Ready or Not

The beginning of the school year has always hit an interesting note for me.

Not to say that I don't like it, it's actually kind of an adrenaline rush. Students have an overflowing amount of anticipation. Whether or not it comes from reuniting with friends, nerves about classes, teachers, what have you...a sense of calm seems absent on the first day of school. This over looming shadow of uncertain excitement creeps its way into the feelings of teachers as well. What will my class be like? Will I have so-and-so? Did I plan enough? What do I do on the first day? Am I ready?

Am I ready?
Am
I
Ready
?

As an educational therapist, it's obvious that I have stepped away from the lifestyle of a classroom teacher. My office is soon to, once again, become my second home and I look forward to working with my students one-on-one. However, this question couldn't have come up more often this past week. The hours seemed to slip away as I typed countless emails, wrote up paperwork, and simply made time to breathe. That being said, what does it mean to be...ready?

I suppose that is a relative question. It's kind of like asking, what is normal? Normalcy is dependent on the person. What's normal for me is extremely foreign to someone who lives a life different than my own. In this same way, readiness is proven based on a person's necessary preparation for his or her own journey. It can range from traveling to a different country or simply embarking on a new school year. (Simply? Hah! I say that like it's an easy feat.)

In reality though, not matter how prepared we may think we are...we will never be ready. On paper everything may look put together, but I guarantee anything and everything may and or will pop-up.

But that's ok.
We're human.
If our lives followed everything exactly, there would be nothing to build from and no lessons to learn.

Even in the education field it's ok to make mistakes and disprove the belief that we have to be perfect. It's ok to step out of our glasshouses and admit that we're wrong. I've found that students are able to relate better to teachers who think differently and break the mold of the "perfect" teacher. (Or what one person might think said educator might be.) Students, no matter how old they are, are smart enough to know when you're trying to be something that you're not.

As we begin another chapter of school remember...

Our jobs bring meaning
Our jobs bring growth
Our jobs bring influence

Most importantly, our jobs aren't about us...they're about the students.
No matter how ready we (or they) are.

"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants"

-Deuteronomy 32:2

[You Are] More Precious than Rubies

As I was getting ready for bed this evening I took a long look in the mirror. Pressing my hands against my abdomen, I attempted to flatten out the small amount of pudge that stuck out from what would otherwise be a completely thin figure. Inside my head I pictured the endless number of movie stars, singers, and basically any media involved female whose figure appeared almost breakable due to their overly petite size. I took my hands off of my body and and let my stomach relax. For, unlike (many...I guess not all of) them, I am healthy, happy, and not forced to be a specific size.

I think for a lot of women, including myself, physical appearance is something that we are constantly aware of. Such awareness can be both good and bad. I find fashion to be an artistic outlet and enjoy piecing different styles together. Rarely will a day go by where over-sized earrings don't hang from the sides of my head. However, I specifically remember that a pressure to beautiful became most evident when I played Barbies with my sister as a child. Looking at the Doll's smooth plastic figure, clear complexion, and painted face made me wonder why I didn't look like that. In my mind, my tomboyish self would never come close to the beauty that was portrayed in this inanimate object.

What's wrong with this picture?

Now am I saying that Mattel should be run out of business for putting unrealistic expectations of physical beauty on an 8 year old? Well, no, that's not really a rant I want to get into right now. I do believe that as a society we really need to think about how we portray beauty. When did we get to the point of deciding that over-sized breasts and backsides, complimented with a tiny waste, was the most desirable figure?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 14.6 million cosmetic surgeries happen a year. Keep in mind, many of those are probably for reasons other than "self-improvement", but still. All of this because of an imperfect idea of perfect beauty. Knowing that one's body will never be good enough.

1 Peter 3:3-4 states
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 

Inner beauty.
Inner
Beauty

What a concept.

In all honesty everyone will eventually become physically "ugly" (or what the world might it find to be), it's inevitable. There is no amount of Botox, make-up, implants, creams, or nip-tucks will save you from aging. Instead, focus on how to be a light to others and let your inner beauty overcome that of the outer. I have found that the most beautiful people I've met aren't those who look magazine cover worthy, but have a spirit that radiates the love for those around them.

God has given everyone the ability to show compassion, care, and love. So use it.

Disney Equality

When it comes to feminists, I suppose you could say I'm relatively one. Not one of those hardcore, let's burn our bras type of one, but the type that knows women deserve respect and should rightfully be given it. However, it seems that nowadays in the land of sitcoms, Disney especially, inequality between men and women has gone polar opposite.

I grew up watching shows on Disney channel and as I got older I noticed a common trend. The dads gradually got dumber.

One of my favorite show has been, and always will be, Boy Meets World. Ask anyone in my family and they'll be quick to agree that I've probably seen every single show and can quote almost every line while watching said episodes. When I found out that Disney was making a spin off, I was hesitant to watch because I didn't know if it would taint one of my favorite sitcoms. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a go. Without shame, I admit I watched the whole first season. However, as in basic Disney trend, I noticed that Cory, the father, was portrayed as much less intelligent and more of a pushover than his wife, Topanga. There was even an episode where Topanga flat out said, "My husband is a dope."

What kind of message is this sending? I'm all for women being strong, but think if it were the other way around. If Cory were to say, "My wife is a dope." I can guarantee media and lawsuits (or whatever) would be all over that.

Let's bring it back to the 90's shall we?

In the original Boy Meets World the parents were equal partners and had an equal amount of intelligence. Alan and Amy (parents) were both respected by not only their children but each other as well. The point is they were both portrayed as mindful adults not mindless children.

Now I know the social norms of society have changed. Women have more of a voice and in some cases are much more strong willed than they used to be, which is great. However, if we want our boys to grow up to be respectful, intelligent men, good fathers, and supportive husbands, isn't it important that they're portrayed that way on Television?

Back from the Dead

So here I sit, once again. Computer on my lap, fingers on the keyboard, and eyes staring into an ominous, pixelated (I guess that's a word, right?) screen that will soon enough hold my next blogging masterpiece. In all honesty I had almost forgotten about this little beauty. I think the last time I blogged was a year or so ago, maybe more. Life has been full of ups and downs, ins and outs, and honestly I couldn't be more thankful for each and every one of them. No matter how painful or wonderful they may have been. For, each experience has given me life in some way. Thus showing me once again that I am merely human and have another reason to breathe.

Breathe.

Something I've found that I get to do a lot more of.

I feel this past year has been one of a metamorphisis to say the least. New job, new friends, new church, new life in general I suppose.

I'm not really sure what else to say...it's late. But you know that feeling of cleanliness you get after you've had time to rejuvinate? Like everything has been washed away and there's nothing left but a blank page that awaits a record of life's next events? I think I've, once again, reached that point.

To new beginnings.
New adventures.
And hopefully new blog posts in the near future.

Just don't forget the old.

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
-Ecclesiastes 3:11

Cheers