Grace Before Peace

A choice... "Sarah, just think, I could be in heaven soon!" How does one respond to that? July 2018 was the beginning of one of those times in my life when I had a choice, a choice that could make an impact broader than my blind eye can see. When faced with the excitement of a saint about to enter into their eternal reward my choices were, I could live out what I say I believe and be excited with her or I can run away in fear, unbelief, and cry out in selfishness for this time to not come. With a matriarch like my Bema leading the way, setting the example of living out your faith, my choice was a much easier and joyful than I imagined. On going learning... I can remember months after my mother passed away and even now nearly 20 years later my human heartache creeping in saying, "Why MY mom? I needed/need her! I have so many things to say, to ask, memories to make. WHY?!" I can never get far down that path of thinking before I hear this whisper to my heart ...

Better late than never... This morning as I was coming in to school for the second time (the first time was at 7:30am to prep my classroom  for my students before going to observe my mentee across town) as I walked in just a few minutes after the tardy bell I saw a student hurrying in to class and with an guilty smile on his face and a fresh Starbucks in hand said "Good Morning Mrs. Bartmier, I am little late." I had a couple of options for my response: Option 1) "Really? I hadn't noticed! Hope that Starbucks is good because another tardy on your attendance is a downward spiral that leads straight to detention." Option 2) "Well better late than never, lets get to work." Not sure which response is politically correct according to the Danielson frameworks but I went with option 2. When I started this blog I had every intention of posting at least monthly and yet here is it a year after my last post and a fresh no bake cookie in hand... Better late...

I know everyone is blogging about Mother's Day and I probably should... After all I am a mother, I had a great Mom, and I have a great mother in law. But to be honest I am not ready to write about my thoughts and emotions about Mother's Day... Its a bitter sweet day so I'll write about that on a day I am less emotional about it. Instead I'd rather just talk about some fun things to let you in to my life a little more... You might have notice I added a couple of new section to the right of the screen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I added my favs for the month of May and an original wallpaper design based on my monthly favorites I designed just for my readers!! Please feel free save it and use it on your device!! Enjoy all the fresh looks! My 6 May Favs: 1 Food: Grapefruit - So yummy, good...

Monday evening, I am finally setting down from a busy day of getting my family off to school, teaching high school, going to a t-ball game, getting my kiddos in bed, and laundry... Oh the never ending laundry. You know what I am talking about... those piles and piles of clothes with the pungent aroma, definitely a not so scentsy like fragrance wafting into the air. No matter how clean and organized my house is if it doesn't smell fresh I can't handle it.I turn in to a crazy person hunting down whatever is causing the funk; toys flying, crawling under beds, and furniture being moved until I find the stinky sock keeping my child's room from smelling... well less dirty sock like. I know, I know.... I am not totally naive to think that I will ever truly keep a fresh scent in my boys room but I'll give it my best effort! Tonight as I tucked the kids in I grabbed the laundry basket and every stray dirty sock and underwear I could locate (yes I found them in the toy box, leg...

   Today begins a new journey for me, but yet not so new. While I am a new "blogger" I have been a journal-er since I was 10 years old. I was given my first journal as a gift from a church friend,  I had never journaled before but I knew immediately this idea of expressing ones thoughts, dreams, fear, prayers, and greatest desires through the written word would be a life long passion for me after my first entry.     I have filled several journals over the years, some with sweet quiet time memoirs from God's word, some with sweet innocent childhood fantasies, and some with great sorrow; page after page of tear stained words. While I don't linger on the these writings, on occasion I am drawn in to the writings of my childhood and get mesmerized by the constant thread of God's hand all the way through my teens, college days, and early married years. I am amazed, humbled, and inspired by His constant hand holding mine through every path I have traveled.   ...