus, but had fallen out of touch with His Word. It blesses my heart to say that as of last contact, she's begun reading the Bible more on a daily basis, and it's having a really positive effect on her. More than anything, this shows just how important the call to witness is. You never know when God is going to put people in your path who need to be reached with the truth, some who may be a close friend or classmate, and you have to be on call at all times. When you are, the results bear fruit for both of you. :)
4. Hannah Sobeski
I have to admit that I never even met this beautiful senior of Dorman High School who died of high grade round cell sarcoma last month. Yet I can't think of many other people that have moved me the way she has. In reading her story on her website managed by her parents, I read a journey of hope, despair, struggle, faith, and triumph. While most of us spent our summer lounging and goofing off on the beach, Hannah spent hers in an intensive care ward, receiving five rounds of chemotherapy to fight a tumor in her stomach, getting countless units of blood and hemoglobin treatments, and fighting off bouts of nausea every single day. She couldn't sleep comfortably, had to go through weeks of intense physical`therapy just to use her legs again, and was reduced to a diet of crushed ice and gelatin. Days when she could lick a grape-flavored frozen pop clean were exceptional. Yet as a believer in Jesus, Hannah had a firm grasp of the big picture. Rather than dwell on her predicament, she used it to show the love of Christ to everybody - the doctors, ICU staff, hospital patients, her own family - that she came in contact with. She gave out little crosses to every person who walked into her room, whether it was a visitor or one of the many nurses coming by to do bloodcounts and change her bedding. Hannah believed, knew right to the end, that God was in control and that whatever was to become of her, He would receive the glory. Her final moments on this Earth were in a bed surrounded by family and friends, singing praises to God, asking Him to take her by the hand and receive her unto Him gently. I wish I had gotten to meet her. What an incredible girl.
5. Journey to teaching
It's been a tough road. And it's not even halfway over. This year, I've been educated about children with special needs, read more books on the state of education than I thought possible, took three English classes during one semester to keep my major on track, began student-teaching at Mauldin High under a wonderful mentor teacher, did a horrible job on my first day of solo-teaching (but those are the best learning experiences), got exposed to a laundry list of adolescent literature that I never knew existed, had fingerprints done, and sent off my applications for teacher certification. The next big challenge will be student-teaching over the winter. For her part, Anna Kate has already begun filling my head with all kinds of horror stories from her own experience (just kidding, sweetie). I'll need lots of prayer and God's strength to make it through. But He's gotten me this far. I trust Him for this also.
Other Stabs of Joy:
- Annie Ruth Yelton
- FBC's addition of the West Campus
- Vacation Bible School
- Charles McCombs
- Eating macaroni & cheese out of a pickle jar
- Nightly prayer walks around Furman
- SupeReaders' Book Club
- Ruth Harrison
- Meeting a dear friend for the first time
- "Christmas is Forever" cantata
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes at MHS
- Talks with Chandler McLean in English classes
- Andrew Kinard
- Bob Holland
- Jon Dees & Dawn Snyder's engagement :)
- Law & Order and Liar, Liar with Anna Kate
- WinterJam, Casting Crowns, Building 429, & MercyMe live
- "Surprising" Anna Kate at her graduation
- Ray Ray & Fahmarr McElrathbey
- Working with the puppet team at FBC
- Doug & Karen Blackburn
- Tuesday night Bible Studies at the Rock
- Six month anniversary at Jack-in-the-Box
- My Dad's return to teaching
- Susannah's graduation from Shannon Forest Christian
- Spur-of-the-moment trips to Zaxby's & Firehouse
- Baxter pitching wins for his baseball team
- Watching Lost with friends on Wednesday nights
- Tiger baseball in the College World Series
- Tiger basketball 10-0 to start the season
- Sitting in the Bell Tower and talking to God
- 1st anniversary at Soby's and strolling downtown Greenville
- Spill the Beans :)
- Throwing frisbee in the summer when it's warm
I hope your 2006 was also filled with joyous moments! God bless.
To view Anna Kate's stabs of joy, go here: http://mybloodrunsorange.blogspot.com/
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Not only does she make me laugh and know just the right words to pick me up, she loves the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart. And that love comes out in our relationship as well as her teaching of pre-schoolers for a living (try doing that sometime. it's really not as simple as you think). My love for this girl has only grown stronger with time, and she continues to knock my socks off with how she shows that devotion in thought and deed. She is a blessing for a life that doesn't deserve it. I love you, darling :)
2. Interning at First Baptist Simpsonville
I owe Anna Kate for directing my attention toward this job for the summer. Never could I have imagined how God would use me to reach children in so many outlets that I never saw myself taking an active role in. G-Force, VBS, Creative Arts Camp, White Oak retreat, Paint With Me Mommy, and Music & Me were just a handful of the many enjoyable activities that I was involved in. So many great relationships with awesome people, too many for me to name here. Could God have a role for me in church ministry sometime in the future? Who knows?
3. Living the call
I had two major opportunities to reach people with the gospel this year (there were others, of course, but I want to touch on these). One was a student in my Special Ed. class who had thought off and on about God, but didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and another was a longtime friend of mine that I knew online, but didn't get to meet face to face until this past summer. She knew Jesus, but had fallen out of touch with His Word. It blesses my heart to say that as of last contact, she's begun reading the Bible more on a daily basis, and it's having a really positive effect on her. More than anything, this shows just how important the call to witness is. You never know when God is going to put people in your path who need to be reached with the truth, some who may be a close friend or classmate, and you have to be on call at all times. When you are, the results bear fruit for both of you. :)
4. Hannah Sobeski
I have to admit that I never even met this beautiful senior of Dorman High School who died of high grade round cell sarcoma last month. Yet I can't think of many other people that have moved me the way she has. In reading her story on her website managed by her parents, I read a journey of hope, despair, struggle, faith, and triumph. While most of us spent our summer lounging and goofing off on the beach, Hannah spent hers in an intensive care ward, receiving five rounds of chemotherapy to fight a tumor in her stomach, getting countless units of blood and hemoglobin treatments, and fighting off bouts of nausea every single day. She couldn't sleep comfortably, had to go through weeks of intense physical`therapy just to use her legs again, and was reduced to a diet of crushed ice and gelatin. Days when she could lick a grape-flavored frozen pop clean were exceptional. Yet as a believer in Jesus, Hannah had a firm grasp of the big picture. Rather than dwell on her predicament, she used it to show the love of Christ to everybody - the doctors, ICU staff, hospital patients, her own family - that she came in contact with. She gave out little crosses to every person who walked into her room, whether it was a visitor or one of the many nurses coming by to do bloodcounts and change her bedding. Hannah believed, knew right to the end, that God was in control and that whatever was to become of her, He would receive the glory. Her final moments on this Earth were in a bed surrounded by family and friends, singing praises to God, asking Him to take her by the hand and receive her unto Him gently. I wish I had gotten to meet her. What an incredible girl.
5. Journey to teaching
It's been a tough road. And it's not even halfway over. This year, I've been educated about children with special needs, read more books on the state of education than I thought possible, took three English classes during one semester to keep my major on track, began student-teaching at Mauldin High under a wonderful mentor teacher, did a horrible job on my first day of solo-teaching (but those are the best learning experiences), got exposed to a laundry list of adolescent literature that I never knew existed, had fingerprints done, and sent off my applications for teacher certification. The next big challenge will be student-teaching over the winter. For her part, Anna Kate has already begun filling my head with all kinds of horror stories from her own experience (just kidding, sweetie). I'll need lots of prayer and God's strength to make it through. But He's gotten me this far. I trust Him for this also.
Other Stabs of Joy:
- Annie Ruth Yelton
- FBC's addition of the West Campus
- Vacation Bible School
- Charles McCombs
- Eating macaroni & cheese out of a pickle jar
- Nightly prayer walks around Furman
- SupeReaders' Book Club
- Ruth Harrison
- Meeting a dear friend for the first time
- "Christmas is Forever" cantata
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes at MHS
- Talks with Chandler McLean in English classes
- Andrew Kinard
- Bob Holland
- Jon Dees & Dawn Snyder's engagement :)
- Law & Order and Liar, Liar with Anna Kate
- WinterJam, Casting Crowns, Building 429, & MercyMe live
- "Surprising" Anna Kate at her graduation
- Ray Ray & Fahmarr McElrathbey
- Working with the puppet team at FBC
- Doug & Karen Blackburn
- Tuesday night Bible Studies at the Rock
- Six month anniversary at Jack-in-the-Box
- My Dad's return to teaching
- Susannah's graduation from Shannon Forest Christian
- Spur-of-the-moment trips to Zaxby's & Firehouse
- Baxter pitching wins for his baseball team
- Watching Lost with friends on Wednesday nights
- Tiger baseball in the College World Series
- Tiger basketball 10-0 to start the season
- Sitting in the Bell Tower and talking to God
- 1st anniversary at Soby's and strolling downtown Greenville
- Spill the Beans :)
- Throwing frisbee in the summer when it's warm
I hope your 2006 was also filled with joyous moments! God bless.
To view Anna Kate's stabs of joy, go here: http://mybloodrunsorange.blogspot.com/
posted by david @ 8:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home