God Is At Work

Ideas for the classroom are overflowing...and so is the excitement to make these ideas happen.

I worry that time and energy will try to thwart these plans, but I am ready to take action on not being able to do it all on my own -- accepting that I can't do it alone is just not enough to lift the weight on my shoulders from the daunting list of things that some of these projects involve. 

Shameless plug: Anyone willing to road trip out some weekend (SOON) to help...I will pay you in a comfy place to sleep, the beverages of your choice, and food! [Yes, I'm actually kinda serious, friends and family!]

These projects that I'm excited to make happen are much-longed for solutions to obstacles to efficiency or to  issues in the classroom that have gone unsolved through year 1 and thus far of year 2. Many prayers, tears, and sleepless nights have happened, so now I'm brimming with the excitement and thanksgiving for God bringing these ideas (and SO MANY RESOURCES!) to make them happen. 

It's always awesome when God answers prayers, but it seems like a nearly-overwhelming gift when He's asked you to be patient about it. It seems like there's barely been any wait on some other prayers lately, though! Things are falling into place so well that it's almost hard to believe. Sometimes you brace yourself thinking it will be so difficult for something to happen, but then you just have to laugh when God's like, "Hey, here you go, let me just open that door for you because it's exactly what I want you to do next!" 

I've noticed it seems to be going that way for a lot of people around me right now, too. What a gift to be able to see God at work in so many different ways in the lives of those around me. It's not always through great joy -- some of it has caused some heartache, I know -- but it seems like the growth is outta control right now. (Anyone else feeling this way?!?) 

How awesome to be able to share such joy with each other at how God draws us closer to Him! 

A Little Triumph, Hope, and Laughter

That surging feeling of joy and satisfaction in moments of being able to see growth from year one of teaching to year two

report card revision rather than writing and formatting from scratch
slightly more organization
less fear of taking on problems and
brainstorming solutions
a bigger arsenal of knowledge to turn to 
a mind open to imperfections and
the beauty in ever-changing and evolving plans
the ability to breathe,
take and break
into manageable and achievable little mounds to get to mountain tops.

Letting God take control of a situation after He's given me an abundance of proof that I can't do it alone

the best option isn't the easy one
but the right course immediately bringing peace
the words my heart needs and 
words to shut my mind off 
joy replacing frustration, anxiety
being able to sleep once more

The little things in life that bring laughter

things heard and remembered
unbeknownst to them and 
what's meant to be heard
that make me smile and 
chases away obligation
opening the view of the blessing
the treasure of the hours within
the four walls with them

Because just like Moses and the Israelites wandering in the desert on the way to the Promised Land
whining about the lack of food and water but
being answered with sweet manna and water from a rock and a stick
or
like Naomi and Ruth being left on their own in a culture dependent on men as the workers but
with a need to eat
finding relief in gathering wheat and a generous farmer

God provides.

And Just Like That, Fall Is Here

It feels like fall has really permeated everything now.

 As I was driving along one day, I suddenly noticed that the spots of color here and there have become entirely golden trees. It seemed like just a day later all of the hints of orange, coppery reds, and browns pushed  the remaining green away to scattered spots.

The a/c has been off for a while now. I've even had nights where I've had to shut windows from being too chilly. The mornings are crisp, and the air has taken on that subtly sweet scent that comes with fallen leaves.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me assure you that a tiny dog shivering is very dramatic. Squirt was definitely shivering this morning in the apartment. I had to put on one of his little doggy sweaters so he didn't turn into a Squirtsicle. [Can't imagine what it'll be like when the poor thing has to deal with the snow again for the first time if he's already started to get so cold...but I sense it'll make for some post material.]

"Look at him. Treats and snoozin', snoozin' and treats, that's all he cares about."*

Fall scents like pumpkin-y spiced things have become the candles of choice in my apartment, and my fall smell is in the Scentsy warmer.

Pants and long sleeves are getting comfier by the day.

Sleeping under the covers is no longer optional.

Yes, it's fall...the time of some of my favorite things -- aside, of course, from a shivering pup.

*from "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" ...coming to a blog near you soon. :)

The Black Hole Effects

I've come to think of my classroom as a bit of a black hole when it comes to time. I can look at the clock, get to work on something, and an hour is suddenly gone when I happen to glance at the clock again.

Time slips away so magically like that mostly when I'm there trying to improve the classroom in some way/shape/form or get some plans done.

When the kiddos are there, sometimes 10 minutes can feel like an hour. Quite often, though, time slips away quickly and quickly (much like the way I try to convince them to get in line).

But I'm coming to realize this effect is slowed a little by working on things outside of the classroom's walls.

Slowed, not stopped.

Because even sitting here at my desk in the apartment it's gotten to be far past bedtime...yet it was 10 last I was aware of the time.

This clashes with all of the talk people give of making sure one is properly rested to tackle what challenges comes with a day in the classroom. Or that "stress management" is a reality more than a TV show in the background while something else is getting done or ignoring a few dishes in the sink for the sake of a few minutes to contact someone at home so they know I'm still breathing out here.

Then again, I'm well aware that the start of a school year means the end of feeling rested and truly relaxed as a teacher knows it until summer rolls around again. Long weekends are just an excuse to get some procrastinated housework or errands done; long breaks are for traveling to see family.

The number of hours in the day somehow is never enough. Somehow things get done, lessons get taught with everything being there, and I make it through the day still standing, but I wish more days afforded the opportunity to sit back and relish the successes, contemplate solutions to the failures, and to recognize the progress we're making...and a nap.

I love teaching...but I don't love so many shades of  "tired."

Or the rascally clock.

Bonus Blog!

I haven't been one that's been too great about branching out in the blogging world, but I have a few fellow blogger friends that are. One of them is a friend from back in the good ol' college days, and I love reading her blog. Emily is witty, honest, and gets you thinking. Check out her blog HERE! :)

Recently Emily nominated me for a blogging award!

Thanks, Emily! This may just be the kick in the butt I need to blog regularly again!

Well, this award has a few rules that go along with it...

1.Nominate up to 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
2. Let your nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award.
3. Share seven random facts about yourself.
4. Thanks the blogger who nominated you in a blog post linking them back to their blog.
5. Add the Versatile Blogger picture to your post.

Alright, two of those steps are now complete. I'll save the nominating part for later...but here are 7 random facts about me.

1. If I weren't a teacher, I would still want to work with kids. I love their energy, optimism, creativity, and imaginations at work. I also love how playful and silly they are. Never a dull moment with kids!

2. I love, love, love watching football. My two favorite teams to watch are Da Bears and the Huskers. Sometimes I get really into it though and talk back to the TV...oops?

3. I really like to crochet. It takes me forever to get any and all projects done, but it's relaxing. It's something I taught myself how to do so that I could sit still long enough to watch some TV or movies in college. I call it one of my "old lady tendencies."

4. I really like to travel! I especially like getting to go to new places, and I love flying in planes to get to those places. In the past year I've gotten to go to California and Florida, and both were brand new places for me. I also got to head up to Minneapolis on a road trip for an annual Best Friend Appreciation trip, and it was a blast. :)

5. My absolute favorite season is fall. I love the smells, the colors, the flavors (so many spiced things!), and the weather. You get to wear cozy clothes, snuggle up with blankets, and drink warm things, but it's not so cold that you are freezing all the time.

6. I'm a sucker for home improvement shows. When I'm at Tim's, we pretty much have DIY Network on all the time. If we do change the channel, it's usually to HGTV for House Hunters or Love It or List It. They are just fun to watch, and it's fun to imagine what kinds of projects are possible to take on someday.

7. If I could, I would walk around in bare or sock feet ALL the time. But that'd be silly...and cold. :)

Holding Back

We all get stuck in ruts sometimes. It can creep up on us so easily -- that's the problem. You have a routine you are comfortable in before something shifts. It can be as simple as a change in schedule or being caught up in other things. Whatever the reason, that one change can make it easy enough to come up with excuses not to go back to that routine. Suddenly you find yourself missing that old routine, but you aren't sure how to make it happen again.

That's how it's been with blogging for me. Well, writing at all, really.

Part of it is the frustration of one of those phases where nothing was quite coming together the way I had hoped when I would approach the keyboard. I have a number of posts I started but abandoned because they seemed awful. That frustration branched into the idea that nobody would be interested in what I was writing about anyway. That, my fellow writers, is where we really get ourselves into trouble if we let ourselves buy into that mentality.

The second you start letting what others think affect your writing is the exact moment when the joy of writing seems to have faded. Sure, sometimes we write for others, but we mostly write for the sake of expression. Holding those words in becomes a burden when enough of them have built up inside. Writers NEED to ooze words. It's our very nature.

Don't let yourself hold back. Whether you blog, journal, or whatever, just let those words pour out.

Those of you who don't write can heed these words, too. Do what you are passionate about; don't let anyone, including yourself, stop you. Holding out on our passions and talents, friends, is just a matter of excuses. Take some time to plan when you will connect with your passion again.

Return of the Moses Mentality

Many, many moons ago I wrote about the Moses Mentality. I tried to find that post again, but well, there are a lot on here, so I'll summarize instead. Firstly, the phrase is a result of a long conversation with a friend when we were both nearing the end of our college days. Now back in the Old Testament when God told Moses to step up and lead the Isrealites out of Egypt, Moses started coming up with all these excuses. 

"But God," Moses whined, "I'm not such a great speaker." 

"Well, here's your brother Aaron. He'll help you out," God said. And Aaron was by Moses' side and helped him out. 

"But God," Moses whined again, "what if those Egyptians don't believe that you sent me?" 

"Well, see your staff there? Just toss that on the ground. That'll show them," God said. And when Moses threw that staff on the ground, it turned into a snake and the Egyptians were taken aback. 

"But God," Moses whined, "what if the Pharaoh doesn't listen?" 

"Well, here's a plague. And if that doesn't work, here are 9 more. Listen, Moses, what other excuses do you have? I could do this all day." 

I've walked into this school year equipped with a whole school year of lessons, both taught and learned, and I've experienced some moments where I go, "Oh, that was  so much easier this time!" -- and those feel good. I still am constantly looking back on things and wishing I had done something differently, but that is something that will never end as long as I am a teacher. I feel a lot more confident this year. I've got a better balance going on between school and life outside of school. I've got more tricks up my sleeves to use with my kiddos. I know the value of praying constantly. Things are going more smoothly right now than they were at this point last year. And the challenges that are there? Well, they don't keep me awake at night as much. 

And yet...there are still moments where I just don't know why I ever thought this was what I should be doing with my life. I can count the number of times I've seriously considered calling it quits on one finger, fortunately, but sometimes we all find ourselves whining to God despite knowing we are exactly where He wants us to be. 

"But God," I whined, "what if the kids won't ever listen to me?" 

"Here," God said, "have some extra patience to get you through the first week." And that patience helped until we all adjusted more to each other. 

"But God," I whined, "what if the kids think I'm too mean or too hard on them?" 

"Here," God said, "listen to this child tell you how much he loves it here." And I was reminded that children are loving and forgiving. 

"But God," I whined, "what if it the whole year is full of days as awful as that one?" 

"Here," God said, "have a day filled with reminders that you're not alone. Oh, and here's some encouraging words to counteract those doubts you've let take over your mind. And here's smiles and laughter to share with your students. And here's enough time in the day to get all of your plans done. Listen, Michelle, what other excuses do you have? I could do this all day."