Adoramus Te

(It's not the best picture in the world, but I was having trouble getting a good one since there were so many people going in and out of the church.)

My parish recently held its annual 40 Hour Eucharistic Adoration, and while I was unable to sign up for a time slot, I did slip into the church Friday afternoon and spend some quiet time with our Lord. And let me tell you--there is nothing that adoration doesn't make better.

Even after a week when many of my colleagues, students, and I were ill...
Even after a week when my lessons didn't go very well...
Even after a week when my plans to see friends were thwarted...

Even after this kind of week, Christ was there to tell me it was alright.  He told me to let go and trust in Him, and the weekend has been so peaceful as a result.

Adoration
(Because whose Sunday couldn't use a little St. Thomas Aquinas and Matt Maher?)

As we start another week...

Richmond, London

"Entrust your works to the Lord, and your plans will succeed....In his mind a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps."

~Proverbs 16:3-9.

Friday Afternoons

The view from my window at school.
I get to look out at my church all day :)

About two months ago, I read an article about some work habits and tips from CEOs of major corporations.  And--although I'm a beginning teacher, obviously not a CEO haha--some of the tips struck me as particularly good ideas for people working at any level and any job.

The two that I've adopted wholeheartedly are related to Friday afternoon routines.  I'm not sure about you, but Friday afternoons can sometimes be a little tough for me.  Either I'm really tired from a long, but hopefully productive, week, or I'm full of energy and antsy for the weekend to begin.  Once I got into the following two habits, though, I've found that Friday afternoons are one of my favorite times of the week.


1. Cultivate a Grateful Attitude--Write a Thank You Note

I'm the sort of person who relishes any opportunity to write a hand-written note or letter anyway, so I immediately jumped at this idea.  Friday afternoon, as I'm winding down my work week and getting ready to shut down my computer, I think back over the week.  Usually, there is at least one person who has helped me somehow, even if in a very small way.  Now every Friday, I take five minutes to write a thank you card for someone at the school who has made a difference in my week, and I slip it in his or her pigeon hole on my way out.

Sometimes I thank someone for giving me the opportunity to do something interesting like chaperone a field trip or help organize an outing for the foreign exchange students.  Sometimes I thank someone for brightening my day, letting me observe a lesson, giving me ideas for my own teaching, letting me borrow teaching materials, or motivating me at lunch.  Other times, they're deeper notes to one of my mentors, telling them how grateful I am for their support as I learn how to become a better teacher. Whatever it's for and whomever it's to, that note always brightens my afternoon.  And I've found that these tiny notes have dramatically improved my relationships with my colleagues; it's incredible how much a hand-written note can mean to someone in this digital age.


2. Cultivate a Positive Attitude--Write a Reflection

After I write a thank you note, I take another five minutes to record all the positives I can think of from the past week as well as all the things I wish had gone better or I hope to improve.  For example, today I realized I hadn't made enough of an effort to watch another teacher teach this week. (I try to observe at least two lessons a week; it helps my teaching so much!)  But I also remembered that this week had a lot of positives:

• I gave a lesson without using a Powerpoint for the first time this year.  (Sadly, that was a major accomplishment.  It's so easy to get comfortable with one way of teaching and forget that there are dozens of other methods to try.)
• I improved a grammar lesson the second time I gave it that had gone rather poorly when I tried it the first time. 
• I had the chance to watch some of my students sing in the year's first chorus concert.
• And finally, I was able to turn a baking disaster into a success. I have eleven girls in my homeroom, and I have promised to bake and bring in a treat for each of their birthdays.  (It's fun for them, and it gives me a chance to bake but not eat the whole batch myself...)  But sadly, I forgot the egg when making butterscotch brownies, and they turned out more like hard candy than brownies.  However, I cut them differently and called them butter candy instead, and the girls loved them so much that they asked for the recipe. That request made me smile...

Anyway, these two habits have dynamically transformed my Fridays and always leave me in a good mood for the start of the weekend.  Do you have any Friday afternoon routines?

Life Updates

Well, I doubt I have any regular readers since I've only posted twice, and it's been a month since my last post.  But if I do, my sincere apologies for my long absence.

For awhile, I wasn't posting because it was school vacation, and I was traveling.  But then...as time went on, I started to psych myself out a little.  I was worried I didn't have anything interesting to say; then I was worried I had too much to say, and it began to feel like work.  And finally, I realized I was being silly and that I should just write what's on my mind.

It's true that there's a lot I meant to write about--on All Saints Day, I wanted to write about St. Therese of Lisieux, for whom this blog is named.  (More on that to come eventually, I promise.) Then on All Souls Day, I wanted to write about my wonderful, sweet grandmother, who just passed away this March.  But I am  determined never to let these blog posts feel like work, so I'm letting it go that I didn't get to write about everything just when I wanted to.  Instead, I'm letting my mood and current interests dictate my post, and that means that today, you're getting a lot of pictures of my travels and other adventures over school break :)

Standing outside the ruins of St. Anthony's Chapel on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland

View of the Old City of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat. Any city that has natural and manmade wonders this beautiful is my kind of city!

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Nelson Monument on Calton Hill in Edinburgh on Trafalgar Day (October 21st). It commemorates Lord Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Edinburgh at sunset

I absolutely fell in love with this tea room in Edinburgh called 'Clarinda's.' It felt just like afternoon tea should.

I mean, come on. How perfect??

Looking towards The Mall from St. James's Park, London

An absolute 'God moment' in Richmond, London

Some deer grazing in Richmond Park, London. Casual.

Autumn foliage in Hyde Park, London. I still miss the foliage in Boston, but Hyde Park almost gives New England a run for its money...