Wow, it seems as if I've fallen off the edge of this world ever since coming back from Pennsylvania. It has been an extremely busy and crazy summer. I don't know if I would have a similar schedule next summer. This past weekend, I wrapped up my Institute of Reading Development classes. Teaching the reading classes has been very rewarding in terms of seeing how students have responded to various skills taught in the classes. However, it has been a draining process as well. And I jumped immediately from ending those classes to my full-time position at a charter school in the Bay Area. We had two weeks of professional development before this, so I'd say the teaching staff is pretty close to each other. I absolutely love this job and everything that comes with it. There are high expectations from the community, but the school and its staff does not shy away from those expectations and enjoys the challenge and resulting rewards. I love the staff (from teachers to administration)--everyone is professional. My principal is honest, encouraging, and just awesome. I am more and more convicted that this is where God wants me for a while, Lord-willing the next four years (and possibly more). That is what my life has been like in a nutshell.
God has used this crazy summer to teach me quite a few things about myself. Honestly, it has been a difficult transition into full-time working world. God showed me that I can be a work-a-holic. It is so easy to focus on the seemingly imminent things in life and forget the big picture--such as Christ is coming back soon and God's kingdom will reign eternally. There were numerous times where I focused too much on work and too little on my spiritual health. Praise God for showing me this so that I know my weaknesses heading into my "permanent" job. Through working at IRD this past summer (crazy, I can't believe summer's ended for me!), I was reminded that I need to be more patient. Alas, fruit of the Spirit--I will always seem to struggle with patience (amongst others). Lastly, my joy of the Lord has been tested quite a bit. I realized that too often, I let my circumstances dictate how joyful I am in God, in life, in anything. God has given me salvation, eternal life with Him in heaven--what more can I possibly want or hope for? Nothing can take away my salvation, so why should I not be joyful? Yeah, gotta preach those truths to myself each day.
Alrighty, off to my night routine. 9 pm bedtime for me. :-) Good night world.