Better!

What a year 2021 was, eh?  For me personally, it was worse than 2020!  Allow me a few lines of whining...

-I ended 2020 with Covid, still can't smell and can barely taste.

-The company I've been with for 6 years had their state contract unexpectedly cut short, which effectively ended employment for all of us who taught under that contract.  After a little over a month of being off work and waiting for rehire, I was finally back, teaching in the same place but under a new employer.

-I was diagnosed with a chronic condition and had to start taking immune suppressants to slow the damage being done.

-Family and friends have experienced levels of suffering and loss through circumstances and sickness.

Okay, enough, you get the general picture!  And for each of those whines, I could add a praise with it about how something has come from it or a lesson has been learned from it.  But as I thought over the year and have talked about a new year coming, I've noticed myself saying something frequently:

2022 has got to be better!

Then it dawned on me...it CAN be better!  I can't control world events, illness, and life losses, but guess what....I can control my attitude and actions!!!  And so, my word for 2022 is BETTER!

We can all be better!  Better employees, spouses, students, parents, friends, children, customers, Jesus followers, neighbors...let's be better! Worry less about the news and about making your point on social media and be better at listening, understanding, and improving the world!

Our attitudes can be better!  We can choose positive over negative, growth over grousing, and friendliness over snarkiness...let's do better!

If you don't have any spiritual disciplines in your life, I'd highly recommend that you get into bible reading and studying, praying, and finding a good group of Christians to grow with. Along with having a supportive husband and family, one special blessing from this year which has helped me get through a lot of 2021 junk is an online bible study group we joined, affectionately known as 'Caleb's Crew.' God can really bless and strengthen you and Holy Spirit becomes more apparent when you have a group of fellow believers living life with you.

Some good verses for meditation, consideration, ponder-ification:

Romans 14:19:  So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Galatians 6:9:  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Philippians 3:12-15:  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We're still here! :)

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride the past 12 months have been, eh? We humans think we can control so much, and if we've learned anything, I hope it's that we don't have much say in the grand scheme of things!

I pray you've come through okay. We've had blows coming at us from all sides...loss of loved ones, loss of health, loss of income, loss of community, loss of trust in things we're told...but through it all, hopefully we can hold on to 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." God is still in control!

I also pray that in the midst of what may feel like despair or frustration, mourning or anger, we can be loving and kind. We can look for common ground. We can look for connection with others. I echo Paul's sentiment in Ephesians 4:1-3: "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

I've had a doozy of a rollercoaster ride along with everyone else. Please indulge me a minute of whining--

Last spring, my fellow teachers and I were declared to be essential employees, where I teach (in a maximum security facility)...we began wearing masks and cleaning, cleaning cleaning. We (still) check in daily by answering wellness questions and getting a temperature check before being allowed into the facilities. We had students being quarantined, infection rates rose, and eventually my entire facility was on restricted movement. For weeks I delivered assignments to students and picked up what work I could, all while including inspirational quotes and cheering them on. I'm thankful to report that we've had higher passing rates than we did last school year, thank you LORD! 😊

I had my right shoulder replaced in late May and was off work for 5 weeks. Even in the midst of covid, I was sooooo ready to get back to work, crazily enough! It feels good to be able to use my arm normally again and write on the board with arm fully extended. 😃

The day before Halloween I started feeling ill and tested positive for covid the day after Halloween. The following day I lost my sense of smell and taste and haven't regained them (yet!)...I miss them!!! 😕

The contract for my company expires at the end of June, and they're not rebidding the contract. I'm mourning what will be the breakup of an amazing group of coworkers! I have a heart for teaching inmates, so I'm prayerfully waiting to see who gets the new contract and if I can viably work for them. I keep reminding myself that I didn't go looking for this job, it found me, and I believe God wanted me there...so, if He wants me to stay, I will! And if He has something else for me, I need to go in that direction. Easier said than done, and imagining having a 'last day' at the facility makes me feel sad. 😢

Okay, that might have been more than a minute, but I'm done now! God has brought me through a lot and will continue to do so! I need to focus on the positives and be the light that I'm called to be. So sometimes I might be a little dim, but I'm going to keep shining.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16