Becoming a good Steward: Discipline

Hebrews 12:11 [Full Chapter]

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

My word this year is discipline.  If you read my blog, you already know this and it’s no surprise.  What has been a surprise to me is how often this word pops up in my devotions, my readings and my life.  I know I need to learn to discipline myself.

I admit I have become lazy.  I join things and then don’t participate. I even pay money; money I really need for other things to join this group.  However, after I few months, I fall by the wayside or discontinue it. 

Today I went to a new professional development.  My thought was I will go because I want those books.  However, on my way a still small voice says, “I thought we weren’t going to do this anymore.” 

The same voice reflected on the lessons I taught today.  I need to improve; this time it is no ones’ fault but mine.  I need to do my job.  Not let my job do me.  I thought about how hard my job is, but then I realized that I need to teach and do my best for the few students who come into the classroom who want to learn. It’s the students who don’t want to learn who drain me, EVERY DAY.

In addition, I realized that I have so much education, I have a specialist degree in educational technology.  The one thing that I have learned from all my classes is to reflect, redo and learn from what I have taught.

This is all part of the discipline of teaching. 

When I got home there was a Christmas card that had been returned.  Wrong address.  This from a friend that we have regularly shared July 4^th and New Year’s Eve parties.  I haven’t spoke to her for a year.  It brought back something a former friend said to me, I am lot of work and I don’t give anything.  It isn’t that I am a lot of work, I don’t have the discipline to maintain the friendship.  I want to maintain the friendship with this person’s whose address I don’t have and so I sent her an email.  I will call her tomorrow.

I went through my emails, Facebook post and all the other stuff on my computer.  I looked at some of the groups I have joined and left the group.  Two of the groups last post was in August. 

This is not just a trimming of the fat.  It is realizing that God has given me a dream and I need to follow through it IN HIS TIMING.

EPHESIANS 1:10 God has managed everything in such a way that when the right time comes everything will come together.

EPHESIANS 1:13:  . . . the good news that you were saved, and you believed in him, you, too, were sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit...

EPHESIANS 1:17 I ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory to give you His Spirit to make you wise and reveal the truth as you learn to know him better.

I am completing Suzanne Eller’s 30 Days of Life Shaking Study in the Word.  I like it.  However, I am not doing 10 Bible Study’s this month.  I have scaled down to 5 and will listen as the Holy Spirit instructs me in the future.

Finally, I need to work on my craft in writing, teaching and instructional design.  I don’t need to join anything else, I need to practice, practice, practice, practice and practice some more.

Discipline, the word with the line in it.  I need to develop behavior in order to be a good steward of gifts.   I need to draw a line and keep from going over it.  I need to be a good follower.

2015 Gratitude

1. Choices: Regardless of how tough the year was, I had choices available.

2. A God who loves and care for me

3. The basics food, house, and family were there to help and support me.

4. A laptop (mac), kindle and cell phone.

5. I have an inner circle of people who like me even though I lost a fried because I wasn’t available enough

6. My children come home to visit and talk with me.

7. I received a portion of my inheritance this year, tax free.

8. A great cabin with internet and heat in a beautiful area to retreat to when I need to.

9. A husband who cares about me.

10. My health improved. The side effects from my cancer treatment (radiation, chemo. surgery and drugs) have lessen.

Thank you God for everything!!

2015 Year in Review

2015 was a learning experience

My previous blog was kind of a downer but honest.  I did have some good things happen to me this year.  The two main items are that I completed my EdS in Educational Technology and presented two webinars for Simplek12.com (an online professional development blog). 

I joined several educators’ groups in order to establish myself as an online educator.  It was a difficult year.  I didn’t spend much time on this because I was very upset with what was happening at my school.  Looking back, I can identify several lessons and “ah-ha”.  I also realized that I need to maintain my relationship with God. 

Discipline in still my word and God showed me that I wan not a person of integrity. It hurt, but I went through it.

2016 will be better!

2016's Word is DISCIPLINE

This year my word will be DISCIPLINE.  I had a hard time deciding between DISCIPLINE and BOUNDARY.  Than I noticed the word line in the word DISCIPLINE.  This helped me remember that in order to be disciplined, there are lines you cannot cross in order to successful.

 

This brings us to my word for 2015, which was integrity.

 Every year I write that the previous year’s/current year’s word (depending on how you view this time of the year) has been a period of growth and learning.  This year, I really mean it!  This year I have learned that I moving inward and couldn’t believe I got called on things and suffered the consequences for them in my professional life. Not just by one person or one administration, but by more than one.  In addition, I have been told that I am a negative and difficult person to get along with, again, by more than one person or one administration.

 

I didn’t have grit, when I started the year out, but boy could I whine.  Not only could I whine, but I developed a taste for it in more ways than one.  I also developed some grit and some integrity in my life.  I just wish it hadn’t taken me THE WHOLE YEAR to figure out what God was trying to get me to see.

Why would I share that in my opening paragraph?  Well, I couldn’t believe that God had had enough and really wanted to get my attention and stop fooling around with the gifts I have been given.  Last year my word for the year was integrity.  The word integrity has the word grit in it and believe me, people who have integrity also have grit and don’t achieve their strength of character by being a goody two shoes, they also have grit. They are also disciplined in their stewardship of the gifts God has given me.    

  It was very difficult to go through 2015 and reflect on the bible passages associated with integrity and realizing that God was pruning me so I can be a person of integrity, but first I must be disciplined in my approach to my life.  This includes, relationships, talents, health, money and work. 

The word for 2016 is discipline.

One step at a time.  This blog may sound a little (a lot) abstract, but this year has been very hurtful.  God has shown a side of me that I don’t like.  The new year will begin shortly and I have making small steps toward becoming disciplined. One of them is my gift for my readers.  The codes are listed below the embedded attachments, various kinds of lesson plan.

Have great beginning!