Flip the Script

Some days feel kinda heavy and just harder.

But then God sends something or someone to make you smile. 🩷

I have been in this weird funk today mentally. And I am currently sitting in a doctor’s office waiting for my allergy shot. Yet, God sent a smile. A grandma had taken her grandson to get a shot. While they were waiting, she had given him coins and told him a candy bar was worth $.26. He looked at his coins and determined he had enough money for the candy bar. By this point, I was smiling. Then she gave him another problem to solve.

As a person who lives in this screen filled, fast pace society, I was smiling because that grandma was occupying her grandson’s time, not by a screen (which yes, I’m currently on right now writing this) but instead was filling his mind with a real life world problem to strengthen his math skills.

This also made me smile as a teacher. This wise grandma was helping her grandson reinforce concepts that were taught in school by playing a game of ‘do you have enough money’ to buy so and so. It reminds me that you can make anything a game for children, and well, maybe for adults too. Have your child look for colors wherever you are, read random words they don’t know yet, ask questions about different things, and the list goes on!

Don’t get me wrong, technology is not bad but too much of it is a problem, for children and adults. We should be more focused on each other and the things around us than our phones. God created so much for us to enjoy outside! Go explore and enjoy it!!

As I’m sitting here typing this, my mind goes back to this morning when I just felt off and weird. And I guess I need to play a game with myself, kind of. I need to play the gratitude game or maybe flip the switch. I am grateful for so many people and things in my life! But how much do I practice that everyday – really being thankful for it all and saying “thank you” or “I love you” to someone and really meaning it. Maybe I should start a gratitude journal. Maybe I will.

Flip the script. I have heard this before and totally understand the concept of it, where you change your mindset from something negative to something positive or something you can’t control or change to something you can control or change. And so many other ways too. (Deeeepppp breath) I need to focus on controlling the things I can control and leaving the rest in God’s hands. It is so easy for me to type that – and I have multiple times – but living it out, like so many things, is so much harder. Maybe I don’t have strong enough faith, or maybe it’s because I’m human, but whatever the case, giving it to God and not worrying about it is hard for me.

A lot of the stress and anxiety lately is the fact that my summer is ending and my new job is starting. A friend recently asked me if I’m excited for my new job and honestly, I’m not. That was hard to admit… I really want to be excited about it but I’m not. The new school district, new school, new admin and new teachers/staff members, and a new teaching position. Sometimes it feels very big and overwhelming, even though we haven’t even started school yet. This new position is something I have never taught before, besides subbing for a month (but that’s still different). I know what grades I will be working with but feel like I’m still going in so blind. And that is hard for me (there’s that unknown and leaving it to God again).

Deep breath… He has put me in this position and with this school for a reason. I might never see why I was placed there but I know in my heart that He will use me. Maybe I will show the love a student needs. Maybe I will point a coworker to Jesus in my love and kindness for others. Maybe I will be pushed in my career and faith more than ever before. Maybe… so many things.

God gave me the gift of loving others. I have known that for years now. He also gave me the gift of writing 🙂 because I am feeling better and less stressed about things I can’t control. One more gift he blessed me with is the gift of baking, which is what I’m off to do next!

Here’s to seeing the small things around you and putting your phone done. Here’s to being grateful and flipping the script when your mind is spinning out of control. Here’s to trying to give it to God and use the gifts He has blessed you with.