Five Minute Friday: Collect

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is Collect. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

Philippians 4:8- Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

This week really seemed to drag on for me. By Wednesday I was ready for the weekend. It was Spirit Week at school which naturally meant a week out-of-order. The students were squirrely. I was gravely behind in grading. A mountain of to-dos just piled up.

In a job that involves constant exchanges between teacher and students it is easy to build a collection of insurmountable papers and a sour attitude toward grading. Somehow throughout the course of this busy week I went from having a clean, organized desk to being buried beneath a ream of papers.

Things collect so quickly when you have over 150 students. And the state of my desk was a direct reflection of my state of mind.

So as I built up my collection of student work one thing I forgot to collect was positive thoughts. I turned my attention from the things scripture says I should focus on. Instead of thinking about truth, righteousness and love I found myself wallowing in self pity.

I sit this Friday evening and reflect on the week behind me. I realize that with each little annoyance or mishap this week I added it to the load already on my shoulders. Without meaning to I started a little collection of negativity to match my disheveled desktop. I let my workload dictate my mood, and that is the type of behavior that leads to defeat in a teacher’s world. Life as a teacher is always full of tasks. It isn’t a 7:30am-2:30pm job.

Teaching is a lifestyle and I’d be lying if I said it isn’t sometimes exhausting, but amidst the tiresome duties there is great reward.

I’m ready for a weekend to recharge. I need to collect enough positive thoughts to blot out the week behind me. I’m looking forward to beginning next week with a clean slate and a new perspective. Now…bring on the weekend!!

The Ameri Brit Mom