"It must feel great to have your WHOLE SUMMER OFF."
If I only had a dollar for every time I've heard that in just the past two days. Scratch that.
I'm a teacher....I'd take just a nickel for every time I've heard that, maybe even a penny.
Anywho, this is not your usual teacher rant about how irate they are when people remark about their time OFF. No, in fact, that simple statement has made me do a lot of thinking over the past couple days. So, being the English teacher that I am, I went to the dictionary to look up the denotation of the word "OFF." Here is what I found:
Definition #1 -- In all seriousness, I have come to realize that people must be referring to the first definition when they make that statement. Technically I am "off." I am away from the school for the summer (except for those times that I'm not like when I'm coaching the cheerleaders, working on my room for the following year, attending workshops to better prepare myself, etc.) But in all reality, I guess I spend more time than not away from the school during the summer.
Definition #2 -- Now, if one were referring to the second definition, I would have to call his or her bluff. To say that I am removed from my work is the farthest thing from the truth. I just completed 10 chapters, a test, 3 written assignments, and a paper in the last 24 hours for my Masters degree that will help equip me to be a better, more influential teacher. Furthermore, I have two huge binders sitting in my study with hundreds of handouts, lesson plans, and activities that I will be actively working on throughout my summer to organize, revamp, and modify to make sure that I am bringing my best to the table when I return to my students in the fall. As I mentioned before, I will be attending workshops to better myself and working with my students throughout the summer through cheerleading. I am constantly thinking about my students and hoping that they are doing well. Not to mention checking my email, as many of you do on your days off, to make sure that I haven't missed anything. And, yes, I'm constantly pinteresting (I admit it) to find more current ways to engage my students. I'm young, but trying to keep up with a technological generation can even tire me out.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to sleep in this summer until about 6 every morning thus far (on occasion, maybe even 7 -- gasp!). And, as many of you know, I am getting a little reprieve this summer from tutoring the Inner City children and teaching the kingdergarten Bible class with my husband on Tuesday nights. However, my to-do lists is a mile long and I'm now pushing to make-up for all those duties and people I neglected throughout the year while trying to give my 100% for my students.
So, what does my suffer OFF mean to me? I'll tell you. It means that I can now be the:
O -- other half to my marriage that I am supposed to be. I thankfully have a husband who is beyond helping and understanding. As I was trying to survive my first full-year teaching (complete with a new textbook, being cheer sponsor, and lead teacher ... which I am SO THANKFUL for all three) while taking graduate classes and completing volunteer work, he selflessly helped around the house and didn't complain when the house wasn't spotless. In fact, he did most of the laundry, cleaned the dishes, did the yardwork, and cooked on most occasions.....all while he,too, was working a full-time job, working on his doctorate, and volunteering like crazy. So, how am I spending my summer off....well, first I'm focusing on the blessing of marriage that God has so graciously afforded me and working on being the OTHER HALF that I am instructed in Scripture to be.
F - friend and family member that I am supposed to be. I love my students and want the best for them, but that has also come at a price over the past year. Instead of catching up with friends, keeping in touch with family, encouraging and praying for those around me, I have been spending countless hours perfecting my lesson plans, grading assessments so that students can get them back in due time to actually help them, coming up with more ways to engage them in class, listening to their stories of accomplishments and trials, praying for their concerns and heartaches, and overall showing them that I believe in them and that I care. So, how am I spending my summer off...well, second I'm focusing on being the friend and family member that I should have been all along. I want to share in their joys and sorrows, let them know that I care, and that I believe in them.
O -- other half to my marriage that I am supposed to be. I thankfully have a husband who is beyond helping and understanding. As I was trying to survive my first full-year teaching (complete with a new textbook, being cheer sponsor, and lead teacher ... which I am SO THANKFUL for all three) while taking graduate classes and completing volunteer work, he selflessly helped around the house and didn't complain when the house wasn't spotless. In fact, he did most of the laundry, cleaned the dishes, did the yardwork, and cooked on most occasions.....all while he,too, was working a full-time job, working on his doctorate, and volunteering like crazy. So, how am I spending my summer off....well, first I'm focusing on the blessing of marriage that God has so graciously afforded me and working on being the OTHER HALF that I am instructed in Scripture to be.
F - friend and family member that I am supposed to be. I love my students and want the best for them, but that has also come at a price over the past year. Instead of catching up with friends, keeping in touch with family, encouraging and praying for those around me, I have been spending countless hours perfecting my lesson plans, grading assessments so that students can get them back in due time to actually help them, coming up with more ways to engage them in class, listening to their stories of accomplishments and trials, praying for their concerns and heartaches, and overall showing them that I believe in them and that I care. So, how am I spending my summer off...well, second I'm focusing on being the friend and family member that I should have been all along. I want to share in their joys and sorrows, let them know that I care, and that I believe in them.
F - faithful servant that I am supposed to be. I love my content and teaching the wonderful world of literature to my students. I love reading the stories that they write me and serving them on a daily basis. I love serving the Inner City and all the various volunteer projects that my husband and I undertake. However, I seemed to have gotten so busy serving that I had forgotten WHOM I was serving. I read essays to grade and give feedback to students rather than reading Scripture to grade my daily walk and provide feedback for improving my journey with Christ. I listening to my students' stories and happenings, yet I failed to provide time to listen to my Father. I talked everyone's heads off about my students and what all they were accomplishing, yet I didn't make time to talk to my Savior about his blessings on my life. I tried to give selflessly to everyone and every opportunity afforded to me, yet I didn't give enough due credit to the ONE who gave it all for me. So, how am I spending my summer off... well, third I'm focusing on being the faithful servant that I am supposed to be.
So, now when people remark: "It must feel great to have your whole summer OFF." All I can say is, "Yes, it does!!" Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to being:
O - other half to my husband
F - friend and family member
F - faithful servant
And, I think I'm off to a great start. I've already been enjoying relaxing time with my hubby as we worked on landscape lights together, ran/biked together, went on date nights, enjoyed snuggles, etc. I have even gotten the house spotless and cooked for him two nights in a row! We also enjoyed some time with friends this past Memorial day with a cookout (complete with deer and bear meat, redneck caviar, and good ol' peach cobbler. I was also able to start attending the girls' Bible study with other young wives this week as we study how to be the women God has called us to be. God is already doing great things, and I'm just really excited about my SUMMER "OFF."
Until next time,
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