Thankful Thursday 2017 {week 4}

76.  Dishwasher

77.  Hanging out with people who make me forget to look at my phone

78.  Dirty Joe's  the new coffee shop in Elkin -- love it,  you should go! every day!

79.  

When your listening to a sermon and your son mentions this song and you know he's paying attention

80.  going to the movies with some of your favorite people and laughing and crying together

81.  all the people out their teaching musical instruments.   Especially Dominic, Scott, and Jodi  - who teach my children - you guys are angels, part of the heavenly orchestra

82.  Christmas 

83.  Ella Reece making me smile

84.  the ability to see and hear and smell

85.  movie popcorn

86. God didn't give me sisters by blood but he gave me Jessica, Hannah, Jamie, Martha, and Dana and He knew they would be the best sisters I ever needed

87.  Owen's Jokes

88.  Halloween candy is almost gone!

89.  talking about getting old 

90.  daily snapchats with Kimberly

91.  Luke 9:16  "He blessed and broke them, and gave them."  He has blessed and broke and gave me and it is the greatest joy to be loved by Him.

92.  sharing life with him in the rain and the sunshine

93.  the sound of bible pages turning

94.  this article - you have enough, you are enough

95.  listening Addie sing Jolene

96.  memories

97.  playing Uno

98.  watching Owen play with the dog

99.  hugs and snuggles from my family

100.  Another year to be thankful.  

May we never stop being the thankful for all the blessings we have!  The attitude of gratitude makes life joyful~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Thursday 2017 {week 3}

51.  A night out with my mom and best friend to see Dirty Dancing.

52.  Pecan Pie Cheesecake.

53.  Listening to my students.

54.  the smell of baking

55.  Psalm 100

56.  Sleep

57.  Books

Thanksgiving Book List

58.  Heat

59.  Watching my basketball players work so hard

60.  Addie being thankful for dance

61.  Students who care

62.  Christmas Music

63.  Cold mornings

64.  Nephews who say good morning

65.  128 shoe boxes packed with love

66.  friends who listen

67.  my moma for helping with my children

68.  Presley for being a good role model for Owen

69.  Driveway views

70.  Comfy clothes

71.   He must increase, but I must decrease.John 3:30

72.  This video

73.  Brave little girl

74.  Apples - they are my favorite, but not mushy ones, crunchy ones

75.  the wonderful people I work with 

Thankful Thursday 2017 {week 2}

26.  Jessica, my sister in law - she gets me

27.  This song

28.  Fair Trade Friday!

29.  sermons that hit you in the heart and gut

30.  home

31.  students who bring hot tamales!!  like real, authentic ones

32.  rainy fall days

33.  honesty

34.  Amazon.com -  I mean really who has time to shop

35.  students who take care of each other

36.  church homecoming

37.  God's plan that isn't my own

38.  teachers - you people are heros

39.  Addie's love of reading

40.  this boy - never ceases to amaze me

41.  running water

42.  friends who hand me coffee

43.  waffles - so much better than pancakes

44.  family gatherings

45.  Christmas shopping!

46.  my students working so hard

47.  the ability to change

48.  wiggly teeth

49.  new vocabulary words

50.  Every man and woman who has fought for our great country - Thank you for you sacrifice!!!

 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:12

Thankful Thursday 2017 {week 1}

1.  Jesus died for my me, despite all my badness and undeserving.
2.  My husbands support, love, kindness, and all the other things he does for me that I take for granted....like sirius XM radio and coffee.  
3.  Addie's successful surgery of tonsil and adenoid removal.  She came through like the rock star she is.  
4.  Owen completed another football season and never once complained about the running and hard practices or losses.  
5.  This statement that has stuck with me all week in my decisions, in my life just as with Ruth.  We must choose

commitment over convenience

6. My mom and dad :)

7. Have I told you how much I love coffee and I'M so thankful for coffee....everyday!

8. Letters from students that say thanks you made a difference

9.  Listening to Addie - sing all the time, talk all the time - excited about life all the time

10.  Christmas music - yes we are already listening

11.  Vacuum cleaners - how do we make so much dirt

12.  Sunday School Class

13.  Listening to Owen play music is one of my most favorite thing to do.

14.  We went on a family vacation this summer and the memories we made.  

15. All the people who help my family.  There is way to many to name, but I know that it takes a village and my children wouldn't be able to do a lot of things if there weren't so many people helping us out.  

16. TIME CHANGE - you know I love it

17.  the color in the leaves this year

18. the community I live in - the way they reach out to one another

19. my friend Kimberly - she makes me laugh and makes me feel loved

20. the way the holy spirit bugs you till you listen

21. my brother - who all my life has loved me just the way I am, he has never one told me to be different or to change or that I wasn't good enough or pretty enough, he just loves me the way I am - everyone should have a brother like mine

22.  my students this year -they are amazing, I am blessed every day to be their teacher

23.  

to see this boy smile

24.  basketball season!!!

25.  stolen moments of writing

To my middle schooler

It seems like yesterday we were reading Kissing Hand and you wore size 5T.  

Tomorrow you enter your first day of middle school, how is that even possibly.  I think I've been more emotional over this one than Kindergarten, perhaps because middle school is real to me. Sorry, not sorry, your mom is a middle school teacher and you might not ever get a cellphone in your life. 

I can you promise you middle school is going to change you and that some days are going to be bad and some days are going to be "ok" and some days are going to be amazing.  And some days ever emotion in the world will pass through you at some point.  You are going to grow and you are going to look in the mirror and not know what to think or what is happening or who you are.  You are going to learn about good things and bad things, sex and drugs, algebra and geometry, colleges and careers, your going to get your feelings hurt and your going to hurt other people's feelings.  

I hope you always listen before you talk, soak in as much learning as you possible can, have the wisdom to decide what is good and what is bad, file away what you need for your future and forget the petty stuff.  I hope that you make friends with those that aren't friendly, that you are humble and kind to all. I hope you wear deodorant every day.  I hope you laugh till your stomach hurts every day.  I hope you make a few friends that last your whole life.  I hope you smile at your teacher and tell them thank you even when the lesson plan isn't going well.  I hope you hold the door and say good morning.  I hope you wash your hands after you go to the bathroom.  I hope you give every day a chance to be better than the day before.  I hope you are true to yourself, don't change what you like for others.  I hope you share the love of Jesus with someone.   I hope you read when they tell you to read and ask questions when you don't understand.  I hope that you take your  punishments for rolling your eyes, running your mouth, lying, not working as hard you can, {insert other middle school behavior}, and work to be better. I hope you manage your time well.  But if at some point you need help with these things, I'll be here to dust you off and pick you up and hug you.  Someday's you aren't going to like me, but that's ok.  I know that, I'm still going to help you and grounding might be involved.  You'll thank me one day.  Remember, I'll be praying for you every day.  You pray for me too, it ain't easy being a mom.

Never forget that no matter what, I love you.
I'm here to listen.
I'm here to lean on.
I believe in you!
You are going to do amazing things!
God has big plans for you!
Have a blast! Enjoy every second! 💗

Mom

Keep throwing Starfish!

State mandated testing can cause teachers to hang their heads. 

As scores come in and the data is broken down, it's easy to get down on our self and to think that what we do isn't making a difference. We aren't getting high enough growth or even proficiency. 

But as my dear colleague, Shelley, reminded me we all have our starfish.  

Maybe it wasn't math, science, social studies, or reading that you made a difference, 

but in behavior, self confidence, writing, public speaking, conflict resolution, or leadership skills, 

OR maybe you grew one kid 21 points in math.

We all have some starfish that because we picked them up.....IT MADE A DIFFERENCE.

Heads up teachers, keep throwing starfish!  


Most of all remember, Jesus don't care about testing.  You aren't going to show up at the pearly gates and be asked about your test scores.  But you will be asked about this....

Colossians 3:23-23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 


Teaching is a calling.  It's ministry and Jesus work.   

what my daughter taught me today

"I made a new friend today," she says.

"He's nice."

"Well, he was today."

"He's not, he hasn't always, he sometimes isn't......"  thinks a minute

"He's learning to be nice, mom."

Aren't we all just learning to be nice?

Aren't we all just stumbling around, messing up left and right, or maybe that's just me.

And aren't we all just waiting for someone to be our friend.

Someone who is willing to accept that we are just learning.

We aren't perfect. 

Some days are hard.  

We are just one imperfect human looking for another imperfect human to say,

"Yeah, They are learning to be nice and that's ok, I'm still their friend.

inner demons

i'm not sure what you're fighting today......

self doubt

     insecurity

        financial worry

                weight 

                    fear of the future

                                     addiction

i know these inner demons they fight hard.  
they fight unfair.  
they pull from all the weaknesses. 

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

but i pray that you let the angels fight for you. i pray that you pray.  

your angels might be 

family

         friends

               children
                     
                        strangers

                                 the holy spirit

let them help.  let them in.

don't let the inner demons win.

and tomorrow when they come back.                       
                                                       fight again. pray again.

you are loved

In case you need to hear about true love this valentine's

(thanks Ann Voscamp for sharing)

 BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU!!! 

 more than anyone or anything on this earth can

don't look for approval here

know that you are loved

you are beautiful

you are wonderful

you are His

"Because He loves you all the way, all the time"

every second of every day

He never stops

YOU ARE LOVED!!! 

Happy Valentine's Day

I need for my daughter and son to know this.  I need my husband to know this.  
People will fail you, guaranteed.
But Jesus never will.

one word: influence

one word

one focus

2017

influence

the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something

where does it start, where does it end, one will never know

but we know we have

influence

on our children, our family, our friends....everyone one we meet


1 Corinthians 12:2
 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.


Am I  being an influence the leads others to God or astray? 

How can I be a better influence?

2017 I want to be a better influence for health, technology, friendship, family, and most importantly the Lord.