EDUC 341: PRABE #5

The next part of Maxwell's "Developing the Leader Within You" looked more specifically at what makes a good leader. Maxwell separates leadership into 5 different 'levels,' which are: Position, Permission, Production, People Development, and Personhood. So leadership begins as a position, with a given title for a certain job and it eventually, if developed properly, evolves into who you are as a person. You are known for your leadership abilities and attributes. In my mind, these are the Ghandis, Mother Theresas, Martin Luther Kings, and Billy Grahams. People who really make a difference in the world and use their lives to BE a leader are those who reach that highest level. 

As a teacher, my days as a leader are still ahead of me, but I know that so many opportunities will come. I hope that I successfully lead our future generations in the right direction so they can be successful in their own lives.

EDUC 341: PRABE #4

I have been reading John C. Maxwell's, "Developing the Leader Within You."  The first part of the book really deals with the definition of leadership and the differences between leadership and management. The author makes several great points with stressing that being a manager doesn't necessarily make an individual a leader. In a way, I disagree with this. To me, if you are a manager of something, you are automatically a leader because a manager is a leadership position. However, I think Maxwell's point comes down to whether you are a good leader or a bad leader. And yes, I believe both types of leaders exist. I appreciate this book so far because I have really been able to relate it to my own place of employment and recognize various characteristics in my coworkers, managers, and directors.

EDUC 341: PRABE #3

I spent several of my lunch hours reading, this week. Not only did my mind need the break from work-related things, but my soul needed the reminder of grace!

The book I have been reading is, "In the Grip of Grace," by Max Lucado. One part that I  really had to keep reading over and over was a section that discussed grace being sufficient. What is my response when I have asked and asked and asked for something, but God says, "No, Sarah."? This made me think about whether or not I am truly content with what I have. The book went into detail about "the thorn" in Paul's life and how Paul responded to that. Another portion that really hit me hard was regarding our attitudes toward anxiety. I sure have an "f" in the books for that test! :-)

As I'm becoming more involved in my kids' activities and taking on more tasks at work, my schedule is becoming EXTREMELY loaded. Maybe OVERloaded. As a result, my mind is more 'cluttered' and it takes more effort on my part to actually sit and read for a solid hour. Sometimes, I have more difficulty paying attention to the meaning of what I'm reading rather than just the words on the page. These PRABE exercises have really made me focus on what I'm doing rather than just going through the motions.

Until next week,
Sarah

EDUC 341: PRABE #2

This week, I have been spending my reading time with a great book by Max Lucado, Live to Make A Difference. This book is basically about truly living and making your life worthwhile in a world that is full of brokenness, poverty, hunger, crime, and other types of difficulty. The thing I appreciate about this book is that every time I finish reading a portion of the book, I feel moved to do something, whether it be building a new relationship with a meaningful purpose or simply sharing a meal with someone who is hungry. What I did NOT like about this week's reading time is that it seemed to come in more frequent, smaller chunks of time. I do MUCH better when I can have my 90 minutes of pleasure reading in one block of time; when it short and brief, I feel like I can't get 'into it' as much as I can when I have a longer period of time to really sit back and READ. 

EDUC 341: PRABE #1

I am participating in a reading program at my church, so I am taking advantage of my 90 minutes of pleasure reading to get through a set of missionary books. The first book I am reading is Gina Pottenger's "Compelling and Inspiring Stories from the Mission Field." This book first caught my interest with a story about some missionaries who were traveling from one island to another to show The Jesus Film to a group of unbelieving fisherman. On the way, they encountered a threat from a large sea creature and a faulty boat engine, which not only gave out, but also caught on fire. Just when fear began to overtake them, a woman on the boat began praying. The scary creature, perhaps a hippo, instantly disappeared into the water. A man on the boat was able to stop the fire by disconnecting some wires, and others on the boat happened to find an oar. Although it was a single oar, and it was extremely weighted, a missionary found the strength to row them for SIX HOURS! Everyone arrived safely onto the shore. They carried out their plan to show The Jesus Film, and many lives were led to Christ the following day. This book certainly reaffirmed my belief in miracles!

I LOVE non-fiction! :-)

Until next week,
Sarah

Week 11, PRABE #10!

These past weeks of Pleasure Reading And Blog Entries have truly flown by! In review of the PRABE experience, I have thoroughly enjoyed it! Aside from already enjoying the 'art' of blogging, I appreciated the fact that I had to literally make quiet time for myself to actually sit down and enjoy a good book. It has been wonderful.

Please do not take this as a supercilious comment, but I have heard many times, mostly from people at church who hear me read during Sunday School or services, that I am a great reader. However, I have never truly liked reading. I can think of a million other things to occupy my time before considering to settle down with a book.

I must admit -- I was not happy when I learned I would HAVE to read for 90 minutes each week. I must also admit -- last week, when I had a half-hour of spare time, the first thing that came to mind was, "Hmmm...I wonder if there are any good books on the shelf downstairs?" :) Reading as an assignment has certainly heightened my interest and forced me to "try it." Now, my problem is that I'm probably sitting on the couch reading when I should be doing laundry or dishes. :)

My plan is to maintain this blog and continue journaling my reading moments. This has been a great outlet for me, and I am excited to keep growing as a reader -- even if I AM going on 30!

~Sarah

Week 10, PRABE #9

"She Can't Even Play the Piano!" is a compilation of personal experiences that have been put together by Joyce Williams. As a Pastor's wife, Joyce knows all too well the invisible expectations that can burden the spouse of a minister. I have been privileged to know Joyce through her time spent at the largest Nazarene church in Kansas as her husband served as the Senior Pastor there. I have also been blessed to attend several conventions with Joyce Williams as the guest speaker.

My husband is completing his degree in ministry, and some day I will be "the pastor's wife." I have served on a church board for over ten years, and after interviewing many times for pastoral positions, I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to balance the demands that are placed on a pastor's wife with all of the hats she wears at home, at work, and at church. One thing that I really like about this book is the fact that all of the stories are real. These are real ladies who have overcome real obstacles, and they all have real faith. Even though some may not have the stereotypical ability to play the piano, they all have a true ability to serve in other ways. I can definitely foresee myself using this book as a resource in my future!

And, luckily, I am a pianist. :)

Until next week,
Sarah