Phil's Blog

Birthday Girl

2010-08-15T20:34:00.000-05:00

4 years old!

YUM YUM!!

2010-05-25T08:34:00.000-05:00

Looking forward to snack time.

Today's Thoughts

2010-04-12T11:54:00.001-05:00

"Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement." C.S. Lewis

Pet Peeve

2009-12-11T09:46:00.004-06:00

I really like working at a private school. There are many benefits to it, great students, great parental support, administration that is supportive, and many more things. There is one thing that does irritate me. The parents are great about finding things for the school. The problem lies with having the time to work on the stuff that they bring in. I have two printers that look like they would be great updates to the school, but I don't have the setup disks to install them. I have to take my time to download the drivers and installation stuff which I don't have the time to do. If someone is going to donate at least have the time to help set up the machines.

HP Touch screen

2009-12-09T16:43:00.001-06:00

Computer give away.
This would be very nice to win.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-20T22:52:00.001-06:00

Why do they go?

2009-11-17T19:36:00.001-06:00

Being a school teacher in a private middle school this is very important to me.
My middle school experience was filled with ups and downs just like any middle school student. However, I had a very supportive family who loved at all times. Even if I didn't feel like they were. My Dad was the most influential person in my life when it came to making decisions that effected my eternity with Jesus Christ.
I would like to post more but I need to get to work.

in reference to: http://www.creationinstruction.org/newsletter.php?nl=0 (view on Google Sidewiki)

Trial from a new program

2009-07-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

Thanks for the new program Josh I am trying this out.

LIBRARY

2009-04-24T08:23:00.002-05:00

It is now one of my pet peeves now. It has been one of T's pet peeves for quite some time.
Where people leave out the "r" in library and February when they pronounce it. I am sitting in a classroom (plan time) with nothing better to do than surf the web and read, and an announcement was made over the intercom to the whole school (population about 800 or so). "Mr. ..... please come to the LIBARY." This is in a school where many of the students English is probably not spoken at home. I know that it was a secretary but still she is part of the education of the students. I was very very disappointed today that they said the Pledge of Allegiance to flag of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in Spanish.
If we were to speak Spanish, the Armada would have not been defeated in 1588!

I know that I should keep my comments edifying but I am tired of my nation being diluted by political correctness.

I found this guy staring at me this morning.

2009-04-21T22:58:00.000-05:00

I took out the trash this morning. Observing the other side of the road I realized that the wind had blown in refuse from down the block. I decided to go and retreive it. I picked it up. Then I picked up some more refuse, then I stooped over to pick up one more piece of "refuse" and realized that George was someone else's refuse but not mine.
I put it in my pocket and went home.
Wben I opened the door the phone started ringing. I did not have a job for this morning, planning on just working this afternoon. But God does provide and He had a job waiting for me at a private school where I have not subbed before. I took the position and enjoyed my time there. This also worked out for the school because they offered me Wednesdays and Fridays till the end of the year to fill in for a part time teacher. I only have to get three more days filled per week until the end of school.
God provides even in the little ways.

myopinion

2009-02-20T13:39:00.003-06:00

thereisanewtrendintheworldtoday.typingwithoutcapitalizationandoddabreviations,like,lol,rotfl,etc..
welliamstartinganewtrendwritingwithoutspaces.heythehebrewandgreeksdiditsocani.forthetimebeing
iwillputinthepuncuationbutthatisboundtogobythewaysideasitisanotherkeythatineedtopress.
arepeoplejustgettinglazyorwhat?
havealazyday
fil

Every person should see this.

2009-01-26T17:38:00.000-06:00

Makes a Teacher Proud

2008-12-13T09:47:00.008-06:00

This picture is not very clear but the message is to both Tesa and Me.

This is the wall of distinction at Benson High School. The list of 2008 seniors includes TWO students that we taught at Central Christian schools about 7,8 & 9 years ago, Le Drake and Sam Drake. To have a hand in the education of a student that exceeded gives a satisfaction to a teacher that is hard to describe. Both of these children were adopted from Asia when they were young and their parents worked very hard to bring them up in the way that they should go.
I know that it was Le and Sam's hard work and their parents diligence of bringing up their children, but it is nice to know we had a part in their education.
There is much reward in teaching, sometimes it is never seen but when it is, the satisfaction is more than money will ever purchase.
Thanks Le and Sam, we are PROUD of you.

P.S. I would have never seen this except for being called into substitute teaching. Which I am enjoying very much.

A first in many years

2008-12-07T16:52:00.002-06:00

Saturday morning I woke up but I was bummed about the day.
I would not be working. I was disappointed that I did not get to substitute teach on a Saturday.
I have not had the desire to go to work for many years. I know that I am where I am supposed to be.

Substitute teaching????

2008-10-31T11:21:00.003-05:00

Today,I am at Bryan High School, one of the largest schools in Nebraska. Today I am enjoying it but am wondering why I am here. Today happens to be Senior sneak day (not much of a sneak when the teacher whom I am subbing for typed it up in her notes to me). I happen to be teaching Senior English. I had a total of four students in the first period, planning time for the second period and three students for the third period. I wonder how many students there will be that actually show up for the fourth and final period of the day. If there happens to be seven in the last period, which I highly doubt, Omaha Public Schools will have paid me Ten dollars for each student that with which I will have interacted. That is really good pay. But so be it.

Back in school

2008-10-22T14:01:00.002-05:00

I am sub teaching right now and am feeling like there are many children that have no self control. It is going ok but, I now understand what substitute teachers go through. Tomorrow should be interesting because I am going back into the Behavior Disorder room. (but only for a day)

Hired with no jobs yet

2008-10-09T11:07:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have been hired but no jobs yet. Today Omaha Public Schools hired me as a Substitute Teacher for their school district but I need to wait until I have a employee I.D. and a "Sub-Finder" number. That should take a week or so. But hey! At least there is a prospect ahead!!!!!!

Just to get to the top of the list

2008-09-30T09:14:00.002-05:00

My sister has a blog and her list on the side updates to the most recent post.
So now I should be on top of the list.

Blow out the lamps and throw open the shutters

2008-09-10T08:29:00.004-05:00

For some reason we cannot find our "Our Daily Bread" from RBC Ministries for September. So I pulled out the August one and read the one for the 9th today.

Samuel Rutherford wrote, “If God had told me some time ago that He was about to make me as happy as I could be in this world, and then had told me that He should begin by crippling me in all my limbs, and removing me from all my usual sources of enjoyment, I should have thought it a very strange mode of accomplishing His purpose. And yet, how is His wisdom manifest even in this! For if you should see a man shut up in a closed room, idolizing a set of lamps and rejoicing in their light, and you wished to make him truly happy, you would begin by blowing out all his lamps; and then throw open the shutters to let in the light of heaven.”

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2008/08/09/devotion.aspx

Which lamp am I still gazing at? When I should be finding the shutters to throw open.

Doors

2008-08-27T15:46:00.004-05:00

Doors close and doors open.

I have had a difficult time trying to find a job that fits my talents and things that I like to do. After considering the lack of call-backs from applications, the no's that I have had from interviews, the promises of people that have turned into nothing but lies. Closed doors.
I am going back to school.

I thought that I was a day late and a dollar short.

But

All of the doors for getting back into school to go back into teaching have been open so far.

I called Peru State College and did some internet research and found out that I can get all of the classes that I need to update my teaching certificate online. I only need six credit hours to reinstate my teaching certificate and this will also start me out on my path towards my Masters in Education degree. Classes did start on the 25th and today is the 27th so really I am two days late. As for the dollar short, that I am not. Well except for not having a daytime job. My part-time job is paying for my education. They pay $1500.00 a semester up to a $15,000.00 cap for tuition. Plus some for books, and fees.
While I am in the process of reinstating my teaching certificate the state is issuing me a substitute teaching certificate (for a nomimal fee). So this week I am going to get on the lists of the school districts around the area to substitute teach, most of them pay between $120 and $150 a day.
This year has been a very bumpy.

Praying for Cousins

2008-07-31T18:21:00.002-05:00

Tesa asked the kids to pray for a family member. Lily wanted to pray for the cousins. That was no big deal because she has some cousins that we see quite often. But, she clarified that she wanted to pray for the ones in the green car. Josh has a blue car. We have a bluish van. Grandma and Grandpa Hollister have a blue car. Grandma and Grandpa have a white car. Tesa didn't know who she was referring to until Lily stated "The cousins that are traveling."
Ken, Lori, Jessica, Alicia, and Annabell you are being prayed for on your journeys.

The facts speak for themselves.

2007-12-07T09:27:00.000-06:00

What can I say?

Don't just copy and paste the picture like they tell you to in the website because it will take you to a payday advance place (as known in the Dave Ramsey World STUPIDTAX).

will it blend?

2007-12-03T10:13:00.000-06:00

This is for Troy. Will it blend?
Just remember to stay clear.

Potter and clay

2007-11-08T08:42:00.000-06:00

It is very hard to be the clay sometimes, some people know that I have aquired a second job. I am working at UPS in the evenings loading airplanes.
It is very hard to swallow your pride to do things that you know you should have actually done awhile ago. How does this have to do with clay? We are the clay not the potter, God is the one that moulds and makes what He wants to make.
I am in the process of reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and it is very hard to put down to get other things done. In book four chapter one, "Making and Begetting" Mr. Lewis puts the position of Jesus Christ in the God head in a clear definition.

"We dont use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself. A bird makes a nest, a beaver builds a dam, a man makes a wireless set-or he may make something more like himself than a wireless set: say, a statue. If he is a cleaver enough carver he may make a statue which is very like a man indeed. But, of course, it is not a real man; it only looks like one. It cannot breathe or think. It is not alive."

"This world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumour going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life." C.S. Lewis

I am not the work of my own doing but that of my Father in Heaven. I will never understand His ways but I must understand that He has my best interests at the very core of His being. Because, I am His creation. He is proud of me.

My Dad always told me......

2007-10-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

That the only reason that I did not have another sibling was because every fourth child born in the world was Chinese. I didn't believe him. But as we have seen our fourth one grow she seems like she is becoming Chinese. She is babbling in a language that sounds like Chinese, she eats her rice, she was born with darker hair than the other three and more of it. My guess is that she will grow out of it. It is unfortunate that we, her parents don't know Chinese, because that would be very good when she grows up. Her hair is turning lighter. Of course there will be a time when she will not want to eat her rice.....

I want to know who counts them.

2007-10-15T09:07:00.000-05:00

2,022,300

Free Personals from JustSayHi

Jump on in

2007-10-12T10:52:00.000-05:00

She likes the bath

the lust, the flesh, the pride of life

2007-09-26T09:35:00.000-05:00

This is a song that was going through my head earlier while I was writing my previous blog then I went to go to the little boys room. And when I came back this song was playing on my computer!!! There is no such thing as coincidences. This song is by the 77's one of my favorite groups from the mid 90's

http://www.live365.com/stations/sam_e_doc_of_rock

Well, I feel
Like I have to feel
Something good all of the time
With most of life I cannot deal
But a good feeling I can feel
Even though it may not be real
And if a person, place or thing can deliver
I will quiver with delight
But will it last me for all my life
Or just one more lonely night

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

Well, I see something and I want it
Bam! Right now!
No questions asked
Don't worry how much it costs me now or later
I want it and I want it fast
I'll go to any length
Sacrifice all that I already have
And all that I might get
Just to get
Something more that I don't need
And Lord, please don't ask me what for

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

And I love when folks
Look right at me
And what I'm doing
Or have done
And lay it on about
How groovy I am
And that I'm looking grand
And every single word
Makes me think I'll live forever
Never knowing that they probably
Won't remember what they said tomorrow
Tomorrow I could be dead

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

Freedom

2007-09-26T09:13:00.001-05:00

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men,undergo the fatigues of supporting it. "— Thomas Paine, Sept. 11, 1777
Tesa and I are working our way to freedom. We are in the 4th week of the FPU class taught by Dave Ramsey, he is a great teacher and financial coach, eventhough we only know him through the radio and the classes. For those who cannot get him on the radio he can be heard on the internet for free everyday from 1-4cdt.
The quote that is displayed above is actually the second quote that struck me today, and it is only 9:17am. The first was from Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (NKJV) emphasis mine.
Debt is a bondage that we should gain our freedom from. As I was talking with Tesa this morning debt has been around for a long time. Debt is something that we knowingly put ourselves into. Why do we do it? Is it because we think that we deserve a better life? Is it because we think that we have to have it now? We don't deserve a better life, we don't deserve to have it now and where do we come with the idea that we do. We believe the father of lies Satan.
I could ramble on about this for hours but I must get back to work if I am to gain our financial freedom!
We are still better than we deserve!

The Pen is mighter than the Mouse.

2007-09-17T09:15:00.001-05:00

The children really like to "Work" on dad's computer. Sometimes it can be funny, sometimes I wish that they would go outside and play. Friday it was funny. I was working on the computer in the afternoon and Noah wanted to work on it too. He asked, "Dad does this mouse work?" I told him that it didn't. Then he wanted to use the mouse that I was using but I told him no. Well I have a pen tablet so that I can work on graphics stuff faster working more like a pen than just a mouse (more natural). Well he asked for another mouse that I have (I have 2 that work on this computer) I told him that it was back on the desk somewhere, because I do not use it very often. He then took the pen and said "HEY! THIS WORKS!" and he took control of the computer with the pen.

Dewey Decimal, Standing, Training Wheels

2007-07-18T08:12:00.000-05:00

What do these three have in common?

I was absolutely amazed at the Dewey Decimal system a couple of days ago, not because I didn't know how it worked but the simplicity of using it with four young ones in tow. I looked up my books on the Internet before we went to the library. Then we headed off. When it sometimes takes fifteen minutes to get loaded into the van, time can get away from a person. We got to the library and let the kids look around in the children's books for a little while, then we took them upstairs to get dad's books. It took longer to get loaded into the van than it did to get five books from two different floors.

Dahlia is now practicing on standing up in the middle of the floor. She is doing a very good job and is standing for about ten seconds on her own. I hope that we can get a video of her doing this in the next couple of days.

Noah is determined to have his training wheels removed this morning! I think that I have heard "Dad lets go out and take off my training wheels!" about 173 1/2 times this morning. There have been tears from his older brother that says that Noah will be scared to ride without them but Noah insists that he will do fine. Josiah still uses his.

So what do all of these have in common?

FOCUS

Spending Money

2007-07-07T13:35:00.000-05:00

Tesa and I are trying to teach the boys about spending money wisely. It is hard because even we have to work on our spending habits. Josiah has a bank that has three compartments in it, one for savings, one for spending and one for charity. Noah did not get the fancy bank so he is using washed out peanut butter jars. This is the first day that we tried this and I wanted to teach them about putting money in each of their banks accordingly. We got all of their money out of their "All" detergent bottles and put it on the floor. Then I would take ten quarters and put them in front of the bank and have them put one into "Charity or Church" first then one into "Savings" and the rest they could do with as they pleased. Noah caught on right away that the rest could go into "Spending." Josiah was a little more generous by splitting up the rest into the three banks equally. Of course Noah had something that he wanted to purchase right away, so he knew where he wanted it to go.

After they were done putting their money into their banks we took a look at how much was in each compartment of their banks. Noah immediately wanted to take his out of spending and put it into a container to take to the store. Josiah had some birthday money so he didn't want to take it out of the spending but rather just the money that he received for his birthday.

During this whole time Tesa was nervous about a couple of different things; first and foremost was that all of the coins were on the floor with Dahlia very close, then there was the aspect of what are they going to spend their money on. This is where the thought of the day comes into play.

I was thinking as Tesa said "You don't want to see your children spend their money on things that are only going to hold their interest for a couple of days. Then the things are just going to sit around the house." I thought of this and as she was saying it I had the thought that God was speaking through her by saying "Phil watch where you spend your money." I am sure that it is very hard for God to look at me and watch where I am spending my money. Because it is not even MINE! It is HIS! He wants us to use His money in things that will take care of us for the daily needs and also to further His kingdom. The money that we spend here on earth is only for a couple of days when compared to eternity. We are just going purchase something then it will all be burnt up. We should spend our money on the eternal souls of those that are around us. True that He does want us to enjoy life and to have the necessities but that does not mean that we should have the extravagances of life. We should be out of debt and able to help those around us but it is very hard to be in debt and help when we are the ones that are struggling to pay the interest on the things that we thought that we needed today but couldn't pay for today.

Our church's goal as well as Phil and Tesa's goal is to be out of debt. Just think of the things that God could do with the interest that we pay the creditors.

We want our children to never have to take out a loan for anything. I am glad that we are starting today!

Here Dad here is a roller coaster.

2007-07-06T08:59:00.000-05:00

Noah came out and told me that he made a roller coaster for me.
Here it is.

Making Friends

2007-07-06T08:37:00.000-05:00

I have a software program that loads motivational quotes for the day, and helpful hints for the software. It should do the dishes for as much as I paid for it!
The quote for the day was from Abraham Lincoln, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
Profound yet simple. However I have a problem making friends with myself lately. I feel as if I am sabatoging my work, my health, my spiritual life, and even sometimes my family. Not in a drastic way but in little things that I do. Not answer the phone, not read my Bible (work on suduku instead) sleep instead of biking, forgetting to do paperwork or just not doing it on time. I just need a swift kick in the pants sometimes.

I should make friends of my paperwork, my phone, my family, and especially my BIBLE, that is what God would want us to read instead of doing suduku.

Lily Pledges

2007-06-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

This is what was supposed to be put on Tesa's blog on memorial day.

Mom has a blog!

2007-06-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

http://lindagoossen-grandmaspage.blogspot.com/

Why do we call this good friday?

2007-04-06T08:50:00.000-05:00

Why do we call this Good Friday? When you look at Scripture people will claim that there is all kinds of inconsistencies with the date of Christ's death. However, I believe that the God of the Universe is in control of all things, and in the fullness of time He sent His Son (Galatians 4:4). Through technology, science, astronomy, and common sense, we find that Christ was actually crucified on Wednesday, not Friday.
http://www.judaismvschristianity.com/Passover_dates.htm
This gives Jesus Christ three whole days to be dead, almost four. This sounds like Jonah and Lazarus. I believe that Christ was in the tomb for three solid days because that is what He said He was going to do.

The wonderful thing about all of this is that He did not stay in the grave. The eyewitness accounts are the only thing that one needs to believe that He was alive after being dead. There is quite more that I could say on the subject but were the sky of parchment made and every reed a quill and every man a scribe by trade could not write the love of God!

The act of forgiveness

2007-02-02T09:52:00.000-06:00

Through most of a persons life there is the chance to forgive another. I have seen this through my own eyes and through the eyes of others. This story that the Rocky Mountain News is putting on their web page is not about an accident that happened in 1961 but about the lives that were changed because of it. The ones that came out the better from the accident were the ones that forgave Duane Harms. Those that chose not to forgive were the ones that lived in misery for, some, the rest of their days.
Steve Taylor wrote a song after he witnessed the forgiveness of the man that tried to kill the pope. The title is "To Forgive"
There is one thing that God has done for us and that is that He sent His Son to come to earth to forgive us of our unrighteousness. When we belive that Jesus Christ is our payment for sins then we too can be forgiven by the Creator of the universe.

Read about this accident through your own eyes and see if it doesn't show that those who forgive are the ones that move on with life.
I am only on day 10 of the 33 day series and I do not know the outcome of Duane Harms but I hope that he forgave himself.

Forgive others and yourself today.
To bring Glory to the only One worthy of the Glory, God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Warm hats for cute kids.

2006-11-15T14:21:00.000-06:00

Hats for the cold winter. Some people say that the winter will not be as cold this year but they will still like them .

just a few pictures of Dahlia

2006-08-15T11:56:00.000-05:00

Dahlia Kay

2006-08-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

2006-08-08T09:20:00.000-05:00

I will tell you when the new little one arrives.
Everyone is ready, except for the one that is the center of attention.

My Kiddos

2006-06-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

This is a great picture of my kids, Lily, Josiah, and Noah.

the truck

2006-06-12T11:49:00.000-05:00

Homeschooling

2006-03-16T10:49:00.000-06:00

Who is the person that is responsible for the child's education. The PARENT.

the truck change

2006-03-16T10:08:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite picture of my girl

2006-03-09T13:01:00.000-06:00

Back in the USA

2005-08-11T14:08:00.000-05:00

Well i am back in the US and it seems like nothing has changed here. Except my outlook on life. I had Bible study with some men from my Church this morning and I told them about some of my experiences in Brazil. I told them how they lived in such poverty. However, one of the men there that has been to Russia on many occasions and he told me that they are not in poverty in their culture because there are people that are living in worse conditions than they.
What is the person like that is living in the worst conditions in the world living in? ONE THAT IS WITHOUT CHRIST.
We could live in the most fabulous house on our block but if we do not realize that we are going to spend an eternity without Christ or our loved ones none of our stuff matters.
Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.
Romans 6:23 The WAGES of sin is death but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8 but God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved though not of yourselves it is a gift of God, NOT of Works lest any man should boast.

Don't say that i didn't tell you because God will hold both of us accountable.

Brazil and the "culture shock"

2005-07-31T11:15:00.000-05:00

I have now been in Brazil for a couple of days and people have told me that there would be a culture shock when I arrived. I have not found that to be the case.
The people that I have found here are no different than those in the States. The all need air to breath, water to drink, and food to eat. The air and the water and essentially the same and the food is just something that is grown in this climate. They dont eat sweet corn because it doesnt grow well here, there are no berries for the same reason. We do not have cashews or guava in the midwest either. So What.

The houses use the materials at hand just as we use the materials at hand in the location that we live in. There is a lot of sand and clay here and most of it is red, therefore, they have an abundance of red bricks and red tile for the roof. We live were there is an abundance of wood and few termites, therefore, we build with sticks.

I was told that the women here dressed more provocitavly than those in the states but I have not seen that as the case. This shows the climate more than the attitude. The attitudes between the States and Brazil are not that much different "who can I step on to get my way?" or what can I do to get someone to notice me?
This tells me one thing and that is that they need Jesus for their salvation and to remove these attitudes through the working of the Holy Spirit.

People are People so why should it be you and I should get along so awfully?

What is Time?

2005-06-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

One of my profs in college asked for the very first question of the class was, "What is Time?"

It was a Four hour discussion that ended up using nothing but time. While not drawing any conclusions.

So why not have a blog about it?