Tribute

This is a tribute to a few of my colleagues, from whom I am learning so much; and who are just an amazing bunch of people.

Gill: So much wisdom and experience that I haven't taken enough advantage of. She's worked so hard over 10 years to build the department and the Pathways programme- to then have it all wiped away in the blink of an eye, and to handle it the way she is... I hope I learn to have that kind of perspective as I get older. She's not wallowing in self-pity, she's not placing blame, she's not even downtrodden and despondant. She's just motivated to do everything within her power to see that every individual's right to education is recognized. I just can't believe how she is dealing with everything that is going on with such grace.

Charlotte: Charlotte is... absolutely amazing. Everyone comes to her any time they have a question or problem, and yet she still responds with patience. She is always ready to listen. She carries everyone's burdens, and never unloads hers onto us. And somehow, despite being leant on by so many people and undervalued by everyone else, she is always full of joy and brings smiles and laughter into every situation. Any time I have been upset, she has always been there to listen, to talk, to encourage. So... selfless. All these words I've written are so inadequate to express how remarkable she is, and how blessed I am to work with her.

Karen: Someone else who's been there for me this year more times that I can count. When I've felt useless and lousy at my job, she's built me up and encouraged me. She always seems to know when to be there to listen, and when to simply change the subject or make you laugh. She feels things deeply, but puts her emotions aside to be strong for other people. Yet I appreciate so much that she shares her emotions at times as well. She's always made me feel valued and respected, and has spoken many words of wisdom (and reality) into my life lately. That is- when we're not verbally abusing or throwing things at each other! ;)

Howard: Oh how he must rue the day he stepped into the role of Programme Team Leader. I don't think he had any idea what he was letting himself in for. But despite being thrown into the world of higher management and having to deal with pettiness, manipulation, insensitivity (ok, I better stop there...), he somehow always remains positive and tries to see the good side of a situation. And I also admire how he is maintaining his integrity through it all. He's having everything thrown at him from all directions and I really don't know how he's dealing with it all. He's been empathetic and encouraging, and I am glad to be working under him. I truly respect and trust him as a leader.

I could go on, but I just work with too many incredible people. In this difficult time, I just thank God that I am part of such a wonderful team that are there for one another. When someone starts falling apart, there's always someone else there to hold them up. And when everyone's falling apart... well, we just cope the best we can, and get out the chocolate biscuits.

Politics

I will NOT let this world make me cynical.

I'm learning a lot about management politics these past several weeks, and I have to say it's not something I want to learn about. I don't want to learn how to think in devious ways just to survive in the workplace. I don't want to be paranoid that anything I do or say might be turned around and used against me or someone else. And I never EVER want to be in a management position.

The good news is: I only cried once or twice today and I only got angry 3 or 4 times. That's a pretty good day at work right now. Really! Either a) I'm getting better and controlling my emotions and seeing things with a more eternal perspective, or b) I'm too tired and disillusioned to feel much emotion anymore.

Oh wait, this wasn't supposed to be a negative post. Let's see... I am calming down emotionally. I am praying more about situations at work. All my colleagues are upset as well, we are leaning on each other, and this is creating opportunities for sharing my faith. The people I work closely with are individuals I really respect and can learn from. I love our students, and Jesus loves them more, and He will take care of them even when the world neglects or mistreats them.

And to say it again, I choose not to become cynical. Help me with this Lord.

*Oh by the way:
http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/search/display.var.801988.0.disabled_see_axe_fall_on_courses.php might clarify things if you're not sure what I'm talking about.

Countryside

Just when I start to think maybe it's time to give up and go home...

...summer comes...

and England is so...

beautiful

green

breathtaking

And I wonder...

...how I could possibly bear to live in America again

Patriotic?

I've never been patriotic. I'm not anti-America but I'm not all that enthusiastic about the country either. However, I've recently noticed a difference between patriotism in America and patriotism in England.

In America, the flag tends to be about things like supporting your troops. Sometime's it's more anti-everyone-else than pro-America. It's a lot of things, but more often than not the flag seems to be making some sort of political statement.

These past two weeks or so, there have been England flags everywhere. On people's cars. Hung on the walls of their houses and from their windows. On their t-shirts. Spray painted in their hair.

Why? The World Cup. That's right, patriotism here is all about sport. And I love that. I can't help but get pulled into it, and I don't even like football (or as you know it, soccer). I want to know who's knocked out of the tournament and how teams get to move on to the quarter finals. (I've decided to ask a student tomorrow.) I want to know which teams I'm supposed to hate ;) I'm referring to the England team as "we." The obsession is infectious and I just had to buy an England t-shirt.

Maybe I should give football another chance.


(By the way, this is the England flag. That other thing you're thinking of, the Union Jack, is the flag for the United Kingdom.)

Going up

... just a bit. Things aren't "better," but I'm finally ready to start making some changes. The other week I finally made it up to the prayer ministry team at church. And I think that was the point when my life started to turn around. I still have some serious work on my relationship with God, and a lot of transforming needs to happen but I've taken the first step.

I went to the women's prayer breakfast at church last Saturday. I can't say I particularly enjoyed it. I still absolutely abhor situations that involve walking into a room where I don't know anyone (or full of people I know only as aquaintances). But I went, and met a few nice people I could speak to the next day.

And tomorrow I'm off camping with a group from the "20s and 30s cluster." I'm rather excited about that. There's not even any rain in the forecast (touch wood).

And, by the way, one of the changes I need to make is to stop moping that no one's really understood how dark things have been and taken me seriously enough to really, I mean really, pray for me. So I'm going to start posting again. As you can see.

Speaking of camping trips, it's bedtime and I haven't started packing. So... later =)