Before you head to Parent/Teacher Conferences....

Being a parent is difficult.  Being a teacher is difficult.  Hmmm...wonder why this is?  Perhaps because we care so much about the same people--our kids!  Now the way we go about caring for our kids could be in different ways and the things we value might be a little different.  Our goals are the same though--we want well-adjusted kids who are kind to others and who are gaining knowledge and wisdom of the world around them.

So why am I bringing this up at the beginning of the school year?  Don't we have at least 7 or 8 weeks before that first Parent/Teacher Conference?  We sure do.  I just want to remind each other that we are on the same team, we want the same thing.   And getting the job done is hard and exhausting.  Doesn't it feel amazing when someone comments to you about how well-behaved your kids are or how smart they are or how kind they are?  Or perhaps when you do have to discipline them in public and someone says to you, "you handled that really well" or maybe they just give you a knowing smile?   Someone noticed you got it right and it felt good to have someone mention it out loud.  Teachers are people, just like us parents.  So be prepared going into Parent/Teacher Conferences with some praises for that teacher.  Maybe they go out of their way to communicate assignments to you or maybe they gave you a call to let you know that your child was struggling in a specific area and wanted to let you know.  Perhaps they haven't had any contact with you personally, but your child loves the art projects they have been doing in class or they can't stop talking about something interesting your teacher has shared.  Even if there isn't anything they have done that is particularly "extraordinary", just let them know that you appreciate them.  You appreciate their effort and acknowledge that what they do is trying at times.

We can all use a kind word now and then!

You Are More

You are more than the choices that you've made
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes
You are more than the problems you create
You've been remade

Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you new.

The song is You Are More by Tenth Avenue North.  It came on the radio this morning while I was cleaning.  And all of a sudden I found myself sobbing on the floor.  Satan loves to remind me of where I've been.  Of every little failure.  He tries to pin every little thing in my life back to how I'm less than what I should be.  And today, my Jesus reminded me so clearly that I am way more than those lies.  That my weakness shows His strength.  That my brokenness leads me to love Him and have compassion for others.  I am so much more than my choices, mistakes, and problems.  I am his lovely daughter in whom He delights.

Friend--you are more too. Let Him remind you.

Friday Five

This week's Friday Five questions are brought to you by f.riday5!

1.  What's something non-food related you have to go to a nearby town to do because the town where you live doesn't have it?

Oh my goodness--EVERYTHING!  I live in a town of approximately 700 people (doubt it's really that many!) , so if you want to go to the movies or bowling or to the mall --you have to leave to do it!  We don't even have a gas station!

2.  What's something you go to a nearby town to do because your town's version of it isn't as good?  

We recently had a very small grocery store open here in our little town.  While it's nice to have somewhere to get ice or bread or milk last minute, I do have to go to a neighboring town in order to do most of my grocery shopping.  

3.  What's something people in nearby towns come to your town to do?

Visit friends?  ha ha :) Really there is nothing here to draw people to our town.  It's just a quiet "blink and you'll miss it" kind of town. 

4.  In what way are residents of a nearby town different from residents in your town?

Well one town that is only 15 minutes away is a college town.  The people who live in my town predominantly own their own homes and have chosen to make this their life-long residence. The college town residents probably have a much higher percentage of renters and people who will move away once they finish their college education.  I also think the residents in my community enjoy a slow-paced life--that's why they live here!  Whereas I would venture to guess the residents in the college town enjoy more of the hustle and bustle.  But even the college town nearby is so small comparatively speaking to most cities in America!

5.  Many towns give themselves nicknames, like “______ Capital of America” or “America’s ___________est Town” or “Home of __________.” What would be a good nickname along these lines to give the town where you live?

I posted a facebook status a few months after we moved here that our town is "The Home of the Barking Dogs".  Seriously, on evenings when you can open up the windows, it seems like every single home has a dog and once one dog starts barking, every single dog in town decides it's time to bark too.