Signed, Sealed, Delivered

I officially started my sixth semester of college today... and though I swore after my horrible freshman experience with an 8 a.m. Biology class that I would never, ever take 8 a.m. class again...I have 8 a.m. class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I've found that I enjoy getting up early (once I am out of bed, that is) and getting my day started. So hello, 8 a.m. classes! In fact, every weekday morning I am up early. Here's what my days will look like the next four months:

• Monday: Work: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday: Class: 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. -- Work: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday: Class: 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. -- Work: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. -- Class: 7:05 p.m. to 9:35 p.m.
• Thursday: Class: 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. -- Work: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday: Work: 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.

So from that I should be pretty busy for the awhile...and being an elementary teacher, probably for the rest of my life (with the exception of the summers, of course!). I was praying today as I was pushing my kids at work around on our "Bye Bye Buggy" up and down the hallway, and I was praying that I would be thankful for the opportunities I have been blessed with. I have been given so much--love, encouragement, scholarships, a good job--and I want to make sure I am rejoicing in the Lord always.

What an awesome God we do have! I have been reading in Ephesians and I have read the first two chapters a few times now. I recently got a new bible for my birthday (my old one was well-loved, and carelessly scribbled in by my 13-year-old self) and was yet to mark in it or take notes on the pages. I know it seems like a long time without note-taking, but I wanted to make sure the notes aren't silly. I am a grown-up now :). But from these two chapters I found the first verses that I chose to mark.

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1: 13,14

I went to a wedding with Matt two weeks ago and as the bride and groom walked back down the aisle as man and wife, the song, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder played. First of all, I love that song, and secondly, these verses reminded me of that in a big way. The lyrics of the song say, "Here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours..." And that is exactly what we are in Christ Jesus. We know we have eternal security in our salvation because it is "sealed" with a "promise" and "guaranteed" to us. The promise is made by God--it is in the Holy Spirit. I was so moved by this even though I've read similar verses many times. The Lord makes us promises and then backs them up over and over in His Word. Here He gives us three words that carry so much. Earlier in the chapter Paul also talks about how we are adopted sons by Jesus Christ, and how we were "predestined" to be, even though God knew we would rebel and turn to sin. In verse 6 it says He made us "accepted in the Beloved." We are indeed accepted, and we can never be let go.

A Great Love Story

This being my first attempt at an online blog, I am not quite sure where to begin. I am not even quite sure why I am starting a blog, because I don't really feel that I have a very interesting life to blog about. I do, however, have possession of the greatest gift ever given to mankind. I am a part of the most wonderful, exciting, and amazing love story of all time! It is the story of a King who loved His bride with such fervor and ardency that He gave His life so she could live free of bondage. I feel so blessed and treasured because I am the recipient of that love...I am that bride! My King is Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe, and He died on a cross and paid for my sin and the sin of the whole world...all because He loved us. Wow. Beat that, romance novel writers!

When considering the love of my Savior, a verse from 1 John comes to mind:

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:9)

With that in mind, I guess I do have something special to blog about :)

As far as my normal life goes, I am busy finishing up a January term class at school. It was a three week study course for the Praxis II exam that I have to pass this spring to get my teaching license. I spent almost $35 on a book to help me study and have been using materials that my professor gave me in class and online, so hopefully I'll pass. I am not going to lie...I am still really nervous. I guess I don't quite feel like teaching material yet. I don't know. I wish I had more time to finish some of my education courses at school this semester, but I have to have my Praxis passed by August when I apply for student teaching in spring 2011. Oh, my, where did my life go? I feel like I just started college...

My work at a child development center is also keeping my busy. I have 16 little babies to love and cuddle with everyday, and I am certain I have been blessed with the most amazing job ever. It can be stressful and hectic when everyone is needing attention at the same time, but when you have some quiet moments alone with one of them while giving them a bottle or rocking them to sleep it's as if the whole world sort of stops. It is just you and them--this tiny, helpless little miracle. And they look up at you with such certainty...like you can't ever let them down. It's the best. I love my job :)

I am starting a study of Ephesians and have become very drawn to the use of the word "walk" in the short letter. I hope to post some of my thoughts on that soon. Unfortunately, my bathroom in the dorm is calling for a good cleaning, so I think I'd better get on that.