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Showing posts from December, 2017

18 Resolutions for 2018

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Be who God has called me to be, though that may involve being quiet when I would prefer to speak, or speak when I would prefer to be silent.   Read more.  Specifically, finish Favor With Kings by Caleb Anderson and read Soul Keeping by John Ortberg for my own personal interests and Kagan Cooperative Learning for my occupational interest.   Start my Rank I degree. Encourage others-be it verbally or even with this blog. Quit drinking Coca-Cola.   Call my family more often-especially my aunt and cousins. Drink more water. Travel someplace I've never been-by myself.  I love a good solo adventure. Get enough rest. Quit waiting until the last minute to put grades into Infinite Campus. Stop comparing myself to others.  It's a vicious cycle that does not produce good.   Spend less time online. Write down at least 3 things I'm grateful for each day.  Write more posts on this blog. Forgive.  And forget. Be more social. Implement more 1:1 classroom structures and

Favorite Scripture Friday: Revelation 21:5

In two days, the entire world will be celebrating the birth of a new year.  And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5  New. 3 letters, 2 sounds, 1 word.  But new often brings out multiple emotions. New can help us experience happiness.  Think about it-how does buying clothes, car, phone, or tablet result in anything less than simple giddiness? New can also help us experience sadness.   In my family, new can foster sadness, particularly in the case of a death.  A few years ago my cousin who lived with my grandmother and aunt was killed in a car wreck.  We were all devastated, but we came together and grieved prior to the funeral service.  However, later that day my family returned home 3 hours away, leaving my grandmother and aunt alone.  They were sitting around the house, still deeply hurting when there was a knock at the door.  Two neighbors (a mother and daughter) who had also experienced the loss of a daughter from a car

Last Christmas

December 24, 2017 Five years ago on this date, I kept my grandmother company so my aunt and mother could attend the Christmas Eve service at Mary Helen United Methodist Church. By this time numerous incidents had confined my grandmother to her bed.  She could not speak, only gurgle occasionally.  Her meals were delivered via feeding tube.  The feeding tube also served as the delivery method for administering her pills.  She could not walk or even sit up.  Every two hours she was rolled on a different side to keep her from developing bedsores.  She wore two pairs of diapers at night in addition to having multiple pads to keep any urine from soaking through to the hospital bed.  After you’ve experienced diapering an adult you know you will never, ever complain about changing a baby.  She was confined to that bed 23 hours per day, her only respite coming when a male neighbor would come over and lift her out of the bed, place her in a wheelchair, and roll her to the front porch so sh

Oh, Deer

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In addition to being a 4th grade teacher, semi-professional Candy Crusher, and recreational procrastinator, I am also the academic team coach for my building.  Which is hysterical that I’m in charge of anything competitive because unless I’m watching basketball or playing cards, I am the least competitive person there is. Seriously.  Since the hallowed title of academic coach was unexpectedly assigned  graciously bestowed 4 years ago, I find myself once a week working with two of Lexington‘s finest and a classroom full of children ranging from second through fifth grade. Shout out to Officer Dawn and Lieutenant Bastin and the whole Lexington Police Activities League because they not only supply extra coaches but have provided staples such as paper, pencils, snacks, super cute academic team shirts, and even provided transportation for students who needed a lift to the competition.  And every week  brings back memories of when I was a 4th grader practicing on my elementary school'

Favorite Scripture Friday: Isaiah 11:1

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." Isaiah 11:1 Having grown up in the church, I'm accustomed to hearing or reading the above verse at least once during the Christmas season.  And just like so many other things in life, the multiple repetitions caused me to take for granted the message within it.  However this week when I read it, something just "clicked" and I sat down, examined and pondered just what that verse meant.  It was not something I planned on, but the Lord laid it on my heart and now I have an entirely new perspective on those 19 words.  In my experience, the only people who care about stumps are gardeners or landscapers-and even then they are most often annoyed because the stump is in the way of a project.  Having visualized a stump sitting idly made me think.  Stumps are not really something people get really hyped about. To me, they're a reminder that something no longer serves a pur