LIFE IN BLOOM

Learning How to Flourish in God's Grace

Category Archives: Faith


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Why I’m in Florida

I’ve wondered several times why I made the move from Georgia to Florida.  I had a good life in Georgia.  Nice friends.  Nice church.  Good job.  Good times.

I know that I moved to Florida to chase my dreams.  Well, not really chase them so much as to see if this is what I really wanted for myself.  I’ve been saying since my senior year of high school that I wanted to be a social studies teacher.  Moving to Florida was my opportunity to make it happen.

This move has been one of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced.  I’ve definitely been put to the test.  I frequently wonder if it was a mistake.  I often feel like I take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.  I knew that progress doesn’t always come quickly, but I will confess that I thought it’d be easier than this.

My faith has sustained me, along with the reminder that I’m grateful for the opportunity to live my dreams.  I realize that there are people out there with dreams that they wish they could pursue.  So, even if this isn’t exactly how I would expect or desire for it to be, it’s still awesome in and of itself.  But even more, I expect that God will move greatly in my life and I will be blessed for this huge leap of faith.  No matter how I feel, I’m here because I’ve been blessed to be here, and that makes it worthwhile.

Remembering- Romans 8:18, Romans 4:20-21, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Proverbs 18:16…and also that it’s only when you extend outside of your comfort zone that you grow.  To doubly quote Robert Browning:  “Ah, but a man’s reach must exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” and “But what if I fail of my purpose here? It is but to keep the nerves at strain, to dry one’s eyes and laugh at a fall, and baffled, get up and begin again.”

But if you prefer the pop culture reference, maybe Kelly Clarkson got it right (at least I can identify when I think of this move):

“Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean…
I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly
I’ll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I’ll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won’t forget all the ones that I love
I’ll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway…”

I’m here now.  I made it.  It’s all about doing what I came to do, and making where I am where I want to be.  I may have some work to do on that last one…but hey, I’m living my dreams.  Honestly, life can’t be THAT bad.


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It’s not always an uphill battle

I really want to update my blog more than once a week.  However, it seems like that’s all I’ve got time for.  This week was challenging, but it ended well.  I decided that it was really time for me to toughen up and develop some thick skin.  The result- I’ve been writing students up and kicking them out of class after being disrespectful like it’s my job.  Oh wait- IT IS my job.  As well all know, not all of the education that takes place in school is written in lesson plans.  Part of what my students have to learn is how to listen, when to respond, and that there are consequences for their actions.  Unfortunately, that’s not always taught at home.  But, in order for me to do my job (the one that includes lesson plans), I have to deal with this aspect also.

I’m frequently amazed at how often my students feel that certain things are negotiable/debatable.  I know that when I was in their grade, I had a different understanding of the dynamics between a teacher and a student–and I also knew that getting in trouble at school was not the route that I wanted to travel if I wanted to have a nice, safe, home life.  I see that some things have changed.

What I have learned this week is that life (teaching included) is not always an uphill battle.  And even moreso, you really have the power to choose which battles you’re going to fight.  I decided this week that I refuse to be broken down to the point where I was earlier, because I’m doing something that I love and I’m doing it for people that I love (my students).  What’s most important in this situation is that I love them to death, correct them when necessary, encourage them continuously, and model what I expect.

Since life presents me with different situations, I can choose how I deal with it.  It’s been my belief for a while that as a Christian, the strongest tests I face are in regards to how I will react to a situation.  How does my faith lend me to respond to a situation?  That will tell you more about who I am than any words that I (or anyone else) could ever say.

Life isn’t always an uphill battle.  There are some dips.  Some plateaus.  And some hills to climb.  Sometimes it’s not an uphill battle because there isn’t any battle but the one that we create by making situations out to matter more than they should.  The power to choose is such an AMAZING gift; it’s a muscle that I don’t feel we exercise often enough.  We get a little content and begin to let things happen to us instead of making things happen for us.

Like Solange, I’ve decided…like India.Arie, I choose.  The crazy thing about this life is that we only get one shot.  One chance to do what we can, how we can, with what we’re given.  Let’s make that choice.

PS- I realize that this is random.  But that’s okay.  My thoughts don’t always have to make sense.