Blended Life of an Educator

Grab hold of the True You: An Ambassador of Heaven Some practical ways you can take up this privelege of setting an atmosphere for Heaven to reside in your classroom, office, or workroom 1.  As Ambassadors of Heaven, we are those who set the atmosphere; we are not the thermometers. We are the thermostats. Anoint the desks, tables, chairs, and doors etc and ask the Holy Spirit to wake up the hearts that use the workspaces to his presence, to his love, and his revelation of how he delights in each one just because he made them  Pray over your teaching space, the hallways, office... take "prayer walks" by tuning your ear to the voice of the Holy Spirit as you run daily errands around the building. And set aside specific prayer walking times, too, with other Believers in your building to invite Jesus to invade the atmophere, show you what He's up to, ask for wisdom from Heaven for your administrators, district leaders, teachers, and those who design curriculum. Invite Friend...

This young man has a great deal of passion...  Passion for what he feels is right.  Passion to promote justice.  Passion to protect what he deems valuable. Passion to be the BEST. Passion to have a rewarding future.  Passion to employ his industrious and entrepreneurial self.  Joshua is our curious son. He always wants to know more. How does that work? How do you make that? Why did you decide ____?  Sometimes these questions seem like he's prying, but there's a genuine desire to learn in this young man. He likes research... especially about sports and the daily news reel. Joshua can be caught talking with the adults we have over for dinner just because he likes learning about others' lives. He has a contagious laugh! Probably one of my favorite things about him. You cannot hold back a smile when this young man explodes with laughter! He's got the best smile and when he genuinely laughs at something sincerely funny, he lights up a room! (We often all end up ...

Joe is incredible.  Not only is he a "smart" looking dude, but he also has smarts, too. He's the one who can find the thing that's lost when no one else can. He's the one who will find the loophole in every direction given... every knot... He will find the way out. And he will make it known. Some call this a flaw... but there's always a redemptive quality to every character trait. Joe will most likely be a lawyer or a detective. Right now he's sold on the detective idea.  Seriously this kid has guts. Character. Pride. He's a fighter. An overcomer. He says what no one else is comfortable saying. And it won't be quiet. He asks what others are afraid to address. Sometimes it gets him into some deep trouble. Other times Joe being Joe is literally a sign and wonder of his namesake. One who's been at the bottom but is working his way to make it to the top. Like Joseph in the Bible this kid has dug himself some deep holes... maybe he hasn't been t...

Everyone needs a little Grace in their life right?!  When I met Grace she was a little spunky, creative, goofy 2nd grader who LOVED frogs, dressing up in a suit and a tie, laughing wildly for long stretches of time, sardines in the dark, and collecting random odds and ends until her room was flooded with little bits of outdoors and indoors that the sister who had to share room with her went batty... and thus entered the vacuum cleaner.  Nothing would stop Grace's attentiveness to creating whatever her tinkerer was envisioning... For instance, I asked her to peel potatoes for dinner a few years back and I left for 20 minutes (to attend to one of our other 6 kids). When I returned I found her creating a potato peel water filtration system. Who does that?! It made me laugh but I was in awe! When we'd call her for dinner she'd be lost in thought on the 3rd story creating some sort of... who knows what?!! An instrument? A toy that had never been invented? A sling shot? I kept th...

A Girl Full of  Gifts and Talents!  She writes, creates homemade gifts for special friends, and uses her skills to write the most thoughtful cards for those she holds dear. Some of my most cherished cards have come from this big-hearted Lady... her thanks for meals makes every evening that much more brighter.  This young woman aims high and doesn't like poor results; she will stay up all night, literally, to meet her goals if she deems the need. (And then she may sleep all day... but that's ok because her dream is live on the other side of the world and then her "waking hours" would be when the sun is shining! Lol.) Joy is truly a JOY to be around. She loves one-on-one "dates" and will ask you thoughtful questions before you even have a chance to take a breathe. She carefully plans her time with others and it usually includes some laughing! Our beautiful Young Woman enjoys learning different languages... and has already worked on learning bits of Korean, Chi...

  Issac: My Oldest Bonus-Son Isaac literally waltzed into my life-- a goofy, awkward, excited-to-have-another "mom" in his life nearly 12 year old boy... even now at 18 1/2, he still loves to tell me all about his latest musings... whether it's about Star Wars, his video game, the ins & outs of building a plane, fixing a car, or his latest science fiction read. Connection & quality time are treasures to this young man. His youngest sis is his favorite playmate-- and he gladly plays house with her, builds legos, and pridefully invites her sit in his truck.  As a senior there are lots of challenges to maneuvering the "home" and "grown" connection-- especially still having one foot in high school and the other in a plane mechanic tech school program... but Isaac is really taking to his new freedoms with pride, responsibility, and a new fervor that is truly a joy to see! As our oldest... we're learning so much in this transition into "adul...