Chocolate Chip Cookies and Good Intentions

Why is that first bite of a warm, homemade chocolate chip cookie just so delicious? Truly a simple pleasure I never get tired of. I always have the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies on hand, but my good intentions to follow through on actually baking them doesn't happen as often as I'd like.  Turns out that having the right ingredients does not necessarily translate into having my favorite dessert on any given day. Because good intentions and being intentional about doing it are not the same. 

Isn't it amazing how two words so closely related mean completely different things? We've all probably said something like "I had good intentions with that, but I ran out of time/money/space/motivation/energy..." etc. Gah! It is soooo frustrating when good intentions don't become reality.  How does that happen? It all comes down to a simple truth. What we intend is never realized unless we are purposeful in our actions to that end. In other words, being intentional.

Being intentional starts with a strategy, design, approach, blueprint... whatever you want to call it, but it doesn't end there. You have to put your ideas into actionable steps that will lead to the place you want to be. You might be thinking "This is simple- everyone knows that!" I got you. But is that how you and I really live?

See if you can relate to this example- I intend to enjoy a peaceful and meaningful holiday season. I intend that every year, don't you? But how many times in the past did I let my schedule be dictated by ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS without being purposeful in what that would look like and how I would achieve it? Too many. And what happened to my good intentions? Not so much peace, more stress, little patience, and (this is so sad), breathing a sigh of relief when it was over. That is NOT what it was supposed to be. Something had to change!

My first step was to begin with a game plan. (Because when you live in a majority male household, the fantasy football talk and sports lingo become a second language.) I want my family to experience a meaningful and joyful holiday. I owe a big thank you to Kendra at TheLazyGeniusCollective.com for her encouragement in choosing three words that describe my hopes for the holidays. They are the things that make me come alive. Lest that sounds selfish, consider this: coming alive personally is what allows me to share life with others...my dear family, my wonderful friends, my precious students, the harried retail workers, the tired grocery store clerks, frantic fellow shoppers, the less fortunate that need compassion...you get my point. If I have no joy, how can I share it with those around me?

My game plan this year is to create an atmosphere of joy, welcome, and peace for those in my circle of influence. That's the what. Now for the how. That's where the playbook comes in. (Long live sports metaphors!) My playbook is simply identifying opportunities to intentionally put joy, welcome, and peace into action. My joy play is listening to music that lifts my heart and decorating where I live and work for the season. It is amazing how something as simple as decking the halls lights me up inside. I have a new house to decorate this year and it is taking extra time and I. Am. Having. It. 😁
My welcome play is inviting people to share in the spirit of celebration at my home and sharing gifts with those that I sense may need extra love and blessing this time of year. Welcome extends to my students by showing ways we can all be more kind and thoughtful to others.
The peace play takes the most time and thought, but is so worth it!  I plan the family calendar for November and December taking into account holiday events plus the normal winter activities and schedule margins (little breaks for rest and reflection) and set boundaries so that background hustle and bustle does not encroach on what is precious to me and the most important. *Setting boundaries allows you to take care of your family and yourself. So set those boundaries without apology!* If I am saying YES to joy, welcome, and peace, then that means I am saying NO to comparison, fear of rejection, and stressful business (read: busy-ness).  And that, my friends, is the ultimate WIN!  (My last football analogy- you're welcome.)

The results of being intentional versus just having good intentions have been life-changing for me. And not just at Christmas time.  There is a purpose and depth of meaning in daily living that was lacking before.  It is like leveraging an advantage to make the most of the moments I have been given and I am so glad to have realized what a difference being intentional makes before any more time passed by. You create the joy that makes your life better. I hope all of my friends reading this enjoy the fresh outlook and fulfillment of an intentional journey.  For some reason, I now feel the urge to go bake some chocolate chip cookies. 😉

LAUNCHing into Learning

Have you ever watched a rocket launch?  It really is one of the coolest, most awe-inspiring events I've witnessed. The whole idea of streaking off into space and experiencing the universe in such a unique way boggles the mind.  But catapulting into the cosmos isn't the only exciting kind of launching happening these days.
I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of third graders as they engaged in the LAUNCH process this year.  As you might guess this has nothing to do with space travel in our elementary school! Rather, it is a framework they followed in design thinking that allowed them to use their choice, voice, curiosity, and creativity to learn and develop skills that ultimately led them to share with an authentic audience.

Reaching out to an authentic audience adds so much more meaning to the learning process because there is a purpose behind the project.

 I love teaching through project-based learning (PBL) and had a great experience in using the framework during enrichment last summer with students this age, so I was really grateful when third grade teachers Ms. Hayes and Mrs. Cole shared their classes with me during the spring semester.  These teachers also worked with groups on PBL dealing with other topics, but for this article, I'm sharing specifically from the experience of the students in my group as they are the reason for this blog and the contributors for this post!

Meet the Fluffy Slimers: Scott S. , Phoebe Z. , Lily H., and Myleah G .

Meet the Slippery Slimers: Josh H., Dominik V., Kyle J., and Morgan S.

The group of students I worked with shared the interest of learning about blogging.  So our project/product was creating a blog post.  But where to begin? That's where the LAUNCH cycle comes into play.  It's an acronym created by educators John Spencer and A.J. Juliani from their book LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student help guide students as they delve into design thinking. 

L- Look, Listen, and Learn

A- Ask Tons of Questions

U- Understand the Problem or Process

N- Navigate Ideas

C- Create a Prototype

H- Highlight and Fix

LAUNCH your project!

Through their research, the third graders discovered there is much to be learned before becoming a blogger. I mean, it was a big deal just coming to a decision of what to blog about!  As they engaged in the steps of the LAUNCH cycle, new skills were learned and new concepts were explored.  

"I liked having a choice about what project to do because you got to pick what you want to do instead of what everyone else is doing. I learned that when you research on the internet, you need to have three sources that say the same thing so you know what you read is true." -Madysen E.

These creative souls came to a unanimous decision to conduct slime experiments as their topic because that was one thing they all agreed was "awesome". When thinking about who could benefit from their experiments, I offered to let them lead science centers in my pre-k class.  We learn about liquids and solids in preschool, but what if the bloggers got to introduce them to a substance that doesn't fit the rule of normal solids or normal liquids?  They decided that would be a fun win-win experience for a blog topic!

"My favorite part was working with the kids." -Lily H.
"I liked doing the research and then having fun with what we learned." - Phoebe Z.

"Playing with the kids with the slime was really fun." -Scott S.
(I can't help but grin every time I see the above picture!  This has to be one of the best expressions of enjoying a learning experience and teaching someone something new that I've ever seen!)

 Both groups executed their experiments with the skill of  'slime experts' and enjoyed different aspects of leading the science demonstration. They had to exercise their organizational skills in finding the ingredients, their math skills in measuring, their reading skills in following the recipe, and their communication skills in explaining their experiments. They learned about chemical reactions and the how and why of what makes these fluids unique. PBL is a great way to integrate all of the concepts and skills we want our students to understand and show mastery in as they perform.

The third graders learned that creativity is a key in engaging your audience.  The Fluffy Slimers'  idea to hook their audience's attention was coloring it a pastel pink and giving each one a plastic Easter egg to keep their slime inside so they could take it home. That idea was a big hit! The Slippery Slimers went above and beyond just conducting an experiment when they found out the preschoolers were learning about farms.They decided to connect their demonstration to what would be relevant to their audience by hiding little plastic farm animals inside the slime as they passed it out so the students had to find and name the animals. So clever!

Another takeaway the LAUNCH groups mentioned was that it takes a lot of time to research and choose what will make the best experience for the audience.  They were impressed with how curious the preschoolers were to try out the slime and how many questions they asked about the process. It's a good thing they did their research so they could answer those questions!  

Each time I lead a group in PBL, I end up learning just as much as the students.  I love the quote Spencer and Juliani write in their LAUNCH book about the role of the teacher in this process.  They call it being "the guide on the side".  It's so true!  As I work alongside the students and allow them to make decisions, I become better equipped to act as a guide in the next design thinking project.  During this particular project, I learned that establishing a fully functioning student-created website blog takes more time than I allotted.  So we had to go with plan B and use my blog platform with the third grade students as contributors instead of the primary authors.  The next time I undertake a project like this, I will know to budget more time for brainstorming and developing the presentation. I also found out that designing a blog in a school setting has to be done differently than a blog I design myself in order to manage it within the technical parameters of the school district. It ended up being a good example of persevering through difficulties to get to the end product (even if it looks different than you planned) without giving up!

Finally, our LAUNCH project was the perfect way for us to practice the seven habits and the skills we learn from The Leader in Me. There were many opportunities for the third graders to begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, and find their voice. Even the preschoolers noticed how well the students worked together showing habit #6 during their presentations. I was happy to hear one prekinder say, "Look Mrs. E!  They're synergizing, aren't they!?"  It was genuine confidence-building and leadership practice at its best. 

I still think it is great to watch a rocket launch into space, but my favorite kind of LAUNCH is watching kids blast off into an authentic learning experience that allows them to use their creativity and benefits others in the process!

*If you want to learn more about the LAUNCH cycle, please visit this website <<LAUNCH>> for more information on design thinking.  You'll be glad you did!

Sharing the Joy

There's nothing like the energy you get from connecting with "your people". Those kindred spirits that share the same vision and passion you have for your life's work. I am so grateful for the opportunity last weekend to gather with my people at Conference on the Young Years (CYY) sponsored by the Missouri Department of Education. Truly some of the most caring souls in the world are primary grade teachers! We all embrace new strategies to help us in this vitally important job of establishing a strong foundation and love of lifelong learning in our students.

My friend Mary and I were able to attend Red Grammer's seminar.  What a great singer and
cool cat! (Totally see where his son Andy Grammer gets his pipes!) I am
looking forward to teaching my preschoolers his new Circle of Light songs...so awesome.

This weekend I was reminded once again that CONNECTION IS KEY. Without connection with our students, there is no trust. Without trust, there is no learning. I am inspired (as the busiest and potentially most stressful time of the school year comes upon us) to redouble my efforts and deepen the connections I have to my students and their families. It's an investment that deserves my best efforts because the dividends of doing so are invaluable.

Our students aren't the only ones that we should be reaching out to and digging deeper in an effort to build relationships. Likewise, it is essential that we educators connect with each other. Connection is knowing you're not alone. You have a "family" to share in the journey. And the journey is about making a difference in the lives of kids.

Kudos to Shawna, Karen, and Taylor for rearranging lessons to incorporate STEM Friday!

You just never know when an old bicycle wheel is going to illustrate a
new way of thinking about technology!
Thanks to Jenny for the shout out on Instagram during my presentation.

I have yet to find a profession whose people are more willing to share their ideas and inspirations with their colleagues than education. We don't consider this important business of changing the world by investing in children as a competition where our strategies and successes are to be guarded and only kept for the benefit of the students within our own classrooms. WE CARE ABOUT KIDS PERIOD. So there is this magnificent freedom to disperse anything and everything that might encourage and help our colleagues because we know it will positively impact that many more young lives and make this world a better place. Ergo, we experience an incredible sense of joy when we share our inspirations because we know that great outcomes will result at multiple levels in a variety of places!
<<Click here for bonus view of STEM presentation!>>

So glad to be able to share my vision statement
as a reminder of why we do what we do. Thanks for your
tweet, Ms. Taylor.  Congratulations on winning the door prize!

I was so pleased to see the awesome early childhood educators that I had the pleasure of presenting to embrace sharing the joy. More than just a presentation, it was an opportunity to connect and interact... which is always better than just passive listening! We had such a fun, productive time trading ideas and practicing how to be intentional in developing problem-solving skills through implementing STEM in preschool. And you know what else? Their eagerness to post their take-aways on social media, make notes, take pictures, and share resources with their teacher friends back home had the added benefit of encouraging me. I am more convinced than ever that helping other teachers is another level of education that I should keep
engaging in whenever possible and however creatively I can.
<<Click here for my free STEM Journal resource!>>
This post is dedicated to those special people I got to meet at CYY. Thank you for helping me share the joy and committing to explore and implement new ideas that are going to develop your students into great scientific and mathematical thinkers.  You will love this creative endeavor!

I honestly can't think of a better compliment after a STEM workshop than a participant expressing that STEM is no longer scary.  Abby, you made my day! 

A Few of Our Favorite Things

I love Christmas. Wait- scratch that. I LOOOOOOOOVE Christmas! And I'm a sucker for festive trees and mantles. Turns out I'm in good company.
I am over-the-top excited to share "a few of our favorite things" as contributed by some kindred spirits that like to deck the halls as much as I do. From traditional to theme to sentimental, these friends know how to create the joy in decorating for Christmas!

I love the magic of this snow tree and the cozy fireplace by Katie Imler.  If you need decorating help, she is your answer, whatever the season!

 Part of the fun of writing this blog was categorizing and naming my contributors' creations. Check out these fun tree and mantle combos, along with some sentimental and traditional decor.

Neutral and Nice, right?  Gray is the official "go to" now and this gray and white light tree looks perfect with the family stockings.

The farmhouse vintage looking tree with mittens and ice skates along with the snowflake decked fireplace fairly shouts out that Christmas is "Snow Much Fun"!

Who doesn't enjoy a good theme tree? Starting with the top left and going clockwise, I came up with a few monikers for these themes with personality galore: "Superheroes & Santas"- I MARVEL at the cute ornaments (see what I did there?); "Holiday Hunting"- because an authentic deer antler topper is THE most original topper I've seen; "Peacocks & Presents"- I had to represent my favorite animal and blog inspiration, of course!; "Woodland Winter Wonderland"- where foxes and hedgehogs can't possibly be any more festive.

Seasonal Sentiments- I wish you could read all of the comments made about why these decorators choose to display these pieces year after year. Nativities crafted by friends and family, ornaments passed down from generation to generation, and special remembrances of epic family history were all part of the stories.

Deck the mantles with boughs of holly...or stockings, porcelain, banners, lanterns, lights... if it's important to you, then it's fair game!

Kid-tastic!  These made me smile. Snowman glitter hat on top- why not? When the kids get into it, it's win-win for sure!

Terrifically Traditional- Angels and stars are by far the most popular and traditional tree decorations. Not to mention being completely covered with lights and family-made sparkle and shine hanging from every branch.

Gloriously Gold- Glittering gold with accents and white lights was the runner up for most popular color for theme trees. It's just so classy.  I love how these families keep it comforting and welcoming by staging teddy bears and reindeer underneath.

Rosy Red Ribbons- The first place winner for color theme choice was the always bright and cheerful holiday RED! When I look at these crimson colored trees overflowing with lights and ornaments, my holiday spirit kicks up a notch. You know you've done something right with the kids have so embraced the decorating traditions that they simply have to see their classics on the tree every year! 

As I read the comments and stories these friends posted with their photos, I was struck by a recurring theme. The words "family", "special", "favorite", and "love" were repeated over and over again. Is it any wonder that so many consider this season the most wonderful time of the year? When our focus is on what brings us satisfaction and happiness, and we reflect on the people and experiences that fulfill us, we feel the joy that is meant to be part of our daily lives. That sense of peace and well-being we all long for is such a gift! I'm so thankful for a season built around celebrating the greatest gift of all- the love of my Savior. After the special tree comes down and the precious ornaments are packed away, my hope is that everyone continues to experience that love deep in their heart the whole year through. That blessing is truly MY favorite thing!

Merry Christmas! Thanks for being part of YOU CREATE THE JOY in 2017.  I am looking forward to finding more inspiration and sharing more ideas in 2018.

All aboard the Polar Express!  

I am grateful to these friends for their shared photos: Katie Imler, Kari Salsman, Renee Pace, Cassandra Juliano, Lindsay Ahart, Jennifer Hees, LaDonna Beckmeyer, Angela Wilson, Debbie English, Becky Coppock, Jessica Goss, Jennifer Wrye, Kathy Willingham, Haley Wood, Candace Bauer, Gina Atkinson, Meghan Opie,  Jenny Imler, Kris Harwood and Sandy Atwell.

Pumpkins on Parade

Hosting parties is such a fun way to bring joy to others. Especially kids. Organizing classroom parties is a creative outlet for me and a no pressure way to connect with families of students, so win-win!

I swear by having a foolproof plan for little kid parties and this is it: TRAPP. This is my own little acronym I follow to ensure an enjoyable, successful, low-stress celebration. 

T- Theme

R- Refreshments

A- Activity

P- Program
P- Photos

What does this look like when it's executed? Well, I'm glad you asked! Autumn is here and provides a perfect opportunity to show how TRAPP works. Introducing "Pumpkins on Parade"!

Who doesn't love a good theme party? Honestly, I don't trust anyone that doesn't! Theme is huge and really what inspires everything else. Kids love pumpkins and we do science/math/sensory/literacy activities using them in class, so celebrating with them is a natural culmination.

Refreshments are easily what people remember most at a party and coordinating snacks with the theme is mega fun for this Pinterest addict. I have pretty strong feelings concerning party food. I mean, if you can't appreciate cute, kid-approved theme snacks, then we can't be friends...ha! And you know what? Families are happy to donate ingredients and supplies when they know what you need and are given the chance to contribute. I always involve them in this process.

Wrapping little cutie oranges in tissue paper to look like pumpkins is a fun snack.

Having an activity for kids to do with their parents at the party is essential. The doing/playing/creating during a party allows parents to connect with their kids. I love engineering that! I always do as much organizing and prep work in advance as possible because the key to a successful party is smooth transitions. The students have a memory art piece they have created in class to give to their family at the party and then we are on to playing a simple game or making an easy craft project. A word about memory art: Anytime you can remind parents that you appreciate them and invite their support is a plus. Handprint, poem, or personality- driven art projects that go on display in their home and eventually make their way into child memory boxes accomplish that for sure.

Another word here, this time about the activity: Games do not have to be wild to be fun and projects do not have to be complicated to be precious. I have been to classroom parties that are out of control and it's not enjoyable- it's stressful. Likewise, projects need to be at the students' ability level or they will not finish it or create a mess trying to do so, which also stresses-me-the-heck-out. This is where trying the activity ahead of time and advance prep work come in handy. I do love Pinterest, but I've had my share of epic flops from things I pinned that looked 'so easy'. Better to find out what doesn't really work on my own time than in a room full of parents and excited kids in front of God and everybody, know what I mean? That way you can make changes beforehand to ensure everything goes smoothly at the party.

'Punch the Pumpkin' is a perfect low-key game with guaranteed winners when each cup has a gift inside.

Program and pictures are the last party aspects to discuss. Program is a pretty broad term for the song or skit the kids will perform but it fit for my acronym, so there you go. Parents LOVE watching their kids in action and anytime you can give your students a chance to get up in front of an audience and share you should. One cannot overemphasize the importance of this skill. Why not practice it during this time when they're motivated to show off and have fun? Which brings us to our final P...photos. Is taking pics classified as a love language yet? I feel like it should be!  I always set up a photo prop area where families can stage pics at the party. I act as photographer if the family wants to be together for a photo. I love seeing family photos from our party posted on social media because it serves as evidence that a connection was indeed made at our celebration and we had an awesome time together. Mission accomplished!

One last word on transitions because in case you haven't picked up on it, they're kind of a big deal. The agenda at the party doesn't necessarily follow the TRAPP order. Here is the party agenda I prefer to follow:
1) Start with the program. Kids can already be in position when guests enter the room and the performance begins the party with a bang!
2) Students pass out their memory art and sit with their family during the game/activity explanation. Then they are in position to actually do the activity together.
P.S. Always have someone besides you know what is going on at the party so they can help pass out supplies and field questions.
3) Eating refreshments after the activity is a good plan in case the activity takes longer than you think. I like to have some snacks packaged in a way that is convenient for kids to take with them and have later.
4) While eating or when finished, guests can take photos at their leisure. I make sure they know to sign out when they are ready to leave, have party favors at the door, and encourage them to share their pics on our class facebook page. And it's a wrap!
Do you have any fantastic class party themes or party formulas you swear by? I hope you'll share them with me. Let's hear how you create the joy!

Create and Appreciate

I have a new mantra these days...'create and appreciate'. I've come to realize that the level of satisfaction and fulfillment I feel in my life is directly proportional to the amount of creativity I am engaged in. When I feel a cloud of gloom hanging over my head, it's almost always because I haven't been exercising my creativity often enough or in a meaningful way. It doesn't have to be a huge project. Just making something that I can sense made a difference to someone else is all it takes to invigorate and refresh my outlook.

Similarly, when I start to feel jaded or sorry for myself because my life isn't perfect, (why do I still have that ridiculous expectation?),  I can almost bet it is because I haven't spent an appropriate amount of time reflecting on my blessings and showing appreciation for people that enrich my life. The truth is that all around us there are people that contribute to our ability to function and enjoy living, and it behooves us to recognize them and honor them for the role they play in blessing us.

Know what's really amazing? When I get to create and appreciate at the same time! (Hence the post title!) It's like a megaboost of energy to the spirit. I really believe that is how we human beings are designed. That we would be lifted up when we lift up others.  I'd like to take this opportunity to share my latest spirit boost in hopes that it triggers an idea to help when you are facing dreary doldrums or the get invited to the inevitable pity party that sneaks up on the best of us.



Chalkboard art is always in season. My sister
rocks at artistic writing! Add in some
artificial apples, pinecones, and berries...
and a theme is born. 

Like many churches, the church I attend observes October as Pastor Appreciation Month. One of the things we like to do is set up a display to collect notes, cards, and gifts that church members offer to each leader as tokens of their gratefulness for the love, support, and time these pastors devote to their congregation.  It needs to be eye-catching and functional so it can serve as a reminder each Sunday of our commitment to recognize these special people for their impact and encourage them in word and deed so they are strengthened and validated in their calling. Setting up the display with my PCM (Partner in Chaos Management) husband Mike and my best friend Renee (who also happens to be my sister) helped me realize the vision of creating, while the appreciating attitude came from expressing my gratitude in a tangible way. It's a powerful duo I'm telling you!

If you read my blog very much you know I'm a big fan of before and after pics, so no surprise that I'll be sharing those! I think the reason why I love transformation and decor so much is because I like to feel that I'm adding beauty to the world, not taking away from it, you know?

BEFORE- We start with a nice table and signage for the event.
Then we head to our storage unit and garage for all things rustic
and autumn!

AFTER- I get all the fall feels looking at this! 
Makes you want to break out the apple cider and a warm blanket, yeah?

Each pastor has a container for cards/gifts.  The large tin is to hold
the notecards and pens so people can write their messages on site.
Mixing materials like fabric, tin, wood, and flowers makes it interesting.

Doesn't this look cozy? Renee found these
wool scarves at after season prices last year
and nabbed them up. They work perfect with
our colors and contrast nicely with the wood
and metal.

Mums should be declared the official flower of fall, am I right?
 We used crocks, apple baskets, and wooden crates as our
planters (Mike is a MASTER at auction finds like these)
because terracotta uniformity is boring. Variety is
the spice of life!  

Obviously, the part that makes this all worth while is being able to give back in a small way to some people I greatly respect and admire.  I'm of the opinion that if you limit yourself to the Thanksgiving holiday to be grateful for your blessings, you have short-changed yourself on living abundantly the rest of the year.  Others have missed out on some vital encouragement that could have inspired them had you passed it on. The way you create and appreciate doesn't have to be decorating or volunteering at your church (although I highly recommend it).  You add to the beauty of the world in your own way. And when you do, expect a spirit boost that makes you glad you did. I still believe you create the joy that makes your life better!

  

Free to Teach What Matters Most

"I don't know how you do it."

Seems like I've been told this about a thousand times! This is often the reaction I get from people in other professions when they find out I'm an elementary teacher. I always laugh at that and tell them I'm never bored. I mean, the stories I have courtesy of my experiences in the classroom are, well- you can't make that stuff up. That's just working with kids, right? But I can't leave it at that;  I immediately launch into my "rewarding calling" explanation because I. LOVE. TEACHING.

There's so much joy and fullfillment in this calling. It's more than a job, it's my mission. It's the way I choose to make a difference in the world and share God's love. I know many of my fellow teachers in the faith have that same desire. And the best part? We don't have to only teach in a Christian school to be able to share what matters most with our students.

A few times I've heard comments from Christian friends wondering how I can teach in a public school without feeling limited or censored in my faith. If you approach it from a deficit mindset about what you can't do or say, I suppose it could feel very restrictive. I choose to view it from the perspective of what I am free to do and how I can creatively seek out ways to share the abundant life with my students and colleagues. That mindset leads me to embrace specific opportunites to carry out my mission to impact others on a daily basis. Here are just a few of those freedoms I'm privileged to share:

1) Free to show acceptance
Throughout the entire school year we have a chance to cultivate the spirit of acceptance of others as we build community in the classroom. By constantly valuing the role each student has as a learner and contributor and by encouraging empathy, we are living out the example of what it means to an integral part of Christ's kingdom. He accepts us as we are and we belong to Him. This belonging and connectedness is a powerful need we all share and our Father delights in seeing this fulfilled as we lead our students in cooperating, collaborating, serving one another, and treating others as we would like to be treated. Each class member is accepted- just as we have experienced the ultimate acceptance as heirs with Christ.

2) Free to extend grace and mercy
How many times have I needed Jesus to wipe the slate clean so I could start over? Too many to count. As His followers, we rejoice in His mercies being new each day. As teachers, we have the opportunity to extend grace to our students each day. Kids are going to make mistakes. They are going to misbehave. They are going to make poor choices (just as we all do).  We get to communicate the power of the grace and mercy of God's love when we let them have a clean slate each morning. Because of our forgiveness experience, we know how to let go of grudges. To allow our students to learn from their mistakes. To show them that while we may not be able to save them from natural consequences, we can love them unconditionally and offer second chances because of the beautiful gift of grace showered on us daily by a loving Savior.

3) Free to celebrate our place in His creation
Our students, these special human beings entrusted to our care for nine months of the year, were created by His will and for His glory to worship Him. Each one is uniquely gifted to live a life that praises Jesus. One of the things that excites me the most as a teacher is being on the journey with students as they discover their gifts and abilities. Sometimes kids have challenges that make that discovery hard or become discouraged along the way. They need the person they spend the most waking hours with during the week (that would be their teacher!) to resource them, guide them, hold them accountable, and inspire them to claim their potential. They need to develop their skills and talents and unleash their creativity as they realize how they make this world a better place. God has blessed us to be an influential force in helping them claim their place and purpose in this life- the ultimate worship of pleasing their Creator! What an extreme joy to be part of the discovery journey and celebrate the becoming as they grow.

As Christ followers, we have a deeply embedded desire for our students to experience the peace and love of a life lived for Him. This year, my hope is that we all exercise our freedom to let our daily teaching lives- our routine decisions, our attitudes and mindsets, our words of correction and instruction, our calling-  be the means of translating the love of God for His children and helping them grasp and keep close to their hearts what matters most.