My New Kentucky Home

I can hardly believe that I have been a resident of Kentucky for a week now. Every minute since I arrived has been full of hard work and many surprises so I will start from the beginning. When Kelly Ann, Dad, and Matt dropped me off on Tuesday of last week they helped me unload and stayed the night in my, at that time steaming hot apartment. It was hard to see them go the next morning knowing that I would have to organize and unpack my apartment by myself. I guess it wasn't the work that really had be down but saying goodbye to three people that I really love. Don't get me wrong, I thrive on new starts, but it was more seeing one chapter of my life really end and another truly beginning. Although I have lived by myself at college for the past two years that was nothing like living on my own here. Over the next few days I had to figure out how to cook, stay current on housework, what temperature to set my air conditioner, and how not to lock myself out of my apartment. I have to admit that I really loved organizing all the rooms and adding my own personality to the place. I was not only dealing with cleaning and organizing my apartment but I was also cleaning and organizing my second home...my classroom!

My room at school was a disaster! It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in four years. There was trash, old text books, dirt, dust, and grime everywhere. Honestly I tried not to seem overwhelmed on at first sight. Miraculously, by Friday not only was my apartment clean and organized but so was my apartment!!! I cannot tell you have it all got done in 2 days but I am so glad that it was.

On Friday we had teachers meetings and orientation. As a new teacher there is so much to take in on those days and it seemed like teachers meetings could almost be more draining then school days. I finally felt ready to start except for one important thing...Lesson Plans! If any of you are teachers out there you know what I am talking about. For me, Lesson Planning has been the greatest challenge. Without the kind of training that forces you to be efficient in planning lessons and using the book I had no idea where to start, but with a little help from Matt I began to dig into my text books and get going.

Between planning lessons and trying to cook I also got a chance to meet some really great people. Riverside has been blessed with an incredible staff of people who love Jesus and want to serve him with all their hearts and the people who are here have already been such a good support system for me. I have been able to get to know the younger teachers and staff as well as some of the young people who live close to Riverside. I have already been to a carry-in dinner and on Sunday we sang I'll Fly Away! It doesn't get much more friendly than that!

The Lord has also been doing some amazing things in my life even since being here. I am learning, and will continue to learn, to lean on him for every need. He has been faithful to get me this far and I know that he will be faithful to continue the good work he has started! Since Jesus and I are constantly working on trust in our relationship he reminds me daily of Jeremiah 17:7+8 (my favorite passage):

"But Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD; whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in the year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Hopefully you can see why I chose 'planted by the water' to be the title for this blog. Not only is it a good metaphor for constant trust in the Lord but it is also need because of the location of my apartment. Just this morning before I went off to my first day of school, I was looking out my kitchen window. I realized that from my window all I can see is trees that grow along the bank of the Troublesome Creek. I was floored by how great God is and how much he wants me and everyone to know that when we trust in him, no matter what the outside conditions, the thirst of our hearts will be quenched by his abounding provision. I hope that by reading the posts on this blog you will be encouraged by the God who will plant you by the water!