Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Happiness.

So I came home and wound up sleeping for a bit on the couch...didn't realize I was even that tired until after I ate some supper and tried to watch something, quickly growing droopy enough to lay back for a bit and just close my eyes.

1.  Wednesdays are always nice because they give me a chance to catch up on things.  Today was fairly relaxing, but also very productive.  I'm making some major progress planning things out for Battle of the Books next year, and that gets me super excited.

2.  I am privileged to work at a school with a healthy technology budget.  It makes me really happy when I have to get creative with what to spend money on, and I hope that remains the case in years to come.

3.  Despite the ridiculous amount of blood/gore, I find myself enjoying Game of Thrones.  Each episode has at least one (if not a few) scenes that make me flinch a bit, but the story is interesting, and many of the characters are compelling.  Yay for new things to watch!

4.  My awesome Media Coordinator surprised me with a breakfast biscuit this morning at school.  I love that I work with people who'll do things like that just because they feel like it. :)

All in all, life is busy, but life is good.  Wouldn't have it any other way.

"He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Weighty Words, Among Other Things.

I'm out of clever openings tonight.  I should have been asleep a while ago.  Figured that since I'm still up, I'd go ahead and throw my list of happy moments from the day up here.  Let's-a go!

[Props to those of you who read that in Mario's voice, because...yep.]

1.  I love great quotes and finding great quotes that have lots of meaning to my life.  Like this one:

2.  I love having unexpected time to get stuff done at work.  I was able to be pretty freaking productive today, mainly because of testing.  But hey--extra work time is always nice!

3.  At our PTO meeting tonight, the Battle of the Books team was recognized and given some major props.  I appreciate all of the support that the parents of our team members and that parents in general at our school have been serving up for the team.  They've absolutely earned it.

4.  New obsessions are always fun.  Decided to watch an episode of Game of Thrones tonight...which turned into watching 3 episodes of Game of Thrones tonight.  I guess I'll be watching more in nights to come.  Yay for being late to the party!

That's it, that's all I've got for you today.  Can my quote above be my quote for today?  It's just so good.  I love some John Green, my friends.

Alright, I gotta go.  Night!

Monday, March 24, 2014

On Battles Won & Lost

Hi there, friends.

Today was a great day--our Battle of the Books team went off to compete against 10 other schools from the county for our county's first ever organized Elementary Battle of the Books.  Our kids fought hard and did their best, and while by some accounts we "lost" by not placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, I'd argue that we won by having a great time and placing respectably on our first go at this thing.

We came in 7th place overall, but were a mere 5 points away from 5th place.  I'm so proud of these kids.  Let's just get to the list so I can go to bed, okay?

1.  Did I mention that we were only 5 points away from 5th place?  You get 3 points for every question that's posed to your team, and 2 points for answering a rebound from another team.  That means were were just a couple correct answers away from 5th.  That's impressive in my book.

2.  We had so many parents of our team members come out to cheer on the kids today.  It feels so good to get that kind of support--especially for our team that's worked so hard.

3.  Those parents?  Not one of them left without giving me a heartfelt thank you and a hug today.  That love feels good, friends.

4.  I love that I have friends at work (and not at work) who I can complain to about things that are bugging me.  Our kids did a great job today, but I needed to vent for a few minutes to a few different people about something (mostly) unrelated, and it felt good to have people to talk to about it.  I'm one of those people who gets it out of my system that way, you know?

Overall, it was a good day today.  It was long, and intense, but satisfying in the long run to see our team do their best after months of hard work and preparation.  I work with some great people who bring great ideas to the table and who are appreciative of extra effort, and that's always nice, too.

But for now, I'm crawling into bed a bit later than planned.  Here's a thought to marinate on for this day:

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. ~Ecclesiastes 9:11

Have a great week, friends.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

So...I've been gone for a while. Here's why:

Hi, friends!


Last Wednesday was the last time I posted, and the main reason for that is that Thursday night was spent in a frenzy of packing and preparing to leave for the beach.  I left for the beach on Friday after school and didn't get back until earlier this evening, so...that pretty much explains why I've been on hiatus.  Now, I don't think I can come up with enough to make up 16 reasons, but we'll see how many I can create starting now.  Here we go!

1.  I am thankful to work with people who are as enthusiastic about doing what's best for the kids as I am.  It's fulfilling to be able to have great conversations with coworkers about how to make changes that will benefit our kids.

2.  I am thankful to have great friends who will invite me along to the beach for the weekend and let me hang out.  This weekend was wonderful and not just because of the setting.  Speaking of which...

3. I am thankful to have had my toes in the sand, and very briefly in the waters, of our beautiful Atlantic Beach this weekend.  It was a beautiful day on Saturday, and we were able to go for a nice long walk.

4. I am thankful for being able to enjoy a beach thunderstorm from inside the walls of cozy beach cottage.

5. I am thankful for the shrimp risotto at the Channel Marker restaurant.  So good.

6. I am thankful for the chance to enjoy watching great movies with good people.

7. I am thankful for honey Teddy Grahams and vanilla frosting.  Oh my gosh.  Best snack food ever.

8.  I am thankful for beautiful driving weather on my way out to the beach, and for a relatively chill drive home, despite some rain.

9.  I am thankful for the Welcome to Nightvale podcast for giving me something entertaining to enjoy on the drive to the beach and the drive back home.

10.  I am thankful for baby cuddles, especially from the sweetest little Reagan Bear.

11.  I am thankful for cool showers on sunburned skin.

12. I am thankful that I only have a little sunburn on my forearms, and that the sunburn I have doesn't hurt too badly.

13.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be a coach to our school's Battle of the Books team.  We compete tomorrow, and I can't wait to see how our kids do.

14.  I am thankful for being back at home in my own house, comfy and warm.

15.  I am thankful for the delicious simplicity of a peanut butter sandwich.

16. I am thankful to be beginning another week at a job I love.

Look at that!  I caught up!!  I didn't think I'd have enough, but as the list got longer, I wanted to make it to the end.  So there's my Thurs-Sun wrap up.  I'm thinking maybe I'll snag a couple of good quotes for this one--have a great week, everyone!

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.  ~George Washington Carver

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.  ~Kahlil Gibran

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Two sleeps from the beach!

Today has been a very chill day.  I'm feeling better, and more certain than ever that all I'm dealing with is allergies.  Glad for that!

1. Again, I find myself thankful to be working with such great people who are willing to help me out when I ask.  Their willingness to help only motivates me to be the best I can at my job.

2.  Tonight was Soup Supper #2 at my church, and we had more interesting discussion about Saint Augustine.  I'm enjoying reading through this book with everyone.  And the delicious array of soups each week is always a highlight, too.

3. Bedtime tea has become a great way for me wind down in the evening.  It's delicious, and the kind I have is even organic, which is always nice to know.

4. Two sleeps from now, I'll be at the beach.  TWO. SLEEPS.

Can I leave you with a song for today?  Because I pretty much adore this song, and it's stuck in my head.  And this is a version sung by one of my favorite people, Scott Hoying from Pentatonix.  Enjoy, and I'll catch you on the other side, also known as Friday Eve.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Benedryl, Emergen-C, and Hot Tea.

I woke up this morning to an announcement of a 2-hour delay.  Nice, right?

So I got a little extra sleep, somewhat aware that my throat felt sort of dry.

When I woke up later, my throat wasn't just dry, it was sore.  The kind of sore, itchy obnoxious feeling that's generally caused by one thing: allergies.

So today on my way home, I picked up some Benedryl.  I restocked my supply of Emergen-C.  And I also got some tea that should help soothe things.

So I suppose those could easily be 3 of my four things for today, but here's the official list.

1. I am thankful for that 2-hour delay.  It's nice to be given a little reprieve, and even nicer when you don't have to make it up.

2. I am thankful for working with thoughtful and courteous people who know how to bring suggestions to the table and who know how to say thank you when you go out of your way to do something for them.

3. I am thankful for Benedryl, Emergen-C, and hot tea.  They will help me sleep well tonight.

4. I am thankful for a warm home to come to at the end of the day, especially on dreary, cold, drizzly days like this.

I believe some r&r is in order this evening.  I'm off to finish up my dinner, take my Benedryl and Emergen-C, and then sip on some hot tea until I'm ready to head to bed earlier than usual.  What a night.

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." ~3 John 1:2



Monday, March 17, 2014

Success!

I don't know about your Monday, but mine has been cold and wet.  Yuck.

This doesn't mean it was without bright spots, though.  Here are a few:

1. There is a kindergarten kiddo that is sweet as sugar, and every time her class comes to the computer lab, she gives me a hug and tells me she loves me.  Does it get much better than that?

2. Forgive me if I'm repeating myself, but I feel like it's worth pointing out that my kids are working hard on their Poetry Portfolios.  They're reading a lot of different poetry and I enjoy watching them find favorites.

3.  We are at 100% completion of that NC Working Conditions survey.  And not only that, we're the only school in our county currently at 100%.  Woohoo!!

4.  At the invitation of friends, and with the encouragement of my parents, it looks like I get to be beach bound this weekend.  I'm so pumped on that prospect.  SO PUMPED.

That about does it for today.  Here's a quote in honor of St. Patrick's Day:

"If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!" ~Irish saying

Sunday, March 16, 2014

On Relaxation, Taking Care of Myself, and Recharging for a New Week

Happy Sunday, friends.

Today I did something I don't do often; I stayed home from church.  The reasons for that mostly have to do with some less than pleasant details regarding me not feeling so great last night and this morning, so I won't dwell on them.  Suffice it to say that I didn't feel up to driving to Raleigh today, even though it bums me out to not see my parents.

1.  I mentioned my parents earlier, and I just feel the need to take a moment to include them in my list of things I'm thankful for...I'm incredibly lucky to have a great relationship with them, despite and even sometimes as a result of difficulties we've overcome in the past.  [It's worth mentioning that those difficulties were primarily my own fault.]  However, this morning when I called to let them know that that I didn't feel up to going to church, Linda was just super understanding and encouraged me to rest up and take it easy so I would be feeling better soon.  I love you guys. :)

2.  I was able to get the aforementioned rest today, and it's been really nice.  I relaxed and let things settle down, and I now feel much more recharged and prepared to take on the work week ahead.  I'm also going to knock out my lesson plans, which really just consists of figuring out what I want to do with my K-2 kiddos, since my 3-5 kids will be continuing an ongoing project.

3.  If any of you happen to enjoy video games at all, I highly recommend that you check out any of the "Hank and Katherine Play Super Mario Bros Wii" videos.  I've been watching them and laughing my butt off, and I'm not even a huge video game player myself.

Today has been a simple enough day that I don't really think I need a 4th thing.  My 3 things were pretty great all on their own.

By all means use sometimes to be alone.  Salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear." ~George Herbert

Saturday was pretty awesome, guys.

Yesterday's post had to wait until this morning because I unexpectedly stayed with friends in Fuquay last night. :)

Gotta get ready for church this morning, but let's hit yesterday's highlights!

1.  The weather.  I could literally put the weather down for all four highlights.  It was just a gorgeous day.

2.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to help my friend Ginny throw a surprise 60th birthday party for her dad.  It was really fun, and I'm pretty sure we totally surprised him.  Surprises are the best!

3.  After the party ended, my friends and I wound up sitting around a fire pit on the back patio of their house, just enjoying the evening and having some good conversation.  It was a great way to end the night.

4.  All in all, yesterday was just a great day.  I slept in a bit, and then got to go spend the day doing fun things with people who I love.

Life is good, friends.

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." ~Grandma Moses

Friday, March 14, 2014

Yep. Totally spaced on Thursday. Whoops.

Happy Pi Day Friday!

I just realized that I totally spaced out on posting yesterday.  To make up for that error, I'll double my number of good news nuggets.  Yeah, I don't know how I feel about the phrase "good news nuggets," either.  Let's just roll with it for now.

Today has been a pretty stellar day.  Here are some reasons why:

1. In the midst of the chaos of needing to be in about a million places at once this morning, I was struck with appreciation for the fact that I'm needed in this position.  I'm always needed, and this leads to pretty much always being appreciated.

2. I received an official email from ECU Graduate Admissions Office letting me know that my application was complete and is currently being assembled together to be sent to the program to which I'm applying.  I'm relieved to be done with the application process, but now I get to wait and see if I'm accepted.  Cue the nervous nail-biting.

3.  Yesterday I was able to attend a half day workshop that was led by a rep from Apple.  We talked about applications of Apple technology in our classrooms, and focused a good bit on better utilizing our iPads with students, especially as a means of creating.  I was definitely inspired, and I'm excited to share some cool new apps with the staff at my school.

4.  I've been put in charge of getting our staff to complete the 2014 NC Teacher Working Conditions survey, and as of right now, we are a mere ONE survey away from 100% completion.  Woohoo!  [Did I mention I've done this over the course of 3 days?]

5.  I've been drinking more water at work, and I'm actually enjoying the absence of the sweet tea at lunch.  Yay for healthier hydration!

6.  I've discovered a YouTube channel that I enjoy a lot more than I expected; it's nice to laugh at mindless stuff.  In this case it happens to be watching one of my favorite YouTubers play video games with (and sometimes without) his wife.  It's just silly and it takes me outside of myself for a while.

The last two are going to have to do with the same thing, which is me attending Harnett Off Broadway tonight with Richelle:

7. Of the 6 possible art awards for K-5 students, our school picked up 5 of those awards.  Our kids are pretty much the coolest.

8.  Our 2nd grade students were absolutely fantastic tonight.  They rocked out their Irish-themed set of adorable songs, and definitely did our school proud.

Okay, that should make up for my absence yesterday.  But considering there are only about 15 minutes left in THIS day, I'll take my leave and give you this quote to meditate upon:

"I used to think the Lord's Prayer was a short prayer; but as I live longer, and see more of life, I begin to believe there is no such thing as getting through it.  If a man, in praying that prayer, were to be stopped by every word until he had thoroughly prayed it, it would take him a lifetime." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Okay, folks, I'm signing off.  Happy weekend!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Thoughts on Motivation, Soup, and Saint Augustine.

Wednesday: we've arrived at the halfway point of the work week, and even better, we've made it through.  Today was a pretty slow day for me, mostly because I had to oversee the administration of a survey to all of the staff at my school all day long.  But, hey, on the bright side:

1.  I got to see someone who I really admire and have developed a great relationship with from central office.  She is always so complimentary and appreciative, and she makes me want to work harder.  I like having people like that in my life.

2.  We are a mere 10 surveys away from 100% completion of the NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey.  Woohoo!  [And yes, the survey is about as exciting as it sounds.]

3.  I was able to attend my church's first Lenten soup supper tonight, and it was pretty great.  There's always an abundance of choices of soups, I get to see my Daddy, and we started a study of Saint Augustine's Confessions, which I've never read before.  I'm looking forward to further discussion about this book over the weeks to come.

4. Despite the wind, sporadic rain, and generally ickiness of the drive, I made it home safe and sound to my cozy little apartment.  AND I get to sleep in just a smidge tomorrow because I'm attending a workshop that doesn't start until 8:30.  Small victories, my friends.

I guess that was kind of like 4.5 things, but whatever.  I'm going to leave you with a quote from Saint Augustine's Confessions that really resonated with me tonight, which speaks to man's connection with and desire for God:

"The thought of you [God] stirs him [man] so deeply that he cannot be content unless he praises you, because you made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you."

Right?

So. Good.

Sleep well, friends.  I'll see you tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Love Notes, Contentment, and Spicy Ice Cream.

So, today was pretty great.  It was a long day, for sure, but it was a good day.

1. All of my classes went exceptionally well today.  I'm so happy with how productive my 3-5 classes are being with their Poetry Portfolios.

2. I got a sweet note from one of my 2nd graders, pictured here:

3.  I had one of those moments this afternoon where I was just really glad to be working where I'm working.  I pretty much love my job, even when it becomes a little stressful here and there.

4.  I got to see Richelle this evening--we went over to Sunni Skies and enjoyed a scoop of ice cream.  In even more exciting news, the Travel Channel was there to film people trying out a couple of extreme flavors offered there: Cold Sweat and Exit Wound.  I hope I don't have to explain the names.  We were in the background of a few shots, so look for us at some point on the Travel Channel, maybe...I think.  It was a gorgeous evening and I just enjoyed the company and the setting immensely.

That's about all I've got for you, today.  We had Curriculum Night after school today, which involved hanging around a bit longer than usual.  I'm ready to turn in and charge up for a new day tomorrow.

Here's a thought to meditate on:

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion." ~Dalai Lama

Have a great evening!

Monday, March 10, 2014

*yawn*

Phew.

Mondays always leave us a bit more exhausted than other days of the week, don't they?

My Monday wasn't bad at all, but it's not even 7 and I'm almost ready for bed.  Well, not really.  But sort of.

1. I finally feel like my appetite has come completely out of hiding.  I felt better on Saturday and Sunday, but today I actually wanted to eat all of my food.  Yay for that!

2.  Revenge came back on yesterday--I didn't stay up to watch it, but I'm going to watch it online tonight and I'm really excited!

3. My classes today all did really well with downloading the template for our Poetry Portfolios.  They seemed excited to get started on them!

4.  My test scores came over the weekend, which I'm hoping means that all of the components of my Graduate School application should be in the same place very soon.  Next comes the waiting period.

I'm literally so tired right now that I don't have much more energy left to write much of anything.  In the spirit of sleepiness, I leave you with this quote:

"No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap." ~Carrie Snow

See you tomorrow!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Spiritual Nourishment, Sunday Morning Coffee, and a bit of Sunshine, too.

I love Sundays.  I know some folks see them as marking the end of the weekend, but I just love how relaxing Sundays are.  I get to see my church family and spend some time feeding my spirit, and generally speaking, I get to spend some time with my family, too.  I don't see how anything could be much better than that.

1. I taught High School Sunday School today...my lessons don't always go as planned, but I like when I get to connect with these kids.  High school kids don't let you in very easily, so when I get the opportunity to have good, honest conversations with them, I soak it all up.

2. Sunday morning coffee.  There's something kind of magical about it, isn't there?

3. It's not even dinner time and I'm done with my lesson plans!! Woohoo!!

4. The weather has continued to be absolutely gorgeous, and I love it.  It might even continue over into the work week coming up--and that's something we haven't seen in quite some time.

I hope you have a lovely, relaxing Sunday today.  Here's a verse that's fast becoming a favorite for me:

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." ~2 Corinthians 13:14

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Sleeping In, Beautiful Weather, and Lovely, Mad Art.

Oh, this Saturday has just been lovely.  Here are some reasons why.

1.  I slept in a bit, and it was nice to be able to just kind of veg out in bed and not be pressed to go anywhere.

2.  It is gorgeous outside today.  It's such a stark contrast to the nastiness that's been the past couple of days here, and I'm loving it.  Even running errands was enjoyable because of how pretty it is outside.

3.  I enjoyed one of the most relaxing lunches I've had in a long time.  I made a grilled cheese sandwich, cut up an apple, grabbed a bottle of water, and also made myself a cup of coffee (don't judge).  I took all of this out onto the back deck, along with my Kindle, and just ate my lunch and read for more than an hour.  It was lovely.

4. I went to the NC Art Museum today and it's honestly one of my favorite places.  It was cool to see some new additions that I hadn't seen before, and also just fun to lose myself in the paintings and sculptures.  I found myself overwhelmed with the history contained in some of these paintings that date back to the 1300's...it was just a nice way to spend the afternoon.  Also, our museum has a gorgeous Rodin Garden that's got these bamboo plants and a reflecting pool.  That area + today's weather was just pretty much the best thing ever.

All the time I spent immersed in the works at the museum made me gravitate toward this quote about art:

"Great art is as irrational as great music.  It is mad with its own loveliness." ~George Jean Nathan

"Mad with its own loveliness"...that just caught my eye and sat well with me, especially after browsing through paintings and sculptures that run the length of the spectrum from modern art to classical art.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, friends!  I'm teaching Sunday School tomorrow, so I'm off to read up on my lesson.  Happy Weekend!

Friday, March 7, 2014

TGIF, and also some other things.

Let's just get right to it, eh?

1. It's Friday.

2. Today I got to see all of my sweet Friday classes that I feel like I rarely see.  Between the weather and events we've had at school on Fridays, I feel like they've gotten the short end of the stick with the lab, so it was good to see them!

3. Our new technician at our school was able to fix the internet hiccups we were having first thing this morning before the end of my 2nd class.  Woohoo!

4. My appetite has finally returned after deciding to pull a disappearing act on me earlier today.  I'm not saying my tummy is fully settled, but it's able to tackle some crackers and peanut butter, and that's improvement!

I'm in Raleigh for the weekend because there are some things I have to attend to, but I'm looking forward to the prettier weather that's supposed to arrive tomorrow.  I might even head over to the Art Museum and go for a walk if it's as nice as predicted.

I don't have a ton to say tonight because I'm trying to take it easy and ensure that my appetite doesn't go running off again.  But here's a quote to meditate on:

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless." ~Bill Waterson

Here's to a relaxing weekend full of completely pointless, easy going activities.  Enjoy it, because Monday comes back around all too soon!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Love from Students, I'm a Nerd about Poetry, a Grad School Update, and a Cameo by Shannon.

Happy Friday Eve!

Today was a pretty busy day, which is a good thing.  Some highlights for me, I suppose, were:

1. Kindergarten hugs.  There is just something about those little babies and how much they love everybody, especially the keeper of the computers.

2. Love from upper grades elementary kids.  This generally spans from 3rd to 5th grade, and these kids don't give their admiration nearly as freely as the K-2 kids.  So when I have one of these kids come into the lab telling me that I'm "the best teacher ever," it's enough to brighten my day, for sure.

3. I'm totally nerding out over poetry with the 3-5 kids in the lab...and for the most part, they seem to be enjoying listening to and reading lots of different kinds of poetry in the lab this week.  I'll be interested to see how it translates to their actual poetry portfolios that they'll start next week.

4. I am officially done with everything for my grad school application--apart from my test scores being reported, which should happen any time in the next few days.  All of my references are in, my personal statement is in, my proof of teaching licensure is in, and now...I have to wait to hear that it's all there before I can start wondering if I'm going to get in or not.  Phew.

5.  Okay, I was only going to have 4 of these, but then my bestie (sorry, had to) Shannon just called, screaming my name, as she is devouring her first Chickfila sandwich since the plethora of them that we ate while we were in college together at Western.  That 57 second phone call just made my day.  I hope the sandwich was fantastic from start to finish.

So anyway, definitely a good day.  And here's a quote that's resonating with me at the moment.  Well...it's actually more of a blessing, I suppose.

"May you live all the days of your life." ~Irish blessing, also attributed to Jonathan Swift

I love this blessing because it seems simple at first glance, and then it kind of hits you with its deeper meaning.  I certainly hope that when all is said and done that I've lived well.  And I hope it for you, too!

Night, friends!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Ash Wednesday, Getting into a "Lenten" Mood

Hello, again!

I hope you've had a pleasant Wednesday.  Mine has been pretty great. :)  I got a lot of stuff done during the first half of the day, so my afternoon was fairly easy-going and I enjoyed working with the Battle of the Books team, as always.

Here are some awesome things from this day:

1. I got be a Mystery Guest Reader in Mrs. Clark's 1st grade class today!  She gave the students some clues, and none of them guessed me!  I got to surprise the class and sit and read a Dr. Seuss book with them, and they were pretty much the best audience ever.

2. Did I mention that I got a lot of stuff done during the first half of the day?  Because seriously...I haven't had that productive of a day in a long while.  I was able to attend to some printer issues, talk with our new technician, AND get my newsletter finished and sent out before lunch time. Perfection.

3. I mentioned our Battle of the Books team.  I absolutely adore these kids.  We've been reading our butts off in preparation for our competition--it was originally supposed to happen this past Monday, but due to weather concerns, it was moved to later this month.  Let me tell you, our team knows these books.  I'm pretty pumped.

4. This evening, I'm going to head to a local church for an Ash Wednesday service.  My friend Richelle and I attended this church last year for Ash Wednesday, because our home churches are a bit of a drive away.  It was a cool experience, and I look forward to enjoying it once again later tonight.

Phew, those were some biggies.

I've been pondering whether I wanted to find a quote or a verse from scripture today, and I think scripture is a little more fitting as I'm getting into a "Lenten" mood and preparing for this next phase of the Christian calendar.  I did some digging for appropriate Lenten scriptures and was drawn to a passage in Isaiah that discusses fasting:

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.
[Isaiah 58: 6-9]

Basically, this entire passage (read verses 1 through 12 for greater context) is about how fasting isn't about self-suffering and denial for the sake of getting God to notice all that you're doing.  True fasting is about redirecting your wants and needs to encompass more than just yourself.  It's about noticing and giving of yourself to those less fortunate in any way you can.  Because once we really let go of ourselves and put others first, as the scripture says, "Then your light shall break forth like the morning," and what could be better than that?

I'm off for the evening.  If you feel like sharing, I'd love to know what other folks are doing for Lent.  I say "doing," because people don't always give something up.  Some people take on extra disciplines during this season, which I think is equally awesome.

Have a wonderful evening, friends!  I'll see you back here tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Lenten Promises, Awful Blogging Habits, and Some Words on Happiness.

So the fact that I only posted once in the entirety of last school year really speaks volumes to how busy the life of a teacher is.  Also, I'm kind of lazy about blogging.

Since then, I've not only changed my career path, but I'm in the process of applying to grad school to get my Masters in Instructional Technology.

A lot can change in a short period of time.

I'm in this job (Instructional Technology Facilitator) now because the opportunity presented itself and I decided it was worth giving a shot, especially since my Principals all seemed to believe I'd be awesome at the position.  I've been really enjoying taking on the different responsibilities that come with this new job.  I get to work with all of the students at my school, and I get to work with all of the staff, too.  It's cool to develop so many great relationships with such a wide range of people.

Anyway, I'm back because I think I know something I'd like to attempt to instill as a habit by giving it a go during Lent this year.  (I'll be "giving up" sodas and sweet tea in an effort to drink more water.)  A handful of years back, I took on something I called "The Happiness Project," where I took time each day to write a list of at least 10 silver linings from that day.  They could be big or small, but I found good things in each day during Lent and I really enjoyed it.  It was also at a time when I was really unhappy at my job.  (This was before I moved to Harnett County.)  I was in a less than healthy emotional place, and I think it was good for me to take time regularly to find happiness in each day.

This year, I'd like to attempt that same project with a slight twist.  My goal will be to write about positive occurrences, but also to find a verse or quote that resonates with me each day.  I can't promise you'll get beautiful or eloquent entries from me each day, but I will do my best to get something on here each day during Lent, and hopefully that'll begin a trend for me.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which blows my mind.  But it also means that I need to get cracking on this project, too.  So tomorrow I'll put up my first post with my small positive moments, along with a verse or a quote that sits well in my heart.

It's late, and I need sleep.  In the spirit of the project, here's a quote that sits well in my heart this evening:

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.  The way it actually works is the reverse.  You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want. ~Margaret Young

Sleep tight, friends.  I'll see you tomorrow.