Rejoice in Suffering

This past weekend I was reminded of an excellent lesson! It's a sermon I've heard since I was little, but like my pastor said on Sunday... it is literally the most unnatural thing possible: to have joy while your suffering. 


The myth that our world has created is that you should always be happy.


The truth is God uses personal suffering to accomplish His greater purpose of making you more like Christ. 


We looked at the passage Romans 5:1-5. I especially liked that it connected back to James 1:2. My favorite things about both of these passages is that it talks about how the suffering is creating endurance. Endurance is a word, that especially athletes, we hear all the time. You condition to build endurance, you train to build endurance -- and in your Christian walk, you go through trials to build endurance. I looked up the definition of endurance and it states that it is "the ability or strength to continue or last." I think this means actual physical strength, as well as, the mental strength. Do you have the endurance to outlast the suffering? 


We should be allowing the suffering to drive us closer to God, rather than giving up, pushing him away, and asking "why me?" In order to share in God's glory, we must go through suffering and we should rejoice through it. My favorite part of the James passage is in verse 4 where it's talking about growing your endurance: "So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." Now I'm not sure if I'll ever get to that point where I feel my endurance is fully developed (years of sports have taught me that), but I do know the feeling of when you're in shape... your endurance is high. I desire for my spiritual endurance to be "in shape" and one way I can begin accomplishing that is giving glory to God - no matter my circumstances.

12-13 School Year!

I just got the confirmation email…. I will have a student teacher next spring!!

I am so excited to have a chance to be able to lead and mentor someone in the education field. Especially since I have decided the only reason I would ever go back to get my Masters is if I decided I wanted to teach pre-service teachers at a University. I think this opportunity will give me wonderful insight to how difficult yet how rewarding it could be! I think it will really show me if I want to keep that as an option for later down the road (I am definitely not ready to leave the classroom quite yet).

The challenges I anticipate:

-         Relinquishing control! (I think I should begin praying for that now)

-         Since she will only be with me for the Spring, the kids will have to adjust to a new teacher in the middle of the year

-         Having patience while she learns how to do things! J

The awesomeness I anticipate:

-         Being able to share ideas with someone in my room!

-         I had such amazing mentors throughout college and I can’t wait for the opportunity to be that for someone else! (hopefully!)

-         Learning new things from her as well!

I am positive I will think of many more challenges and rewards in the months to come, but I just wanted to share my initial excitement! I feel so incredibly blessed in my job. 

End of the Year Survey

First of all. Update on my nose: I am doing SO much better! And I look a lot better too. I saw an ENT last Monday and he said my nose looks straight and all I had to do was let it heal. He also said my "septum" looks "perfect"... (his words, not mine.. I swear!) Here is a picture to prove it!

Caroline and I at Casey Donahew on Friday night!!

Yesterday, in class, I gave an end of the year survey. I love doing this survey because I get some incredible responses and I love hearing their wonderful, honest answers. Here are a few examples with my commentary in Blue: 

#1. What is one thing you will remember about this class?

-          All the weird chants. (If I'm called weird, I'm doing something right!)

-          I wish this was my 7^th period class so I could end on a good note each day, but instead I have to end with _______. 

-          The day we came up with the idea to make you an internet dating website! J (Oh my.. this was one day and it was a mess! I was scared they would actually do it!!)

#2. What is one thing you’ve learned the most about in this class?

-          To be a hard worker. (Most students wrote actual math concepts.. but these went deeper. These are the real things I want to be teaching.)

-          I learned to work with other people

-          It’s possible to learn a lot but still have fun

#3. What is one piece of advice you’d give to a student entering my class next year?

-          Don’t be sassy. Ms. Lindstrom will shut you down.

-          Do your best, it is worth it.

-          Bring a writing utensil and your brain. You’ll really need both.

-          Don’t say the S word. (shut up) (Yes!!)

#4. What would be one helpful suggestion you have to make me a better teacher?

-          You taught me more about math in one year than I’ve learned in my entire life. You also taught me something no one else could, to have confidence in myself.

-          I think you are perfect but if I had to give an answer I would say, try and leave subs a better note they always mess up (It annoys me!). (Just to be clear, I leave the most detailed notes ever and it annoys me they can't follow them either!!)

#6. What suggestions do you have regarding class rewards and punishments?

-          We need more death threats. What happened to the school’s medieval tortue devices hidden in the school basement? (these were anonymous, but I can narrow this statement down to a group of 4 boys who are truly GT and fantastic! ha)

Recent Struggles

My recent struggles include:
- Not receiving my STAAR scores until May 23rd
- I broke my nose
- Trying to advocate for better GT training to go to during the summer
- ...oh wait... did I mention I BROKE my NOSE!?!!? 


Do you know how many things you cannot do with a broken nose?? You cannot: 
Eat, Sleep, Brush your teeth, Bend over, Walk without being paranoid of people running into you, Sneeze, Play volleyball, Do anything athletic for that matter, Make any facial expressions, Laugh, And as my students told me "get any hot dates for this weekend"


I suggest: Not getting into a fight with concrete and do not break your nose


(if you get queasy easily, I would recommend not looking at these pictures)

Not the worst.. I won't post those online. My face was insanely swollen.

I broke the end of the bone (about half way up your  nose). Hopefully I will not need  surgery. 

Today was my first day at school... this was one of my cards I got from my students. 

My card from my dad.. I think it describes me perfectly! :)

My black eyes are starting to come in, but the swelling is going down.