I lived.

So what are you going to do this summer? (tone of voice implies that the speaker is envious of three months of VACATION!) Do you get a summer job? (tone of voice implies that the speaker assumes either that I do or that I should)  Do you have any trips planned? (again tone of voice implies the speaker expects to hear of some exotic trip around the world: a cruise to the Carribbean, followed by a safari in Africa, followed by perusing bookstores in London or exploring castles in Europe, and maybe just throw in a visit to the penguins in Antarctica).

Those are the questions people ask at the beginning of the summer--the beginning of every summer.  It was a busy summer, but I didn't do any of the things most people expect school teachers to do with ALL that EXTRA time in the summer.

 I didn't do anything spectacular. I mowed lawn; I weeded flower beds; I did some housecleaning; I had a garden that I tried to get a few vegetables from before the wildlife ate it all off (that was my version of a safari).  I removed the daily dirt and grime from my house a few times(castle explorations). I made a few dresses for myself and for Mary (after having done the yearly mending). I went to about a dozen weddings. I read through the Bible (perusing of books). I went to prison a few times (nearest I got to visiting the penguins--they all wear the same thing in cold, hard surroundings). Simply stated: I lived a fairly normal life this summer.  That was a blessing.

I guess you can say I had a summer job.  I scrubbed and waxed the floors at school again (that was the nearest I got to a cruise--walking around on wet floors all day).  I put in between 90-100 hours doing it. The board seemed happy enough with the job to pay me what we had agreed upon two years ago.  Maybe I should have more of a summer job, but when would I ever get the things done that wait for summer? The flexibility of this job is a blessing.

I didn't go on any trips, in fact, I was not so much as out of the state this summer. It has been a homebody kind of summer.  I have enough debt on my house to keep me from spending for big trips or cruises like some people do. And it isn't getting paid off very fast since I don't earn what I could with an Ed.D.; but I am content with where God has called me, and I'll keep plugging away at the debt. Having a home and contentedly being there is a blessing.

So, I didn't do anything spectacular, I wasn't committed to a regular work schedule, I didn't go on any trips.  What DID I do with the summer?

I lived;  I worked; and I hope I blessed others with some of my time. Now, on Thursday, school starts again and people will know what I do from 8AM-3PM Monday-Friday. A few people will know that it IS what I do most of the time from 5AM-9 or 10PM Monday-Saturday. But, I will still be asked, "What did you do this summer?" I think my answer will be, "I lived. What did you do?"

FYI - I was not incarcerated. I went to prison for Bible studies on Friday evenings and those ladies wish they were home living a normal kind of life.  I'm beginning to think the normal kind of life I live isn't really all that normal.  I've been blessed.