So many directions I could go with today’s word. Praise. My thoughts were running through my mind.

I read the story that went with the word today.

Over the years I have walked through a number of valleys, as I believe many of us have. When I was going through these difficult times, I encountered one of the most positive people I have ever had a chance to meet in my life. Her enthusiasm just bubbled over. Eventually, I asked her, “how is it that you are so positive all the time?” She responded, “I never stop praising God. When I praise God, when I look for the good even in the darkest time, when I long for hope and joy, things always seem a little brighter. I know that life will not always be easy, but in praising God, I also know that he is walking with me every step of the way, in the good times and the bad.”

Lenten Photo of the Day – March 19 – God is on the Move.

Then, I stopped reading. I had an experience today that shook me to my core. I had a young student in my one of my classes refuse to do any work. She usually is pretty stubborn but I can get her going by redirecting her. Today, she disrupted the learning of the whole class and I tried every trick in my 24-years-of-teaching bag of tricks and she wasn’t having any of it. I asked her to stay after and she stood up and walked out. She’s never been like that.

Rather than sit and process through what all my training tells me – look at the behavior. There is always a story behind it. I teach my own kids that they can’t judge because they don’t know other people’s stories. But, no, wounded-ego me, spewed off an email to her parents asking if something else was going on that could be affecting her. She’s never been so blatantly disrespectful before.

You see, God has been pushing me hard these past few weeks to find the joy. Find the blessings. Find the positive in all experiences.

I received an email back that made my heart sink. Her mother is terminally ill and dying, but that they haven’t told her yet. Her mom said she’d follow up with consequences at home. I quickly replied how sorry I was. I told her not to give consequences at home – we would handle it at school, and told her we were there to support her and her family.

Where was my lesson in this one, God?

As I let that sink in the rest of the day, I realized that there is a lesson in here. There is hope. There is love. This little girl is going to need some serious support around her. God was just lining up the prayer warriors to surround mom and her daughter.

Days like this make you feel small in the world. I felt horrible for jumping the gun and emailing mom. Usually I still have patience and can try several things on my own. Then I felt better thinking that I think I was supposed to email home – otherwise how would we at the school know what was going on to help this girl muddle through this next part of her mother’s journey.

Even though I talked through this with myself – you still slip into that, “I can’t believe I did that…..I can’t believe I lost my cool……..” the rest of the day.

I came home, ate dinner and chatted with my family. Kirby ran over to the neighbor’s house to play basketball. I walked over there to tell him I was setting a timer for 10 minutes and then we’d be leaving to go deliver a Schwan’s order to some family members.

As I walked the few house back home, I looked up in the sky…..saw this…heard the little tiny bird up in the branch singing away…..and I felt peace.

God is good and has a plan.

The PRAYER today is….. I lift my voice in praise to you, O Lord, for you have blessed me with more than I could ever ask. Thank you for all your gifts, for your promises, and for the new life that awaits me and all your children. In your holy name, I pray. Amen