Passed Over
I am in my second year of teaching. I absolutely LOVE what I do. I feel so blessed to be able to earn a living, help my family, be with my 3 little ones everyday, and have the chance to be a light in a dark place- the public school system. I have a son with an IEP, and I vowed that if I ever taught- NO parent would ever leave my IEP meetings in tears. You know the usual… 8 adults around a conference table with files full of negative information about your child… do this, do that, medication? and words like challenge, struggle, behavior issues, and different floating around like the elephant in the room. I left everyone frustrated and in tears. Can’t these adults see the wonderful things I see? Can’t they be flexible enough to support a child where they are at, all the while encouraging growth and inclusion?? Yikes! I also have a gifted child who faces many of the same issues. Can’t you find a way to challenge her? Can’t you see that she has needs and goals as well, even though she excels on your state testing? Each of my children are so different. Anyways, I bring all of this background to my classroom. I was very pleased to have been voted Rookie Teacher of the Year for my school. Our school has a reputation for having the most challenging population in the district, and it means a lot to me to get our school (and students) some respect and recognition for the hard work we do here. It is also an award voted on by my peers, so that meant a lot to me as well. Well, the morning of the DISTRICT-WIDE Recognition Party, where I could have won at the next level and moved on to state, I had a nervous feeling. If I won, our school would be recognized publically and that made me excited. But, I would have to speak in front of hundreds, and that terrified me. And if I lost, I would feel sad. It was just a mess! So, I wake up at my usual 5am and have coffee and devotions. My devotion for the day was called “Passed Over.” Psalms 75:6-7 says “For not from the east nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation, but God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another.” God will lift us up in His time, not ours. And the prayer was, “Father God, take from me the desire for earthly recognition. Let me focus on the task and not the reward. I know that you will life me up in Your time- I trust You for that. Help me be a supportive mom when the time comes for me to comfort my child when he or she has been passed over. Amen.” WOW! That sure got my head in the right place! Thank you God for always being there for me, even when I don’t ask. I lost that night, but had a great time with my husband and friends. Now, I can remember to keep my eyes us even though I am so sad to say good-bye to my 26 “other” kids in just 21 days.
