Back to School?

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"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." ~ Winston Churchill
 

✏ Yes, it's that time again.  Just like spring cleaning time it's the end of one season & the beginning of another.  Back to school.  I loved it (teacher/mom of 3 me), then hated it (ready to retire teacher me), now I love it again (fully retired me).  I will say that the excitement of buying a new planner & getting a chance to start over in my classroom each year was invigorating & inspiring, regardless of the stage I was in.  I found myself this week browsing through the planners longingly.  I know.  You don't need to say it. 

✏   Remember when you were a kid and you were playing a game, didn't like how you played it & called "redos"? Ever feel you just want to start over or redo?  

I am a firm believer in fresh starts - for me, for anyone else. There is something about a blank slate, a freshly painted wall, people that didn't already know me - I could create anew; put in what I deemed priority & essential into my calendar & my classroom each year about this time.  

✏ Time-releasing myself & my personality wasn't always quite as easy.  Sometimes old habits surfaced rather quickly, or I had to figure out how I was going to live by my moral code in certain circumstances, or I had to not have a pre-conceived notion about a person or situation.  It seems I am in a constant stage of learning - about the Lord's ways, myself & others.  

The Lord promises us His new mercies every morning, so we should extend it to ourselves & others.   Not always easy on either front- ourselves or others. 

✏  If we could only take notes on our self talk.  Our inner voice can be so critical - telling ourselves what we believe has always been true.  It's that small, repeated self-deprecating talk that sometimes comes out with others as well.  "I don't like how _____ turned out" or "I haven't gotten around to_____" or "I meant to _____".  I am learning these comments undermine & diminish myself and a situation where I intend for others to enjoy or benefit from something.  

I am learning that it's a way to play into the lies that Satan wants us to believe.  It's another way to chisel away at ourselves and our purpose.  Instead...

Focus on truth:

God is in control  Psalm 32:8  "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you."

He gives us new mercies each morning   Lamentations 3:23  "Great is His faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."

He transforms us   Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

He will complete a good work in us   Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

✏ If God wants us to believe this for ourselves, shouldn't we believe it about others too, allowing them grace to err?  And if Satan, as the 'father of lies' loves to cause us to doubt who we are as children of God, don't you think he loves when we doubt it about others as well?  He definitely does not want us to be teachable by God's Spirit.  So sharpen those pencils...

What to fill in your planner for your new school year of learning:

    ✏  Daily time with God, asking Him to transform your mind, give you a teachable spirit & show you His ways.

    ✏  Daily confession to God, practicing 1 John 1:9 so that when we agree with Him that we have fallen short, know He is faithful to forgive us.

    ✏  Daily asking for help from His Holy Spirit to put into practice what we have learned or received or heard from Him so that we will have His peace ( Phil 4:9).

    ✏  Daily forgiving & encouraging others  to build them up (1 Thess 5:11).

Determine you are not too young, too old, too poor, too rich, too busy, too smart, too ___ to be taught by God's spirit.  He promises if any of us asks for wisdom, He will give generously and without reproach.  Go back to school.  Don't worry - this isn't Algebra.  This year will be great!

Also, it's almost pumpkin spice latte time.

✙ Lord, because of You we are made new every day.  We have no habits that can't be broken, we can learn anything because You have made our souls connect with Your Spirit.  Teach us, transform us to be more like You.  We can't do it on our own, so in our weakness let others see Your strength.  It's not about us, it's about You. Help us to believe the Truth that You are. Amen.