1 Corinthians 13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. I would say this Scripture is familiar to many. As I read these verses, I cannot help but smile. Yellow Car Boy and I have enjoyed a few days off from work. We've spent a lot of time together. We've visited family, traveled, wrapped gifts clean house, and then we did a whole bunch of nothing. We've watched Andy Griffith until I've picked my North Alabama accent right up where I halfway left it. It's been wonderful. Growing up, I watched a lot of princess movies. I just knew one day I would walk down the street, into a grocery store, or maybe even run into the love of my dreams in a duck blind. I just knew we would see each other, I would get butterflies in my stomach, his eyes would turn into fluttering hearts, and we would instantly "fall in love". Boy was I wrong. When I met Yellow Car Boy, there were no butterflies. There was very little attraction oddly enough. He was 100% not my type. I didn't meet him walking down the street. We didn't see each other and "fall in love". (If you fall into something, I suppose you can fall out of it.) We did, however, get to know each other. In getting to know him, I couldn't help but love him. During these few days we've enjoyed together, I sat back and smiled and praised the Lord. Y'all, that love of mine is something to be praised. You see he's not a big romantic. He's not super mooshy gooshy. He's not typical. And that is probably my favorite thing about him. In Ephesians 5 we learn that the husband is supposed to love his wife as Christ loved the church. In 1 Corinthians we have a great definition of love (althought those verses are often take out of context). I'd say the best example of love is the one Christ set. I can, with all my heart, say Yellow Car Boy does just that. He has to be the most patient human being I've ever met. I can be a difficult human being. I'm picky, I'm needy, I get hangry, and I'm worse than a young child when I haven't had enough sleep. And what do you know, he loves me through all that! Sometimes he even laughs at it. He goes to Wal Mart at 10:00 at night because I don't feel well, and he was looking for any solution to make me feel better. He makes sure I have my mouth guard before falling asleep. He kisses my hand before we pray. We drove around to look at and Internet searched at least 100 houses, and we had a blast. Sometimes fancy dates and being swept off your feet just are necessary. I've learned the most important thing is love- true, lasting love. Yellow Car Boy is my love, hero, friend, counselor, and everything between. All of those fairytales were quite wrong. The good news is my Heavenly Father, as always, was right. I'm thankful for His example of love and the precious husband He has so graciously given me.
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Welcome to the longest post ever. Be ready to park and read a while. Or don't., but it is long. Don't let that deter you though, or do! Please grab a cup of hot chocolate and stay a while. (I'm kidding. You don't have to have hot chocolate.)
Judgement seems to be a hot topic these days. If you're not aware, there seems to be a lot of offense given and to be had these days. Everything from articles to cups has people across the lovely United States all riled up. I have two thoughts weighing on my mind. Don't judge and don't forget God's judgment. Don't Judge As I've grown, fallen, and grown in my faith, this is something I've struggled with, dealt with, failed at, and overcome (and failed at again). Before I knew the Lord as my Savior, there were many things of which I was unaware. When I came to know the Lord as my Savior, there were still many things of which I was unaware. Hebrews 5 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Y'all, I remember my Stinky (notice the capital S) attitude I had a little bit after I accepted Jesus. I was very blessed to have someone disciple me, and I was able to grow in the Word (praise God!). However, my flesh took over at some points, and I took what the Lord had shown me and put a worldly twist on it by thinking I was just quite righteous. Now, that was not at all what I intended, but at the end of the day, that's what I did. My learning of the Word sort of became a list of do not's and because I did not, I was doing good. I grew to have my own convictions (praise God!), and all of a sudden I thought everyone ought to have the same convictions. At one point, hidden in my heart, I decided if people didn't, they must not know Jesus. Now that sounds really, really bad (and it is), but let me explain. For instance, I might see a picture posted of someone on Facebook doing something or being somewhere I did not agree with, and the first thought that entered my mind was 'I thought they were a Christian'. WOAH. First of all, I do not know anyone's heart. Just as easily as someone can "look" saved and not be saved, someone can "look" lost and not be. (Let's pause a moment. I do believe, and I'll get to this shortly, with Jesus in our heart we cannot help but produce fruit. With that, we lay down our old lives [2 Corinthians 5:17], but still not my place to judge. 1 Samuel 16 7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. See, I don't know people's hearts. I'm not God. I'm not omniscient. I have no idea what that person is, has, or will go through. Forgive me for being super unspiritual, but sometimes I have bad days! I lose my patience, have unkind thoughts, and sometimes I'm even lazy. Y'all, I sin. I'm in my flesh on this earth, unfortunately, and I fail God many times. But praise God for His love, grace, mercy, and divine plan for a Savior! God, praise His Holy Name, does not look at our outward appearance. Let me tell you how thankful I am for that! I have always said God put my heart in a bubble, or maybe bubble wrap (it's fun), and guarded it! I don't know why, but when I entered that womb, He just decided to take special care of me (I hope you all feel the same way!). See, I should not- should not- have the wonderful life I have. I am blessed beyond what my mind could fathom. Sadly, I have not always known Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Sadly, I made poor decisions at points in my life. I did not honor God in many ways. Still though, He welcomed me, wretched me, into His family with loving and open arms, and He changed (hallelujah) my life. Earlier, I told you how I thought I was doing good. I was "righteous," y'all. My righteousness was but filthy rags. Some of the "good" things I was doing were simply to please other people. You know where that got me? NOWHERE. I was learning, growing, and loving Jesus, but I was coming short. Why? I didn't let Him take the wheel (no need to break out into song). I was doing what I thought was right, because I wanted to earn it. I wanted to earn the love of my Savior and the acceptance of those around me. You know what's pretty amazing about God? You don't have to earn His love. No, not an ounce of it. You see, He loves you so much, that He knew you would sin, and so He created a plan of salvation for you. He loves you so much, that He knows that, even if you have accepted or do accept His Son as Savior, you will still sin, but He STILL let His precious Son die on that cross- for you. Let me tell you what my self righteousness got me. It got me in a lot of hurt. I was running around thinking I was something with the right clothes, right words, right this, right that, and I was so wrong. Now, I do have standards and convictions, but I now know that it is not of me but it is of the Lord. The convictions God gives you might not always match the convictions He gives me, and that's OK! James 4 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. 1 Corinthians 15 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. I firmly believe God gives us certain life experiences and convictions because of the people we will meet. What does that mean? I may be able to reach someone that someone else couldn't reach because of something God allowed me to experience or something He gave me. There are many people who will be able to minister to others that I never will be able to reach. Think about that. It is so natural for us to be drawn to people to whom we relate. One of the most important decisions we make outside of salvation and marriage and alongside family and such is where we attend church/with whom we worship. Oftentimes, that choice is made based on the people and beliefs those people have. We love to relate to people. If not, all talk would be small talk, and no one wants that. Mark 16 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Matthew 28 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. God commanded me to share His Word. He didn't tell me to condemn. He didn't tell me to judge. He didn't tell me to push people away. He didn't tell me to make people uncomfortable. Now if someone gets convicted by the Good Lord, that's between Him and that person, but it is not, not, not my place to make that happen. Never, ever do I want someone to feel less than because of me, because I am nothing. I am a sinner saved by grace, and my hope is that any and all I get to share the love of Jesus with will come to the realization of their own sin, repent, and experience God's wonderful grace. Matthew 22 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. He did, however, tell me to love. God wants us to reach people, and I think reaching people involves success. What does that mean? I don't think God wants us to share His Gospel or His love in a way that makes it undesirable. Sharing the Gospel in a way that makes it undesirable seems pointless. God wants people to come to His saving grace. Remember God's Judgment Before starting this section, I feel like I should add that God's grace is not an excuse to sin. He didn't humble Himself, come to this earth, and die on the cross so we can sin as we please. Yes, we will fall. No, that doesn't give you liberty to ___________ (fill in the blank with a sin of choice). Grace is a beautiful thing, and I don't think it should be abused. God is love. God is not just love. The Bible clearly shows His hate for sin. It tells us very plainly that if we do not repent from our sin and accept Him as Savior, we will go to hell. Gasp. I said the H word. Here's the hard truth. Hell is a real place, and people have gone, are going, and will go there. Matthew 25 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. It is Revelation 20 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. I think it is equally important to share this. We are living in a day of being offended, and I feel like God's Word has been embarrassingly watered down. (I could get on a soapbox about how we can't proclaim the Name of God, but people are allowed to use it in vain quite openly, but I won't today.) We all adore having our ears tickled and not feeling conviction by God's Word, but here's the deal- we are supposed to be set apart. There should be change that comes about after Jesus enters your heart. I've heard it said this way, "If a God that big is inside of you, He is going to start poking out." Y'all! You can't hide His wonderfulness! All that love! All that grace! All that mercy! Don't you just want to go and share it with someone right now? We need to know about Heaven and hell. We need to know about God's love and His wrath. The God of the Old Testament is the same God we worship today. He has not changed. Expect people to be offended. Expect people to not want to hear what you have to say. Expect people to think you're being judgmental, even if you aren't. When sharing, I think it is so important to approach people with a loving and humble heart. We must also remember that we will experience rejection. 1 John 3 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. John 10 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Rejection will happen. Think of it this way, though. They're rejecting Jesus- not you. Can you imagine how He feels? He came to this earth KNOWING people would sin against Him, and He chose to die anyway. Fine Line In my short time here on this earth, I have heard many share hell, fire, and damnation as well as love, peace, and God. Here is what I have to say to both of those things- amen. God is love. God is wrath. No, He is not sitting around waiting for you to mess up so He can send you to a fiery eternity (clearly this isn't the case- He sent His Son to die for you after all). Once in a Bible class I attended, the teacher talked about this, and it often comes to mind. God is not a "Gonna Getcha God". He WANTS you to accept Jesus Christ. He WANTS you to spend eternity with Him. He is a God of love and relationships. He desires only the very best for you. God also chastises us. This is how we know we are His children. Think about a parent-child relationship. Can you imagine what it would be like if parents never disciplined their children? (All the grocery store workers said amen.) Hebrews 12 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. When we accept Christ, our lives change. Your want to's, don't want to's, and everything in between will be dramatically morphed, or at least somewhat morphed. The dramatic difference occurs when you walk closely with Him. 2 Corinthians 5 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new Eternity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWk7RUg3ZV4 I watched this video today, and I was in awe. My current situation is much like a game of tug of war. You see, I am a people pleaser (I started a post about that. It's currently sitting in the draft pile. Maybe I'll get to it later). I just adore making other people happy. Sometimes that is a good thing, and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it gets me in a pickle of jeopardizing my obedience to God. It has recently become a desire of my heart to consider adopting/having a baby. Yellow car boy and I are gungho and hesitant all at once. The good news is, I was once hesitant about his yellow car. It took me a while to become gungho, but we got there (that may be for a later post as well- not in the draft pile yet, though). Ok, back to pleasing people. I have so many amazing people surrounding me, and they are all very diverse in many ways. With that whole baby thing, I battle the barefoot and pregnant vs. working mom dilemma (y'all calm down, I know those are extreme titles). In discovering my disease to please, I'm seeing the battle isn't just internal, but it is "external." All of the amazing, diverse people certainly have varying ideas about the above subject. All that said to say I've focused more on everyone else than I have God. I've worried about their "judgment." What will they think? Will the disapprove? Will I disappoint? Are people going to think less of me? Will people think I'm off my rocker? As I watched Francis Chan's video, eternity was put into perspective. We work so hard on this earth to make such a short, short period of time "worthwhile." Before we judge, or perhaps before we feel judged, let us remember to focus on our Heavenly Father, His commandments, the people He wants us to reach, the gifts He has given us, and the very special purpose/mission He has given us on this earth. In the teacher world, it's so easy to feel less than. I don't know if you know this or not, but teachers can be pretty spectacular. They transform classrooms into places of wonder, homes away from home, and atmospheres of sheer invitation. They create incredible lesson plans. They wow their students and sometimes even have parents sing their praises. And some even them do all of that AND manage to cook a Martha Stewart meal while creating things on Teacher Pay Teachers and maintaining a daily blog about the spectacular things in their classrooms and home life. (Which is really great because the not so fantastical teachers like myself get to use the resources they create.)
We're also guilty of walking into those classrooms of wonder, looking at hose blog posts, and seeing the pictures of those meals and feeling like we aren't doing enough. It's never enough. We must do more to make things better so everyone can be happy, pleased, impressed, etc. Oh how easy to be swooped into the compare/disease to please/ be accepted vortex. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. God's words are powerful. While this seems like an obvious message from God, it seems to be one we struggle with most. Acceptance is incredibly important to our flesh, and it usually comes from conforming to the things around us. Acceptance If we got down to the root of it, I would say acceptance is one of the things human beings value most. We love to feel like we're a part of something. We love to be included. We love to share things with others. I think about the Facebook world we live in now filled with selfies, like buttons, and followers. People are longing to be accepted. Words of affirmation is one of my love languages. I don't want to be told something I'm doing is great, I just want to know it's correct. Otherwise, I default to thinking I'm completing that task incorrectly. (Actually saying that makes me think I'm a bit of a negative Nancy... Oops. Perhaps that will inspire a later blog post.) The only acceptance that matters eternally is God's, and He accepts us as we are mundane classroom, not so together life, and all. Now I'm not saying live a sloppy, unproductive life, but seeking the acceptance of others or playing the comparison game often bogs us down. We typically end up in an unnecessary deal of disappointment. God doesn't desire that for His children. Encouragement I'm a firm believer in encouragement. It just goes a really long way. I've seen it inspire some pretty spectacular third graders, and I'm constantly in awe of watching their faces light up over hearing they really are great in their very wonderful own unique ways. I'm learning, however, as an adult that not everyone encourages. I'm also learning that just because they don't encourage doesn't necessarily mean something negative. Often times we look for an "atta boy" to lift our spirits, but our lifting cannot come from that. When we seek to find fulfillment in man, we often find ourselves empty. God does call us to edify one another. So often Ephesians 4:29 comes to mind. While we don't have to run around patting people on the back, it is important that we minister in our conversation. Be uplifting! Disease to Please As I'm learning that, I still struggle. I'm the crazy lady that lies awake at night replaying conversations wishing I had spoken differently or contemplating what someone really meant in our conversation. Yes. Crazy. (Surely I'm not the only one?) And all the while God is dealing with me reminding me that some things are out of my control, and so I can pray but then I need to let it go. You see, I have that terrible disease to please. I thoroughly enjoy making others happy. And while that's a wonderful thing to strive for, I also have to accept that's not likely to happen. Even Jesus didn't make everyone happy. And honestly, if I was making everyone happy, I probably wouldn't be being (is that grammatically correct?) myself. 1 John 2:16- For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 Peter 2:9- But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: During Jesus's earthly ministry, He was often rejected and betrayed. As Christians, we should expect the same. John 1:10-11- He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. I remember the very awkward years of junior high. I did not, I repeat, I did not fit in. I was as awkward as they came, and I wanted so badly to be like others, and as hard as I tried, I couldn't. All of that effort got me no where and left me in a miserable state. I didn't know Jesus at the time, but I am thankful for how He used those life events to mold me. Let's fast forward to high school. High school was a little better. I remember the cliques not being as bad. I found some friends, and I found a place to "rest". And still I found myself trying to please everyone around me. I was an exhausted 17 year old who was still searching for happiness. And now we're in adulthood. I still really enjoy making others happy. Some days this involves glorifying God and seeking how He can use me to encourage and uplift others. Some days though, I fall on my face and fail miserably. That desire takes a worldly turn, and I find myself focusing on conversations and actions that are totally out of my control worrying if I said and/or did the right thing. If you know me, you know I love my sleep, and y'all sometimes I even lose sleep over it. I ponder it way too much, and I let my emotions overcome me. My whole life I've heard lots of things like I can't make everyone happy. I've been told I need to stop worrying about others and focus on me. I've been taught to worry about others perspectives and thoughts and to work towards earning their acceptance. And I ended up confused and miserable. And then God stepped in. While it is often a battle, He is showing me that compassion and encouragement are wonderful tools in furthering His kingdom. He's also showing me how worry can hinder all of this. The beautiful blessing of the ability to place our burdens upon Him cannot be forgotten. It's ok to say no. It's important to make sure whatever tasks we take on are beneficial to His kingdom and not an extra something that could ultimately be a distraction. It's ok to misspeak. I don't know of many people who are eloquent or have the absolute best thing to say 100% of the time. Our words should just glorify Him. It's ok to mess up. We all make mistakes. Sometimes your handwriting is crooked and the laundry doesn't get finished on the scheduled day, and that's ok. Sometimes you say something at just the wrong time, and that's ok. It's really ok if your home doesn't look like it's straight out of Southern Living, you aren't climbing the corporate ladder, and you only have a handful of friends. It's ok if you're not in the popular crowd. Its ok! Those things are so temporal, and praise God, He's not temporary. He's eternal. Matthew 6:24 - No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 1 John 3:13 - Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. Hebrews 13:5 - [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for a wonderful Savior! Thank You Lord for welcoming us into Your family as we are and for loving us through it all. God, You very well know my struggle with finding that balance of honoring You in wanting to bring joy to others and losing sight of You and letting that disease to please and all of the terrible side effects like worry over take me. God I pray You'll continue to help me lay it down and set my eyes on You. I pray You'll help in those moments of anxiety and replaying conversations. I pray You'll help me to not play the comparison game and simply seek what You desire for me. If there is anyone else who is struggling that's reading this, I pray they also find great comfort and rest in You! In Jesus Name, Amen. I thought about you today. I got ready in a familiar place. I looked in the same mirror, sat in the same place, and used the same outlet we used when you taught me to round brush my hair. Oh how I remember that day. I was in sixth grade and awkward as awkward gets. You were helping to get me ready for a pageant- the first and last pageant of my pageant career. I'd never worn makeup (that didn't come from the toy aisle), and I'd never fixed my hair (beyond drying it or putting it in a scrunchee) until this day. You ordered my dress from the back of the JcPenny catalog (the rules clearly stated church attire). You gave me a pair of your white panty hose (of which I am now certain were straight from the 1980s). You sat me down in front of your mirror, pulled out the middle drawer, and put your Clinique makeup on me. You took your round brush and hair dryer and taught me the art of using a round brush. When we were all finished, I had never felt more beautiful. We arrived at the pageant, and my heart sank to my feet. All of the other girls had formal dresses and prom hair. When it was my turn to walk on the stage, I practically ran to the other side. At this point in the post, I would like to talk about the pep talk and hugs that followed, but that's not what happened. I'm certain I cried, and I think you actually got on to me for running across the stage, but nonetheless, that day was one of my favorite memories of you.
Every time I round brush my hair, I get to think of you. Today, with all my heart, I wanted to pull out the middle drawer and didn your makeup there. I wanted with all my heart to borrow your Paul Mitchell hairspray. I wanted with all my heart to hear your voice and talk about Christmas plans. I would like to say all of that happened, but it didn't, and it won't. However, every time I round brush my hair, I'll think of you. It may take me 30+ minutes, but the memories that come with it are for a lifetime. Thank you for making even simple memories special. I love you, Momma! You never entered through the front door of my grandparents' house. We always went through the side door which led to the heart of the house- the kitchen. Their house had an open concept before HGTV made it cool. If you walked in today, one of the first things you might notice would be the lack of a dishwasher. Oh, the horror, right? The thoughts of Granny's fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and chocolate cake (I'll nail that recipe one day) still make my mouth water. I can only imagine the mess that all of those wonderful treats would leave behind. Countless times when we arrived, after we ate, or at some point during a visit, Pop would pull the stool up to the sink and wash dishes. If Granny ever made her way in there to do dishes, it wasn't long until Pop would take over. Soon after, you'd hear her say, "I don't need a dishwasher, I married one."
Looking back, I remember Pop's little acts of love like that. He was that way with everyone, but especially with Granny. I can only imagine, but I'm sure The Good Lord knows there were days where much patience was needed with my fireball granny. She would cook, and he would clean. She would sweep, and he would mop; but, if I remember, he would take over the sweeping, too. Until, of course, they got the electric sweeper. Then, Leeah and I kindly took over- until the battery died. Granny and Pop had a fairly long driveway, and you could bet if it rained, he would be at the end of it waiting to pick us up when we got off the bus. Wet pants were not an option. You would catch a cold, and he wouldn't have that. When I would leave my lunch at school, Pop was to the rescue. If I was sick and needed to go home, all it took was a phone call to Pop. When I fell asleep waiting for Mom to come pick us up, you'd better bet I'd wake up with a blanket. Pop couldn't have his girls getting cold. Little did I know how much those precious acts meant, nor did I know what they were setting me up for. The Lord really did a work in my life when it came to relationships and waiting on a husband. He gave me high standards and expectations, and I was just sure they'd never be met. Oh, me of little faith. God sure showed up, and He showed out. God placed many people in my life that set examples as wives, husbands, mothers, and fathers. I'm realizing now how much my pop stood out. This morning, around 4:00, I woke up and felt like I had swallowed glass. My throat was on fire. I sat up in bed and not long after yellow car boy awoke. His first reaction was to make sure I was ok. (I'll admit it, I'm a terrible sick person. Like, I turn into a baby.) I told him what was wrong. Without hesitation, at 4:00 AM, he gets out of bed. He asks if I want salt water, honey, or a cough drop. And off he goes to get it. I was wide awake and in a good bit of pain, so he stayed up with me. He finally starts to doze off, and I ask if I can turn the lamp on, so I can read. Does he get annoyed? Of course not. He went back to sleep, and I stayed awake. All I could think about was what just happened and how utterly amazing yellow car boy is. I thought about Granny's famous words about marrying a dishwasher. I never knew what all I needed or wanted in a husband, but God sure did. Eph 5:23- For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Eph 5:25- Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; Not a day goes by that I have to question if that's how yellow car boy loves me. Every day, in so many ways, he assures me of that. I really dislike having dishes in the sink. Yellow car boy has learned that, and he goes out of his way to help me keep them out of the sink. When I'm cooking, he's right there with me cleaning up what he can because he knows I hate clutter. When I say I'm cold, he's finding a solution. Without asking, my car gets cranked almost every winter morning (I define winter as sixty degrees). It's not because I nag him. It's not because he has to. It's because Jesus is just super awesome. I'm so thankful for a God that cares so much about us that He gives us other people to walk with on this earth. I'm very, very thankful my husband is yellow car boy, and that God saw fit for me to be his wife. So "they" say your third year of teaching is the best! That's the year you get it all together. You've learned the ropes, and now you teach. Whoever "they" are, they let me down. I ventured into the toughest year in my short teaching career in year three. It was not a charm, jewel, or a cruise. Thus far it has been rocky, painful, and discouraging. The good news is, God has had a plan in it all, and I'm certain I've yet to see the best.
He has certainly used this year as a learning and molding experience. The best part was finally letting go and letting Him. He had his big, God-sized arms wide open ready to carry me. Through it all, He reminded me to be thankful for a few things. I've no doubt He has me in this career, location, and time of life for a reason. Your Job Your job is important. You stand before multiple lives that get to be influenced by you- daily. While at times it doesn't feel like it, you are very influential in each child's life. There have been two recent occasions that I was out and public, and I overheard children talking about their teachers. I couldn't help but eavesdrop, and I was quite amazed how they had so much good to talk about and how engaged they were in the conversation. The hugs, the smiles, and the love you offer matter. For some children that is the only affection they receive. Your classroom may be the most stable part of a child's day or even life. For some, your love is just an extra dose of the blessing of life they get to experience. For all of them, you may be the vessel God uses to influence their lives. Your job is important and so are you. Co-Workers It's truly amazing how in the hustle and bustle of a school day (Yes, it's true. Despite popular belief we actually don't color and make crafts all day.) we get caught in our own little world of me. There are so many people that make a school go round, and I find myself stuck on what I need to do, haven't done, can't make happen, and the exercise that will be put off until tomorrow because of the to do list that continues to grow and the paper stack that is starting to look like a monster. What if there weren't custodians. special education teachers, administration. instructional coaches, cafeteria workers, PE coaches, secretaries, nurses, teachers to share resources, hurts, and joys with, and the many others that make a school day happen? That scary stack of papers would be unfathomable if I had to teach a child an instrument, how to play basketball (motor skills are important y'all), and then speak with someone at central office about text books. I just couldn't do it. The number of days I've had to sit down and laugh or cry with another teacher about the way a day has gone would be a task to count. The times another teacher's resources or ideas saved my class from a misconception is quite impressive. I'm certain as some point in every school history, co-workers have spatted, disagreed, and (gasp) gossiped about each other. While all of those things seem like the "right" thing to do at the time, let us remember how much we need each other. No one can relate to your work day quite like a co-worker who experiences it with you. Remember to lift your co-workers up. Throughout a school day, teachers get plenty of tearing down from students, parents, or the worst critics of all- ourselves (everything actually doesn't have to be Pinterest perfect *note to self). We are a team, and we should work together. It's like a family at work. The diversity that comes together in a school faculty is a beautiful thing. We all have great things to share and learn from each other. Parents Don't take them for granted. They come in all shapes, forms, and sizes. You have the "helicopter" parents that hover so close you can smell what they ate for dinner. Then there's the "my child does no wrong" parent. Then we have the "too busy for my child" parent. Then there are parents who are almost completely absent from their child's lives. Then there are the parents who encourage their child and you. There are the parents who take things home to cut, glue, fold, and separate. There are the parents who say thank you. There are the parents who speak life about you in front of their children. There are the parents who pray for you. And at the end of the day, it's important to remember no matter what parent you're dealing with, that parent is why you have the blessing (ok so some days they don't exactly seem like blessings- look I'm just speaking the truth) of their child in your classroom. For the parent who doesn't participate much in their child's life, how wonderful it is that you get to be a light that child doesn't have! For the parent who hovers, how wonderful to have a parent that cares so much! For the parent who adores you, well isn't that such a blessing. (Lord, God help me remember these revelations tomorrow when I walk in my classroom and desire to lose it on someone. And all know that strength can only come from You.- I'm just saying.) All kidding aside, parents are important. They clearly play a vital part the life of that child you're trying to help learn math facts, to read, or simply how to be kind to the person standing beside them in line. Remember, no one knows that child like they do, and if you do want to make a difference, they're a great resource. |
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Saved by God's amazing grace and living this divinely put together puzzle of a beautiful life He so graciously blessed. Archives
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