Back to school… if you are a parent or a student back to
school hits you one of two ways- you are
either very excited or very sad. Excited
to begin a new year, sit in a new classroom, have new clothes and supplies (I
mean seriously, there is just SOMETHING magical about the smell of a new box of
crayons!), make new friends, excited to have your kids out of your hair or have
your routine back… or sad to see summer leaving, sad to go back to early bed
times, and early alarms, sad for your kids to be out of your house for 8 hours
a day, sad to see them growing up so fast and moving on to a new grade, sad to
see all the money leave your bank account for new supplies and new clothes…. Parents
and students have one of those two feelings about going back to school.
As a teacher however, I have a different feeling. For me each new school year brings with it a
humbling honor and responsibility- the chance to place my heartprint on a new
set of little lives. I feel the immense
amount of trust that parents place on me by sending me their greatest treasures
each day. It is my responsibility to
help them learn and grow and feel safe and loved and important from 7:50 each
morning until 3:20 each afternoon. I
realize that for many families, I spend more waking hours with their children
Monday-Friday than their own parents, and that is something I do NOT take
lightly.
These desks await 22 students who will walk in to my
classroom ready to start their first day of 3rd grade on Tuesday
morning. This classroom- where they will
spend approximately 37 ½ hours of each week (give or take some recess time) for
the next 10 months. Before I closed my
door for the last time tonight I prayed over each desk individually and for
each child, by name, who will sit there during this new school year.
My job for the next 180 school days will be to instruct my
students in math, reading, writing, science, social studies, how to get along
with others, how to be responsible, how to keep track of a pencil, how to use
their new laptop correctly, how to call for help when even the teacher doesn’t
know how to use the new laptop correctly, how to solve the problem of what to
do when someone “cuts” you in the lunch line, how to take a deep breath before
you begin a standardized test, how to tell yourself “I can do this- I’m a
problem solver,” how to push the button to come in from recess when you forgot
to pee before going out, how to politely ignore the kid who picks his nose beside
you, how to praise each other to success, how to graciously handle defeat, and
so many other things. And the parts of
the job my students will not see me do is stress over data, spend hours on
plans, spend my own money for classroom items, wipe my tears when I see them struggle
and I don’t know what to try next, or lay awake concerned over what is
happening in the “tough” homes. And I am
not unique to this role, it is the same thing my colleagues will do throughout
my building, school district, and across our country.
I don’t tell you any of this so you will think anything special
of me, but I share my story of how I do my job so I can also share what God
taught me about this job a few years ago.
There was a time I was incredibly frustrated with my work in the
schools, I was upset with favoritism/drama, I felt insignificant, and I was
ready to give up on doing my best. Then
God led me to a verse in 1 Corinthians.
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of
the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1
Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
I realized that whether I was a librarian, or a teacher, or
a lawyer, or a trash collector, or a nurse, or an IRS agent, or a farmer, or a
politician, or a stay at home mom, or a greeter at the Stuff*Mart- if God had
called me to this work I was to give myself fully to that job, because it wasn’t
about me, or even the specific job I was doing, it was about living out HIS
purpose for me in that place, and that labor would not be in vain. And I cling to that verse every day. On the hard days it keeps me going, and on
the days where I feel proud of myself it humbles me to remember it is for His
glory, not mine. And my prayer for you this week is that no
matter WHAT you are doing, you will stand firm, and give yourself fully to the
work of the Lord, wherever he has assigned you.
“Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever
situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the
churches.”
1
Corinthians 7:17 (NIV)
And in the meantime, if you think of it, I would appreciate
your prayers for this place… I’ll be there fighting with new laptops, digging
in desks for lost papers, praying I don’t bring home head lice or bedbugs, and humbly
lovin’ my heart out on 22 other families’ greatest blessings.
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