Volunteering || preschoolers and high schoolers

Don't get me wrong, I'm tremendously excited for summer. I'm looking forward to lakeside hangouts, bonfires, air conditioning! Nothing gets a person more excited for warm weather than a snow storm in the middle of April, that's for sure.

One downside to the bright summer, though, is the ending of extracurricular activities, which makes me terribly sad. Last fall, I decided I wanted to volunteer in the beautiful community of Fargo-Moorhead. I did a little bit of researching, and decided to volunteer for a weekly Religious Education class at my church, Sts. Anne & Joachim. I help in the 10th-12th-grade classroom, and it is honestly one of the best parts of my week.

Every Wednesday night, for an hour and a half, I get to experience these high schoolers learning more about God, and how He impacts their lives and the lives of those around them. They might chat during class, and goof off more than we teachers would prefer, but I can just tell that their hearts are being moved and that we are, in fact, making a difference.

Another awesome part of my week takes place every Thursday. I get to help with local Just for Kix classes, and it's so incredibly fun! Imagine 25 preschoolers and kindergarteners running around, hopped up on sugar and trying to learn dance routines. It's adorable and frustrating all at once!

While I actually do get paid to help with dance, I would gladly do it free of charge! There's nothing that compares to the joy a little girl feels when she finally "gets it." I would never have guessed that finally nailing three moves in a row or remembering a spot in the formation could be so rewarding for a dancer. And it's even more rewarding for me to see them experience it!

To conclude my extensive ramblings, I'll be sad to see both the academic semester and the dance season end. My summertime Wednesdays and Thursdays just won't be the same without singing silly songs, arguing opinions and constantly being asked if they can use the bathroom. I'll let you decide which of those situations happen in which classes!  : )

"Let my words be life.
Let my words be truth.
I don't want to say a word
Unless it points the world
back to you."

jm

2013 || the year of joy

Happy 2013!

After the streamers are swept up, the goofy hats and glasses are put away and the post-party headaches subside, everyone takes a minute to come up with the ever-necessary New Year's resolution(s). Whether cliche (exercise more!) or specific (write at least two blog posts a month!), I think resolutions are awesome. The transition from one year to the next presents a unique opportunity to take a look at the things in your life that you can improve, which I think is awesome!

I recently was introduced to a theory where instead of choosing several resolutions, you choose one word that you'd like to focus on for the coming year. My word for the year is joy.


joy  [ joi]
noun
1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.
2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated.
3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
4. a state of happiness or felicity.
verb (used without object)
5. to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.


Joy is so wonderful! It's such a short little word, but it packs a punch! It's a mindset, and it's a mindset I plan on living as we skip/dance/run into 2013!

"Joy to the world!"

jm