Bracy’s Homeroom

07/15/2026

SHOUT OUT to all my teacher friends and fellow educators!! Many of us have realized that yesterday started our three-week countdown to reporting for duty. While I won’t be reporting to an actual building or system, my whole body knows when school is getting ready to start. I suspect that is the case for many of you, too. You know .. feeling more rushed like time is slipping through your fingers like sand, having more thoughts flying through your brain than you can possibly keep up with, feeling like you have 10,000 projects going on all at once, feeling completely wiped out trying to stay present and in the moment with your family while also trying to choose paint colors and bulletin board paper for your classroom, trying to write a year’s worth of curriculum because this is the year you’re going to be on your A-game while also trying to clean every closet in your house before school starts, and now that school is really right around the corner, you have to get your own kiddos ready on top of everything else. You may feel on edge, and super cranky. You’re already starting to lose sleep or snack more because you feel the weight of everything you’re about to be carrying. Every day left of summer break feels both precious and dreadful all at the same time, knowing that the school bell is about to be ringing again.

Somehow, despite all this pressure, we’re still super excited for the magic about to go down in our classroom. We are envisioning our students having the best day in class, fully engaged in our lesson with no disruptions. We are praying that God gives us eyes to see the student that needs to be seen, ears to hear the student who needs to be heard, and help us be a light of love to all of our students. We’re praying for our school and co-workers, that the days go smoothly and that it will be a safe and drama-free year. Despite what we, ourselves, are going through, our heart is for our students above all else. No matter what we have to go through, our classroom and we will be ready for the BEST school year ever.

Somehow, someway, teachers get it done. And that is why I’m writing today: to remind us that we don’t have to completely run ourselves into the ground to get it done. The most important thing that you get done this school year is getting you done. Taking care of the person standing behind that classroom door or computer screen. If I could go back 26 years ago when I walked into my very first classroom at Franklinton High School and look my 23-year-old self in the eye, I’d tell her that you being you is enough because it is you who makes the difference. If I could look all of you in the eye, I’d tell you that you being you is enough because it is you who makes the difference. Your heart, your love, your personality, your light, your passion, your mind, your compassion, your kindness, your smile, your story, your testimony. What you have on the inside of you cannot be taught in a workshop or read from a book. You’re amazing, and you’re someone’s hero out there.

So, teacher to teacher, I’m just saying remember to put you first this school year. (gasp! from the audience lol) No, I really mean it. If you are not taking care of you, then who is? You spend so much time, thought and energy into taking care of others, your own needs start slipping to the back burner. Before you know it, it’s October and you’re completely exhausted and dreading the approaching holidays because it’s just so many more things added to your already overloaded plate. To do that, you’re going to have to establish some non-negotiables for yourself before the school year kicks off.

So, sit down while you still have a chance and decide what fills your cup. What are your things? How do you fill your cup? How do you take care of yourself? I know that’s such a cutesy statement buzzing around, but it’s true. Filling your cup simply means doing the things that bring you joy, peace, rest, happiness … heavy on the rest part … because as teachers, we don’t feel like we’re able to even look at that word until next May when the school year ends. Nahhhh, there is a better way to live than that y’all, and it starts with putting your foot down and drawing a line in the sand that says I will not let anyone or anything come between me and ____. For me, some of my non-negotiables are journaling & quiet time with God in the morning, watching the sunset on an afternoon walk, laying in the hammock to stargaze and feel the wonder of God, playing with my grandbabies, cooking for my family, a good ole’ house reset.

If you don’t know how to replenish your soul, now’s the time to get still and name the things that really help you feel recentered and breathe life back into you. It’s important to do at least one thing for yourself every day - even if it is just a relaxing bath to “wash the day away” and reground back into “home mode”. It’s not a selfish act, it’s necessary. Even though I still struggle with keeping myself off the back burner, I have come a long way with learning how to fill my cup. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, and it will be for you, too.

So tell me, how are we going to fill our cups this year? ☕🍎

10/26/2024

I know I've been MIA for a hot little minute, but class is about to start my precious students!! Sending much love your way and gratitude for hanging in there with me. 💛🌻⭐

Dear Snow Shack friends,

We’re writing to let all of you know that we have just finished our last season as the owners of The Snow Shack (don’t worry though, the new owners will carry the torch in providing yummy snowballs and more!!). This decision did not come easy, because we will miss all of you. But, our season in life has shifted, and it’s time to start a new chapter and begin a new adventure. We are so very grateful for your support through the years. Your smiles have brought us joy! We will always hold a special place in our hearts for the memories we made with all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

💖~ Byron & Amanda Bracy

P.S. Just sharing a little God wink that we are moving in the right direction with our decision. Last month, as I was driving up to meet with the potential buyers (now owners 😁), this is what I saw on the front porch. I’ve seen this exact scene play out many times, many years ago when our own littles were hanging out on the shack’s front porch. We knew then that this was the right decision for us and that this family was meant to carry on the goodness of The Snow Shack. When we passed them the torch, we passed it with a hope and prayer that they will be even more successful, even more delicious, even more happy at the shack. We thank you all in advance for supporting them on their new adventure and giving them a huge, friendly Snow Shack welcome. We think that you all are going to love their ideas and plans for the shack. Bigger and better!! Congratulations David & Shanea! The Bracy’s are loyal customers for life, and we are so happy for the precious memories you are about to make with your own family at the Snow Shack!

P.S.S. If anyone wants to stay in touch, you can find “Mrs. Bracy” at Bracy’s Homeroom - my online classroom. One of the best things about the snowball stand was keeping up with my former students. Even if I didn’t remember your names all of the time, seeing you and meeting your family blessed my heart in ways you can’t even imagine! I started Bracy’s Homeroom with hopes of keeping my passion for teaching going once I early-retired from the public school system. That passion is still there, but having too many irons in the fire really let the flame die down. According to google AI, "Too many irons in the fire" is an idiom that means to be involved in too many activities or projects at once. The phrase originated in the mid-1500s and refers to a blacksmith heating too many irons at once, which could spoil some of them. Having too many irons in the fire can make it difficult to see which path to take and can sap energy. However, it can also mean that there are always several possibilities available, so that something will likely succeed even if other things fail.” While I definitely don’t see the Snow Shack as a “fail”, it is definitely an iron that I needed to let go so that I can start to stoke the embers of Bracy’s Homeroom and start teaching again, where my true joy is! So, if you are looking for a place to connect, to talk real talk about real life, to be seen and validated, to receive encouragement, to be motivated, to learn something new at any age, to start dreaming again, to find your purpose, to connect with God, to create the peaceful life you are searching for, come join me in Bracy’s Homeroom where your homeroom teacher, aka Mrs. Bracy, is getting ready for roll call. Come one, come all - you are all "Welcome to Mrs. Bracy’s class!" (For 22 years, I wrote this on our classroom board at the beginning of each school year🤗) So, this isn't "goodbye", it's "see ya in class!" 💛🌻⭐

09/26/2023

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!!! ☀️💛🌻

04/13/2023

Heard this song for the first time yesterday. How ironic that this came just days after mama’s birthday tribute. The chorus, “I am here, you are here, He is here,” got my attention, and as I read the lyrics, I knew this song had a message for me, for us.

If you are here, you matter so much!!! You really do!!!! I don’t care and neither does God about what you’ve done in the past or what mistakes you have made. God is love; God is good. He is not some drill sergeant pointing his finger and yelling at you!!! If that is the version of God that you have planted in your mind, please inbox me and let’s talk about it because somewhere down the line, you got it twisted (or maybe someone twisted it for you..)

No, just the opposite- You are loved! And just like any loving parent, you wouldn’t just throw your kid out and not give a care in the world just because they slipped up or disappointed you. You would love on them. You would try to encourage them. You would come running the moment they called. THAT is how God sees us, his children. You are so very loved, and YOU - yes, you -have a unique purpose while living on this side of heaven. Please believe that and stop walking under shame, guilt and condemnation. That is not of God!!

All of us have a story. All of us have not so pretty parts in our stories. But it is ok!!! You are still trying your best, and if you’re not, that’s ok too. Get up and try again. Embrace today and the incredible gift of life because you are here. 💛

Mind if I tell you a secret
A few simple truths about me
Might be hard to believe
Guess I'm just trying to come clean
Sometimes I don't know where I'm going
It's hard to admit where I've been
When I come to the end of myself
This is where I begin, again
I AM HERE
I am loved
God is good
And that's enough

I don't know your situation
What kind of story you're in
If you're high on that mountain
Or down in the valley again
You might be holding your baby
You might be holding a drink
You might be holding a secret
That's getting harder to keep
But YOU ARE HERE
You are loved
God is good
And that's enough
And I AM HERE
I am loved
God is good
And that's enough

It's okay if I don't have the answers
It's okay to be right where you are
It was patience and kindness and love
That got us this far
YOU ARE HERE
And you are loved
God is good
And I AM HERE
I am loved
God is good
And that's enough
HE IS HERE
He is love
God is good
And that's enough

Brandon Heath's latest album is available now on all streaming platforms: https://fanlink.to/enoughalreadyListen and follow Brandon:Apple: https://BrandonHea...

04/11/2023

“I’m here”

Part of my mama’s story isn’t the prettiest; some parts of it are dark and scary. It wasn’t until after her death that I began to realize how much of her story was mingled within my own story and how much those parts helped mold me into who I am as a person and became part of the why behind Bracy’s Homeroom.

My sweet, precious mama was “clinically depressed”. I remember hearing those two words strung together for the first time and thinking what does that mean? One of my first deep dives into the word depression was when I was in my early years at college. I wanted to understand what had such a strong grip on my mama and to discover what clinical meant in reference to it. Come to find out, “clinical depression” also known as major depression is “a mental health disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.” Yep, that sums it up pretty clearly. Or does it? The affects that depression has on a person vary greatly and look different for every person. But, in most severe cases of depression, like my mama’s, it most definitely had an affect on her daily life and interactions with others. It consumed her for long stretches of time and would follow her throughout her life.

In the months following her death, I began to see beneath the surface of what she allowed us all to see. My next deep dive into depression came literally as I dug through the mounds of her shopping addiction. I remember sitting on her pantry floor sobbing among piles of food and stuff. As I began to sort through it all, I began to find breadcrumbs leading me to understand what I had never really understood before. As the pieces started to fall together, I began to realize what she had been going through silently in her mind, heart and soul. I will never be able to put into words to accurately describe the level of sadness and loneliness that I felt that morning. It was as if God pulled back the veil and let me experience the fullness of her pain.

Eventually, while sorting through the clutter, I found some of her old papers from when she was going to an outpatient support group. It was a daily inventory sheet that everyone had to fill out at the beginning of the group session. There was one question in particular that I kept seeing the same response to … “Today’s Best Thing:”, and she would write, “I’m here”.

Those two words grabbed my heart so hard as I began to understand the depth of their meaning. Being there was a massive effort on her part. See, my mama rarely left the house when she was having a bad day, which would often string together to form weeks at a time. So showing up anywhere, every day, consistently was a mountain moving ordeal for her. I also noticed that she never ended “I’m here” with a period, as if she had more to say. Perhaps, she was thinking,

“I’m here, but I cried the whole way here.”

“I’m here, but I really don’t feel like talking to anyone.”

“I’m here, but no one really cares.”

“I’m here, but I shouldn’t be because last night, I asked God to end my suffering.”

“I’m here, but no one knows what it took for me to get here.”

“I’m here, but I had a panic attack getting dressed this morning.”

“I’m here, but I’m still struggling.”

“I’m here, but I’m still sad.”

I’ll never know exactly what she was thinking when she wrote those words. But I do know it really meant alot that she was there, because the more she went, the happier she became as the dark clouds started to lift.

After I found these papers, I began to remember her saying the same thing when the nurse would ask her how she was at her chemo treatments. Just like before, here she was, fighting for her life - just in a different kind of way. “I’m here, and I’m not going down without a fight.” And fought, she did. She did every single appointment and treatment. She quit smoking; she prayed more. I am so proud of her for pushing through and fighting whatever sort of hell she had to fight to be there. Just like when she was going to group therapy, she could have given up and not shown up to anything. She could have refused to get out of bed and been dead within weeks because that is how bad her cancer was when they found it. But, because she went, we were blessed with five more months.

While it may seem that cancer had the last say, the very words written by my mama prove otherwise. Death could not take her out - her spirit is still here, her love is still here, her legacy is still here, her memory is still here.

Happy Birthday, mama. I know that you can feel the love that grows deeper and deeper every day since you’ve been called home. I know that you will always be here watching over us and helping Jesus show us the way. When I say the same exact words, I will honor your memory because I could be anywhere but here, but I choose to be here.

I’m here to try my best.

I’m here to get better, be better.

I’m here because I refuse to give up.

I’m here to help myself and to help someone.

I’m here because my story isn’t finished yet.

I’m here.

04/04/2023

I literally have sticky notes and notebook pages filled with lesson ideas. But they aren’t turning into anything usable. They aren’t helping anyone (yet…), but they are changing me.

One of the first lessons that my therapist taught me when I started my personal counseling journey was the “What’s on your plate?” lesson.

It was very eye-opening. It was obvious what part of my problem was. I was walking around with a Thanksgiving dinner plate full everrrrrday. (Y’all know what those plates look like, even when you’re trying to be good!!)

The next lesson she taught me was how to decide what to take off my plate and the next lesson was rest. How to get proper rest, what that looks like and why it is so important. Up until that point in my life, I literally felt guilty for not taking time to chill the heck out. If I was resting, then something wasn’t getting done. Yep, even on Sunday.

So, in reflecting and praying about how incredibly exhausted and overwhelmed I feel (anyone in the education field right about now), I had to look at the thing glaring at me, the plate right in front of me, held by my very hands. What is on my plate that I can take off? What doesn’t need to be on my plate anymore? What is sucking up all my time and energy? What are the most important things that I want to leave on my plate? What are the now things that are top priority?

I just love the activation part of this lesson. It is very focusing, calming and centers you again, getting you back in line with your purpose and God’s plan. Cause sometimes we add a whole lot of stuff He never intended us to get involved with. It’s also very helpful to see everything laid out in front of you, which for me, has always made me say whooaa, chick, you ain’t superwoman.

I have a cool visual lesson to help teach this concept and activation so that you can do it and evaluate where you are in life right now. It’s on a sticky note in the pile, but I promise that I am working hard to clear my plate so that my classroom here at Bracy’s Homeroom evolves into the one God intended it to be. Thankful for all of you sharing this journey with me. I am so excited what is up ahead for us. 🤎

03/06/2023

Byron’s favorite late night snack!! 😋 🧀 🍞

When you want something hot but don’t want to do a lot of work for it. Cheese toast! Slap some cheese on a piece of white bread and low broil it for 5 min.

03/05/2023

Birthday Punch.

My mama would always make us kids this punch growing up. It was delicious and brought to more occasions than just birthday’s. Seeing it thawing in the sink just made you smile so big cause you knew what was about to go down.

We’re celebrating in Bracy’s Homeroom today. Our boys are home from working off. The sky is blue, and the sun is out. It’s the perfect day to make birthday punch. Grateful for my crew, my family, my tribe … When we are all together, all is right in the world.

Celebrate with your family today and make y’all some birthday punch!!!! ❤️🥰😍

03/01/2023

In case anyone needed a double dose of the Word this morning from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young ☺️☺️. And Sarah, I just wanna thank you for these daily devotions. They truly keep me going on days that are harder than others. I love the way she helps put God’s promises in every day language and situations. Even if you don’t know or don’t want to know God, I hope that it helps to encourage someone out there to know that you are loved and have a very unique purpose in this world. I hope that you know that you matter. You matter a whole lot. Love y’all and have a good day! ❤️