Don't Mix the Old With the New

 We have made it to August! Praise God! August is the 8th month of the year. The number 8 symbolizes new beginnings 😊. As August rolls in, I know it signals something else for me: a new school year is about to start. My teacher brain realizes that work is starting soon and the students will be back in my classroom before I know it. In fact, the students start school at the end of this month. Not too long ago, we used to start school after Labor Day. Things have moved up! When it comes, I know I have to be prepared. I always do a reflection ( a recap if you will) of the year before. I look at what went well and what didn't go well. I think about the resources, materials, and activities I used. I look at previous lesson plans. I look at my self-care routines and boundaries in terms of what worked, what do I need to do more of, what do I need to do less of. It's in that reflection that I can pray, make wise decisions moving forward in the new school year, and adjust along the way as needed 🙏. One thing I have learned in being a teacher is you need to be flexible and open-minded (also good life skills to have too!). Now, last school year, I set up my desks and classroom furniture in the best arrangement that worked since I start teaching English. Year 4 of teaching English is loading 💖! I would like that to stay the same this year. However, I know there are things I need to do differently and improve on lesson wise. In order to see new results, I have to do something different. I can't keep using the old approach expecting a new result. I can't mix the old with the new. Think about a a gallon of milk that is old in your refrigerator. It wouldn't make any sense to pour in some of the old milk into the new gallon of milk. It would taint it and not be good for our bodies. We should want to do what's best for our bodies 💖. You may not currently be starting something new like a school year, semester or job position, but each day is a new start. We can reflect on how the previous day went to see if there is anything to improve on and get new insight on something. It's also a new day to be open-minded and embrace new opportunities the day holds 🙏. It doesn't mean anything is wrong with something old. Not all old things are bad. If it's not working or being effective, that's when we need to change what or how we're doing something. This means we have to embrace new mindsets, habits, and routines. The new will bring out new results. Jesus speaks about not mixing the old with the new in Matthew 9: 16-17. He speaks about patching an old garment with unshrunk cloth and how that will make the tear worse. He also gave the illustration about how new wine cannot be put in old wineskins (a container) or it will burst. In those cases, things got worse. If something can be kept and useful, by all means use it. If not, don't use it. Use wisdom in all things 🙏. Stay open-minded. Let's make sure we are embracing new mindsets, habits, and routines to get new results every day💖. Love you all and may God continue to bless you!