How do you honor a life?

Today I had the unique opportunity to attend two events honoring two very special people. Now, I doubt these two people have ever even met, but both have impacted the lives of hundreds, make that thousands, of people...

The first event took place early in the day as people of all ages gathered together at the local high school track to honor "Coach" Becky Ryder on her 65th birthday. The plan was for Becky to run for 65 minutes around the track while others came to join in the fun. In addition, this event became a fund raiser for the Oak Grove Track Team.

As I hobbled along the track with others, I was struck by the variety of ages and people who were there. Teenagers ran alongside children who ran alongside their parents, and in some cases, their grandparents. Everyone had a smile on their face and the joy of running could be seen with every step...even the painful ones. That's when the random thought struck...what a wonderful way to honor a life, by carrying on the torch. Coach Becky has inspired thousands of runners through the years, not just to run, but to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day. I don't think I have ever met anyone with a greater gift of encouragement than Becky. She has a gift for seeing in others what they sometimes cannot even see in themselves. She also has a gift for really enjoying life...not just sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to happen. The people who "ran" with her today were just a small sample of the many lives she has touched.

Tonight, I had the privilege of honoring another wonderful friend as he was surprised by his family with an 80th birthday party. Once again, I was almost in tears as I watched friends and family tell funny stories and precious memories of the difference Howard Myrick has made in their lives. I know personally, I have grown from watching his faithful walk with the Lord for the past 22 years I have had the joy of calling him friend. Those who were there tonight were a testimony of that walk. Why, even my children are a testimony of how he has touched those around him. Since both of my children are Bethany babies, without the work he has done with that organization, I have to wonder if that miracle would have even come to be were it not for his faithfulness. His life has touched the lives of others in so many ways....some that he will never know about this side of heaven.

Both these people were honored today for the way they have lived their lives, and it got me to thinking. How do you honor such a life? How does a person honor their father or mother or whoever it is in their life that has made a difference? Simply by continuing on the work and carrying the torch. Both Becky and Howard have "lit a fire" in the lives of so many people. They are changing the world around them in positive ways. We honor them, and others we love, by sharing what they have shared with us. It's not just a once a year thing....we do it every day - not just in the words that we say, but in the life that we live. That's how you honor a life.

So to Becky and Howard and many others in my life who have made such a difference, we honor you...not just with our words, but with the life we now live. Thank you for being you.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3 - 6

Saying grace...

Okay, I will admit that I am not big on saying "Grace" before meals. I have joked that I prayed over the groceries when I brought them into the house and that pretty much covered it.

Of course, at huge family gatherings I joined in on "blessing the food," and if one of the young children in the family wanted to say the blessing, we always stopped to hear their precious voices saying "God is great, God is good...." Still, I really don't make it a habit to stop and pray before my meals. Blame it on the fact that I eat in a cafeteria full of noisy students and only have 15 minutes to eat, or blame it on feeling uncomfortable bowing my head when others around me are not....

Truthfully, I try to live every moment of my life by my faith. Not praying at meals doesn't make me love God less or anyone else love Him more....but that's not really what this blog is about. It's about a random thought that I had today.

As I was riding to work, listening to the Christian radio station, I heard a mom talking about her little one saying "Grace" over the meal and chapping her little hands inviting God to join them. That caught my attention. Maybe I've been looking at meal time prayer all wrong. Maybe instead of some perfunctory habit of saying a memorized prayer, stopping to pray is actually inviting God to actively participate in my day. I can get pretty busy in a normal day...stopping to re-adjust my thoughts would be a good thing! Instead of waiting to the end of the day, I can check myself midway through the day. Sort of like checking in with the Father...making sure I'm still moving in the right direction. I know I love it when my kids "check in" with me. It is simply making that quick word or touch that helps keep us connected.

I know I probably won't start bowing my head in the cafeteria anytime soon, but I think maybe I will start taking the time on a more regular basis during my days to simply "check in"...to invite God to be a part of what is going on all around me...to ask Him to help me see things through HIS eyes. I want to make sure I check myself on a regular basis to see if I'm "saying Grace".....those words of love that acknowledge that God is directing me. I guess it's not just "saying" grace - it's speaking it to a world that needs to know His love.

Knowing me, I'll need re-adjusting often. Since I pretty much eat all day long I should have lots of opportunities to invite God to do whatever needs to be done. Besides, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have lunch with!

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20

There I go...talking to myself again.

It's an old joke...you see someone talking to themselves and joke about it. The thing is, we all do it; talk to ourselves, I mean. I used to say I was just looking for some intelligent conversation, but the truth is, I'm looking for someone who will listen to me.

That's just it...we listen to ourselves. Sometimes we think we don't. We catch ourselves and what we are saying by the phrase, "Listen to what you are saying." But even when we think we AREN'T listening...we are. Our bodies and spirit are listening 24/7 to a surround sound of ourselves. We are constantly being affected by what we are saying. Makes it even more important to "be careful little mouths what you say."

Occasionally, I find myself in a real funk. I'm in a bad mood and there seems to be no good reason. The weather may have changed and it does play havoc with my body as I get older, or the stress of my bank balance getting low may put stress on my already weakened cheerful disposition, but truthfully, I have no good reason for my bad mood. If I am honest with myself, my bad mood may be a result of talking to myself again. I may not be doing it out loud, but I'm talking to myself all the same. When someone does something that I don't like, I may hold my tongue - which is a good thing, but inside myself I complain and argue with things I wish I could say. Oh yes, I'm constantly talking inside.

I have to wonder if others do this. I think they must because even in the Bible we have a record of the David saying "Why so downcast, oh my soul?" This isn't some new phenomenon that only crazy old lady teachers experience. It's human nature. We listen to ourselves....the key is to be careful of what we are saying. Change our focus. Speak words of life instead of the other kind.

When I fail, which happens quite often...stop saying negative things to myself. When I succeed, be careful of who I tell myself the credit belongs to. When life destroys my dreams, remember the one who can raise dry bones and speak new life into them. When my bank account gets low, remember that my Father holds me and every situation in the palm of His hands and has promised to work all things for my good and His glory. When others hurt me, I've got to trust that the Lord sees and fights my battles for me...and I must choose to let things go.

This is not an easy thing to do. It's much easier to fill my days with the influences of the world and its way of doing things. No one is forcing me to fill my life with negative things.  I choose what I watch on tv, listen to on the radio, and words that I repeat. It's pretty easy to go with the flow and do what everyone else is doing. It is a lot tougher to change direction and go against the flow. For some reason, as I typed this, I got the mental picture of lemmings all rushing toward the edge of a cliff. I'll bet going against that stampede is tough....but going with it is certain destruction.

So, for today at least, I'm going to watch what I'm saying to myself. I'm going to try to "be careful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, and little mouth what you speak." Like Psalms 42:5, 11, and 43:5 say, (which by the way shows me that I will have to repeat these things to myself OFTEN), "Why so downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." Seems like it's gonna be a little tough to stay in a bad mood while I'm doing that.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:14

I admit it....I hate change.

Okay, I admit it....I hate change. Oh, there are some areas I'd love to see some change in..for instance, the number on my bathroom scale - I'd like to see that change to a much smaller number. I'd love to see the amount in my checkbook change to a much greater amount. I'd love to see the amount of unmatched socks left in my laundry basket downright disappear! Unfortunately, I don't want to make the changes necessary for those things to happen....okay, I'm not sure anyone knows how to tackle the sock problem.

The point is, I am a creature of habit. I like to do things a certain way and like most people, I feel like my ways are best (that's why I do them that way.) It takes a lot of convincing for me to give up my old habits in exchange for new ones. Occasionally, all it takes is someone showing me a better way, but more often I have to be pulled kicking and screaming into a new way of doing things.

My students are reading a book right now about life during the Great Depression and it has me thinking. A lot of people went through really hard times then, and yet they not only survived, they came out stronger. Many were forced to make changes they didn't want to make, move from places they had no intention of leaving and many were forced to stay when they really wanted to go. Yet somehow, they grew. Some of our greatest examples of architecture came out of the years of the Great Depression. Movies that are today considered to be classics - made during the Great Depression. Many of the modern things we take for granted have their roots in that time period of change. Great creativity was born during this time of change.

Today, many are once again going through a time of change, and it's not necessarily change they were hoping for. All this got me to thinking about a story I once heard my pastor tell about what happens during autumn when the leaves begin to fall from the trees. They change colors - actually, the color that was there all along is simply being revealed. (Sounds like a lot of people I know - especially the one who looks back at me from my mirror each day.) Then slowly, these leaves let go of the tree...something old has died. That seems sad, and I'll admit it often is. However, there is a hope in the fact that those old leaves will be replaced with new growth. If the old does not fall away, the new can not come forth.
Now, I'm pretty sure that trees aren't out there moaning about the fact that the leaves they'd grown so accustomed to for the past year are now gone. It is a part of the process....not just in trees, but in me. Letting go of the way things have always been is a part of growth. I don't have to get rid of the things that make me who I am - my roots, I simply need to realize that the fringe parts aren't always going to stay the same. That which served me well for so long may have reached the end of its time.

Today's blog seems to have gone in a bit of a circle....sort of like life. I may not like it, but change is a part of that life....good change and change that is sometimes painful. Both are for my good if I will trust my Creator and His plan. I still hate change.....but knowing it's for a reason gives me hope.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Have you lived today?

For the past few weeks, I have had the joy of having a student teacher in my room. I love having student teachers because not only do they learn from me, I also learn so much from them. Of course, there's the usual new ideas of how to teach, but there's also so much more.

To begin with, I finally get to "take care" of some things I usually put off....like putting away my files. There is an amazing amount of paperwork that goes along with being a teacher and to finally have time to get it all done is such a blessing. I will miss that, but I have learned how much better each evening feels with my family when I know that my desk at work isn't piled high with unfinished odds and ends. Now that I realize that, my next task will be to figure out how to keep up with the paperwork once my student teacher is gone.

I also learned what it's like to be a student again. I sit at my desk, observing for the entire day....and get very sleepy. No wonder my students act out at times. They are BORED!!! It was such a gift to be able to see things from the other person's point of view for a change. Keeping that in mind may help me be more patient and hopefully more creative with my lessons. School is the only place in the world I know of where you are required to sit, listen, and not get up without permission. That's asking a lot from anyone, much less from someone who has the energy of a small nuclear plant bottled up inside them!

In watching my student teacher, I learned there are other ways to do what I am doing. Perhaps they are very different from my way, but they work just the same. Sometimes it can be difficult to let go of the reins and allow someone else to take charge. Growing means allowing others to shine sometimes. I'll be honest, letting go is very difficult for me. Difficult can be good for you if it allows you to grow.

Mostly, I've learned how much I miss doing what I was created to do. When I finally got the chance to get back in front of my students, the rush was unbelievable! I absolutely LOVE what I do. Oh, I hate the paperwork and having to deal with discipline issues, but I LOVE TEACHING!!!! I think that is because it is what God created me for. When a person operates in their gifts, there is such a rush and a joy! I know when I am simply going through the motions, but when it flows....oh my!

For years, I ran from the idea of becoming a teacher....it was the last place on earth I thought I wanted to be. I was amazed when the road of life finally led me into the classroom to discover this is where I was meant to be all along. I wonder how many others have run from the gifts of God because they thought those gifts would shackle them, or create a miserable life for them? When I was in my 20's, I was certain I knew what God had for me...now I realize I'm just barely beginning to understand how the paths of life lead us to where He wants us to be.

Yes, I'm learning a lot from my student teacher....I'm learning to keep up with the little daily items that threaten to overwhelm my life...the paperwork and tiny irritants that if I allow them to stack up will steal my peace. I'm learning to get them out of the way as soon as possible. I'm learning to look at things from the view of the student once again. Living life in the other person's shoes isn't always what I imagined it might be. In that, I'm learning empathy. Mostly, I'm learning that I want to live my life with that sense of being used by God for what I was created for. I know that not everyone has the same gifts...what a boring world that would be. But what if we all allowed God to use us in our area of gifting every day? What if I allowed Him to use me to encourage others no matter what I was doing? What if I remembered that my job is so much more than just a job? It's the place where God has allowed me to use my gifts for Him!

God has promised that He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly...have you lived abundantly today?

What did you learn today?

Remember when you were a kid and you would come home from school and your parents would ask "What did you learn today?" When we were very small, we'd rattle off a hundred things about our day, but as we got older, the response was usually, "Nothing," or "I don't know." Neither of these were the answer our parents were hoping for.

I know when I ask my kids that question, I'm hoping to hear about their day...what is going on in their lives....who their friends are and maybe a little encouragement that they are actually LEARNING something while they are at school. I also know that when they are able to tell me what they are learning, it goes down deeper into their understanding and perhaps helps them retain the information. Still, when I ask, I get the same response we gave our parents, "Nothing."

Today I got to wondering, what if our kids could ask us the same questions? What would our response be? More importantly, if our Heavenly Father asked us, "What did you learn today?", what would our answer be? I'm afraid too often my answer would be "nothin'." Now of course we know that we are learning something all the time, or at least we should be.

When we first are saved, everyday is so filled with the wonder of God's love, we could rattle off for hours what God was showing us...but after we've walked with the Lord for a while, our response becomes more like a child in Jr. High. Like our own children, the problem isn't that we aren't learning, but that we aren't paying attention to what we are learning. It's not getting the chance to really sink in because we are on auto-pilot, not really trying to get the most out of life's lessons. Perhaps our minds are on what's for lunch, or on our friends, or on some problem that in a few weeks we won't even remember, but for whatever reason, we just aren't paying attention. Some of it sinks in...but we don't really know WHAT we are learning. It's all just "stuff."

How different could my life be if I paid attention? What if I asked God each day to help me see what He was trying to teach me that day? What if I was consciously aware that even in the daily grind of life, there were lessons to be learned? I might be learning how to be patient, or how to experience joy, or how to keep my mouth shut and LISTEN (yes, I admit again this one is difficult for me.) The point is, if we're alive then each day brings SOMETHING we can learn...even if it's just how to listen. We're not supposed to be here just taking up space...everyday brings a new opportunity to grow and learn. Life isn't just some random series of events....there is a purpose to each day.

Okay, so the question remains...."What did you learn today?" Maybe by asking ourselves that each day, life's lessons will really make the connection. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Do I really believe it?

Last night I was watching a middle school football game and the "Random thoughts" started to flow. There on the field and the sidelines were 30 plus players giving it all they had trying to win the game. In the distance, you could see lightning filling the sky and the rain poured down. A few loyal parents spotted the metal stands wishing they would call the game so we could all go home. The scoreboard did not completely reveal the battle that was taking place, since only the other team had a score. The faces of the players, however, showed the anguish as play after play failed to provide needed points. The players slid around on the field, slipped as they tried to get traction, and watched as passes intended for their hands fell short or slipped from their grasp. One player in particular was so frustrated with having to play a position he felt he wasn't good at that he wanted to give up completely. I can relate. We've all been there....feeling like what we were doing wasn't making any difference at all in the "game". Like we're in over our head doing something we AREN'T comfortable with and watching someone else play the "position" we feel is rightfully ours.

That's what got me to thinking...do I really believe what I say I believe? Do I really believe the promise of God that He works ALL things for my good and His glory? If I do, it should make a difference in the way I deal with every situation....even the ones where I feel like life just isn't being fair. For if I do believe this to be true, then I must realize that no matter what is before me, God has allowed me to deal with this for a reason....and it ultimately will be for my good and His glory. I may not like it, but then again, I don't always like exercise and that's good for me. I know that's not nearly the same, but it helps me to put things into context. The question is, can I work willingly and wholeheartedly at whatever I do, as though I was working for the Lord rather than people? (Col. 3:23) It can become my act of worship when I "deal" with unfair or difficult situations by giving my all and doing things with a cheerful attitude - without grumbling and complaining. Okay, I admit, I have trouble with that one too.

As I watched that young man on the sidelines throwing his helmet down in frustration, I wondered how many times have I "pitched a 5 year old fit" because I didn't like my current lot in life? Can I instead learn to look at what is directly in front of me as an opportunity to worship? Can I approach every situation remembering that there is something I can learn from it? Do I truly believe?

I have experienced times in my life when I wasn't so sure of what I believed. Times when I questioned if perhaps God had forgotten me or if maybe He had "missed it" this time. Yes, I admit it, and I think if we are all honest, we've all been there at some time or another. The good news is that with time, I've been allowed to realize that YES, God will work things for my good and His glory if I allow Him to. Would I actually CHOOSE to go through these trials again? Probably not, but I'm learning that I don't always choose what is best for me. Guess I've got to trust the One who knows me better than I know myself, and the One who knows the plan and purpose for my life. Do I believe that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it? (Philippians 1:6)

Do I really believe?