The Unexpected

How do you react when the unexpected occurs? Do you tend to worry, fret, and/or stress? Or, do you tend to take things as they come knowing full well that God has everything under control?

Case in point-I've had some "unexpected" things come up this week. Let me explain. For the past couple of weeks I have been experiencing some tooth pain. Well, when I went to the dentist, they noticed a cyst around a few of my teeth. To make a long story short, I am scheduled for a root canal next week along with with oral surgery in order to remove the cyst and the "extra" tooth I've had (that is not visible) since I was a little girl. Apparently, this extra tooth is harboring the cyst and may have very well of caused the cyst.

To be honest, I worried a bit and still am catching myself worrying. First off, I have no tolerance for pain and secondly, I'm just a big wimp. I tend to be one of those people who worry and become fearful about the worst case scenario. Lastly, even though I have insurance, it's not the best insurance, so it looks like my husband and I will be paying quite a bit out of pocket. There goes our plans for using the extra money we were expecting to pay down our car. Talk about dealing with the unexpected.

It's quite evident that the Lord is teaching me to rely on Him even when I have no clue how things are going to turn out. He's teaching me to trust Him when I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am incapable of not worrying, being fearful, and basically, having no tolerance for pain. He's teaching me to allow Him to have complete trust and to basically, trust Him for my well being. Again, how do you react when the unexpected takes place in your life?

On another note, one of my students had the unexpected take place for her just recently. If you remember, about a week ago, I had one of my students blog as the guest blogger on this blog (talk about using the word blog a million times). Well, little did we know that a few days later, I would get an email from the admissions office at Berry College (the college she will be attending in the fall) asking me who the student was that blogged on my blog. Little did we know, that once they received the name of my student, they in turn would offer her the opportunity to work in the admissions office as a freshman in the fall. Totally unexpected! Needless to say, both Christine and I were thrilled! What an absolute wonderful opportunity Christine will have to gain experience and work within the admissions office at Berry College throughout her college years.

As all of this took place, it just once again reminded me how vital it is to trust God in everything-the good and the bad. You just never know when God is going to show up with some great unexpected news, as in Christine's case. Or, as in my case, the not so great unexpected news that has shown up, but yet, God's peace that passes all understanding is teaching me to rely solely on Him. It's causing me to grow as a person and to grow in my understanding of Him.

What unexpected things are occurring in your life today? What is it that God is trying to teach you? Rest assured, God knows what's He's doing-remember, He's in control!

Until next time,

Jen

PS-Do you think if I leave my "extra" tooth under my pillow after the surgery, the tooth fairy might send me some money to pay for it? :)

Guest Blogger

Today, we have a special guest blogger-one of my students from the school I work with. Be encouraged as she shares her thoughts with you!

"College can be such an overwhelming and scary experience. I am a senior at the school that Mrs. Bennett teaches at and will be graduating in four days. After this summer I will be going to Berry College in Rome, GA to study psychology. At the moment I am on my senior trip and it is incredible to me that the four years behind me went as quickly as they did. My college search was not the one that I would call ideal, in fact it was only by the grace of God that it worked out as well as it did. Allow me to share with you some tips that I wish I would have known before.

1) Start early: It is never too early to start looking and considering colleges, I didn't start looking at colleges until the end of my junior year and it is something that I really regretted. And while looking at a college, really try to see yourself there with the students, for FOUR YEARS! One of my college options was The College of Charleston. It is an amazing school with an amazing environment, however, I am not a city mouse, although I can appreciate the energy and the people for a week, I knew that I would not have been the most productive there regardless of how great the school is.

2) Keep yourself informed: So many kids I know are not educated about the college application process or colleges in general. This is a big decision, one that the student should be completely and totally involved in. This is one first step toward the bigger step of being independent at college. Don't be afraid to ask questions, I know that most people have a lot of them and there is certainly nothing wrong with asking someone who knows or who has been through it.

3) Recognize your strengths and your weaknesses: This is another thing that I wish I had done earlier. High school can be tough and college acceptance is getting nothing but tougher so it is important that you recognize the parts of you that are the most marketable to schools and enhance them, as well as perhaps put extra time and work in to the areas that you need work.

4) Be proud: And when it's all said and done be proud of the person God made you to be. You have something to offer and it is incredible so stop comparing yourself to "everyone else" as long as you try your best it's enough. I have always been a good student and involved with absolutely everything that my school has to offer, so I figured that when I took the SAT I wouldn't have any problems and that I would score in the top 90% (at least). Well, when I got my scores back I had to come to the realization that I was not a good test taker and my scores were certainly not in the 90% but it was OK because I tried my best and God was going to honor that effort.

5) Use your time: I have a bad habit of wishing my time away. I will say things like "oh I wish the weekend was here" or "I can't wait to be in college" but now looking back at my time in high school I realize that my time could have been much better spent if I was just able to be content within the moment and concentrate all my energy on the present. While it is important to be well prepared and well planned for the future, right now is the only thing you have been given for the moment, so use it up for all that it is worth.

6) Shoulds and if: These are terrible words; don't beat yourself with the dreaded well "if I only did this" or "I should be this way if I want to go here". Be who you are and try the best you can and stop telling yourself what you should be!!!

7) Fear: This one is the one that always gets me so while I write this it will also be something of a reminder for myself. God has got you!!! He knew your name before you were born, He knows how many hairs are on your head, He knows your future, and it’s perfect for you!!! Learn to trust God with your decisions and your future, it is not bleak. Although it may sometimes feel that way, God knows and your future is full of growth and joy. Learn to not let fear control and manipulate you.

8) Parents on fear: This is just a little side note for the parents on the topic of fear and college. Parents, when your child is a senior and trying to make a decision of where to go or already made that decision, it is the scariest time of their life. They have to grow up now, they don't want to leave you because they don't know if they can do it yet by themselves; it’s scary. Although you know that they will be fine and that they will thrive, they haven't convinced themselves of that yet. Your children love you and are so grateful to you for everything that you have done which is probably one of the reasons this is such a hard time for them. So please, just try to understand their fear and anxiety. They need you and your understanding. Your children love you for everything that you do.

9) HELP: Although you have heard it a million times, if you need it ask for it. There are many people that are willing to help you and want to see you succeed. If you need something, ask. What’s the worst thing that could happen, they say no? Oh well, just keep chugging and ask for what you want and need.


I hope that this was somewhat helpful or enlightening. As I go through college maybe I will have some more tips for you : ) Good luck in your college search and high school career and when it feels overwhelming just remember to pray your way through it!!!!"

The Adventure Continues

The end of the school year always catches up with me! I just can't seem to grasp that the school year is practically done.

At this time, I am in Gatlinburg, Tennessee with the seniors from my school. We have had a wonderful time here, but let me tell you, the trip here was eventful to say the least. Let me just rattle off some of the things that have taken place:

* Bus broke down on our way to Tennessee on Wed. We were stuck at a Steak-n-Shake truck stop for like 5 hours.

* When we finally were on the road again, the bus was pulled over by a cop because the tail lights were not on.

* About 2 hours from the hotel in Georgia that we were supposed to stay at, traffic came to a complete stop due to an accident.

* We ended up having to make new reservations at a hotel that let's just say, would not be my first choice.

* Thursday, we finally make it to Tennessee. As we climbed the mountain in this charter bus, the bus gets stuck and ends up having to be towed down the mountain. Kids and chaperones had to "climb" the mountain with luggage and groceries in hand. Thankfully, cops arrived and the Chief of police helped us lug our luggage up the mountain in the his car.

* Because the bus could not make it up the mountain and because it ended up costing the bus company $1200 to tow the bus back down, needless to say, we had to figure out how we could get kids up and down the mountain each day since we would have no transportation. My husband and I ended up renting a car because that was our only option.

* The cabin we are staying at is BEAUTIFUL! But, to go along with our eventful trip, the oven does not work properly and last night when the boys were getting ready to grill out for everyone, we noticed that the grill did not work.

So as you can see, we have had an eventful trip. Have you ever experienced anything like this? All I can say is, sometimes life throws things at you that you were not expecting. When things like this take place, always remember that God has everything under control and eventually, you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes when God calls us to something, the "trip" there is not always the easiest. But we can rest assured that if God has called us, He promises to provide for our every need. Despite everything we've been through with this trip, God has provided for our every need. He is faithful!

Until next time!

Questions To Ask Your Child's Guidance Counselor

The more I talk to parents, the more I realize how much help and guidance they truly desire when it comes to their child's education. Parents today want to know the following:

* what courses should my child take in order to get into college?
* what kinds of outside activities should my child be involved in?
* what electives should my child take in order to "look good" to a college?
* what are the requirements regarding GPA, SAT, ACT, etc., in order to get into a good college?

Parents, let me encourage you to meet and develop a professional relationship with your child's guidance counselor. When meeting with him/her, here are some pivotal questions you will want to ask. Remember, the sooner you can meet with your child's guidance counselor, the better off your child will be; the better choices you as a family can make for your child's future.

1) What academic courses would you recommend for a child who wants to attend college?
2) What are the graduation requirements regarding academic core classes?
3) What elective courses does the school offer and what would be best for a child who wants to attend college?
4) Does the school offering tutoring for students who need help in certain core subject areas?
5) What activities can a child take part in during the summer in order to prepare for college (courses at the local community college, community service, etc.).
6) When is the ACT and SAT offered? Does the school offer the PSAT?
7) How often can my child take the ACT/SAT?
8) What do the majority of colleges require in regards to ACT/SAT scores and GPA?
9) Does the school offer any kind of college/family nights (where colleges come and present information to the students/parents about the school)?
10) Does the school provide any kind of personality inventories for students who desire to learn more about themselves?
11) What kind of information does the school provide in regards to paying for college (financial aid, scholarships, etc.)?
12) What college resources does the school offer or what would the guidance counselor recommend (Occupational Outlook Handbook, college guides, etc.)?

If you make it a priority to meet with your child's guidance counselor where you can ask the questions listed above, you and your child will be well on their way to a smooth transition between high school and college.

Until next time,
Jen

Student Apathy

Apathy-lack of interest or concern

Today, I just couldn't help but to think about student apathy. Let me explain. In my years of teaching, I have always questioned what it is that makes certain students want to excel, while others are OK with just getting by. This thinking process has come about because of two things:

1) My students had the wonderful opportunity to recite from memory, lines from the Shakespearean play that they studied in class. Students chose which specific lines they wanted to recite. Well, I had those students who were all about it and in turn, did wonderful. And then, I had those students who were not as thrilled and because of that, kinda failed to fully memorize all of their lines. As a teacher, of course, this just saddens me beyond what the students will ever truly comprehend unless of course, they too become teachers.

2) Secondly, I am in the process of reading this WONDERFUL book called, "Do Hard Things". The basis of this book is that students today need to "rebel" against low expectations. This book is written by two teenagers who finally got fed up with low expectations and in turn, have started a "rebelution" to get other students to rebel against low expectations. This is actually a book I am looking at having not only my students at school read, but also, those students I work with as we journey through the college/career process.

The authors of the book make some very valid points within the chapter that focuses on students and mediocrity. Let me share some of them with you:

1) Students today are known for what they don't do rather than what they do do. "Being considered a good teen only requires that we don't do bad stuff like taking drugs, drinking, and partying. But is it enough to be known for the negative things we don't do, or should we also be known for the positive and difficult things that we do?"

Isn't this the truth? Students today are known as "good students" when they don't do the stuff that they shouldn't do. But what if students started being known for what they do rather than what they don't do? What kind of impact would this make?
"To live by God's standards for young people and to enjoy the blessing He promises, we must go beyond simply avoiding bad stuff. We are not just supposed to avoid sinning; we are supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate."

2) Pursue Excellence, not Excuses
The authors go on to share their thoughts about the amount of emails they receive from students complaining about "getting corny awards at school when all that they have done is turn in their homework and pay attention in class while everyone else goofed off." One girl in particular stated, "It's sad how little I had to do to earn this award."

This really struck a cord with me, because I see this happening all the time. Today, students are awarded for things that they should just naturally do. As a teacher, I seldom give out awards because when someone does get an award from me, I want them to know that they truly deserved it; that they went far beyond what was expected of them. Too many students today are being awarded for things that should just be expected of them. And unfortunately, students are getting rewarded for "just getting by". There is no extra effort involved; they do just enough to get by and in turn, are rewarded for it. What kinds of disappointments are we setting our children up for in the future? As adults, we know that we are not awarded for every little thing we do. What will happen when students enter college and the work world expecting to get awarded for everything they do? It will be a huge let down and wake-up call.

This really saddens me because I feel that as adults, we have helped create this atmosphere of apathy and mediocrity. We reward kids for things they should just naturally do, or, if they don't do what they are supposed to do, we in turn do it for them. I see this all the time with students who are struggling in school. Parents who want nothing more than to see their child pass (which of course is only natural)but in turn, end up completing the work for them so that the child can avoid failure and disappointment. While it may seem like the right thing to do at the moment, the reality is that we are only setting up our child for failure in the future.

Let me close with this-spend some time really talking to your student about apathy/mediocrity. Ask them what it is that causes them to not want to excel in certain areas of their life. What is it that holds them back? You might be surprised at the answers you get. Also, I have listed some questions below that you may want to explore with your child. These questions are in the book, "Do Hard Things."

* What areas of my life do I not care about that I know should care about?
* In what areas have I fallen short of God's standards and my own potential?
* In what areas have I settled for just getting by when I know I could do better if I really tried?
* In what areas have I decided that things "will always be this way" without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?

Lastly parents, let me encourage you to answer these questions also. Our actions speak louder than words. Do you tend to exemplify apathy and mediocrity in the things you are involved with? Have you shown your children what it looks like to go the extra mile? Are there areas in your life that you need to care about more? If you feel as though you have failed within this area, it's not to late to change. Have a heart talk with God and then, have a heart talk with you child. Be open to what he/she has to say and be willing to hold each other accountable.

Let's all join the "rebelution" and make an effort to no longer live with low expectations!

Until next time,
Jen