Usually when I get some free time I like to pop open the Word and begin reading. I like to imagine that the page the bible opens to is what i'm guided to read. Last night was Psalm 23. I've read this many times before but reading it last night meant a bit more to me. I guess I dug a bit deeper into something i've learned to memorize but not fully understand.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
As a child, having this memorized was a pretty neat thing since it was "so long" lol but they were just empty words. Check out all those great things the Lord does for me! He's my shepherd! I'll have all my needs met! He makes me rest, guides me to where He wants me to be...and on and on and on....I had fun marking up my bible with all those great words of his presence in my life.
As I read each verse slowly...I got to thinking....
He MAKES me lie down , he LEADS me, he GUIDES me....wow, strong words. I'm picturing a loving Father who just wants his child to do right. And there's a child who is kicking and screaming and pulling in the other direction. Why would anyone have to MAKE someone lie down in green pastures? or LEAD them besides still waters, that sounds like a perfect vacation to me! Yet, here I am trying to rush through life, trying to "get through" the day. Not enjoying the wonderful "green pastures" and "still waters" that the Lord has provided for me to enjoy, to take in, to refresh myself. Seeing as how a shepherd knows more about his sheeps needs, than the sheep itself, its safe to assume my Shepherd knows more about my needs than I do.
I can't imagine what it would be like, or how I would feel if I just went one day...yes...ONE DAY...cooperating with what He has planned for me each day. Not only would I be rested and refreshed, but I would be physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually restored! Just the idea of what that would feel like gives me tingles way down to my toes!! Makes me want to shout! YIPPPEEE!!
In my prayers today I will pray that I am not MADE to do anything and that I go willingly, happily and without constraint to wherever He wants me to be.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
stressin'
My mind is all over the place today!
I'm concerned because the child care center where I work had a surprise inspection last week. I failed miserably. There were many out of compliances. The only positive part was all the out of compliances were regarding employee and staff files, the condition of the building and the classrooms were all in compliance, so I have made progress with that :0) but...is that good enough? I'm concerned because I dont want to lose my job. When I first got this position, I was praying that I would find a place where I would be able to put forth my full potential and make a difference as I felt I was lacking that where I used to work. But now i'm feeling overwhelmed and like i'm not good enough for this! My supervisor has already threatened to shut the doors if I didnt begin to bring in more money, I feel I have raised the monthly income, but now this! Why am I not good enough to do this? UGH!!!! During these times I wish I was a stay at home mom so I didnt have the stresses of a working wife/mom! But then again the thought of not working makes me sad too lol. I know I can't have my cake and eat it too, although right now lemon pie as sour as it is seems all I can take.
Lets see, I need some positive stuff......
Wyatt went pee in the potty yesterday! and.....he is now in a big boy bed and he slept there ALL night last night, i must admit it was GREAT having the bed child-free!
I love blogging as I type I start to reflect on what i'm writing and sometimes answers come to me. Maybe I just need to prioritize, and let God take the reigns. (I would say wheel but with the snow coming reigns sound better) So, God, obviously number one. He needs to be who I aim to please. I need to obey Him. Next, I put my family. They are all healthy and great, well taken care of. Then there's me :0) and finally, work....I guess I need to stop putting work first. I dont want to spend my weekend involved in work when I can be making memories with my wonderful husband and child...right? right!
Its so difficult for me to pray and then trust that God's hand is in the mix so I no longer need to be concerned. I know that if its in His will then things will be okay...but the question is WHEN??? since its in His time. I've repeatedly asked him for a watch that tells His time, but i've yet to get one...guess its not TIME for that yet either!
I'm concerned because the child care center where I work had a surprise inspection last week. I failed miserably. There were many out of compliances. The only positive part was all the out of compliances were regarding employee and staff files, the condition of the building and the classrooms were all in compliance, so I have made progress with that :0) but...is that good enough? I'm concerned because I dont want to lose my job. When I first got this position, I was praying that I would find a place where I would be able to put forth my full potential and make a difference as I felt I was lacking that where I used to work. But now i'm feeling overwhelmed and like i'm not good enough for this! My supervisor has already threatened to shut the doors if I didnt begin to bring in more money, I feel I have raised the monthly income, but now this! Why am I not good enough to do this? UGH!!!! During these times I wish I was a stay at home mom so I didnt have the stresses of a working wife/mom! But then again the thought of not working makes me sad too lol. I know I can't have my cake and eat it too, although right now lemon pie as sour as it is seems all I can take.
Lets see, I need some positive stuff......
Wyatt went pee in the potty yesterday! and.....he is now in a big boy bed and he slept there ALL night last night, i must admit it was GREAT having the bed child-free!
I love blogging as I type I start to reflect on what i'm writing and sometimes answers come to me. Maybe I just need to prioritize, and let God take the reigns. (I would say wheel but with the snow coming reigns sound better) So, God, obviously number one. He needs to be who I aim to please. I need to obey Him. Next, I put my family. They are all healthy and great, well taken care of. Then there's me :0) and finally, work....I guess I need to stop putting work first. I dont want to spend my weekend involved in work when I can be making memories with my wonderful husband and child...right? right!
Its so difficult for me to pray and then trust that God's hand is in the mix so I no longer need to be concerned. I know that if its in His will then things will be okay...but the question is WHEN??? since its in His time. I've repeatedly asked him for a watch that tells His time, but i've yet to get one...guess its not TIME for that yet either!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Live a life of meaning
Today I received the news of the passing of a previous neighbor of mine. Apparently she was found in her house. How sad that she left this world without a loved one by her side. Its a terrible thing, and its making me think about life.
What if I were to leave Earth today and join my Father in heaven? What would the thoughts of others be? I know how I would WANT to be remembered....but would that really happen? What are the impressions I last left with everyone? Is there someone out there who would say what a compassionate person I was? What about my love and care for children and elderly? Would someone be able to testify to my positive characteristics, or would I be leaving this world with people wondering if I'll be missed? Would I be leaving a former friend remembering broken promises i've made or would there be memories of fun times and laughter?
If I passed away right now, there are family members who would wish they saw me more often, friends who never got the apology they were seeking, and goals that I had yet to reach. What about you? If you died today, what impression would you leave? What was the last thing you said to a family member or friend? Was it friendly or evil?
What if a family member died today, what was the last thing you said to them? Was it that you love them? Was it something you regret?
When we get angry we say things we dont mean, but we seldom go back and make things right once we've calmed down. How foolish the person must be who fought with a loved one, then showed up at their funeral trying to play catch up.
We all get angry, we all may say things we dont mean, it happens, but the important thing is to realize what we did and make it right. I once heard that its only a mistake if you don't fix it.
If we all lived today as though it were our last, i'm positive it would change how we handle our personal and professional lives. Would you yell at the guy who just cut you off on the road or would you enjoy the scenery God provided as you drive cautiously and casually? Would you fight over a parking spot or realize this life is only temporary and a parking spot is too? Would you walk over and meet your neighbor and hold a conversation? Would you shout at a child for being silly during dinner, or appreciate their laughter? When you think about life, and how precious life is, these small circumstances become as small as a grain of sand compared to the treasures and greatness you could be getting out of your short time here.
I forget what I was reading, it might've been the Daily Bread, but it mentioned your qualities as a person and as a Christian. It said, would God want to write about you? Just something to think about....are you the kind of person God would want to write about? Do you try to live a life where you're portrayed as a good person? Or have you left that path and maybe have joined the gossipers?
Live today as though it was your last and make every effort to reconcile with family, friends, acquaintances and make your life a positive one that will be remembered when you leave this Earth.
What if I were to leave Earth today and join my Father in heaven? What would the thoughts of others be? I know how I would WANT to be remembered....but would that really happen? What are the impressions I last left with everyone? Is there someone out there who would say what a compassionate person I was? What about my love and care for children and elderly? Would someone be able to testify to my positive characteristics, or would I be leaving this world with people wondering if I'll be missed? Would I be leaving a former friend remembering broken promises i've made or would there be memories of fun times and laughter?
If I passed away right now, there are family members who would wish they saw me more often, friends who never got the apology they were seeking, and goals that I had yet to reach. What about you? If you died today, what impression would you leave? What was the last thing you said to a family member or friend? Was it friendly or evil?
What if a family member died today, what was the last thing you said to them? Was it that you love them? Was it something you regret?
When we get angry we say things we dont mean, but we seldom go back and make things right once we've calmed down. How foolish the person must be who fought with a loved one, then showed up at their funeral trying to play catch up.
We all get angry, we all may say things we dont mean, it happens, but the important thing is to realize what we did and make it right. I once heard that its only a mistake if you don't fix it.
If we all lived today as though it were our last, i'm positive it would change how we handle our personal and professional lives. Would you yell at the guy who just cut you off on the road or would you enjoy the scenery God provided as you drive cautiously and casually? Would you fight over a parking spot or realize this life is only temporary and a parking spot is too? Would you walk over and meet your neighbor and hold a conversation? Would you shout at a child for being silly during dinner, or appreciate their laughter? When you think about life, and how precious life is, these small circumstances become as small as a grain of sand compared to the treasures and greatness you could be getting out of your short time here.
I forget what I was reading, it might've been the Daily Bread, but it mentioned your qualities as a person and as a Christian. It said, would God want to write about you? Just something to think about....are you the kind of person God would want to write about? Do you try to live a life where you're portrayed as a good person? Or have you left that path and maybe have joined the gossipers?
Live today as though it was your last and make every effort to reconcile with family, friends, acquaintances and make your life a positive one that will be remembered when you leave this Earth.
Monday, September 7, 2009
AAL vs. English
I received a journal from the National Association for the Education of Young Children the other day. Its about teaching literacy and different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Before I begin, I should tell you that I've only made it a quarter of the way through, so maybe it will make more sense the further I get into it. However, my understanding so far has me frustrated.
According to this publication, public schools are teaching children one on level, and since a typical group of children in the classroom come from different cultures and income levels many of the teachings going on are not including all children. My experience supports this, however, the following is what I disagree with::::
The discussion between the children and the language they speak. Suburban children speak english, urban white children speak english, urban african american children speak African American Language (AAL). They give examples of AAL vs. English in the journal and i disagree with it being a language. An example they give is when talking about Jesus being God's son, it was phrased "He really son" which is being called AAL and He really is God's son would be English.
There was a case study on a girl who spoke AAL but was taught proper English in the classroom, once it was mastered (by the end of first grade) they had her read a book that was written in AAL. As the child began to read they noted she had trouble reading it since she knew it was not proper English. As she read she would stop to make corrections of how it should be written. After the story she was asked if she liked the book. Her reply was that it was okay but it needed to be corrected a lot.
Okay, finally here's my issue. If you're going to label slang and improper use of pronouns and verbs a new language AAL, then why teach them to 'correct' themselves when learning English. If a little suburban child were to say "baby crying" it would be labeled as a developmental difference among her peers, however, if an urban child says "baby crying" they are labeled as an AAL speaker and the language would not be corrected.
I grew up in the city, I learned how to use proper English from the start and I think it has helped me become a great reader/writer, I did fairly well in Comp classes at Owens :) If urban children are not being taught proper English because we are labeling the slang they learn in homes as a language, this could explain how public schools have so many children who are falling behind by the first grade. I think whether they are spanish speaking, AAL speaking or just haven't learned how to use verbs, pronouns or sentence structures correctly, they need to be taught from the beginning how to speak and write in proper English.
I understand that all children are different, and they should be taught at their levels, I am all for this, however, I think that to provide all children with the best education they need to be taught what is right as early as possible instead of excusing it for the first six years of their life and then telling them what they've learned is all wrong.
It further states that AAL was derived from the times of slavery, my only concern with this, is that means suburban children are born knowing this language as they begin to speak it until it is corrected.
There is a huge difference between the graduation rates in the suburbs compared to those in urban areas, I cannot help but feel that the gap would be closed if the idea of AAL were either omitted or treated differently. What if it was acceptable to let us city kids talk slang, but also teach us the use of proper English, its been proven that young childrens minds are like sponges and can learn different languages at once, if slang is going to be treated as a language, why not teach English along with it? Why avoid teaching them English until the middle of first grade?
Before I begin, I should tell you that I've only made it a quarter of the way through, so maybe it will make more sense the further I get into it. However, my understanding so far has me frustrated.
According to this publication, public schools are teaching children one on level, and since a typical group of children in the classroom come from different cultures and income levels many of the teachings going on are not including all children. My experience supports this, however, the following is what I disagree with::::
The discussion between the children and the language they speak. Suburban children speak english, urban white children speak english, urban african american children speak African American Language (AAL). They give examples of AAL vs. English in the journal and i disagree with it being a language. An example they give is when talking about Jesus being God's son, it was phrased "He really son" which is being called AAL and He really is God's son would be English.
There was a case study on a girl who spoke AAL but was taught proper English in the classroom, once it was mastered (by the end of first grade) they had her read a book that was written in AAL. As the child began to read they noted she had trouble reading it since she knew it was not proper English. As she read she would stop to make corrections of how it should be written. After the story she was asked if she liked the book. Her reply was that it was okay but it needed to be corrected a lot.
Okay, finally here's my issue. If you're going to label slang and improper use of pronouns and verbs a new language AAL, then why teach them to 'correct' themselves when learning English. If a little suburban child were to say "baby crying" it would be labeled as a developmental difference among her peers, however, if an urban child says "baby crying" they are labeled as an AAL speaker and the language would not be corrected.
I grew up in the city, I learned how to use proper English from the start and I think it has helped me become a great reader/writer, I did fairly well in Comp classes at Owens :) If urban children are not being taught proper English because we are labeling the slang they learn in homes as a language, this could explain how public schools have so many children who are falling behind by the first grade. I think whether they are spanish speaking, AAL speaking or just haven't learned how to use verbs, pronouns or sentence structures correctly, they need to be taught from the beginning how to speak and write in proper English.
I understand that all children are different, and they should be taught at their levels, I am all for this, however, I think that to provide all children with the best education they need to be taught what is right as early as possible instead of excusing it for the first six years of their life and then telling them what they've learned is all wrong.
It further states that AAL was derived from the times of slavery, my only concern with this, is that means suburban children are born knowing this language as they begin to speak it until it is corrected.
There is a huge difference between the graduation rates in the suburbs compared to those in urban areas, I cannot help but feel that the gap would be closed if the idea of AAL were either omitted or treated differently. What if it was acceptable to let us city kids talk slang, but also teach us the use of proper English, its been proven that young childrens minds are like sponges and can learn different languages at once, if slang is going to be treated as a language, why not teach English along with it? Why avoid teaching them English until the middle of first grade?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Scrambled Chicken Embryo's
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 2Cor 6:14 ~Today's Daily Bread
yes, I know Yoke/Yolk totally different lol
Solomon associating with women who were not Christian led to him to follow other gods. The story holds valid points. It's important to surround yourself with other Christians for many reasons and I think a great reason is because you share your love of the one true God. Do not push away those who are not Christian or are "confused" about religion for we need to tell others the GOOD NEWS!
I was blessed to have always been surrounded by Christians. God found a way for many Christians to walk through my life and guide me towards His true Word. I can go back to when I was a child and tell you all the wonderful stories, but i'll just start with adulthood.
One of my first jobs was working at Church of The Master in Perrysburg. I was the nursery teacher. I loved my job, I even got a $1.00 raise every year! After a few years I began to have this urge to be part of the congregation. I would try to listen to the message but I was distracted by the children and I left work every day feeling empty, like something was missing or just not right. I ended up quitting the job so I would have time to go to church on Sundays.
I ended up hurting a few people when I quit which distracted me from feeding the desire to hear and understand God's Word. Seeking a deeper meaning to life, I strangely turned to Spiritualism. I learned how to read Tarot cards, I went to psychics, had a batch of worrymen all ready for my pillow and had a worry stone too! Oh yeah, don't forget my health/safety crystal that I couldn't leave without for it protected me when I was traveling and in case germs were comin' to get me sick.
My next job was the salvation army, which is a church. Lucky for me my position allowed me to sit in and listen to the kids devotions, this eventually led me to attend church there on Sundays. I loved it! The best part was Tracy. She led me to take a giant step towards trusting God by getting me to leave behind my "junk" and rely on prayer and God to get me to travel from Ohio to California...sounds ridiculous I know, but it was a step that she got me to take and I learned that trip to trust God with everything, not a silly stone.
Another person God surrounded me with was Pete. We sat one night while I was telling him about my mixup with Spiritualism and we talked about Tarot cards. It was a fun night. He laffed at me, I laffed at myself and we ended the night with him promising to help me understand God's Word and my promise to be open to it.
So, the point to this blog, definitely surround yourself with Christians like yourself, but also take every moment to share the love of Jesus with everyone you encounter.
yes, I know Yoke/Yolk totally different lol
Solomon associating with women who were not Christian led to him to follow other gods. The story holds valid points. It's important to surround yourself with other Christians for many reasons and I think a great reason is because you share your love of the one true God. Do not push away those who are not Christian or are "confused" about religion for we need to tell others the GOOD NEWS!
I was blessed to have always been surrounded by Christians. God found a way for many Christians to walk through my life and guide me towards His true Word. I can go back to when I was a child and tell you all the wonderful stories, but i'll just start with adulthood.
One of my first jobs was working at Church of The Master in Perrysburg. I was the nursery teacher. I loved my job, I even got a $1.00 raise every year! After a few years I began to have this urge to be part of the congregation. I would try to listen to the message but I was distracted by the children and I left work every day feeling empty, like something was missing or just not right. I ended up quitting the job so I would have time to go to church on Sundays.
I ended up hurting a few people when I quit which distracted me from feeding the desire to hear and understand God's Word. Seeking a deeper meaning to life, I strangely turned to Spiritualism. I learned how to read Tarot cards, I went to psychics, had a batch of worrymen all ready for my pillow and had a worry stone too! Oh yeah, don't forget my health/safety crystal that I couldn't leave without for it protected me when I was traveling and in case germs were comin' to get me sick.
My next job was the salvation army, which is a church. Lucky for me my position allowed me to sit in and listen to the kids devotions, this eventually led me to attend church there on Sundays. I loved it! The best part was Tracy. She led me to take a giant step towards trusting God by getting me to leave behind my "junk" and rely on prayer and God to get me to travel from Ohio to California...sounds ridiculous I know, but it was a step that she got me to take and I learned that trip to trust God with everything, not a silly stone.
Another person God surrounded me with was Pete. We sat one night while I was telling him about my mixup with Spiritualism and we talked about Tarot cards. It was a fun night. He laffed at me, I laffed at myself and we ended the night with him promising to help me understand God's Word and my promise to be open to it.
So, the point to this blog, definitely surround yourself with Christians like yourself, but also take every moment to share the love of Jesus with everyone you encounter.
There's no business Like your business its the best business I know....
I'm starting this off frustrated, but I have no business being frustrated as everything thats annoying has NOTHING to do with me! So, i'm just gonna vent and get it over with :)
OK, so in the past week I have stopped being friends with three people, more than likely we will get along again shortly but for right now, we're not talking. I am blaming them since they are all guys, they must all have something in common and doing something wrong lol it can't possibly be me lol
So, D is mad at me b/c I didnt go to a friends wedding. I felt uncomfortable going without Pete and Wyatt and it was two hours away, and didnt feel like taking the drive. This would also make us push back some priorities that Pete and I had planned to take care of the same day. He'll get over it, I think he already did as he has texted me while i'm writing this.
K is ALWAYS mad at me, and i'm finally done. Just let me say, that if you do a favor for a friend, you need to make sure you're doing it b/c its something you want to do, not b/c you're expecting the world in return.
OK, now on to my biggest annoyance!!!
My friend we'll just call him 'B' for right now, recently moved back to Toledo. Why would he do this? He left his wife of 8 years, her three kids, to come back here for another woman! None of my business right? RIGHT! But its bothering me b/c he asks my advice/opinion I give it to him, then he does the opposite and doesnt like it when i tell him what a wrong decision it is. So, I know I should just mind my own business lol I have no clue why i'm letting this bother me so much. Maybe I feel sorry for his wife b/c he left her without a warning, without an explanation....
I should keep my opinion to myself, when my friends ask me for my opinion maybe I should just tell them that if they need someone else's opinion then they need to rethink what they're about to do since they are not confident enough in their decision.
ok, boring post....i know...but you got stuck reading it and I feel better :)
OK, so in the past week I have stopped being friends with three people, more than likely we will get along again shortly but for right now, we're not talking. I am blaming them since they are all guys, they must all have something in common and doing something wrong lol it can't possibly be me lol
So, D is mad at me b/c I didnt go to a friends wedding. I felt uncomfortable going without Pete and Wyatt and it was two hours away, and didnt feel like taking the drive. This would also make us push back some priorities that Pete and I had planned to take care of the same day. He'll get over it, I think he already did as he has texted me while i'm writing this.
K is ALWAYS mad at me, and i'm finally done. Just let me say, that if you do a favor for a friend, you need to make sure you're doing it b/c its something you want to do, not b/c you're expecting the world in return.
OK, now on to my biggest annoyance!!!
My friend we'll just call him 'B' for right now, recently moved back to Toledo. Why would he do this? He left his wife of 8 years, her three kids, to come back here for another woman! None of my business right? RIGHT! But its bothering me b/c he asks my advice/opinion I give it to him, then he does the opposite and doesnt like it when i tell him what a wrong decision it is. So, I know I should just mind my own business lol I have no clue why i'm letting this bother me so much. Maybe I feel sorry for his wife b/c he left her without a warning, without an explanation....
I should keep my opinion to myself, when my friends ask me for my opinion maybe I should just tell them that if they need someone else's opinion then they need to rethink what they're about to do since they are not confident enough in their decision.
ok, boring post....i know...but you got stuck reading it and I feel better :)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
beautiful day!
Just thought i'd share this pic we took today of us relaxing on the hammock out back. Its Wyatts favorite place to hang out around the house.
I knew I'd love being a mom, but I had no idea that I would cherish these small moments of us just hanging out, singing, talking and smiling at one another.
When you tell someone you're pregnant the horror stories of labor and pain begin, I think its because you cannot explain in words the joy you'll get from your child just by spending time with them.
Side note: where did my mexican baby get blonde highlights???
Room For Improvement
Wow! My first post!
Its been so long since i've blogged about anything, I'm way over due!
Just to catch everyone up, I'm no longer at Salvation Army, instead I am working at a child care center in Toledo. It was hard leaving the Army, but I trusted that God had a different plan for me, and indeed he does.
I was amazed at how everything came together for this job. The Salvation Army had to cut my position June 5th, Wyatt's grandmother didn't want to babysit after he turned one which is June 9th, so I was scrambling for a job that would help me out with a babysitter as well as pay the bills. I thought my only option was an evening position, that way I could work once Pete got home in the evening.
The saddest part about leaving the Army was the children, and finding an evening position meant that I would no longer be able to teach children about Christ. Knowing that God couldn't have wanted that, I began to pray for God to guide me to where He wanted me to be. After a month of no one calling me back on various job positions, it took my husband to restore my faith and remind me that I had asked for God's guidance and now I needed to be patient. He reminded me that I will know when the right job comes along, and until then I needed to enjoy being a wife and a mother. So, I did just that and I loved it!
While at the zoo with Pete and Wyatt I received a call from the owner of a child care center, he was responding to my resume' for the administrator position. We immediately left the zoo for the interview. He needed a christian administrator to run the place, he is more interested in using the day care as a ministry than he is for a profit. After speaking with me, he felt confident that I was the right person for the job and I was to begin a week later.
So, that brings me here, i've been working there for about a month. My hours are 6AM-2PM and Wyatt comes to work with me! I must admit, when I first walked into the child care center, I thought for sure that it was a mistake. It was dark, dirty, unkept. The floors had not been swept, there was food from many snacks and lunches stuck to the floor. The nursery was used as storage with boxes and bags thrown in the cribs that had soiled sheets covering the matresses below. This place REALLY needed help!
My first month has been very overwhelming! First thing that was done was the nursery as Wyatt would need a place to rest while I was there. Next came washing and mopping and sweeping and dusting! There was nothing on the walls, those are now decorated too!
I've had my mom and Pete both come in and take a look around, they gave me kudos for a job well done on the cleanliness, the only thing they said is that it still seems a bit cluttered. There are MANY toys there. I think in trying to make it a better day care, they kept buying toys, not realizing that lack of toys was not the problem.
So, this week i'm gonna start storing some toys away, I dont want to get rid of them b/c they were purchased for us. I'm putting them in a storage room and as needed I can change out toys or replace broken ones.
The only other thing I want to do is create that amazing change that will increase our enrollment. I really want more children there, and I know that I can make it happen, I just need to keep making improvements until satisfaction is reached. Maybe I cannot make that amazing change, maybe thats something that only HE can do....hmmm....thats really making me think.
As this first post comes to a close, please keep the children at my center, the day care center and myself in prayer as we are in need of making this what God wants it to be.
Grace and Peace
Its been so long since i've blogged about anything, I'm way over due!
Just to catch everyone up, I'm no longer at Salvation Army, instead I am working at a child care center in Toledo. It was hard leaving the Army, but I trusted that God had a different plan for me, and indeed he does.
I was amazed at how everything came together for this job. The Salvation Army had to cut my position June 5th, Wyatt's grandmother didn't want to babysit after he turned one which is June 9th, so I was scrambling for a job that would help me out with a babysitter as well as pay the bills. I thought my only option was an evening position, that way I could work once Pete got home in the evening.
The saddest part about leaving the Army was the children, and finding an evening position meant that I would no longer be able to teach children about Christ. Knowing that God couldn't have wanted that, I began to pray for God to guide me to where He wanted me to be. After a month of no one calling me back on various job positions, it took my husband to restore my faith and remind me that I had asked for God's guidance and now I needed to be patient. He reminded me that I will know when the right job comes along, and until then I needed to enjoy being a wife and a mother. So, I did just that and I loved it!
While at the zoo with Pete and Wyatt I received a call from the owner of a child care center, he was responding to my resume' for the administrator position. We immediately left the zoo for the interview. He needed a christian administrator to run the place, he is more interested in using the day care as a ministry than he is for a profit. After speaking with me, he felt confident that I was the right person for the job and I was to begin a week later.
So, that brings me here, i've been working there for about a month. My hours are 6AM-2PM and Wyatt comes to work with me! I must admit, when I first walked into the child care center, I thought for sure that it was a mistake. It was dark, dirty, unkept. The floors had not been swept, there was food from many snacks and lunches stuck to the floor. The nursery was used as storage with boxes and bags thrown in the cribs that had soiled sheets covering the matresses below. This place REALLY needed help!
My first month has been very overwhelming! First thing that was done was the nursery as Wyatt would need a place to rest while I was there. Next came washing and mopping and sweeping and dusting! There was nothing on the walls, those are now decorated too!
I've had my mom and Pete both come in and take a look around, they gave me kudos for a job well done on the cleanliness, the only thing they said is that it still seems a bit cluttered. There are MANY toys there. I think in trying to make it a better day care, they kept buying toys, not realizing that lack of toys was not the problem.
So, this week i'm gonna start storing some toys away, I dont want to get rid of them b/c they were purchased for us. I'm putting them in a storage room and as needed I can change out toys or replace broken ones.
The only other thing I want to do is create that amazing change that will increase our enrollment. I really want more children there, and I know that I can make it happen, I just need to keep making improvements until satisfaction is reached. Maybe I cannot make that amazing change, maybe thats something that only HE can do....hmmm....thats really making me think.
As this first post comes to a close, please keep the children at my center, the day care center and myself in prayer as we are in need of making this what God wants it to be.
Grace and Peace
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