Can I call myself famous if my article gets published?

Here's an article that I recently wrote for the New Jersey Family Magazine, and I thought I would share it here for your reading enjoyment:

Truth in Education

The other day in my classroom, I was going through some old files when I came across some pictures that were printed on overhead projector sheets. I showed these pictures to my high school students, and they did not know what I was talking about when I mentioned an overhead projector. Not only did this incident make me feel like spending some time in front of the mirror searching for grey hairs, but it also made me realize how much the world has changed even in the number of years that I have been teaching. Technology, however, is not the only places where we have seen rapid change. The world of education itself has seen pretty drastic reforms within even the last fifteen years. On the government level, No Child Left Behind has now been left behind to be replaced by Race to the Top and the Common Core. And at the classroom level, gone are the days when the teacher has to request the computer lab weeks in advance and hope that the students have internet access at home to do a research assignment.

In an ever-changing world such as this one, we often ask questions such as, “How do we keep up with all these changes?” “How do we know what is best for our students?” and “What do the students need to know to be relevant in the culture in which they live?” And we may be tempted to ask an even older question, “What is truth in the world in which we live?” These questions can be very difficult ones, and they often are and should be discussed at length and in depth. However, when we look at these questions from a Christian perspective, the answer is actually quite simple.

When I look at the changing world around us and think about what my students need to know and what will help them to be relevant in the world in which they live, I am all the more reminded that eternity is what matters. From that perspective, I realize that what is important for me to teach my students, and what is absolutely vital that my students learn, is the only thing that will last for eternity: God’s Truth. And how do we know God’s truth? John 17:17 answers that question for us by saying that God’s Word is truth. Additionally, Jesus stated that “heaven and earth will pass away,” which of course includes overhead projectors, the internet, and even smart phones, but he continues, saying, “But my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

Does this mean, then, that in my English classroom I only teach the Bible and do not have my students read some of the great classics? Not at all, but what it does mean is that no matter what we are studying, whether it is Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird, or some new, modern short story, we look for what the literature says that matches God’s Truth from His Word. I am reminded of Augustine’s statement that “All truth is God’s truth” because it comes from the one who is Truth. I teach my students to ask the questions, “What is this book saying about a lost humanity in need of a Savior?” or “What consequences of sin is the story showing us?” As we look at the literature in light of God’s Word, we are able to see how sinful human beings are, how mankind is always searching for a Savior, and how God has revealed Himself to this world. And we always go back to God’s Word to find the hope that this sinful world needs. Even the Psalmist, when he looked at the world around him, said, “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood” (Psalm 73:16-17). The Psalmist recognized that in order to gauge his surroundings correctly, he needed to find a perspective that would show him the truth.

When we use the perspective of God’s truth to look at the world, we begin to see what is important and what is just fleeting; we also learn where our focus should be, even when our surroundings, culture, and technology change. And we also realize that we do not need to be fazed when the world changes around us because our foundation is on one that will last for eternity.

A Year of Thankfulness

The Bible says to "give thanks in all circumstances" (I Thessalonians 5:18). I was reminded again this week that the verse does not say give thanks for all things rather in all things. That, in and of itself, is something for which to be thankful. God does not ask us to do something that He knows would be too difficult for us.

As I look at the coming year (of which we have 51 weeks left...too soon for a countdown?), which is a year that is not one that I would have chosen for myself, I am glad that God is not asking me to be thankful that I am separated from my husband or that I am going to have to do the packing and transitioning by myself or that I am yet again looking for another job. But God does call me to be thankful in those things.

In light of that, I have begun to call this year ahead "the year of thankfulness" whenever I think about it. On that note, here is what I have thanked God for this past week:

-Liam made it safely there and is transitioning well to the new time and place
-Joy that is not circumstantial
-A church and pastor that challenge me to submit all areas of my life to Christ's victory
-Vitamin D
-My knee felt better this week than it has for six months
-Modern technology that allows chats and face-to-face (or better said face-to-screen-face) conversations
-Mangoes
-People who pray for me
-Peace that passes understanding
-Future plans to which to look forward
-Marine and Army wife friends who know what it's like and know how to encourage

What will Liam smell this time? The delicious smell of the Dove Chocolate factory or the not-so-delicious smell of farmers fertilizing their fields?

Liam's version of heaven on earth

There's an art to tasting chocolate?

Mmm...chocolate BBQ chicken pizza

We created our own chocolate bars

The charm of Amish country

Covered Bridge #1

Covered Bridge #2 (and yes, they are called Kissing Bridges)

Covered Bridge #4 (I didn't get a picture of #3)
Covered Bridge #5

Covered Bridge #5 at which point Liam said, "Let's go home."

Since Lew and I are about to start a new adventure, we both decided that blogging would be a good way to keep in touch with family and friends. Welcome to our new blog!

So we’re down to the final countdown (queue cheesy 80’s music) with only 4 days left before I fly out to a foreign land and leave my wife, and life behind. My final two weeks have been a blast, with Lew and me traveling to Hershey, Pennsylvania (which was awesome). I think the craziest thing I did while we were there was trying the “Hershey Chocolate BBQ Chicken Pizza,” which was a bit odd, but it was basically a mole (pronounced molly, it’s some kind of Spanish word for burnt chocolate) sauce. It was a bittersweet trip to PA. Literally. From all the chocolate.

We also toured the Amish countryside, which was interesting. I find it weird that the Amish aren't allowed to use modern amenities, but yet, still manage to use modern amenities. We passed an Amish girl on roller blades, saw a horse and buggy go through a bank drive through, and bought pretzels created in a kitchen more modern than our own. By the way, those pretzels were absolutely amazing. I wonder if I could email that Amish bakery and get the recipe?

I’m definitely going to miss New Jersey and the friends we have made here, but I am looking forward to getting to Colorado and starting our life there. The only problem is the yearlong hurdle we have to jump over first.