Friday, February 15, 2013
Always Learning
I am in the midst of gather data for my dissertation study. The process involves interviewing educators who participate in PLNs via of course social network sites. It has been fun to discover new sites and tools by doing these interviews. Yesterday during an interview, I learned about a site in which you form "recipes" for connecting one SNS to another. So, through www.ifttt.com, this blog post will hopefully sent a tweet! We will see! Should I say this is a test?
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Just sharing the joy!
I love when all the decorations are up (notice I said "when" not while they're going up). My mantel is always the first to go up and I love it! It gets me motivated to finish the rest. I just thought I'd share.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My "Ah-Ha's": Installment 2
Once again . . . It's been a while. I had good intentions of continuing my Ah-Ha's on a decent continuum, but things happen and they weren't necessarily other Ah-Ha's.
Over the last 7 weeks, the administrators in our district have been reading the book Lead Like Jesus. I posted it on my bookshelf before I had read much, I carried it around a couple of weeks before beginning to read, and once I began it, I didn't want my staff to know the title even though I referenced several points during conversation and meetings. You see, I didn't want to be the person who sticks a fish on their car or that great ole' bumper sticker (God is my co-pilot) and then cuts someone off in traffic, gives an irritated look as I pass by, or, well, you know what I mean. First, I want God to be my pilot. Second, I was worried that if they knew that I was reading such a book that I would be expected to act in the manner of leading like Jesus. Well, Ah-Ha, I am expected to lead like Him b/c I am His.
As I read this book, I realized that if I am going to be a child of God, then I am called to His service and therefore the service of others. I don't have a choice. During the weeks in which the administrators discussed this book, much of the discussion was geared towards specific areas of our job. But the "loud thoughts from God" kept comin'. Our preacher spoke one week (Oct. 5)on servants and service. I was running the slides in the booth and because he had planned many activities plus some videos, I had to listen carefully (wow, did God have a plan for me that day). Phil pointed out that "leaders are to humbly serve." Colossians 1:7, 23, 25; 4:7, 17. In Lead Like Jesus, the general concept (actually, the model set by our Savior) was, you guessed it, "lead humbly."
The "loud thoughts" just continue. As a sponsor of a social club at Abilene Christian University, the girls have been hounding me to set-up a FaceBook account. One night, during club, one of the girls took my laptop and set me up. I have to confess, I'm hooked. I very quickly added some of the cute little applications -- Graffiti, Flair, and Daily Bible Verse. It happened that one of my first verses was 1 John 3:6, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Service to others is the action of loving (and leading) like Jesus.
Two days later, the verse of the day was, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48. Within the leadership role of principal, I have been trusted with much -- the education of the children, the support of my teachers, and more. If I trust that God has entrusted me with this role, then I must trust that He will qualify me even in times that I mess things up. It's going to take prayer, trust, and accountability to help me lead like Jesus. In your prayers today, please lift me up that I will lead and love like Him . . . it matters greatly to this principal
Over the last 7 weeks, the administrators in our district have been reading the book Lead Like Jesus. I posted it on my bookshelf before I had read much, I carried it around a couple of weeks before beginning to read, and once I began it, I didn't want my staff to know the title even though I referenced several points during conversation and meetings. You see, I didn't want to be the person who sticks a fish on their car or that great ole' bumper sticker (God is my co-pilot) and then cuts someone off in traffic, gives an irritated look as I pass by, or, well, you know what I mean. First, I want God to be my pilot. Second, I was worried that if they knew that I was reading such a book that I would be expected to act in the manner of leading like Jesus. Well, Ah-Ha, I am expected to lead like Him b/c I am His.
As I read this book, I realized that if I am going to be a child of God, then I am called to His service and therefore the service of others. I don't have a choice. During the weeks in which the administrators discussed this book, much of the discussion was geared towards specific areas of our job. But the "loud thoughts from God" kept comin'. Our preacher spoke one week (Oct. 5)on servants and service. I was running the slides in the booth and because he had planned many activities plus some videos, I had to listen carefully (wow, did God have a plan for me that day). Phil pointed out that "leaders are to humbly serve." Colossians 1:7, 23, 25; 4:7, 17. In Lead Like Jesus, the general concept (actually, the model set by our Savior) was, you guessed it, "lead humbly."
The "loud thoughts" just continue. As a sponsor of a social club at Abilene Christian University, the girls have been hounding me to set-up a FaceBook account. One night, during club, one of the girls took my laptop and set me up. I have to confess, I'm hooked. I very quickly added some of the cute little applications -- Graffiti, Flair, and Daily Bible Verse. It happened that one of my first verses was 1 John 3:6, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Service to others is the action of loving (and leading) like Jesus.
Two days later, the verse of the day was, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48. Within the leadership role of principal, I have been trusted with much -- the education of the children, the support of my teachers, and more. If I trust that God has entrusted me with this role, then I must trust that He will qualify me even in times that I mess things up. It's going to take prayer, trust, and accountability to help me lead like Jesus. In your prayers today, please lift me up that I will lead and love like Him . . . it matters greatly to this principal
Monday, October 6, 2008
My "Ah-Ha's": Installment 1
It's been a while!
Over the course of the last few weeks I have encountered several situations that resulted in me having an "ah-ha" moment of life. You know, some of those "loud thoughts from God." He gives me these "thoughts" through a sermon, a colleague, a friend, or just through observations of others (students, parents, and general society). While at the time, I thought, "Oh, I need to blog about this", time got away and I've yet to mention any of them. Then I ask myself, "Do I try to cover it all in this one blog? Can I provide justice to how they matter to this principal? Not that my blogs are something to recommend for daily reading, but it matters to me.
For many years now, Sunday has been a Sister Shopping Day. My sister and I hit Target and possibly other "needed" stops. Over the years, niece M and nephew K have joined us for this journey. Sometimes we go for "needs" and sometimes we go to go. A couple of Sunday's ago we began adding another stop to our day -- Sonic (Happy Hour prices only). While we waited on our drinks, I noticed that the birds had really left a lot of gifts on my car Friday evening while parked at ACU. I asked if everyone was game for the car wash . . . Yes! (coming from the dude who once freaked at mention of the words). I like to support X-Stream car wash not only b/c you get a great wash and the neat deals of the day, but also b/c they support Big Brothers and Big Sisters. My usual car wash day is Sunday b/c I can at least get $2 off since I am a teacher (always). Occasionally, you will qualify for one of their quirky specials. On the way there, I casually said, "maybe we will have something in the car that will get me a free car wash." It's always so interesting to see what they come up with. We sit in line for quite a while, watching some cars go ahead of their turn but once up to the front I ask the guy what the "special" is. He says, "Well, you can get a free wash if you have a lottery ticket in your car."
I have to now interject that my nephew has this thing about collecting stuff -- once it was Dumb-Dumb sucker wrappers; there's been those "fake" credit cards to promote credit cards; the pamphlets from hotels; the paint swatches at Lowes. You name it he has probably collected it. Not moments before he had asked if I had any receipts he could have, pointing to the orangey one with #'s and the word LOTTO on it. I told him know on that one.
As the guy completes his sentence, Trina and I both grab the lottery ticket and reply, "Like this one?" BINGO ! (or maybe I should say Lotto) I got a free wash!
While none of this really matters in the whole scheme of things, I did feel like I had really one something. The real matter of the occasion was the blessing of a Sister-Niece-Nephew day and the fun and laughter we shared. For this principal, family memories matter.
Stayed tuned for My Ah-Ha's: Installment #2.
Over the course of the last few weeks I have encountered several situations that resulted in me having an "ah-ha" moment of life. You know, some of those "loud thoughts from God." He gives me these "thoughts" through a sermon, a colleague, a friend, or just through observations of others (students, parents, and general society). While at the time, I thought, "Oh, I need to blog about this", time got away and I've yet to mention any of them. Then I ask myself, "Do I try to cover it all in this one blog? Can I provide justice to how they matter to this principal? Not that my blogs are something to recommend for daily reading, but it matters to me.
For many years now, Sunday has been a Sister Shopping Day. My sister and I hit Target and possibly other "needed" stops. Over the years, niece M and nephew K have joined us for this journey. Sometimes we go for "needs" and sometimes we go to go. A couple of Sunday's ago we began adding another stop to our day -- Sonic (Happy Hour prices only). While we waited on our drinks, I noticed that the birds had really left a lot of gifts on my car Friday evening while parked at ACU. I asked if everyone was game for the car wash . . . Yes! (coming from the dude who once freaked at mention of the words). I like to support X-Stream car wash not only b/c you get a great wash and the neat deals of the day, but also b/c they support Big Brothers and Big Sisters. My usual car wash day is Sunday b/c I can at least get $2 off since I am a teacher (always). Occasionally, you will qualify for one of their quirky specials. On the way there, I casually said, "maybe we will have something in the car that will get me a free car wash." It's always so interesting to see what they come up with. We sit in line for quite a while, watching some cars go ahead of their turn but once up to the front I ask the guy what the "special" is. He says, "Well, you can get a free wash if you have a lottery ticket in your car."
I have to now interject that my nephew has this thing about collecting stuff -- once it was Dumb-Dumb sucker wrappers; there's been those "fake" credit cards to promote credit cards; the pamphlets from hotels; the paint swatches at Lowes. You name it he has probably collected it. Not moments before he had asked if I had any receipts he could have, pointing to the orangey one with #'s and the word LOTTO on it. I told him know on that one.
As the guy completes his sentence, Trina and I both grab the lottery ticket and reply, "Like this one?" BINGO ! (or maybe I should say Lotto) I got a free wash!
While none of this really matters in the whole scheme of things, I did feel like I had really one something. The real matter of the occasion was the blessing of a Sister-Niece-Nephew day and the fun and laughter we shared. For this principal, family memories matter.
Stayed tuned for My Ah-Ha's: Installment #2.
Friday, September 19, 2008
I'm not all that!
It's been a while . . . no one offered me any coffee.
Now that 4 weeks of school have flown by and ACU has started and therefore my duties as a club sponsor have begun, there have been occasions where I've crossed the path of those who think "it's all about me (them)."
Students think that they can say or punch somebody back because they said or punched them to begin with. The stealing of something from another student's desk is not as bad as not doing homework . . . according to one of my parents. Girls won't pledge at ACU at all since they didn't get the club they thought they would get. Other clubs wanted them, but they were rejected. Never mind that they have rejected a club that wants them.
It reminds me of a recent happening with my new school counselor. Mrs. Counselor works at 2 campuses in our district. On the day that she went to meet the staff at the other campus, introduce herself, and make a good impression, she forgot her materials, ran late, and I think one other thing occurred. So, (this lady is great! She can wing it like nobody's business) she stood before them, introduced herself, told what she had planned to do and then said, "You know it just goes to show that I'm not all that (snapping her fingers in a "z" fashion)." Her point being, that when we think we've got it all under control, we're at the top of our game, etc. something happens (could be a God reminder) and we are reminded that we are not all that.
In a book I am reading one of the statements made was, "if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Lead Like Jesus
While it is important to remember that we are not all that in relation to God's power, grace, and sovereignty, it is his grace makes us all that in his Kingdom.
Now that 4 weeks of school have flown by and ACU has started and therefore my duties as a club sponsor have begun, there have been occasions where I've crossed the path of those who think "it's all about me (them)."
Students think that they can say or punch somebody back because they said or punched them to begin with. The stealing of something from another student's desk is not as bad as not doing homework . . . according to one of my parents. Girls won't pledge at ACU at all since they didn't get the club they thought they would get. Other clubs wanted them, but they were rejected. Never mind that they have rejected a club that wants them.
It reminds me of a recent happening with my new school counselor. Mrs. Counselor works at 2 campuses in our district. On the day that she went to meet the staff at the other campus, introduce herself, and make a good impression, she forgot her materials, ran late, and I think one other thing occurred. So, (this lady is great! She can wing it like nobody's business) she stood before them, introduced herself, told what she had planned to do and then said, "You know it just goes to show that I'm not all that (snapping her fingers in a "z" fashion)." Her point being, that when we think we've got it all under control, we're at the top of our game, etc. something happens (could be a God reminder) and we are reminded that we are not all that.
In a book I am reading one of the statements made was, "if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Lead Like Jesus
While it is important to remember that we are not all that in relation to God's power, grace, and sovereignty, it is his grace makes us all that in his Kingdom.
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