“Believing that life interruptions—divine interruptions—are a privilege not only causes us to handle them differently but to await them eagerly.” ― Priscilla Shirer, Life Interrupted This fall did not go as planned. It is that simple. This fall has been a messy series of unfortunate events that have rocked our world. There have been mental health struggles for our oldest, an accidental burn for our youngest, a scary mammogram for me, a stomach bug that won't end, challenging new jobs for both Luke and I, and health problems in our extended family have caused a change in our normal. But, you know what? I am choosing to look at them as divine interruptions.
God has a plan for our lives that we do not know and must learn to trust. That is the life list item I am getting to learn right now. It wasn't planned, but it is deeply present in our daily lives. Our current reality is too big to be a little moment. Rather, it is a season to reflect on the blessings and challenges that we have been given in a new light. It is opportunity to reassess how time and energy are being spent. The life list is still here, but for right now, it is on hold so that my heart can grow and my faith can too. One of the greatest lessons that I have learned this fall is the idea of Sabbath. Our church ran a series on the importance of taking a day off each week to do fill our souls. (Check it out here: Link). This past month and a half, taking a sabbath has been the saving grace in my life. It provides rest for the weary, fills my bucket when I make art, preserves my relationships with my kids, husband, family and friends. I have made a ton of small art pieces on these days, taken naps, and watched movies. Tomorrow we head out of town to go to Disneyland as a family and spend quality time in each others company. Rather than having expectations about what this trip will include, I am looking forward to practicing being present and enjoying each of the moments we are together. There may not be a million rollercoaster rides (I'm sure there will be plenty) but there will be authentic moments to connect over ice cream, rented movies, swimming, and hugs. May your fall be filled with God's blessings. I know ours has.
0 Comments
"The classroom should be an entrance into the world, not an escape from it."-John Ciardi Spring in schools is always a hard time. There is state testing, the kids are getting riled up for summer break, and there are events nearly every day ranging from field day to awards to final projects. This year, this busy time has been compounded by the looming move from my current classroom into the newly remodeled building that has been paid for by the bond issue. We have packed up all spring--my classroom, 2 store rooms, a maker space, and a fellow teachers room. Every spare minute has been spent purging, organizing and packing. Late nights and weekends have been spent trying to get it ALL done. But today, the busy became worth it when I walked into this!
There are no words to fully express the joy I had when I saw this room. New possibilities leaped into my heart and mind and a deep sense of gratitude for my community filled the deepest parts of my soul. This room is 40+ years old and use to leak all winter. Now, exhaust fans silently regulate the new AC as the beautiful cupboards all stay closed without duct tape! The marathon is nearly over and this room holds a bright future! It is enough for today! "You live for the fight when it's all that you've got"-Bon Jovi Yesterday around lunch, I got a text "Got Bon Jovi Tickets--want to go?" My reply: "YES!" Twenty four hours later, I met Luke, Blake and Julie and we headed down to Pepsi Center to see this legendary band.
The concert was AMAZING! There were so many reasons why! 1. It was Blake's first concert. Over the past several years, we have debated when he would be "old enough" to actually enjoy it. Today seemed like the right time and he had a blast! 2. Today would have been my grandma's 90th birthday. As a kid, my cousins and I were the "hotshots" and did shows on her back steps. The closing song on nearly every performance was "Livin' on a Prayer" so it made me smile and think of her when this song came around. 3. Club level tickets are amazing--lots of space in the seats and not as many people. We also had a straight shot of Jon Bon Jovi's rear end which was pretty impressive. (now his hair was another story....) 4. Life has been throwing a lot of stress my way, so it was amazing to just let go, sing like no one was listening and dance like no one was watching. A cold beer, good music, and two of my favorite guys helped fill my heart up once again too! This wasn't a planned spot on my list, but I left with such joy I decided it counted as a life list experience. I hope Blake looks back fondly years from now on his first concert and smiles too! "A Symphony is no joke." -Johannes Brahms Music as a huge part of my life growing up. Each Sunday morning in church, I loved to open up the Lutheran Book of Worship and read the music as beautiful hymns filled our church. I participated in choir from early elementary school until I graduated. I played the French Horn in band and the Trombone (with keys!) in jazz band. I loved the creative release that music brand to my heart. My parents exposed us to a huge variety of musical experiences each year as they splurged to buy tickets to the community concerts that came to our small rural county.
Once I left home, music slowly left my life. As I worked through college, I no longer had the time to partake in this joy and as my career began free time was not around to find a place for music. Over the years, music has slowly become an occasional song on the radio and a dance party in the kitchen. Well, tonight that changed and I am so glad it did! I won tickets to the Colorado Symphony by sharing a like on Facebook from Mindspark Education. After a long week at parent conferences, I wasn't sure I really wanted to go, but decided to push through my hesitation to have a date night with Luke. When we arrived at the concert hall, we turned in our vouchers and our clerk asked what seats we wanted. I had no idea--I had never been to a symphony. I told her to pick for us and she suggested Dress Circle two so that we could watch the pianists hands as he played. Sounded good to us! The first half of the concert featured Rachmaninoff's Concerto Number 2 for piano. Before the piece even began, I was in awe of what I didn't know. The concert master came out to tune the band and I wondered what that was all about. When the conductor and pianist came to the stage, the room erupted--it was near magic. Then the music began and my heart filled with joy and my face erupted into a smile that went from ear to ear. Suddenly all of those childhood memories of music came back and I fell into a gentle pattern of appreciating each beat and the lyrical melodies that filled the concert hall. During intermission, Luke and I both were in awe of what we had just experienced. We both wondered why we had never thought to do this before--it was amazing. The second half of the concert featured "The Right of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky. Before the symphony began playing, the conductor told the audience that it would sound like these two pieces were from different universes and very different times, but in reality had been written a mere 10 years apart. He then proceeded to have the musicians demonstrate how the composer had layered simple melodies strategically to make a master piece that would leave us on edge. The piece began and we went on a 40 minute adventure into Russia and by the end, I was exhausted. They complicated layers of the music had left you on edge. It was amazing. I can't wait to go back to they symphony! It was a great adventure! Want to hear the tunes? Click HERE! “Losing yourself does not happen all at once. Losing yourself happens one no at a time.” -Shondra Rhimes, Year of Yes:How to Dance it out, Stand in the Sun and Be your own Person Last year, I read Shonda Rhime's brilliant book Year of Yes:How to Dance it out, Stand in the Sun and Be your own Person. She realized that she was losing out on a lot of living (and herself) by saying no all the time. So she pushed herself to say yes for a year. Although, not ready to take that challenge on fully, I did consciously decide that as I work on my life list, I would say yest to new experiences as much as possible. Well, today a chance to say yes and have a new experience walked in my door.
At the beginning of class, a student walked in and offered me a cookie. I decided to say sure. It's Friday and chocolate sounded like a need rather than a want. When the aluminum foil peeled off the plate, he asked again if I wanted a cookie. Looking at the plate, I suddenly realized that the joke was on me--the cookies had a little bonus in addition to the much desired chocolate--crickets had been added. Now, a couple of weeks ago, I would have been quick to say "No thank you" and laugh politely. Great joke. But today, instead of going to my instant no, I said, "why not?" I grabbed a cookie, took a bite, and thoroughly grossed out the teen girl in front of me. How was it? The taste was pretty meh. It was really like having a nut in a cookie. No big deal. In terms of experiencing life, it was amazing! It was the first time in a long while that I felt like I was living in the moment rather than living in the life of "should do". It was freeing (and fun to watch my teammate freak out when I said I'd eaten the cookie. It wasn't an experience I had planned on having on my list, but I am so grateful, I took the chance and said yes. I found a small piece of myself (being adventurous) with this one little word and that is the life I want to experience. |
AuthorAlmost 40 and tired of the treadmill, I am going to LIVE each day as a new adventure while finishing todo items on my life list. Mom, wife, teacher, geek! Archives
May 2020
Categories
All
|