Above and Beyond

When I think of the phrase "above and beyond", I think of someone doing something that far exceeds what they are expected or obligated to do. As a teacher, I, personally, don't feel like I'm doing my job well just by doing the status quo.  I get to work an hour early so that I can make sure I am planned and prepared for the day. I create games and interactive activities for my students on my own time because I know what their needs are and what will keep them engaged, and the curriculum given may not contain exactly what they need. I spend my own money so that my students get to make gingerbread houses at Christmas time, have yummy treats at lunch bunch, and have bubbles and chalk to play with at recess time. Why? Because I love those little guys and it makes me happy to know I'm creating good memories for them in their first full day school experience.

When I think of my parents and how they raised my brother and I, I would say, without a doubt,  they went above and beyond anything they had to do to make sure we had a great life. They were only really obligated to give us a roof over our heads, food to eat, and the other basic necessities, but time and time again, they far exceeded those basic standards. They sacrificed so much to give us a great Christmases, fun vacations, college and vocational educations after high school, not to mention constant and on-going love and support and a firm spiritual foundation. They have and continue to go above and beyond and I can't thank them enough.

Today is Good Friday. Those of us who call ourselves Christians believe that this day over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ, who was sinless, blameless, and perfect, offered Himself up to die a criminal's death on a cross, for the purpose of paying for the sins of all mankind. Because of this incredible gift, we, who believe in Jesus and accept His gift of forgiveness of sin, can now have a relationship with God and will spend eternity in heaven with Him. Talk about above and beyond. Jesus was beaten, belittled, tormented and tortured while people were sinning in His day and time and knowing we would continue to sin thousands of years later. Why?  Simply so that we could have a relationship with Him and the Heavenly Father. #mindblown.

But that's not even it. Jesus saved our eternity. He has the right to be up in heaven with His feet up, chillin', allowing us to work out our own problems, fix our own messes, and deal with our own issues. But Jesus, to this day, goes so far above and beyond what seems reasonable in that He wants us to come to Him with our problems, our messes, and our issues, and He wants to take care of them for us. He wants us to give Him our burdens and He wants to give us relief. Most of all, He wants a relationship with us. The ultimate above and beyond. #completemindblown

Today and everyday, I will be grateful that Jesus went above and beyond at Calvary, and continues to go above and beyond in my daily life.

The Greatest Resource We Have Access To

All of us, as human beings, have access to the greatest, most powerful, most amazing resource. It can cause a tough situation to turn around for good. It can cause a hurting relationship to heal. It can cure sicknesses. It can cause miracles to occur. I truly believe this resource can do all of the things I just listed and I am guilty, like many of us are, of not using this resource to its full capacity.

Prayer.

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. After seeing the movie, TheWar Room, I was reminded of how amazing of a gift prayer is. We can go to God directly and ask Him for what we need and want and I believe He hears our prayers. The answers may not be exactly what we want, but if we truly trust God, we believe that He will work with our best interest in mind.

Even in believing all these things, I don't pray as often as I should. Why?  Two main reasons. The first is laziness. Naturally, I'm more of a listener than a talker. Since praying is a form of communicating, it takes effort for me to pray and sometimes I just get lazy. If I've had a busy day or a later evening out, most likely I'll get lazy and neglect my prayer time.

The second reason I don't pray is "there's nothing really to pray for".  At least, that's the lie I tell myself. Of course , that's not at all true. Look at the state of our country and our world. And I don't even believe that I've got everything in my own life under control. There are just points in my life where things are quiet and nothing's really happening that I need to make sure I pray for, so I give myself the excuse not to.

But no matter how life is going, when I think about how powerful prayer is, it feels silly to not take advantage of such an amazing gift. Besides that, for me, prayer is key to keeping my spiritual life strong. What kind of relationship would I have with my husband if I didn't talk to him? Probably not such a great one. The same is true about my relationship with God. And as with any relationship, it takes effort. But the benefits of this relationship are too great to not put in the work.

Here are a few scriptures to help encourage you and me to remember to take time to pray:
Scripture 1    Scripture 2  Scripture 3

May you and I make the time to tap into this great resource of direct access to God and may He show us His love, give us His peace, and bless us with the desires of our hearts.

Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop

I tend to have a defense mechanism when things are going really good. I wait for the other shoe to drop. Meaning, I wait for something bad to happen. I almost expect it. And sometimes I'm right. Sometimes bad things do happen.

A few weekends back, I was leaving a great brunch with my friend for her birthday. It was a beautiful day with great food and great people. But then, the shoe dropped. A mystery, came-out-of- nowhere, double-parked cab and I had a slight incident as I was backing out of a parking spot. Thankfully, my friend was so amazing, and although the other party was a little irrational, (I'm rolling my eyes as I'm writing this),  the nice officers of Baltimore City completely had our back. I believe God used that situation to show me that when things go wrong, He'll provide the people and circumstances that will make it alright in the end.

A week or so ago, I was thinking about how great things were going in my life and then I had that feeling. Something's going to happen. Sure enough, I end up getting into a silly misunderstanding with my husband about chicken. Yes, chicken. But as silly as it was, God used that situation to show us both something about the way we communicate that will help us when future misunderstandings arise.

I still tend to expect the bad when things are going so good.  But I also tend to believe that God looks forward to those opportunities so that he can turn a bad situation all the way around. I even believe He wants to bless me in the process. So in that case, there's no point in dreading the dropping of the other shoe. If He's blessing me in the good times and if I believe He'll bless me in the midst of the bad times, it's a win-win.

I believe this for you, too. If things are going good for you, enjoy it and be grateful for it. But life does happen, and when it does, if you believe in God, prove it and trust in Him to help you through the difficult times. He has the power to take care of things so much better than we could ever try to on our own.

Here are some verses we can use to encourage ourselves in the good times and when the other shoe drops.
Verse 1   Verse 2   Verse 3

May we have the courage to be grateful and enjoy the good times but also trust God wholeheartedly when the other shoe does drop.

Thank you for reading.

Time and Worry

It's August and summer break is speeding by. From the time break started until now, there's been a reoccurring subject in my mind that I can't shake. Time. I've had about 6 or so weeks of time and I wanted to make it count. Trying to find the right balance of being productive and relaxing is a weekly task. And if there's a change in the weekly plan, I'm frustrated because the balance I've worked so hard to create is gone.

But let's talk about the fact that there are two weeks before BCPS teachers and staff return back to school. If I was trying to balance before, I'm really trying to maximize all my time now. Because soon all the free time I have will be gone and my schedule will no longer be mine to fully control.

In years past, I've become paralyzed with anxiety in the week or two before school begins. Time wasted. I'm fighting really hard to not give in to the anxiousness and to enjoy these last couple weeks, but this fight isn't one I can battle alone. Thankfully, I believe that I don't have to fight alone and I can look to God for encouragement.Check out this verse.

Turns out, He has a lot to say about time and worry about it. The following are my three favorite points God makes about our topic and the verses that support them. Whether you're a school employee getting ready for another school year, a person who has a lot on their plate and you don't know how and when you'll get it all done, or someone waiting on something and times seems to be passing you by, I hope this is an encouragement to you.

Point number 1- There are all different seasons in life and we'll experience good seasons and bad seasons in our lives. We can't control them and we shouldn't waste time trying to. In whatever season, we should just try to enjoy life as best we can. Check out this really cool version of a familiar passage. Verse 1

Point number 2- Be in the now. Don't worry about what may happen in the future. Good or bad, God's got us.   Verse 2

Point number 3- No matter what happens in our lives and when it happens, God has planned it for our good. And when it doesn't seem that way and we need Him, He will listen to us and help us. Verse 3

May we be brave enough to enjoy the time we have, no matter what we're facing. 

**Update: Just this morning, I had planned to go into school and start putting my room together. I checked my email before I left and was told there was absolutely no way I could come in today. I feel pretty out of sorts because of the abrupt change in my day. I'll be taking time this morning to read over those points of encouragement again.

Thanks for reading.

Maybe It's Just Me...

...and maybe this post pertains only to me. But after having a certain word repeat itself over and over again in my head for the past two days, I knew I needed to write about it.

It happens when I'm complimented for something I've done.
It happens when I look in the mirror and my hair, make-up and outfit all come together into one nice finished product.
It happens when I think on all the things I've accomplished in my career and in life.

But...

It also happens when I'm at a store and I see someone wearing something I don't find flattering or fashionable.
It also happens when I hear about someone's unfortunate situation and the first thing I think is, "That sucks, glad it's not me".
It also happens strangers, or even acquaintances, or worst yet, friends, make choices and decisions that I would not make and I think about them judgmentally. (Yea, it happens)

Pride. (Click on the word and read the first paragraph of Wikipedia's definition of pride to see its positives and negatives.)

My first three examples are ok in moderation and with perspective. My last three examples make me feel ashamed of myself. However, I'm glad that this word came to mind. It made me think of all of those examples and the changes I need to make, particularly in my thinking. It also made me think of a word I want to put more into practice.

Humility (Click on the word and read Wikipedia's definition)

Here are some scriptures on this topic of pride and humility.

Verse 1    Verse 2     Verse 3   Verse 4

Maybe it is just me that needed this gently brought to my attention. But on the off chance it's not just me, I hope you don't spend nearly as much time as I did beating yourself up about the first word. I hope we channel our energies into working hard implementing that second word.

Thanks for reading.

Just Relax

School's out for the summer. So that means this teacher gets to relax. Well, after the two days of leadership trainings and the two days of technology professional developments I need to attend. But then, I get to relax. (Now if I was teaching summer school, as I've done many years past, I would say, "No I can't". I'd be getting my classroom set up and looking over lesson plans.) But this year, I can say, Yes I can". This summer, I get to relax. I'm really grateful to have time off before the next school year starts, but there's a little problem. I don't quite know how to relax. I tend to feel like there's something I should be doing instead of taking time to rest. Often times, I feel guilty for sleeping in or sitting on the couch and watching a tv show or two.

But I would take this feeling of unrest any day over the restlessness of trying to make an important life decision, facing a stressful situation, or dealing with an unexpected health issue. These circumstances can quickly consume us and erase any opportunity of relaxation or peace. That is, unless you have a Source to turn to that can give you the comfort and rest you need.

Whether you're looking to find rest from the stress of a decision, the shock of unpleasant news, or the rigorous nature of a busy career or lifestyle, God desires to take on our burdens and concerns and exchange them for peace and rest. All we have to do is believe that He can and that He will.

Here are some verses reminding us that God encourages our rest and relaxation.

Verse 1   Verse 2    Verse 3

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, may we find time to rest our bodies and minds, relax our busy schedules, and reconnect with those we love and care about.

Below are a few places where I've been blessed to find great rest:

Coronado Beach in San Diego, CA

Airlie Center in Warrenton, Va

Matt's Awesome Uncle Mike and Aunt Mary's home in Stuart, Fl

Fling Family B&B in Hillsboro, Ohio

Centennial Park in Columbia, 

All Too Much

Have you ever felt like the stuff going on in your life was too much? Have you ever been in that "when it rains, it pours" situation? That's where I find myself at the moment. But before I continue with this blog, I want to make sure you know that I'm not sharing so that this blog or my Facebook page can be littered with comments of sympathy and "I'm so sorry", although I know that would be a sincere response by many of you. I'm sharing to encourage you if you ever find yourself feeling like I'm feeling. I'm sharing to encourage and remind myself that there IS hope.

I was blessed to spend Mother's Day with my mom and dad last week. This year has been very difficult for mom, as she suffers from anxiety and depression. The fact that she was coming to Baltimore to visit felt like a big deal. But it didn't take long at all to see that the woman with my dad wasn't my mom. She was nervous, she was anxious. She was quiet. She tried really hard to interact and talk with people, but that's just it; my mom wouldn't have had to try. And as we finished dinner and she anxiously and impatiently waits for the waiter to bring our check, the reality set in. This isn't my mom, and I don't know when I'll see her again.

Friday she was admitted into the hospital for the third time this year. My heart breaks for the lack of peace she's experienced for so long and selfishly it longs for what's been absent for months. It's all too much.

Saturday I went car shopping to replace my poor Prius that was totaled a few weeks ago. I found a car I liked at a price we were comfortable with, at a dealership close by. After visiting in the morning, I found that I liked the model and it seemed like we could reach a deal with the price but I would have to return at another time to test drive the actual car I wanted since it wasn't inspected yet. I arrived back later that evening, test drove the car in the wind and rain, and was ready to cut a check and make the purchase. And this is where our seemingly happy story takes a turn. Cue in finance guy. He proceeds to tell me that the monthly payment I was looking at was numerically impossible and he had no idea how I got the figure that I did. (Mind you, the figure I was working with was given to me by the dealership's sales associate) As I tried to explain, he continued to talk over me, over and  again . Finally I stopped and said that I didn't appreciate how he was speaking to me. I asked him to stop speaking over me and to let me finish my....and I couldn't even finish that sentence without him speaking over me again. At that point I told him I was finished, I kindly picked up my pocketbook and left. That was all too much.

Saturday night I get a text message from my dad that his older sister had passed away. Aunt Dinky (Mary Ellen) battle cancer for years and fought hard. But there came a point where her body was too weak to handle the chemo. She had a beautiful smile and would always tell me how proud of me she was when we were together. Looking at her was like looking into the eyes of my grandmother and I'll miss that about her very much. This is all too much.

Saturday night I had a decision to make. I supposed to sing with my church's choir the next day. It was going to be a long day. I'm exhausted.  I'm stressed.  But I chose to go. I know that's what mom and Aunt Dinky would want me to do. Because despite everything going on, all that I've shared and all that I haven't, I believe that God is still good. I still have things to thank Him for. It's Sunday evening and I'm still exhausted. I'm still stressed. But I sang and I was loved well today. I'm so grateful for that.

My good friend Nikki spoke at church today and she taught from Hebrews 10:19-22 which tells us that because Jesus paid for all of our sins, there isn't a barrier between us and God. We can come to Him boldly with our requests, our needs, our hurts, our fears, our joys, our successes and our failures. I believe Romans 8:28 where it says that God works everything together for good. I believe my mom is going to have an incredibly powerful testimony that will inspire so many people. I believe the car situation will work out in my favor. And I believe that my aunt is celebrating the ultimate victory in heaven with her mom, dad, and daughter. It IS all too much to deal with by myself. I'm grateful to believe I don't have to.

Here are some promises that I hold tightly to, that I hope will encourage you.
Promise verse 1   Promise verse 2   Promise verse 3   Promise verse 4

May we know and believe we have hope, even when things seem all too much.