Happy New Year

Never give up; you never know until you try.

2013 is hours away here.  I hope everyone has a safe holiday celebration and that 2013 is prosperous and joyful.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas! 

Listen!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I know I've written about this before, but I think we all probably need a refresher in this.  I certainly do.  Lately, I think God has been emphasizing to me the importance of listening.  I've noticed several interactions between others, and been in a few myself, wherein one party didn't really "listen" to the other.  When that happens, it creates and frustration.  We all want to be "heard" and understood--or at least accepted.

Psychologists and communication professionals tout the benefits of "active listening." Using "I" statements and paraphrasing can go a long way to avoiding miscommunication, but we must be willing to really hear what the other is saying.  We must also be willing to be honest with them (and ourselves) about what we think and feel, or we'll still be far from the outcome we desire.

Several times in Scripture, we find words to the effect that if we have ears to hear, we need to listen to what is being said. The issue is our willingness to really receive what the speaker is saying and do something about it and not just gloss over it or ignore it altogether.  As a friend pointed out recently, sometimes the speaker we don't hear (because of internal or external noise,) or that we ignore (from fear or prejudice) is our own voice.  It's our "gut" talking to us.  It's God's Holy Spirit guiding us.  If we allow the message to get lost in the clutter or if we ignore it, we do so at our own peril.

As I've told countless students, "Go with your gut!"

The Mask

Never give up; you never know until you try.

This poem, by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, was published in1896.

"We Wear the Mask"

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, -
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but O Great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask.

 

I see it every day.  So does God.  Take heart, dear ones.  So does God, and He cares.  I'm so glad I don't have to wear the mask with Him.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Preparation

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Thanksgiving Day is November 22 here in the U.S.  Many of us are planning big gatherings with family and friends.  Others are going away for a break from it all.  Some are facing just another day of poverty and loneliness and feel as if they have little to be thankful for.

It's easy to get caught up in our own lives and overlook those around us who need help.  Regardless of our situations, we have a lot to be grateful for; there are people all around who are much worse off than we are.  I hope we'll all remember those suffering ones, often "invisible" and suffering in silence, and do what we can to alleviate their suffering.  It doesn't have to be a grand gesture or require a lot of money.  It can be as simple as inviting someone to join us for a meal or taking them a plate of food or even just checking in with them by phone to let them know we care.

God has been good to us all.  Please pass that goodness on this Thanksgiving.  Henry Van Dyke said, "Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.  Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.  Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse."

My Two Cents Worth of Political Advice

Never give up; you never know until you try.

The American elections are over, with the usual result:  some people are happy, and some aren't.  My opinion of the matter is . . .

1. If "your" candidate won, be a gracious "winner."
2. If "your" candidate lost, be a gracious "loser."
3. Results notwithstanding, participate in the process by staying informed and making your voice heard on an ongoing basis, not just at election time.
4. Appreciate the freedom we have to participate in the process.

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!

Christian Post Ahead: No, I'm Not Bashing Halloween

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Many people observe Halloween activities on October 31.  Some enjoy dressing up and going to parties and maybe pigging out on the candy they collect while "trick or treating."  Still others, unfortunately, enjoy vandalizing property or terrorizing innocent people.

We Christians believe that Satan enjoys terrorizing people.  He hates God, so he obviously hates God's people and tries to hurt us any way he can.  To that end, he seems to love using scare tactics.  He's the master of tricks.  It's easy to fall victim to fear and worry, but God wants us to be free of worry, doubt, fear, and all Satan's other goodies in his little treat bag.

Happy Halloween, everyone, and don't let Satan lie to you and trick you into worrying.  God's "treats" of contentment, security, provision, and love are there for the taking.

Take Care of You

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I'm "under the weather" this week, so I'm taking it easy to recover.  See you next week.

Do It!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

James 1:22 tells us to be doers and not just hearers.  I've written on this subject before, but I think it bears repeating.  Many times, we know what we should do; people point out to us reasons why we should take a certain course; what we should do is glaringly obvious.  Yet we fail to put into action the very steps we should be taking.  To further our education.  To land a job.  To find a mate. 

Today, if you hear seemingly everyone telling you the same thing, and you find yourself saying, "I know; I know." when they say it, maybe it's time you stop just hearing the words and start acting on them.

Domestic Violence/Abuse

Never give up; you never know until you try.

October is Domestic Violence Month in the U.S.  Domestic violence cuts across all areas: heterosexual, lgbt, rich, poor, black, white, and everything else.  Help is available for the abuser and his or her victims.  The first step is admitting there is a problem.

Check out the following for more information.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm#signs

Something From Everyone, Something For Everyone

Never give up; you never know until you try.

A recent discussion with a student left me thinking, as discussions with my students often do.  I believe that if we stay open to the possibility, we all learn something from people we regularly spend time with.  We learn about them, and we learn about ourselves.  We may not like what we learn about them, and we may learn something about ourselves that we don't like to face. 

I often wonder what I'm learning from others.  I often wonder what I'm teaching others--about themselves, and about me.

Never give up; you never know until you try.

It's been completely crazy in my world the last few weeks.  I'm sure you can relate!  Honestly, I've shed a few tears of sheer frustration, but I've kept going, knowing that, as the title says, I think I can (and) I know God can.

Though things have occasionally been a little "hairy," God has been so good and faithful to send me encouragement when I've really needed it.  Wednesday night, I was watching "NCIS" and relaxing, when I remembered that I hadn't pre-scheduled a blog post for the week.  I was tired and didn't really feel like climbing the stairs to my home office, but I didn't want to miss my usual posting time by any more than I already had, so I dragged myself to the computer.  What I saw when I logged on made my day brighter and reminded me again that God sends just what we need, often in unexpected ways.

The Yahoo news page had an unspeakably tender photo of a man wading in the warm water of Lake Superior, gently cradling his arthritic dog in his arms.  I'm an animal lover and "melt" any time I see just about any animal, and I cry, angrily and unashamedly, when I learn of someone being cruel to one.  I also cry tears of joy when I learn of someone being especially kind to one. 

The photo went viral, and animal lovers from far and wide have donated money for the dog's treatment--above what the dog needs, so other animals will benefit from the generosity so freely given.  The picture says it all.  Check it out.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/dog-photo-schoep-arthritic-lake-180953849.html

Fall Trivia

Never give up; you never know until you try.

With fall just around the corner, I thought you might enjoy a bit of trivia.
http://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/Trivia-Quizzes/f/Fall-Trivia-Quiz.asp

Happy fall, everyone!

Wisdom From a Holocaust Survivor

Never give up; you never know until you

I received a couple of these in an email devotional and thought I'd share more of Viktor Frankl's words.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2782.Viktor_E_Frankl

Summer Trivia

Never give up; you never know until you try.

As summer draws to a close, many of us want to stretch those golden days out as much as we can.  Check out these bits of summer trivia:


http://www.2020site.org/fun-facts/fun-summer-facts.html

http://www.squidoo.com/summer-fun-trivia

Duh!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Have you ever discovered that something for which you searched "high and low" was right in front of you?  Maybe you "lost" your glasses, only to "discover" them on top of your head.  You knew (some part of you did, anyway) just where they were, but you had your mind cluttered with "stuff" and couldn't "remember" where they were.  Annoying, isn't it?  If you're like me, when you "find" what was right there the whole time, you chuckle to yourself, shake your head, and continue on your way.

There's a line in "The Wizard of Oz that goes: "Professor Marvel never guesses, he knows!"

It can be frustrating when you seem to be getting nowhere in finding answers to questions of where to live, what career or job to pursue, or who to let into your life.  Many times, the answer is right in front of you, but it isn't "time" to see it.  Other times, it's brain clutter keeping you from seeing the answer.  Rest assured, though, when the time is right, if you persist, you will see the answer.  Then, like me, you'll say,"Duh!" and you'll shake your head and continue on your way.

Move On

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Maybe it's because I'm currently undergoing a big transition, but a quote recently really "spoke" to me.  It was about moving on, not dwelling on something that happened in the past.  That can be hard to do, but if we're to live the best life, the blessed one God has for us, I believe we need to "get over it," as the saying goes.

In that spirit, I suggest checking out the following:

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/moving-on

Not Just Your Reputation

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I heard a sermon recently that addressed how our actions reflect on others.  Many of us came away knowing that we could do much better than we sometimes do.  We don't want to tarnish our reputations, but we certainly don't want to reflect badly on our loved ones. 

Do you care about your reputation?  Members of groups you're affiliated with?  How about that of your friends and family?  As Christians, we ask ourselves whether Jesus would approve of our behavior and if it would reflect badly on the reputation of Christianity.  Non-Christians can consider how their behavior reflects on the reputation of their friends and family members. 

It's not just your reputation on the line when you behave badly.  Think about it.

Action!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

"In the life of the human spirit, words are action, much more so than many of us may realize who live in countries where freedom of expression is taken for granted. The leaders of totalitarian nations understand this very well. The proof is that words are precisely the action for which dissidents in those countries are being persecuted." --Jimmy Carter

For more quotes on action, go to:
http://www.quotegarden.com/action.html

Save a Life

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I thought we could all use a chuckle today.  Last week, I ran across the following: Let's eat Grandpa! or Let's eat, Grandpa!  Correct punctuation saves lives.  There are several variations.  Check out http://www.buzzingkidsworld.com/funpunct.php

http://www.buzzingkidsworld.com/punctexamples.php

Running For Your Life in Spike Heels

Never give up; you never know until you try.

It's 90 degrees outside, with 70 percent humidity.  You feel as if you're a Thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven, yet the moist heat nearly suffocates you.  The sun beats down mercilessly as your feet, in pointed-toe, spike-heel shoes a size too small, hit the pavement--right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot . . . Each footfall feels as if someone is trying to pound you into the ground by conking you on the head with a giant hammer.  Searing pain stabs through your whole body, yet you must keep running.  Someone is chasing you with a knife, intent not on killing you, but on ending your life as you know it, making you live in constant physical agony, and the resulting emotional pain, the rest of your days.  You just know that any second now your ankles are going to turn and you'll be facedown on the nearly bubbling, griddle-hot asphalt, moments away from feeling the sharp knife rip into your flesh.  You're screaming for help, but none comes.  Those who hear you look at you, pity on their faces, shaking their heads as they yell, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what I can do."

A friend shared something with me the other day, and I knew, in part, exactly where she was coming from.  She has been in a situation that has required her to do something completely out of her comfort zone, her interests, and her training.  She has been trying to make the best of it, but she is essentially forcing a square peg into a round hole.  In short, she's miserable, trying desperately to find a way out of her predicament.

Many of us have been where she is.  We've been in relationships that meant compromising our desires and/or beliefs.  We've worked in jobs that meant the same thing.  I think it's happening more now, with the slumping economy; many people have taken jobs they hate, or that don't pay enough, just to have money coming in.

(Understatement alert) Those situations are never easy, and they're never fun.  I've written before about how frustrating and painful it is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, but my friend's situation, and ones I've been in, can be much worse.  They can seem more like the above scenario or even, if they're ongoing situations, like being forced to run a 10 k race, on asphalt, in too-small, pointed-toe, spike-heel shoes in full sunshine when it's 90 degrees with 70 percent humidity.

What I've done when faced with unspeakably painful circumstances was to keep going, "running" through the pain, groping for a way out until I found one.  I yelled for help, even when the only help available was people  encouraging me to keep going.  That's basically what I shared with my friend.  I listened, empathizing, and offered a few possible options. 

It sucks, but sometimes the reality is that we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other until we get to a better place.

Did You Know?

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Did you know that there used to be more than 26 letters in the English alphabet?  I love words, and I love trivia, so in the interest of sharing both, check out the link below. 


http://hotword.dictionary.com/ampersand/?qsrc=3086&__utma=1.407092772.1341843815.1341843815.1341843815.1&__utmb=1.3.9.1341843834092&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1341843815.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=65817518

The Senility Prayer?

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I recently ran across "The Senility Prayer," which I think I'd never heard of before.  http://www.thisfunsforyou.com/htdocs/funpages/senility.php

I think it was meant to be taken as humorous, but you know me; just as I can usually find the "funny" in things, I can also usually find the "serious" as well.  The prayer asks God that you be able to forget people you never liked.  While there are definitely some people I would like to forget, I have to admit that I've learned something from at least some of them.  I've learned how I want to behave--or not behave.  I've learned compassion.  I've learned a little about how God must feel when I conduct myself in a less-than-Christ-like manner.

How about you?  What have you learned from people you'd like to forget?

Be a Happiness-Causer

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Oscar Wilde said, "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go."
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/happiness.html

Better Than Underdog

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Allow me to introduce you to my canine friend, Underdog!

http://www.toontracker.com/totaltv/underdog.htm


If you were a cartoon-watching, American child between 1964 and 1973 (or you've seen reruns on Cartoon Network or elsewhere,) you may remember Underdog, the animal version of Superman.  As a testament to how television sounds and images can stick with you for years, to this day, I still occasionally bolster my courage by jokingly quoting the furry little superhero's catchphrase, "No need to fear--Underdog is here!"

Yes, I realize that I just admitted to quoting a cartoon character.  I'm sure I'm not the only one, though I may be the only one who'll admit it in a public forum.  My regular readers probably aren't the least bit surprised by my disclosure; you know there is a method to my madness. 

Like many people, I sometimes use humor to defuse tension.  I've written before that my sense of humor is dark, twisted, and irreverent, and it becomes even more so when I'm stressed.  Feeling fearful stresses me.  (How's that for a 'duh' statement?)  When fear tries to rear its ugly head, I think of Underdog, and I think of One Who is a million times better than Underdog.  Unlike Underdog, He's infallible.  Jesus is always there, always equipped, always equipping me with what I need--just when I need it.  Jesus is truly man's (woman's, child's) best friend. 

Apologies and post--Huh?

Never give up; you never know until you try.

My apologies to you all.  I thought I'd scheduled posts for the last couple weeks, but something happened.  They didn't post!  I didn't check to be sure they posted, and when I went to schedule next week's I discovered the goof.  My apologies!  Here's what should've posted earlier this week:

A friend of mine had a birthday last week, so I guess I've had him and his family on my mind.  His sister used to quote the following a lot:

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." (Thanks, Robert McCloskey)

Even when we use "I-Statements," misunderstanding is rampant in human communication.  We project our own hopes, feelings, prejudices onto the other person.  They do it to us.  It happens.  Where we "are" and where we have "been" will "color" our perceptions as surely as a three-year-old will "Crayola-fy" color the living room wall with her crayons.

Be on guard, because Satan will happily take this little fact and run with it, causing as much havoc as possible.  We have to listen to what's behind the words to get the full picture, and we have to be very self-aware to understand how we receive others' words.  Ernest Hemingway said, "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show_tag?id=empathy

Listen!

Memorial Day

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Next Monday is Memorial Day in the U.S.  http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

As I like to do every year, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank every serviceperson and his or her family for making life as I know it possible.  God bless you.

Challenging But Not Overwhelming: A Reminder

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I hope you won't think me a nag if I write again about something most of us need periodic reminders of--setting manageable goals, broken into several steps instead of one giant leap.  We've all done it: decided to do something then tried to do it all at once. We wanted to "get in shape," so we tried to run 5 miles the first exercise session; we found that even if we did manage to run that much the first time out, we couldn't walk the next day.  We set the bar too high, ignoring the basic scientific fact that we can't do everything at once. 

This week, a couple of my students set nearly impossible goals for themselves for what they wanted to accomplish in class.  I told both of them that while I was glad they set the bar high for themselves, I wanted them to reach their goals without killing themselves in the process.  I shared a story from my life, acknowledging that I, too, sometimes fall into the trap of wanting and even trying to do too much at once.  I hope they (and I) will take that lesson to heart.  We need to challenge ourselves, but if we try to do too much at once, we get overwhelmed and nothing gets done, or what does get done isn't done well.  Then we end up taking longer to do something than we would've taken if we'd gone at it slowly and steadily. 

Don't overwhelm yourself.  Slow down.  Take one step at a time.

Lessons With Edward

Never give up; you never know until you try.

The air smells just like laundry straight off the clothesline and feels just like laundry straight from the dryer. Edward can't help himself; he just has to escape and feel the wind in his face as he runs as fast as his legs will carry him. The day beckons, and he must obey. Rules are made to be broken, so he ignores the firm but gentle command of "Don't cross," bolting forward. The leash jerks from his parent's hand, and Edward rushes out of his parent’s grasp and into the arms of freedom.

Poor Edward quickly learns that freedom has a price. In his case, the price is the nasty gash he sustains on one of his legs. The one that will undoubtedly leave a permanent scar as a reminder that rules are there to make his life safer and better.

Edward is my parents' dog, and the other day he was M. I. A. for an hour before he finally returned home. My folks still have no idea what the little guy got into, but he obviously got more than he bargained for.

I've thought a lot this week about little Edward's latest escapade. As I've written before, I'm in the process of making some big changes in my life, and they're not happening as fast as I'd like them to. I know that God has a reason for the supposed slowness of the process, but I still find myself wanting to try to hurry things along. At those times, I try to remind myself that everything has a season and that my job is to live in each one as God would have me to live. If it were time for a different season, then it would be a different season.  As much as I may sometimes hate them, the Lord’s rules are there to make my life safer and better.  His timetable is there to make my life safer and better.  Thanks to Edward, I’ll now have an extra reminder of that every time I look at the scar on his leg.

(Did you notice the homage to "Travels With Charley?"  If you haven't read the book by John Steinbeck, I highly recommend it.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travels_With_Charley

The Test

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I found this jewel on brainyquote.com

Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't. (Richard Bach)

Hurry Sickness

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Those of you who know me are probably laughing at the very idea of me advising someone to slow down.   I often say that I was born early and haven't slowed down since.  I've written about this phenomenon sometimes called "Hurry Sickness."  When I want something to happen, I never want it to happen later, whether later during the current day or later in an unforeseen time period.  I always want things yesterday.

I see the same thing in my students, and I'm forever trying to convince them to slow down and take their time when taking a test.  To wait for things to happen in their natural course.  To do the work necessary to facilitate hoped-for outcomes, sure, but to avoid losing patience or hope when the outcomes seem "slow" in coming.  I've discovered, and I advise them, that hurrying through something makes careless mistakes more likely to happen.  Most of us aren't convinced yet.  I wish we'd hurry up and get the message!

Fear and Negotiation

Never give up; you never know until you try.

As we near the end of another semester, my mind turns once again to beginnings and endings and the fear that can come with them.  Students are graduating.  People everywhere are searching for jobs, moving to new locales for opportunities, or planning moves for better opportunities.  The whole process involves careful research and planning and, hopefully, prayer.  If someone receives a job offer, he or she has to decide whether to negotiate for a better salary.  It can be a wonderful time, and it can be extremely stressful, crazy-making, and scary.

I've written before about fear, quoting the line from "Who Moved My Cheese?" (by Spencer Johnson) that asks the reader what he or she would do if he or she weren't afraid.  When I feel fearful about something, that's the question I ask myself. 

President Kennedy said, "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." (http://www.brainyquote.com/)  Dictionary.com lists several definitions for "negotiate."  One is "to manage, transact, or conduct," and one is "to arrange for or bring about by discussion and settlement of terms."  I think that covers what someone may encounter in a job search/salary negotiation/relocation scenario.  As you go through the process, don't do it in fear, and don't let fear stop you from doing it.

Happy Easter

Never give up; you never know until you try.

The message of Easter--forgiveness, resurrected dreams, is there for everyone.

Happy Easter!

Time

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I found the following in a web search on "nap quotes."  It's from a graphic and is uncredited.  I think it's less about naps than it is about time and how we feel in various places, doing various things.

In bed, it's 6 AM.  You close your eyes for 5 minutes, it's 7:45.  At school it's 1:30, close your eyes for 5 minutes, it's 1:31.

Instead or "school," you could substitute "work," "in traffic," or any other place you'd rather not be.  We've all been there.  The thing to remember is that no matter where you are, with whom, doing whatever, things could be worse.

You're Richer Than You Think (More on Friendship)

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I recently heard Dr. David Jeremiah speak on material wealth.  He noted that if you have any money at all in the bank, food in the cupboard, clothes to wear, etcetera, then you are wealthier than the biggest percentage of people worldwide.  It's easy to lose sight of that fact and start comparing ourselves to the elite in society--the Donald Trump's or mega-celebrities, instead of the homeless or extremely poor (who can be found everywhere if we look). 

Dr. Jeremiah added that if you have a friend, you should really consider yourself wealthy, because you can't put a price on true friendship.  I felt myself smile as I nodded, thinking of the wonderful friends I have been blessed with.

My wish for you is that you find true friendship.  Cultivate it and watch it flourish.  Marcel Proust is quoted as saying, "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." (http://www.brainyquote.com/)

Burned Out

Never give up; you never know until you try.

This week seems to be burnout week.  I've heard several sermons about it, and I've talked to several friends suffering with it.  Maybe it's "Spring Fever," or maybe it's just a sign of the fast times we live in.  Whatever the reason, it seems to be going around, so I'm offering a few words of encouragement.  You've read them before in some form or other, but they bear repeating.

Assurance:  You can do it!  You might not feel like doing "it," whatever "it" is, but you can do it--if you take care of yourself. 

Advice:  Avoid trying to do everything at once, and avoid the trap of trying to do it perfectly.  You also probably don't have to do it alone, so ask for help!  If you find that you do have to do whatever "it" is alone, then please ask for help with other projects with which you can have help. 

Take care of yourselves!

Be Still and Trust Yourself

Never give up; you never know until you try.

The late Dr. Benjamin Spock is quoted as saying, "Trust yourself.  You know more than you think you do." (http://thinkexist.com/).

I tell my students that all the time, because I believe it to be true.  Under the confusion, doubt, external expectations, or other issues, lies the answer.  It's sometimes shut out by the hustle of the moment, the importance of knowing the "right" answer, but it's there. 

Why?  Because God knows what I need, and He can cut throught the "chatter" to reveal an answer to me, even if I'm not aware of it.  When I get still (quite a feat in today's society), and stop trying to force it (again, quite a feat in this I-want-it-now society), I find the answer sitting, waiting patiently for me to discover it.

Watch Your Mouth!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Yesterday I saw a plaque with an interesting saying on it: "A closed mouth gathers no feet."  At first, I pondered how keeping your mouth shut can indeed keep you out of trouble.  Then I went deeper and thought of all the times I have kept silent when I should've opened my mouth (widely) and shouted (loudly and repeatedly), but I didn't. 

Both remaining silent when you shouldn't and talking when you shouldn't can result in lasting regret.  The key is discerning the "best" response to a situation.  As "The Gambler," the song made popular by Kenny Rogers says, we should ". . . know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run." (Don Schlitz, Jr, songwriter) 

Learning

Never give up; you never know until you try.

Michelangelo is quoted as saying, "I am still learning." (http://www.brainyquote.com/)

I've recently had several students for whom learning comes slowly, after careful thought.  Progress comes after a hard labor and birth process.  As I've gone over material that I've covered before with a student, carefully repackaging it to find an approach that works, I've thought several times how blessed I am that, for the most part, I've always learned skills quickly and easily, tested well, and retained information for later access.  Academic skills, that is.  Sometimes, spiritual lessons have come less easily. 

Any of my regular readers will note that I've often said something along the lines of "I got a reminder . . ."  That's because I've had lessons that I didn't seem to grasp the first, second, or third times I was exposed to them.  God has patiently repeated certain lessons until I finally internalized the message.  My progress in certain spiritual lessons came after a hard labor and birth process.  I'm glad that God has never given up on me.  He knows that I'm still learning, as are we all.

Be Silly

Never give up; you never know until you try.

My therapist gave me a homework assignment to put more silliness into my life, and I've jumped into it wholeheartedly.  Come along with me!  Here are a few tips on how to bring back some of the joy of being child-like, silly, joyous, and a lot more fun:

Sing, no matter how badly you do it.

Make funny faces.

Blow soap bubbles.

Play in rain puddles, or mud.  How about both?

Color or draw a picture.

Run just to be running; don't worry about getting your heart rate up for a certain period of time.  (Use common sense here, based on your health issues.  There's silly, and then there's foolish.  Get medical attention if you need it, and follow the doctor's orders.)

Tell jokes or read  jokes online or in a book.

Here are two, found on jokesaboutspring.com,  for your enjoyment:

Q:  Can February March?
A:  No, but April May!

Q:  What season is it when you are on a trampoline?
A:  Spring-time!

Seriously, folks: give yourself and everyone else a break by allowing yourself to play once in a while. 

Think!!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I've had several examples recently of how careless words can stir up anger and/or resentment and put up walls between people.  Often, we don't mean any harm, but the damage is done.

Moral:  THINK!!! Think before you speak, and when you blurt something out in a moment of surprise, anger, fatigue, delight, whatever: APOLOGIZE!!!

Chances are, you and the offended party will share a chuckle.

How Big Is God?

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I've heard several sermons recently on the subject of talking about how big God is instead of how big your problems are.  We know that God is bigger than our problems, but when we see things that seem hopeless, it's easy to forget that though we don't know what to do, God does.  He's not surprised by anything--the broken refrigerator, car, marriage.  He knows the next job assignment before we even lose the old one.

Take heart, readers (myself included).  God is big enough to handle everything, and He's big enough to help us to do our part in His plan.

Teamwork

Never give up; you never know until you try.

The old saying goes that no man is an island. I always knew that to be true, but during the last couple years, I've had it emphasized more times than I can begin to count. My job search was certainly a team effort, and my job as a GED instructor is most definitely a team effort.


Of course, I certainly mean that my teaching partners, our colleagues at other sites, and our administrative staff on campus are part of the team. I also mean that the students we serve are teammates, too. We're in it together.

As I noted in my post "Affirmations," we all need encouragement to succeed in life. It's just how we're made; some need more encouragement than others and some seem to need less, but we all need it.

Sharing new information, reviewing information already encountered, providing a listening ear and/or a few words of encouragement, instructing, grading, studying and completing assigned work--it's all teamwork. Just as in Scripture--someone plants the seed, God sends rain, someone waters manually, and then eventually there's a harvest.

I'm glad to be a part of some of the teams I'm involved with, and I try to be a good teammate. How about you?

Eat That Elephant!

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I passed this bit of advice on to a student this week.  I heard it years ago and use if often, even reminding myself that it's true.  A task may seem insurmountable--hard, disgusting, too time-consuming; but if we concentrate on just one small part of it, a spoonful if you will, then we'll eventually get it done.

I'm currently consuming several elephants at the moment, one spoonful at a time.

Dig in, everyone!!

Affirmations

Never give up; you never know until you try.

A brand new semester in GED Land started this week, and my teaching partner and I have managed to get through it.  The thing that helped me the most, and I think my partner too, is that one of our fellow teachers,  with much more experience, paid us a visit and reviewed procedures with us and agreed to check our paperwork for accuracy.  "J" is good like that--she's always willing to help.

Much to our relief, "G" and I had done very well.  I thought we were on the right track, but just getting that affirmation made me feel much better.  I thanked "J" profusely.

Challenge time, everyone:  who do you know who would benefit from a few words of affirmation?  If the answer is you, ask someone for input on how you are doing! 

Be Bold

Never give up; you never know until you try.

I'm embarking on several projects this year that are sure to take me outside my comfort zone, so once again I'm thinking about boldness versus timidity.  With that in mind, I submit today's quote, attributed to Baltasar Gracian, a Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer: "Put a grain of boldness into everything you do."