8 Questions

I have been asked several questions since becoming a teacher that have completely left me speechless. These aren't the kind of questions I don't feel qualified to answer; they're just the kind I never expected to hear.

1. Can I go out to the parking lot? I left my car running this morning.

2. Can I turn my homework in tomorrow? I got hit by a car yesterday afternoon.

3. Can I go to the office? My tooth just broke off.

4. Can I go get my book? I left it on the wrong side of my locker, so I forgot to pick it up.

5. Can you tell us about your first kiss?

6. Do you know who invented the dog whistle?

7. Where does the peace sign come from?

8. Do you know how to fold those paper chain people who all hold hands?

Needless to say, those of you who think that teachers only need to know about teaching their particular subject matter, think again. I've half a mind to write to the dean of my college and demand to know why the English Department didn't teach me who invented the dog whistle. I'm sure he'd take that into consideration and create a class designed specifically around that. In the meantime, Wikipedia is at my frequent disposal.

Don't forget the small things

As my last post was slightly depressing and may have left many of you concerned about me and/or reluctant to read this blog ever again in fear that you days would be darkened rather than brightened if you did, I've decided to let you all know that I've pulled myself up out of that puddle and embraced the little things in life.

Here's a list of the good things this week that I'm making a point to remember to appreciate:

1. I love my job. I get paid to do what I was created to do. How many people can truly say that?
2. I'm slowly, but surely, finding a new church home. I've been attending semi-consistently and have decided to be more deliberate. I've joined a new bible study and a Sunday morning class where I can meet new people my age and, hopefully, make some good new friends.
3. I went out to eat twice this week with friends I hadn't seen in a long time. It was a real blessing for me to remember that even when I feel the loneliest, if I trust God, he will take care of me.
4. I am currently reviving my love for reading. I've spent so much of the past few years reading for school, either as a student or as a teacher. Now, I've actually got the time to do both, and it's been wonderful to re-experience the joy that comes from visiting another life.
5. My family has been a real blessing to me in the past few weeks. We've had our ups and downs, but lately things have been really good. I've felt accepted and like I belong with them, which is something that I was really yearning for. I'm so thankful I could find that at home.

grown-up (yet single) snow days

I apologize for the lengthy hiatus all of you faithful pickle jar readers have had to endure. I can't promise that this will be the post you've been waiting for, but perhaps it will jump-start a new year of more regular blogging.

So, yesterday was a snow day. Oh, the many joys of being a teacher! It was great to have a day where I got to sleep in and relax and stay in my jimjams all day. But the sadness comes from being a grownup who lives alone. This is another one of those things nobody ever tells you about growing up. Remember snow days when you were a kid? Everybody was super excited because not only did you get to miss school, you also got to go out and play and make snow angels and forts and snow men. And then you'd come back in and slowly strip off those damp layers while your mom made soup for lunch that you got to eat in your jimjams while getting warm. And perhaps, if you were really brave, you would layer back up later in the afternoon and venture out for round two. And I know that it's still fun to do those things as a grown up. It's one of the few times in life where you get to run around and act a fool and everyone thinks it's totally normal. But, like I said, there's a catch that no one ever tells you about. Single Snow Days.
If you're single and live alone and too far away from your family to safely travel home on a snow day, you have no one to go play in the snow with. Which means that it's practically pointless to venture out because you'll just end up feeling more sorry for yourself than you already do. This is when you put on a brave face and do the next best thing. You make yourself a hot cup of tea or cocoa or coffee or whatever your hot drink of choice is and settle into a marathon of book devouring and movie consumption. And, all in all, as long as you don't spend too much time thinking about how your friends are spending their snow days (especially those who have sweet children to play with), you'll make it just fine. And you may even have a midly impressive checklist to show for it.

Here's the tally for yesterday:
3 loads of laundry washed and dried (only 1 folded)
1 + 1/2+ 75 pages of books read
2 1/2 movies watched
1 week of lesson plans finished

And while that really doesn't seem like much now that I write it out, it was a rather enjoyable way to spend my surprise day off. Especially in light of my options.

Hope that you and your families had fantastic snow days and that you only feel appropriately sorry for me in this, my time of self-pity.

Musings from Room 2

It is no secret to those who know me that, although, as a teacher I'm not technically supposed to have favorites, the sophomores in 5th period are pretty special. I don't know what it is that makes that class so different from all the others. Maybe it's the personalities. Maybe it's the time of day, just before lunch. Maybe it's Memphis. Who knows? Nevertheless, there is an abundance of enjoyable moments and memories made daily in Room 2 during 5th period. I often wonder if these kids love me as much as I love them. Probably not. But some days they say things that just make my whole week. I could live on comments like "This class gets me through the day" for a lifetime. I don't know what I'm doing right with these kids, but they feel safe with me, and that is my #1 goal as a teacher.

Today was a day not unlike other glorious Wednesdays when I get to have all my sophomores for an hour and a half. There was random chatting and fun being had by all in the midst of grammar and learning and writing. It was heavenly, as you can imagine. But, for some reason, after several weeks of school, this class began to ask a plethora of questions about me and my life that they had not yet asked.

Are you married?
Do you have a "manfriend"?
Will you write a book? ( I later found out that they want me to write a book about them. Good thing they don't know about this blog.)
Do you have any siblings?
What is your favorite football team?: college and NFL

These are just the ones from today. I've also answered questions that range anywhere from what sports I played in high school to what my favorite movies are. I'm seriously considering creating an autobiography to share with them all. Since the readers of the pickle jar are among my greatest friends, I'm asking you for particular stories, facts, or parts of my life that should not be neglected, should I choose to tell my students about my life. Maybe I'll even dig out the ancient Facebook note on my 16 things for inspiration. The phone lines and comment boxes are now open.

Advice from the Pickle Jar

My juniors created autobiographies this week, and one of the requirements was a list of advice to others. It could have been "How to survive being"... a cheerleader, a junior, a football player, a younger sibling, etc. As long as it was something they learned from experience, it was valid. Here's my list.



1. Love like you couldn't breathe otherwise.

2. Don't do it all alone.

3. How things are and how you feel are not often the same.

4. You're not stuck. The only person you can change is yourself, but that doesn't give you the freedom to give up on that change. There's no such thing as "sorry, this is just the way I am."

5. Sometimes things end up better when they don't work out the way you planned.

6. Never let yourself get too busy to play with children and talk to them about their lives.

7. Never underestimate the power God has to create greatness out of the nothingness of your life.

8. Home isn't always a place; sometimes it's just being with the people you love who love you in return.

9. Laugh at yourself

10. Finish Strong.

A week in the life of a first-year English teacher

This week has been pretty crazy so far. I'm surprised by my own ability to miraculously shrug off the embarrassment and stress that have come from certain incidents. Things have happened this week that would usually have meant the end of the world as I knew it, but somehow I've had an attitude that has allowed me to simply laugh at myself. Don't get used to it.

1. I have been in charge of after-school detention this week. That is by no means the end of the world on its own, but when you combine it will all the other things I needed to do, staying for an extra hour after school every day was slightly overwhelming.

Bright Side: I was able to get some work done that I didn't have to take home or stress about the next morning.

2. Tuesday was.........um...........eventful. We only had school for half a day, and most of those 25-minute classes were taken up by school pictures, so the teaching aspect of the day was a complete wash. After the students went home at 12:30, the teachers ate a catered lunch from Pasta Grill, which is a new restaurant in town that I'd been meaning to try. I will definitely be eating there sometime in the near future. The lasagna was excellent, and as it's not my favorite pasta dish, I'm certain that the others must be even better. After lunch, I was able to rest a bit and make a trip to the grocery store to pick up a few snacks for the evening. At 3:00, parents arrived for my first ever Parent/Teacher conferences. I met with 23 parents in 4 hours. While that really isn't many considering the fact that I'm a brand-new teacher, it was still overwhelming. And the sheer business of being at school until 7:00 was exhausting.

Bright Side: The parents were gracious and sweet, and no one was angry with me.

3. Wednesday was the funny day. I'll set the scene: Wednesday is block day, so I only have odd-numbered classes for 1 1/2 hours each, plus 8th period. After my 3rd period planning, I made my way back to my room, where Coach L teaches Bible during 3rd period.
He hung around, talking to a student longer than usual. My students began to arrive and after my hourly trip to the bathroom, I re-entered my classroom to find everyone frantic. I immediately heard a very loud beeping alarm clock, but none of us could find its source. Coach L stayed to help. We even had a student standing on my desk to check the ceiling tiles because someone had placed an alarm clock in the ceiling of another classroom last year. Eventually, Mrs. S from next door and Coach M from the hall had also come to help with the investigation. Coach M pretended not to hear the sound so that the girls in my class would feel that they were going crazy. It worked for a while. Then he told us that he had played a prank and put the alarm in the ceiling. He was, again, joking. Eventually, Mrs. S and Coach M went to their own classes, and Coach L volunteered to get a ladder because we were all sure it must be coming from the ceiling. About the time he left, Dean M, who is my principal and boss, showed up. I'm not sure who told him about the situation, but he came to see what was going on. I was trying to just continue with class, but my efforts were mostly in vain. As I began to teach, or at least to get my students under control and Coach L went for the ladder, Dean M began to search my room. All of a sudden, I looked up, and he had picked up my teacher bag and put it on my desk as if the sound was coming from my bag. The only thing I could think of that might be making that incessant sound was my cell phone that I knew was on silent. Nevertheless, I got it out of my bag to check, and it was silent. Then we heard the noise again, and I discovered what had happened. The button on the side of my phone that adjusts the volume was being pushed inside my bag continually. It had been my cell phone and my fault all along. There's nothing like having your boss be the one to figure out that your cell phone is incessantly beeping and preventing you and others from having class. Still, after apologizing profusely, I was able to laugh it off and continue with what was left of my class. Coach M caught me in the teacher's workroom this morning (Thursday) to ask about what had happened and to share with the other coaches present the embarrassment of my Wednesday.

As if this alarm incident wasn't enough, I was also caught making grammatical mistakes in my Facebook status by my mentor and department chair, Mrs. S.

Additionally, during the Round-Table discussion in my AP class, I was hit by a paper ball that my students had been using to play a game that they thought I didn't know they were playing. The truth is that I was just happy they were actually talking to me and thinking critically.

Bright Spot: After our daily prayer in 5th period, one student told me that our prayers got her through the day. Another student extended her thought by declaring that my class got him through the day. Those are the comments we live for. I can live on that one for months.

4. Today (Thursday) was the day that Mrs. S had planned to come and observe my class to begin preparing me for the Praxis III observation that I will complete in the Spring in order to recieve my offical teaching license. The bad news is that she makes me nervous, even more so than when I had my offical principal's evaluation. So I had been slightly stressed about her coming to visit the class that is composed of the most unfortunate combination of personalities, abitilities, and circumstances imaginable. I'd spent several fruitless hours trying to be sure that I would not embarrass myself, yet again. But she had to leave school early this afternoon and was unable to come. That's a relief for the day, but it means that I'll just be postponing my stress until sometime next week.

Bright Side: I'm beginning to actually enjoy this class of poor, unfortunate misfits.

Counting my blessings

All the stress of my current life has put me in a bad mood for the last few days. I'm worried about what is going to happen in the next couple of months and continually wonder how in the world I'm really going to make it to August a prepared adult. In the midst of frustration like this, when nothing seems to make it better, and I've just got to keep swimming and push through it, it's important for me (and you ;) ) to remember the good things. So, today I'm going to make a list of the blessings I'm currently enjoying. I hope this inspires you to sit still for a few minutes today, make a cup of tea, and thank God for all He has done for you.

1. God places the single in families

God has not yet blessed me with a husband and family of my own, and this is usually a point of contention between the two of us. But, lately I have been able to see and appreciate that he has blessed me with extra mothers, grandparents, aunts, sisters, brothers, and children. I am eternally grateful to the countless members of God's family who have been generous enough to share their own families with me during this difficult time in my own life.

2. God knows what I need exactly when I need it.

I will never know why I had to wait until my last semester at Harding to make some of the best friends of my life, but God knows. I had several very good friends before this year, but when God blessed me with a friend who joined me in wondering why we hadn't found each other sooner and informed me that we were going to be friends forever, I couldn't ignore that. God knew that I couldn't have gotten through the past few weeks without her as an addition to the rest of my friend-family. I am grateful for his immense knowledge, even when I can't always see it at work.

3. God is an excellent guide.

I had some pretty specific plans for my life after Harding, but God didn't seem to agree with me. I have had to exercise my faith a lot lately and rely on the Father to work things out according to his will. He has helped me find a job and another family to join, but I still need a lot more help in working things out between now and then. He's gotten me this far, and--at least for today--I trust him to take me the rest of the way.

4. God gives me a way out.

Besides agonizing over the right decision about my job and career, the thing that has been the heaviest on my heart lately is the fact that I'm still single. Although there are no visible signs that God is making any headway in providing me with a man, he has sent me lots of sweet babies to love so that my motherly instincts and need to nurture can be satisfied. They provide me with a purpose, an object to pour my love onto, and a beautiful satisfaction of my need to be hugged.

5. God reminds me of my deepest loves when I feel that I'll never be able to keep going.

This week has been kind of surreal after last week's student-teaching and graduation that brought my college days to an end. I have felt very lost and haven't known what to do with myself. God, in his infinite wisdom, has reminded me of all the reading I've longed to do in the last few months while I lacked the time to spend in the world of literature. He and a couple of precious friends provided me with the perfect new book to get me back into literary-dom. Rediscovering my passion for words has given me a new sense of peace that is irreplaceable.

Things about teaching that I never expected

This is a list of several lessons I've learned, either through my own mistakes or from the anecdotes of other teachers, while student-teaching. They are things that, although I grew up with a teacher in my house and have gone to school all my life and have friends who are teachers as well, I never thought about having to deal with. It just goes to show that no matter how educated you are, you don't always know everything. Sometimes there's a whole basket of muffins.

1. Writing on the board is hard.

Unless you have some sort of super powers, actual eyes in the back of your head, or a special mode of contortion that allows you to face the students and write on the board at the same time, you'll most likely have your back to something like 25 young people who are always looking for the opportunity to do something stupid like remove their prosthetic legs and hit others with them, light fires inside desks, or crawl out of windows. So you spend all of your time actually writing on the board doing everything you can to listen to what's going on behind you and make sure that they are all still present, intact, and paying attention. As you can imagine, all of that pressure makes the actual writing process rather difficult. Forget trying to write in straight lines on a giant blank white board. You'll most likely be more concerned with actually spelling everything correctly. The first time you spell "shirt" without the "r," you might as well just forget the rest of the lesson because you may never get their attention back.

2. You will know more about other people's bodily fluids than doctors do on a daily basis.

I cannot count how many times in a day students ask to leave class to go to the restroom or to step into the hall to blow their noses. But that is a legitimate need that I expected to have to deal with, and, honestly, it's not a big deal. I never expected, however, to have students announce that they "need to pee" in the middle of class with nothing like a question attached. I never thought about how many times I'd have to open a window because someone in the back row passed gas that was so foul no one else could concentrate. I can honestly say that the need to spit sunflower seeds into the trash in the middle of class was not something I considered having to deal with. Perhaps some of these things have something to do with the school district. I'm afraid that most of them have to do with teenagers.

3. Technology is wonderful, but incredibly unreliable.

Always have a back-up plan. Computers, smart boards, classroom televisions, projectors. All of these things, and many more resources, are wonderful and helpful in the classroom setting. They help make teaching and planning easier and more convenient and provide teachers for a wide range of outlets for their creativity. However, the first time you plan a whole lesson around a Powerpoint presentation in which you need, not only the presentation to load, but also the projector and the Smartboard to cooperate, at least one of those technological advances will fail you, and you'll be left with nothing. Always have a back-up plan.

4. Make friends with the custodians. They know all the secrets.

Custodians know where all of the extra hidden supplies are. They tend to be some of the first to find out about things that are happening in the district. Sometimes it's just gossip, but often times there are things that would be nice to know before the district deems it necessary to tell teachers. Custodians can be some of your best friends. Additionally, they are also the people you generally get the least respect in the building. If you treat them like Jesus would treat them, you'll not only be shining your light, you'll also get your room cleaned and your trash taken out more often than anyone else.

5. You may think that, as an English teacher, you'll never need to use math again.

Until there's a stack of essays you have to grade based on a rubric you must create and then assign points to and then calculate the percentage of. Consider yourself warned.

6. Your supervisor/principal/etc. will always come into your classroom when you least expect him. All too often it's the one minute you've sat down in your chair all class period.

My Bucket List

I created a writing prompt for my 9th graders last week where they had to make a list of at least 5 things they wanted to do in their lives, essentially a Bucket List, and then tell me about why. So, in the spirit of the Beloved Dr. Rod Brewer, who never fails to complete the assignments he gives his students right along with them, I wrote mine as well.

1. Learn to knit
I've tried to learn to knit before, but it was at a time in my life when I really didn't have any use for it, nor the patience, and my efforts were not exactly genuine. Needless to say, my success reflected that. I believe that throwing needles was involved, and I'm not sure if it was my decision or the decision of those close to me at that moment, but my efforts did not continue. When I first came to Harding, the knitting phenomenon was beginning to explode. Girls were doing it everywhere: in chapel, in class, in the caf, on the front-lawn. I've even seen people do it in church. I love to create things like that, and I quickly became jealous of this sweet, creative knowledge. However, all the other activities I chose to pursue interfered with my ability to learn -- that and the fact that I never made any real effort to actually try again. When my friend, Ellen, who learned to knit many moons ago, decided to pick it up again, I got really excited. She's agreed to teach me how one day, hopefully soon, so that I can knit cute things for my friends, fam, and all those precious little babies I love so much.

2. Go white-water rafting
This desire sprung up in my heart this past summer. It was a long, and difficult summer for my family, with the loss of my grandmother. However, it was also a significant learning and growing time for me. I learned a lot about myself and my capabilities. I also learned a lot about God's will for me and what I want to do in my life. After returning from a mission trip in Belize and almost immediately leaving for another in North Carolina, my spirits were high. I was confident I had done good work for the Lord in Central America, and I was ready to take on anything. When we drove through Eastern Tennessee and the beauty of that breathtaking country, and then saw all the people white-water rafting a little further one, I knew immediately that I wanted to try it. I was somehow fearless for the first time in my life, and I still really want to experience what must be an amazing and thrilling adventure.

3. Mission work in Africa
I can't really pinpoint exactly when I began to yearn for those hearts and souls on that great continent, but I can tell you that it has not quieted down. I want to go there and spend weeks just holding babies. I have several friends who have had the opportunity to participate in Harding's HIZ program in Zambia and they bring back pictures and stories of all of these children who are orphaned and have chronic illnesses. They long for someone to just touch them and hold them. My heart aches for them. I hope and pray that God will bless me with babies of my own someday, but if he doesn't, don't be surprised to see me in an African village holding as many as will fit in my lap at a time. I really believe that that yearning is a God-calling, and I hope and pray for the opportunity to fulfill it one day.

4. Go to culinary school
In the 8th grade, when we all had to take that test whose name I can't remember that was supposed to tell us what we should/would be when we grew up, my results read "Chef." I thought that was the silliest thing in the world at the time. Now, part of me wishes I had listened. I love food. I love creating things. I love watching my friends and family enjoy things I have cooked and created. It's such a joy for me to plan a party and/or a meal for people that I love. I would love to go to Culinary school just so I'll know how to make whatever I want. I wouldn't necessarily want to work in a restaurant, but if the opportunity presents itself....I'm definitely not closing any doors on my future at this point.

5. Get married
I've got to have somebody to love me and help me out with #6.

6. Have lots of babies
I've got to have at least 4 at this point because that's how many names I've picked out. I'd really love to have a whole house full. But definitely less than 100. And none of them will be named E.T.

7. Travel Europe
There are so many places I've heard so much about that I really need to see.

8. Visit New Zealand, so I can see where the Hobbits live
Wouldn't it be cool to live in a Hobbit hole? I love the coziness of a hobbit dwelling with its round doors and windows and the warm fire, plus the neverending supply of food. I wish I was as content with my life as they all seem to be.

9. Write and publish a book
I've had a special relationship with words for as long as I can remember, but because I've also had self-esteem issues for nearly as long, I never felt like I was capable of actually writing a book. The idea has occurred to me several times over the last few years, but still, I was certain I just couldn't do it. Until this past Christmas, when my mom said something about it completely out of the blue. She got me a new journal for Christmas and said that she loved to see me writing and that she always assumed I'd write a book one day. She had never ever said anything like that to me ever before. But apparently she had been expecting it to happen for my whole life. And that little vote of confidence was all I needed. One day, I'll do it. As soon as I decide what in the world to write about.

10. Inspire at least one student to pursue a career in Literature or Language
It has been my experience in college that people are constantly asking why we want to be whatever it is we've chosen to become. I can't tell you how many times I've had to write or discuss why I want to be an English teacher. Most often, the majority of my English major friends have chosen this path because they had an exceptional teacher cross their path that really made a difference in their lives. That is not the case for me. I had lots of teachers that I really loved. But I never had a phenomenal English teacher in all of my K-12 education. For a literature and language lover, that is nearly a tragedy. I could very easily have been driven away from my loves by all of the mediocre instructors from my youth. But I chose a different route. I decided that I was going to become an English teacher because I love English, I love kids, and because I never had anyone work to inspire me, believe in me, or encourage me to explore my abilities. I want to do all of those things for my students. And I hope that my work will pay off and that one day before I retire at least one of my former students will be pursuing a degree and career in a field involving Literature or Language. I will, of course, assume that I was all the inspiration he/she needed.

Not-So-Simple Obedience

We've been reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship in my Sunday morning class at BBCofC for the past few weeks. For those of you who don't know about this man or his book, Boenhoffer was a German Lutheran who preached and wrote this book in Nazi Germany. His ideas are pretty radical, but his call is mainly to just do what Jesus said to do. The historical context of his writing is incredible because he is essentially calling a people -- his people -- to live lives that will undoubtedly increase their already unbearable suffering.

This past week, we read chapter 3: Single-Minded Obedience. It was all about Jesus' commands in the Sermon on the Mount and how hard we work to make it okay for us all to disobey them. As modern Americans, especially those who affiliate themselves with the Churches of Christ, my classmates and I have struggled with the idea that we've spent hundreds of years "justifying" away all of Jesus' outrageous commands about everyday living because they are difficult and we don't want to have to do them. So, we say that it was all just hyperbolic, only appropriate for the historical context, or that he didn't really care about the specifics of the matter. It's only our hearts that count. Well, it seems to me that a heart looking for an easy way out isn't the heart God is looking for.

On Sunday morning we discussed "what it would look like" if we as individuals, families, and/or the church radically tried to do just what Jesus was calling us to. How would the world and our lives be different if we really plucked our eyes out when they caused us to sin? What would change if we really turned the other cheek, refused to resist evil people, gave all of our possessions to the poor, and resisted the temptation to lust?
In the spirit of lists, I've listed 5 things that I believe would be different about our world if all Christians devoted themselves to Single-Minded Obedience.

1. There would be fewer poor people.
If all Christians committed to giving or selling their possessions in order to care for and minister to the poor, the poor population would dramatically decrease. How beautiful would it be to see our brothers and sisters doing just that? It seems pretty simple. But, I think that in all of our discussions in class, the giving up of one's possessions seems to be the hardest for people to actually consider doing. We really like our stuff. How much stuff did Jesus have?
2. We would worry less.
The "do not resist an evil person" seems to be really difficult for some to come to terms with, especially husbands and fathers (and mothers) who are concerned with protecting their families. The idea of letting someone come into your house and hurt your family because Jesus said not to resist him just seems like way too much to wrap one's mind around. I really believe that this is a faith issue. The intense need to fight back comes from a sole faith in one's own power, strength, will, abilities. Jesus expects us to have enough faith that God will protect us and our families that we do not need to even resist evil people because we know that God will do it for us. That faith increase would spread across all facets of our lives and we would stop worrying about things because we would trust God to take care of us.
3. There would be fewer children in broken homes.
This one is obvious. If people did not lust after women or men who were not their spouses, they would not commit adultery, and fewer marriages would end in divorce. Can you imagine what this world would be like if more children were raised with both parents in their home? Can you imagine how the church would turn around if fewer Christian marriages ended because of lust?
4. There would be more blind people.
Obvious again: more people would be plucking their eyes out. I actually do believe that Jesus used this command hyperbolically. I don't really think he expects us to pluck our eyes out or cut our hands off when they cause us to sin, but it does make for a useful metaphor. We may not be literally blind, but imagine if we became blind to the desire to sin? It's like putting on spiritual blinders, so to speak. I know that it's not a good idea to completely shut out the world and expect to get to heaven without being wary of the devil, but wouldn't it be nice if sin just didn't occur to us? If Christian people were so committed to doing the Lord's work that our tunnel vision didn't allow us the time or the opportunity to find sinful things to even consider?
5. It would be okay that our lives are not fair.
This is the "turn the other cheek" bit. I think that if all Christians really just stood firm and let people slap them around without retaliation we would be closer to Christ and more satisfied with our lives. The sort of attitude that says "I love you because you are a beautiful creation of God, and I will consciously put your needs and wants above my own," comes from a heart that trusts God completely, fully loves all people the way that Jesus loves, and has a healthy sense of humility. That person says "it's okay that other people get what I wanted." "It's okay that I have suffered mercilessly while trying to do the right thing, and other people do what they want and get rewarded." The peace and contentment that reside in this kind of heart is what I think Bonhoeffer (and Jesus) is really calling Christians to. The point of simple obedience is an intimate communion with Jesus Christ. It is a heart issue, but you can't get your heart right without actively doing something radical to change your life.

What would your life look like if you made a drastic change to follow Jesus' outrageous commands in his Sermon on the Mount? Have you ever thought about why generations of Christians believe that it's not necessary?

Lots of people say that we don't live this way because it is hard and we don't want to. I believe that we just don't love Jesus and other people enough. Perfect love casts out all the fear we have about change. Jesus has offered us that perfect love. Too often we do not accept it. More often, we do not feel it necessary to return.

Top 10 Books Every High School Graduate Should Have Read

I was searching for a topic for my next blog post earlier this week, and my good friend and compulsive list-maker suggested this Top 10 list. I was too insecure in my own ability to create a list from scratch, so I consulted a few of my best English Student-Teacher friends and have compiled a list in no particular order (which is one of my greatest downfalls as a maker of lists).

1. Something by Shakespeare
This was on everybody's list. There are obviously several choices for high school readers in Billy's repertoire. I only read three of his plays in high school: Julius Caesar, A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, and Othello -- all of which I enjoyed. Othello is still my favorite, but those surveyed also suggested Twelfth Night and Hamlet -- both of which I liked, but did not read until I was in college.
Some may complain and wonder why Shakespeare is such a given and must be so widely-read. It usually isn't difficult to get me to join the "we shouldn't necessarily do things just because that's how we've always done it" bandwagon, but I've got to support Shakespeare. I believe that his work should be canonized almost entirely because it has lasted so long. His words are still influencing the way that educated people speak and think nearly 4 centuries after his death, because he understood how people work and wrote honestly about human emotion and interaction. Getting high school students to read is 1/2 a literacy issue and 1/2 an issue of creating educated citizens. Shakespeare helps accomplish both of these, because, after all,
"...there be nothing new, but that which is
Hath been before..."

2. 1984 by George Orwell
This is one of my favorite works of all time. I read it for the first time in high school, and I remember all of my friends liking it too. As high school students, we probably enjoyed reading the risque business and felt empowered to "stick it" to Big Brother. Later, I came to be wary of all I heard about my government. But, now, it seems to be more important that George Orwell wrote the book in 1949, contemplating how the world would be 35 years later. The fear that was so pervasive at that time is shocking. Now I realize how many good lessons can be taught from this book....lessons that I had to learn on my own much later.

3. Night by Elie Wiesel
This short work brings the horrors of the Holocaust home, and hits people right where they live. Once again, Wiesel's book has so many lessons to teach to high school students who have a difficult time seeing beyond themselves. This kind of experience can really broaden their worldviews.

4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is a beautiful "coming-of-age" story of racial (in)justice in the deep South. High school students have been hearing about civil rights and racial inequality for their entire educated lives. Books like this show them the situation from a personal point of view, forcing them to think about what it must have been like to really deal with extreme prejudice. In many cases, it can make them think about prejudices in their own lives and show them how they may be treating others.

5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I didn't read this book until I was in college. It's a bit long for my taste, as far as a general high school read goes, but I think that it's important in the same way -- but perhaps not to the same degree -- that Shakespeare is. Twain is a Southern American classic that all educated people should read. When I was in high school, we took the Mark Twain shortcut by reading his short stories instead, which is a viable option when under a time crunch, but Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer are classic stories with their own lessons to teach. They can also be easy introductions to dialect reading.

6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This is my favorite book of all time. Period. The End. I read it in high school, but not for class. It is the perfect introduction to romantic British Lit. and can really stretch a high school student's mind with varied diction and syntax. I think that it can make teenagers feel like they are reading something a little "high brow" because of the language without being too far over their head. Plus, it's just a beautiful story, for which I'm a sucker.

7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I know several people who did not enjoy this book and wonder why in the world it is so widely read in high school English classes. I liked the book, but that's just personal taste. I think it's a perfect representation of the "Roaring '20s" and a satirical critique of the "American Dream." It asks the hard questions about what Americans had always prioritized and shows that when people, especially a whole nation, are short-sighted there are consequences to be paid. It's a great lesson in preparation.

8. The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This is another period piece about the strict societal rules in 17th century Puritan New England. This kind of work can beautifully highlight a history lesson on early America while providing a backdrop for difficult discussions about morality in the present.

9. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
I did not read this book until I was in college, but I think that it can be perfectly suited for a high school classroom as well. Hurston's beautiful story of an African American woman's struggle to see herself (and have others see her) as a person, a woman, and a worthy creature of God evokes compassion and sympathy in its readers. Especially for students who will not go on to college, Hurston's easy-to-read fiction is the perfect tool to expand a world-view.

10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
This may have been one of my favorite books that I read while in high school. I think it is very interesting that no one the consulted panel mentioned this one. To some, Steinbeck is an acquired taste, but I love his writing. He has such an ease with words that it's no wonder he's been named as one of the greats. The plight of the Joad family and their 1930s westward journey is a classic story for teaching a wide variety of moral lessons along with literary devices and the exploration of literary merit.

What books did you read in high school that I've left out of this list? What books would be on your Top 10 list? If you were teaching High School English, what works would you be sure not to leave out?