God is Faithful

I have been reminiscing the last few days.

It is almost impossible for me to believe, but this is the beginning of the 5th school year since I turned in my gradebook and keys and quit writing lesson plans for 8th graders.

Five years since I laughed with my students.

Five years since I read their sometimes heartbreaking/sometimes heartwarming essays and graded spelling tests for hours. (Don't miss those spelling tests a bit!)

Five years since I was shocked by their language and the words of some of their music, and fell for their traps to get me off topic by veering our discussions in another direction than I planned. These discussions were often more fruitful than what I had planned anyway.

Being a classroom teacher was something I loved! Granted, it could be VERY FRUSTRATING and STRESSFUL, but the energy of kids and the creativity of their ideas brought me great JOY.

I loved seeing the back-to-school pictures of all the kids on Facebook, and I know many momma- hearts ached as they prayed for a good school year for their precious children. Everyone wants their son or daughter to have a teacher who cares.

And I know there are GOBS of teachers who do!

When I decided to quit teaching, I hoped God would show me what HE wanted me to do next.

Surprise! He has been faithful to do just that.

While cleaning, I came across these 2 pieces that I wrote years ago.

New Friends

I have been teaching now for what sometimes feels like a couple of minutes (farewell Class of '74) and other times feels like I started when Elvis was King. I love my job for about 106 reasons and last night I discovered a new one. 

Some of my former pimply-faced students are now becoming my poised and delightful friends. Even though I only had them in my room for 1-2 periods each day for one year, I feel an-almost-motherly-pride in the adults they are becoming.

It is fun to hear them nervously, hesitatingly call me "Susan" as if I will say snippily, "May I see your agenda, please? That was inappropriate." 

It's fun to giggle with them as adults over a shared goof-up, fun to talk about grown-up topics, like "my boys" and "your boys", recipes, clothes, and what God is up to in our lives.

What a blessing!

Closed Chapter

I sit on our back porch swing

Listening to the birds sing

Winding down from the last

Days of another busy school year

Wondering if anyone can hear

The fear

In my heart

As I close this chapter of my life.

No more principal-imposed deadlines

No more ISAT test times

Ruining my late-night rest

Sucking the best

Parts of teaching

Into the slime pits

where they cowered.

Who am I now?

No 8^th grade teacher

Secretly enjoying people’s praise,

“I could never do that”-

Take those child-shaped

Clays

And help mold them into writers, thinkers, imaginers.

It’s kind of scary.

I’ll allow myself a fairly

Decent time to say good-bye

To that part of me

And then I’ll see

What I will be….

Next.

Looking back, I see how faithful God has been to me. He allowed me to participate in the lives of young people all those years as a classroom teacher, and now I have the privilege of teaching Holy Yoga and working with wonderful girls and mentors in The Push Ahead.

I have learned so much, gone places I never imagined, and witnessed God at work. I'm reconnecting with former students and their moms and meeting new folks. It's FUN!

I'm not sharing this because I am anything special, because I am NOT. I'm sharing because the same God who has shown me his FAITHFULNESS and LOVE will do the same for YOU and I'm sure he has been.

Sharing with others gives God glory and is an encouragement during times when we may need building up.

So, how is God showing his faithfulness to YOU?  Tell us. Please!