My Summer "OFF" -- IMHO

"It must feel great to have your WHOLE SUMMER OFF."

If I only had a dollar for every time I've heard that in just the past two days.  Scratch that. 

I'm a teacher....I'd take just a nickel for every time I've heard that, maybe even a penny.

Anywho, this is not your usual teacher rant about how irate they are when people remark about their time OFF. No, in fact, that simple statement has made me do a lot of thinking over the past couple days. So, being the English teacher that I am, I went to the dictionary to look up the denotation of the word "OFF." Here is what I found:

Definition #1 -- In all seriousness, I have come to realize that people must be referring to the first definition when they make that statement. Technically I am "off." I am away from the school for the summer (except for those times that I'm not like when I'm coaching the cheerleaders, working on my room for the following year, attending workshops to better prepare myself, etc.) But in all reality, I guess I spend more time than not away from the school during the summer. 

Definition #2 -- Now, if one were referring to the second definition, I would have to call his or her bluff. To say that I am removed from my work is the farthest thing from the truth. I just completed 10 chapters, a test, 3 written assignments, and a paper in the last 24 hours for my Masters degree that will help equip me to be a better, more influential teacher.  Furthermore, I have two huge binders sitting in my study with hundreds of handouts, lesson plans, and activities that I will be actively working on throughout my summer to organize, revamp, and modify to make sure that I am bringing my best to the table when I return to my students in the fall. As I mentioned before, I will be attending workshops to better myself and working with my students throughout the summer through cheerleading. I am constantly thinking about my students and hoping that they are doing well. Not to mention checking my email, as many of you do on your days off, to make sure that I haven't missed anything. And, yes, I'm constantly pinteresting (I admit it) to find more current ways to engage my students. I'm young, but trying to keep up with a technological generation can even tire me out.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to sleep in this summer until about 6 every morning thus far (on occasion, maybe even 7 -- gasp!). And, as many of you know, I am getting a little reprieve this summer from tutoring the Inner City children and teaching the kingdergarten Bible class with my husband on Tuesday nights. However, my to-do lists is a mile long and I'm now pushing to make-up for all those duties and people I neglected throughout the year while trying to give my 100% for my students.

So, what does my suffer OFF mean to me? I'll tell you. It means that I can now be the:

O -- other half to my marriage that I am supposed to be. I thankfully have a husband who is beyond helping and understanding. As I was trying to survive my first full-year teaching (complete with a new textbook, being cheer sponsor, and lead teacher ... which I am SO THANKFUL for all three) while taking graduate classes and completing volunteer work, he selflessly helped around the house and didn't complain when the house wasn't spotless. In fact, he did most of the laundry, cleaned the dishes, did the yardwork, and cooked on most occasions.....all while he,too, was working a full-time job, working on his doctorate, and volunteering like crazy. So, how am I spending my summer off....well, first I'm focusing on the blessing of marriage that God has so graciously afforded me and working on being the OTHER HALF that I am instructed in Scripture to be.

F - friend and family member that I am supposed to be. I love my students and want the best for them, but that has also come at a price over the past year. Instead of catching up with friends, keeping in touch with family, encouraging and praying for those around me, I have been spending countless hours perfecting my lesson plans, grading assessments so that students can get them back in due time to actually help them, coming up with more ways to engage them in class, listening to their stories of accomplishments and trials, praying for their concerns and heartaches, and overall showing them that I believe in them and that I care. So, how am I spending my summer off...well, second I'm focusing on being the friend and family member that I should have been all along. I want to share in their joys and sorrows, let them know that I care, and that I believe in them. 

F - faithful servant that I am supposed to be. I love my content and teaching the wonderful world of literature to my students. I love reading the stories that they write me and serving them on a daily basis. I love serving the Inner City and all the various volunteer projects that my husband and I undertake. However, I seemed to have gotten so busy serving that I had forgotten WHOM I was serving. I read essays to grade and give feedback to students rather than reading Scripture to grade my daily walk and provide feedback for improving my journey with Christ. I listening to my students' stories and happenings, yet I failed to provide time to listen to my Father. I talked everyone's heads off about my students and what all they were accomplishing, yet I didn't make time to talk to my Savior about his blessings on my life. I tried to give selflessly to everyone and every opportunity afforded to me, yet I didn't give enough due credit to the ONE  who gave it all for me. So, how am I spending my summer off... well, third I'm focusing on being the faithful servant that I am supposed to be. 

So, now when people remark: "It must feel great to have your whole summer OFF." All I can say is, "Yes, it does!!" Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to being:

O - other half to my husband

F - friend and family member

F - faithful servant

 

 And, I think I'm off to a great start. I've already been enjoying relaxing time with my hubby as we worked on landscape lights together, ran/biked together, went on date nights, enjoyed snuggles, etc. I have even gotten the house spotless and cooked for him two nights in a row! We also enjoyed some time with friends this past Memorial day with a cookout (complete with deer and bear meat, redneck caviar, and good ol' peach cobbler. I was also able to start attending the girls' Bible study with other young wives this week as we study how to be the women God has called us to be. God is already doing great things, and I'm just really excited about my SUMMER "OFF."

Until next time,

 

MADE AND WANTED - our profile description through Christ

Last weekend, Paul and I attended a couples' retreat with our Bible class at Paint Rock Valley Lodge. We had a wonderful time with friends as we fellowshipped with the Father. 

Aside from all the games, laughs, stories, and memories, we also had great devotions led by Adam Brewer, the youth minister at Central Church of Christ in Athens, AL. 

A few of the sentiments and gentle reminders that he expressed are not groundbreaking news to those of us who have heard it all our lives, but, for me, I suddenly heard it in a different way. So, I'd like to share some of those gentle reminders with you with a few thoughts of my own.

We are MADE and WANTED
our profile description through Jesus Christ

• We are made to GO and BE SENT.
• I have mentioned this before, but what an awesome calling we have. We were made by God and FOR God in HIS image. Furthermore, just as God sent his son Jesus to help the world, we are now being sent. I always thought it was so special that Jesus picked the twelve disciples and how important they must have felt; likewise, we are just like them. John 20:21 says, "As the Father send me, I am sending you." We have been chosen, and it's time we start acting like it.
• "WHEN WE ARE WORKING IN THE KINGDOM, WE'RE GROWING CLOSER TO THE KING" - Adam Brewer
  
• In Luke 10:8-9, Jesus took 72 people and sent them out to do his work. However, he didn't just give them a job and say good luck. He gave them PEOPLE, a PLACE, and a PURPOSE. In other words, He gave them a PLAN. :) In the same way, Jesus does this for us if we will open our eyes and hearts long enough to listen to it and receive it.
• PEOPLE -- Who do we surround ourselves with? Who surrounds us on a daily basis, whether we think it's purposeful or not? Are we aware of our surrounding, and are we joining together with other people who are mission-minded in order to do our utmost for the King? "WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT KINGDOM WORK YOU DO IT WITH KINGDOM-MINDED PEOPLE." - Adam Brewer
• PLACE -- Where has God put us? We need to start realizing that we are there for such a time as this. It may not be what we would have chosen, and we may have our eyes on a bigger prize. However, we have to be aware of the opportunities God has and is giving us NOW.  We are where we are now for a reason to achieve the purposes God has for us for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).
• PURPOSE -- What do we do? Why are we here and what exactly are we supposed to do? We often make this way too difficult. Simply put, we are to tell people that God desperately loves them and that He sent his son to die for them. The task is really not that hard; it's our own human pride that gets in the way.

We are MADE. So what should that look like for us?:
 M - model of the most High God. We are made in His image, and we are to represent the love of the Father in everything we do. We have to LOVE BIG! A - amending a broken world. We might not can fix or mend all the brokenness in the world, or really any of it, but we can show enough of God's love to try to amend it and make it a little better.  After all, you can't really fix broken glass but you can use the broken pieces for the beauty of stained glass. D - deliberate in our efforts. We can't just work off convenience. If we say we'll do it when we "have time" it will never get done. We are all incredibly busy, but so was Jesus. We can't just wait for things to come to us, we have to do something. As Josh Wilson sings in his song "I Refuse" : The world needs God, and I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself.  E - energized through the exhaustion. Will it get tiring? You bet. Was Jesus exhausted? Absolutely. If you think Jesus had it easy, just read through Matthew 8 and 9. You will kind of get exhausted just thinking about it, much less doing it. When Jesus got tired and wanted to get away just to rest, people showed up, and he had to get at it again. We are going to get completely exhausted when serving others. Pouring out love when you think you have nothing left gets even harder when it's not reciprocated. However, we have to find joy in doing God's will and find our energy through Christ to keep going. I am so thankful that Jesus didn't quit carrying that cross when he was exhausted! We have to keep picking ours up, as well, and keep following Him!

We are also WANTED. So what does that mean?

Well, Jesus already paid the dowry....with HIS LIFE. We are WANTED. He chose us. He wants us for his bride. How excited do we get when ourselves or others get engaged? It's an exciting moment. Well, guess what, we are ALL engaged to the King!

The question is: Are we actively preparing to show up at our own wedding? When we get married here on earth, we make preparations. LOTS of them. We don't just show up at the wedding without any planning, especially for a royal wedding. So, are we staying faithful to our groom and preparing for our wedding with the King?

How many people are we inviting to the celebration? We don't even have to worry about the cost of each plate; the ticket has already been paid. Are we sending out SAVE THE DATES, are we inviting others to come, are we telling them to RSVP? We should be.

We don't hide our earthly engagements, so why is this engagement so hushed? We have every reason  to celebrate! Again, let's start acting like it. 

You are MADE and WANTED!
What are you going to start doing about it?

Does this get you as pumped up as it does me? Over the past week, I have really tried to focus on this more, and let me tell you: You cannot out-give God! The more I try to give, the more God gives back. It may not be material things, though sometimes it is, but I'm talking about unspeakable JOY and just a blessing that cannot really be explained. Over the past week, we participated in events to help and support others, but I think we walked away more blessed than those we wanted to bless.

Just a few precious moments I'd love to share with you:

His Way fundraiser dinner -- We were able to enjoy fellowship with friends, a wonderful dinner, and an amazing doo-wop group! We didn't go to really get anything back, but boy did we! It was such a great night that help supports promoting the true abundance, fullness and freedom found in a life with Christ.

I just still can't get over the doo-wop group. I think I was born in the wrong era because I could totally fit in with the 50's. See, serving others sometimes ends up with you being served and entertained. Awesome!

I have to admit. This year has EXHAUSTED me. I take on my students' problems as my own, and it definitely wears you down. However, I feel so blessed as I look over the precious letters I received this week. I will treasure them for a lifetime.

There are lines that I will forever hold dear: "Thank you for all the love and support."--"You're a great role model."--"I look up to you."--"You keep your cool even with the worst classes."--"The world needs more Mrs.Lanzas."

Then, there are lines that are life-changing and incredibly humbling:
"Thank you for teaching me morals. I know you teach English and Reading, but you've taught me more.....I thank you for changing my life for the better, even if you didn't realize you were doing so."

Inner City end-of-year party...This is as "still" as they ever got. YES, THIS IS SUPER TIRING. Kingergarten babies have energy like no other, but their sweet joy helps push through it. We may never know the seeds that are being sewn, but I pray that God is glorified...even on those nights where my patience is thin and I'm tired and slightly cranky.

This was such a blessed BLESSED day!! We got to see all those sweet babies at church last Sunday morning for Baby Day, fellowshipped with some precious people during Manna Meals in the ICU waiting room, and watched our Inner City kiddos do awesome at their oratorical debate!! It was one of our busiest days, but I just felt so energized being in God's will. 

As I said above, you really cannot out-give God. When we just do what we can, God helps us through it. He equips us to do his will, and that is my prayer for you as continue on your journey with the Father. "May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen." --- Hebrews 13:21

God has opened so many doors and to Him and Him alone be the glory!! I cannot even hardly fathom, much less grasp, his goodness, but I am so thankful for the direction He is leading us.

May you be blessed this week!

Until next time...