Prideful?...Who me?!?

Three weeks ago, my husband and I decided to join the gym. We were finally financially able to join a gym, and I'm so proud of my husband setting a goal to loose weight this year so that he can improve his health for the sake of our family. He is currently healthy, just overweight. So I agreed to support his decisions about switching to a more healthy lifestyle (yay for keeping up with a New Year's Resolution!). This is the first time that I've ever been to a gym. I had briefly attended the cardio room one semester in college, but never a real gym. The first week at the gym, I wasn't quite sure what to do. I ran cross country in high school, so I figured why not hit the treadmill. A little nervous, I hit the 5k button and entered in my weight. As the treadmill began on a low speed, I thought, I can handle this. In fact, I couldn't help but gaze look at what speed the person on the side of me was doing. I instantly thought to myself, if they are on THAT speed, then I can definitely go faster. Little did I know that the machine would make that decision quickly for me. After a 2 minute "warm up" the treadmill decided to more than double it's current speed. As I am now running at a decent pace, I immediately think, well I'm definitely going faster than my treadmill neighbor now. Haha! Then quickly my body reminds me that I hadn't run in quite a few many years and that I'm also no longer 16. After a short time, I decide to lower my speed for two reasons, 1 - so that I wouldn't fall off the treadmill (which I learned a week later that I can't talk and run at the same time, doh!) and 2 - I didn't want to quit.

I left the gym and couldn't believe myself. Was I really prideful? I don't think of myself as a prideful person. Did I really just compare myself to another person in the gym? I learned the next day, thanks to my extremely sore leg muscles, that I can't start off running if my muscles aren't even used to walking. I'm happy to report that after completing Week 3 at the gym, that I can now run most of the 5k - but I had to build myself up to that point. My goal is to completely run a 5k, without changing the treadmill speeds, by the end of the month. If I'm completely honest with myself, I'm also trying not to compare myself at all with my treadmill neighbors. I don't know how long they have been working out or anything about these people. Why am I comparing myself to them? This is seeming to be more difficult than I thought...

One funny thing, a few days a ago, I caught my treadmill neighbor looking at my speed and then decided to raise up her speed only to lower her speed back down after about 30 seconds. So I guess I'm not the only one with a gazing at other people's treadmills problem.

Where am I going with all of this? Well, as I was gazing at a neighbor's treadmill speed one day, God asked me, "Why are you comparing your relationship with Me with the relationship I have with others?" I immediately thought, "Hold up, God weren't you supposed to ask me why am I comparing my running speed with my treadmill neighbor's speed?!" Why are you bringing up our relationship? Then God reminded me,  you can't start off running when you aren't comfortable yet with walking. There are things I don't understand, and I want to be at speed 6 when really, I'm at a speed 3. Honestly, it's not even about being at speed 6. During my conservation with God, He brought to my mind a quote from a book I'm currently reading, "It's not about figuring out all of the mysteries of God, but embracing Him and cherishing Him - even when He doesn't make perfect sense to us," - Francis Chan. So if I can get past all these details that I probably won't understand and embrace God for who He is, then THAT is what can take my relationship with God to the next level. I'm pretty sure I'm still in training. How about you?

-Miche

Comfort in the Details

I have been managing the tutoring lab on campus for a few years now. Recently, the enrollment numbers on the West Bank campus have grown drastically which has caused the college to open up more classes so that students can have a full schedule. This is a great for the college, but on the West Bank we lack space. Having space on campus is like gold. So to help accommodate the growth of numbers and perusing a project that my boss and I have been working on - an electronic classroom - I offered the idea of turning the tutoring lab into a classroom. It's a big room with roughly about 30 computers, perfect size for a classroom. After a few days of my boss contemplating upon the idea, she accepted it and made according changes. Now, over 15 classes are being held in the tutoring room. It's great to see the program flourishing and a place for students to have class. But what did this mean for the tutoring program? Well, it had to move somewhere else on campus or it would be no more. So the tutoring lab did move, to a much smaller room. We moved from a classroom that held 30 computers comfortably to a classroom about 1/4 of the size and somehow squeezes in 15 computers. I am very grateful for the space and that there is a place for students to come and get help with their math classes for free. In fact we are open 54 hours a week - even on Saturdays. Some days we see as many as 60 students come in and out our lab (sometimes even more if it's close to a test day). I think the program is a success. But I have to say, making this transition from a large classroom to a small computer lab has been a bit stressful. I'm not crazy about the change either (even it being my idea!), but I understand why it had to happen. Not many people like change, and moving from a space that was comfortable to a place that is a little more crammed can be uncomfortable. This past year, as the manager, I've heard SO many complaints about this change. In my eyes, the students should be happy that there IS a tutoring lab provided for them for free, but some of the students don't see it that way. They complain that there are not enough computers, the computers are too close to one another, etc. Of course this makes sense to them because they don't see the BIG picture. They don't understand that because of this move MANY students are now having a chance to take the math classes they need to graduate. Without making this switch, the math department wouldn't have another classroom. For the persistent complainers, I've taken the time and explained to them why the move had to happen. Some of the complainers quit complaining because now the move makes sense to them, but others have chosen to continue to complain and not accept the move. Unfortunately these students can't get pass the smallness of our lab and now miss out on the great opportunity to get help in their math classes.

I wonder if God ever gets frustrated with us sometimes? He provides for us, and yet we still complain sometimes about what He provided for us. Look at the Israelites in the Old Testament - God provided food and led them, yet they still complained. They wanted a king, and God gave them a king, and they still complained. Look at your own life. What is God providing for you and  yet you still complain? Are you so focused on the little things, that you forget how it all makes sense in the big picture? Have you ever been so closed minded that you can't get passed the little details and have missed a great opportunity? Is your comfort found in the details?

-Miche

Funerals

Funerals. I get a nervous, sick feeling in my stomach just typing the word. No one enjoys having to go to a funeral. For the obvious reason, but I also think because we are faced with death. It becomes real to us. So as I sat at a funeral, I thought about the few funerals that I have attended in the past which consisted of a wide age span - young and old. This proves that we are not guaranteed tomorrow or this very second.  Life is short. Amazing how we take for granted the very breath that we breathe to keep us alive. Funerals remind us that death is one thing in life that is certain. However, we can also be certain about another thing, our destination after death: heaven or hell. Jesus is our only certainty from eternal death (hell), and if we trust in Christ then death can no longer become a fear. 

So may you rest in peace, Merle “Pappaw” McClain, for you were such a faithful father and grandfather to many. I’m so thankful to have had an adopted grandfather like you, even if it was for a short few years. Thank you for sharing God's love to your family and friends. I couldn't help but smile as I looked around your filled house with your entire family and think, without you, none of these people would be here on earth. Despite your passing, I felt like I have gotten closer to your family as we celebrated your life. I must say, the old photos and reminiscing did heal my pain and appreciate my own life...if only for a second during the gloomy filled day. I look forward in seeing you again, one day.

I have also gained a new respect for your town, Pappaw. I was in awe that as a line of cars followed your hearst, that EVERY car that we passed on the other side of the road STOPPED in honor of you and respect for your family and friends. I also appreciated how your community got together and fed all of your family and friends and is already taking care of your loving wife. Despite your tragedy, I think you have given me a small glimpse of heaven through a community supporting and loving one another. Thank you.

Life will continue to move on, sometimes quicker than we have hoped, but let us try not to forget to stop and appreciate the precious gift of a life.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." -Romans 8:1-2

-Miche

Top Ten Resolutions for 2012

I've never been good at keeping New Year's resolutions, but this year I want to really focus and not treat my resolutions as a to do list for January.

To help me with my resolutions, I've decided to adopt the "Movement" series from the Vineyard Nola and SKL. (Want to know more?  Check out my blog HERE or the church's website HERE.)

UPWARD:

1. Read the Bible in a year, and study more theology. (GeEk alert!)

2. Pray throughout the day - not just the start of my day (a 30 min commute to work can sometimes be good) or in an "emergency."

INWARD: (myself)

3. Write in a P-journal - 4 days a week. Of course, I'd love to do it everyday, but I'm trying to make this realistic/doable. :) So what is a P-journal you ask? It's a short entry that states a Peak (high for the day), a Pit (low for the day), a Praise (thankful for the day), and a Prayer. I'm really looking forward in journaling more. I used to journal a lot in college, and I'm looking forward in doing it again. I enjoy having a way to express myself and have a time to reflect.

4. Maintain a healthy body. Has anyone noticed that as you get older that this area gets more difficult? Ok...just making sure I'm not the only one. I want to try and improve eating habits and get out and exercise more.

INWARD: (others)

5. Get to know my neighbors. This year, I really want to make this a priority like I stated in my previous blog. My husband and I for Christmas made goodies and personally handed out to a few. (It's a start!). I was sad that we couldn't hand out more, but many were not home.

6. Continue to work on loving people in my everyday ordinary life - even if it means letting people who cut the line into traffic - Ugh! Um...still working on that one.

OUTWARD


7. Continue to pray for my friends in Zambia, Africa.

8. Volunteer more often at our church's food bank - Bag Hunger (and purchase food for it every month).

These are a few personal/fun ones:

9. Quit biting my nails. (unfortunately this makes my list every year.)

10. Grow my hair long enough to donate to Locks of Love. (currently working on this one, hopefully I don't loose patience!)

Lastly, I am starting a new tradition this year with my husband. We will have a "Memory Jar" in the kitchen. Every time we experience something we want to remember we will write it down on a piece of paper with the date and place it in the jar. On New Year's Eve 2012 we will take them all out and read them. I think it will be neat to have some sort of time capsule. How funny would it be to read these in 2022?!

Good luck with keeping your New Year's resolutions, if you make them!
Wishing you a prosperous New Year!

-Miche

Learning to Live with Neighbors

I can't believe it's been 6 months since we have purchased and moved into our home, and it's been a great experience so far.

One thing I'm learning about is how to live with neighbors. So far, it's very different from what I experienced growing up in my small bayou town. Growing up, my family knew our neighbors very well. It was nothing for my mom to send me to a neighbor's house to ask for an egg, since she was in the middle of cooking and ran out. Trick-or-treating was special since we would receive a special bag prepackaged with our names on it, and we also knew two houses down there would be hot dogs and popcorn balls year after year. We visited one another. If you were outside doing yard work, there was a good chance a neighbor would come by. My mom bought our birthday cakes from a lady a few houses down. My dad knew who he could borrow tools from. In fact, my dad helped an older gentleman grow a garden two houses down. They enjoyed spending time together and sharing the crop. There was a real sense of community and support in the neighborhood.

What have I experienced so far living in my new neighborhood? Well, definitely not the above. In the front of our house is a pecan tree. To my little knowledge, I didn't realize how much a pecan tree looses it's leaves in the winter - enough to fill up 1 1/2 large trash cans with JUST leaves in case you were wondering (and this was just the first raking). One particular morning, I decided it was definitely time to rake since no trace of grass could be seen. While raking, I stumbled upon some unwanted surprises that I know suspect came from two small black dogs from our neighbor's house. Immediately inside I felt emotions of rage and revenge. Why can't they pick up after their dog? That's so rude! Are they lazy? Why can't they train their dog to stay on THEIR property. I just want to get a dog (which we don't have) and train it to go in their yard. Ha! That will show them. After about 30 min of ranting in my head while raking, I calmed down and thought is that showing love? Is that how I can get to know my neighbors and form a sense of community? Definitely not. Then I began to look around at my surroundings and felt horrible to see many yards that had OUR leaves in them. Yikes! Some of my neighbor's don't even have a tree in their yard. Now, I know I can't totally prevent the wind from blowing the leaves around, but I could rake up my yard more often, than...twice? I'm sure if I rake more often, then it wouldn't give the wind a chance to blow the leaves in my neighbor's yards. Will this one act make my neighbors become friends with me? I definitely don't think so, but I'm sure they would appreciate it.

Currently, I only know one set of neighbors thus far. This particular set was very close to the family that lived in our house before us, and they introduced themselves to us quickly because they were collecting the mail for the family that moved. They seem like really nice people, and I look forward in getting to know them better. Sadly, I don't know the other people that live in the houses that surround me.

One of my New Year's resolutions this year will be to change that. I want to feel the sense of community and support that I had growing up. I know it will not happen over night, and it will take time. I don't think this is an easy task. I can think of many excuses as why not to - Will they like us? There is too big of an age difference. What should I talk about? etc. My prayer for 2012 is that God would give me opportunities to get to know my neighbors, and that I am brave and bold enough to seize those opportunities.

I'm learning to live with neighbors, how about you?
-Miche

Gifting with a Purpose

Do you have trouble giving gifts to a person who has it all?! I know I do sometimes! I want to show that I care and love someone by giving them a gift on Christmas, but not sure what to give. I love this new concept of gifting with a purpose! What does this mean? When you purchase an Umweo bag (see story below), not only will you receive a bag that is hand made with material from Zambia, Africa, but ALL proceeds are sent to a mal-nutrition clinic in Zambia. It's a win, win! I personally love my Umweo bag when I travel. 

Please read my friend's blog post below about her story of how Umweo bags came about and how YOU can help. 

Umweo Bags is a non-profit organization (pulling together the final paperwork for being incorporated as a 501(c)3 as you read) that was started in 2010 by Ana Rich. While on a mission trip in Zambia, with her church - the Vineyard Church of New Orleans. Ana had the opportunity to visit a malnutrition clinic in the town of Kitwe. This clinic is a place where children in the community who are malnourished are brought, most often by their parents, to be given a chance at surviving in life. While at the clinic, children are cared for by nurses who do all that they can to provide care, nutrition, vitamins and food to these children; to nurse them back to health so that they may return home to their families, healthy. At the time that Ana was visiting the clinic, there were close to 15 children being cared for and nursed back to health.

Upon returning to New Orleans from her trip to Zambia, Africa, Ana had an overwhelming desire to help, to work to figure out how she could play a part in helping these children survive. While in Zambia, Ana had the opportunity to go to market one day. While there she purchased a handmade bag from one of the local merchants. It was this bag that enlarged Ana’s imagination as she considered ways that she could help those children who are clinging to life over 9000 miles away.

After weeks of thinking and praying, Ana pulled out her old sewing machine, though she had only minor sewing skills, and began to play around with fabric and designs to try and replicate the bag that she had purchased at market. Within a few days, Ana had finally landed on her own unique pattern for the purses. And thus Umweo Bags was born.

Umweo Bags are all made out of fabrics full of vibrant colors that in some way reflect the culture of Zambia. Bags are sold for $30 and every penny that is profit is now sent to the malnutrition clinic in Kitwe and is used to purchase the necessary food and vitamin supplements for the children. Over the last year and a half, Ana has empowered a number of other women in the community to also make bags and today, every Umweo Bag is handmade by Ana and 5 of her friends.

To date, Umweo Bags has sent $2,675 to the malnutrition clinic which in turn has allowed the clinic to purchase food. The clinic usually only has enough funding to purchase formula. However, children over 8 months old are in need of solid foods in order to get the nutrients they need to regain their health. The money that Umweo Bags sends to the clinic enables the clinic to purchase the necessary solids, such as, fruits, mealie meal, ground nuts for protein and more.


Here are some other sobering numbers:
· People travel anywhere from 10 miles to 150 miles in order to find help at the clinic
· Children stay anywhere from 7 days to 30 days at the clinic
· There is a dietician and 3 nurses that work at the clinic
· The clinic has anywhere from 12 children to 32 a time
· There are only 25 beds at the clinic


Since Umweo Bags partnered with the clinic in 2010, over 95 children have been nursed back to health and have returned to their homes nourished and healthy.

It is our heart at Umweo Bags to continue to provide as much as we can financially to this clinic to provide these children with the food and vitamins they need to survive - to provide life.

Here’s how you can help:
1. Like Umweo Bags Facebook page, click HERE
2. Share Umweo Bags page on Facebook, click HERE
3. Follow Umweo Bags on Twitter @umweobags

In addition to this, you may always purchase an Umweo Bag at www.umweobags.bigcartel.com or donate directly to Umweo Bags at www.umweobags.com
In an effort to raise awareness, friends of Umweo Bags will donate over $600 to this amazing cause if Umweo Bags receives over 250 likes on their Facebook page, along with receiving at least 60 shares on FB and 20 new followers on Twitter by December 25.  


Friends, thank you for your time and help,
Miche

10 years and counting...

Boy, does time fly by! I used to think older people were crazy when they would talk about how fast time flies. Funny how when we are young that we can't wait to grow up, but once we are grown up we want back our childhood. Why is it that as we get older time does seem to fly by? Is it because we have more responsibilities? Maybe so. It seems that I have to be more conscious sometimes to just enjoy the moment for it can pass by so quickly.

For the past two weekends, I've had the opportunity to attend 2 different reunions.

The first reunion was my high school reunion. I actually did not attend this one because of a few different reasons, but the main one is because the friends that I was closest to in high school are from out of state and was unable to attend. However, I did take the opportunity to look back on my 10 years after high school. I reflected on where I thought I'd be while in high school, and where I'm actually at today. 10 years ago, today, as a senior I was probably in the middle of a soccer and cross country season taking classes like Honors English 3 and Calculus to prepare me for college *I know, nerd alert*. I actually enjoyed school. I've always like learning new things and perusing topics that interested me. I wasn't in the "in" crowd, although, I do think that people around school knew me due to my highly involvement in sports. I could be wrong about that. I didn't hang out in the cool hall, which didn't bother me none, since it was extremely crowed and filled with people who I thought wanted to be popular if they weren't already. I hung out with a group of girls, just like any other teenager, trying to survive high school. I really enjoyed the times we spent together - school dances, sleepovers, Grand Isle, talks about life, joining the drama club all together - making stage hand t-shirts, our bench down gym hall. I'll spare you from my memory lane entirely. During my senior year, I remember writing an essay about what my future plans were for a college scholarship (that I thankfully received!). I remember writing that my plans were to attend Nicholls State University and receive a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Mathematics within 4 years. (In Jr. High I discovered I wanted to be either a math or science teacher, and in high school I narrowed my choice to math - thanks to great math teachers!). After graduating, I was going to move back to the bayou and teach at my former alumni. I thought by this point, which would barely make me 21, I'd own a house, be married and started a family. I didn't really date much in high school, since I figured I'd meet my mate in college. I thought I'd continue to live on the bayou, not far from where I grew up all my life. Could this all be possible by the age of 21? I'm sure it could have, but did it? Not entirely. You see, God had some slightly different plans, and I couldn't be more thankful for those plans.

Well, I did receive my bachelor's in Secondary Ed. - Math but in 4 1/2 years. My last semester was when Katrina hit. It was the most trying semester I had ever experienced in my college career. It was devastating enough to see the damage in my area and see the devastation going on in New Orleans. But I was also going through student teaching. The hardest semester for an education major. (To sum it up, you get thrown into a classroom under a teacher where you are expected to do his/her job, except without the pay, and write lesson plans that satisfy the strict looooong conditions for college.) My classroom size even grew after Katrina, since the evacuated students had to go to school somewhere. I also started to question my career choice since I did NOT enjoy student teaching. I loved to teach, but this just wasn't working. Lots of tears were shed. By this point, I was also starting to realize that I hadn't met my "Mr. Right" and wouldn't be married and start a family by the age of 21. (Crazy, I know.) I had moments where I began to think I'd be single the rest of my life. Then God brought graduate school into the picture. Grad school? Are you crazy? I'm tired of school and not making money. But I somehow stumbled upon a brochure that talked about a fairly new graduate program at Nicholls. So I made a deal with God. Ok, if You can make it possible, I'll give it a try. (How silly does this sound?) So I took the GRE - just scored the amount I needed. I received a grad assistant position to where almost all my schooling was paid for and I got to teach a class at Nicholls and make a little bit of extra money. I'm pretty sure God wanted me in grad school. Here's another interesting fact, I graduated college with four other girls in math ed, and all four wanted to go back and get their masters, but me. Well, here's where God has a sense of humor: I'm the only one who immediately went back to get their masters. (You can read about my grad school struggles HERE.) A guy that I was friends with during my undergraduate studies turned into a romance (I'll spare you the details ;) during my graduate studies who then became my amazing husband at the end of both of our college careers. We married eight years after my high school graduation - in case you are keeping track. We had decided to move to New Orleans. Which you can read about some of my feelings on that HERE. I recently purchased a home, which you can read about HERE. That's ten years since I graduated high school. I haven't started a family, YET, but hope to one day. :) Oh, and I'm not teaching at my alumni. I'm teaching math at Delgado Community College and LOVE it. It's been quite a journey. I'm sure I will continue to make plans, and I'm sure God will continue to change them.

The second reunion that I was able to attend was a special college reunion. College reunion? That's not really a normal one - I know. As a freshmen in college, I was invited by a high school friend to the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries). I quickly found out from this friend that I might not have been known around high school for my sports, but as a church girl. Well, I was a Christian and did attend church regularly, so I just accepted this and decided to attend with her. Today, I'm incredibly grateful that I went. Through the BCM I grew. I grew spiritually and as a person. This is the place where I met true friends that have impacted my life, forever. I learned the basics of Christianity. I was introduced to Christian music (other than what played on Lifesongs). I truly enjoyed corporate worship in song. I learned what it meant to disciple and be discipled. God gave me a love and opportunities for short term mission trips. During spring break I went on 3 mission trips to Mexico and 1 to Mississippi. I spent 2 entire summers in Glorieta, New Mexico working at a Lifeway Conference Center as a Day Camp leader. (btw, best summers of my life) I spent many weekends in my spring semester as a Jr. High girl D-Now leader. I was stretched. Taken out of my comfort zone. I learned so much about my faith and gained a deeper love for my God. The BCM wasn't just about spiritual things either. We had fun! Tons of fun. Every Thursday we would play ultimate frisbee in the front yard of school (I gained the nickname Professor X while in grad school). We had themed banquets, dances, game nights, dinner together at the Siz! (that's Western Sizzlin for short - Thanks to the $1.99 burger and fry coupon in the Nicholls Worth.) flag football intermural teams, tailgating for football games, volleyball, card games, ping pong, camping trips, etc. Also, this is where I met my husband. All this to say that the campus minister, after 20 years, is retiring in December. As a retirement party, he had a reunion. Any student from 1992 - 2011 could attend. It was a two day event: Friday night was a worship service where the band Insitu reunited, people shared what the BCM meant to them (we even had a few skype in), and had a challenging word from a frequent speaker at the B, Robby Gallaty. I kinda got emotional, sitting in the second row next to the girl that invited me to the BCM (just like old times). I couldn't help but think how far I've come since then, and the opportunities I took advantage of while in college with the BCM. The Friday night service followed up with dinner at the Siz. They stayed open late just for us! Saturday, we had a huge bbq complete with ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and flag football (just like old times). It was amazing to reconnect with old friends face to face and hear of their journey of where God has taken them since the BCM. I learned one thing about this reunion, you never know where God will lead you, you just have to be open to it. Thank you Brother T for all your time investing into our lives.

So where am I today since the BCM? Well, my husband and I quickly found a church after getting married - the Vineyard New Orleans. We joined a young adult group and found some great friends. We led an Alpha table. We then dedicated a year to the School of Kingdom living - which you can read about what I learned HERE. This class really taught me how to apply the basics that I had learned in the BCM to everyday life. I also began to understand what I believed and why I believe. Incredible class! I'm learning how to bring heaven to earth. How to love others. How to enjoy/experience heaven on earth myself. I've been enjoying reading books to take my spiritual journey to a deeper level and discussing them with friends. I even went on a short term mission trip to Zambia, Africa. You can read about that HERE. Pretty neat that even though I'm in the next stage of my life, that God still is stretching me, taking me out of my comfort zone, teaching me, and gives me opportunities to serve - even short missions! OH and of course I'm having tons of fun in the process. :)

I'm so grateful for these reunions for it gave me a few days to step back and look at the journey thus far. Sometimes we can get caught up in the negative details of life, we forget to look back and see how faithful God has been to us. Thanks for reading about mine.
-Miche