A Snippet of Life Lately

Life lately has been full of energy, bursting with the Lord's unceasing love. 

The Lord is lately teaching me that I don't have to do, do, do. My energy, my rest, my peace comes entirely from Him. Being in the Word lately has helped me immensely... the truth is setting me free from lies I believe. Lies that I can do more, I can do better. I am resting in the Lord. He works IN us and we don't have to impress, to achieve. 

Philippians 2:13: "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." 

Biggest life updates from the Luikens include:

1) I am going back to school at Wayland Baptist to get my Master's in Counseling. This is in combination with my second year of teaching (need I mention I am still learning how to do that well). So my weeknights are full of writing papers, taking quizzes and tests, and then grading my student's papers and tests... :) Some Saturdays I am going to class from 8-3. I feel each day is full of new tasks, but somehow I am finding the Lord gives me what I need for each day, with strength not my own. I am not sure what I want to do quite yet with my degree.. but I love the idea of someday staying at home with a family but working part time with kids, with families, or at a crisis pregnancy center. The Lord is good so I am trusting where this will go and we'll see!

2) Tony is enjoying his new job at the airport and being in the National Guard. 

We are both learning to balance work, community, church, rest, and time together. 

Here are some picture snippets of our last few months:

Mom and her friend Art came to visit Tony and I in Alaska in the beautiful summertime

Laura, Mom, and I ran the Mayor's Half Marathon in downtown Alaska in June

Mom and I with our medals!! :) Hard work paying off.

Tony and I ran the Color Run in Anchorage with our friends Laura and Brian

We took in incredible trip to Valdez, Alaska with Tony's family. Absolutely breathtaking.

Valdez, Alaska

Jessie (my sister in law) fishing in Valdez, Alaska

We took a summer roadtrip and drove from Phoenix, Arizona to Seattle, Washington!! Made our first stop of course at the Grand Canyon. I got chills. Man God is amazing.

Of course we made a stop at In N Out Burger

Desert Mountains

Roadtrippin'

Made another stop in Boise, Idaho

Our final destination was Woodinville, Washington where we spent a few days exploring the wineries and just Seattle area. It was fantastic!!

Stopped at the market.

Mariner's Game!

Tony wanted to stop at this distillery that was in the middle of all the wineries. Great place!!

We also stopped at Chateau St. Michelle. We spent time with Tony's family but also had some great time together to end an incredible summer.

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Denali Highway Trip

So, when I got back from Texas in June, Tony planned a camping trip for the two of us. I have been wanting to see Mt. McKinley since I have been up here and so we drove the Denali Highway. The trip runs from Paxon to Cantwell, Alaska and is 134 miles long. We left for the trip on a Wednesday and came back to Anchorage on a Saturday so it did not take us too long. 

It was a very relaxing trip and I finally got to check off my Alaskan bucket list seeing Mt. McKinley (Alaskans call Denali) up close. 

We camped one night in a campground, the Brushkana campground and the other nights we found little pull offs of the highway to camp on. One of the pull offs we found was this spectacular lake spot that was completely private. It was the perfect camping spot- we got to fish and shoot and cook yummy camp food.

This drive is actually rated one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. When you are driving, all around you is mountains it is absolutely breathtaking. There is a lot of tundra and little hiking pull offs as well. I would definitely highly recommend this trip if you have an RV (we just went tent/ car camping). 

I wanted to share one of our favorite trips in Alaska with you! It's been a fun summer.

Our lake pull of spot- Tony is fly fishing as the sun was setting. So beautiful.

This is how we camp: pack it all in the car and set up the tent! We got to use our five person tent for the first time this summer which was awesome. We loved it. We kind of call it "car camping" because you aren't necessarily back packing where you have to transport all your things with you and its not an RV. It is nice having everything in the car to grab when you need it, and we love our new tent.

River from our trip

Me and Sagey girl chillin around the campfire, making s'mores!

This was our picture from Mt. McKinley! Beautiful.

Tony is a pro at getting our campfires goin.

Mountain views :)

This igloo has such a strange interesting history. It was once built as a hotel but the owner couldn't afford to keep building it. It was passed to a different owner who then tried to slowly renovate it but with the price of fuel to get to NowhereTown, Alaska, they just couldn't cut it. It now sits as a kind of landmark. So, I guess there really are igloos in Alaska (but not the kind everyone thinks of). 

Tony bought a new dutch oven to cook with. We loved it on our trip! We have really enjoyed learning how to cook different camp foods. One night we had steak and potatoes, or we just have fun, simple things like hot dogs and s'mores. We made pancakes and eggs one night and it was so yummy. This is a picture of Tony's pineapple upside down cake he made in this dutch oven and it was amazing. 

All in all, it was a restful, incredible, beautiful trip. I highly recommend the Denali Highway to all visitors and Alaskans. 

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Psalm 90:2

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A Little Texas Fun

So, at the beginning of the summer, I got to take a trip to Texas to see the fam- SUCH a blessing. Lots of rest and time with family and friends. I felt God really moving in a way of just rejuvenating me and reminding me of how He provides for my family and just having sweet time to catch up with good friends and be encouraged and reminded of truth. I also LOVED being able to be able to be a part of my sister's gender reveal party for her baby #2, a GIRL! Living in Alaska, I hate that I can't be a part of those kind of family events. It was such a blessing to share a big moment with my older sister. I couldn't be more excited by the news and love being able to watch and learn from my sister as she learns how to be a mom to now TWO babies :)

Here are some highlights from the trip:

Out to eat at Chuy's for some amazing Tex Mex
Me, Brannon, Mom and Em

Always feel torn between Alaska and my family in Texas. My sister is so good about helping me feel welcome when I come back and celebrating each moment! I feel like I have a 1/2 Texan, 1/2 Alaskan heart. 

Time with friends! Got to catch up with my Banders who is in medical school right now and also have a mom/ daughter date. 

One of the highlights of my trip: My friend Liz had her first baby, a sweet girl named RYAN! I was so so happy to be able to visit her in the hospital and be a part of this moment with her. She is the first of my group of best friends from my hometown to have a baby. I couldn't be more thrilled for her. And Ryan is so beautiful!!

How can you resist little Branny's face? My nephew is the best.

I DID get to experience a little reminder of Texas summers. SO HOT.

And of course, I went to Chick Fil A at least three times. I loved it so much I brought myself back some Chick Fil A sauce to Alaska. Alaska is incredible, but one main thing it lacks is CHICK FIL A. Seriously, I would quit being a teacher to start this chain up here. LOVE this place. Gimme some waffle fries, a nice fried chicken sandwich, maybe a milkshake.... now we're talkin.

I also had a layover in Los Angeles and got to visit a friend who lives there. We took a short trip to Venice beach and saw the sights. Really interesting place to visit! Would love to have more time to explore that city.

Also a highlight: getting to catch up with my dear friend Stephanie! She was the maid of honor in my wedding and just a friend who is always encouraging, kind, and points me to truth. Such a blessing to get to visit and catch up with her. 

Also had a much needed SISTER day of pedicures and hair and everything girl. 

My Aunt Beth surprised me and the family and came to Texas while I was there which was so so nice. Loved getting to visit with her because it just seems like so long in between the times we get to talk and see each other :)

Of course I had to take a trip to get some barbecue. My brother in law Joe took me to the second best barbecue in Texas, a place called Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum, Texas. We waited in line for about an hour and half but it was SO worth the wait- the brisket was INCREDIBLE. I would HIGHLY recommend this place if you are ever in Dallas, Texas.

Such blissfully good times with family and friends. 

And the best part of my trip: my little Branski. My nephew has such a happy, joyful disposition. LOVE being his aunt. 

Texas, I miss you. Thank you for your wonderful food. And most of all for being a place I can visit people that mean so much.

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A New Season

Every summer I have lived in Alaska, I have loved where I live more and more. With each Alaskan summer comes more camping, fishing, hiking, and sunshine than the last. (Literally, more sunshine. It is 9:17 and still sunny right now)

So much has happened this summer and it has been a blast! 

In June, I went down to Texas to spend time with family and friends. I got to see my sweet nephew Brannon. I loved getting to be a part of my sister's gender reveal and found out that my sister and brother in law Joe are expecting a GIRL this November :) My niece's name will be Kelley Kay and I am excited that Tony and I will be able to be in Texas for Christmas so I will get to hold my little Kelley as much as I want. Perfection. 

Me and the Brankin

In June, Tony and I also took a four day camping trip down the Denali Highway in Alaska. We got to stop and take pictures at Mt. McKinley (which Alaskans call Denali). Denali means "the great one", which makes sense as it is the highest peak in North America. We also got to use our new cool camping gear, including our new five person tent (with extra room for Sage) and our new Dutch oven (Tony made apple pie and pineapple upside down cake with it). It was a trip we both have been wanting to do for awhile and we loved it. (Post to come on that later)

From our Denali Highway camping trip 

Just some hints if you are considering taking this trip: http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/recreation/denali_highway.html

Great tips to remember including WHEN you should go, what to bring, campgrounds along the way, etc. If you have never been to Alaska, it is an INCREDIBLE view and great trip!

Also in June, my mom and friend Art visited which was super fun! My mom, Art, Tony, and I all ran the Mayor's half marathon together. Training for the half was a great kick in the butt to get in shape this spring and it felt great to complete that goal. 

June was a month of just resting and family and a little Alaskan travel. It was wonderful.

For July Fourth, we took a trip down to Seward (about 2 hours from Anchorage, and on the coast, called the Kenai Peninsula). The road to Seward is very beautiful is and is well known for its incredible view. You drive next to the mountains and ocean. Highly recommend. :)

We got to camp in Seward for the holiday. We also got to see a friend run what is called Mt. Marathon. Mt. Marathon is a 5k event where racers run up a mountain and back down, ending in the town of Seward. It is definitely a coveted event because you can only enter through lottery. I am definitely going to try to enter next year, we will see :)

Mt. Marathon Race in Seward Alaska- Independence Day

In July, I also decided to work part time doing social work again. It has been a good way to feel productive, help people in a needed field, and make a little extra money. Tony and I are trying to save for some of our travel goals (Israel and Italy). :)

Some of our biggest and most recent news is that Tony got a new job!! Which is exciting. Tony is moving from his job doing Emergency Management on base to working at the airport. Tony is going to be doing a sort of catch all/ public relations work there. He will start in August. Yay!! God is so good. He always answers our prayers in his time. 

And in other news with Tony: my hubs just enlisted in the National Guard TODAY! I am still learning what it means and how it will look realistically but he will have to go to Basic Training in Georgia starting in January. He also will commit to working once every weekend out of the month. I am so proud of my soldier. Again, God is so good and the giver of all good gifts.

Well, I think that updates all on the Luiken family. Change is good and I praise God for it. We are enjoying summer and rest. More summer posts and updates to come! Thank you for all prayers. 

"Behold, I am making all things new."

Revelation 21:5

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Musings of a First Year Teacher

Man, I've been pondering this post for awhile. It's been on my heart to write as honestly as possible about my first year of teaching. Sometimes, I feel the need to "better up" my life for my blog. I feel the need to somehow make my life appear more put together than someone else. How wrong I am. We are all a big mess. When I stand before the Lord and see myself truly, I see that I am so small and my life is completely for HIS glory and not my own. My sin and my need for Him is what draws me closer to Jesus. I want to be vulnerable and transparent because I know that is the only way I can truly point to Jesus. What I truly want is an honest, genuine picture of my life. With the ups and downs and bitterness and sweetness and pain and joy. So, here it goes... these are a few thoughts and lessons from my first year of teaching with all the wreck and mayhem mixed in. 

(1) I have learned what it feels like to be a parent. (To 100 junior high students)
Being a teacher has really shown me what it feels like to be a parent. I love my students so much, and I want them to learn and be successful, but most of all I want to draw them to Jesus. I will work weeks on a lesson and be super excited about it. Sometimes it is fun and amazing and I can see my students learning. MOST times it never goes the way I plan. I don't have the exact supplies I wanted or there is a concept that I am having trouble explaining. I get frustrated when my students seem to me to be lazy or ungrateful. I want them to make the right choices, academically and character-wise and I want to direct them in the path of the Lord. All of this has shown me that this may be what it looks like to be a parent. And has taught me to realize that my students are sinners as well. No one is perfect. I can't expect them to be. And I have learned to roll with the punches and keep trying to improve, even when my lesson doesn't go the way I wanted it to.

(2) Parent Ministry
I have learned (the hard way) that parents are a HUGE part of what I do as a teacher. I love junior high kids. I can do junior high kids. I have worked with this age group for almost six years in ministry or otherwise. So, when I started to realize that as I teacher I would be having interactions with parents multiple times a day, it kind of came as a shock. The way that I treat the parents of my students reflects the way that I love my students. It is not a one way ministry, it is a family ministry to be a teacher. I once had a parent email me, upset about the way I had handled a situation with their child. Because of the way the parent emailed me, I responded harshly, defending what I had done. Later, I met the parent for a parent teacher conference. The conference helped to clear some things up and get us both on the right track and was very positive. However, the parent let me know she had shared the email I had written to her with her child. I felt embarrassed that my student had heard that email. It didn't show my care and concern for my student. I realized that I have to love the parents of my students as much as I love my students. I have to see my teaching as an ministry to everyone around me, not just the students. It is a ministry to students, parents, administration, other staff, janitors, recess duty, after school care, and everything in between.

(3) Let it be okay to say sorry.
I have learned that I will mess up. This is a truth that will never change. So, if I feel I was being impatient or spoke out of anger to a student, I want it to be okay to say sorry. I think it is so good for students (and eventually my own children) to see that I am not perfect. This means apologizing sometimes and this is okay. Also, I want it to be okay for me to go back and re-teach something if I didn't feel like I taught it well the first time. I would rather risk my pride than my students not learning because I didn't want to appear like I didn't do something well. I have also learned that it is okay to change something if it's not working. If a classroom method (like homework or quizzes or test review or behavior consequences) isn't working,  it is okay to change it. I started doing "Bell Work" when my students came in this year which really helped. They have something to work on to start the class and get their brains going. It gives a direction to the class. When my students came back from Christmas break, I started giving two bathroom passes for every six weeks. If a student uses both (unless it is a complete emergency), they can't use anymore. It is okay to change things if they aren't working. This has saved me a lot of frustration. Lesson learned: do what works and don't be afraid to change things. :)

(3) Truth and Grace
"For the Law was given through Moses. GRACE and TRUTH came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17

"Rather, speaking the TRUTH in LOVE, we are are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." Ephesians 4:15

I have learned that when talking with both parents and my students, I need to speak with truth and grace. I want to be honest about areas that are weak and need improvement (academic or behavior wise) but I also want to speak with grace on those areas, recognizing I am not perfect either. I can't lean too much on one area. I can't only speak in grace, not presenting the truth about a child. But, I can't lean only in truth, not presenting the love of Christ. It is a balance beam, that I am very much still learning.

(4) DON'T BE A FRIEND and holding to high standards
Lesson #4- it is NOT helpful to be a friend to my students. Also, when I see parents who are friends with their children, it doesn't work. The Lord gave us the gift of the children in our lives for a reason and it is not to be besties with them. I want to have fun with them, to be humorous, to be loving, to be kind. But I am not to be their friend. There is a boundary there. I am the authority and it is my job to call my students out when I need to. This is out of love. It is not loving or kind to let my students continue in a behavior simply because I want them to like me. I want to hold my students to HIGH standards and this means holding them accountable for work not turned in or for inappropriate behaviors. This is loving and this is my job as their authority. I have found that boundaries create freedom. When students know what to expect, they work to that standard. When looking at my own life, I know the teachers that were my favorite were the ones that held me to a high standard academically and behaviorally. This leads me to my next lesson.

(5) Don't love based on behavior. This is not the gospel.
I try to be very clear with my students that I don't love them based on their behavior. I will hold them to a high standard and hold them accountable for their actions, their words, their work. But I don't love them based on their behavior. Whether you are an A student or barely passing my class or you are a student who has trouble listening or is disrespectful or you never have behavior problems, I care about my students and love them each the same. When you favorite as a teacher and show that you care only about the A students or the students who have better behavior, you are sending the message that you love based on behavior. It is a concept I am still learning and struggle with every day. It is hard to feel loved when you are called out on behavior. But I have to remind myself that this is loving. And I have to be fair in my discipline, making sure my students see that the consequences are for everyone not just for certain students.

Romans 5:8 says "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". We can't earn our way into God's love. All of us are the "bad behavior kids". We are all, each one of us, sinners and even the best of what we have to offer is filthy rags. But the hope, the gift we have is that Christ died for us even we were in that sin.

I want to send that same message as a teacher. And eventually, as a parent. That I love my students no matter what. My care and concern for them doesn't change when they mess up. Because I am so deeply thankful that God does that for me.

These are just a few of the many, many lessons I am learning on a daily basis as a first year teacher. I KNOW that I am not perfect. I mess up all the time. But this is okay. And each day I teach, I get better. I get more practice and I keep trying and I keep learning. I never want to be stuck in my ways. There are always things I can be doing better. Teaching has been SO much fun. I love teaching science and doing experiments and hands on work and field trips. I love teaching at a Christian school where I can openly talk about my faith and share scripture. I am so thankful to be teaching because that in itself is a gift from the Lord. And I love the days that I am on and things just seem to work. But I am also glad for the days when it's not working. Because I can take those moments and keep learning and remain on my knees before the Lord, reminding myself of the gift of grace.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will BOAST all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9


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Countdown to my Summer Texas Trip

I can't wait to see my mom, sister, and little nephew Brannon this May! :) Pin It