Irrelevant?

When did God become irrelevant? Granted, for the last 8 eight years I have been struggling with my personal losses--first my mom, then my husband, both in 2007. In those 8 years, I have been trying to come to terms with God and His plans for me. At no time, however, did I lose faith or hope or stop believing that God does, in fact, exist, and that He matters.

Recently a Pew poll tracked the changing attitudes of Americans toward religion.  I was not surprised at the decline in people leaving mainline Christian churches, but I was surprised by the number who are not affiliated with a religion at all.  (See link here: Pew Poll on America's Religious Views)  How can God be irrelevant? If there is no God, or if He is not worth one's time and attention, then what does all THIS mean--this life, this existence, this brief time on Earth?

My faith enriches my life, giving me the belief that my life does matter, that I am not a randomly selected zygote successfully grown to adulthood. Faith tells me that I am a spiritual being going through a human experience, but that this experience is a pathway to an eternity of being spiritual. When this mortal coil ends, my soul will thrive--at last!

Maybe I am delusional. Maybe I am lacking in intellectual ability. Maybe. BUT maybe I have attained a plane of realization that the non-affiliated have not yet achieved. Perhaps those of us who feel a connection to God have progressed far beyond those who feel no call on their hearts.

When the world goes awry, as it so often does, I will not shrink from the fight. As long as I am here, I know that God is here, too. He is, I know, because He is in me, and greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (I John 4:4).

Flying Lessons

     I am reflecting on my year at Coosa Valley Academy, a little private school in Harpersville, Alabama. The students there are so eager to please, so interested in hearing more of what I have to share.  This week I was asked by the seniors what I thought about their little school. They are well aware that they are not the "best" private school in the world, and they wanted to know how they stack up, considering that I have certainly taught in more schools than most! It took me a few moments to compose myself, as I did not want that week's frustrations with standardized testing and technology snafus to color my thoughts.  "I think that this school is special because of all of you and your parents. Your parents raise you, I teach you, and you get the benefit of both!" It is a simple commendation, but it is well deserved. Being in an environment where I am appreciated for my gifts and genuinely liked and respected is refreshing. I think it is what we all want from any job we have, ultimately--recognition, appreciation, respect. OH, and encouragement to go further and do more whenever possible.
     I hope that I have modeled for these very special, very capable young people the art of learning to fly!

Eat to Live, Live to Read

I get paid to read. Well, not directly paid to read, but as a literature teacher, I read in order to do my job. Who knew I could get paid to read and talk about reading? Certainly, when I was a little girl, escaping into worlds past, present, and imaginary, I could not have dreamed up this gig! I wanted to be a librarian. Librarians, by definition, tell people to shush. Literature teachers urge people to talk about reading. I like my job.

A few weeks ago, I participated in the Birmingham Reads day, as I have done for four years. Once again, I was at Hemphill Elementary, this time with second graders. I read a Miss Viola book, and they were all eyes and ears. Their wondrous expressions at discovering what new escapade Miss Viola was on were vivid reminders of the wonder I felt at that age, listening to Mrs. Hill read us Black Stallion books.  A love of reading is established at a young age by great teachers guiding students to fabulous books. Books and I have been traveling companions ever since I was the age of those students.

When I was roaming around BAM tonight, an announcement came over the PA system to remind me that I had only one hour left to browse. What's a girl to do? I had to make a choice, and so I did.  It was hard to choose, but I did it. Now I am eager to go to bed so I can read way past my bedtime, meeting new people and going to new places. I hope this new book is as good as the one I finished reading on the field trip bus trip yesterday: The Secret Life of Bees. It was a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it to all my friends.

With my new book in hand, I walked briskly to my car, and I suddenly realized that it was 8:30 pm and I still hadn't eaten.  I could have spent my money on a good dinner, but a good book and a ham sandwich was all I needed. Food keeps me alive; books keep me excited about being alive!

Bon appetit, bookworms of the world!