Compelled by the pandemic to switch to online teaching, many educators and students scrambled to survive. Sensing that students were stressed and anxious (I knew some struggled with mental health issues), I committed to showing grace to them. Of course, it’s always nice when they appreciate it. Unfortunately, a student demeaned my grace. In the […]
For a number of years, the University of Florida has offered a General Education Humanities course where students consider the question, “What is the Good Life?” They do this through close examination of relevant works of art, music, literature, history, religion, and philosophy. I teach music but have been asked to propose a new course […]
After the COVID-19-induced shift to home offices last year, I, an ardent advocate of on-site teaching and networking, quickly began appreciating the efficiency that working from a home office offers. No longer did I lose time commuting between rooms and campuses. No more random hallway chats that eat up time during the day. Officing at […]
Over the past year, I have joined a small group of university professors in an incredible discussion of the book “Sent,” by Heather and Ashley Holleman. It has prompted some thoughtful conversation, including Jesus’ prompt to look up and see the people around us. ( John 4:35) Last winter, I faced a crisis, but the […]
When we experience a personal trauma, we are faced with a hard decision: do we try to hide our situation, or do we openly share our struggle and pain? I had to make this tough decision after I was in a severe car crash and suffered a minor brain injury. Truthfully, I wanted to hide […]
The date that will now be forever fixed in my mind is March 30, 2020, when my oldest child attempted to take her life. As I followed the ambulance in my car, Leanna Crawford’s song “Truth I’m Standing On” came on the radio. It expressed what I was feeling: Scared, oh, I thought I knew […]
I remember my first year on campus. I was frantically running around trying to network, expand my research agenda, cultivate engaging classroom experiences, show up for all the service meetings, and settle into a new city. Over the course of that year, I was productive but exhausted. My days and weeks ran together, with little […]
For 25 years, I have taught English to Italian students at the University of Florence. For 18 months, since March of 2020, we have taught remotely rather than in person. I did not embrace this change gladly. Last fall, I attended a virtual A Common Call conference hosted by Faculty Commons. Dr. Heather Holleman talked […]
The commercial for a life insurance company uses the line, “Life comes at you fast!” I finally understand what that means. Growing up in a Christian home, I learned how to pray, read my Bible, and attend church services (excuse the pun) religiously. Unfortunately, I took God for granted. I prayed, but didn’t really talk […]
I struggle. I have been on faculty at the University of Florida since 2013. I have called myself a Christian since 1996, but I only really stationed Jesus as the Lord of my life about four years ago. Because of his Lordship, my goals, desires, and perspectives have evolved. Not that I didn’t see change […]
