Reentry

I am late on my blog, but I am having transition problems.  Yep, leaving the three-month beach life and coming back to reality is tough.  I’m not seeking compassion because all you who endured this winter are saying, “ Yea, you don’t know tough until you have endured the winter of 2014.”  I understand.  I understand. 

Instead I am trying to read my life.  I read an article on looking at the things you choose to do and the price you pay for those choices.  I read my life as beautiful.  I am so grateful God has given Denny and I so many opportunities.  Sometimes it was making our dollars stretch to the end of the month, others led my agnostic husband into a deep belief in Jesus, other times we joined our faith for a miraculous physical healing for John and an emotional healing for Adam.  Those were hard times but because we had become equally yoked, we stood together resurrecting that same spirit within us that raised Christ from the dead.  We didn’t choose for these hardships, but we chose how we reacted.  We chose faith in Jesus.  He paid the price so we could make this choice.

I know in my life I need time for prayer, solitude, and peace. These are the things that renew my soul and spirit.  I know I need this fix me time, so I don’t neglect these things.  When life gets too busy to be peaceful, I know I am paying the price for a choice of over commitment.

I read in my life a need to create and teach.  My little granddaughters are taught moral lessons each piece of art we make.  This week we had kindness competition.  We made a sign for their rooms.  I asked each sister to explain what she liked best about her sibling.  I wrote Ellis’s on her poster.  Ava wrote her own as Ellis and I told her what we liked about her.  Ellis said we forgot one thing.  She was happy, so she added her happy face on her poster.  I loved that she chose to see herself as happy and her sister gave warm cuddles to her at night when it was difficult to fall asleep.  Ahhh, we all need a good cuddles and hugs in our lives.

I am going to continue to read my choices.  Being mindful that my wise choices brings new truths, and my poor choices bring errors and failure lessons that create in me better discernment.  Be ready for my choice making blogs.

Pastor Debra Brown Morton

Pastor Debra Morton

This is Pastor Debra Brown Morton in the photo with me.  She is the pastor of a large church, Greater St. Stevens Full Gospel Baptist Church of New Orleans.  She and her husband pastor another large church of 5,000 in Atlanta. 

Debra was my student at Carter G. Woodson.  When we met this time, it was like we had never been separated.  We instantly loved each other and recognized the like Spirit within.  We spent three hours together on Thursday, another three hours on Friday at a dinner at Paul K’s Kitchen over a scrumptious New Orleans cuisine dinner.  We attended two of her Sunday services and one of her Bible study teachings.  We were so blessed.  I love this lady who has followed God, built two churches with her husband, Bishop Paul Morton,started Women of Excellence in New Orleans, as well as many other outreach ministries for women.  She is known internationally and has preached in Nigeria and London.  She is an anointed speaker and teacher.  She has the same passion and energy that she had as a middle school student in 1967.

 We couldn’t stop hugging and remembering all our school days together.  My time with Debra was both inspiring and humbling that she remembered me so well.  She remembered my words of encouragement, my gurgling giggles, and my eyes that grew so large when I would encounter a new experience.  She said I was so kind that the children decided not to give me a hard time because they knew I would just be nice to them anyway.  I can’t remember my persona at 22 or details of my first teaching job.  I am in New Orleans doing interviews to help me remember these times more accurately.  I do remember the love I had for these kids and the love returned.

Envelope Lessons

Envelope Lessons

            Daily I face my computer and try to remember how I learned to teach.  Sounds exciting, right?   When I am writing my memoir, I am humbled how my first year classes must have suffered.  The  teaching learning curve is straight up.

            I recall how there was a stealing issue in my first school in New Orleans.  My purse couldn’t be secured because my desk drawers didn’t lock.  I noticed that a large, furry spider abided in my purse drawer.  She returned no matter how many times I removed her.  I named her Susie.  So, I decided to use her, not abuse her.

            After my class was seated, but still loud and visiting with each other, I asked,

            “Please, get quiet.”

            Conversations continued and their laughter grew louder.

            I reached into my desk, picked up Susie and held her on my hand for all to see.  Bombshell.  Instant silence. 

            "This is Susie."

            “Put that spider away!" shouted Alex.

            “Kill it.”

            “ I’m leavin',"screeched Joanne.

            “I just wanted to introduce you to Susie.  She lives in my purse drawer.  So, if any of you decide to visit my purse, know that you must ask Susie’s permission. " I put her back in the drawer, closed it, and began teaching the lesson of the day.

            My envelope lesson was use nature to help clear the chatter from the air.  The unexpected is a strong educational tool.  However, I now realize that was quite risky.  What if a child had severe acrophobia?  I’d be called on the carpet or even fired for abuse in this day.  I guess I’d better keep Susie and this technique in a hidden place.