Time Goes By…

Originally posted on Miss P’s Ponderings on July 24, 2014

There have been many times since my last post (months ago) that I’ve contemplated sharing my thoughts. Alas, my home computer was…near death, so it would take me two hours to simply produce a one page flier. Good news? I buried said computer a week ago, and now am blessed with one that can think more quickly than me! So, I’m hoping my outlet for sharing my “ponderings” will be more consistent.

But…it seems time has a way of getting away from us, don’t you think?

Since my last post, I’ve said good-bye to a class I loved dearly. I found myself dreading the end of school and saying “good-bye” to them as my students. Funny thing is…time kept moving. It didn’t stop just because I wanted it to move more slowly, so I could remain their teacher a while longer. Time…moves on.

Our school is currently on a “balanced calendar”. For those who don’t know what that means, we have two weeks off in October, December, and March, and our school year starts promptly at the beginning of August. For me, that’s no biggie. I’ve always been “one of those teachers” who is more than ready to resume the journey when August roles around. However, this year, I find myself asking, “Where did summer go?”

Two weeks working with third graders needing to take the I-Read retest…
One week serving lunches on the Gleaners “Lunch Bus”…
The week of July 8th, I found myself at a Teacher Academy focused on science during the day and spending three evenings out at the county fair.
Two weeks setting up my room for my new crop to enter.
Now? I’m in my last week of “freedom”, and I am attempting to make myself avoid “room 302”.

Did I go anywhere exciting? Nope. Did I go on any thrilling vacations? No. However, I enjoyed time with friends, rested a busy mind, and reenergized for the upcoming school year. One of my biggest goals of the summer was to “Be Still.”

I find my schedule and mind during the school year tends to run, run, run. So, my biggest lesson of the summer is to stop letting time race by and to enjoy the moment.

Over the past months, I’ve seen one of my mom’s close friends, Wanda, be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Recently she was told that the treatments this summer didn’t shrink the tumor and if she had “the surgery” she might have two years. Without the surgery, they predict she’ll have one. This sweet lady and her husband have opted for her not to have the surgery. They want to have a quality year together without recuperating from surgery. I am confident they will enjoy each moment and treasure their time together.

A friend’s sister was recently also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They were able to do the surgery and remove the cancer. She begins a round of treatment to kill any wandering cancerous cells. Likewise, I’m confident that she and her family will have a new sense of appreciation for their relationships and their time together.

What has this shown me? Don’t wait for a severe storm to rock your world, appreciate your blessings…now. Cherish them daily. What will it take to get you to “Be Still” and to appreciate what you’ve been given?

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of singing and sharing at a friend’s church after their summer pitch-in. Not being a member of the church, I opted to sing a Southern gospel and then a couple songs you’d hear on K-Love. The first song I sang was “Count Your Blessings”, which was recorded by the Martins. One of the lines that hits me hardest is “It’s best to look at what you have and forget what you have not, and learn a lesson from old Job and give thanks for what you got!” That’s what we need to do. Stop and be thankful for what we have and enjoy every moment. The final song I shared was “Be Still and Know”. This goes with the verse that God uses many days to still my wandering mind and get me to focus on what matters. God. Don’t let life and its busyness steal your joy. Don’t let the stress of work keep you from appreciating your blessings.