Better Late than Never
Better late than never...
This morning as I was coming in to school for the second time (the first time was at 7:30am to prep my classroom for my students before going to observe my mentee across town) as I walked in just a few minutes after the tardy bell I saw a student hurrying in to class and with an guilty smile on his face and a fresh Starbucks in hand said "Good Morning Mrs. Bartmier, I am little late." I had a couple of options for my response:
Option 1) "Really? I hadn't noticed! Hope that Starbucks is good because another tardy on your attendance is a downward spiral that leads straight to detention."
Option 2) "Well better late than never, lets get to work."
Not sure which response is politically correct according to the Danielson frameworks but I went with option 2.
When I started this blog I had every intention of posting at least monthly and yet here is it a year after my last post and a fresh no bake cookie in hand... Better late than never, now lets get to work!
Recently I have been teaching my students to appreciate art through a collection of works from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. We have looked at works from the 1700's to as recent as the 1950's. From Warhol, to Normal Rockwell, to Mary Cassatt. It really is a wonderful collection. I think what I am finding most interesting is this constant pull from super-realism to abstract to impressionism. It seams that artist from all time periods had the same struggle all of us do... The struggle to reveal their true selves versus the desire to portray themselves as they want to be seen.
I started thinking about all that we have been learning; how even though some of these pieces were painted or sculpted so long ago yet this identity struggle is still just as strong today... Do I show people who I really am and risk them judging me, not liking me, just flat out ignore me? Or do I go ahead and do my best to portray a better me, one that fits the mold our culture and society have for us, so that no one judges, I don't make anyone uncomfortable, and I can fit in.
What does scripture tell us?
Something else we are learning is that every art work has a story, some more exciting than others, but no matter what every art work as an intentional design. I love it when a piece comes up and students initial reaction is "ugh this is just weird!" But by the time we are done with the discussion and discovery of the purpose behind the piece suddenly even the strangest work becomes something to connect with or learn a lesson from. Isn't that just it? Everyone has a story, God is using your story to connect with someone and you have no idea how that connection is going to be made but be sure it will happen. Some of us its more about the lessons we can teach, our lives are a noval of lessons to be learned...
So reader I leave you with this... don't conformed be transformed! Love all the good God has blessed you with! Finally let God use your story however he needs to in order to draw others to him! Just stand back and be in awe of the masterpiece he is painting with your life! Trust his master hand, no painting is ever finished after the first sketch... let him finish.
This morning as I was coming in to school for the second time (the first time was at 7:30am to prep my classroom for my students before going to observe my mentee across town) as I walked in just a few minutes after the tardy bell I saw a student hurrying in to class and with an guilty smile on his face and a fresh Starbucks in hand said "Good Morning Mrs. Bartmier, I am little late." I had a couple of options for my response:
Option 1) "Really? I hadn't noticed! Hope that Starbucks is good because another tardy on your attendance is a downward spiral that leads straight to detention."
Option 2) "Well better late than never, lets get to work."
Not sure which response is politically correct according to the Danielson frameworks but I went with option 2.
When I started this blog I had every intention of posting at least monthly and yet here is it a year after my last post and a fresh no bake cookie in hand... Better late than never, now lets get to work!
Recently I have been teaching my students to appreciate art through a collection of works from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. We have looked at works from the 1700's to as recent as the 1950's. From Warhol, to Normal Rockwell, to Mary Cassatt. It really is a wonderful collection. I think what I am finding most interesting is this constant pull from super-realism to abstract to impressionism. It seams that artist from all time periods had the same struggle all of us do... The struggle to reveal their true selves versus the desire to portray themselves as they want to be seen.
I started thinking about all that we have been learning; how even though some of these pieces were painted or sculpted so long ago yet this identity struggle is still just as strong today... Do I show people who I really am and risk them judging me, not liking me, just flat out ignore me? Or do I go ahead and do my best to portray a better me, one that fits the mold our culture and society have for us, so that no one judges, I don't make anyone uncomfortable, and I can fit in.
What does scripture tell us?
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.1 John 2:15But man is that hard! I don't want to conform yet I find myself conform every morning when I look in the mirror one last time before I head out the door I don't want to love the things of this world but I do, I love driving a nice car, having a nice house, having clothes that are as my students like to say on point. But how to go about this transformation? What does renew your mind even mean?
That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:22-23Through reading God's Word; His holy love letter to us! How do we know our loved ones love us? By hearing it, reading it, seeing it! We must read God's word daily, we must listen to his voice when he draws our hearts close to him, and we must we must we must recognize the blessings he quite literally pours on our lives every single day. From the smallest (the fact you can see the pretty spring colors) to the greatest (your very soul salvation) and EVERYTHING in between! It is in these small moments of recognizing God's very active role in our lives that we will begin to renew our minds, begin to transform, to learn to love what is truly lovely.
Something else we are learning is that every art work has a story, some more exciting than others, but no matter what every art work as an intentional design. I love it when a piece comes up and students initial reaction is "ugh this is just weird!" But by the time we are done with the discussion and discovery of the purpose behind the piece suddenly even the strangest work becomes something to connect with or learn a lesson from. Isn't that just it? Everyone has a story, God is using your story to connect with someone and you have no idea how that connection is going to be made but be sure it will happen. Some of us its more about the lessons we can teach, our lives are a noval of lessons to be learned...
So reader I leave you with this... don't conformed be transformed! Love all the good God has blessed you with! Finally let God use your story however he needs to in order to draw others to him! Just stand back and be in awe of the masterpiece he is painting with your life! Trust his master hand, no painting is ever finished after the first sketch... let him finish.
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