Choose Joy, Be Brave, and Love BIG!

Hey Friends!

As I contemplated what I wanted to focus on with my blog this week, I thought about May from an educator's or student's perspective.  For many of my friends who have graduating seniors, it's the end of a milestone.  Side bar - am I the only one who cries whenever "Pomp and Circumstance" plays?  I look at all of the graduates walking in and they have a world of opportunities ahead of them.  And... did you know that Pomp and Circumstance has lyrics?  WHAT???  I found them as I was working on this post.

Here is a few lines:
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

Wow!! Even without words, the music evokes hope to me and then look at the last two lines... God wants you to be BRAVE moving into the next stage of life.  So, to my mama friends who shed tears this week at graduations... you be brave too as you send your precious gifts into the world wherever and whatever that is.

As an educator May is always full of endings.  We end a year with fabulous kids and parents.  We come to the end of careers as some of our favs retire who have served kids tirelessly for 30 years! There are also ends to one school and beginnings at others.  Change is part of the business.  It's hard!  I'm not going to lie.  I hate to see my people move on,  and now I am the one at the end of an era and moving into a new beginning.   It's all the feels, y'all!  

How fitting that I finished my book by Annie Downs this week?- have I mentioned I LOVE her? :)

Her book, Let's All Be Brave , has spoken to me so very much.  She talked about discipline (my New Year's word for the year) is the basis of being brave (my other mantra for the year).   She said, "If you are brave, you are willing to walk the map that is yours, the one with twists and turns you've never expected, and you must be DISCIPLINED enough to stay on the narrow road under your feet.  Step by step.  Each step leads to the next, and before you know it, you are walking in a rhythm of courage."  Sit on that for a moment.  It's so good, right?  

There are so many things that we cannot control in our lives.  All of the unknowns will cause major anxiety if we let them.  It's discipline that controls that.  It's reaching for the hope we have that we know who is in control of all things and walking in faith - step by step.  The first part of this year has had trials for sure.  I have come to know what true dependence on God is.  It's not easy because I'm a "fixer".  I want to handle things but, when I totally surrendered to pray God's will for my life with a period not a comma - so many things became clear.  Seeing how God used the circumstances to increase my faith continued to make me brave on my journey.  I say it all the time.  Life can be hard and messy.  Everyone has their own personal trials and successes.  I am thankful for the people who God uses to continue to encourage me to be brave every day.  

Today, I was scrolling through Facebook and this popped up.  My sweet friend makes the best signs.  When I saw it I immediately text her.  She already knew I would want this.  The post that went along with this sign seriously made me ugly cry with the snot nose and all.    I asked her if I could use the picture.  I added the link so you can order one too. (she doesn't know I'm doing that!)  These are my go to sayings.  So, if you need to remember to choose joy, be brave, and love Big, this is perfect.  

To order your sign:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtX7Udk2jKeLgHMgDDidFcnFa9vs23c9VWiehHlmnlqwpLZQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1RJCDMByreyzh7CqZfT1zfvlFa9vET1D7hopv0JrZmwQS2J-BaGUs_VSo

I'll end with my favorite quote from Hope Floats:  “Beginnings are usually scary, endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.”

No matter if you are at the beginning, middle, or end of a particular journey - have hope my friends.  You are not alone.  Be Brave and make a difference wherever you are planted.

Have a great week and  BE BLESSED... BE BRAVE and know you are EQUIPPED!

XOXO Stacey