We live in a world of don't wait. We completely ignore the saying of "good things come to those who wait" and what about the verse "Wait upon the Lord." Jingles come to mind---"I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now!"
We live in a world of certificates. For anything and everything we award people with pieces of paper and a chance to walk across the stage to applause. Especially in a child's world. Certificates of participation are my favorite. Wow--participating--now that takes alot of effort, doesn't it? It's alot like getting a reward for breathing! Our children don't really have to earn much anymore.
A very smart Sunday School teacher once told me that the only advise or criticism that really matters to people has to come from someone that they respect. An education professor that I had used to make the point that the only comments that were meaningful to students must be specific--not a general "good job," but actually what makes it a good job. And yet, we continue to hand each other pieces of paper that say "You did this." Did what? What made it worthy of appreciation? What made it worthy of notice?
I remember the value of my high school diploma and graduation because it was something I worked for and I waited years to walk across that stage. It documented that hard work. It said that the work was worth noticing. And my first limosine ride, after I got married, something to be valued and cherished and I waited for it. Again, it marked a once-in-a-lifetime event-something worth appreciating and noting. It also set that day apart from any other. Something that is getting harder and harder to do because we have all done everything so there is nothing left to set a memory apart from all the others.
And what about anticipation? The anticipation is part of a good thing. You know, the wait for your birthday. The wait for Christmas morning. Even the planning and packing for vacation is sometimes part of the fun. But what do our youth know of anticipation? of working hard for something, of watching others get things and thinking--I'm going to get that one day if I work hard enough? What do we do to encourage hard work and following dreams? Nothing--and then we wonder why our society is self-centered and materialistic. Well, I guess actions really do speak louder than words.
Even this blog is a bit narcissistic. I'm hoping people will look at it! But more than that I'm hoping my words help you today, to speak up and get creative and let's start giving each other true, constructive, valuable, personal praise to build each other up! And stop killing trees with the certificate game!
Showing posts with label balancing life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label balancing life. Show all posts
It's Raining
I was feeling guilty for not being happier. Sitting in church we spoke in choral reading, make a joyful noise of thanksgiving. The minister asked for announcements of celebrations; I could think of none. We read in Psalm 118: 23 "rejoice and be glad in it." And yet, I don't feel it. For now, I am not happy. And my word of the year is "in joy"--serve in joy! live in joy!
And then during prayer, I heard a bird singing. I realized that I hadn't heard that sound for several days because of the passing storms. And I realized that the bird doesn't sing while it is raining but as soon as it stops, songs break forth. I am reminded of some scriptures: John 16:20 "But your weeping shall suddenly be turned to wonderful joy..." and Psalm 30:5 "Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the dawn." I am assured that this is just a passing rain shower! No guilt needed.
Is it raining on you today? The sun will be out soon! Ding, Dang, Dawn
And then during prayer, I heard a bird singing. I realized that I hadn't heard that sound for several days because of the passing storms. And I realized that the bird doesn't sing while it is raining but as soon as it stops, songs break forth. I am reminded of some scriptures: John 16:20 "But your weeping shall suddenly be turned to wonderful joy..." and Psalm 30:5 "Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the dawn." I am assured that this is just a passing rain shower! No guilt needed.
Is it raining on you today? The sun will be out soon! Ding, Dang, Dawn
Life to the Third Power
Have you ever noticed how our life seems to come in threes? As small children, we read books like The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and The Three Bears. In school, we were taught to write essays with an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. The scientific theory includes a prediction, the experiment and the outcome or conclusion. Even our most popular phrases sit better on the tongue if we use three—“The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “the good , the bad, and the ugly”, “Go, Fight, Win!”
I began thinking about this, as my teenagers were rushing out the door this morning. I wondered why do they have such trouble getting places on time? And I realized that even in daily living there is a power of 3. In every action, there is a need for preparation, activity, and closure. Take mealtime for instance—you must first cook the meal, then eat it, and then clean up.
Even the simplest of actions follow this rule. Let’s look at going to bed. There is a preparation time—brushing your teeth, putting on your pajamas, going to the bathroom, feeding the pet, locking the doors, plugging in the rechargeable technology, getting the glass of water, fixing tomorrow’s lunches, throwing in that last load of laundry (Okay that was the women’s list—men, just follow me through the first two or three!) Then, the actual sleeping occurs. And then you need to have a wake-up process--the stretch, morning coffee and paper, morning news on TV routine.
The problem occurs when one act merges into another without that closure time. This problem happens more and more when we get busier and busier. We wake up by jumping in the shower and getting dressed, which should really be our preparation time for going to work. We never really closed down sleeping mode.
We get up from the supper table (if we even ever sat down, maybe we went through the drive-thru) and we rush out to the next sports event or meeting without really taking time to eat together and definitely forgetting to clean-up. Which leaves us to do the clean-up or catch up with the kids day during our getting ready for bed time!
As an elementary school teacher, the hardest thing to do in a school day is to make sure we look over and assimilate the work we just did before moving on with our day. Children are just geared toward being finished when they have accomplished the task. But we all know, you must clean up before you move on to something else or the mess will get unbearable. I can hear my mother saying, “Put that game away before you get out a new one.” She was in effect, teaching us the importance of closure.
Back to my teens, I realized they were already behind when they went to bed. In exhaustion, they had not prepared for the next day. The alarms were not set, the clothes were not laid out, the plans were not made. It’s the same scenario in many of our daily lives as we try to get as much out of each day and cram too many activities together, not allowing ourselves time to “put away one game, before we get out a new one.”
I have heard the expression that “a three legged stool never wobbles.” I think we can apply that thought to almost every daily activity in life—prepare, enjoy, and savor!
I began thinking about this, as my teenagers were rushing out the door this morning. I wondered why do they have such trouble getting places on time? And I realized that even in daily living there is a power of 3. In every action, there is a need for preparation, activity, and closure. Take mealtime for instance—you must first cook the meal, then eat it, and then clean up.
Even the simplest of actions follow this rule. Let’s look at going to bed. There is a preparation time—brushing your teeth, putting on your pajamas, going to the bathroom, feeding the pet, locking the doors, plugging in the rechargeable technology, getting the glass of water, fixing tomorrow’s lunches, throwing in that last load of laundry (Okay that was the women’s list—men, just follow me through the first two or three!) Then, the actual sleeping occurs. And then you need to have a wake-up process--the stretch, morning coffee and paper, morning news on TV routine.
The problem occurs when one act merges into another without that closure time. This problem happens more and more when we get busier and busier. We wake up by jumping in the shower and getting dressed, which should really be our preparation time for going to work. We never really closed down sleeping mode.
We get up from the supper table (if we even ever sat down, maybe we went through the drive-thru) and we rush out to the next sports event or meeting without really taking time to eat together and definitely forgetting to clean-up. Which leaves us to do the clean-up or catch up with the kids day during our getting ready for bed time!
As an elementary school teacher, the hardest thing to do in a school day is to make sure we look over and assimilate the work we just did before moving on with our day. Children are just geared toward being finished when they have accomplished the task. But we all know, you must clean up before you move on to something else or the mess will get unbearable. I can hear my mother saying, “Put that game away before you get out a new one.” She was in effect, teaching us the importance of closure.
Back to my teens, I realized they were already behind when they went to bed. In exhaustion, they had not prepared for the next day. The alarms were not set, the clothes were not laid out, the plans were not made. It’s the same scenario in many of our daily lives as we try to get as much out of each day and cram too many activities together, not allowing ourselves time to “put away one game, before we get out a new one.”
I have heard the expression that “a three legged stool never wobbles.” I think we can apply that thought to almost every daily activity in life—prepare, enjoy, and savor!
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