Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime...

As much as time seems to drag during the school year, it seems that once we hit April, the days fly by like kites in the wind! My students all did their best on the TAKS tests, and we are ALL glad to have those behind us. I feel so blessed to teach such amazing young men and women and to be able to watch not only their physical growth but also their mental and spiritual growth! I will miss my 8th graders!

We have only 4 weeks left! We are coasting to the finish line! Come on SUMMER!!

Top Ten Reasons Why.......

Reasons why I love my friends like family:

10. If you have black ink on your face, they will tell you about it.......after you have taught at least one class with it on you.

9. If you forget your lunch, they will share theirs with you.

8. If you don't have money for lunch or a coke, they will give it to you.

7. If you are in a bad mood, they will say mean things to you until you laugh.

6. If you are sad, they ask you what is wrong, and they really want to hear the answer.

5. If they can do something to ease your sadness, they will.

4. They don't talk about you behind your back; they say it right to your face!

3. When you get nervous about ordering coffee at Ballyhoo because you think the ladies think you are stupid, they say you are imagining it, and then make fun of you every time you order.

2. When they say they love you they mean it!

1. When you ask for prayer, they pray without ceasing for you.


I LOVE MY FRIENDS!!

Hard Times

Hard times...everyone has them...EVERYONE. Rich people, famous people, poor people, people that no one notices as they walk by.....hard times don't discriminate. I had a good friend tell me many years ago that she thought I was lucky....lucky because I was going through some hard times......WHAT? She explained: "When you experience difficulties, and you turn to God for help, He holds you in the palm of His hand. He is holding YOU now, and I envy you because you are so close to Him right now." She envied me? My pain, sadness, loneliness?
I have often thought about her statement through the years as I experienced various disappointments and sad situations in my life. I have come to realize that she was right; I am closer to God in my hard times, and I have tried hard lately to change that. By change I mean...I want that closeness with God all day, every day...not just when I am struggling. I feel Him now in my life no matter what is going on...whether I am laughing, crying, screaming, praying....He is here with me. He is teaching me that I can be content in ALL situations; He is showing me blessings around every corner; He is revealing to me a strength that I have always had, but never used. What a glorious feeling it is to know that I have ONE who will always be with me, no matter what I have done or said; ONE who rejoices when I declare my love for Him.
Hard times?? I would rather not have them, but if they come, I will not face them alone....

Needs...

It has been so crazy at school lately. I need patience. I need encouragement. I need strength. I need to practice the saying, "Always be kinder than necessary."

Valentine's Day.....Ugh!

I don't like Valentine's Day. I hate seeing all the cards and hearts and flowers and candy everywhere you go this time of year. I hate the ushy-gooshey commercials on TV. I hate mylar heart-shaped balloons. I hate Conversation Hearts Candy. I don't put up a Valentine's Day bulletin board in my classroom. I Don't Like Valentine's Day!!

You may think you know whey I don't like Valentine's Day....."Poor Debbie; she is single; no wonder she hates the day!" Negative, Ghost Rider! My extreme dislike for this day began long, long ago in a land far, far away.....

Those of you who are old enough have to remember what a big deal Valentine's Day was when we were in elementary school.....grade school it was called "back in the day." We worked for days creating amazingly artistic bags or boxes for our classmates to put our Valentines in. We had parties that lasted hours; we stuffed our faces with cupcakes and sugar cookies and chocolate candy from heart-shaped boxes. We played games and laughed and forgot about work for a day. I loved it!!

Then it happened, my extreme humiliation one Valentine's Day when I was in about fourth grade. William Lenart, my guy, my boyfriend....we were "going together".......broke my heart! At our annual party, he gave me a wonderfully decorated, homemade Valentine!! He had written a poem "from his heart" on it! I was thrilled; I was proud; I giggled; I beamed; I showed it off!! All of a sudden.....GASP!!! I see a Valentine EXACTLY LIKE MINE in the hands of the new little red-headed girl across the room!! (Yes, Ginger, she WAS red-headed!!) I was stunned; I was confused; I was saddened; I was embarrassed, but more than anything else, I was MAD!!! That low-down, dirty, cheatin' WILLIAM!! He wouldn't meet my gaze, but he knew I was boiling!!

The bell rang for recess, and I was ready! Our playgrounds back then weren't as sanitarilly childproofed as they are today....no fences, no whistles, not many rules.....and plenty of ROCKS!! I scoured the outskirts of the playground for the perfect one; finally pocketing a golf-ball sized beauty. William was by the basketball court with his buddies; they were all in a circle discussing what he had done. I slowly made my way to the circle; I stopped about 10 feet away and called his name, "WILLIAM LENART!!" He jumped and turned my way, meeting my burning gaze.....one of his buddies said something to him, and he turned his head sideways, giving me the perfect target! I chunked that rock as hard as I could hitting him upside of his stupid, cheating, head! WHACK!! He screamed and grabbed the side of his head....blood gushed.....he started crying.....teachers came running.....and I smiled.....

Mr. Coursey, my principal, had no compassion for me as he paddled me that day, but I knew that William Lenart would never break another girl's heart again without thinking of ME and that ROCK!!

So......I DON'T LIKE VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Goals

This new year is already flying by it seems! I have new goals that include being more optimistic about my life and the situations I find myself in. I also have retained one goal from the past 2 years: I want a renewed relationship with my sons! You know what they say, "Third time is the charm!" Hopefully that will hold true for me and my sons this year!

Amazing Grace

As we enter the Christmas Season, I would just like to say that I am completely in awe that God would send His one and only Son to Earth to save someone like me. Amazing Grace indeed! Thank you, Lord!