PARK IN THE LAST SPOT

When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor.  What if someone who i more distinguished than you has also been invited?  The host will come and say, "Give this person your seat."....Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table.  Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, "Friend, we have a better place for you!" - Luke 14:8-10

     My old principal, Bill Able, used to always park in the parking spot farhtest from the door so that everyone else could have the closer spots. I took about two years off, but started doing it again at school.  What a great way to start my day, reminding myself, that my job is to put others in front of myself. 
     Later on, Jesus goes on to say that our reward will come in heaven.  It's not our job to make our life easier now.  It's our job to try and make other's lives easier.
     So, go find that last spot - in the parking lot, in the home, at your job....wherever!

JESUS "FAILED" TOO!

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers!  How often I hae wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me." - Luke 13:14

         I have a conversation in the mailroom yesterday where I might have done a little TMI.  Another teacher asked me if I was overwhelmed with grading and report cards. 

        "Report cards?.......No!  Overwhelmed?.....Yes!" 

        She asked me a little more about that, and I said, "Well, I just feel like when these kids don't succeed it's my fault." 

        That's a little deeper than mailroom conversations usually go.  But, I said it and I honestly feel that way.  I am the teacher and it's my job to turn these fifth graders into better people than when they came into my room.

        In fact, yesterday I was thinking about that comment and had a couple thoughts go into my mind.  One, I gotta loosen up a bit.  There is no way I can positively affect every kid.  Two, I've gotta do better.  There must be a way to motivate these children.

       It comforted me to see that Jesus had the same type of thoughts.  He didn't affect everyone in a positive way.  A ton of his "students" didn't become better people.  A ton of his "students" weren't motivated.  That didn't mean He stopped trying or through in the towel.  But, He also didn't think of it as His fault.  Jesus handled "failure" perfectly!