You know, it is funny how counting your blessings seems difficult when your world is all but perfect. Do you ever feel that way? Your focus remains on your stresses and your worries, and you forget all the things God has blessed you with. Confession time … I have been feeling that way a bit recently. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I have been going through a slight funk. That is why I need to sit down this morning, clear my mind of all the cobwebs getting in the way, and reflect on what I should be thankful for. A teacher has many things to be grateful for, and I would like to share those blessings with you all.

I am thankful for my Friday morning teacher prayer group. Surrounding yourselves with the right people makes all the difference in the world, and they have been a godsend for me over the past two and a half years.

I am thankful for the upcoming breaks to spend time with family and friends. Name me another job that gets a five-day Thanksgiving break followed closely by a two week Christmas break. Sometimes I feel a little guilty when I see some of my closest friends having to work up until Christmas Eve. We are blessed to have that time.

I am thankful for an administration full of believers. Both assistant principals in my building have proven their faith through their actions, and our principal has taken time to join our prayer group on a few occasions amidst her busy schedule. It truly makes a difference in our building to have that type of leadership coming down.

I am thankful for the greatest team a guy could ask for. We complement each other well, all bringing something a little different to the table, yet we know our roles. It reminds me of Paul talking about spiritual gifts. Jeremi, Jordan, and Kelli … you guys have blessed me beyond what you will ever know.

I am thankful for my family away from home, my colleagues at work. No, we are not all believers, but we do love and support one another. It is amazing to see how when one of us falls, six or seven are right there to bring that person up. That consistency makes going to work that much more easily for me.

I am thankful for having a wife that knows my struggles. A former teacher herself turned stay at home mom, she knows how the rigors of the classroom can affect your day, and she is extremely supportive and understanding toward me. I can’t count the number of times she has picked me up when I needed it.

I am thankful for my two sons and the smiles they bring to me when I come home from work. They say the average four-year-old smiles over 400 times a day. Adults average less than 50. I can always count on my “little buddy” and my “little sweet sweets” to add a few extra smiles to my face no matter how my day has gone.

I am thankful for those students that make my day brighter. Every kid has woven their way into my heart in one way or another, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to lead them. Even when you might think your efforts to reach out are all for naught, amidst your kiddoes is always one or two that truly get it. Thank God for those kids!

I am thankful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, who knows I am anything but perfect and wipes all my past sins clean with His sacrifice. It is beyond reassuring to know that God’s grace always trumps sin. It is through His love that I am sanctified. I could not get by without Him.

I have to admit that I do feel somewhat better now. Here is where I am going to need your help. I want this week’s blog to be as interactive as possible. How has your life as an educator been blessed? Do you have a story to share? Something that I might be able to add to my list above? An encouraging scripture? A song? I’d love to hear from you! Colossians 3: 17 states, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Let’s rally around one another this week and count our blessings!

(“All I Can Do” is one of my favorites from Mikeschair, and it reminds me of how thankful I should be. Listen to the song below for a little encouragement!)