This Mother's Day I'm realizing that there a few wise lessons my mother's has instilled in me that I've not only actually fully embraced and lived by, but have begun to pass along to others as well. I think I've almost always lived by them to some degree but as I teacher I find myself instilling this same wisdom into my students and I am more and more realizing the undeniable truth behind them. So, here we go. I will be forever thankful that my mother taught me to: 1. Always have gratitude. She taught this by reminding me to always write thank you notes no matter how big or small the gift. At first it was annoying and tedious. I'd be bored as I wrote but I always realized that by the end, I actually enjoyed writing thank you's. I can't explain it other than to say that it just made me smile. Right now one of my students is writing about how "being kind makes you feel better and also makes others feel better." Well, I've realized that gratitude works the same way. Expressing your gratitude makes you a more truly grateful and, in turn, a more joyful person. 2. Mind your own business.
My mom would always, and still does, say that people just need to mind their own business. She definitely borrowed this one from the Apostle Paul (1 Thess. 4:11) but take a minute and think about how important this is. Everyday I tell my students, "If you people would just mind your own business you wouldn't have so many problems." How true is that for the world in general too? 3. Be kind, there's never a reason to be mean. Pretty self-explanatory. 4. Listen to the voice inside of you. When I was a kid my mom would tell me to listen to the voice inside that's telling me that something about whatever situation I'm in doesn't feel right or safe. It was her way of teaching me how to protect myself. I never understood where that voice came from or how it got inside of me, but I realize now that her teaching me this set the groundwork for my understanding of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit counsels, corrects, and protects us. I've realized that when I allow the Spirit to do his job my fear is gone and I find myself in the exact place I need to be.
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Author4th grade teacher. Writer. Justice-seeker. Encourager. CrossFitter. John 11:40. Archives
July 2017
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