Tomorrow comes, sorrow becomes his soulmate

Check it:

Only five more "get ups" until Christmas break- yay! School's much better than the last few weeks were, but I still have no problem with a ten day break. Then I only have two weeks of school before another week off, and during that week Sharon is coming for four days! I can't believe her two years in Siberia have gone by so quickly. I am such a different person from when she left, yet I feel closer to her now than when we were roommates. I love how that works out when the Lord is involved in your life.

Since I am a slacker, here's a cut and paste update with minor modifications:

Ok, new commitment. Instead of talking about what's frustrating or what annoys me, like getting blown off by my principal because he's too busy to do his job, I am going to focus on what's good. What's positive? What can I celebrate? What can I give praise for? What brings me joy? How can I bring, or how have I brought, joy to the world around me?

So... praise: I have dug deep and found new energy for teaching. No more giving them work and sitting at my desk. The whole period I am in charge and involved. No more removing myself. Yesterday we tried something I am calling "Stop and Go". Instead of saying "Read pages 121-133 and answer all 15 questions, including how you got your answer" and then sitting at my desk grading papers I am doing this: The workbook gives 3-4 paragraphs of text, then asks 1-3 higher order thinking questions (This means they have to grasp the info and analyze it to get an answer, instead of just going back and copying the sentence or definition of something, if that makes any sense). So anyway, I give them about 5 minutes to work with 1-2 other people, reading the page and discussing the question and the text. Then we come back together as a whole, I ask what answer they got (it's multiple choice), and make people explain their answer. Then I ask clarifying questions from the text to make them explain the concepts and material to me. Then we go onto the next page. It worked SO well, and they get it better. Plus I don't feel like a crappy teacher.

Wednesday night I went to a Bible study with other teachers (T*FA) from the high school here, and then one teaching middle school in Hender*son. The 6 of us (all female- I LOVE all female Bible studies- so much more honesty and freedom than when guys are around) discussed Ephesians 6 and I was incredibly blessed to find that all of them are serious about knowing and following Christ. It was such a blessing. I was very encouraged and am excited to keep going. I am also more serious about keeping my own spiritual life straight. Honestly, I have let school sort of take over. It was so refreshing to just enjoy the Lord, and dig into His word with others who love Him.

Also, today is day 4, and I have stuck to my 1,800 calories. I didn't walk last night because it was raining like crazy. One of the girls in the Bible study, Melinda, offered to walk around the school with me (our school's huge, so... ) since it's too cold outstide and the weather bites. I want to try and do some DDR and use weights to tone. And, crazy enough, it actually sounds appealing to do so. I actually want to eat right and exercise. When you just want to lose weight it's ridiculously hard, but when you want to actually do the steps required to losing weight it's easier. I can't wait for my clothes to start getting loose!

So... I am teaching better, getting right with my relationship with Christ, eating well and exercising, and you know what?

I feel so much better about life. Actually, better than I have felt in a long, long, LONG time.

To that I say a hearty "Praise Jesus!".