Easter Sightings

This morning in church service we read John 20-21.  I was wonderstruck once again at the way Jesus showed up in the lives of His friends.  I was wonderstruck at the way He personally spoke to each person and gave them just what they needed.  He does the same thing for us.  He provides just what we need when we need it.  He gives us joy, peace, assurance, love, and hope: this Easter and Always.

That first Easter, Jesus showed up!   

And He gave Mary Joy.  

That first Easter, Jesus showed up!

And He gave the disciples Peace.  

That first Easter, Jesus showed up!

And He gave Thomas Assurance.

That first Easter, Jesus showed up!

And He gave Peter Love.

This present Easter, Jesus shows up!

And He gives us Hope.

#livewonderstruck

Wonderstruck Wednesday Challenge Part 2

Here's the Second Half of my List:

1. My family - they have made me into who I am today.
2. My Dad - He didn't have to join our family, but he did.  I know God placed him in my life and I am a stronger person because of it.
3. My Mom - She is my inspiration and my confidant,  I know I can go to her for anything and she is always there for me.
4. The truth of God's Word - there is always the perfect verse at the perfect time.
5. Music - Again God always gives me nuggets of truth in songs that I hear and songs thatI remember.  It's always at just the right time.
6. My Church Family - God has placed me in the Church He wants me to be in. I am able to serve and love others with my unique talents there.  I am sharpened and refined by hose around me.
7. My Bible Study Gang - God is showing us new things every week.  It is a privilege to see God's hand in each of their lives and to see how God is knitting all of us together as Friends.
8. The opportunities for travel - God provides opportunities for me to see the world around me and experience more of Him on each trip I take.
9. My students - I see God's wonder displayed in the lives of my students and their learning each and every day.
10. Nature - I see the wonder of God every time I step outside my door.  All of creation cries His glory.
11. Books - I love to read and it is not uncommon for me to hear the sacred echo of God's teachings in whatever book I have my hands on.
12. God's protection -  I am wounds truck at the ways God has protected me from harm over the years.
13. God's blessings - I see His blessings in my life in small and big ways every day.

#livewonderstruck

Wonderstruck Wednesday Challenge

Today, Margaret Feinberg challenged us to jot down 25 ways we've seen God's wonder in our life.  So, here goes:

1. My birth - I should have died, but God breathed His life into me.
2. My salvation - I accepted Christ at the age of 3 and was baptised at the age of 6.
3. My calling - God has placed me in my career.  He knew exactly what I was suited for and steered me in that direction.
4. My work with special needs kids - If I had never gone to work at Camp Hope, I never would have found my love for students with special needs.
5. My education - my entire Master's (except my first and last class) was paid for because if  being in the "right place at the right time"
6. My current location - of all the places in the world that I could be, God pulled my heart strings and brought me here.  I was so sure that this was where I was to be, that I didn't even question it.
7. My current job - when I came to the end of my rope and gave up on teaching, without so much as breathing a word to anyone, I was offered my current position and it has turned out to be the best thing ever.
8. The opportunity to go to Space Camp (several years ago) - this was a life long dream of mine and it was awesome that I got to attend this free week long experience.
9. The night sky - I know, the challenge was to tell how God has worked in my life, but the truth is - every time I look up at the night sky, I can't help but be wonderstruck at the awesome Glory of God the Father and His amazing love for me.
10. The Active, Living Word of God - recently I have found myself wonderstruck at the ways that God has been speaking to me through His Word.
11. The Sacred Echos in my life - the Biblical truths that God keeps showing me over and over, in my quiet time, in Bible Study, in Church Service, in Sunday School, in conversations ith others, and even on TV.
12. The ways God chooses to use me - just today I had a conversation with a friend and I spoke openly about a subject, only to have my friend say....I'm so glad to hear you say it that way.  I knew at that moment it was God speaking through me and not my own words.

I know this is only half the list.  I will write the other half tomorrow as it's past my bedtime.  Good Night.  Blessings and Sweet Dreams.

#livewonderstuck

Finality

Tonight we practiced "The Word was God" in choir.  It is a beautiful rendition of John 1:1. (Listen to it here). The first night we practiced this song, my choir director caused me to be wonderstruck by the symbolism in the piece.  The ending words are:  "And the Word was...God."  Our director proceeded to tell us that the ending chord was not (as it is in most pieces) a finality chord.  The reason that it isn't is because "God does not end".  I still get chills when I think about it.  Such an amazing display of who God is.

#livewonderstruck

Sunrises and Joy

This morning on the way to work I saw the most beautiful sunrise.  It was just there as I came over the hill.  The sun shining through the clouds.  After the dismal rain yesterday, the sun was a stunning site.  Today I am filled with such an appreciation for the way God provides for me and gives me moments of joy:

• A stunning sunrise
• A laughter filled lunch
• A precocious student
• An unexpected hug
• A well taught class
• An unexpected compliment

Once again I am wonderstruck at the way that God chooses to show Himself in my life every day.

#livewonderstruck

Jesus Showed Up

Today, I am wonderstruck at the power of God.  I am amazed that when we look for Him, He shows up.  Today He showed up and it was awe-inspiring.

In Church Service this morning, He showed up....and I cried at the thought of His sacrifice.
In Sunday School, He showed up and I saw Palm Sunday in a new light.
At our play tonight, He showed up and made His presence known.

The trial of Jesus was seen in a different way and I pray that people were left with a new understanding.  I pray that others saw what I've been seeing for the last several weeks as I focused on what really happened that night.  As I realized anew what Jesus really went through for me.  As I realized anew what His sacrifice meant.

Thank you, Lord, for showing up.

#livewonderstruck

The Echo of Forgiveness

This morning, God spoke to me by showing me the sacred echo of forgiveness.  He once again took me to a place where Christ the Forgiver showed up.  I saw again His forgiveness on the cross, and I was amazed.  Even now, as I watch Ben Hur, I am stuck by the words of Jesus that echo throughout the movie "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".  The third time in four days, that God spoke these exact words.  His echo of forgiveness speaks directly to my heart and I am wonderstruck at the way that Jesus speaks.

#livewonderstruck

The Hand of God

Today was hard...Today I had to choose joy...I had to search for wonder...but God showed up.

It's amazing how you see the Hand of God when you're looking for it.  It's easy to miss, but He's always there.  Just ask Him to show you:

In a joyful morning ride to work with a song or two to sing.
In a lesson well taught and good grades proved.
In the compliment of an administrator.
In the hug of a child.
In the wisdom of a friend (even if you don't like the suggestion).
In a handwritten note.
In a request granted.
In the perfect song at the perfect time.
In a prayer that feels as if it came from heaven itself.
In the quiet peace and ensuing rest.

Thank you Lord for being there with me today.  Thank you for the promise that you will always be there.  Thank you for showing your hand in my every day happenings.  Thank you for reminding me to "choose joy".  Thank you for providing that joy. Amen.

#livewonderstruck

Forgiveness

He was betrayed by those he loved.
He was abused.
He was falsely accused.
He was lied about to his face.
He was hurt.

He could have ran.
He could have fought.
He could have yelled.
He could have rained down fire from heaven.

Yet...
He remained silent.
He didn't meet anger with anger.
He chose to follow a path of love.
He chose to FORGIVE.

Tonight, I am wonderstruck by the forgiveness of Jesus.  In the face of all He went through, the abuse, the lies, the betrayal...He chose to forgive.  He didn't have to, but one of His final words was "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."  He forgave...and he still forgives.

When I chose to take the gifts that God has given me and squander them...He forgives.
When I lie to His face...He forgives.
When I reject Him...He forgives.
When I betray Him...He forgives.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

- 1 John 4:10

#livewonderstruck

The Little Things

Today, God gave me little things that showed his love:

• The surprise swirly pattern at the bottom of my mug.
• Having my weekly Bible Verse be from the same book of the Bible as the story I had just read.
• Finding the new contact that I dropped on the floor: without having to search for it.
• Praying, and then putting the contact in the first time I tried.
• Leaving for work only a few minutes behind after feeling like I would most assuredly be late.
• Getting to work on time, knowing I would be late.
• See the student make the connection even I didn't think of.
• Being given a breakfast sandwich that I wasn't expecting.
• Realizing I have less paperwork to do then I thought I did.
• Ranting and raving as I drove down the road, only to be stopped in my tracks by the SUN pouring down through the clouds.  (I didn't stop the car, just paused, put a smile on my face, and laughed.)

How is it that even as I am feeling unnerved, God shows up and reminds me that He's still there and He's still in charge and there is always something to be wonderstruck at, if I'll stop thinking about me and start thinking about Him.

#livewonderstruck

Nothing to Say

As I drove to work under the heavy fog coverage, I popped an old CD into the car. Pretty soon, I became amazed by the words in the chorus of an Andrew Peterson song:

And I don't believe that I believed
In You as deeply as today
I reckon what I'm saying is
There's nothing more
Nothing more to say

And the mountains sing Your glory hallelujah
The canyons echo sweet amazing grace
My spirit sails
The mighty gales are bellowing
Your name
And I've got nothing to say
No, I've got nothing to say

I realized, that even in the morning fog, that God was still there, just beyond the clouds. His glory was still present and His beauty was there if I just slowed down and opened my eyes.

#livewonderstruck

Perfect Timing

Today I was wonderstruck by God's perfect timing.  Last week, I finished a course that will allow me to be a Trainer of Trainers in reading.  This morning, I was teaching a strategy on vocabulary that I learned while teaching the course last week.  The lesson went extremely well.  The students were engaged and making real world connections.  I know that when I ask tomorrow and the next day and the next, that they will know the meanings of the words we studied today.

At first I thought of the wonder of God in the learning of the children, but truthfully, that wasn't where God wanted to leave it.  Two hours later, my administrator was discussing the fact that we as a school needed to work on, guess what...teaching vocabulary.  I will be training our teachers next week, and not only do I know how to teach vocabulary now, I also have real examples from the classroom to share.  It couldn't have come together any better.  I am definitely amazed at the way God chose to work.  

Two weeks ago, I would have told you that vocabulary was my weakest area in teaching reading, now it's not my strongest, but I have a passion for teaching vocabulary that I didn't have before.  I know it's a little thing, but I can truly see God's hand at work. 

#livewonderstruck

The Beginning

As I begin this journey, I suppose I should explain exactly why I decided to start this blog.  I have blogged before, but don't consider myself a writer.  After a while, I got bored with writing and just quit.

This weekend, I felt as though I came to a crossroads in my spiritual journey.  I was challenged by a book I began reading to look for the "Wonder of God" in the everyday.  I realized that if I begin looking, I will begin seeing God's handiwork and I decided I wanted to keep a journal of what I was seeing, experiencing, and learning.  I will not promise to write every day, but I promise to be on the look out for ways in which I can and will live "wonderstruck".  And I promise to share them so that you, the reader, can be wonderstruck with me as well.

#LIVEWONDERSTRUCK