Be The Example!

This past weekend, I was invited to a little girl’s birthday party. This little girl is the daughter of a very good friend of mine, so I was invited to the family dinner party as an honourable “Aunty.” Of course …

I Wonder If I Argue Too Much…

Sometimes I take a minute to sit back and reflect over what I do, whether it’s the direction my life is going in, or the way I handled a situation.

Recently, I’ve started thinking about my part in online discussions or arguments. In the past, I was the child who never spoke out. It was so bad, I would even have my younger sister go to the counter of a restaurant to get something they forgot to give me (even something as small as ketchup!).

When I first became (seriously) Christian, it was the same way. I was too scared that I didn’t know enough to speak out, or that I would be ridiculed because of information I didn’t have the answer to.

When I became vegan, it was the same thing. I didn’t feel I knew enough to speak out because I wasn’t the most “educated” or didn’t know “all the right answers”.

But as I continued to watch everyone else, I realized that you will never know everything. And besides, the best argument you have is your personal testimony, no matter whether it’s veganism, Christianity, or anything else. Nobody can argue what you’ve experienced. They can only argue facts and somehow even opinions (though I think everyone should be allowed an opinion).

The very first argument I ever felt brave enough to enter was between an atheist and a Christian. I couldn’t stand the picture of Christianity that the Christians were displaying that I felt compelled to go in and clear up the awful view. No, I was not trying to convert the atheist, I simply was explaining things she clearly had questions about and had been given a bad taste and picture of previously. By the end of the hour+ long conversation, she actually thanked me, and though she said she would not be considering becoming Christian at the time, she thanked me for being so understanding and being patient with my answers while explaining things in a different light than she had previously been shown.

To me, that should be the point of an argument or discussion. It shouldn’t be to fight or to prove one side better than the other. Of course I believe Christianity is the way, but I’m not going to force it down other peoples’ throats. God gave me my freedom of choice, so who am I to take it away from others? I can only present information and leave it up to them.

The next argument I ever went in on was not the same way. In fact, I got told to go take a nap along with being called many names. My whole point in that argument was that you can love people without supporting their actions. For example, you can love your child without supporting their drug use. You can support them for the good things, show them outwardly love, and even include them in normal things. But when an action they are doing goes against your beliefs or causes harm to either them or others, you don’t have to support that action. In no way does that mean you stop loving that person. But the group, or at least some people in that group, couldn’t accept that. I don’t know if I didn’t explain myself well enough, but I was in that conversation for several hours. It came to the point that I understood Christians were not going to be supported in that vegan group, and I respectfully excused myself from the group.

I don’t intervene in everything I see on the internet that I disagree with, but when it comes to things that harm others, when it comes to peoples’ health, or when it comes to slandering Christians, I try to go in and paint a different picture. Some people are accepting, some people will never be kind no matter what you say. I’ve been called a heap of names and been criticized against sometimes it seems like anything I say. Even when I’m remaining as polite as I can and stating again and again that nobody has to believe the same as I do, and that I will respect what they believe just as I would expect them to respect what I believe. It is possible to live in harmony without believing the same things (just look at the conversation with the atheist and I). But for some reason, I’m finding more and more people who cannot leave it that way.

I had a fellow Christian follow one of these conversations and eventually tell me that I should just end my conversation because the others (the main of which was apparently Hindu) was just going to keep coming up with every slandering thing and continue saying the worst possible portraits of Christianity they could. I just found it so sad. Sad that first of all, someone had views like that of what can be the most amazing faith. I know a lot of Christians call themselves Christian while living a very different life. Sad that also, someone who was a self-proclaimed “vegan” that is supposed to be filled with so much love could be so hateful towards Christians who honestly had done nothing wrong in this conversation but speak of the original diet in the Garden of Eden (vegan diet!). But as the other Christian woman suggested, I quit responding, despite the fact I continued to get blamed for things and called names in further comments.

I think about that conversation, and I continue to think of how I could have done it differently, what I might have done wrong. But the thing is, in every comment, I approached it in a very much “my experience was…” manner. I didn’t say that her beliefs were wrong, and I never discriminated against her, even telling her that I would continue to respect her and her choices. I don’t really want to continue the conversation, and I won’t, even though it’s hard to know that my name has been continued on in the conversation very negatively. I just don’t get it.

It makes me think… is there a point to me joining in these conversations? Is there a point when I’m just going to be downgraded and slandered by so many people? But then I also think of the vegan community who promotes standing up for those who are voiceless. I do think if you’re passionate about something, you shouldn’t just remain quiet about it, whether through actions or words. So do I just hold back my passion now that I finally feel brave to stand up for people? I mean, Christians in some of these groups literally get POUNDED into the ground by others, called every name in the book, their faith literally ridiculed up and down. I guess I feel like just by saying something (though again, not in a forceful way, often in a soft, from experience type of way) that they at least know someone is in their corner with them. I’m not afraid of being Christian. I’m not afraid of being vegan. I’m not ashamed of the things I believe. So if I get called names, it really doesn’t bother me. I don’t get as “heated” about these things as clearly others do. Temper control is not an issue for me in these conversations and part of me wonders if that’s what makes some people so mad. I don’t swear, I don’t believe in calling people names, I’m not that kind of person.

I don’t know… is it worth it or is it not? I guess I have just come to a place in my life where I’m content… maybe even more than content. For non-Christians, I know they won’t understand this, but for Christians who have experienced God saving their lives, they will know what I’m talking about. I can honestly say I’m filled with the joy of the LORD which makes everything surmountable. Months when we have less income, I don’t freak out anymore, because when I had no idea how we were going to survive before, God provided the money. I’ve totalled 2 cars, one that I in no way should have walked away from, but God protected me. I used to be so scared to face my mistakes and of punishments I may receive, but through God I know I have the strength to face whatever comes my way. I use to be so OCD about making sure everything was a certain way, but now I’m ok if things change. Even at work, when a wrench gets thrown in my plans, I don’t care. I’ve learned that nothing can be set in stone, but whatever may happen, God always provides. There is honestly little that upsets me. And why wouldn’t I want others to know that same feeling? Can you imagine a world where there was no stress, no worry, no panic? Can you imagine how much happier everyone would be? Can you imagine the amount of stress-induced illnesses that could be prevented? How can people not want a life like that?

Again, I’m not trying to force my lifestyle and faith down peoples’ throats. I always approach it in a way that I can share my experience and they can make their own choices past that. If that’s so wrong, then I don’t know how any conversation can take place. So I don’t know… what do you guys think? Is it worth the interjection in hopes that two fighting groups can maybe be a little more understanding and live in harmony? Or is it just a waste of energy? Maybe I try to play the “peacemaker” a little too much… I don’t know. Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Why Vegans Are Hostile Towards “Plant-Based” Eaters

Growing up, you are always taught the basics: people who eat meat were the norm, people who didn’t eat meat were vegetarians, and people who didn’t eat any animal products were vegans. Those are/were the levels of people with what they ate. However, this classification has caused strife in the world.

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen arguments about what vegans are and what they are not. That’s when I was introduced to a new classification: Plant-Based.

So from everything I’ve seen, everything I’ve read, and everything I’ve heard, I can safely tell you the difference between a plant-based eater and a vegan person.

A plant-based person is someone who avoids all animal products (sounds like a vegan, right?). However, plant-based eaters are not necessarily doing it for animal rights. They are not necessarily avoiding meat because they see inhumanely slaughtered animals in every piece of steak. They don’t see cows beaten with metal pipes because they are not cooperating with the milking machines when they see milk in the stores. Plant-based eaters are usually eating that way for health reasons and are often much less judgemental of others who continue to eat meat.

Vegans are all of the above, avoiding animal products like the plague, because they see the suffering in the animal products. They hear the squeals of pigs in fear and suffering when you bite into a sausage. They see the knife slitting a cows alive throat when you bite into your burger. They see the tears of terrified animals when their flesh is being used. And because of this violent world that most people do not even know about, vegans take on the role of educating the world and fighting for the rights of these living creatures who cannot speak for themselves. Vegans could NEVER make the mistake of eating an animal product nor even using something made from animals so long as they can help it. It’s just not something they can bring themselves to do in the name of suffering animals. Yes, sometimes vegans come across harsh, maybe even too hard sometimes pushing people away from veganism rather than drawing them to it, but it does come from their passion and their inability to understand why you don’t care for these amazing creatures who are suffering needlessly for your meals. It would be the same for someone who’s anti-abortion not being able to understand how someone could take an innocent life. It’s the exact same thing – both species unable to speak out for themselves, both lives being needlessly ended.

So where does the hostility come between vegans and the plant-based people? Well, it comes when the plant-based eaters claim to be vegans, and then tell people it’s still ok to have some animal products. Nothing angers vegans more than people pretending to be for their cause, claiming to be under the same category, yet supporting something they don’t support at all, something they in fact go out of their way to fight against. So obviously, this makes them very upset and causes them often to lash out against those that are ruining their name. It is very common for vegans to ask these “fake vegans” to change their name to plant-based, and often times a fight will begin before plant-based people finally find out what the vegan movement is truly about.

Do I believe in acting so hostile towards each other? No. I’m pretty sure these “fake vegans” don’t even know that there is a difference between claiming to be vegan and being plant-based. I really think it comes down to education because like I said, I grew up believing that eating no animal products makes you a vegan, so I can easily see how others would think that too.

Hopefully this helps some of you see the difference between the two classifications. I know it’s a bit confusing and may even seem a bit ridiculous to some people, but for anyone who has a true passion for something, you can probably understand how it feels when somebody seems to undo the work you’ve put so much effort into. Let’s just remember to educate and not hate. Peace out!

The Most Emotional Spring Break

Wow. Where do I even begin…

This year I was actually looking forward to my Spring Break (for the first time since I’ve started teaching). I had the new passion planner my parents got me, I booked my days full of cleaning and catching up on life… and grading too.

On Friday, the very first thing that happened was my washing machine broke. I had so much laundry to catch-up on, but that was going to have to wait. Not a good beginning sign…

The next few days went rather well. Starting Monday, I found myself sticking to my schedules I had created, and conquering so much of the work that had been put off for way too long. I cleaned my basement, my kitchen, my entry, my stairs, my bedroom, part of my office, most of my bathroom, and even categorized some items I have to sell! It was so productive. And yes, I got quite a bit of grading done as well. I even spent excess time with my dogs and my skinny pig. I was so happy.

First, I got news that my sister was pregnant. Normally, this would be exciting news, except my sister’s life has been very rocky the last few years. She was currently with a not-so-good boyfriend, a not-so-good job, and renting a bedroom from a house – definitely not a place or situation to raise a child! She also has not had healthcare for years, and is not consistent with taking care of herself – not good for the baby, let alone her!

This turned into a very rocky situation of my step-father taking her to his hotel with him, her leaving behind his back, him buying her a plane ticket and her never returning to the hotel like she said she would. It turned into many phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages, few and far between responses from my sister, and potentially very bad situations that I cannot elaborate on at this time. What resulted of the situation was that my sister promised to be back in time for our day together on Friday which never happened. My step-father ended up picking her up on Sunday, keeping her with him Sunday night, and flying out with her on Monday. I was worried she would even refuse to get on the plane, but for some reason, she did it. Now she is home with my family who will help her get back on her feet and hopefully be able to handle her emotions at this time. It’s going to be a long road for her.

Amidst those difficulties, worrying and stress, my skinny pig died. After having an awesome week, being able to spend all that extra time with him, we noticed he was acting strange on Friday morning. So we went to the pet store, bought liquid vitamins to put in his water, and by the time we came home, he was dead. Mind you, he was at least 4 years old, if not more than that. So for a skinny/guinea pig, he was in the upper range of their age. It is just incredibly sad that he has been with us for 4 years and we have bonded with him so much. Our little guy’s passing was incredibly hard to take amidst everything else on this break.

As the title of this blog speaks, this was probably the most emotional Spring Break I’ve ever had. I hope it’s the last one like this I ever have. But from here, we can only move on and hope for better.

Passion Planner

Hello,

It was a little bit ago that someone had shown me this kickstarter for a passion planner. I love the idea of scheduling and planning, so I took a deeper look at it.

This planner is supposed to be the planner of all planners. Not only can you schedule every day (by the 1/2 hour), but it also is designed to help you reach goals in life. Awesome!

So I told my mom it would be a good idea for Christmas, as well as a few other options so I wouldn’t know what exactly she was getting me. When Christmas came, I got my gifts, opened them, and thought that was it. I did not get the passion planner which was ok.

A couple months later, my mom mentions my planner is coming soon. Woah. I didn’t even know she had ordered it! I guess they were very much on backorder and so it had been my gift all along.

I didn’t use much of it the first week, but since this week is Spring Break, I am using it and being amazed. I plan out my day the night before, and I have been accomplishing so much! I would say that on the first two week days of my break, my house is half cleaned, Spring sorting 1/4 done (we have way too much stuff) and I don’t seem to be forgetting anything, I’m in love. ❤

Have you heard of the passion planner? Do you own one? I’d love to hear what it is doing to help you!

Week 2 Day 4

I slept straight through the night last night; a total of about 9-10 hours. I think I made the wise choice by not going to the gym last night for sure.

I went to work today. Something I debated, but it was a field trip day and I wanted to make sure my kids had the most fun they could while still learning at the same time. So it wasn’t really a debate. Feeling awful or not, I got up and got ready.

Food again was not on track. I took a fresh fruit smoothie with me, a banana, and again just simple, simple dietary foods. I just needed to make it through the day.

The field trip went really well. The students really enjoyed seeing the satellite images of the surfaces of various planets and moons. They enjoyed learning and being able to touch meteorites. And they definitely loved using light-splitting glasses to analyze various lights and gasses around them. It was such a cool experience!

But by the end of the day, I was so weak and tired. It was a lot of walking for someone that was sick. But I really, really wanted to go to the gym. I can’t even begin to explain it to you, but I will try. Because going to the gym is such a way of life for me. Mentally, I knew if I could do the field trip, then I could go to the gym. But my weak body just wanted to sleep. The thing is, mentally, I knew it wasn’t an option. I just had to convince my body of it.

I don’t think I would have been able to do it if it wasn’t for my husband. He knew I needed to go. The gym is just as important for him as it is for me. He’s the one that got me into it and it has turned into such a huge passion for me. I honestly couldn’t imagine my life without it. And so he was there, gently, kindly coaxing me to get up. It wasn’t an easy job, but props to him for getting me up.

Now to say my time at the gym that night was easy or a wonderful time would be a little exaggerating. It was hard. Being sick and coming back to the gym to do a circuit workout is not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. And I definitely didn’t do cardio. My lungs wouldn’t have handled it. But the point is that I did do what I needed to do, and I got it done, and mentally was content.

I think its needless to say, but I went straight to bed as soon as we came home.

I Had A Decision To Make

Start with a previous night of lack of sleep.

Fall into hours of intense stress over a situation at work.

Follow with a husband who does not feel well and needs to nap.

Leading up to a very late hour to see if he will go to the gym with me.

That all ended up after 11:00 p.m., almost midnight, and finally got word from my husband that he won’t be going to the gym. So what do I do?

I start thinking that there is absolutely NO WAY because I’m so tired. I think about how I never feel safe out on the city streets during the night on my own. But then I start thinking differently.

I start thinking about whether I want to be dedicated or not. I think about the fact that I’ve had this goal body for so long and yet this could be just another chance for me to abandon that goal, even if just for the night. I think how I don’t really have work tomorrow (although I have things to do) so this late night could be made up for. And I think to Rob Bailey’s latest video, basically a tribute to my biggest fitness inspiration: Dana Linn Bailey. That’s the passion I want to have. I want to love fitness so much that I work as hard as I can for it. I would be happy if my life was fitness. Our dream is actually to own our own gym. And that video reminded me that to get where she wanted to go, she didn’t skip a workout. She may have cried, she may have been in extreme pain with extreme fatigue, but she still gave it every ounce of what she had.

(Watch the video here)

My mind was made up. I packed up and went to the gym.

Now, as I’m sitting home eating the remainder of my food, I’m so glad I made the decision to go to the gym. Yes, it’s after 3 in the morning now, but I feel good. I feel better that I made a good decision. I feel better that I stayed dedicated to what I want. I’m on track for my competition, and that’s the way I want it to stay!

It’s Getting Close to the End…

Teachers, it’s almost that time. And for some of you, it may be that time. It’s almost the end of the year!

You would think that since there is little to be done at the end of the year (once you get the final grading done and report cards ready), it would be an easy finish. NOPE.

There seems to be this underlying rule that the kids climb a hill of good behaviour throughout the year, and then manage to slide down the other side in the last few weeks. I mean seriously, we’re going until the VERY END of June. Vacation should start right now. Plus, for many who don’t know, teachers work does not stop when the kids stop. We have a “work week” that we must attend the week after (and also the week before school starts for the kids), plus quite often we have professional development or school of our own to do throughout the summer. You even have planning to do to get ready for the next year. It’s not as glorious as it all sounds.

My biggest stress this week came from our PATs. We have one more to go on Monday, but for some reason, my 3 students that came during the year were not registered for the PATs. And so, I was sent too few. This is a huge deal. It’s illegal to photocopy them, I can’t just have one kid not write a PAT, it’s just bad.

Thankfully, a colleague in our school sensed my problem (principal has been away for PD out of country) and took it upon herself to contact the head of testing in our province. Due to the time pressure, we were granted permission to make copies of the test for the sole reason that the tests would be over by the time they couriered us extra tests. Talk about a HUGE weight off my shoulder. I’m so thankful to her for that!

My students don’t want to be taking tests. Despite how many times we review in class, they don’t want to study. They’re done for the year before I’m ready for them to be. But you just gotta do what you gotta do!

Teachers, if you’re struggling with that end of the year, kids going crazy too early thing, I’m with you. I feel your pain. But just remember the work, the passion, the patience and discipline you’ve provided these kids with over the year. The dedication you had/have to their learning, the progress you’ve seen. Celebrate those things. You’ve invested a large amount of your life in the past year to these kids and you deserve to celebrate along with them.

Have a good end of the year, and an awesome summer! Take a vacation with the time you have or at least get away from everyday life and relax. You deserve it!

Some People Call It Crazy…

Sometimes I just have to sit back and think and realize what it is I do. Sometimes this can be good, sometimes it’s not so good. But today I want to bring up one of those good things in hopes that you’ll also realize a reflection of something good about yourself.

Today I realized that I am driven by passion.

It is normal for me to be up early in the morning. It is normal for me to get up, do dishes, do laundry, make my lunch/breakfast, and get ready for work. Of course, this means getting up at least an hour earlier than I need to, but I do it because I know that gives me time to accomplish things that won’t take away from my time with my husband and also provides him with the things he needs for the day.

But what I’ve really noticed, was that I also am willing to lose sleep over other things I’m passionate about as well. Last night, I didn’t come home from the gym until 12:30 a.m. My husband wasn’t with me, he didn’t force me to go even though I was tired, but I have goals and I have a vision of where I want to be in the gym, and that’s what got me to the gym and through my workout.

I also got up even earlier this morning in order to take care of my home businesses, to catch up with people that were sampling the products, or who would like to place orders. I am passionate about the things I sell, and that drives me.

Sometimes this means I run on very little sleep. Between the gym, cleaning and keeping the house (or at least trying to), spending a little time with my dogs, time with my husband, taking care of my teaching position, my students, and my two home businesses as well as keeping up with family since they all live far away, it takes a lot of time. I’ve also recently agreed to personal train a friend of mine and volunteered to sing at church once in awhile. By the time I add all of this together, I have literally no time. But what drives me through this sleepless, packed moments, is passion, and that’s something I’ve come to realize. Without a healthy mix of passion, support, God’s grace, and love, what I do would not be possible. I am very thankful that it is.

So what is your passion? What drives you to do the things you do?

Reassurance and the Unknown Factor

I cannot tell you how badly it disappoints me when my students make bad choices. As I was saying in an earlier post, teachers who do not have children of their own, often consider their students to be much like their children. We want the best for these children, and we want them to grow into magnificent people. And when a time presents itself where our students have done the opposite of what we’ve tried so hard to teach them, we take it personally. It really is one of the hardest things we have to deal with.

Of course my students have the usual problems of talking in class, not realizing that some arguments are really about the tiniest of things, not being able to solve problems without help, and learning to deal with “living” in a tiny, small 4-walled room with 21 other bodies, 4 days a week. When space lacks, the problems increase. But all of these things, I expect. They are “NORMAL”. They are part of growing up and learning how to deal with the world around you. I get that.

But last week, I was given some information from concerned students about some illegal activities that were going on outside of school. Generally speaking, schools cannot do a whole lot in these situations, and I’m sad to say that a lot of teachers would probably prefer not to deal with it. It did not rest with me. I was so disappointed, so hurt. I was going to do what it took to save these students before their life continued down that road. 

When you make decisions to do something, let me just tell you how incredibly amazing it is to have a principal that will support you and back you up. She has been on board with all of my decisions (as long as they were well-founded and well thought out). But in this particular occasion, she saw my struggle. In fact, we have a running joke. If I enter her office with my “Help me!” expression look on my face, she tells me to walk right back out and never come back. Seriously, you need a relationship like that.

So in this particular situation, she actually took control. The authorities were involved, and it was painful for me to see what my students had to go through. I hurt for them; for the choices they had made, for the consequences they would have to endure. But I knew I had to do it if I had any hope of making a change. And so it was done.

On the day they faced their consequences, I cried. Several times. I most certainly questioned whether I had actually done the right thing. And when they came back to the school, especially the one was really torn up. We had a Science Fair that day, and he simply crawled under the table and read a book until the judges came around. He didn’t want to talk to his friends, just wanted to be in his own world until he had to come out and face the rest of us.

It drove me crazy. I did not know whether he would ever talk to me again, whether I had lost his trust forever, etc. The “unknown factor” loomed over me like a dark cloud, but there was not much I could do. I had to let him know that what he had done was not ok, and that the discipline could not be taken away. And yet, when we all headed back to the classroom, I simply gave him a side hug and asked if he was ok. All he could say to me is “yeah”. 

So many times in life, I know I question whether I’m doing the right thing, whether I’m making the best decision, and sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever know that answer sometimes. Sometimes you just have to weigh the options, take a risk, and hope for the best. But no matter what you do, stand behind your decision 100%. But don’t ever be afraid to admit you’re wrong either. If you are, admit it. People will see that you are real. Humans make mistakes, whether we like it or not. But be real about it. People will respect that about you more than any falsehood you put on.

So later that evening, the parents were able to come to the Science Fair to look at the projects and to hear the judges announce the winners. I had met up with a friend that I hadn’t seen in years, and as I was catching up with her, that one boy walked over to me. He didn’t interrupt me, and didn’t say much when I turned my attention towards him. But 3 times that evening, he simply came over just to stand by me. Now, how is that for reassurance. It didn’t take words, it didn’t take explanations, but it quite loudly spoke of his feeling of safety and caring that I gave for him. He didn’t hate me like I had feared, he didn’t begrudge me for what I had done, but instead came to stand by me to let me know everything was ok. 

Ha, you think you’re over crying, and you relive the moment. Let the tears roll!

I love my students. There is no other way to put it. I care for those children more than they will ever know. As much as I can, I will try to teach them how to be successful, how to deal with the hard things in life, how to be happy amidst so much pain, and how to become the responsible and amazing teens/adults that I know they can all become. It is my duty, my job, and my passion. It causes me to cry, it causes me to question myself, but it is these little moments that make everything ok and reignite my passion. Again, I love these kids.