When God starts to move, things seem to happen in a blur. However, the reality is that when we take the time to look back on what has transpired in the months leading up to that "blur" we can always see ways His hand was moving and preparing, even before we ever knew what was coming. This is true in all that changed on that fateful day in January when we got the call about Shelton. God had prepared both Burns and I by giving us plenty of days of rest and time together to connect and deepen our relationship through prayer and submitting ourselves to exactly what God wanted for us. He also prepared us years ago, by giving us the best friends and church family that anyone could ever ask for. He prepared for us by making the money we would need to get through those first few months available, way before we would ever even know we might need it. There are so many other things I could list here that prove the ways in which He prepared the way for us.
This is true yet again in how God has been moving in me this entire school year long, to prepare me for the next chapter in my life as a teacher. The honest truth that I can hold to no matter what happens surrounding me, is that God gifted me and created me with a passion and love for teaching, that I can't even begin to describe. Seriously, I teared up just typing those words because loving on little hearts and filling up little minds with new knowledge just fills my soul with indescribable joy. It's what He designed me to do. I have no doubt. I am fortunate to say that teaching comes easy for me. I was born with a natural ability to fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants at a moments notice when a room full of little eyes are staring up at me with great anticipation about what might come next. I was poured into by master teachers as I began my teaching career so very long ago. I had some of the most amazing teachers that have ever graced a classroom as I was growing up and I was lucky enough to watch my mother and father pour into kids daily and find joy in doing so. I say all of this with not pride, but great humility. My talent does not come from me or anything I've ever done. I know that I am terribly fortunate to have such a job that I can speak of it with amazing wonder and honest happiness, as most may never even know this fulfillment in their work. So...where am I going with all of this? Great question, as I had no plan to even type that last paragraph. I was planning on telling you a simple tale about how God has lead me down a new path as far as teaching is concerned. As this year started, I felt confident and satisfied in my comfy job as a Dual Language 1st grade teacher at Southridge Elementary. I work with amazing people who care for a school full of children who so desperately need someone to know what they're worth. Teaching isn't easy, no one ever would claim that it is. However, there are definitely places where the job becomes more emotionally draining based on what the students experience outside of the walls of the school building. These are exactly the walls I want to be working on the other side of. For the past 10 years I have been working in what the state deems as a "Title I" school. In laymen's terms this simply means that our school receives extra funding based on the extensive needs our students have. As the school year began, I didn't care that I drove over 20 minutes to work each day and didn't care that because I am a Dual Language teacher, that all of my planning, assessing, report card posting and many other miscellaneous tasks must be done at the school, with my partner. As the year passed by, I began to have a feeling of discontent in my work, which I attributed to many different things and the 20 minute drive began to seem like an eternity some days. What I know now is that this discontentment was coming from the One who was paving a way for something new. About a month ago, I went to my principal (with much trepidation) and let her know that I might be looking to see what other options there might be for me, outside of my current teaching assignment. In my 16 years of teaching, I've never even considered an in district transfer before. All of my moves came out of necessity mainly due to the need for a location change. As I began to consider my options, several doors seemingly opened. I prayed above all that if a door seemed to be opening that I had no business walking through, that God would very deliberately close that door for me. This happened a couple of times, and I began to question whether or not a move really was what I was needing. And then there was last week. In about 6 days time, I found out about a job that never posted, had my resume and name passed on to the principal of the school where the non-posted job would exist by multiple people, interviewed and had my new position finalized through HR in less than 24 hours after walking into the doors of Coyote Ridge Elementary (which incidentally is about 7 minutes from home) for my interview. There are a few other things that fell into place that also were clear evidence of God's leading here, but I will stop as I feel I've shared enough that you probably get the point. So, next year I will be doing something I never even imagined myself doing. I will be going into a school building next August and attending all of the pomp and circumstance of the beginning of the year, and will not write a name on a single name tag. I will not make sure there are enough chairs and desks for students and I will not write first-day-of-school lesson plans. I will be monitoring and advocating for all of the students at our school who speak English as their second language. I will be building relationships with teachers, in order to build trust so that I can go into their rooms and share their lessons and their students in order meet the needs of the kiddos who might not understand exactly what is being said because language is a barrier for them. I never thought I would say this but...I. Can't. Wait. I can't wait to support the teachers who I know are putting everything they have into those sweet little kiddos and let them know that they are important and that what they are doing matters. I can't wait to work for my new principal, who seems so full of life and passion for her students and staff. I just can't wait. And yet, this is a bittersweet move. I will be leaving a group of friends that I have taught with over the past 7 years. I will be leaving a principal with whom I have a wonderful working relationship. I will not be able to watch all the kids I've had over the past 4 years in 1st grade, grow up and move on to bigger and better things. I will not be standing in that doorway each morning, watching the faces of my former students, now turned second graders, joyfully bounding down the hall to sneak in a hug before heading off to their classroom for the day. I will miss this. Bittersweet. Thankfully I have the assurance of knowing that I'm going to be exactly where God is leading me to be. For this, I'm incredibly thankful. God is good.
Thanks for sticking with me, as I know this was a very lengthy and detailed post just to let you know I will be changing jobs next year. But as with all things, God's plan never just "happens" and comes with a story that only He could orchestrate. I pray that no matter what fills your days, that you are able to say you are doing something that carries such deep meaning because you're doing something that you were designed and created to do!
{O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.} Psalm 139:1-6
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