Worn Out

I am so tired tonight. We had open house at school today so we were at school until after 7 PM. I enjoyed meeting the kids and their parents.

Sometimes I have a hard time mustering up the energy but I also can't imagine not having this job that I love.

I think a 4 day work week would be good.

The Shack

I had been hearing about this book for quite a while. Some friends loved it. Others would not even finish reading it. Yet all who did finish said the same thing, "If you come to a part and don't like the book, you may be tempted to just quit reading. Don't quit. If you force yourself to finish, you won't be sorry.

I wish I could write like my daughter. She adds so much flavor to the things she writes about. She makes me feel like I am there with her. I will do my best to express myself and am at peace that it will be enough.

Once I began reading, I could hardly put it down. It's message reached inside my heart more than once and changed my thinking. I am challenged to view many things in ways I have never considered. The word "relationship", for example, has taken on a new meaning. A meaning so wide and deep that it consists of many layers and directions.

The painful experiences throughout my life have taken on a slightly different perspective. My history has not changed, but my view of it's events has enabled me to feel a peace that I can not adequately describe.

I will have more to say as I am able to process the thoughts whirling in my head.

More on The Shack

One of the blessings I received as I read this book relates to someone from my past. I was totally unprepared because as far as I was concerned, this person deserved whatever came their way.

For the first time, I understand that God loves them as much as He loves me. People have said that to me in the past and I inwardly responded with, "you don't understand". Occasionally it was an outward response which included my plea of, "God wouldn't ask that of me".

Now that has changed. God does love that person. He really does. I believe that and I am at peace about it. While I'll never have a relationship with them, I feel completely at peace about them, and that part of my life.

I posted these two messages under two link headings (The Shack, Changed My Life) because I have shared with many people about how the message of this book has changed my life. I forget to tell some that the name of the book was The Shack.

Here is a link to the website for "The Shack"

I AM ME

Virginia Satir was an internationally-known therapist, teacher, and author. Her vision was to help empower people to reach their full potential.

Virginia came to write this poem when she was working with an angry fifteen-year-old girl who had a lot of questions about herself and what life meant.

Her poem is a favorite of mine and I have used parts of it many times while working with students.

I Am Me

In all the world, there is no one exactly like me.
There are persons who have some parts like me,
but no one adds up exactly like me.

Therefore, everything that comes out of me
is authentically mine because I alone choose it.
I own everything about me
including everything it does;
including all its thoughts and ideas;
including the images of all they behold;
whatever they may be...
anger,
joy,
frustration,
love,
disappointment,
excitement
and all the words that come out of it
polite,
sweet or rough,
correct or incorrect;
loud or soft.
And all my actions, whether they be to others or to myself.

I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears.
I own all my triumphs and successes,
all my failures and mistakes.
Because I own all of me I can become intimately acquainted with me.
By doing so I can love me and be friendly with me in all parts.
I can then make it possible for all of me to work in my best interests.

I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me,
and other aspects that I do not know.
But as long as I am friendly and loving to myself,
I can courageously and hopefully, look for solutions to the puzzles
and for ways to find out more about me.

By Virginia Satir

Great People

Great people talk about ideas.

Average people talk about things.

Small people talk about other people.

Author: Unknown