So, I've taken a week off from writing. My only post on my own FB wall during that time was a post telling people where I ate lunch in Philadelphia on Tuesday as a follow-up to a status I posted before my self-imposed decrease in FB use. Then, this morning a simple check-in at the YMCA. I also gave a comment here or there on other people's statuses, but I think that I spent less time in a week on FB than I sometimes did in a day. So, I will work to continue this less active participation but certainly not let it drop to zero. Sometimes I find out important things on FB--like a friend who dug up some pictures from my wedding!
Also, this week I have had limited opportunity to exercise. Part of that was because of needing to spend time shoveling snow. Part of that was because of changes in the Y's schedule due to the snow. Part of it was because for once I focused mostly on work. I put in a lot of hours this week.
Why so many hours? Well, one of the reasons I started my self-imposed decrease in FB and blogging was that I fell quite far behind on too many projects at work. In general, my career has been successful. At work, it wasn't that I was doing nothing. It was just that the mix of activities was not right. In some cases, it was actually the pretty much wrong mix. There are many issues that faculty face. Particularly at a university like the one at which I work, sometimes faculty joke that it feels like we are trying to do two or three jobs. One--research. Two--teaching. Three--advising and committee work. That is a lot to do. I was not doing the best job I could at balancing those roles.
So, in the past week, I finally have moved a couple things that were on my to do list for much too long off that list. It is just a start, but this has helped my personal well-being this week. The satisfaction of getting things done and being able to face colleagues to whom I have owed stuff for so long.
Finally, today I ran my second straight 3 mile run with no pain. I think I am ready to pick up the speed and distance again. Yay!
Then, we went to the 4:30 mass at our church. It was the welcome home mass for the class of confirmation candidates at our church this year. The priest spoke about the importance of being "poor in spirit" since today's Gospel reading was the Beatitudes.
I have come to realize that being poor in spirit can mean a lot of things. In particular, it means not being too full of myself and thinking that I am indispensable. It is a form of arrogance. I have tried to drop arrogance from my life, but obviously have not been 100% successful. Today's homily was just a good reminder that I need to remember that no matter how successful I am, when all is said and done there is only so much over which I have control. I have to remember to turn to others when I need help and to turn to God. TUrning to God should come first.
Otherwise this week has been just as busy as any other. Made banana bread twice. Kids love that. Had a nice visit with my parents for my six year old's last hockey game. And had a great dinner tonight of homemade chili served over rice with homemade corn bread.
Never a dull moment.
Till next week.
Any thought to the fact you were listening to a homily on an audio system that is not paid for and the grief it caused my family. I disagree, when the chips are down,no one cares. I am guessing a lot of St Pius people know exactly how I got burned. My thing is this. When you are in trouble you have to fix it. No one stepped up to the right thing. No one interceded,Gods only role in this was as a tool of deceit . My neighbors still go give them money. I have always done for others and asked nothing in return. Moving forward, I will follow suit. No more,charity no more volunteering no more coaching. All I am concerned with now is making money. Since making this decision,my business turned around and I enjoying massive profits. A year ago, I would have given a lot of this money away. Now I am only concerned with my family. How's that for spiritual growth? I personally have never been a scab and would never use audio equipment that I know was stolen. For most of us we have just gotten too smart. We leave common sense and simple right wrong in the search for some ethereal plane. This is the first problem of this nature I have had to face. No help came form neighbors or God. Just me, so I disagree it's all about me. Same way you are only concerned with yourself. I have come to the following occlusions: it's all about me. Years of military service,public duty,responsibility and caring for others was all for naught. I suggest people look to themselves for answers. Btw I have already missed two major Charity functions that I normally attend,so that's two grand in my pocket. All my musician friends,stagehands,peers,all past the test. Everyone who called themselves my friend at St Pius failed miserably. So we all need to find the real Christians in our life. I would have thought the Christians would have come from the Church not from backstage at a rock concert.
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