Yo, tell me I'm bad....

So, I have been teaching a novel with one of my classes.  There was a part of the dialog where one boy was talking to another.  "Am I bad?  Tell me I'm bad....."  This caused quite a discussion to break out with my students.  Why does the boy feel the need to "be bad"?  Most importantly, why does he feel the need to have someone else tell him he is "bad"?  Finally, is what's "bad" to him the same as "bad" to me?  (I love my students!  They can really have some great discussions!)

So, why do some people feel the need to project them selves as "bad"?  Why is it so important for others to see them as "bad"?  Self esteem problems?  Control issues?  Lack of conscious? Many reasons can be the source. 

There are many definitions of "bad".  Most of us think of it as a attitude issue.  Then there is just the not following the rules "bad", like when you were a small child.  Then there is the passive aggressive "bad".  These are the people who smile at you as they silently but surely show how bad they are. These are the worst!

What do we do?  Do we show them how bad we are back?  Nah....not worth the effort.  Just let them keep on being "bad" until their behaviors catch up with them!  and if you feel the need to feel "bad", look in the mirror and tell yourself , "Yo, I'm bad..."

How is your Family Tree growing?

I love gardening and keeping plants, trees, and flowers growing an blooming!  As I was watering some of our plants and trees, I began thinking about parts of a message I heard at church a few Sundays ago.  Our  1st area of reflecting God is with our family.  So  as I was watering I began to think about family trees. 

We can all draw out our Family Tree.  The biological Family Tree.  I sat and thought about my life and decided that a Family Tree is so much more than the biological branches.  I have seen many branches of family trees wither and die.  It could be because other branches cut them off from the source of nutrition, the other branches become so controlling that they selfishly cause the branch to be cut of from the rest of the tree.  Or the branch could die because it is diseased.  But the sad thing is, rather than reach out to save the branch, it is allowed to die.  So very sad when either of these scenario's happen.

We also have our secondary branches.  These are the family members that are perhaps not part of our main branch, such as cousins.  I am lucky to have come from a family (Mothers) that is full of these branches.  Many of my cousins feel more like brothers and sister than cousins!  I am the youngest of my immediate family so had many older cousins to raise me! 

On the other hand, there is also graphing. Many branches in my "Family Tree" are graphs!  Today we had three teenagers from our community walk in and ask "Mom, I'm hungry!  You have anything to eat?"  Of course we did and welcomed them to eat.  This is not an unusual occurrence in our home.  People of a great variety are welcomed as part of our "tree".  I also know who I can call and vent to, cry to and with, and just relax with.  I have many "branches" that will be there in a split second if I need! 

Occasionally, a branch must be pruned off of a diseased tree and replanted to grow a stronger and thriving tree.  I do this with my Plumeria trees.  Prune a branch off and watch a new, stronger tree grow! This is something that you may have to decide.  Stay and wither with the diseased tree or plant yourself in fertile soil to grow and bloom!

So, how is your tree growing?  It is our responsibility to keep our tree strong.  First, we must live God like within our families.  We need to nurture all of our branches, even the diseased ones.  They may do their best to damage the tree but hopefully, by showing them God's love, they will become a strong part of the tree again.  But, they may die anyway or we may need to remove ourselves from their disease. Either way, we must follow God's message and will.  God's love will endure forever...


  "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
 1 Chronicles 16:34

Well, opening weekend of college football is in the books and the SEC is crazy as usual! Two big surprises...Ole Miss won and Georgia lost....hummm.

 

LSU played like LSU has played for the last several season......heart attack football! If they get that defense cooking, should be a good year! Speaking of defense, Between getting Johnny Money's antics and the defense working, Coach Sumlin has job ahead of him this week. If all calm down, they could take it all. However, if things don't settle down, they could shoot themselves in the foot. 

 

Gators sure did look good with Brown stepping up. They have a few things to correct but should be able to do that.

 

As for Alabama, well let's just say that I will be a Ohio State fan for now! Here is to a great year! ‪#‎LOVE‬Collegefootball!

What would Jesus want ME to do?

Do you ever think how you affect others lives?  I am sure we all go about our lives looking for ways to help and touch others in a positive way.  But do you ever think about the things you do that might truly hurt someone?  I don't mean intentional hurt but that hurt that happens because you just don't think.  Or that hurt that you cause because you are selfishly thinking about your self and how it would be easier for you?  That hurt that happens because you just don't think.....or just don't care.

So, what would Jesus want you to do?  

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.  Proverbs 28:26.

It is hard to put our own mind and feelings aside and open to God and do what Jesus would want us to do.  It is even harder to put aside the people around us that continuously appear as concerned or even Godly when they only have their own self serving agenda that concerns them.  

 Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.  2 Timothy 3:5

 

There are many false prophets out there and Satan does his best work in people who appear as the most wonderful, sincere, God loving people.  Yep, hard to know who to trust and who not to trust.  The one thing I do know is that when you are sitting on that ivory self serving tower, God will eventually come along and knock it right out from under you!

So, what would Jesus want ME to do?  I believe he would want me to pray for the self serving, put Satan behind me, and  be there for ALL God's children!  Not be selective and be there for only the ones that make me feel good, but for all! 

Think about how you affect others, not by what you do but maybe by what you don't do.  Every decision you make in your life will affect someone in either a positive or a negative way.  Perhaps if we stop and think about everybody and everything, and take ourselves out of the picture, we can strive to positively influence all!  That is what I think Jesus would want ME to do......

Burning Bridges..........

Burning bridges one by one

What I'm doin' can't be undone

And I'm always hoping someday

I'm gonna stop this runnin' around

But every time the chance comes up

Another bridge goes down .....

Garth Brook

Watch out for the fires you start....it is very hard to rebuild the bridges.  In my classroom, I tell my students that when they walk out every day, that day ends.  When they walk in the next day, it is a new day and yesterday is gone.  We need to make each person feel that way.  That is the way God looks at us.  

Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

 Hebrews 10:17.

This week, I witnessed someone assist another person that had previously burned bridges.  The bridge was freely rebuilt not by the one who had burned it, but by the one who cared enough to reach out and be there for a brother in Christ.  The bridge is there, will it remain?  

We all have problems, but we need to own our problems and mistakes, make our amends, and move on.  We need to not blame others and look deep inside ourselves for the reason for the action or reaction, and change as necessary.  We need to forgive and not hate.  We need to stay on our side of the bridge until we feel that we can once again cross it.  We should not burn the bridges.  It is much easier to sit on our side than it is to try to rebuild.  

Each day is a new day, God assures us of that.  Let us take each day with the joy, peace, and love that Christ has given us!

Adventures...

Well, I am adding to my adventures.  This Saturday, October 13, I am joining my cousins in the Warrior Dash in Watson Louisiana!  It will be great to see them as it has been many years since I have seen some of them!  It will be a blast!  Pictures will be uploaded to share all the fun!

I also will begin the process necessary to become a Certified Lay Speaker in the Methodist Church.  It will require classes and training but I am very excited about this pursuit!  

So my life since August (when I began teaching full time again) has just gotten busier and busier.  But my Dad used to tell me to have a "Spirit of Adventure", so that is what I am doing!

I am very blessed and will continue to seek opportunities to share these blessings!

Who is your family?

Wisdom

The gift of wisdom allows people to understand deeper meaning and apply knowledge, beliefs, and experience to every day situations.  Wise, gifted individuals make connections and help other make them as well � to understand the implications of our beliefs and actions.  Those gifted with wisdom often understand root causes of disagreements, conflict, and barriers to growth and development.  People with wisdom help others understand and clarify options to make good decisions.

This was what the Spiritual Gift Assessment said was my primary Spiritual Gift. I have always been one that likes to  analyzing everybody and everything.  I am know as a fixer.  I like for things to be settled an come to a conclusion, hopefully with everyone happy. 

 I am really searching for wisdom right now.  Without going into the drama, I have had to separate myself from most of my siblings in all ways.  It is sad and hurts badly but is the only solution.  I have prayed for resolve and have looked at this definition of Wisdom and made many attempts to use the gift that God gave me but I must now use the wisdom from God to move past the evil and go on with His plan.  I must now make the decision that I know is right.   The "good decision".  

This has led me to think about who my family really is.  I have some amazing friends here that are definitely my family.  Sometime we don't see eye to eye but we all know that there is something that is more important than blood and that is love.  Chris said it in his sermon Sunday.  Love, without love, we have nothing.  I have many of my extended family members that also are very important in my life.  Why, because of love.  Christ love overcame the world, with it, we too can overcome evil and the world!  

So, I will be fine because of the love that Christ has for me, the love I have through him, and the love of my "family" of his people.  

Peace and love to you all!