What Drives You?

Stop and ask yourself.. What Drives Me? Why do I do what I do? Is it for the money, is it for the love of the task at hand, is to impress others? I think that there are things in life that you have to stop and ask yourself,"Why am I doing this?" I always seem to default back to running, but it has become a true passion. One of those things that you look for. Look for what makes you smile in the thing that you are doing. I have become to look forward to the end of the day because I know that with the end comes running. I can then run and forget all the world for about an hour or so... It allows me to stop and forget the crazy around me and just focus on me. Focus on what my body can do and what God has blessed me with. You know that you need it. We all do, be honest. You dont take time for yourself and you need to. Whether it is running, biking, treadmilling, walking... whether it is knitting, reading, working on computer, designing... FIND THE PASSION AND STOP FOR YOURSELF. You have to. I have seen that with me and my life that running is that drive. The feeling of a runner's high is nothing that can be described... Meeting a goal of the fastest mile you have ever run... I am honest... Right now in school I am struggling to find the smile. With all of the paperwork, report cards to fill, notes to take, grades to write down in all kinds of places, children to keep calm, parents to talk to, and emotions to swallow. It is hard. I educate children and make them hoefully successful citizens in life. That is my real job. To have them leave my class with more knowledge than they came with... And days like today to see them in their elements: playing outside, running the school race, being with their friends are things that bring tears to my eyes as they are growing up and they are becoming young men and women. But stop and think; in both of my passions I have a love. You have to have a drive in what you do. If you don't, then find a new passion!

Body Art: Art or A reminder...

First I am posting this just to see what reaction and response I get... This is something that I have been thinking about lately and am beginning to ponder the thought of body art. Now some say tattoos, some say body art, what ever you call it, it is what it is. Yes some may take it offensively, so say it is trashy, some may think it is art. Me personally I have nothing against it. I am not the one to say what you put on your body is my choice, it is that: YOUR CHOICE. Therefore I am not criticizing body art, when in fact, I am intrigued each day more and more with it. So here is the million dollar question to those who are tattooed or not tattooed... Do you see your body art just as that, or do you see it as a reminder of something? I have to be honest, the more I am beginning to run I am seeing myself wanting a tattoo. I want someting as a daily reminder to keep going, keep running, keep perservering. Which is why I have thought seriously about a tattoo on my foot of perserverance. That way each day that I put shoes on I will see it. See it as a reminder to perservere in life, whether it be in running, life struggles, or daily routines. I dont want it in a place that I can't see it, because then you don't have the reminder... We are told in the Bible that we are to push through, perservere in our walk with Him. Romans 5:3-5 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Ponder the thought: If you saw something everyday as a reminder does it make you strive to move closer to that goal. Running, Weight loss, a closer walk with Christ... So just a thought for the day...

You Want Me to do What?

As a teacher I have been required to read a book called Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew. As I read and catch up on the reading for our meeting I have realized sadly that I may fall under the category of those who sometimes always instill the "cant's" in children. Now don't get me wrong it's not on purpose. I don't have a dream that all children can't do certain things, but I wonder if I just don't have enough confidence in them and their abilities. I have had children with autism in my classroom and have fallen deeply madly in love with them! I love their zealous of life, their inability to see things as cant's, their true unconditional love!

Two children in particular come to mind and they always have a spring in their step. One student was in my classroom and the other spends time during recess with us. I love both of them as they run to me with arms wide open wanting that daily hug..."Hi Mrs. McDonald!" They always say hello with a smile on their faces, and seem to be carefree.

So when we as society place labels on them as oh they won't be able to.... Or I hate that they will never...we need to stop and realize that If we continue to think that about them they will live to those expectations. If you know me you know that I have HIGH expectations for my children in my classroom and I have learned that in 10 years what you expect of them is what they will do! Just minimal expectations will get you minimum work, high expectations will produce high work effort! Turn the can't do's into can do's.

So whether you teach, work for a business, or own a business have high expectations and watch them soar!

Addictions...

Ok first I must apologize for not being a good blogger since the end of December.... Since then though lots has somewhat changed internally...mentally and physically.

Many of you know that in August I began running. I never had run before. I was the type who had danced for 15 years, went back and taught for another 8, but never had I run before. Then my friend Ashley Ruff mentioned that we should try this 5k group was starting at Fleet Feet in Greenville. I was hesitant at first but I thought I would at least give it a shot. We started with the group and I hated running. Yes I said it hated it. I couldn't understand why in the world anyone would ever want to run, get out of breathe, and then go back for more! I stuck with it though because things I start, I finish! When we completed our first race the Spinx 5k I sorta caught the bug. Ashley and I ran three races total all 5ks and then we were told of another opportunity. There was a 10k training group! Sign me up. I will succeed! So now we reach my first addiction. RUNNING! I love it. Just being a beginner I am not supposed to run everyday and it's killing me. I love to break through the wall and get that high of running forever. As of today 7 months later I can run 6.2 miles! Thank you Lord! I find myself wanting to run every race that is around. Next being the Reedy River and Cooper River Bridge.

I am amazed at how running takes you to a place of relaxation, crazy I know, but I just can allow an hour of my time to not focus on my issues, my stresses, and run. Run until I just can't go any more. The accomplishment at the end of a run is something that I can't explain. Which brings me to my next addiction.

Bucket list! I am not sure why but over the last few months I have gotten the urge to make a bucket list of things to accomplish in my life. Leaning to sew, learning to knit, running a half marathon, baking more, going to Vegas, going to Alaska, sky diving,.... The list could go on and on. I'm not sure if it is because I'm getting older.. Realizing that life is short and that I need to take advantage of each day....

I am amazed that God has given me the ability to conquer my first addiction and literally after ech run I thank Him for blessing me with a healthy body to run with and here's to hoping I can accomplish the bucket list which grows daily

Learning from 2000 years ago...

Experiencing a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service this year I think that the word that rings prominent is HOPE! I have to remain strong and continue to understand that I have to please Him and not others around me. That my hope has to be in Him. 2000 years ago there was a sweet baby boy who was brought to earth in a very hopeless situation. There was no place for his family to stay in their emergency situation. The only place provided was a stable. A stable with a feeding trough for a bed. Don't know about you but if I was giving birth I think that I would feel hopeless if I had to go through that process in a barn.

But give thought to it all. God knew exactly what he was doing. He had all the time in the world to choose where and when, and he choose to have the Messiah brought into our world at a very hopeless time to Mary and Joseph. Just as I heard yesterday at a service he brought hope to our world on a day when they felt no hope. We can learn from that. In our times of despair and confusion there is hope for tomorrow. We don't know where our next day will take us. We don't know what situations will arise, but live in the daily remainder that there is Hope.

We all know Jeremiah 29:11, which should bring hope to our lives. "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper your life and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future".

Checking off that list...

"Are you now trying to give God a to do list?".. This is a question that I was asked this morning. I was taken aback because in all actuality that is in fact what I was doing. I was thinking that there were things that I wanted Him to do or things that I thought He should do.

Do you find yourself being overwhelmed with list during the holidays? You have to be here, you have to be there and your list becomes longer and longer. We make lists that have lists inside of them and then one by one we cross off the things that we complete. We don't always get everything done do we? Somethings take more time than others. I think that is how God works. There are things that He wants to cross off, but he just isn't done. He has more plans for where he wants us to be spiritually. Therefore He isn't ready to cross off that thing yet. He knows the plans for our lives way before we do. He isn't here to harm us, but he doesn't promise that it will be an easy drive either. There are nice Sunday drives, then there are flat out slamming on the brake days.

So I have learned in the Sunday drives that I am to be thankful, but also when the brakes are slamming we have to be thankful. Our Daddy knows what he is doing and he loves us more than we can ever imagine.

So in our pain today friends that we are experiencing we have to be thankful and not have a to-do list for Him. He has his own to-do list and in his timing he will cross off those things, whether it brings pain or happiness. We are all made in a manner that is amazing to Him. He knows us and knows our pain and it breaks his heart also. So try to rest in the pain, if at all possible. Try to look for the smiles, try to find the peace in it.


From a Dear friend today:

"God never said all your experiences would be good. These include the experiences of pain and failure, along with spiritual, religious and victorious experiences. God can and does hit some straight licks with crooked sticks." - Unknown...and awesome.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts

A Love Letter...

Check yes or no!

How many times have we as children sent that love letter to our "love" with anticipation of it returned and a big check in the yes box? We all want to be loved and cherished. This morning I have thought about how we are loved. Where do we look for love? Remember the song, "Lookin for love in all the wrong places..." That has resonated with me. Where do I look for love? Do I look to others for their acceptance of me rather to the one who wants to be pleased?

We are loved regardless of who we are, where we live, what mistakes we make all by our Father. Our Daddy loves us and wants to show us that we are loved. Think about what small thing you enjoy from nature. Feeling a cool breeze on a fall day, summer day, or spring day I feel is God sending me a little love. He knows that is what makes me smile on the inside, therefore it is His intention to allow me to see the beauty and awesomeness of who He is.

But in your times of dispair, inability to think straight, loss of focus, or just when you need to know that you are accepted turn to God's love letter to you. Open the pages of the Bible. You will see where God is sending you a message. You know it's true! You need to hear from Him and you open to the right spot, with the right words, and you know HE IS GOD.

So today grab that love letter, open it up, read a little, and know that God has checked YES and wants you to be his one and only!

"and because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, Abba Father" Galations 4:6