Is it June 4th yet?!

I'm having one of those days where I can either choose to laugh or cry.

I choose laughter (even if it does get me some funny looks).

Earworms

Don't you hate it when you get random songs stuck in your head? And, of course, the songs that are the most annoying are the ones that just won't go away. For example, for at least three of my four years in college, I had "Hail to the Chief" bouncing around in my brain.

Some days the songs are more random than others.

I started my day with the line, "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife," moved to, "Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! And a couple of tra-la-las! That's how we laugh the day away in the Merry Old Land of Oz," had a brief fling with "Fantine's Death" from Les Miserables and have now returned to the Emerald City.

And now, I bet you're singing at least one of these songs, too. Misery does love company, after all.

TMI

I hope you won't think me vain if I tell you this, but I looked pretty darned cute today. My hair was straight, and I was even wearing a skirt. As you may have gathered from a previous post, my students don't get to see this side of me very often. And another rarity here lately--I was actually in an especially good mood today. I don't have any particular reason--perhaps it was because the number of research papers hanging over my head significantly dwindled with my productive day off yesterday; perhaps it was because I was excited (and rightfully so) about Walking Wednesday; perhaps it was because God has convicted me about my attitude at work, and I have been making a concerted effort to not be negative. At any rate, it was a good day.

However, any time my students see me looking a little nicer than normal or see that I'm in a better mood than usual, they are rather free with their comments.

The first 10 minutes of my 4th period class went something like this:
Student: "Ms. Ruddell, you look really nice today."
Me: Thank you.
Student: And you're in a good mood--you have a date tonight, don't you?
Me: No.
Student: Come on, you can tell me--you have a date, don't you.
Me: No.
Student: Ms. Ruddell, I know you have a date even though you won't tell me. It's the only explanation. Or did you have a date last night? Is that why you're so happy today?
Me: No.
Student: Okay, even though you won't tell me, I know you must have had a date.

I think I finally said that my good mood was because I had made a lot of progress in grading research papers and because Jesus loves me, but the kicker was when I told him that the reason I was wearing a skirt was because I actually shaved my legs yesterday.

I may have over-shared, but at least it shut him up.

Not My Home

Proverbs 4:23-27

"Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil."

Random Acts

So, I'm going to be a little vulnerable. I've been really discouraged about work here lately. When I am there, it seems like I face one petty frustration after another, and it is starting to get to me. I know that I am mostly to blame for my frustration--I am so overcommitted that I have begun to neglect my work, and I know that I am not giving my best when I show up to my school each day. When I feel like I am scrambling to stay just a half step ahead of my students, I have very little patience to deal with typical freshman immaturity. I just feel like I'm not having much of an impact.

I know that the Lord has placed me in this job and wants me to serve Him here, but more often than not my light does not shine very brightly for Him. I have been praying that God would change my attitude, but it is so easy to become mired in all the little irritations each day brings.

I was feeling especially discouraged on my way to work this morning (I was actually almost envious of my teacher friend who is on bedrest from a back injury because she at least doesn't have to go to work!) and was praying that God would bring me some encouragement and maybe even a hug. I had been at school for about ten minutes when one of my students walked into my room and said that he had something for me. He pulled out a gift with a card from him and his mom thanking me for all that I had done for him. And he even gave me a hug before he left.

It's amazing how God knows just what we need when we need it and is so faithful to provide!

Sage Advice

I went on a Sunday School class retreat this last weekend. At one point during the weekend, a guy and I separated ourselves from the group. Very soon after, another attendee of the retreat came over and told me it was very dangerous. Hmmmm....

(Footnote: I can't take credit for this post--I totally ripped it off the afforementioned guy.)

LOL!!

A kid in my TAKS testing room showed up yesterday wearing a World War II gas mask. No swine flu for him!!