Yesterday morning I went to my school’s convocation for all of the teachers from the school district. I honestly wasn’t too excited about this because I just thought it would be a boring ceremony where I would have to listen, or pretend to listen, to some speaker while I thought about anything else I could think of in my brain.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I actually really enjoyed the convocation and loved the speaker! The whole theme of the convocation was being a hero and how teachers can truly be heros to their students.
Teachers don’t get the smartest, brightest kids; they get the abused, the dyslexic, the mentally challenged, the ADHD, the poor, the rich, the hungry, the homeless, and then they get a few kids who have the perfect home life. Teachers, then take these kids and try their best to teach them, not just subjects, but about life and morals. Teachers care for their students, they discipline them, and they love them.
I am pretty sure we can all admit that kids today need to be loved and disciplined. As I sat through this convocation I began to think about what exactly I thought a hero was.
Here is my definition:
Hero: Someone who is selfeless, cares for others, and lives his or her life for everyone else but themselves. A hero is hardworking, and knows that laziness does not lead to prosperity. A hero is positive, and shares that positivity with others. A hero realizes that doing what is right and good is not easy and is not popular with most of the population today, but despite knowing this, they do what is right and good anyway.
So, needless to say, a hero is so much more than what we sometimes think of.
As I thought of my definition of a hero, many people came to my mind. Here are some of my heroes.
1. Jesus Christ is my hero. I have some amazing people in my life, but none of them compare to the Lord. He came to this sinful world in the flesh, lived a perfect life, and then died a horrible death so that I and everyone else could live eternally with Him one day. He took on all of our sin and took the punishment we deserve. He loves me more than anyone ever could and more than I could ever imagine. I am forever grateful, and because of this I live my life for Him.
2. Ryan, my amazing husband, is my hero. I know I constantly write about what an awesome husband he is and how much I love him, but words can never describe just how extraordinary my husband is and how much he blesses me. He is such a Godly, selfless, hardworking, loving, supportive man, who is extremely mature for his age. He has a hard schedule, but he works every single day to provide for us so that I can finish my last semester of school without working. He has never once claimed our money as his, even though it all comes from his paycheck, and I know he never would because that isn’t the kind of man he is. He is selfless, and would do anything for me. Every night he washes the dishes for me (after getting home late from work), and always asks if there is anything else he can do to help. At the young age of 21, when most guys that age think about nothing but partying and different girls they can be with, he asked me to marry him and immediately started looking for a job to have when he graduated from college. At the young age of 22, he married me and made a covenant between the two of us and God. He continues to always keep God the center of His life, and he loves me just as Christ loved the church. (Ephesians 5:25). I can honestly say that Ryan makes me a better person, he makes me happier, and I have grown so much in the Lord since he came into my life. He always says I am out of his league, but the truth is, he is way out of my league. I love him more than anyone on this earth, and I am so proud to be his wife.
3. My mom is my hero. She is such an amazing woman and has showed me how to be a Godly wife, mother, and friend. She always has such a positive and fun outlook on life, and I love that so much! She fought cancer when I was 10 years old, and she beat it with a smile on her face! She is one of the most giving, selfless people I know, and I seriously would be lost without her. I always have so much fun when I am with her, and I hope I can be just half the wife and mother she is.
4. My Daddy is my hero. By watching him, I have learned how a Godly husband and father should act, and because of him, I knew how a man should treat me. He always provided for our family, but never let his job come before any of us. He made sure he never had to miss a cross country meet, a volleyball or basketball game, a tennis match, or a track meet. When I was little he played Barbies with me every day, he got up in the middle of the night, every night, to get me water, and he didn’t get mad at me the time I threw up on his pillow. If I ever need or want to talk, he is always there. He is now my favorite person to run races with, and this is something I treasure very much! So pretty much he is SuperDad. 🙂
5. My big brother, Ben, is my hero. I mean, first of all, he has put up with me being his annoying little sister who asks a million questions about everything for the last 21 years. That should probably make him a hero right there. 😉 But seriously, Ben is one of the most hard working, dedicated people I know. When he sets his mind to something and makes a goal, he gets it done. And he doesn’t just barely get it done, he does whatever he does successfully and tremendously. He graduated college with his bachelor’s degree in 3 and 1/2 years while working part-time, and then graduated with his masters degree in a year and a half while working full time. He had it set in his mind that when he graduated with his masters he wanted to move closer to home and work at a hospital. Guess what? He graduated on a Friday, moved to an apartment closer to home on a Saturday, and started his new job at a hospital on a Monday. Like I said, he sets goals and he accomplishes them. Also, I have to mention that even with his busy, hectic schedule, he always makes time for his family. I love him so much, and I know he doesn’t realize how proud I am of him.
6. My in-laws, Bob and Debbie, are my heroes. They have raised three amazing young men, one of whom I think is extra amazing because he is my husband. 🙂 They brought him up well and taught him to fear the Lord. They also took me in as family and always loved me. Right before Ryan and I started dating they moved about 6 hours away from where we were attending school. Because of this, they didn’t get to meet me for a while, but as soon as they did, they welcomed me with open arms. They took every chance they had to get to know me and include me in whatever their family was doing. They love me and have let me become part of their family, and for this, I am so grateful. I can honestly say I love my in-laws and have been blessed by them!
7. My second, third, and fourth grade teachers are my heroes. Why these three teachers specifically? Believe me, I have had some incredible teachers, but these three really went above and beyond what their job required, and they impacted me so greatly that I still remember much from them today. I remember how my second grade teacher would take the time to come to my little league basketball games. I remember how when I told my third grade teacher I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, she looked at me with one of the most genuine smiles anyone could have, and she said, “I honestly believe you will be some sort of writer someday”. And my fourth grade teacher still cares enough about me today that she continues to keep up with me through my Mom, and she even came to one of my bridal showers. These ladies taught me so much more than just subjects in the classroom, and are part of the reason I decided to pursue teaching as a career.
Sorry, I don’t have any pictures of these three. 😦
In case you can’t tell, I am extremely blessed with some amazing people in my life, who I honestly think are heroes. I know there are many more heroes, but these are the first people I thought of. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and none of them are the same. I do think it is important to think about who are your heroes, and let them know. They obviously mean a lot to you, and they have done something to impact your life. I am sure it will mean a lot to them if you tell them how much you think of them.
So my question for you is, how would you define a hero? Who are some of your heroes?
I also want to challenge you to let one of your heroes know how much you think of them.
I know this is kind of a long post, but this had been on my mind since yesterday, and I wanted to write about it. If you read this whole thing, kudos to you! 🙂
TheSavedRunner 