The Ameri Brit Mom

Humble Leadership

Have you ever thought about what it takes to be a leader? Most of us have been labeled a leader in some way, but do we truly know what it means to lead? Lately I’ve been examining leadership beyond the surface level definitions. Leadership is so much more than just being in charge of someone else. I’ve been learning that in order to be a leader one must first be humble enough to serve those that they are leading.

In John 13:1-17 Jesus paints for us a picture of humble leadership. First of all, he is only days away from His Resurrection at this point. Secondly, he is in the presence also of one of his followers about to go rogue. Judas, who will ultimately betray him (which Jesus knew ahead of time) was amongst those that Jesus chose to serve. God had made Jesus aware of what the near future held for him, but instead of running from his mission Jesus humbly accepted it and chose to spend some of his last days serving those who called him “leader”.

After sharing a meal with the disciples Jesus trades his robes for a towel that he wraps around his waist and proceeds to wash the feel of each of his disciples. This was an act of selfless service. The purpose of this act is explained by Jesus in verse 15, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

For each and every one of us we are leading and impacting someone else. We can all be called a leader in some fashion. We lead our families, friends, colleagues, congregations, and neighborhoods. If we are called to be leaders in some way then we are also called to humility. That last statement may be disagreed upon in a secular society. After all, doesn’t this dog-eat-dog world tell us that in order to lead you have to get ahead even if it means stepping on some toes or crushing the competition? But Jesus very clearly sounds his reverberating message throughout scripture that this is not a true picture of what leadership looks like.

In Matthew 20:16, Jesus tells his disciples, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” This concept defies the very ideal of leadership in our society. We live in a world where it seems like everyone has set their eyes on becoming the best, but Jesus reminds us over and over again that true leadership looks more like trading in our robes for a towel and washing the feet of those we lead.

Today, the act of actually washing another’s feet isn’t quite the same as the act Jesus performed. In the context in which Jesus carried out this act of service men wore sandals and as they walked the dust and dirt of the Earth would accumulate on their exposed feet. When they would walk into a building they would stop and remove their sandals and wash off the filth before ever stepping foot inside. When Jesus took to his towel and bowl of water he was cleaning the nastiest part of these followers.

I can’t think of an experience more humbling than cleansing the filthiest part of another. I get queasy changing some of my daughter’s diapers, but isn’t that what Christ did for us when he died in our place? He died for the worst of the things we were yet to do. And in his act of cleansing the feet of the disciples Jesus included Judas, whom he knew was about to betray him and hand him over to be killed. What a picture of humility.

We may or may not be called to serve our followers through this same act Jesus performed, but the principle here is the lesson. We are called to leadership through humble service toward those we lead. What act of humility is God calling you to perform for someone that you lead today?

A Book Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, and outside influences.

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Author: Mark Haddon

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Copyright Date: 2003

Every summer when I visit my in-laws in England I spend some time going through my mother-in-law’s shelf of books she has read. And just about every year I borrow (or am given) a book or two from the shelf. I really enjoy seeing which titles are popular in England and reading those while there. This year I read three novels while I was on the annual trip. And on the shelf this time I had the privilege of taking The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I had only vaguely heard of the novel in America so I asked some questions. I found out through my inquiry that this British novel had become a theater show in London. It had topped the charts in the past year or so in England. This intrigued me and caused me to decide to give it a chance.

The main character, Christopher Boone is a fifteen year-old boy who has Asperger’s Syndrome. He lives in Swindon, England with his father. A few years back his mother passed away from a heart attack. Christopher enjoys his world of math and patterns and has a hard time dealing with things that are yellow, brown, and dishonest. He has a great affection for animals, which is what causes him to write this novel. The book is written from the perspective of Christopher and it is a recounting of his attempt to solve the murder of a dog he found stabbed with a pitch fork on his street.

Through Christopher’s investigation he unravels not only the truth about the dog, but also some disturbing truths about his family. He is widely misunderstood by society, but he bravely steps out of his seclusion to solve some of the biggest mysteries of his young life.

This book was original as it was written from the perspective of someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. It gave a peek into the mind of a unique individual that like others who have been diagnosed similarly is distanced by those around him. He puts the limits to his mind and emotions to the test as he embarks on the detective story that changed his life.

I really liked the plot of this story as it showed how decisions in life can affect those around us. At times the story lost focus and would include a couple of chapters in a row about solving intricate math problems that were basically a foreign language to me, but it was a reflection of the way in which a mind affected by Asperger’s Syndrome may function. It was interesting to see life through the eyes of someone whose mind worked in such a different way. It helped me to appreciate the brilliance that others can sometimes see as a lack of intelligence. All in all it was a great read.

Five Minute Friday: Here

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is here. 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:

Here is where I come to relax. When I need a moment to myself I sit down and pull out my laptop and begin reading and writing away. I can get so distracted in life and so worn out, but when I sit down and take a minute to write what’s on my heart everything seems to calm down.

Here is where I am bold. I take bold steps forward on this blog. I step out and try new things. I’m vulnerable and honest. Not that I’m not these things in real life, but for me, it’s easier to be bold with a community that is FOR you like all of my dear readers.

Here is where I dream. On this page you will find many of my dreams. Some of them have been set into motion while others have not yet come to pass. It’s a place where I can share my passions and work on them at the same time. This page is ever-changing as I get closer and closer to the dreams that God has placed in my heart. I’m evolving in more areas of my life beyond just simply writing. God is shaping me through this writing and helping me to achieve goals not only set by me, but also by Him.

Here is home.

Thank you to all of you who have been HERE and who support me. Life is busy and I know your lives, like mine, are pulled in all sorts of directions, but thank you for making time to visit here.

One Pot Quinoa Salad

I’ve really been putting in an effort to eat healthier lately. Over the summer I lived a fairly active lifestyle, but my meal options were sometimes quite a pitfall. There were many days that I traded my healthy home cooked meals for a plate of nachos or pizza because they were convenient while we were out and about. Don’t get me started on the amount of fried or greasy foods I consumed while in England. So I am heading back to the healthy basics. I have reread one of my first (and most read) posts from all the way back in February. The post is entitled, No More Fast Food and it discusses why I am taking a stand against fast food and what alternatives I am choosing for my health and my family.

In an effort to get myself off on the right start I am hoping to go on a Clean Eating diet for a couple weeks. I’ve downloaded a list of ingredients that are okay to consume while on this diet and I realize it is really not that difficult. The main foods left off this list are those that are processed, packaged, or contain harmful chemicals for the body. This weekend I plan to go more in depth about this diet so that you can see some of the specifics a little better, but for now I am going to give you a Clean Eating recipe for one-pot Quinoa Salad. This dish is best served warm, however, if you should choose to you may refrigerate it after cooking and eat it chilled. It makes a brilliant lunch item for back-to-school or office lunch packers. So here is a look at this delicious and healthy recipe.

(Also, recipe credit goes to my amazingly creative and beautiful sister, Morgan :) )

One Pot Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 Tb EVOO

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green or red bell pepper

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

1 cup vegetable broth, or reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (15oz) can of black beans

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Recipe:

Heat EVOO in a large skillet. Add garlic and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for approximately one minute
Stir in quinoa, broth, beans, tomoato, corn, and seasonings. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and smmer until quinoa is cooked through, about twenty minutes.
Serve immediately

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yields: 4-8 servings depending on serving size

This meal is so delicious and very filling. I made a pot and put the leftovers in the refrigerator to pack for lunches this week. My sister is going on a vegan/organic foods kick and so I stole this recipe from her. She’s pretty awesome. Let me know if you have any recipe suggestions for someone who is trying to cut out processed and unhealthy food from my diet.

Meet the Teacher Fashion

It may be a week away, but it is never too early to plan my outfit for Meet the Teacher/Orientation night at my school. I’ve been playing around with color schemes and I think I will try pulling off the colors and pieces pictured above. Lately, I’ve been drawn to neutral clothing paired with colorful accessories and cosmetics. I recently purchased a little black dress at Francesca’s during a clearance sale. My new LBD is very similar to the one pictured above and since Polyvore doesn’t have my exact dress and shoes I thought I could still give you a visual of my planned outfit using similar pieces.

I also recently chopped off most of my hair in the back. I was looking for something new and to be honest my hair was at an awkward length. It was too short to pin into a ponytail and too long that it was often getting stuck in collars or the tops of my shirts. So I finally went out on a limb and I had my amazing hairdresser take off most of the length in the back. I really love it and it will be a great Back-to-School style for me.

I love the act of pairing up my clothing and accessories to create a complete look. Better yet, I enjoy when I can coordinate my style to match nail color and makeup. A little black dress really is a staple in every female closet. A dress like this can be worn in so many different ways based on the accessories. And as always, REMEMBER: a smile is the best accessory one can wear!

What piece is a staple in your wardrobe?

Meet the Teacher by theameribritmom featuring a summer nail color

Chicwish black batwing dress
chicwish.com

JY Shoes heels stiletto
yesstyle.com

Peach jewelry
$23 – silkfred.com

Triple necklace
renttherunway.com

Essie summer nail color
dermstore.com

Nine in 9th

As my summer vacation comes to a close I am looking forward to new beginnings. Over the summer I read the book, The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. This book was written by a teacher of intermediate Language Arts. She is so passionate about reading in her classroom it is difficult not to question every single one of your own practices in the classroom while reading about hers. Some of the main points that Miller makes in this book include:

-creating an environment in the classroom that is conducive to reading

-establishing routines so students are set up for reading success

-allowing students to choose the books that they read

-setting challenging yet attainable reading goals for students

In her book, Miller describes the way in which she took her usual Language Arts classroom and challenged her students to finish forty books each by the end of the school year. She sets minimal guidelines on the books that they read. According to her experience, it is best when students have a say in the novels that they read. She does provide some guidance about the number of books per genre that students should read, but beyond that it is all up to them.

When I first read this book I had this empowered feeling like I needed to completely revamp my course and copy the teaching style of Donalyn Miller. If she could get fifth graders to read forty books in a year then my ninth graders should be doing close to one hundred, right? Not quite.

So as I approached this book and tried to apply it to my own classroom I definitely had to consider ways in which teaching ninth grade varied from teaching fifth. In years past I have been fairly successful with my independent reading implementation. Each year I’ve had students read four books on their own outside of the classroom novels and texts. At the end of each quarter they had to perform some sort of presentation or project to the class which varied from quarter to quarter. Although I experienced success with this practice I did feel convicted to require more reading. One thing I was doing by requiring one novel a quarter was stifling these ninth graders. On average a ninth grader should not take more than three weeks to read a novel written on their reading level and I was giving them nine weeks.

So with this information considered I’ve designed a slightly adapted version of the Forty Book Challenge for my class this year. It is called Nine in 9th. Students in my class this year will be required to read two books per quarter and one over Christmas break. Additionally, students are expected to bring a book to class everyday. If they go above and beyond the book number expectation there will be incentive. I plan to address independent reading books more frequently in my class this year than in previous years. I want to give opportunities to students to talk to one another and myself about what they are reading.

For each book they finish for the Nine in 9th there will still be some form of assessment or presentation, but I want to keep the focus on doing reading and less on assessing reading. At this age level my goal is to hone in on skills they have been building for years and also to develop a love and routine for reading daily in the life of these young adults. Each quarter one book assessment will be a writing prompt and the second will be a creative presentation.

Many of you are well aware of my passion for reading. This fire has lit a fire into my teaching about passing that passion on to my students. As the year begins I look forward to sharing with my students about the books I’ve read recently and I hope to spread some enthusiasm for reading to those who may lack that passion. I anticipate a great year and I also am excited to start getting book recommendations from students once more.

A final thing that I am working on for the reading portion of my curriculum is a class hashtag for Instagram. If you want to join in or follow along we will be posting pictures of the books we are reading using the hashtag: #sisleynine. Using this hashtag we will be creating book reviews in fifty words or less. This will be a great tool for sharing books and recommendations with one another. Here is the book I am currently reading and the first ever post on my new class hashtag:

*My final read of Summer 2015 #sisleynine

Repost: 5 Ways to Destress

As the school year approaches I can sense the unconscious stress levels rising. The mental to-do lists are beginning and as much as I love my job the level of dread about returning to a dictated schedule is wearing me down. This week as I browsed through posts from blogs I follow I came across a great post entitled 5 Ways to Destress by Liz over at Witty’n’Pretty.

Please click over to this blog and check out these five ways to destress. You know that I’m all over tip #1 brewing something hot. As I sit down to relax it almost always involves a mug of warm coffee. That’s a perfect way for me to calm down and also motivates me to do what needs to be done.

How do you like to destress?

A Book Review: Go Set a Watchman (May Contain a Spoiler!)

Title: Go Set a Watchman

Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Copyright Date: 2015

Last fall when the information about the release of Go Set a Watchman came out in the media I marked the release date in my calendar and counted down the days before I could purchase this novel and read it for myself. My first two years of teaching I had the privilege of teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, the only other novel written by Harper Lee. It is still one of my favorite novels. I fell in love with Atticus Finch who defended an African American in the deep south during a time of such racial turmoil. This action pointed to the morality of this man. A man who stood up against the beliefs of his society and time to do what he perceived to be right. A man who worked as a lawyer while bringing up two children on his own. There was so much to admire about Atticus. He was such a pivotal character in literature thanks to To Kill a Mockingbird.

It is with this mentality that I looked forward to reuniting with the characters of Maycomb County, Alabama, in the newly released novel, Go Set a Watchman. This newly discovered novel by Harper Lee contains the same setting and familiar characters that helped paint the south of the Reconstruction period so clearly for readers of her first novel. The difference is that some characters are painted in a slightly different light in this novel.

Jean Louise Finch, aka Scout, is now twenty-six and resides in New York City. Every summer she returns to Maycomb County for two weeks and every year is surprised by the change taking place in her hometown. She wishes that her corner of the world would stay the same year after year, but time is changing the town she knows and the people she adores.

Alabama is being thrown into turmoil by the likes of racism. In her childhood Scout is faced with racism, but her father becomes her hero as he defends a black man and stands up for his conscience. Now that she’s older she’s beginning to see clearly the motives and morals of the people around her. Her revolutionary ideas are the norm in New York City where she is surrounded by diversity that is welcomed with open arms, but in Maycomb County Scout’s failure to see the difference between black and white seems to always get her into trouble.

The summer when Atticus is seventy-two Scout is faced with many decisions. Does she stay home this time to take care of her rheumatic father? Should she marry Hank, the boy who has courted her since school days and who looks forward to her two week visits every year? And most importantly, What is right?

This story is one of listening to your own conscience and finding truth for yourself.

I will say that I was a bit disappointed in some of the content, however, I refuse to let this novel change the way I feel about some of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird. If you’re not careful, it can cause you to begin to despise characters you loved originally. I don’t want to spoil too much because the nature of my posts on books is not to retell a book for you. I simply like to highlight pieces and parts to help you select books that will appeal to your style.

If you are interested in some of the specifics of this book here is an article from The Atlantic about the major conflicts with this novel.

I will say that I did enjoy re-encountering some of the characters I have not heard from in years. I used to spend a couple of class periods discussing the characters of Calpurnia, Atticus, Jem, Scout, and others of Maycomb County. It was like a class reunion during the first couple of chapters as I was reunited with the characters I once studied and loved. The writing style was also similar to that of To Kill a Mockingbird. For the most part the story was a quick and easy read as I was familiar with the way that Lee highlights the setting and spends a lot of energy creating rounded characters.

In my opinion, even if you have heard bad publicity, it is worth reading Go Set a Watchman. If you haven’t first read To Kill a Mockingbird I would suggest doing so beforehand because there is so much you understand better from having the background of that first novel. When it comes to reading this novel my advice to you goes right along with the theme of this book:

You should define what is good and right for yourself.

Five Minute Friday: Try

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is try. 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:

As I sit here on a beautiful Friday afternoon in July I am trying not to focus on the fact that my days of summer are dwindling away. I’m also trying not to think about all of the unchecked items on my to-do list. Many things I had planned to do this summer are going unfulfilled. Time just slipped away and here were are on the final day of July looking at a calendar that points toward the beginning of a new school year. Time has flown. Where has it gone?

I’ve tried my best to spend this summer relaxing and moving forward with some of my goals. At times, I’ve done a superb job. I’ve read nearly a book a week all summer. I’ve kept up with my writing and blogging, which may not seem relaxing, but for me it is. I’ve done some things I’ve wanted to do for a while like beginning my first ever garden and changing up my diet. At other times I’ve done a less than superb job. I’ve tried to exercise regularly, but it didn’t always happen. I’ve also given in a few too many times to frappucinos and ice cream. (But seriously, I live near too many Starbucks and Jenis shops and what is summer without these two?)

Sometimes trying is the best I can do. I can try to sit here and pretend that my summer isn’t fading away. I can try to live a healthy and fit lifestyle. I can try to make time for the things in life that really matter, but in the end trying doesn’t always lead to success. This is a concept I am working through. In order to be successful in some areas one must try and fail. I don’t handle failure in the best way. I’m working on it. But luckily God is there through it all. He sees my success and failures and loves me the same. He knows that I’m trying in many ways to seek Him and listen to Him, but I fail at that sometimes too.

Today I am thankful for a God who sees my heart. He knows that I’m going to mess up, but all he cares about is my heart and whether or not I am trying to do the right thing.

What are you trying to do lately?

My Famous Crockpot Gumbo

Since becoming a mother my Crockpot has become my trusted best friend. It allows me to create healthy meals for my family even when my schedule doesn’t allow for much meal time prep. During the school year my Crockpot is a staple to my menu planning and I utilize it a minimum of once a week. Over the past couple of years I have produced my famous Crockpot Gumbo for several friends and/or gatherings. I’ve had quite a few people ask for my recipe so I thought I would publish this recipe here on my blog for any of you that might want to try this one out. What I like most about this meal is its simplicity. The prep time is about ten minutes. This particular recipe calls for more vegetables than most gumbo recipes, but you would never know it in a blind taste test. The flavors blend so well I can never get enough of this one.

Ingredients:

2 Tb butter

2 Tb flour

1 green pepper

4 cloves garlic, diced or minced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 quart Chicken broth

2 Tb Cajun seasoning

1 smoked or Polish sausage (we prefer Polish in our house)

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups diced okra (optional)

Recipe:

1. In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until the flour is golden brown. Add the pepper, garlic, onion, and carrots. Saute for one minute.

2. Add the mixture to a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the broth, seasoning, sausage, and tomatoes. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

*3. Add the okra the last hour of cooking if you should choose to add it. (I rarely do)

4. Serve over a bed of brown rice.

This recipe is quite mild, but if you want to turn up the heat on your gumbo you can substitute the green pepper for a hotter pepper of your choice. Also, you can add to the amount of Cajun seasoning used as well. It is totally your preference. My two-and-a-half year old loves this dish which is why I keep it pretty mild. She will sit and eat every bite off her plate, and she doesn’t even like carrots. The taste masks that well!

Enjoy!