Have you ever had several crummy days in a row? I have.
In fact this week has been a crummy week. My students are
utterly exhausted. On Monday and Tuesday, at any given point there was at least
one person sleeping (sometimes about half of the class was asleep). I was
trying everything I knew possible to keep them awake (including teaching them
the Moose song from Camp AJ).
At one point I had woke up a student. I
was standing directly beside her saying, “Draw a square here, label the building.” I was motioning with my
finger on their paper the task they needed to do. Her eyes were heavy and she
kept falling asleep before I could say the word 'building'. So I’d nudge her
awake and we try yet another time.
Needless to say, I’ve been getting worn
out. I’ve shed tears of desperation, “Father, help me to teach these students.
Help me to be gracious. They need rest Father. Help them to get rest.” I feel
disrespected when half the class is sleeping and the other half won’t listen.
Yesterday, I was about in tears in the classroom. Some more alert students saw
the look on my face and notice that something is wrong with Miss Lora. We had a
heart-to-heart moment as a class. After that, I could tell they were trying to
give the class their all, but they are exhausted. (The freshmen are required to
do exercises at 5:30 or 6:00 am each morning and are required to be in the
classroom studying until about 7:30 pm. Often they will stay up until 11:00 pm
or later studying.)
Today, I decided as a
last ditch effort to have something positive in the day to visit the mail room
to see if perhaps something had arrived for me. When I walked in, the mail lady said "San ge" (meaning three packages). It took me a
moment to realize what she was telling me as she motioned for me to come look
at the packages.
The first package she showed was for someone named Ann (I
don't know an Ann at our school).
The second was for me!
I think I squealed and
jogged in place a bit with excitement (picture a child on Christmas day
discovering a gift for them under a tree). The mail woman didn't even ask for ID. I'm pretty sure she could tell by my change in countenance that the
package sent from America had found it's way into the hands of a girl who
really needed it.
Thank you!
Thank you to those
who packaged and sent gifts to me. It was exactly what I needed today as a
reminder from Papa that He does in fact see us. He feels our tiredness when
things are wearing us out. The Kleenexes, flash drive, CDs, pans and all the other
goodies were such a wonderful gift. I'm literally crying out of thankfulness.
Matt. 10: 29-31 -- This passage was shared at a fellowship on Sunday. His eye is on the sparrow!
However, I must go now. I've just been told I must be ready for a banquet in 5
minutes or less (we knew there was a banquet tonight, but we thought the time
of departure was one hour from now)! Here's to flexibility!
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