A Different Perspective and a Few Things I've Learned...

Through no method of my own, I have truly found and embraced (at least for now) a different perspective for this second half of my school year and first half of 2013. While I spent the past 5+ months chasing my tail, trying to stay afloat (professionally) on my own, and adjusting to life as a full-time teacher, wife, sister, daughter, friend...I didn't have time to look much outside of my own little box (or classroom door, haha). And, let me tell you, while I am please enough with how those months were spent, I am not satisfied with that as a so called life, and especially not one that is called by Christ. That being said, through a little R&R, I think I was able to catchup with myself a little as well as with God and have a renewed vision for what he wants me to do here and to be in life in general. The following is a list of realizations turned motivations for a life lived with a different perspective. Join me in reading as well as in living them.

1. Life is not just about me.--You may get tired of hearing that this year, but as it's a recurring theme I keep hearing in my own devotional time, I believe it's something that I need to keep reiterating for myself and most likely for those of you as well. So, this year is to be a life lived with an outward focus, one not just on me, but on those around me. We were all born to be world changers, so let's take up our charge and live lives that focus on more than just us.

2. There is plenty of time to not be wasted...--No, I did not make a typo here, that came out exactly the way I intended it. All throughout school and now even into my professional career, I have been super-organized, overly time-oriented, and unbelievably focused on getting things done ahead of time. Thus leading me to believe I needed to get everything done right now and, in turn, forcing me to periodically miss out on simply living life. Having a classroom and 2 different grade levels to manage as a first year teacher, I have done a great deal of this "over-planning and under-enjoying." So, nonetheless, I have decided (and figured out) that there is plenty of time to not be wasted doing simple tasks away from others. My focus needs to be on doing things with people, for people, and about people.

While I could generate an unending list of life learnings, I'll stop there. But, in doing so, I just ask that you join me. Let's make 2013 a year spent doing, being, and living a life called by God and focused on others.
--Leesha