Friday, January 2, 2009

Gratitude


When I was in high school my three best friends were the brains of the school.
Notice that I did not say that my friends and I were the brains of the school. :)
I always had to work so hard for the grades. While they were taking Physics and all those college courses....I was just trying to make it through Algebra and French two. I am not quite sure how I made it into their circle....but I loved them even though they were brains beyond me.

Going off to college gave me a chance to step out of their shadows.
While they went off to become female doctors and spend years getting their doctorate in Physics....I was just getting to know who I was in God. My journey was so different looking from theirs. Here and there He used two teachers to reveal to me what He had planted in me.
The first was a History teacher at Bryan College.
I don't even remember his name....no, something I have never been good at. :)
But, I remember his face.
I had always hated history with all its names and dates. As far as I was concerned it was just a jumble of facts that I could never keep straight in my head. Why did I need to know who won the battle over 200 years ago and what strategy they used to do it?
Then one day this teacher told us a story. It drew me in and grabbed my attention.
I began to wonder what this person must have been like and the life that he had led.
I was hooked.
When it came time for the test......we had to pick 8 of 12 essay questions and write a page on each....I breezed through it. The details just flew through my finger tips.
And with the high grade I made on that test....my confidence soared.
Not only had he awakened a student but I had discovered a little more about me.

A few years later I transferred to LSU. What a shocker for this girl who had spent most of her learning years at Christian schools. Honestly I was almost afraid to leave my dorm room.
The campus felt like a city to me.
Needing to get some classes out of the way I took a literature class.
I remember that it was a 7:30 class and way down in the bottom of a building. Having it that early meant that there were not a whole lot of students that made it through to the end of the semester. :) There was nodanger for me because as we began to take those short stories and dissect them.......once again....I was hooked. Something in me had awakened.
I love pulling apart the stories and listening to what the author was trying to say with the words he had chosen. Writing papers became a thrill. No, not having to make sure I got all the punctuation right....but the pulling together of words was awesome.
I turned in my first paper and was terrified when the teacher said he wanted to have a meeting with me after class. Standing at his door before entering I imagined all kinds of horrible things.
Once inside he pulled out my paper and handed it back to me. I had gotten an... A!
I do not remember his exact words... but he said I had a gift and that he had never had a student who was quite like me. He said that I had the ability to see things in the details that he had never seen before. Hmm, now I can look back and wonder how many years he had been teaching. ;)
But, at the time I was amazed that he had seen that in me.
As you can see he left a huge mark on my life.

Why share this?
Well, this morning I got an email with a link to a video. I will leave it at the bottom and if you have time....go watch it and then follow what they tell you to do.
But this video really followed up on what God has been showing me.
Before time began He began a masterpiece......me.
In that masterpiece He planted talents, gifts and dreams. And then at the cross He gave me a chance to connect with this perfect plan. (Eph 2:10)
Along the way He sent people to open doors in my life
that would reveal bits and pieces of who I was created to be.
Some were friends, some teachers and pastors.....the greatest of course were my parents.
But many times we don't take the time to thank them.....and they never
know how deeply they have touched us.
I am who I am today because people were willing to touch my life and open the doors of awareness and understanding. Even today I am still discovering who I am and what He planted in me long ago....and ya'll are a huge part of this journey of discovery.
Thank you!
And remember to thank those in your life who have touched you.

(here is the link)
SIMPLE TRUTHS

10 comments:

luvmy4sons said...

WOW! I got that same e-mail and watched that same video just today! As I read I thought to myself how similar it sounded to the message in the video and then voila! You said it! I loved your post! And I am glad that the teacher helped you to find your special gift from God. Funny...I can't say that there is any particular teacher...but there are others. It means a lot to be appreciated. Be blessed today!

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

What a great video! I have never thought to do this but I will now! Thanks for sharing this.

Anonymous said...

Great video, That's a wonderful message to share:) You my friend have touched my life, You should write a book. . .seriously! Your a great writer:) Have a Blessed weekend:)

MelanieJoy said...

...thank you!

Mary said...

Sharon,

I had a teacher that drove the entire class crazy. Each morning he would read from the Bible and then cry about his mother who had died 20 years before. We couldn't understand this man's grief. Today he would be fired for such actions.

However, he is the teacher who awakened my love of writing. So along with the damage he did (I was a nervous wreck for years afterward) he gave me a gift.

Blessings,
Mary

Anonymous said...

I remember my Creative Writing teacher too. I didn't have the same pleasant experience at all. She confirmed to me that some folks are there to teach while others are there just for the money. I see that now but at the time, I was never so discouraged from writing as I was with her. Yowza! huh?

Grace said...

Hi Sharon, I am a blogger friend of Denise. I understand through reading your comments on one of her post, that you and Denise are friends. I am a regular visitor on her blog, but I noticed that it has been 3 days that she did not write something new. It made me worry about her, (or is it too soon to worry?) I hope anybody can tell me how's my friend is doing right now.
By the way, I like your blog. I enjoyed reading it. :)

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I was just thinking tonight about a teacher who awakened something in me when I was in the 9th grade. Academics were never my struggle. Feeling like I mattered was the great pull of my heart. I had two teachers that year who invested in me beyond the books.

They shaped my thinking with the truth that I mattered...that my heart was more important than my grades. That my love for others meant something. In a time when I battled self-esteem, they instilled in me their hope, and I was forever changed by their investment.

Thank God for the few who take time to notice us and encourage us with words.

You've done that for me on more than one occasion, and I thank you friend.

By they way, love the font! Have a great week. Kids are heading back to school tomorrow, and I will be heading about 2 hours from here to the doctor's for some tests. I would appreciate your prayers.

peace~elaine

Anonymous said...

Hi Sharon, I tried to post a comment a few days ago but it took forever & I didn't have the time to wait...anyway, this is a great post! Just wanted to pop by & say happy new year to you & your family. I hope that 2009 is a wonderful year for all of you. I keep you in my thoughts & prayers. Love, D

MJ said...

Happy New Year Sharon!

That is a beautiful movie...how true.