I should be packing, but instead I am taking a moment to do what breathes life into my soul: reading and writing. I tend to be a 3-4 book at a time reader. Which I am learning is probably a sign of ADD or impatience..... one or the other. So one little gem I am currently reading is Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf. This book talks about the importance of our thoughts and how much weight they play in our overall well being. I read this today and just had to share....
"Research shows that 75 to 98 percent of mental, physical, and behavioral illness comes from one's thought life." p. 33
Anyone else have a stop-in-your-tracks-get-out-of-town moment after reading that? I sure did. I am only on page 33 of the 205 page book. So I am certain there will be more of these eye opening, heart tugging experiences.
I have been in the process of renewing my mind of some pretty icky stuff and it isn't easy. But I know it will be worth it. So if you are like me and having to dig up and re-root some harmful thought patterns I would suggest this book. Even if you don't think you have any landscaping like this to do in your brain it still might be worth the time. Dr. Leaf marries scripture and science which is absolutely fascinating to me!
So, the encourager in me says to all of my fellow thought warriors....Keep on keeping on! Practice makes perfect! You got this! If you believe it you can achieve it! A moment on the lips forever on the hips (wait, that one doesn't exactly fit here) :)
When you do your part in taking care of yourself it makes a world of difference.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
On your mark....
Two weeks from today I will be beginning my 7th year of teaching. It doesn't seem possible. So much has changed since I put on my teacher cap and I have learned much. In honor of my list loving self I am going to let you in on 7 things I have learned.....
1. There is nothing better than hearing Good Morning Mrs. Lawrence every single day.
2. Data is unavoidable but can be fun when charted in excel using color.
3. Keeping up appearances isn't as important as keeping it real and admitting when you need help.
4. You will get a note from a student or parent at just the right time and it will be like a hug from God.
5. The students you didn't think you would connect with can become your favorites....not that I have favorites ;).
6. Students are humans too. They will never be perfect and we can't expect them to be.
7. It's important to be thankful and not take my position for granted.
This is a short list for all that I have really learned. As with any job there are days where I would like to ignore the alarm clock. I fantasize about what it would be like to work for the post office (love actual mail), the travel channel or be a DJ. It's okay you can laugh at the thought of me having two turn tables and a microphone. But then I dig down deep and realize anything that is worthwhile requires determination and sacrifice. Though there are hard days in teaching, there are also many days that aren't. To all my teacher friends out there..... may the 2013-2014 school year remind you of all the reasons you went into teaching in the first place. On your mark, get set....go! :)
1. There is nothing better than hearing Good Morning Mrs. Lawrence every single day.
2. Data is unavoidable but can be fun when charted in excel using color.
3. Keeping up appearances isn't as important as keeping it real and admitting when you need help.
4. You will get a note from a student or parent at just the right time and it will be like a hug from God.
5. The students you didn't think you would connect with can become your favorites....not that I have favorites ;).
6. Students are humans too. They will never be perfect and we can't expect them to be.
7. It's important to be thankful and not take my position for granted.
This is a short list for all that I have really learned. As with any job there are days where I would like to ignore the alarm clock. I fantasize about what it would be like to work for the post office (love actual mail), the travel channel or be a DJ. It's okay you can laugh at the thought of me having two turn tables and a microphone. But then I dig down deep and realize anything that is worthwhile requires determination and sacrifice. Though there are hard days in teaching, there are also many days that aren't. To all my teacher friends out there..... may the 2013-2014 school year remind you of all the reasons you went into teaching in the first place. On your mark, get set....go! :)
Friday, August 2, 2013
Love it or List it
Anyone who knows me knows that I really have a hard time sitting still and watching movies or TV shows. I think commercials were made just for me and my fellow "I could be doing something else right now" people. I can almost hear the shouts of amens coming from my husband and siblings. :) But ok, for the record though, the summer before our wedding I was literally getting Say Yes to the Dress and Cake Boss fed to me intravenously. It's true.
I am hooked again. Yep. HGTV (Home and Garden Television for those of you who aren't aware of this amazing channel-no they are not paying me to say that-though I wouldn't mind) has a show called Love it or List it. It's my current guilty pleasure, summer love, what have you. The premise is a family is living in their home and are undergoing the dilemma of staying in their original house or moving to a new one. The families meet a designer who promises them upgrades to their original home that will make them want to stay. However, they also meet with a realtor who says let's leave that popsicle stand (Aladdin reference) and move somewhere different to a home that suits you better. I wait on the edge of my seat until the end where they family decides do we Love it or List it. I always want them to love it. I actually scream at the TV LOVE IT! Please, please love it!! Who needs to watch football when you have HGTV????
Well in all of my hours of watching the show. Yes, you read that correctly. Hours. They even had a few days of marathons. I know right. It was like meeting my prince charming (Josh of course) for the first time and we were riding through a field of wild flowers eating nutella. Sorry, had a moment. But in all seriousness, my hours of watching the show has me thinking about the whole principal of love it or list it in our own lives.
See, when God saves us He gives us a new life and promises we are a new creation. You see, I am realizing that God is in the love it and list it business. While He doesn't necessarily have a TV show designer coming to show us what upgrades can be made he does give us the Bible to read and learn about what living His way is like. He promises that it is the best way to live and the life that will lead to peace and true fulfillment. There may be habits, thoughts, ways we live our life that God has changed already. So those things we love. We keep doing them. On the other hand there are things that we are doing that need to change. Sometimes we might be so familiar with the way things have been that its scary to list those old ways. It just doesn't feel right to us. We just think that's the way it has got to be. We can pray and pray and pray about different areas that we are struggling with and we feel badly and see no change. Speaking from personal experience. I think some of the reason is that we don't realize the power that God gives us to change. God has given us self-control. The key word there is self. We are in control of what we say or do. I admit though we all tend to be good when it comes to others control. That's not going to do anything for our change though. And last time I checked that was a fruit of the spirit. "Love, peace patience, controlling others..." Nope. Bummer. Would anyone else get an A+ if it was??
I continue to see that all change is beginning at the end of something else. That moment we have to decide. Are we going to Love it or List it? Let's all take that leap of faith and look at our lives honestly. We can thank God that some of those areas that aren't very pretty can be changed. It takes time and will most likely not come in an hour package like the HGTV show. And yes our change probably will not land us on a world renowned TV show either, but it will still be worth it. :)
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23
I am hooked again. Yep. HGTV (Home and Garden Television for those of you who aren't aware of this amazing channel-no they are not paying me to say that-though I wouldn't mind) has a show called Love it or List it. It's my current guilty pleasure, summer love, what have you. The premise is a family is living in their home and are undergoing the dilemma of staying in their original house or moving to a new one. The families meet a designer who promises them upgrades to their original home that will make them want to stay. However, they also meet with a realtor who says let's leave that popsicle stand (Aladdin reference) and move somewhere different to a home that suits you better. I wait on the edge of my seat until the end where they family decides do we Love it or List it. I always want them to love it. I actually scream at the TV LOVE IT! Please, please love it!! Who needs to watch football when you have HGTV????
Well in all of my hours of watching the show. Yes, you read that correctly. Hours. They even had a few days of marathons. I know right. It was like meeting my prince charming (Josh of course) for the first time and we were riding through a field of wild flowers eating nutella. Sorry, had a moment. But in all seriousness, my hours of watching the show has me thinking about the whole principal of love it or list it in our own lives.
See, when God saves us He gives us a new life and promises we are a new creation. You see, I am realizing that God is in the love it and list it business. While He doesn't necessarily have a TV show designer coming to show us what upgrades can be made he does give us the Bible to read and learn about what living His way is like. He promises that it is the best way to live and the life that will lead to peace and true fulfillment. There may be habits, thoughts, ways we live our life that God has changed already. So those things we love. We keep doing them. On the other hand there are things that we are doing that need to change. Sometimes we might be so familiar with the way things have been that its scary to list those old ways. It just doesn't feel right to us. We just think that's the way it has got to be. We can pray and pray and pray about different areas that we are struggling with and we feel badly and see no change. Speaking from personal experience. I think some of the reason is that we don't realize the power that God gives us to change. God has given us self-control. The key word there is self. We are in control of what we say or do. I admit though we all tend to be good when it comes to others control. That's not going to do anything for our change though. And last time I checked that was a fruit of the spirit. "Love, peace patience, controlling others..." Nope. Bummer. Would anyone else get an A+ if it was??
I continue to see that all change is beginning at the end of something else. That moment we have to decide. Are we going to Love it or List it? Let's all take that leap of faith and look at our lives honestly. We can thank God that some of those areas that aren't very pretty can be changed. It takes time and will most likely not come in an hour package like the HGTV show. And yes our change probably will not land us on a world renowned TV show either, but it will still be worth it. :)
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23
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