TEACHING WITH DEEP IMPRESSION AND AUTHORITY

" And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority" - Verse 22 from Gospel, Mark 1:21-28

I am currently teaching in a state university  handling Psychology courses.  At times, I get to be invited to facilitate trainings, seminars, now webinars (since they are now done online).  Earlier in my career, I resisted teaching.  However, my career path led me there.  

And, I choose verse 22 in the Gospel of Mark 1L 21 - 28 since it matched well with my being a teacher.  I always get that impression from my students -  deep impression and authority in the field when i started talking.  Perhaps also that's the reason why get frequent invitation.  

What led me into that so - called "authority" in the field.  I did finish the program BS Psychology.  I proceeded Masters in Guidance and Counseling but my PhD detoured to Education.  

I thought at first that I proceeded to Education since I had no other choice at the university where I had the privilege of getting free education since I was one of its employees.  However, when I finished the program, I felt a deep sense of attachment in the teaching profession and even became a Principal of the Senior High School and even went as far as writing a book that became a national best seller in the course Personal Development.  

I never expected it in my entire life.  Not ones in the past did I imagine these accomplishments.  I did not plan my life to lead to where I am now.

And, how does all these connect to the verse in the Gospel?

Jesus, was a teacher and still is continually forming us by His grace and the Holy Spirit present in us,  I feel such connection to him when I pray.  Every time I teach and facilitate trainings or give talks through seminars/ webinars, I feel many times that it is not just I but Jesus in me talking to His people.

So, it is not a deep impression from people for me but for God himself present in me.  The authority in me is not mine but God's.

I am not the one WHO IS THE LIGHT.  It is GOD.  And, I could only feel the awe afterwards at how God amazingly talks to His people through me as His instrument.  

I am forever grateful for this privilege to be His bearer for His people.  All Glory to His Name.  Amen.

MY YEAR 2020 REVIEW - THE CHALLENGES I HAVE ENCOUNTERED - PART 1

photo taken from :  http://smashinghub.com/the-challenges-of-designing-and-development.htm

I feel like I paused blogging in 2020.  I did not write much.  But it is the year of action in my life - from career to personal life plus the current pandemic that felt like also paused many lives specifically when going out was not possible due to lockdown.

Reviewing varied comments at social networking sites, many look at it as the worst year.  However, at my end, I would prefer looking at it as a very challenging year.  

1.  Challenge in Parenting 

I did not expect to confine my daughter most of the time in the house.  I felt her boredom.  Emotions can be very intense at times that I had to deal with myself and her confronting varied situations.  Patience is tested.  And, I need to improve myself on this.

2.  Challenge in being a teacher to my own daughter

Homeschooling was already an option we chose for her.  This time, modules provided by the school have displayed competencies not even really fit and relatable for her stage that I and my husband had to come in and do "double" time assisting her...Our daughter is slow with writing and so many modules had to be set aside for a while.  She won't answer some of them also so we had to come in again to simplify our teaching so that she can connect. Test of patience again, since a lot of times in between she would excuse and do something else.  Oh my ...patience is truly a virtue to practice:-)

3.  Challenge with Work

Early of 2020, I was on a regular work arrangement.  However, things immediately changed in March of 2020 when the pandemic has caused locked down for the whole country.  This made me do "work from home"  arrangement.  This meant that i had to handle my classes on asynchronous mode through a platform that I have been using.  This is new to many of my students so I had to simplify requirements and submissions.  Since I was designated under the office of the President of the university,  I had to engage in virtual meetings for certain office that was created by the President.  Until I finally decided to "resign" from that designation to be a fulltime faculty again so that I could have more time with the daughter for her homeschooling while doing "work from home" online /virtual teaching for my students (this time with more number of sections than when I was designated).  Really, going virtual is very tough since classes are not regular.  They are most of time provided with video discussions with quizzes, major exams and activities posted at a platform.  Oh my I really miss face to face teaching.

4.  Challenge with both Work and Family matters all done at home

At times there is no longer a  line between the two.  I do usual household chores, being a mom, teaching my students and teaching my daughter.  At times I got so exhausted that I had to pull out from the house and be at the workplace to just focus on work.  

5.  Challenge of loosing a Loved one

I lost my father later part of year 2020 (November 11, 2020).  Prior to that, there were emotional bouts at my end as I had to witness my father physically struggling.  Travels to Bukidnon and back in the city had to be done so that I could be with my father until he was hospitalized again ( twice during covid lockdown) until he peacefully passed away in November 2020.  

6.  Challenge with Dealing with Varied Personalities

As if I have not done this for years.  This keeps on like coming back to me. I constantly and regularly meet very challenging personalities at work or outside of it.  What strains me the most is to hold myself so that I will not "slip".  This means that I have set up a basic personal rule that I have lived up for years.  That is, not to say anything that I might regret or get back.  So the solution is to be SILENT.  Holding myself and WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO SPEAK OR NOT SPEAK AT ALL.  

Why did I come up with this rule?  It is what I learned on Emotional Intelligence.  And, from personal experience when I was not able to hold myself, expressed what I wanted and ruin relationships with people very close to me.  I did learn the hard way.  I do not want to go back and do it again.  That's why SILENCE and WAITING play a major role in my relating with challenging personalities.  And I learned to value KINDNESS despite circumstances.  That meant I have a choice to be kind to people who may choose not to be kind to me also.

Well, this is yet part 1.  And, they were few of those challenges that I met however, major ones that brought so much weight on me.  Pressure and stress.  However, I still ended up much better person.  I kept the faith.  I kept a good fight in the NAME OF MY LORD JESUS CHRIST.  

What I thank the Lord most is that, I am able to make a big come back in blogging.  And, I Glorify the Lord for this.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF 2021.