Category Making Opportunities

The Versatile Blogger Award – Yay me!

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The Versatile Blogger Award – Yay me!

versatile-blogger-award

Thank you to FlyingColours603 for the nomination! Please take time to check out the interesting view points and thought-provoking insights provided by FlyingColours603.

As a recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award, I am to share 7 facts about myself. Seven facts that I am sure are to demonstrate my versatility.

  1. My dream job as a teenager was to become a country music artist. (I still love to sing.)
  2. My favorite foods are fried chicken and chocolate. (Not together of course)
  3. I am the oldest of four girls, while my husband is the oldest of four boys.
  4. Kentucky Wildcat Basketball is my favorite sport to watch. Go Wildcats!
  5. My favorite novel is Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
  6. My favorite movie is “Gone With the Wind.”
  7. My favorite childhood memory to share is the time when my parents moved to a new house without me. Childhood can be so scary. Don’t worry! They eventually found me and brought me home.

 

versatilebloggernominations

It is also a blogging protocol to spread the wealth and share nominations for blogging awards. I follow many terrific bloggers so it is very difficult for me to select just a few but here they are:

  1. https://rashidheniablog.wordpress.com/
  2. https://storyshucker.wordpress.com/
  3. https://natalieslovelyblog.com/
  4. https://vickislettersfromtheheart.wordpress.com/
  5. https://shattereddreamsandshatteredfaith.wordpress.com/
  6. https://joyfullylydia.wordpress.com/
  7. https://notaterriblemother.wordpress.com/

By: Melanie A. Peters (gratefully nominated)

Be Someone – Wise Words Wednesday

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Be Someone – Wise Words Wednesday

Be someone.png

Being the person who makes others feel special is a wonderful way to live your life. Finding ways to make each person you encounter feel like they matter is what makes life worth living.

Greeting strangers, holding doors, carrying groceries, and giving compliments are all free and easy ways to make someone feel like they are somebody.

Going out of your way to help someone makes that effort much more valuable in your heart and theirs. Do good for others. Show them they are worth care and consideration. They are somebody to someone.

When my children arrive home each afternoon, I ask them a personalized question about their day. “What was the grossest thing that happened today?” “What did you see that was funny today?” “Who did you play with? What did you play?” Continue reading “Be Someone – Wise Words Wednesday” →

Sunshine Blogger Award

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Sunshine Blogger Award

SUNSHINE-BLOGGER-AWARD

Thank you, FlyingColours, for the nomination of Sunshine Blogger Award. It really made my week! One of my goals for Intentergy is to bring light into people’s lives so this award was a terrific affirmation of my intentions. Thank you!

The objective of the Sunshine Blogger Award is to share about yourself and nominate other bloggers who you believe deserve the same honor. Here are my responses to the awarded questions:

(1)What you love about blogging ?

I love sharing my thoughts and ideas. Hopefully I bring fresh and positive perspectives to those who read my posts.

(2)What is your favorite song?

My favorite song of all time is “Wide Open Spaces” by the Dixie Chicks.

(3)What is your dream job ?

My dream job is to be a wife, mom, farmer, and teacher. I guess. I already have my dream job and I get to share my career experiences through my blog.

(4)If you could exchange your life with anyone for one day who would that be and why ?

For one day and one day only, I would swap places with Oprah Winfrey. My only reason is because she has done so many amazing things and continues to try to make differences in people’s lives everyday. 

(5)Your secret romantic fantasy ?

Camping with my husband in the mountains. 

(6)What are your habits that you hate most or want to change them ?

Guilt. I really wish I were better about not allowing guilt to plague me. The simplest things weigh me down. I wish I were better at just letting go. I am a work in progress.

(7)Your most embarrassing thing that happened to you ?

I forgot two lines of “The Star-Spangled Banner” when singing at a rodeo.

(8)Your favorite color ?

Blue

(9)Your motivation in life ?

To be kind, loving, and do the best job possible

(10)Craziest thing you would like to do in life that you were not able to do ?

Run a marathon. (I will get there someday.)

My nominations for the Sunshine Blogger are:

Georgia at Purelysimplewords.com

Shattered Dreams and Shattered Faith

Jeremy at Fivetweetstory

Rev. B. Keith Haney

I’m OK With Being a Bench Warmer

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I’m OK With Being a Bench Warmer

Bench Warmer

This student bench is my newest antique find. (Thank you, Craigslist and Nancy!)

A small bench was just what I was looking for to add to our home. Something I could set flowers, crocks, or books on. Something to add just a little more coziness. The fact that it is a bench from an antique student desk makes it perfect (me being a teacher and all).

I have big plans for warming this bench.

Since making the decision to take a step away from full-time teaching last spring, I have struggled with my role in the lives of so many people I love. I feel strongly for my former students and their families. I want to be there to help them succeed, but since school started this fall I have had a few more minutes to myself and I am realizing that it was a very healthy decision. I’m OK with being a bench warmer. Continue reading “I’m OK With Being a Bench Warmer” →

HUMAN kind – Wise Words Wednesday

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HUMAN kind – Wise Words Wednesday

Human kind

“We are only human.” – A saying that is often spoken, but too often forgotten.

We all make mistakes. We are all different. We are all human.

Today be kind because we are all human. Be human. Be kind.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Socks are the Enemy – The Struggle is Real

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Socks are the Enemy – The Struggle is Real

Socks are the Enemy

There are very few households that can boast an affection towards sorting socks. There are even fewer individuals who voluntarily admit to liking sock folding. Socks are the enemy.

We usually need two socks per day. Most of the time those socks are expected to match. These expectations lead to the struggle.

Washing, drying, and finding the matches for those necessary stockings are the strategies for conquering the footwear fight.

I recognize that socks are the enemy, but in the name of positivity, I want to give three good reasons for folding socks.

  1. You are able to meet the social standards for wearing matching socks.
  2. You are validating the notion of “sole” mates. We all have a match out there somewhere. (pun intended)
  3. Folding socks can be therapeutic. Yes, there may be a few strays at the bottom of the basket, but you have just made organized sense of your foe. You have systematically and successfully sorted, matched, and put away that big ol’ mess. Your family’s feet can thank you for your service, and now you don’t have to look at that pile of perpetrating socks for at least two or three days. 🙂

Fold away, my friends, fold away!

By: Melanie A. Peters

What do you want to learn?- a first day question for students

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What do you want to learn?– first day question for students

What do you want to learn

On August 23rd I began my teaching journey at State Tech. My lesson plans were written, my Introduction PowerPoints ready to go, syllabi were photocopied, and my broom was ready to fly. (More about the flying broom will be discussed in later posts.) What I was not prepared for was the openness my students would show towards learning.

To kick things off in my COM 101 course, I created a grammar pre-test. It was important to know what grammar skills my students possessed. It consisted of 15 multiple choice questions and was not for a grade.

Within a minute or two of starting the test, I could see frustration forming on the faces of my students. After four or five minutes, their grumblings were audible. By the time they finished their pre-test, I could almost smell a mutiny. In my most professional and reassuring manner, I tried to persuade them it would ok.

We finished up the pre-test and headed back to our regular classroom. I observed head shaking and defeated student reactions as I followed them. I had just learned that grammar was not my students’ strong suit.

Fortunately, I had anticipated this and had a question ready for them. Continue reading “What do you want to learn?- a first day question for students” →

Read + Know + Grow + Smarter = Stronger Voice

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Read + Know + Grow + Smarter = Stronger Voice

The More You Read.png

“The more you read, the more you know. The more you know, the smarter you grow. The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice when speaking your mind or making your choice.”

I memorized these words from a bookmark I found at the library when I was 12.

Whenever people tell me they don’t like to read, I recite this poem to them. Often they ask me to repeat it a few times and agree there is merit to my message, but they still don’t like to read.

I understand. There are ways of learning that don’t appeal to me either.

Reading books or references works can be cumbersome. Reading instructional texts can be torture. Reading something you are interested in can change your life.

Books like You are a BadAss (Jen Sincero) and 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life (Cami Walker) helped me to find my voice in creating my blog. In the Meantime (Iyanla Vanzant) got me past the greatest heartaches of my life. The Holy Bible is a centuries old guide of how humanity has time and again been called to serve God and one another. I find a lot of advice in its pages. Continue reading “Read + Know + Grow + Smarter = Stronger Voice” →

First Day’s Wrong Way: A back-to-school story

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First Day’s Wrong Way: A back-to-school story

Wrong Way

Fourteen years ago I walked into MLK hall on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO ready to start my journey as an education major. I studied my schedule and made my way up two flights of stairs to my first classroom. It was Humanities 101. I wasn’t sure what a humanities course would be about, but I knew I was eager to get started.

The instructor was a wiry, animated man, who admitted to being technologically challenged, so his syllabus would be ready at our next meeting. (“The stupid copier wouldn’t give up his papers.”) His movements were jerky and delibrate and his build gave him the aura of a scarecrow. But clearly this man had a brain and was a talented storyteller. The story he told about names in the local telephone book and where they came from was intriguing. He shared the historical roots of names and explained how they were related to those of famous American writers. It was a really cool start to my semester but I could not figure out how this would tie into my humanities course, so I sat tight.

As the discussion got deeper, the clever man upfront began talking about the expectations of an advanced level literature course and a sinking feeling of “wrong place at the wrong time” grew in the pit of my stomach. Soon he asked everyone in the course to share what they hoped to get out of the class and what their plans were beyond graduation. I officially knew I was in the wrong class. Continue reading “First Day’s Wrong Way: A back-to-school story” →

Share, please

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Share, please

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JC Rock found at Shiver Me Ice Cream in Linn, MO. JC Rocks is a community activity where people decorate and hide rocks to bring fun into the lives of those who find them.

Sharing is hard. Letting go of something we really like or giving someone time with our favorite items can be very challenging. Telling people how we feel or what we think is another way that sharing is tough. Donating our money or time are wonderful ways to share, but again, oh so hard.

Once we start to share freely, sharing comes so much more easily. It takes away from the unnecessary attachment we give to “things.” Whether those things are toys, money, clothes, time, or words, they are still just “things.” We must find a way to give value to what is really important.

When we allow ourselves to share our time or treasures our lives become so much richer.

6 Monthaversarie.pngSix months ago I set out to share positive daily messages. While I have not succeeded at sending a message via Intentergy every single day, I am so proud and excited about the stories, images, and ideas I have been able to share.

Intentergy is a mixture of intent and energy. Hopefully those that read the Intentergy posts find a bright spot in their day or inspiration to make the days of those around them brighter. Continue reading “Share, please” →