A huge growing week!

So last week seemed like it went on for a year. It's now Sunday, the week is fresh and new, and I've had a day to process all I've learned in the last5 days.
Grab yourself a coffee, and a snack and curl up,this one is going to be a long one - fair warning!
So Monday started a little earlier than usual. Instead of heading to my office to get my week organized and things in place for the rest of the week, I headed to the local legion. I arrived knowing no one. The reason? I was going to be an adult facilitator for "Challenge Day". If you've not heard of this, check it out at www.challengeday.org This is one of the most amazing things to experience! If you ever have the opportunity to attend - GO!
Anyway, so I arrive, knowing no one, and as the info session begins, I become more and more skeptical. The 2 men leading this, Jon and Vinny, are from California. I wasn't confident in their having anything in common with rural Ontario, but stayed open-minded and hoped for something amazing.
We were asked to form a 'soul train' line to greet the grade 10 high school students as they entered. I didn't want to admit I had no clue what 'soul train' was, so I followed the pack.
The look on the students faces when the doors opened, and they saw a bunch of adults dancing and acting particularly strange was priceless.
I can't go into detail about what went on because of confidentiality, but what I can share is this.
I learned that there is more hurt and pain in our rural grade 10 class than I ever dreamed of.
I learned that most of these kids have seen more in their 15 years than I have in my 30+.
I learned that my life is a walk in the park in comparison to some.
I learned that tears of compassion are a virtue and not something to be ashamed of.
I was amazed by these students, how they confessed wrongdoing (apologized), how they asked for forgivness (I want to stop this), and how they reconciled (agreement and hugs the currency of the day).
Although there was not one mention of God, or religion all day, He was there. He was there in the tatoos on Vinny's arm of the virgin Mary, and the word "blessed". He was there in the reciting of the Golden Rule, even if they had no idea what they were saying. He was there in the tears of grief and in the tears of compassion. God was present in every hug, every embrace, every high five. What a day!
That day left me on a high for the next 2 days.
Wednesday was "Feild Ed" class. The week prior to this we took a feild trip to the funeral home. Class this week was discussion about funerals. What we thought of the things said at the home, what we thought about funerals for ourselves, and an attempted debate between the ideas of burial and cremation. This was not amazing in itself, but what followed that evening was extraordinary.
Wednesday night, I was invited to attend a re-internment process. Somewhat reluctantly, yet with a strange sort of excitement I decided to go.
Thursday was the day I was to attend this, and I made my way out to the cemetary. This particular cemetary was sitting on a hill above a river. The river was erroding the hillside, and a number of plots needed to be re-located. The process of retrieving the bodies of those burried there was left to the experts. I was there to observe not only the exhumation of the bodies, but also to observe the way one would perform a re-internment ceremony.
I watched with facinaton, as the staff expertly dug to a safe point with a backhoe, then jumped in with shovels to extract remants of a disintegrated coffin, and the bones of the deceased. I won't go into any more detail than that here, so you can feel safe to keep reading.
Once all of the pieces were retrieved, we moved to re- bury him in another location.
I have to tell you, the most amazing Holy Spirit moment was when the wind picked up, and the leaves started to fall. It was like it was snowing leaves, and apparently something similar had happened earlier when they had done other plots.
I was, at first, afraid of what I would experience. I didn't feel that I handled death well, nor was I prepared for what I was about to see or experience.
Not only did I manage to stay the afternoon tear-free, I found I enjoyed it. I actually enjoyed being a part of this experience and the peace I was filled with in being there.
I can hardly wait to go back this week to finish it off!
Friday was U2harist. Stepping out of my comfort zone to dance through the Cathedral with a group of youth I didn't know, was amazing! Add to that, one of my youth offered to do a reading. I wasn't sure of her ability, but she did great. Amazing what happens when you let go of control and allow the Holy Spirit to take over!
This week coming is a reading week for me. I was looking forward to resting a bit, unil I realized I have 3 papers, a group project and an exam due when I return! Instead of resting this week, I will be spending a lot of time with my nose in the books. Oh well, I have learned so much in 6 weeks, who knows what will happen this week!

Thanksgiving Already!

So, the time has finally come... it's Thanksgiving! While that, for most people, means turkey and cranberries, for me it means that we are 1/2 way to Christmas! And that means 1/2 way to the end of term! I am so incredibly amazed at how far I have come in just a few short weeks!
Add to that, I have been doing very well on my weekly Hebrew tests, and you have a reason to give thanks and throw a party!
Thanksgiving at my house, will be un-traditional this year. We will mark the weekend by doing laundry, cleaning, and restoring the house since none of that has been done since school started!
I'm thrilled to have everyone home for 3 full days where we will ALL pitch in and set things right again. We will do the usual church on Sunday, and to add to all the things to be greatful for, we've been invited to the farm for dinner on Sunday (so there will be some traditional elements!)
I'm so blessed to have so many wonderfully supportive people in my life.
In amongst all that fun and resoration, I do still have papers to write and tests to study for, but I know that this weekend will be filled with happiness, togetherness, and love.
This Thanksgiving I have so much more to be grateful for!
Add to all the usuals, my family who are doing just great at helping to look after each other when I'm away, my new friends at school, my super great supportive teachers, my new reliable car (which btw is only costing me $30 in gas a week!), all the wonderful youth, and friends who have offered to help out when we've been in a pinch, good grades (so far), the fact that I have managed to miss the illness running rampant through my classrooms, and the all around sense of peace I feel.
May we all be blessed this holiday with God's grace, a bountiful harvest, and loved ones to share it all with!