TO SCHOOL
August breathes in lazy sweet summer days and breathes out new pencils and paper and books. All the glorious school supplies sum up the dreams of my elementary school days when August rolled around. But if we’re being real here – stocking up on school supplies was my favorite back-to-school ritual all the way through senior year of college. There, I said it. I was the tall, 22 year old girl frolicking down the aisle in Target with fellow 2nd graders, loading up my cart with all. the. supplies.
So this year is the first year since kindergarten that I haven’t gone school supply shopping. It may sound silly coming from a college grad – but this is a big change that begged me to buy a new set of pens anyway. This year was different than any before. I traded in my textbooks in for drawing paper instead! For me – -school work has taken a new life into business work, which is my absolute JOY. I’ll always treasure my school days though – especially growing up in a small college town with some of the best teachers to this day. Now I get to cheer on my friends who’ve started their first years of teaching too!
One of the most amazing parts of my job is I have the opportunity to create products for you, no matter what your job might be. You: the teacher, mom, nurse, accountant, event planner, marketing director, doctor, dog walker, nanny – my passion is to create products that speak to you no matter what your day holds. But today, my heart writes to the educator – the teacher, principal, librarian, school nurse, counselor, crossing guard, coach – whose heart is set on August and joyful chaos and school supplies. Proverbs 22:6 is for you.
Looking back at my school years, many of my teachers paved the way to where I am now as a business owner. From reading countless books and writing my own stories, to learning cursive and sending postcards through the school mail, to creating my own business at mini market (and winning the competition!!), they planted seeds in my heart that still live and grow today.
To all the teachers and school supply fanatics alike, happy school year. You are changing little lives. You have much to offer. You are seen and known and loved. You have God’s Spirit living and shining through you in your classroom – whether His name is spoken or not.
Keep this school supplies art print on your desk or in your classroom as a reminder of your special God-given purpose in your corner of the world. Or if you love a teacher – – give them this print!
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Here at Winnefred Austin, we are ALL about supporting young minds and the teachers who nurture them. Earlier this year, we invited you to join us as Winnefred Austin began to sponsor a child in Haiti through Compassion International – an incredible Kingdom-building organization which provides opportunities for education, tutoring, church programs, health support, and more for impoverished children worldwide. When you purchase from Winnefred Austin, you are supporting and taking part in a mission dear to our hearts. And just a little update on our child – they are sooo excited to be starting 2nd grade this fall!!