Following my calling and rejoicing

Fall is in the air, Gentle Reader!  Around my home, that means the gardens are getting leggy and overgrown, the air is tinged with the smell of roasting green chile, and I am busy planning for classes. Today I spent hours on lessons plans and standing at the photocopy machine making copies.  And the weird thing is, I love it!

Some people can't understand why I would love these tasks, but the truth is, I am called to be a teacher.  I love thinking about those young minds and hearts, and trying to come up with ways to sink the truth deep into them as I teach them various skills.  I love the interaction with my students, the challenge and creativity called for when you are leading a class, the amazing places of the mind and the heart, and the privilege of helping to develop both in the lives of my students.  What could be a more important job, after all?

Now, my sweet husband is not a teacher.  He does sometimes teach, but he doesn't love it, and it is not what he is best at.  Give him a detector with interesting stuff on it, and lots of data, and he is happy as a clam.  Or better yet, let him go and collect the stuff before it goes on the detector!  He has a different calling than I do, and I'm glad he does.  He rejoices in the chemical world, and I rejoice in teaching humanities, and when we each follow our calling, between us much is accomplished. Having a calling brings focus and joy to my life.  What a beautiful plan God had when he called each of us to follow after Him, and to follow our bent. I don't have to feel guilty that I am not analyzing stuff, or doing anything else.  I can just follow my calling, and rejoice.