I hadn’t realised I’d been out of school for six years until I took an exam this past week. I’ve been studying a lot, but aside from preparing for my driving test, it had been ages since I studied for an academic exam. The test I sat was the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).
The GRE is an aptitude test for applicants to graduate schools in the United States. One section, Verbal Reasoning, demanded a strong vocabulary and the ability to interpret complex passages. I encountered words I had never seen before and found some questions required careful, patient thinking. Even though words are usually my friends, a few of those terms felt like adversaries.
Then came the quantitative portion. I disliked mathematics in secondary school and often tuned out, so I did not expect to face it again. I did my best solving for x, but the experience left me with a headache for several days.
Balancing study with my responsibilities as a mother proved the most challenging part. I was cooking, cleaning, changing diapers and still trying to absorb material. Talk about multitasking. Still, as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well.
On Sunday we held a wrap-up gathering with some families from our church. For the occasion I made a chocolate bread. Over the past nine weeks we’ve been studying core beliefs about how to make a positive difference in the world. I enjoyed the lessons and pray they remain with me. I want to go out and change someone’s life; the beauty of living is found in touching other people’s lives—without that, we merely exist.
At church we launched a series titled “All I Want for Christmas Is…” with the implied hope of a better world. Part of the series involved supporting International Justice Mission, an organisation that works to end modern-day slavery. The sense of fulfilment that comes from supporting causes aligned with faith is deep and enduring. Don’t pass up opportunities to do good.
Have a God-filled week!