Joy in the Journey

I must say that I think I have a great job!  Well, it's more like multiple jobs that keep me busy, but I'm really loving my many roles.  Maybe that's why a lot of people have told me they liked their 40's better than their 30's.  It just seems that I've come to a new place, where I'm just content and satisfied with my place in life right now.  I love being a wife, a mother, a home school teacher and working part-time as a church receptionist.  It's especially rewarding, as I've been noticing how much my daughter is growing, maturing and just becoming such an awesome young lady.  Of course, I can't brag and take all the credit.  I'm just doing my best.  But, when you know that you have prayed for a child all along, even before you ever met, and now to see them blossoming before your eyes, it's quite an awesome miracle to behold.  I couldn't be more happy to see my husband doing his best at his new job, which is a lot more fulfilling than the original job that brought us to Denver.  And now to see Penny turning into a young lady is so wonderful.  She has been busy doing all kinds of helpful things.  In fact, she knew that I had a big extra project on my job to get over 1,000 letters and year-end statements mailed off and she asked if she could help.  Since, she comes along with me to church every Friday, since her home school enrichment group meets in the same building, I gladly accepted her help after that home school group finished.  Here she is, helping me prepare envelopes for mailing.

The following Monday, she was such a sweetheart, that she gladly offered to come hang out with me at the office, again, so she could help some more after she finished her homework.  We managed to get the whole lot done before the next receptionist came on duty for the following week, and before the postage rates increased.

Penny has also been doing a great job as a student.  She's been working very hard.  And she's been trying her best, without whining, even for her least favorite subject, Math.  She's actually picking up Algebra, now, much faster than when she first started at FCHS.  In about a month, her home school etc. enrichment group (HSE), will be learning about Asia.  So, Penny has been asked to give a presentation to the elementary kids about Thailand and I've been asked to give one on Japan.  So, this week we both worked on preparing some boards with pictures to show to the kids about the two countries.  Here is Penny doing her creative work.

And here is the finished project….

And here is my final work…

The big, creative project that I've been working on this past weekend was to put together my own art curriculum to use with Penny this coming Fall semester.  This was such a joy to put together.  I wish I could show you the whole thing, especially after Penny finishes all of her projects related to it.  But, alas, I'll only be able to show you the front cover.

I was thinking, as I was compiling this curriculum, "I never dreamed, back when I took some art education classes at CSU, that I would end up teaching art to a classroom of 1…and my very own daughter, nonetheless!"  How fun!  Like I said, I have the greatest job in the world!  I just can't wait for this next Fall semester to come around, so that we can make more fun, messy creative art projects together.  And since I'm her teacher, I get to choose all of her curriculum.  So, I've decided that next year, for our social studies, we will study the history, geography and religion of Thailand.  Won't that be fun?!  I've been working on some curriculum ideas for that, as well, since you can't buy any pre made curriculum on that subject area.  That's okay, we'll just come up with our own!  And we'll do so, from a biblical world view, since we believe that Jesus came as a savior for all people, including the Thai people. 

 One thing that did not show up on the photo of Penny's info about Thailand religion, is that the number of Thai believers in Jesus is estimated to be around 0.7% of the population.  While this may sound like a small number, I have met several Thai believers in Jesus and it's with hope that I pray for more Thai people to come to know the one who died for their sins.  For even Buddha, himself, said that there is no way that one can pay for his or her kharma on their own.  He even preached that there was a savior coming, after him, who could pay the price for the people's kharma/sin.  We believe that He has come!  And we celebrate that news with joy, praying that more and more people in the beautiful land of smiles will have an even greater joy of knowing that they are set free in Jesus!