I wanted to take time to reflect on my joys this week…
polka dot rain boots
bagels and coffee from Panera
a faithful friend who always points me back to Him
chilly air blown through the open window next to my desk
my first paycheck (yay!)
homemade chicken noodle soup
chatting with old friends
a lunch date with my dad
Choose joy today, sweet friends!
Without a doubt I’m my mother’s daughter. The older I get the more I realize I’m becoming like my mom. It seems like anytime we’re out in public together we have at least one person say “there’s no mistaking that you two are mother and daughter,” or something along those lines. When I went home for summer last May I was able to spend a few school days in my mom’s classroom and nearly every single one of her students told me how much I looked like her. I even got mistaken for her a couple of times!
I’m becoming like my mom in more ways than just my looks though. Not only am I following in her footsteps to become a teacher, but I’ve inherited many of her characteristics. To name a few…
I’m quiet, but I’m not a pushover.
I’m a total homebody.
I laugh at myself all the time.
I handle stress really well.
I have a mama heart.
Those are just the traits that I thought of first. I’m sure I’ll be able to look back in the future and see even more characteristics of mine that resemble her.
Which of your parents do you look the most like? Have you found yourself becoming more like your mother?
{one}
Homemade chai tea lattes are the best and so easy to make. If you’re a fan of chai tea, I definitely recommend checking these out!
{two}
I actually like getting up early for my 7:45 am and 8 am classes. Being out and about on campus before most students even wake up is peaceful. Plus, it helps that I’m asleep most nights by 11:30.
{three}
While I avoided working on my review for Foundations of Western Culture I created a few sample class newsletters. I’m such a (future) teacher nerd. I know that I’m only a sophomore, but my mind is constantly geared toward my future classroom. Would you be interested in hearing about a few of the things that I can’t wait to implement in my future classroom??
{four}
I had the best afternoon with the three year olds at work on Friday. They were all so helpful and followed directions quickly which makes for a happy “teacher.” Plus, it was glorious outside so we stayed outside on the playground for a little extra time.
{five}
Skype dates are fun. Especially when taking a break from studying (blog world meet my friend Jasmine!).
{six}
My Friday night consisted of frozen yogurt and watching Gilmore girls with my sweet friends. I adore nights like that.
May you have a great Monday as you start a new week!
“Sometimes working in a Third World Country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper. And just when I have about half a cup full of water it rains: more orphaned children from the north migrate to where I live, more abandoned and dead babies are found, more people are infected with HIV. It is enough to discourage even the most passionate and enthusiastic person……love is the reason I just keep filling up my little eyedropper, keep filling it up and emptying my ocean one drop at a time. I’m not here to eliminate poverty, to eradicate disease, to put a stop to people abandoning babies. I’m just here to love.”
~Katie Davis
I’ve read Kisses From Katie twice now and each time I was struck by this quote. The words jumped off the page and caused me to place the book down and think of the magnitude of Katie’s words.
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Katie's story, so I’ll give you a very basic background. She is a young woman in her early twenties who started teaching kindergarten in Uganda after she graduated high school. She didn’t plan to stay forever, but God broke her heart for the nation of Uganda. After a few hurdles, she found herself moving across the globe to live with the people who had forever stolen her heart. Not long after she became a mommy to a sweet Ugandan orphan and then slowly God added more orphaned girls to her family. She is not much older than me and yet she has 13 girls who call her as “mommy.” Katie also started Amazima Ministries.
I can’t say I know what it’s like to work in a Third World Country. I’ve never even been to one. I can’t say that I’ve experienced any of the cruelties that are a daily reality for Katie in Uganda. I don’t know what it’s like to care for those infected with HIV or hold an abandoned baby in my arms. But, I do know what it’s like to invest so much of myself into something and feel like nothing has changed. You feel like your work has all been in vain. It can be so disheartening when you suddenly find yourself back at square one after you just made progress. This can be manifested in many ways…
Maybe you’re a teacher and everyday this year has been a challenge. You have a student(s) that you can’t seem to reach whether it be academic or behavior challenges. You’re pouring yourself into reaching this student(s) and nothing seems to change. You feel overwhelmed and stressed.
Maybe you’re a student in college and the stress of the semester is tearing you down. On top of classes and work, you feel like you’ve overcommitted yourself. At the end of the day you sit down and wonder where all the time in the day has escaped to. You finish one major assignment to start on another one. You know you’re pursuing your passion, but you wonder if you’ll ever earn your degree.
Maybe you’re a mama who loves her children something fierce. You would do anything for your babies, but one of your littles is stretching and challenging you more than you ever imagined. As a parent, you feel defeated.
The scenarios go on and on. You feel as if you’re “emptying the ocean with an eyedropper.” You are laboring away without seeing any results. I know this is much easier said than done, but I want to encourage you to hang in there. Keep going…keep “emptying [your] ocean one drop at a time.” A drop may not seem like much, but a little is more than no change at all. Remain faithful to the job you have been given.
