Student's Work Ethic

I have this sheet of paper that I hand out to all of my students at least once a year called, Student's Work Ethic. I originally received this handout from Mrs. Smith, a mentor teacher from the first school that I taught at.

She was never officially my mentor, but when I first became a teacher, she took me under her wing and was always there to encourage me and assist me whenever I needed it.

Anyway, she handed me this paper when I was working with a certain student who wasn't doing their homework on a consistent basis. I knew that if this student would just start doing their homework, their grade would increase dramatically.

Once I saw this handout, I knew that it would be something that I could use for a long time. It started with this slightly adjusted paraphrase of Colossians 3:22-24,

(Put your name in the blanks:)

    Student, obey your teachers about everything, not only when the teachers are watching _________________ work, as people-pleasers do, but rather with singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.
    Whatever _________________ does at school, work at it heartily for the Lord and not for the teacher,
    Knowing that from the Lord _________________ will receive an inheritance as a reward. Christ is the Lord for whom _________________ works as a slave!
    Now if _________________ does wrong _________________ will receive what he deserves for his wrongdoing, and there must be no partiality. (J. Adams Translation)

I love this application. There is a connection between real life and spirituality. And if a student can make that connection when they are young, what a blessing that can be.

I didn't make that connection until I was older.

I was loading trailers in a warehouse. I had been doing this for over a year already , and there I was, picking up these boxes off of a cart, stacking them in a trailer, and once I was done with one cart, somebody pushed in another one for me. And once I was done with one trailer, they brought in another one to fill up. And once I was done with one day of this, I knew that I could look forward to another day of the same thing in about 12 hours.

Talk about amazingly monotonous work.

But then these verses came to mind. "Work heartily... As if for the Lord... " And my mind began to change in the way it viewed box stacking. I realized that if I stacked these boxes to the best of my ability, in reality, I was pleasing the God who created me.

This was a good thing to learn. Little did I know at the time that I would spend the next 5 years of my life stacking boxes in trailers.

But I also learned that I shouldn't only work hard when the boss was around or when I knew that I was being watched. I should work hard with a singleness of heart. It couldn't be about me, or what I was going to get out of it. It had to be about Christ.

Whatever work you do, it is ultimately for Christ. Whether it is molding minds in a classroom, or stacking boxes in a trailer. It really doesn't make a difference as far as Christ is concerned. He simply wants you to work as if you were working for Him.

Who do you work for?

Another Commercial

Here is another unique car commercial. I know that I saw this on another blog, but for the life of me, I can't remember whose it was.

I just got the link again today from a friend's e-mail.

Well, here it is. Enjoy.

Supper Club

(I know...I know...Most of you are loyal Matt readers but I ask for your patience as I don't at present have a blog of my own and I like to post for the family! -Charity)

My friend Anne has taught me a saying in the last year and a half. She smiles at me with that familiar twinkle in her eyes and announces, "Make new friends...Keep the old. Some are silver and some are gold!"

I have to admit that I love it when she says it to me. I grin because I know that while I am currently her "silver"...Someday, maybe, I might be a "gold". I'm confident that she is in this friendship for the long haul and that is reassuring in a world and in my own life where not much seems stable.

Around nine months ago, Anne invited me over to her house for dinner on a Thursday night. She was having some of her friends over in a need to fulfill her cooking obsession (I don't know how I attract these people!) and she was pushing to get me to break out and meet some new women.

I hate making new friends.

That's as frank as I can be. I stress most of the time in a worry that I am appearing foolish and being in this new place without knowing anyone, I am constantly the outsider when it comes to memories and stories. I didn't want to go but I forced myself into the van and made my way to what is today known as our "Supper Club".

It was on those Thursday nights of eating and talking and just plain silliness that I met some of the most interesting and delightful women that one can happen upon.

I find myself very blessed because this has occurred for me more than once in different places we have moved to.

Sometimes in the middle of the evening when we are solving the world's problems or I am laughing until my sides hurt...I remember the others that have been apart of my life before and I feel guilty. It seems a little "disloyal". It is then, that I reassure myself that they are my "gold" and the "silver" for me is welcomed and appreciated in a time that could be very lonely.

Some nights, Supper Club is full to the brim with cackling ladies that have pre-planned to abandon their hubbies and children for a night of home-cooked food and chocolate of some sort...while other evenings there are just the starter three- Charity, Diane and Anne. "Queen Anne"-as my husband likes to call her because she is like a fine lace and we are all willing to do whatever she commands!

Diane is my single friend and frankly, despite the fact that I'm sure she'd like a husband and family, I love her just the way she is. Available! She's from the North and it is strange that I felt very connected to her right from the beginning. She is gentle and kind and I had forgotten that friendship could be so easy. She's the type of person that you wish you could tape record her stories so you could play them over and over again. I just never get tired of hearing about her memories.

The day I found out that our baby had died, it was my Supper Club that rushed a meal to the house and ate chocolates with me while I cried. That's when I knew that our Thursday night dinners weren't about "getting away" as some moms feel the need to do or shallow togetherness, but a real fellowship that comes with friendship focused on truth.

It is my hope to one day "collide" my worlds and be able to do a Thursday night with my old and new friends. I think that could be really great.

Meanwhile, I hope they are developing a "Supper Club" of their own and remembering how great friendship is and how important it is to reach out to others. In a world where women are so petty and competitive, we have forgotten that we need each other for support and encouragement to keep at it.

So, for those of you that are hiding out or stuck in your click-Remember...

"Make new friends, keep the old. Some are silver and some are gold!"

Christ and Your Problems (review)

Christ and Your Problems
by Jay E. Adams

This book is only 30 pages long, but it is packed full of valuable insight. (As are most of Jay Adams' books.)

Summary: This little book is based on I Corinthians 10:13, which says,

There is no trial that has overtaken you but such as is common to man, and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tried beyond what you are able to endure, but with the trial also make a way of escape in order that you may be able to endure it.

Talk about a verse that has many practical applications.

In the book, Jay breaks down each part of this verse and makes it applicable, by simply explaining the meaning of each word and phrase. We are all going to have problems, but they will never be too much.

My Thoughts: Usually when I have seen this book, it is handed out to those who are entering into Biblical Counseling. It is a great book for that purpose, because it is short and to the point. It breaks down those arguments about things like, "...this trial is more than I can handle..." or "...I am alone in this..." or "...God has forgotten me..."

In fact, I think that my favorite part of the book (and the verse) is the phrase, "and God is faithful." It doesn't say, "but God is faithful..." it says "and..."

"but" would imply yeah these trials are bad, but God is still faithful, even though everything is so bad... Whereas, if you use "and" it says, Yeah, God is so faithful that he has allowed this difficult time to come, so that he can help you grow to be more like Christ. Bad times don't stand in opposition to God's good, they stand along with it, arm in arm.

Check out the book. Amazon is selling them for $1.99 each. A worthwhile purchase.

A Commercial

I have seen this commercial mentioned on a couple of different blogs now. It is a really cool concept, but I mostly just like the music. In fact, I added this guy to my froogle wishlist. (Which, by the way, if you were feeling like getting me something, feel free to browse my wishlist. I try to add things to it all of the time.)

Here is the commercial: Sony BRAVIA - The Advert

It's about time.

My oldest son is about 7½ years old, and he finally lost that first tooth. It has been loose for a long time, and it finally popped off (with a little help from dad).

He was so excited. He had just told me, right before it happened, "Daddy, I really want to lose that tooth because all of my friends have already lost at least one, and I am 7½! So I should have already lost one! And I haven't, so I hope this one comes out..."

Next thing you know, in a moment of bravery, I gave it a little push and *pop* out it came.

He said, "wow." I said, "it's about time."

Time Wasting

Just got a link for the top 10 time wasting internet activities, and thought that I would share it with you.

Here you go.

I haven't tried them all, but the first one is slightly entertaining.