The joys of. . ..

Fingerprinting?

Ah, yes. It came down to that. To get a new teaching certificate, I had to jump through some hoops. Getting re-fingerprinted was just the beginning. I am currently waiting for my college folk to write up my program so that I can send off for a temporary WA certificate.

I feel like the Lord has not opened a door yet and called me to a job. . .so I take this as, "Talitha, I may want you to trust me a bit longer with this whole "being a SPED teacher" a little bit longer." So I'm just trying to listen. I am getting my ducks in a line to apply for many special education positions in the surrounding school districts near SCATTLE. There are quite a few openings in about 5 near-enough districts, so we will see what happens. There is one particular district that is standing out a bit more to me; not sure why.

My current job was one of those "I really don't think I want to do this" jobs; but it was exactly what I was supposed to do for the last 2 years. I know I have made a difference; changed a mentality; changed lives.

The Lord had me teach middle school. Scary. He may want me to do that again; He may let me do what I want to do and get back to the younger ones. . .or He may call me to high school or a transition program for those transitioning from high school into the work force, which is actually something I feel very strongly about.

I can teach al day long; but long-term goals are where my head is each time I write an IEP. I want jobs for my kids. I want acceptance, love, justice, understanding, patience, and independence for them.

Maybe my passion and overwhelming need to right the wrongs in the world will once again lead me to another challenge. Another mountain top experience with many peaks and valleys. I'm not sure, but I have to step out in faith and continue to follow God's will.

I've figured out you just can't get away from it. I know what I want. But God hasn't called me to an easy path yet, so maybe that's just not the path for me.

I pray to God in heaven that I will have the strength from above to get through the next several years. . .I need to work with kids with special needs at least 3 more years to avoid paying off some loans. :) I just know that God does not give us gifts to let them lie in a closet. I cannot deny that He desires for me to be obedient, use my gifts, and bless others as much as possible throughout each life experience I have.

The road we are given is not always easy.

The life we need is not our own.

Our experiences build strong character.

Perseverance will prepare me for the future.

The future may bring great persecution, death, and perhaps being stabbed with a machete in a Chinese school. What is up with crazed folks in China stabbing kids and teachers these days? Is that the "in thing" over there?


Dear God. . .give my husband and myself strength, discernment, knowledge, wisdom, patience, trust, and faithfulness as we step out to land on a life boat called "Your Will Be Done."


May I fall with exhaustion at the end of my life for following Your righteous path.


May I love my husband, friends, and enemies.


May Your grace cover my darkness, holes, and heart.


May I not be selfish in my thoughts; please show me Your will.

Condemned?! HOPE!!!

Proverbs 21: 2, 3:

"2 All a man's ways seem right to him,
but the LORD weighs the heart.

3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."

That's right, folks. In our own opinion, we're making good decisions. . .but are we honestly listening to God and what He desires? A couple of weeks ago in a Beth Moore video Beth was talking about how sometimes, a person steps out in faith, but has heard a garbled, incomplete message. The point was, stepping out is so important. . .if done for the right reasons.

This morning when reading some good ol' Proverbs, I came across these two verses and I thought: "This backs up this other thing I was thinking about. . . ." I go off on tangents often.

So, what I am getting at is this: no matter what you do or someone else does, GOD is the one who judges the heart. Sometimes we look at those people we see as being "good Christians" and we think that their actions are always perfect. . .and sometimes we see things that look really sketchy to us from an outsiders perspective.

James 4:11, 12:
"11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?"

In addition to thinking about God knowing our hearts and judging us, there's something else we can use to get a peek into our own thoughts. . .pure? Look into the only truth we have while we're still here, missing Jesus.

Heb. 4: 12, 13:
"12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Since God's Word is alive and active in us (woot, Believing God!), the Word (God's precious, perfect law) judges our actions.

Ps. 119:29:
"Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law."

Oh, sweet Word, sweet God, wonderful Savior, please let me hold fast to the Truth You've given to us.

Jer. 17:9:
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

We can't understand our hearts, but God keeps us in check. Even though we deceive ourselves, try to judge our own works, and try to judge the works of others, there is hope; GREAT HOPE!

Rom. 5:15-21:

"15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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