Sandals and Boots, Boots and Sandals

Seasons.

Every time I think I have a favourite time of year, I change my mind when the new one comes around.

Summer is never long enough for me considering my roots. Until those first cold crisp evenings settle in and I have to bring out those cozy warm sweaters that I love.

And I watch as the swiftly turning leaves dry up and fall to the ground.

And the spice of cinnamon and nutmeg get into every pastry and drink and candle.

And I want the browns and oranges and deep greens to fill my apparel and the throws on my couch.

And the evenings begin to fill with Fall pleasantries. Thanksgiving. Pumpkin Festivals. Hot drinks.

The transition of family time.
We begin to sit around the family room more often with each of our own hot drinks in hand.
Instead of running around in the warm summer evenings, the sun sets faster and we settle in together at home.

Then it's that first snow fall.
And the earmuffs and gloves cover our ears and fingers.
And we go sliding down that first snowy hill.
And we try building that first snowman of the season.

And then before you know it,
The layers become less.
The snow boots are replaced for ones better suited for rain.

And the sun shines a bit longer.
And the leaves come back on the branches in their bright fresh colours.

And before you know it,
Another year has gone by.

Another set of 4 seasons has run it's cycle.
And soon the sandals will all too quickly be replaced with boots again.

And I realize, I might as well appreciate all the goodness in every season.
From sandals to boots. Boots to sandals.
They change so swiftly, that if I don't choose to enjoy it rapidly, it will pass me by and take with it,
A set of precious months and a chunk of time I will not ever get back.

Time is precious.
Seasons are precious.

And with every changing season,
I hope I took advantage of each one.
Instead of frowning about the cold that begins to settle in.

Good Morning

Light a candle. 
Then, actually sit down to breathe it's calming scent inside you.  

Next, let that natural morning light come in. 
And enjoy it. 

Make a hot drink. And actually notice the way it soothes the morning throat.
 And drink it until you see the bottom of the cup. 

Open up the windows.
And look through them for awhile.

Open up the door.
And let the newly made air into your body. 

This is morning time. 

Take in fresh.
Take in new. 

Morning, there is something about you. 
Maybe its the temporarily rested brain I have for a few moments as I sit and drink something warm. 
Maybe its that I know, restless sleep or not, that cool crisp air will still settle within my body every morning.
And I'll breath it back out to take in a bit more.


Inhale.
Exhale.


Inhale.
Exhale.


A new day has come.
And no matter how many overwhelming tasks may fill it,
Its a fresh start. 


And I'll take this day, one moment at a time. 


Some years, its one week at a time.
Some weeks, its one day at a time.
Some days, its one hour at a time.
And even some hours, I pace myself and if I have to, I'll take one minute at a time.


Its okay to slice up the day into however many increments needed to accomplish the day. 
God has given us time for a reason.


Maybe its because we're human. 
Maybe its because he understood that without minutes, hours, days, sunrises and sunsets, we would become overwhelmed. 


He is good. So good and so knowing about the inner workings of our own minds that He knew just how to set time in it's perfect cycle for us to accomplish this life. 


Take advantage of His goodness. 
Take a minute at a time if you have to in some moments.

Choose to breathe in and out. 
Take in the start of each day.


And remind yourself,
He is here.


Inhale.
Exhale.


A sigh a relief. Maybe several sighs of relief today.
Because somedays, I need more reminders than others of his presence. 

Just like the morning consistently provides a fresh start.
 He is here. 

So breathe, and take Him with you every second at a time. 

We and God

Defence. 

It's hard. It's cruel.

It's intention isn't to seek a solution.

But to only to make a point.

To stand tall.

To be right. 

To defend and protect ourselves. 

Sounds selfish. 

Sometimes, being right all the time 

Is wrong. 

Be willing to be open. To listen. 

To find a solution. 

It's hard when your heart is hardened.

It's hard to be soft when you're looking to only defend. 

What good is your point 

If you can't listen to the others.

Kindness is never a bad idea. 

Respectful understanding is possible.

Instead of being defensive

Try listening.

Try unity. 

One solution together is more effective than two opposing solutions. 

If you want to get somewhere, 

Open up. 

Listen. 

Be respectful of what others have to say.

Give others a chance. 

Because maybe they are right. 

Chances are

 It will do more than defence will. 

Not I will.

But we will. 

We and God.

I will just be your friend.

I hope to find it easier to smile than to frown.

To be humble than proud.

Kind than rude.

To be Christian. 

I hope to be a genuine friend. 

One that tells you how I truly feel. 

One that speaks the truth in love. 

I hope to hear more from you, God. 

On my own time. 

When it's just the two of us. 

And there. Is where I find Him most.

In the times where I let myself be still.

When I sit. 

And sometimes, where words do spill from my fingers.

And when I go back to read what I have written, I know He is here with me. 

When the sun makes it's full bridge across the sky, I know He is here.

I do not fear Him. 

I am becoming more and more aware of just how much He loves me.

And I hope to show you, love-less bodies that walk past me daily, just how to be filled with it. 

I hope that through my kindness, love will transfer and you will see Him. 

I hope through the consistent, gentle, and truthful lifestyle I chose daily, He will somehow reach you. 

I won't try to sell you something. 

In our generation, door knocking doesn't seem to be effective. 

You will want to know what you're buying into. You will want to understand. You will not quickly jump to a life changing decision. 

I hope though that when you decide to look into it, I can be a testament to the clear love of God. 

I understand your need for it to make sense first. I was born in the same generation as you. I get it. 

I don't have it all figured out. I myself don't see it clearly. I will I hope someday soon. 

But while I am waiting for those answers, I'll be here. Keeping my life clear of
smudges so that when I walk past you, and interact with you, you can see through this walking glass and get a crystal view of God's perfect Love.

 After all, that is what He called me to do.

To show Him you. To Be His love in Calgary. 

Calgary, I am coming for you. In a consistent, loving, kind, Christian lifestyle that is ready to be your friend and share His story.

Sharing it by showing how it changed me. 

I will not force it to you. 

And neither would  God. 

For it is much more meaningful when you desire it yourself. 

So when you are tired of sitting in the dark, you know where to go. 

Because you have a friend of the Light. 

A Good Teacher

What makes a good teacher? 

A debatable topic for sure this one. 

Mostly because a good teacher depends on individuals. What I mean by that is what I define as a good teacher may be different than what you define as a good teacher. The reason for this is because I have different experiences than you, you have different kinds of relationships than I do, and we both have different lives that have shaped our own different perspectives. These experiences and perspectives are brought to the table and used to determine what we see as good and bad teachers. 

There is nothing wrong with this. Experiences will shape our view. Experiences are prescribed into our lenses and strongly influence how we see people and furthermore, how these people make us feel, how we receive their actions, and how much we will allow them to influence us. 

A classroom of 20 students physically has one teacher but really, has 20 teachers. That teacher will be received differently in 20 different ways and be understated in 20 different ways.

We could all have the same teacher treat us the same with the same approach, same consequences,  and deliver the same lessons. Yet,  we turn out to be completely different students from one another. One of us may be hurt and the other confused. 

One of us may learn better visually and the other may learn in an auditory way. 

One lesson taught by giving a lecture next to a blank wall may be received well by you. I would walk away confused likely and perhaps without fully grasping the concept. 

Another lesson  taught with objects and graphs with vivid pictures would be received better by me. You may walk away confused this time whereas I would feel full because I am a visual learner. 

A teacher understands the different ways individuals learn best. A good teacher will use all of these methods to increase the likelihood that a sea of individual people with different learning methods all learned some thing and grasped the concept. 

We also define teachers as good or bad based on our emotional experiences. For example, if a student was verbally abused at one point in his or her life, then a teacher who yells or raises their voice as they teach a lesson will come across completely different to that student. The student may feel fear and be closed off to anything that is being taught. 

A good teacher takes into account all the possibilities of emotional experiences and finds an appropriate tone that will successfully communicate the lesson to all the students with all of their individual emotional experiences. 

A teacher cannot cater to every individual need. However, I do believe good teachers can at least understand these differences and find a medium that will be most successful in a diverse atmosphere. 

A good teacher does not strike fear in students. A good teacher is calm, gentle, and yet clear and concise. 

If you look at a classroom today and compare it with a classroom even a few years ago, then you would find major differences. A few  years ago, a teacher was allowed to smack the hand of a student who misbehaved in the classroom. This was received well in that generation. Respect was demanded according to the position an individual had. A student was taught to respect the teacher and the lesson whether they understood and agreed or not. Questions were usually looked down upon if they lead to a contrary view then what was being taught. Disagreement was viewed as disrespect and there were consequences and many unanswered questions. What was left were students who knew the concepts but not the reasons behind them. 

The students of today have a very different understanding of what successful teaching looks like. Its not the smack of a ruler, a raised voice, or consequences that fearfully motivated a student to accept the lesson without question. 

A good teacher today is one that is clear but also gentle. One that spends time with the students and not just with other teachers. One that would sit down and have conversations about the lessons with the students. One that would hear the students out and hear their points of view. 

A good teacher is loyal to the students and not the position. A good teacher has the students best interest in mind and not their own.  A good teacher spends most of their time listening to the students and doing their best to answer any questions. A good teacher understands that in order for a student to truly grasp the concept, they have to teach in a way that doesn't force the students to accept but that allows the students to reach the point of acceptance on their own. Force develops robots that know the basics but doest not understand the values beneath them. 

Students that are left with the points but cannot defend them.

 Lessons that are forced using fear and emotion usually stay there with the temporary emotion. 

A good teacher knows how to encourage students to not only understand the concept but to fully accept it because all doubts were able to be answered. Teachers who refuse questions lead students to believe that there is a lack of truth in the concept being taught. 

Students today view disrespect and disagreement as two different things. Students today view good teachers as one that is down-to-earth, approachable, and equally respectful of what the students have to say. 

Rest

No.

One of the smallest words. 

One of the hardest words.

To say. And to do. 

For those who put themselves last. 

For those who give out over and over and over. 

For those who are always helping others.

Always doing something all the time.

Those.

Those are they,

Who cannot say no.

They, who 

Cannot turn someone down without feeling a major wave of guilt after the word dodges their clinched teeth and forcefully makes its way out.

A guilt so heavy it would have been lighter to say yes and carry through yet another task.

Sometimes it's easier to just say yes. 

For those who would feel guilty at watching something go undone when they could have done it and said "yes." 

But 

A wise friend once said, "scheduled rest is not unproductive." 

It's okay to say no. 

Not everything can be done by the same person.

Self-preservation is something that is okay to do and necessary at times. 

Yes, it is okay to stay home one evening a week and rest. 

It is okay to give time to spend with your family.

 To take a walk.

 To read a book. 

To get an early nights sleep.

 To do nothing.

If you have stayed home for more than one evening a week to rest, then maybe this isn't for you. Most of the people I know and love dearly have to schedule in an evening to simply to nothing because all other days are filled with "yes", away from family dinner time, away from home, and yes, away from good sleep and rest. 

Some of the hardest working people I know are within my age group. 

One thing I am proud of is to be a part of a generation who works hard, without the need of affirmation. They are not lazy. You can count on them working in some type of capacity all the time. 

But can I remind my generation that it is okay to say no. It is okay to not carry everything on our shoulders all the time. 

God doesn't except us to never rest. He excepts us to do our best with what he has given us. And he has also given us the perfect amount of energy for those very things. And He will be enough. And yes, we can rest in Him. 

I appreciate and value all of the hard workers I know. You are important to me.