A Servant's Heart!



  My oldest son was my sidekick at school today. He always keeps me ON MY TOES...usually with his many questions (I have no clue where he would have got that from!) Today however, I think he was on his toes!

  As we went throughout the day, I watched him complete many task. He went to another teacher's room to clean and put away books. He sat and read with my kids, always showing them such care and patience. He sat with my little first graders at lunch. My heart smiled as I watched him help one of my students put ketchup on their hotdog. He also ran many errands for me. He went to P.E. and kept an eye on one student that didn't feel well.

  He couldn't wait (all day long) to play BINGO with my students. He passed out a card and chips to each desk while they were at snack and eagerly awaited their return. He lead the game and was adamant about giving out prizes. He called out each word with great excitement and encouraged the students on every round!

  We also had one of my former first graders come home with us today. He is a special needs student and his mom asked about him staying with us while she took his sister to a school related event. He has visited us before and we always enjoy him! I watched as Mason was kind and patient with him. He played games with him and made sure he was comfortable at every turn.

  The students really enjoyed Mason today! And I enjoyed watching his servant's heart at work! Having a servant's heart is one of the most amazing gifts.....it is one of the most beautiful expressions of love I know! It's showing your love to another human being by simply being who God intended you to be!
  As I reflected on this tonight...I was filled with pride and hope.....hope that Mason will grow even more fond of serving others and always have a heart to help! Some of my best memories from childhood involve helping others! I loved going to the nursing home with my mom and helping as she did the little old women's hair. I had some of the best times just helping them with minor tasks and getting to know them. I pray that God continues to grow a servant's heart in Mason!
   I also thought about how our Heavenly Father's heart must smile and be filled with pride each time we spread his love through helping others! We are our brother's keeper....and we should pay it forward....we have been shown love and kindness and received the ultimate help from God when He gave such a crucial sacrifice for us and our salvation! After all, shouldn't it be easy for us to find and use our  servant's heart!

Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others. ~Philippians 2:4

SIX YEARS LATER....ALREADY!!!

  As this week's events unfold, my thoughts turn to an entire group of kids that truly kept me ON MY TOES six years ago when I started my journey as an educator! I'm not entirely sure who learned more that year. They always had me ON MY TOES with their practical jokes, insights, humor, and even complaints. They were and still are a remarkable group!!!

  I had the honor of attending their Baccalaureate service Sunday night. I had to push back a few tears as I watched these now matured souls express their feelings and share their talents throughout the service. I really enjoyed the slide show of them growing up through the years. For a moment, I was transported back to that final day I taught them six years ago. We basically had a big talk/cry session that day. I still have a box full of nothing but mementos from that year. Precious memories stored safely away.....however, there is no need to pull them out in order to remember how blessed I was to have crossed paths with these special young people.

   I have always expected great things from this class...... When I taught this group in 6th grade, I always started the day with a quote/saying. They were required to write it in their notebook and a sentence or two that explained the meaning of the quote/saying. They were not always excited about this assignment but nearly always very insightful with their explanations. (I find it amusing now that most of their facebook statuses are nothing but quotes and sayings.) I wanted to provoke their thoughts on life and perhaps offer a little motivation/encouragement for life's journey ahead.

  There are many wonderful quotes that would apply to this occasion. One might be, " Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson. Another favorable quote would be, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."-Eleanor Roosevelt. Even Dr. Suess offers a little knowledge on the subject with, "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

  There are countless awesome quotes/sayings that would offer encouragement and direction for this new phase in life. If I had to share just one though, I would choose one that was shared with me by my dad when I graduated many years ago.

                                                  * GREAT SUCCESS is carefully planned, small failures just happen. Don't be discouraged, many small failures will be encountered along the road tO GREAT SUCCESS!

  I pray blessings for each graduate as they embark on their new adventures. I hope they are full of dreams and the will to work at accomplishing them. I hope they know they are loved and supported by many. Above all, I hope they realize no one is a failure until they stop trying....and as long as I'm around, they are welcome to keep me ON MY TOES.....I will be willing to help in any way I can in order for them to experience success. These are my first babies.....all grown up!



The Crayons Spoke to Me!!!

  My students kept me ON MY TOES today as I read the book, The Crayon Box That Talked,  to the class. Questions and comments exploded from all corners of the room the entire time I was reading!......"What was the day before today?"......"Saturday"...."no, Sunday"...."nah, it was Saturday"..."you're right Sunday"....."The red one is the meanest!"....."Yep, the red and the orange!"...."That's not nice!"...."She is doing a good job."....."That picture is pretty!"



  Kids don't miss a thing. As I finished reading the book, I reminded them of another book we had read, I Like Myself! We talked about why it is important to be true to who you are and how everyone is unique. Well, it never fails....and especially since I have twins in my class....they point out how twins are the same. I explained that they are similar, just as scarlet and red in the crayon box are similar but not exactly the same. We talked about the twins in our class. One has "sprinkles on her nose" and the other one doesn't. One laughs at everything while the other one has a more serious side. We also talked about how boring it would be if everyone looked and acted the same. The kids loved discussing this topic and these books.
  I attempted to pull them back in to the crayon book and asked how many people liked the picture the girl drew. Most of the class raised their hand. I asked if they thought the picture would have been as pretty drawn all in one color. They replied no.....and one sweet voice said, it takes all the colors to make a beautiful picture ...like the rainbow! I smiled and said, you are exactly right....just like it takes all of our colorful personalities to make this an outstanding class. We all offer something unquie! :)
  As I was thinking back on this tonight, I couldn't help but think to myself that I just really don't care for the dark colors like brown or black when I draw a picture. I like the bright cheery colors. However, I do like to outline with black. It's my guide...my commitment...my point of no return....my dark before the dawn.....and eventhough I'm not fond of those dark colors, they sure do make the bright colors shine and pop when in direct contrast to one another.
  Sometimes I think this is what happens in life. God allows us to have the darker outlines in order for us to appreciate the brighter content within the borders. I think the next time darkness creeps my way I'll break out my crayon box and begin to fill in the brighter content and exam the contrast ......all the while being sure to remain ON MY TOES!.....and wait to see the masterpiece unfold!

Who Knew?

  Who knew the phrase "keep me on my toes" would be the topic of much debate? As I tossed around various names for this new venture, I thought On My Toes would be a good one. (And no, not because I'm a great ballet dancer! ha!) I googled it, as I do most things. The return was unbelievable. There is no sure origin on the coining of this phrase but plenty of opinions as to where it got its start.
  One lady offers her guess would be boxing or perhaps from times when torture would be utilized (a sword beneath the chin) to keep one sharp and aware. Another man had a different take on the origin of this phrase. He said he always thought it was from the beginning of a foot race when you put your toes on the starting line and you are very alert and eager to go.Yet still, some (Word Detective and World Wide Words) think it is nautical, as a reference toa line drawn on a ship's deck or a parade ground which new recruits must "toe" as they assemble in eager formation and anticipation.
  Whatever the true source of the original coining of this phrase, there is NO doubt as to why and how it applies to my life! I wear many hats. With each one I put on, there are many people that keep me ON MY TOES! They all keep me going.... from family, co-workers, students to friends, pets, etc.!  
  However, the main inspiration for this  blog name would have to be credited to my two awesome boys. Mason and Brantson are so full of life and energy. They are nonstop and always entertaining. They definately keep me ON MY TOES!! They are always carrying on and testing my mothering skills (and many times, my nerves ). I never know what each new day will bring with them. Sometimes I may feel as if I am ready to race with toes on the starting line, defeated while standing with sword under chin, or  assembled in formation eagerly anticipating the next attack! :) Whatever the case may be, you can rest assure that at the end of the day I am left feeling extremely blessed! I wouldn't have it any other way....they are my conscious decision to have my heart walk around outside of my body for the rest of my life! ....and I know they will forever keep me ON MY TOES.....no matter how young or old ....I will forever be .....ON MY TOES!!