 Photo by Ketut Subiyanto at Pexels "Working for the Lord doesn't pay much on earth, but the retirement plan is out of this world." Author Unknown Full-time jobs and careers come in all shapes and sizes. There are homemakers, doctors, full-time students, government workers, teachers, wait staff, doctors, nurses, pastors, custodians, and construction workers just to name a few. I could literally be here all day naming careers, and if I did not name yours, please know that I see you. I validate you. I respect so much what you do day after day, after day. It truly takes all kinds of people to make this world go around and we all truly need each other. There are so many careers that I know I would not be good at and simply could. not. do. The point I am trying to make is no matter what we do on the daily, often it can leave any and all of us exhausted, overwhelmed and feeling unappreciated at times. Life can be tough and we can question if we are making any difference at all in our corner of the world. If you never felt this way about your job, congratulations. I am so very happy for you. If you are like me though, and the struggle is real, you are my people. Sometimes we just need to know that we matter and our work is valued. I am a teacher. An interesting thing happened in my classroom these past weeks. For whatever reason, there has been an unusual amount of notes, pictures and gifts coming my way from my sweet students. My display cupboard is getting quite full, barely able to display them all. (What is going on here?) To top it off a little guy walked in this week with a mug for me that said "Teacher of the Year." He was beaming. I told him I will certainly do my best to try to live up to that title and how much his thoughtful gift meant to me. It was very encouraging for me, because so many times unbeknownst to him, as an elementary teacher I feel so inadequate. My tasks are many and I can get easily discouraged. This little parade of loving gestures really brought my spirits up, and meant more than my students could fully understand. You see, the teaching profession has become increasingly difficult over the years. This is my 20th year and so much has changed from when I first started. Kids are coming in with more complicated issues and diverse needs. It has left those of us in education feeling like we are not doing enough, or we just can't keep up. I know the feeling of being overwhelmed at the workplace is NOT unique to education. I am sure many of you can relate. If you are feeling like this, here are some things you need to hear. You matter You have been uniquely placed where you are in a circle of people that others do not have. Without you, your workplace would be very different and missing something that only you can bring. Even if your work is routine, or mundane, you have the power to put your own unique flair on it. I heard of a toll booth worker who danced his whole shift away as he took peoples' toll fees. He said it feels like a personal dance party every day and kept him in shape too. He explained, "Some might see this toll booth like a coffin, but not me. It is my personal dance floor!" Wow! With an attitude like that he will surely go far. Sometimes appreciation comes later Sometimes you get validation right away, sometimes it takes time and sometimes unfortunately you never get the appreciation you are seeking. Please know that even if you do not hear words of gratitude, it does not mean that you are not making a difference. Sometimes even years later you will get the thanks you deserve. I recall a student of mine when I just started my career, who would tell me how much she hated me every day. I had replaced her beloved teacher who was on maternity leave and she resented me big time. She would tell me I was a terrible teacher and how much she wanted her original teacher back every day. Ouch! Years later I ran into her and did not even recognize her. To make a long story short, she knew me and quickly apologized for how unkind she had been to me and stated that I had been a good teacher and she had always felt bad about how mean she had been to me. I did not expect her apology, or compliments and what she said really meant something to me even after all those years. You can encourage yourself Photo by Vlada Karpovich at Pexels What I have found when times get tough at work and I feel that I am behind and falling short of what I would like to be is to do this little routine. I give myself a pep talk and remind myself that I am doing the best I can, in less than ideal circumstances. I tell myself that I am here in this job, in this season for a reason. God has placed me here and I don't want to let Him down. I reflect on all the good and positives my job brings and focus on the group of people I am with each day knowing for me they are the ones that I can impact the most. For me it is little and big people otherwise known as students and colleagues. I know that God is my full-time teaching partner so I will be just fine in the end. Any work can be God's work Photo by Gustavo Fring at Pexels You do not have to be a pastor or on the mission field to do the Lord's work. In fact some of the best work we do for the Lord is in the little unseen tasks and gestures we do at our jobs that go unnoticed. Any job can be a ministry and we can do this work for the Lord to make this world a better place. Moms of littles especially, you are doing some of the most important work out there. Please know that! Be encouraged and know that when our jobs get hard we can find comfort in knowing that God has us there for some reason and with His strength we can make our corner of the world a little brighter as we do our jobs for Him. Until next time, Dana Colossians 3: 22- 23 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Little Lesson Learned: Any job is meaningful and can impact others when we dedicate it to God.  Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana Tags: careers, appreciation, discouragement, jobs, working for the LordCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)
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 Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana "Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything." ~ C.S. Lewis I have been really missing Mom BIG TIME as the days quickly approach to the second anniversary of her passing. To think it has already been almost two years that this beautiful soul left us here on earth is hard to comprehend sometimes. Although she is not physically with me, she is truly with me every day. I feel her in so many ways throughout my days. It is so encouraging and comforting. I am my mother's daughter in so many ways and I am extremely proud of that. Her pictures are prominently displayed in my home and classroom and I love to share the timeless life lessons she taught me whenever I can. Mom had so much wisdom and she took every chance she could to impart the powerful lessons she had learned along the way to anyone who would listen. I am so happy to share some of my favourites with you. "Don't lose the victory." Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels Mom would always say when tough times come, don't let those circumstances rob your joy, or pull you under. With Jesus at our side we are always on the winning team. Mom was no stranger to adversity. She struggled with clinical depression several times in her life. At times, she definitely was pulled under by this dark disease, and keeping the victory seemed impossible for her. We never stopped praying for her and MANY times she had beautiful times of recovery and redemption. For her last bout of depression, we were not so fortunate. She did not receive her victory of a healing on earth, but we know Mom is living her best, victorious life in Heaven and we do find great comfort in that. "Keep a rainbow in your heart." Photo by Ben Mack at Pexels As we would navigate our hardest days, Mom would encourage us to keep joy tucked in our hearts, despite the personal storms we might be experiencing. This would keep us moving ahead and pointed in the right direction every time. What I always loved about this expression, is that it emphasized that despite what was happening around us that we could not control, we could control what was happening in us which was our reaction to circumstances. This is where the power lies. Many times I experienced joy in chaos and the peace that passes understanding that the Bible speaks of when I chose to keep that optimistic rainbow shining brightly in my heart. "There's better days ahead." Mom would remind us that tough times don't last, but tough people do. I want to remind you of that as well. It is important to reflect on the past when the hard times come. You have come through so much already and you will come through this too. This too shall pass, even when at the time it feels that this struggle, challenge or stage will NEVER end. Be assured this is not how your story ends. It is just a bump in the road. Hang in there my friend. "Be a Can-do woman." Mom would encourage us to get I can't out of our vocabulary. I strongly advise you to do the same. Let's start to change our response and dialogue together to the challenges in life. Repeat after me: I can do this! I can overcome this! I will come through this better and stronger! I can and will use this trial to be a blessing to others in time when I am ready.  Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana This picture above was the last picture taken of Mom and I together before she passed away. She was still struggling with depression, yet trying to implement and exemplify the life lessons she had imparted to us. I am who I am because of her. I am forever grateful for all that she taught me and will NEVER forget how incredibly special she was. She had so much great advice to share and I trust that these few examples have resonated with you and you can tuck them in your heart today! Until next time, Dana
Tags: grief, losing a mother, life lessons, things mom taught me, legacy, remember loved onesCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)
 "This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before." ~ Maya Angelou Good days, bad days and everything in between. We all have them, but I sincerely hope your bad days are in short supply in your corner of the world. For quite some time my family was riddled in deep grief and sorrow after a lengthy period of profound loss of several family members, including my precious mom. Since that time I have personally declared this year THE YEAR OF JOY for that reason. I am bound and determined to find joy anywhere and everywhere, even if some days it is harder to spot. Most of our days generally speaking seem quite ordinary, yet even those run of the mill days are full of many gifts if you open your eyes to see them. Let's highlight a few of my personal favs. The gift of waking up On one of our local radio stations the DJ would always say "If there is air in your lungs today, praise the Lord as He is the one who put it there." This little phrase has always resonated with me. Every day we wake up to face a new day, as mundane or routine as it may seem, is a true privilege that some do not get. My mom unexpectedly died in her sleep. We were totally shocked and heartbroken. No one even considered that that particular Thursday would be her last, and that she would go to bed and never wake up. For this reason I am MORE thankful for EVERY day God gives me to love and honour Him the best I can. For a while I had been caught in the rut of "counting the days" instead of "making the days count." It is my goal now to strive to find meaning in each and every day to the best of my ability. I woke up to face another day. I am blessed. The gift of God's word Photo by John-Mark Smith at Pexels Starting each day with a devotional and reading God's word sets a wonderful tone for my day and gives me something positive to take with me as I head out the door. Since I was a child, my mom would help us memorize scripture and tell us to "tuck God's word in our hearts." I continue this routine and find God's word so meaningful and comforting on all my types of days. If reading scripture is new for you, there are many different translations and types of Christian bibles and you can find what suits you. Some examples are: the King James version, which is more like old English writing, using words like thee, thou and thus. Then there is a version called The Message Bible which puts scripture in everyday words that you and I use today. It is a matter of personal preference. The important thing is to READ the Bible, and a good place to start is Psalms and Proverbs if you are new at this. Having God's word at my fingertips helps me to know I am blessed. The gift of hot coffee Where are my coffee loving friends at? You are my people! That first cup of coffee, especially in the morning, really hits home. It is very special to wake up in the quiet of the morning before all the activity picks up and savor a hot coffee and some peaceful moments. I am drawn to all my favourite mugs. Lots of them have cool stories behind them, like the Charlie Brown one I just got from one of my students. This is my current favourite hands down. Sip, savor and smile. I can wake up and have a warm cup of coffee in my hand in minutes. I am blessed. The gift of so much clothes and food Photo by Liza Summer at Pexels Every day I get to CHOOSE what I will wear. I am sure many of you are like me and have many options of what to wear. Recently I packed up 3 bags of clothes for the thrift store and it did not even make a dent in my closet. My fashion options are many. I am blessed. My fridge and cupboard are also full and I realize this is often not the case for many. So much food for my family, and I do not have to worry about where our next meal is coming from. I am blessed. The gift of my own car Photo by Mike Bird at Pexels For many years we had only one car. I felt stranded all the time and often had to walk or bike places. Then we got a second car and well with two young adults sharing it with me, let's just say I was the one often asking friends for rides. Recently however, my daughter purchased her first car and something AMAZING happened for me... FREEDOM! With my own car now I feel very liberated. I can come and go as I please without making an elaborate car sharing schedule. Having a car to myself is a daily gift I am enjoying immensely. I am blessed. The gift of my career Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana My teaching job is a BIG answered prayer. For many years I tried to get a teaching contract but it was difficult as full-time jobs were scarce and in Ontario, Canada you must supply teach, day to day for quite a while before getting a permanent job. When I FINALLY got a contract, my superintendent told me to "shout it from the the mountaintops," and my principal at the time literally danced with me up and down the hallway. IT WAS A BIG DEAL! I have a great job. I am blessed. Well my friends, I hope my little walk down the path of the ordinary day, gave you something to think about. I know it sure did for me. I am working on being more grateful in all areas of my life. Being thankful for ALL my days, even the ones that are less noteworthy, is a great place to start! Until next time, Dana Ephesians 5:20 ~ Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Little Lesson Learned: Always remember the things we often take for granted every day is what some only dream of.
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Tags: blessings, gratitude, ordinary days, thankfulness, perspective Photo by Yuri Manei on Pexels The goal is to wake up each morning feeling overwhelmingly thankful for the kind of life you have created for yourself. ~ Unknown I heard a story recently about a gentleman who saved his money to buy a ticket going to a new country. It was to be a very exciting journey for him. As money was an issue though, he only brought crackers and cheese with him to consume for all his meals. Day after day, he passed by the beautiful dining room enthralled by all the people enjoying their wonderful meals. He was drawn in by the delicious scents of delectable dishes he smelled. Sadly, as he could not partake, it was very difficult for him feeling very left out day after day. When the boat docked, an employee of the dining room inquired why he had not come any days to eat the food? The server mentioned they had a place with his name on it each day, and everyone was wondering if there had been something about the food that was not to his liking. The gentleman quickly explained with a bit of embarrasssment that he had not purchased a ticket that included food. The server stated to the gentleman's GREAT surprise: "Sir, the ticket you bought included everything. All food was included." Wow! That story really resonated with me. I thought of how we all can be like that poor man with the crackers and cheese some days. There is so much available to us in life, yet we feel somehow unworthy, or we do not pursue action steps to work towards our best lives. We choose to settle, when we were meant to soar. You my friend are worthy of more in all aspects of life and here are some tips to get you there.  Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels Know your worthYou are absolutely INCREDIBLE! Do you even know how amazing you are? In this whole wide world of ours, there is NO ONE exactly like you! You are an original masterpiece created by God for a specific purpose. Noone has your exact circle of influence, or unique skill set and the world needs you. Shine your light my friend, the world is blessed to have you in it.  Photo by Marcus Aurelius on Pexels Realize you are NEVER too old to changeWhen you look at how your life is going, and you notice areas needing improvement, know that you are never too old to change. There is no room for thinking like, "I am who am I, or that is just the way things will always be for me." I will have to call you out on that, because you are worthy of more. I am in my fifties and have had several health issues come my way recently. Thankfully they are manageable but these new diagnoses have lit a fire under me. As a result I am going to the gym faithfully, eating healthier, taking good supplements and medication and I am determined to turn my physical health around. I met with a trainer as well to get a strength training program going this summer. It was exciting, but I was also nervous. He was so encouraging and commended me for taking charge of my health. It felt very empowering. He also pointed out a vibrant and incredibly fit 92 year old who was working out right beside me. What an inspiration she was! I thought, If she can do it, I sure can!  Photo by Belle Co on Pexels Always strive to be your best selfWhat brings you joy? What inspires you? What fills your cup? Go after those things. Go after them with gusto. Schedule them into your daytimer with enthusiasm and look at them as appointments for YOU that cannot be missed. You cannot pour from an empty cup and when you are feeling full, inspired and built up in your spirit, your corner of the world benefits so much.  Understand that a wonderful life is God's plan for youIn John 10:10 it says: I have come that they may have life and have it to the full! God wants to be your friend and have a relationship with you. He has BIG plans for you and He desires for you to have a full and happy life. He literally has a buffet of blessings waiting for you. It is true. No table scraps on the menu for you my friends. If you are interested in having a relationship with God or would like to continue the conversation, please feel free to reach out. I would love to chat further with you. Well friends, I hope this gave you something to think about. Don't settle for a mediocre life. There is so much more for you than crackers and cheese in all aspects of your life and I so want you to realize that. Until next time, Dana John 10:10 ~ I have come that they may have life and have it to the full! Little Lesson Learned: Changing our lives takes courage and time, but you can do it. You deserve the best life ever!
Tags: made for more, goal setting, live your best life, God's will Photo by Daniel Torobekov "Bravely overcoming one small fear, gives you the courage to take on the next." ~ Robin Sharma I am happy to say I am one, proud pool owner. For years our family had dreamed about having a pool to enjoy during the hot summer months, so when the home we purchased several years ago just happened to already have a pool, to say we were very happy would be an understatement. Floating in the pool is such a nice escape from the busyness of life and it provides a great outlet for relaxation and opportunity to visit with friends and family. It is very interesting and somewhat amusing to watch how people enter a pool. Many like myself like to ease in gradually, testing the waters, little by little. Then there are those like my daughter, Shannon who just throw caution to the wind and jump right in. It has a lot to do with peoples’ personalities and comfort levels, but I always find it entertaining to see each person’s approach and style.  Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash Dealing with FearI have found people approach challenges in life or issues that invoke fear this way as well. Problems and concerns in life can make us nervous to “test the waters.” Fear can creep in and uncertainty can make us unsure if we even want to go “swimming” at all. Years ago I made the decision to quit my job as a librarian, and go to teacher’s college. It was not an easy decision for me. Our kids were the ages of 5 and 7, and I was unsure if the timing was right. Many people were happy for me, yet many others were skeptical and voiced their opinions openly and unapologetically about the “foolish move” I was making. Teaching jobs were very scarce at the time and many made sure they reminded me of this often. I was also afraid that I would be like a fish out of water going back to school, as a mature student. At the age of 34, I felt so old. (LOL) As you can see I had lots of doubts and fears, yet, still my husband and I felt that this was the right decision for myself and my family. It took some time to complete, but I am happy to say I have been teaching for twenty years now and haven’t looked back. The road to my teaching career was not free of challenges or struggles, but through patience and perseverance I have made it to where I am today. Had I listened to the skeptics, my story could have been very different. Also to my surprise when I went to teacher’s college it was refreshing to see that there were many mature students like myself, so rather than standing out, I blended in very well.  Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva Fear is a very powerful thing, yet sometimes we just have to take that leap of faith. I read a quote recently by Robert Schuller that said “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” It is interesting to ponder, because fear can hinder our true potential so often if we allow it. I love to call on students who don’t raise their hands. They look at me all bewildered and say "I didn’t have my hand up!” I reply “I know, but could you try to answer the question?” Sometimes this is too overwhelming for them and they decline, yet other times something absolutely magical happens. That shy and fearful student musters up the courage to actually take a risk and share an answer. Sometimes they are right and sometimes they are wrong, yet that doesn’t matter. I love it when they answer, as it shows that a fear is being conquered. Many of us are so afraid of getting the wrong answer that we won’t even try. Contrarily though, making mistakes are great learning opportunities and taking risks is so important to grow as people. Even if students’ answers are wrong, I always applaud their bravery for trying, to encourage them to keep on sharing. They put themselves out there and that is so commendable.  Photo by Peter Fazekas Failure can be goodSometimes failure can be just what we need to put us on the right path. Years ago I remember when I was going to get my driver’s license. I proudly announced to all my friends that we would go out "cruising" later, never once entertaining the fact that I might not pass. Overconfident and somewhat arrogant, I went for my test and was sadly informed at the end that I had failed as I violated a traffic law. It was inconceivable to me that I had failed and I remember going home sobbing feeling that my teenage life was most definitely over! This failure in hindsight caused me to take my driver training much more seriously, and I ultimately became a much better driver due to this disappointment. Not the path I would have chosen, yet a helpful one in the end.  Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash Fear does not own youLife is filled with disappointments and trials. We all have them, yet it is how we respond to them that truly makes the difference. Some folks may let the negative people, fear, and failure immobilize them, while others will let the same circumstances invigorate them and leave them even more determined to succeed. I don’t claim to have all the answers, yet I am trying to be more like those who jump right in more often. We don't have to always test the waters first. I am not trying to encourage foolish or reckless behaviour. My advice is to instead have the courage to try new and sometimes scary things that in the end are ultimately for our betterment. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 that "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." God wants us to face our fears while believing that with him by our side anything is truly possible. So I ask you, how are things in your corner of the world? How’s the water? Calm? Choppy? Why not take a deep breath and decide today to no longer let fear and disappointment hold you back. Say Geronimo and go for it! Believe me there are lots of others in the pool right there with you and they will be so proud you did. Until next time ~ Dana Psalms 56:3 ~ When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. Little Lesson Learned: Never let yesterday’s fears and disappointments rob you of tomorrow’s hopes and dreams. Copyright: © 2024, littlelessonslearnedbydana 2nd edition, first edition, 2015 Say Geronimo!
 Photo by RDNE Stock project "Confidence isn't walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than anyone else. It's walking into a room and not having to compare yourself to anyone in the first place." @LifehackI recall a situation years ago when my then teenage son came along with me to do some errands. As a teenage boy, I am sure it was the "thrill of his life" to run errands with his dear old mom, but to add insult to injury on the list of things to pick up with the bottled water and toilet paper was yes wait for it people … a new bathing suit for me! Ugh! Just thinking about this upcoming purchase was causing me great stress and believe me it had nothing to do with my son coming along. I debated about postponing the bathing suit ordeal, yet I knew my son is cool about that sort of thing, so I went for it. I am a blessed woman because not only did he not object, but he even gave his opinion on the various suits I tried on. I would say I have a son who is an excellent sport and off to a great start of being a compassionate and patient husband one day!  Photo by Pixabay Well ladies, I am sure I am not alone in my feelings here. It is not a fun experience to try on bathing suits at my age I can tell you. After two kids, three abdominal surgeries and being in my mid-fifties, what often looks huge on the rack, seems to magically shrink in the change room. Tell me I am not alone here ladies! I find myself almost every time behind closed doors mortified trying to squish my body into what seems like the swimsuits from hell. Then to make matters worse, I have the "pleasure" of viewing myself from every angle with the full body mirrors. Oh, that’s lots of fun, I tell ya! I usually feel like the judges from American Idol with each and every one. You know the standard line “Ah, it’s a NO from me!” Funny though, by some divine miracle I did end up finding not one, but two suits that actually looked decent on me, so I did what any self-respecting woman of my age would do. I bought them both because at my age, you just never know when you will find another suit that looks good on you again. True story!  Photo by SHVETS production There is so much pressure all around us for women to look good. We fuss over our hair, our weight, our skin and our wardrobe just to name a few. This list goes on and on. I remember even when I was in my early 20’s about to be married, I put great pressure on myself in this area. Weighing about 125 lbs, and in great physical shape, I drank Slimfast shakes faithfully to hopefully shed a few unwanted pounds before the “big day.” In hindsight I see how unnecessary that was for me at that life stage, but at the time I could not see it. In university, I participated in a psychology study that left a lasting impact on me. To say it was an eye-opener was an understatement. When I arrived for the assignment, the grad student was flustered and clearly unprepared for me. She apologetically asked me to take a seat and encouraged me to look at some fashion magazines while she got ready. In a few minutes she announced that she was ready. She asked me if I felt that I had any body image, self-esteem, or weight issues. I answered “absolutely not,” as I clearly did not really feel I had any of those. She then had me stand in front of a screen and I am not sure how she did it, but just like those crazy fun house mirrors, she morphed my image to look as flat as a pancake. It was very humorous, as I looked like a paper doll. Flat Stanley had NOTHING on me. She then instructed that as she had obviously made me very paper thin, she would gradually morph my image to what I really looked like. I was instructed to tell her to stop when she reached the “real me, “ in my opinion, which I did. Next, she did the opposite. She started with a very obese version of myself that was very difficult to witness and kept making me smaller. Too bad that did not exist in real life! I was instructed to tell her to stop when I thought she reached what I would feel would be my "ideal" weight. It was to be the me on the screen where I would feel beautiful and satisfied, and so I did. That was it and then we sat down to talk. What she proceeded to tell me next has impacted me ever since. First of all, she said the magazine viewing was not to fill time, but a planned part of the experiment. It was to fill my head with what society deemed as "beautiful." Next, she said that what I perceived as the “real me” was about 30-40 lbs over my real weight and my “ideal” me would be very anorexic if that was actually me. I was shocked because for someone who did not think I had any body image issues, this was a very enlightening experience. Often, I have shared this encounter to make people aware of the fact that even when we think we are not affected by the world’s view of beauty, we sadly often are.  Photo by JavierCapturesTheWorld Even young girls feel this pressure to look a certain way. I teach eight-year-old students. I remember doing a lesson on new year’s resolutions. We discussed many options for them to consider of what would be a good new year's goal for someone their age and I can assure you that weight loss was not one of them. When each was asked to share individually what goal he or she had selected as the most important, one little girl said her goal was to "lose weight." It broke my heart that at that age that was the most important new year’s resolution she could come up with. I jumped in and explained as children are always growing and changing, it would be more appropriate to say as a goal, “I would like to become more physically fit.” She was content with that, and it made we feel better as eight years of age is just too young to be fixated on a weight issue. The Bible says that “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ( 1 Samuel 16:7) We can be so hard on ourselves as women and people in general. It is not wrong to want to look nice, but when too much emphasis is put in this area, great problems can result. Focusing on our inner qualities is just as important, yet we often fail to realize this. Inner beauty is in God’s opinion what he truly values. God looks at us through a loving father’s eyes. He does not see a flawed, mediocre person, who is unworthy of love and acceptance as he or she is. Instead, he sees a unique and amazing person that he created with a calling and specific purpose. He looks down and says “That’s my kid!” I love what author Max Lucado says. He says “If God had a refrigerator your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your picture would be in it." Face it friend he’s absolutely crazy about you!” Every one of us is so unique and special. We need to stop looking at the world’s measure and standard of beauty and look at what God says about us. He cares so deeply for each one of us and longs to have a relationship with each one of us. He desires a friendship with us, to love on us and reveal his unique will for each of our lives. See yourself the way you were meant to be seen, as the truly special and beautiful person you are. Don’t look at the photoshopped versions of perfection, because you like all of us, will always fall short. Focus on who you are, not on who you are not. We all have room for improvement, yet we all have amazing qualities too. Next time you look in the mirror, let it truly sink in that you are incredible and that the world has become a much brighter place simply because you are in it! Self improvement strategies are wonderful, but let’s not lose sight of who we really are. Here’s to the beautiful person you are no matter what you are wearing, even though I know you are going to ROCK that bathing suit! Until next time, ~ Dana Psalms 18:19 NCV - Because he delights in me, he saved me. Little Lesson Learned: See yourself the way God does. You’re perfect through his eyes of love!
Tags: self esteem, self worth, see yourself in God's eyes, you are valuableCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2nd edition, 2014 first edition (Bathing Suit Season)
 Photo by Johannes Plenio "No one is you and that is your superpower." ~ Unknown It is something I will always remember. In she came proud as a peacock, in clunky high heeled shoes way too big for her tiny little feet clickety clacking across the tiled classroom floor. Grinning from ear to ear, she eagerly announced “Mrs. R. I have brought you a birthday present today, and I want everyone here to know I spent TONS of money on it!” I couldn’t help but smile as the first thing that caught my eye was the beat-up Christmas bag was filled with a purple balloon already blown up. Underneath were other interesting treasures that included a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy, a plastic flower, and some shiny bracelets of various sizes. She could hardly contain her excitement, and it was clearly evident. Her kind gesture really touched me. She was beaming as I thanked her repeatedly for her thoughtfulness, and her classmates watched with interest. Later, that morning as others scurried off to recess, she curiously lingered behind looking quite sheepish. She then proceeded to ask if she could speak to me “privately.” As we chatted, a confession poured out like water overflowing from a tiny cup. Teary eyed she shared, “I must be honest with you. I didn’t spend a ton of money on your gift I, well I…. found all this stuff in my room and I am so sorry. I just wanted so badly to give you something.” Our eyes met and hearts connected. I really felt for her. Her generosity reflected truly the best she had. I thanked her for her honesty and assured her that I found her gift very meaningful. It was truly the best she had and was given with such love. It was so obvious she gave her best, and had even dressed up for the occasion to show up as her best self for someone she dearly loved. Next I recall another little boy I had in Room 21 one year. Whenever he was faced with a challenge in class, he was known to always say “I will try my best.” He clearly lived up to that motto, as no matter what came his way at school, following that premise, day after day he consistently gave his all. In doing that, he was very successful. He clearly gave his best day after day, and the results came.  Giving our best and being our best means different things for different people. The smallest gesture can have the greatest impact, especially when we know that there has been a sacrifice involved. Recently we celebrated Random Acts of Kindness Day. There is a great book by Emily Pearson called Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed that I love to read to my class. In the book the "extraordinary deed" that Mary did was placing a bowl of fresh blueberries on her neighbour's porch. Not very extraordinary, but it was the best Mary had and she wanted to bless her neighbour. The extraordinary part of the story is this loving gesture then launched a chain of events where her neighbour made blueberry muffins for her friends and then they did kind deeds for their friends. It went on and on. The little deed launched a momentous chain of kindness that created a very positive impact on so many in the end. It truly showed how the smallest deed can have a very big impact at times. Sometimes it is more than we could even imagine. Being our best selves can start by simply being kind to others. People may wonder: how do we keep striving for personal growth day after day when life is just plain hard at times? I have some helpful suggestions to share with you. Limit screen time Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash We need to make a commitment to strive to give our best to each other. One way we can do this is by limiting our screen time. Almost everyone has cell phones these days, but life goes on beyond the tiny screen. I am trying to be more mindful of this and more emotionally present for my family and friends. Facebook and Instagram can’t hold a candle to honest and meaningful conversation with those you love, trust me. Giving others our undivided attention and quality time is certainly indicative of being our best selves. Accept your limitationsAs we strive to be the best we can be, it means accepting our limitations and learning to be content with what life brings our way. It is easy to get discouraged when things aren’t going according to schedule, or things are not going as we planned. During those times, we must remind ourselves that doing our best each day, and striving to be our best self is all anyone can ask of us. It is our responsibility to keep pressing on, knowing that life brings ups and downs, but we can overcome them one day at a time.  Photo by Prateek Katyal Share encouragementTo work towards being our best, involves offering others hope and encouragement and sharing our insights on the life lessons we have learned. Helping others brings out the best in all of us, as it helps us shift our focus to someone else. We grow and change in a positive way, when we help others. Learn from mistakesHaving a goal of being the best versions of ourselves means we must learn from our mistakes. I once had a boss who would always say “You made a mistake. Great! Let’s celebrate it! There is so much to be learned here!” I have never forgotten that perspective and do believe it does make sense and has helped me through some tough times. Becoming our best self is a process and does not happen overnight. Take care of yourself Photo by Taryn Elliott Being our best means taking time for proper self-care. We are useless if we are used up. Working ourselves to the point of exhaustion will never get us to where we want to go. Rest, book a massage or pedicure. Read, watch movies, exercise or catch up with friends. Do what feeds your soul. It feels great to indulge a bit and recharge our batteries. We have people depending on us which includes family, and friends and in my case, even a sweet group of little people at work. Offering others our best self is impossible if we are empty. So fill your cup, whatever that looks for you. Invite God’s strength into your lifeFinally, striving to be our best self each day means realizing that we do not have to do it alone. We can choose to have God empower us to reach our true potentials each day. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The Bible also talks about that when we are weak, He is strong. That is so reassuring to know that we can choose to include God in our daily lives, and He will work to truly bring out the best in us for others. Giving our best, striving to be the best we can be daily is not always easy, but one day at a time it truly can be done. We are only human, and we will all have ups and downs, but knowing that each new day that comes brings us a fresh start is very reassuring. Keep on doing your best each day. As they say, life is a marathon, not a sprint. We are all works in progress. I believe in you!  Until next time, Dana Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Little Lesson Learned: Becoming our best self is a process. You are allowed to be a masterpiece and work in progress simultaneously. Remember that.
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana, revised edition, First edition, © 2015 entitled: Giving Our Best (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. Tags: self improvement, growth mindset, work in progress, best self, self improvement tips Photo by Yan Krukau “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge” Charles H. Spurgeon Our morning meetings in my elementary classroom have become a true highlight of my day. These meetings are a great way to get to know each other better and focus on bonding as a class. One of the favourite components of our Morning Meeting is our “Fun Fact” section that shares some little-known bits of trivia from this great big world of ours. Under the topic of fun facts, there have been some really cool and unique things mentioned. Here are a few, all courtesy of BBC Science Focus Magazine. Did you know that the average lifespan of a monarch butterfly is sadly 2 – 6 weeks? Are you aware that identical twins do not have the same fingerprints? How about this one... Giraffes are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than people. Don’t you feel so much smarter now knowing this random information? Perhaps not! Whether you knew these things or not, does not really make a difference in the grand scheme of things.  Photo by Magda Ehlers In our Animal unit study one year we were talking about the diets of animals, and I was introducing the vocabulary of herbivore, carnivore and omnivore. I had picked up a card game at the Dollar store where you had to name what type of eater each animal was. Some were clearly easier than others. I told the students the game was tricky, and as we were just introducing this topic to just have fun with it. Well... one little guy was NOT having it. He CLEARLY did NOT think it was all in good fun. He was in it to WIN it! When his teammate was asked what type of eater a water buffalo was, and the friend unfortunately got it wrong, he replied in pure frustration “Come on! A water buffalo is a herbivore! EVERYBODY KNOW DAT!” Finding it hard to keep a straight face at his comical reply, I said “Actually everyone does not know that because I certainly did not! Life is like that sometimes. We assume people should know certain things. We can get angry when they don’t know what we expect them to know. Surprisingly, what seems common knowledge to us, could actually be brand-new, mind-blowing information to someone else. Shocking I know, but true. We could go our whole lives not needing to know that the town with the longest name ever is named Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, (true story) but there are certain things that people absolutely do need to know.  Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko Amongst those NEED-TO-KNOW things is you need to know what the almighty God of the universe thinks about you. Not everyone is familiar with the Bible and I completely respect that. I am very proud and honoured to share what the Bible says about you. In the Bible God says so much about us, but I will highlight five things in particular. You are not alone.The Bible speaks of Jesus as the "friend that sticks closer than a brother." It also states that He will never leave us or forsake us. It is so reassuring to know that when you put your trust in Him, He will never leave you high and dry. You never have to worry where He went when the times get tough, because as always, He is right by you side 24/7. *(Proverbs 18:24, Deuteronomy 31:8) * You are always on God’s mind.This one blows me away! The God of the universe is thinking of ME? With everything that He is in charge of each and every day, we are still never absent from His thoughts. Now that is a powerful truth for sure! * (Psalms 139 – 17-18) *  You are God’s Masterpiece created with a unique purpose.I remember a pastor saying once in a wonderful sermon, that your purpose came first, and then God created you specifically to fulfill it! It really resonated with me especially on the days that I felt like a complete failure. We are all a work in progress and it is never the case that God is thinking, so what am I going to do with this one? It is the exact opposite actually. He believes in us implicitly and is confident that we can fulfill our unique destiny in Christ. * (Ephesians 2:10) * Every second He loves you.God's love is unconditional. He could never love you any more or any less than He does right now. You can rest in that assurance that you will not fall from grace with God. He loves you period. Drop the mic! * (Jeremiah 31: 3) *  Photo by Cherith Runyon on Unsplash You are Forgiven and Free!You are forgiven and free! All you have to do is ask God to forgive your sins. Every sin that we have or ever will commit was covered when Jesus went to the cross for us. Also the Bible tells us that not only does He forgive us, but He also throws our sins into the sea of His forgetfulness. Beyond that, my sweet Mom would always say this cute and true ending to this beautiful forgiveness story. She would say and "THEN He posts a NO FISHING sign" to keep us moving in the RIGHT direction! * ( Jeremiah 31:34, Micah 7:19) * Well my friends, I don't know if this is new information for you, or simply a great reminder. My question for you now though is, now that you know these beautiful truths and you do know "dat" what will you do with it? As always, I welcome an opportunity to pray with you or continue this important conversation. I can be reached at [email protected]. Until next time, Dana Little Lesson Learned: You need to know that God thinks you are incredibly special and you are so dearly loved. Tags: trivia, Bible teaching, self esteem, Bible verses, Who we are in Christ, Christian blogger, Christian blogger, elementary teaching, forgiveness, God's love
Copyright: © 2024 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 jasmin chew “I'm gonna run. No, I'm gonna fly. I'm gonna know what it means to live and not just be alive.” (Say I Won’t, Mercy Me) The birds are out in full force this beautiful summer. I get a large variety of them in my backyard, and they are quite interesting to observe, I must say. On more than one occasion, though, I have noticed something quite peculiar when it comes to our feathered friends. Several times when I have been out driving, I have seen many different types of birds walking leisurely across the road. As they act like they own the road and are in no hurry, their cavalier behaviour repeatedly causes me great stress. As I get closer and closer, my panicked internal dialogue starts. Am I going to hit them? Will they actually use the wings they have so obviously been blessed with? Thankfully, in every case so far right at the very last minute, they choose to flap their wings and get the heck out of there! I don’t get it. I am always left thinking… Why would they walk when they can fly? Why would they put themselves in harm’s way when they can so easily soar above danger? I have not quite figured that one out yet, but have often thought how many people, me included, can at times be very similar to these silly birds. Why do we drag our feet through life when we were destined to soar? Life is meant to be lived well. It was never meant to be something we just tolerate or do well when we are ready. Years ago, I recall asking my grandfather how some of his friends were doing and he stated, “Not well. They just exist.” It broke my heart because I thought to myself - Excuse me??? Who wants to just exist?” Not me! Why would or should we ever settle for that?  I love the show America’s Got Talent. There was one audition I will never forget. Her name was Jane Maeczewski and when performing she goes by the stage name Nightbirde. As she shared her story, she disclosed that she was battling cancer and currently had a 2% chance of survival. Her attitude was truly remarkable incredible as she stated, “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” She sang an original song entitled It’s OK. Realistically, she is clearly not OK, yet she sang like an angel. Her emotional performance gave me goosebumps and earned her the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell. What an example of someone who chose to fly despite terrible hardship. Even her stage name, Nightbirde exemplified her character of a bird who still sings even in the darkest time. We can learn so much from her and her approach to life. Her health struggles resulted in her having to step away from the AGT competition and sadly she did pass away. Before her passing she never lost hope sharing to her devoted fans “I am planning my future, not my legacy.” How inspiring she was and a great example of someone who has chosen to get the most out of life, whatever it offered her. We have all been blessed with unique abilities and talents. Sharing them with the world is our gift and our responsibility. Being all we can be in life, cultivating our gifts and celebrating that should be our goal. I have met people time and time again who are settling in life, going through the motions each day whether it be in their relationships, careers, goals, or other life circumstances. It is heartbreaking when they deserve better but as they have been knocked down, they see their wings as broken. They accept life “as-is” believing they are truly not worthy of more. We only get one chance at this life, and we need to give it our best. You are uniquely you. There is no one else exactly like you. Isn’t that an incredible thought? The world needs you, and all you can offer. Realizing that and believing you have much to offer is key.  Pinpointing your passions is a great place to start. It gets you excited and out of a rut you may find yourself in from time to time. Finding out what your talents and giftings are is essential so you can be all that you can be. Maybe you are artistic, athletic, great at computers and technology, an amazing cook, fantastic with kids, a powerful speaker or incredible with decorating and home décor. There are so many areas to consider. Do some soul searching and find out what your passion is and go after it with all you have got. Maybe it will take going back to school, a sacrifice of some sort or taking a step back to move forward, but I encourage you to believe in yourself and go for it. Several years ago, I quit a great job that I loved to go to teacher’s college. It was scary to take a risk, and have our family live off one salary with no job guarantee on the other side. Despite that risk, I felt excitement and peace all at the same time. I was stepping into my calling. I truly believed that, and I never looked back. I was made to fly, not walk and I was spreading my wings.  My classroom, Room 21! So many great memories here. Change can be very scary. We all have doubts and fears. That is so normal. Is there an area of your life where you feel you are meant for more? That is a question only you can answer. I just want you to feel that you are worthy of truly living your best life in all aspects. Your wings are ready and waiting for you to use them. The Bible says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full!” This is my desire for you. Don’t be like the bird who was designed for so much more, but chose to walk through life oblivious of the wings at his side. What a tragedy! Keep moving forward. Don’t let this world or discouragement take the wind out of your sails. Every day is a fresh start and a new chance. Spread those wings and fly my friend and I’ll be the proud one on the ground cheering you on. Until next time, ~ Dana Isaiah 40:31: Those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. Little Lesson Learned: Flying through life gives you such a better view. Won’t you give it a try? © 2024, 2nd edition, 1st edition, 2021 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)
Tags: birds, flying, spread your wings, personal growth, talents, meant for more “If ever there is a tomorrow that we are not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think” ~A.A. Milne Once again this year we will be celebrating the annual Terry Fox Run. Terry Fox was a young Canadian who embarked on an incredible dream to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. That goal in itself was very admirable, but paired with the fact that Terry was a cancer survivor and that he had only one leg and the other was fit with a prosthesis, makes this goal even more amazing. As a child we followed his story so closely. We were in absolute awe of his determined spirit and unwavering passion to fulfill his goals, despite much physical pain and challenges, unpredictable weather issues and the fact that he ran what had been described as a marathon almost every day. Unreal! It was an extremely sad day for the entire nation when we heard that Terry had to discontinue his run due to the fact that he had cancer once again, but this time in his lungs. This led to his untimely death on June 28th, 1981 just shy of his 23rd birthday. In his honour his dream continues and people all over the world have raised millions by keeping the tradition of The Terry Fox Run alive and well. My students are fascinated by his story year after year. They are very curious about his artificial leg and how he could run like he did day after day. We have had many deep discussions about how it took much more than physical ability for him but also intense mental strength and fierce determination as well to accomplish what he did. One year a little boy came to school so incredibly sad and when I asked him what was wrong he replied with tears in his eyes, “Terry Fox died. My mom just told me.” I guess in our many discussions he hadn’t fully realized that Terry was no longer with us, so from now on, I make it a point to really clarify that, as his sadness over what he felt was “new news,“ really broke my heart. I wrote a cute little song to the tune of "Old Time Religion" called The Terry Fox Song for this time of year that the kids really seem to love. The words say “Terry Fox had a dream. Terry Fox had a dream. Terry Fox had a dream called The Marathon of Hope. So he just started running, so he just started running, so he just started running in The Marathon of Hope.” The last verse says “Now it’s our turn to join in, Now it’s our turn to join in, now it’s our turn to join in for The Marathon of Hope!” I encourage them to participate with great enthusiasm in our Terry Fox Run at school in Terry’s memory and honour, but to also be "just like Terry" by making a difference in their own special ways as well. One year a little boy drew a picture of Terry and gave it to me that I have still kept. It was very well drawn but really caught my interest due to the fact that for all the attention Terry got over his artificial leg in my classroom, this boy had drawn him healthy and whole with two good legs. It touched my heart as this is the way he viewed him.  Terry had so many ways about him that were admirable. Here are just some of the qualities that he had that made him a successful person. First of all he had a dream and he did not let anyone talk him out of it. What he envisioned had never been done before, yet he believed he could do it and was not afraid to try. Have you ever been there before? Maybe God has tucked a special dream in your heart but others have talked you out of it or discouraged you from pursuing it? I hope not. Terry did not allow this. Secondly, he had an unwavering belief in himself. Despite the fact that he was disabled, he used it as a stepping stone to advance his cause, instead of it being a stumbling block. It is incredible what people can accomplish when they start to actually focus on what they can do rather than what they can’t. We can get caught up with the fact that I am only one person and how much of an impact can I really make? Terry Fox is a powerful example that one person can make an incredible impact and difference when you really believe in yourself. Thirdly, he was extremely perseverant despite so many things working against him. Faithfully, he continued day after day and raised so much money for cancer research. Finally, he inspired others to do likewise. Through his actions he brought out the best in people. He inspired a nation to come alongside him in united brotherhood to embrace the goal of kicking cancer to the curb, and join together as a nation for a very worthwhile cause. People were inspired that if Terry could do something incredible, than maybe they could too. It is safe to assume that each one of us have been personally touched by cancer in our lives in some way through someone we love or perhaps even you personally have or have had some form of cancer. Among several who are close to me is my mom who had bowel cancer and my cousin Lisa who had a form of lymphoma. My mom was able to have surgery and she was thankfully fine. Lisa who is just like a sister to me, had a much more difficult time and had to go through many difficult treatments, yet both of them are thankfully cancer-free today. To God be the glory! Our town of Leamington has been lifting up in prayer a little girl named Aubri Andre who too has cancer. She has been receiving treatment out west and although is still working hard to recover, is doing much better from what the latest reports have said. This is Childhood Cancer Awareness month and I often think of her. She like Terry has brought our little town together and has brought an awareness to this awful disease and how we all need to do our best to support finding a cure. Our town hosted many fundraisers to help her family and it will be a very happy day when we hear Aubri is healthy and whole which is what we all continue to pray for.
“Just Like Terry” is the slogan I see around on the posters around my school. Terry’s struggle was cancer and rather than feel sorry for himself, he chose to do the opposite and in doing so has impacted millions of people. What is getting you down? What is your struggle? As the quote by A.A. Milne says "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” You have what it takes to be successful and overcome your challenges but a positive attitude is one of the first things you need to begin. Next give your struggles to God in prayer and partner with Him to be an overcomer. Know that with God “all things are possible.” God is the friend that sticks closer than a brother and He wants to help you have a breakthrough in your life in the area or areas most needed. Be inspired by Terry as a stellar example. In spite of having cancer, he left an incredible legacy for others to follow and from which to draw inspiration.
Thank you Terry! I know that I aspire to be "just like you" in many ways. You were my childhood hero and I will be proud to participate in your honour this week in our Terry Fox Run at our school. How can you be "just like Terry?" Give it some thought, as each and every one of us has incredible things to offer this world and you my friend are no exception! Until next time, ~ Dana Psalms 55:22 ~ Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous fall. Little Lesson Learned: Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they believe in themselves and partner with God. Copyright: littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2014 |
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