Happy Friday!

29 years of teaching and yet only 5 weeks to go before I retire from that world. As Bruce and I were coming back from Wal-Mart this evening Bruce mentioned that the months were going by very fast. I responded that it seems to go by faster the older we get!

Today I was blessed to have 4 older students in my classroom who helped clean out one of my cabinets and two of my lockers. Three boxes and four bags of trash later the second round of clean out and packing was complete in room 6. There are many more to come, but it is a start.

Prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) . These words of the psalmist shape my prayer today. May my words help others and honor You. I confess I am quick to speak and become angry, yet I am slow to listen and give grace. Deliver me from a critical, poisonous tongue and help me speak truth in love. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.”

Ephesians 4: 29-20 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

When teachers get to this time of the school year we live by the check list. And sometimes we are so intent on making it through the check list that tempers get short and tension gets a bit high as everything was due yesterday with all signatures and initials. I must confess that I am a part of the “we” sometimes and do not speak as kindly to my students as I should. Sometimes my words do not bring edification but bring grief. And when my words bring grief to the children in my classroom or co-workers they also bring grief to God’s Holy Spirit within me.

God intends us to speak the truth in love and build up others instead of tearing them down in criticism. When I speak unkindly to someone else I ignore and forget about the loving and renewing work God has done in my life. When we remember to ask God for help in our speaking, our words can be transformed from weapons that destroy to words that administer grace. I would really hope that this last class of children would remember me as one who spoke kind words. My personal prayer is that I would remember the verse from Psalms and practice it when the tension rises.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. When you lift each other up in prayer remember that God works with us in our struggles teaching us find our strength in Him. Love you all, mighty and powerful prayer warriors. Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Prayer alerts: Carme has her Susan B. Komen cancer walk tomorrow in San Antonio. Please be in prayer for her strength and safety.

Travis begins his new job at the Embassy Suites Hotel tomorrow evening. He will be working two jobs with Starbucks and the Embassy Suites. Pray for his stamina and his happiness.