Black History Month

so, i dont know the official results for the game, yet (in case i don't come back and post.) but this superbowl has special meaning for me. it's black history month and two black coaches are making history. AWESOME! so, whomever wins..GREAT. Have a great BHM. (although we know we should celebrate history's greatness all the time.) go out and learn about your heritage. whatever it is! much love!

happy birthday, boo!

happy birthday to "mah, best frien.."! luv ya, Trese.

Bears and Butter Burgers

hooray for the chicago bears as they go on to the superbowl! i have to admit, i didnt even know what was going on until yesterday (when they played the big game that qualified them for the superbowl.) i used to like football in high school..but it's not so great now. oh well! but i do think its kind of neat on how last year it was the white sox and now it's the bears. is chicago great or what?

in other news..last night after yp service the gals and i went to culver's for dinner. so, so good. they have these butter burgers which are phenomenal. now, why they're called BUTTER burgers is beyond me...but they taste like those burgers you buy at amusement parks. i dunno i always thought those burgers tasted different. then of course they have the best ice cream, sundaes, shakes, and custards. you name it, they have it. so, so good. nothing else going on. i think trese's coming home this week, sometime. her bday is monday so if you know her..send her a shout out.

until the next post....BARACK OBAMA '08! ~luv (ohmigosh..i just realize another great chicago/illinois thing..Obama's from here too!)

Waiting on the World to Change....

I heard this song recently and it really stuck in my mind. Read through it and I think you get the gist of the author's message. I realize not all may agree, but it's something I feel strongly about in light of recent events in our political world. My prayers go out to all those who've lost their lives (both Americans and Iraqi's). The part of the song that really sticks out is when he's says, "It's not that we don't care. we just know that the fight aint fair." May the love of God enter into the hearts of men to help us realize that war isn't a means of solving anything.

~peace


JOHN MAYER
Waiting On The World To Change

Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could

Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want

That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

And we're still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to change
One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Happy Birthday, LANA!!!

and so it begins....the never ending birthdays. danes and lana kick it off..and then im telling you, there's a birthday every weekend until march! ok, happy birthday to my little sis. luv ya!

Happy Birthday, DANES!

Happy Birthday, Lydana! luv ya much! (my blog is starting to be all about you..hmmm.)

gibberish...and DANES!

4 days left...friday morning im heading out. im soo tired. like my mind can't seem to really focus on anything right now. i just need a vacation. anyhoo..im really hoping that i have a nice time. it's weird i luv it here in chicago/joliet..but sometimes i need to get away and think. whenever i go to arkansas it just seems like this weight is lifted and i can see a little clearer. i think its because i don't really have any worries when im home. it's truly a relaxing environment. because my real life is up here. and when i leave for a bit i can let it all go for a while. so, yeah it's nice to have a "getaway"...or as a pastor mentiond my "island of patmos" (remember how john was able to get away (well banished) to his island, but he got alone w/ God).

oh well. danes is home!!!! if she reads this i want her to know im so proud of her making it through her first semester of college. it's not an easy feat to go away for college. but i think it can help mold you into natural and spiritual maturity. i truly believe that in being here i've gotten to know God for myself. i can't say that when i left high school i was spiritually rooted. sure i was saved, but it was more like a way of life (being brought up COG) instead of being a true experience. i didn't experience God for myself until i had to seek and get to know him for myself. looking back, on those things i've gone through i can truly say they've brought me closer to God and it's been this experience that's kept me saved. so, yeah. i truly hope danes has that same experience. don't get me wrong, i dont think you have to leave to get it...but i would encourage every young person (espeacially in their young adult years) to take time and get to know God for YOU. whether it's finding a niche of your own or delving into your special talent...find God and get an experience. and do it before you go after the next phase of your life, so you can enter that phase knowing that as a single adult you finished your "single life" race and came out with those triumphs and victories he wanted you to win. let him take you out of your comfort level. let him do some molding and refining. Draw nigh to Him, so that he'll draw nigh to you. it'll take you a long way in life. ok....enough! goodnight!

hey..it's been a while since i did one of these things.

You Are 1: The Reformer

You're a responsible person - with a clear sense of right and wrong. High standards are important to you, and you do everything to meet them. You are your own worst critic, feeling ashamed if you're not perfect. You have the highest integrity, and people expect you to be fair.

What Number Are You?

in other news....exactly 6 days until christmas break. i am ecstatic (sp?)! im just ready for my llllooonggg break. i found out my cousins/uncle/aunt from california are coming to AR for the holidays. how nice! nothing much going on besides that. still wondering about what's going to happen next. 2007 is just around the corner and i've got a lot of life changing decisions to make. well, not a lot...i guess it's just one. but it's like a spiral thing. make the 1st decision and then other's follow. so, if you know the prayer of faith..call out my name.

also, i've noticed that someone named "anonymous" keeps signing my blog. it seems like the person knows me. but all the same, please reveal yourself (at least to me). i won't post it. i just need to know that you're not some weird, creepy person. those of you who kept up with my webpage back in the day know that i shut it down for those reasons. so, yeah...don't spoil it for everyone else. later!

i read this post today in a thought someone sent me. it was kind of profound to me. so, i thought i'd post it. i think it explains itself.

Look for God to move when he tells you to be still.

Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. KJV

school events!!!

here's a picture of me with one of my students before their christmas concert. i talked about it in the last post...



anyhoo, tonight was yet another school-event. as a fundraiser the teachers get together and have storytime at Barnes & Noble. Each teacher reads a book and the idea is that you get all the students at B&N and then when they're done listening to the story they decide to buy books. of course, a percentage of the book sale goes to the school. they do it every year and its a HUGE success...so, if you know a lot of people and need to raise money..there's an idea. so, i read the book The Night I Followed the Dog.It's one of my favorites. 1) because i LOVE dogs and 2) just because it's cute. so, if you want to read a picture book sometime or have little ones, i suggest you try it out. after reading i got together with my teacher friends and drank tea from the starbucks and wondered around. it was actually a lot of fun and relaxing. i realized that i really need to get out and do things for ME more so. So, im going to try that whole "take charge" thing i mentioned in september and try and sign up for a class (see..i get so busy that i forget about these things im supposed to be working on). the music store down the street from my house is having a class/concert this sat. so, that's the first "leap" for me. pray my strength. im overly shy, so it takes me a while to warm up to people and i totally freak out in new situations. oh, well. that's about it. :)

happy birthday, liz!

happy birthday to a wonderful, and i mean wonderful gal! i've always secretly wanted to BE liz. she's soooo nice and caring ALL the time. anyway, i hope your day was wonderful. luv!

another one...surprised?

so instead of writing all about my "feelings"...maybe i should just continue doing these blogthings as a way for people to understand me. i dunno. anyway, i like this one.

You Are 6: The Loyalist

You have strong relationships and are intensely loyal. People find you easy to love and care for. You like your world to be stable and secure, no surprises. You're cautious. You prefer your inner circle to the outside world.

What Number Are You?

this was kind of fun...although i was hoping for pink. oh, well!

Your Power Color Is Lime Green

At Your Highest: You are adventurous, witty, and a visionary. At Your Lowest: You feel misunderstood, like you don't fit in. In Love: You have a tough exterior, but can be very dedicated. How You're Attractive: Your self-awareness and confidence lights up a room. Your Eternal Question: "What else do I need in my life?"

What's" Your Power Color?

'hump' day

nothing much going on. i don't even know why im posting. it was a nice week. i had a bit of a headache wed. so i took the day off just to relax, fast, and pray. we were doing a church fast so i was like, what better day to take off and have some "me" time. let me tell you....it was great. like i wasnt even as tired as i usually am at the end of the week. :) i motion that everyone should have wednesdays off. it makes it easier to get through the rest of the week. if you get over the "hump" you can make it through. hmmm, perhaps thats why they call it "hump" day. oh well. just a thought.

i've decided that my new nickname is "lj". so alot of people already call me this, but im making it official. although i still like "lupe". so take your pick! i always wanted a nickname growing up, so my life mission is trying to get people to call me by SOME nickname. yeah, im crazy. but..i already knew that. lol.

~lj

Happy Birthday, Jodi!!!

Happy Birthday, Jodi! Here's where i get sentimental...*ahem*...i luv ya! i luv ya, i luv ya! i feel like i've known you all my life. stay encouraged and keep calling me even if it takes me FOREVER to call you back! soo sorry, i am trying to do better! you are definitely an encouragement to me. smooches! lol...

im addicted!

so, these "blogthings" are addictive. this is my ice cream flavor. i think its pretty accurate. :)

You Are Strawberry Ice Cream

A bit shy and sensitive, you are sweet to the core. You often find yourself on the outside looking in. Insightful and pensive, you really understand how the world works. You are most compatible with chocolate chip ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

parent/teacher conferences

so, tonight was parent teacher conferences. I was at school working from 4pm to 9pm! ugh! but the nice thing about it is that i got to sleep in today (since i didnt have to be at work until 4pm). too bad, i had a major headache all day. but hopefully i'll be able to enjoy my day off tomorrow more so.

this year has been quite different in terms of teaching. i work in a working class suburb and most of the students come from stable, 2-parent homes, where the Moms stay at home or only work part time. but i think our demographic is changing. this year i have quite a few students whose parents are just too busy with their personal lives to take an interest in their children. i mean i understand single parent homes and whatnot, but at what point to they realize that.."ok, im struggling, but i don't want my children to struggle in their lives so im going stress to them the importance of education." i dunno. its difficult. i know big city schools and low-income areas have this problem all the time. but it's new for me this year. no homework, cant reach a parent, some of my kids come to school like they just rolled out of bed. its touching. one positive note about conferences, it helps me understand my students more so. now i can look at them with a new light.

continue to pray for me. i want to be a better friend and teacher. i need more patience and people skills. and most importantly more love. that scripture about love covering a multitude of sins is sooo true. like its harder to see faults if you truly have love for someone. the devil wants you to find fault with everyone and you miss the good attributes in them. im finding this out more and more with my students and even with dealing with people. keep me in your prayers, im not there yet. luv.

it's NOVEMBER!!!

hooray its finally NOVEMBER! was it me or did october go on forever???? it felt like it was 5 WEEKS long!!! oh well..nov. and dec. are quick. and then it'll be 2007. what are you in a rush for, lj? um, i dunno. but im sure there are great things awaiting in '07!

indiana trip!

So, yesterday we went to see Danes at Indiana University. It was sooo much fun! We all love dana. so, it was well worth the trip. if you want to see pictures of our trip i invite you to check out everyone else's websites/blogs for pictures. b/c you know i dont have a digital camara! so yeah, liz w, keila, lana, and dana (of course) took pictures. check them out. luv!

it's been a while

nothing much going on. i just called a guy about possilby taking piano lessons. even though i know how to read music and play, i thought it'd be nice to get some pointers on how to add some stuff or develop my ear better. God's been dealing with me about 'taking charge' of my life. not just sitting around waiting for something to happen, but getting out there and doing things. sooo, i made a list of things i felt like He was showing me that i should pursue..and this was one of the things. its kind of weird, but when i did it i was a little nervous..i mean what if it doesnt work out?..but, i'll never know until i try. and now that i've made the call...i have to admit im antsy with anticipation. we'll see how it turns out. he has to call me back. :)