Sunday, September 25, 2011

Doorways

As you may have noticed, Ann Voskamp's words often strike a chord with me.  This weekend that was the case once again.  Well, actually twice as I caught up on her blog. 

Make every moment a door opening to simple goodness .....  Here's the link to the entire post.  Weekends are for doors.

You can’t get to joy by making everything perfect.  You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy.    When things get broken 

So, this weekend, I am trying to open doors and see joy.  Yesterday was beautiful that way. 

The gifts continue.....
462) the aroma of fresh lime juice
463) parents who willingly do a job to help me - and finish it quickly!
464) seeing improvements in behaviour of students and the meeting of expectations
465) spontaneous invitations and time for family dinner - of Indonesian food
466) restaurant owner NOT charging for the entire meal
467) spectacular silhouette of the mountains against a sunset sky
468) watching my students work with younger students
469) dinner with friends
470) talking with a friend
471) coming home to a card from a friend
472) weekends
473) sleeping until 7:30
474) community celebrating a new son
475) catching up with people
476) meeting new people and finding connections
477) watching young girls delight in a baby
478) expressions of concern and care
479) a virtual walk with my sister
480) morning sun on sunflowers
481) the way sunflowers turn to the sun
482) the musical sounds of wind chimes
483) my front step on a sunny afternoon
484) borrowing a book from a friend
485) the way a friend follows her passions - and blends them
486) a happy ending to a canoe spill (not me in the canoe!)
487) neighbour girls coming and bringing me a piece of birthday cake
488) a student remembering a need of another student and making sure that need was met
489) a glorious orange sunrise
490) an autumn drive in the country on a sunny day
491) tramping through the woods
492) administration who demonstrate compassion and care to staff
493) surprisingly warm fall mornings

more to come...... time has run out... and I must head off to church

Church was fabulous this morning.  A long service that didn't feel long because of the content.  I'm glad I was there.

494) a tomato ripening on the vine
495) students who notice the need of others and freely offer assistance
496) Tim Tams (straight from Australia!)
497) children who are eager to show gratitude
498) tea with friends
499) hugs from children
500) expressions of gratitude from parents of students
501) feeling stronger as the weeks go by
502) good results from Mom's biopsy
503) all clear from surgeon - healed from minor surgery in August
504) golden leaves against a clear blue sky
505) watching a little girl try out her new bike with her mom and grandma
506) a smile and wish for a good weekend from a student
507) the crunch of leaves on a sunny morning walk
508) a summery evening walk in a favourite park with a friend
509) sitting on a bridge looking at peaceful scenery, listening to rippling water, and talking with a friend

510) sunlight catching golden leaves in the morning
511) crisp, cool cheeks after a morning walk
512) a meaningful, challenging, encouraging, and inspiring church service

Monday, September 5, 2011

It has begun.

So, the new school year has begun.  And, despite my efforts to not let it be all consuming, I am already exhausted and fighting a cold.  I'm going to blame it on not being completely recovered from surgery yet.  And I don't think that's unwarranted.  Because I have tried to focus on the important and not on the "it would be nice."  A quote I read recently was this - "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."  (Voltaire)  Not that I don't want to make sure I'm doing my best.  Just that I want to make sure that I am at my best.  There's a difference there that I need to keep reminding myself of.  So, this long weekend, I have resisted the urge to get some of that beginning of the year "stuff" taken care of, and instead I have tried to take care of myself.  I have read a lot of books and sat on my front step.  Soon I will go and pick some sweet peas so that I can start my second week back with sweet peas in my house and on my desk at work - reminders of the goodness of God.  Plus, I just love the aroma!

One of the books I read had this great thought.  “A child lies like a grey pebble on the shore until a certain teacher picks him up and dips him in water, and suddenly you see all the colours and patterns in the dull stone, and it’s marvellous for the stone and marvellous for the teacher.”    Elizabeth Hay in Alone in the Classroom    p. 94  How exciting to think that I could help a child see more of the colours and patterns (gifts) that God has placed in him/her.  That's my prayer.
List of God's gifts .....
441) butterflies in my stomach as I begin a new school year
442) a friend praying for me on the first day of school
443) praying with colleagues as we begin a new year
444) a visual illustration of love overflowing and children grabbing that "love"
445) a child saying that the first day was over too soon
446) the imagination of children as they wrote stories
447) a student offering to share supplies with a classmate
448) the laughter of children
449) expressions of support from parents of my students
450) a neighbour girl's delight at showing me her new fish
451) invitation for the weekend
452) the surprise of seeing my parents outside my classroom door
453) not having to clean my house on the weekend because
454) I was able to come home to a clean house now that I've hired someone to clean my house
455) a day on the couch with a good book
456) leftovers
457) public libraries
458) flexible colleagues
459) a friend getting the job she applied for
460)scrambled eggs and bacon on a croissant
461) listening to the companionable chatting of my neighbours