To Teach or Not to Teach

I've been asked this many times by students and friends. Some think it is a good career choice because it will fit into their mom schedule, others because it's the only profession they are familiar with because of school. Then there those who think they know more than everyone and want to make others feel inferior. Most importantly there is the majority: those that truly love students and the subject they teach. I do believe that is the majority and by that I mean at least 99%. Why? The others quit the first few years so they don't last long.

It's months like this one that i know I am in the latter group. I have had people bash me behind my back, things stolen from my office and today I found a very important object tore apart in my office. It is the student you show hard love and discipline to that do these things. those are the ones you teach for. Of course I adore my easy learners, my passionate musicians, and those with great work ethic, but teaching is more than that. So many students are going into the real world with a spoiled attitude or without hope. Without hope means they go on defeated before they even start their adult life. Those are the students I work for. If I could fill one student with hope, then I could have no greater reward. Sound cheesy to most of ya huh? Lol. It still doesn't take away from the hurt of stolen and broken stuff. I'm human but it does keep me going.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom

Freedom was the perfect topic for yesterday's sermon.  Freedom is what we must first obtain for God's spirit to flow freely in our lives.  I was just talking to Jason about that on Wednesday night.  I have always had a very easy relationship with God because of my openness emotionally.  My gift of discernment & worship also help in that, but if I have anger or unforgivingness I do not have the freedom God needs to use those gifts.  Last time we lived in Franklin, I was still healing from my previous relationship.  No matter how hard I tried or prayed I could not forgive him for what he had done to us.  Forgiveness to me was saying what he did to us was okay.  After some time I slowly forgave him and just in time.  I was able to resolve my anger and I am very thankful.  My life started changing during that forgiveness and I became the person I was before, but with more love and thankfulness for the love I share with Jason.  The key was freedom.  Me holding on to past anger kept me from the intimacy I had always had with God, which choked the freedom God needed to flow through me.  That five year period of my life was one of the most lonely.  Not because I was alone, but because I knew that spirit-flowing relationship with God and I had separated myself from it voluntarily because of my circumstances.  We only hurt ourselves when we set up barriers.