What I Learned in September

     Life brings us something wonder-ful  everyday.  Here is what I wondered about and learned in the month of September.

1.     I've learned that I really do not like clutter around the house.  I think that I have always known this, but with six people or more in the house de-cluttering seemed like shoveling snow in a blizzard.  More came in than ever went out.  Pat and I are deliberately rearranging.  We've tackled the pile of shoes at the entry way by redesigning our entry closet.  Now there is space for a breath when we come home. We also have begun very intentionally to edit the items in our house.  We have removed clothes, furniture, and "get to it someday" items.  A little girl was blessed with a dollhouse and a desk went to a neighbor.  Many things have gone to Goodwill.   Our home is more peaceful and welcoming.  What a difference empty space makes.

2.    My daily planner was misplaced over the summer (see item 1)  and I needed a new one, especially with school starting.  I stumbled across this one and I LOVE IT!  In fact when my husband saw mine, he ordered one for himself, without flowers,  and for our daughter.  Patty is using it as a school planner for college.  There are several different styles and sizes.  Mine fits in my purse, so I have it with me always.

     There are three sections on each of the week at a glance pages.  The top section replaces all those lists on the back of envelopes and random sticky notes.  Your ideas, plans and need to do's are listed under categories that you determine.  Mine say Family, Church, School, Medical, Errands, Blog, and Projects.  The middle section is where you assign things from the top to a particular day.  The bottom section is for appointments.  I love this planner because it organizes  my ideas into action.  I really do get more done.  (The Planner Pad folks do not know me and are not subsidizing this post in any way.)

3.     I've learned that people want to hear your story.  That when we share what God has done for us, it blesses others. 

     A dashing young man asked me to dance and my life changed in an instant.  Thirty four years later I'm still dancing and loving this man.

 

4.     I read the book Speak Love:  Making our Words Matter, by Annie Downs.   It is such a wonderful and uplifting book.  As a teacher I have seen and experienced the effects of harsh words and mean girls - and boys.  Not all of them are children, either.

     It is a book of encouragement to use your words to build people up, not tear them down.  To speak love, healing, and hope into peoples lives.  It was a blessing to read.  It makes you aware that what you say and how you say it are truly important.

5.     September is always a time of new beginnings for me.  It is the month of my birth.  In 2009, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I wasn't sure how many more birthdays I would see.  Of course, none of us really know that.  Still September is a time of reflection for me.  I take time to think about what I've done, what I need to do, and what I want to do.  I think about how I can serve my family, my job, and the greater world around me.
     As a wife and mother I love my family and am grateful to God for allowing me to be a part of their lives.
      As a teacher, I really do enjoy the smell of newly sharpened pencils, crisp Fall air, and traces of chalk dust.  I am so happy to be able to go to school and enjoy learning with my students.

What have you learned this month?