Tia Price

I woke up today thinking about  the various New Years messages, resolutions, goals, etc.  When I listened to 104.9 FM on the way home from work they were discussing seting realistic New Years’ goals/resolutions and not getting discouraged if you don’t succeed in the first month.  At New Birth the New Years message was about Waiting (active) and Stoping (Stand still, Trust God, Obey God, and Praise God in advance).  The messages were great but it seems that everywhere I turn in the New Year people are looking at the whole year, the end of year 2010.

When think about what God wants for me I can’t think of a whole year (and I am a goal setter).  God has layed it upon my spirit to think smaller.  Shorter than a month, a day, even an hour.  he ahs asked me to live for Him “by the minute”.  Living for Him by the minute seems a whole lot easier than making plans for a tomorrow that He may not give me.  It is realistic.  When we wake up in the morning we don’t know what the day will bring.  We can plan and direct and visualize all we want to but we do not have that power.  God does.

The only thing we can control is the choices we make minute to minute.  You might even say second to second.  Do I listen to the Holy Spirit when he tells me to take a different route to work or do I allow habit to determine my route?  Do I stop and speak to the person God has pointed out to me or do allow “how I might look to others” to push me to keep walking?  Do I follow my classroom management plan exactly or do I talk to the student and discover that his family is struggling at home?  True change is all about immediate choices.  In this minute are you going to make the right choice… or the wrong one?

This minutes choice for me:  Get ready for school:-)

The Annual Metro Parks Winter Hike series has begun.  My family and I kicked off our participation this past Saturday at Blacklick Woods in Reynoldsbug, Ohio.

When I woke that morning the weather station said the temperature was 11 degrees.  It wasn’t much warmer when I layered up my girls and headed for the park.  We loved the fact that their was snow on the ground.  The girls were excited to break in the new winter boots they each received at Christmas.  The crowd was not overbearing but just nice enough.

We enjoyed greeting others as we strolled the 2 mile trail we had chosen.  Did I say stroll?  It would have been except for the fact that we had one child running ahead while the other stopped to check out each branch, fallen tree, or sign.  But no worries.  We finished the hike in just under one hour, including a stop at the nature center to seek out Cardinals and Blue Jays.  I even slid in a spelling and a math lesson along with all the nature we took in.

We ended our adventure with soup, hot chocolate and marshmellows; posed for some pictures with fellow hikers and headed home where the girls slept for two hours:-)   I love Winter weekends!

If you want to check us out come out next week.  The hike is a Sharon Woods: 6911 Cleveland Ave.  Westerville, Ohio 43081.  The hike begins at 10am.  Bundle up and join us.  We hope to see you there.

You can also check out our family picture in the Winter 09/10 edition of ParkScope page 21.

Having a parent who is a teacher in your classroom.  When it  is birthday time you get fruit snacks instead of cupcakes:)  Easy cleanup!

Whew…We survived the first day.  Many mistakes but a wonderful time.  Met new friends and learned new things.  Those routines are hard work!  We’ll get up and do it aagin tomorrow.

Wow!  It has taken a lot to get to this point.  I think I’m almost there though.  Teaching is so rewarding but the preparation can be grueling.  I’m anxious to meet my students.  They are what make it all worthwhile.