 “Dance like nobody’s watching. Love like you never been hurt Sing like nobody’s listening. Live like its heaven on earth.” Mark Twain I am not a dancer. For those who know me well, this confession clearly does not come as a shock to you! When it comes to dancing, I definitely have two left feet, but oh how I admire people who are gifted in this area! I used to love to watch Michael Jackson and the creative and unbelievable routines he would make up in his incredible music videos. Some people are just born with it and he certainly was one of them. In my classroom I like to tease my students and do my “happy dance” when they really accomplish something special. I am sure I look pretty foolish, but they enjoy this crazy routine! I guess I am creating a funny memory for them to recall if nothing else! Several years ago I had a little girl in my class that I called "Little Miss Sunshine." She lit up the room every day with her infectious grin and zest for life. No matter how difficult the work may have been at times, her positive spirit and determination carried her through. I remember specifically when she found something in math challenging and then had that “a-ha” moment when it all came together, she would literally dance around my desk and room. She could not contain her excitement that she “got” it and her reaction was absolutely priceless. This student came to a book signing that I had recently. To my delight she had not changed one bit and was literally dancing in line to greet me and buy my book. I was very touched by her genuineness and sweet nature. Oh how I have missed her! I was so proud to take a picture with her and that photo now holds a unique place of honor on what I call “Mrs. R’s Board,” in my classroom. She had dancing feet every day despite some challenges in the classroom. Sometimes we are having such a joyful experience that our happiness works its way right down to our toes. When you have those experiences, cherish them because for some of us they may be too few and far between. I remember driving along with my two kids one day when they were little, listening to Veggie Tales and Shannon saying, “Look Mom! My beet (feet) are dancing!” She was just so happy, even her tiny feet were showing it. Very cute! Sometimes I think we need to remind ourselves of all we have in life. All of us have reasons to dance, yet sometimes we forget what they are. We get so bogged down with the day to day pressures of life and familiar struggles, our once "dancing feet" are all to soon dragging on the floor. There is a YouTube sensational who calls himself Kid President. His goal in a nutshell is to “make the world awesome,” and he wants us to join him in that venture! I love to watch his videos and have included one on my website. He also makes it his mission to give the world “a reason to dance!” This little guy can clearly get his groove on, yet I came to find out that he suffers from brittle bone disease and his great desire to dance, puts him at great risk of personal injury. This really touched my heart as it really spoke to me about being positive and joyful even in the midst of tremendous adversity. He has dancing feet despite a severe and serious illness. Happiness is a choice. We can choose to walk through life like a sad sack with our chins on the ground, or we can choose to be joyful even if there is not much to be joyful about. This is not always easy I know. My husband and I have had several miscarriages. This was a very difficult thing to experience and my heart goes out to anyone who has experienced this type of loss. After my last miscarriage, I experienced a very powerful dream that involved dancing, square dancing as a matter of fact! In my dream, my grandpa who had passed away several years before came to me. I had been told prior to his arrival in my dream that he was being sent specifically to cheer me up, but I had to let him come and go as he pleased. My grandpa and I were extremely close and he was an incredible and hilarious man who could make anyone laugh. I was ecstatic at the opportunity to see him again, if even in a dream for one last time! In the dream he chatted with me about my sadness, and he said he had come to cheer me up by doing a little square dancing together. We danced. We laughed. We chatted and all to soon it was over and he had to go. I felt better though. My feet had danced with grandpa and I felt refreshed and hopeful. I consider this dream a gift and I will always cherish it. I found dancing feet in the midst of extreme sorrow and great loss. It is so easy to look at what is going wrong in our lives. We can get caught up in the negativity that often surrounds us, but I encourage you not to do that. See the good in things. See the good in people. Gravitate towards people who bring you up. Look for those people who set your feet to dancing. They are the people who bring out the best in you like my grandpa did. I heard a quote that said “ Choose to be with people who celebrate you, not tolerate you!” This is a very good thought to ponder and so very true. Some people just give off positive vibes and warmth. They make you feel like you matter and are very important. Those are the people we need when we are down and in need of a good dose of encouragement. Recently, I watched the movie Saving Mr. Banks. It was an excellent movie about the writer of the Mary Poppins books, P.L. Travers and Walt Disney and the difficult road it took to bring her book to the big screen. She was an extremely difficult, stubborn and cantankerous woman to deal with, yet at one point in the movie the team begins to figure her out and presents a song to her called “Let’s Go Fly A Kite.” This song as lighthearted as it may seem, represented the redemption of her father and how he had an eye opener of what was truly important in life, his family. The team knows they are onto something special when the camera shows her toes tapping and her dancing in her chair. Eventually to everyone’s surprise she cannot contain her delight and she gets up and dances, singing at the top of her lungs. A rare occurrence for someone like her, but yet a good reminder that there is a great need to use our dancing feet in all of us, even the most unlikely candidate like her! She found dancing feet in the middle of a very awkward and stressful scenario. Good for her! The Bible talks about that God will set our feet to dancing. He does give us a beautiful exchange mentioned in scripture such as beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sounds like a great trade off to me! It may be a long time since you have tried those dancing feet. They are available for you to use despite your certain set of hardships or challenges. They may be wobbly, and your steps may be clumsy, but choosing to be joyful not because of your circumstances, but in spite of them like the people I mentioned, will really carry you very far if you will consider this possibility! Oh yeah, and one more thing… Don’t worry about what you look like because I think the foolish prize went to me long ago, so you’ll be just fine, trust me! Until next time, Dana Psalms 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing… Little Lesson Learned: Everyone has a reason to dance. Don’t forget to find one each day! Copyright: © 2014 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Dana Romualdi, the copyright holder reserves all rights to the content on the blog and website Little Lessons Learned by Dana, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the content. No content or photographs may be reproduced or modified. Blogs may be shared on social media platforms in their entirety only with full credit given to the owner. Any photographs used by other photographers are used with permission and are also protected. All Rights Reserved.
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 “Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there. (Old saying) Charlie Brown has Snoopy. Scooby Doo has Shaggy. Laverne has Shirley and The Fonz has Ritchie Cunningham. Okay by the latter examples I am really dating myself, but my point is where would we all be without true friends? True friends are what keep us going doing the hard times, keep us laughing in the good times and keep us from losing our sanity during the craziness that is our lives some days. If you have those type of people you can count on in your circle of influence, than consider yourself very blessed. On my Facebook wall I just posted a picture of the crazy minions from Despicable Me with the heading “If you have crazy friends, you have everything!“ I completely agree! It doesn’t matter what age you are, we all can get lonely and need to feel connected. Now that the spring-like weather is upon us, people feel more energized, like they have come out of hibernation. Meeting new people or getting reacquainted with old friends is such a breath of fresh air and so very good for the soul. Over the March break, I got reconnected with several good friends. I had been meaning to connect with all of them for quite some time and I am so glad that I had this incredible opportunity to chat, laugh, reminisce and get updated on the latest news. One such friend is my friend Debbie. She is truly one of the funniest people I have ever and probably will ever meet. We spent much of our childhood growing up together and Debbie always helped me see the humour in life and lighter side of things. For that I will always be grateful. She also invented her own unique lingo that I must admit still lingers in some of my conversation to this day. Her witty comments, unique spin on life, and adventurous nature made for some very exciting activity when we were together that is certain. My kids have heard my hilarious “Debbie” stories for years, yet up until recently had never had the pleasure of meeting her. They too enjoyed catching up with her and hearing all the latest about people we had known growing up. The visiting time flew by too fast and when she had to go, I realized how much I had truly missed her. That is the cool thing about good friends. Good friends can just pick up where they left off, even if they haven’t seen each other in a while and still feel completely relaxed and comfortable. BFFs are what we call best friends nowadays. I hear a lot about this in my classroom. I remember when I didn’t even know what that acronym meant, but now it is very commonly heard. It is easy to see who is friends with who in a small classroom. It is also easy to see who may be feeling left out. I try to be very aware of this and set up scenarios where I select the partners, pick teams and provide a setting of inclusion. I remember when I went to school this did not always happen. We were asked to pick a partner, or pick teams and the same kids were often left out. You could see how painful it was for them, so I am so glad we are making positive steps to move away from that today. Even in a large crowd, people can feel very alone. I try to be sensitive to that. I have experienced bullying in the past and I know how humiliating and painful it can be. I am always mindful to be observant and work to the best of my ability to ensure that it is not going on with the kids I am working with. I love the James Taylor song You’ve Got A Friend. My good friend Rosie and I sang it together in high school. It was one of my proudest moments and fondest memories of high school. If I do say so myself we had a great duet going on with some lovely harmonies. I have thought of her often since then, and as fate would have it, I was able to reconnect with her as well through a recent wedding which was very cool. The words say “You just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running to see you again! Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call and I’ll be there! You’ve got a friend!” Those lyrics speak to the power of those true friends who will drop everything to come and help us. Those type of people are very precious and valued. I hope you are blessed to have some of those gems in your life. I am very blessed to have several in that special category. The Bible talks about Jesus who is the “friend that sticks closer than a brother.” Personally I have found that to be so true. Sometimes people can disappoint us because they are only human, yet God will always be at our side if we are open to His leadings. I love to talk to God in prayer and share the highs and lows of my day and I always feel much better after doing so. Sometimes people need to put themselves out there a bit more to find some new friends. We cannot expect one day that people will just come knocking on our door looking for a BFF. It is possible, but unlikely. Joining a cause, or going to the gym, attending a church service, sporting event, or joining a volunteer activity can open up many new friendships for you. This may be something to consider. Good friends come in all shapes, sizes and age categories. Some of my closest friends through the years have been very different from me, yet despite our differences we formed amazing bonds and still found we had very much in common. We developed a kindred spirit that still continues to this day. Be open minded to new friendships. You never know who might just walk into your life and become one of your closest and dearest friends. Think about that my friend! Friends are one of life’s greatest treasures. Let your “besties” know what they mean to you today. Believe me they will appreciate it and you will feel great that you let them know how you feel about them. Take care my friend! Dana Proverbs 17:17: A friend loves at all times… Little Lesson Learned: Friends are a wonderful gift! Enjoy them and let them know often how much you appreciate them! You’ll be glad you did! Copyright: © 2014 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Dana Romualdi, the copyright holder reserves all rights to the content on the blog and website Little Lessons Learned by Dana, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the content. No content or photographs may be reproduced or modified. Blogs may be shared on social media platforms in their entirety only with full credit given to the owner. Any photographs used by other photographers are used with permission and are also protected. All Rights Reserved.
 Photo by todd kent on Unsplash "The inability to open up to hope blocks trust, and blocked trust is the reason for blighted dreams.”- Elizabeth Gilbert I cannot tell a lie! Old Man Winter I have officially had it with you! I had one last nerve and you got on it today big time! After shoveling my driveway three times and not being able to feel my face, I lost it. I actually started crying. My puzzled and very concerned kids were very sympathetic to their dear old mom, yet I am sure they were wondering what was going on here? I assured them it was just me being sick of winter and today it was really getting to me! This is the longest, most severe winter we have had for quite some time here in Leamington, Ontario and quite frankly we have all had ENOUGH! It is reassuring to see that the calendar is now reading “March,” so it will not be long now that the sun will indeed shine again! There is a light at the end of this very snowy and white tunnel as dim as it may seem at present! A cute book called Moe the Dog In Tropical Paradise by Diane Stanley makes a great connection to the way we are all feeling these days. It was an incredible find at a school book fair for the very low price of $3.00 and students love its very funny storyline. Moe is so sick of winter and wants to go on a vacation, but unfortunately can’t afford it. Instead he creates his own “tropical paradise,” at his house complete with calypso music, beach sand, lounge chairs and beautiful painted tropical sunsets to lift the spirits of both himself and his best friend. He made the best of an unpleasant situation and in the process by using a little creativity, gave himself a much needed break from the everyday drudgery of a harsh winter. Sound familiar? My students are feeling it too. No longer are they so excited to play in the snow, and eager for recess. I see them dragging their feet to put on all their gear, and they are certainly less enthused then normal to have some nice, free time. I assured them last week that it won’t be long now and all they will have to grab for recess will be a light jacket and maybe a skipping rope! Oh I can’t wait! Life has a way of handing us both good and bad days, but it is what we make of it all and how we handle the down times that reflect our true character. My daughter and I are in an upcoming production of the musical Annie in our little town of Leamington. One of my favourite songs from this play is "Tomorrow." In the song the lyrics say “The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar, there’ll be sun! Just thinking about tomorrow, clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow! ‘Til there’s none! When I’m stuck with a day that’s grey and lonely, I just lift up my chin, and grin and say… The sun will come out tomorrow!” A great song for me to apply to how I am feeling today. My mom always says on some of my hardest days “There’s better days ahead!” Just knowing that this is true is very helpful because we all need encouragement and hope to keep us going. Sometimes we may be working so hard at something, but not see results right away. It could be with job related tasks, or finances, family matters or fitness goals. The list goes on and on. Knowing that with hard work and patience we will eventually see better days and results is something we all have to remind ourselves to stay motivated. Sometimes when we least expect it, a breakthrough will come. I remember when I wanted to get a job so badly after I graduated with a social work degree. There were not many prospects at that time, and most places were looking for volunteers. I ended up getting a job with the Salvation Army in Windsor based on a tiny little ad I barely saw in the paper. The job taught me so much and has laid a strong foundation for learning how to effectively help people in crisis and offer them hope. Everyone needs hope. Without it we are wandering aimlessly without purpose and with no end in sight to our current negative situations. One of my clients years ago had a hard time sharing her personal story of struggle. She had been through so much in her short life she found trusting people very difficult. I remember one day she said “I want to tell you so much about myself, but I don’t know what you will do if I do. I feel so hopeless and I am afraid if I really open up, you will basically say you have heard enough and there’s the door!” I am happy to say that trust was built between myself and this individual slowly and as her story very carefully and cautiously unfolded, I think she was surprised at my reaction. She waited and I smiled thanking her for trusting me enough to share her most private and precious aspects of her life with me. I assured her that I was here as long as she needed me and I would see her next week. I think it really shocked her to have that reaction, but I am so glad because I saw real growth in this individual and her overall recovery journey. Hope is a wonderful thing. It illuminates the dark corridors of the soul. It tells us that things can and will get better and reminds us we just need to hold on a little longer! Maybe you are struggling with winter like me, or maybe your concerns go much, much deeper. The Bible says “cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.” Putting our heart’s cry into prayers can be a very effective way of dealing with our heavy burdens. We no longer feel we are carrying them on our own, but instead have assistance from our Heavenly father. Just like the poem “Footprints,” when there is only one set of footprints during life’s hardest times, we are not alone, but rather are being carried by an awesome and loving God. Don’t give up. Don’t despair. I am in your corner and I am routing for you! Whatever your concerns are, stay hopeful as it will enhance your spirits. If like me you are struggling with winter, remember this white wilderness will soon pass and we will overcome! In the meantime, enjoy a coffee, some nice family time, a good nap or some other form of pampering you enjoy to lift your spirits. You won’t have to shovel for too much longer and just think before you know it, it will be grass cutting season! Until next time, Dana 1 Peter: 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on Him; for He cares for you. Little Lesson Learned: Hope is a wonderful thing we all need and desire. Remember to speak life into people who are discouraged. You can provide exactly what they need to "keep on keeping on!" © 2014 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Dana Romualdi, the copyright holder reserves all rights to the content on the blog and website Little Lessons Learned by Dana, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the content. No content or photographs may be reproduced or modified. Blogs may be shared on social media platforms in their entirety only with full credit given to the owner. Any photographs used by other photographers are used with permission and are also protected. All Rights Reserved.
“We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly. . . spending
quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order." Susan L. Taylor Quotes Oh the sound of silence! I am sitting here typing this blog at a rare time that I am alone in the house. Although I love my family dearly, to have a quiet moment to myself is indeed very refreshing. It is important for all of us to have that alone time, the quiet time, the break from the regular routine, for both our mental health and overall wellness. Right now we are on Spring break. So whether people are away on vacation or having what they call a “staycation” in the comfort of their own homes, people are carving out some time for themselves and their families to rest, relax and enjoy a change of pace from their ordinary agendas. Life can become so very hectic at times. We glance at our full calendars and it can be absolutely overwhelming. I find it is necessary to become intentional to book blocks of time in that are reserved for free time such as chilling with the family in my pajamas with a cup or coffee in one hand and a good book in the other. My whole family also loves to nap whenever we are able to. Funny how when you were younger, napping was the “worst thing ever” and now I find it is the “best thing ever” to get a break from the craziness that is life sometimes. A favourite children’s book of mine is called Mort the Sport by Robert Kraus. In this book Mort’s well intended parents keep him so busy that Mort cannot keep up. One parent wants him to become a famous violinist and another wants him to be an all star baseball player. He gets so flustered at one point in the story he ends up trying to accidentally play a concerto on the bat and attempt a homerun with the swing of the violin! His parents finally have a heart to heart with him about these activities and realize that he is feeling completely overwhelmed. He shares he wants to start a new hobby: playing chess. When asked why, he states because he just wants to sit down! A very cute story with a true message that being overly busy is not good at any age! Preparing for a new school year is always exciting. I spend a lot of time at my school decorating the room, organizing supplies, and preparing lessons each summer. The room and entire school is perfectly quiet and I am so productive with no interruptions. I anticipate how busy and noisy this little room will soon become, but know that it is alright because I have had my quiet time of reflection and preparing and it all balances out in the end. There is a time for busy activity and there is a time for just feeling relaxed and even a bit lazy. The key is balance. Finding balance is so crucial. When a person does not have opportunity for rest and relaxation, many health concerns can abound. There is a condition known as “compassion fatigue,” nowadays. It is the weariness one feels for caring for people day after day without a break. As a young stay at home mom, I experienced these feelings. When I would go for long stretches of time without adult conversation, alone time or a break from the kids, I would really struggle emotionally. I loved my kids so much and was so grateful that I had the privilege of staying home with them during this critical time in their lives, but I needed to take care of me first to be truly effective. Sometimes you have to be creative to have some “me” time. Back then I would take a long shower and relax when I needed a break from the kids. I could hear pounding on the door of course, but at that time they were old enough and I knew they were fine, so I wouldn’t worry. I heard a story about a mother of twelve children, who could never get any time to herself so she would pull an apron over her face to signify to the kids when she desperately needed a break. They were trained not to bother her when the apron was on her face so she could relax, pray and collect herself a bit to be effective for the rest of the day. In the Bible it says “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” It is in quiet times of prayer and meditation that I truly feel my burdens lift and a refreshing time of renewal happens for me. This helps me deal with the busyness of life that is the reality of my family and any young family today. People unwind and “chill out” in different fashions, which is perfectly acceptable as long as they are choosing a way that is healthy and safe for them. Sometimes we need to take a long look at our lifestyles and perhaps eliminate unnecessary activities to free up some much needed down time. This can be difficult to do, but in the end it can be just what is needed to free up some time for your family and other much needed beneficial activities. Strive to find the balance. Many days will be busy and hectic, but plan to balance them out with unstructured, quiet more relaxed days. You will be a better person for it! Oh by the way, my quiet time is officially over! My daughter just walked through the door and in the course of writing this blog I received three phone calls with one notifying me I have company coming for dinner in less than an hour! So much to do! So little time! Enjoy the break when you get it as it is over all too soon! Dana Matthew 11:28: Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Little Lesson Learned: Finding a balance in life of busy times and quiet times will make you a much happier, well rounded person. Copyright: Littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2014 Photo courtesy of (freeimageslive.co.uk) 
Unexpected kindness is the most powerful least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.
Bob Kerrey (1943) American Politician Okay, I confess! I love coffee! My double double and I are well acquainted. I love a coffee with specialty flavored creams, especially in the morning and most of all with a great friend or family member right beside me. Right now as any true blooded Canadian knows we are right in the middle of the Roll Up The Rim to win campaign with Tim Horton’s. But this year, being the 50th anniversary of Tim Horton’s, they have actually created a cup with, wait for it… two spots to roll up the rim! Oh the excitement of having two potential prizes at your fingertips! It is so exciting as you eagerly peek below the cardboard rim of destiny to see if you are the lucky one, not only once, but twice this year! O.K. maybe I am getting a little too excited here, but bear with me. It’s been a very long winter! It is funny how the simple realization that my next coffee is “on the house” puts a spring in my step and a wide grin on my face as the girl behind the speaker offers her “congratulations,” for my extremely good fortune! Several years ago I was working for the Salvation Army as their Substance Abuse Services Coordinator. It was an amazing opportunity to offer hope and compassion to people who were struggling with addictions and very stressful life issues. I learned so much when I was there about many things, but most of all I learned to be truly grateful for what I have. I was reminded of how very blessed I was daily when I met so many people who quite frankly did not have much to be thankful for at that particular moment. One such client came in and before he even sat down, he began to pour out his heart about how everything was going wrong for him. He had trouble with the law, a broken marriage, and unemployment issues. To top it off, due to the recent loss of his job, he was experiencing extreme financial hardship. I did not even know where to begin with this person to offer kindness and encouragement until he made this profound statement. He said, “ I am struggling so much with money right now I cannot even get myself a coffee and a muffin from Tim Horton’s! This is my little treat and I cannot even afford that! Can you believe it?” A big smile appeared across my face which seemed quite inappropriate in light of what he was just saying. I quickly explained that today was his “lucky day!” Puzzled, he allowed me to explain. It was also Roll Up the Rim season at that particular time and my last two cups of Timmies had brought me of all things a free coffee and muffin. I had been looking forward to these treats for my break but clearly what to do with these freebies after this conversation was a no-brainer for me! I explained to him that his coffee and muffin for today was covered by me or rather by Tim Hortons! Enjoy! What he did next, I will always remember because he started to cry. He went on to explain that as he was under such extreme stress, that simple gesture spoke volumes to him about how the little encouragement he craved mattered. A coffee and muffin was provided for him to let him know someone was in his corner and he was not alone. It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day. I think we “over think” it sometimes. I have struggled on occasion with whether or not I should do something for someone, at specific times, yet my mom always said “You never go wrong by spreading kindness.” My parents have actually made it a lifestyle to invest in others by offering kindness and love wherever they can. I am so blessed to call them my mom and dad, and I strive to follow their stellar example. Whatever you have in your hand, you can use to bless someone else. I have a friend named Margaret who did just that literally. She is an amazing baker. Her pies, breads and cookies are incredibly delicious, and are truly fit for a place of honour in the most famous bakery. One October day she had made one of her famous pumpkin pies. Her family had enjoyed it immensely, but after all the dinner dishes were cleared there was still one piece left over. As she was tidying up, she considered what to do with this last piece of pie. In moments an idea popped into her head, which in hindsight now is more like a “God thing” in both my and her opinions. The idea was to deliver this piece of pie to my mom. Margaret was a good friend of my mom’s and she thought she would really enjoy the pie. Margaret struggled however with this idea. Margaret is very kind and generous and as her and I have chatted many times about the “pumpkin pie” story, she shared she felt foolish about giving only one piece of pie to a good friend. Her desire would be to present my mom with an entire pie for the family to enjoy, not one little piece. Nevertheless she could not shake this feeling that that pie slice had my mom’s name on it. She described that she drove up and down my mom’s street several times before she finally got the courage to go to her door with the pie. What she didn’t know was that very day my mom had been out shopping to fill a craving she had for what else but pumpkin pie. Sadly, as it was close to Thanksgiving, there were no pumpkin pies anywhere! My dad was away on a men’s retreat and one piece was all she really wanted. Imagine my mom’s joy and delight when a piece of pie was delivered right to her door. Margaret felt incredible too that despite her feeling a bit silly by bringing only one piece of pie, she became an agent of encouragement for a dear friend. Show and share is always a big thrill at school. I usually link it to a curriculum expectation such as for our animal unit, the kids bring in a stuffed animal and describe what species it was etc, but sometimes I just like to open up the floor for what they have been writing in their free choice writer’s notebook. One day a little girl was so excited to share what she had written. She hugged her notebook close to her chest like a prize possession and eagerly began to share. She had written a song apparently that day and with great pride the song she shared was entitled “Why I Love Mrs. R!” I had been having a rough morning that day and this was exactly what I needed to bring me back to what really matters and feel encouraged. Kids have a way of doing that. Likewise on another occasion I have a very special memory about the last day of school one year. I find the last day of school very emotional for me. We have been through so much together at that point. I have loved these kids and prayed for these kids. I have rejoiced in their victories and been saddened by their struggles. They will never again by in my classroom as they are older now and moving on. As sometimes happens they come in with lovely gifts and cards that are real tearjerkers for me. I was blown away by the generosity of the families and humbled by their kind words. One little girl shared she wanted to save her gift for last because it was so very special. When all the gift bags, cards and tissue paper were cleared, I noticed she was standing there front and center with a huge smile. She asked so sweetly “Are you ready for my gift?” Through my tears and emotions I replied, “yes.” She then proceeded to give me one of the biggest, heartfelt hugs I have every received. That was her “very special gift,” which quickly mushroomed into one of the biggest, most special group hugs I had ever received. That was it! I was a bundle of tears but for the best reasons! She gave the gift of herself and that is what was so touching! We can all struggle with questions about what do we have to offer this world of ours? What talents, skills, wisdom, or practical assistance can we give? We cannot do it all but we all can do something in our own little corner to make someone else’s day better. The cool thing is that when you reach out in kindness, you make your day brighter in the process as well. The chain of kindness is just like that. As we like to sing at Valentine’s Day in my classroom “Love is something if you give it away, you’ll end up having more!” So what’s in your hand? A free coffee, a piece of pie, or a timely and needed hug? Don’t underestimate the power you have to encourage someone. You just might be what that person prayed for or needed that very day and that is truly amazing! So roll up that rim, roll up your sleeves or roll out the red carpet to bless someone who needs it. Trust me you will be very glad you did! Dana Matthew 10:42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded. Little Lesson Learned: Whatever you have to offer others know that it can be used in powerful life changing ways if you are open to it. Copyright: Littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2014  Never let yesterday’s disappointments overshadow tomorrow’s
dreams. (Argus Communications) Dreams. We all have them. Some are small. Some are average and doable, and then there are the dreams in a category all their own, the really BIG dreams! These are the dreams so big that you hold them protectively close to your heart and only reveal them to the few selective people you completely trust. These dreams are so precious and personal that at times you are afraid to even give them a voice in case someone may shoot them down, or try to talk you out of them before they are given a fair chance! When my kids were little we had a favourite CD we would always listen to by the Martins, a trio of Christian recording artists who happen to be siblings. I cannot tell you how much their music touched my heart with their heartfelt lyrics, positive messages and rich harmonies. The favourite CD that we almost wore out was very appropriately entitled, “Dream Big!” Of all the songs on the CD that one, the title track, really connected with us and we chose to play that song over and over. It struck a chord with us! No pun intended. We played it to such an extent that Tyler came to call it our “feme” (theme) song. He would say often “C’mon Mom! Let’s dance to our feme song!” We would break into our little impromptu dance sessions that would certainly not be featured on any dancing TV reality show any time soon, yet the crazy moves sure brought smiles to our faces! Hey if the theme song of our family was to be a song entitled “Dream Big,” I would gladly take it! This special little ritual our family had started involving this song touched my heart so deeply that I did something I have never done before. I wrote the Martins a personal thank you card and letter. In it I explained how their music ministry had impacted our family in such a powerful way and how we had very affectionately deemed their song Dream Big as our family theme song. I don’t know how to explain it but I knew despite the volume of fan mail I am sure they receive on a regular basis, that I KNEW I would get a response from them. I actually looked for it in the mailbox often. Well imagine my excitement when I received a huge envelope from the Martins poking out of my mailbox! Inside was an autographed picture and a thank you note from them for sharing my family’s story about how their song had touched us! How cool is that? It sure made our day! The lyrics of that song start out with this line that says “ I believe anything is possible when you understand who Jesus is.” This really spoke to my heart as it describes that on our own what seems impossible may not be when our dreams line up with God’s will for us. When this is the case, He makes it happen in His will and time. I LOVE my job as an elementary school teacher. It is a lot of work to give your all day after day to 20 cute and curious little people, but it is also extremely rewarding. I sometimes wonder who the real teacher is because my students teach me so much each and every day. My teaching career started with substitute teaching as fulltime teaching jobs were and still are very hard to come by in our area. On a trip to Florida in 2007 we were having the time of our lives at Disney World and enjoying the spectacular fireworks show entitled “Wishes” immensely. Throughout this amazing and colourful show the voices of various iconic Disney characters such as Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin were heard stating their “big dreams,” or wishes for the mesmerized crowd. When you really stop to think about it, almost every Disney movie is about some character trying to fulfill a deep heart’s desire or big dream. At one point in the show, the grand finale, the crowd is asked to focus on their wish and concentrate really hard and to wish it into reality. I came to find out that my husband and I wished and prayed for the very same thing, which was that I would get a fulltime teaching contract very soon. Well four months later God blessed me with the best Christmas present I could ask for, which was a fulltime teaching contract in a beautiful, little school right in my hometown! It was my big dream, and God’s will for me and it came to pass. How exciting for me and my family! The publication of my book Magic Kisses has been another very big dream that finally came true for me. Believe me it did not just happen overnight! It took many years, heartfelt prayers, diligent research, and partnering with the right team to finally bring it to life. In my mind I wanted it done yesterday, but the perfect timing for its completion was right now. It is hard to wait when our dreams are not being fulfilled. We get frustrated and angry. We question God, or wonder why life is unfair, yet we don’t really know what is going on behind the scenes. The book has sparked many intriguing conversations about big dreams that others in my circle of influence have had. They have confided in me very personal stories about their big dreams and projects that have been temporarily shelved. They have also implied that seeing a big dream come to pass for me has brought them both hope and new inspiration. They have indicated that now may be the time to dust their big dreams off and take another very serious look at them. Wow! That is amazing! If I can have a small part in coming alongside someone and encourage him or her to pursue a big dream, I am both humbled and honoured! It is never too late and trust me, I’ll be thrilled and proud to be in the front row for them with my megaphone and pompoms! Walt Disney himself was fired from his first job for of all things, lack of ideas! Are you kidding me? The great “imagineer” himself got let go because he had “no creativity” in one person’s very inaccurate perception! Thank God he continued to pursue his dreams as I cannot imagine what our world would be like without the amazing contributions from the incredibly talented Walt Disney! So what is your big dream? Don’t let others get you down. Remember though that dreams often take great time and effort to come to life. We cannot force things through on our timelines but when we add God in the mix, it is very exciting to see what is within the realm of possibility! So what is the soundtrack of your life right now? What is your theme song? Dream Big is a great option! Consider that my friend and if you do you never know what could actually be possible. Dana Matthew 19:26 ~ With God all things are possible. Little Lesson Learned: Keep your dreams alive and believe that God wants to make them a reality when they line up with His will for us. Be excited! You just never know when the right people and opportunity will come along to bring your dreams to life if you are open! Copyright: Littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2014 
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet
voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne Radmacher On Friday I wore a purple hoodie with great pride to work in honour of a very special little girl named Aubri. Aubri is a precious child in second grade from our Leamington community who is currently in the fight of her life with cancer. Purple is Aubri’s favourite colour and yellow is the colour of childhood cancer so people were encouraged to wear both colours for "Prayers for Aubri Day." It was amazing to see how our small community came together to show they support this wonderful family who are going through such a difficult time right now. In a sea of purple and yellow our town and surrounding area showed that actions do speak louder than words. In this simple gesture people old and young showed they cared, they were praying and a very special little girl was clearly not forgotten. It was so cool to see Facebook pictures of that day, marquee signs with her name on it and purple and yellow “Aubri” doughnuts created especially for her at Tim Horton’s. I was also touched by the fact that when we are often encouraged to keep our religious convictions private, that all were encouraged to openly pray for Aubri and her family. To add to the incredible hardship Aubri’s family is experiencing, her father also recently lost his job at Heinz and they are currently seeking the best possible treatment for her away from home. I cannot imagine how difficult this has been for the entire family on so many levels. In the face of so much uncertainty, it is so amazing to see that one thing is certain: we are all praying and standing together with this family. For such a young girl, she has provided such inspiration to us all. She has shown a living example of what it means to stay strong in the face of tremendous adversity. I am so encouraged to hear that she is showing some positive improvements recently. We know that she still has a long road ahead and ask that people continue to fervently pray for and support this family. The Bible instructs us to encourage one another and build each other up. When we go through hard times, it is so vital to let people know they are not alone. Words are not enough. I know Aubri’s family is feeling encouraged and supported by the practical acts of kindness that have been shown to them. It is the little things that can really make a powerful difference. I am so proud to call myself a resident of Leamington. I teach Grade 2 and could not help but think that Aubri could be one of my students. I think it really hit home for me when we discussed Aubri on Friday in my class as she is their age. Many students looked her up on Youtube and were so proud to wear their purple and yellow for her. The family has been very open about their journey yet always tries to remain positive. They are such a wonderful example for us all! Stay strong Aubri! We are in your corner and will continue to lift you and your family up in prayer. Thanks for reminding us about what truly matters in life and how such a little person can provide such huge inspiration! God bless! Dana 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ~ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing. Little Lesson Learned: Simple acts of kindness can really provide great encouragement! Copyright: Littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2014 |
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