Sunday, November 23, 2014

Virtual Field Trip

With only a week and a half of classes remaining until finals I just realized I never posted pictures of my office on here!

These images were taken at the beginning of the semester so some changes have occurred since then but you'll get the idea anyhow.  It's a cozy little office, albeit a temporary one, and I look forward to hopefully having  window in my next one.  I was told I was going to be switching offices in February but others have said maybe not maybe so.  In any event, I'm thankful to have a space!!

These pretty Hershey Kisses greeted me when I first entered my office thanks to a very thoughtful secretary.

This was before my "permanent" sign was added to the door.


My little brother made this on Graduation Day.  Throughout the various festivities and events he took pictures of our niece signing the letters of the word, "teach".  He then presented me with this sweet and thoughtful gift that night!!








It was here, in my office, when a student dropped by on Friday afternoon.  I assumed she had a question about the upcoming class or final but was completely surprised to instead receive a touching gift from her!  




I'm so thankful for my job as we head into Thanksgiving Week!!  I hope your week is filled with many people and things for which to be thankful.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Squeezing it all in...



There has been so much happening this past semester yet I’ve not been able to share much through posting stories/updates here.  I have missed writing since starting my new job.  Blogging helps to keep me centered and to express my thoughts/prayers in a different way and I’ve missed this avenue of praying.  That’s not to say that I haven’t been reflecting/praying throughout the day but when I take the time to write and really listen in the silence I feel more at peace and closer to God. 
I was able to journal these thoughts this morning as I wrote from a basement chapel at a church downtown.  I am usually here on Monday nights for Adoration at the conclusion of Marathon Monday but a friend called me this morning asking me to sub for her since she was unable to make her regularly scheduled Holy Hour.  On a whim, I grabbed my laptop so I could journal through blogging while sitting in this space of reverence.  

Marybeth had sent with me an article she shared with my students during a guest lecture.  To read the article in its entirety, click here.  It is a quick read but here are some parts that really jumped out at me this morning:

·         “We must be careful,” St. Thérèse said, “to keep our hearts detached not only from mutual goods, but spiritual goods, as well”.  Ah, how this hit home for me.  All semester I had been lamenting my lack of time to blog and how spiritually freeing it is for me to have that carved out time to write/reflect on God’s word.  I was overly attached to that form of prayer and neglecting the other ways I could grow closer to God.

·         “We must not become starched Christians,” Pope Francis said, “discussing theology calmly over tea.”  The author of the article then goes on to speak about how she would prefer her quiet uninterrupted time to pray but what if that is not what God has in mind for her that day?  Yes, I would prefer having my regular time to blog but with planning and prepping for classes, managing life, striving to maintain social and familial connections, grading projects/tests/papers while also planning for the upcoming semester, fitting in daily reading/talking time with Adam, attending meetings, walking the dog, and still trying to get to bed before too late each night….I’m finding that there is not enough time to engage in my usual stress relievers.  The author of this article makes the point that “sometimes it [prayer time] is a gift I need to give.  It costs me something.  It empties me.  And in that sacrifice, I can show Jesus that I love him, whether prayer comes in the scent of an ocean breeze or in the cries of a tired child”. 

Yes, that is what has been happening throughout the last four months!  I may not have had the time to blog and pray in my own way, my preferred method, but I have been through my other daily actions.  When I drive in to campus on a Sunday afternoon to meet with a distraught student, Jesus is there.  Spending way too many hours grading an assignment for one of my classes taking away from the time spent talking with Adam or communicating with family, Jesus sees that sacrifice.  Making time to visit with a neighbor/friend each Thursday morning for our standing coffee date has brought tremendous spiritual growth and peace through sharing stories and learning from her wisdom no matter that I might fall behind in that day's to-do list and chores by having this standing date.  Even the missed mandatory new faculty meeting on Monday morning was not wasted as that time was spent calming down two students in the midst of panic attacks as end of the semester deadlines loom.  I would hope through these daily--what were considered distractions at first--are really just other ways of living out the Gospel and praying through action and the words spoken in these situations.   

For now, in the times when I’m unable to blog as much as I would like, I will ponder over these words/thoughts in my heart and continue praying without ceasing throughout the day.  Should you have any prayer intentions or requests that I can take with me throughout daily activities, please do share them with me and I will take them to my weekly Holy Hour.  

 In closing, I will borrow the prayer, written by St. Thérèse, shared in the article I referenced earlier:

O my God!  I offer Thee all my actions of the day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love.

O my God!  I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.  Amen.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Crediting the Extra

Well, here we are...just a couple weeks shy of the best holiday ever.  I can't wait to go home for Thanksgiving then continue the journey on to Delaware to spend the holiday at my little brother's house.  It will be nice to get away and try to get caught up on schoolwork while away from campus while also still spending time with some of my family.

I hope to also be able to spend more time reading with Adam and perhaps even penning a blog post or two while focusing on what I'm extra thankful for during this brief respite.

However, a lot needs to get done before the next two weeks get here...including finishing of grading of some exams in one of my night classes.  One of my extra credit questions asked my students to "share your favorite thing about Franciscan"...I left it pretty broad and open-ended because I was curious to hear what it is that my students love about this school.  I know what I enjoy about my new place of employment

(e.g., the familial and caring atmosphere, the sharing of our faith with our colleagues, working towards being and bringing out in my students our authentic and best versions of ourselves and well, I could be here for a while but I've got a stack of tests to grade)

but was curious to hear straight from the students themselves.  Here are their responses as I strive to be a little more thankful of the blessings not only during this wonderful month of November but all year!

  • the people
  • My favorite thing is the people.  I have made the best friends here at this university that I have ever had.  I know they are friendships that will last forever because they are founded on something real-Jesus Christ.  My friends here call me on to be a better person and a better Christian and that is my favorite thing about going here.
  • The many different people I have met here from all different places.
  • I appreciate how strong the faith life here is and the wonderful friends I've made.  Honestly, I could write so much more but that would take a while.
  • Households and the sister community it provides!
  • My household, Children of the Lord!
  • The truly Catholic nature of the school itself.  My faith has grown so much from being here!  :)
  • There are far too many!  I guess I love the people the most - that's general.  :)  I so admire and respect many of the professors here and have developed what I hope to be life long friendships with many of them.  I love that the professors here treat us more than just a number.  There are those I can call/email/text when I have any problem, school related or not, and they will help me talk it out.  But mostly, I love how they will genuinely pray for me.
  • community
  • My favorite thing about Franciscan University is the overall kindness brought out around here.
  • the faith
  • the Catholic faith we all share and the community that comes with it
  • It is a very caring and compassionate environment with a lot of good people.
  • I'm a fan of the new gym here.
  • the community
  • household life
  • the natural beauty of campus
  • opportunity for daily mass and Perpetual Adoration
  • the community and the faith that is integrated into class and friendships!
  • my household/households in general!
  • I love the people here and how you can see Jesus and Mary inside of them.  When they are with you, you can feel the joy of Mary and they are fully present with you.  I also love the households and retreats and spirituality here.
  • The God-loving community here

Yes, I'm so thankful for a place to work where one doesn't have to hide his/her religion or beliefs.  I hope these young adults I'm working with are able to hold on to their faiths when they graduate and go out there in the "real world" as they face opposition and are even persecuted for what they believe by those who disagree.  Here is a video that recently aired that touch on many of the topics mentioned above by my students.  I am so proud of my new "school" and even saw my landlord, my office building, and some of my students in this little video!

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Saving up time

Wow, how is it already Thursday night?!  It feels like I just got back from NC on Sunday night.  I hit the ground running first thing Monday morning and the whole week has been a blur since then.  It's been one of those weeks of barely having the lessons planned for each of the classes, more emails were not written back to than responded, and feeling as if I can't keep my head above water.  Stress......it's not good!

Many blessings have rained down on me this week, in addition to the leaves and drops from the sky.  I'm so so so excited for the future and the present!  Life is truly overflowing with blessings in the form of the people and events happening right now. 

For now, listening to the beautiful voice and music of Kim Kalman on my newly re-installed iTunes, squeezing out a quick blog post (even though there are so many other things I want need to write), anticipating my parents' arrival tomorrow night, and talking to a sweet boy out on the West Coast in a little while will do for now in terms of reducing the stress.