Tuesday, February 5, 2013

7 Things I've Learned




7 Things I’ve Learned in 7 Months
(In no particular order)

7.   Change can be hard, but change can be goodOne of the biggest adjustments to this new job has been not having day to day, hour by hour contact with students.  This is the first time in 26 years of public school education that I haven’t been in a classroom at all.  When the students first got to school this year it was very difficult, but I've started to develop some relationships with students and those will only continue to develop.  This change made me go about forming those relationships a little differently, but it’s been good for me to step out of the comfort zone of having those opportunities handed to me just by having them in a class.  I’m excited to see how God continues to develop some of the ideas in my head to help me create more meaningful relationships as a full time administrator.  To me, it's still about relationships. 

6.  4 Months is a long time.  For the first 4 months we lived apart during the week and just saw each other on weekends.  It wasn’t ideal but the work situations made it that way.  Made me appreciate the day to day conversations we have and how much I enjoy sharing my job with Deb. 

5.  The next 3 months was better, make that much better.  We got back together as a family in our new house in late October.  We've enjoyed getting things for the house and making it our home.  p.s. Deb is fantastic at this. 

4.  I’m proud of my family.   I miss our older kids Brett and Nicole, and of course grandson Jonathan, but am really proud of what they’re doing in Salt Lake City.  I learned that SLC is a beautiful place when we got to visit them in early November.  I could also feel the need for why they are doing what they are doing with their campus ministry at the University of Utah.  Son A.J. is in his senior year and made a transition to coaching gracefully and with class after the disappointment of not being able to play his senior season.  He’s got a great future ahead of him.  Daughter Abby continues to be a great mother to our 16 month old grandson Parker and has started classes at Mercy College in Des Moines.  We’re blessed and grateful for them all. 

3.  Deb works for a great company.   TS Bank in Treynor has allowed Deb to continue to work for them remotely from our home.  There’s a reason they were voted the #1 small business to work for in Iowa.  They are fantastic people with a fantastic philosophy.  We really appreciate TS Bank, and I appreciate Deb and the work that she does for them and for our family.  As they say…..”I out kicked my coverage on that one”.

2.  I enjoy doing this full time.   I feel blessed to be able to be a full time Activities Director.  My days always go by quickly.  The nights are busy, but it makes me appreciate the time I do have off and am able to spend relaxing with family and friends.

1.   God has a plan.  For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord.  “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. (Jeremiah 29:11)  I still have to be about discovering HIS plan for my life every day and make that a focus.  I look forward to what He’s going to reveal to me next as He reveals His plan.  I pray I will be still enough to recognize and brave enough to follow. 

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