children are destructive.

i spent an hour of my day at the libary today. in the children's section.

it was fun.

the kids in my class love books. they love listening to stories. and they love ripping the pages out. the rate at which they destroy books is mind-boggling. so i've started checking out books from the library that go with our curriculum. they can do what they wish with the books at our school, but at least now we have something new and fresh to read every couple of weeks.

since i've started doing this, i've realized i love children's books. and i actually know who the good authors are.

today i had one of those rare "this is your life" moments.

a few years ago i was a senior at belmont. i was a music business major. i studied copyright law. and publishing. and record company operations. i took a marketing class, and we developed a complete marketing plan for reba mcentire's cd that hadn't been released yet, and pitched our ideas to her record label. i took a concert promotions class and each group was responsible for finding a band, booking a show, and promoting it for them.

i loved my education. loved it. it was so interesting and fun.

now i work at a preschool/daycare, and i have a favorite children's book author. i enjoy decorating my classroom, even though i spend a lot of nights cutting bizarre things out of construction paper. there are a lot (A LOT) of things i hate about my job, but i'm glad that at least part of my personality is being challenged and developed there.

a hymn came to mind, because it says there is "joy to find in every station." it's so true. i don't like my job. i want a new one. but that's where i am right now, and Christ brings me joy there.

this is a strange journey i'm on.

the hymn:

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my All shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends may shun me;
Show Thy face, and all is bright.

3. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!
Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!
In Thy service, pain is pleasure;
With Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee Abba, Father!
I have stayed my heart on Thee.
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,
All must work for good to me.

4. Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

5. Take, my soul, thy full salvation;
Rise o'er sin and fear and care;
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
What a Father's smile is thine,
What a Savior died to win thee;
Child of heaven, shouldst thou repine?

6. Haste, then, on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer;
Heaven's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close the earthly mission,
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope soon change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.