Two wheels for two weeks...

I am officially on 2 wheels for the next two weeks. 

Commuter map and super toned legs here we come! 

Becoming an Artist

I decided the other day, after an entire childhood where I shunned art because I was so terrible at drawing even stick people, that I was going to become an artist. This was mostly provoked by the fact that artists can have crazy hair and eclectic wardrobes and everyone applauds them for it. Of course, I had no intention of doing anything different, just owning my crazy hair and eclectic wardrobe a little more. But a few weeks after this decision, I saw a project online that looked so cool, I just had to try. 

First, I had to face my fears and go, alone, to Hobby Lobby. For a person who has never been 'creative', Hobby Lobby with its massive amounts of materials just waiting to be creatively used frightens me. In fact, I know many men who are less afraid of fabric stores than I am of Hobby Lobby. Once I had a purpose in mind though, Hobby Lobby turned out to be the place to go. 

The actual project involved painting a canvas with rubber cement, letting it dry, then painting over the rubber cement with watercolors. I hadn't painted with watercolors since I was probably six. I don't know why I ever stopped. It is highly therapeutic, let me tell you. And just as fun as I had remembered from being six...

Then I had to wait an agonizingly long time for it to dry. This also had not changed from when I was six.. 

Once it was dry I rubbed off the rubber cement and tada! The finished product! I am a long ways from being an artist, but I was inspired to try this again on a bigger canvas. If nothing else, I discovered another thing that I not only enjoy, but that is productive. See, not having internet at home isn't all bad....:) 

Silence...

My blog has been strangely silent lately. Here is why... 

 First there was all this prep work for summer here at Compass. My desk got a little overrun with all the cool things I was pulling together for the kids. 

Oh, and there was getting all the decorations ready. Want to guess what our theme is for reading? 

Then the kids arrived. And my life has been crazy-awesome ever since! 

Field trips are every Friday. Last week we went to the zoo to be the monkeys. I mean to see the monkeys... 

Math class is a blast. 

As is drama.... 

I love it when they enjoy the activities I plan. 

So yeah, the blog silence is not indicative of actual silence in my life. But rather of a very, very full schedule. I hope your summer is shaping up to be at least half as fun as mine! 

Wherever I Go...

When I was a little girl, there were these tiny blue flowers that always grew right by the front door. Whenever I picked them and brought them to my mom, she told me they were called Wandering Jews. I grew to love them and think of them as special flowers for me, since after all, I am a Jew and if there was a flower named after Jews...:) 

When I moved down the road a few years back, I remember knowing in my heart that God would take care of me and direct my steps in a new place, but feeling a little unsure about where He was taking me at the same time. Finding that special little blue flower growing around my new front door filled my heart with joy. God cared to show me He was still with me, by making sure a few tiny blue flowers sprouted where He had sent me. 

In November I took another step of faith and moved an hour and a half away from my family and into the city. There have been many adjustments to city life, and many nights when God showed me in different ways that He was still leading me and watching over my steps. I love my life and what God has put in it. But every once in a while I still feel like a little girl trying to find her place in this big world and in all the busyness around me, the little things like tiny blue flowers seem rare. Until a few days ago, when I walked to the other side of my apartment building to find, amidst the well cared for landscaping, a crop of flowers I had not seen anywhere else in Omaha as of yet. My flowers. Wandering Jews. Right there, at my apartment. Growing their hearts out. God's reminder to me that wherever I wander, He is always watching over me and guiding my steps. 

Walking With Hillary

Running is fun, but every once in a while it is good to walk with your sister instead. 

Down to the little church covered in ivy... 

And always stopping to smell the flowers. Thanks for the awesome walk, Hillary. And for forgiving me for dancing on a stump attempting to embarrass/encourage you... You are the best! <3

Moments

 Yesterday my little sister Leah graduated from high school. High school graduation is no small feat ordinarily, but in Leah’s case where her senior year project included teaching 4 of her younger siblings, it is nothing short of incredible. I have never been so proud of someone I had a hand in educating. Of course there was a party, food, people I had not seen in a while, games, and recognition of this major event in Leah’s life. 

As I was driving home I started thinking about how life is made up of so many such major events: getting your drivers’ license, high school graduation, college graduation, engagement, marriage, a baby, buying your first house, etc… Then I started thinking about a few beautiful things I had witnessed in the past week. One of my Compass kid’s reaction when he saw his mom had come to his sixth grade graduation. Walking into my office to find flowers and a note from my man.  My boss gleefully building a tower out of packing material which had encased the new computer lab we both prayed many months for. I realized all these things which caught my attention had something in common. They were not major life events, they were just moments. Looks. Grins. Laughter. And I was reminded life is not really measured by the major events and accomplishments you achieve, but rather by the moments you have. The moments you are honored to observe in others’ lives. The moments you are able to be a part of. The look in my sixth graders’ eyes when he saw his mom was proud of him at his graduation. I swear he grew six inches. It wasn’t my moment, but I was there. I got to see it. And it filled my heart for the rest of the day. The way the little note my man left for me sits on my dresser and still melts me. When he told me he brought the flowers on Wednesday for me because he knew it was my long day at work, the grin on my face became all that much more permanent. It wasn’t the flowers as much as it was that he remembered Wednesday was my long day, and wanted me to know he was cheering for me to make it to the end.  The laughter that rang throughout the Compass building as my boss built a giant tower from the Styrofoam packing material. We all felt like it was Christmas morning, opening and setting up our new computer lab. It wasn’t the Styrofoam tower that was so special; it was knowing that we had asked our Father to provide new computers for our kids and He had, above and beyond what we hoped. It was that moment of knowing He not only hears our requests, but answers them. And blesses just because He loves us. Being wrapped up in His love. 

It is shopping in Walmart and seeing a father laugh with his small child. A couple holding hands walking down the street. A girl with the windows down, singing her heart out to the song on the radio. There are little moments all around us. Little glimpses of what we were made to be. Loved, loving, and enjoying the life God has made for us. Someday we will live in eternity where there is nothing but that life, but for now we are given moments to remind us we were made for more than this. And to help us see the beauty God has placed here for us to find while we are waiting to get there. 

Smile!

I have been smiling a lot lately. And I have had many good reasons for doing so. See below...

I got to go home the other day. Work in the garden, get some sun, drink chocolate shakes, and hang out with this little boy who still can melt my heart with just one look... 

We are wrapping up the last week of the school year here at Compass. Which is cause for celebration. And water balloons. 

This also means the end of Bible study for the summer. Which was cause for grill out at Mr. Jeremiah's. I am going to miss my 6th graders so much! 

In case you hadn't noticed, I have been trying out some different things with my hair lately. The jury is still out on this one. It is hard to see around... 

Kids Church attendance has been through the roof this past month. I am so excited to be able to impact even more kids with the truth that Jesus loves them and has a plan for their lives. 

Sometimes even my toenails make me smile. 

This morning I came to my office and found this waiting for me on my desk. Needless to say, I have been grinning about it all day. So that is me; what has made you smile lately?