I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
Before we go and do today, may we take time to be still with God to learn what is really ours to do.
With love and hope,
Shawn
But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. - Luke 5:16
The other day a friend unexpectedly stopped by to say hi and gifted me this vase and flowers. She said as soon as she saw the vase she knew it was for me, and that I had a story to tell about it.
And she was right.
Why?
Because, friends, this is the most beautiful vase I have ever seen.
You may be thinking, “it’s so plain?”
But is it?
What makes this vase so beautiful is that they forgot to glaze the outside but they had glazed the inside. So when they went to fire it, the outside remained the clay color yet the inside was transformed (see the second picture). Once the vase is fired, it cannot be fired again. So this vase will remain unglazed on the outside with inner beauty that only few will see because many will pass it by because of how it looks on the outside.
Think about that for a moment…
The inner beauty will rarely be seen because many will pass it by based on its outer appearance.
Now let’s take that same principle to people.
How many people do we walk, or scroll, by because of their outer appearance? Imagine how many beautiful souls we miss out on meeting. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
Moving forward may we remember we are all like jars of clay, molded by God, each beautifully unique. May we choose to look beyond the surface, when we see people. For when we do this, we can meet people at the heart, as God does. And by living this way we may just meet the most beautiful souls who are precious gifts in our lives - like this friend is to me who give gifts from the heart, to the heart.
With love and hope,
Shawn
People look at the surface but God looks at the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7
Gym life lesson #5:
It’s Best to Work Together
Recently at the end of one of my classes when the students were helping bring the equipment back to the storage room, I saw two students begin to tug at the same hula hoop. You could tell they each wanted to be the one to get to put it away. Without saying a word, I just watched to see if they could resolve this conflict in their own. What was really cool to witness is that without anyone guiding them, they decided on their own to carry the hula hoop together to me. In return for their willingness to choose to work together rather than fight for the hoop, both students were allowed to go into the storage room to put the hula hoop away.
I share this today as there is so much we can learn from kids. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we learn from these two kids that sometimes the best solution is to stop fighting one another and instead to choose to work together to achieve the goals before us. It’s easier said than done, but as these kids showed me in class, it is possible.
With love and hope,
Shawn
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:9
A couple of weeks ago I found myself with little margin in my days. My pace was rushed and my steps were heavy. I told Stephen that I could feel my shoulders tighten when I woke up and didn’t know how to undo this tense way I was greeting my days with. I remembered reading somewhere about the pace of Jesus.
He was unhurried, yet was still purposeful. He was present for those he was with. He walked lightly and yet was still able to accomplish what was his to accomplish each day. He didn’t try to do everything but did one thing at a time.
I share this with you today as we enter a new week.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we meet this day, with relaxed shoulders and prayer. May we do our best to walk the pace of Jesus throughout our days. Personally I am using these words to meditate on wherever I walk. This truth is giving me wisdom where to say yes and where to say no, to see what is mine to do, and what is someone else’s to do and is helping me use my time more wisely. These words help me be more present with who I am with and have more peace in my days.
And I pray this truth will do the same for you
With love and hope,
Shawn
“Whoever believes will not be in haste.” - Isaiah 28:16
Happy Friday, friends!
Life is full of changes, and a moment like this one reminds me that change, although messy at times, can also be a beautiful thing.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”
- Ecclesiastes 3:1
Gym Life Lesson #4
There is Value in Stillness and Rest
Today I did a volleying activity with my younger students. One of the stations required one student to wait while the other student finished the activity.
When I first taught years ago I remember I wanted the kids to be as active as possible while in my class. I still do want the kids to be active for the most part yet I have grown since then and recognize now there is value in the students learning stillness.
When the students are still while the others are active, it grows their patience, delays their gratification, and gives them time to rest - all of which are valuable skills needed in life.
I share this with you today in case any of you, needed the reminder, as I did, that there is value in stillness and rest.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we recognize we don’t need to be on the go all the time but times of stillness and rest are essential. And in those moments of stillness and rest, may we pray that God grows in us what we need in our lives- like our patience, delayed gratification and/or whatever else we need.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“Be still and know that I am God…”
- Psalm 46:10
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May these wise words bring perspective and clarity to our work week ahead.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
- 3 John 1:4
No matter what our days may hold, may we remember to take moments to pause and give thanks for the gift of who is right there beside us.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..”
- James 1:17
Gym life lesson #3
Forgiveness is healing
In one of my lower elementary classes a boy accidentally bumped into another classmate. She was okay but I asked for him to make sure she was okay and to apologize for accidentally bumping into her.
Asking for forgiveness is awkward and hard sometimes so I gave him the words, “will you forgive me for accidentally bumping into you?” He looked her in the eyes and repeated the words.
The little girl stood before him and listened as he spoke and then said, “of course, I forgive you.”
I could see the boy was relieved to be forgiven and the girl appreciated the apology. They heaviness that was there before was lightened by this small interaction and they both ran back to participate in the activity. Their small but heartfelt interaction warmed my heart.
Sometimes people accidentally hurt others and sometimes it’s purposeful, either way forgiveness is an essential part of the healing process to restore the relationship.
I share this with you today, inspired by these two younger students. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
If we have purposefully or accidentally hurt someone, I pray we can humble ourselves to ask for their forgiveness. And if someone asks us to forgive them, may we forgive them to help heal our own heart and to mend the relationship.
Yet please know if someone has repeatedly and purposefully hurt you, forgiving them will help cleanse your heart whether they ask for forgiveness or not. Also, forgiving someone who repeatedly and purposefully hurts you doesn’t mean you have to make yourself vulnerable to the same hurt again. Pray about if space is needed in that relationship to help the healing. If so, may God give you the wisdom and courage to take that necessary step.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“…forgive each other, just as God through Christ forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:32
With love and hope,
Shawn
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. - Phillipians 2:4
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