All ya need is...

What is the one thing that everyone is missing?  Think globally...the one thing that makes all other challenges tolerable.  The Beatles tell us that "All Ya Need Is Love."  While I agree that love is vitally important, I feel that there is something else that is lacking.  Peace.  As we revisit the Christmas story, we are reminded that this is why Christ came.  To bring Peace.  Yes, he came so that we, as sinners, could have salvation from our sin...but with that, I assure you, comes peace.  An all-consuming peace that passes all understanding.  The kind of peace that provides comfort in the midst of turmoil...infuses your heart with added joy...cradles you in sleep.  Ironically, we are reminded of this beautiful peace during what has become the most hectic time of year.  Stores are overcrowded with less-than-happy people spending more than they have...and don't forget the parking lots of those stores...scary.  Roadways are packed with people trying to reach family and friends...drivers nerves become frazzled...children are anxious to get to their destination.  Students are cramming for finals and other semester exams...willing themselves to remember all they have learned during the past few months.  Families who have fallen on hard times sit broken...wishing they could provide their children with a little extra during the holidays...but struggling to scrape enough together to keep the heat on.  War...seemingly everywhere.  Winter storms.  So much more.  What's missing?  Peace.  This holiday season, whatever situation you find yourself in, I wish you peace.  Not a temporary peace...but an everlasting peace.  I pray that you find it and never let it go.  If you would like to hear more about how Christ can give you the gift of peace this season, find a local church and ask someone how you can pick up your free gift this Christmas.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

Isaiah 9:6-7
⁶ For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end.

You're a mean one...

Semester Tests.  Just the mention of these dreaded exams envelops the room with a sense of doom. Students get nervous and stressed out about what will happen to their average based on this one grade.  Will they be off the naughty list and back in mom and dad's good graces?  Will they end up grounded for the majority of their holiday vacation? Who knows...it is indeed one of life's greatest mysteries.  What is rarely discussed is the teacher's anxiety during these exams.  Not only do they reflect on the students...they are a picture of how well the teacher has done his or her job thus far.  I often feel like the Grinch.  It is as if I am stealing the holiday joy from my students.  There will be no Christmas for you if you don't pass this big, ugly, comprehensive test I have created for you! I have an inner dialogue continually racing through my mind. Did I do a good job explaining the subtext in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath?  Do they understand the difference between Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets? Will they ever be able to identify gerunds?!?!?  These are the questions that keep folks like me up at night.  Much like the Grinch, we "puzzle and puzzle til [our] puzzler[s] are sore."1  

I am optimistic.  I choose to believe that my students are going to do beautifully on their exams next week and that we all will enter into our Christmas break with happy hearts and a sense of accomplishment. No one's shoes will be too tight...everyone's hearts are the sizes they should be...and everyone's heads are properly screwed on. I am not a meanie...seriously.  I love roast beast.

1  The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Silence is Golden

I have always been taught, "If you don't have something worthwhile to say--don't say anything at all."  This has served me well throughout my life.  I have learned to keep smart remarks to myself, not interrupt others (though I do still struggle with this a bit), and build people up instead of tear them down.  I am constantly amazed at the number of people, however, who were not taught this rule of thumb. No matter where you go, you hear things that are better left unsaid.  Here are a few guidelines to follow based on my own personal experiences:

1.  Unless you know the person very well and the conversation is taking place in an isolated location, there is no need to discuss any embarassing medical conditions.  It is very uncomfortable to be trapped in the checkout line with a stranger talking to you about why they have three different types of laxitives in their cart.

2.  It is never appropriate to speak negatively about someone in public.  Just because you can't hear anyone other than the person you are talking to on your cell phone while pushing your cart through Wal-Mart (most often loudly), doesn't mean that everyone else can't hear you.  The very person you are speaking about or one of their family members/friends could be on the next aisle.  Not to mention the fact that, from now on, every time I meet someone with the same name as the one you are speaking about I will wonder if they are in fact that person.  I will be distracted by this quandry and most likely walk away having heard nothing this person has said to me.  Save negative talk for a quiet, isolated location....or, better yet, don't speak negatively at all.

3.  The very word "intimate" implies privacy.  Therefore, if you feel the need to discuss something that would fall under the category of intimate with someone other than the person sharing said intimacy....don't.  The world does not need to know.  It is exceedingly awkward to be in a conversation like that.  I do not need inappropriate images seared into my brain that will come lurching forward every time I see you/talk to you from that point forward.  So, please, keeps those little gems to yourself.


I hope that no offense is taken by these examples...not my intention.  Perhaps this is one of those times that I should have kept my "mouth" shut....but I was willing to risk it.  As long as you remember to speak kindly and thoughtfully, you should rarely run into trouble. :)

Are you a sticker or a band aid?

There is so much hurt in the world.  It is all around us.  You can watch it on the news...read it in the paper...see it standing next to you in the checkout line.  Each of us has a choice when faced with hurt.  We can be a sticker...or a band aid.  Some choose to be a sticker.  They add to the hurt with unkind words, judgement, and apathy.  Their sharp, prickly behavior digs in and compounds the existing injury.  Others choose to be a band aid.  They soothe, protect, and heal.  Their compassion aids and encourages the wounded.  Our words have power.  I do not think it is a coincidence that Bible mentions the tongue 113 times.  There are many more verses that refer to the wisdom of silence without directly referencing the tongue. Here are a few examples. 

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence." Prov 10:11
"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." Prov 10:19
"Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but he who is trustworthy remains silent." Prov 11:12
"Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin." Prov 13:3

What will you choose?  The next time you encounter hurt, will you be a sticker...or a band aid?

Fact vs Fiction

This week, a very popular video game focused on military combat released its latest version.  **Let me pause and say that I am married to a man who plays video games...some are much like the one released this week...and I am not wishing to imply that I think these games are wrong.**  I teach junior high and high school boys.  They have been talking about this game for weeks.  Some of them camped out on a school night to make sure that they had it the day it came out.  Once they acquired the game, all they could do was talk about its greatness, compare notes, and make plans for their all-night game fest to be held this weekend.  If only they were this enthusiastic about their school work!  I would like to share with you a piece of a conversation I had yesterday with some of those students.

Boys: Mrs. S, did you get the new game this week? 
Me: No, I didn't.
Boys: Do you even play video games?
Me: I play a mean game of Tetris, but that is about it. My husband plays them though.
Boys: Does he like this new game?
Me: Yes, he enjoys military games.
Boys: Awesome! The graphics in this one are sick! The guys really look dead when you shoot them!
Me: I am glad you are enjoying your new game.  However, have you thought about the fact that, for some people, that kind of situation isn't a game?  It is their real job.  Soldiers risk their lives for the people of this country, including you, on a daily basis.  And, in real combat, there isn't a restart button. 
Boys: ..........

The silence was epic.  I went on to tell them about my family members in the armed forces.  How my grandfather served in the Army, was injured in battle, and was so affected by what he experienced that he wouldn't speak of it...even to our family.  How my cousin missed the birth of his first child earlier this year because he was serving in Afghanistan.  I shared with them the very real tragedy of PTSD and how it can impact soldiers and their families for the rest of their lives.  Thankfully, they listened.  they began to share about the veterans in their own families.  I watched them start to put a few more pieces of their "life puzzle" together as they realized that combat isn't just a video game.  That is a pretty cool experience...gives me chills every time I get to witness it.  I hope they left my room that day with a new-found respect for the soldiers they portray in their game.

Soldiers make great heroes, because they are real people...who have chosen to give more than they receive.  Thank you, veterans, for your great and sacrificial service to our country.     

We The People

I love to vote.  It is one of my greatest joys in life.  The feeling I get when I step into the ballot box, cast my vote, and walk out with my super cool "I Voted" sticker is almost euphoric.  We, as citizens, have the opportunity to impact change.  That is, in a word, awesomesauce.  I take very seriously my responsibility as a voter.  I study the state questions carefully...research the candidates...and attend town hall meetings.  I watch the returns with great anticipation and cheer when the outcomes reflect my votes.  I had my voter registration card filled out and ready to submit the day I turned 18.  I believe it is vital that young people clue in and pay attention to what is going on our country/the world...even if they are not yet old enough to vote.  What is happening in Washington and state capitals has such a direct impact on them!  I got to have an amazing conversation today with a group of high school students who will get to vote for the very first time in next year's presidential election.  They are excited, interested, and intelligent.  Wooo-to the-hooo!!!  It was so encouraging to spend time in meaningful, political conversation with the future of our country!!  I choose to believe that they are not the exception.  Take a cue from my rock star students...pay attention and get involved!  If you choose not to vote, you give up your voice.  I don't know about you, but I hate it when other people try to speak on my behalf. Parents, talk with your kids about the things happening in the world.  And be prepared....you might learn something in the process. Your vote is your voice...so speak up!!

I have a dream...

I teach a foreign language to junior high and high school students…I teach English.  In my English III class, which looks at American literature, we have been talking about dreams--the dreams of a people wanting to rise up against tyranny and oppression to create a new nation; the dreams of a people seeking to be acknowledged and respected as equals; the dreams of people seeking adventure in new and undiscovered territories.  We have discussed how it is important to lift up our comrades and help them achieve their dreams. Today, I had them write about their own dreams, big and small.  What do they aspire to accomplish…how do they plan to accomplish it…how can we be an encouragement to you as you work to accomplish it?  As they often do, they asked me the same question.  “What is one of your dreams Mrs. S?”   I could have shared some of the more obvious and “grown-up” dreams—to have a family, build a home, get out of debt—but, in a desire to bolster those who have what they consider to be lesser dreams, I shared a special dream…one that is very real and significant to me.  I will now share that dream with you.

I desperately want to be on Wheel of Fortune.  I watch it every evening…and I am good at it.  I get angry at the contestants when they ask for absurd letters…or spin for more money on a prize puzzle when the answer is obvious…or spend money on obvious vowels.  I dream about the sparkly million dollar wedge and whether I would risk it all in the mystery round. I.Love.That.Show. 

After sharing this dream with my students…they laughed and called me a “word nerd.”  Perhaps I need to spend some time tomorrow discussing the definition of the word encouragement.   :/

New Adventures

The past couple of years have been chalked full of new adventures in my life--new husband, new job, new town.  I have pondered the idea of sharing my adventures, questions, opinions, etc. with the masses in a forum like this for a while, but convinced myself that no one would be interested and I would be writing to the void.  Recently, I decided...so what! If the only person to see this is my husband (I believe that there was something about blogging in our wedding vows), then so be it.  Writing is good, free medicine...and we all know how difficult that is to find.  So, off I go. I don't have a specific "theme" for this blog...I imagine it will be somewhat of a Seinfeld of blogs...and I am ok with that.  I will most likely share interesting classroom experiences, funny things about myself and the crazy questions I am constantly asking, and general observations of the world.  About the title.  I had many catchy blog title ideas...that others had apprently already come up with.  So, I went to one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite people.  Albert Einstein was one ridiculously intelligent and cooky dude...I like him...a lot.  I love how he said what he thought and didn't worry so much about backlash. My favorite quote, listed below, is one that I have claimed as a teacher, but also applies to so many other aspects of life.  I hope it speaks to you as it does to me...after all, do we really want fish in trees?

"Everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." Albert Einstein