Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Travis and Geni(taking the picture) hitting the beach in Galveston.

Happy Tuesday!

Back in Room 6. Today the task was to empty the boxes of the books for my classroom library, which is quite extensive, and get them organized on my classroom library shelves and in their appropriate boxes by theme. The next task was to empty all of the tables of their piles of stuff, level them and arrange the tables in the classroom. Both of these tasks were accomplished as Bruce, Geni and I worked all day. My room is shaping up. I still have lockers to empty and my table to set up, but great progress was made today. After all of the arranging is completed then we can begin to decorate. My hope is to accomplish all of this by the end of the week. We will see!!

2 Peter 3: 18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

I have been sharing with you about the changes occurring in our building at school. I have occupied Room 6, I think, for 9 years. The basic arrangement has been the same with a few additions and deletions throughout the years, but remaining basically familiarly comfortable. But this year…not even close!

Due to advancement in technology we are to receive these fancy Promethean boards. It is a computerized, smart, interactive white board. Because of this addition to our classrooms there have been special electrical wiring and internet boxes placed strategically around the room to accommodate this way cool teaching tool and the computers housed in my classroom. This has caused me to totally rethink my room arrangement. I have been teaching for 30 years and I have a lot of stuff. So I must decide what must stay and what needs to go.

It is sort of like moving. When you think about moving into new surroundings does what you already have fit into the space provided? And if it does fit will it be useful in the new surroundings? God’s grace always fits. No matter where you go and what baggage you bring with you God’s perfect grace is there to help sort through and show you what to get rid of and what to keep. God’s grace shows you what to keep in order to grow and what to leave behind because it is no longer of use.

Growing is never easy. In fact, growing can be painful. But if we remember that we stand in the midst of God’s perfect grace all the time then He will grow us through our obedience to His will and His love for us. Letting go of familiar things that are no longer appropriate may not be easy, but God promises to be there to make the transition easier and to make the result of the move so much better that what we had before.

Burton Hill is a mess right now. It is covered in dust, construction workers, tools, boxes and clutter. But through the mess one can see new bright white tile floors, new white blown ceilings, freshly painted rooms and new window blinds (not the old window shades). Through the mess and clutter one can see that the finished product will be beautiful. It will be bright, clean and a new start for an older building. That is all God’s grace is. God’s grace is a new start in a previously created structure.

Let us confess before God and ask Him to remove the clutter and stuff we do not need in our lives and gratefully accept His grace and opportunity to begin again.

Take joy in the journey and don’t forget to dust behind the couch. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

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