The Many Paths I Travel

When I started thinking of blogging again, I thought about the many topics I could cover.  That’s when the journey theme kept coming to mind because it seems like there are so many different paths I’m taking during this stage of life.

I’m a wife of 26 years!  That’s so exciting to share these days!  I have so many friends who have been hurt by divorce or who have lost a spouse.  I know I am blessed to still have Kevin as my husband.  Our journey hasn’t always been easy, but we have seen many ways in which God has worked.

I’m a mother of two amazing boys!  I should probably say young men at this stage.  Brandon is a junior in college already!  Ryan is starting 6^th grade!  It hardly seems possible that time has moved so quickly.  They are both unique blessings to our family, and I can’t wait to share how they have impacted my journey!

I’m a teacher of 21 years!  Yes, even though education seems to be taking hits all the time, especially in OK, I have stuck it out.  I love my job!  Frustrating at times?  Of course!  Rewarding at times?  Absolutely!  I would love to encourage other people who feel called to this profession to pursue their dreams!

I’m a daughter of…well, I won’t say exactly how long I’ve been a daughter!  But I’m in a unique stage right now.  My mom is battling cancer, and in the last 8 months, my brothers and I have taken over her care.  Parenting a parent is no easy task.  I’m truly a member of the sandwich generation.

I’m a sister, a sister-in-law, aunt, niece, daughter-in-law, friend, the list could go on and on about how I’m identified.

Each one of these identifiers seems to lead me down a different path.  The problem is sometimes these paths seem to go in different directions.  They lead me away from other paths I think I need to be on.  For instance, it’s the beginning of school.  We just finished day five with the students.  I’m exhausted!  It’s tiring just trying to get myself back in the swing of things.  Then I have to motivate 115 students to get back in the swing of things and make my lesson on grammar interesting enough to keep them awake after they’ve been sleeping all summer!

But I also need to be on the family path.  Ryan is also exhausted!  He just started middle school, so he’s in the same boat as my students where he has been lazy all summer and now has to be awake and in the classroom by 7:40 ready to learn.  He stays with me after school since he’s in the same building now, but he’s already grown tired of being there very long after school, and it’s only the fifth day!  But I have to work, and the beginning of the year is very busy.  I can’t just leave when the bell rings with the kids.  So I feel torn about leaving as soon as I can and staying to get things finished.  I also wish I could be more involved with taking care of my mom.  She’s back in Baton Rouge, and I’m in OK, so I can’t do much from here right now.

These paths don’t cross very well sometimes.  So what do I do?  Sometimes I feel God telling me that I just need to slow down and be content with the path I’m on.  He is guiding and directing me in the path I should go because I’ve asked Him to do so.  He wants me to rest in Him and let Him take care of the things I can’t.  So when you’re on your journey and your paths are crossing all over the place, slow down.  Breathe.  Ask God which path He wants you to take for the day or for the hour or sometimes for the next few minutes.  Let Him take care of the other paths for a while.  Enjoy the journey you’re on for the moment.

P.S.  In case you haven’t noticed.  I’m also a Christian!  I didn’t list it.  I wanted to see if you inferred it from my writing.  (It’s an English teacher thing!)  J