How Do You Write...........

How do you write of the pain and weeping and horror and terror and sacrifice of one day? The grieving and sadness and loss of the next? Followed by the perplexity and wonder of the third? The Rock rolled away; the yawning emptiness of the Tomb finishes the walk and existence of something and Someone so intense it can not be understood by the human mind. But Faith steps in and fills us with that wonder, that awe, that peace of spirit that is known only to Believers. We hold the receipt of those days in our hearts. We are owners of Love so incomprehensible that to even contemplate it in its majesty and wholeness brings us to our knees in humility. Our duty is to remember and think and to know EVERY DAY. We are to live under the sacrificial umbrella of His love and to reflect that love in our daily walk. And in our daily travels we are to share, to spread and to bring in those who doubt, or deny or turn away. The Great Commission tells us that our Gift must be presented to others through our words and actions and deeds. But today, just today, let us relax in the arms of the One who knows no boundaries to His love. He is Risen!

The Sound of Silence.....

I've always loved that phrase.....I think we can credit it to Simon and Garfunkel. Dates me, but o well. Silence does have its own particular sound and sadly one that we don't get to enjoy very often. We live in a cacophony of sounds. Some are by choice, some by circumstance. But the true sound of silence, the soothing joy of nothingness settles the soul. This weekend is a time of Rejoicing and most probably you'll have little chance to hear the silence. You probably have family coming in, or your going somewhere to see close friends or parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. But today if you can, even for 2 minutes, seek silence. Expand your body and mind to just being the wonder that you are. Okay fine, I'm not some guru sitting wrapped in a sheet on the top of a mountain. I'm just a woman who knows the power of even the tiniest bit of self. I call it a mind cleanse. It is a letting go. Quit fighting those mental fires. Stop and breath just for yourself. Admittedly I'm at a place in life, where this is easier for me. No small children at home, no teens involved in 3,268 things a day. But I know for certain that you can spare a minute or two a day, to linger in the sound of silence. Early morning silence is the best for me. Hot cup of fresh coffee and the low light of dawn begins the day and so this is when I make my choice to be quiet. No television, no radio, just me. And I find in these early morning spaces of time, that the more I do this, the more I get to know me. I'll go ahead and admit that some of the things I'm meeting in myself I don't like, but I'm glad to the acknowledgement of them. For how can I or you or anybody else work on being better if we don't realize where we're lacking? Geez, this may be another blog topic entirely so back to Silence. Take it. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Rest in it. Just be you. I hope you'll see that Quietness has a quality of healing. Enjoy your weekend.

Insecurity....

We all at one time or another have felt insecure. You know that deep down feeling you get when you are pretty sure you're not good enough, tall enough, thin enough, rich enough, smart enough, blah, blah, blah. And possibly those insecurities are justified. You may NOT be smart enough to invent the next Bill Gates technology, or you may NOT be pretty enough to win Miss America, Universe or Queen of the World. You may NOT be rich enough to buy Manhattan, or Texas or Europe. But guess what.....you ARE good enough to do, be, and succeed. Insecurities are little seeds of doubt that are planted in us by whatever enemy is snarling at you. They are planted and fertilized and watched and meant to grow and in their growth make you miserable. So here is your choice. Give in or Fight. Wave a White Flag or keep putting one foot in front of the other and stomp those doubts as you do. I think you can fight. I think you can dye that White Flag a triumphant Red or Purple or Green. I think you can be exactly who you are meant to be. And I think that life is what you make it. We all have people around us who cheer us on or would like to see us fail. We all have circumstances that pop in and out of our lives that grind us down or make us stronger. We are all human. And in our humanity, we share common bonds and one is Insecurity. Those who don't acknowledge that they are EVER insecure are too arrogant to see past their very pointed noses. So take your doubts out and hold them in your hand and study them, then figure out how to overcome them. You can do it! And when you get past whatever is your Road Block of the Day......give yourself a big dose of pride, and strength. Realize that you have just made yourself a warrior. May your day be blessed and full of love.

Captain.............

YOU are the captain of your ship. You have decisions to make every day that determine your route and your destination. Sometimes the ocean is tranquil and the sailing is carefree. Sometimes the waves are immense and the danger is everywhere. And ALL of the time you determine your reaction to your situation. Do you enjoy the calm and fear the danger? Do you take the peace for granted and panic in the midst of a storm? Do you take charge and make decisions for your ship and crew with honesty and integrity or do you hide in the bilge and shiver with trepidation? How do your reactions to life's seas affect the people around you? Remember that every moment of every day someone you love is living under the sails of your ship and you, as that captain, are making lasting impressions. You can't control the seas but you CAN control your reaction to them. So, today, no matter the condition of your ocean, I hope you handle it with grace and honesty and courage. I hope that you enjoy the calm and face the storms with courage. Clear sailing my friends.

I am a TEACHER....

I am a teacher, a lover of teens, a social worker, a mentor and a disciplinarian. I am a teacher. I am CEO of 135 employees a day who are TEENAGERS. But unlike other CEO's I only see my employees for 45 minutes a day and in that time, my job must be done. I INSTRUCT subject matter, but I TEACH so much more. I teach your child not only to respect me, but to respect others and most importantly to respect themselves. I teach that life is NOT a level playing field. We all are not blessed with talent, high IQ's nor perfect families. But we all are blessed with the opportunity to be educated. I teach rules. Follow my rules and life is good, break my rules and there are consequences; this my friends is merely a consequence of life, not only in MY classroom but in society. You may not like my classroom rules, but the lesson of following is important. I teach acknowledgement of others. We recognize that each and every one of us in the classroom has our own history and those histories are as varied as we are. And those histories are ingrained in us and become us and are to be acknowledged. Different cultures and customs and backgrounds are to be honored, not made fun of and laughed at. We raise our hands, we don't talk over others, we say yes ma'am and no ma'am, because I am a person of authority in their lives, but this favor is returned to them. I also say yes ma'am and no ma'am and yes sir and no sir in return. They are due my respect as well. Am I a perfect teacher, no. Do I make mistakes, yes. But in my heart I do what I think is best for your child. I am honored to have them in my life and I will do my very best ( and have for 28) years to see that they grow under my tutelage. At times there are 26 different personalities in my room at one time. Each with their own needs, problems, visions and expectations. A good teacher does NOT treat every child the same because they are NOT the same. They are not carbon copies of each other. A good teacher recognizes that individual needs must be met and sometimes it seems that favoritism is played, but in truth, when a child deals with more at 16 than many parents have dealt with at 40, then a good teacher gives what is needed to be given to help that child in any and all ways. Do I lower my expectations for that child? NO! But do I sometimes cut corners, and give a little leeway when I know a child has no place to live, no food to eat or has worked until 2 a.m. every night for a week? You bet I do. IF that seems unfair to others, then I'm sorry. A hand up is never a bad thing. I do this under the eye of a critical society. Why don't you do this? We did it back in my day. Well, let me tell you, these kids have new skills sets to learn that you probably had not even heard of when you were in school. The world is changing every millisecond so we have to teach what will lead your child to success. I do this with the state telling me what to teach because at the end of the year, our students are tested on what the state deems important. So can we cover all the bases we want to? NO. Because our schools are judged on state mandated performance. I am fortunate enough to teach a subject that is not tested at the end of the year, but I see other teachers struggle every day to run the race of Standardized Testing. I do this making less money this year than last year, and less last year than the year before and the year before that. When we reach a certain level our salaries are frozen but insurance and taxes continue to rise, so seasoned teachers are putting less in their pockets each year. O, but you say, you get paid in the summer and you're not working. NOT true. We are paid for 187 days of work a year, this money is spread out over 12 months. We are NOT paid for NOT working in the summer. I do this because I love your child and I love teaching. I do this because it is a calling not just a job. I do this to make a difference.

Had You Rather Be....................

When Dr Phil first appeared on the Oprah show, I watched him a lot. Haven't seen him in years, but I imagine he's still asking this question. 'Had you rather be right or be happy?' He would always pose this question to people who were having difficulties getting along.....whether it be married couples, friends, or just people. Well, Dr. Phil....sometimes I'd dang sure rather be RIGHT. There are just those times, when I don't give a flip about being happy, sad, mad or whatever. I wanna be RIGHT!!! I'll dig in like a tick on a dog. I'll not budge. I'll stand straight in my argument. I'll be the Mighty Oak rather than the swaying Willow. I will BE RIGHT. I will remain RIGHT. But at the end of the day.....was I really right? Did I win or lose? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'm going to ponder being right. Let me know if you think I'm right!! :)))

Combinations...

I put a new profile pic up on FB and my long time friends began to comment on whether I looked like my mom or my dad. In reality, I'm sure I'm a combination of both. So this begins my thought process this morning on combinations. We have so many in this life. We combine ingredients to make food, colors to make outfits, furniture to make a room look exactly right. In reality, I think the biggest Combinations we should focus on are attitudes, and outlooks and formulas for not only making our lives better, but also those lives around us. We are all surrounded by combinations of personalities of our co-workers, our bosses, our friends, family and children. These are all just thrown into the skillet of our days and left to simmer.....or boil over. Some days we stir the pot and some days we just let it happily bubble on the stove. But the bottom line is that all of life is a combination,a putting together and then a result. And it is in our power to throw in an ingredient and possibly take one out. Pull the anger, increase the understanding, lift the hope, lose the criticism, throw in an extra dash of encouragement. Please be aware there are many parts of your day you can't control, but you CAN control the combination of reaction. Don't throw out handfuls of hurt just to watch it boil, or extra cups of judgement to make yourself feel better. Instead measure out helping hands, gentle words and belly laughs. These are the combinations of a really great person, someone who lights a room, heals a hurt, helps their world. I hope today your Combination of Life is great.....after all, you are the chef.

Request.......................

Word of the Day..... Request....n.,...the act or instance of asking for something. Someone the other day REQUESTED that I start doing a Word of the Day again. So here goes. We'll talk about requests. How do you respond to a request? I'm going to bet that your reaction relies on two things...who made it and if it fits into your day. Now, I'm not saying that we turn our backs on any request that doesn't come from a friend or family member, nor am I saying we deny all requests that don't fit into our busy schedules. My question wasn't whether you DO a request, but how you RESPOND to a request. I think your response might say more about you than the actual doing. In other words, your REaction speaks louder than your action. Think about your circle of friends and family. I bet that you can immediately name the ones who will step out and do what's needed without hesitation. I'm also betting that you can visualize those people in your lives who will do what is needed,but not without grumbling, or self absorption in themselves and how good it is of them to do what's asked of them. Some people are just naturally giving; they understand that while inconveniences happen, their lives CAN and DO not just revolve around themselves. Others are well, more selfish, more self involved, more interested in the pats on their back than the giving of themselves and their time. Okay fine....here ya go. I can just hear you saying yeah, but some people have more time. They don't have my crazy schedule of work, and kids and yadayadayada. And I'll concede that. But here's the thing. Helping hands are always needed in some form or fashion. Involvement is not always easy, but when the chips are down, the going gets rough, the climb is enormous, then whether busy or not, we all need to step out of our zone and help. And do it without complaint nor expectations of paybacks. So here is my REQUEST for today. If someone you know needs something...maybe something small and easy...maybe not so much. AND if you decide to get involved. Do it for the right reasons. Do it because it's just the thing to do. Not for self glory, not for self recognition, but because you have been helped, people have stepped up to your plate, folks have at times been there for you.

Measure....

There are things you can measure in your life......things like the amount of flour you need in a recipe, the length of a drape over a window, the height of a piece of furniture you want to put in that special place.......the width of your hips.......that thought makes me want to put a lock on my fridge door. But there are also things you can't measure and I am convinced these are the most precious. You can't measure the happiness of someone's smile, you can't measure the depth of love you have for your children. It is impossible to measure the well of friendship. No one can measure trust, faith, commitment. And here's the most special thing. You don't need to measure these things. It's entirely enough to just realize they are there. Why would you even attempt to measure what these things mean to you? They are gifts and gifts should never be judged by their amount. So today, my thought to pass on to you is put up that tape. Enjoy the things in life that are limitless and realize that those things are what your life is about. Receive them and then return them to the ones who make your life measureless.

Rituals....

We all have rituals and they are comforting to us. Actually, I think I could call them habits, but rituals makes me sound more well, sophisticated, and we all know I need all the help I can get on that scorecard. Think about your day. I'm guessing that you do pretty much the same thing every morning, unless you look at the clock and realize you're still horizontal when you should be sitting at your desk. Then you might just cut out some of your daily habits. But let's pretend it's a normal day. You have first thoughts......not sure about you, but mine is...."What the heck is today?". Then I'm either up and going about getting the day started or having a little more zzzzzzzzzzzz time because I've hit the jackpot and it's the weekend. But nonetheless, whether it's a work day or a weekend, I do have a morning ritual. I'm not the most organized person in the world.......stop nodding your head.....but I do like things done in order when it comes to getting myself out the door.....thus, my ritual. My dog knows my morning routine as does my cat. They know exactly when to expect their treats, when to go to the bathroom to sit while I shower and then when to look hungry again, just in case I"ll give them another tidbit. So, they too, have morning rituals. Their little canine, feline hearts would be broken if they didn't get their treats, and get to sit with me in the morning as I dress for the day. I fear they are both blind as THAT part of my routine, isn't a pretty sight. Anyway, my point is....we are creatures of habit and our habits...aka rituals....bring us comfort. Some of us are 'up and runners and get out the door', some of us are 'dawdlers and sitters and slowly make our way to work'. Not matter what your routine...it's yours and to follow it brings you comfort. It's something about control in a world of chaos. It sets the tone of your day......as it does mine. I pride myself on control of my day, being in the driver's seat......then I hit the front door of BHS and 135 teenage souls take that control and twist is, mangle it and the fun begins. But just for a tiny while...early in the morning, I'm ruler of my kingdom and the Queen of my rituals. Happy Friday Guys and Dolls.....may your day be exactly what it needs to be to make YOU the ruler of your world.

Understand......

There are many things in life you're just NOT going to understand. For me...probably more than most. I don't understand how my Keurig works...but it does. I don't understand how my microwave works.....but it does. I don't understand how this laptop works.....but it does. Thank the Lord somebody does understand all of the above and so we have these wonderfully handy devices. I'll just go ahead and admit I don't know how geometry, algebra or calculus works and I don't CARE that I don't understand any of the above. But there are those of you who love and understand them.....bless your hearts. :))) But I do understand a few things. I have somewhat of a good grasp on the need to connect with people, on the need to lend a helping hand when you can and on the need to grab a helping hand when offered. I do understand that we aren't meant to be Islands unto Ourselves. We just can't go it alone all the time. Now, I'm the first to admit that at times, I will become a self-imposed hermit. Those that know me understand this. But even though I've 'dropped' out for awhile, I'm still aware of my need for people who care. And I have the need to care for people. So here is the point of this early morning ramble. We need things, we need conveniences, but most of all we NEED people....friends and family. We need those hands held out to us. And we need to be able to return the favor. So if today is a day someone needs you.....recognize it. If today is a day that you're in need.....let someone help. Not only will you be doing yourself a favor, but also you will allow that friend or family member to extend their love. Today I'll sit in Attendance Committee meetings at school and I'll hear why some of our students haven't met the State Texas Attendance requirements. Most will be understandable reasons, but some will be that the student sitting before us has nobody who cares to lend them a hand and see that they come to school. Some have burdens at 15 that you or I didn't have until we were out of college. Breaks my heart. So, today, as I pass along rules and regs that have been imposed on us by the Lone Star.....rules and regs that we can't change, I'll also have at times little pieces of my heart broken for these kids. If you remember or acknowledge nothing else about this journal, please recognize that this world needs your hand held out to help.....in any way you can.

I Lied.............

Yep, lied, spoke with forked tongue......I'm admitting it right now. I wrote in a blog a few days ago that I was not going to blog for awhile as I worked on a book. Well, you folks who know me well, know that I can NOT keep my mouth shut for very long. So I'm raising my right hand and under oath admitting I lied. I missed this daily rambling. As I knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww you miss it. Okay fine...maybe you don't. At this point, you can shut 'er down. So I began to wonder why I miss this blogging. I'm not silly enough to think that I save lives and change minds and set attitudes with my blah blah blahs.....thus I've come to the conclusion that this journaling is a selfish thing. I just like it. It sets the tone of my day. It gives me a release to my jumbled up thoughts and allows them to walk through the Exit door of my mind. I think anything we do has a purpose, especially if we do it over and over and over. And these repeated habits can either be positive or destructive. In this case ....for me.....it's a very positive habit. And we know it's all about ME. MmmmmmmmmHmmmmmmmm. Am I continuing to write that book....I sure am. And by the way, I want to give thanks to all those poor folks who are suffering through reading it as it spews out on the page and giving me feed back. But the book is not INSTANT gratification. It's not hot water poured over a tea bag that seeps for a few minutes then is ready. It's more like those ingredients you put in your crock pot and must simmer and bake. So I'm back to blogging from time to time. It clears my mind. I hope that you have something in your life that clears your thoughts, lightens your days and hopefully gets you a big Thank You from time to time. And before I close this ramblin' I do want to say, I know it's not all about ME. It's all about US. And most importantly it's all about our understanding that we each have a purpose and to live it is to acknowledge that we are creatures of God who find our purpose through and in and for Him.

How Many Times..............

We had no water last night...well, from mid afternoon until about 9. Something was amiss between the Brannan Farm and town. But here's the thing.....I lost count of how many times I walked by and turned the faucet. Not to check to see if it was back on, but because I needed water for something and I had forgotten it was not there. The convenience of water is just that.....a convenience that I rely on many many times a day. So that brings me to my point. What conveniences do we overlook every day? What do we have in our lives that just seem part of the norm and we never really give appreciation for the fact that we can turn a faucet, flip a switch or punch a button and things spring to life to give us what we need at that exact second? It was cold in the house this morning so I flipped the thermostat up. I wanted coffee.....immediately.. so I pushed the button on the Keurig. I neede to catch up on FB and blog so I punched the button on my computer. I checked my cell to see what texts had come in overnight from my night owl friends. So my morning of 30 minutes has been punch, flip and check. I want to read in a bit so I'll turn on my Kindle. I need to go to town so I'll simply walk out the door and turn the key in my car and off I'll go. My husband often says....wouldn't it be great to have lived 100 years ago? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....NO!! No flip, turn or push isn't my dream life. This leads me to point B. If we are unaware of those types of things, what else in our lives do we simply accept without realizing the impact they have on us? Stop! Right now! Think about your house, family and friends. Who and what do you overlook as just something or something that is there simply to make your life easier? I bet the list is long if you're truly honest. So today, why don't we show some type of appreciation with a hug or a word or an acknowledgement. No, you don't have to pat your faucets, nor kiss your thermostat. But if there is SOMEONE to thank...do it! If there is someone to hug.......do it! But most importantly be that person that realizes life isn't just about you. It's about surroundings and people and blessings. Be aware that things and folks can disappear in a blink of an eye. Don't pass through life unaware. You, my friend, are blessed and are a blessing. Count your many blessings....name them one by one. Sound familiar? I challenge you on this Saturday to do just that. Let's name them!