a different story

every once in a while i read a phrase that sticks to me like that donut i had for breakfast to my hips. in other words, it sticks!

anyway (sorry for the visual), i was reading in my Bible the story of when the twelve spies went to canaan to scout out the land they knew God was giving them. ten of them came back with eyes and hearts full of fear, while two came back with eyes and hearts full of God. while i was reading this (i was reading in the messsage paraphrase, since that's what my devotional book uses), i was struck by God's response to His people. He's frustrated, and understandably so, because after all He has done for the people of israel, they continue to gripe and complain because things aren't easy enough for them. as He explains what will happen to those who saw what He did for them and refused to acknowledge His power (number 14:20-23), He turns the mood when He talks about caleb. in the message, it reads, "but my servant caleb-this is a different story."

"this is a different story."

in a world full of corruption, liars, negativity, greed, confusion, and strife, i would love for God to look down and say, "but my servant Bethany-this is a different story. the world doesn't acknowledge me. the world doesn't respect me. the world doesn't follow My ways and doesn't follow Me passionately. but bethany-SHE is a different story."

i don't know about you, but i desperately want this for my life. i want to hear those words uttered from the lips of God. i want to feel His smile on me as i go throughout my day-as i work, run, play, and sleep.

this challenge is for you and much as it is for me: are you a different story?

sentences

last night for spelling homework, i had my students write sentences that used their spelling words correctly. i really expected to see more funny sentences than i did, but i'll still share the ones i have. the bold words are their spelling words.

~in the future, there will be flying bikes. (oh really?!)

~i'm a little odd, aren't i? (we're all a little odd, honey.)

~you should try my mom's putting {pudding} whith whip cream it is so good the flavor is like your swimming throgh putting. (next we're going to work on run-on sentences....and spelling.)

~when i grow up, i want to go to the future or past. (after run-on sentences, we'll work on the concept of reality.)

~i am going to buy mrs. hernandez a castle. (i desperately hope he's talking about me and not my mom.)

i couldn't help myself

i don't normally make fun of people. out loud. in public. (family doesn't count.) but i saw this on facebook as a status update and could not help myself:

"in tudering."

i wonder why.

the difference between boys and girls

i apparently have a very fashion savvy sense of style. ok, not really, but my third graders think so. today i was reminded how different boys and girls are, and it made me laugh. as we were leaving the room to go to lunch, one of the girls told me,

"miss hernandez, i love your outfit! i love what you wear everyday!"

"yes, you have a great sense of style!" chimed in the girl behind her.

then a boy behind them put in his two cents:

"yes, but how much did that outfit cost?"

it was like having dad in my classroom....

bible folder?

i have a seriously cute boy in my class. i mean, he's really cute. he's smaller than most 3rd graders, has a high-pitched voice, and walks around with a grin on his face ALL THE TIME. he has a pretty impressive sense of humor for a 3rd grader. the problem is that he knows he's cute, and he knows how to get a laugh.

i put his desk in the front of the classroom so that i could keep an eye on him at all times. that plan has almost backfired though, because now i hear all his funny remarks that he makes under his breath. and let me tell you: he really is funny.

today i handed a science review to the class with these instructions: "today you will fill out this review. when you are finished, put it in your bible folder so that you will have it tomorrow because we will go over it as a class tomorrow. where do i want you to put your review?"

class: "bible folder."

me: "ok-do not forget. i want it in your bible folder. i'll even repeat myself because i know some of you aren't listening. when you are finished with your review, put it in your bible folder."

cute kid (with obvious sarcasm): "so...do you want it in our bible folder?"

oh.my.word.

honer

sometimes i wonder what goes on my students' heads. i mean, really.

case in point: every week, my students have to write their spelling words at least one time for homework. all they have to do is copy the words from their book onto their paper. the hardest thing about the paper is making sure that i can read their handwriting. yet every week, i have about 6-8 students who have a ridiculous number of words spelled wrong.

yeah, i don't take that very well.

so those little darlings have to stay in from recess until they hand in a perfect paper. once they realized that recess was involved, i suddenly started getting some GREAT papers. however, i had one student who consistenly spelled the word "honor". he kept writing "honer". i kept handing his paper back and saying, "look at number 3: 'honor' is spelled wrong." so he went back and came back and handed back the exact same paper with no corrections. for those of you who have had the joy of repeating yourself numerous times, you can probably imagine what is going on in my head right about now. i very calmly told him to look at the book. his reply?

"that's what the book says."

that's what the book says? THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK SAYS? i wonder if he actually thought i would buy that excuse. i mean, really.

but then i thought about my relationship with God. i know i give the lamest excuses about not doing what i should do. and now i can picture God looking at me and saying, "really? you honestly think I'm going to believe that?" talk about a wake-up call. God used a third grader to convict me. i must've needed it.

i mean, really.

in memory

there are very few posts that have not been written for you - the readers. (or reader, if i'm being more realistic.) but everyone once in a while, i write for me. i write to remember the things that have made my life great, the things that shaped me, and the things that have made me the person i am now.

last week i lost a person who had much more influence on my life than i ever realized until it was too late - my grandma.

mary isabel wells, or grandma as i knew her, passed away on wednesday, september 8th, from colon cancer. we found out she had cancer in february 2009, and initially the news was good-the doctor was able to get all the cancer out. but then it came back and began to spread. i was in denial for a long time. a few months after that prognosis, i went to visit her and it was apparent - my grandma was dying from cancer.

at first i felt overwhelming regret. we live 5 hours away from each other, and i knew that i had not visited near as often as i should. then as we realized that she didn't have much longer, i felt overwhelming sadness. i couldn't believe how fast everything was happening. when we were told that grandma had a month left, i tried to visit as much as i could, and loved the time that i spent with her. i found out that i was just like her. we apparently shared many personality traits. it was a comforting and sad thought at the same time.

grandma lived about 3 months past the time the doctors told us she would die. i feel as though those 3 months were a gift. toward the end, she was no longer the grandma i knew. the cancer had changed her mind and personality, and the pain affected everything she did. but she was still my grandma.

when i first got the call that she had passed away, my first reaction was surprise. even though i knew it would happen soon, it still took me off guard. i prayed until the very end that God would heal my grandma. He didn't answer my prayers the way i wanted Him too, but i know that His will is perfect.

the funeral time was hard. being in her house was hard. and leaving la grange, even though it wasn't for the last time, was harder still. it has been over a week, and my heart still hurts so much. i know that she isn't in any more pain. and i know that this deep well of grief that i find myself in won't last forever. but it doesn't take away from the fact that grandma is no longer here, no longer around to just sit around and talk with. i can't ask her for stories about my family, or call her up to ask for a recipe. i feel like i lost her right at the time that i was getting to know her.

but as i sit here, i realize that i still have the memories. i had one of the best grandmothers that anyone could ask for. she loved and spoiled me, and in my opinion, she was the most beautiful person i knew. as someone said, her influence will live long past her life. and it definitely will.

i love you, grandma. and i'll miss you always.

guilt. to the nth degree.

every time i get on the internet it mocks me.

i can't believe it's been over 7 (8) months since i've blogged. what can i say? i think you've heard every pitiful excuse out there. and what made me start blogging again? well, a number of things.

we'll start with number 1: guilt. i'm not stupid...or delusional. i know that there wasn't a mass of people waiting for me to update my blog. in fact, i'm sure some of you quit checking my blog about 7 months back. "oh that girl," you said about me, "she's always promising to blog more and she never does. what could she possibly be doing that takes up so much time that she can't blog?" well, the answer is....nothing. ok, there are SOME things that have taken up a lot of time (we'll revisit those things later-if you can believe that). but overall, no-i'm not too busy to blog. I started to feel bad because quite a lot has happened in the past few months, and i hadn't bothered to let the world know of it (or the few who will actually figure out that i came out of hiding). the thing is, i like checking other people's blog. love it, actually. buutttt....i never got around to updating mine. i'm truly sorry. really i am. no really! forget it....

reason #2: my friend amy started a blog and it inspired me to start up again. i know i'm going to have so much fun reading her blog, because her children are hilarious!

um...so that pretty much sums up why i'm blogging again. of course, the real test is if i can keep this up at all.

see ya in january! (just kidding)