I had a conversation with someone recently about one of the most valuable lessons that I have ever learned. We were talking about how people can feel guilty, how we respond to situations...why we hold onto grudges...it's our choice...plain and simple.
When I was in New Zealand, I can remember getting into a disagreement with a friend of mine and I sat down with the pastor's wife, Michelle (lovely lady), and explained the situation. I said how the "person made me feel guilty," how "I can't believe he said that to me...doesn't he realize how badly he hurt me?"...and I'm sure the list could go on and on about what I foolishly and unwisely said.
She said something to me that has forever changed how I view situations and how I let them affect me. "You choose how you respond to things. People can't make you feel guilty...you let yourself feel that way. You choose when someone may be saying/doing something that you don't agree with, but YOU ultimately choose how you're going to feel about that...and how long you're going to let it affect you."
Well...geez...talk about constructive criticism. It's not of God for us to think that way...it's not of God for us to be offended...we can help each other with that. We choose how we react/respond to situations/things people say to us...I shouldn't be responding the same way that a non-christian would be responding because I have the faith in God...
Back to the conversation with this other person...the person kept going on about how he/she had their feelings hurt and felt guilty...and I said, "no,no,no...you choose how you react/respond to things and as long as we are responding in a way that is worthy of Christ...then we're doing what He asks of us.."
That is honestly what I think about when someone says something that could be taken offensively to me...that's not my intent to hurt people..and I honestly believe that it isn't someone's intent period...so stop being offended and see how you can change how you react/respond to things.
Choose to be offended...or choose to love and forgive.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
New Job...Same Heart.
I have recently started a new job through the Maine Transition Network (MTN) as well as AmeriCorps. The gist of the it is that I am a transition coordinator for high school teens ages 15-18 who have disabilities. I essentially help them prepare for their future and figure out some generic "lifeskills" that they may not know how to do.
I have 14 students that I work with everyday. I've had to do oodles of paperwork,which can be annoying when I just want to hang out with the teens. I have to remember that their homework comes first and then I get to work with them...so I'll help them with their homework, observe them in classes, and provide them with the information that they need in order to accomplish a certain task.
It boggles my mind the kind of need that is around me everyday. These kids not only have disabilities, but are also judged completely because they get put into the "special ed room" so that they can receive the accomodation that they need in order to be successful in school. The people who work with them are incredibly devoted and have encouraged me SO much. Bless them.
There's this one kid, I'll call him Art (not his real name,obv)...and he has a really hard time coming to school...he's been through a lot I guess you could say. He loves to smile...and loves Pepsi. I wanted him to come on a field trip that I'm organizing and for bribery for him to come,I gave him a Pepsi...and now he's stoked to go. This same kid needed someone to go into his gym class with him...so I went because I was free and really enjoy this kid's heart and he makes me laugh constantly,so that always helps of course.
We walk into gym and he heads right for the work out room. Awesome. Neat. I wore flats and had my hair done nicely. He gets on the tredmill and I get on the bike...we work out for ten minutes, then we switch for another ten...then I some weight lifting (laugh if you must) and he laughed at me too. Then we shot basketball. The joy that Art experienced was written all over his face.
To me, that is success. Letting a kid know that he is loved and cherished...
I have 14 students that I work with everyday. I've had to do oodles of paperwork,which can be annoying when I just want to hang out with the teens. I have to remember that their homework comes first and then I get to work with them...so I'll help them with their homework, observe them in classes, and provide them with the information that they need in order to accomplish a certain task.
It boggles my mind the kind of need that is around me everyday. These kids not only have disabilities, but are also judged completely because they get put into the "special ed room" so that they can receive the accomodation that they need in order to be successful in school. The people who work with them are incredibly devoted and have encouraged me SO much. Bless them.
There's this one kid, I'll call him Art (not his real name,obv)...and he has a really hard time coming to school...he's been through a lot I guess you could say. He loves to smile...and loves Pepsi. I wanted him to come on a field trip that I'm organizing and for bribery for him to come,I gave him a Pepsi...and now he's stoked to go. This same kid needed someone to go into his gym class with him...so I went because I was free and really enjoy this kid's heart and he makes me laugh constantly,so that always helps of course.
We walk into gym and he heads right for the work out room. Awesome. Neat. I wore flats and had my hair done nicely. He gets on the tredmill and I get on the bike...we work out for ten minutes, then we switch for another ten...then I some weight lifting (laugh if you must) and he laughed at me too. Then we shot basketball. The joy that Art experienced was written all over his face.
To me, that is success. Letting a kid know that he is loved and cherished...
Friday, January 15, 2010
Keep Holding On
In the midst of hearing radio broadcasts and news reports about the devastation in Haiti, I find myself saying three words...keep holding on. Words can't even describe the pain and torture people are experiencing in a place that I've never been. I've never had to worry about my house not being there when I get home from work. I've never had to worry about having to dig to find my loved ones under a mass of destruction.These people's lives have been taken from them...everything they ever new to be "normal" is now changed forever. I pray that they would keep holding on...that they would seek truth and find it in a place where all that they see is devastation.
At youth group this past week, my youth pastor pointed a girl out to me who was wearing merely a sweatshirt. I had assumed that she had put her coat down somewhere in the youth center. He said, "That's all that she has for winter gear." My heart sank. Where I live is freakin' cold! I wouldn't be walking around in just a sweatshirt when the sun is shining, let alone in a sweatshirt at nighttime in the cold,bitter air.
Devastation takes different forms. For some areas...it is extreme...like in Haiti. For others, in a small town in northern Maine...it's braving the winter without a coat.
Think.
At youth group this past week, my youth pastor pointed a girl out to me who was wearing merely a sweatshirt. I had assumed that she had put her coat down somewhere in the youth center. He said, "That's all that she has for winter gear." My heart sank. Where I live is freakin' cold! I wouldn't be walking around in just a sweatshirt when the sun is shining, let alone in a sweatshirt at nighttime in the cold,bitter air.
Devastation takes different forms. For some areas...it is extreme...like in Haiti. For others, in a small town in northern Maine...it's braving the winter without a coat.
Think.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
