Add In a Game
I’m learning about the joy of making things more fun. Today I used a “Spin the Wheel” game in class where the wheel displayed different skills we’ve learned all semester. When it was a student’s turn to spin the wheel, it felt so fun and reminiscent of something you’d do in a kindergarten class. The […]
I’m reading the book of Colossians, and I love reading Colossians 1: 9-14 again and again. It’s so wonderful to linger over and consider each word. Paul writes: “. . . Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge […]
Well, More Snow
I gathered my winter hat and mittens to endure a snow storm today. 4 inches! Just when I was ready for spring! Perhaps there’s a blessings here. The blessing might involve slowing down, praying a bit more, and enjoying more long conversations with my family. Get out the teacups! Brings out the blankets! Turn up […]
He Is Risen!
Happy Easter to everyone! I pray it’s a meaningful day of reflection and celebration on the most significant event in history. What a day! What hope and joy we celebrate today and now every day as the resurrected Lord–the Living God–rises in our hearts. Nothing else matters but this day.
Full Bloom
From Cherry Blossoms to Chocolate
Today I wrote so many things down in my gratitude journal. I highly recommend keeping one, and Easter weekend is a great time to begin! I’m so thankful for my students, Easter chocolate, turkey and cheese sandwiches, bird nest, little eggs, Easter baskets, and cherry blossoms. I’m thankful, most of all, for Jesus.
The Weeping Cherry Blooms!
A Gift Opens the Door
Whenever I feel like my class has lost its energy and students are all languishing–and that perhaps they’ve closed off their hearts to the joy of vivid verbs–I remember Proverbs 18:16. It simply says, “A gift opens doors; it gives access to the great.” I needed the door to belonging, hope, and joy to open […]
Everyone There Needed Something From Jesus
Last Sunday, the worship leader at church talked about the crowds gathering around Jesus on Palm Sunday. She remarked, “Everyone there needed something from Jesus.” Something about the statement pierced my heart deeply. Everyone came to Him. Everyone crowded around Him. They all needed something from Jesus. They had heard about this man, Jesus, raising […]
5 Per Day
I’m not sure why I love breaking things up into “fives.” It’s such an easy-to-accomplish number: grade five papers; clean for five minutes; pray over these five things; just do five minutes of this hard-to-do task. (I used to think ten minutes was ideal for this sort of thing, but if you lack activation energy, […]