Skip to main content

Day 79: Enjoy Your Movie!




June 2, 2020

I am blessed to teach at the high school that I attended.  In fact, my husband, his brothers, two nieces, a nephew and all five of my daughters graduated from Cy-Fair.  Walking into Cy-Fair High School is, for me, like a big warm hug from an old friend.  Everywhere that I look, I see memories in those halls.  From the cafeteria where my husband first noticed me in the fall of 1976 to the auditorium where I sang “Baby Love” with my two friends in the senior talent show, that building is like an old scrapbook of my teenage years.  I was also blessed to be right there in the building as four of my girls navigated their high school experience.  Did I set out to end up teaching Math here?  Was that my plan? No, that was definitely God’s plan.  My original teaching degree was Kindergarten thru 8th grade (Math) and Clay and I intended to live and raise our family in Austin, not here in Cypress.  So, how did I end up teaching high school math in my “hometown”?  That is too long of a story to tell in a blog.  Probably more of a major motion picture genre.  The words to the movie trailer would be something like: “This is the story of a couple who was rich in all the ways that matter most.  God blessed their lives immeasurably, despite their best efforts to derail His perfect plans.  Every time they moved away from Cypress, Texas, God brought them back.  Watch their struggles as they raise five beautiful daughters on a shoestring budget.  You will cry and laugh out loud as you see how the love and support of family can change the course of human events.”  Pretty dramatic, huh?  Maybe so, but all true.  We had a screenplay all written for our lives, but God had a different one and I am so glad that His edits made the final cut.  Clay and I celebrated 35 years of marriage yesterday and I know that we are right where God intends us to be.  I am thankful for the struggles and the laughter.  We are so very blessed.  I feel like we are about to start on the sequel to our first movie (“Clay and Lisa: The Busy Years of Change”)  and I am so excited to see how God writes this one.  (“Clay and Lisa: The Golden Years”)  I’m sure it will be a hit and I look forward to meeting all the new characters that will join the cast.  (more sons-in-law and grandchildren… yea!)  Esther 4:14 says: “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.”  And (one of my favorite verses) Jeremiah 29:11 says: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Please silence your cell phone and enjoy your movie!  Smile and be joyful!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

  There comes a time for most boats when they need their hull scraped free of barnacles.  One website says that “a barnacle-free surface is essential for smooth cruising”.  According to Google, this process is more easily done if the boat is removed from the water.  I guess God thought I needed some maintenance work, as He has dry docked me.  Four weeks ago, I had shoulder surgery.  Apparently, when I do something, I do it up big.  It turned out that I had not only a rotator cuff tear, I also have something called frozen shoulder.  I was shocked when the doctor originally told me I would miss 6 weeks of work.  I told him this is no time for that.  Teaching virtually and in person at the same time is not something that can just be handed over to a substitute teacher, if one can even find a substitute willing to take it on.  When the recovery time was bumped to 12 weeks (thanks, frozen shoulder) I very nearly decided to just live with...

Day 188: Thank a Teacher

These last few weeks have been quite challenging at work as the teachers in my school district have been asked to teach both “face to face” students and “at home” students at the same time. (As in, simultaneously !)   Multi-tasking has always been “a thing” in education, kind of like being a mom, but with more kids (who are not your kids) and less bathroom breaks.   The job description is un-writeable even in “normal” circumstances.   As a teacher I am accustomed to juggling many tasks at the same time.   It is a talent I had (nearly) perfected over time.   This school year my usual act of juggling balls and bowling pins while keeping plates spinning on tall sticks has been upgraded with the addition of chain saws, knives and flaming torches.   (Thank you, technology, learning management software and unstable internet!)   And did I mention I do all this blindfolded?   (while wearing a mask?)   One of my new sayings is “I don’t even know what ...

In God We Trust

  Today is election day.   I’ve never seen a political race more closely watched, worried about or polarizing. I am not concerned about the outcome.   The Ruler of the Universe is in control.   On a day when the nation feels so divided, my prayer is that people will remember their “common ground”, the things we can all agree on rather than the things we disagree on.   Disappointment and discord are inevitable whatever the results, throughout the nation, within cities and neighborhoods and unfortunately, even within families.   Days like this one are Satan’s favorite.   He is at the ready with his giant stick to stir the pot of our discontent.   Instead of discontent, let’s fill our pots with all the things we agree upon and treasure.   If each “side” can be gracious and not lash out or boast, Satan will be missing even more of the ingredients needed for his recipe for disaster.   Rather than fanning the flames of discord and fear, perhap...