I am going to take time reflect on something in my own life that I have loved. It was instilled in me as a very young child. I do not ever remember a time it was not in my life, but yesterday something changed. Some form of ill feelings came over me, and thoughts of how ridiculous it is that now as an adult the very thing I have had all my life, and love for, adults have ruined. Brace yourself, hold your breath because I am going to call out BS. This is not directed at a specific person, but I realized yesterday as I was walking around a baseball field that we adults have screwed up Youth Sports. Ohhh Chana, sure you want to do this? Yep, I am. I began to think about all the rules we have on fields, and courts. Some are for safety, fairness, but then there has to be rules for the adults. Why rules for adults? It seems like we cannot do the right things for young athletes or children on our own. Isn't that sad? Makes me sick really, as I am a huge advocate for children, let alone children in youth sports.
Let me break it down this way. Youth Basketball we must create rules that each player must play 2 quarters, or you must create a rotation for everyone to get in to play. Youth Soccer has rotation rules. Adults will try every way to figure how to keep your best players in to win. Please do not think I am just pointing the finger at others, because I have been there doing the same thing. We want to win more than build up a child. Does that make you sick to your stomach? That we would do that to a child. In baseball you only have to have 2 innings in the field, and 1 at bat, there are 6 innings in a game in little league baseball. So if a kid struggles with confidence while in the batter's box let's give them 1 at bat, because that will help the kid. Nope we do it, because we want to win more than build that confidence or teach them. Right? Sick yet?
For the past 2 years I have been president of the local youth football league. Every year I have to say, "You have 11 players on the field and at least 15 on a team. Find a place for each kid to play." And every year I hear, "There are no rules in youth football that we must play all our players and for a certain amount of time. There are kids that could get hurt if we play them." Parents signed their kids up to play tackle football they know they could get hurt. Cultivate their abilities. Teach them. Train them. Do not dismiss them.
If you think 2 or 3 players with good athletic ability should carry a team, then get out of youth sports. You are in it for the wrong reasons. We have monopolized our children. When is it enough? How does it improve the develop of little human beings or are we past that? Because we want to win, fit in with the cool group of adults, or participate so my kid can get all the playing time. This past week, I watched players with better abilities run over players with less abilities to dominate order of who gets to bat first in batting cages. I watched as kids got in each others faces and somewhat push their weight around to dominate a situation, but isn't that what youth sports are teaching our kids? It seems that we adults have set that standard. That's how you should win, right? That's the point, right?
I am not a participation trophy person. I believe you should strive to win. Be in the championship. However, at what cost? I have heard long time coaches/adults look at a group of children and tell them they are not good enough to coach them, but then decide to coach when that 1 kid signs up. The team then is worth it. As they broke 15 other kid's hearts because of their actions. I have watched adults wait to sign their own children up to see what other children will be playing a sport before making a decision, because it is about the win. Same with commitment with coaches.
I do not know a fix, and I am actively part of the problem. It saddens me. I am tired of making excuses for it. I want to say I am sorry to our youth, because this week I realized we have failed you. We are the problem. Adults are the problem. We care more about our special interest than we do you. We utilize your abilities to get what we want to fill up our egos or needs. Kids I am trying to change. I am trying to change a culture in our local area, to help not only your athletic ability, but you as a person to be a successful adult. I do not want you to be like us. Be better than us. Do not play the adult games at the expense of a child's heart. Simply it is not worth the cost.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Still the Student
We live in a world where at the click of a button thousands can know your thoughts, life status, mood, relationships to others etc. It truly is amazing the technology we have these days. I find it hard when you are a born teacher to not teach. I know that sounds like an oxymoron. Teachers are suppose to teach, right? Not always. Sometimes the best teaching comes from silence, or the teacher look. Never saying a word. It is the hardest thing to master if you are a teacher, silence.
I find myself struggling sometimes that when I have a lesson that is suppose to be taught to go out and find students. I have been wrestling with that all week. "Invite people to hear the lesson," the little small voice in my head says. There is a strong matriarch teacher in my life that pops in and out when needed. She is never too far, and never too close. She has continually said to me, and I am sure to others, "When the students are ready, the teacher will come." I believe she was taught that from her strong matriarch teacher in her life, if I am remembering the story correctly.
I am probably going to debunk religious teachings in this blog, and make literal thinkers of scripture gasp. As a disclosure, the foundations of all my thinking goes back to a religious stand point. Now, I wade through the muck of man's interruption to God's intent. As a child I grew up with heavily influenced baptist doctrine. There was a lot of black and white in thinking, not much room for gray. However, grace was a word thrown around like a golden ticket, yet you do not want to use it. I can remember going door to door with tracks of "The ABC's to salvation" or "The Roman's Road to Salvation." The whole focus was to get the GOOD NEWS out and invite people to church. Then if people would come, religion would tell them how wrong they are; How they should change, what to look like, dress like, be like, because of this GRACE then Jesus would love you, and you could be saved. "NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?" Some man would ask, maybe a woman depending on what gender you were, because a woman could not minister or teach a man. However, men could teach a woman. I must laugh at those methods, now. Spread the GOOD NEWS, was the focal point. I still hear it in churches. It is funny how some think that is still what they are doing spreading the GOOD NEWS maybe as churches grow, while others are dying, or pews are being filled. I am not convinced. If you dissect the scripture in the gospel of Mark it would state, "Go publicly and say a good message to the world." I could be wrong, but what to be and not to be is not a good message. Seems to me that is called judgement and control.
On further note I do not ever recall Jesus ever needing slogans, mission statements, by-laws, constitutions, gimmicks, or activities to teach the Good News. It seemed the students were always waiting on him to show up. Crowds where there as he walked by, or maybe he just walked into the crowds already formed. I could be wrong, but I do not ever remember Jesus saying, "Now listen, once we get off this boat make sure there is a crowd. Let's shoot for 5,000. I have a great event planned with some fishes and loaves." If we embody Christ, then we also do not need an event, activity, or catchy jingle. The crowds will gather, but sometimes the students need some intimate time with the teacher if the crowds are small.
Back to my original struggle, just showing up to teach. When you know you have a great lesson you want everyone to hear it. 'Gather the people,' you think. Then you show up to teach, and you have a great history lesson, but those YOU gathered need to learn geometry. All because you wanted a crowd. Your justification then resorts to, "Am I not suppose to proclaim the Good News?" I am gonna say, "No." No, I am not suppose to proclaim the good news by gathering the crowds. I am suppose to be evidence of the Good News. I need to seek no crowds, because I am just suppose to walk in the midst of them. No matter the crowd size, when I am given a lesson the students will be ready, because I am just called to teach.
I find myself struggling sometimes that when I have a lesson that is suppose to be taught to go out and find students. I have been wrestling with that all week. "Invite people to hear the lesson," the little small voice in my head says. There is a strong matriarch teacher in my life that pops in and out when needed. She is never too far, and never too close. She has continually said to me, and I am sure to others, "When the students are ready, the teacher will come." I believe she was taught that from her strong matriarch teacher in her life, if I am remembering the story correctly.
I am probably going to debunk religious teachings in this blog, and make literal thinkers of scripture gasp. As a disclosure, the foundations of all my thinking goes back to a religious stand point. Now, I wade through the muck of man's interruption to God's intent. As a child I grew up with heavily influenced baptist doctrine. There was a lot of black and white in thinking, not much room for gray. However, grace was a word thrown around like a golden ticket, yet you do not want to use it. I can remember going door to door with tracks of "The ABC's to salvation" or "The Roman's Road to Salvation." The whole focus was to get the GOOD NEWS out and invite people to church. Then if people would come, religion would tell them how wrong they are; How they should change, what to look like, dress like, be like, because of this GRACE then Jesus would love you, and you could be saved. "NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?" Some man would ask, maybe a woman depending on what gender you were, because a woman could not minister or teach a man. However, men could teach a woman. I must laugh at those methods, now. Spread the GOOD NEWS, was the focal point. I still hear it in churches. It is funny how some think that is still what they are doing spreading the GOOD NEWS maybe as churches grow, while others are dying, or pews are being filled. I am not convinced. If you dissect the scripture in the gospel of Mark it would state, "Go publicly and say a good message to the world." I could be wrong, but what to be and not to be is not a good message. Seems to me that is called judgement and control.
On further note I do not ever recall Jesus ever needing slogans, mission statements, by-laws, constitutions, gimmicks, or activities to teach the Good News. It seemed the students were always waiting on him to show up. Crowds where there as he walked by, or maybe he just walked into the crowds already formed. I could be wrong, but I do not ever remember Jesus saying, "Now listen, once we get off this boat make sure there is a crowd. Let's shoot for 5,000. I have a great event planned with some fishes and loaves." If we embody Christ, then we also do not need an event, activity, or catchy jingle. The crowds will gather, but sometimes the students need some intimate time with the teacher if the crowds are small.
Back to my original struggle, just showing up to teach. When you know you have a great lesson you want everyone to hear it. 'Gather the people,' you think. Then you show up to teach, and you have a great history lesson, but those YOU gathered need to learn geometry. All because you wanted a crowd. Your justification then resorts to, "Am I not suppose to proclaim the Good News?" I am gonna say, "No." No, I am not suppose to proclaim the good news by gathering the crowds. I am suppose to be evidence of the Good News. I need to seek no crowds, because I am just suppose to walk in the midst of them. No matter the crowd size, when I am given a lesson the students will be ready, because I am just called to teach.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Surviving Wilderness
This morning Tandy is on a cleaning jag, and all I want to do is stay in my PJs and read. I will pay for that mindset later at some point. Maybe today or maybe tomorrow, but it surely is in the near future. This week has seemly been emotionally hard as I have had to adjust my thinking to my past, future, and encounters of others around me. I find that there are many parts of my life that I just "overlook." In my overlooking, I realize that there are emotional connections that I have not completely dealt with. Make no mistake, when we do this they will arise or show up at some point to be dealt with again. And the pain that comes with it will call into question; Why did I not deal with this the first go around? When you begin that circle of thinking, it starts a vortex of emotions. The what ifs, the why nots, the I wishes, and the if onlys. In the spiritual and Christianese world we call it the Wilderness experience. Where all temptations happen to get us to go back.
My friends have been leading a Bible study in their home, because they have found many Christians are walking in that atmosphere as they too are doing the same. It is not like they know the way out or pointing to others as justifying dictatorship as I know the only and right way, but it is more of come walk with me, because I am right there too. Last night they handed me two books that they are beginning to study in their group. How timely they speak of Wilderness experiences. This week I am realizing we have many wildernesses in our lives. We try to clump them all together as one and as we do that, we overlook the importance of the experience itself. Resulting in the uprise of the overlook that WILL happen down the road. We also typically focus on the atmosphere of the Wilderness itself and lose sight that the focus should be on the getting out. There have been times that I like the scenery in the Wilderness and have stayed in that place longer than I ever should have. It usually comes by depression and napping with me. Let me just lay here for awhile. Shut down and shut everyone and everything out. There is no searching in this place, mercy in this place, forgiveness in this place, but there is lots of anger, hopelessness, justification, and ego. The statements of "I do not need them, I do need this, or I can do this on my own" come to mind.
I am learning the Wilderness is meant to break you. Break you not in the sense of into pieces, though it can feel like that at times, but break you WIDE OPEN. It is the only way to get out, to be broken wide open. Some of us chose to stay in the anger, hopelessness, justification, with our egos and go on living in the Wilderness. We encounter those in our daily lives. People who are bitter by life events and situations. People who justify their behavior because of the behavior of others. We all have done it, but it is our choice whether we continue to stay there. There is a statement in one of the books that rings true if applied to any Wilderness situation, "...weeping for pain and weeping for joy, because the two are often linked more closely than we can imagine." It continues with the thought of suffering leads to the saving. The only way out is brokenness to the point of WIDE OPEN. Define it however you want. Christianese calls it, "Worship or crying out." Those outside of that thought call it, "Honesty with self and transparency about weakness." No matter the definition, WIDE OPEN is the path out.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
The Other Side
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the other side. At first, I wonder if the other side thinks about me. Probably not. But it does not stop me from trying to understand the other side. Who is the other side you might wonder? We all have them. Those people we have ideas about or those people that we have encountered at some point, yet no longer encounter ever... The other side... Severance with groups of people have always disturbed me. They come with relationship breaks, fights, deaths, and even births. They come with differencing views on civil rights, politics, theologies, morals, and ethics. The other side. One might argue life changes, people change and I can agree, but it seems our views of self inflicted ME FIRST mentality usually is the root cause of the creation of The Other Side. We try to fit people in our box of thought, actions, and beliefs then yet cannot see just the simple pure value of the life on the other side. Sad really how shallow we can be. We hold grudges to the grave, never trying to mend. All the while, we wave banners of Christian, Good People as we taunt the other side with the ME FIRST mentality.
Today, I began to read about a man that was homeless, full of poverty in all aspects of his life. He depended on hand outs for income. When he was hungry he would eat raw foods. He was ridiculed mostly by those that seemly had it all together. Those driven by the ME FIRST mentality. Some people thought he had mental health issues and believed he was a lunatic. The end of his life was very tragic. Basically, he was accused of a crime he never committed. Witnesses were hired to lie to say, "He did it." The jury was rigged. He had a dirty judge that needed some political gain. In the end he was handed the death penalty. What would have happened if people got to know the other side...Would his life ended the way it did? What if the other side had love to give? Wisdom to give in-spite of his different quirky ways. What if.... what if.... what if.... My new purpose to engage and know the other side, whatever that may be, and to respect the life that is there.
The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians, "I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead." Most of us like to refer to the other side as, 'dead to us.' What if, what was dead to us was raised? What would it take? Power? What is this power that Paul speaks of... my only conclusion can be love. Love that reaches to the other side. Paul goes onto say, "...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. Guess its not about me after all. It is love straining to reach forward the other side of what lies ahead.
The homeless man that I read about today, did that. Actually, that was the root reason they killed him. He reached into the other side and changed the world as we know it. He changed our culture, society, and belief system. Whether we believe or not the story of him he changed the world. It happened by loving the other side. No matter your thoughts of real events, or faith based beliefs Jesus has made his name known. A homeless man, who borrowed beds, mostly slept on dirt, who never thought of himself, yet valued the other side. Even when they did not think about him, Jesus changed/and made history...in its simplest form...all for the other side.
Today, I began to read about a man that was homeless, full of poverty in all aspects of his life. He depended on hand outs for income. When he was hungry he would eat raw foods. He was ridiculed mostly by those that seemly had it all together. Those driven by the ME FIRST mentality. Some people thought he had mental health issues and believed he was a lunatic. The end of his life was very tragic. Basically, he was accused of a crime he never committed. Witnesses were hired to lie to say, "He did it." The jury was rigged. He had a dirty judge that needed some political gain. In the end he was handed the death penalty. What would have happened if people got to know the other side...Would his life ended the way it did? What if the other side had love to give? Wisdom to give in-spite of his different quirky ways. What if.... what if.... what if.... My new purpose to engage and know the other side, whatever that may be, and to respect the life that is there.
The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians, "I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead." Most of us like to refer to the other side as, 'dead to us.' What if, what was dead to us was raised? What would it take? Power? What is this power that Paul speaks of... my only conclusion can be love. Love that reaches to the other side. Paul goes onto say, "...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. Guess its not about me after all. It is love straining to reach forward the other side of what lies ahead.
The homeless man that I read about today, did that. Actually, that was the root reason they killed him. He reached into the other side and changed the world as we know it. He changed our culture, society, and belief system. Whether we believe or not the story of him he changed the world. It happened by loving the other side. No matter your thoughts of real events, or faith based beliefs Jesus has made his name known. A homeless man, who borrowed beds, mostly slept on dirt, who never thought of himself, yet valued the other side. Even when they did not think about him, Jesus changed/and made history...in its simplest form...all for the other side.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
#55strong
It has been awhile since I have blogged, but I can assure you that I have tried. I have typed out two or three blogs then would just delete them. The reason being, there has been so much to process in my head that there could not be just one focal point to communicate an actual point. It has been and currently is like that huge ball of string all knotted up or the slinky that is tangled up. You know when you see those things coming, you take a deep breath and think to yourself, "Not again," and then say, "I can figure this out." That is where I am. However, in actuality I am enslaved to the system. The systematic processes of the untangling.
I am involved in a movement of justice for the people, that actually I did not ask for, yet desperately need. It is one of those times in life you do not realize how hungry you are until you smell food, or you do not see how poor you are until someone outside your poverty befriends you. The history of that fight in this part of the country at least dates back to the Civil War. West Virginians, the mountain people, never knowing how much we look like a third-world country. Do not get me wrong, I love my home state. Even while I type I have a WV sweatshirt on, now do not get it confused with a WVU sweatshirt, because I live in Herd Country, which could make some around me go into convulsions. Yet, I am proud I am Alumni of Marshall University. It was the school in West Virginia that use to be deemed 'the teacher school' back in the day when compared to West Virginia University. However, I can whisper and say, "I like WVU sports"....sigh, I know. In Huntington, WV that is blaspheme.
Lately, WV has made national and international news dealing with a Teacher Strike. It is an awful place to be in terms of security. Will I get paid? How long is this going to last? I have already paid for a beach vacation. Fact is we are ranked 48th or 49th in teacher pay, depending on your sources. I have a Master's Degree and I do not make a decent wage. The cost of living has surpassed my wage and that is the cost of living in WV, which you know is not high according to any other parts of the country. The cost of living has raised 4.9% and teachers are asking for 5% raise, which only continually puts us at the bottom of the barrel. Are there times I have worried about feeding my children? Yes. Have there been times that I worry about paying my bills? Yes. Though those are my worries, I do realize there are others that have it worse off than me. My thoughts do not take away their own poverty, but I have mine too. I pay for the beach trips by my income taxes and go to the cheapest beach in America, which ALL West Virginians go to...Myrtle Beach, SC. I use my taxes to pay off bills that I have gotten behind on throughout the year, because my wage isn't enough. But what about your spouse? Doesn't she make good money? Ummm, no! She works for a program funded by the State. She has two Master's Degrees and has been in her job 25+ years and makes the same as I do. In the real world our salaries together would equal one salary outside of the Mountain State, which still would be considered a low wage. There have been times we go shop at Goodwill not because we want a cheap bargain, but I have growing boys and search for good clothes there. We have a Goodwill located in Barboursville (outside of Huntington), richer people live there. I can typically find name brands there. When things get really tight I go through the boys clothes or things even we do not use anymore and sell them. I do not say these things for pity. I say them for reality. Other states I could have public assistance. Actually, I did. When I first got divorced from my Ex-husband I moved across the river to Kentucky, and my college degree wage from WV got me on the system. I had a food stamp card and the boys had a medical card.
My story is not uncommon. I have never asked for hand-outs or even for money. Actually there was this one time I asked my mother for money, and my sister, because I needed more money for a down payment for a car. It was my first ever car to own by myself, and I had no credit. You know how I paid them back...Student loan money. However other than that, never. Teachers have made their demands in this strike, 5% raise or we do not go back, and fix our insurance. The insurance is on track for solutions, but the 5% has not happened for a multiple of idiotic and political gaming reasons. Therefore on Monday I still do not get to return to my classroom. The place where I am called to be and the place that reminds me why I even take a low wage. Children. The poverty of learning, or the poverty of the development of children. My whole make-up, my happy place is always around children.
Teachers are survivors in the State of West Virginia, nothing has ever been handed to any of us. We work hard to teach those same skills. The true teacher drive will outlast anyone. How do I know this? I know it because we are the type of people that get a cussing in one breath by a 10 year old and then make sure they are fed by lunch time. We move sometimes 20+ students along heading to a common goal everyday as we move them in UNIITY, no matter their development levels. All eyes are on us to see our next move. We will win this! Once again I know this, because we have been taught to fight through. Figure it out. Find ways. This game that is being played with our lives and the lives of our students is not anything new for us. This is our daily job, as we barely have educational resources, like paper for our students (paper for teachers is gold currency). Our slogan that is our driving force to continue is #55strong. We will stay 55 counties strong in this, because we were 55 counties strong before this...Now everyone else in this country is hearing the screams and groaning of labor pains of this Mountain Momma... Take US home country roads...to the place where we belong.
I am involved in a movement of justice for the people, that actually I did not ask for, yet desperately need. It is one of those times in life you do not realize how hungry you are until you smell food, or you do not see how poor you are until someone outside your poverty befriends you. The history of that fight in this part of the country at least dates back to the Civil War. West Virginians, the mountain people, never knowing how much we look like a third-world country. Do not get me wrong, I love my home state. Even while I type I have a WV sweatshirt on, now do not get it confused with a WVU sweatshirt, because I live in Herd Country, which could make some around me go into convulsions. Yet, I am proud I am Alumni of Marshall University. It was the school in West Virginia that use to be deemed 'the teacher school' back in the day when compared to West Virginia University. However, I can whisper and say, "I like WVU sports"....sigh, I know. In Huntington, WV that is blaspheme.
Lately, WV has made national and international news dealing with a Teacher Strike. It is an awful place to be in terms of security. Will I get paid? How long is this going to last? I have already paid for a beach vacation. Fact is we are ranked 48th or 49th in teacher pay, depending on your sources. I have a Master's Degree and I do not make a decent wage. The cost of living has surpassed my wage and that is the cost of living in WV, which you know is not high according to any other parts of the country. The cost of living has raised 4.9% and teachers are asking for 5% raise, which only continually puts us at the bottom of the barrel. Are there times I have worried about feeding my children? Yes. Have there been times that I worry about paying my bills? Yes. Though those are my worries, I do realize there are others that have it worse off than me. My thoughts do not take away their own poverty, but I have mine too. I pay for the beach trips by my income taxes and go to the cheapest beach in America, which ALL West Virginians go to...Myrtle Beach, SC. I use my taxes to pay off bills that I have gotten behind on throughout the year, because my wage isn't enough. But what about your spouse? Doesn't she make good money? Ummm, no! She works for a program funded by the State. She has two Master's Degrees and has been in her job 25+ years and makes the same as I do. In the real world our salaries together would equal one salary outside of the Mountain State, which still would be considered a low wage. There have been times we go shop at Goodwill not because we want a cheap bargain, but I have growing boys and search for good clothes there. We have a Goodwill located in Barboursville (outside of Huntington), richer people live there. I can typically find name brands there. When things get really tight I go through the boys clothes or things even we do not use anymore and sell them. I do not say these things for pity. I say them for reality. Other states I could have public assistance. Actually, I did. When I first got divorced from my Ex-husband I moved across the river to Kentucky, and my college degree wage from WV got me on the system. I had a food stamp card and the boys had a medical card.
My story is not uncommon. I have never asked for hand-outs or even for money. Actually there was this one time I asked my mother for money, and my sister, because I needed more money for a down payment for a car. It was my first ever car to own by myself, and I had no credit. You know how I paid them back...Student loan money. However other than that, never. Teachers have made their demands in this strike, 5% raise or we do not go back, and fix our insurance. The insurance is on track for solutions, but the 5% has not happened for a multiple of idiotic and political gaming reasons. Therefore on Monday I still do not get to return to my classroom. The place where I am called to be and the place that reminds me why I even take a low wage. Children. The poverty of learning, or the poverty of the development of children. My whole make-up, my happy place is always around children.
Teachers are survivors in the State of West Virginia, nothing has ever been handed to any of us. We work hard to teach those same skills. The true teacher drive will outlast anyone. How do I know this? I know it because we are the type of people that get a cussing in one breath by a 10 year old and then make sure they are fed by lunch time. We move sometimes 20+ students along heading to a common goal everyday as we move them in UNIITY, no matter their development levels. All eyes are on us to see our next move. We will win this! Once again I know this, because we have been taught to fight through. Figure it out. Find ways. This game that is being played with our lives and the lives of our students is not anything new for us. This is our daily job, as we barely have educational resources, like paper for our students (paper for teachers is gold currency). Our slogan that is our driving force to continue is #55strong. We will stay 55 counties strong in this, because we were 55 counties strong before this...Now everyone else in this country is hearing the screams and groaning of labor pains of this Mountain Momma... Take US home country roads...to the place where we belong.
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)