Sunday, February 24, 2013

Framing Life

This past week was our annual teachers convention.  As usual, I was re-inspired about aspects of teaching as well as being taught some new tools to add to my classroom life.  One of the things that's been bouncing around me head, though, is more of an inspiration in living this life God gives me daily. 

One of the speakers talked about one way to gain perspective in life.  He talked about the circumstances of life as the pictures or photos we are given.  The way we frame those pictures determines how we respond to those events or pictures.  For example, when we frame a picture in green, it brings out the green.  When we frame a picture in blue, it brings out the blue.  




These samples just give a small idea of that.  My goal is to continue to strive towards framing my experiences properly.  I want to frame them in gratitude and in prayer.  I confess that I don't always do that.  In fact, more often than not, I don't do that.  Just a couple of weeks ago, I left work frustrated and thinking that I just couldn't do it.  It had been a rough day.  I did nothing about the two incidents that afternoon and evening.  The next morning, I did do something about them.  But, God had done things prior to that.  Each of the children involved had already spoken to their parents before I contacted them.    I was right.  I couldn't do it.  But God did take action.  And I was grateful.  

Looking to continue framing my life through the love of God, my list of gifts continues.

1675) surprise birthday parties
1676) hugs from children
1677) seeing children learn new skills
1678) light bulb moments
1679) encouragement at a time I felt discouraged
1680) laughing with children
1681) laughing with friends
1682) family
1683) celebrating a sister's 50th birthday
1684) being able to help a sister pack up her apartment
1685) tulips received at the end of a long day
1686) parents who work so hard to encourage the staff
1687) teachers convention
1688) being inspired again
1689) learning new tools
1690) picking up quilts from the long-arm quilter
1691) finding a new pattern for bags
1692) and making not 1,
1693) not 2,
1694) but 3 new bags
1695) using fabric I already had in the house for those bags
1696) quiet days reading and sewing
1697) chance meetings and conversations in the grocery store
1698) a surprise on a road trip
1699) time to spend getting to know my nephew's girlfriend a little on that road trip
1700) the surprising way some tough situations in my classroom were resolved when students talked to their parents before I did