Five Minute Friday: "Learn"

"Five Minute Friday". Third week for me! This week's word is "learn".

It's almost time for school to start back after a full and crazy summer. I work at an academy, so I'm more than just nominally interested in that fact.

The first day of school (and even after the 'new' wears off, hopefully!) brings streams of bright faces, eager to begin again the process of learning.
And yet, they have so much to teach me. To teach all the adults in their lives.

Children have a different outlook on life. They don't understand social rules or observe understood appropriate behavior. Sometimes in their enthusiasm, they squeal with delight in decidedly undignified style. They don't have any hesitation about scratching an itch in a hard-to-reach place, requiring awkward physical contortions. They are brutally honest. They are not uncomfortable with staring openly at something or someone that they find interesting. They hoard pretty rocks but think money is boring. They believe in the unbelievable. And they are slow to realize and observe stereotypes or 'differences' in others.

All of these things aren't always for the best (ha!) but the outlook of innocence behind so many of them is something adults would do well to learn from.

For example, I don't think I'll ever forget a story I heard about a question asked by a biological child in a white family with several adopted children (of various distinct nationalities). When the child found out several of his siblings were adopted, he asked, 'Which ones?'. There's also the story of a child who quickly befriended a handicapped individual that everyone else was too embarrassed to talk to.

The schools are filled with brilliant teachers showing off shiny degrees, when many of them would do well to learn from their pupils.
There is a reason that Jesus told His disciples that anyone who wishes to enter His Kingdom must have the heart and faith of a child.

Trissy pointed out a fact the other day that I'd never quite put into conscious thought, but that is, sadly, so very true:
"Children are so busy living life that they don't focus on their troubles. Adults are so focused on their troubles that they're too busy to live life."

Oh that we could all learn how to truly live!

{Note: It took me a little longer than five minutes :) .}

Five Minute Friday : "Here"

My second week of participating in "Five Minute Friday". This week's word is "here".


"You are here."

You know those little maps that are in alot of public places, showing you the layout of the store, the park, etc.? There's usually a not-necessarily-so-helpful notation marking the location of the map. It often says "You are here".

Why do we look at those little maps? We know where we are, obviously, at least on a very basic level!
Well, we look at them to find out how to get to where we are wanting to go.

Right now, I know where I am. I am "here". But I'll admit, I am struggling about getting to where I want to be.

Sometimes (for reasons I won't go into detail about, for time's sake), I'm afraid to plan, to dream, to set long-range goals for the future. I want to get there, but I am afraid of the road that will take me there.

Yet I am often unsatisfied with being "here", where I am.

One of the best quotes I've ever heard is very simple, but very wise: "Bloom where you're planted."

Discontentment is one of the human nature's easiest vices to give in to. Yet God has allowed us to be "here", where we are now, at this moment. And He's given us the opportunity (and ability) to use it well. It is up to us to decide if we are going to live it with joy and confidence in His love (to bloom), or with worry and dissatisfaction (wishing we were planted somewhere else).

We struggle with doubt, with worry, with our inability to control our own lives and destinies.

But we don't need to. And I'm preaching to myself here! Bloom where you're planted. "You are here", now.