As I sat on the bench by the water, I allowed the sounds of the wind and the calming water to soothe me and wash away the worries of the school year.

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All in all, the school year was one to be remembered. The highs reminded me of God’s love for me, while the lows reminded me of God’s grace. My favorite part about being a teacher is accepting the fact that I will forever be a student and I welcome the yearly learning adventures that come my way. Yet I readily admit that this year had more lessons than I initially anticipated.

With today being the last day for teachers, I am doing something that I have not done for several years- turning in my badge and keys for the summer. For the last four or five years I have worked in summer school or curriculum writing, spending a portion of my summer in a school building and therefore retaining my school equipment for the summer. But this year is different. This year I will not be working at all…well, at least not for the school district. The “work” that I will be doing will be learning experiences that I enthusiastically welcome. Attending a week long conference for our teachers’ union and a week in Selma with other educators will afford me the opportunity to grow as an advocate and an educator in a way that the classroom cannot. I love helping others learn, but I equally love learning. For this, I am truly grateful.

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Yesterday by the lake was the perfect bridge between the demands of the year, and the relaxation of the summer. I needed that reset and I’m grateful that God told me to park at the lake. I’m always on the go… but yesterday I stopped.

I stopped walking.
I stopped scrolling social media.
I stopped talking.
I just stopped.

Beloved, there is a blessing in the STOP. There is a blessing in just pausing all activities and thoughts so that God’s grace and beauty can shine through. There is a blessing in releasing the busyness of your schedule and making room for unplanned spontaneity. There is a blessing in the STOP… and often that blessing is being able to see (or in my case with the wind and water, hear) God in your midst. I love it and I want it for you.

Be blessed.