I saw the sweetest idea at a craft store in Oregon over Christmas. My dear mom bought me (almost) all the things I needed to make this fun craft. You can find directions here. I opted to make the magnetic dates from large glass stones with the scrapbook paper/dates mod-podged onto the back before gluing on the magnets.
I love that the acrylic sheet on the front is dry-erase so I can change the month and write any important dates I need. Thanks for the birthday gift, Mom! It was a lot of fun.
God's been teaching me this one for awhile. When I don't feel like it, I have to sing. I even made a tea mug to remind me. Out of the blue, a friend of mine sent me a necklace in December. She didn't really know why she was supposed to send it to me, but God must have known. Then we sang a song in choir at church simply titled "Sing." (I confess I didn't really like the song at first...but it did grow on me.) One morning, in the midst of my anxiety and the unknown, I heard that same song on the radio when my alarm went off...I had never heard it on the radio before, but it must have been placed on that station at that time just for me...a reminder to sing. So, while "Sing" has been the command God keeps giving...He has been whispering another word: "Hope." I was given a farewell gift of a stuffed pig from one of my students. I brought it home and was telling someone that she needed a name. I thought it would be appropriate to name the pig after the student who gave it to me. I was asked, "What was her name?" The answer: Hope. What a fitting name. Since then, God keeps whispering "Hope" in my ear...I don't know if that's hope for me, or hope that I should bring to my new situation (or maybe both!?!)
A few weeks ago, we sang a new song at church. It was catchy...I liked it...that was about it.
I'm no longer surprised that God speaks to me first thing in the morning through the song on my radio alarm...but I've moved past the point of listening for a little bit before hitting the snooze button. This week brought another major setback in my situation. The next day, in the 2.7 seconds it took me to hit the snooze button, I heard these words: "The peace that passes understanding is my song." Those words got stuck in my head all day. I remembered the melody to the rest of the song, but couldn't remember the words. I also figured that since I just recently heard the song at church, it would be a few more weeks before I'd hear it again.
I was wrong. That song was in this morning's worship service. Tears streamed down my face as I sang these words:
My hope is in You Lord, all the day long I won't be shaken by drought or storm A peace that passes understanding is my song and I sing my hope is in You alone
I found two different YouTube videos when I came home. The first simply shows the lyrics.
The second comes with a tissue advisory:
Sometimes our trials don't have happy endings. I just pray that God is being glorified through mine.
Today, I'm celebrating small accomplishments. 2 days in a row of classes who are figuring out what is expected of them, and that if they follow those expectations, good things happen. I was able to scour the bargain bins at Target tonight to reward 2 classes. As soon as the other classes learned that they could get prizes (because yes...I've resorted to a form of bribery), they started to shape up. I even had a class earn 15 extra recess minutes because they pulled it together in music.
The icing on my cupcake today was seeing a former colleague after school at a 6th grade basketball game and getting a HUGE hug and the promise of continued prayers on my behalf.
Not to say that there won't be more bad days...I'm sure there will. But today, I'm celebrating the good.
Sometimes, you just have to cry. I thought I was done shedding tears, but I'm not. Somehow, they just keep coming. I don't know that there's much more I can add to these thoughts...just let the tears wash through my soul and keep me going for another day. I know that God counts every tear I shed...I pray that somehow these can bring Him glory as I continue to trust Him in the dark.
This new chapter is hard. Incredibly hard. I end up in tears most days...sometimes by lunch. I know in my heart that I am a good teacher, but right now, I'm not teaching. I'm disciplining. Often. And usually not very well. I made the mistake of finally getting around to reading the farewell cards my former students wrote for me. They were incredibly touching. 2 boys bought me iTunes gift cards with their own money. Another girl wrote the lyrics to a song I taught last year (Red River Valley): From this valley they say you are going / I shall miss your bright eyes and sweet smile / for alas, you have taken the sunshine / that has brightened my pathway awhile. Another boy who sat for years doing nothing in music class told me "when you go, the fun leaves, too." (His card was quite possibly one of the longest things he's written at school...writing has not been his strong suit, and like music, he has spent years avoiding it.) I sat crying at the memory of so many kids whose lives were changed...kids I truly loved, and who loved me back. Then I thought about the new kids...many who don't seem to even want to give me a chance; who are pushing me away and not letting me love them.
The face of one sweet 5th grade boy from my last school keeps coming across my mind. He took my departure particularly hard. For many reasons that I can't really share here, he holds a very special place in my heart. I realized that I didn't make a difference to him overnight. I just kept showing up. It wasn't always easy. He wasn't always easy. But I kept showing up, and eventually, made a difference.
And so for these new students who don't want to give me a chance, I just need to keep showing up. God can't use me if I don't. It won't happen overnight...and honestly, after 3 weeks, I'm not seeing much progress. I honestly wonder if anything will change in the next 14 weeks. But it won't get better if I don't show up. Sometimes God grows us while we're plodding along.
I love that the acrylic sheet on the front is dry-erase so I can change the month and write any important dates I need.
Thanks for the birthday gift, Mom! It was a lot of fun.
Today, I'm celebrating small accomplishments. 2 days in a row of classes who are figuring out what is expected of them, and that if they follow those expectations, good things happen. I was able to scour the bargain bins at Target tonight to reward 2 classes. As soon as the other classes learned that they could get prizes (because yes...I've resorted to a form of bribery), they started to shape up. I even had a class earn 15 extra recess minutes because they pulled it together in music.
Sometimes, you just have to cry. I thought I was done shedding tears, but I'm not. Somehow, they just keep coming. I don't know that there's much more I can add to these thoughts...just let the tears wash through my soul and keep me going for another day. I know that God counts every tear I shed...I pray that somehow these can bring Him glory as I continue to trust Him in the dark.
