I Laughed Until I Hurt! *grin*

I have debated what to blog tonight, as this week was a lot of fun with the little people, but I wanted to share my story of laughter tonight that God used with me the rest of the week. *grin* Yes, I'm always listening for what He has to share with me. That's what relationships are about! *grin* Anywho, back to the story.

In my classroom is a desk where we have the student laptop on it. Students use the laptop on a regular basis for their writing assignments. About three months ago, the students would use the laptop and a beeping sound occurred when they used it. It became a joke in the classroom, as we tried to figure out what was wrong with it. About a month ago I finally put in a technology request for it to be repaired. *grin*

Our technology gal came and took it and found a few other things wrong with it. However, the entire time she had it in the computer lab,it never beeped. *grin* She told me to let her know if it happened again. It didn't happen for a short while, but started right back up again this past week on the laptop desk. The kids thought it was funny and I did too. Laughter is a welcome emotion in my classroom, so this laptop became a source of constant humor. My second graders found it to be hilarious! *grin* I told them it was possessed, which they all laughed at. They loved it, as it became a Learning Center joke.

On one afternoon after students had all left, my para was on the laptop checking email. It was beeping and annoying my para. I laughed. I'm not so sure my para found it humorous though. *grin* She shut down the computer and the beeping continued. I laughed and said, "See, I told you it's possessed." Then my para starts digging in the desk itself...yep, you guessed it, there was a TIMER in there that beeped every time it was moved. The desk movement was just enough to make the beeping sound. I started laughing so hard that my side hurt. *grin*

In that moment, the entire thing clicked. We were all thinking that whole time it was the computer, when in reality it was the silly timer.

I have pondered that the rest of the week, and God has shown me something that I want to share.

So often we all see something and think we have it all figured out, when in reality we only see part of it-not all of it. We (and notice I said WE as I'm guilty of this too!) judge situations, people, and circumstances quickly before we know the whole story just as my class thought the computer was making the sound when in reality that silly timer was doing it.

God has really talked to me a lot this week about judgement, both those that have brought against me, and those I have judged upon others. It's been a sobering and REALLY good week. In the end, I don't view this as something to beat myself up over, I mean, God teaches me things in His timing, as He knows when I'm ready for each lesson to be taught. *grin*

As I've prayed this week, I've worked on letting a lot of things go. Just as I told my para, "pitch the timer, we don't need it." I have prayed that over the judgements I have made, and those that I know have been made upon me. That's not easy, as I've learned this week but it is a healthy thing because life is too short to be stuck in the judgement mindset. *grin*

By the way, the kids haven't even noticed the beeping is gone. I am not going to tell them either. I'll let you know if and when they do notice. I initially thought laughter would be less with that gone, but I was wrong. God has provided situations continually for us to be joyful in my room.

He's cool like that. *grin*

LIFE.
IS.
GREAT.