What I Learned This Week - Part One

Fifty + one ... one week that is.

I couldn't have predicted what I have learned during this first week of being 50.  Of course, I don't suppose I could ever have known in advance what I was going to learn in a week.  If you know what you're going to learn, then do you already know it?

Anyway, this week I learned all about a bunch of different topics.  My second grade daughter's class held a Prezi night.  If you're not familiar with Prezi, it is a web-based presentation software.  Each student in the class used Prezi to present material from an "All About (fill in the blank)" book that the student had written earlier in the year.  This week the students had the chance to share their All About ... books via a Prezi.

So, I learned All About a number of things.  Each student was allowed to pick a favorite topic  Here's the list from our Prezi night:

     Tape               Tennis               Candy                 Horses
     Geckos            Money              Singing               Cats
     Brothers         Bikes                Guinea Pigs

I must admit that my favorite topic from this list was tape, mostly because it was my daughter's topic.  The girl makes some great stuff out of tape, especially duct tape ... it really is one of her favorite things.  But, honestly, she could have written "All About Ketchup & Mustard" and it would have been my favorite ... and anyone who knows me knows that I don't like ketchup or mustard.  What's a dad to do?

While I probably don't realize all that I learned that night, some of the lessons include:

• Wow, what kids can do with technology is amazing (and I'm in the technology business).
• I'm thankful for teachers who find ways, such as using the Prezi tool, to help students grow, not only in the use of technology, but also in preparing and presenting a speech.
• There is always something new to learn, so I need to be looking for new topics to discover and new ways to learn.
• There is always someone new who can be your teacher.  As an example, one of my daughter's classmates is blind.  She memorized her presentation and, with just a little help, gave it almost flawlessly.  She is one inspirational kid!
• I need to look for new ways to present what I've learned and be willing to share that knowledge with those who want to learn.

Next week I'll share about some lessons I learned from an adventure with my other daughter's class, but enough about me and what I'm learning ... what have you learned lately and how?  Share something in the comments.  And, if you can't think of anything to share, challenge yourself to learn something new this week and then come back to share it.

John 1:16 "For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

50 for 50

Well, I made it.  I accomplished something that is certainly not unique, nor uncommon.  Many of you have reached this point, some long ago, some more recently.  The rest of you are still approaching the place where I now find myself.  I'm 50.

(pause for a polite smattering of applause)

I feel neither frightened nor elated about turning 50.  It feels like pretty much every other day, except that the tens digit at the beginning of my age has incremented.  Of course, that's nothing new ... not even for me, as I've had it happen four other times in my life.

Yet somehow, 50 seems significant.  So, I thought, in light of turning fifty, maybe I should try to do something different.  Some people decide to climb mountains (I've done that, sort of) or learn new languages (I've done that, long ago) or change careers (I've done that, and then returned).  One friend of mine recently turned 40 and decided to do some unthinkable amount of exercises each day all based around the number 40.  While I could use a bit more exercise, that's not the challenge for me.

My challenge to myself for this year is what I'm calling "50 for 50".  Simply this ... I'm challenging myself to write 50 blog entries this year.  Many of you are thinking something along the lines of "You know, Jonny, there are 52 weeks in a year".  I do know that, but I thought I'd give myself a couple of weeks off, 'cause you never know what's going to happen.

This first entry is fairly easy ... I mean it's practically writing itself.  I just needed to tell you that I had a birthday (no need to sing) and now I need to tell you why I'm writing 50 for 50.  As mentioned above, I wanted some sort of challenge for the year, something that I had not done before, something that would stretch me, something that would force me to focus a little each week.

When my wife asked me why I wanted to do this, I told her that I was hoping to provide a little encouragement, maybe even some inspiration.  After 50 years of life, I trust that I have something to say on a subject or two that might be meaningful, not only to me, but also to someone else.

I'm calling this blog Grace Invasion because my life experience says that the grace of God is what makes life worth living.  In fact, it's simply what makes life livable. I plan to write about life and about grace (the real answer to so many of life's difficulties) and about other stuff that crosses my mind.

II Corinthians 2:9  "My grace is sufficient for you..."