It’s FRIDAY!  Another week about done and another weekend up ahead.  I love my job - love the teachers and the kids that I get to work with, but I also love Fridays and enjoy WEEKENDS!  :)

Yesterday was a great day.  With the exception of one boy, who was absent, I was able to have positive interaction with all of the kids that I had “reproved with sharpness” on Wednesday, and that felt good.  I felt like I showed them (and helped them feel) that I love them and don’t hold anything against them.  I saw one of the girls talking and hanging out with the girl who just the very day before had been the target of her mean and horrible behavior.  I made sure I pulled her aside after recess and told her that it made me so happy to see that she was now being kind to Rozlyn, and that I was proud of her for making such a positive change.

I also got some positive feedback about how I do my job.  I was just walking down the hall at the end of my shift, and Mrs Smith, one of the 1st grade teachers, was there.  just out of the blue, she said to me, "I hope you know how much those  teachers love you.  They talk all the time about how they don't know what they would do without you."  I know that it is important that we love and value ourselves - that we have the ability to "self-validate."  But I tell you what - it feels really nice to have others validate you as well.  I think is one reason why my working has helped keep my depression at bay.  I am a good worker.  I am a good teacher.  I am good with kids.  I believe all of those things to be true.  but when I put those talents to work in the school - I get to SEE the fruits of my labors and I can not only see for myself that I am making a positive difference, I have other people telling me- almost daily - that I am a vital and important part of the team.  That feels good.  I know this might sound prideful and vain, and that is not my intent.  I don't know exactly what my intent is...  maybe just to document the moment for myself, and also to remind myself of two things - to KEEP being a good, hard worker and to earn the praise and respect of others, and also the importance of validating others - because I know for myself that it feels great to have people notice your hard work and efforts.  I think I need to try harder to validate my children more often.

In our family gospel study yesterday we were discussing fear.  This is what I wrote in my “Come Follow Me study journal:”   
(Thurs) we had a good family discussion this morning about fear. (Well, I thought it was good at least…) What is it that causes us fear - and how/what can help us overcome that fear.  For the most part, we decided that fear is most often caused by the unknown.  - (new situations, new people, new experiences) or our thoughts of not being good enough or able to do the said task.  We talked about how turning to Heavenly Father and Jesus are the ways to overcome fear.  If we truly know and believe that with God nothing is Impossible - then there is nothing to fear,.  We also talked about how “failure” isn’t really a bad thing.  It is the way we learn and grow.

I think in our society, we have this idea that “to FAIL” means that we are now of less value.  That we have lost some of our worth somehow.  We need to start seeing failure as a sign that we are working to improve.  That we are trying and learning new things.

It’s true that with God, nothing is impossible, but as I sit here, I think it is important to remember that while it may not be “impossible,” some things may not be part of the plan that God has for us.  The scripture is that WITH GOD - nothing is impossible - that means we need to be on the same page as him - trusting that He knows the end from the beginning.  If we believe that nothing is impossible, and yet are still waiting for that “impossible thing” to happen and start to doubt, we may need to remember that it might just not be the right time yet.  TRUST.  FAITH AND TRUST.