Do NOT get Sassy with me!

Experiencing God.  We are beginning that study in my Life Group.  I did that study my 1st or 2nd year teaching.  I lived in San Antonio and the 7 realities have been a part of my life and a lot of my thinking since then,  This week in our homework we learned that God is always at work around us. We are to join Him in His work.  So as I learned this this week I went to my 1st 2 crossfit classes.  They were tough.  I loved it but hated it.  I decided I would join it and get in shape.  I would be busy while I waited.  It cost quite a bit of money, but I was going to figure it out. In my class was a lady/student named Katie.  She was wearing       T-Shirt that had an equal sign and a heart.  In this year 2014 the = sign is not a good thing. It means marriage equality, I though OK, I can do this. Lord, help me to love and wear my Christian t-shirts and in my head thought, "Really???" Fast Forward to Friday the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!  I was tired and ready for summer.  I did my devotional again and this time as I was reading God showed me how He told Moses to go and although he was obedient he complained along the way. God became angry with Moses.  He told him to do something and he did it and complained along the way because he wasn't ready or equipped.  God told me to wait and I jokingly said "Sure God, I'll do what you say."  I was doing it but not in a joyful way.  God essentially said "Jennifer, If you are going to wait do it joyfully, without complaining. I am serious."  I was silent, God told me to wait joyfully. I was humbled.  Okay Lord, I will wait for you. Back to Crossfit...I was going to go back on Friday and join but I am going to wait.  I may need all of the money I can save.  I have been waiting for information about a baby girl.  I found out about her in February and CPS knew I was interested. She 5 months old then.  I was officially liscensed in April about 6-7 weeks ago but hadn't heard anything.  I was very frustrated and looked at other agencies, and spoke to people about kids they knew or pregnant women they knew.  God said wait.  In my initial classes I said it would be nice to get a child during the summer or at least at the end of the school year but, since I was waiting for this specific baby girl,  I didn't know. So yesterday I was enjoying my last day of school and praying for my friend whose boyfriend was going to break up with her.  My phone rang, it was Conroe. (Thanks iPhone) My agency called and asked to submit my home study for an 8 week old baby girl.  So now I wait again.

100 Things Bucket List

I posted this list in 2009.

I will italicize the things I have done since. Looks like I need to get busy on some of this.

I've seen this on some blogs and thought I'd make my own list as well! Everything in BOLD are things I've done. Feel free to copy this list to your blog and do the same.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

in The WAITING ROOM

I remember that a few years ago a friend of mine posted that as she and her husband were dealing with his cancer diagnosis she was waiting on God.  That insight stuck with me and now here I am, waiting.  I have not been here before but know this is exactly where God has me.  I am not sure why I am here but as I talk with friends that are also in a waiting pattern he is teaching Me, well, all of us, to trust Him.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and DO NOT lean on your own understanding.  In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."  That was the 1st verse I memorized and the verse that my agency Buckner Child and Family Services has as their verse as well.  You see, I am waiting for a child.  A child that may or may not have already been born, but will need me as their mommy. God has called me to adopt and as I write this on paper  it becomes more real.  Even more real than the home study and the countless hours in classes and getting paper work done. I am a licensed foster parent and I am expecting.  I have no idea what the gender is or when he or she or, God help me, they will come.  All I know is that God said to do it and I took a huge leap of faith and finished the classes, paperwork, fingerprints, CPR and home study and now I am ready.  Sometimes I wonder if the reason this is taking so long for me to get a child is because God didn't tell me to but, until the door is completely closed, I am going to move forward.  I am going to walk in the path He has for me and right now it is waiting.  So while I wait....I will keep singing, I will keep studying, I will keep teaching, I will keep praising him.  All of this while I wait for Him to move.

Part of Dr. Seuss's book Oh, the Places You'll Go says this: 

The Waiting Place... 

...for people just waiting. 
Waiting for a train to go 
or a bus to come, or a plane to go 
or the mail to come, or the rain to go 
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow 
or waiting around for a Yes or a No 
or waiting for their hair to grow. 
Everyone is just waiting. 

Waiting for the fish to bite 
or waiting for wind to fly a kite 
or waiting around for Friday night 
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake 
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break 
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants 
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. 
Everyone is just waiting. 

But, God said it best. 
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 



Hence the title of my Blog.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

This year was the 9th Mother's Day since my mom died.  I am usually okay until some sweet person walks up to me and tells me they are praying for me or thinking about me on this day.  I am also usually okay until someone prays for "those that have lost children or their moms." Then... I lose it and it us an ugly cry.  My eyes get blood shot and my makeup does not hold up well. Dang it Mom, why did you leave us?
The only thing that made this mother's day bearable was that I got to wish my sister Happy Mother's Day! She is the step-mom of a 16 year old girl and this sweet girl is exactly what Heather needed.

So Happy Momma's Day to all of the mom's out there. You have an unbelievable job and I cannot wait to join the ranks.

Hey....It's been a while!

Long time, No see!  I am going to start again.  I figured this and exercise will keep my mind occupied.
I think this may last longer than the exercise because it is getting hot here in H-Town again.

It has been about 2 years since I last wrote. A lot has happened since then and all is well now. In a quick list here it goes: low hemoglobin, blood transfusion, joined dating sites, met a boy, turned 40, had a party, went to Israel, Went to Spain, broke up with boy, had major surgery, 2nd transfusion, and now teaching 4th grade! Oh yeah and because of my "dating site" adventure. My sister also met a boy and now she is married and a step mom. That is the last 2 years in a nutshell. I began a new adventure am teaching 4th grade. I have taught 1st grade for 19 years and now after a tough year with 2 co-workers, I am moving up! I have, what I am calling,  "The Dream Job." I am teaching 4th grade Science and Social Studies only. And now.... this amazing whirlwind of a school year is almost over,  it is MAY 2014 and I am 42!!!
What the HECK??????
The best part of this is this isn't the reason I am blogging again....MORE TO COME!!!!

SUMMERTIME!!!

The living is easy this summer. I have a few workshops I am going to. I am tutoring and have even managed to cook a few times. Yes, Summertime is here and the living is sure easy at the Sanders' Casa.

My Lord and My God

I am just finally calming down from of an amazing Easter Weekend. It began on Good Friday sitting under the teaching of David Platt. I was part of a simulcast called The Secret Church. It challenged me in ways that rendered me speechless most times and took me several days to process what he taught. He is a brilliant man of God and I did realize I am reading the wrong books. Visit secretchurch.org to see what I am talking about.

Then Sunday at church we had a great service based on our members "Cardboard Testimonies." On one side people wrote about their lives before Christ or perhaps something they struggled with then on the other side they wrote what God did in their lives. I was singing or attempting to sing in the choir so I didn't show one on the stage but mine would have said Side A: Devastated by death and divorce Side B: Jesus Restored my Joy and Life. This was an amazing way to celebrate Easter with my church family.
The title of today's blog are the words of Thomas the disciple after he saw the hands and feet of Jesus. I cannot begin to comprehend what Jesus did for me on the cross but those are the words I do understand. My Lord and My God.

There has been more devastating weather in our world this time it is here in the states and I pray that God gets our attention and we listen to what He has to say. There is a lot of devastation I am praying for those involved and I also pray that we, as Americans, pay attention to His call.