Closure

For the past 5 1/2 years we have waited, searched, and longed for closure. We thought that a conviction would bring that closure into our lives. Today as I heard the news I had believed would give me the peace and closure I have searched for I found myself basically unchanged. I don't know if I will ever feel closure in this lifetime. I do know that I will never be able to fully accept or understand the events that brought me and so many others to the place that we are today. Over and over again I have found myself broken and asking why. Why did this devistation come into our lives?

I know that God is in control and has been through all of this. He has walked beside us guiding us through the darkness. He has carried us when we have been too exhausted to walk on our own. He has cradled us in His arms when we have been broken. He has caught every tear we have cried and has given us the strength and courage to face each day.

Although we will never understand, never know why, and never be the same again, we will make it through each day with the help of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In his sermon How God Uses Suffering, John MacArthur says,

"When you go through the sufferings of life God has a purpose. His purpose is to manifest the character of your spiritual life to everybody around you and to you as well. His purpose is to humble you because of His multitude of blessings poured out upon you and His purpose is to draw you into the intimacy of His glorious presence."

I pray that we have lived a life worthy of the call God has placed on our lives. It is my desire to show the love of Christ to those around me. I know that I fall short of that goal everyday because if I had reached that place of intimacy and perfection my work here on earth would be done and I would be seated at the feet of Jesus with those who have already gone before us.

I searched through some old Bible studies and found notes listing these verses as being Thad's favorites. He was a man that radiated Jesus in everything he did and I am thankful and proud that I was blessed to have known him and benefit from his teaching. I think these verses speak perfectly about the place we find ourselves and I know that Thad would want us to live and cling to these verses.

Philippians 3:10-12

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]11That if possible I may attain to the [[b]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].


12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.  AMP


John 10:10

10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows). AMP

In loving memory of Thad John Glenn Reynolds

Closure

For the past 5 1/2 years we have waited, searched, and longed for closure. We thought that a conviction would bring that closure into our lives. Today as I heard the news I had believed would give me the peace and closure I have searched for I found myself basically unchanged. I don't know if I will ever feel closure in this lifetime. I do know that I will never be able to fully accept or understand the events that brought me and so many others to the place that we are today. Over and over again I have found myself broken and asking why. Why did this devistation come into our lives?

I know that God is in control and has been through all of this. He has walked beside us guiding us through the darkness. He has carried us when we have been too exhausted to walk on our own. He has cradled us in His arms when we have been broken. He has caught every tear we have cried and has given us the strength and courage to face each day.

Although we will never understand, never know why, and never be the same again, we will make it through each day with the help of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In his sermon How God Uses Suffering, John MacArthur says,

"When you go through the sufferings of life God has a purpose. His purpose is to manifest the character of your spiritual life to everybody around you and to you as well. His purpose is to humble you because of His multitude of blessings poured out upon you and His purpose is to draw you into the intimacy of His glorious presence."

I pray that we have lived a life worthy of the call God has placed on our lives. It is my desire to show the love of Christ to those around me. I know that I fall short of that goal everyday because if I had reached that place of intimacy and perfection my work here on earth would be done and I would be seated at the feet of Jesus with those who have already gone before us.

I searched through some old Bible studies and found notes listing these verses as being Thad's favorites. He was a man that radiated Jesus in everything he did and I am thankful and proud that I was blessed to have known him and benefit from his teaching. I think these verses speak perfectly about the place we find ourselves and I know that Thad would want us to live and cling to these verses.

Philippians 3:10-12

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]11That if possible I may attain to the [[b]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].


12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.  AMP


John 10:10

10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows). AMP

In loving memory of Thad John Glenn Reynolds

It's Not What You Say. . . It's How You Say It

One thing I have found myself saying over and over to my oldest son is, "It's not always what you say, it's how you say it." T was blessed with my big mouth. He has always had an opinion on everything and has never felt the need to restrain himself in expressing it. There were times when he was small that I required him to tell me or someone else that he was sorry. He would always say it, but you could definitely tell his heart wasn't in it. That is when I would go into my well rehearsed speech about not only what we say is important, it is how you say it. You can tell someone you love them in a tone that reveals the anger you truly feel at the moment. It is like the well used phrase, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

My youngest son also has the gift of gab but his comes across in a totally different way than mine and T's does. He is quite the flatterer. Last night we were laying on the sofa together, getting ready for our ritual of camping out on Friday nights when he turned to me and in a sweet romantic tone said, I'm going to give you a cup of salt and pepper." I asked him why and he replied, "because it will make you beautiful in my eyes." What he says doesn't always make sense but he says it with such conviction that you know it means something wonderful to him and he means it with all of his heart.

Each of us have individual gifts given to us by God. If we are not careful satan will twist those gifts just as he does everything else. He does not create anything new but steals from God and perverts the things God intends for good. It is my prayer that I will see the things that satan tries to pervert for his use and that I will be wary of every trap he has set in my path.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.     ~Psalm 19:14 KJV~

It's Not What You Say. . . It's How You Say It

One thing I have found myself saying over and over to my oldest son is, "It's not always what you say, it's how you say it." T was blessed with my big mouth. He has always had an opinion on everything and has never felt the need to restrain himself in expressing it. There were times when he was small that I required him to tell me or someone else that he was sorry. He would always say it, but you could definitely tell his heart wasn't in it. That is when I would go into my well rehearsed speech about not only what we say is important, it is how you say it. You can tell someone you love them in a tone that reveals the anger you truly feel at the moment. It is like the well used phrase, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

My youngest son also has the gift of gab but his comes across in a totally different way than mine and T's does. He is quite the flatterer. Last night we were laying on the sofa together, getting ready for our ritual of camping out on Friday nights when he turned to me and in a sweet romantic tone said, I'm going to give you a cup of salt and pepper." I asked him why and he replied, "because it will make you beautiful in my eyes." What he says doesn't always make sense but he says it with such conviction that you know it means something wonderful to him and he means it with all of his heart.

Each of us have individual gifts given to us by God. If we are not careful satan will twist those gifts just as he does everything else. He does not create anything new but steals from God and perverts the things God intends for good. It is my prayer that I will see the things that satan tries to pervert for his use and that I will be wary of every trap he has set in my path.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.     ~Psalm 19:14 KJV~

Always Improving

This semester I was given two big assignments. One was a math case study and the other was a reading case study. The math assignment required me to pre-test a student, find an error pattern in their work, develop strategies and teach them to the student. For the reading assignment I used several different assessment tools to find the student's reading level and any areas they may be having difficulty with. The assessments took up most of the time I had to spend with the students that I was assigned to work with so I have been apprehensive about how much improvement they have made.

I completed the math case study last week. The results were amazing. The student went from getting 2 out of 16 problems correct to getting 16 out of 16 problems correct. This was the easier assignment. It only required me to pinpoint one concept or procedural error the student had and help them improve in that area.

The reading assignment was the more difficult of the two. It took longer to assess the student for reading. Several different tests had to be administered and each test took a significant amount of time to complete. This only left me with about 2.5 hours (total) to "teach" the student and tutor him/her in reading. I was not sure how much improvement I would see, if any. I am almost completely finished with the assessments and I am shocked. The student has definitely made significant improvements. I, by no means take full credit for this improvement but do like to believe that I did contribute to this growth. The student is also recieving reading intervention daily from a reading teacher.

My amazement is from the great change such little effort and time on the part of me and the other teacher has provided to this child. It is a huge reminder that our actions do matter. We affect people good, or bad, whether we want to or not. No man is an island. It is my wish to do good in my lifetime and to leave the world better than I found it. Thank you God for placing me where you have at this time and in this place. Use me to touch those around me and make me ever mindful of the impact You are able to make in someone's life through me. Remind me constantly that You are always improving me and those around me by Your Grace.