Visit Idaho Coaching Network's blog to read my new post on intentional reflection

Hop over to idahocoachingnetwork.wordpress.com to read my guest blog post, "Intentional Reflection: Why and How." I hope it will take you from "Of course I reflect on my teaching. . .in my head. . .sometimes!" to intentional, daily journaling. While taking just a few minutes out of your busy day, reflective writing will give back to your teaching in many vital ways (I list twelve in my post).

The Idaho Coaching Network builds teacher efficacy across the state of Idaho. Visit their Web site for unit plans and resources on text complexity and more.

More Goodies in the Mail

I must not be checking my mail often enough. Somehow, all these goodies keep arriving in batches. Today's mail brought me three special blessings!

First, the July/August issue of Christianity Today. This issue alone is enough to make me urge you to subscribe (and no, I'm not an affiliate of theirs!). The focus for July/August is "Meet the Makers: 20 Leaders Mixing Faith and Innovation." Featuring creative people like Pete Docter, story creator and screenplay writer of Inside Out, and Lara Casey, who founded Southern Weddings magazine, the issue has my creative juices flowing already, and I've only just skimmed it. Even my four-year-old finds it inspiring. He's making me repeat the names of the art tools on the cover to him over and over again!

Second treat in my mailbox: my new business cards from Vistaprint (nope, not affiliated with them either). Love them!

Single-Column ESV Journaling Bible

And third, my order from Dayspring (yes, I'm proud to be affiliated). As soon as I saw the Single-Column ESV Journaling Bible, Summer Garden, I had to have it. It will be a Christmas present for me from my husband. (Surely I'm not the only one who Christmas shops this way?) And my other Dayspring goodie was Sadie Robertson's Scripture Shareables. They're business card-sized, cute, and perfect for tucking in a card or putting out on the table at conference sessions like the ones I'm presenting in July. Fun surprise when I got them, they have cute heart-shaped cut-outs in the corners. I guess you could put the cards on a ring for easy memorization. I think these and the journaling Bible would both make great gifts.

Scripture Shareables

That's all for now. If you'd like to give someone else "Goodies in the Mail," I love Dayspring's eCard Studio. It's easy to use, and the cards emphasize encouragement and the light of the Word.

After two spontaneous day trips to the mountains, I'll soon be free to wrap up Unstructured Play Week. Hope to see you here!

Unstructured Play Week
Day 1 Paper dolls
Day 2 Kitchen Chemistry and Cooking
Day 3 A Hike Up the Creek
Day 4, Part 1 Every Child an Artist, including 12 Suggestions for Grown-ups in the Lives of Young Artists

Give Me Jesus

On my wish list this Christmas is a Give Me Jesus journal by Gretchen Saffles at Life Lived Beautifully. Viewing Gretchen's video, you'll see her heart for God and for women to draw close to God through reading the Word. I've had the opportunity to communicate with Gretchen online, and she has been a great encouragement to me as a woman seeking to know God better.

If teaching keeps you so busy that you've struggled to keep up a regular devotional time each day (okay, that's all of us, right?), journaling may be a way to dig deeper and stay accountable at your own pace. For me, journaling has been a means of catharsis and even problem-solving during tough times.

Read. Write. Pray. Repeat.