D is for...

  is for my dad.


I have to tell you how incredibly special my dad is.  Sometimes we wait until Father's Day to appreciate them, but I think today is just as good as any other day to recognize how much my dad means in my life.  To name only a handful, my dad has taught me during the years to have a strong work ethic, to give generously to others, and to save and spend wisely.  He's there for me when I call to say hello by phone, to help fix my car when it isn't working the way it should, and to listen to me when I need to cry.  I can only hope that I will someday find a man that will be such an incredible father to my children as my dad has been to me and my brother.  Thanks Dad for being you.  I love you!

C is for...

 is for the upcoming Christmas season.



I usually have a very strict "no Christmas music before Thanksgiving" rule that I subject myself to.  Not so this year my friends!  The holidays have arrived in this girl's life in mid-November.  I've been listening to Christmas music on Pandora for days now.  My little miniature Christmas tree is out on my bookshelf, and my very favorite decoration, my Willow Tree nativity set, is surrounded by lights.  It looks beautiful.  I personally love nativity sets because it focuses my attention back on the reason for the season, celebrating Christ's arrival into the world!  We might become somewhat callous to the story after having heard it since we were tiny.  Nonetheless, I just want to take a second to truly absorb the meaning of this.  God chose to step down from heaven and come live among us:  Emanuel, God with us.  That's big, huge......earth changing.

B is for...

 is for bliss.



I wonder if everyone's brain works like mine does.  What I mean by this is that I think a lot; not necessarily about something genius or terribly important, but I feel like my mind is in overdrive at times.  Have you ever been driving down the road thinking of responsibilities at work, the chores that need done at home, your social engagements coming up, and all of a sudden you realize that you don't remember most of your drive home?  Scary.  I know, right?  Yesterday I made the goofy mistake of thinking about the conference I was going to today at IUPUI and turned right toward downtown instead of left out of our subdivision.  Long story short, I had to go a longer route to get back on track and fight some traffic madness.  Pay attention already!

Sometimes in the craziness that comprises my thoughts, I realize how happy certain things make me.  It could be doing something simple like filling out and addressing Christmas cards, finishing up a hard day's work then locking up my classroom, or purchasing another Christmas gift that is just right.  It's in those moments of fulfillment that I truly appreciate the pure bliss that simpleness brings to our lives.  I like flashy, glitter, and busy...........but I think 99% of the time the little things are what bring us the greatest joy in life.  The holidays are upon us so I pose this question to you.  Are you going to let this Thanksgiving and Christmas season become overbearing and stressful?  Not this girl!  I want those quiet moments, those normal occurrences when my brain slows down and thinks just how happy life can be in those everyday moments and simple beauties.  Bring on the quietly falling snowflakes, some tiny twinkling Christmas lights, and a cup of hot chocolate.  I'm so ready for some Christmas bliss.

Alphabet Soup

One of the most interesting non-fiction writer's work I've had the pleasure of reading is Shauna Niequist.  Her books Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet connected with me on a really deep level as a female, a Christian, and just a normal everyday person in general.  You should certainly check them out!  I recently visited her blog which sparked an idea for my own writing.  She's currently featuring a giveaway of artwork from one of her good friends.  On the piece, the word "bloom" is represented both in letters and graphically.  As part of the competition, she asked her readers to respond with a word that they really love......and thus bloomed my own idea for posting on here.

For the next few weeks, I am going to go through the alphabet and choose a word of the week.  I'm a little bit of a word nerd (no rhyme intended, but I like it), so I'm pretty excited about it.  It might be one that really resounds with me, it might be an everyday word, or it may just be one which I think is really beautiful to say or think about.  Keeping in theme with her post, I'd like to invite you to comment on these with words that begin with that letter that are meaningful to you and why.  Let the words begin... 




 is for abundance.


With Thanksgiving floating right around the corner, I couldn't help but focus on the abundance of blessings in my life.  I love the image of an overflowing cornucopia that often accompanies one's thoughts of Thanksgiving and plenty.  I am thankful for an abundance of love from family and friends near and far.  I am grateful for good health, shelter, my daily bread, and warmth as the weather turns cool.  I appreciate the abundance of energy and spirit that my wonderful students bring into our classroom daily.  When it is all too easy to want something I do not have, I wish to instead shift my vision to the great harvest of blessings that God has laid in my life.  

Control Freak

Well, it's officially been, oh......about forever since I've written on here.  Life has a way filling up with busyness, activities, and responsibilities that take away from creativity.  So here I am again trying to figure out what to say that might be worth reading.  I feel a responsibility to really put something important on my blog if people are going to take the time to click on it and think about what I've written.  I guess I haven't had anything that earth-shattering to talk about in a while, but then again, you just never know what someone needs to read or hear in their day.  So here I am, back and blogging.

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Do you ever have those moments like I do when you think no one could know the real you better than yourself?  Well, at least until God steps in and reminds you that He does?  Being a teacher and type A personality, I am big on planning ahead, preparedness, and routine.  This is all grand and good; I think it makes me really enjoy and excel as an educator and grad student.  I spoke to the adviser for my master's program on the phone about a week ago and thoroughly appreciated her willingness to plan out when and how I should take each class over the next year and a half.  I like to have my goal in sight and slowly check off my progress in getting there.  I'm a mental and actual list maker.  I owe much appreciation to the inventor of Post-it notes.  (The really big ones with the lines on them are my favorite!)  I know that God created me to be this way to fill certain roles and purposes which is pretty awesome.

Being Miss Prepared and goal oriented, very in tune with who I am in the full array of my strengths and weaknesses, God most certainly has a way of reaching in the midst of it and reminding me that it is HE who holds the world and my very being in His hands.  I love the beautiful words of Psalm 139: "O Lord, you have searched me and know me......you are familiar with all my ways (parts of vs.1-2).  Is it just me, or is it both extremely humbling and also incredibly amazing that the Creator of our entire universe knows us each better than we know ourselves.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  I know that He is completely aware of the discomfort that a lack of control in my life brings to me, but I know that good comes from the trials we experience.  What He is teaching me in this moment is the ability to relinquish control to Him, to truly trust the path He has laid out ahead of me even though it may not be visible to my eyes just yet.  I'm thankful that He's shaping and molding me, shaving away the rough edges to make me lean heavily on His power instead of my own feeble attempts.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6

If God gave me a Post-it note, I think He might have a list much more essential than grading papers, doing the laundry, or reading an article for class.  What might it say?  "Trust me, Cassie.  Lean on me today.  Talk to me.  Praise me.  Accept my blessings.  Love others."  Maybe I am a little bit of a control freak, but I'm being reminded each and every day to have HIS way in my life.  It's funny that letting that happen is really the most prepared and secure anyone could ever hope to be.    

Real Sacrifice

Today was a very unique day for each and every American.  We were faced with the memory of the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001.  It's difficult to watch replays of the coverage of that horribly sad day, and yet I believe we must look back and remember.  We must honor those who were lost and the men and women who rose as heroes.  I pray for the families who that day lost those they dearly loved and who still feel that missing piece in their lives.  May God continue to fill their hearts with peace and wholeness once again.  I am also incredibly thankful for the service men and women who step in and take immense risks to save lives or fight for our freedoms.

In honor of 9/11, the youth at church did a very special service this morning.  They fittingly chose the topic of "God of Justice" and focused their message, music, and drama on the topic of becoming God's hands and feet to justly reach out to each of His children in need.  As the worship service reached its conclusion, the middle and high schoolers challenged the congregation to sacrifice.  What followed undoubtedly ranks as one of the most touching and emotional displays by a congregation that I have had the honor to experience.

Soles for Souls is a non-profit organization which collects used shoes and redistributes them to shoeless and needy individuals in countries across the world.  To support this ministry and to truly reach out to those less fortunate, the youth asked us to consider making a somewhat radical sacrifice.  As we sang one of our final praise songs, they requested that we might join them in bringing our own shoes we had worn that day up to the altar as a donation and leaving church shoeless that day.  It struck me how easy it is to take a few bills out of your wallet to drop in the offering or to send in a monetary donation to a good cause.  Putting yourself in a somewhat uncomfortable situation and giving of something unexpected was an exercise for our church in trust and obedience.  The youth were unsure of the response they would receive, but as individual after individual removed their shoes and walked to place them at the front, my heart was brimming with emotion.  It made me realize that to step out in faith, we need to feel awkward and uneasy sometimes.  Feeling at ease and just giving when it's easy isn't real sacrifice.  When Christ stretched out His arms and gave Himself as a sacrifice for each of us, he set an example in laying aside our own will or needs.  May He always push me to be more radical in my love for Him.

By the way, the altar was full of shoes.  Our youth are brave in their faith, the church family is gracious in their acts of giving, but most of all, our God is an awesome God.

   

In Christ Alone

-Till He returns

Or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand-

I want to share this absolutely incredible song with you because it gives me goosebumps each time I hear it and reminds me how absolutely in love I am with my Savior.  I hope it brings your heart to a place of awe and praise as it does mine.  Even if you've heard it before or if you're a skeptic, please let it have a few moments to play and give it a chance.  In a world so caught up in busyness, materialism, and anything and everything else, it brings me a breath of fresh air and rest for my heart to remember the source of my strength, in Him alone.