God's Call

After much prayer and discussion with people who know me well, I have decided to decline the Call to Faith Lutheran in Las Vegas. It's a great school and has an awesome faculty, but I just do not feel that God is finished using me in San Antonio. I told my principal yesterday and the faculty this morning. I did also tell Faith so now everyone knows!

On even happier notes...our boys b-ball team is playing in the State championship game tomorrow!

And...our school has received a donation of $3 million to build our gym!!!!!!!!!!!!! Four years of prayers have been answered!

Friday has been an exciting day here and I'm ready to rest before another eventful and wonderful weekend!

Weekends

This last weekend I judged an art contest, celebrated a friend's birthday, cheered at the Austin Marathon, went to Tomball (outside of Houston) for the LCMS Texas Secondary Ed. conference, came back and now I continue the race.

Calendar for the next few weeks:

2/20--Fly to Vegas to visit and continue deliberation on Call to be a full time counselor there.

2/23--Fly back, but into Austin, for bachelorette party.
*Deliberate Call--listen for "leadings."

3/1--Art contest in San Marcos, drive to Houston.
*Either deliberate Call or make announcement.

3/2--Micaiah West is baptized--I get to play with friends in Houston.
*Same

3/7--Melissa and TJ get married in Austin--I get a half-day off to be sure and be there in time since it's a 6 pm wedding on the north side of Austin--i.e. traffic will NOT be fun!
*Know where the Lord is leading me.

I'm enjoying the journey, which feels like a race right now, but I am in His hands--which is why I'm stretching and growing as I write. :)

Valentine's Day vs. Lent

Happy Valentine's Day! I pray you are filled with the love of the Holy Spirit this day! I do not hate this day as some of my single friends do, but I don't feel the need to make it into a big deal at all either. I don't send cards, but I do wear red, or a t-shirt I bought for $5 at Target that celebrates the day in a subtle manner.

While I don't feel the need to make it into a big deal, my students do. The juniors sold carnations and I happily agreed to pick them up this morning for them. It was when first period began when I discovered this day completely butts heads with Lent.

Why? Because I gave up dessert-type sweets and candy for Lent. The students really don't bring treats or candy for the teachers, but one student did bring a cookie cake for a friend and they have me for first period! I LOVE chocolate chip cookies and there is a HUGE one sitting on a table in front of me. The kids can't eat it now of course, but they are more than willing to share with anyone and I CANNOT eat any of it! Oh the torture! I could tell myself it's not very good, but I'm a horrible liar, even to myself.

Truth be told, it's almost a relief to have my Lenten vows though...saves me from sugar rushes, crashes, and cravings this day. I will feast a bit on Sunday, after cheering at the Austin marathon and driving to Houston for a secondary educators conference. But for now, I will simply rejoice in the freedom from the sugar!

SUCCESS

The Bachelors Auction was a great success! The men alone brought in $13,000. One Air Force Lt. brought in $2,500 by agreeing to go on two separate dates so each woman paid $1,250. The men were very nice guys, but I am not in a position to begin bidding at $100 and go higher...just not. :) Which was fine, the evening was fun and I enjoyed encouraging others to spend their thousands of dollars!

State LCMS junior high b-ball tourney in Austin this weekend, which is really just an excuse for me to spend an evening enjoying Austin!

Bachelors for Sale

I will be attending a Bachelor auction to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society this evening. My friend Marissa is hosting it as a fundraiser for TNT. Pray it goes well. She's nervous since it if the first one she's ever held. I volunteered to stand behind the stage and keep the bachelors calm. ;) No bidding for me though.

Check out the site...

www.bachelorsforcures.org