After returning from Canada, I've spent the past few weeks trying to figure out what to do with myself. It's a strange new world when all of your time is your own to do with as you please. As good as that sounds to you who are working every day, there is an element of challenge to this new situation. It requires diligence and discipline to make the most of the time that is completely at your discretion now. So I thought I would give you a taste of what my week has encompassed.
Monday I spent all day at home beginning a project that I've not completed yet. I am cleaning out closets and trying to rid myself of unnecessary accumulated junk. It's not for the faint of heart, let me tell you.
Tuesday I volunteered in a third grade class at Griffith doing some of my favorite lessons from when I was working there as a drama teacher. I have decided to spend time doing things that I enjoy and that make me happy, and this is definitely one of those things. I also mowed my lawn.
On Wednesday my friend Alyssa, who teaches at SCHS, asked if I could help her put together a lab for her physical science class. I was very happy to help and spent most of the day setting up the lab, helping to teach the lesson, and then cleaning up. I even got to eat lunch with some long-time friends in the teachers' lounge. In the evening I went to my friend Sara's jewelry party.
I had a very interesting day on Thursday. First, I attended a class on Methodism at Dunlap United Methodist Church. I'm exploring what the Methodist Church believes. I had supper with Rachel, who has spent several summers at Camp of the Woods, and is now a nurse at Erlanger. It was fun to catch up with her. From there I headed down to the Camp House where I participated in QCommons. This event is a Christian version of TED Talks. Some of the talks were simulcast to many locations around the country and world. Other talks were given by local people including the leader of a pro-life ministry, an advocate for immigrants, and a man involved in dealing with gang relations in our city. Everyone there sits at round tables and there are breaks in the talks for conversations about what we just heard. It was a very stimulating presentation, and I gave my information to the organizers so that I can volunteer at the next event.
I've been meeting a couple of friends, Bea and Chuck, in sort of a book club. So we met Friday afternoon. We are discussing one of the books I read this past summer, Did God Kill Jesus? by Tony Jones. The reading has taken us into a variety of topics. This week we were deep in the doctrine of original sin. It has been great to have others to talk about these big ideas with.
Friday evening I had the pleasure of having supper with my friend Wanda and her daughter Maureen at Maureen's house. We had good food and great conversation throughout the evening. It was such a pleasure catching up with these two.
Phil is out of town, back in Canada for a few weeks. We normally have lunch at El Metate, and I went today with a different "date," my dear friend Dawn. We have been friends ever since my days of teaching fourth grade at Griffith. She taught across the hall. We had a lot of catching up to do and we had a long leisurely lunch. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed her company.
I've been making time each day for reading and exercising. These are disciplines that I hope will always be part of my life.
It's been a great week, full of connections with so many great people. So I've been very intentional in using my time to do things that make me happy and to keep in touch with those I love.
Next week... off to Indianapolis.
