I talked to my dear friend Tiffany today, who is an amazing person and has a pretty sweet cooking blog! She is always inspiring me with her blogging, so I decided that I would take a second and just scribble a blog down. Because I think what has been holding me back is feeling like it's such a huge ordeal to actually sit down and write. But it doesn't HAVE to be! I can keep it simple.
So, here goes:
I'm thankful for:
a gathering of crows outside my classroom (they're all huddled together...looks like a board meeting to me)
pizza night tonight with the Millers!
extended Indian summer!! (let's keep this warmth around through October! come on!)
best husband in the world (he is such a servant...that sounds bad; maybe I should say he has such a servant heart)
trees turning colors
autumn candles bringing light and delicious smells!
Until next time!
Rachel
(Ohhh! I DID write a post awhile back, and saved it on my computer! Here it is!)
It has been several months since I’ve posted on my grateful
list blog! With the craziness of the end of the school year, and then all the
traveling and visiting family of the summer, I haven’t taken the time to fit
this in! But I still have been listing all of the things I’m thankful for,
which has been so helpful to my well-being and peace this summer. I’ve really
felt that God is calling me to take a serious stand against worry, doubt, and
despair that can bring me down from time to time. I’ve struggled with being a
major worrier for much of my life, and it’s not something that adds to my life
or brings me closer to God. As I’ve pursued this idea of seriously eradicating
worry from my life, I’ve realized that it can be simple. When situations come
up or random thoughts pop into my mind that may start the addicting habit of
worry, I must pause and ask myself “What is the truth?”
For example, we’re flying into Seattle right now from being
gone for about a week and half. Visiting my sister and new brother-in-law and
attending an incredibly rejuvenating teachers’ convention have taken us to
Nashville and Rhode Island, and it’s going to be so good to get home and sleep
in my own bed and pet my kitty (AND hopefully admire the multitudes of tomatoes
that have popped out of their flower buds on my plants…finally!). But, school
starts two weeks from today. Yes, that’s right, all the glorious, free days of
summer will come to an end and the reality of waking up early, grading papers,
and late nights of work will sneak up on me, wrap their arms around me, sink in
their claws, until BAM! I’m enslaved to the teaching profession once again. Bye
bye personal life, cooking new recipes, having an orderly house, being
physically fit…
Wait a second! Stop right there! Before this becomes an
all-out pity party and spirals down into despair, I need to take a good look at
the truth. Not the often-used line of thinking, “Don’t worry. Look at the
positive side of things!” No, I need to take a look at the truth, just the
plain old truth.
Truth #1: I am employed.
Truth #2: I get great meaning and purpose out of my job.
Truth #3: I am given the space to be almost as flexible and
creative as I want to be in my classroom with the topics I teach and the
activities that I plan.
Truth #4: I have a membership to the gym, and so at some
point I will exercise.
Truth #5: I have a husband who is a good support and helper,
and somehow between the two of us, we eat good meals, clean them up, and have a
clean house.
Truth #6: I have friends who want to talk with me and hang
out with me, and so I will not spend all my time doing school-related
activities.
I could go on. But I’ve gotta tell ya, looking at all of
these truths takes me from the twisted feeling in the pit of my stomach to
feeling centered and confident. And, I think as I do it more, it will become my
new habit. Instead of worrying, my habit will be peace-ing. Or maybe truth-ing.
Yes, that’s it.
So, I have many grateful list things to share from the past
couple months, but here are the highlights:
Hot, humid air greeting me like a hug
Hope for my facial skin issues (yay for estheticians!)
Snuggle time with kitty in the hammock on our porch
Dancing at Michele’s wedding
Joyful celebration with family
Deep belly laughs
Thai peanut noodles (thanks for the new recipe, Mom!)
Tan skin
Morning moments with God
My husband’s wisdom with finances
Summer blooms and grasses
Wonderful things to be grateful for! How great to stop and realized that YOU ARE BLESSED! Happy I was able to talk to you today :) Hope you have a great week!!!
ReplyDelete