Songs of Faith- "Wherever He leads I'll Go"

Well, I have been in Houston for 10 days now and have had about that many interviews for possible Music/ Band positions since getting down here. Most of the places I have interviewed are not going to be able to officially offer the position until after July 4th but some have said this coming week. All my life I have had to play the "Hurry Up and Wait" game. Once again this is a lesson in patience. Of course I have shared with you many times my dis-like of this lesson. For example; I carried Natalie Grace 43 weeks before she finally decided to make her arrival, Chris and I also had to wait 17 months before even being able to conceive this wonderful blessing called Natalie Grace and most recently, Chris and I had to wait 20 months for him to find a job. Now the time has come and I am looking for a job. I feel very confident in being able to get a job but I know that this too is just another lesson in patience.

I have had an offer given to me but it just doesn't seem like the right job for me and my life right now. It is not centrally located to my current living situation nor is it the type of job that I really want for me and my career in the long run. In addition to all of this, it is not the type of school I would like to be teaching in. All of these things lead me to believe it is not where God wants me to be. I keep holding out for more or a better job, even though I KNOW this is not the right job (at least I don't think so). I woke up last night with the song "Wherever He leads I'll Go". I sat up immediately and began thinking "Why would I be thinking of that song?" I was then led back to this job situation and began to pray and ask God to lead me. I then began to recall the rest of this song:

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

Take up thy cross and follow me

I heard my Master say

"I gave My life to Ransom thee

Surrender your all today"

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

I follow my Christ who loves me so

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

This may not be the situation that I envisioned but it may the one God did. I just have to be open to his plan and be willing to go wherever he takes me. I know God will provide for me the right job at the right place/ school and at the RIGHT TIME! I just have to be patient! Thank you Lord for Your continued blessings!

Wherever You lead I'll Go!

Songs of Faith Part 4- "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Well this week I have had two interviews and both of them seemed to go just OK. During the first one, the principal didn't seem to feel well and was distracted. During the second interview, the principal seemed well... not all there. I still have not heard back from some of the interviews that took place last week and I am beginning to get a little "antsy" and worried for that matter. During my very long and frustrating commute home from my interview today, I was reminded of a song and hymn about not fixating on the things of the world but looking toward God for EVERYTHING.

Last night, I went to the Wednesday night service and choir practice with my in-laws even though I did not really want to. I ended up having a good time and was reminded of this Biblical truth and this hymn- "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". I am reminded that even when I am worried about which job I will get and where I am going to ended up come August, that should not be where my eyes and heart are focused. "And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." Wow... what an amazing statement. If we all will just Turn to Him all of our worries will just disappear.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O Soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see
There's light for a look at the Saviour

A life more abundant and Free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace

Take time to think about the words of this precious hymn. There is light for a look at the Saviour and you too can see this light if you will allow him to come into your heart.

Thank you Lord for your continued blessings. I know you will take care of me. He will take care of you too!

"It's the end of an era"

I experienced my very own "FRIENDS" moment this weekend. On Saturday night Chris, Natalie and I went to our friends house in Norman for a going away pool party. This was a usual thing we did with these friends when Chris and I lived in Norman (Not the going away part but the pool party).

These friends were really Chris' friends but they have become mine as well throughout our six years of knowing each other. Jeff Hill, Chris Calvert, Phil Clark and my Chris were great friends who met at Bethel Baptist Church in Norman in 2001. In 2006 when Chris and I got married I joined this little group and ever since then it has grown. Since then our little "Sitcom" has changed SO much. Obviously, Chris and I have had a baby and moved to Shawnee but each of their lives has changed as well. Jeff has found his soul mate, Wendy, and they have married and now have their own child, Patrick Daniel, who is just adorable (I felt a little bit of the "baby fever" again last night as I was holding him). Chris Calvert is taking up a new trade and hobby of welding, Phil has changed jobs and LOVES it and now Chris and I are moving to Houston. All of these events make it feel like the ending of some 1990's sitcom where everyone tears up and walks out of the apartment at the end of the episode.

I got teared up last night as we were saying our goodbyes and giving each other hugs. Although these were really Chris' friends, they became my friends as well and I am truly grateful for the friendship they have given to my husband. As we pulled out of the driveway last night, Chris said "I can say with much confidence, these were and will be the best friends I will ever have. God has blessed me so much through them". We both were crying (I was balling my eyes out). It was a VERY long drive home from Norman.

Jeff, Chris Calvert and Phil I would like to personally thank each of you and your respective families for your friendship to Chris and I. We love you and will NEVER forget you!

Lemondade

On May 27th Chris and I found out we would be moving to Houston for him to teach 9th Grade Algebra at Aldine 9th Grade Center in North Houston. This also happened to be my last day of school before the summer. We were supposed to be leaving town for a family reunion this same afternoon. We learned he would need to be finger printed and then come to Houston to sign his contract all before June 3rd. We had a great time at our family reunion and then made our way to Houston for him to sign his contract.

Friday came and went and he still had not signed his papers. We stayed through the weekend and then said we would leave on Monday afternoon if he had not heard anything at that point. Monday at noon he called and they said they had not got his results from his fingerprint yet. We began to load up and go. Then he got a call saying he needed to come and sign his contract at 4pm on Monday. Wow... this was so frustrating. We still need to go home and pack all of our house to get on the truck to move to Houston. While we were pulling out of the driveway to go and sign his papers, I get a call to come and interview for an awesome job. Of course we decide to wait another day to go home so I can go to my interview.

Today, as I was in this interview I get another call to have another interview tomorrow. I tried to delay it and come back next week or even "Skype" it over the Internet but NO Luck. So as of right now, we will not be coming home until Thursday. I had already set up a meeting with our realtor as well as several doctor's appointments to close us out in Oklahoma. This is crazy!!!

I guess this just goes to say: "If life gives you a dilemma, make some dilemonade" (LAME I know but so so so true!)

On the Market for 1 week/ Songs of Faith Part 3- God is in Control

Kellie Job Hunt Update:

Well... it has been A WHILE since Kellie has been on the market. I have been settled for so long that I practically forgot how to be "on the market". Today while still in Houston waiting for Chris to sign his papers I went to a teacher job fair. It was for a charter school in the Houston metro area. I got there about 30-45 minutes before it "officially" started and found that me and EVERY other teacher known to man was at this job fair. So I checked in and then wandered down the hallways of this Regional Education Center to find the end of the line. I waited in this line to get into the interview room for nearly an hour. After finally getting to the interview room, I found the "Specials" table as they call it here in Texas (Music, PE, Art and Languages other than English- LOTE). There I saw about 10 other people waiting to speak to representatives from this school. I took up a chair and sat down. There I sat for another 2 hours before the interviewers said "We are going to take a quick 5 minute break". Ahh!!!!! I was so frustrated. Finally, after 2 1/2 hours in the interview room waiting to talk to someone, I made it to the table. I sat down and did the whole interview process and then at the end they said "Wow... that all sounds great but we don't have band at all and only a hand full of music classes and they are all full and are no openings." Seriously... Wow! I didn't even know what to say! I shook each of their hands and then walked to my car to make the long 50+ minute commute back to my house. I have already decided, I don't like having to look for a job! I just pray that God will provide for me the perfect job in his timing (Of course that final phrase is what is going to kill me! I have NEVER been good with patience. Remember carrying that baby 43 weeks!!!!!)

This brings me to my Songs of Faith Part 3: God is in Control

I also use this song as a worship to God each morning and evening in my quiet time and as I practice my saxophone. When I was in high school and I would practice for All-State I would each of my practice sessions with this song. I would also play the verse and the chorus and then hold my small little silver cross and say a prayer asking the Lord to help calm my nerves and help me know HE was in control... no matter what. I ponder upon these words today as I reflect on my day today. He is in Control and will provide.

Chorus

God is in Control

We believe that His children will not be forsaken

God is in Control

We will choose to remember and never be shaken

There is no power above or behind him we know

Oh, God is in Control

Verse
He has never let you down

Why start to worry now

He is still the Lord of everything

He is still the loving Father

Watching over you and me

God is in Control. He is today and will be tomorrow. I have Faith that he will take care of me. Why start to worry now? Again, what an amazing testimony of Faith. I just hope and pray my life will be this testimony.

Songs of Faith- Part 2: Great is thy Faithfulness

It has been a long and hard fought 19 months but by the Grace of God, Chris, Natalie and I have made it through to this day. On October 18, 2009 Chris was laid off his job at Velocity Express in OKC. Our precious Natalie was only 6 weeks old at the time and all seemed so hopeless. Chris and I prayed each night for a job to become available to him so we could provide for little Natalie. Days and weeks passed and nothing seemed to come to us. We never lost the faith. We kept praying and reading our Bibles together, even having devotionals together. Weeks turned into months and then an entire year. It seemed like it was NEVER going to end.

It was about November 2010 when I began to encourage Chris to look into teaching. He didn't really like the idea at first but as additional weeks and months passed he began to see the necessity of finding a job. While on Christmas vacation in Houston, Chris decided to enroll in a program called Texas Teachers which helps people get certified to teach in Texas. Chris, Natalie and I left Texas that January morning with intentions of having a better life in the very near future. About 5 months later, after 100s of hours of online courses and studying for certification tests, Chris was offered a job at Aldine 9th Grade Center in Houston, TX to teach 9th Grade Algebra.

Of course, we all this all to our good and Faithful God. Each and every morning during my prayer time and each evening before I would go to bed, I would sing one of my favorite hymns: Great is thy Faithfulness. I used this song most of my adult life to help me get through difficult times such as this. The words are so simple yet so deep.

Verse 1:
Great is thy Faithfulness
Oh God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Lord, unto me
Chorus
Great is thy Faithfulness
Great if Thy Faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is they Faithfulness
Lord, unto me

(Verse 2 was always a real tear jerker so I will include it as well)
Verse 2
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hopes for tomorrow
Blessings are thine with 10,000 beside.

These words are really all that got me through most days. I often times would sing this song during the day and even wake up at night humming this song and crying at its most powerful words. During this last month while Chris was in Houston interview and I was at home by myself, I spent many additional hours at school just practicing my saxophone and playing this hymn over and over. This really is my life-song!

God truly is amazing and if he can do this is my life, he can do it in yours. If you don't know him as your personal saviour, take time to say a prayer and ask him to come and live in your heart. This could be YOUR story one day!