Thursday, March 26, 2015

This is why I teach...

To the Teacher of “That Kid”,

I see you struggling with that kid.  I see how exhausted you are as  you walk out of the building at the end of the day, completely depleted. You wave that kid goodbye and let out a sigh of relief, even if its just for a brief moment of peace.

It’s okay, let it out, it was a hard day.

I hear your words. I hear you telling the teachers in the break room about how that kid is going to get the best of you. In fact, I heard that kid’s teacher last year say all the same things, and I am sure you remember hearing all about it too. In some ways, it brings a bit of relief to know it isn’t just you, right?

I want you know that I know exactly how you feel. I do, I promise. I am not here to judge you or to shame you . It is actually the complete opposite.

I know you are trying. I see it in your face, I see it in your posture. I know you are doing everything you know how to do, but some days it just doesn’t feel like its enough, right? Somedays, that kid is just too much for you to handle and I can tell its wearing you down. Believe me, I understand.

Take a breath, sit for a minute and read this. I have something you need to see. That kid wants to tell you a few things today.

Dear Teacher

“ Teacher, I need you!

I know I am hard to handle, and I take everything you have. I know I push your buttons in all the right ways that make you second guess what you are doing. But I need you. I need you to keep pushing me. I need you to set limits and help me understand them.

I know you don’t know me. I know if you did, we would get a long a lot better. But, please, teacher, I need you to fight to get to know me. I can’t tell you with my words what I need you to know, so I might act out instead. Take that as my sign that I need you. You might be all I have.

I know you have 30 other kids in class. I know they need you too. But, teacher, I need you. I need you to find my good qualities because those other kids don’t see them. My teacher last year didn’t see them, and most days, if not all, I don’t even see them.

I know I throw fits. I know I disrupt your class and what you had on your agenda for the day. But teacher, I need you to believe in me. I need you to believe that my actions are a cry for help, not an act against you. Please don’t take it personally. I need you to believe that I want to fit in, but just don’t know how.

I know I make it hard, but please, I need you. I need you to see me. I need you to see beyond that behavior, that meltdown, that action and I need you to see the kid behind all the “thats”. You might be the only one that can get to the real me. It might take time, It might take patience. You know, it might even take learning about something you know nothing about. But, teacher, I need you! I need you to give it your all to see me.

I know you went into teaching to make a difference. I am here to tell you, I am that difference. I am the one that needs you! I promise, if you reach me, you will change my life. You will make a difference like no test can measure.

You might not see the difference today or tomorrow, but I promise, if you see that I need you, you will make a difference.

Please!

~ signed “That Kid


Saturday, March 14, 2015

Pain and Grief

I know that I've written about grief recently and as much as I hate to dwell on it there seems to be so much of it going around right now.  I also know that God has promised us that we need not worry about anything because he is always there.  Nothing He has planned for us is designed to bring us pain.

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you; plans for hope and for a future."    - Jesus (Jeremiah 29:11). 

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”                    — Jesus  (Matthew 6:26).

And yet we seem to feel pain all around us.  It's so hard to not scream out to God. To demand an explanation from him.  Why God must we lose loved ones too early?  Why must we see so much sickness and pain? Why must we feel as if we're never going to get ahead of the debt? 


It's in those times that God hopes we'll draw closer to him.  It's in those times that He intends to carry the burden for us... if we'll allow. 

Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near
                -Michael W. Smith (Draw Me Close)

We have a choice in these times.  Draw nearer to Him. Trust Him to comfort our pain and to 
take care of us. Or to turn away and slowly die inside.


the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for,but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans8:26).
 As I continue to feel the losses myself...as I see friends feel the losses... I try to pray without ceasing. I try to "Trust in the Lord with all of my heart..." (Proverbs 3:5)





Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Snow, Snow Go Away

                                           

As much as I hate to complain because I know it could always be worse harder nastier longer ... Let's just face it, winter and I are NOT friends and that's just all there is to it.  With that being said, enough is truly enough!

I try very hard not to allow myself to dwell on the gloomy, dreary, cold, damp, dark and miserable months of January and February, but I also know that it affects me mentally and physically.  This winter has been cold and snowy... for far too long.  The kids have been trapped inside for far too long.  The grass has been white for far too long.  I strongly dislike (because HATE is a very strong word that I reserve only for the devil himself- winter is a close 2nd though) WINTER.

As I get older wiser more mature I find that many things affect me differently than they ever did before and I think the dreary cold winter is pushing it.  I need more vitamin D than I used to in order to keep my cheerful smile so bring on the springtime! Bring on the flowers, the flip-flops, the sunshine... bring on SPRING!