Musings on Honesty

"You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another."

Leviticus 19:11

This week I've been doing a lot of thinking about honesty and the importance of honesty with God, with family, in relationships, with yourself...



My Bible study that I'm doing with Calvary Chapel has been very convicting. This week our theme was honesty, and we spent each day on our own reading Biblical teachings on honesty. Then, at Bible study Monday night we hear everyone else's musings, and it is very challenging.

...Ephesians 4:25...

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor,

for we are all members of one body.

We affect other people when we speak dishonest words;

we affect other people when we omit truthful words and thoughts.

Even in the smallest details we must remain honest. For example: at school, sometimes I will take a few extra pencils, a few extra sheets of paper, a few extra whatevers people, well, no one will notice and everyone else is doing this.

However...NEWSFLASH!! If we cannot be honest and faithful in the small things, God will not entrust us with bigger things!

I was also thinking a lot about why I am dishonest or why I don't explain everything in it's utmost truth...

...here are some vunerable thoughts that come to mind...

~greed

~habit

~delusion that noone will notice

~selfishness

~fear of not disappointing other people

~pride

~lack of trust in God...lack of faith that He will provide ALL my needs



Especially right now, as I am being a leader in my classroom, I must be honest and truthful in every detail with my students.



**If you love someone, you won't lie to them. Lying is a form of self-preservation and self-interest. (words of wisdom from Mary from my Bible study)



I then took the study a little deeper and thought about my dishonestly with myself.

I've been really apathetic and really unmotivated to significantly impact my new gifted kids. Honestly, I just got so burned out from my last class, and I was so happy to be out of my weird-depression.

But, I relocated to Miami to teach and help people! I could have a meaningless job anywhere!

I need prayer that I will regain motivation and passion to challenge my new students and create a very differentiated, detailed curriculum to best meet EVERY student I work with.

And, those are my musings on honesty.

Lyrics I'm Humming

Beautiful by Bethany Dillon

Dog for Sale

My mom emailed me a dog in need of a home, and I thought I would see if any of you were interested.




Let me know if you want him!

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Subject: Dachshund needs a home

My neighbor has a puppy he's giving away (FREE!). It's a Dachshund, it's house broken, and it's great with kids. He's giving it away because his wife says the dog 'stares' at her when she is undressing, and that gives her the 'Heebie Jeebies'. I think she is just weird !

If you're interested, or know someone who is, let me know.

Here's a picture of the dog.

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Lyrics I'm Humming:

Elton John's Crocodile Rock

My Bio-Poem

This week, I am doing get-to-know-you and diagnostic stuff with my new gifted students!

One thing we're doing is writing our own Bio-Poems. I'm having the kids use a 13-line template where they write colorful, lively descriptions of themselves!

Then, we traced our face profiles (using dark rooms and flashlights) onto construction paper and the students rewrote their Bio-Poems with markers and drawings on their profile!

I tell the kids I'm looking for cReAtIvItY!!!!

Write your own bio-poem and leave it as a comment on my blog!!! : )

Line 1: Your first name
Line 2: Who is...(Descriptive words that describe you)
Line 3: Who is brother or sister of...
Line 4: Who loves...(three ideas or people)
Line 5: Who feels...(three ideas )
Line 6: Who needs...(three ideas)
Line 7: Who gives...(three ideas)
Line 8: Who fears...(three ideas)
Line 9: Who would like to see...
Line 10: Who shares...
Line 11: Who is...
Line 12: Who is a resident of...
Line 13: Your last name

Here is my Bio-Poem!

Megan Ann
Who is creative, optimistic, and encouraging.
Who is the sister of Allison Kathleen and Kelly Richard.
Who loves fresh flowers, getting mail, and costume parties.
Who feels calm when by the ocean, rejuvenated after laughing with friends, and joyful when skiing down a mountain.
Who needs people in her life to encourage her, hugs, and laughter.
Who gives smiles, energy, and prayer.
Who fears being alone, disappointing her parents, and missing out on an adventure.
Who would like to see a baby being born, a poor neighborhood restored, and a shark in the ocean.
Who shares ideas, time, and money.
Who is a dancer, a dreamer, and butterscotch lover.
Who is a resident of the world.
Rapp

My favorite thing was a student who wrote on line 12, "Who is God, smartt, and Ms Rapp" I was like, "sweetie, are you God? Are you Ms Rapp? You sure are smart though!" Haha! Funny times...He's very cute!

Lyrics I'm Humming:
Free the World by Mike Jackson

Just Dance It Out

Oh my...I love to dance!

Tonight, Corey (the 2nd grade Teach for America teacher at my school) and I went to a jazz class at Miami City Ballet!

It was so much fun! When I dance I just forget about everything else and just smile! We were dancing to some fun ditty-bop music, tribal jazz music, and 80s Madonna! It was soooo nice to dance and laugh and roll around on the floor with Corey just laughing!!! : )

My favorite ever Dane Cook sketch is him talkin about the difference between guys and girls at dance clubs! Click the link below to watch it!

I just gotta dance! Put my pocket book and shoes in the middle of the circle and dance around them!

So, it turns out that dancing really is good for the soul! : )

Lyrics I'm Humming:
Jackie Wilson Baby Work Out

Pablo!

Pablo (on the right) and friends from Paris

About two months ago, before school started, Brad (my dear friend from Iowa) and I were chillin on the beach, and I saw a friend I met in Paris! When I was studying abroad, there was a Spanish boy in my class named Pablo. He was super sweet! Well, I ran into him on South Beach!

Craziness!

It turns out he moved here from Spain and works for the Spanish Embassy. So, we exchanged numbers and got together tonight!

We went out to this really cool bar and had some awesome pineapple mojitos! Pablo is such a sweet guy! We just talked and talked and caught up on life, jobs, family, Miami, Paris...

What a small world!

My French language class at the Sorbonne in Paris
(Pablo is on the top right of the picture...I am to the left of him)

Friends from Paris (Pablo is the only boy...duh... : )

Lyrics I'm Humming:
La Vie en Rose - Edith Piaf

New Beginnings

Today was definitely exciting!

I am going to be working at 4 schools! (Lots of work and lots of planning!!!)
Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll be at Lenora B Smith (where I was the past 8 weeks)
Mondays I'll be at Phillis Wheatley
Wednesdays I'll be at Kelsey Pharr
Fridays I'll be at Little River

Kelsey Pharr Elementary School

Today, I went to Kelsey Pharr (picture above) to meet the kids, and I pulled out the students from Lenora B. It was really fun! We worked on acrostic poems with our names.

My Bible study last night was really nice. We've been talking about God's part and our part with our finances...and not just giving and tithing, but saving and investing and debt and work and loans and even what God says about co-signing!

Did you know that there are over 2,350 verses in the Bible that deal with our finances?
Hello?! So crazy!

God is in control of everything. He is control of where we live and when we live there. He is sovereign.

God is in control of why things happen to us.

God is in control of the resources he entrusts us with.

The support and encouragement I received the past 8 weeks from you has been incredible.

My dear friend Molly Stouffer just sent me the kindest card, making me cry. I am blown away with the compassion and encouragement Christians give me.

Thank you for helping me get through these past 2 months. Thank you for giving me strength and energy to continue, not quitting. I am so thankful to those of you who helped me with open ears and kind words.

Tomorrow I go to Little River and Phillis Wheatly! Yeah! It is going to be a great day!


(And...definite bonus that I do not wake up in the mornings feeling nauseous and depressed...)

Lyrics I'm Humming:
Bicycle Race by Queen

The Winds are Changing

Friday, October 5. What a day.

School...morning class, same ole same ole.

10:30 am-Principal calls me to her office to tell me I've been surplused (let go) because of budget cuts. (Too many teachers, not enough students...I was the last teacher hired, so I must leave my classroom and will no longer be teaching my students)

Oh my goodness! I was totally in shock! Part of me totally excited and releaved, and part of me kinda sad to leave some of the kids...kinda.

The principal offered me a different position...I am going to be the gifted education teacher for 3 different schools, pulling out small groups of gifted students working on enrichment projects and gifted curriculum!!! Oh my! I am SOOO excited!

My grandma left yesterday and I was so content seeing her go. Thursday night (my 23rd birthday) was rough. I was just so depressed and sad knowing Grandma was leaving Saturday. We laid in bed, and I just cried and cried. But, after Friday's news, I was okay with her leaving. Thank you Lord.

I start Monday morning with my new job, and I am just elated. I think the job is going to be a lot of work, but I am excited to use my creativity and inventiveness! I will be starting a gifted program in 3 schools!!!

My grandma and two wonderful aunts worked in gifted education, so I am already surrounded by great resources.

I feel rejuvenated. I feel replenished. I do not feel nauseous in the mornings. Whew. It's like I can breathe again and smile again!

So, the best birthday present ever...getting fired! : )

Lyrics I'm Humming:
Celebrate Good Times! Come On!

what is wrong with me?

Someone please bribe my grandma to stay forever.

anyone?

Lyrics I'm Humming:
nothing really...