Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Cleaning Shop?!

just a quick plug/reminder for all:

if you have (or know anyone who has) rugs, beanbag type chairs, lamps, bookshelves, a couch or armchair that they are trying to rid themselves (or their spouse?) of... :) I WANT IT ALL :)

trying to transform my classroom, so if you want it gone, i'll take it (well, probably...) :)

LOVE, denise

p.s. and, as always, if you have any books you are trying to get rid of to make shelf space, i'll take those, too! :)

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Truth is...

The truth of the matter is that it is too easy to feel overwhelmed. It is all too natural for my flesh to scream out in panic instead of listening to my heart that says, "Slow down. Take a deep breath, and listen to your Father who wants to bear these burdens FOR YOU!"
Why is it that we allow so many minor things of this life to rise up and take over the thrown of our hearts and to consume our thoughts? Why is it second nature for me to become irritated at my students for not understanding such "simple" ideas, or to think to myself, "How am I supposed to work from 7-5, attend countless meetings and trainings, cook dinner, be HOME for dinner, grade mounds and mounds of papers and still have enough time and energy to give my husband the attention and encouragement and love that I truly desire to show him all before bedtime (which is SUPPOSED to be 9:30 f0r us old, early risers... yeah right...)?!"
Why can I not just be still for 30 minutes to spend time in the presence of my Father who can put these things into perspective for me and take the irrational panic out of my day?
Why, in the times that I am NOT diligent and consistant in my time with the Lord, do I feel that I "cannot possibly spare another moment in the day even to read The Word" when if I DO make the time and I DO spend it with Him, it seems ridiculous to think anything contrary.
This life is short, this world is sinful, and I am a daughter of the King of it all.
Maybe it's time I start acting like it... Or maybe that time was many years ago...

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Words of Beauty.

Oh, to have the gift of writing like those whom I admire...

To have the ability to paint pictures of beauty and sorrow and laughter in someone's mind's eye just by penning words onto a page...

Thanks, to all who stir my heart with their words.

Love, Denise.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Classroom Deco

So, a few weeks ago i sent out an email to the few contacts i had onhand at the moment. that was not a lot of people... ;) so... i just realized that i should just post the email here! it's pretty lengthy, but the attached article is so great, i really hope you're intrigued enough to read it.
love you all, denise.

Hello All! Just wanted to drop you all a note to say “Hello” and to let you know a need I’ve come across in my classroom. Well, I say a “need”, but honestly it’s a desire… I have always wanted my classroom to be a comfortable place where my students WANT to be (as much as you can WANT to be in a classroom, I suppose).
I was sent an article/video yesterday that absolutely made me green with envy (in a good way?) because this woman’s 7th and 8th grade classroom (which is EXACTLY what I teach…) is my dream class. No joke… I’m attaching the article/video if you want to read/watch it at all. I found it fascinating, but maybe it’s just because it’s what I do? Anyways, to the point: I am brainstorming every possible way that I can transform my classroom (SLOWLY…) into this dream room that I have in my fantastical imagination, and one way that I can start is to just let people know some of the basic needs for the “look” of the room:
The big need there will come in the form of beanbags (or other type seats beanbag-ish), lamps (table OR floor lamps), and RUGS (big and small). I'd also LOVE to have at least one love seat or couch and one arm chair. I know this sounds silly, and I know that if I go to yard sales and thrift stores I’ll find some, but the reality of it is that it will take me years and years to have the time to find them and, more realistically, have the money to purchase them (even if I do find them at thrift stores or yard sales).
SO… I’m not asking for money!!! Please don’t think that. All I’m asking for is for you to please tell anyone you know who is trying to get rid of these things that I WANT THEM! I don’t care HOW ugly or old they are, I’ll transform them if I need to and clean them up the best I can. I just need things to work with.
Sorry…that was TOTALLY long… I tend to be long winded, no? anyways. I love you all and you’re great. Thanks so much, in advance, for your help with this!! Hope to see you soon!

Mrs. Denise Power
7th/8th Reading
Navo Middle School

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Has is been that long?!

WOW!!!
ok, so i'm just now realizing that the last time i posted... i was still at Fidelity Investments, we were planning our trip to Annapolis, and our friends Sarah and Ben were still living in the US... man. that was a while ago, eh?
ok, so to run through just a FEW things that have gone on:

- I am now a middle school reading teacher in Denton ISD! Praise Jesus! Aaron and I have been praying for an opportunity for me to teach since before we were married. The Lord was more than faithful to bring that about. What's even better than just getting hired on to any school is that one of my Assistant Principals here is actually half of our Pre-Marital Mentor Couple from just before we were married last year! It's been such a blessing and releif to know an administrator and to feel comfortable enough to ask questions that i may have otherwise kept to myself...as silly as that may seem.
- My sister, Lynn, and her husband, Luke, just received Luke's acceptance letter to SouthEastern Seminary in North Carolina! This is bittersweet news for us. They live in the south part of Fort Worth right now, so we hardly ever see them anyways... but in mid-January, the Henderson Duo will be making their big move to (just outside Raleigh, i think...?) North Carolina for Luke to persue his Masters. Such a great opportunity though :)
-Aaron and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary on August 30 of this year... so... that's neat :) We took our trip to Annapolis, MD to stay with my Aunt and her family and it was SUCH a blast. We really did have a great time. i'll post pictures sometime soon... hopefully ;)
-i really want to go home...

sorry for the intterupt. just realized that i CAN go home. so i am.
:) more later.