Life Lessons
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Educators Respond To Covid-19
For educators, Fall brings excitement and anticipation. After Summer’s rest and rejuvenation, and perhaps a little professional development, most welcome a new school year. But this is 2020. Covid-19 obliterated spring lessons plans and now poses more questions than answers for the 2020-2021 school year. Last May, while educators wrapped up a highly unusual semester, I prepared a keynote address for an August Early Childhood Educators conference. Since I did not teach last year, I needed to hear from those emerging from the trenches. So I conducted a survey. Although the event was ultimately cancelled, the information gleaned through the survey proved invaluable with messages worth sharing. This article includes…
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Are You Climbing the Walls?
I do not rock climb. Oh, no. The thought of scaling walls towering above makes my hands sweat just thinking about it. I can’t say I’ve even faced the opportunity. Yet I have faced many a proverbial brick wall, those insurmountable situations that leave you feeling helpless. The “no way out and no way in” circumstances that seem impossible and impassable. Ever been there? Maybe you are at the base of such a wall right now. I recently read a similar scene in Joshua chapter 6. Picture this situation: Verse 1: “Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred. No one went out and no one came in. “…
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Alright. What then?
Yeah, a lot of events are being cancelled. Did you have plans to go to Disney for spring break? POOF! Mickey’s chosen social distancing. Last night I planned to dine with friends and attend a concert. Just as we were getting ready to leave, BAM! Cancelled. I have two exciting trips planned in the next few months… Yikes! I don’t like having my plans messed with! Can you relate? Sadness and disappointment come in other forms as well. Yesterday, I heard of three friends losing loved ones. (Not from THE virus, by the way.) Death especially has a way of robbing us of our plans, hopes, and dreams. Proverbs 19:21…
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Dear Future Me
Do you ever write notes to your future self? When I’ve completed a task, a lesson plan, even a party, I’ll jot down thoughts for the next time around. I just know by the time I open a file a year later, I will never remember such details as “buy more forks” or “take two days for this lesson” or “don’t forget name tags!” Reflecting on the year 2018, what would you tell the future you? What are some lessons, simple or profound, you know you’ll probably forget in the future? Here are a few to get you thinking: Dear Future Me: In this new year be more flexible. You…
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Free Samples!
Did you know if you try a little sample of fudge in all the candy shops on Mackinac Island, you will have consumed 1 pound of fudge by the end of your tour? Yummmm! Who doesn’t love samples! I am especially fond of the warehouse stores whose friendly representatives entice me to try things I may never have considered before. They know I might be more willing to invest in their product if I take a little nibble first. Today I want to share another kind of free sample. In the heart of the Psalms, we hear the invitation: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 24:8a Taste…
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It’s April!!
This morning I wanted to write something snarky on Facebook like “Would someone PA-LEEZE tell Wisconsin that the calendar has flipped!” Then the words of my son came back to me. “Mom,” he once said, when people complain about this weather, it’s not spring they want but summer! This IS spring weather – at least in Wisconsin.” I used to LOVE spring as a kid! April was my favorite month of all! But maybe that had more to do with an April birthday and the fact that I lived farther south. Now I live in The Land of Eternal Winter and by the time my boots are put away,…
