So, I got back from Rome safely. It was pretty life changing and awesome. All the good stuff rolled into one. That being said, I'm really looking forward to the coming semester at UD, it should be a good time. I'm finally going to have an apartment, and one with three very good friends of mine to be exact. Does the awesomeness behind and the awesomeness to come mean that I'm currently stuck in an awesome-free no-man's land though? Quite the contrary, actually, since I'm currently very much occupied with my summer job of teaching Totus Tuus.
What is Totus Tuus, you might ask? It's a Catholic catechetical program for students going into 1-12th grade. We get the little boogers (1-6) in the day time -- literal little boogers, acually, I wiped a snotty nose today. Then in the evening we get the junior high and high school students. And we talk, and meditate, and do strange things, and it's a good time.
Last week we only had 10 kids in the day program. The 5th and 6th graders became obsessed with a large fat candle and they named it as their class mascot, Otis. That turned amusing when I told them to all be a light to the world and not hide it under a bushel basket, and that became "Be Otis to the world!"
Two weeks ago we semi-scandalized some parents by having the kids sing the shark song at the potluck. It starts innocently enough with Baby, Mama, Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa shark, with appropriate handmotions, but once you start losing appendages and the CPR wasn't working the looks of "Oh this is cute?" turned into more of "In what other ways are you scarring my children?" The dance with Jesus at the end of the song is semi-redeeming though, right? Right?
I have lots of weird metaphors when I give highschool talks. God isn't a vending machine, Jesus isn't a build-a-bear stuffed with God fluff, and neither is he Thor, but he is a coupon.
I taught an entire third and fourth grade class with my glasses pushed down my nose in what was supposed to be a squeaky old teacher accent, but it turned into kind of an Indian accent by the end.
I die dramatically at least three times every Monday morning.
I got invited to a tea party today.
We're not allowed to give the little kids hugs but I'm super bad at avoiding them so I get awkward side hugs all the time.
I bowled over at least two children playing sharks and minnows at recess today.
Most small children are Arians. Some of them believe Jesus lived in the 1970's. I've also heard that the cause of death in crucifixion was either starvation or Jesus holding his breath.
I had some 5th and 6th graders who didn't believe there was actually a year 500.
A common question I get from little kids is "How do you know all this?"
After hearing about the Shroud of Turin or Juan Diego's Tilma a common response of kids has been "I have to go see that!"
One first and second grade boy imagined heaven as a room full of meat. He was shocked to hear that it was even better.
Keep me in your prayers, and you'll be in mine!
JMJ
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