Random—that’s what my thoughts are tonight. But gonna share some little tidbits of gratitude anyway.

Am thankful for…. blueberries, fresh, tasty blueberries—not just to save for a recipe, or a salad, or a pie…but to eat right out of a cute little bowl. I’m thankful I didn’t have to share any of them. I’m also sad that I didn’t have to share any of them.

And, am thankful for flowers–not purchased for me, but purchased by me for a friend. Am not thankful for the reason why I’m buying the flowers because this co-worker-turned-friend, won’t be my coworker for long. The assistant in my classroom is having to move on…not because she wants to. That’s another thing I’m NOT thankful for because she’s having to move on because she needs a higher paying job. Education, well, sometimes it seems like the wages per hour don’t amount to diddly squat.  We lose so many good folks who have a heart for the kids.  So many. But that’s another topic.

Back to the flowers…I’m thankful for what will happen tomorrow as the students take a flower to give to my co-worker-friend who is soon to not be my coworker.  I’m already thankful for the words that will be spoken and the memories made for all. And then we’ll move on and practice reading and writing and math, and maybe not realize that so many of the best lessons learned are so far removed from those of academia. I’m not thankful for the sadness that so many of the students will feel at having another adult come in and out of their lives. But I am thankful for it at the same time. My coworker-turned-friend has left her mark on these students (and me) and she will be missed. There’s always a flip side to things isn’t there? Oh, and even though the flowers were bought to give away, well, the cool thing is I got to enjoy them for a bit. That’s the thing with giving things away–we’ve had the gift of enjoying them first.

I’m thankful for facing down fears. I’ve faced down quite a few lately and one of those moments was just a few minutes ago as I walked outside to see the soon to be “HARVEST MOON ON FRIDAY the 13th (which happens to coincide with the Friday before our three week break).  I’m not superstitious, and I know how it sounds to be worried about a full moon, but I’ve been in education long enough to know that full moons are to be noted. Nope, I can’t explain it, but I get that it’s a reality, and teachers all over the area have chuckled, (nervously, for real!) about what challenges tomorrow will bring. Funny, the moon looks beautiful hanging in the sky so peacefully, but I’m not quite sure how I’ll feel about that beautiful moon tomorrow! Life is full of the flip sides of things for sure.

I said goodbye to our son on Sunday as he was home from college because of the hurricane and was able to go back to school on Sunday. Not without a little skateboarding before he got in the car tho. ❤    There’s no telling how many falls our family has taken on skateboards collectively. But the loop de loops on the ramp, well, that wouldn’t have happened without falls, and loop de loops  (not the skateboarders’ terms , lol) are really cool. Yep. Flip sides of things are everywhere…

Well, I don’t know what you’ll face today. Could be great things like sharing memories with a coworker, or sad things of saying goodbyes. Could be eating a great meal or catching a quick bite with a friend. It could be seeing a beautiful sunrise or reading a great verse that encourages deep.  I don’t know what I’ll face either. One of my sons is flying over the Atlantic as I write this and I’m so excited for him and love to hear  of his ventures. But yes, there’s a flip side that comes with adventures because life is full of uncertainties.

We have all probably flipped a coin and you just never know whether it’s going to turn up heads or tails. I mean, we can flip the coin and determine odds and control variables, but we still don’t know whether the flip of the coin is going to be heads or tails until it lands. Life is full of coins—some heads, some tails…and we all face the uncertainty of what the next day or situation might bring.

But here’s the thing. There’s always a flip side. Always. I can say that with certainty because the Bible says so. Romans 8: 37-39 says:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It’s saying that God is with us EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES.  I mean, death and life, angels and demons–these are as serious as it gets. But the Bible says we are conquerers. We can find the flip side. We’ve just gotta turn the coin over and turn to Him. We’ve gotta seek out the flip side, seek out what His will might be. Sometimes it could be a lesson or a gateway to a new season, but sometimes, well, the most beautiful flip side of all is finding that God is truly- God. He is not some terrestrial cosmic euphemism. He IS.  Emmanuel. God with us. He IS. He loves. He created you and me. He KNOWS it all…and is in the midst of us. The Bible says that “underneath are the everlasting arms.” No matter what side our coins will land on today, He is underneath…He can catch it all, and turn it in a heartbeat. And that’s the bottom line. God wants us to draw near to Him. He wants our hearts. Not robot servants. Heart-beat followers.

Well, it’s Friday morning and I should’ve already taken my shower. And it’s not good to be running behind on a day that is the triple threat that this day is (Harvest Moon+Friday the 13th+last day for students before break). And there’s lots more that I wanted to write about who God is…how He loves us in the midst of things, but time is ticking away so I’ll just have to live it today–not write about it–but look for the flip side in my little world…because all those coins are held in the hand of one who loves me well. He knows where the coins will land today, how the chips may fall. And underneath are the everlasting arms. I can trust in Him.

Blessings ~

Heather

p.s. Please feel free to breathe a prayer for teachers and students today! ❤  Oh, and for my son…that he lands safely in Sweden and has a sweet trip to see some grieving friends that have faced some flip sides they never saw coming. Blessings to you and yours …

Romans 8:26-28: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

and…

Romans 8:37-39: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”