Follow me to...

One of our ACU texts is Follow Me to Freedom.  Each week, we have to reflect on what we read there.  This week talked about the early leaders of the Bible.  Where am I leading?  In school, I'm leading the teachers as a coach and colleague.  At home, I'm leading my kids to see God's love for us, Christ's love for mankind, and how we can live our lives as a reflection of that love.  This blog?  I'm not sure.  I know that it is a part of the life that God is preparing me for with every class, every assignment, and every experience. 

 Let's travel there together... 

·         Vision – I know that God has a plan for me, and I see every day that His vision for me is much greater than my own.  Living in His plan, I have to remember that even though He has placed me in a leadership position, I still have so much to learn. 

·         Leading – I need to lead with humility, compassion, and with a vision I share with those around me.  If I want our campus to be one that is positive and caring, then I will surround myself with people who have a positive outlook and open heart.  I will also do my best to help whoever needs me.  If this means teaching lessons, writing lesson plans, or supergluing poker chips, I’ll help get it done.  It also means that my best-laid plans (Ha!!!) will be interrupted by the needs of my colleagues, friends, and students. 

·         Following – I know the path I’m on won’t be roses, and I’m going to have to get over my constant need for approval.  However, I also know that there are so many things I have to learn.  I want to follow those that will help me get closer to being more Christ-like.  I want to turn away from the negativity and back-biting to follow the Friend that is Jesus. 

On a side note – My homework assignments were interrupted this week by the promise I made to my eight-year-old daughter.  She wanted to be a musketeer, and I promised to make her a costume when we couldn’t find one.  10 hours of sewing, deconstructing, pinning, ripping, etc., and she has a musketeer costume that won second place in a costume contest earlier tonight.  Reading the chapters about interruptions is so timely for me in working with a family, a full-time job, and my graduate classes.  I’ve realized that I’m going to be interrupted, and then I can pick up where I left off later.  It will all get done in the end…

Getting Started

This is my first post on my new blog, and I am excited!  I named it Dream Big & Smile because that's what I think needs to happen in our schools.  If we have positive attitudes, open hearts, and the drive to do whatever it takes, we can do anything!!!  As I work on my masters degree and learn about the newest and best innovations in technology for education, I hope to share ways to utilize them in the real world. 

My first link is an article I found last week.  It hits close to home because I have several former students as friends on Facebook.  Here's the link to an article about how Facebook can go wrong...  I think it's just another case of people not using common sense.  Whether I'm a teacher or not, I'm careful about what I put on Facebook.  That's all you have to do - use your head...  What do you think?