April's collage

 Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all tests of character and for helping me pass those tests. In Jesus'name. Amen.

 

I think this collage has more pictures in it than previous collages.

Probably because this month has been more of a visual mental ride, rather than words seeping inside my head and leaking out onto the 'canvas.'

The picture at bottom of the collage is one of my favorites: the story of Jesus telling his apostles, then just fishermen, to put their nets into the water because they are going to catch some fish.

The men had been on the boat all night long fishing and hadn't caught anything, so of course they are skeptical. But when they follow Jesus' guidance, wow! The nets are filled with fish - almost to the point of breaking the net - but it holds. How easy life would be if we too just followed Jesus' guidance!

Although the word is cut-off, the words at the bottom say, "Radiating tension." Work this year has been radiating tension. I purposely put these words at the bottom, though, because I feel they are going to 'slip off the page,' and new, positive words, are going to take their place. Can I get an AMEN? Amen! Thanks. *wink*

The words in another phrase that got cut-off are "Voyage of discovery." meaning: my first year as a school counselor. I am praying for many voyages of discovery! And not just in my career.

ARE YOU READY - boldly placed in the middle of this collage - is a question I ask myself everyday. Am I ready to do God's will? Am I ready to be the child of God I am asked to be, every day, and in all situations? Am I ready...the questions are endless, but with God all questions, bold or otherwise, are easier to bear.

The two dark question marks, which I added in marker, symbolize some questions I'm specifically having about staying at my current school, or seeking a new school as a school counselor...among other questions, of course.

At the very top of my collage 'priority list,' are the words, Honoring the kids, Hello, Spring, Asian. Other words at the utmost of the collage are: Festive Finale, and "A Monument of good deeds," Irresistible, and "go & do."

Yes, this collage represents my April 2013 nicely.

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

How do you like your new job?

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing me with such wonderful and caring colleagues. You know who to bring into our lives & when. Glory and praise to you always, Lord! In Jesus' name. Amen.
I ask myself sometimes, "Is school counseling what I thought it would be?"
Yes.
And no.
My brother told me he didn't think my job was worth the pay (but when do we ever think we're paid enough for what we do?!) because he saw me 'getting squeezed from the top as well as from the bottom.'

Meaning, of course, that I 'have to' deal with administration (i.e. my principal, 'the top'), and staff (i.e. teachers, 'the bottom').
One of the many functions of being a capable school counselor, is to create a bridge between positions loftier than mine, and positions secondary to mine, all of which demand things from me.
Sometimes those demands are completely opposite each other, and sometimes they are the same components, but they all wanted their stuff yesterday. LOL

Because of the 'upper' and 'lower' stresses of my job, I am hugely grateful for the amazing support of my assistant principal and our testing coordinator; if it weren't for their friendship, as well as a loving, merciful & mentoring attitude, I would be flying haphazardly, learning moment-to-moment how to navigate the elevated expanses and the baser domains.
My God-send of an AP always reminds me/us, "We are family."

Then there are the students.
The real and only reason I became a school counselor was for them.
The students make the tug-of-war between administration, staff and me, worth it.
As long as I keep my eye on the student's benefit, all else aligns itself, and the world is an adventuresome place.

SO, to answer the question I started this blog with, "Yes, the job is what I thought it would be - I do get to counsel with students one-on-one and in small groups, and yes, we talk about academics, but we also talk about family and friends; topics Í didn't have time to explore in a classroom setting. I also appreciate being in the classrooms and discussing various themes whole group. I pray I am doing my best by them too- encouraging them and giving them positive feedback, as well as reality checks.
And no, it isn't what I thought it would be, only because I didn't really understand the magnitude and depth of the Principal's power over a guidance program. Who knew?!"

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa