“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
(Mark 1:35 NIV)
A typical day for an educator starts well before the students enter the school. Thoughts and questions can flood our minds almost as soon as our eyes open. If we're not careful, we can leave work the same way and have our passion consume our lives. As you prepare yourself to return to school in a few days and create resolutions for 2016, make sure that time with God is not only scheduled but becomes a natural occurrence. What I mean by that is this; yes, time spent in His Word will probably be scheduled, but prayer (conversing with Him), should be as natural as breathing. Schedule times to physically retreat into His presence, but throughout the day, just take a moment to inhale and exhale slowly and thank Him for being Lord in your life. Just a thought...
Enjoy the music!
Oh, I've attached a link if you want more information about how to find the right time for quiet time.
Then, because
so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to
eat,He said to them,“Come with Me by
yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
– Mark 6:31
When I was a little girl, McDonald’s had this
slogan that said, “You deserve a break today”.
Dear educator, this is so true.
You DO deserve a break today.
Therefore I am officially authorizing you to put up your feet, lean back
in your favorite chair and capture 40 winks.
I
guarantee you no one is coming to observe you, or call your name 2,500 times (You
may hear it 250 times if you are the parents of small children. I have no control over that!).
I also guarantee you can use the bathroom at any
point of today that you feel the need.
You don’t even have to wait until your eyes turn yellow, beige, ecru or mother of pearl.
Just call me the Good Fairy of Education Land.
I think I’ll also let you eat lunch when you get
hungry. With my magic wand I will enhance your taste buds so you can enjoy the flavors.So chew slowly and taste the rainbow.There’s no rush to be done.
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Do you hear that?
It’s my next gift.
While I do love you, I don’t love you anywhere near as dearly and deeply as our Lord and Savior Jesus.In the sixth
book of Mark, He and His disciples had worked so hard, they couldn’t even
eat.Sound familiar? So he called them to go away with him to
rest.It’s funny. Jesus didn’t say, “Come with me to a quiet place to eat”. Hmmm. Maybe being with Him, in His rest, under His
watchful eye was more important…and more filling...
Just like a true disciple, you have walked with Jesus this school year and have been hard at work. I would know. I’ve seen you in the hallways, read about you
on Facebook, saw you in Wal-Mart buying 100 folders (really). I've heard about your accomplishments on the
news, saw your heartbreaks on TV, explored your ideas on Teacher Pay Teacher
and even prayed for you. Now is the time to go away with him to get that well
deserved rest and food that only He can provide.
Take a break dear friend. You deserve it. Just remember, if you want a truly refreshing, invigorating and restoring break, include time with Jesus.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Small print disclaimer: These guarantees are currently on hold for those dear educators who are currently at work and will be so until Wednesday the 23rd. smh Please keep them in your prayers.
I am currently
working on a petition letter to El Niño. If you would like to sign it to
request at least three snow days spread across February and maybe even a free
one in March, let me know.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
-Psalm
19:14 NKJV
When
I first started writing this Moment to
Reflect workplace devotionals about three years ago, I would always insert
a picture of a mirror near the title. I
wanted anyone who read it to know that each entry was as much written to me as
it was written for my fellow teachers. While most of the reflections ended up intertwining humor with something God had been showing me throughout the week, there have been a few entries when I poured out my frustrations as a teacher.
Today's soul bearing entry comes from me looking into the mirror concerning the words of my mouth,and the meditations of my heart, or as I like to say, "the stuff I want to say but have too much upbringing or reputation to uphold" kind of meditation.
Therefore,
I have to come clean. These past few
weeks, I have listened to me chime in on the latest gossip, chime in on the
complaining, start the complaining, listen to the cursing without walking away,
and even chime in on the cursing in the meditations of my heart…and behind my
teeth. I’m not having the best of school
years and I didn’t mind letting anyone who would ask know it.
The bible says faith without works is dead.
Soooo, although I can read and pray the Forty Days of Prayer for Education, if my mind is not renewed from the things that God is showing me about myself, what I
believe and know God to be able to do for myself, students and school will
never manifest.
Here are some "good" points to having good conversations.
The hard look in the mirror came again today as I was reminded of the parable of the wheat and the tare (weed). Growing side by side, they looked almost the same which made it impossible to pull up the weed until it was harvest time. This, I likened to the "good" and "God" growing side by side in me. There are good things that I do and a way I can project being a good person, especially if I keep my mouth shut. But what about my heart? I would rather have God as the sole proprietor of my heart doing good works through me, than for me to try to do good things with a quiet, complaining, angry heart.
Here are Godly points on having a Godly conversation!
My hope for total transformation is found in the example of Lydia, a business woman from the New Testament book of Acts. This woman was already a woman of God doing good things. However, the bible says that God, "opened her heart to respond/pay attention/ heed Paul's message".
Thank you Jesus, there is always another level to go in You. So, God I lift up this heartfelt prayer to you:
Father,
You are a heart regulator. In this story with Lydia, You are showing me that even those who worship You, still need a transforming word to change our hearts. Cleanse me from my secret faults and keep me from presumptuous sins. Help me to understand being good on the outside is not good enough. Knowing the good way to speak into my situations is not good enough. Open my heart to Your ways and cover my heart with Your language for out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth will speak. Show me the Godly way to speak. Your word gives me hope that when I call, You will answer and make me bold and confident with new strength in my life. It may be difficult to be different, but I desire You more than popularity.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. May they come up before You visible and pleasant as the sweet smell of incense.
Father, may You open others' hearts to respond to this message as You did for me.
