Embracing the Rhythms of Summer

It has been over 10 years since I experienced the glorious Summer Vacation, the time I looked forward to every year as a teacher.

Now that I am retired, I’d like to encourage teachers, moms, college students to breathe in the summer rhythms and embrace this time in your life.

I know so many of you have young children and think “How am I going to make it through the day?” Or “I signed up to teach Vacation Bible School, what was I thinking?” Or “Why did I sign up for another grad class?” Or “Am I lining up Field Trips for the Swim Team and committing every day to 2 practices a day?” “I thought tutoring two to three times a week was a great idea!”

Take time to relax and take care of yourself. If it means getting up super early before the kids, sit outside and watch the sunrise. If it means taking turns with a friend to watch each other’s kids so you can go for a walk or read a book or journal, do it.

Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members for help!

Now that I’m able to sit back and reflect on those years, I treasure each day I spent with my children, the VBS children, the children I tutored, the swim team kids, the basketball campers, etc…. it was all what made Summer so special.

Embrace the rhythms of summer and live each day to the fullest.

Comfort, Help, Quiet Love

Spending time with loved ones, eating yummy healthy food, dancing with neighbors as we celebrate marriage, walking in the park with Roger and Ruby, meeting students each am as they arrive at the park, and most importantly, taking mom to see her friends, “fixing” her hair, writing her cards, paying her bills, and making her precious videos: these bring me comfort and as you know: I LOVE to help.

I continue to read the same messages from multiple sources. I need to:

  1. Slow Down
  2. Be Still
  3. Be Quiet
  4. Enjoy God’s love for me
  5. Quit striving
  6. Realize I am His Beloved

Mom’s video this week was about me. We told stories of how much I loved playing sports and about my teaching career and SYNNEX.

Frankie Tells Fran Stories

Feeling grateful for neighbors and the opportunity to spend time hanging out and playing with our dogs in our backyard.

Here are my Top 3 Spiritual Gifts according to the test I took.

Be Still, Be Quiet, Slow Down, Quit Striving, Know that I am His Beloved and Enjoy God’s Love are my next steps.

Delight, Beloved, Joy

A well loved woman who chooses joy naturally blesses others like a river being filled by a refreshing spring rain.

Each week, Mom’s videos showcase her contagious joy and have blessed hundreds of people via social media. Last week we featured School Stories, A Trick the Dr. Played on Dad When Johnny was Born, and Beauty Secrets. (Vaseline and Cotton Ball sales increased in the Upstate!)

Frankie’s Stories

Whispers of Rest reflections and activities required drawing yourself as a little girl with all the experiences, people, color, places, foods, and music that brought you joy. As I drew mine, it reminded me of our VIP interviews in first grade and the graphic organizers we made as we interviewed our Star of the Week. We wrote sentences about the VIPs favorite things and each student wrote something we liked about that person and bound it into a book. I hope my students still have theirs.

Spending time with April from church and talking about how amazing it feels to rest and breathe and listen was a treat as we enjoyed breakfast at Biscuit Head. I’ve had the BEST time talking to friends and just being in the moment.

Reconnecting with my first grade teaching buddy, Pat Sandzen, and her family brought back so many great memories. She has the gift of hospitality and just walking into her house just makes you feel warm and welcome. What a great mentor she was to me at Palmetto Primary and in life. Loved celebrating Sig and Alice’s engagement with them!

Hiking at Paris Mountain State Park each am with Ruby was amazing!

I even saw my Paris Elementary students there! Also, I was able to watch Dr. Julie Hartman teach her Masters Students from Anderson University about the ecosystem as we hiked Sulphur Springs Trail

Dr. Bill Taylor is mom’s Doctor and is the kindest man. We love to visit him. She had a good report then off we went to celebrate at Happy Hour.

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Today, I was able to take mom to her Bible Study at Gail’s House. It was lovely and we studied the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians on Love and spoke of Spiritual Gifts. I’m so glad I was able to meet mom’s friends who had been praying for me, unbeknownst to me.

I’m so glad to hear from many of you who are taking time for TLC and rest as you restore your soul.

Thank you for the opportunity to share!

“Better” and the Story of Frankie and Johnny

This past week I was supposed to travel to Sonoma Valley and train customers, a trip of a lifetime.

Instead, I chose what was “Better.” I went to a Retina specialist appointment, to the Audiologist (again) and to the Beauty parlor with my mother and took her to visit friends.

We recorded the love story of how mom and dad fell in love at Limestone College in the video of the week Frankie and Johnny Part 1 and Part 2 and wrote cards to her friends.

Our sweet neighbors came over and brought their dogs and children to play in the backyard while we sat and chatted. I literally have not done this in years. Children and dogs and good friends on a beautiful day. #noregrets

I even convinced Roger to go to Caesar’s Head with me after he got home from work one day. He told me my retirement is messing up his after work nap schedule, but agreed to go!

Mentoring through the Mentor Upstate Program has helped me keep my foot in the door at schools and interact with students over the last 4 years.

My Mentee loves dogs (her puppy died) so I brought sweet Ruby to meet her this week. I would say it was a huge success!

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My long time friend and teaching partner, Dr. Julie Hartman, visited on Friday and we shared our hopes and dreams for children in Greenville County.

Roger and I istened to music in downtown Greenville on Friday night and saw my dear friend who I vacationed with each year growing up. Our dads were best friends from the Spartanburg Herald Journal.

Finally, we walked in the Heart Walk with Roger’s sweet friends from Greenville HeartLife and enjoyed a leisurely brunch laughing and eating tons of yummy food.

Being so intentional with my time as I choose what is “Better.”

Questions:

What is one thing you can do today that brings you peace and joy?

Spend time on what really matters- love, relationships, and nurturing your soul. Listen to music that inspires you, enjoy nature or exercise or read, watch a movie, rest.

Thanks for your time! I hope “better” days are ahead for you.

Come to Me: Day 4

As I have been walking Ruby, our new 5 year old Beagle, I am training her to “Come.” My niece raises Beagles and gave sweet Ruby to us. I asked her advice about how to get Ruby not to tug and pull on our walks. She told me to say her name first then the command. “Ruby, Come.” Then I should let up on the leash and reward her with a treat when she comes.

This is exactly what I was doing with my life. The Lord spoke so clearly to me that I needed to “Come and trust Him” as I care for my mother and family. I, like Ruby, was being stubborn and wanted to stay in my corporate job with the people I love and work with tech companies around the country, but the Lord said no, quit striving for excellence in business and take care of your family. So I did.

He is clearly rewarding me with treats: rest, clarity, purpose, and gifts to glorify him. I dug in my heels and tugged and pulled against his command to follow His lead. When I finally relaxed and followed His call on my life just as Ruby is learning to relax and respond to my voice, the reward has been glorious.

It takes time and patience when in training to hear the Master’s voice. Then courage to actually obey.

Prioritize your well-being and let go of what is too heavy for you. Be kind to yourself. Spend time with someone you love.

Write a letter to Jesus using the word prompt: Come. This is like the writing exercises we did with my precious first graders.

“Come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-29

Encouraging Words with Frankie and More Thoughts from Whispers of Rest

Mom and I had so much fun making our first Facebook Live Episode of Encouraging Words with Frankie.  In case you missed it, I’ll add the link: Click HERE to view. I also added the video below.

Day 3 of Whispers of Rest really spoke to me. “Come away with me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” Mark 6:31

It is easy to be pulled away by busyness and stress, but it takes a toll on us.

What if God’s plan for us is not to be more busy but to be more loved?

Give yourself permission to step away and make some time to enjoy what fills you up.

Where do you experience God’s peace and rest?

What would your special time look like?

Breath Prayer:

Breathe Jesus’ name in and breathe out something you are thankful for.  Rest.

Loving my time with Mom, Roger and our sweet Ruby walks daily, breathing and resting.

Macular Degeneration Tips:

Talk to your eye doctor about vitamins. This is a hereditary disease. I take the Macular Health Formula Vitamins that my eye doctor recommended.

macular

Mom had 2 cataract surgeries that helped for a little while, then had the shot in her eye.

Nothing really helped.

We bought every type of magnifier, glasses, lights, computer to TV enlarger, etc… and her site continued to fail.

Now she sees only a fog or mist and can distinguish forms. She no longer reads, but I did get her books on tape from SC Library.

We have also worked with the SC Commission for the Blind.

Good News! She can hear, thanks to Davis Audiology and their hearing aides and technology!

Check out Mom and Dr. Maggie

Have a great day, hear your world!