Dearest Marji

 The year was 2008, and I had just been hired as a 5th grade teacher at Oklahoma Elementary.   Only a few weeks into the school year, the sweet and vivacious 3rd grade teacher from a different hallway stood outside my door and asked, “Would you like to join the Sunshine Committee?”  It was her tone- half serious, half silly, which would become very familiar to me in the next 14 years that gravitated my personality to hers.

Marji, as you may know, has a heart right on the surface, but feelings that run very deep. After a decade of 5th grade, I got to move to 3rd grade, which meant my days at school would be in the company of this sweet companion.  Our best days and worst days of teaching played out together. In planning periods, meetings, or in the hallways after-school, you can bet Marji’s sense of humor had a way of alleviating tensions and finding the funny in our days. I often misquote Philippians 4:13 as , “I can do all things through Marji who gives me humor.”

She has a way of staying with me long after the moment is over, and days later, I will think of something she has said, and be roaring with laughter- tears running down my cheeks.  The woman can dance like no other, and makes a mean apple dumpling.  She and Dan have become dear friends of Tim and I outside of school, and love on our children like we are family.

I wish for you all to have a coworker like this. To know that just next door or down the hall, there is someone who is in your corner, who wants to share her homemade soup with you, and would take in your students in a moment’s notice if you had to suddenly leave.  I hope you have someone like her to enjoy the little things, like the new mug from TJ Maxx, or a photo from the weekend. Her one-liners are true—— “Everyone looks good in navy blue.” And, “When in doubt, wear pearls.”

Nothing could be sweeter than in her last year of teaching, she has my son in her classroom. He adores her like I do, and has experienced all her “lasts” with her.  She is not just co-worker, but friend, confidante, and Mother Hen when I need her to be.  Some years from now, when I look back on my teaching career, it will be relationships that will have mattered most. Marji will be at the top of that list, for all the little moments in the faculty room, at the copy machine, around a conference room table,  and at the recess bench have all added up to be one of the greatest friendships I will ever know.  

Let’s just say, I will be savoring the remainder of this school year. Come fall, our hallway will feel quite different without my teacher bestie. The best is yet to come for, you, Marji—grandbabies, a son’s wedding, extended summer and eternal weekends (And maybe, just maybe, that means a few more apple dumplings for me. 😁) 

A Prayer for Working Moms

 

Dear Lord,

I bring to you all the working moms.  

May you bless those of this generation who are daily inspiring their own children with bravery, work ethic, and fortitude. For with every day-in and day-out, there can be weariness, chaos, and disorganization.

Bring to our homes a steady ebb and flow, and fill us each with enough energy for our own brood, where the real work begins.   Give us the energy to actively parent, but also the opportunity to appropriately decompress.

Inspire each of us to make life at home a place of joy, love, creativity, safety and rest— rich in Your teachings and words.  Help us each to still speak in love when we are running dry.  Enable us to allow ourselves some grace when forgetfulness or haste enters. 

Bless our days at work, so that our efforts are not in vain, but make indelible differences in the lives of others. May we reflect Your love both inside and outside our homes. Thank you for the gifts within each of us to fulfill needs in our community and nurture a family at home.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Photo by Benjamin Manley on Unsplash

Two More Words

 

How is it even possible that it’s time again to put up the Christmas tree, and start the merriment of another December? 

This past week, as we began to unpack the bins that have been in storage since last year, my mind started to swirl with some wonderful thoughts. 

The handling of ornaments of my childhood takes me back to a different living room of a different decade, with records playing Kenny Rogers’ Christmas album. Sweet, homemade kid art reminds me that not-so-long-ago, our children were a bit younger & smaller.  And any decoration that was newly acquired last year, still holds some novelty as I find just the right spot to place it.

Out of all the pretty little things that have passed through my hands today, the most precious and sentimental of all is the little nativity set that Tim bought me early in our marriage.  The ceramic figures are daintily painted and the stable is rustic and mossy, housing most of the figures. Pointing us past the Santas, the twinkle lights, and garland, this little nativity set does much more than bring around memories of years past. 

God’s Spirit, rather than my mind, conjured up a deep reverence and thankfulness for God’s plan to show His love to all mankind. In a quiet moment, I offered up a prayer of thanks as I placed the figures carefully.  Years ago, I read the saying, “If ‘thank you’ was the only prayer you ever prayed to God, that would be enough”. Have you also heard this?

I get it. “Thank you, for the Savior you sent, Lord.” This statement perhaps embodies the whole idea that Jesus died for us and rose again to conquer sin and death. This “thank you” is both acknowledgement and acceptance of His plan.  But I have just two more words to be added to “thank you.”  

“Use me.” 

After all, that would be our prayer of thanks in action. You see, we could all say “thank you”, and mean it for the moment, then go on living the life we have planned, never to give pause or thought as to how God could change our trajectories. We could all believe in Christ, yet live in isolation, never really finding an outlet for the joy inside of us.  Not one person would know the difference if Christ lives in us or not. 

And shouldn’t they?  

“Use me” enables us to live ultimately for His glory and no longer our own.  

Matthew 5:16 reads, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”   And John 3:30 reads, “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Recently in a YouTube sermon, I heard a pastor say, ”within 30 seconds of meeting us, a perfect stranger should be able to tell that you are a Christ-follower.”  I whole-heartedly agree!  If “thank you” & “use me” are our go-to prayers, our lives will simply ooze with love, kindness, joy, and gentleness.

The world, more now than ever, needs to see and hear all things Jesus, and you are just the person for the job, if you are willing to be used by Him.  There could be no nobler use of your time, no higher calling to your life, and no better, genuine way to express your gratitude to our Father.

“Use us, God, however you see fit. With the talents and gifts you have given each one of us, let us not spend a lifetime wasting or hiding away so as to never bring another soul hope or joy. Use us with the people we are with, in the places we go, to be your love in the flesh.  Let us put aside the selfish or perhaps, uncomfortable notions that live inside to further your kingdom.  Use us for Your glory and not our own.  May we most sincerely express our thanks to You by allowing You to use us.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.”🙏

Photo by Kelly Sikkema Unsplash.