New Semester

New semesters are always fun with many things happening at once.  Here are a few observations for my first few days of teaching.....

1. I almost went to my class 1 hour early because I thought it met at 9 instead of 10.  Luckily a student corrected me the day before class so that I wasn't embarrassed.
2. I was asking the question in a history class "why did you sign up for this class" and one student said: "Because I heard it had an awesome teacher."  I then informed him that I was new and had no reputation yet.  Hey, points for trying.
3. All of our desks have wheels and fold up, so there are no set rows in the classrooms.  This is great for group work, but not so good when you are trying to walk around the classroom to interact with students.  Eventually my students will get used to me "pushing" them and their desk to another spot so that I can walk around the room.
4. I now am on a first name basis with the mail room.  They have delivered over 20 boxes to my office and I have technically only been working for 8 days.
5. I realize that for every new thing that I learn and master, there are four more questions that I need answered.  I did not realize the steep learning curve when you go to a brand new university.

Farmer's Market

I enjoyed a nice walk to Main street for the Thursday Farmer's Market.  I looked at zucchini as big as my arm, tasted honey from some kids who work their Grandpa's bee hives, watched belly dancers, and visited with farmers.  I picked up some of the bounty for some delicious meals this weekend.  I also bought some incredible jalapeno cheese bread (which my husband loves) which I shared with the gentleman who stays on the post office steps.  Yeah for farmer's market!

I love working

I started my contract on Monday, and it is so nice to officially be working.  I absolutely love teaching and am getting more excited for my students as I prepare more activities and assignments for them to do.  Yesterday I got in a huge box of PE equipment that I had ordered.  Maybe only the PE teachers out there will understand, but to get a box of bowling pins, poly stars, pennies, shinny new cones, fitness mats, and other goodies just makes you smile for hours and hours.  Today I will label and inventory all of that equipment and then store it in my new storage bins.  So exciting!

I have been busy with the start of school around the corner, but the rest of my life is going well also.  I'm getting to know my neighbors.  One of them brought me two ears of corn and offered his weed eater for my use (it obviously shows that I don't have one).  I have also been attending area churches and am enjoying exploring the different styles and people at each church.  Everyone is very nice here.  Last weekend, Annabelle and I went to the dog park.  They have a pond just for the dogs!  It was a lot of fun (for both of us) and we have it on the calender to go back again this weekend.  Hopefully I will get up early enough one morning to go get some sunrise pictures for you.

Pond at the dog park

One of 5 boxes of equipment

Double rainbows, surprise checks, and salmon dinners

My God is a great God!  I love it how He knows my heart and knows what speaks to me.  Through His creation and acts of kindness, I fall more and more in love with Him each day.  There were three things He did this week that especially just made my heart bursting for love for Him.  The first was a double rainbow. 

I played in a softball game with some other faculty members and coaches.  It rained almost the entire game, but at the end there was this brilliant rainbow.  The amazing thing was that it stayed around for about 2 hours.  It just kept getting brighter and brighter as we ate our BBQ and as I walked Annabelle around downtown.  At one point, I could see both ends and it make a complete arch with the double part showing at the ends.  It was the brightest, most clear rainbow I have ever seen.  I love how God reminds us of His promises.

The next day I received a surprise check in the mail.  I was expecting the money to come in Sep or Oct, but not this soon.  It was a huge blessing to receive it so early and I knew that again, God was saying He loved me and wanted to bless me.

The third thing that happened this week was that I was invited to a family's home for a wonderful salmon dinner and sweet fellowship.  Starting off in a new town with no friends is difficult, but this family is going out of their way to make me feel welcome.  It was a sweet gesture and just another way that God showed me He was paying attention to my feelings and wanting to take care of everything.

I could go on and on about His faithfulness during this adventure.  He continues to surprise me each day with a new way of showing His love.  What a great God I serve!

Terms of Philosophy

This semester I get to teach a course that is new to me, "History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education."  I started reading the textbook (actually reading instead of my normal scanning) so that I can prepare lessons for the first few weeks.  The book starts off heavily on describing different philosophy terms and debating which is more important; mind, body, or soul? After diving into philosophies of existentialism, dualism, monism, metaphysical, and phenomenology, I have come to a conclusion about myself.  I love Jesus! 

It is interesting to think about the different perspectives and to study the many different ways that we can view ourselves, however, I am thankful that at the end of the day, I don't have to know the answers.  I just trust that my God has all the answers and that is good enough for me.  My book calls this "blind faith" and that I am "denying myself the pleasure of creating my own values and belief system."  I call this Truth, Confidence, and Complete reliance on my Savior. 

I will teach the many different facets of philosophy.  I will test my students on the definitions and have them debate the "deep questions" that are still debated.  But I will pray that they will see the light shinning on the narrow road of "blind faith" and maybe decide to explore that road some more.