Saturday, February 17, 2018

"The Tie That Binds"

When I was growing-up I had the opportunity to go to many concerts, and youth rally events.  There is nothing like an arena or standing in the US Capital Mall with thousands of others, as you hear rumbling in the atmosphere.  You know, when you walk in an area, and the stirring gives you goose-bumps... I use to say that was the Holy Spirit because most of the events I went to were Christian based.  Now I am not saying God didn't have something to do with it, because there was always anticipation of the Lord's presence.  However, there have been other times in my life that I have felt that same thing aside from a Christian based event.  Like when the warm-up songs come on before a basketball game, or volleyball game I was about to play.  Sometimes, it now even happens right before I coach.  Or how about when I walk into Marshall University Football Stadium through the tunnel to find my seat and hear AC/DC Thunderstruck.  Is it the Holy Spirit?  Probably not.  Now once again I know God is always with me, and he tries to talk to me continually through this hard head, and sometimes hard heart of mine, but my view on spiritualism has come from Bapti-costal influences (the mix of baptist and pentecostal). Bapti-costal is not a word, or thing but more of my personal theology of how I view and wade through the mudding waters of "Christian."  The Bapti-side of me was foundational as a child, which would be more logical thoughts of christianity.  The Costal-side of me is more charismatic which in tells the only answer must be God to every question.  In the south,  my best fit in a church ideally would be a predominately African American Baptist...this white girl would be right at home in that atmosphere.

Yesterday, I got that same feeling...goose-bumps, full of anticipation,  and I heard rumbling in the atmosphere.  It is really a powerful thing.  When I walked through the door of the WV capital, chants echoed the halls.  As we walked through the maze of hallways the sound kept getting louder and louder. Once we hit the rotunda, a sea of people were there with signs, singing, and chanting.  Even when the group moved through the Capital a new set of goose-bumps would appear.  We were there for a purpose.  A common goal, and vision.  A cry for change.  After most of the demonstration, I walked back to my truck in rain by myself.  I noticed the overwhelming calm and quiet that was over me.  You would have never known that 5 minutes before I walked out, because the atmosphere inside never changed.

On my walk back I began wondering and consciously asking, "Why do the goose-bumps happen, and all the feelings that go with it?"  My mind went back to major events and times that it had happened when I claimed it was the Holy Spirit.  What was similar? What was different?  My revelation came as I sat dripping with water, UNITY.  An atmosphere full of UNITY creates those physical and emotional reactions.   I could easily be a junky to the adrenalin of Unity.  There is a scripture that confirms this very thing... In Ecclesiastes there is a scripture about a cord of three.  The scripture says, "Though one can be over thrown, two can defend themselves but three strands are not easily broken."  What if the strands are hundreds?  Thousands? Millions?  How powerful would the cord be?

What if there was a cord against gun violence? Unfair wages? Unjust actions toward another because the color of their skin?  Or simply a cord on a basketball court?  Could it be broken?  Guess it would depend on how tight the bind of the cord is... does it seem like one cord or is it frayed.  Unity is so simple, yet so big.  It can be applied anywhere to create change, or win a battle.  It is the secret weapon that can destroy any mass.

Sunday, February 4, 2018

"Teacher, Teacher"

Recently in West Virginia, there is an uprising happening with Public Employees over insurance.  Teachers are part of that group, which makes me part of that group.  I find myself glued to Facebook pictures and comments on the direction and thought processes of my colleagues, as I sort out my own dilemmas.  Throughout the last week, I have learned WV teachers are 48th in pay as measured to other teachers in this country.  That some feel we do nothing, with seemly short working days, holidays off, and seasonal breaks.  That our insurance is not only starting to cost us more, but also starting to infringe on our rights.  That we are in the cross-hairs of strikes, walk-outs, walk-ins, and threats from the powers that be.  People are being asked moral and ethical questions that effect their livelihood, which gives more ethical and moral dilemmas.

West Virginia regions are vastly different from coal fields to the northern panhandle.  One of my historian teacher friends went live on Facebook and talked about why he teaches.  Challenging teachers to do the same.  Interesting concept of unity.  I will say there is some truth to the Nay-sayers.  There are those people in the profession of teaching that do come into it, because of yearly calendar.  I will also tell you that they typically do not last.  The realization of what your schedule says on paper is not accurate.  They soon realize the scheduled time, and the money do not match up.  Outside of work hours, I have multiple parents contacting me about work related things about their children.  I work with special needs children, which heightens the concerns for most parents.  Four days out of five in my work week, I cannot leave my classroom to have lunch nor get a break throughout the day. As it is too risky for me to leave for some of my children's medical needs.  If I go to the bathroom I must take my phone, just in case there might be an emergency, and my aides need me in the ten minutes that I am gone.  Almost everyday, I give a student clothes, more food, or some form of emotional support.  Most parents cannot tolerate their own children for more than one day, and teachers sign up to take on 20+ in most cases.  There are days you cry, laugh, and cry and laugh all at the same time.  We are watching our students lose parents and family members to the drug epidemic.  So now we also are grief counselors, and not just educators.  We grieve because it is not uncommon to lose two or three children in your classroom to Child Protective Service (CPS), or that you gain two or three children because of CPS.

I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to teach in West Virginia.  No money.  Not much growth.  I have a master's degree, and I make $20,000 less than the national average of those with master's degrees.  So why do it?  Why teach?  Why West Virginia?  If you are a real teacher, then it is no longer a profession, but a passion.  You know that there are those that need you.  They do not need you  just because you are teaching reading, and math, or any other subject. Learning is so much more than that.  We spend more time with your children than you do.  We are teaching social skills, ethics, coping skills, and for some just how to survive.  I teach in WV, because I want to give back what has been given.  That does not mean it is not hard.  That does not mean I have a spouse who supports my family financially, since I teach.  Even in the hardness I stay, because it matters to me.  It matters to my community, and it matters to this world.  Public Employees are not asking for much considering what is really handed out across the state.  We are the glue that keeps all underfunded programs and services working.  I fear what is coming next.  I fear for my own children.  I fear for my family.  I fear for this state.

Next week when I hear, "Teacher, Teacher " the cost will seem different.