A Moment To Reflect: April 2020

It amazes me now how a Friday at home use to mean an extended weekend due to a special occasion of some sort for myself or the family. A Friday at school was always our work hard, play hard day (Yay Fun Friday). But now, Friday has lost its oomph and pull as the most popular day of the workweek since many of us don’t have a normal work week anymore.

COVID-19 pandemic has turned the field of education on a topsy-turvy spin like no other. Shut down districts have been thrust into distant-learning teaching and learning practices. This shift has had a varied effect on educators and schools as it pertains to, meeting student's physical and social needs and of course the availability of technological learning opportunities in rural, urban and suburban communities.

To be honest, some teachers are working harder than before as they strain to make sure their students are still progressing. My husband, who teaches on both the high school and college-level puts in a full day holding Zoom meetings, sending emails, making calls, grading papers, and creating and uploading assignments. On the flip side, some teachers, myself included, can only do so much as they are limited by a lack of internet access for all of their students.

To be even more transparent, some educators needed this time away. For them, it truly has been a rough year and they wished every day were the last day. One thing we all had in common prior to this, however, was that our workloads only increased and the sacrifices of time and money to make a difference was the expected norm.

But that the time we sacrificed often came at a price, especially if you had a family at home. It is difficult to give your all to your family, your job, and yourself. Our days would start early and end late as we sped out the house, put on the six million hats we're required to wear at work, then head off to practice, church, civic group, a second job, or to help our kids with homework, prepare dinner, finish up school work, and then get ready to start it all over again for the next day. Burning the candle at both ends never has a happy ending. Somebody or something always pays the price.

When I look back over the twenty-three years I've been in the classroom, I can see those years where my marriage suffered, my parenting suffered, I suffered, and my teaching suffered because I had too much on my plate or just didn't have my priorities in check. Therefore, right now, I am so thankful for this time I have at home.

I did not always feel this way. Due to some heath issues earlier this school year, I was “sheltered in place" and unemployed. It was no one's fault. It was unexpected and I had no idea what the future held for me. I had boo coo time on my hands and the house pretty much to myself until my family returned at the end of the day. I couldn't really go anywhere because my health would not allow it. I didn’t like the uncertainty and helplessness I felt.

Now, with this pandemic, the only thing that's different is that my family and I are together. It's yet another unexpected shut down for me that is no one’s fault. I still can't really do much of anything (because everything is closed), and I again have a share fair of spare time on our hands. I feel like I'm in some sort of perpetual Spring Break Groundhog's Day kinda life. Oh, I’m not complaining. I’m just keenly aware that sometimes I need more time and a do-over to get things right. Sometimes these do-overs are just for me, and sometimes God takes me through things twice so that I can confidently walk with others pointing out the potholes and paths for them NOT to take.

Last night, after seeing a “fend for yourself” look in my eyes, my middle kid asked if she could pop the rest of some nuggets in the oven for dinner. I gave her a quick yes not because it meant less work for me, but because I couldn’t wait to pop one of those delicious morsels into my mouth. PSA…If you like Chick-Fil-a nuggets (and I do), then you will looove the Southern Style Chicken Bites from Sam’s Club. I came across them for the first time about a week or two ago. You can now have that Chick-Fil-A satisfaction on a Sunday from the comforts of your own home although, you may have to improve your kitchen customer service and your assortment of sauces to get the full effect.

Today, God gave me some nuggets of wisdom to share with you since I ate up the chicken kind. You see, God’s in the business of giving things to us that we know nothing about. He knows that our end result will be fullness in Him and expects us to share our experiences with others. The time He gave me, you now have. The lessons I learned and are still evolving in, you now have the opportunity to grow in them too.

Now I don’t want you to think I’m making lite of the effects of this pandemic on anyone. It is stressful to not know how bills are going to be paid or how groceries are going to be bought. I understand. It's a kick to your pride when you have to tell your kids no to things you've always said yes to. Been there. Calls have to be made to cancel subscriptions and future plans are scratched as you now eyeball things to see if you could get one more use from what was easily wasted before. Did that. I understand educators who may feel like the field is changing too fast for them to keep up and they feel outdated and just plain tired and unsure about going back to work when this is all over. I know. But I held His hand and came out...better.

It's all because God gave me these nuggets:

Questioning

Reflecting

Crying

Repenting

Repeating

I also do not want to assume that this pandemic is stressing you out. As I said before, some educators welcome this time. They are having the time of their life. My health issue led me out of what I know was going to be the most challenging school year of my life. My first time at home sitting at home was not all full of despair. Even with all of its uncertainties, it was a blessing. I am a better person for it. My family is better for it.

And yet even in those days of peace, God still wanted me to partake of these nuggets:

Questioning

Reflecting

Crying

Repenting

and Repeating

As a Christian, our first and foremost devotion is to God and let's face it, sometimes we put everything else in front of Him because...well, He's not going anywhere. He'll be there and He'll forgive us. While that may be true, living our lives without our Sovereign God at the helm has its consequences! Everything about us will be less than what He desired and designed. So no matter how you feel about being home right now, God has a plan for you to be a better person, a better spouse, a better parent, a better teacher, a better member of your congregation, a better whatever He needs you to be when this is all over.

Don’t forget to click on the hyperlinks. That’s where I hid the dipping sauce.

Nugget #1: Question

In prayer, ask Him questions.

Does my life please You? Does my marriage please you? Does my parenting please you? Why did my school year go the way it did? Does my attitude please You? Do my thoughts please You? Am I attending church for the right reason? What's going to happen next? Why is all this happening? What's Your part in all of this? What's my part in all of this?

Then be prepared to receive answers as you slowly digest another nugget.

Nugget #2: Reflection

In meditation, read the bible and listen for His voice. You have the time, now make it a point to read His word every day. Need a starting point? Choose a good bible app, I use YouVersion. Start one of their daily plans. They have tons of them (with reminders!) that can guide you through the Word of God for any area of life. There are also many websites that provide bible studies with videos and study guides. Check out Biblestudytools.com and utilize Right Now Media’s free COVID-19 sign up period. As you read, listen for God's voice. He is always speaking to us in one way or another even when we feel like He’s silent.

Nugget #3 Cry

I put this in here because it is necessary. We are human and we feel emotions. I cried a lot during my time of reflection and meditation. I cried a lot afterward. I cried angry tears and scared tears. I cried apologetic tears and thankful tears. When truths began to be unearthed, whether they are good or bad, your emotions may just spill over into your eyes. Tears are refreshing and help to remove layers so that God can get to work.

Nugget #4: Repent

Jesus spoke with His disciples prior to His crucifixion about the coming of His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is available to teach us, comfort us and counsel us. [John 14: 16-18, 25-27 and 16:5-15] and God’s word, when it is read with the purpose of understanding His ways, will do just what it promises as it instructs, convict, corrects and trains us. Self-reflection through God’s word should always lead us to an acknowledgment that our ways, actions, thoughts, and words are not up to God’s standards. The Holy Spirit will point this out to us.
True repentance not only acknowledges your faults, but apologizes for them and does an “about-face” turn. The Holy Spirit helps us to make that turn because we can't truly change without God's divine assistance. True repentance also realizes that forgiveness is necessary, only comes from a loving and holy God and is complete. Jesus removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. His forgiveness is final. Hallelujah!

Nugget #5 Repeat

Well, you prayed, learned something about yourself, cried about it, repented and probably cried some more. It just starts over, like a never-ending bowl of pasta. Oh wow, what if Chick-Fil-A had never-ending nugget bowls?! I digress…

Our walk with God is a never-ending progression towards becoming more like Jesus. There is always room for improvement and God is always working on us, in us and through us.

As you take your nugget bowl up for another five-piece refill, ask another question. Reflect on your life through His word as you look for the answer. Be honest with yourself as God pulls back areas of your life that expose a need to improve or a reason to rejoice and cry out to Him. Repent of doing things your way and repeat the process all over again.

The Apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 3:12_AMP , “Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.”

When this season is over, there will arise a group of people who are refined and ready. It will be because they took advantage of this time to actively press towards God. They will look different. They will sound different. They will live different. Will you be one of them?

The Lord is with you and you are loved,

Toni

Image nuggets of wisdom source: http://www.savedhealed.com/nuggets.htm

Repost from April 2015

When have you ever seen a group of educators sit around for a few hours and not start talking about a book they are reading? Even more, Believers are always sharing their latest eye-opening book with each other.
So what do you get when you put Believers who are educators together, with food and an agenda for prayer? You'll get a book list!

I would like to share with you the book path which led me to being involved with prayer in my school, hosting a prayer breakfast and even writing my own book. These books caused me to acknowledge God as my Sovereign Creator who designed and destined me for more than what I ever thought possible.

Great Books For You To Read If You Want To Truly Make A Difference:

It's the best book ever! Need I say more?!

These next three books come from a series called The Breakthrough Series. I seriously encourage you to read these books and complete the study guides that come with them. Each book is a journey of self reflection that should, like a favorite vacation spot, be revisited every year.

Stormie Omartian and Cindy Trimm are amazing God fearing women who will lead you deeper into your relationship with God through engaging and productive conversations with our Heavenly Father that we simply call "prayer". Your prayer language will definitely change and you will learn to apply the Word of God in assurance with conviction and power during your prayers,

The following books were key in opening my eyes to the truth about my destiny. These authors speak directly to the question of "Why am I here?" They give testimony to the creative love in which God designed your very being down to the workings of your brain. They teach on how we are to expand the Kingdom of God. You will truly understand that God has given you the world to impact.

This is the order in which I read these next four books. The body of Christ has given so much power over to satan and he has taken it and ran. These books expose the tactics of the enemy to trick you into thinking your good works at church are enough. If you truly want to change the world with the gifts of God placed inside of you, read these books!