My Two Favorites from the Week . . ..

Don't you want to pinch those chubby cheeks?

In the Countdown

Let's see -- I'm making a list and checking it twice -- is it really only 13 days until Christmas????

I have already bought  all of my  gifts except for Terry's.  What to get a man who says he has everything he needs???  I need to stuff the Christmas cards and ready them for mailing -- can't believe I'm getting them out before Christmas!!! Mine is usually the last card of the season to arrive Jan. 2nd or 3rd.'Think having Campbell Hope pictures to send was my push to get them out on time.

 --Never been a grandma on Christmas before -- We gave Campbell her gift early --  but I do HAVE to HAVE SOMETHING for her to unwrap (like at 6 mos. she'll really notice ).

Five more days of school --

The Mock Wedding was a success  on Friday -- .--- our gals were radiant and the guys were  "gussied up" great, as well. 

Terry preached his best wedding ceremony -- and it was only a fake wedding!

 -- the cakes turned out beautifully --As we put the finishing touches on the icing on Thursday in preparation for Friday's wedding, one student confided, "Mrs. Bell I have to admit, I didn't think it would turn out this nicely. I confessed -- I felt the same way -- and always have to pray, "Lord make this look better than I could."
--- the messy spare classroom decorated beautifully.  I had given the students several tubs of flowers, ribbon, lights and garlands and said, "make it look good".  They outdid themselves!!!



This week is the end of the semester and so that means review, final exams, grades and 70 students to help complete sewing projects.

Our Christmas Special . . .

--- A favorite for me --  helping  my Super Kids with  the Christmas presentation the Sunday before Christmas.  There's a few more tiny wise men to make head gear and costumes for -- and 13 kids to help learn their lines.  This year's message is Searching for Jesus.  Can't wait to see those little preschoolers with their telescope and outlandish velvet turbans I made. 

I'm so eager to head to Denver on the 22nd to be with our family . . . I enjoy the time in the car with my man -- we talk excitedly all the way out and then live in the afterglow of it all the whole trip home.

I got this pic on my phone Friday reminding me that in less than two weeks she'd be seeing me for the holidays!

'So many reasons I love this season

-- in all the preparations -- and the hustle and bustle -- I still feel God calling me back to the simplicity of it all . . . .a tiny baby -- born in an outback stable -- to two very poor parents -- it's kinda like finding the KING of the WORLD in a homeless shelter or to a couple sleeping in their car.  So much power, So much love, so much promise, so much HOPE came from God's baby. . .

HOPE

It's been my word this year -- I'm sort of obsessed with it -- we're doing our Ladies' study on Sunday nights using the Women of Faith Conference "Irrepressible HOPE"- --  I kind of describe HOPE as that light that keeps burning inside -- in my mind's eye I'm seeing ET's finger when it would light up -- only HOPE is always lit -- it's always continues --

God used some key words on HOPE that gave me just that,  from Romans, "And HOPE does not disappoint us, because HE has poured out his love for us in Jesus Christ.

Now there abides three things:  faith, HOPE and love . . . I Cor. 13

I discovered my new favorite thing this year in Wal-Mart -- a coffee mug that simply says, "HOPE"

Jesus was called the HOPE of Israel.



I wanted this theme of HOPE to be all over our childrens' Christmas presentation.



Isn't that what keeps us going
   . . . . what fuels our efforts . . .
      .  .  .and what brings us through dark days?




 I believe that for this time in our lives the sending of HIS Baby is what brings HOPE to the world.

I Love This Job . . . #5

It's the end of the semester and that means that it's about time for my Marriage and Family Life Class's mock wedding.  As always a bride and groom and their attendants are selected by the other members in the class.
This year we had a new occurrence.  Unknown to me, one little gal who is challenged in her ability to learn  let it slip that she would really, really like to be this year's bride.  One of the other girls suggested we do this, talked among several in the class and decided that this  would be a special opportunity.  I was so proud of my students as I counted the ballots and then with much pomp and promotion announced the bridal party.  When this quiet and serious young lady heard her name -- she waved her arms wildly in the air and yelled, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU JESUS!!!" THANK YOU, JESUS, I've been praying for this"!!!!

The rest of the class didn't know quite what to think as this little gal, who'd never moved so much or been so loud, wildly thanked her sweet Jesus.  We all sat a little stunned, at first. 

I asked a small cluster of gals Thursday - "Did you have any doubts, after that, that you did the right thing?"
They giggled and  were overjoyed!!!

Her witness came back to me  the  next day -- when I received a "YES" to a prayer over something I had been stewing about and to which I could loudly shout in full volume, THANK YOU !!!!  THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!

It's a memory I'll keep . . . thanks girls, for helping us all witness a "God thing".

. . . . . .I love this job . . . .

Happy Holiday

Campbell and Pappa are big buddies -- He is always willing to walk the floor and explore

It all came and went so quickly we're living in the afterglow of a wonderful weekend-- We loved having Bethany and Mat here for an extended time and the fact they would trust us for an entire day with Campbell Hope while they went to OSU / OU Bedlam game with friends.  They needed the break and we loved having total care of our precious baby girl. --  I  learned a lot about Little Miss C.

She likes:
>being held and prefers you standing up and . . . .
      would like it to be in the garden room in front of the fountain  
              . . . . if her Pappa will take her there
>sticking out her tongue
>feeling new textures
>sleeping with her hands behind her head
>singing - both hers and your's

Campbell dislikes:
>being left out of the party and having to go to
        bed when everybody else is up
>long car rides
>Mommy and Daddy to be away from her
        for very long
>having to wait for her feedings

Thankful for this precious baby girl!

Her First Thanksgiving

Can't wait to get her here. 

 I think Campbell Hope is bringing some of that cold weather KS weather  to OK for the holiday

Helping Momma cook for the holidays. . .

Ready for all the holiday games momma
and daddy will be watching. Go Pokes ---

I Love This Job . . .#4

It's that time of the semester when I get to teach 75 students how to sew -- some of whom have never seen a sewing machine. There's the guy who works a lathe and doesn't need any help at all - those are my favorites, and the one who moans and groans loudly from his corner of the room that he's just sure he's gonna sew his finger or the lad who's never sewn but wants to make a kilt for the scottish games -- sheesh -- not to mention the girls who don't have a clue what they're doing. I have one guy who's decided my name is "Beautiful" and refers to me that way as I answer his call for help. I was just about to wrap up the day yesterday with my last class of 23 when one guy hands me four parts to the machine he somehow just dismantled!
Thank you, God, for the few who DO know -- and follow my suggestion of "each one teach one and if you just learned how to wind the bobbin or thread your machine - turn around and help your neighbor". Wouldn't all of life be better if we turned to help the guy next to us when life(or Mrs. B) just taught us a lesson?

Campbell Hope's Holiday --

Campbell and her mommy and Daddy went to Mexico and revisited the resort where Bethany and Mat married.Grammy and Grandad Good decided it was time for this young family to have a get away so the whole Good Clan packed up and headed for Mazatlan.  Now, I have to admit, it was kind of hard having them out of the reach of text msg.  The kids were great to e-mail and send a pic every day -- but nonetheless, they did seem much further away.  I'm including some of the favorite pics we received during the week. It's good to have them back stateside!

Okay, I know it's upside down, but she did learn to roll over on this trip!!

I Love This Job #3. . .

Today was Pastor and Pizza day with Youth Alive -- 95-100 kids showed up in my classroom, cleaned up on 20 large pizzas and heard an awesome message from Youth Pastor Jeremy Donovan of Destiny Life Church which just opened a satellite Church near school..  He shared with them an interview he'd heard with four 80-90 yr. olds who were asked what they would do over if they could live their lives again.
Two things they said rang loudly with me -- They said:   1.  They would take more risks,  2.  They would do something that would live on after they were gone from this earth.

Makes me wonder . . .
What risks am I willing to take to be involved in something that will last 5, 50 or 500 years after I'm gone or for eternity?

There were other words in Jeremy's message that spoke right to my heart in response to prayers I have prayed for several months.  Words that confirmed that God had heard my prayers.  I realized later that my Father, had tucked those into that message to the teens to give me reassurance and hope.

Thinking back, I could echo Jesus' words   --" Father I thank you that you heard me, you always hear me." John 11:41

And this all happened at work . . . I love this job!!!!

Happy Birthday, Babe

My Favorite Terry pics:

 

Happy 62nd! 

I Love This Job #2. . .

Oh I do love my job . . . especially the side-bar comments from a parent who was upset at her son's  "D" in my class"    A "D in Home Ec.???" quoting her upset husband, -- "that's like flunking lunch".  At which point I felt the need to defend my teaching, my subject matter and EVEN my profession!  I explained quite succinctly  that, yes you could flunk a life skill's class if you didn't do the work and yes, I do keep them engaged and yes, I expect them to turn in their assignments.!
"Flunk Lunch???"  So WHY do I spend hours getting a lesson planned and hours grading their papers only to have my subject compared to lunch. . . If that's the regard they have for my class at their house . . . might be the reason their student isn't more engaged!.
I could have set her straight  to tell her that we were no longer "Home Economics" but "Family and Consumer Science" which includes an overview of: financial management and investment, decision-making, career planning, job skill training, goal - setting,  personality assessment, value clarification, emotional and physical health, nutrition, child development, relationship development, housing, plus related lab courses in sewing skills and food preparation . .. WHEW!!!-- don't know that it would have done any good.  but it did get a lot off my chest right now!
Better sign off and get to that stack of papers . . . no maybe I'll take the night off and enjoy my hubbie's birthday  ;-)

Everywhere You Set Your Foot . . .

We walked the footings of the new property this morning, excited to share these first glimpses with the congregation.

This verse was in my quiet time this morning from Joshua 1:3  Wherever you set your foot you will be on land I have given you.

 

 

Praying for God's direction in preparing to cross over.

I Love This Job . . .

There's lots of reasons I get up at 5:15and drive the miles I do  to work every day.  I love my job!  One of those reasons I love my job is that I never know what I will hear from my kids that day!!!

Conversation yesterday . . .

Student:  "Mrs. Bell do you know a solvent for superglue?"
>Me: "You might try fingernail polish remover."
Student:  "Nah -- I need something that tastes good".
>Me: Noticing his two fang teeth. . . . "Are you telling me you superglued those teeth?"
Student:  "Yep"

A few minutes later on the phone . . .
>Me to my Dentist's receptionist:  "Could you ask the Dr. what sort of solvent might dissolve superglue?"  . . .No, it's not for me . . .  Who's calling?  Jan Bell -- but I'm not the one who glued the fangs to my incisors. . . . oh, they won't just wear off? . . . he's going to have them ground off?"  Hmmmmmm

Some days are full of surprises!

Getaway to the High Places

 That's what Marshall gave us for our birthdays -- yes, remember I DO celebrate for a long time - Terry's is coming up and mine was months ago, and so Marshall booked us a night in the Breckenridge Lodge while he was on call for 36 hours at the hospital..   I rested ---Terry was on a study leave so he spent lots of time at his computer and Marshall worked nonstop at Denver General.  
The drive to and from the mountains was breathtakingly beautiful.  Something about all that vastness makes everything take on different perspective.

Jesus often went away for a time and would retreat
to the mountains.
Did things look different to Him when He came back down?  Something about the heights just automatically makes you look heavenward. . . and then when you have to come back down . . . there is new purpose in what you're about. . . .Marshall did the arranging and God sent the snow!

Marshall had a project waiting for me in case I got bored.  Painted up two walls before we headed up to the high country.

We got in some great time with Marshall and his girlfriend, Katie and were able to spend Sunday afternoon touring downtown Denver by transit train and on foot. With a little help from the kids and Terry's iphone's mapping system we were able to locate the King Tut Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know

I was shopping Breckenridge's Main street tourist spots yesterday and glanced in a window and read a sign that struck a chord with me  "Jeus loves you, but I'm His favorite".  I grinned and went on to the next stop but it stayed with me.  .  .  Did you ever get to be somebody's favorite?  teacher's pet?  grandchild that had a special connection with one of the grandparents?  had an aunt that repeatedly told you how very special you were?

Have you ever thought some saintly person was surely God's favorite?   because there was no way he could think you were nearly that wonderful?  I have.

I like the idea that I can be HIS his favorite ---  only Omniscience could create a relationship that would allow me and every one else that special place!

Campbell turned 4 months old on Thursday. She's 12# 7 oz. and has changed so much!!!

Cute as a Bug - - Lady Bug That Is

We just got this today -- We'd heard about Campbell's Halloween Costume Uncle Marshall and girlfriend, Katie had brought her last weekend when they came to KC for a visit.  Mommy and Daddy went for a run, so Uncle M and Katie decided to "test-drive" the costume.  She only lasted long enough for a few pics. 

God Never Left

I have been glued to the television as much as I could rightfully do so and still teach school for the past 24 hours.
I went to sleep praying for all 33 to come to surface and can now thankfully say, "Thank YOU God, they're all back from the deep!"

The stories of faith and heroism make me cry.

  >The 19 year old who said there were 34 of us down there-- not 33 -- God never left us!

>The desperate wife who went after the policeman with a skillet when she thought they were abandoning the search and rescue on day 9 before the miners had ever been located.

>The 63 yr. old spiritual leader who was the 9th one to surface who went to his knees and thanked his God that he had arrived home safely.

>The little girl who stood with a hands clutching a dozen Brazillian helium balloons and released them when she hugged her father.


>Singing, "Chi, Chi, Chi,  -- lee, lee, lee",  flags flying, soccer balls tossing, this spirited nation, proudly welcomed home their heroes.

>We kept up with the miners through the day in my classroom with a telecast played on my Smartboard, pulling life lessons from excerpts of news clips that were shared about each man --

>One man said God and the devil were there and God won!!!

>One tiny baby girl, Ezperanza (Hope)  born while her daddy was away has her daddy home safe tonight.

Pumpkin Patch Outing for Campbell Hope

Reflectiion

Except you become as a little child . . . . 

I watched Roman and Paislee playing on the little berm behind the childrens' center the other evening. They were rolling down the hill --
              ----chasing the kite and blowing bubbles from the bottle of super bubbles I'd found at the dollar store --
                          - - -Giggling and full of wonder with each new discovery . . . their laughter was like music to me --
                            I got caught up in the whole experience.   I looked in their little cherub faces and saw God at work -- we were outside to enjoy all of His creation and I was seeing it reflected in their faces.

I already see this child-like awe and adoration in my granddaughter's face as she looks  at her momma and responds to her every grin and expression . . . singing along with every note she hears.Campbell Hope's face is reflecting Bethany's love for her.

 

There's a phrase that has intrigued me for some time . . ."the glory of God in the face of Christ”. . .    In Christ we see God's reflection --

We don't have a visual of Jesus --but do you think maybe we just might get a glimpse of Him reflected from these angel faces?

. . .I want to know Him so very well and feel his love so deeply that my face does that same kind of reflecting.