Take Em To Church...

So today its Sunday. My mom asked me if I was going to church and I was like no. I decided I had a some other ideas for my day.
She was like: Doesn’t that make 3 weeks. (Of missing church) Did you quit?
Me:

Here is the deal, I don’t keep count of that. That is something that she is convicted of. When she misses a Sunday she will say:  Ain’t been in 2 Sundays, Ain’t been in 3 Sundays. I admire her though because the times that she doesn’t physically go she actually livestreams it.

Today I had to say something, because it’s one thing for you to say to yourself I haven’t been in 3 sundays because that is your conviction its another thing to throw that at me as if I am bad because I haven’t been and then to say: “Did you quit?” 🤦‍♀️ Eh mom come on. 🤦‍♀️  And what was really a blower when I thought about it was; can you really fault me for missing it last Sunday when I was out of town. Please understand that I am not upset or angry at my mom, although she may have thought I was, I get it cause as I have stated that is her conviction. We often for lack of a better word, “judge” others from our own guilts/ convictions.
I am NOT RIGHT for NOT going. I am NOT WRONG for NOT going. I made a choice for myself.  So far I think I used my time wisely. I did some skin care (I had gotten lax since I came home from my trip). I decided to make a cup of tea (I found one last pack of my Rose Hibiscus Skin Detox Yogi tea). I took my dogs for a nice long walk, took a few selfies and listened to music. Very self caring. Something I needed. I also REFLECTED. I thought over the situation. I thought about the fact that although I don’t worry so much about time I miss from being in church, I did consider the blessings missed from NOT going to church. Not going to lie my prayer life is lax. I carry my prayer in my heart and hope that God knows my heart.  NOT EVEN GOING TO LIE a few setbacks in life has made it difficult for me to gather the best words for a prayer. We learn “ask and you shall receive”, but what we also are taught “God’s WILL be done.” I have figured out that I OBVIOUSLY have no idea what I really NEED and that what I WANT must not be for me or must be rather outrageous. So me not going to church is me missing good prayer, and the opportunity to hear others pray and to use/accept their words over me. I also miss the opportunity to be amongst a huge group of people who are all praying which is most powerful.

Essentially, I miss the blessings that I would have likely received in church than just being out here in life all Willy- nilly. BUT understand that THAT is what I received as insight to the matter. True, God spoke to me outside of church because remember YOU are the church not the structure, BUT it is still important to make it to the structure every once in a while for fellowship and joining with others in prayer, and also to hear the word. How many times have I been in church and been struck with an idea or felt motivated to do certain things? That is what I (ME) need to consider when I deciding if I am going or not going to church.
Reasons to go to church 

Blessings.... Give onto others.... You never know how you are Blessing someone....

I try to do my best with tithing. I feel like I was better at it in the past even with making less money. I had less bills though. So, I didn't budget well... and well here comes Sunday. I whip out the check book and there is an amount on my heart to give, but that meant I had to BE OH SO VERY CAREFUL until payday. Meaning my almost daily trip to 7 eleven in the morning had to stop, any fast food had to stop and no online shopping until further notice. All very do-able especially since I had already planned to do coffee from home, and had stocked on these honey roasted peanut protein pack I snack on. 

When I came home from work I found left overs warmed them up, but saw that my dogs were about to be out of food. I usually get a big box at Foodlion but recently they had only been selling the small boxes, but I know Acme sells the big boxes. I also remembered that my students reminded my para and I that we need to have special pencils for St. Patricks day. My para had looked at the dollar store but hadn't seen any so I said I would go to Party City. Acme then Party City that was the plan. 

Remember I am on a budget so I could get to excited in party city. So I am looking around I found pencils for both St. Patricks and Easter, two small play brushes for barbies or my little pony so my my one female student would be able to brush their hair. And really cute sign for outside of my classroom. Not much. I was trying to be really careful because I didn't want to go over.  I get in line.  Their is an older African American gentleman behind me who asks if I was a teacher. I said "yes" and said "as a matter of fact all of this is for my class." He said, "yup I could tell." So I go to pay and she begins ring it up and this gentleman comes and says, "I am taking care of hers." And I am just like kind of at a loss for words. I want to say: "no sir that's ok" but I also no I am not supposed to block my blessings. It wasn't that much but it was still a huge blessing in two ways. First monetarily and second humanity. 

I told the gentleman that, "when you sow into others you will be blessed times over what you give." He even asked me if I need more pencils. I explained I only have 3 students. Humanity or being nice, showing care, having a heart, noticing a teacher, noticing the love we have for students that was the other blessing. I do have a heart for my kiddos. I am always trying to figure out how to make sure students have a great day, are safe, fed(they don't always like lunch), and learning. 

But I can relate this situation back to Sunday and tithing.  To be honest sometimes when I give I don't always remember that God will give back to me over and abundantly. But today I wasn't just sowed into monetarily but I was shown how good people can be... I was reminded that I need to show others the same kindness.  I knew that this was something that I couldn't just write a small Facebook post. 

This isn't the first act of kindness in this year. Someone else blessed me and I would have blasted it all over Facebook because one it was kind of her to think of me and two I really look up to her, but I don't think she really needed it to blasted everywhere. BUT GOD IS SO GOOD because not long after she blessed me, she was blessed monetarily 10x what she had given to me and I automatically knew it was God blessing her and I explained it to her. I am not one to preach but in that moment I knew it was God. Prior to that my boyfriend took me to a teacher store I carefully chose things trying to stay on a budget but when we got in line he took care of it saying "I just want you to be successful." 

Now I am starting to see a the bigger picture, God's picture... These individual situations are all blessings into my career. Lately I have been questioning my teacherdom as I have some exceptional students or should I say students with exceptionalities. It gets REALLY REALLY hard. But now realizing that these 3 times of what I can remember, (because my para blesses me as well) are times my career has been sowed into I know that I need to stay on my path. 

Thank You Jesus!!! Please bless those who have blessed me! AND help me to bless others and to be a blessing to my students!! Amen!!!