A teachable walking yard sale - Teach

 I think it is really interesting that today's Advent word is teach. Most, if not all of you know, that I am a teacher. I have the privilege to teach in an entry-level graduate program. I get to share my knowledge of occupational therapy with students and shape the future of the profession. Additionally I hope it is evident that as much as I put in, I reap from interactions with my students. I truly feel so lucky to be able to do what I do. 

When I think about Advent and what we can learn and how we can share that learning my mind goes back to one particular student. This student was juggling many life events and was feeling the water slowly rise and began to struggle. This student came to me, just one of her professors and needed some guidance. This meeting included lots of listening on my part. They needed someone to just listen. When they were done the first words out of my mouth were "I hear you, what can I do to help?" This was really one of my first opportunities to mentor a student. We continued to meet regularly until they graduated. Several years later I can say that we are colleagues and more than that we are friends. This student taught me how to build those skills as a mentor. They taught me how to listen more deeply. They helped me see that my primary job as a teacher is to listen. They taught me the value of the words we say as teachers. I owe them a lot. 

As a teacher I believe I have a greater respect for God as a teacher. I know that at times God must be shaking their head in their hands cause, y'all, I'm definitely a walking yard sale at times. But God always listens and finds a way to respond that helps guide my thinking and my actions. In the last year I have been more intentional in my listening and reflecting on what I believe I'm being taught. This process of learning has made me a better teacher. 

As you go about your day today, be teachable. Advocate for someone. Teach someone about the goodness that exists in the world.

You are a child of God-Together

"On my best day I'm a child of God, on my worst day I'm a child of God."-Cain

The thankful November posts are slowly winding down. I am one of those social media folx who has consistently done these. Like most people I have done them to help up my practice of demonstrating and saying I'm grateful for my overwhelmingly abundant blessings. I think anytime we can take a moment to demonstrate our gratefulness for those things which we have and create is worth it. Additionally I began trying to be grateful for all of things that happen in this life. I am not as diligent in this practice and it is for a simple reason, like everyone else on earth it's much easier to be thankful and grateful when things are going well, it's a helluva lot harder to be grateful when things are hard or uneasy. 

Lately I've felt a sense of being "off". I am not sure why that is exactly but my guess is that we are in one of the longer stretches of calm that life has blessed us with. Now I can image some of you are thinking, calmness is great. You're right but it can also be very anxiety inducing for some, I am that person. I am a person who is great in a crisis. I find the calm in chaos. Chaos for me, it is when things are quiet and calm. Anticipation of what will come next is hard.

Now that we are fully in the throws of Advent and I'm committed to daily writing about the Advent Word of the Day 2022 I'm trying to diligently think about what it means to be "together" in this period of waiting. For me it means throwing myself into all of the communities that I'm apart of. It means taking the time to sit down and be fully present and together with the PKs and the Vicar. It means learning how to see the grace of our creator in everyone. Learning to stretch myself, knowing that I have communities to hold me accountable and to fall back on as needed. 

Together, as children of God, we can do things. On your very best and worst days and on every random Tuesday, you're a child of god. Let's walk together towards that growing light. 

Walk

 The Advent season has officially begun. This time of preparation for our Lord's birth is one which is so meaningful for so many. Each week we see the lights grow brighter as we joyfully await for the Lord to grace this side of the veil. While many of us are decorating, buying and lovingly wrapping gifts for loved ones, planning fun activities, for some this walk towards Bethlehem is one fraught with heartache and pain. Some are missing faces around their table, some are separated from their families by choice and by circumstance. The thing we have in common with each other, we are all walking. 

I am walking too. Walking towards the birth of our Lord but the load feels heavier this year. For some reason missing my grandparents more than ever this year. Perhaps it is because I see my children's friends in pictures with their grandparents and it takes me back to years of wonderful Christmas seasons and I worry they won't have those. Also, I had grandparents that made the season pure magic. My grandmother made things wonderful. Food, family, presents, and togetherness. I now know there was SO much that had to go on to make those seasons run and I think maybe that is also part of my grief, I'm now the one who helps make the magic but she is not here to just sit back and enjoy the moments. I am the one who helps my children see the goodness and mercy of the season. That makes me miss her. 

I find some comfort that she is patiently waiting for me to someday join her and until then is content to watch from above and it is she who sits with me in all the moments. She rejoices in my joy. She helps me in the moments of overwhelm. She sees that her legacy lives on. But I still miss her. And that's ok. I probably always will, especially at Christmas time. 

So as we walk this road towards the Christ child's birth, I see you. You see me. Let's try to find the space for joy and our grief. Both are holy and good. If you need someone to walk with you, I am here. Let's do this together. Walking, hand in hand, one moment at a time. 

Blessed hopeful Advent to you. 

-The Vicar's Wife