days like today...

This morning during my planning time my heart was flooding with emotions.  It was only 9:50 am and already I was longing for a break.  For those of you who are teachers, you understand exactly what I mean when I talk about the roller coaster of emotions you can go through just in one day in the classroom.  Today was one of those days.  I sat down during planning and had to get my thoughts out.  To me, writing is a peaceful and calming thing...so I did what I do best when I'm upset...I wrote.

Let me share...

On days like today I have to remind myself of the reason I teach.

I feel God called me into this path for right now, so why do I feel so astray sometimes?

On days like today I have to remind myself that each of my students is in my class for a purpose beyond my complete understanding.

Lord, please help me to understand those purposes and fulfill those individual needs.

On days like today I beat myself up and I battle with myself in my mind.

What else can I do? How can I teach this in a different way? What interventions and strategies are the key to reaching those specific kiddos?

On days like today I just want to be at home and curl up on the couch with a blanket. I am exhausted and frustrated.

Where is a snow day when you need it?

On days like today I wonder just what is going on in those little minds.

Where have the hard-working students I have worked so hard with to get to this point gone? Have they traveled to space? Did aliens abduct them? Did some magical fairy bop them on the head and cause all the hard work to leave?

On days like today I pray.

I pray for peace of mind and heart. I pray for strength. I pray God will guide me and direct me. I pray that God would remind me once again that it’s not all up to me. I pray for parents to have patience. I pray that tomorrow, I will do one more thing better than I did today. I pray for grace.

Fast forward about an hour. 

Here we go back up the next hill on this ride. My kiddos came back to me from art..with what seemed to be refreshed minds.  (Art does that for me too.)  Oh, I was jumping for joy in my mind.  Just the thought that I may have a few good hours left in the day with these sweeties.  Amidst seeing a couple reluctant writers show me the best reading responses they had all year and students getting focused to try their hardest once I had given them a model of my expecations, I found the hope I was looking for.  I was reminded once again by my wonderful Maker of just why I do what I do.  Not only did I get those precious reminders...but I also got a funny moment and a near-tears-for-joy moment.

The near-tears-for-joy moment came from the exact little body that was one of the main reasons I was so upset earlier in the day.  We were among day two of what seemed to be a student/teacher mind battle.  He didn't want to listen, he was giving up, and he was shutting me out.  However, I took just a few moments with him to get past my pride and ask him whole-heartedly just what it was that he was upset about.  What was going on in his heart that was causing him to have bad day #2.  I took time.  Time out from the hectic day to notice he needed something  more than an explanation to a math problem.  The result from my gift of caring and time was sitting on my desk later in the day on the back of something he drew for me.

and I quote.....ps. thak you for makeing my day better!

(Maybe I get to his heart because I'm a hardcore UK fan too...I'll take what I can get!)

Uh huh...that was obviously the near tears moment. 

The funny moment (*names are obviously changed):

Scene--During a mini-lesson filling out a KWL (know, want to know, learned) chart on light.  We started filling out the W section of the chart with our questions we had about light.

Inquisitive Izzy:  "How did light first form?"

Before I had time to finish writing it on the chart paper, Biblical Billy chimed in.

Biblical Billy:  "And God said, let there be light!"

(this is where the Christian teacher in the public school classroom quietly applauds in her head)

Sensitive Suzy (really getting into this conversation):  "Not everyone believes in God, Biblical Billy!"

Spiritual Sally (quietly with head tilted and sighing):  "Unfortunately."

Haha! I love those kids.  Thanks for cheering me up and making those dips on the roller coaster so worth every minute! On days like today, you melt my heart.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 Matthew 11:28-30