There are three times of year that I count among my most favorite. Christmas, Easter, and…the start of a new school year.
I am pathologically obsessed with school supplies. New paper smell and fresh pens and bright, new erasers. If ever I were to appear on Hoarders, I can almost guarantee that binders and post-it’s would play a huge role.
That and hair ties.
As those of you who follow my blog know, I will not be returning to Oral Roberts this semester. It’s a bag of mixed emotions – one, I don’t have nearly as good an excuse to blow huge sums of money on college-ruled spiral notebooks. Two, I don’t get to launch my full-scale subversive mission to convert the entire campus.
Okay, I’m kidding. About two. The entire campus part.
I was so excited about conversion last school year that I had to fight the urge to run around screaming,
“I’m a papist! I’m a papist!”
But I still wanted to find ways to subtly leave a window of opportunity open for anyone that wanted to ask me about my faith.
– I placed a wall crucifix above my bed, and had a handful of rosaries at various points around my dorm room. One by my makeup to remind me to pray while I was getting ready in the morning, one by my computer, one in the corner by the balcony where I read and prayed in the mornings. I didn’t want to be tacky. And if they had sat there collecting dust I doubt anyone would have noticed. But you’d be surprised how many conversations those simple rosaries started.
– I invited people to Mass. Once again, I tried not to be tacky. But if someone mentioned not knowing where to go to church on Sunday (and this happens all the time at ORU, trust me), I’d invite them to come to Mass with me.
– I participated in conversations in the classroom about faith and theology. I wanted to tread carefully here. Some less than charitable debates started by students who are enthusiastic Catholic converts have left a nasty taste in the mouths of many at ORU. So I had to be extra careful to treat everyone with as much respect as I could muster. Also, I kind of suck at theology. So I didn’t want to get in over my head, and had to learn how to say – “You know, I really don’t know how to answer that. Let me find out for you.”
What about you? What are some ways that you’ve found to work your faith into your campus and work life?
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