Every week has challenges and this week was not an exception.  I’m grateful for the coworker that shared this video with me this week while I was in the middle of an otherwise rough day:

I know that I’m probably wrong for this.  But everything they’re saying just made me laugh hysterically.  And let’s not even talk about their facial expressions.

It’s the simple things.

When God allows those two things to merge together, I feel even more blessed.  Especially when it comes in the form of receiving text messages like this:

Student 1: “I received my acceptance letter from UNC!”

Student 2: “I was just accepted to the University of North Carolin at Chapel Hill “

I’m relatively emotional ANYWAY (another post for another time), but when you have the opportunity to work with students, share your love and passions with them, and then watch them pursue that on their own- and the result is successful- the feeling is overwhelming.

I’ve known many of these students since I’ve been at this school, so I’ve watched them grow over the past few years.  It is always my desire to see them excel; to have a life of choice, one full of “want-to” not “have-to”.  

I was in tears after receiving their text messages (and a few phone calls) because I’m so excited about the things to come in their lives. Every day these students trust me and other teachers at our word- that the hard work will pay off, that the struggles they’re facing are common AND that they will overcome them. And then there are days like this where they really, truly believe you.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve them.

Yet, while I’ve noticed that there are women who desire to be married, I’ve also noticed these same women downplaying that desire.  I’ve been in a few situations where I’ve watched women who I KNOW can’t wait to find the one they will be with forever, act as if it’s not a big deal.  In one situation, I heard one woman who has spoken with me about how she can’t wait to go to Kleinfeld’s in New York (of  ”Say Yes to the Dress” fame) to find her wedding dress (when the time comes), loudly proclaim that she wasn’t trying to be married.

This confuses me.  Perhaps I missed something.

If marriage is something that you desire, what’s the harm in admitting that?  What’s wrong with saying that you foresee marriage in your future?

Am I crazy?  Doesn’t it make sense to actually admit that there’s something you want?  How else can you get it if you aren’t willing to admit that you want it?

Or maybe it’s just me.

I’ve thought about this and it’s effects in a couple of different ways.  If women aren’t able to admit that they desire marriage to their close friends and to themselves, how will they be able to articulate that desire within a relationship?

I’m not saying that women should voice their desire for marriage on date one. However, when the conversation comes up, if marriage is something they want, they need to speak up. It’ll be hard to do that if you have yet to admit to yourself that you actually want that.

It’s kind of like this: the more we say something, the more we believe it to be true. There’s power in what we say. So, if we’re speaking lies, there’s a point where we eventually start to view them as truth. That’s not just in relationships, but in life as well.

Just be honest about it- about yourself, about where you are, about where you’re going. There’s no future in frontin’…
 
Until next time…

Insufficient parenting has gone to another level.

It’s a normal day at work. Students are being students.  Teachers are being teachers.  The day has gone by relatively smoothly, and I’m in my room prepping and reviewing materials for my class, which starts in about 20 minutes.

Out of nowhere, I hear what sounds like the gym erupting in cheers after someone made the game-winning shot. I brush this off, thinking that a class got a little too excited.  But the noise continues.  And gets louder.  Finally, I get up and rush down the hall to the cafeteria, to find it buzzing with energy and excitement.

Outside the cafeteria on the sidewalk, I see a young lady surrounded by her peers.  They appear to be calming her down.  I see another young lady being escorted to the office by a teacher.  And I see a parent of the first young lady, who seemed to arrive really fast for something that just happened to pop off.

I go in the cafeteria and start calming kids down; making sure they are quiet and in their seats.  Then I ask other teachers what happened.  And then I learn of the ULTIMATE case of insufficient parenting.

This ALMOST altercation, loud ruckus, disturbing my work time…was caused by a parent.

A PARENT came to the school, cornered a young lady so that her daughter and her daughter’s friends could fuss her out.

Really?  Sigh.  I can’t make this up.  But you’re a GROWN woman.  Why in the WORLD are you SO involved with your child’s drama that you are coming to school to instigate a fight?

Let me be clear: I am in full support of parental involvement in the life of their child.  I encourage it.  I believe and know from experience that it makes a difference.  HOWEVER, that DOES NOT mean that you should be at your child’s school as a GROWN WOMAN instigating fights with teenagers.  I’m sorry for the confusion.  When you do that, you’ve crossed the line into the realm of insufficient parenting.

So yes.  Just to be clear: being involved in your kid’s life is good.  Helping your kids instigate fights with others is insufficient parenting.

That is all.

Their conversation is on justice and revenge, based out of their current reading of the book “Flight“.  The question posed to the class is about what constitutes justice, and if/when you should pursue revenge…or the idea of “an eye for an eye”.

Most students are explaining why they would pursue revenge and why revenge could be a form of justice.  And then I hear this comment:

“If somebody killed my mom, justice for me would be forgiveness.  If I pursued revenge, I would still have greed and hate in my heart and I wouldn’t feel right; so I feel that the ultimate justice is for me to forgive them.”

The emotion that I felt as I processed that statement, and what it meant was overwhelming.  As I thought about that statement, my eyes welled up with tears.  In a culture that promotes “an eye for an eye” and always getting even as a means of getting ahead; I praise God for students who know and understand the essence of love and forgiveness.

Out of the mouths of babes…

Peace and blessings…

I’m going back to work feeling refreshed and recharged, excited about the new year.  There have also been some changes and shifts that will add some things to my plate, so it’s increasingly important that I’m focused and disciplined with how I carry out my tasks from day to day.  At the same time, I am committing myself to taking better care of myself and focusing on the things in life that really matter.

The following picture somes up my approach to work, and in some ways, life, in this new year:

Until next time…

The love that God has for us is so overwhelming and amazing, and I’m not sure that I can explain it all.  Just over the course of this year, I have witnessed God’s love, grace, and mercy in my life and the lives of others, and it is always so humbling and awesome.  Seriously, God; Who am I that you are mindful of me?

Knowing and understanding the power and magnitude of God’s love is one thing that I’m confident of for 2012.  The other thing that I’m confident of is my desire to be better; to have a better heart for God and for others.  Which brings me to this:

I’m believing and trusting God for this; knowing that He can do all things.

Here’s to a year of resting in His love and His power to change hearts, minds, and lives.  Wishing you God’s love, peace, joy, and blessings in 2012!

Here are some pictures of my favorite moments from 2011:

I met (and taught!) Luke nearly 10 years ago as an 8th Grader in Sunflower, Mississippi.  It was an honor to have dinner with him before he ventured off to law school!

Jovian and I, having a little too much fun while being bridesmaids in one of my best friend’s weddings.  It was a privilege to stand in agreement for the union that was taking place.

I was blessed this year to be able to present at the North Carolina School Counselor Association on financial aid for students.  This is me, in the car, following the presentation.  Finally able to relax after hard work!  Praise God for the opportunity to share knowledge with others!

Camille and I, celebrating UNC’s Homecoming!  One of the great joys of this year has been able to reconnect with Camille and continue to build and strengthen our fellowship.  She is so awesome, and I’m blessed to have her in my life.

Me, at the baby shower for one of my best friends.  I can’t believe my friends are old enough to have babies!  It seems like we were JUST in college.  Nevertheless, I was so happy to be there to support her; and I love being an auntie to my little nephew!

Me, with Whitney, who is a former student turned Tar Heel!  It was great to be able to help her through the college application process and have her in class as a senior, and I’m even more delighted that she chose UNC for the next four years.  She’s going to take the world by storm, and I hope she doesn’t forget Ms. Davis when it happens.

I’m so thankful to God for the many blessings of this year!  2012 has big shoes to fill!

2012 is going to be big.  Life changes of epic proportions.  Very little about my life will be the same one year from today.

I’m excited about what God is showing me, but as I begin to prepare and put things in motion, I feel really anxious.  I feel anxious, mostly because I can’t see how I’m going to get from here to there.  And for someone like me, that’s difficult.

I am a planner and a processor.  I spend lots of time thinking about the proper way to execute something (and why that is the proper way as opposed to another way), and then planning the execution so that it is as close to flawless as possible.  I guess I’m a bit of a perfectionist.

So, for me to know and understand that major changes are on the horizon and not have a clear vision as to how it might come to pass is slightly unsettling.  It’s unsettling because I, like many of us, like to be in the know.  I like to have an understanding of what is going to happen and why.  However, in this situation, I have an understanding of the WHY, but not the HOW.  Equally unnerving.

Nevertheless, I am confident of God’s plans to give me a hope and a future, knowing that I must trust in Him with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding; acknowledging Him in every way.  And, I need not be anxious about anything, but in everything submit my requests to Him, and He will give me a peace that transcends all understanding.  Including my own.

Here’s to the next chapter; loving God, loving people, and seeking His will and fulfilling His purpose for my life.

Peace and blessings…

I was wrong.

I wasn’t upset that I was wrong.  I’ve accepted that I have been wrong many times, and I will continue to be wrong as I proceed through life.  What’s most important is that I learn and grow.

Yeah, so that all sounds nice, but when you’re REALLY believing God for something, it’s difficult if the outcome is not what you expected.  I was praying for a move of God and it happened…just not in my direction.  And I was left feeling hurt, confused, and unsure of how to proceed.

And then something interesting happened.

Two of my friends received breakthroughs.  We’re talking, huge breakthroughs, of epic proportions.  Things that we had collectively been praying about and believing God for had come to pass.

This overwhelmed me.  Then it excited me.

I was both overwhelmed and excited because it was the reminder that I needed that God hears and listens to prayers.  The prayers that I have been praying, the tears that I have shed- God knows about all of that. But not only that- God is still moving.  And I have to be excited that God is blessing those around me.  If he’s in my neighborhood, he’ll get to my house after awhile.

So while I REALLY WANTED to be upset, I ended up being humbled, grateful, and renewed in my resolve to pursue God and to trust Him to give me the desires of my heart.

Amen.

Peace and blessings…