And so – we write for five minutes, our words tumbling out – no editing, no polishing – just flat out on a one word prompt! We gather all our beautiful thoughts here in our Five Minute Friday community and then love on each other as only we can do! Click here to learn all about it.
Home is where the Five Minute Friday community gathers so please join us at Kate Motaung’s for our Friday fun!
READY
GO…
Three weeks ago I asked myself a question-Am I ready? You see three weeks ago my summer immediately ended and my school year began. A year of beginnings and a year of lasts. Am I ready for one more year of teaching which just so happens to be my last year of teaching?
When we thing of being ready our immediate thoughts go to something that is beginning. For me being ready is totally turned around. For me being ready is for an ending.
God is the guide to our beginnings and ends! God takes our beginnings, makes them beautiful and walks with us every step to the end. God is taking my last year of teaching and showing me with His eyes all the reasons that I have spent 30 years teaching. My eyes are glimpsing students who need a mom, students who need love, students who need to feel safe and students who love to learn. Every moment is a gift – a memory – to teach me why I teach.
I will take this knowledge with me into retirement and use all the treasured moments for something new that God has planned for me. God is preparing me for an end but in this preparation He is getting me ready for the next “big yes” in my life.
God’s glory is shown through each of us everyday when we allow Him to walk with us and guide our steps.
STOP
At that same time, I begged God: “God, my Master, you let me in on the beginnings, you let me see your greatness, you let me see your might—what god in Heaven or Earth can do anything like what you’ve done! Please, let me in also on the endings, let me cross the river and see the good land over the Jordan, the lush hills, the Lebanon mountains.” Deuteronomy 3:23-25 MSG
Blessings,
Mary
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Leaning into this season of endings and looking forward with hope to new beginnings!
Amen! May we all let Jesus lead us through the messiness, challenges and joy! He will always walk us through to the other side. Happy Sunday!
I loved your post and your site. I’m all about leaning into grace and so my heart joins with yours in your desire to share your grace journey with others – so many need to find their own. Your post today made me think of Zechariah 4:10 – Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. One ending always leads to another beginning – and God is in them, no matter how small. So happy to find you on FMF!
Thank you for stopping by! I love the verse you referenced too. God will see us through our beginnings as well ash endings and now I just need to hang on in faith for all that will come next. Have a wonderful week!
Hi Mary! This really is a year of endings, that starts with beginnings! What a perfect theme for you this Friday. God is with you as you roam the halls and teach your students…I know he will bring you fresh eyes to give you memories to last your lifetime.
And who knows what the next adventure will be? Your school year ending will be the beginning of great things to come!
Blessings,
Ceil
I love your words-God is with you as you roam the halls and teach your students.Your words provide extra encouragement for me. And who knows but God what my next beginning will be? So glad you stopped by! Happy Sunday!
Oh I love this Mary! I am praying for you as you enter your year of lasts! May He bless you and use you in surprising and unexpected ways… and may He make you ready -not only for the ending, but for the new beginning too! xoxo
I treasure your prayers friend! I am praying along with you as I make the most of my ending and open my heart for God’s new beginning for me. Blessed you stopped by! Happy weekend!
What a bittersweet year for you, my friend. The excitement of where God will send you next mixed with leaving those precious children I’m sure you grow to love each year. I love the beautiful way you write about what teaching means to you. I wish all teachers were just like you :). Our children would have many more glorious days.
I learn just as much if not more than the kids each school year. One lesson that sticks with me is how God’s unconditional love for me is always reflected in the love of my students each year. The best gift I can give my students is to love them like they love me. I’m praying that God continues to use me mightily in my endings as well as beginnings! Have a beautiful weekend!
Wow, Mary! Thirty years of teaching! You’ve been such a gift to so many through those years. I can only imagine! “…He is getting me ready for the next “big yes” in my life.” He sure is, Mary! He’s not done with you yet. I look forward to seeing Him work through you this school year and where He will take you next! Congratulations on finishing strong! “Well done, good and faithful servant…” Hugs to you!
Your encouragement means the world to me! It is a very bittersweet year but I’m praying for God to prepare me and lead me to my new beginning! I hope I say “yes” when I learn what it is! Trusting God is a full-time job! I always love when you pop on over! Have a beautiful weekend!
Yes! That’s right where I want to be…with God’s glory showing through me. Praying that I am ready for that each day.
I pray everyday for my actions and words to honor God! I also pray that God’s glory is not only revealed to me but that I am then able to share it with others. Happy weekend!
Wow, 30 years of teaching! That is quite an accomplishment; and I love how you are spending your last year: “My eyes are glimpsing students who need a mom, students who need love, students who need to feel safe and students who love to learn.”
Visiting from FMF! Great to connect with you!
So glad you are here, Liz! The gifts that God is blessing me with this year are ones that will become treasures for me as I move from my ending to a new beginning! Have a beautiful weekend!
Your love for teaching (and as a teacher) is obvious. I’m guessing this year is full of lots of bittersweet “lasts” that you are going through. But goodness, your students are so blessed to have you for this year…a special year at that! 🙂
Bittersweet is a great description of this school year. The great part is that God is showing me so much through these students-lessons that will last a lifetime and gifts of memories that I will carry with me forever! Hugs my friend!