The other day I was watching a stand up comedian and I looked at my husband and I told him, "I think I can do that." He told me to sit down. I mean, I think that I am funny. I can be funny. I think I meant to say that in my whiny voice. Can you hear it if I say, "Think more whiny." I can be funny. In my head it came out exactly how I expected. Maybe I should take his advice and learn to sit down.
I had big dreams. I have always had big dreams. I had this sense of who I was. I still have that confidence in who I am. I look around the room where I am working. Well, maybe I can work on a few things. Here is the thing, if God meant for me to have a different life then, maybe I would have a different life. I can't tell you how much I have tried to escape teaching and yet here I am... teaching. "God," I pray. "Really, God? Is there any way that I could try something else?" I look around and I try applying for other jobs. There should be no reason why I don't get another job and yet, I am overlooked. I pray to God and I can hear that those jobs were not meant for me. "But, God, I never wanted to teach." I ran from teaching the way that Jonah ran away from Nineveh. He spent three days in a whale and still had to go back and prophesy to Nineveh. God will tell me that it is not about what I want but what He wants. I should want what he wants.
This year, I have started embracing teaching in my own way. I wanted a plant theme and I went out and went crazy getting plants. I want to teach the students how to have a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset. Already they are warming up to me. I bought a shirt that announced to the world that I was a teacher. I think I have finally embraced my occupation. I am waving my white flag. Okay, God, I am a teacher. I very educated and degreed teacher. I think that there is a possibility that I can do this job well. We will soon find out.
It is the second week of school and already I am tired. I look forward to cooler days and celebrations. I look forward to the breaks found throughout the school year. I look up what this state is willing to do to help teachers make ends meet. There appears to be a disrespect for teachers as professionals. It's hard to make a comfortable life. We need more teachers to help spread the need out. I talk to kids, I tell them to consider teaching. They smile. I can almost see the head shake. Everyone knows that teachers have a bad deal.
God, help the teachers this year as they educate and fight for their students. God open up hearts and mind to receive knowledge. I pray that parents hear and understand what we are trying to say. I pray that you help the teacher's heart. Help them to be strong in a hard job. Please God, have mercy on our teacher.
Amen.
Have you prayed for your children's teachers lately? I would recommend it. Ask them how we could be praying for them and then pray for them. They have your children for a big chunk of the day. Consider that. In the meantime, praise the Lord!
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