New work ... 

I received my  nameplate with title for this new chapter in my life as Assistant Principal.  It made me reflect on how my perception of work and being called has changed over the last few years.

I have had several different types of positions that I was asked to do to meet the needs of the schools I have served and was always happy to do them: teacher, coach, substitute bus driver (!), department chair, Director of Campus Ministry, Director of Faith Formation, Director of Cultural Awareness, Athletic Director, etc.  

In many of the positions, I started with a lot of stress and anxiety in the transition because I always wanted to meet the expectations of those who had trusted me to do the role or those who I was being called to serve in the role.  

This were some positive benefits of this mode of operation, as I always tended to be very or even over-prepared for the tasks, duties, presentations that were asked of me.  But at the same time, I tended to judge my self worth by how well the work I was doing was received or rewarded.

As I put up my new nameplate it struck me that I do not have the same stress I had when I was younger.  It's not that I don't want to still be prepared or that I don't care as much ... actually just the opposite.  

I think the reduction in stress is that I finally have realized that what I do is not about sharing my gifts to please others - but rather, simply sharing who I am in whatever God is calling me to at the moment.

My hope is that what I do and who I am is well-received but my happiness now is less dependent on the 'response' to my giving but to the privilege of just being able to give of my self.   If I need to give a name to what I have found in this reflection: I have finally began to grow in FREEDOM. 

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