Teacher Trouble & Day 5 Giveaways

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Today’s Great Giveaways!

The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World By Debbie Taylor Williams

Do you ever feel like throwing your hands in the air and saying, “I can’t do this”?  Being a mom is hard and life is filled with Plan Bs.  Whether your Plan B is a strong willed child, a rebellious teen, being a single mom, a chronically ill child, or a tot’s tantrums, God doesn’t want you to live in Plan B despair.  Join Debbie, mom to two adult children and Mimi to three grandchildren, as she walks you through 18 parenting land mines and shows you how to defuse each one.

Completely Loved: Recognizing God’s Passionate Pursuit of Us By: Shannon Ehtridge 

In each brief reading, best-selling author Shannon Ethridge leads you to consider Old Testament stories in a new light to learn how God interacts with His people and what that reveals about His character. Most important, as you discover more about God’s true nature, you’ll begin to recognize the ways He daily touches your life and draws you closer into His loving embrace.

 To Save a Life: Dare to Make Your Life Count By: Todd Hafer and Vicki Kuyper

At some point, everyone has to decide: What’s my life going to be about? Is it about partying? Or having fun? Or just surviving another day? Or is it about living a life of significance and making a real difference in your world? This inspiring book will challenge you and show you: *How to develop friendships that really matter *The ripple effect your life can have on others *How real happiness comes from giving instead of receiving and how to help hurting teens

 HOW TO ENTER: SUBSCRIBE TO WEBSITE, COMMENT ON BLOG, SHARE FB POSTS, TWEET, RETWEET & COMMENT ON BLOG (NEW SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE OUR NEW BOOK, “FACING OUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.”)

Teacher Trouble

Timken Roller Bearing Co., calendar, September 1950, teacher at desk

School hasn’t even started yet, but we’ve had teacher trouble. I thought I was doing a good thing by sending my high school senior daughter in by herself to handle a schedule question. But when she got home, she told a tale of being eaten alive by a not-so-morning-person school counselor. Mopping up her tears, I listened and tried to retract my mama bear claws that wanted to pop out. I don’t want teacher trouble!

With the years of a senior in high school behind us, there have been moments when I did not handle teacher trouble well. We’ve schooled at public, private,co-op and home. Teacher trouble is not bound to traditional classrooms. God forgive me for opportunities lost, when my inner mama bear came out of her summer slumber and attacked the teacher’s picnic basket.

This week I applied some of my hard won lessons learned, and I’m counting it a victory for back to school moms everywhere! With God’s help, here’s what went right this time:

15 Steps for Teacher Trouble

  1. I listened to my student, but resisted stoking the flame of her temper or revealing mine.
  2. I held my tongue. This is the key, but sometimes so hard …
  3. I prayed and waited long enough to let the Lord steer my thoughts and remind me of the big picture of training up my child and representing Him to the world.
  4. I told my sister what happened and asked for her advice and prayer; she gave both. Grateful.
  5. I called the school and scheduled a same day appointment convenient for the counselor, not discussing the issue on the phone.
  6. I dressed nicely. 😉
  7. I went by myself, while my daughter took care of other school details.
  8. I made the decision to take a deep breath, smile, and ask her (the counselor/teacher) how her summer was. I tried to be like Jesus, even though I battled feel more like … well, you know. 😉
  9. I asked her first if she could describe her take on their meeting that morning; I just listened until she was done.
  10. I agreed with everything I could and affirmed where we were on the same page.
  11. I (Really the Lord held my tongue for me!) talked quietly, slowly, and leaned back in my chair … to LOOK relaxed.
  12. I told her I knew we both want the best for my student, and I appreciated her time and assistance.
  13. I thanked her for being approachable and listening, and I really meant it.
  14. I sent my student back in alone and didn’t get up and bust into the room when the counselor closed the door. I left my sweet girl “in there” to grow up a little with the Lord at her side.
  15. I told my daughter that God took care of things and it feels good to solve problems His way.

Score one for mom this year, because I’ve made some mistakes through the years … as a teacher and as a parent. I hope it’s our last teacher trouble … but it’s a new year.

I’m afraid some of you reading this will have a little teacher trouble in your course schedule for the year.  Are you prepared? I’ve learned that “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov. 10:19).  God’s ways are especially good when a new school year begins and you’re a mama bear.

What have you learned about dealing w/ “teacher trouble” in your life?

A mom’s teacher trouble prayer ~

Lord, help me to trust you with my kids and their schooling this year. I need your help to know when to be their advocate and when to release them. Hold my tongue when I would spew out fast and angry words, and teach me how to be the model of resolving problems that my children need me to be. Show me how to bless other adults in my child’s life, the terrific ones and the troubling ones. Remind me to show them the grace you’ve shown me. Be the Teacher of my heart as a new school year begins.

By Julie Sanders of Come Have a Peace

Julie Sanders
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