I got the job!

Just a quick update to say that I did get the job (my good friend Katie pointed out I need to update the blog more often)!! I will be teaching fourth grade language arts (and probably social studies as well) next year at Claxton Elementary - just a mile from our house. What a blessing...of all the places to have an opening and after all the people that applied for the position I am believing firmly this is the Lord's will for me. I have never prayed so hard ever, that the Lord would put the person He wanted in this position even if that wasn't me, and when the principal called I was expecting him to say he was going in a different direction but he actually said "would you like to come work for me?" Wow - I was shocked and surprised. That seems to be happening a lot lately in our little family - the Lord moving us to GA and the changes that have come along with our move. I am the only new teacher to be hired this year in a school with close to 90 teachers. In fact, the principal told me today that the new teacher orientation to be held next week will be for me and me alone - talk about some one on one attention! But I am very thankful for the way it has all worked out. This year will hold challenges I am sure but I know the Lord will work each one out. Pray that I will be ready to receive these precious children on August 5th in a just a few short weeks. More updates to come soon...I promise! :)

A VERY random list of updates...

I'm not very good at writing short, frequent posts. In fact, if I blog once a month it is unusual for me. So, it seems every time I write my posts are long and often about life-changing decisions/events and I promise every day is really not a soap opera at our house. Well, I can't promise there won't be more of those in the future ("life-changing events" posts) but tonight I'm going to just try to list same random things that are going on in our world since it's been so long... :)

1. We arrived in Claxton, GA at the end of May and moved into the gigantic church parsonage. We have never lived in such a big space but we are definitely enjoying it. We are slowly going to make a few changes and paint a few rooms but overall it already feels like home. Pictures to come later....

2. We really like GA. Stephen said the other night, "I'm really happy here" and I definitely agree. The church and community have embraced us and while ministry is definitely not easy anywhere, we know that we are going to learn a lot during our time here. Stephen is the student minister so we're working with children and youth and he's even going to fill in and preach from time to time as needed. He's preaching this coming Sunday morning and we are really excited about it (plus Stephen's parents are coming to visit and hear him preach which will be a lot of fun to have them here)!

3. This town has very few restaurants (really few everything - this is small town USA) so we are eating at home more which is good and also we have less choices when we do eat out: "do you want to go to the pizza place or the sandwich place?" is kind of the standard question. It's a lot harder to be indecisive about things with less choices. Speaking of eating at home: I made this chicken, broccoli, biscuit casserole thing the other night and substituted all these ingredients for ones that I didn't have in the recipe. Surprisingly it turned out really good so I just made a recipe card with my own version for the future. I felt like a chef for about 5 seconds and then realized it's a casserole which is not exactly fine dining. :)

4. We got our GA driver's licenses the other day. This is Stephen's first out-of-state license so I think he is mourning now that it doesn't say Alabama. I came quite close to passing out during the experience. Apparently, my blood sugar plummeted at the exact moment that my time to take my picture finally came up. I felt myself break out into a full body sweat, knees buckled, and felt myself starting to go down. Thankfully a Sprite full of sugar came to the rescue but then I had to go back to waiting again to take my picture....I definitely didn't mean to be the center of attention in the DMV but I definitely got some stares. 

5. VBS is starting tomorrow! We are praying that lives will be changed and children will come to know the Lord. Pray for Stephen because I know he is feeling a lot of pressure trying to make sure all the details are accounted for and everything falls into place. He's doing a GREAT job and I'm very proud of his organization. I'm teaching the music and "movement" aka dancing - God really does have a sense of humor sometimes! :)

6. This summer we have visited in AL with Stephen's family and got to see sweet Jonathan roll over for the first time and hang out at their house in Gadsden one last time before his parents moved! We got to visit my family in SC. We got to hang out with my Mom and one day went to the waterpark and rode around the lazy river seriously 500 times. We got to see my Dad for Father's Day and hike on the Palmetto trail. We really had such special, sweet visits with our families and I felt really thankful for the time we shared with them.

7. Stephen and I spent a couple of days in Pawley's Island, SC and had a great time just hanging out together. We swam in the pool, walked on the beach, and ate at some yummy restaurants. We got to talk about life and laughed about many things - it's only been about 2 1/2 years since we got married but we just don't remember what life was like before each other. I don't want to remember it... Here we are at the Dixie Stampede. It was so much fun!

8. We got text messaging on our phones for the first time since we've been married. I know it seems small but we are loving it. I enjoy my text message marathons every Monday night with my sister as we watch the bachelorette (although I'm embarrassed to admit that I faithfully watch it). Her commentary is quite entertaining. 

9. Several people have offered us puppies. We are trying to stay strong but today the offer was a yellow lab and Stephen is feeling very weak...pray for us. 

10. I will be celebrating a quarter of a century in a few days...I hope it's not all downhill from here but I do find myself more winded on the elliptical these days which is not a good sign...:) Either way, I'm thankful for 25 years of life. 

11. The job situation has been quite interesting for me since we've arrived here. I guess we moved during the worst economic time in recent history and unfortunately even teachers are struggling to find jobs. There haven't been any openings in this county or all of the surrounding counties in either the private or public schools since we moved here until this past week when an elementary position opened up right here in Evans county. I have been contacted for an interview along with many other applicants for this ONE position... In the past I think I would have been crushed and anxious at this point in July at just the fact that I didn't know what I would be doing in August about a job. But I'm not crushed and if I do not get this job I will not be heartbroken. God is working out so many details in our lives and doing so many great things and for the first time I simply do not know what I want to happen or what is best for me right now. There are advantages to getting the job and (believe it or not) to not getting the job at this time in my life. I don't know if God's plan is for me to teach this year and so all I can do is pray that God would fill this teaching position with the person that He wants there and that He would use me as He desires. I just pray that I will be satisfied with whatever the outcome and that God would use all of this somehow to bring glory to Him. I've wasted too much time in life equating success and achievement with self-worth and forgetting that every good thing is from Him and because of Him. God has blessed me with so many things - and regardless of whether I get this teaching position I can praise Him for His faithfulness. I'm being vague but I will explain much more later...God is providing perfect peace and I'm thankful for HIS perfect timing...

And this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, all the way home...

Tomorrow is the big day that we will pull out of Wake Forest towards Georgia and since we are so blessed to have a professional moving company provided for us by our new church (not that my father and father-in-law weren't extremely wonderful and professional during our last move), we have had a lot of extra time on our hands the last few days and we have thoroughly enjoyed it. 

We went from working and studying for school all the time to bein

g done with work and school and looking for things to entertain ourselves. I'm trying to enjoy these lazy days knowing they will not last much longer...

So, while other people have been boxing up our belongings (which makes me feel rather guilty) we have been amusing ourselves with Memorial Day TV Marathons (until our TV got packed), running in the rain (by accident), and chasing each other around the house. 

Last night in the midst of our chase, Stephen dodged the entertainment center but hit his toe on the coffee table.

This was his toe this morning: (he says it looks worse than it feels)

I'm pretty convinced that it is broken but according to my mother-in-love (whom we seek advice from on following God, to injuries, to reality TV and really so much more) and of course self-diagnosing on Web MD (did I ever tell you the story about how I thought my hair was falling out weeks before the wedding and I was going to be a bald bride? anyway, I digress...), there is nothing that we can really do other than to just let it heal. 

I guess we should have heeded our mothers' advice when they said "no running in the house..." but Stephen is also happy that our new house will have larger more open spaces should we ever accidently play tag in the house again... :)

Keeping Our Tent Posts Shallow

Last year in the early Spring when we were still living in New Orleans, Dr. Crosby preached a sermon at First Baptist New Orleans one morning about "keeping your tent posts shallow" and the last few weeks God has continually been bringing that sermon and that particular phrase (one that I thought I had forgotten) back to my mind. The sermon was from Genesis 12 and how "Abraham hears the call of God to leave his homeland and make a journey to an unknown place. He responds in faith to this mysterious directive from an unseen God."

 It was a couple months after that sermon was preached that we would sense that God was calling us to leave New Orleans and to move to North Carolina for whatever it was that he Had planned for us here. So, without jobs and actually without even our acceptance letters to Southeastern Seminary in hand yet, we moved everything that we had to make this big change that we knew very clearly that God was asking us to make. People have often asked us "Why did you leave New Orleans?" and we usually just laugh (because how do you explain that in 30 seconds) and say something like "we sensed God was drawing our time to a close there" or "we just knew that He was leading us away from New Orleans." It's very difficult to explain God's plans and His ways in a way that seems to fit into a perfectly packaged rational plan for ourselves (or even other's plans for ourselves). Our ways are definitely not God's and we have learned that it is very hard to explain following God in a way that seems acceptable to the world. 

This year in Wake Forest has been a year of learning, growing, and seeing first hand how God provides for our every need. It has not been an easy year but I know that we are different (and hopefully better) because of it and I believe that God has grown us up in many ways. God provided us a chance to serve at Good Hope Baptist Church where I served full-time as a children's director. Early into our time there, Stephen and I often talked about how many years we thought we would stay there and even if it would be God's plan to provide Stephen a position there as well after seminary. We even thought into the future and talked about how hard it would be the day that we ever had to move on and say goodbye to some very wonderful people. The story of our time at Good Hope is one filled with ups and downs and highs and lows as you would expect with any ministry position. It is a church and a year in our lives that we will never forget and it's an experience that we have had that will likely impact who we are in ministry (and in life) and many of the decisions that we make in ministry (and in life) will likely be shaped by all that we have learned through it. Some people know many of the stories and details of our time in North Carolina (and some know few) but I don't know that anyone will ever be able to fully understand all that we learned and in the ways that we learned it except for Stephen and I. And I'm okay that. I'm learning better to share my grief and my joy with Christ and let Him quiet my heart. I can't sum up  in a few simple words all that God has taught me personally this year - I don't know that I have any words sufficient enough to explain what has happened in my heart. In fact, I think I will be processing long after our time in North Carolina... 

But, I have learned (lived) this year that God is always faithful and that His love for us is beyond comprehension. I've begged for His perfect peace and I've felt it when I needed it most. I have learned once again that life is not fair and that sometimes (sometimes but now always) pleasing God means biting your tongue rather than fighting to be right and that by doing that you are doing the "right" thing. I have watched Stephen serve tirelessly and without one complaint (I'm serious) alongside of me in this ministry and I know that because of this experience I will be a better wife and helpmate for him through all of the years of ministry that we have ahead. I know that as a result of this year I will pray more diligently for him, express my words of appreciation and respect more often, and support and defend him more fiercely. We've learned a lot in this year about ourselves and who we are and who we are not. And I'm learning to be okay with that (especially the "who I'm not" part). I also know that as much as I would never want to do this year over that I would never change it for anything because I have already begun to see how God has worked it for good. 

So, I guess this is a lot of build up to just say what we haven't really been able to share for a while:

At the end of May we will be picking up our "tent" again and moving to Claxton, GA where Stephen has the awesome responsibility to serve as the Student Minister to the children and youth of FBC. Do we have questions about all the details? Yes. Do we wonder why God is moving us to the third place of ministry in our 2 years of marriage? Yes. Do we wonder if we are crazy? Yes. Do we hope that this will be a place that God will allow us to serve for many years? a resounding Yes! Do we trust that God knows the plans He has for us? Yes and we'll follow Him wherever he leads. 

We'll finish seminary (though it may take us longer than others and that is okay with us) through extension centers, online classes, and workshops. Stephen will serve at the church and I will teach (if a position is open) you can pray about that or actually you can just pray that God will place me where He wants me. We will live and enjoy life and try to to say much less than we do now "we'll do that one day --  after seminary" because life is not promised to us and each day is a gift. And we'll just trust God -- whatever is ahead....

There is a part of me that longs to feel at home somewhere. I think that is normal, especially for women. But Dr. Crosby's sermon reminded me that Abraham was a sojourner and that "he lived one day at a time, one campsite at a time." And that is the kind of faith that I long to have -- "to keep my eyes on the city with foundations whose builder and maker is God." This world is not our home. Our home is in Him  and as we sang this morning in church: 

I was lost in utter darkness 'til You came and rescued me
I was bound by all my sin when Your love came and set me free
Now my soul can sing a new song, now my heart has found a home
Now Your grace is always with me
And I'll never be alone

Your prayers mean so much to us.

Love, Kassi and Stephen

My inspiration to post again...

Apparently, I am not very good at this whole blog thing: I've written about groundhogs and being sick which I am fully aware is not the most exciting reading for anyone - even my sweet, mother-in-love that is the only one I know for sure actually reads these updates. But, I found this survey on a friend's blog and thought that it would give me a little inspiration to post again! :) And talking about my love, Stephen, is something that I can pretty much always do! I just want to brag on him for a minute and say that even though I knew I would love being married to him, it has been even better than I expected. It seems unbelievable that in just a few weeks we will celebrate our second anniversary already. It seems as if the time has flown by and yet so much has happened and we've been through so many life changes: starting our life in New Orleans, his college graduation, starting seminary, his first church job, my first teaching job, transferring to another seminary, our move to NC, my first church job.... A LOT has happened!! There have been trials and immense joy, tears and laughter and we've done it all together. And it has only made us closer. And through it all I have always felt his love and support. He is strong, and faithful, and true. And I love him more and more every single day! So, enough with all the mushy, gushy and on to the survey to see how well I know him... see, I told you I could always talk about him! :) Here’s a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Cut, paste and fill in the answers, then forward. The real challenge is to send it to your husband to see how right you really are. 1. He’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? House, Numb3rs, Food Network (Challenge and Ace of Cakes), King of the Hill, or some reality show that he is watching with me. 2. You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Ranch 3. What’s one food he doesn’t like? Sweet Potatoes (which happen to be my favorite) 4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order? Sweet Tea :)... we don't drink. 5. Where did he go to high school? Westbrook Christian School 6. What size shoe does he wear? 10 1/2 or 11 8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Philly Cheesesteak (ironically, our romance began in Philly) 9. What would this person eat every day if he could? breakfast biscuits 10. What is his favorite cereal? He LOVES cereal and his cereal of choice does change from time to time. Right now it's honey bunches of oats. 11. What would he never wear? a v-neck or girl jeans. Definitely nothing that would be feminine. 12. What is his favorite sports team? ALABAMA FOOTBALL! Roll Tide! He also loves professional baseball! He likes the Yankees and the Braves but the Braves will always be his team. 13. Who did he vote for? Let's just say that he DID vote. I watched him feel out the absentee ballot and mail it in. :) What is your husband's favorite animal? Elephant 14. Who is his best friend? I think I am :)! And of course, Nathan. 15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do? be hard on myself 16. What is his heritage? Whenever I've asked him, he says he doesn't know. He always says "maybe English because of my rosy cheeks." 17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? things also changes but: something chocolate, something with coconut, cookie cake. German Chocolate is probably his favorite. 18. Did he play sports in high school? yes, baseball, football, and track. 19. What could he spend hours doing? sleeping, watching t.v., editing videos, being with me :) - do we sound boring? 20. What is one unique talent he has? He is a man of many talents: he's gifted in media/technology things, music, teaching/preaching. I'm really proud of him. He also would win us a lot of money if he went on Wheel of Fortune. 21. What is his favorite thing to do when you have a night together? it doesn't matter as long as we are together. We just like cuddling up in our big chair and a half. 22. Does he always have to drive, or does he let you drive? There is really never a time that I drive when we are together. 23. Do you ever fight? all of our "fights" are generally about something silly and by the end we realize we are really only arguing because we just want more time together. I'm glad we always talk it out and don't hold things in. We work through whatever it is and never never never go to bed angry. It's too hard to be angry with him. Let's see if he'd same the same about me, ha! 24. If he were to buy you a gift what would he get you? I'd rather have a trip to just get away and relax together more than anything. We also make a lot of our gifts for valentines day or anniversaries. One day I'd like some diamond earrings, maybe, but I'd still probably rather just go somewhere we've never been together. 25. Was it love at first sight? not exactly, but it was God's perfect timing and I would not change anything about how it happened. 26. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? signed baseballs, Alabama stuff, DVD's... Another thing that has me inspired to write is our new, adorable little nephew that we got to meet last weekend, Jonathan Merrill Patterson Jr. Here is a picture of Uncle Stevo and Baby Jonathan!

Reflecting

I'm sick today. I've been sitting in our chair and a half (that is really big enough for 3) that we bought for Christmas last year surrounded by piles of kleenex, a thermometer, glasses of water, and covered in blankets. I've been napping throughout the day while Stephen is working and trying to pick up some channel, any channel with the rabbit ears on the TV in the moments I've been awake. Stephen called Pastor Keith early this morning and told him I didn't need to come in today. I'm glad he is my voice of reason sometimes when I just think I should keep going. I don't know why I do that. Sometimes I hate to admit that it's probably more out of guilt or a sense of needing to please more than anything else. It's something I have asked God to change in me through the years but it is definitely a process. I really needed this day to just rest and not feel the need to do anything at all (even though I was looking forward to my shopping plans tonight) and after a day of just laying around and reflecting I am thankful for even this day. 

I am an introvert. I was painfully shy as a child and wanted my little sister to be my voice whenever possible. She was always happy to ask the questions I wanted to ask or communicate

the things that I wanted to say although probably not as delicately as I would have done it. In middle school, I communicated my words and thoughts through writing more than anything else. I kept a journal of my thoughts as probably most middle school girls do. I changed a lot through high school and college. God pushed me into opportunities that challenged me and grew me (and they were almost always involving being in front of big groups of people). I got a degree in early childhood and elementary education and had to teach and be evaluated constantly on how I presented myself in front of people. Last year when I taught first grade I have never been so drained from every school day of being extroverted and longed at the end of the day to just be alone. I have always loved people and considered myself to be friendly, but if given the choice I would choose a meaningful conversation in a coffee shop with a friend than meaningless chatter at a party with tons of people. I appreciate the opportunity to be real and transparent with others. I am constantly seeking these opportunities out and thankful for when they happen - little moments of joy in an regular work day! Now, I serve as a children's ministry director and I find myself needing to be in front of people once again. I am thankful that God chooses to use all different kinds of people with all different kinds of personalities to communicate the Gospel. When I look at my life and the way he has chosen to use me, I know that anything I have done has ONLY been because of Him. I also think about my three summers of serving as an M-Fuge Track Leader (leading groups of 6th - 12th graders) and doing many things that were way out of my comfort zone like dancing on stage each week in front of 100's of people. I just have to shake my head, laugh, and think "wow, God has surprised me with all that He has allowed me to do." Anyway, my being introverted was not the point of this post...

A day like today is great for an introvert. I sat around in this chair that engulfs me reflecting, thinking, reminiscing about days gone by, and looking at pictures of people (some that I had been very close to many years ago now) and thinking about how life changes. So many of my old friends are married now, some with children already or children on the way. My heart also broke today as I thought about marriages of friends that have ended shortly after they began. 

I thought about people that I thought I would be friends with forever and recognize how our lives gradually grew apart. I thought about family and family relationships. I thought about moments that I thought my heart would break from sadness and loss and how God worked even those for His good. I thought about life and where I am now. I thought about my marriage and how much has happened in  just two years together. I have never been so blessed as I have in these two years. I thought about how the decisions that we make can change the direction of our lives (and what I would be doing had I made choices that were different) and how God has ordained it all. I thought about the past, the present, the future, and the One that holds it all. Maybe I'm overly sappy today because I ended a difficult semester of seminary (another thing I never thought in a million years I would be doing), maybe it's a fever or head cold, or maybe it's all the cold medicine I've been taking. Whatever the case may be, I have enjoyed thoroughly my day of reflection. It has not left me longing for the past at all but only excited about the present and the future ahead of me. I am thankful for God's word and Jeremiah 29:11 that says: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I can rest knowing that that every single day of my life is before Him and even though it may be far different (far different but far more perfect) than I expected, each day is a wonderful day lived in Jesus Christ. And the days are really not always what we expect, are they? Today there's snow on the ground in New Orleans and 70 degree skies in North Carolina. 

Thanksgiving Travels and Stephen's Birthday

The month of November was exciting and very busy. November was my (Kassi) first full month as the children's ministry director at Good Hope Baptist Church. There is so much to do but I am so happy that God has placed me there. I am excited every day to wake up and spend another day serving alongside of some very wonderful people. I have also loved getting to know the precious children and their families and realize what an awesome responsibility and privilege that I have to share Christ with them. Here is a picture of my office. It has changed quite a bit since this picture because I've decorated and even added a little child's couch and chair!

 We traveled during our Thanksgiving break (we had a week off from seminary) and were able to see Stephen's family in Alabama, my Dad at his house and extended family, and my Mom at her house and extended family. We were able to spend about a day and half in each place but it was definitely not long enough! The week went by so fast but it was great to see everyone. 

Stephen turned 24 the day after Thanksgiving! This was our second time to celebrate his birthday as a married couple and he is already forgetting how old he is. Every time he was asked I think he answered with a different number. I know without a doubt one highlight of his birthday this year was getting a Wii.  I feel I can say that with certainty as he is playing the Wii right now as I am typing this post. I really wanted it to be a surprise for him but the one time they were not sold out in stores (we had walked by that aisle in Target and Walmart for months just to look) we were together and I didn't want to risk coming back and find that it was gone already. It's so fun to give Stephen gifts that really make his eyes light up with delight and act giddy like a little child. Here is a picture of him holding and hugging his Wii clearly very giddy about the gift.

There were many people that made Stephen's birthday this year very special. Here are some pictures of us celebrating with both of our families.  

Here is Stephen with a few of his gifts.

These are a few pictures from Stephen's birthday celebration in Alabama.

Here are a few pictures as we continued celebrating in South Carolina.

This Thanksgiving I encouraged every child in the children's ministry to live a life of gratitude and it has allowed me to reflect on all that I am grateful for as well. I am thankful for many things but one of the things that I am most grateful for is my husband. I am so thankful as I think back over this year of marriage at all that God has done. Our first year of marriage was a wonderful one and this second year has been just as wonderful. Has it been hard? Incredibly! Both of us working full-time to pay our way through seminary, taking classes and studying every free minute that we have, starting over in a new place and truly wondering what else we could cut out of our budget before food so that we could pay the bills. This year has come with tears, prayers, and seeing firsthand how God provides in his perfect timing. I'm so very thankful for these early-twenties, hamburger helper, chick-fil-a coupons, 20 hours on a chicken sandwich assembly line for extra money, rabbit ears on the T.V., Goodwill furniture, laundry mat, rent paying, little air conditioning and little heat, seminary days. I would not trade these memories for anything in the world. I have loved every single minute with you, Stephen. You are my best friend and I would marry you over and over again. I thank the Lord every single day for letting us take this journey together. Happy Birthday!

The next post to come will be Christmas decorations... I've spent way too much time already on this one and we have two more exams to study for before Monday. Please pray for us as we finish up the semester! And then no more school until the end of January!