Teaching is crazy. I thought I’d just let you know that.
Right now as part of my elementary/primary teacher training, I am full time in a Year 2 classroom. That’s 25 six-seven year olds who are incessantly spurting “Miss Norris!” all day. Lost pencils. Missing socks. Misspelled words. And they are beautiful. Smiles. Hugs. A student writing “I like you” on my hand. Getting compliments all over the place. Yes, they are crazy, but I’m learning more from my associate teacher and these children… more than I often do in lectures. We learn from experience, as we know in theory. Now I think I get it.
So I come home absolutely drained, fried, and evaporated (food metaphors?!) because I haven’t learned the art of recharge in the midst of the day. I’m not doing countless other things. But that’s okay. Because His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Tired. Exhausted. STRONG. Eyes drooping. Voice strained. GRACE. Lesson plans. Observational tasks. Practicum binder. HOPEFUL. Why? IT’S ONLY GOD!!!
I can’t do this without Him. Without the Holy Spirit, “the one who comes alongside”… oh I’m stuffed, to use a Kiwi phrase. Well I might survive a term… I might get through with people commenting on my earthly efforts or accomplishments… but to survive and live and love? Well that’s another story. I need Him. I need to remember, God gives more than enough grace. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:9.
Yeah. You got that right. Being proud of my failures?! By myself I absolutely utterly fail at giving students the right feedback, ignore the ones who need my attention, use favoritism, and don’t make time to pause and pray, caring more about pleasing myself and not God. But…. me and Christ together? Me abiding, dwelling, living in His love? My friend. How He loves me. In Him, my very weaknesses glorify God because we all see where He’s picking up the slack. Making “beautiful things out of the dust”. Wow. Then, He’s so nice! Get to know Him! In one sly moment, when I finally made myself be still, this is what I felt He said:
Precious daughter,
all I have required of you
is to be with me.
And that’s what transforms the crazy occupation of teaching, into something earthshakingly beautiful…
…being together with Him.
Wonderful Picture Credit: here (not my own!)
