"Summertime is the Right Time"

Too often I am motivated to write less out of a sincere desire to write and more an obligation by my own guilt in having not written. Regardless, I will assume I have some good thing to say.

May 30th is quickly approaching and every child in this classroom can sense it. Even the boy who would never cry - even after breaking his foot - is giggling like a girl in the back with his friends. He is not alone in this, even as I write. Kids who are generally respectful have turned into amoral maniacs driven by hormones and the thought of "being free!" I can't say I don't understand their sentiment; teachers have it worse and I understand that much more than the students' anxiety.

I'm looking forward to the summer. Not for the heat. I hate it. Also, not for any particular event we have planned. Any money we spend for pleasure trips is money we won't have for Isaac's diapers, wipes, and food. Everything matters.

I'm looking forward to being able to focus on my summer course on the History of Christian Thought. I'm looking forward to getting through my book list (Surprised by Joy, A Grief Observed, Called to Be Holy, On Being a Christian, and Let's Start with Jesus). I'm looking forward to playing basketball with some of the kids from school a couple times a week and lifting weights those days. I hope for my vertical to get back to a consistent 40" like it was in college. I'm looking forward to continuing writing a theology course for my eight graders next year. I might even wake up earlier once a week and spend some time at Starbucks reading and working on the course. And of course, I'm looking forward to spending more time with Isaac and Zoie now that I won't be absent eight hours a day at work.

I think this summer will be a good one. Setting goals is always tricky. I often feel - especially by the end of summer - that the standards I set were set too high. This summer, however, might be a little easier. Focus and determination is necessary.

Summertime is always nice, even for those who aren't teachers.