I Choose JOY!

Yesterday I, along with my principal and four other teachers in my building, attended a professional development workshop. Despite wondering through most of the day whether or not my kids were tearing the classroom apart or learning anything at all while I was gone, I am so so thankful that I was at this particular conference. The timing couldn't have been better. It was, so to say, 'just what the doctor ordered.' After being in survival mode for a solid three weeks now, I left feeling empowered to walk back into my classroom with a fresh, more positive mindset! I was reminded that it's not silly, after all, to believe that I can change the world as a teacher.

The workshop was lead by a former teacher, principal, and now motivational speaker from the town of Purvis, Mississippi. He was engaging, enthusiastic, and focused on helping teachers live life to the fullest! But what stood out to me most is how incredibly positive his outlook is on life. He is obviously crazy in love with his wife and admires her deeply, speaks of his children with utmost affection, talks about enjoying extracurricular activities, AND he is still super enthusiastic about teaching and devoted to the profession!
I'm thinking, extracurricular?? I don't even know what that word means anymore! And I am stressed/sadened at just the thought of how much of my time I don't have to invest in close relationships because I'm pouring everything into my job.
So, I'm wondering…How does he balance it all? What does this guy have? What's his secret? Because whatever it is, I need it!

Come to find out, he didn't always have such a positive disposition.
As I was listening to him share his early experiences as a teacher, I was floored to hear that this man, who now seems to have everything figured out so perfectly, was in pretty much the exact same mode as I have been in - scraping by in his job, experiencing little joy, just trying to survive.
Praise the Lord, hallelujah! There's hope for me yet!

But, still, what's he got today that he didn't have then? What made the difference that brought him to the place he is now as a person and as an educator?

First of all, I know the most important thing he has is Jesus.
I'm not trying to be silly. It was written all over this guy. Truly. His joy was oozing almost.
Scriptural language was woven throughout his speech - things like "living a life of abundance" and "you reap what you sow." He spoke of each new day being a gift, not letting others steal your joy, and of how sometimes you have to go through the valleys of life to reach the mountain tops. He referenced quotes from Charles Swindoll, and he spoke of the value of giving our lives away to others. He even prayed before we had lunch. And the best part - he really meant the things he was saying. You could tell he lived it! He knew what was really important in life. And I'm convinced that's what made the difference for him.

Often times, for me, relying on God sounds nice. I like to think about relying on Him, and I casually ask for His help and guidance. But just thinking about living a life that is rooted in God isn't really proving to be very effective…Reflecting on the way of Christ and embracing it fully are two very different lifestyles. I need to live it, to breathe Him in if I want to thrive on the peace He has to offer in life. In order to make it at this school I need the source of my joy to come from something greater than myself.
When I was in Nepal, and my energy had run out, one of my team members prayed a prayer asking God to give us His heart for the people of Nepal - because we didn't love them enough to do what we were doing every day. We needed His love for them. His love, not ours, would keep us going.
I feel like that same prayer applies quite well to my need of His heart today for my students.

Sometime this summer, I came across this prayer with full intention of printing it and displaying it on my desk. That has yet to happen. But that doesn't mean it can't show up on my desk tomorrow:

For each of these was made in your image,
and it was for all that Christ gave his life.
May I see with your eyes and feel with your heart,
and may I be your hands and feet to these your people.
Amen.

Steering back from a bit of a tangent…
The presenter didn't over-spiritualize this workshop. If one was not very familiar with scripture, they honestly may not even have noticed. But I recognized the message of the bible in his words. And I'm not going to hide it - hearing the Truth of scripture woven into experienced wisdom on how to teach effectively and positively was a DOUBLE dose of refreshment!! Thank you, Lord! :)

There is another key ingredient to his recipe for a full life…His ridiculously POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
At my school, it is not an uncommon occurrence to see a teacher teary-eyed in a faculty meeting, crying in the workroom after school, walking down the hallway with a strained face… It's tough to stay positive in our environment. But you know what, we are letting our students steal our joy! We are allowing our circumstances to defeat us. And as unrealistic as it seems to uphold such a positive attitude at my school, I want to try. I need to try. I MUST try. For my sake, the sake of my students, and the people around me.

SO, with the strategies and tips I learned from the workshop I am also taking with me a renewed desire to depend on the Lord and to choose to focus on the positive!

There is a teacher in my building who has an amazing life story. And anytime someone asks him how he's doing he always has the same, genuine response. "Better than I deserve."
Isn't that so true for us all?

I'm going to leave you with the quote from Charles Swindoll that we were given yesterday. This is my most lengthy blog post yet, so if you've even made it this far I applaud you! Thank you for caring about me and my endeavor enough to read my thoughts :) And thank you, Father, for the inspiring day I had yesterday!

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is, we have a CHOICE every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. You…..we are in charge of our attitudes."