Oh, the Places You'll Go

I heard from the school in Bogota that we're going to be working at this summer, and the theme for the summer classes that I'll be teaching is, Oh, the Places You'll Go, by Dr. Seuss.  It looks like I'm going to have the chance to work with Colombian students of various ages who still speak English at a very basic level.  We will be working on their listening and speaking skills through a center rotation that also includes song, grammar games, arts/crafts, and sports.  I am really excited about this opportunity, but the best part is that they start each day with worship.  I can't wait for the opportunity to put the two things I love to do together, teach English to second language learners AND point their hearts toward God--the essential element that is sadly missing in the American public school.  I can hardly wait to be in an environment where I can teach and share my faith at the same time.

So, after I found out the theme, I went straight to school and dug out Oh, the Places You'll Go from my collection of Dr. Seuss books in my classroom.  That night, since David and I had just finished a chapter book together the night before, I read it to David.  What was so cool to me, though, was that as I read it, I realized that it really is a very fitting story for the journey our family has been through and on over the last several years. You just never know the places that you will go or that God will take you to.  Sometimes they'll be through a dark valley you didn't want to or intend to go through.  Other times they'll be to a mountaintop that you never thought you could reach.  If you have access to a copy of the book, go read it and you'll see what I mean.  Plus, being a poet myself who finds great fulfillment in making the perfect rhyme,    a Dr. Seuss book just couldn't be more fitting.

Speaking of the places you'll go, I had another exciting evening lastnight that  was never anywhere in my plans.  We went out to dinner together as a family in Grapevine to meet my new friend and fellow recently published author, Jodie Mitchell.  Last week while I was in Holy Grounds, where my book signing will be next week, her book of Christian poetry, The Trusting Time, caught my eye.  Throughout the week, we connected online and via telephone, and lastnight we met up for dinner with her and her husband.  What an amazing connection God has given us.  We have so, so much in common regarding our journeys of writing poetry since we were very young and now finally finding the courage to put it out there to minister to others. We have very similar personalities and spiritual gifts, and we found that we share the same vision with our writing, that it's all about not only helping us make connections in our world, but it's more about God using it to draw someone else closer to Him.  We signed books for each other, encouraged each other, gave each other new ideas, and now I am deeply grateful for this new friend that God has given me.  You just never know the places that you'll go....or the people that you'll meet.  I'm also very grateful to my husband and son for supporting me as I take these new steps out into the unknown, going from being an introverted writer to a published author.  It really is a whole new world.