Another week is in the books – seven days to celebrate or seven days to reflect on how we made it through. Another week to look back, pause and give thanks before looking ahead to what is coming next.
As another school year winds down and the proverbial light can be seen at the end of the tunnel, a time of self-reflection, evaluation and celebration is foremost on my mind.
Self-reflection and evaluation are a daily norm as a teacher as you take the time to tweak lessons, meet students needs and plan accordingly. When applying this to a whole school year, the scope has broadened and the reflection becomes less-focused as you take in the whole picture. Looking at the big picture has it benefits, but spending time digging into small moments provides an understanding of grace-filled minutes that you might have otherwise missed.
Does God call us to look at life as a whole picture or does He want us to zoom in on specific moments – or grace gifts that He has chosen just for us? What lens do you use to look at your life? Is the focus narrow with a sharp image or have you zoomed out to where you see a bigger, out of focus picture?
Does your picture include the small, still frames that are only caught on film when slowing down or is your life a series of blurry snapshots due to your hurry-up life style?
God’s snapshots require us to pause long enough to hear His voice in the everyday and accept the grace gifts that are intertwined throughout the ordinary. This slowing down – this pausing in the midst of rushing to the next thing has blessed me this year! When life was overwhelming and getting out of bed took everything in me, walking in faith was a step forward that was worth exploring.
One of the greatest grace gifts that walked through my classroom door was a nine year old boy, named Micah. His spirit, exuberant joy and his quirky personality lifted me when I needed it most and loved me into life with a smile on his face. He has a way of making me feel better and finding that secret place in me that stirred the depths of my being. You can read more about Micah here!
Another one of my grace gifts this school year came in the form of a woman named, Bea, our school custodian. Her encouraging and positive spirit filled my emptiness with a healing that made my heart happy. As she moves on to retirement, her presence will be a considerable loss but her legacy of encouragement will live on in the hallways of the school. Read more about Bea here!
God blessed me with many grace gifts this year! Counting these gifts occurred because I slowed down long enough to recognize that God had intertwined my ordinary with His blessings.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8
There is so much that God wants to teach us and so little time for these lessons to become ingrained in our lives. Slow down, friends and look for your grace gifts today.
Have you paused today? What did you see? Were you blessed with any grace gifts?
Blessings!
Mary
I am still counting to remind myself that I am truly blessed. Linking up this year with Ann Voskamp’s 2014 Joy Dare. Find the link up at A Holy Experience. Counting blessings daily will bless you immeasurably! JoyDare #450 and still counting…
Follow me on Twitter to count my daily blessings with me! @MaryGeisen #JoyDare #1000gifts
Blessed to be linking with these wonderful blogs:
Mary! Such a sweet post that made me smile : ) Thanks for such good reminders here and for linking to Make A Difference Mondays!
I love your link up and learn so much about being intentional in looking for ways to serve and honor God in the everyday. Thank you for stopping by and so glad you left with a smile!
Slowing down to count His graces . . . something I’ve been trying to do more of this year. I started a gratitude journal and have been giving myself grace for the days I forget to write things down but I do so believe in this practice of seeing and giving Him thanks for all the ways He blesses us.
It brings more joy into our lives when we stop, listen and find God in our day. Taking the time to thank Him gives the glory back to Him where it belongs. So blessed you stopped by, Beth! Have a beautiful weekend!
Finally making it over here to catch up with you! Loved this question: “Does your picture include the small, still frames that are only caught on film when slowing down or is your life a series of blurry snapshots due to your hurry-up life style?” One that I need to ponder. A lot. Thanks for linking up to Testimony Tuesday. Always love having you over!
Love that you feel welcome here! Don’t you love how God teaches us in the moments that we actually choose to slow down and listen? Love ya friend!
Mary,
I love that you are looking for blessings even in hard struggles and difficult times. If only everyone did this!
I realized I was “following” your old blog since that’s where your gravatar took me. But then it dawned in me that I wasn’t getting your blog posts by email. So I found this blog. 🙂 But when I click the “email subscribe” link I get an error message and it won’t let me sign up. Any ideas?
Thanks for the love friend and the perseverance to figure out where my writing home is!! I am enjoying the encouragement I find at your home and hope you feel comfortable here too!
I certainly do feel love here! Thanks also for your encouragement at my place. It’s all for Him. ❤️
Thanks Heather! Love doing this and love Him who chose me even before I was born to be His daughter.
God has really taught me to slow down and soak up his word with the thoroughness of combing out each treasure and jewel. I would have raced through my reading in years past and I missed so much, Mary! I think the same is true for how we rush through life, so I’m totally resonating with your words here this morning. I can tell you are grieving a bit for your “teacher life” as you enter a summer break. It takes a special woman, like yourself, to teach day in and day out and to love it like you do. And not only that but to find those little “gems” in the form of 9 year old boys. I’m so glad he has encouraged you, my friend! Hugs and prayers are being offered for you!
As a teacher we can’t wait for the end, rejoice in beginnings and hope to make it through the in between. I do feel sad at the end of each year and I know that when my friend moves on, a piece of my heart will be going with him. Thank you for your affirmation of my passion to teach – the rewards are great and the gifts and lessons we learn from our students are priceless. I am so glad that in the midst of finishing a school year, God sneaks in with reminders of the goodness that is always present around me. Prayers and hugs are coming your way too! Love ya!
What a wonderful practice – the look back and count your grace gifts over a period of time. So often we’re looking forward and making plans, setting goals. Looking back in gratitude is something I’m going to do more often.
Blessed you stopped by! Taking time each day to see and verbalize the gifts God has blessed us with brings so much joy. Reflecting on my school year allows me to confidently bring closure and end with the positive! Thanks for your kind words!
Hi Mary,
I’m hopping over from Ann’s link up. Nice to meet you and to peek into your gifts, and to hear about your last few weeks of teaching. Thank you.
Your line “to pause long enough to hear His voice” most caught my attention today because my husband and I have been spending time on that idea lately too. As we work on becoming a people of waiting with a God who waits one main reason and benefit of that is being able to learn his voice.
Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Amen, Jennifer! Blessed you stopped by! I love that in our waiting we are able to learn God’s voice. In our hurry up world, we don’t like “waiting” to be a word in our everyday vocabulary but the lessons that are hidden within the walls of waiting are worth the time!
I love this…”Counting these gifts occurred because I slowed down long enough to recognize that God had intertwined my ordinary with His blessings.” It is amazing when grace takes over and our ordinary becomes His extraordinary!
Blessings,
Dawn
Blessed you stopped by Dawn! God’s intentionality in my everyday has allowed me to see so many blessings that I would have otherwise missed. Blessings!
Mary … I’m fascinated that you’re taking the time to so deeply thoughtfully reflect even while you’re in the busiest days of the year! May God enrich your life because you’ve done so, friend.
Linda, it has been so important for me to keep finding the positive throughout my day and throughout my year. I have gone through many challenges but when I am blessed beyond words by a nine year old and others who have touched my life, taking the time to pause and remind myself why I do what I do is so important. God sends these moments as love notes for us to make it through the day! So glad you stopped by!