Loud Noises and Whispers

Today I was in a room all by myself eating my dinner. This room had a clock in it. I actually could hear the second hand moving. I have been in this room many times before. I have never noticed the sound of the clock. However usually when I am in this room there are other people in their talking to each other and with me. When I was finished eating others started to arrive for our meeting. Slowly the sound of the clock began to disappear because of the other noise. I tried to find the sound of the clock as the meeting progressed. I did actually hear it a few times in the midst of the other sounds. It reminded me of a plaque I recently purchased.
Here is a picture of it hanging in my sacred space (which is literally a corner of my living room).

It says,

Make time
for quiet moments as
God whispers
and
the world is loud.

I find that this practice while the simplest of concepts can sometimes be so very very challenging. So many things in the world seem to mask the whispers. But once I have made time, I find that I have moments that words can not describe.

What loud noises are preventing you from hearing God's whispers? Have you made time to focus and listen?

Today I am finding myself pondering the start of the work week. For me that means my graduate classes begin along with my work at Red Lion High School. As a Classrooms for the Future teacher I am also required to take another course during this semester to remain in the grant program. I look at these committements and my head begins to spin. I feel like I am ALREADY on the slippery slope. So I am taking some time to be intentional about my time and plan. I know this time of business will end (in exactly 10 weeks).

I hope you will choose to be intentional about your time. Remember to take time to enjoy life. Savor Life. If you can't slow it up right this moment, maybe find ways you can be intentional about some savoring time. I know if I don't ...I spend time procrastinating...then I find myself not spending quality time...

What will you choose? I am choosing to Savor Life

Happy New Year....

Wow, it is really 2009. This year is full of so many changes. FIRST my oldest daughter will be graduating from high school and going to college. I can HARDLY believe it. I remember when she was so tiny. It has been so exciting to watch her mature into an amazing young lady. I am starting to have the bittersweet feelings mother's have when their children graduate and go to college.

I am also in the midst of my principal's certification at Drexel. You know I finished my master's degree almost 17 years ago. Being a half time student and teaching full time and being a mom...has been well challenging. So another change for this year is to S...L...O...W.... up. I have decided that instead of taking 2 classes in the winter quarter, 2 classes in the Spring Quarter and 2 more classes in the summer I would just take the 2 in the winter. Take a break and MAYBE take one in the summer. This way I can enjoy my girls a bit more. I also can enjoy life a bit more.

This year also will include a concerted effort NOT to make resolutions, but rather to make some lifestyle changes. You know they seem to look a lot like a resolution...

1. Be more healthy (i.e. exercise and make healthy food choices)
2. Be more organized with my finances (weekly check ups)
3. Be more regular with "sacred space time"


Ok...there are more...but these are my BIG 3. Through these 3 things I want to improve my relationships with my girls and my friends and my family.

Wow...this is getting to be a long post...I think I will close for now...

Well close with some things I am thankful for....

1. My amazing daughters
2. My journey with Jesus
3. My health
4. The fact that I "de-cluttered" my room!

Being The Change I want to see in the world.

I am starting a new club at my school called "Be the Change".

The purpose of our club is to affect the school climate by doing Random Acts of Kindness. I hope that the club will plant a seed for the students (and teachers) at my school to make a difference by doing Random Acts of Kindness. Each week our club will issue a challenge to commit a Random Act of Kindness. Teachers will be asked to hand out a C.A..U.G.H.T. (Committing A Uniquely Good Humanitarian Task) card. Students will be informed that they have been "CAUGHT" and their names will be placed on the card. The cards will be collected each week. The following Monday morning we will have a drawing from the cards which have been submitted. Our goal is that the person who was chosen will win a $5 gift card (i.e. gas card or coffee card.)

What is cool is that I sent an email to some of my friends asking them to invest in my dream by sponsoring a card. Within 2 hours I had 7 friends who replied saying they are willing to sponsor a card. Cool isn't I have almost the first marking period covered.

One of the things I want to do is to teach the students in the club to Pay it Forward. In the spring we are hoping to have our club commit Random Acts of Kindness in the community through a service project.


Thank you so much for taking time to read about my dream.

Old Friends...Old Fears...

This weekend was amazing…some friends were in town and spent the day with my girls and I on Saturday. Our girls were best buddies when they were little (15 years ago). They did everything together. My friend and I would be able to just allow the girls to play while we would drink our coffee and watch…Sweet times. The girls have not seen each other in over 8 years. It was amazing to see the girls (now young ladies) just seamlessly be with each other. We had a great time having breakfast and then going to Inner Harbor. It was such a special time. I really am thankful for our dear friends…

In the midst of the joy of the old friends the reality of being a single mom came crashing down. The fears of not being able to provide for my girls came rousing up. The reality of not having the money to get a car for my daughter (this is really not just a want…but a bit of a need because she needs to have her own transportation for school). She has been unsuccessful in finding a job this summer…ugh… This is about trusting God to provide. Everything in my mind knows God can provide. I am just having to trust His timing. Ahhh…does learning to trust get any easier…

Remember...Savor

Today as I was doing my work for my grad classes, tutoring, housework….I realized that the time I have with my beautiful daughters living in my home is quickly fading. They will soon be graduating from high school and going to college. I will soon not have them here all the time. They will have their own lives. I find myself wanting to spend as much time as I can with my girls. I want to make as many memories as I can. There are so many thing I want to do with them. I sometimes get frustrated that I don’t have the means to “do” all the things I want to do with my girls. I realize that TIME is much more valuable than money.

So…with that in mind I planned two camping trips for us. One will be an overnight to Lewes,DE. We love this beach. It is not commercial at all. It is always a place of relaxation…no plans…just be on the beach…cook over the campfire…hike on the trails…read books…

The other trip will be to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. We will be camping in rustic sites. The sites can not be reserved here. They are first come first serve. So we will be very “spontaneous” and pray for a site.

Camping gives the girls and I such great memories!

So the lesson that I have learned today…treasure the time I have with my daughters…and with all of the loved ones in my life.

A Whole New World...

This is the beginning of a WHOLE new world for me. I have always loved “techie” stuff…but to have a blog for the entire world to see is another thing. I have decided I wanted to create a place where I could record about my life as a teacher and integrating technology. Then I thought…why not a place where I could just blog about what life is like for me…a single mom, high school algebra teacher, graduate student(working on my principal’s certification leading to my EdD.), Christ follower, friend, daughter…you get the picture.

I am not sure how this will all play out…but it is a whole new world isn’t it?