Jennifer's Blog

Happy Father's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Well...how fitting that my last blog was about Mother's Day and now it's a month later...already time for Father's Day...where has time gone?

My dad is pretty much the best dad in the whole wide world. I don't know that I've ever met anyone as smart as he is, he knows everything about everything. He really could have been anything in the world he wanted to be, a doctor, a lawyer, even president...but he chose to dedicate his life to telling others about God's love...how awesome is that?! It's something that I will always admire about him. When I think about my life growing up, I think about how hard of a worker my dad is. He's always given everything he has to the church and to our family. Some of my fondest memories are the trips we've taken together as a family. I remember going out in to "the deep water" in the ocean when I was little. Dad would take me out on this round float with handles and let me ride in to shore on the waves. There were times when I would totally get churned, but no matter what, dad's strong hand would pull me up out of the water. I remember all of our fun trips to Washington, DC and Williamsburg and other fun historical places (which is where I got my love of history). I remember Dad dropping me off for my freshman year at Furman and that last hug when he was leaving me behind...walking me down the aisle on my wedding day...leading Nick and I through our vows...supporting us when Nick decided to go into ministry full time, even though I know it was hard. All in all, I think my dad is the best...and here's to him...Happy Father's Day Daddy! I love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Sooo…I’m a day late, but this was a crazy weekend. I just wanted to do a quick shout-out to my mom for Mother’s Day! I like many things about Mother’s Day, but I think that my favorite part of this holiday is the fact that it really is a time to stop and reflect about our moms. My mom is pretty much awesome. I can’t just pick out one or two favorite “mom” memories, because we do so much together. I love how every time I go to visit, we make our patented trip to Target and other random places. She knows I don’t care where we go as long as we’re hanging out. I love how she cries at Gilmore Girls and Leave it to Beaver. I love the fact that she’s always thinking about me and proud of me, no matter where I am or what I do. I love that she’s on facebook and is cool with that being one of our primary means of communication (she knows I’m not good on the phone). But most of all, I love the fact that she’s my mom. She’s always loved me and taken care of me and she always will…she’s just amazing that way…thanks mom for being so great! Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!

And Happy Mother's Day to the other moms (and soon to be moms) that read my blog...you're all wonderful!

~Blevins - out!

There's a Song in My Head...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:59:00 +0000

I'm sure, just like me, you get songs stuck in your head from time to time...Sometimes, I get songs stuck in my head, that are highly inappropriate (at least, I think so anyway...) For example, sometimes I get that one song by the All American Rejects stuck in my head..."Hope it Gives You H-e-double hockey sticks." Other times I get "Baby Got Back," or a myriad of Justin Timberlake songs (whom I love), all of which have inappropriate lyrics...Not all of the songs I get stuck in my head have bad lyrics, sometimes I get songs from church stuck in my head or even television jingles...This gets me to my purpose (if you believe there is one...). I have a standby song that gets stuck in my head all the time...this song is always in my head somehow and if I'm still for more than five minutes this song starts playing in my head, and unfortunately, I only know the first part...I know you're wondering what song I'm talking about...I bet you're totally sitting on the edge of your seat...just hoping I'll divulge this wonderful song that I sing each and everyday of my life...Now, you're probably thinking that since this is me we're talking about, that this song must have some special meaning, or it must be deeply symbolic or perhaps even spriritual...Well, I hate to disappoint you, but...the song of which I'm speaking...is none other than..."Kung Fu Fighting." It's true. I have no idea why, but this song is always playing somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind. I truly don't get it, but apparently this song gets me, because it's never far away from me. I am now going to officially dedicate this post to this catchy tune that has become a staple in my life. In order to honor it properly, I shall post the lyrics here so that all can enjoy this song that I apparently love sooo much...

Everybody was kung-fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact it was a little bit frightning

But they fought with expert timing

They were funky China men from funky Chinatown

They were chopping them up and they were chopping them down

It's an ancient Chineese art and everybody knew their part

From a feint into a slip, and kicking from the hip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact it was a little bit frightning

But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung

He said here comes the big boss, lets get it on

We took a bow and made a stand, started swinging with the hand

The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand knew trip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact it was a little bit frightning

But they did it with expert timing(repeat)..make sure you have expert timing

Kung-fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning

And...now that I've looked up these lyrics, I realize, that I had no idea of the real words in this song...it is even more random than I originally thought, and it is officially the product of a "one hit wonder"...no shocker there...here are the lyrics that I sing for this song...over and over and over again..."Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting...those fists were fast as lightning...even though it is a little bit frightning...everybody was Kung Fu Fighting..." And there you have it folks...

~Blevins - out!

A Little Bit of Random Never Hurt Anybody...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:52:00 +0000

So...I've been somewhat of a slacker lately on blogging...especially when it comes to the personal everyday stuff that's going on in my life. In order to remedy this, I thought I'd give a few "random" things that have happened to me recently...in case you wanted to know...

Random Event #1
We got a tetherball pole at school...in a word, it is AMAZING...wow, I had no idea how much I would love tetherball. Despite the fact that I have a jammed middle finger on my right hand (it's almost fully healed now...), I have really enjoyed playing and the exercise that goes along with it. It's also kinda funny to see kids get busted in the face...obviously it's not funny if they actually get hurt, but the head snapping back action never really gets old...

Random Event #2
Occurred on Sunday, April 26, 2009
So...it's been really really hot the past few days and I decided to wear capris on Sunday to church. Now...this is the first truly warm weather we've had, which means I have not been in the sun since last summer/fall. When I put on my capris, I looked down and realized that my legs looked really really white...so white that I was actually a little embarrassed...To remedy this problem, I went digging through my random toiletries looking for a little sunless tanner...big mistake! Now, I know you're automatically thinking that I turned my legs orange or that they ended up looking all streaky and you're possibly contemplating the notion of skipping on ahead to Random Event #3, but you're gonna need to read on to find out what really happened...just trust me...So anyway, I found some sunless tanner (it was the foam kind with a pump...I think it's called Fake Bake...it was actually pretty expensive...). I jumped right in and "pumped" so tanner on my left leg. It looked like it was a kinda weird color, but I went ahead and rubbed it in anyway...here's where the problem began...As I rubbed in the foam, I noticed that my leg was not really looking tan...actually...it was looking green...I kept rubbing and quickly realized, that my leg was actually turning green instead of tan. Oh no! As panic began to sink in, I decided to quickly try and wash the sunless tanner off of my leg. Well, if you know anything about the permanency of sunless tanner, you would know that it is very difficult to wash off. I scrubbed and srubbed to no avail. My leg had officially turned green! Unfortunately, it was almost time for me to leave for church and I had no other clothes prepared to wear, so I had to go in my capris with one pastey white leg, and one slightly greenish tinted leg. In my bathroom my leg didn't look all that green, however, I was at church for no less than ten minutes before my ever so observant husband (this last phrase is laced with sarcasm...he's the person who didn't notice I had 10 inches cut from my hair...on two separate occasions!), noticed something different about my leg. He asked me about it in front of a semi-large group of people, so I just shrugged it off, hoping he would take the hint, and stop asking me about it. He did not. I had to tell him that I'd fill him in on it later. Of course I told him what happened and he thought it was hysterical. He kept bringing up my leg in random conversation and pretended like it was really bruised. He'd say stuff like, "don't be upset because your leg is all bruised," which of course would then make people look at my leg...he can be such a pain sometimes...but I love him. Just another "Jennifer moment" for ya. Thankfully, I was able to exfoliate my leg enough on Monday morning that all green coloration had disappeared prior to going to work...yeah...

Random Event #3
Occurred Last Night (April 27, 2009)
As I was leaving CCC last night and heading to my car, I saw a weird "thing" on the side walk in front of my car...It looked kinda weird, maybe a little like a rock or something...Well, I as I got a little closer I realized it was a turtle! I'm not talking about a cute little turtle that you have in an aquarium and it swims around looking all cute. This guy's shell was about 8 to 10 inches in diameter with almost spikey looking things along the center of it's shell. It had a long, strange looking tail, and it was just not cute...at all (and I really like most animals...I was just not digging this turtle). Then, some of my weirdness began to set in. I quickly became terrified to walk to my car. I ran inside to get Nick and he came out to see what the big deal was. He agreed that this was a very strange thing to find on the side walk in the middle of a business park in White Marsh. I asked him to touch it to see if it was ok. Nick nudged the back end of the turtle with his foot, and it did this weird thing where it stuck it's butt up in the air. I jokingly asked Nick if we had found the missing link because when the turtle stuck his butt in the air, his long creepy tail became even more noticable. After observing the turtle for a moment, Nick walked me to my car and I got in feeling pretty safe (even though at one point on my way home, my shoe fell off and when I felt it touch my foot, I panicked, thinking it was the turtle...I know, I'm insane). Then tonight I saw a fox run out in front of my car...I'm feeling like I should be on Animal Kingdom or something like that...

So there are a few random things that have happened in the past three days...hope it gave you a break from the day to day and maybe made you smile a little...

~Blevins - out!

Weekend Word - Part VII

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:35:00 +0000

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Don’t we all need to read this verse from time to time…I feel like given the pace of my life, this is another verse, just like last week, I should probably read everyday.

Who among us does not know what it’s like to feel totally week…totally exhausted…like we couldn’t take another step?...and I don’t just mean physically, I mean emotionally and spiritually as well. Perhaps you’ve taken so many hits to your self-esteem you can’t imagine ever being able to take a chance again…you’ve experience such great loss that you don’t think you will or could ever be happy…you’ve been waiting and waiting for God to renew your spirit and it just hasn’t happened and you’re feeling utterly lost, alone, and hopeless…these are what I consider to be “weary and heavy burden” moments…

“I will give you rest”…relief…I’ll take those problems for a while…I’ll give you joy, peace, love, hope…I will renew your strength…I love you…let me show you…don’t try to handle this alone…I can take it…trust me…

Now, I can be a little Rob Bell-is this week, because I’ve actually heard people (him) talk about what it means to take on a teacher’s “yoke.” (although, I’m sure I’ll most likely butcher the meaning of this because I totally just write this stuff from the top of my head…there’s no extra research involved…it’s the weekend…I don’t have that kind of energy or drive…I’ll just say it’s on one of his Nooma dvd’s so you should probably just watch it to get the real info). I think that in Jewish culture, when you chose to identify yourself with a particular rabbi or teacher, you would take on their “yoke.” That meant that you would take on their teachings. Then it would be your job to pass those teachings and ideas on to others. So, when Jesus said that His “yoke is easy” and “His burden is light,” He’s letting us know that we’re not going to be taking on this impossible task by being His follower. It’s doable, it’s achievable. He even says it easy…and that He'll be easy on us...He's humble...not the kind of know it all that you can't stand to be around...and when you get something wrong, or fail a little, He's not gonna beat you...He'll be loving and gentle

Now, I don’t want to disagree with what Jesus says here…so please don’t think that’s what I’m doing, but I don’t really necessarily feel that His burden is light. I see His burden as being death on the cross…death to self…and the burden of reaching the world with His love and power…I mean, perhaps that’s not what He’s talking about here, but I take it as a very heavy burden. However, it's not a hopeless one…not one that I carry alone. Maybe that’s why He considers it “light.” Perhaps it’s light, because it’s shared by all Christians…and Jesus is holding up the heavy side…What an awesomely cool God we have…I feel like that sounds kinda corny, but how else can you describe someone who’s willing to take on our heart aches, struggles, pain, and sorrow so that we don’t have to? I think that’s pretty awesomely cool in my mind…don’t you?

~Blevins – out!

Weekend Word - Part VII

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:57:00 +0000

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” James 4:17

Yeah…I almost feel like this is one of those “enough said” moments. Oh James, why must you be so complicated and stressful?! I would definitely say that although short in length, James is one of the longer books of the Bible when we’re talking about unpacking what it means. I think we could go on for weeks about what this little book has to say about the way we should live (and at CCC we have...just listen to the series "Shorts"...one of the guys that speaks during that series is pretty amazing...I'm sorta kinda head over heels for that guy...).

This particular verse is one that I think I should probably read everyday. How many times do I see something that I really should do, and don’t do it? I just pass the opportunity on by and probably don’t even give it another thought…well, that’s not true…I’m actually the type of person who, once I realize I should have done something and didn’t do it, will beat myself up over it…however, I’m not sure that I ever really think about it as sin. I wonder if I did think of it as sin, would I take the time to make sure I did what I know I ought? And, the times that I have asked God to forgive me for missed opportunities (when I've realized it) are almost more unbearable than asking God to forgive me for not telling the truth or speeding down Rt. 40...And what about the times that I just totally miss the boat? Is it because I’m too self-absorbed to see the world around me?...probably, but how can God forgive me for that? I guess I’m just really really thankful for the power of Jesus’ blood and the fact that it can wash away any sin…even the sin of missed opportunity…

I will close by saying that it is my earnest prayer that God will somehow make clear the things I ought to do, so I can be a blameless and pure child of His…one without fault or blemish…one that can say that she lived her life for God, and lived it well, making the most of everything.

~Blevins – out!

Weekend Word Part VI

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:26:00 +0000

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.” Matthew 16:24-27

So…this is one of those…”Holy cow, why did Jesus have to say such things?” verses…I read this and think, there’s no way I can live up to these standards…I mean, I don’t necessarily consider myself to be all that selfish, but then, let’s stop and think about the definition of selfish. Selfish: (adj) devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. Now, I don’t really know all that many people who only care for themselves so then I start to wonder if we (America) aren’t as selfish as everyone always says we are. On the other hand, when I look at the rest of the definition and read the words “concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc.” I start to wonder…maybe I am really selfish. I’m not saying that I don’t care about anyone else but me. I just mean that I am normally absorbed in thinking about my own interests, my own well-being. Many times I am so much consumed with thinking about everything that’s going on with me, that it clouds out what God might be prompting me to do…changes I might need to make, people I might need to help, things I might need to do, steps of faith I might need to take…Perhaps that’s the reason why Jesus says these words about being selfish first. That is to say, that if we (myself included) are mainly concerned with ourselves, then there is no room for God to move in our lives…He’s a big God…He’s not going to play second fiddle to us.

“Take up your cross…” This phrase reminds me of that song we used to sing a lot in church growing up…I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. I’ve always enjoyed this hymn…I don’t know if it’s because of the words or how easy it is to sing or because it has so many verses, but it’s definitely one of my favorites. Anyway, there’s a verse in this song that says “My cross I’ll carry ‘till I see Jesus.” I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by this idea. Now, if I were Rob Bell or somebody like that, I’d probably have some type of historical meaning to this idea of taking up one’s cross, but alas, I do not. I’ll just convey what I think it means…I guess because I’m selfish like that. Welp, I think we all have these crosses in our lives, just like Jesus. Jesus always knew he was going to die…I've always seen is as this big thing between Him and God…like the proverbial “pink elephant” in the room. I can imagine that Jesus most likely mentioned it every time He talked to God…I know I would. “Hey dad, about this whole dying and giving up my life thing…that’s really gonna hurt and be really hard…can’t we rethink this a little…” These are the kinds of bargains I feel like I have with God too…of course mine are absolutely meaningless compared with Jesus giving up His life to save the whole world, but I think the idea is sort of the same. We all have these hang-ups…these things that keep us from really giving in fully to God’s plan. I think one of the points that Jesus is trying to make here is that He knows we have these things, these issues, these “crosses” that we carry around with us…these burdens, if you will, and He wants us to pick them up and bring them to Him. It won’t be easy, it will probably hurt, it will probably be a little humiliating, we’ll definitely need some help with it, but in order to follow Him, in order to be like Jesus, we have to be willing to take up that proverbial cross.

“Follow me…” well that’s definitely easier said than done. I’m still holding out for those burning bush, goatskin in the dew, writing on the wall occurrences…I guess that’s not happening anytime soon, so how do I know I’m following Jesus? I suppose that’s where faith comes in to play. We just have to have faith that God will somehow make His path clear to us so that we can follow…

"If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” This part seems self explanatory, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult to do. I kinda get the feeling that maybe Jesus was not only talking to His followers, but to Himself too.

And here comes the real kick in the butt moment…”And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” It is so easy to get caught in the trap of “getting.” (or at least that’s what I’m going to call it) It happens to me all of the time. There are so many things in this world that I want to gain…money, things, power, stature (well maybe not all of those things, but it’s gotta be true for some people…). Then I read this and I get all squirmy inside. I don’t mean to be someone who is trying to gain the whole world, but sometimes I feel like I’m getting pulled into the whirlpool and can’t swim out. That makes me worry…not just for myself (because at least I have moments of clarity where I realize that I’m putting my wants ahead of following God), but it makes me really worry about our world in general. How many people around us are losing their souls (and not just people who are “lost”—people we see in church with us each Sunday)? I know those are harsh words, but they’re the ones Jesus used…so we know they’re true.

And finally, “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.” This is one of those things that keeps me up at night from time to time. When I think about being judged according to my deeds, I get this weird flush that rolls right over me, it’s probably some type of a panic attack. I know that I have many things that I do right and I do them for the right reasons, but, I also have so many ways that I fail and fall. I have those thoughts that wouldn’t be really pleasing to anyone, especially the God of all creation. Ugh, I guess this just another reason to remember that although God is just, He’s also loving and forgiving. I think I’ll choose to hang on to that for now, just so I don’t get all freaked out and panicky…What a great note to end on…perhaps I should have planned this one out a little bit better. I guess the best thing is that there’s still hope…there’s still time to follow hard after Jesus…to gather up all of our problems and hang-ups and issues and to seek after Him…to put our worldly desires and struggles in the back seat and to let our actions scream to the heavens how wonderful our God is.

There you go...two weekends in a row...
~Blevins - out!

Weekend Word Part V

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:52:00 +0000

“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.” Job 23:10-11 (NLT)

This verse is from the Old Testament book of Job. Job was this dude that had a whole bunch of bad junk happen to him. You see, Satan thought he could cause Job to turn away from God, so he sent horrible events his way. Even though everyone thought Job had done something horrible in the eyes of God and that he was being punished and that he should go ahead and curse God and be done with it, Job thought differently. He knew that no matter what happened, even if he didn’t understand it, God loved Him. Therefore, he never gave up. He stayed strong. He persevered.

Given Job’s history, and all that he had lost, I love the fact that he didn’t doubt what he had done. He knew that he never compromised.

I wonder about my life. When God tests me, do I “come out as pure gold?” I think to be able to say “I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside,” at the end of my life would be an amazing accomplishment. I feel like these two verses are “life verse worthy”…you know what I mean? Sometimes people will ask “what’s your life verse?”--I never really know what to say. I have a lot of verses that I really like and many that would be great to live my life by, but isn’t the Bible full of verses like that? “I have followed his ways and not turned aside…” There’s the goal…

Reflections on a Loss...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:38:00 +0000

You know that saying “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?” Well, I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately…

On Wednesday, February 4, my mom and my sister both called me after school. I knew immediately that something must be going on if both of them were calling back to back. In true “Jennifer” fashion, my cell phone was out of battery power, so I had to wait until I got in my car to call them back (so I could plug in my phone). Lindsay was the first person I got a hold of…she tells me, “I have some really bad news…” Of course, whenever you hear something like that, your mind starts racing. I’ve had these type of phone calls before…”Your dad’s in the emergency room with chest pains (aka two close proximity heart attacks)”…”Just wanted to let you know your Grandaddy’s in the hospital (aka he has a bleeding ulcer and will need multiple blood transfusions)”…”Your Grandma is going to be in the hospital for a while (aka she has a rare heart virus called endocarditis)”…None of these “bad” conversations began with the words “I have some bad news…” so, obviously, I’m freaking out. Then my sister asked me what I was doing. I told her I was in the car on my way home and she asked me if I wanted to call her back when I got home…To this I promptly said “Um…no…You need to tell me whatever it is now.” Lindsay went on to tell me that my uncle was found dead in his apartment…You could have knocked me over with a feather…to say I was shocked would be an understatement. I mean, he’s my uncle Mark. He’s not even that old (47)…how could he be dead…

Fast forward a few days…due to somewhat strange circumstances given his time of death and when he was actually found, it was difficult to get his body ready for burial…more than a week after his death, we had his funeral…definitely one of the saddest days I’ve experienced…just thinking about his girls and how they’re going to miss out on some of their best daddy years just made me really sad for them…not to mention his boys who are missing out on a really great pal…

Well, he was placed in his grave today, February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. We still don’t really know what happened…it looks like we never will…I guess mysteries still do exist…

Now to my original quote at the start of this blog, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Given this abrupt end to the life of my uncle Mark, I have had the occasion over the past few days to remember so much about him—things that I haven’t really thought about for a long time. You see, my aunt Faith (his wife and my mom’s younger sister) started dating Mark when I was around five or six years old…this means that I’ve basically had Mark in my life for as long as I can remember. Obviously we spent all of the holidays together, but we did so much more too. As a younger child, I used to always spend a week in Virginia with my mom’s parents. Whenever I was there, I knew I’d really be spending most of my time with Mark and Faith. I thought they were so cool. When they were just dating, my aunt and I would go visit Mark at work and take him lunch. I was the flower girl in their wedding when I was in second grade (and in true younger Jennifer fashion, I totally acted like a brat when it came to time take the pictures…at least I made it through the ceremony before acting out…) After they got married, we’d hang out at their house and play Nintendo after my grandparents went to bed. We really liked playing Mario, Rad Racer, and for some reason Jack Nicklaus golf. When I got a little older, we would always head to an amusement park when I was visiting. We normally went to King’s Dominion because it was so close to my grandparent’s house, but I remember one time we went to Busch Gardens. That was such an awesome trip. I think our car ride there was half the fun. Mark had a really great time doing impressions of all the people on the road that were from Ohio…he did a great Ohio accent…I’ve wanted to go back ever since, but never have. Mark would always ride whatever ride I wanted to…I’m not quite sure if he was just being nice, or if he was finally glad to have someone to ride rides with. We loved to play horse and football in the yard. Mark always had a way of making me feel like I was really great at football, even though I was just a girl…He had this awesome dog name P.D. (short for Puppy Dog…you may see now where I got the creative name for my cat…Kitty…). P.D. would always play football with us too…it was so fun. We’d play homerun derby sometimes and P.D. was definitely a great asset because he’d always go fetch the ball. I remember that Mark used to let me drive his truck…even though I was only in the fifth grade...I knew every time I went to my grandparent’s house I would be able to have a couple of driving lessons too. The first time he ever let me drive on the road was when I was 13…It didn’t really go so well, I remember getting pretty close the yellow line and then getting really scared. We had to pull over and switch places because I got so freaked out. We would take random trips to the dump from time to time. I think I mainly went because I knew we'd stop and get ice cream on the way home. He saved my "life" at my Aunt Ollie's funeral...it's a long story...He was probably the only person I’d ever let call me Jenni-poo. He was the first person to ever sing this random song that goes something like “Jennifer….Juniper….”…I’ve never actually heard the song before and I don’t think I want to now…It might erase his voice singing it. Unfortunately, once I started to get older, things seemed to change a little…we definitely weren’t as close as we used to be, but it was always really good to see him and catch up whenever we had the chance. I guess it’s true…”You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…”

Rest in peace Mark…you will be missed…

~Blevins - out...

long time...no blog...long blog...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:53:00 +0000

So, I totally don't know what my problem is...I swore I'd blog more often...even thought about it during Christmas break, but did I do it...nope...I'm a total looser...

HOWEVER...here it is…

On Facebook, there's this new trend to list "25 Random Things" about yourself...to my amusement, it was even mentioned on the radio (Mix 106.5) yesterday morning...It is quite fun to do actually. You can take it one of two ways...you can either just list things that you think might be interesting or unique about yourself, or you can just be...to put in a word...random. I went the, "I'm trying to let people in on who I really am" route...I'm not so sure I'm really glad that I did this because more people read it than I had planned, but I've learned something pretty revealing in the process.

I'll start by posting my "25 Random Things" in case, you haven't read them (although I'm keenly aware that the five people who may possibly stumble on to my blog are also my friends on Facebook so they've most definitely already read them...but you know...just in case...)

1. I want to make my life count...I want to live for God's glory and nothing else...I want everything I say and do to speak of how great God is...
2. I absolutely adore my family...in-laws included...they are some of the best people I know...
3. I really like old movies and old tv shows...Casablanca is probably one of my favorite movies of all time and I could (and have) literally watch I Love Lucy all day...
4. I love to read...I 'll pretty much read just about anything you put in front of me...I'm sad that I don't have more time to devote to this love of mine...I also love sports too and I'm sad I don't have enough time to devote to playing them...
5. My great-grandfather was a minister, my grandfather was a minister, my father is a minister, and my husband is a children's minister...go figure...I swore I would never marry a minister and Nick wasn't one we got married...Lesson learned...never say never to God...he'll change it everytime...
6. I would really love to get my Master's...but, I don't necessarily think I'll be a teacher my whole life...
7. I prefer taking a bath (or if you're an Ainsworth, a tub...:D) over a shower...maybe that's because I have a pretty sweet jacuzzi tub...
8. I really really love music...I like to sing...I literally sing all the time...and not always real songs...most of them I make up...when I'm in the car with Nick (especially on long trips) I can sing the whole trip (he's a saint for putting up with me sometimes)...I would really love to trade places with Christy Nockels...she's amazing...
9. I hate surprises/surprise parties and "showers"...close friends need to note this in case I ever have a baby...which leads me to number ten...
10. I am terrified to have children and am totally bipolar about it...one day I'll see a cute little baby and think...hmm...I'd like one of those...then I see some kid "acting a fool" and I think, heck no, I never want a kid...it's like a total roller coaster for me...I assume eventually I'll know when I'm ready, but I'm not getting any younger...which leads me to number eleven...
11. I don't really like birthdays...I'd prefer to pretend like they don't occur...I'm really not good with getting older...I can't even imagine what 2012 will be like for me...
12. I am pretty shy...I'm not that great at meeting new people and it takes me a while to warm up to others...I'm friendly, but not an open book...sometimes this can be interpreted as being rude or standoff-ish...I'm just not one for small talk...if I don't have anything to say, then I just don't say anything...
13. I love serving others...but really don't like to be served (unless it's by Nick...lol)...it makes me really uncomfortable...
14. Speaking of uncomfortable...conflict makes me want to barf...I hate fights/arguments...anytime I get "yelled at" it makes me want to cry...I am sooo non-confrontational...
15. I have really low self-esteem...(maybe this "random list" shouldn't be so deep...)
16. Some of my favorites...color-pink, food-cheeseburgers and chicken fingers, word-chicken and poop (but not chicken poop), city-Atlanta, GA
17. I had to do a separate list of favorite tv shows...I don't really watch all that much tv except on the weekends...I'll do "old shows" and "current shows"...Old - Friends, Saved By the Bell, Everybody Loves Raymond, Mad About You, the Sopranos...Current - 24!!!!, Heroes, NCIS and I'm thinking I'm starting to really like House...
18. This may not be all that "random," but I absolutely LOVE Spongebob Squarepants...I'd say this is random simply because I'm 26 and love Spongebob, but I really like all cartoons for the most part...on the weekends I typically keep it on Nickelodeon all day...
19. I have this thing for "mob" storylines...whether it's a movie or a tv show, if it's got thugs and mobsters, I'm in...
20. I don't use foul language...ever...not even when I'm mad...I have been known to say "I could cuss..." but in all honesty, I wouldn't know what to say if I had to cuss...
21. I've never smoked or had an alcoholic beverage (or done drugs...)...I am truly a prude, even though I try really hard not to be...I don't really think there's anything wrong with either...well, smoking's really bad because it causes cancer, but drinking causes cirrhosis of the liver and sometimes bad decisions, so...who knows...I guess nothing's all that safe...I'm sure the food I eat is probably just as bad for me as drinking or smoking...(now this is totally random...)
22. I really HATE coffee...the smell, the taste...if there's even the slightest hint of coffee taste I gag...gingerale also makes me gag...instantly...
23. I have this big dream to do something really awesome with my life, but I don't know what it is...this is a terribly frustrating feeling...speaking of being frustrated...
24. Sometimes I get a little frustrated with God...I feel like He gave me all of these random semi-talents and interests, but there's nothing that I'm really really great at...you know what I mean???...some people are awesome artists and you look at them and think...wow, they were born to do that...other people are amazing speakers and you think...it's amazing how God uses them...I sooo wish I was one of those people...btw...I think Nick is the only person who knows this about me...It's really not about jealousy...it's about wanting to contribute in a specific way to the world...and not missing my purpose...
25. I like acting and don't mind being in front of crowds as long as I'm being a "character"...I am terrified of adults and would rather just hang out with kids...

Now, I could definitely come up with many random things about myself, because, truth be told, I am a very random person. But...Nick noticed something quite interesting about the comments I received on my list...almost everyone commented about number 24...I'll re-copy it here if you chose to skim past my list (which in all honesty, I would have done if I were reading this...)

24. Sometimes I get a little frustrated with God...I feel like He gave me all of these random semi-talents and interests, but there's nothing that I'm really really great at...you know what I mean???...some people are awesome artists and you look at them and think...wow, they were born to do that...other people are amazing speakers and you think...it's amazing how God uses them...I sooo wish I was one of those people...btw...I think Nick is the only person who knows this about me...It's really not about jealousy...it's about wanting to contribute in a specific way to the world...and not missing my purpose...

For some reason, this struck a chord with people. Of course, Nick thought automatically that if so many people feel the same way, then the local church should address this and give people direction about it....

My thoughts about it are a little different than his. I think that (this is me personally here...not those who commented on my blog) it is extremely difficult to know if you're doing what God wants you to do. It's not like the Old Testament where He'd actually talk to people, or at least send angels to talk to people (which yes, I know He did in the New Testament too...just not as much). I think people really do want to follow God's plan, but it can't be done by following certain steps, or maybe they (I) don't think that they're good enough to do what God wants them to do. Now, I know I have really really low self esteem (see #15), but it seems to me that God should make it a little easier to find your gifts and your purpose. Wouldn't that make the world a better place after all?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing God for how He's chosen to do things...who am I to say anything about it at all actually...but it is a little puzzling, you know? I kinda think that the journey to find what you're meant to do is basically the whole deal--that as you are on your way to find God's place for you, you get to know Him and His character even better. You get a heart that beats like His, that breaks like His, that loves like His. You get a mind that thinks like His, that sees the bigger picture, that knows this life is not the end by any means. You get hands and feet like His, that go and do the things that no one else would or could do....

This leads me to the frustration...I get all this...I get the fact that in order to be more like God, I need to spend more time with Him, in His Word, with people who also want to be more like Him. Unfortunately, I'm also aware that I only have a limited amount of time on this earth (as much as I try to pretend that is not the case). I feel like I don't have time to wait around anymore. I want to know what God wants me to do and I want to know now (typing this, I'm totally feeling like the prodigal son who wanted his inheritance now...that's a little unsettling...perhaps I'll address that in another blog--that is if I ever remember to blog again...). So, I guess I'm stuck--which totally stinks. I am the kind of person who is very cautious about taking big steps. The kind of person who would need to know up front if the step I was taking was really in God's plan. The kind of person whose fear of failure and rejection can totally block out what God may or may not want to be doing in the world. Is that what it takes to be great in God's eyes? Reckless abandon...an undaunting ability to follow whatever they believe God is calling them to do?

Obviously I know the answer to this question is yes...of course it is. But, what does that mean for me, what does that mean for people who agree with #24? Giving up the illusion of control is possibly too great. I don't know. It's scary because it's not just me that I'm giving up in reckless abandon to God...It's my family and my friends. It's everything I am and care about...and that's tough. But, is it too tough? Wouldn't it be worth it? I would think so...but what if I was wrong...what if what I thought God wanted me to do was so far from what He was actually thinking and planning? And that doesn't even scratch the surface of the "giftedness" problem and what mine are...ugh...it really would be easier if God made me amazingly awesome at something...I'm not asking for an endless list of talents and abilities...I'm just asking for one...one thing that I am really really great at, so that I'll know that was what God wants me to invest my time in...Here I am saying this, but really, if I only had just one thing that I was talented in, I mean really talented in, what are the odds that I would use it? I kinda think I'd be like the wicked servant in Jesus' parable and just burry it away. I'd hope not...

But maybe, just maybe, we all have lots of talents, and we just don't know it. Maybe these semi-talents of which I speak are really what we're supposed to be developing. I mean, nothing really great comes without some kind of price...right? Even our "free gift" of eternal life had it's price...not to us, but to the one who loved us so much to die...for us...And that's the point...that's why I want to contribute so badly...to show God it wasn't for nothing...it was worth it...it's all worth it...

Riiiiight....

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:58:00 +0000

Well, guess what…time has escaped me yet again. As I sit typing this, I realize that it was been MONTHS since my last post. I seem to recall talking about being nervous about the first day of school and now it’s November. Here’s a slight snapshot of what’s been going on…

School is off to a pretty great start. I really really love my class. They’re such cuties! We’ve already finished the first quarter and are one week shy of mid-term of the second. Now’s the time when things get really hectic…the holidays…I hope they stay as well behaved as they are now…It might be a challenge considering some of them acted like complete psychos today just because we had some major snow flurries…They’re still wonderful though, and who could blame them? I was excited about our first “snow” too!

I feel like I’ve been going non-stop since September…three Kidstuf’s…tons of meetings…the Eastern Christian Convention…grading papers…report cards…I don’t think it ever ends…

Now…I am so excited about Thanksgiving! Almost a whole week of relaxing and hanging out with the family…It doesn’t get much better than that…I can’t wait!

So, for all five people who read this, here is my current status…I’m going to put up a Weekend Word this weekend for real…maybe…

~Blevins – out!

Tomorrow...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Tomorrow is the first day of school!!!!! The rest of my first week back went well, I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do in my room, but it can be a work in progress....I'm really excited about getting to know my new class! We had an atypical open house (meet and greet kind of thing) this year and I was able to see my "old" kiddos and that got me totally stoked about starting a new year. It's always kinda weird on the first day of school because there's no relationship yet, so it's a little awkward...I really wish I could fast forward through the first month of school to a point where we know each other really well and all of our routines are in place and well-established. I'm actually not totally ready for the day tomorrow, but I still have time to get there. I'm teaching Social Studies for the first time this year and I don't really know the curriculum all that well yet. That's got me stressing a little. Also, I don't have any dress pants that fit...I have two pairs that I can button without a problem, but I have an uncomfortable amount of muffin-top...how depressing...so...I'm hoping to get at least two more pairs today in the midst of getting groceries for the week and finishing up my lesson plans and doing a little laundry. I'm also "planning" on doing a weekend word, but we'll see how that goes...just thought I'd give a quick update on my first full week back and on my excitement about the first day tomorrow...I have to get to school really early because I still have some things I need to put up and I haven't written my objectives yet, but the good thing is that my kiddos have computer first thing in the morning tomorrow, so they'll be with me for fifteen minutes and then I can finish setting things up if I need to...but I should have enough time to finish tomorrow morning...wish me luck...I'll try to post tomorrow with thoughts on the first day...

~Blevins - out!

Yay for Day Two...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:15:00 +0000

I now have day two under my belt...I'm sure when Nick is back home I won't blog nearly as much, but as it stands, Kitty, Peaches, and Rocko are the only "people" I have to talk to so I've decided to "talk" to my computer...

As far as meetings go, today was pretty light, which is much to my benefit...We were in a brief session first thing this morning, and then released to go look through student files. We reconvened for a PTF provided tailgating lunch which was awesome. Today's weather was so wonderful that we were able to eat outside and it was just great!

Then...after a quick department meeting....I FINALLY GOT TO WORK ON MY ROOM!!!!! (imagine hearing fireworks going off in the background as I say this and a cheering crowd) This leads me to the actual topic of this post..........

Let me start with this interestingly funny anecdote...my whole family is on Facebook and it is totally awesome...this being said...we like to send each other fun messages and the occasional piece of flair...(flair are these little buttons you can send to people that have stuff on them...think Jennifer Anniston's character in the movie Office Space...) Anywho...my dad recently sent me a button that said this "I don't have ADD. I'm perfectly focu...ooooooooooh shiny." This quote represents my entire day today...and I'm totally not kidding....

When I am setting up my classroom, it takes a great deal of thought, patience, organization, and basically staying at a task until it is finished...I am horrible at such tasks...I had eight or nine different things going on at one time...I kept leaving my room to go see what other people were doing...I kept walking around the room in circles...it was terrible...let me let you in on a little "in my head" conversation from early this evening...

"Ok...I need to finish putting this paper up on this bulletin board...Oh wait...where are my scissors...I bet they're in my desk...I'll go get them...(on the way to my desk)...where should I put my calendar this year? Should I put it in the same place? I'm a little bored with where it's been for the past two years....where is my calendar anyway??? Oh yeah...it's in my poster box on top of my cabinet...let me go get the step ladder because I don't want to stand on a chair....oh remember that time last year when you climbed up on top of the cabinet by putting a chair on top of a desk??? That was probably a really bad idea...I'm surprised I didn't get hurt...but then I ended up falling down the stairs about three hours later...that totally sucked...where is that calendar??? Oh here are a few posters that I definitely need to put up...oh look at this monkey...that was cute last year how I decorated everything in monkeys...maybe I'll do that again next year since none of the kids on the third floor would have seen that motif before...Oh look here's my calendar...I'll put it in this stack of six other posters I just pulled out of this box (climb off step ladder)...Now, what was I about to do...(look around the room in confusion)...oh well...I'll go see what's going on across the hall (walk out the door)...I wonder if I can jump up and get the boarder off of the top of the bulletin board in the hallway...let me try it....yes! I did it; I'm awesome...I better get back to work...I'll go work on my shelves a little...(walk in room)...oh I never did finish putting the paper up on my board...look at that alphabet line...that's awfully crooked at the end...that's gonna be a pain to fix...let me go get the step ladder (bring step ladder over to bulletin board...not to alphabet line which was what I had planned on doing...) What did I do with those scissors...there they are...now why did I need them????"

This type of conversation is going on in my head, rapidly, every moment of every day....obviously it's not always about school stuff...another example from today is about Friends...we were working on our files, and I totally zoned out trying to think of the words to one of Phoebe's songs...one of the other teachers I was working with at the time started cracking up laughing and told me she could tell that I was having a really hard time today focusing (and this was in the morning...)

I blame the Diet Pepsi Max....

~Blevins - out!

Back in the Saddle Again

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:44:00 +0000

Well...it was time to go to work again for the first time in forever...Even though I stayed up relatively late last night, waking up wasn't all that hard. Today was pretty much really easy...we sat in a meeting all day long....It really showed me a few things...(now for a numbered list...my FAVORITE!!!)

1. Diet Pepsi Max really has a MAJOR effect on me...I noticed the other day that I got toally hyper and couldn't sit still because of it, but I thought it was a one time thing...I cannot possibly explain this caffeine "high"...I can only imagine it might be similar to what it may feel like to be...shall we say...three sheets to the wind....

2. I am waaaaaaaay too ADD to sit in meetings...although I did a pretty nice job of not talking while my principal was talking, I was having a really hard time staying focused....I will say in my defense that I did much better today than I normally do...despite the Diet Pepsi Max...

3. I prefer working with kids rather than adults...although all of the people who were sitting at my table are awesome and really some of my all time favorite people at school...I still think I'd rather be in the classroom with the kiddos...as unprepared as I am right now...I am totally cool with being back with my new batch of students....

4. Not necessarily related to being back at school, but....I absolutely love the new "Chick-fil-a" sauce...it's soooo good....I like to put it on my chicken sandwich (wheat bun, no pickle)...it's also good to dip your fries in as well...

5. Since I prefer multiples of five, I had to put something else on this numbered list...along with the new school year, I got my school laptop back...for some reason it's being massively slow right now...I am hoping that when Nick gets back from his staff retreat he'll be able to figure out why...

This concludes my numbered list about being "back in the saddle again."

~Blevins - out!

Weekend Word Part IV

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:37:00 +0000

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17

These words in Colossians are taking on a whole new meaning right now in my life. As I type this, I am thinking about and planning for the 2008-2009 school year. Being a teacher is such a rewarding calling and something that I really do take seriously. When I read about teaching in the Bible, it gives a greater sense of purpose to what I do as a career.

Next month in Discovery Island, the children’s environment at CCC, the kiddos will be learning all about the virtue of knowledge – “learning something new so you can be better at whatever you do" (Courtesy of ReThink Group’s 252 Basics curriculum). I think this verse really speaks to this idea because throughout the month the students will be encouraged to commit God’s Word to memory so it can help them everyday in every situation. How much more important is it for me, as a teacher, to have God’s Word dwelling in me richly so that I can teach with wisdom?! During the times when I am tempted to shut out the fruits of the spirit (I thought that was a delicate way to say flip out at a kid…lol!), I can think about God’s Word to help me show self-control, kindness, and gentleness (this really doesn’t happen all that often, but those are the times that I need these thoughts the most).

Another thing that I like about this verse is that it links scripture to music. Some of the most meaningful verses in my life have been taught to me through songs, whether it be the cheesy kiddy songs that I learned as a kid, or something from one of my favorite artists like Charlie Hall, David Crowder, or Watermark. One of the best ways for me to learn and remember things is through song and thanks to talented artists, thousands and thousands of God-followers can keep His words in their hearts at all times.

Finally, this leads me to the last part of this passage, and boy is it a kick to the face…” And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” How often do I just go about my business, working non-stop, going non-stop and don’t even think about Who I’m doing it for? I think this is really easy when I start the school year. I get so wrapped up in the busyness of life that I rarely get a chance to focus on living and working for God’s glory, not to mention the fact that when I’m moving at the speed of life, it’s hard to take time to be thankful for all that God has done for me.

So this is my challenge…to live this verse daily…to let God’s Word fill my heart as a teach others, to give me wisdom, and to always be thankful for the chance to live for God’s glory and serve him daily…It’s quite a difficult challenge, but one that makes all the difference in the world.

It's the End of August...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:40:00 +0000

So....on July 6 I vowed to do a better job with blogging this summer....welp....this is the first one since and it's the end of August....I'm such a slacker!

Since I said that I'd write about the movies I've seen and books I've read this summer, I'll start with that...

Books:
1. I started out the summer with a bang by reading all of the books in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. This is an amazing series...I totally recommend reading them without delay. If you don't think you can read all seven, I'd say you can skip The Horse and His Boy because it doesn't necessarily pertain to anything else in the series. Some of the characters are referred to later on, but it's really no big deal and the beginning is a little boring...

2. After reading C.S. Lewis, I thought I’d give his pal J.R.R. Tolkein a shot. I chose to read The Hobbit. It is a nice read, but I had moments that were somewhat torturous because I had trouble focusing from time to time. Overall, it’s a nice fantasy/adventure book that has a great deal of action and really explains the beginnings of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (I didn’t read the books, just saw the movies).

3. I read a few totally random books that had been on my bookshelf at school that I’d never read. Among them were Kingdom Keepers, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Giver, Number the Stars, and The Secret School. These were all really good…I still have two more that I’d like to read, but I’m not sure if time will permit.

4. A Whole New Mind is a book that I was required to read for school. It was totally interesting and thought provoking. If you’re into business or current world-wide trends, you’d really like this book.

5. Some friends recommended the book The Shack. I wasn’t really all that into reading it, but I totally trust the opinions of those who recommended it so I thought I’d give it a shot…Oh my goodness…I laughed, I cried, I got mad, I questioned, I prayed…it was pretty awesome…definitely a thought provoking read that will make you think deeply about life and your relationships…

6. So, I got this random movie from Blockbuster Online called The Jane Austen Book Club…the movie was ok, but it really inspired me to read a little Jane Austen. I had never read any of her books before, so I decided to give Pride and Prejudice a whirl. I really enjoyed it. I think I’m partial to that time period and I really liked that it wasn’t mushy gushy like I thought it would be.

7. I also read and started a few other non-fiction titles besides A Whole New Mind. I read The Five Love Languages, which I thought was pretty good. I don’t really know that I’ve worked at trying to speak Nick’s love language all that much, but at least I know which one it is and he knows mine…I started Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, The Cure for the Common Life, by Max Lucado and a Rob Bell book, but haven’t finished them yet. I got mad at the Lucado book and quit reading it because it challenged you to find out what you were really good at as a kid and try to do that for a living…I couldn’t think of anything so I got frustrated…I have yet to finish Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge…I worked on it a little at the beginning of the summer, but it quickly got pushed to the end of my list. I have a book about assessment that I need to finish before next week and I’d like to try to at least finish Miller and Bell as soon as I can.

Now for the movies…I’ve been to the movies a few times this summer and am more than willing to give you my opinions…I think I’ll give them grades just like some other reviewers do…I must say upfront, however, that I pretty much like everything I see…

1. Ironman – This movie was the first movie I saw this summer and it was awesome! I give it an A+.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Well, I think it did I nice job of keeping the integrity of the initial trilogy…Shia LeBeouf (sp?) was pretty great in it…I’ll give it an A-/B+.

3. Kung Fu Panda – Jack Black is one of my favorites and I think he hit the nail on the head with this one…I laughed out loud and absolutely loved it…A+.

4. The Incredible Hulk – Surprisingly, this was pretty great…I really enjoyed it and liked the Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr. from Ironman) cameo…A.

5. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan – Pretty disappointing…B-.

6. The Dark Knight – One word…AMAZING!!!...A+.

7. The Mummy III – This was another sequel that I think was true to form…I liked it and will give it an A.

8. Tropic Thunder – Really funny…totally random…A.

I feel like there may be a movie or two that I’m missing here, but for some reason I can’t think of them right now…I’ve seen tons of random dvd’s but nothing to write about…As of now, I still haven’t seen StepBrothers which is seriously disappointing, but I’m hoping to remedy that very soon…

Now I feel a little bit better about my lack of posts this summer…I think I’ve done enough for two or three posts just in this one entry…I’ll try to do some more catching up this week by writing about our vacations and maybe I’ll try to get a Weekend Word up since I’m like eight weeks behind…

Peace, love, and chicken wings…
~Blevins - out!

Weekend Word Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:31:00 +0000

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:5-11

This is one of those rich passages from scripture that served as an early hymn of the church. In these verses, Paul hits on something that I love about Jesus—humility. “Being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing…” I can’t imagine what it took to make this decision, to leave a throne in glory to walk the earth as a person…and it’s not like Jesus was leaving God’s side to live a nice cushy life here on earth. His life was hard. The son of a carpenter did not experience the niceties of life by any stretch, but Jesus was willing to live a demanding, uncomfortable life and die an arduous and horrific death, just to give God glory, to save us.

Many think of humility as a bad thing—to feel inferior is something that is frowned upon in society and I agree. I don’t think anyone should feel inferior because we are all equal in God’s eyes, but I don’t think that’s the kind of humility we are called to show…the kind of humility that Jesus exemplified for us. His life embodied a submissive humility that is necessary in the life of all Christians. Jesus knew God’s plan and humbled himself to fulfill it and because of his humility, he was lifted high—exalted. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Like Jesus, a true leader, a leader that God blesses, is one who is humble and submissive to God’s will. A true follower of Christ knows who they’re following and realizes that there is something much larger than themselves. I think it’s easy, when looking at the grand scheme of things, to realize our “smallness.” On the other hand, no matter how small I feel, it’s still hard to be humble. It’s still hard to put aside my selfish desire to be in charge and submit to God’s will—to show the ultimate act of humility. I think when Christ followers make this realization and jump in with both feet to follow God’s plan, big things can happen…God-sized things that can change the world…

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

My Greatest Aplologies...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:39:00 +0000

To all five people who read this blog....

My greatest apologies for the lack of posting this summer thus far. I don't know what has happened...time just seems to be passing me by way too quickly! I am waaaay behind on my Weekend Word posts (I think it's been three weekends or so now!) and I still haven't blogged about my visit to Orlando or my summer reading and movie reviews! I'll try to get caught up some this week, but I can't promise anything seeing as how I have a "To Do" list that's about three miles long and I have a list of books I'd like to read this summer that's about the same length...I vow to do better...

Update on the Bad Mood...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:19:00 +0000

It's morning and I think I'm doing a bit better...just thought I'd put a little update out there...I've been cleaning for the past three hours and perhaps the self-satisfying feeling of accomplishment has helped my mood improve for the better...

Today's "To Do" list is quite long, but I feel pretty confident that I should be able to get everything finished by the late afternoon...I hope...

~Blevins - out!

Bad Mood...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:17:00 +0000

I am normally a very happy-go-lucky type person...right now...I'm in a foul mood. I don't know why. My tummy feels kinda weird, I have a good bit of work to do, and I'm totally not motivated to do anything...Just thought I'd throw that out there...

Does anyone else just get into bad moods for no reason at all? I suppose there's no reason behind it...I'm not really sure though...Sometimes I think it's just because I feel overwhelmed or maybe that I'm bored and don't know what to do...I don't know, but whatever the reason, I'm feeling totally apathetic right now and I'm hoping when I wake up in the morning, my bad mood is a distant memory because I have mucho errands to run...

~Blevins - out!

Four Things

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:12:00 +0000

Here are four things that are on my mind at this exact moment. I'm sure tons of people are interested in this...(by tons I mean all 5-10 people who read this blog...according to Google Analytics no one reads this, but I know that's not true because I actually have two new comments...go me!):

1. Why must my dog shed all the time? I love Rocko, he's the best dog in the whole wide world (in my opinion), but man can he shed some hair. I have had three marathon brushing sessions with him outside and I think that I could have possibly created three dogs his size with the amount of hair taken off of his coat each time. Have these sessions helped the problem at all??? That's a big fat no! He is still shedding enough to make warm winter coats for all of the poor orphans in Siberia (Siberia was the only cold place I could come up with right here on the spot). It's about to drive me insane at this particular moment in time, because we have people coming over on Saturday and I'm preparing food for them. Oh how embarrassed will I be if someone bites into a muffin and gets a big chunk of Rocko hair...I'll just choose not to think about that...ewww...

2. I really need to touch up the paint in my downstairs bathroom, living room, entry-way and kitchen. When I painted at the end of last summer, I was in quite a hurry and was painting without a ladder (which is a bad idea considering I am a huge klutz and was using bar stools - and my tippy-toes - to reach the top of my nine foot ceilings). It's just not as clean as I'd like it, especially around the edges. I'd also like to paint my office too, which is downstairs as well. I have tried out a few sample paint colors and don't know what to do. Part of me would like to paint it really dark brown because it might make it feel really warm and cozy, but I also really like that kinda sagey-green color...I was thinking since I like that green color, that I may use it in my upstairs hallway, but I just dont know...I wish Nick had an opinion on such matters...I know I want to paint our bedroom a darkish-purple and our bathroom tan (the same tan of my entry way) but now I'm really wondering why I've written all of this...

3. I really wanted this to differ from my earlier "Three Things" blog, but I am having a little trouble coming up with four things. Maybe I should have entitled this blog "Two Things;" however, I have come up with a number three...this whole tomato, salmonella stuff. Frankly, I'm a little concerned. I don't understand why we can't eat tomatoes anymore. Are all of the tomatoes bad? Do we know where the contaminated tomatoes came from? Will we ever be able to eat tomatoes again? Is this phase one of "The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes?" Why aren't all tomatoes banned from public consumption? Are there only certain types that make people sick? How many people have gotten sick so far? Has anyone died? Has anyone taken the time to read all six of the above mentioned questions? Does anyone else care about this topic at all?

4. At this exact moment, I am thinking about possibly either playing Nintendo Wii or going upstairs to watch disc 2 of volume one of season six of the Sopranos. I gotta say that so far, although somewhat intriguing, this sixth season has been a little strange. The Sopranos has always had that "artistic" flair to it that I really appreciate, however, right now I'm semi-confused. I know it has a weird-ish ending and that a lot of people didn't like the last episode, but who knows why? I do know this...AJ's hair looks really bad right now and I hope he gets it cut. Sometimes I like long hair, but not on him, it looks horrible...

This concludes my list of four things that I'm thinking right now. I hope it has helped brighten your day to know that I have totally random thoughts all the time and that this feeds in to my total ADD-ness that seems to be growing with each passing year...

~Blevins - out!

Weekend Word - Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:57:00 +0000

“Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is to understand His decisions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor? And who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back? For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory. To Him be glory evermore.”
Romans 11:33-36

These verses from Romans are titled “Doxology,” which comes from the Greek word doxologia or doxologos, meaning ”praising, glorifying” (doxo – praise, logos – speaking). I love this passage because I feel like it puts my feelings into words. The first part that stands out to me is the portion that states “How impossible it is to understand His decisions and methods!”…Boy isn’t that true…I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has stopped and asked, “God, what are you doing? What are you thinking? This can’t possibly be right…” I can’t begin to name all of the times I’ve stopped and questioned God’s decisions and methods, His plan. It’s kinda funny because as a teacher and a “storyteller” at church, I am constantly directing children to “Trust God No Matter What” and to know and remember that “God’s way is the best way.” I think this is one of those easier said than done concepts. That’s why this verse is one of my favorites. It sort of puts me in my place. It’s not even remotely possible to be in on God’s whole huge plan. Our finite minds wouldn’t even begin to be able to understand or even handle God’s mind, His heart, therefore, we cannot even really have an inkling as to His decision making process and motives…

The next parts I like are the three big questions: “For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor? And who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back?” Talk about feeling small in the huge story of God! As puffed up and proud as I can feel when something great happens because of me or my efforts, it’s quite humbling to think that I cannot even come close to paying Him back for all that He has done for me. It’s easy to feel like I’ve got it all together, especially during those rare times that life is running on all cylinders and things just seem to fall in to place. Sometimes I get really sucked in to the day to day things that I have a tendency to think I can do everything on my own, that I don’t need to rely on God or His wisdom because I’ve got it all figured out, I can take care of it all on my own. In reality, I typically have no idea what I am thinking, so I can’t even begin to know about what God is thinking, more or less think that I know what I need to do better than he does. “Who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back?” I do a lot. I’m not trying to be boastful or anything, but I know that God has created me to be a servant so “doing” comes naturally to me. I rarely mind, or even call any attention to what I do to serve others and God. That being said, I have had many times when I have kinda kept tabs in my head…”Well, God must be really pleased with me this week, I spent almost every night working to bring others closer to Him…I wonder if He’ll send an extra special blessing my way because of it…” I’ve even said things like “I bet I get another crown for this one.” (as in my heavenly reward) I don’t have too many moments when I feel like God “owes me one.” On the other hand, I have had times when I need something from God, whether I’m in a tough spot or someone close to me is and I sometimes, inadvertently, try to use my service as a bargaining chip. This question helps remind me that God doesn’t owe me a thing…no matter how much I may think I deserve it. Serving is not something I do to get paid back by God, it’s something I do to honor and glorify His matchless name.

Finally, “For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory.” As a college student I had the privilege of being a part of a great student “movement” (for lack of a better word) called Passion. One of the things I love about the leaders of this movement is that everything that comes from them, whether in word or in deed, points people to God. It’s designed to be for His glory. I learned from them that that’s what we’re here for…to give God glory. When you look at your life in this light, it changes things…it changes how you spend your time, who you spend it with, what you say, what you do, even what you think…If I can live my life with this statement in mind, that “everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory,” then I believe I am on my way to becoming the kind of person God wants me to be—someone who realizes my dependence on Him and points others to His love and forgiveness.

“To Him be glory, evermore.” – Amen

2007-2008 School Year in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:41:00 +0000

Another school year has come and gone. It really is a strange feeling to know that I don’t have to worry about any plans for next week, grading papers, being the disciplinarian, keeping an orderly classroom…you know all the things teachers have to do…I can finally “relax” a little and enjoy some time to recharge and renew.
This year has been quite unique from beginning to end. I started out the year breaking my ankle while walking down the steps the Friday before school started. I thought at the time that this was a sign that this year was going to be quite a bear, but it was actually not that bad. I really, truly enjoyed the kids in my class. I liked seeing them everyday, getting to know them, and teaching them. One of the things I love about my job is that I not only get to teach kids about Math and Science, but that I get to teach them about our God, who created them and has a purpose for their lives.
I was truly blessed with gifts from my kiddos this year. I don’t mean that I got really great stuff (which I did, many parents were quite generous), but I’m talking about the cards and kind words I received. “You’re the best teacher I’ve ever had.” “You always made everyday fun.” “My three favorite things about you…One is that you smile all the time which makes me feel happy to be at school. Two is that you are really funny. Three is that you are someone I can look up to and be like when I grow up, like a big sister.” (I really love how she didn’t say mom) “You make me want to be a teacher too.” “Thank you for teaching our son how to be a better Christian.” “At first I was really scared about being in the fifth grade, but you have made this the best year ever.” “I really am going to miss you this summer.” “Is it too early to request you as a teacher for our other son—he just finished Kindergarten?” “Can’t you move up to 6th grade?”
There are days when I don’t feel so great about myself. I have a tendency to be rather self-deprecating and I definitely struggle with self-esteem. My students were the remedy for that this year. Each morning, I had several kids who couldn’t wait to get upstairs just to talk to me. They wanted to tell me every little thing they were thinking and feeling. They totally made my day just by coming in and saying, “Mrs. Blevins!” in that cheery tone of voice they get when they’re really happy/excited. I really am going to miss that. I’m not saying that I’m the best teacher ever—I’m not even saying that I’m really all that great at teaching at all; however, I have been able to get to know some really great kids, who taught me a lot about myself. They taught me the importance of listening and truly caring for one another. They taught me patience and self-control, even in some of the most difficult circumstances. They taught me about unconditional love and forgiveness. They taught me what it means to make a difference in the life of someone else.
May I never forget how great it feels to end a school year on a high. Not every day or week or even month is perfect when you’re an elementary school teacher, but it’s my hope that I’ll be able to remember the big picture as I go through those days when the kids just seem to talk incessantly, or I’ve repeated the same direction eight different times. All I really remember now about this year are the good times and how much fun we had growing together as a class. You know, they say child birth is the same way…it hurts like nothing else, but you forget all about the pain as soon as you get to hold your precious little baby. Well, I’ve never really fallen for that argument before because frankly, I’ve always thought it was a load of poop, but maybe there’s something to it after all…
~Blevins out!

Weekend Word - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 31 May 2008 04:57:00 +0000

This is my first “Weekend Word” blog. My goal is take some time each weekend and share some of my favorite verses from the Bible and why they’re special to me. I keep a notebook where I write down scripture as I read. Now obviously I don’t write down everything, but sometimes as I’m reading I run across something that hits me in a special way. Most of the verses I’ll write about will probably be somewhat familiar to most Christians, but many times we (me especially) often forget about the great truths God has given us in The Bible. It is my attempt to remind myself of how awesome God is and how integral His word is in my life…hopefully you’ll come along for the ride.

“These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
1 Peter 1:7

I have always loved this verse. This was a verse I committed to memory when I was in college to give me strength and courage. We all have trials…it’s a guarantee…even Jesus promised us we would have hard times. The great thing is that the trials aren’t needless; they’re for a purpose—to show that our faith is strong and pure. How easy it is to crumble during difficult times. I mean, these are the times when our faith is totally put to the test. I love how this verse says that “it is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold.” Fire destroys almost everything it touches; however, it has the opposite effect on gold. Gold, instead of crumbling under the heat and pressure from fire, only gets better. The purpose of trials is to make our faith “better.” I know it’s so hard to remember things like this when we’re struggling, but when we get to the other side (and I say “when” because we always make it through) we are able to see how God has seen us through and we’re better for it.

“And your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold”…wow. I love this. Imagine for a moment, the God of the Universe…Creator of everything good and perfect. I would venture to say that God has made some pretty precious things, including gold—which is considered to be the most precious of metals. But, our faith, little old me, my faith, is far more precious to God than mere gold, mere gold. This most precious metal is meager to God in comparison to our faith. This puts great value on us as God’s beloved. I think this also puts great value on our trials as well. If it’s these trials that make my faith more valuable, increase my “karats”, if you will, then they mean all the world to me as a Christian. They make everything worthwhile. It’s my job to make choices that will bring me closer to God. The way I react to “fiery trials,” determines whether my faith is strong. Now, I don’t believe if I “fail” a trial, then that lessens or diminishes my faith, or that God will be disappointed in me. I think it just means that I’ll have more chances to grow. Oh that my faith will stand the test of time, the test of fire, the test of temptation, the test of loneliness, fear, and doubt, the test of life—because my faith matters to God.

Yeah, It's Been a While...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:05:00 +0000

Whoa...it seems like it has been forever since I've blogged...Nick just read some stats to me about blogging...he said about 16 million people blog and most of them are single, homosexual males and agnostics...I don't really think I fit in to any of those categories last time I checked so this is quite puzzling to me...oh well...maybe that's why it's so hard for me to keep up with mine!
So, I totally have these huge plans for my blog and I never have time to put them into action. I wanted to have a weekly post that shared some of the wonderfully funny and random things my kiddos did at school, but alas, that has not and probably will not happen. This is so for many reasons...the top two being the fact that I have no time and no short term memory...Now, my new thing is to try and do something weekly like Nick does. He does this Friday Five thing (that he totally stole from somebody else) where he lists the top five blogs he's read from the past week. Given the fact that I only currently subscribe to two blogs in my reader, I don't think my weekly post would be anything like Nick's. I have a few ideas floating in my head...One is that I'd take one day each week to post a Bible verse or two that I really like and say why I like them. I know this wouldn't really be all that funny or anything, but I would like to feel that my blog is bettering the world (when I say world, I mean all three or four people who read this...). Another addition to my blog that I'd like to make is a movie and a book review post. Maybe a few times a month, I'll write about some movies I have seen recently or books I've just finished. These are just a few ideas that have been floating around in my head...I'm not quite sure what route I'll take yet. I figure I'll have a little more time once school gets out, but then again, I always think I'll have tons of time during the summer and then before I know it, it's over and I have nothing to show for it...
On a totally different note...I had such a great weekend even though I was as sick as a dog...I got to hang out with all kinds of friends and it was great. I think that I saw most of my favorite people in the span of three days...pretty awesome...if I saw you on the dates between May 23 - 26, 2008, then you should feel honored and privileged because you're on my list of people I really like...The only thing that would have made it better would have been if I could have seen my mom, dad, and sis too...I did get to talk to all of them via text message, phone, and facebook, so I guess it was kinda like seeing them too...Anywho...I can breathe now and I'm really happy about that...hardly have a voice which could make tomorrow difficult, but I'll deal with that in the morning. I guess better go now that I don't feel like a total blog slacker...
~Blevins - out!