news

So it’s been a while and I realize that I have not posted my exciting news yet. Here we go:

I got a job. I am now a Second Grade Teacher!!

Isn’t that exciting!!!

I have no way to explain it except to say that GOD IS SO GOOD!! There is no way that I deserve this job. Every day I am completely blown away that I got it. God’s goodness and graciousness are the theme of my life lately.

Oh and my school is literally less than 10 minutes from my house. And everyone has been SO incredibly nice to me. I love it!

So I’m busy getting ready. The nice thing is that it’s a year round school and my kids are currently tracked out (on vacation). So I have two more weeks of preparation before I the kids come back. Thank goodness for time to get ready!!!

Ok, that’s all for now!

i don’t want the american dream

Today has been a day of pondering and thoughts for me and I have spent the past hour or so just writing out some of those thoughts. Here are some tidbits:

Lately I have decided that the american dream is a bunch of crap. Really it is. Actually, it’s not really a recent discovery it’s just been etched into my mind in more ways since I am unemployed. It seems that all people ask me is if I have a job or any interviews and though I know they mean well I would love if they would ask me something else.

Here’s the thing, even in Christian circles, there is this pattern that a lot of people follow. Go to college. Love Jesus in college, get involved in a church and campus ministry, travel overseas to crazy places during your summers and then graduate and get a nice paying job.

Now don’t get me wrong there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with doing these things. I have plenty of friends that have followed this path and are following the Lord with all of their hearts as they pursue the Gospel. But what if this path wasn’t meant for us all? I think that it’s not about WHAT you do with your life but if you follow where God leads. I feel as if I need to take a pause after saying that because it is SO much easier said than done.

Here’s where my heart is: I would love to get a teaching job this year and delve into the world of classroom life. But I only want to do that if God calls me to it. Some of you know this, but a couple weeks ago I was offered a teaching job. Yeah it sounds crazy to write that. I was truly and really offered a job to teach munchkins all day at a brand new elementary school. But I turned it down. Don’t jump on me yet. See ever since I left that interview I prayed about it and what to do if I was offered a job. I just had this feeling it might happen (by the way feelings usually = God telling me to listen up).

The school was far away and I would have had to move and spend a lot of money to do so. I also would have had to leave behind a great “cloud of witnesses” that surround me where I am. So I prayed and I talked a lot to my parents about it and I never had a peace about it. Never.

I knew that even though it might have been a great opportunity that I had to turn it down. Do you know how many people have given me crazy looks when I told them that? Especially in this economy, people think it’s crazy to turn down a job. But to me life is more than a job. It’s about doing what God says is best for me. It’s about family and love and fellowship and ministry. The world screamed at me to take that job but God softly whispered and told me not to.

I could have had a classroom of my own and used my little flower pot set of pens that say “Ms. R’s Class”. I could have taught in teaching bliss every day with a Smartboard, projector, and document camera all in my own classroom. But I won’t. At least not at that school. But you know what? I still have hope, hope that God will provide in some way, even if it’s something I am not expecting.

One thing I know to be true: I desire to seek after the Gospel in this time of waiting and hope, not the american dream. The american dream will only leave me hopeless and empty. The Gospel, the great Gospel that I have been called to, will never disappoint.

the almost Graduate Journals

In. Two. Days. I. Will. Graduate.

From. College.

How good it feels to say that! I still don’t really believe it. I mean yes I know that later today I know I will get into my car and drive back up to school to begin the festivities with my friends, but seriously, me graduating from college? Get outta town! Ok, well then I’ll get out of town.

So I am graduating from college. On Saturday I will be the proud owner of a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. A degree- I will have a degree!!! I think I forgot about the whole degree thing many times during college. I mean college was always part of my plan and my parent’s plan for my life so going to college wasn’t an odd or weird thing. It’s what was supposed to happen. But I think I forgot about the whole, when you graduate you get a degree thing. Until now. Bring on the degree baby!

My student teaching wrapped up wonderfully. Yesterday was my last day. They had a “suprise” party for me in the afternoon. I say “surpise” in quotes because do you know how hard it is for 7 and 8 year olds to keep a secret? Yeah, it’s not the easiest thing. They spilled the beans. Multiple times. Each time I just pretended not to hear.

So my cooperating teacher announced in the afternoon that we were going to have a little celebration for me. She had each of the kids come up and give me the cards they were supposed to make at home or a hug. I love hugs.

They wrote the cutest little things in their cards. Here is a sampling:

“I hope you have fun at your new job. You was a nice teacher. Love you.”

“Thanks for being the best teacher. I will miss you. I will miss you. I will miss you.”

“Dear Ms. R. I do not want you to leave. I will miss you so much.”

“Dear Ms. R. Thank you being the best assistant (they got student teaching/assistant confused all the time) teacher ever. p.s. I hope you have a class when you leave.”

“You are funny, nice, proactive (big word for a second grader!) and you always had lots of patience (so not true!). Congratulations for graduating college. We will all miss you a lot! (a lot was underlined three times)

“Dear Ms. R. Thank you for teaching us. I liked when you teached us frackshens (fractions, and my teacher’s heart skipped a beat – I actually taught them something! woo hoo!!!) I will really miss you. I hope you come to my school next year.”

“Ms. R Please don’t leave. If you leave, I’ll miss you.”

Got any tears yet? Those kids are the SWEETEST children ever. I love them.

They also gave me some books for my classroom and some classroom supplies. I love these things as they are so practical and useful. And when I use them in my own classroom hopefully someday soon I will be able to remember the awesome kids that gave them to me.

So all in all I was sad to leave yesterday. But still excited. And feeling a sense of accomplishment.

I know that at this point, all of you dear readers are going to ask the question.

“What is next for you?” “Do you have a job yet?”

1. I don’t know.

2. I have no job.

Phew. Okay, that’s off my chest.

No seriously I really have no clue what I am doing. I want to be a teacher. I want my own classroom and to teach little boogers all day.

But, in case you haven’t heard, the economy is REALLY bad right now. Bad to the point that teachers were I live are receiving a pay cut and teachers on terminating contracts (including some of my first year teacher friends) are not guaranteed jobs for next year.

So I’m looking. I’m e-mailing my resume whenever I see an opening. And I’m waiting. Just about most of the places I am interested in are on a hiring freeze so they can’t hire anyone anyways until July at the earliest.

And I’m doing a lot of praying. And a lot of thanking God. Because it could be a lot worse. I have a place to live for free and I have food to eat. I won’t be homeless and I won’t starve.

The only plans I have are that for the summer I will try to get as many babysitting jobs as possible so that I can save up.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 🙂